《Emperor of Steel》 Chapter 1 The head Kung! Thud! Swoosh! Wheeeing! In the wilderness overlooking the humongous castle, there was a grey-robed wizard, and a knight clad in golden armor. As the dark energy rose from the hand of the wizard, red lava rose from the ground. The lava streams, which seemed like giant snakes, wished to get stuck to the knight like a whip. But the knight who was spewing a golden aura gave rise to an illusion of an angel with a shield who appeared in the air to prevent the lava from getting close. No, the knight didn¡¯t stop by just blocking it. The knight took an offensive stance in a second and was ready with his sharp and shining sword, which he wanted to drive into the wizard. ¡®This!¡¯ Puck-! The wizard who was trying to stop the knight got pushed back by the golden-armored knight¡¯s attack. The knight¡¯s sword was dripping with blood. ¡°Die, Devil Saymon!¡± At the shout from the knight, the grey-robed wizard, Saymon, ground his teeth. With all his strength, he tried to block the knight¡¯s incoming sword and asked, ¡°Devil? Are you saying that this body belongs to the Devil?¡± ¡°Yes, I am! The city and estates are filled with that filthy dark magic of yours! How can one cause such a commotion if not the devil!?¡± Saymon was astounded and couldn¡¯t respond to him. The words from the knight were indeed true. Saymon was the wizard in the 9th circle. And just as he had said, with the use of dark magic, he managed to take down two kingdoms and an estate. However, apart from the facts that the knight just spoke of, there was another thing that had to be taken into consideration. The things that Saymon took down were the nobilities that stood in front of him and the vested interests which were like parasitic to him. And as for the innocent people, he hadn¡¯t laid a finger on the ones who knew nothing. On top of that, those who surrendered were saved. And that wasn¡¯t all. He also saved those people who were being kept captive by humans and living their lives like slaves. Which was why other people from a different race called him the ¡®Dark Sage¡¯ and the ¡®Liberator Fairy¡¯. But the knight decided to turn away from the truth. Technically, the truth was distorted. ¡°Keuk, you¡¯ll see and hear the stars as you live.¡± At the laugh of the knight, Saymon spoke again, ¡°Rakan, what did I do wrong? Was it wrong for me to take revenge on those who feed off of good people and suck our country dry?¡± Tears filled the eyes of Saymon as he spoke. ¡°If you had eyes, you would have seen it too; you could¡¯ve heard it too. It is the royals who destroy the lands with their greed, harmed the good people and enslave the half-breed tribes. Aren¡¯t they the true devils!?¡± Nevertheless, Rakan firmly shook his head. ¡°No, they are different from you¡ªthe one who decided to mess up the whole world with evil dark magic!¡± ¡°Kukk, different you say? Okay, they are different. I at least didn¡¯t live like a lamb that followed the words of God and bite the weak like a wild dog.¡± ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t even try to deceive me with that desire overflowing tongue of yours!¡± ¡°You stupid one! You have already been deceived! By the wild dogs which overlaid a sheepskin on them!¡± Saymon was building up magi. Darkness was storming at his fingertips. With teary eyes. The tears which he thought had long dried were forming once again as he thought of the grief and the unsettled anger that he could never erase from his thoughts. * * * 20 years ago. Saymon was an ordinary wizard of Veritas Magic Tower. There was not supposed to be an outstanding mana absorption for the poor commoners. As he was in a Magic Tower with a status he wasn¡¯t supposed to possess, the others had always been angry at him and despised him. And naturally, he had to take the dirtiest work in the Magic Tower. But he endured it all with a lot of hard work. All the ingenious ideas and the papers he worked hard on were taken away by the senior wizards and elders. Nevertheless, not once had he ever complained about it. ¡®As long as she is here¡­ as long as she looks at me and be with me. I can bear the weight of the world!¡¯ For the beloved woman that he loved. Only for her. He could forget the pain of the past, be happy in the present, and dream of a better future. But they¡­ Those greedy wizards and the ravenous aristocrats that move alongside them took her away. The one human who was precious to Saymon. And that¡­ was something he could never forgive¡­ Their evil deeds had driven her to death. Saymon was filled with rage. He had lost his reasoning and ran toward them. But¡­ he was incompetent. The power of a Circle 4 wizard was almost close to nothing. Eventually, he was asked to abandon the Magic Circle and was kicked out of the Magic Tower. Saymon had lost everything. Powerless, lifeless and with no loved ones. Yet Saymon wanted to live. He created another reason to live. Revenge. He burned away everything and raised himself up to live a life where only black ashes would remain. ¡®If you guys look up to God, then I¡¯ll just have to hold the hand of the Devil!¡¯ Saymon, who had grudges till the deepest parts of his bones, returned to them with the power of darkness. With a legion of Black Golems that trampled and swept everything away. * * * ¡°Get lost, Rakan! I have nothing I want to see from a guy like you!¡± ¡°Keuuk!¡± The dark storm that was formed and surrounded by a circle of magic swept away Rakan. A magic circle that was full of complex symbols and formulas burning with blood. Soon the magic circle began to radiate luminescence. And finally, the circle revealed the golems. The summoned golems moved their fists at once in unison. One by one, they released an overwhelming attack with huge power. If in that place was the strongest monster, Twinhead Ogre, it would turn bloody too. However, Rakan was different. He was the Holy Knight, the ultimate knight of all, the Sword Emperor which had cut through all the giant golems in an instant with his Orichalcum sword that was overlaid with Hyper Aura. ¡°Take this! Saymon!¡± ¡®Kuk, this, this is¡­!¡¯ To go against the Hyper aura sword, Saymon had taken out the dark magic spearhead. Kukung-! Powerful shock waves and dust spread across as the collision kept happening between the two superheroes. The battle seemed to end in a draw. But soon the scale of victory and defeat began to form. Dark Ruin cracked as it came in contact with Rakan¡¯s sword. And with that. Puhk! ¡°Keuuk!¡± The heart of Saymon got pierced with the Orichalcum sword. Moving alongside the sword, blood began to pour out. Tremendous pain came along with the sacred power of magi purification. But Saymon hadn¡¯t fallen till the end. Holding onto the sword that just pierced through his heart, he looked at Rakan with rage and hatred. ¡°Keu, Rakan! You foolish man! I curse you and your bloodline!¡± Saymon, who was about to exhaust the last remaining embers of his life, cursed Rakan and his descendants. Saymon¡¯s blood which flowed toward Rakan¡¯s feet began to draw a bizarre pattern of magic. ¡°Wait¡­ and see! Your family will be as thin as a thread¡­ your kin will suffer all kinds of bad luck and diseases¡­ and you will be in agony as you helplessly watch!¡± All the hair on Saymon¡¯s body rose, and his wrinkled face turned into a Devil-like appearance. From his eyes were flowing out long dried tears. A figure that could make Rakan tremble and fear even in his dreams. But he soon tried to calm his restless heart. He pulled out his sword with a cold expression and ruthlessly slit Saymon¡¯s throat. Slack! Devil, the saga that was flowing under the name of the Devil¡¯s dark magic, had come to an end. Chapter 2 Neither the sky nor the land could be seen. There was a man who was wandering in the darkness that surrounded him. He was the warlock Saymon. ¡®Am I in purgatory?¡¯ Purgatory, a place that a human would arrive at for a while before going into the underworld. That was the first thought that entered Saymon¡¯s head. Darkness was a very familiar entity for him, who had learned dark magic. He was used to it but never seemed to like it. Above all that, he never thought that he would go to the afterlife without being able to take revenge. ¡®Dammit! This is all because of that Rakan bastard!¡¯ As he couldn¡¯t even take proper revenge, how could he look his beloved woman in the eyes? ¡®If I could only meet her after getting revenge, I would feel a little less burdened¡­¡¯ He sighed heavily without realizing it. His thought was of a good deed. In his struggle to get revenge, there were no unnecessary killings. He never laid hands on the powerless people. Surely he did learn dark magic, but it was just a means for him to get his revenge. Even when he was learning dark magic, he knew there was a line that he shouldn¡¯t cross. Warlocks had technically sold their souls to the devil. They offered sacrifices to summon the devil. However, Saymon was different. After summoning the devil with his blood, he fought the devil and gained power by depriving the devil of its power. And thus, unlike any other warlock out there, his soul and spirit weren¡¯t corrupted; no devil had encroached his soul. He was also able to unearth new truths about darkness and chaos like finding new constellations in the dark night sky. But a sin is a sin. He tried to keep his sins to a minimum, but the sin he did for harming a man with the sole reason for attaining revenge couldn¡¯t be erased. He thought it was worth the price, but¡­ ¡®Let¡¯s say that I couldn¡¯t get my revenge because of the weight of my sins. Then why are all those hypocrites still alive!?¡¯ The elder and the master who surrendered themselves, and the high royal who drove her to death. They weren¡¯t just alive; they also didn¡¯t pay for what they had done. He could only try to deceive himself by making lies about the dead and the injured ones. The greedy pigs and the sneaky wild dogs would be pleased as hell once they heard the news that Rakan had successfully killed him. ¡®Curse those beasts! Dammit, that Rakan!¡¯ Resentment and anger that wouldn¡¯t cooldown so easily filled Saymon. Those burning feelings were only strengthening Saymon¡¯s desire to live once again. ¡®If I get to live again, I will never forgive you!¡¯ His intense emotion and the desire for rebirth rose from deep within him. Finally, Saymon saw a small light in the darkness where he could only feel his emotions. ¡®That¡­!¡¯ Like a star shining in the night sky, Saymon moved in the direction of the faint light. The stronger his desire was, the quicker his feet moved along with the light at the end getting stronger. Shortly afterward, it turned out to be a door that was wrapped in bright light. Saymon opened the door. And he, with no speck of hesitation, was ready to go beyond. And¡­ * * * ¡®Kuk!¡¯ A bright ray of light stung his eyes. Saymon reflexively lifted his hand to cover the light and looked at the landscape that was surrounding him. He looked through a window which was letting in the warm sunshine. Little birds were twittering outside the window. A chandelier could be seen on the ceiling of the room that was filled with elegant furniture. It wasn¡¯t just the things that his eyes could perceive. He could also feel the soft and warm blanket at his fingertips; the cool air that came out whenever he exhaled. ¡®Am I not dead?¡¯ No, he definitely died in the hands of Rakan. He could still vividly feel the sword that went through his heart. It was after death that he wandered around the darkness and found the door that was engulfed with bright light; he opened the door and then exited the dark place. ¡®Wasn¡¯t there supposed to be an afterlife after that the door?¡¯ The sense of sight, hearing, and smell had returned to him. And those senses were telling him that he was alive. He couldn¡¯t sense the Black Circle of the 9 circle magic in his heart anymore, but the fact that he was stabbed in the heart was probably the reason why. And if there was something that filled his curiosity, it was¡­ ¡®Who saved me? Did anyone from the Darkness Magic Tower saved me?¡¯ Click! Wondering, he pulled on the blanket, and a sharp sound was heard. As he turned his head, he saw a girl with freckles opening the door. She looked like she was in her mid-teens, and that sharp sound came from the vase which broke since she dropped it. From her dress, it looked like she was a maid. And as Saymon was about to make a clarification, the girl suddenly went stiff and screamed. ¡°Ahhh! The Young Lord has woken up!¡± ¡®Keu!¡¯ Saymon frowned while blocking his ears. The scream of the freckled girl was pretty intense. The sound waves she was producing could even be mistaken for magic. Also, her scream wasn¡¯t the important thing. ¡®¡­ Young Lord? Me?¡¯ The girl was definitely looking at him. And on top of that, she was definitely screaming while looking at him. Saymon arranged his thoughts to understand the situation. But before that could happen. Kwang-! The doors of the bedroom were opened again and two people jumped in. An old man and a middle-aged man. When they saw that he was awake, they burst out of joy. ¡°Young Lord!¡± ¡°You are really awake!¡± As they were about to rush toward him, Saymon raised his hand and stopped them. ¡°Hold on! Are you the survivors of the Darkness Magic Tower?¡± Saymon wanted to confirm things immediately. If the Darkness Magic Tower was still there, then various possibilities would be open for him. But the answer which he heard was unexpected, and it made no sense. ¡°Sorry? Darkness Magic Tower? Young Lord, don¡¯t you know who I am?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. You saved me without knowing what a Darkness Magic Tower is? Who are you?¡± While the old man was flustered, the middle-aged priest shook his head from ear to ear. ¡°I think the impact from the accident is causing problems with the Young Lord¡¯s memory.¡± ¡°Oh, my¡­!¡± The old man looked rather sad. In the rarest cases, a severe shock to the head often resulted in the loss of one¡¯s memory, or their thoughts could be altered. The old man, who understood what the priestess was trying to say, looked at Saymon and began to explain calmly. ¡°I am Hans, the deacon of Viscount Rakan, and this here is Maron, the head priest of the estate. And Young Lord will be the Lord of this place, which is why we are calling you Young Lord.¡± ¡°Hold, hold on! What do you mean by noble?¡± Saymon doubted what he heard. The deacon¡¯s name or the name of the priest were words he had never heard of. There were just two things that had caught the attention of Saymon. The very name of the person which he heard before dying was the very name he had to hear after waking up! ¡°Rakan of Baroque Empire?¡± ¡°¡­ Rakan?¡± ¡°Yes, Young Lord! Remember something? The little lord, Luke de Rakan, the successor and lord of the estate of Rakan! You lost consciousness due to an accident, but I always believed that you would wake up Young Lord! And today finally¡­¡± The words of Hans continued, but only a few of them had entered Saymon¡¯s head. Baroque¡­ Rakan¡­ Viscount. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­ it isn¡¯t that, right?¡¯ That Holy Knight called Rakan, and the man who had pushed the knight to attack him was the Duke of Baroque, one of the supporters of the Iron Emperor. In the ¡®Baroque¡¯, that ¡®Rakan¡¯? Saymon knew that Rhodesia Continent had a ¡®Holy Artenia¡¯. And in no place of the kingdoms was a Viscount called Rakan. Saymon shook his head inside. ¡®Maybe they are trying to trick me. Calling me a Young Lord, a man over the age of 40¡­!¡¯ Saymon turned his head as he was lost in his thoughts. His eyes fluttered. There was a table mirror in place. And the image in the mirror was clearly a boy in his late teens and not a profound middle-aged warlock. ¡®This makes no sense¡­?¡¯ Saymon touched his face. And the boy in the mirror did the same. Confused, he pulled his cheek to see if it was a dream. And the boy in the mirror did the same. ¡®Huhu, for this¡­¡¯ It was almost like he was trying to escape from the reality that he was in. Somehow, Saymon was able to clarify something that he wasn¡¯t aware of. Wavy platinum hair, blue yet stubborn looking eyes. Dark eyebrows with a wide forehead, a stiff nose, tight thin lips, and so on. He looked rather sickly, but even then he seemed like a rather astonishing good-looker. After a while, from his mouth, a name had popped out. ¡°¡­ Ra¡­ Rakan!¡± ¡°Remember! Young Lord is the sole successor to the Rakan family.¡± ¡°You are the blood of the great warrior Rakan.¡± Hans and Maron quickly added an explanation thinking that their Young Lord had regained a little of his memory. But it was all like throwing in gun power to a burning house. ¡°Kyaaah!!¡± Fury and hatred burst out like a volcano in the whole room. ¡°Young Lord! Are you alright?¡± ¡°Where are you hurting?¡± As Saymon was trembling with fury, the two men were startled. Whether they were startled or not, Saymon just spoke. ¡°What is the date in the Holy Calender? 9849166899¡± Something was going on in his head. Soul Change. It was a dark magic that forcibly took away the body of a person by replacing the soul in it. If the warlocks had followed him, then they might have used the Soul Change on the descendent of Rakan to revive him. And with that hypothesis, Saymon had just one wish. ¡®This means that I could still take revenge¡­¡¯ And for that to happen, both Baroque and Rakan had to be alive. And for that, Saymon was hoping for the matter to not drag long. But¡­ ¡°Today is March 23 of 1532?¡± ¡°We are¡­ in the fifteen hundreds?¡± ¡°Yes. It has been five hundred years since your father Rakan had passed away.¡± Saymon was turning restless in those moments. He died in the year 1021. Which meant that 511 years had passed since his death. His enemies had long died and turned into dust. Only the bloodlines of their families would remain. But what would it mean if all the accusers had died? Should he take down their descendants? ¡°Ho, ho, Hu!¡± Saymon laughed for a second and then stopped. ¡°Go away.¡± ¡°Huh? What did you just say, Young Lord?¡± ¡°I said get out of my sight right away!¡± Crack! Saymon, who decided to give them a strong impression, threw the mirror to the floor. Hans and Maron, who were startled by their Young Lord¡¯s act, moved away from the sloppy bedroom. Nevertheless, Saymon, who wasn¡¯t free from his anger, threw the things which were in his hands. ¡°Keuu! Why¡­ why is this happening!?¡± The 9 Circle Warlock of Dark Magic called Saymon. Got resurrected in the body of Luke de Rakan¡¯s descendant. The Sword Emperor, who had done a bad deed to Saymon five hundred years ago. Chapter 3 ¡°I can¡¯t confirm it unless I verify it with my very own eyes.¡± Saymon who wasn¡¯t ready to believe the situation or the words of the two urged his servants to direct him to the royal library. Normally, the library contained a large collection of history books along with the genealogical records of the family. Arriving at the library, Saymon found two books from the bookshelf that occupied one side of the wall of the library. The Genealogy of Rakan Family. History of Rhodesia Continent. Srrk-! Opening the thick binding cover page of the family lineage book, he began to read through the family tree, the full-time achievements of the lords. As he saw the face of Rakan in the first part of the book, his eyes couldn¡¯t help but shine bright, and he couldn¡¯t help but admit to himself when he saw the platinum-curly haired boy appear in the last part of the book. The fact that he was in the body of an 18-year-old of Rakan¡¯s family. ¡°Sh*t!¡± He decided to change the book as he opened the history. 500 years back. The Baroque Duke was just a high-ranking noble of the Libiya kingdom during that time and was on the west of the continent. However, after gathering the noble who followed him, he usurped the throne and changed the name to ¡®Baroque Kingdom¡¯. And that was after ten years of Saymon¡¯s death. That despicable man and his descendants founded a new dynasty, waged wars of conquest and devoured all the surrounding nations. And at the end of the war, on the continent of Rhodesia, another empire was created which was on par with the Holy Arthenia Empire, which was the current Baroque Empire. ¡°Did the Baroque kingdom grow into an empire after getting help from the Veritas Magic Tower who developed the first puppet warriors called Gigant?¡± Saymon who was reading the History of Rhodesia Continent smiled. It was because the unfamiliar word of ¡®Gigant¡¯ was interesting and annoying. ¡®Is this some kind of a humanoid walker, a kind of golem maybe? Well, I need to learn about this a little later.¡¯ Most importantly, along with the success of the Baroque family, the Veritas Magic Tower had been victorious over all the years. They were currently the masters of new weapons named as Gigant and were standing twice as tall as the Imperial Magic Tower of the Arthenia Empire. ¡°Keuk, back in those days they weren¡¯t even in the top 10 magic towers of the whole continent¡­ did they excavate any ancient dungeon?¡± If they were developing a new warrior weapon called Gigant, then Saymon who was in their Magic Tower was bound to have known it. Perhaps, they managed to find an ancient dungeon after his death, and maybe in the dungeon, they came across a blueprint or the real thing itself. ¡®No, no way!¡¯ After completing his research, Saymon walked out of the library and down the hallway. It was because from the window he had seen a large castle. A very familiar giant structure built with black stones. Just to confirm it, Saymon has asked his servant, ¡°Hey, what is that castle out there?¡± ¡°That castle was the den of the Devil King whom the past lord had defeated. Young Lord, do you wish to see that?¡± ¡°Devil King?¡± ¡°The Devil King Saymon who was defeated by your ancestors. As he defeated the dark legion of the Devil, the past lord was praised highly as a warrior.¡± Deacon Hans judged that there was something wrong with the memory of the small lord, and he chose a talented loyalist who walks behind the small lord. He decided to give out a detailed explanation. ¡®I, I myself was called as the Devil King? And what? A legion of darkness?¡¯ Saymon was a pure human being. And there was no way he would summon devils and rob people of their power. But for the truth to be distorted in such a manner! The words of the servant continued and entered the ears of Saymon, the new content made him stiff. ¡°The Devil King Saymon¡¯s castle has turned into a tourist place to honor your ancestors after the death of the devil king. Every year, young men who dream of becoming knights go there, and the money they sow has become an important income for our Rakan estate.¡± In the struggle of revenge, under Saymon, along with the golems, a considerable number of men gathered too. Warlocks who admired him and had their own unique ways, the knights of those families who have been ruined or cast out by the higher nobles, those who have been oppressed by the chiefs. The ¡®Dark Sage¡¯s Haven¡¯, a place where their dreams and the hopes for the world to change, had been buried. His eyes began to get teary and filled with anger. ¡®For such a ridiculous situation to have happened¡­¡¯ Saymon clenched his fists out of anger, he tried to tone down his anger as he spoke to the servant, ¡°Go and get me some alcohol. As hard as possible.¡± ¡°Sorry? You want to drink alcohol?¡± Asked the servant with his eyes wide open. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You just woke up, and to drink alcohol, it isn¡¯t good for¡­¡± ¡°When I tell you to bring it, you bring it, what is the deal with you!¡± As Saymon shouted, the servant took a few steps back and moved away, after a while, he rushed back with some strong wine. Saymon took hold of the wine bottle and moved to the terrace which had a wide view. It almost seemed like he would go crazy at a certain moment if he wouldn¡¯t get himself drunk. ¡®It is definitely good to be revived instead of being dead, but why did it have to be the descendant of Rakan?!¡¯ Sighing heavily, Saymon tried to open the cork on the wine bottle. No matter how hard he tried to twist it, the cork just didn¡¯t bounce off. The body he had was so lacking. ¡°Do you want me to open it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Human beings were both wise and ignorant. After taking help from the servant to fulfill his desire, Saymon drank the bottle of wine. ¡®Sh*t, sh*t, the descendant of the warrior is so powerless.¡¯ Saymon quickly ended his grumbling. It was because he felt a strange wave in the body which was supposed to be the body of the descendant of the warrior Rakan. ¡®This, is this because of the dark magic curse?¡¯ The wave seemed to be thin as a thread and the presence of it in the body was very blurry, the existence of it was definite. But Saymon, a 9 circle warlock, could easily detect it. Although the dark circle disappeared, only the engravement on the soul was intact. ¡®It isn¡¯t detectable, but a quite tough and dangerous curse. Is that why the descendants of Rakan fell down like pins?¡¯ According to the genealogy study he did in the library, Rakan passed away at the age of 33, and his descendants didn¡¯t live long enough too. Although Rakan was the Sword Emperor, the descendants weren¡¯t even able to climb until the title of Sword Master, and they often suffered from sickness or a series of unfortunate accidents. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me, was it because of me?¡¯ He recalled the curse which he had placed on Rakan before his death. Warlocks, white wizards or the great wizards usually have a strong spiritual presence. Because of that, the curse at the time of death could have been completed. ¡®No, the dark circle was broken at that time. And what kind of curse was that?¡¯ Although he had succeeded in forming the magic circle, it was just designed in a manner where Rakan would have lifelong nightmares. Moreover, Saymon wasn¡¯t able to understand how the dark magic even associated with the curse he placed. No, he never learned them in the first place. The reason mainly because they were techniques that would corrupt the human soul. ¡®Was it the doing of another warlock?¡¯ The warlocks that Rakan killed weren¡¯t just one or two. Among the killed ones, there was the Darkness Magic Tower who followed Saymon and the others who pretended to be the servants of the Devil King and tried to take down the world. Maybe they were the ones who cursed Rakan. ¡®I do understand it¡­ but, why is everything so twisted?!¡¯ Crack! Frustrated, Saymon threw the half-full wine bottle. Even if he was revived as the descendent of Rakan, he was weak and on top of that, he was cursed! He wasn¡¯t able to even figure out how he was supposed to lead a life in the future. Should he just live as a Luke de Rakan? ¡°Huuu, damn that Rakan guy¡­¡± Saymon, who sighed, just left. He decided to think about what he was supposed to do after a good night¡¯s rest. Chapter 4 The next day, Saymon, no, rather Luke, wasn¡¯t able to get rid of his frustration. And as he walked in the garden for the purpose of cooling down his anger, he was about to move toward a crowd. One was the retainer specifically assigned to Rakan, and the personal butler Hans and the other was a fat young man with a haughty impression and the other escorts. Not having the nerve to do anything, they were moving in with a lot of disagreeing statements within them. ¡°I told you not to! Young Lord is still very sick!¡± ¡°Stop trying to avoid me. I won¡¯t believe it unless I witness it with my eyes¡­ oh, there you are.¡± The young man who found Luke seemed very glad. Almost like a beast who just found its prey. The young man who came in the direction pushed away from the retainer and approached Luke. ¡°My greetings. Young Lord?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± At the bothered look that was on Luke¡¯s face, the young man with a slight unpleasant look began to introduce himself. ¡°Did you not think of me? Terin, the manager of Alon Firm.¡± ¡°Firm? Should I really care for it?¡± Luke stared over at Hans the butler with carelessness registered in his eyes. Asking him to take care of it. But Terin was stubborn. ¡°Hmph, you need to care. Didn¡¯t young Lord take out 30,000 pesos for mine development last year? That payment is just a month away.¡± Terin pulled out a piece of paper for them to see. It was a loan deed. However, the blunt look on the face of Luke hadn¡¯t changed. The price of 30,000 pesos may be a very huge amount, but it wasn¡¯t such a matter because of the family that he belonged to. ¡°I was told that the manor was placed in for the collateral. If you find it hard to pay off the debts, won¡¯t they be taking another collateral?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Ask these retainers.¡± It sure was annoying, but the decision that Luke took was the right one. The parents of Luke had passed away early when he was still a minor, and the retainers were in charge of everything in the estate, from big to small. ¡°For the young Lord to say things like this, how can you? Will he be able to pay it within 20 days?¡± Terin asked the retainers and Hans. ¡°That, that is a little¡­¡± Cold sweat ran down the bald head of Dickson, who managed the matters of the estate. Terin raised his eyes and his voice even more. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take the collateral instead. It won¡¯t be much as it has been used, but for the time being, I¡¯m willing to consider it.¡± ¡°Tch, we¡¯ll if you want¡­¡± ¡°That can¡¯t happen!¡± A middle-aged man who gave a strong impression because of the breastplate on his uniform had opposed. He was the Chief Knight of Rakan, Roger. ¡°The estate has been in a hold by armed forces and Gigants for only 3 years, how can it be sold off? Will you bow your head in front of the neighboring estates?¡± The current, more than five hundred years after the death of Saymon, the greatness of estates were still represented by knights and armed forces and the number of expert-level operators. And when it came to the security of the estate, the Gigant forces were a necessity and not an option. ¡°Ah, okay. I won¡¯t be selling over the Gigants, so calm down.¡± At that time, another retainer looked for a solution and offered a suggestion. ¡°How about additional taxation?¡± ¡°Are you talking about things not knowing how people live? What do you plan on doing if the residents decide to move out?¡± The viscount of Rakan was the most remote province in the empire. Although the land is wide and large, it was mostly wasteland with a low population and small revenue created by the taxes. ¡°Then you should sell Gigant¡­¡± ¡°Well, No!¡± Sitting on a bench that was nearby, Luke was looking at the retainers. ¡®Huh, maybe I should look inside the house.¡¯ Luke was willing to take a look inside the house of Rakan who had killed him. At that time, Terin tried to talk with the retainers who were trying to solve stuff. ¡°People, if this and that don¡¯t work for you, how about doing this?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I would accept anything, either a Gigant or a mansion. But I don¡¯t want the family of great warriors to place their fingers in the matters of our financial firm.¡± Even if it was a little less, the name of the Rakan¡¯s knights still had a huge impact on the knights and those who wanted to become knights. Most knights dream of becoming one after hearing the legend of the knight who defeated the evil warlocks and the warriors who defeated devils. ¡°So, why don¡¯t you give me that?¡± ¡°That?¡± Everybody¡¯s eyes turned in the direction where Terin¡¯s finger was pointing at. A giant tower castle that stood tall on top of the hill which wasn¡¯t much far from the estate. That castle formerly was considered as the home of Saymon who was taken down by Rakan himself, called as the Devil King¡¯s Castle. ¡°Well, if it is the Devil¡­¡± ¡°There have been very few visitors lately.¡± ¡°Well, rather than giving out a mansion or Gigants, it surely is a hundred times better, that castle.¡± Except for Hans and a few other retainers, everyone thought that it was better to hand over the Devil King¡¯s castle. In addition, Terin added another remarkable statement, ¡°If you hand over the Devil King¡¯s castle and the nearby land to our firm, we will play an active role in developing it and in attracting tourists and sell goods related to it. And of course, in the process, we are willing to pay a fraction of that income, to boost the local economy¡­¡± And at that moment. ¡°Huh, this guy?!!¡± A loud shout from the most unexpected person invaded their ears. It was from the young Lord, Luke, with his face red from anger, who just grabbed the collar of Terin like he was about to hit his face. It was the soul of Saymon, the guy from the past who chose the path to darkness for the sole reason of taking revenge. Chapter 5 ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re talking about? How dare you talk about that, knowing where you are!¡± ¡°Kuek! For you to do this¡­¡± ¡°Young, young Lord, please calm down!¡± If the retainers were just a little late, then the nose of Terin would¡¯ve been flattened out by Luke¡¯s fist. That was the extent of rage Luke had. He didn¡¯t like the situation where he had to borrow the body of Rakan¡¯s descendant but to hear them all speak about selling the place where he and his followers resided! No, if it was just the place where blood had been spilled, he wouldn¡¯t have been so enraged. There were memories in that place which he could never forget. It wasn¡¯t like it was a half-crumbling looking castle. At that time, Saymon and her were the only ones who stayed together in the Devil King¡¯s Castle. And for those who had no idea of the memories that the place held, to speak out like that! ¡°Leave! I¡¯m going to cut open your stomach and pull your guts out!¡± ¡°Tch, please calm down, young Lord!¡± ¡°We are in the wrong, so please¡­¡± It was the first time for the retainers to see their young Lord so furious. And that too with a bloody statement that no cultured and well taught noble should have never spoken of. But on the other hand, they could understand it. It sure was a very unpleasant Devil King¡¯s Castle, but it was the place where his ancestors have achieved great names. And if such a place was asked to be sold off and not to expect that the family to be angry, then that person wouldn¡¯t have been a true descendant. It was different from the attitude of Luke, but the retainers had huge respect for the young Lord who had such a spirit. ¡°Keuk, how dare you do this to your creditor?! Do you wish to worsen the relationship with us?!¡± Terin with his cheeks red and eyes trembling asked, and Luke raised his voice even further. ¡°Aren¡¯t I just supposed to pay you back?!¡± ¡°Pay us back? You think you have the capability to do that?¡± Terin too has found out about that. The fact that the Viscount Rakan was the one in need, and that he lacked the ability to repay the debts. Which was why he thought about providing him with help from the estate and manors in exchange, well, the young Lord was known to be a quiet and not a hot-headed type! ¡°Oh yes, I¡¯ll pay you back. Was it 30,000 pesos, you said? I¡¯ll pay it in full, no in ten days with interest, so get out of my sight right away!¡± ¡°Huh! I¡¯ll see if such a thing is even possible to be done.¡± The words didn¡¯t go down, but Terin¡¯s heart was thumping as crazily as possible. The appearance of the young Lord wasn¡¯t just a bluff. The words from the lord got stuck in his heart like debris, and the eyes of the lord were glowing in fiery red, enough to burn away the soul he was looking into. ¡®Damn, for something like this to happen.¡¯ After going against Luke whom he seemed to not know, Terin walked out of the Burinake manor with his servants. ¡°You did well, young Lord.¡± Hans was worried about what was going to come in the future, but he was pleased to see the young Lord go out of his way for doing such a thing. ¡°But how do you plan on repaying the debt?¡± The finance officer Dixon asked with caution. There weren¡¯t much sources to make money, and it was an impossible task to raise a huge amount of 30,000 pesos even if everything was sold. 30,000 pesos. That was equivalent to 10,000 kilograms of 20 kilograms of wheat grains, or equivalent to a new warrior class Gigant. In a stale estate within ten days, and it wasn¡¯t the sum of the amount a boy who has just lost his memory due to an accident to his head could recover. ¡°Neither the Imperial bank or any other bank would lend you the money as we don¡¯t have the right collateral to place¡­¡± ¡°Silence! I¡¯ll be the one to handle it, so don¡¯t butt in.¡± The retainers left Luke alone at his orders. Regardless of the means, he was willing to protect the place where he had made memories with her. Chapter 6 Luke instructed the administrators to bring in all the documents along with the documented assets and the expenditure of the estates. He looked at the documents one after the other with a distorted expression. ¡°This is shit. We are on the verge of bankruptcy!¡± The account books which recorded the income and expenses of the estate wasn¡¯t so bad. The money was borrowed and then paid back, and it was good enough to the extent of never ruining the nobility they had. ¡°The ever bright bloodline of the warrior family who had struck down the Devil King has no hidden legends or treasures.¡± No matter how hard he tried, he could not find even a drop of the warrior family¡¯s assets. At the same time, the extra funds that were placed for the operating expenses of the permanent residence and the maintenance of the permanent residence were to a bare minimum, almost less than a hundredth of the 30,000 pesos that he had to pay. ¡°Is this really the family of a legendary warrior? Even a goblin who¡¯s just passing by will laugh at them.¡± From what he had learned on the genealogy after Rakan killed him, Rakan was given the title of Marquis and the vast territory in the southernmost part of the Libiya Kingdom. Considering the fact that Rakan¡¯s family was one of the lowest within nobles, the upgrade in his status could be considered a great success. However, it didn¡¯t seem like this scenario would last long. The ambitious Baroque Duke rebelled. Rakan, who couldn¡¯t tolerate the rebellion and injustice fought against him, but as he was suffering from an incurable disease at that time, he was defeated. Baroque couldn¡¯t execute Rakan since he was a renowned knight in the entire continent during that time. Which was why he decided to relegate the title of Rakan to a lowly one and deprived them of the territory they held to the fringes of the Devil King¡¯s castle. When this happened, Rakan became depressed and reportedly passed away a year later. And so the later generation began to think that Rakan had been cursed by the Devil King himself. ¡®So you killed me after hearing the words of the same men?¡¯ Looking outside the window, Luke asked himself as he saw the statue of Rakan which was standing tall in the garden. The statue of Rakan was sparkling gold and had a great pose, but it said nothing. That statue was called a memorial built by the youngest of his grandfathers 50 years ago. The descendants of Rakan, including Rakan, struggled to make their family recover. But of course, most of his descendants suffered from sickness and succumbed from it, or went to war and never came back. And so, rather than prospering, the family barely managed to preserve their heritage, and their manors and estates continued to deteriorate. And the most adverse effect was in Luke¡¯s generation. In the midst of all those crises, Luke, a seventeen-year-old boy, tried to somehow develop and revitalize the family name. He had gone through numerous books and found ways to develop the estates. Despite the weak body he possessed, he took on a sword and learned the martial arts of his ancestors. Not long ago, he tried to control a Gigant but had an accident due to engine congestion. He was declared brain dead due to Mana reflux, but he somehow regained his consciousness after a day. ¡®No, he was definitely dead, and that was why my soul could enter his body.¡¯ Saymon just sighed as he recollected the genealogy and the stories he heard from the servants. He was feeling regretful about what happened to Luke. Rakan was his object of resentment, he couldn¡¯t have such feelings to his descendant Luke. Luke was just a poor boy who was getting crushed by the fading glory of his ancestors and took on the burdensome responsibility of reviving his family¡¯s glory even though he could have chosen to live easily. Nevertheless, instead of resenting his destiny, the boy was sincere enough to try and fulfill his responsibilities as a temporary titleholder. ¡®And it¡¯s not like he was just somebody else. I wasn¡¯t an orphan and a suffering child, and we have the same childhood name.¡¯ Saymon¡¯s original name was Luke. But the teacher who was teaching him magic told him that his name didn¡¯t sound like a name that a warlock was supposed to have and gave him a new name after an old sage. ¡°That is true, but, isn¡¯t there any kind of treasure or money of some sort hidden in the house?¡± There was no way for such things to not be in the house of nobles. The estate was in a difficult situation because of the tributes and taxes which were being sent to the king who was filling his stomach by sucking up the blood of the people from all the regions. However, the family of Rakan was the kind of noble which was poverty-stricken, only a few of the nobles belonged to that category. If a knight with a sense of justice came across them, they would shout ¡®The family of the brave warrior¡¯, and Luke too would have shouted those words out loud. ¡°What a mess. He should have at least have the money to look after the house!¡± What was worse was that Rakan had completely ruined all the treasure and military funds that were in the vault of the Devil King¡¯s Castle. Although he had used them to suppress the ambitions of the rebels, Luke didn¡¯t seem to be impressed with his actions. If only that money was left behind, then things wouldn¡¯t turn into such a mess. ¡°All because of that thoughtless stupid Rakan¡­ Phew, this can¡¯t be. I need to calm myself down. Once I calm myself down something good will pop into my head.¡± Even though he was trying to calm down, the situation was too hectic to stay calm. Being revived into a young body seemed to have made him be filled with rage. Rage which he never had trouble controlling in the days he was referred to as the Devil King. The situation seemed too dire. The situation was surely exciting, but that wasn¡¯t going to change the annoying reality that he was stuck in. He had no work. ¡°No matter what it is, I¡¯ll have to go somewhere or call someone¡­¡± The amount on the paper was now short of 30,000 pesos. ¡°I¡¯m going to sell off one Gigant or something¡­ ah!¡± Thinking about the Gigant, Luke jumped up from his seat. Things that could be used for money just struck his mind. Luke, who looked to his side, had a sneaky smile on his lips. ¡°Yeah! Those things can be of use!¡± Chapter 7 The next day, Maron approached Hans after the morning prayer and asked with anxiousness written on his face. ¡°Young Lord has stated that he was going to take care of it¡­ but, what kind of way is even there for it to be solved?¡± The butler Hans sighed and shook his head. ¡°How would I know?¡± ¡°Maybe there is a secret slush fund that is going to come down to him from the family?¡± ¡°If there was such a thing, he would have already used it.¡± The Viscount Rakan was a very poor estate. Most of the land was wasteland and farming couldn¡¯t be done. It was located on the outskirts of the empire, and as the transportation was inconvenient, commerce didn¡¯t develop well either. The land had no mines or any other boons. The tourist attraction¡ªthe Devil King¡¯s Castle¡ªwas the only thing that brought in money through food stalls and lodgings. And that was why Rakan¡¯s land was constantly running low on money. The training that the soldiers were supposed to have was reduced and the cracked and unpainted residences were left for decades. ¡°If so, then paying the debts would have been possible, right?¡± The Alon Firm was quite famous for the business they did with their money. If the principal and the interest payments were delayed even by a little, they would run in for a foreclosure. It wasn¡¯t just one or two people who would shed blood, sweat, and tears if their wealth was taken away from them. Nevertheless, the reason for everyone to go ask for money at Alon was because there were no other places that were willing to lend them money, especially for Rakan, which went downhill for 500 years. ¡°Why didn¡¯t he just have the guts to say that he didn¡¯t have the money to pay back?¡± Hans shook his head with a dark face at the unaffected words of Maron. ¡°The Alon Firm is said to have the Imperial Magic Tower having their back. And the estates who plan on going against them always end up disappearing.¡± In addition to their financial power, that great Magic Tower had more than just a great lord, which included his own mercenaries. And if they go against such people, they won¡¯t be able to even survive for a year. ¡°Ha! Should have just sold the Gigant! How hard can they be to sell? Why the hell would he want to develop a mine¡­¡± ¡°Maybe he did it to not fail? But maybe it was out of reach for us.¡± Hans was on the side of the retainers who wanted to develop mines. Suddenly a servant opened the room. ¡°Something huge has happened, Mr. butler!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The¡­ the statue of the ancestor in the garden is gone!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Hans began to move swiftly out of shock. A two-meter statue that depicted the great Rakan¡¯s win over the Devil king, a symbol of their family. That very symbol was gone! Hans, who had just received the news, called the other servants and the soldiers to find out the whereabouts of the statue. He had no idea what kind of person had decided to steal that thing, but Hans had no intention of letting it go. However, the next piece of information, which came in, shocked him. ¡°It has been stated that the Young Lord took it with him in a cart along with his designated driver Philip.¡± ¡°What the hell is he doing¡­!?¡± In the past, it was stated that around a ton of bronze and a little bit of gold were used to make statues. But even after selling that, it wouldn¡¯t bring in enough money to pay back their loan of 30,000 pesos. The statue wasn¡¯t made by a famous artist nor some kind of an old antique. ¡®Why would he even take that statue!?¡¯ Hans, who couldn¡¯t comprehend his Young Lord¡¯s thoughts, shook his head and gave orders to the others. ¡°Call out for people and find the young lord!¡± Whatever the reason was, it meant nothing since the statue was a symbol of the family. And he wasn¡¯t going to let a young boy, who woke up not long ago after being sick in bed for a long time, decide its fate. * * * ¡®Hmm, who could be talking about me?¡¯ Luke, who was in the wagon, laughed as his ear felt tickly. The designated knight Philip, who was seated next to him, sighed. ¡°Young Lord, how can you even laugh now?¡± ¡°Why are you so worried?¡± ¡°Obviously, I¡¯m going to be worried! Stealing this statue, the symbol of the family¡­ aren¡¯t you even a bit afraid of the repercussions?¡± ¡°They are not going to kill me because of this, right? If I die, the whole family of Rakan will be ruined.¡± Even though he didn¡¯t do it, for a second, he was engulfed with the temptation to commit suicide. He thought that that would be a great way to destroy Rakan¡¯s family since they ruined his quest for revenge. But the act of suicide wasn¡¯t going to give him any benefit. In addition, in order to keep the nostalgic memories alive, he had to pay back the debt. ¡°Lord, you¡¯re only going to get to listen to an endless nagging. But me? I might get killed for not stopping you, Young Lord!¡± The 26-year-old Philip was a distant relative of the Knight General, Rogers, from the Ecliptic Military academy. Since he was young, he was comparatively good, which was why he was the designated knight to the Young Lord. ¡°It¡¯ll be alright. I¡¯ll bear the responsibility and won¡¯t let you die.¡± ¡°Ehee, believing that is like believing cheese is made out of beans.¡± ¡®This guy is such a scaredy-cat.¡¯ Even then, Luke liked Philip. If it was any other knight, instead of helping out, they would have spread out the word everywhere. ¡°Anyway, if that statue is sold off, can you really raise 30,000 pesos?¡± ¡°Yeah, just believe me.¡± ¡°Then please explain it to me more specifically!¡± The knight wasn¡¯t sure how Luke was going to get 30,000 pesos for such a statue, but he did hear the rumors. That if they couldn¡¯t pay the 30,000 pesos they owe from the Alon Firm, then they¡¯ll have to sell off the Gigant. ¡®Selling the Gigant is like selling the armed forces that protected the estate, which meant that there won¡¯t be any reason to keep the knights. In the worst-case scenario, I can be unemployed or turn into a rogue mercenary.¡¯ The sympathy that Philip had for Luke¡¯s brutal decision was based on what he thought. ¡°To be specific¡­ I¡¯m going to sell off the statue and then gamble.¡± ¡°Gamble? Where do you plan on investing it?¡± ¡°I literally meant gambling and not investing. Maybe you don¡¯t go to the gamble houses much.¡± ¡®Euhhh! You are! Oh my God!¡¯ Philip cried inside and almost teared up. He believed the words and the tone of the Young Lord and thought that he was going to be more mature than he used to be, but he was just going to do another reckless thing! Maybe that accident had something to do with whatever the Young Lord was doing now. ¡°Sir, how about we stop ourselves from doing such a thing?¡± ¡°The dice have been thrown; the dragons are on my back.¡± ¡®Then would you please be kind enough and get me out of this mess?¡¯ Philip didn¡¯t want to be a part of any of his Young Lord¡¯s crazy plans, but he couldn¡¯t go against it either. If he left the Young Lord there, then it was like abandoning his job of being a designated knight. Chapter 8 After arriving at the destination, the two of them rode in a straight path. After a three day travel, they were finally able to reach Lamer, a port city downstream of the Neir River by dusk. Lamer, with a population of 200,000 was the second most prosperous commercial city in the Southern Empire. ¡®Sure is amazing. The suspicious little fish village has changed into this.¡¯ Luke, who had witnessed the development of Lamer, immediately moved towards the nearest blacksmith. ¡°You want to sell that statue?¡± The blacksmith who was working in full swing asked him. ¡°Yes.¡± At the response of Luke¡¯s, the blacksmith took a close look at the statue and put two fingers. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too cheap to even find anything to eat?¡± Luke hadn¡¯t traveled three days by boat to just play around the games. He had conversed with Philip and about the merchant possibly offered prices of the object and the prices of the empire. ¡°Because the price of a fortress bronze drops a lot. It costs us a fair amount of money to melt them and then recycle the statues.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t the outside a gold plating?¡± ¡°That is why I¡¯m willing to give 2,000 pesos. If it wasn¡¯t for the gold, it would have been less than 1,000 pesos.¡± ¡°I see. Then I guess we¡¯ll try to go somewhere else.¡± Right when Luke was about to step out of the blacksmith¡¯s forge, the blacksmith held up his arm. ¡°Do you think that you¡¯ll be getting more if you go to some other place? Okay then, I¡¯ll give you 50 pesos more.¡± ¡°Put those horses and carts aside, I¡¯ll give you 2,500 pesos.¡± ¡°Well! How many carts and horses do we have?¡± After a squabble between Luke and the blacksmith, another 300 pesos were earned. And as he was moving to the next destination. Koork-! There was a loud noise coming from the stomach of Philip¡¯s. Scratching his head with a little embarrassment Philip smiled. ¡°Ahhaha, the beef jerky I had for lunch was too less.¡± As they were supposed to get out of the mansion, he wasn¡¯t able to grab much food. Which was why he decided to end the meal with beef jerky and biscuits, but it wasn¡¯t enough for the sturdy knight. ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t so urgent so how about we have something? Since we have a little money, let¡¯s eat something nice.¡± Thinking about what he had to do with the pesos that he had in his hand, Luke head in the direction of the many lined restaurants. The two people visited a four star luxurious restaurant located in the center of the mall. ¡®How much could have the food culture changed for just 500 years?¡¯ Since a lot of time had passed, there bound to be a few developments. Luke, sitting by the window, looked at the menu which was handed by a beautifully dressed waitress and asked for some delicious food. And Philips was the one who was the most excited. Even if he was a knight, his salary was very limited which made it near to impossible for him to have tasted high-quality food, his mouth was just wide from shock. ¡°¡­ and what would you like?¡± ¡°Young Lord, the 1,500 Bordeaux wine is coming for a good price.¡± ¡°Fine, let¡¯s take that then.¡± Followed by the advice from Philip, the order was placed. After a while, the dishes which had been ordered began to appear one after the other. At first was the soup and the salad, followed by the roasted fish with sauce, goose liver with truffles and a slightly rare cooked steak. Philip, who had a rather big appetite began to dig in, but Luke, who wanted to taste a lot more took only one or two mouthfuls. But later he ignored his wish and ate some more. The chocolate cake came in for the dessert. ¡°Wow, this is delicious. I feel like the strength in me is rising.¡± ¡°Chocolate was originally used as a medicinal tonic in the southern continent. And the raw cocoa seeds were used as money.¡± ¡®The southern continent¡­ did your skills of navigation develop far enough to buy any goods?¡¯ The ocean that lied on the southern side of Rhodesia was rough enough to be called as the ¡®Sea of Storms¡¯. In addition, there were huge marine monsters such as Serpent and as well as Kraken which was tough to get away from in the past. It was known that there were continent across the sea, all thanks to the voyages of some brave sailors. However, with the development of engineering over 500 years, humans have actively pioneered the development of larger ships and superior weapons. The development had opened the South Seas route, allowing the movement from the southern continent to the Rhodesia continent. Which was why a small fishing village of Lamer had developed into a large port city. ¡°Phew, it was delicious.¡± ¡°Thanks to the young lord, I was able to have a hearty meal after a long time.¡± It was just as tasty as it was expensive. Compared to the food from 500 years ago, the ingredients were much more diverse, and the method of cooking was much better. The development was particularly remarkable, and that made Luke to often go there and have fun. Luke enjoyed the gourmet meal and left the restaurant. Right then, as they tried to move, children flocked towards them like bees. ¡°Please just give me a dime!¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry, I just want to buy one piece of bread.¡± ¡°These people, you aren¡¯t going to move away?¡± Philip had yelled at the children who were begging. And got rebuked by Luke, ¡°Don¡¯t act rough. What if one of the kids gets hurt?¡± ¡°But young lord¡­¡± ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll give you this, so go and have something.¡± Reminiscent of the long-time miserable memory of his orphan times, Luke had given the clinging children the change he had received from the restaurant. All the children bowed and thanked him again and again. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°You will surely be blessed!¡± ¡®Huhu, sweet kids.¡¯ Right when Luke was smiling with a light heart. Bleep?! He suddenly heard the sharp whistle from a soldier who appeared on the street wearing a blue uniform. ¡°Those dirty rats! Run away right now!¡± As the words fell from the mouth of the captain, all the other security soldiers rushed over to the children swinging their clubs and kicking them. ¡°You brats! Didn¡¯t I tell you all to not snoop downtown?!¡± ¡°Ahh! I¡¯m sorry, we did a mistake, please let us be!¡± ¡°We are constantly nagged because of you guys!¡± The street was filled with the swearing of the soldiers and the painful screams of the bleeding children. Luke was enraged. Philip¡¯s act of just pushing the children back was nothing when compared to what the soldiers were doing. ¡®Those cruel bastards!¡¯ ¡°Young, young Lord!¡± But before Philip could even complete his words, Luke had pulled out his sword and put it on the neck of the captain. ¡°This man! What do you think you are doing to these pitiful kids?!¡± ¡°What? Which bastard is this¡­?!¡± The captain was annoyed but taken aback. If he had be been a commoner, he would have asked for the execution for hindering his duties. But the boy who was looking into his eyes was completely styled as a noble, both voice and style. ¡®Well, why would a noble kid want to step into this mess¡­?¡¯ The captain of the magistrate, a native of Hyangsa, was annoyed to himself. If he was going to pick a fight with the nobles, then the troubles would just grow. Which was why he decided to open his mouth and convince the boy in front of him. And from behind the people, a sharp and majestic voice reverberated. Chapter 9 ¡°Stop all of this!¡± A pretty voice stopped the behavior of the soldiers. To the front of the soldiers had come in a girl, whose voice had ceased their actions. An angry face which didn¡¯t go well with the nice dress she was wearing. Luke was kinda surprised to see her. It wasn¡¯t because of some bright elegance that she displayed, nor because of the beauty that she was. ¡®Katarina?!¡¯ She was someone very familiar to Luke. 500 years ago, the time when Luke was in the Veritas Magic Tower. There he had met a woman, Her name was Katarina Angelo. A 2 circle wizard, who was brought in for apprentice. She, being born as an illegitimate child of a noble, fell in love with Luke not long after meeting him. The two had traveled together on vacations, and in that duration, they found a dark magic book in the ancient ruins. And the two wizards resealed the dark magic. What mattered to the couple was the journey and not the taboo of coming across dark magic. They had a very simple dream. To get married someday, leave the magic tower behind, and open a small magic shop in a small city to live like a normal person, it sure was a small wish but it was their hope. But¡­ ¡®Those greedy beasts didn¡¯t let her go.¡¯ Even with any kind of shabby clothes, Katarina would still radiate beauty. Which was why many people wanted to have dominance over her. The Baroque Duke, who was under the reign of the Libiya kingdom went to the magic tower just to have a look at her, the ambitious Meister Arsene offered Katarina a position to be the concubine of the Duke. Regardless of her opinion, Katarina was sold off to the Baroque Duke, and she eventually slit her throat before the wedding day. At that time, Luke who was asked to go to a distant province on the orders of the Magic Tower elder was lately informed of the news, and not long after he lost all reasons to move on. ¡®And I¡­¡¯ The person who Luke fell in love with in that past, her voice was heard once again. ¡°What are you doing to the kids who are so helpless? Aren¡¯t you ashamed of doing it despite being an adult?¡± ¡°That¡­ we were just following the orders¡­¡± The captain was embarrassed because of the girl who resembled Katarina. No matter how much of a noble she looked like, her actions weren¡¯t on the mark. ¡°Aren¡¯t there kids counted members by your Lord Count? If he really is the lord, he mustn¡¯t starve but rescue the poor!¡± ¡°That, that¡­¡± At the time when Luke was just witnessing the scenes, Philip spoke from behind, ¡°Seeing her in real life?¡± ¡°Do you know that woman?¡± Asked Luke turning his head. ¡°Is young lord interested in her too? Surely, how can any man not be interested in such a beauty?¡± And then Philip began to explain about that woman, ¡°This is my first time to see her in person. But I have heard of a few rumors. That a beautiful priestess lived in Lamer city.¡± ¡°Priestess?¡± ¡°Not like literally, but just to describe her.¡± ¡®Thank goodness.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure why, but Luke was glad when he heard that. ¡°Anyway, her name is Reina Petrovna Kirillov. She looks like a normal noble, but she isn¡¯t one. The princess of a country.¡± ¡°Princess? Then why is she here without any attendants?¡± ¡°Because that country is ruined.¡± Princess Reina was the only daughter of the current Volga Republic¡¯s last King Pyotr II of Volga kingdom. Until 15 years ago. In the kingdom of Volga, a revolution had broken out. Then later, King Pyotr II along with a few of his trusted men and several servants fled to the neighboring Baroque empire. ¡°In Lamer and a lot more, there are quite a few refuges of Volga who have migrated here and the empire too. And as people of exiles, they live their daily life by doing labor.¡± At first, funds were released for the exiled royal family. But as time went by and the giving hands changed, people began to move away from them. In the end, the lives of the refugees were turning into lives in poverty. ¡°Didn¡¯t the nobles or the empire help them?¡± ¡°Instead of helping, they thought of it as a disturbing factor. If the empire hadn¡¯t been given the right to be a dominant body over the Volga kingdom, it would have been long expelled.¡± Pyotr II, who couldn¡¯t forget the glory of the past, would visit the country whenever he had the time. Emperor Rudolf of the Baroque Empire insisted on the exiled royal family to move to Lamer and relax. ¡°Honestly he sent them here because it was annoying to have them there.¡± ¡°Yeah, seven years ago when the Baroque empire lost the war with Volga, all the chances for reviving the monarchy disappeared, and King Pyotr II died.¡± And as a result, all the exiled people decided to scatter away. Anyone would say that the exiled royal family will disappear into history. But princess Reina, the last lineage of the Kirillov, didn¡¯t plan on giving up until the end. She sold off the treasures as well as her royal belongings to distribute the food and daily necessities at free for the refugees and to provide them with jobs. Whenever she had time, she would visit the refugee camp and worked hard as a volunteer. ¡°The people of Lamer praise the princess as a priestess because she didn¡¯t just help the Volga refugees, but also the sick and poor of the empire. All those spread as rumors crossing the southern empire and she became a celebrity.¡± ¡®She still is the same.¡¯ He thought that she only looked similar to Katarina, but the character too went well. Katarina too couldn¡¯t help herself whenever she saw any poor people. ¡°Tell the Lord Count. If he wants the development of Lamer, then he¡¯ll have to look at the people living in it and not the outwards development.¡± While Luke was looking at all this stuff very closely, Reina managed to chase away the soldiers. And took care of the injured children. ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± ¡°It is fine. I am hurt less because of that brother.¡± The princess ripped off her dress and began to tie up the wounds on the children and looked away. As she approached, the heart of Luke was beating uncontrollably. But the moment the princess stood in front of him, not knowingly, he took a step back. ¡®This, this energy¡­?¡¯ It was like he was being overwhelmed by some unknown power like everything was disappearing. But when he tried to calm himself, all he could see was Princess Reina politely greeting him. ¡°Thank you so much for looking after the children.¡± ¡°Ah, it was nothing, I didn¡¯t do much.¡± Luke¡¯s hand went down as a sign of dignity. Right then, two old men ran over towards them. ¡°Princess! What are you doing here?¡± ¡°You need to go right away, or you¡¯ll be late for your evening plans with Andrey!¡± As the two servants approached her with screams, Reina looked up at the clock tower which was on the side of the street. ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s already time¡­ I need to go away now, but watch out for the scary uncles like that from next time, understand?¡± Princess Reina, waved her hand to the children and disappeared as she moved across the street with the elderly servants. Luke kept on staring until his eyes couldn¡¯t see her anymore. The appearance of Reina and the warm-hearted nature which very much represented Katarina couldn¡¯t be removed from his heart so easily. And¡­ ¡®What was that energy before?¡¯ Luke smiled while shaking his head. When the princess approached him a while ago, he felt some weird energy. Luke felt like a moment of great, deep and unfamiliar vitality of Mother Nature sort. ¡®But can humans be able to produce such kinds of energy?¡¯ According to the knowledge that he possessed, he knew that it wasn¡¯t a possibility. Which was why he shook his head. ¡®I must have been mistaken. Is it because my body has changed?¡¯ And there was no way that an energy of sort could quickly disappear. ¡®If she hadn¡¯t left so quickly, I could have tried to look into it, but this is too bad.¡¯ ¡°Young Lord, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°¡­ yeah.¡± Luke was back into reality. After being revived, that was the first time ever for him to feel glad about being resurrected. Chapter 10 In the dark, Philip and Luke stepped out of the busy streets to a relatively quiet distance. He wasn¡¯t sure where the gambling house was, but Luke didn¡¯t seem to be too concerned with it. Even if he wasn¡¯t able to go there, there were people that could guide them there. ¡°Hello, sir. could you be in need of a guide?¡± One person approached from the back of the alley and spoke in a low voice. Luke passed to him a gold coin that looked like it was from over 500 years ago with a smile. ¡°I feel like betting. Is there any good place here?¡± ¡°Of course. Please follow me.¡± Philip bit his tongue as he saw Luke follow the guide. He also knew well because he had been with his Young Lord for some time. The appearance of his Young Lord was good enough to be an example of a ¡®fallen noble¡¯. ¡®When did he learn these? Did he learn all these when he stayed away from us for a year?¡¯ The Young Lord that Philip knew was a gentle and sincere boy. He listened well to the words of his elders and never spoke anything bad. Which was why when Luke talked about the statue of his ancestor, Philip was very frightened. ¡®The gentle cat always climbs up the hut first.¡¯ With his tongue still out, Philip followed Luke. Along the wall, a two-story brick house emerged into the winding alley. It was a gambling house operated by the Thieves Guild. Unlike its shabby exterior, its interior was spacious and gorgeous. The floor was covered in marble tiles; the ceiling was decorated with jeweled magical lights. At the table that was made of imported timber, the nobles and the dealers were present. They were seated with hordes of half-busted clothes. They weren¡¯t interested in who the new ones were or who was standing next to them that had to throw the dice or exchange cards with. Luke shook his hand at the cigarette¡¯s smoke that filled the gambling house. ¡°This is ¡®the cave of sin¡¯.¡± ¡°Also the hole of destruction.¡± Philip had been constantly nagging him to leave, but Luke didn¡¯t seem to care. He sat in an empty spot at a table and smirked. ¡°Can I play?¡± ¡°As long as you have enough chips.¡± Luke immediately placed the remaining 2,000 pesos, which he earned after selling the statue, onto the table. All the other gamblers in the table smiled after seeing the bag of money. ¡°Lord, they all seem like professional gamblers, right?¡± ¡°I know.¡± Luke was bitten by a warning which came in the form of a whisper, and the card game had started. In the beginning, he thought about taking it easy and started lightly. It was to grasp the difference in the rules from 500 years ago, but there weren¡¯t any big changes. Gamblers weren¡¯t exactly using ¡®techniques¡¯, but that was how they were at the beginning. It was to put the winds into the cards, but that was it. After some time, the capital in Luke¡¯s hand grew to 5,000 pesos, and then the gamblers began to act. ¡°Flush, your side?¡± ¡°Four cards.¡± The gambler, who opened his mouth with a triumphant look, opened his mouth wide after seeing Luke¡¯s cards. They were sure that Luke had to have some lower cards, which was why the result was surprising. ¡®Dammit, this kid isn¡¯t just some beginner!¡¯ ¡®It looks like he has played a bit, but even then, there is still a huge difference between us.¡¯ The gamblers who glanced over at each other immediately began to use their techniques. As they shuffled and shuffled the cards with their hands, Luke saw one of them pulling one out. Even then, he chose to say nothing. He just opened the cards. ¡°Straight.¡± ¡°Ihkkk!¡± Once again the gamblers watched Luke¡¯s hand sweep away all the money. From then on, Luke kept on winning. He was losing a little in the middle, but they weren¡¯t huge loses with big stakes, the damage that was done to him was small. Instead, it was almost as huge as the plate. ¡®What? This is full!¡¯ Philip, who was behind his Young Lord, was surprised to see him be that good in gambling. Rather than a straight game, he thought that he would lose it all in just a few games. But it was the gamblers who began to get restless as their expressions began to turn dark. ¡°Young Lord, have you done this before?¡± ¡°Yeah, a little.¡± Honestly, it wasn¡¯t just ¡®a little¡¯. 500 years ago. Luke or Saymon ran a gambling house. It was before he went to war with his enemies earnestly, and he used the gambling house as a means to drain money from his enemies. Apart from that, he used the gambling house to extract information in exchange for not paying back his debt. In that process, he learned of a card trick which was different from that of the Thieves Guild and studied the combination probability of the cards that he was going to get, which meant that Luke was more than a professional gambler. In addition, gamblers often try to use a technique to get a good idea of how the opponent would react. ¡°Uh, get us some alcohol here!¡± One of the gamblers who was smoking, squeezed a cigarette while shouting at the employee. A male employee brought some bottles and snacks on a tray. But it wasn¡¯t just alcohol. ¡°Ho ho ho are you having fun?¡± ¡°Oh my, aren¡¯t you too serious?¡± A bunch of face-painted clowns approached Luke and the other gamblers. Among them, a black-haired lady revealed her cleavage while sticking next to Luke. She clung to him very tightly. ¡°This is my first time seeing you here. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Saymon.¡± ¡°Hohoho, liar! The same name as the Devil King?¡± After a drink, he started playing cards again. After that, Luke had lost four rounds. He continued to lose continuously¡ªbut not that much¡ªas if the opponent knew what was in his hand. ¡°Young lord, you might be out of luck. Let¡¯s end this and go, okay?¡± Philip whispered, feeling bad. But why was Luke still smiling? Right then, he placed all of his money onto the table. ¡®Oh! You, Young Lord, don¡¯t tell me¡­!¡¯ Nervous at what he saw, Philip was trying so hard not to speak. But that wasn¡¯t the end. Luke just spoke out what Philip was thinking. ¡°I¡¯m going to play this one last round. My body is tired, and I can¡¯t go on anymore.¡± At the words of Luke, the gamblers had a rather unpleasant expression. Was he trying to win the whole game with just one shot! At their displeasure, Luke spoke with a grin. ¡°You have been walking with a kid all this while. What do you plan on doing?¡± ¡°All in.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bet too.¡± Just like Luke had planned. The moment the gamblers heard those words from Luke, they couldn¡¯t help but go all-in. The gamblers were convinced that they would win. In fact, they had a strategy that was more certain and more reliable than any other. It was the black-haired b*tch attached to Luke. She looked down to take a peek at the cards that were in Luke¡¯s hands. And the information was being delivered to them in their own secret signs. ¡°To know the enemy is to know me.¡± A famous saying in the southern continent; a game that couldn¡¯t be lost. But the game started to turn strange right from the very start. ¡°What¡¯s this? Won¡¯t you look at the cards?¡± ¡°This is enough.¡± Luke had just turned his cards down. The gamblers just frowned because he had to look at his cards, so the black-haired girl could let them know what his cards were. But he had broken their technique. Luke didn¡¯t even take a peek at the cards in his hand. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go on.¡± The cards got piled up one after the other, and the tension began to rise. Finally, the distribution of the cards was complete. One of the gamblers gulped down as he was nervous. ¡°Do you at least want to open your cards and check?¡± ¡°Hmm, you¡¯ll die otherwise.¡± ¡°Eik, nice! Then we all open together.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t know what kind of trick you are trying to do kid, but you can¡¯t win. Because one of us will have the winning hand.¡¯ Five people, including Luke, played cards at the same time, which relaxed the heart of the gambler. ¡°Huhuhu, full house. This time I¡­ ackk!¡± The gambler, who was supposed to receive the highest hand as planned, screamed as he was about to sweep off the stakes on the table. It was because Luke¡¯s hand was higher than his. It was a straight flush. ¡°Huhu, thank you.¡± Luke swept his winnings into his pocket. ¡°Screw this, you cheater!¡± ¡°You look young and yet you dare do something like this here!¡± The gamblers jumped out of their seats since they were upset. But Luke¡¯s eyes shined at that moment. ¡°Cheat? On the other hand, weren¡¯t you guys trying to pull out cards off your hands? And you guys also have someone that will help you see my cards.¡± ¡°That¡­ that¡¯s¡­!¡± The gamblers couldn¡¯t hide their embarrassment. To put up a b*tch as a tool for gambling was just uncalled for! ¡°Do you know what would happen if I say your secrets here out loud?¡± Among the gamblers were tazas. They were people who were employed in the gambling house. If the truth about the gambling house using tricks to cheat went out, the reputation of the gambling house would crumble. Which meant that guests wouldn¡¯t be willing to come. ¡°Ah, this!¡± ¡°Kay, all of you. If I get the chance, I¡¯ll come and see you again later.¡± Luke swept all the money of the gambling house and teased the grumbling gamblers. As they entered the alley, Philip who couldn¡¯t stand the suspense anymore asked. ¡°Young lord, what happened in the last round?¡± It was amazing that Luke was able to predict his opponent¡¯s hand, but in the last round, the Young Lord hadn¡¯t even looked at his own cards, and he did that to a gambler, who was supposed to be a step higher than him. Unlike Philip, who was still ecstatic, Luke replied with a grim look. ¡°Ah, that? It was just an output of maths.¡± Luke, who knew the game well, memorized all the sequences and card combinations in it. What was more, their nails left a faint trace on the edge or the back of the card, so they could easily recognize it. That way, they could figure out what kind of cards they held onto, and what tricks they could do. Which was why Luke was able to make the best out of the situation without even looking at his cards. ¡°Those who like to cheat rarely go for a royal straight flush. If the opponent has a low chance of losing, then the opponent will begin to suspect.¡± ¡°I see. But, if we add up the money from gambling, we only have 10,000 pesos. What about the remaining 20,000 pesos?¡± ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m going to another gambling house.¡± He couldn¡¯t go to the place where he had already visited. Obviously, the Thieves Guild would have reported about it, so he would have been banned. And that was why the two men left the alley and began wandering the streets in search for another gambling house. Chapter 11 Chapter 11: Skills Show up 2 Shortly after walking through the moonlit streets at dawn, they came across another ¡®guide¡¯. And again this time with a gold coin, the guide faithfully took them to another location. However, the place where he guided them to wasn¡¯t a gambling house. ¡°Brothers, shouldn¡¯t you be paying taxes?¡± Men with a grim expression on their faces began to appear in front of Luke and Philip and spoke with a sulky voice. And at the back, three to four men stood at the end of the alley, blocking the street from being used. And the weapons they had were not the small ones that petty thieves used. ¡°Are you by any chance sent by those kids we met earlier?¡± Asked Luke to the middle-aged man, who had a scar on his face, while grinning. ¡°Huhu, you completely played our kids. You need to take responsibility if you want to play and cheat.¡± The middle-aged man, Hector, was the ¡®Blue Diamond¡¯ of Lamer¡¯s Thieves Guild. He was shocked to hear about some cheeky guy who dared to let out the truth about the gambling house. And after confirming their identities, he decided to confront them. ¡°Cheating, you say? Rather, it was them who tried to cheat.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t so important, my dear. If you give us all the money that you have, we¡¯ll let you live.¡± Though it was obvious, Luke had no intention of giving away the money to save his body. The guild¡¯s gambling house had been badly beaten, and they understand that. And if the opponent was a noble, then they should be afraid of the repercussions. That too, especially for the Thieves Guild? Since they were the ones who lived their lives off of doing crimes, to go against a noble was like spilling their own blood. ¡®It would be nice to bury him in the place we found a while back.¡¯ As if realizing that what the other person was thinking was about cruelly burying them, Philip took a step ahead. ¡°Young Lord, I¡¯ll take care of them, so please stay back.¡± ¡°Can you take care of them all by yourself?¡± ¡°Huh, if I can¡¯t handle such things, then I should just leave my post as your designated knight.¡± While smiling, Philip pulled out the bastard sword that was on his back. ¡°Oh ho! You are a knight, huh? I guess that sword wouldn¡¯t even pierce the stomach¡­ ahh!¡± A sudden scream burst from the mouth of Hector, which made Philip laugh. The sword of Philip began to radiate a vivid red aura. ¡°This, Expert!¡± Knights practice the use of mana in a different way from the wizards. They accumulate mana as a means of strengthening their body, and some were even been able to manifest the accumulated mana into a physical form. And that was the Aura, and the knights, who could release an aura, were called Experts. Experts were far more powerful than the ordinary knights, and their movements too were numerous times faster. In particular, the aura of a sword was powerful enough to cut through a thick brick of iron. And thus, the Experts were considered as high-level resources, whom no one wanted to deal with And such an Expert had made an appearance in the back of an alley! ¡®Dammit, you still are a designated knight¡­¡¯ The thieves thought that they were a lesser noble, who had recently fallen, and a lesser ranked knight. As the thieves moved back with a nervous look, Philip raised his voice a little. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you want to mess with me? This is a blade that can go through an Expert¡¯s stomach too, so come on.¡± ¡°Shhh! This is an Expert everyone! All of you, attack!¡± Hector rushed over to Philip, while the other thieves hesitated. If they went back to the guild with their tails between their legs, they would be crushed. And if one took a look at the size of Philip¡¯s aura, it was like the lowest level of the Experts. In addition, he seemed like a young kid who had just stepped into the Expert stages. The thieves, who seemed to have realized that, began to wield their swords and axes while also swearing a lot. ¡°Uah!¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± ¡°Ahh, fuck off!¡± Philip was moving around, trying to avoid the incoming attacks. In addition, he was able to stab or slash the rogues one after the other. ¡®Shit, he isn¡¯t just some kid!¡¯ There were no wasted movements in Philip¡¯s technique, and he could maintain his aura continuously, which meant that they couldn¡¯t consider him as some low-level Expert. Hector, who was determined to not be his opponent, changed the direction of his attack. He tried to attack Luke, who had taken a step back into the corner of the alley. He was going to take Luke as a hostage and threaten Philip. ¡®This guy is pure¡­¡¯ As Hector began to move, he couldn¡¯t help but stumble back at the flying gold coins. Retreating back, he was looking at the scene unfold. Things didn¡¯t end there though. Luke didn¡¯t miss his chance and swung the heavy bag of money like a mace. Puck!? ¡°Kuek!¡± Hector, who got hit on the head, went bouncing like a frog. ¡°Did I look that easy to you?¡± Although his body belonged to a boy, it had the soul of the Warlock Saymon, who was over 40 years old. As he had already witnessed the bitter-sweetness of the heartless world, he knew about the actions and things that unfold in the back alleys. That was why he could take down these measly thugs even without using his dark magic. ¡°Keuk, do you know who I¡­ ah!¡± Luke stepped on Hector¡¯s fingers and began to put his weight onto it. Instead of stopping there, he began to step on places of the human body which would put anyone through excruciating pain. In fact, the study of the human body was much more complicated than being a warlock or knighthood. And Luke was no exception. Puck! Pupupuck! ¡°Ahh! Euk! Please, save me¡­ please¡­ ahh!¡± Hector, who had been going through excruciating pain all this time, began to scream and beg to be left alone. ¡®Oh shit, he is a torture tactician.¡¯ Seeing Luke trampling Hector, Philip felt goosebumps. He knew that Luke was learning to fence from Rogers, but he didn¡¯t know that Luke could take down an enemy with such cruelty and skill. ¡®Phew, he seems very cool.¡¯ Luke looked at Hector¡¯s groaning expression. After constantly sweating for a while, it seemed like all the stress, which had been accumulating for a while, had been released. ¡°What do you plan on doing now?¡± Long before he tried to overpower Hector, Philip began to pick up the gold coins, which were dropped in the process. Luke, who knew what he was concerned about, didn¡¯t think much of what Philip was doing. ¡°The gambling house was not the way to go.¡± He didn¡¯t know where else they could earn money, but every time they earned such a huge amount of money, the same annoying thing would happen again. And even if they don¡¯t win a huge sum of money, word will go around that people carrying big bags of money were on the streets, and they would turn into targets. ¡®So, instead of the gambling house, I need to look for a more legal way to make money.¡¯ Luke moved out of the alley and asked Philip. ¡°Are there any racetracks or arenas in this city?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about racetracks, but arena¡­ ah! Gigant arena!¡± ¡°Gigant arena?¡± Maybe a place where the things called Gigants were placed? But the most important thing was whether or not they could put money in the games. And after asking, Philip nodded his head. ¡°That can surely be done. But the betting is big, and it is easy to lose.¡± ¡°Then it would be quick to earn too. Okay, let¡¯s go to the Gigant Arena.¡± ¡°But it is already pretty late today. The Gigant arena will open at 10 am. Let¡¯s catch some sleep for a while.¡± ¡°Kay then.¡± Luke was also really tired as well because of the gambling and the hard work that he had to put in for the day. On the way to the Inn, Luke looked at his designated knight who was moving ahead of him. ¡®I guess Philip was a light person in words and deeds, but he is an Expert¡­ an intermediate one at least¡­¡¯ Perhaps Philip wasn¡¯t putting his all. Seeing numerous knights in his previous life and working with them, Luke was able to recognize that Philip was in the intermediate stage. ¡®It is amazing. To be in an intermediate stage at such an age.¡¯ Since Rakan was a genius of fencing and a physically born monster, it wasn¡¯t easy for a normal knight to reach Expert and became an intermediate in it so quick. 500 years ago, less than 100 Experts of intermediate knights were in the Libiya Kingdom. ¡®A dragon will be a dragon even if it rots?¡¯ Although Rakan¡¯s lineage had declined, Luke was sure that all the glory and the ability of the past were indeed lost just by looking at Philip. ¡®Huhuhu, he might be helpful to me later on.¡¯ No clear plans have been made yet, but he thought that if he went against the Baroque family, the family of his enemy, then the knights of Rakan would come in handy. And thinking about the family history, the not so good house came into his mind. ¡®Even then, the debt has to be paid first, right?¡¯ After taking a fairly good inn downtown, the two rested until dawn. Looking forward to the jackpot that they could get the next day. Chapter 12 Chapter 12: Skills Show up 3 The next day¡¯s morning. The two had a good night¡¯s sleep, ate their meals and headed towards the Gigant Arena. The Gigant arena was located on a hill, east to the city of Lamer. Looking at it from a distance, it seemed to be built of the grey stones, so it was assumed to be a fortress or a castle. ¡®The world has developed so much.¡¯ The old arena was mostly of wood, and the crowd of people was just around 5,000. Another surprising act had followed, Philip added that the arena could take 30,000 people, and yet called it medium. ¡°I don¡¯t know if the young Lord has even been there, but the arena in the king¡¯s state is very large and beautiful as it had been built by the dwarves. It can accommodate up to 100,000 people at once.¡± ¡®Huh!¡¯ As he listened to the stories, it wasn¡¯t just because it had some kind of fame. At least 8 meters till 15 meters of steel giants were fighting back and forth, which was why such a sized arena was needed. ¡®Ah that is a Gigant, there are many interesting things in this era.¡¯ Not surprisingly, one of the marvelous things was passing from right in front of him. Pangpang?! Paaaang! A horseless carriage was running on the vapor which came out of a steel stove pipe that was attached to its body. And then followed was a large iron cart carrying something covered in black. At first glance, the cargo seemed to be very heavy, but the cart seemed to move on its own, spewing out a lot of vapor, like a strange wagon that was moving ahead. Even then, it wasn¡¯t slow. ¡®Was that mobile? And the one following it was a trailer. Apparently, this is powered by steam that boiled water in the engine engraved with a flame magic circle.¡¯ And it wasn¡¯t just the merchants whom Luke has met while coming to Lamer. There were also wizards who were adept masters in magic engineering. They had said that magic engineering had advanced significantly since the launch of it at the Veritas Magic Tower 500 years back. A machine using a steam engine was also invented at that time, but not much attention had been paid to it then. ¡®It is a waste to use magic on things that can be done by an utter physical effort like a horse or a man. The magic stones that form magic circles aren¡¯t a common thing.¡¯ The magic circles draw mana from nature, and it was necessary to convert that magic which needed a certain element, that was the magic stone. But that ore was a scarce resource. It was ten times more expensive than the same weighted gold. ¡®But did things change from 100 years back?¡¯ An elven wizard called ¡®Erwin Lesa¡¯ devised a way to make an artificial ore by combining some minerals with crystals. When Luke had heard that story, he was as shocked like he was hit by lightning. ¡®Not to make some other thing, but to make magic stones! The elven wizard must have been a real genius!¡¯ At any cost, the artificial magic stone production improved the conditions of the technology, since then, and now it was being produced in large quantities, and the price has been much lower than the past. So magic technology could currently be used in magic and non-military sectors too, such as transportation, and countries could do much with the falling prices. ¡®And can watch gladiators like this.¡¯ What was the weapon that grew the Baroque into an Empire after causing a revolution and war? What was it that was causing such an excitement in the eyes of those who got to see it? Luke was excited. Which was why the steps he took to the arena were fast. The game had already begun, and as they got closer to the arena, the whole arena seemed to be shaken by the screams of the people. Kwaaak?! Kwaak! Ciaa! ¡°Wahh!¡± ¡°Kill it, kill it!¡± ¡®It is so hot!¡¯ Luke, who paid the entrance fee and went into the arena, began to burst into sweat because of the heat that was generated by the crowd. He turned to look at the center of the arena where the eyes of all people were stuck to. Thump! Steel giants with enormous swords and shields were exchanging clashes. Everytime the steel giants moved, the vibration could be felt under the feet of the men, and everytime the swords clashed, a thrilling huge gust of winds spread in the air. It was like watching mythical warriors fight up ahead! ¡°It is awesome!¡± ¡°Right? There is no other eye candy like this in the entire world.¡± Luke had lost the dark circle curing his reincarnation. Even if the body wasn¡¯t aware, the soul belonged to Saymon, so the feeling of mana could be understood. Which was why he could see so many people get caught up in the excitement and enthusiasm of it. The mana around the arena was hot and clashing. Not only was the natural mana focused, but the mana that was growing from the numerous spectators was also flowing. In other words, even if it wasn¡¯t visible, the audience¡¯s sense was connected to the Gigant. Therefore, it was natural to react to the movements of those steel warriors and become enthusiastic together. ¡®Was I told that the pilot was in? I don¡¯t know who it is but, he must be thinking like me. So the cognitive movements are much more delicate and faster than the golem.¡¯ 500 years ago, Zatha was recognized as the best in the continent for Golem wizard, and that was Saymon. At the time Saymon was taking his revenge, the Rhodesia continent was agitated by the dark legion of golems. However, there were a few drawbacks to the golem with strong combat power. First, the golem moved under the directions of the wizard as it was moved by mind magic, and it could be easily overpowered by the wizards. Secondly, as the distance between the golem and the wizard increased, there would be a considerable lag off receiving and acting. Finally, as wizards weren¡¯t experts in combats, they couldn¡¯t make good use of the golems in close combats. And to overcome these very traditional shortcomings, Saymon had developed several devices based on the knowledge gained from studying dark magic. However, because of his death in the hands of Rakan, he wasn¡¯t able to apply the knowledge into a prototype. ¡®I did hear that the Veritas Magic tower and the other wizards were studying weapons to go against my golems. Perhaps the Gigant was developed in that process.¡¯ Being the best golem wizard, Luke was very interested in the Gigant. When he would go back to his estate, he thought about dismantling one completely. ¡®But now, I need to make money first.¡¯ With the money in hand, he could protect his castle and dismantle one Gigant. Luke looked back a Philip and asked, ¡°How do we bet money?¡± ¡°You can buy dividends for the upcoming games at the sales office over there.¡± People were already lined up in front of the booth on one side of the stand. However, there was another booth right beside it. And that was the clan, Philip explained that it was placed by the groups participating in the race. ¡°Clan? The ones like the gladiator?¡± ¡°Right. But the Gigant is so big that, the gladiators are no match for it. That is why most of them are run by wealthy noble families or the royal associates.¡± Inside the booth, people who seemed to be the employees of the clan stood and eagerly introduced their Gigants and riders of that day¡¯s play. ¡°Kay, Call the Inter Clan veteran rider ¡®Kazan¡¯! of 32, won 25 and lost 7! You will never regret this!¡± ¡°What are you talking about!? If you think about the Parsya Clan¡¯s rider ¡®Lionel¡¯, he is the emerging power who hasn¡¯t lost a lot even though he hasn¡¯t made much appearances!¡± ¡°The skills of a rider are surely very important, but the performance of the Gigant is important too. If you think about the masterpiece of the Almaria Clan ¡®Mammoth¡¯, it is a piece that was recognized worthy by the Volga republic¡­¡± While Luke was watching the people decide, Philip recommended, ¡°Young Lord, go with Kazan. Although the odds are 2.5 times higher for Lionel, it is better to be safe for now.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Luke decided to watch a few more and decided to spend a bit on the recommendation of Philip for the time being. ¡°I¡¯ll bet 100 pesos on Kazan.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Here is a 100 pesos dividend.¡± The sales clerk handed Luke a dividend. ¡°5,000 pesos for Lionel!¡± Luke, who received the dividend, shook as he was surprised to see a bet of the nobles behind him. However, the staff seemed to consider it as a usual thing, he wrote down the amount and handed it after a stamp of confirmation. ¡°Philip, is it possible to bet that much money at once?¡± ¡°There is a legal upper limit. But¡­¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t that well kept?¡± ¡°Yes, since the audience spends such sum, the arena operators also make a lot of money.¡± According to what Philip told, the local arenas were overlooked because of neglect. In addition, the owner of the Lamer arena was considered as a Monarch and a member of the imperial royal family, so no one dared to inspect it. ¡®The country seems to have turned out well.¡¯ Before any nation declines, the social order and the affairs were disturbed. In addition, high-ranked corruption was one of the main factors that encourage exile. The imperial office was unjust to let the members of the royal family go unpunished. ¡®Huhu, whatever. It seems like the Baroque guy has developed quite a country.¡¯ Luke was cynical as he sat down with Philip and began to watch the game unfold Chapter 13 Chapter 13: Reina¡¯s Crisis 1 The Gigant of the Inter clan was painted black, and the Gigant of the Parsya Clan in red stripes began to compete. Apparently, Lionel which Luke hadn¡¯t bet on seemed to win. Lionel, who handled dual swords, drove Kazan into a corner with brilliant sword techniques. But Luke thought otherwise. For Luke, the black gigant of the Inter Clan, controlled by Kazan seemed to be in an advantageous position. Even if the sword work of Lionel was gorgeous to witness, the damage wasn¡¯t getting registered properly because of the armor of the Inter Clan. On the contrary, the mana consumption for successive attacks was severe. ¡®The game will soon turn.¡¯ As the mana got exhausted from the prediction of Luke, the movements of Lionel slowed down, and Kazan began to launch his counterattacks. Kwaang! Lionel was stunned by the counterattack of Kazan. Without missing a gap, Kazan smashed into the other Gigant. Lionel¡¯s Gigant, which had already consumed a lot of mana for excessive attacks, had it hard when he was supposed to defend, and finally, a deadly blow landed. ¡°The winner is Kazan of Inter clan!¡± ¡°Wah!¡± The cheers of the crowd reverberated throughout the arena. Those who supported the winner didn¡¯t got much, but those who supported the loser began to swear a lot at Lionel or were just plainly disgusted at the reality and left. ¡®Tch, the 5,000 pesos turned into a piece of paper in an instant.¡¯ Luke clicked his tongue as he suddenly remembered the noble who just placed a huge bet on Lionel. ¡°The next game is between ¡®Savage¡¯ by knight Brian from Jermang Clan and morning star of Alberia Clan, ¡®Sting¡¯ run by a female warrior Karen!¡± New Gigants emerged on both sides of the arena at the call of the speaker. Thud- Thud-! The Gigant Savage of Brian looked quite daunting, with a heavy two-handed axe. On the contrary, the Gigant Sting of Karen was around one head smaller than Savage, and the weapon was a simple shield and mace. It was like a game where the opponent couldn¡¯t even be accepted as an opponent. In addition, unlike Brian who had played more than 30 games, Karen was just 1-5. ¡®With that Gigant, he is overwhelmingly advantageous. But would the organizer assign such an opponent for the match to be one-sided?¡¯ Brian¡¯s Savage was pushing Karen¡¯s Sting as if answering the question of Luke. Everytime the two-handed axe of the Gigant rubbed, the gloves on the hands of Sting broke and debris got scattered everywhere. Perhaps because of the Barrier magic, the debris that was supposed to fly into the crowd bounced back into the arena. ¡°Hahaha! That was too much, Brian!¡± ¡°Take it easy! Your opponent is a lady!¡± As Savage pushed Sting into a corner, most of the crowd was convinced of the victory being on Brian¡¯s side. That was when Luke felt shocked. The mana that he felt from Sting was¡­ ¡®Don¡¯t tell me?!¡¯ Kwang-! The Savage¡¯s axe split between Sting. No, it looked like it split Sting. Karen was on the back of Savage because of the amazingly high-speed maneuvering. Karen, taking the opportunity, hit the mace at the location of the Spinal Joint of Savage. Puang-! The moment the mace fell, a powerful explosion with fire broke out on the steel body of Savage. ¡®That is Fire Blast magic!¡¯ Brian tried to bring up the collapsed body of Savage. But the broken spine of it couldn¡¯t be raised. ¡°The winner is Karen of Alberia Clan!¡± ¡°Ah, no!!¡± The whole crowd was shocked by the unexpected results. They were all convinced of Brian¡¯s victory more so than ever. It was the same with Philip. ¡°Magic, It used magic!¡± Karen¡¯s magic wasn¡¯t just the Fire Blast. There was also Quick magic, which triggered the fast movement. Philip nodded as if he knew something. ¡°I think Karen was a Rune Knight. Rune Knights aren¡¯t exceptionally strong, except they know how to use both magic and swords.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hey, young Lord?¡± As Luke was very silent, Philip looked at him. Luke¡¯s expression was different. Seeing the expression which seemed like an ominous foreboding, Philip went nervous. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me that you bet the whole amount on Brian?¡¯ Of course, Luke would never do anything that reckless. He did place it on Brian, but it was just 200 pesos. The reason for him to be shocked was something else. ¡®To use magic while holding onto a Gigant¡­?¡¯ Normal people wouldn¡¯t know the difference in a Gigant using physical force and it was different from a Gigant using magic. ¡®What was it? How was that even done? To exert magic like that and do things, I envisioned those¡­¡¯ The Gigants were improved from the existing Golems on the basic flow of mana. The wizard who created the Gigant based on the golem would sure know of the shortcomings and weak point of it. Either to board a controller inside to prevent the enemy snipers or minimize the controls. ¡®That is one thing. But how does one amplify the magic power of a wizard and a rune knight?¡¯ No matter how similar the ideas and solutions were attained, the principle of getting magic into the machine was never the same. Moreover, the formula applied and devised by Luke was derived from the knowledge he had obtained from the dark magic, which meant that wizards would never be able to understand it. No, even if they knew about it, the use of mana, the principle of the formula would surely come out to be different. But why were the theories and the operation of this thing was so similar? Luke couldn¡¯t stop the questions which were popping in his mind as he jumped up from the seat. ¡°Philip, could there be any place where the Gigants were inspected and repaired?¡± ¡°Repairing you ask? Obviously.¡± ¡°Please guide me there. I want to go.¡± ¡®Huh? Why would you suddenly want to go there?¡¯ He was surely wondering, but Philip couldn¡¯t say it out loud. The expression on the face of Luke was rather serious. He felt scared for some reason. ¡®I need to look inside the Gigant. Then I will know for sure.¡¯ Luke began to move fast to the Arena¡¯s exit. Chapter 14 Chapter 14: Reina¡¯s Crisis 2 The repair shop for the Gigant was located in a space below the arena. It wasn¡¯t a difficult place to find, but it was impossible to enter. ¡°It is prohibited for irrelevant parties to enter.¡± The knights, who were guarding the gate, blocked the passage. Luke, slowly pulled out some gold coins and held them in his hand. ¡°Hu, you can¡¯t do this¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make loud noises, come back after taking a quick look.¡± The knights, who took the bribe, opened the door, pretending to not know anything, and Luke along with Philip went inside. Kang! Kang! Kang! Waah! Weiing! The heat and greasy atmosphere welcomed Luke. Taking a step further in, Luke looked around with sharp eyes. Every step of the way Gigants were lined up. Wizards belonging to each clan along with the riders were working hard to maintain their Gigants. In such a place, Luke went to the place where a Gigant had been completely stripped off. As he got closer to that, the wizards stopped him, and then the clan riders along with the mercenaries stopped him. The outsiders were unwelcomed because they often belonged to another clan. ¡°What are you? A mole?¡± ¡°I just came to watch.¡± At Luke¡¯s response, the wizard let down the suspicious expression he had. ¡°Hmmm, no magic circle and no calluses from using tools, okay? But if you get in my way or bother me, I¡¯ll kick you out.¡± Only after confirming that Luke wasn¡¯t a spy, he was given the right to scrutinize the work of the wizard and the structure of the Gigant. The interior of the Gigant was much more complex yet delicate from that of the golems, which used to be just clumps of stones. In addition, the closer he looked, the more complicated the mana flow was inside that machine. Almost similar to the human blood and neural network. ¡®Each of them is articulated meticulously with a prepared artificial magic stone. This was why such elaborate movements were possible.¡¯ There were three important parts in such a complex and delicate Gigant. The ¡®Mana Converter¡¯, which allowed one to unleash magic or convert it into physical aura. The ¡®Balance Device¡¯, which was used to maintain the Gigant¡¯s body that was made of heavy steel. And lastly, the ¡®Core Engine¡¯. Among them, the core engine was the most important aspect, a device that gathered mana from nature and fed it to each part of the Gigant, allowing the joints and move or concentrate the power. To put it plainly, it was an organ that played the role of both the heart and the lungs. Luke was shocked after seeing the organs made in such a delicate manner, yet they were more stable and efficient than the golems. And it wasn¡¯t all because of the completeness of the Gigant. ¡®Unbelievable! This is exactly the same as what I made!¡¯ The mana converter, the balance devices, the core engine too were completely similar. Although some of the refinements and the additional magic circles were a bit different, the basic principles and the structure of the device were the same. Luke took that as an opportunity and looked at the inside of the other Gigants. ¡°Hey kid, you wish to break your leg?¡± ¡°Get lost before I call the guards!¡± In spite of the wizards and the mercenaries stopping him, Luke looked at the various parts and organs that went into the Gigants. Although there was a difference between the new and old, high and low performances, none of the three major parts were missing, and the basic principles and structures of those main parts were all the same. ¡®How did this happen? The parts are completely like the ones I made¡­¡¯ By the time he remembered what happened, Luke almost went down the memory lane. ¡®Well, was it the Veritas Magic Tower that made the Gigant?¡¯ ¡°Young Lord, what are you trying to do?¡± Philip watched Luke with anxiousness for a while. Instead of answering the question, Luke asked another question. ¡°Philip. Do you by any chance know how the Gigant was developed in the Veritas Magic Tower?¡± ¡°What do you mean by develop?¡± ¡°Like did they even have a blueprint or did they excavate something from an ancient ruin or a dungeon?¡± At he understood the question, Philip nodded. ¡°I learned it in the military academy. I heard that Arsene, the master of Veritas Magic Tower and the 8th Circle Grand Wizard developed it after decades of original research.¡± ¡°Original research?¡± ¡°Yes, which was why the later historians praised him as the ¡®Father of Gigant¡¯ and the ¡®Mage Engineer¡¯ and ¡®Iron Mage¡¯.¡± ¡®That is absurd!¡¯ Before the golem magic was created, it was well known in the magic tower that Saymon had been working on such things. He did some research in the Veritas Magic Tower, but Meister Arsene had never participated in it. He was a War Mage, who emphasized on attack and defense magic, and was very ignorant at the creations of golems and artifacts. And such a person has turned into the founder of Magic Engineering? ¡®No, it could be possible.¡¯ The Veritas Magic Tower had situations where the higher wizards would steal the achievement papers of the lower rank wizards. Whether it was a Meister or an elder, it made no difference. And not only once did they rob Luke of his hard work. ¡®It isn¡¯t that strange if that guy stole the achievements of someone and made it into his. That is fine, but¡­¡¯ Luke remembered the time when the Holy Knight Rakan had come to slay him. At that time, Rakan was armed with a golden sword made by the Veritas Magic Tower, handed by the Archbishop of El Kassel. In other words, it was safe to say that the Veritas Magic Tower helped Rakan in defeating Saymon. ¡®They were all trying to get rid of me by shaking hands with the Duke of Baroque. They would have helped out Rakan too, so after my death, they can take my research.¡¯ When he thought about it, everything seemed to make sense, and the mystery of the Gigants was solved. After all, Arsene was the head. Not only did he push Katarina to her death, but he branded Saymon a Devil and deprived him of all his research and made him into what he was as well. ¡®Keuk! An enemy who doesn¡¯t even know what he made!¡¯ Luke¡¯s eyes turned red with anger. The enemy he wanted to kill was long gone. But the Veritas Magic Tower, which was the same as then, had the magic towers of 2 continents in its hand. ¡®Arsene, I¡¯ll make sure your blood tears will come out from your bones!¡¯ Erase the Veritas Magic Tower from the world! The wizards, every single book, their magic stones, and their magic powers! Luke had a fierce commitment against the enemy who had sucked him of his life. ¡®I have a lot to do in the future.¡¯ But first, he had to pay the debt to keep his castle, which was called the Devil King¡¯s castle that had the memories of his loved one, his followers and the place which was going to give him the power to take revenge. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Luke held his neck while moving out when he suddenly stopped. And it wasn¡¯t the wizards or the mercenaries who stopped it. It was a girl who was stroking the rusty legs of a Gigant. It was Princess Reina, who had been exiled, the one he saw on the street yesterday. Chapter 15 Chapter 15: Reina¡¯s Crisis 3 Reina was cleaning the east side of the Gigant. She sighed, as she was stroking the last remaining Gigant of her royal family. As she was in her world of concerns, an old man in a knight uniform spoke to her. ¡°Do not worry, princess. Andrey is a well-known veteran rider.¡± ¡°But the difference in the performance of the Gigant is too much¡­¡± ¡°If you are as skillful as Andrey, we¡¯ll be able to beat the Count¡¯s rider.¡± Reina¡¯s expression lightened a little after listening to the words of the old man. The lady was in crisis. The crisis started with the debt reminder from the Imperial bank, which was given to them a month ago. If the principal and interest weren¡¯t paid back, which was 200,000 pesos, then the rules had to be enforced on them. Reina had taken several loans from the Imperial bank last year to rescue the refugees, who were heavily damaged by the floods. But she didn¡¯t realize that the letter for payment would appear suddenly without any notification in advance. In recent years, the Imperial bank¡¯s debt enforcers surpassed quite a few creditors. Once their ruthless debt enforcement began, they started to lose everything that was left behind in the royal family. Not just the remains of her mother and father, but also the memories in the mansion and their furniture. Reina looked at every place to make money. But she was a royal family in exile. There was no one who was willing to lend that much money to her. At that time, someone had approached her and gave her a suggestion. It was the Count Monarch of Lamer, Lippie de Monarch. ¡°I will pay your debts, but you will have to marry me.¡± Reina refused immediately. The Count Monarch was fifty years old and already had two wives. There were also rumors that there were ten more hidden ones. In addition to other women, the reputation that the Count Monarch had was terribly bad, and people had to work their asses off. Princess Reina thought that it would be better to live alone than marry such a messy person. But as the debt repayment dates began to approach, and the Imperial bank¡¯s warning increased, her mind began to doubt. During that chaos, the Count Monarch had made a bet. Inside the arena, a duel would be fought, and if the side of the princess won, he would pay the debt without any conditions. On the contrary, if he won the bet, she will have to marry the Count. In the end, Reina had accepted the bet. There was just one Gigant left in her royal family. Although it was produced almost 50 years ago, it was possible to rent it to the lords who wanted to defeat the monsters. The problem was the rider. The only knights, who were on her side were the ones of the Old Volga Kingdom, who were with them for 10 years, and the only rider among them was Sir Victor. However, the last time Victor rode a Gigant was almost 10 years ago. Eventually, he brought in a mercenary rider as an alternative and successfully recruited Andrey, nicknamed as the ¡®Red Reaper¡¯. Andrey was a well-known mercenary rider in the Southern Empire, he was so good that he won 100 battles. And he wasn¡¯t just a talented rider, he was also from the Volga Kingdom. He just wanted to help out the virtuous princess and didn¡¯t want a single dime in exchange. As a result, the princess could see some hope in her dangerous gamble. ¡°Sorry, Sir Victor. I guess I¡¯ll have to rely on you guys again.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to! If he dares to take you as a concubine, this old man will not standstill. If it wasn¡¯t for the princess, I and Pavel would¡¯ve gone against him¡± Knight Victor and Captain Pavel, were the most loyal ones of the remaining Volga people. The two of them had looked after Reina since her birth, even during her exile. It was the very reason why they decided to hold their places even after getting old. Reina, who knew that, treated them like her very own grandparents. ¡°But Andrey is late.¡± ¡°Pavel has gone to bring him.¡± The two of them were talking while standing in front of the Gigant. Pavel, who went to bring in Andrey, came back. But something didn¡¯t seem to fit. His expression was blunt as usual. ¡°Something big happened, princess!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Andrey has disappeared! I went to the riders¡¯ waiting room as well as the place he was staying, but I couldn¡¯t see any trace of him!¡± ¡°No, no, that can¡¯t be!¡± Reina¡¯s body began to get hot out of nervousness. Victor, who noticed that, asked Pavel, ¡°Did you look thoroughly?¡± ¡°Every nook and cranny. Andrey is nowhere to be found!¡± ¡°This! I wanted to get things done easily¡­¡± The Red Reaper was a mercenary rider with the ability which made him a wanted individual by not just the famous clans, but also the powerful nobles and the royal families. Even if he belonged to the same country, they should have at least suspected when he immediately accepted the request of the princess. They should have known that something was going on no matter how drastic their situation was. But they were all way past those stories! With a red face, Victor yelled, ¡°This is clearly the doing of the Monarch! We need to go and get him!¡± ¡°But do you have any proof?¡± Reina sighed and shook her head. The notarization was already completed for El Kassel, and it couldn¡¯t be postponed. In that situation, if they decide to give up, it was similar to losing the bet. ¡°Keuk, I¡¯m going out. Even if we have to die, we need to win¡­¡± ¡°No! Sir Victor has already hurt his back. It is impossible to control the Gigant with that injury!¡± ¡°But where would we get a rider in such a situation?¡± The Gigant rider had to be a knight to be skillful. Where would they get such a person in this situation? Borrow a rider from another clan? Not only was it uncertain, but even if they lent them their rider, even if they lent her a decent one, it would be tough to win over the Count¡¯s knight. It was then. An unexpected character appeared and said, ¡°The rider¡­ can I be the one?¡± Chapter 16 Chapter 16: Reina¡¯s Crisis 4 ¡®Keu, I¡¯m sure that the princess is all black and blue right now, right?¡¯ A grand seat with a superb view of the stadium. An old man with a stiff physique buried himself in the gorgeous sofa and smiled viciously. He was Lippie de Monarch. He was the second most prominent prince in the Southern Empire, including the city of Lamer. ¡°You must have done well to the Red Reaper?¡± The knight who was next to the Count answered coldly. ¡°I firmly paid the share he was promised and sent him to the Castia Kingdom.¡± ¡°Yes, good job.¡± There was no evidence of the conspiracy. No matter how stubbornly the princess protested, the bet was already placed. ¡°Any chance for any dumb mercenary riders to enter?¡± ¡°All the clans and mercenaries in the arena were informed not to intervene in the Duel. There will be no one willing to defeat the Count, the Lord of Lamer and the owner of the arena.¡± ¡°Good good! Now all I have to do is wait and see the results?¡± It was three years ago when the Monarch had heard rumors about the princess. It was the time when rumors about the beauty of the princess surfaced. She was young and beautiful, above all, he could just go and place his hand on a prestigious princess. Which was why he was looking for an opportunity to make her his own. Knowing that Reina had a huge debt in the Imperial bank, he began to use the banking system and encouraged the Imperial bank to ask for repayment. And the beautiful slender bird got caught in his trap. ¡°Keukkkkk!¡± ¡°What is it that is making you feel so good?¡± Count Monarch was laughing alone. The elder priest of a high class approached. ¡°Ah, Bishop Pascal!¡± Count Monarch rose from his seat and greeted the elderly priest. Pascal was a senior priest of the El Kassel, where Monarch invited him and played as a notary for the bet with princess Reina. ¡°If it is something good, can¡¯t you let me know? Joy multiplies only when shared, right?¡± ¡°Hahaha, it isn¡¯t such a huge deal. I just laughed¡­¡± Bishop Pascal was a very knowledgeable man even in the dark world. Had the Count said that he played all the things to ¡®Want the princess for my own¡¯, then he would have been completely against it. He would have severely condemned the noble. ¡°Must have been hard for you, coming all this way.¡± ¡°It was. If I think about the donations you make every year, I wouldn¡¯t mind using my legs to move.¡± ¡°Hahaha, don¡¯t say those¡­¡± Count Monarch was laughing outside, but he was feeling bitter inside. The donations to the denominations were not in good faith. Because of the gaining political and social recognition, he donated the money with tears in his eyes. ¡°But, when will the notarized fight begin?¡± ¡°We placed it to the last, as it is going to be the most exciting one.¡± ¡°Huhum, that so?¡± The two men talked twice and then turned their heads to the arena where the ninth match was taking place. Chapter 17 Chapter 17: Reina¡¯s Crisis 5 ¡°The rider¡­ can I be the one?¡± Reina suddenly looked at the other person. The boy looked to be around 17 years old or so. The impression that he gave out from his clothes were quite familiar. ¡°Ah, you helped those kids downtown yesterday.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Luke de Rakan.¡± Luke respectfully introduced himself to them. The feeling of excitement was very similar to the first time that he met Katarina. ¡®I can¡¯t feel the energy that I felt yesterday.¡¯ He looked closely at her again and again, but he wasn¡¯t able to feel that huge surge of energy that resembled the great nature. Was that an illusion? ¡°Luke de Rakan? Are you the young lord of Rakan Viscount?¡± ¡°Yes, that is right.¡± At the answer from Luke, a strange light shone in the eyes of Reina. Victor and Pavel were looking at Luke with suspicion. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for interrupting, are you really Luke, the young lord?¡± ¡°I heard that the young Lord, the lord of Rakan was in a big accident and went unconscious a while ago.¡± ¡°I have recovered recently. That story hasn¡¯t come out yet.¡± Luke spoke while rubbing on the ring that was on his right hand. In the ring, a small spark came in, and the crest of the Rakan family appeared. The ring was made of nonferrous iron and was a token from the lords of the Imperial house, it was a ring that couldn¡¯t be tampered with. And that way, Reina and her party knew that Luke was real. ¡°Excuse me. Please forgive me for the rudeness.¡± ¡°No. it is fine.¡± The two old men bowed to Luke. The reason why they had doubted the identity of Luke was because of the rumors that they heard about the viscount. In that situation, they were wary of whether the boy was a part of the conspiracy of Count Monarch. It was a trick to pretend to be of help for those who were in a desperate situation but turn out to be a terrible rider. ¡®I can¡¯t believe that we¡¯ll be getting help from a Rakan lord!¡¯ The two old men had reason for their actions. Lamer originally belonged to the Rakan family and the Libiya family. However, a large number of lands and cities were lost in the revolt caused by Karno de Baroque, who later became the first emperor of the Baroque Empire. At that time, the ancestors of the Monarch were handed down the land by the Imperial Court, and from then on, the original families were displaced. Thinking of those past evils, it was unlikely for Rakan to help the Count Monarch. In addition, they heard that the family of Rakan was a small scale family and yet has continued to grow in spite of the small scale. ¡°But you want to be as a rider for us?¡± Luke nodded at the question from Reina. ¡°Yes, when I heard it, it seemed like the situation was quite desperate.¡± Princess Reina, who resembled Katarina, was in a very similar position as her. Katarina refused to be a plaything for the filthy noble and chose death. ¡®But it will be different now!¡¯ He wanted to help Reina. Whether it was a coincidence or a bond of some sick destiny, he just didn¡¯t want the results to be the same. Luke pointed to Philip who was behind him. ¡°Philip is an expert knight from the Royal Military Academy even though that seems very unsatisfactory.¡± Reina and the two old men¡¯s faces changed at once. The Royal Military Academy was an elite training camp. And they also practice with Gigants. Moreover, if he was an expert at such a young age, it was likely for him to be a genius. In other words, it can be said that the skills would be comparable to the ace rider of the arena. ¡®Dammit, for such a thing¡­¡¯ Philip was standing afar and frowned when his name was announced. He couldn¡¯t help but sigh as he saw the sparkles in the eyes of the men with expectation. ¡°So, young lord. I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t beat the rider of the count no matter how old he is.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°As far as I know the famous Lippie clan, run by the Monarch has a number of expert class players. I heard that they are not just the aces that they fought not only in the South but also in the royal arenas. In addition, the Gigant is called as ¡®Achilles¡¯.¡± Achilles was a warrior class Gigant that was launched 20 years back by the ¡®Altica Magic Tower¡¯, the fifth largest Magic workshop in the continent. Achilles was still recognized for having an appropriate armor and a stable output and was praised to be a great example of the warrior class guilds. ¡°Is it different from this?¡± ¡°Mir is over 50 years old. The airframe too, not too much core engine power, so it isn¡¯t the warrior level.¡± Gigants were divided into three groups according to the output and the performance. 1000 fight was for the warrior class, 2000 was for fight knight class, and 3000 fight was for hero class. Fight was a unit that represented the output of a Gigant, it normally meant ¡®The combat power of one elite soldier¡¯. In other words, the warrior class Gigant power was equivalent to 1000 elite soldiers. Whatsoever, for the Gigant which was already 100 years, after 30 years the efficiency starts to fall. A whole new Gigant would begin to be developed, which was because of the power output and the core engine work decreases with every passing day. ¡°There are a number of reasons for the decline in the power, but nine out of ten are due to the end of the life span of the Core engine that is embedded in it. Maybe that could be the case with this guy.¡± Indeed, and the wizards who were maintaining Mir nodded their heads to Philip. Luke looked over at Mir. He observed the energy of mana and with the knowledge of golem magic that he had, and work of the wizards that he saw a little, tried to grasp the condition of the Gigant. Even if he was under maintenance, he still kept absorbing a small amount of mana from the surroundings, like a person taking in oxygen while sleeping. The core engine was beating like a heart, and the mana gathered in the core of Mir was much weaker than the ones of the other Gigant. ¡®It¡¯s like an old man¡¯s level when compared to the others.¡¯ The cause was in the pivotal magic stone that was in the middle of the core engine, as Philip had mentioned. ¡®Would it take a long time to replace the ore?¡¯ Each stone had its own wave of mana. So the magic circle engraved on the artifact that was placed in the core had to match with the mana wave. So that the magic was fully exercised as the life of the artifact itself was long. Many of the magic stones and the magic circles engraved on the Gigant could be called as the artifact too. The magic stones would be able to perform their tasks only with the artifacts. They had to get something that was exactly matching with the mana wave or had to fix the magic circle to match with the new one. And it wasn¡¯t something that could be finished in a day or two. ¡®Then¡­ there is only one way left!¡¯ There was only one way for it to work. The thing only he could do. And Luke who remembered that thing, smiled. Chapter 18 Chapter 18: The Black Knight Appears 1 When Luke came up with the only manner to solve the situation, he looked over at Philip once again. ¡°Can you surely win if the performance of the Gigant improves?¡± ¡°Of course. It is a bit awkward for me to say it with my own mouth, but I was one of the best performers in the whole history of the Royal Military Academy when it came to maneuvering Gigants.¡± ¡®Such a guy, why was he in a not so important estate?¡¯ Was there some other reason for things to have turned out this way for Philip? He decided to find those out later. The more important thing was something else. ¡°Okay, then wait a moment.¡± Luke confirmed it with Philip and asked Reina for permission. ¡°Is it alright if I change a few functions in the Gigant?¡± ¡°Yes, please go ahead.¡± Reina agreed to it with a pleased expression. The wizards didn¡¯t oppose, neither did the owner of the Gigant, but they all frowned to themselves. It was because they were worried that the young boy would ruin the Gigant with the very little knowledge that he had. ¡®Kid, not everyone can repair a Gigant, you know?¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t you know that the ones who specialize with Gigants are called Iron Mages?¡¯ ¡®This guy is a problem too, but the princess has accepted it¡­¡¯ While the Iron Mages alternated between worry and lament, Luke climbed the ladder and carefully examined the inside of the armored, Mir, specifically the core engine. The structure of the core engine was exactly as it was in the past. However, there was another part. It was the assemble. ¡®Neither are there any rivets or slips, but furrows¡­ I used a guy called NASA. Do I need a wrench to solve this?¡¯ Luke picked up the tools and tried to recall the work of an Iron Mage and the others. He put the wrench into the hexagonal groove and turned it clockwise; it was very tight and hard but, thankfully, it could be done with his own strength. After removing a few screws and removing the cover, the core ore inside the core engine was exposed. Luke carefully pulled out the core ore and looked at it. ¡°This ore is definitely at the end of its life.¡± He was able to grasp it because the inside of the Gigant was starting to turn black. The change in color was due to the fact that some of the mana that flowed from the outside had accumulated inside the stone without circulating. Reina took a glance at the expression of Luke. ¡°Isn¡¯t it good if the mana is build up?¡± ¡°No. even if it accumulates, it must be circulated to make use of it. Consider a reservoir as an example. If the water freely flows in and out, it is always going to be clean, but if the water stays stagnant it will start to get poisoned.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± ¡°And in order to facilitate the circulation and to ensure a good water supply, we will have to remove the sediments that got accumulated in the water and the ground. In other words, it is an ill-maintained reservoir.¡± ¡°Then how do we get rid of the mana that accumulated?¡± The Iron Mages in there admitted that Luke was much more knowledgeable than what they had thought. But they weren¡¯t able to think of an answer to the question of Princess Reina. It was because the mana deposition in the core was a problem that no one had been able to solve till then. At the end of the life of the core, they would either replace the ore or discard the whole ore. In particular, as the artificial magic stones began to be produced and the price began to drop on them, the research on recycling them was reduced. ¡°I know of a way.¡± ¡°What!¡± It wasn¡¯t princess Reina, but the Iron Mages who screamed. The wizards were introduced by a person who was acquainted with the princess, and they thought that the noble kid with no magic circle on was making unneeded noise by speaking without common sense. ¡°Don¡¯t spew rubbish!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see. This will be an interesting thing to see!¡± ¡°You can never revive a magic stone that has reached the end of its life.¡± Luke frowned at the Iron Mage. He could understand why they wouldn¡¯t believe. But for a wizard, who always explored nature and was willing to solve questions and pursue the truth, it was ¡®absolute¡¯! ¡°What if I can revive it?¡± ¡°Ah, that isn¡¯t possible!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s do it this way. If I bring back this magic stone, you¡¯ll burn away the robes that you are wearing. And if I can¡¯t bring it back, I will give you the money that I have.¡± Luke put the money in his pocket onto the floor. Looking at the bag of money, the Iron mage just gulped. Freelancing wizards didn¡¯t belong to any place and were always desperate for money. It was because it cost a lot of money to study magic and improve their skills. They became very happy when such a situation presented itself as they were with the princess with just a little pay. ¡®No matter how pretty the princess is¡­¡¯ ¡®Tch tch, this young one!¡¯ It was unpleasant to ask them to burn their robes; it was like denying their existence as a wizard, but the task that was given to Luke was impossible. ¡°Okay, if you do it. I will definitely burn my robes and serve you.¡± ¡°Kukk, I¡¯ll dedicate my entire life working for you.¡± ¡°As wizards or slaves, do whatever you want with us.¡± The wizards, who were convinced that the boy would fail, didn¡¯t hesitate to make additional promises. Luke scoffed at them. ¡°Don¡¯t regret your decision later.¡± And thus came in the oral agreement, making Princess Reina as the notary of the bet. Chapter 19 Chapter 19: The Black Knight Appears 2 Once Luke managed to get the attention of the people, he reached out to Victor, who was on the side, staring at the boy holding the magic stone. ¡°Would you please lend me a sword?¡± ¡°Sword? I don¡¯t get it, where would you use it?¡± Victor wondered while pulling out his sword. Luke took the sword and grabbed the blade with his left hand and pulled it. Swak-! Blood flowed out from his hands, causing the sword to turn red. ¡°Young, young lord?¡± ¡°No, why would you do that?!¡± As if that wasn¡¯t surprising enough, Luke squeezed the blood out of his hand. His blood began to drip onto the magic stone, which he placed on the floor. ¡®The magic stone has to be this wet¡­¡¯ After burying the magic stone with his blood, Luke began to draw a series of magic circles around the stone. All the Iron Mages had their mouth¡¯s opened as they saw him drawing magic figures and characters on the floor without a shred of uncertainty. At first, they thought that he was just another noble kid. However, the shapes and the formulas that filled the circle were exactly the same as the mana wave numbers on the core magic stone. ¡®No, this can¡¯t be!¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s not even a wizard. How is he doing this?¡¯ Luke continued to work while they were all in astonishment. After a while, a magic circle with a 3-meter diameter was completed. After returning the sword to Victor, Luke took a breath and began to cast a spell in a loud voice. ¡°Lha Kantar Eli Re Perato¡­¡± ¡®Don¡¯t, no way! That is a magic spell!¡¯ The Iron Mages opened their mouths at the same time remembering their promises. Magic spells were like a secondary magic, memorizing specific spells would help stimulate the flow of mana and help build the magic. It had the advantage of not needing a magic circle, but on the other hand, the spells were extremely long, and the pitch with the rhythm of the spell must be exactly the same. If it didn¡¯t work well, its effects wouldn¡¯t be that big. A magic spell could only do one or two basic circles. And to go for 3 circles, there was a need to place magic circles. This was why the wizards never laid eyes on the spells, and the non-wizards, scholars, and nobles were interested in magic and would sometimes try to learn it. This boy definitely knew how to do magic already! ¡®Just to imitate the spells¡­¡¯ As the spell of Luke progressed, the magic circle drawn with blood began to shine. Along with him and the mana gathered by the magic circle, it penetrated into the center of the magic stone. Woong! Wooong! Woong! The magic circle shined with huge resonating sounds coming from the magic stone. ¡°What? What the hell are you doing?¡± ¡°What is it with the mana?¡± Iron Mages of the other clans were now starting to be curious at the peculiar phenomenon that was happening. They also wanted to see what was happening The core magic stone, which was at the end of its life, began to glow and its color began to change. The eyes of the people around Luke widened. ¡°That¡­ that!¡± ¡°The deposited mana is disappearing!¡± In the midst of the confusion, Luke was completely dedicated to memorizing the spells. After about 30 minutes of magic rituals, the blood circle around it began to evaporate. Finally, the central magic stone retained its transparent color, the initial stage. ¡°It¡¯s over now. Go on, check it.¡± Luke placed the revitalized stone back into the core engine. As a result, the output of the Mir increased exponentially. It looked like it was a new Gigant that was just taken down from the workshop. Iron Mages, especially the one who challenged Luke to a bet, were completely frozen. ¡°Nonsense!¡± ¡°How did this happen¡­¡± Luke rarely learned any magic spells. But with the magic circle, and the mana deposition of the magic stone, it just couldn¡¯t be understood. ¡®Huh, nonsense? You guys, who haven¡¯t studied properly, would probably not understand this.¡¯ When Luke was still the warlock Saymon, there were no artificial magic stones, and it was very hard to even find the ore of the magic stones. Luke also took a lead in creating the Golem corps. He couldn¡¯t stand the fact that the golems that he made couldn¡¯t bring out their best because of the lack of magic stones. ¡®It would have been nice to be able to recycle the abandoned rubble at the end of its life¡­¡¯ Which was why Luke began his research and dug deeper into the mana deposition. That was when he found one. ¡®Why does a human body have no mana deposition like a magic stone?¡¯ The mana that piled up in one¡¯s body never stopped flowing and such a concept was never heard of. It was then that Luke had thought about the presence of something in the human body. He then realized that what he was looking for was blood, the primal vitality, it had an effect on the mana activity. In addition, he researched how to revive the magic stone based on blood, and completed the magic circle. ¡°I must be tired and are seeing things.¡± ¡°Ri, right. He¡¯s trying to make us hallucinate by doing dark magic!¡± Luke just stared at the Iron Mages as they spew nonsense. In fact, their talk about dark magic was true. Though the magic was based on a magic spell, the magic spell was based on dark magic knowledge. However, they wouldn¡¯t be able to find any evidence to prove that, so Luke didn¡¯t care much. ¡°Dark Magic? Did I summon any demons? Or have I sacrificed anyone?¡± ¡°That was obviously a magic circle made of blood¡­!¡± ¡°Shut up, this bastard! How dare you make fun of our family secret!¡± When Luke raised his voice as if he was angry, the notary Reina took his side. ¡°Luke is the descendent of the great knight Rakan. Would he really use dark magic?¡± Rakan was renowned for being the Sword Emperor, but he was much more famous for being the Holy Knight. Would his descendants even consider using dark magic? And the technique of using blood as a medium of magic rarely existed in white magic. The crowd, who heard her question, began to shake their heads. ¡°It was a little weird, but it wasn¡¯t dark magic.¡± ¡°Who would like to use dark magic in daylight?¡± ¡°I never knew such a secret existed in the Rakan family.¡± Regardless of the bet, the other wizards took Luke¡¯s side. The three Iron Mages, who wagered the bet, had said that they would not only burn their robes but be Luke¡¯s slaves as well. ¡°Kuah, for such a thing¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you all showing off an unusual behavior for wizards? Didn¡¯t you ever know that lack of belief is acceptable, but the unconditional assurance is not forgiven?¡± At the question of Luke, the Iron Mages were so embarrassed that they couldn¡¯t even lift their heads. Princess Reina, on the other hand, was looking at Luke with admiration in her eyes. Luke, who had never been disturbed by her eyes, laughed. ¡°You are really amazing Young Lord. But when did you even learn that magic spell?¡± Philip, whose mouth was wide opened along with the princess and the servants, spoke after regaining their composure. Luke gave the appropriate response. ¡°It is nothing special. It is just a remnant of our mastery that needs to be revived.¡± ¡°Who did you learn that from? The only wizard in our estate is Mute, the Iron Mage¡­¡± ¡°I learned it by myself after reading some books.¡± ¡°I see. But wasn¡¯t the family of Rakan, a family of Knights? To perform magic circles is like having a non-existent dream¡­¡± As Philip kept on asking questions, telling him lies was turning out to be difficult. Luke was slowly starting to get annoyed. ¡°Sir Philip!¡± ¡°Yes, Young Lord!¡± ¡°I have fixed the Gigant. Don¡¯t you have to move it to know if you can handle it?¡± ¡°Ah, yes! It is my first time, but I¡¯ll try to steer it in advance¡­¡± Philip climbed up the ladder to open the hatch on the breastplate to board Mir. He began by moving its fingers and then its ankles, doing basic sword movements and trying to adapt to the strangely new Gigant. Luke watched him from behind. As Luke was doing that, Princess Reina looked at him. ¡®He is an amazing person. Unlike his looks, he is quite a mature man.¡¯ By age, Philip, the brother type of person, was rather light and bubbly, which made Luke seem much more mature. Luke was looking at Mir, which made him suddenly think. ¡®Can I really bet on this game? The dividends will be higher because the power on the side of the princess is significantly lower than the Count Lippi clan¡­¡¯ Reina, seeing Luke step up with a bag of money asked, ¡°Mr. Luke, where are you going?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to see what the Gigant of the Count looks like.¡± There was no way Luke could confidently say ¡®Oh! I¡¯m going to buy the dividend!¡¯. What would the princess think if she realized that he bet on a game where her life was at stake? Of course, after buying the dividends, he planned on spying on the Count¡¯s clan. Reina glanced at Luke, who moved out in a hurry. ¡®Why are you taking money to go spying?¡¯ She had thought of numerous ways to try and understand Luke, but she still couldn¡¯t figure him out. Chapter 20 Chapter 20: The Black Knight Appears 3 Finally, it was the time for the final fight in the arena. The sun was setting, but the crowd was beginning to gather instead of leaving. The last game of the day was a very interesting one. ¡°The priestess of Lamer had a bet with the Count Monarch in this game, right?¡± ¡°If the princess wins, then the Count clears the debts of her unconditionally. If she loses, she will have to marry the count.¡± ¡°Can princess Reina, win?¡± ¡°Not possible. Lippie clan is the strongest in the Southern.¡± ¡°Yeah, that nice and kind princess got trapped in that pig¡¯s arms¡­¡± Rumors of the fight had spread already. Majority of the audience had already liked Reina, but all they could do was cheer. And there was a person who helps the exiled princess. ¡°The Lippie clan replaced their core engine?¡± ¡°Yes, at the first glance it seems pretty good.¡± Sneaking into the Lippie clan¡¯s maintenance room after buying a few dividends Luke told Philip what he saw. ¡°Replaced with a new core engine? Tch, this side is an antique-like one and they¡­¡± ¡°What is it? Not confident about your win? You could win if the performance of the Gigant rises exponentially, right?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± The moment when Philip was trying to make an excuse, Luke grabbed onto his shoulders with both of his hands. And spoke with a lot of emphasis, ¡°Be sure to win Sir Philip. This isn¡¯t a request, it is an order!¡± ¡®Oh my, this is no joke.¡¯ Philip began to sweat as he saw the spirit in the eyes of the lord. Young Lord seemed to have walked away from all the money that he got in the morning. It was said that the odds of the princess are 21 times. And if he won, then the lord would be able to win 210,000 pesos. However, the high dividends meant that winning would be hard too. Of course, the betting audience wasn¡¯t always right, but the owner of the arena was Count Monarch, the Lippie clan owner. In the courtyard of the Count, would it be fair not to take the side of the Count himself? ¡®Tch, should have left half¡­¡¯ The reason why Luke was compelling Philip to win wasn¡¯t just about the money. ¡®I am never going to let the princess be dragged!¡¯ When he had gone to the maintenance room of the Lippie clan to spy, Luke witnessed Count Monarch, who had just come down to encourage his riders and the Iron Mages. Stated to be the relative of the Baroque family, the Count Monarch seemed to be a lot similar to the duke of Baroque, the enemy of the old times. What was worst was that the lust remained the same. It was never going to be alright to let that woman go into their grasp! ¡°If you win this game, I¡¯ll buy you a Gigant, that only you can use.¡± ¡°You really mean it?¡± Luke just threw in one kind of reward possibility, and Philip got caught. Because of the tension, the look on his face which was full of worry changed in an instant. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll get you a new one.¡± ¡°Hahaha! You promised!¡± Almost like he had eaten a live dragon, Philip boarded the Gigant, Mir with confidence. Looking at him in that moment, it looked like he could beat the Sword Master or the Sword Emperor. ¡°Please get moving, the time has come!¡± Thud Thud Thud! At the call from the host, Philip began to control Mir and moved towards the exit. Luke then moved to the stands where the princess was. Chapter 21 Chapter 21: The Black Knight Appears 4 The Black Knight appears 4 ¡°The final game of today is between Mileon, the veteran rider of the Lippie clan and the owner of Achilles! And the one who is going against him is an unknown soldier, Philip who boarded the Mir for the lost princess!!!¡± Chrrrr! Drrrr! At the end of the announcement, the whole arena rang loudly, with the heavy doors opening, Philip walked out with Mir. On the sight screen of the cockpit, a spacious arena had appeared. In the middle of the arena, the Gigant of the Lippie clan could be seen. A blue Gigant with two horns on its head, it surely looked impressive. It was definite that this was the Achilles of the Altica Magic Tower. ¡°Wahhh!¡± ¡°Woooo!¡± Philip closed his eyes as all the shouts were entering his ears. ¡®This feeling, this surge¡­ it has been a really long time!¡¯ Philip had graduated from the Royal Military Academy and was assigned to the Guardian Knight, who happened to be one of the best knights in the empire. There he hoped to become a hero-class Gigant rider, but he couldn¡¯t do anything with the Gigant because of the jealous and impertinent high ranking nobles who had no talent. He wasn¡¯t able to handle the pressure from all those sides as he was just another low noble, and with his Gigant running into some sort of accident, he eventually veered away from the Gigant scene too. After resigning and wandering by himself for a while, Philip was called by one of his distant relatives who was serving as a Knight for Rakan. Because of the unexpected drawbacks, the path to the empire was long closed, and he followed Roger to the estate to be a designated knight for the little young lord. And two boring years have passed in that way. ¡®I never thought that I would feel this way ever again¡­¡¯ The ear of Philip which was carried away by the excitement he hadn¡¯t heard in a long time, heard a deep-voiced laughter. ¡°Hahaha! I don¡¯t know where this dog has rolled up, but I will make sure that you will regret your choice when you leave later this evening!¡± The laughter was a triumphant cry that came out of the rider of Achilles. ¡®Mileon¡­ the rider of Lippie clan.¡¯ To the best knowledge of Philip, Mileon was one of the three strongest knights who were under the Count Monarch. Specifically, in the Gigant arena, he was deemed to have a great history of fighting with Gigant and the clan who owned him was the Count, and it was stated that 99 percent of the audience never doubted his victory. ¡®Huhuhu, after a while, the people will be surprised.¡¯ Opening his eyes wide open, Philip snapped his finger at the opponent. ¡°Did you learn to fight from a kid? If you are going to talk like a kid, then don¡¯t push your luck.¡± ¡°What, what?!¡± ¡°If you are getting scared, you can just yield right here.¡± ¡°Keuk! This, this bastard!¡± Getting teased by a nobody kid, Mileon screamed and rushed with his Achilles. Woong-! The mace wielded by Achilles rushed past the head of Mir, which was why Philip leaned back to avoid and retreat, causing a raise in mana to fight back. Thug-! As a veteran rider, Mileon easily shifted his small shield, buckler to stop the attack from Philip. ¡°If you thought that you¡¯d be able to hit me by provoking me, then it is a miscalculation on your part!¡± ¡°Huh? that so?¡± Philip was pushed with pretense by taking control of the momentum. Pagggg! Tongtong tong! It was an attack like a shower. Mileon looked very flustered as he defended it with a buckler. ¡®What, what?! This isn¡¯t the skill of a normal person!¡¯ The princess was in a hurry to get a rider, so he assumed that they would have placed in the first person they looked at and was definitely less than an expert level. But the massive power and the unstoppable attack by the sword was never on the level of a low knight. ¡®That too, that Gigant! It¡¯s over 50 years old and borrowed!¡¯ Mir was a bit stiffer than Achilles because of the age, but the core engine¡¯s output could be compared to that of a warrior¡­ ¡®What did you use for replacing the junk Gigant? If I do any mistake, I¡¯ll be punished!¡¯ Even if he was shocked, he could still win. But if he lost, then the Count will be jumping out in anger. The rider decided to go defensive even if it meant he would get in trouble for a moment. Whether to counter-attack or to defend; could be thought off. The moment Philip lifted the huge sword to attack, Mileon threw his mace forward. Kwang! Unexpectedly as the mace was coming in, Philip hurried and stopped the incoming attack. Meanwhile, Mileon took a step back and pulled the chain that was around Achilles¡¯ waist. And the iron pieces that were attached to the chain got stuck together into a huge sword. ¡°Chain Sword?¡± ¡°I felt intimidated a bit, but don¡¯t expect to beat me!¡± Mileon, who was ready, began to focus mana on the giant sword. Wooong! From the surface of the huge sword, the big sword began to glow grey. It wasn¡¯t thick in shape or concentration, but it was clearly the Gigantic Aura. ¡°Wah! It is the Gigantic Aura!¡± The crowd who noticed the Gigantic aura began to shout. Only a few of the intermediate expert riders could make it. It was very hard to make the aura with the bare body, but to make it on a Gigant? Sword was the second one and the advanced skills that only elite riders could play. ¡°Surely from the Lippie clan¡¯s Achilles¡¯ Mileon!¡± ¡°Yeah, it is expected from the Monarch!¡± ¡°Tch tch, I don¡¯t know who it is, but it is over now.¡± ¡°I feel so sorry. He seemed to be pretty good,¡± When Mileon released the Gigantic aura, everyone concluded that the victory was on his side. It was the same with Princess Reina too. ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaaah! Won¡¯t Sir Philip be hurt?¡± Luke smiled at Reina who was more worried about Philip than losing her bet. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Sir Philip is a much better rider than you think.¡± Luke had heard that Philip had the most remarkable performance in the history of the Imperial Military Academy. And the mana that flowed out of his body was above the intermediate Expert level. Not surprisingly, Philip reversed the flow of atmosphere immediately which had been directed at Mileon. Hwoong! As the giant sword of Mir rose, a red-colored Gigantic aura that surpassed Mileon¡¯s began to shine. ¡°Oh, oh my goodness! Much better than the opponent rider! ¡± ¡°It is much bigger and clearer than Mileon¡¯s!¡± The surprised crowds opened their mouths at what was happening. And soon their hearts began to burst out of expectation and interest. It was because riders who use the Gigantic aura have never ever faced in the arena of Lamer. But that day, was a historic fight that everyone was witnessing, everyone began to get nervous about the bets that they placed. Kwang! Kwang! The two riders began to fight a lot. Whenever the Gigantic aura induced weapons to hit, flames blew out, and pieces of metal began to bounce off everywhere. The fast and intense maneuvers of the Gigants caused the entire arena to shake; it began to burn hot like a furnace. ¡°Yahh, it is going to end!¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad I got to see this game!¡± With such thrill, the audience¡¯s shouts went higher and cheering came from both sides. ¡°Hahah! Scream some more!¡± Philip pushed Mileon in a sudden stormy moment. And then came the final blow. Chapter 22 Chapter 22: The Black Knight Appears 5 Kwang?! ¡°Kwakk!¡± Along with a huge scream, the buckler shattered, and the blue Gigant Achilles got pushed back. ¡®Eukkk! For this to happen!¡¯ Blood began to flow out of Mileon¡¯s lips. The mana, which flowed temporarily inside the Gigant, blocked the attack from Philip which was stronger than expected. And in the midst of all that commotion, he was biting on his lip out of fear. ¡°Dammit, he isn¡¯t just an ordinary person.¡± Until the opponent managed to manifest the gigantic aura, Mileon was confident that he would win. However, as he was happy with his imagination, he had displayed a gigantic aura that overwhelmed him. It was the first time that he was humiliated at his home grounds, Lamer Arena. That too being pushed back by an unknown rider, whose name he never heard of! ¡°Are you just going to stand there?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Mileon, who bravely managed to prevent Philip from attacking again, made his decision. ¡®This, if this goes on like this, I will lose! If that happens, all the good impression that the Count has on me will vanish!¡¯ Once all the attention and love the Count had for him was gone, he would turn into an invisible being. Mileon decided to use it, just in case. Grabbing the crystal right next to the core engine, he tried to handle the power with his own hands. Guooong! With a loud roar from Achilles, its movements changed dramatically. Its speed and power got upgraded further. All of that made it look like Mir, who was able to push him back till a while ago, was a lie. ¡®What, what is this!?¡¯ Philip was flustered as he saw his opponent¡¯s strength increase drastically in just a second. He took on a defensive stance and decided to defend in the meantime until he figured out what was going to happen. ¡°This is a foul!¡± Luke, who was looking closely at Achilles, jumped up and yelled at the sudden change. He ran over to the judges¡¯ seat and protested. ¡°The output of the core engine of Achilles is too much and the same as a warrior!¡± There were some rules in place at the Arena for the Gigant games. One of them was the limitation on the output of the core engine. If it was more than 1200 fight, then the Gigant would be disqualified. But according to what Luke observed, the output of Achilles was at least 1.5 times that of Mir or that of 1,500 fight. ¡°Stop the fight right now and declare the confiscation defeat to the Lippe Clan!¡± However, the judges just ignored the fierce protest of Luke. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you are talking about. How can you see that Achilles has over 1500 fight?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it. When I look at it, it doesn¡¯t seem to cross over 1200 fight, right?¡± ¡®These people!¡¯ Luke was angry at the attitude of the judges. Even if the place did belong to the Count Monarch, he didn¡¯t think that they would go to this extreme. ¡®Then what the hell are you guys even here for?¡¯ As Luke was closing in his hand onto the sword that was attached to his waist. Princess Reina came along and grabbed his hand before he reached the sword. ¡°Calm down, Sir Luke. Trust Philip a little more.¡± ¡°Hugh, okay.¡± Honestly, rebelling against them wasn¡¯t really going to be helpful. Rather, it was good news that the guards didn¡¯t feel the need to throw them out of the arena. Luke was furious, and he returned back to his seat. Philip, who was in heavy defense, watched very closely his opponent who was in full offensive. Mir¡¯s upper body swayed from side to side, creating an afterimage in front of Achilles. Mileon opened his eyes wide with the intent to solidify his victory. ¡®There, that one!¡¯ Kwang! The two Gigants crossed each other. The two Gigants¡¯ strike burst out, and then it all disappeared. ¡°Oh oh oh, who won?¡± ¡°Ah, look there!¡± As the crowd was searching for the winner in excitement, they found Mir¡¯s arm on the ground. ¡°Wow! Did Sir Mileon won?¡± When a few audiences were pleased, right behind the arm, two legs which belonged to Achilles, the upper and the lower body, got separated. Thud! Approaching Achilles, who fell on the cramped ground, was Philip with his giant sword and a gigantic aura. The man in the cockpit then said, ¡°You wish to continue?¡± ¡°Keuk, l¡­ I lost!¡± Mileon was angry, but he accepted his defeat. ¡°The Black Knights Phantom Sword can be seen here!¡± The spectacular swordsmanship that Philip showed in the end, Mileon had seen it once before. 3 years ago, when he went to the Empire Gigant Arena, he got completely deceived by an opponent. Mileon later found out that the Black Gigant rider was known as the ¡®Black Knight¡¯. However, he was never identified. But he witnessed the same thing again this time! ¡°Are you the Black Knight?¡± ¡°Huh, there was a time when I was called that.¡± During his life as a knight, Philip never got into Gigants because of the high-class nobles. But as he somehow wanted to train with Gigants, he used to secretly serve as a rider for the guilds in the Empire arena. At first, he just wanted to train, but as time went by, he began to fall in love with the Gigants and ended up becoming a mercenary rider for three years. Thanks to that, along with the fame, the Black Knight was able to increase his skills. Later, as things started to get complicated, he began to lose that fame. ¡°Why? Why would someone with such skills be here¡­?¡± ¡°It is because of the orders of my master. And wouldn¡¯t it be natural for the black knight to help a princess in need?¡± After explaining it, Philip turned away from his opponent and waved his left hand to the crowd, which was admiring him. ¡°We won! We really won!¡± Princess Reina was moved to tears. Luke, who watched the game unfold, looked more relaxed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to marry the Count anymore.¡± ¡°Yes. It is all thanks to you Young lord. Thank you very much.¡± Princess Reina thanked Luke. At which Luke shook his head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just because of me. Anyone who knew the pure intent in the eyes of the princess would have helped.¡± ¡°Even then¡­¡± Right then, Victor intervened. ¡°Princess, should we be heading down to the maintenance deck?¡± ¡°Oh! I should also thank Sir Philip for all his hard work.¡± Reina began to go down the stairs. At the corner of Luke¡¯s mouth, a small smile appeared. ¡®You surely did well. I feel a lot better because of Philip.¡¯ Princess Reina wasn¡¯t Katarina. Still, by helping her, he seemed to feel a little less guilty for not being able to protect Katarina in the past. ¡°Oops! I don¡¯t have time for this.¡± To get his dividend of 210,000 pesos, he would have to work very diligently moving forward. Chapter 23 Chapter 23: The Magi Crystals 1 Near the port of Lamer city. Luke, Philip, and princess Reina were standing on the roadside. ¡°Did your problem with your debt go well?¡± ¡°Yes, yesterday I stopped by the bank under the Empire with the presence of Bishop Pascal and made things clear. Young lord, you should have seen the expression on the face of the Count¡­¡± At the question from Luke, Pavel answered with a huge grin, rethinking the pleasant experience. Reina smiled brightly and thanked him again. ¡°It was all thanks to you.¡± ¡°Hahaha, not at all.¡± Luke was holding his hands while letting out a small laugh. ¡°I will make sure to repay this grace. So please wait till then.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Honestly, Luke wanted to say no, but he didn¡¯t want to hurt her pride so Luke nodded. Two?! As the departure time approached, the horn began to sound. ¡°This is a little sad.¡± ¡°The end of a meeting is always parting ways, and after parting ways, there will always be another meeting.¡± When Luke quoted a poem from long ago, Reina smiled. ¡°It¡¯s ¡®Journey of the Wind¡¯ made by the poet Lund. I know that it was a very old song¡­¡± ¡°A good song said that light will never fade even through the ravages of time.¡± And that too was said by Lund. Saymon heard that directly from Lund. ¡°You know of all the classics¡­ You seem to be much older than you look, Young Lord.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± ¡°Yeah, I was very surprised to know that you were only 17!¡± ¡®Are my words and actions having some kind of an oldie vibe?¡¯ Knowing the age of him, he thought that everyone would overlook his actions. Then why was Philip or the other servants of Rakan not feeling strange about it? The questions he had were soon answered by what Philip said, ¡°Hah, our Young Lord has always been like that since he was a child. He matured fast as both his parents passed away early. And recently after waking up from a dangerous accident, he got much older.¡± ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Reina quickly apologized for the wounds that Luke was hiding. However, that didn¡¯t matter to Luke as he had the soul of Saymon. ¡°It is alright. We¡¯ll have to part ways now.¡± Luke politely said goodbye to Reina. Though he wanted to spend more time with her, he had an important mission of protecting something that was very precious to him. The iron mages, who were next to her, with dreadful expressions had other things to do. ¡°Please be safe.¡± ¡°Please be safe as well, princess.¡± After saying goodbye to Reina, Luke took the three iron mages into the porting dock. With a heart filled with regret and expectations of reunion. Chapter 24 Chapter 24: The Magi Crystals 2 Three days later, Luke along with his group returned back to their territory. When Luke arrived at his permanent residence, the servants who heard of his return rushed in like bees. ¡°Young Lord! What in the world were you doing?!¡± ¡°No matter how dire the situation was, how could you take away the statue of your ancestor! The symbol of your family!¡± ¡°You need to place it back, right away!¡± Luke smiled at all the servants. ¡°I already sold it to a blacksmith. It should have been long melted.¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± Several shocked gasps could be heard from the servants. Hans, closed his eyes trying to suppress his emotions and talked to Luke. ¡°So, have you got the 30,000 pesos?¡± ¡°No, only got 2,300 pesos for it.¡± ¡°Huhu! That could be true.¡± The man who laughed with an unpleasant looking smile was Terin, the manager of the Alon branch. While he was walking around, Luke decided to blow the bubble. ¡°We still have two more days, right?¡± ¡°I just came here beforehand to see things. I just wanted to know what will happen after I get the 30,000 pesos.¡± ¡°Really? You want to know?¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious because I¡¯m in business.¡± At the words of Terin, Luke took a step towards him. He squirmed something in his hands and shoved it into the mouth of Terin. ¡°Here, go and receive 30,000 pesos!¡± ¡°Kwuk!¡± Rolling down on the floor to gag it out, he squealed while spitting out the thing. Seeing the thing fall on the ground, Terin couldn¡¯t help but get shocked. ¡°This!¡± ¡°This, this was the note that was issued for you.¡± At the Gigant arena, when getting paid with large dividends, they usually used notes issued by banks and traders with high credit rather than handing gold coins. And that allowed Luke to haul a very large amount of money instead of carrying it around in his pockets. ¡®This doesn¡¯t make any sense! It hasn¡¯t even been ten days yet, where did this kid get this sum of money¡­?¡¯ Terin looked over at the note. He was under the impression that it might have been forgery, however, the patter and the stamps on the paper, and the feel of the paper felt very Alon like. ¡°How, how did you?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know, and I¡¯ll give you your interest right here so get off my land right away.¡± Luke threw the remaining coins at Terin. However, Terin wasn¡¯t able to say anything back. It was just another two more days for the bet to be finished, and for such a thing to happen! Terin felt like he missed something huge, that was when Luke pulled out his sword. ¡°Get off!¡± ¡°Huh, yes, yes!¡± As anger made its way into Luke, Terin rolled away. As surprised as Terin was, so were the servants and the retainers. They were all thinking that the debt wasn¡¯t going to get paid, but a huge change had happened. ¡°Young, lord. How did you get the money?¡± Luke simply answered the question from Dixon, ¡°It was betting.¡± ¡°The 2,300 pesos?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What kind of a method did you use to call ten times the amount in less than 10 days?¡± With the pursuit of the retainers, Luke went into the permanent residence, leaving them behind with just one word ¡®secret¡¯. And all the attention went to Philip, who was left alone. And that meant telling them right away. ¡®Ah, this is going to hurt me.¡¯ The winning money at the gamble hall, the truth about getting a jackpot at the Gigant Arena, they were the facts that he could never tell. The elderly people who were filled with a sense of justice and chivalry would never accept it. It was obvious that the young Lord had deprived the honor of his family, and it was obvious that Philip would get punished for not trying to direct the lord well. ¡®How am I supposed to talk to keep us safe?¡¯ Philip was thinking hard. As he was hesitant, the Knight General, Roger furrowed his brows and asked, ¡°What are you doing?! Let us know about how this happened right away!¡± ¡°That! The young Lord has¡­¡± It was a very short time, but because of consistent thinking, Philip was able to distort the fact very beautifully. ¡°¡­ so, young lord had gone to a gambling house to pay off the debt?¡± When Hans asked with a firm face, Philip nodded. ¡°That is true. There was no way to raise 30,000 pesos in this short time.¡± ¡°What, this guy?! Even if that was indeed true! What if the Young Lord had run out of money in the gambling house? If you were the designated knight, you should have persuaded him not to or contacted us!¡± One of the retainers shouted. ¡°I tried to talk him out of it at first. But, Young Lord was so good at gambling, like a god.¡± ¡°God of gambling?¡± ¡°Yes. He had won against deceptive tricks. In particular, he really makes a clover straight flush without even playing the cards¡­ kya! If only you have watched that, the young lord would have touched your feelings!¡± Philip propagated Luke¡¯s gambling performance to the old retainers with emotion and dramatics which made it seem like an epic speaker giving out a speech. However, the faces of the retainers were rather grim. They weren¡¯t sure as to where the young Lord had learned to gamble, and they thought it wasn¡¯t something that to boast about be it good or bad. ¡°So, did you raise 30,000 pesos in the gambling house?¡± ¡°No, we went to the Gigant Arena after earning 10,000 pesos¡­¡± Philip elaborated on what happened at the Gigant arena. He didn¡¯t tell about the secret of resurrecting the old magic stone. Instead, he focused on how he struggled with the Gigant. That was when, the faces of the retainers which were firm as a rock, began to turn a little loose. ¡°Huh, that happened?!¡± ¡°Helped the princess of the other¡­¡± They helped a good princess in a difficult situation. He was supposed to be an honorable descendant of the great knight Rakan. ¡°Those notes are the dividends we placed on the princess. It isn¡¯t very knightly to win money by betting, but can¡¯t you see good faith in it?¡± Maron, the Priest of the estate said that which was a bit flustering yet convincing. Even the most stubborn Hans nodded his head and asked with his voice still firm, ¡°You sure that this story isn¡¯t just a lie?¡± ¡°Yes! I swear it on the God of War, Mars. This is the truth!¡± As it was none other than Philip who served the God of War, there was no way he couldn¡¯t trust. But he didn¡¯t know that Philip chose not to speak about the Young Lord¡¯s money that was 210,000 pesos and not 30,000 pesos. ¡°And the debt has been paid, and we know the way too, how about we just move to the hall room?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At the question of Dixon, the retainers nodded their heads. They were having a regular meeting until they were informed of the young lord¡¯s return and rushed over. ¡®Phew, barely managed?¡¯ Philip took a breath of relief while looking at the retainers who were moving into the mansion. Roger remained, looking at him. ¡°You did well.¡± ¡°Not at all. I didn¡¯t exactly do anything.¡± After all, he did eat delicious food after a long time and became an expert rider in a Gigant match. ¡°Really? Whatsoever, be sure to submit the report.¡± ¡°Report?¡± ¡°Whatever had happened, didn¡¯t you contribute to the deviation of the young lord?¡± ¡°But that is for the knights of this estate¡­!¡± ¡°I know, I know.¡± Roger patted the shoulder of Philip like he understood how he felt. ¡°Even then, write it. You do know what happened when you cheat a little or lie about it, right?¡± At the threat from Roger, Philip felt intimidated. The good luck of deviation which he thought he could enjoy, seemed to have ended in misery. Chapter 25 Chapter 25: The Magi Crystals 3 Luke went into his room and threw himself onto his bed and went to sleep right away. He was very tired since he had been traveling in a state where he couldn¡¯t say that his body was good, yet he wasn¡¯t able to sleep. It was because he had to decide what to do in the future. First, he succeeded in paying off the debt and defending the Gigant. However, two of the biggest things remained. Overthrowing the Baroque Imperial and the Veritas Magic Tower. ¡®Of all, I¡¯ll never forgive the Veritas Magic Tower.¡¯ It was what ruined the life that he and Katarina were supposed to have, and stole his work which pushed Saymon into studying dark magic for expanding his authority and power. ¡®Even if the wizards of the Veritas Magic Tower aren¡¯t relevant to the past, they are the ones who always commit huge sins by depriving people of basic necessities.¡¯ The same was the case for the Baroque Imperial family. They were enjoying building the empire with the help of the Veritas magic tower. Shouldn¡¯t that unjust power and actions be cleared? ¡®To do that, I would need to have a stronger force.¡¯ In order to have strong power, he would have to increase his power and his forces as well. The estates had forces, and they could somehow be developed, but the problem was the body he was in possession of. It was hard to grow properly in a normal manner because of a misleading dark magic curse that got placed without his knowledge. ¡®I need something specific.¡¯ Luke cleaned up his clothes and went out. He moved to the stable and brought out his horse. ¡°Young Lord, where are you going?¡± The gatekeeper, who was guarding the main gate of the permanent mansion, moved to the front of Luke who was riding on the horse. It wasn¡¯t much since he had returned and he was off to somewhere, that too without his guardian. It would turn troublesome if he met people he wasn¡¯t supposed to meet. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back in a jiffy. If the retainers ask, tell them I went to the castle that is in front.¡± ¡°You can go, but your guardian¡­!¡± Before the gatekeeper could complete, Luke ran out with the horse. ¡°Young Lord! Please wait, young Lord!¡± The gatekeeper screamed and chased, but Luke just went ahead in the direction of the huge castle that was straight to him. Hundreds of years had passed to form a dense forest of old trees, and an old giant structure made of black stone appeared. The castle, with the steep tower in the middle, was the former home of Luke in the past, a place that people called ¡®Devil King¡¯s castle¡¯. Legend has it that the Devil King¡¯s Castle was built by the Devil Saymon with the stones that he acquired from the devils. He was described to have caught and sacrificed thousands of human as dark sacrifices and ate them like beasts. ¡°Hng, if I wanted to make it look much more sophisticated, it would have been very costly for me, idiots!¡± Luke scoffed at the sign that said the origin and the name of the castle. Even if Saymon wanted, there was no devil for him to pamper. All the summoned ones were beaten by Saymon and later used for absorbing their powers and abilities, and a few of them were used for experiments. At the time of the reconstruction, a dwarf tribe had helped, and the black stone was the basalt rock obtained nearby. Not thousands, and definitely not a dark sacrifice, but there were indeed a few humans. But they were the hunters who sold off the poor tribes, they just paid for their sins. And history was left to the point of view of the winner. And Warlock Saymon was remembered as a Devil King for future generations. ¡°Today¡¯s business is done¡­ ah, young Lord, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Just felt like seeing.¡± Luke passed the horse over to the janitor standing at the gate. As the closing hour was nearing, there didn¡¯t seem to be any visitors left. It was a good thing for Luke as he won¡¯t have to face any hindrance. He walked along the long corridor to see it all. ¡®I was with Katarina at that time.¡¯ Luke went along with the memory. At that time, while traveling with Katarina, he sought a place to escape from the rain and found a ruined castle. At first, they only went in to avoid getting wet in the rain, but the two adventurous humans wandered around the castle and ended up finding a book that was left behind by a warlock. ¡®I tried to get rid of it, but the book had some kind of protection magic around it, and hence it failed.¡¯ In the end, the two decided to hide the dark magic book in a place that only they knew. Luke, who later lost Katarina felt completely shut down, he returned there for revenge and unlocked the Dark Magic Book. The Dark Magic Book, contained the essence of darkness and chaos, was always carried by Saymon. 9 circle of the dark magic could surely destroy the book, but he wasn¡¯t able to get rid of it because it was one of the few things that he shared with her. ¡®What happened to that book after my death? Would Rakan have gotten rid of it? Yeah, that stupid one was a fool with no consideration, he would have done that.¡¯ Luke entered the main hall as he saw another ridiculous sign. ¡®A brave man battled with the Devil King Saymon? To write down such red lies!¡¯ In fact, the fight with Rakan happened in front of the giant structure, where the permanent mansion was located. ¡°How far did these people distort the truth? Huh! what is this now? I sat on such a childish throne?¡± A majestic golden throne. Luke, no Saymon, there was no way his throne couldn¡¯t have been so incredible. Just in case, he wanted to see if it was real gold, however, it was just a painted seat, and jewelry on display was just glass imitation. ¡®If it was real, I would have sold it on sale.¡¯ Tilting his head back, Luke approached the wall that was behind him. ¡°Let¡¯s see, this is the brick to push, and that¡­¡± Luke, decided seven of the bricks in the wall and pressed them in turns. As they weren¡¯t used for a long time, the bricks didn¡¯t move well. But later, as he pushed them, one after the other, they started to go in. Drrrk! Kukuku! The wall split from side to side, revealing a hidden passage. As Luke began to enter, he took the help of the wall. ¡°Surely, the building skills of the dwarves are the best. It works perfectly even after 500 years.¡± There were no traces of people moving in or out of the passage as the dust had settled down. Except for the spiders, dust, and the webs, the place was exactly the way Saymon had left it. Because it was made with the help of the dwarves¡¯ knowledge of institutions, the passage wasn¡¯t captured even with the detection magic of the wizards or the hunters. Luke, who was descending along the secret passage, reached a large bronze gate a while later. ¡°In the darkness I speak to the shining spirit, open the way for the truth.¡± As Luke opened the door, the magic on the bronze door reacted causing it to open. And finally, with a damp smell of the old air, the underground laboratory revealed it¡¯s appearance. Wizards normally set up secret spaces in their homes, and Luke too built a laboratory in the basement. ¡°500 years ago.¡± Luke looked at the underground laboratory with his eyes. Cobwebs, dust, and mold were in every corner of the room, except for them all the other things were right there. A spellbook, a flask containing a magic solution, or the experiments that he stopped doing. Reading his experimental journal, he could almost feel disappointed. ¡°It¡¯s been an experiment with almost 90% done¡­ it isn¡¯t time to hang out here.¡± Luke opened a book which kept a record of all the lab supplies that were present. To find what he needed. ¡®Third right cabinet safe!¡¯ Luke opened the safe which was inside the cabinet. What he took out of the safe was a sealed vial. A translucent black liquid in the glass moved as if it was alive. ¡°I found you, Magi Crystals!¡± Chapter 26 Chapter 26: The Magi Crystals 4 The Magi¡¯s Crystal. It was discovered in the past when warlock Saymon was doing a special study. During that time, Luke was completely occupied with revenge. After overcoming the devil that was summoned with his own blood, he continued to grow in a way that deprived the others of power and magi. For warlocks, the creatures that came in contact with the magi were out of control. The warlocks, who were dominated by the devils, ran wild, and the place with magi would turn them into much more monstrous creatures. And not wanting to give up his humanity for the dead Katarina, Saymon performed a much closer analysis on the magi. In that process, he found out a surprising fact; it was that the magi and mana did not have much difference in terms of their nature. Puzzled, he stopped his work for a while and dug up some old literature. ¡®When you look at the early records of the birth of magic, mana or magi was never mentioned. Only Aether is mentioned!¡¯ Aether was a substance that got mentioned in mythology. According to ancient mythology, when the gods were said to be born, the whole world was said to be filled with Aether. That was the nature of Aether that got mentioned in the old literature and ancient mythology. Aether was the Divine Force, in other words, it also had the characteristics of Mana and Aura which transformed into physical force. It also contained the dark and chaotic nature of the magi. ¡®In other words, Aether is the foundation of all power.¡¯ It was interesting to note that in ancient times, the world of wizards wasn¡¯t just divided into good or evil. They divided things into darkness and light, or yin and yang, and emphasized the need for the two opposing qualities to have harmony. But as magic began to flourish, the whole white and black theory began to form. In the process, only white magic, which was the most used magic, was recognized as a status and degree, and dark (black) magic and spirit magic were treated as outcasts. The most oppressed among them was the dark magic, and in fact, it was classified as an apostle and treated as an art of grief. From that point of time, all the wizards began to focus on the concept of mana rather than on Aether. Why did the theory of magic change? Luke, who hadn¡¯t found an answer to that question, noticed that the time of the establishment of magic was the same as in the days of Saint Ramiel, the elder of the El Kassel denomination. ¡®Religion and theology flourished during the early days, so magic must have been affected.¡¯ Because of that, the image of dark magic, which was related to darkness and chaos was expelled. In addition, the magic that was the basis for the dark magic was the main source of energy for the demons and devils. The devils, who enjoyed destruction and slaughter, hated the word of God. ¡®But the devils did that for a reason.¡¯ The later known fact was that the magi and the devils existed in their world called ¡®hell¡¯. With sulfur fumes floating like clouds in the sky, the rivers and the oceans there were filled with mercury A desolate world filled with all kinds of toxic substances that would do harm for the living. The devils couldn¡¯t help but focus on weak meat preservation. Catching the weak and then eat, that was the simple mindset of those who were in there, so it was natural that they wouldn¡¯t go well with the humans. And after learning the truth behind the history and the ecology of each race, Luke found out that the magi was the driving force behind the devils. Magi evolved their bodies and souls to adjust to that environment. ¡®Myths state that the world was born out of chaos. Then wouldn¡¯t it be possible to create new creatures or to evolve oneself with a strong chaotic nature?¡¯ As far as his thoughts extended, Saymon thought of summoning more devils to do further research on magi. The magi that got extracted, collected and filtered was the ¡®Magi¡¯s Crystals¡¯. ¡®It was hard to make, but I had no use of them.¡¯ The magi¡¯s crystals weren¡¯t powerful enough to create a new life. And even if the creature could be evolved, it was of low level. It only had strong bones and agility. Moreover, Luke was an 8 circle warlock. He was far beyond any human status, which meant that he didn¡¯t have to rely on the magi crystals. Eventually, the magi crystals were forgotten by Luke. After waking up in Luke¡¯s body, he went to that place because he needed a strong power. ¡®The curse on the descendants of Rakan is very strong. But this thing might be able to change this fragile body a little bit.¡¯ Luke soon unsealed the vial and inhaled the magi crystals, taking it into his mouth. ¡°Kuak!¡± At first, he felt an unpleasant feeling like swallowing a live slime, making his limbs tremble. The magi, which were concentrated in the vial, slowly spread through his blood vessels and nerves. ¡°Kuaahk!¡± The pain was spreading all over him. Luke fell down on the floor and rolled over. Normally, when a human takes in raw magi, they either die immediately, or they become contaminated, turning them into a mutant. However, the magi crystals were different. The reason being, the devil¡¯s thoughts, and their toxins were all removed and filtered in the form of Aether. Luke¡¯s frail body couldn¡¯t withstand such filtered magi. No, it was actually much harder to handle because magi were much closer to the original Aether. There were no records saying that humans could either absorb or manipulate aether. ¡®Keuk! What is this pain!?¡¯ It was much more painful than the time he got stabbed by Rakan¡¯s Orichalcum sword. The pain, however, was not in his body but in his soul. It never subsided, which made Luke struggle for a while. But at one point, the energy of the black smoke rose from his whole body. Not just that, Luke¡¯s eyes turned red and black, like that of a devil. ¡°Kill! Destroy them! Destroy everything!!¡± He heard a cry, more like a scream in his head. At the very same time, beastly sharp nails emerged from Luke¡¯s fingertips, and he also grew sharp fangs. Was he overwhelmed by the deadly thoughts and the toxic nature? Luke, roaring like a beast, slowly got up. Hweeee?! Dark magi burst out of his whole body, swirling violently like it would blow the underground laboratory at any moment. Chapter 27 Chapter 27: The Magi Crystals 5 ¡°Kuehh! Go away! Ahh!¡± Luke jumped off the floor and shook his fists wildly. At that moment, the magi that had been moving around his body disappeared like it was getting evaporated. Soon, his pupils returned to normal. His nails and fangs returned to normal as well. The terrible pain and the trembling had resided. ¡°Keuk! It almost got my heart!¡± There wasn¡¯t any devil or demon toxic in the magi crystals. The things he just witnessed were the inner wickedness of his mind and heart. If Luke¡¯s soul hadn¡¯t been a very hardworking warlock then in his battle against the devils, he would be encroached. ¡°We succeeded somehow.¡± His body seemed to be a little better than before. His muscles seemed to be full of strength, and his breathing seemed to be full; it was enough to make him run around all day. As his metabolism became active, his whole body overflowed. ¡®And above all¡­¡¯ Luke smiled faintly. The acceleration of his heart changed to a familiar rate. ¡®The Black Circle got restored.¡¯ The magi crystal not only strengthened his body, but it also placed the foundation for using dark magic. ¡°Wah, the circle¡¯s level should be in the 3rd circle.¡± For the purpose of demonstrating it to himself, Luke used Dark Flame¡ªan offensive dark magic. He accelerated his dark magic and implemented the same technique he learned in the past. A flash of purple fireworks rose from his hands. Luke opened his eyes wide. ¡°Huh? Why is it purple? Its flames should be black.¡± In the end, the state of the black circle seemed to be a little strange. Its waves began to feel strangely different from before. When compared to music, the Black Circle of Saymon in the past was like a lonely solo note, but currently, it was like a choir with several chords. ¡°Is it because of the filtered magi?¡± He tried out other dark magics of the 3rd circle to see if there were any other problems, but there seemed to be nothing wrong. Only the color and the waves were oddly different. There was also another strange thing. He could hardly feel the remnants of the magi that should occur in the process of manifesting the dark magic. If that was the case, then he didn¡¯t need to hide the presence of magi. ¡°This is a little weird, but it will be easier this way.¡± Luke decided to take the changes positively and cleared up the messy underground lab. ¡®However, the curve wave on this body is still the same.¡¯ The curse was fairly secretive and yet persistent. Despite accepting the magi crystals, the curse still remained unchanged. ¡®Unlike general magic, dark magic is rather subordinate. The strong aren¡¯t affected by the operations of a weak spell.¡¯ This meant that the one who cursed the blood of Rakan was not around the 3rd circle magic. No, Rakan wasn¡¯t the kind of person who could just be struck by any kind of warlock. His opponent must have been an ultimate 9th circle warlock that could be compared to the level of Saymon. ¡®But, was there a warlock in that time who was equivalent to me?¡¯ There must have been numerous things hidden in that world, but Luke knew for sure that there were no wizards that achieved the 9th circle within the white wizards. Whatever had happened, thanks to the magi crystals, he turned into a 3rd circle. However, that level wasn¡¯t enough if he wanted to flush out his grudges. In order to fight against the Veritas Magic Tower, who had a very high influence on the entire Empire and the continent, he should at least be in possession of the same abilities he had in the past. ¡°I know both the theory and the actions to reach each of the circles, so there won¡¯t be any problem in growing into the 9th circle. But to reach the 9th circle of the black circle, I will need to wait since it will take time to collect the magi¡­¡± His body was still very young, yet he couldn¡¯t be optimistic about the future. Maybe it was because of the curse, and there were quite a few descendants of Rakan who had died very young. In particular, the body of a human being was surprisingly weak, and if a small abnormality occurs in the heart or the brain, it could lead to death. If the curse would grow into such a disease, he might not even be able to use his hands properly. Luke frowned as he was thinking. ¡°Well, there are holes that sprung up in the sky too¡­ Magic has surely developed quite a lot in the last 500 years.¡± Luke decided to go out into the hall. He opened another secret door and entered a small room. Kukung! He walked into the room without making much noise. He went to the elevator, and he went deeper than the previous laboratory. There was a huge 100-meter underground space. The entire space was sealed. The Golem production workshop. The workshop that produced the golems, which were the main forces of the dark legion, were all quietly submerged in the darkness of the abyss. ¡°Unseal.¡± Luke revoked the magic that he placed in order to keep the place safe from invaders. Soon, the magic was lifted and the studio was brightened. All the machinery and the magic tools Luke was using before, and his works that he wasn¡¯t able to finish appeared in front of him. Luke looked around and opened his mouth. ¡°It will be hard to get back to work right away.¡± All of his equipment was in good condition because it was sealed. However, the supply of mana was broken, causing the Energia¡ªthe power of the machines¡ªto decrease. To repair the Energia, several materials and parts were needed. ¡®For starters, I need to figure out what to repair.¡¯ After coming into the hall once again, the voices of the retainers and the soldiers were ringing in the corridors of the castle. ¡°Young Lord, where are you?¡± ¡°Please come quickly, Young Lord!¡± Perhaps they had come to find him after hearing the whole story from the gatekeeper. ¡°For you to be here! Maybe he isn¡¯t in here?¡± ¡°I think so too. I think he might have gone somewhere else¡­¡± Roger and Philip, who had just entered the main hall, were surprised to find Luke sitting on the throne of the Devil King. ¡°Young Lord!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Where were you even hiding?¡± Luke laughed at the question of Philip, who was trying very hard to suppress his emotions from bursting out. ¡°I wasn¡¯t hiding. You just couldn¡¯t find me.¡± ¡°No, no way¡­ You were definitely not in here before!¡± As the situation seemed nonsensical, Philip shook his head. Upon knowing that Luke had gone out of the gate, the soldiers swarmed the entire Devil King¡¯s castle. And in that place, they came to confirm it. However, they found nothing! Roger, who shot a repulsive look at Philip, looked back at Luke and asked. ¡°But, why are you in here all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I wanted to look around the place, where my ancestors were, so I can get my memories back. Was it wrong of me to do so?¡± ¡°No, you did the right thing.¡± Not realizing that it was a lie, Roger was feeling very proud of the words of Luke. ¡®Is that so? Are you looking confident because you have got a few memories back?¡¯ The real reason why he was sitting on the throne was because he wanted to look imposing, but Roger was just plain proud. ¡°I¡¯m very hungry, so let¡¯s head back. Tell the soldiers to stop the search.¡± ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± And thus, the small runaway case had been closed off. No one ever noticed the truth behind it. Chapter 28 Chapter 28: Taking the First Step 1 It passed a week after Luke had returned from the Devil King¡¯s Castle. After completing the morning prayer in the temple, Priest Maron received a request which stated that he was being called to the permanent mansion by the Butler Hans. ¡°You called for me?¡± As the priest Maron asked, Hans who was in deep thought, got up. ¡°Come here. It is a bit cheap, but would you like to have Sharon tea?¡± ¡°It is fine. I wanted to know why I was called for?¡± As Maron asked with suspicion, Hans began to explain why he called for him. ¡°Because of the young Lord, you do see that he has been rather weird lately?¡± ¡°Yes, from the time when he woke up from the accident involving the Gigant.¡± He was suddenly stealing away the ancestor¡¯s statue to pay off the debts, or to show off his gambling skills in Lamer? In addition, after visiting the Devil King¡¯s Castle, he asked them to look for a large amount of magic stones; it had already lost the vitality in them. When one of the retainers found it strange and asked the reason, their young Lord just dismissed them saying that he needed them for the purpose of training. In addition, the orders that he had given to them the day before were very shocking. ¡°Take off all the portraits of my ancestors from the entire mansion.¡± ¡°What, what did you just say?!¡± The retainers jumped out of their seats as they were shocked. The most violently responded person was Hans. Before being the house butler, he had raised the young lord till the very day on behalf of the deceased lord. Which was why he decided to go against the decision very firmly. ¡°What in the world are you even thinking? Last time you sold the statue of your ancestors, now do you want to sell the portrait?¡± ¡°If I get money, then I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Young Lord!¡± The horrific shout of Hans echoed in the conference room, like a roar of a dragon. He moved towards Luke with his fists clenched, like he was going to knock him out any second. Luke, however, didn¡¯t change his decision or expression even after seeing the reaction of Hans. On the contrary, he asked another question. ¡°Are the past owners of the estate more important? Or if the current family and the estate more important?¡± ¡°Both are very important!¡± ¡°Really? This is what I think. I don¡¯t think that you have to take care of the ancestor¡¯s things anymore. The ancestors who passed away 500 years ago are of no use to us now.¡± ¡°This brat! Are you really going to speak this way?!¡± With the level of furiousness, Hans had obtained, he had forgotten to address him honorifically. He was almost ready to use both his fists. Whether he realized it or not, the reaction on the face of Luke was still cold. ¡°It is because there are retainers like you that the family is still like this, that is all.¡± ¡°What, what did you just say?¡± ¡°Think about it once. What do you think happened here for 500 years? Didn¡¯t everyone just try to live by using the fame of the ancestors?!¡± ¡°That, that¡­¡± Hans wanted to speak out, but there was nothing that he could say. Even if he didn¡¯t want to accept the facts that Luke stated, he knew it was right. ¡°I know well that all the families in the past have tried to revive this family. But that was all they could do. Rather than trying to show their skills and abilities, they were much more curious about using the fame of the ancestor.¡± A statue was built for that purpose, and the portraits dominated the mansion for that reason. They hoped that the next coming descendants would grow up looking at the portraits and become a strong person like the great ancestor. However, the results of that were very disappointing. Compared to the ancestors who were one of the best men in the history of the continent, the descendants were early dead or had frustratingly low abilities. It wasn¡¯t just that¡­ ¡°Some of them died in vain in the war, from the pressure of being born for such a person. It wasn¡¯t just one or two people who have tried to grow out a talent that they never had and died.¡± ¡°That is because of the curse of the devil¡­¡± When someone raised an excuse, the expression distorted on the face of Luke, and he replied with an elevated voice, ¡°This is the problem right here! If something is good, it is thanks to the ancestors, and not, then it is the act of the devil. Not waking up by themselves, not winning by themselves or getting defeated because of themselves, why do we always need to blame someone else?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I too did all that till a while back. But all that time, I was walking dead, I was walking down a wrong path. Even if they are my own ancestors, that is all they are. And I have to be me!¡± Nobody said anything to Luke. Roger and a few other young retainers who had known the truth about the family of Rakan, were nodding silently. Even the most stubborn one, Hans couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and stepped back. ¡°From now¡­ what are you planning on doing from here on?¡± At the question of Hans, who lost all his energy, Luke pulled out the sword from its sheath. ¡°I will build my own skills with my own talent, and I will rule and lead this family, this estate with my judgment!¡± Kwang! And to confirm that his words held weight, Luke put the sword deep into the table. ¡°I¡¯m making it very clear for you this time. I¡¯m going to be more than my ancestor. So don¡¯t go around nagging me uselessly by comparing me with my ancestor.¡± The crazy meeting was finally over. Immediately, the monuments of the ancestors which were in the permanent mansion were taken down and placed in the warehouse. The clerk who documented the minute details about the mansion recorded everything in detail. A boon or a bane, the descendants of the Rakan family were going to remember that day as a ¡®cataclysm day¡¯. Hans remembered the stormy meeting that happened the day before, and he just sighed. ¡°I do feel very glad that the aspirations of the young Lord are shinning much brighter than ever, but this is a bit suspicious.¡± ¡°And you mean¡­?¡± ¡°I wondered if the curse of the Devil King or the soul take a toll on him when he was unconscious.¡± There have been rumors for 500 years that the bloodline of Rakan was cursed by the Devil King Saymon. Hans had never completely believed those words, but he surely knew that something always went wrong only for the descendants of Rakan. ¡°Ah! If it was such a kind of worry, then you don¡¯t need to think much about it. Honestly, I too felt like the young Lord wasn¡¯t his usual self, but even after I looked closer, I didn¡¯t find any evil energy.¡± ¡°Really? Then I¡¯m really glad.¡± Hans had a sigh of relief after a long time. He didn¡¯t want to draw a conclusion without knowing the truth, which was why he asked Maron. ¡°By the way, what happened to the investigation the other day?¡± ¡°Are you talking about the Gigants with core engine bursts?¡± Hans had once told Maron, about a suspicious accident that happened to the young lord. The Gigant¡¯s core engines normally have double to triple safety devices installed in them, which indicated that the way it burst was a rare phenomenon. The only time that it happened was with poor maintenance, damage in combat or if a rider was too exhausted after a long battle and does mistake in controlling mana. ¡°In the case with our young Lord, within just 5 minutes of boarding the Gigant, it had exploded. Rather than it is the mistake of a rider, it is more likely for the Gigant to be having a problem in it.¡± ¡°Though wasn¡¯t sure of it, I was a bit suspicious about it. And I found one strange thing.¡± ¡°What was it?¡± Maron gulped and asked, ¡°One part of the core engine had been very cleverly changed.¡± ¡°Then, was it an assassination attempt on the young lord?¡± Maron asked in shock. ¡°Right.¡± Hans chose one of the field chiefs as the culprit after investigation. Suddenly, however, that person was missing for a few days and later informed that he was found dead in the neighboring estate just a few days ago. ¡°Then! Who the hell would?!¡± ¡°I think the head has cut off the tail, and there weren¡¯t any other clue to follow on, the investigation is pending.¡± ¡°Tch, that is horrible.¡± Who would dare to kill the successor of Rakan? The Rakan family never had brought in grudges from the others, nor did it have the resources to face the repercussions of it. Whatever was the case, Hans vowed to find out the culprit and punish him. ¡°Then that, how long will it be¡­?¡± Maron glanced out of the window. Philip was walking with the three wizards. With the orders of the young lord and the wizards, they were working very hard without making a sound. ¡°I can¡¯t understand. Weren¡¯t they hired by the young lord? But how did he even do it?¡± Iron mages weren¡¯t knights. Staying in the background didn¡¯t mean that they were actual soldiers. ¡°I heard it from Philip, they weren¡¯t hired but lost a bet with the young Lord.¡± ¡°Bet? Bet on what?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t get any details, but maybe it was because of the gambling.¡± Hans said with an unpleasant look. They thought that the wizards were gamblers who placed their freedom on the bet and lost it. They all thought that the wizards too were playing foul, they thought of robbing the young Lord but got dragged into their own mess. ¡°Ahaha! Because of gambling¡­ foolish brothers they were. They need to do it then.¡± ¡°Even so, one should never roll their luck like that.¡± No matter how much he wanted to pay off the debts, Hans didn¡¯t like the young Lord doing gambling. Which was why Han¡¯s was very concerned with Luke, and shot a look at the wizards who were walking in the area. Chapter 29 Chapter 29: Taking the First Step 2 Todd, Gordon, and Humphry. The three of them were friends from the same hometown and became wizards under the directions of the same teacher. However, they had no famous background or financial power and their skills weren¡¯t exactly that great. They weren¡¯t able to belong anywhere. Right then, in the Gigant arena, they lost the bet to Luke and were drawn to the Rakan viscount. ¡°Oh my! This is tiresome!¡± ¡°Huk huk, won¡¯t we be dying if this goes on?¡± The three iron mages took huge breaths instead of running around in the ground. Even though he was making them do it, the young Lord knew how to use them. It was because the iron mages with 2 or 3 circles were the ones who could maintain the Gigants. Even if they were in the most perishable territory. However, from the first day in the estate mansion, the young Lord called them and began to make them run and torment. Fists flew in when they couldn¡¯t do the task, and when they protested, kicks came in. Eventually, they surrendered to the violence and did as they were told. If they spoke too much, punches and kicks came in hard, which was why they worked hard. ¡°Man! Who was the one who placed the bet first?!¡± ¡°You agreed to it!¡± ¡°I was crazy to follow your words!¡± If they could, they wanted to run right away. However, the three couldn¡¯t do so. It was because all three of them had made a mana oath to serve Luke all their lives. The mana oath was a kind of magic ritual which the wizards placed on their magic circles, and it was something that couldn¡¯t be taken back or abused. The mana was influenced by human will and words because of the spiritual nature. Therefore, in response to the consciously built oath, if the wizard chooses to oppose it, the mana gets scattered and the magic circles would get destroyed. The pain during the break of the oath was said to be much worse than death. Which was why the wizards never take the mana oath, and if they did, they never broke it. ¡°Huh, even then I shouldn¡¯t have just done the mana oath.¡± ¡°But we couldn¡¯t even afford to turn into laughing stock in front of all those wizards, right?¡± ¡°We were stupid, stupid to have gotten tricked by that clever young lord.¡± Shortly after the battle of Princess Reina was over, the three wizards had to burn off their robes as a penalty. With numerous iron mages watching them, they had to deny themselves as wizards. ¡®Sh*t! I can¡¯t!¡¯ No matter how skillful a freelancing wizard was, after burning their robes off, it would always be difficult to act as a wizard in their future. Rumors would spread all around about not having the robe. The three asked Luke if there was anything else they could do, and Luke gave them a vicious alternative. ¡°You wizards have that Mana oath, right? Pledge to follow me forever.¡± At that time, the faces of the three wizards went pale hearing that the bet was lost. However, they really wanted to avoid doing the mana oath. However, the only way for them to protect their pride as wizards was to place something important in their magic circles. Eventually, after a lot of internal conflicts, they swore by the mana and came all the way. ¡°Even if we try to escape, one small act and the designated knight who is watching will know¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing now? Have you forgotten the order of the young Lord about doing another 50 round?¡± Todd was grumbling to himself when Philip who was keeping an eye from faraway rushed and shushed them. Like a vicious teacher, Philip was making the three wizards run and run. ¡°Faster, faster, keep moving. Will you really be able to keep that mana oath on you?¡± ¡°Sir Philip, please. Just save me this once. We aren¡¯t knights, we are wizards!¡± ¡°Wizards run too. Run fast, fast. If you don¡¯t run, I¡¯ll have to report you.¡± Sadly, intimidated by the vicious teacher, Gordon lay down on the ground. ¡°I can¡¯t! I feel like I¡¯m going to die in this spot¡­¡± Gordon who was trying to say that he couldn¡¯t; immediately got up from the ground. Luke was there standing in front of him, with a creepy smile on his face. And with a well-trimmed birch stick. ¡°If dying is your wish, I¡¯ll grant that to you with my own hands.¡± ¡°No, no! I¡¯ll run with all my might!¡± With the complaining done, the three wizards, including Gordon began to run again. As they strongly protested four days back, they were beaten so hard by the young Lord, that they thought they would die. It was the very first time that they were hit so hard. In addition, the young Lord only picked the places with very little bone density. But what scared them the most was the look that Luke¡¯s face had. The eerie smile, which no one was able to make, something that was scaring them even in their sleep. ¡®Huhuhu, if you run a little more, you¡¯ll be useful.¡¯ Looking at them running, Luke felt very satisfied. He had no intention of bringing the three iron mages from the very beginning. He just thought of embarrassing them. But soon he changed his mind. In order to get his revenge, it was necessary for him to develop his estates, and to develop them; various things had to be done, which would include the strengthening of the Gigants. ¡®I will need a lot of good wizards.¡¯ Insufficient knowledge and magic could be filled in by him. But, on his words he needed people to jump into the boiling waters, without having a second thought. It was a good decision to make them run. As they suffer like that, all the miscellaneous thoughts would vanish and they will begin to accept the reality. And this was a method that Luke had learned from the non-devil human, the priests. They found the effect in the strict percepts and the ascetics that were imposed on tier followers. Luke stood at the side of the path and watched the three wizards run and then headed to the office. On the desk of the manor¡¯s office where a pile of documents recording the gathered land by Luke for the past week. In order to develop the estate, he had to first understand the status of the estate, so he gathered all the materials related to it. Luke couldn¡¯t help but sigh as he looked at the documents which were brought. ¡°Hah, this is worse than expected!¡± The estate land had barely over 20,000, and most of the young people were out of the estate making money. Two third of the estate land was plain abandoned wasteland because of the difficulty of clearing the waste. The other third was the forest, where monsters were lurking. The best place was near the permanent manor and the castle. ¡®There are less than 500 soldiers and 3 Gigants¡­¡¯ Those three were also in very poor condition and were warrior classes. The parts supply and the demand wasn¡¯t that great either if those things broke down, it was totally acceptable. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t miss out on the power of knights.¡± The Knight General Roger was an expert and had as many as 10 experts. The number of knights was 30; apprentices included there were around 50 people, and it was a great number to think. ¡®This is the fallen place of the great warrior, right? Surely is a good place to train.¡¯ Even during the time of Saymon¡¯s, there were knights who were under his command. They were unwanted, abandoned or outcasted by the superiors. They practiced around, and then the group grew fast. Cool guys talked about dark magic, they weren¡¯t human, but the dark knights and the reason for that were different. ¡®Do you know about the Rakan family? I¡¯ll have to ask the sir later.¡¯ Luke looked over at the document again. The estate lands annual tax revenue barely surpassed 100,000 pesos. At the same time, they suffered from a chronic food deficit and starvation. Because of the situation, it was hard to maintain the status quo instead of increasing the military. ¡°Can I fight with the imperial and the Veritas Magic tower with this?¡± Luke had a meeting and soon changed his thoughts. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to start with bare fists? So he decided to try out. ¡®When the materials arrive, the golem workshop will start. When the golems get produced, the development of the territory will start.¡¯ Luke was planning ahead of the future, laying all the plans in his head. Knock! The voice of a servant came from the outside of the door. ¡°Young Lord, a man has come from the Hades Chamber, and brought an order.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The moment his thoughts were done, the things he had been waiting for had come. Luke who was excited, had his heart beating fast at the thought of producing things in his own home. Chapter 30 By the time Luke arrived, the giant storehouse had huge piles of rocks and trees. On one side, there was a large box, which contained the Arzen and other magic stone materials, including the end-of-life ores. ¡°The rock is very hard. The quality of wood is very good too¡­¡± ¡°These are the finest materials that are used to build forts and castles. We always bring in only the best.¡± In response to the assessment done by Luke, the executive of the Hades Co. spoke with pride. The Hades Co., which did trade in the underworld, chose that name to make their creditors feel death. It was much smaller than Alon but was very famous as it was known to be very faithful and thorough. They also stop by once in a month to sell daily necessities to Rakan¡¯s manor. ¡°But, where are you going to use them? Are you maybe trying to repair the Devil King¡¯s castle?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know that. How much was it?¡± ¡°That will be 50,000 pesos.¡± The executive gave out a receipt. ¡°It¡¯s more expensive than I thought.¡± ¡°Hahaha, you said it yourself. We only give our customers the best quality. In addition, we all need to live¡­¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll check it out.¡± Luke handed over the 50,000 pesos and sent back all the merchants. He later went into the underground workshop with the box containing the magic stones. Energia. It was a power plant that supplied mana to a machine or a device. There was one in the Magic Tower or the laboratories, the Arzen cable along with the magic stones, and the complex magic circles. In some ways, it was similar to the core engine that was inside the Gigants; the only difference was their size and power. In the past, Luke¡¯s Energia was so powerful that he was able to create and operate a Golem legion. ¡°It has been a very long time since I have touched this.¡± With heartfelt emotions, Luke began to touch the Energia. Once the components were selected, they were either broken or needed to be replaced. The metals and the materials purchased through Hades Co. were productions of the identical parts. ¡°Huhu, my workmanship isn¡¯t so rusty.¡± His body had changed, and the black magic circle had fallen down to 3 circles, but his experience and knowledge were still there. He made the parts in a relatively short time and put them back. After reassembling the Energia, he used some light magic. Kiiing! Kiiinggg? Iiiing! With huge screeching sound, the Energia began to work. 500 years had passed, but it began to wok like a brand new one. The first movement of the laboratory¡¯s mana was supplied to the Teleporting Circle from the Energia. The light from the Teleport Magic Circle was going out to the studio, and soon the stones and trees in the warehouse began to be summoned. Kung! Thung! Chiiing! The machinery of the lab began to move automatically and the production of the golems started. The stones and trees were trimmed from the trunk and branches, and the finished parts were engraved with magic circles by tools with flame magic. During his time as Saymon¡ªLuke¡ªused to automate all the Golems with the machines in the lab. It was so he could mass-produce things with minimum manpower, but he couldn¡¯t do this process forever. In addition to the common materials such as stones and wood, the golems were made of precious magic stones and some other magic materials. And processing those magical materials required elaborate and careful work, and that was something that couldn¡¯t be done using the machines. Hades had a small number of magic materials that were needed for the Golems, and the amount of Golems that could be made was just 20. ¡°Let¡¯s not rush. I need to do it one after the other.¡± A lot of things couldn¡¯t be done at once. No matter how urgent the task was, rather than rushing for the results, things had to be done gradually. That was how he wouldn¡¯t fall behind because of unexpected problems. Once satisfied with the working workshop, Luke moved to a secret lab and began practicing dark magic. In the evening, when Luke had returned to the manor, Hans was there nagging him. ¡°Young Lord, did you go to the Devil King¡¯s Castle once again by yourself?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I use to go there when I was young too?¡± ¡°At that time you were a kid, but now Young Lord¡¯s life is at¡­!¡± Hans was trying to explain something, but he stopped halfway. ¡°Whatever the case is, it is dangerous to go outside the manor all by yourself. So please take your escort Philip, or don¡¯t go out at all.¡± ¡°Well, okay.¡± Luke nodded and went into the office in the manor after having his dinner. It was to envision how to develop the estate land. However, his thoughts had to be put aside for a while. Inside the office, Dixon and the other retainers came into the office and cried out. ¡°Young Lord, to revitalize our commerce, we need to build new roads and add more stores to the villages. And the money to build highways and stores¡­¡± ¡°What are you talking about!? We need to clear the land first! Agriculture needs to be our first priority! Please provide some funds for the land clearing!¡± ¡°Huh! In order to increase the population, the living conditions of the residents need to be improved first, so¡­¡± The retainers had met with the executive of the Hades Co., who returned after delivering the goods that day. They heard from him that their Young Lord had neatly paid out 50,000 pesos. It was because of that, that these people knew about it. The fact that the Young Lord had money in his hands after betting and gambling in the Gigant Arena was known. So they ran and begged one after the other for Luke to invest in each of their respective ideas. Luke had a sullen look. In that state, investing in anything was similar to drinking poison. ¡®Didn¡¯t 30,000 pesos, which were used for the mine, flew off just like that? There was a reason for that.¡¯ If it wasn¡¯t properly planned, he could be fooled in the hands of the experts or the field officials and would have to spend much more than what was needed. ¡°Stop!¡± Luke shouted. He asked them to be quiet and responded with a firm look, ¡°I understand what you people are trying to say. But I have clear plans on how to invest in the estates, so don¡¯t talk about it anymore.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to not talk about it!?¡± Kwang! Luke hit the table in the front, which made Dixon and the retainers go silent. While looking at Hans, who had arrived a while later, the retainers all had a sad expression and left the office. ¡°By the way, why is it that I don¡¯t see the wizard Mute?¡± Luke asked the other day too, as it was strange that Mute¡ªthe only wizard and a retainer of the estate¡ªwasn¡¯t seen. ¡°The wizard Mute stays in the magic lab all day long, and he hasn¡¯t come out since the day you had the accident, Young Lord.¡± ¡°Hmm, really?¡± Mute was from a small town¡¯s magic tower from the neighboring kingdom. Reluctant of getting tied down to just one place, he left the magic tower of his town and wandered around the continent and then reached Rakan 12 years ago. It was then that the Iron Mage who worked for the Rakan estate had died. In the end, the former son-in-law asked and recruited him, and Mute who was very impressed with the effort and the character of the son-in-law settled at the Rakan estate as a retainer. And to this current day, he had been working as an Iron Mage and the wizard of the estate. But one month ago, an accident had taken place and he chipped off. The other retainers tried to talk to him, but he had regarded himself as a sinner saying that he was the one responsible for the Gigant. ¡®Maybe I should go and see him?¡¯ The most necessary and tiresome worker in the estate was that of a wizard. The other retainers could be deceived, but there was no room for Luke to deceive a wizard. Which was why he thought that he could either make the wizard into his man or banish him. Luke stood up and headed to meet the wizard. Chapter 31 Chapter 31: Taking the First Step 4 Mute¡¯s magic lab was located on the east side of the permanent manor. It was a small two-story building, the second floor was a hostel and also a study room, and the first floor was the lab. Kiiik! As the wooden door opened with a screeching sound, a middle-aged man sitting in the dark shouted loudly. ¡°Keuk, didn¡¯t I tell you to not come in!¡± ¡°Sir Mute. The Young Lord has come here.¡± The middle-aged man, confused with the answer of Hans, got up. ¡°The, the Young Lord has come?¡± ¡°Tch, seems like you had a few glasses early in the morning.¡± Luke clicked his tongue and spoke a little firmly as he noticed a wine bottle in the lab. Feeling ashamed at that, Mute quickly cleared the bottles and adjusted the appliances. Luke looked at Mute with maximum concentration. Mana Scan was a type of magic that could be used easily, but one had to be careful to make sure that the opponent wouldn¡¯t notice that Luke was doing magic and that he was learning dark magic. ¡®5 circles? He¡¯s surely higher than I thought.¡¯ As he was a small magic tower wizard from a small town, he expected the wizard to be around 3 or 4 circles at most. In the meantime, Mute cleared the lab and handed a chair so Luke could sit. ¡°What did you need that you had to find this ugly man in the middle of the night?¡± ¡°I wanted to know how long are you going to be negligent.¡± At those words, Mute laughed and shook his head. ¡°Please leave me.¡± ¡°Sir Mute¡­¡± ¡°That accident was because of me. No matter how many times I think about it, it wouldn¡¯t have happened if I had only taken a closer look at the Gigant.¡± After the fall of the Young Lord, Mute hadn¡¯t eaten or drank anything properly. He was just praying to himself. Thankfully the Young Lord miraculously woke up. Surely he had changed a lot, but Mute didn¡¯t know any of those changes. ¡°I have no intention of holding you accountable for the accident. The same goes for the other retainers. It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡± The Rakan estate was a small estate. Mute was an Iron Mage too, and it was hard to find the necessary parts and equipment on time. In those situations, Mute did everything that he could silently. Despite the fact that the former viscount¡ªthe one he pledged loyalty to¡ªhad died. Even in the poor conditions that he had to face afterward, he was able to manage three Gigants because of his efforts. And no one denied that. Which was why no one asked him to take responsibility for the accident. ¡°Thank you, but I won¡¯t be able to forgive myself.¡± ¡°So you are going to keep neglecting stuff? Would you rather be a worthless drunk the rest of your life?¡± Mute nodded silently. Luke frowned at him. ¡®You used to wander around because you didn¡¯t like being tied up to one place? This guy! This stubborn and knowledgeable guy just couldn¡¯t get along with the other guys.¡¯ Mute had decided to become the retainer of the former Rakan viscount because he liked his attitude. The frustrating guy couldn¡¯t be called out in a normal way. ¡°Okay. If you can¡¯t forgive yourself. I¡¯ll have to punish you.¡± ¡°Young Lord!¡± Hans called him firmly, Luke raised his hand and stopped him. Mute was already ready to face everything. Luke had given him a bill of 70,000 pesos. ¡°Young Lord?¡± Without getting hit with a knife in the neck, like he was expecting, but when the money came in, Mute was rather flustered. ¡°I order you, the Iron Mage. Use that money to build a Magic Tower in our estate. Purchase spellbooks and increase the equipment needed for repair and production. And then gather talented individuals and teach them.¡± ¡°Tha, that¡­¡± ¡°Unlike the other lords, I¡¯m going to invest in magic. So contribute to the development of magic in our estate and try to prevent accidents from ever happening again in the future.¡± They were just words, but it was something like an award. Support for building the Magic Tower? Of course, it was a matter of whether or not one could build the perfect magic tower. When something that he had never even dreamed of happened before him, Mute wasn¡¯t able to speak properly. Luke gave him one last order. ¡°And never betray me or turn your back away from this estate. This is the punishment that you have brought upon you. Know your honor as a wizard and know how to perform your duties.¡± Mute, who was still grieving, wiped off his tears with his robe. He knelt before Luke and vowed to be loyal. ¡°I will accept the punishment from the Young Lord for the rest of my life.¡± Luke smiled upon hearing Mute¡¯s oath and spoke with a softer voice, ¡°There are three new Iron Mages. Do it on your own. Whether you want to crush them or grind them.¡± ¡°Thank you, Young Lord.¡± Mute once again bowed to Luke. Luke then moved back and began to head over to the office. The butler Hans followed his Lord with a heartwarming expression. ¡°You did really well. You persuaded Mute much better than me, and I will never treat our Young lord as young anymore.¡± ¡®Huh, there is no one much stubborn than him.¡¯ Someone more stubborn than Mute. Luke had met a stubborn man during his time as the warlock Saymon 500 years ago. He was known as the Red Hammer Rommel. He was known to be the most stubborn man among the dwarves. He was known through the centuries for being stubborn. Mute was nothing compared to him. He almost looked like he had no teeth compared to that dwarf. ¡®The more knowledgeable you are, the more you desire to get identified, and the more loyal you will be to those who can see your worth.¡¯ Which was why Luke didn¡¯t force Mute to perform a Mana Oath. He didn¡¯t have to, but in fact, the mana oath didn¡¯t work for the savvy. If he felt something wrong, he could break off the magic circle anytime. ¡°But, Young Lord. Are you really going to invest in magic?¡± ¡°Yes, since magic engineering is at a new age.¡± With the advent of the artificial magic stones, modern battlefields were with Gigants. Wizards and knights weren¡¯t worth the pain, but they still play a very decisive role in the Gigant battles. In addition, various kinds of magic artifacts were being produced and used in various fields. In the past, Artifacts were very expensive and were produced in small quantities, but with the emergence of magic engineering, the items were getting mass-produced and cheap materials were being made. Artifacts with simple magic were no longer exclusive to the wizards or the nobles, and the magic lights which have been placed on the street corners were the symbol of progress. Luke, who had traveled to Lamer and widened his knowledge, had no intention of ignoring those facts. No, he was planning to become more active since he was reborn at a whole new era. ¡°But the family of Rakan was originally the masters of swordsmanship.¡± ¡°Right. But the age of changing the world with just a sword in hand is gone. The traditional sword art is important, but we have to accept the power of new magic.¡± That was 500 years ago. The knights were trampled even before the emergence of the Gigants by the legions of Golems and such. Of course, a rare monster like Rakan did appear. But being the greatest person in history, he was the last known flame of the knights to have burned so brightly. ¡°I guess so. At the order of the young lord, I removed the portrait of past ancestors to renew the family.¡± ¡°Hmm, well.¡± Honestly, Luke just didn¡¯t want to see the stupid images of Rakan. So he ordered the retainers to remove every portrait related to Rakan and asked them to not mention it. Hans, who didn¡¯t know Luke¡¯s intentions, thought that the Young Lord was not entirely alright after he lost his memory during the accident and was running wildly. But he was a bit worried and wanted to revive the name of the family! ¡°Since I am a bit old, my thoughts are old just like me. But if you want to do things your way, I will be happy to reshape the world with your orders.¡± ¡°Huh, I look forward to it.¡± Luke watched Hans bow down and was very pleased. He was currently a knight, but Hans was originally a Gigant rider representing the Rakan family. In addition to that, he was the right hand of the Lord and the guardian of the Young Lord. Such a figure had broken past his stubbornness. Of course, his nature wasn¡¯t going to change that easily, and a little nagging was necessary as long as it wasn¡¯t going to be extreme. ¡®Okay, I finally dominated the Rakan family.¡¯ There was a lot of work that needed to be done for his revenge. But he took a major step forward, and that first step was going to be a very important one in the long run. Chapter 32 Chapter 32: Mine Development 1 At the mansion in the north of Lamer City. Sizzling sounds were coming from the mansion of the home of the Count Monarch. ¡°What the? Count, you can¡¯t be doing this right at the start of the morning.¡± ¡°Huhuhu, can¡¯t? What can¡¯t I do! I can do whatever I want to.¡± In the office, the Count Monarch was going against everyone to flirt with the new concubine that he recently brought into the mansion. Right when he was having fun, he heard the voice of a retainer along with a knock on the door, ¡°Sir, I have an important matter to report!¡± ¡®Dammit, why now¡­?¡¯ The count was feeling very sullen within, but the news was coming in from none other than Goth. He sent his concubine out on a small door to the next room and fixed his clothes. ¡°Hum hum! Enter.¡± As the order came inside the entrance, the door opened and the retainer Goth entered immediately. Goth had entered, he was currently the special advisor of the Count. ¡°What was the important thing you had to report? Did maybe the nobles and imperial family have fights again in the castle capital?¡± 300 years ago, as the new empire grew on the continent, thy became powerful imperial family. The nobles began to feel a sense of crisis gathered little after little, they later grew into a faction called¡ªThe Nobleman. However, the nobles were still less powerful than the Imperial nobles. And influences could often be intensified by imperial affairs. As a result, the nobles and the imperial families moved away from the other. The Count Monarch, the relative of the imperial family, was forced to care for the most important region. The southern provinces of the Empire had a high ratio of noble lords. In addition, one of the three nobles, Marquis Mayers of the South could be banished if he ever did anything wrong. ¡°That isn¡¯t the matter, we have discovered the identity of the Black Knight who has made you lose the other day.¡± ¡°Bla, black knight?!¡± With fear in his eyes, the Count asked as he jumped up from the seat. The bet with Reina was important enough. Hundreds and thousands of pesos were all sown over the bet that was placed. But then a mercenary rider stepped into the game and threw mud on their efforts. ¡°Who knows who that is? Was he working for one of the noblemen who sent to hinder me?¡± ¡°Not at all, actually¡­¡± Goth laid out the information he had gathered over the past month. The face of Count had changed strangely after hearing the information. ¡°The Black Knight is the servant of the Rakan¡¯s youngest?¡± ¡°Yes. During that time he had appeared in the arena along with the young lord.¡± ¡°¡­ no, that Luke guy is still alive?¡± The Count asked with a face not understanding how it was possible. He had the information that the last living person of the Rakan family had died from a brain injury because of a Gigant. ¡°That, that¡­¡± Goth couldn¡¯t answer that, the Count with a very twisted expression asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you able to answer?! Did you say that the guy was going to die for sure?!¡± ¡°That was what I had thought. It was true that he had died from the run down accident.¡± But the guy was still alive and fine. Just surviving from the accident wouldn¡¯t have caused anger, but he had to go over to Lamer and meddle with the Count. ¡°Kaaak! What are you even doing? If you¡¯d have sent him right in the first place, he wouldn¡¯t have worked with the princess and gotten closer to her!¡± Two months ago, the Count had plotted to remove the young lord to devour the Rakan estates. Buying off one of the field chiefs, they decided to kill off the young lord by altering the core engine of the Gigant. But the plan had failed. As angry Count kept ranting, Goth kneeled on the floor. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, Count! I¡¯ll kill this incompetent person!¡± He wasn¡¯t actually asking for death. Whenever the Count had lost his temper, it was best for the servants to do that. Wah! Phuk! The Count Monarch, who had been very angry for quite some time, barely managed to calm down and said, ¡°Hwo! Hwoo! You haven¡¯t left any evidence or clues, right?¡± Goth who was standing up moved back and answered, ¡°I drew out the chief to another territory and cleaned him off. No matter how hard they investigate, they won¡¯t be able to find out what we tried to do.¡± ¡°Well, that is better.¡± If it was known that this person¡¯s hand had been in the attempt, the matter could turn annoying at any moment. It wasn¡¯t that he was afraid of Rakan¡¯s bloodline. If they were caught by Marquis Mayers and the other lords of the South, things could turn bad. Although he was the second-largest nobleman in the South, he wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it if a war waged in the entire South. ¡°Keuk! I don¡¯t understand why the Emperor still plans to keep silent on the matter of the nobles. I would have mobilized an army and wiped them off.¡± ¡®Well, then the Volga Republic and the Holy Artenia Empire wouldn¡¯t stay still.¡¯ It was often the case when one wants to hit an inside enemy, they end up attracting outside enemies. Emperor Rudolf was unable to wipe off the other nobles because of that. However, Goth decided not to speak his words in that situation. If he did that in front of the Count Monarch, he could only see the damage. In any case, one of the most important reasons for Count Monarch to covet Rakan was because it recently emerged as a breakthrough to breach off the siege of the Southern nobles. As new roads opened on the western side of the empire, it was possible to connect the Rakan islands to the southwest with a little effort. Of course, the villages of Rakan estates which were built in those places didn¡¯t know of that at all. ¡°Even if it is a hassle, you¡¯ll have to deal with the Luke guy.¡± ¡°Not the exact manner, we will move the shadow knights in a few days and bring his neck.¡± ¡°Shadow Knights?¡± ¡°Yes, I thought that the guy who had challenged the authority of the Count needs to be done this time.¡± ¡°Kukkk, you surely are Goth. You did well, you did well.¡± The Shadow Knights were one of the secret powers of Count Monarch, a military force or mercenaries and freelancing knights enlisted though the Gigant arena. They mainly took care of the messy work for the Count, and the skills and arts of these people regarding the Gigants have surpassed those of the Knights. Count Monarch, nodded with a satisfied face and asked something that was on his mind, ¡°How is princess Reina these days?¡± He was still obsessed with the princess. He was still thinking of ways to pressure her and make her as his own. He started with raising the taxes for the people who came in from the Volga kingdom, if they did something uncomfortable or showed unpleasant behavior, the police soldiers will grab them. As a result, the old servants who worked with the princess came to protest numerous times. But the Count Monarch didn¡¯t meet them. ¡°She is meeting people here and there, but she¡¯ll soon run out of options.¡± ¡°Right! In the end, she will yield and embrace me.¡± Both Goth and the Count who were feeling irritable began to smile thinking about the princess running into their arms. Chapter 33 Chapter 33: Mine Development 2 After some time, Luke completed the production of the first batch of golems. When 20 golems had been made, Luke pulled out a bracelet-like artifact from the underground lab. The artifact was discovered in the wizard¡¯s dungeon which he had gone with Katarina in the past and had an ancient subspace magic circle that wasn¡¯t passed down till the current. ¡®Katarina¡­¡¯ Looking at the antique silver bracelet which had leaves as the design, he remembered her wearing it on. ¡®Even if my body breaks down and turns into powder, I will surely take revenge by eliminating the Baroque family and the Veritas Magic Tower! So, just please wait a little more.¡¯ After losing his beloved, Luke hadn¡¯t thought much about his life. He thought that if he could somehow get his revenge, then he would be able to leave the world in peace. However, whatever that fate was, the image of Katarina which entered his mind soon turned into princess Reina. Perhaps maybe it was because Princess Reina looked very similar to her¡­ ¡®Even if the princess does look like her, she¡¯s very different.¡¯ He thought like that, yet his heart couldn¡¯t keep still. Perhaps it was because of the religious books that he saw in the Southern Continent about reincarnations. ¡°¡­ It isn¡¯t like I¡¯m falling in love.¡± Luke, wearing the subspace bracelet returned to the underground golem workshop. ¡°Save in Dimension.¡± Hwooo! As Luke spoke out the spell while injecting it with Magi, the 20 golems started to disappear with a bright light. ¡®It would be very hard if I stand out.¡¯ If the estate people would see the golems beating or moving, the whole estate would be in chaos out of panic. The golems itself weren¡¯t exclusive to Saymon, but there had never been any other wizard or warlock who have created and operated Golems as much as Saymon. ¡®Can¡¯t help it since the soul in this body belongs to Saymon.¡¯ Luke stroked the bracelet with a little smile and moved out of the castle. It was because there was a place he wanted to visit. But before he could go there, Philip had come across him. Philip who had entered the castle in search of Luke began to nag him the moment he laid eyes on him. ¡°Young Lord, you¡¯re gonna keep doing this? Secret training in the castle is very good, but to leave away the knights every time and just go in alone?¡± ¡°Sorry, won¡¯t do it again next time.¡± Luke boringly answered, as Philip caught up to him and grumbled, ¡°Do you have any idea how close the general has come to know about it? I have been asked to write reports every month, but the young Lord isn¡¯t keeping his promise about buying the Gigant¡­¡± ¡°Oh, Roger. Why are you here?¡± At the words of Luke, Philip went still and looked back quickly. However, Roger wasn¡¯t there. Instead, a cat who was passing by stopped and looked at them. ¡®Ah!¡¯ Philip who realized it very late looked over at Luke once again. In that meantime, Luke went away somewhere without leaving any trace. ¡°No, Young Lord?!¡± Once again, the cry of Philip rang out loud in the castle grounds along with heavy steps. After the short encounter with Philip, Luke headed to Mt. Rockia. The Mt. Rockia was a rocky mountain which was located 10 kilometers to the west of the giant castle, it has been said that there were many monsters hiding and living in the forest, which was the reason why the herbalists and the lumberjacks too didn¡¯t go in there. There was a reason why Luke had gone into the rocky region. ¡®It takes a lot of money to develop one estate.¡¯ He did earn 210,000 pesos in the Gigant arena, however that wasn¡¯t enough to develop the entire estate. In order to increase the number of territorial residents and increase their military power, a steady source of income was going to be in need. And Luke had found something in the estate, that could be of help in making money. ¡®There was a mine used by the dwarves in the Mt. Rockia.¡¯ In his days of living as Saymon, various tribes and beings of different races lived and worked under him. They all gathered one after the other to avoid oppression, and quite a large number of races gathered, including the dwarves. The Dwarves were the races of earth. They developed the mine and constructed buildings even in there, they were excellent blacksmiths and architects. They consistently made weapons to support their own knights. ¡®Weren¡¯t there gold or silver mine among the mines which were developed in Mt. Rockia?¡¯ However, after the death of Saymon, the dwarves had disappeared and the mines were closed. The Rakan¡¯s family tried to find the mines of the dwarves numerous times, but failed every time as they weren¡¯t aware of the correct location. The 30,000 pesos he owed to the Alon firm were due to the very reason, and got swept away. ¡®Once I know the location of it, I can make the golems alongside me work on reviving the mine.¡¯ Which was why Luke had come to Mt. Rockia. He summoned the golems at the entrance of the mountain. In order to enter the mountain which was so deep that even a footstep couldn¡¯t be found, there was a need to clean up the path first. ¡°You who are like my kids removed the things which stand in my way!¡± As Luke began to draw out the magi, he ordered 5 meter stone golems and wood golems who were shinning with bright purple energy. Dddd! Kukukung-! Slowly, the golems began to climb the mountain, breaking the rocks in their path and uprooting the trees. Kiiik! Swoosh! Kiiiik! At the sudden invasion of their territory, the monsters which were hiding in the forest came out yelling and growling. They were mainly Orcs and Goblins and Kobolds. As they were violent monsters they threw in the spears and shards as fast as they could. If they were trolls or the big monsters like ogres, then it wasn¡¯t so relevant, but the other monsters could be easily pushed back by the golems. ¡°The first five of them block their attacks from coming in, while the rest of you just push them aside as hard as you can.¡± Luke manipulated the golems with his own Marionette Magic. It was a magic that connected to the golems like a string on a doll, it gave him the advantage to connect and control multiple objects at once. Of course, there were disadvantages to it, and it was the inability to give them detailed or varied orders. However, it was more than enough for the low-leveled monsters. The huge fists and kicks of the Golems sent other monsters screaming in pain as they were running away. ¡®Once they are broken down, they won¡¯t be able to try it again.¡¯ Luke wanted to somehow stop the movements of the golems that were pushing the monsters. Kweee. PpiPpi. The surviving monsters trembled at the rooks that controlled the golems. Most of them were males and alphas. Knowing that he had to fight until the end, they fought till death to get enough time for the females and the younger ones to escape. Luke, who knew about the attitude of the monsters due to being a warlock, approached them with a smile. ¡°If you listen to me, I won¡¯t drive you out of this place.¡± Luke spoke that to a brilliantly looking boss-level monster and brainwashed them with dark magic. ¡®Obedience¡¯ was a dark magic that enslaved the weaker demons and monsters. Luke only brainwashed the boss-level one because he was the only 3 circle. After all, if he overpowered the boss monster, there would be no difficulty in doing the rest, so he didn¡¯t have to put any other external force. ¡°In the future, you guys do what I tell you to do. If you listen to me very carefully, you will be given food, otherwise, I¡¯ll have to get rid of you.¡± Kikkk! The Orcs, Goblins, and Kobold¡¯s heads moved in unison. Luke went to the place where the dwarves had a mine. ¡°The entrance has been blocked.¡± There were three mines in Mt. Rockia. However, the dwarves deliberately blocked the entrances while leaving them, as the mines had just one entrance, they were blocked with rocks and dirt. ¡°This will take some time, and I can¡¯t help it.¡± While shrugging his shoulders he made the golems and the monsters to clear out the dirt and rocks from the entrance. The golems received their instructions to break the rocks or lift them up, the monsters were asked to dig up the soil. After two hours of doing that work, the rocks and the dirt were cleared, revealing the tunnels which the dwarves had mined in the past. Luke, returned the golems to the subspace, then entered the tunnel. Thud! Thud! The tunnels made by the dwarves were like mazes. It was to defeat any enemy who might have invaded the mine, and the mine seemed to be in a good condition despite not being used for a long time. ¡°Surely, these are the skills of dwarves.¡± The Rhodesian continent had the best craftsmen race to create and build what they wanted. After passing the maze, there was a huge space. The dwarves use to build temporary quarters and warehouses and smithy areas. In that place were the leftover tools and goods they had used. ¡°They have left the most precious tools of theirs.¡± After Saymon was killed by Rakan, the land, formerly known as the dark land, was completely occupied by humans. However, the whereabouts of the races ¡®unleashed from the Devil¡¯ stayed unknown. Strangely, Rakan had dispatched many heads and soldiers to look for them all over the place, however, they never came across a single being. ¡°I¡¯ll have to find them later, I need to mine first.¡± Luke sent three golems to the mine to dig up minerals and asked the monsters to help them with tools. Although not as efficient as the dwarves, the golems and the monsters managed to get the work done. While they were mining the ores, Luke stared at the teleporting magic circle on the one side of the mine. The magic circle was installed in the past to move the minerals to the underground workshop of the castle, it could be quickly reworked with new magic stones bein placed. ¡®Huhuhu! Now all I have to do is refine it in the magic blast furnace in the workshop.¡¯ After visiting all the three mines and completing all the necessary work, Luke returned back to the manor. As he had left the manor for a lot of time, the retainers along with Hans couldn¡¯t keep their eyes off the young lord and doubt him. Chapter 34 Chapter 34: Mine Development 3 The main headquarters of the knights of the Rakan was west of the permanent residence. Several buildings were centered around a large area ground, the largest of the buildings was the main building for the purpose of storage and maintenance of the Gigants. ¡°Mr. Butler, you here?¡± As Hans was approaching a Gigant, the knight guarding the entrance asked him. Hans was once the rider of Gigants representing the Rakan estate, and later was much cared for by the knights and the armed forces, he was respected by the knights. ¡°There is a lot to do. Yeah, what about the repair on the Gigant?¡± ¡°It is going very well thanks to the funds that the young Lord had given Mute the other day.¡± Mute had taken out some of the money that Luke had given to him for the Magic Tower and bought parts and materials needed for the repair of the Gigant from Hades. The magic tower was surely important, but for the sake of the land, he thought that it was more important to restore the Gigant and power. That improved the performance of the three used Gigants, which were in a very poor condition. And the five scrap Gigants, which were rusting and stuck in the warehouse, were then taken out and restored. All thanks to that, the morale of the knights had risen considerably recently. Previously, there were just three Gigants that could be used, which made it impossible for the young knights to become Gigant riders. Once the restored Gigants could be deployed, they would recruit new riders, which was why everyone was getting very passionate with their training. Hans, who was feeling reluctant for Luke, who wanted to invest in magic, realized that his thoughts were very narrow after seeing the knights. ¡°But, are you here to find the young Lord?¡± ¡°What?! Did the young Lord came here?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know? Earlier in the morning, he was here learning magic engineering from Mute, and he wanted to learn about the Gigants too.¡± Hans, who was shocked by what he heard, hurriedly moved inside. His heart was pounding thinking about the young Lord controlling a Gigant again. Luckily, however, Luke was only talking to Mute about the Gigants. ¡°Sir Mute. How does this magic circle work?¡± ¡°Oh, there are a total of three spells in there, the anti-gravity circle that helps with jumping and running, the balance circle that holds the center of gravity, and the secondary circle which helps the two circles¡­¡± Mute was explaining everything he knew in detail. Some of the things which he said were much more advanced than the knowledge that Luke knew in the past, and there was a magic circle theory which he was just hearing for the first time. ¡®As expected, the magic of this age has evolved into a variety of complex magic which cannot be compared to the past.¡¯ Upon listening to Mute, Luke thought to himself. He did know that a lot of things might have changed and improved, but as he kept on listening, he realized that he had a whole lot of things to learn. For example, in the old days, the hands of the golems could only just pick things and move them. Their forms weren¡¯t like that of a human. But the hands of the Gigants had the same shape as a human hand. Starting with swords, they were able to do much more delicate things. So the riders, who were good at maneuvering, could properly pick up a glass of wine with a Gigant¡¯s hand. And with the basic study of the golem magic, Luke was able to learn magic engineering without much difficulty. ¡°The core is more complicated than I thought.¡± ¡°Of course, at least 20 up to 50 magic circles are applied and combined for safety, and there are also assistive devices to prevent the mana from running off.¡± ¡°Then do the Iron Mages have to memorize all those stuff?¡± ¡°No, one should have at least 7 circles in magic and the knowledge to design and build a Gigant by themselves. Before that, everyone is made to work on separate Gigant fields.¡± ¡°Then what about the estates like ours, where there is only one Iron Mage? And what if we don¡¯t have a wizard that has 7 circles?¡± ¡°Then the whole defective part has to be changed. It sure is very expensive but also has the advantage of reducing the maintenance time.¡± This was why the Magic Towers didn¡¯t just make Gigants, they were also producing and selling high-consumed parts and were making significant profits. ¡°If the parts can¡¯t be made or repaired, then wouldn¡¯t it be dependent on the Magic Tower?¡± ¡°Of course there are such problems. But we can¡¯t just ignore the power of the nobility, and I know that similar parts are being manufactured in the other magic towers, so I¡¯m not completely dependent on one magic tower.¡± If the system was made dependable, it would have been the wizards and not the nobles who would be ruling the current world. Nevertheless, high-performance parts and core engine magic circles would never be revealed by the Magic Towers. ¡®The wizards like to hide stuff all the time. It is the same as back then.¡¯ Luke wanted to have a lot of power for his revenge. Like with his Golem Legion in the past, he now wanted to have a powerful Gigant Legion. To do that, rather than just buying his own Gigant, he wanted to find a cheaper way to make them. It was good to think about the future while he was at it. They would probably be inferior to the warrior-class Gigants, which were being produced in the Magic Towers. ¡®If Mute is in 5 Circle, do we have to join the Magic Tower to learn more? Or should I maybe try and kidnap a senior wizard?¡¯ With his current skills, Luke could surely abduct a 7 circle wizard. Iron Mages were known to be immature in battles. Luke had a concerned look, so Hans approached him and said, ¡°What do want to do, young Lord? To study magic engineering¡­ uhg!¡± As he was speaking, his eyes went wide. Hans wasn¡¯t able to see it because of the distance and his presbyopia, but when he looked closely, Luke and Mute stripped the Gigant and pulled out all of its parts from the inside. ¡°Young, young Lord, what are you doing now?¡± Luke looked back and then replied like it wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡°I was just wondering what the Gigants look like.¡± ¡°So you made it look like this?¡± Occasionally, some rider wondered about the structure and the performance of what they were riding. But Luke¡¯s level of comprehensibility wasn¡¯t that great. Disassembly and assembly of a Gigant without any significant magical knowledge were just like breaking them down. ¡°Even if you want it, this is¡­¡± ¡°Hoot, whether a person or a machine, one needs to look inside and see it properly.¡± ¡®Ah, so¡­¡¯ Hans, who was kind of feeling cranky because of what they were doing, soon admired them. He thought that the young Lord was dismantling the Gigant like any spoiled child. ¡®You sure are very different now.¡¯ Was it because he had seen death very closely. Back then he was just a little lord of a simple estate, but now, he somehow felt like a wise man looking far into the world. ¡°It could be. How is it? You see anything more in detail now that you are seeing what¡¯s inside?¡± ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t as easy as I thought it would be.¡± ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t exert yourself too much. Just because magic encourages vast profound learning and skills, it doesn¡¯t mean that you have to be an expert in every field.¡± Knowing the intention of the young Lord, Hans still wanted Luke to be hailed as the descendant of the knights, which was why he said that. But without knowing that, Mute broke that flow. ¡°Even then, the young Lord is very quick in acquiring magic theories and knowledge. He is surely much worthy than those guys over there.¡± As Mute was praising Luke, he looked back there will cold eyes. There were three Iron mages, Todd, Gordon, and Humphry, who was dragged by Luke into carving magic circles on their gloves. After a period of unintentional physical assaults, they started working so hard that it was safe to say that they were worthy enough. ¡°But I was wondering, when did the young Lord start to learn magic?¡± Luke became jumpy after hearing Mute¡¯s question and quickly made a rough excuse. ¡°I just learned it¡­ by myself¡­¡± ¡°Self-learning? You used to tell me that you hated magic when I tried to teach you before, right?¡± ¡°Hahaha, you know¡­ I almost died, and then suddenly, I just wanted to study Gigants and try to learn magic.¡± At Luke¡¯s rough excuses, Mute seemed like he was convinced with his answer. After the incident that happened a few days ago, he became a fierce follower of the young Lord. ¡°Teach me a lot in the future.¡± ¡°I will tell you everything that I know.¡± ¡°Haha, thank you.¡± Hans frowned seeing the two talk. He felt like the young Lord wanted to be a wizard than a knight. As the guardian of the young Lord and Rakan¡¯s representative, he wanted the young Lord to be an excellent knight. ¡®I¡¯m still glad that he isn¡¯t scared of Gigants.¡¯ There were knights who often avoided getting close to a Gigant after encountering a major accident. Luke didn¡¯t seem to be in that phase at all. It was because he was still going near the Gigants and observing them even after his accident. ¡°Be careful to not damage that plated magic circle¡­. Uhhh! Do not touch the magic stone! Any minor flow and it will completely change the mana wave!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know that much.¡± Rather than being scared, Luke was trying to grasp everything about the Gigants. ¡®I hope you don¡¯t overdo it though.¡¯ It was a pleasure to see the young Lord try to be more ambitious than his ancestors. But Hans, fearing that his aspirations would cause another accident to him, walked away, hoping that the young Lord would be cautious. Chapter 35 Chapter 35: Mine Development 4 ¡°Young lord! Young Lord?! Ah, Young Lord?!¡± Luke, who was reading the 3 circle magic spell he borrowed from Mute, frowned when Philip suddenly started bothering him. ¡°What is it, Sir Philip? Why are you whining like a kid?¡± ¡°How can I not whine? When will you keep your promise about getting me a Gigant?¡± Luke made a promise to Philip at the Gigant arena. He told Philip that if he won over the Count Monarch¡¯s Gigant, then he would buy Philip a new Gigant. Encouraged with those words, Philip had won the match, but Luke became so busy with other stuff that he wasn¡¯t able to keep his promise. After all, Philip, who was tired of waiting, was trying to get his wishes completed in that way. ¡°You can¡¯t be doing things like this. What would people say if they find out that the mighty warrior, a descendant of Rakan, didn¡¯t keep his promise? I swear, they will point fingers at you.¡± ¡®Should I just turn this brat into a death knight?¡¯ But rather than a stupid Death Knight, a living expert who spouts nonsense was much more useful. On the other hand, Luke had made up his mind to spy on Veritas Magic Tower and the changes that happened there for the last 500 years. ¡°Okay. Since I made a promise, let¡¯s buy a Gigant.¡± ¡°Ahh?!¡± Philip hurried and was ready to go out with Luke. But when Sir Roger came after hearing the news. ¡°Young Lord, are you going to buy a Gigant?¡± ¡°Philip wanted to.¡± At those words, Philip began to become scared of Roger. It was as if he had light in his eyes; he turned over to Luke and said, ¡°Then, I will go with you.¡± ¡°The knight general will come?¡± ¡°Yes, since the monsters are very active these days, it isn¡¯t easy to go out without an escort knight. So, I¡¯d rather go myself.¡± Roger said that and shot an ugly look at Philip. ¡°Also, I know quite a lot about Gigants. If you take Philip with you, you will surely buy a defective Gigant that would just become bothersome in the future and have poor performance.¡± ¡°No, no matter how you see me as a human¡­¡± A small whine escaped from Philip¡¯s mouth, but he soon stopped when he saw Roger clenching his fist. After seeing that, Luke decided to take Roger with him too. Knowing that not buying a Gigant was an option too. It would be best to just buy it to shut Philip¡¯s mouth. Luke together with Roger and Philip traveled north. At first, they thought about boarding a boat. However, due to the recent drought, the boat line in the large river was suspended so traveling by land was inevitable. ¡°As the river level had dropped, we can¡¯t use the boat.¡± Tired of riding a horse, Philip grumbled. Roger shot back at him right away. ¡°The ships could have been stranded. But a knight that hates to ride horses? What would people say about that?¡± ¡°I am a rider. And the young Lord is going to buy a Gigant this time. How about buying a mobile? Mobiles are popular with nobles since it¡¯s very fashionable.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it. I don¡¯t want to spend money on worthless things.¡± A mobile, which runs on a steam engine, was a vehicle that wasn¡¯t much different from a wagon in the means of transportation. In addition, its speed was just as fast as a carriage, which was why it was considered as a luxury rather than a vehicle. ¡®If I¡¯m going to buy something, I¡¯ll buy a trailer. Really heavy things such as Gigants can be loaded there, and it can transport many loads at once.¡¯ The trailer beside them was steam-based, and it was moving in the opposite direction. There were five of them, carrying large pieces of cloth wrapped in a luggage compartment along with men and women dressed as merchants sitting around the luggage. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Well, it is a flag that I¡¯ve never seen.¡± The three of them drove off the side of the road to let the trailers pass. The trailer halted momentarily, and a dumb-looking man in the first trailer greeted them. ¡°Hello, men. Where are you traveling to?¡± ¡°¡­ Well, how about you?¡± Roger, their representative, asked. ¡°We are peddlers of the Shade Corp. We travel around the rural lands to buy or sell special goods.¡± ¡°Shade Corp? I haven¡¯t heard that name before.¡± ¡°Hahaha, we just opened recently.¡± The man spoke while looking at Luke. ¡°Which land are you from?¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t from a very famous place. We can¡¯t say that any place is so famous these days.¡± ¡°Hmm, is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, since we are busy, we¡¯ll head first.¡± Philip looked disappointed. Luke and Philip moved quickly. The man, who saw the three of them leaving, spoke to the wizard who was inside the trailer. ¡°Captain Tigel, he is definitely¡­¡± ¡°We are definitely going to meet the ¡®target¡¯ from the Rakan estate. But he is different from what we heard.¡± Tigel took out a piece of paper from his hand. The paper had a description of Luke de Rakan, the young Lord of Rakan estate. Chapter 36 Chapter 36: Getting Attacked 1 A sum in the outskirts of Lamer. Princess Reina had been staying there for a few days after the people of Volga had moved. There was a reason to enter the slums even when she had a good place to live. Not long ago, Count Monarch began to redevelop the urban and demolish the slums, and forced the eviction of the people. Princess Reina confronted the Gigant soldiers and the Count, who had entered the slum and proceeded with the demolishing. ¡°Princess, this is dangerous.¡± ¡°It is alright. They will never lay a hand on me.¡± At the cautious warning from Pavel, Reina smiled confidently. The Count Monarch had ceased the demolition after realizing that Reina had come there. When the situation turned out like this, the Count knew that the princess would come to persuade him. ¡°Princess Reina, stop acting so recklessly. Shouldn¡¯t a princess find the easiest solution?¡± ¡°Are you asking me to go marry the Count? I don¡¯t like it, and that was the decision I stood by at the Gigant Arena the other day, I don¡¯t have the heart of a savior to do that sort of act.¡± ¡°Keuk, the more you behave like this, the more the people will suffer!¡± ¡°Then I will share the pain along with my people. If they starve, I starve too.¡± ¡°Kuuu!¡± At the stubborn act of Reina, the Count was taken aback. If he wanted, he could have forced them, however, it was a loss if the beautiful princess was broken in the process. In addition, if such rumors went out, then it would turn hard to handle the other nobles. Reina was also aware of the facts, which was why she was able to protect the migrants from the Count unharmed. ¡°Kaak! Fox-like bitch! She¡¯s trying to climb onto my head!¡± ¡°Will you try and suppress her?¡± At the question from Goth, Monarch replied quickly, ¡°No way! Somehow the princess needs to be pulled out of the slum without even hurting her hair strand!¡± The other retainers around the Count, responded with a sloppy response like ¡®How is that possible?¡¯, but Goth was quick to come up with a better way. ¡°Majesty, how about we do this?¡± Goth whispered in the ear of the Count, listening to it, his eyes went wide, ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s a bit dangerous right?¡± ¡°Do not worry. The old servants of the princess won¡¯t stand still.¡± Goth had a very evil smirk on his face. And that night. ¡°Fire!¡± ¡°Someone get water quickly!¡± A fire broke out in the corner of the slum. The flame had spread all over the place, and towards the hut where Reina was staying. ¡°Princess, we are in danger! We need to move out!¡± ¡°No, I am not leaving our people alone in here¡­¡± ¡°We are all fine, so please go!¡± As expected by Goth, Reina fled from the slums with her loyal servants and the people. The fire hadn¡¯t spread outside the slum because of the Count¡¯s army, however, the devastation was severe. There were over 1,000 casualties, and the number of the victims were ten times more. ¡°Huk Huk, I¡¯m sorry. Really¡­ I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Due to the terrible accident which had occurred, Reina had been crying and crying for a while. Goth went to visit her as she was crying in front of a charred body. ¡°Tch, for such a terrible thing to have happened.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad the princess is safe.¡± Reina looked over at Goth who had a very sly smile on his face. Seeing the smile on his face, she was able to confirm how the accident of fire had come upon them. And for the first time, she was able to feel what anger was. ¡®I won¡¯t forgive you! I will never forgive you!¡¯ She thought that everything would get better once the debt problem got solved. But the wicked hand of the Count never ceased, and the pain of the people began to get much more severe. She couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. ¡®But I have no power to defend my people right now, let alone punish him.¡¯ She was both angry and mournful. She was in need to take care of the tens of thousands of people who lost their homes and lives and were driven onto the street overnight. So Reina, along with Pavel and Victor were looking for a solution. ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask the other lords for help?¡± Pavel shook his head at the opinion of Victor. ¡°Ask for help? If there was anyone to help, then the princess wouldn¡¯t have gone through all that trouble for debt.¡± ¡°No, my thoughts could be wrong. Debt matters may have been neglected as a personal matter, but this is a different situation.¡± ¡°Even if it is different, will they really¡­¡± The refugees of the Volga Kingdom were very unwelcomed. Even those in the Empire were always wandering and then later got driven to the South. Would there really be a lord who would take a huge loss and accept the refugees in the current situation? ¡°I still feel we need to ask for help. That is the only thing that I can do right now.¡± ¡°Princess¡­¡± ¡°Firstly, let¡¯s go find Marquis Mayers. He is currently the most powerful lord in the South.¡± He didn¡¯t just listen to the words of his people, Reina vowed to herself that she was willing to sell her body if it meant the safety of her people. The reason why she was holding on for so long was because she was the last descendant of the Kirillov family. However, it didn¡¯t seem worthy to have pride in the name of her people who were going to be in distress. ¡°I¡¯m leaving right away. Please prepare.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand. Princess.¡± Reina, accompanied by Victor and Pavel headed straight for Brandon, to meet Marquis Mayers. It was late at night, however, it wasn¡¯t the time to consider all formalities when the lives of people were on the line. Chapter 37 Chapter 37: Getting Attacked 2 The sun began to set and the darkness began to set upon. Even though they were worried about having to stay homeless for the night, Luke and his group managed to find a small inn and immediately grabbed the dinner. ¡°Those peddlers we met during the day. Weren¡¯t they more like mercenaries than merchants?¡± Rogers nodded at the words from Philip. ¡°Even I think the same. Mercenaries often have false identities, but their skills seemed to be quite good. Moreover, it was very strange as they were driving an expensive trailer, which was why I broke away from them quickly.¡± Luke who was eating without saying a word, agreed with what the two had to say. ¡®In that trailer, there surely was a Gigant.¡¯ It was camouflaged as a cargo, wrapped in thick cloth, but they weren¡¯t able to conceal the unique mana flow. It wasn¡¯t definite what they were trying to do, but when one disguises as a trader and brings in five Gigants, it wasn¡¯t considered as a normal situation. ¡®Furthermore, they purposely stopped in front of us. Then maybe¡­¡¯ Luke suddenly recalled a story he had overheard. It was a conversation between Hans and the other retainers, which was about the Gigant accident that put the young Lord in a critical condition and was said to be someone¡¯s act. The chief who caused the accident didn¡¯t provide much help in shedding light on the matter as he was found dead in the neighboring estate. ¡®Were those assassins sent for me?¡¯ They could be people holding grudges on Philip or Rogers, but not just him. But for some reason, Luke felt like he was the one being aimed at. Then it would be the right choice to leave quickly before those people went into action. Of course, if those people were aiming for a group of three, then they wouldn¡¯t be much far away. They¡¯d better move at a quick pace rather than stay overnight in the inn. ¡®But when one sends a high-level mercenary along with the Gigant¡­ would it really be for killing the young lord of a country estate who didn¡¯t do much?¡¯ Luke, who was analyzing the situation by himself, suddenly sensed an unusual mana flow which made him jump out of his seat. ¡°What is it, young Lord?¡± ¡°We need to get out of here right away!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Rogers jumped out of the seat and grabbed Philip, who was bewildered and dragged him to the back door. Although he wasn¡¯t as influential as Luke, he was experienced enough to act as the Knight general, and he noticed that something was off from the expression of the young lord. Kwang! ¡°Why, what is with you guys?¡± As soon as they went out the back door, the front doors were shattered and the armed masked men swarmed in. The dumb-head who was leading, no it was Tigel who ordered for the assassination of the target with a single slash of a sword. ¡°Look everywhere and find that young lord!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Those were the shadow knights sent by the Count Monarch. On their way to Rakan, they met Luke during the day, and they attacked by night. ¡°Kaaak!¡± ¡°Save, save m¡­e! ah!¡± As the order fell from Tigel¡¯s mouth, the Shadow Knights began to wield their swords without caring about their identity. Guests who were eating dinner in the restaurant, the ones who were fast asleep in their rooms, and the cooks in the kitchen, everyone was getting killed by them. Just because they were in the same place as Luke, without even having any connection with him. ¡°Captain Tigel, I don¡¯t see them anywhere¡­¡± ¡°Kaak!¡± There was a scream from behind the inn. However, the scream wasn¡¯t from either the guests or the targets, but from the mouth of the Shadow Knights who were surrounding the Inn. ¡°Tch, have they already gone out?¡± Hearing the screams from his men, Tigel went out after ordering the others to light the Inn for destroying the evidence. From the sound that was coming from the clashing weapons, Luke and his group was fighting the Shadow Knights with swords in the dark. ¡°Captain, these people aren¡¯t joking!¡± ¡°If you have time to talk, then go and swing that sword of yours!¡± Rogers was an expert and Philip was an intermediate Expert, but he wasn¡¯t able to break through them. Even though he was just fighting to protect Luke, the skills of the Shadow Knights were very talented. Among the guys who were approaching them, they were of low level, but they had more than three guys who have reached the level of an Expert, and there were a dozen or so that were sword users. And the most serious thing was the Gigant was waiting for them very closely. Thud! Thud! Thud! ¡°This, this is huge!¡± ¡°Everyone close your eyes!¡± At the cry from Luke, Rogers, and Philip closed their eyes even though they were puzzled. At the same time, Luke used magic. ¡°Sun, shine in the dark!¡± Glitter?! A dazzling flash burst out of Luke¡¯s hand. It was simple flash magic, but a flash of surprise happened in the eyes of all the shadow knights, who had been accustomed to the dark alley. ¡°Kaah!¡± ¡°My eyes, I can¡¯t see!¡± The Gigant riders too lost their sight for a moment; the Gigants too stopped moving. ¡°This is it, let¡¯s get out of here!¡± ¡°Ah, dammit! Catch them!¡± Luke and his party pushed away from the lingering Shadow Knights out of their way. Tigel, who was one step late, saw how pathetic his men were acting. ¡°You worthless pricks! Are you all under a spell? And what are those wizards even doing?!¡± The Shadow Knights included five mercenary wizards to help maintain the Gigant. ¡°That, that¡­ there was no information about the target having wizards, so we have no need to use magic¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! There is no time to listen to your futile excuses, just go after them and deal with them right away!¡± Tigel¡¯s men began to chase after the traces that were left by the party of Luke when they were escaping. Chapter 38 Chapter 38: Getting Attacked 3 ¡°That was really cool, young Lord.¡± ¡°That is true. That was really assertive.¡± Rogers and Luke were admiring the preparedness of Luke. The other wizards were like that too, but they had never thought that Luke would be using magic. They knew that he wasn¡¯t a wizard, and as Luke suddenly used magic, they got caught up in a shock. ¡°The trick that you just used was a magic spell, right?¡± ¡°General, I assure you that our young Lord will definitely be a Rune knight¡­¡± ¡°If you have the energy to talk like that, then run faster!¡± Luke and his party ran down the mountain. Perhaps there would be better places to hide than in the plain lands, and their opponents, who were chasing after them, would encounter some trouble. However, there was a problem they hadn¡¯t thought of. It was easy to hide from the enemy, but it was going to consume a lot of stamina. Philip and Rogers were expert knights, and they trained to have extraordinary stamina, and Luke had just strengthened his body with the Magi crystals. But it wasn¡¯t easy to get rid of those who were chasing after them that were riding horses. Knights were very good at tracking and searching and so were the dirty assassins. ¡°There it is!¡± ¡°Dammit, these guys are very persistent!¡± As the Shadow Knights continued to chase after them, Philip trembled. Rogers pushed forward with a firm look. ¡°We¡¯ll buy you some time. Young Lord should avoid them first.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°Please do not worry. We aren¡¯t so weak to be deceived by such dirty men.¡± Luke knew that too. If Luke was there, the two of them might be forced to fight and protect Luke at the same time, which would not allow them to fight properly. ¡®Surely if I use the golems or dark magic, then things would be easier¡­¡¯ There were many things which had to be done in the future, but would it be wise to reveal them already? And if even one of the retainers raised suspicion on Luke, things would turn annoying quickly. Luke decided that he should flee first. ¡°Both of you, don¡¯t die on me.¡± ¡°Sure, don¡¯t worry about us and go!¡± After sending away Luke, Philip and Rogers pulled out their swords. At the same time, both of them manifested their aura¡¯s and ran toward the assassins. ¡°Die!¡± ¡°You dare to go against the family of Rakan? You¡¯ll be finished because of your arrogance!¡± Running toward the assassins, the two of them fought with their swords without rest. The shadow knights were bleeding to death because of their strikes. ¡°Kaack!¡± ¡°Euk!¡± ¡°Dammit, don¡¯t go in alone! Go in groups!¡± The courageousness and the fierce force of the two were like two lions going against a huge herd of wild dogs. The assassins were beginning to get restless and tried to work together with their colleagues, but it only resulted in dozens more dying and getting injured. Inevitably, they all had to devote themselves to trying to take them down without being able to chase after Luke. After an hour of running. Luke, who was quite far already, entered a path that led up to a cliff. ¡°If we stay here, then everything is going to be alright.¡± Luke glanced back at the place and mumbled to himself. However, he suddenly heard a burst of mocking laughter. ¡°Kkk, isn¡¯t it too early to be feeling relieved?¡± Tigel and the other shadow knights began to appear one after the other. While the other colleagues were chasing after Luke, the other part of the group was waiting for their target, so they could ambush them. In fact, it was like a small rabbit hole. Luke licked his lips after seeing the dozens of assassins and the five Gigants. ¡°Are you really trying to catch me? Don¡¯t you think that this is a bit too much?¡± ¡°Huhuhu, even an Kobold does its best when trying to catch a Ogre.¡± ¡°That is true. Whatever you¡¯re trying to do, you have to do your best.¡± As Luke nodded his head and agreed, Tigel frowned. Wasn¡¯t the target supposed to be flustered, angry or nervous upon seeing them? Why was their target so calm? ¡°You haven¡¯t gone mad, right?¡± ¡°Not at all, and the reason is¡­¡± Luke, who stopped what he was saying midway, hand-painted a seal in the air. Shortly afterward, a summon spell began to get triggered. And finally, giants appeared and lined up on both of Luke¡¯s sides. They were just golems of 5 meters. ¡°Since my retainers can¡¯t see me anymore, I can now use my powers.¡± ¡°That¡­ that¡­!¡± The shadow knights were shocked. They knew that their target could use magic, but they didn¡¯t imagine that he could create golems, not just 1 but 10 of them. ¡°Huh, those are just stupid dolls! We have Gigants which had better timing and reactions!¡± Tigel yelled, trying to calm down his flustered men. And his words weren¡¯t lies or wrong either. The Gigants were strong war weapons, and the golems were just the relics of the old days. They were sometimes seen on constructions occasionally. If the monsters were dumb ones, even then, the golems couldn¡¯t be used as assassins. And as their captain had said, they had Gigants with them. With Gigants, any stone or wooden dolls could be crushed. ¡°Throw them away! The one who picks up the stupid kid will be given a separate reward this time!¡± ¡°Oho!¡± Tigel¡¯s words motivated the shadow knights. They all rushed forward toward Luke. The Gigants too began to move. Although the shadow knights were running toward him, Luke smiled. ¡°Huh, you stupid people!¡± Kwannng?! The moment Luke gave orders with his marionette magic, the fists of the golems hit the ground. ¡®Crazy¡­!¡¯ Tigel made fun of Luke¡¯s Golems for not attacking them or defending from them but doing something else instead. His ridicule soon turned into distress. Khukkuku! A huge roar and cracking sound reverberated all over the place. Then the ground suddenly started to crack and fall. Chapter 39 Chapter 39: Getting Attacked 4 Wooo! Roarrr! As the path to the cliff disappeared in an instant, the members of the shadow knights began to fall. ¡°Waahh!¡± ¡°Sa, save me!¡± They tried and struggled not to fall; however, they had no choice but to fall wherever they were standing. The case of the Gigants was much serious. Because of their heavy weight, they fell from the rugged cliff much faster than the knights and suffered a terrible fall. ¡°The Ogre is too big to be hit down by the shallow Kobold.¡± Luke looked down and smiled. He examined the state of the ground before summoning his golems. It seemed a bit hard, but with the right amount of force, the golems seemed to have the strength to break it. In addition, the assassins were foolishly running and jumping to the Gigants, adding to the weight. Naturally, the result was a clean kill. ¡°Some wanted to catch and bury someone, but would they survive at this height¡­¡± Luke was surprised by the sharp energy that moved in the dark which made him stop talking. The moment he moved his body, a dagger from below went past his body. ¡°Keuk!¡± ¡°This damn bastard!¡± As Tigel screamed, he was climbing up the cliff. Not just that, another four had survived. Even though the wizards were flustered and unable to unleash a flying magic, they still miraculously survived by digging their sword on the cliff. They were like demons crawling from the depths of hell. ¡°I won¡¯t just kill you. I¡¯ll keep you alive until you beg me to kill you!¡± ¡°Tch, attack him!¡± Luke gave orders to the Golems. However, the five assassins, who survived the fall, weren¡¯t as slow as the Golem¡¯s fists. Lightly avoiding the attack from the golem, they ran toward Luke. ¡°Dark ton¡­ uhk!¡± Luke tried to blow the assassins with storm magic. That was when suddenly, a sharp pain rose in his chest. The magic manifestation had failed, and the sword of the assassins came in without hesitation. ¡°Kuk!¡± The Tigel¡¯s sword passed by Luke¡¯s cheek cutting it a little. The four assassins tried piercing Luke¡¯s left arm, the back of his right hand, and his thigh and calf. Despite the fatal wounds being avoided, Luke wasn¡¯t so lucky to avoid all the attacks. Just as Tigel had declared earlier, he deliberately avoided any fatal injuries as much as possible. Tigel approached Luke, placing his sword near Luke¡¯s shoulder; he stabbed it very slowly. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll cut the flesh out then expose the bone out and then¡­¡± At that moment, Tigel didn¡¯t intentionally stop speaking. Luke used dark magic even though he was suffering. ¡°Kaaak! Black Bind!¡± Thththud! Hwww! The vines of a black plant came out of the ground, and at the moment, it caught the bodies of the assassins. ¡°What, what is this!¡± Tigel tried to pull the vines off that were binding his body but many more entangled him. Which was why he pulled out his sword to cut them off. But all this time, his aura was being sucked by the black vines. The more he struck them, the more it absorbed his aura. ¡®This, this!¡¯ Tigel looked over at Luke with wide eyes. From his body, the aura he was feeling earlier had just been stolen. It was obvious that this bizarre spell could take away the opponent¡¯s power¡­ ¡°Oh, dark magic¡­!¡± The descendant of Rakan using dark magic?! ¡°Kaaack!¡± Tigel tried to say a lot more, but Luke moved faster. At the gesture from Luke, the vines moved very quickly and Tigel¡¯s body got twisted. The absorbed aura and vitality were taken in by Luke. Thanks to that, Luke¡¯s wounds were healed. However, his expression didn¡¯t change. ¡®It was a technique used to absorb the power of the demons, but I used it against humans!¡¯ In the past, he had learned dark magic and vowed to never use them against humans. The vow got broken that day. He couldn¡¯t help it as he wanted to survive. However, his heart was heavy because he broke the vow he made in the past. Luke turned to the four assassins who were still alive. Although they weren¡¯t robbed of their powers, they looked at the scene where their captain¡ªa high Expert¡ªdied in vain. They just heard rumors about it. Their jaws trembled at the horror of the dark powers that they heard only in the old stories. They were happening in front of their eyes. ¡°Uhhh! Sa, save me¡­¡± ¡°Speak only when I told you to do so. Who has ordered you to kill me?¡± ¡°Goth, it was Goth.¡± ¡°Goth? Where and what does he do?¡± ¡°The secretary and advisor of Count Monarch.¡± ¡®Of course¡­¡¯ Luke¡¯s face was distorted. Because of what he did in the Gigant arena, the Count wanted to have Luke killed. Not only did Luke help princess Reina, but he also won a huge amount. Considering that there was an assassination attempt even before that, it could be set aside. Of course, the other assassination attempt was probably not the Count Monarch¡¯s doing, but Luke¡¯s sixth sense was saying otherwise. ¡°Why is the Count trying to kill me? Was it because of what happened in the Gigant arena?¡± ¡°I, I don¡¯t know anything else¡­ uah! Please, please save me!¡± One of the assassin¡¯s body was getting sucked into the ground. The other assassins were frightened and asked for their lives to be spared, but Luke didn¡¯t care. ¡°I¡¯ll save the man who can tell me the reason why the Count is trying to kill me.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°We just received orders from Goth¡­ aaah!¡± The paid assassins had no way of knowing the thoughts of the Count. Eventually, they got sucked into the ground. After tidying up, Luke clenched his teeth, recalling the butler of the Count Monarch. ¡°Count Monarch¡­ oh, since I¡¯m close to him, I¡¯ll kill him first.¡± He was a bit similar to the Baroque Duke even though he wasn¡¯t entirely related. Under the current circumstances, he never thought that he could save his life. ¡®I want to go over there right away and kill him, but I¡¯ll let things go for now since I managed to get your name because of this assassination attempt.¡¯ While Luke was deep in his thoughts, he heard Rogers and Philip¡¯s voice from behind. ¡°Young lord! Where are you?¡± ¡°Young Lord!¡± Luke hastily sent the golems back into the sub-space with the help of the bracelet. He then checked carefully if Black Bind had any Magi remnants remaining nearby. After he was done checking, the two arrived. They seemed to be exhausted and hurt. However, there didn¡¯t seem to be any serious injury to them. ¡°You¡¯re safe, young lord!¡± ¡°Ah ah, this is really great.¡± Rejoicing, they were shocked when they saw that the cliff had collapsed. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I was running away in this direction when they suddenly appeared here and blocked my path. They even brought Gigants with them. They tried to get me, but then the weak ground collapsed.¡± ¡°Hu, that¡­¡± Rogers was shocked, but he no longer asked about it as he thought it was enough. ¡°You were really lucky.¡± ¡°That is right. The great Rakan must have looked over you.¡± At the praise from Philip about Rakan, Luke¡¯s face went hard. Far from his blessing, because of the curse that Rakan had, he wasn¡¯t able to get his revenge and almost died a while ago. ¡®That wave I felt earlier stopped the dark circle on my heart. When I was about to use storm magic, that thing I felt was surely a curse wave.¡¯ The curse played out in a really dangerous situation. If it was anyone other than Luke, then they might have died. ¡®Dammit! I¡¯m not entirely sure, but who the hell could have put this curse?¡¯ While Luke was thinking, Rogers asked, ¡°There might be more of them chasing for us, so we need to hurry to Lamer.¡± ¡°No, we aren¡¯t heading to Lamer.¡± ¡°Uh? What is this all of a sudden?¡± It was their original plan to head over to Lamer and buy a Gigant. Rogers knew that there had to be a reason why Luke suddenly changed their plan. Luke couldn¡¯t say that he used dark magic to handle the assassins. ¡°I heard one of them talking. When I thought about it, it was a voice I heard when we went to Lamer.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, you knew about it, right? That I went over to Lippie clan¡¯s maintenance room? One of the knights of the Count Monarch.¡± That made the expression of Rogers¡¯s face go stiff. ¡°Then¡­ the Count Monarch may have sent the assassins.¡± ¡°That could be. There is no solid evidence, but it doesn¡¯t hurt to be careful.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s head over to Brandon. It is the largest city in the Southern part of the Empire, and there are many small magic towers in there.¡± ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s head over to Brandon.¡± Luke nodded at the plan which Philip offered. Brandon city was far away, but it was better to avoid any danger as much as possible. And as there were many magic towers, there could be many things to see and know there. The three men rested until sunrise and came down the mountain in the morning. Their journey to Brandon was going to be hard. However, with the purchase of an unexpected object from the mountainside, the situation changed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a trailer?¡± ¡°Yes. Perhaps, the one that the assassins used to transport the Gigants. They seem to have left it behind when they were chasing us.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s use it.¡± ¡°But we need a wizard to control that¡­ Oh, you know some magic, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m still new to that stuff¡­¡± Luke was worried a bit but handling the trailer seemed to be much simpler than he imagined. It started with just pouring some mana into the crystal ball which was connected to the Mado Steam Engine. Of course, there was that inconvenience of using magic spells to not get noticed for being a wizard, but he started it pretty simply. He then pulled the lever forward, and the trailer moved slowly. The trailer¡¯s direction could be controlled by using a semi-circle control stick which was called a steering wheel to orient the wheels. After a few test runs, Luke learned how to steer and left with Philip and Rogers for Brandon. He didn¡¯t know what was waiting for him over there, and who he was going to meet there. Chapter 40 Chapter 40: Plot of the Veritas Magic Tower 1 Although the Alon firm was notorious for its money-making business, in the Baroque Empire, it had been the target. Over the 100 years of history, there were numerous products that were handled, and the profits were comparable to the small principalities. As a result, quite a lot of nobles looked down on it. Terin, the executive officer of the firm, was asked to visit the headquarters in the Empire Capital by someone. The place where he was called to was the place inside the main quarters, just one candle which lit up the whole room. There, Terin waited for the man who had reached out to him, he was feeling like a commoner in front of the emperor. Gulp! ¡®Is he the head of the commerce? What would such a person want from me¡­?¡¯ Terin had met a merchant before going there. And his boss, who was also his own uncle, cautioned him and said, ¡°Don¡¯t make any mistakes, let it be your words or actions because he is the head of the commerce.¡± Surely it was surprising to know that there was the head for the commerce, but what worried him the most was the terrified expression on his uncle¡¯s face. Who was he, the one who was able to scare his uncle who went head-on with the other high nobles? Was he the Emperor of the Empire? While he was puzzled, he heard a sullen voice from the front, ¡°Are. You. That. Terin. Person?¡± Uncertainty about his age rose with the manner he spoke. Terin responded with a tensed tone, ¡°That is right. But the reason for me to be called here?¡± ¡°Last year, to a business owner. Asked. Devil knight. Saymon¡¯s. Castle. To get. Put down. Instructions, too. But. That. Didn¡¯t. Go out. Well. So here.¡± ¡®Huk? Ok!¡¯ He was wondering why he was asked to request such a comprise from the southern branch, but it was the actual order from the head of the branch. The moment he heard the question, Terin¡¯s face went stiff. He remembered that he hadn¡¯t completed the mission. Terin immediately cried by falling on the floor. ¡°Pl, please let me live!¡± ¡°Kukuk, think. I¡¯ll. Kill. You? Than that. Let. Me. Know. Why. The order. Had failed.¡± Terin thought that the man could probably be lying and hesitated for a second. For some reason, he could feel that this man wasn¡¯t such a great person. ¡°Huh, young lord. Went to. Lamer. Gigant. Arena. Got huge. Money? That too. By putting. All. On. Princess. Reina¡¯s. Side?¡± ¡°That is right. That was what the slip had said.¡± ¡°Uhm, then. Monarch. Count. wouldn¡¯t. be. Still.¡± ¡°According to the behavior of the Count, he would surely think about retaliating against the young lord.¡± ¡°Kulkulkul, that. Greedy. Pig, like. Man.¡± Making sure to not make the opposite person feel bad, Terin asked with a lot of caution, ¡°But, about the Devil King¡¯s castle¡­?¡± ¡°What. About it. Buy it. Did. You. Do that?¡± ¡°Nope! Although there are many knights and servants who have celebrated the act and valor of Rakan, it is useless because of the small amount of tourist income they get from it.¡± Although he followed the instructions from the higher-ups, Terin always wondered about the order. ¡°Kulkulkul. That castle. And. The. Area. Around. Has. A secret. That. People. Don¡¯t know. About.¡± ¡°Secret?¡± ¡°Yes. I. Too. Only. Knew. About. It a. Few. Years. Back. The castle. And the. Surrounding. Area. Are. located. In the. Place. Where. The. Mana Stream. Of nature. Gathers. There. Is a. Mana. Concentration. In there. If one. Is a. wizard. Or a knight. One. Will. Show. Great. Speed. In. Growth. To have. A magic. Tower. Or a workshop. Would. Do very. Well.¡± ¡®A mana field around the Devil King¡¯s castle?¡¯ The mana flow, where the mana streams gather. People called such areas as the mana fields and considered those places to be blessed with mana. Most of the continents¡¯ Magic Towers were currently on the mana fields. In addition, places such as the royal palaces and academies of every country were located in places with varying degrees of mana. ¡°Now. Do. You. Understand. Why. I Asked. To. Get. That. Place?¡± ¡°Yes, I understand it now¡­ very clearly!¡± Terin who understood the reason nodded his head. The mana fields were areas which were frantic to occupy. It was very normal for tens of thousands of soldiers to die in the hands of a mana field. Therefore, even though they knew that their lands had mana fields, most lords never talked about it. But these people knew about that secret! ¡°I, I, I¡­ never heard anything about it. I will never speak about what I have heard today!¡± ¡°Then. Should. I. Let you. Go?¡± ¡°Yes, please let me live¡­ euahhh!¡± Terin who met the ¡®person¡¯, realized when the person was approaching him. And it was no surprise that he was a wizard. As if that wasn¡¯t more to take, the emblem carved on the robe was a lily, that symbolized the high wizards of the Veritas Magic Tower, one of the two main Magic towers in the continent. The primordial instincts and fears about fleeing right away had sprung up witnessing him. He, who was full of ominous aura emanating from his skull and had obsidian eyes, no, he was a Lich. An immortal being with the power of darkness. ¡°Come. Here. I won¡¯t. Hurt. You.¡± ¡°Hick! No! let me live! Eauuu!¡± Terin was struggling, however, his body was getting dragged towards the Lich, regardless of his wish. ¡°Don¡¯t. Be. Afraid. You. Will. Be. A.Part. Of me.¡± Puak! With a terrifying noise, the chest of Terin got pierced and his heart was pulled out. Unlike the body which went limp, the Lich began to chew on the heart of Terin. Nom nom! Drip! Everytime he took a bite from Terin¡¯s heart, the drops of blood fell on the floor. The skull which could be seen because of the bare light the candle was giving, began to change into the body of Terin. And the voice too changed into Terin. ¡°The Rakan viscount¡­ it sure is annoying, but do I really have to get the work done with my own hands?¡± The Lich who smiled at his own question fluttered his robe. The pierced body of Terin disappeared without a trace and the dimly lit candle disappeared too. The being who came from the darkness once again faded into it. Chapter 41 Chapter 41: Plot of the Veritas Magic Tower 2 The president of the Volga Republic. Two people were seated facing each other in the office of the official residence with a red flag having two axes symbolizing the republic aspect. One was a party leading the revolution, the current president of the republic, Vladimir Rekov and the other side was a Dark Elf woman, Sylvia Aratra, the second chief of Volga Intelligence. ¡°So, what you are saying is that there are no ¡®Earth¡¯s Tears¡¯ in the Volga kingdom?¡± With a bursting accent, Sylvia replied, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Uhm, then about the princess Reina?¡± ¡°The watcher¡¯s on the princess reports say that princess Reina doesn¡¯t have them either.¡± The Earth¡¯s Tears were the treasures passed down to the Volga¡¯s royal family from generation to generation, with the legend that rains started to pour down in the drought-prone areas of Rhodesia during the time of the great drought. Known to be in the hands of the royal family, but has never been stated to be real, however, each time a large scale natural disaster occurs in the kingdom, it is said to appear and resolve the issue and disappear. In the heads of the people, it was considered to be the ¡®God¡¯s tears¡¯ which prevented the natural disaster, however, some people of Volga had different opinions. The Earth¡¯s Tears were the key to unlocking one of their most long-sought desire. Thus they all had joined the Republican Revolution in order to obtain the key and eventually dominated the palace. But, no matter how much and how clearly they searched the palace, they weren¡¯t able to find it or anything that seemed similar to that object. This was why, in the beginning, they thought if the exiled royal family had taken them. They had placed a spy, but neither the queen nor the princess had it. Looking back into the country for a decade, they looked for everything and anything that was related to the royal family and their estates. But that too¡­ the Earth¡¯s Tears were nowhere to be found. ¡°If the Earth¡¯s Tears were in the Southern Continent?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t it. High Elf Erness said that it certainly exists in the Rhodesian continent.¡± ¡°Uhm. This is troublesome.¡± In fact, Rekov was half close to giving up on finding the Earth¡¯s Tears. The idea was that it was a loss to concentrate the intelligence of the republic into a thing whose identity wasn¡¯t known. But unlike human beings, the ideas of the other raced people who call themselves fairies were different. Among them, elves, including the dark elves, were very different in their thoughts, as if it was their race¡¯s destiny to find the Earth¡¯s Tears. ¡®Ah, if the fairies weren¡¯t a part of the revolution, I would have just ignored them¡­¡¯ However, the fairies were one of the three pillars who led the revolution, and were in close contact with the other pillar known as, ¡®Dark Moon¡¯. Which was why the president couldn¡¯t ignore their request. ¡°Then, what do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Let me bring in Princess Reina.¡± ¡°Her, Her?¡± The president was surprised. ¡®This is crazy, she is crazy!¡¯ To kidnap the princess from the Southern Empire of the Baroque wasn¡¯t easy, but kidnapping could cause many more problems. Kidnapping a very prestigious princess, called as the priestess, could cause continents to blame them. If not, it could cause various kingdoms to go against the republics for that act. But were they going to do that publicly? ¡®The fairies are scary when they set their eyes on something, but for that.¡¯ Usually, there are pure and good fairies when compared to humans. However, once they turn angry, they were really scary, and it was a well-known fact by the president, which was why he decided to accept their request. ¡°Okay. I will allow it. But be as polite as possible. Because of her efforts to help the refugees, her humanitarian aspect was praised by the Republic. ¡± ¡°Okay.¡± On the day the president¡¯s permission came, the top agents of the Volga Intelligence in the Baroque Empire commenced the order in motion. Chapter 42 Chapter 42: A Stir in the Magic Tower 1 Three days after the assassination attempt. Luke and his party had arrived in Brandon, the central city of Marquis. Normally, it would have taken them twice as long to get there, but they were able to get there ahead of their schedule because of the trailer that they captured on the way. Brandon was a city in the south that had a larger population than Lamer with developed commerce and culture, large and small magic towers, teachers, schools and libraries. ¡°Is this the capital of the past, Milton?¡± Luke, upon arriving at the central square of the city asked, looking at the statue which was placed in the center. ¡°Yes. That is right. I know that it was called Warport during that time. Which is why some of the territorial nobles call Marquis Mayers a king.¡± ¡®Surely¡­¡¯ 500 years ago, Luke had taken over a city, which was then referred to as Warport. Originally, he had no plans or intentions to attack the capital of Milton. But at that time, the Milton region was an ally of the Libiya kingdom, the king then went to the Baroque Duke and asked for forces to take down the dark legions. However, attacking the capital was like pulling out the scales of a sleeping dragon. Luke marched right into the Milton Duchy and quickly captured its capital¡ªWarport. ¡®Huhuhu, this place reminds me of a lot of things. At that time, the lords of this place were trembling right over there.¡¯ Luke smiled as he looked over at the white marble palace, which was currently being used as the permanent residence mansion. Rogers then talked about the city¡¯s history. ¡°At that time, Priest Brandon with the help of Goddess Belize, drove out the Devil King and saved the city. Since then, the city was renamed with the name of the Priest.¡± ¡®Strength of a Goddess? What nonsense. I just couldn¡¯t refuse the request of one person.¡¯ Luke was acquainted with Brandon. Brandon, who later became the Archbishop of the Warport, was the one who healed Luke when he came out of the Veritas Magic Tower with a broken Magic Circle. Because of the grace he had shown in the past, Luke wasn¡¯t able to go against him and withdrew from the region upon the request of Brandon. Luke did not have any reason to hold onto that nation anyway. In other words, the city had survived because of the virtue that Brandon had shown and not because of the power or spirit of some goddess. ¡°Somehow, the Devil¡¯s legion had gone back, but the City of Milton, which turned weak, was later occupied and was taken into the Baroque Empire.¡± ¡®Tch, to go over a weak country only for the purpose of increasing their own territory.¡¯ Luke, who was listening to the story of Rogers, drove the trailer to the corner of the square which was close to the Veritas Magic Tower. ¡®When I think about the old times, I don¡¯t really feel like buying these people a Gigant¡­¡¯ There was a saying that said that one should keep his friends close and his enemies closer. That was because knowing the enemy was necessary to become victorious. Luke was also curious as to how the magic towers had changed and developed over the last 500 years. ¡®If their performance is fine, I will be more than happy to buy it. I will buy it then take it apart and then figure out its pro¡¯s and con¡¯s and then make more Gigants!¡¯ Suddenly, one guard immediately blocked them at the entrance. ¡°This isn¡¯t a place that anyone can just enter. Only the nobles above the minimum access level can go in.¡± ¡°I am the descendant of a Viscount.¡± At the cold response of Luke, the knight looked inside and then sent them in. But that wasn¡¯t the end of it. The wizard they had met in order to purchase the Gigant was very ignorant and condescending. ¡°You are the Rakan Viscount? I heard that you are poor. Do you even have the money to buy a Gigant?¡± At that question from the wizard, Rogers and Philip were aggravated enough to retaliate. However, Luke stopped them. They surely would have sliced the neck of the wizard if he didn¡¯t. ¡°We may not have money, but we weren¡¯t spoiled with money like you.¡± Luke hit back at the wizard and the knights felt relieved. ¡®Tch, seems like things are still the same here!¡¯ By looking at the number of large buildings, fences, and workshops, it was clear how huge the Veritas Magic Tower was. But they still ignored and looked down upon others like in the past. No, it had changed. The people there seemed to have become more arrogant. As Luke was able to barely restrain his anger, Rogers spoke with a low voice. ¡°Sorry, young lord. I was incompetent, making you suffer such humiliation in our presence.¡± ¡°It is okay, this isn¡¯t your responsibility. The humiliation they caused will be paid back later!¡± Luke consoled Rogers, who was feeling bad for having the young Lord¡¯s pride hurt, and headed over to the next tower. Chapter 43 Chapter 43: A Stir in the Magic Tower 2 Luke¡¯s party¡¯s second stop was at the branch of the Modern Magic Tower, which was founded 80 years ago. In order to denote the modern magical engineering, which had developed since ancient times, the word ¡®Modern¡¯ was added to the magic tower¡¯s name. Although the Modern Magic Tower was a bit short on creating history, it was so huge that it had been regarded as one of the 10 largest Magic Towers in the Continent. Just the number of Gigants that were produced by them for a year couldn¡¯t be counted through a person¡¯s fingers. ¡°The Modern Magic Tower is among the top ten Magic Towers for the fast production of the Gigants. Their production rate is so fast that they can create 3 Gigants in just a day.¡± ¡°Their designs are nice too.¡± As Rogers described the Magic Tower, Philip tried to step in. However, Rogers decided to ignore him and continued to speak, ¡°Furthermore, they have numerous branches and workshops all around the continent, so the supply of kits and parts is very fast. Which is why the countries at war buy a lot of supplies from the Modern Magic Tower.¡± ¡°I see. In order to win a war, it would be important to put in at least one more powerful weapon than the opponent.¡± Despite their short history, their fast production speed and delivery speed played a major role in their growth to become one of the largest Magic Tower in the Continent. ¡°But I assume the quality isn¡¯t that great?¡± Anything that had advantages had disadvantages, and Luke took that into consideration. ¡°As expected from the young Lord. However, their products are cheap, so if we focus on the volume, this might be a better option.¡± ¡°Ohh! this is a cool design too!¡± The call from Philip was ignored again. Luke¡¯s party entered the Modern Magic Tower branch. It was the same as any top ten leveled towers, so it was similar to the Veritas Magic Tower branch in size. The number of wizards and the mercenaries that worked there was about the same number too. ¡®Is it because they all produce large scale Gigants? Everything looks the same?¡¯ Thankfully, the Modern Magic Tower wasn¡¯t there only to sell. They also treat their customers very politely without discriminating against them. Though they weren¡¯t asked for, they served their customers, who were in the waiting room, teas and snacks. ¡®This friendly atmosphere is nice. If their product¡¯s performance is good, then I¡¯ll buy it.¡¯ Luke looked over at the list of Gigants that were placed on a sheet that was on the table. From the Warrior class to the Hero class, the Gigants which were produced by the Modern Magic Tower were listed there. Their names with their pictures and their performance were also there in full detail. ¡®Their Gigants performance doesn¡¯t look bad. As Philip says, it is nice to have a slender shaped one¡­ especially, this Avanthra Warrior class and Grainger Hero class.¡¯ In the calmness at the Modern Magic Tower, a nasty yell burst out from one side. ¡°What!? You can¡¯t repair it!? What nonsense is that!? If there was a defect in the Gigant, you are supposed to repair it for free!¡± ¡°Oh, sir. Please calm down. It isn¡¯t an inbuilt defect.¡± A wizard was trying to deal with a noble, who came in to see someone because there was a defect in his Gigant, and the wizard was trying to calm him down. ¡°What do you mean by it isn¡¯t an inbuilt defect!? The other Magic Tower¡¯s Gigant with the same built as this and had the same thickness in its gloves wasn¡¯t even scratched! But the Gigant that you guys made got crushed like a tin can!¡± ¡°Uh, that, about that¡­ the armor of the gloves may vary depending on the angle of the attack and the size of the sword, sir.¡± ¡°What is that even supposed to mean?¡± ¡°The straight attacks are the same as the ones with the other Magic Towers, but damage cant be prevented if the angle is even slightly off.¡± ¡°Then, do you mean to say that every attack needs to be face to face!¡± While such an uproar was happening on one side, the other side had one as well, arguing about the fault in the core engine. ¡°The magic stone in the core engine didn¡¯t seem to be there during the start-up training. How do you plan on taking care of this?¡± ¡°Well, sir. Probably, the clasps that were holding the magic stone are loose¡­ it isn¡¯t exactly a fault in the core engine itself.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t spew nonsense! There was no magic stone in the core engine; it isn¡¯t a fault!¡± A lot of complaints could be heard all over the place. The steering gear was broken due to a small shock, the joints were stiff, the Gigant¡¯s aura was much harder than the others, such issues were being expressed. Thanks to all that uproar, the slight infatuation Luke had developed on the Modern Magic Tower gradually changed. Philip, who was constantly complimenting the designs of the Modern Magic Tower¡¯s Gigants, couldn¡¯t even rub off the absurd expression his face had. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Are these people making their Gigants with their feet? Why are there so many flaws?¡± ¡°I think their production speed is too much, so it¡¯s natural for such problems to happen.¡± Also, if one looked closely, their prices weren¡¯t that cheap. ¡°What? 31,000 pesos? That is different from what is listed on the paper?¡± In response to a noble, the wizards who were showing him the model spoke, ¡°Sir, this is the price if the big sword and the spare gloves are included.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need that so take them out.¡± ¡°That will be difficult to do. If you want our buy our Gigant, you need to purchase the items too.¡± ¡®This is really making me speechless.¡¯ Luke, who was listening to their conversation, just couldn¡¯t even understand what the guys were trying to do. ¡°They aren¡¯t making Gigants. They are just making profits from them.¡± ¡°That is indeed appropriate to say, young Lord.¡± However, there was something much more ridiculous. The Iron mages and the field captains in each of the workshops were asking for a wage increase, and the production of their own products wasn¡¯t so smooth. ¡°We don¡¯t have to stay here anymore.¡± Luke and his party came out of the Modern Magic Tower branch. For some reason, he wanted to buy the Gigants that he saw in there, but after listening to the random stories in there, he couldn¡¯t help but get out of there. ¡°One of the top ten on the continent isn¡¯t making everything so well.¡± ¡°Then what about going to a small Magic Tower next time? Even though it isn¡¯t well known, I know a nice place.¡± ¡°That sounds great.¡± Disappointed by the big towers, Luke decided to try the small and medium ranked Magic Towers upon Rogers¡¯s request. The third place where Luke and his party went was a small Magic Tower called Hallis. ¡°The Hallis Magic Tower is no match for the other Magic Towers in terms of history and scale of production, but among the professionals, it is famous for making Gigants.¡± With a little excitement because of what Rogers had said, Luke went in. Just as Rogers had said, its size and building was incomparably shabby when compared to the previous two. However, Luke wasn¡¯t disappointed because he already knew that size and appearance didn¡¯t matter. As they passed through the front door, a middle-aged female wizard went to greet her customers. ¡°Welcome, young Lord Luke!¡± ¡°Hold on, you know me?¡± As Luke was confused, the wizard smiled and explained, ¡°Only the Rakan viscounts use the angel with a sword of light as the crest for their family. And I thought that such a person, being escorted by knights, couldn¡¯t be anyone other than Luke, who is currently the young Lord.¡± ¡°Huhu, that¡¯s correct. That¡¯s very observant of you.¡± The fact that she was able to recognize a person from their family crest meant that she cared a lot for them. Which was why Luke and Philip felt good about her. ¡°I am Meril, General secretary of Hallis Magic Tower. What¡¯s the reason why you have come to our Magic Tower?¡± ¡°Obviously to buy a Gigant.¡± At those words from Luke, Meril seemed rather flustered. She knew that the Rakan Viscount wasn¡¯t in good condition to buy a Gigant. But after seeing them there, she thought that something might have changed. ¡°Yes. Welcome again. We recently developed a new warrior class Gigant, and we were ordered by the Meister to sell the first few ones at a discounted price.¡± The reason for the discount was probably because of the promotion. The new types were never purchased by the noble families, especially because of the low popularity the low-level Magic Towers had. That was why they sell their product at a lower rate, in the beginning, so they could increase their number of sales. After some evaluation, they would then decide what price they would put on their Gigants. ¡°Can I see the real thing for now?¡± ¡°Hoho, of course. Come this way.¡± With Meril¡¯s guidance, the group headed toward a Gigant. Dozens of Iron Mages and field captains were finishing up on numerous pieces, and Meril pointed to one of them. ¡°No, this guy?¡± Philip looked a little disappointed at the familiar Gigant he saw. It was because it was the Gigant Sting that Karen had boarded at the Gigant arena. Sting was released 30 years ago and was almost ready to be taken down. ¡°Please don¡¯t be disappointed. This is Sting II. It is a model that had the drawbacks of the previous Sting fixed. Its core engine output is 1050 fight, and its composite frame and gloves provide excellent elasticity and defense¡­¡± Meril clearly explained the specification and performance of Sting II. If it was just as she was saying, then the performance was pretty good. ¡°Sir Philip. Let¡¯s test the Gigant.¡± At those words from Luke, Philip got into Sting II coldly and moved out to the parading ground. After adapting to its movements, Philip began to move in earnest. Thump! Booong! Rogers was admiring the Gigant while Philip moved around the field, wielding the Gigant¡¯s giant sword. ¡°This is pretty good. Its output is stable, and its movements are quite smooth.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± ¡°Yes, young Lord. If this is its performance, then it isn¡¯t behind the level of the Veritas Magic Tower¡¯s Gigants. If we have a little more money, we could be introduced to more models.¡± Rogers was very moved, but Luke didn¡¯t have that much money to buy many at the same time, so he decided to do that some other time. After doing a test, Philip had approached them with a bright face and said, ¡°Thank you, young Lord! It is a much better one than what I had imagined.¡± ¡°What to do? I still don¡¯t know if I should buy it or not.¡± ¡°Why are you doing this? Please buy it for me. After that, I will be forever loyal to you for eternity, young Lord.¡± The mischief of Luke was very frustrating to Philip. No matter how great a knight Philip was, he was weak in front of Luke. Luke smiled at Meril. ¡°I will purchase the Gigant.¡± ¡°Ho ho ho, you have taken the right choice. I also received orders from our Meister for the Rakan viscount. I was asked to give it to you for 27,000 pesos.¡± ¡°Oh, you can draft the bill now then.¡± The price of a new Warrior class was usually around 30,000 pesos, which meant that they got a 3,000 pesos discount. Luke, who signed the bill, placed Sting II on the trailer after paying for it. ¡°Uh, young lord.¡± When Sting got loaded into the luggage compartment, Philip called out. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Are we going back now?¡± ¡°Why? Do you have something else you want to do?¡± ¡°Since, since we¡¯re already here¡­¡± Brandon was the southernmost city, which was known for its numerous tourist attractions. The royal palaces, the castles, and the lakeside, which were built in the days of Milton City, were attractions for young lovers. Luke agreed since they didn¡¯t have any urgent tasks at hand. ¡°Okay, take a day off and then we¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Yaehoo! Thank you!¡± As the two of them made a decision, Meril too smiled after seeing them. ¡°It will be hard to find a place to fit the trailer in the town. Why don¡¯t you park it at our Magic Tower till you decide to leave?¡± It was a nice offer as Luke had been wondering about where he was supposed to park such an expensive bulky cart. Which was why he accepted Meril¡¯s offer and left the trailer in the Hallis Magic Tower. Chapter 44 Chapter 44: A Stir in the Magic Tower 3 ¡°The sun will set too, and we have come till here, wouldn¡¯t we be feeling sorry if we don¡¯t have just one glass?¡± After visiting a few sightseeing spots throughout the afternoon, Luke asked that. At that time, Philip¡¯s eyes were sparkling as he asked, ¡°Is the young lord asking?¡± ¡°Yeah, I am.¡± When Luke nodded, the two men were shocked. Since the situations regarding the wages weren¡¯t great in their state for the work, it was getting difficult to drink on a daily basis. And there was another one. The Rakan Viscount which was very huge had only one cheap bar. ¡°Untie your belts and drink all you want for today.¡± The three of them went to a bar downtown and drank for some time. There was no one who hated alcohol, which was why Rogers and Philip emptied their beer mugs. Philip and Rogers were so drunk because of the late-night drinks. Luke called the waiter, tipped him nicely and asked, ¡°Is there any Inn close to here? To move them.¡± ¡°Yes, sire.¡± The waiter who called over his colleagues supported the two knights and moved them to the Inn. Luke checked them into the rooms, put them on the bed, and came out of there. ¡°Huhuhu, we have come a long way, but I can¡¯t help but go there for the 2nd time.¡± The place Luke was wanting to go for a second time was the trailer. It was the branch of the Veritas Magic Tower which they had stayed and were humiliated. ¡°It is always better to return as much as we¡¯ve received. Instead for some other day, I¡¯ll take care of it today.¡± Luke wasn¡¯t actually taking a break like Philip had requested. The request from Philip was just an excuse, but the idea behind it was to break into the branch of the Veritas Magic Tower. It wasn¡¯t going to be the end of the Rakan¡¯s, but Luke thought it would be better to pay back as much as he could when he could. No, the branch was going to be fortunate enough for not getting crushed. Which was why Luke allowed Philip and Rogers to get that drunk, and then secretly put them through a sleep spell to make them completely lose sense. If they were awake, they would surely be against such an act, saying that it was too dangerous. Nor would they be willing to join in. And they couldn¡¯t be persuaded about the dark magic yet. ¡°Dark Invisibility!¡± Luke went into the shadow of a wall, clicked his fingers and spoke out the spell. Srrrr! A purple light shone around his body and got assimilated with the darkness. It was something that looked like a scene from a fairy tale, but it was so unfortunate that no one ever got to witness it. After perfectly shadowing himself, he prepared for Silence and the Anti-Alarm spells, Luke went to the Veritas Magic Tower and crossed over the wall. ¡°Haa! Damn stupid bastard!¡± The Brandon branch of Veritas Magic Tower had 12 large and small buildings in addition to the Gigant workshop. The northmost building was a library, and despite the dark and silent night, the mumbling of a young man could be heard. And Peter was his name. Born as the second son to the noble family and was a 3rd circle Medical Mage. He was a promising talent in the Main Magic Tower of the Empire Capital. However, it was because his father was a good man and paid a lot of bribes, and not based on the talent of Peter himself. Rather, he was fond of catching cinnabar. However, nobody ever nagged about his choice of hobbies. Till the time when he got in contact with the youngest daughter of the Meister. ¡°Dammit, that bitch, why did she have to be there?¡± Whatever was the case, Peter was captured by the Vice-Meister and was transferred to the Brandon¡¯s branch. And due to a spillover, the family was also close to getting ruined by their investments in the Southern trade. The wizards constantly made Peter do works here and there to piss him off. They often made sure to make him work overtime and gave him troublesome duties such as cleaning the labs. It was the same task that day. There were five wizards who were in charge of organizing and cleaning the library, but he was the only one who was working alone until late while the other four were out playing. ¡°Dammit, why is a Magic Tower with so much money making their wizards do all the work? The size of this thing is no joke.¡± Since the Veritas Magic tower was one of the largest continental Magic Towers, the branches were the same as the size of the small or medium magic towers, but their libraries were made very large. There were more than 5,000 books in storage. There were stories that around 10,000 papers have been copied from the main library. However, none of the books there were important. More than 5 circle magic books and other valuable research papers were kept further inside the library. It was placed where only the branch manager and five or more executives of the branch were allowed access, and it was a dream-like place for Peter. ¡°Dammit, if I knew that I had to be doing works like this, I would have studied very hard.¡± If he was good enough as a wizard, then he wouldn¡¯t have received such treatment. Peter regretted his actions and was talking to himself. ¡°What are you grunting about?¡± ¡°Uh, chief Jameson!¡± As the branch¡¯s branch manager appeared, Peter put up a smile. ¡°Ah, hahaha, why have you come here at this hour?¡± ¡°Hmm, I have some research left to do.¡± Jameson, who stroked his beard, went past Peter and moved into the library. Standing at the door of the interior library, he tried to sing a seal to unlock the security spell. Which was when he accidentally dropped a book that he was keeping under his armpit. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll pick it up.¡± Seeing that, Peter ran immediately and picked up the book and the scroll. He unintentionally saw the contents of the half-rolled unfolded scroll. The complex mechanical drawings and the magic formulas. He wasn¡¯t sure what magic skills were placed or what the series was, but the design was very similar to that of the Gigant. ¡°What are you seeing?!¡± Aaaaah! Jameson screamed on top of his voice and slapped Peter. ¡°Ouch!¡± Peter grabbed his cheek and looked at the branch manager with an uncomfortable expression. ¡°Tch, how dare you not know your place and try to covet the visions of the magic tower¡­?¡± After taking back the book and scroll from Peter¡¯s hand, Jameson was running his tongue wild with anger. ¡°No, I was just¡­¡± ¡°Try to steal our work one more time and you¡¯ll get kicked out of the magic tower!¡± Jameson opened the door and went inside. Peter¡¯s face went crumbled like a used toilet paper. ¡°Ay, this is dirty, really¡­ I need to beat him and his tower.¡± ¡°Yeah, that side you should rather be better on.¡± It was then when a strange voice came from behind. Peter hurriedly turned his head to see who else had come in, but no one was there. ¡®Was I mistaken¡­ uh?¡¯ The moment when Peter was trying to calm himself. There was a light shining in the shadow of the bookshelf! ¡®Uh, Ghost¡­?!¡¯ Puck! Without even a scream, Peter who was shocked at the scene fell down. The shadow which unintentionally took him down stepped in, and he soon turned into a boy with platinum hair. He was Luke who had decided to invade the branch. ¡®Did they put around 5 security spells? It sure took some time, but not till the level of placing them.¡¯ In the library, a very high-level magic was installed. But for Luke who was once a 9 circle warlock, it was nothing. Kkkkk! Almost with the time taken to complete a cup of tea, all the security magic placed was unlocked and the thick door opened. Luke, seeping into the shadows, quietly took the step in. Chapter 45 Chapter 45: A Stir in the Magic Tower 4 ¡°Phew, I almost got caught.¡± Jameson sighed out of relief as he entered the room in the library. ¡°He couldn¡¯t have noticed it right? Since he is a medical mage.¡± What was drawn on the scroll was the Gigant¡¯s blueprint just as Peter had thought. It was also a blueprint of the latest version of the ¡®Atlas¡¯, which was being currently developed at the headquarters of the Empire¡¯s capital. How could the blueprint of the Hero Class come out, was that too from the main quarters? That was the fruit of Jameson¡¯s great efforts. Thirty years ago, Jameson, a vigorous wizard in the mid-twenties, was considered to be a genius wizard who would lead the world of magic with Albert, the current Meister of the Veritas Magic Tower. The two genius wizards helped each other study and stayed close together. Then they joined the development team of the new core engine. ¡®The magic circle that Albert applied confidently then caused a problem.¡¯ Albert strongly insisted that the newly applied magic circle would be good, and caused an error. The core engine had runaway, and the lab got caught in a massive mana backflow. While numerous wizards got knocked over with the impact, Jameson calmed the runaway core engine and prevented the accident from spreading further. However, in the process, he suffered some damage to the magic circle and the brain stopped the development on the 6th circle. Albert on the other side turned victorious and became a Meister. Of course, he wasn¡¯t held responsible for the incident. At that time, the Meister of the Magic Tower was Albert¡¯s father. And Jameson wasn¡¯t able to tolerate that act. The accident that time was obviously due to Albert. He left the runaway core engine and decided to save himself alone. But even then, as he was the son, he was placed as the Meister. ¡°The magic towers that consumes people!¡± Considering that it had happened a long time back, his anger still hadn¡¯t resided. After such crack from their friendship, Albert turned his back on Jameson. As Jameson was a little better, they thought that he could contribute to the Magic Tower, and they could have given him the seat of an elder, but they chose to send him down to a branch that was far away from the Empire Capital. A kind of relegation. At that time, Jameson followed the orders silently, but he kept on grinding the sword of grudge. Somehow, he wanted to shoot down the Veritas Magic Tower, and get rewarded for it. So, after many connections and efforts, he successfully snuck the blueprint of Atlas. ¡®If I interpret the numbers and the magic circles that were applied to the design and pass it to the other top 10 Magic Towers, I¡¯ll be treated very greatly. Of course, the Veritas will act like a dog chasing the chicken!¡¯ Jameson was curious as to how Albert would look at that time. Thinking about the upcoming future, Jameson continued to work interpreting the blueprint, and his revenge. But then¡­ Kkkk! The door suddenly opened surprising Jameson, who hurriedly hid the blueprint. And asked pretending, ¡°Huh, is someone out there?¡± But no answer came back. As he leaned, he got up and approached the door of the inner library. He looked around, but nobody was in his line of sight. ¡°This is strange. It isn¡¯t supposed to open on its own?¡± The door had a simple mechanical switch security magic. Therefore, the wind couldn¡¯t open the door with force. ¡°Surely strange¡­ uh!¡± Jameson was surprised as he turned to return to his spot. In front of him was a man, who looked exactly like himself The other Jameson had a grin on his face, which scared Jameson. ¡°Weee. What are you?!¡± ¡°Slow.¡± Powerful magic bullets burst from the fingertips of the suspicious being. Flying faster than the arrows, the purple bullets hit Jameson. ¡°Ahh!¡± He was choking but was even more shocked that the magic circle got shook with a bullet. It was similar to a shock that the wizard would get when struck at the heart. The suspicious being, no, it was Luke, laughed down on Jameson, who was stunned. ¡°Huh, a 6 circle wizard can¡¯t stand the dark bullets of a 3rd circle.¡± In terms of destruction and aggression, dark magic was always much stronger than normal magic. Even then, the 3rd circle taking over the 6th circle with just one spell made no sense. Nevertheless, the reason for it was the opponent was very weak. ¡°Tch, I heard that the Iron mages are formed like walls for the war, but you¡¯re fragile.¡± Wizards of the past, even with their specialty field, were trained in a variety of manners. However, it didn¡¯t seem like the case these days. After all, Luke, who didn¡¯t have to work too hard, removed the Reflect Magic and returned to his original form. Then peered over at the collections in the library. ¡°All 5 circle or more only. Were they really the right ones?¡± Luke¡¯s lips twisted for a second. He looked over at a few books, and the number of books which were stored in the inside of the library was much higher and diverse than he had expected. ¡°The other Magic Towers spell books and their visions¡­ it looks like they have gathered a lot in the 500 years.¡± No matter how well versed they were in Golem magic, or the early creation of the core engine for the Gigant, Luke wasn¡¯t able to understand how they lasted for 500 years. ¡®In order to learn the very essence of the magic engineering that has been accumulated till now, and to produce the Gigant that are of the current level, one would have to work and study very hard.¡¯ Luke put away everything that seemed to be useful in the subspace that could be created with the bracelet that stored his golems. As he passed through the seat where Jameson was previously seated, he found books and scrolls. The books seemed to summarize the core of the mechanical engineering studies that were accumulated over the years in the Veritas Magic towers. In addition, it was much easier to understand because of the points Jameson had made. ¡°Using this, I¡¯ll make just one useful Gigant.¡± Perhaps the most surprising one was the long scroll made of parchment. With complex drawings and chaotic magic formulas. Unexpectedly, it was the blueprint of a Gigant. It seemed to be a Gigant with a tremendous performance, a Gigant almost as powerful as it could probably be. ¡°Atlas¡­ this would be of huge help to our estate and the magic towers in the future.¡± Finally, after taking the blueprint of Atlas, Luke was finally done with the shopping that he had to do in the library. Unwilling to get out, he stopped midway. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be upsetting if I just leave?¡± As Luke clicked his fingers, flames rose along with a wicked smile on his face. Chapter 46 Chapter 46: A Stir in the Magic Tower 5 ¡°Kuah¡­ Kuk! Kuk!¡± Jameson, who fainted, began to wake up. Touching his bruised chest, he rose from the ground, he was shocked to see thick smoke and flames rise everywhere. ¡°This, what is this?¡± ¡°Fire! The library is on fire!¡± ¡°Please get some water!¡± The whole library was currently on fire, and it seemed like it was impossible to save anything from it. ¡°I, Ice¡­ no, Water Shower!¡± Jameson was at the forefront when it came to fighting against flame magic. However, with the hasty manifestations of magic, the desired task hadn¡¯t happened properly nor aide him in any way. However, it was enough to save his own life, so he could somehow get out of the library. ¡°Phew, how the hell did¡­ uh!¡± As he was breathing with relief, his complexion went dark. There was something that he forgot when he decided to run away from the fire. ¡®My book! And the blueprint!¡¯ Those were the tools for revenge that were supposed to solve his long grudge. He tried to jump back into the flames; however, the other wizards and the mercenaries around the place blocked him to prevent him from doing so. ¡°No, sir. Please move back!¡± ¡°Get lost! Inside! I have my¡­ uh! What are you doing? Quickly blow out the fire!¡± 2 hours later. The mercenaries diligently carried some water, and the wizards with their magic used rain and were successful in clearing out the fire. They also managed to prevent the fire from spreading to the buildings next to it. However, more than half of the library had been burned, and the other remaining collections of books were soaking wet. The library was devastated. The main thing was that none of the high-quality materials and books could be rescued. ¡°Firstly, I need to make a list of the lost materials, I need to ask for a copy at the headquarters. It would take some time, but¡­¡± ¡°Kaaa!¡± The manager was trying to make a calm report. However, executives cut off the report that Jameson was making. Jameson, who couldn¡¯t stand the screams of the executives anymore and with the grief of losing his tools for revenge, burst out to them. ¡°An intruder made it into the library! What were the mercenaries, the guard and the wizards on duty doing? What were the elaborate magic circles and the security devices even for?¡± The executives and the secretary of the branch were shocked by that. If what the branch manager had said was true, then the fire was a result of arson. Not just that, the security of the branch was broken and breach. The security of the Brandon branch was far from simple. As one of the two largest Magic Towers in the continent, the security of the branch was so tough that even an experienced assassin or wizard couldn¡¯t pass through it. However, an intruder managed to pass through? Who could that be? And how? Everyone was questioning themselves and were silent. Jameson was roaring like a dragon. ¡°Get the culprit right now! If you people can¡¯t even do that, then I¡¯ll fire you all right away!¡± The moment they heard that, all the wizards and guards scattered all over the place to catch the criminal. The arson search went on for almost a month. But forget about catching the culprit, they couldn¡¯t even find out who did it. The wizards and mercenaries, who somehow had to subdue the anger of their branch manager, arrested a wizard who seemed to have seen the perpetrator. ¡°Not me! I don¡¯t even know who that was!¡± It was the accomplished wizard Peter, who cleaned the library all alone that day. They accused him of being an accomplice to the culprit, and the fact that he was jealous of the Magic Tower became a huge factor that he might be an accomplice. ¡°I only saw a ghost that day! Manager! Please believe my words!¡± Peter insisted on his innocence, but no one chose to believe him. Eventually, he was arrested for arson and was sent to the Magic Tower headquarters. After that, no one had ever seen him. Chapter 47 Chapter 47: Reunion 1 It was the morning after the Veritas Magic Tower branch in Brandon was set in flames. For the purpose of taking a look at the books he had brought from the library, Luke went down to the Inn¡¯s dining room and had his breakfast, lunch, and dinner there. However, he heard an interesting story. ¡°The Veritas Magic Tower is behaving strangely, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Yeah, at night, there was a fire that had burst out, so I went to meet a friend who worked there, but I wasn¡¯t allowed to meet with my friend and was kicked out of the entrance itself.¡± There were two mercenaries who were seated across the other table and were having a conversation. Knowing what he had done, Luke just pretended to be indifferent while listening to their conversation. ¡°If there was a fire, shouldn¡¯t something have happened there?¡± ¡°I thought so too, but the branch stated that it was just a magical experiment.¡± A mercenary glanced around for a moment. He then moved closer to the other mercenary and said, ¡°But, no matter how much I think about it, something big must have happened. The wizards and the soldiers are trying to find someone.¡± ¡°Then, was it arson?¡± ¡°Could be. Why would there be an explosion in the Veritas Magic Tower otherwise? Surely the Branch manager must have said that it was a magic experiment because the reputation of the tower would crumble.¡± ¡®Huhuhu, looks like they are hanging by a thread.¡¯ Luke was laughing to himself, listening to the story of the two. Like a vision with more than 5 circles magic books and important materials being robbed and the library getting burned down. In addition, the stolen blueprint of the Gigant seemed to be very important! ¡®Should I take a look at it later? Originally, the culprit always reappears at the crime scene.¡¯ Luke was in his own thoughts when Philip and Rogers came down from their room. Rogers began to talk the moment he found Luke in the dining room. ¡°Young Lord, has anything pleasant happened to you?¡± ¡°Nothing. I just feel like taking a little revenge.¡± ¡°Little revenge?¡± ¡°It is something like that. Rather than that, are you two doing okay?¡± The drinks they had drunk the other day were more than three barrels. After a certain point, they began to drink alcohol for free. It would have been fine if they had decided to stop there, but the two of them made a drink called the bomber which is made by mixing beer and whiskey. Due to his curiosity, Luke too had a cup of it but wasn¡¯t able to understand why they did such crazy a thing. ¡°I don¡¯t like that drink. It¡¯ll just break my head.¡± Philip was hanging his head down the moment he sat down on the table. Seeing that, Rogers clicked his tongue and said, ¡°If you are a knight, you should be able to handle yourself when drinking ten and not just three. Where did all that strength go?¡± ¡°That is because you¡¯re a monster. I am average!¡± ¡°Average!? What nonsense! I¡¯ll assign a lot of work to you, so you won¡¯t be like that.¡± Philip shook his head at the words of Rogers. ¡°Ugh! What a terrible thing to say! Young Lord, please take my side this time!¡± ¡°Huh, so you¡¯re hiding behind the young Lord? You think you can escape from me then?¡± ¡°Aigoo! Please¡­¡± While Luke watched the two of them talk, their meal came out. It was a simple baked bread, sausages, bacon with a little hangover soup made with marinated mushrooms and vegetables with spicy sauce. After they had their breakfast and lunch, they left the Inn. ¡°Kay, let¡¯s head back to the estate then.¡± Having achieved all that they wanted, Luke quickly wanted to go back and study the spellbooks. They went to Hallis Magic Tower and started the trailer that they had parked there, and headed for the Rakan estate. On their way back, they passed the Lord¡¯s castle in Brandon. In the square, right in front of the gate, was a familiar woman. ¡®Princess Reina?¡¯ She was dressed in black and was looking down while saying some prayers, but Luke was able to notice who she was the moment his eyes fell on her. As the distance got close, Philip spoke after noticing her, ¡°Uh? Isn¡¯t that Princess Reina? Why is someone, who is supposed to be in Lamer, in here?¡± ¡°Well? What could she be doing here¡­?¡± Luke unconsciously stopped the trailer and approached princess Reina. As she was completely immersed in her prayers, Reina hadn¡¯t noticed that Luke was approaching her. ¡°The Great Lord El Kassel, Mother Earth Beliza¡¯s young¡­¡± ¡°Princess Reina.¡± The moment she heard Luke¡¯s voice, Reina stopped her prayers mid-way with a puzzled expression. ¡°Young Lord Luke?¡± ¡°Why are you praying in this place?¡­!!¡± After Luke asked, he was surprised when Reina¡¯s eyes closed, and her body fell back. ¡°Ah! Princess!¡± Luke moved quickly in order to support Reina. He wasn¡¯t able to realize it from afar, but when he looked closely, her complexion looked very bleak. She also looked like she hadn¡¯t eaten for days. What was the princess doing in this place? ¡°Oh my!¡± At those words, the two old men in the water over the square went screaming in astonishment. Victor was angry when he found that a man was holding the princess and then saw that the man was Luke. ¡°Aren¡¯t you young Lord Luke? Why are you here¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you the details later. But the princess needs to be looked at right away.¡± Luke lifted Reina and rushed her to the closest clinic at the square. Chapter 48 Chapter 48: Reunion 2 ¡°We have a patient! Please call the doctor!¡± When Luke arrived at the clinic, he sought out a doctor and laid Reina on a bed in an empty room. After a moment, the doctor appeared and took a close look at the patient. ¡°This is exhaustion. Also, there¡¯s the heat stroke too, if she is provided water and nourishment and kept in shade, she¡¯ll be fine.¡± Luke and the servants sighed out of relief. When she took a sip of the water, Reina recovered. ¡°Where, where is this?¡± ¡°It is a clinic near the square. Young Lord Luke has¡­ ah! No, princess. You need to rest now!¡± When Reina tried to get out of bed, Pavel was asking her to stay seated. ¡°I can¡¯t. If I don¡¯t meet Marquis Mayers and ask for help¡­¡± ¡°For meeting the Marquis or for praying. None of it will be possible with your body.¡± Luke cut off her words sharply and firmly. At those stinging words, Reina let go of her stubbornness and rested back. ¡°Sir Philip, hurry and get the princess something to eat. So she wouldn¡¯t be a burden to herself anymore.¡± ¡°Yes, young Lord.¡± At the order from Luke, Philip went out right away. After a while, Philip bought soup with mushrooms and meat from a close-by restaurant. While Pavel was scooping soup to Reina, Luke along with Victor went out of the clinic to inquire about what had happened. ¡°What had happened? Why was the princess kneeling in front of the mansion of Marquis Mayers? That too, like a person receiving leftover food!¡± As Luke had asked with a little anger, Victor sighed. ¡°Phew! Honestly¡­¡± Victor talked a bit about what had happened after their confrontation at the Gigant Arena. The Count Monarch doubling the taxes to the Volga refugees only for the purpose of getting the princess, the deaths caused by the suspected arson fire in the slums, and their decision to come to Brandon for the purpose of asking help from the nobility in there. ¡°But the cowardly Marquis Mayers didn¡¯t even meet the princess. The princess pleaded, again and again, however, they didn¡¯t even open the gate.¡± Victor had told Luke everything that had happened. ¡®Maybe seeing her right now wouldn¡¯t be the best choice for him.¡¯ Luke was able to understand what the Marquis was currently going through. Reina had a huge fame and reputation in Lamer, but as she was the princess of another nation, not many would be ready to help her. If he chose to meet her, it would only worsen the relationship with the Count Monarch. Moreover, if they collided with the Monarch, the royal family member of the Empire, there was a high probability that Emperor Rudolph would do something unbelievable. Luke¡¯s deduction wasn¡¯t accurate, however, it was very close to reality. That was the same for Marquis Mayers, who¡¯d bothered with the Volga refugees who were wandering around the empire. Moreover, he had to make a cold judgment as one of the three nobles of high status. The power of being a nobility wasn¡¯t enough to go against an Emperor, and the internal situations were confusing enough that the neighboring nations would lend help to the Emperor in chaotic situations. In such situations, if unpredicted decisions were made, irreversible things could happen. Which was why he hadn¡¯t let Reina enter the mansion premises. ¡°The princess insisted on praying in front of the gate until Marquis would come to meet here. Without a sip of water for three days she was there.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± ¡°It really is true¡­ this old body wasn¡¯t able to do nothing!¡± Victor thumped his chest out of frustration. Luke understood the feelings of an old knight who burst into tears. He also knew the pain of not being able to do something for someone special in his past. ¡°By the way, Young Lord, how come you had arrived over here?¡± Victor asked with a lot of curiosity. Luke spoke the truth as it wasn¡¯t a huge secret to keep, ¡°I was going back from buying a Gigant.¡± ¡°Ah! Then the trailer outside¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah. The Gigant from Hallis Magic Tower.¡± At those words, Victor¡¯s eyes went wide as if he was surprised. ¡®I heard that the Rakan Viscount was very poor, is it not?¡¯ It was a well-known fact that the brave man Rakan lived in a noble manner but ended up in vain. And such literary expressions were spoken by those who considered that the Rakan family act was close to reality. From what Victor knew, he was told that renting a Gigant was hard enough, not even buy it. But here he said that he had already bought one? ¡®Is the estate better these days? Or is there something that we don¡¯t know about?¡¯ Either way, Luke had already saved Reina twice. When everybody just thinks of helping, he extends his hand and helps her out rather than turning his back on her. ¡®Maybe this young man is our only savior.¡¯ After a very careful consideration, Victor knelt before Luke. ¡°Young Lord, this old man has one favor to ask of you.¡± ¡°Please, why are you doing this all of a sudden?¡± Surprised at what had happened, Luke tried to get Victor up, but Victor shook his head and stayed on the floor. ¡°Please accept our pitiful princess and our refugees! As you know, the princes will have to become the concubine of the old, greedy Count Monarch! So please¡­!¡± Luke wasn¡¯t able to hide his fluster. He knew the loyalty this man was showing, and the size of the estate was large. Will the Monarch still let the princess and the refugees escape? They may have to go for a war. ¡®One day, I¡¯ll have to touch that Count Monarch, but this isn¡¯t the time. The power that Rakan has is too little for a war.¡¯ That was the clear situation they were in. However, Luke, it was Saymon who was letting his emotions get swayed. ¡°Do you want to let it happened again?¡± The tragedy of losing a beloved woman in the hands of the powerful men? Would he be willing to repeat the same thing again which he wasn¡¯t able to forget even after 500 years? But¡­ ¡®She isn¡¯t Katarina.¡¯ Like a different person. And for that reason, revenge wasn¡¯t possible. ¡®I feel sorry, but I have to turn away.¡¯ Luke was suppressing his emotions and trying to refuse. Then came the voice of Reina from behind. ¡°Please don¡¯t mind me.¡± ¡°Pri, princess!¡± Reina walked with the support from Pavel and knelt before Luke. ¡°I am fine, it doesn¡¯t matter to me anymore, just take in our pitiful refugees! A thousand, no, hundred, please¡­ please save them!¡± Reina was on her knees, with tears dripping down. Chapter 49 Chapter 49: Reunion 3 That day, Luke and his party didn¡¯t leave Brandon. Luke took a room at the Inn where Princess Reina was staying and kept rewinding what she had said to him. ¡®You don¡¯t care about yourself for the purpose of saving your people?¡¯ Luke gazed at the square through the Inn¡¯s window. The statue of the saint, who came to him 500 years ago had spoken the same words as Reina¡¯s and was shining bright because of a lamp. Luke was looking rather upset staring at the statue, and Rogers along with Philip were trying hard to persuade him. ¡°Young Lord, you don¡¯t have to say anything much, you must refuse it.¡± ¡°Yes, I feel sorry for Princess Reina, and in the worst-case scenario we will have to fight with the greedy pig.¡± The two entirely sympathized with the position of Princess Reina and the other refugees of Volga. But they weren¡¯t going to wage war with the Count Monarch for them. It was because they had their own people to protect. ¡°We will have to fight a war?¡± ¡°Yes, young Lord. Please choose wisely.¡± Luke finally made his decision. His eyes looked back and the tough decision he had taken, a decision he couldn¡¯t turn back. ¡°We will accept the princess and the refugees.¡± ¡°Oh my god!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t, young Lord!¡± At the decision of Luke, Philip and Rogers tried hard to change his mind. However, Luke¡¯s heart didn¡¯t change. Was it because Reina reminded him of Katarina? Honestly, it wasn¡¯t like that didn¡¯t influence his decision, what else could be the other huge reason for it? 500 years back, Saint Brandon knelt before him and begged him to save the people and ask the darkness legion to go back. Luke had forgotten for a moment, but he later remembered that Brandon was the very person who saved him when his magic circle broke. After he got healed, he was even there when the Veritas Magic Tower mercenaries were trying to take away Saymon¡¯s life, he was a kind-hearted man. ¡°Look here, priest. You don¡¯t wanna fight us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll fight as much as I can.¡± ¡°What did you say? You must have gone mad!¡± ¡°This man has asked me to save him. And I saved this man. I will save this man till the end!¡± Brandon didn¡¯t have a great divine calling or human conduct. He just stated that people needed no reason to help others. Luke wasn¡¯t able to understand his stubborn belief. After all, what mattered was that Saymon was able to live because of the very same beliefs. And¡­ ¡®If people valued people so much, they wouldn¡¯t need a reason to save or help people. Nor would they discriminate or let someone die.¡¯ However, this world isn¡¯t like that. Luke was discriminated and Katarina chose death to keep her chastity. Luke tried to destroy the unfairness of the world. He vowed to wipe out the beast that lurks in a man¡¯s heart, unable to see for themselves and for the others. A soul can never be saved once it falls for the darkness. ¡®Which was why I fought a war against the beasts¡­ and I seem to have forgotten that.¡¯ In the midst of the 500 years, he lost due to the innocent death caused by the Holy Knight Rakan, wandering around the purgatory, Luke seemed to have forgotten his ideals and remembered only his hatred. He kept his hatred close to his heart and disregarded what was precious to him. ¡®Thank you, Brandon. Thanks to seeing you once again, I was able to get my thoughts straight.¡¯ Luke thanked the saint who had passed away a long time ago. In the meantime, the persuasion of the two knights continued, ¡°Young lord, please think about the future!¡± ¡°The words of the General is very true. After a few years of fight¡­¡± Luke yelled at the two knights, ¡°Stop! You guys are the swords that protect the Rakan Viscount. But what am I to do if you¡¯re going to hide your tails at the word of war?¡± ¡°Bu, but the power difference¡­¡± ¡°Silence! Since when did the scion of Rakan¡¯s start fighting by calculating their power?! Aren¡¯t we supposed to jump into boiling water or the dragon¡¯s lair for justice?!¡± ¡°Even then¡­¡± ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be a reason for a person to help another! Surrendering yourself to those beasts, you want to call yourselves human!¡± At those words from Luke, Rogers was shocked. The primitive beliefs he had forgotten for a while awakened again. Philip was trying to convince him again, however, Rogers formally took Luke¡¯s orders. ¡°I will do my best to support the young lord.¡± ¡°General!¡± As Philip jumped out of shock, Rogers smiled. ¡°The war hasn¡¯t even been confirmed. And we knights are to live on the border of death. If that is the Lord¡¯s will, then we will fight hard to win.¡± ¡°Oh no, you are right¡­¡± Though he was out of his wits, Philip eventually accepted Luke¡¯s decision. In spite of that, he didn¡¯t like princess Reina and the poor refugees being taken in. Luke went towards Reina and her party and shared his will. ¡°Young Lord, thank you very much.¡± ¡°I will not forget this grace until the day I die.¡± ¡°It is alright. Is there any way to bring in ten thousand of those refugees to our territory?¡± Clearly, Count Monarch wasn¡¯t going to stand still. And even if he stands still, many refugees will have to be moved. Like food, a cart to move. ¡°That, that¡­¡± Victor and Pavel scratched their cheeks with an awkward expression. They asked for help with an unwavering heart, but they had no plan on what had to be done afterward. However, unlike those two, Reina seemed to have thought of a plan. She asked for a piece of paper and wrote down some rough notes. ¡°I plan to move the hardest people first. I¡¯m going to disperse and move the patients and the older people who live close by the rivers and then place them on pre-made rafts. The boats wouldn¡¯t be possible because of the current drought, however, the rafts would float.¡± She explained about connecting the people¡¯s rafts and then dragging them to the land using the horses or the trailers would be enough for reaching Rakan Viscount. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s good. Then what about the rest?¡± Countless people couldn¡¯t get out at once. If they tried, it would get suffocating as the time increases. And the best way to escape would be at night. ¡°I thought about getting a pilgrim pass from the El Kassel church, however, it won¡¯t be of use if the Count interferes. So I feel it needs to be like a way to get in and out.¡± Fortunately, the slums which were inhabited by the refugees were on the outside walls surrounding Lamer. All they¡¯d have to do was get a good time at night. The moment they get on the raft, they won¡¯t be any means to chase after them. At the plan of Reina, Luke nodded. In the meantime, he noticed a significant drawback to the plan. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t there be a need for a lot of money to build the rafts or horses or for the trailers?¡± ¡°The money¡­¡± At the same time, they were sought on asking Marquis Mayers for funds too. But as things went, everything was destroyed. ¡°I still have some money left after buying the Gigant. With that money, make the raft first.¡± Luke handed over 3,000 pesos to Princess Reina. As soon as he returned to the estate, he decided to send another 30,000 pesos. That was the money which was left of the 210,000 pesos that he earned the last time. ¡°Thank you, young Lord. How am I supposed to repay the grace¡­¡± Reina¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. She hadn¡¯t expected Luke to help her so actively. Moreover, hadn¡¯t he helped her twice already? ¡°Princess is the head of the refugees. Don¡¯t cry, but lead them in a safe manner.¡± Luke wiped her tears and said, At that act, Reina blushed and bowed her head. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Reina, determined by the encouragement from Luke, lightly tapped her cheeks in a lively manner and tied her hair which was flowing down. Hooo?! ¡®This feeling, surely the one I felt that¡­!¡¯ Luke was shocked as he watched her. While Reina was plaiting her hair, he could feel a vast Mother Nature energy from her. The energy had overwhelmed Luke for a moment and it vanished like a wind. That was¡­ ¡°Have you forgotten something?¡± ¡°Huh? what did you say just now?¡± ¡°Ah, nothing. Thought you remembered something¡­¡± Luke, who was dazed, mumbled the answers when Reina asked him something. The beautiful woman, known as the princess of persecution seemed to have a secret not recognized by the other but by herself too. And Luke didn¡¯t know what that was. However, he knew that it would never be normal as he remembered the 9th circle magic of the past. ¡®I¡¯ll figure out what it is. Now is the time to bring the princess and the refugees to the estate.¡¯ First of all, he had to deal with the urgent things. Luke with all of them, discussed and began to develop a more detailed plan for the migration. Chapter 50 Chapter 50: Reunion 4 Woong! The space was distorted, and a man appeared from there. A wizard, who was wearing a lily embedded brown robe, looked very proud as he saw the Veritas Magic Tower Brandon branch. ¡°It has been a very long time since I have been here.¡± Very old memories, which he made a decade ago came into his mind. He smiled. ¡°You, who are you!¡± ¡°Do you know where this is¡­!?¡± Sensing a sudden mana flow, the wizards had brought in mercenaries at the center of the garden of the branch. They were under the impression that someone had broken into their branch and would try to attempt arson again. However, they were surprised to see the clothes of the intruder. ¡°Lily emblem? Also a seven on the¡­¡± ¡°El¡­ elder!¡± Everyone hastily put down their weapons. Before the seven-lily patterned robe. It was the sign of the Seventh Elder, the next highest authority after the Meister and the Vice Meister at the Veritas Magic Tower. ¡°I¡¯m Pierre Ortrand, a member of the council. I am here to meet the branch manager.¡± At the words of the Elder, no Pierre, the senior wizards of the branch were astonished and soon led him to the splendid building which was at the center of the branch. ¡®Oh my, it is Pierre Ortrand!¡¯ ¡®We are all dead now!¡¯ Pierre, one of the Elders among the council, was in charge of the Magic Towers. Specifically, with the unexpected visits and the censorships, no one who faced the visits ever managed to stay rational till the end. ¡®Was it because of the fire? It hasn¡¯t been reported to the headquarters just yet. How did he know?¡¯ ¡®Dammit, the branch manager isn¡¯t feeling good too¡­¡¯ A short time later when they had arrived in front of the branch manager, the wizards said, ¡°This is the place, Sir Elder.¡± Pierre opened the door. A strong smell hit his nose¡ªthe smell of alcohol. As Pierre squeezed his nose, the drunk man yelled, ¡°What? Yah, who are you?¡± It was the branch manager, Jameson, who didn¡¯t know that the elder was in their branch. No, even if he knew about Pierre, he would have done the same. All of his motivation fell to the ground after losing his tools for revenge on Meister Albert and the Veritas Magic Tower. Pierre looked at Jameson then to the wizards who escorted him and said, ¡°Go away. Don¡¯t let anyone enter this room.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± The wizards had no intention of resisting the orders of the Elders and quickly went away from the place. When it was just the two of them, Pierre locked the door and approached Jameson. He spoke to Jameson, who just kept drinking, ¡°What happened to the Atlas blueprint?¡± ¡°What?! Uh, how did you¡­!¡± In a moment, all of the alcohol that Jameson drank seemed to have been flushed away upon hearing what the Elder said. Flustered, he fell off his chair and tried to get back up. Looking at him with a sneer on his face, Pierre said, ¡°Did you know that I was in charge? I know that you talked with a few people and made them leak the blueprint. I was just standing aside to see how many bugs were there in the Magic Tower.¡± And the time was done, the purging of the bugs was finished. The only one left was Jameson from the Brandon branch. ¡°All right, so talk now. The blueprint.¡± ¡°Who, who are you?¡± At the question from Jameson, Pierre became rather upset. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I am Pierre, an Elder. His magic wave is cold, but it wasn¡¯t as sullen as yours.¡± At that, Pierre, or the man with that appearance, smiled. ¡°You were a genius at Albert¡¯s time but maybe you were not.¡± ¡°What, what did you say?¡± The name of Meister Albert was never spoken without honorifics. Jameson began to get suspicious about his identity. However, the fear started to make his body stiff. ¡°If you decide to not speak to me, then you¡¯re going to force me to look for it.¡± ¡°Uhk!¡± The appearance of Pierre disappeared from his face, and a sparking skull appeared. ¡®A Li¡­ Lich?!¡¯ Jameson was about to retreat but was dragged forward when the Lich had opened his hands. He tried to fight back using his own magic, but he was overpowered and was made to kneel down forcibly with his head near the hand of the Lich. ¡®Kaaaak?!¡¯ As the black energy rose from the Lich¡¯s hands, Jameson began to feel terrible pain which he had never experienced. It was like hundreds and thousands of needles were piercing through his head. Sharp pain like a knife was trying to cut his head open. Whether the pain was real or not, the Lich was trying to get inside the memories of Jameson with dark magic, and he did find something. ¡®No! That is Dark bullet!¡¯ The Lich had recognized the magic that the intruder had used against Jameson. Though it was different in color, it was definitely Dark bullet¡ªa series of dark magic attacks. ¡®The invader was a warlock?¡¯ He wanted to know more, but the memory of Jameson ended there. After a while, the Lich saw the library burning down from the inside, but the whereabouts of the blueprints were still unknown. The Lich had certainly determined that the intruder had taken the blueprints. There was no way one would leave such a precious item to be burned in the fire. ¡®Is it the Dark Moon of the Volga Republic? They are the only ones with warlocks apart from me¡­¡¯ The Lich knew a lot of secrets, which were still unknown to the world. One of them was that the Tower of Darkness was built by the warlocks of the Volga Republic. Not known to the world, the Dark Moon was a group that was deeply involved in the founding and the affairs of the Republic. If it wasn¡¯t for the Dark Moon, the Volga Republic would have been crushed. Even there too, they had a glimpse of the existence of the other side, and it was better to not say anything about them, and their massive warlocks since anyone who talked about them would get caught. In addition, the constant conflict and confrontation between the Volga and the Baroque Empire had benefited the Veritas Magic Tower in numerous ways. So, there was no need to ruin the opponent¡­ ¡®There is no good in trying to tilt the scale to one side. It¡¯s annoying, but I seem to have to go to the north and get the blueprint.¡¯ The Lich decided to free Jameson. Of course, the work wasn¡¯t done, but his head was infused with dark magic. That meant that it would allow the Lich to stealthily control the host and find out everything the host was seeing, hearing and thinking about. ¡®Let¡¯s find out whom this guy was trying to contact in the Magic Tower, and who else is looking for the latest technology in our Magic Tower.¡¯ ¡°Uhuhuh¡­ What the hell happened¡­?¡± ¡°Are you okay, manager?¡± ¡°Elder Pierre?¡± Unlike before, Jameson was now convinced that the Lich was Pierre. The Worm in his head made it look so. ¡°Do you have to work yourself up this much just because the library burned down? Keep working hard and be strong.¡± ¡°Uh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± After completing his work with Jameson, the Lich left Brandon and headed to the north for Volga Republic. To recover the blueprints of the latest Hero-class Gigant of Veritas Magic Tower. He never even gave a second thought. That he had made a completely wrong judgment. Chapter 51 Chapter 51: Operation ¡®Move¡¯ 1 After making a thorough and detailed relocation plan with the party of Reina, Luke returned to the Estate. As soon as he returned, he had given the 30,000 pesos out of the 210,000 pesos to Philip. Philip immediately set off for Lamer. It was because they had decided to meet the princess there. After sending Philip, he headed to the underground workshop in his castle. He wondered how many minerals have been gathered. His eyes shined when he saw minerals piled up like small hills in his workshop. The golems and the monsters were still mining minerals in the three mines, and every time the teleport magic circle flashed, the minerals would come in. ¡°Oh! They seem to be working pretty hard.¡± Luke decided to provide plenty of food to the monsters when he met them. ¡°Should I start with gold or silver? It takes a lot of money to accept refugees and develop the land.¡± Luke summoned a golem and stowed the minerals from the workshop into the blast furnace. The blast furnace was engraved with a magic circle that would give out high-temperature flames. So, with enough mana, it was possible to smelt any metal without adding any other materials necessary for the smelting, such as coal. ¡°Let¡¯s see, the temperature to melt silver is lower than that of gold?¡± Luke tried the melting temperature of the metal and triggered the blast furnace magic circle. Hwarrr! A huge fire broke out in the blast furnace, and after a while, the silver turned into liquid and flowed into the hole below it. The silver flowed out and cooled in a rectangular frame, and it later transformed into a silver ingot. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s make gold this time.¡± Luke melted the gold mineral by raising the temperature of the furnace by a bit. As time went by, gold and silver bars piled up in front of Luke in the form of a pyramid. Luke grinned while holding a gold ingot in his hand. ¡°Huhuuuh, at this rate, not only the refugees¡¯ migration funds but also the development funds for the land won¡¯t be a problem.¡± However, Luke suddenly became confused. ¡°How am I supposed to use them?¡± The golds and silvers of the current day would be worth thousands of Pesos. They could be useful for the princess and the trailer, but the problem was that the sources of the funds couldn¡¯t be revealed. ¡®There¡¯s nothing in here that would make the others believe¡­¡¯ Luke pondered on what he had to do. Suddenly, he clapped his hands upon having a good thought. ¡°Right! I can do that!¡± With a bright look, he went to the underground lab and began to search for boxes and samples with appropriate size. After hearing from Rogers about what had happened in Brandon, Rakan¡¯s retainers went crazy. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Does the young Lord really have no thought!¡± ¡°Because of his age the young Lord was swayed with the thought, but Sir Rogers shouldn¡¯t have been swayed!¡± ¡°This is huge. Count Monarch won¡¯t stay still. What do we do now?¡± ¡°What needs to be done! We are totally ruined now!¡± For a while, the meeting room was cluttered with everyone¡¯s thoughts. As the turmoil subsided, Dixon¡ªthe person in charge of finance¡ªasked Hans, who was the head of the retainers. Hans had been listening to the others with a firm face. ¡°Sir Butler, what are your thoughts on the young Lord¡¯s action?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Dixon looked puzzled upon hearing the unexpected answer. ¡°Do you think that the Rakan Estate will be in flames because of the young Lord¡¯s actions?¡± ¡°We are going to fight to the death with the Count Monarch anyway. It was likely that the Count Monarch had something to do with the Gigant accident that happened two months ago.¡± Hans wasn¡¯t able to say it as he didn¡¯t have any clear clue. However, he was 99% convinced that the Count was behind it. The Rakan estate was almost alone in the entire Empire. However, there was the Count Monarch with whom the estate had a bad relationship with. In addition, recent information gathered suggested that the Count Monarch wanted to swallow the Rakan Viscount. Hans had heard it from the west side of the Empire. At those words, all the servants burst into anger. ¡°No way, is that true?¡± ¡°That greedy pig!¡± Their anger soared like an active volcano, and it soared higher upon hearing what Rogers said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t so sure about it, so I tried to not say it, but this time, we met with an assassination attempt by a group dressed as peddlers on our way to buy a Gigant.¡± ¡°Oh my!?¡± ¡°The fact that they had Gigants, and some of the assassins were knights, it is likely that they belonged to the Monarch. It¡¯s certain that he is eyeing this land.¡± ¡°Kuuu! That dirty bastard!¡± That moment, no one blamed the young Lord for his decision. The same applied to Hans. He tried to cope with the situation as calm as he could. ¡°If so, then it is most likely that the Count Monarch would seek our young Lord once again.¡± ¡°He has failed in one assassination attempt. The next one might be a territorial war.¡± Territory war wasn¡¯t possible to be done at any time. In order to declare war, one must have a justification and permission from the Imperial Council. However, if one was a large noble like the Count Monarch with contacts, they could bring up a plausible cause and get the permission they wanted, specifically because they were related to the Imperial family. ¡°The war cannot be avoided, so we shouldn¡¯t be getting more refugees.¡± Dixon nodded at the words of one retainer. ¡°I agree. It would cost a lot of money to feed thousands of them. Would we be able to spend money on them when we need to prepare for war?¡± It was the truth that the land was in need of more people than it currently had. But in the face of crisis, there would be serious problems if they accept tens of thousands of refugees at a time when they had no funds. ¡°The refugees will turn into mobs if their basic needs aren¡¯t solved. We will collapse before we even reach the fight with the Count Monarch.¡± As Dixon¡¯s words seemed right, anxiety rushed over the faces of the retainers once again. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be objecting to taking in refugees if the problem with money is solved, right?¡± ¡°Of course, since we need a larger population for the estate to survive. However, we only have enough to get by¡­¡± At one time they heard that the young Lord was in possession of more than 100,000 pesos. However, they were later informed that the funds were used to prepare for the construction of a Magic Tower, and the rest of the money was spent to buy the new Gigant. ¡°I wish the money was spent on the estate.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll grant you that wish!¡± The doors of the room opened as if he was waiting for Dixon to end his words. Luke went in. Walking toward the center of the room, he dropped something on them. ¡°That¡­ That¡­!¡± ¡°That¡­ isn¡¯t that gold?¡± The rectangular objects placed on the table shined brightly. The retainers were looking at the objects with eyes wide opened. Even though the gold¡¯s size wasn¡¯t that huge, it looked like they would be around 10 kilograms. ¡°Where did all of this came from?¡± Dixon¡¯s eyes went wide. It was common knowledge that gold bars of that size would only be found in the Imperial banks and in the vaults of the royal families. ¡°Where it came from is not important. Can you really do what you said?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°You guys too?¡± ¡°Ye, yes.¡± All the retainers nodded their heads, and Luke took them to the Devil¡¯s castle. ¡°Young Lord, why are we near the Devil¡¯s¡­?¡± ¡°Do you guys remember when I bought the building materials from the Hades Co. the other day?¡± ¡°Yes, you thought that the Devil King¡¯s Castle was too old and thought of repairing it.¡± ¡°That is true. I was looking around to see what needs repairing when I found a strange a box in the ground beneath the fallen wall.¡± ¡°A box?¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t know why, but I wanted to open the box. When I did, it was a box of gold and silver bars.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how big the box was, but Dixon thought that it would cost at least tens of thousands of pesos. The gold bar that the young Lord had shown them was over 3,000 pesos. ¡°Quickly, show it to us quickly, young Lord.¡± At the urge from Dixon, Luke took them behind the castle. There was a half-finished wall and the ground beneath it was dug. ¡°Where is the box?¡± ¡°It is hidden here.¡± Luke brought a big, heavy box from one side. The antique box was filled with gold ingots and silver bars that looked just like the gold Luke had shown earlier. ¡°Oh, oh my god!¡± ¡°Finance officer, how much will this be?¡± One of the retainers looked into the box and wondered. Dixon replied with a trembling voice. ¡°I think it will be at least 100,000 pesos.¡± ¡°¡­ 100,000 pesos!¡± Their surprise didn¡¯t end there. Luke smirked and said, ¡°Three boxes are buried.¡± ¡°Huuu!?¡± 300,000 pesos was close to three years of Rakan estate¡¯s budget. And it was buried in the ground! ¡°Who could have¡­?¡± ¡°Who? The Devil King Saymon might have secretly buried it for his military money?¡± The box was marked with the golem legion¡¯s crest that was used by Saymon. And the box, with gold and silver in it, had traces of soil that looked like it was buried for many years along with mold and rust. Perhaps Saymon had buried it for himself or his family for later use. However, that wasn¡¯t possible because he had died in the hands of Rakan. The retainers believed the words of Luke very strongly. The Rakan¡¯s smiled. Honestly, the gold and silver bars were made in the workshop the other day, and the boxes were taken out of the workshop and rusted. The mold was made using the sample from the lab. ¡°Can we use this?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural for a winner to loot the losers? And from the standpoint of the Estates, it is our time to take over!¡± At the question from a retainer, Dixon explained. ¡°You, you think so? But what if it had the curse of the Devil¡­?¡± ¡°Shut up! Then we will overcome the curse! Things we don¡¯t know are scary!¡± There was a proverb that gold changes people. It meant that man would surely fall for material things, and Dixon just changed sides from one to another. He was dying inside every day because of the financial crisis in their estate, and now, he was overflowing with courage like a warrior. ¡°Not just the Devil, even if the devil¡¯s grandfather comes, I won¡¯t give this back. This here is now the Rakan¡¯s!¡± ¡®This guy here has a harsh side!¡¯ The warlock, formerly called as the Devil, admired Dixon. At any rate, the discovery of military funds hidden by the Devil in the past made the retainers accept the refugees. And even though Luke didn¡¯t ask them to, the retainers began to accept them. The plan, of course, was to be more in line with what he talked about with Reina. Chapter 52 Chapter 52: Operation ¡®Move¡¯ 2 ¡®Huhuhu, good.¡¯ After a long meeting with the retainers, Luke smiled. The process made it possible to keep the promise to the princess and the deal with the source of the gold and silver ingots from the mine. ¡®And with just another harvest, I won¡¯t have to listen to the retainers telling that they don¡¯t like it when I go to the Devil King¡¯s castle.¡¯ Up until that moment, none of them were eager with the Young Lord going into the Devil King¡¯s castle again and again. But, what they had gained was so great that it didn¡¯t even matter if Luke decided to stay there the whole day. That too, if he had a guard with him and if he would go to his classes. ¡°Young Lord, won¡¯t you learn fencing?¡± Rogers blocked the entrance of the castle and asked Luke. Before the accident, Luke had learned and practiced to wield a Silver Sword, a sword of the Rakan knights. Even though the achievement wasn¡¯t so great, yet he worked very hard, however, after waking up from the accident, he didn¡¯t practice even once. ¡°I now use magic rather than fencing¡­ no. I should learn swords.¡± Luke had said that he wanted to learn magic as much as he could, so he cut down the practice of fencing and used that time for magic. However, the assassination that happened the other day had occurred to his mind. At that time, he was about to die because the dark circle had stopped. Surely, it was because of the curse that someone had placed on the Rakan¡¯s descendants, but they couldn¡¯t be blamed. ¡®I also need to learn some swordsmanship. Shouldn¡¯t there be a way to deal with opponents if magic doesn¡¯t work for fighting?¡¯ As Luke decided to change his mind, Roger¡¯s face went bright. ¡°Huhu, then move to the training camp.¡± Luke followed Rogers to the knights-only training ground in the parade ground. Everyone had gone to work, and no one was training. ¡°I will relax a little and see the accomplishments of the others.¡± ¡°Well, okay.¡± When Luke picked up the sword from the stands, the two men took their positions to practice. Kang! Kkkang!! It was a sword which hasn¡¯t been raised, but every time it hit the other sword, sparks flowed. Although Luke was a warlock, he had fought with quite a few knights in his time as Saymon for self-defense. And as the young Lord, the original owner of the body, who had been practicing very hard before, naturally avoided the attacks of Rogers properly and carefully. ¡®Ho, he¡¯s moving faster and stronger than before. In the past, the young Lord had attacked just blindly, however currently it seemed like he was studying his opponent and trying to read their next moves.¡¯ Rogers seemed to be surprised. However, unlike his own feelings, he kept pointing it out to Luke. ¡°In that situation, you need to attack rather than to block with the sword. Like this.¡± ¡°Slow. How will you win over the enemy with such slow moves?¡± Luke was getting upset with the constant intellectual and bitter attacks. As a result, he didn¡¯t realize that he was infusing the sword with magic. Wooong! A faint purple aura began to form around the sword. Rogers couldn¡¯t help but look amazed. ¡®This, this is.¡¯ Luke stuck upon taking Rogers down, began to dig into Rogers¡¯s movements. ¡°Hut!¡± Rogers who began to get nervous barely managed to avoid the attack from Luke. In addition, his sword was going against a small aura sword of the young Lord. Kang! Kknag! The swords that clashed were so much thrilling than before. In the early stages, a tense confrontation had happened, but in the end, Luke¡¯s sword had drifted far away. No matter how much he had learned self-defense and practical experience, it was impossible to win and master the advanced expert of the orthodox sword family. ¡°That is all for today.¡± ¡°Huhu, I can fight a little more.¡± At the end of the class by Rogers, Luke said his will to learn, ¡°It isn¡¯t good to do that. It is important to know when to take a break and be strong.¡± Soon with excitement, Rogers spoke, ¡°But, young Lord, when on earth have you been able to make an aura?¡± ¡°Aura?¡± ¡°Yeah. The purple aura that was seen when you were attacking a while back.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± He wasn¡¯t aware as he was too engulfed into attacking, but now when he thought about it, he did infuse some Magi into it. ¡®The physical transformation of mana. How does that work when the sword is infused with Magi?¡¯ The other day, during the assassination, he had absorbed the aura and the life with the dark magic. But, no matter how much one absorbs, it was useless when they didn¡¯t know how to use it. Luke, looking for the reason, got angry with the rebuke of Roger¡¯s and put the Magi into the sword. ¡®Aura got made by acting on the emotions?¡¯ As with magic, the mind, specifically the will, was at work when a person creates or accomplishes something. And that day was surely the same. Somehow, the wish to defeat Rogers had transformed the Magi into aura. ¡°I can¡¯t say if it is a finished form in terms of shape or concentration, but if you practice a bit, you¡¯ll be a good expert.¡± When Luke made no response, Rogers knew why he was flustered. ¡®I thought he didn¡¯t care about fencing¡­¡¯ There was a lot of talk among the knights the recent days about Luke¡¯s enormous interest in learning Magic from Mute. It was fortunate that the young Lord was turning more reliable than before, but he wasn¡¯t a wizard, or maybe he was neglecting the knights for the coming future. They were proud of the family of Rakan, the brave warriors who established the outstanding standards of the knights. And their master was going to be a wizard? ¡®That will never be!¡¯ Rogers had vowed to prevent that. So, after completing the silver sword, he pulled out a number of spleens he wanted to teach. ¡°From today on, I¡¯ll teach you, Gold Sword.¡± ¡°Gold, Gold sword?!¡± Luke was shocked for a moment. How can he ever ignore that? The sword which pierced through his heart 500 years back, the Gold Sword of Rakan! But suddenly something popped into his mind. ¡°The Gold Sword, isn¡¯t it meant to be a family item?¡± He knew about the greatness of the sword after waking up. As stated in the genealogy of the family, the principles of the family heirloom. ¡°Of course, it is. But 250 years ago, an exception had been placed.¡± From generation to generation, the heirs of Rakan were short-lived. In some cases, their bodies were so weak that some succumbed to death. As a result, the heirs were troubled with the Gold Sword¡¯s tradition, and 250 years ago, they finally came to a decision. One of the ancestors feared that the family heirloom sword would cease to be taught to the future knights, and the knight general was to take a pledge not to unveil about it to anyone else. ¡®Oh, my god!¡¯ Somehow, despite the sudden death of the first lord, the retainers didn¡¯t even worry about gold sword, and it was such a situation. And Luke hadn¡¯t known that, and that was why the Rakan viscount hadn¡¯t been destroyed for the past 500 years, even in the hands of other knights. The knights of the past who had learned the gold sword were deemed to be a strong supporter of the family with excellent skills. ¡°Would I become a Sword Emperor like Rakan or the ancestors if I learn the Gold Sword?¡± ¡°Well, that could be impossible. Because we lost the second half of the sword 400 years back. But you can be a swordmaster by learning with the other half.¡± Seven of the Knights had become Sword Masters. Rogers was in his early 40s, surpassing the top of the experts¡¯ class. ¡®But it is very strange that none of the ancestors had become Sword Masters. Was it because of the Devil king¡¯s curse?¡¯ Rogers shook his head along with his thoughts in his mind and continued to tell Luke about the Gold Sword. Explaining the history and the main aspects of the gold sword had begun step by step. ¡°Gold Sword is basically more about mana flow than fencing. Be able to read the flow of mana hidden in the sword¡­¡± At some point, Roger¡¯s sword began to faintly glow with a golden radiance. Luke clenched his fist without his knowledge. He remembered the past when he was killed by the Gold Sword. ¡®Sh*t! The one isn¡¯t Rakan, and the Gold Sword is just another sword that I will master.¡¯ Luke calmed his heart and looked closely. With frightening concentration, he began to absorb what Rogers was trying to describe. ¡®The flow of mana is important? Yeah, don¡¯t know but it can be easier to control the sword as I am a wizard.¡¯ However, apart from that, because it was difficult to learn excellent swordsmanship, it would take quite some time. Luke wasn¡¯t nervous. And he decided to build up the skills one step after the other. Chapter 53 Chapter 53: Operation ¡®Move¡¯ 3 A few days have passed since Luke began to learn the Gold Sword. While he was busy with the sword training and the magic studies, the development of the mine was still underway. In addition to the gold and silver ingots which were handed over to the retainers, iron ingots were piled up on one side of the castle¡¯s underground golem production workshop. ¡®I should call the Hades Co. and get more materials for making golems.¡¯ He had no intention of investing everything in the Rakan Viscount. He had numerous things he couldn¡¯t reveal to the retainers, such as his dark magic and he wanted to raise his power and have people who listen to his words and wanted to use such people actively. And to do that, he first had to increase the number of golems. Luke immediately called the manager of the Hades Co. The last time was pretty good, which was why, as soon as Luke had called, the branch manager ran to him. ¡°Young Lord, you need something else?¡± ¡°I need to get construction materials, minerals, and the magic metals I bought last time.¡± ¡°Haha, if you give me money¡­¡± ¡°Three times the products than the last, can you get them in ten days?¡± At the question of Luke¡¯s, the branch manager was shocked. ¡°Hu! That much?!¡± ¡°Why? Is it impossible?¡± ¡°Ah, it is not! I will prepare it within the deadline even if I have to put out the other customers.¡± ¡°This is the payment.¡± Luke handed him a box of silver bars. The amount was around 20,000 pesos. After checking the silver bars one after the other, the manager looked at the ground and shook his head. ¡°Oh, and I would like some food. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s very old and fermented, around 1,000 servings of salted meat or biscuits.¡± ¡°You are going to mash them and use them to feed the livestock? I¡¯ll give them to you cheaply.¡± The monsters in the mines were working hard. Luke decided to give them food as promised earlier. Which was why he ordered it this time. After Luke¡¯s order placement was done, the branch manager left the manor. Perhaps he needed to run around to gather a list of items ordered. After completing the order, Luke went down to the underground lab. And he picked one of the books, sorted by a category on a bookshelf. The books in the bookshelf were some of the books that Luke had stolen from Veritas Magic Tower. ¡®I¡¯ll read it all and then hand it over to Mute, he¡¯ll like it.¡¯ The wizards were very close to each other, but he hadn¡¯t revealed his vision. Which was why he bought a 5 circle magic book from the black market, which was going to be his excuse. And it wasn¡¯t just one, they were numerous books that would never seem to end. Luke, picked up on the spellbook and began to read it at a fast pace. There was a 6 circle magic theory about medicine, and when he reached the 9th circle of spiritual and intelligence, an hour had passed. ¡°It was easier than I had thought. Then should I ready the next one?¡± This time it was the 5 circle, extensive attack magic. It seemed to be of good use to him as he was disguised as a white wizard. ¡®Huhu, this will be a perfect identity wash.¡¯ With a pleasant smile, he looked back at the calendar while reading the book. ¡®The operation must have started by now, right?¡¯ ¡®Move¡¯ the plan devised by princess Reina. Hopefully, it would end in peace, he looked back to the book and started to read it again. ¡°Is this the seventh one?¡± Reina asked Pavel when a wagon with patients, children, and old people left the slum. ¡°That is right. Just two more and all the elderly would be moved.¡± ¡°It is going faster than I thought.¡± ¡°Because we bought a wagon and cart with the young Lord Luke¡¯s support.¡± Luke had given 33,000 pesos which gave them a few carts and wagons as well as rafts, horses, and trailers. That made the movement of the refugees much faster. ¡°The Count¡¯s action? Won¡¯t the count¡¯s people know about the movement of the people?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t think much about some of the people leaving their country. No, they¡¯ll probably feel happy that they are all leaving.¡± The nobles¡¯ perception of the Volga refugees wasn¡¯t a potential mob. Which was why, even with imposing them taxes, there was no specific treatment for them. It was the common attitude of the guard towards the refugees, who often beat them. ¡°The day of operation is three days later? Has everything been packed?¡± ¡°Yes, I decided to throw away all the bulky luggage. And packed the minimum ones.¡± ¡°Phew, I¡¯m very sorry, we have been here for over a decade, I¡¯m sorry that you¡¯ll have to leave this because of me.¡± Pavel jumped when he heard bitterness from Reina¡¯s mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t¡¯ put it like that! The people know how well the princess looks after them. And if they plan on staying here, the future would turn very painful. It is better to move quickly when there is someone who is willing to accept us.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess it is good.¡± When the two of them were speaking, Victor sent the last wagon to be approached by them and asked, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°We are talking about the operation that is supposed to happen three days later.¡± Most of the elders were sent away first. Three days later, if the young were moved, up to 30,000 refugees can escape from Count Monarch. ¡°How long will we be able to deceive the eyes and ears of the Count?¡± ¡°Right. If the soldiers of the Count block us, it would be a mess.¡± If a thousand disappear it won¡¯t be a huge issue. However, if a whole slum disappears, they were bound to notice. ¡°So what, what about using this?¡± Victor took out something and showed them. ¡°Uh!¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± The two of them were surprised to see what Victor had taken out. He had a mask with a swollen nose; full of blisters and spots. ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised. This is a mask made specifically for the theatre.¡± Victor explained their plan, and the two who heard it immediately agreed to it. Chapter 54 Chapter 54: Operation ¡®Move¡¯ 4 ¡°What, what did you say?! You think that the slums are moving outside the castle?¡± After receiving the reports from his subordinates, Lamer¡¯s Marshal, Chris, looked very annoyed. ¡°The disease is still isn¡¯t in huge numbers, what do you want us to do?¡± ¡°What do you mean what do you have to do? I¡¯m going to have some soldiers run to the slums right away, and the patrolling is to be suspended for the time being.¡± For him, it didn¡¯t matter if the people in the slums died or not. He was just worried that the epidemic would spread into the city, which was why he thought of blocking the gates and improve the search. ¡®If the situation worsens later, we can use the soldiers to wipe out the slums.¡¯ Chris was thinking about it. ¡°Would it be alright? It will be violating the orders of the Count?¡± Goth had recently ordered the security forces to keep a close eye on the trends of the slums. As a result, the number of guards and patrolling officers were doubled near the slums. However, the problem was there weren¡¯t enough policemen. ¡°What is the use of knowing? Even so, it is better than being dead. Later on, I¡¯ll say that we stopped the epidemic from entering.¡± Chris had never considered Goth. He didn¡¯t even want to see Goth, who was recruited from outside the territory a few years ago and not even a favored retainer by the Monarch¡¯s family. ¡°But even if he was the one who was given the orders to, it means the Count¡­¡± ¡°It is alright. I¡¯ll take full responsibility for it.¡± At those words from Chris, the soldier nodded his head. However, they didn¡¯t know. That the Count and Goth were interested in the slums. If the Marshal knew why the Count was pressing and repressing the poor, the purpose being to get Reina to be his concubine, he never would have neglected the surveillance. Late at night, when the moon was high in the sky. People with bags on their backs and hands poured into the streets. Nearly twenty thousand people gathered in a vacant lot in a slum along with Princess Reina. ¡°Did everyone came?¡± ¡°Yes, we can leave right away.¡± Victor, dressed in the armor of the guardian knights of the old Volga Kingdom, responded vigorously. He took out the plate armor, which had been pushed into a corner in the warehouse for a long time. He oiled it and cleaned it with sandpaper. ¡°The soldiers?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t seen any of them since they withdrew three days ago. It means that the plan had worked, keu!¡± Victory laughed sneakily. Pavel, not wanting to see that smile asked, ¡°Any problems with the appointment?¡± ¡°The message just came back. We¡¯ve already got a raft ready to ride. Somehow we need to be on the river for two days.¡± Of course, the water path of the Lamer couldn¡¯t be used. It was being guarded by the Count¡¯s soldiers. The same was true even near the waterways. Which was why they agreed to meet with the Rakan soldiers on the riverside two days away from the Count¡¯s region. The question was¡ªcould they do it safely. They camouflaged themselves, so they would look like they had the plague to the guards. It would be too late once they find out that the slums were empty. Of course, the Count would send his soldiers to chase them. ¡°It would be too late once the count realized that we have disappeared¡­¡± ¡°Well, if God has pity on us, he¡¯ll send us safely.¡± Victor, who responded to it, shouted to the people. ¡°If you are ready, leave!¡± ¡°Yah! Yes, captain!¡± With the women placed at the center, the wagon rode. They started with a full wagon. The escape of more than 20,000 Volga refugees had begun. ¡®El Kassel! Please care for our sorrowful people!¡¯ Reina prayed in the dark night sky and set off on a wagon. Count Monarch had been in a good mood recently. There were signs of princess Reina starting to surrender. ¡°Huh! That woman has finally jumped into my hands.¡± When he first heard of the news that the princess had gone to the Southern nobles for help, his heart wouldn¡¯t stop pounding. However, as Goth had said, she returned empty-handed and was deceived saying that she hadn¡¯t even left the slums. ¡°Now, a few more days and you¡¯ll remove your skirt and come into my arms, keu!¡± Count Monarch was smiling happily. Suddenly the door opened wide with Goth coming in. ¡°Sir, the slums are empty!¡± ¡°What!?¡± The count wasn¡¯t able to understand what had happened. ¡°I had no work, so I walked around the slums and didn¡¯t see any person, so I went inside. I couldn¡¯t see the princess or her messengers.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± As the Count was out of words, Goth called Chris. After a while, Chris entered the office only to be immediately asked by Goth, ¡°Marshal! Since when were the slums empty?¡± Chris was angry with the questioning, but he tried to control himself as the Count was watching. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I had to see something this morning, so I went near the slums, and nobody was there!¡± ¡°No, they were all there since yesterday evening, right?¡± ¡°Then, it means that they left yesterday evening since they were all gone this morning. Why didn¡¯t you report it? Haven¡¯t I ordered you to keep an eye on them!¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­ An epidemic was going around in the slums¡­¡± ¡°Epidemic?¡± ¡°Yes, which was why I pulled out the soldiers and moved a few residents to a different place.¡± The best way to avoid an epidemic was to stay away from it. However, Goth had another thought in his mind. He looked at the Count with an urgent expression. ¡°It looks like the princess has run away.¡± ¡°Huh? the princess has run away¡­?¡± Asked Chris with a bewildered face. ¡°You stupid guy, you couldn¡¯t even follow simple instructions! Shut up!¡± The Marshal who still didn¡¯t understand the situation was being yelled at when Goth interjected. ¡°It was a difficult decision to take all the refugees. They must have gotten some help from the outside¡­ Anyway, we need to send the soldiers to pursue them!¡± ¡®Kuk! I left the situation alone until it came to this¡­!¡¯ The thought that the princess would run away had come to his mind. However, she didn¡¯t just run away. She also took the refugees, who were being held as hostages! The Monarch was angry at the Princess. He jumped out of his seat and ordered. ¡°Ready the Scorpion Cavalry right away!¡± ¡°The scorpion cavalry?¡± The scorpion cavalry was the elite cavalry of the Count Monarch, consisting of 2,000 veteran soldiers and knights. ¡°They would catch them where ever they are. Kill the refugees and bring back the princess!¡± The Count didn¡¯t hesitate in giving out his cruel orders. He also ordered for the princess to be trampled on too. ¡®Kuk! Princess! This is because of her own action.¡¯ Boooo! The north of Lamer City. At the arrival of the scorpion cavalry, a trumpet sounded to announce their arrival. Fully armed with armors and horses, they poured out of the camp and rushed out of the city. Chapter 55 Chapter 55: Second Comings of the Devil King 1 ¡°Everyone, cheer up!¡± ¡°A little bit ahead, and we¡¯ll come to the Neir river. All we have to do is get some soldiers out of the way!¡± After more than a day, the refugees began to move. The health of the refugees, who were living a poor life for a long time, was getting far worse than Reina had imagined. No matter how much they approached them and tried to encourage them, it just wasn¡¯t enough to revive their exhausted stamina. ¡°Princess, it will be good to take a break.¡± Victor, who was watching over the procession, spoke with a firm face. However, Pavel was against it. ¡°No! Let¡¯s move for another half day!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they can manage another half day!¡± ¡°What if the Count¡¯s army catches up?¡± ¡°I think they¡¯ll fall faster than getting caught by them.¡± Reina made a decision while the two retainers were still colliding their opinions. ¡°We¡¯ll take an hour off. In the meantime, fill your hungry stomachs and get enough sleep.¡± When her orders fell, the march line stopped. Those who were tired fell back and sat down, and the hungry people began to fill their empty stomachs with whatever food they could get. ¡°Princess, eat this.¡± Reina had eaten nothing since last night. It was because they had been trying to encourage the people to move instead of using time on eating. So, as she saw the bowl of warm soup brought by Pavel, she felt hungry. However¡­ ¡°Rather than me, hand it over to the others.¡± ¡°The princess is the strength of the people. Others are surely important, but it is a huge deal if the princess falls down.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Eventually, Reina, who was handed the bowl to, was about to take a spoon full of soup when the ground started to tremble. Dudududu! ¡°This! The army sent by the Count!¡± ¡°Stand up everyone! We must leave now!¡± Violently, Victor and the other servants shouted at the refugees. The refugees, who got up, began to run away. However, they didn¡¯t have enough energy to move quickly. Eventually, they were surrounded by the Scorpion Cavalry. ¡®Dammit! Just a little more and we could have reached the river¡­¡¯ ¡®If we only had the power to stop them, keu!¡¯ The feelings of despair and anger came onto the faces of the princess¡¯ retainers. When the siege was done, a man with a colorful helmet stepped forward. The head of the Scorpion Cavalry, Viper. ¡°Princess. How dare you run away from the grace of the Count, such a shame!¡± ¡°The grace of the Count? What are you talking about? What did the Count even do for us¡± Victor shouted instead of Reina. ¡°When we took in the refugees who have no place to go, sleep or eat, that is the grace I¡¯m talking about!¡± ¡°Shut up! Did we stay for free? We paid twice the taxes to you people, and if anything was wrong, we were dragged into forced labor.¡± That was enough for the refugees. However, no one thought of the Volga refugees as the same people of the Empire, from the nobles to the normal citizens. Seeing them as pickpockets and making them work with no pay. Their gazes were always cold toward the refugees. Viper crunched his nose at Victor as he spoke about the discrimination they had received over the years. ¡°Huh, that isn¡¯t my concern. Listen to this princess Reina. If you follow us, we will let the refugees go. However, if you choose to refuse our offer, it will turn into a beastly blood bath.¡± Viper was ordered by the Count to bring back the princess without hurting even her hair. They wanted to do it as ordered, but there was a chance for the princess to commit self-harm, so they decided to talk it out first. The troopers threatened with knives in their hands, and the frightened refugees withdrew. ¡®What is this supposed to mean El Kassel?¡¯ Looking at the sky, Reina asked. If that was what God wanted, she decided to not feel despair and just accept it. If she had any regret, it was just one. It was that she wouldn¡¯t be able to see the dignified and cool Luke, the young Lord. ¡°Please don¡¯t, princess!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll open a path for you, and the princess can come¡­¡± Reina tried to move forward, but the old servants were against it. However, Reina was adamant. ¡°I am the last royalty of the Volga Kingdom. How can I forsake my people and run away?¡± The Volga royal family had once abandoned their people. Although she was young that mistake wouldn¡¯t go away. Instead of abandoning her people, Reina thought it was better to be the Count¡¯s concubine instead. ¡°Kuuuuk, princess! Please kill those incompetent thoughts from your head!¡± ¡°Princess Mama! You cannot go!¡± The old women and the other people were weeping tears and asking her to stop. Till then, they had lived in the country with disgust. However, they were never as resilient as then. ¡°If I come with you without resisting, will you really let go of my people?¡± Taking a step forward away from her people, she looked at Viper. Viper nodded. ¡°Of course. I won¡¯t even dare touch their fingers.¡± Viper lied shamelessly. Reina, who had no idea of his wickedness, went to become the hostage of the scorpion cavalry to save her people. Upon securing the princess, Viper began to show his true colors. ¡°Since the princess is secured, kill all the others! The Count said that he doesn¡¯t need trash!¡± ¡°What, what did you say?!¡± ¡°He, he deceived us!¡± As the troopers stepped forward with their swords, the shocked Volga refugees screamed and panicked. Reina shouted at the evil Viper. ¡°You told me you¡¯ll let my people go if I come with you!¡± ¡°Kukuku, you¡¯re a na?ve princess. Promises are meant to be broken.¡± Viper gave out a mean smile. ¡®Ah ah! Oh, God! Is everything really going to end like this!?¡¯ As the distance between the cavalry and the Volga refugees narrowed, Reina began to shed tears. No matter how hard it was, she had vowed to not cry in front of her people, but she broke that vow without realizing it. ¡°Hahaha! Finally, after a long time, we will be able to taste blood!¡± ¡°Who wanted to bet on who would be able to kill the most?¡± The scorpion cavalry troopers lifted their swords with cruel smiles. They pointed their swords toward the refugees. But then, at that very moment. Hwarrk!? Strong flames rose between the cavalry and the refugees. They were bright purple flames which no one had ever seen before. Chapter 56 Chapter 56: Second Coming of the Devil King 2 ¡°Wah! What is this?!¡± ¡°Be careful!¡± Surprised at the sudden flames, the troopers took steps back. Some of them who fell because of the frightened horses burned in them. ¡°Tch tch, I decided to come because something was making feel anxious¡­!¡± ¡°Wah, who?!¡± Viper stared in the direction where the voice had come from. If one was able to ignite flames of that area, he thought the wizard would be around middle-age. And the dress was very unusual too. Rather than a wizard¡¯s robe, he was wearing clothes of the noble. ¡®Are there some other helpers?¡¯ Viper looked around the young man, but no one was there. ¡°Are you the one doing it?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t see? Rather than that, all these actions aren¡¯t much different from 500 years back.¡± The identity of the man was Luke. At first, he wanted the Rakan soldiers to bring in the refugees as planned. However, a few days ago, he had an ominous feeling and dreamed a dream with nothing to dream. ¡®It¡¯s the same when Katarina was lost.¡¯ Even then, there was an ominous feeling, and he just went back to bed thinking it was the nightmares that he always used to have. As a wizard in search of the truth, it was normally difficult for one to be swayed by unclear foresight, and the result of the past couldn¡¯t be ignored. Moreover, maybe they were feelings expressed on an unconscious level? ¡®We planned and prepared, but there is no guarantee that everything will go smoothly. There are way too many variables.¡¯ Luke thought that it would be a good plan to go there in person, and Luke left Rakan by himself early in the morning, leaving aside all the work he had to do. And with the power of magic for running, he came to rescue the refugees. ¡°Luke, young Lord!¡± Reina who saw him shouted. At her scream, Viper looked at him with a silly expression. Luke, young Lord? Kid of Rakan who was in a vegetative state not long ago?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who was in a vegetative state, nor do I know who is the kid you¡¯re referring to, but I am the lord of Rakan Viscount.¡± ¡®He is the jerk who encouraged princess Reina!¡¯ Viper had heard the entire situation from Goth before starting on their chase. The Count had pressed extreme situations on the Volga refugees to make her his concubine and a series of situations which led to the refugees to flee at night. Goth had stated that there probably was someone who was supporting the princess from behind, and his judgment was correct. ¡°Luke, Young Lord. Are you going to intervene in our matters now?¡± Asked Viper with curious eyes. ¡°If I am?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it known that the working estates are not be interfered with by the other estates?¡± ¡°If you have ever thought of the Volga refugees as the people of your estate, I¡¯ll remove my hands out of this matter.¡± Of course, he had no thoughts of doing that. Which was why he was personally there to take matters into his hands. ¡°I don¡¯t know who they are, they are the matter that Count directly deals with, but you are entering the estate of the others and intervening in their home matters Young Lord. If you won¡¯t clear of those flames right away, you¡¯ll be facing pain in my hands.¡± Honestly, Viper didn¡¯t want Luke to back down. It was because he knows that Count Monarch had a plan to devour the Rakan Viscount. ¡®Kukuku, don¡¯t back down. I shouldn¡¯t be missing out on the chance to kill a legacy!¡¯ Luke glanced at the look in the eyes of Viper. ¡®I can see everything you¡¯re thinking.¡¯ In the past, Luke had fought with greedy and cunning nobles who were around the Baroque Duke. Naturally, their habits and behavioral ticks were still lingering in his head. ¡°You want to kill me? You have the power to kill me?¡± Tch! Viper was shocked at how he realized his thoughts. But soon pointed to his cavalry. ¡°Can¡¯t the young Lord see clearly? You¡¯re really funny if you believe in the flames.¡± He had never thought that the descendant of warrior Rakan who was a holy knight would use magic. But he was alone. And there were 2,000 elite cavalry troopers. There were no Experts among the subordinates, but there were more than 100 people who have reached the level of Sword user. And was he going to face them alone? Unless the wizard had more than 6 magic circles or a prodigy who can cast high-ranged offensive magic spells it would be surely hard to hit. The magic attacks can be hit correctly only a few times. Instead of the magic attacks, the words of the Young Lord shattered his thoughts. ¡°When did I even say that I was alone?¡± Luke put the subspace bracelet forward and opened it. And around 40 pieces of giants had appeared. ¡°What, what are they?!¡± ¡°Gigant?¡± ¡°Not a Gigant! The size is small, and the body is made of stone or wood, it is definitely a golem!¡± In fact, the Scorpion Cavalry wasn¡¯t surprised by the appearance of the Golems. Only one thing was odd when the giants began to appear from the air, horses began to get nervous. Hiiiiiah! Hiiiiiing! ¡°Calm, calm down!¡± ¡°Dammit! Just stay still!¡± They were slender and powerful enough for combat, however, they seemed to be timid and meticulous. Which was why they were surprised to the golems even when it wasn¡¯t strange. It could be a coincidence, but it was Luke¡¯s plan. Luke gave orders to his Golems. ¡°Attack!¡± Chapter 57 Chapter 57: Second Coming of the Devil King 3 With the marionette magic, Luke ordered the golems. The golems pulled out the large and small rocks around them and threw them at the cavalry. Swooong! Kwang! Ouch!? ¡°Kuaaak!¡± ¡°Kaaak!¡± Hiiing?! The stones and rocks which flew like shells crushed the horses and troopers at once. The golems, which had confused the cavalry with their attacks, began to attack with their big arms. ¡°Damn, stop it! Attack!¡± ¡°Do not back down! Your opponent isn¡¯t a Gigant! It is just a Golem!¡± The Gigant, the absolute battle weapon of modern magical engineering, weren¡¯t things which normal troopers could deal with. However, the golems were different. Their size was half as small as the Gigant, the material was wood or stone which couldn¡¯t even be compared with the iron plates. In addition, the movement was much slower than the Gigant, so if one could manage, then they could knock it down. ¡®That is only possible if the one controlling the golems wasn¡¯t good.¡¯ The weapons basically vary depending on the skills. No matter how good a sword was, it was useless in the hands of a child, while a bladeless knife can be dangerous in the hands of assassins. In that matter, Luke was an expert. In the past, the Golem Legion had done great damage to both the nation and the Empire. He had fought with numerous opponents and among them, various cavalries of multiple estates were there. ¡®Kuuk, today I¡¯ll show you how the battle with the Warlock Saymon feels like!¡¯ Although he couldn¡¯t say it out loud, he vowed to show the pig-like Count¡¯s men how he had smashed all his enemies in the past. Luke with his open arms began to operate as the golems were like a leader in a band. He first divided the golems into 4 units. And then the golems assaulted the troopers, who were surrounding the Volga refugees. The refugees were being protected by the magic flame, however, the refugees could be hit by blind spears and sword during the battle. ¡°Open the way!¡± ¡°Change the lines and assault unit go ahead!¡± The cavalry managed to raid the golem with the assault spear. However, Luke shielded the companions of the cavalry. It led to a melee fight that made the cavalry assume that Luke had inside men. The cavalry was never so scary when the most powerful unit, the leader of it was blocked. And the horses weren¡¯t the regular infantry, they were stubborn than the regular ones, and in some cases, they were hard targets. Luke pushed the cavalry with a few tactics to contain his merits as much as possible. ¡°Damn, Dammit! Stop right away or I¡¯ll kill the princess!¡± As the damage to his subordinates didn¡¯t stop, Viper was completely angry. The lieutenant who heard his cry quickly pointed the sword at the princess¡¯s neck. However, Luke didn¡¯t keep an eye on her from the start. ¡°Blink!¡± Luke¡¯s body flashed and then disappeared with the end of the spell. And appeared in front of the princess. ¡°Ahh!¡± As the lieutenant was shocked, Luke didn¡¯t give him the time to recover and shot dark bullets with his finger. ¡°Kaaak!¡± As purple bullets penetrated his heart, the lieutenant screamed and collapsed. Startled at it, Viper decided to tackle Luke with his own sword. However, Luke hugged the princes with ease and used Blink and went back to the place where he was. Blink Magic was a 6 circle short distance teleportation spell that was in one of the books that were stolen from the Veritas Magic Tower. The magic usually required 6 circles of mana, however, Luke had Magi. The nature of Magi was no different from Mana. Unlike mana, however, it transformed creatures or objects into powerful and complex characters. So, it was dangerous to control, but, if it could be handled well, even with few Magi, high circle magic could be used. In addition to the 6 circle Blink, Luke was able to express the Fire Wall of the 5 Circle, which he had used for the Volga refugees. ¡°Thank, thank you.¡± Reina quickly thanked her life saver. Her face was red. How many times did she get help from the man and why was the man so devoted to helping her? ¡°Later with all those. I¡¯ll deal with the bad guys, princess go to your people.¡± Luke released Reina and opened one side of the Fire Wall. The old servants then popped out of the fire, joined the princess and hurried towards the Nair river. ¡°Dammit, don¡¯t let them go!¡± At Viper¡¯s pursuit, several horsemen tried to chase after them. However, Luke had struck with a dark lightning. Viper was furious. ¡°Kah! Luke young Lord!¡± After seeing Viper and the refugees moving away safely, Luke looked into the eyes of Viper and the Scorpion Cavalry. ¡°Kkk, shall we fight earnestly now?¡± Luke, who had cleared out all of the obstacles in the combat, focused on manipulating the golems. The golems were much more furious and started to run. The cavalry was trying to take them down by finding out their weakness, but whenever they were close to destroying it, Luke managed to destroy their anticipations. Controlling 40 golems at once wasn¡¯t an easy task, even for a great wizard. However, Luke couldn¡¯t be compared with a great wizard. Formerly, known as the Black Sage, a 9 circle warlock, the one who had created and manipulated the golems. Of course, he didn¡¯t have the power of that time, which was why he couldn¡¯t hold onto anything more than 40 golems. However, because of the past battle experiences, only when necessary, he was using the marionette magic to order them and fight. And the gap created in the process was completely helping in using the magic efficiently. ¡°Die, Luke young Lord!¡± The troopers desperately attacked the golems to rush towards Luke. However, they all fell victim to the dark bullet that Luke used. Shhik! Ugh! Ugh! ¡°Kauk!¡± ¡°Kaaaack!¡± Whenever the bullets of purple flew by, the horses and the troopers hit by them rolled on the ground in their own blood puddles. ¡°Ugh! What is this magic?¡± ¡°Devil! That guy must be a devil!¡± The Fire Arrow and the Ice Lance, which were similar to the dark bullets, could only be fired once at a time. However, the Dark Bullet could charge up to 10 shots at the same time, charging to 5 feet ahead. Crossing the left and the right hand and properly attacking with the time difference, a dozen people could be wiped out. ¡°Retreat! All of you retreat!¡± Viper gave out his orders to retreat, as the situation seemed meaningless. However, Luke wasn¡¯t going to compel with the decision. ¡®The truth that appeared here shouldn¡¯t be known to the Count.¡¯ The battle with Count was to be prepared, but it was necessary to take time before the Rakan Viscount would get ready. To do so, it was necessary to conceal the fact that the Rakan¡¯s descendant was the one who had intervened in fleeing. And the fact that he used magic and controlled the golems couldn¡¯t be told to the world just yet. Because Luke had learned magic for a short time in this life, and Saymon the Warlock was the only one who operated Golems for combat. If that was known, the retainers of Rakan would begin to doubt their own lord. ¡°Stop their retreat! Do not let them escape!¡± Luke ordered the golems to pursue them, while the Fire Wall spread out behind them. Hiiing! ¡°Dammit! We can¡¯t go through it!¡± Eventually, the Scorpion Cavalry was like a rat stuck in a rat trap. The front was being blocked by the Fire Wall, and in the back, they were being chased by the Golems. ¡°Dammit, we are done!¡± ¡°Surrender! Please save me!¡± Some cavalry troopers jumped into the Fire Wall or rushed towards the golems, and some of them abandoned their weapons and surrendered. Luke didn¡¯t accept their surrender. ¡°There is no need for prisoners! Kill then all!¡± There was no way he could let the prisoners of the battle live. And they were the notorious Scorpion Cavalry, who were the highest pride of the Count Monarch. If they were saved, it was obvious that they would bother him. At Luke¡¯s instructions, the golems attacked again, eventually destroying everyone of the Scorpion Cavalry who blocked back and front. Chapter 58 Chapter 58: Second Coming of the Devil King 4 ¡°Oh my God!¡± ¡°Young Lord Luke is such a scary person!¡± Princess Reina and the old servants, who moved over to the Nair River, trembled as they watched the Scorpion Cavalry get annihilated. They had never imagined that Luke, a descendant of a warrior family and its leader, would use such powerful golems and magic. He even used magic to those who had surrendered. It was the same as that time 500 years ago with Devil King Saymon! ¡°I feel like the Rakan Viscount is a much different place from what we thought.¡± ¡°I feel so too.¡± ¡°Maybe, we too will be killed¡­¡± Reina cut off the words of the retainers who were trembling in fear. ¡°Please enough. He was the one who has saved all our lives.¡± And that wasn¡¯t the only thing. He helped her from the conspiracy of the Count Monarch, he reached out to the Volga refugees, whom no one wanted to help. And if they were asked to leave Rakan, they would really have no other place to go to. ¡°There is indeed a lot of unanswered questions about him, but do not forget that he is our last hope.¡± With those words, Reina closed her lips. Once the use of the golems was done, with the use of Fly magic, he moved to the place where the refugees were. Reina, on his arrival, once again thanked him for saving her people. ¡°Young Lord Luke, I will never forget the grace you have showed my people and for saving us.¡± Luke was rather upset when she thanked him. To save the princess and the refugees, Luke hurriedly ended up showing them his magic and golems. All the troopers were killed, but the problem was that he couldn¡¯t do the same to the princess and the refugees. It was the case for Warlock Saymon, Luke was never a killer. He was rather merciful to the weak. ¡®What should I do with these people? How should I make sure that they won¡¯t end up telling what they saw today?¡¯ Luke pondered on any possible way to solve this problem. He then thought of a way to persuade them. ¡®Yeah well, it will be fine if I say that.¡¯ He looked at the Princess and her old servants, who were curious and anxious. ¡°You must have been surprised by what you said today. It was something that had ever seen in this world.¡± Everyone nodded and listened to Luke. ¡°I wanted to do anything I can to save you all. Which was why I ended up using my hidden powers, so please, please keep it a secret.¡± ¡°I understand, young Lord. But, that power¡­?¡± ¡°Are you asking where I got it from? Before that let me state one thing clearly. Everything that I am going to say now, isn¡¯t a lie.¡± There was a lie in it, but the truth had a higher number. Seeing Luke all serious, princess Reina and her old men listened to him nervously. ¡°I have been extremely weak since my childhood. I tried learning my family¡¯s fencing, but I was very slow. Whenever I get frustrated with myself, I used to run away to the Devil King¡¯s Castle and play there.¡± And having played often in the Devil King¡¯s castle, there was no corner he hadn¡¯t been to, and nine years ago, he accidentally found a secret passage going underground. ¡°Saymon¡¯s lab was at the end of the secret passage. And in that lab, there were spellbooks and golems left by the former owner of that place¡ªSaymon.¡± ¡°Oh my god!¡± ¡°The legacy of the Devil King still remains!¡± The old men were surprised to hear what Luke said. Rakan had defeated the Devil King Saymon, but Saymon¡¯s allies had never been able to find his warlock artifacts and his golems. Which was why a few had speculated that his followers or subordinates might have taken them. But in fact, they were hidden in the basement of the Devil King¡¯s Castle! Luke glanced over at the old men. ¡°But what was more interesting was the diary of Saymon.¡± ¡°Diary?¡± ¡°Yes, his life was written in it.¡± The actual diary was kept in a safe in the lab, and the truth was told to the princess and her party. ¡°The diary contained the real image of Saymon, which the world didn¡¯t know about. I saw it, and realized that it was very unfair to call him the Devil King.¡± Luke told them the truth about Saymon that he was actually a wizard in the Veritas Magic Tower and that he was shaken by the death of his lover and went forward to touch forbidden magic, and how he had fought against the nations to defeat his enemies. Princess Reina and the old men were surprised to hear that. It was because the image of Saymon that the world had portrayed was different from what they had known. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that!¡± ¡°If that is the case, the history of the Baroque Empire has to be re-written.¡± ¡°I think that the ground truth is different. The early work of Baroque Emperor was quite secretive of the history.¡± ¡°There were no rumors of that sort with the Veritas Magic Tower¡­¡± Luke briefly watched the reactions of the dubious old people and continued again, ¡°When I learned about the situation Saymon was in and got his spell books and the golems, I secretly started learning magic from then on. I thought about using the Devil¡¯s Legacy for good and revive the family estates. And that is why I can use magic.¡± Reina listened to it quietly, and asked, ¡°Do your retainers know about that?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t know. They were very upset with the Devil King, so I had to hide it.¡± Reina seemed a bit bitter with it. It was because Luke was living a life of loneliness even when he was among his closest retainers. She could understand his loneliness, Reina grasped Luke¡¯s hands unintentionally. ¡°Princess Reina¡­¡± ¡°I believe your words, young Lord. What¡¯s wrong about getting the legacy of the Devil King? What is important is how it is being used.¡± From her strong heart, sincerity could be understood and felt. Her words were striking remarks which should be heard by the El Kassel denomination and the Baroque Imperial Family. For them, dark magic was a wicked force that had to be cleaned out from this world, and the Devil King Saymon was an evil man who wrecked the continent with his wicked power. Some of the old men standing behind her were astonished and tried to warn her. However, Victor and Pavel stopped them. ¡°You really think so?¡± ¡°Yes, I think so. The Devil King, no Saymon was a very pitiful person.¡± Listening to her words, Luke was on the verge of tearing up. After being awakened in the body of a warrior¡¯s descendant, he had only heard criticism about his past. This was the first time that someone had understood him. ¡°So, please be strong and harden your will. Even the poison which kills people can save people too depending on who prescribes them.¡± ¡®Ahh, this woman¡­?¡¯ What happened wasn¡¯t known. From her appearance to her personality and her words, everything was similar to Katarina. The phrase she said about how a poison could be used was the same example that Katarina had given him in the past when they were discussing if the ancient warlock spell book had to be disposed of or not. ¡®It was right to save this woman.¡¯ Luke felt good because he felt like he had gotten a colleague who believed in him. ¡°My heart feels lighter after hearing your words, princess. But please keep my secret for the time being.¡± ¡°Do not worry. No one here is going to go against my words, and the refugees will follow the same.¡± With the affinity that Reina had with her people, the Volga refugees would willingly be quiet about what they saw. After taking his golems back into the subspace, Luke decided to bid goodbye. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll see you at the estate.¡± Luke had kept it a secret from his retainers, so Luke had to go back to Rakan by himself. Pavel approached the princess and spoke to her while she was looking at Luke until he disappeared from her sight. ¡°He is a great one, and our people are very satisfied with what he did to the troopers.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, maybe the young Lord will wake up the lost spirit of the Rakan Viscount.¡± As they were done evaluating Luke, they turned to where the refugees were and moved away. Chapter 59 Chapter 59: Demon Sebastian 1 The Empire¡¯s capital¡ªNemesis. The capital of the Baroque Empire, a large city with a population of more than 3 million. Unlike the Holy Arthenian Empire, which was located on the lakeside with pearls being sprayed around and considered as the most beautiful city, the city Nemesis was built on a plain. In the center of the city was the Royal palace consisting of spires of tens of meters. The emperor¡¯s office was located on the tallest tower. There was a middle-aged man that had red hair hanging like a lion¡¯s mane seated in the gorgeous mahogany desk, which had been imported from the Southern continent. He was Rudolf, known as the Emperor of the Baroque Empire and also the Lion King. In front of him was a dark-haired, calm-looking middle-aged man, Count Voltes. One of the closest aides of Rudolf. ¡°So Monarch has applied for a war?¡± ¡°Yes, your majesty.¡± ¡°Is the enemy Marquis Mayer?¡± At the question from Rudolf, Voltes bowed. ¡°Well, that would have been a nice situation, but unfortunately, it¡¯s the young Lord of Rakan.¡± ¡°The Rakan Viscount? Was it that warrior¡¯s land?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At the response of Voltes, Rudolf grunted nervously. ¡°Why is he going against such a lifeless place? If he really wants to fight, he needs to go against the Marquis Mayer and have a big fight.¡± The reason why the Empire had left the Rakan viscount without interfering in their matters was because of the history that the land possessed. And if they had gained a little bit of power, they were planning to put them in check. ¡°But, why is that greedy Monarch trying to attack Rakan?¡± ¡°Not long ago the young Lord of Rakan along with Princess Reina had taken the refugees away, and the scorpion cavalry who were sent to stop it were reported to be missing. According to the Count, it was something that had been done by the Rakan.¡± ¡°And the evidence?¡± ¡°There was no solid evidence. Which was why there were a lot of discussions at the noble meetings.¡± Luke had buried the bodies deep in the ground, the Count Monarch wouldn¡¯t be able to find even one of the thousand Scorpion Cavalry. That made the Count very hurt and led to a sharp division between the noble council on whether to allow war on the land or not. Of course, no matter what they had decided on, the Emperor had the final say on the matter, and the emperor normally chose against what the council decided. Rudolf asked Voltes after a lot of thinking. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I wonder if we should clean up the Viscount. It would be embarrassing for you to touch that land, so I think that it is a good idea to let the Monarch take care of it for you.¡± ¡°Hmmm, right?¡± In fact, Rudolf had another reason for his decision, However, he chose to not say it. No matter how close he was with Count Voltes, the Emperor had to keep secrets that came from his higher generation. ¡°Okay, then I will allow it.¡± Rudolf made a decision and stamped the seal of the Emperor on the payment documents before moving onto the next issue. ¡°The Pope of Holy Arthenia Empire fell?¡± ¡°Yes. According to the reports that came yesterday, the old Pope fell while in prayer.¡± ¡°Was it because of a disease?¡± The Pope of Arthenia Empire was over 80 years old, and he was suffering from a chronic disease. Everyone was concerned about his health. ¡°That is what I assumed. A fight for the next successor has started between the cardinals.¡± ¡°Oho! That is good news.¡± Unlike the happenings in a kingdom, the position of the Pope in the Holy Arthenia wasn¡¯t passed down to an offspring. As a general rule, the highest position in the denomination would be the one who would be ordained as the next pope. However, a trust wasn¡¯t issued at that time, and the closest trust had been made 300 years ago. In that situation, the cardinals now held the conclave to elect the next one to recruit the most powerful of the bishops as the new pope. It was a situation that most people and believers couldn¡¯t understand. However, the nobles seemed to know something about it. At any rate, Rudolf was excited by the news of the Holy Empire being in chaos, the only Empire other than the Baroque Empire on the Rhodesia continent. ¡°Is there any room for us to intervene at this time?¡± He asked if the fight for succession could be intervened. One could cause a civil war or not, or a deep fight could be made between the factions and keep them far from uniting. ¡°Unfortunately, the church has been closed¡­ but we can try.¡± ¡°Okay, it doesn¡¯t even concern us if it fails.¡± Roughly finished with the day¡¯s agenda, Rudolf got up from his seat. It was time to go and practice his favorite sword. Chapter 60 Chapter 60: Demon Sebastian 2 It had been a long time since the Volga refugees had entered the Viscount very safely. After they had arrived, the Rakan Viscount had huge constructions going. It was because seven villages were being built for the Volga refugees to settle, two near the lord¡¯s manor and the devil¡¯s castle, four on the northern plains and one under the Rockia mountain. Tti! Tttik! Kwang! Kwang! ¡°Hey, get some wood in here!¡± ¡°When will the bricks arrive?!¡± ¡°Be careful and don¡¯t cause an accident!¡± Loud noises and shouts of the construction chiefs were going all over the estate. Suddenly there were massive civil construction projects and large staffing mobilization, and nobody was dissatisfied with it. There was no reason to oppose the Volga refugees because they were being built their own homes. Not just the adults but the elderly and children too were extending their hands to help. The local people liked it as they could earn money through civil engineering works. In addition, the young people who went out to make money came back after hearing the rumors with light hearts. Although everyone was engulfed in large scale construction, there still was a lack of finished houses for the refugees. So, they were forced to say in the castle or a shelter or a tent on the empty grounds. Thanks to the effort and cooperation, everyone seemed to be able to complete new projects and be done until winter. Manor office room. Luke was in a meeting with his retainers. After a long time in the estate, the atmosphere of the retainers seemed exciting. ¡®It isn¡¯t bad.¡¯ Luke gazed at his retainers and opened his mouth. ¡°How long will the town be built?¡± At the question, the construction chief, civil engineer, and the mine developer had been called to the estate. ¡°For now there is around 30 percent fair rate. We have a lot of workers and materials right now and we will have a rough outline in a month.¡± ¡°It is a place where those people will become our citizens in the future. Don¡¯t be in haste, and built it nice and good. And the facilities that I ordered?¡± ¡°Of course. Just as the Young Lord had asked, we are building various facilities in suitable locations.¡± The construction chief unfolded the maps he was holding onto. The map had the new towns which were under construction, and the existing towns, and the constructions which were underway. ¡°The blacksmiths and other workshops have been located outside the towns, and the public baths are being built next to the square. With the mills and the warehouses being built near the farming lands.¡± ¡°Okay, the wall to defend the town?¡± ¡°We are going to the regions. We are progressing and expanding it and repairing the existing ones.¡± The walls surrounding the towns and roads were just needed to be piled up and solidified. However, lots of hands were needed, however, instead of the hands, Gigants were being used for faster progress. ¡°We are dealing with one thing, and we are putting off the building of bridges to connect the southern estates because a considerable skill is required for that.¡± The Rakan Viscounts were divided into the manor region on one side and rugged canyons on the south. If anyone could manage to place a bridge from the canyon, one could easily go to the southern estates without any other routes. ¡°Let¡¯s leave that out for the technicians later. I hope to leave it out to some good dwarves.¡± No one objected to hiring the expensive dwarves because the estate currently had a lot of money. If they didn¡¯t have enough money, everyone would have asked the construction company to finish it off. After a careful thought, the finance officer Dixon raised his hand and asked, ¡°Young Lord, there is one thing that doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What is the reason for you to build a town below Mt. Rockia?¡± In fact, the problem wasn¡¯t just questioned by Dixon, but the other retainers too. ¡°Ah, that place? That is being done to develop the mines near Mt. Rockia.¡± ¡°Mines? There are mines over there?¡± ¡°Yeah, one of the Volga refugees has a lot of ideas about mine development. He has done a lot of exploration as he was definite that there were mines on Mt. Rockia, and he found traces of the mine used by the dwarves of the ancient time.¡± ¡°Uh! Is, is that really true?¡± Dixon and the other retainers went shocked at the lie Luke had just told them. Mine meant unconditional money. If the gold and silver mines could be found, then it was amazing, even if the mines were iron or copper, they could earn enough money for one year finance of the entire estate. ¡°The dwarves mine hadn¡¯t been found for a hundred years¡­ ¡± ¡°I too went there to see it for myself, there was no road either, like a private land. Those people who eat money to find the mines would have never found it.¡± ¡°That, that is true.¡± Dixon and the retainers held their heads down. Last year, Luke had tried to develop mines with the debt of the Alon firm, but he hadn¡¯t succeeded in doing it. The retainers felt very sorry for their Young Lord because he was deceived by the falcons who only needed fortune. ¡°I¡¯m glad that you have succeeded.¡± ¡°Yeah, I too am looking forward and waiting for the results.¡± Luke was trying to hand over the 3 developed mines in Mt. Rockia to the Volga Refugees. That way, the gold, and silver could be legally invested into the development of the estate. With 300,000 pesos now, he didn¡¯t have to worry about the financial crisis. However, more money was needed to be raised if he had to go against the imperial family or the Veritas Magic Tower. ¡°And when the town is done, the farmland needs to be developed.¡± At the words of Luke, all the retainers nodded their heads. In order for a land to develop, food production had to be done at a significant quantity. The high nobles were currently struggling in the Rhodesia Continent with large lands, there was currently a large population and army which needed a lot of food to support. But, till the very time, Rakan Viscount had always brought in food from the other territories because they had no farmland. Luke decided to clear out lands because he didn¡¯t want to bring in food from outside, he needed to provide the refugees with jobs. The problem was, it wasn¡¯t that easy. ¡°At the north of the manor there is flat land, but water isn¡¯t available there.¡± The agriculture officer pointed to the map and said. There have been numerous attempts to clear the land in the past too. However, the reason for the failure was that rainfall was very low and there was no river passing through the estate. Which meant that they had no choice but to draw out the water from a distance, around 20 kilometers from the nearest tributary of the Nair river. Nevertheless, the rocks and the stones which blocked the way made it impossible to build waterways. ¡®With the golems and monsters, the underground canal can be made.¡¯ It would have been difficult to build waterways with humans. There was a need for huge builds and strong power, so Luke decided to use the Golems until the mana supply was cut off. ¡°I¡¯ll find out more about that problem.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°By the way, how is Count Monarch?¡± At the question of Luke¡¯s, Hans, the butler had responded, ¡°At the Imperial council, he has filed for a war stating that we had killed off his Scorpion Cavalry. This is just an assumption, but I think that the request would be denied soon.¡± The moment the words of Hans were done, the retainers in the room began to curse the Count. ¡°That Pig! We have never even seen the Scorpion Cavalry!¡± ¡°That is right. We crossed just a little of their territory to bring in the Volga refugees, but never collided with the Count¡¯s soldiers!¡± The retainers were right, they had never met the Scorpion Cavalry. Surely, Luke knew it too, he tried to calm down the retainers like he wasn¡¯t aware of the situation either. ¡°Ah, calm down all of you. Didn¡¯t we know that we¡¯ll have to go to war with the Count anyway? How¡¯s our preparation?¡± Asked Luke to the Knight Rogers. ¡°We recently recruited more than 300 troopers, especially young men who have just returned home. The training isn¡¯t that bad either.¡± They could probably recruit a thousand more, but Rogers didn¡¯t intend to do that. It was because the modern warfare centered on Gigants or the cavalry. Infantry was used only for rear security, searches, and patrolling so there wasn¡¯t a need for many people in the situation, ¡°Sir Mute?¡± ¡°Thanks to the support of the young Lord, we were able to provide service to all the five scrap Gigants in the warehouse. As it was the young Lord¡¯s orders to keep the matter of the Gigants a secret, no one but the retainers knows about it.¡± The five Gigants weren¡¯t being used for the civil construction which had been happening. When the war burst out, he was planning to use them as daggers. ¡°Good work. Our estate has a lot of objective power. But you all know that war isn¡¯t just about overpowering the enemy.¡± In order to win, it is important to have strategies and tactics; make a good use of them to increase their power. Unification, deception, and the ability to spy on an enemy were factors that figured victory or defeat. ¡°Don¡¯t neglect anything until the moment we see our opponent on the other side.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll follow the orders, young Lord!¡± All the retainers rose and stomped their feet at the words of Luke. They were very tightly knit for the first time since the estate had been born. Luke, who was very satisfied with their actions, discussed another hour with them and went to the Devil King¡¯s castle. Chapter 61 Chapter 61: Demon Sebastian 3 ¡°You have come, Sir Luke?¡± When Luke had gone to the Devil King¡¯s Castle, princess Reina had welcomed him. She along with her servants and some other refugees were staying in the castle. He could have let them stay in the permanent manor, but they would have preferred to stay separately. ¡°Where did Sir Victor go?¡± The old knight Victor sure was old but was hard as a rock. Luke asked because he was not the kind to leave the side of Reina. ¡°He¡¯s training the past soldiers of Volga in the back.¡± As soon as Reina arrived at Rakan, she had recruited 400 mercenaries from the refugees. They weren¡¯t for the purpose of fighting with Count Monarch, but to guard the future of Luke and the mines in Mt. Rockia. ¡°It is nice to see everyone active with their duties, everyone seems to be very enthusiastic.¡± ¡°It is nice. How is the establishment going?¡± ¡°Uh, we have already set up the headquarters in the manor of the Rakan, and we are opening branches in nearby towns.¡± Luke went there and gave princess Reina 500,000 pesos, and gave her the order to work in the way she liked. He was worried that the princess would overwork herself, but she did the work like accounting, bookmaking, she made up an organization and stated the manners for the operation in the place. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like she was doing it all alone. Pavel and the other officials were helping things out. Although they were elderly, they were the ones who were working for the house for the young displaced people from their country. Naturally, they had learned a lot and had a lot of experience in administration and finance. They were enough to do it. ¡°Have you named your company?¡± ¡°If the young Lord is okay with it, I¡¯d like to go with Kirillov Co.¡± ¡°Named after the royal family? That is a fine name.¡± The owner and the executives in it were all the royal figures of Volga, so it was appropriate to name it that. ¡°And do the miners working in the mines have a problem?¡± The lord¡¯s manor had told them that they would be developing the mine from thereafter, and they had already recruited refugees who had previously worked in the mines. Naturally, when they were all placed, Luke had removed the golems and the monsters in advance so there wouldn¡¯t be any unwanted disturbance. In the meantime, the monsters that worked in the mines were fed and moved to an inconspicuous place. When that was over, he decided to raise them as one of the powers which would be used when fighting against the Empire. ¡°I am currently repairing a place that was previously used by the dwarves in the past into temporary homes. We have plenty of food and water, so no problems.¡± The village built beneath Mt. Rockia was where the miner families would live. As she talked about the mines and the miners, she asked another question, ¡°But I heard that there was a chance for war¡­ did Monarch apply for war?¡± She didn¡¯t know the persistent character of Count Monarch. She sure thought that he would do something, but didn¡¯t think that it would be so intense like going into a war. ¡°Is it because of me?¡± Reina turned dark, and Luke shook his head. ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t for the princess, there was a silver line that he had crossed. You have nothing to worry about because everyone is coming together for this.¡± ¡°Is there anything that I can do to help?¡± ¡°Well, there is nothing you can do in the combat part. These days, war starts with the Gigant and ends with the Gigant.¡± There were some surprises, but the battle usually was based on them. Once the power of the Gigant was lost, it was useless no matter how many other gathered powers they had. ¡°Gigant huh, we have just one Gigant. Would it be alright to fight if the performance of it drops?¡± ¡°Ah, are you talking about Mir?¡± The Gigant Mir was the one which Philip had used to fight in the Gigant Arena at Lamer. After the fight was done, Mir was lent to the nearby estate and recently it was used to haul the refugees during the flee. And currently, it was being used for the purpose of helping in the construction of the towns. ¡°And if the battle breaks out Sir Victor and the other knights will help out. Since they will surely not listen to me in that matter, please look after them.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let Sir Rogers know about it.¡± ¡°Yes, and¡­¡± Reina handed Luke a book like she had remembered something that she had forgotten. That old book was a diary that Luke had told her about, the life of Saymon. In order to show that his story was true, Luke had given Reina the diary when she had came to the castle. ¡°I listened to the Young Lord¡¯s words, but when I directly read this diary of his, the life of Saymon was very sad and lonely, I don¡¯t even know how times I cried when I was reading it.¡± ¡°¡­ you did?¡± ¡°Specifically, when he missed his dead lover, it was so strange that I wasn¡¯t able to stop my tears. Maybe it was because I am a woman too?¡± As if the feelings were still engraved in her heart, right then princess Reina began to tear up once again. Luke who had been feeling very lonely, smiled faintly. ¡°I am sure that Saymon would be happy with that. With someone who understands him and his emotions.¡± ¡°It sure is difficult, but hope that there will be a time when the world understands him a little more.¡± Luke discussed more with Reina and gave some instructions about the underground lab. And took out the books that he hadn¡¯t read to improve his power. Chapter 62 Chapter 62: Demon Sebastian 4 Ugh! Kwang Kwang! In the basement of the mountain range between the Nair river and the plains of northern Rakan. Dozens of golems and hundreds of monsters were digging hard. They were building the underground channels according to Luke¡¯s directions. The stone golems were punching down the hard rocks. The wood golems and the other monsters were using large shovels and sacks to carry the debris out. ¡®Huhuhu! The people would probably be surprised if the underground waterway from the river gets dug like this, right?¡¯ Luke was watching from behind and smiled. He was going to draw the water and then say that he had found groundwater. There was one reason for the effort and the excuse he was using. If the water came up suddenly, people would surely think that it was strange. The best way to spoof them was to show that water from the ground had naturally been found. ¡®If I gain more power in the future, I can put the golems to work openly maybe?¡¯ Luke had no plans to do things secretively like he was currently doing. But since the trust that his retainers had on him was weak, he didn¡¯t want to reveal his strength. Whatever was the situation, Luke was trying to solve the water problem, which had been the biggest obstacle for the land, he left the golems and the monsters to work and went to the corner of the mountain. He looked around to see if anyone was around there and then began to draw a series of magic circles on the ground. ¡®Since I have some strength, I can start a new practice.¡¯ New practice. The same kind of practice that he had done in his days as a warlock. Summon demons, fight demons and take away the powers of the demons. He decided to start practicing because he had to build up a little more power for the upcoming war. ¡°I¡¯ll create a magic circle for summoning and then¡­¡± Luke did dark magic using the sword that was dangling on his waist. He squeezed his hand until his blood flowed out of it. Normally warlocks use beasts or other humans¡¯ blood to perform a summoning, but Luke and the other warlocks who did Darkness didn¡¯t opt for that. Luke thought that it was morally wrong to sacrifice another being for their own strength. ¡®A wizard¡¯s blood has to be there as an offering when summoning. Sufficient spirit needs to be instilled with mana and Magi.¡¯ Demons normally like blood and one¡¯s spirit. When Luke¡¯s blood dropped on the Demon Summoning Circle, the glimmering light from the circle began to react almost immediately. Whhooong! Once the magic circle disappeared, a dark subspace opened. An ugly demon with a thick muscular body and a huge horn protruding from its head was standing there. ¡°Kukuk, human! What is it that you want? Whatever is it that you want, you need to give me your soul for it!¡± The Demon Volk spoke with a lot of pride to Luke who seemed like a warlock. Normally, the warlocks fall on to the floor trembling. However, the human in front of him was different. ¡°What do I want, huh? I want the abilities that you have and your Magi.¡± ¡°What?¡± At that very moment, Volk had a ridiculous look on his face. What on earth was the man even thinking asking a demon its abilities and Magic when the demon did nothing wrong? As he was still confused at what he had been asked, Luke began to show his skill. Flash! ¡°Kwaaak!¡± Luke used lightning magic, and the Demon Volk screamed out of pain. ¡°This¡­ this warlock would be too cold for me to even eat!¡± With anger clearly showing on his face, he hurried over to Luke with arms wide open. Puong! Pung! The demon¡¯s clenched fists cracked the floor causing the floor to burst out. Luke had avoided the attack from the demon and with one hand he used magic and his sword in the other. ¡®Kaaak! What is this guy?¡¯ As his attack failed, Volk became frustrated. His attacks were so good that he was even praised by Experts back where he came from, but the warlock in front of him had escaped his attack. In addition, Luke was using magic as well as a sword to attack him¡ªa demon. ¡°Who¡­ who the hell are you?¡± Volk asked Luke to identify himself, and Luke responded. ¡°Me? I don¡¯t know if you have ever heard about me before, but I am Saymon, who had summoned demons 500 years ago.¡± ¡°Say, Saymon!¡± Volk immediately remembered the rumors that he heard in the Devildom long ago. Occasionally, the summons to the land increased and the higher demons liked it. It was because they could enjoy killing and destroying lands. The problem was that none of the higher demons who had gone to the human world had ever made it back alive. The demons were all later shocked by the fact that they were summoned by a warlock. ¡°There is a human warlock who hunts demons and their Magi! If he summons you, don¡¯t respond!¡± And after some time, they finally knew who this warlock was. It was the Warlock Saymon! ¡°Ha, but you don¡¯t look like a man who is over 500 years old?¡± ¡°Kekeke, I had a situation and changed my body. Now, should we talk about your ability and Magi?¡± Luke, who thought that his opponent was weak, began to cast Black Bind to absorb his opponent¡¯s Magi. Hwaaa! Volk tried to avoid it. However, he had spent too much time fighting Luke, and eventually got caught in the vines which came from the ground. ¡°Ah, no! this is like violating the Summoning Principles between demons and warlocks¡­¡± Fluttering and staggering, Volk soon gave up and his Magi and abilities were taken by Luke. ¡°Phew, it isn¡¯t easy to deal with lower demons.¡± Luke wiped the sweat off of his forehead. He unilaterally squeezed Volk but learned that the 5 and 6 magic circle didn¡¯t run as smoothly as he expected. ¡°Well, the more I use it, the better it might get.¡± Thinking, he closed his eyes and looked at Volk¡¯s abilities. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Normally, apart from the Magi, the demons had good abilities that could be used. Luke analyzed the Magi that he had absorbed and interpreted the magic ability within it as a magic formula and imprinted it on his brain. Once he was done interpreting and imprinting the Magi, his body responded to the Magi. Drrrr! As his whole body started to overflow with power, his clothes became tighter. At the same time, the force began to increase three times as the original one. His skin was becoming tougher and hard enough to even bounce off a knife. ¡°The ¡®Build-up¡¯ ability used to strengthen one¡¯s body. As a lower-level combat demon, I have no choice but to be satisfied.¡± Compared to the higher demons whom he had beaten in the past, the young Luke didn¡¯t seem to be troubled with his first catch. If the ability could be used well, it would be very useful, and for a guy who had the desire to gain strength as he had none, it was everything. ¡°Well, if I need other abilities, I can always summon other demons.¡± Luke supervised the construction of the groundwater and returned back to the manor. Chapter 63 Chapter 63: Demon Sebastian 5 After that, Luke had done three more summonings the next day. If he could he wanted to do it several times a day. However, as he was busy with these and those and it was hard to collect the materials that were needed for the Summoning Magic Circle, he had to wait until he got them all. Anyhow, with the three summons, he had summoned three demons and overpowered them. He had acquired Petro Light, which would turn his opponent into stone, and the Sonic Wave ability that could move or shock things with sound waves. The Build Up ability was higher because it could absorb the power of a guy with similar abilities to the Demon Volk¡ªthe first demon Luke had summoned. ¡®Now I only have materials to summon just one more. No, well, since I have the time, should I just do it today and get rid of it?¡¯ Thinking hard, Luke decided to summon a demon for the fifth time. Wooong! The Summoning Magic Circle shone with roaring sounds that shook the heavens and earth. A large monster resembling a saber-toothed tiger appeared. ¡°Kwaaang?! I am a higher demon in the Devildom, Warrior Sebastian! If you don¡¯t kneel down right away, then I¡¯ll feed on you!¡± The summoned demon had creepy sharp teeth and claws. Additionally, it had black wings similar to a crow on its back. With a black patch on its right eye and standing 10 meters tall, the demon looked intimidating. ¡®Uhm, is it an animal type demon this time?¡¯ In Devildom, only two-legged humanoid demons didn¡¯t live. There were various demons including the higher demons that resembled the Saber Tiger. ¡°Human, what are you doing? Kneel before me, quickly!¡± As Luke was looking at him nervously, Sebastian shouted. However, Luke suddenly laughed at him. Seeing that, Sebastian couldn¡¯t help but feel confused. ¡°This guy! How dare you look at a high demon and laugh? I will cut off your stomach and chew on your intestines¡­ Kaaak!¡± The demon went on the floor as he was hit by Luke¡¯s magic, Blitz. But, when he was on the floor, the demon¡¯s body began to change. Its 10-meter size suddenly reduced to 30 centimeters. Its teeth and claws, which looked fierce and sharp, disappeared. The demon¡¯s once intimidating form changed to a fluffy-haired cat. With boots and gloves, the demon was now wearing a leather belt across its waist. Large and small pockets were hanging from the demon¡¯s belt and also two small daggers. ¡°Uh, how did my body¡­?¡± Sebastian, who saw his transformation, asked while trembling. Luke smiled and said, ¡°Your transformation was clumsy. I don¡¯t know if the form is perfect, but there was no momentum in it.¡± Strong things had strong momentum. Whether it be an illusion or the real thing, that momentum could be felt. However, Sebastian talked a lot, and Luke didn¡¯t feel any momentum from him. In addition, Luke drew a magic circle to summon a lower demon. There was no reason for a higher demon to pop out suddenly. ¡°First, let¡¯s fight and see.¡± Luke stomped his feet and approached Sebastian. ¡°Hu, human, no, teacher! Confucius! There had been a misunderstanding. Let¡¯s talk it out!¡± ¡°I have nothing to talk about with you.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t say that! You look like a gentleman. Why are you doing this? Can¡¯t you just think about saving one poor cat?¡± Sebastian spoke with the most pitiable expression possible, but Luke¡¯s cold expression hadn¡¯t changed, not one bit. ¡°I¡¯m going to hit you anyway and then absorb your Magi and abilities.¡± ¡®Hiiik!¡¯ Sebastian¡¯s mouth went wide with shock. Sebastian decided to respond to the summoning because he wanted to eat something, but he was the one who was going to get eaten. There were a few words going around that the lower demons were being summoned on Earth. And this was the guy! ¡°Well, Confucius. You can¡¯t take that much Magi from demons or rather the resuscitated demons in the lower class since they don¡¯t have much, to begin with.¡± ¡°It seems like you¡¯re telling me that you have.¡± ¡°Well, there could be some, but it would be better to have a living one than revived ones! Because I am the greatest Thief Sebastian of the Devildom!¡± ¡°Is he the thief Sebastian?¡± When Luke tried to unleash the Black Bind magic with huge disappointment, Sebastian fell on the floor and begged him non-stop. ¡°Wait! I will do anything just please spare me! I swear on allegiance! No, I will give you my soul!¡± At the cry of Sebastian, Luke was rather confused. Using normal summoning spells, the demons were like swords and the warlocks were like autumn leaves. Therefore, the side which was most likely to beg for mercy was the Warlocks. The souls which always fall into the hands of the demons. However, right then, a demon was saying that it would offer its soul! ¡®Wah! This guy looks interesting.¡¯ That could be one, but on the other hand, Luke thought that the guy could be of some help. In the ugly world of the Devildom and its survival, the fact that a weak and pity looking cat was still alive meant that he surely had something extraordinary in him. ¡®He said thief, right? If he is able to steal and hide well, he might be useful in spying on the duke.¡¯ In any case, it seemed like summoning the Saber Tiger worked out well. Luke looked at Sebastian with strict and judging eyes. He then said, ¡°Will you really give me your soul?¡± ¡°Yes, I will give you my soul. From today on, I¡ªSebastian¡ªis your servant!¡± ¡°Oh, then I guess I¡¯ll save you.¡± Luke performed a ritual sacrifice with Sebastian. Since the parties had to be changed, it was necessary to modify the pattern with a ritual, and it wasn¡¯t that difficult for Luke who had the knowledge of the 9 Circle dark magic. ¡°Demon Sebastian, from this very day your soul belongs to Luke. Your life and death lie in my hands, so don¡¯t even dream of rebelling!¡± After the ritual, Sebastian¡¯s neck was marked with an L-shaped stigma which symbolized Luke¡¯s name. ¡®I am a slave! Me, who is a demon, is a slave to a human!¡¯ It was indeed something worth crying about, but after seeing the cold look of his master, Sebastian smiled. ¡°I will do well under you, master!¡± ¡°No, come forward with all your sincerity and earnestness.¡± Luke accepted the Demon, the best one out of all the demons he revived, Sebastian. Chapter 64 Chapter 64: The Outbreak of War 1 Luke, who accepted Sebastian as his slave, later used the fly magic to fly away from mountain ranges which had a tunnel construction underway. In the vacant lot, his designated knight, Philip was devoted to his fencing practice. ¡°Is your practice going well?¡± ¡°Ah, young Lord, you have come?¡± Philip raised his sword and turned straight to Luke. Soon he turned disappointed. ¡°You are empty-handed? Aren¡¯t you going to stop me?¡± ¡°Is it important to stop? Aren¡¯t you curious as to what the army is doing?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t that I¡¯m not curious. Instead, I was promised that I would be thought Gold Sword.¡± Philip was Luke¡¯s designated knight. It was a position which needed him to follow and watched over the Lord at all times, but couldn¡¯t do it. It was because Luke had kept him away and far from every secret. So Philip even wrote poems when he was feeling bored, he even followed Luke at times. ¡®Brainwashing with dark magic is very simple¡­ I¡¯d feel very sorry to make such an expert knight into a dumb being.¡¯ A few days ago, Luke made a compromise with Philip. If Philip didn¡¯t care as to what the young Lord was doing, then Luke promised to teach him Gold Sword. ¡°Go, Gold Sword?¡± ¡°Yeah, choose whether you¡¯d take it or not.¡± If Philip rejected the offer of Luke¡¯s at that time, Luke intended to brainwash him. But Philip asked just one thing. He was frivolous and stupid, yet he still was a knight at heart. There was no way he would refuse the proposal of getting thought of the Gold Sword legend of the Warrior of Rakan that kept on flowing from 500 years ago. After the compromise, Philip pretended to follow Luke whenever he went out of the manor. And in the report, he said, ¡®I watched the young Lord practice swordsmanship and gave me orders¡¯. Each time the report came back, as usual, Rogers got slightly suspicious. And the fencing skills of Luke didn¡¯t seem to have improved much from the time he had practiced with him either. ¡°Well, I¡¯m honestly very curious¡­ after the young Lord has deviated, I just felt glad if you wouldn¡¯t do bad, but now I believe that you would never do any evil thing.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Yeah, even if you discover the Devil King¡¯s art and are learning it secretly, I believe that the young Lord is strong-willed to achieve a lot.¡± At those words of Philip, Luke smiled. He felt a little bad, but decided and took it as a joke. ¡°Then, what if I make you a Death Knight?¡± ¡°Then, I beg you to make me much stronger than the normal ones. If I am being made to do that, then shouldn¡¯t that much be done for my case?¡± ¡°Wah, hearing that makes me¡­¡± Luke struck Philip on his shoulder and pulled the sword from his waist. The Gold Sword, the thing he promised Philip. ¡°Kay, let¡¯s see how much you have changed?¡± ¡°That was what I have been doing here. If you¡¯re feeling so proud, then you won¡¯t be able to notice your nose getting hurt.¡± Two allies were ready to fight with each other like enemies for the purpose of practice. Luke had learned how to make an aura immediately after creating a Magi aura when doing practice with Rogers. And the Gold Sword quickly shone. Mana, the core and the most difficult part of the Gold Sword were too easy for him. There was no one in the world who you follow his pace, a 9 circle Archwizard. Kang! Kkang!? Every time the sounds rose, the aura spread out. Even when their skin got cut and their clothes were getting torn, they went into the practice and showed no signs of slowing down. After the practice had lasted for 20 minutes, it was Philip who had brought the sword to Luke¡¯s neck. ¡°You¡¯re still stronger.¡± ¡°I know nothing other than to use the sword.¡± The fencing skills of Luke were growing fast, and he had learned it in a very short time. Philip, from the time when he was 5 years old, was learning swordsmanship for over 20 years, and he displayed the talent to go past an intermediate expert. Then he won the sword match? That was ridiculous. Philip hadn¡¯t considered himself a winner. He knew that Luke hadn¡¯t run out of power. He knew that the young Lord had been learning magic from Mute, and accordingly he might have 1 or 2 magic circles. That much was enough to use in battle. Philip knew that if Luke would have used the magic like the simple Flash, then he would have surely touched Philip¡¯s neck. Luke told Philip for an hour, all that Rogers had thought him. ¡°Then, should we head back?¡± ¡°Yeah. It isn¡¯t nice to overwork.¡± The two of them returned to the manor on the horse that they had with them. But the atmosphere of the manor wasn¡¯t that normal. The maids all seemed to be very nervous, and the knights with their full armors were very busy. With that sight, Luke anticipated something had happened but decided to ask something for confirmation, ¡°What happened?¡± At his question, the high priest Maron, who was passing by, stopped and responded, ¡°You have come back.¡± ¡°I did come¡­¡± ¡°A messenger had come from the Imperial Court a while ago, and the parchment he handed over stated that the permission had been given by the emperor and the council for the war.¡± At last, the request of Count Monarch had been accepted. Luke, was already prepared for it and he calmly responded to Maron, ¡°The retainers?¡± ¡°Everyone is in the office room waiting for the young Lord¡¯s arrival. Please go there.¡± Luke hurried to the meeting room. His heart was pounding, but he was fearless. His clenched fist was hot, but his head was as cold as ever. ¡®Wait a while Monarch. I¡¯ll make sure that dread will knock upon your door!¡¯ Chapter 65 Chapter 65: The Outbreak of War 2 ¡°Kaahhaha! At last, the approval has been achieved.¡± Count Monarch, who saw the parchment sent by the messenger of the Imperial Council, burst into laughter. The parchment paper clearly, marked the seal of the emperor, who had accepted to the war. ¡°Are we going out finally?¡± A sturdy knight in full armor spoke. He was the right hand of Count Monarch, Superior Expert knight, Cain. He was also the knight General of the Monarch. ¡°Yes. Finally, I can repay the shame that was brought upon me the last time!¡± If the Count could act now, he wanted to sneak into the Rakan Viscount and kill the unpleasant people and get back his princess. But he had endured his desire, as Goth kept on insisting that he shouldn¡¯t move until he had obtained a official approval from the Emperor and the Council. ¡®Yaah! How dare he try to deceive me and then run away after killing my soldiers? After this battle, I will reclaim the princess!¡¯ Count Monarch¡¯s affection for Reina had currently gone to obsession. And that was why he was so angry. Shaking his head, Goth spoke, ¡°But Your majesty, how can the ones from the Rakan Viscount even take down our Scorpion Cavalry?¡± Everyone had been under the impression that the Rakan Viscount killed the Scorpion Cavalry as they chased after the refugees. However, the problem was that the Rakan never had the power to exterminate the entire cavalry without letting one of them live. ¡°Are you still thinking about that? Is there another way? Probably he would have used a Gigant.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know if the 3 Gigants in the Rakan Viscount can even move.¡± The Gigants were so important that territories kept their eyes toward each other. Even then, the spies in the Rakan territory were watching for the Gigants, it was almost impossible for one to sneak inside. ¡°And there is another, the entire Rakan territory is under construction. I don¡¯t think that they aren¡¯t aware of the fact that we had applied for the war, but even then, they are working on such a short time to know that they¡¯ll have to prepare for the war.¡± In the eyes of the calm and cool Goth, the actions of Rakan made no sense. Either they believed that they were going to win the war or they had already given up. There was no way they were thinking of the latter, which meant there was something in the corner that they weren¡¯t aware of. ¡°This is just a guess, the nobles might have helped the Rakan. If that isn¡¯t the case, then the annihilation of the shadow knights and the Scorpion Cavalry can¡¯t be explained.¡± The Shadow Knights were sent to assassinate Luke, and that has been known. Their remains were found under the broken Gigants of a cliff. At first glance, it seemed like a crash from the ground that collapsed. But it was very strange as there was no reason for one to deliberately take a Gigant on to the cliff. In addition, the spy had stated that the Rakan Viscount had the trailer that the Shadow Knights had used. This meant that the Shadow Knights had indeed collided with the Rakan. ¡°Without any answers to the questions, premature attacks will turn dangerous. So¡­¡± The words of Goth made Cain annoyed. ¡°So what? Are you saying that we should accept defeat?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t what I am trying to say. However, I feel like we need to find out more than just to attack.¡± For Goth, Cain was a difficult man to deal with. His power was superior, and even his simple ignorance, it was hard to get a theory into the head. ¡°Whatever they do, we just need to crush and overpower them, that is it. Are you thinking that we would lose?¡± ¡°Ah, no.¡± They had the power that could never be lost. The number of Gigants alone made a huge difference; 20 and the knights that no one had. The number of knights, including the Expert, exceeded over 200, and the soldiers were over 10,000. With that much power, they wouldn¡¯t be pushed even if they went against Marquis Mayers. ¡°Tch, use that head for good things and be done with it!¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t that I have a lot of concerns, but I just want to be careful.¡± ¡°Then you want to miss out on the chance that is right before your eyes? Ah, this desk bastard¡­¡± The ridicule of Cain hurt Goth, however, he had no choice but to shut up. ¡°Dismissal! His majesty, please give me your orders. I¡¯m going to go to the Rakan and take their necks down.¡± With a confident expression, Count Monarch nodded his head. ¡°I permit you.¡± ¡°Hahaha! Thank you so much!¡± Cain who had been very restless jumped out of his seat and left the office. The army was assembled outside the city of Lamer. Upon receiving the report that the war had been permitted, Luke immediately entered the office room which had all the retainers in there. ¡°Monarch is expected to have mobilized around 42 Gigants, 80 Knights, and 5,000 soldiers.¡± There was no way the Count would mobilize the entire power before the security of his territory. It was because a minimum number of troops were needed to be around the noble lords for security. Count Monarch had five more cities in addition to Lamer, and more than seven fortresses that guarded the borders of the estates with nobles. ¡°They are still high.¡± Despite the defense force, it was still going to be hard for the Rakan to fight. Luke¡¯s words countered Rogers. ¡°But we are better at morale and training.¡± ¡°Uhm, it is.¡± In the duration, when they knew they would have to go for a war, Luke appreciated how hard the knights were preparing. Clearly. In terms of the objective power, Rakan¡¯s force was low. ¡°What is our operation? You aren¡¯t just thinking of being stuck here in the manor, right?¡± ¡°Of course not. Rather, we are going to surprise the enemy from the canyon beyond the boundaries.¡± The Yottern Canyon, which Rogers pointed to, was a straight path from Count Monarch to Rakan. Two carriages could barely pass, with hills on the left and right sides, which was why it was perfect for ambush. ¡°What if they don¡¯t use that?¡± There wasn¡¯t a route that the Count could use to come to Rakan. If that was ambushed, and they come from the other route, then Rakan wouldn¡¯t be able to properly organize their forces. ¡°Of course that could be, but this time their commander is Cain. From our reports, he is a rough and impatient figure who is very shallow in his thoughts. So maybe they will plan to get here in the shortest time possible.¡± The Yottern Canyon, was in Monarch region. And even if taken by surprise, they would have to take them down with 3 Gigants. ¡°However, not 3 but 10 Gigants we have.¡± They originally had 3 units and 5 including the ones in the warehouse, 1 from Brandon, and 1 from the princess. Even if the direct battle was difficult, if the surprise was done properly, then victory could be theirs. ¡°Not bad.¡± Luke nodded his head. However, Luke could see a lot of loopholes due to the wars he had done in the past. ¡®If they see the ambush?¡¯ If some of them were discreet and discovered the ambush, it would turn very troublesome for Rakan. And if it wasn¡¯t just large numbers of Gigants, but high-quality performance too? Many riders had hands-on experience in the Gigant Arena for the Gigant fights. In addition, the knight commander was the best of the best. ¡®Whatever the situation, I might have to go?¡¯ If he had to be in the war, his power shouldn¡¯t be revealed. Unlike the Volga refugees he saved the last time, there were many different eyes which would witness him. Not just the soldiers of the two territories, but the spies sent from the other estates would watch the war too. So, he had to fly away after doing anything. No, it would be hard to be suspected as a dark wizard. Anyhow, for him to participate in the camp had to be left entirely to the retainers, so he thought he shouldn¡¯t be involved. ¡®I got a load of work done which was completely invisible to these eyes, kkk!¡¯ With a meaningful smile, he soon ordered the troops to participate. Chapter 66 Chapter 66: The Outbreak of War 3 From Lamer to Rakan, there were three possible routes. The first was to move by using a boat from the Nair River. However, the problem was that they were going through a drought famine, so heavy ships couldn¡¯t be moved in that path. Also, if there was a situation like an overturned accident in the water, they might drown, and their expensive weapons couldn¡¯t be put to use later on. The second way was to use the highway along the river. That wasn¡¯t the path that Cain had chosen. The highway was under good maintenance, so there was no problem should they chose to march there. However, the disadvantage was that they had to go around; it was the long way. Wanting to demonstrate his strength and agility in capturing the Lord of Rakan, he chose the third way, which moved straight and fast. Goth did fear that the enemy might be waiting for an ambush in advance. However, Cain decided to ignore it. He was confident that tricks like ambushing wouldn¡¯t work against him. Their march had been going very smoothly. There were very few monsters in the region, so all they had to do was walk. ¡°Let¡¯s rest in here for today.¡± When the sun came down, Cain ordered the camp. Right away, the soldiers made camps and scattered all over the place. Some of them were gathering firewood, fetching drinking water and making dinner. ¡°Hmm, meat stew? It smells good.¡± After a while, his subordinate bought a stew full of meat, potato, vegetable with bread and honey. Since they wanted to finish marching as soon as possible, their pace was fast and that made Cain hungry, so he immediately dug into the stew and bread. ¡®It has been so long since I ate in a field.¡¯ It was a short time. This was his first time after 5 years of being in the border with the Volga Republic. It was indeed a while, but it wasn¡¯t that bad. ¡®Would we be able to reach the Rakan lordship region by the end of the week?¡¯ If he was riding a horse, he would have arrived there faster. But he had to haul 5,000 troops, trailers with Gigants and the carts filled with supplies. ¡®I think this can also be training for the war that we might have with Marquis Mayers.¡¯ Someday, there was bound to be a war between the Emperors and the Nobles. At that time, Count Monarch was likely to face Marquis Mayers. It was because the two estates were close in distance, and their powers were equal. After deciding that the current war was going to be like a military training for the future, Cain swept the stew clean with his last piece of bread. After a while¡­ Grrrr! ¡®Uh?¡¯ Grrrr?! Suddenly, Cain¡¯s face went confused at the urgent and loud sound of his stomach. ¡°Soldier!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Soldier give me a piece of cloth!¡± Cain ripped off the cloth, which was near him, and ran into the forest. However, there was a problem. There were many soldiers who had gone into the forest first to assign their places for the night. Everybody had a place they wanted to be at. Sitting behind a large tree and finishing his business, Cain later pulled up his pants. ¡°Phew, I will live now.¡± Cooling down his stomach, he went back to the camp to get some rest to calm his anxious stomach. Grrrr! ¡°Oops!¡± With the strange feeling in his stomach coming back, Cain went back to his spot in the forest to finish his business. Cain had to do it three times. He called for his lieutenant when he reached the camp. However, the lieutenant took some time too. He too had struggles and was trying to resolve his anxiety. ¡°What has happened? What were the ingredients that were used for our dinner? Did anything went wrong?¡± It was summer, so the ingredients might have gone bad. Or the water that they fetched for drinking could have been contaminated. ¡°It was strange even as we checked. However, the wizards have stated that the ingredient that we used for the stew had an ingredient that causes diarrhea.¡± The wizards were the Iron mages who supported the trailer and the Gigant. They had basic medical knowledge, so they were able to find the cause. ¡°Is there a mole from the Rakan within the caterers?¡± At that thought, Cain looked at the lieutenant, who just shook his head. ¡°I interrogated a while back while we were looking for the cause but that isn¡¯t the cause. Nevertheless, no suspicious guys came or went out of the cooking place.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of person did this, but if I catch that guy, I will smash his head. Deploy credible men to watch over the cooks.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± But despite such actions, the next morning, Cain and the soldiers suffered from severe diarrhea. ¡°Pa, paper please¡­!¡± ¡°None, I used up mine!¡± ¡°Sh*t! Even if that paper was cheap, you should have left some!¡± The cries of embarrassment and the anger of the 5,000 soldiers were huge. The remaining strong ones in there all went down. After two successive attacks of diarrhea, they picked some credible knights and cooked for themselves. The wizards took their sides and monitored the entire process from the inspection of the ingredients to the cooking. However, the result was the same. The wizards clearly stated that nothing was wrong even with the silver cutlery they used for eating. However, everyone was down to the trees and bushes. They continued to feast on the frustrating truth. Their butts were sore, and they were afraid to even sit down, and that wasn¡¯t the end of their problems. For a war, one had to eat and rest well. ¡°Kaaak! Who the hell is doing all this stuff? Ah!¡± If they found out who the perpetrator was, everyone wanted to tear him to pieces. But no matter how many times and how thoroughly they checked, they couldn¡¯t find the culprit, and that made their misery continue. ¡®Kyayaya, stupid humans! No matter how many times you hit your heads, you won¡¯t be able to detect my art!¡¯ From a tree, someone was overlooking the miserable army of the Count Monarch. It was a cat that was hanging from a branch. The cat was looking down at the worried group of humans. He was the lower-ranked demon Sebastian, who just became Luke¡¯s slave. Sebastian, who boasted himself as the best monster in the Devildom, had extraordinary transformation power and stealth. And he had one more specialty; it was the mixing of herbs and poisons to make bizarre drugs. He mainly used it for hunting dangerous monsters in the Devildom, and since he was so clever, he made the poison so that it would be hard to notice its smell and taste. Sebastian went on harassing the Monarch¡¯s army under the directions of Luke. Rather than fighting them, Luke decided to de-energize the army instead. At the same time, they sneak up and spray the drugs. The drug was made using several mixtures of toxic poisons that were available only in the Devildom, and the drug would only activate once it reached a living being¡¯s stomach and would react with one¡¯s digestive enzymes. Moreover, there was a miscalculation in Cain and Count Monarch¡¯s part. They thought that the drug had gone into the food preparation process, but it was actually sprayed after the food had been prepared. It was sprayed through the wind, like the pollen in the time of breeding. In other words, it was sprayed at their mealtime, and the food that they were eating was what made their gates to open up! As a result, the army had suffered three more days of stormy diarrhea, and now they were all walking while limping wide-legged. ¡®However, I don¡¯t understand why the master still doesn¡¯t want to kill them.¡¯ Among the drugs that Sebastian had, there was a poison that could kill even an Ogre right away. However, his master had told him not to use that poison. If the damage to the army was serious, they might decide to retreat and the come back to fight another time. ¡®Kyaaa, whatever! It is always fun to see human beings suffer!¡¯ The demons were spiritual races like the elves. Therefore, they reacted to emotional waves, unlike other creatures. However, unlike the elves, the demons¡¯ way of feeling pleasure was twisted. That was the same for Sebastian too. He continued to roam around the army of the Count Monarch and sprayed his drug and enjoyed the outcome of it. Chapter 67 Chapter 67: The Outbreak of War 4 Thud. Thud. The soldiers were walking down the set route. It had been three days since they had eaten, and they fainted because of dehydration and exhaustion. Whenever the soldiers fell, the cart would come and load them into the luggage compartment. The cart was already packed with exhausted patients. ¡°Kuk! What the hell is this situation?!¡± After seeing the soldiers, Cain burst out in anger. Count Monarch hadn¡¯t even tried to help, and one-third of the soldiers were already exhausted and had fallen down. The wizards, who were protecting the strong knights with mana were a little better, but they weren¡¯t in their normal state either. There were dark circles under their eyes. ¡°General, why don¡¯t we report back to the majesty and slow the army down a bit?¡± At the end of the lieutenant¡¯s words, Cain shook his head firmly. ¡°We can never do that. I¡¯d rather die from a fight. How can I say that I got exhausted because of diarrhea and go back?¡± His pride was strong, and that was the reason why a knight could never step back. ¡°However, if things keep going as it is, the soldiers would fall down. Even though we have the wizards and the knights, we won¡¯t last long.¡± If their suffering continued a few more days, then most of the wizards and knights would fall too. If their core source of power fell down, they wouldn¡¯t be able to operate their Gigants. They would be defeated even before the battle begins. ¡°¡­ First, let¡¯s go to the border of Rakan and then decide.¡± In the end, they followed Cain¡¯s decision. The next morning, Count Monarch¡¯s army had finally arrived near the Yottern Canyon. After marching a kilometer away from the canyon, they would be able to reach the border of Rakan. ¡°Everyone, cheer up a bit. Once we go through the canyon, we will give you some rest.¡± At the shout of Cain, the soldiers began to use their full power. ¡°Sir, why don¡¯t we send the searchers?¡± The lieutenant approached and asked. If an army was about to enter a suspicious terrain, it was always advisable to send in soldiers to scout the surroundings, so they could strategize what to do next. There could be traps, ambush, dead ends and so on. ¡°There is no way that the path is cut off, and do they have the guts to come into our region and ambush us?¡± ¡°Even then, we will never know¡­¡± ¡°Well, do you want to go?¡± At the sharp words of Cain, the lieutenant went silent. In fact, he too was tired and exhausted. However, as an expert, he had to rely on his skills and strength. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to do it, then just be quiet.¡± When the lieutenant failed to speak, Cain looked around and made a decision. In fact, the other knights, who had heard their conversation, just didn¡¯t want to scout. ¡®We can¡¯t send a scouting party anyway since the soldiers aren¡¯t well. Besides, we are in a canyon and not some place we aren¡¯t aware of¡­¡¯ So the lieutenant also decided to not scout the place. There was no sign until they had entered the canyon and more than half of the troops had entered. As a result, they felt at ease. ¡®Is the Rakan too scared to face us at our region?¡¯ There were people who were watching over the army of the Monarch. They were on the hill that was in the Rakan territory. Among the soldiers who were hidden with various camouflage, Rogers, Philip and Victor were there. Philip looked at the Count Monarch¡¯s army with a ridiculous expression. ¡°Didn¡¯t they eat any breakfast? Why do they all look so weak?¡± Many of the marching soldiers had a pale complexion and were exhausted. In addition, the riders on the horses were tired and were dozing off, and the wizards were seated in the trailers. ¡°When they entered the canyon, they skipped the search, something seems to be wrong.¡± Rogers, who was next to Philip, mumbled while closing the telescope. One of the basic strategies of war was to scout the surroundings before passing through a canyon. And even if they used an alternative way to scout using their Gigants, that would at least allow them to be alerted if there were enemies nearby. Moreover, even if they could sense any good mana or energy from the canyon, it was usually a necessity to scout the area. However, everyone in the Monarch¡¯s army looked helpless that it seemed like they had lost their common sense as well. ¡°I can¡¯t understand. Cain couldn¡¯t have been this poor in decision making.¡± Victor, who had joined the Rakan army to help them, shook his head in doubt. While being with princess Reina in Lamer, he heard a lot about Cain. As the Knight General of Count Monarch, he was the highest among all the Experts. In addition, he had 30 consecutive victories in the shortest period in the Gigant Arena of Lamer. But no one thought that he would be so bad at ploys and tactics. ¡°Tch, I had a hard time getting camouflaged thinking that they would scout.¡± ¡°It is better to be prepared than to get caught. Don¡¯t feel down.¡± Victor patted Philip¡¯s shoulder and boarded Mir, his Gigant. Rogers, who got into his Gigant, communicated with him using a crystal ball. -Mission: Aim at the enemy¡¯s Gigants. Stop them from boarding it! Chapter 68 The army of Count Monarch had completely entered the canyon. There were no signs until then, the knights and the soldiers were completely vigilant. They looked forward to seeing the exit of the canyon, hoping to depart the canyon as quickly as possible. So they didn¡¯t know that the Rakan Viscount had hills under their territory. Swooong? Kwang! Shoong? Kwang! Kwang! Bang! Suddenly, rocks and blocks of wood flew in like the shells from the hills. The ten Gigants for ambush was throwing rocks, and their goal was to hit the trailers holding the Gigants. ¡°kwak!¡± ¡°What, what was it?¡± ¡°The enemy is on the hill! The enemy has appeared!¡± That was when the Monarch soldiers discovered the existence of Rakan. Whether they were yelling or not, the ten Rakan Gigants continued to throw rocks at the trailers. ¡°This! Protect the trailer!¡± ¡°Riders get on the Gigants quickly!¡± Cain realized their purpose and ordered the knights. He himself ran over to his own Gigant. ¡®Hell, has been hit!¡¯ What was the easiest way to defeat one¡¯s opponent? Skill-winning battles with sharp huge swords and powerful Gigant? Or was it aiming at the core of their strength? Nope. It was to prevent the riders from boarding their Gigants. A Gigant without their rider was just an expensive can. Thus, since the Gigants were the rulers of the battlefield when such acts were done, they would turn weak. In particular, those who had no Gigants or power obstacle use such tactics. Of course, there have been counters for such tactics. Alternating between numerous Gigant to reach one of theirs, the riders entered the cockpit of the Gigant which were in the trailer. But the Monarch army was very proud of their Gigants and never used them for outside combat. Nevertheless, everyone was quick to their tasks. Some of the riders who were in the trailer successfully opened the hatch and boarded into the cockpit. ¡°Damn those cowards!¡± ¡°I am going to make them bleed like hell!¡± The riders of the Monarch had no thought that Rakan would do such nasty tricks. So, they pulled mana from the crystal ball. But, nothing was moving even after the huge sounds. ¡°What, what is this?! Why isn¡¯t this moving?¡± ¡°Is it broken?!¡± Flustered riders came out of their Gigants. And when they tried to speak to the wizards, stones came flying towards the trailer. ¡°Dammit, damaged!¡± The rider wrapped his hands around the wizard¡¯s waist and jumped off the trailer. Kwang! Kwang! The moment they jumped out, the rocks flew in over the Gigants hatch. When the first strike came in, the hatch crushed inside the Gigant. ¡®Ruined!¡¯ If the hatch was broken or crushed, it wouldn¡¯t open well. So they had to tear it open completely. The rider stomped the feet in anger. ¡®What? Why aren¡¯t any of the Gigants moving?¡¯ Because of the continuous tossing of the rocks, Rogers knew the answer to the question. His operation of aiming for the Gigant was successful. But he never assumed that all the Gigants would stop working. Some of the riders were already in the Gigants, and some riders quickly escaped from the rocks and log attacks. There was still time, however, none of the body moved from the trailer. ¡°General! What are those guys doing?¡± Philip was on Sting II, and asked as he had the same thought, ¡°I don¡¯t know either. Anyway, it seems like we have overpowered the Gigants.¡± ¡°Tch, I was hoping for some epic war between big swords¡­¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a Gigant arena, even if you didn¡¯t have any fun, winning the war is the most important factor.¡± Rogers, who spoke back to Philip, drew out his weapon and shouted, ¡°Charge!¡± Kukukung! ¡°Waahh!¡± From the canyon, the 10 Gigants in the Rakan territory began to push forward. Their numbers weren¡¯t that large, but the army which had been shocked with the turmoil wasn¡¯t able to respond at all. Cain got into the knight class Gigant and almost threw up blood. No matter how much mana he tried to induce into the crystal ball, the Gigant did not start. ¡®It was fine when I checked it in the morning, why now?¡¯ However, it was a problem with just one Gigant, it was with all the 42 Gigants in their army. Unbearable at the non-functioning of them, Cain yelled out to the Iron Mages who were outside. ¡°Wizard Robinson! What the hell is this?¡± ¡°That, I too am looking into¡­!¡± The 5th circle wizard, Robinson, the chief Iron mage was also confused. To know the reason, he would have to open the Gigant and then look inside, but that couldn¡¯t be done in a battle. ¡°Make it move right now¡­!¡± Cain was trying to make it move. Suddenly, a huge sound began to come from the canyon, and the Gigants of the Rakan began to descend. ¡°Dammit, knights go forward! Block them until the Gigants get fixed!¡± To fight a Gigant, the knight has to be an Expert. Because they can¡¯t go against the Gigant¡¯s sword, he has to use the sword. Among the knights which were brought in for the war, less than 20 of them were Experts. In addition, there was no way one could be sure of them stopping the Gigants because they had been from the energy drain for the past three days. However, now wasn¡¯t the time for them to cover. Cain who jumped out of the hatch of his Gigant pulled out his sword and ended up giving Robinson an ultimatum. ¡°I am giving you 10 minutes. If you don¡¯t fix it in 10 minutes, I¡¯ll use this sword to blow up all the wizards in here!¡± Cain, with his sword, rode on a horse and ran forward with his men towards the Gigants. ¡°Kyaa, my lovely treasure¡­¡± While Cain was moving, Sebastian who was far from them, laughed seeing the scene. His surroundings were full of huge stones. Sebastian, liked the magic stones much more than any jewels, as he was a spiritual demon. Especially on the Earth, there were a lot of huge magic stones, which were very rare to see in the Devildom. That too, in a steel giant which looked completely useless. So, Sebastian went undercover an hour back and pulled out the magic stones which were supposed to be in the core engine of the Gigants. As the ability of the demons wasn¡¯t recognizable by the humans, specifically in the case of Sebastian who was a notorious thief, his stealth was unrecognizable. If the wizards of the Count were properly paying attention, they would have noticed that the core magic stone had been missing. However, in the past few days, they had been so concerned with their own health, that they didn¡¯t care about the mana flow in the Gigants. Whatever be the case, Sebastian made the Gigants of the Count impossible to move. If Cain knew about it, he would have probably vomited blood, however, Sebastian didn¡¯t know of it. No, the more unhappy the other side felt, the more happy Sebastian was feeling. ¡°How many should I give to the master? Then he would give back my body, right?¡± There was no definite way that the treatment might change in the future. Judging for himself, Sebastian left the place with a sack filled with magic stones. While the greedy wicked demon stepped out, 80 knights led by Cain clashed with the 10 Gigants of Rakan. At first, knights seemed to dominate. However, their opponent was the Gigant, the ruler of the battlefield. In addition, there were knights and other beginner knights of the Rakan who were assisting their own Gigants. In the end, the Monarch knights didn¡¯t even manage to last 10 minutes. Most of them were stepped on or trapped under the foot of the Gigants, and the Expert Knights who had huge swords were also taken down. There were just a few knights left, including Cain. The other wizards surrendered the moment Rakan knights had gotten close to them, and the soldiers abandoned their weapons and surrendered. The wizards weren¡¯t loyal to the Count as they had been hired for money, and the normal soldiers didn¡¯t care who won the battle. The biggest reason they had surrendered was because of the lack of energy. In any case, the Rakan territory had won with an unexpectedly easy victory. And obtained a huge group of prisoners. Excited about the victory, they never imagined that anything unexpected would have happened in the Manor. Chapter 69 Chapter 69: I Am the Young Lord 1 Kung Kung kung! There were four Gigants crossing the wasteland of North into the Rakan. ¡°I think we have entered the land of Rakan by now?¡± ¡°Maybe the Rakan would fight with the Gigants.¡± ¡°Tch, if Rakan has been defeated in there, it is just less work for us.¡± ¡°That is true.¡± Those Gigants, driven by the riders, with no trailers, belonged to the Count Monarch for infiltrating Rakan land. These groups were sent by the Goth, without letting Cain know. Originally, only a small number of knights had been dispatched to look into the enemy estate and search for the Shadow Knights. However, when the war broke out, they decided to infiltrate the enemy from the back or to intentionally take over the Rakan manor in advance. It was because they didn¡¯t want the other nobles to intervene in the war because the opponent was weak. Goth got permission from Count Monarch, organized the Gigant riders and divided them into separate groups and infiltrated the north of the Rakan. And when the war broke out, he ordered them to head into the Rakan territory. Thud! ¡°It is nice that Mileon could get back this time.¡± ¡°Huhu, I don¡¯t know how many nights I could get sleep because of that.¡± The leader of the four groups of Gigant was the rider of Achilles, Mileon. He lost the credit the Monarch had on him because of the defeat he faced last time in the Gigant Arena in the hands of the Black Knight. So when Goth was picking up the riders, he volunteered by putting the other works aside. ¡®It was the Rakan who had taken the black knight?¡¯ The main reason why he volunteered for the operation was that he learned of the news that the Black Knight, who defeated him, belonged to the Rakan territory. According to Goth, the young Lord is likely to stay in the manor. Since he didn¡¯t have much fencing skills if he went into the battle and died, everything would be over. If the young Lord remained in the manor, the knight, and the Black Knight was likely to be there. ¡®Kukk, I¡¯m going to trample him and kill him.¡¯ The Gigants of the Rakan would have been placed to prevent an attack from the front. This meant that the black knight, the lord¡¯s designated knight would be Gigant-less. In such a state, he could never beat Achilles. ¡°The permanent manor is almost ahead. Speed up!¡± Mileon, imagining the brutal revenge scene looked back at the following Gigants. At the orders, the 4 Gigants began to run at high speed. Luke stared at the board in the office room of the manor. On a large map of the situation board, the figurines of knights, Gigant knights, and the infantry were placed by giving one a glimpse of the current deployment of the forces. Iron Mage Todd, approached Luke, who was watching the Yottern Canyon. His friends Humphry and Gordon had followed Mute to support the Gigant forced, but Todd decided to remain here and conduct the communication magic. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I just got the news that the ambush happened and the battle has started.¡± At those words, Luke nodded and asked Todd who¡¯s face showed nervousness. ¡°Do you think we will win?¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± Todd wanted to say that they would lose, but he didn¡¯t want to say things that would make him hated. Luke smiled and spoke, ¡°From what I see, we will win.¡± ¡°Although the Monarch army had been taken by surprise, aren¡¯t they high on power?¡± Todd knew too. The fact that Count Monarch and Rakan¡¯s power difference was like an adult and a child. ¡°Huhu, that is true. But since I never lose when I use my hands.¡± At the words from Luke, Todd couldn¡¯t understand anything. ¡®Isn¡¯t the young Lord a little weird? Or did he have some kind of medicine overdose?¡¯ Soon the lordship could be ruined too. Whether he was weird or not, Luke looked out the window and opened his mouth. ¡°We might not suffer too much¡­¡± If Sebastian did good work, then they might win. What Luke worried about the most was the power and force of Rakan not to deplete. Even if they were going to win the war with knights, riders or wizards, there was always a damage that was taken by the winning side too. They couldn¡¯t recruit people with their money, and not many were willing to come to the remote Rakan for the war. ¡®If this war is won, then it would change everything.¡¯ Luke was looking outside the window waiting to hear about the outcome of the battle. Ding!? Suddenly the bell from the watchtower of Lord¡¯s began to ring. ¡®What is up?¡¯ Butler Hans ran into them as the doors were widely opened to see what Luke was doing. ¡°Something huge has happened! Four Gigants have appeared in the North.¡± ¡°What?¡± Luke was surprised. He did anticipate the case where the enemy would bypass, and prepared for it. Deploy canons or gunpowder. However, four Gigants had come in from the North. ¡°Did you check it?¡± ¡°The first one had a boar symbol drawn on the chest.¡± ¡°Dammit, that Monarch! What hell are they planning to do in the estate¡­?!¡± Luke shouted, however, he didn¡¯t have the time to get angry. The enemies Gigants were going to reach the lordship. The only power Luke could currently use while being in the Manor was to deploy a few soldiers. Rogers led most of the power to fight the battle of life and death on one side. Anyway, as the situation reached such point, Hans and the other old knights of Volga gathered around. ¡°Young Lord, what do you think? Do we need to evacuate him first?¡± There was a wall, but the power to fight the Gigant wasn¡¯t there. In order to reduce the damage to the people, it would be right to evacuate as Hans has said. ¡°After the evacuation, bring a few in. Strong and fast man.¡± ¡°Yea!¡± At the instructions of Luke, Hans ran out. After a while the watchtower began to ring a different sound, maybe it was the sound for the evacuation. Luke looked at Todd. ¡°If you flee, you die.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t run away.¡± Even when bound by the mana oath, everyone thought about running away when they face a crisis. ¡°I need to believe them.¡± When they came out, they saw the villages running to the wall with a pickaxe, kitchen knives, and stuff. ¡°What happened? Why haven¡¯t they been evacuated?¡± At the question from Luke, the soldiers next to him spoke, ¡°Huhu, we can barely eat and live, where else do we have to go?¡± ¡°So you want to die fighting with the Gigant?¡± ¡°A person dies once, not twice. Although the Rakan family had no power, you have cared for the poor like your family. When people starved, you starved with us, we work together and we live together.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It would be a sin to ignore the crisis upon the Rakan family which took care of us.¡± It wasn¡¯t sure if the old man spoke on part of the entire village, but Luke was impressed with them. ¡®The Rakan family had been great.¡¯ That was why the people were coming out bravely to defend their homes and protect them. ¡®Is it really the Rakan family? That Rakan guy really thought his generations all that?¡¯ Luke had thought that Rakan was just a dumb guy who ruined his revenge, but there was some similarity with him. They both were hostile because of the different lives they had. ¡®Oh my, Rakan. I will protect your people and your family. Using all my strength and knowledge!¡¯ Definitely to defeat the Count¡¯s Gigants! When Luke set his mind, Hans brought in a black horse. ¡°Here you go, young Lord. But, what do you plan on doing¡­?¡± Luke took over the horse and laughed. ¡°We need to draw the Count¡¯s Gigants away. As far from the manor as possible.¡± ¡°Uh? What, what do you mean!¡± Shocked Hans tried to stop, but Luke ran away with the horse before Hans could do anything. As Luke approached the gates, the people who recognized him shouted, ¡°Wahh, young Lord!¡± ¡°Young Lord has come to protect us all!¡± Luke spoke to them loudly, ¡°Open the gates??!¡± The gates were opened by the people not knowing what was happening. Kkkku! As the massive gates opened, Luke went out. He was able to see the dirt rising from the Gigants which were approaching. ¡°They have come till here. Now you will be the sacrifices for my people!¡± Luke spoke fiercely to the Gigants. Chapter 70 Chapter 70: I Am the Young Lord 2 ¡°There is the lord of Rakan Viscount.¡± Mileon stopped his Gigant on the hill when he saw the lord. A small manor at the center of the lordship, which was surrounded by a low wall. Perhaps that was the permanent residence where the young lord was staying. ¡°Just as I thought, there is no Gigant with them.¡± ¡°There are people on the wall, aren¡¯t they? Do they want to face us? I don¡¯t think that everyone out there is insane enough to come out and fight.¡± ¡°Kukk, that is true.¡± Mileon smiled and talked with a voice full of arrogance. ¡°Whatever, let¡¯s smash it and take the young Lord and then enter the Devil¡¯s hill that is south from here.¡± ¡°Why to the Devil¡¯s hill?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he the descendant of the warrior who killed the Devil?¡± ¡°Giggle, that is true.¡± ¡°Oh, oh, devil king Mileon! Lord of Darkness?!¡± Mileon was laughing with his men. The riders on the back looked at the lord of the viscount and spoke in a mysterious voice. ¡°Captain Mileon, a black horse is running this way. What do you think?¡± As the subordinate spoke while looking ahead, they did indeed see the horse which was running toward them. ¡°Could he have lost his mind? He is plain ignorant!¡± Their purpose was to capture the young Lord of Rakan from his manor. Once they grabbed the young Rakan lord, their battle would end right away. Destroying the manor and the lordship was a second story. The young man, who came with a horse, pulled his sword at the Gigant¡¯s gloves Kaang?! ¡°Ah! That bastard!¡± A Gigant¡¯s gloves were invulnerable to moderate attacks, so they pretended to not even see the sword. However, when the paint was peeled off with the sword, the cut seemed rather ugly. Mileon, who saw the cut, stared at the young man with eyes open wide. The young man, who stopped in front of them, shouted loudly. ¡°This is my warning to the invaders! Get out of my land right away!!¡± ¡°What? My land? Then¡­ Don¡¯t tell me you are¡­?¡± ¡°Yes! I am Luke de Rakan, the owner of Rakan Viscount!!¡± The young man, or Luke, made enough impact to scare the invaders. ¡°Catch him!¡± ¡°Catch him first and then check him!¡± Mileon and the other riders reached for their target. But Luke moved away from them. ¡°Grease!¡± At that moment, the ground became slippery like ice, and the four Gigants that ran at him fell down. ¡°Oh shit!¡± ¡°Get that brat first!¡± Thud thud! Du Du Du! The four Gigants got up and scattered to surround Luke. They tried to gradually narrow their distance between Luke and them to catch him. ¡°Huh, slow!¡± Luke escaped a Gigant¡¯s hands by cutting the ankle joint of the Gigant. Kaang! ¡°Idiot! If not this, then you¡¯ll surely fall prey to an agile Gigant¡­¡± The rider opened his mouth while looking at Luke. Suddenly, a Gigant¡¯s right ankle squeaked and black oil began to flow out from it like it was bleeding. ¡°Ah! The joint lubricants!¡± A Gigant¡¯s joints were covered with oil like a human¡¯s cartilages. It was because they too were moving parts, and a lot of wear and tear happened there. As the lube ran out, an awkward sound, stiffer and slower movements than before, would start. ¡°Ah, shit! He is an Expert!¡± The riders could see the purple aura that was attached to the sword that Luke was holding. After passing through the Gigants, Luke once again attacked the Gigant who had a broken joint. ¡°Dammit, think you¡¯ll be able to hit me again?!¡± The broken Gigant rider brought out his big Gigant sword. Luke moved his upper body to escape from the big sword, and this time, he cast magic on the knee joint of the Gigant¡¯s opposite leg. ¡°Fire Ball!¡± Kwang!? The Fire Ball that left Luke¡¯s hand penetrated through the Gigant¡¯s knee glove and caused a massive explosion. The Gigant¡¯s thick gloves and powerful frame could easily ignore the magic of a 2 circle Fire Ball. However, the previous explosion was powerful enough to be considered as a 5 circle Fire Explosion. As a result, all the magic stones, which were controlling the movement of the Gigant¡¯s knee joint, were destroyed. ¡°Ahh! Ah, no!¡± The Gigant, whose legs were broken, slumped and fell forward and never again could it even crawl. ¡°What, what? How can a 2 circle¡­¡± ¡°Be careful! That rune knight isn¡¯t a full pledge wizard! Just do your best to avoid his magic!¡± Unlike the riders who were perplexed with the situation, the people on the wall, who were seeing the situation unfold, screamed. ¡°Wah! Young Lord defeated a Gigant!¡± ¡®Oh, oh, young Lord!¡¯ Hans nervously watched as the fight unfold while clenching his fists. ¡®Dammit, how is a rune knight doing magic?¡¯ Circle magic¡ªthe higher the circle of the magic went the more outstanding the magic of the person casting it was going to be. However, it didn¡¯t matter much if one was a general wizard, but for a rune knight to have such magic was something that no one could understand. Rune knight was someone who was able to use both the sword and magic, but because they had to manage two things, one of their skills usually lagged behind. ¡®But this guy isn¡¯t just using magic. He had strong magic! How were such skills not informed to us?¡¯ That wasn¡¯t just that. Luke had turned out to be something scarier than what Mileon had thought. In other words, the boy knew everything about a Gigant. It was almost like he knew about how to dismantle a Gigant. He knew how it moved, and when to break it to stop it from moving. On top of that¡­ ¡®Even if Gigant reacts faster than golems, it will only move if the rider does. It can¡¯t react right away like the reflexes of the human body.¡¯ With such a gap, Luke could read and react to his opponent¡¯s movements and intentions. ¡®In the past, a higher demon was so much faster than this, and I was able to catch one. To think that I¡¯ll be hit by such dull people is just insane!¡¯ Luke was neither afraid or nervous because of his past experience. As the swords fell, he would use fly magic and drive between them without getting hit. ¡°Fire Arrow!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The Fire Arrow from Luke¡¯s hand hit the crystal in the Gigant¡¯s eye. The crystal was the part that illuminates the outside landscape on the cockpit of the screen. But the soot, which was released from the Fire Arrow spread to the crystal, leaving no image on the screen of the rider. ¡°Oh! I can¡¯t see anything!¡± ¡°Idiot! Do not open the hatch!¡± Despite Mileon¡¯s warning, the rider with a blind Gigant opened its hatch. He wanted to see Luke with his own eyes, and Luke was waiting for that very moment. ¡°Wind Cutter!¡± ¡°Kuh!¡± The rider, who was cut by the sharp wind blade, died. The dead rider¡¯s Gigant sat down on the ground like a puppet whose string had been cut. When he saw that scene, Mileon couldn¡¯t think of anything, and the other 2 Gigant riders went into a frenzy. ¡°What the hell?! Why hasn¡¯t anyone told us that Rakan¡¯s young Lord is this strong?!¡± Before they began, no one from the Count¡¯s men told them that they had to watch out for the Rakan¡¯s Lord. They said that he was learning a little bit of fencing, and his skills were told to be inconsistent, so they thought that it was like catching a small boy. And that information came from Goth. But just now, Luke went against 4 warrior class Gigants! ¡°Kyakk! Dammit! Just die, die quickly!!¡± Mileon, who lost his reasoning, pulled his sword and swung it randomly, forgetting that his mission was to capture Luke. Booong! ¡°Uh! Be careful, captain!¡± ¡°Danger, dangerous¡­ ah!¡± The more restlessly he attacked, the more he missed Luke. In addition, he accidentally knocked down his allies and crushed them, which only increased the confusion on the battlefield. ¡°You really like trying hard, do you?¡± The moment Luke scoffed at him, Mileon¡¯s heart went cold. ¡®Can¡¯t¡­ Can¡¯t! I can¡¯t contain such a monster!¡¯ There were those who could take down both a Gigant and the knight who were in it. That person had to be a 6 circle War Mage and an Expert knight with different skills. The damage a person like that could do to said Gigant depended on the circumstances. And such people were referred to as the ¡®Destroyer¡¯. Mileon was sure that Luke was a Destroyer, so he decided to sneak out and flee. ¡°Cap, captain!¡± ¡°Take us too!¡± Thud Thud! The subordinates, who were defeated, begged. However, Mileon just ran away pretending like he never heard them. Chapter 71 Chapter 71: I Am the Young Lord 3 ¡°What? Are you running away?¡± Luke looked at Mileon in a pathetic manner. He couldn¡¯t let him get away though. Even if he was scared out of his head, it would be more difficult for Luke if his true skills and abilities were revealed to the entire world. The residents, who were watching from the walls of the manor grounds, didn¡¯t know about magic, so they could be deceived with proper explanations, but the party that directly fought with Luke would be hard to deceive. He might have figured out much. If not, then he would do so in the future. ¡®I can¡¯t just let him get away!¡¯ Luke on his horse, chased Achilles. He deliberately pursued at a slow pace to get him as far away from the manor grounds as possible. Once the manor grounds disappeared from his sight, Luke narrowed the distance between Achilles and captured him with Black Bind. ¡°What, what is this? What are these black vines?!¡± As the vines began to pop out from the ground, they wrapped around Achilles. Mileon tried to cut them off. However, Achilles couldn¡¯t get out no matter how it tried. ¡°What happened? Why is it not moving!¡± ¡®Huh, did you really think that you could get away? That too from the dark magic which is powerful than the higher demons.¡¯ The Black Bind trapped its caster¡¯s targets and at the same time absorbed their power. Even in the case of a Gigant, it wouldn¡¯t be able to move because Black Bind had absorbed all the Gigant¡¯s mana, the main source of its power. In the process, however, Luke had encountered an unexpected crisis. ¡®Hu! My Mana is suddenly¡­!¡¯ All the power absorbed by the Black Bind would go to the caster, Luke. So the huge mana flow from the Gigant flowed straight to him. ¡®No, it is dangerous to suddenly absorb such large amounts of mana!¡¯ Luke realized that and tried to cancel Black Bind. However, the black circle, which had been moving, stopped! ¡°Oops! The curse has been triggered again¡­ ahk!¡± As a large amount of mana hit the black circle, the suspended curse circle began to move again. Luke fell off his horse because of the pain he was experiencing in his heart. However, the pain was like someone was holding his heart really tight. It was as if someone was tearing his heart open. ¡°Kaaa! Kaaaahk!¡± ¡®What? What is it with that guy?¡¯ After opening the hatch and exiting Achilles, Mileon looked puzzled after seeing Luke rolling on the floor. However, in a second, with a sneaky smile, he pulled out his sword and approached Luke. ¡®If I kill this guy right here, it will be a victory for the Count Monarch!¡¯ Mileon raised his sword high. However, Luke was trying to get his stationary black circle to move with a huge amount of mana. ¡°Die, you monstrous young Lord!¡± With sluggish words, Mileon¡¯s sword struck Luke¡¯s chest. But¡­ Kang! The sword bounced! ¡°What the hell just happened?¡± Mileon was flustered because of what happened to his sword. Kang! Kang! And every time his sword bounced off, the heart of Luke would hurt more. But right then, at some point, Luke¡¯s body swelled. Ddddd! Dududdd! His body began to expand and grow. He was outgrowing the clothes he was wearing. The man, who had followed Mileon, was a young man. However, he was now a ferocious muscular warrior. ¡®Is this guy a real monster?¡¯ Looking at Luke¡¯s transformation with shock, Mileon got up from the ground and clasped his sword. No matter how he moved his sword, there was no way he could stop Luke¡¯s aura. At that moment, Luke opened his eyes and grabbed Mileon¡¯s sword and his wrist. ¡°Kaaaak! My, my hand!¡± ¡®Dammit, this really needs a lot of practice.¡¯ At the moment of crisis, Luke had began to use the Build-up ability of the demon. As soon as the power engraved in Luke¡¯s brain was activated, the black circle would stop, and his body would begin to change. He began to change the mana that collided in his body with the Magi built in the black circle. The altered mana, or rather, the Magi, was absorbed into the black circle, creating a chain of four to five circles in a row. If Luke hadn¡¯t absorbed the Magi from the demons, his body would have managed to form only four circles. Luke, fortunately, overcame the unexpected crisis before him. ¡°Hhhheee! Please, please let me go!¡± Mileon, who was caught by Luke, squirmed. Luke showed him his trademark cold cynicism. ¡°Such shameless man you are. You are begging for your life from the same man that you just tried to kill.¡± ¡°Uh? Ahhh! Ahhh!¡± As soon as Luke¡¯s eyes flashed, Mileon¡¯s body began to stiffen. It was Petro, the demon ability that would turn any opponent stiff. Mileon turned into stone before he could do anything. Luke threw Mileon, who turned into a lump of stone, like he was garbage. Crash! The moment Mileon¡¯s body hit Achilles, his body broke into numerous pieces. Luke touched his hands and went back to his original form. ¡°It is all done. But what about this?¡± Luke looked at Achilles. Because of the Black Bind still around it, it didn¡¯t break. Luke would be able to use it once its core was replaced. ¡°To throw it away is a waste¡­ It¡¯ll be a bother to explain how I captured it though¡­¡± After thinking for a while, Luke came up with a simple explanation. ¡°Okay, let me use that.¡± Gigants were indeed a machine that was based on Golems. Properly handled Marionette magic could control it. ¡°Or maybe I can control it. I can ask Rogers or Philip to teach me.¡± Luke decided to place Achilles into the subspace for the time being and return to the manor. ¡°Look there! Young Lord is coming back!¡± ¡°Oh, young Lord!¡± Hans and the people who were around the other broken Gigants cheered upon seeing him. They were all worried as they had only seen their Lord go on the back of a horse, but he now came back. ¡°Cheers to the young Lord!¡± ¡°Long live the second Rakan!¡± ¡®What? I am the second Rakan?¡¯ When Luke heard the shouts and cheers of the people, he got confused. He used magic and aura to fight the Gigants, and just a while ago, he used the abilities of the demons. He didn¡¯t understand why they were cheering for him as the Second Rakan, a warrior! In fact, if one thought about it, it was natural for them to behave like that. For them, in order to protect their town and their lives, Luke alone fought with four Gigants valiantly, and after a fierce struggle, he defeated them and chased after the last one. As he entered the gate, the cheers grew louder. In particular, the elderly ones shed tears and knelt for him. ¡®Ahh, why are they doing that?¡¯ ¡°Why did you do that, young Lord? I don¡¯t like you doing that.¡± At the question of Hans, Luke replied roughly. ¡°Ah, I missed the guy who ran away a while ago. If I didn¡¯t fall down, I could have caught him.¡± ¡°Hahaha! That doesn¡¯t matter. He was taken down by the young Lord, so he won¡¯t think of coming back.¡± Hans spoke with a heavy voice. ¡°This old man is really impressed because the Young Lord has fought so bravely and with such amazing skill¡­¡± ¡°It was just my luck. I was so nervous that my feet and hands felt tangled up. In addition, my magic luckily hit the Gigants.¡± Hans nodded and was convinced by Luke¡¯s excuse, but his eyes were still the same. ¡°Hahaha! When this gets known, everyone will see our Rakan estate in a new light.¡± ¡®Isn¡¯t that bad?¡¯ As a result, the old man seemed to boast Luke¡¯s achievement and hoped that people would recognize them more. And it wasn¡¯t just Hans, all the other residents did that too. ¡®I can¡¯t do much about this. I just need to lay down since the blood of that stupid ancestor of mine, that warrior, has awakened.¡¯ Luke decided to go back into his manor. There were many things that he wanted to do, but he wanted to rest first. Chapter 72 Luke decided to sigh to relieve himself of the fatigue, but he still hadn¡¯t accomplished everything. Reina had gone to the manor after hearing about the news. ¡°I heard it from somewhere young Lord! That you did a very good job?¡± At the moment, Reina was encouraging the Volga refugees who were busy building their own towns. Upon hearing the news about the Count¡¯s Gigants which had appeared in the Lordship province, she hurried back, but the battle was already over. Although she hadn¡¯t witnessed it in person, the stories of the residents and from the butler, Hans made Luke a successful warrior. ¡°Did you use the Devil King¡¯s power?¡± Reina looked around a little and asked, Luke smiled while shaking his head. ¡°If that was the case, then wouldn¡¯t I be called as the Devil King¡¯s descendant instead of the Warrior¡¯s descendant?¡± ¡°Oh my, then you used all your strength¡­¡± ¡°When one uses a special power, dealing with a Gigant is quite easy.¡± Luke tried to make it look simple, however, Reina wasn¡¯t buying it. Surely the skills Luke possessed were very good, however, for her, it was impossible for a man to fight against a huge steel body. She looked at Luke¡¯s face and said, ¡°I feel like I saw the Young Lord currently.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°In the future too, I hope I see the Lord work for the well being of the Rakan Viscount. I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡± ¡°Ah, yeah. Thank you.¡± Listening to the words of Reina, Luke laughed. By the time Luke was having a pleasant talk with Reina, Todd was receiving messages over the magic communication from Yottern Canyon. ¡°What? You are saying that the Count¡¯s men attacked the lordship?¡± Rogers sounded shocked at the victory that was announced. ¡°Yes, Captain. Young Lord had gone out alone and defeated four Gigants!¡± Rogers¡¯s eyes went wide at the news. ¡°Is that really true?¡± ¡°It is the fact, the residents of the area had checked it with their own eyes. How would they even lie?!¡± Todd was very excited when he was talking about every single detail of the battle Luke had with the Gigant. While he was explaining the situation, all the other people around Rogers gathered near the communication crystal. ¡°Yeah, we knew that the young Lord was learning magic, but we never thought that he would be able to use a 2 circle magic.¡± ¡°Actually, as I watched the young Lord by staying next to him, he is a magical genius who is born every 100 years.¡± At those words of Mute, Rogers added, ¡°Rather than that, I am surprised and thrilled that the young Lord showed such ability when fighting against the Gigants. I just recently taught him the Gold Sword, but he already used the aura!¡± Rogers spoke, which made Philip and Victor¡¯s eyes wide open. ¡°You taught the Gold sword to the Lord?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it, when?¡± Rogers just shrugged at the questions. ¡°Before the Volga refugees had come in, I had a match with the young Lord. I told him not to talk about it to anyone, but there was a lot of difference at that time.¡± ¡°Ha! For such a great thing!¡± There would be no knight in the Rakan knights who wouldn¡¯t have cared about the accomplishment of their Young Lord. A while ago, he seemed to be very interested in being a wizard rather than a swordsman, the passion of the knights ignited. But now, the young Lord was an Expert and a 2 circle wizard. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t everyone postpone their emotions for the other time to deal with the urgent matters in our hands?¡± Rogers clapped his hand to liven up the atmosphere. If the story passed on, there were chances that it would reach the wrong ears. The reason why he used the crystal communication was to inform the lord of their victory, however, there was something more important than that. ¡°You need to go to the young Lord quickly and get him.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Todd bowed his head and disappeared to somewhere, and came back with Luke. Luke asked him once again about their war. ¡°The battle was victorious?¡± ¡°Yep! We were able to defeat many enemies without taking much damage. This is the victory to the Young Lord.¡± ¡°Well, for our glory. What is the important thing?¡± Luke asked Rogers who was on the battlefield, and then explained what happened, ¡°I want to go like this and attack the city of Lamer.¡± ¡°Lamer city?¡± Luke¡¯s eyes raised a little. ¡°That is right. There has been very little damage. In addition, the Gigants and the combat supplies used by the enemies are in our hands. I think that capturing Lamer would be easy.¡± Shortly after the battle, the opinions began to emerge. Originally, the plan was to end the war there itself and to get the apology from the Count. However, because the battle was very easy, everyone wanted to attack the city of Lamer, the heart of the enemy. Originally, the city of Lamer was part of the Rakan family land, and now it was possible for them to capture it back from the Count Monarch because they felt that they could take down the Count. ¡°Wait, no damage to the allies? How did you get the Gigants of theirs, that too intact?¡± ¡°That, actually¡­¡± Rogers talked about what he had found during the battlefield cleanup. Luke wasn¡¯t able to hide the absurd expression which was on his face. ¡°What? The core of the Gigants was missing?¡± ¡°Yes, even when we asked the Iron Mages who have been captured, they didn¡¯t seem to have any idea. It was like they were being haunted by ghosts.¡± Quickly, the shock was erased from Luke¡¯s eyes. After hearing the word ¡®Ghost¡¯, he came to understand who might have done that. ¡°How do you plan on using the enemy Gigants with their pivotal part missing?¡± ¡°We are going to switch our core engines with theirs, and our Gigant equipment too.¡± ¡°Hmm, you plan to disguise that.¡± Luke was thinking about something. ¡°Nice. Get ready to move to Lamer right away.¡± ¡°Thank you for your permission, Lord!¡± ¡°On the other hand, I¡¯ll be coming there too. I need to catch that pig with my own hands.¡± ¡°Hahaha, I understand.¡± The communication using the crystal ended with that. When Luke entered the room, he looked around to make sure no one was there and opened his mouth. ¡°Sebastian!¡± ¡°Yep, you called for me, master?!¡± He appeared, and Luke was as cold as ever. Sebastian crouched with some magic stones held in his hands. ¡°Master, I did my job perfectly just like my master has told me. And brought treasure that you might like¡­¡± ¡°Where are the remaining ones?¡± When Luke asked the unexpected question, Sebastian began to sweat. ¡°That, that¡­¡± ¡°Right away, return everything back to where they belong. No, just leave them nearby.¡± ¡°But master, this was very hard¡­¡± ¡°Do you want to live a tough life and die?¡± Shocked with the cold response of Luke¡¯s, Sebastian replied bluntly, ¡°I will do it right away!¡± With those words, Sebastian disappeared like a lightning bolt. Luke smiled a little, went to the Manor workers, gave them some instructions, armed himself, and headed for the canyon. When Luke arrived on the back of the horse, it took an overnight, and the knights were preparing for their advance to Lamer. ¡°Have come, young Lord.¡± ¡°You have all done well. By the way the Gigants of the Count? Didn¡¯t you say that they can¡¯t be moved?¡± In the eyes of Luke, Gigants with the crest of the Count could perform a basic movement. Knowing the reason, Luke pretended that he did not know, and Rogers replied to him, ¡°All the disappeared magic stones and cores were in the supply box in the cart or the parts box. Perhaps the mages forgot to check them.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Yes, they were very flustered about it¡­ in fact, they couldn¡¯t think properly as there was an epidemic or they had a hard time coming here.¡± ¡°Even then, isn¡¯t it strange that all the 42 Gigants core was missing?¡± Luke intentionally asked, but Rogers spoke like it wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡°It¡¯s often the case that happens when the Gigants are suddenly brought to war. And some of the greedy Iron mages could have taken them out too.¡± ¡°In other words, their military was missing.¡± ¡°Uh, we should be careful not to let that happen to us.¡± Except for the Gigant, whose hatch had been crushed, which couldn¡¯t be used at all, the rest of them were given over to the Rakan Knights. They are not professional Gigant riders, but they have been training with the Gigants for a while, so they weren¡¯t entirely comfortable with it. They couldn¡¯t be placed for the front line in the battle, but they could be placed in full-scale support in the back. ¡°Then, let¡¯s leave. By now, the losers would have told them, so they¡¯ll probably be shaken. We need to finish before they have the time to respond.¡± ¡°Understood, young Lord.¡± Luke began the march to Lamer, leaving only a few soldiers to watch over the prisoners. With all the trailers and the wagons taken over from the Count¡¯s army, they were able to move quickly. Chapter 73 ¡°Ahm! No news as of yet?¡± Early dawn, on the gates of the north of Lamer City. Soldiers, guarding in the front, yawned in tears and asked his colleague next to him, ¡°I heard the knights talking about it yesterday, however, it is still out of our region.¡± ¡°Yeah? I thought that since it was Cain who was leading the army, they would have already moved into the Rakan territories.¡± The city of Lamer didn¡¯t have the news about what had happened in the Yottern canyon. The iron mage who was in charge of communicating the news was taken captive, and the other surviving knights didn¡¯t return yet as they were scared of the punishment that they would be given. ¡°Whatever, they just need to come back after winning as fast as possible.¡± ¡°I think so too. If they take too much time, I¡¯ll probably end up forgetting how my wife¡¯s naked body looks like.¡± As the other soldiers were all away for the war, the work on the leftover soldiers increased. The gate guards, who currently stationed, it was their fourth shift by then, and they were alternating every two shifts. The soldiers were beginning to chat with nonsense just to drive away their drowsiness. ¡°But the war won¡¯t come here right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk with that stuff and just look straight ahead. It is a war that we can never lose even if we want to. To put it simply, our Gigant riders can win the war even while sleeping, it¡¯s like eating cold soup right away.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± At the very same moment, a group of people was coming towards the gate from the thick fog. At first, they wanted it to be the next shift that arrived in the morning, but it wasn¡¯t. ¡°Open the door! We have come to support the city of Lamer at the orders of the Count!¡± The two startled men went and brought a dozing officer from his post, he looked over from the gate. The officer, who tried to wake his eyes up, looked at them with a bewildered face. ¡°What kind of nonsense is this? I never heard anything about reinforcements coming in.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of any castle orders either. But look at their clothes and the symbol on the Gigants, it looks sure.¡± ¡°Sure?¡± The officer climbed down from the gate and looked down. The soldiers¡¯ clothes, the flags, and the crest on the chest of the Gigants were obviously the ones which belonged to their Count. ¡°Where did you come from?¡± ¡°There is no need for you to know, open the gates! It is 1 o¡¯clock now, we are in a hurry!¡± As the officer was thinking, a man dressed in a colorful armor, like a higher ranked knight came out and asked, ¡°You in a hurry? What the hell are you even doing here?¡± ¡°What? You haven¡¯t heard about the report yet? Our army has lost in the Yottern Canyon! The enemy is coming this way!¡± At those words, the guards could feel their drowsiness sink away. ¡°Lose, lost?! How in the hell¡­?¡± ¡°The nobles have supported the Rakan Viscount! So quickly open the damn gates! The enemy might have already come a long way!¡± At those words, the officer replied, ¡°Wait a minute. After contacting the residence of the Count and confirming¡­¡± ¡°Are you really going to do that now?! Don¡¯t bother! If you can¡¯t open then I¡¯ll have to do it myself!¡± The knight leading the group gestured to the back. Gigants which were in the trailer got up and moved. ¡°Uh? Uhuh?¡± The Gigants who got up from the trailer ran straight to the gate and began to hit it with their bodies. Thud! Thud! After several hits, the gates weren¡¯t able to sustain such force and opened. ¡°Wah! Avoid them!¡± ¡°Ring the bell, quickly!¡± However, even after the orders from the officer, the bell didn¡¯t ring. The arrows flew from the archers and to the soldiers who were on the gate. ¡°The wall is broken! All of you enter!¡± At the command of the Knight, nope, Luke, the Gigants, and the soldiers entered the city of Lamer at once. They were the forces of Rakan and not the aides for Count Monarch. The Rakan lord disguised himself as the aide of Monarch, till they came to Lamer. They had met ways with numerous soldiers of the Monarch territories on their way who were patrolling, but they were able to pass through them because of the disguise and proper excuses. ¡®Hoop! Just wait a little more time, greedy pig Count!¡¯ Luke led the disguised Rakan army straight to the Count¡¯s manor which was near the northern gate. Their goal was two-fold. One was to defeat the Gigants of Monarch and his knights, which could pose to be the biggest obstacle for them in occupying the city. And the other was the capture of the Count. Thump! The Rakan army which ran through the city, divided into two groups as they neared the residence of the Count. Among them, the troops led by Rogers went into the knights¡¯ headquarters which was right next to the permanent residence. They entered while smashing the front door. ¡°What, what was it? ¡°Who the hell would do this?¡± The knights, who were awakened by the sudden sound at the early dawn, stepped out of their quarters rubbing their sleepy eyes. They found that several Gigants were getting crushed along with the building. ¡°Do not crush the Gigants, just take down the building! We just need to make sure that no riders can get to them!¡± Rogers was smashing the pillars which were next to the Gigants, with his Gigant¡¯s huge sword. He wanted to get the task down as quickly as possible. ¡°This, a mess! A surprise invasion!¡± ¡°Get to the Gigants, quickly!¡± Many Gigants and troops were evacuated for the battle with the Rakan, however, seven Gigants were left back for the purpose of protecting the city of Lamer. The knights hurried and tried to get into them. However, Rogers had no plan of letting them do that. He kicked on the debris, the stones, and mud hit the knights. ¡°Kyakk!¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± The soil and gravel stopped the knights, they were rolling on the ground with broken limbs or blood on their heads. The Rakan Gigants finally succeeded in smashing all the pillars of the Gigants. Orrrr? Thud! The building collapsed as its pillars were destroyed and came falling down. ¡°Ah! This can¡¯t be!¡± The knights of Monarch who fell on the floor watched the scene unfold. Chapter 74 Chapter 74: End of Count Monarch 3 While the troops of Rogers went for the knights¡¯ headquarters, Luke and his troops broke the main gate of the residence. Surprised by the sudden attack, the guard of the residence hurriedly rang the bell. However, they were unsuccessful in stopping the forces of Rakan. ¡°Uaaaah! Gig, Gigants!¡± ¡°Get lost, you idiots! I will not show mercy for anyone who stands before me!¡± Mir, who was leading the Gigants, moved its hands wildly. The rider who was in Mir was Victor. His hands were there to take vengeance. They were unstoppable. He was doing it for the humiliation that Princess Reina had suffered and the Volga refugees. His actions weren¡¯t surprising. ¡°I am seeing a lot of commitment here, right?¡± ¡°Is that surprising? One would do that if they truly loved their land.¡± Luke responded while staying on the shoulder of Sting II, which was being controlled by Philip. They understood the feelings of Victor. ¡°Anyway, the soldiers of the Count will be coming soon. If the count decides to come here with his men, then it will turn into a bloody mess.¡± ¡°That is hard.¡± Luke wanted to cut down Monarch. However, it wasn¡¯t the time for that yet. There was no law that stated that a lord wasn¡¯t supposed to be killed during a war. However, in order to control the estates in the future, it was known to be beneficial to keep the lord alive as they knew various information about the land such as its administration, finance, and military. ¡®On top of that, this Monarch is going to be the collateral of the Imperial family. The Emperor won¡¯t stay still if it is handled poorly.¡¯ It was better to avoid any clashes with the Emperor for the time being. The Baroque¡¯s Imperial family had a very strong power, and Luke¡¯s power had yet to be developed. ¡®And if we think about the bad things that he has done till now, a simple death isn¡¯t going to cut it.¡¯ Luke thought to himself and entered the residence¡­ To catch the Count Monarch with his own two hands. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± The Count, who was barely awake from his sleep because of the noise that disturbed him, screamed. ¡°Your Majesty, outside¡­¡± A servant, who heard his shout, entered and tried to tell him what was happening. Right then, Goth jumped from the door and said, ¡°This, this is bad, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°What that hell is even happening?¡± The Count, who was still not aware of the situation outside, looked very unpleasant because he was woken up unexpectedly since he had no intention of showing his naked body to his servants apart from his women. However, after listening to the words of Goth, he was forced to stand up. ¡°Ra, Rakan has invaded us!¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Something that the Count would have never even dreamed of. When he was in shock, Goth moved close and pulled his arm. ¡°We don¡¯t have the time to be shocked. You have to evacuate as quickly as possible!¡± Both sides of Monarch¡¯s territories were in a fierce battle. The bodyguards of the Count could barely hold their enemies off, but it seemed like the Count could have enough space to move past the Gigants of Rakan. ¡°Dammit, that, that Cain! What the hell did that guy even do?!¡± They haven¡¯t been in touch with Cain. At first, they had regarded it as a simple communication problem. They had never even anticipated that they would lose to Rakan. And for such a disturbing situation to happen right in front of his home! ¡°We don¡¯t know the exact details, but from the current situation, Cain is likely to have been defeated by the Rakan army. So, you need to evacuate from here, as quickly as possible!¡± At the repetitive words from Goth, the Count was now aware of his situation and put on some clothes. However, the Count went into the library instead of going outside the building! ¡°Count, where are you going?¡± ¡°Safe, safe!¡± The Count just couldn¡¯t give up his vault, which had all of his precious belongings, even when trying to run away. Gkkk! Hurriedly pushing the desk to the side, he lifted the wooden door. The vault had an iron door. ¡°Count, there is no time for this. The shouts are getting closer. It will be easy for them to get here. You need to evacuate!¡± ¡°Shut up! If you want to avoid meeting them, then just run away!¡¯ Monarch yelled at Goth with red eyes and opened the door of his secret vault. ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t care!¡± Goth fled away first as he could not wait any longer. Not knowing that he was gone, the Count began to take out the jewelry, gold bars, and bills out of his vault. ¡°Kuuk, how long will it take to recover all this¡­¡± The Count had put the last bill into his pocket. That was when he saw a Gigant burst out from the window of the room. Crash! ¡°Ahhk!¡± Inevitably, Monarch was crushed by the ruckus made by the Gigant. His greed had given him one last chance to see his money. ¡°Ahh, my feet might slip!¡± Philip, who was riding Sting II near the residence, fell back when he saw that people were running out. The soldiers might not know, but they were all unarmed people. Also, there were pretty maids, and he could never hurt them. ¡°Yeah, the mansion has been ruined. I don¡¯t want to use it for useless things¡­¡± Lingering on his thoughts, Philip went to help his allies with his Sting II. He had no idea that the Count Monarch was already dead because of what he did. Chapter 75 Chapter 75: End of Count Monarch 4 The darkness of the dawn had receded and the morning sun rose. As their ears intervened in their ears, turmoil was caused by the residents of the Lamer city as they saw the broken Gigants. ¡°What? What happened here?¡± ¡°The enemy has attacked us at dawn?¡± ¡°Who was the enemy? The Rakan Viscount?! Don¡¯t kid me!¡± ¡°Huhuhu, we won¡¯t be seeing that greedy Pig anymore.¡± While the residents were watching the scenes with a little anxiety and anticipation, Luke and the Rakan were very busy trying to clean up. Firstly, the aides of the Count were locked up in a prison, and soldiers were dispatched all over the city. They were sent in with a declaration. It contained five statements informing them about the triumph of Rakan. To ensure the good citizens¡¯ lives, property, and their status. We prohibit the hoarding of daily necessities. To provide food to the poor. Those who go against the security forces will be punished. The personnel of the security forces and the administration should get back to work within 24 hours as usual. Status and wages can not be guaranteed. Although it was conquered, the Rakan alone couldn¡¯t manage the second-highest commercial city in the South. The city of Lamer alone had 200,000 people, which was nearly 10 times the population of the Rakan before they took in the Volga refugees. Therefore, Luke had retained a few of the Count¡¯s men, the lower-ranking officers and the positions in the military except for the riders and the knights. ¡°I am glad that the Count¡¯s connection with his people was poor. A lot of people are cooperating, much more than I had expected.¡± ¡°That is great. Otherwise I would have thrown up with nervousness and indigestion.¡± At the words of Rogers, Luke looked over at him and nodded his head. The prison, where the prisoners were held by the Count, had people who had rebelled or spoke ill against the Count. Among them, there were quite a few nobles. There were also administrators and knights. They were very compassionate to Luke, who had released them, and were very helpful in resolving the matters at hand. ¡°There are the aides of the Count like Baron Goth. He said that if he gets released, then he would tell us about the Count¡¯s slush funds and his hidden business assets.¡± Goth had been caught by Philip when he was trying to escape through a rope. As the one who was closest to the Count, he knew a lot of high-level information as he ran the estate on behalf of the Count. ¡°Young Lord, don¡¯t let him out! He is the evil one who had burned and killed the innocent refugees!¡± Luke calmed Victor, who was losing his temper. ¡°Of course, I have no plans on releasing him. But I need the information that he has. So, Victor will be given a chance to hurt him just as long as he doesn¡¯t die.¡± ¡°Uh, leave it to me!¡± Victor, who regained a little bit of color on his face, ran out of the office. Luke saw that and smiled. He turned back and looked at the paper in his hand. ¡°But young Lord, when are we announcing the death of the Count?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking about that too.¡± After the battle had ended, Luke had found the body of Count Monarch, which was on his own puddle of blood. It was an unfavorable result for him as he had wanted to capture the Count and gain benefits using him. ¡°It is easier to announce that he has died. On the other hand, those who fear the higher ones may turn uncooperative or passive with you young Lord.¡± ¡°But if it gets known, the Imperials will take it differently. A move to kill the Imperial family.¡± It wasn¡¯t like a lord had to be kept alive in a war. In a war, a lord could be injured or even die. But as of the moment, it would be seen as Luke had killed the Count. Most of the time, lords were usually taken as captives or released after receiving a heavy ransom. After thinking in many ways, Luke made the final decision. ¡°Hide the Count¡¯s body, and keep your mouths shut. And for the time being, make a rumor that he ran away with his riches.¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t plan on announcing it?¡± ¡°It is better to not provoke the Imperial family, for the time being.¡± Luke emphasized that they would not make any moves temporarily. There were no knights of the Rakan family who didn¡¯t antagonize the Imperial family. The Baroque family was the one who had imprisoned the Warrior Rakan and his family to that small Viscount. Even though Baroque was weak, everyone just bowed to them. However, no one looked up to them. ¡°But what about the other cities and towns of the Count? As of now, with our governing forces, managing Lamer itself is going to be troublesome.¡± They were going to take control of the Count¡¯s region, and that was not going to be easy. The Rakan territory was much smaller than Count Monarch¡¯s. In addition, the Count¡¯s region was the second largest area in the South, which was several times larger than Rakan. Still, it was questionable if the officials of the Viscounts could manage such a large territory, especially when civil constructions were happening. ¡°There are two solutions for that.¡± ¡°Two you say?¡± ¡°Yes, one is to sell off the land to the neighboring Lords. Let¡¯s sell as much as we can.¡± At those words from Luke, Rogers shook his head. ¡°And then take that money? With such a situation, it usually ends up in a mess.¡± ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t they just take away the land without permission. If the lords around the place did that, the emperor would be more than happy to allow a war to happen.¡± Except for Marquis Mayers, the nobles around Monarch were very silent. They would try to fight Rakan, who had just recently improved their Gigants by winning the war. ¡°If we sell it to them cheap, they are more likely to accept it.¡± ¡°Then what about the second option?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to apply a law to Lamer later on. I¡¯d like to lend the rights to the merchants and let them freely run their business.¡± Rogers was surprised at Luke¡¯s words. ¡°Will you make Lamer a free city?¡± ¡°As a commercial city, its foundation had been firmly established. Look at these papers, the merchants have already asked a few times before. The Count was so greedy that he didn¡¯t allow it.¡± There were several free cities on the continent. They were mostly the port cities developed by trade. The merchants were rich enough to buy the land from the Lords, and their own power was so strong that it could be compared to a Count or Marquis. ¡°The problem is that the relationship gap between us would increase. Much more lands will be merged, or there are chances for the city to be divided into smaller cities.¡± ¡°There is no need to worry about that. We will raise the stake in the free city.¡± The free city management was often undertaken by a single trade union but often accompanied by the number of stake-owned traders. ¡®And in the latter case, the largest stake has the loudest voice.¡¯ So, if Luke made Lamer a free city, he wanted to present the first rank to Princess Reina Kirillov. Of course, for that to happen, there would be a need to make funds arrangements. ¡°Though it is a pity. Even if we sell the land or entrust it to someone, the land we have gotten is the best¡­¡± ¡°It is better to take care of things that we can and not mess up the management. What matters to us was never the expansion but substantiality.¡± ¡°Yes, that is right¡­¡± When the two of them had made their decisions. They heard urgent footsteps outside. It was so urgent that the entire residence of Lamer was shaking. ¡°Something bad happened, young Lord!¡± It was Philip. He almost smashed the door when he entered the room. Rogers shook his head and frowned. ¡°What is it? Is there a rebellion outside?¡± When a new ruler came in, there was always a revolt. It was usually led by people who didn¡¯t want to lose their positions, their homes or their lands. Luke wondered if the Count¡¯s men were outside. ¡°Huhu! No, it isn¡¯t a rebellion. Not a rebellion but¡­¡± Philip tried to calm his breath. Luke, who listened to what he had said, jumped out of his seat. ¡°Princess Reina was kidnapped!¡± Chapter 76 Chapter 76: Emperor¡¯s Conspiracy 1 While Luke went out of the empty estate, a group of masked men crossed the wall of the Devil King¡¯s castle. Masked people in leather clothing which was clinging to their bodies, showed their slender shape and dark hair. They entered the Castle, along with the burning incense in their hands. ¡°Hum! Why am I feeling dizzy all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Suddenly, i feel dizzy¡­¡± As the sleep incense spread, the refugees who were patrolling the devil¡¯s castle fell down. Those who fell down were drifting into sleep. ¡®Huck! This is¡­!¡¯ ¡®The princess is in danger!¡¯ Some of the soldiers who had worked for the princess in the past at the Volga knew that something was wrong, and tried their best to get up. However, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn¡¯t help but fall down. The masked men after silencing the residents, began to search the castle earnestly. And then, in one room, they found princess Reina. ¡°The great Lord El Kassel, mother of the Earth, Belize! Please make sure that the young Lord Luke doesn¡¯t lose his path¡­¡± Reina was looking at the night sky from her window and was praying. Since the moment she had come to Rakan, she always prayed for Luke. She wished that he wouldn¡¯t be in any danger and that his people would be able to see peace once again. Of course, she didn¡¯t know if the gods and the goddess would look after him. But never once did she abstained a day to pray for him. It was right when she was praying. Suddenly, a sweet smell entered her nose. ¡°Huh? this scent¡­?¡± Reina, who looked over at the door due to the smell, fell asleep not knowing why. When she fell, the masked men entered the room. One of them took out a parchment from his hand and opened it. The paper had the face of princess Reina in it. ¡°This is the woman.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s take her.¡± Reina who was asleep was carried out of her room and the castle. Shik! Shik? Their footsteps through the forest and the fields, all happened very fast. Their movements happened for meters and they moved like a slender deer. Moreover, even as they ran all through the night, they didn¡¯t seem to be tired at all. Running for two days to the north, they rested at the valley for the first time since their departure. ¡°Is the princess still asleep?¡± ¡°No, it is almost time for her to wake up.¡± Reina groaned as she was waking up. When she woke up, she looked at the masked men who were looking down at her, she was surprised but tried to retain her calmness. An ordinary woman when kidnapped would have cried and screamed. ¡°Did Count Monarch urge you to do this?¡± ¡°You think we take orders from such lower-class nobles?¡± Reina shook her head at the unexpected answer from the masked man. ¡°Then who are you? I¡¯m not proud of it, but I have never had a special grudge with anyone till this time.¡± She was called as the priestess of Lamer. They would have favored her, but no one else had a grudge on her except for Monarch. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°Then, where are you taking me?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that either.¡± ¡°Then, are you going to kill me?¡± ¡°No. we won¡¯t kill you, but I don¡¯t know how you will be treated.¡± The masked men¡¯s attitude was cold and stern. But, there was no malice in their words. Reina was feeling stuffy as she couldn¡¯t escape, and neither did she know the reason why she had been kidnapped. ¡°Eat.¡± When she was on the verge of tears, one of the masked men gave her a plate with dry bread and fruit. He loosened the rope a bit so she could eat it for herself. ¡°Don¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°Then starve.¡± Laying the plate right there, the others began to fill their hunger. But there was something weird. The others were different, but they were eating herbs, fruits, and nuts. ¡°Not an elf but we¡¯ll have to fill our hunger¡­!¡± Reina, who was watching them looked rather surprised. And she shouted at them pointing her finger. ¡°You, you are all not humans!¡± They were obviously elves or dark elves. No, they were dark elves, because they had black hair. ¡°Why would dark elves¡­?¡± As she figured out the identity of the people, her question just deepened. It was because she had no contact with the fairies. While she was still in doubt, the masked men, who were done with their meal, got up and began to move again. By day, they traversed the unused paths of mountains and forests, and at night they crossed fields and plains for fastest movement possible. They were just heading all the time. ¡°No, Volga Republic?¡± Continuing from the Baroque Empire to the North was the Volga republic. Reina just spoke it out loud to confirm, the dark elves who were very cold to her twitched a little at her words. She was right about the Volga Republic. Sylvia, the chief of Volga intelligence have given them the orders to bring in Princess Reina for the Earth¡¯s Tears. As a result, they had to go to the faraway Rakan. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to! Put me down! I can¡¯t die just yet!¡± Reina who knew the destination was Volga Republic, thought that they wanted to take her life, and struggled. There have been rumors that the Volga Republic had been kidnapping the Old Volga nations¡¯ royal families and killing them after brutal torture. Reina was just beginning to settle in with the refugees, she was enjoying the life with her people, she didn¡¯t want to die just yet. ¡°You¡¯re turning into a pain. Shut your mouth!¡± As the words of the masked man were heard, another pulled a black cloth out of his hand. This time they used it to close Reina¡¯s mouth. ¡°Get your hands off. If you touch her with that dirty hands of yours even after saying this, you won¡¯t be able to die even if you want to.¡± The voice of a man could be heard from the sky. He was none other than Luke. Chapter 77 As soon as the news of Reina¡¯s kidnap was heard, Luke headed straight for the Castle. He looked around the castle and her room, but he wasn¡¯t able to find any clue. His frustrated heart spoke out to Sebastian who was at his feet. ¡°Master, this is the work of the dark elves.¡± ¡°Dark Elf? Why do you think so?¡± ¡°The air in the room has the scent of sleeping essence, used by dark elves.¡± Luke too knew that the sleeping essence was used by the Dark elves. The sleep essence was their own powerful secret, it was enough to take down a Sword Master in one shot, however, after an hour, the trace of it being used disappears completely. So, no would know that they had infiltrated. After hearing those words, Sebastian spoke again with a snort, ¡°Huh, dark elves sure are excellent, but they can¡¯t fool a great thief like me.¡± Sebastian was an olfactory demon, a cat demon, and an expert in making drugs, he could defeat the dark elves in that matter. ¡°Then, I know where they went.¡± ¡°Umm, the scent is going to the north. They have gone in the North direction.¡± From then, Luke began to chase after the dark elves along with Sebastian. ¡°I didn¡¯t know why they had kidnapped her.¡± But if they hurt even a finger on her, he was sure that he would kill them all. And on the fourth day of his pursuit, he was able to find them on a riverside. ¡°Why are you taking her back to the Volga Republic? What is the meaning of this? Everyone knows that there is no place for the royals to return there, why?¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± The dark elves, three of them, excluding the one holding Reina, attacked Luke. The two spread out, and one of them pulled out a dagger and attacked him from the front. ¡°Shield!¡± A blue shield had appeared in front of Luke and bounced the attack by the dark elves. Kang! Another attack with a dagger had come and it was blocked by a sword in the right hand. ¡°He is a Rune Knight! Be careful!¡± Hyrun was the captain of the dark elves. He saw Luke used magic and sword at the same time and hurriedly warned his subordinates. ¡°Be careful in a sense, but can you even stop my attack?¡± This time Luke didn¡¯t even wait to attack the dark elves. Kang! Kang! Puong! The fight between the three dark elves and Luke carried out a while. The dark elves attacked Luke in various ways, very quickly. They tried to poison, to confuse, and used dagger with poisons. They didn¡¯t work, and later pulled out a bow that was on the back. However, no assault worked on Luke. It was because Luke had a battle against the dark elves in the past, he knew about their patterns, how they try to penetrate the defense and to use their attack patterns as well. At that moment, the cold eyes of the dark elves began to show emotions. ¡®What is he? How does he know of our attacks from one to ten!?¡¯ The original dark elves were involved in invasion, assassination, and kidnapping. But that didn¡¯t mean that their attacks were weak. Although they preferred stealth and taking the opponent by surprise in face-to-face combat, they could handle an Expert very well. In particular, these dark elves were specially chosen. They would have been able to deal with the advanced Experts all alone, but their plans didn¡¯t work well today. ¡°Hide in the forest!¡± Hyrun, who was holding onto Reina, ordered the others. The others immediately scattered and hid into the forest. ¡°Huh, it¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t assume that you¡¯d hide in the forest!¡± Luke had a very good plan. The cat demon, Sebastian was excellent in stealth and transformation along with being great in theft. ¡°Over there.¡± Luke threw Dark Blitz in the direction Sebastian showed. The surprised Dark Elf relocated to avoid the attack from Luke. But, no matter where they were hiding, magic attacks constantly followed them. ¡°Huhuhu, so any of you thinking about fighting once again?¡± Hyrun looked very surprised at the question from Luke who had Sebastian next to him. ¡°Are you a warlock?¡± ¡°Why would you be curious about it?¡± ¡°Depending on your answer, we chose to either fight or cooperate.¡± If there was a wizard with a demon next to him, it was 99% likely to be a warlock. But there was that 1% chance, and they had to check. ¡°Why? If I am a warlock then I¡¯m on the same side as the Dark Elves?¡± Luke laughed with that statement. In the past, when he was heading to the Golem legions, warlocks and the dark elves were all gathered for him. However, not all warlocks and Dark Elves had come. Many of the warlocks went hostile and some impersonated Saymon, and most of the dark elves divided themselves into 12 tribes. ¡°Erenes, was it? There was an old elf who asked me the same question in the past, and it wasn¡¯t a funny situation.¡± Startle. The dark elves were startled at the name that came out of Luke¡¯s mouth. ¡°Did, did you just say Erenes?¡± Asked by Hyrun. ¡°Yes. He was a proclaimed high Elf. You know him?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. If you know Erenes, then you aren¡¯t our enemy.¡± Said Hyrun and put Reina on the floor. ¡°We can¡¯t fight the one who knows him. I¡¯ll go back right now, but will find you later.¡± With that, four dark elves disappeared into the darkness. Luke could have chased them if he wanted to, but he chose not to. His purpose was to rescue Reina safely and also not to kill the dark elves. He approached Reina and untied the ropes. ¡°Princess, are you okay?¡± ¡°Luke, lord¡­¡± Reina¡¯s eyes moved in tears as she had been released. ¡°You are fine now. I can assure you that.¡± ¡°Huh¡­! thank you, thank you so much, young Lord.¡± Luke hugged her gently, and she did the same. He looked at the north, the direction the dark elves had disappeared into. ¡®Erenes, are you still alive?¡¯ Although he wasn¡¯t sure before, the elf was a colleague and advisor in the past, who offered little help. Luke thought that he had been dead, but it didn¡¯t seem to look like it. ¡®If he sees me revived as a descendant of Rakan, would he laugh at me?¡¯ If he still the cheerful person he was in the past, he might end up rolling on the ground with laughter while having tears in his eyes. No, he could probably try to kill Luke. He would have been very disappointed with Luke, who had died very easily in the past without putting up a good fight. With a bitter smile, Luke stared at the northern sky. Chapter 78 Green land at the end of the snow-capped mountain. In the middle of the lush green grass with trees and bushes was a small villa. The owner of the villa was a thin, middle-aged male elf with a white bow. Standing on the balcony, he was looking up at the stars in the night sky when he suddenly bent over and coughed. ¡°Cough! Cough!¡± ¡°The wind is cold, please come inside.¡± A cold, beautiful female elf, standing behind him said. ¡°Huhu, you think the cough of the winds isn¡¯t nice. I should have died by now.¡± Seemingly, he looked like a middle-aged man. However, he was actually over 1000 years old. He was Erenes, an elf who had lived far longer than an average elf was supposed to, which was supposed to be 400 years. All the elves, even the other fairies on the continent, were all avid admirers of the prophet. The female elf was looking after the supposed sage, who was residing deep in the Volga Republic. She shot a cold look at Erenes and asked. ¡°So, you don¡¯t die because of your cough?¡± ¡°Cold is a source of all illnesses.¡± ¡°Only stupid beings catch summer colds. Is this the path that you need to take to be a sage?¡± As the female elf spoke coldly every time, Erenes¡¯s already wounded expression had deepened more. ¡°Erwin, you are turning as cold as ice. That is probably why you can¡¯t hear the words of God.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wish to be a prophet.¡± ¡°Ahh, my heir, talking this?!¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you, master, who has chosen me to do this, knowing that I don¡¯t want it?¡± At the response of her disciple, Erenes couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°Ah, this is unbelievable! I don¡¯t want to speak another word. Now you are going to complain? To show such an image of yours¡­ are you not going to get inside the house?¡± ¡°Then, why isn¡¯t the teacher inside the house?¡± ¡°Oh my, to listen to this¡­¡± Erenes pounded his chest out of frustration and briefly looked up at the night sky. Erwin, who saw him, spoke again, ¡°You haven¡¯t looked at the astronomical system for a while. What is the wind telling?¡± ¡°The cut off wind blows once again.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°The star which fell 500 years ago has re-emerged¡­ The continent will be shaken once again.¡± Erenes, whose eyes were looking for something that he missed, entered the villa. He pulled out an old golden staff from his dresser. ¡°Teacher, that is¡­¡± ¡°The God¡¯s staff, Absolute. The legendary item that El Kassel had when he destroyed the Devil and created the World.¡± Erwin, who could only look at what his master had said, looked surprised. Along with the division of the world, the most tremendous treasures have disappeared long ago. ¡°Sure, this is just a copy of it.¡± ¡°¡­ Teacher.¡± She was a little disappointed at the satirical answer that her master threw at her. However, Erenes threw the staff at her. Tak! Erwin struggled a little and caught it. The serious voice of her teacher entered her ears. ¡°Go to the South.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Out there you will meet the cut off wind.¡± Erenes threw a serious glance at Erwin, who didn¡¯t understand what her teacher was talking about and shook her head. ¡°That wind will turn into a storm and sweep the continent.¡± After hearing those words, she burst out. ¡°Ah, this! At least speak in a way that I can understand! Who am I going to meet, and what am I going to do!¡± ¡°That, even I don¡¯t know. I am saying what I hear. Anyway, go to the south, and you will find the answer by yourself.¡± Upon hearing the words of Erenes, she could not help but just sigh. ¡°I understand. I will go.¡± She shook her head, and yet she accepted. As she was packing her bags and her belongings, she spoke to her teacher, who was still there. ¡°Sylvia came yesterday, and the dark elves would be bringing princess Reina over here.¡± ¡°Yeah. Once she arrives, they will ask about the whereabouts of the Earth¡¯s Tears.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get going now. Have your meals on time and take good care of yourself.¡± Erwin bowed to her teacher and then disappeared. Her full name was Erwin Lesa. 100 years ago, she was the genius mage who had revolutionized the magic world by making artificial magic stones. She was entering the world once again after distancing herself from it for decades. To once again create a storm that would sweep the continent. Chapter 79 The victory of the Rakan Viscount in the territorial war turned out to be a huge shock to the entire Empire. All the nobles were sure that Count Monarch would be the one going to win, and some of the merchants, who were quick-paced, lined up to sell military supplies to the Count Monarch. The most surprised of them was the Imperial Emperor, Rudolf. ¡°What was that? Rakan has won the battle?¡± ¡°Yes, your majesty.¡± Count Voltas answered with a sorry expression. ¡°Maybe, by any chance, were there any nobles who have intervened in it?¡± ¡°No, that isn¡¯t the case. Everyone was watching it, and none of the southern nobles have helped the Rakan Viscount.¡± ¡°Huh! Then how did they manage to win?¡± The power difference between the two estates was very well known by the Emperor. It was well known that the difference between the two territories was almost 20 times. Which was why he could not help but wonder how Rakan had managed to fill the gap in power and win. ¡°According to the report from the inspector, who had gone into the site where the Count lost, while they were vigilant, it was stated that the surprise attack of the Rakan Viscount was advanced and successful.¡± The reports handed by Voltas contained many more details. Rudolf, who took a look at the report, couldn¡¯t help but feel that such things were ridiculous. ¡°That Cain, did he ever hold a sword?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t it. As a result, he has worked five years on the border with the Northern Volga Republic.¡± ¡°Then why did he lose? Did he suddenly get dementia or lose his mind?¡± ¡°I am afraid since we weren¡¯t involved in the war, we could not tell.¡± ¡°Tch, that retard acting like idiot¡­ The leadership in a war should never be given to a man with only strength. He found it hard to even defend. By the way, what happened to Count Monarch?¡± ¡°The Rakan¡¯s forces have stated that he had run away somewhere with his money and treasure.¡± ¡°Find out where that man has gone to and get that money too. He is an imperial collateral. That incompetent man is no longer needed to be alive.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that.¡± Voltas bowed to the Emperor and opened his mouth again. ¡°However, there is an interesting rumor that had been going around about the war.¡± ¡°Yeah? What is that?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t about anything else. The Lord of Rakan has defeated four Gigants, which had attacked his manor, all by himself.¡± ¡°What? Was that real?¡± Emperor Rudolf was rather surprised at what he heard. Voltas was surprised as well when he heard of it, he was sure that it was just a rumor. Upon hearing those words, Rudolph spoke with strong disbelief, ¡°You told me that the Lord of Rakan could barely handle a sword! Now you are telling me that he is an Expert with magic? That he is a Destroyer class?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe what was told, so I checked it over as many times as I could. However, it seems that the rumors involving the Lord hold some truth, the descendant, the second coming of Rakan.¡± ¡°If that is so, we have all been tricked till now!¡± ¡°It is very likely that they had planned it.¡± If Rakan had hidden something like that, the Baroque had to definitely uncover it. They hadn¡¯t forgotten the grudges of their ancestors, and the Rakan would work without any break to reclaim the lost glory of their family. Then did Count Monarch apply for the war without knowing about any of that beforehand? Voltas then said, ¡°If the Rakan¡¯s lord is left like it is, there is a high possibility that they could grow stronger in the southern territory. We need to step on them before they get any bigger.¡± Even if the Rakan Viscount was on the side of the nobles, the empire¡¯s southern side was dominated by nobles outside the imperial family. To prevent anything like that from happening, they had to do something to Rakan. ¡°Do you have any suggestions?¡± At the question of Rudolf, Voltas answered almost immediately. ¡°Send over an army in advance.¡± According to the Imperial law, a nobleman must serve in the Imperial Army for two years once they turned 18 years old. It was a kind of a nobility obligation, and Luke was no exception. ¡°Originally, he was supposed to go next year, and he can take the Lord¡¯s title only if he succeeds to become an adult.¡± Which was why Luke was still being referred to as the young Lord by his family retainers. ¡°Apart from having the young Lord be granted the title of Lord a year earlier, he will also be taken into the army a year earlier too.¡± ¡°And get him killed on the battlefield?¡± ¡°Nobody can predict what will happen on a battlefield.¡± Count Voltas bowed. ¡°That is a fine suggestion.¡± The border with the Volga republic was messy. And if he was sent over there, to a place which is surrounded by war, he was surely going to be killed. ¡°Okay, send the decree to Rakan. Congratulate them on their victory in battle as well.¡± ¡°I will send good words to the Minister of Internal Affair.¡± ¡°By the way, is the process of the Arthenian Empire going well?¡± Voltas immediately answered Rudolf¡¯s question. ¡°I have contacted two strong pope candidates and sent them offers, but both of them rejected it.¡± ¡°It is not going to be easy, huh? And the measures?¡± ¡°I still plan to stay in touch with them. They might not need our help now, but one day they will need us.¡± ¡°Huh, you are right. Keep knocking on their door till it opens.¡± ¡°I will keep that in my mind, your majesty.¡± After that, Emperor Rudolf left his office after talking for hours with his trusted Voltas. Chapter 80 Thud Thud Thud! The next day, the emperor was heading somewhere as soon as he had gotten up. His footsteps wandering around the palace stopped at a prayer room which was deep in the Imperial Palace. ¡°I will say my prayers, which you need to make sure that no one listens.¡± ¡°Yes, your majesty!¡± The knights called for the royal knights and stood outside the place. Rudolf looked around and opened the door to the prayer room. The prayer room was dedicated to the emperor, and only he had the permission to enter. Statues made of ivory from the southern continent were placed in the front, on the left and right sides of the wall were hanging lanterns painted with gold and pearl powder. On the table in front of the statue was a candle burning with a mild scent. Each time it was smelled the spirit felt purified. As soon as Rudolf closed the door, a man appeared from the shadow of the statue. ¡°You have come?¡± Surprisingly, however, the emperor had bowed his head to the man who had appeared in the black robe. Even though he did bow over to the shadow, the shadow soon spoke loudly at him for bothering him. ¡°Why did you call me? That too when I was busy?¡± ¡°I have a question to ask. Is the curse on the bloodline of Rakan still maintained?¡± Rudolf asked, with an annoyed voice the shadow spoke, ¡°Each time the descendants of Rakan had been born, I went and cursed them, each time. What do you mean by asking such questions?¡± ¡°Some time ago, Rakan and Count Monarch went into war, and surprisingly, Luke, the young Lord defeated 4 Gigants. A rune knight who can use magic.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± The voice asked with a little shiver in its voice. ¡°There are a few rumors in the Rakan. Is the curse still intact on the body, then, isn¡¯t this a bit strange?¡± ¡°It is definitely strange. I put a dark magic curse on him as soon as he was born¡­¡± The shadow was a warlock. A warlock of enormous power, someone whom even the emperor was scared of. Besides, the time he was alive was very long. Rudolf once again looked at the shadow, which was an undead monster. ¡°Anyway, if the curse on him has been released, can¡¯t you just place it again?¡± ¡°However, I need to head over to the Volga Republic now.¡± A short while ago, he was in the Volga Republic. As he got a signal from the Emperor, he came back in a hurry. The emperor stood up with lively eyes. ¡°Are you in the Volga Republic? What did you find in there?¡± ¡°Kukuku, there is a bag of valuable stuff which was removed from the Magic tower.¡± He was looking through the Volga Republic to catch the warlock who had stolen the object which belonged to the Veritas Magic Tower. ¡°What went wrong at the Veritas Magic Tower?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know. I have to go and get things done.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t help you. But as soon as you have come back, make sure to check about the curse which had been released.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± At the very moment, the shadow, the man in the black robe teleported himself using magic. And Rudolf didn¡¯t miss the meaningful smile that the shadow had before he vanished. It was an obvious ridicule. It was of a man and his magic tower, laughing at the fact that the Emperor, who couldn¡¯t support his own empire in the absence of that individual. The emperor¡¯s face showed signs of shame. ¡°Dammit! That f*cking monster! I will smash that Veritas Magic Tower, that thing which he values much more than his own life!¡± Tremendous anger steamed out of the body of the Emperor. Chapter 81 A glowing evening. Bright and cheerful music could be heard from the permanent residence of Lamer. It was because the banquet was being held in the hall of the residence, which had been just recently repaired. The banquet was held in order to honor the triumph of the Battle of Territory which had happened a month ago. The nobles, the knights, merchants, scholars, priests and so on. People from all the walks of life attended the banquet, dressed in elegant and colorful clothing. Among them were the retainers of Rakan estates, and many of the people who served Count Monarch in the past. The common things the people who had come were, none of them had a good relationship with the Count, they never cooperated nor were they friendly, which was why they extended their hand to the Rakan Viscount who won the war. ¡°I am seeing you after a long time, Mrs. Baron. Did your husband suffer because of that pig of a count that we had?¡± ¡°Hohoho, that man should be in jail, rotting while eating soybean soup. By the way, how is your business? I heard that you moved to the southern side to continue the business?¡± ¡°Only temporary, we just moved to the headquarters on the port side, on the south island¡­¡± People who were meeting others after a long time were greeting each other, some were making new acquaintances. Among them, the nobles who were under Count Monarch were struggling to talk with Rakan¡¯s retainers. In particular, the efforts of the nobles, the Baron who received their manors back, were having tears in their eyes. ¡°Mr. Dixon. Is it true that young Lord Luke plans to sell some of the lands of the Count¡¯s territory?¡± ¡°It was told like that. Honestly, it is too much for us to manage, the Count is huge.¡± Dixon¡¯s words made the heads of all the nobles turn in his direction. If the estate was being sold over, they could aim for being the 1st. Not having the entire estate was the same as not being a lord. Even with the title of Baron, the baron called as Emperor and the Baron called as Prince still had a difference, and they were treated completely different. The Emperor of Baron would be similar to a subordinate of the Lord, and the prince would become someone like a knight. So the latter one didn¡¯t have the right to ask the Emperor for his plans when the actual lord of the land had been defeated, there was no guarantee of the estate handovers. ¡°Well, then wouldn¡¯t the Lord had his ring, that is needed for the notarization of selling the lands? The ring of Count Monarch would be with him as he ran away¡­¡± ¡°The ring of the Count had been found in the bedroom. So, there is no problem.¡± The fact was, the ring had been taken away from the dead body of the Count, however, Dixon had no idea about it. The death of Count Monarch was a secret that only a few along with Luke, Rogers, and others knew. And as Dixon had stated that nothing was wrong with the notary, the nobles couldn¡¯t help but cry. ¡°Uh, how can that be? Our family had become retainers to the Count because of the ancestor¡¯s ties to him, not because we favored the count in any way.¡± ¡°Well, the decision will be taken by the young Lord.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it but, I am going to send my eldest son to the Rakan estate. His skills in fencing aren¡¯t that great, but he has studied military education and Emperor affairs. Take him and train him yourself.¡± There were numerous pleas occurring all over the banquet hall. There was no reason for them to oppose Luke, who had the Lord¡¯s ring, which stated that he was the master in the war, and he owns the entire region of the Count, and they didn¡¯t have the strength or the Gigants to rebel against Rakan, who just received the power of the Count. Watching the scene, Knight Rogers smiled. ¡®The young Lord would probably do something very unexpected.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t necessary to sell the territory belonging to the Count if people only cooperated with the young Lord. The reason he wanted to sell the territory came from the thought that they wouldn¡¯t be able to manage if a rebellion broke out. ¡®But there won¡¯t be a situation where we won¡¯t sell one land either.¡¯ The places of Baron Goth, including those others who had been imprisoned, or those who fled away like Cain, would be disposed of. Rakan¡¯s own forces weren¡¯t enough to dispatch new officials over to the new land. ¡°Luke de Rakan, the owner of Rakan Viscount, and Princess Reina Petrovna Kirillov of Volga!¡± When the atmosphere went bright, the bell rang and the announcement had come. All the nobles who had been talking with the others turned over to the door. The door of the huge banquet hall opened, and Luke walked along with Reina with their arms wrapped in each other. Luke, who wore a strict banquet dress, while Reina, dressed in an antique and elegant dress, looked very natural. ¡®This young man is the descendant of warrior Rakan!¡¯ ¡®Unlike the rumors, he is very dignified.¡¯ ¡®Who is that? It was stated that he was weak like a girl!¡¯ Those who saw Luke for the first time were flustered to see something different from what information they had. In the battle that he had won, it was taken as Cain¡¯s incompetence to be prepared beforehand and the neglect of Monarch. But the story of the young Lord defeating three Gigants and chasing one out was considered to be an exaggeration of Luke¡¯s efforts. However, the boy, or rather, the young man, who appeared in front of them was high and proud to be called a loser. In addition, the speculations they had flew out of the window, and the presence felt stronger. Most of the people were very overwhelmed by the man, and unknowingly bowed to him the moment they had entered. The retainers of Rakan who had witnessed it couldn¡¯t help but look very happy. As Luke saw everyone¡¯s attention on him, he opened his mouth. ¡°Thank you for responding to my invitation. And also to those who had come here with a purpose.¡± Luke gazed around the room once again and then continued to talk, ¡°Today, this place will celebrate the victory of the warrior and to commemorate the defeat of the foolish. Let¡¯s lift up the glass and share the joy together.¡± Hans who was waiting behind with glass of wine handed it over to Luke and Reina. Luke lifted his glass and spoke with a very firm and strong voice, ¡°For the glory of the brave warriors and the future of Rakan territory!¡± ¡°Wahhh!¡± Everybody lifted their glasses. Luke¡¯s smile was filled with contentment. The scene he witnessed that day seemed to have washed away the hard work that had been spent into stabilizing the Count¡¯s territory over the past month. Chapter 82 Chapter 82: Victory Celebration Party 2 After sharing congratulatory gesture over a glass of wine, Luke had rewarded the major role players in the battle over the territory. The greatest reward was given to Rogers, the Knight General. He had been very diligent in preparing for the battle on the command of Luke and also fought the battle by staying in the front lines. And before anyone did, he was the first one to offer the proposal of attacking Lamer. ¡°Knight Rogers. We are placing you as the Baron to the newly acquired territory to the east of the Rakan territory. Do your best in the future.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be loyal!¡± Knights apart from Rogers, who had played an active role in the administration and in the battle, were also given corresponding merits. Luke even awarded a few nobles and the knights of the Count. They were the ones who were opposed to the Count and hence were imprisoned, which meant they hadn¡¯t even entered the filed. However, the award was given in recognition of their active cooperation in their attempt to control the war. The award was enough to shake the hearts of the nobles who supported the Count. ¡®I need to give it. Rakan¡¯s young Lord is surely great!¡¯ ¡®Maybe we can keep our lands.¡¯ If rumors of these spread around, the nobles who were neutral and haven¡¯t decided a side yet would surely change their minds. Luke took that into consideration and awarded them. If he wasn¡¯t going to drive out the nobles of the Count Monarch, he had to embrace them and be sure to motivate them. The award, which wasn¡¯t sided, had to be given. Hopefully, the wrongdoings of the past could be tomorrow¡¯s strength. However, the loyalists of today could be tomorrow¡¯s enemies too. Knowing that from his past mistakes, Luke decided to never make that mistake again. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s enjoy the banquet to the fullest since we are done with the formalities.¡± Luke raised his glass, and the band began to play. Those who wanted to participate in the banquet went into the center of the hall and danced to their heart¡¯s content. ¡°Can I ask you for a song?¡± ¡°Gladly.¡± Luke took Reina¡¯s hand at her request and led her to the center of the hall. Princess Reina was quite acquainted with the social dancing as it was in her culture for being born in a royal family. However, Luke had never learned to dance in the past, and the real young Lord was too clumsy to dance, so he dedicated himself to studying and fencing. Which led him to unintentionally step on Princess Reina¡¯s foot or her dress. ¡°Oops! I am so sorry.¡± ¡°It is okay. It isn¡¯t that hard, you will get it soon.¡± Reina took her time and taught it to him step by step. Seeing those two get along well, the old retainers of Rakan and Kirillov were smiling happily. ¡°They are a very good pair.¡± ¡°That is true. Would you like to have a wedding at this point?¡± ¡°No, it is better to not hurry into those things.¡± Luke and Reina had been going at it strongly since the first time they met. Since then, they had developed a very close relationship which had been strengthened further at the refugee migration. And more than anything else, the progress of their relationship took a huge leap with the recent kidnapping that had happened. When the dark elves, who were asked by the Volga Republic, kidnapped princess Reina, Luke tracked them alone and rescued the princess. That made Reina even more grateful to Luke, making her embrace her feelings to him. Luke too had felt deeply inclined to Reina as he saw her and understood her from his days as Saymon. He sympathized with her and her feelings. He now considered her to be her incarnation, not just a woman like Katarina. As a result, his tone too had turned into a friendly one. ¡°What is Sebastian doing now?¡± Reina asked as she was in Luke¡¯s arms. In the kidnapping that had happened, she came to know that Luke could summon demons. And she was much more curious about the demons like they weren¡¯t scary but rather cute, faithful and obedient. ¡°He is faithfully acting like a cat.¡± Reina turned to the place where Luke was looking at. She saw a cute baby cat sitting. The ladies were there enjoying the cute cat, but they didn¡¯t know of the fact that their brooches and pieces of jewelry would soon disappear. No one would be expecting a cat demon. They would be watching out for real thieves instead. Sebastian was a low-rank demon, but he was able to hide his Magi energy very well. ¡°I thought that all demons were scary, but I guess not.¡± ¡°That is true. He gave me his soul. But he is a dangerous guy.¡± In fact, Sebastian was the biggest player in the battle. Not only did he adequately poison the Monarch¡¯s army making it impossible for them to fight, but he had also removed the backbone (core) of their Gigants, which contributed a lot to the surprise attack of the Rakan. However, he was excluded from the rewarding ceremony as his presence couldn¡¯t be announced in front of the people. Neither did Sebastian have any complaints about that. No, he couldn¡¯t even bear to be a part of it. Because Luke had a hold of him till the day he died. ¡°Well, while I am in control of his soul, he won¡¯t do anything bad to me and to those around me, so there is no need to worry.¡± Luke then changed the topic of their conversation. ¡°Well, how is your preparation for the city of Lamer?¡± ¡°Ah, as you have stated, we have expanded our business and influence in Lamer.¡± Luke had normally planned to leave the city of Lamer to the merchants. It was because the administrating force of Rakan was insufficient to directly take control of a city with a population of 200,000. However, he couldn¡¯t just place the city into the wrong hands. So he decided to create a Merchant Union by trying to center a few trades around the Kirillov. The rulers of the Merchant Union saw that the rule of the city was not much different from their own rule. It was indirect governance, not direct governance. The Merchant Union, of course, wasn¡¯t doing its business at the city for free. The city had to be developed with a certain amount of investment every month, and the land rent was supposed to be paid to the Rakan Viscount. And as a trader, they could develop a base where they want to operate, and Rakan was sure to get good profits from it. The wealth obtained from these would go into developing the estates of other numerous cities and towns. In order for Kirillov co. to become the largest shareholder and lead the Merchant Union, their power and capital had to be strong. To get such an end, Luke financed some of the funds seized from Monarch while entrusting her with a number of businesses, including the Gigants, the Arena and the Southern Trade Fair. These were what the baron, Goth, had been managing on behalf of the Count. Goth had been secretly stealing funds from them and accumulated a lot of money for himself. They got all of that information after Victor tortured him in the chambers with a club. Luke had left all the slush funds with Reina. Dixon, the finance officer, also wasn¡¯t able to manage them. However, it was different for Reina because of her old men. As they were the ones who had managed the household in the past, they didn¡¯t seem to have any trouble with the increase in business. Making good use of the money funded by Luke, they changed the employees of each business and hired new talents. They also opened branches of shops in various cities. Thanks to that, Kirillov co. was growing into a huge thing in a short time. ¡°The Volga people who wandered around the territory were beginning to come back after hearing the good rumors. More people may come in the future.¡± ¡°Do not worry and just take them in. Instead, you need to pay attention to them. At the time of Count Monarch, they were refugees who were being treated as outcasts, but now, they will have a different position in society.¡± ¡°As a result of what happened to them in the past, do you think there could be riots? We don¡¯t have to worry about that. Whether Volga refugees or a resident of Lamer, everyone will be treated equally in the Rakan estate.¡± ¡®Huhu, she is definitely a smart woman.¡¯ At first, he thought that she was just a good na?ve girl who looked like Katarina. Reina, however, descended from a royal family and had considerable knowledge about administration and political knowledge. Previously, they had no power and money to perform their duties properly. Her talents were intriguing, and Luke trusted that she would build trust between them and help in overthrowing the Baroque Imperial family and clear out the Veritas Magic Tower. Luke didn¡¯t like Reina just because he was able to share his past with her. He liked her because she would always help him in every task he took. ¡°I¡¯m definitely lucky to have met someone like you.¡± ¡°Huhuhu, I should be the one saying that.¡± While they were having a good time with lively conversations, the song they requested had ended. Hans approached them with a serious look. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Ambassadors from the high nobles have come. I was told that they had to tell you something.¡± ¡°Is it urgent?¡± ¡°It looks like it.¡± Luke briefly arranged his thought and then decided to be the nobles¡¯ envoy. ¡°Where are the ambassadors?¡± ¡°They are waiting in the lobby room.¡± Luke decided to move away from Reina and headed toward the lobby. As he left the hall as naturally as possible, no one in the banquet hall even knew that the protagonist was missing. Chapter 83 ¡°I am Baron Aron de Bazo. I have been commanded by sir Marquis Mayers.¡± When Luke entered the lobby room, a middle-aged man got up from his seat and bowed. ¡®A subordinate of Mayers?¡¯ Luke didn¡¯t say it outright, but Luke had a bad feeling about Aron. Reina, who was trying to save the refugees in the past, was exhausted and fainted right before the residence of Marquis Mayers. It was because of the political position that he held, and it was understandable. However, Luke didn¡¯t like the way he had treated a powerless woman. ¡°For what is it that you have come here?¡± ¡°First of all, congratulations on your victory over the territory. Count Monarch had been one of those of the Imperial nobles who are despised.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°And so, we are very pleased that Rakan¡¯s great descendant, the young Lord, have won.¡± ¡®Such a late greeting.¡¯ It had already been over a month since the end of their battle with Count Monarch. All the small lords had sent their greetings very quickly after the incident. But these people were just sending it now. Even if he was one of the three major nobles, such behavior couldn¡¯t be considered as anything other than pure arrogance. It was a kind of act that revealed their fangs. ¡°It is an honor to be congratulated by Marquis.¡± ¡°Yes, and our Lord has hastened us to relay this to you, a massage.¡± ¡°A message, what could that be?¡± Luke could guess what it was about but decided to stay quiet as if he didn¡¯t know. And Aron, with an expression of ¡®surely he had no idea¡¯, said, ¡°The Emperor will probably send the young Lord a congratulatory letter, we suppose.¡± ¡°And so?¡± It seemed to have been related to the Imperial office and the war. It was pretty expected, listening to what Aron had to say, Emperor Rudolf seemed like a very sneaky, wicked man. For the Emperor to send in a congratulatory letter was probably because of the collateral they held, the family member, and they just saw the Emperor¡¯s relative, the past Lord Monarch being blown away in the South. ¡®Surely he wants to talk about something else.¡¯ Luke just listened to what he said, and Aaron was continued to deliver the information he had. ¡°Our nobles have found that the letter, which would be sent to the young Lord, will grant him the title and appoint him as a Lord. However, there was also another statement that he would greatly appreciate if the young Lord will assume the role in the military to prove his capabilities in the Imperial Army.¡± ¡°That, that!¡± Hans, who was standing behind Luke, wasn¡¯t able to control himself. The young Lord was going to get his title as a ¡®Lord¡¯, but the other part of the letter was rather troublesome. To enter the Imperial army meant to perform military service. Young nobles had to enlist in the army, so they could fulfill their duty and give honor to their family. However, that was unacceptable for the Rakan family. It wasn¡¯t because of the relationship they had with the Imperial family. Luke was the sole heir of the Rakan bloodline. Also, he wasn¡¯t married yet, so his position couldn¡¯t be passed down since Luke had no offspring. And the act of asking Luke to perform military service looked very intentional. As of the moment, the Baroque Empire was frequently in border disputes with the Volga Republic or the Holy Arthenian. And in the time of conflicts, normal people, as well as nobles, often die in battle there. In other words, they intend to destroy Rakan¡¯s sole heir. ¡°The letter says that the envoy of the Emperor would come directly. It¡¯s too late to stop them since they are probably half way here already, they¡¯ll be here by next week.¡± Hans couldn¡¯t help but clench his hands out of anger. It took around 100 years for the Rakan to spread and flourish from their stagnant stage, but now they wanted to put a stop to that. Unlike Hans, Luke was just calm. ¡°And why tell me of such matter?¡± At the question of Luke, Aron smiled and answered, ¡°You can place your hand on our side of the nobility. The military service itself is very difficult to prevent. However, it is possible to prevent you from being placed at the frontlines.¡± ¡°Hmm, so you want me to join the nobility?¡± ¡°That is the condition, but there are other things as well.¡± ¡°And what would that be?¡± Luke asked Aron. Aron took quite some time to respond, ¡°We heard that the young Lord is selling some of the Count¡¯s areas that had been earned through the war.¡± ¡°And so? I am only trying to handle the region that we can afford to take care of.¡± Luke deliberately announced the facts of the situation. The idea was to sell them as expensively as possible, and as expected, the neighboring lords were fighting against the others and asking for the land to be sold to them. ¡°Please turn over the eastern part of the Nair River to our Marquis.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Hans blurted out. The eastern part of the Nair river was a very large area and half of it belonged to the past Count. Besides, it was located on the east side of the Lamer Shimazer river. ¡®He didn¡¯t pick up a knife, but it is like a clever theft.¡¯ Luke was a little shaken and yet he asked Aron, ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the land too much to rule anyway? And for the territory given over to us, we will be providing you with safe military service.¡± Aron smiled while saying that. Aron couldn¡¯t help but smile because he was confident that Luke would surely accept his request. ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll think it over and get in touch with you.¡± Contrary to his expectation that Luke would accept it immediately, Luke delayed his answer which made the smile on Aron¡¯s face fade away. ¡°Young lord, there isn¡¯t much time. You need to think fast and make a decision now¡­¡± ¡°A quick decision isn¡¯t necessarily the right one, right? Please go now. And thank the Marquis for giving me a notice in advance.¡± The conversation ended there. Luke left the flustered Aron in the lobby and stepped back into the banquet hall. ¡°Young Lord, what are you going to do?¡± ¡°I have no intention of following the proposal of Marquis Mayers.¡± It would have been better if the Marquis had made a proposal about invalidating the war and giving up the Count. Hans looked at Luke and nodded, but he couldn¡¯t help but ask the young Lord. ¡°Are there any good ways to avoid that military service?¡± If they were too sick or too injured to fight, their military service could be postponed or if they were lucky, they could be exempted from it. But for the nobles, who valued such activities since it gave honor and dignity to their families, such an act was considered to be cowardly and shameful. And the shame would be greater for Luke since he was a descendant of the warrior Rakan. ¡®But since I am the young Lord, I need to make a realistic decision.¡¯ Luke was trying to cut off his relationship with his ancestors. His act would definitely be considered as a loss of reputation. Hans would definitely support Luke if he made such a decision. The honor and dignity of the family was going to be damaged. However, that was better than risking the life of Rakan¡¯s sole heir. ¡°Another way? Is there a need to think of that? The others are going, I will go too.¡± ¡°Huh? Are you really going as well?¡± ¡°What would others think if the descendant of a brave warrior is acting like a coward?¡± ¡°Is that really what worries you?¡± ¡°Hu, didn¡¯t you see my skills? It isn¡¯t a huge deal, so there is no need to discuss it further.¡± Luke went into the banquet room and had a good time with Reina. Hans couldn¡¯t help but look frustrated seeing the young Lord. ¡®What are you even thinking?¡¯ He had thought of the same question numerous times, but that question had frustrated him now more than ever. After releasing a long sigh, the deep wrinkles on the forehead of Hans vanished. Chapter 84 The next day, after hearing the rumors that Luke would be taken in for the military service, the retainers rushed into the Butler, Hans¡¯s room. They were worried that something was happening, or that they had to check with Hans about the information that came out regarding the Imperial family and their attitude because of the outcome of war. ¡°If he is still 17, then he can¡¯t be drafted. Where is such a law!?¡± ¡°This is surely their act to try and cut off the blood of the warrior.¡± ¡°Even after 500 years, that sneaky lineage doesn¡¯t change!¡± As everyone was almost on the verge of bursting into tears, Knight General Rogers opened up and spoke very calmly, ¡°We need to take some countermeasure before that envoy of the Emperor comes here.¡± ¡°A countermeasure¡­ are there any appropriate measures that can be taken with such a situation?¡± When asked by the butler Hans, Rogers with his eyes shinning told them what he was thinking about. ¡°The estate which is suffering from an epidemic, cannot be drafted. It is because they worry about the disease spreading over to the other soldiers. So¡­¡± ¡°And for an epidemic to come? Wouldn¡¯t it be very controversial if people and the young Lord got sick at the very time the envoy reaches here?¡± ¡°Then, how about saying the Lord has gotten injured while hunting?¡± asked Rogers. ¡°But, the doubts in the heads of the envoy would be hard to erase. Most of all, our Lord is ready to accept his military service request.¡± They didn¡¯t know what Luke was thinking, but they knew that Luke would serve as an honorable descendant of a warrior. After waking up from the accident, he didn¡¯t want to be compared with his ancestor and the warrior, they couldn¡¯t understand why he was suddenly thinking about the family¡¯s honor. ¡°We can¡¯t just let him go because he wants to¡­¡± ¡°Why do we have to? He has to stay. Even if it means I need to knock his limbs down by force. ¡± If the lord¡¯s limbs were broken, then there wouldn¡¯t be a draft from military service. Rogers was very loyal to Luke, but he was just as greedy as everyone, they all wanted him to stay. ¡°No matter how many idea¡¯s are used, we will only be able to get handful of time and he can¡¯t be completely exempted from the military service. Whether he gets sick, or breaks his limbs, he¡¯ll eventually be drafted.¡± As Hans said that, Maron raised his hand. ¡°Then, why don¡¯t we get him married early?¡± After all, in noble families, early marriage was common. ¡°Do you mean that bloodline continuing with a descendant?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that it is the best of the choices.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± In fact, the same situation had happened several times in the course of 500 years in the family. If the heir to the family was young and unmarried, he would be married early to a woman of a noble family or a daughter of the retainers and go for the military. ¡°Well, is there any suitable partner?¡± ¡®Surely princess Reina¡­¡¯ Reina was a noble blood from Volga, was the lady of the estates and a smart woman. What was more, was after the kidnapping of Reina, Luke had been very friendly with her. That being said, there was no need to rush, however, the oldies of Rakan and Volga were desperately trying to get those two into an official relationship. ¡°The law also states that newly married nobles can postpone the services for at least one year¡­¡± ¡°How about we do something worthwhile instead of thinking about such useless stuff?¡± asked Luke. The time that they were discussing, Luke entered the room. And at that moment, all the retainers looked like a cat caught in the act of stealing a fish. ¡°I was searching where everyone went and here you all are. General Rogers!¡± ¡°Yes, young Lord!¡± ¡°Do I look like an underachiever in your eyes? Do you think that I will go into a battle and just die?¡± ¡°That¡­ no.¡± There were numerous things that had to be refined in Luke¡¯s fencing skills, but he was much better than peers of his age. He was able to express Aura and knew how to use magic efficiently. Furthermore, a Rune Knight, he managed to defeat four Gigants which had invaded their territory and proved his skills. He could go to the battlefield and not die so easily. But¡­ ¡°Young Lord, even the Sword Masters can be killed. And the act of the Emperor, young Lord is more likely to be sent to the forefront, where the combat is very frequent and unsafe when compared to the rear.¡± ¡°But can one be a strong knight without experiencing such harsh environments?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± As Rogers couldn¡¯t say anything more, Luke spoke with a much firmer voice, ¡°I hope to be a much stronger Knight than now. I hope to be a stronger knight than the Sword Emperor, than what my ancestor has achieved.¡± Luke was serious. It was because he had to be a much stronger person for his revenge to be achieved. And staying in the estate he couldn¡¯t properly practice the dark magic because of the constant following of both retainers and residents. In order to develop power without being seen by his acquaintances, the battlefield was the right environment. ¡®I get to see the situation inside the Imperial Army that supports the Baroque Imperial.¡¯ Because of that, Luke had no intention of refusing the military service. ¡°And I found out that while serving in the military, the estates are exempted from the taxes, and the disputes are prohibited, and the war with neighbors also aren¡¯t allowed.¡± It was difficult to say that the Rakan Viscount Lord had complete control of the Monarch¡¯s territory, although he had been training over a month. So, Luke needed time to stabilize his estate, and he didn¡¯t want to avoid military service that would benefit him from avoiding tax cuts and territorial war. ¡°I know that everyone is very concerned about this. But if you can accept the hard work that I have done till now, then I hope that you continue to believe me.¡± ¡°Young Lord¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore.¡± Speaking those final words, Luke walked out of the room. Hans and the other retainers including Rogers stood there while feeling discouraged. They decided to believe in the words of their young Lord, however, their worries which had taken shelter in their mind couldn¡¯t be easily removed. Chapter 85 A brightly moonlit night. On the hill of the Brandon city was a white marble palace, no, it was more like a lord¡¯s residence. On the terrace of the tall building in there was a gray-haired elderly nobleman looking at the bright moon with a glass of wine in his hand. ¡°Did he refuse?¡± At the question from the noble, the Baron, Aron de Bazo answered, ¡°It wasn¡¯t an outright refusal, he said that he would contact us after thinking, your majesty.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same as refusing smoothly? The Rakan bloodline sure is a pretty stiff one to shake.¡± The elderly noble was Marquis Mayers, the descendant of King Milton. 480 years ago, Milton had surrendered to the Baroque invasion immediately on the condition that his dignity, his bloodline and the estates would be left untouched. Although the title had been relegated to Marquis and the land had been reduced to just one-third of the original, the descendants had retained their influence and considered themselves as kings from generation to generation. ¡°He defeating the Gigants with just his body, do you believe that he possesses those skills?¡± asked Aron. Marquis Mayers looked over at Baron Aron with a sharp stare and responded, ¡°I can¡¯t be certain. No one had known in advance that he had such ability.¡± ¡°I, I am sorry, king!¡± Marquis frowned looking at Aron who apologized for the answer which he thought didn¡¯t please his king. ¡°Don¡¯t shout apologies without thought, just think about what we need to do next.¡± ¡°Ah, we are looking for the whereabouts of Count Monarch who fled the scene.¡± The Lord had fallen after the war, however, the Lord himself was said to be alive, and the minds of the retainers under him must be concerned. In addition, as the conquered group was thinking about selling the occupied land, the nobles and lower nobles who were close to the Monarch would be much more anxious. ¡°If we can get that Count Pig, we can use him in numerous ways. Like encouraging the people over there for a rebellion. However, just my thoughts, isn¡¯t it easy to just get rid of that person?¡± ¡°I am sure that the Imperial family will be looking into it too, I don¡¯t think that we have to go completely out.¡± ¡°Tch tch. You would like not doing it.¡± At the response from Marquis Mayers, Baron Aron just bowed down in embarrassment. ¡°Even the Ogres do their best in trying to catch the goblins. Do you want to leave the target in someone¡¯s hand and watch? What if that young man goes to his service only to come back strong like a monster?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, Majesty you really that it is possible? Aren¡¯t all the seeds of Rakan short-lived?¡± ¡°Which is why I asked. Has there been any seed of Rakan who has been better than this one over the last 500 years?¡± At that question, Aron went silent. Marquis Mayers was indeed right. For over 500 years, the descendants of Rakan rarely stood out and were in a crisis of declining. However, Luke de Rakan, who appeared at the moment of the bloodline extinction, was showing unexpected performance. Repaying the debts of the estates in just one payment, they even accepted the refugees of the Volga kingdom who increased their population and then won the war over Count Monarch. He had also showed the ability as a ¡®Destroyer¡¯ while defeating the Gigants with his bare body. It wasn¡¯t unreasonable that the Rakan estates were feeling elated with the news of the Return of the Warrior Rakan. ¡°Weeds should always be plucked out before they get any longer and bigger. Even if we have a clear grip on the South, we need to get rid of that guy.¡± said Mayers. ¡°Your Majesty, leave me in charge of that.¡± After that talk with Marquis, a rough voice came from behind the curtain, a man made his appearance. A sturdy body with full knight armor. ¡®He, he is!¡¯ Aron was surprised to see who the knight was. He was Cain himself. The man who had led the army of Count Monarch in the battle which had been smashed by the Rakan and suffered a great loss in return. There were a few sayings that he ran away, but no one ever imagined that Marquis Mayers would be the one sheltering him. ¡°You too need a chance to reclaim your lost honor.¡± As Mayers asked with a grin, Cain knelt down touching his head on the marble floor. ¡°Please believe in me and give me a chance!¡± ¡°Yeah, I will have to believe in the skills of the High Expert knight.¡± As Marquis Mayers accepted the request, he filled his empty glass with wine once again. The wine in the glass was vivid red, enough to remind someone of human blood. ¡°To get rid of the stolen territory, you need to get rid of all the things that are on it. Whether it is the Rakan or the Baroque Imperial.¡± Anticipating the day when he would be the true and real king, Marquis Mayers toasted to himself. Chapter 86 In the plains at the north of the Rakan manor. The land where the water of the rivers hadn¡¯t flowed. The land which had been long abandoned and turned into a wasteland. Four new towns had been built on such barren northern plains. The towns had been built for the Volga refugees to settle in. The refugees were delighted to have a safe place they could live in, but they were troubled at the fact that farming was going to be hard for them. The young Lord had said that he had found a water passage, but the refugees were reluctant to believe that. ¡°Did he really find it?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a very difficult task? If he has found it that easily, then it could have already been developed.¡± ¡°But Princess Reina believes in him¡­¡± One day, the refugees gathered to voice their disbelief and expectations. Grrrng?! Along with the shaking of the ground, a water column soared. After digging for three days and three nights, the water source had formed into a huge lake at the center of the four towns. ¡°Wat¡­ water!¡± ¡°It is a real water column!¡± The excited refugees hurriedly channeled the water into the farmlands of the villages. ¡°But, is this really groundwater?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°I just saw a carp. If this is groundwater, then there shouldn¡¯t be a carp here.¡± ¡°Well, that could be because the groundwater is based on the river that flows next to it?¡± Luke used the golems and the monsters to build an underground channel and pulled in the water from the nearest tributary of the Nair river, which was 20 kilometers away. Luke had kept it a secret. He was looking at the huge lake that had been created. He had the bosses and the monsters standing behind him. ¡°You guys did well.¡± Kkiii! Kik! Goblins, Kobolds, and Orcs were bowing their heads. Because of the brainwash magic that Luke had cast on them, they considered Luke as the absolute being. They were glad to receive his praises. ¡°Go toward the west with your races until I decide to call you again. For a while, don¡¯t step foot into the Rakan territory.¡± Luke had no intention of abandoning them. But for the time being, there was no way that they could be helped, which was why he was sending them a little far for a while. The alphas of the groups nodded in acceptance and withdrew in front of Luke. After finishing the huge task of building a groundwater canal, Luke moved to the lordship by his horse. Thud! ¡°Put the bricks over there.¡± ¡°Careful! Be careful!¡± Large scale constructions were taking place for a month in the vacant lot to the east of the manor region. That facility was being built under the direction of the head Wizard Mute; it was the Magic Tower Luke had asked him to do. A triangular-shaped pyramid¡ªthe main building¡ªwas being built at the center. And around it, the lab, the library, and the wizards¡¯ quarters were going to be built. For starters, they were going to build the Magic Tower and made it similar to the Hallis Magic Tower in terms of size. In the future, the site would be further extended to build a giant Magic Tower. ¡°Why are you here, young Lord?¡± When Luke showed up at the construction site, Mute approached him and greeted him. Mute was spending all his day at the construction site for the future Magic Tower. The Magic Tower wasn¡¯t just a building. What was harder was the fact that they needed people and numerous spell books to fill the architecture. That was why Mute had gone to recruit freelancing wizards and mercenary wizards who couldn¡¯t settle down. He even went around the estate and looked to see if there were kids with magical talents. On the other hand, he was very eager to collect magic books, spell books and materials related to magic, which could be sold in the black market. And for such a person, Luke had a present. ¡°Take this.¡± Luke handed Mute a large box. ¡°What is this, young Lord?¡± ¡°It is a spell. It will be of huge help in building the Magic Tower.¡± Mute opened the box only to be surprised. The box was filled with books in various fields. Each one of them was for wizards that were more than 5 circles as well. ¡°This, how is this?!¡± As Mute tried to speak out of shock, Luke responded with a smile. ¡°Why? Are they not enough? Do you need more?¡± ¡°Ah, no. These are enough to attract wizards and improve their skills. Where on earth did you get these many spellbooks?¡± Spellbooks for wizards above the 5 circles were items that could never leave a Magic Tower, and they could never be sold illegally. Then, how did the young Lord manage to get his hands on such valuable books? ¡°Huhuhu, you might get hurt if you tried to know.¡± ¡®Did he stole them from the top ten magic towers?¡¯ ¡°By the way, there is another thing¡­¡± To Mute who was out of words, Luke took out a rolled parchment. ¡°What is this now?¡± He handed the parchment scroll to Mute, who couldn¡¯t help but feel amazed. He was very surprised when he saw all the old books, but the item that Luke handed to him this time couldn¡¯t even be compared to any kind of surprise he had ever got in his life. ¡°You do know that I can¡¯t tell you where I got these things, right? It is only for you.¡± The books contained information about the magical engineering elements with their uses, the essence of the materials and such. The parchment was an item Mute wasn¡¯t familiar with. It was an item that seemed to hold a lot of power, the blueprint of a Gigant, with the name ¡®Atlas¡¯ on top. ¡®Ahh, did he really break inside a Magic Tower?¡¯ Mute was going mad, not knowing about the details of the gifts that Luke gave him. He kept glancing at Luke, who had given him precious gifts several times. ¡°Thank you, young Lord. I will surely make a tower that will stand out in the entire continent.¡± ¡°Yes, but what will you name the Magic Tower?¡± At the question of Luke, Mute smiled. ¡°It is still¡­ I haven¡¯t thought of a good name. To take after the name of the estate, your ancestors weren¡¯t exactly the suitable names for magic.¡± ¡°Hmm, that won¡¯t do. Never can do.¡± Luke had learned that Rakan cared deeply for their people, yet Luke couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for Rakan. Luke had no intention of putting Rakan¡¯s name on his ambitious Magic Tower. ¡®And if we name it Darkness Magic Tower or Saymon Magic Tower, it will cause an uproar¡­ Hmm, yeah! That name will do!¡¯ Luke with his own thought, looked at Mute and asked, ¡°What about Katarina Magic Tower?¡± ¡°Katarina? Are you referring to Priestess Katarina?¡± ¡°Hmm, that one.¡± Actually, Luke wanted to name it after his past lover and not the priestess. ¡°Not bad. There are wizards who admire Katarina for her patron skills and knowledge.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s name it that, Katarina Magic Tower.¡± Luke, who had decided on the name of the Magic Tower, turned around with a pleased smile. ¡®I¡¯m looking forward to what will happen in the next 2 years.¡¯ With that, Luke had done everything he could do for the Magic Tower. The rest depended on Mute and the other wizards. ¡®By the way, I never thought that there was a Magic Tower built in the site of the former Knights of Cerberus.¡¯ The Knights of Cerberus had the highest level of knights, who were devoted to Luke in his past life when he was still Saymon. Angered by the world which was ruled by monsters, they lifted their swords to change the world. Their fighting spirit was so strong that they went on and did not surrender even after the Golem Legion was defeated and after Saymon died. Luke, who learned about their intense and heart moving end, visited the place where the Knights of Cerberus struggled and met their end. He lifted a glass of alcohol for them. ¡®Anyway, if I make the headquarters of the Knights of Cerberus the new headquarters, then wizards will be eager to join. Also, it is right next to the mana field of the Castle.¡¯ The Mana field was the point where the mana streams or mana waves gather. Because of the high concentration of mana, the wizards and the knights that were training there could grow at a fairly fast rate and achieve great achievements. The highest mana in the Rakan territory was located in the Devil King¡¯s Castle. That was why Luke had made his golems there in the past. His headquarters was in his Castle, the Darkness Magic Tower. ¡®Some of the retainers were aware of it. They just pretend to not know about it.¡¯ Despite the fact that the Rakan Viscount was a small estate, the number of Knights there was high. Several Sword Masters were made in there, while the other estates had 3 or 4 Expert class knights. Luke asked Rogers if it was the effect of the Mana Field, and his response was, ¡°The knights are good because of their excellent swordsmanship. Mana Field, it is all just wild noise.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then why is that everyone trains regularly at the Devil King¡¯s Castle?¡± ¡°That is to commemorate the work of¡­¡± Rogers shook his head and answered while feeling embarrassed. Like Hans and Mute who knew something. Whenever Luke asked where the Magic Tower had to be built, everyone had recommended the place where the Knight of Cerberus was located. If they didn¡¯t have a little shame, then they might have even asked Luke to build the magic tower in the Devil King¡¯s Castle. ¡®It is better if they pretend to not know. If it was known to the outside world, then the Rakan estate would have disappeared long ago.¡¯ Mana Field, a place which was blessed with Mana, also referred to as ¡®Cursed Land¡¯ or ¡®Blooded Land¡¯. It was because, in the past, armies would often fight with each other to occupy a Mana Field. And to this day, that one fact didn¡¯t change even after the development of Magic engineering. ¡®This is a thing which needs to be kept a secret until we go into war with the Empire. But I don¡¯t need to leave it alone because of cautiousness.¡¯ Which was why he was building the Magic Tower, and in the castle, the mercenaries of the Kirillov Chambers, which had both the knights of Rakan and Volga were receiving military training. ¡®If things go as it is, then they will be able to build a strong force to fight against the empire even when I am gone.¡¯ Luke thought and went to Rockia mountain which had the mines. Until he left, he had no choice but to lay as much groundwork as possible. There was no time for him to rest. Chapter 87 Kiiing?! Kiing! The wasteland near the lordship. A white Gigant made of steel was training on a seven-meter wide field. Watching the scene from up close was Philip, who screamed every time the Gigant¡¯s movement was either awkward or disturbing. ¡°That was wrong! Are you incapable of balancing? Pay more attention to balance! Your legs are stiff. Use its joints to move, it will move more smoothly and naturally that way!¡± ¡°Kuh!¡± Luke was the one listening to that nagging and moving the white Gigant. The Gigant was the protagonist of modern-day warfare. That was why Luke had been spending two hours a day into learning how to pilot even as he was busy laying the groundwork. He had to learn how to control a Gigant so that he could fight on his own and improve his skills holistically in the future. ¡®This isn¡¯t as easy as I thought it would be.¡¯ In the beginning, he didn¡¯t think that it would be that difficult. The Gigant was like a golem, one that moved according to the marionette magic. And unlike the basic movements of a lever and the hands and feet, the mana control was the most important when performing complex movements. From the perspective of Luke, a wizard, mana control was as easy as eating cold soup. But controlling a Gigant was way harder. It was easy to imitate a golem¡¯s movements, but what was tough was to perform necessary fencing movements. Movements that had to be very closely similar to that of a human body. Luke tried to use Marionette magic without telling Philip. However, there wasn¡¯t much difference. ¡°Ahh, that isn¡¯t it! Don¡¯t just try to do it! Adjust your balance properly and move your arms like balancing efficient power.¡± ¡°Balance, balance is the most important thing.¡± Luke continued to train despite the constant nagging from Philip. After a while, he finished with his Gigant training. He had a hard time with the Gigant. His whole body was soaked in sweat. ¡°You have done well.¡± ¡°Dammit, such a tricky thing¡­¡± ¡°But you are doing well for a beginner.¡± The knights who trained for the first time with a Gigant would always fall. The Gigant didn¡¯t feel like a body. It was more like adjusting a puppet with hands. So, using Gigants properly meant being able to walk using them. The novice riders were referred to as ¡®Baby¡¯ because they need to learn everything from the beginning, even walking. But Luke didn¡¯t have to be called a baby despite it being his first attempt. He was a natural rider. He was able to move the Gigant pretty well and in five days, he was able to move to the intermediate course. The reason why Philip kept nagging him was because Luke was doing well. In addition, he had to give such attention because Luke would be going to the military service soon. ¡°After a while, let¡¯s do some fine-tuning.¡± ¡°The wine glass in the hand of a Gigant? The attendants have stated that there aren¡¯t many wine glasses left in the residence¡­¡± ¡°Then I guess the young Lord has to keep them from breaking.¡± ¡°Tch, easier said than done.¡± ¡°Then do you want me to show it to you?¡± ¡°No, just let it be.¡± While they were talking. From the other side, a knight on a horse approached them and told a quick report about the envoy. ¡°The emperor¡¯s envoy is coming?¡± ¡°Yes, they just crossed the territory.¡± ¡°Then hurry up and get ready.¡± It sure was a pity that the Gigant training had been interrupted, but Luke couldn¡¯t just set aside political affairs, so he hurriedly went to the manor. After half a day since Luke went back, the emperor¡¯s envoy arrived at Rakan. In the meantime, the envoy looked tired. Yet the moment he saw Luke and his retainers, he spoke loudly. ¡°Luke de Rakan, the young Lord of Rakan, please accept this!¡± At the announcement, Luke and his retainers looked rather irritable. In the past, no matter the position, there was no custom as to who had to accept the king¡¯s letter. They just didn¡¯t have to neglect the envoy which were sent, and the military relations were just arrangements. The higher lords and lower lords just had to faithfully fulfill their responsibilities and obligations. However, the culture took a change after the interaction with the Southern Continent. The Southern Continent propagates that the Emperor had to be seen as a heavenly being, and not just a ruler. He would be treated as the son of God. In the continent of Rhodesia, ¡®The King¡¯s word is law¡¯ theory had emerged. There was a change in military relations, and everything related to the Emperor was considered sacred. For that very reason, Luke and his retainers were forced to hold their anger and act obediently in front of the envoy which brought ¡®Evil writings¡¯. ¡®Oh my, I¡¯ll let you act for now. But once I get my forces strengthened, I¡¯ll make you people bow your head till my bones feel your sincerity.¡¯ Not knowing what was on Luke¡¯s mind, the envoy felt proud of his rank and read the letter. ¡°Listen well Luke de Rakan. You are the descendant of the great warrior Rakan, in spite of the poor power you hold¡­¡± The content wasn¡¯t much different from what Marquis Mayers had told him earlier. In a formal celebration of his victory in the war, Luke had been formally appointed to the Rakan Viscount, and the Emperor has admitted him to be the Lord of the Viscount. Then came the story about enlistment. ¡°Unfortunately, the other ruler was unhappy and couldn¡¯t hold onto the good neighbor around him. The vengeful Volga Republic and the overly confident Holy Arthenian Empire are invading these days, which is why we hope that you will help the empire.¡± ¡®Hu, you are disrespectful.¡¯ Luke thought to himself. Luke was busy developing his estates and preparing for the war with Count Monarch, but he wasn¡¯t very busy to not know the situation of the continent. Although there was a constant confrontation between the empires and the nobility, the Baroque Empire was the strongest one in the continent. The reason why the Volga Republic caused conflict in the border wasn¡¯t for a full-scale invasion, but for the purpose of diminishing the Baroque Emperor¡¯s thoughts to advance into their own Empire. And was it said that the best defense was to attack? And the border dispute with the Arthenian Empire was a battle of pride between the two empires. There hadn¡¯t been a single retreat called by either empire, and it wasn¡¯t just once or twice that the border battle almost turned into a war. Of course, there was no reason to be fooled by the things that the envoy was saying, so Luke decided to stay silent. ¡°It has already been a lot of time. Visit the Emperor quickly and apologize for reporting late to your duty.¡± ¡®Crazy bastard! Why did he send you so late and then ask me to take responsibility for his mistake?¡¯ In his heart, Luke wanted to beat up the envoy to a pulp and throw them into a cage. But he decided to use that time and maintain his estate. He decided to skip over those guys. And even after being done, the envoy, specifically the pig-like man reading the letter made Luke burn with anger. ¡°But the descendant of warriors doesn¡¯t seem to have good manners in treating his guests.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°The other lords gave everything they could think about for the envoy and the health of the envoy who came from a long way.¡± The retainers frowned upon the words of the envoy who asked for bribes and entertainment. What did the Emperor or the Empire even do for the Rakan family? For the cause of expanding the region, they changed loyalties, and now they hope to be entertained and treated with hospitality after cutting off their ties with Rakan! Unlike his retainers who could just frown, Luke thought for a moment. After a while, he brought a high-quality looking box and handed it to the head of the envoy. ¡°When I went over to the war, I brought these back with me. This is a special gift to the envoy who is probably tired of their job where they are just always seated.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Inside the box was a small glass jar of black powder. ¡°It is a weight loss medicine.¡± ¡°A weight-loss medicine?¡± ¡°A recent medical book stated that more than half of the senior nobles suffer from obesity and diabetes. Shouldn¡¯t the envoy live a long and prosperous life with your wife? This drug has a certain effect on the energy of¡­¡± The envoy¡¯s head was a greedy man. He was someone who couldn¡¯t resist and had eaten everything he could see, and his lust for life would be vigorous too. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little compelled when he heard that the medicine would not just protect his health but also gain popularity among women. ¡°The effect, are there definite effects?¡± ¡°Of course. Sebastian has done several clinical trials and verified its effectiveness.¡± Luke couldn¡¯t say that he had conducted the trials on the army of Count Monarch who were trying to enter their territory during the war. Nor did he mention the fact that the medicine he passed now was ten times much better than the medicine which was used against the army. And one more, he didn¡¯t say that the drug had been made by a non-human, a demon. ¡°A warning in advance, the drug should be taken with proper dosage. It can be poisonous if you take too much of it.¡± ¡°Huhu, understood. I¡¯ll make sure to not forget to tell your kindness and consideration toward us to the Emperor.¡± They were never treated like that, but the envoy was satisfied with the medicine and left the land of Rakan immediately. They took the medicine that Luke had given and left, but everyone around Luke was puzzled. ¡°Young Lord. That medicine¡­?¡± ¡°Forget about it. I got it from a guy I know. Our most troublesome guest is now gone, so let¡¯s get back to work.¡± Luke could feel the anxiety in him about what he had to face in the future and moved to his office with a smile on his face. Chapter 88 Chapter 88: Receiving the Enlistment Request 3 Three days after the envoy left, When he was ready to leave the lordship, Luke stood in front of the wagon and shook hands before departing. ¡°Butler Hans. I appoint you to be the lord¡¯s representative, and I ask you to look after the estate while I am gone.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, please go safely, young Lord.¡±, responded Hans. Hans eyes were red. He had raised and cared for Luke since his childhood on behalf of the former lords. He was about to explode into tears as it was like sending his own son into the battlefield. ¡°Isn¡¯t it nice to take more escorts?¡± Rogers was anxiously asking Luke while shaking his hands. Luke¡¯s only escort had been Philip. Luke shook his head at the concern of Rogers. ¡°One more knight in the estate means another person to look after the place. Don¡¯t worry about me, I can take care of myself.¡± If he could do what he wanted, Luke would have chosen to leave Philip as well. However, the retainers would be completely against it, and that was why he decided to take Philip. Anyway, he greeted the retainers and the last one was Princess Reina. ¡°I will be back.¡±, said Luke. ¡°¡­¡± At the parting statement of Luke¡¯s, Reina¡¯s lips wanted to speak but couldn¡¯t say anything. She had heard at the Victory banquet that Luke was going to enlist. However, he himself hadn¡¯t spoken about it and devoted himself to work. And as she had noticed that Luke had taken his decision to leave, she didn¡¯t want to disturb his time which he invested in planning the estate. She thought that doing what Luke had entrusted and directed her to do would make her mind feel much easier. But when Luke was about to leave, her sadness, regret, and unhappiness burst out. ¡°Young Lord, I actually wish that you don¡¯t leave.¡± ¡°Reina¡­¡± ¡°I got a nice life thanks to you, young Lord, a new opportunity as well. And now the young Lord is leaving. If anything goes wrong¡­¡± Reina¡¯s words stopped right away. Luke pulled her into his arms. He gently wiped the tears from her eyes. ¡°You are a woman with a spirit. And you are much stronger than anyone.¡± ¡°Young Lord¡­¡± ¡°Just believe on the day that I come back. Please believe and wait for me.¡± Luke had entrusted Reina with all of Kirillov¡¯s merits, the mines, and the Gigants. Because she knew her past struggles, she was a more reliable candidate than the retainers. Reina saw the eyes of Luke which showed faith, she soon pulled something out of her sleeve. It was a small necklace with a locket in the shape of a small shell, in that enclosed shell was a silver hair strand that belonged to Reina¡­ ¡°This?¡± ¡°It is my country¡¯s custom. The women of Volga are said to make this in order to guard their lover. It is said that the hair contains will and hope.¡± Reina handed the guarding chain to Luke. As soon as she handed it over, Luke felt something very powerful pervade him. It wasn¡¯t mana, nor was it some divine force. It was something indescribable that he had felt in Reina before too, the force of nature. He had not yet figured out why such a strange force could be felt in Reina at times. ¡®I need to figure it out once I come back.¡¯ Luke smiled and hung the guard that Reina had given. He kissed the back of her hand and got into the carriage. After the last greeting, the wagon moved and started to speed up. ¡°Lord, have a nice time!¡± ¡°Come back safely!¡± Luke kept on waving until Reina and the retainers were invisible. And as the friendly faces disappeared from his gaze, he looked to the north where he was heading to. The Baroque Imperial family and the Veritas Magic Tower. His eyes landed on the enemies; eyes were shining ever more brightly and most radiantly than it ever had. Chapter 89 Chapter 89: The Lich¡¯s Identity 1 A deep valley in the north of the Volga Republic was a large and magnificent Magic tower made of black rock. The name was Dark Moon. It was the same name as an organization, and there were hundreds of warlocks and their apprentices. Even if they were warlocks, the Magi presence made them look very devoted. Eyes shining with curiosity and strength, it wasn¡¯t just chaos and madness in there. There was a Meister¡¯s room on the top floor of the Dark Moon tower, where warlocks had gathered. Even though it was late at night, Meister and a warlock were having a serious conversation in a brightly lit room. ¡°He uses dark magic and knows Erenes?¡± ¡°Yes, according to the dark elf Hyrun¡¯s words, and what I understood, it is so.¡± At the answer of the warlock, Meister Johas swallowed his spit. ¡°Khum, then he should surely be related to Saymon.¡± A few days ago, they heard some news from their ally fairies. The young Lord of Rakan Viscount in the Baroque Empire maybe progressing the work of Saymon¡¯s. At first, everyone thought of it to be a joke. Over 500 years ago, the first person to beat the warlock was the warrior Rakan. But could his descendants among all the other warlock¡¯s choose to follow the powerful and famous Saymon¡¯s path? It sounded as absurd as a Kobold being a 9th circle healer. The problem, however, was that there could be a possibility, which was why their disciples were sent to investigate it in secret. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there much talk about his belongings disappearing right after the death of Saymon?¡± After Saymon¡¯s death, the warlocks of the Darkness Magic Tower tried their best to hunt down his belongings. There were many books and materials of Saymon which had disappeared, including the black magic book that he always carried around. At that time, Rakan and the other humans could have found the items and eliminated them, whatever it was, the warrior seemed to have destroyed them secretly. ¡°Send elders right now to the Rakan Estate and recover the belongings of Saymon, right away!¡± Seeing Johas whose face had turned red with anger, Suha tried to calm him. ¡°Please calm down, Meister. Upon hearing the report from Hyrun, Erenes has said that he could be a descendant of Saymon.¡± ¡°Saymon¡¯s descendant?! That guy just learned everything from Saymon¡¯s diary and his black magic book. We are the only true descendants of the Black Sage, Saymon!¡± The Dark Moon was the descendant magic tower of the Darkness Magic Tower, which had been built by the warlock Saymon himself. Barely managing to survive from the hands of Rakan and the human¡¯s allied forces, they struggled a lot in strengthening their roots for a long time, they once again appeared during the Republic revolution of the Volga Kingdom. Of course, only a few government officials knew their appearances. In whatever the situation they were, they almost regained their past status as a Darkness Magic Tower. Meister Johas was an 8 circle warlock, and the Magic Tower had as many as 20 elders with 6 and 7 circles. They were very confident that with their current power, they could fight the Veritas Magic Tower, and that they wouldn¡¯t lose in a one-on-one match. ¡°Furthermore, Saymon had been alone all his life. And he never raised any disciples of his own. So after him what? How can Sir Erenes?¡± ¡°Ah, even if what you say is true, it is better to follow.¡± The Dark Moon had a constant relationship of come and go with the fairies, and there were few warlocks who were either fairies or mixed-race fairies. If the fairies had heard the words of the Meister, they would surely have gone against him. ¡°Huh, you don¡¯t want me to say anything regarding them? Isn¡¯t it a bit too ridiculous. Anyway, investigate and then we¡¯ll deal with him.¡± ¡°Understood, Meister.¡± When Johas¡¯s decision was formed, Suha nodded and asked, ¡°By the way, will you accept the request which came in?¡± A month ago, Vladimir asked the development of a new Gigant. The Dark Moon was made of warlocks, but it wasn¡¯t like they hadn¡¯t changed with the world. Since a long time, they had been working hard to manufacture their own Gigants, and currently, they were producing Warrior and Knight Gigants except for the Hero class Gigants. What the president had wanted was a Hero class. It was the president¡¯s intention that, to win the war over the Baroque Empire, they would need a number of high-performing hero class Gigants. However, the hero class Gigants can only be made by the 10 magic towers of the continent, and yet their output was extremely low. ¡°It isn¡¯t easy, but it is a time to take on challenges.¡±, said Johas. ¡°But the ten Magic Towers had spent a lot of time and money into developing the Hero class. But is there any reason for us, warlocks to follow them?¡±, asked Suha. Normally, warlocks skills are psychic magic such as Necromancy and brainwashing which could be done with a body, and the Chimera Production, which was forbidden in every place. And as the descendants of Saymon, the Dark Moon, a seeker of humanity and perseverance even in the dark, had developed dark magic that was hidden and forbidden. ¡°The bio-golem, ¡®Goliath¡¯ that we are studying right now can be compared to a hero class. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to find ways to mass-produce them rather than wasting money, time, and human resources?¡±, asked Suha out of curiosity. ¡°Of course, your thoughts are correct too. But in order to achieve the revenge that we have kept from 500 years ago, the Volga Republic needs to have a little more strength. In order for that to happen, we need to increase the Gigant power.¡±, responded Johas. No matter how great the power of a Bio-Golem was, it was still made by a warlock. If that appeared on the battlefield where the Volga Republic was getting their win, the long dream of the Dark Moon would be no more. The final goal of the Dark Moon magic tower was to get the revenge they had sought 500 years ago. At that time, the human forces brutally murdered their seniors who were secretly studying dark magic. To get revenge, they would have to fight with the whole world. Therefore, it was better for them not to reveal their existence as much as possible. ¡°Understood. Will prepare for the development.¡± The same time the answer was provided, Suha moved out of the room. Suddenly, the floor began to shake like a quake. After a while, Johas jumped out of his seat after reading the tremendous Mana that he felt from the front gate. ¡°This, this is!¡± At that moment, the body which had learned the dark magic, couldn¡¯t help but move back. Chapter 90 Chapter 90: The Lich¡¯s Identity 2 ¡°Kue, I didn¡¯t know that you were hiding in here.¡±, spoke someone. On a hill overlooking the Dark Moon Magic Tower, a wizard with grey robe smirked while looking at the Magic Tower which was engulfed with darkness. ¡°If he barely survived, would he hide like a rat and yet dare to steal the blueprints of a new Gigant that I developed in my Magic Tower? I¡¯ll erase every trace of you right now from the world.¡± With his teeth sharp as ever, he raised his right hand to the sky. ¡°Dark Hole!¡± As he shouted the spell, a dark energy resembling an abyss appeared at his fingertip. The dark energy began to grow until the size of a human head. The wizard in grey robes moved the dark energy ball to the Dark Moon tower. Boom! The moment the dark energy hit the magic tower, everything within a 30-meter radius of the energy quickly broke down the tower and sucked the dust created by the collision. Not just the magic tower, but also the people who were in it, disintegrated right away and died. There was no way he could get rid of it if he hadn¡¯t gotten that thing he needed. The wizard in Grey robes teleported himself to the main entrance of the Magic Tower. From there, he planned on destroying the tower gradually. ¡°What, what is it?!¡± ¡°Intruder!¡± The guards of the Magic tower, who were shocked by the sudden explosion, found a wizard with a grey robe and pulled out their swords. ¡°You dare to point that sword at me, die!¡± As the grey robbed wizard raised his hands, dozens of dark bullets formed around his hand and attacked the soldiers. ¡°Kaaack!¡± ¡°Uah!¡± ¡°Step, step back! We¡¯re no match for him!¡±, shouted one of the guard. Only then did the soldiers learn the grey robbed man¡¯s identity and tried to pull back. However, the dark flames caused by the man in grey robes destroyed them to the bone. He raised his left hand to the sky after cleaning up the bothersome guards. The dark energy began to form at the end of his left hand. Right then, around 20 people appeared in front of him. ¡°Stop!¡± ¡°How dare you come in here and act like this?!¡± The ones who appeared were Meister Johas and the other elders of the Dark Moon Magic tower. Everyone who had been either asleep or studying felt that something wasn¡¯t right and rushed to see what was happening. ¡°The kings have made an appearance.¡± Seeing them, the man in grey robes laughed at them. ¡°How dare you!¡± Johas stopped an elder¡¯s attempt to tackle him. Johas looked at the man with the grey robe¡¯s face and the energy at his fingertips. With a cold tone, he asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you Pierre, the elder of Veritas Magic Tower? When did you learn dark magic?¡± The dark moon regarded the Veritas Magic Tower executives as one of their main enemies. ¡°Come on, tell us. What did you learn? Have you thought about what the world would think if this came out to the world?¡± The Veritas Magic Tower, one of the two magic towers which were leading the white magic of the world. If it was known that the elders of the same tower were learning dark magic, the magic system of the continent would be overturned. ¡°Huhuhu, do you see Pierre in these eyes?¡± At that very moment, the face of the grey-robed man began to shiver, and his face wasn¡¯t that of Pierre. Johas and the other elders were shocked at what they witnessed. The moment the man transformed, the mana waves began to change bizarrely. The wave was definitely not of white magic, and no warlock could relate to it either. No, it was the kind of mana that wasn¡¯t possible for a human being. ¡°You, what is your identity? Are you the demon summoned by the hypocritic nobles of the Veritas Magic Tower, or¡­¡± Johas couldn¡¯t help but gulp. An elder who was right next to him suddenly cast magic on the grey-robed man. ¡°Die! Black Spear!¡± The elder was a 7 circle warlock, a war-centered person. In classification, he was a war mage. He specialized in attack magic and defense magic, mainly physical damage, and his attack could cause enough damage to an opponent, even if it was the devil himself. In fact, in the past, he had defeated the demons that were called upon by Summoning Magic. However, the Black spear didn¡¯t go anywhere close to the grey-robed man and just disappeared. ¡°Oh, oh my! That is Anti-Cancel which specializes in dark magic!¡± The Anti-Cancel was a high level 9 circle white magic. ¡®There is no wizard within the top 10 Magic Towers who could perform that. Then, is he?!¡¯ While he was thinking about the identity of his opponent, the grey-robed man raised his right hand and pointed to the elder who had just attacked him. The elder suddenly began to vomit blood and melt like a candle. ¡°Oh? Oh!¡± Although they were trying to hold onto their anger at the grey-robed man for trespassing into their magic tower, the eyes of Johas couldn¡¯t hold himself back anymore, at least not after they just witnessed their junior die. It was the same with the other elders. ¡°You, I can never forgive you for what you did!¡± ¡°You will have to accept your fate, kua!¡± The grey-robed man threw the dark energy that was in his left hand toward Johas and the elder who was running toward him. As the enormous magic that blew up the magic tower went closer to them, Johas went all out to place a defense magic. ¡°Shadow Shield!¡± At that moment, a shadow began to swell at his feet and blocked the front of Johas and the elders. It wasn¡¯t just that. Judging from its thickness, it wasn¡¯t just one layer of shield that Johas had developed. It was two to three layers of Shadow Shield. Kaboom! The moment the dark energy hit the Shadow Shield, the sound of a raging storm rose everywhere. At the dark energy which crushed and absorbed all in its surroundings, the Shadow Shield of Johas withstood. The shock waves, which came from the collision of the two magics, raised the dust in their surroundings. The collision of those two powerful magic didn¡¯t last long. However, for those who had witnessed it, it felt very long. Suddenly, they heard the suffering of someone who had fallen to the ground. ¡°Kuak! Kuuk! Kauk!¡± It was Johas. Despite being an 8 circle magic warlock, he was pushed back. The elders around him couldn¡¯t help but be shocked after seeing Johas. ¡°Meister, Meister!¡± ¡°Everyone attack!¡± When Johas was defeated, the elder attacked the supposed Pierre at once. They each attacked the grey-robed man with their own dark magic. ¡°Hahahah! Oh my, I will kill all of you at once. And then make you all into a Lich!¡± The grey-robed man was strong. Six 7 circle warlocks and fourteen 6 circle warlocks weren¡¯t defeated at once. However, he was alternating between white magic and dark magic to make fun of them. As soon as more than 10 people had died, the color in Johas¡¯s face turned blue. ¡®It can¡¯t be! That guy is¡­¡¯ Johas was convinced of who the grey-robed man was. A hypocrite who trampled on the warlocks years ago. Fallen beings touched by the power of darkness always had dirty desires. Even if the enemy was right in front of his eyes, Johas¡¯s eyes were filled with fear rather than anger. ¡®If things go on like this, then everybody is going to die! We need to take some measures to prevent that from happening!¡¯ The grey-robed man was frightening. Every attack he did against the elders was an 8 circle magic. Not only was he good at white magic, but his dark magic was at the highest level as well. His fear was making him regret that he hadn¡¯t mobilized forces from the very beginning. ¡°Kaaak! How can such a monster¡­¡± ¡°No, is he a dragon?¡± The elders, who went against the grey-robed man, felt the same shock and fear. If they only looked at the grey-robed man¡¯s skills, it reminded them of the time when the dragons weren¡¯t extinct. A race of dragons blessed with mana. A dragon could use a 10 circle magic, and An Ancient Dragon could use magic around 12 circles. There were warlocks who could perform dark magic freely like a black dragon. As human beings were filled with pride and desire for power, the dragons soon entered the path of extinction. The last dragon, Tiamet, sorrowed by the destruction of his race, passed on the power and magic to descendants of certain humans. Tiamet¡¯s descendants were later called Dragonians, and the verbal magic of the dragons continued through them. ¡°I played properly, so should I finish it now?¡± The grey-robed man looked at the elders that surrounded him and began to perform magic. Dark energy rose near his left hand. The elders were frustrated with the difference in power. They were frightened of what was about to happen. ¡°Kuh, if you can stop this, I¡¯ll let you all live!¡± At those words from the grey-robed man, Johas yelled to the elders, ¡°You can¡¯t just die like this! Let¡¯s all bring our strength together!¡± They weren¡¯t just words. Dark magic could actually be gathered to create a more powerful magic. The elders looked at his direction after listening to his words. They approached him and placed their hands on his shoulder. They began to recite a special spell that had a seal. Feeling the power of the elders which entered him, Johas manifested the most powerful magic he could unfold. ¡°Chaos Strike!¡± There was a black light in the right hand of Johas and a white light in the other. As they were gathered, the two lights shuffled, releasing a terrible energy. ¡°Die, you monster!¡± Chaos strike, which had emerged from Johas, flew toward the grey-robed man. The grey-robed man just smiled and shot the dark energy, which was at his hands, toward Johas. Kuah! When the two magics collided, ferocious shockwaves and explosion happened, like the sun had exploded in the sky. ¡°Kaka!¡± ¡°Kuaaak!¡± ¡°Kauhk!¡± The elder¡¯s including Johas spat out blood on the floor and fell down. Their bodies were messed up, and the black circle on their hearts had stopped because of the shock. ¡°Kuku, you thought you could stop my Black Abyss with that little magic trick of yours?¡± ¡°Alas! My ancestor!¡± Pierre looked down at Johas and his desperate expression with a smile. ¡°It is the end now.¡± As soon as his words ended, dozens of dark bullets moved from his hand and flew toward Johas. Chapter 91 Chapter 91: The Lich¡¯s Identity 3 ¡°STOP!¡± The dark energy, which the grey-robed man released, disappeared at the sudden order from someone. At the very same moment, a man, an elf with silver hair appeared in front of Johas. ¡°Sir Erenes!¡± Johas and the remaining elders, who saw the elf, felt a little hopeful. Erenes couldn¡¯t help but feel sad after looking at them. He looked at the grey-robed man and smiled vainly. ¡°It has been a long time.¡± ¡°You know me?¡± ¡°Of course, how can I not recognize your nasty soul just because you have the face of someone else?¡± ¡°Huhuhu, an elf who looks at only the truth is surely different. Rumors about you being aren¡¯t plain lies I see.¡± The grey-robed man couldn¡¯t help but laugh at Erenes who identified him in a moment. ¡°Please be honest. Did you leave your past body behind and become a Lich?¡± asked Erenes. ¡®I knew it¡­¡¯ At the words of Erenes, Johas nodded as if he knew about something. Mana and the terrifying mana waves and those skills were all impossible for anyone other than a Lich. What was more, the Lich knew how to handle dark magic and white magic, which meant that he was a skilled white wizard in the past. And with the knowledge that Johas possessed, there was only one person in the Rhodesia continent who had fallen and became a Lich. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just take off that mask now, Arsene? Or do you want me to take it off for you?¡± The grey-robed man or Arsene laughed erratically at the words of Erenes and removed the disguise magic. His hair began to fall out of his body, and the tangled Lich¡¯s body began to show his bones as his flesh began to dry up. The warlocks were shocked at what they were witnessing. ¡°Unbelievable! He is a Lich!¡± ¡°Arsene? Is he that guy from the Veritas Magic Tower?¡± ¡°Oh, my God! There were rumors that he had touched darkness in his later years, but to become a Lich¡­¡± Lich. Some of the greatest wizards of the ancient times were afraid of death and touched the forbidden realm of immortality. In exchange for immortality, eternal life could be gained at the cost of gaining an ugly flesh that no one could even look at. Nevertheless, those who practiced such wicked practices and tried to fulfill their greed were all known to have lost their lives and gained punishment. But even under those circumstances, a Lich managed to survive over hundreds of years! In addition, the identity of the Lich was none other than the enemy of the Darkness Magic Tower and Saymon, Meister Arsene. ¡°Has it been 500 years already?¡± asked Arsene. Erenes immediately answered his question. ¡°We met two years before Saymon¡¯s death so five hundred and thirteen years.¡± The two had met after a long time. It was when the Allied forces of humans went against the Devil King¡¯s dark legion in the Libiya Kingdom that they had met. The representative of the human wizards during that time was Meister Arsene of the Veritas Magic Tower, and Erenes went to help Saymon. The war had ended with the death of Saymon, Arsene intercepted Eugene and touched the power of darkness. The hero who had fought against the dark legion, the reason why he decided to change his magic was because of his greed. To possess the Veritas Magic Tower and his desire to control the continental magic system with the Veritas Magic Tower in the lead. His greed eventually made him a monster known as a Lich. ¡°Do you know that a Lich can never escape the anger of El Kassel?¡± At the question of Erenes, Arsene laughed out loud. ¡°Kekkk, Veritas. Magic Tower¡­ I can. do anything. for it. And. I am. invisible. for this. world. I am. scared of. no. God.¡± ¡°If so, then I will be the one to punish you instead.¡± The confrontation between the two in the past lead to the victory of Erenes. Arsene, the wizard of 8 circle at that time, barely managed to run away from their fight. 513 years have passed since then. Arsene was now a Lich. He even learned powerful dark magic along with white magic. The Lich was confident that he wouldn¡¯t lose this time. ¡°Kuuk, you. think. of me. as the. Arsene. of the. past. Don¡¯t. misunderstand me!¡± The body of Arsene soared high into the sky. His body began to gather the energy of Abyss much deeper than the darkness. Erenes too soared into the sky. And the elemental magic, which was the highest-ranking one was expressed. ¡°I speak to the elements of flame and the wind, purify the unclean presence right before my eyes!¡± At the words of Erenes, fire and wind appeared simultaneously and united together forming a fire tornado. The tornado of flames moved toward Arsene. ¡°Huh, elemental magic!¡± Arsene defended Erenes¡¯s magic with one hand, and with the other hand, he fought with dark magic. Kuaang! Kung! Bang! Bang! The fight between them was so terrifying that it looked like the sky was collapsing. In the enormous confrontation of the mana waves, Johas and the elders opened their mouths at the spectacle. ¡®Oh my god! We were all just frogs in a pond.¡¯ Johas realized his arrogance. Everyone was fascinated and watched the fight between the two. ¡°The fastest lightning, destroy this unclean being!¡± Kwarrrng?! A spear of lightning fell on the body of Arsene. At attack which happened in a moment caused the torso of Arsene to turn into ashes. ¡°Kwaaak!¡± Due to the fatal wound, Arsene crashed into the ground. As half of his body disappeared, he looked up at Erenes and said, ¡°Kuk. I lost. Today. But soon. You. Fairy bastard. I will. Get. Rid. Of. All of. You!¡± Arsene cursed at them and ran away. ¡°Catch him!¡± shouted the elders. Arsene fled, at which the elders tried to follow him. Erenes blocked them. ¡°Stop!¡± ¡°You need to kill him right away when you have the chance!¡± A man with unimagined skills and power. If they couldn¡¯t catch him when he was wounded, they would never be able to catch him. Erenes bowed his head and said, ¡°The fundamental of a Lich was Life Vessel. It is just like removing the shell, the resurrection cannot be stopped.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Only then did the elders and Johas realize that the injured one was a Lich. ¡°And he is injured, but can you follow him and manage to kill him¡­ kuak!¡± While Erenes was speaking, he began to cough black blood. The injuries that Erenes had suffered from the fight weren¡¯t seen till then. ¡°Uh, Sir Erenes!¡± Johas, who was shocked by seeing the blood, rushed over to support him. Erenes began to use healing magic on himself after helping the others and spoke with a pale face, ¡°That guy will definitely come back once again. And he is more likely not going to be alone.¡± Johas and the elders went stiff upon hearing those words. They weren¡¯t even able to stop a single Lich. What would happen if a dozen of them come their way? It would be just a matter of seconds for the Dark Moon Magic Tower to be wiped out. Erenes looked at the darkened faces of the warlocks and looked into the sky. ¡°Will the battle that had been stopped 500 years ago start once again?¡± The fallen star would be resurrected again, and one of the people, who played a major role in the past war, Arsene, had appeared. Erenes¡¯s heart began to beat faster after realizing that a series of things that were signaling the beginning of a dangerous war that would shatter the continent were taking place. ¡®In such case only elemental and spirits need to be¡­¡¯ Ancient elves knew how to use spirits in addition to magic. The spirit users who used spirits with respect to the contracts with them were so strong that neither humans nor elves could be a match. But at one point, the connection between the Spirit World and Rhodesia continent got cut off. They were two completely different worlds now. The elves could no longer make a contract with the spirits because they gradually lost their power since they were pushed down by greedy humans and became a minority race. Now, Erenes was seeking to connect with the spirit world for the survival of the other races, and the whereabouts of the Earth¡¯s Tears, the key to opening the door to the other dimension, was known. They had doubts, but what if Princess Reina didn¡¯t know the whereabouts of the object? ¡®There is no future for elves.¡¯ Erenes couldn¡¯t help but shake off the bad thoughts from his head. He had no other choice but to pray that Reina possessed the Earth¡¯s Tears. Chapter 92 Nemesis, the capital of the Baroque Empire. A small wagon had entered the southern gate. Luke and Philip were the ones who were in the wagon with the crest of Rakan. ¡°Lord, if you keep snooping around, they¡¯ll call you out for wrong reasons.¡± No matter what Philip had said, Luke couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the magnificent view of the capital from the wagon window. ¡®This is at least 3 times bigger than it was 500 years ago¡¯, Luke thought. Before turning into a warlock, Luke used to work at the Veritas Magic Tower that was located in Nemesis. So, the city wasn¡¯t an unfamiliar place for him. However, over the last 500 years, the owner of the country had changed and the place turned into an Empire. And there, other changes in Nemesis commenced. The first one was the rise of the tall buildings. As the population had increased, there were many three to four-story buildings which were very rarely used in the past. In the downtown, there were buildings with 10 floors too. And the other things, the city was divided into different localities. In the past it was simply divided into the city center, the place where the royal palace was located along with the nobles and the wealthy merchants and the outer center was the place of the common people. But in the current time, the outer center was clearly divided into the residential, commercial, and military districts. The Baroque Emperor was surely founded by a despicable emperor, but some of the past emperors were good to develop the army and the people over the 500 years. And those competent emperors introduced various policies and prepared measures for strengthening their capital, and capital maintenance were one of their work. By dividing the area in the right manner, the administration had developed much smoother and convenient, even if there was an enemy attack or rebellion, it was much easier to defend and respond proactively. ¡®But in the end, the work needs to be done by humans, so there will be a gap.¡¯ In case he was going to attack the capital in the later time, it wasn¡¯t a bad thing to look for the loopholes in the administration. ¡°Is that the Gigant Arena?¡± Asked Luke while pointing at the round arena that was to his far right. Between the roads and the splendid mansions, there was a giant place, and as Philip had mentioned in the past, its size wasn¡¯t comparable to the Lamer¡¯s Gigant Arena. ¡°It is the proud Royal Gigant Arena.¡± The Royal Gigant Arena was the place where the best of the best clans and the best riders from the empire got to show off their skills. Thousands of tourists from all over Rhodesia move to see the thrilling games in there. ¡°Then that place?¡± Asked Luke pointing over to another building that was on the other side. Unlike the circular arena, the building was rectangular. ¡°That is the headquarters of the Knights of Guard. I graduated from the Royal Military Academy and then stayed there for a while.¡± The eyes of Philip were infused with anger and dullness. He had graduated from the Royal Military Academy with outstanding skills. He was ambitious to take the elite course and become a Hero-class rider, but they were all his hopes. Not only did he not have any access to the Gigants due to the envy and jealousy of the nobles, but he was made to leave the knights after being cast out. ¡®Would they all be doing well, right now?¡¯ thought by Philip himself. Three people had trapped and framed him. If the opportunity was presented to him, Philip vowed to take revenge. ¡°But, I am not able to see the Veritas Magic Tower. I heard that it was in the capital.¡± Asked by Luke when the magic tower wasn¡¯t visible even after passing the old location where the tower was there. ¡°Veritas had been moved to the north suburbs of Nemesis. As the magic tower and the buildings related to it continued to grow, it couldn¡¯t be continued in the capital center.¡± Not as fast and wide as the Baroque Empire, but the Veritas Magic Tower continued to grow. In the Holy Arthenia Empire, there were hundreds of wizards and trainees along with magic towers that had grown into the best ones of the continent, there were more assistants, more workshops, warehouses, and research facilities. As the number of facilities in the Magic Tower increased, around 300 years ago, a large site was built in the north suburbs of Nemesis and relocated there. ¡°Those streets of that place are completely filled with wizards and merchants who deal with magic materials on the north side. It was so filled that it had been turned into a zone of wizards, and was called as Veritas Town.¡± ¡°That so.¡± While Luke and Philip talked about it, the wagon had passed a gate of checking and began to move on a road with luxuriously paved stones. Unlike the outer region, the sides of the road had antique houses. The people were relatively quiet and had very few people, however, at times there were gorgeous ladies in noble clothes moving in carriages or wagons which went passed them. Across the streets of the center, administrative buildings began to appear. There was also a parliament building where the nobles from various departments such as military, foreign affairs, and internal affairs met. After passing through several buildings, after tens of meters away, it had come out at last. The Imperial Palace, the heart of the Baroque Empire. Chapter 93 ¡°Stop!¡± When the wagon reached the front gate of the Imperial Palace, the gatekeepers and the guards intercepted it. ¡°Luke de Rakan, the young Lord of Rakan Viscount. I have come here for a formal meet under the orders of the Emperor.¡± At the end of his words, a guard went closer to confirm the seal of Rakan Viscount which was in Luke¡¯s hands and said, ¡°From here, you need to come with me.¡± Philip had gone to the villa where the attendants were supposed to stay, and Luke began to walk in the extensive palace following the guard. It was his first time at the Imperial Palace. The palace of marble tiles was large enough to kill a man. After around an hour of walk, Luke reached the throne room. The door of the room had an engraving of a dragon swallowing the sun, Luke couldn¡¯t help but snort to himself. ¡®Are you still deceiving people, saying that you are the descendant of a dragon?¡¯ From ancient times, there were a few royal families and noble families who claimed themselves to be the descendants of the dragon. It was their story that a dragon had transformed into a human, and a noblewoman had given birth to the child of a dragon. The story was told in order to increase the authority of the noble family by borrowing the majestic power of the dragon, as the ancient mythology claimed that the dragons were mighty beings. ¡®Not a descendant of the dragon, but a whale. Or the descendants of the drunkards.¡¯ Luke remembered how the ancestors of the Baroque family were like and smiled. The guard who was accompanying Luke thought that Luke was having the ¡®I feel glad to meet the Majesty¡¯ feels. When Luke reached the door, the attendant announced the arrival of Luke with a loud voice, ¡°Emperor! The Lord of Rakan Viscount has arrived!¡± ¡°Yeah? Tell him to come in.¡± As the voice of the majesty was heard from the room, the huge doors were opened to the side. Luke took big strides confidently. There was no meeting in the throne room, the entire room was empty. At the end of the room was a large chair carved out of white jade and a man with red hair falling down like a lion was sitting there. ¡®Is he Rudolph?¡¯ There were rumors that Lion king Rudolph was a genius swordsman. That he trained more than eating, which was he had entered the Sword Master at late ¡¯20s and was one of two Sword Sages the continent had. Luke stared at the emperor with a lot of concentration. Seated in a rather mannerless position, yet tremendous waves could be felt from Rudolf¡¯s body. And waves like the literal waves of water seemed to move from his body and wrapped themselves around Luke¡¯s body. Luke¡¯s skin was tingling and he wanted to use his dark magic to get rid of that captured feeling, however, Luke decided to endure it. ¡®It is okay.¡¯ Luke kept telling himself. Rudolf who was seated on the throne nodded while looking at Luke who withstood the waves that he had shot. If it was a fire wave, then the face of the person would have turned into a red hot ball. However, the opponent was able to shoulder it. ¡®An Expert swordsman and magic of 3 circle? He is better than the rumor, once my preparation is done, you will die the death of a dog in my hands.¡¯ thought Rudolf. Rudolf who was able to grasp the skills of Luke stopped the waves. Luke exhaled a sigh of relief. If he wouldn¡¯t have released the magic¡­ ¡®Phew¡­ I almost showed my skills.¡¯ Not long ago, he had the magic and new powers that he had taken from the demons along with his 5 circle magic, and with that, he could have easily pushed back Rudolf and changed the situation. However, if Luke did that, his identity would have been revealed. And the emperor wouldn¡¯t think twice to strike the neck of Luke¡¯s with the power of a Sword Sage for turning on his king. Luke had no intention to rush his revenge. Revenge was much better taken when the opponent was strong. ¡°It would have been troublesome coming all this way.¡± ¡°Not at all, your Majesty.¡± Under Rudolf, Luke bowed his head and spoke, ¡°The reason that I have summoned you here is to formally provide you with a title and to make you a member of the Imperial army. I have a lot to say, but we don¡¯t have the luxury of time, so let¡¯s start with the title.¡± Rudolf glanced at Count Voltas, who immediately brought a sword that represented the power of the Emperor. ¡°Young Lord Luke, kneel!¡± At the emperor¡¯s shout, Luke knelt in front of him. Rudolf took the sword and placed it on the head and then both sides of the shoulders. ¡°Will you keep the law and the territory of the Baroque Empire and offer to provide unwavering allegiance to the Imperial family?¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Will you take care of the poor and the weak, act honestly, and justly?¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°With the sacred right granted to you, from the very day I appoint you as the Lord of the Rakan territory!¡± Under normal situations, numerous nobles had to watch the ceremony. However, as the Lord title given to Luke was happening a year earlier than the proposed law, only the Emperor and Voltas were the guests. Although it was informal, the ceremony ended quick, and the emperor talked about enlisting in the Imperial army. ¡°If you are a Destroyer, you can help greatly in defending the northern border. Please keep our empire from the invasion of the Volga Republic for the coming two years.¡± After receiving the letter of enlistment, Luke took the letter and exited the Throne room. ¡°What did you see?¡± As Luke exited the room to enlist, Rudolf asked Count Voltas. ¡°Seeing him, he looks like a fine lad.¡± ¡°He isn¡¯t just the extent of being called a fine one.¡± Said by Rudolf He looked at the door and continued. ¡°At the age of 17, an Expert knight with 3 circle magic and a Rune Knight. If he grows well for a decade, he will become a Sword Master and eat us. If it could have been, I would have given my daughter to him and keep him with me.¡± Count Voltas was surprised at the praises the Emperor was giving. ¡°Was he that much?¡± ¡°Yeah, he is. But the houses of Rakan and Baroque are incompatible.¡± The feelings of the ancestors had carried on into the later generations. Although they didn¡¯t go against the other into wars, the Rakan Viscount and the Baroque family were like enemies. ¡°No need to send the assassin right away?¡± asked Voltas. Rudolf laughed at the question of the Count. ¡°Huhuhu, no need to do it right away. It might be fun to see how the last descendant of the warrior Rakan dies.¡± After talking, Rudolf asked Count Voltas to exit. There was no way even the closest of the person could see it. ¡°Come out.¡± At the command of the emperor, a man appeared from the veil behind the throne. Since the face was covered it couldn¡¯t be identified, there was dark energy flowing from the black robes that were on his body. ¡°What about the curse on his body?¡± asked the emperor. ¡°It isn¡¯t possible to check it because of the thin power of his ancestor.¡± Said the man. ¡®However, it makes no sense for someone random to just find out about the curse which had been placed by a 9 circle monster.¡¯ Thought by Rudolf to himself. Rudolf intended to call Arsene to check on the curse that was placed on Luke¡¯s body. He wanted to know if the curse had loosed or weakened, he thought about making Arsene do it again. But for a few days, Arsene hadn¡¯t come in contact with the emperor. So the frustrated heart of the Emperor called a 7 circle warlock into the royal palace, however, with the skills that he had, he wasn¡¯t able to confirm the curse. ¡®Can¡¯t do it. He needs to do something for me to kill him.¡¯ Rudolf¡¯s eyes were full of anger. The fat black warlock became nervous and shiver at the sight. But he who was called as the Sword Sage, the skills he had shown Luke before were just a minute percentage of his skills. Chapter 94 ¡°Congratulations, Lord.¡± When Luke was done with the honoring ceremony, Philip and Mabu, the wagon driver, congratulated him. ¡°Thank you, let¡¯s get out of the palace quickly.¡± Luke, who had no intention of staying in the Baroque Empire any longer, hurried them to get going. When they were about to exit the garden and enter their wagon. They heard someone calling them from the back. ¡°Hold on, who could this be? If it isn¡¯t Philip who had been kicked out of the Knights of Guard?¡±, said someone. When they turned back to see who it was, three knights dressed as guards were approaching their direction. With a grin on their faces, they were laughing at Philip. ¡°You, you guys are¡­!¡±, stuttered Philip. Philip¡¯s face hardened after looking at the faces of the knights. It was because they were the three people who made Philip quit the Knight¡¯s training. ¡°After leaving the Knight¡¯s of Guard, are you now the escort of this little boy?¡± As he glanced at Luke, the guard, who was talking, walked toward Philip. Wiggle! Luke moved in front of Philip, who was feeling uncomfortable, and said, ¡°I am Luke de Rakan. Who are you?¡± ¡°Ah! You are the descendant of Rakan who was getting the title ceremony today. I am Juan, the third son of Marquis Makrev, and these are my colleagues Jake and Carwin.¡± Marquis Makrev was one of the key figures of the emperor. A large noble with a manor in the eastern part and the other were all noble figures. Juan bowed to Luke and asked with a doubtful expression, ¡°But Lord, do you know? Philip had committed a sin during his stay at the Knight¡¯s quarters.¡± ¡°What sin?¡±, asked Luke. ¡°He took out the magic stone from a Gigant which belonged to a knight and then sold it off. Lord, I advise you to please be careful around him. He might touch your Gigant too, hehehe.¡± Juan responded with a mean laugh at the end. His fellow knights too began to laugh. Luke looked at Philip who had turned stiff because of their words. Luke looked at the three knights who were standing in front of them. ¡°I don¡¯t think that Sir Philip had done that. And even if he did do something like that, I know that there is a valid reason for why he did.¡±, said Luke. ¡°Reason, what reason?! That guy is a natural born-thief, not a knight. He had the seeds and teachings of the back alley,¡± said Juan ¡®Kuek! That bastard!¡¯ thought Philip. At the words that Juan had spoken about him, Philip ground his teeth. The truth was that Juan was the one who had pulled and sold the magic stone from the Gigant at the Knight¡¯s quarters. Philip knew that and yet he was the one who took the blame. That led to the board assuming that Philip was betting and gambling in the Gigant Arena. It was true that Philip had entered and attended the Gigant Arena. However, it was the responsibility of every mercenary riders to build better controls and improve their skills. He never gambled. Juan however, said that he witnessed the supposed rule-breaking that Philip did, despite him never meeting Philip. At that time, the Knights of Guard had a hard time giving out their decision. It was mainly because of the fact that the witness was from a prestigious noble family. In the end, the board decided to side with the noble and dismissed Philip. Frustrated and irritated with the malicious acts in the Knight¡¯s Guard, Philip eventually resigned. After encountering a lot of problems, he had gone to the Rakan Viscount at the invitation of Rogers. ¡°If you are going to walk around with such a guy, then the Lord¡¯s reputation¡­ Uh, what would others think of you?¡± Luke took out the glove which he was wearing and threw it on Juan¡¯s face. Juan was surprised at what happened. Taking one¡¯s glove off and throwing it on another person meant that the person was being asked into a duel, at least in the case of nobles. ¡°Philip is a knight that I trust. I don¡¯t know if what you¡¯re saying is true, but I won¡¯t keep still if someone defiles his reputation right in front of me,¡± said Luke with a firm voice. Juan, who had never even thought that Luke would ask for a duel, asked with an absurd expression, ¡°Did, did you just ask us in a duel, right now?¡± ¡°Yeah, I did. Why, scared? Because you are a guard?¡± asked Luke. At the provocation of Luke, the three of them were in a huge concern. Even if he was indeed the descendant of the great Warrior Rakan, the three guards were older, stronger and from high influential noble families. Right when they were about to accept the duel¡­ ¡°Lord! This duel, please leave it to me!¡± Philip knelt in front of Luke and shouted. ¡°You want to?¡± Luke didn¡¯t want Philip to have a duel with those three. Even nobles couldn¡¯t just go and have a duel with nobles from much higher families, and Luke was just a knight, a normal knight. If the rumors went out that a knight, Philip, had a duel with the guards of the Emperor, then Philip would be surely punished in the worst way possible. However, the eyes of Philip were burning with determination. He wanted to settle things with them once and for all. ¡°¡­ Okay. In that case, you need to win.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± responded Philip after being granted the permission. Luke looked back at Juan and said, ¡°I have to keep my dignity as a Lord. Hence, I will have Philip represent me in this duel.¡± ¡°Huh, we have no intention to raise our sword against a thief.¡± ¡°Are you saying that you¡¯re going to run away with your tail between your legs? Nowadays, maybe the tongues of the knights are being sharpened instead of their swords. You can¡¯t even deal with a thief?¡± As Luke mocked them, the three took the bait in an instant. ¡°Kuek, fine. We accept.¡± Chapter 95 In the Imperial Palace, there were numerous training camps for the guards and the knights who were there for guarding the Emperor. Among them, there was a group of people who had appeared at the ground behind the Palace which was at times used by the knights. They were Luke, Philip, and the three guard knights. ¡°I¡¯ll make you regret meeting me.¡± Said Juan to Philip after relaxing. In the past, when Philip used to serve as one of the guard knights, Juan was much weaker than Philip, who had graduated from the Royal Military Academy. So, there could be a chance that he was jealous of Philip and decided to push him out. But years had passed since that incident with Philip being cast out happened. In the meantime, Juan, with his family¡¯s support, got trained under a very experienced and well-known teacher. That practice had allowed him to become an Intermediate Expert in a very short time. ¡®When that guy got kicked out of the knights, he was just a low-level expert. He must have wandered for years and wasted his time in the countryside. There are high chances for me to win,¡¯ thought Juan. After being convinced about his own win, Juan took leisurely steps toward Philip and said, ¡°If you kneel before me and apologize, I¡¯ll nullify the duel.¡± ¡°I would rather die than kneel before the likes of you.¡± ¡°Kukuk, then I will just have to kill you.¡± While the others watched, the two began their duel. In normal cases, the duel would need a public notary. But neither Philip, who was dreaming to get his revenge, Luke, standing there for his honor and Juan, who was engrossed in his wish to trample on the thief he disliked, ever thought of needing a notary to the duel. Kang! Kang! The duel had begun with Juan taking the first step. Juan was alternating his skills from the swordplay he learned at the Knights of Guard and the skills that were thought to him by the brilliant private swordsman from the Southern continent who had trained him. Just the same as Juan had evolved his skills, Philip too had developed his. After learning from Luke about the Gold Sword, he was able to stop the attacks from Juan. ¡°Eh, Ehk!¡± When his confrontation with Philip didn¡¯t go as he had imagined, Juan began to use Aura. Whoong! Just like any Intermediate knight, his Aura looked thick and heavy. Philip too decided to respond to him in the same way. Philip didn¡¯t even have to release the Gold Sword. Just moving the polished phantom sword as he used to at the capital¡¯s Gigant Arena was enough to drive fear into Juan. ¡°Sh*t, Dammit!¡±, cursed Juan. He had no idea that he would be pushed back by Philip, Juan, who couldn¡¯t control himself anymore, began to curse. The fencing skills Juan had been displaying were as fine as an advanced knight. However, there was just one thing that he lacked. It was a hands-on experience. He had only learned and mastered the sword skills. Just like the green plants and trees that grew in any manor, he had never come across the strength or stubbornness of weeds. On the other hand, Philip had developed a unique sense of responding and performance by fighting against monsters, bandits, who came into the Rakan territory, as well as the Royal Gigant Arena. Which made it hard for Juan to attack him. Swooah! ¡°Kuak!¡± Juan who got the back of his hand cut by Philip, stepped back, dropping his sword. It all happened in just five minutes, Juan stared at Philip, who placed the sword on to his throat with a darkened expression. ¡°This can¡¯t be possible. How can this guy¡­¡± Juan wasn¡¯t able to understand. ¡°You idiot. Did you think that you got stronger after learning advanced sword skills? All you know is just the shell of it. Your skills became worse compared to before,¡± said Philip. Juan did not respond to the bitter criticism of Philip. Rather, Philip shook his head and pushed the sword a little closer to his neck. Philip walked out of the place. While walking out, Philip laughed at the other two, who were scared and asked, ¡°Do, do you also want to duel?¡± ¡°We, we¡­¡± Jack and Carwin had lower fencing skills than Juan. They were low and lower class Experts, and as Philip noticed their discomfort, he spoke with a smirk, ¡°If doing it alone isn¡¯t enough, I don¡¯t mind if you two do it together.¡± The two of them exchanged glances and pulled their swords. It was hard for them to win alone, but if they fought together, then they would surely win. However, as they were about to go in for the duel, they heard a loud shout from far away. ¡°Stop it!¡± The owner of the voice jumped between the two teams and stopped them. ¡°Vice, vice-captain!¡± Philip and Juan recognized the person who stopped them and was shocked. It was the vice-captain of the Guards. Count Ferrero. One of the seven Sword Masters in the Empire, a neutral noble. With a beard that looked similar to a bandit, he stopped them by putting his palm in front of Juan and his friends, not bothering Philip. The three of them turned white as a marble in front of the count. Count Ferrero began to beat up the three of them who didn¡¯t even try to defend. Puck! Puck! Puck! ¡°It isn¡¯t enough for you two guards to make a duel with another who seemed to be at the top of his game, but you two pulled your swords against one person? Do you people have any sense of duty and respect to being Guard Knights?¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Please, Please let me be!¡± ¡°Oh my, you want me to let you be? I¡¯ll let you guys be and then make sure to fix those attitudes of yours, too. Go back to the Knight¡¯s Headquarters right now!¡± The three of them ran away the moment Count Ferrero ordered them. ¡°Vice-captain¡­¡± Philip formally greeted Count Ferrero. It was because the Count was the one who had defended Philip when everyone was against him. Ferrero looked at Philip from top to bottom and said, ¡°You have improved a lot in the time that I haven¡¯t seen you.¡± ¡°I still am very far away from the skills vice-captain possesses.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that. We lost what could have been a good Sword Master just because of a noble¡­ How about this, Philip? If you want to, I can get you back into the Guard Knight.¡± Of course, it sure was a difficult task. Even if he was indeed a Vice-captain, it would be very difficult to reinstate a person who had left the Guards after a rather infamous past. But since a lot of time had already passed, people could have forgotten about it. However, one person had objected Ferrero¡¯s request. ¡°That isn¡¯t possible!¡± ¡°You are?¡± Asked Ferrero. Luke sneaked from behind Philip and introduced himself. ¡°Luke de Rakan. Philip had sword allegiance to me till the day he dies and said he would never rejoin the Knights of Guard.¡± ¡®Hoh, look at him?¡¯ Thought Ferrero. Ferrero looked at Luke¡¯s face. He had no concern as Luke looked like a kid, but he could feel strong waves from Luke. ¡®Maybe he is stronger than Philip.¡¯ Count Ferrero thought for a moment and suggested to Luke. ¡°I am Vice-captain, Count Ferrero of Knights of Guard. Would you duel with me?¡± Ferrero was known to have a boneless body. He was the kind of man that only fought against the strong ones. Which was why he never felt like there were any strong men in the Capital, and there was no one who could go against him. But Count Ferrero was feeling different that day. It was like a new challenge had appeared, and his eyes began to shine like the ones of a beast. ¡°I don¡¯t want to. Why should I even fight with you?¡± In fact, Luke wanted to verify his skills as well. He had to go against someone strong to measure his skill, and Luke saw a suitable opponent right in front of him. But to fight him, a Sword Master, he would have to use the dark magic that be had taken from the demons. Other places might be different, but for a person to use dark magic in the Imperial Palace itself, he would be run over. ¡°I am a Sword Master. Going against me will help you a lot. I can even give you some advice after our duel.¡± The guidance of a Sword Master could never be received by the Knights. Which was why Count Ferrero decided that Luke would accept his offer. However, his assumption was wrong. ¡°I refuse. I am under the orders of the majesty, and I need to go to work as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the majesty will understand if you are away for a few minutes.¡± ¡°It is annoying.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you a sword made of Ergen alloy¡­¡± ¡°I told you that I don¡¯t want¡­¡± Luke went away from the persistent Ferrero and walked out of the palace. At that response, Count Ferrero looked at the unexpected situation and laughed a little. ¡°Oh my! That Philip guy, he got a very frustrating man as a master.¡± There was no young knight who wouldn¡¯t want to cross swords with a Sword Master. But Luke, even when asked, refused it. Such an act didn¡¯t make Ferrero feel that bad though. Chapter 96 ¡°I apologize, my Lord.¡± As soon as they had exited the palace, Philip had apologized to Luke. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you almost ready to duel for me? I am sorry for putting you through that.¡± ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t anything unusual.¡± Maybe because of his past, the expression on Philip¡¯s face was heavy and dark. His desire for getting revenge had been finished, however, he was still feeling uncomfortable. Seeing Philip feeling down, Luke said, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. Sometimes the leader of the army comes out to protect the subordinate.¡± Those words of Luke made Philip feel a little better, they were easy words to say, but it was very rare for the leader of the army to go out for his men. Philip couldn¡¯t help but look at Luke in a new light, and soon turned the conversation. ¡°By the way, where is your assignment?¡± ¡°Well, that¡­ Torlot Fortress.¡± Luke had opened the appointment letter he got from Emperor Rudolf. In the middle of the sentence was written ¡®Northern Army Torlot Fortress¡¯. The Imperial forces of Baroque were divided into a total of five corps. There were corps that guarded the East, the North, and the West, and of them, the side which had to fight with the Volga Republic was the Northern corps. ¡°Did you just say it was the Torlot Fortress?¡± Philip asked. When Philip heard those words, he was rather surprised. Since the emperor specifically asked Luke to enlist, all the retainers including Philip thought that Luke would be put in a dangerous place. But to place Luke in the Torlot Fortress, the ultimate place where the battle with Volga Republic happened! ¡°Why are you so surprised? Is it a dangerous place?¡± Luke asked. ¡°The most dangerous place!¡± Although Philip had been wandering in the suburbs for several years, the rumors of Torlot were well known. ¡°After losing the border to the Volga in the war seven years back, the northern border had no quiet day.¡± It was because of the interest of the Empire and the dreams of the Volga¡¯s republic war were preventing each other not to cross and occupy their borders. Most borders of the two countries had turned into conflict zones, the most common and the most-fierce battles were done in Torlot. Built on the riverside from the Volga republic, the fortress-like a dagger constantly aimed for the Republic, and too numerous aims to bring the other down. In the meantime, there have been several instances of the stations being destroyed and damaged. ¡°Dammit! That Emperor is surely determined. Then, your position?¡± ¡°Was it the fortress Commander?¡± ¡°That is something we can feel glad about. The only time it is good to go there is if you can be the one on the top.¡± Even if Luke was young, the emperor couldn¡¯t help but consider Luke¡¯s title, and his ability to defeat four Gigants all by himself. Which was why he had given the full control and power of the fortress to Luke. ¡°Then, should I go straight to Torlot?¡± Luke asked. ¡°No, that isn¡¯t how it is done. You need to stop by the northern command office and report them about it to the enlistment.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then let¡¯s go there.¡± Luke nodded his head and moved the wagon to the direction of Krom, where the northern Command office was placed. Chapter 97 The road to the South. A coach that moved into the village next to the road. While the horsemen were changing the horses and smoking their cigarettes for rest, the passengers of the coach had gone to the nearest tavern to rest their necks and eat something. Among the passengers was a woman, who was dressed as a pilgrim. Like the goddesses, there was a cloth covering their head and ears, and in the hand was a long cane which was wrapped in cloth. Going to the alcohol bar counter, she had looked at the owner and asked, ¡°A Cold beer here.¡± The owner took the money from her hand seeing the stern look she had. Some other customers who were in there couldn¡¯t help but murmur or click their tongues at the scene. Knowing about the pilgrims; they had to follow in the footsteps of the saints and live an empty life. But of course, it was comfortable for them to go on a carriage and drink from the middle of the day. The only people who condemned such act were the old men and women. The young people, showed generous eyes as they all thought, ¡®So what if they have a drink?¡¯. Even if she was expressionless and cold, the woman was surely very divine looking. She was no less than the elves who were called as the incarnation of beauty. ¡°Here is your beer.¡± The host has poured beer into a tin mug and served it to the woman. The woman was trying to slightly loosen the stiff expression she held, soon turned disappointed. The moment she touched the beer mug, it felt lukewarm. ¡°I asked for a cool one?¡± ¡°That is the coolest thing in here.¡± Beer was normally stored in the cool underground warehouses. In case of the high-end pubs of the city, ice was collected. It was unknown if the host was just being unkind to the pilgrim who seemed unfaithful to her vows. And the woman had no intention to drink a lukewarm beer, she memorized the spell and focused it in one hand. ¡°Cooling.¡± With bright light, ice got stuck in the glass. When she smiled at her effort by slightly lifting the beer mug to drink, an old wizard from the corner of the tavern approached her and asked, ¡°Excuse me. Are you by any chance Erwin Lesa?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The woman, or Erwin Lesa like he had said, had a sudden change in her eyes. The wizard who noticed the change in her gaze, spoke with a grin, ¡°Then I guess it was true. A genius elf wizard who had revolutionized the development of magic by developing artificial magic stones. I saw you a decade ago at the initiation, and to meet you again in such a place¡­¡± When Erwin had appeared, the wizard was keeping a close eye on her to see if his assumption about her had been right. As she used her magic, he was convinced of her identity. Although there were people with similar appearances, there were no two people who had the same mana waves. At the words of the wizard, the people in the tavern were shocked. The fact that she was an Elf was a much more important fact for them than her being the one who brought the artificial magic stones and revolutionized the magic engineering. ¡°Elf he said? Then she sure must be the most beautiful.¡± ¡°But, do elves drink?¡± ¡°Maybe a revolting elf. Maybe a republican.¡± ¡°Disguised as a human, maybe a spy from the Volga.¡± There were a lot words being spoken about her, that was when Erwin decided to leave. ¡°Hold on a moment, Miss Erwin!¡± The wizard hurriedly went after her. But when he got out of the bar, she had already disappeared. At the current situation, there were just a few places which knew how to make artificial magic stones properly, including the ten famous Magic Towers. If she was the one who developed it, she could be sitting on a cushion made of money if she wanted. However, she noticed the trick the wizard was trying to use, which was why she had disappeared without saying a word. ¡°Dammit! I wanted to find out how to make an artificial magic stone¡­!¡± The wizard who was upset stomped his foot. ¡®Those humans.¡¯ Erwin, who teleported into a faraway forest, frowned upon the behavior of the humans. After leaving the Volga Republic, it was just once or twice that she had tried to avoid meeting eyes with the humans. ¡®Tch, the beer seemed delicious¡­¡¯ As she was about to drink the beer, she could feel how fresh it was. In the current time, not just the elves, just every race of the fairies had equal right to live. The treatment of looking at them as slaves had been reduced, however, the prejudice and the discriminatory gazes had remained. At the same time, the Volga Republic had a lot of fairies than humans, so it was less discriminatory. That wasn¡¯t the case for the Baroque Empire. Most of the fairies except for a few, lived deep in the thick forests and mountains, they were often rejected by the empire. In the recent years, the situations had gotten worse because the fairies had been giving their power and support to the Volga Republic. The fairies were being treated as citizens of the Volga Republic or rebels of the Baroque Empire. ¡°A cut off wind will form in this country? Master must have gotten very old.¡± But when she thought about it, after listening to how he said it, she had no choice but to follow the words. ¡®If I head down, I¡¯ll see the wide southern sea.¡¯ The reason why Erwin was going along the forest road was because of it. Not far from the end, smoke was rising. If it was just a normal smoke, then the firemen would have cleared it out. But after a while she saw a red smoke rise high, Erwin rushed towards it. The red smoke was a sign that a place which held the fairies had been invaded. And if she could reach there, she could help them out. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s late.¡± When Erwin had arrived, the situation was already done. A fairy village had been attacked, they had around 10 families living there. All over the village, nothing but fires could be seen, the carcasses of the families were lying on the ground. Most of them were sick, or old with low-quality weapons. ¡®This isn¡¯t the work of the military. Only slave hunters use that noose.¡¯ More importantly, there were a few of the fairies who had been taken. If she didn¡¯t hurry, then she wouldn¡¯t be able to save them either. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t have gotten that far.¡± Seeing the signs of the wagon and the footprints that led out of town. Erwin hurried to catch them. Her cold eyes have been burning, hotter than ever! Chapter 98 Chapter 98: Encounter with the Fairies 1 Du Du Du Du! The wagon had exited the Emperor¡¯s capital Nemesis and headed north along the highway. Krom, the northern part of the Empire, was far, so the wagon constantly had to change its horses and stop from time to time. And without a station attendance, they had to stay in the village Inn or had to stay homeless. They were prepared for the homeless part of the trip, so they didn¡¯t think of it as an inconvenience. Was it around 5 days since they have left the capital? When the sun went down near the wilderness on the northern side they were heading, Luke asked Mabu, the wagon driver, to find a place suitable to camp. There was a campsite not far from their location. However, there were people who had already gone there. People from 30 different wagons were seated and burning fire. Half of them were merchants and the other half were mercenaries. ¡°Should we just pass?¡±, asked Philip There were many mercenaries who haven¡¯t been doing well in recent times. And then there were those kinds of con-artists who acted like merchants. Philip wasn¡¯t very keen on camping with strangers in the wilderness. He was a man who could deal with an unexpected situation, but as he was tired and feeling down, he wanted to avoid any unfavorable situation if he could. Luke shook his head. ¡°Is the next village a day away? Let¡¯s just sleep here.¡± ¡°Tch, okay,¡± responded Philip At Luke¡¯s decision, the wagon was brought into the campsite. Once their done parking the wagon, Philip and Mabu started preparing dinner. A merchant, who had been looking at them, came over to talk. A middle-aged man with a bald head greeted them with a smile and introduced himself. ¡°I am Clark of Merlin. From which family do you come from?¡± ¡°He is the Lord of Rakan Viscount.¡± At the response of Philip, the bald man, Clark, was rather surprised. He thought that the group was just a noble family. But they were the Rakan family! Clark began to speak much more politely to them. ¡°Ah! The descendant of the legendary hero Rakan. If it doesn¡¯t bother you, I would like to serve you dinner, would that be alright?¡± Clark asked. Clark had known just a month ago that the Lord of Rakan had won the battle against Count Monarch. The Rakan Viscount had devoured the second largest estate in the South. Their fame and reputation had increased tremendously after that. Even the future trades, the traders had been entertained in numerous ways. Clark looked over at Luke and pulled out a wine he had been saving. ¡°By the way, why are you going through here?¡±, asked Clark. ¡°Things just happened and the next thing we know we¡¯re here.¡± Luke replied rather roughly. The impression Clark had presented to Luke didn¡¯t seem that good, there was some kind of suspiciousness in his behavior. That was why Philip refused to talk as well. The words weren¡¯t providing them any hints. However, there was just something that bothered them very much. It was the luggage in the carriage. A thick wooden box. A thick large box. In addition, the back door was locked tight with a bolt. It was very inconceivable to think that the carriages used by regular merchants were open-fitted with anchored ropes and covered with oiled-waterproof tents on the cargo. ¡®There is a product on the cart. But this guy had found something quite unique.¡¯ Luke frowned as he found the mana flow from the box. Clark, not knowing what Luke was thinking, asked once again, ¡°And your destination is?¡± ¡°Why are you so curious to know where strangers are going?¡± As Luke questioned him instead of answering, Clark was flustered for a second. ¡°That¡­ I am not curious, I just wanted to borrow the extraordinary power of the Lord, that is all.¡± ¡°My power?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Yes, I heard that you are a destroyer class¡­¡± Whether he used magic or just his sword skills, if a man could defeat 4 Gigants with just his body, he surely had some extraordinary power. The stranger believed that such a strong person could solve their problems in an instant. ¡°There was a wizard aiming for us for three days now. The wizard¡¯s skills are great. We already lost half of our merchandise, and over 20 people were killed.¡± Somehow the merchants and the mercenaries weren¡¯t saying the reason why the situation had turned out that way. Luke looked at him and asked, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to ask for the help of the patrol?¡± The highways were a great help in boosting the empire¡¯s economy. Hence, there were a lot of patrols that wandered the place to keep businesses safe from rogues and monsters. ¡°This wizard can¡¯t be defeated with the patrollers¡¯ level, and it would require a lot of money.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So I took the liberty and asked for a nobleman. A noble would be given the help of the Lord.¡± Perhaps the old young Lord of Rakan would have decided to jump in and help them. Luke, however, wasn¡¯t a Rakan, which was why he began to speculate what could possibly happen. Clark began to sweat with nervousness. ¡°It isn¡¯t much, but we can pay a little.¡± ¡°Price, what do you want to pay?¡± ¡°Well, that¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think you can make us accept it with a few gold coins, right?¡± Asked Luke. Luke knew most of it. Clark then offered the biggest thing he could. ¡°The largest I can give is 5,000 gold.¡± Luke nodded with a satisfied look. However, his thoughts were different. ¡®I need to go to a place where there aren¡¯t many people and save the slaves these men have kept.¡¯ Luke smiled realizing that he had met a slave trader after a long time. He was thinking about how to deal with them without leaving much evidence behind. He had saved many slaves during his time as Saymon. And if the slave wasn¡¯t a human being, then Saymon was much more active in saving them. After his resurrection, he was very glad to have come across a slave trader once again. ¡®Those who buy and sell slaves don¡¯t deserve to live.¡¯ Those were Luke¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Ahahah, Viscount. Thank you for your support.¡± Thinking that Luke had decided to help them, Clark smiled and poured a glass of wine for him. Chapter 99 Chapter 99: Encounter with the Fairies 2 From the day after the big talk and proposal, Luke moved with the other party. Clark tried to make Luke feel as comfortable as possible. He even took a step ahead and brought Luke a meal while he was in bed. All those treatments made Luke feel very comfortable during the trip. After two days, they had reached the forest where the monster appeared quite often. ¡®Should I try it now?¡¯ If the forest had no escape routes, then there were going to be no witnesses. Determined, Luke gripped his sword with his right hand when something suddenly swung from the other side and knocked two mercenaries who were on the side. ¡°Kaak!¡± ¡°Ahk!¡± The eyes of the mercenaries began to flutter with the strike to their chest; they screamed out of shock. ¡°Dammit, we¡¯re under attack!¡± ¡°Prepare for battle, everyone!¡± Mercenaries prepared to respond to the attack. Clark immediately crawled under a random cart. Luke couldn¡¯t help but smile at the act of that slender figure who hid out of fear. ¡°It is dangerous, Lord,¡± said Philip. Pha? Tch! With a scream, Philip swung his sword. The ice, which flew in the form of a spear, shattered into pieces before being able to reach Luke. ¡°I was able to stop it for now,¡± said Philip. ¡°I think it is too early to say that. We need to get these slave traders out of our way.¡± Philip seemed to have figured out the identity of the intruder. But to go against such a person¡­ ¡°It is too late for us to back out,¡± said Luke. A fireball about the size of a watermelon flew from the direction where the ice came from just a while ago. At first, it was just an ordinary fireball. Luke, however, sensed some very unusual flow of mana in the fireball. ¡°Avoid it! If it hits us we are dead!¡± At the shout from Luke, Philip hurriedly dodged it. However, from just one fireball, a dozen fireballs began to come. It was almost like a meteor shower. Bang! Bang! Bang! ¡®Oh my! This is like shelling.¡¯ Philip thought. Philip who just dodged the incoming attack couldn¡¯t close his mouth at the fireball shower. Clark had told them earlier that their stalker was a good wizard, but they didn¡¯t know that the stalker was this good. ¡°If this is the mana flow, 7 circles is the thing,¡± said Luke. ¡°Huh? Is that true?¡± Asked Philip. Luke nodded, which only made Philip much more surprised. A 7 circle was close to a Meister class talent of a medium Magic Tower. What was the reason for such an assault to be taken on the slave trader? However, they didn¡¯t have much time to think. ¡°It¡¯s coming! Be careful!¡± Screamed someone. From the woods, a wizard dressed in a white robe holding a bright golden staff appeared. Luke and Philip didn¡¯t have the time to care about the wizard. That was because a thin stream of water rose from the ground. ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Kaaak! My legs!¡± Screamed the slave traders. The stream was beginning to break down the armors of the traders by turning into arrows. Even without being directly attacked, the traders rolled on the ground in pain. Luke and Philip were trying their best to avoid getting in contact with the stream. However, the two of them weren¡¯t able to avoid all the arrows that were rising from the ground. ¡°Shield!¡± ¡°Aura Armor!¡± Luke protected himself with a defensive spell while Philip used a full-body Expert Aura. Seeing their response to the magic, the wizard paused and began to chant a different spell to attack them. ¡°Look here! We have nothing to do with these guys!¡± Said Philip. ¡°You are wrong, Sir Philip. No matter what you say, that one won¡¯t believe it,¡± replied Luke. If the wizard had seen the slave traders being all hospitable to them, then it was sure that they had been part of the same group. ¡®And that wizard is not going to listen to the words of a human.¡¯ Luke thought. At first, Luke had thought that the wizard was trying to take away the riches of the traders. But after seeing the mana flow from the wizard, that wasn¡¯t the case. At least, it wasn¡¯t a human wizard. ¡®This wizard¡¯s race is an El¡­!¡¯ Luke¡¯s eyes went wide, interrupting his line of thought after seeing the wizard. The wavelength of mana had suddenly changed. ¡®This¡­ This is the 7 circle Phoenix Wing!¡¯ The Phoenix Wing was a fire magic that wouldn¡¯t die down until it hit its target. This magic was so strong that a shot from the Phoenix Wing could even melt steel. The wizard looked around the place after the wizard was almost done chanting. It was going to be troublesome to deal with white magic attack. To confront that attack, Luke would have to use his skills. Luke decided to talk to Philip. ¡°Sir Philip, you trust me, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I trust you.¡± From the moment when his Lord had gone against Juan¡¯s group, Philip had immense respect for his Lord. He had no specific reason to believe in Luke, but he didn¡¯t want to betray Luke who had believed in him when no one else did. ¡°Okay, don¡¯t be surprised no matter what I show or do.¡± When Luke said that, the wizard unleased Phoenix Wing. Kooo! A 7 circle magic, the firebird really looked like the legendary Phoenix itself. The sound of the air burning could be heard along with the cry of the Phoenix. Luke chanted his spell and aimed his right hand at the firebird that was rushing toward them. ¡°Dark Impact!¡± The purple light from Luke¡¯s hand shone brightly, and the space began to distort. The firebird which was rushing toward them like a tornado got torn into pieces and flames scattered in all directions. ¡®That is dark magic!¡¯ The wizard¡¯s eyes went wide upon seeing Luke¡¯s skill. The wizard thought that the skill of the young man was praiseworthy. The wizard thought that Luke was just a man who had been pulled in by the offer of the traders. He was a villain who was learning the dark magic! However, the wizard realized something. ¡®No, this dark magic is different. This is just like¡­¡¯ While the wizard was a little flustered, Luke went ahead and released quick magic attacks. The flustered wizard tried to stop Luke¡¯s charge. However, Luke was faster than what the Wizard had expected. As a result, after the wizard used a wind cutter spell, Luke used Blink spell to avoid it ahead of time. ¡°You want to play tag, huh?¡± Said Luke who appeared behind the wizard with the help of Blink. The wizard tried to catch him. However, the wizard¡¯s hands just passed through Luke. ¡®This is Illusion magic? Plus invisibility magic!¡¯ Two different magics had been manifested simultaneously. It was known as Double-Casting. In addition, Luke had already grasped his opponent¡¯s tactics. The wizard¡¯s skills and performance were that of a 7 circle wizard. Puah! ¡®This is¡­!¡¯ Before Luke could think. He had been hit with the wizard¡¯s golden staff. Luke realized once again that he was overpowered by his opponent. While staying hidden, he thought of using a magic attack, but he took a direct hit instead. In addition, the wizard used a 7 circle Strength magic to raise her power momentarily. If the wizard didn¡¯t hold back, then Luke would have coughed up blood and fell down. Luke twisted his body, and the guardian pendant that Reina had given, reduced the impact of the blow. Woong?! ¡®What, what is this?¡¯ The wizard thought. The moment the wizard¡¯s staff touched Luke, the wizard sensed some strange unknown power in him. Focused on that mysterious mana, the wizard hadn¡¯t realized that her attack had failed. Luke used that chance to retreat. Luke had realized that he wasn¡¯t good enough and decided to use one of the demon¡¯s powers. ¡°Sonic Wave!¡± ¡°Kyaaak!¡± The moment the wizard realized it, it was too late, and an ultrasonic shock had already hit her. With the unexpected wave that hit her body, the wizard screamed out of pain and flew back. She bounced back while smashing through several trees and then hit the ground. Chapter 100 After the battle, Philip hurriedly went to Luke and asked, ¡°Are you alright, Lord?¡± ¡°Yes, I think I was saved because of the guardian locket that the princess gave me.¡± Luke took out the chain that was hanging around his neck. The locket was a bit distorted as it had been hit with the staff a while ago. Seeing Luke all safe, Philip sighed out of relief and soon asked what he had been curious about. ¡°Lord, what was the power that you have used a while ago¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, I think you know what it is.¡± ¡®The power of the Devil King!¡¯ which Philip had thought of. Philip¡¯s face went stiff. Honestly, he was expecting something like that to have happened. He had been a bit suspicious of Luke ever since he had been going into the Devil King¡¯s Castle without taking any of his retainers. He had suspected that Luke had secretly acquired the vision of the Devil King Saymon, and was learning, now it had been proved! ¡°I know you are disappointed. A descendant of a warrior touching something he never should.¡± Luke said. ¡°That power¡­ are you able to control it?¡± Philip asked. The dark magic was difficult to opt as it was considered as uncontrollable for wizards. The power which was beyond one¡¯s control immediately corrupts the soul of a wizard. But as Luke nodded, Philip¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Then I guess it is all right. I won¡¯t be picking on you like the old retainers back home. If you need to catch a rat, it isn¡¯t supposed to matter if the cat is a black one or a white one.¡± Philip understood what Luke had done that for. Which was why he decided to believe in Luke, and his innocence. ¡°But, I have a favor, if I die, just don¡¯t make me into a Death Knight.¡± ¡°Okay, then as I have told you before, I will make you into a Durahan.¡± ¡°Lord!¡± ¡°Hahaha, don¡¯t worry. I still haven¡¯t learned how to do it, and I have no intention of learning it either.¡± Luke glanced over from Philip. Clark and the other mercenaries who had survived the raid went up to the fallen wizard. ¡°What is this? This bitch?¡± ¡°She is an elf too. So, you were the one chasing us!¡± Clark saw why she had been following them, he pushed the head of the fallen elf. ¡°Hey, elf bitch! What do you get for doing this to us? Speak up! Wake up right now!¡± Clark raised his hand and was ready to hit her on her cheek. Luke held his hand and asked, ¡°Who told you that you could touch that woman?¡± Crack! ¡°Ahk!¡± As Luke held the hand, Clark¡¯s hand broke down like a cane. ¡°Kukuk¡­ why, why did you do this, Lord? That lady has¡­¡± Clark said. ¡°I know, I was going to save you guys from them. But, even I hate the fact that you catch good fairies and sell them off as slaves.¡± ¡°But, why?¡± ¡°Why did I say that I was going to help? I was accompanying you people to take you to some thick forest and then bury you.¡± ¡°Ekk!¡± Unlike the frightened group of Clark and his buddies, Philip just nodded his head feeling relieved. Knowing that Luke learned dark magic, Philip thought that Luke decided to help them because of turning a little evil. ¡°Kay then, should I clean out the trash?¡± Luke asked. ¡°Ahhk!¡± Clark and the others who were frightened of Luke ran away the very instant. They knew that they couldn¡¯t fight against the man who managed to handle the elven wizard. Their actions were wise, however, there was no way that they could escape Luke¡¯s grip. ¡°Petro Light.¡± As soon as Luke¡¯s eyes flashed, Clark and the others stood still in the place. Their bodies were slowly turning hard and they began to panic. ¡°Haaaa! Please let us be! Please!¡± Luke didn¡¯t even bother listening to them, those who didn¡¯t bother listening to the cries of the fairies. Philip too just looked at them with a teasing face. The screams of the mercenaries echoed in the woods till the moment their tongues went stiff and then their whole bodies. They soon turned into stone statues. ¡°Ugh, this is¡­¡± After regaining consciousness, Erwin hurriedly looked at her surroundings. She had been working hard for five days to track the slave traders who had killed numerous fairies. After saving a few fairies, she decided to attack them for one last time, which was the time she crossed path with a warlock. The warlock was strong for her to handle. She had fainted for a dark magic that no 7 circle wizard had perceived. ¡®What happened?¡¯ She thought that she would be stuffed with magic seals. However, her body wasn¡¯t just fine but was also covered with a blanket to prevent her from catching a cold. And the staff she had received from her teacher was right beside her. Erwin¡¯s shocked eyes looked at the warlock and his underling releasing the trapped fairies. Their eyes didn¡¯t show the contemptible lust that the slave traders had. ¡®Why would they save me?¡¯ ¡®Didn¡¯t they made a pact with the slave traders?¡¯ Erwin was thinking deeply about that. While she was lost in thoughts, the warlock looked back and their eyes met. ¡°Uh? You are up already. I thought that you would be down for a while.¡± Luke instructed Erwin who was staring at him. ¡°If you can move, then boil some porridge. I think they are starving.¡± Slaves were always fed well because they were valuable commodities, but they were never fed in the beginning. To discipline them, they would use violence or starve them. Normal fairies were stronger than humans, however, after five days without eating or drinking they would be in a weak state. She knew that she had to feed them. ¡®This man why¡­ no, I¡¯ll ask him later.¡¯ Humans have a caring nature for their own people, and they would not answer their questions. Erwin got up from her seat, boiled the porridge and gave it to the fairies, just as Luke had told her. And then, from the subspace ring, she took out herbs which were effective in restoring energy. Luke stared at it with an interested expression. ¡°A subspace artifact? That is something very rare.¡± Luke asked. ¡°Once upon a time, I got it from an ancient ruin. I can give it if you want.¡± The space in the subspace was pretty small, it was enough to carry a few clothes and a few belongings. To live without it could be uncomfortable for Erwin, but the man had saved her race, so she owed it to him. However, Luke declined her offer. ¡°I don¡¯t need it. I have the same thing. And I haven¡¯t asked for it either.¡± ¡°Then, what do you want? Erwin asked. ¡°There is no reason for me to save a human who is in need. That was it.¡± ¡®A human¡­¡¯ Not many humans regarded fairies as humans. It was the same as the Volga Republic where the treatment of fairies was good, even the priests who preached about loving everyone and everything equally had difficulty seeing them as humans. It was because of envy, jealousy, and fear of them. Fairies had a better appearance, longer life, and exceptional talent which humans didn¡¯t have. If humans were less capable of production than the fairies, then the world would be full of fairies and not them. ¡°Anyway, we have met around such circumstances but, I am Luke de Rakan. And you must be?¡± ¡®Did he say Rakan?¡¯ Erwin thought. Erwin stared at Luke with a questionable look. No matter how righteous a man was for saving her people, he was the descendant of the hypocrite Rakan, who had trampled on the wishes of her ancestors. Erwin¡¯s gaze, which had been very soft towards Luke until then turned icy. ¡°Look here, I am asking your name.¡± At the question from Luke, she reluctantly told her name. ¡°Erwin. My name is Erwin Lesa.¡± ¡®Erwin Lesa?¡¯ Thought Luke to himself. Erwin had made great achievements in the magic world. ¡°The one who had devised the artificial magic¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah. The biggest regret of my life.¡± ¡°Regret?¡± They were the last words of Erwin. There was still a lot she had to ask Luke, however, she wasn¡¯t going to speak to the offspring of a hypocrite. Chapter 101 Filling their stomachs, and the medicinal drugs which Erwin made had helped the fairies for a speedy recovery. Luke was under the thought of what he had to do with them. If he would take them with him to the city, they would all be treated as a slave or as spies from the Volga Republic. ¡®The village they had been using was burned down by the traders¡­¡¯ Luke was troubled and that was when he remembered the words of the dead merchants. They had lost half of their merchandise in the hands of Erwin. If she did save the fairies like they said, then there might have been someplace where she was keeping them safe. ¡°Look here, I think we need to move them to some other safe place.¡± Luke said. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking? Is it because I am the descendant of Rakan?¡± Luke too had been wondering why Erwin had suddenly become cold towards him. Hundreds of years later, the warrior who had been favored by all the humans had defeated Saymon, the liberator of fairies. ¡®Dammit, I am that Saymon!¡¯ Luke thought. He could only say those words to himself and was unable to reveal it. Whether it was Philip or Erwin, they would both think that Luke was crazy. However, Luke couldn¡¯t just end it like that, he tried to speak again to her. At that moment, Erwin opened her mouth and spoke with a very disgusted tone, ¡°Two days to north, there is a fairy village. Those whom I have rescued first were sent there.¡± ¡°Yeah? Then send these ones there too. Guide me right away.¡± At the urgent words of Luke to guide him, Erwin spoke with a chilly look, ¡°The villagers won¡¯t welcome humans.¡± ¡°Why? Afraid we¡¯ll make rumors about them? If that was the case, Lord wouldn¡¯t have saved them!¡± And came the words from Philip. The woman seemed to have a generous character, and her beauty was eye-catching, however, Erwin¡¯s attitude wasn¡¯t that top-notch. ¡°And our Lord is different from his ancestors. He is so bold and thoughtful that he willingly accepted the Devil King¡¯s Vision to save his land!¡± Philip spoke with a stern voice. ¡®I didn¡¯t exactly do that for the Devil King¡¯s Castle.¡¯ Luke thought to himself. Luke was trying to save the most precious Devil King¡¯s Castle and was trying to get revenge. Luke didn¡¯t know how the situation would turn with Philip saying all those out loud, but he didn¡¯t stop Philip as Erwin¡¯s face began to change a little. ¡®He learned the Devil King¡¯s Vision? That was why he was able to use dark magic which was similar to the warlocks.¡¯ The Dark Moon was the successor of the Darkness Magic Tower which had been established by Saymon in the past. If he learned Saymon¡¯s vision, then he was one of them. Like that, one question about Luke had been solved, but Erwin wasn¡¯t able to solve another thing. She felt a similar energy to one of the mother nature when she hit the pendant of Luke. The energy wasn¡¯t just massive or grand, but made her heart beat fast and longing for something. ¡®If my guess was right, it could be related to the Earth¡¯s Tears.¡¯ The Earth¡¯s Tears have released its power numerous times in the past. Some elves had even recorded the feelings for the later reference and Erwin read those records. ¡®I need to check it a little more. If so, then it might be a good idea to take him to the village.¡¯ Thinking to herself, Erwin stood up and talked to Luke and Philip, ¡°I¡¯ll guide you. We¡¯ll leave right away.¡± ¡°I see, you have changed your mind.¡± Luke smiled thinking that she had changed her mind when the cold face of Erwin came back. ¡°If you are different from your ancestors, then I¡¯ll try to keep you beside a little longer.¡± Chapter 102 Luke and Philip headed north along with the fairies leaving behind their wagon and the carriage. Erwin led the group to a remote mountain road. The more distance they passed, the narrower the path was getting. After a long time, a road crossing at a cliff had appeared. ¡°Is this really the right way?¡± Asked Philip. He then shouted, ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Sir Philip, be careful. It is the end if we made even the slightest mistake.¡± Luke advised and held onto Philip, who had almost slipped. Two hours later, the group found a village in the base surrounded by rocky mountains. ¡°Is that the fairy village?¡± ¡°Yes, it is called the Zenith village.¡± Zenith village, where around 50 families lived, wasn¡¯t much different from any mountain where villages of humans were located. The only unusual thing was the different plants and flowers that they were growing, and the majority of inhabitants there were fairies. ¡°This is a bit disappointing. I thought that they would be hidden in some mysterious enchantment,¡± said Philip. ¡°You have read way too many fairy tales.¡± At the words of Philip, Erwin shot back at him. However, there was a small tinge of sadness in her eyes. A long time ago, the lives of fairies were just like in fairy tales, which would talk about elves and the magic they possessed. The village, protected by spirits, was beautiful and lively with smiles everywhere. However, the elves lost a lot of their power when they lost contact with the Spirit World, which led to the decline of the fairies. It wasn¡¯t unreasonable for Sylvia and the other radicals to search for the Earth¡¯s Tears all over the world. The elves and other races of fairies were about to go extinct like the ancient dragons. ¡°But they farm.¡± Philip looked at the clear fields around the village with a shocked face. ¡°Then where do you think the fairies eat?¡± Asked Erwin. ¡°I heard that they find stuff from forests and some mushrooms.¡± At the words of Philip, not just Erwin but the other fairies too put up disgusted faces toward him. Before they could say something hurtful to Philip, Luke intervened. ¡°Sir Philip, the fairies were the ones who have delivered the skills of agriculture to humans.¡± ¡°Uh, is that true, Lord?¡± ¡°Yep, all the seeds or crops and vegetables grown by the humans such as the wheat and barley were all improvised on what Elves have got from nature.¡± It was after Luke had become a warlock that he had learned of the truth behind history. In order to gain strength to fight his enemies, he traveled to some ancient places and ruins discovering their texts. And those texts of ancient times didn¡¯t just record the beginning of agriculture but also the truth of the ancient civilization. ¡®If all of those came out, the history of the continent will flip over.¡¯ Luke thought. The Mado Empire, Abaron, lead the loss of the ancient civilization. The lord of the Empire, who ruled the entire continent and protected its people against the powerful dragons, weren¡¯t humans but fairies. Thousands of years ago, humans were nothing more than some primitive barbarians who lived in the empire. Far from farming, they didn¡¯t even know how to hunt or domesticate livestock. They had no metals, so they used weapons or tools made of stone. They were nothing but a lucky race to have survived against beasts and monsters. The fairies were the ones who handed them civilization. And it wasn¡¯t out of good intention either, but rather it was because humans were docile and smarter than the orcs, goblins and the kobolds. ¡®In other words, they were domesticating wild humans and making them into their livestock.¡¯ At that time, Abaron was in need of a lot of labor, so they enslaved the humans. And in that process, the humans began to learn agriculture from the elves, metallurgy from the dwarves, magic from the fairies, and martial arts from the Suin. Receiving the knowledge and the culture from the fairies, humans have blossomed and became a threat to the fairies. In that process, the mixed offsprings of dragons and fairies with humans began to come out as powerful living beings. Under their initiative the ¡®Slavery Rebellion¡¯ broke out and Abaron was destroyed and the civilization developed by the ancient fairies had collapsed. And now, the relationship between the humans and the fairies had been completely reversed. The truth had been forgotten even among the fairies, and the only ones who knew it, such as Erenes, didn¡¯t speak about it. It was because the truth could have caused either conflict or sorrow. ¡®The past isn¡¯t a good enough reason to punish the fairies of the present. It isn¡¯t right for humans to enslave or discriminate against them because of what they did in the past.¡¯ The fairies weren¡¯t always living in the mountains of the forests. It was because they had been pushed by the humans, they had to give up their golden lands and hide like that. ¡°Stop, who are you?¡± Asked someone. The guards at the entrance of Zenith village shouted, pointing their spears in the direction of the visitors. They were a very aggressive race, which could be compared to the Dark Elves. They were the Lycans who were referred to as Werewolves. ¡°I am Erwin Lesa, who came a few days ago. I saved the kidnapped ones.¡± ¡°Ah, it is Miss Erwin,¡± said one of the guards. When they realized that the person was an acquaintance, the Lycans took down their spears. However, as they saw Luke and Philip, they got terrified. ¡°Hu-humans?!¡± ¡°It is alright. These were the ones who had saved my kind.¡± At the answer of Erwin, the Lycan went back a few steps. Even after taking a step back, they were so wary of the humans that they didn¡¯t look away from Philip. In the meantime, the elves, who have been saved from the traders in the past, shed tears upon being reunited with their loved ones. ¡°Mom!¡± ¡°Oh oh, Colona!¡± Luke looked in that direction. The residents of Zenith village seemed rather distressed than celebrate the reunion with their families. Philip feeling something was off, asked, ¡°Why are they all so stiff?¡± ¡°It sure is a delight to get back the ones who have been kidnapped by the slave traders, but the village cannot care for the ones who have lost their homes or families,¡± said Erwin. According to her explanation, the Zenith village was built on rocks, and its land was barren. Which meant that it would be hard to have a good harvest even if there was always rain to water their crop. ¡°In the recent times, they have reached their limit. They used crop rotation and fertilization. However, nothing seems to work.¡± ¡°I see, so the fields can¡¯t be properly tended,¡± said Philip. Philip thought that the fairies didn¡¯t know how to farm properly. ¡°Can¡¯t it be resolved by magic? There was a story once that magic could increase the yield.¡± ¡°That was because of the intellectual person who used magic. But that can¡¯t help in such a village, at least not in this barren state.¡± However, as they had no other safe place, the fairies wouldn¡¯t even think of abandoning the village. They all probably thought that it was better to starve to death than to live miserably in the hands of humans. ¡®It isn¡¯t like there is no way to solve this problem. If my intuition is right¡­¡¯ Erwin thought. She looked over at Luke. Unlike the other place, the grasses and the color of the life around his feet were very vivid. If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, the changes that were happening around him could be related to the energy she had felt a while back. Erwin decided to talk and approach Luke. ¡°I have a favor to ask you.¡± ¡°Favor?¡± ¡°For starters, move from this spot.¡± Chapter 103 Erwin took Luke outside the village to a field. Luke was bewildered why he was asked to move and was much more surprised to see that the crops and grass were blooming under his feet slowly. ¡°This is¡­!¡± ¡°It is only happening around you. I think that it is because of the thing that is there near your heart.¡± At those words, Luke had pulled out the guardian pendant Reina had given him. It wasn¡¯t the huge amount that Erwin had felt in the fight. However, there was some unknown energy coming from the guardian pendant. ¡°Where did you get that?¡± ¡°¡­ Someone gave this to me as I was going to do my military service.¡± There was a reason why Luke wasn¡¯t giving out the full details. The dark elves, who had come to kidnap Reina, crossed his mind. He wasn¡¯t sure if they were involved with Erwin, but he had no intention of letting her know that Reina had some kind of power in her. ¡°Can¡¯t you let me know who has given this to you?¡± ¡°Just a resident of the estate. An inheritance from someone in my close circle of friends.¡± ¡®He is lying.¡¯ Erwin thought. Erwin noticed Luke¡¯s off behavior at once. She wasn¡¯t as great as her teacher, but she could read minds a little bit. However, she fully understood Luke¡¯s position. It would be completely natural for Luke to be wary of someone asking him about the source of a power that he himself didn¡¯t know. ¡°Can I see what is in it?¡± Asked Erwin. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Please. I have no other intention. I just want to help the fairies of the village.¡± At those words, Luke opened the metal box and showed Reina¡¯s hair which was in it. Erwin, who looked carefully at the hair, pulled out one of the strands. Wheeeing?! Erwin focused all the magic into the hair that was between her fingers. When stimulated by the mana wave, mysterious energy began to arise from the hair. It was like witnessing the world tree which had been mentioned in the myths. It was grand. The World Tree, firmly rooted in the earth and reaching up to the heavens, which had conceived numerous kinds of lives. Starting with an unnamed flower to small worms and bugs, there were unicorn-like beasts and spirits which were told to be legends, even the vicious dragons, and the ugly demons. And then came the fairies and humans. ¡°Look here, are you okay?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Erwin came back to reality at Luke¡¯s call. ¡°Some weird energy came out,¡± said Luke. ¡°You must have felt it too. Perhaps it has the power of the World when everything was one. And that too isn¡¯t just a portion of it.¡± ¡°When the world was one?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Pangea. When the Celestial World, Spirit world, the Devildom and the Middle World (Earth) weren¡¯t divided or disconnected,¡± Answered Erwin. Luke was unable to close his mouth as he heard of it. What Erwin just told him was the old myths and stories he had been told. ¡®Then the power that Reina has is from that old times?¡¯ Luke thought. Not knowing that Luke was in his own line of thoughts, Erwin explained a little more. ¡°It is very little, but I think that it can save some of the lands around this village.¡± ¡°Do you know how to do that?¡± Asked Luke. Erwin nodded and pulled out the necessary materials from her subspace ring. In a small mortar, she put in a metal, a crystal, coal from the ancient tree which had hardened like a stone, and some reagents were added to it, followed by the hair strand of Reina. ¡°There used to be a special treasure in the past. The people wanted it but couldn¡¯t find it¡­ It was called The Earth¡¯s Tears.¡± ¡®The Earth¡¯s Tears, huh¡­¡¯ Thought Luke. It seemed like a word that he had heard once before. Erenes, who had met Saymon, in the past had mentioned it. However, Saymon wasn¡¯t interested in it at that time, so Luke couldn¡¯t remember what it did or what it was. ¡°Since I couldn¡¯t find it, I believed that I could make it. It wasn¡¯t successful, but there was a surprising by-product,¡± said Erwin. ¡°Are you talking about the artificial Magic Stones?¡± Asked Luke ¡°Yes, it was an unexpected result, but I thought that it could change the world. It was the greatest mistake.¡± Erwin had a bitter smile when talking about it. Before the artificial magic stone came out, each country was devoted to mining to find the stones. The mining didn¡¯t just change the country and its territories but the lands of the fairies too, not to mention the serious destruction of nature that happened in the process. Which was why Erwin was determined to avoid the destruction of her world by making the artificial magic stone. She wanted to spread the technique to make them several Magic towers. And just as she hoped, humans weren¡¯t so hung up on mining after that. However, the destruction of nature was much severe than before. Instead of a natural magic stone, the artificial ones needed a number of materials. Knowing that there was something that could replace the Magic Stone which was hard to get, it resulted in a significant rise of material needed. The world had definitely changed. However, it wasn¡¯t in the way Erwin had wanted. Which was why she stayed with her teacher for a while. It wasn¡¯t like she performed the experiment behind her teacher¡¯s back. She continued to study the materials that could contain or manipulate the mana or the mana waves. And because of that, she gained the knowledge on how to save Zenith village. Hwarkk! Magic flames soared in the mortar. Erwin began to mobilize her magic. In the beginning, it was said that God has ignited a flame to solidify the wobbly structure of the world. However¡­ ¡®I don¡¯t have enough magic!¡¯ Realized Erwin. Over the past few days, she had been using her magic and spirit to save the fairies. And her magic hadn¡¯t been completely restored, so she wasn¡¯t able to cast the amount of magic that she had calculated. ¡®If this goes wrong, every material will just burn down.¡¯ The moment Erwin was discouraged, a white flame rose from the motor. She was shocked at what she saw. She looked over at Luke instead of checking the power of the flame. ¡°Will this much be alright?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t interrupt me.¡± Though she shot a chilly glance, she did smile a little. It was her way of showing her gratitude. After a little while, a green jewel had appeared in the place where the flame sank down. ¡°Is this it?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Yes, this is it.¡± Luke looked at it and felt like something had been made. It was much weaker than what he felt from Reina, but the green gem had a rich energy¡ªa fresh energy from the world. Erwin buried it into the ground. From the place where the gem had been buried, a green light spread all the way over to the Zenith village and the land surrounding it. With that, the withered crops and trees had come back to life. The moist and shiny grass bloomed on the barren land. ¡°What, what is this?¡± ¡°The crops, the crops are still alive?!¡± The villagers were rejoicing knowing that Erwin had done something to help them all out, which was why they asked her, ¡°How are we supposed to repay this grace?¡± ¡°I am the same as you. I need to live with you. But if it wasn¡¯t for him, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to do all of this,¡± answered Erwin. When Erwin pointed to Luke, the fairies hesitated and then thanked him. Although they were disgusted with humans, the person who was standing in front of them was different. And it was only natural to thank the man who had helped them out. Philip saw all this from the side. He didn¡¯t know what had happened, but he knew that his Lord did something great. After completing his work in the Zenith village, Luke returned to his wagon. In the beginning, he was a bit worried as he had to go through the same dangerous path once again. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go our own different paths from here on. If we are destined to meet again, then I¡¯ll see you.¡± Luke tried to say his goodbyes, but Erwin blocked him from going. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Asked Luke while frowning. With a face full of confidence Erwin responded. ¡°I am indebted to you in numerous ways. Let me pay you back.¡± Looking at Erwin who had stopped him, Luke spoke with a troubled feeling. ¡°You don¡¯t need to pay it back, so just go your own way.¡± ¡°Are you trying to make me look ungrateful?¡± ¡°I just told you that you don¡¯t have to feel the need to pay me back! And I am on my way to my military service. You will be caught in the war if you follow me there!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. If you want to, I can be your shield.¡± Luke had refused her offer, but Erwin had no intention of sending him alone. Reviving the land of Zenith village¡­ The power transmitted from one world brought about spirit power, which was why the barren land turned fertile, and crops, which were withering, turned into crops with life. If she followed this man, she could find the treasure, the Earth¡¯s Tears, that would completely open the door to the Spirit World. Erwin wasn¡¯t the kind to take radical decisions, but she wasn¡¯t stupid enough to cling on to her pride when the fate of the fading fairies could be reversed. Luke too knew what her intentions were. ¡®It seems like she is trying to find the secret behind the pendant by sticking close to me saying she needs to pay back for my grace.¡¯ If she was just another ordinary wizard, Luke would probably reject her right away. Erwin, a senior class wizard with 7 circle and had goodwill for her race to flourish. ¡®To be honest, she could be of use.¡¯ In order to fight the Baroque Empire, or the main enemy, the Veritas Magic Tower, it was necessary to have more than one kind of talent. And a wizard with a 7 circle and a genius showing up and offering help didn¡¯t always happen. Luke thought for a moment and decided to accept Erwin¡¯s request. ¡°Okay, but you need to obey at all times, is that okay with you?¡± ¡°If it isn¡¯t an improper request, then I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Till the end.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t say unconditional obedience.¡± Luke nodded his head and with Erwin in the wagon, they left for Krom city. Erwin was feeling relieved that she hadn¡¯t missed the clue to finding the Earth¡¯s Tears. But on the other hand, she had another work to do. ¡®In the North, I need to meet the cut off wind¡­¡¯ That was what her teacher had said. However, instead of heading over to the north as her teacher said, she was heading over to the south. As a result, she went against her teacher¡¯s instructions. Erwin never even imagined that. The fact that the one who was going to bring a storm into the continent, as her master had said, was right in front of her eyes. Chapter 104 A few days later, Luke and his party arrived at Krom. Krom was a military town with soldiers being half of its population. There were more than 30,000 units in the northern command and the subordinate units, and a number of logistics units along with the merchants supporting them. Luke¡¯s wagon headed to the North. The command office was located in the center of the city. ¡°What kind of person is the head?¡± At the question of Luke, Philip gave him the information that he had learned from Krom¡¯s guild. ¡°A veteran general who is an avid emperor noble and spent 30 years for him.¡± ¡°And his sword skills?¡± ¡°Advanced Expert, better known for being a hindrance to his opponent than his skills in fencing.¡± ¡°Then, the military life isn¡¯t going to be so easy.¡± The emperor would definitely try to get rid of Luke, the only lineage of Rakan. He wouldn¡¯t just send an assassin or give out the orders to his subordinates to kill Luke. If the Sword Emperor Rakan¡¯s worshipers knew, then there would be outrage all over. ¡®Maybe there is a good chance that he¡¯ll try to trap me in the border conflict with the Volga Republic. And the man who had gotten the orders from the Emperor would surely use the sword on me¡­¡¯ Thought Luke. It would be easy to deal with a general who just does assaults with plain force. However, the opponents were the worst obstacles. ¡°And one-third of the headquarters are nobles, so no one can just do what they feel like.¡± Philip said. ¡°But, the problem is that we can¡¯t surely say the nobles are on our side either.¡± Luke said. ¡°That is one thing.¡± Luke had rejected the proposal from Marquis Mayers, and that made them turn their back on Rakan Viscount and considered him as the noble, even then, the alliance couldn¡¯t be the best thing either. ¡°And the power of the Northern Army?¡± ¡°300 Gigants and a total of 100,000 troops. And¡­¡± Half of the northern army forces were on the border for the Volga Republic conflicts. Several forts were built along the borders, and thousands of soldiers had been stationed in each fort. The other half of the power had been deployed in the city rear, including Krom, which was considered as a war zone. ¡°And the situation of Torlot?¡± Luke asked. ¡°Firstly, there are 3,000 troops stationed there; 3 nobles, 10 Gigants, and around 120 knight apprentices.¡± ¡°And the status of the troops?¡± Luke asked with a lot of interest as it was going to be his own unit. ¡°The most recent collapse of the troops had happened earlier this year. They had planned to attack the Volga Republic and managed to defeat the opponent but we had suffered a lot of casualties.¡± At the explanation from Philip, Erwin recalled a story she had heard before crossing the borders. After 5 days of onslaught, they succeeded in defeating Volga gates at Torlot, but they retreated with tears in their eyes as the reinforcements of the enemy had arrived. Torlot was known to be the most reluctant place for soldiers. It was the same with officers, knights, and the noble, it was trouble inside the Northern Army. ¡°Lord, why didn¡¯t you just ask him to assign you to another place?¡± Philip asked with a serious expression. He knew that Luke¡¯s magic and his fencing skills were excellent, however, the war wasn¡¯t a display of individual skills. In wars between the nations, thousands of soldiers, Gigants, and wizards were used no matter how dangerous the situation was. Luke just shook his head and answered, ¡°No, there is no need to.¡± ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you contact the estate and ask them to send more knights or wizards?¡± ¡°We have come to the end, and I can¡¯t back off and wait. And, Sir Philip, you don¡¯t have the confidence to keep me safe?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t it¡­¡± ¡°I think crisis and opportunity are like the two sides of a coin. We may struggle, but soon we will get stronger. So don¡¯t worry anymore.¡± ¡°Tch, understood.¡± After a while, the wagon stopped in front of the command office building. Luke confirmed his identity to the guards and then went inside the building with his party. Many officers and soldiers seemed very busy in the command office building. They all looked at the strangers who entered the office with curiosity. ¡°Commander! Luke de Rakan of Rakan Viscount has come.¡± At the call of the officer, the commander asked for them. ¡°Send them in.¡± When Luke and his party walked in with the guidance of the lieutenant, they found an elderly man with a nice mustache sitting behind a large mahogany desk. He jumped from his seat and opened his arms the moment he saw Luke. ¡°Welcome to the Northern Army.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± Luke sat down after shaking hands with the middle-aged man. The Count, Naiman glanced at Luke¡¯s party and asked, ¡°Are these two your attendants?¡± Normally, when a young noble who controls a territory enters the army, he was always accompanied by an escort or an attendant. In order to finish the military service safely, it was customary to see that they were convenient in the military. It was because they wanted him back safely. ¡®One knight and one wizard?¡¯ Thought the Count. He felt the energy of the man who was wearing the knight¡¯s uniform and from the one who has covered the entire body with a white robe. The two couldn¡¯t be ignored. ¡°There have been a lot of works going on, so I couldn¡¯t bring in a lot of people.¡± ¡°Is that so? If that is the case, you can¡¯t bring many.¡± The Count responded to Luke¡¯s words. He nodded and asked again, ¡°When I look at you, you seem like the first generation Rakan.¡± ¡°My father?¡± asked Luke. ¡°Yes, he and I were comrades who fought on the same field.¡± Luke¡¯s father had died seven years ago in the war that had happened with the Volga Republic. He too tried to revive the fallen fame of the family but had died. ¡°Your father and I didn¡¯t share the same unit, but we were still close mates. The first time we met was in the capital barracks assembled for war. During that time your father¡­¡± Count Naiman began to tell Luke the story about his father with dull eyes. Luke pretended to listen, however, his heart had no intention to hear. It was because he had no memories of the first generation Rakan. The body did belong to Luke, but the soul was of Saymon, so the response was completely natural. The more he listened to Count¡¯s story, the more he understood it. That was¡­ ¡®This man. He is surely related to the death of the first generation.¡¯ They weren¡¯t in the same unit, but he knew more than he had to about how the warrior had died. Luke¡¯s father had been trapped and then killed. Those thoughts made Luke feel glad. ¡®I¡¯ll grant you the revenge.¡¯ Thought Luke. At that time, Count Naiman, who was done with his story about the father, spoke again with a faint smile, ¡°I want to help you, who has your father¡¯s face. If you need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡± Luke held himself back from asking anything. He remembered the story that Philip had told him a while back in the wagon. ¡®Torlot¡¯s logistical support is a mess right?¡¯ Luke thought to himself. ¡°I need you to provide me with consumables such as clothing, military gun powder, and large-caliber artillery shells.¡± In his heart, Luke wanted to ask for the support of the Gigants. However, Luke wouldn¡¯t be able to hand over 30,000 gold for combat yearly. So he asked what was needed the most. ¡°And that will be all?¡± Asked by the Count. The Count just found Luke very strange because of the request he placed. If Luke would have asked for a Gigant to support, then he would have used it as an excuse and not support Luke with anything. But when he mentioned the other things, he had no other option but to accept it at once. ¡°That would be enough. And I want to take the goods and the permit for the other equipment to the military right now so that they could be moved through the trailer.¡± Said Luke. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll get you all prepped up right away.¡± Count Naiman created a permit on spot to approve the trailer. The gunpowder and the artillery shells were being sent. ¡°Thank you so much for the attention you have given to us, Sir.¡± ¡°I can do that much.¡± After having a few more words, Luke had been formally enlisted. And Luke left the Northern Command office. ¡°He isn¡¯t like the usual ones.¡± The mouth of the Count opened as he watched Luke¡¯s wagon and the trailer left. He had heard rumors about the war with Count Monarch. The appearance and presence of Luke, however, seemed to be much greater than the rumors. It wasn¡¯t just force. He knew how to deal with people. Which meant that he was smart. The two attendants who accompanied Luke seemed very daunting. They were face to face with the commander who moved 10,000 troops and yet was relaxed, and the shock and uncanny feeling he felt when he saw the three was very strong. They weren¡¯t the skills that could be found so easily in the current world. ¡°I wanted to know why the Majesty was so concerned about it. The weeds must be plucked before they grow bigger.¡± After dealing with the father, he was going to deal with the son. And the thought made the Count smirk. Chapter 105 Luke¡¯s party had come out of the Northern Command office and visited a supply unit which was nearby. When the list had been signed by the Count, the nice looking unit head had loaded the supply unit into the trailer. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just change into your Empire military uniform right here? If you are dressed in plain clothes, you¡¯ll just look like any other spoiled noble.¡± Said the supply unit head. ¡®Hmm, he definitely isn¡¯t saying anything wrong.¡¯, thought Luke Luke decided to accept the advice of the supply unit head. In order to hurry up and hold onto the Torlot Fortress which was known to be a mess, it was necessary to make a strong impression from the very beginning. Luke went to the dressing room and returned wearing a dark blue empire military uniform. Philip and Erwin too upon getting insisted changed into the uniform. The two were private escorts, hence they didn¡¯t have to wear the emperor¡¯s military uniform, however, they just obeyed the orders of Luke. Erwin wore a hooded wizard coat with a uniform color. However, soon a small disturbance had occurred. ¡°That, that wizard is an elf!¡± The supply unit head¡¯s eyes went wide as he saw Erwin¡¯s ears stick out from her hair. ¡°So what? You think that she is a mole of the Volga?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t implying it like that¡­¡± ¡°Do not worry, she has been working in our estate for a very long time.¡± Luke said. When Luke confidently stood up, the supply unit¡¯s head went silent. It was a part of the concern, it wasn¡¯t like the nobles didn¡¯t have any other race beings as their family workers. In the case of spies, nobles who would recruit dwarfs from the mines or the suits who were taken for the training would be dragged into the intelligence department of the Imperial office and will be investigated. Once the trailer was made ready, Luke hit his palm with his fist looking for something that had to be on the list. ¡°Uhmm, there need to be magic stones which have reached the end of their life, right?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°That is why I sent someone over to the Gigant shop, but where are you going to use it?¡± Asked the head. ¡°I heard that if the magic stone is grinded and mixed with the gunpowder, it would explode in higher range. It will be useful to protect the fortress.¡± Replied Luke. ¡°Hmm, that information that you got seems like gold.¡± Responded the head. The supply head¡¯s unit handed over a bunch of magic stones that were reaching the end of their life. They were the kind of products which wouldn¡¯t sell for enough money, so he thought that it would be better to use them by making an acquaintance of a noble. Luke, packed the dead magic stones and left for Torlot Fortress. The horseman who had been driving the carriage until then, after dropping them in a safe distance, had returned back to the estate in the wagon, while Luke was moving in the trailer. ¡°Lord, are you going to regenerate the magic stones like you did in the past?¡± Asked Philip. And Luke nodded as an answer. No matter how much he tried to make sense, the condition of the fortress seemed to be worse than his imagination. Which was why he planned to use the dead magic stones by regenerating them and placing them into the Gigants or to build a defense circle. ¡°You regenerate the magic stone?¡± Erwin asked with a doubtful look. ¡°Yes, there is something like that. You¡¯ll be surprised to see that.¡± Responded Philip. When Erwin smiled a little as Philip was talking to her like she didn¡¯t know how to do it and there was Luke who was lost in his thoughts. ¡®Yes. This time I can use ¡®that¡¯.¡¯ The warrior class Gigant Achilles which had been captured in the last battle. He personally put it into the bracelet subspace where he stored his golems. At the time of capture, the ore was completely discharged, but even then, the Gigant was intact and it was moving with no problem. Luke stopped the trailer in a secluded place and pulled out Achilles out of the bracelet. And when unexpectedly; the Warrior class Gigant, Achilles popped out from the sky, and Philip¡¯s mouth went wide. ¡°No way, this is!¡± Stuttered Luke. ¡°I captured it and kept it with me, it invaded the lordship during the war. And this is the subspace bracelet that the Devil King used¡­¡± Luke¡¯s explanation wasn¡¯t heard by Philip, who had been shocked and screamed at Luke. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say this any sooner?!¡± ¡°That, because it is an artifact related to the Devil King¡­¡± ¡°If you had the artifact like the subspace of the Devil King, or any other thing, you should have spoken much earlier! Then I could have brought my cutie-pie ¡®Marina¡¯ too!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Philip had gotten very attached to the Sting II that Luke had brought for him after giving it a female name. However, as Luke was leaving for the military service he had no choice but to leave Marina behind. Perhaps Marina was being used and moved by the other riders back in the estate. ¡®You¡­ you should have said earlier, my sweetie Marina wouldn¡¯t have to suffer and burn in the hands of the others.¡¯ Seeing Philip almost in tears, Erwin couldn¡¯t help making fun of him. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem very different from any other Gigant.¡± ¡°Why you wizard! It isn¡¯t anything like the other ones!? Basically, the rider and the Gigant are one body! The more the Gigant is used with the same rider, the combat efficiency improves! That isn¡¯t some abused dog or cow that multiple people touch!¡± After seeing Philip agitated, Luke¡¯s words went dry. The words from Philip, an expert in Gigant seemed very reasonable. However, it was getting hard to see Philip troubled as he was still screaming. ¡°Kuaaaah! Marina-yah! This oppa* should have brought you along!¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just throw away that idiot?¡± Luke just shook his head at the words of Erwin. Although he was a bit pathetic and frivolous at times, Philip was an expert rider. He was also a great instructor when it came to Gigant control. There was no way Luke would leave someone who taught him such important facts. ¡°Marina¡­ kuk!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get to work.¡± Said Luke. Luke silenced Philip who was mourning for his Gigant and put the Achilles in the trailer and set off for Torlot. *Oppa- a form of endearment that girls usually use with men they are close with. Chapter 106 The Torlot fortress was located in the middle of San river. The San river, which originated from the Volga republic, flowed into the Baroque Empire and the Torlot fortress was situated on a hill overlooking the river¡¯s meanders in a ¡®U¡¯ shape. The parade ground in the center of the stone fortress was insignificant. Soldiers and knights had to be fully trained. The normal white dust had to rise. However, only a dozen people were in the parade ground¡ªthose were the knights. And there were a few who were resting in the shade of the tree. The dress of the knights wasn¡¯t in place. Their breastplates couldn¡¯t be seen, and the buttons of their uniforms were open, revealing the hair on their chest. ¡°Seniors! Won¡¯t you train?!¡± A slim girl with a knight¡¯s armor asked the ones taking a rest. The senior knights rolled over the floor and said, ¡°It¡¯s bothersome.¡± ¡°Anna, do it.¡± ¡°I already did this morning,¡± spoke the knights. At their response, the girl knight, Anna, frowned. ¡°Ugh, the new commander will come today! What would he say after seeing the seniors act like this?¡± She wanted to give the new commander a good first impression. However, it looked like the seniors hadn¡¯t thought about that. ¡°He would probably swear.¡± ¡°I heard it is going to be a kid in a blue uniform. What solid information do we have?¡± ¡°Right. What good can practicing do, right?¡± ¡°Anna, you go and practice. If the new commander knows, he will make us suffer,¡± said the senior knights. The knights of the Torlot Fortress were mostly sons of nobles, who had been enlisted for two years. Most of them were second-class nobles or lower class nobles. However, because of the lack of any historical background of their families or their family¡¯s support, they were placed at the forefront of the poorly conditioned war. In fact, they were no different from being abandoned. They had nothing to be motivated about. And as a result, most of them wanted to avoid crossing swords with the enemy and just wanted to be discharged after their time. ¡®Kew! I don¡¯t know much either.¡¯ Shaking her head, Anna picked up her sword and began to practice. Being a girl from the Baron family, she had been always told that she was talented in fencing. With support from her parents, she was able to attend the military academy. She graduated earlier this year and was deployed to Torlot fortress. However, the atmosphere in there wasn¡¯t what she had heard. The soldiers were rough and had poor skills. Most of them had come in after being changed from their original troops, moved out of jail or for misdemeanors, and most of them came in because of debt. So their discipline was a mess. However, the actions of the knights and officers, who had to correct them, weren¡¯t on point either. Like the knights who just spoke earlier, they were taking naps or playing cards or just plainly having fun laughing. They would say that they were going to patrol, but they were going to go fishing instead or would pick a fight with other people. The former fortress commander was always stuck in his office room and couldn¡¯t see any of it. The moment he was informed that a new commander was going to join them, he left that very morning. He left without even waiting for the new commander to take his job. ¡®Haa, won¡¯t the Volga try to take down the fortress if things go on like this?¡¯ Thought Anna. Anna was scared. She became a knight. She was a talented swordsman. However, she didn¡¯t want to die and leave her family. And to do that, she had to change the attitude of the senior knights, but it wasn¡¯t a task that a young woman could do. Anna was in concern over this and that. Brrrng! Kun! Kung! Kung! A trailer full of luggage and a Gigant came across the parade ground through the fortress gate. Three people got off the trailer and the Gigant stopped in front of the fortress office. ¡®That might be the new commander,¡¯ thought Anna. It was very likely. With her eyes shining, she rushed over to the office. ¡°It is completely open.¡± Those were the first words that Luke uttered after seeing the Torlot fortress. The walls of the fortress seemed to have been neglected for a long time and looked like they would crumble quickly, and there were no soldiers patrolling around. The knights began to appear in the parade ground at last. There weren¡¯t that many people who gathered to train, and it was just before the end of the day so not many soldiers were there. ¡°It was much worse than the information I got from the guild.¡± Philip¡¯s face became distorted, ¡°Let¡¯s go inside first,¡± said Luke. Luke sighed and they stepped into the building. At the same time, the envoy, which ran from the barracks, came. He stood in front of Luke and his party and gave her salute. ¡°Salute! Anna de Noah from the 7th knight of the Northern army. Are you the new commander, sir?¡± ¡°Yes. This is Luke de Rakan who has been appointed as the new commander here.¡± ¡®Ehet!¡¯ Anna was flustered, and her face became red. Just a moment ago she had saluted to Philip. It was because of his appearance and age. He looked like the new commander. However, Philip had stated that the new commander was the one next to him. As she looked at him, it was a young man wearing the badge of rank on his shoulder which symbolized that he was the commander. ¡°It, it was a huge mistake on my part, my apologies sir!¡± ¡°Okay. But are you the only one?¡± As Anna was flustered, several soldiers ran from the inside of the headquarters. They were the ones in charge of the administration of the fortress. The ones who were playing cards and chess jumped out of their seats to see their new commander. Unlike the knights wandering in the shade, they were dressed quite properly. ¡°Salute! Congratulations on your appointment!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Once again, Philip silently pointed his hands over to Luke, saying the new commander was beside him. Just like Anna, their complexion turned red at their late realization. ¡°So, sorry, Sir. Since you are so young¡­¡± ¡°Leave that, I want to unload my luggage first. Please guide me to my office.¡± ¡°That, that¡­¡± One of the officers spoke with a hesitant look. Realizing that something was off, Luke turned over and asked Anna, ¡°Sir Anna, be my guide.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Luke followed Anna to the office. He climbed up the staircase and went straight to the hallway on the right and reached the room which said ¡®Commander¡¯s Room¡¯. Not caring if the other soldiers were restless, Luke opened the door. ¡°Ahh, ahh!¡± ¡°Ahhh!¡± As if two snakes were mating, a pair of man and woman were tangled up naked on the couch. It seemed like they were in the most heated moment. Anna¡¯s face turned red, and Erwin had her usual cold face. It was a very ridiculous situation, Luke just laughed. ¡°F*ck! Didn¡¯t I say to not come in when I am doing my thing?!¡± The man, who was on top of the woman, looked back while talking, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous when he saw Luke. ¡°Sir Darren. He is the new commander,¡± said the soldier who followed them The man, who looked at Luke after hearing those words, got up and put his pants on. He marched toward Luke. ¡°This is Darren de Juke, fortress infantry commander.¡± ¡®Juke? Where did I hear that name before?¡¯ Thought Luke. While Luke was feeling a little bit suspicious, Philip told him, ¡°The Count of Juke, a great conglomerate family. In the Empire, they have a grand alliance with the nobles who fit in the five fingers.¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Luke nodded to himself. The Jukes had a company that was established 500 years ago. There was no noble family in the Nemesis who wasn¡¯t bribed by the nobles of Juke. They weren¡¯t nobles at that time, but the family had spent enough money on the imperial and the senior nobles of the nation. ¡®This is the guy responsible for this fortress to be like this.¡¯ Luke understood the whole situation at once. No matter how troublesome it was to gather the troops, if the military was such a mess, then there had to be a strong reason behind it. However, a senior officer, who was supposed to take the lead for thousands of troops, was malevolently behaving like that. There was no way such an atmosphere could be changed. ¡°Sir Philip, do you have any punishment that comes to mind?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Huh?¡± At the sudden question from Luke, Philip wasn¡¯t able to answer immediately. Luke decided to ask the question clearly this time. ¡°What is the military punishment for not enduring and performing such an act in the camp?¡± ¡°Ah, such an act within the army camp is 50 whips.¡± ¡°Then get the punishment ready.¡± At the order from Luke, Darren¡¯s eyes went wide and asked with an arrogant smile, ¡°Huh? I am being punished for having some bitch in an empty room?¡± ¡°Culprit shut your mouth,¡± said Luke. ¡°You can¡¯t do that to me? I will let my father know¡­ Kuk!¡± As Darren wasn¡¯t going to back down, Luke punched Darren¡¯s abdomen. Darren, who was hit by the sudden punch, lost his consciousness after letting out a scream. ¡°Take him out,¡± said Luke. Luke simply overpowered Darren and ordered him to be taken out, and the officer who came later dragged Darren out. Seeing that sight unfold, Anna couldn¡¯t help but look at Luke with a lot of hope. ¡®Wah, that was amazing! How can someone the same age as me do such an outstanding thing?¡¯ Anna thought to herself. Darren was infamous in the fortress. With the support of his family¡¯s connections, he used to run around wildly. The former commander and the commander before him gave in to his family¡¯s power, and the recent one too had done the same. The fencing skills of Darren¡¯s weren¡¯t that bad; such a person couldn¡¯t be taken down with just one punch. However, it was possible because of the punishment sentence. ¡®I need to tell this news to my seniors!¡¯ Anna thought. Running to the parade ground with a happy and cheerful expression, she went and told what she had witnessed to the senior knights, adding exaggerated details to her story. Chapter 107 Suk suk. Woosh. After a long time, the Torlot Fortress became noisy since the parade ground was being used. Knights and soldiers, gathered under their commanding officer, were surprised to see Darren¡¯s body tied up. After being tied up for quite some time, he got his consciousness back and began to shout at the men looking at him. ¡°Free me! I¡¯ll let my father know of this and give that Rakan guy the real lashes!¡± ¡°Where is that dog barking from?¡± Luke simply disregarded Darren¡¯s intimidation and asked Philip for the whip made of ogre skin. ¡°Will you do it yourself?¡± Asked Philip. ¡°It is probably the most effective in that manner.¡± Except for the ones who would deliberately go out for patrolling, all the other troops were gathered in the parade ground. Luke¡¯s intention was to make an example out of Darren to put the others in line, and he knew that everyone would take their jobs seriously if he did it himself. Right when Luke was about to wield the whip. ¡°What is all this?!¡± ¡°Free Sir Darren right away!¡± Suddenly five men appeared and blocked the others. They were all wearing a breastplate with a scale crest. They ran over to the parade grounds after knowing their uniforms were out of order. ¡°You guys must be?¡± Asked Philip. ¡°We are the knights of Count Juke. Free him and apologize to him right away.¡± They were all being very arrogant and asking for Darren to be released. ¡°Are you the attendants of Darren?¡± Asked Philip. ¡°That is right. Please release him before we report this to the Count.¡± Luke heard that and was irritated. He then swung the whip. Crack! ¡°Ahhk!¡± Darren¡¯s skin was burnt when the whip touched his skin. ¡°Bleed, bleeding!¡± ¡°This bastard!¡± The five knights rushed toward Luke. ¡®Hut, caught you guys.¡¯ Luke needed to make an example to keep the soldiers on their feet. So Darren was sentenced to be whipped. However, he didn¡¯t mind if there was anything more effective. He used the whip on all the five knights and hoped that it was going to be an example to Darren. ¡°Huh, now you¡¯ve really done it!¡± Shouted one knight. The five knights were the ones who constantly helped Darren. There were two of them who could handle Aura¡ªExperts¡ªand the other three had great sword skills. So they thought they could easily overpower the young man and save their young lord. However, they were on the side which was getting hurt by the whip. The whip moved in all directions. It struck all the five knights like a snake going after its prey. Crack! Crack! Crack! Screams and cries came out of their mouths along with their tears running down their eyes. ¡°Ahk!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°It hurts! stop, stop!¡± Luke looked at the screaming knights, who were rolling on the ground. However, Luke didn¡¯t stop. ¡®To stop it so quickly is not so easy.¡¯ The clothes of the knights were torn apart by the whip. Their noses and ears were cut while they rolled on the ground. After seeing his retainers bleed, Darren¡¯s face went pale out of fear and frustration. ¡®That, that!¡¯ ¡®Oh my god, that guy is totally evil!¡¯ Thought the soldiers. The complexion of the soldiers gathered in the parade ground became pale. It was the same with the knights. They didn¡¯t give their young commander the respect he deserved at the beginning, but that all changed now. ¡°Huhuhu, let¡¯s get to the punishment now shall we?¡± Asked Luke. Luke looked at the knights then to Darren and laughed. His smile was almost like the Devil¡¯s smile. Darren pissed himself unknowingly. ¡°Eik! Please save me! I was in the wrong! I did a mistake!¡± ¡°I am not going to kill you. I am just punishing you according to the military law.¡± Luke looked at the soldiers who were there to witness it and began to punish Darren. Crack! Crack! ¡°Ahhk! Kaak!¡± Every time the whip hit him, the screams of Darren got louder and louder. Darren passed out just after being hit by the whip ten times, and by the time Luke completed the 50 whippings, Darren¡¯s back was completely tattered. Luke asked the knights to pull Darren out. He then addressed the soldiers on the ground. ¡°I won¡¯t question you about what and how you have been doing things so far. However, anyone who undermines the discipline of the unit from this very day will be punished in accordance with the military law.¡± Luke¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t that loud. However, everyone in the ground heard it very clearly. As the new commander, who just told his troops what he wanted, left the ground, Anna and her seniors gathered at their lodgings for the countermeasure meeting. ¡°Don¡¯t we need to look after our bodies?¡± ¡°Yeah. Even though he is young, I don¡¯t think he will think twice about doing something like that again.¡± ¡°The rumor is that he is a Destroyer. He defeated 4 Gigants all by himself.¡± ¡°Re, really?¡± At the words of Anna about him being a destroyer, the eyes of all the knights went to her. ¡°I heard this from the aide. I think he can use magic and had great sword skills too.¡± ¡°Uh! Then he is a Rune knight.¡± The knights began to talk with the information that Anna brought to them. If Darren was there, he would have asked the new commander to prove it to him. Such an arrogant guy was in the infirmary room. ¡°Phew, let¡¯s get down to toning our bodies.¡± ¡°Yeah, that would be the right thing to do.¡± The knights tentatively concluded their meeting. Chapter 108 After the punishment execution of Darren, the Torlot Fortress seemed to stand upright. The soldiers weren¡¯t doing any mistakes in executing their works, and the knights were practicing very hard. However, after 10 days it all slowly began to change. It was because of the mental state and the physical traits of the troops, it turned into a mess once again. They thought that Luke would be burning with passion and motivation. However, after he would realize the harsh environment and the reality of the fortress working, the troops believed that he too would be quietly stuck in the commander¡¯s room like the former one. Gradually, the attitude of the troops regarding works changed, they were distracted and the matter soon went to Luke. ¡°Haa, once a trash always a trash.¡± Philip looked at the fortress in the morning light and sighed. ¡°Well, I am disappointed with this, but.¡± Said Luke. ¡°The problem is with the knights. If only they decided to bend their bodies and work, the soldiers would surely follow.¡± Said Philip. In the Torlot Fortress, the 7th Knights Division had around 50 knights and around 70 apprentices. Most of the knights were either nobles or wealthy merchants and they were all liable to privilege treatment. In addition, after the several breakdowns of the troops, they were busy keeping the body rather than working diligently. As a result, the trainings were all behind the scenes, and the only thing that was going in their heads was how to be discharged safely or be transferred to another unit. And it wasn¡¯t easy for the officers and the soldiers who were underneath the leaders. And there were quite a number of wizards in the fortress. However, their number was rather small when compared to the troops, and had no effect on the soldiers, and they were used only to repair the Gigants. ¡°But, Lord, what are doing?¡± Philip asked Luke who was stroking the metal shell on the necklace. It was the guardian pendant which had Reina¡¯s hair in it. ¡°Just, just looking to see what kind of power is in here.¡± Responded Luke. ¡°Power?¡± Asked Philip. ¡°Yeah, there is something. It might be a little tough for you to understand.¡± Before meeting Erwin, Luke stared at the guardian pendant several times. However, it was only on the day that he was leaving Reina, he could feel it, and later was the time when it responded to Erwin¡¯s mana, the special power that could be felt from that pendant. He too tried to stimulate mana just like Erwin did, however, there was no response. There was one thing Luke understood. ¡®The curse wave of the dark magic on the body has turned weak since the moment I put this guardian pendant on me.¡¯ There was always that nasty curse that triggered in the most critical moment, putting the life of Luke¡¯s at risk. But despite the fact that the battle with Erwin was quite daunting, the curse didn¡¯t activate. ¡®Was Reina born with the power that exists in here?¡¯ It couldn¡¯t be known right away. In any case, it was certain that there was something special about her. Otherwise, there was no proper reason for the elves to go after her. ¡°What is Erwin up to these days?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°She is just meditating in her room or looking around the fortress. There is nothing special about what she is doing.¡± Responded Philip. ¡°I¡¯m glad she¡¯s keeping her promise.¡±, said Luke. She had promised not to cause any trouble while accompanying Luke. And if she had something to do and her identity got revealed, it would surely cause trouble because of her cold personality. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go back to catching up, what do you say?¡± Asked Luke. Luke took the guardian pendant into his hand. In the past ten days he had been polishing the administrative officers and made them bring all the documents which were necessary to know the status of the fortress. Among them were the personnel documents of the troops. After looking at the documents, he had a rough feel on what had to be dome. ¡°Should I bring in another one for help?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°No, it is alright. This time too, I¡¯m good enough alone.¡± Responded Philip. Most of the knights and the apprentices were listed, except for those who have gone patrolling or on the guard duty. However, it was less than half the number who had practiced hard. Nearly 20 of the knights looked old and were seated in comfortable positions in the shade of the trees. ¡°Everyone Halt! Gather here!¡± At the order from Luke, everyone who was scattered in the parade ground gathered at once. The figure was around 100 people. ¡°Do you guys hate to practice?¡± Asked Luke. For the knights, fencing was a duty, not a choice. As the individual¡¯s skills developed, the fighting power of the unit increased, so knights in the units were allocated their training time separately. As Luke asked them the question, one knight raised his hand and asked, ¡°Why are you asking such a question?¡± ¡°You must be?¡± ¡°I am Kaper, the vice-captain.¡± Kaper was an intermediate Expert, he was the second son of the Noble Malt, who were the Imperial bureaucrats. He was one of the best person in the fortress, and one of the ten riders. In some ways, he could be a worse headache than Darren. Was he the kind of man who believed in the influence of the family and treated his superiors as dogs? That wasn¡¯t the case. It was because he was so arrogant about his skills, he tended to ignore the others as someone weaker than himself. Which was why he had chosen that camp. He was working hard in the camp along with his followers. ¡°It is you my friend who goes fishing by the river.¡± Said Luke ¡°Fishing you say. I was watching the dynamics of the enemies across the river.¡± Responded Kaper. The faces of Kaper and his followers changed a little because of the confrontation of Luke. However, what came next from Luke, made Kaper and his followers¡¯ faces had changed. ¡°Then my friend who was watching the dynamics of the enemy not understand why I asked the question? I guess you aren¡¯t that smart. You yourself don¡¯t even know what can be found by going to the river.¡± Kaper¡¯s face went hard at the remark from Luke. No one had ever spoken to him like that. ¡°Take those words back!¡± Said Kaper. ¡°Why? Feeling bad? If so, then show me your skills.¡± ¡°This, this, this!¡± When he saw the sarcasm on Luke¡¯s face, his eyes turned red, a thin knight who was close to Kaper moved closer. The knight who came forward opened his mouth looking at Luke. ¡°I am the leader of the 1st knights¡¯ division, Alex. If I show my skills, I don¡¯t have to practice?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Answered Luke. ¡°Then I will take the challenge. Let¡¯s see if you can move the sword as greatly as the whip.¡± As Alex Came forward, several more knights appeared. Everyone was confident in their skills or had the confidence to take down Luke. Luke gazed at the number and said, ¡°It will be bothersome to deal with one after the other, can¡¯t you all just come in at once? I don¡¯t think that any of you can take me down by coming at me all alone.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t get it, what is with him?¡¯ Thought Anna. Looking at the knights and Luke, Anna just shook her head. It was because the new commander was hurting the pride of the knights. Usually the commanders consider the knights as the greatest force of the units and the fortress. And the acts of Luke could easy attract backlash from the knights. Eventually, the knights couldn¡¯t hold onto themselves and burst out. ¡°Can we all come at you?¡± ¡°Yes. Why? You think I can¡¯t win?¡± Said Luke at the question from a knight. ¡°What kind of stupid words are you speaking!¡± The Knights dismissed the words of Luke. They didn¡¯t know how strong Luke was. They did hear about the rumors stating him as a Destroyer, however, how could an individual defeated 100 knights? More than half of the 100 were apprentices, however, there were more than 20 knights who had reached Expert level. ¡°Nice. If you are confident about winning over me, and you guys end up losing, you need to swear that you would never disobey my orders.¡± Said Luke. ¡°Huh, understood. Instead, if we win, you don¡¯t have to care whether we practice or not.¡± Said the knight. And thus, the battle between Luke and the knights had been established. Rather than just confrontation, the wizards were called upon for the mana notarization contract. ¡®Huhuhu, I¡¯ll make you all cry tears of blood.¡¯ Luke thought to himself upon accepting the contract terms. Luke knew that establishing the discipline of the knights could only be done by overpowering them with his skills. Which was why he deliberately provoked the knights. And even if it was Luke, it was surely difficult to deal with 100 knights all by himself. Especially, it was because he couldn¡¯t carelessly use his dark magic. However, he was confident. There were the absorbed abilities of the demons, skills which didn¡¯t show any change in the appearance. Luke was confident to win against over 100 of them. ¡°Then, let¡¯s start.¡± Said Luke. Chapter 109 ¡°Hey! The new commander and the knights are going all out!¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, I heard it from a guy who was in the parade a while ago, and that too, it is one against 100!¡± ¡°Oh my! That is crazy¡­!¡± Suddenly, the news about the confrontation in the Torlot fortress had spread. Just the news about one-on-one would have made everything go haywire, but it was one vs hundred. All the soldiers headed to the parade ground except for the few soldiers who had to stay on their duty. And the same was true for officers who had to do their duties. When they arrived at the parade ground, the confrontation of the new commander and the knights was about to start. ¡°Commander Luke. Are you really going to deal with all of us alone?¡± Said by the knight¡¯s representative, Kaper with a doubtful expression. When they were in the heat of the moment, they were ready to go against Luke, however, as the time went down they didn¡¯t think that winning like that seemed right. ¡°Why? Are you feeling scared?¡± ¡°Huh! Fine. Don¡¯t cry after losing.¡± Kaper said it and looked over at his subordinates. Three knights came forward. Although not an expert, but as knights, they were known to have great skills in fencing. ¡°I will attack first.¡± Said the Knight. Three knights who announced themselves to Luke attacked him. However, as a soft light began to glow from Luke¡¯s body, they bounced back faster. Puck! Puck! No sword had been pulled. It was because Luke had applied the strength and quick magic on his body, and beat the three people at a speed which no eye could catch. Seeing his men on the floor were beaten up, Kaper gulped. ¡®He is strong!¡¯ Despite the rumors about him being a Destroyer who defeated 4 Gigants with bare hands, and after the whip treatment he had given to Darren and his five attendants, he was still a young man. But Luke¡¯s movement when the match started, his movements went faster and sharper that no one was able to even figure out what had happened. ¡®It wasn¡¯t like the three of them were not that alert.¡¯ The first three knights were sent to confirm his abilities. As a result, the knights were able to realize that the rumors couldn¡¯t be kept aside. Alex looked over at Kaper as if they were sharing the same thought. ¡°Look here, Kaper.¡± ¡°I know, Alex.¡± The two had different positions, one was the Vice-captain, the other was the Knights¡¯ leader of one division, but they were like close friends. Kaper nodded looking at Alex and gave his order. ¡°The opponent is strong!! Think before acting and do the best!¡± Dozens of knights along with the apprentices went ahead to attack Luke. Without hesitation at all, shields and swords were put up. But they weren¡¯t even strong enough to be Luke¡¯s opponent. Once Luke¡¯s magic began, the so-called siege turned over; the knights fell one after the other. The knights began to fall down. ¡°Is this the level? Why am I feeling so disappointed?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Uhuh¡­!¡± ¡°You still don¡¯t understand why I asked all 100 of you to come at me? Will you all continue to be this stupid till the end?¡± At the provocation from Luke, Kaper gritted his teeth and ordered, ¡°Let¡¯s form an orderly wheel battle formation! Experts take over!¡± Experts proceeded to the front at the order from Kaper led the way. And with the rest of the knights, the formation representing a cartwheel was formed. The knights with a strong impression were made to face Luke. However, it was very rare but a strong player like the Sword Master or 7th circle wizard on the battlefield would stay ahead in the wheel formation. Even if they do come in contact in the battle, Gigants were used, so it was easy to deal with them, but rarely did they come across in physical combat. But, now, everyone was on the other side, and they were going to use their skills against their new commander. ¡°Oh my, now the fight seems to be getting interesting.¡± Said Luke. After seeing the formation, Luke stared at the knights with a shine in his eyes. ¡°Sonic Wave! Wind Storm!¡± ¡°Kuakk!¡± ¡°Kaaaak!¡± Luke used both the demon¡¯s power and magic at the same time. The lead knights were blown away with Sonic Wave, and followed by the storm that swept in a moment later, the other knights in the back fell down. But not the entire formation collapsed. The remaining knights quickly filled the collapsed part and began to attack. Kakang! Kakakaka! Png! Magic, sword, and the abilities of the demons were all being used in the clash with the knights. Every time an attack happened, a knight fell down and another came ahead. Luke, however, cleverly blended magic and swordsmanship, as well as the demon power to defend and attack at the same time. Each time two or three knights came ahead, Luke would fight eagerly. ¡°Dammit, to be able to do this¡­¡± Said a knight. ¡°To the back! Change the formation!¡± It was the first time for the knights to encounter a Rune Knight. No, they never met a person who has mastered both magic and sword. As a result, they were confused and flustered. If the colleagues next to each other didn¡¯t respond so quickly, the wheel would have been blown over a long time ago. The knights couldn¡¯t help but snarl at the flashing acts of Luke. ¡°Are the Rune knights supposed to be this strong?¡± ¡°Idiot! If Rune knights were strong, then everyone would try and become Rune knights, why would they go for wizards or knights?¡± ¡°Then how is he¡­?!¡± To learn either one of the sword or magic was difficult enough. Even if one tries, there were just one of the 10,000 people who could either become a Sword Master or a 7th circle wizard. But to learn both? That took a lot of progress. ¡°Didn¡¯t the knights lose?¡± ¡°No way! I heard it before, the wheel formation can never be broken unless the commander is a Sword Master.¡± ¡°That so?¡± As the information was being relayed to the stationed officers and soldiers, the situation changed. Chapter 110 ¡°It can¡¯t be! It is going to be a wipe out.¡± Anna was in the rear end of the knights, who were making unreasonable attacks. Normally, she wouldn¡¯t have joined the fight. However, all the knights got caught up in the atmosphere and raised their swords against Luke. ¡°Everyone! Stop attacking and concentrate on defense!¡± Said Anna. ¡°What did you say? Keep your mouth shut, newbie! The formation is very confusing!¡± Although Kaper shot back at her words, Anna didn¡¯t back down. ¡°Vice-captain, please think about the practical use of the wheel formation!¡± ¡®Ah¡­!¡¯ At Anna¡¯s words, Alex and Kaper realized their mistake. The wheel formation was made with the support of a Sword Master and a 7th circle wizard. In practice, however, it was a more defense-oriented tactic than an offensive one. Dealing with power wasn¡¯t an easy task, and one would end up getting caught in the fight. So, they had to focus on defending as much as possible to reduce the damage they were taking. And if they could do that, the Sword Master would be able to support them, and they might have a chance to target the enemy. ¡°Power defense formation!¡± Said Kaper ¡°Shield to the front! Hold up as much as you can!¡± Said Alex. At the command from Kaper and Alex, the knights gave their attack and focused on the defense. Luke admitted that the strong defense wouldn¡¯t be easy to take down by his skills. ¡®Ah, look at these people?¡¯ Thought Luke. Knights dedicated themselves to the defense, which meant that Luke¡¯s attacks wouldn¡¯t work well. Luke decided to increase the intensity of the attack. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long they can hold on.¡± He brought out the gold sword which wasn¡¯t used till then, and increase the mana poured into the sword. Suddenly, Luke¡¯s offensive power grew and the formation of the knights wobbled a lot. ¡°Kuaak! This is!¡± ¡°Veteran! He is like a veteran!¡± ¡°Two at a time! Go and shift with the person in front of you!¡± ¡°Trust your colleagues! Do not step into the fight alone! Go in with your colleagues!¡± The knights were very desperate. And the strength Luke was using had increased, but the wheel formation didn¡¯t break so easily. ¡®Well, if this goes on like this, my mana and stamina will soon be exhausted,¡¯ thought Luke. The most scary point of the wheel formation was this: As its members got tired, the ones behind would come ahead and support, which would make it tiresome for the opponent. It was okay for the time being. However, Luke knew that he would lose if it went on. ¡®I can win if I use all my power, but¡­¡¯ If Luke would use the Dark Blitz, the wheel formation would collapse right away like a sandcastle. Even if he wasn¡¯t much aware of white magic, he couldn¡¯t just use his dark magic. And he couldn¡¯t use the demons¡¯ abilities like, Petro Light. Luke was getting frustrated and thought of the most recent demon ability he acquired. A 2nd phase of build-up power to strengthen the body. And the result would be, increase in physical power, and strength to block a sword. Until the 2nd phase there would be no change in his body¡¯s appearance, but the strength his body could use increases exponentially. It was just for a short period of time, but he would be able to use three times the power he could normally use. ¡®But it isn¡¯t so easy to use,¡¯ thought Luke. Luke didn¡¯t know how to use the 2nd phase of Build-up. Until now, he had always been using the 1st phase. However, due to the head-on confrontation he was facing, Luke was compelled to raise the Build-up ability. Kwakwakkwa??! Mana and stamina overflowed into his body, Luke unleashed a 4 circle range attack spell that he hadn¡¯t used till then because he was overflowing with too much mana. ¡°Fire Explosion!¡± Kwang?! When a powerful explosion occurred, its force knocked out around 30 knights. When Luke found a gap, he immediately jumped in and wielded his sword in every direction that he could along with the Sonic Wave. ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°Kack!¡± From the sword, the golden aura began to emerge which indicated the completion of Gold Sword, and it could no longer be stopped. It applied in the same manner to the Expert knights who were standing in front of Luke. The whole wheel had collapsed, leaving only one man standing there. It was Kaper, who had a frightened face. ¡°This! Dammit! Come on!¡± When Luke was just looking at him coldly, he threw a fit seeing that Alex was down. With all his power, he rushed over to Luke. ¡°Die you!!!¡± Puck! However, it was Kaper who fell. He blacked out when the hilt of Luke¡¯s sword hit him. ¡°Luke has won!¡± ¡°Wow!!¡± Officers and soldiers shouted Luke¡¯s name and were cheering for him. At first they thought that it was just better if the new commander wouldn¡¯t back down. But now, as he just knocked down 100 knights with awesome skills¡­ Luke¡¯s confrontation with those 100 knights would go down in the history of the Northern Army. Chapter 111 ¡°Congratulations, my Lord.¡± Philip, with his heart beating fast, watched the every second of the confrontation. The moment Luke was about to respond. ¡®Kuak!¡¯ A terrible pain swept his entire body like something was twisting inside him. His bones seemed like they were shattering. His muscles were cramping. His blood vessels seemed to be blocked. The sky was looking yellow, and it became difficult for him to breath. ¡°Lord?¡± Asked Philip. ¡®Dammit, this¡­¡¯ After the 2nd phase of Build-up¡­ After suddenly exploding the potential, the mana exertion, the amount the body could handle had been increased exponentially. The good news was that since Luke had experienced this in the past, he could cope with this situation. ¡®Breath! First I need to control the runaway mana and stabilize my heart¡¯s veins.¡¯ Breathing in and out a few times, Luke¡¯s body seemed to have relaxed a little. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Philip approached Luke and asked. ¡°I am fine. I think I overdid myself a little,¡± answered Luke. Somehow, the match was over. There were no knights who were boasting about their abilities or skills. But¡­ Clap! Clap! Clap! The sound of applause could be heard from the soldiers who witnessed the match. ¡°It was amazing. I never thought that you could really take on 100 people.¡± ¡°You must be?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Bison. A knight in the cavalry, a native in here. I was out on patrol and came back when I was told that there was something fun happening here.¡± Bison looked around at the fallen knights and picked up a sword that was lying on the ground. ¡°They sure are inexperienced ones, but I can¡¯t turn my back away from my colleagues who had been taken down. It is a little late, but can I participate?¡± Asked Bison. ¡°What are you talking about, Sir Bison?¡± Asked Philip. Philip noticed that Luke wasn¡¯t in a condition to fight again. And after everything was done, the man asked for another fight! ¡°It has ended already. Don¡¯t bother talking useless stuff and get back to duty!¡± ¡°Haha, useless stuff you say?! You knocked down a 100, but now you can¡¯t even take on a single knight from the native cavalry?¡± At the swords from Bison, soldiers began to mumble. After seeing the huge fight, they were all very excited. So a sudden challenge from someone was intriguing for the soldiers and pushed the new commander into thought about what had to be done. ¡®What is he trying to do?¡¯ Luke was irritated, he looked at Bison. He was asking for a fight after the entire match had ended. Luke thought of a good idea after thinking about how to deal with this annoying challenger. ¡°Nice, I will take on your challenge. But, how about we don¡¯t use swords and use something else instead?¡± ¡°Something else? Are you planning on fighting using Gigants?¡± Asked Bison. ¡°You do know how to control a Gigant, right?¡± ¡°Well, I worked as a mercenary rider in a clan, so that won¡¯t be a problem.¡± Philip was surprised upon hearing what Luke and Bison was talking about. The mercenary riders who played in the Gigants Arena were very good at maneuvering. And in comparison, Luke was an expert knight, but he was still a novice rider in the intermediate stage of practicing the balance of a Gigant. Some time ago, on the way to the fortress, he tried to hone his guiding skills, but it wasn¡¯t to a level where he could use a Gigant in a battle. ¡°Lord, it would be better if you step down.¡± ¡°Nope, I need to fight. If I step out of here now, all I did will be in vain.¡± The reason why Luke fought the knights was to show everyone his overwhelming skills and to make sure that a proper military atmosphere would be established. If Luke turned his back to this challenge, then he wouldn¡¯t be able to achieve his intended goal. ¡°However¡­¡± Philip tried to speak. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have thought of something.¡± Luke turned down Philip¡¯s advice and looked at Bison. ¡°Sir Bison, I accept your challenge.¡± ¡°Huhuhu, you are a man of your word. There is no law that can let you escape from this.¡± Bison smiled. Philip found his laugh and his appearance very annoying. It felt like he had seen the man somewhere before. However, he couldn¡¯t remember where or when. For that very reason, Philip was feeling really anxious about the second confrontation that was about to happen. Chapter 112 When the second confrontation had been decided as a Gigant match, the Iron mages moved busily. While they were preparing the Gigants, Luke devoted himself entirely to recovery. It wasn¡¯t a complete recovery, but he had recovered enough to fight. ¡°Be careful, Lord. If he is a mercenary rider, then he can do quite a lot of attacks.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll keep that in my mind.¡± Luke nodded at the advice from Philip and boarded his Gigant, Achilles. Bison too boarded the Gigant which was in the fortress. It was a warrior-class Gigant just like the Achilles, and it was named Savage, the Gigant which they had seen in the Lamer Gigant Arena. Thud! Thud! The two men went out of the fortress. It was because the battlefields in the fortress are narrow and could cause disturbance to the soldiers. Upon the excitement of the match between the Gigants, the soldiers climbed onto the wall of the fortress to see the match. ¡°Then, let¡¯s start.¡± Said Luke. ¡°Sure. Then, is it okay if I make the first move?¡± Asked Bison. ¡°Do whatever that pleases you.¡± Said Luke. At the words from Luke, Bison slowly advanced. But in just one moment, one second, he narrowed the gap between Achilles and smashed his sword. ¡°¡­!¡± Kwang?! Luke almost got attacked with that shot. In the meantime, Bison¡¯s Savage returned back to narrow the distance between Achilles. ¡°Uh, Uh, Uh!¡± ¡°Lord, please be careful!¡± Said Philip. After seeing the amazing and sleek maneuvering of the Gigant, the soldiers and officers opened their mouths with exclamations, and Philip just screamed out loud. It was because a brilliant light began to burst from the big sword of Savage. ¡°Kuk, it¡¯s a Fireball!¡± A soldier said. Luke urgently used magic. A Large flame burst from the left hand of Achilles, which hit Savage and made it turn back. Bang! With the attack, Savage wobbled and moved a few steps back. If Luke had been late to deal with the attack, Achilles would have taken in a lot more Gigants. ¡°What is it with that brat?¡±, thought Luke. The attack had been done, however, the unsettling feeling in the heart of Luke didn¡¯t die just yet. When he had received the blow from Savage a moment back, it wasn¡¯t just the Gigant Achilles but Luke¡¯s body too had trembled. He never felt such pressure except for the time when he was fighting Rogers back in the estate. ¡®Advanced Expert? No, his is probably the best!¡¯ Thought Luke. Swordsmanship, Gigant¡¯s movements, they were all not the abilities of a mercenary rider. What was his identity? ¡°Huhuhu, you are a young Lord. But even then you were able to defeat 100 knights.¡± Bison, in the cockpit of Savage, smiled and made fun of Luke. ¡°Whatever, I need to make you pay the price for bringing shame for humiliating Cain!¡± Bison¡¯s identity was surprisingly Cain himself. After losing his territory and running away by living under the shadow of Marquis Mayers, he entered the Torlot Fortress in disguise to assassinate Luke. It was all thanks to Marquis Mayer¡¯s information sources, that he found out where Luke had been ordered for his military. Cain, who had come to the Torlot Fortress, looked for a reasonable opportunity to assassinate Luke. But after a while of being on patrol, he knew that Luke urged the knights to an open confrontation. That too, it wasn¡¯t a one-on-one, it was one-on-hundred! ¡®Stupid man! Thinking that he can just take on a Sword Master? It will be easy to handle him.¡¯ Thought Bison. At first, Bison wanted to enjoy watching Luke being shattered by the knights. But what had happened? The fight went on strangely. The knights had fought using a wheel formation but were completely defeated by Luke, who suddenly showed his attacks. After looking at Luke¡¯s condition after the showdown, he knew that the timing to kill him had occurred. Because of the overwhelming victory over the huge crowd, the young man seemed very tired. Which was why he purposefully challenged Luke. ¡°Kaaah, I¡¯ll get rid of you, Kid!¡± Cain or Bison attacked crazily without any gap. Luke was helpless in the wild attacks which came in his direction. ¡°Wah, was Sir Bison so strong?¡± ¡°I heard that the sword user was intermediate, but that is more than intermediate.¡± One of the soldiers said. While the officers and soldiers were talking to themselves, Philip rushed over to the Iron Mage. ¡°Is there any Gigant that can be used right away?¡± ¡°Sorry, the other Gigants are all in maintenance¡­¡± Answered the Iron Mage. ¡°Sh*t!¡± For Philip, Bison was no longer an opponent for Luke. At best, he was more than a mercenary rider, no, he was an expert rider. Philip had to step out, but he had nothing to ride. ¡®I can¡¯t do anything! I¡¯ll have to step in with my body itself!¡¯ Thought Philip. Philip was so determined to protect Luke that he had moved out of the fortress. The sword was moving like lasers, no Cain¡¯s attacks weren¡¯t being stopped. And Luke wasn¡¯t in a good shape to deal with the incoming attacks. His abilities with the Gigant were lacking way behind Cain. Of course, even if the attack was stopped, the attacks couldn¡¯t be stopped completely, there was a clear trace of sword marks around Achilles¡¯s glaives. If Luke hadn¡¯t used the Marionette magic to assist his movement with the Gigant, he would have already been penetrated with the huge sword of Cain¡¯s Gigant. ¡®Who is this guy? How was he hiding such a level of skill set?¡¯ Thought Cain. After the fight with the knights was over, Cain realized that Luke had been hiding his skills, so the weakness he showed after the match proved he could assassinate Luke right away. ¡®Maybe the Emperor sent him?¡¯ were Luke¡¯s assumptions. But it was actually the noble of Marquis, Marquis Mayers. Luke was looking for a chance to rebound. ¡®Stay calm. I still have a few useful cards to use.¡¯ Luke kept telling himself. Unlike Luke who was trying to keep a calm mind, Cain was already enjoying the sweetness of revenge. ¡°Kukku! I¡¯ll give you exactly two breaks in the cockpit, those would be to break off your limbs. No, before I do that, I¡¯ll make sure to instill fear in you to the extent that you piss yourself!¡± Cain bellowed and wielded his huge sword. Achilles¡¯ right arm got cut off with the sword. ¡°Kay, next is the left arm!¡± Excited, Cain was ready to do the second blow with his sword. Luke, who was alert, used magic. ¡°Grease!¡± ¡°Aaaah!¡± Grease was a magic that even a low circle wizard could be used, however, using it at the right moment made a huge difference. Cain¡¯s Savages¡¯ sword slipped and he lost balance a bit. ¡®Now is the moment!¡¯ Luke took the opportunity and put the sword in his left hand into the core engine of Savage. Bang?! ¡°This, oh my! No way!¡± Cain¡¯s Gigant¡¯s light turned faint blue. The core engine was the most sensitive part of a Gigant. The Gigant could handle the external shock, but hitting the core engine directly would completely derail the Gigant. The attack could be possible only by those who knew the structure of the Gigant. Luke knew better about the structure of a Gigant than any other Iron Mage. Paaah! Paaack! ¡°You can¡¯t do this! To end it all in just one shot!¡± As Cain was trying to stop, sparks broke from the core engine of the Gigant and everything turned worse. And then came a violent explosion. Bang!? ¡°Wah!¡± Philip, who was almost close to approaching the Gigant battle, looked at what Luke had done. ¡®Lord?¡¯ The smoke lifted and Luke¡¯s Achilles appeared. There were debris and broken parts everywhere, but no fatal damage had been done to Achilles. It was all thanks to Luke¡¯s full-fledged shield magic. Kung! ¡°What, what just?¡± Philip, who sighed out of relief, went surprised when something fell from the sky. The crashed piece was nothing but the upper half body of Savage. Due to the powerful explosion, it soared to the sky and fell down. ¡°Kue¡­ I, I¡­ lost¡­¡± As the hatch opened, Cain crawled out. The impact of the explosion made the body take some damage. So, he had no strength to fight Philip or Luke. ¡°Who are you? Identify yourself!¡± Asked Luke while putting a sword on his neck. ¡°Kuak, the world is round! Round¡­wo¡­rld¡± Cain was only speaking unfamiliar words. Philip, who took a closer look at Cain, noticed who he was. ¡°Lord, this is Cain.¡± ¡°Cain? The one who tried to break into our territory in the war of territory?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Yeah. But, why is he here¡­¡± Was it to solve a simple personal grudge, or did someone gave him any incentive? Luke couldn¡¯t answer the questions. Cain, who spoke something about ¡¯round world¡¯, died after losing blood. Through the confusion, he managed to deal with an assassin who was about to take his life. However, nothing could be found about Cain or his thought, and Luke began to freak out in many ways. Chapter 113 ¡°Oh my, my waist!¡± ¡°Kaaah! My shoulders are so sore that I can¡¯t even lift my arm.¡± ¡°I cracked my ribs, ah!¡± Knights were all in the hospital. As many as 100 patients had been admitted. They were the knights and the apprentices who got beaten up by Luke. All of them were injured, either small or big. The ones who had fewer injuries were moved from the rooms quickly, but the ones who were hurt bad had to undergo intensive care for several days. Among such people was Anna. She who had tumbled over was lying on the bed and stared at the ceiling. ¡°Luke de Rakan¡­¡± Descendant of the famous Sword Emperor Rakan, who was known as the Warrior. She didn¡¯t know how great the Warrior was 500 years ago, but the skills of Luke were enough to shake Anna¡¯s heart. ¡®He is really amazing! A whole new different dimension than a Rune Knight who can use both sword and magic!¡¯ Thought Anna. The first was the punishment given to Darren, Luke¡¯s act didn¡¯t seem unusual. However, even if there were apprentices, he defeated 100 knights! With overwhelming force! And from then, he went onto the fight with Gigants. A knight from the mercenary who recently moved in and introduced himself as Bison showed his hidden skills, yet Luke overcame that. That too with just one strike, he took down the whole Gigant. ¡®He is that strong and handsome¡­¡¯ Think about Luke¡¯s appearance, her cheeks tainted red, remembering how strong he was, made her eyes shine. ¡°Ah, ah, he is viscount?!¡± Said Anna. A soldier who approached Anna, for the first time confirmed it was her and said, ¡°Sir Anna, the commander is looking for you.¡± ¡°Eht! Me, me?¡± She asked. Flustered, she jumped up from her bed. ¡°Yes, he had asked me to let you know that, he wants you in the office right away.¡± Anna smiled and left the hospital room. She didn¡¯t understand why the new commander wanted her in his office. ¡®Well, I¡¯ll know once I go there.¡¯ Thought Anna. She wanted to see him, and it seemed nice that he called for her. On the way to the fortress headquarters, she adjusted her hair and clothes. No matter how urgently she had been called, she didn¡¯t want to go in front of the new commander with an ugly appearance. ¡°Salute! Commander, you wanted to see me¡­?¡± Opening the door to the commander¡¯s room, her eyes went shocked. There were familiar faces in the commander¡¯s room. There were 3 knights who were considered good in the 7th division knights of the Northern Army, Alex, and Kaper. There was the Vice-Captain Kaper, 1st division head Alex, and 3rd division head Hobart. ¡°Came? Since you have come, have a seat.¡± Said Philip. Philip pointed to a vacant seat, Anna folded her hands and sat down. Luke opened his mouth as she took a seat. ¡°How are all your bodies?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Thanks to your consideration, we have no inconvenience moving around!¡± Anna was the one who responded coldly, the rest of them didn¡¯t speak and had a blunt expression. Luke smiled and continued, ¡°You guys are wondering why I called for you, right?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Yes.¡± Alex replied on behalf of Kaper who was nodding his head. ¡°Three days before, on the day of the match, you promised. If I win, you will obey my words.¡± Asked Luke. The words from Luke immediately changed the expression of the four seated people. It was because they just remembered their promise. ¡°So, have you called us to receive an oath of allegiance?¡± As Kaper asked, Alex held himself back, but Kaper didn¡¯t care for it. ¡°The oath of allegiance¡­ the reason I called you was to make a suggestion regarding it.¡± ¡°Suggestion?¡± Asked Kaper. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hate it so much. I am hoping that this offer would be of help to you since, in the end, no one should lose.¡± And so the lucky Luke got the attention of the people. ¡°Will you trust me and come under me?¡± Asked Luke. ¡®What kind of dragon stories are you feeding us!?¡¯ Thought the others. The other knights except for Anna were swearing at Luke. It was because everybody was going to return to their families once discharged. And Luke was literally asking them to be the retainer of another family? That would never happen unless someone shot an arrow to their head. However, their thoughts were shaken at the next words from Luke. ¡°Once you come under me, I will teach you the Gold Sword.¡± There was no one from the four people there who didn¡¯t know about the legend of the hero Rakan. The Rakan was a Sword Emperor and the Gold Sword was his own. In other words, if one learns the skill of Gold Sword, even if the person can¡¯t be a Sword Emperor, he is likely to become the Sword Master. In fact, the Sword Master was born from the knights of Rakan itself. ¡°That, you really mean that?¡± Asked Anna. ¡°Yes. Why would I call you over to lie to you?¡± The ones Luke had called for the meeting were the ones with great fencing skills, but their development had been stagnant because of the limitations they faced in the fortress. Luke was able to understand their skills from the fight three days ago, and their personal records. ¡®They are all nobles. However, not all nobles can learn Gold Sword.¡¯ Thought Luke. If a noble family¡¯s fencing was insignificant or was incapable of inviting a good teacher, no matter how much of a noble he was, he would never improve. In that sense, in the fortress, they were all learning fencing as a common axis. However, at such a young age, they were standing out with their swordsmanship and they were also at the level to become an Expert. And among the four, Kaper had already gone to the Intermediate level. It was inevitable, and they had talent. ¡®Surely they aren¡¯t like Philip who had graduated from the Royal Military Academy as a senior talent, but he is still outstanding when it comes to talent.¡¯ One of the reasons why Luke had come to the military was to recruit the talented ones. It was known that young people from all over the empire would come to fulfill their services, and it was likely to find talent. At the suggestion from Luke, the four of them were facing conflict. The first person to accept it. Anna. ¡°I will do it.¡± ¡°You made the right decision.¡± Said Luke. Anna¡¯s face went red as Luke spoke to her with a smile, and asked, ¡°But would it be possible to learn swordsmanship from the commander?¡± Luke noticed what she was trying to do, and pointed to Philip. ¡°It is a bit unfortunate since I am busy with the fortress. Sir Philip will be teaching you the Gold Sword.¡± ¡°You, you won¡¯t be teaching us directly?¡± Asked Anna. ¡°He may look daunting, but Sir Philip has graduated from the Royal Military Academy with flying colors. An Expert in fencing. Aren¡¯t those qualifications enough to teach the Gold Sword?¡± At the words from Luke, Anna¡¯s eyes changed along with the others and looked at Philip. Until recently he looked like a normal man, but now they were all looking at Philip on a whole new level. That too, a win-win. Philip who wasn¡¯t much older or younger than them. ¡°I too will do it.¡± ¡°Me too¡­¡± ¡°Phew, it is an attractive offer that is hard to refuse.¡± Eventually, they hesitated but soon decided to become the retainers for Luke. In fact, they weren¡¯t the first in line or the fittest in the family, so even after being discharged, they would inherit nothing from their families. At best, they would be turned into retainers to support their own elder siblings, or they will have to come out of the family and pave their own way. Therefore, they didn¡¯t miss the chance to become stronger and better. ¡°Thank you. The decision that you have taken today, I will make sure that you¡¯ll never regret it.¡± After those words, Luke added something more meaningful, ¡°Well, you might regret the process though.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The bunch looked over at Philip, who had a wicked look. They had unknowingly got themselves into the trap of the most vicious teaching assistant by accepting to train below him. And they took the fall without even knowing anything about him. Chapter 114 Chapter 114: Blowing the Fortune of Continent 1 Presidential residence of the Volga Republic. The president¡¯s office had gathered the officials of the Republic, including Vladimir and the second chief of Intelligence. ¡°Is it true that the Baroque Empire is gathering power to invade our Republic?¡± At the question from Vladimir, Sylvia nodded and said, ¡°Our agents have gathered information and confirmed that troops and supplies are being gathered one after the other in Nemesis.¡± ¡°Keuhm!¡± ¡°In the end!¡± At the answer from Sylvia, everyone spoke out. Everyone in the Republic knew that their enemy was the Baroque Empire. They had a huge war seven years ago, and the conditions between them were so bad that there were numerous border disputes. Thus, the Volga Republic couldn¡¯t neglect and constantly monitored the actions of the Empire all the time. ¡°If a war is really going to come, then we need to be the one to attack first.¡± A seemingly strong knight in the office insisted. He was the proud swordsman, Duke Dimitry of the Volga Republic. An advanced Sword Master, who was in charge of the Republic Knights. ¡°Even I think the same. Offense is the best defense.¡± The commander of the Central, Duke Kutuzov agreed. The pre-emptive strike was taken into consideration as two of the top men in the military insisted on it. ¡°If so, then how many troops do you need for the war and till where are you going to push?¡± Asked the president. It was a nice decision to push destruction into the Baroque Empire, but it exceeded the capabilities of the Republic. Duke Dimitry, responded to the president¡¯s question. ¡°Till the Northern Command, Krom? I think we would be in need of at least 70,000 troops and 250 Gigants.¡± ¡°Uhm, that is a lot of power requirement.¡± It was almost equal to 1/3 of the total power of the Republic. And if something went wrong after putting so much power, then they would be in much more danger. The president hesitated, which made Meister Tyron of the Republic Magic Tower speak, ¡°Then how about getting a little help from Dark Moon magic tower and the fairies?¡± When the Baroque Empire had come to war 7 years ago at the Republic, the country of the Republic faced the biggest crisis of protecting their land. It was then that the Dark Moon magic tower and the fairies helped them. Their cooperation eventually led to the defeat of the Baroque Empire and the Republic had been saved from its enemy¡¯s hands. ¡°Well, I heard that Dark Moon had been attacked by an unidentified enemy and had suffered a lot of damage, right?¡± At the question from Vladimir, Sylvia sighed and answered, ¡°Well, I can¡¯t guarantee full support, but it would be possible to some extent.¡± The second chief of the intelligence department and the one in charge of fairies and the warlocks had answered, ¡°Is it? Then, how is the development of the new Gigant that I had commissioned to the Dark Moon a while back?¡± Vladimir had asked for the development of a hero class Gigant a month ago. The Dark Moon had accepted it, which made him wonder how far the development had come. ¡°There was a 20 percent progress, and I was told that the situation of the Magic Tower isn¡¯t good, so it would be done by the end of next year.¡± ¡°Tch, if I knew such a thing would happen, I would have requested for its development much longer,¡± said the president. The power of a hero class was more than a Sword Master in the army. In particular, the hero class of a so called Sword Master was a disaster. As a result, the nations turned frantic to buy hero-class Gigants from the top ten Magic Towers, and the top ten magic towers were making a huge profit by selling hero class Gigant. The republic, too, initially tried to purchase from the top ten magic towers. However, the other kingdoms fearing the increase of the Republic¡¯s power, put pressure on the top ten magic towers to ban the sale of Gigants to the Volga Republic. That forced them to do their own development with hard work, and Dark Moon accepted the request. ¡°Let¡¯s assess what we are missing and prepare for the war ahead.¡± Everyone nodded at the President¡¯s words. The meeting went on for an hour. It was a debate about where to send the troops and how to attack the Empire. But they didn¡¯t realize that all of the commotions in the Empire under Rudolf was to get rid of just one person. Chapter 115 Chapter 115: Blowing the Fortune of Continent 2 Three months had passed since Luke took in the four knights. Things changed in the meantime. Luke was already 18 years old. In the meantime, he exchanged correspondence with the retainers of Rakan once every week. In the letter, Luke gave them instructions based on the reports they sent in. First, the Old Count Monarch¡¯s, except for the city of Lamer, other areas had been sold, and the ones that were left were integrated into the Rakan Viscount. Allegiance to the sword by the nobles and the lords about their subordination to Rakan. Rakan¡¯s population had risen to 320,000, and its number of knights and soldiers increased significantly. They also got more of the most important power in the war, Gigants, which were now over 60. ¡®Phew, but it still isn¡¯t enough to fight the Imperial family, but it still is great progress,¡¯ thought Luke. The Merchant Union, a coalition of five small and medium-sized businesses, led by Kirillov had settled in earlier. Based in the city of Lamer, they had shown signs of increasing imports and export customers and direct transport to the Southern continent had been established. ¡®Surely, I found the right person.¡¯ If Luke would have thought of ruling Lamer by himself, maybe such a drastic success and development wouldn¡¯t have happened. No, he would lose a lot of money and fail. However, the Volga retainers under princess Reina and the Volga workers shook the merchants with their abilities and succeeded. It was all thanks to placing the right talented people in the right place. ¡®Is the Katarina Magic Tower doing well?¡¯ When the magic tower was built completely, Mute actively recruited freelancing wizards. The magic books that Luke had given to Mute had been an essential bait in recruiting wizards. ¡®I¡¯m a lord now. Should I be getting stronger too?¡¯ Thought Luke. Luke hadn¡¯t missed even a day of Gold Sword and dark magic practice over the past three months. Bone-cutting efforts had been made in the basement of the fort. But his practice didn¡¯t end there. Every night of a full moon, he would go to a place far from the fortress and summon demons. He seized the Magi from the summoned demons and absorbed their power. ¡°Master, what kind of demon are you going to summon today?¡± Sebastian asked while grinning, ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to see someone with nice abilities¡­¡± The demon summoning was random. Luke couldn¡¯t just call a demon that he wanted. He would just be able to choose whether the demon he summoned would be something he wanted or not. ¡°I want a guy who is weaker in revival than you, so I can use it as a load.¡± ¡°Is there a demon that is possibly weaker than me?¡± Asked Sebastian. At the question from Sebastian, Luke smiled. Except for stealth and poison, Sebastian was very weak in strength. It was still questionable if there were demons that were much weaker than Sebastian. ¡°If we searched well, wouldn¡¯t there be at least one?¡± Asked Sebastian. ¡°Hut, understood. If one does really exists, I will give it to you,¡± said Luke. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I promise.¡± ¡°Kyaaa~! I¡¯m happy, master! I will be more loyal to you in the future!¡± Sebastian jumped up and down. Rather than feeling bad for making another demon a slave of a human, he was eager to exert his suppressed feelings and feel superior to the other demon rather than to share its pain. Luke drew the summoning circle on the ground. He cut his palm a little and let his blood drip into the summoning circle. As his blood dripped into the Summoning circle, the circle began to gleam with light and the subspace opened. Out of the subspace came a sharp impression and figure of a Vampire dressed in black. ¡°Huhuhu. I¡¯m thirsty¡­ Three thousand five hundred and seventy¡­ the second subordinate Belfair of Vampire King Leviathan. Human, make a contract with me¡­ Uh?¡± The vampire tried to make Luke draw a contract with him but became dumbfounded when he saw Sebastian. ¡°Human, what is that cat? Did you draw a contract with him already?¡± Humans could only draw one contract with demons. The soul that had to be given for the contract was only one. And everyone had only one soul. At the words from Belfair, Sebastian jumped out of his place. ¡°Kyaarrr! Who are you calling a cat? This is the body of the King of Evil, Sebastian!¡± ¡°Kuk! If I just blow ¡®Hu¡¯, your body will fly away at that very moment.¡± ¡°Wah, you¡¯re really. I will show you what I am!¡± ¡°Be calm, Sebastian,¡± said Luke. After calming Sebastian down, Luke talked to Belfair, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have no intention of making a contract with you.¡± ¡°Then, why did you summon me?¡± ¡°Because I want to deprive you of your Magi and then take your abilities.¡± ¡°Kaahhaha!¡± Belfair laughed out loud at the words of Luke. After a moment, he calmed himself down and talked to Luke, ¡°You dare take my power, the subordinate of Leviathan and his bloody race? It has been a while since I have been out to play on earth.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see who is the crazy one,¡± stated Luke. Luke began to use Dark Blitz on Belfair. Sebastian, who saw that, cheered for his master. ¡°Master! You need to win!¡± Belfair¡¯s abilities were that of a vampire and fencing. Although he was a low ranking demon, his sword skills were almost close to a Sword Master. And that was something Luke couldn¡¯t be compared with. He was adept at catching demons when he was Saymon. In addition, his dark magic had reached the 5th circle. He used the abilities that he took from the demons and the Gold Sword. In just 10 minutes, he was able to put pressure on Belfair. ¡®Kuk, what a ridiculous human being,¡¯ thought Belfair. A low-ranking cat demon calling a human master. Eventually, Belfair was ready. As his eyes opened wide, he turned pale. ¡°Ah, Leviathan! You have come! Let the arrogant and cheeky human know the fear the demons can give!¡± ¡°What?¡± Asked Luke Luke was surprised as he hadn¡¯t sensed anyone else, so he turned back to see the Vampire King Leviathan. The moment Luke looked away, Belfair turned into a bat and ran away. However, unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t able to run that far. ¡°Where is the proud demon going?¡± Luke grabbed him using Black Bin and dark magic absorber. ¡°Hiii! Please, please let me live!¡± Belfair turned back into his normal appearance and begged for his life. To act proud, he would have to at least survive. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like doing that. I think It is better to kill you and take away your power.¡± Luke was trying to absorb his Magi¡­ When Sebastian ran up and asked, ¡°Master, can¡¯t you give him a revival here?¡± ¡°What?¡± Asked Luke ¡°A while ago, you promised to give me one.¡± ¡°That, that was if the summoned demon was weaker than you,¡± responded Luke. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I want this guy to be below me!¡± Said Sebastian. At the request of Sebastian, Luke nodded and answered, ¡°Fine. But will you be able to handle this guy?¡± Luke asked Sebastian who was keeping an eye on Belfair, whom he wanted as his subordinate. Belfair was staring at Sebastian with his teeth showing. Sabastian told Luke to not worry. ¡°Kuku, I have thought of something for this guy.¡± ¡°Well, then okay.¡± Because Sebastian wanted to and Luke had made a promise, Luke held the ritual of offering soul instead of killing Belfair. ¡°Vampire Belfair. Starting today your soul belongs to Luke. With your life in my hands, will you swear allegiance?¡± ¡°I swear.¡± As soon as Belfair accepted, he was marked with an L-mark on his neck. ¡°You are now my slave. I hope you have a good time with your colleague Sebastian.¡± As Luke finished, Sebastian approached Belfair. He took out a bottle that had a little bit of liquid inside it. ¡°Drink it,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°What is this?¡± Asked Belfair. ¡°No need to know, just drink it. If you won¡¯t, I¡¯ll tell master to cancel the ceremony.¡± Belfair felt intimidated by what Sebastian said. Luke was just watching everything unfold in silence. Reluctantly, Belfair took the bottle and drank it. At that moment, the yellow liquid went through Belfair¡¯s throat, and his body¡¯s temperature started to rise. Once the frenzy in his body stopped, Belfair tried to move his Magi, but its presence disappeared. Sebastian, who was closely observing it, saw the result and smiled. ¡°Kyakyakya! The liquid you just drank is Medusa Poison. If you don¡¯t take the antidote once a week, you¡¯ll turn into stone and die eventually.¡± ¡°What, what did you say?!¡± In fact, Belfair thought that he had no choice but to be a slave of Luke. It was because the process was done. But this situation seemed like his Master wouldn¡¯t be doing anything and that he was under the cat instead. He was played by the cat! ¡®Ahhha! How could this have happened to me!?¡¯ Thought Belfair. ¡®Kyakya! Finally, this body has a subordinate as well!¡¯ Sebastian had been carrying Medusa¡¯s Poison ever since he was in the Devildom, and he always wanted to make a slave. But he wasn¡¯t ready to approach the demons and ask them to drink the poison. In case the demons caught onto his scheme, they would kill him. So, he almost gave up on doing that, but thanks to Luke, his wish had come true. Sebastian pointed to Belfair who was shocked and said, ¡°Master, can I be with this guy for a while?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Asked Luke ¡°I got a new subordinate. Shouldn¡¯t I let him know about the rules? I would like him to listen and follow my words perfectly.¡± ¡°Huhuhu, understood. Go on.¡± When Luke agreed, Sebastian turned to Belfair. He turned into the monster form he had when Luke first summoned him. ¡°You heard the words of Master, right? Kay, now, follow me!¡± Belfair followed Sebastian who was excited. Luke looked at them till the moment they disappeared. Luke wondered how Belfair would look like. Chapter 116 After his training, Luke headed back to the Fortress. Seeing him use the Fly magic around the Fort was no longer strange to the soldiers. It was because Luke had gone out for patrol every day. ¡°Salute! Did you have a good time out during the patrol?¡± The officers in the administration asked Luke upon his arrival. ¡°Yeah, nothing happened in the fortress while I was away, right?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°The Northern Army Command sent supplies, arrows, and other military necessities.¡± ¡°Did the Gigant come?¡± ¡°This time too, they haven¡¯t sent it.¡± ¡®Huh, I knew it!¡¯ Thought Luke to himself. The Army Command sent them other needs and supplies shortly, but they were very stingy when it came to supplying the Fortress with a Gigant, which was considered to be the game-changer in wars. They didn¡¯t even bother sending the parts of them. They had sent the excuse saying that the Fortress didn¡¯t need a Gigant and that the other units needed them much desperately, but it was definite that something was going on. A lot had changed in the Fortress over the past 3 months. The walls of the Fortress, which seemed like they would crumble at any moment, were built again, and the strong walls were holding soldiers on them. It wasn¡¯t just that. ¡°Haab!¡± ¡°Hat!¡± The roars of the knights and the sharp movements of their swords showed that they weren¡¯t resting any time soon. ¡®Huhu, the knights are getting better.¡¯ The knights who were terribly smashed in the match had recently set to practice. However, the underlings of Luke were under extensive training when compared to the other knights. A month ago, Luke had made an offer to a few. Just an hour a day, silver sword would be taught. The Silver Sword was a skill that belonged to the Knights of Rakan and wasn¡¯t better than the Gold Sword, yet it still had a class of its own. Knights who were thirsty for higher swordsmanship like the nobles eagerly welcomed Luke¡¯s offer and were engaged in training from dawn to late nights. ¡®Even the officers come out and practice together?¡¯ Thought Luke. Some officers who were knights joined the other knights who were in training. As the knights¡¯ officers joined in, the parade looked full. ¡®I¡¯ll have to keep an eye on them and use those who are good.¡¯ Thinking so, Luke moved to his office. Philip was looking over at some papers when he welcomed him. ¡°You have come, Lord.¡± ¡°Yeah, how¡¯s the Gold Sword teaching going on?¡± Luke asked. ¡°At first, they seemed very baseless and hard to follow, but now they seem to have grabbed the technique.¡± The ones like Kaper and those who took the offer were practicing Gold Sword in the Commander-only airfield. Just like Philip himself in the past, the knights weren¡¯t able to fully understand the Gold Sword initially, as it emphasized the flow of mana over the form of a swordsman. But with the detailed explanation from Philip and the practical matches, they were beginning to understand and use the skills. ¡°They are faster at catching than one might think.¡± Said Luke. ¡°Weren¡¯t these the ones that Lord had himself picked? If they can¡¯t do this much, then they would get killed right away.¡± Said Philip. ¡°Huhu!¡± A few moments later, Philip reported, ¡°Oh one more, there was a report from the group which went to scout the North.¡± At the Torlot Fortress, scouts were sent to Volga Republic every two days. The knights and soldiers mixed with the surroundings, and the ones who examined the situation in their land and had returned, such people had a strange story. ¡°It has been stated that enemies are gathering at the Krom Fortress, the number has been said to be over 10,000 units¡­ will the war start at last?¡± ¡°Gathering soldiers and units don¡¯t exactly have to mean that war would start. But knowing in advance isn¡¯t bad, so let¡¯s send in more scouts.¡± Told Luke. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°By the way, what about the defense of the Fortress?¡± Asked Luke. Luke had stated before that a war might break out and asked for the defense of the Fortress to be enhanced. ¡°Large caliber artillery for the large Gigants were placed on the walls, and the outside walls were placed with large scale magic circles, such Explosion Mines. Erwin had helped out a lot.¡± Said Philip. Erwin never stepped out actively, she never did anything except for going around by staying next to Luke. But she did most of what Luke had asked of her. One of them was to install a large-scale magic circle outside the Fortress. ¡°The performance upgrade of the Gigant?¡± ¡°She improved all of them by using the magic stones that Lord has regenerated. The wizards keep asking me whenever they see me about why the magic circles have been installed.¡± After all, if a war would break out, the enemy would attack the Fortress with Gigant power. In preparation for that, Luke had attempted to maximize the performance of the Fortress by installing large scale magic circles. The magic circle used, had some of the schematics used in the Veritas Magic Tower¡¯s new Hero-class Gigant. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a shame that Erwin would have been much helpful if she was a professional Iron Mage.¡± Said Luke. ¡°Yeah. If she was a 7 circle Iron Mage, then she can easily make a Knight class.¡± Responded Philip. Luke staring at the defense plan of the Fortress, looked over at Philip and asked, ¡°Would you come out if you¡¯re done with everything?¡± ¡°I like it. Would you like to use your body or ride the Gigant?¡± Philip asked the question almost immediately as if he had been waiting for the question. They always went for a fencing training whenever they had time. Sometimes they used swords, and the other times they used Gigants. In any case, they had fought dozens of times to develop their skills and fill in the gaps the two had. ¡°Today, we do Gigant.¡± Answered Luke. After leaving the office, the two headed to the Gigant Arena. Chapter 117 Imperial Capital of Nemesis. Emperor Rudolf was being reported by Count Voltas. ¡°Huh, did the Volga finally decide to move?¡± Asked the emperor. ¡°Yes, your majesty. There were reports of troops, Gigants, and other military supplies being delivered over the borders.¡± ¡°Kkkuk, foolish guys.¡± Rudolf was about to create a border dispute to get rid of Luke. However, in the middle of the execution of the plan, his thoughts changed. As he was going ahead with the plan, he felt like hitting the Volga Republic by more scale troops. Which was why he showed the convene of troops in the capital. Laughing to himself, Rudolf asked Voltas, ¡°How is our preparation coming along?¡± ¡°There is a lot being prepared behind the Torlot Fortress. If the men enter, they might be taken down in just one shot.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t important to get them down in one shot. Rather, we must push them back and defeat them, make them pay for what happened eight years ago.¡± Rudolf wanted to invade deep into the Republic soil and secure the territory of Volga for himself. ¡°Definitely will do that. I communicated to the Majesty¡¯s loyalist Count Naiman, and have good news to report.¡± ¡°That is alright, just tell me how Luke is doing?¡± Rudolf was wondering what the young man was up to. ¡°A spy has stated that he has been teaching his family fencing to win over the favor of the knights. For that reason, the troops in the fort have been motivated.¡± ¡°We get the final blow. Please tell me that there weren¡¯t any knights or Gigants reinforced in the Torlot Fortress?¡± Asked Rudolf. ¡°They got more canons, but the number of knights and Gigants remains the same. There is no way for them to reinforce any military personal as Count Naiman is letting them know that he is a tough spot.¡± ¡°Huhuhu, the Fortress will collapse early, but we need to hold onto it from falling into the hands of Volga. Tell Count Naiman to plan well.¡± ¡°Understood, Majesty.¡± Voltas bowed and after a while, he had a little disturbed expression. ¡°But, there was one report that was unusual, your majesty.¡± ¡°An unusual report?¡± ¡°It was said that right after joining the Torlot Fortress and taking charge, he had a one-on-hundred fight against the knights. The unusual and absurd report was he overcame them with overwhelming skills.¡± At first glance, the report made no sense. Unless one was a Sword Master, 100 knights couldn¡¯t be defeated. However, Rudolf felt something strong, that the news could be true. ¡°Did he hide his skills?¡± Rudolf spoke to himself. When he used his magic on Luke at the ceremony, the sword skills were intermediate and was with 3 circle magic. That wasn¡¯t enough to win over 100 knights. ¡°Kuk, interesting guy he is. He has a sly side to himself.¡± Said Rudolf. Rudolf laughed at the fact that Luke had deceived his eyes. ¡°Majesty, should I use my hands now?¡± ¡°No, leave him alone. With the things that would happen in the coming future, even if he is a Sword Master, he would never be able to survive. Which is why let that Luke guy do more than just keeping an eye on him.¡± Torlot Fortress was located on the advance road of Volga Republic. Tens of thousands of troops, thousands of knights and hundreds of Gigants were pushed down the road, no way a Sword Master cans top all those forces. A one-man legion, even a Sword Master himself could never block hundreds of Gigants. And the Volga Republic harbored several strong Sword Masters. ¡°What is the situation of the Holy Arthenia Empire? Is there no way the guys are going to get back to us?¡± Asked the Emperor, Rudolf. Pushing into the Volga Republic on a full swing would turn troublesome if the Holy Arthenia decided to invade Baroque. ¡°The successor of the Pope hadn¡¯t been decided yet. So, they won¡¯t be planning to move their army any time soon.¡± The situation of Holy Arthenia played a huge role in the Baroque Emperor and Voltas¡¯ ability to prepare for a war in confidence. If the members of the Arthenia didn¡¯t split into two groups due to selecting the successor race, then the war wouldn¡¯t even be possible. ¡®Huhuhu! I waited so long for it! It is time for our empire to turn into grandeur!¡¯ Rudolf¡¯s eyes looking out the window were filled with greed to occupy the entire continent. Chapter 118 In the dark night. Reina was looking at the night sky from the terrace of the manor, which was located in the Lamer city. ¡®Could Sir Luke be doing well?¡¯ Reina looked at the northern fortress of the city with her heart full of worry and longing. For a while, she had no time to dwell on herself or others. But with Kirillov¡¯s strong growth and the Lamer city running smoothly, she began to feel nostalgic. At least she didn¡¯t feel it during the work hours, but once she was alone in the night, she began to feel lonely. Luke wrote letters to her every week. The letters contained a lot of information about the Chambers of Commerce and Lamer, but they did share a few private stories too. The matter about the Rakan knight¡¯s exclusive skills being taught to the knights in the fortress, trying to control a Gigant by listening to Philip¡¯s constant nagging, and the new demon slave he got, etc. But there was one statement in the letter that stood out in the eyes of Reina. ¡®¡­ I miss you.¡¯ Every time she saw that sentence, Reina could feel her heart racing. She never said those words, but every time she saw the sentence in the letters from Luke, Reina thought that Luke was having a hard time there. Reina was having a hard time as well. She missed Luke so bad. ¡®However, Sir Luke¡¯s style of writing is very similar to that of Saymon.¡¯ Due to the constant exchange of letters, there were a few styles that Luke used which were there in the diary of Saymon that Reina had read in the past. It was the old-fashioned expressions and emotional passages. ¡®Maybe it was because of the influence of Saymon¡¯s diary from his childhood days?¡¯ Reina believed that. Seeing inspiring literary works and writing letters accordingly in that style either arbitrary or unconsciously¡­ Saymon¡¯s diary was filled with words longing for his lover and intense feelings against his enemies. It was those moments in Saymon¡¯s diary where she was most filled with emotions. ¡°Kuk! What are you?!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Reina heard the words from Victor and the other escort knights arguing with someone. While Reina was feeling scared and tried to move her body to escape, the door opened wide with masked men in leather clothing entering her room. ¡°You people are¡­!¡± Reina¡¯s complexion went pale after seeing the ones who entered. She had seen them before. They were the dark elves of the Volga Republic who tried to kidnap her the last time. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be scared of us. We didn¡¯t come here to harm you.¡± A middle-aged male elf with pure white hair appeared behind them and spoke with a gentle voice. Maybe his status among the elves was high since the dark elves showed him respect by moving aside and bowing to him. ¡°First of all, I have to apologize. I apologize for our unauthorized visit at this time of the night because of the urgent circumstances we have faced,¡± said the elf with white hair. As the elf spoke and bowed to her, Reina spoke as well while trying to quell her fear, ¡°Who might you be sir?¡± ¡°I am an old man called Erenes.¡± ¡®Erenes!¡¯ Thought Reina. Reina was shocked when she heard the elf¡¯s name. She never met him before, but she heard her father and his retainers speak of him. He was referred to as a High Elf, not only for the elves, but he was also hailed as a prophet by the fairies too. He himself had come all the way here to find her. ¡°Are you really Sir Erenes? Why would you be here just for me?¡± ¡°I heard that these hasty children of mine were rude to you. I had to check if the princess had the treasure or not. So, I myself came here to see.¡± ¡°Treasure?¡± Asked Reina. ¡°Have you ever heard of the Earth¡¯s Tears?¡± When she was asked, Reina just shook her head because she didn¡¯t know of it. However, Victor who was knocked down by the dark elves was starting to wake up. He had heard the story from Peter II, Reina¡¯s father, before he passed away. At that time, Peter II wasn¡¯t able to tell an important fact as that to his young daughter, so he kept talking to the old Gods. What Victor knew about was that the Earth¡¯s Tears had secretly descended to the royal family of Volga. What was that thing, and what kind of history did it have? ¡°Ah, this man! Don¡¯t you touch the princess!¡± The dark elves hurriedly tried to take away the weapon from Victor¡¯s hand. However, Erenes restrained their violent actions. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. We have no intention of hurting the princess. We just wanted to check.¡± Erenes pulled out a small twig from his sleeve. Approaching the princess, Erenes brought the dry twig close to her. Wooong?! Suddenly, with a low pitch sound, a refreshing blue light began to emanate from Reina¡¯s body. Along with that, a drop of water formed on her forehead. ¡®What, what is happening?¡¯ Thought Reina. ¡°Ohoh!¡± Reina had no idea what was happening to her. Erenes, the Dark elves, and Victor were looking at her and the amazing scene that was happening. A woman looking down on the vast nature, and the many beings that lived on it. Raising her arms to the sky, the lady soon projected the image of a giant tree. It was the legendary tree that gave birth to all life. ¡°The World Tree¡­ The heir of spiritualist (Nature) still exists,¡± said Erenes. Erenes was thrilled to see leaves sprouting from the twig that he held onto. What he was holding was the twig of the World Tree, a part of the World Tree that had lost its power long ago. It got back it¡¯s life once again. Because he held the twig which had its power sealed, the spirit from the lady possessing the World Tree imprinted the power on the twig that belonged to it. The Earth¡¯s Tears could open the door to the Spirit World. Then, it would be possible for the elves to make contract with the spirits once again; the long lost wish of the elves. ¡°God hasn¡¯t abandoned us fairies¡­ Kuk, Kuk!¡± ¡°Ere, Erenes, sir!¡± Blood was coming out of Erenes¡¯s mouth. The surprised dark elves ran over to support him. Reina went closer to look at his lost complexion. In the meantime, the blue light that had shone on her forehead had disappeared. Erenes smiled happily as he was the twig of the World Tree, which had new leaves around it. ¡®Who would have thought that the closed door to the Spirit World would be opened? However, would I be there to see that day¡­¡¯ Erenes had chased Lich, Arsene, but he had suffered from injuries. The injuries were from vicious dark magic, and the effect the magic had on Erenes¡¯s body was worsening. He knew that his life was going to end in a matter of time. With the twig of the World Tree in his hand¡ªa sign of hope for his people¡ªErenes slowly lost consciousness. Chapter 119 The time to rise was up. Luke woke up earlier than ever. He didn¡¯t wake up early with the intent to go out and practice fencing or perform his morning exercises like he usually does. ¡®Its weird but I have a bad feeling.¡¯ A moment ago, the flow of mana seemed very unusual. The flow of mana had come from across the river from the Karim Fortress, the enemy¡¯s stronghold. And it wasn¡¯t because of the increase of troops which had been stationed or the number of Gigants placed by them. He felt something sharp, which he used to sense during his time as Saymon, just before the battle with the enemy started. ¡®Is the war going to come?¡¯ It used to be, but he couldn¡¯t ease the nervousness in his mind. The sense of war would be exciting, but Luke was different from those kinds of lunatics. It was because he didn¡¯t just think about fighting, but he also thought about the situation which led to him. And he was doing the same thing again. Dang! Dang! Dang! The bell rang from the bell tower of the Fortress. When he went out, Luke saw all the knights and soldiers running around nervously. One of the knights, who was preparing to enter a Gigant, said, ¡°Lord, the enemy is marching toward the Fortress!¡± Luke, upon hearing that, hurried over to the defense wall. The enemies were swarming across the river. In the lead were Gigants that have been advancing toward the Torlot Fortress. ¡®I don¡¯t understand this. Why would they put their Gigants in the front?¡¯ Thought Luke. To get to the Torlot Fortress, the enemy had to cross the San river, and the level of water there was deep. They had to either erect a pontoon with the help of an engineer, or they would have to make enough rafts and barge ahead. But the enemy didn¡¯t have such an equipment. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, those guys are¡­¡± While he was wondering, the wizards from the enemy camp flew into the air. Arriving at the San river ahead of the Gigants, they gathered and began to cast certain magic spells. Hweeing! A cold ice storm swept across the river and a thick layer of ice covered the surface. ¡°That! It¡¯s¡­¡± Luke realized. The thing Luke had been wondering about. The Blizzard magic that the wizards had just used wasn¡¯t a common white magic. It looked like a white magic spell on the outside, but the magic formula they pulled to use it was based on dark magic; the same thing that he developed in the past! ¡®Who the hell are they? No way, are they the Darkness Magic Tower?¡¯ However, at that moment, Luke couldn¡¯t afford to think about the past any longer. ¡°An enemy Gigant is coming!¡± At the urgent cry from a defense war soldier, they saw that the Gigants began to move across the frozen river and come toward the Torlot Fortress. And thus began the epic war between the Baroque empire and Volga Republic. Chapter 120 Thud! Thud! Thud! The Volga Republic¡¯s Gigants were crossing the frozen river and almost approached the defense wall. Following them were the cavalry and the infantry, in a clear cut formation. The soldiers of the Fortress, who witnessed their movement were shocked to perform anything. It was because no one had ever even imagined that the enemy would make a move so quickly. It was surprising for Luke too. However, he soon tried to calm himself down. They have been practicing and preparing for the last three months, presuming that there would be a border dispute soon. ¡°Activate the Gigant Magic Circle! Prepare the artillery to fire!¡± When Luke gave out the orders, the wizards began to memorize the spells. The artillery¡¯s were hurriedly filled in with gunpowder, and shells were loaded into the canons. ¡°The enemy would arrive at 200 meters!¡± ¡°Wait! Do not proceed with the attacks just yet!¡± The soldiers were nervous and hasty to attack, but they were stopped with the orders of Luke. ¡°The enemy Gigants would arrive close in on 100 meters!¡± ¡°Wait!¡± The sword of the enemy¡¯s Gigant reflected the sunlight into the soldiers¡¯ eyes on the defense wall. It was as if the enemy Gigant was going to come up the hill and break down the wall and rush right into the Fortress. ¡°The enemy will close in on 50 meters.¡± ¡°This is it! Start the attacks at once!¡± The moment Luke¡¯s command fell, the wizards memorized the final spell of the magic circle, the artillery was lit with the wick. Kwakwang! Grrrr! Tearing up the sky and the land, with roars from the sky, and the heat from the ground. Explosion Mine and the other large-scale magic circles were launched in unison. Dozens of Volga men, who were rushing in for the lead, smashed into the ground or were pushed back. In the same manner, the Gigant¡¯s approaching had suffered a whole lower body damage, the following Gigants had minor damages too like ankle and knee breakouts. ¡°This, this¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stop, go ahead!¡± The troops of Volga paused for a second, but with the orders from their commander, they began to charge once again. However, it was the fierce shelling that had welcomed them when they reached the hilltop, right below the Fortress. Pupong! Bang! ¡°Retract the barrel!¡± ¡°Hurry and reload!¡± The officers managing artillery on the defense wall cried out. The large-caliber artillery of the Gigant was as powerful as the large canons. If properly hit, the Gigant¡¯s sword and gloves could be neutralized. However, because of the large amount of gunpower being stuffed, the shells were large and heavy to load. Luke thought of an unprecedented way to make up for the shortcomings. It was by allowing the Gigants on the defense wall to help reload the shells, they were able to reload the shell faster than they could imagine. At first, the proud riders of the Empire; the knights of the empire revolted greatly. How could people of such skill perform a lowly task? However, Luke who had full control over the knights because of the confrontation forced them to do it, and the effect of it was being demonstrated in the battle. The continuous bombardment of the Volga Gigants was subsequently destroyed. ¡°Kuk! When did such defense plans get installed on the Torlot Fortress!?¡± A wizard with a magnificent robe, watching over the attack from the base, bellowed, being impressed with their enemy. He was Meister Tyron, of the Republican Magic Tower. Though he was a wizard, Tyron was so good at the military insight that he was put in charge of leading the wizards and to set up the merits during the Republican revolution. Which was why he was asked to keep an eye on the Torlot Fortress battle too. Tyron had mobilized the warlocks from the Dark Moon Magic Tower to pierce into the enemy territory in the early hustle. By using them, he froze the San river in a moment and got to cross the river. Before the enemy could even defend their own Fortress, he had planned to rush in and occupy the Fortress, however, they faced with an unexpected problem. No, it wasn¡¯t to the extent being considered as a problem, but it was a bit hard as they had suffered damage to their Gigants. ¡°The recent fortress commander doesn¡¯t seem to be a regular guy. To push us like this.¡± Although what he wanted to achieve was lost, the war wasn¡¯t still lost in the Volga¡¯s side. There were numerous ways to occupy the Torlot Fortress, and only one plan of them had failed. That too, it was just an act which made him stumble over as the damage on Gigant had accumulated. Pooong! A horn cried from the land beyond the San river. White smoke rose from the back of Volga¡¯s Gigant. The enemy was hiding in the thick smoke, so the Torlot fortress stopped their attacks. It was because the aiming process would get troublesome if they couldn¡¯t see. ¡®Are they retreating?¡¯ Thought Luke as he noticed the enemy¡¯s movements. In the early stages of war, the enemy had suffered unforeseen damage to the Gigant troops. Luke naturally assumed that the enemy commander would have ordered them to retreat. ¡®The problem is with the artillery unit rather than the Gigants of the enemy.¡¯ Luke stared at the enemy who was in the smokescreen. Enemy troops shrouded on the riverside, one would get tired by just looking at the quantity of them. Among them, the best one was the artillery troops who were gathered on the other side. The artillery units were large in size and possessed a wide variety of guns, including the large-caliber and the small; as well as the rapid-firing and the motor ones. ¡®Volga seems to have put more emphasis on the artillery rather than their knights.¡¯ Unlike the Baroque Empire and the other kingdoms, which emphasized on the knights¡¯ templar, the Volga seemed to have emphasized on the artillery troops. Although the role of the ordinary soldiers had been reduced due to the large amount of Gigants and artillery units on the battlefield, the greatest reason Volga tilted towards it was due to the various checks the other kingdoms had when it came to selling Gigants to the Volga. There were times when the Volga Republic had thought of numerous ways to overcome the situation. Among them, were the plans to introduce large-scale firearms such as guns. However, the plan had soon come to a halt. With the low number of Gigants, the infantry unit would have to fight directly, and the firepower from the canons and guns couldn¡¯t cause any serious damage to the Gigant. And as a result, the Volga Republic worked very hard to improve their canons. They not only used them for the defense but also developed them for a variety of attacks. They even used the Gigants which couldn¡¯t be used for the war; for the purpose of towing or loading the large shells. ¡°Oh my God! Those men tried to block the attack and bring out their canons?¡± ¡°If they start shelling, the fortress would fly away in seconds!¡± Seeing more than 200 canons outside, the Imperial soldiers turned nervous. Luke spoke to them, to calm them down, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared! Only a few of those canons would be able to hit the Fortress directly!¡± Torlot Fortress was situated directly on the hill. The large-caliber artillery from the Gigants could do direct fire, but they would be unable to attack upwards. If there was any threat, it was the medium-sized canons with the adjustable angles and motors. The motor-based ones were particularly dangerous because they could even shoot the large shells. Buon! Along with the sound, a stream of smoke rose from the Volga army camp. The shell, which soared high in the sky took a curve and went several tens of meters away from the Fortress. And then, another shell was fired, but it was closer this time. ¡®Are they measuring the aim?¡¯ As Luke had expected, the third shell fell right into the Fortress. Fortunately, there were no soldiers who had been injured as the shell fell into the parade ground, and the shell was just a boulder. The problem came after that. The Volga Republic artillery began to move in unison. The Volga¡¯s artillery controlled the direction and the angle of fire along with the gunpowder. And they began to fire twenty feet into the air, right at the Fortress. ¡°Incoming!¡± ¡°Everyone get down!¡± And right before the soldiers and knights could avoid it. Luke suddenly manifested magic on the falling shells. ¡°Fire Bolt!¡± Arrows and balls of flame began to go in and hit the shells which were falling towards the Fortress. Bang! Poong! The magic properly hit the shells in the air and the ones which had missed the trajectory flew to the other side, the enemy grounds. Anna who was witnessing that spoke not realizing it, ¡°Kya! That was so cool! Lord!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best!¡± ¡°Commander Luke! Woohooo!¡± Anna, as well as the other knights and soldiers in the Fortress, burst into cheers. Unlike the Imperial army, which was full of hope, the Republic army couldn¡¯t understand what had just happened. Someone or something had just intercepted their twenty shells all at once! ¡°Can you do that too?¡± The Volga Artillery officer asked a warlock from the Dark Moon, who answered by just shaking his head. It was virtually impossible to hit the shells coming in with acceleration and stop their drop. The trajectory and magic manifestation had to be calculated correctly and they realized that there was one monster who could actually do that! Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just one shell but several of them! However, the warlock didn¡¯t get flustered. It was common sense that what had just happened could be a plain coincidence, and it wouldn¡¯t happen again. ¡°Do not panic and keep shooting. Even if he could, how many hundreds of shells can he stop? He won¡¯t be able to.¡± The artillery officer nodded his head at the words of the warlock and waved the red flag. The shells of the Volga had begun to fly once again. ¡®They¡¯ll keep doing this?¡¯ Thought Luke. Luke too fired the Fire Bolt and intercepted the shells which were flying towards their Fortress. Philip shouted at the army, who was busy admiring the scene instead of doing their work. ¡°What the hell are you doing? Don¡¯t stand still and attack the enemy when they aren¡¯t in a state of attacking us!¡± Understanding his words, the artillery began to take aim and fired at the Volga artillery. The Fortress was on the hill and Luke¡¯s hit rate had been high. Thanks to the drills that Luke made the soldiers perform, they were able to work properly. As soon as a dozen shells were released; the Volga units went surprised and the warlocks turned busy trying to defend the units and the army from the falling shells by using a defensive spell. In the end, Meister Marquis Tyron gave them the orders. ¡°Gigant troops, get ready!¡± ¡°Infantry troops follow the Gigants!¡± While both troops had heard the orders, the Gigants which had been standing still, began to charge forward at once. The battle, which had been difficult since the beginning, was not going to be easy as both sides showed no signs of withdrawing. Chapter 121 Thud! Baang! Bang! Bang! The huge swords of the Gigants struck the walls of the Fortress and the shells began to pour down. ¡°Do not let the enemy Gigants get to the wall!¡± ¡°Get down! Enemy shelling!¡± ¡°When are you going to get the gunpowder?¡± Initially, the Torlot Fortress had a great defense against the Volga army. Luke¡¯s thorough preparation was the reason behind it. However, no matter how well they had prepared, damage began to increase significantly from day three. It was because the troops of the Volga divided into three groups and they overpowered the troops of Torlot and attacked continuously. During the day and night attacks; Fortress¡¯s army couldn¡¯t catch to take a nap or have their meal. And of course, as a result, the fatigue increased inevitably and the damage too had increased. ¡°Hahaha! Push more! A little more of the attacks and the Torlot Fortress will fall¡­¡± ¡°It looks like it would fall! Kwak!¡± Luke, who was in the Achilles Gigant, moved the sword to the head of the enemy Gigant who climbed over the wall. Despite breaking the head of the Gigant, the enemy Gigant rider tried to climb up the wall. Luke was turning more annoyed at it. ¡°Dammit! Do something!¡± Luke used a Fireball and dropped the Gigant climbing, but only to find another Gigant approaching the Fortress. However, this one looked different from the others. Shields encircling on the wide shoulders, with artillery fixed to it. ¡®That is¡­¡¯ While Luke was deep in thoughts, the soldiers who were with the strange-looking Gigant attacked. Puang! Bang! Hwwek! ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°Avoid!¡± The artillery from the Republic Gigant fired the shells, and the rapid-fire had begun. When they were fired; the imperial forces on the walls began to get confused. And then, the strange Gigant came from behind the army and attached itself to the wall. Behind the back of the Gigant was a steel ladder, followed by the infantrymen of the Volga Republic who tried to climb the wall of the Fortress. ¡®I knew it! They are trying to use the Gigant as a siege tower!¡¯ Thought Luke. There was no nation in the continent that used the Gigants for the siege warfare other than the breaking of walls and gates. It wasn¡¯t because the Gigant utilization was low, but because it wasn¡¯t necessary to do so. The massive body of 10 meters and the core engine output of 1000 fights were excellent siege weapons. However, the Volga Republic, with its old power, had recycled the old Gigant which were in the stage of discarding into a siege tower of the ladder. The Gigant would need just a single knight or even an apprentice who could simply swing the sword to control it. Then, it should have been easy for the Torlot Gigant to wipe it out, but the Torlot Fortress was busy trying to stop another incoming attack. In addition, the Fortress couldn¡¯t move because the wall was too narrow. ¡°Sweep out the enemy!¡± The knights of the Fortress rushed over the Gigant of Republic to attack it. The assault from the Republic was strong, but the knights of the Fortress were moving under the command of Kaper. Not surprisingly, the Gold Sword skill passed from Luke to Kaper had gone to intermediate level-skills, and he could have managed to turn down the assault. But Kaper had been fighting all the time for the last few days. He was stumbling with blood and the assault troops of the Republic seeing that, ran to him at once. ¡®This!¡¯ Slash! Thinking that he would not make it alive, Kaper closed his eyes. However, not feeling any pain, he opened his eyes once again, just to realize that he was alive. Alex was standing in front of him with twin swords in his hands. ¡°Tch, be careful. Death comes in a blink of an eye.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll keep my eyes on it¡­¡± Alex had to be resting. When the enemy divided into three troops and attacked them sequentially, Luke divided the Fortress¡¯s troops into three, giving them time to rest. There were opinions that the Fortress wouldn¡¯t be in a state to defend, but Luke just ignored it. He could have been right, but the army didn¡¯t have the needed amount of rest. ¡°Hey man, you are disobeying orders. You do realize that, right?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t sleep with all this uproar! What do you expect me to do?!¡± As Alex said; the knights and soldiers who had to take the break couldn¡¯t rest or relax. The shells continued to fall into the Fortress and they were unable to fall asleep due to anxiety about the battle. ¡°But, I don¡¯t see Anna and Hobart, are they dead?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk rubbish. They both went out of the Fortress under the secret passage at the orders from Commander Luke. They took over 100 troops.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, are they trying to do a surprise attack?¡± Asked Kaper. ¡°Well, maybe, even if we hit with 100 troops, we don¡¯t know how long would it take. They didn¡¯t even take a Gigant.¡± At present, the number of troops the enemy had was estimated to be around 50,000 ¨C 60,000. How much would the Torlot Fortress be able to win with 100 people in the absence of a Gigant, even if it was going to be a surprise attack? It was like breaking a rock with an egg. ¡°What could he be thinking¡­?¡± ¡°The enemy is coming back!¡± The two sighed seeing the enemy come back in, taking a huge breath they gripped the swords harder than ever. Unfortunately, they had no time to think about what Luke was planning to do. Chapter 122 The south side of Torlot Fortress. A group of people appeared far from the Fortress. They were being led by Anna and Hobart as stealthily as possible away from the Torlot Fortress. ¡°Halt!¡± When the command fell from Hobart, all the soldiers stopped. While the soldiers were resting, Hobart approached Anna. Before they departed from Torlot Fortress, they were given an operational order from Luke. And it stated that they had to go to their current location. ¡°What is written there? Is it for us to go to the Northern Command office and ask for help?¡± ¡°There is no way such obvious information would be written here.¡± Anna responded with a pained look. It wasn¡¯t because she was pissed at Hobart, but it was the Command office that she didn¡¯t like. After the war had started, the message had been sent over to the Command office through magic several times. Each time, the command office only sent them disappointing responses like: ¡®We can¡¯t send you any more troops because we don¡¯t want the Volga to increase any more assault.¡¯ The knights and soldiers of the Fortress knew that the North Command office had left them for themselves. However, they didn¡¯t think that it was to an extent where they wouldn¡¯t even be supported when faced with battle. ¡®The commander was angry at this as well. So, there is no way that it is a simple request for troops.¡¯ And Anna¡¯s expectations were on point. Anna and Hobert were surprised when they saw what was written in the order letter. ¡°Can we really disturb the flow of the enemy in this way?¡± Asked Hobart ¡°Well, it sure is something we have to try,¡± responded Anna. The two of them decided to carry out the operation Luke had given them and ordered the soldiers. The soldiers listened to the instructions and began to move quickly. ¡°Move right away and collect the branches.!¡± ¡°Now, hurry up! We need to finish this before sunset!¡± While a group of soldiers cut and collected branches, the other bunch of them tied them together and made them into brooms. Dozens of brooms that had been made were hung on the saddle of a horse, and some soldiers began to run up and down the path with horses that had the brooms attached. Srrrr! As dozens of horses ran diligently on the past, bluish dust rose. The dust began to grow thicker and scattered high in the sky with the adding of horses. Tyron was looking over at the Torlot Fortress from the camp, which was on the other side of the river. He was looking at the fierce battle that was happening under the bloody sunset. The officers who were behind him asked, ¡°Commander, the enemy defense is still strong and stubborn.¡± ¡°What about changing operation¡­?¡± They had been attacking alternately, one after the other, but the Imperial forces in the Fortress were so strong that they were able to resist the force and the damage given by the Volga republic. Of course, their morale was falling, and their will to fight was dropping too. Even if they won, they would win with a fair amount of ill-feeling. However, Tyron¡¯s thoughts were different from those of his staff. ¡°Let the attacks continue.¡± ¡°Sire!¡± ¡°The flame burns brightest before it dies. If we keep going from this point, the enemies will not be able to stand anymore.¡± After hearing those words, the staff had nothing to say. It was because of the status and the knowledge of the person who was speaking. The man who had led the revolution of the Volga to a Republican when everyone else thought it was impossible. ¡°Sir, this is important!¡± A knight had rushed in to report. ¡°A large army is coming in from the south of the fortress.¡± ¡°What? Is that true?¡± At the question from Tyron, the knight nodded and said, ¡°I saw a lot of dust on the highway. There must be a whole bunch of Imperial army coming for their aide.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± At the end of the words from the knight, the staff began to think again. If the knight¡¯s words were true, they had to reconsider their order to attack continuously. If they were going to be attacked from inside the fort and from the outside forces, there were chances for them to be defeated by the imperial army. ¡®But, is this is a deception by the enemy?¡¯ Tyron suddenly felt something. He wanted to send in scouts and check. However, he couldn¡¯t just waste time. ¡®If we encounter the enemy while we¡¯re unable to reorganize our battle line, it is like getting stabbed.¡¯ The confusion and doubt would only get bigger as night time approached. The Republic army would probably get greater damage if it turned out to be true. For most the troops were the directional troops of the territory with the exception of the 10,000 central forces who were currently targeting the Fortress. The directional troops were created after the Republican revolution. After the revolution, the Volga Republican government agreed to preserve the wealth, status and honor of the local lords, and for that, they took in the knights and soldiers into the state for being minimum bodyguards. The elite knights were included in the Central Army, and the remaining troops belonged to the directional troops. The directional troops were mainly responsible for the local security and defense from monsters. Unlike the central army, they didn¡¯t have excellent force or power. Right now, the number of troops was dominating, but if the Central army had collapsed, then it would get troublesome for the Volga. ¡®It is a pity that we can¡¯t do the final blow just yet, but¡­ even then it is always better to retreat than suffer.¡¯ After judging the situation, Tyron ordered to retreat. ¡°Stop the attack. Ask the troops to come back. We will rearrange the line of battle at the river.¡± ¡°Understood, sir!¡± When the commander gave appropriate orders, the officers sighed out of relief. But if they knew that what was happening on the highway was a deception from Luke. They would have all hit the ground out of disappointment. ¡°The enemy is retreating!¡± ¡°Phew, we barely managed!¡± The imperial soldiers of the Fortress, who had endured the onslaught of the Republic¡¯s army, sighed out of relief when they saw the enemies retreating. But Luke wasn¡¯t sharing that relief. He pulled out a separate bunch of people and tried a strategy at the right time. ¡°It was fortunate that they got deceived.¡± Philip opened the hatch of the Gigant and heard what Luke said. He knew of the deception that Luke was planning to use. ¡°However, it is just a matter of time before the enemy notices. How would they respond?¡± Asked Philip. ¡°We need to do a lot of thinking. But first, let¡¯s drink a little and enjoy.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± Philip doubted what he had heard, but Luke was serious. ¡°Tell the soldiers to rush to the Fortress right away. Then take out all the food from the Fortress storehouse and prepare a feast.¡± ¡°¡­ Like the last supper?¡± Philip¡¯s expression went dark. He remembered a story he heard when he was taking the military classes in the Royal Military Academy. When there was no way out of a defense, the Lord would spend some time at the manor, feed the soldiers, talk with his family, and fight the final battle which would result in his fierce death. ¡°The last supper? Don¡¯t make me laugh. Do you really think I¡¯m that pessimistic?¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t?¡± ¡°Of course not. I have a lot of things I want to do. Do you really think that I want to die in this hole, this Fortress?¡± After saying that, Luke went down the defense wall. Philip, who was feeling down, smiled. ¡®Yeah, my Lord isn¡¯t the kind to be upset or frustrated with this.¡¯ His Lord was young, yet he was a brilliant young man. Others would normally try to find a way to break away from such a crisis, but his Lord was someone who would take that opportunity and grow bigger. It was the same as the time when he was in debt with Alon and the battle with Count Monarch. Rather than running the estates, he grew the estates dramatically, and Luke¡¯s skills grew stronger and stronger. ¡®Yeah, I trust him. I need to believe him since I don¡¯t know what to do. Didn¡¯t I already decided to follow him till my death?¡¯ Moreover, it couldn¡¯t be told to anyone, but his Lord was learning dark magic that belonged to Saymon. He might not use it, but something told Philip that Luke might come up with something that no average person could think of. Chapter 123 After the battle was done for the day, the Fortress¡¯s imperial soldiers hurried over to clean up the battlefield. In terms of the battlefield clean up, it was to remove the dead and then evacuate the wounded soldiers. To repair the weapons and the walls, repairing the Gigants was postponed until later. ¡°¡­ And eat to your heart¡¯s content. Drink and rest are what we¡¯re ordered to do.¡± At the end of the words from Kaper, the soldiers were questioning what they heard. Every one of the soldiers was still looking pale. ¡°Since we were busy with the battle, I wasn¡¯t able to deliver it, but there is a team of supporters coming for us,¡± said Kaper. ¡°That, is that true?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ That dirt that appeared in the south a while back is¡­¡± Kaper tried very hard to give some hope to the soldiers who seemed very depressed. ¡°We have struggled hard so far. The future battle will be undertaken by the reinforcements that will come, so everyone can go eat, rest and have fun.¡± ¡°Wah! Hail Luke Viscount!¡± The soldiers shouted out of joy. A few of them even cried. The nightmares they had been facing for the past week was finally over. They all lost their composure. ¡°Let¡¯s have a toast!¡± ¡°For our little devil, Luke Viscount!¡± ¡°Hahaha! Now they would die by the hands of the devil!¡± The soldiers were so excited that they forgot how fatigued they were and enjoyed the feast. All the beer and wine in the warehouse had been brought out, and the cattle and pigs that were raised in the Fortress barn were grilled. The knights, officers, and soldiers joined together and played around. After seeing the soldiers having a feast and enjoying themselves, Kaper couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly. ¡®How would they all react once they realize that us having reinforcements is a lie¡­¡¯ Even though it was a lie, it was the command of Luke. Luke had instructed him to deliver false information and deceive the enemy, and he wanted some more time. ¡®What did he mean by deceiving the enemy and buying more time when we have no way out?¡¯ While Kaper was trying to think, a sarcastic voice came from behind him. ¡°Why are you so stiff?¡± As Kaper turned around, he found the escort of the devil, or Luke¡¯s escort, Philip, who had taught them the Gold Sword, standing behind him. ¡°Phi, Sir Philip¡­¡± ¡°The soldiers will notice it. Just drink and play along.¡± Philip talked to him and gave him a glass of beer. After taking the glass of beer, Kaper carefully asked him, ¡°What does the commander have in mind?¡± ¡°Well, to be honest, I don¡¯t know. However, my role is to believe in him and help him. And it is your job to laugh and talk with the soldiers.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You need to do your part well so that the others can work comfortably. That is what I think.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± Kaper nodded as he understood and then asked again, ¡°But, where is the commander right now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I am sure that he isn¡¯t in the fortress.¡± Philip responded with a cold smile. ¡°Is he feeling suspicious about the retreat of the army?¡± Asked Kaper ¡°Ah, no. That¡¯s not it¡­¡± Kaper could only see the devil¡¯s smile from the man who taught him Gold Sword and shook his head which was covered in sweat. Philip noticed it and laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He will be back. Our Lord has a very strong sense of responsibility and always wins even though the odds are low. This time too, he will win and save our lives.¡± ¡°Did he really win his fights even though the odds are stacked against him?¡± ¡°Yeah, he is clever compared to his age. Even when our estates were troubled with debts¡­¡± Philip opened his mouth and told Kaper about the past. Suddenly, Kaper found a suspicious person flying on the other side, who was looking at the feast room. ¡®That guy is¡­?¡¯ Though the guy had been identified, he pretended like he didn¡¯t see the sword or bow. All he did was laugh and talk. ¡°What? They are having a feast right now?¡± At the report from the war mage who had flown and was spying the Fortress, Marquis Tyron wasn¡¯t able to hide his shock. The fight wasn¡¯t over just yet. However, the Fortress was stated to be enjoying a feast as if they had won. What did that mean? ¡°Sir, maybe it is because their reinforcements have arrived?¡± One of the staff already mentioned the assumption that Tyron had in mind. Another staff immediately retaliated. ¡°However, it has been a while, and I can¡¯t see any reinforcements approaching the fortress. It¡¯s doubtful that they have reinforcements.¡± The rebelling staff had a reason to say so. After the soldiers took the bait about the reinforcements, the Republican forces hurried over with scouts and other war mages to determine the size and location of the enemy support forces. However, even after looking through the southern highways and the other possible routes, there was no sign of reinforcements. ¡°I wonder if we are being deceived by the enemies.¡± ¡°Maybe it was too dark for the scouts to have a clear view of what¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Yes. This is the enemy¡¯s territory, and our military personnel can only know so much.¡± ¡°Enough! How many times did the intelligence department investigate the site in advance? Even then, the enemy isn¡¯t visible to us¡­¡± Bang! Bang! Bang! As the argument wasn¡¯t stopping, Tyron tried to calm them by knocking on the table with his palm. ¡°For now, let¡¯s wait until morning,¡± said Tyron. ¡°Sir!¡± Resisted the staff. ¡°We don¡¯t really need to be in a hurry, right?¡± Said Tyron. The raging offense with had been happening over for the past few days had been cut with the news of unknown reinforcements of the enemy. Even if the attacks were stopped, and with a lack of results, the withdrawal of soldiers led to the fall of morale, and they were beginning to feel fatigued. Now, they just had to be still. ¡°And keep it in your minds that our goal isn¡¯t just a small fortress.¡± At the words of Tyron, the eyes of the staff changed. They remembered the most important thing about the war. They had more important tasks than occupying the Torlot Fortress. It was to attract the empire¡¯s northern forces as much as possible. ¡°Today¡¯s meeting ends here. Be prepared for a night raid, let the guards on duty know, and let the soldiers rest in peace.¡± ¡°Understood sir.¡± When the staff left the barracks, Tyron took out a large pile of paper from a bag. It was the archives from the Republic¡¯s library which held the records of the Torlot Fortress over the past decade. There were victories and defeats. However, the Republic forces had never used such overwhelming power before. ¡®Even then, the enemy commander hasn¡¯t put up necessary defenses and cut the flow of war at the right time. And he is uplifting the morale of his soldiers.¡¯ Tyron tried to analyze the enemy¡¯s skill in numerous ways. He looked over at the side of Torlot Fortress. ¡°I knew that it wasn¡¯t going to be an easy battle, but if the reinforcements don¡¯t come, they won¡¯t be able to last. Maybe I should let the soldiers rest for a few days and then continue the attack.¡± Determined, he headed to his private tent, which was in the commander barracks, to rest. Chapter 124 Thump! Thud! In the time where everything around was dark, low dull rumblings could be heard upstream from San River. Moving the ark were dozens of golems and hundreds of beavers. ¡°Fast, fast, move fast.¡± Luke¡¯s slave, the vampire, Belfair, talked to the beavers who were breaking down the trees. Belfair, who was in the form of a bat, was looking at the beavers. Every time the beaver would laze around, Belfair would electrocute them with its red eyes, and the beavers would get back to working again. ¡°That is a demon trick.¡± At the words from Erwin, who was watching Belfair overseeing the beavers, Luke explained further, ¡°It is called the Dominator¡¯s Eye. It is possible to compel creatures who are inferior to the being.¡± The Dominator¡¯s Eye of Belfair was one of the specialties of the Vampire race. Vampires who were one of the weaker demons, would use their tricks to monitor the other demons, gather information or make them do labor. Luke was making Belfair use the ability to build a dam upstream of San river. In the way how the dwarves made mine from generation to generation, the beavers built dams in the woods, they were the best lumberjacks and dam builders. The giant trees over 30 centimeters in diameter, could be cut down in 10 minutes, and huge reservoirs of hundred meters in length could be constructed. Luke added the power of the beavers with the labor of the golems, and magic of himself and Erwin to create a huge dam. When Luke and Erwin were holding the water with their magic, and the golems diligently stacked the wood which had been cut by the beavers on the riverbed. Stacked woods were once again reinforced with soil and rocks, they were increasing the height. ¡°You are planning to make a water attack.¡± Asked Erwin. ¡°Yes, after we have gathered enough water, we can blow down the dam with either magic or gun powder and wipe out the Volga army.¡± At the explanation from Luke, Erwin¡¯s expression turned cold. Luke fully understood her reaction. Erwin too was from Volga Republic. She was helping in making a trap for her homeland soldiers to suffer, and it wasn¡¯t normal. ¡®However, I can¡¯t refuse.¡¯ Thought Erwin. No matter how much she hated it, Erwin had to completely help Luke until he could uncover the secret of the locket Luke held onto. Otherwise, she would be asked to leave right away. However, there was another reason for her cold look. ¡°Are you by any chance stupid?¡± ¡°I¡¯m stupid?¡± ¡°Yeah. Sweeping tens and thousands of water down would require huge quantities of wood, and it would take a lot of time to build a dam that can hold so much. No matter how many beavers use wood, the golems labor, and mobilize magic.¡± ¡°Those words of yours are right. No matter how soon we try to act, it will take another five days.¡± Luke had begun to build the dam for four days. The border dispute with the Volga Republic was well anticipated. Therefore, as soon as he had been appointed as the commander, he set up explosion mines and trained the Fortress troops very actively. But what Luke didn¡¯t realize was that the Republic would mobilize troops for an all-out war. No matter how thorough the preparations of the Torlot Fortress were, it was impossible to stop an enemy who had ten times the force. In fact, it could be considered as a miracle that the Fortress was still standing up till then. Luke sought last resort. And it was handmade right away. However, the dam wasn¡¯t a one-day or two-day project. Luke¡¯s answer made Erwin asked another question, ¡°How are you going to hold on for another five days?¡± There was no sign of the reinforcements coming. The enemy troops were just ahead, and the supplies were exhausted with every coming day. ¡°Are you planning to buy time by deception once again? They won¡¯t be deceived twice.¡± Said Erwin. ¡°Right. That is why¡­¡± Luke told Erwin a plan on how to buy five days. Erwin was surprised to hear the plan and frowned. ¡°You have gone mad.¡± ¡°I knew you would say that.¡± However, Luke hit his chest and continued, ¡°And that crazy thing will bring us success. I can bet on it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, what do you think? Want to bet on it?¡± Asked Luke. Looking at Luke¡¯s confident expression, Erwin shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll just watch. You¡¯re the crazy person who can bring in success with crazy things.¡± ¡°Was that a compliment?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°You can think as you please.¡± Looking at the cold expression and attitude of Erwin, Luke couldn¡¯t help but have a bitter smile on his face. Looking at the uncomfortable woman in front of his eyes, he could understand how sweet princess Reina was. ¡®What could Reina be doing right now?¡¯ Luke who was missing the princess once again immersed in the dam construction. If he could do what he had to do, he would be able to reunite with the people whom he was missing. ¡°Belfair! Can you speed it up?¡± ¡°Yes, master!¡± Belfair, upon receiving the orders from Luke; approached the beavers and made them speed things up. ¡°Could Sir Luke doing well?¡± Reina suddenly looked up at the northern sky as she was thinking of something. It was because she hadn¡¯t received a letter for more than two weeks. ¡°Princess, don¡¯t worry. Sir Luke would return back safely without any damages.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± At the words from Pavel, she nodded her head. Reina had heard the story from a merchant who had visited the city of Krom the day before the battle in Torlot. He said that it was a place where the army was sent over for exile, and there was no quiet day. Also at the front line, where the Volga Republic was constantly looking for a battle. However, Luke constantly told her that he was fine, so she had no choice but to wait and place belief in him. Reina and Pavel were talking about Luke and his well-being. When suddenly, soldiers came into the chambers. ¡°Huge news! The Volga army has invaded the border!¡± He stated. ¡°What did you say?!¡± The two of them asked. The two of them were so surprised that, they asked the soldier for more details. But all that soldier knew was that the Volga army had invaded the border. ¡°I can¡¯t stay here. I need to see Sir Hans right away.¡± She got up and went to meet Hans who was at Lamer¡¯s permanent residency. He was the one in-charge of land, so he should have known something. And her thought was right. The office of Lamer¡¯s Lord was very noisy with the sudden relay of information. ¡°Sir Hans!¡± Reina called out. ¡°Ah, Princess Reina is here.¡± Those discussing the measures got up from their seat and offered one to Reina. Sitting down, she asked about Luke¡¯s safety, for which they had answered, ¡°We are using our abilities to see what is happening at the Torlot Fortress, but we haven¡¯t been able to figure out anything as the Imperial army is controlling all the information flow.¡± The new findings of Hans and the retainers were that the number of Volga army was very large, unlike the fights in the previous years. Naturally, the fort had been attacked, and the situation of the Torlot Fortress was likely to be very dangerous. ¡°Can¡¯t we help?¡± Asked Reina. ¡°Are you talking about sending reinforcements?¡± ¡°Yes, if soldiers and infantry are tough, then let¡¯s send the knights and the Gigants and think about sending the reinforcements.¡± But it wasn¡¯t easy to send forces from the South to the North. In addition, according to the Imperial law, the army of one territory doesn¡¯t have the permission to enter another land without the consent from the Emperor and Imperial assembly. ¡°If we ignore the law and cross the land, we will be charged with treason.¡± ¡°If so¡­ then how about we disguise them as mercenaries?¡± ¡°Although we are looking for multiple ways to send help. We can¡¯t just decide to send in the army without knowing what the situation was the Torlot Fortress.¡± The retainers were in talks. No matter how large the invaded Volga army was, the work and law of the empire had to be followed. The imperial forces could be trying to block the Volga republic from moving ahead. If that wasn¡¯t the case, Luke could have safely retreated. ¡°It would be nice to at least know some information about the Torlot Fortress.¡± Hans was thinking that it was no coincidence for the war to break out in such a situation. No, it was no coincidence, it was the Emperor¡¯s conspiracy. If not, why would a war break out shortly after Luke had been assigned to the front? Even if he was scared of what might happen in the war, he had the responsibility to stay calm and think. While Hans was feeling frustrated, Reina asked, ¡°Can we know the information about the battlefield?¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°If we know the information about the battlefield, can we help Sir Luke?¡± At her question, Hans firmly responded to her, ¡°If our Lord is in crisis, we will all run over to save and help him, even if it means for us being considered as traitors.¡± Luke was their Lord and the only successor to Rakan. If Luke died, there was no future family. Reina, with a smile on her lips, got up from her seat. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll get the information somehow. Please wait.¡± Reina left the office in a hurry. Hans was grateful for her actions and feelings towards Luke, seeing that he gained some confidence. ¡®I have liked the fact that our estate has grown by a lot, but I haven¡¯t done anything about warfare. I shouldn¡¯t be doing this anymore. In order for this family to flourish, we need to build strength against the Imperial family¡­¡¯ Hans felt the need to build power and decided to invest in warfare once everything would pass. After a while, Reina went to a small mansion which was outside the city of Lamer. There was a group of people who had been staying in the mansion that was located on the outskirts, and they were fairies. ¡°I am worried about my face.¡± Erenes, who was lying in bed, saw Reina who was coming in through the door. That day, when it was confirmed that Reina had possessed the Earth¡¯s Tears, he woke up five days after the fainting. Since then, Erenes had numerous conversations with Reina whenever she had some free time. Most of them were about the World Tree and the spirit world. Reina listened to the stories with great interest as she was always interested in ancient history, myths, and legends. That allowed the huge gap between them to turn into a new friendship. ¡°A few days ago, the Volga Republic has invaded the empire.¡± Reina said. ¡°It looks like the president has pulled out his last knight.¡± The war was a defense invasion for the Republic. However, Erenes determined that the war was going to be a stage for the next major play. He knew about the ambition of President Vladimir. He cried out for the equal rights of the people and fairies during the revolution, but the president wanted to conquer the continent and rule it. Reina bowed to Erenes who was worried about the wind that was supposed to blow the continent. ¡°I need to you tell me more information about the war.¡± Reina asked. She thought that since the information wasn¡¯t coming in from the Empire, it would be possible to gather information from the Volga Republic¡¯s side. In addition, she felt that knowing the information wouldn¡¯t be impossible as the visitors had considerable influence in the Volga. At the request from Reina, Erenes looked at her with a curious expression. ¡°It looks like you have an important person on the battlefield.¡¯ He knew that Luke had come to rescue her when the Dark Elves had tried to kidnap her. ¡°Yeah. He is more precious than my life. If you can let me know that he is safe, I will actively cooperate in opening the door to the Spirit World.¡± Till then she had been friends with Erenes, however, she constantly refused to help in opening the door to the Spirit World. Victor did tell her that the Earth¡¯s Tears were handed down from generation to generation in the Royal family, and the power had been used several times in the past. Exposed to the tremendous energy flowing in from the Spirit World, the person using it had gone crazy or the personality and appearance of the person had changed completely. Erenes too admitted that it was true. It was the side effect of borrowing power for a while, and he couldn¡¯t even imagine what would happen if the person fully opened the doors. Reina had taken the stand to help Luke and stay by his side, and from her standpoint, it meant nothing in exchange for the information. She kept on refusing, and all of a sudden she had accepted. ¡°You really mean it?¡± Asked Erenes. ¡°Yes. I promise on the Goddess of Earth, Belize.¡± ¡°You can go crazy or change into a completely different person. You may even lose your life. Do you still want to cooperate?¡± ¡°Yes, if he can be safe¡­¡± Seeing the truth in the eyes of Reina, Erenes accepted her request. ¡°Okay. The princess has shown her will, so I will help actively.¡± Erenes smiled with joy. His life was at the bare bottom, like a burned tree. Still with the will to live, but his life was going to be short. Yet, he couldn¡¯t just force open the doors to the Spirit World, so he had been trying to look for ways to persuade Reina. Erenes, summoned the Dark Elves, Hyrun who was his escort. ¡°What is it?¡± Asked Hyrun. ¡°Ask Sylvia to send us the information about the war that is going on.¡± Said Erenes. ¡°That would be a little¡­¡± ¡°The destiny of us fairies is hanging on it.¡± Hyrun, who was troubled by the request, resigned from the room without any more hesitation. Reina was relieved at that, she prayed for the information of the war, and for luck to be on Luke¡¯s side. Chapter 125 ¡°Could Sir Luke doing well?¡± Reina suddenly looked up at the northern sky as she was thinking of something. It was because she hadn¡¯t received a letter for more than two weeks. ¡°Princess, don¡¯t worry. Sir Luke would return back safely without any damages.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± At the words from Pavel, she nodded her head. Reina had heard the story from a merchant who had visited the city of Krom the day before the battle in Torlot. He said that it was a place where the army was sent over for exile, and there was no quiet day. Also at the front line, where the Volga Republic was constantly looking for a battle. However, Luke constantly told her that he was fine, so she had no choice but to wait and place belief in him. Reina and Pavel were talking about Luke and his well-being. When suddenly, soldiers came into the chambers. ¡°Huge news! The Volga army has invaded the border!¡± He stated. ¡°What did you say?!¡± The two of them asked. The two of them were so surprised that, they asked the soldier for more details. But all that soldier knew was that the Volga army had invaded the border. ¡°I can¡¯t stay here. I need to see Sir Hans right away.¡± She got up and went to meet Hans who was at Lamer¡¯s permanent residency. He was the one in-charge of land, so he should have known something. And her thought was right. The office of Lamer¡¯s Lord was very noisy with the sudden relay of information. ¡°Sir Hans!¡± Reina called out. ¡°Ah, Princess Reina is here.¡± Those discussing the measures got up from their seat and offered one to Reina. Sitting down, she asked about Luke¡¯s safety, for which they had answered, ¡°We are using our abilities to see what is happening at the Torlot Fortress, but we haven¡¯t been able to figure out anything as the Imperial army is controlling all the information flow.¡± The new findings of Hans and the retainers were that the number of Volga army was very large, unlike the fights in the previous years. Naturally, the fort had been attacked, and the situation of the Torlot Fortress was likely to be very dangerous. ¡°Can¡¯t we help?¡± Asked Reina. ¡°Are you talking about sending reinforcements?¡± ¡°Yes, if soldiers and infantry are tough, then let¡¯s send the knights and the Gigants and think about sending the reinforcements.¡± But it wasn¡¯t easy to send forces from the South to the North. In addition, according to the Imperial law, the army of one territory doesn¡¯t have the permission to enter another land without the consent from the Emperor and Imperial assembly. ¡°If we ignore the law and cross the land, we will be charged with treason.¡± ¡°If so¡­ then how about we disguise them as mercenaries?¡± ¡°Although we are looking for multiple ways to send help. We can¡¯t just decide to send in the army without knowing what the situation was the Torlot Fortress.¡± The retainers were in talks. No matter how large the invaded Volga army was, the work and law of the empire had to be followed. The imperial forces could be trying to block the Volga republic from moving ahead. If that wasn¡¯t the case, Luke could have safely retreated. ¡°It would be nice to at least know some information about the Torlot Fortress.¡± Hans was thinking that it was no coincidence for the war to break out in such a situation. No, it was no coincidence, it was the Emperor¡¯s conspiracy. If not, why would a war break out shortly after Luke had been assigned to the front? Even if he was scared of what might happen in the war, he had the responsibility to stay calm and think. While Hans was feeling frustrated, Reina asked, ¡°Can we know the information about the battlefield?¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°If we know the information about the battlefield, can we help Sir Luke?¡± At her question, Hans firmly responded to her, ¡°If our Lord is in crisis, we will all run over to save and help him, even if it means for us being considered as traitors.¡± Luke was their Lord and the only successor to Rakan. If Luke died, there was no future family. Reina, with a smile on her lips, got up from her seat. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll get the information somehow. Please wait.¡± Reina left the office in a hurry. Hans was grateful for her actions and feelings towards Luke, seeing that he gained some confidence. ¡®I have liked the fact that our estate has grown by a lot, but I haven¡¯t done anything about warfare. I shouldn¡¯t be doing this anymore. In order for this family to flourish, we need to build strength against the Imperial family¡­¡¯ Hans felt the need to build power and decided to invest in warfare once everything would pass. After a while, Reina went to a small mansion which was outside the city of Lamer. There was a group of people who had been staying in the mansion that was located on the outskirts, and they were fairies. ¡°I am worried about my face.¡± Erenes, who was lying in bed, saw Reina who was coming in through the door. That day, when it was confirmed that Reina had possessed the Earth¡¯s Tears, he woke up five days after the fainting. Since then, Erenes had numerous conversations with Reina whenever she had some free time. Most of them were about the World Tree and the spirit world. Reina listened to the stories with great interest as she was always interested in ancient history, myths, and legends. That allowed the huge gap between them to turn into a new friendship. ¡°A few days ago, the Volga Republic has invaded the empire.¡± Reina said. ¡°It looks like the president has pulled out his last knight.¡± The war was a defense invasion for the Republic. However, Erenes determined that the war was going to be a stage for the next major play. He knew about the ambition of President Vladimir. He cried out for the equal rights of the people and fairies during the revolution, but the president wanted to conquer the continent and rule it. Reina bowed to Erenes who was worried about the wind that was supposed to blow the continent. ¡°I need to you tell me more information about the war.¡± Reina asked. She thought that since the information wasn¡¯t coming in from the Empire, it would be possible to gather information from the Volga Republic¡¯s side. In addition, she felt that knowing the information wouldn¡¯t be impossible as the visitors had considerable influence in the Volga. At the request from Reina, Erenes looked at her with a curious expression. ¡°It looks like you have an important person on the battlefield.¡¯ He knew that Luke had come to rescue her when the Dark Elves had tried to kidnap her. ¡°Yeah. He is more precious than my life. If you can let me know that he is safe, I will actively cooperate in opening the door to the Spirit World.¡± Till then she had been friends with Erenes, however, she constantly refused to help in opening the door to the Spirit World. Victor did tell her that the Earth¡¯s Tears were handed down from generation to generation in the Royal family, and the power had been used several times in the past. Exposed to the tremendous energy flowing in from the Spirit World, the person using it had gone crazy or the personality and appearance of the person had changed completely. Erenes too admitted that it was true. It was the side effect of borrowing power for a while, and he couldn¡¯t even imagine what would happen if the person fully opened the doors. Reina had taken the stand to help Luke and stay by his side, and from her standpoint, it meant nothing in exchange for the information. She kept on refusing, and all of a sudden she had accepted. ¡°You really mean it?¡± Asked Erenes. ¡°Yes. I promise on the Goddess of Earth, Belize.¡± ¡°You can go crazy or change into a completely different person. You may even lose your life. Do you still want to cooperate?¡± ¡°Yes, if he can be safe¡­¡± Seeing the truth in the eyes of Reina, Erenes accepted her request. ¡°Okay. The princess has shown her will, so I will help actively.¡± Erenes smiled with joy. His life was at the bare bottom, like a burned tree. Still with the will to live, but his life was going to be short. Yet, he couldn¡¯t just force open the doors to the Spirit World, so he had been trying to look for ways to persuade Reina. Erenes, summoned the Dark Elves, Hyrun who was his escort. ¡°What is it?¡± Asked Hyrun. ¡°Ask Sylvia to send us the information about the war that is going on.¡± Said Erenes. ¡°That would be a little¡­¡± ¡°The destiny of us fairies is hanging on it.¡± Hyrun, who was troubled by the request, resigned from the room without any more hesitation. Reina was relieved at that, she prayed for the information of the war, and for luck to be on Luke¡¯s side. Chapter 126 The next morning. The soldiers in the Fortress, who ate and drank last night, were waking up from their respective places while rubbing their eyes. ¡°Ahhm? I slept really well. What about the reinforcements?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t they come yet?¡± ¡°A little more time and they¡¯ll be here.¡± Not knowing that Luke had lied to them, everyone was still hanging by the ropes. The swollen hope of a group of reinforcements coming in from the south. ¡°Reinforcements! Reinforcements are coming!¡± ¡°Where? On my, are those reinforcements?¡± ¡°Oh my! Let¡¯s open the gate quickly!¡± The soldiers opened the gates of the Fortress. But when they saw the starting team of the reinforcements, they were dismayed. It was because they were the separate troops which had been led by Hobart and Anna. ¡°What is this? It¡¯s just you guys? What about the reinforcements?¡± Asked the soldier at the gate. ¡°Ah, about that¡­¡± The soldiers who were deceived had been told the truth by the one who entered. When the truth reached the soldiers, they all rushed over to Luke who was in the parade ground. ¡°Sir, what happened to the reinforcements?¡± ¡°Are they not coming, sir?¡± ¡°Was that really just a trick?¡± The questions from the soldiers flowed out non-stop. Luke raised his hand as a sign of asking them to stop their questions. And the soldiers who realized that they were being rude to their commander, withdrew. ¡°We are sorry.¡± ¡°Oh, that, we were just¡­!¡± It was short, half of the soldiers were on the verge of crying, and the other half were angry. ¡°Did you deceive us?¡± Asked a soldier. ¡°To deceive the enemy, I had no choice but to deceive you. It was necessary to break the enemy¡¯s attack somehow and divert their flow,¡± said Luke. ¡°But¡­¡± The soldiers stared at Luke for a moment. It was because of the fact that they had been lied to and deceived. But if they thought about it, if it weren¡¯t for the lie told by the commander, the Fortress would have been captured by the enemy¡¯s continuous attacks. They would have never been able to enjoy the feast or the party. ¡°Don¡¯t be so sad or upset. There won¡¯t be any battle for a few days,¡± said Luke. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Yeah, trust me. This time, that isn¡¯t a lie.¡± By the time Luke had told them that, a soldier who was on duty of spying the Fortress came running with news of the Volga Republic army¡¯s camp. ¡°There are no troops trying to enter the Fortress from the outside, except for a few horsemen who entered the Fortress this morning. There were no reinforcements for the enemy!¡± ¡°We were completely deceived by them!¡± Said a soldier. ¡°We need to resume our attack right now and wipe out those snakes out of here, sir!¡± ¡°Right. Go ahead and issue the order!¡± Asked a soldier. The staff was asking Tyron to issue an order to resume the battle, but Tyron didn¡¯t open his mouth. He was deep in thought. He was a wizard. Unlike the hasty staff who were knights, he was thinking about various possibilities. ¡®In the end, we were deceived and gave them a good pleasant night to rest. But, would attacking right now be the best decision for us?¡¯ They were given some time, like a vacation break. The soldiers of the enemy drank all night and deceived the Republic. Tyron was wondering if they would be deceived once again. ¡®A trap to attract us? If so, we would fail if we attack blindly.¡¯ Thinking so, Tyron gave orders to his staff. ¡°Pick out five thousand vanguards. Attack the fort by picking the units which didn¡¯t participate in yesterday¡¯s attack.¡± ¡°Understood, sir!¡± The staff was disappointed as they were ordered to launch the canon, but were still content with the commander¡¯s decision to attack them. When the meeting was done, the units were organized, and something unexpected happened. ¡°What did you say? A messenger from the Fortress has come?¡± ¡°Yes. A while back, he was seen holding a white flag.¡± The staff frowned at the act. They were all suspicious of what the commander of the Fortress was trying to accomplish. ¡°Sir, there is no reason for us to meet him. So slash his neck right away.¡± ¡°No. Killing a messenger who came in to talk is a barbaric act. It will defile the beliefs of our soldiers and troops, as well as the entire Volga Republic.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s just ignore the request.¡± The staff was fighting with one another like wild dogs. Tyron asked the knight who had come in with the information about the commander¡¯s visit. ¡°Hasn¡¯t he told you why he has come here?¡± ¡°He said that he would talk about it directly to the commander of the camp,¡± responded the knight. ¡°Is that so? Then what were his role and statement?¡± ¡°That, that is¡­¡± The knight was flustered. He looked at Tyron directly in his eyes and said, ¡°His name is Luke de Rakan. He is a Viscount, and the Commander of the Fortress.¡± ¡°What, what did you say?!¡± The eyes of the staff around Tyron went wide. Not a knight or a soldier, but the enemy himself had directly come to meet them! And he did that after making his subordinates enjoy a night of feast and partying. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Marquis Tyron burst into laughter. The staff was all bewildered with Tyron¡¯s action. ¡°There is a huge gap between us. The descendant of Rakan?¡± ¡°Yes, he definitely said that.¡± ¡°This is interesting. Call him in. I¡¯ll see what tricks he is trying to do.¡± The staff kept on talking, but Tyron didn¡¯t listen to a single thing they said. Surely the enemy¡¯s strategy was a trick. However, Tyron was wondering what kind of character would the descendant of the Warrior Rakan, who the fairies considered as their enemy, possessed. Chapter 127 A while later, two knights in the Imperial army uniform had approached the barracks of the commander. Under the watchful escort of the republic knights, it was Luke and his closest ally and friend Philip. Philip had been nervous ever since entering the Republic¡¯s camp. He grunted at Luke who was much relaxed and was smiling. ¡°No matter how much I try to reason with myself, this is crazy.¡± Philip was told of the plan in advance, which was why he thought that it was dangerous. ¡°Erwin too has said the same,¡± responded Luke. ¡°Of course she would, it is common sense. Is there really any need to come all this way?¡± While Philip was grunting, a War Mage walked out of the barracks. Luke glanced at him for just a second and realized. ¡®This friend here is learning dark magic too.¡¯ As far as possible the mage was trying to hide the dark magic which was being used in the war, but there was no way that they could fool Luke who had the ability to detect the spirit of a 9 circle warlock. The War Mage, who was dispatched from the Dark Moon, bluntly spoke to Luke, who kept looking at him. ¡°Our commander is waiting. Please enter.¡± Luke stepped into the barracks. The commander barracks was large and ornate, almost like a castle itself. The commander was with his staff. In addition, armed knights and War Mages were everywhere. Among them were the Expert-level talented knights. The wizards were all more than 5 circle wizards, and the atmosphere inside the barracks was heavy. ¡®Oh my, this is no joke,¡¯ thought Philip. Maybe that was how one would feel if they entered the dragon¡¯s lair? Unlike Philip, who was drenched in sweat, Luke was still cool and composed. Luke looked at the man sitting on the other side of a long table. Unexpectedly, he was wearing the robes of a wizard rather than military uniforms. However, the look in his eyes said that he was very capable. ¡®At least a 7 circle,¡¯ thought Luke. What Luke knew was that there were many 7 circle wizards in the Volga Republic. And only one of the 7 circle wizard was talented enough to lead an army. ¡®It is Marquis Tyron, the Meister of Republican Magic Tower.¡¯ Luke politely greeted him and looked at all the ones in the barracks. ¡°Luke de Rakan, the commander of the Fortress.¡± ¡°Please sit down.¡± Luke sat down facing Tyron. Then, a young apprentice wizard, who seemed to be the servants of Marquis Tayron, placed a steaming cup of tea in front of Luke. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡®Hu! Lord!¡¯ Thought Luke. Philip was surprised to see Luke drink the tea without any hesitation. It would be a big problem if the tea had been poisoned. At the very same time, Tyron, who was holding his cup of tea, took a sip and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t it occur to you that it could have been poisoned?¡± ¡°If I had that in mind, wouldn¡¯t my neck be slashed already the moment I entered the camp. And does a commander of such a large army resort on such a petty trick to take me down?¡± Said Luke ¡°Indeed¡­¡± Tyron put down his cup and smiled. ¡°My staff did ask me to kill you,¡± Tyron said. ¡°My subordinates too have told me to cut the neck of the commander.¡± At the words of Luke, the knights of the Republic drew their swords right away. However, their actions were stopped by Tyron¡¯s hand. Marquis Tyron looked at Luke once again and asked, ¡°So what¡¯s your reason for coming here?¡± ¡°I want you to stop the attack,¡± answered Luke. Tyron was deeply impressed with the confidence in Luke¡¯s words. ¡°That isn¡¯t possible. I was ordered by my President to occupy the Torlot Fortress,¡± responded Tyron. ¡°Then, pretend like you¡¯re attacking,¡± told Luke ¡°Pretend like attacking? Look here, young man. The war cost of our Republic army comes from the blood of the people. You expect me to just throw the blood and sweat of the people in vain?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be better than letting the blood of the soldiers flow like a river? I will surrender anyway,¡± said Luke. ¡°What, what?¡± Tyron was so shocked that he almost spilled his tea. Not only was he surprised. But all the staff and knights around him were surprised. ¡°Are you trying to make fun of me?¡± Asked Tyron. ¡°No, I would never do that. If you know the history of our family, you would be aware that I have no reason to be loyal to my Empire.¡± ¡®Hmm, that is true,¡¯ thought Tyron. The forerunner of the Baroque Empire was the Libiya Kingdom. When the ancestor of the Empire, the Karno de Baroque, revolted, Rakan had fought against them and lost, which led to the fall of their noble status. ¡®If he didn¡¯t make a name for himself on the continent by defeating the Devil King Saymon, Rakan would have surely been executed,¡¯ thought Tyron. However, it had been over 500 years since that had happened. The Imperial family didn¡¯t care for the renowned warriors, and the Rakan family didn¡¯t show any sincere loyalty to the Imperial family. They only fulfilled the responsibilities that they had to perform for the Empire. ¡°A while ago, during the battle of the territory, I caught the Count, the royal collateral. The Emperor was confused and angry, which was why he appointed me as the commander of such a dangerous Fortress,¡± said Luke. ¡°You mean your words?¡± Asked Tyron. ¡°Yes, in the meantime, my ancestors have done their duty silently because of their land and the powerless people they had to look after. However, I think differently from my ancestors.¡± ¡°So, you will surrender?¡± Told Tyron. Feeling a little convinced, Tyron nodded. At that time, one of the staff intervened in their conversation. ¡°Then, if you want to surrender right now, why are you doing it at this time?¡± At that question, Luke thought for a while. ¡°You hope that we will leave you right away without harming the people. Do you know how the empire treats the nobles who have surrendered to the enemy?¡± Asked another staff. The Baroque Empire would wipe out the existence of the nobles who surrendered. They would take away their land, execute all of their relatives, and erase all of their records from history. In addition, their retainers would be enslaved, and their people would be charged with heavy taxes. The traitors would be torn apart limb from limb. ¡°However, there are times when the punishment is light. The case when overwhelming armies like yours would try to take on one land,¡± said Luke. As the nobles of the Empire, there were duties that the nobles had to perform. They were active servants of the empire. When it came to fighting against a large army, even without any support troops to help them out, there was no way that they would be treated as servants. It was a breach of the contract which talks about war, and the reason for surrender would be valid. ¡°Since I am the only one, I have no blood relatives who would be punished. And if the situation of us being isolated gets known, no retainers or people would be punished. It is a waste of time and land, but I think that it is something that I need to do to start anew.¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t want us to attack for a few days but pretend to do so?¡± Asked Tyron ¡°Yes, Give me one week, no just five more days.¡± At the words of Luke, Tyron and his staff looked troubled. Honestly, the pretend war was better than seeing the blood of soldiers flow. It was better to continue the war after a few days. The question was how reliable could their enemy be. ¡®The commander has come in and suggested surrender. It can be reliable. However¡­¡¯ There was one thing that was troubling Tyron. ¡°You know of the significance and the need, but there is no guarantee that everyone under you would surrender, right?¡± Asked Tyron. ¡°Everyone is facing a hard time. The knights and the soldiers in the fortress are all left behind nobles or displaced nobles. Some of them have to fight till the end in the Fortress, but they won¡¯t go against the flow,¡± assured Luke. ¡°Is that so? But, what if¡­¡± Tyron¡¯s words faltered a little, and he looked at Luke before asking his question. ¡°What if we don¡¯t accept your request?¡± Philip, who had been quiet till then, looked over at Luke with nervousness. If the opponent refused their proposal, then blood would flow in the barracks. Luke, however, didn¡¯t panic and responded, ¡°Then we will fight till the end. I will gather all the gunpowder and the magic stones our side has and blow up the Fortress.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± At the radical answer from Luke, which was very different from what he was talking about, Marquis Tyron and his staff went stiff. Although the Torlot Fortress was just a ¡®bridge¡¯ for the Republic to reach the Baroque Empire, they needed to keep the Fortress as intact as possible. Thinking, Tyron had come to a decision. ¡°Okay, we will accept your offer.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Tyron spoke coldly to Luke, who bowed his head. ¡°If you break your promise, everything that happens after that is all on you. Your life is at stake, and the glory of your dead ancestors will be defiled.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Luke smiled widely. His life was always at stake, and Luke never honored his dead ancestors. His only concern was whether the other person would be keeping their promise or not. Luckily for Luke, the old wizard who was seated in front of him wasn¡¯t a sneaky person, which meant that he could rest. Chapter 128 Chapter 128: Visit from the Enemy 5 ¡°Phew, I thought that we were all done because of you Lord.¡± After leaving the barracks, Philip was wiping his sweat. ¡°Then you should just stop following me.¡± At the words of Luke, Philip jumped out. ¡°No, if an escort doesn¡¯t follow you then who will? I just literally meant it.¡± Luke walked towards the Fortress, listening to what Philip had to say. He turned back to look at the Republic¡¯s army. The reason why Luke had visited the enemy camp so recklessly was not just to give faith to surrender. It was also aimed at seeing enemy positions with his own eyes and to see what the enemy was doing and what problems they might have to encounter. ¡®I don¡¯t know about uniformity, but the types and specifications of the weapons are different. In addition¡­¡¯ Thought Luke. While his way to the commander barracks, the unified forces which had to currently attack the Fortress were nowhere to be seen. ¡®Did they pick up any local manor? If they are using that, it might be helping their operation.¡¯ While Luke went back into the Fortress, Tyron was confronted by a man. A Dark Elf¡¯s blood, an agent from the Republic Intelligence service. He hid in the dark and overheard the conversation and he told Tyron, ¡°It would be better not to believe their words.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Asked Tyron. ¡°That man Luke, it was true that he had been dragged into the battlefield because of the Emperor, however, he doesn¡¯t seem to be the one to give up and turn himself in.¡± ¡°Is there any reason for that?¡± Asked Tyron. ¡°Of course I do. In the Battle of the Kingdoms, in the southern part of the empire, the Rakan family had recently turned the tide of power and won a huge victory. Without any significant amount of assets and land, they suddenly stood out in the south.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t saying this without any foundation, right?¡± At the question from Tyron, the agent nodded and added something which might be meaningful, ¡°It isn¡¯t just that, but he is with the former Volga royal family member. It is known that he isn¡¯t in a normal relationship with princess Reina.¡± ¡°Those are the truth?¡± ¡°Yes, the last time the intelligence service tried to kidnap princess Reina, the mission ended in failure, and in the report, it was written that Luke de Rakan had interrupted their mission.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need to even think about the relationship between them as he directly went to rescue princess Reina, right? And a man who has given his heart to Reina isn¡¯t likely to surrender to us, her enemy, right?¡± ¡°Well, that is something that I have no information about, sir.¡± The Dark Elf responded. Unlike Peter II, whom Tyron had personally known, princess Reina had never spoken ill or acted politically to the Volga Republic. And since there was news about the princess looking after the refugees even in the other land, there was a high level of admiration and love for the princess of Volga. Therefore, many had argued that it would be advantageous for the Volga princess to be brought back to her land and treated as an actual royal family member. Tyron too agreed with that. ¡°But we should be wary, just in case he is trying to deceive us again.¡± Said Tyron. ¡°Then, what do you plan to do with the commander?¡± ¡°If he repairs the broken walls and the armory weapons, he is deceiving us. It means that he is ready to continue the battle with us. However, without much change, it would be a little foolish for us to miss the chance to attack the Fortress which had no dynamic damage.¡± ¡°Are you going to keep a lookout and cope with him?¡± ¡°Is there any need for us to hurry? It is more important for us to bring out the Northern Empire than to attack one Fortress that is in our way.¡± Tyron spoke that and changed the topic. ¡°By the way, tell me about the dynamics of the Imperial Northern army. Something is really weird. The reinforcements would have arrived by now, but I can¡¯t see any sign of them.¡± Tyron thought that it was strange. ¡®Did Rakan¡¯s descendant really getting on the nerves of the Emperor? Was that why the Emperor was trying to get him killed?¡¯ Luke¡¯s words felt much credible after assessing the situation. ¡°Understood, sir. The dynamics and the forces of the Northern army will be reviewed by the intelligence department.¡± The Dark Elf responded. ¡°Okay, do well.¡± Tyron, who sent away the intelligence agent, called for the War Mages and instructed them to continue their monitor of the Torlot Fortress. If Luke was going to break their agreement and take any suspicious action, then he asked them to shoot at the Fortress right away. Luke returned to the Fortress and gathered his men, he told them about talking with the enemy commander. ¡°So, you asked them to give us five days on the basis of surrender?¡± Luke nodded at the question from a knight. Anna raised her hand and asked with a cold expression, ¡°You aren¡¯t really thinking about surrendering, right?¡± ¡°Yes, just buying some much needed time.¡± ¡°But, just surrendering doesn¡¯t seem so bad either.¡± Hobart blurted it out with a sigh. He among the ones who were the most dissatisfied with the Empire and the military. Moreover, he had no family and there would be no deterrent for surrender as he was all alone. ¡°Sure, that choice could be made at any time. However, we aren¡¯t that desperate to take it yet. You can relax as we will win.¡± ¡°What on earth are you planning to do? Please talk to us too.¡± Everyone nodded at the request from Alex who was dissatisfied. They knew that Luke and Erwin had left the Fortress the other night to do something. However, they didn¡¯t know what it was. So they were hoping that Luke would give them a detailed explanation as they were nervous. Luke stared at the eyes of the men, and then explained the operation which was kept secret till then. ¡°The work is being done right now?¡± ¡°Yeah, we are making the dam with magic, and holding the water flow to sweep away the enemy.¡± Responded Luke. ¡°Wah! That is great!¡± Unlike Anna who was admiring him, most of the others didn¡¯t seem to understand. It was because they didn¡¯t know how magic worked. But they did know that constructing a dam, and getting enough water was not an easy task. ¡°And so, you have asked for five days, so the water would be collected?¡± ¡°Right.¡± At the question from Kaper, Luke nodded. ¡°But, wouldn¡¯t they notice if the river¡¯s flow is reduced?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t be so suspicious as it is the summer season. And of course, the enemy can spy on us. But we have prepared things for those situations too, so there is no need to worry.¡± Luke¡¯s expression was confident. Only then did the faces of his subordinates change. There was anxiety about the operation and how it would work, but they couldn¡¯t help but believe the commander who worked hard and prepared for an alternative in case of an adverse situation. ¡°Then, what are we supposed to do now?¡± ¡°Continue to rest. Refrain from doing any actions that might cause suspicion to the enemies, such as repairing the wall or repairing the Gigants. And if the enemy attacks you, then do the same thing back.¡± Of course, if they attacked, the Fortress army would fight back. Those things wouldn¡¯t happen, however, the possibility of them happening couldn¡¯t be neglected. ¡°Everybody, I need you to hold on a little longer. If we overcome this crisis, we will be able to walk with pride, we will be able to shout in the faces of the Imperial family and the Imperial army.¡± At the words of Luke, all the soldiers couldn¡¯t help but smile. They wished for a day when they would be able to shout in the faces of the men who turned their backs when in need of help. Chapter 129 Thud! Kaboom! Kwang! Pung! The next morning, the battle resumed. But the number of troops from the Volga Republic were small in number. Intermittent shells often fell out of the Fortress and Gigants were put to guard beside the walls in the front of the Fortress, they were all handled roughly. When the army from the Volga came, who was wondering that if Luke would really pretend to do the attack, were assured that he was keeping his word? Only the soldiers who didn¡¯t know if the details were puzzled at the heatless attacks of the Republic. ¡°Why are those guys doing that?¡± ¡°In the morning, the knights have stated me to attack after seeing the attack from the enemy, but do they really have to fight this way?¡± ¡°Anyway, we don¡¯t have to fight back, right?¡± The forces of the Fortress were delighted, the Volga Republic¡¯s camp was keeping a close eye on them. ¡°The Fortress isn¡¯t going to fight back?¡± ¡°Yes, Commander. There are no signs of repairs on the wall or weapons to attack our soldiers.¡± Tyron nodded at the words of the War Mage, Rob who was keeping an eye on the Fortress and suddenly asked something, ¡°What about Luke de Rakan, the commander of the Fortress?¡± ¡°He¡­ I didn¡¯t see him.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t see him?¡± Asked Tyron. ¡°It was just the subordinates who were pretend attacking. Perhaps he was indoors as there was no need to have a fight.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ but nothing is definite.¡± Said Tyron. ¡°Is there something specific I need to keep my eyes on?¡± At the question of Rob, Tyron opened his mouth, tapping his finger on the document containing pictures of Torlot Fortress. ¡°It is a short run, but the river has noticeably diminished over time.¡± ¡°Is that true sir?¡± ¡°Yes, the difference between quantity for each season is written on the paper.¡± Fortress records also had the quantity and the depth of the river during ever border dispute. It was because the river played a pivotal role in the attacks. Tyron, looking over at the records, noticed the current flow of the river was much lower than it had to be. In addition, once in a while, small pieces of wood used to come down the river, and the river turned quite cloudy. ¡°Then, they¡­¡± ¡°There is a good chance that someone is playing with the San river upstream.¡± At the words of Tyron, Rob turned startled and refuted, ¡°But for that to happen, they would need a lot of manpower and materials. And there weren¡¯t any reports about such manpower or supplies being moved from the fortress, right?¡± ¡°Maybe they left before the beginning of the battle. That is why I want you to go up with some scouts and have a look at the upstream. If they are doing something else, then we won¡¯t have to keep the promise.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll leave right away.¡± At the orders from Tyron, Rob led a group of scouts and went upstream. The upper river was famous for its rough terrain. On the heavy and rough road, there were signs of beasts and monsters passing by, but there was no trace of humans. As a result, it made Rob and the other scouts doubt if the enemy was really planning to mess with their agreement. ¡°I looked around, but I don¡¯t see any traces of people passing by. Have you seen anything unusual?¡± When asked by the leader of the Scouting team, Rob spoke about what he had seen while using his fly magic. ¡°I didn¡¯t find any traces of humans. However, there was a suspicious structure far above the river.¡± ¡°A suspicious structure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not too sure, but it was like a dam made of wood, sand, and rocks.¡± At the words of Rob, the scout leader¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Then, that is¡­¡± ¡°It still isn¡¯t definite. It could have been caused by natural phenomena such as a landslide.¡± At the words of Rob, the scout team continued to walk upstream. A while later, they arrived near the destination and watched smoke which was rising up. Only a creature with intelligence could use fire. Orcs and goblins were monsters, but humans and fairies were the ones more likely to do that. Gulping, Rob and the scouts carefully approached the smoke. ¡®Is it really the imperial army? If so, then what are the numbers in there?¡¯ In the tensed atmosphere, they reached the bonfire. Rob and the scouts looked at the wildfire. ¡®Cat?¡¯ ¡®That is a cat? A human-like cat?¡¯ It was a cat with legs like a human. The cat was wearing boots, grilling fish and humming some song. The group of Rob¡¯s went to the side to take a look. ¡°What kind of people would try to lurk around this area, Sebastian? Can¡¯t you see that I am eating?¡± ¡®The cat can talk?¡¯ However, what surprised Rob and the scouts more was something else. Suddenly the body of the cat turned into a huge beast! ¡°Ahh! Monster!¡± ¡°Run, run away!¡± The scout troops fled immediately. However, the cat monster immediately moved to the path and spew dark green smoke from its mouth. ¡°Kaak! My body!¡± The troops who inhaled the smoke rolled on the ground. The only person who wasn¡¯t harmed was Rob. He noticed that there was a paralyzation drug in the smoke and hurried to the sky. ¡°Well, what kind of a cat can do that¡­?!!¡± Rob who reached a safe distance, looked down and talked to himself, ¡®It was obvious that it wasn¡¯t a normal cat.¡¯ Nevertheless, he had never heard of such a monster on the Rhodesia continent. The moment Rob was looking down, he heard a cold voice from behind. ¡°Huh, such a pathetic cat he is. If he was going to do something, he should have at least handled it neat and clean.¡± Said someone. ¡°¡­!¡± Rob who was startled turned back. There stood a pale man with bat wings on him. Rob identified immediately who he was. ¡°Vampire?¡± ¡°People call me Belfair, son of man.¡± Belfair spoke his share of words and pulled the sword which was on his waist. Rob pulled on his magic to fight with Belfair. However, the sword of Belfair was much quicker. ¡°Kaak!¡± Rob, who had been hit in the chest, staggered from the sky and crashed into the ground. However, he wasn¡¯t dead. Like any 6 circle wizard, he twisted his body reflexively at the last minute and managed to avoid any fatal injuries. ¡°Quite a man. Avoiding the sword and crash by just one-second difference.¡± The fatality was avoided, however, the injury was still serious. Belfair smiled as he looked at Rob who was holding onto the wound and gasping for air. ¡°Huhuhu! After a painless end, I¡¯ll suck the blood out of you.¡± Said Belfair. ¡°You evil demon!¡± Rob stared at Belfair, who had struck in the air. He wasn¡¯t wishing to die in vain, he concentrated on his magic and prepared to attack Belfair one last time with full strength. ¡°Take this then, Black Spear!¡± Rob bellowed. ¡°Aht!¡± Belfair didn¡¯t expect the almost-dead man to do a counterattack, he tried his best to avoid it. However, he was too close to avoid. Belfair, then decided that he would take in the attack without dodging and thought of salvation in his last moments. ¡°Dark Bullet!¡± Pung! Purple dark bullets flew at a frightening rate and extinguished the black spear that Rob manifested. ¡°Master!¡± ¡®Dammit, who?¡¯ Unlike Belfair who was half colored, Rob was frustrated. A man slowly appeared from the bush. Wearing an imperial army uniform, he was someone Rob had seen before, Luke de Rakan. Luke de Rakan, the commander of Torlot Fortress who had come to offer his surrender. ¡°Thank you, Master. Cut his neck right away¡­¡± Said Belfair. ¡°Enough Belfair. I have a question for him.¡± Luke spoke and stared at Rob. Feeling too many emotions, Rob lost his consciousness and fell. Luke stared at him feeling interested. The other day when he visited the barracks, to surrender. He noticed that Rob was using dark magic, but he never imagined that he would use a black spear. Black Spear was a dark magic that was created in the days of Saymon and was passed down to only those who followed him. ¡®Are these the descendants of the Darkness Magic Tower? I need to figure it out later.¡¯ Luke decided and turned over at Sebastian and Belfair. ¡°If the fire keeps on burning, the scouts will keep coming. And the existence of the dam shouldn¡¯t be known to anyone until the moment of the operation is carried out.¡± ¡°Understood, Master.¡± The two of them bowed to Luke, and Luke just pointed at the construction site signaling them to get back to work. Chapter 130 It was four days after Luke had offered to surrender. Within that time, the two armies exchanged attacks with no power. The siege proceeded with no sincerity, and the defending side was just pretending to stop them. Tyron, the Commander of the attack force from Volga Republic, was more concerned with the available units in the Fortress and the movement of the northern forces than the current siege that was happening at hand. However, the Fortress was still intact, and the movement of the Northern army was unchanged. Maybe the emperor was really intending to kill Luke. He hadn¡¯t sent even a single unit of reinforcement. ¡°There was no contact from Rob since the last time we talked, right?¡± Tyron, who was looking at the Fortress and their troops, looked over at his lieutenant and asked again, ¡°There was no contact from Rob or the other scouts yet?¡± ¡°There hasn¡¯t been any.¡± ¡°How about the scout troops who were sent in later?¡± ¡°The same applies to them too. It seems like they are still searching¡­¡± The lieutenant let the words drift. The upper part of the San river was quite large. However, it wasn¡¯t like they didn¡¯t have any suspicion about the report they needed to have gotten from their scouts. Tyron thought of the same. It felt very suspicious. However, it was hard for him to proceed with any action as he had no proof or details in hand. ¡®Should I just directly go and see?¡¯ While Tyron was trying to think, the lieutenant had brought another matter to report to him. ¡°The feelings and the emotions of our allies aren¡¯t that great.¡± ¡°Not feeling good?¡± Asked Tyron. ¡°They aren¡¯t in a hurry to attack the fortress, but the front-line officers and the knights seem to be very displeased with it.¡± The rumor about the Torlot commander coming and offering his surrender had spread throughout the forces. The normal soldiers didn¡¯t care about the war anymore. They didn¡¯t have to fight, nor did they have to get hurt or die. However, the front-line officers and knights were feeling different. It was because the Volga Republic¡¯s forces valued power rather than blood. With power and force, even the most common person could become a knight or attain a noble title. In addition, if any of them was planning of entering politics and was supported by the majority of the National Assembly, he or she might have a chance of becoming the President too. For ambitious officers and knights, the war was a wonderful opportunity to strike ahead and earn a title. However, they were forced to play along with the enemy commander because he surrendered. They could never accept such injustice toward their skills. ¡°Stupid people, do they think that the war can only be won with their help?¡± Said Tyron. ¡°Even then, we need them, sir.¡± ¡°Tell them that they need to hold on a little longer. If the Fortress falls, the Northern army will react right away.¡± It wasn¡¯t too late to fight hard. Despite the instructions from Tyron, the dissatisfaction of the front-line officers and the knights hadn¡¯t subsided. They sat in groups and condemned the actions of their commander. ¡°The words our commander says, I don¡¯t know what to make of them.¡± ¡°Does he really believe that the enemy would really surrender just like that?¡± ¡°Rather than that, why do we have to make the situation favorable to our enemies¡¯ commander? He is just a decayed sloppy noble.¡± ¡°This is why wizards shouldn¡¯t be assigned as Commanders.¡± ¡°Did you know that he led the army during the revolutionary period?¡± Some of the knights were rolling their eyes as they heard about Meister Tyron¡¯s achievements. A red-haired knight slipped between the group and cooly asked them, ¡°How about we do this?¡± ¡°Do what?¡± Asked the group. ¡°The enemy won¡¯t be alert because they know we are making false attacks. At that time, what if we do a surprise attack.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°If we are lucky, we will be able to capture the Fortress at once. The first attack will be ours.¡± At the suggestion of the red-haired knight, the knights felt a rush of adrenaline. The red-haired knight blew the wind in the hearts of the knights and turned to another place. He later wandered around the camp and quietly stirred up the other knights and officers who were displeased. Then, in front of the barracks, he was forced to stop. It was because he had encountered a man who had the same appearance as himself. However, the man who was near the barracks seemed to be more surprised. ¡°Wha, what are you?! A doppelganger¡­¡± The red-haired knight looked around and flashed a purple light in his eyes. The eyes of the ¡®real¡¯ red-haired knight, who was about to shout for help, soon turned hazy. ¡°That isn¡¯t a big deal. You¡¯re just surprised from seeing yourself in the mirror. Got it?¡± ¡°Surprised from seeing myself in the mirror¡­ I was surprised from seeing myself in the mirror¡­¡± All he said was the same words again and again. It was because of the brainwashing dark magic which was being performed on him. After that, the red-haired knight went away and removed the spell from his body. It was Luke de Rakan in his Imperial uniform. ¡°Will this much be enough? I don¡¯t know if any more words need to be said for them to catch the tail.¡± When Luke had visited the commander¡¯s barracks the other day, he noticed that the Republic¡¯s army forces weren¡¯t well integrated. Wanting to take advantage of it, he devised a plan to infiltrate the enemy camp while the dam was in construction. He gathered information and divided the enemy. The current Republic Fortress Raid Forces consisted of 10,000 central troops and 50,000 directional soldiers¡ªsoldiers who formerly worked for the nobles. Since the people were different, there were a few problems with the delivery and the execution of the commands. In addition, the directional soldiers were very reluctant to hear orders from the Central officers of knights. Nevertheless, there was something common for both sides, the desire to succeed. They were very greedy about their titles and promotions, and there was a major unspoken competition among them. Which was why Luke had snuck in and threw the bait, which immediately shook their minds and thought of forming an attacking unit. ¡°Now, I need to go back and prepare. And I need to make the final blow ready¡­¡± Said Luke to himself. Luke hid himself using an invisibility spell. He then slowly left the enemy army camp and moved to his Fortress. Chapter 131 On the morning of the fifth day of the agreement. The same day the attack from the Republic army force had begun. Kwakwang! Bang! Bang! ¡°Today we need to occupy the Fortress!¡± ¡°Long live the Volga Republic! Long Live the President!¡± The attack from that day was very different from the attacks that had happened in the previous days. Shells were smashed right into the walls or into the Fortress. There were Gigants that were fiercely rushing into the Fortress. The outer structure of the Fortress was being ruined. The eyes of the Imperial soldiers and knights were burning hot when they saw the ferocious attacks which had been started by the enemy. ¡°What, what is this?¡± ¡°Are they seriously going to attack us like this?¡± ¡°The few days of being silent was to trick us into getting sloppy!¡± ¡°If you guys have time to talk, then fight with the enemy!¡± ¡°The shell has dropped! Go ahead and spread out¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let the enemy Gigant get to the wall!¡± Urgent cries were coming in from all over the place. Each time the soldier and the Gigants were coming in, the soldiers were moving up and down the wall. However, unexpected news was being shouted from the east side. ¡°The wall is falling! The wall is falling!¡± The eastern wall, which had cracked, had fallen down. The wall had already been damaged previously, and as they couldn¡¯t repair it due to the orders from Luke, the wall fell down. ¡°This, what should we do?¡± ¡°Do something! Don¡¯t be afraid, bring some logs and reinforce it!¡± The soldiers were continuously on their feet. Alex¡¯s stomach churned at what was happening. They all rushed over to the warehouse to find something to block their enemies with. However, Alex couldn¡¯t guarantee that the wall would be safe by the time they returned. Right then, it happened. ¡°Everyone out of the way!!¡± A loud cry came from a Gigant. Kung! Kung! Kung! It was Luke¡¯s private Gigant, Achilles. Achilles fiercely gave out the orders and ran toward the east wall. He threw a heavy steel ball toward the falling wall. Kwang! ¡°Ahh!¡± ¡°Kyaaah!¡± The wall had collapsed. It exploded from the outside and not inside the Fortress. The Gigants of the Volga Republic, which were on the frontline, bounced back, and the troops near the wall were covered with debris from the blast. ¡°That, that was so¡­!¡± Alex wasn¡¯t able to close his mouth or eyes from what he just witnessed. The moment he heard Luke speak, he knew that Luke was going to use a Gigant to destroy the wall. ¡°The wall had fallen!¡± ¡°Rush in through the wall¡¯s gap!¡± Since the wall had collapsed, the republic army, who had been stalling, began to flock through the hole. Luke, in his Achilles, pulled out its big sword and went to fight the army. ¡°Die!¡± Luke bounced back from the Republic Gigant. He quickly pulled his sword and struck the core engine of the enemy Gigant. Slash! ¡°Huk!¡± The enemy Gigant rider escaped from the cockpit when the big sword directly hit the core engine of the Gigant. Luke kicked the damaged enemy Gigant and used a magic attack against another enemy Gigant. ¡°Fire Ball!¡± Puang! The Fire Ball was a very simple attack. However, its power was amplified by the core engine of the Gigant, so the force of the attack was no less than a Fire Explosion. In addition, Luke¡¯s magic power was extraordinary, so the Fire Ball that hit the enemy Gigant destroyed its whole upper body, even its head flew. Luke kept on destroying the enemy Gigants and continued to fight the Republic army. At the time, he was being attacked with two Gigants in a row. ¡°Help the Commander!¡± ¡°Repair the wall quickly!¡± While Philip and Kaper were supporting Luke, Luke managed to perform magic and filled a little of the wall¡¯s edge with stones. The soldiers also helped while moving soil, logs, and broken stones. When the Imperial forces in the Fortress were in the midst of it, horns were being sounded from the Republic camp. ¡°What? Is that a retreat signal?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter! Keep on pushing!¡± The officers and knights of the Republic, who were attacking, ignored the retreat signal and attacked. However, after a while, the shelling had stopped, and the infantry and support power too retreated with tears. ¡°Phew, we won!¡± Though he tried hard, Luke sighed with relief because of the unexpected surprise. At any rate, the enemy had retreated, and Luke was able to visualize in his head about what would unfold in the enemy camp. ¡®A good blow in the situation.¡¯ Luke, decided that it was the time to break the dam that had been constructed. He moved out of Achilles and flew up to the San river. Chapter 132 Chapter 132: Lending a Hand 4 ¡°Who gave you the permission to do such an attack?!¡± Just as Luke had predicted, the Volga Republic¡¯s army went haywire. Tyron, who was in full control of the Fortress attacking unit, rebuked each unit¡¯s leader for ignoring his orders and attacking the Torlot Fortress aggressively. ¡°You went and put your nose in a well-cooked rice! Only if you would have left them alone, they would¡¯ve opened the gate by themselves for us tomorrow. What the hell would you all resort to this?!¡± Shouted Tyron. ¡°Apologies, Sir commander. Some men greedy for power and the titles they might get¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! If it was one or two who had been deviated, then fine, but it was a systematic attack with the Gigant troops, artillery, and the infantry, what do you make of that? Does that mean that people were all planning in advance?¡±, Tyron was furious at them. At the words of Tyron who was in distress, leaders of the units were all sweating, they weren¡¯t able to respond appropriately to his questions. It was because his words were true. The attack was a really big accident. It was a problem because the promises they had made with the Torlot Fortress were being taken down, however, the bigger problem was that the frontline officers and the knights ignored the military command issued by their Commander. The only principle of military uniform. The corps were all uncontrolled, and no matter how many they are, the units were ready to take down the fortress, which could collapse any time like a sand castle. That was why Tyron, gave the order for retreat. ¡°This war isn¡¯t just about Fortress capture! This is a mission to lure the Northern Army, so do your work properly!¡± Shouted Tyron. ¡°There, there is no dismissal, Sir!¡± ¡°Please forgive us¡­ the Directional soldiers are a unit who is assigned to the private lords, hence we weren¡¯t used to being controlled by the Central Army.¡± Now was the time for each of the unit¡¯s leaders to make excuses on behalf of their men. Tyron was still angry. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it! Get out of here right away! I will show my strength by implementing the military law!¡± Screamed Tyron. At the words, all the men in the barracks turned white at once. Disobedience to orders was considered a felony that leads to immediate execution. And if done wrong by many, the officers and knights could be killed. ¡°Sir, please reconsider!¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be done! You had the rule to apply to the military law and carry out your assigned mission!¡± Responded Tyron. ¡°It was a mistake done because of a young man full of hot blood. Please forgive¡­¡± While the commander¡¯s barracks were shaking, the camp of Volga Republic was in a heated discussion. Some officers and knights who committed disobedience regretted their ¡®crazy act¡¯ right away, however, there were many who complained about ¡®what wrong did we do¡¯. ¡°Well, if we continued to attack a little more, we could have all captured the Fortress!¡± ¡°Right, the commander doesn¡¯t have to blame us¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, because of what you guys did, those Imperial bastards inside the Fortress won¡¯t step back till the end!¡± ¡°So what?¡± The atmosphere was crazy, and that didn¡¯t stop even after the sunset. The one suffering the most was Marquis Tyron, the commander. It was because the force had been split into two. He never had any meetings with his staff and the unit leaders, as well as regarding the future raid of the Fortress. No definite measures or actions were taken. The most annoying thing was that they had blown away the opportunity to get the Fortress without loss. ¡®Should I send a messenger and let them know that it wasn¡¯t intentional? No, they won¡¯t believe me. And if that Luke guy has no intention to surrender now¡­¡¯ The main concern was the news of Rob and the other recent scouts who were gone upstream were all lost. If only Tyron knew what was happening upstream, he would have the chance to take any kind of action without hesitation. Attack the Fortress and occupy, or send a messenger and negotiate again. ¡®Should I go fly by myself?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just once or twice that the frustrating heart of Tyron wanted to fly up and see what was happening in the upstream of San river. However, he wasn¡¯t a general wizard, he was the commander of an army of 60,000. No matter how many staff or leaders he had under his control, he just couldn¡¯t leave his barracks. Moreover, as seen by the day, the structure of the Fortress didn¡¯t seem very good, the next moment he takes off his eyes, something else could happen. ¡°Ah, there is nothing to make a decision here, right away.¡± In the past, when there was a revolution, he wasn¡¯t in much stress. There was a clear distinction between the attack and withdrawal, and there was a clear distinction for them; the revolutionary army was full of pure enthusiasm for carrying out Luke¡¯s ideas. However, the young knights that he was currently supervising didn¡¯t felt the same way. When Tyron was in his own thoughts with constant sighs, a lieutenant rushed over to report something. ¡°Sir! Something big had happened! Sir!¡± ¡°What is happening?¡± Tyron, who asked was shocked at what the lieutenant had told. ¡°Some soldiers and knights are leaving the camp.¡± ¡°What did you say? Leaving the camp?¡± Leaving the camp without informing the commander was the same as deserting their role. Following their acts of disobedience was deserting! Tired and angry, Tyron heard another unusual story from the lieutenant. ¡°But the ones deserting are the fairies and mixed races. They are leaving the camp and running away¡­¡± ¡®A sinister act maybe?¡¯ Thought Tyron. If it was the soldiers who did that, Tyron wouldn¡¯t have thought much, nor would they be drawn to any conclusion on their act. But the elves and others were born with different blood. Although the elves of this time had lost their tremendous power to control spirits, there were many who were mentally different from the humans. Intellectual ones turned into Wizards and those who didn¡¯t opt to become general wizard with their sixth sense too. It would be a different story if it was one or two, however, those who had different blood were moving like a group and it meant that something was definitely happening. In addition, Tyron was anticipating something unexpected to happen for a few days. ¡°Let them go. And order withdrawal to all the troops.¡± ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°Hurry! If we linger here any longer, we might die!¡± At the orders from Tyron, the lieutenant ran out of the barracks. Soon, bells rang out in the camp to announce their emergency situation, and the leaders and knights were bewildered with the orders. ¡°Immediately leave the camp and withdraw to the mainland across the river. Keep weapons and supplies to the bare minimum.¡± ¡°Uh? What did he say?¡± ¡°Did the northern imperial army come?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Just spread the news!¡± Tyron¡¯s orders were spread throughout the troops, however, the speed varied from unit to unit and person to person. The Central Army which was faithful to the commander acted quickly, and those who normally trusted the sense packed with the warlocks. The fairies didn¡¯t feel awkward or dissatisfied with the commander¡¯s action, but the soldiers who didn¡¯t like the orders from the commander didn¡¯t move properly. ¡°Well, what is being done again?¡± ¡°The wizard should never be a commander!¡± ¡°What would he do if we don¡¯t follow?¡± The grunting too had ended and soon began the calamity. Duuuu! ¡°What was that sound!?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be an earthquake¡­¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a man-made! The imperial soldiers did this!¡± If it was morning, they would have thought that a terrible flow of the stream of water pouring down from the upstream was coming. However, it was night and only the sound of water could be heard. On the contrary, the fear increased for the Republic army. Those who have crossed the river had fled to a high zone and those who moved one step late, quarreled, such as throwing away the military commander or pushing an ally to be able to cross the river much faster. Woosh! ¡°Ahh! Save the person!¡± ¡°Kak!¡± The ferocious stream, which came quickly covered the dry river and swallowed everything on it. The soldiers and expert knights were all swept away without any discrimination. Large and small stone and logs swept along with the flowing water and smashed the survivors who were in the darkness of the night. Unfortunately, no single person had lent their hands in order to help the ones who were reaching out. Chapter 133 Chapter 133: Lending a Hand 5 The next morning. The San river, which had gone back to its regular flow and level, was sparkling in the morning sun. Unlike the breathtaking scenery of the water, the riverside had a rather intimidating scene going on. In numerous places, the Gigants and the artillery weapons with the bodies of the soldiers were lying, revealing the devastation caused by earth and sand. Erwin had approached Luke, who was floating in the sky to look at the terrible landscape. ¡°Congratulations! You are one of the commanders who will be known in the Empire¡¯s history.¡± Said Erwin. ¡°Won¡¯t I just be a slayer who had massacred tens of thousands of people?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°I think you will be, from the Volga Republic¡¯s side.¡± Luke had thought about it last night when he was breaking down the dam. His actions would be remembered by someone as a hero, and for someone, he would be a murderer. It was very rare for one to take the lives of thousands in a moment in war. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t a fair battle, it was a victory which had been achieved after making sure all the conditions were favorable to one side. ¡®Whatever it was, I had been thrown into a war, and winning was my best choice for both me and my retainers in the estate.¡¯ Luke seemed firm. The act was familiar to him. 500 years ago, he was considered as a target calling him the Devil king. During that time, the cause was revenge for the men who had been oppressed by the nobles, but a few had to die in the process. This time, the soldiers who died were the old ones. However, there was one puzzling thing. The enemy took agile actions, without any thought, he had placed orders for both the divisions in his army to move out. And as a result, there were as many casualties as had been expected. ¡°Did you tell them?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°¡­ the Republics have a lot of fairies and mixed races. They all have a different sense when compared to humans.¡± At the question from Luke, Erwin responded in her usual cold manner, Luke was very convinced that the ice-cold elven woman had spoken to the enemy army. Erwin was away when Luke had gone to destroy the dam. And no matter how much a different sense the fairies and other races had, it was certain that they couldn¡¯t be sure unless the sight, hearing, and smell could confirm it. And for convincing one legion to move, there had to be a stronger reason. However, Luke had no intention of punishing her for that act. He understood her reasons to do it. ¡°What will you do in the future?¡± Asked Erwin. ¡°I need to fight back.¡± Luke responded with an obvious answer. He had no intention of sending back the Volga Republic¡¯s army. He had no specific bad feelings towards the Volga Republic, and he had no intention of giving a victory to the Empire, but he was going to take full advantage of the situation. Through the war, he was planning on taking merit. If he could place a few merits on his side, he would surely be rewarded. Whether on a higher level post, or a new estate, or a shorter military service, everything would end up benefiting Luke for his revenge and survival. ¡°We¡¯ll push as soon as the Gigant maintenance is over. I hope you¡¯ll act like a good guide at that time.¡± Said Luke. ¡°It will be recorded in the Empire¡¯s history.¡± Said Erwin. ¡°No, that would never happen.¡± Luke responded firmly, with rage clearly visible in his eyes. ¡°I will help you overthrow the Baroque Empire.¡± Said Erwin. ¡°¡­!¡± Erwin¡¯s face changed a little. Luke was surely dissatisfied with the Baroque Imperial family and it was due to the history of their two families had shared. However, the blazing anger in his eyes wasn¡¯t just a plain complain, but an intense will. And that intense will felt like a strong wind. The advent of the wind, signaling the incoming storm! ¡®Was this the person that you talked about?¡¯ Thought Erwin. Erwin who was in her thoughts was brought back to reality with Luke¡¯s voice. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up. If the army is made of young ones, they¡¯ll run away quickly.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± A storm that would shake the continent. Erwin decided to put her thoughts aside. Until she was convinced, she decided to watch him much keenly. ¡°Ahh! How could this happen¡­¡± Commander Tyron was pounding his chest with his trembling fist. He ordered the withdrawal, however, around 20,000 troops had been sacrificed. He had to analyze the damage in detail, but if one looks at the weapons and the number of each unit, a rough damage could be calculated. However, it wasn¡¯t just damage that was being calculated. Due to the sudden withdrawal, the troops had left behind all the food and weapons, and none of the important canons or Gigants had been brought out. It was because they were heavy to move. And in the current situation, it was almost impossible to wage war without those Gigants and Canons. Which was why Tyron tried to get back to work, however, he soon gave up. The Gigants and the artillery units which were in the camp were all washed away. Moreover, the soldiers were all scattered. In particular, it was the directional soldiers unit. They were the most dissatisfied with the commander, the directional soldiers didn¡¯t listen to the orders of moving to the riverside and were damaged heavily, and the remaining ones escaped from the camp immediately. ¡°Sir, first the military had been defeated¡­¡± At the words of the lieutenant and the other staff, Tyron was getting frustrated. No matter how much he thought, there was exactly one solution he could think of. ¡°How would the president even look at me!¡± He screamed. He was a proud veteran of war, but instead of luring the Northern Army of the Baroque Empire, he failed to capture the Torlot Fortress. Unfortunately, Tyron¡¯s nightmare didn¡¯t end there. Luke finished the maintenance pretty early and began to counter-attack. The army saw the Imperial army troops who were confidently pushing into the land where the Republic army was resting. However, there was only one thing that they could do before the Gigant get to their location, it was to retreat with tears in their eyes. Chapter 134 The Castia Mountains were located ten days away from west of Torlot Fortress. It was a place spread across the Volga Republic and the Baroque Empire. It had less human activity there due to the myriad of monsters, rugged mountain terrain and the mazes of valleys it harboured. If one could lead the troops and cross over the Castia mountains, it would take a lot of time. However, the damage would be considerable. So, the two nations only deployed a few ranger units in the area and didn¡¯t build many fortresses or large units there. Not long ago, unusual signs began to appear in the Castia mountains. Squeak squeak. The ones, who pulled up the bushes and sneaked on the ground, looked at Baroque Rangers, who were patrolling nearby. As they disappeared to a farther place, he slipped back to his position covering himself with leaves and bush. ¡°The empire dogs are gone.¡± ¡°Nice, get back to work again!¡± As soon as the orders fell, loud noises began to ring violently in the ground. Deep in the basement of the mountains, they were working on something, like a child, yet with a fully grown body that was subject to discussion and a shaggy beard. They were a type of fairy who were called dwarves. Dwarves, though short, had a tough body. They were strong, and their skills were so great that they could knead stones. The best of the dwarves was the Red Hammer clan. They were blacksmiths, artists, architects, and natural miners. More than 500 years ago, their first leader Rommel worked under the Devil King Saymon. After the death of Saymon, the Red Hammer clan hid from the world by digging the ground. A huge burrow made with the power and skill of pure dwarves was enough to pummel a Gigant. Watching the dwarves dig up the ground with shovels, pickaxes and other variety of tools, Dreetree turned to an unusually tall dwarf and asked, ¡°Look here, Elder Kurgan, are we there yet?¡± ¡°Kung! Almost over now. Just wait a moment.¡± The one called Kurgan, who had a nice red beard, was a tall dwarf who was indistinguishable from a human, and among the dwarves, he was called the Giant Kurgan. Kurgan, the elder of the Red Hammer clan, commanded a unit on Vladimir¡¯s order. The Volga Republic had been studying for a long time on how to bypass the Baroque empire. One of them was the Castia mountain, where geological studies have been conducted for a long time, and the dwarves found that the land was suitable for digging. Of course, even if the strata were adequate, digging tunnels across the mountains would have been impossible for human engineers. Being natural miners, they were able to dig a tunnel in almost two months. They were about to reach the culmination of their hard work in a massive tunnel called the Underground Invasion Path. They were doing all of this for the Republic. ¡°We are moving to the battlefield soon. I¡¯m getting frustrated with it. It wants to fight as soon as possible.¡± Dimitry, who came to see the progress as the days went by, spoke with his fists clenched, Kurgan had known him for a long time, so he was able to understand his impatience. ¡°But do you need to go directly?¡± Kurgan asked, not able to understand him. The purpose of the war wasn¡¯t to occupy the enemy. It was to drastically reduce the number of soldiers the Baroque could use. However, instead of the main unit, the detour unit was being led by Duke Dimitry, the greatest swordsman of the Republic. It was natural to wonder as he had never left the capital despite the numerous battles that had happened between his empire and Baroque. ¡°Of course, there was no need to be¡­ I¡¯m just tired of protecting the capital.¡± ¡°Bored, huh?¡± Asked Kurgan. ¡°Yeah, I wanted to fight. It has been a long time since I used my sword for a fight.¡± Dimitry was a Sword Master, an advanced Expert knight. Although he had never been defeated in Volga, he was still weaker compared to Baroque Emperor¡¯s Sword Sage, Rudolf. With his diligence, he was able to set foot on the same level as the Sword Sage. The moment he had reached the Sword Sage level, his body had changed as well. As if he was rejuvenated, his body felt young and full of vitality. His grey hair turned black again, and his stiffened old spine had regained its flexibility. ¡®If I feel like this, then what about Emperor Rudolf?¡¯ Was he afraid? As his body was rejuvenated and gained a new life, he became more competitive. Emperor Rudolf and Dimitry were the top two swordsmen representing their nations. However, they had never faced each other on the battlefield. Dimitry wanted to evaluate Rudolf after hearing rumors, but he sure knew that winning wouldn¡¯t be an easy task. ¡®I would feel grateful if I get the chance to fight this time.¡¯ He participated in the war and was appointed as the commander of the detour unit because there was a chance that he might actually meet the Imperial Emperor. There were words going around that Emperor Rudolf enjoyed private visits. ¡°Well, by now, there is probably a battle going on at the Torlot Fortress, I guess?¡± When asked by Kurgan, Dimitry counted the number of days on his fingers and spoke, ¡°They had probably started the attack a week ago, so maybe Marquis Tyron has already occupied the fort and is working on going against the Northern army as planned.¡± Marquis Tyron, the Meister of the Republican Magic Tower, was a mage, but he was quite skilled. In the past, during the republican revolution, many wizards had been led to participate in the battle, so they all believed that the Torlot Fortress could be captured pretty easily. ¡°Is that so? Anyway, I hope that this war would create a huge drawback for the Baroque Empire.¡± Like the other fairies, the dwarves hated the Baroque Empire. The ancestors of the Empire, Karno de Baroque, attacked the dwarf village, robbed them of their property, and they even put them in the mines until they died of exhaustion. The dwarfs suffered great damage, almost to the extent of going extinct. In the past, the Red Hammer tribe didn¡¯t side with Devil King Saymon. Saymon treated fairies just fine, and he had the purpose of repaying the Baroque Empire. However, when Saymon died, that couldn¡¯t be accomplished. The Red Hammer tribe fled North of the continent and spent many years in hardship. Thus, the dwarves¡¯ hostility toward the Baroque family and the empire was bound to be strong. That was why it was easy for them to accept the request from the Volga to build the underground tunnel. Grrrng! It was when the two of them were having a conversation. Suddenly, the wall that was blocking the front collapsed and dazzling sunshine began to pour in. Kurgan approached the dwarves and shouted, ¡°Kung! Where are you all looking at? Move fast and make an exit where a Gigant can move!¡± Seeing the dwarves move, Dimitry ordered his lieutenant. ¡°Issue the advance to the army.¡± ¡°Understood sir!¡± The lieutenant, who received the order, rode back on a horse. Sometime later, 40,000 troops, 2,000 knights and 100 Gigants poured into the Baroque Empire through the tunnels. They were all elite, with central troops, unlike the units which had attacked the Torlot Fortress. The number of Gigants was less for the Knights, and the proportion of cavalry in the army was quite high. In other words, these were the true power that had been prepared by the Republic in order to attack the Baroque Empire. ¡°Send the elven ranger. And sweep up the nearby imperial rangers!¡± The Elven Rangers, ordered by Duke Dimitry, annihilated the Imperial Rangers. The order was relayed by the wizards who were staying in their posts around the mountain. Some of the empire knights had tried to flee, but they were captured by the Elven Rangers, who aimed like the hawks. And as a result, the emergence of the Republic forces was completely unknown to the Imperial Forces ¡®Kukuk, is there anyone else who needs to be taken down?¡¯ Upon seeing the enemy rangers getting knocked down, Dimitry was pleased. In anticipation of that very day, their eyes were shining as the day they had been training for was upon them. Seeing the soldiers motivated, Dimitry too had eyes like a beast. Srrrng?! Dimitry, who pulled out his Orhalcon sword, shouted with overflowing mana. ¡°The goal is Krom! Show that dumb emperor that he should fear the Volga Republic¡¯s army! Not even one of you should fall, follow me!¡± ¡°Waoo!¡± Cheering loudly, the soldiers of the Republic marched toward Krom. Chapter 135 Count Naiman dug a trap in the woods 30 kilometers south of Torlot Fortress for ambushing the enemy army. If the Republic army managed to occupy the Torlot Fortress and marched forward, they were planning on defeating them. ¡®Huhu, we can occupy the southern part of the Volga Republic.¡¯ In the beginning, Emperor Rudolf tried to create a moderate border dispute to kill Luke. But he changed his mind after thinking of a plan. He decided to get bigger gains while causing a tear. He decided that handling Luke would be a bonus. Emperor Rudolf was in strong favor of the Count. And the Count had been calling out for the invasion of the Volga Republic for quite some time. However, more than a week after being contacted that the Torlot Fortress was under attack, the Northern office couldn¡¯t see a single Volga soldier. When he had sent the scouts earlier, they had reported that the Republican forces were going hard on the Torlot Fortress. ¡°These stupid people! Are they wandering around because they weren¡¯t able to capture the Fortress?¡± It had been confirmed that the Republic forces attacking the Torlot Fortress had 60,000 troops and a large number of Gigants and artillery. With just 3,000 troops and 10 Gigants, the Torlot Fortress wouldn¡¯t have a chance against their enemies. However, the situation didn¡¯t go according to his plan. ¡®Did that Luke guy really manage to stop them¡­¡¯ Despite the desperate and difficult situation, the Torlot Fortress hadn¡¯t sent a messenger or any communication through magic for the past three days asking for assistance. Did he have enough confidence in defending his Fortress without help? Hearing the reports from the scouts, they stated that the Republic forces were exhausted. ¡°Tch! Those Republicans, did they bring all the wrong people? Since I can¡¯t keep on waiting, should I order Luke to withdraw? Then the Republic forces will take over the Fortress and come all the way down here¡­¡± Count Naiman thought about how to approach the operation. ¡°Commander! We have news!¡± A wizard rushed over to deliver news after receiving a report. The Volga Republic troops had emerged from the Castia mountains and attacked the west of Krom. ¡°What? Shouldn¡¯t our enemies be in trouble if they come all the way here from Castia mountains?¡± Asked the Count. ¡°I don¡¯t know sir. But if we don¡¯t send forces right away, the place might fall.¡± At the words of the wizard, Count Naiman thought for a moment and immediately gave out his orders. ¡°Tell the Lords in there to hold on for a few days. I¡¯ll run over and destroy the ones attacking the Torlot Fortress.¡± The Castia mountain was rugged. Thus, Count Naiman thought that there wouldn¡¯t be a large number of Republic forces that could pass through the forest, and he thought that the troops would be dispersed. So he decided to hurry, he decided to take down the army that was attacking the Torlot Fortress. ¡°Are you going to give up on the ambush? We might be able to save the Fortress if we move the troops right away, but we might not be able to carry the majesty¡¯s secret orders.¡± Said the staff to the Count. ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± There would definitely be a chance to kill Luke Viscount later. However, if the invasion of the Northern lands happened, the empire would suffer a great deal of damage. They could be impeached. So he gave out the orders and had his army march toward the Torlot Fortress. However, when he arrived at the Fortress, the situation was different from what he had imagined. The large army of 60,000 enemies had disappeared, and the Fortress soldiers were collecting the enemy¡¯s weapons, which were buried near the river. ¡°This, what just happened?¡± Asked the Count ¡°What do you mean by that? Our enemies were annihilated.¡± Hobart, who had been told the news about the reinforcements, bluntly answered them upon their arrival. ¡°Annihilated? How the hell?¡± Until yesterday, the scouts were saying that the Fortress was under attack. And now, they managed to defeat the enemy in just one day? ¡°The commander built a dam upstream with a lot of hard work. So the enemies just flew in one shot.¡± ¡°No, that¡­!¡± The count stuttered. Did he stop them all by himself? Shocked at the news, Count Naiman almost fell from his horse. He barely caught his balance and asked Hobart, ¡°The Viscount, where is he now?¡± ¡°The commander said that it would be good to destroy the Fortress of the enemy, and so after repairing the Gigants, he led the soldiers into the enemy¡¯s mainland. The defense of the Fortress and the battlefield maintenance was left over to the officers.¡± Responded Hobart. ¡°Hu¡­¡± The Count wasn¡¯t sure if he was supposed to laugh or be angry. It was a welcoming situation if the allies had defeated the enemy¡¯s army and went to invade their land. However, the one who was doing it wasn¡¯t someone else but Luke. The guy who was supposed to die was going after merit, and that couldn¡¯t be allowed. ¡®Dammit, come back, I¡¯ll say that he disobeyed orders.¡¯ Count Naiman told him to keep the Fortress and asked him to not enter the enemy¡¯s territory. However, Luke decided to go in. This was his plan to get rid of Luke. When resolved, the communication wizard ran over and delivered urgent news. ¡°Ku, commander! Baron Miran, Baron Hood and Baron Ochoa have been overtaken by the Republic Forces!¡± ¡°What, what did you say!?¡± The Count was startled. Before coming to Torlot, he had been told that the land was under attack by the Republic. But, in less than two days, three estates had been taken down! ¡°The wizard barely managed to escape from the manor, and the enemy¡¯s army number seems to be significant. There are a lot of troops, and the Forefront Gigant¡¯s power was told to be very strong.¡± ¡°This, we have been deceived!¡± Said the Count. Count Naiman¡¯s heart was beating fast. He thought that the Republic forces which had come in through the Castia mountain were just a diversion. So, he was in a hurry to defeat the main force of the enemy in the Torlot Fortress. But, if the enemy occupied three estates in less than three days, their power wasn¡¯t that weak. Perhaps, the main force of the war wasn¡¯t the unit that attacked the Torlot Fortress, but the one that crossed the Castia mountains. ¡°Hurry back to Krom city!¡± The three estates that fell were on the path leading to Castia mountains then to Krom. Count Naiman realized their purpose and urgently ordered the soldiers to hurry back to the city of Krom. Chapter 136 After a three-day march from the Torlot Fortress, the Northern Army reached the wasteland which was a day away from Krom. ¡°We¡¯ll rest here for today, and be on move tomorrow.¡± Three days on the street with no break, no matter how much of a classified elite one was, they would need to rest. So, Count Naiman ordered them to take a break and asked them to get a goodnight¡¯s sleep. Excited with it, the soldiers had a simple meal of beef jerky and dry bread, then put on their blankets and drifted into sleep. Once they were all snoring, Count Naiman asked the lieutenant, ¡°What is the status of Krom?¡± ¡°Enemy hasn¡¯t made their appearance yet.¡± ¡°Phew, that is one thing to feel good about.¡± The city of Krom had only a minimal troop at the moment. When Count Naiman entered the wasteland he was informed that two more estates had been taken down. The actions of the Republic forces were quick and unrelenting. If the enemy was left along any longer, the entire Northern part of the empire, including Krom, may be destroyed. ¡®Who the hell are we dealing with? And how did they even manage to get so many troops over the Castia mountain?¡¯ If the empire was able to find out how the Republic forces managed to cross the Castia mountain, they could use that path too. Count Naiman was in deep thoughts. Suddenly, wild flames rose from the forest which was surrounding the wasteland. ¡°What, what is that?¡± ¡°Wildfire? Come on, put it off¡­ ah!¡± An arrow was stuck in the neck of an officer who was directing the troops. Following it, numerous arrows began to pour out from the shadows. ¡°Surp, surprise attack! An ambush!¡± ¡°Everyone, up, now!¡± The wasteland, which the Northern army had occupied for the night, was located at the edge of the forest from the path to Krom. It was a shortcut which would take as less time as possible to reach the city of Krom, the scouts had looked around and then confirmed that there was no enemy around. With the myriad of arrows flowing in, the soldiers kept on falling down. Among the arrows were quite a lot of fire arrows, so the flames spread out to the camps. In addition, with the fire, shells began to pour in from all the directions. Bang! BaBang! Kwang! ¡°Kaaah!¡± ¡°Kiak!¡± ¡°Fight back! Don¡¯t be taken down! Unite with your units and fight back!¡± There was a great deal of confusion among the Northern army who had suddenly awoken from their sleep. From the Count, officers and knights tried to get hold of the soldiers and calm them as much as possible, but the confusion and haze didn¡¯t seem so easy to calm. ¡°Dammit, what are the riders doing? Get into the Gigants right away and take down the enemy troop!¡± Oooo! Woong! At the cry from Naiman, the eyes of a Gigant with a huge body flashed from the woods. But the Gigants which began to appear from the forest weren¡¯t part of the Baroque Empire. The steel Gigant painted with dark green paint and red crest on the breastplate were the Republic forces led by Duke Dimitry. ¡°Hahaha! Sweep them all! Trample on them!¡± Over a hundred Gigants, upon the orders from Dimitry, pulled out their huge swords and began to trample the Imperial army camp. Kung! The heavy steel Gigant¡¯s who were sweeping their huge swords weren¡¯t anything less than the Grim Reaper himself. ¡°Ahh! Run away!¡± ¡°What¡­?!¡± The only thing the Northern army could do against the enemy Gigant was to run with screams. Seeing the disaster which was happening, Count Naiman could only shout out of anger, ¡°Kaak! What are the Gigants of our side doing?! Go ahead and stop their scrap of metals!¡± With the screaming of Count Naiman, over two hundred Gigants of the Imperial side began to fight against the Republic forces. Kwaa! Kaka! Kaaaak! In a narrow wasteland, two sides were fighting with a collective number of 300 Gigants, wielding their weapons at full power. The sounds of the gloves breaking could be heard all over, the huge sparks of big swords colliding could be seen. The ground was tense for a while, and then the battle began to lean towards the Republic¡¯s side. If the headcount was considered, the number of Gigants of the Imperial Army was twice the troops. But during the raid, the Imperial riders were in panic. The Republican Gigants had a knight-level Gigants with 2,000 fight output, and their riders were excellent. In addition, the leader of the Republic force was Duke Dimitry. He watched over the Imperial army which was in front of his eyes. ¡°Hahaha! You guys dare to stop me!?¡± Duke Dimitry, who was devastating the entire enemy camp, shouted with excitement. Every time he wielded the huge sword, a long aura on the sword of the Gigant sparked within the dark knight and hit the Imperial forces. ¡°Hiik! Mons, monster!¡± ¡°That could be the High-Advanced Sword Master, no he must be the Sword Sage!¡± ¡°Everyone, be careful!¡± Five of the Imperial army Gigants had gathered in front of Duke Dimitry. If he was left alone, Dimitry could take down the entire camp, so those who were capable enough came out. ¡°Huh, you¡¯re intentions are good, but you people look down on me too much!¡± Grrrrng! When Dimitry moved his huge sword with the speed of lightning, a thunderous sound fell. With five Gigants bouncing off in unison, like being caught in the center of an explosion. All five bounced off Gigants were broken, tattered and it was almost impossible to see what had happened to the riders inside them. ¡°Sh*t, Dammit! Move back!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t deal with it all alone, unite everyone and try!¡± Despite being faced with overwhelming forces and power, the Northern army fought. The Duke, however, wasn¡¯t considering any of it. His Gigant was throwing and plunging things, it was like a lion heading into a flock of deer for food. ¡°Keuk, maybe Jerdin will show up here!¡± Spoke the Count to himself while witnessing the battle. The head of the Gigant was bigger than the regular Gigants, and the power output seemed to be over 3,00 fight. It was very clear that there was only one Hero-class Gigant, the Jerdin in the Volga Republic. Jerdin was introduced into the Volga by the past royal family, and it was currently being used by Duke Dimitry, the Republic Forces, foremost swordsman. ¡°Then, the rider is surely the one called Duke Dimitry¡­¡± Count Naiman thought that the Republic would send a Sword Master for their ambush operation. However, he had never imagined that Dimitry, who had never set foot outside the Volga capital since the revolution, would suddenly decide to join the war. ¡°What about it? Can you deal with it?¡± Asked Naiman. The count gazed up to the massive Gigant which stood next to him. The heavy voice of the man inside the Gigant came out. ¡°It is hard to win, but I can buy us some time.¡± The rider in it was called Count Kyle, the hawk of the north, a gladiator. He was the only Sword Master in the Northern Army, he was prepared to face the Sword Master of the enemy. Although he was a great swordsman in battle, if the opponent was an advanced Sword Master, the damage could be huge. That was why, it was best to bring in someone the enemy didn¡¯t have, which was why Kyle had been summoned, even though he was busy in another place. Count Kyle wasn¡¯t in the military, he was a part of the military. He was free to practice and was able to compete in the war because he was asked by Emperor Rudolf. Emperor Rudolf had offered him a lot in return for it. There were seven Sword Masters in the Empire. And it was just 10 years since Count Kyle had become a Sword Master, and he wasn¡¯t that skilled. ¡°If I was asked to fight with Dimitry with just my sword skill, then I won¡¯t be enough. But with the help of this new hero-class Gigant, that the majesty had specifically paid for, there is nothing impossible.¡± The one Kyle was using currently was the 3500 fight, recently completed Atlas of the Veritas Magic Tower. Jerdin, on the other hand was more than thirty years old, and it couldn¡¯t be guaranteed if they could fully utilize it. Thus, Count Kyle was optimistic that he could make it up for his shortcomings with the new Gigant¡¯s performance. ¡°Then, please.¡± Said Count Naiman. ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Count Kyle pushed ahead with his Atlas towards Jerdin, who was plundering the imperial army. With calmness, Count Naiman hoped that the army would be able to revert back and get a victory on their side. Although they were lost with the surprise attack, the number of troops were still twice the enemy troops. Therefore, they could still create a chance to change the battle flow, so Count Naiman decided to make up for the damage and win over. ¡®To do that, Count Kyle needs to do his best! Be sure to defeat Duke Dimitry!¡¯ Chapter 137 Kang?! ¡°Hmm?¡± Duke Dimitry, who was in the midst of crushing down the Northern Army, was surprised when a huge sword blocked his Gigant. It seemed like a hero-class Gigant, and the rider in it didn¡¯t seem to be an ordinary knight. ¡°My name is Asland de Kyle. And I¡¯ve asked for the battle between the first swordsman of Republic.¡± Dimitry nodded at the polite introduction of the knight, while he curled up his lips. ¡°You must be Count Kyle, also known as the Hawk of North. Understood, so try your best to stop me.¡± No matter how the two nations¡¯ relationships were, the conversation between the two knights had reached the highest point. The pride and honor about their ability, and the opponent of the other nation knowing about their skills. Which was why Count Kyle had asked for a one-on-one match, and Duke Dimitry accepted it at the same speed. ¡°Retreat, the great battle!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to get caught between the fight, move out!¡± Despite the situation being a war, the two huge Gigants made sure that both armies moved out for their match. If any human got involved in the fight with the Gigants, it was clear that they would end up dead. When the surroundings were properly arranged, the two riders representing the two sides of the war began to clash with their swords. Kwakwang! Kakakakagk! The battle between the Sword Master, according to Kyle had begun. The fierce aura clashed from both sides, sharp Gigantic aura induced swords; the aftermath was terrible. ¡°Avoid, avoid it!¡± ¡°If we get hit by the aura wave, we¡¯ll be destroyed! Move away!¡± The two Gigant riders had already entered an intense fight, much quicker than one would have anticipated, so the soldiers and the troops had to retreat much farther back. They still insisted on seeing the huge sword slash, hoping that their Sword Master would be the one to win. Pang! Puht?! Dimitry hurriedly hit the Gigant which was in front of his eyes, which seemed to have the aura flickering. However, when he tried, the Gigant blocked the attack and frighteningly, another Gigantic aura rose. ¡°Kuk, is this the Fake Sword of rumor?¡± Asked Dimitry. Fake Sword. The skills that Count Kyle was performing with his sword. When the trick-come-skill is practiced well, it makes it difficult for the enemy to grasp which one is the truth. When one trains long with the Fake Sword, the opponent wouldn¡¯t be able to tell the difference between reality and fake. In addition, the deception based on swordsmanship wasn¡¯t weak. Fake Sword strike had the power to take down a light steel armored Gigant. However, with the 3,500 fight Gigant output, the destructive force increased. It was as good strike as the one Duke Dimitry had, which the Sword Sage could perform. ¡®Hoho, I did hear that he is one of the most spoken Masters in the Empire.¡¯ Thought Dimitry. Dimitry couldn¡¯t help but smile at Kyle¡¯s offensive stance. If he had decided to stay in the capital, like the other higher official, then Dimitry wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to battle like this. And Dimitry was a step higher than the Sword Master, he was closer to Sword Sage, a higher level of Sword Master. In addition, the sword¡¯s movements widened accordingly, and it was much clearer for him to predict where his opponent would attack. It was the same case as the opponent was a Sword Master, so the weakness of the Gigant performance would be compensated with his skill. Grrrrng! With a thunderous sound, the aura from Jerdin¡¯s huge sword shone. It was a Thunder Blade, the attack from Dimitry. ¡®Huh, this level is a little¡­¡¯ Thought Count Kyle. The Thunder Blade did look strong, but Count Kyle considered that it was something that he could stop. So, he took a step back to stop it. But somehow, it was possible. Rather, Atlas was being dragged towards Jerdin. ¡°What, what¡­!¡± Stuttered Kyle. ¡°Did you think that you could avoid it so easily?¡± Asked Dimitry. Dimitry¡¯s Thunder Blade accelerates the aura, creating a tremendous amount of static electricity, which infiltrates the aura and looks like lightning. In the process, a powerful magnetic force occurs, and the opponent who tries to take it lightly when dealing with it, when in close distance will be dragged with the armor or the sword. It wasn¡¯t much different in the case of the Gigant. No, not at all different as the riders were inside the Steel Gigant; they get dragged much easily because of the conducting capabilities of the material. As all this was happening, a huge sword flew in front of Kyle, who lifted the buckle from the left arm to stop the attack. Kwang?! ¡°Kuak!¡± As if a mana bomb had exploded, a huge violent blast had occurred. It was so bad to the extent, that Kyle who was inside the cockpit, threw up blood. But, that wasn¡¯t the end of his troubles. Duke Dimitry, who pulled in Atlas with his Thunder Blade continued to attack relentlessly; they were aura attacks. Kwang! Kwang! Kwaaaang! In the second series of attacks, the buckler got smashed with the third attack, and the left arm went off, in the fourth attack, the breastplate got smashed. ¡°This is the last!¡± Dimitry, who managed to make Atlas look like a ragged Gigant, took a break from the attack and lifted his Gigant¡¯s sword high. At the tip of the huge sword; the light began to gather, creating an image of a much bigger sword, and the aura began to glow. The riders and the soldiers of the empire began to tremble seeing it. ¡°Ohhh! Oh my! Hyper Aura! It can¡¯t be anything other than the Hyper Aura!¡± No knights apart from those who saw Emperor Rudolf fight had ever witnessed a Hyper Aura in front of their eyes. Which was why they knew that the Hyper-orientation looked like the one of a Sword Sage. It was definite that Duke Dimitry¡¯s Jerdin was displaying Hyper Aura. Shuuukak! Jerdin knocked down the huge sword which he raised to the sky. It was a movement that didn¡¯t seem to require a lot of effort, however, the Atlas was split vertically from head to toe. How neatly it had been split, he managed to damage the core engine very sleekly without crashing or bursting. Heeeing?! For a short while, silence lingered on the field which had witnessed the death of Count Kyle, who had engaged in the battle with Duke Dimitry of the Volga Republic. ¡®Dammit, this is still not enough.¡¯ Duke Dimitry, who silenced his enemy, looked at the sword of Jerdin and thought. It was because he felt the Hyper Aura created by him wasn¡¯t perfect, it felt incomplete to him. The Hyper Aura was a super-vibration of the Gigantic Aura, which multiplies the power of a Gigant by several times. If a true super-vibration had taken place, the cut surface of the Altas would have to be very clean, and the blade wouldn¡¯t have chipped the Gigant. However, the cut surface of Atlas looked rather rough to Dimitry, and there was a slight flaw in the big sword. So Dimitry knew that the Hyper Aura wasn¡¯t fully achieved yet. Dimitry was in his thoughts looking at Jerdin¡¯s huge sword. Faster than anyone, Count Naiman gave out the orders. ¡°What are you all doing?! Move out and capture! Take revenge for the death of Count Kyle!¡± The knights and soldiers couldn¡¯t back off from the Sword Sage. If they tried to step back, they would be impeached for treason or defeat. No, even before they have the chance to be prosecuted, they would be disintegrated by the troops who were in front of them. ¡®To stop everything, we must kill Dimitry. We might be able to catch the Sword Sage if we can use 170 Gigants¡­¡¯ Even if the knights were all out, if they only managed to capture the Sword Sage, the Imperial army thought that the enemy could be taken down. Conscious of their duties, the Imperial riders shouted and began to rush over to Duke Dimitry, ¡°Wahh! Attack!¡± ¡°Ignore the rest! And go for the Sword Sage, Duke Dimitry only!¡± With dozens of Gigants around Jerdin, the Imperial Gigants began to round-up and rushed in. Rather than being flustered to see the number, Dimitry had a cruel smile plastered to his face. The battle that had happened that day, the Northern Army had been defeated horribly. Duke, Dimitry had swept away the Imperial Gigants, which were desperate for their victory. In addition, Gigants of the Republic fought, and Gigants passed away in just 30 minutes of the battle. Once the Gigant troops were wiped out, there was a one-sided massacre. Of the 70,000 troops, barely 10,000 managed to survive after fleeing. After defeating the Northern Army, Dimitry captured the Krom city and began to sweep the northern provinces. Chapter 138 ¡°What? The Republic Force has gone past the reinforcements and Krom has fallen?!¡± Kwang!? Emperor Rudolf, who was quietly resting in the Imperial palace, hit the table out of rage when he heard the report. Due to his anger, the table which was made of ebony that was specially imported from the Southern Continent shattered along with the teacup that was on it. ¡°How on earth did that even happened?¡± ¡°A trick or an enemy deception¡­¡± Count Voltas had begun to explain in detail about the report he had received. Upon hearing the story, Rudolf looked desperate and angry. He had never even thought that the Republicans would see through their plan and use it to them. He asked again, ¡°But, there is no way that the Northern army would have fallen so easily? Wasn¡¯t the Sword Master Count Kyle there to support them?¡± No matter how deceptive their enemy had been, the Emperor thought that there was no chance they would have just been defeated. ¡°It had been said that the Duke, Dimitry, who was leading the enemy flagship, could create the Hyper Aura,¡± reported Count Voltas. ¡°Hyper Aura!!¡± Rudolf jumped out of his seat. ¡°Yes. Even though a total of 170 Gigants rushed over to kill him, they all failed to do so and have been wiped out.¡± ¡°Dammit, those Republicans are as sneaky as ever.¡± So far, whenever the Empire and the Republic entered a border dispute, it was always a head-on battle. The Republics divided their troops into two, and none of them backed the other. However, the fact that Dimitry was able to hide his skill and achievements showed how determined the Republicans were and that made the Emperor more frustrated. ¡°Majesty, we need to make haste and support the North.¡± ¡°If the Northern army has collapsed, then obviously we should be sending them support,¡± responded the Emperor. In the northern part of the continent, there were numerous nobles who innately supported the Emperor. And if they were caught up into the war, Rudolf would surely be having a hard time. Which was why he decided to go ahead. ¡°Order the troops and the Knights Guard right away.¡± ¡°Sorry? Will the majesty himself come?¡± Asked Count Voltas. ¡°Yes. If that Dimitry has reached the Sword Sage level, no one else can deal with him. I will have to go myself and handle him.¡± Even if that was the case, the Emperor had been wanting to see some bloodshed. However, because he was the Emperor of the empire, he couldn¡¯t just move out of his spot and enter the battle as he wished. However, the situation now was different. Since the cause was to fight and stop the enemy who had invaded the north, he was going himself to stop the enemy from invading his Empire. ¡°To save the Northern part from this crisis, we don¡¯t have much time. We need to move as soon as possible. We need to move by tomorrow,¡± said the Emperor. ¡°Understood, Majesty!¡± Count Voltas hurried over to carry the orders to the troops. A terrifying energy rose from Rudolf¡¯s body. The energy was so bloody and hate-filled that the blooming flowers in the room withered, and the attendants, who witnessed it, turned white. ¡°How dare they invade our territory! I will not spare even a single Republican!¡± The next day, the Central Army and the Knights Guard led by Emperor Rudolf moved. They were able to reach the North in less than a week due to the constant advancement of day and night. Rudolf¡¯s first meeting in the north was with over one million war refugees. The Emperor continued to march, leaving them all behind without saying anything to the suffering soldiers. Next were the hundred Northern Army troops. It was surprisingly the very man who led them into doom. He approached the Emperor and knelt on his knees with his head on the ground. ¡°Sire! Please kill me!¡± Unlike the mourning cries of the other soldiers, Naiman silently asked for forgiveness and mercy. Rudolf, annoyed with the act, asked him with a cold look, ¡°Where is the enemy?¡± ¡°That¡­ The enemy has already retreated.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± According to Naiman¡¯s story, the goal of the Volga Republic wasn¡¯t to secure the territories. Their aim was to bring down the military power of the Empire, burning the castles and fortress, destroying the Magic Towers and the farms in each of the provinces. And along with that was the looting of those places¡¯ riches, capturing its talents such as scholars, wizards, and the engineers. The rebellious knights and nobles were told to be strangled to death, and the common people who were really much of a use for them had been thrown out of the towns and villages. The nobles, who had been driven out, headed to the South. ¡°They plundered the Northern cities and territories until they decided to withdraw. Every time we tried to stop them, but with the poor power we had, we faced defeat on every side¡­¡± ¡°Kaaak! These men!¡± Rudolf was furious. He ordered to pursue them. The idea was to kill the Republic forces before they could reach the border. And so, Count Voltas and the other officers tried to stop him. If an all-out war broke out between the Volga Republic and the Baroque Empire, it would only result in good things for their neighboring nations. In fact, it wasn¡¯t because the other nations had them checked, it was mainly because the Holy Arthenia had a good relationship with the Republic. ¡°Furthermore, The nobles thought that the defeat of the Northern Army is a bit unusual. There is a lot of talk in the Imperial Parliament about reducing the power of the Emperor and giving more power to the nobles instead.¡± At the report from Count Voltas, the Emperor, Rudolf, decided to return back to the Imperial palace. ¡°But before heading back, we need to clean things.¡± Muttering, the Emperor looked over at the Count, Naiman. ¡°You¡¯ve done so much for me in the past years, Naiman.¡± ¡°Majesty!¡± The man was pale, realizing what was coming for him, and the emperor was there standing with a gentle smile. When he had the hope of being left alone, Rudolf pulled out his sword like a lightning bolt and cut his neck. Slash! It all happened so quickly that Count Naiman died a painless death. ¡°Majesty, Majesty¡­ Why?¡± Asked Voltas. While all his officers and servants were flustered, Rudolf called for a man who recorded the Empire¡¯s history and said, ¡°Count Naiman has died fiercely in the battle against the enemies. He fought till the very end. Write that.¡± ¡°Huh? Yes, understood, Majesty.¡± The clerk understood what the Emperor¡¯s intentions were. Count Naiman was a nobleman of the Empire. It wasn¡¯t going to do any good if he lost his life in a poor manner. By treating his death as an honorable one, the Emperor tried to reduce the blame from those power-hungry nobles. The emperor was done talking. He ordered the gathering of troops. He decided to hold on to his anger, but he was never going to forget the defeat that he had seen. ¡°Kuk, now I will withdraw, but I will definitely repay this shame by any means and methods to those Republican!¡± Emperor Rudolf, who was looking at the North with rage, turned over and looked in the direction of the Capital, Nemesis. Chapter 139 ¡°Hahaha! It has been a long time since I have heard such refreshing stories.¡± Vladimir, who had been reported about Emperor Rudolf¡¯s actions, burst into laughter. He couldn¡¯t stop laughing, imagining what Rudolf might have looked like. ¡°What is Duke Dimitry doing now?¡± Sylvia, the second chief of Volga Intelligence, responded, ¡°Most of the troops and the normal soldiers are all camped in front of the caves in the Castia Mountains.¡± ¡°If it is the tunnel in the Castia Mountain, there might be an Imperial army invasion this time?¡± Asked Vladimir. ¡°Yes, we have prepared a trap in case the Imperial army sends out forces. However, it might not be necessary.¡± The Volga Republic had deliberately leaked the information about the tunnel to the Imperial army. If the Imperial army planned on using it for revenge, it was Dimitry¡¯s plan to make the tunnel explode using gunpowder and explosion magic circles which were prepared in advance. However, the Imperial army wasn¡¯t that stupid. The scouts and retaliation expedition troops had been canceled as Rudolf went back. ¡°Tell them to come back. And what about the Southern border? Does it still have the Imperial army there?¡± When the president changed the topic, the expression of Sylvia slightly distorted. It almost looked like it was something she didn¡¯t want to talk about. ¡°Already 7 castles have been robbed. The directional guards installed in the place had been disintegrated, and the military quarters have been destroyed.¡± Duke Kutzov, the Central army commander, opened his mouth in anger. While Dimitry had devastated the Northern part of the Empire, some Imperial forces had invaded the Southern border of Volga. For a while, they were all largely helpless due to the excessive directional troops which had been sent to the Torlot Fortress raid under Commander Tyron. Above all, no one in the office could understand how such valuable weapons like Gigants and Canons could just be lost. ¡°But, the situation will calm down soon. I have sent reinforcements.¡± At the response from Duke Kutzov, the president nodded. ¡°We should do that. It was a small drawback, only if we had the Torlot Fortress, it would have been a perfect victory.¡± ¡°That is true. Due to the failure of Tyron in luring the Northern army, Duke Dimitry had struggled a lot and prepared for a new ambush. Well, even then, it still is a huge win for us.¡± ¡°Tch, Marquis Tyron is getting old. There are so many people thinking that. In the past, he might have seen through the enemy, but¡­¡± Marquis Tyron had frankly reported the demise of the troops, which was why the people in the president¡¯s office were able to talk about it. Vladimir too had seen the report. He couldn¡¯t blame Tyron. Despite having poor power, the enemy commander had the ability to deceive and launch a counter-attack to the Volga troops properly. ¡°Was his name Luke de Rakan?¡± Asked the President. ¡°I heard that he was the descendant of the Sword Emperor Rakan.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad he is the descendant of a warrior. If it would have been someone else, they wouldn¡¯t stop with just destroying the military quarters.¡± Although the borders were devastated, the loss of human and public property was far less when compared to what the Volga did to the Empire. There were very few imperial Gigants troops run by Luke, and only the castles and the Fortress were damaged. The cities and towns weren¡¯t touched at all. Vladimir had taken a liking to the knightish attitude Luke displayed. ¡®I want to praise him, but.. will the fairies jump out? Everyone regards Rakan as a supporter.¡¯ In addition, according to the intelligence report, he was someone very close to Princess Reina. Even if princess Reina had no political greed, she was known to be a symbol of peace, and they had no plan of letting her go. ¡®And even if this Luke guy is going to be an enemy in the future, I don¡¯t have to worry much. Since that warrior family is well-known to be short-lived, and if that too doesn¡¯t work, Sylvia will go and use her hands.¡¯ Unlike the very optimistic position of the president, Sylvia wasn¡¯t in a position where she could take care of Luke. It was because he seemed to be related to Saymon and Erenes. In addition, recently, Erenes, who had gone to Luke¡¯s estate, had asked for the battlefield information for Reina. ¡®For now, I need to keep a close eye on him,¡¯ thought Sylvia. Sylvia decided to wait for the reports of the Dark Elves, who accompanied her. She had to see why Luke was able to use Saymon¡¯s dark magic, and why he knew about Erenes once the report came back. After a successful handwork, Luke moved from the Gigant after sweeping the territory of the Volga Republic borders. Major forces such as Gigant and canons were sent with the raid troops. There seemed to be no force in the south of the Volga which could stop Luke and his attacks. Luke traveled through and captured 7 castles. He captured military quarters and took their weapons and seals. He took the gold coins and silver ingots from the government officers and nobles¡¯ residences. In the process, they hadn¡¯t touched the villages. They left the farms, the shops, and workshops all intact. They even bought food at reasonable prices when needed. ¡°The Volga Republic forces have destroyed the city of Krom and devastated the Imperial Northern territories.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± The guide, Erwin, gave Luke the messages, which had been relayed for the communication wizard that was left behind the Fortress. Philip, Kaper and the other riders were shocked, but Luke stayed calm. ¡°Did they divert their focus elsewhere? The army that attacked the Fortress had many directional troops than the elite central army¡­ But even then, it makes no sense.¡± ¡°Right. The Northern soldiers came very late.¡± There was a reason for the Northern army to have reached the Torlot Fortress late. Earlier this year, Count Naiman had been ordered to isolate and kill Luke and that was why the Northern army didn¡¯t respond to their call for reinforcements. They stopped the communications. That was why the Torlot Fortress had no news about any possible attack on them. ¡°That is huge. If the Republic army attack from behind, the Fortress will¡­¡± At the concern of Philip, Luke shook his head. ¡°It won¡¯t happen. As far as I know, the Northern part of the Empire is the realm of the Emperor. If he knows that the Republic forces are going wild, he won¡¯t stand still and watch.¡± And the Republican forces weren¡¯t fools either. They wouldn¡¯t make any more fuss and capture a small fortress. Luke knew that his Fortress wouldn¡¯t be attacked again. ¡°Whatever, it is obvious that it is time to retreat,¡± said Luke Belfair, who was looking around last night, found and captured some Republican scouts. Upon interrogating them, they stated that they were part of the reinforcement troops which had been sent to spy on Luke¡¯s unit. Luke¡¯s minor elite force of Gigants didn¡¯t sweep through the high area, but they were able to fight the large support groups of the enemy. That was why Luke didn¡¯t hesitate to retreat. ¡®Let¡¯s return to the Fortress. We don¡¯t have to rush, so don¡¯t miss out on the loot.¡¯ The next day, Luke led the unit and retreated from the Volga Republic. The reinforcements had rushed over, but all they could do was watch Luke¡¯s unit cross over the San river without doing anything. ¡°Do you want us to attack them by the river?¡± When asked by the lieutenant, the commander of the reinforcement shook his head. ¡°No, our mission was to drive them out, not annihilate them.¡± The famous Tyron wasn¡¯t able to win there either. Even if he won against such a situation, it was likely that the Republic forces would suffer a great deal. In addition, they had been ordered to refrain from further expansion. If the capital was preparing for Duke Dimitry¡¯s triumph, it would be a huge problem if many had died from the war, even if they win. Thanks to that, Luke was able to get back to his territory after sneaking into the Republic. Chapter 140 Chapter 140: Contact with the Dark Moon 3 After returning to the Fortress, Luke had ordered his knights who had joined him in the conquest to rest, and the others to renovate the Fortress, and Luke headed to the dungeon which was located under the headquarters. In the dungeon was a captive warlock, who had paid Luke a visit during his dam construction. Grrrk! Creek! Rob was seated in the meditation posture, he raised his head when he heard someone approaching him. ¡°You¡­?¡± Rob asked. ¡°Huhu, have you been well during this time?¡± Asked Luke. Rob who noticed Luke, frowned. However, soon Rob¡¯s face turned pale. It was because he was feeling choked by the strange and immense energy Luke was releasing. ¡®This, what is this? It is neither mana or Magi.¡¯ Thought Rob. Warlocks were used to sensing Magi and demons¡¯ presence. However, the energy felt his visitor was not something that could be called as a Magi. It sure had the chaos which the Magi had, however, there was no wickedness in it. Instead, everything about him was overwhelming and consuming. ¡®Did he artificially process the magi? No, that can¡¯t be possible. Only our Dark Moon tower can do it!¡¯. Thought Rob. Rob, wasn¡¯t able to understand; he wasn¡¯t able to understand it, so he shouted at Luke, ¡°Kuek! You, who are you?¡± Rob asked. ¡°I am Luke de Rakan. Descendant of the Warrior Rakan.¡± ¡°That, that can¡¯t be possible?!¡± ¡°How could the descendant of Rakan use dark magic?¡± ¡°Why? Is there any law that says a descendant of a warrior should not learn dark magic?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°And, do I look like a normal warlock to you?¡± At the question from Luke, Rob went dumb. It was certain that his visitor wasn¡¯t a normal warlock. It was common sense that normal warlocks didn¡¯t know that demons could be contracted to slavery. ¡°You won¡¯t be able not to believe it even if you want to. But since I have recognized your identity, you should know well that you are needed to answer my questions, that too is the truth.¡± Saying that Luke immediately asked another question, ¡°Who did you learn the Black Spear from?¡± ¡°Black Spear?¡± Asked Rob. ¡°Yes. If you tell me from whom you learned the Black Spear from, I can release you.¡± At the attempt of Luke to make him talk, Rob shook his head with a determined face. ¡°You think I will speak?¡± Rob had no idea if the visitor was a descendant of a warrior or a demon that was heavily armored and looked like a warrior. However, he had no intention of talking about the Dark Moon. If the presence of the Dark Moon was known, they would be under attack by the citizens of their continent. At the response of Rob¡¯s, Luke nodded as if he had expected that reaction. ¡°I won¡¯t torture you. I won¡¯t be using the brainwashing magic either. It won¡¯t even work on the 6 circle magic stubborn warlock like you. Instead¡­¡± Without finishing the words, Luke just expressed his dark magic. Seeing the dark magic, Rob¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Blac, Black Spear!¡± Although the color was purple, the Black Spear was the same magic form and energy. Rob was shocked as he saw Luke developed the Black Spear, the skill that the Dark Moon Magic Tower knew, that too, he did it without any effort. Black Spear wasn¡¯t just simple techniques that could be demonstrated by learning dark magic. Without knowing the magic formula and the mana specific which Saymon created, even an 8 circle warlock couldn¡¯t perform it. In addition, a considerable amount of training was needed to keep the energy of the dark magic that was needed to execute it. However, a 20-year-old young man was able to show the Black Spear, very easily! ¡°Are you wondering how I am able to use this magic?¡±. Asked Luke. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Wondering, I ask? You are feeling anxious.¡± ¡°Kuk!¡± At the words of Luke, Rob¡¯s frown deepened. It was true, but just like his visitor said, it was an anxious situation, and he was wondering how the descendant of a warrior who supported the war against the dark magic, was able to share the same vision as his Magic Tower. ¡°I know the creators of the magic. Curious, but you can¡¯t ask about the person who stands out.¡± ¡°Stop, stop it! I won¡¯t listen to it anymore!¡± ¡°Well, can you really stand the truth even if I stop saying it?¡± Asked Luke. With that, Luke was showing off his dark magic. All in all, each of the dark magic that Luke performed were the ones that were only taught to the followers in the days of Saymon. In addition to the Black Spear, Rob was shocked at what he had to witness, the skill that only the Meister of his Magic Tower could perform. The final one, Golem. A terrible looking Golem had appeared in the dungeon, Rob reached out to see the structure of the Golem, and the magic that it had. ¡®This isn¡¯t a random golem made by normal warlocks! This is the battle golem which is made by the Dark Moon¡¯s vision!¡¯ Rob¡¯s body trembled. His fear taking control over his body, then Rob shouted, ¡°Who? Who the hell are you?¡± ¡°If you want to know about that, start with your history. Then I¡¯ll fairly let you know about me.¡± At those words, Luke walked out of the dungeon. Leaving the place, he closed the bars and said, ¡°I will come back in a day. Let me know if you have changed your mind. I won¡¯t be giving you a chance once again.¡± Luke had left. After that, Rob wasn¡¯t able to stand still, he kept on pacing back and forth in his cell. Right in front of him was the Golem which wasn¡¯t erased, the Vision of the Dark Moon, which Luke had just made. ¡®What am I supposed to do. Should I let him know about our history and find out who he is? No, there is no guarantee that he will let me live and send me back alive¡­¡¯ A few days back, he had heard the news about the Dark Moon magic Tower being visited by a Lich, who was able to perform both white and dark magic. He also knew that the Lich was someone called as Arsene, the enemy of Saymon. And Saymon was the father of the Dark Moon from over 500 years ago. ¡®Wasn¡¯t the descendant of a warrior on the side of Arsene? No, then he surely would have known about the Dark Moon, he surely wouldn¡¯t have been so curious about the history.¡¯ Thought Rob. While thinking, he heard footsteps outside. ¡®Has a day passed already?¡¯ Seeing the face of Luke, Rob went stiff. Luke smiled at Ron and asked, ¡°So, what about it? Would you like to talk now?¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Rob opened his mouth. ¡°I will tell you. But, after hearing my story if you will harm me¡­¡± With red eyes, Rob said, ¡°I will sell my body and soul over to the demon, and crush every little being on the land of Rakan!¡± ¡°Well, whatever. Talk to me, anyway.¡± Said Luke. At the irritated expression on Luke¡¯s face, Rob talked about his power and the Dark Moon magic tower. ¡°So, you learned dark magic at the Dark Moon magic tower?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Exactly. 200 years ago, the survivors of the Darkness Magic Tower gathered and built it in the northern Volga.¡± Luke¡¯s body trembled hearing that. Luke thought that Rob might have directly descended from the Darkness Magic Tower. But on the other hand, it was highly likely that Rob could have been a descendant of the enemy too. Perhaps a few humans who have attacked Saymon had taken his Dark Magic Book from the Devil King¡¯s castle, or from the Darkness tower. No, there was also a doubt of humans filled with greed stepping into unknown boundaries for their own well-being. But, Rob turned out to be the descendant of the Darkness Magic Tower! When it turned out to be true, Luke clenched his fists not knowing. The relationship he had with the Magic Tower 500 years ago, was still alive. Luke asked for more details. Like, who was the Meister of the Magic Tower, and stuff. Rob¡¯s voice went much softer every time a new question was asked. And after a while¡­ ¡°Kay, I told you everything that I could. Now, please let me know about your history.¡± ¡°Okay. Hear carefully.¡± Luke smiled and talked about the story of how he learned about Saymon¡¯s vision. How he accidentally discovered Saymon¡¯s secret lab, and the dark magic books which were there, and him attempting to learn them. ¡®If I tell them that I am Saymon, they¡¯ll treat me like a crazy human maybe?¡¯ In the dark magic, there was the skill that changes one soul into another persons¡¯ body. However, the body change magic was only possible for people who were living in the time of Saymon, so it would be hard for Luke to convince Rob. Anyhow, Luke managed to form a reasonable story for Rob. ¡°Uh, how could this have happened?!¡± Rather than being surprised, Rob was amazed. How hard did the senior wizards try for the past 500 years to the Yujin (the personal notes) of the Black Sage Saymon! But for that Yujin to be nobody else, but the descendant of the enemy who had killed Saymon! ¡°This is really lame and something that makes no sense.¡± Said Rob. ¡°Not necessarily. I am a descendant, but I understand the feelings of Saymon.¡± ¡°You understand?¡± Scoffed Rob. ¡°I read the diary which was in the lab. I knew about the situation why he had to turn into the Devil King. I understood that he wasn¡¯t a bad person like the words considered him to be. Which was why I learned his vision.¡± At the firm words of Luke, Rob¡¯s expression softened. Although he was a descendant of the warrior, he stated that he understood Syamon¡¯s admiration which made Rob feel relieved and reduce his cautiousness. ¡°But, what is that bizarre energy in your body?¡± Asked Rob. ¡°The closest force to Mana and Magi fundamentals which Saymon was researching, and the Ether of the world, the most basic force.¡± ¡°Then, your strength is the legacy which was left behind by the Black Sage?¡± ¡°Right. Maybe when he sees me having his power, I don¡¯t think Saymon would look at me with much hate.¡± Luke responded naturally. But, Rob was rather stunned by listening to his words. He suddenly got up from his place and knelt in front of Luke. ¡°What are you doing now?¡± Luke asked. ¡°As the descendant of the enemy, you have taken the vision and power of the Black Sage. You are his Yujin (shadow), you can be his disciple, he is the ancestor of the Dark Moon.¡± Whatever be the reason, Rob began to see Luke as someone who understood the heart of Saymon, and said that he could be the disciple. In other words, he was asking Luke to join the Dark Moon magic tower. ¡°You are a student who seeks the truth in the darkness, you need to take in the Magic Tower.¡± At the polite words of Rob, Luke¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Then, are you acknowledging me?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°That is true. In the spirit of the Magic Tower, you are the highest-ranking senior at the Dark Moon.¡± ¡°Then, can I see you as a subordinate?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°As long as your decisions cause no harm to the Magic Tower, I will follow any orders from the ancestor¡¯s shadow.¡± ¡°Kukuku, nice. Then, I will give you my first order.¡± Said Luke with a smile. Luke spoke and looked at Rob, ¡°I¡¯ll release you right away, so you need to go and tell the Dark Moon Meister to come and see me.¡± ¡°Need to ask the Meister to come and meet?¡± At Rob¡¯s question, Luke replied with utmost importance, ¡°Yes. I want to discuss the future of the Dark Moon magic tower with him.¡± ¡°Okay, I will carry out your orders.¡± Rob bowed to Luke and went out of the cell door which Luke had opened. ¡°Hut, maybe I will get an unexpected reinforcement.¡± With a small smile, he went up to the Fortress and began to concentrate on the work that had to be done in the Fortress. The war was over, but there were a lot of things that had to be cleaned. Chapter 141 Chapter 141: Contact with the Dark Moon 4 ¡°What did you say? He is the disciple of Saymon?¡± A week later, Meister Johas of the Dark Moon Magic Tower, met with the seventh disciple Rob, who had disappeared from the Volga Republic¡¯s army. When the Meister greeted the disciple who had returned safely from the war, he heard an unexpected story. Luke, a descendant of the warrior Rakan, was the shadow/disciple of the Black Sage, Saymon. There were already rumors that the Rakan¡¯s descendant had learned the dark magic by the Dark Elves, and through the new piece of information, the rumors had been confirmed. But to possess the dark magic Yujin of Saymon?! ¡°What crazy nonsense are you spewing! Were you brainwashed by any chance?¡± ¡°NO, that isn¡¯t possible, teacher.¡± Rob spoke about the visionary magic that he had witnessed, the battle golem he saw, and the demons who work on Luke¡¯s orders. ¡°How can an ordinary warlock take over a demon? And Luke¡¯s zeitgeist said that though he was the descendant of Rakan, he fully understood the feelings of Saymon.¡± ¡°Oh my! All these¡­!¡± Spoke Johas in disbelief. Johas was under the impression that maybe his disciple wanted to play with him. But when he saw how confident Rob was speaking about the man, he realized that it wasn¡¯t a joke. He was under the impression that the disciple had been brainwashed, however, the body showed no signs of brainwashing. ¡®Then, I guess it is true¡­¡¯ Thought Johas. ¡°Sir Luke¡¯s zeitgeist stated that he would want to meet with the Meister and discuss the matter with the Dark Moon. So he asked the Meister to come to find him.¡± Stated Rob. ¡°He wanted me, the Meister to come to meet him?¡± Asked Johas in disbelief. ¡°Yes. In terms of the position, the one who possesses the Yujin of Saymon has a higher status, I can understand that you don¡¯t want to accept it. But think about the future of our Magic Tower.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ fine. I¡¯ll think about it, so head back to your room and rest.¡± Johas responded bitterly. If it was someone else, he wouldn¡¯t have felt the need, but as Rob himself tried very hard to persuade him, he was having a change of heart. ¡®It was definite that I had to meet him, anyway.¡¯ Thought Johas. Leaving the other factors aside, it was certain that the warrior descendant was in possession of Saymon¡¯s Yujin. Whether he decided to meet him or kill him, or if it was an elaborate plan of his, Johas would have to meet him first. ¡®Furthermore, it may be that he had obtained the Yujin of Saymon, which was left behind. Then maybe we can share the difficult situation that we are facing now.¡¯ A while back, they were under attack by the Lich, Arsene, who caused tremendous damage to the Dark Moon. Many good elders had been killed, and the other warlocks and mercenaries were killed too. In addition, the main facilities of the Magic Tower were completely destroyed. As a result, the development of a hero-class Gigant which had been ordered by the President did make any major signs of progress. Determining that the one in possession of Saymon¡¯s Yujin, could contribute to the situation, Johas decided to meet Luke. The next morning. Johas along with his attendant departed for Torlot Fortress, where Luke was staying. ¡°I never thought that you would make a decision so quickly.¡± Said Rob. ¡°Why delay the situation when the heart knows what needs to be done.¡± In order to get Saymon¡¯s Yujin as quickly as possible, Johas went right away. On the afternoon of the fifth day, they were able to reach the riverside from where the Torlot Fortress was visible. ¡°I will go and inform that the teacher has arrived.¡± ¡°Oh sure, but be careful¡±. Said Johas. It was a hard task to get into the Fortress of the enemy, and Luke should be welcoming them in front of the other people in the Fortress. Rob too understood that he crossed over the river, infiltrated the Fortress and met Luke. ¡°Meister has arrived?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Yes, he is waiting across the river. Tell us where you want to meet and we¡¯ll be there¡­¡± ¡°No, there is no need for those formalities. I will meet him right away.¡± Stated Luke. Luke sneaked out of the Fortress and crossed the river along with Philip and Erwin. And met Johas who was waiting for the return of Rob. ¡°You must be Luke de Rakan?¡± Johas asked, seeing the young man. ¡°Yes. You are Johas, the Meister of Dark Moon, I presume.¡± It wasn¡¯t shown, Luke was astonished as he saw Johas. It wasn¡¯t because of the 8 circle black circles, but it was because he was looking a bit similar to Meister Jerid, who was the Darkness Magic Tower Meister, who followed Saymon in the past. In the same way, Johas was feeling the same level of astonishment that Luke felt. ¡®Isn¡¯t that the genius female wizard Erwin? But, why is she with him?¡¯ Thought Johas. It was informed that she had left to the south of the continent under the teacher¡¯s orders, Erenes, but he didn¡¯t know why. ¡®I did hear that the warrior descendant was acquainted with Erenes, was that really true?¡¯ Thinking back and forth, Johas spoke with Luke, ¡°My disciple stated that you were in possession of the Black Sage¡¯s Yujin. Can you show that to me?¡± ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t so difficult.¡± Luke summoned a golem. When he summoned the golem, Johas¡¯s eyes went wide to the extent that his eyeballs almost popped out. ¡®This, this can¡¯t be?! How can this¡­!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just because he used the dark magic of the Black Sage, or because the Golem was the same copy of Saymon¡¯s vision. The real reason for Johas to be surprised was because of the aura that Luke¡¯s soul was giving out, and the process of performing magic. Sensing the opponent¡¯s magic power, he realized that a lot of magic could be accumulated. But it was almost impossible for one to feel completeness without having any disciples. Many wizards who managed to reach the highest magic circles always lacked in training, there were those people whose magic couldn¡¯t feel complete or inspire anyone. However, Johas had been practicing the dark magic for many years, and he finally managed to reach the 8 circle, as time went, he began to gain extraordinary training. Which was he was able to feel the completeness in Luke¡¯s magic which Rob wasn¡¯t able to feel, it was so shocking that he tried to find reasons for it. ¡®It would have made sense if he was a fairy who had lived for a hundred years, but for a human to have such a delicate and magnificent force? It is an impossible task, even for a magical genius.¡¯ Johas came to the judgment that Luke¡¯s force and his completeness in the magic weren¡¯t just because of him getting the Yujin or a long-term disciple. ¡°How¡­ how are you able to?¡± Asked Johas. Johas¡¯s voice turned rather polite. Looking at the change in the tone and eyes, Luke smiled a little. In fact, Luke was able to hide the completeness in the magic. However, he showed it on purpose because he needed the Meister to know who he was dealing with. ¡°I want just the two of us to talk. Can you please step back?¡± Asked Luke. At the words of Luke, Rob stepped back coldly, however, Philip and Erwin didn¡¯t seem much fazed. The two of them had already heard a few days ago that Luke was going to join hands with the descendants of Saymon. Surely, Philp was concerned when he heard it. However, unlike what was written down in the Baroque history, he decided to stand back and watch after Luke and Erwin who told him about Saymon and how his men weren¡¯t evil. As everyone moved from their position, Luke opened his mouth staring at Johas with kind eyes. ¡°There was a wandering wizard around 500 years back. From the moment he was born he was already associated with the image of the Devil, and was persecuted by the world.¡± ¡°That, that is¡­¡± Stuttered Johas. ¡°He wandered around until the age of thirty, he despised the world and the world despised him, however, he unexpectedly crossed path with the Black Sage, Saymon. And from that moment, he became his follower. Under his guidance, the man became a 7 circle Warlock and acted as the Vice Meister of the Darkness Magic Tower. His name was Jerid. A person called as the Book of Darkness.¡± ¡°How, how do you know about¡­?!¡± As the story of his ancestor was being told to him, Johas began to turn scared and amused at the same time. The sound of Saymon, the Devil King, was a very famous name for in the current world, however, there were men under him who haven¡¯t been revealed to the world. Jerid was one of them, he was satisfied with being the shadow of Saymon, and didn¡¯t reveal his identity to the world deliberately. The records of the Darkness Magic Tower called him a full-time warlock and mentioned his name and position, however, his immediate family was the only ones who knew his past. Despite that, the young man in front of Johas was able to tell all about him, as if he knew it or saw it with his own eyes! ¡°Wondering how did I know this?¡± Asked Luke ¡°Yeah, obviously.¡± ¡°To do that, I must tell you the truth, the truth which I have never told anybody else. Are you confident enough to shoulder the burden of this truth?¡± Asked Luke. Johas hesitated for a moment but soon nodded his head with a serious expression. ¡°Even if it means that I¡¯ll fall into hell, I am willing to shoulder it.¡± Stated Johas boldly. ¡°Okay then, I will tell you the truth.¡± Luke paused a moment. A very brief pause felt like a hundred years for Johas. ¡°Luke de Rakan died last year. It was because of a Gigant accident that had happened in a hostile environment.¡± ¡°Uh? What, what do you mean?¡± Asked Johas, flustered. ¡°I am not the descendant of Rakan. I have borrowed the body of Luke¡­ but my identity¡­ is the same as the one¡­ 500 years ago.¡± Johas¡¯s body trembled. It was a possibility, but he wanted to believe that such things couldn¡¯t happen. But his pessimistic thoughts shattered at the next words from Luke. ¡°The Warlock who is referred to as the Devil King. I am him, the Black Sage, Saymon!¡± Chapter 142 A month had passed since the war with the Volga Republic had ended. During those days, the Torlot Fortress was busy with cleaning up their Fortress, the battlefield and repairing their walls. ¡°There are 78 Gigants and 125 enemy canons which we have recovered from the river. Other weapons and small weaponry were collected in 5892 bags, clothes, and all the kinds of usable munitions account to 36,201.¡± Luke seemed very pleased with Alex¡¯s report. Rather than anything else, being able to gather 78 Gigants made his day. The reason why he was able to get the Gigants was because the enemy had left them when the dam broke as they were very heavy. In the process, there was a lot of sand and debris stuck in the joints and core engine parts of the Gigants. ¡°It is a bit troublesome, but go to the iron mages and ask them to clean the Gigants.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Luke looked over at Erwin, who was next to him. However, she didn¡¯t respond, like she was contemplating on something. ¡°Look here, are you listening, Erwin?¡±, Luke called out again. When Luke spoke a little louder, she broke out from her thoughts. ¡°Ah¡­ What did you just say?¡± ¡°I told, inform the Iron Mages to clean up the Gigants. Since we lack the manpower, you should go and help them,¡± Luke repeated himself. ¡°Understood.¡± Erwin nodded and stepped out of Luke¡¯s office. She then stepped into the Gigant maintenance room. ¡®Saymon huh¡­ maybe it really isn¡¯t a lie, but the truth?¡¯ Erwin was recalling what happened two weeks ago. The Meister of Dark Moon had come to visit. The conversation she heard in the meet was something she couldn¡¯t forget. Luke said that he wanted to speak in private and dismissed his attendants. Even the brightest red ears of the elves had trouble hearing from a certain distance. Erwin, who had always been better than her cousins at hearing, unintentionally listened to their conversation. However, it sounded so absurd that she couldn¡¯t get her mind around it. The problem was that Johas was convinced! He knelt in front of Luke, who identified himself as Saymon, and placed his head on the ground. It was hard for Erwin to believe that the Meister threw away his esteem and pride in front of a man he never met. ¡°Ahhha, Meister has recognized Sir Luke as the keeper and guardian of the Magic Tower.¡± Rob explained to them, but Erwin was suspicious. Philip seemed convinced with Rob¡¯s words, but Erwin couldn¡¯t help but be confused about what she heard. ¡®It is true that Viscount Luke has completeness in magic. He is a person with drive and inspiration. But Saymon being reborn¡­ Will anyone really believe that?¡¯ The lady wasn¡¯t able to concentrate on her work or any other task allotted to her for the past two weeks because she couldn¡¯t sleep well. ¡®Does it have something to do with the weird words Master kept on saying?¡¯ Erenes told her something the last time she saw him. The star, which fell 500 years ago, would come back to life once again. Did the star coming back to life mean Saymon and his rebirth as Luke? While she was in deep thought, flames suddenly burst in front of her eyes. Puah?! ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Erwin and Anna fell back on the floor, rubbing their heads as they bumped into each other. Erwin who got back up faster than Anna began to nag her. ¡°Where did you leave your mind!¡± ¡°So, sorry.¡± The war had ended, and Anna was walking thinking that she would ask Luke for a personal training date. Anna, anxious over her mistake, bowed and apologized, disappearing seconds later. Erwin couldn¡¯t help but just sigh at the situation. She couldn¡¯t say much about the girl who was walking while preoccupied with her thoughts as she was doing the same. While Erwin was deep in her thoughts, Luke was looking over the report that Alex had left. ¡°Huhuhu, the Gigants we got should be useful enough when we decide to take down the emperor.¡± To do that, he had to operate them and bring them back to their basic alignment structure. He was going to talk with Alex and the other men later, but he had documents to write first. ¡®I feel like an official attempting to commit corruption.¡¯ Luke felt hesitant, but soon the feeling faded. After all, it was his goal to overthrow the Baroque Empire. In order to ruin the Empire, Luke thought that it was necessary for him to commit to a little corruption. While he was doing the paperwork, Philip knocked on the door and entered. ¡°What is it?¡± Asked Luke ¡°Well, there are a lot of letters addressed to you. Most of them are the ones from Princess Reina.¡± At the words from Philip, Luke jumped out of his seat. For a while, he was busy with the war and then the post-war reorganization. He had completely forgotten to send letters over to the estates. But it looked like many had been sent for him. Luke took over the letters and looked at them. Many of Reina¡¯s letters were about Luke¡¯s regards. But there were other things written in the recent ones. ¡®Hans has created an Information Guild for giving out information? Yeah, well the land definitely needs one,¡¯ thought Luke. The Information Guild wasn¡¯t necessarily needed in the rural regions. But, if one needed to know something, then they could pay money and get the information in return. And in order for a territory to grow and for Luke to confront the Imperial family, a reliable Information Guild was essential. ¡®And¡­ Erenes has come to the estate?!¡¯ Luke was shocked at what he read in the other part of the letter. He just stated that he knew Erenes when they tried to kidnap Reina, but he never imagined that Erenes would really come for him. ¡®Because of the Earth¡¯s Tears? That was something Erwin spoke of the last time¡­ Was that the mysterious power that comes out of Reina occasionally?¡¯ But what was more concerning was Erenes¡¯s health which was mentioned in the letter. ¡®I need to reply immediately. And I need to send something to Johas too.¡¯ The last time Johas came, he bowed to Luke giving him full authority. Luke had shared some of his vision with the Dark Moon Magic Tower, which they weren¡¯t aware of. And he promised them that he would send a copy of the blueprint of the Gigant, Atlas, which was being studied at the Katarina Magic Tower. It was going to take time for the study and the design of the Gigant at Katarina Magic Tower, as the Magic Tower was just founded, and Luke decided to make a profit, which was why he thought of asking Dark Moon to manufacture it. He did hear that the Dark Moon makes Gigants. After sorting out the letters which Reina had sent, Luke reached out to the last letter, an order from the Imperial court. Luke opened the enveloped with a very displeased expression and looked at the order. ¡°What does it say?¡± Asked Philip seeing the weird expression on Luke¡¯s face. ¡°Come to the capital with the captured enemy Gigants and weapons. And to attend the Imperial Council to explain the battle process and attend the Victory Parade at the Nemesis Central Square?¡± Luke wasn¡¯t aware of it, but after the war with the Volga Republic, the Baroque Empire was suffering from conflict. Until then, the nobles, who had the roles of only being the humans to keep the others in check had no power to make their own decision, and now they were attacking the Emperor, stating that the Emperor had to take responsibility for the Empire¡¯s defeat. The Emperor argued that the war wasn¡¯t a defeat but a victory. The evidence was not just driving the enemy troops from the Empire but also advancing into the territory of the Republic and defeating several of their Fortresses. ¡°Huh! Just recently you tried to get me killed, and now you want me to join you in the Victory Parade?¡± He wanted to speak like that to the Emperor who gave him the orders. However, as the Emperor was politically being cornered, Luke thought he could use this situation to his benefit. ¡°What do you think?¡± Asked Philip ¡°We need to go and see how pathetic they look, right?¡± At the response of Luke, Philip couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Then, just give the orders and we¡¯ll begin to prepare.¡± ¡°Good work.¡± After Philip went to do his duty, Luke responded to Reina¡¯s letters. Luke wanted to make her feel at ease as quickly as possible, so he stated that he was safe, which was why he called for his demon, Sebastian. ¡°Did you call me, Master?¡± ¡°Send this letter over to Princess Reina who is in Lamer city. If you¡¯re capable of flying it will only take a day to do this.¡± ¡°Tch, Lamer is quite far from here¡­¡± Grumbling to himself, Sebastian flew to the south with his black wings that spread widely in the sky. After that, Luke attended a military meeting in the afternoon. But the knights attending the meeting seemed to be very excited. ¡°Sire, we heard that you were invited to this year¡¯s Victory Parade, is that right?¡± ¡°Did Philip told you?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Yes, if you need an attendant, please take me!¡± ¡°No, please take me. I can do it well!¡± ¡°What nonsense, you aren¡¯t even an Expert!¡± The knights were taking a dig at each other. If it was possible, Luke wanted to take them all. However, they needed to stay back to protect the Fortress. ¡°Don¡¯t fight. Let¡¯s deal with this fairly,¡± Luke said. When it came down to thinking fairly, Anna and Alex were the lucky ones to go to the Capital city. ¡®Ah, thank God!¡¯ Anna was feeling all jumpy as she liked it. She believed it as God¡¯s sign for her to make some sort of connection with Luke. ¡®Hehe, if I am going to the capital, I need to make a move.¡¯ Anna was in her own line of thought. She had never even imagined that she would be able to meet the tremendous force of the capital. Chapter 143 The Central Square of the capital, Nemesis of the Baroque Empire. Out of the very few statues of Karno de Baroque, one statue stood in the middle of the square. ¡°Are those the Volga Republic military equipment?¡± ¡°Huhu, when we all serve at the border during the active duties, you¡¯ll see that those things look better if you look at them up close.¡± In the central square, there were a lot of war weapons from the Volga Republic that Luke had captured. The most eye-catching of them were the ten Gigants. The Volga Republic¡¯s Gigants had a distinctive dark green crest. The heads of the Gigants were bowed down as if they were held captive. However, not all the Gigants were like that. Some of them were painted like clowns and were clothed like one. They were moving around the square with people placed on both of their shoulders. The clown Gigants was meant to walk around, making children enjoy their time. ¡°Sir Knight, please give me a ride.¡± ¡°Me, first! I have been waiting for a long time!¡± ¡°No! I was the one who waited longer!¡± Luke looked annoyed at the kids who were screaming. It wasn¡¯t possible to blame the kids as they were all overjoyed with the situation. Luke came to Nemesis the day before and handed over the loot to the Imperial family. Then, as if the Imperial Court was waiting for it, the loot Luke brought was immediately displayed in the central square as evidence of their victory. In addition, the Emperor attracted the people¡¯s attention by creating an interesting event, which included the enemy nation¡¯s military equipment. ¡®Well, it was hit badly¡­¡¯ The northern part of the Empire was devastated and the Northern army was hit very hard, hard enough that it was impossible to rebuild. As a result, the Emperor had received blame and grief from the nobles. After causing the military actions which incited the enemy, he was obviously blamed for the result as the aftermath of his act was huge. It was argued that the Imperial parliament needed to reduce the Emperor¡¯s authority. The Proof was the triumph of Torlot Fortress. The Emperor used the sweeping of 60,000 of Volga Republic¡¯s ¡®elite¡¯ soldiers and knights by hand and then crossing the border and defeating 7 more of the enemy Fortresses to proclaim that the Empire was victorious. At the same time, to make the victory look triumphant, the Emperor¡¯s nobles stated that Luke would be given the title of ¡®War Hero Luke¡¯. The Emperor¡¯s response was fast. It was so fast that even before Luke had even set foot in Nemesis, his portrait and the battle scenes were being played on the streets. Of course, it was all prepared in a hurry. The portrait on display looked more like the Warrior Rakan than Luke, and the man who drew it did the task not knowing the situation. ¡®It looks like the disparities between the Emperor and the nobles are more than what I had imagined. Well, surely the Northern estates of the Emperor¡¯s nobles were indeed smashed¡­¡¯ Thought Luke. Due to the collapse of the North, the power of the Emperor and the other nobles became the same. Because of that, the nobles were trying their very best to tip the scales of power, and the Emperor¡¯s side was trying to hold onto their power and keep themselves ahead. ¡®What I am looking forward to is the scenario after the Victory Parade¡­¡¯ Until then, the Empire had been constantly awarding the veterans whenever a war broke out at the end of the Victory Parade. And this time, it was stated that Luke had played the biggest role in the war, and the Emperor, who made the ceremony, had no other option but to reward Luke handsomely. Not awarding the victory to the War hero was the same as accepting the defeat. ¡°Viscount, are you tired? I can ride the Gigant for you.¡± ¡°You would?¡± Asked Luke. At the question from Anna, Luke got off the cockpit. He looked a little bit pale. Luke, in the clown Gigant, put the children down who was riding his shoulders, and Luke stepped forward. Thud! Thud! ¡°Wah! The Gigant moves!¡± ¡°Run, run fast!¡± The kids on the Gigant shouted with excitement. The children followed the Gigant, like chicks following the hen. Seeing the naughty kids, Luke became tired. ¡°Phew, I didn¡¯t know that dealing with kids was going to be harder than dealing with 60,000 enemies,¡± muttered Luke. ¡°Huhu, even then, aren¡¯t they cute?¡± Alex spoke from the side with a grin on his face. Though it was unexpected, he liked the kids quite a bit. Even when the children were all eagerly asking questions, he responded to each of them very kind and patiently. ¡°By the way, the dynamics of the nobles?¡± Luke asked with his head full of thoughts. Alex¡¯s father was a nobleman in the capital, and he had a wide network. Luke asked for the information, and Alex went to his father right away and gathered the information. ¡°According to my father, the nobles are now preparing for a full-on war which will be held in the Imperial parliament after five days.¡± The nobles, who trusted the Emperor, were said to be preparing for a huge counter-attack brought about by Marquis Cavanill. ¡°Marquis Cavanill?¡± ¡°He is said to be one of the three head noblemen along with Duke Butler and Marquis Mayers. It has been said that he served on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice for the former Emperor.¡± Cavanill was a descendant of a noble, and he was self-reliant which made it obvious for him to join the noblemen. ¡°Well, I have no intention of going to war even if such a man stands on its head.¡± ¡°Whatever be the case, a typhoon will come.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be just a typhoon if the nobles were dead set on something. ¡°I¡¯m thankful that they are fighting amongst themselves. By the way, what is Erwin doing right now?¡± Luke asked. ¡°It looks like she just stayed in her room all day long, but I am not sure what she is doing,¡± said Alex. ¡°Yeah?¡± Erwin disregarded Luke¡¯s words to remain in the Fortress and followed him to Nemesis. However, on the first day of their arrival, she made a magic communication with someone, and Luke¡¯s face darkened because of that. It seemed like something bad had happened, but Luke hadn¡¯t drilled her on what happened. ¡°We never know, so keep your eyes on her and avoid any accidents. There will be numerous wizards in the capital who recognizes her.¡± A hundred years ago, she manufactured artificial magic stones and caused a new wind in the magic world. It surely had been a long time, but she was still one of the most memorable faces that any wizard could remember. In particular, the capital sheltered five out of the ten famous Magic Towers on the continent. ¡®If we get tangled up in here, it would turn very tiresome, so we need to be very cautious.¡¯ Luke thought back and smiled at the people who gathered there to get his signature. Unfortunately, he had to do the same task again and again until the end of the Victory Parade. Chapter 144 Chapter 144: Blowing Winds in the Capital 3 Luke went back to the accommodation where he was staying after a long day¡¯s struggle, to find a bunch of letters in his room. They were sent by the Count, someone who had referred to Luke as Lord, asked him to be present at the banquet feast of his family. After looking through a few pages, Luke threw them into the trash. Luke had no time to spare and go to a banquet or a feast, nor did he have any desire to interact with any nobles. Seeing Luke¡¯s act, Philip asked, ¡°Maybe you should drop by for just one second and get familiar with them? In the future, just one noble on our side could¡­¡± ¡°I understand what you are trying to say, but if you look at me now, I am all alone and by myself. The same people who were bullying me till a few days back are asking me to join then, what is their reason for the change? The nobles, the Emperor, they are all using me, you must know that.¡± The forces of both, the nobles and the emperor were in a tight battle. As a result, they were determined to recruit powerful and prestigious people to their own sides. In addition, Luke had no intention of siding with nobles who only end up acting like Emperor. Now, they were all roaring against the emperor and his power, but there was a time when their ancestors were fighting alongside the Baroque family and persecuted the fairies. ¡°Anyway, I am tired, so I¡¯ll go take rest, if there is something that is important, then let me know.¡± ¡°Understood. Please rest.¡± Philip bowed his head and headed straight to his room. As Philip went away, Luke went out to the terrace and looked at the landscape. ¡°It is a great view. Only if there was a star which would touch the ground.¡± Luke¡¯s group was staying at one of the best accommodations in the Imperial region. Because the nobles and the other high ranking officials were given their stay there, the Imperial officers had no choice but to place them there. ¡®There are a lot of people who struggle with pain in the darkness of a beautiful night. If there is light, there is darkness¡­¡¯ Looking at the night view which ended up taking Luke down his bitter memory lane, Luke walked back to his room. However, he was slightly impressed by the unfamiliar person that he had never seen before. ¡°Who are you? If you have a message stick your head out.¡± If Luke felt like he was in trouble, he would have immediately pulled out his sword. At the frosty voice of Luke¡¯s, a sleek man in his late thirties came up from behind the furniture. ¡°Are you Luke de Rakan?¡± He asked. ¡°Yeah, you?¡± Despite the not-so-warm response from Luke, the opponent smiled and greeted him ¡°I am Baron Manuel, the secretary of Marquis Cavanill.¡± ¡°Why would you sneak into a man¡¯s room like a thief?¡± At the question from Luke, Manuel looked straight into Luke¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Sir Marquis has ordered me to specifically deliver a message only for your ear. I would have never hurt you, Viscount.¡± ¡°Yeah? Then, let me heart it.¡± Asked Luke. Luke had heard something from Alex during the day, so he decided to listen to what the man had to offer him. Upon the given permission, Manuel presented the proposal of the Marquis with a peculiar tone. ¡°On the eve of the Victory Parade, at the Imperial Court, you will have to announce that the war is a defeat and not a victory.¡± With Luke¡¯s words contradicting the emperor¡¯s will about the War heroes, Luke would be able to overturn the situation which was leaning towards the emperor. ¡®So, they thought of fighting back by twisting me?¡¯ Luke, who was scowling inside, talked as if he was interested. ¡°What if I do declare that it was a defeat?¡± ¡°It will put you on the side of the nobles. And we will hand over the estates in the north of the Nair River.¡± On the North Side of the Nair River, was Baron Powell, a noble. Baron Powell had a rather small estate, however, it was important because it was on the way to the capital Nemesis. And if the Rakans had to fight it out with the Imperial family, it would be the first to occupy. ¡®To the Marquis, Rakan is a beast whose claws are hidden. Right now, I am bowing down to these people because I don¡¯t have the strength, but when that moment comes, I will expose not just the claws but my fangs too for the Imperial family.¡¯ Which was why the Marquis thought Luke would never reject the offer. And the proposal went on. ¡°And in the future, the noblemen promise to take a neutral side in case any conflict happens with the Imperial family.¡± If the nobles, in charge of the great power in the Imperial went neutral, a lot of burdens would be lifted from Luke. However at the same time, Luke saw the other side of Marquis Cavanill¡¯s plan. ¡®When I go fighting with the Imperial, he will be the one benefitting from it.¡¯ If the Rakan decides to bite the Imperial, the noblemen would end up getting the power. After hearing what Baron Manuel had to say, Luke, pretending like he was in some deep thoughts, opened his mouth, ¡°Would it be possible to give me some time to think this through?¡± ¡°Two days, after that, I¡¯ll come and meet you.¡± With those words, Baron Manuel quietly disappeared. ¡°What? Marquis Cavanill has sent a proposal to the Rakan Viscount?¡± ¡°Yes, your majesty. I think that he¡¯s planning on something.¡± Late at night, Count Voltas had delivered some amazing news to the emperor. Emperor Rudolf came out of his bed and looked annoyed. ¡°Cavanill! I have been holding myself back all this time! And he is planning on doing something behind me back?¡± The emperor screamed. ¡°How about we get rid of Marquis Cavanill this time?¡± Asked the emperor. Marquis Cavanill, with his outstanding mind and eloquence, was in charge of the noblemen, along with Duke Butler as Sword Master, and Marquis Mayers was the one in charge of forming the southern forces. By staying in the capital, the emperor thought that they were trying to put a check on him and his power, but never thought that they were planning to take the throne! ¡°If that person suddenly dies, would the nobles stay still?¡± Asked Voltas. ¡°Yeah, without leaving any proof behind, it can be done.¡± Said the emperor. In fact, it was Rudolf who wanted to get rid of all the nobles. But in order to get rid of the nobles who occupied a third of the empire, Rudolf would have to shed a lot of blood. And that act, if not executed properly, would reduce the power of the Empire. Therefore, even if he didn¡¯t like it, Rudolf could do nothing but keep still. However, for him, the nobles had crossed a line. The nation was badly damaged due to the war, and they would dare to reduce the Emperor¡¯s authority! ¡°Okay, do that. But tell them to be sure not to leave any evidence behind.¡± In the silent response of Rudolf, Voltas responded in a confident manner, ¡°Not long ago, the members of Hydra had become master. They will be able to get rid of Marquis Cavanill without leaving any evidence.¡± In the Imperial family, there were numerous secret organizations which were being sheltered and trained apart from the Knights of Guard and the Royal Magic Tower. Among them was an assassination organization called Hydra, which had been made up with a limited number of assassins, and just recently an Assassin Master was born. ¡®Hmm, if he is a Master, then surely¡­¡¯ The guards of the Marquis weren¡¯t surely going to be easy to handle, especially since Cavanill is a great noble. It was definite that excellent knights and wizards would be around him all the time, and killing him through that guard wouldn¡¯t be an easy task for anyone. However, if it was Master, then it could be different. Like the Sword Master and Spear Master, the assassin too had a master. If an assassin could reach that level, then even a Sword Master can be assassinated without any trace of struggle, almost like a natural death. ¡°Then, I will trust you.¡± Rudolf spoke with a bright face, and as if suddenly reminded of something, he asked, ¡°But, what should we do about that Luke guy?¡± ¡°Though he has been contacted by the men of Marquis Cavanill, there was no solid evidence that he had been bought by them. So, for now, let¡¯s call him and give him as much credit as possible, sire.¡± ¡°But, would the man believe my words?¡± Asked Rudolf. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have to believe you. But till the time this war inside the capital ends, he shouldn¡¯t be in a state to hold hands with the nobles.¡± ¡°Then, call him over as soon as possible.¡± And with that, the two men drifted into other conversations. Chapter 145 Chapter 145: Blowing Winds in the Capital 4 Two days later, Baron Manuel had come back to the accommodation. Luke had decided to accept the proposal of the Marquis. He didn¡¯t want to be used by either the nobles or the Emperor, but he wanted to be in a situation to his advantage as much as possible. ¡®If the words put a wing on the nobles political power, Emperor Rudolf is likely to be forced into taking an armed action not to lose this empire.¡¯ Luke wasn¡¯t going to join the fight and was only going to build strength. Then, when the two beasts of the Emperor and the nobles would get tired of biting each other, he decided to go out and take his revenge. Without knowing Luke¡¯s intention, Baron Manuel smiled with joy. ¡°Hahaha, you have made the right decision. Sir Marquis is holing a banquet tomorrow, so please join us in the event.¡± ¡°I think it will be better not to show myself out too much¡­¡± ¡°Please do not worry. It is a masquerade ball. All you¡¯ll have to do is to avoid any eye contact at a moderate level.¡± Baron Manuel handed over the invitation and a gold-plated colorful butterfly mask, taking his leave. When Luke was getting ready to attend the banquet, Anna trembled into the room. ¡°Huge news, something unexpected has happened!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Philip who was attending to Luke asked with a bothered expression. Anna was surely a girl with a talent for swordsmanship, and she had never neglected her job. But there was one thing. The problem was, her words would drift in after a while, and the party listening to it would have trouble concentrating. But it was different that day, her voice trembled because she heard something about the capital visit. ¡°Please don¡¯t be surprised! But Marquis Cavanill died in his mansion this very morning!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Luke stared at her with shock registered on his face. Anna continued to the matter, she was relaying everything to him in detail. ¡°Since he wasn¡¯t out of his bed in the morning, the attendants had gone to wake him, but as they went into the room, they saw that he passed away in his sleep.¡± The body had to be examined in detail to know of the cause, but it was highly likely that the incident would be considered as a natural death. It was a known fact that Marquis Cavanill had been suffering from a heart disease. But, Luke¡¯s mind was telling him something else. After Manuel had left, two days back giving him the invitation, Luke asked Alex¡¯s intelligence to find out about Marquis Cavanill. He was suffering from a heart disease and was at an old age, but he was quite active and vigorous. He was a man who was energetic enough to cooperate with Luke by constantly sending him subordinates. And how could such a person die in sleep? That too, on such a timing, it seemed very crafty. Luke hurriedly sent Philip over to the information guild and asked Alex to take care of the sources in Alex¡¯s household. He thought that information from two different places could shed light on unseen details. ¡°The nobles are currently upset with the sudden death of Marquis Cavanill.¡± The nobles of capital had gone to Marquis residence, to bid him farewell for the last time. It could be an assassination. But, even with close examination, there was no trace of an assassination attempt. The reports revealed the cause to be a heart attack. And it didn¡¯t seem so unusual as Marquis Cavanill was suffering from a heart disease. The nobles were in turmoil. The death of the Marquis was indeed a huge shock, but right before the hearing at the Imperial Court, the most reliable person to the noblemen had disappeared overnight. ¡®Really, a natural cause?¡¯ When Luke was in his own doubts, he began to think about confirming the cause. That way, maybe his anxiety would settle down. He ordered the party to wait in the quarters and sneaked out to inspect the death of Marquis Cavanill. Late that night, Marquis¡¯s mansion was quite crowded. The banquet, was the one which had to be held in the mansion, and it was later canceled, but the death of Marquis Cavanill brought the plethora of nobles of the capital into the mansion. But their presence didn¡¯t prevent Luke from infiltrating the mansion. The proper use of reflective magic and the dark invisibility magic, Luke was able to enter the room which held the Marquis¡¯s body without much difficulty. The face of the Marquis enshrined inside the splendid coffin and it was like he was sleeping in there. If he was indeed killed by someone, there was never a way where one would have a peaceful face. Luke approached the coffin and scrutinized the body of the Marquis. Wondering if he was poisoned by some unknown poison or magic, but there were no such traces at all. ¡®Famous priests and wizards must have looked at him, and there was no such thing, the news would have spread if they found something.¡¯ When he looked thoroughly at the body of the Marquis, Luke decided to step back and give up. However, he was feeling a strange energy from the heart of the Marquis. A dark, sullen energy, almost as if a small caterpillar had awakened. Luke seemed to have sensed it somewhere. ¡®What could this be? This energy is very similar to the demon that I summoned 500 years ago¡­ ah!¡¯ He was able to think of it. That detectable heart energy, was the Round Worm, an insect of the Devildom. Something that would be tough to identify even in the Devildom, once it enters the heart of the host, it begins to eat the body from the inside. Naturally, a damaged heart wouldn¡¯t function properly and will cause the host to die, the problem was it appeared to be a simple heart attack for the others. In that time, 500 years back, Luke experimented with curiosity about the Round Worms that he picked up from the Devildom, and as a result, he was able to know more about them. ¡®This makes it clear as to how the Marquis had been killed.¡¯ Round worms were naturally spreading creatures of the earth. Someone must have summoned them from Devildom and used them. ¡®A warlock in the Imperial or for the Emperor?¡¯ Whatever the case, Luke confirmed that it was an assassination and not a natural death, and escaped from the chamber where the body was placed. If he lingered anymore, he might get caught, and that would turn painful. But, right when he was about to leave the mansion. A few voices entered his ears and made him stop halfway. ¡°Hu, this is a huge deal.¡± ¡°I know, right. The Marquis has passed away, there is no way that the Emperor can be held responsible in this situation!¡± ¡°But even then, is there no evidence, not one? We can¡¯t even hold the Emperor responsible like this!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there any evidence yet? If we had only a physical certificate, we could immediately go over to the Imperial palace and demand punishment.¡± They were the young nobles in their twenties and thirties belonging to the nobility. They were talking about the death of the Marquis which had been done by the Emperor. But they were frustrated because they couldn¡¯t reveal the murder method and evidence. ¡®Oho, look here?¡¯ Luke suddenly felt an idea to go through his mind. Originally, the Imperial Parliament declared that the war with the Volga was a defeat, and not victory, and that made the Emperor pushed into an unfavorable condition. But from the moment of Marquis¡¯s death, everything seemed to be turning hot and unpredictable. ¡®Huhuhu, I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡¯ With excitement, Luke went out of the mansion of Cavanill with a smile on his face. Chapter 146 Chapter 146: Conflict and Opposition 1 Baron Jonathan was a young noble who was credited with leading the future of the Empire, and he was currently serving as the Empire¡¯s Internal ministry. He had an excellent ability to carry out the task at hand, and his loyalty to the Emperor was unrivaled. Emperor Rudolf too had honored him and praised him on numerous occasions. ¡°Haam! Is it time yet?¡± Seeing a dark shadow outside the window, Jonathan got out of his desk. His wife had been nagging him a lot lately, telling him that he had been working too hard recently. After leaving the Internal Ministry office, he hurried back to the mansion. He went up to the bedroom which was on the second floor and tried to soothe his wife who was upset with him being late. ¡°My dear, I have come¡­¡± Puak! Baron Jonathan, who opened the bedroom door, was shocked. A knife had come from behind and stabbed him in the back. As he turned his head, he was met with the resentful words of the man behind him. ¡°Kukk, this is for not being on the side of the Emperor.¡± With a cold sarcasm, the knife, which went through Jonathan¡¯s heart, had been pulled back. The assassin who had stabbed him didn¡¯t waste any more time and disappeared into the darkness. ¡°Honey, Honey¡­¡± The lady, who had to see an unexpected sight of her husband dying in front of her eyes, wasn¡¯t able to come back to reality. Her face turned white after seeing her fallen husband in front of her. She thought that he was just pranking her for her constant nagging. Believe it or not, her husband¡¯s body was getting colder with every second, and the blood flowing from his heart was turning the floor red. ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± Later, a scream had come out of the lady¡¯s mouth after realizing that what was happening was real. ¡°Tch! Pathetic writers. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing after a day full of discussions and measures and yet can¡¯t come to a conclusion. If we don¡¯t do it, we are in huge trouble.¡± Viscount Dugal was a noble lord of high esteem on the western side of the Empire. At the age of forty which he had reached this very year, he was a well-established swordsman with a solid yet lean body. He was the best. After hearing about the story of Marquis Cavanill, he stepped into a meeting with the noble lords for the night. However, the nobles were all cranky and couldn¡¯t jump into a conclusion. It was because there was no evidence. They couldn¡¯t place the blame on the Emperor nor could they let the issue go. So, no decision had been made to convene an emergency meeting in which all the nobles on their side were present. ¡°Tch, frustrating.¡± With a dissatisfied shout, he was about to leave the meeting room. It was very unlikely that the Emperor or a few neutral nobles would welcome him. Whether he was meant to be killed or to share a bread with, he was stuck with the nobility to the end. ¡®I have nothing to discuss with these milk-drinking fools. I should go and see Duke Butler and discuss things with him.¡¯ When Dugal¡¯s mind was fixed, the wagon he was riding had entered an alley in the outskirts. ¡°Huh? Where are you taking me?¡± It wasn¡¯t the way to his home. They turned in an unfamiliar alley instead. Dugal tried to talk to the driver. Before the wagon stopped, the driver talked to him, ¡°Please get down.¡± Dugal did get out of the wagon and saw a man, whom he didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°You¡¯re not my driver!¡± His wagon was always driven by the same man, but this man standing in front of him wasn¡¯t the one. ¡°Huh hoo, if you have just noticed it now, you¡¯re rather duller than I thought.¡± The driver¡¯s face was a face he had not seen before. ¡°Are you an assassin sent by the Emperor?¡± Asked Dugal. The young man smiled faintly and nodded. He pulled out his sword and looked at Dugal. ¡°Well, you can say that.¡± At the man¡¯s response, Dugal realized that the young man in front of him wasn¡¯t an assassin sent by the Emperor. ¡®Who the hell is this guy?¡¯ If one was to assassinate a noble in the capital, when caught, that person would be executed. Was there another force in the Empire who had the power to do such a thing? Dugal tried to assess his opponent. It was very unlikely that the man would tell Dugal what he wanted that easily, and Dugal wasn¡¯t a man who liked to talk either. ¡®It is better to cut off an arm and a leg and then interrogate him.¡¯ Dugal thought. The man could be strong, or he could be one of those cowards who would just run away, but Dugal was confident that he wouldn¡¯t lose a one on one fight. In addition, he was being escorted by two Expert-class knights. The escort knights had pulled out their swords the moment they stepped off the wagon. ¡°We¡¯ll make you regret behaving like this in front of our Lord,¡± said one of the knights. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Asked the so-called assassin. ¡°Huk!¡± The escort knights, who tried to rush toward the young man, fell on the ground while putting their hands on their chests which seemed to be in pain. Dark red blood flowed down their noses and mouths. Dugal had taken a step back as he started to feel severe pain in his heart. ¡°Poi, poisoned¡­ How did you?¡± ¡°I sprayed it inside the wagon. While you were riding it, you kept taking it in,¡± said the assassin. ¡°This coward!¡± Viscount Dugal grunted through his teeth and pulled out his sword. But the moment he took out his sword, the pain became more unbearable. His body, betraying his will, collapsed into the floor. ¡°Even if I die, I will never forgive you.¡± Dugal, who cursed the young man, fell to the ground and threw up blood only to die seconds later. The young man, with a cold expression, smiled. ¡°I did it in a hurry, but I guess it did work better than what I imagined.¡± Dugal¡¯s body was filled with poison that had been made from the blood of a monster called Harpy, which was a commonly used technique by assassins. The poison was mainly used for assassinating knights because it could spread much faster in beings who could use aura. The poison was usually put on daggers or in food and drinks, but the young man had sprayed it in the wagon. ¡°I did the other thing with this.¡± The mumbling young man dropped something next to Dugal¡¯s body and disappeared into the darkness. Chapter 147 Chapter 147: Conflict and Opposition 2 Once again the ripple struck the capital the day before, right after the death of Marquis Cavanill. Overnight, several nobles and nobles of the Emperor had died. And naturally, both sides flipped over. They went out looking for the culprit and found the clues that they thought the culprit had left, unlike the case of Marquis Cavanill. The clues were all usually small and suspicious items, such as the velvet textile used by the Imperial Forces, or the handkerchiefs that were sold in the nearby shops of a noble¡¯s mansion. But the two sides, who had already doubted each other, were busy criticizing each other than looking for reliable clues. ¡°It was his intention to kill us in the Empire capital region.¡± ¡°That is right. There are no definite clues, but the same man definitely killed Marquis Cavanill.¡± A manor outside the Nemesis. Many knew noble figures were gathered. They seriously condemned the assassination call of the Emperor and called for a federal action. ¡°Duke Butler, what do you think about this?¡± In the topmost seat of the meeting room. Seated there was a white-haired old man with sharpness in his eyes. He was the one called Duke Butler, representing the noblemen. He was huge in the West. He ran straight to the capital upon hearing the news about Marquis Cavanill. The man, who was quietly listening to their words till then, finally decided to speak as the nobles wanted to know of his opinion. ¡°Is this really the work of the Emperor?¡± Butler asked. ¡°Yes. All the clues that we have discovered are pointing at the Emperor so far. It is the work of the Emperor.¡± The words were from a young noble, Cardiff, who thought that the emperor was quite crafty. But knowing the Emperor, he would certainly never do anything as stupid as to leave behind evidence. However, no matter how dense Emperor Rudolf was, not all of the Emperor¡¯s nobles were the same as him. Many of the Emperor¡¯s nobles were just worms with the highest loyalty to the Emperor. There was a highly good chance that such worms might have done a poor job gaining the advantage of the Emperor. Whatever the reason was, if such assumptions were indeed right, the responsibility would ultimately be attributed to the head, the Emperor. ¡°Marquis Mayers, what are your thoughts on this?¡± Asked Butler. Mayers, who was sitting on the opposite side of Duke Butler, opened his mouth. ¡°I feel a bit unsure, but things shouldn¡¯t be like this anymore. For starters, I think we should have a minimum safety measure?¡± Marquis Mayers, who had come to the capital before Duke Butler, insisted that the noblemen should be united. If they were all scattered, they would definitely be blown away. ¡°So, are you proposing a rebellion?¡± The word rebellion, which came out from the mouth of Duke Butler, made the faces of all the nobles in the room turn stiff. The word held such heavy meaning. ¡°Not a rebellion. Let¡¯s just show the Emperor that we are united and ask him to punish the man who was behind this incident. And to transfer some of the Emperor¡¯s power over to the Imperial Council.¡± In other words, it was kind of an armed demonstration. In fact, the nobles knew well that they wouldn¡¯t win easily if they went head-to-head with the Emperor. No matter what, the Emperor¡¯s army and the Emperor¡¯s knights would still always be superior to the nobles. But thankfully, Count Kyle was killed a while back, and half of the six Sword Masters of the Empire now belonged to the noblemen. In particular, Duke Butler, who was the second strongest after Rudolf, had gained a lot of trust and respect from the Central Knights. That was why the Emperor thought that he couldn¡¯t ignore their demands. ¡°Uhm, is that the only way?¡± ¡°Yes. We are already stepping on the back of the dragon, walking back is like accepting our own defeat.¡± Many of the nobles, like Marquis Mayers, were from the royals of the kingdom which had been occupied by the Baroque Empire. The only reason that they had followed the Emperor was because they had no power. ¡°I agree with Marquis Mayers.¡± ¡°Yes, if not now, when will we show our strength?¡± Here and there, the nobles began to move in favor of the so-called rebellion. Eventually, according to the number of opinions, the nobles decided to assemble a force, and both Butler and Mayers were the ones to pressure the Imperial family. Kwang! ¡°What happened? For the other nobles other than Cavanill to be taken down?!¡± In the Emperor¡¯s office. Emperor Rudolf was angry with Count Voltas. Because something that he hadn¡¯t expected had happened. But, Count Voltas was in the same manner. ¡°I don¡¯t know what has happened in the city. I called the Meister of Hyrda and asked, but he said that they didn¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Then who the hell did this? And by the way, are you sure that nobles of our side didn¡¯t go killing the nobles on their side?¡± The Emperor nobles and the knights, who died that night, were men who were administrative officers he cherished. They were talented people that could lead the Empire to a better future, but everything changed in a moment. ¡°It still isn¡¯t clear¡­ The intelligence department is still investigating it, so the truth will surely come out soon.¡± A few clues were found near the carcasses of the dead Emperor nobles. However, the evidence was so obvious that it was doubtful if it could be trusted or not. So, the Empire¡¯s intelligence department moved to investigate it. ¡°This is¡­ Nothing really works the way it has to!¡± Rudolf, who was frustrated, pounded his chest. Count Voltas couldn¡¯t do anything but look at the Emperor. Chapter 148 Chapter 148: Conflict and Opposition 3 ¡®Kukk, yeah, take the bite!¡¯ Luke, who had done all that work, exploded internally when he looked at the ugly atmosphere which rose in the capital. If there indeed was a small clash between the emperor and the nobles, then it would surely develop into a civil war. If a civil war broke out, even if the Emperor won it, he would suffer a lot of damages. That would be a great chance for Luke to kill on the two enemies that he has. ¡®I thought that it would take around 10 years for this situation to develop, but this would unexpectedly save me a lot of time.¡¯ When Luke was in his own thoughts. A group of people had entered the room after a knock. ¡°Sir Luke!¡± A slender beauty with silver hair, among other men approached him. Anna, who had guided the people inside looked astounded at them. ¡°Reina?! No, how, why are you here?¡± Anna was surprised because the face of Luke was colored with joy and smile. Before coming to the capital, he had sent a letter to her but never did Luke imagined that princess Reina would come to the capital to see him. ¡°You had said that you were going to the Capital for rewards. And I couldn¡¯t wait to see you any longer¡­¡± Not knowing that she was getting emotional seeing Luke, Reina¡¯s face blushed at her own words. ¡°You aren¡¯t hurt anywhere, right?¡± She asked with her blushing face. ¡°Hahaha, you see I am all fine. So, have you been doing well? You weren¡¯t sick any time, right?¡± ¡°My heart was in dread with the worry of the young Lord.¡± ¡°Oh, my¡­¡± The two of them were busy talking to each other after a long time and they didn¡¯t even care if they were being watched or not. It was all because of the time that they had spent far away from the other which made their love grew strong. But from the standpoint of the others who didn¡¯t know of their feelings, that didn¡¯t mean much. ¡°Uhm, Lord. Do you not see us?¡± ¡°Ah, you people have come too.¡± Hans and the other retainers looked sad. It was because the Lord whom they had raised from the stage of a child wasn¡¯t even looking at them, he looked very ungrateful. Not knowing that, Luke asked, ¡°How would I even think that everyone would be coming here, especially if there was nothing to report to me?¡± ¡°Since princess Reina decided to come, we too wanted to come to see your face.¡± The retainers heard that their Lord had survived the Volga Republic War and was set for merit. But they were all worried that Reina wouldn¡¯t be able to handle herself after meeting Luke. They were all under the fear that Luke was either injured or hurt and was acting strong for the sake of the princess. ¡°Take a seat first. And princess, you too sit down.¡± Luke making Reina sit close to her looked over at Anna. ¡°Sir Anna. Please get some refreshments in here.¡± ¡°Understood, sir.¡± As usual, with her weak voice, Anna had replied and left the room with shoulders hanging. However, Luke had his eyes only for Reina, so he didn¡¯t realize that Anna seemed unusually upset. When everyone in the room sat down, they all talked about the current situation. The retainers looked at Luke¡¯s condition and relaxed a little. Soon, the reports about the estates began to flow in. It was the same as the reports which had come in two months back and nothing drastic had changed. The estate was managed well by the retainers, and the Lamer city was more prosperous than ever, especially after the war, under the leadership of Reina and the Merchant Union. In addition, the Katarina Magic Tower which was under Mute was growing at a steady rate with wizards flocking in, and Mute going to the streets to pick up kids with magical qualities from the estate. ¡°And as a result of the Lord¡¯s command, the recruitment is happening steadily, we have seventy thousand soldiers, five hundred knights, and eighty Gigant.¡± Luke was satisfied with the difference that he saw from the estate the moment he opened his eyes and the current time. ¡°You have all been working hard this time. However, we still have a lot to do to achieve our goals.¡± Said Luke. ¡°Understood.¡± The entire party of Luke responded, ¡°Ah and, Sir Hans. I heard that the Information Guild was being created, did it happen?¡± Luke asked with some thoughts in his mind. ¡°I was going to proceed with the Lord. Please come inside.¡± As Hans clapped his hands, the door opened with a middle-aged man entering. The man who entered came down and knelt before Luke. ¡°I am Hudson, Lord.¡± ¡°Hudson is¡­¡± Hans explained the history of Hudson to Luke, who was still looking at him. ¡°He is very competent that he was once put to work in the Information Guild of the Capital. He was driven to betrayal by his subordinates and was saved from death at an appropriate time. He is the right person to do it, which was why I appointed him as the head of ¡®Argos¡¯.¡± Said Hans. ¡°Argos? The name of an estate?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Like the monster with hundreds of eyes, I heard about it which lives in another continent. If you have another name in mind, I will change it right away.¡± ¡°No, it is fine. Let it be like that.¡± Luke stared back at Hudson and asked him, The Information Guild didn¡¯t just work by sitting behind a luxury desk. One had to go around and have the professional knowledge and connections to know about something. In that sense, it seemed appropriate for the man to work as a member of the Information Guild. The only concern Luke had was, whether or not he could place his trust in him. In addition, Luke could see a magical wave moving in Hudson¡¯s head. ¡°It looks like this friend has a mental magic at work?¡± ¡°Oh, did you recognize it? As you can see, I placed that in his head as a means of forbidding him from betraying us. And it was with his consent.¡± At the words from Hans, Luke stared at Hudson with shock, and Hudson nodded his head. The Brainwashing done by the Mental Magic or Dark Magic had the same effect of preventing a betrayal. However, unlike the brainwashing, which makes the person simply obey the orders, mental magic causes extreme pain when the words of a task that is banned were done. In reality, dark magic was forbidden, but the mental magic was always used by the nobles to prevent their workers from betraying them. And it could be used in a general setting, but it was heard that not many were ready to volunteer for it. In that sense, this Hudson man was surely a unique one. ¡°But, who did the forbidden magic to you?¡± ¡°Since Sir Mute knew, he didn¡¯t mind to do it.¡± Luke listened to what Hans had to say and asked Hudson, ¡°Don¡¯t you regret it?¡± ¡°These men have saved my life, and I am being given a chance to use my chance at life. If I can, I will give my soul and loyalty to you.¡± Seeing Hudson bow down, Philip couldn¡¯t think to himself. ¡®How would he react if he knows that the Lord really can take his soul?¡¯ Not just souls, but he was the Master of the evil demons. Philip was surprised when he found out recently that there were a few subordinates to Luke. ¡°I will give you a great reward for your work, so please do not disappoint me or my people.¡± ¡°I will do my best.¡± After Hudson stated his loyalty, Luke called in Anna and Alex and introduced them to the retainers. In the future, the two of them might join Luke¡¯s group as the retainers, so he wanted them to turn familiar with the others. ¡°There are lots. There are many, but you will have to meet them later.¡± Luke said. ¡°Oh! At first glance, they look like very strong friends.¡± ¡°I look forward to the future.¡± Alex smiled lightly at the generous compliments of the retainers, but Anna was eager to listen to Reina. He always wondered if there was anyone better than her. However, right in front of her was an elegant beauty with perfect proportions, a natural dignified grace that would make any woman feel frustrated. If there was something that Anna was better than Reina, then it would be the sturdy body she formed after joining the knights. It was a wall that Anna would never be able to exceed¡­ ¡®Kuk! I won¡¯t lose to her!¡¯ Anna, who was burning with the flames of rejection, shot a look at Reina. However, Reina met her eyes with a gentle smile. ¡°But, Lord, isn¡¯t the atmosphere at the capital rather unusual? Is there anything that you know?¡± When asked by a retainer, Luke explained only the things which were fine to be told. When he told of the story, everyone in the room was shocked. ¡°Hmm, hopefully, there might be a civil war.¡± ¡°Would it be to our advantage if the two forces bite and tear of each other?¡± ¡°Hopefully we have a chance to resolve the debt they pushed us into 500 years back¡­¡± ¡°Yah! Did you forget where we are? Here the birds listen to our words in the day and the rats during the night. Be cautious and careful with your choice of words.¡± The retainers immediately shut up with the words of Hans. It could be that both the nobles might know of their words. ¡°Okay then, since it has been a long day, take a good rest and we¡¯ll meet tomorrow for any further discussions.¡± Luke decided to get to bed as he was tired from all the interactions he had with the retainers during the day. Chapter 149 Chapter 149: Conflict and Opposition 4 The next day, Luke had a good time with Reina while visiting the famous attractions of the capital. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to attend the Victory Parade in the Central Square?¡± Asked Reina. ¡°The guys will attend it.¡± ¡°Even then, there will be a lot of people who would come to see the War Hero.¡± ¡°I did put up a reason, told them that my body isn¡¯t feeling good. So it won¡¯t be a problem.¡± And whatever the situation, the Emperor was surely having trouble handling the nobles, so he won¡¯t be having time to worry about Luke or his absence. So, Luke had decided to use that time while spending it with Reina as much as he could. ¡°The old Imperial Palace¡­¡± Luke and Reina had entered the white marble fort near the Imperial Palace. It was formerly the royal palace of the Libiya kingdom, and it had been preserved till the current time because it was used by the first Emperor, Karno de Baroque, and his coronation had happened there. It was said to have been opened for the tourists for a lot of years and been used as a villa for certain visitors too. ¡°I know this place. It is like that place where I lived when I was young.¡± As the old memories of her childhood surfaced, a longing smile rose on Reina¡¯s face. ¡°The cherry tree is the same as it used to be. I used to go up there and worry Sir Pavel.¡± ¡°You seem like a tomboy.¡± ¡°Yeah, maybe if I wasn¡¯t all alone, I might have made it to being a knight.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ not that is something I have a hard time imagining.¡± With the memories that Reina brought up, the two people looked around the old palace and moved to another location. The place was pretty busy, with an old temple on top of the structure. ¡°Wah, I can see the entire capital from here.¡± Said Reina who was excited. ¡°The sunset we see from here is amazing.¡± Not long after Luke had said that the sun began to set. The red glow began to color the whole sky. The same magnificent landscape hadn¡¯t changed even after 500 years. ¡°Oh my, this is really beautiful.¡± ¡°This was one of the secrets of Nemesis that was introduced to me by someone I know.¡± Luke smiled a bitter smile. It was Katarina, who had taught him to explore nature. Ironically, she was the same person who had introduced Luke to the place, and Luke was telling that to the person who looked like her. ¡°But it is a bit weird.¡± Reina said. ¡°Weird?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°I lived in the capital for years when I was young and asked to move from my country, but I rarely went outside the villa. But for some reason¡­ this landscape is different. A feel like I have been here before?¡± At the words of Princess Reina, Luke could feel his heart race. Reina looked a lot like Katarina, but he knew that the two weren¡¯t the same person. However, after hearing those words, he felt weird. ¡®Could this really be reincarnation, the one the people in the Southern continent talk about?¡¯ If indeed, Reina was Katarina¡¯s reincarnation, Luke could truly thank God. ¡°We need to go now. If you¡¯re late, you¡¯ll be upsetting Sir Pavel like you used to when you were young.¡± Said Luke. ¡°I want to stay here a little longer as I feel happy.¡± Reina held Luke¡¯s hand. Luke, with his smile as pleasing as ever, took her down the structure. Luke went back to the accommodation after having a date with Reina. ¡°The Imperial war hearing had been canceled.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I heard that there was going to be something in place of the hearing, and the Emperor was the one who canceled it.¡± ¡°Is that even possible?¡± ¡°According to the Imperial law, it is possible.¡± Luke was pretty upset. However, those weren¡¯t the end of Alex¡¯s report. ¡°And this was what I had heard from my father this morning, the Noble forces are forming two forces for their governance, Duke Butler and Marquis Mayers.¡± Externally it was claimed to be a united force to clean up the monsters who were among the nobles, and there was no one who could even point to one and call them a monster. And there was no reason for a monster sweep to be considered that huge. ¡°And the Emperor?¡± ¡°He asked for the training of the men to be stopped and disband the so-called group right away, but the nobles had up-straight refused to do so.¡± The Emperor¡¯s plan was to move some of the proximal knights and the central units into the vicinity of both the provinces. ¡°Would a civil war even happen in this case?¡± At the question of Alex, Luke thought for a moment and shook his head. ¡°Unfortunately, it won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Since both sides are stupid, they won¡¯t drag the issue till the end. And if a civil war was going to happen, the army wouldn¡¯t have been moved.¡± If they were waiting for a civil war, the army would have been moved secretly without the others knowing. ¡°Then, is this a demonstration of force?¡± ¡°A kind of cliff-end tactic. It means that if one doesn¡¯t yield now, the party had no intention of staying quiet anymore.¡± Luke had given more thoughts of trying to stir both sides. If he wagged his tail nay longer, he was bound to get caught, and there was no guarantee that he wouldn¡¯t be exposed. Both sides were looking through the capital to find the assassin who was taking down the nobles of both sides. ¡®So, I shouldn¡¯t take any immediate action. If I don¡¯t do it right, I won¡¯t have any more chances to sprout seeds of doubts anymore.¡¯ As Luke expected, rumors spread over the entire Nemesis that the Emperor and the Nobility were deciding to reconcile the next day. Alex had found out what kind of a promise the Emperor had made to the nobles and the nobles who gathered for their meeting have returned back to their respective territories. ¡°Surely, it happened as I thought.¡± Unfortunately, nothing could be done. But all of Luke¡¯s work didn¡¯t go to waste. The two factions did make a last-minute compromise, but the conflict was deeper than it used to be. Indeed, the small nobles on both sides had complained about the result, and it increased internal hostility toward others. And if something happened in the future, the two sides were bound to pull out their swords at each other rather than talk it out. Which was why Luke wasn¡¯t so anxious and decided to wait for a time that would be better than this. Chapter 150 The war hearing had been canceled, but the Victory Parade was held in a grand manner. In addition to the Emperor, many other nobles including Duke Butler attended the event. Luke attended the parade along with his men as well. He drove back and forth around Central Square the entire day. ¡°Oh my! We just looked at it.¡± Philip said to Luke while speaking through his teeth. ¡°This isn¡¯t done yet. In the evening, there is a celebration for the Victory Parade at the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°We¡¯re tired, can¡¯t we just not go?¡± Asked Philip. ¡°No. There will be non-imperial events going on. And we might get punished for blasphemy.¡± ¡°We¡¯re ruined.¡± Eventually, Luke had to get ready to attend the victory parade celebration with a smile on his face. ¡°Hurry up. There might be foreign guests at the event. We wouldn¡¯t want the Emperor to change your post to a place more spoiled than the Torlot Fortress.¡± ¡°Okay, understood, just stop with your nagging.¡± Luke, who couldn¡¯t handle the nagging of Philip which sounded like a mother-in-law¡¯s, dragged out his aching body from the couch. ¡°Should I take a bath?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Please do. It might remove some of the fatigue. Ah, there are some fragrance oils and soaps in the bathroom.¡± As Philip pushed Luke into the bathroom, he heard a knock outside, and a courier from the accommodation place had come in. ¡°Ironed the tailcoat sir.¡± ¡°Good job¡­ What?! Why does it look like that!?¡± Philip couldn¡¯t help but scream after looking at Luke¡¯s tailcoat brought in by the courier. ¡°And the wrinkles in here! Did you fold this? Why would you make an expensive clothing look like this!¡± ¡°Sor, sorry.¡± The ironing state of Luke¡¯s tailcoat wasn¡¯t that bad. But Philip, who was Luke¡¯s guardian, was obsessed with perfection since the past year. ¡°I will take it and bring it back neatly once again,¡± the courier man said. ¡°There is not enough time, so do it quickly¡­ Ah, just go and bring the iron here.¡± After a while, the man went and brought back the iron with charcoal, and Philip, with his skills, removed the wrinkles on Luke¡¯s tailcoat. In addition, the lines of the tailcoat now looked as sharp as a sword. ¡°You need to do it like this, understand? Why can¡¯t you do it like this instead of making people tired.¡± ¡®That guy needs to iron clothes to eat food,¡¯ thought Luke Luke couldn¡¯t help but laugh at Philip, who was grunting to the courier man for his ironing skills. Pong! Pong! Pong! In the dark night¡¯s sky, beautifully embroidered fireworks were being displayed. The imperial palace was surrounded by magic lights everywhere. The lights were like jewels hanging in the night sky. The road to the banquet hall was covered with a bright red carpet, and all kinds of flowers were decorated on either side. ¡°This is such a wonderful display.¡± ¡°Are all the banquets originally held in the Imperial Palace?¡± Luke, who arrived at the palace to attend the celebration, couldn¡¯t keep himself calm after seeing the gorgeously decorated palace. It wasn¡¯t wrong to say that the decorations were too much, but Luke wasn¡¯t aware of the rumors that were surrounding Emperor Rudolf, who had prepared the banquet. ¡®He is showcasing his power. Like what his ancestors did.¡¯ Emperor Rudolf¡¯s ancestor, Karno de Baroque, always showed his power by holding an unprecedented banquet even though they were at war with the Devil¡¯s legion. The banquet was held with the intention to form a human party coalition against the legion of Saymon. In addition, the warrior Rakan joined that banquet as well. Rudolf had a similar pattern with what his ancestors did in the past. This time it was to show the other nobles and the foreign nobles his strength and that he still had the resources needed to rule and to win over the hearts of the emperor nobles who have been bothered with war and assassination. ¡®This surely can be thought to be great, but to do all this in a short time, it¡¯s like he is in a hurry.¡¯ Whatever his thoughts were, Luke headed to the banquet hall with a proud smile on his face. There was no specific reason for it. The person who led the war to their victory was him. Luke was thinking of himself as the main character of the celebration. ¡°Luke de Rakan and his party!¡± Those who had already gathered at the banquet hall turned their eyes at the announcement of the banquet speaker. ¡°The young man is the descendant of a warrior¡­¡± ¡°He defeated 60,000 republicans with just one small Fortress in hand?¡± ¡°That too with Marquis Tyron, who was famous for being the commander during the Republican revolution.¡± Philip and Alex were shrugging their shoulders at the praises and admirations which came in from both sides. Luke too had been feeling proud because he did contribute a lot to the Empire¡¯s victory. Luke looked around at the banquet hall which was talking about him. He heard that princess Reina and her party had gone first to the banquet hall but finding them wasn¡¯t an easy task. ¡°Here! Over here!¡± When he heard a familiar voice from behind, he found Anna and Reina. As Luke approached them, Anna flapped her dress and turned around excitedly. ¡°Hehe! How do I look, old Viscount?¡± ¡°Yeah, you look good.¡± Luke replied as politely as he could and looked over to her side where Reina was standing. ¡°You look beautiful. If I could, I would have taken you into my arms.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re making me shy,¡± responded Reina. The two of them spoke with good faith and went to the center of the banquet hall to dance. Seeing the two of them dance to the music of the Imperial band, Anna¡¯s face turned dull. ¡°Tch, the effort was rather good, but the opponent has the upper hand.¡± Philip, who went next to Anna, said to her. After joining the Torlot Fortress, he had been teaching her Gold Sword, so he knew what Anna was like. ¡°Hmph! Don¡¯t bother me.¡± ¡°It is easier to give up,¡± he advised her. ¡°I told you not to bother me. If you¡¯re bored, don¡¯t go around bothering people and go dance.¡± ¡°Then, how about we dance together?¡± Philip asked. Philip extended his hand to Anna. Anna, who had a rather unpleased expression, seeing her scary instructor ask for her hand, blushed and grabbed his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t get the wrong idea. I¡¯m only agreeing because I¡¯m bored,¡± she clarified to Philip. ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± The band continued to play, and the banquet rang with entertaining music. By the time the Emperor made his presence, Luke was already having fun with Reina. However, the people around him didn¡¯t leave him. ¡°Greetings to the Viscount. I am the descendant of the knight Rolex, who had once fought alongside the warrior Rakan¡­¡± ¡°My nephew is serving under you at the Torlot Fortress. I can¡¯t help but feel proud for being his uncle.¡± ¡°I have come from Toledo. Aren¡¯t you aware of Toledo? The legendary Rakan had trained his sword skills there.¡± When Luke turned determined that he would socialize to form a network¡­ Luke¡¯s primary target was the lower nobles, who were somehow desperately trying to form a network with senior nobles. And those who didn¡¯t have the opportunity to talk to Luke were speaking to his partner, Princess Reina. ¡°My wife is from Volga.¡± ¡°I was acquainted with a rich man long ago. At that time, the man had a kid who was as pretty as you¡­¡± ¡°Our 5th grandmother was a Volga Princess. Princess and I could be distant relatives, we never know.¡± Luke tried very hard to smile moderately at their words, but he was treating their attempt rather offensive. Eventually, he became tired. He took Reina¡¯s hand and went to an empty terrace. ¡°Oh my, the ability to make people sick is great too. Do they really want to get to know me so much?¡± ¡°They are blinded by power. You don¡¯t really have to pay any attention to their words,¡± said Reina. After talking, the two looked at each other. Their faces were closing in the distance between them. That was when someone suddenly entered the terrace. ¡°This! They had come before me. I¡¯ll keep doing what I do, huh?¡± The identity of the intruder was Count Ferrero, the Vice-captain of the Knight¡¯s of Guard. He was one of the Sword Masters of the Empire, and he had met Luke once before in the Imperial Palace. With a wine glass in his hand, he approached Luke the moment he recognized Luke¡¯s face. ¡°Who could this be?! The war hero who broke down 60,000 enemies and took down 7 of their Fortresses! Though not right, I wanted to feel your sword the other time. Have a match with me right now.¡± The Count had still not given up on Luke. No, after knowing that he had gained merit in the war with the Volga Republic, he felt even more frustrated and wanted to fight. ¡°This is a banquet hall,¡± Luke responded. ¡°What does a place have to do for a man to go against another. If you want to, we can move to a place that I know,¡± he said to Luke. Luke had just managed to run away from the newly-rich noble tiger and hyenas in the banquet. Annoyed, Luke flatly refused his offer. ¡°I don¡¯t want to. I will never duel with you.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you just do it, just once? I can ask¡­¡± Trying to convince Luke, he looked over at Reina. With thoughts running in his mind, he looked at her thoroughly and released the radon gas. The idea that Ferrero had was rather simple. If he put Reina in a difficult situation, then Luke would have no choice but to fight him. However, what happened instead was rather surprising. ¡°This man!¡± Reina, who was struck by the radon gas, became lightheaded and fell to the ground. Luke shouted and stepped forward. The moment he took a step, terrible energy poured out from his body. The energy Luke released neutralized the magic radon gas which was released by Count Ferrero. However, the Count was taken aback. ¡®Look at this now!¡¯ Thought the Count. Count Ferrero was surprised at Luke, who stepped ahead strong. His skin tingled upon seeing what Luke did. Luke turned out to be better than he had imagined. ¡®How dare he release radon to another person?! I need to take this guy down!¡¯ Luke was thinking that he could beat Count Ferrero without using his dark magic. An Expert Swordsmanship and 6th circle white magic could never beat a Sword Master. However, Luke had a lot of experience in dealing with a strong opponent. If Luke used the right mix of swordsmanship and magic, he might not win, but he might not lose either. However, Luke had no desire to reveal his skills in the Imperial Palace. If the words reached the Emperor¡¯s ears, he would surely raise his caution. ¡°Huhu, don¡¯t you want to protect your beloved woman? To do that, you¡¯ll have to fight me.¡± Luke was still hesitating, and the Count kept on intimidating him. If Philip saw this situation and Luke¡¯s hesitation, he was bound to feel disappointed. Luke was hesitating because he was going against a strong man. As the radon grew from Count Ferrero, Luke was forced to make a decision. Pak! A firework blew up in the sky. ¡°This is the last warning. If you don¡¯t pull back the radon gas, you will regret it later,¡± warned Luke. ¡°Can¡¯t I meet that regret right now?¡± When his last warning had no effect on Ferrero, Luke made a decision¡ªhe was going to face him. ¡®Oh, I just don¡¯t want to look sick.¡¯ After making up his mind, he reached for his sword which was around his waist. Right when he was about to pull his sword. ¡°Lord Majesty has come?!¡± At the loud cry from the banquet speaker, Count Ferrero took back the radon. ¡°Oh, Majesty¡­ You could have come a little later.¡± No matter how strong Ferrero was, the top knight of the Empire was still no match for the Emperor. As Ferrero went back, Luke sighed. It was the first time that he felt grateful for the damn descendant of the enemy. Chapter 151 When the Emperor, Rudolf, entered the banquet hall, the music and the chatter had all stopped. In addition, most of the lights were turned off except for a few. When the people were hailing the Emperor, Rudolf raised his hand as a reply. ¡®He looks very tired.¡¯ Luke, who glanced at the face of the Emperor, laughed to himself. The pride and elegance which had to be in the Emperor¡¯s eyes seemed tired. His expression didn¡¯t fit a person that was supposed to be called an Emperor. Considering the recent events, it was bound for him to be tired and exhausted. ¡°I see that everyone has come here. It is my pleasure to have so many people around me to celebrate our victory.¡± With those words, the nobles with Duke Butler laughed at him. They felt that the Emperor was so pathetic that he was declaring a war that was considered a defeat by a nation being branded as the victors. ¡°We are fighting against the rogues who have forgotten their manners as a man and are indiscriminately forming relations with the fairies. How can we leave the matters like they are because of those deceased men, who are fundamentally oblivious, and are trying to disrupt the worldly order and status.¡± The Emperor argued that the war against the Republic was a fateful battle that would decide the destiny of the continent. He blamed the Volga Republic in his speech while he occasionally poured out swear swords wrapped in a gentle fa?ade. ¡°In the midst of the chaos created by the shameless rogues, there was a man who fought against the North invaders and gave them deadly blows. As everyone knows, he is the descendant of the Sword Emperor Rakan, Luke de Rakan.¡± When the Emperor pointed his hand in the direction of Luke, lights followed and gathered around Luke. ¡°Because of Rakan¡¯s work, the bandits didn¡¯t dare enter the Empire, and the brave empire soldiers were successful in driving out the bandits and defending their borders. It was all because of Rakan Viscount¡¯s thoughts and hard work, so I hope to give him a huge credit today.¡± At the words of the Emperor, the nobles looked at Luke with envy in their eyes. The Imperial family had retrained and bullied the family of Rakan but because of the current situation, they were compelled to reward them. ¡°Luke de Rakan, come in front of me!¡± At the call from the Emperor, Luke approached him slowly and knelt in front of him. Emperor Rudolf pulled out the sword at his waist and placed it on Luke¡¯s shoulder to announce the huge award he was granting him. ¡°Because of the bravery that Luke de Rakan showed, I grant him the title of a Marquis. And according to his title, he will be given a new estate.¡± ¡®What, what did he say?!¡¯ Luke was shocked, but the nobles were even more surprised. They were expecting the title. But to also be allotted land? No one thought that Luke would be given two awards. Moreover, there was no law that stated for a Marquis to be assigned with a new territory. For Luke, there was no loss, but for the nobles, it was nothing less than a heartbreaking shock. Last time, Marquis Cavanill tried to lure Luke in giving a piece of his land. Duke Butler too had been thinking of a similar way to get Luke onto their side. The war hearing had been canceled, but the noblemen were thinking about the future, and it was always a good sign to have the Rakan family of the South which had considerable power. However, the Emperor had the first advantage. It was a bomb-like award. ¡°Majesty, such reward is too much.¡± After someone had rebelled against the declaration of the Emperor, Butler snapped back to reality. He was worried that someone from their side would speak out not realizing their situation. There was a lot of concern because Butler could suffer a lot of political disadvantage, but fortunately, the backlash wasn¡¯t from the noblemen. ¡°You¡­ Count Juke.¡± The Emperor frowned upon seeing a gritty mature noble filled with greed. He knew why Count Juke had started to rebel against the reward. A few months back, when Luke took the office, the Count¡¯s son, Darren de Juke, was given punishment. The sentence was so severe that Darren went crazy even after the wounds had healed. It was natural for Count Juke to resent Luke. He was one of the people who would have felt pleased if Luke died in the war. However, he ended up surviving, and not just that, he also received an award for his major contribution. His eyes were red, not even knowing he was going to receive the anger of the Emperor, yet he didn¡¯t stop. ¡°There is no reason to overly reward a person that had already faithfully fulfill their duty to stop the enemy. Moreover, you know, Rakan tried to surrender to the Republic.¡± ¡°Those are just words. However, it was nothing more than a deception,¡± the Emperor spoke. If the north wasn¡¯t devastated and the war went along as the Emperor planned, he would have killed Luke even if surrendered. But the situation was different now, and the Emperor had to raise Luke¡¯s value. It wasn¡¯t a false surrender, but he had to cover it as he might receive Luke¡¯s loyalty. And if the war hero was denied of anything, their so-called victory would not be viewed as that. However, Count Juke was persistent. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just that. I also heard that Rakan had stolen the loot.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t get it. How did that pig know?¡¯ Luke was tense. He hadn¡¯t brought all of them to the capital. He put a few in his subspace bracelet and was going to give them to his subordinates once he went back. ¡®Is there someone in the Fortress who is giving information to Juke? No, he is probably just spilling random words.¡¯ It was common to put baseless statements out. And Count Juke gave a verbal statement too. He was the descendant of the house which had been engaged in the sphere of commerce for generations, and he was a trustworthy figure. However, that wasn¡¯t enough to push Luke into trouble. The Emperor was determined to make sure that the war was seen as their victory. ¡°Be quiet! Don¡¯t you know that the Rakan Viscount wasn¡¯t just true to his duties, but he also put his life at risk by entering the enemy region with little force?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°What were you doing when Rakan Viscount and the dead Count Naiman were struggling with the bandits? Were you just adding gold coins from every corner of the nation?¡± It didn¡¯t matter if it was the nobles of the Emperor or the other noblemen, not to mention Count Juke. The Emperor wasn¡¯t going to let anyone reject his decision. Count Juke was a typical ¡®cat on a wall¡¯, who used both the sides for his gains. ¡°To try to defame a man who can¡¯t be praised enough for his efforts! I am suspicious if you have made a deal with the bandits. What is your plan? Take him to the intelligence office right away!¡± Ordered the Emperor. The color of Count Juke¡¯s face turned pale from red. He didn¡¯t know if the Emperor meant ¡®take him to¡¯ or ¡®drag him to¡¯ the intelligence department. The kinds of torture that would be given to him would depend on which words the Emperor used. ¡°Ugh! Ma, Majesty! I was wrong. Please let me be!¡± Count Juke was taken by the guards and was pulled out from the banquet hall, and the ones seeing him being taken could remember a saying ¡®if you stay still, you might still stay in the middle¡¯. ¡°Is there anyone else that is discontent regarding the reward I gave?¡± At the cold question of the Emperor, the people only looked at each other, but no one answered him back. No, they couldn¡¯t do it even if they wanted to. ¡°Since no one disapproves, I will reward him.¡± After a bit of drama, Luke¡¯s triumph was official! Chapter 152 Chapter 152: The Win 3 After receiving the rewards, Luke went back to the place where his party was gathered. Unexpectedly, Luke was being congratulated more than he had expected. ¡°Congratulations, Lord Viscount. No, shouldn¡¯t I be referring you as marquis from now?¡± ¡°Lord, just skip their praises. I too wanted to listen being addressed as Baron Philip.¡± ¡°But, where would the new estate be located? I hope that it would be close to the Rakan estates.¡± Unlike the rejoice of his party members, Luke¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t so bright. Reina, who was quick to notice it, asked him with a puzzling question. ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t particularly look like a happy expression.¡± She stated. ¡°I think that the merit had been given because the situation needed it. My head hurts thinking what the Emperor has in mind for this.¡± It wasn¡¯t given to him properly, but as the title was high, it held a social class society, the responsibility which came with it was huge. Luke was concerned that the Emperor would put up some weird principles and plan something fishy to get rid of him. ¡°If it is possible, I want to be called with that title rather later.¡± Said Luke. One of the attendants approached Luke when he was talking. ¡°Marquis Rakan, your majesty is looking for you.¡± ¡°Thought so¡­¡± Luke nodded as if he knew it was going to happen, and Luke silently followed the attendant away from the group. The attendant guided him to a closed room that was on one side of the banquet hall. The splendidly decorated room was completely blocked from any outside contact, and closed as soon as one entered, no noise from the banquet made its way into the room. ¡°Came? Come and sit here.¡± The emperor, seated in the middle of the room on a couch; was drinking wine and invited Luke to take a seat. As Luke approached, he sat down and had taken the glass of wine which the Emperor had handed him. ¡°You did a very good job. Which is why I am in great debt to you.¡± ¡°It is a huge compliment.¡± Luke politely replied. ¡°But¡­¡± The Emperor, who had a slightly upset expression, continued his words, ¡°Why did you come back after breaking a few fortresses of the enemy? Couldn¡¯t you have just captured them all?¡± If that had been done, it would have been much more advantageous to claim the victory. When claimed as ¡®occupied¡¯, the word held higher power. Luke who heard Emperor¡¯s resentment replied bluntly, ¡°It wasn¡¯t like I didn¡¯t do it because I couldn¡¯t do it. It was because I lacked the troops and the Gigants needed for it.¡± With that Luke intended to say ¡®Why would you even resent when what you did was a mistake?¡¯ ¡°Even then, you could have taken at least one manor right?¡± The Emperor asked. ¡°I wanted to avoid such situations. I thought it wouldn¡¯t be good if the war prolonged.¡± Like the Emperor said, getting a manor across the river wasn¡¯t such a huge task. However, it was very likely that the fiery counterattack of the Republic¡¯s army would much be greater than one could handle. Which was why Luke came back with just the battle wins. ¡°Well, I understand. Don¡¯t worry too much. I just think that it was a pity.¡± ¡°I understand it too, your majesty.¡± There, the conversation ended between them. The Emperor took a sip of wine, and turned over to Luke once again and said, ¡°Did you like my rewards?¡± ¡°Is there any winner who would dislike it?¡± ¡°Huhuhu, aren¡¯t you worried that you be asked to work hard as the title gets higher?¡± The Emperor asked. Luke, was definitely concerned about it; he couldn¡¯t help but smile awkwardly when the Emperor pointed out what he was most worried about. But he didn¡¯t let the words come out of his mouth. ¡°I know it is a virtue to take on the responsibility as high as one goes. But, I fear that there will be numerous people who could be jealous and spread rumors, or resent the Majesty for doing this.¡± Luke put a very lengthy statement, and its summary was ¡®Just let me be¡¯. And it wasn¡¯t like Rudolf not to know what Luke was saying. ¡°Let them hate, why should one who has established great pride be treated moderately?¡± ¡°This war was just a fluke. The enemy is still far away.¡± It was true, and it was a long way till then. In order to slash the Emperor¡¯s neck who was in front of him, and to destroy the Veritas Magic tower, Luke had to build his strength and forces. ¡°I will take care of those greetings, so you don¡¯t have to concern yourself with those matters. By the way, were there any other rewards that you would like from me than the ones I gave you?¡± When the words came out from his mouth, Luke couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Excuse me for my service.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t possible.¡± Immediately replied the Emperor. ¡°Then, if you can shorten the service period¡­¡± ¡°That, I am definite when it comes to equality.¡± ¡®Tch! goddam bastard!¡¯ Luke swore in his head. Every time his attempt was rejected, Luke felt like he had been insulted over and over by the Emperor. ¡°No other thing? I will listen to other things as much as I can.¡± Luke thought for a moment. The Emperor wouldn¡¯t be going to kill Luke so easily. The fact that he raised the title of Luke showed that he wanted to use it as an arrow in case a dispute arose in the future with the nobility. To do that, he was trying to sway Luke¡¯s heart as much as he could. ¡®Then, it is better to tear this matter as quickly as I can.¡¯ Luke thought and demanded what he had in his mind. ¡°Then please give me a hero Gigant.¡± ¡°What? A hero Gigant?¡± ¡°Yes, I hope that it is as much up-to-date as possible.¡± Something with more than 3000 fights, the Hero Gigant was an ultimate weapon. In particular, the Hero-class Gigant needs a rider of the Sword Master and was a strategic weapon that would determine the direction of any battle or war. Luke needed it for power, but he needed it for research purposes too. Hero class Gigant was a masterpiece with all the power of modern magic engineering. In addition, the latest type was literally a combination of magic and technology. However, the Hero class Gigant was a definite advantage when dealing with the Imperial family. Due to the agreement between the ten Magic Towers and the Imperial family, no other noble could buy the Hero-class Gigant. ¡®Even if we study at Katarina Magic Tower based on the blueprint, it will take a while to produce the Hero-class Gigant. Even for the Dark Moon, it will take a few months¡­¡¯ Wanting a hero class right away, he decided to take it from the Emperor. ¡°Hero-class is only allowed for the knights of Sword Master or higher¡­ you¡¯re major is no less than the Sword Master, so I will work hard.¡± ¡°Thank you for the consideration, Your Majesty.¡± The talk ended there. It was a question of what the Emperor was plotting against him for the future, but Luke who was determined went back to the hall with satisfaction. Chapter 153 Chapter 153: The Win 4 The day after the victory celebration banquet, Luke waited for the Emperor to deliver some kind of information regarding his request for the Hero-class Gigant. However, the morning had passed into the afternoon, but there was no contact. ¡®This man, Rudolf, trying to make a scene? Aren¡¯t you?¡¯ ¡®I tried very hard, but I couldn¡¯t do it.¡¯ Last night he vowed to try as hard as he could. And with the spreading rumors all around calling him incompetent and biased Emperor, he then decided to press down the nobles. ¡°Marquis, a man has come from the Imperial court!¡± At the loud voice from Anna, who came to tell that a man from the Emperor had come, Luke got up from his spot and moved. However, an ominous word left the guard¡¯s mouth. ¡°The newest Hero-class was very hard to get.¡± ¡°Tch, I knew it¡­¡± Said Philip. Listening to Luke¡¯s words yesterday, Philip thought there could be a little hope, but he ended up getting disappointed. And it wasn¡¯t just him. Anna and Alex too were feeling the same, however, Luke who was the most disappointed didn¡¯t show it. ¡°That is a pity. Since he is the Emperor, I thought that this much would be possible for him.¡± Said Luke. ¡°It wasn¡¯t the Majesty¡¯s fault. It was because of the Veritas Magic men.¡± The guard defended the Emperor. The most prominent allegiance knights were the base of the Veritas Magic Tower. ¡°Every time a new class Gigant was introduced to the knights from the Veritas Magic tower, instead of being thankful and appreciative, they take it for granted. No, they are grateful only for the time when the delivery happens.¡± The guard said. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°This time too, the newest hero-class Gigant Atlas. It is a work of art, so it can¡¯t just be handed to a low-class knight even if he has a high title. If there was a bad ride done in it with some knight and the Gigant met with an accident, you never know when the Gigant will fall apart.¡± ¡®What, Atlas he said?¡¯ It was interesting to know that there was an alliance between the Imperial Army and the Veritas Magic Tower, but it was even more surprising to know that the Hero-class Gigant that the Emperor was trying to get him was the very recent Atlas. If they were calling it as Atlas, then it was the blueprint that Luke had recently stolen from the Brandon Branch Veritas Magic Tower. Until the guard had spoken, Luke was under the impression that the Gigant was under development. But was it finished? ¡®This is going to raise the Empire¡¯s power so much more.¡¯ While Luke fell into his own thoughts, the guard continued to speak, ¡°Our Majesty tried very hard. And it wasn¡¯t up-to-date, but he is giving you another hero-class Gigant.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, it is a 30-year old Gigant called ¡®Kratos¡¯, but the core engine output is still good. Would you like to take a look at it?¡± The guard asked. Luke coldly followed the guard. The guard took Luke to a warehouse managed by the capital¡¯s defense forces, and Kratos was kept with several other spare Gigants. ¡°This is Kratos?!¡± Luke exclaimed. ¡°This is a masterpiece of the Altica Magic Tower, which was one of the top five magic towers in the continent 30 years back.¡± The guard informed. Painted in light blue-grey, Kratos wore overwhelmingly styled gloves, which were rather sharp than the regular Gigants. The appearance of this monster, made Achilles look like nothing. Thanks to that, Luke was able to smile with satisfaction. ¡°I like it.¡± Although it wasn¡¯t the latest Hero-class Gigant that he wanted, Luke wasn¡¯t able to erase the smile from his face. ¡°Kratos¡­ let us do great things in the future with me.¡± First, Luke had to be a rider who can use the Gigant¡¯s power properly. Realizing that, Luke decided to focus more on his Gigant¡¯s maneuver training. Chapter 154 Chapter 154: Yggdrasil 1 Once Luke took the Kratos, he went back to the accommodation. He was visited by Erwin. ¡°What happened? You have been staying in your room all this time since the moment you stepped foot in the capital,¡± Luke said. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It was said that the health of the High Elf Erenes is bad. Have you heard anything about it?¡± Asked Luke Erwin was just silent in response to Luke¡¯s questions. Erenes was considered to be the Sage of all fairies. That was why he thought that Erwin was feeling bad after hearing those things. But after some time, he found out that things were different between them. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to you what happens to my teacher.¡± ¡°What? Erenes is your teacher?¡± Luke asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t know? Ah, now that I think about, I never told you.¡± Luke wasn¡¯t able to hide his shock. An elven wizard who was persistently following him was the disciple of Erenes. ¡®This is so tangled up¡­¡¯ Luke looked up at Erwin and asked, ¡°Do you know that your teacher is in our estate?¡± ¡°I heard about it the last time through magic communication.¡± ¡°Then, aren¡¯t you going to meet him?¡± Luke asked. Of course, Erwin would have to go, but the answer she gave was unexpected. ¡°No, I will go later. I¡¯ll have to leave.¡± ¡°Leave?¡± At the sudden words from the elven woman, Luke¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°I have something I need to do all of a sudden,¡± she answered. ¡®Why is this woman doing this?¡¯ She stayed in her room the whole time while she was in the capital and suddenly wanted to leave? And she didn¡¯t want to go and meet her teacher, who was sick? It wasn¡¯t like she didn¡¯t know what was important. ¡°Can¡¯t you let me know of the reason?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to,¡± she responded. ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to.¡± Perhaps Erenes and Reina met, so Erwin no longer needed the truth about the Earth¡¯s tears. With those thoughts, Luke sent her off. Erwin looked over at Reina, who was beside Luke. Reina nodded as she had already finished speaking with Erenes. Erwin left the accommodation. Before disappearing into the darkness, she seemed rather sorry. ¡°I am sorry for not letting you know the truth. But I will do my best to protect that woman,¡± she mumbled to herself. The day she arrived at the capital, she attempted a magic communication with her teacher, Erenes. She came to know about him meeting Princess Reina, and that she was willing to cooperate in opening the door of the Spirit World. Earth¡¯s Tears, the key to the door of the Spirit World. Using the tears was a huge problem for the one in possession of it. In the worst-case scenario, one could lose their life. After knowing that, she could never let Luke know of the truth. If Luke found out, he was surely going to be against it to protect the woman he loves. Erwin staying in her room after coming to the capital was to create a ritual for the ceremonial opening of the Spirit World. The High Elf Erenes and his disciple Erwin were the ones representing the fairies. ¡®I made an excuse, but I need to be prepared to go to the place where the ceremony has to take place. But first I need to see Sylvia.¡¯ Erwin was determined and began to unfold her teleportation magic. Her body, which was wrapped in bright light, quickly warped somewhere. A week later¡­ Erwin, who had prepared everything, appeared at Lamer. She immediately sent a letter to the manor, and Reina, who returned from the capital, went to an empty mansion outside the city to meet with Erwin as told in the letter. ¡°Are you fine with this? You¡¯re not regretting it, are you?¡± Erwin asked. ¡°I have promised you. I learned to never go back on a promise,¡± Reina responded with a smile. ¡°Even then, if Marquis Luke knows of this, he will surely be disappointed¡­¡± At the words of Erwin, Reina¡¯s smile turned bitter. Reina hadn¡¯t told anyone about her appointment and promise with High Elf Erenes. And if Luke or the people around her found out about it, they would become crazy. That was why she decided to keep the promise a secret from them. ¡°If I could, I want to be with him and grow old with him. But because of my selfish greed, I can¡¯t let the world trample the fairies who lived through their promises and faced nothing but suffering all their lives.¡± ¡®Surely, the chosen one for the Earth¡¯s tears is different,¡¯ thought Erwin. At her resolute reply, Erwin couldn¡¯t help but admire her. ¡°One thing that is bound to happen is I¡¯m going to hurt Luke a lot when this works. So, I beg of you, once the door to the Spirit World opens and the fairies regain their power, please look after Lord Luke,¡± Reina asked. ¡°Yes, I will do that.¡± ¡°Princess Reina, aren¡¯t you losing hope so easily?¡± A third person had entered the conversation. Reina and Erwin turned to the place where the voice came from. It was High Elf Erenes, who was seated in a wheelchair. ¡°Cough! Cough! It¡¯s is true that one has to be conscious of the danger, and it is clear that things can go wrong. But if you have someone special, don¡¯t give up hope so easily.¡± Reina smiled with sadness in her eyes while listening to Erenes speak. ¡°In the end¡­ We¡¯re counting on you.¡± Erenes wanted to be the host of the ritual; that would leave him great glory in history. However, his body wasn¡¯t strong enough to withstand the distance between the place they would teleport in to. Erwin, who looked at her teacher¡¯s sadness, spoke in an indifferent tone, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Just take good care of yourself.¡± ¡°Huhu, sure,¡± responded Erenes. She was a cold disciple on the outside, but she was well acquainted with emotions. ¡®This could be the last time¡­¡¯ Erenes¡¯ body was broken by the magic of Lich Arsene. No matter how many potions or elixirs he took, none of them worked. No one knew if mythical herbs like the Ambrosia or the Nectar existed. Erwin knew very well that she couldn¡¯t save her master anymore, so she decided to be strong. ¡®Lich Arsene! I will make sure to make you pay for making my teacher suffer like this!¡¯ She vowed to herself. Although they were considered to be purer than humans, there was a saying that once they get stuck up on a grudge, they wouldn¡¯t back down even if the world was about to end. The pure emotion of Rage. Burning with hostility toward Arsene, Erwin began to draw long-distance teleport circles in the mansion¡¯s garden. The long-distance teleport magic could be done by 7 circle wizards, but the complex part of placing the coordination calculations was done by an 8 circle wizard. However, Erwin was one of the best elven wizards, who were superior to humans, so she was able to build the magic circles in just two hours. ¡°Please come this way.¡± Calling Reina toward her, she disappeared after a while with a bright light. Chapter 155 Chapter 155: Yggdrasil 2 Woo Woo Woong! The scenery in front of them changed along with the serene sound of the wind. The scene changed into a snow-covered valley from a mansion outside the city of Lamer. ¡°Where is this place?¡± Asked Reina. ¡°Sky mountain, this place is located farther north from the Volga Republic.¡± Erwin handed Reina a thick coat which she had prepared in advance. To the north of Volga was a land covered in ice. The land, which was as wide as hundreds of kilometers in all directions, was constantly hit by snowstorms and thunderstorms. Therefore, humans rarely lived there as well as the fairies. There were a lot of mountains that could be seen in front of them, but at the center was a mountain which rose higher than the others. In the language of the fairies, the Sky Mountain was called ¡®Mountain to the Sky¡¯. ¡°This is the Holy land where the fairies are born,¡± explained Erwin. ¡°Holy Land?¡± Asked Reina. Reina, who was interested in the fairies was shocked at what she heard. ¡°From what I know, the hometown of the fairies is the Word Tree, right?¡± According to ancient mythology, fairies were born from the World Tree. The World Tree, named Yggdrasil, was large and rich enough to support the entire continent. ¡°It is true. The World Tree is right under the Sky mountain.¡± Erwin guided Reina and explained everything about their world to her. And once they went far¡­ They saw dozens of fairies standing in front of a large cave. There were many different types of fairies like the elves, dark elves, lycans, dwarves and many more. They were all gathered together. However, Reina looked bewildered at what they were doing. All of them were armed as if they were going to enter a battle very soon. Erwin, who knew that Reina might be confused, began to explain it to her, ¡°To get to the place where the Word Tree is, we will have to go through a lot of monsters.¡± ¡°Oh, because of that¡­¡± As they approached the dark elf woman who was standing there, she opened her mouth. ¡°This is princess Reina?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Erwin nodded with an answer and pointed to Reina. ¡°Please say hello. This is Sylvia, my friend.¡± As soon as she heard the name Sylvia, Reina¡¯s complexion became pale. ¡°Syl, Sylvia is one of the famous Black Roses, Volga intelligence¡­!¡± ¡°Hohoho, now I am just a normal dark elf. Don¡¯t be afraid cause I will not cause any harm to you.¡± At the assurance of Sylvia, Reina nodded in relief. It was common sense that she wouldn¡¯t do any harm as she was a much-needed medium. ¡°By the way, are the preparations done?¡± Erwin asked. Sylvia received a letter a month ago from Erwin, stating that she had the Earth¡¯s Tear in possession. She had immediately prepared for the ceremony. In addition to spying on the Sky mountain about its status, she selected warriors representing each of the races. Twelve warriors were finally selected a week ago. Though skills were the ones they considered, they chose selfless men who would come with them for the sake of their people and the future of the fairies. ¡°Let¡¯s go in. There is no need to waste precious time.¡± Erwin said and immediately went into the cave along with the warriors. Kang! Kikkiki! The cave was wide and large. From the moment they all step inside, numerous monsters exposed their teeth at the strangers who invaded their territory. But the warriors, who were representing each of their race, were strong. They were individuals that were as strong as a Sword Master or an 8 magic circle. They just melted down the monsters. ¡®They, they are amazing!¡¯ Reina couldn¡¯t help but look at them with admiration as she watched the warriors fight from behind. With the once gathered in there, she thought she could reach some common ground with them. At first, the monsters seemed relatively weak, but as they went in deeper, they began to get stronger. Some of the monsters they fought were Giant Spiders, Yeti, and Cockatrice, which were common ones. ¡°Why are there so many monsters?¡± ¡°They are drawn to the remnant spirit of the dried up World Tree.¡± Although a little bit lagging, the warriors of each race fought with the monsters and moved forward. Had they been walking for around a day? In front of them, a large underground passage appeared. The passage then opened. The passage was huge. ¡°In fact, it was said that the area was so rich that honey and milk would flow out as mentioned in the myths. At the end of time, rapid climate change and natural disasters turned it into a barren land, like the one we saw today.¡± As a result, the Abaron Empire was founded after not being able to withstand the place anymore. Due to natural disasters, the World Tree began to disappear from the world. Fairies had sent numerous expedition groups to find the World Tree. But in the end, they couldn¡¯t find it. However, a few years ago, an earthquake broke out in the north. At that time, a part of the Sky Mountain had collapsed and an underground cave had appeared. A curious fairy went into the cave to explore, bringing back surprising news. The World Tree that they couldn¡¯t find for thousands of years had finally been discovered. Naturally, the fairy society was upset. The people of each race, including Erenes, had gone to see the World Tree. But the road to the World Tree was a monster haven. Over the years, each fairy race had been sending in their best warriors but never succeeded. ¡°I have been wondering for a while, why are we going to the World Tree to open the Spirit Door?¡± Reina asked. ¡°It¡¯s because the door to the Spirit World is at the World Tree.¡± After all, the World Tree had the door of the Spirit World, the life and home for all the elves. As soon as the party went into the basement, 10-meter monsters began to appear. And the strongest was the twin-head ogre. Monsters that were larger than fifteen meters, sneaky head, and trolls, no matter how many, they all attacked in a pattern. Rather, the fairies were beginning to bleed. ¡°Kuck! If I knew about this, I would have brought in a Gigant!¡± ¡°Who knew that there would be monsters like this?¡± As a lycan warrior limped, the dwarf warrior next to him spoke to him. The fairy warriors were quite strong. But along with Erwin, they were barely able to knock down the monsters. Chapter 156 Chapter 156: Yggdrasil 3 ¡°Is this the World Tree?¡± After a long walk across the underground cave, Reina could finally see the huge tree. In the normal circumstance, the tree¡¯s leaves had to be lush green and large in size, touching the ceiling of the cave, but due to the changes, the leaves were long dead, leaving behind the grey and bare branches. Legend had it that the World Tree was so huge and beautiful that it could cover the entire world, but seeing its current condition, it was hard to even imagine. ¡°How did it end up dead like this?¡± At the question of Reina, Erwin answered after a long sigh, ¡°At the end of the mythical age, it was said that there were a few contentions among the Gods. And that to avoid the fight, one was said to have concealed himself.¡± The battle of the two Gods, symbolizing the Light and Darkness, was said to be the reason why Aether had divided. As a result, he decided to hide the World Tree underground to protect himself, and that led to the natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions to destroy the continent. ¡°Why did the fight even happen between the Gods?¡± Asked Reina. ¡°Devil God, who was born in the Darkness tried to destroy everything in the existing world to create a place that would suit him. But he was knocked down by El Kassel and the world was preserved.¡± When the two people were talking, Sylvia who looked around, went close to them and said, ¡°This place is safe. I don¡¯t see any monsters here.¡± Erwin immediately prepared the ceremony. After a week¡¯s hard work, she had brought out various objects and magic items which she stored in the subspace ring, and began to draw magic circles around the World Tree. When a huge circle of 10 meters in diameter was drawn, she pointed to the center of the altar. ¡°Please go over there and stand. When I send you a sign, you can trigger the Earth¡¯s Tear as my teacher has taught you.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Replied Reina. Reina gulped and went to stand at the altar. Her face was stiff with nervousness and anxiety. She was there to keep her promise, but that didn¡¯t mean that she wasn¡¯t supposed to be scared. Didn¡¯t Erenes tell her? When the door to the Spirit World was opened with Earth¡¯s Tear, no one could know what would happen. At worst, she may turn mad, or die being unable to handle the power of the spirits. Even then, she wanted to keep the promise she had made, making two fists while she kept telling herself, ¡®Everything will be fine, I need to think of Lord Luke, and not give up hope.¡¯ Reina remembered what Erenes had told her before coming to the place. Once Reina seemed ready, Erwin began to perform the ceremony. Injecting magic into the pre-made core of the magic circle, the magic stones around the circle began to light up with rumbling sounds. ¡°¡®M Ylistaen kaunis saa. Elvytettiin uudelleen maailma oli katkaistuna siteet menneeseen~!¡± Erwin began to chant something in ancient fairy language which seemed very much like a song. The song was elegant and beautiful in its own way. At one point, the body of the World Tree which was dying shook and began to react a little. ¡°Please start!¡± At the signal from Erwin, Reina triggered Earth¡¯s Tears. Wheeing?! Reina¡¯s body revealed a mysterious tattoo which had never been present before, and a fierce wind began to blow in every direction. The wind of pure spirit power, which was never felt in the earth, swallowed her and the World Tree. The moment the last magic circle began to light up, Reina¡¯s appearance disappeared from the group of fairies. Chapter 157 Chapter 157: Yggdrasil 4 The western end of the Rhodesia continent. There was a desert of heat beyond the green meadows, which was never visited by the people because of the monsters it sheltered. In the middle of the desert land was a stone castle, where only the sun¡¯s rays and lush sands could be seen. In the old, mossy castle, there were bizarre statues one either side with a man walking between them. The man, who was wearing a brown robe which had been embroidered with golden thread, passed through the desolate garden which was filled with stone statues and entered a building. Kiik! He who entered the hall knelt in front of the chair. ¡°Have you called me, ancestor?¡± ¡°Kul kul kul, yes. The. Thing. I asked. You. To prepare. Did you. Get. It?¡± Skeleton Lich was the one seated on the chair. He was Arsene, whose upper half of the body had been blown away by Erenes¡¯s strike. After he fled from the Dark Moon Magic tower, he hid in the desert castle waiting to recover from the injury he had sustained. He was preparing for a revenge ritual during the stay. ¡°Why would I neglect it? Here it is.¡± That time, Veritas Magic Tower¡¯s Meister Albert pushed the vial forward with his trembling hands. Shh. The glass vial which left his hand flew and settled into the hands of Arsene. Arsene looked very pleased and full of life having the vial in his possession. ¡°Kukk, at last. With. This. I¡¯m finally. Complete.¡± What Albert had brought with him was the potion of resurrection, which had been made with the blood of hundreds of priests and thousands of fairies. It took 200 years for the potion to turn concentrated after extracting the deity power from the priests and the vitality of the fairies. It took a lot of time as they had to avoid the eyes of many creatures to catch the elves who were hiding in the forests, and deep in the continent, but eventually the Veritas Magic tower had done it. ¡°With this. I can. Wake. Them. Up.¡± Arsene, feeling good, got up from the seat and descended into the basement of the stone castle. There were two large coffins in the room. A knight wearing a golden armor in one of the coffins, and in the other was a wizard wearing the typical wizard robes, their bodies immersed with green liquid. Srrr. Approaching the coffin, The Lich poured the resurrection blood from the vial into the coffin. Watching the liquid mix, Arsene began to memorize the spell. As the liquid began to boil, the spell kept ongoing. ¡®Will we succeed?¡¯ Albert was thinking to himself while seeing Arsene perform. If the ancient cursed technique could be a success and the two of them were revived, the Veritas magic tower would be able to dominate the entire continent. Arsene, who memorized the lengthy spell, spread his hands to the sky and cried, ¡°Rise up. From. the Abyss. of Hell, deceased. Lion! The souls. Beyond. the law. of death! I. Arsene, will. let you. Breath. again! Open your. Eyes. And. Stand!¡± Whaaak! The coffin lit up at one point. After a while, it seemed like nothing was happening, but that was when it happened. The corpses in the two coffins came alive as they opened their eyes. Sitting in the coffin, they began to move their legs and come out of the coffin, the two dead creatures reached Arsene and knelt in front of him. ¡°I see my Master.¡± ¡°Loyalty to my Master!¡± Arsene went mad with happiness as he saw the two being resurrected. ¡°At last. My guardians. Have come. Alive! Kukkkkk!¡± Arsene who kept on laughing pointed to the ceiling and said, ¡°You two. Show me. Your skills.¡± Arsene ordered them because he wanted to know if the ritual was truly successful. In the previous try, the ritual had failed. The knight in the golden armor pulled out a sword and wielded it. Kwakwakwa! With golden aura flashing, half the stone castle got blown away. But that wasn¡¯t the end. The middle-aged wizard wielded a whip of dark energy and melted the other half of the castle. Arsene was very pleased with their strength, and it was all thanks to the thousands of deaths for the potion to be complete. ¡°Just wait, Erenes. I will. Capture. All. Your fairies. With my. Dark magic. And take them. As offerings. I will!¡± Arsene gritted his teeth and spoke to the guardians who were staring at him, ¡°You will. Be in. the. Forefront. Standing. In front. Of me. You two. Will sweep. Off any. Obstacles that will come. My way!¡± ¡°Yes, master!¡± Arsene and Albert began to leave the castle. Albert seeing the two guardians take lead, asked, ¡°Ancestor, I have a question.¡± ¡°Those men. What. Is their. Original. Identity. Right?¡± Albert nodded. Arsene spoke with pride, ¡°Warrior. And. Devil King.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Those. Two are. The very. Rakan. And. Saymon.¡± Surprised by the words of Arsene, Albert went silent. The two resurrected guardians were over 500 years ago and were living beings before, and they were taking their steps once again towards an ever-changing world. The forces who would be called as a disaster. Chapter 158 Karrrk! Hiiing! Reina opened her eyes as soon as she heard loud sounds. ¡®Uhm, what¡¯s that noise? Where have we come again?¡¯ Wondering while seeing a strange scenery, she looked surprised as she discovered the strange beings which were flying over her head. They were very colorful with shades of red, blue, yellow and many more. They were of the size of a clenched human fist, and their appearances were different. The blue one resembled a three-tailed baby bird. The red one resembled a flaming lizard, and the yellow one was similar to a baby mole. It was strange as hell, but seeing the small and cute beings in an unknown place, Reina¡¯s heart felt a lot at ease. The baby animals, which had never seen a human before went around Reina, talking among themselves. ¡°Wah! This is a very strange being!¡± ¡°Of course, this is a creature called a human.¡± ¡°Human?¡± ¡°They are a very inferior-race that lives on Middle-Earth with which our contact has been cut off thousands of years ago. You¡¯re seeing it for the first time?¡± ¡°Ung, first time. But how come you know about them?¡± ¡°I saw a drawing of them in the book that I found in Hertes¡¯ library.¡± As the Red lizard kept asking, the blue bird kept on answering. ¡°But I feel a very warm and familiar energy form this human being.¡± ¡°Oh! Humans opened their eyes! All of you, get away!¡± The yellow mole shouted making the other five little things run away, thinking they were in danger. But they didn¡¯t go away completely. As they weren¡¯t able to overcome their curiosity about humans, they watched them from afar. The blue boy who resembled a baby bird, pretending to be a good boy, asked Reina. ¡°Who are you? And, this is a place where humans can¡¯t enter, so how did you come in?¡± It was almost like that baby bird was singing. Strangely, Reina could understand what the bird was saying. She looked around for a while and then replied, ¡°I am Reina. I also don¡¯t know how I came here.¡± Clearly there were sky, sun, forest and river, and fields too. However, the world she was seeing was different from the world she came. It was as if someone had drawn a picture on the white page of a sketchbook, all colorful, countless beings flying around. ¡°What is this place?¡± Reina asked the blue baby boy bird, who kicked his tongue. ¡°I guess you really are a stupid race. You came here not knowing where you stepped into?¡± ¡°I just opened the door to the Spirit World as the fairies requested¡­!¡± Reina, who didn¡¯t complete her answer, seemed surprised. She realized then where she had gone to. ¡°This, don¡¯t tell me, this¡­!¡± Reina stuttered. ¡°Right, just as you have said, this is the Spirit World. A long time ago, there was a gate humans could use to go here in Middle-Earth, but this is the Spirit World.¡± ¡°Ahh, the ceremony was a success.¡± Reina was very distracted by the light and the explosions of magic circles that happened during the ritual. However, it seemed like a good thing had happened. Fortunately, the ritual was successful. ¡°Then, are you guys the spirits who are living here?¡± Reina asked. ¡°Obviously. This body is that of a Sylph¡ªthe ones who race through the sky.¡± The blue kid or Sylph chuckled. Reina smiled at the blue kid and asked after a short time. She was worried about what had happened to Erwin and Sylvia. ¡°The other people? Have you seen any fairies?¡± ¡°Fairy? Are you talking about the races like elves and dwarves?¡± ¡°Yes, I performed a ritual with them to open the door to the Spirit World in the underground cave at the World Tree¡­¡± The moment Reina was giving them details. Thud! Thud! Suddenly, with a thudding sound, something began to approach from the small garden afar. ¡°Ahk! Uncle Hertes!¡± ¡°He must be looking for us! All of you run away!¡± The five little spirits looked at the garden and then ran away in different directions. Reina, who was left all alone, looked at the garden with dreadfulness. She was engulfed with fear for she might see a strange and overbearing being. After a while, a little scared kid appeared in front of Reina. It was a tortoise-like spirit, but its size was as big as a citadel. Half green and half ocher with its back holding trees and rocks. At first glance, it looked sluggish, but every time it took a step, the distance it could travel was 10 meters, and it got closer to Reina. Kung! The huge tortoise being referred to as Hertes, standing in front of Reina, was speaking to himself about the five little spirits who left him. ¡°Those naughty kids. I kept telling them to not come to this side¡­¡± He was speaking very slowly, but he was so big, which made his voice relatively loud. In the past, there was a gate that connected the Spirit World to Earth. So sometimes demons from the Devildom appeared there, or they used to take away spirits into their world. To prevent such accidents, the little spirits were constantly warned. However, five little spirit kids, who were aware of the dangers, often went to that dangerous place, neglecting the words of their elders. ¡°Who, who are you?¡± Reina, who was overwhelmed by Hertes, asked with a trembling voice. Hertes, the high spirit of Land, looked down at Reina and said, ¡°You¡¯re the visitor that Sylphid was talking about.¡± ¡°Sylphid?¡± ¡°The Spirit King of Wind, ruler of this area.¡± In the Spirit World, there were a total of five spirit kings who ruled over the region. The Spirit King of Fire, Ifrit, in the North. The Spirit King of Wind, Sylphid, in the South. The Spirit King of Water, Elayim, in the East. The Spirit King of Land, Noah, in the west. And the Spirit King of Light, Electra, the leader of the entire Spirit World. In the past, the gate to the Earth was located south of the Spirit World in the realm of Sylphid. Sylphid sensed that someone had entered through the gate and sent Hertes immediately. ¡°Sir Sylphid wants to see you. Follow me.¡± ¡°Ah, sure.¡± Reina didn¡¯t know the reason, but she followed Hertes. And not long after following him, she was falling behind already. It was because she couldn¡¯t keep up with Hertes¡¯ speed. Hertes, who wasn¡¯t able to see her troubles, put her on his back. ¡°Tch, humans are so slow. How you managed to survive in the harsh Middle-Earth is something I¡¯ll never understand.¡± Hertes, talking to himself, headed to the castle where Sylphid, the Spirit King of Wind, dwelled. Chapter 159 Kung! Thud! Thud! Reina sitting on the back of Hertes was busy looking around at the forest and rivers which were quickly slipping away from her sight. The spirits didn¡¯t seem to live in cities and towns like humans or fairies. Maybe because they were a group of beings who were born along with nature. Nature seemed to be their home and town. Were the spirits homeless? Among the spirits, there were the kings who had houses in the caves or tree stumps or deep waters. In the case of a Spirit King, he lived in the iridescent castle which was carved out of crystal. Kung! Hertes put Reina down and pointed at the gate. ¡°Once you walk in there, you¡¯ll be able to meet Sylphid.¡± Reina, upon hearing his instructions, walked in with nervousness. However, even as she walked further into the castle grounds, she wasn¡¯t able to find even a single spirit. It was like no one was living in the castle. Kiiik! The large crystal doors in front of the royal looking castle opened automatically. Reina, gulping down on her saliva, went inside with a lot of caution. As she entered through the doors of the castle, she went to the center of the room. She saw someone seated on a crystal throne. A man with three pairs of transparent wings on his back with frothy blue hair hanging till his waist. A gentle calming wind was rotating around him. The outstanding appearance of the being looked like a beautiful sculpture carved by the most artistic sculptor. ¡®This is Sylphid! The Spirit King of Wind!¡¯ She had never seen him before, yet Reina was convinced that the man was Sylphid. The place was silent, but the moment he got up from his throne, a strong wind formed. Sylphid got close to Reina and asked, ¡°Are you the one who opened the Spirit World after a thousand years?¡± ¡°That is right, Spirit King, the purest form of nature, the friends of fairies!¡± ¡°Hmm, you seem to know quite something about us.¡± ¡°I heard a few things about the Spirit World before coming here.¡± It was a long time ago, thousands of years ago, that the spirits had lost contact with the other world. Almost all records related to them have disappeared. However, some of their traditions were passed down through legends and fairy tales. Reina had information about the Spirit World because of those traditions and records. ¡°But, you have a very interesting tattoo on your body.¡± Sylphid while looking at Reina with his clear eyes, told her. ¡°You¡¯re talking about the Earth¡¯s Tears?¡± Reina never knew that her body was displaying a magic tattoo. It was because her father and her retainers were keeping her away from the truth. However, after meeting with High Elf Erenes, she found out what the tattoo was and why it existed. ¡°You refer to it as the Earth¡¯s Tears? Looks like a pretty great Elementalist created it to communicate with the Spirit World. Was that why you were able to open the doors of the Spirit World and come to this place?¡± In the days of the ancient Abaron Empire, the number of Elementalist began to decrease as the World Tree disappeared and the communication with the spirits weakened. In response, some of the outstanding fairy Elementalist began to work together to increase communication with the Spirit World. The result of their hard work was the ¡®Earth¡¯s Tear¡¯. The Earth¡¯s Tear forcibly created a cipher in the dimension, acting as a key to the door of the Spirit World. However, the side effects were severe. Moreover, even before it could be completed, the Abaron Empire had walked into the path of destruction. The last Empire¡¯s Elementalist regretted it. The descendant of the few Elementalist was known to have inherited the Earth¡¯s Tears. Eventually, when there was only one of them left, he turned over his work to a human servant, who later married the royal member of the Volga. It was an unknown secret and was forgotten for a long time. The only thing known was that the Earth¡¯s Tear was constantly being passed down in the Royal Volga family. With a little nervousness, Reina continued to talk to Sylphid, ¡°I along with some fairies held a ritual together. Do you maybe know where they are?¡± ¡°You are the only visitor we have today.¡± Erwin and Sylvia along with the other party members were back on Middle-Earth. Knowing their whereabouts, Reina¡¯s expression turned calm, but she still had a few questions which weren¡¯t answered yet. ¡°Why am I the only one who has come here? Was it because I am the heir to the Earth¡¯s Tear?¡± Asked Reina. ¡°It isn¡¯t because of that. It was because you are the purest and the noblest of those who have opened the door.¡± ¡°Me? I was the¡­¡± Sylphid smiled at Reina, who was trying to speak by interjecting her, and said, ¡°You must have done this for someone, right? An earnest heart of one person and you have opened the door to fulfill the wishes of those who have shed years of tears. Isn¡¯t that it?¡± Sylphid was speaking like he already knew everything. At his answer, Reina nodded. Even after knowing that there would be a huge change in her identity and her personality for performing it, she opened the door to the Spirit World for the sake of Luke, whom she loved dearly. She also couldn¡¯t just discard the feelings of the fairies who have been ill-treated for a thousand years. ¡°You have no greed. No, you have greed, but it is for the love and devotion you have for a specific person. And such a heart will be loved not only by the land of the Spirit World but every land for being someone similar to Lord El Kassel and Goddess Belize.¡± At the words of Sylphid, Reina shook her head. ¡°Thank you very much. But for me to be compared to them?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel burdened. It isn¡¯t the origins of the birth that matters but the heart.¡± Sylphid, who had a rather dull look, seemed lost while reminiscent of something. ¡°El Kassel and Belize loved all the things in the world and showed generosity. They never wanted anything in return. But there were those who didn¡¯t know of their love and devotion and were greedy for more.¡± Sylphid exhaled. The world was originally one but was separated because of the endless desires and struggles which created hatred for one another. The first ¡®nature of evil¡¯ revealed itself, the Devil. His desire was to build a world that would follow his lead. An army of darkness to invade the world of light. However, he was defeated by El Kassel. However, the devil left the ¡®Seed of Evil¡¯, and the demons who followed him left the world forever. ¡°The world which was cut down for the first time formed the Devildom. The demons had endless quarrels among themselves. The endless battles among themselves devastated the Devil himself.¡± ¡°How could that¡­¡± ¡°Those who went there turned more depraved, obsessed with power to survive and ruined their world. The Ether transformed into a destructive force called the Magi, which reflected their willingness and greed for power.¡± The gates of the Devildom was destroyed so that the demons wouldn¡¯t snoop around the other worlds, and Sylphid said the weak couldn¡¯t survive. ¡°Even though the Devildom had been destroyed, hatred and desire didn¡¯t disappear. Dragons and fairies prospered in a land of milk and honey, but their desires were endless.¡± Eventually, the dragons were destroyed, and the Gods, disappointed by the fairies, declared that they would move away from the Middle-Earth. And that created the New World. As the omnipotent gods were divided, ideals arose in the prosperous world. Just before the founding of Abaron Empire, climate changes and natural disasters happened. The Gods watched the downfall of the demons, and they did not let the fairies destroy themselves and the others. They decided to separate the Spirit World. ¡°That was how the Spirit World was born,¡± said Reina. ¡°Yes. However, even after the World Tree had disappeared, we continued to interact with the fairies who were in a world referred to as ¡®Middle-Earth¡¯ at a limited level. Those who were active were called the Elementalists.¡± However, the more the Empire prospered, the greed of the fairies increased. Tired spirits began to refuse their summons, and eventually, the communication got cut off. The result of their communication with the Spirit World being cut off led to the fall of the fairies. ¡°This¡­ is really a shocking revelation.¡± Reina was shocked to hear the stories of myths and legends. She had no idea that such things had happened in the past, especially about the pure fairies whom she thought were constantly being tortured by the humans, and the dark past they hid. ¡°The fairies have tried to open the door to the Spirit World to regain their communication with the Spirits and restore the prosperity they lost, isn¡¯t that it?¡± Asked the Spirit King. ¡°Yes, as the Spirit King has said, that was the purpose.¡± ¡°I think that is the only thing they can do after their constant decline and their history of persecution. But, I am worried that their cravings and desires would bring about another ambition, discord, and hatred.¡± At the words of Sylphid, Reina nodded. The same could be said for humans. The nomad became a king, and the small tribe which ate grass and rats in the far lands began to build empires that crimped the continent. The problem was that the victim always turned into an offender. Retaliation and torture were used rather than opting for tolerance. And that didn¡¯t differ much from the fairies. If history remembered fairies as talented beings with a long life and was superior to humans, and if the fairies were given the chance to create a new history, they would dominate the humans due to hatred. Chapter 160 Chapter 160: The Spirit World 3 ¡°That could be true, but, Spirit Kings are concerned that the humans of Middle Earth have developed highly magical civilization.¡± At the words of Sylphid, Reina looked puzzled. ¡°What is to be worried about?¡± She asked. ¡°Even if the fairies gain power with the help of spirits, they can be taken away by humans.¡± The spirits of Spirit World can¡¯t be used exclusively by the fairies. As in Reina¡¯s case, a special part of humans can communicate with the spirits and use their power. Even if it wasn¡¯t the case, the desire of humans was soaring with the prosperity of magic civilization, what would be the end if spirits were added to fuel their desire? ¡°Humans may follow the path of the demons, just like the past.¡± Sylphid said. ¡°That, that cant¡­¡± Reina¡¯s complexion went white at the thought. She could never imagine humans behaving like demons. ¡°Of course, it won¡¯t be happening right away. We have no intention of interacting with the Middle-Earth just yet. However, I don¡¯t know if you and the fairies were forced to open the door.¡± Humans were developing the magic civilization at a fairly fast pace. If they weren¡¯t satisfied with the resources available in the Middle-Earth, they could want to snoop around the other worlds like the demons. And the humans wouldn¡¯t back off from a fight with either the spirits or the gods themselves. In the end, everything would be ruined. ¡°Is there¡­ no other way?¡± Asked Reina. ¡°Of course it exists. It is possible to achieve spiritual growth by leaving behind the material things. If we can learn to control our desires, abandon our selfishness and aim for a world with all beings, different futures will open up.¡± Reina sighed with relief, however, Sylphid¡¯s face remained unchanged. ¡°But the mental growth is much harder than material growth. The humans and fairies will realize that it will require a great deal of time and sacrifice for it to happen¡­ I don¡¯t know if the ruins will get close to the enlightenment.¡± At those words, Reina taking a deep breath looked at Sylphid. ¡°But, isn¡¯t it better than just watching that happen?¡± ¡°Are you asking me to help, indirectly?¡± ¡°But there is no need to be concerned, just let it sow the ¡®Seed of Virtue¡¯.¡± The eyes of Reina weren¡¯t shaking like they were nervous, she had a smile on her face. ¡°It¡¯s hard for a human being.¡± ¡°But, don¡¯t you think that it is possible? If not, why would you call me to this place and tell all these stories.¡± If Sylphid had no hope, there was no reason for him to call Reina to his castle and explain things in detail. She knelt in front of Sylphid. ¡°I have a precious person to whom I am grateful for. He is a lineage to heroes called as the Warrior, but he was courageous enough to continue the lineage of an unfortunate wizard called, the Devil King.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He has a goal, which he never revealed to anyone. He too could have chosen desire and hate just as the Spirit King has spoken. But he didn¡¯t run into it. He is a person who knows of tolerance, makes choices and establishes new orders for all, and I want him to achieve his goal.¡± At the words of Reina, Sylphid couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know about the world, but you came here to save a man?¡± At the words of Sylphid, Reina blushed. ¡°If I can save him, I think that the world can change a little.¡± ¡°For that, you need the Seed of Virtue¡­¡± Sylphid, thinking for a while, got up from the throne. ¡°Nice! I will give you strength and opportunity.¡± ¡°Thank you, Spirit King!¡± She can go back. Help Luke in his dream to achieve revenge against the Baroque Empire. Reina, feeling filled with good thoughts, heard the harsh words of Sylphid which came next. ¡°I wonder if you can manage it. In the past, there were those who wanted to gain strength and opportunity just like you, but they were never successful.¡± ¡°I¡­ I know that.¡± The Earth¡¯s Tears had been passed down in the Royal Volga family. Reina thought that the ones who had been mentioned as failures were the ancestors of hers. ¡°The gods haven¡¯t permitted you, and you cannot be given the power of Spirits. But, the gods haven¡¯t said anything about Aether.¡± ¡°Aether?¡± Asked Reina. ¡°The origin of all the power in the world. The power of Spirit, the divine power of mana¡­ and Magic is also made of Aether.¡± As Reina was shocked, he hit her with a warning. ¡°But it¡¯s very hard for one to hold that power. Rather, it may invade your body and turn you into a monster or drive you crazy. Just like the case of your ancestors.¡± She was always curious why the ancestors of her had suffered from madness or pain after using the Earth¡¯s Tear, but now she understood. ¡°Even then, would you like to receive the power?¡± As Sylphid asked, Reina clenched her fists and answered. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Once he heard her words, Sylphid¡¯s two hands did something, and then held her hands. Wheein! The wind began to blow in a small whirlwind in the palm of Sylphid. The whirlwind grew stronger and much clearer, and soon a brilliant transparent crystal appeared in the middle. The size of the crystal was small, but seeing it, the energy seemed to be very reminiscent of a huge mountain of a vast sea. ¡°This is a part of my spirit power which is turned back into Aether. It is up to you whether you turn it into a great power or disaster.¡± Reina was handed the Aether crystal. The Aether crystal began to get absorbed into Reina¡¯s body, like a salt dispersed in water. Starting from the hands which took the crystal, the entire body began to feel refreshing. The blood vessels, nerves, and all the organs seemed to have been cleansed. ¡®Ah, this is Aether¡­!¡¯ Reina¡¯s eyes went white. In a white space, a man in front of her with a golden staff and a beautiful woman resembling an elf was beside him. At the feet of theirs, tender shoots began to grow. The shoots were growing quickly and healthily, the sun and moon began to rise, countless stars began to design the dark sky. Dense greenery began to spread, and when the land wanted to rise, the mountains began to stand up and the rivers began to flow through the valleys. And the vast sea began to wrap the earth, so was the wind in the sky. In the meantime, shoots, or trees began to intricately cover the sky, and produce numerous fruits. Humans, fairies, demons, and ¡­ ¡°Kiaaak!¡± As the Aether was absorbed, a great deal of information was passed into Reina¡¯s mind. The information was so vast that no human brain could normally afford to hold onto it. Sylphid¡¯s cold expression remained unchanged seeing Reina grab her head and scream. ¡®If you don¡¯t know, you can¡¯t use it, if you can¡¯t understand it, it is hard to control the power. What about you? What would you do?¡¯ Sylphid was the one who sent the information through Aether. As he watched, Reina¡¯s head was filled with flowers and trees. In addition, the silver hair of Reina changed to red and black, her ears pointed like the elves and wings began to emerge on her back. At some point, however, the changes began to fade, and she went back to her appearance. There was something. Mysterious light of Aether around her body continued to hover. And then Reina disappeared in front of Sylphid. Sylphid was very surprised. ¡°Went back? That too by¡­¡± Up to this date, no one appears to acquire the Aether and return back to the world they have come from. They were dead. But Reina was different. Apparently, the return to the Middle-Earth meant that the power of Aether had been absorbed. ¡°Has she found her own way to deal with Aether? I guess she was a great kid. But to seal off the suffering and endure pain, isn¡¯t that a bit reckless?¡± Can Reina sow the seeds of virtue? It was a question for Sylphid, but he had no expectation. He prayed for new winds and new seeds to sprout in the middle-earth. Chapter 161 Chapter 161: The Angel¡¯s Advent 1 Ding-! Ding! Ding! The bells from the cathedral began to ring loud. In the boulevard of the Capital of Arthenia, Bless. The bells were ringing non-stop when a wagon loaded with colorful coffins appeared on the street. Around a hundred priests dressed in white were standing in front and behind the wagon. Hundreds of paladins with black belts were escorting the wagon. In addition, if there was an emergency on the way, they prepared Gigants. ¡°Haak!¡± ¡°To be gone like this¡­?!¡± As the funeral procession appeared, people on both sides of the streets were shedding tears. The people were weeping as if their close relatives had passed away. At their words, a merchant from the neighboring nation asked. ¡°Look here. Who died that you¡¯re all making such a fuss? Has the cardinal died?¡± When the merchant asked, the person next to him couldn¡¯t hide his disgust for the merchant. ¡°You didn¡¯t get the news yet? Last night, the Holy Pope has been taken.¡± ¡°What? Are you saying that the Pope died?¡± Asked the merchant in shock. ¡°Huah, yes. He, who was suffering from sickness and fighting for years finally went into the arms of El Kassel.¡± Pope Benedict III had been in a life and death situation for over a year. Though he was likely to die, many people prayed for him not to meet his death. However, no miracle had happened. He was old and was suffering; he was constantly asked to select a successor even before his illness took a turn for the worst and in the end, he was holding onto his breath every day. ¡°Then who do you think will be the next Pope?¡± When the Pope dies, the Holy Arthenia Empire opens a Conclave with the cardinals. The Bishop named in the Conclave was to become the next Pope. The merchant was very curious as to who the next Pope would be. As a new Pope entered, the course of the Holy Empire could surely change. ¡°Well, there was this thing that Archbishop Michael and Archbishop Constantine have power on their side, but nothing is definite.¡± When the person talking to him turned over to see the funeral procession, the merchant left to do his work. He took steps to the outside of the castle. The merchant clicking his tongue looked at the people who were suffering from hunger and diseases. ¡°Tch, in the place called the Holy Empire, there are numerous people who are naked and suffering from pain!¡± The merchant was actually a spy from another nation. Before entering the place, he never even thought that he would see a slum in the Holy Arthenia Empire which was always referred to as ¡®Heaven on Earth¡¯. He expected temples and religious places to be overflowing in the empire. However, the reality was very different. As in most nations, only the nobles and some rich people were living a well-defined life, in the very Holy Empire, most of its population were poor. Some people had to work hard in order to earn and stay alive at the end of the day. ¡°Tch, if they have such money to spend on the funerals, then give some of it to the people.¡± The merchant, or the spy, went deep into a street. To meet a colleague who he promised to. But for some reason, the poor people were all gathered in one place. The merchant or spy was curious enough and took a closer look. Among the huge crowd of poor people, there was a clean looking priest. He was eager to talk with the crowd and give them food. ¡°Oh-oh, who?¡± Asked the merchant. ¡°Priest Luther.¡± Suddenly, he heard the answer which emerged from his back. His heart pounding hard as he didn¡¯t want his identity to be revealed, but fortunately, nothing happened. The man who answered him was the colleague he was supposed to meet. ¡°Priest Luther?¡± ¡°The Sanctity of Holiness, one of the seven tribes of El Kassel.¡± There were several tribes within the denominations of the history of the Holy Arthenia Empire. The smallest of them, but they were trying to keep pure faith and teachings of the early days. The salvation of the poor was highly valued, and on the contrary, they would criticize El Kassel¡¯s denomination and the seniority rules. ¡°He is the most trustworthy person that I met here.¡± ¡°Is that so? Anyway, I¡¯m not interested in the details. The President is very curious about the next of the Holy Empire.¡± Looking at Priest Luther with curiosity, the informer priest stepped back with his colleagues. Chapter 162 The funeral procession across the central square entered the cathedral which was to the west of Bless. There were already dozens of high-ranking priests and paladins, including the cardinals. These people were the power that moved the Holy Arthenia Empire, and among them, there were many who were worried about the empire rather than feeling sad about the death of their Pope. ¡°Holy Father who art in Heaven. Today, we have all gathered here for our beloved brother and esteemed leader, Benedict III¡­¡± Archbishop Michael, who was presiding over the Pope¡¯s funeral mass, sang the prayer with happiness in his heart. Not too long ago, thanks to his victory over Archbishop Constantine, whom he constantly had fierce battles with, he was selected for the position of the next Pope. Conclave, of course, still had a formal procedure to follow, but it was a fact that the next Pope was going to be Michael. As a symbol of that, many bishops and high-ranking priests visited him in the morning, offering a few bribes, and on the day of the funeral mass, they approached him to flatter him. ¡®Hu hu hu, the moment the one-month procedures finish, I need to convene in the Conclave. And I¡¯ll have to chase away my distracting opponents.¡¯ In spite of the blessings he had to win, he needed to dispel the Archbishops and the other oppositions to establish an absolute power. It was at that moment when Archbishop Michael was thinking of how to dismiss and drive them away. People in the cathedral started to roar. He got back to reality due to the noise. He frowned and asked, ¡°Uh, who are those who are making a fuss during a solemn and godly funeral mass?¡± A bishop, seated in front of Michael and was panicking, pointed his finger toward something. ¡°Look there!¡± ¡°What the hell?!¡± Michael was shocked. A glowing light sphere floated beneath the ceiling depicting the torch of Lord El Kassel and the Earth Goddess Belize. ¡°What, what is this?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­¡± At first, the sphere was the size of a fist. But it grew bigger, and the light exploded. Puaht-! ¡°Ohh!¡± The light was too bright. No one could see anything. And then, everyone¡¯s sight cleared. In the place where the sphere disappeared, a lady of silver wrapped with wings of light appeared. The wings of light, which were covering the woman, soon disappeared. From the woman whose eyes were closed, a magnificent but sacred energy flowed from her body. The young priests and paladins were surprised at her appearance. ¡°An, an angel! She must be an angel!¡± ¡°Oh oh, it¡¯s an angel!¡± As the woman slowly descended, young priests and paladins began to kneel. Among them were a few who were shedding tears while thinking of her as a blessing from God. Being swept in the atmosphere, a few high-priests even surrendered and bowed. Because of the sudden turmoil, the Archbishop couldn¡¯t hide his shock and confusion. ¡®What the hell is this?! An Angel? Is she really an angel?¡¯ Even though he was trying to deny it, he was convinced after seeing the pure and sacred energy flowing from the woman. The energy she was releasing seemed incomparable with the divine powers the high priests possessed. ¡®But for the past 300 years, God didn¡¯t even pass down the ¡®Trust¡¯ to our denomination?¡¯ But suddenly an angel was visiting them now? She appeared now that the next Pope was about to be appointed? Michael shook his head violently. ¡®This can¡¯t be¡­ This can¡¯t be happening!¡¯ Originally, the Pope was appointed by ¡®God¡¯s Trust¡¯ and not by the Conclave in the El Kassel denomination. But as God¡¯s Trust never came, it was replaced by the Conclave. Feeling threatened by the possible chance to lose his position, Michael secretly called for his guards and ordered for the angel to be arrested. But someone else reacted first. ¡°Oh oh oh, the Lord has sent an Angel to be the new Pope!¡± A sudden shout was heard in the Cathedral. The owner of the voice was Michael¡¯s rival, Constantine, who had been resisting Michael since he lost. Not just the young priests, but the senior priests too seemed surprised at his words. ¡°El Kassel sent an angel as the new Pope¡­?¡± ¡°But can an angel take the place of a Pope?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t be done. Originally, our ancestor in the denomination, Ramael, was an angel too.¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­¡± In a moment, the entire public opinion flowed in the direction that the Angel was supposed to be the next Pope. Michael, whose heart began to race, began to refute. ¡°What is this, Archbishop Constantine?! How can you be sure that she is an Angel? The Lord has sent us a new Pope? How can you say those words!¡± ¡°Huh, are you trying to say that you wouldn¡¯t believe a divinity coming out of the Lord¡¯s will?!¡± At the rebuttal of Constantine, Michael hesitated for a while and answered, ¡°I¡­ surely feel it. But, can everyone with divine powers be called angels?¡± ¡°Well, then how could a woman appear through the cathedral¡¯s perimeter if she wasn¡¯t an angel? Besides, are you not seeing that her wings are made of light? She must be an angel sent by El Kassel to revive our denomination.¡± Constantine was speaking with a firm voice, pointing to the woman who settled on the floor. ¡°See that?! That is proof that that woman is God¡¯s will!¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± Michael and everyone were shocked at what they saw. Flowers began to bloom around the woman, wheat and barley grew in abundance. And where the plants appeared, butterflies and birds were hovering on her side. Some priests, who saw that scene, recalled the first verse of the denomination. ¡°In the cold and silent land, the mother goddess sprouted a giant tree on the stone¡­¡± ¡°They bloomed on the marble floor. So this is¡­!¡± The miracle was decisive. As his words were turning firmer, Constantine immediately approached the woman and knelt in front of her. ¡°Angel! Please be our new Pope and lead this denomination and this Empire!¡± At this point, she would have to respond or tell a revelation. Constantine¡¯s eyes saw that the woman was slowly waking up. Staring at the face of Constantine, the woman smiled. ¡°Who are you grandfather? And who am I?¡± ¡®Huh?¡¯ Surprised, Constantine looked at the woman again. Then he noticed things which he hadn¡¯t noticed before. Her eyes weren¡¯t full of wisdom. She was like an idiot. Like an innocent child with a bright smile plastered to her lips. ¡°Hehe. This house is huge, and there are many people too,¡± she said. Looking around the men, she suddenly became dull. She held Constantine¡¯s clothing and shouted, ¡°Grandfather, I am hungry. Give me food~!¡± ¡°Hold on, that¡­¡± For a moment, the solemn and godly funeral hall felt ashamed. The miracle of the advent began to shake the Holy Empire unexpectedly. Chapter 163 The Devil King Saymon. Warrior Rakan. Two of the strongest people in the history of humanity. They were always mentioned in myths and legends. Perhaps, they were the strongest human beings. Arsene, who had awakened the strength of the guardians, flew to the sky shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Erenes. The other. Day. I was. Alone. So you. Managed, but this. Time it is. Your. Turn.¡± A few months ago, Arsene attacked the Dark Moon magic tower, but he was struck down by the High Elf Erenes. Although his flesh was blown away, he couldn¡¯t forgive Erenes for intervening and for wasting his precious time to recover. If Arsene knew where he was staying, he would have gone there right away. Unfortunately, Arsene didn¡¯t know where he was. He thought of Dark Moon. So, he decided to finish what he started a few months ago and ask for the whereabouts of Erenes. ¡°Kulkulkul, warlock. Bastards. And. Erenes. Wait a while. I will. Show. You the. Most. Cruel form. Of. Death!¡± If Erenes appeared, killing him wouldn¡¯t be an easy task. But Lich thought of capturing him and torturing him to death. Arsene, with a sneaky smile, thought of how he wanted to ruin the pure soul and body of the high elf. A few days later, he and his two guardians crossed the large dessert and arrived in front of the Dark Moon. Arsene gave the orders to his guardians. ¡°Well, go my. Faithful. Servants. Get that. Magic Tower¡¯s headstone. And not¡­ huh?¡± Arsene stopped giving his orders. The atmosphere of the Magic Tower was very faint in the middle of the night¡¯s light. The building had been restored, but the lights were out, and it didn¡¯t feel full of life. ¡°These. Men. Knowing that. I would. Come. Back. Abandoned. The place?¡± Were they hiding, then the search would stop. Arsene flew into the Magic Tower with his fly magic and swept through the buildings with Mana Scan magic. The only things left in the Magic Tower were the clutter, not just a human but even an experimental rat couldn¡¯t be sensed. They weren¡¯t hiding; it was like they ran away. No traces of them could be found, not an item and not even their dust. ¡°Keu. Ahhh! These. Guys!¡± Realizing that he had been fooled by trivial humans, Arsene¡¯s eyes turned angry and black magic raged everywhere. Kwang! Thud-! The Dark Moon Magic Tower, which had been restored to its original form, collapsed once again. The guardians, who were faithfully following Arsene, silently watched the scene. Arsene, who was angry, kept on smashing every structure he could. ¡°Kuk! Irritating! To the. Extent. That I. couldn¡¯t. control. Myself!¡± Warlocks were known to be stealthy wizards. If they hadn¡¯t stolen the Veritas Magic Tower¡¯s new Hero-class Gigant blueprint, he would have never known that the new Magic Tower was built by the remnants of the Darkness Magic Tower, which was destroyed 500 years ago. That also was way back to their origin! ¡°Kua! Rat like. Idiots. I will. Find. Everyone. Who. Is hiding. From me. Think. I can¡¯t? Will find. You all. And make. You pay!¡± It could take a while to find them, but with the white and dark magic that Arsene had learned, it would be possible. And he had the Veritas Magic Tower in his hand. If he could use all the Magic Towers in the continent, he would surely find Dark Moon¡¯s men. The only thing which was bothering him was his temper. Arsene, however, decided to take his temper and use it for the revenge and punishment he would give them. Trying to control his anger, he wondered where they could have escaped. ¡®It was likely that they went somewhere to lay low. Perhaps they went to a region where the strength of El Kassel denomination is weak¡­¡¯ While Arsene was reviewing some of the sites of the continent, the crystals in his hands were vibrating, indicating that magic communication was being processed. ¡°What. Is it?¡± Right after taking a different path for his journey, it was Albert who was trying to communicate. After leaving the desert and returning to the Veritas Magic Tower, Albert called him with a nervous voice. -Something huge had happened, ancestor! Just a moment ago, 4 Magic Towers of the top 10 Magic Towers accused the Veritas Magic Tower of learning dark magic! ¡°What. Did. You. Say?!¡± Arsene was surprised. There weren¡¯t more than 5 men, including Arsene, who were learning dark magic in the Veritas Magic Tower. Who would have thought that the heads of the Veritas Magic Tower were learning dark magic? And what was worse was that the ones who discovered them were other magic towers. However, he didn¡¯t have much time to think about it. The situation was very urgent. -The Magic Federation is moving quickly. They were ready to dispatch an investigation team right away. How am I supposed to respond? No matter how well the Veritas Magic Tower was doing, such an act would be a huge blow to their achievements. In the worst-case scenario, the Magic Tower would be ruined. If the accusers were one or two of the 10 magic towers, they could have stopped the procession of the investigation. However, as many as 4 had accused them, which meant that they decided to break down the Veritas Magic Tower. The incident was a result of the rumor that spread and the evidence that Johas told the ten Magic Towers before he moved his base. The four Magic Towers, which didn¡¯t like the Veritas Magic Tower, wanted to take the opportunity and win. ¡°Kul kul kul. These men. Will. Have to. Die. I will. Deal with. Them. Personally. You. Don¡¯t worry. I am good. At cracking. Down houses. With my. Legs.¡± -What do you plan on doing? Albert asked. His eyes which were looking at the communication crystal were burning with anger and madness. ¡°Kul! Those. People. Are asking. For their. Death. Then. I should. Be. Giving them. Death.¡± Arsene decided to show the world the power he had harnessed by staying in the shadows for the last 500 years. The fall of the 4 Magic Towers would be the signal. Looking toward the south where the 10 Magic Towers were, flames of conspiracy sprang up in his stern eyes. Chapter 164 Lamulen, a commercial city to the south of Castia kingdom. There was a headquarter for the Rokid Magic Tower, one of the 10 magic towers of the continent. The 300-year-old Rokid magic tower was an institute that had its own tradition and history, even though it wasn¡¯t able to enter the top 5 magic towers of the continent. The recently produced knight-class Gigant ¡®Raptor¡¯, had been hit with international acclaim, In addition, the productions in the workshop had gradually increased, recruiting wizards and engineers, preparing for a leap to a higher position in the top 10 magic towers. A month ago, a secret of the Veritas Magic tower had been delivered to them. The supposed rumor had been delivered in a secret way and contained a very shocking story. A few contextual pieces of evidence were enclosed along with the statement that the heads of the Veritas Magic Tower were secretly learning dark magic. At the meeting room which was located in the deepest part of the Rokid Magic tower. The Meister of the magic tower, the elders and the other key leaders gathered to discuss it. ¡°What happened isn¡¯t a good thing.¡± An elder with a round face got a reply from another elder. ¡°It isn¡¯t an inexcusable thing. Learning dark magic is like some kind of a continental achievement. But, it wasn¡¯t someone else, it was the leaders of the Veritas Magic tower, who should be showing themselves as great examples, were secretly learning dark magic¡­ this is something that needs to be enslaved.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t any conclusive evidence, right?¡± ¡°Which is why the investigating team will be dispatched soon.¡± At the sharp responses from the elder, the chubby elder asked. ¡°And if they still don¡¯t manage to find it? The Veritas Magic tower will surely not stay quiet.¡± ¡°So what if they don¡¯t stay quiet? Would they go to a war against us?¡± ¡°Who said anything about a war? They could mobilize our networks, or cut off our capital for the magic tower or putting pressure on us¡­¡± While the two of them were going back and forth with their statements, Meister who was seated in the center of the table, knocked the table twice. ¡°The both of you calm down.¡± After the two went silent, Meister looked at the chubby elder and said. ¡°I understand the concerns of elder Jeron. But the dice have already been thrown. And even if the leaders of the Veritas Magic tower didn¡¯t learn the dark magic, this would still be a huge blow to them.¡± Since the continent had been turned around 500 years back by the Devil King Saymon, the vested interests of warlocks which formed the demon legion deepened in the continent. If rumored that someone had learned dark magic from somewhere, the world of magic, the world of divinity and religion, the senior nobles of the nations all took a lead and captured or killed the warlock. The same things were happening in the current time too. And if a rumor that the Veritas Magic tower was being associated with the dark magic came out? Until the truth came out, the Veritas Magic tower was likely to suffer tremendously. There would be wizards and engineers who would leave the tower scared of catching fire with the rumors, and every one of that institute would be looked at with suspicion in the Imperial Baroque. And even if they didn¡¯t turn out to be true. It would take a lot of time for the magic tower to recover from the loss of fame and name. ¡°But the strength of Veritas Magic tower is very significant. I¡¯m worried that they¡¯ll get back at our magic tower at a later time.¡± Elder Jeron studied at the Vertias Magic tower when he was young. So he knew about the Veritas Magic tower and its power better than anyone, which was why he was worried about the aftermath of such things. And it wasn¡¯t like the Rokid Magic Tower Meister didn¡¯t think it through. Which was why instead of accusing the Veritas Magic tower alone, he made a pact with the other three of the 10 magic towers aiming for the downfall of Veritas Magic tower. ¡°Even if the Veritas Magic tower tries to take down 1 or 2 magic towers in the continent, they won¡¯t be able to ever silent 4 of them at once.¡± Some elders who were unsure of the explanation just sighed. ¡°Kay then, let¡¯s all put our worries down and see how the Veritas Magic tower gets hit¡­¡± Meister laughed and tried to clear the mood. Kwang! All of a sudden, the ceiling of the room cracked and collapsed. ¡°What, what is this?!¡± ¡°Why is the ceiling cracking!¡± Meister and the elders were surprised and moved back. As the dust subsided, three people could be seen. A middle-aged wizard with an unknown man in grey robes, a knight in golden armor with a scar on his neck. Among them, the grey robe wizard looked at the elders with bloody eyes. ¡°Kul kul kul, you. Rokid¡¯s. bastards. All in. one place. Gathered. And. Conspired. On me.¡± They were Arsene and his two guardians. The brains of Rokid magic tower, who didn¡¯t know them burst out. ¡°Who are you?! And how dare you bust into the Rokid magic tower?!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t stop this madness right away, you¡¯ll get a taste of¡­¡± However, all their words got cut. The knight in the golden armor stepped forward swinging his sword with grace. Kwang-! The golden glow on the sword burst from the knight, the whole wall of one side came crashing down. ¡°Kaak!¡± ¡°Ahk!¡± The elders of the Rokid magic tower quickly manifested their defense magic when the pulled on his sword. The elders who realized that they weren¡¯t there for talks, acted quickly. However, the shields of 6th and 7th magic circles which they made were easily broken down the moment the golden aura touched them. Expect for those who quickly used Blink magic, the others who were touched by the golden aura disappeared without a trace, It was like a moth swallowed by fire. ¡°Oh my god!!¡± Barely managing to avoid the attack, Meister couldn¡¯t help but scream. The elders of Rokid magic tower thought that it wasn¡¯t so capable as they were of 6 circle magic wizards. There were five wizards with 7 circles, and the Meister was an 8 circle user. But one swipe from the knight in the golden armor, and half of the elders of Rokid magic tower disappeared. ¡°This makes no sense. The skills of our elders are strong, they need to be able to fight against this devil¡­¡± ¡°Kul ku. Kul. The strongest, templar. Of continent. Also. Got. Divinity. From. Arthenia. Empire. Do you realize? The guardian. And greatest of all. Incomparable. To. Anyone. The Rakan. Has. Come. Back. You¡¯ll. Have. A lot. To lose.¡± ¡°Ra, Rakan?¡± Meister was bewildered at what he heard. How could the legendary hero, Rakan suddenly make an appearance? The Grey robe, no Arsene, revealed the truth with a triumphant face. ¡°Kul, kul, kul. Revived. The body. After. A long. Time. Of. His. Death. But, his. Skills. Stay. Unrivaled. Like. Ever.¡± After those words, the helmet on the face of the golden knight opened, revealing the middle-aged face of a man with a pale complexion. The wizards of Rokid magic tower were amazed. Though pale and lifeless, the golden knight¡¯s face looked exactly like the portrait of the warrior Rakan himself. ¡®Was the cosmetic surgery magic been used¡­?¡¯ The Meister of Rokid Magic tower examined if the face had been deliberately changed, however, there was no unnatural flow of mana which usually appeared after the surgery magic. There was one thing which was more shocking than that. ¡°This energy¡­ a, a Death Knight!¡± Chapter 165 The Death Knight was one of the strongest monsters of the Devildom along with the Lich. A long time ago, the demons had invaded the earth, largely in search of destruction of the Mado civilization and the continent after the fall of the Abaron empire. During that time, the Death Knight was notorious for being the vanguard of the Devildom. At that time, people managed to defeat the demons, but the magic of the demons to make the Death Knights was passed down to the warlocks. Death Knight was said to be the being which was revived with cursed dark magic, along with the skills of a Sword Master. However, a basic of 9 circles of dark magic was needed to make it work, and it was very difficult to obtain a body. In addition to that, it took a long time for the dark magic ritual to be prepared and for the collection of the other materials for the making of a Death Knight. For that reason, that enemy was very rare to appear after the demon invasion. No one knew why, but the Devil King, the best warlock 500 years ago, had never made a single Death Knight and constantly used golems to fight. Till the current time, not a single Death Knight had appeared in the history of the continent. But for such a thing to appear then! ¡°Who, who the hell are you¡­?!¡± The voice of Meister was trembling with fear. To him, the grey robe wizard was the Devil King who came from the Devildom. But his prediction was far too vain. ¡°Who. Am. I? someone. Who. Belongs. To. The Magic. Tower. That. You. Are. Trying. To put. Down.¡± ¡°What, what did you say? Then, from Veritas Magic¡­¡± He slowly revealed his identity, which made the Meister more scared. ¡°Yes, I, am. The. Wizard. Of. Veritas. Magic. Tower. From. 500 years. Back. Arsene.¡± Thud-! An indirect explosion happened as if a huge magic bomb had been released. Not believing it, the wizards of Rokid screamed. ¡°Don¡¯t lie! That can¡¯t happen!¡± ¡°Arsene is the founder of magic engineering! How can you say his name and defile his greatness?!¡± Although they were the rivals to the Veritas Magic tower, the wizards of Rokid respected the work of Arsene and his war against the Devil King Saymon, laying the foundation for the magic engineering. It was the same with most of the wizards in the continent, which was why no one believed the grey robe wizard. Elder Jeron was different. ¡®Then, according to the rumors that I heard when studying in the Veritas Magic¡­¡¯ Archmage Arsene. He was the 17th Meister of the Veritas. He had grown the Veritas which was just a middle-ranked magic tower to one of the best in the kingdom and led the continent towards magic engineering, Arsene was held up virtually. Rumors had it that he cared so much for the magic tower that he even touched the taboo magic in the later years. They were all stories and not a single person dared to uncover it, however, Jeron heard a few rumors about it. At that time, he ignored them thinking that they were the words of some jealous person. But he realized that it wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°Li, Lich!¡± As soon as he was recollecting the rumors, a word popped out of Jeron¡¯s mouth. At those words, Arsene lifted his head. ¡°Kul? I never. Knew. That. A person. Who knew. Of me. Secret. Was. In. this. Place.¡± Arsene admitted that it was a secret. And there was a reason for it. Arsene wasn¡¯t going to keep them alive. He had already decided that they were all going to be killed, there was no reason for him to hide the threat. Jeron, who grasped the meaning behind the words, shouted out. ¡°All, all of you run away! Our opponent is a 9th circle Lich!¡± From what he said, the ability of Arsene could be less too, but the power he held was great. Wizards who learned of Arsene¡¯s secret began to run away. They had no odds against the 9th circle Lich. Besides, he had a Death Knight made of Warrior Rakan. Now, it was important that one of them survive and make it public. Everybody thought so, and each of them ran in a different direction. But¡­ ¡°Kuk!¡± ¡°Kul!¡± ¡°This, this is?!¡± The wizards who moved into the secret passages, or tried to escape, or teleport, threw up blood on the floor. ¡°This, this is Mana Force!¡± ¡°How is this¡­?!¡± Mana force field which twists the flow of Mana. Such a magic was unfolding with no sign. Seeing the wizards fall down, Arsene, laughed. ¡°You. Men. Thought. You could. Run. Away. From. In front. Of me?¡± ¡°Kuak!¡± The mana force was being played by another guardian, Saymon, who came along with Arsene and Rakan. The wizards who didn¡¯t understand it had been developing a heart attack, each time they tried to teleport or use magic, their heart hurts more and they ended up vomiting blood. ¡°Kul. Kul. Should. We. Call. The. End?¡± At the gesture of Arsene, Rakan¡¯s aura began to glow again. The heads of Rokid Magic tower were wiped out. The next day, the tragedy of the Rokid magic tower spread throughout the magic world. Every leader was surprised to hear that they had died in an explosion which had happened in the magic tower. However, the cause of the explosion wasn¡¯t known. Only rumors were that the magic tower heads were performing some secret experiment inside the magic tower and it happened. And there were a few speculations that the Veritas magic tower charged with dark magic was behind it. For something to have happened at a peak moment. ¡°The Veritas Magic tower was really learning dark magic?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think that it¡¯s something to be called ¡®bad¡¯.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what is better.¡± ¡°But there is no evidence.¡± ¡°Which is why it needs to be looked at.¡± However, the Magic Federation¡¯s investigation was weak at the Veritas Magic tower. At the Veritas, they weren¡¯t helping out because of the unfair inspection, and they refuted the evidence of the dark magic. Therefore, unlike the early days of hardship within the magic federation, there were a few advocates inside them defending the Veritas Magic. It was claimed that the advocates had taken bribes from Veritas Magic tower, but there wasn¡¯t any solid evidence. Many of them, however, were wizards who studied Veritas Magic tower in the last years, or they were frequently associated with Veritas magic tower. Another incident had broken out. Meister Garond, the owner of Altica Magic tower, the 5th largest Gigant workshop of the continent and a member of the Magic Federation was missing. He was going over to a small town magic tower with his disciples and attendants, but no one knew how it happened. The problem was that there was a branch of Modern Magic tower, in the area where he disappeared. The Modern magic tower, was one of the top 10 magic towers in terms of production rather than quality, and seized a place in the top 5 for gigant manufacturers, and had bad relations with the Altica Magic tower. It was because the Altica magic tower often pointed out and blamed the deficiencies in Modern Magic tower¡¯s Gigants. In addition, small and medium magic towers that Altica tried to take over were the ones the Modern magic tower had aimed for. Naturally, the Altica magic tower claimed that the crime had been committed by the Modern magic tower, and they denied it. As the two towers were fighting, another story came forward. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the work of the Veritas Magic tower too?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Altica Magic tower sued Veritas magic tower along with Rokid magic tower. In addition to the act of the Modern magic tower, Veritas magic tower had been damaged a lot with the rumors and stories.¡± ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that too much of a speculative work?¡± Since the report of Veritas, unknown accidents and killings have taken place. Coincidentally, all the events involved big or small Veritas Magic towers. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it look like the Veritas Magic tower has a hand?¡± ¡°But the Veritas Magic tower has a high level of influence in the magic world.¡± ¡°But this is too sly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s called a conspiracy theory, in technical terms.¡± ¡°What? Are they studying dark magic then?¡± ¡°Any proof? Tell me if you have any!¡± ¡°This is just a hunch about Veritas.¡± ¡°So what about the hunch? Show me if you have any¡­¡± When wizards gathered, everyone talked about Veritas magic, and it often led to fights between them. The situation spread to the whole magic world, and eventually, the forces split. ¡°Rokid and Altica have withdrawn their report from the Magic Federation!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°About the Veritas magic inspection, and about the very recent events that happened too.¡± Magic towers withdrew from the Magic Federation. Soon, Fiore magic tower and Terra Magic tower, which accused the Veritas with dark magic withdrew their statements. The magic federation strongly condemned the act of the magic towers and their wizards. It was stated that research and academics would be banned. But the problem that started didn¡¯t die down so easily. ¡°The secession magic towers held a meeting?¡± ¡°Called as ¡®Magic Federation Reform Assembly.¡¯ Or simply as reformists.¡± ¡°Are they really going to fight using magic?¡± The existing Magic Federation centered on helping the Veritas Magic tower, and defined the reformists as ¡®Heretics¡¯. Various regulations were put in place and suppressed, and it wasn¡¯t the forces of the reformers who had suffered in the process, it was the small and medium magic towers. The reformers too began to halt the Magic Federation by mobilizing funds and networks to gain power. Similarly, the medium and small magic towers on the side of the Magic Federation had suffered. The Holy magic tower of the Holy Arthenia Empire was the only one who managed to escape the misery. Many people assumed that these two forces were divided and they were brave enough to confront the magic world. But they never expected the two forces to collide head-on. Unlike the thick-headed religious behaviors, the wizards had rational and computational thoughts. Knowing that head-on collision wouldn¡¯t benefit each other, they decided to settle things over time. Chapter 166 Chapter 166: Luke¡¯s Wrath 1 Wheeing-! With fierce sounds of wind moving in a calm place, a certain purple light was flashing from the north side heading to the south through the sky. In just a short amount of time, the light reached the Rakan estates and landed in the garden of Lamer city. Kwang-! ¡°What, what was that?¡± ¡°A meteor?¡± Shocked at what had created the sound, knights and mercenaries hurried to the spot where the sound came. As they went to watch, they were surprised to see a young man walking out of the crater. ¡°Luke, Lord Luke!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Why is Lord Luke over here?¡± The young man wearing a military uniform, which was tattered due to the speed he traveled in the wind, was Marquis Luke de Rakan¡ªthe Lord of Rakan territory. When he suddenly appeared from the Torlot Fortress, which was at the north of the empire, everyone was shocked. However, Victor, the head of the Kirillov Co., was calm. He just thought, ¡®He has come.¡¯ He talked to Luke who had approached him, ¡°I guess you heard it.¡± ¡°¡­ Where?¡± ¡°The dark elves are looking for her whereabouts. Erenes said that she was surely somewhere on the continent¡­¡± ¡°Where the hell is that damn High Elf!!¡± A wild and shocking shout came out of Luke¡¯s mouth. The purple aura, which was around him, was soaring around like the flames of hell. Surprised by the furious response of Luke, all the knights at the scene went pale and scared. Some were scared to the extent that one of them had screamed. They could¡¯ve probably wet their pants. ¡®I knew something like this would happen, but¡­¡¯ Luke sighed after realizing that he was getting too furious at something he expected. In fact, if he could, he would have asked for Reina¡¯s whereabouts by trying to shake the High Elf. ¡°Understood. I will guide you. Please follow me.¡± Luke followed Victor to the mansion where Erenes was staying. In the meantime, the attendants had spread the news about Luke¡¯s arrival. ¡°What, the Lord has come?¡± ¡°But he is on military service. Did he get a vacation?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, but he could be accused of deserting.¡± ¡°Why did he come all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Was it because princess Reina hasn¡¯t been found?¡± The Argos branch in Lamer heard the news and quickly went back to their seats. If Luke did desert his role, then letting it be known to the Imperial family wasn¡¯t going to do them any good. Luke heard about Reina¡¯s disappearance three days ago. However, the source of it was Erenes. He asked his student Erwin to send the information through magical communication. The moment Luke heard of the unsettling news, she began his journey toward Lamer. Three days and nights with nothing to eat and no sleep, he used every single ounce of energy he had to reach his destination as soon as he could. Because he had to know why such a thing happened and if Reina was safe. Kwang-! ¡°Erenes!!¡± The moment Luke reached the mansion where Erenes was staying, he opened the door with a shout. Surprised with his act, the dark elves intercepted him but with the intangible energy that Luke had around him, they were all blown away. ¡°Please calm down, I¡¯ll explain what has happened¡­ Kyak!¡± Luke threw Erwin, who was trying to calm him down. He approached the bed and caught Erenes¡¯ collar. ¡°Long time no see.¡± Erenes smiled bitterly at the furious Luke. He recognized Luke¡¯s identity immediately. The body belonged to a young man, but the soul, the soul was his old companion. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. What have you been doing?! What did you do to her?!¡± Along with Erwin, who was thrown to the ground, Victor was watching the conversation between the two. Their unspoken tone and the behavior between them, it seemed like they were well acquainted for a long time. ¡®Maybe he really is the reincarnation of Saymon?¡¯ When Erwin was thinking to herself, Erenes opened his mouth. ¡°You must surely know what our fairies ultimately want, right?¡± Erenes¡¯ hope wasn¡¯t to provide liberation to the persecuted fairies. It was to open the closed door of the Spirit World and recover the fairies¡¯ lost power. That was what Luke knew, but he never thought that it would result in this. ¡°Just a little more studying and you would have noticed it too. The hidden power inside Princess Reina,¡± Erenes said. ¡°Obviously I know¡­¡± Erwin said that the Spirits existed when the world was one. ¡°Earth¡¯s Tears. It was left by the last Elementalist who continued the spirits use from the World Tree since the ancient times. It has been passed down from generation to generation in the Volga Royal family.¡± ¡°And so? How did you twist Reina into this?¡± Luke was curious about that. ¡°She too was scared at first, but she did it for the person she cherishes, and she understood the wishes of the fairies.¡± ¡°She did it for me?¡± Luke asked. The last war between the Baroque and the Volga Republic. While in the front lines, no information could be known, so¡­ ¡­ Reina asked the fairies to share information about the battlefield in exchange for helping them. And they agreed upon using the Earth¡¯s Tear to open the door to the Spirit World. Luke, who heard the entire story from Erenes, looked at Erenes with a ridiculous expression. ¡°Just because of that? She accepted just to know if I¡¯m alive or dead?¡± ¡°It might seem trivial for you, but that isn¡¯t the case for the person waiting to see you. Moreover, if that person holds a special position in her heart.¡± ¡°I know, I know. But¡­¡± Luke clenched his fists at Erenes. His eyes soon filled with tears, which soon found their way down his face. ¡°Erenes, you should know this! For whom I decided to fight the world, the beasts who were residing in it!¡± In the past, Saymon caused a war to create a world where all the people would be treated humanely. But he had a more fundamental reason. It was for his beloved Katarina who was destroyed by the Veritas Magic tower and the Baroque family. And that act of his had failed 500 years ago because of that dumb man, Rakan. However, because of his descendant, he once again got the chance to meet Reina, who resembled Katarina. Reina, Katarina¡¯s incarnation, wasn¡¯t going to be lost, and he wanted to make a world where people could live equally. But things happened like this! He couldn¡¯t understand why his colleague, who understood and supported him 500 years ago, would be the one to do it. Chapter 167 Chapter 167: Luke¡¯s Wrath 2 ¡°How can I not know your heart? But don¡¯t be so pessimistic. Princess Reina is still alive. She came back to earth alive.¡± At the words of Erenes, Luke¡¯s eyes flashed a sign of life. ¡°Those words, you¡¯re sure about that, right? If you lie to me, I¡¯ll bring down the fairies along with you.¡± ¡°Hut, when did I ever say anything wrong to you?¡± Luke didn¡¯t respond to it. The wise man of the fairies, Erenes, always spoke words thinking about the future. His words never come true quickly, so they couldn¡¯t be believed. But his words held no lie, and all of his predictions came true. If Saymon had just listened to the warning he got about staying away from the knight with the golden aura, he might not have been defeated by Rakan. ¡°But she is the only strength that is left of me, where is¡­ Kul kul!¡± ¡°Matser!¡± Suddenly, when Erenes coughed black blood, Erwin became nervous and ran to him. But the one who was shocked the most was Luke. He did hear the news that Erenes¡¯s health was bad, but he didn¡¯t know that it was this serious. Looking at Erenes¡¯ condition, he realized that it wasn¡¯t a disease because of aging. His lungs and other vital organs were crushed to an incurable state and were apparently hit by dark magic. ¡°What happened? Who the hell did this to you?¡± ¡°If you hear my words you¡¯ll be surprised and angry too.¡± Erenes, with a bitter smile, continued to speak with his powerless voice, ¡°Arsene, the one who made me like this is Arsene.¡± ¡°Arsene? You mean¡­¡± Luke tried to talk. ¡°Yeah, the only Arsene you know.¡± ¡®That guy is still alive?¡¯ At the words of Erenes, Luke couldn¡¯t help but be shocked and angry. His fists shook with anger. It was like the aura around his body would explode any moment. Erenes¡¯ words were the only things stuck in his ear, and he could barely hold himself. ¡°He went completely blind on greed and corrupted himself. Now he is neither alive nor dead, ¡± Erenes said. ¡®Lich!¡¯ Luke, with considerable knowledge of dark magic, understood what Erenes was trying to say. The constant power that a Lich had in an immortal body was strong enough to fight demons. However, even with that mighty power, the warlocks refused to sell their souls to become a Lich. Once a Lich, they would lose any chances of having a normal life and suffer forever because of a terrible curse. ¡®What on earth did that Arsene guy do to become a Lich?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s an ugly excuse, but I wouldn¡¯t have asked Princess Reina to do it if I hadn¡¯t been beaten by him. He¡¯s already mastered dark and white magic, and it¡¯s almost impossible to get rid of him with swordsmanship or general magic.¡± Magi¡¯s epidemic was divine power. But in the current time, no one in the Rhodesia continent was strong enough to face Arsene head-on. The Pope of the Holy Arthenia Empire couldn¡¯t overpower him. That was why Erenes was determined that the only means to fight against a Lich was using elemental power, and to get that strength, he needed the door to the Spirit World to be opened. ¡°Kul! Kukl¡­! You already know that I¡¯m not scared of death. If anyone would follow after me and fulfill the wishes of the fairies, I¡¯m happy to die. But I am afraid that the beings who disturbed the realm of life and death will cause this world to end.¡± If Arsene¡¯s power as a Lich continued to grow stronger, the continent, or Middle-Earth, would be ruined. When that time came, neither the fairies nor the humans would be able to withstand their downfall. Erenes took a twig from his sleeve and handed it to Luke. ¡°Please defeat Arsene. All the fairies will follow and help you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even have to say it,¡± Luke assured him. Luke once again had a vengeful expression. He looked at Erenes who had a calm face. Until then, he was forced to try and live a little more, but now he had reached his limit. Even if he held on for a few more days, he would still meet his end. ¡°Then, I have a favor.¡± At the words of Erenes, Luke nodded. Luke looked over at the attendants who were there. Erwin and the dark elves bowed to him. They could feel a strong will to follow him and any of his commands. Luke looked at them with his cold expression and spoke to them, ¡°I believe that you know what you have to do. I hope you won¡¯t break my hope and beliefs for your own sake.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Understanding what Luke meant, they all nodded quietly, and everyone went out of the room except for Erwin, who was looking after Erenes. Luke ended up calling for Victor, who was standing on a corner. ¡°Please bring in Sir Pavel because there is something I need to discuss with him and tell Meister Mute of Katarina Magic Tower that I will visit him soon.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± There was a lot he wanted to ask, but Victor suppressed his curiosity and followed Luke¡¯s command. The important thing in the moment wasn¡¯t to satisfy his curiosity but to find Princess Reina. After Victor went out, Luke went to the permanent manor of Lamer. The report about Reina disappearing and the story of Arsene was frustrating and complicated. However, it wasn¡¯t like he could just sit down and think. Chapter 168 In the office room of the Manor, Luke met with Pavel and ordered for a site for a new village near the Lamer city. ¡°Are you certain about creating a new village? I know for a certain that the number of immigrants is growing around here¡­¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t because of them. We need to be ready when the other men get here.¡± ¡°Are you referring to the fairies?¡± Pavel understood Luke¡¯s words as he talked to Victor a moment back. ¡°Exactly. It will help our estates in numerous ways.¡± To help Luke, there needs to be a lot of fairies on his side. And Luke had no intention of just keeping them by his side. He was going to get every one of them, the great blacksmith and warrior dwarves, the magical fairies and the quick, slender elves. ¡°Of course that is a thing to consider, but I doubt it. They are all in the Republican, and they mislead the princess and made her disappear, haven¡¯t they?¡± Ravel and Victor and the other Volga attendants of Reina didn¡¯t initially know that Reina had opened the door to the Spirit World. If they knew, the old servants were bound to oppose it, so Reina decided not to say anything to them. Lately, Pavel had been feeling very down about the matter of Reina disappearing, but he was more resentful towards the fairies. As if it wasn¡¯t enough for the fairies to side with the revolution side of the Volga and ruin the nation, but now they made the whereabouts of the only remaining Royal family of the Volga unknown. ¡°Not all fairies are Republicans. And they all joined hands with the movement only to survive.¡± Luke tried to reason with him. ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°First and foremost, they took responsibility for their actions and have vowed to obey me.¡± All the fairies were already out searching for the whereabouts of the princess, even before Luke had entered the manor. And Luke too knew it wasn¡¯t about them claiming the responsibility. Although they failed once, the fairies weren¡¯t giving up the hope to open the door to the Spirit World. Pavel was still dissatisfied. ¡°I understand how your heart feels. I too feel very frustrated about it¡­ but, I don¡¯t think that we can achieve what we want by excluding and hating them.¡± ¡°Phew¡­ yes, that sure is very right.¡± Pavel agreed. Anyway, to find out the princess, they needed the power of the Elves, who were very well informed over the continent, and specifically the Volga Intelligence which was operating around the elves. ¡°Anyway, I believe you, Sir Pavel. I will leave the Kirillov co, and the matter of the fairies in your hands, along with the city of Lamer.¡± Luke said. ¡°Are you going back to Torlot Fortress?¡± When Luke got up from his seat, Pavel asked. ¡°No, I¡¯m not going back right away, I need to stop by Katarina.¡± He had to talk things about the Gigant he captured in the last war. Luke wanted to leave them since he had come to the estates. It was better to keep them in some normal space than a subspace in his bracelet. Of course, in order to keep them there, Luke would have to tell Mute about the origin of the Gigant and the subspace bracelet that he wears, but he didn¡¯t have to worry as he thought of what he had to say. ¡°Then I have a request from you. With the other elder people in the manor, please share them my will and persuade them.¡± ¡°Understood, you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± Rather than just saying in a form of polite manner, Pavel truly wished the best for Luke. The reason why Reina chose to sacrifice herself was to get some comfort about Luke¡¯s well being. Sometime later, Luke reached the Katarina Magic Tower. Already being informed, Mute was waiting for him along with some other iron mages. ¡°It has been a very long time. I¡¯m very sorry for the matters surrounding Princess Reina.¡± Mute greeted Luke. ¡°There is no reason to talk about it. Rather¡­¡± Luke took the Gigants out from his Subspace. As dozens of Gigants appeared on the large site in front of the magic tower, Mute and the other iron mage¡¯s mouths went wide open. ¡°This, this¡­!¡± ¡°These were all captured in the last war. I snuck them out of the Imperial palace, so be careful.¡± ¡°Well, that we¡¯ll definitely do, but, how did you get all these?¡± Mute asked with his sparkling eyes. In his opinion, there was only one thing that could hide their kinds of things. A subspace artifact. ¡°On my way to the Torlot Fortress, I save a few fairies from the slave traders. During that time, a fairy had given me the subspace artifact as a token of appreciation.¡± At first, he thought of saying that he found it in the Devil King¡¯s Castle, but he discarded that idea. Listening to that story, the wizards would want to confirm the truth behind it, and they would try to find out the existence of the secret lab or the underground workshop. ¡°Anyway, design them as if they belong to our Magic Tower and then hand them over to the land.¡± Luke ordered them. ¡°Understood. I will replace the gloves right away.¡± Luke nodded his head, agreeing to their method and asked. ¡°Oh, and last time I heard you were trying to make a warrior-class Gigant?¡± ¡°Yes, would you like to see it?¡± Mute asked. Luke guided by Mute, moved into the workshop located in the deepest place of the tower. In the studio, where the space seemed tight, a small but sleek white Gigant was under check by an Iron mage. ¡°¡®Stiletto¡¯ it is being called. The development process is still going on, but the basic performance isn¡¯t much far behind the top ten magic towers.¡± Mute explained. However, the tower lacked the skills to make core parts, so they had to bring them in from another place. And they were trying to gradually increase the proportion of the self-made parts. ¡°Do you have a production plan?¡± ¡°Yes, we held the field test for 3 prototypes to find problems and security issues. If that will be done, we¡¯ll get the quantity we need from the estate¡­¡± Mute spoke to Luke about his production plan which he had prepared after consulting with Knight General Rogers. Liking it, Luke nodded his head at Mute¡¯s story. ¡°And I¡¯m trying to develop the Knight-class based on the blueprints you handed me before. But it is likely to take a lot more time as the magic and skills are much higher than a warrior-class.¡± Mute explained. ¡°There is nothing we can do about it. We can¡¯t get it right from the very beginning.¡± Luke told him. If Mute could do such tasks after just a short amount of time since the construction of the Magic Tower, he already was amazing. Far from a warrior class, there were small and medium magic towers that still had difficulty producing their own parts. ¡®We wouldn¡¯t have achieved this level of performance if I hadn¡¯t handed over the blueprints.¡¯ Satisfied with the performance of Katarina, Luke returned to the Torlot Fortress. Mute asked him to stay for a few days, but Luke refused. Not because he was afraid of leaving, but because he felt like he wouldn¡¯t be able to stay in the estate thinking about Reina. Chapter 169 After a few days later, Luke returned to Torlot Fortress and seemed rather puzzled. Obviously, the commander had suddenly deserted his position was the thought, but for Philip, who knew that it wasn¡¯t desertion of the post. He knew that Luke had gone to patrol the place nearby. ¡°What happened?¡± Luke asked. ¡°You will know once you get to the office.¡± At the words of Philip, Luke headed straight to his office. When he entered the office, he looked at a man who was seated at the desk looking exactly like Luke. Then the seated Luke seemed to be pale by seeing the real one. ¡°You have come, master!¡± ¡°Sebastian?¡± Luke¡¯s demon slave, Sebastian. The guy who could transform, changed into the appearance of Luke when Luke left the fortress, to prevent any confusion that might arise. ¡°With my heart full of loyalty for my master¡­¡± ¡°Stop, you did well. I will ask you for your help in the nearer future.¡± Luckily, Luke smiled at the thought that Sebastian had been quite useful and went back to the seat. ¡°Anything special happened when I was gone?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°The emperor sent an inspector by surprise, but he did it with moderation. And this is the report from the patrol¡­¡± Luke had been entirely briefed by Philip and Sebastian including the reports. When he was done reporting everything, Philip asked Luke. ¡°But, where did you go to all of a sudden? I wasn¡¯t so surprised when the Lord had disappeared without a word.¡± ¡°That¡­ Princess Reina is missing.¡± Luke answered. ¡°Sorry? Princess Reina is missing?¡± At the answer of Luke, Philip was flustered. ¡°No, I don¡¯t get it, what do you mean?¡± Luke told him about Reina and her promise to the fairies. Listening to that, Philip¡¯s mouth went wide. ¡°Oh my god! All that happened?! I feel like my heart¡¯s going to burst!¡± ¡°My heart hurts too, but I can only place my beliefs in the fairies for now.¡± If the fairies failed to find Luke, then Luke had no thoughts of staying still. Even if it meant to go to war against them, anyone who played a part in making Reina disappear was going to be killed. ¡®They should make sure to find her so that I don¡¯t use my hands.¡¯ When Luke was gritting his teeth, his bloody anger made Sebastian drop to his knees. ¡°Mast, Master, please let me live. I will die without my breath.¡± When Luke saw the pale face of his, he just looked blunt and let go. Sebastian, who thought that he would make some excuse for being there for eavesdropping, pleaded that he would go tell Belfair about Luke¡¯s return, so he turned into a cat and sneaked away. And Philip went out saying that he had to watch over the knights. Being alone disturbed Luke, who sat down to meditate. Right then, the crystal ball in his hand began to ring. Luke, confirmed that it was from Meister Johas of the Dark Moon and answered his call. ¡°Why have you called?¡± -There is something wrong with the magic tower, we need your help zeitgeist. ¡°Was it because of the disruption of the magic world?¡± Luke listened to the magic world¡¯s news when he returned back from Lamer. After several magic towers had accused Veritas Magic tower of learning dark magic to the Magic federation, incidents of unknown causes took place. Later, blamed by the Magic Federation, the magic towers left the federation and created a new organization called Reformers. That caused the world of magic to shook, the Dark Moon was in trouble. Every time an accident involving a warlock exploded, there was a craze for the warlocks. -No, this is different. No, the problem is what we caused. In the meantime, Johas talked a bit about the attack from Arsene, spreading the secrets of Veritas magic tower, and finally about leaving his home, the very magic tower they worked hard for in fear of Arsene attacking them once again. Luke nodded his head, trying to seem like it was okay to do it. ¡°So, you contacted me to request a place to move your magic tower?¡± -Yes, zeitgeist isn¡¯t the descendant of warrior Rakan. Rather than being stumped, I thought that it would be better to enter the shadow of my master. ¡°Sure, it is dark under the lamp.¡± Luke was convinced at Johas¡¯s words, but he said that moving them to Rakan would be difficult. The retainers of the manor still worshipped Rakan like a god. Knowing that warlocks had entered, and realizing the relationship they share with warlocks, it was obvious how the Rakan estate would react. -Is that so? Tch, I can¡¯t help it then. We have no choice but to look for another¡­ ¡°Hold on! There is one suitable place.¡± When Luke seemed to have something, Johas turned attentive. ¡°I have an estate which the Emperor handed over to me. It¡¯s referred to as Jason Manor, and it might be a great place for you.¡± Jason Manor was one of the Empire provinces. Although not small in size, there were few inhabitants living in and out of the highlands which was surrounded by rugged mountains. Occasionally, there was a joke saying that if a census was done, 7 monsters, 2 hunters, and 1 slave hunter and nomad would be the report. In addition, there were no resources to help it, and the soil wasn¡¯t good enough to farm it. The emperor gave the land over to Luke, just as a sign of fake gratitude. It was for calculation, the degree to which Rakan can manage if the territory is distributed. Luke received the estate the very next day right after he received the hero-class Gigant, Kratos. Realizing the state of the land, he admired by just saying, ¡®The descendant of Karon de Baroque¡¯. But then, he saw it as a great place to hide his forces. ¡°There is a castle of the nobles who went bankrupt after trying to develop mines for a long time. If it can be repaired, it can be used as the magic tower.¡± -Oh oh, really? More than anything else, Johas was fond of being protected by Luke. Who could imagine it? The warlocks will be taking a new piece of land which was owned by the descendant of the warrior who defeated the Devil King. Surely, it was necessary to renovate the magic tower, but it wasn¡¯t a difficult problem because it wasn¡¯t just once or twice that they had to move their home. ¡°By the way, did you look at the blueprint of the Hero-class Gigant that I handed over?¡± -Yes, the elders checked the blueprints and seemed a little surprised. Where did you get them? When Luke first gave the blueprint of the Hero-class Gigant, Johas thought that he was just lucky to get his hands on them from a black market. However, the blueprints that arrived at their tower were on a whole different scale, and they contained the 3500 fight, with the best magic technology. Even more remarkable was that the Gigant of the blueprint, was Atlas, the same as the Gigant that Dimitry had captured during the last empire invasion. The Dark Moon was developing a new hero-class Gigant at the request of their President Vladimir but was extremely lagging behind because of limited magic and technology they had. In addition, with the attack from Arsene, the Dark Moon lost a lot of talented men, so the blueprint from Luke was like a blessing for them. The elders who have tasted the essence of the groundbreaking magic engineering which they could never even dream of were astounded. Even in their current situation of loss of magic tower, they were arguing that they would be in charge of the development of the Gigant. ¡°Kukk, that one, I snuck it out of a Veritas Magic tower branch.¡± At Luke¡¯s explanation, Johas seemed very cheerful. -haha haaat! I¡¯m really curious about how their expression would be if they knew of it. For a while, the two men talked about biting the Veritas magic tower. ¡°When would it be completed?¡± Luke wanted to ride the new Gigant as soon as possible. Although he had Kratos at the same level, it couldn¡¯t be compared in terms of performance or completeness. -We will send it to you as early as a month or in at least three months. With the finished design, it doesn¡¯t take that long. However, moving the magic tower took time, trial and errors were bound to occur in the production of a new hero-class. ¡°Good. And I want you to turn over the knight class that is in making.¡± The Gigant troops had stated in their manual that they would exert the greatest power when they had Knight and Warrior classes with them. Luke too had agreed to it, but the problem was unlike the Warrior class, there was no way to get the Knight class. In the past, Rakan estates had no money, and now there was money but Imperial nobles were rejecting their request saying that the contract making has been delayed. So, Luke was trying to develop the knight class at the Katarina magic tower. -It is a knight class. We have something developed. Except for the volume which has to be delivered to the Republic, at max two Gigants a month. Would that be alright? Asked Johas with cautiousness. If he could, he would have passed all the knight class Gigants produced by the Dark Moon to Luke, but he couldn¡¯t ignore the reality. Luckily, Luke understood the situation. ¡°You can¡¯t give up your state and influence in the Volga. So, you shouldn¡¯t even do it if you think that they can overthrow the Imperial. So do as much as you can.¡± -I understand. Then we will contact you once again. Luke closed the magic communication and tried to meditate once again. As he was about to enter his deepest mind, he heard a knock on the office door. Anna must have sensed the energy from the door. ¡°Come in.¡± As soon as Luke said that, Anna walked into the office bowed and informed that a call had come from the Northern Command. ¡°Haven¡¯t they told you what it is about?¡± ¡°I asked but, they said that they would let you know directly.¡± Said Anna. ¡®What the hell is this? Are they trying to get me to a new place?¡¯ Emperor¡¯s nobles, Earl Omar, had been appointed to the vacant position of the Northern Command office since the war with Volga Republic. Kaper and his men said that the achievements had to be given to them and their commander, but Luke knew that it wasn¡¯t possible. The Northern Commander was one of the key positions of the Imperial Military, a potential enemy? Unless the emperor had decided to place a knife on Luke¡¯s throat, different things could happen. At any rate, there were many eyes watching Luke who was in a small fort, which was lower than the Northern Commander title. Luke thought that he would soon be going to another place. ¡°I will listen to what they have to say.¡± Luke thought that he would ride with Philip to the city of Krom to the North Command office. Chapter 170 The Navarre Duchy was a small territory with a population of 2 million located in the northwest of the Baroque Empire. It was mainly founded by the immigrants from the Volga Republic who had entered the Baroque Empire. There was a reason why the Baroque Empire, which was greedy for territorial expansion, left the Navarre state without capturing it. Navarre, which had a poor land, was the land for nomadic herdsmen who raised sheep and goat. The specialties of the place were leather, cheese production and a small amount of copper mine in the north of the region. The empire judged the region as something that wouldn¡¯t be able to provide much profit even after the empire took over it. In addition, the poor state suffered from monsters that came from the western grasslands every year. A few times a month, Orcs or goblins flocked into the crowded living areas. Occasionally, large monsters such as trolls or Ogres appeared. If the empire wanted to occupy it, they would have to support the people with food and necessities, and there was a possibility for the monsters to enter the empire. Thus, the empire decided to satisfy its hunger by making the Navarre duchy as a tributary. Sometimes the empire assisted them. They gave out a junk piece of Gigant just before turning it into scrap, or sometimes they gave them military money for expenditures. The Navarre duchy used its forces to build strongholds against monsters on the western border and deployed troops including Gigants. Marvin was one of the rangers on the 3rd fort. One of the most elite ranger units in the Navarre was stationed to infiltrate the western grassland outside their borders and identify any monsters. ¡°Take a break in here.¡± At the small but clear words of their captain, dozens of soldiers who were moving secretly gathered in one place. They all filled their hunger with biscuits and water that they brought and looked around the place. It was because they never knew where a monster would appear and attack them. ¡°Captain, do we have to go this deep? The monsters have been silent for a few months.¡± The captain shrugged at the question of Marvin and answered in a deep tone, ¡°Further.¡± ¡°Further?¡± Asked Marvin. ¡°Yes, it is strange that the monsters are quite rather ominous and disturbing¡­ We need to go further into the grasslands to know more.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re nervous, the monsters will end up scouting us,¡± said Marvin. There were beasts and monsters on the meadows. No matter how elite one was, the survival of the rangers couldn¡¯t be guaranteed once they entered deep into the grasslands. ¡°For now, we will be going to the Eagle Rock Valley so save as much as you can.¡± At the words of their captain, Marvin sighed and nodded. Eagle Rock valley was a place they would reach after another two days of traveling. They would need quite a lot of stamina along with carefully avoiding the monsters. ¡°Kay, if everyone is done eating¡­¡± While looking up at the sky, the captain had ordered them to get ready to move. The soldiers, who were out scouting, began to scream from a distance. ¡°Get away! Run! Orcs are coming from the front¡­!!¡± Puck! The moment they tried to warn the others, an arrow pierced the soldier¡¯s windpipe and slashed his throat. Dozens of arrows flew in succession. ¡°What is this!? Orcs can shoot arrows?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother talking and just run!¡± The orcs were like a half-breed of pigs and humans and called as the losers of western grasslands. They were more than 3 times more powerful than a human adult. They hunted in groups and domesticated the wolves or bison; they even rode them. They were strong, but they had the intelligence of a little child. However, they could still use tools and wield weapons. However, bows were an exception. Bows were a difficult weapon to manage and handle. When it came to attacking ranged enemies, the orcs mainly used axes and spears to throw at them. However, on that particular day, it seemed like they were using bows. No, as they got closer, they seemed to be using crossbows which needed more skill than a bow! ¡°Scatter right away! All of you!¡± At the captain¡¯s instructions, Marvin and the other rangers scattered everywhere. In that particular situation, rather than fleeing together, they knew scattering would give them a higher chance at survival. But before they could scatter, arrows began to hit them again, and a lot more rangers fell down. ¡°Keeek! Catch the humans!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t miss the targets!¡± Shouting like pigs, the orcs were chasing after the humans. They were in pursuit of the humans that were giving out signals. But Marvin and the other rangers, who were running away for their lives, couldn¡¯t see what was happening. Chapter 171 Chapter 171: Monster Wave 2 ¡°Kuck! Kuk!¡± A lot of time had passed. Marvin, using every little ounce of strength left in his body, stopped running as he felt like he was about to faint. He stopped for a moment and tried to catch his breath. He kept on looking around nervously. There weren¡¯t any orcs around the place. Luckily, he seemed to have gotten away from the pursuit of the orcs. But there was a huge problem for him. Because he was hurriedly trying to avoid getting killed by the orcs, he ran to the west and not the east where the border fort was located. Going back there all alone would need three days. ¡®I need to go back alive no matter what!¡¯ There was a woman he liked. Mary, the daughter of the leather craftsman, who was very pretty and famous in the entire village. It wasn¡¯t just one or two men who had been trying to have her hand, but Marvin had no intention of dying without trying to tell her how he felt. ¡®I¡¯ll live, and then I¡¯ll marry her!¡¯ Telling himself to have strength, he decided to go south and return to the fort. From that moment, he went on a journey that required stealth and not speed, so he intended to be as careful as possible. However, luck didn¡¯t seem to be on his side. Suddenly, he encountered an orc that came from a bush. The orc, which was surprised to see a human, took its ax but was struck by Marvin. ¡°Kiiik! A human here!¡± The moment the orc screamed. The other orcs began to flock around. Marvin had managed to outrun his death. Kiik! Kik! Ugh! Owww-! The orcs were very strong but were slow, so he could outrun them. The only problem was the wolves they domesticated. It was never easy to get away from the wolves who had a keen sense of smell and fast feet. ¡®I¡¯m doomed! If I don¡¯t manage to make it¡­!¡¯ Looking around with a nervous heart, he found a thin stream of water flowing nearby. His eyes shined with hope. He ran straight toward the water. He cleared his trail and went up the valley. Since he did it well, the orcs nor their wolves seemed to have stopped pursuing him. ¡°Phew, I have managed to live for now.¡± Exhaling with a sigh of relief, Marvin turned to look at a large rock. Shocked at what he was seeing, he tried to rub his eyes to see clearly. As if he was hit by a thunderbolt, his entire body trembled. ¡°This, this is¡­!¡± The valley was full of beast hides, The problem was that the leader of the cluster of monsters had orcs, goblins, and kobolds gathered together. In addition, large monsters like trolls and ogres were crouched in several places. ¡®Ah, I don¡¯t get it. Why are they all here!?¡¯ The monsters, which usually killed the other monsters upon seeing them, didn¡¯t move like their natural behavior. They were gathering together. Moreover, Marvin found another strange thing about the monsters. In addition to the orcs, there were a lot of monsters wearing weapons and armors and flags of dragons scattered everywhere. ¡®This is like some kind of an army. Some kind of barbaric monster army¡­¡¯ Marvin looked around him but wasn¡¯t able to understand it. And that¡­ was the last expression that he made. Tuk, Drrrk! Marvin¡¯s neck got cut by the ax of an orc, which appeared from behind. Marvin was on the floor. He was taken down by the leader of the orcs. He was wearing a mask decorated with feather and obsidian. The leader orc wore a steel breastplate like a human, and his body was covered with bizarre tattoos. The leader orc smiled through his mask. He lifted his foot and stepped on Marvin¡¯s head. Kwak! After removing the intruder, he walked into the crowd of orcs and lifted his long sword to the air. ¡°Kwekk! Shaikan!¡± ¡°Shaikan! Shainkan!¡± The orcs called him Shaikan. The monsters couldn¡¯t speak clearly, yet they shouted his name. Shaikan. The orcs referred to him as a God, or a strong being comparable to a God. Humans called such orcs with unusual abilities¡­ Orc Hero. As soon as the Orc Hero appeared, the orcs and the monsters began to seize the meadows at a frightening pace. Gathering all the orcs in the western Navarre grassland, he ordered all the warrior races to start collecting monsters for the battle. That was how a legion of 50,000 monsters was created. Swiping the valley, the Orc Hero yelled while holding a large sword in his hand. ¡°Finally, the time of prophecy has come! Troops advance!¡± At the command of the Orc Hero, all the monsters that filled the valley began to run toward the Navarre duchy. Chapter 172 Chapter 172: Monster Wave 3 The 3rd fort was at the forefront of the border fortresses to the west of Navarre duchy. So when the monsters appeared it was him first to be attacked. Baron Caseron was the commander of such a 3rd fort. He felt rather uncomfortable when the monster which used to appear several times a month, went silent for a long duration. Which was why he ordered his ranger forces to scout deep into the grasslands. ¡°Count Cork, still no signs of contact?¡± At the question from the commander, the lieutenant answered. ¡°It doesn¡¯t count as one, there was some news. But I can¡¯t put their words into meaning as the communication lacked clarity.¡± ¡°Kuk, those stupid men!¡± Count Cork had the largest estate in western Abba, he was serving as a supporter for the border fortresses. However, Count Cork wasn¡¯t so supportive of the mission. The year was very hard for them, and they still weren¡¯t provided with any support troops. ¡°Does that mean that we don¡¯t know if they are safe or just wandering alone!¡± At the rage of Caseron, the lieutenant answered. ¡°My count isn¡¯t supposed to have any monster invasion this year. Rather, yours is an attempt to weaken the power of the nobles in the name of power support for your unseen fear¡­¡± ¡°Hu huh!¡± At the lieutenant¡¯s explanation, Caseron looked angry. The Navarre duchy was a small and poor country, which was divided by empire nobles and noblemen and had a constant power struggle just like the Baroque. It was always nice to have a competitive power struggle between them. The problem was that none were willing to support the forces when they needed help for the monster invasion. ¡®Is he checking if I really am the empire¡¯s nobles or not?¡¯ It didn¡¯t really matter if Caseron was a noble or a king¡¯s man. What he really wanted was to keep the country safe from the constant threat of monsters, and to do that, he thought that everyone should overcome their differences and try their best. However, those men who were blind to power didn¡¯t seem to think like that. ¡°Such foolish thoughts! I don¡¯t even know when the house of power will shake, how would I even be able to hold it on all by myself?¡± Right when Caseron was bursting with anger. Kang! Kang! Kang! Suddenly, the bells of the watchtower of the fort rang loudly. ¡°It¡¯s the monsters! A massive swarm of monsters is coming towards the fort!¡± A watchtower guard informed. ¡°Dammit!¡± Swearing at the sudden act of the monsters, the commander went towards the watchtower to have a closer look. He couldn¡¯t help but seem shocked when he saw the swarm of monster fills the entire meadow. ¡°What the, how did this even happen¡­?¡± According to his guess, he thought there would be hundreds or at most a thousand of them. But what he saw right then was the biggest swarm of monsters he had ever seen. And his guess missed out. There were tens of thousands of monsters filling the entire grassland and rushing in, but large monsters like the trolls and orcs were clearly visible. ¡°Baron! Get ready for battle!¡± From the side, lieutenant urged the commander. Realizing the situation, the commander ordered the soldiers to get ready for the battle, but he wasn¡¯t confident if they could win with just 1,000 troops. They had around 5 warrior-class Gigants with them, but due to their age and their falling performance, it was a huge questionable task if the Gigants could manage to hold off the monsters. ¡®Dammit! Because I saw this coming, I kept on asking for more support¡­!¡¯ The fortress just couldn¡¯t run away from the monsters. If they fled, one axis of the duchy, the western shield would collapse. And even if just a few forts had been taken down, the Navarre duchy would be clearly visible to the monsters. ¡®Dammit, I need to either die or get out of here alive!¡¯ Baron Caseron was ready. The monster which arrived close to the fort was shouting. Ogres and trolls were running at the front of the line along with cheers from the monsters behind them. Most of the monsters had rusted iron breastplates and axes in their hands. Kwaaah! Kaaaahk! The soldiers who were located on the walls with canons were all scared and nervous. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± ¡°Load the cannons and fire them right away!¡± At those words, the knights and soldiers, and other officers tried to move, but their morale had already been broken down. Pupon! Poong! With shelling, there was white smoke. Most of the shells missed because of poor aiming, and even the right ones made no impact as they simply bounced off the iron plate. ¡°Sh*t! The arrows! Shoot the arrows!¡± At the order from Baron Caseron, the rangers shot arrows. The ogres, being unfazed with the incoming arrows, swung their big weapons. Kwang! The gate broke into numerous bits with just one blow. Walls were being attacked at various places, and they began to fall down or crack. Goblins and orcs began to flock inside the broken walls. ¡°Kuk! Rearrange the positions and drive away from the invading monsters!¡± Unfortunately, very few soldiers responded to Baron Caseron¡¯s command. Warrior-class Gigants, their only hope at the moment, were scrapped as the ogres and trolls rushed in. Eventually, Baron Caseron, who had been fighting alongside some knights, got stepped on by an Ogre. Once the battle was done, the fortress was flying the flag of the monster legion. The Orc Hero, Shaikan smiled wickedly as he saw the scene. ¡®This isn¡¯t the time to feel exhilarating just yet. This is just the first step. To prove that I am the true descendant of the dragon, I have a long way to go and a lot more to win.¡¯ Looking at the far eastern horizon, the eyes of Shaikan were burning like fire. Chapter 173 Chapter 173: Monster Wave 4 ¡®As a man had succeeded, people have come to see¡­¡¯ Luke, who reached the Northern command, was able to feel his status. When he first entered the enlistment last year, no one was nervous around him, but then, the knights and the soldiers gave him a chair to sit and welcomed him. All the soldiers were looking at Luke with respect and a little envy. Luke didn¡¯t expect it, but Luke couldn¡¯t stop himself from liking it. With great hospitality that he had been treated, he stepped into the commander¡¯s office. ¡°Welcome, Lord Marquis.¡± As soon as Luke entered the commander¡¯s office, a middle-aged man with a gentle impression stood from his seat and greeted him. ¡®Is this the new commander of the Northern Army, Count Omar?¡¯ On the way there, Alex told him that he was a man with considerable ability in administration. And to prove himself worthy of the name, he was quickly trying to get the city of Krom back on its feet, and the Northern troops which were taken down by the Volga. Count Omar was the direct head of Luke, however, he was being polite because of the difference in their titles. Luke too was surprised to see the commander act submissively. ¡°It is my pleasure meeting you. But, the reason you have asked to meet me?¡± At the question from Luke, he signed Luke to sit down. Count Omar pulled out an appointment from his desk drawer which had the Emperor¡¯s seal stamped on it. Luke¡¯s eyebrows wriggled as he opened it. ¡°As a commander of a support unit to the Navarre duchy, which is in crisis due to the monsters invasion, lead the reinforcements to there and help them?¡± Luke read it out. ¡°Hahaha, I guess it needs an additional explanation. I will tell you in detail.¡± Count Omar, who was laughing, began to narrate to Luke what had happened. The summary of what he said was, tens of thousands of monsters have invaded the west Navarre at once and turned the duchy into a mess. The fortress that had to look after the border had collapsed, and the western territories were devastated. ¡°I don¡¯t get it, that surely is a lot of monsters, but they have enough Gigants to mobilize forces and manage themselves, right?¡± No matter how poor Navarre duchy was, the duchy had 200 to 300 Gigants. In addition to that, even the cheapest gun powder can be used to combat the monsters. Luke wasn¡¯t so incredible to fight with a monster with just a knife like he did 500 years back, nor could he be able to stop the monsters with his power. ¡°Of course, it could be possible if it was a normal scenario. But this monster invasion is quite strange. The big monsters walk along with the small monsters even though they are supposed to only think about having a meal, and when they attack a fortress they move well like trained soldiers.¡± Said the commander. ¡°Ho, something like that¡­!¡± Luke thought of it to be absurd. If it came down to just the power of fighting and the individual determination, then no human would be able to win over a monster. But humans tend to have intelligence, which monsters lacked. There were a few monsters which have intelligence, but it was the level of a kid. In any case, with the intelligence and the technology they inherited from the ancient fairies, humans managed to create superior weapons, united their nations and territories, and developed civilizations. That allowed humans to be the dominant races of the Middle-ages, following the fairies. And that forced the monsters to move deep into the forests, deep valleys and deserted lands. And such monsters with intelligence levels at all, such low-level monsters performing military tactics? ¡°Then maybe they¡­¡± Luke was about to say. ¡°Yes, the imperial assessment stated that there was a possible brain-like existence behind them.¡± There was a story that Luke could think of. Occasionally there were heroes who were called as hero chief born among the monsters who take control of the herd with strong power and leadership. In the past, every time such a being was born, there was a war called Monster Wave, the humans and the kingdoms suffered great damage because of it. ¡°In the beginning, the Imperial thought of providing them support with weapons, including the Gigants. But after looking at the information we obtained, we realized that it wasn¡¯t something that we could do with just weapons.¡± According to Count Omar, the monsters were getting tougher and tougher as the battles increased. On top of that, along with the monsters using the duchy soldier¡¯s weapons, they were armed with Gigants and giant sword, shields, and large monsters. ¡°They, they are advancing at lightning speed. When the duchy asked Gigants for assistance, they were already on the verge of turning into ash.¡± The commander said. ¡°Are you serious about their mobility?¡± Luke asked. ¡°Not just that, they carry out traps and manned tactics, and even use captive humans to operate their artillery and repair their weapons.¡± At that level, the battle with monsters wasn¡¯t something to take lightly. The monsters had to be recognized as a group equal to military and tactical forces. ¡°The biggest problem was that the number of them is growing day by day. What was 50,000 when first reported, had soon turned into 70,000.¡± It didn¡¯t mean that they biologically producing. The time was too short for such a thing to happen. It seemed like the monsters which were scattered according to their herds, soon began to fall into line. The monsters had the tendency to fall into line and follow the orders of their supposed hero. ¡°If we leave it as it is, it will soon turn into a huge pain. There is a significant number of monsters living in the empire.¡± If they began to move into line with the Orc Hero, the Empire was bound to suffer considerable damage. No, the monsters weren¡¯t going to be a huge problem. However, while the imperial army was going back and forth with the monsters, the Volga Republic might invade again. After hearing the series of events, Luke nodded, understanding the situation and said. ¡°I do understand the severity of the situation¡­ but, why me?¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°There are so many other generals and commanders in the Empire, why do I have to be the commander in charge?¡± Count Omar, who couldn¡¯t disagree with Luke¡¯s statement, seemed rather flustered. ¡°That, that wasn¡¯t my decision¡­¡± ¡®Then I guess it was decided by that damn Emperor.¡¯ If he sent someone, he would have to defeat the monster army which was going to be a tough task, but he didn¡¯t want to send away a loyal general who was under his control. The Emperor would have to check his noblemen and keep watch over the Volga Republic. Which was why he chose the descendant of the Warrior, whom he wouldn¡¯t particularly miss. ¡°Well, as long as I am a soldier, I need to move according to the direction of the Emperor¡¯s orders. Then, I will take my men.¡± At those words, the knights of Luke under the Torlot Fortress would surely be worried. Normally, a noble commander didn¡¯t have the right to take troops apart from the retainers who accompanied him during the enlistment. It was to prevent the artillery unit¡¯s use. However, with the exception of Kaper, Anna, Hobert, and Alex who learned the Gold Sword, the other knights of Torlot were all Silver Sword users. It was a great loss to let those who listened to his words into the harm¡¯s way. ¡®We need a long time to get as many as possible. Ah, no matter what.¡¯ When Luke was thinking, Count Omar spoke with the same embarrassed expression as before. ¡°That is difficult. According to the Imperial military law¡­¡± ¡°Imperial military law says that senior nobles above the Marquis must be accompanied by appropriate escort units, right?¡± Luke¡¯s point wasn¡¯t wrong. With the title of Marquis, he was in charge of one command or an equivalent. And he had to take a dedicate escort force with him. However, the escort was to be selected by the headquarters, and parties couldn¡¯t ask for a specific person such as Luke did. Count Omar tried to point it out, but Luke said it before him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to think so hard. I haven¡¯t asked for anything serious, can¡¯t I just take my men to escort me?¡± When Luke spoke rather softly, Count Omar who was sweating, nodded. ¡°Ah, I understand. That much I can¡­¡± After seeing through the agreement, Luke decided to go to the Fortress and informed his subordinates about the Navarre support team. Although it was unknown and unforeseen, most of the knights responded to the deployment rather positively. ¡°Navarre duchy¡­ isn¡¯t that far from here?¡± ¡°Yes, but it is better than here. It¡¯s easier to defeat the monsters than fight the Volga, who might come back at any time.¡± ¡°Then what about the Silver Sword classes? I still have half to learn.¡± Ten days later, Luke and 30 knights left Torlot Fortress with high spirits. On the way, 30,000 troops from the Imperial army were handed in, and they all marched towards the Navarre duchy where a huge battle awaited them. Chapter 174 Philip¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t as bright as one would have thought. The first time he left Torlot fortress, he was excited, but as he went closer to the western border, he started to frown. Eventually, once he arrived at the border village, he complained, ¡°Lord, isn¡¯t this a bit too much?¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t there much lesser Gigants than we thought? And it¡¯s a warrior class which was produced at the very beginning. Can we stop a monster wave with this?¡± When he first joined the reinforcements, Philip was the first to know about the dispatch troops being knights, and he was disappointed. Knights had been gathered from various places, and the quality of Gigant power and war mages were terrible. That wasn¡¯t the end of the problem. The gathered troops were all just fairly trained recruits. ¡®This isn¡¯t the end, right? There should be more forces joining us.¡¯ That was what Philip thought as he moved, but even after reaching the border, there were no new forces that came. Their opponent was an army of Orcs led by the Orc Hero, who was told to have wiped out the duchy. Could such monsters be defeated with their measly forces? ¡°Dammit, it must be a trick to take down the Lord. Even if that isn¡¯t the case, this isn¡¯t the right thing!¡± The Rakan family and the Imperial family had no other alternative but to constantly keep each other in check. Immediately after the war with the Volga Republic, the Emperor gave Luke a war hero title to end the accusations of the nobles, but the rebellion had ended. And it was better if Luke died fighting monsters. Even if he didn¡¯t die in the process, the forces that were supporting them would be punished if they returned empty-handed. ¡°Well, that is very likely. Whatever the means, they want to handle me.¡± Luke agreed with Philip¡¯s words. The last war was a great blow to the northern army, but considering the Empire¡¯s forces, around 30,000 elite forces could be easily organized. However, it was obvious that all the support forces recruited were the young ones who would cause trouble for Luke. Of course, Luke wasn¡¯t going to go along with it. He already prepared for it. ¡°Sebastian.¡± ¡°You called me, Master?¡± When Luke called out for him in a low tone, Sebastian who was hiding in the shadow of a horse lifted his head and asked. ¡°For starters, go and see the situation of the Navarre duchy.¡± The most important thing in battle was information. In the earliest history of the Southern Continent, there was a saying that went like this, ¡®If you know the enemy and know yourself, you aren¡¯t at risk even if it means you¡¯ll fight a hundred times.¡¯ Luke sent Sebastian. ¡°Belfair.¡± ¡°Yes, Master! I will do everything you ask, what is it?¡± Belfair responded as he was closely flying around Luke in his bat form. ¡°Go to the west meadows and watch the trend of the monsters. If there is anything strange, don¡¯t let it out of your sight and investigate it right away.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Luke had a power that the world didn¡¯t know about. Luke decided to use the forces that he had formed as a base during his time as the Devil King Saymon. ¡®Since it is a monster, the opponent is good. If we¡¯re careful, we won¡¯t be caught,¡¯ thought Luke. The Emperor would love to keep Luke at bay, but Luke openly welcomed every challenge from him. He was rather feeling good because he could now use forces that he could not use as he was in the center of the world¡¯s eyes. And it wasn¡¯t just that¡­ Among the dark magic, there was a technique that absorbed the power of others like the Black Bind. ¡®Tens of thousands of monsters? I¡¯m looking forward to seeing how much power I can gather.¡¯ Smiling to himself, he gave the command to the soldiers following him, ¡°Everybody sped up the march! We need to get to Avignon in five days!¡± Chapter 175 Navarre duchy¡¯s capital, Avignon, got flipped over due to the monster wave. The monsters frequently flocked to the border fortresses and threatened the soldiers¡¯ stationed there, but it was the first time in Navarre¡¯s history that tens of thousands of monsters attacked them in unison. In the capital, was a fierce debate among the nobility over who would be taking responsibility over the current situation. ¡°What the hell is the military doing not being able to know the massive monsters attacking us?¡± The army general, who was standing on the other side of the nobles¡¯ conference table, answered the nobles who asked him, ¡°We weren¡¯t able to know? And wasn¡¯t it the very nobles seated here who ignored our request for assistance at the border fortresses every time we asked?¡± ¡°No, when did we¡­¡± ¡°Count Cork did! It was why our Baron Caseron had died. Wasn¡¯t it you all, you constantly refused to grant the request of the Commander of the border fortress?¡± The nobles were very embarrassed by the general¡¯s rebuke and condemnation, which made them make random excuses. ¡°Uhm, Count Cork is a royal and not a noble.¡± ¡°That was all ten years ago. Wasn¡¯t it because of your men that he changed into a noble ten years ago?¡± The general asked. ¡°What? My men? What the hell are you talking about?¡± ¡°Why? Do you feel like drawing your sword?¡± Instigated the general. ¡°Hung, once I pull it out, I would do a lot of things. Just the number of monsters that I¡¯ve¡­¡± ¡°All of you shut up!!¡± King Henry III, who was seated at the table, seeing the nobles blame each other back and forth, could no longer endure it and shouted. ¡°What is the situation, and you¡¯re crying over who should take the responsibility? Shouldn¡¯t we be talking about what measures we need to be taking right away?¡± King Henry asked. Dozens of fortresses that were guarding the west border were all captured by the monsters. Not just that. The region of Cork and the other western territories were devastated, and with the endless march of the monster legion, they were now just four days away from Avignon. If things went like the way they were, Avignon was bound to fall. However, the crazy high-headed nobles had no countermeasures, nor could they come up with one. The only thing they knew was the reinforcements would arrive from the empire, and the monster wave would slowly subside. As the nobles kept on dotting one after the other, Henry III sighed. ¡°So, none of you has a solution,¡± Henry said out loud. ¡°We are looking for one, your majesty.¡± ¡°Aing, I don¡¯t feel like seeing anyone of you. Get out!¡± As Henry III pushed away his noblemen, he went out of the palace to cool his head and think of something. It was then that he found someone which made his eyes shine. A girl with a red braided hair. Looking as cute as a doll, she was slender yet had curves which wasn¡¯t common in the region. She didn¡¯t know that the king was near her. She kept intently looking at something that was on the ground. ¡°Uhm, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Appa, mama is here.¡± As the king approached and talked to her, the girl looked back at the man and bowed. ¡°Oh my, what are you looking at so intently, princess?¡± The girl was princess Margareta, the daughter of Henry III. By looking at her eyes, she looked like a girl in her late teens, but she was almost 30 years old. It wasn¡¯t like she was old, she had already been married twice, but her husband died early and had no children. And due to that, there were numerous words that went around the palace. But she was young, broken and clever, she would always give the proper advice wherever the king was struggling. ¡°I was watching the ants fight.¡± ¡°Ants?¡± The king, not understanding, looked at the ground where Margareta pointed to. In that spot, black and red ants were fighting one another. The red ants seemed huge and they seemed to have the advantage, but surprisingly, the black ants were the ones winning. As the King watched it, Margareta explained, ¡°The reason why the black ants are winning is because they have a queen ant which the red ants don¡¯t have. They are moving in unison and command of the queen ant and pushing the red ants away.¡± Margareta stopped for a moment and killed the queen of the black ants. ¡°But once the queen disappears, they have no choice but to fight for themselves.¡± When the commanding entity disappeared, the swarm of black ants eventually ran away from the battle. Margareta turned to her father, who had a dark expression and asked, ¡°Things don¡¯t seem to be working well?¡± ¡°Phew, I had meetings with the nobles the entire day, and they are all trying to get on my good side.¡± At the words of Henry III, Margareta talked with a very narrow smile. ¡°I have one measure, would you like to listen to it?¡± ¡°Oh my, I would.¡± At the end of the king¡¯s words, the thing which happened not once or twice, Margareta began to explain the plan, ¡°Turn away the reinforcements from the empire.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°I heard that there are a lot of reinforcements from the empire, but they don¡¯t really have a lot of power. They won¡¯t be able to stop the monster legion. So, the girl thinks that we should attract the Volga.¡± ¡°That, that can¡¯t happen!¡± At the words of Margareta, Henry III jumped out. The involvement of Volga meant betrayal to the Baroque empire. Moreover, these people didn¡¯t acknowledge monarchy. Just to avoid a crisis, he couldn¡¯t ruin the future. At the words of Henry, Margareta responded with a firm and cold look. ¡°Right now, the state of our country is at stake. We are in a situation with the Baroque Empire, we are the slave country, and it doesn¡¯t support us properly. Once we live, can¡¯t we plan for the future?¡± ¡°Kuhm.¡± ¡°And the empire seems like it is strong, but the sun will soon have to set. You have seen it in their war with the Volga Republic which happened a few months back.¡± Henry III, he heard about the war with the Volga Republic and the Baroque Empire. The empire stated that they deployed the troops right after they got the information and took over the Volga, but the truth was it was the Volga who won. They invaded the lands of the North, defeated the imperial army and destroyed numerous regions on their way. Some of the empire¡¯s troops eventually managed to win and invaded the Republic from another way, but the damage the empire took was far worse. In addition, with that war, the disruption between the emperor and the noblemen worsened. ¡®Just as Margareta said, the empire could be losing. But in reality, the sun is still in the sky.¡¯ The king couldn¡¯t make an immediate judgment. After contemplating for a while, he said, ¡°Fine. I will do what you want. But the Baroque reinforcements commander, will he stand still watching us join hands with the Volga Republic?¡± ¡°A deceptive trick. It will be good to hide it with beauty.¡± ¡°You mean yourself?¡± At the question of the king, Margareta nodded with a grin. ¡°Trust me as I have good helpers.¡± Navarre princess, Margareta. She was the successor of the magic tower, unknown to the continent. The magic tower consisting of only female wizards who inherited magic and not the magic used in the continent. The magic was something she learned since childhood, and it now fully bloomed. Margareta was confident in trying to imprison the Imperial reinforcements commander. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s the Baroque or the Volga, they are all going to be my stepping stones. Once the Orc Hero is finished, then next would be¡­ huhu.¡¯ An ambitious smile crept to her lips. Chapter 176 When Luke arrived at Avignon with the reinforcements, the king along with his nobles welcomed him very warmly. The people of the capital gave them a very grand welcome. The imperial forces which entered the city felt like a triumphant army and stopped their march in front of the palace. In front of the palace, a dozen high-ranking nobles, including the king, were waiting for Luke. ¡°Marquis Luke de Rakan.¡± At the introduction from Philip, they all seemed surprised. The first thing was, they were surprised to see that the reinforcement commander was a young man, and the second thing was, the title that he held was marquis. Last but not least, they were the most surprised to know that he was the descendant of the famous warrior Rakan. ¡®Didn¡¯t he have a bad relationship with Baroque Imperial?¡¯ Henry III thought to himself. ¡°You must have had a hard time coming here.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Replied Luke. Once the two were done greeting, the nobles standing behind greeted Luke. ¡°Ha ha ha, we have arranged a small banquet for you and your knights.¡± ¡°Though we couldn¡¯t have outdone the Baroque Empire, we have tried the very best.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. The banquet, I might¡­¡± Luke stopped himself from refusing the offer. Behind him were Philip and the other knights with gleaming eyes. Their gleaming eyes were hot and full of passion. Their passion was so intense that it might turn into a grudge if he didn¡¯t comply to their wishes. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Luke thought. At first, he was bewildered, he looked over at Anna and the other female knights who mumbled under their breath. ¡°Uh, there men¡­¡± ¡°Since this is a very beautiful country, I am very obliged.¡± Luke answered. The grudges weren¡¯t much different from a normal man. But for the sake of his soldiers, Luke accepted their hospitality. In fact, Navarre wasn¡¯t famous for its specialties, it was Rhodesia which was very famous. ¡®I, It seems like I don¡¯t have other options.¡¯ Luke, who didn¡¯t have the heart to dismiss his subordinates, decided to attend the banquet. Laughing to themselves, the knights followed the nobles of Navarre duchy. Colorful decorations and expensive food. The banquet was very colorful that it didn¡¯t seem like it was the Navarre duchy which was undergoing a monster wave. But it was a different case for Luke. Unlike his subordinates who eagerly visited the banquet hall like bees searching for flowers, and getting caught by the old princes or nobles. After listening to the brilliant diplomatic matters and the news about the empire and the imperial army for two long hours, Luke escaped with an excuse to get some air. ¡°Phew! I thought I was going to die.¡± Out of the royal garden, he moved to a unique place. And at that place, a fluffy cat with fluffy hair and a black bat appeared. It was Sebastian and Belfair. In fact, it was because he had to meet those guys that Luke had made an excuse for wanting some fresh air. ¡°Is the information clear?¡± ¡°Yes! Definitely, master.¡± Sebastian began to report first. He had been gathering the information for the past five days. ¡°¡­ and, of the duchy they are gathered at the Akbar Fortress, three days to the west.¡± ¡°Akbar fortress?¡± Luke asked. ¡°Yes, it is named after the lord of the region, but it is a very large and sturdy castle.¡± The Akbar Fortress had about 50,000 troops and 120 Gigants. ¡°Isn¡¯t it lesser than what we thought?¡± At the question from Luke, Sebastian answered immediately. ¡°They have had a few head-to-head fights since the monster wave, and they have lost some power.¡± The nobles who saw the monsters arriving early moved ahead and faced near destruction. The representative of the region was Count Cork. He had scrambled to the west region and put 20,000 troops, 60 Gigants, and 300 knights into the monster¡¯s lair. As a result, the duchy which had fewer troops and Gigants turned much more inferior. Luke asked once again as he was getting irritated, ¡°What is the movement of the fortified forces?¡± ¡°As if scared, not even taking one step.¡± It seemed like the people were relying on the high walls to stop the monster legion. It wasn¡¯t a bad choice, but it wasn¡¯t such a great choice either. And the path to getting to the capital wasn¡¯t just one. It might take some time, but there were other routes to get to the capital. ¡°What about the western grasslands?¡± Luke turned towards Belfair and asked. Belfair, bowing down reported immediately. ¡°There were a lot of monsters out there. However, not all of the monsters had joined it, and when the monsters decide to join in, the duchy will be at a higher stake.¡± ¡°Uhm, it won¡¯t be easy.¡± If Luke didn¡¯t always search for other options, then he would have seen their loss rather than their victory. Their situation wasn¡¯t so good. But Luke never thought that he would lose. ¡°By any chance, have you seen the Orc Hero?¡± At the question from Luke, Belfair with an awkward expression answered. ¡°On my way back here, I saw him from afar. He was the most ornately dressed among the orcs, certainly not an ordinary orc. I was so nervous that I wasn¡¯t able to approach him anymore.¡± ¡°Oh, till that level?¡± Luke spoke to himself. Although a lower demon, Belfair¡¯s sword skills were close to a Sword Master. But if Belfair instinctively felt threatened, then the Orc hero might be of a good level. ¡°With such force, they even have the ability to fool the human army¡­ was there anything else that you have noticed?¡± ¡°That was all, more than that¡­¡± ¡°Understood. There¡¯s still time, so we¡¯ll keep a closer look and see what happens. Keep investigating until I step in the frontlines.¡± Chapter 177 Once Luke was done talking with them, Sebastian and Belfair concealed themselves in the dark when they felt a sweet fragrant smell close by. ¡°What are you doing here alone, Marquis?¡± As Luke turned around, he saw a beautiful girl, who looked very bright and exposed to come close to him. ¡®It¡¯s princess Margareta.¡¯ She had greeted Luke at the banquet hall, so Luke was able to recognize her. ¡°Everyone is looking for the Marquis who didn¡¯t come back, you weren¡¯t lost, right?¡± ¡°I stood there to enjoy the night¡¯s cool breeze.¡± Luke answered. ¡°You must have felt a lot suffocated in there. It looks gorgeous but, it is boring.¡± Margareta moved closer to Luke. When she went closer, the fragrance from her body turned intense. Luke¡¯s eyes went alert the very moment. ¡®This is obviously¡­ the perfume used by the Arachne witches?¡¯ 500 years back, there was a magic tower of female wizards only. The magic tower, built by the wizard called Arachne, was known to be a medical researcher similar to a medical mage but in reality, that magic tower studied the magic of using the human weaknesses and extorting their mana. The medicines and magic they developed gave power to the woman a rare gift of ¡®youth¡¯, and the weak minds got corrupted. Thus, with that, they weren¡¯t just favored by the powerful people, but soon turned into a nation. ¡®In the end, when they moved out of the El Kassel denomination, they were called heretics and punished because of which, a few men went into hiding.¡¯ When Luke was being the notorious Devil King Saymon, he approached the Arachne magic tower. The Arachne magic tower tried to double-cross him by using the demon army, but Luke managed to outstand them as he wasn¡¯t as corrupt as the weak or the young. ¡®I thought that they disappeared, how did they manage to come here?¡¯ When Luke was in his thoughts, Margareta took out a wine bottle and two glasses from her hand sleeve. ¡°It is a Bordeaux Chardonnay. I only present it to the dear national guests, and if you take a sip, you might feel a little less suffocated.¡± ¡®No matter what, this is a triggering medicine.¡¯ The poisons of the Arachne magic tower were very skillful. First was the perfume, and then the alcoholic beverage. If the two components were absorbed by the body, the person could turn dull or could turn very passionate. Once the drug activated, the drug lasts for a long time and has some symptoms. And in that situation, if Luke was enchanted with the Charming magic, he would turn into nothing but a puppet. ¡®I don¡¯t know for what, but it seems like things won¡¯t be working so easily for me.¡¯ Luke was scoffing to himself and took the glass from Margareta. Seeing him hesitate she smiled. ¡®Yes, going according to plan!¡¯ Thought Margareta. But, even as he was drinking the wine, Luke wasn¡¯t showing any different signs. He thought that his eyes would turn blurry and get restless like a dog, but he was still able to see the night sky and the stars. ¡°The star in the chariot is shining very brightly. When the red star shines bright, warfare often takes place.¡± Said Luke. ¡°That, that so?¡± ¡°Yes, it isn¡¯t just plain superstition, but the starlight changes because of the change in the mana. If there is a mana change, the weather will start to change¡­ ah, can I have another glass?¡± At the request of Luke, Margareta gave him another drink. The drink wasn¡¯t supposed to be given in huge doses. It was because too much drug could show the side effects. Luke wasn¡¯t showing any side effects, he wasn¡¯t even showing basic drug effect. He was able to hold himself because of the experience he had in the past. When fighting with the army, there were times when assassins that were sent by the kings and the nobles from different countries were ordered to kill Saymon. Among them, there were quite a few attempts of poisoning him. Which was why Luke found a way to neutralize the poison. And this was why he increased his knowledge about drugs. ¡®If it is something that works by mixing, you¡¯re just supposed to not let them mix.¡¯ Luke realized that the princesses¡¯ perfume was that of Arachne magic tower, so accelerating the magic circle, he began to release the magic which might enter his body. Because of that, the drug which entered his body through the wine had no effect. ¡°Well, I need to go back now. Even if it is a little boring, you shouldn¡¯t be away far for too long.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± Luke went back to the banquet hall, leaving Margareta alone waiting for the drug to take effect. ¡®What the hell went wrong?¡¯ Margareta, who had been thinking to herself, flicked her fingers lightly. The maid who was close to her went and asked. ¡°Called?¡± ¡°Are you sure you got the right herbs?¡± At the question, the maids greeted and answered. Honestly, there wasn¡¯t the palace maid. They were the member of the Arachne magic towers dressed as a maid. ¡°Yes, just as the princess mama wrote¡­¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t it work?!!¡± Puck! Crring! At the same time, the calmness left the face of Margareta. The bottle of wine and glass hit the maids¡¯ head. Blood was drifting down, but the maid didn¡¯t dare to scream or let her balance go down. If she did anything worse, she might have to be the next rat in Margareta¡¯s experiment or a human sacrifice. ¡°To call such ones a wizard¡­¡± In spite of the criticism, the wizards of Arachne magic tower shook their heads. ¡°I will find another way. I will make a special drug. Please follow me.¡± The princess said. ¡°Yes, princess mama.¡± Even if they weren¡¯t aware of what went wrong and if the things didn¡¯t go her way the next time, she might enslave them. Margareta was very determined, but she didn¡¯t notice that there were two demons which were watching her move in the dark. Chapter 178 After defeating the princess¡¯s hearty plans, Luke took the imperial army and headed for Akbar Fortress the next day. However, just before they were about to depart, they were given a bothersome bonus. Princess Margareta went along with them. ¡°Why is the princess following us?¡±, asked Luke. ¡°I have been sent as a liaison officer, and since I know magic, I would be helpful to the Marquis.¡±, responded the princess. ¡®Not at all, this b*tch!¡¯ Luke had never thought that she would be so stubborn as to follow him to the battlefield for seducing him. But he wasn¡¯t in the position to refuse the liaison officer dispatched by the king, which was why he decided to play along with it and thought of another plan. ¡®Huhuhu, I¡¯ll make sure to wrap you around my dress!¡¯ While looking at Luke¡¯s back, Margareta thought to herself. The opponent, the descendant of the warrior Rakan. Not only did he have a great lineage, but he also made the status of his fallen family rise, which was ruined by the empire and its emperor. Margareta who vowed to not end her life as a princess on the marginal border of the empire decided to use Luke as her slave and pave her way into the empire. ¡®You won¡¯t be able to be yourself tomorrow after tonight.¡¯ While grinning, Margareta touched the potion, but there was something she didn¡¯t know. That very night, Luke would try to get out of the unit without telling anyone. As the sun went down, the imperial army stopped their marching and prepared to camp. Perhaps it was because of their anxiety, but right after having their dinner, everyone fell asleep except for the two soldiers who were guarding the camp. Two suspicious shadows infiltrated the camp that was engulfed in silence. In a moment, those shadows, which weren¡¯t spotted by the guards, went toward the commander¡¯s barrack. Those two shadows were actually trying to contact Luke. ¡°Have you come?¡± Asked Luke. The inside of the tent brightened and Luke got up. ¡°Yes, master. What am I supposed to do?¡± Under the magic lamp, the intruder¡¯s identity got revealed. They were Luke¡¯s slaves, Sebastian and Belfair. As a response to Sebastian¡¯s question, Luke answered with a thin smile. ¡°You will take my place like the last time. I¡¯ve put together some of the operations that you need to do as the commander.¡± At that very moment, Sebastian transformed himself into Luke and took the paper where the instructions were written down. With the piece of paper in hand, Sebastian looked at Luke and asked seriously, ¡°Master. There is something I desire.¡± ¡°Desire?¡± Luke asked. ¡°Yes, since I vowed my loyalty to you, I hope you will let me.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s listen to what it is, then we¡¯ll decide.¡± At those words of Luke, Sebastian pointed to the barracks were princess Margareta was residing. ¡°Can I eat her?¡± ¡°You want to eat her? Is that in a literal sense or metaphorical?¡± Luke was puzzled because Sebastian never used such words. On top of that, even if he meant it literally, Luke thought Belfair would be the one to say it. At the question from Luke, Sebastian smacked his lips and said, ¡°It is neither hunger nor a sexual desire. What I want is the twisted desire and the negative emotions that that woman possesses. She has so much negative emotions compared to any human I have ever seen.¡± What Sebastian wanted were her feelings and not her body. He wanted to go to her bedside every night and absorb her ill feelings. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, so it¡¯s fine, but if that woman dies or gets sick, it¡¯ll become troublesome.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, master. There will be no problem with her life or her health.¡± With Luke¡¯s permission, Sebastian bowed and thanked him. However, Luke had no idea what would happen. If he knew it, he would have never allowed it. ¡°Do your best once I am gone.¡± Luke said it firmly and left the tent. This was how Luke¡¯s plan would go. While Sebastian disguised himself as Luke and lead the imperial army to block the monsters at the Akbar Fortress, he along with Belfair would take down the monster legion from behind. While trying to reduce their forces and power, they would destroy the Orc Hero. It was a simple plan, but it needed bold actions, and Luke along with Belfair wouldn¡¯t have decided to try it if they had no power. Using Fly Magic, he moved to the western Garen territory where the monsters were in full swing, bringing out the subspace bracelet for the golems. ¡°Load in Dimension!¡± Whoong! The last time, when he went to Rakan estate during the Reina situation, he brought back the golems he produced in the Devil King¡¯s Castle¡¯s underground workshop after handing over the Gigant. ¡°Master, are you going to start here?¡± ¡°Yes, not that far from here, there are a bunch of monsters.¡± At the answer from Luke, Belfair drew his sword and smiled. Although he seemed human, his nature was that of a Demon Vampire. Favoring the killings, he stayed with Luke, but the stress which came from working under him was no joke. If possible, he would have probably lost half the hair on his head. ¡°There is no need to leave even one of them alive, so kill to your heart¡¯s content.¡± Once Luke¡¯s permission came out, Belfair spread out his wings and flew toward the monsters. As he began to fly, he burst into laughter. ¡°Kuakkkakak! Five be fresh blood and flesh!¡± Luke was like the meat that met with water, Belfair jumped into the monster herd and slaughtered them without letting anyone live. ¡°Kuak! A raid!¡± ¡°Do not run away. Do what Shaikan said!¡± The monsters, which were being attacked out of nowhere, were flustered and scattered. The orcs who were controlling the herd urgently tried to control them and maintain the balance. But before the battle could turn into a balanced once, the Golem Legion invaded. Luke¡¯s Marionette Magic emerged. The golems, wildly whipping their hands, threw the monsters, causing blood to sprinkle in all directions. ¡°Kuk! Ogres fight!¡± ¡°Smash them, giants!¡± Some orcs tried to fight using the large monsters. However, the large monsters couldn¡¯t even move as they were tied by the Black Bind which Luke had developed. Kuk! Kuuong! The power of Black Bind sucked the large monster¡¯s magi and the monster, which couldn¡¯t get free from the bind, screamed. Not being able to unfold the 5th circle black magic and escape, they ended up dying because all of their life energy had been sucked out of them until they turn into bones. The orcs and the other monsters had gone to save them, but they too were caught in the Black Bind. Their strength was absorbed by Luke. ¡°Hut, gathering dust on the mountain¡­¡± Just as he had expected, while hunting monsters, Luke was able to get a lot of mana. Luke used more of the Black Bind then used the Golems to trample them. It hadn¡¯t been a day, but the monsters on the Garen territory were already wiped out. The typhoon that was going to quell the monster wave had begun, and no one knew about it. Chapter 179 ¡°This is a little weird.¡± The Orc Hero, Shaikan, receiving the reports from his monsters, shook his head. It was because he had lost contact with 10 monster heads over the past few days. In the current situation, the monster units in the rear were 2,000 to 3,000 for each group in the western land. But suddenly they lost contact, and there was no reason. ¡°Was it the land of the humans?¡± That didn¡¯t seem to be the case. In the western wastelands, there were just a few civilians scattered. In addition, the large herds of monsters such as trolls and orcs, couldn¡¯t be taken down even if they met with human troops. ¡°What had happened?¡± Shaikan said while looking up at the sky, thinking. An orc had run in and shouted, ¡°Shaikan! Human reinforcements have arrived at the fortress!¡± ¡®Have the Baroque finally come here?¡¯ Shaikan was expecting the reinforcements to come from the Baroque Empire as well. That was why he had dispatched a few sneaky monsters near the Akbar Fortress and came to know about them. ¡°How bad is it?¡± ¡°Kwik, the humans are as many as the rocks in the Eagle Valley,¡± answered the orc. ¡°Then, around 30,000.¡± In the Akbar Fortress, there were around 40,000 monsters when they got first dispatched. Though the fortress was sturdy and not easy to take down, the purpose of the monsters wasn¡¯t to take it down. Their real purpose was to attract the attention of their enemy and distract them until the Shaikan led monster unit found another route to the capital. But if the reinforcements were 30,000, then the situation seemed to be different. ¡°I can¡¯t help it. Go to Akbar Fortress.¡± He thought that he wanted to have a little detour. However, if the monster army at the fort collapsed, they could be in a dangerous place. It would be a better choice to join the existing monsters in the Akbar Fortress and push back the army. ¡°There is a place I need to visit, so let¡¯s leave right away.¡± Flash! The moment he wanted to move, a bright energy engulfed his body and his body disappeared. ¡°Oh oh, a great being! Please stand behind us!¡± After seeing Shaikan vanish in front of their eyes, the orcs prayed to him. Shaikan appeared in a cave deep in the western grasslands. Sneaking inside the cave, he took off his mask. Surprisingly, instead of a blue orc skin, a human face had appeared. Was the Orc Hero Shaikan a human? The mysterious man in his mid-30s, keeping a secret from the world, entered deeper into the cave. ¡°Kul kul! Has the prince come?¡± A skinny old man lying on a rough wooden bed asked. When he tried to get up, Shaikan spoke, ¡°Lord Steven, my greetings, but please lay down.¡± Surprisingly, the eyes of Shaikan which were looking at the old man were filled with warmth rather than coldness. Shaikan¡¯s eyes never showed anything but coldness when the humans in the Navarre Duchy were getting massacred. ¡°Hou, I don¡¯t have a lot of days to live. So, you don¡¯t have to worry,¡± said the old man. ¡°Dying?! Who will die?! You can¡¯t die unless I give you permission to do so!¡± For Shaikan, the old man was like his mother, his teacher, and his only companion. Seeing the young man angry, Steven smiled faintly. He was the person who raised Shaikan or the Prince since he was seven years old. Reichard de Baroque. The real name of Shaikan. He was the third prince of the Baroque Family. A clever man from a young age and took advantage of the cute image he had. However, he was known as the ¡®Kind Devil¡¯. The terrible jealousy of the 1st prince caused it. The mother of Prince Reichard was attacked by an assassin while he was away. 3 people died along with many escort knights. Steven, who was the captain at that time, fled the scene with tears in his eyes and Prince Reichard in his arms. However, he couldn¡¯t return to the royal palace. In the meantime, the first emperor was killed and the first prince, Rudolf, took over. In the end, not being able to get back to the palace, the old man had no choice but to move out of the empire, and that place was the west meadows which were known to be the land of monsters. ¡°Huhuhu, the prince has awakened the blood of God¡¯s Dragon Tiamet, so I can die with a smile on my face.¡± The Baroque Imperial Family, like any royal family, were the descendants of the dragons. The scholars regarded that as unreliable and Dyes de Baroque, a reliance on the Libiya Kingdom, was seen as a de facto ancestor. Contrary to that perception, it was true that the Baroque Imperial Family had a dragon lineage. Born from the God¡¯s Dragon Tiamet, known to be the last dragon, real Dragonian Ancestor. But as the years had passed and the lineage became clouded, it turned into a legend. The legend, however, didn¡¯t die down in the family, and in time, a secret prophecy was added. ¡°The prince who awakens God¡¯s Dragon Tiamet¡¯s power will look down on the continent! ¡± As time went by, the prophecy was considered to be in vain and Reichard was born. Surprisingly, during his birth, he had something similar to fish scales in his armpits. It wasn¡¯t because of his wiseness that he was favored by the 1st emperor. It was because they expected him to be the true descendant of a dragon. Unfortunately, it was just two years ago that Reichard was able to awake his power. He had gone out to find an elixir to cure Steven¡¯s illness, and in the process, he met a Twin-Headed Ogre who almost killed him. From early childhood, he learned from Steven, and Reichard had good sword skills, but he wasn¡¯t skilled enough to take down a Twin-Headed Ogre. Eventually, he got struck by the Twin-Headed Orge¡¯s fist, in that life and death moment, he was engraved with the power, knowledge, and magic of a dragon. Thanks to that, Reichard was able to escape from death and made the orcs surrender to him and made himself the Orc Hero. ¡°No matter what the means are, I will save you.¡± Reichard approached Steven and unfolded a recovery spell. Bright light swept over the body of the old man. However, the life which burned out of the old man¡¯s body couldn¡¯t be recovered. It was because of the providence of God¡ªthe man whose life amber burned out would die. ¡°Even if you are a Dragonian, the amount of mana you have is limited, so don¡¯t waste it here on self-centered beliefs.¡± Looking at Reinhard with stern eyes, the old man opened his mouth once again. ¡°Once I die, take my bones and use them to put an end to the enemies who harmed the 3rd prince¡¯s mother. If you can¡¯t do that, then you won¡¯t be able to bring justice to the 3rd royal family, which has been wrongfully killed¡­ mercilessly¡­ please¡­¡± The old man¡¯s voice slowly faded away, and at one point, it couldn¡¯t be heard anymore. Furious, Reichard shouted his name, ¡°Sir Steven! Get up! Get yourself together! Steven! Sir Steven!¡± Despite the desperate cry from Reichard, Steven still succumbed. Weeping for long, Reichard closed his eyes and vowed with a voice filled with sadness and anger. ¡°I will surely release you from the grudges. Even if I get cursed, shredded, and taken down as the King of monsters, I will surely cut Rudolf¡¯s throat and give them to you!¡± A mysterious magic encircled the body of the old knight. Parent, teacher and a close friend, Reichard collected the remains of the one close to his heart and returned back to being the Orc Hero. He had much to do in order to achieve his goal as he stepped back into the world. Chapter 180 After sweeping away the monsters in Garen territory, Luke swept another herd of monsters which were located in the west of the duchy. It would have been a tough task for ordinary wizards or knights, but he was a warlock who could absorb the mana of others along with the power of the golem legion in the palm of his hand. In addition, the vampire Belfair, who always revived to a greater stage after sucking blood, was feeling great and there was no way he could feel tired after having so much blood. The two of them turned much more dedicated to their task. ¡®The power of dark magic has increased a lot more than what I expected.¡¯ While Belfair was scouting for places with monsters, Luke was looking into his current state. When fighting the monsters he was using dark magic, and with Black Bind, he was able to absorb their power. Magi had increased considerably. Just a little more, and he might achieve the 6th circle. ¡®I had neglected the black circle training as there were many eyes on me. Whatever the situation, my source of power is dark magic.¡¯ In his previous life, he had the knowledge of 9 circle dark magic. However, with the low level of circles he had in the current one, those spells couldn¡¯t be used. ¡®I¡¯ll need to pay a lot more attention to Magi absorption in the future.¡¯ And that didn¡¯t mean that he was willing to neglect fencing or white magic. Both of them were huge axes for their current state, and he had to train hard. ¡°Master, I found a monster army in the west!¡± Belfair flying hurriedly reported. ¡°A large army?¡± ¡°It seemed like that. Looking from their direction, it seemed like they were heading towards the Akbar Fortress¡­ the problem is, the one leading them is the Orc Hero.¡± The moment he heard the word Orc Hero, Luke¡¯s eyes began to shine. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Luke asked. ¡°Yes, It was a lot like before, the same energy.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll chase them immediately.¡± Guided by Belfair, Luke began to pursue the Orc Hero. And after a while, they found the monster army of 10,000 and chased after them stealthily. ¡®This is the largest that I have ever encountered. And if led by the Orc Hero who¡¯s good at both intellect and power, this will be a hard fight.¡¯ Even the soldiers who fight the battle vary depending on the commander and his strength. If one saw the fight as easy, then they were definitely going to hurt themselves badly. Luke tried to look for a good region where he could battle the legion. He managed to find a suitable area for about a day from Akbar Fort. The narrow runway between the two hills seemed like a good place to stop the army with a few capable troopers. ¡®This is a good one.¡¯ But when he was laying down the magic circles to prepare for the battle, another situation arose. The monster army split into two along the way, and half of them went to the Akbar fort first. It was news that the situation of the monsters attacking the fort wasn¡¯t great, so Shaikan sent support groups first. Luke wasn¡¯t aware of the reason, but he wasn¡¯t going to miss the opportunity to reduce their power. Letting the first group pass, he immediately attacked the main army led by the Orc Hero. ¡°Kweeek! Weird men have appeared in the front!¡± At the report from an Orc, Shaikan looked in the direction he was pointing at. It was a long way off, but with his draconian eyes, he seemed to see them clearly. More than a hundred golems and two humans stood in the narrow cross between two hills. ¡®No, one of them isn¡¯t a human.¡¯ Blood Incense and the energy of Magic felt from the man dressed in black weren¡¯t humans. ¡®Maybe a demon? Then the humans next to him would be a warlock.¡¯ The Orc Hero, Shaikan thought. But the man with silver hair seemed strange. Like a knight, he had a sword dancing on his waist, and the energy his body released; along with the dark magic he seemed to have an overwhelming aura. ¡®What on earth is that guy devouring?¡¯ He heard a story from the dead Steven about a Rune Knight, and he was being greeted with a dark knight. The curiosity rose in Shaikan as he saw a human being whom he had never even seen in books. A platinum armor wearing man stepped forward and opened his mouth. The amplification of magic happening due to his words was very clear even from the distance. ¡°Are you the Orc Hero, Shaikan?¡± His eyes looking at Shaikan, seeing that monsters began to appear in front of him to save him. ¡°You know about my identity?¡± Shaikan asked with nervousness. Since the invasion of the Navarre duchy, he had been in charge of the monsters, but not once did he reveal his identity. ¡°Huhu, I know quite a few things.¡± At Luke¡¯s answer, Shaikan asked by pointing to the golems which appeared behind him. ¡°Did you come here to stop me?¡± Shrugging his shoulders, Luke answered. ¡°Yes. Since no one here is welcoming you.¡± ¡°Kuk, that hurts my feelings. A warlock who is asked to kill on sight when spotted on the continent.¡± The one who would be the most unpleased was Emperor Rudolf. If he knew that the Orc Hero was the 3rd prince, Reichard. In any case, Shaikan had to deal with the strange humans behind. He had to break the Navarre duchy and open the way to the Empire. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to defile my sword with blood.¡± Shaikan pulled on the sword which was on his back, against Luke. Swwosh! ¡°¡­!¡± The sword flew at a frightening rate and ferocious accuracy. Luke hurriedly deployed shield magic to block off the sword, and it bounced. Kang! No matter how strong Shaikan¡¯s power was, the sword that bounced off the shield struck the golem which was near. Luke was astonished, however, it wasn¡¯t because of the sword and its force, but because of the moment that it returned back to the palm of Shaikan. ¡®What is, this? Magic? No, it seems a little different from¡­¡¯ Thought Luke. Luke had no time to analyze leisurely. In unison with the sword of Shaikan, the monster army launched their attack. Chapter 181 Kwak! Kung! Kakakk! Luke¡¯s Golem legion and Shaikan¡¯s monster army were colliding in the narrow path. As the troops escorting the Orc Hero began to approach, the combat power of the monsters was higher and they seemed to be very muscular. Belfair, who had been able to take them down without much effort, looked at the Orc warriors who were rushing in with a tired look. ¡°Dammit, these guys are much tougher than the ogres!¡± However, unlike Belfair who was complaining, the Golem legion was able to fight well. It was due to the geographical advantage and the Marionette magic¡¯s systematic control. That was when things changed. Koooo! Kuaaak! When the large monsters suddenly yelled, the momentum began to change wildly. Red-eyed guys were fighting with ferociousness. Belfair was amazed at how different they were. ¡®A Berserker?¡¯ He had seen them a few times in the Devildom, at once he noticed that the huge monsters were becoming berserkers. With a body full of vitality, the stronger monsters began to push down the golems. ¡°Master, the situation¡­¡± To inform about the situation, Belfair sought Luke. And the moment he managed to find him from the air. Kwang! Bang! Chang! Skak! Luke was getting cornered by Shaikan in the air. Fiercely exchanging swords and magic without giving the other one an upper hand; the sky seemed to roar with lightning and heavy shock waves were ringing in the sky. Both of them had no concern about how the battle on the ground was turning out. They were completely focused on their opponent. No, their opponents were so strong that both of them couldn¡¯t take the risk of moving their eyes away. ¡®This, he is turning into a lot more troublesome than I thought.¡¯ Thought Luke. ¡®He isn¡¯t a regular warlock. But if I take this one down, I can win over the enemies who will come at me¡­¡¯ Thought Shaikan. Luke and Shaikan had been fighting since the battle had begun. Luke thought that to deal with Shaikan, his monster army had to be disintegrated first. And Shaikan thought that to defeat Luke, he¡¯d have to get rid of the annoying golems. They both had the same ideas, and they were fighting against each other. Luke was unable to focus on the Marionette magic and Shaikan too wasn¡¯t able to control the monsters. ¡°But even then, my side seems to have the advantage.¡± Shaikan was looking at the ground then smiled. Even if they were pushed, the Berserker monsters gained momentum. And on the contrary, the golems began to lose control and were being defeated one after the other. Despite the situation, Luke didn¡¯t show any signs of nervousness. Rather, with a very calm smile. ¡°The things I have prepared aren¡¯t just the Golems.¡± It was 100 for 5,000. No matter how great the terrain was, Luke didn¡¯t think that he would easily be able to overcome the numerical differences with the enemy. Which was why he prepared another thing. When he was done casting, he quickly drew something in the air. A purple light flashed on the ground, suddenly, a dark magic circle floated into the air. When the magic circle got activated, Belfair quickly went back. The magic circle done by his master didn¡¯t know the difference between allies and foes; it was deadly for the demons. However, the monster army fighting the golems were trapped in the magic circle. Woong! ¡°Kiiika!¡± ¡°Kukkk! Hi, uhm¡­!¡± Once the magic circle began to light up, the brave monsters which were fighting, helplessly sat on the ground. The weak ones such as goblins and kobolds were already done. Shaikan was shocked witnessing the misery his monsters were facing. ¡°This, this is!¡± ¡°One of the most important of the dark magic spell; to suck in the mana and aura of the others. Among them, the magic circle called Life Steal is a very effective one.¡± Life Steal was a magic circle that expanded and strengthened the Black Bind. When trapped in its range, no one could move and would be pinned down. ¡°This warlock!¡± At the rage of Shaikan, the tip of his sword caught fire. The sword of Shaikan soon harbored huge flames. With the flame created by dragon magic, he would have been able to melt any rock. Luke, however, managed to avoid Shaikan¡¯s incoming attack. And immediately fought back. ¡°Thousand Bullet!¡± Surrounding Luke, countless bullets of purple shade began to emerge. They were stronger attack spells than the dark bullets, and with these, he could launch a bullet shower. Sick! Sick! Shaikan hurriedly used shield magic to bounce of the bullets. However, the Thousand Bullets released a thousand bullets of magic, and to cover himself from hundreds of bullets wasn¡¯t possible. ¡°Kuk! Dragonic Move!¡± Shaikan hurriedly teleported with one magic word and escaped from the Thousand Bullets. Thousand Bullets, however, weren¡¯t anything but a diversion. In anticipation of Shaikan¡¯s next move to avoid the incoming, Luke moved to the top deciding to launch an attack. ¡°Build up!¡± Luke was using the ability of the demon he absorbed. Luke changed his body, strengthening ability and his arms began to swell. Adding Luke¡¯s purple aura, he struck Shaikan. Swoosh! Red blood splattered after the body went in contact with the tip of the knife. Shaikan¡¯s sword couldn¡¯t react in time, and brutal wounds had formed on the right shoulder and abdomen. Although it was fatal, Shaikan instinctively moved his body and avoided it. ¡°Kuk! Oh, Recovery!¡± Shaikan healed himself with the recovery magic, and back away in a hurry to get some air. ¡®Dammit, he suddenly went strong!¡¯ A little while ago, Luke was using verbal dark magic spells. But suddenly, Luke¡¯s combat power had risen, it was unbelievable! ¡®Was it because you absorbed mana for the monsters with the dark magic or life steal? But taking mana, it takes time to digest it and process it to the body.¡¯ Thought Luke. Luke couldn¡¯t understand how his opponent recovered. Normally, there was a slight time gap between the magic manifestation and spell. The spell always tried to memorized beforehand takes time for it to appear. However, his opponent used powerful magic without any process. ¡°You¡¯re using some special magic out there. How is such kind of magic possible?¡± At the question of Luke, Shaikan¡¯s lip corners curled up. ¡°Huh, want to know?¡± Luke didn¡¯t answer. He honestly wanted to know, but something felt off and it was dangerous. It seemed like his opponent was hiding his magic and power. And Luke¡¯s expectations were indeed spot on. ¡°Let me show you, the foundation of my strength!¡± Shaikan threw his sword, clenching his two hands into a prayer stance and then he screamed. ¡°Change Dragon!¡± ¡®What did he just say?¡¯ Luke¡¯s eyes went wide. His eyes saw the body of Shaikan swell. Shaikan¡¯s whole body was getting covered with red scales. His neck stretching out long, tails, and wings beginning to form. Shaikan¡¯s protruding mouth had sharp teeth and his deformed hands and feet suddenly grew claws! Turning into a reptile of 30 meters from the head to tail. Shaikan¡¯s eyes turned red as if fire was burning within it. The strongest race, Dragon, believed to be a legend or a mythical being, was right in front of his eyes. Chapter 182 Kiiiik-! The terrible scream blew the ears of everyone. Horrifying echoes reverberated in the sky, and every being that witnessed the dragon looked very fascinated. ¡°Dra, Dragon!¡± Belfair, who had witnessed the incredible being, sat down. His stiff eyes looked at Luke, who was right in front of the dragon. Luke couldn¡¯t get stuck mid-air. He saw a shocking situation, and his mind and body just stopped as he saw the dragon appear right in front of him. But his instinct for survival was desperate. His consciousness was had awakened, and his stiffened body began to try to move. ¡®Is this really a Dragon? No, the dragons had gotten extinct a long time ago. Then the one here is¡­¡¯ He heard from Katarina more than 500 years ago¡­ That a dragon would appear from God¡¯s pride and lust. The last dragon that stood on earth was Tiamet. A descendant of Tiamet would inherit the power of a dragon¡ªknowledge and magic, half-human and half-dragon. In a world where the dragons cease to exist, their successors were meant to carry on their legacy¡­ ¡®Dragonian! Shaikan is a dragonian!¡¯ Apparently, he wasn¡¯t a normal orc, but Luke didn¡¯t think that things would turn out like this. It had been so long since the dragons and dragonians had made an appearance, and people were almost on the verge of forgetting about them. But surprisingly, this happened. Shaikan, who turned into a red dragon, was still feeling hostility toward Luke, and as of the moment, Luke would easily lose. ¡®Move! Move!!¡¯ Grrrr! Luke wanted to move, and he was desperately trying to do so, Shaikan growled. The air started to get sucked in with a heavy sulfur odor and malignant toxic gas. Puahhhh! There were sparks between his teeth. Shaikan¡¯s mouth released Breath. Breath, which struck Luke in an instant, blew half of the southern hills to the ground. During the process, the Life Steal circle had been destroyed. The monster army got saved from the mana absorption. ¡°Kyaak! Monster!¡± ¡°Run! Run away!¡± But ungratefully, the monsters were busy throwing weapons and running away from the place. Many of them peed themselves out of fear. Shaikan, enraged because of it, yelled at them, ¡°You stupid one! Where do you think you¡¯re going, leaving your king alone?!¡± However, the voice coming out of Shaikan¡¯s mouth was more like a cry. Monsters screamed out of fear while laying down on the ground. In fact, there was a reason as to why the monsters had reacted in such a way. Shaikan showed dragon magic, which was mysterious, but he never showed them his dragon form. In addition, in the process of becoming a dragon, Shaikan temporarily lost consciousness and wasn¡¯t able to control the monsters. He tried to take control again, but the monsters were scattered like ants, and that upset him. ¡°Dark Bullet!¡± Suddenly, a flying purple magic bomb hit Shaikan¡¯s body. The magic bullets were much bigger and stronger than before. But, in that situation, Shaikan could see who did that. ¡°Kuk, you¡¯re still alive?¡± ¡°Yeah, somehow.¡± Shaikan turned to Luke. There was a steel Gigant about 15 meters tall. With a blue glove and sharp armor, the Gigant seemed incomparable to the antique and scrap ones he witnessed in the Navarre Duchy. ¡°Kratos.¡± Hero-class Gigant, Kratos of Altica Magic Tower. Shaikan had seen Kratos when he was a kid. At that time, Kratos was assigned to the Imperial palace as a guard. However, its existence showed him that he was the enemy. ¡°You did well bringing him here. If you would have left it back¡­¡± Shaikan moved closer to land. Luke barely managed to escape Breath with Blink and immediately took out Kratos from his subspace bracelet. As the opponent turned into a dragon, he felt that he had to add more power. Even if he could ride a hero-class Gigant, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could catch a dragon with it. But as his size grew with the help of a Gigant, his chances of winning were a bit high now. ¡°Take this! Black Spear!¡± When Luke produced dark magic with Kratos, the core engine of the Gigant reacted to amplify the dark magic. Its power was more than 10 times the original Black Spear. It flew toward Shaikan who was looking at Kratos with anger. ¡°Nope!¡± Shaikan turned around and hit the spear with his tail. Black Spear got destroyed in a split second. Not panicking, Luke kept on attacking. He used Fly Magic to get Kratos closer to Shaikan and tried to knock him down with a huge aura sword. ¡°Dragonic Shield!¡± As Shaikan released his magic, a red curtain appeared in front of him. However, it couldn¡¯t completely block the aura sword of the Gigant. Strike! ¡°¡­!¡± As the Gigant¡¯s sword split the shield, Shaikan hurriedly crossed his arms to stop the attack. Luckily, due to the Dragonic Shield, the smash attack had been weakened considerably. After the attack failed, Luke, while frowning, moved back. ¡°This is really strange. Is this the dragon magic used by the dragons?¡± Whether it be white or dark magic, magic was based on the mana built in the heart. However, Shaikan¡¯s magic was different. While reciting the spell, the mana surrounding him reacted in a flash. The activation of the spell was short, and there was no circle around his heart. ¡®Is dragon magic based on a dragon¡¯s heart?¡¯ It seemed like Luke would find out the answer to that later in the future as no one knew about the dragons. A dragon¡¯s heart played a huge role in maintaining a dragon¡¯s life and using the combats was based on Dragonic Aura. A race blessed with mana, the dragons were able to activate magic in a split second. That was why thousands of years ago, the dragon race was able to freely use 12 circles. But¡­ ¡®Tch, even if I have the blood, a dragonian isn¡¯t a real dragon.¡¯ Shaikan clenched his fists in frustration. An awakened dragonian could turn into a dragon with dragon magic but not a real dragon. They would only be half the size and only have one-third of a real dragon¡¯s power. They could use a few magic spells, but their power was still inferior to a real dragon. Even then, Shaikan knew that he could go against the strongest Sword Emperor or the 9th circle Arch wizards, but strangely, he didn¡¯t know how to fight against this warlock whom he met today. ¡®Was there a reason why I haven¡¯t fully awakened into a perfect dragonian yet?¡¯ Shaikan had awakened his dragonian blood two years ago. He had been honing his abilities and created an army of monsters, but it was still impossible for him to transform into a full dragon. And it wasn¡¯t long since he was able to transform, and it was tiring. His dragon instincts that were left by the dragon lineage told him how much time was left for the transformation to wear off. ¡®But, I can¡¯t let it end like this,¡¯ Shaikan thought to himself. How could he take revenge if he couldn¡¯t even take down one warlock! After telling himself that, Shaikan decided to push himself till the very end. ¡°Flame Blizzard!¡± Shaikan cast his magic and tried hitting Kratos with it. Luke, however, managed to create a barrier to block the storm of flames. He wielded his sword and attacked Shaikan with it. Shaikan, cutting off the huge sword with his sharp nails, turned around to hit Kratos with his tail. He then used Breath and hit Kratos with it. Kratos was shocked. ¡°Did you think that I could get attacked by that!¡± Luke escaped the Breath and hit Shaikan with his sword. However, Shaikan struck Kratos with explosion magic and blocked the sword with the horns on his head. Kwang-! ¡°Kuk!¡± As the heat reached breastplate of Kratos, it broke. Fortunately, the Gigant¡¯s gloves were thick. The ones that broke were only the outer armor, so the Gigant was lucky to survive. ¡°I will make you into a great scrap metal!¡± The moment Shaikan tried to attack with his teeth, he was taken aback. Luke not missing the timing, added the weight of Kratos to his Gravity Spell and pushed Shaikan to the ground. Kwang! ¡°Ahh!¡± Watching the fight unfold, Belfair became scared when Shaikan and Kratos crashed near him. He was like a shrimp stuck between the fight of two whales. ¡°Kuk! This warlock!¡± Shaikan struggled to get up from the unexpected fall. Luke used his treasured dark magic. ¡°Black Bind!¡± ¡°No!!¡± The stem of the black plant came from the ground and wrapped itself around Shaikan¡¯s body. Shaikan struggled to get up, but once the vines of Black Bind wrapped around him, it got increasingly harder for him to even move. Luke glanced around at the helpless dragon. ¡°Did you really think that I would just let you push me down?¡± Thanks to the core engine of Kratos, the power of Black Bind became much stronger. Thanks to that, the spell had no problem holding down a 30-meter tall creature. ¡°Kay, then for the final blow¡­ No?!¡± Suddenly, a blinding red light appeared, and Shaikan disappeared from where he was. Luke¡¯s eyes looked around when he suddenly heard a voice. ¡°This way, warlock.¡± Luke looked in the direction of the voice. Shaikan, on the northern hills, went back to his original form. Perhaps that was his way of getting out of the Black Bind. ¡°With my power, I thought that I could go beyond the duchy and take over the empire, but I guess I was mistaken.¡± Shaikan had no intention of fighting anyone. He lost everything. ¡°Shaikan, what are you saying?! Are you running away?!¡± ¡°Everyone runs away. Let¡¯s end our fight today. But, there is one thing I want to ask.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Luke wanted to absorb the massive mana of the dragon, which could never be compared to the monsters. However, he couldn¡¯t pounce at a dragonian who was once again ready to turn into a Dragon. To fight a dragon, he would have to use a Gigant. The Gigant he had now was in no shape to fight since Kratos¡¯ core engine was exhausted already. A while ago, Kratos took too much shock when Shaikan pushed it to the ground. If he tried to use it again, it might explode. ¡®Tch, too bad.¡¯ As Luke could no longer continue to fight, he listened to what Shaikan was about to say. ¡°Are you the descendant of the Devil King Saymon?¡± He wasn¡¯t sure of it at first, but as he escaped, he thought about the identity of Luke. The golem legion and the dark magic. Those were a very well-known combination, and he was able to recall the stories of the legendary Rakan when he was a kid. When Luke didn¡¯t answer, he opened his mouth once again. ¡°If you indeed are the descendant of the Devil King and share the same feelings toward the Baroque Empire, we may be companions on the same path.¡± ¡°Companions?¡± Luke asked. ¡°Yes. There is something I owe to the Baroque Empire. The next time we meet, I wish we could work as companions rather than enemies.¡± With those words, Shaikan disappeared. ¡®What the hell did the Baroque Empire do to you?¡¯ Luke stood there lost in his thoughts. It was surprising that the Orc Hero who caused the monster wave was a dragon. But more importantly, a dragonian was hostile toward the Baroque Empire. That was something that would surely affect his future. ¡°Master, are you okay?¡± Belfair went close to Luke and asked. Luke, opening the hatch of Kratos, replied, ¡°Why? Would you be glad if I wasn¡¯t?¡± ¡°I would never!¡± Belfair said that, but his heart did hope for it. If Luke died, he would be free from his oath. Luke got out and placed Kratos back into his subspace bracelet. ¡°Well, since we defeated the Orc Hero, let¡¯s head back to Akbar Fortress. An important battle is happening over there.¡± ¡°Yes, master.¡± Luke and Belfair flew straight to Akbar Fortress. They were tired after fighting such a death-defying battle, but they had no time to hesitate. Chapter 183 Kwang! Kiirrrrk! ¡°Kik, do not step back! Push them!¡± While Luke was busy fighting with Shaikan, the Akbar Fortress was also engaged in a fierce siege against the monster army. Even though they have been fighting since dawn, it hadn¡¯t stopped, and it seemed like even with the enormous number of monsters, the assault could end. The duchy, which had accumulated fatigue from the continuous siege, were barely managing to block them. If the imperial forces didn¡¯t arrive two days ago, the place would have been captured. ¡°Just a little more!¡± ¡°If we can stop this, then we will have the chance to counterattack!¡± Officers were all yelling at the soldiers trying to encourage them, and their words weren¡¯t entirely false. Indeed, the dozens of Gigants and 2,000 cavalries were gathered behind the gates. The moment the monsters stepped back, the battle could end. The monster army had been reduced by a lot. For that reason, even while they were on the verge of getting slaughtered, there was still hope in their eyes. On the watchtower inside the border, several figures stood there, overlooking the area. They were the head of the imperial army, Sebastian, who was disguised as Luke, looking down and giving instructions. ¡°What are you doing? Push in the east! Block them!¡± When the person waved the flag, Sebastian pointed to another place and shouted, ¡°In the west, the gates are about to be opened! Send a Gigant!¡± Sebastian calmly followed the strategy that Luke gave to him. He had learned everything he could by observing Luke, so along with a similar appearance to Luke, there was no awkwardness to his actions. However, there was a woman watching him from behind. Princess Margareta, who had been dispatched as a liaison officer, had a face as red as an apple. ¡®Ahhk¡­ What am I doing? I can¡¯t keep standing here I am getting hot.¡¯ Since a few days ago, every time she saw Luke, or Sebastian in Luke¡¯s form, her heart pounded and fluttered. She got so excited that her whole body twisted, like a fish stuck on a hook. ¡®Have you gone crazy, Margareta? I need to get that man hooked to me. What good is it if I turn out like this?¡¯ But no matter how determined she tried to get, every time she saw Luke, her entire body changed, and she couldn¡¯t get a hold of her excitement. At first, she thought that Marquis Luke might have been sneaking into her quarters to give her some drugs. But no matter how many times she tried to check her body, she couldn¡¯t feel the energy of any such drugs. There was no trace of mental magic at all. ¡®Why is my body acting like this?¡¯ The moment she was about to cry because of this unknown feeling running in her body, Sebastian looked back and smiled. ¡®Kyaang! He is so amazing!¡¯ Sebastian knew very well about what was happening to her body. Well, it was because he was the cause of that very phenomenon. That was why he knew it. Staying hidden in her quarters every night, Sebastian absorbed the unclean desires and negative emotions that Margareta harbored. When emotions in her soul transferred into Sebastian¡¯s soul, there was a slight shift from Sebastian¡¯s soul into her. It was the Pheromone of the demons. Among the races like Sebastian¡¯s, his ancestors were mongers. The Pheromones that were spewed by such races would end up seducing the opposite person. Because of that, Margareta went on showing her desire for him again and again. ¡°Princess, are you feeling unwell? If you¡¯re sick, please go back to your room and rest.¡± Philip, who was watching the battle from Luke¡¯s side, asked with a doubt. Startled, Margareta shook her head. ¡°Ah, no, not at all. I¡¯m just tired because I couldn¡¯t sleep well at night. I will get better soon.¡± ¡°Is that so? Well, I guess that¡¯s a given.¡± The monster army began their onslaught in the morning, and the raids didn¡¯t stop even though it was night time already. It was a surprise for the soldiers on the front line too, not just the resting soldiers, but the commanders couldn¡¯t sleep because of the war as well. So, Philip thought that the princess, who had been following them as a liaison officer, would be no exception, but the real reason was unknown to him. ¡°The battle will be over soon. Please be a little more patient.¡± As Philip said that, the momentum of the monsters who were attacking the fort had decreased significantly. ¡®If the Lord succeeds in dealing with the Orc Hero in such a situation¡­¡¯ Philip was informed about Luke¡¯s operation before leaving Sebastian in charge. At first, he wondered if Luke could manage to find the Orc Hero and deal with him. However, in the current situation, it was important to deal with the enemy in front than to worry about him. Whatever the case, victory was leaning toward the fortress. Small monsters like kobolds and goblins fled, and large monsters began to turn their backs as well. The orcs, who failed to rectify it, retreated. ¡°The monsters are retreating!¡± ¡°Nice! Open the gates! We can fight back soon!¡± The imperial forces and the duchy allied forces, who would surely not miss that opportunity, opened the gates. Gigants and cavalries, which were prepared in advance, chased after the monsters furiously. However, this was a trap. All of a sudden, the monsters, which were hiding, began to pop out and began their assault. In addition, the monsters that were fleeing turned back and attacked. All of a sudden, their attack seemed like it could take the fort down. ¡°Oh, the monsters are doing such a high-leveled manned operation!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t stop anymore! You need to retreat!¡± The fortress, which had been going through a hard time for the past few days, seemed like a plant standing in front of a huge wave. The monsters, which had increased, began to move toward the castle. The leader of the fort was no longer sure if they could still win and tried to order for evacuation. But then, suddenly, the movements of the monster turned strange. So far, not a single monster ran wildly, but all of a sudden, they were all over the place. The Orc Warriors tried to control them, but their orders no longer worked. ¡°What is happening?¡± ¡°What is wrong with these monsters all of a sudden?¡± The soldiers were confused. However, Philip and Sebastian knew why. ¡°Our Lord has been successful in removing the Orc Hero!¡± ¡°Long live the master!¡± Due to the difference between the watchtower and the soldiers on the frontline, the orders reached them late, and the soldiers slowly began to push the monsters away from the fort. The monsters, which were no longer in control, no longer acted like an army. They were turning into the prey and dealing with them was no problem to the humans. That very evening, Luke and Belfair returned, and the battle was over. Thus, the monster wave and the battle of Akbar Fortress had been cleared. The Orc Hero¡¯s whereabouts were uncertain, but the main force of the monster army had been defeated, and the war was over. Chapter 184 Kwang! ¡°Failed this time too! What the hell is the intelligence doing?¡± The Imperial Palace in the Baroque Empire. Emperor Rudolf, who was very annoyed asked Count Voltas. It was because he was the person that the Emperor looked up at, but he wasn¡¯t able to get the work done in the matter of Luke. ¡°I¡¯m begging you, your Majesty! I have researched and checked that the reinforcements we allotted wouldn¡¯t be able to block the army, maybe they had great luck.¡± For example, the final battle at the Akbar fort. According to the spy, the monster which had occupied the castle suddenly turned confused for some unknown reason. And at once, their control was lost and they scrambled to their respective regions. ¡°Perhaps a force we weren¡¯t aware of was in work. Some forces might have intervened, considering that the number of monsters which had to attack the fort was lesser than expected.¡± At the claim from Count Voltas, Emperor Rudolf took a moment and asked, ¡°Count, who do you think is involved in this?¡± ¡°Well, the most likely suspect, in this case, is the Volga Republic.¡± ¡°The Republicans?¡± Asked Emperor Rudolf. ¡°The path is very close and the Navarre can be saved from their place too.¡± If it was the Volga Republic, then they had enough motivation to do it. But Rudolf, tapping the armrest on the chair, thought otherwise. ¡°Is there no way that Luke had intervened? Since he was the one placed in the situation.¡± ¡°I thought the same too and asked for a report, but during the siege, he was with the reinforcements in the Akbar Fort.¡± ¡°Yeah? Then it is definite that the Volga guys intervened. Those thieving bastards are now reaching into our tributaries¡­¡± Frowning, Rudolf asked, ¡°Ah, okay then, what about the two-sided magic world?¡± ¡°Yes, the Magic Federation reform assembly, which used to be the main pillar of the Magic Federation and the magic towers which were left in the Magic Federation are struggling with each other.¡± Voltas explained in detail to the Emperor. When Rudolf listened to the story, he moved his upper body and asked, ¡°But, was there any convincing evidence in the Veritas Magic Tower? About them learning dark magic?¡± The Baroque Imperial had been assisted by the Lich Arsene, who grew in the shadows of the Veritas, from generations. Emperor Rudolf too was being helped by Arsene. It was Arsene who used his hand to make it look like Reichard had suffered from an illness and died. If such a situation had been revealed, the political blows to the Imperial and the Emperor would be humongous, which was why it had to be kept a secret. But Rudolf, who felt the shackles around him, was hoping that there would be a way for the Veritas Magic tower and Arsene to appear unrelated to him and the Imperial family. ¡°Well, it would be really wicked if they were learning dark magic. But even if they were, they would be completely hidden.¡± ¡°Then, what to do, should we dig in?¡± At the suggestion of Emperor Rudolf, Voltas was shocked. ¡°You mean us?¡± ¡°Yeah, not directly, I want to dig in a little more, because if we find any plausible evidence, we can make them kneel down before us.¡± ¡°But, we will have to be in an uncomfortable relationship with the Veritas Magic Tower.¡± Voltas said. For the last 500 years, the Imperial and Veritas were walking hand in hand. However, if they were able to identify their weakness, the magic tower wouldn¡¯t afford to walk alongside it. The power and forces of the Veritas Magic Tower couldn¡¯t be ignored, so the Imperial wanted them below them and not alongside them. It was the case at every time. Four of the top ten accused the Veritas Magic Tower and were pushed out of the Magic Federation. ¡°The conduct of Veritas Magic tower is nasty, but even for something good, they won¡¯t standstill. We are all home, but an act like that might make them turn.¡± ¡°So, would they stick with the Republicans?¡± Emperor Rudolf asked. ¡°It is true in the worst case. The magic tower is an organization which seeks after their interest. If we try to shake them by their roots, of course, they aren¡¯t going to stay still.¡± Said Emperor Rudolf. Count Voltas was speechless at the Emperor¡¯s words, so he tried to say, ¡°Better than that, your majesty, the movements in the Holy Arthenia are rather strange.¡± ¡°Holy Empire?¡± ¡°Yes. We confirmed that the Pope has died. But something happened that the next Pope¡¯s announcement had been delayed. It was very unusual as their customs said that the Pope had to be announced immediately.¡± ¡°Maybe just taking time for making a decision?¡± ¡°A conclave hasn¡¯t been called by the El Kassel denomination. The high priests and the paladins are talking¡­¡± ¡°The strong candidates for Pope?¡± ¡°Archbishop Constantine seems to be showing interest, but the whereabouts of Archbishop Michael is unknown. A conflict between the two sides or an assassination.¡± ¡°Something is definitely going on in there.¡± A suspicious situation. The conclave hasn¡¯t been convened, and one of the leading pope candidates was missing. In any case, the Baroque empire couldn¡¯t neglect to observe the dynamics of the Holy Empire. The Holy Arthenia Empire had a long history of more than 1,000 years and it was the only nation in the continent that could compete with the Baroque Empire in terms of population, territory, and power. In recent years, the Volga had been bothering them from the north, but the Volga was only one-third of the Baroque empire. If Emperor Rudolf prepared to take a great damage, then the Volga Republic would be taken down. However, it didn¡¯t seem like a good plan to damage his own nation for the sake of getting another land. ¡°Well, I would like to send more spies to the Holy Empire because of that. What do you think about that?¡± ¡°Well, if we get to know what is going on, then I don¡¯t mind. Nice, make that work.¡± Upon getting the Emperor¡¯s approval, Voltas immediately went down to the intelligence department, and selected dozens of capable spies and sent them to the Holy Empire. When Count Voltas went out, Rudolf frowned as he was left alone in his office. ¡°Uhm, what is that man doing now?¡± Lich Arsene. He loved Veritas magic tower so much that he didn¡¯t mind being cursed, and he wasn¡¯t going to stay still if Veritas was touched. There had to be something he could do. ¡°I need to do something when his eyes are on the ten towers.¡± Rudolf didn¡¯t know of Arsene¡¯s ambitions. Perhaps the chaos in the magic world was his own bringing. After a while, the Lich¡¯s eyes were more likely to turn towards the Baroque Empire. No, Rudolf was sure that it would. ¡°But it is a burden to do anything right away, but if I keep watching, the future would be troublesome¡­¡± When he was not sure of what to do, he called for a professional. The Emperor called for Meishin, the head of the warlock division that he was secretly raising in the Imperial. He was the warlock who hid secretly when Luke had come to see the Emperor for the very first time to verify the curse. ¡°You called, your Majesty?!¡± The gloomy aura of Meishin wearing the black robe entered. ¡°Yes, there is something I have to ask you.¡± Rudolf explained the situation in detail. After hearing the entire story, Meishin replied, ¡°If you can¡¯t use your hands directly on the Veritas Magic Tower, then try to take them down by using the others.¡± ¡°Others?¡± Asked the Emperor who was interested in it. ¡°Something like using the reformers. You know, fight with them.¡± ¡°Yes, there was a way! But how do I start a fight between them?¡± The two of them were in hard times, but it didn¡¯t mean that they were in a war. In such a situation, something had to be done for things to change. Meishin answered without hesitation, ¡°Some of our men are from the ten magic tower. Order them to attack the branch of the Veritas Magic tower.¡± If the Veritas magic tower branch gets raided and burned, and if traces were left that the other magic towers had attacked them¡­ Naturally, they would try to get revenge right away. The war would happen. ¡°Hahaha, that is a very great answer. Then, I¡¯ll leave it to you. Do it cleanly.¡± Commanded the Emperor. Meishin felt that it was a test from the Emperor. If he acted skillfully, there were chances that he would be favored, and if he failed, then there were high stakes. With stern eyes, he said, ¡°I will do it and please the Majesty.¡± Chapter 185 The crisis of Navarre Duchy, which had begun with the Monster Wave, was barely suppressed in 2 months. The battle in the Akbar Fort was rather confusing and unexplained, but somehow they had managed to succeed in driving away the monsters into the western grasslands. However, Luke couldn¡¯t return immediately. There could be monsters sneaking around to attack the Navarre once again, so he was ordered to stay. ¡®Uhm, that is okay.¡¯ When Luke had completed the mission successfully, he thought that the Emperor felt upset and put him trapped in there. But he didn¡¯t think much of it. Since he had already gone there, he thought of waiting till he went back to complete his remaining military service. It was the same with the knights. No, they quietly enjoyed being treated sweetly by beauties. ¡°Hey Alex. Are you going out today?¡± After the afternoon training, Kaper asked his friend who was wearing new clothes and preparing to go. ¡°Come here, I have been requested for a date by the Baron¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just go out with Baron Charles¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°Huh, this body is a little too handsome.¡± At the delightful response from his friend, Kaper could feel himself getting nauseous. ¡°Uhk! That is disgusting!¡± ¡°Leave him alone. If not now, when am I going to live like this?¡± At the voice of Anna which came from behind, the two of them turned around. ¡°What is this? Are you going on a date too?¡± Kaper seemed surprised at the appearance of Anna in a dress. Blushing, Anna replied, ¡°Going out with Sir Philip since I am bored.¡± ¡°The instructor? Didn¡¯t you like the lord?¡± At those words, Anna¡¯s face went stiff. ¡°Huh, I don¡¯t like him now. I am very disappointed with him!¡± She shook her head violently, looking at the building behind her and left. ¡®Even if you are a war hero, going into the widow¡¯s room late at night, that too twice¡­!¡¯ She had accidentally seen Sebastian, who was disguised as Luke, entering Princess Margareta¡¯s room in the Akbar Fort. Guessing that Luke was flirting with the princess, her unrequited love soon came crashing down. It was her misunderstanding, but sadly no one could tell her that. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll be staying out tonight, so you guys play safe.¡± Alex teasing his friends, waved his hand and walked away. Already alone, Kaper began to wonder whether he should go meet up with some noblemen¡¯s daughter. But unlike his not-so-shy friend Alex, he couldn¡¯t get himself to go and picked up his sword. ¡°Tch, dating my ass! I need to practice my fencing a little more.¡± ¡°Why do people meet so many people?¡± He talked to himself on the way back from meeting the King. Luke met Margareta in the garden of the palace, and just shook his head as she stared at him. However, princess Margareta felt the same way. ¡°This is really weird.¡± ¡°Weird?¡± ¡°That is what I am saying¡­ I don¡¯t think you are the Marquis that I knew.¡± While at the Akbar Fort, just looking at Luke would make princess Margareta¡¯s body go wild and excited. However, looking at Luke in the garden the day didn¡¯t seem to have the same effect on her. Not after coming back to Avignon. Even when she looked at him, it was like looking at some man passing on the side of the road. No, like the first time she met him, he seemed like a tool needed for her ambition. Instead, every time she saw the fluffy cat that the Marquis owned, her heart fluttered strangely and moans almost came out of her mouth. Due to the cat named Sebastian, she felt dizzy and she could feel her underwear getting wet. ¡®Crazy! I must have gone crazy!¡¯ She was distracted every time she saw the cat and she was turning ecstatic. She thought that she might have smelled some drug while performing an experiment, but there was no such thing. So she wondered if the mana of the two men she married were playing a curse on her. Going to and from the temple didn¡¯t cure her and there was no effect on her. Whenever she felt suicidal or anxious about the curse, she thought of the cat, Sebastian. ¡°Aeiiing~!¡± As soon as she saw Sebastian pass in front of her, Margareta¡¯s entire body began to heat up. ¡°Excuse, excuse me.¡± Margareta left Luke and chased after Sebastian. But no matter how hard she chased, she wasn¡¯t able to catch Sebastian and she was getting annoyed. ¡°What are you doing?! Catch it right away!¡± ¡°Uh?¡± ¡°Catch that cat! If you don¡¯t manage to do it, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Surprised by Margareta¡¯s sudden outburst, the maids and the knights began to chase after Sebastian. But, Sebastian not being an ordinary cat and being a self-proclaimed demon, wasn¡¯t going to get caught any time soon. Each time someone tried to stop him, he managed to escape. ¡®I¡¯m sure that the princess is addicted to Sebastian¡¯s pheromone.¡¯ Luke watching it from afar with an absurd expression thought to himself. He noticed a difference in Margareta¡¯s behavior and asked Sebastian the reason. And then he was given the details. ¡°Master, one of my ancestor was an Incubus. So pheromone poisoning occurs after we eat the emotions of a human woman.¡± The story sounded absurd to hear. At any rate, with her obsession with the cat, the maids had run chasing after it. Maybe a cat pervert, all kinds of lewd words were entering their minds. Maybe the only Princess Margareta they knew was the polished and dignified woman. ¡°Kuk! Didn¡¯t you guys catch it yet?¡± Screamed the princess. ¡°Please, please take us down.¡± ¡°Are you thinking that I won¡¯t kill you if you speak those words?!¡± The maids couldn¡¯t help getting scared hearing Margareta to speak like that. Right then, from one side, a knight came towards her with a cat in his hands. ¡°Princess Mama, I have caught it!¡± ¡°Oh, show it here! Let me see!¡± Margareta whose expression changed in the speed of lightning looked at the tubby cat which was being brought by the proud knight. Looking at the cat, she threw it from his hands into the pond and screamed, ¡°This isn¡¯t Sebastian!¡± Iaaang-! The cat which seemed to have resembled Sebastian slipped out of the pond. The innocent cat was able to escape, but soon got caught by a knight, who wasn¡¯t able to avert his eyes from Margareta¡¯s furious gaze. ¡°You dare deceive me?¡± ¡°Princess, princess, I just wanted to catch the cat¡­¡± ¡®Get him out of my sight and cut his neck!¡¯ ¡°Haaa! Please show mercy¡­!¡± Seeing the knight being taken, Luke couldn¡¯t get himself to speak out of context. In the southern continent, ¡®delusion¡¯ was a punishable offense. It wasn¡¯t much different for the Rhodesia continent. But for taking the life of a young knight just for a cat. ¡®Such a terrible bitch.¡¯ No matter how possessed she was by the demon, the way one decides about life and death is the evidence of humanity. ¡®But, if this witch made the progress of the Arachne magic tower, then she can¡¯t be considered.¡¯ Seeing Margareta, he could understand how nice a woman Reina was. She too was a princess, but Reina tried to help the poor and the weak. She always tried to treat the people around her with kindness and smile. Well, people did think of her to be the priestess of Lamer. ¡®Where could she be now? Wherever she is, she needs to be safe¡­¡¯ Luke suddenly went worried and depressed as he thought of Reina. He shook his head realizing that sighing wasn¡¯t going to make the Dark Elves find her any faster. If he had time, he had to get stronger. To defeat his enemies. ¡°Meow, please, can I hold him once. Huh? I¡¯ll give you a delicious food.¡± While Luke was immersed in thought, Margareta appeared in front of him asking for the cat which was close to him. Anxious, Margareta tried to seduce Sebastian with a variety of food, but food could only work so far for a demon. Seeing her act so pathetic, Sebastian approached her and jumped right into her arms. ¡°Ahh¡­!¡± Margareta¡¯s entire body began to tremble with ecstasy. Her eyes and face filled with joy. ¡°Sebastian! I have something to do, follow me right away!¡± Getting telepathy from Luke, Sebastian escaped from Margareta¡¯s hands and hid into the bushes. ¡°Ah! No! don¡¯t throw me away like this!¡± Margareta was crying, but he and Luke moved away from the palace. Chapter 186 Chapter 186: Treasure Acquisition 3 A short while later, Luke stopped in the woods located north of the Avignon. The rare forest was wide and had beautiful trees with blooming new leaves. As Luke went there, he looked back. ¡°Sebastian, Belfair!¡± ¡°You called, Master!¡± ¡°What could we be doing today?¡± The two demons appeared right below a tree and asked. ¡°Today I am going to summon a demon.¡± ¡°Oh! Is my successor going to come?¡± Belfair asked with a smile. He had been waiting to get a successor as Sebastian had been treating him rather harshly. Unfortunately for him, Luke shook his head. ¡°No, this time I am going to bring in a strong guy, so make sure that this place is quiet.¡± Luke had absorbed a lot of mana from the monster army. However, the monster¡¯s mana failed to make the 6th circle due to the lack of purity. So due to that, he thought of summoning a demon more than the intermediate level and absorb its abilities and magi. And to ensure that the news wouldn¡¯t reach Avignon, he needed the demons. ¡°Ehh, just make me a successor.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t nag and get to work, Belfair.¡± When Sebastian and Belfair went to follow his orders, Luke began to draw the summoning magic on the ground. Normally, the demons were summoned randomly, but depending on the sacrifice, stronger demons could be called. Luke, pouring drops of his blood on the magic circle, called for an intermediate demon. Whooong! The magic circle disappeared and the dark subspace had opened. However, nothing could be seen in it. ¡®What is this? Did this one fail?¡¯ It was when Luke was thinking about it¡­ When the subspace was suddenly ripped like a tear had happened. A lower body resembling a snake, and a human woman¡¯s upper body with her four arms all armed with swords appeared. ¡°Oh my! That one is a Naga!¡± Belfair, who was looking at Luke from a distance, seemed shocked. It was because they were so powerful that they were considered to be higher demons or the outgoing intermediate demons. How did he know of her? It was because she was the 7864th slave of the Vampire King Leviathan, whom Belfair belonged to. Listening to him speak, Naga turned her head toward Belfair. ¡°Ohho! I haven¡¯t seen you in a while, so you were in the Middle-Earth all this time. By the way, did you refer to me without honorifics?¡± After seeing her said that, Belfair knelt. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m very sorry, Miss Naga. I must have gone a little crazy.¡± One of Belfair¡¯s superiors, all the four swords she held had a great level of swordsmanship. Each of her swords was equal to an intermediate level Sword Master, to fight Naga was like fighting four Sword Masters. Also, she had a special ability that allowed her to control water and poison. A lot of strong demons also knelt before her. ¡®Oh my, here I was, wanting a successor, but another higher up is coming!¡¯ Belfair felt like crying. With Luke¡¯s skills, he thought that winning over an intermediate demon was possible. But Naga was different. Even the higher-level demons were reluctant to have her as an opponent. ¡°I¡¯ll decide on how to punish you later. Where is the human who has summoned me?¡± She turned her head toward Luke and asked with a cold face, ¡°Ho oh, you seem to have a pretty good soul. Would you like to make a contract with me? You can have everything you want if you make a contract with me. Of course, for all of that to happen, you will have to give me your soul in return.¡± ¡°There is exactly one thing that I want. That is you,¡± Luke said. ¡°Me? I might like your taste. Well, I have been starving for a long time and I¡­¡± ¡°Shut up and just give me your Magi!¡± Luke was completely irritated with Naga¡¯s useless blabbering, so he pulled his sword and began to attack. The purple aura of his sword almost rushed past Naga¡¯s neck. If she was a little late in avoiding it, her head would have been on the floor. ¡°This trash like human! You looked cute, so I wanted to play around for awhile¡­!¡± She did ask him to make the contract first, but she never thought that she would be attacked by her summoner. Like any poisonous snake looking for its prey, she took out her four poisonous swords and shook them violently against Luke. Sukak! Shuuk! ¡°Piing! Kang!¡± The rocks on the ground weren¡¯t smashed, nor did the trees get uprooted. However, the speed and accuracy of Naga¡¯s swords were like the fight he had with Shaikan. No, she was much better than Shaikan. Just as Belfair had expected, the fight was on Naga¡¯s favor. The power of her swords was unexpected, but four different swords were constantly being waved against her opponent. In addition, the movement of her lower body was different from the other demons. Not only was she fast, but the way she twisted and turned her body were also fast as well. ¡°Hohoho! Why are you so stiff? You were speaking big words about taking my magi and abilities.¡± ¡®Kuek! She¡¯s not giving me a chance to use my sword or my magic!¡¯ After learning the Gold Sword, Luke practiced steadily. Luke¡¯s current skills were only a little bit weaker compared to the top experts. Whatever he was lacking were filled with white and dark magic, but still, he could barely hold his own against Naga. His goal was to catch Naga and not endure her attacks. Luke immediately cast his demon power. ¡°Huh! Build-up!¡± ¡°What, what did you say?¡± Luke unleashed an ability. All the muscles in his body were strengthening. Naga knew right away that he was trying to imitate a demon¡¯s power. She tried hitting Luke¡¯s arm with her sword, but Luke¡¯s arm was as hard as a rock. It was then that she knew that it was really a demon¡¯s power. ¡°Well, well you are¡­!¡± ¡°Sonic Wave!¡± A shock wave of sound flew to Naga, reminding her of the horror of fighting hundreds of demons for a hundred years. Kwaaaang! ¡°Kyaaak!¡± The Sonic Wave, which appeared whenever Luke was in the Build-up state, was so powerful that Naga¡¯s body was pushed through the trees. After breaking a few thick trees, she was able to stop. If it wasn¡¯t for her constant blocking with her swords, her upper body might have been torn apart. ¡®To use a demon¡¯s power and deprive the demons of their own power¡­ Is he really the descendant of Saymon?¡¯ Actually, he was Saymon himself, but Naga didn¡¯t know that, and Luke had no intention of letting her know. Luke approached Naga in a flash and his eyes began to flash. ¡®This¡­ is Petro light!¡¯ She thought. She was surprised and tried to move. However, she was rather late. Her left arm began to turn into a stone. ¡°This!¡± Naga cut down the arm which was turning into a stone. She could think of something later, but if she left it as it was, the petrification effect would spread to her entire body. But even after all that, Luke launched a whole new attack. Chapter 187 Chapter 187: Treasure Acquisition 4 Ku Kukung! ¡®What is this? A golem made of steel?¡¯ Behind Naga was a warrior class Gigant, Achilles. The Gigant, which had been quietly sleeping in the subspace bracelet along with Kratos, had been summoned by Luke. Naga was terrified of what she saw. Suddenly, the Gigant attacked her. ¡°Kyaah!¡± A Gigant could only move when there was a rider seated in the cockpit. But since Gigants were developed based on golems, Luke was able to move them in a basic manner with his Marionette magic. Surely the power it showed was much weaker than when one was directly riding in it, but it was enough to launch a surprise attack. The heavy blows from the Gigant left a significant blow on Naga. ¡°Kuak! Kuaaahk!¡± Slumped, Naga was coughing black blood. Belfair, who was watching the battle nervously, fist-bumped with Sebastian. Luke seemed like he might be able to win, and the blow taken by his senior was pretty great. But Naga wasn¡¯t dead yet, and she hadn¡¯t displayed all of her power either. ¡°I am going to eat this human!¡± ¡°Huk! Master, avoid it!¡± As Naga opened her mouth wide open, a green mist came out similar to a dragon¡¯s Breath. The green mist contained deadly poison. The grass and trees, which were touched by the mist, soon withered and died. Even the steel glow of Achilles began to rust. Luke had already caught on with what she might do and fled before Belfair could even warn him. The problem, however, was he couldn¡¯t avoid all of it because there was no direction at which she was releasing the poison. ¡®I have to go up in the air to avoid it!¡¯ Luke thought. The poison left by Naga was much heavier than air, so it spread on the ground and wasn¡¯t rising much. Luke moved to the sky using his fly magic. All of a sudden, Naga, who was on the ground, jumped toward Luke, who was flying in the air. ¡°Got you! Stupid human!¡± With a smile on her face, her snake-like lower body wrapped itself around Luke. While trying to crush him to death, she tried to absorb Luke¡¯s body moisture. ¡°I¡¯ll turn you into a dry rag!¡± Said Naga while laughing. ¡°Master, Master!¡± Sebastian and Belfair, who had avoided the poison because they were far away, seemed worried while looking at Luke. If Luke died, they would surely be liberated, but it was still questionable if that scary woman, Naga, would leave them alone. It was obvious that they chose the human over her. ¡®No, if our master dies, it is the end for us!¡¯ The two, thinking of the same thing, jumped straight up and rushed toward Naga. Sebastian sprinkled sand in Naga¡¯s eyes, and Belfair stabbed Naga¡¯s lower body. However, their surprise attack didn¡¯t save Luke. Rather, it only aroused Naga¡¯s anger even more. ¡°How dare you!¡± ¡°Hiik! We were at fault!¡± As Naga snarled at them, Sebastian raised the white flag of surrender. However, Naga¡¯s sword didn¡¯t know how to forgive as it went up. ¡°Who told you to cut her?¡± ¡®Uh?¡¯ At the sudden voice, the two demons along with Naga were surprised. With sharp sounds of something moving, the arms of Naga got cut off. It helped Sebastian survive, Naga couldn¡¯t help but look distorted. It was Luke who appeared from behind and used his sword. ¡°Uh, how is this possible?! I am holding you¡­!¡± Screamed Naga. ¡°What you are doing holding is a piece of wood?¡± At the words of Luke, Naga looked at what she was holding. Only to find a dry piece of wood. ¡°I am aware of your trickery. You would have surely guessed that I would have escaped into the air.¡± She did think that and spew the poison randomly. Luke cast illusion magic on a piece of wood, which he got earlier. He transformed it into an image of himself and threw it into the sky. And she did go catch the bait with her very own tail. Luke flew into the sky with invisibility magic and aimed for the perfect time to cut her down, but he never thought that his slaves would step in. ¡°Give up. You don¡¯t have any chance now.¡± Luke told her. ¡°Kuk, do you think I will do that?!¡± Naga once again tried to wrap Luke around her snake-like body. At that very moment, Luke triggered the second phase of Build-up. As soon as his strength and speed increased 3 times the normal one, he cut the body of Naga with the sword in her torso. ¡°Kiaaak!¡± That left Naga shouting terrifying screams. ¡°Thank you for giving me a great combat experience. Now give me my food!¡± Heeerk! Black stems began to creep out of the ground and wrap themselves around Naga¡¯s body. She struggled to get out of them with all her might, but with every struggle, her energy was draining. ¡°No, please don¡¯t! Save me! I¡¯ll do anything you say! Please!¡± Luke had already decided to not listen to Naga¡¯s plea. The infamous intermediate demon of the Devildom died as a sacrifice for Luke¡¯s growth. Chapter 188 Woong-! ¡°At last I have managed to get 6th dark magic!¡± Luke, who absorbed Magi and the power of Naga, smiled at the feeling of his black circles growing. However, it wasn¡¯t just the black circle which had rose, but he had obtained Naga¡¯s ability to handle poison and water. It was Poison Smog and Water Control. The intermediate demon power which Luke had gained was even stronger. ¡°Congratulations, Master!¡± ¡°Congratulations!¡± Sebastian and Belfair greeted Luke at the same time. As Luke watched the two demons fly down, he kept on staring at them. ¡°Ah, Master, this thing is¡­¡± ¡°Is?¡± Luke asked. ¡°The sword Naga was using.¡± While Luke was absorbing the power of Naga, Sebastian and Belfair were cleaning up the land. They found the swords used by Naga and brought them to Luke. ¡®The swords of Naga¡­¡¯ Luke stared at the four swords of Naga. She didn¡¯t know how to fight well, but she had great swords. Luke hadn¡¯t realized what it was when he was fighting. The four of them were of different forms, not only did they suit for his taste, but they were also enchanted with magic for supporting a swordsman. Under the sword, the name of the man who made it was inscribed. ¡°Iron Mage Jig¡­¡± ¡°A very famous blacksmith who made a name in the Middle-Earth around 1000 years ago. Known to have made hundreds of swords all his life.¡± ¡°I know about him.¡± Luke frowned his brow thinking about the past. The Orichalcum sword, ¡®Valiant¡¯, which Rakan had used to kill Saymon, was the one made by Jig. Jig, who was a geek had learned the skill from the dwarves and had made swords for the Warlocks too. Because of that, he was once traced out by the El Kassel denomination when he was hiding in a rural village and was chased out with knives and sickles. Pope Joseph III, who regarded his love for the art and dexterity, forgave him and commissioned to the work of making the bell at the cathedral. ¡°The swords made by Jig can take down the devil too, and the words were true.¡± ¡°Obviously, some of the sword loving demons were ready to sacrifice themselves and a part of their souls for a sword in return.¡± Perhaps Naga too had gotten her sword like that. ¡®Iron Feather, lightweight enchantment and wind magic. The sword which can be moved swiftly?¡¯ In contrast, the Dragon Tooth Sword, which had been engraved with gravity magic, was quite heavy and sloppy. But if the user could use it right, a Gigant could be smashed with just a single blow. ¡®What is this, this is. Demon Slayer? Why would a demon be holding onto this?¡¯ Just as the words on the sword, the sword was literally used to kill the demons. The cross on the sword was originally enchanted with light magic, but there were traces of Naga removing it. ¡®If fortunate, I can recover it to an extent. I should use my hands later.¡¯ And came the last sword, Blood Shock. The sword which had red tints around it was a magic sword that was full of vicious energy. The blade seemed like tiny saw blades, which seemed to be used to induce a large amount of bleeding along with causing a fatal wound with one right strike. Also enchanted with dark magic, Life Steal, an evil sword which would forcibly absorb the power of the enemies. ¡®If Naga could have used these swords to their 100%, then I would have surely died.¡¯ Luke didn¡¯t know, but a summoned demon had a huge limitation in using the powers of the swords. Firstly, the swords were made by a human craftsman, and were made with the structure optimized for mana and aura uses. It wasn¡¯t definite if the demon could use it like humans, but half of the demons like Naga, couldn¡¯t properly handle it. Nevertheless, the swords themselves were very good and the shape of them was plausible, so he decided to carry them with him. It wasn¡¯t definite, but he could hand them over to the others as the spoils of war. ¡°This Blood Shock will probably go well with Belfair¡¯s style. I¡¯ll let you use it.¡± Luke had given out one of the four swords. ¡°Oh! That you so much, Master!¡± Though he wasn¡¯t supposed to feel that great, Belfair had always had his eye on the Blood Shock, so he felt glad when he was handed the sword. Seeing Belfair who was swelling with happiness because of the sword, Luke then said, ¡°Since I have given you the sword, you must become stronger. You will have to fight hard to achieve my goal. So make sure to practice with the sword and improve your skills for the purpose of helping me.¡± ¡°Uh? Practice? But I am a Vampire Demon?¡± Belfair seemed flustered. The color faded from Belfair¡¯s face. The demons didn¡¯t do anything like practice or training. They were just born with the power or they accumulate them from the other demons. The same was the case of Belfair. The ability to fight was something he knew from the moment he held a sword and he didn¡¯t have to practice it separately. ¡°There is no law that the demons should be practicing. Even the most trivial humans become stronger when trained, then how strong would the demons be if they practiced?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Well, surely that could be the case, but I just want to live my life without¡­ nothing, I will work hard.¡± When Luke narrowed his eyes slightly, Belfair quickly said the words which would please Luke¡¯s heart. Sebastian was fortunate as he wasn¡¯t a professional when it came to battle and warfare. ¡°The swordsmanship you display isn¡¯t that bad, and you¡¯re pretty good. You could learn the silver sword, we can do the practice right away. From the very moment, watch my every movement and get used to training them.¡± Luke carefully taught the Silver Sword. He thought of making Belfair stronger, but there were other intentions behind his actions. ¡®Would the Rakan jump up from the grave if he knew that I handed such a sword to the demons?¡¯ Luke was thinking about how Rakan would look if he saw it. However, the dead could never rise again, and with that, the little pleasure of his ended fast. Whatever the reason was, Luke polished the sword and gave it Belfair. He wasn¡¯t in the time to catch an intermediate demon yet. To win the battle which was lying ahead and overthrow the Baroque Imperial, Luke had to turn stronger, a lot stronger than what he was in the moment. ¡®And to take down that Arsene bastard¡­¡¯ Chewing on his old grudges, he clenched the sword in his hand. His eyes were looking at the sword which could even slice the air. Chapter 189 On the hill overlooking the houses and complexes which were just constructed. Was a large castle built of black rock. In the third floor of the castle was a study room, with a young man in his twenties with platinum hair looking out the window. Luke was his name, looking down at the new estates which was built. ¡®Time passed by so fast.¡¯ He thought to himself. It seemed like it was just the day before when he was killing time with the Imperial Army, however, two years had passed by. After the monster wave was done, Luke had to stay a lot of time in the Navarre Duchy region and look for any monsters. Although he didn¡¯t like Princess Margareta who was obsessed with Sebastian and the king who desperately wanted Luke to tie the knot with the princess, the duchy didn¡¯t seem so bad. However, the emperor had no thoughts of letting Luke stay there, and after a span of 6 months, Luke was asked to return. After coming back, whenever there was a problem, either home nation or the foreign ones, the Emperor ordered Luke to go. He was used to crushing down the rebellious barbarians in the eastern mountains and to clear the world from the warlocks. The problem was that the Emperor and his clerk men had blocked the information about the enemies Luke could be facing. It was all sorts of despicable conspiracy, distorting the truth or withholding information about possible allies. But Luke wasn¡¯t going let them take him down with that, so he managed to see things through. He took the trials and crisis as an opportunity to train himself and his subordinates. As a result, the white magic, dark magic, and his sword skills had increased sharply. Philip along with Kaper, Alex, Hobart, and Anna, grew brilliantly. Philip was on the top with his Expert training, while Kaper was upbeat, Alex, Hobart, and Anna were good. The improved knights became the retainers of the Rakan estate after they had been discharged from the Imperial Army and developed strong relationships with their families. Meanwhile, every time Luke had increased his merit, his fame had risen and many young knights wanted to come and see him as his subordinate. Luke picked out the useful and reliable ones from them and assigned them to the Knights of Territory. ¡®But, the biggest achievement is definitely this.¡¯ Luke pulled out the sword which was dangling from his waist and fused mana into it. Srrrrr! Golden aura began to form around the sword. The aura grew till two meters and then slowly receded again. No, rather than receding, it condensed. The condensed aura began to take a clear shape and light, Luke looking down on it couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡®Woah, will the Emperor jump out if he knows that I am able to make Gold Aura?¡¯ Every time that he went to the Imperial Palace for getting merits and rewards for his actions, he could see the face of the Emperor twisting more and more. He was irritated, but he had to laugh and appreciate Luke who had performed the task he had asked. If the Emperor knew that Luke could form a Gold Aura, he would have a very different look. ¡°That is good, if you can form the Gold aura, you have taken a step closer to being a Sword Master.¡± Knight General Rogers said that once, Luke finally managed to make a Gold Aura a few days back. Originally he thought that it would take around 5 years to build a Gold Aura. However, there was no better training plan than practice, so as he went around to the battles, his sword skills had increased much faster than expected. ¡°But where the second part of the Gold Sword which needs to lead to the Sword Sage?¡± The Rakan territory had lost the second part of the Gold Sword which had to be in the family after the long decline of their riches. The first half was more than enough to be a Sword Master but to become a Sword Sage, the second part was required. The problem was that no one knew how or when it had disappeared. Smart. Luke was deep in his thoughts about the Gold Sword. Along with the sound of a knock on the door, the voice of Hans greeted him. As soon as Luke had returned back, he immediately went down his title of deputy lord to a deacon and remained faithful to his role. ¡°Lord. It is time for the meeting. Please come.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Luke nodding his head headed to the Lord¡¯s manor. The area of the lordship was much greater than the time when he opened his eyes for the first time. Along the walls, houses and rounds were densely lined. The small shops were no three storey shopping complexes. As a result, the size of the manor too had quadrupled, and the population had increased to 100,000. ¡®This is still smaller than Lamer, but in a few years this will surely surpass it.¡¯ The possibility of the development of his estate was infinite. As you pass the main gate across the town, one could see the Knight¡¯s building on the left. In the knight¡¯s division in the past year, more than a hundred knights were divided for the battle purpose. The side wearing the golden armor were the Rakan Knights, and the side wearing the silver armor were Unicorn knights. Shortly after his discharge, Luke created the new knight¡¯s category with Kaper and the others in it. The name was Unicorn knights, and the ones in it would learn Silver Sword. And the most skillful of them was Kaper, the commander. Kaper along with Philip, who was appointed as the Commander for the Rakan knights, watched the battle of the two knights and gave them proper orders. ¡°Nice, you¡¯re doing good!¡± When it came down to skills, the Rakan Knights learning the Gold Sword was better. However, the Unicorn knights were filling in the lacking skills with rich experience and organizational skills acquired in the military. So the battles between the two knights were almost close. Of course, the case would be different if higher players like the captain join in, but with just the basic members they weren¡¯t letting the other one win. ¡°From this moment start using aura!¡± With Philip¡¯s words about using aura, the knights who were purely displaying their individual swordsmanship changed into a storm. Seeing the scene unfold as the swords began to display the aura, Hans with his face bright said, ¡°I don¡¯t think that we would get along well with the Knights of Guard.¡± The Baroque Imperial had Knights of Guard and were very well known for their ability as individuals and groups. They were closely paired with the Holy Arthenia Empire, the strongest Empire on the continent. Luke smiled and shook his head. ¡°You might not see it, but in my opinion, Rakan knights or the Unicorn Knights are still less than the Knights of Guard.¡± He had heard from Philip, a former member of the Knights of Guard, that they were categorized into groups: Gold Guards, Silver Guards, and Iron Guards. Among them, the flagship Gold Guards were told to be composed of Experts of intermediate and above only. The Rakan Knights who learned the Silver and Gold Sword since the young age were no less than the Gold Guards. However, the number of knights caused a fall in comparison. The Unicorn knights were just one step below the Gold Guards. Each knight¡¯s group in the Unicorn had an intermediate leader. Of course, even with all of that, the two knights division of Rakan were at the top of the Empire. ¡®But we might never know what would happen later.¡¯ As the Knights of Guard had a higher status, there could be many stories and rumors. Among the three units, there wasn¡¯t any peaceful relationship, the nobles deceived and used trickery; they neglect training and don¡¯t like being bothered. They kept the truth hidden about the skills of a noble¡¯s son. Luke, who often had to travel to the Imperial Palace for merits and had heard all kinds of rumors about the Knights of Guard. It didn¡¯t seem that obvious, but it was clear that there was a problem in it. That could be known by seeing what had happened to Luke in the past. ¡®Even then, we can¡¯t wait for the enemy to die, we need to get stronger. We won¡¯t be able to stand a chance unless we build our strength.¡¯ Luke who stopped to watch the knights training, began to walk towards the manor once again. Chapter 190 All the retainers were already gathered in the meeting room of the manor. They were all seated, and as Luke entered, he went directly to his seat and leaned back. ¡°The Lord has come!¡± ¡°Was it a month?¡± After a brief greeting from the retainers, the meeting had begun. As the estate developed, Luke felt like there needed to be a regular meeting. As the estates grew and the retainers placed in different duties, it wasn¡¯t easy to gather them all in one place at one time. Thus, a meeting was planned to be held every month where the important policies regarding the estate would be discussed and decided. ¡°Lord, with the recent census which had been done last week, our estate¡¯s men are now 850,000, including 132 villages and 15 cities, including the Lamer. At this level, we can say that we are way past out title. Congratulations!¡± ¡°Oh! The population is large.¡± The larger the population, the greater the productivity, and the more productivity, the higher would be the taxes collected. The increase in taxes would help keep larger troops and territories, so the increase in population was definitely a thing to celebrate. ¡°Then, how much tax would be collected this year?¡± Bald headed Dixon immediately responded to the question, ¡°It will be around a million pesos, except for the Lamer city, which is delegated to the Merchant Union.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine.¡± It wasn¡¯t just fine. It had recently become one of the richest nations in the empire. ¡°Then, how about we try to take control over Lamer now?¡± The first delegation of Lamer city was to the Merchant Union. That happened because the Rakan Estate lacked the capacity to rule over such a large land. But now the former Count¡¯s men were completely gone, so Dixon thought that it would be beneficial in many ways if they decided to govern it. If they did, both Lamer¡¯s administrative and military abilities would increase rapidly. There were quite a few retainers who nodded and sympathized with those words. However, Luke shook his head firmly. ¡°We don¡¯t have to cut the belly of the goose which lays golden eggs. Just leave it as it is.¡± The Merchant Union was successful in Lamer. The doubling of the trade volume each year without any competition with the other large commercial or trading cities was all due to the environment in which the merchants would exercise their abilities without interference from the nobles or the lords; that was what Luke thought, and there was no need to touch them and limit their trade. ¡°However, Princess Reina is still missing, so why don¡¯t we leave the land of gold over to the old retainers of Volga¡­¡± ¡°Executive Dixon!¡± Mentioning princess Reina¡¯s disappearance over the past two years was a taboo in Marquis Rakan. As Dixon spoke about it, Hans quickly cut him off. However, those words couldn¡¯t be taken back, and the atmosphere in the meeting room turned very cold. Everyone including Dixon was sweating, seeing that Luke opened his mouth. ¡°Whatever the reason, Reina will be found, so please refrain from mentioning her here anymore.¡± ¡°Sorry, excuse my words, Lord.¡± Luke, changed the atmosphere in the conference room and asked Rogers, who was promoted to being the Commander General in the military. ¡°Baron Rogers, how is it going with the recruitment of troops?¡± ¡°Until now, we have been able to steadily recruit young people. That was a whopping 7,000 troops and a total of 30,000 troops in each region¡¯s garrison, reserve, and security.¡± In a war where Gigants were the main heroes, the presence of common soldiers didn¡¯t have much importance. However, the role of the common soldiers was very important when it came to facilitating the security of the occupied territories. ¡°And the number of apprentice knights has increased steadily to over 700 with 250 regular knights, and it still continues to increase.¡± What Rogers said brought a smile on all of their faces. As the estate grew, there was a need to expand its military power as much as they could. There would always be a day when the Imperial family decided to take action on them, holding onto past grudges, so it was necessary for the Rakan Estate to increase their military power. It wasn¡¯t an option. ¡°There is constant training to increase the solidarity of the soldiers. I think we will see some good results.¡± Rogers had doubled the training of the homeland as there were far more migrants coming from other regions than the home region. If there were people pouring out their sweat and fighting with others, it would only end up increasing their affection and loyalty to their estate. ¡°Is the Gigant power sufficient?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Currently, Rakan knights and Unicorn knights have 30 Knight-class and 100 Warrior-class. There are another 40 which are old, but they are useful if kept in case of emergency or for civil construction work.¡± After saying that, Rogers looked over to Mute and said, ¡°All this was possible because of Katarina Magic Tower and Meister Mute, who are spurring the Gigant production.¡± At Rogers praise, Mute shook his hands ¡°It is my duty. I just did what my Lord has asked me to do.¡± Luke spoke at that moment. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so humble. There is no person here who doesn¡¯t know your capabilities as a wizard.¡± The two-year increase in the number of Gigants in Marquis Rakan was all because of the Katarina Magic Tower, which had devoted itself to the production of the Gigants day and night. Except for a few Knight and Warrior class Gigants which were bought from the outside, most of the stilettos were done by Katarina Magic Tower. In addition, with the recent expansion of the facilities and the increased production capacity, stilettos were being sold to the friendly estates. Hopefully, it would contribute to the economy. ¡°But would our Lord leave Jason region like that?¡± One of the retainers raised his hand and asked. 2 years ago, when Luke was given the title of Marquis, the emperor had given him the Jason Region. Even if it was a far-flung estate, that land was known to everyone, but not a single investigator had been dispatched to look after it. They thought that once their Lord returned, he would say something about it, but Luke hadn¡¯t spoken to them. ¡°It was told to be useless, but it could be like the state when our land wasn¡¯t that well, so¡­¡± ¡°The land is of no use to anyone. If we do research and install things there, we will only end up making people suffer and waste precious money.¡± Luke, who hid the warlocks in there, hoped that the retainers wouldn¡¯t be interested in the Jason Manor, but plans about what to do with it were always being asked. ¡°How far can we manage it properly just because we have the gold? The lords around it will try to occupy it. Maybe the Emperor has handed it over anticipating that such fight would happen.¡± Said Luke. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°If you are feeling so bad about it, would you go there with your sons and look at the issue? How about we do that?¡±, asked Luke ¡°Ah, no. I will follow what the Lord says.¡± The retainers quickly picked up the white flag. The other retainers stopped showing any interest in Jason Manor as well. Luke, who ended the topic about the Jason Manor, quickly changed the topic to something else. ¡°By the way, what is the situation in the magic world? Were there any signs of improvement?¡± Luke was trying to keep track of the trends in the magic world along with the Veritas Magic Tower. Mute responded with anxiousness, ¡°The level of conflict is increasing. The power of Veritas is so great that the Magic Federation is still on the rise, but the reformers¡¯ magic towers aren¡¯t so small either, so the fight is very tight.¡± 2 years ago, a few towers withdrew from the Magic Federation by their own will. At first, simple reports and verbal checks were being done. But as time went on, violence began to take place as one of Veritas Magic Tower¡¯s branch got burned down by Fiore Magic Tower. It wasn¡¯t like an assassination attempt on the other wizards or the destruction of the business. It was like a massive fight between the magic towers as if they were in a war. The battle didn¡¯t end just between the magic towers; it ended up including mercenaries and nobles. ¡°In the beginning, the nobility and the heads of the nation were standing aside and then tried to intervene, but instead of reconciliation, they took sides and decided to not sell Gigants to the lords who supported the others.¡± ¡°So not just the magic world, but they are involving the entire continent as well?¡± ¡°Well, all thanks to that, we have benefitted.¡± As of the moment, the ones, which weren¡¯t involved with the fight, were private magic towers built by the nobles. So the wizards who didn¡¯t want to be caught in the fight entered Katarina Magic Tower, and the stilettos were able to hit the target groups which were left hurt by the conflict. ¡°Of course, there are difficulties. We are relying on imports for some important parts which we still can¡¯t produce, and it is getting harder and harder to get them.¡± While working on the development of the critical parts, the stilettos weren¡¯t 100 percent made by Katarina Magic Tower. When such critical components were hard to find, the Gigant productivity would fall, which would lead to disruption in the military power of the region. Mute was worried about it and so was Rogers, but Luke didn¡¯t seem to take it so seriously. The Warrior class parts could be obtained from Dark Moon Magic Tower. Of course, they were publicly available, and they had to be brought in through a secret process. ¡°That problem, even I will try to think of something. While in the army, I came to know a few magic towers.¡± Said Luke. At the words of Luke, Mute seemed worried. ¡°Won¡¯t we be caught up in the battle?¡± ¡°It is alright. I know someone who is neutral.¡± When Luke said that, Hans opened his mouth thinking about something. ¡°Ah, there was a strange rumor going around about the magic towers¡¯ war.¡± ¡°What is it about?¡± Inquired Luke. ¡°The other day, a knight wandering across the continent had come and said that there was a great mercenary on the side of the Magic Federation. It was said that he defeated a dozen war mages with just one stroke.¡± ¡°Is that strange?¡± If one had good fencing skills, then that much could be done. If he wasn¡¯t a mercenary but a super knight sent by a nobleman who had a connection with the Magic Federation, it was a more convincing statement. Hans shook his head at Luke¡¯s question. ¡°It isn¡¯t so strange¡­ The mercenary is said to resemble your ancestor.¡± ¡°The warrior Rakan? Is that who you¡¯re referring to?¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t know if it is true or not, but the man said he saw the mercenary build a golded aura¡­¡± Golden. It was one of the favorite tricks of Rakan, known to be made after learning the Gold Sword. Anyway, mentioning the Gold Sword was enough to shake the retainers, and Luke¡¯s face changed too. He resembled his ancestor and used his skills as well. What could that mean? Did Rakan had more of his kin out there? Or¡­ ¡®Maybe the mercenary has the other part of the Gold Sword which hasn¡¯t been found?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just Luke who thought that. Rogers too jumped out from his chair and spoke with a serious expression, ¡°Lord, I think we need to look into this mercenary.¡± ¡°I think so too. Let¡¯s talk to Argos later.¡± Luke later talked about some of the agendas and issues they had to deal with and then ended the regular meeting. Chapter 191 After the regular meeting, Luke entered his office at the permanent manor. Inside was Hudson, the head of Argos, who was already waiting for Luke. ¡°Lord.¡± ¡°Hello, rather than greetings¡­¡± As the greetings were done, Luke asked for the whereabouts of Reina, which he had already ordered them to do. Hudson, with an eager expression, opened his mouth. ¡°I have sent a few intelligence men to some other nations, but we still can¡¯t figure out where she is.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Luke seemed very disappointed with the news. After 2 years, the Dark Elves were still unable to find the whereabouts of Reina, so Luke asked Argos to gather any possible information. However, it didn¡¯t seem like they could do anything either. Argos still hadn¡¯t been able to establish an information network on the entire continent, so it was possible that they couldn¡¯t get information throughout the continent. Seeing Luke disappointed, Hudson hurriedly added some other news. ¡°Recently, we have been trying to gather information which was coming in from the south. You said that the princess had definitely come back here on earth, but there is no guarantee that she had come back to our continent.¡± ¡°That is true. Find where ever she is. Whether you use the information guild or the intelligence agency of the nations, I will support you no matter how much money you need,¡± said Luke. ¡°Understood, Lord.¡± ¡°Ah, there is another thing about the Magic Federation which I want you to find out¡­¡± Luke told Hudson the entire story that Hans had told him and asked Hudson to find out more information about the mercenary. ¡°You think he could possibly be a descendant of Rakan?¡± Asked Hudson. ¡°Since he was very famous, there could be other descendants he might have left behind. Just be definite with the information.¡± After getting new orders, Hudson greeted him and moved out of the office when Erwin entered the office. Seeing her face, Luke¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°Why have you come here? Have you found the location of Reina?¡± Luke asked. ¡°You seem rather irritated.¡± ¡°And who was the one who made me like this?¡± At the sharp words of Luke, Erwin couldn¡¯t talk back anymore. She was the reason why Reina disappeared along with Erenes, who passed away two years ago. ¡°I know that what the fairies did was wrong, but we are doing our very best and are following you.¡± After the death of Erenes, according to his words, the fairies had helped Luke contribute to the development of Rakan Estate. The fairies helped in the development of the Gigants at Katarina Magic Tower, and the Suins helped increase the territories¡¯ mercenary power. The fast and bright eared elves gathered the information or searched for suspicious people. The biggest contributors were the red hammer tribe which was led by the dwarves and the Kurgan. Returning to the mines which were operated by their ancestors during Saymon, they diligently dug gold and other minerals, contributing to the finance of the Rakan territory. In addition, some went to the city¡¯s workshop, Katarina Magic Tower lend a hand in the production of weapons and Gigant parts, and produced smelting steel to build estates. Although some of the dwarves were taken into slavery by the empire for steel production, they weren¡¯t able to keep up with the quality of the products which were being developed in the Marquis. There was a significant difference between what was forced and what was done voluntarily. In any case, Marquis Rakan was becoming the richest manor in the southern empire in less than two years. An unexpectedly fast growth, the neighboring estates, and the imperial family couldn¡¯t keep a check on it. ¡°I know that. If not, I would have replaced all the fairies in an instant,¡± said Luke. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you say thank you then?¡± At Erwin¡¯s sarcasm, Luke frowned. ¡°I still don¡¯t have a clear thought on protecting your rights. I¡¯m not talking about being slaves but as residents.¡± ¡°Well, I am grateful that you¡¯ve tried to change the perception of fairies to the humans.¡± Luke had punished those who would persecute the fairies in his estate without showing any forgiveness. Persecuting the helpless race resulted in persecution, a fair and just treatment. Most of them were convinced at the cause of Rakan, but some of the retainers of Rakan were frustrated as the fairies had chosen the side of the Devil in the past. And as usual, the opposition voice wasn¡¯t so high either. The people were the ones who knew that the land had developed tremendously only after the fairies had joined them. ¡°However, why the hell did you have to find me? I don¡¯t think that you have come here only to remind me of your worth.¡± ¡°You were the one who told me to not come in until I find out where princess Reina was.¡± At the words of Erwin, Luke jumped out of his seat. If he thought about it, Erwin hadn¡¯t met Luke in more than two years. He didn¡¯t know if it was because she was busy or if she wasn¡¯t confident enough to take on Luke¡¯s anger, but she always sent other elves to tell or relay information to him, which meant that there was just one reason for her to visit personally. ¡°Are, are you sure?¡± His voice was trembling a little. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t sure I wouldn¡¯t be here hanging on my neck, but it was information which had just come in.¡± Erwin took out a portrait of a woman from her subspace ring. ¡°This¡­!¡± Luke said. He saw a woman with an ornately decorated crown embroidered with gold thread. Her face was the same as Reina. When Luke wasn¡¯t able to calm his throbbing heartbeat, Erwin¡¯s words came. ¡°Veronica III. The new pope of the Holy Arthenia Empire.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°It was taken two years ago, but this is the first time that she has been introduced publicly because of the secrecy that runs in the Holy Empire.¡± There had been a lot of talks about the course of actions being taken in the Arthenia Empire in the past two years. That was because despite the death of the previous pope, they hadn¡¯t opened a Conclave, and Archbishop Constantine, one of the leading candidates for being the pope, had ruled the Holy Empire under the regent position. Because of that, some said that Archbishop Constantine had formed a coup and took power, but not many said that it wasn¡¯t recognized by the cardinals. Constantine jumped at it, but in the past two years, the face of the new pope had never been shown, and the suspicions had amplified. Eventually as time passed, the authority of the pope had hit rock bottom, the priests and nobles from all over the empire confronted corruption. The vulnerable people rebelled in search of a new savior. Some ambitious nobles had encouraged their rebellion from behind the scenes. ¡°I think Archbishop Constantine couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, so he sent the pope¡¯s picture to the public.¡± ¡°Are you sure that this one was taken 2 years ago?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Yes, no one is aware of the new Pope¡¯s origin. According to the survey by the Volga intelligence, she was named after an old lady as she didn¡¯t seem to have a name upon her arrival.¡± Luke was thrilled. He wasn¡¯t sure yet. Was the new pope of Arthenia really his Reina or just a look-alike? But considering the fact that they had no information regarding her for the past two years, it was great news. ¡°I think that she is Princess Reina. It makes me wonder why we haven¡¯t heard from her in the last two years.¡± ¡°Something must have happened. That Constantine man might have blocked the information.¡± Luke tried to defend Reina. He was walking back and forth. He was trying to calm himself down, but he wasn¡¯t able to stand still. He had never felt his heart go so crazy in the past two years. ¡°Call her retainers and the old men of Volga.¡± Luke ordered her. ¡°I already did. By now, they must have reached here.¡± He felt bad that they were contacted right after having a meeting with them, but it wasn¡¯t the time to think about trivial matters. Luke, who thought that he should head to the meeting room, suddenly stopped. ¡°Ah, I almost forgot.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Looking at Erwin, Luke smiled and said, ¡°Thank you, for giving some good news.¡± Erwin slightly blushed in response, but she quickly managed to get her cold look back. ¡°Huh! you don¡¯t need to thank me. I just paid back the debt I owe you.¡± When Luke left the office with a smile on his face, Erwin mumbled under her breath, ¡°I am glad that you aren¡¯t feeling disappointed anymore.¡± Her face, which was always cold, smiled a little bit. Her smile that was filled with bitterness in the past had now disappeared. Chapter 192 ¡°We need to bring back the princess right away!¡± In the meeting room of the manor, the Volga retainers were speaking terrifyingly loud. In particular, was Victor, who hadn¡¯t been able to get a good night¡¯s sleep since the disappearance of the princess and then pounded his chest. ¡°I will be the one to bring the princess back. So please send this old man, Lord!¡± Victor was ready to leave his current post if Luke allowed him to. Of course, Luke who knew his heart had no intention of rejecting his request. ¡°Please be calm, Sir Victor. We surely need to bring back Reina, so let¡¯s move after we think about it.¡± ¡°No, i don¡¯t understand, what is there to think about! This old man will go and come back!¡± Luke with a stern face talked to Victor who wasn¡¯t able to hold his emotions. ¡°The situation in the Holy Empire isn¡¯t so great. And Reina hasn¡¯t contacted us in the last 2 years despite being back from the Spirit World.¡± ¡°You think there were obstructions?¡± At the question of Pavel who was calmer than Victor, Luke nodded and said, ¡°Exactly. And I wonder if the Holy Empire would react calmly if we went to visit Reina.¡± ¡°Well, at those words I would have agreed with the Lord.¡± Pavel, who was in bureaucracy for the last years, had a different sense of how things were done. ¡°If the information sent by the Dark Elves is indeed correct, then the real power of the Holy Empire is with Archbishop Constantine. But if he stays in power and stays as regent, it means that there was a reason for it.¡± Luke nodded at Pavel¡¯s words. ¡°Because a scarecrow would never be put in power.¡± Even the scarecrows of the monarchs would never be put in power without a reason. And the current case seemed like that, usually, such things were done to maintain the lineage of ancestors. ¡°What about Holy Arthenia Empire? I heard that the Pope doesn¡¯t get married. Isn¡¯t that right, Priest Maron?¡± Luke asked Maron, the Priest of Rakan territory, who nodded. But that didn¡¯t stop the thought of entering the mind of Maron. ¡®Even without any official wives, the popes did have lovers.¡¯ But such stories about the denomination weren¡¯t supposed to come out, or it could lead to its end. Meanwhile, Luke was talking. ¡°If they can¡¯t get married, they won¡¯t be having any heirs, so it isn¡¯t a case lineage problem. Moreover, the Holy Pope needs to be elected from the Conclave¡± ¡°Then, maybe because to upkeep the Pope?¡± As one of the retainers said, he shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know the entire details, but it seems like an internal situation in the Holy Empire. The thing I wanted to say was, getting Reina would be very troublesome.¡± Luke had just the same thing once again, the same words which said at the beginning of the meeting, getting Reina would be hard. It was shocking what he said next. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t care if she comes back here or not. I¡¯ll just be glad if I can meet with her when the time comes.¡± ¡°Lord¡­¡± ¡°Think about it, Reina could be the Pope to the Holy Empire. She always tried to follow the God¡¯s will and cared for the powerless people. So¡­¡± Luke who was trying to say something, got up from his seat. He looked at the retainers with intense eyes and expressed his will. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t her intention to stay there, I would definitely bring her back. Especially, if she is being kept against her will.¡± With those words, the Volga¡¯s old men seemed impressed, but the others, especially Maron seemed distressed. ¡°I understand your will. But if we do something wrong, we will have to clash with the El Kassel and the Holy Empire.¡± Said Maron. The El Kassel had more than half the continent¡¯s population as its believers. Even in the Rakan estates, there were believers of El Kassel denomination. The Holy Empire was a traditional powerhouse that surpassed Baroque¡¯s power. However, that didn¡¯t let Luke change his words. ¡°If anyone stops me from bringing her in such situations, I wouldn¡¯t mind going against the Gods either.¡± Rogers applauded Luke¡¯s comments. Philip too thought that it was natural as he was the heir to the Devil King. ¡°You, you would really fight?¡± At the question from Maron, who was flustered, Luke smiled and answered, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to fight without reason. And if there really was a God in there, I don¡¯t think he would standstill when the Empire was going corrupt.¡± ¡°Anyway, you plan on picking up the princess, by yourself I guess?¡± At the question from Hans, Luke nodded. Dixon being troubled with it, asked, ¡°I understand your wishes and hopes. However, according to the Imperial law, a noble cannot go abroad without permission. If the emperor gets the news that the Lord has gone to the Holy¡­¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll have to deceive and sneak around. I have prepared things for it, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Luke said, trying to assure Dixon. At those words, the other retainers asked how he would prepare. Philip who was the only one who knew smiled faintly. ¡°But still, it is dangerous for just the Lord and Sir Victor to go there, please take a few more escorts. It would be better to deceive them by saying you¡¯re a mercenary.¡± At the words of Rogers, Luke nodded his head. It was easy for those who were in war to act as mercenaries. Moreover, given the current unstable state of the Holy Empire, there was no better camouflage than being a mercenary. ¡°The escort forces will be of Rakan Knights, how is that commander?¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s do that. All of them are good enough to make sure the Lord is kept safe.¡± Luke, of course, had no intention of taking the Rakan knights just to protect himself. If the knights went along, they could get the experience which they couldn¡¯t get in the closed estate. After a few days, in the dawn. Luke, led by 30 knights, quietly left the manor. His goal was the city of Bless, the capital of Holy Arthenia, which sheltered Reina. The sun was rising bright in the east, showing Luke and his knights the direction they had to head to. Chapter 193 The capital Bless of Holy Arthenia. Over the central boulevard was a giant carriage being escorted by paladins. Densely lined side to side, people couldn¡¯t take their eyes off the carriage; ornately decorated with gold leaves and jewels. Some were cynical, some were angry, but most of them were curious and in awe. ¡°Dad, is the Pope in there?¡± At the child¡¯s question pointing to the carriage. The middle-aged man who was holding the child on his shoulder said, ¡°Yes, an angel from heaven.¡± ¡°Waw, really?¡± ¡°Yes! The bishop has said that El Kassel has sent her to look after the poor people like us.¡± At the end of the words, a man standing nearby him laughed. ¡°Angel, what the¡­ I heard that it was the daughter of the Pope.¡± ¡°What? Why would you lie?!¡± The man enraged, turned around and grabbed him. ¡°Kuak! Why, why are you doing this?! I am saying the truth!¡± ¡°Shut up, will you? Say the truth, you are a spy from the Baroque empire, right?¡± The controversy about the new Pope¡¯s identity did end with the home nation. Many people were talking about it. ¡°Is the new Pope really an angel? Do angels really exist in his world?¡± ¡°I wish it was really honest.¡± ¡°It is real! My cousin is a paladin apprentice and I heard from him about the things the seniors talked to him about.¡± ¡°Really? Bringing the princess from a foreign land and placing her as a Pope?¡± ¡°Right, is there anyone who knows about the Pope?¡± Politically defended, Archbishop Constantine presented the new Pope before the people. The new Pope had made an appearance in the central square of Bless, which was called Holiness Square. But, the face of the new Pope wasn¡¯t shown. He said that she blessed thousands of people who had come to see her. And just because the Pope was said to be a young, beautiful woman, the controversy intensified. ¡°But, is that really true? The thing about her coming down from the sky?¡± The man next to him answered, ¡°It is, I was in the square at that time.¡± ¡°I saw it happen too. It all happened in a very short time, but she definitely fell from the sky.¡± ¡°Rather than flower, she was more like a blessing. My friend was suffering from illness but he got cured after that.¡± ¡°Hey! That sounds like a lie!¡± ¡°Ah, it really is true. I too had injured my leg 10 years ago on a bridge, but since that day, I can walk normally again!¡± As people talked, the virgin Pope in the carriage, took a peak while sneaking past the red velvet curtains covering the windows. But then, Archbishop Constantine, who was seated opposite to her, raised his voice, ¡°Holy Pope!¡± ¡°I was feeling a little frustrated¡­¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t do that. How many times have I told you not to do those things when you are inside a carriage?¡± At the words of Constantine, Veronica III moved away from the window seemingly upset. ¡°Keep in mind. You are an angel. At the command of the Lord, you became the ruler of this divine land. It is his mission to purify the world and remove the foolish people according to his wish. You don¡¯t need to show interest in the lowly people and their dirty conditions.¡± ¡°But, I need to know how the people live and then awaken them¡­¡± Veronica said. ¡°That is our job. So the Pope should also stick to what you need to do.¡± ¡°¡­Understood, grandpa. Ah, Archbishop.¡± As the virgin pope nodded, a satisfied smile came on Constantine¡¯s face. Compared to the time when he first met her, there was a difference between earth and heaven. Two years back, Veronica didn¡¯t know her own name. She had the intelligence of a 5 to 6-year-old; curious to look around and see how things had to be done. To giving the life to a statue, or to run away or spread her wings of light and fly around. ¡®I thought angels were pure beings, but she was just an idiot.¡¯ At any rate, she couldn¡¯t be introduced as the Pope. She still lacked in many things, but he did educate her enough, so she could be shown to the people. ¡®The problem is with the local rebels. They don¡¯t believe what they can¡¯t see¡­¡¯ The miracle of the Virgin pope succeeded in bringing the people of the capital Bless to their side. But the problem was with the local ambitious nobles or the minority races which were excluded from the seven tribes of El Kassel. They sought political assaults against the Pope¡¯s authority on the ground or rebelled with the local nobles. The most troubling ones were the Sanctity of Holiness. Luther, the head of it, even after witnessing the Pope¡¯s miracle in the square the last time, he kept denying by saying. ¡°Real salvation cannot be accomplished with miracles. It can only be done when people begin to take care of one another.¡± He criticized Constantine for being a merchant and not a bishop. In other words, he meant that the Archbishop was selling God. It would have been nice if they rebelled, he could send a paladin and take him down. They were strengthening their service and devotion to the poor people, rather than trying to revolt during the Empire¡¯s turmoil. It was reported that the believers of the Sanctity of Holiness were increasing. ¡®Yeah, wag your tail all you want. I will bury you without anyone knowing, just like I did with Michael.¡¯ When Constantine was grinding his teeth thinking about Luther, the Virgin Pope was dozing off. She was tired of all the studying she did the previous night. Seeing her, Constantine sighed but didn¡¯t wake her up. In a little while, they would arrive at the cathedral and proceed to the mass, so he thought that it was okay for her to close her eyes for once. And that allowed Veronica III to sleep for some time. ¡®Where am I?¡¯ Veronica III stood in front of a burning palace. After passing the palace, people with ignominious behavior reached out and begged her. The old people were surrounding her. It seemed like the first time, but she didn¡¯t feel it to be strange. Rather, all of it felt much familiar than having the Archbishop on her side. As she was looking at it, she and the old man in an armor pointing to somewhere. A black castle on the hill. With a single step she managed to get to the castle, and the large gates opened spontaneously. Veronica III arrived at the castle, she passed through the corridors of the castle where she never went. In the end, inside of the castle was a young man with silver hair sitting on the throne. Upon the first time seeing him, or maybe she saw him somewhere before; he felt like a very precious and kind person. When Veronica¡¯s heart began to beat rapidly, she heard someone talk inside her head. -Call him. ¡®Whom?¡¯ -You belong to me, and I too belong to you. She didn¡¯t understand what the voice was talking about. While Veronica was bewildered with that experience, the young man approached her. She looked at him rather cautiously, yet hoping for something to happen. Then again, the voice said. -Call his name. ¡®I don¡¯t know!¡¯ -Just as I know him, you know him too. So call his name. The voice kept on prompting the same thing. Veronica was troubled, she wondered if she really knew the name or if she could really call for him. However, contrary to her concerns, her closed lips soon opened and the name came out. ¡°Luke de Rakan¡­¡± Veronica III or Reina¡¯s consciousness was still intact in her dreams. From her eyes which were shut with heaviness, a drop of tear out of longingness flowed. Chapter 194 Luke along with the Rakan Knights, disguised as mercenaries and left the lordship and boarded a ship in Lamer. It was one of the quickest ways to get out of the Castia Kingdom. A week by the boat and they would reach the land of Holy Arthenia. The fastest ship in the estate had been provided for it. ¡°Victor, check if everything is right. I¡¯ll leave everything to get by your side.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do that.¡± Luke and his group had set sail along with the Volga retainers, including Pavel. The newly developed ship for trade purposes with the southern continent was being used. In addition, it was very fast due to the double paddles on both sides of the ship and the constantly turning steam engine. A week later, Luke had arrived at the Castia Kingdom and registered themselves as the Mercenary Guild. Registering as a full-time mercenary was necessary to deceive them. ¡°I see a lot of mercenaries in here.¡± ¡°Yes, they are. The Castia Kingdom is politically stable, isn¡¯t it right?¡± At the question of Luke, Philip answered, ¡°I knew about that too. I heard it from the Mercenary Guild. Most of the mercenaries are heading to the Holy Empire.¡± The rebellion confused the entire Arthenia. Naturally, there were many mercenaries who were hired to take advantage of the chaos. ¡°But some of the mercenaries are strange.¡± ¡°Some of them might have been regular soldiers and wizards who are trying to enter like us, right?¡± The mercenaries had tough lives to live. The profession was such that one didn¡¯t know when one would die, and they try to live their life by enjoying the time they have in their hands. But the mercenaries that Luke had seen in the guild didn¡¯t seem to have that kind of look. Their outfit was surely like a mercenary¡¯s, but their tone was prudent, and their behavior was stiff. ¡°They are probably like us.¡± ¡°Maybe, they were secretly asked to check the situation by a high noble.¡± In fact, it wasn¡¯t wrong for the knights to enter as mercenaries. There was no money in the estates, nor the knights had any purpose, or for the purpose of gaining combat experience, many knights join such chaotic scenarios. On the other hand, some just wanted to step into somebody else¡¯s war, but in areas where they couldn¡¯t mobilize enough, the attention normally went to the soldiers who were mercenaries. ¡®There are quite a lot of mercenaries who have registered here, either they¡¯re real or fake. Could the situation in the Holy Empire be much worse than what was reported to us?¡¯ Luke thought that it would be better to hurry, so he sent a few knights and asked them to buy horses. ¡°Horses? Would there be horses in this land?¡± ¡°We need something. In four days, we need to head to the border of the Holy Empire.¡± ¡°That, that¡­¡± On the map, it took more or less a week to ride a horse to the border. But to get there in four days? ¡°Get some food and water as well. We will have to eat and sleep on the saddle for a while.¡± Luke added. ¡®We¡¯re dead.¡¯ Until then, they were practicing in the main field of the lordship, fencing or sword fights or monster fights, but when Luke said that he would like to shorten the distance from one week to four days, they couldn¡¯t help but cry. ¡®I guess people only learn unlikely things in the military.¡¯ ¡®Someone please try talking to the Lord!¡¯ But sadly, no one talked with Luke. Instead, there was another person who was encouraging Luke. ¡°Lord, four days you say? If we skip on sleep, we can get there in three days!¡± His name was Victor. Du Du Du! The fierce sound of horses running could be heard on the border. The sound came from Luke and his party. As Luke professed, with eating and sleeping on the saddle and running day and night, they passed through the Castia Kingdom in four days. Their run stopped the moment they reached the border of Castia Kingdom¡¯s and the Holy Arthenia¡¯s villages. ¡°How about we stay here?¡± Philip carefully looked at the status of the knights and suggested to Luke. He wanted to take some rest to understand the Lord¡¯s heart and going straight like that wasn¡¯t the answer. Luke, who was struggling on how he was supposed to meet with the pope, smiled bitterly seeing the knights behind him who were worn out. ¡®I was so distracted by one thing.¡¯ He shouted over to the knights following him, ¡°Fine, today eat and drink here. We¡¯ll leave by tomorrow noon.¡± ¡°Wah! Cheers to the Lord!¡± Luke seeing the knights cheer with hope, spoke with a cheerful look, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to call me captain outside the estate borders? Should we just cancel this and head back?¡± ¡°Hu, sorry. Lord, ah! Captain!¡± They were entering a foreign land, and things could enter the ears of the emperor. So Luke gave the knights a firm rule they had to follow. Once the knights noticed an inn in the village, they entered it. It had a pub on the first floor, so it was perfect for them to eat and drink. ¡°Hahahaha! I used to be¡­!¡± ¡°I met a girl named Yu¡­¡± As they drank alcohol, the knights started spewing out nonsensical stories. The feeling of being relaxed and carefree was the same for men and women. Luke came out of the inn only to see his men still eating and talking. Glancing at the late-night sky, which sheltered the stars, he sighed. ¡®I did come here, but how do I take her back?¡¯ In the Holy Palace, there were numerous escorts. With just 30 knights, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to meet and get Reina, nor could the demons or dark magic be used. The moment one used dark magic, the paladins would find them. ¡°Is there a way?¡± While Luke was feeling troubled, he suddenly began to feel a familiar energy on the other side of the town. It was dark and unpleasant but strangely familiar. ¡®No way, it can¡¯t be¡­¡¯ At first, he thought that something was wrong. He thought that he might have been confused since their journey had dulled his senses a bit, but as he concentrated on it, it became clearer. Duk! Unknowingly, he clenched his teeth. He moved to a place where he could better feel the energy. He wasn¡¯t able to stand still. He wanted to confirm it right away. Chapter 195 Luke headed to the place where the disturbing energy was coming from, like an iron nail being pulled in by a magnet. He found someone in a vacant village on the outskirts and hurriedly concealed himself. A middle-aged wizard in grey robes. Unable to see his face, he glanced around when he heard a gritty screeching voice. ¡°Don¡¯t hide like a rat and come out.¡± ¡®Did he catch me already?¡¯ There was no way Luke wouldn¡¯t feel shocked. He thought he hid himself well, so how did they notice him? While Luke was puzzled, a dozen of mercenaries and wizards appeared from the dark. They all seemed very angry at the middle-aged wizard. ¡°Rokid Magic Tower¡¯s enemy!¡± ¡°Take him down, this monster!¡± The mercenaries along with the wizards went straight ahead on the wizard who was all alone. Luke wasn¡¯t aware, but they were members of the Rokid Magic Tower. Two years ago, the heads of the Rokid Magic Tower were killed, but that didn¡¯t mean that the magic tower was ruined completely. Rather, they resigned from the front lines and got back on their feet splendidly with the help of its elders and aggressively attacked the magic towers which were with the Magic Federation as the war intensified. But such kind of counterattack caused tremendous anger to the Veritas Magic Tower, which was leading the Magic Federation. Arsene wanted to punish them, and the person sent to punish them was the wizard wearing a grey robe. He removed the Rokid Magic Tower members who were hiding in the border areas, and then he came to the place where it was said that Rokid¡¯s Meister was possibly hiding. In fact, the information was a bait thrown by the Rokid Magic Tower to attract the assassin sent to end them. And finally, the mercenaries and the war mages rushed to stop the assassin. But¡­ their tactics didn¡¯t work on the middle-aged wizard at all. ¡°Kaaaak!¡± ¡°This, this monster¡­!¡± The war mages didn¡¯t even get close to him, but they disappeared, and the mercenaries who raised their swords were immediately taken down by a whip-like dark magic and turned into blood. The wizards, who were hit by the Dark Bullets of the dark magic which came from the middle-aged wizard, fell down like cold carcasses. The fight was done quickly, only one was left. As a war mage was still alive, scared at what would happen to him, he gathered mana and struck himself in the heart where the mana circles gathered. Luke saw that, and he was shocked. ¡®Suicide Magic!¡¯ The mana circle of a wizard¡¯s heart would explode, causing a huge explosion. That magic could only be used once. The magic was nothing but just making one¡¯s self explode. ¡°Kuaaak! I would be dead either way, but you are done with me too!¡± Said the war mage. When their battle was almost done, the wizard leaned toward the war mage. Just before he could trigger the magic, the middle-aged wizard counterattacked. ¡°Black Bind!¡± Hweerr! Suddenly, a black stalk from the ground wrapped itself around the war mage¡¯s body. Before the war mage¡¯s mana circle could even explode, his mana and vitality were absorbed. ¡®This, this is?!¡¯ While Luke was still in shock, the clouds in the night sky lifted and the moonlight lit the ground. Luke¡¯s eyes caught the face of the wizard which got revealed by the moonlight. Wrinkles, small and large scars, smiley lips which were firmly shut proving the long hardships he went through, his eyes looking down on the world filled with sorrow and anger. The wizard¡¯s appearance was familiar to Luke, but what was more shocking was the magic he detected from the heart of the middle-aged wizard. The magic which reacted to his spirit, a black magic circle of the 9th circle black magic he had built in the past. ¡®This is ridiculous! This can¡¯t be!¡¯ Luke kept on denying it, but the reality that unfolded before him couldn¡¯t be erased from his eyes. The middle-aged grey-robed wizard was obviously a man from the past, the Devil King to the entire world. Saymon. His physical body, which Luke thought to be destroyed long ago, stood right before his eyes, turning the pleasure of the night into a living nightmare. Chapter 196 ¡®There must have been some kind of a huge mistake!¡¯ All life in the world has to die at one point. The ancient race of dragons, which seemed to have had infinite life span had died after a thousand years and returned to mana. Death was a providence set forth by the Lord El Kassel and it was the absolute law that ruled the earth. The only one who could create a loophole in such a law was God himself. Then, how could a body which died 500 years back still be around?! That too, with the power it had! Luke, who was a warlock, had explored all the reasons and laws of the world more than anyone ever could. At first glance of the body, he realized that something was terribly wrong. Of course, there were zombies and death knights which could be reverted from death. But it was just the rejuvenation of the shell with cursed magic and Magi, but they could never be able to use their own power after the resurrection. ¡®What is the most unsettling is the soul that can be felt by me. The feeling of crushing a thousand souls¡­!¡¯ At the confused thoughts of Luke¡¯s, he heard the voice of the wizard who had been reincarnated, Saymon. ¡°There is still a rat hiding. I did tell you to come out a while ago itself.¡± ¡®Caught me.¡¯ He thought that the wizard had addressed to the attackers, but now he realized that he had sensed Luke too. The wizard, no warlock was aware of Luke¡¯s presence. ¡®But, if he is a 9th circle dark magic, then my stealth is nothing¡­¡¯ Luke, appeared in front of the demon warlock and asked with anger boiling, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes. And how¡­?¡± When Luke asked for his identity, the demon warlock raised his right hand. Black magic bullets flew towards Luke in an instant. ¡®Wah, Dark Blitz!¡¯ Luke noticed the attack of the opponent and had managed to avoid it. Of course, he didn¡¯t just try to avoid it. Right up, he released magic. ¡°Thunder Strike!¡± Kwrnggg! A ferocious roar stretched out when Luke extended his finger. It was a powerful white magic that could turn anything into ashes, but it got beaten by the Magi whip and disappeared without a trace. ¡°With this, you won¡¯t be able to take me down¡± ¡°I know!¡± Just as he said, Luke created the magic to create a gap between them. Luke pulled out the Iron Feather out of his Sub space bracelet to plunge it into the warlock. Since it was a magic sword with wind magic, it was able to unleash a speedy response according to Luke since the training he did with it to reach a sword master. Piing! Png! Kang! Kaaang! The demon warlock wielding the Magi whip was facing the stormy attacks. However, the combat was a little hard to do for him as the sword moved very quickly and controlling the dark magic for defense was tough, so he decided to attack. ¡®That is a black spear!¡¯ After seeing dozens of Black Spears get created by the warlock, Luke hurriedly unleashed a blind spell to evade the attack. In a moment, he quickly tried to fly to the sky. Dark Vine popped out from the ground the moment he tried to jump. A little late and Luke would have been quickly wrapped in them. ¡®I knew it, I too used the Black Bind right after using the Black Spear. An aim at the head now?¡¯ The warlock too teleported into the air and tried to use the whip just like Luke had expected. Kwang! Luke, was able to quickly stop the attack with Iron Feather, and brought out another sword from the Sub Space bracelet and threw it at the wizard. ¡°Huh, such a blunt attack¡­¡± The demon warlock¡¯s body which got hit with the flying sword began to move to the ground. The sword which Luke threw was the Dragon Tooth, a gravity magic enchanted sword. It just scratched him, but since the sword was magic enchanted, the force was dozen times higher. ¡°Fire Explosion! Fire Wall! Thunder Strike!¡± Luke unleashed his most strong magic attacks towards the warlock who was on the ground. The heat from the top and the fire barriers on the earth, the warlock¡¯s body got hit badly. Bang! Kwang! Puck! Dark red flames and orange streaks of fire soon disappeared. ¡®Even if he isn¡¯t dead after it, he could have been hit?¡¯ Luke recalled the Dragon Tooth with that thought. But only to find the warlock walking out of the blazing fire. And that too without a burn mark on his body. ¡°You¡¯re a weird man.¡± The warlock opened his mouth and brushed off the duct from his body. He smiled yet he seemed a little annoyed. ¡°What is your identity? How is it that you are able to anticipate my attacks?¡± ¡®It is because I am you!¡¯ Luke knew when and how Saymon would respond. When the magic would be manifested or how much time it would take for it to manifest, it was more like an instinct. ¡®I don¡¯t know what kind of a ghost he is, but he is following with fighting style and using abilities. That too, very thoroughly.¡¯ Therefore, it was possible to lightly avoid and prevent the attacks coming from the demon warlock who was displaying the same abilities as Saymon. However, Luke too had a problem to deal. Unlike the Warrior Rakan, who had previously defeated him, he wasn¡¯t strong enough in the current body to hold off the opponent who was in front of his eyes. After 2 years of diligently fighting and training, he had become a Sword Master. And had worked very hard to reach a 7 circle warlock. It could be enough to take down a Sword Sage, but to take down the Devil King, wasn¡¯t a possible task. Saymon wasn¡¯t just a simple warlock, it was because he had the ability to use the power of the demons. And Luke¡¯s opponent still hadn¡¯t used that ability. And once he starts to use the power of the demons, the fight would take a turn for the worst. Luke won¡¯t be able to handle it anymore. ¡®This is why I need to get the second part of the Gold Sword, but it¡­¡¯ Even if he did learn the second part of the Gold Sword, he wouldn¡¯t able to use it now. It would be difficult as he would be giving clues about himself to the suspicious man who was using his own old body. So, when going against him, he didn¡¯t use dark magic, demon abilities, and the gold sword he learned. ¡°Can you hear my words? I asked what your identity was!¡± As the demon warlock asked once again, Luke replied bluntly, ¡°A passing-by mercenary.¡± ¡°A passing-by mercenary? You¡¯re too good to be one.¡± Advanced swordsmanship and magic skills. How could a mercenary have such skills? No, there could be no mercenaries with such skills. At the words of his opponent, Luke responded with a stern face. ¡°Is there any law that says mercenaries aren¡¯t supposed to be good? Then, what the hell are you? I never heard nor saw such strange magic.¡± Luke knew that it wasn¡¯t magic and it was dark magic, but Luke didn¡¯t try to sound like an I-know-it-all. If he did, the warlock would turn much more suspicious of his identity. With a triumphant look, the opponent responded. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder that you never had heard about it. It is a legendary magic which has long been forgotten.¡± ¡°Legendary magic?¡± Luke asked. ¡°Yes. This is the body of Devil King Saymon, who terrorized the humans on this very Continent 500 years ago!¡± Kukung! At the declaration of the demon warlock, Luke tried to look confused. And asked again, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°This man, are your ears blocked?! Didn¡¯t I just tell you that I am Saymon who fought against Warrior Rakan 500 years ago?!¡± Luke¡¯s expression changed at the scream of the warlock. If it was anyone else other than Luke, then those words would have surely worked. Showing off powerful dark magic and demonic powers, anyone would believe him 100 percent! But that man was standing right in front of the real Saymon. Luke raised his voice, ¡°This crazy bastard!¡± ¡°Well, it is the same. The others too didn¡¯t believe me when I first said it.¡± The warlock who was pretending to be Saymon, smiled as if he had anticipated the reaction. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re going to die in my hands today. Be honored that your death is going to happen in the hands of a legendary being.¡± The warlock raised his hand and a black circle began to accelerate, trying to finish the magic. Luke couldn¡¯t help but feel astonished. ¡®This is Dark Ruin!¡¯ The strongest dark magic that appeared in the battle with the warrior Rakan 500 years back. The one in his body was able to use the Dark Ruin! ¡®I can¡¯t stop or avoid it!¡¯ After making a quick decision, Luke decided to make the first strike. Rushing in, he stabbed the heart of the warlock. However, the warlock was able to respond a little faster. Almost being done with manifesting the Dark Ruin, he raised his hand to Luke. ¡®Dammit, I was late!¡¯ Luke¡¯s face was flushed with defeat. If he got hit by the Dark Ruin, there was no guarantee about his life. No, he was bound to die. However, something unexpected had happened. Just before the clash, the almost completed Dark Ruin disappeared. ¡®No!?¡¯ The flustered demon warlock stepped back and avoided Luke¡¯s attack. And again, the Dark Ruin appeared to attack Luke. Strangely, however, just before completion it always scattered. ¡®Why the hell¡­?¡¯ There was no time to wonder, so the warlock had no time to find an answer to his question. Luke was running straight, and there were signs of people running with torches from nearby. The Demon warlock¡¯s eyes frowned. The Rune Knight in front of his eyes wasn¡¯t easy to deal with, and suddenly, annoying men were going to come. He pulled out a magic scroll from his sleeve. ¡°You, I will remember you.¡± He stared at Luke for a moment and tore the scroll. As the teleport magic got activated, his image disappeared with light. ¡°Uh!¡± Surprised, Luke went to the spot where he disappeared and picked up the torn piece of the scroll. It was to trace the magic left behind on the scroll and follow the opponent who ran away. Luke quickly tried to infuse it with magic. At that moment¡­ Once the magic got infused, the piece of scroll turned into ash. ¡®Oh, was there some kind of preventive magic placed to stop the tracking?¡¯ The clues had disappeared, and it was impossible to chase after the warlock who was using his body. ¡®Dammit, there was a lot that I had to find¡­!¡¯ It was a nightmarish encounter for Luke. But the feelings which were hard to erase deep in his heart opened up once again after seeing his body. Chapter 197 ¡°What is this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°That is what I am saying.¡± Hearing the explosion, the knights who ran out of the Inn where they were staying inside. Upon arriving at the scene of the accident, they could see the village security and the other mercenaries. However, if one doesn¡¯t go out after hearing such sounds, it would be much stranger. What they saw after reaching the vacant lot outside the village, were dead bodies and traces of flames and lightning strikes. ¡°Who the hell was fighting out there?¡± ¡°Those traces were done with magic, right? Maybe a magic tower?¡± ¡°But, there are days the fights in the magic world is turning much fiercely, right?¡± The knights who entered the Inn with such talks found Luke sitting at the center of the pub sipping the beer. ¡°Uh? Lord¡­ sorry. Captain. Were you here?¡± ¡°Yes, I went to the washroom for a while but when I came back no one was around. What happened?¡± At the question of Luke, the knights approached him. ¡°It seems like a fight broke out in the open outside the village.¡± Luke was the first person to witness the incident. He managed to get back before the people reached there. And he had no intention of getting mixed up in the issue and telling the village men his name. So he went back to the inn and pretended as if he knew nothing and heard the stories told by the knights. ¡°There were on or two scars on the body.¡± ¡°But the dead bodies. It seemed like the work of a warlock¡­¡± At the words of a young Knight, Victor looked over at Luke. It was because he knew that Luke was learning dark magic. So as the night got deeper and the two were the only ones left, he tried to ask, ¡°It wasn¡¯t something I did.¡± Luke clarified before he could ask. ¡°Then¡­?¡± ¡°It was the work of another warlock. And the dead ones seemed to be the mercenaries of the Rokid magic tower.¡± The wizards and the mercenaries who attacked the warlock stated that he was the enemy of the Rokid magic tower. And from what Luke knew, Rokid magic tower was at war with the Veritas magic tower, and their Meister had been assassinated at the beginning of the war. ¡°Is it related to the magic tower war? Hold on, if the warlock fought with the Rokid magic tower mercenaries, that means¡­¡± Victor faltered from saying those words. ¡°Magic Federation, he seems to be associated with Veritas magic tower.¡± ¡°Unbelievable¡­! The Veritas magic tower studying dark magic?!¡± When Luke returned to the Inn and thought about it, he could only decide on one person who could be behind the scene. Arsene, the founder of Veritas magic tower. There were several other warlocks on the continent, but the only monster he could come up with for doing such a thing was the monster who decided to become a Lich.Read the next chapter on our novelhall.com ¡®Arsene! What the hell did you do to my body?!¡¯ Luke was getting angry, not realizing he squeezed on the glass. The wine glass in his hand cracked a little, but it was just Luke, Victor who was in shock with the news of Veritas supporting the dark magic hadn¡¯t noticed it. ¡®Anyway, the question is solved now.¡¯ When Erenes had told him 2 years ago before his death that Arsene had turned into a Lich and he was wondering how he managed to live. Among the warlocks too it was rare for one to turn into a Lich, it was because not many knew how to and it was a rare magic. ¡®After I died, he ended up being the founder of Magic engineering. It was all because of my research on the Golem¡¯s which were left behind.¡¯ In the process, Arsene must have taken away Saymon¡¯s body without letting Rakan know. He must have acquired the ancient dark magic which was resting in Saymon¡¯s body and learned about the Lich magic. ¡®And if he has been studying the dark magic for over 500 years. The monster which used my body could be the product of his experiment.¡¯ An ancient warlock. The ancient heritage which he had discovered with Katarina in those days of Saymon, and tried to contain the essence of darkness and chaos. Luke had become a 9th circle warlock by acquiring some of the magi and knowledge written in a few warlock books and turned into a warlock called as the ¡®Devil King¡¯. He felt dizzy thinking that Arsene who had turned into a Lich had owned and studied his research for more than 500 years. ¡®Perhaps he could be stronger than I had imagined. Maybe he would be hard to deal with my current strength¡­¡¯ As fear began to rise, Luke tried to shake it out of him. ¡®What, does it matter? Whether a Lich or a warlock, I¡¯ll smash him! If I can¡¯t do anything with my current strength, I¡¯ll try to form the lacking strength by tomorrow!¡¯ When Luke took his mind off, Victor who was deep in his own thoughts, spoke, ¡°Will you let the officers know?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t have any intention of doing that. They might or might not believe it, but we will be wasting precious time if we get tangled in here. We will get exhausted if we get caught up between the magic tower wars.¡± ¡°I guess so. I am glad you thought it through.¡± Victor, who wanted to get busy after reaching the Holy Arthenia and meet princess Reina at once, looked happy with Luke¡¯s decision. ¡°We are going to leave early tomorrow morning, so get some sleep.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord, you too rest well.¡± After the conversation was done, Luke stepped out of his room. Even if he was tight on schedule, he wanted to get stronger upon wielding the sword to increase the Gold Sword skills. Luke was expecting himself to turn stronger by tomorrow. Chapter 198 To the east of the Baroque Imperial Palace was an amphitheater. Horse racing and Gigant fights were often conducted for the emperor¡¯s leisure time. The riders who participated in the Gigant fights were Knights of Guard. They show off their skills while at the same time providing pleasure to the emperor. Kang! Kakang! The sun was shining warmly, and two Gigants of knight class, painted red and blue, were duking it out. Emperor Rudolf was watching the game with a grim expression. In the midst of the fierce competition, fragments of the Gigant glows and swords flew. However, unlike the maids around him, he didn¡¯t even blink. There was a powerful barrier magic that was placed in the stands, and such fragments could be avoided even when flying in their direction. ¡°Who are the ones competing now?¡± The emperor picked up a handful of almonds from the golden tableware on the table and asked Count Ferrero, the vice-captain of the Knights of Guard, who immediately got up and answered, ¡°Juan de Maghreb of the Silver Knights of Guard and Dias de Galvara of the Iron.¡± ¡°Members from famous nobles. Then why are their skills like that? Expert grade riders? Don¡¯t you think that it¡¯s very embarrassing to even see them?¡± Count Ferrero didn¡¯t respond to the Emperor¡¯s words. Not because he didn¡¯t have anything else to say but because there were a lot of things he wanted to say but couldn¡¯t pick one. Originally, the Knights of Guard were supposed to be composed of the best knights of the empire. However, the principles weren¡¯t properly followed. One had good skills but wasn¡¯t famous. A few had the ability to improve their fencing skills but not a great personality. But now, there were other problems much serious than those. It was because there were quite a few who entered using their connections with powerful nobles or bribing the leaders. It wasn¡¯t like they had no skill at all, but the ones who entered the guard in such a manner usually neglect their training. It was obvious that their skills and ability would get stagnant if they keep doing that. With all the lazy eating and playing they were doing every day, their sense of fencing would fall apart. In addition, the Knights of Guard were currently only in the capital. Important practical skills and the ability to cope with the enemy was much lower than the knights at the regional forces. At the same time, the Gold Knights of Guard were the closest to the emperor¡¯s nobles. However, it was the silver and iron guards who acted much seriously. ¡®The most irritating thing is that the inexperienced nobles are jealous of the hard-working gems.¡¯ Philip was one of the missing figures in the Knights of Guard. It was said that he had already reached the top level of Expert and had become the Knight General of Rakan territory. Such talented people were being driven away by the nobles, and the Emperor acted like he didn¡¯t know. In any case, Count Ferrero had spent several years trying to fix that problem. But the higher-ups were busy fighting for power and staying in their allotted positions, so they didn¡¯t bother thinking about it, and the other captains of the guards thought that it was above their work. No, it would have been lucky if even one noble thought of it as their problem. Rather, the families, which were backing a few young knights, were powerful nobles. Each time he tried to stop something, the nobles placed a lot of pressure on him. ¡®If the Knights of Guard are in this situation, the Majesty who is acting all bitter should realize that he was responsible for it¡­¡¯ Emperor Rudolf had retired capable Knights of Guard. He used to take them off duty and sent them to faraway regions. Most of them were either favored by the former emperor or were supporters of the 3rd prince Reichard, who never returned. There were a lot of skilled ones in them, but instead of re-employing the ones that returned, the emperor got them involved in minor accidents and had them executed right away. Not just that, the emperor tried his very best to provide great services to his nobles. In fact, the nobles always rebelled when they saw such actions¡ªthe emperor taking care of only his men. Count Ferrero, who was neutral, would have been kicked out of the Knights of Guard if he wasn¡¯t a Sword Master. ¡°Train them properly. Is there any dignity if the Knights of Guard stand like this?¡± ¡°Yes, I will keep it in mind, Majesty.¡± The emperor, who was constantly nagging Ferrero during the fights, got up from his seat and went into the palace. The moment the emperor entered the throne room in the palace, he called for Count Voltas. With light steps, Voltas ran to meet the emperor and greeted him with an exemplified face upon reaching there. ¡°You seem to have some good news.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Duke Ferrierd has started to act.¡± ¡°Oh, really? That really is good news!¡± Duke Ferrierd was a high prince of the Holy Arthenia Empire, and he had a long history of being closely acquainted with Archbishop Michael, whose existence was currently unknown. Naturally, he was dissatisfied with the new pope and the coup of Constantine. That made him furious as the communication with his friend had gone silent for the past two years. However, Duke of Ferrierd was finally deciding to act. ¡°Hu hu hu! This is something that I have waited for a long time.¡± ¡°Because of Benedict III¡¯s death, there is no one who can mediate between the two groups,¡± said Voltas. For a very long time, the Baroque Empire had kept a close eye on the Holy Arthenia Empire. That was why they were able to know well about the dynamics and the groups the pope candidates had around them and tried to make contact, and the result of such acts was Duke Ferrierd. ¡°Let¡¯s not miss the opportunity and support him with all the combat force that we have got and send as many mercenaries as we can. Since I am a king, better send some good ones,¡± ordered the emperor. ¡°Would you like us to send some experienced ones?¡± ¡°Uhm, yes. Someone like the Gigant riders from the Knights of Guard.¡± Rudolf intended to send the Imperial Forces by disguising them as mercenaries to the Holy Empire. With strong support, even the smallest fire wouldn¡¯t fade away, and the knights had to taste some experience on the field. He thought that if that happened the dumb Knights of Guards would at least learn something. ¡°Ah, and I found that it wasn¡¯t just our empire, but the northern bandits tried to contact the main figures of the Holy Empire as well.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the Volga?¡± The complexion of Rudolf went dark after hearing about the Volga. He always had his eyes on the Volga Republic. Even though he didn¡¯t want to, he was forced to do that. Therefore, the fact that they were trying to get into the matters that Baroque had already intervened with was much more unpleasant for Rudolf. ¡°But, they¡¯re working with the lower nobles and the lower priests who represent them, not the high nobles of the high priests,¡± informed Voltas ¡°Huh, obviously they are. It is their goal to stir up foolish lowly people and create a world with no balance.¡± The Volga Republic was a nation, which advertised the importance of power over pedigree, and the will of the people over the monarchy system. Of course, there were no rules or special bonds, and the government was often influenced by the words of the president. Nevertheless, it was a very tempting idea for the underprivileged people who were always being crushed by the feudal class society that had long ruled them. ¡°The problem comes from the fact that the downfall of those things always works pretty well.¡± No matter how illiterate the general public was, they had eyes, ears, and head to think with. That was they had no choice but to look at the power struggles of high nobles and involve themselves in a phase causing the chaos in their nation which they thought would lead to a ¡®New World¡¯. ¡°Fortunately, it isn¡¯t such a serious matter to deal with right away.¡± The Volga seemed to be interested in other matters than incitement. ¡°Any other problems?¡± Asked the Emperor. ¡°The new pope has been introduced. Investigations have shown that it is possible for the pope to be Princess Reina, who has disappeared 2 years ago.¡± ¡°Uhm, Princess Reina¡­¡± The disappearance of Princess Reina had been a hot topic in the southern empire. That was one thing, but the sudden disappearance of a lady of the brilliantly developed Rakan territory was gone. Most people thought that the Volga Intelligence might have kidnapped her, but no one knew of the exact reason or cause of her disappearance. Meanwhile, a new pope, resembling Reina, appeared in the other nation. ¡°Is it really Princess Reina?¡± ¡°It seems likely seeing that the Volga has reached there.¡± ¡°Well, what could have happened for her to become a pope? Oh, have you checked in with Luke?¡± Rudolf knew very well about the relationship between Luke and Reina. So, if it was true that Veronica III was indeed Reina, Luke would never stay still. ¡°According to the information from our spies, he is currently in the estates, and he hasn¡¯t been seen leaving the estates,¡± reported Voltas. ¡°Hmm, is that so.¡± Although the words seemed advantageous, Rudolf¡¯s expression didn¡¯t seem that glad. Although Voltas¡¯ words made sense, Luke didn¡¯t seem to be an easy guy to deal with. Luke was unlike the other Rakans before him who weren¡¯t knowledgeable, bold and had clear weaknesses. ¡®He isn¡¯t just another man. The one who should have already been dead and lying in a coffin has grown into a big¡­¡¯ While Rudolf¡¯s thoughts were drifting, he suddenly started to get angry. It was all because of the Lich Arsene, who always did something to the Rakan Family and hadn¡¯t shown any dominance in recent years. Nothing had changed even though he had definitely checked and tried to take action on Luke. Maybe it was because of the Battle of Magic Towers, but Arsene had no intention of getting involved with Luke, or maybe he was trying to do something else. ¡®That boney monster! Oh my, he feels that he can play me around.¡¯ The emperor ground his teeth. He sent away Voltas and called for the head of the Imperial Warlock Meishin. ¡°You called for me, your majesty?¡± ¡°How is the battle of magic towers going?¡± When asked by the emperor, Meishin hit the room¡¯s floor with his black cane. It was almost like the floor had welcomed that beating. A map of the continent appeared. The map looked very meticulous, and it showed what was happening on the continent. ¡°As you can see, the Reformists are on the defensive. The most fiercely resisted one, Rokid Magic Tower, has lost most of its vested interest in not only its home but the foreign nations too,¡± Meishin explained. ¡°Tch, I guess they aren¡¯t that great.¡± Rudolf, who was playing on both sides of the war, knew very well about the capabilities and power of the Veritas Magic Tower. In fact, he was helping the Reformists in secret, hoping that they would last for a few more years. However, the Veritas Magic Tower and Arsene, which were behind the Magic Federation, never faltered. ¡°The whereabouts of Rokid¡¯s Meister are currently unknown. The Reformists¡¯ side is trying to meet with the Arthenia Royal Magic Tower in hopes that things might somehow turn around for them,¡± reported Meishin. ¡°Well, the Arthenia Royal Magic Tower¡­¡± ¡°As you might have already known, it is one of the magic towers that were fighting against the Veritas Magic Tower for the 1st and 2nd spots on the continent.¡± The Arthenia Royal Magic Tower was old enough to share its history with the Holy Empire. Some priests started learning magic because they thought it was a quest given to them by God; that it would lead them to the path of peace. That was why the Arthenia Royal Magic Tower was good with theology. In addition to Magic Engineering, they had a high level of magic knowledge in general, such as medicine magic, life magic, and such aspects had a strong influence on the continent. However, they didn¡¯t took part in the Battle of Magic Towers. Their reason was that they couldn¡¯t let others¡¯ private matters disrupt their peace. As a result, the influence of the foreign matters wasn¡¯t allowed, and the Holy Empire, which had a huge domestic market, didn¡¯t really care much for the others. ¡°Are those men finally trying to move?¡± ¡°The Marquis Meister Reas of Arthenia Royal Magic Tower has long been acquainted with the Reformists, and there were also complaints about high-level holy empire nobles in the power struggle,¡± explained Meishin. ¡°So, they are acting neutral with domestic matters and are intervening in the Battle of Magic Tower?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, but there is still a lot to do.¡± At the words of Meishin, the emperor pondered over something and opened his mouth. ¡°Can¡¯t we know how they act?¡± If the Arthenia Magic Tower entered the Battle of Magic Towers, the Baroque Empire would be hitting two birds with one stone. One would be to reduce the strength of their rival, the Holy Empire, and the other would be to block the moves of Arsene. At those words, Meishin¡¯s face changed. ¡°I plead to you, Your Majesty. It is hard for us to work in the Holy Empire, and even if we do manage to infiltrate them, if we¡¯re found out, it can be a huge blow to the Imperial Family¡­¡± ¡°I know that the Holy Empire is filled with priests and paladins everywhere. I will talk about any problems with the Intelligence. You can head back.¡± It was time for Meishin to step back from the throne room. When he was about to exit the room, Rudolf urgently called for him. ¡°Wait a second, come here.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Go visit the south and check the Rakan Estate and Marquis Luke. Something there is bothering me.¡± Over the past two years, the emperor had been worried about Luke¡¯s growth, and it was more suspicious that he wasn¡¯t doing anything even after hearing the news about the new pope. ¡°Even if it is something which might be trivial, please investigate it carefully,¡± ordered the emperor. ¡°Understood, Your Majesty.¡± With those words, Meishin disappeared from Rudolf¡¯s eyes. Rudolf, who got up from the throne, summoned the Intelligence Officers. He had no time to waste. He had to check what was happening with the Veritas Magic Tower, who had an upper hand in the Battle of Magic Towers. Chapter 199 The moment the emperor entered the throne room in the palace, he called for Count Voltas. With light steps, Voltas ran to meet the emperor and greeted him with an exemplified face upon reaching there. ¡°You seem to have some good news.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Duke Ferrierd has started to act.¡± ¡°Oh, really? That really is good news!¡± Duke Ferrierd was a high prince of the Holy Arthenia Empire, and he had a long history of being closely acquainted with Archbishop Michael, whose existence was currently unknown. Naturally, he was dissatisfied with the new pope and the coup of Constantine. That made him furious as the communication with his friend had gone silent for the past two years. However, Duke of Ferrierd was finally deciding to act. ¡°Hu hu hu! This is something that I have waited for a long time.¡± ¡°Because of Benedict III¡¯s death, there is no one who can mediate between the two groups,¡± said Voltas. For a very long time, the Baroque Empire had kept a close eye on the Holy Arthenia Empire. That was why they were able to know well about the dynamics and the groups the pope candidates had around them and tried to make contact, and the result of such acts was Duke Ferrierd. ¡°Let¡¯s not miss the opportunity and support him with all the combat force that we have got and send as many mercenaries as we can. Since I am a king, better send some good ones,¡± ordered the emperor. ¡°Would you like us to send some experienced ones?¡± ¡°Uhm, yes. Someone like the Gigant riders from the Knights of Guard.¡± Rudolf intended to send the Imperial Forces by disguising them as mercenaries to the Holy Empire. With strong support, even the smallest fire wouldn¡¯t fade away, and the knights had to taste some experience on the field. He thought that if that happened the dumb Knights of Guards would at least learn something. ¡°Ah, and I found that it wasn¡¯t just our empire, but the northern bandits tried to contact the main figures of the Holy Empire as well.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the Volga?¡± The complexion of Rudolf went dark after hearing about the Volga. He always had his eyes on the Volga Republic. Even though he didn¡¯t want to, he was forced to do that. Therefore, the fact that they were trying to get into the matters that Baroque had already intervened with was much more unpleasant for Rudolf. ¡°But, they¡¯re working with the lower nobles and the lower priests who represent them, not the high nobles of the high priests,¡± informed Voltas ¡°Huh, obviously they are. It is their goal to stir up foolish lowly people and create a world with no balance.¡± The Volga Republic was a nation, which advertised the importance of power over pedigree, and the will of the people over the monarchy system. Of course, there were no rules or special bonds, and the government was often influenced by the words of the president. Nevertheless, it was a very tempting idea for the underprivileged people who were always being crushed by the feudal class society that had long ruled them. ¡°The problem comes from the fact that the downfall of those things always works pretty well.¡± No matter how illiterate the general public was, they had eyes, ears, and head to think with. That was they had no choice but to look at the power struggles of high nobles and involve themselves in a phase causing the chaos in their nation which they thought would lead to a ¡®New World¡¯. ¡°Fortunately, it isn¡¯t such a serious matter to deal with right away.¡± The Volga seemed to be interested in other matters than incitement. ¡°Any other problems?¡± Asked the Emperor. ¡°The new pope has been introduced. Investigations have shown that it is possible for the pope to be Princess Reina, who has disappeared 2 years ago.¡± ¡°Uhm, Princess Reina¡­¡± The disappearance of Princess Reina had been a hot topic in the southern empire. That was one thing, but the sudden disappearance of a lady of the brilliantly developed Rakan territory was gone. Most people thought that the Volga Intelligence might have kidnapped her, but no one knew of the exact reason or cause of her disappearance. Meanwhile, a new pope, resembling Reina, appeared in the other nation. ¡°Is it really Princess Reina?¡± ¡°It seems likely seeing that the Volga has reached there.¡± ¡°Well, what could have happened for her to become a pope? Oh, have you checked in with Luke?¡± Rudolf knew very well about the relationship between Luke and Reina. So, if it was true that Veronica III was indeed Reina, Luke would never stay still. ¡°According to the information from our spies, he is currently in the estates, and he hasn¡¯t been seen leaving the estates,¡± reported Voltas. ¡°Hmm, is that so.¡± Although the words seemed advantageous, Rudolf¡¯s expression didn¡¯t seem that glad. Although Voltas¡¯ words made sense, Luke didn¡¯t seem to be an easy guy to deal with. Luke was unlike the other Rakans before him who weren¡¯t knowledgeable, bold and had clear weaknesses. ¡®He isn¡¯t just another man. The one who should have already been dead and lying in a coffin has grown into a big¡­¡¯ While Rudolf¡¯s thoughts were drifting, he suddenly started to get angry. It was all because of the Lich Arsene, who always did something to the Rakan Family and hadn¡¯t shown any dominance in recent years. Nothing had changed even though he had definitely checked and tried to take action on Luke. Maybe it was because of the Battle of Magic Towers, but Arsene had no intention of getting involved with Luke, or maybe he was trying to do something else. ¡®That boney monster! Oh my, he feels that he can play me around.¡¯ The emperor ground his teeth. He sent away Voltas and called for the head of the Imperial Warlock Meishin. ¡°You called for me, your majesty?¡± ¡°How is the battle of magic towers going?¡± When asked by the emperor, Meishin hit the room¡¯s floor with his black cane. It was almost like the floor had welcomed that beating. A map of the continent appeared. The map looked very meticulous, and it showed what was happening on the continent. ¡°As you can see, the Reformists are on the defensive. The most fiercely resisted one, Rokid Magic Tower, has lost most of its vested interest in not only its home but the foreign nations too,¡± Meishin explained. ¡°Tch, I guess they aren¡¯t that great.¡± Rudolf, who was playing on both sides of the war, knew very well about the capabilities and power of the Veritas Magic Tower. In fact, he was helping the Reformists in secret, hoping that they would last for a few more years. However, the Veritas Magic Tower and Arsene, which were behind the Magic Federation, never faltered. ¡°The whereabouts of Rokid¡¯s Meister are currently unknown. The Reformists¡¯ side is trying to meet with the Arthenia Royal Magic Tower in hopes that things might somehow turn around for them,¡± reported Meishin. ¡°Well, the Arthenia Royal Magic Tower¡­¡± ¡°As you might have already known, it is one of the magic towers that were fighting against the Veritas Magic Tower for the 1st and 2nd spots on the continent.¡± The Arthenia Royal Magic Tower was old enough to share its history with the Holy Empire. Some priests started learning magic because they thought it was a quest given to them by God; that it would lead them to the path of peace. That was why the Arthenia Royal Magic Tower was good with theology. In addition to Magic Engineering, they had a high level of magic knowledge in general, such as medicine magic, life magic, and such aspects had a strong influence on the continent. However, they didn¡¯t took part in the Battle of Magic Towers. Their reason was that they couldn¡¯t let others¡¯ private matters disrupt their peace. As a result, the influence of the foreign matters wasn¡¯t allowed, and the Holy Empire, which had a huge domestic market, didn¡¯t really care much for the others. ¡°Are those men finally trying to move?¡± ¡°The Marquis Meister Reas of Arthenia Royal Magic Tower has long been acquainted with the Reformists, and there were also complaints about high-level holy empire nobles in the power struggle,¡± explained Meishin. ¡°So, they are acting neutral with domestic matters and are intervening in the Battle of Magic Tower?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, but there is still a lot to do.¡± At the words of Meishin, the emperor pondered over something and opened his mouth. ¡°Can¡¯t we know how they act?¡± If the Arthenia Magic Tower entered the Battle of Magic Towers, the Baroque Empire would be hitting two birds with one stone. One would be to reduce the strength of their rival, the Holy Empire, and the other would be to block the moves of Arsene. At those words, Meishin¡¯s face changed. ¡°I plead to you, Your Majesty. It is hard for us to work in the Holy Empire, and even if we do manage to infiltrate them, if we¡¯re found out, it can be a huge blow to the Imperial Family¡­¡± ¡°I know that the Holy Empire is filled with priests and paladins everywhere. I will talk about any problems with the Intelligence. You can head back.¡± It was time for Meishin to step back from the throne room. When he was about to exit the room, Rudolf urgently called for him. ¡°Wait a second, come here.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Go visit the south and check the Rakan Estate and Marquis Luke. Something there is bothering me.¡± Over the past two years, the emperor had been worried about Luke¡¯s growth, and it was more suspicious that he wasn¡¯t doing anything even after hearing the news about the new pope. ¡°Even if it is something which might be trivial, please investigate it carefully,¡± ordered the emperor. ¡°Understood, Your Majesty.¡± With those words, Meishin disappeared from Rudolf¡¯s eyes. Rudolf, who got up from the throne, summoned the Intelligence Officers. He had no time to waste. He had to check what was happening with the Veritas Magic Tower, who had an upper hand in the Battle of Magic Towers. Chapter 200 Luke, who had crossed the border, tried to enter the capital Bless. It was because he wanted to see Reina as soon as possible. But due to the overwhelming rebels and troops which stopped them frequently, they weren¡¯t able to speed up. And because they didn¡¯t want to get noticed, they were trying to go to Bless as discreetly as possible. So they tried to move away from main roads whenever possible, but nevertheless, they had often crossed paths with the troops in the empty villages of trodden farmlands or refugees who were fleeing away. ¡°Tch, what happened to Arthenia Empire which is always called as the strongest continent¡­?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it all because of the unfulfilled greed of the rulers in this land? Our empire too may soon turn like this.¡± When Luke kicked his tongue, Philip responded to him. As he had said, the situation in the Baroque Empire might not be so good. At present, the conflict between the royals and nobles was lulled, but there have been constant clashes occurring over the past two years. It was very clear that the nobles and the Emperor would soon be at the mercy of the state leadership. ¡°It isn¡¯t good for normal people, but maybe a good opportunity for us?¡± If the nobles fought with the Baroque Empire, both sides would end up exhausting their powers, and it was going to be a thing for the Rakan marquis. Which was why Luke, in turn, socialized as an excuse to contact Duke Butler and the other nobles and quietly inspired their ambition. ¡°For us, the time will be after that.¡± Luke said. Until then, it was the task of the Marquis Luke and retainers of Rakan to develop their strength as much as possible. Although the Rakan had succeeded in increasing the title to Marquis, and the power of the Gigants and knights too had increased by a lot, but it still wasn¡¯t enough to fight the Baroque Imperial. Du du du du! Luke who was riding for 2 weeks, had finally arrived at the capital Bless next to a beautiful lakeside. The knights couldn¡¯t help but burst into admiration as they saw the lake shimmer in pearl powers and walls made of pure white marble. ¡°Wah! This is smaller than Nemesis, but in terms of beauty it seems to be a lot better, Lord!¡± ¡°Obviously. It is the dwarves who have built the walls, the Palace, as well as the cathedral and the other major buildings.¡± Said Luke. ¡°Uh? They did?¡± ¡°The original name of Bless was ¡®Ainzhofen¡¯. In the dwarf language, it means the Fairy Lake. But a thousand years back, the humans captured the city and renamed it as Bless.¡± Explained Luke. ¡°Ah! Such a story!¡± Leaving behind the respectful eyes of the knights, Luke approached the gates. The soldiers of the Holy Empire were conducting strict inspections, but thanks to the mercenaries duly issued from the Castia Kingdom, they were able to pass through the gates very safely. As they passed through the gate, a large and bustling street had appeared in front of them. Along the wide stretched boulevard, there were numerous buildings with white tiles lined along. Shops emphasized elegance, rather than splendor, there were 2 to 3-floor buildings and at times, a 10 floored ones too. Philip carefully looked around and opened his mouth in doubt. ¡°It is surprising. The city is calm unlike it is supposed to be with the cluttered uprisings.¡± The policing of Bless seemed to be more established than it was supposed to be with normal soldiers. The people who were living didn¡¯t seem to act like the crown involved in the rebellion. There was a rumor Luke had heard about, the knights stated it. ¡°Was it because of the miracle of seeing the new pope?¡± ¡°Well, if we wait a little longer, we will know.¡± Answered Luke. Luke, dressed up near a lodging close to the gate and took Philip to the Mercenary Guild. Once they were disguised as the mercenary troops, he had to pay them. The mercenary guild was soon found near the street. Contrary to what they thought, about it being all ugly, it looked rather sophisticated 3 storey marble building with crowded people. It was obvious that they were mercenaries from their clothes and weapons, and they had witnessed a few familiar faces before in the Castia kingdom. ¡°Have you come to the guild?¡± As they had entered the building, the maiden who seemed like a staff member had approached them with a smile. Luke nodded and was pointed to the desk which was in front of him and kindly explained. ¡°You should go there and fill out the form.¡± Luke went to the desk as explained by the virgin. He sat at an empty place. As he took his seat, a middle-aged man with a cut on his face held out a piece of paper. ¡°Fill in the blanks in there.¡± After filling the blanks in the paper, he handed them over, and the middle-aged man looked at the submitted documents with interest. ¡°Red wolf mercenaries. A total of 32 members and 10 Expert level mercenaries?¡± It was actually the knights were more than intermediate level, but for trying to be less noticeable, they reduced their skills. But even if it was, the middle-aged man looked at the matters very closely. ¡°This is the first time hearing the name of this mercenary group, a noble?¡± ¡°A fallen noble.¡± But the middle-aged man didn¡¯t believe Luke. What kind of a fallen noble would carry around 10 expert knights with him? ¡®It looks like they want to fight for a foreign noble and gain experience.¡¯ In fact, it was a common thing in the current days. The very day, around ten knights and many nobles, had disguised themselves as mercenaries. Their purpose was to either gain money or experience in the foreign land which was experiencing war. There were a few who intervened for political purposes, but that wasn¡¯t the concern of the guild. The mercenary was a place where they didn¡¯t ask much questions. ¡°Registration fee is 3000 pesos.¡± At the words of the man, Luke seemed a little surprised. ¡°3000 pesos? Isn¡¯t that a bit too much for the mercenaries.¡± ¡°This is reliable as it connects directly with the client and does aftercare too, just a little more.¡± When Luke had paid the registration fee and went back to the lodging and knights sent to the information guild had come back. ¡°Do you know about the new Pope?¡± ¡°Yes, basic information, same as I heard in our estates.¡± ¡°Yeah? The activity outside? That is the most important thing now. First, we need to check Reina, whether we can bring her out or not.¡± ¡°Two months ago, after a miracle had happened in the central square, no one has seen her face. Just once a week, there is a mass at the cathedral, but that was stopped due to the fear of the assassination.¡± ¡°If so, should we infiltrate the palace?¡± The guards at the place were the Pope was staying was overflowed. Sneaking in through such guards wasn¡¯t going to be an easy task, and if they got caught, then they were done. They would have to face thousands of troops and hundreds of Gigants. Among them, the strongest ones of the continent were called Paladins, several were Sword Masters and Sword Sage. Even though there were a few Gigants inside the subspace bracelet, it couldn¡¯t be possible. ¡°Uhm, it won¡¯t be easy.¡± He didn¡¯t believe that it would be impossible but never thought that the beginning of their operation would be so problematic. Luke was shaking his head and asked for the political situation in the Holy Empire. He had received a brief report from Argos, the intelligence department which provided them last minute news. ¡°There are three areas that are currently in rebellion¡­¡± In the northeast of the Empire, Saxony was seeing an uprising against the Constantine¡¯s factions, Konrad in the southeast and Ranghel in the west. Some ambitious nobles or the minor seven tribes of the El Kassel declared that they couldn¡¯t join hands with their relatives and recognize the new pope. Archbishop Constantine sent an army to defeat them. The initial suppression failed due to the incompetence of the commanders and the unexpectedly strong rebel forces. ¡°The rest of the empire is still quiet, but the Konrad is a problem.¡± ¡°Konrad?¡± ¡°The greatest granary of the Holy Empire was the Prince and Archbishop, Ferrierd had declared self-independence sometime ago. That is why Constantine seems to be busy dealing with rebels.¡± It was stated that Archbishop Ferrierd had possessed more than 50,000 troops and 300 knights. The minor nobles too joined in and the forces he had increased exponentially because of that. ¡°Good work. First of all, it¡¯s getting too late so get some rest and let¡¯s find out more information tomorrow.¡± At Luke¡¯s command, the knights went back to their rooms to take rest. Chapter 201 The next day, Luke left the lodgings alone. Disguised as a pilgrim, he spent several hours looking around the palace and the surroundings. ¡®It will be impossible to infiltrate it by myself.¡¯ Just as he had expected, the soldiers and the guards around the palace were many, and the paladins were everywhere. Infiltrating with dark magic could be advantageous, but the moment one would use it; they could be aware and the paladins would rush in like bees. ¡®I will have to think of a different method¡­¡¯ As soon as the Pope had come out of the palace, they could decide on some contact points, but they couldn¡¯t see any. Nevertheless, it wasn¡¯t easy to get in contact or kidnap a palace main or servant and brainwash the person for Luke¡¯s use. Due to the rebellion which was happening, the eyes of the guards were flashing. ¡°Is there no fine way to do this?¡± Luke had been thinking very hard for quite a few days on how it was supposed to be done. Philip informed that a man had come from the mercenary guild. It was the priestess maiden he saw in the mercenary guild the other day. ¡°Come from the Guild?¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Aldof has asked me to.¡± The middle-aged man who they had considered to be a member of the mercenary guild had surprisingly high status. He was a senior executive of the 3rd rank. On that day, an employee had missed coming to work, leaving a vacancy, so he took the role. ¡°Do you want to introduce us to the client?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°It is like that, but Sir Aldof will let you know of the details in person.¡± At the end of the words of the maiden, accompanied by Philip, he went to the Mercenary Guild. They didn¡¯t have to wait for long as the meeting was determined before itself. In the room, Aldof who was finishing on the weapons welcomed Luke upon arrival. ¡°Welcome.¡± ¡°What could be the reason that I have been asked to come to the guild?¡± ¡°Hu huu, since I have a lot of reasons, please take a seat.¡± Responded Aldof. Aldof, who pointed to a chair, smiled a little and opened his mouth looking at Luke. ¡°Do you like tea? This is a rare tea which has been brought in from the southern continent¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t enjoy it, but please get to the topic.¡± ¡°You seem to be impatient.¡± Said Aldof. Realizing the words that Luke meant, Aldof went straight to the point. ¡°Do you have any intention of joining our guild?¡± The mercenary guild connected the clients to the mercenaries and collected commissions, but they had their own quests. Which was why most of them had direct mercenaries, and offered to recruit them directly. When the mercenary guilds recruit mercenaries, it increased the power of the guild and they would be able to earn a higher price for requests. ¡°We will pay the money without fail. So¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel like it.¡± Seeing Luke refused without even listening to it, Aldof clicked his tongue. ¡°Tch, well, I can¡¯t help it in that case.¡± Since Aldof seemed like someone who was hiding something, Luke had expected something to happen sooner or later. Still, he let him speak of his suggestion, but he refused it even before he could finish the story. He looked at the other side and explained why he called Luke. ¡°As you might already be aware, the leaders of the Holy Empire are now assembling an army to go against the rebels. But the response of the lords is much worse than imagined.¡± According to Aldof¡¯s explanation, the failure of the initial suppression of the rebellion has led to an increase in the number of lords and nobles supporting the rebels. Which was why Archbishop Constantine was struggling with trying to control them. ¡°The central troops had been on the ground for a month, but the problem is with the local lords. There are quite a few nobles who have declared themselves to be neutral or have come out uncooperatively as an excuse to keep their powers.¡± Since the one in power was in Central, one didn¡¯t lack the Gigant power of the riders. However, in order to stabilize and secure the area where the rebellion has occurred, many normal troops such as the knights and infantry were needed. ¡°Which was why he decided to hire a large number of mercenaries and wanted to bring in an end to the shortage that he has.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Luke who listened to the story showed some signs of being interested. The reason he had come to the Holy Empire was to meet the new Pope. If it was confirmed that she indeed was Reina, he was going to take her back, otherwise, he would just head back to his estate and stop pursuing her. He had entered the empire in the disguise of a mercenary as it was easy to infiltrate, however, he had no intention of intervening in their civil war. ¡°I¡­¡± Luke¡¯s mind was desperately trying to refuse the request. The way to meet the new Pope was in the palace and could be done with the task offered. So, he asked with an interested look. ¡°The conditions?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see, 10 expert mercenaries and your daily hiring cost could be close to 1,000 pesos. And if you succeed in the mission, you¡¯ll get another 3,000 pesos.¡± ¡°Supply or affiliation?¡± ¡°The supply would happen there like any other mercenary. And I think that you¡¯ll be placed under the fourth army under Count Marcus.¡± According to Aldof, the Fourth Army was a reserved kind. They would be responsible for filling the gaps and supporting the allies¡¯ vacancy in the rear guard, convoys or in the battles. After hearing a little bit more about the work, Luke had made them draft the contract and signed it. As they walked out of the mercenary guild, Philip who had been silent all through the meeting, decided to ask. ¡°Lord, do you plan on joining their civil war?¡± ¡°Yeah, maybe we might get to see the face of their New Pope in that way.¡± Thoughts were running through Luke¡¯s brain. It could be that the New Pope would come out and bless the rebels. ¡°And if not, if we can build a revolutionary merit in this war, we might get called to the palace.¡± ¡°If that is what you want, then we¡¯ll have to run wildly.¡± Philip stated. It wasn¡¯t that Philip was reluctant to join a war. The most necessary thing for the Rakan knights was the practical experience, so he did think that it was a good opportunity. ¡°It would be a good experience to see how the Holy Empire would deal with the occasions of war.¡± ¡°On top of that, one can also see what it looks like to be involved in a civil war.¡± Luke, convinced that the civil war in the Baroque Empire wasn¡¯t too distant, and vowed to learn everything that he could from the current situation. Chapter 202 Count Marcus recently served as the commander of the 4th squadron of the Anti Revolutionary army. However, it wasn¡¯t just because of his superior strength or leadership abilities that he was asked to take over the role of a commander. He was chosen as the commander of the 4th squadron only because he was the cousin of Archbishop Constantine. The military¡¯s heads had complained about such acts, but they were silenced. And because of that, they took over the major army troops and made the 4th squadron by recruiting mercenaries. ¡°I guess you have come well¡­¡± Receiving the cape of Count Marcus, who had returned back to the palace, the servant went cold. The count¡¯s face was red with anger. The servant wasn¡¯t able to notice it right away. Ting! Puck! Entering the office, he shouted out loud, ¡°Ahhk, that damned Arch Duke Gregory! How dare he ignore me just because he was the head!¡± It was officially known that there were two Sword Sages on the continent. One was Emperor Rudolf of the Baroque Empire, and the other was Arch Duke Saint-Alvero de Gregory of the Holy Arthenia Empire. He was the commander of the mightiest knights, which were currently the empire¡¯s strongest force, the Saint Guard. At the meeting held by the Royal Leaders, he had yelled at Count Marcus. ¡°Count Marcus, what have you been doing since being given your title? You haven¡¯t complied any troops and equipment for the 4th army. Are you even planning on entering the fight or not?!¡± ¡°The surveillance unit reported yesterday that you had gone to a salon during work hours. If you have time to hit the ladies¡¯ naked bodies, then shouldn¡¯t you have enough time to make the soldiers stand tall?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to act in such a rotten way, then put down the baton and walk out of here! We have much better allies than incompetent people like you!¡± He made Count Marcus feel embarrassed in front of all the other nobles in the meeting. Even after the meeting had long ended, he could still hear the voice of Arch Duke Gregory in his ears and the image of the generals laughing at him. Marcus knew that Arch Duke Gregory hated him. He was feeling grumpy that he had been offered a place in the Revolutionary Army just because he was a cousin of Archbishop Constantine, but he never thought that he would embarrass him in front of a crowd. Duk! ¡°Whatever you do, I will set my name high in war and flatten that proud nose of yours!¡± Marcus vowed to take down Gregory regardless of what means he had to take. It was then when he was thinking, his lieutenant had entered his office and reported, ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve brought the commanders of the 4th army.¡± ¡°I will be there soon.¡± Count Marcus calmed himself and went to the conference room which was next door. A dozen people were gathered in the room. Most of them were representatives to the local nobles who supported Archbishop Constantine, or the clerks and mercenaries who were hired after paying large sums of money. It was their first time meeting Count Marcus in person, so they tried to smile. It was impossible for him to build merit when the military had turned their backs on him. Count Marcus was an incompetent soldier, but he was still one of the richest men who had funded Archbishop Constantine. They operated dozens of farms and mines and earned tremendous profits each year through the southern trade. He was so disheartened that he participated in the confrontation as he wanted to build his merit and earn his own group of factions. Marcus had several other senior paladins and officers competing for the role. Marcus was determined that he would take advantage of any opportunities and be a close member of the faction as well as a member of the Holy Empire, succeeding Archbishop Constantine in the future. ¡°I will be generously funding you. I¡¯ll bring you whatever you needed whether it people or Gigants.¡± Marcus was willing to spend money. He firmly believed that money was everything in the world, and he thought that money was the most powerful resource in the entire world. At any rate, with that grand declaration, the nobles and mercenaries seemed surprised. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. If you want, I can issue a blank check right now.¡± With those words, everyone felt like they were in heaven. There was no human who hated money. As they rose from their seats, they all cheered for Marcus in unison. ¡°We will do our very best to help the Count!¡± Chapter 203 The Holy Arthenia Imperial General Headquarters located in the north of Bless. Dozens of Gigants were currently forming a spectacle of confrontation in a large parade ground in front of the headquarters. The Gigants, depicting a silver cross on their breastplate, symbolizing the Holy Empire, formed an encirclement around the red Gigant, which was larger than a normal one. The Gigants with a silver crest had capabilities less than a knight class. The riders of the silver-crested ones were outstanding with a few of them being intermediate riders, and more than half of them were better than the intermediate ones. Kiiing! Kiiing-! Du Du Du Du Du! Responding to the aura of the riders, the Gigant¡¯s core engine began to release a fierce sound which seemed like it would explode. The fierce and majestic momentum of the Gigant Legion was equal to the extent where it could exclude its enemies. But the red Gigant, which was surrounded by the silver ones and the riders riding it, showed no signs of agitation. ¡°How long are we supposed to keep watching? I¡¯ll mess you up already.¡± A chilling voice came out of a red Gigant. Right then, out of the Gigants which were set up for siege, the hero class Gigants with horns on their heads and shoulders emerged, creating a violent atmosphere. ¡°Everyone, go all out!¡± The leading Gigants rushed together to the battlefield with their shields and giant swords at the roar of their leader, who was riding a Hero class Gigant. The riders in the rear shouted along with their leader. The divinity they manifested as paladins enveloped the leading Gigants, forming a silver-like light. With that, the Gigant¡¯s shields and swords turned more rigid, and the fear, which was in the hearts of the riders, disappeared. It wasn¡¯t just that¡­ The gigantic aura from their big swords became more violent. Kwang! Kang! Kwack! Wooong! Swash! The movement between the dozens of Gigant¡¯s was terribly strong. The traces of the giant swords in the air and powerful shock waves rang in the ground, and it made the atmosphere shook. In addition, the rushing attacks and the close shifts between the Gigants wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to breathe. Even the Sword Master class riders seemed to have lifted their hands for a while, but the slim build of the red Gigants was still intact even in the fierce storm. There was no trace of scratches on the lightweight gloves that would tear apart even with a touch. They didn¡¯t move much, but as if the gloves were leaves, they moved very lightly between fierce attacks to avoid getting hit. While wielding their swords from time to time, the Gigants¡¯ attacks would sometimes go to the wrong place, or the battle lines would collide or shake because there were too many of them. ¡°Ahk, form, second pass, type B!¡± Once ordered by the commander of the Gigant, the silver Gigant¡¯s changed their formation. The Gigants with swords and shields backed off, and the heavy armored Gigants with weapons such as maces and morning stars came forward. ¡®If this doesn¡¯t work, we need to press in a lot of power!¡¯ However, changing the lineup, the red Gigant¡¯s response had changed as well. On the surface of its red armor, a fierce armor that was almost like fire itself soared and deflected the heavy weapons. In addition, the change happened all of a sudden, and whenever the red Gigant wielded its heavy sword, the heavy armored Gigant tended to open up a weak point in the parade ground. ¡°Kuk! Switch to type C formation¡­!¡± Kwang! Even before the commander could give out the order, the Gigant¡¯s body got destroyed. Some of the formations had collapsed because of the torso. Even though it lost half of its power due to its momentum slowing down, the red Gigant had been persistently attacking several times, but its attacks couldn¡¯t seem to make an impact. The red Gigant was on the ground except for the hero-class Gigants. ¡°Training ends!¡± The red Gigant smashed its sword into the ground, and a roaring sound burst out from it. The Gigants with crushed swords and gloves got up from the ground. The riders who came out from the hatch stood in front of their Gigants with a sloppy posture. After a while, a small but young man came out of the red Gigant and stood before the riders. With his stern face, he looked at the riders who came out and said, ¡°You all are much better than the performance you showed a month ago. It is good to keep the momentum up but be more attentive to improving your response and maneuverability.¡± ¡°Understood, commander in chief.¡± ¡°But you did do your best. Don¡¯t be frustrated with your defeat.¡± This was the case of the 1st army squad run by the Sword Sage Gregory, who were considered to be the mightiest knights in the continent. Arch Duke Gregory fought against the knights once a month, teaching and pointing out their shortcomings. The reason why they were composed of paladins was because the paladins were regarded as the strongest fighters in the continent. Aside from their excellent strength and faith, they were also being guided by a Sword Sage. In other words, it held 500 members in it, and the lieutenant was a Sword Master, and all of them were the disciples of Arch Duke Gregory. When the Duke was speaking to the knights for a long time. The lieutenant ran to him. ¡°Sire! Marquis Reas wants to meet you.¡± ¡°Marquis Reas? Why would he ask for a meeting all of a sudden?¡± ¡°That¡­ He hasn¡¯t informed us anything.¡± At the words of his lieutenant, Gregory smiled. It was because Reas had never done something like that. ¡°I¡¯ll know once I meet him. We¡¯ll end today¡¯s training!¡± Gregory informed the knights, who soon brushed off the dust from their armor and headed to the headquarters. Chapter 204 In the office of the military quarters. In the armchair of the office, which was lighted glamorously, seated a wizard in colorful robes. With a silver crucifix symbolizing the Holy Empire, and a magic wand made from the crystals was the Marquis Meister Reas of Holy Arthenia magic tower. ¡®What on earth is Gregory thinking? Will he keep watching the empire collapse?¡¯ In the Holy Empire, Arch Duke Gregory held a status that was no less than Archbishop Constantine¡¯s. No, for over 50 years he was the head of the Saint Guard, and the commander in chief of the royal army. But Archduke Gregory didn¡¯t seem to have any thoughts about the current war. It was because he constantly tried to find out the irregularities and mistakes of the members belonging to Constantine. ¡®When one reaches a certain level of sword skills or magic, they turn indifferent to the world. But if that was the case for Archduke Gregory, then he might not have stayed in the military till now.¡¯ When Marquis Reas was thinking while sipping tea. The door opened with Gregory entering. Marquis immediately rose from his seat and bowed. ¡°The air changes when you enter.¡± It wasn¡¯t that Gregory was just higher in status than Reas, but he was over 120 years old. For a Sword Sage, the body changes and reorganizes one¡¯s body and makes them look younger. ¡°For what reason did you come to find me, Reas?¡± The moment Gregory sat down, he inquired Reas. The two of them were referred to as the two pillars of the empire and had a long friendship. Reas often traveled to and from Gregory¡¯s place because of their close friendship. But it was the very first time for the Marquis to have gone to the military headquarters without sending any notice or request to meet. ¡°Sire, do you plan on just seeing the tyranny created by Archbishop Constantine?¡± As the words flowed out of Reas¡¯s mouth, Gregory knew the reason for him to ask such a thing. It was very well known that Marquis Reas disliked Archbishop Constantine who was hiding the Pope behind his back. In private, he often criticized Constantine and his factions. But for the day, he seemed to have come with a different seriousness. ¡°Even the rebels seem to know. Originally, the Archbishop needs to be elected as the head, it isn¡¯t supposed to be like Archbishop Constantine who himself declared, right?¡± Originally, the Holy Empire¡¯s commander in chief was Archduke Gregory. It was under his authority to crush the rebels and to identify the leader of the rebels. However, Constantine appointed his men in certain posts. Gregory who listened to everything that Reas had to say, opened his mouth. ¡°But he is a regent appointed by the Holy Pope.¡± ¡°Whether a regent or not. She might be an angel, but she is a puppet who knows nothing¡­¡± Kwang! Gregory¡¯s fists made their way to the table. The force he witnessed made Reas sweat. ¡®Oh my, I made a huge mistake!¡¯ Gregory was usually a blunt man with very little emotional expressions. But Reas was one of the few who knew how scary he could turn into. 30 years back, there was a kingdom called Kalmir, to the north of the Holy Empire. The Emperor of the nation was famous for being a tyrant, he mocked the people who looked up to the Pope and committed an act of burning the temple of El Kassel. At that time, Gregory led the Saint Guards and seized the Empire of Kalmir. And all the nations with the people who defended the tyrant emperor who escaped were destroyed by him. For Gregory, faith and the Pope were the absolute importance to protect at any cost. ¡°So, sorry, Sire.¡± ¡°Since I think of a dead friend and our long friendship, I let it be. But, once again if you make a statement disrespecting the Pope, I won¡¯t stand still.¡± He said sternly. ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± Chilly awkward air was circulating in the office for quite some time. A while later, the duke opened his mouth to get rid of the eerie feeling. ¡°I too am not very fond of Archbishop Constantine. Which was why yesterday, at the Imperial leader¡¯s meeting, I cornered Count Marcus. But the El Kassel has sent an apostle, the Holy Pope. Because of that, I can¡¯t say that I don¡¯t trust them.¡± Gregory didn¡¯t doubt that Veronica III was an angel. He witnessed it first hand at the funeral of the former Pope, and the miracle which had happened at the Bless main square two months back. So when Constantine got rid of Archbishop Michael and took power, he was eager to see what would happen. It turned rotten and Constantine turned out to be much worse than Michael. ¡°But if things go on like this, the Holy Empire would divide into parts.¡± Protested Reas. ¡°I know that too. But I think that maybe this is a test put by El Kassel on our empire.¡± How Gregory thought of the situation in hand was very different from Marquis Reas. Otherwise, the Holy Empire, with such a large territory and large population would have been neglected long back itself. According to Gregory, the civil war was a chance for the Holy Empire to be reborn as one. ¡°If we overcome this trial, we might be reborn as the strongest empire in the continent. Then I think that we will be able to spread El Kassel¡¯s gospel to all the continents, even to the southern continents, overcoming other kingdoms and denominations.¡± Seeing such fierce and intense faith in the eyes of Gregory, Meister Reas sighed. ¡°Huh, Okay. And I have another thing to say.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°I think that Holy magic tower is joining the Battle of the magic tower.¡± Gregory frowned at the words. ¡°I would have told that to have not happened.¡± ¡°Of course, I have no intention to go too. But the Reformers¡¯ elders whom I met a few days ago had provided some amazing information.¡± Reas tried to keep him interested. ¡°Amazing information?¡± ¡°Yep, Arsene, the Meister of Veritas Magic tower, 500 years back is alive and that too as a Lich.¡± Tud! To the surprise, Gregory who didn¡¯t show any expression till then jumped out of the seat. ¡°Is that really true?¡± ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t believe it too. But looking at the material that they had provided, I couldn¡¯t help but believe their words.¡± In addition to protecting their Empire and partnership of denomination, the two men, the Sword and Staff which symbolized the Holy Arthenia Empire, had been given another mission. It was to execute the evil warlock. It was why the Holy Empire was very active when it came to Devil King Saymon, who shook the continent 500 years back. ¡°The credibility of data?¡± ¡°I checked before coming here, and it seems to be true. There have been rumors that Arsene had touched the forbidden magic in his later years, and the cause of his death has always been unclear.¡± At the words of Reas, a terrifyingly serious voice came from Gregory. The energy of the Sword Sage had dominated the entire room. Park! Grrring! Crack! The teacups and the kettles broke, the walls and floors of the room began to crack. When the 8 circle Archwizard Reas was suffering from that pressure, Gregory tried to control his emotions. ¡°That wicked guy! To be cheating the world for 500 years?!¡± If he would have known it before, they would have gone to war right away. But currently, Gregory knew that it wasn¡¯t possible. To go for war would make the others criticize it and say ¡®an attempt to dispel the civil war with measly excuses¡¯, for responding to foreign nations¡¯ problems than the ones at home. ¡®First of all, that monster¡¯s traces need to be found out, need to bring him out from hiding.¡¯ Once the enemy was revealed, no matter how strong, no one would be afraid, but a hidden one was more dangerous. They could never know when he would decide to attack. Gregory, who pondered for a moment, looked at Reas. ¡°Help the reformers in attacking the Veritas Magic tower and Magic Federation. Let¡¯s support them with the 3rd squadron.¡± The 3rd squadron wasn¡¯t an army of the strongest men, but it was very powerful that it never fell behind when the empire needed them. In particular, with the support from the monks and the priests, their bodies were filled with a green radiance, at those time, they all ignored death and rushed to the battle. In fact, a few attacks could never reach their bodies. So they were all called ¡®Immortal¡¯. ¡°You really want to use the Immortal?¡± Gregory nodded when Reas asked him to confirm. ¡°Yes, the sanctions will be involved with it, make them go to the Holy Pope and accept their request.¡± Sadly, the 1st and 2nd squadrons couldn¡¯t move, they had to escort the Pope and defend the Imperial Palace. Even then, Lich was always stronger, and forces had to be mobilized. That was, of course, why Gregory had decided to use the 3rd Squadron. ¡°Let them go and tell them to not leave even a single ground stone of Veritas. Everyone who has refused El Kassel¡¯s grace should never be tolerated!¡± Such thoughtless beings could never be saved. Seeing the resolve in Gregory¡¯s face, Reas¡¯s face brightened a lot. Chapter 205 In the center of the Holy Imperial Palace which was covered with white rock. It was a building that had moved from elsewhere into the palace. Aside from being white, the rock, which had no distinctive feature, was a significant relic that was said to be a platform where the first saint El Kassel denomination had been preached for the first time. On the sacred rock was a clean and beautiful woman seated with innocent eyes. Veronica III, Pope of the Holy Empire. Looking up into the night sky, she muttered to herself. ¡°Luke de Rakan¡­¡± A platinum-haired man seated in the throne of a black castle, someone she saw in her dreams. At first, she thought that he was an unknown person. But after she had said out his name, she realized that she had forgotten about him. Who was he? What kind of a person is he? The more she thought about it, the more familiar Luke felt, and she pounded with nostalgic feelings. ¡°Holy Pope, it is time to study the doctrine.¡± ¡°Yeah, understood.¡± Veronica, who nodded her head at the words of her escort, got up and moved to the Imperial library. Veronica III studied doctrine three times a day unless there was anything special that she had to do. Because of the constant nagging from Constantine for the past two years, all the basic doctrines had been mastered and was now moved to intermediate levels. ¡°Come here, holiness. Please study very hard now too.¡± A middle-aged lovely looking priest who was in the library welcomed her. He was a professor called Osram, who was based in the Royal Academy of Theology. He had stepped away from that position to be the personal instructor of the Pope. ¡°Today, we will study about charity and tolerance. See page 173 of the..¡± ¡°Osram¡­¡± ¡°Yes, holiness. Please speak.¡± ¡°Is there a lot that Osram is aware of?¡± ¡°In addition to theology, I have learned a lot of miscellaneous things. Is there anything that you are curious about?¡± Hesitating for a moment, Veronica opened her mouth. ¡°Maybe, just maybe, do you know who Luke de Rakan is?¡± ¡°Luke de Rakan? Well. It seems like I have heard about him somewhere¡­¡± Osram who thought for a while kept tapping his finger as if he had come up with something. ¡°Ah, the name of the warrior who had defeated the Devil King Saymon was Rakan. He was the ultimate knight of the sword skills, Sword Emperor, who surpassed the Sword Sage, after which no human had been able to achieve.¡± ¡®Saymon¡­ Rakan¡­¡¯ Names that she has heard somewhere. However, when she heard of the name Saymon, her eyes turned dark and her heart felt bitter. A vicious being called the Devil King, yet she wasn¡¯t able to understand why such feelings were rising in her. ¡°According to one theory, Rakan was a member of the Saint Guards. Rumor was that he was an illegitimate child of a high priest who was sent to war with the Devil King. Indeed, he had gone to the Libiya Kingdom to see Saymon, but he couldn¡¯t return back home after Saymon¡¯s death as things had turned into a complicated matter.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°But, his kin still remains¡­ ah, that is it. He is the person.¡± ¡°The person?¡± At Veronica¡¯s question, Osram told her about the rumor that he heard the other day. ¡°Luke de Rakan. He was said to have raised his near to death Rakan family into a foremost force of the Baroque Empire. It is a very popular place among the merchants because it is active for its mine development and trade.¡± Veronica smiled. Why would such a person appear in her dream? Why did she know her name and why did it feel nostalgic? ¡°But, from whom did you hear that name?¡± ¡°That¡­ someone told me about it.¡± Veronica had trouble explaining to him about the other self in her mind. Osram, however, didn¡¯t think of it to be very suspicious or strange. ¡°Did you hear it from the paladins? It is always worth mentioning to a Rune Knight. That too, a descendant of the famous Sword Emperor Rakan.¡± Osram spoke with a very heartily smile. ¡°I am glad that you are listening to the words of so many people. In order for one to be a good leader, it is a must to listen to people and look at their lives.¡± ¡°Surely it is you. The only guy in the world to prioritize useless stuff!¡± There was a man standing behind Osram. He was Archbishop Constantine, who didn¡¯t have a great impression of the professor. Appearing with a bunch of paladins belonging to the army, his cheeks shaking with anger while looking at Osram, who didn¡¯t seem to have a great expression too. ¡°Arrest him right away!¡± Osram went scared the moment he heard the orders befall. Startled, Veronica III rushed over to stop their actions. ¡°Stop! Osram isn¡¯t a bad person!¡± The paladins had no choice but to withdraw. Seeing that happen, Constantine frowned. He couldn¡¯t help it. The paladins of the palace who guard the palace and the Pope were educated to never disobey the Pope. The reason they followed the orders of Constantine was because he was known to be the regent of the Pope. ¡®Tch, this useless doll. I¡¯ll have to change her later.¡¯ While Constantine was in his thoughts, he approached Veronica who was standing in front of Osram with her arms wide open. ¡°Holiness, do you remember the assassin who infiltrated the palace three days back?¡± ¡°Yes, the one caught with a knife in his hand.¡± The case wasn¡¯t told to the public yet. They were interrogating the assassin to find out the details before releasing the news into the people. In the course of their interrogation, a surprising fact had been released. ¡°The pass into the imperial palace by the assassin was forged by Osram. In addition, the poison and dagger used by him were brought into the palace by importing books from the outside.¡± Surprised by the truth, Veronica turned over to Osram. ¡°Is that, is that true, Osram?¡± ¡°It is true, Holiness.¡± Osram confessed in a low tone. But he revealed another truth. ¡°But the target of the assassin was never the Holiness, but Constantine, who always stayed by your side.¡± ¡°Kuk, this man¡­!¡± Constantine was furious. Whether Constantine shouted or tried to scream, Osram told everything that he wanted to say. ¡°Constantine! Your sins against the will of God, for covering the eyes and ears of the apostle and the Holiness, aren¡¯t short for death of a hundred times! How long do you think that your power over her will prevail?! There are many people in these nations and in the city and the Imperial Palace, you seek your neck!¡± ¡°What, what kind of talk is that?!¡± Constantine, whose face was red with anger, looked back at the paladins. ¡°What are you people doing?! Aren¡¯t you suppose to draw him out right away?!¡± ¡°But, but¡­!¡± When the paladins hesitated, Osram stepped forward. Surprised with his act, Veronica tried to stop, but he shook his head. ¡°It was just an act to kill someone, it still broke the laws of the country and disturbed the Imperial Palace. I don¡¯t want to avoid the responsibility as an excuse for some cause.¡± Speaking out sternly towards Constantine, who was the cause of it, he was acting proud to be arrested. Rather than just taking him into custody, Constantine who got furious seeing him act like that shook the paladins near Osram. ¡°Cut his neck right away!¡± ¡°No! Don¡¯t kill him!¡± At the immediate opposition from Veronica, Constantine shouted. ¡°Holiness! This is a work which has to be taken care of by me¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to kill him?!¡± Constantine wasn¡¯t able to speak again. The pope, who had just cut his words with severe anger in her voice, he had never witnessed the innocent figure act such a way. Clarity and intensity in her eyes, stating that she was full of dignity as a leader for the nation. Why would she suddenly behave like that? ¡®This, dammit¡­¡¯ Constantine¡¯s face hardened seeing her like that. If he was going to clash words with the Pope in there, there would be nothing good that he could get. If there was even a little truth to the rumors that the Pope was disagreeing with her regent, the hyenas would go looking for a regent position. ¡°Ah, understood. We will punish him without killing.¡± ¡°I hope that happens.¡± Responded Veronica. The blast that finally struck the Imperial library had subsided. Veronica III, who was left all alone, sat down and sighed. ¡®I have never thought about grandfather, no, the regent, never before¡­¡¯ Wouldn¡¯t Constantine get angry with her later? Veronica was frightened as if she did something wrong and she was feeling restless. But on the other hand, she kept telling her. -You did well. You did what had to be done. It was the voice that spoke to her the other day. Veronica felt a little relieved at that. And though she didn¡¯t realize it, a little confidence rose in her heart. Chapter 206 Early morning. The lodgings near the capital gates were noisy; it was because the mercenaries who were staying there were rushing to join the army. The guides from the mercenary guild were already waiting for them to come. ¡°Ahm, is everyone here?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Philip and the other Rakan knights were rubbing their eyes when they replied. Perhaps, it was because they were witnessing the actual situation, but everyone seemed to be nervous. However, it wasn¡¯t that excessive, and Philip hadn¡¯t given them any advice on handling their tension and nervousness on the battlefield. ¡°We will enter the battle soon. I know your skills, and if you want to live and return back to your homes, don¡¯t act recklessly and trust your fellow companions and obey orders. Do you understand?¡± ¡°We will keep that in our mind!¡± After a while, Luke came out with his equipment and armor to lead them. Luke¡¯s group came out of the castle and stopped at the wasteland in the east of Bless. Already 100,000 troops were gathered there. They were hired by Bless and the local mercenary guilds, like Luke and the local army from the Holy Empire. Their shelter was spread beyond the horizon, and its magnificent appearance amazed the Rakan knights. ¡°Wah, how many knights are there?!¡± ¡°It looks like maybe a hundred thousand, right?¡± ¡°The Gigants itself seems to be around a hundred.¡± Although the Rakan had developed and made considerable strides, no one had ever seen knights that were over 100,000. It was the same with Luke. In many of his wars, which he had witnessed in his two years of military service, he never saw 100,000 troops even when adding the soldiers from both sides. ¡®Is this what an Empire is?¡¯ There were only two nations in the Rhodesia continent that could mobilize such a huge amount of troops for a civil-war and not an all-out war with its neighbors. The Baroque Empire and the Holy Arthenia Empire. One of them was Luke¡¯s enemy. ¡®There is a long way to go. If the Baroque Empire can mobilize this much force¡­¡¯ Luke¡¯s heart felt tired. The guide spoke to the knights who were talking, ¡°Huhu, don¡¯t be so surprised. I heard that the troops who were running for the capital are 150,000.¡± ¡°What? 150,000?¡± ¡°Hu! We intend to harass the rebels.¡± The knights clicked their tongues after listening to the guides. It was time for breakfast, and white smoke was rising everywhere. The soldiers were eating hard rye bread with hot soup. White tunic outfit with a cross on the chains. The central army of Holy Arthenia Empire. The soldiers, who wore a tunic with the same basic dress but different colors and crests, were of different territories. ¡®Hmm, the outfit of the Holy Empire army hadn¡¯t changed much even after 500 years. Are they this dedicated to their traditions?¡¯ Unlike the regular soldiers, few mercenaries wore tunics as well. Most were only wearing iron or leather armor of thick coats or breastplates. The wealthy mercenaries were armed with a breastplate. Anyway, the mercenaries wore various different styles of armor and attire so that they could be recognized at a glance. ¡°What? They are priests?¡± ¡°They look too good to be priests.¡± The knights looked puzzled at the men who had the physique of knights and were wearing brown priestly suits. It was because their weapons were maces. ¡°Ah! They are monks, the pride of our Holy Arthenia Empire.¡± The knight who heard the guide asked for an explanation. ¡°Monk?¡± ¡°Yes, some of the monks in the temple learn martial arts and even become combat priests.¡± The true power of monks wasn¡¯t their combat force. When they read out a holy prayer, a green film forms around their body, and the strength and stamina of the nearby soldiers, as well as the monks, improve remarkably. ¡°In addition, their body¡¯s ability to recover will also increase, so they could treat minor injuries themselves.¡± ¡®Kuk, I went through some hard times because of those damn bastards.¡¯ Luke grunted upon hearing the guide. In his days as the Devil King Saymon, the Holy Army was the most toughest one he had dealt with. It was frustrating that his army¡¯s physical power fell due to the Holy Army¡¯s powerful divine power, but they managed to avoid them and chase the monks away. Moreover, those ignorant men were fearless. Rather than hesitating to see the huge army of Golems, they rushed in with sticks and hammers to break them. ¡°The monks use their bare hands as well?¡± When Philip asked that while pointing to a monk, the guide immediately answered, ¡°Maybe he traveled to the southern continent to learn martial arts there. The Song Empire, even the nobles in there aren¡¯t allowed to carry weapons to improve their physical skills and martial skills.¡± ¡°But coming to a battlefield with bare hands¡­¡± Luke, who had spent some time with the soldiers, reached the location of the 4th squadron. He was able to meet Aldof there once again. Aldof had assigned them a place to set up their tents and took Luke to another side. ¡°I¡¯m just curious, but do you have Gigants?¡± ¡°Gigants?¡± ¡°Count Marcus said that he would give more money to the mercenaries who possesses Gigants. If you have Gigants, bring them right away.¡± Aldof figured out that Luke was a knight dressed as a mercenary. Although he didn¡¯t belong to their mercenary guild, since Luke worked under their Guild, they too would benefit from it. ¡°Actually, I do have Gigants. I¡¯ll ask them to bring it.¡± Luke, however, had prepared several Gigants, including Kratos, which were all in his subspace bracelet. He did think that he would use it once he entered the battlefield, but Count Marcus opened an opportunity for them. ¡°No. The count said that he has a plan and that he would support the army with iron mages. Apart from that, he said that he has military weapons.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Exactly, Count Marcus is the cousin of Archbishop Constantine, the regent, and the richest man in the nation. He said that he was going to pay for everything.¡± ¡®That was why the 4th squadron mercenaries were acting very proudly.¡¯ Whatever the case, Luke had nothing to lose. Luke looked at Philip, who was listening from the side. Seeing Luke¡¯s sign, Philip moved away from the place along with the knights who were close by. ¡°I will let you know the details of the mission and the unit assignments after lunch.¡± As Aldof did what he had come for, Luke grabbed his arm and asked slowly, ¡°Will the pope come out at the ceremony?¡± ¡°Why do you want to know?¡± Asked Aldof with curiosity. ¡°I heard that there was a miracle at the main square of Bless. Did you know about that? If the Holiness would bless me, then the arrows which would fly at me will fly to the wrong place.¡± Even the mercenaries were accustomed to the war and were fine with death by arrows and sword; that was why there was no mercenary of war who didn¡¯t carry one or two talismans on their hands. ¡°Unfortunately, it doesn¡¯t seem like that would happen. I heard it from Count Marcus. The Holiness was feeling bad and mourning for the people who are struggling in this empire. Instead, Archbishop Constantine is presiding over the mass.¡± Luke looked upset upon hearing that. Luke originally had no will in participating in the civil war, but the reason he did was to see the pope¡¯s face at the ceremony. Yet, it was still too early to be disappointed. If he could build merits in the civil war, he might be able to see the pope. ¡®I¡¯ll wait. I¡¯ll definitely see you!¡¯ Recalling Reina¡¯s face, Luke clenched his fists. Three days later, when all the troops gathered, the grand ceremony was held in the wasteland. Archbishop Constantine and the other high-ranking priests and nobles of the empire had attended the opening ceremony, where the capital people had gathered like sand. However, the expression of the people watching the mass was full of disappointment. Like Luke, they had all hoped to meet the pope and see her miracles. Without knowing the hearts of the people, Archbishop Constantine, who finished the mass, began to give his speech. ¡°Those who don¡¯t believe in the apostle. Those who are blinded by power, and those who incite the simple-minded people. How can such men not be punished?¡± ¡°Retribution for the non-believers!¡± ¡°Retribution! Retribution!¡± Perhaps, they had already been informed. The leading central troops raised their voices in response to Constantine¡¯s speech. Right then, the other mercenaries began to join in too and shouted. As the atmosphere turned heated, Constantine along with the other high priests divinized and blessed the soldiers. The blessed soldiers and the mercenaries cheered in a louder voice. However, Luke was just grinning. ¡®Boring. I hope this gets done soon¡­¡¯ Unlike Luke¡¯s wishes, the ceremony had continued for more than three hours. The ceremony ended after the entire camp of Luke had turned exhausted, and a total of 150,000 troops of four armies began to march toward Konrad. Chapter 207 Alvera was the third-largest city in the Holy Arthenia Empire and was currently the capital of Konrad. The city, where Prince Ferrierd was located, became the base for the rebel forces and was currently being called the ¡®Konrad Kingdom¡¯. Its palace was called the rebel palace. It was overlooking the city from a hill. On one of its sites, a man with grey hair was pulling a bowstring. He was the head of the rebels¡ªDuke Ferrierd. He called himself the king of Konrad Kingdom. Duke Ferrierd was also a high ranking lord and an archbishop and was known for his archery. Duddddr! As he pulled on the bow¡¯s string, it began making a sound as he further stretched it. When the bow was completely bent into a crescent shape, Duke Ferrierd released his hand. Ping-! An arrow that was just being used for practice flew right toward its target and hit the bulls-eye. However, Ferrierd¡¯s face wasn¡¯t so bright. What he was aiming for was an apple that was placed in the middle of the target practice. It wasn¡¯t a difficult target to hit, considering that it was only 200 steps away from him. But today, he wasn¡¯t able to hit a supposedly easy target. ¡°Uhm, the arrow dances freely.¡± When the frowning duke extended his hand to the side, the escort knight next to him offered another arrow, and he didn¡¯t hit the apple this time as well. ¡°Uhm, the wind isn¡¯t that great today.¡± The annoyed Ferrierd threw his bow away, and the escort knight picked it up. The wind was just an excuse, but the truth was the arrow didn¡¯t hit its target because the Duke¡¯s heart was upset. Ferrierd had a reason to be disturbed. It was good to declare independence against the Holy Empire and defeat their 1st army, but the problem came after that. It surely rotted and ruined itself, but the power of the Holy Empire, which had been in place for thousands of years, was enormous. According to the spies, the size and quality of the second squad was too big. In addition, the commanders were all quite capable figures. ¡®Just the number of Gigant¡¯s put on the line is at least three times¡­¡¯ As a result, some of the lords under the duke were rather scared. Unlike the early days of the rebellion, he could see that the behavior of the lords wasn¡¯t that active. ¡®To relive the rebels, we need to increase the power, but there is no news from those who promised to help¡­¡¯ Ferrierd was grumbling as he reached his office. On the other side, a young man dressed in brilliant golden armor ran to him. ¡°Father, they are going to come soon¡± ¡°Uh, is that so?¡± Ferrierd¡¯s face that was full of dread brightened. The good news, which never reached him, had arrived. ¡°When would they arrive?¡± ¡°At the latest, in the afternoon,¡± answered his son. Just as his son had said, a fleet had appeared in the afternoon along the Rio River which flew along Alvera. All the ships were paddle boats equipped with steam engines. They were carrying the flag of the Flying Dragon. Duke Ferrierd, who was waiting at the port for help, smiled after seeing the flag. The Flying Dragon. The largest war company in the continent that sold munitions, artillery and other military weapons. In addition, it had its own mercenary force, which was regarded to be equal or better than the knights of the other empires. They held such a huge size and power because of the huge backing they had. The power of the Baroque Empire. It was a fact that everyone knew in the continental politics. The Baroque Empire had been involved in large and small conflicts on the continent, while secretly funding the Flying Dragons. Nevertheless, it wasn¡¯t officially revealed because other countries had similar organizations and had done similar things as well. In addition, the Baroque Empire knew everything that was happening in the other kingdoms, so there was no reason to publicize it. And with the recent situation going in the Empire, the Flying Dragons, which had been active in recent years, reappeared. ¡®And they chose to be on my side!¡¯ As Duke Ferrierd smiled, the fleet of the Flying Dragon entered the port. Among them, a middle-aged huge bearded man and a dark-haired girl with halberd stepped onto the pier with mercenaries in grey armor. ¡°Come on, Lazlie.¡± At the greeting of Duke Perrierd, the man called Lazlie bowed back. ¡°Did you have peace, Duke? No, now you must be referred to as His Majesty.¡± ¡°Hahaha, do you have any idea how long I have waited for you?¡± ¡°I am sorry for causing trouble. Reorganizing the mercenaries took longer than expected.¡± ¡°Reorganizing¡­ Do you think that it would work?¡± ¡°Of course, Your Majesty.¡± Slightly raising his eyes, Lazlie smiled confidently. Lazlie de Voltaire. The eldest son of Count Voltaire. The right-hand man of Emperor Rudolf. He was a secret agent of the Baroque Imperial Intelligence, as well as a resident of the Flying Dragons. Lazlie was awkward when it came to using his body, but he had sharp eyes and had a way with words. It was he who had encouraged Duke Ferrierd to rebel. In other words, the rebellion of Konard was actually the work of Lazlie. ¡°This man beside me is our new mercenary captain.¡± ¡°I am Sancho.¡± At the introduction from Lazlie, the bandit that was like a giant reached his hand out with a blunt face. At the rude appearance of the man, the escort knights tried to stop him, but Duke Ferrierd stopped them. ¡®If we act rude, Count Ferrero, the knight of the Baroque Empire, might not tolerate it.¡¯ Although it was not comparable to the Imperial Intelligence, there were also eyes and ears which worked for Ferrierd. That was why he could identify Count Ferrero at a glance, but he knew nothing about the dark-haired girl with a small physique standing beside Ferrero. ¡°But, who might this lady be?¡± ¡°Hohoho, hello, I am Shirley. A maiden reaching sixteen by this year!¡± Shirley smiled brightly and made a peace sign with her fingers, implying her victory. ¡®What is this? Is she really¡­?¡¯ ¡°Sixteen? I thought she was 12¡­¡± ¡®Is she a mercenary too?¡¯ As the Duke watched the girl with suspicious eyes, Lazlie officially introduced Shirley. ¡°Well, this is Shirley, the assault captain of our mercenary force.¡± ¡°Assault captain?¡± ¡°Yes, despite her looks, she is quite strong.¡± ¡®But is she?¡¯ But Ferrierd, who knew that Lazlie would never lie, didn¡¯t say anything and the others just stayed quiet as well. However, there was someone who dared to speak. ¡°Come on, you should at least say something that makes sense.¡± He was Aslan, Duke Ferrierd¡¯s son. In fact, rather than talking out loud, he just mumbled what he wanted to say under his breath, but since the surroundings were so quiet, the words reached the ears of Shirley. Shirley tilted her head and approached Aslan. ¡°Why do you think it doesn¡¯t make sense?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°Take this.¡± Suddenly, Shirley handed a halberd to Aslan. Aslan, who wanted to prove her wrong, took it and was shocked. ¡°Wah, lord!¡± ¡®What, what is this? Why is this so heavy?!¡¯ It felt like as if a Gigant was placed on his hand. Aslan had always been proud of his skills for being an intermediate knight, but he felt overwhelmed. He was trying to move his muscles, and the knights around him tried to help, but the halberd didn¡¯t even budge. ¡°It is made from adamant and gigantium. It splits and drills well, but it¡¯s really heavy.¡± Shirley picked up the halberd, which was crushing Aslan. She lifted it over her head as if she was just moving a toothpick. Aslan¡¯s complexion became pale. ¡®Oh my God!¡¯ Adamant and gigantium were heavy metals. Actually, they were mainly used to make Gigant frames and gloves. It was an alloy, but for a human to carry it as a weapon was unheard of! What was more surprising was that the one who was wielding it was a 16-year-old girl who looked like she was 12. ¡°She is still young, but Shirley is excellent at what she does. Her Gigant maneuvering is pretty good too.¡± At the words of Lazlie, Duke Ferrierd nodded silently. Lazlie, who slithered in response to their reactions, pointed at the ships that entered the port. ¡°I think you would be more interested in things over there than here. I have an expensive cargo that can protect the Kingdom of Konrad.¡± As he said that, the curious eyes of the duke looked in that direction. ¡°Would you like to see them?¡± ¡°Obviously!¡± As he nodded, Perrierd and his son Aslan along with their escorts went to the port. Chapter 208 ¡°Be careful! Do it slowly!¡± ¡°Just a little more this side¡­ okay! Put it down here!¡± The Flying Dragons transport fleet placed the cargoes which had arrived. The military goods including the weapons and armors, artillery and spears were all unloaded with the help of a crane. Among those was a cargo coming down with the most strict packing. The cargo, which was removed into pieces and wrapped with canvas cloth was transported into a warehouse and was reassembled by field masters and Iron mages employed by the Flying Dragons. ¡°It is a knight class Gigant, Hector.¡± ¡®Is this the new Gigant made by the magic tower of the Baroque Imperial?¡¯ At the introduction of the Gigant by Lazlie, Duke Ferrierd thought to himself. As he was already aware, Hector had a maximum output of 23000 fights. In addition, the new composite material Mado, which was placed on the frame wasn¡¯t just durable but was more resilient. In addition, the armor was made of a new Gigantium alloy, which was much thinner and more durable than before. ¡°But, when I think about it, it looks very similar to the Centurion that was made 15 years back by the Arthenia Royal Magic tower.¡± As Aslan had pointed it out, Lazlie nodded and explained the entire thing. ¡°Only those who were being sent to the Konrad kingdom were deliberately made to look like Centurions. If it came out that you were being supported by a particular nation, it would turn difficult for both us and your Majesty.¡± ¡°Indeed¡­!¡± Duke Ferrierd had declared the rebellion and independence in the name of anti-corruption against Constantine. But what would happen if it would turn into a blatant lie and was being supported by the Baroque Empire? That would cause a fall of will in the ground level people, and of course, he would be blamed for being a fighter of the Baroque. ¡°I think it would nice to change the painting style which is used by the Konrad Kingdom. Of course, the same goes for the colors of the weapons too. Ah! I think that it would be better to put Konrad¡¯s military uniform on the mercenaries and riders of Flying Dragons, how does that sound?¡± Said Lazlie. ¡°It would be fine. We promise to treat you equal and on par with our knights.¡± Lazlie and Ferrierd had a good conversation. Shirley was yawning as she was beginning to get tired of their talks, and suddenly, she looked at the ceiling and threw the halberd. Kwang! The roof was pierced with the sound of mana exploding. Pieces of wood and tiles and debris poured down like rain. Surprised by the sudden situation, Aslan along with the knights surrounded his father. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± As Aslan yelled at her, Shirley shrugged. ¡°There was a rat on the ceiling.¡± ¡°Rat?¡± Aslan who couldn¡¯t understand her actions, soon understood what he meant and gave orders to the knights. ¡°Right now, search every corner! Catch all those who seem suspicious!¡± ¡°Yes, prince!¡± The knights quickly scattered everywhere. ¡®Wah, this is, at such an important place there is a mole going around¡­¡¯ Sancho, or Count Ferrero approached Lazlie, who was thinking to himself. ¡°Where do you think he might have come from?¡±, asked Sancho. ¡°Well, most likely to have come from Bless. Maybe further north too.¡± ¡°Do we know whom to even catch?¡± ¡°Well, we will know soon enough. Shirley is good at hunting rats.¡± Ferrero¡¯s eyes turned over to where Shirley was. But Shirley wasn¡¯t in the place where she was before. Perhaps, maybe she went along with the knights who had scattered to search for the intruder. ¡®Different from the intelligent department.¡¯ Shirley, known as the new master class knight of the Empire, was actually from the intelligence. Count Ferrero, who was feeling bad, prayed for the rat who was going to turn miserable when it got caught. If it wasn¡¯t Bless, then it was a favorable situation for the rat, but anywhere other than that and Shirley wouldn¡¯t let go. ¡°Uh? What happened, man?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know, reveal your identity.¡± As soon as the orders fell from Aslan, searches took all over the place. A hooded worker, witnessed the scene unfold standing right behind them. He was carrying a bag of flour on his shoulders and he wasn¡¯t able to control his heart which was pounding hard. ¡®Dammit, did they manage to detect a high Dark Elf warrior¡­?¡¯ He was Hyrun, an agent of the Volga intelligence. Hyrun had been ordered by the high commander and had to infiltrate Alvera. He then ended up keeping an eye on the rebels. It was reported that the Baroque Empire was reported to be involved in the war of the Holy Empire. The Holy Arthenia empire too held hostile relationships with the Volga Republic but dealt much better than the Baroque Empire. In addition, if the Holy Empire which was like a barrier to contain the Baroque Empire weakens, then Volga Republic too would have to face negative effects. Thus, the Volga Republic did nothing to the people of the holy empire. However, the infiltration confirmed that the Baroque had been intervening, so they had to take necessary steps to stop the civil war from intensifying. ¡®I need to get out of here¡­¡¯ Hyrun, who looked around began to move but soon came to halt. It was a small girl holding a halberd stood in front of him. Hyrun¡¯s complexion went hardened, he began to look around the entire warehouse. ¡°Hello, uncle rat. Seems like you are busy going somewhere?¡± ¡®Dammit, I guess today was an unlucky day.¡¯ The girl, Shirley, continued to speak in a chilling voice, which flustered Hyrun. ¡°This unique feel isn¡¯t similar to a human. Are you a Dark Elf? A mole from the Volga Republic?¡± ¡®I understand now. This one sure is skillful, but she is a mix of humans and fairies, that is why she understood my trace.¡¯ Not all the fairies were on the side of Volga. There were some fairies who were enslaved to humans, and some were assimilated like Shirley. The girl in front of him was of a mixed-race with dwarves, because of her ability to handle heavy weight halberd with her small build. ¡°My brother died in the hands of Volga¡¯s Duke Dimitry. My brother despised me and my mom, but I still need to get my revenge. So I need to eat those who took down my brother.¡± ¡°Take this then.¡± Not letting what she had to say, Hyrun tore the bag he was carrying and pulled out the dagger. The flour which was in the bag fluttered everywhere and blurred everyone¡¯s vision. ¡°Huh, if you have a revenge to take, go and see Dimitry in person, kid!¡± ¡°Ku, Ku, Kul! I can¡¯t do that!¡± In a difficult situation where one couldn¡¯t open their eyes, Shirley swung her halberd. Kwang! As the attack fell, a strong aura went along with it and a long deep furrow got created on the ground. Hyrun, who avoided the attack by just a single hair tip, jumped and ran again. ¡°Catch him!¡± ¡°The suspicious one has come out!¡± At the sudden turmoil which began to happen, the knights and soldiers rushed to the site like bees. Hyrun quickly escaped from their incoming attacks and jumped into the river. Splash! ¡°Catch him! Don¡¯t let him out!¡± The soldiers who followed him began to release their arrows. But Hyrun didn¡¯t rise to the surface. Only dozens of arrows hit the water¡¯s surface. Chapter 209 The early advances of the revolutionary army were smooth. The closer they were to the capital, the stronger was the influence of the Marius factions and around 150,000 troops could be blocked with their efforts, and it was nothing less than a suicide to clash with the army. ¡®But once we enter the Konrad region, the story will change.¡¯ Luke had a reason for believing that. Duke Ferrierd had been in the Konrad for long, and most of the villagers and residents believed the ¡®Maron Par¡¯, led by the Archbishop/ Duke. In addition to that, the walls of Eisenberg, the gateway city to Alvera, were known to be very strong and large. Even the first-class canons would get repulsed from the strong walls. ¡°All halt! Today, we camp in here!¡± The messenger ran from the front to the back and told them the words of the chief commander to the army. The 4th squadron settled and set up their camp. Evening dinner, white smoke rose everywhere. ¡°This sounds, a little easy?¡± Speaking of dinner, the subordinate knights spoke. They had been on the march for around 10 days and the enemy wasn¡¯t seen yet. ¡°Are they feeling scared with the thought of such a huge army coming at them by any day?¡± Listening to their words, Luke shook his head and said. ¡°That won¡¯t be the case. Perhaps the enemy will be seen if we continue to march along the way tomorrow, beyond the boundaries of Konrad territory.¡± ¡°Would that happen?¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t drink till late at night.¡± At Luke¡¯s orders, the knights looked very disappointed. A group of mercenaries appeared and talked to them. ¡°Oiku, the fallen noble. You were having dinner. But, will eating the porridge and bread be enough to give you strength?¡± ¡°Right. If it was me, I would catch even a horse and cook it. ¡± ¡°Kul Kul Kul!¡± They belonged to the Garlic mercenaries, who were quite good in the Holy Arthenia empire. Most of them were nomads from the northern meadows, with the number going around 500 and a large mercenary group with around 30 expert class mercenaries. However, unlike the other mercenaries, they didn¡¯t receive any special treatment because they had no Gigants by them. But they found a mercenary with Gigants with them. That too was of a small number and didn¡¯t seem to be as good, and they seemed to like countrymen. After hearing rumors, they knew that he was a fallen noble who was wandering their land. Of course, the Garlic mercenaries were greedy for the Gigants. ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t have to eat like beggars, sell your Gigants over.¡± A nasty mercenary with a little wart on his forehead spoke, stepping forward. His name was Gavel, the captain of Garlic mercenary. It had been an annoying few days, so he asked Aldof who was an expert for help. There was a reason why he remained to be a mercenary despite his outstanding ability. Since he was a nomad, he learned nothing other than to wield a sword. And he could never betray the allegiance he swore for money. In any case, he began to haul around men who seemed similar to him and created a mercenary group. ¡°Look here, can¡¯t you hear what I am saying? The price I do is good!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel like it.¡±, responded Luke. ¡°Uh uh, speak good words when one speaks good.¡± ¡°I would if you would have spoken anything good.¡± When Luke firmly shot back, Gavel silently resigned. But within a while, he soon began to ask again. ¡°Uh, Look at how he is glaring at me? Whom do you think you are looking at! Lower your eyes!¡± Gavel had no intention of paying for the Gigants. Gigant wasn¡¯t something that could be found anywhere, and he wanted to use the good things. That was why he was instigating the Red Wolf Mercenary trying to create a conflict. If the other person pulled out his sword first, then he would have to pay an appropriate amount for that act. And Gavel would complain to the commander of the 4th squadron and ask for a Gigant instead of money as compensation. Because he was a fallen noble, he would have some strong pride and take out the sword. At that time, he would ask for a Gigant as compensation. That was his entire plan. ¡°Captain, please be patient¡­ their guys are¡­¡± When Philip noticed the wicked trick of Gavel, he tried to warn Luke. And Luke had no intention of enduring it. No, rather he had thought very clearly about the situation. For mercenaries like Gavel, there were a lot of those kinds of men and he was going to place a mark for him. When the opportunity strikes, Luke was going to use it. ¡®I have a lot of other things to do too.¡¯ Luke, threw the glove of his hand and filed for a duel with Gavel. ¡°Wah! Duel!¡± ¡°The mercenaries are fighting!¡± The men were bored with a long march. As the news spread about the duel, the soldiers for the 4th squadron flocked like ants. Even the commander, Count Marcus went there. ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± ¡°A match between Gavel from the Garlic mercenary and Lev from the Red Wolf Mercenary.¡± Count Marcus frowned at the report. ¡°What? A fight you say? I surely forbid men from indulging in any friendly fights, right?¡± ¡°But it isn¡¯t a training fight, it is a duel!¡± ¡°Duel? Isn¡¯t a duel done with nobles or knights?¡± ¡°I heard that Lev is a fallen noble. In addition, mercenaries often settle disputes with duels. The only difference is the loser needs to pay a huge reward.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Intrigued by the story of the lieutenant, Marcus too decided to take a look. Chapter 210 As everyone watched the two of them create the stage of their battle, Luke and Gavel stood facing each other in an open area which was around 50 meters wide. ¡°Kuk! I don¡¯t know how scary the world is. You can¡¯t get up first because of poor skills,¡± said Gavel. ¡°Huh, even after knowing that, you still tried to instigate me?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t too late now. How about you just handover the Gigant by backing off? I will generously give you a pass.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about your sword skills, but your mouth surely holds the expert title.¡± ¡°Kuk, this kid¡­! Oh, don¡¯t go crying after I break you, kid!¡± Gavel stated, irritatedly. In fact, Gavel thought that Philip would be the one he would have a duel with and not Luke. It was because he felt a lot of energy from Philip. But then, a blue-eyed kid, who might have been just around his 20s, being the captain of the mercenary, asked for the duel. In front of the seniors of the 4th squadron, Gavel pulled out his sword proudly and said, ¡°I will let you take the lead first, so try to attack as much as you can.¡± Pa-kak! At Gavel¡¯s word, his body bounced backward along with the sound of something breaking. Kuak!¡± Gavel, who flew back around 10 meters above the ground, wobbled while getting up. Not believing what had happened, he looked at Luke. ¡°Captain, above¡­!¡± From behind him came a shout from his subordinates. Gavel was confused and turned his head to see. Luke leaped and pulled out his sword in the air. Puck! Gavel¡¯s body flew 10 meters above the ground again. As he flew back, the soldiers who saw it happened went crazy. ¡°Uaaah, what the hell¡­?¡± ¡°He did ask him to attack first, right? He got his wish delivered to him.¡± Gavel looked awful compared to Luke, which seemed like a ghost. He tried to surrender, but Luke was so fast that he couldn¡¯t do it. From that moment, it was a one-sided beating. Puck! Puck! Puckkcuk! ¡°Dammit, sh*t! All of you! Save the captain!¡± The vice-captain of the Garlic Mercenaries shouted when he saw Gavel¡¯s body turning bloody. As the duel was over, the future of the Garlic Mercenaries seemed obvious. Who would be willing to treat the mercenaries who have been shattered and embarrassed by the so-called leader of the mercenaries? Wouldn¡¯t everyone just ignore them? In the worst-case scenario, their request for higher pay would be declined. If that was going to happen, then they had to crush the kid who was responsible for it. ¡°Wahhh! Save our captain!¡± ¡°Catch that kid and kill him!¡± Leading a group of 30 experts, the Garlic Mercenaries screamed on top of their lungs and entered the vacant lot. After seeing Philip and the other Rakan Knights rushed in¡­ ¡°If you have lost, then learn to admit defeat!¡± ¡°Those bastards! Fall dead!¡± In a very short moment, a battle between the two groups broke out. Four military soldiers tried to rush in, but Count Marcus raised his hand and stopped them from intervening. ¡°Sire, if we leave them be, then¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see what happens,¡± said Marcus. The fight continued in the interest of the commander in chief. The other soldiers watched the battle happened with cheers and excitement. ¡°Wah! Fight!¡± ¡°Die! Bash him to death!¡± The duel between the mercenaries happened very fast. And instead of trying to stop it, people fanned over it more and more. ¡°Well, let¡¯s bet! Put your money here if you think that the Red Wolf Mercenaries are going to win, and put your money here if your pick is the Garlic Mercenaries!¡± Suddenly, a dealer came out. Many assumed that the Garlic Mercenaries would win. Gavel was beaten single handedly by the Red Wolf¡¯s captain, but there were 30 expert knights in the Garlic Mercenaries, and the number of members they had was much higher. However, the result was opposite to the public¡¯s opinion. The Red Wolf Mercenaries, who seemed to have been gotten pushed at the beginning, began to fight on equal grounds a moment later. They then took the upper hand after a while. In particular, Luke stood out the most, hitting the Garlic Mercenaries who were screaming out of disbelief. ¡°Oh my God! Is he really a human?¡± ¡°He strikes as fast as lightning!¡± Luke was behaving like Luke, but the Commander Count Marcus, who was watching the fight, was surprised by the Red Wolf Mercenaries. Their movements were like the wind, strong and heavy. Everyone had such incredible abilities for mercenaries. ¡°No way, are all of the mercenaries in the Red Wolf experts?¡± ¡°Dammit, retreat for now!¡± Once they heard that, the surviving members of the Garlic Mercenaries tried to escape. However, the Red Wolf wasn¡¯t going to let them do that. In addition, the soldiers who placed their bets on the Garlic Mercenaries caught hold of them and pushed them back into the vacant lot. ¡°Where do you think you are going?!¡± ¡°He is a buy, at least show some guts in front of him!¡± 30 minutes later, the fierce battle was over. None of the 500 Garlic Mercenaries stood up. Some of the Red Wolf Mercenaries were injured, but they were all minor nosebleeds and cuts. No one could open their mouths after seeing such a one-sided result. Also, they never knew that the Rakan Knights hadn¡¯t shown their best performance because of Luke¡¯s instructions. Chapter 211 Chapter 211: Red Wolf Mercenaries 4 The next day after their fierce battle with the Garlic Mercenaries. Luke was called by Count Marcus and went over to his barracks to visit him. After the battle was over, Luke was told that the commander was watching the battle, and he expected him to call over Luke for details soon. He didn¡¯t think of the possibility of being punished. If so, then all the Red Wolf Mercenaries would have already been taken into custody by the military police. ¡®This is amazing.¡¯ Luke bowed upon reaching the commander¡¯s barracks. The floor was covered with expensive rugs and silk insignia¡¯s imported from the southern continent and the barracks were decorated. In addition, the equipment in the barracks was lavish. All of the nobility, including the pottery from the Song Empire and lacquer wares of art, were luxuries that covered the barracks. ¡®He is one of the richest people in the Holy Empire, and he had a strong influence on the battlefield.¡¯ While Luke was deep in his thoughts, Count Marcus emerged. ¡°Come on in.¡± ¡°You called for me, Lord?¡± Luke asked. ¡°Yes, I did. Sit down let¡¯s talk.¡± Luke sat in the place where Marcus pointed to. Right then, a female knight who seemed to be the escort knight brought in refreshments. Marcus poured in hot tea and added sugar using a silver spoon. ¡°Your name is Lev?¡± ¡°That is right.¡± Luke nodded as he heard the commander refer to him with the name he registered with. ¡°You¡¯re from the Castia Kingdom? I heard that you were a fallen noble, is that true?¡± ¡®Aldof blew it.¡¯ Some kind of information had been given over, so Luke tried to respond calmly. ¡°That is true.¡± ¡°The thing about Castia Kingdom; that¡¯s a lie, right?¡± There was a reason why Count Marcus asked that. Over the past night, he understood that the Mercenary Captain Lev was Luke in disguise. He was told of the basics by Aldof. In the meantime, he had contacted a business headquarters with magic communication and ordered further investigations. Small mercenary groups with Gigants, even those who lead the expert organizations, felt unusual. ¡°My men surveyed the Castia Mercenary Guild, and it was less than a month since your mercenary group was founded, and they weren¡¯t aware that your mercenary had Gigants.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk honestly, or we will have to regard you as a gang which has invaded our lands as rebels,¡± Marcus stated. Count Marcus stated an ultimatum. Luke took a glance at it. ¡°If I really was a rebel, you¡¯re head would have already been cut off.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± When Count Marcus turned unpleasant, Luke pointed at the tent behind them. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you believe in the escort knights who stand behind you,¡± Luke stated. Was Luke aware of the escort knights that Count Marcus has hidden behind the tent? As Luke spilled the truth, he ran straight over to attack Luke. Moreover, anticipating Luke¡¯s ability, the ambush escorts were placed. They weren¡¯t weak knights who could get caught at a glance. Nevertheless, Luke managed to notice the ambush at once. Marcus once again felt that the skills Luke possessed weren¡¯t normal. Luke smiled to himself as Marcus averted his eyes to stop the energy which was overflowing from Luke¡¯s body. But after a while, with a sober look, he said, ¡°In the past, the Volga Kingdom had a knight called Belik. He turned into a full-time knight at the age of 18 and achieved numerous titles by always being in the frontlines of battle, and at the age of 27, he became the vice-captain of a knights¡¯ division.¡± ¡°Well, I think I have heard of him. Was his nickname the Fire Storm?¡± Fire Storm Belik. It was hoped that the knight would be the sword that would protect the future of the Volga Kingdom, but he was one of the unfortunate knights who had suffered the tragedy during the upheaval of times. ¡°At the time of the republic rebellion in the Volga Kingdom, he struggled against the rebels who were being led by Dimitry and began to act strange. Some say he was caught and executed; some say that he fled away to the southern continent.¡± Luke stopped his story there and placed a broken knife and a piece of paper on the table. ¡°Fire Storm Belik¡­ is my father.¡± ¡°Is that really true?!¡± ¡°You can check the certification. It is a blood certificate issued by the Volga Royal Family.¡± Marcus scrutinized the paper given by Luke. Surely, the paper looked like it had been well kept, and the paper seemed to be as new as one could get, but the deed was written in the exact same way the Volga Royal Family used at that time. Even the seal on it belonged to the Volga. The seals of the royals and higher officials were specially made and could never be forged. ¡®Huh, I can¡¯t help but feel grateful for this. That was made by Sir Pavel.¡¯ Luke knew that something unexpected would happen to his thoroughly established camouflaged status. The blood certificate, the ones handed over to Marcus, was written and made by Sir Pavel, a former member of the bureaucracy and a long-standing exile of the royal family of Volga. The content in it was false, but the certification was true itself. ¡°If you are having a hard time believing it, call out to the oldest mercenary in our group. He was a former knight of the Volga Royal Family.¡± ¡°Then, then the mercenaries that you have¡­¡± Marcus stuttered. ¡°The descendants of the proximal Volga Knights. I dream of monarchy, but I can¡¯t ignore the reality of the world. That is why I am doing mercenary activities.¡± ¡°I see now. Somehow your skills were good.¡± Even if one lived with high ideals, one needed money to eat and live. Marcus, who fully understood their situation, nodded. ¡°Anyway, now that I know the situation, I can talk comfortably.¡± ¡°Talk about what?¡± At the question of Luke, he smiled and answered, ¡°Do you have any intention of working under me? If you become my retainer, I promise to give you great wealth and make you into a Baron.¡± Count Marcus was a tremendously rich man, but the ability of his retainers had fallen. So, he wanted to recruit the Red Wolf Mercenaries, which was composed of Lev and the expert knights of intermediate and higher ranks. Highly skilled mercenaries were often recruited by nobles, so there was no need for one to feel bad or proud. Moreover wasn¡¯t he a descendant of an exiled man? ¡®Got caught!¡¯ Luke smiled inwardly. He could¡¯ve ignored the Garlic Mercenaries and not have a duel with them, but he deliberately accepted it, so he could catch the commander¡¯s attention. Wouldn¡¯t they get a higher chance in the battle to set a title if he only outshone himself? ¡°Uhm, please give me some time to think.¡± Once he caught Marcus, Luke intentionally made him wait. After the civil war, it was Marcus who wanted to get favored and supported. Marcus didn¡¯t assume that Luke would ask for time, which made him ask, ¡°What else could be there for you think? You can get a title and all the beauties that you want.¡± ¡°If I was an average mercenary group, I would have surely accepted your proposal, but we have a goal.¡± ¡°Return to monarchy? Isn¡¯t that too far away from reality? Pyotr II, the last king of Volga, is dead, and even the last princess has been removed by the republicans¡­¡± ¡°Well, there are other rumors.¡± ¡°Other rumors? Oh, the one saying that the pope resembles the princess of Volga, but she isn¡¯t the princess. I have seen The Holiness with my very own eyes.¡± ¡°You witnessed it?¡± ¡°Yes, at the funeral of the former pope Benedict III. At that time¡­¡± Marcus had given Luke a lengthy story. Upon hearing that story, Luke confirmed that she indeed made her appearance at the same time when she went missing. However, he couldn¡¯t see why Reina hadn¡¯t tried to contact him for the past two years. ¡®When she first appeared, she acted like a kid? What the hell happened in the Spirit World for her to completely lose all her memories?¡¯ This meant that if Luke did manage to meet her in the future, she might not recognize Luke or Victor. Luke was feeling down at that point, but his idea of taking Reina seemed to bring him some strength. A woman, who couldn¡¯t even keep it together, was being used as a puppet. ¡°It isn¡¯t just my decision. I need to persuade my subordinates too, so please give me some time.¡± ¡°How long will I have to wait?¡± ¡°I will give you a confirmation after this is done.¡± Marcus felt upset with that, but he wasn¡¯t feeling reluctant any longer. And all thanks to him, Luke didn¡¯t have to suffer any longer and was able to come out of the Count¡¯s barracks with a smile. Chapter 212 Chapter 212: Red Wolf Mercenaries 5 ¡°Lord, what did Count Marcus say?¡± The moment Luke returned back to his mercenary¡¯s camp, Philip came out of his tent and asked. ¡°To move under him.¡± ¡°Well, just as the Lord has expected.¡± After the battle with the Garlic Mercenary, Philip asked Luke why he was obligated to file for a duel. He wanted to hear Luke¡¯s reason. ¡°So you accepted his request?¡± ¡°Crazy? Emperor Rudolf himself can¡¯t subdue me, and you think I will bow down in front of a merchant?¡± ¡°Ha ha ha, I guess so. But, it makes no sense for you to fight with the Garlic Mercenary if you are going to refuse the request of the count, right?¡± Asked Philip. ¡°Which is why I have asked him to give me some time until this march ends.¡± ¡°You did well. Now you can take a deep breath and show your skills freely. I feel very sorry for those rebels who go against you, but they are going to get smashed¡­¡± It was when Philip was speaking. They could hear a noise outside, and Victor who was leading the knights, entered the barracks. ¡°What is happening outside?¡± At the question from Philip, who was annoyed with the interruption. ¡°The Garlic mercenary have entered our camp once again.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon? I don¡¯t get it, are those kids really that stupid?¡± ¡°I think we need to give them an example as to what happens if they do the same stuff over again.¡± Spoke Luke, with anger in his eyes. Burning with anger, Luke went straight out of the barracks. The knights, who saw the Garlic mercenaries confronted them. ¡°What is it? You want to fight once again?¡± When Luke narrowed his eyes and asked, Gavel looking embarrassed knelt down in front of him. Followed by the other men of his mercenary. ¡°Please accept us!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I am willing to dismantle the Garlic Mercenary and join the Red Wolf Mercenary. So please accept us!¡± Gavel along with countless other men of his group pleaded and begged Luke. However, Luke¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t change at all. It was because he was able to read yet another greedy and sneaky deceit in them by approaching him while looking all ashamed for their actions. ¡®Gavel¡¯s men, all because they all lost to me, they think they can blame me. They lost in front of so many people, so they are no longer a huge mercenary group and they won¡¯t be funded that well.¡¯ When Luke was feeling all cynical, Victor approached him. ¡°Lord, take them in.¡± ¡°Why? Is there any strong reason for us to do that?¡± ¡°Anyway, having more troops will cause a better merit on our war record.¡± ¡°Then, what if they decide to betray us?¡± ¡°Huhu, I don¡¯t think we are so lacking in our skills to fall for their betrayal.¡± At those words of Victor, Luke nodded. As a result of the direct fight, one would realize that the reputation of the Garlic mercenary was plainly exaggerated. Gavel, who was known to be a Higher Expert, was actually an intermediate Expert, and the other mercenaries who were told to be lower Experts, were barely on the Expert level. In addition, there were many swordsmen in the mercenary, but in the 500 of them, there was rarely a person who could go against one Rakan knight. ¡°And if you are worried about betrayal, you won¡¯t even have to think about it. Don¡¯t we have a very outstanding talent in that area?¡± Saying that, Victor looked over at Philip. Philip smiled meaningfully while listening to it. If the one who said that was Alex or Kaper, the instructor would have felt surely fed up! ¡®Well, it is true that we need men to fight.¡¯ Luke will accept the Garlic mercenary under one condition. ¡°Condition¡­?¡± When Gavel asked for it, Luke stomped on the ground. ¡°You guys will get to take fencing training under us.¡± ¡°Fencing?¡± Asked Gavel. ¡°Yes, I think that you should try to fill in the places where you lack.¡± Luke¡¯s words lighted the faces of Gavel and his men. But they didn¡¯t have the desire to learn swords. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t like it? Then leave the thought of joining.¡± ¡°Ah, no, it isn¡¯t like that. Rather it was something we wanted to ask too.¡± In fact, they decided to join the Red Wolf Mercenary after watching Luke enter the Commander Barracks. When he noticed that the commander was interested in him, he wanted to get under him. ¡®This guy seems to have the eyes of the commander on him, so if we get under him, we will have a lot of opportunities.¡¯ To fall under a young man and raise his money and swordsmanship. Gavel wanted to remove the humiliation he felt that day before and be reborn. ¡®Just as my father said, a man¡¯s revenge isn¡¯t too late even after 10 years.¡¯ Gavel smiled not realizing it. But unfortunately for him, the fact that Philip and the Rakan knights were as sneaky and bloodthirsty as everyone else. Chapter 213 Just as Luke had predicted, the enemy began to hunt them until the borders of the Konrad territory. The day wasn¡¯t far away, and a small number of troops had carried out day raids or night raids. However, the attacks weren¡¯t severe enough for the subordinates to suffer. The only problem was that the sudden surprise attacks were slowing down their advancing forces and making the soldiers tired. In addition, the soldiers who didn¡¯t get to fight in the raids were accumulating restlessness, and their morale was falling down. Among them, the 1st squadron was the most tired. It was because the enemy¡¯s concentration of attack was at the forefront of the army. Marquis Valentino, the chief commander of the Anti-Revolutionary Army, changed the positions of the 1st squadron with that of the 4th squadron which was at the rear. Count Marcus, who had been transferred the mission of the 1st squadron, was leading his unit in the front. ¡®Is this going to be my chance to establish merit?¡¯ Thinking of the upcoming opportunity, he quickly ordered his unit to close the border. He wanted to flatten out the proud noses of the other generals who ignored them. But unfortunately, no enemy had appeared. As soon as duties were changed, the 4th squadron wasn¡¯t being attacked. Marcus, who had a lot of expectations was grunting to himself. ¡®Tch, cowards!¡¯ Three days later, the Anti-Revolutionary army had arrived at an open field. ¡°Wah, there is a farmland over there!¡± ¡°All through the north, south, east and west, we only see the yellow and small hills!¡± The knights who saw the Meltlin Plain, the largest granary of the Holy Arthenia Empire, burst out. The Baroque Empire too had many granary areas, but none of them were as fertile and as spacious as Meltlin Plains. Meltlin plains were so fertile and blessed that they accounted for about half the total production of food for the Holy Empire. The emergence of the Meltlin Plains meant that the next stop was going to be Duke Perrierd. ¡°If we go a little further, a huge town will come. For tonight, we will rest there, so advance!¡± At the command, all the soldiers moved fast. The 4th squadron marched in the front and began to move quickly. Have they gone longer? As they had passed several hilly regions, Luke stared at Count Marcus with a serious expression. ¡°Count.¡± ¡°What is it, captain Lev?¡± Count Marcus who was talking with the staff, looked over at Luke. Although Marcus had failed to get Luke under him right away, he continued to treat him well. So, without being restrained by the knights, Luke was able to meet with the Count right away. Luke pointed to a hill. ¡°There is a possibility that the enemy is right behind there. I think we need to search the place thoroughly and then pass.¡± At those words, the nobles next to the Count looked at Luke feeling ridiculed. ¡°What are you talking about? The scouts have already looked over. How many can be hidden behind such a small hill?! There is no time to waste! We need to get to the village by night, and it was the command!¡± As the march had slowed down, the commands had been given to speed it up. And there could be a rebuke for spending time in scrutinizing the hills. But Luke didn¡¯t back away from the argument. ¡°What would you do if a surprise attack comes from there?¡± ¡°What did you say? How dare a mercenary commander to speak like¡­!¡± When the two men broke into an argument, Count Marcus looked flustered. Luke and the Red Wolf mercenary were the kind of talent that he would definitely want to recruit. However, the noble, who rebelled against Luke¡¯s opinion, had military experience. ¡°We need to search, sire!¡± ¡°No, it can¡¯t be done, if there is no ambush, the Commander General will discipline us for wasting time.¡± Count Marcus wasn¡¯t interfering, but he was feeling a lot of mixed feelings at that moment. The 2nd squadron commander who was right behind the 4th squadron approached them. ¡°Marcus, what are you doing without moving? Are you picking up gold or banging some bitch?¡± At the words of Maxim, the commander of 2nd squadron, Marcus frowned. Maxim was a paladin and was currently a coordinator of the paladin knights of the Marius faction, a rival of Count Marcus. So naturally, they didn¡¯t harbor a good relationship, and at the frowned face of Count Marcus, opened his mouth. ¡°It isn¡¯t like that, there might be an ambush up ahead, so we are discussing it over with the subordinates.¡± ¡°Huh, you weren¡¯t deciding, you are scared. If you are afraid, let the 2nd squadron take the lead.¡± At those words, Bishop Maxim didn¡¯t listen to the words of Marcus and ordered his troops to overtake the 4th squadron. Count Marcus who was turned into a coward, was already trying to push ahead, but the 2nd squadron was already reaching for the hill way ahead of the 4th squadron. Even though half of both squadrons entered from the path between the hills, they weren¡¯t attacked. In that situation, Marcus turned very displeased with Luke. ¡°Captain Lev! Because of listening to your useless words, I have been turned into a coward. How do you plan on bearing responsibility for this¡­?¡± When the Count was taking out his anger on Luke. Suddenly, a huge fire began in the middle of the two hills, and the fire didn¡¯t stop anytime soon. Kwang! Kwang! Puchk! Gunpowder which was buried into the ground reacted with fire magic and created huge explosions that gave out a massive mushroom cloud. The shock wave was so massive that it turned the nearby Gigants into scrap metals, and the tsunami-like flame devoured the soldiers. ¡°Kwaahhh!¡± ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Save, please save me!¡± Knights and soldiers wrapped in flame were struggling for their lives. However, no one dared to even get close to them. Hell-like fires couldn¡¯t be extinguished, and the gunpowder explosion which had destroyed the Gigant¡¯s core engines and wagons were causing them to explode. In addition, an ambush of the rebels had spilled over. They had dug around the hills and hid themselves very carefully. ¡°Move out!¡± ¡°How dare you trample on our hometown! Don¡¯t let even one of them live!¡± Bishop Maxim, who was leading the group had felt like he had been stabbed multiple times by the rebels who poured out like a tribe. Count Marcus and the noble who had looked at Luke seeing the situation unfold, couldn¡¯t keep quiet. The first to speak was the Count, who looked over at Luke. ¡°Uh, Captain Lev. I hope you give me a lot of advice in the future too.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir. But shouldn¡¯t we be saving our allies first?¡± ¡°Of course, we need to help, first report to the Chief Commander¡­¡± Rather watching for more devastation, Marcus hoped for salvation. It wasn¡¯t long, but both the squadrons were struggling with the fire. ¡°Don¡¯t! Dammit! Don¡¯t scatter!¡± ¡°Gigant troops, cover the allies!¡± At the very least, the paladins and the officers who were left tried to control the squads, and thanks to that, they have managed to avoid further damage. In addition, after saving the 4th squadron from the fire, the rebels quickly began to retreat. In terms of power, only 20 Gigants were there in their troops. They weren¡¯t stupid enough to conduct an all-out war against 150,000 troops with hundreds of Gigant. In addition, the goal wasn¡¯t the destruction of the army. It was to hit the army¡¯s heart and defeat their momentum, so when they achieved the goal, they turned back without regret. ¡°Good night, idiot! We¡¯ll play again next time!¡± ¡°Uh! Stand there!¡± The rebels were tried to be chased, but they managed to escape by throwing smoke bombs. At any rate, the battle was over, and the army was investigating who had suffered damage. ¡°10,000 deaths?¡± ¡°More than 30 Gigants are done.¡± Less than a handful had suffered from the ambush, but it still was a loss. Naturally, Bishop Maxim, the commander of 2nd squadron had turned into the target for the act, and his position was narrowed by the fact that he overran the warning of the 4th squadron commander about a possible ambush. Count Marcus opened his mouth to consolidate Maxim who made it alive. ¡°Tch, this was too much. Because of this coward, we only get to blame the warriors.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, Bishop Maxim. Today we might have fall into a mouse hole, but what might happen tomorrow is something of a mystery, so no one knows. Maybe a bright sun will shine through the rat hole?¡± Bishop Maxim¡¯s face turned distorted by shame and anger at the ridiculing consolation from Marcus. Understanding his crumbled frowned expression, Count Marcus threw out a laugh and stepped out. Chapter 214 Chapter 214: Start of War 2 To reach Alvera the capital of Konrad Territory, they had to pass through the Meltrin Plains. It was Eisenberg, the city famous for its walls. Originally the Konrad Region had a heterogeneous dynasty based on the dwarves. Eisenberg, for the capital of Alvera, was built as a fortress to defend the place. The fortress was further enlarged after the region was conquered by the Holy Empire and eventually turned into a gateway city that one should definitely pass through to reach Alvera from Bless. In the office at the lordship overlooking the city of Eisenberg, there were two men standing. It was the right hand of Duke Ferrierd, Marquis Parker, and Lazlie the lord of Flying Dragons. ¡°The army will get here by tomorrow.¡± The first to speak was Marquis Parker. He was one of the top generals of the Holy Empire, and he had spent more time fighting for the empire compared to anyone else. However, at some point, there was a division in the empire, and the faction of Constantine had come to power, and the opposing faction of Duke Ferrierd declared self-independence and turned into the leader of the rebel army. When the imperial army was placed in front of their region, the feelings were mutual for every lord. There could be some comrades in the imperial army, with whom he might have fought together back in his days. ¡°The reinforcements have already arrived, and they have been fully briefed. The enemies won¡¯t be able to go beyond Eisenberg,¡± responded Lazlie. ¡°Of course, that is known.¡± Marquis Parker nodded his head at the words of Lazlie about the reinforcements. As long as they participated in the rebellion, the Holy Empire was their only enemy. The fights with the enemies and the break downs, he decided to think about those at a later time. ¡°No other ambush operation will work on them, right?¡± ¡°It did work very well at the start, but since they have already been hit, they will be on a constant lookout. Any more sudden acts would only end up eating more of our power, I don¡¯t think it will make any sense to do that.¡± ¡°Then, are we just left with the option of fighting them head-on?¡± According to the information from their spies, the Anti-Revolutionary War Army totaled to 150,000 with 500 Gigants and 3,000 knights. They were hit once in the Meltrin Plains, but although they had lost some of their power, they were still way ahead of the rebels or the Konrad Kingdom. They had the power to push away the Konrad Kingdom with great force, so Marquis Parker wasn¡¯t terrified. The walls of Eisenberg city were tall and thick and had incredible power inside of them. In addition, the Holy Empire didn¡¯t know that they weren¡¯t dealing with just one force of the kingdom. It was the Flying Dragons. The Gigants, artillery, and other weapons were being supported by the other empires. Not just that. The mercenary forces came to their aide as well, and those mercenaries filled what they were lacking. ¡°Maybe they will be shocked.¡± The imperial forces might be shocked to see the Konrad Kingdom come with unexpected power. An army that got crushed before the start of war could never win. Marquis Parker, the former right-hand man of the Holy Empire, seemed confident. ¡°How do you plan on using the troops supported by the neighbors?¡± Lazlie asked with curiosity building inside of him. ¡°Those men are going to place their troops in front of their regions. They will have to pay a lumpy price for not taking part even after the King¡¯s orders to convene in the war.¡± In Konrad, there were dozens of other estates in addition to Duke Ferrierd¡¯s. Half of them actively responded to the rebel uprising, but the other half appeared here and there with no official response. The fact that none of the nobles could have retained their place without the help of Duke Ferrierd, put them in a helpless situation. ¡°I see. Will the first battle be a Gigantic duel?¡± At another question from Lazlie, Parker nodded his head. ¡°It will be. That will be the best way to boost the morale of our allies and beat the enemy.¡± It had been a very long time since a Gigantic duel had taken place. Arch Duke Gregory, the strongest knight, and the other Saint Guards were the strongest opponents one could ask for. However, for some untold reason, Arch Duke Gregory and the Saint Guards didn¡¯t participate in the Anti-Revolutionary War. The army still had a few Sword Masters, but they didn¡¯t have enough Sword Masters to give them an advantage. ¡®The mercenary captain and the assault captain, who came as reinforcements, are Sword Masters, right? If they are, then they might take care of all the tough ones.¡¯ A letter from Duke Ferrierd stated that the mercenary captain of the Flying Dragons was Count Ferrero of the Baroque Empire, which meant that he would surely take out one or two Sword Masters of the enemy. ¡®Okay, if we can go on like this, then we might be able to win the battle just like we have intended!¡¯ With a hopeful look, he opened the door of the office to finish all the necessary preparations before the enemy reached them. However, he didn¡¯t realize that Lazlie, whom he had left behind, didn¡¯t have the same shinning cold eyes as before. Chapter 215 Chapter 215: Start of War 3 ¡°Oh my! My back hurts!¡± ¡°Uhk! Everything I ate this morning is going to come up!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think my legs can stand any longer.¡± ¡°Kuek¡­ How long are we supposed to even do this?!¡± Of the 4 squadrons that were leading the Anti-Revolutionary Army, there were hundreds of mercenaries who had begun to feel sick. All of them, who were marching, were dragging their swords like sticks, and their faces were yellow. It was because they were carrying a military command which was many times higher than normal soldiers would. When the sounds of struggles came out, the men, riding a horse on the left and right side, hit the mercenaries. ¡°Uh! What are you doing? Why aren¡¯t you stretching your back?¡± ¡°Why is that guy sitting over there?!¡± ¡°March faster! Don¡¯t you see that you¡¯re slowing us down!¡± The ones shouting were the Rakan Knights, and the ones who were marching to their death were Red Wolf¡¯s newcomers. Gavel and the other Garlic Mercenaries were becoming fed up with the Rakan Knights who were training them. ¡°Those demons!¡± ¡°They can¡¯t be anything other than a race of demons!¡± Some of the mercenaries, who were mumbling under their breath, burst into anger at Gavel. ¡°The captain asked me to join the Red Wolf Mercenaries!¡± ¡°What did you say? But you did agree to it!¡± ¡°Dammit! Who would have thought that things would turn out like this?¡± After joining the Red Wolf Mercenaries, Gavel¡¯s group was being pushed to death. They were teaching sword fighting through duels, and most of them used unilateral paddle steaming. In addition, they told newcomers to develop their physical strength. The newcomers were made to carry heavy army goods and food. In addition, they were not allowed to drink alcohol or smoke. ¡°Just leave this. I am going to die before I even reach Eisenberg.¡± ¡°This! They might kill us the moment we decide to leave.¡± At the suggestion of his members, Gavel slammed his hands. In fact, he was the one who was regretting it the most. If he could, he really wanted to go back in time and not make the same foolish mistake that he did. But even if he could go back in time, he couldn¡¯t be a mercenary anymore. Even a free-spirited mercenary would have to pay compensation if they withdraw from the war, and the punishment would be severe. The punishment would be almost equal to the one given to soldiers. Soldiers that leave their armies in time of war would be given the death penalty. The Red Wolf Mercenaries definitely belonged to the latter. No, not even the Holy Empire could intervene if the Red Wolf decided to act. The vilest person out of them was Philip. ¡®Bastard! He hits and then hits us again and doesn¡¯t even compliment us after doing all that!¡¯ Philip was on a horse and riding right in front of Gavel. The grueling march ended after two days, revealing the large and magnificent walls of Eisenberg. The Anti-Revolutionary Army arrived at the forefront of it and settled on the plains around the wall. ¡°Notify all the forces! Be quick and get ready for the siege!¡± At the command of the general commander, after a short break, they set up shelters and barriers around them. At that moment, the gate opened and a group of soldiers came out. There were several heavy armored Gigants. The one standing at the front shouted. ¡°I am the vice-captain of the Red Roses Knights of Konrad Kingdom, Viscount Temer! If there is anyone who can take on my sword, come forward!¡± The Anti-Revolutionary Army and the riders began to discuss. Luke heard his words and smiled. ¡®Hoo! A Gigantic Duel!? A legacy of the past that we¡¯ll get to witness once again.¡¯ The Gigantic Duel. It was a battle system that had each side send a Gigant to battle each other. It was very different from wars where all the Gigant riders fought. To make sure that soldiers wouldn¡¯t withdraw from the war or get caught in duels between Gigants, Gigantic Duels took place before a war started to avoid loss. Many riders applied for the Gigantic Duel and tried to show off their strength to increase the morale of their knights. Over time, however, strategies and tactics began to diverge, and rational and computational trends began to prevail. The results seemed to be much more important than just boosting the morale and honor of the knights. No one thought that they would be able to see a Gigantic Duel, which wasn¡¯t taking place in the Holy Arthenia Empire. ¡°Well, this is the age of Gigant battles¡­¡± ¡°It is probably a conservative and tradition-oriented decision since this is a God based nation?¡± Philip and Victor watched the situation unfold with Luke. The Anti-Revolutionary Army was using blue Gigants. A snarling voice came out of a blue Gigant, which was armed with a mace and a round shield. ¡°Huh, somebody said it was Viscount Temer. I know him. He was notorious for pissing himself in the border when he faced the Talez Kingdom.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°Oh, he pissed himself!¡± At the words of the blue Gigant rider, all the riders began to laugh. When the laughter began to ring in the plains, Temer¡¯s face became red. Twenty years ago, Viscount Temer, who joined the battlefield for the very first time, peed in the cockpit of a Gigant as it was his first time. He wasn¡¯t intimidated, scared or nervous. As the battle went on for too long, he didn¡¯t have a place to go relieve himself and thus came the result. But for the army to insult his honor by using an inevitable accident! ¡°You! Who are you¡­?¡± ¡°You are asking me? I¡¯m the one who wanted the same woman that you liked in the past, Viscount Jukebal.¡± ¡°Kuk! Jukebal, you bastard!¡± The two men worked on the same unit and liked the same woman. Naturally, the two turned up having a bad relationship and decided to settle things with a duel. The duel ended up being a draw. The problem, however, was that the woman had no feelings for either of them and ended up marrying another person. Rather than sharing the pain of being misled, the two of them, thinking it was the other man¡¯s fault, became enemies. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, Lyria could have been my wife!¡± ¡°Shut up! If you didn¡¯t tear off that note¡­!¡± Both of the riders were arguing over it for a while. In addition to their lingering hate and love fight, there were things about them going to a picnic during the military academy, stealing lunches and telling their instructor about going to the red light district secretly. As a result, both the riders began to feel uncomfortable. ¡°Be prepared, Temer! I¡¯ll make sure to put ¡®Pissed Traitor¡¯ on your headstone!¡± ¡°Huh! I¡¯ll bash your skull into pieces!¡± The two riders had finally begun to fight. Rushing in, their shields clashed. The two Gigants soon fought a fierce battle between a mace and sword. Kwang! Chang-! Unlike their quarrel, the two riders were good enough to duel. It was quite exciting to see gigantic 10-meter tall Gigants duking it out. ¡°Viscount Jukebal go and win this!¡± ¡°Viscount Temer! Don¡¯t get pushed around!¡± The soldiers began to cheer from both sides by screaming the name of their respective rider. Kwang! Pah! Both Gigants would strongly collide, moved back or tumble down. The skills of the two experts were very similar. In addition, both the Gigants seemed to be a knight class, so they didn¡¯t fight for long. ¡°It looks like Jukebal might win.¡± Philip who was watching the game predicted. ¡°No, Temer will,¡± stated Luke ¡°Uh? You think so? But Jukebal¡¯s sword skills are good, and his Gigant¡¯s performance seems to be better as well.¡± Philip asked Luke with a face that looked like he didn¡¯t understand the reason. ¡°Of course, Jukebal is better in terms of skills and Gigant performance, but Temer is a Rune Knight¡± ¡°Uh? Rune Knight?¡± ¡°Yeah, it doesn¡¯t seem like it has been too long since he has learned magic, but in tight battles like this one, just one variable can change the entire game.¡± Luke read the stream of mana that was flowing through Temer¡¯s Gigant and realized that he was a Rune Knight. Not surprisingly, when Jukebal, who was ready to take his victory, raised his mace for a final blow, Temer began to cast his magic. ¡°Grease!¡± ¡°Uh!¡± Although he was a 1st circle secondary magic, the magic released at that state was fatal. As the floor slipped, Jukebal¡¯s Gigant lost balance and leaned forward. Temer pierced him with his huge sword without missing the timing. Kwak! Temer¡¯s giant sword pierced the breastplate accurately and through the cockpit. ¡°Ahh!¡± The soldiers of the Anti-Revolutionary Army couldn¡¯t help but scream when they saw Jukebal fell. They all seemed sad. Thump! As the rider lost, Jukebal¡¯s body fell. ¡°Wah! We won!¡± ¡°Long live Viscount Temer!¡± On the walls of the Konrad Kingdom, the soldiers threw their helmets in the air and celebrated. Temer looked proud after seeing the fallen Gigant of Jukebal. Although he was victorious, he felt sad after realizing that the enemy¡¯s life was gone. But when he turned around, the Gigant riders from the Anti-Revolutionary Army jumped in. ¡°Wait, Viscount Temer! I will be the one to deal with you next!¡± ¡°Who might you be?¡± At the question from Temer, the knight from the Anti-Revolutionary Army drew out his sword and revealed his identity. ¡°I am Alfred, a senior paladin representing Marius. I want to take revenge for my close acquaintance.¡± Alfred wasn¡¯t a close acquaintance of Jukebal. He had just appeared there under the command of Bishop Maxim. Commander Bishop Maxim, the 2nd squadron commander, asked him to apply for a duel to revive him from the embarrassment that he suffered during the ambush. ¡°Huh, the fallen priest who sells the name of God.¡± Marius was training paladins in the name of protecting temples and believers in various parts of different nations. And the paladins that were born for that purpose lead the way to help rather than fulfill their duties. In the presence of officers and bishops, they had to follow another set of rules. Alfred raised his voice at the criticism of Temer. ¡°How dare you say such things! Kneel and repent!¡± ¡°Repent you say? Don¡¯t try to be funny! The one who should repent is your denomination! Your Lord will surely punish you!¡± ¡°Ahhh!¡± Alfred, who could no longer listen to Temer, rushed in while screaming. Thump! The Gigant Alfred was riding on was Paladin. It was a knight class developed seven years ago by the Arthenia Royal Magic Tower. ¡°Holy Sword!¡± A pale radiant glow began to emerge from Paladin¡¯s giant sword and attacked Temer¡¯s Gigant. ¡°Huh, a holy sword? You can¡¯t beat me with such a weak and sneaky trick!¡± Temer reacted without rushing in or losing his calm. Kang! Kang! The two Gigants, anticipating what was going to happen next, engaged in a fierce battle. Originally, Alfred¡¯s skills were intermediate. However, with the ability of the Holy Paladin and the unique sword skills of the Holy Sword, he was able to push Temer, a Sword Master. Normally, that wouldn¡¯t be enough to push him, but Temer had already used most of his energy in his fight against Jukebal. In addition, he was adversely affected by the situation. ¡°Uh, Grease!¡± When he began to get pushed, Temer used magic. However, it didn¡¯t work. As soon as his magic began to appear, the antimagic circle engraved on Paladin¡¯s glove neutralized the magic. Temer was flustered and tried other spells such as Wind and Press in addition to Grease, but none of them worked. ¡°You think you can win with that?!¡± ¡°Kuk! If you are so perfect¡­¡± Slash! Eventually, Temer¡¯s Gigant¡¯s head flew off when it was his by Paladin¡¯s sword, ending the game. ¡°Uhm, did you see that? We paladins can do this, Huhuhu!¡± As the subordinates struck the final hit, Bishop Maxim, with proudness on his shoulders, smiled and spoke triumphantly to the nobles around him. Seeing him act like that, Count Marcus couldn¡¯t help but feel sick. Chapter 216 Chapter 216: Gigantic Duel 1 The first day¡¯s Gigantic Duel had ended naturally. 7 wins, 2 draws, and 8 losses. The army was being pushed back a little, but including Jukebal, only three riders were killed. ¡°The first day¡¯s Gigantic Duel was just a taste. Tomorrow, I am going to send out some very good guys to flatten their noses!¡± Bishop Maxim screamed in front of Marquis Valentino, the chief commander of the revolutionary army. Indeed, as he had said, from the second day the real talents had come out. But the results were completely different from what Maxim had expected from his subordinates. Kwang! Pung! Another Gigant¡¯s body shattered and flew into the sky. When the upper body had shattered, the rider died instantly. ¡°Oh my, we lost again!¡± ¡°Dammit, from where did such a monster show up¡­¡± On the second day, when the Gigantic duel had begun, from the rebel side, a halberd Gigant had come out. At first, everyone thought that it was just another knight. It was because the Gigant which had come out was a warrior class Gigant, Centurion- a commonly used Gigant in the Holy Empire. However, as a result of direct movement, the enemy Gigant was so amazing that it couldn¡¯t be seen as a regular centurion. In addition, the rebel riders seemed to be very strong. Riders kept flying away from the Anti-revolutionary side, and Paladin Alfred, who brought in victories for the army, ended up on the ground. ¡°What? Is there anyone else who wants to challenge me? I¡¯m very bored, so come on out already!¡± Hearing the voice of the rider, the army turned shocked. A woman, rather like a voice of a pretty young girl. ¡°8 consecutive losses in the hands of a girl¡­ does anyone know the identity of that rider?¡± The revolutionary army had built a large watchtower. Over there, an elderly old man who was watching the Gigantic Duel with a telescope which was enchanted with Hawkeye magic. He was Marquis Valentino, the chief commander of the Anti-Revolutionary army. He was a general who didn¡¯t make much of a good name in the military, but he was appointed as the chief commander by Archbishop Constantine to silence the dissatisfaction of the military. The wife of Marquis was a member of the Marius faction, so it wasn¡¯t like it happened without any ties. ¡°Sorry. Have you heard anything¡­¡± Marquis Valentino shook his head as he saw the commander bow their heads. ¡®I have never heard of any such knights in our empire, who could they be?¡¯ If one was capable in the Holy Empire, then they were known. Before they began to camp, he even asked for the news from the intelligence department. Among them, as young as the girl¡¯s voice seemed, there was no mention. ¡°Chief Commander, I feel like we should let the Sword Master.¡± At the words from his lieutenant, he looked puzzled. ¡°Already?¡± ¡°It is clear that the siege that has happened to us, has boosted the morale of our enemies, and it will get tiring if left alone.¡± ¡°Hmm, that shouldn¡¯t lead to that.¡± Marquis Valentino looked at the three Sword Masters or Sword Master Paladin. The commander of the 1st squadron was a Sword Master, and in the 2nd and 3rd squadron, there seemed to be one Sword Master Paladin. But he couldn¡¯t just ask them to enter the war. Sword Masters were the last weapons used of each noble family, and to use them, he would have obtained the consent of their noble. ¡°Who should I take?¡± ¡°Huh, Hum!¡± ¡°Ah, my waist hurts all of sudden¡­¡± ¡°I feel like something fell in my eyes.¡± As Marquis Valentino spoke, the three commanders pretended to act as if they didn¡¯t hear anything. Honestly, one day or the other the Sword master would have to play. But even then, they wanted to make a nice last appearance and finish stuff. Moreover, the rebel¡¯s female rider¡¯s skills weren¡¯t normal to deal with. And they would have to lose their battle, and they wanted to avoid such embarrassment. As the three commanders were trying to escape, a loud voice spoke out. ¡°Is this how you act?! Then I will nominate them and place them in order¡­¡± Valentino was about to pick one out. Suddenly, from the army¡¯s side, a Gigant had stepped out. ¡°Huh? who is that?¡± After the Gigant came into sight, they realized that the form was very rare to witness in the Holy Empire. The Marquis looked at the commanders of the units. ¡°It isn¡¯t the nation¡¯s Gigant¡­ maybe something in the territory?¡± At the question of the chief commander Marquis, all the 1st, 2nd and 3rd squadron¡¯s commanders shook their head. At that time, Count Marcus raised his hand and spoke with a stern expression. ¡°The Gigant belongs to the Red Wolf Mercenary, which is currently under my command.¡± ¡°What? A mercenary has participated?¡± ¡°Uh! Maybe he has a death wish!¡± ¡°Where did you find a mercenary to place in such war?!¡± All the commanders had ridiculed expressions on their faces. The enemy¡¯s riders were presumed to be an expert superman. But, they were a little glad if the mercenary was an Expert. ¡°I, I too don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t ordered him to act.¡± When people began to criticize him, Count Marcus seemed embarrassed and tried to make excuses for it. And he was annoyed with the Red Wolf Mercenary. In fact, he did think of placing the 4th squadron¡¯s riders from the second day itself. But he only wanted to show the other commanders his victorious side and was terribly confused when he saw the strong opponent. But, for that to have happened without him giving out any instructions! ¡®Lev, what the hell is he thinking¡­¡¯ If things went wrong, Luke would surely be held accountable. Count Marcus, who was very determined to take action, decided to at least keep his calm in front of Marquis Valentino. Chapter 217 Chapter 217: Gigantic Duel 2 ¡°Captain, is that man a Higher Advanced Expert?¡± Philip asked Luke who was in front of him with his arms crossed and staring at the match. Until then, the enemy Gigant riders had all been Experts with Intermediate or higher Expert ranks. Until then, the advanced riders seemed to be at the least best, but none of them were able to catch the eyes of Philip. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Not a Higher Advanced? Then, just Advanced?¡± Among the knights, there were those who were particularly good at maneuvering Gigants. Such men often used to propagate their abilities through the Gigants, and sometimes they were able to win a battle against those who were better than them too. ¡°That isn¡¯t the sound made by an Advanced, but somewhere around the edge of a Master.¡± Stated Luke. ¡°Ehk! Like a Spear master?¡± ¡°Yeah. Even then would you like to fight?¡± It was often said that the swordsman was often 3 times stronger than combat fighter and that the spearmen were often 3 times stronger than the swordsmen. It was just an objective judgment that calculated the length and interval of the weapon used, and it wasn¡¯t absolute. But it still had some impact on how the battle went. So Luke asked, and instead of pulling out, Philip shook his hand and smiled. ¡°Kukuku, of course, I want to get in. If not now, when will I ever have an opportunity to fight with a Master, that too in a Gigantic Duel?¡± ¡°You might even die. Even if you manage to come back alive, won¡¯t it be embarrassing to live?¡± ¡°That is my concern to deal with. Anyway, I hope you let me enter.¡± Stated Philip. Philip constantly had trial battles with Luke or Rogers, often with Gigants too, both in his time of military service and Luke¡¯s. But no practice was the same when their lives are at stake. Seeing Philip¡¯s determination, Luke nodded. ¡°Fine, go ahead. Instead, you¡¯ll have to train for one month of hell instead, so you¡¯d better squeeze out every single power left in you.¡± ¡°Hut, see you later.¡± The moment Luke¡¯s permission fell, Philip got into his Gigant. Luke joined the anti-revolutionary army and pulled out five Gigant that he had kept in the sub space bracelet. And among the five Gigants that were hidden in a nearby forest, was Philip¡¯s baby, Marina. Marina, the originally Sting II of the Hallis Magic tower, had been steadily improved by the Iron Mages of Luke and the Katarina Magic tower for the past two years. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Marina. Let¡¯s take down that Spear Master!¡± ¡°Ahh, is there no one else other than this uninteresting old man?¡± Shirley was disguised in a Hector Gigant which had been disguised as a Centurion and began to yawn. ¡°I am so hungry¡­¡± Thinking that she would face fierce fights, she had eaten early breakfast and entered the morning battles, but none of the riders from the army turned out to be good opponents. Five of them ignored her as she was a young girl and ended up getting smashed, and the other three were too nervous to even show their skills. ¡°Are all the Sword Masters of the Anti-Revolutionary Army old and near to death?¡± Mumbling to herself, Shirley took out a pouch from her pocket and ate the cookies which she stuffed in them. While she was soothing her empty stomach with sweets, another Gigant appeared from the camp. ¡°From where is the Gigant? I don¡¯t think I have seen it before?¡± Thud Thud Thud! As Philip approached with Marina, Shirley held up the halberd. As she tried to fight him right away, Philip asked her to stop. ¡°Hold on! When we are fighting, isn¡¯t it common to know one¡¯s name?¡± At Philip¡¯s suggestion, Shirley opened her mouth. ¡°I guess you are one good old man.¡± ¡°And you must be one lively lady.¡± Philip already knew, and coming from the voice that the enemy rider was a woman, a young girl, probably. The problem was the skills and personality of the rider. If one knew about the character, they could get a rough idea of how one would fight and think of possible skills. So Philip tried to talk with her as much as he could. ¡°But, that won¡¯t be possible. My higher-ups have told me to not give out my name to a suspicious person.¡± ¡°Hahaha, do I look suspicious to you?¡± Asked Philip. ¡°Isn¡¯t it sneaky when one asks this and that? Like a kidnapper telling you that they would give you candy.¡± ¡°Ah no, how do you even describe a person¡­¡± ¡°Like this!¡± Swung! With those, Shirley swung her halberd. But as Philip¡¯s Marina moved back and escaped, she only managed to slash the air. ¡°He¡¯s fast¡­¡± Shirley was complimenting her opponent and had to stop her talk. As Philip moved back, he immediately threw the shield he was holding on to. ¡°Gap!¡± While Shirley¡¯s Hector faltered, Philip, who narrowed the gap stabbed with the giant sword. Kwang! Giant sword with Gigantic aura pierced the shield and touched the gloves of Hector. But just before it could plunge in anymore, Shirley pulled back and the attack ended. ¡°Tch, waste!¡± Unlike the regret Philip was feeling, Shirley jumped right at him. ¡°Coward! Where the hell would one use a sword like that!¡± ¡°Then, are they used to grill meat?¡± Asked Philip sarcastically. Slirk. The image of Hector disappeared from Philip¡¯s eyes. Startled, Philip twisted the frame to the side. At the very moment, a halberd flew right at the head of Marina and slipped straight to the ground. ¡®Dammit, I almost died!¡¯ Thought Philip. Although it was a Spear Master, the lady seemed to be young, so Philip thought that he might not be able to have too much fun with the combat. Which was why he thought that she displayed skillful maneuvering to cover her lack of experience. ¡®She almost managed to slash through the Gigant frame. It is a high-speed maneuver and it cannot be seen if one lacks combat experience.¡¯ When Philip was feeling confused, Shirley rushed over while swinging her halberd. ¡°Have a good night, talkative mister!¡± ¡®Fast, she is so fast!¡¯ The halberd flew in like lightning. So fast that Philip could barely bring up the giant sword to shield himself from the attack. Kang! Marina got pushed back. He did manage to lose some scrap due to the tremendous power and shockwaves it created. ¡®Wah! What is with this crazy person?!¡¯ ¡®Oh my, how did he manage to get away?¡¯ While Philip was flustered, Shirley, stared at him. The attack just seemed to be a quick attack, but it surely contained a lot of power. The previous riders couldn¡¯t live through the force and ended up losing the entire Gigant, but the opponent in front shocked her by having still more than half of his sword. ¡°Tch, what kind of a girl has such strong power? Can¡¯t you move a little cautiously?¡± ¡°First time to seeing someone duel knowing that their neck is on the line.¡± Said Shirley. ¡°There are a lot of women waiting for me back in my hometown. So, I need to keep a lookout.¡± ¡°Huh, I don¡¯t like listening to it.¡± While the two of them were busy fighting verbally, the other two were constantly exchanging attacks. Shirley, who seemed to be a spear master was definitely stronger than Philip, the best of Experts, but Philip was a huge deal too. In the meantime, he knew enough to deal with the Masters, through the battles between Luke and Rogers. Field experience that he got was something that he had to feel, and it was thanks to it. In the midst of Philip¡¯s stubbornness to attack and the tenacity, he was able to fight with Shirley on an equal level, since before where the battle was one-sided. Chapter 218 Chapter 218: Gigantic Duel 3 ¡°Oh! That mercenary seems to hold some great skill and talent!¡± Watching the two Gigants battle it out, commanders broke into talks. Some of the mercenaries at times had amazing skills, but they found it hard to beat the regular knights, but there was always a proper evaluation of their skills. Compared to the knights who were systematically trained from a very young age, the mercenaries depended on their sense rather than on the basics because they had a hard time mastering the way of the sword. But the mercenary currently in battle was showing very advanced swordsmanship. ¡®If he does well, he might win, right?¡¯ Count Marcus¡¯ jaw dropped. At first, there was dissatisfaction with Lev, who played like a mercenary at his will, but he now seemed great as the Gigant was able to deal with the opponent. ¡®Win! Win and save my merit!¡¯ ¡°Lieutenant, hire the mercenary when the fight is over.¡± At the words of Valentino, Marcus was shocked. ¡°Oh, that can¡¯t be done! Sire! That mercenary has already been recruited by me.¡± ¡°What did you say? Just a while back, didn¡¯t you say that you weren¡¯t aware of them that much?¡± ¡°I personally don¡¯t know them very well¡­ But they were the mercenaries that I hired, so they are my men!¡± At the words of Marcus, Marquis Valentino frowned. ¡°I am the head here, you should yield.¡± That distorted the face of Count Marcus. ¡®Dammit, if I knew about this, I would have changed my answer a while back!¡¯ Not just the captain of the mercenaries, but Marcus wasn¡¯t aware that his subordinates could fight well too. If he knew about that, he would have definitely tried harder to get the Red Wolf Mercenaries under his control, but it went all wrong for him. As Marcus was regretting to himself, Philip and Shirley moved back from the constant clashes. ¡°Ugh, this is so frustrating! This sucks! You are tougher than one real ogre!¡± ¡°Shut up, monster kid! I am still at the age where one would refer to me as an oppa!¡± Shirley, who heard the word ¡®monster kid¡¯, lost her nerve and decided to end the duel right there and then. ¡°Then before you get any older, I will finish you here!¡± Ku-Kung! Hector¡¯s core engine roared wildly yet lowly. At the same time, the gigantic aura on Shirley¡¯s halberd began to sway and burst out a hot light. ¡°That, that is Impact Aura!¡± ¡°She is definitely a Spear Master!¡± Impact Aura was a high-level skill that could only be used after one became a master. Sighs and exclamations broke out from everywhere as they watched the Gigants. The moment she gained 8 wins, people there already thought of her as a master, but the final skill that she showed confirmed their doubts. ¡°Kukuku, Mister! If you manage to block this, then I¡¯ll call you oppa.¡± ¡®Oh sh*t, the kid really knows how to get one¡¯s attention.¡¯ Philip turned toward Shirley, who was smiling at him, having her halberd covered with Impact Aura. ¡®If I use the Gold Sword, I think I can stop it.¡¯ Even if he didn¡¯t like this monster of a kid, he still admitted that she had great skills. However, he couldn¡¯t use the Gold Sword, which was created and developed by the warrior Rakan. Luke had already warned the Rakan Knights to not use the Gold or Silver Sword because it might give away their disguise. ¡®Dammit, will I die because of that?¡¯ Death was something that a knight was always ready for. But dying without using their full capabilities was too unfair. As Philip was confused and struggling with his own thoughts, Shirley rushed toward him, wielding her halberd. Buong! Philip managed to avoid Shirley without stopping her attacks. The Impact Aura or the giant halberd, he knew that either of those was coming at him. ¡°What? Did he avoid it?¡± When her attacks resulted in nothing, Shirley, who was on the verge of victory, continued to wield her Impact Aura halberd non-stop. Kwang! Bang! The rocks hit by the Impact Aura shattered. The ground turned upside down and dust was everywhere. Everyone thought that Philip¡¯s Gigant would be smashed. ¡°What the!¡± While Philip¡¯s Marina was avoiding the attacks, it suddenly lost balance and slipped because of the uneven ground as the Impact Aura kept coming at him. ¡°Kuku, bye-bye mister!¡± ¡°Dammit, no!¡± Both the Gigant¡¯s shadows touched and the halberd fell with a ghostly sound. Pung! At the moment of the last blow, with an intense explosion, both of them were thrown back. ¡°What was that?!¡± ¡°What just happened?¡± As the dust covered the entire field and disturbed their view, the heads of the soldiers of both the armies couldn¡¯t hide their puzzled expressions. Apparently, the rebel Gigant was driven in the last blow, and both the Gigants were on the floor with damaged gloves. What happened on their last encounter? Did the one-sided fight end up being a draw? Both of the Gigants weren¡¯t in a position to stand up any longer. Simultaneously, Gigants from both camps rushed in. The ones of the same camp helped the ones on the ground to return back to their camps. Chapter 219 Chapter 219: Gigantic Duel 4 ¡°Are you alright?¡± Luke pulled the Gigant¡¯s hatch and asked Philip, who was crawling out. ¡°Not okay. My entire body feels like it is dying.¡± ¡°Huh, seeing that you can still run your mouth, I guess you are alright.¡± Luke got up and looked to the other side. Just as he had opened the hatch of Philip¡¯s Gigant, the opponent¡¯s Gigant¡¯s hatch had been opened as well, and a little girl had walked out. Everything about her seemed alright except for her pale complexion. She was frustrated. She got up from her seat and jumped on her feet, making her lose her balance. After seeing that, Luke laughed and turned toward Philip. ¡°Tch, you couldn¡¯t beat just one kid.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t put it like that! She is one real monster kid! If I wasn¡¯t able to block that last attack, I would have been on a rainbow bridge crossing over to the next side!¡± ¡°Yes, that last strike. Was that the Gold Sword?¡± Luke asked. ¡°Huk!¡± Philip¡¯s face went hard. It was because he never thought that Luke would be able to see the last attacks due to the dust flying around. In order for the attack to not catch the eyes of the others, Philip used it in a brief moment once the opponent¡¯s Gigant approached him. However, Luke seemed to have caught his trick. ¡°Well, I forgive you since no one else seems to have understood what happened, but the next time you decide to ignore my order, I am sending you back to the lordship.¡± ¡°So-sorry.¡± Luke turned away from Philip, who bowed his head and apologized. ¡°Well, whatever¡­ Should I also get inside?¡± ¡°You want to enter?¡± ¡°After seeing you fight, my blood couldn¡¯t stop boiling.¡± Since his rebirth, Luke had been constantly unable to overcome his occasional exhilaration and enthusiasm. That was why he hopped into his Gigant and moved. The Gigant with the flaky and rusty gloves was Kratos. It was fine for people to see a knight class Gigant once in a while, but if a mercenary brought a hero class Gigant, then people would surely know something was wrong, which was why Luke deliberately peeled off the paint and oxidized the surface of his Gigant¡¯s gloves. Thanks to that, Kratos looked nothing less than a piece of junk. Luke made sure to control the Gigant¡¯s core as well so that no one would be aware of it having a 3000 fight. Thump! When Kratos entered the field, Marquis Valentino couldn¡¯t hide how flustered he was. ¡°What is that crumbly scrap of metal?¡± ¡°Yes! That is the Gigant of my servant Lev.¡± Count Marcus was disappointed with how Philip¡¯s match turned out and answered the questions honestly this time. This time he thought that rather than lying, trying to show appeal would be a better approach. ¡°He is a fallen noble and a great friend. Perhaps, the best of the experts, or maybe among the higher-level ones too.¡± ¡°Count Marcus.¡± ¡°Yes, chief commander?¡± After the words were cut off by Valentino, Marcus was feeling extremely anxious. Because if Lev lost, Marcus would be at a huge disadvantage. Unexpectedly, disgrace flew his way. ¡°You should be taking good care of your lad! What is with that Gigant? Are you spending your money on worthless sh*t?¡± ¡°That¡­ Because he seemed to be very familiar with¡­¡± While Marcus was being drenched in sweat in front of the chief commander, Luke had gone out of the camp and swung his huge sword, waiting for his enemy to appear. Shortly afterward, one of the knights from the opponent¡¯s side entered the battle. ¡°I am Clarks of Maron, a senior paladin. Please let me know your name.¡± ¡°Lev, captain of the Red Wolf Mercenaries¡± The two of them identified themselves in the battle. They didn¡¯t rush in and carefully gauged each other¡¯s skills and power. ¡°Clarks? Isn¡¯t he one of the famous paladins in Maron?¡± ¡°Yes, his swordsmanship skills are comparable to the Saint Guards.¡± ¡°Tch, the rider of that piece of junk met the wrong person.¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯ll get cut down in no time.¡± Most of the rebels and even the Anti-Revolutionary men were sure of Clarks¡¯ victory. And just as expected, the battle was over in the blink of an eye. Skak! The two Gigants crossed swords, making an eerie sound. The soldiers jumped up at the sound of the huge swords, and they all looked to see the outcome. Clarks¡¯ Gigant, which everyone thought would win, had fallen. His Gigant was horizontally cut in half. Luke¡¯s sword cut through the breastplate and the controls of Clarks¡¯ Gigant. That was why Clarks had ended up screaming. ¡°Oh, Oh my god!¡± ¡°In just a second, Clarks died!¡± The emergence of a new strong man. Also from an unknown mercenary group. As the men¡¯s amazement settled in, the shouts of the Anti-Revolutionary Army reached the skies. However, on the other side, the Konrad Kingdom and the walls of Eisenberg sheltered heavy silence. ¡°That guy isn¡¯t a normal mercenary.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he a knight from another nation like us?¡± At the question of Shirley, Count Ferrero nodded. Of course, he was no ordinary rider. Although he had disguised the Gigant well, it was still a hero class Gigant. ¡°I guess I have to go out.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rush and wait it out. I feel like it will turn into trash very soon.¡± ¡°Trash?¡± While Ferrero and Shirley were talking to each other, another Gigant had appeared from the Konrad Kingdom¡¯s side. Since he was a close acquaintance of Clarks, he attacked Luke right away. He was much better than Clarks, but he couldn¡¯t exceed five strikes and was knocked out. ¡°Wah! You¡¯re doing great!¡± ¡°Win! Keep on winning!¡± After his two consecutive wins, the soldiers began to cheer for Luke. Since they won after experiencing 8 consecutive losses, their screams were like wildfire. In order to bring down their morale, a Gigant with a large cape appeared from Konrad¡¯s camp. As he calmly approached Luke and Kratos, he opened his mouth with a dismal voice. ¡°I am Count Schmidt, the commander Konrad Kingdom¡¯s knights.¡± There was a lot of grumbling going on in the watchtowers as they heard of the challenger¡¯s name. They couldn¡¯t imagine that such an unexpected person would appear. ¡°Schmidt?¡± ¡°He is the former commander of the Saint Guards in the past, right?¡± Ten years ago, there were serial murders which were overturning Bless. For months, dozens of priestesses, who went to pray at dawn, were slaughtered, and most of the murdered ones included senior nobles. The killer left words on the scene, saying that his actions were for a noble cause. ¡®The world is rotten. The only way to get along with ugly men was to purify one¡¯s soul by abandoning its filthy body. Only me, the one chosen by God, can do that.¡¯ Naturally, the temple went crazy to catch the killer, and even the former pope ordered for the killer to be caught. However, a surprising fact had turned out in the process. The culprit was known to be one of the members of the 1st squadron of the Saint Guards. Count Schmidt from the 1st squadron of the Saint Guards pretended to be a sincere paladin at heart but was hiding a cruel and vicious nature from the others. After his last crime, Schmidt sacked the paladins who had gone to arrest him. There were many rumors that he had fled to a neighboring country or that he had been killed by Grand Duke Gregory, but one thing was certain. No one had ever seen him in the Holy Empire. However, for the same Schmidt to appear at the walls¡­ ¡°Kuk! I am glad that there are audiences who recognize me. If you want a clean death, I can go for your neck.¡± Years ago, Count Schmidt was a Sword Master. Even if his skills didn¡¯t increase much, he still wasn¡¯t a person whom a normal mercenary captain could deal with. However, Luke seemed calm. ¡°I can surely cut off your neck too, but I wonder if your dirty sword can even get close to my neck,¡± said Luke. ¡°Shameless! I think you have confused yourself into thinking that you beat the two men before me. Listen to me, I will cut off your arms first and then your legs. Then I¡¯ll remove your eyes. I¡¯ll cut your stomach and take out your bowels one after the other. Lastly, I would look at how swollen your¡­¡± As Count Schmidt grinned and explained how he would handle Luke. ¡°That is troublesome. Did you even rise from the Sword Master title?¡± ¡°You seemed to be much confident than I thought. Okay, I¡¯ll show you my special ¡®Stinger Sword¡¯.¡± Count Schmidt¡¯s weapon was a powerful Assaulter spreading over 3,000 fights. When hit by his Assaulter, quite a few of his opponents had disintegrated inside their Gigants. It was difficult to avoid since his Assaulter was fast, and he could switch his movements back and forth. In the past, when he was still in the Saint Guard, Grand Duke Gregory admired his sword skills as well. Wooong! While leaning back, the count struck a pose. Before him, a red aura began to rise at the end of the deformed giant sword, which was built for piercing its opponents. The gigantic aura grew larger and thicker, expanding till it became 1 meter in diameter. Its thickness increased as well as it expanded. ¡®Huhuhu, even if you are a Sword Master, there is no way an Assaulter could be stopped.¡¯ Schmidt often had friendly battles with Sword Masters in the past. They were all excellent swordsmen, but none of them could avoid the Stinger Sword. Feeling the unpleasant energy from Count Schmidt, Luke raised the output of Kratos to its maximum. Chapter 220 Chapter 220: Gigantic Duel 5 ¡°Kuakkk-!¡± Count Schmidt screamed while running ahead. The speed at which he moved was so intense that the atmosphere seemed to have split into two. Luke moved away to avoid getting attacked. But every time Luke tried to avoid the attack, another attack from Count Schmidt came right at him. Eventually, he realized that there would be no proper answer if he kept on trying to avoid the attacks, and he decided to smash the deformed Schmidt¡¯s sword with the huge sword his Gigant was holding. Kwang-! ¡°Kuk!¡± Luke¡¯s rusted Kratos rolled backward with a blast after the hit. ¡®No! he must be crazy!¡¯ After all, no damage had been done to Kratos, so Schmidt was astonished. It had to be like the huge sword and the Gigant¡¯s right arm that had prevented the attack had to be smashed, but it wasn¡¯t. The moment Luke¡¯s huge sword went to hit, he had created a blue shield. ¡°Magic? You are a Rune Knight?¡± Shrugging his shoulders, Luke replied to Schmidt who was frowning. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Dammit, a wizard to turn into a knight, but you know only half the real magic. Don¡¯t think that the magic will continue to work on me, a paladin!¡± Unlike the magic which can be used to elements of fire, ice, lightning and etc. the Divine power was limited for utilization. However, it was pure which made it powerful, absolute and transcendent in nature. Therefore, no magic could ever break the divine magic or the power it held. ¡°Magic, obviously you would opt for it, you are one trivial human! You won¡¯t be able to stand the divine power given to me by the God!¡± At Schmidt¡¯s sarcasm, Luke rushed in creating both magic and Gigantic aura on both his hands. ¡°If I can or not, let¡¯s deal with this first and then judge!¡± Kwang! Kwang! A real battle had unfolded between the two. Luke attacked Count Schmidt with his sword and magic, and Schmidt tried to take down Luke with the Stinger Sword and Assaulter. But contrary to what everyone thought about Schmidt having a one-sided victory, the show was tilting towards Luke. Unexpectedly, Luke turned out to be good at both swordsmanship and magic. Count Schmidt was shocked as he saw the incredible divine shield built by him get broken. ¡°This makes no sense! You, you must have had a 6 circle magic!¡± To break the divine shield which had been amplified by a hero-class Gigant, one had to be at least a 6 circle wizard. But as Count Schmidt knew, none of the recent Rune knights had reached the level. ¡°6 circle? Unfortunately, I¡¯m more than that.¡± ¡°Kuk, where did such a man come from¡­?!¡± Schmidt had to admit that the opponent he was facing was strong. The man was a Rune Knight and was someone who could be heard in the legends and myths. Sword Master class with magic higher than 6th circle. That person could be one of the strongest person in the Holy Empire as well as the entire continent. Where did such a monster appear without any rumors going around? ¡°Identify yourself! You were never a mercenary from the start!¡± ¡°So what if I am a mercenary or if I am not? Right now, you should be worrying about your life now, aren¡¯t I right?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Kuk! This kid!¡± Count Schmidt¡¯s eyes turned red. He decided to show the hidden secret of his to fight against the Sword Master of the enemy. ¡°Stinger Storm!¡± Kwrrrr! The uneven sword of Count Schmidt began to glow along with wind whirling around it. As the speed of rotation had increased, it seemed like a red storm of sphere had emerged. No, it was a real storm. Because of the dirt which was around and moving up and down, all the stones and weeds were being pulled away. ¡°Kya Kyakya! This is a bit too much for your level but, die!¡± Count Schmidt threw his sword right at Luke. Pang! The Stinger Storm jumped into the air with a tremendous roar and touched Luke¡¯s Gigant. ¡°Aegis!¡± Luke unleashed a 7 circle magic power from his left land, it was a defensive magic. Several layers of dark blue magic appeared and blocked Stinger Storm. It seemed to have held it for long, but soon the blue film began to get torn off and the Aegis magic began to break. ¡°Hu hu hu, that magic cannot stop the Stinger Storm!¡± Count Schmidt believed in his victory. But the huge sword held in Luke¡¯s right hand changed in a moment. Chang! As light arose, it cut the huge sword which belonged to Count Schmidt. ¡°Kuk! It makes no sense!¡± Count Schmidt screamed as he and his Stinger Storm was extinguished. And it wasn¡¯t Luke¡¯s idea to stay still at an open opportunity. Quickly clearing the gap between, he slashed right through the core engine with an Impact Aura which surpassed the Gigantic aura. ¡°This, this¡­!¡± It wasn¡¯t just an impact. Count Schmidt looked surprised as he had noticed something. Although hidden from the light and heat which was bursting due to the Impact Aura, the power was vivid and from the swordsmanship of a legendary model. ¡°You, you must be!¡± ¡°Hu hu hu, think of it as an honor to die in the hands of a Gold Sword of Warrior Rakan.¡± Luke whispered so that Schmidt was the only one could hear it. ¡°Ah, no! this makes no sense! I, the chosen one of the God! Cant die here¡­!¡± Schmidt opened the breastplate and tried to escape. But the core engine had exploded much faster than he could escape. Kwang-! A hero class Gigant with 3,000 fight had exploded. The gas had shattered, and the fire began to spread out everywhere. Ten years ago, the villain Schmidt, who raped and killed dozens of women in the name of God, died without even leaving behind his body. ¡°¡­¡± Shock and surprise had settled around. Those who watched the duel of the two Gigants were wide-eyed, both the enemies and the allies. Silence resided over for a while. Soon, shouts had come out from the Anti-revolutionary army side. ¡°Wahhh! Our side has won again.¡± ¡°Red Wolf Captain, cheers!!¡± The Konrad side turned stiff on the other side. ¡°This can¡¯t be! Count Schmidt was strong!¡± The face of Marquis Parker, who was watching the confrontation at the wall, turned strained. He had never imagined that Count Schmidt, who was always prepared for the world to change, would die. If the opponent whom Schmidt went against was a Sword Master of the Holy Empire, then he might have believed it. However, the opponent was nothing but a mercenary, whose name was never heard. He looked at Sancho and Count Ferrero who stood behind him. ¡°I can only put my hope in you, Sancho. Please take revenge for Count Schmidt.¡± If the Gigantic Duel was stopped midway, the morale of the rebels would drop. When the battle had to stop, they should at least end after killing one Sword Master. Fortunately, Count Ferrero was much better than Schmidt. ¡°But, where did Lord Lazlie go to?¡± Asked Parker looking around. ¡°I am not sure. He said that there was something that he wanted to see and receive down to the wall a while ago.¡± ¡°Really? Anyway, I ask of you again, please consider this.¡± Marquis Parker couldn¡¯t even imagine what Lazlie had gone to get. If he knew what was going on, he would have never asked Count Ferrero for help. ¡°Huh? Schmidt is gone?¡± Lazlie seemed surprised at the report from his subordinate. ¡°This is true. There seems to be a very strong knight amidst the anti-revolutionary army.¡± Which made him a little worried whether Count Ferrero would lose but soon shook the thought out of his head. He knew that Ferrero wouldn¡¯t lose so easily as he was a fighter who preferred to battle much more than eating. And what if he did lose? It wasn¡¯t like they had taken a faction. In other words, they were all just words and movements that were happening according to the Baroque Emperor¡¯s orders. ¡°Well, it was good to know. How far was the work done?¡± Lazlie had entered the Holy Empire and brought not just disguised knights and war supplies and mercenaries. He had secretly brought a dozen of 6 to 7 circle wizards from the Baroque Imperial magic tower. They were currently made to work on something in the Eisenberg city, a man who heard his question replied. ¡°I have completed the magic equation calculation and I am drawing the magic circle. When the magic circle is completed, the magic energy will flow and magic can be used immediately.¡± ¡°Uhm, we are running out of time, so try to make it quick!¡± ¡°Yes, we understand.¡± As his subordinate disappeared after the order, Lazlie smiled. ¡°Beat yourself to a pulp. Whether you are the rebel or the army. I will decorate a graceful end for this battle, Ha ha ha!¡± Thinking about the future was fun for him, he looked up at the sky and burst into laughter. Chapter 221 Chapter 221: Eisenberg Battle 1 ¡°Is this the land of Warrior Rakan?¡± A month after Luke had left for the Holy Empire, an unexpected guest had visited the Marquis Rakan. The guest was Margareta, the princess of Navarre Duchy. The retainers of Rakan were amazed after seeing her appearance, accompanied by hundreds of attendants, including the maids and the escorts. Although it was known to be a small country, the visit from their royal family was something that had never happened in history. So the retainers have greeted the party of Margareta which had crossed into their estates. ¡°Welcome to the Rakan Estates.¡± ¡°You must be?¡± ¡°I am the family butler of Rakan family, Hans. Who has been placed in charge of the lordship.¡± Hans politely bowed after carefully looking at Princess Margareta. ¡®Kuh, She ate away two of her husbands, but¡­¡¯ The moment they had received the letter, he had been suspicious of her visit to Rakan. According to a messenger sent by Margareta, it was stated that she was very thankful to them for preventing the ravages caused by the monster wave and said that she would like to visit the Rakan¡¯s tomb. But Hans didn¡¯t think of it as the real reason. It was because there had been a story going around by the Unicorn Knights who had been to the Navarre. ¡°When we went to the Navarre, I saw the Lord hide himself in the residence of Princess Margareta. Twice!¡± At first, the words of knight Anna weren¡¯t believed. It was because Hans knew how much Luke loved Princess Reina and how heartbroken he had been when he came to know about her disappearance. But seeing Margareta, he seemed to understand why Luke could have taken such a ¡®deviation¡¯. ¡®Maybe she seduced the broken-hearted Lord with extravagant looks. Otherwise, the Lord would have never done it.¡¯ While thinking, he had come up with another possibility. ¡®No way, it can¡¯t be the Lord, the ¡®friend¡¯ must have misunderstood. Maybe she thought that it was the Lord and got deceived.¡¯ While Hans was thinking of a convincing reason, he heard the words of Margareta. ¡°Is Marquis Luke there?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. He is very busy with the works, so he has sent me over instead. I hope you understand this.¡± ¡°Ah, that so?¡± In reality, he had gone to the Holy Empire, and Hans did give out part truth. And Margareta who wasn¡¯t much aware of the situation couldn¡¯t really ask anything. She decided to head to the Empire as she didn¡¯t want to end her life as a princess on a small border. So, trying to swallow her pride she moved to the empire. To enchant the nobles of the Empire with the magic of Arachne¡¯s magic tower, which she had inherited. Going there, she did succeed in deceiving a few lords and nobles. But she failed to make them surrender their territory or the title, for them the little princess from the border was an excuse for being busy. Which was why Margareta turned her eyes towards Rakan. It was a town that produces superior knights in a traditional manner, and it was said that recently they had been developed with trades, mines, steel, and southern continent contacts. In addition, he was building a magic tower and was extending it, which meant that he had the ambition and blood to succeed. ¡®Since I am not some stranger, so he won¡¯t refuse to face me.¡¯ The other time, she had terribly failed to seduce Luke. But now, she honed much more magic skills and learned a few more things, so she thought that there would be no problem. ¡®There, will Sebastian be over there?¡¯ Her face, which suddenly remembered the elegant appearance of Sebastian turned red. She was here to meet Sebastian rather than talk with the Lord. After 2 years, the thought of the cat made her heart pound and turned her body hot. ¡°I want to see the Lord as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°Yes, please follow me. The guide will take you there.¡± Hans turned around and frowned thinking about Margareta. He was suddenly feeling glad that Luke had gone away. The permanent residence of the Rakan territory. Dixon and a few other administrators were looking at their Lord, or ¡®fake lord¡¯, who seemed exactly like the lord and was reviewing the papers. After reviewing the report of the expansion of the Lamer Port, the fake lord yawned loudly and quickly began to drift into sleep. Seeing that, Dixon shouted. ¡°Work, Sebastian!¡± ¡°I am up! I will do my very best!¡± Waking up, Sebastian quickly read the report. Sebastian with his ability to transform had turned into Luke and was working the permanent residence as Luke¡¯s representative. Luke had introduced him to the estate retainers shortly before his departure. Speaking of the demons, they did call out a lot of uproars. As the demon had turned itself into a human. They couldn¡¯t help but feel shocked when Sebastian had turned into an exact copy of Luke. There was doubt that maybe there was hidden blood of Rakan¡¯s somewhere. But they had no one suspicious to look for. Unlike the serious Luke, Sebastian was quite frivolous. ¡®Oh my, if I knew such a thing would happen, I would never brag to Lord about turning into him¡­¡¯ As Sebastian was regretting it late, the door of the office had opened wide and an attendant had entered. ¡°Princess Margareta has arrived!¡± At those words, the retainers all turned towards Sebastian with a troubled expression. ¡°You can¡¯t afford to make any mistake, understood?¡± ¡°Huh, worry about it later.¡± ¡°Fix your tone, then I will worry about it later.¡± ¡°Yes yes, never make a mistake with the older people.¡± Sebastian headed to the meeting room along with the retainers who couldn¡¯t keep their minds calm. Meanwhile, Margareta was waiting for Luke to enter the meeting room, smiling a sulky smile while applying something on her lips. ¡°The temptation of Cavano. It is a weakness that makes one into a slave of the one who kisses.¡± It was a hard material to get, yet was very effective, but when used there was a problem. However, she did see it with her own eyes that Luke had no sort of fascination or was overwhelmed with her. ¡®Anyway, if I make Luke succumb to me, his estates, army, and Sebastian¡­¡¯ When Margareta was excited about seeing the cat, the door opened and a lot of characters had entered. Margareta who had a nasty smile on her face got up and looked for the Marquis. ¡°It has been a very long time, Marquis.¡± ¡°Pleasure to meet you, Princess Margareta. Wasn¡¯t it tough getting all the way here?¡± ¡®No!¡¯ Margareta was surprised when she saw Luke. The warm voice and the dignified appearance which could make one¡¯s body tremble and heart pound. ¡®This is exactly what I felt of Akbar Fortress two years ago, why is this?¡¯ At that time, Margareta was excited to see Luke and she wasn¡¯t aware of how to handle it. She wanted to make him hers. But when the war ended, the feelings had disappeared almost as if they were washed away by the cat of Marquis. But what was making her feel so attracted to the Marquis once again? While princess Margareta was embarrassed, Marquis Rakan¡¯s lord Luke or Sebastian, smiled. ¡®Huh, were you thinking of trying to seduce my master with such a little trick?¡¯ The pride of being a demon, Sebastian was aware of various poisons and medicines. So it was fascinating to see the lips of Princess Margareta who was plotting something. However, Sebastian bowed respectfully to the princess without speaking ill. ¡°I was busy with my work on the estate, so I wasn¡¯t able to greet you. Please do forgive me.¡± ¡°Ah, not at all. It was wrong of me to suddenly send a message like that.¡± Margareta, bending a little, lifted the hem of her dress. Two years later, and she still hadn¡¯t escaped from the pheromone. She soon forgot about her ambitious plans to seduce the Rakan Marquis and the idea of Sebastian. ¡®This stupid bitch, you came with your own conviction to turn into my meal¡­¡¯ Sebastian was licking his lips. The twisted desires and the negative emotions that Margareta had harbored were stronger than ever. From the standpoint of the demon Sebastian, who sucked in the mental energy of the humans, it was a great meal. ¡®Yeah, if it wasn¡¯t for the retainers, I would have eaten you right here.¡¯ From Sebastian¡¯s standpoint, who knew how the Rakan family operated like, he couldn¡¯t just go around doing what he wanted. In the worst-case scenario, he could cause misunderstandings between Princess Margareta and his master. ¡®I don¡¯t have to get upset right away, as there might be other ways to eat secretly. Moreover, it is my style to eat something that I lay my eyes on.¡¯ As Sebastian was acting sneaky, a knight had rushed into the room. And he could know by looking at the Knight¡¯s face that something had happened. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Baron Rogers has fallen!¡± ¡°What, what did you say?¡± Sebastian and all the other retainers were surprised. Rogers was currently the commander of the army, he was Luke¡¯s mentor and supporter when it came to the Gold Sword. His skills had improved a lot over the years, breaking the wall of a master, he turned into a Sword Master. Such a person had fallen! ¡°What the hell had happened?¡± At Hans¡¯s question, the knight¡¯s mouth opened after some hesitation. ¡°That, a strange knight had wandered in and asked for a duel¡­¡± Kwang! The knight¡¯s words went buried in the sound of a roar. Everyone¡¯s eyes went in the direction of the roar. It was in the direction of the knight¡¯s parade ground and black smoke was rising. ¡®This, what is suddenly happening here?¡¯ Sebastian was trembling without realizing it. Very strong and scary energy could be detected on the side of the parade ground. The energy was a lot similar to his Master, or maybe even more. Chapter 222 A huge crater had formed in the middle of the parade ground. As if a meteor had fallen there, the ground was burned. The tiny fragments of armors and practice wooden swords were scattered around. The knights, who were near the parade ground, looked at them in disbelief. With shock and fear in the young eyes of Kaper, he couldn¡¯t understand what happened. His voice barely managed to leave his mouth as he tried to use some of his strength to move his body. ¡°Kuk, you monster¡­!¡± A knight with a giant physique was wearing a mask decorated with feathers and obsidian. Both his arms and upper body had bizarre tattoos. At first glance, he was thought to be a barbarian who was living in the empire, but once he began to display his swordsmanship, it seemed to be so refined and powerful that it could be compared to the Imperial Knights. ¡®And there is some kind of weird magic that he is using!¡¯ Kaper, who had good fights with Luke, knew how well the rune knights fight. But the magic of his opponent was entirely different from Luke¡¯s. There was no time gap between him casting his spells and manifesting it. ¡°Awesome, you can still manage to stand after taking my attack!¡± At the praise from the giant knight, Kaper couldn¡¯t help but smile. Even he couldn¡¯t do anything other than to acknowledge that the man in front of him was strong. He might be a Sword Master. No, he was probably a Sword Sage. ¡®What the hell does he want? From where did he even manage to learn such swordsmanship?¡¯, was all Kaper could think about. The giant knight entered the friendly battle with the intention of knowing the legendary warrior Rakan¡¯s sword. It seemed insignificant at first as there have been cases of one or two knights asking for a battle, and most of them were mercenaries. However, the giant knight seemed different. Expert level knights from both the Rakan and the Unicorn Knights had fallen, and even Commander General Rogers was taken down after ten minutes. After clicking his tongue, he mumbled, ¡°This is disappointing. I have been expecting a lot from the swordsmen of the legendary warrior, but you guys turned out to be just child¡¯s play.¡± At the clever words of the giant knight, Kaper, not realizing that he fell into a trap, rushed into him. His pride as a swordsman was soaring high after he had mastered the Gold Sword. The result was unexpected. Far from being effective, he couldn¡¯t even touch his opponent¡¯s hair. Despite his two years of training, he managed to aim for the highest level which was even beyond an expert. That was why he was able to avoid the previous attack. He was able to deal with the magic attacks after his constant battles with Luke. Without those experiences, he would have suffered the same faith as Commander General Rogers, who was defeated and was now being treated. ¡°Give up. The game has already been decided.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me laugh! This isn¡¯t over until one of us is lying cold on the ground!¡± At the urge of the giant knight to give up, Kaper shook his head and raised his wooden sword. The giant knight, who laughed at his appearance and belief, ran like a lightning bolt and hit Kaper¡¯s sword. Kaper tried to dodge the attack, but instead, he stepped in closer to block it. However, the wooden sword of the giant knight destroyed the already half-broken sword of Kaper and smashed his shoulders. ¡°Kwak!¡± Kaper screamed out of pain and rolled back. ¡°Commander!¡± Anna, who was shocked at what she saw, ran over to support him. But Kaper, who had always been hard-working, signaled her to stop and rushed toward the giant knight. ¡°You are being reckless.¡± The giant knight, ridiculing Kaper, fixed his grip on his wooden sword. He was surprised to see a red light coming out of the wooden sword in Kaper¡¯s hand. ¡®No way, Hyper Aura?¡¯ That couldn¡¯t be. Hyper Aura was a skill that only a Sword Sage could use. However, the light, which began to take shape, wasn¡¯t in its perfect form. It was unstable and wobbly. It was like an Impact Aura that was close to being a Hyper Aura. There were times when such things had happened. Even if one wasn¡¯t aware that they have amazing skills, there were times when one could manifest such strong powers through diligence and hard work. That was what was happening to Kaper now. Kwang-! The giant knight was pushed back because of that ferocious attack. However, it was just five steps, and he didn¡¯t suffer from any damage. The Unicorn Knights were hoping that he would be hit. They were clenching their fists in anger. ¡°Oh, my God. Even Commander Kaper¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Dammit, what kind of things is he using!?¡± ¡°Wait! Look at that!¡± Everyone looked over in the direction where Anna was pointing at. The wooden sword, which was in the giant knight¡¯s hand, was burned. No, it wasn¡¯t just burned, it crumbled down. The knights weren¡¯t paying much attention, but the hands of the giant knight were swollen because of the heat. ¡®This is amazing. The point where the Impact Aura also affects.¡¯ The giant knight couldn¡¯t help but admire Kaper for a second. He was able to make such a powerful attack even after his collar bone was broken and was completely exhausted. Even in that poor situation, he managed to lift his broken body and attack. It wasn¡¯t just that; his eyes still had a fire in them. He wasn¡¯t a Sword Master that one could just dismiss. ¡°Your energy has dropped, but the man isn¡¯t dead yet! Excellent, this is really amazing!¡± The giant knight truly admired Kaper. He was originally meant to enter the Rakan territory and search for the famous Gold Sword skill, but there was something which was much more important than that. A spirit that would never step back. It was the giant knight¡¯s wish to fight against strong enemies. Rogers and Kaper seemed to have granted him that wish. ¡°You, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a knight from Rakan, Kaper, and you are?¡± The giant knight thought for a second and opened his mouth. ¡°Shaikan.¡± ¡°Shaikan?¡± ¡°Remember it. You will soon hear my name everywhere,¡± said the giant knight, Shaikan. He turned around and left Rakan. Orc Hero Shaikan, the man who led the monster army two years ago. The one who vowed to make Emperor Rudolf of the Baroque Empire pay appeared once again. Unfortunately, Luke who could have worked with him left the empire. Chapter 223 When Luke defeated Count Schmidt, the atmosphere of the Gigantic Duel changed entirely. From the third day, the masters of the army, who aimed for merit gain, began to compete. However, the same went for the Konrad Kingdom; they began to do their best as well. ¡°This man! Take my sword!¡± Puong! As the two gigantic auras collided, waves spread. What was pushed back this time was the master of the Anti-Revolutionary Army. ¡°Uhahahaha! You thought you can beat me with that simple attack!?¡± A golden Gigant with three horns on its forehead shook its head and began to shout. The face of the knights of the Anti-Revolutionary Army¡¯s side became distorted. ¡°Bastard Ferreird! I was willing to lend my hero class Gigant Sartak!¡± ¡°But, who was the mercenary who identified himself as Sancho?¡± On the side of the Konrad Kingdom was a monster like rider who smashed two Gigants of the enemy¡¯s side. He identified himself as Mercenary Captain Sancho and was told to hold great skills. ¡°Do you think that it could be some sort of support from the foreign empires?¡± ¡°I feel the same way as well, sire. I suppose that he is¡­¡± As they all shared their speculations, the shield held by the rebel Gigants shattered. Both the hands of the Gigants had gone numb due to the shock. ¡°This, this is! Run away!¡± Bishop Maxim shouted with a shabby expression. The master class rider, who was fighting Sancho, was a paladin who had worked very hard for the past 20 years instead of Marius. Except for the Saint Guards, there were only two master class paladins in the Holy Empire, and such treasure couldn¡¯t be lost. But before the paladin could run away, Sancho used his huge sword. The Gigant was broken into two pieces, and its upper and lower body rolled on the ground. ¡°Wah! Captain Sancho has won!¡± ¡°Sancho! Sancho!¡± On the walls of Eisenberg, the soldiers of the Konrad Kingdom screamed and cheered for the victorious mercenary rider. ¡°Haha! Shout louder! Louder!¡± His Gigant raised its hands higher in response to the cheers. After seeing that, Philip looked flustered. ¡®I don¡¯t get it. Why is Count Ferrero here?¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure about it at first, but the thick voice and familiar battle style that followed through the multiple Gigant battles assured Philip that it indeed was Count Ferrero. ¡°Captain.¡± Philip squeezed Luke¡¯s arm. ¡°What? What is it now?¡± ¡°That mercenary called Sancho, he is a person I know very well.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± That piqued Luke¡¯s curiosity. He turned around and looked at Philip. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Count Ferrero, the vice-captain of the Baroque Knights of Guard. I¡¯m sure of that.¡± The bandit¡¯s face appeared in Luke¡¯s mind. The human being who constantly bothered him into a fight whenever they crossed paths. Why was he there? Sancho? Why was he disguised under such an ugly name?! ¡®Maybe he has come to help the rebels under the command of Emperor Rudolf.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t able to see it. For the Baroque Empire, the more in trouble the Holy Arthenia Empire was, the better would be the situation for their own empire. ¡®Should I fight?¡¯ In the Imperial Palace, Luke refused to reveal his skills and refused Ferrero¡¯s request to battle. But the situation now was different. There was no way one would even open their mouth in that place. When Luke was under that thought, other captains and commanders were talking with a serious expression. ¡°Chief commander, it doesn¡¯t make any sense to have a Gigantic war anymore.¡± ¡°Right, let¡¯s prepare for a siege right away.¡± There were a lot of variables in a Gigantic Duel. There were unknown mercenary riders, and they were catching the other masters. In other words, another person might appear in the future and take down one of their leaders again. The existence of one Sword Master was equivalent to a thousand knights. In addition, one¡¯s natural talent in swordsmanship, enormous effort, and luck could bring in achievement. It was a painful loss to lose a precious being to just some mysterious mercenary. ¡°Hmm, maybe that indeed is the right option. Okay, send the command about the siege to the troops.¡± Marquis Valentino ordered the attack. Puoong-! Bung-! Along with the sound of a big horn trumpet, the Anti-Revolutionary Army began to bust in. The Konrad Kingdom¡¯s camp felt the impending attack and was ready to defend. ¡®Tch, I wanted to fight with that Lev guy¡­¡¯ Count Ferrero, who was waiting for his next battle, thought to himself. If he could take down Schmidt, then Count Ferrero thought that a battle with him was going to be an exciting one, but the situation turned disappointing. Thud thud thud! When the siege was ready, the drums began to sound. The Gigants on standby and the siege troops¡¯ weapons that were made and moved over two days ago were pushed ahead. ¡°Forward!¡± ¡°Hush, hush!¡± Puong-! White smoke rose from the walls all at once, and shells had begun to fly. Thud! The running Gigants raised their shields. Tuong! Tung! Tututung! Some Gigants got hit by the shells, but most of them were blocked. In the process, some of the Gigants were marked, and they got shot multiple times, resulting in their armors to be crushed. There were also cases where logs were thrown to the Gigants that had their shields raised. ¡°Run! The first rider who breaks the gates or climbs over the walls will have 1,000 pesos as a prize given by the chief commander himself!¡± ¡°Ohhhh!¡± At the end of those words, the Gigants morale was boosted, and they pushed ahead more vigorously. It was when they were trying to achieve such fleets when the ground under their feet shook. The ground began to break, revealing hundreds of Gigants. ¡°What?! The enemy!¡± ¡°Everyone! Be on guard!¡± The sudden advent of the enemy troops confused the Anti-Revolutionary Army. Without letting the opportunity getaway, the Konrad Kingdom¡¯s rebel troops blasted ahead. Kwaaak! Kwang! A battle broke in front of the wall. Things went frantic as people kept hitting, breaking and killing each other. At first, the Anti-Revolutionary Army seemed to have the advantage, but they were soon overpowered. ¡°Retreat!¡± ¡°Get into the tunnel they came from!¡± The Gigant troops immediately retreated into the tunnel at once. As the army¡¯s Gigants entered the tunnel, Konrad Kingdom¡¯s engineers destroyed the tunnel with pre-set explosives. As a result, several Gigants were buried alive. ¡°Oh, we have no time to hesitate! Break off the gate!¡± ¡°3rd squadron, occupy the wall!¡± As there were so many Gigants, Luke had no idea what he was supposed to do. Count Marcus ordered the Red Wolf Mercenaries to wait. He intended to use them once their opponent ran out of stamina and then send them when riders like Sancho came out. So, Luke and five other Red Wolf Mercenaries watched as the battle happen. ¡°Captain, I thought that things would be different since this is the Holy Empire, but their siege method is still the same?¡± Philip, who was watching the scene from Luke¡¯s side, said. The war tactics of the Holy Arthenia Empire were very similar to the Baroque Empire except for the presence of priests, paladins, and monks. ¡°This is a place where people live as well. They have similar lifestyles and ways of thought, so their combat styles are similar as well.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s how it is, but when will we start?¡± They weren¡¯t at the forefront, but making them stay at the back was hard for them to handle. The knights had a chance to gain experience, and if Luke couldn¡¯t build merit, it would be difficult for him to meet Veronica III or Princess Reina. ¡°It¡¯s okay. This isn¡¯t a castle that can be occupied in a day or two. Our chance will surely come.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll just lean back and take some rest then.¡± ¡°Yeah. In the meantime, let¡¯s train some of them.¡± The term ¡®them¡¯ referred to the former Garlic Mercenaries who joined the Red Wolf¡¯s gang. After hearing that, Gavel jumped up in shock. ¡°Well, wasn¡¯t there a command for the 2nd squadron to wait?¡± Luke nodded at Gavel¡¯s question. ¡°Yes, we will wait and train ourselves.¡± ¡°But if we run out of breath, won¡¯t it be hard to fight?¡± ¡°When you fight, you build up strength. Do what I am telling you instead of constantly drinking.¡± Eventually, Gavel¡¯s party had to carry out the affectionate training that Luke had given them until the siege ended. Chapter 224 Chapter 224: Eisenberg Battle 4 The siege went on fiercely for days. The power backing Konrad was unexpectedly strong, and the gates didn¡¯t open easily. Eisenberg had a lot of artillery and other weapons, and the number of Gigants was more than 100 from what the spies had reported. However, the army had to occupy the gateway city and provide morale for the army that went full on offensive. Luke and the Red Wolf Mercenaries, who were asked to wait on the first day were made to join the battle from the 4th day. Luke, converted 2 of his Gigants for siege purpose just as he had learned from the Volga army attack. The canons were put on the gloves of the Gigants, and the infantry was burned to attack the walls. Eisenberg¡¯s walls were surely many times higher than the Torlot Fortresses border, so they couldn¡¯t do much. Which was why Luke added another tactic which included magic. ¡°Stone Edge!¡± Drrrrk! Large pillars of stone began to rise closer to the wall. Seeing that, the commanders of the Konrad kingdom laughed at him. ¡°You idiots. To attack something, you need to do it from above¡­¡± Their wish to ridicule soon disappeared. The Red Wolf Mercenaries Giant¡¯s climbed over the wall, as they slowly stepped off the rising stone pillars. ¡°Break, break the stone pillars! Stop them from reaching the top!¡± Pupu! Sadly for the Konrad kingdom soldiers, fires began to shower from the Gigants. The troops placed on one side of the wall evaporated as bombardments flew in their direction, and the Red Wolf Mercenaries who climbed on the stone pillars built bridgehead. ¡°Dammit! Drive those enemies away!¡± ¡°Stop them! Don¡¯t get pushed behind!¡± Troops from the Konrad kingdom swarmed, but the Red Wolf Mercenaries took them down. As riders like Luke and Philip defeated the enemy and prevented the shells which were coming their way, Rakan knights showed their dedication. In addition, even though former Garlic mercenary, the men of Gavel too fought well. Sometimes it was dangerous, but every time a command from Luke fell, they worked very hard. ¡°If you lose the bridgehead, you will be training for three days and nights!¡± ¡°Huh!¡± The staggered and exhausted mercenaries, the moment they heard the command, they soon began to use up their full strength. Thinking about the hell-like training they were being given, no enemy could frighten them. As the Red Wolf Mercenaries secured the bridgehead on the walls, Eisenberg began to change. It wasn¡¯t able to withstand the attacks from the anti-revolutionary army, which was pushing them day and night, and on the 5th day, the gate finally broke. ¡°Wah! The gate is open! All! Ahead!¡± At the orders of the commanders of the army, the Gigants entered the castle city followed by horsemen and soldiers. Luke and the other Red Wolf Mercenaries who played the biggest role in the siege marched into the town to establish whole new merits. ¡°Sire. We must retreat.¡± At the words of the lieutenant, Marquis Parker nodded with a disturbed expression. Fights were taking place on the streets and all over the city. Enemies and allies were all tangled up in their own fights. The allies were holding up, but over time, it would be cleared with the overwhelming forces of the imperial army. ¡®In other words, there is no time to exit.¡¯ Parker looked over at his lieutenant and asked. ¡°Did you ask the main force to retreat?¡± ¡°Yes, I left everyone except for the soldiers. So, you can retreat in confidence.¡± Many of the Eisenberg¡¯s troops were around the territory, and they joined the rebellion at a later time. Parker decided to leave them as bait and sneaked out with the main force of the Konrad kingdom. If he wasn¡¯t able to protect the city, he was going to keep himself safe. That way, he can have a chance to pledge. ¡°Nice. But what about Lazlie and the Flying Dragons?¡± Asked Marquis. ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to see it before, but they already retreated.¡± ¡°Tch. Those paid mercenaries¡­!¡± When the Marquis was getting angry, the door opened with a knight running in. He had a lot of blood on his armor as if he was fighting with a lot of men. ¡°Commander! This won¡¯t be enough. Give out the orders for retreat!¡± He asked Marquis Parker with a muffled voice. ¡°This is the first time that I am seeing your face, who are you?¡± ¡°The newly assigned, Lord Luzana¡­Kuak!¡± Before he could even identify himself, a sword ran through the knight¡¯s chest. An escort of Marquis sneaked behind and stabbed him from the back. There was distrust in the eyes of the knights who seemed to choose any side that would let him live. ¡°Uh, why would you¡­¡± ¡°Hu huhu, for us to have a safe retreat, you men need to stay here.¡± The knight couldn¡¯t even respond to the wicked words of Marquis Parker. ¡°You, you men, will be punished.¡± With those final words, the knight dropped dead. ¡°Punished? Hahaha, you idiot! If there really was any punishment, then we would have already been served the moment we decided to use the people of the city as humans shields?¡± Marquis Parker laughed at the dying knight and escaped the quarters along with a few escorts. Of course, before leaving, he didn¡¯t forget to set fire to the main documents such as operation order. ¡°Uh! The secret passage in the ground for the messengers¡­!¡± Listening to the lieutenant, Marquis Parker got on top of a horse, however, he was suddenly engulfed in a storm. ¡°Sir, Sire!¡± ¡°Kuk! What is happening all of a sudden?¡± ¡°What do you mean by sudden. We were sent to get the commander.¡± With a very clear voice, a group of men with five Gigants appeared in front of Marquis Parker. They were Luke and his Red Wolf Mercenary. The last sudden storm was Luke¡¯s wind magic. ¡°Are you the commander of Eisenberg? I don¡¯t really have anything against you, but I¡¯ll have to take down your neck as proof.¡± From the very first day of the siege, Luke wasn¡¯t just waiting still. During the day, he rolled out the Gavel gang with training, but at night, he snuck into the Eisenberg city with the help of magic. So, he kept trying to figure out the walls and the architecture of the city. Which was why he was able to show up at the quarters much earlier than anyone. ¡°Attack!¡± ¡°Sire, we need to move fast!¡± Though inferior to the mercenaries, Parker¡¯s loyal escorts rushed towards the Red Wolf. Sadly, however, they were quickly overpowered, and Marquis Parker who was trying to flee at the expense of escorts and his people was sieged by Luke¡¯s hold magic. Chapter 225 Chapter 225: Eisenberg Battle 5 ¡°Dammit! Got through!¡± Marquis Parker was under a rough battery. But all that constant resistance went quiet when Luke struck back of his head and killed him. Luke, immediately put the Kratos back in the subspace bracelet to clear the battlefield and handed Parker¡¯s body over to Victor. ¡°Send this over to Count Marcus. Oh, don¡¯t forget to tell him that we caught him with a lot of hard work.¡± ¡°Kukuku, understood.¡± Luke who was done catching the fish, frowned. He wasn¡¯t able to see it because he was in a hurry to catch the Marquis, but he couldn¡¯t see a lot of mercenaries including Gavel. And they couldn¡¯t be dead. The path of the shortcut, they rarely encountered any enemies. If that was the case, it would be great if they were just tired and taking rest. However¡­ ¡°Hehe, this is a mercenary?¡± ¡°That is right. How can one be so busy for being under a young captain?¡± As Luke was going back the same way that he had come, he saw Gavel and few other mercenaries near shops on the busy streets. In fact, it wasn¡¯t just these guys who were plundering the stores. The other mercenaries who were hired by the anti-revolutionary army were eager to plunder. Of course, many people do that, and it didn¡¯t even strike Luke¡¯s mind that men would do such a thing. His merit was indeed important, but anything flawed shouldn¡¯t be done. That way, he can meet the Pope or Reina. ¡°Catch those men, and return all the looted items back to the owner.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± Luke suddenly got sick in the middle of giving out his second command. He could feel something strong and enormous. ¡°Captain, is something wrong?¡± ¡°I have something to check. Have Philip do it for me.¡± Luke took off and flew away with flying magic. ¡®A lot of mana is responding. Are they trying to trigger something powerful?¡¯ He didn¡¯t know if the siege was going on. It wasn¡¯t understandable that massive magic was unfolding when the city was about to fall. After a while, Luke reached the point where tremendous mana waves were being detected. A large warehouse with a pierced roof. The problem was from that hole, a red light began to shine. ¡®That! No way¡­!¡¯ Luke rushed towards the warehouse and recalled a memory from 500 years back. Even though he was reigning as the infamous demon, he had once seen the red light which soared in the sky. It was a magical outpost that some wizards tried to hurt him. ¡°It can¡¯t be. Dammit, it shouldn¡¯t be!¡± He was hoping for it to be mistaken, but something different from what he had thought. But his hope was broken into a million pieces. Luke reached the center of the warehouse and found a familiar form of magic. The large-sized ore and the certain arrangement was plugged into a certain magic. ¡°Dammit, what kind of a crazy person?!¡± Luke hurriedly pulled the magic to break the magic circle. However, the magic manifestation was already 80% over. The magic had been triggered by the magic circle which was running, so it couldn¡¯t be canceled. It was because the magic circle was just a ¡®bow¡¯. Even if there was a bow, it made no sense if the arrows had already left the place. And the arrows would now fall on everyone¡¯s head. Ku Kuk Ku! Luke gazed up to the sky to take a peek. ¡°We have no time to evacuate.¡± Beyond the blue sky which could be seen from the open roof, he could see a glowing sea of stones. Meteor Strike. The catastrophe was falling at a terrible speed. Chapter 226 Chapter 226: Meteor Strike 1 ¡°Huhuhu, it finally starts.¡± In a suburb quite far from Eisenberg, Lazlie smiled after seeing the giant meteor fall through the sky. Count Ferrero, who was standing by his side, had an unpleasant expression. ¡°Is this why you told me to go here when the battle is turning against our favor?¡± ¡°Yes, either the count or Shirley are both needed by the Majesty. I can¡¯t lose you people because of that.¡± ¡°So if we weren¡¯t needed, you would have left us there?¡± ¡°Aie, do I look like such a kind of person?¡± Count Ferrero frowned more upon hearing Lazlie¡¯s answer. As his face was laughing, the eyes of Lazlie were filled with some kind of cold malice. ¡®This man is dangerous.¡¯ was all he could think. When Count Ferrero was thinking to himself, Shirley shrugged her shoulders while eating a cookie. ¡°But, this display of fireworks, are they the emperor¡¯s orders?¡± Asked Ferrero. ¡°No, he didn¡¯t give me any instructions.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re rebelling against Our Majesty¡¯s orders by doing what you want? Does our Majesty want the Holy Empire to be confused?¡± ¡°I was just instructed to intervene at my own discretion, and after the fireworks, the Holy Empire would be more than confused.¡± If 150,000 troops turned into ashes at once, the entire capital of Constantine would be seriously damaged. The subterranean army which was participating on the side of Constantine would definitely fall especially Count Marcus. ¡°They will be confused and troubled for a while. In the meantime, the rebels will turn more intimidated by the faction of Constantine. Perhaps, ambitious characters like Duke Perrierd will rise up everywhere.¡± If that was the case, it was natural for the Holy Arthenia Empire to collapse, and if they survived, they would turn into a small nation, and they would become more insignificant. ¡°In short, the fireworks are going to be a historic event. It is the prelude to the collapse of the Holy Arthenia Empire.¡± ¡°Wah, Lazlie-oppa is a scary person.¡± Unlike Shirley who looked tired, Count Ferrero had a blatantly unpleasant expression. Even though he was a battle maniac, he didn¡¯t think such steps were necessary. In addition, there were quite a few residents in the city. Marquis Parker didn¡¯t introduce the villagers on what they were supposed to do in case of an enemy attack. If the meteor fell in the city, around 300,000 innocent people would die. ¡°Anyway, I can¡¯t help but celebrate such a historic event.¡± Lazlie took out a wine bottle and glass from his bag. He raised the bloody red wine glass toward the falling meteor, which was falling down with a tail of black smoke. ¡°Cheers to the Empire that shall disappear with the flames!¡± ¡°What is happening?¡± ¡°What is this tremendous wave¡­¡± While Lazlie was having a toast, wizards rushed to the warehouse where Luke was. Most of them were the iron mage soldiers of the army. They weren¡¯t as quick as Luke, but they came the moment they detected peculiar waves. With a bitter expression on his face, Luke told them, ¡°You idiots! Aren¡¯t you supposed to know what happens around here?!¡± ¡°No, no way¡­¡± They were looking at the meteor that was falling from the sky. They truly believed that Eisenberg would be destroyed should that meteor fall. They were soon astonished to see the magic circle and the rubble blown out by Luke. ¡°This¡­ Is this really true?¡± ¡°Ahh, God!¡± ¡°What kind of men would do such a thing?! Was this the rebels¡¯ doing?¡± While some of the wizards were in shock, the others ran to the quarters to relay the information, Luke was still looking at the falling meteor. ¡®Thinking about the mana that a meteor that size has, it can blow up not just the city but the surrounding regions too.¡¯ The 150,000 troops that were brought into the city would be wiped out all at once. In addition, the rebels and the citizens of Eisenberg would die. However, it wasn¡¯t the time to stay still and worry. The lives of his subordinates were at stake. ¡®The teleport magic would allow Philip and the Rakan Knights to flee, but¡­¡¯ There were things that caught Luke¡¯s attention. The willingness to fight the world made of beasts and anger toward the men who didn¡¯t see the truth. It was uncertain if the meteor strike was the rebels¡¯ doing or the Baroque Empire that was secretly backing them. However, it was the act of one evil man who didn¡¯t care about the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. ¡®A war which uses any means necessary to win. I can¡¯t deny it, but I¡¯ll probably do the same. However, I want to wage war to punish my enemies and not have innocent lives get caught in it !¡¯ This wasn¡¯t a war. This was plain massacre. Such behaviors couldn¡¯t be tolerated. If anyone was willing to benefit from such a loss, they must be stopped and punished. Luke had made up his mind. ¡®Will I be able to do it?¡¯ The meteor was already close. The terrible figure was clearly visible, and its monster-like sound could be heard clearly. Luke had already experienced this 500 years ago, and he managed to escape it. At that time, the meteor strike was going toward a wasteland, and it wouldn¡¯t be destroying that much since the only ones there in the wasteland were lifeless combat golems. However, his current situation now wasn¡¯t like that, and unlike then, he wasn¡¯t in possession of 9 circle magic. However¡­ ¡°I still need to try!¡± As Luke flew to the sky¡­ The wizards were dazed after seeing him rush toward the meteor. Chapter 227 Chapter 227: Meteor Strike 2 Kwa kwa kwa! The sky was black all over. The smoke produced by the meteor being burned by the friction heat of the atmosphere was everywhere. The end was near. Luke, who flew in horror and despair, summoned Kratos, which was in his subspace bracelet. ¡°It is very hard to intercept those Meteor Strike with my current magic, but if I can manage to amplify my magic with the core engine of the hero class Gigant¡­!¡± In fact, it wasn¡¯t entirely possible, but he had to do something. Whether it could or couldn¡¯t be achieved, it was a situation where something had to be done. ¡°Go, Titan Fist!¡± 7 circle Magic attack, Titan Fist. It was definitely weaker than the dark magic that Luke could currently perform, but it had the advantage of being amplified by the Gigant¡¯s core engine. If so, its power would be stronger than a wizard¡¯s dark magic. The Titan Fist, amplified by the core engine, formed a huge fist and flew toward the meteor. Bang! The Titan Fist directly hit it. However, the meteor with its horrifying weight, force, and kinetic energy didn¡¯t even move. ¡°Dammit! How am I supposed to break this thing?!¡± Seeing that Luke drew magic once again and manifested it, the magic that appeared then was the Cyclone Wave, which was also another 7 circle magic. It was a shockwave enhancement, and its effects could be amplified when produced with a Gigant¡¯s core engine. Creating a magical storm it blew up the mountains, but as soon as it touched the Meteor Strike, it became helpless. ¡°Tch! Ice Blow! Fire Explosion!¡± Luke struck the meteor with magic in succession, but none of them seemed to make any damage or change the path. Even though they couldn¡¯t smash it, he thought that he could at least blow them away from their path, but Luke failed at it terribly. ¡®Maybe this can¡¯t be done?¡¯ Frustration rose, but Luke tried to shake it out of his head. He couldn¡¯t give up in that situation. He wasn¡¯t out of power. He had a lot of power still in him. ¡°Kuk, yeah! If things are like this, I need to do it and see if it will work or not.¡± Activate all the abilities at once. Magic, Dark magic, Auras and the demonic powers! ¡°Kwaah!¡± The first things which were triggered were the demon abilities. Luke pulled out Build-up to the 2nd phase, and his potential exploded. Wooong! On the surface of the armor of Kratos, a golden aura rose like a flame. Gold Aura was expressed in the form of a Gigantic Aura. Its name was Gold Gigantic Aura. The knights, who saw that scene, were in marvel, but Luke who was casting it was suffering tremendously. ¡°Kuk! Dammit, this! Crashing!¡± It wasn¡¯t known about the general aura form, but the Gold Aura wasn¡¯t a perfect match with the demonic abilities. Luke had gone to the Holy Empire to find out the reason. The warrior Rakan was a paladin of the Saint Guard. That was why the Gold and Silver Sword, which he had created, were developed from the Holy Sword which the paladins learned. Unlike the Holy Sword, the development process didn¡¯t need divine power, but the nature of the anti-dark magic had remained intact. No, it was far more destructive when it came to annihilating the Magi than the Holy Sword. ¡®I-I need to keep up! I can¡¯t lose to Rakan¡¯s sword!¡¯ While biting his lip, Luke began to manifest dark magic, Thousand Blitz. However, instead of throwing them toward the meteor, he used them to push his Kratos toward the meteor, which was wrapped in the Gold Gigantic Aura. Swaaak-! Luke rushed to the meteor faster than the wind because of the effect of Thousand Blitz. ¡®Last one, Titan Fist!¡¯ The magic had already failed once, but unlike the first time, Luke was already open with various abilities, and he didn¡¯t intend to shoot it down anymore. He was going to smash it. If this attempt failed too, then everything was over. At the last minute, Luke grabbed the guardian locket that Reina had given him. ¡®Reina, give me strength!¡¯ At that moment, with a burning hope, Kratos collided with the meteor. A white light began to take over Luke. The cathedral in the capital, Bless. There was a mass underway to pray for the peace of the Holy Empire and the well-being of the people. Archbishop Constantine originally attempted a mass to pray for the victory of the army, but he failed to do that because of the strict opposition from Veronica III. ¡®Tch, it¡¯s getting difficult with her constantly rebelling against us!¡¯ Constantine looked at the virgin pope with a heated expression. Veronica, who was kneeling and praying in front of the altar where Lord El Kassel and the goddess of earth Belize was placed, she suddenly rose up. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± ¡°What is it, Your Holiness?¡± Grand Duke Gregory, hurried over to the pope. A thin voice escaped from Veronica¡¯s mouth as if she was feeling dazed. ¡°¡­ I am being called.¡± ¡°Uh? What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°He is calling me.¡± Veronica¡¯s body began to glow brightly with Wings of Light. Everyone in the cathedral was astonished, but soon, they all went down on their knees and placed their hands on their chest. Was a miracle going to happen again? While everyone was expecting, the brilliant light surrounding Veronica soon disappeared. Duke Gregory hurriedly supported her, who was losing her consciousness and was struggling to stay on her feet. ¡°T-the Holy Pope has fallen!¡± ¡°Take her to the palace right away!¡± The mass was stopped right away. No miracle had happened then. Everyone was looking over at the other with a puzzled expression. Maybe the miracle happened to a different place instead of the people in the mass. Kwaahhh-! Flames flashed in the sky, and they were violently bursting and shaking. The citizens of Eisenberg, who were unexpectedly caught up in the warfare, were looking at the sky, expecting their imminent demise. ¡°Kuk, what the hell is this?¡± ¡°What is happening here?!¡± The people nearby were in a mess. The people fled or hid deep in their houses. The knights and soldiers, who fought against one another, were down in dumps. The priests were beginning to accept the opposing denomination. A huge meteor was falling from the sky, and it caught the eyes of the soldiers. It was literally a disaster. Those who lost, those who had the upper hand, and those who were about to die, everyone shared the same feelings of horror. ¡°A-are we going to die?¡± ¡°Dammit! My legs, they are shaking! I can¡¯t even move anymore!¡± ¡°Uhk! After this war, I was going to propose to Jennifer¡­¡± Those in a panic and those who were devastated were crying. That was when someone went out. Appearing casually was a Gigant that flew to the sky, and it attacked the meteor. However, the Gigant tried hitting the meteor, again and again, but the meteor was unfazed. It was reckless. It was Impossible. Everybody was frustrated. They all shook their heads knowing that it was impossible. A white light flashed and spread all over the place. After a while, the people saw an amazing sight when the light faded. The huge meteor split into pieces. Kukukuku! The people of Eisenberg saw the meteors fall into the wasteland. The land shook, and soaring flames and dust soon entered the city. However, the people didn¡¯t care about that. Everyone was tattered. They focused their attention on the Gigant that was falling from the sky. The Gigant Kratos fought against the falling meteor and defeated it. White light radiated from the steel Gigant the moment they clashed. The people cheered and embraced their lives. ¡°Wahhh!¡± ¡°We are Alive! Alive!¡± Thrilled, the men ran to Kratos, which had settled down in the city¡¯s square. Among them were the Rakan Knights, including Philip and Victor. Kwang! Luke smashed out through the rags and the broken breastplate and pushed his body out of the Gigant. ¡°Tch, this is completely gone. I should discard this.¡± Kratos was so wrecked that it could no longer function as a Gigant. Luke sighed with a sad expression and smiled as the men flocked over to him. It was a pity that he lost his hero class Gigant, but he was glad that he saved a lot of people. Chapter 228 Chapter 228: Meteor Strike 3 This time the subjugation of Konrad was life-saving work for Archbishop Constantine. The competitors who were questioning the authority of the Pope and those who were challenging the position of the regent were going to silence him after the anti-revolutionary battle was done in their favor. Because of that, Constantine constantly posted the bulletins in the city about the daily situation of the war which he came to know through the magic communication. Since the ceremony and mess were so magnificent, none of the capital Bless¡¯s people or the neighboring men knew anything about the battle. Families and relatives who had a member of their participating in the army, flocked to the notice board each time any news had been posted there and placed bets on which side would win. In the beginning, there wasn¡¯t anything special. The boring march had lasted more than ten days, so there was nothing worth being talked about. And then, after entering the Konrad region, the first real battle was fought, finally! However, it wasn¡¯t possible to announce that nearly 10,000 casualties were lost from the 2nd squadron because of the ambush attack from the valley between the two hills. Which was why the faction of Constantine distorted the truth by saying that ¡®some soldiers were injured or killed in the midst of the enemy¡¯s surprise attack¡¯. Of course, when war soldiers would come back, the truth might be out in the open, but in the current situation, it was important for them to emphasize their win over the others. The full story had come when the army had arrived at the Eisenberg fortress. As soon as they got to the fort, the Gigantic Duel had begun. While it was an old fashioned custom, the term of ¡®Gigantic Duel¡¯ still attracted the interest of numerous people. On the first day, the enemy soldiers were slightly pushed back, but on the second day, the mercenary riders won one and draw one against the Sword Masters of the enemy. Moreover, the deceased Sword Masters weren¡¯t just ordinary figures, but Count Schmidt, who had sacked and fled dozens of priestesses 10 years ago in Bless. The families of the victims who still remembered the events were delighted by hearing the news that Schmidt was bombed with a Gigant. Archbishop made sure that it was known. So far, the rebels have been wrong about their faction, and it was because Schmidt had pressed them into the faction. ¡°See! Those who spoke about the denomination¡¯s innovation was provided justice by embracing the lunatic killer. No matter how blind eye one was showing, there was righteousness for those who utter words of the God but surround themselves under the defiled name of the devil!¡± Constantine condemned the act of the rebels as well as praises for Luke, who defeated Schmidt. ¡°The Lord is protecting via the Pope¡¯s apostle and his servants. It is a fact because one of the mercenary, Lev, was the one to defeat the evil Schmidt¡­¡± Constantine¡¯s work made the name of Red Wolf Mercenaries, the captain Luke or Lev, quite famous. But a few days later, another shocking news had come. After four days of siege, five days later, the city and street fights had started. Suddenly the sky began to turn dark and meteors began to fall. A meteor that flew from the sky and burnt all the way through. Terrifying meteor headed to Eisenberg. A savior had appeared when despair fell upon the faces of the soldiers and the inhabitants of the city. A Gigant jumped into the sky and smashed down the meteor shower. The residents who heard of the news didn¡¯t believe it at first. ¡°Speak something that at least makes some sense.¡± ¡°Yeah. Even though the people might look like fools.¡± ¡°It is alright to exaggerate for merit, but this lie, isn¡¯t this a bit too much like plain nonsense?¡± But everyone was amazed when huge fragments of the meteors that were diverted from Eisenberg loaded into the outskirts of the capital. In addition, some of the faithful priests and wizards who had returned testified that the news was indeed true. What was more surprising was that the riders in the Gigant who stopped the meteor shower was the mercenary captain who had killed Count Schmidt the other day. Constantine spoke to the people who weren¡¯t believing him. ¡°He isn¡¯t just another normal human being. El Kassel must have sent us a God¡¯s Warrior, who was sent to defend the Holy Empire and his denomination!¡± With Archbishop¡¯s efforts to consolidate his power, Luke turned into a God¡¯s Warrior without his knowledge. At any rate, there was no inhabitant of the city Bless who didn¡¯t know the name of Red Wolf Mercenaries or Lev. There were already kids on the street who were mimicking them and playing games with their names. The residents of Bless were waiting for the next piece of news, and several times a day they would sniff around the bulletin boards around the city. Chapter 229 Chapter 229: Meteor Strike 4 After taking over the city of Eisenberg, the army was staying there for a while. In order to attack Alvera, it was necessary for them to have a safe place, to repair their Gigants at once and to refill their military supplies and stuff. On the other hand, it was important for them to establish safe boundaries and secure the place. If they weren¡¯t able to organize it safely, they could get stabbed from behind. The Red Wolf Mercenaries too had participated in the sweep. The number they had was very small, so Count Marcus tried to exclude them from the sweep, but Luke wanted his knights to get all kinds of various experiences they could in the field. ¡°This neighborhood seems all cleared now.¡± ¡°Soon we will march towards Alvera. Duke Ferrierd has refused to surrender.¡± Luke and the other members of Red Wolf had returned to Eisenberg after talking about things. Returning to the safe house, they witnessed the fight started by a knight in front of a restaurant. ¡°This guy is trying to kill me! The dog food that you made me eat! And now you want to get paid for that?!¡± ¡°I, I. my children need to eat too¡­¡± ¡°Crazy bastard! What good would it do to feed dog food! Think of this as me saving them!¡± Yelled the knight ¡°Ah, father!¡± When the elderly man was pushed to the ground. Seeing that, his young daughter rushed over to his side. Seeing her, the knight grabbed the hand of the young girl. ¡°Ho, you have one cute puppy here.¡± ¡°Let, let me go, please let me¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be afraid, I won¡¯t eat you.¡± When the army knight tried to harass the girl, Luke who couldn¡¯t watch it anymore interfered. ¡°Do your work right. Weren¡¯t you informed to not harm the unarmed civilians?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°What is it with you again?¡± Asked the frustrated knight. ¡°From where did you even¡­¡± Annoyed knights turned their heads in the direction of the voice. They were almost ready to take down the man who opposed them, but they were shocked to see Luke¡¯s face. ¡°Hick!, sorry, excuse us, Red Wolf Captain!¡± ¡°I am not the one you need to be apologizing for, it is him.¡± Stated Luke. Hearing those words, the knights turned in the direction of the restaurant owner and bowed to him, quickly disappearing after that. Luke and his party looking at those knights couldn¡¯t help but feel irritated. ¡°Look at their clothes, they aren¡¯t even the normal knights, they are paladins.¡± ¡°That too was part of the Central Army!¡± ¡°How are they even being allowed to use the divine power? Does the God have no concept?¡± ¡°Sir Philip, you shouldn¡¯t be saying those words in front of others.¡± In retrospect, Schmidt, a serial killer, also was able to use divine power. Thinking about that, Luke thought that the divine power could be a different form of power than the one God might allow. ¡°Anyway, the captain¡¯s position is different. They just look at your face and run away¡­¡± Just as Philip was saying, there was no one in the army who didn¡¯t know the faces of Luke or the Red Wolf Mercenaries. It was due to the fact that the captain of such named mercenary had smashed down the Meteor Strike. The scenes before their death were so shocking that every single detail of it got clearly embedded into their brain. ¡°It is hard to be a famous person. It will turn into a huge deal if Emperor Rudolf notices.¡± Luke stated the known fact. ¡°What to do if he notices? Let¡¯s just succeed in here and eat the entire Holy Empire. Wouldn¡¯t that be easy for us when we fight the Baroque Empire?¡± Asked Philip. Luke couldn¡¯t help but smile at Philip¡¯s words. There was nothing bad about becoming famous. It meant that the time to meet Reina was getting closer. Upon returning to the lodgings and having their dinner, some of the Red Wolf mercenaries rested while the others sparred with each other. At that time, a mercenary in charge of the lodge opened his mouth looking at men who seemed to be snooping. ¡°What is it with you guys?¡± They went alarmed at the question. Their attire and their clothes were like they were mercenaries. ¡°That, we were interested in joining the Red Wolf Mercenaries who are over there!¡± ¡°What?¡± Asked the mercenary who was watching. ¡°We were very impressed with Lev who blew up the meteor last time. Please accept us!¡± At the words of the mercenary, those who were behind him, who too wanted to join, ran close and begged. ¡°We will work very hard!¡± ¡°My arrows have never missed a single target on the battlefield.¡± ¡°I am not that great when it comes to fighting, but I can cook really well.¡± ¡®What, what is this? Why all of a sudden?¡¯ When the Red Wolf Mercenary had smashed the Garlic Mercenaries for the first time, several mercenaries wanted to join them. But seeing Luke and Philip heartlessly work the newbies, they all left before even joining. And after that incident, there were no more volunteers. But once again volunteers were appearing. It was proof that the status of the Red Wolf Mercenary had changed. ¡°Ehhheh, how can we not take you?¡± ¡°I can even do the chores¡­¡± Before the Gigantic duel, the Red Wolf Mercenary had just one capable mercenary, but currently, it was the only mercenary with one Master class; Rune knight and Expert riders. Naturally, as time went by, the reputation of the mercenaries rose, and the other mercenaries would run over to them. Perhaps the legendary mercenary king was reborn after 300 years. The Mercenary King Gilford, though he wasn¡¯t in the same par as Warrior Rakan, he made the mighty men of his time kneel down. Among them was the famous Sword Sage, the Fist Master of the Southern Continent, and the 8 circle Arch Mage. Towards such a powerful mercenary Gilford, swarms of mercenaries had flocked. As the number united, the numbers increased, which made it impossible for any kingdom to even touch him. However, as it was a ground without any strong roots, it couldn¡¯t last long after the death of Gilford. The mercenaries went back to the nobles who wanted to recruit them and began to work for the pay like they used to before. The past mercenaries told the legend of the mercenary king when they first stepped into the line of a mercenary. However, while many mercenaries had dreamed of the return of the legend, most of them soon realized that their dreams were had to be thrown into the gutter. But then, a man close to the legend appeared once again! ¡°Please accept us! We have been starving for three days.¡± ¡°In my hometown, my scary wife and kids like the elves are waiting for me to make money.¡± ¡°Ah, fine, understood. Wait a moment, I will go and ask the captain.¡± The mercenary who was guarding the lodging went to Luke¡¯s room and announced what had happened. Luke listening to the story nodded. ¡°If they are willing to train like the Garlic gang, then accept them.¡± Told Luke. As he has already accepted the Garlic mercenaries, Luke had thought that a few more wouldn¡¯t make many problems at all. Hundreds of volunteers a day would flock to join the Red Wolf mercenary. Some small mercenaries even called for a merger. ¡°This is a huge deal. It is needed to find the usable men and train them and secure the funding for their operation.¡± Victor seemed very worried, but Luke smiled as if it wasn¡¯t a huge deal. ¡°You don¡¯t have to concern yourself with that since we already have what we need. In addition to that, apart from Count Marcus, there are a lot of nobles on run for us.¡± As Luke states, from Marquis Valentino, the current chief commander of the army, the other high ranking commanders and nobles, whenever there was time, would invite Luke for dinner or send him expensive gifts. And the most enthusiastic men of them all were Count Marcus and Bishop Maxim. They put all kinds of offers and additional benefits to bring in Luke, but Luke had turned them all down saying that he would decide once the subjugation was over. In normal situations, no nobleman would stand still when their pride got hurt. However, Luke¡¯s reputation grew so high that they didn¡¯t mind waiting and asking him for it. Chapter 230 ¡°Priest Garen, can¡¯t you really save our mother?¡± ¡°Hu, this is a disease which she got from not eating anything and making her body weak. Divinity isn¡¯t almighty.¡± The ghetto outside of the capital Bless. Two people were talking inside a house made of wooden planks and woven clothes. It was an old house, but he was a young man in his 20s with a middle-aged priest with a lean physique and a clean priest uniform. At the words of Priest Garen, the young man burst into tears. ¡°Kuk! This dammed world!¡± The mother of the young man began to suffer from rashes, and within a span of a few days, she rapidly deteriorated. It was then that he went to the Sanctity of Holiness to find some relief for his poor mother. However, it was already too late. ¡°Because of the war, they have doubled our taxes. How do they even expect us to live in such a situation?¡± The young man was screaming through his tears. Only if he didn¡¯t have to pay the doubled taxes and make his mom starve, his mother might have lived. ¡°I will leave some food and money over here, so you can take care of her till the end.¡± With a sad expression, Garen put a pouch on the wooden table. The young man, seeing it through his tears, threw it away. ¡°I don¡¯t need that! This is all because of the greedy and corrupt priests! Why is Lord El Kassel just leaving them like that! I won¡¯t be preaching or believing in God from now on!¡± Shouted the broken-hearted man. Garen could only sigh; he had no one to blame. He just bowed his head in front of the young man and apologized. A few moments later, Garen left the young man¡¯s house and looked at the night sky to ask God. ¡®Is all of this really your doing?¡¯ He was once told that an angel had descended, and he had expected for the corrupt and fallen propaganda to become better. But rather than that, the confusion and anxiety of the people just worsened. When the face of the new pope didn¡¯t show up, the authority began to fall, calling in a revolt from all sides. The rebellion was used as an excuse so more taxes could be collected from the temples and palaces. They were already recruiting young men into soldiers. A battle went on between the leaders, and the people were the ones who suffered. ¡®If we had a little more power in our sanctity, we could have been able to help more people¡­¡¯ Rather, their opinions were divided as well. They couldn¡¯t decide if the people should be treated for free or with a fee. That money could save so many other people. However, at that time, Priest Luther jumped at the story. ¡°If we receive the money, we will be the same as those who sell things in God¡¯s name. Rather, we need to go hungry if it means using that money to help the poor.¡± ¡®Ah, I don¡¯t know if Luther is safe or not, but a huge fight will happen there soon enough.¡¯ Two months ago, Luther had gone to Alvera to help the needy and the poor. It turned out to be a place where a rebellion was happening that was much worse than the capital¡¯s. Everybody tried to stop him, saying that it was dangerous, but they weren¡¯t able to convince him because of his stubbornness. ¡®But I am relieved that he is there next to Priest Luther.¡¯ There was a man who came from the southern continent a year ago. He was in his early 30s, and his name was ¡®Hwang Bo-sung¡¯. While he was dragging himself in the harbor like a beggar, he got saved by Luther, seeing that the man was on the verge of starvation. Hwang Bo-sung, who got treated with the divine power of Luther, didn¡¯t just recover, but he even walked and managed to overpower the other hunters. From what Hwang Bo-sung had said, he was a warrior in the southern continent. The warrior was similar to the knights of the Rhodesian Continent, and Hwang Bo-sung, with his excellent skills in close combat and martial arts, could even overcome a swordsman with only his bare hands. He never spoke about why he had to enter the nation or how he wasn¡¯t able to move. According to Priest Luther, someone had cursed him with a technique similar to dark magic. In any case, Hwang Bo-sung later began to stay at the temple and was in charge of assisting or escorting the priests of their sanctuary. And thus, he ended up becoming a paladin of their own sanctuary. Previously, there was no paladin in their sanctuary. Harboring a paladin called for a lot of money and then a lot more to train them. However, if they did have the money in hand, they would rather spend it on the poor than on a paladin. Even though it might be due to the creeds, they had gained a lot of popularity and had greatly expanded their preaching, especially among the lower class. As a result, other denominations, especially the Marius Faction, was being led by Constantine. They were keeping a close eye on Luther. There were times when Luther was attacked several times by assassins who allegedly were instigated by the Marius Faction. If it wasn¡¯t for Hwang Bo-sung, Luther would be dead already. ¡®Please come back safely! There are way too many people who need your touch.¡¯ Staring at the night sky, Priest Garen prayed for Priest Luther and Hwang Bo-sung. Chapter 231 After completing the maintenance in Eisenberg, the army began to march toward Alvera. The total number of troops was 110,000. That was all thanks to the troops who were left behind to secure the occupied territories. The Gigant riders of the capital had increased as a result of that. ¡°Do you really want to come under my command?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you know once this subjugation comes to an end.¡± ¡®Tch, just close your eyes and accept my offer. Why are you hesitating?¡¯ Count Marcus looked at Luke and offered Luke to join him, but he just clicked his tongue after hearing Luke¡¯s answer. He thought Luke was calling in many other nobles to raise his worth. Since named mercenaries did the same thing in the past, it was something he was aware of. However, he desperately wanted to bring in Luke before anyone could take him away. ¡®I don¡¯t know if someone else had given you an offer, but I am never going to give you up to Bishop Maxim.¡¯ Luke looked back at Marcus, who was tired and exhausted from asking him, and broke into a smile after seeing something. It was the new mercenaries who joined the Red Wolf Mercenaries. They were marching and were drenched in sweat. Their number had gone over 3,000 people; Beside them were the Rakan Knights, who were nagging them. ¡°Can¡¯t you walk properly?!¡± ¡°Your basic strength itself is so weak! Can you even take down one person?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need a weak man with us! If you have no strength, you are no good to us! If you are no good, try to be stubborn!¡± Unlike the Garlic Gang who still searched for opportunities to run away, the newly joined mercenaries were all accepting such hard harassment with serious and committed expressions. After seeing the incredible performance and power of Red Wolf¡¯s captain, they thought that openly accepting their treatment would improve them. ¡®If we overcome all this, will I become strong like them?¡¯ ¡®Nice, I¡¯ll learn and turn myself into an expert as well!¡¯ It was something they needed so that they could fulfill their dreams, but Luke and Philip didn¡¯t tell them the truth. On the way to Alvera, there were constant attacks from the Konrad Kingdom. It was to check if Eisenberg¡¯s defeat had hit them hard or if they were going to aim all their strength on Alvera. A week later, the Anti Revolutionary Army had finally arrived in Alvera, the center of rebellion and the capital of the self-proclaimed Konrad Kingdom. It was almost time to encircle the castle and enter into a siege. A messenger had come all the way from Bless to give them a wonderful news. Her Holiness, the pope, was going to visit them in 2 days to congratulate the soldiers and raise their morale. ¡°What? Reina, no, Victoria III is going to come here?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Yes, captain. I¡¯m sure that was what the messenger said¡± ¡°Alas!¡± Luke¡¯s face lit up. Wasn¡¯t he fighting back and forth in some other country¡¯s civil war just to meet her? He could finally meet her in 2 days. His heart couldn¡¯t stop pounding. ¡°Would you like to meet her right away?¡± Philip noticed Luke¡¯s excitement and asked. Victor was ready; he was already taking off his armor to run over to her. Luke, however, shook his head. ¡°No, we will be asking for trouble if we do that. I will wait here.¡± He already waited for 2 years. He could surely wait for another two days. Luke was a little upset, but he thought to himself, ¡®Will she even recognize me?¡¯ He heard that she had forgotten her memories after she came back from the Spirit World. Luke was starting to feel anxious, thinking that she wouldn¡¯t be able to remember him. Chapter 232 A few days before the messenger had arrived in the area. Two voices could be heard from the palace of Bless. One was the voice of an old man who was opposing the voice of a stubborn young woman. ¡°I am definitely going to go there!¡± ¡°That is a battlefield, and you don¡¯t know what can happen over there. What if there is a trap over there, what about the country which is looking for its only Pope?¡± Constantine was suddenly troubled because of Veronica III, who from the day before was stubborn on her thoughts. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just her going there to consolidate the soldiers. Veronica had told him that she would go meet Duke Ferrierd to negotiate and stop the war if possible. The reason being that she didn¡¯t want the war to be the reason for the people¡¯s suffering. ¡®Dammit, all this is because of what Osram had taught to her!¡¯ Constantine was definite that Osram had started to distort the truth and placed the wrong information in the brain of the naive pope. Recently, Veronica III was very active, enough to say that she was literally changing by every moment. Unlike the past days, she wasn¡¯t listening to his words and started to think for herself, little by little. In addition, her intellectual level too had increased, and her speech alongside her actions too have been different from before. Times when the gentle puppy-like eyes began to burn with hope and faith. ¡°If it is so dangerous, then the paladins will protect me. And I heard that there is a God¡¯s Warrior over there. Would I be in danger if there is a God¡¯s warrior near me?¡± Asked Veronica III. ¡°That, that is¡­¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it the regent¡¯s words? That I am an angel, God¡¯s apostle. If I am an apostle of God, then I need to meet the God¡¯s Warrior.¡± ¡°That, that is true indeed.¡± When the word about God¡¯s Warrior had come out, Constantine couldn¡¯t help but go silent. He never had thought that he wouldn¡¯t be able to disagree with the girl¡¯s words. ¡®I can¡¯t do anything anymore. If I don¡¯t allow her, she is sure to run away¡­¡¯ The harder he was with her, the worse his relationship was turning out. Constantine decided that it would be better to give the lady what she wanted and in exchange, he would use it to strengthen her political power towards the people. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s go to the front line for an inspection.¡± As Constantine agreed, Veronica¡¯s face lit up. She jumped up from her seat and hugged him for a long time. ¡°Thank you, grandpa.¡± ¡°Well, you need to go to such places¡­ now stop it. If Arch duke Gregory sees this, he will yell.¡± After finishing the discussion, Constantine went out of the room saying that he had to prepare for the inspection which she wanted to go. After Constantine resigned from the room, Veronica wasn¡¯t able to sit down. Her heart kept on pounding, there was only one figure which was going on in her head. ¡®I will be able to meet you now.¡¯ For Veronica to suddenly insist on going over to the frontline of the soldiers, there was a reason. God¡¯s Warrior Lev. When he saved Eisenberg from the ruins, she lost consciousness while performing a mass in the cathedral. That was when Veronica had a dream. The platinum-haired man, whom she had seen in her dreams before and the one she knew as Luke de Rakan. What surprised her was what happened after waking up. From the conversation between her maids, the captain referred to as Lev, flew to the sky with just one Gigant and stopped the Meteor Stike. How was that even possible? What was the relationship between Luke and Lev? Veronica wasn¡¯t able to sleep because of too many thoughts that were running through her mind. When she barely managed to open her eyes, she could see herself smiling happily in the arms of Luke, in the garden of the Black castle. ¡®Is Luke the God¡¯s Warrior? If you think, they both are Rune Knights¡­¡¯ What was much more important was how Luke de Rakan could be related. Thinking about the things that she saw in her dreams, it seemed like the relationship between them was close and special. The more she thought about it, the more would her heart pound than her brain trying to find the reason. ¡®I need to meet. Otherwise, I won¡¯t be able to find the answers.¡¯ Which was why she insisted on going to the front lines. But it wasn¡¯t like she was lying about wanting to go to the soldiers, she wanted to encourage the hard-working soldiers and have talks with the rebels. She really wanted to. A God¡¯s Apostle was meant to do that. -Well done. I think that you are finally ready to meet me now. Her other-self gladly spoke. Veronica, with her hand on her thumping chest, smiled with hope. That evening, Arch Duke Gregory, who never asked for anything, went to see Veronica III. ¡°I have come to see the Pope.¡± Arch Duke had always honored her with the utmost respect. But due to the seriousness that he always had around him, Veronica was very uncomfortable. ¡®This man, he would do anything for the Empire and for me.¡¯ Gregory had always been very polite with her, but Veronica didn¡¯t let her guard down. She could see the seriousness in Gregory¡¯s eyes. His eyes were hard as steel, yet cold as a blade, and if it seemed like things went wrong, then blood would be the next thing one would see. He wasn¡¯t the kind to meet the Pope after the official event, but for some reason, he brought himself to meet the Pope. She was still scared of meeting him alone, which was she sent a word to Constantine. ¡°I heard that you plan on going to the frontline.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. I hope that it will help a little for the soldiers and the knights who are risking their lives for us¡­¡± Being careful to not be stopped, she was speaking in a rather high tone. Unlike her worries, Gregory just nodded with a light smile. ¡°If the Holiness is the one to do it, the morale of the soldiers will rise greatly.¡± Spoke Gregory. ¡°Is that so? Thank you so much for accepting it.¡± Her face brightened. But that very moment, the Arch Duke had placed a condition. ¡°Instead you need to take Saint Guard division and me.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°If you take the Saint Guard, then I can be rest assured.¡± The Saint Guard was the strongest power of the Holy Empire. One of their squadrons was as powerful as the entire knights division of the empire. As long as the Saint Guard division went behind, everything could happen freely. But she never thought that Gregory would try to follow. ¡°You are going to visit the king, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I would like to take this chance and solve things between the capital and the other places.¡± It would be very uncomfortable if he followed. Which was why Veronica looked at Constantine, who was standing beside. She asked for him to be taken out, but Constantine just shook his head with a grim look. It was Gregory who stayed back at the imperial military quarters as usual, but there was no one who could stop him from doing anything other than the Pope, herself. Veronica, who was crying inside, couldn¡¯t help but nod reluctantly. ¡°Phew, fine. Let¡¯s do it like that.¡± ¡°Then, I will get ready soon.¡± With those words, Arch Duke Gregory went out and sighs flowed out of Veronica and Constantine¡¯s mouth at the same time. Chapter 233 Arriving at the Alvera, they had to prepare for the siege, due to which the anti-revolution army had to retreat 5 kilometers. In that place, they began to let down their things and started to prepare for the siege. ¡°I don¡¯t get it at all, it isn¡¯t like the battle is done, so why are we being suddenly visited?¡± Commander of the 1st squadron shook his head thinking about the visit from the Pope which made no sense to them. ¡°Isn¡¯t it for soldiers who have placed their lives on the front line and for the men who have suffered from the war, and the loss they had to face? I heard that they are considering the rebels too.¡± At those words of Marquis Valentino, the commander of the 1st squadron seemed agitated. ¡°Are they going to negotiate a winning war? What would the rebels do it they are known of this, what are the Regent and the other men around the Pope even thinking¡­?¡± ¡°Uhm, I have noticed that the Immortal division will be escorting the Pope. And who would dare to touch the Pope when Arch Duke Gregory is right next to her?¡± If the words of Bishop Maxim were indeed true, then no one would be willing to lay a hand on the Pope. Arch Duke Gregory, was one of the best knights that the continent could offer, and a guardian of that kind was accompanying the Pope with some men of the knight¡¯s division. Rather, the rebels would be very wary of whether they should even join the battle or not, once the news spreads over. ¡°If that is the case, then everything is good. But, why is Arch Duke Gregory coming all the way, who will look after the capital if something erupts there?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because he is worried about the safety of our Pope?¡± ¡°But would that be enough to relieve himself from his duty.¡± ¡°Whatever be the case, it is impossible for us to understand it by talks, so let¡¯s just do what we can in our situation.¡± With the end of the meeting, the commanders set off in their paths to see if an enemy would intercept. As the Pope was arriving, the defenses have been thickened. Du du du du! Two days later, a golden wagon with a flag stood on a wooden cross, symbolizing the Holy Arthenia Empire and the El Kassel denomination, approached the army. The wagon was being thoroughly protected by thousands of paladins, the Saint Guard, the pride of the Empire. ¡°Oh! At last, we are being visited!¡± ¡°Long Live our Pope!¡± At the very moment, the soldiers mumbled and there were cheers going on here and there. In midst of their loud cheers, the wagon had stopped, releasing white dust in the back. Marquis Valentino and the other heads of the Imperial office approached the wagon in their best manner and attire. Luke¡¯s chest was pounding hard seeing it all happen from afar. Even he knew that his heart was going to burst from the excitement. ¡®Finally, it is her! She really is in front of me!¡¯ He wanted to run close to her and open the wagon door with his own hands. But it would be plain crazy for him to act in such a manner. ¡®Wait a little more. Just a little more!¡¯ He was ready to do something after checking that she indeed was his Reina. It was right when Luke was fighting with his inner conflict. Marquis Valentino approached the wagon and greeted the Pope. ¡°My Holy Pope, you have blessed both the priests and the nobles in the castle and traveled so far to this rugged place for us.¡± The figure inside the wagon lightly raised her hand and answered something. After a while, the door of the wagon had opened, with leather shoes that covered the white hem of the dress, someone had come out. Soon, the soldiers screamed and the cheers for the Pope didn¡¯t stop soon. Chapter 234 ¡°What did you just say? Bless is empty, unprotected?¡± Ranghel territory located to the west of the Holy Arthenia Empire. In there, Marquis Suleiman, who held the banner for rebellion as well, jumped up at the information that was relayed to him by his retainers. ¡°It isn¡¯t like it had been cleared clean, it was said that Arch Duke Gregory and the Saint Guards disappeared, following the scarecrow pope all the way to Alvera.¡± ¡°Oh, such a chance!¡± Even though it wasn¡¯t the case, he knew very well that Archbishop Constantine had raised a rather large army to suppress the rebels. Initially, Suleiman was dead nervous, thinking that the troops were being prepared to take him down. Some of the retainers even offered to negotiate a surrender with Archbishop Constantine. Luckily, the army was headed to the Konrad Kingdom, which was under Ferrierd, and not to Ranghel. Another lucky sign had come to him, making him sigh out of relief. It was said that the Saint Guards and Arch Duke Gregory were guarding the capital Bless, which meant that the capital couldn¡¯t be touched by Suleiman¡¯s current force, but he was told to follow the pope to escort her, and the central army was currently the only force that remained in the city, and it was not a huge deal to take them down. ¡®I knew that God didn¡¯t abandon me!¡¯ The marquis immediately gave out orders to his retainers. ¡°Get the army ready right away! Our goal is Bless! Let us get it before Arch Duke Gregory even gets there!¡± Once he got control of the capital Bless, he was most likely to have talks with them. The capital Bless was so symbolic that there were numerous temples and sanctuaries for each of the tribe, and many high-ranking priests and nobles resided in there. At the orders from Marquis Suleiman, the retainers busted out to prepare for their takeover. The army was already prepared, so they just had to be sent out immediately. ¡°But how did you even manage to get such valuable information?¡± Suleiman suddenly asked the retainer who had informed him. The retainer, who was in charge of gathering information, proudly answered, ¡°The owner of the Commerce Chamber, who I am closely acquainted with, informed me.¡± ¡°I guess information travels fast among the merchants. What is the name of the merchant?¡± ¡°It is Lazlie.¡± ¡°Lazlie? Let me know later. I need to pay him a huge prize for his help. Hahahaha!¡± The marquis was so happy that he burst into laughter. Seeing his master smile after a long time, even the retainer seemed glad. That day, 50,000 troops began to march from Ranghel to Bless. Chapter 235 Chapter 235: A Reunion after 2 years 1 ¡°Wah! Long live the pope!¡± ¡°Long live our pope!¡± At last, the pope had got out of the wagon. Luke, who got mixed with the soldiers who were cheering, stepped forward. A little further, and he could finally confirm whether Pope Veronica III was really his Reina. At first, Luke tried to check it through mana. Even if the people there weren¡¯t wizards, each individual had their own mana waves. However, for a human who didn¡¯t have a developed mana circle, checking the weak mana waves was a troublesome task. What was more, it was harder to find as there were thousands of soldiers around. If there was a way for him to confirm, it was to approach her as close as he could. Luke narrowed the distance and finally got a chance to see the pope who was being escorted by Marquis Valentino. But with just ten steps left to get close, he couldn¡¯t help but stop. The paladins, who were blocking the front, were like iron walls. ¡®Are these men the Saint Guard?¡¯ Their bodies itself seemed very strong. They were actually one of Luke¡¯s favorite knights, but they were just being an annoyance to Luke now. If he could, he would have blown them up, but Luke just stared at the pope. ¡®This¡­!¡¯ The pope was wearing a veil over her head, making it very hard for Luke to even make out her face. Because of the dizzy energy of the crowd, mana waves were still hard to detect. Right when Luke continued to look for other means. Tang! A sharp arrow popped out from the crowd. The arrow, which was flying quickly after being released from the bow, was aimed at the pope. Kang! A momentary burst of fire blew in the air. The arrow quickly bounced off to a vacant spot. In front of the pope was a young man with a plunged physique. He blocked the arrow and relayed his commands. ¡°Protect the pope!¡± Orders fell from Arch Duke Gregory. The Saint Guards, who were close to the Pope, surrounded her in no time. In addition, the paladins scattered immediately and searched for a person who had invaded their peaceful meeting. ¡°Do not stand! On the floor! Fall on the floor!¡± ¡°Hick! No, it wasn¡¯t me!¡± ¡°Do not move! Any suspicious person will be immediately considered as an assassin!¡± The soldiers all went flat on the ground like frogs. They were scared of the Saint Guards. Luke lay down as well. In that situation, if he immediately left the place, he could have been framed, and then he would have gotten brought into something very tiring. ¡®Dammit, what is this now!?¡¯ With the loss of Eisenberg, the prevailing Konrad Kingdom might have tried to assassinate her with unclear thoughts and ideas. But in that very situation, Luke was critically trying to make sure if the pope was Reina! ¡®There is no time to grumble. If the assassin isn¡¯t caught soon¡­¡¯ The pope, whose life had been threatened, might be asked to return. Even if the pope didn¡¯t go back right away, it was likely that she wouldn¡¯t be allowed to meet anyone for her safety. ¡®A mistake. All because I was looking forward to seeing Reina, I wasn¡¯t able to stay alert¡­¡¯ Luke began to think about the situation before the assassination attempt. Arrows flew in with a sharp sound. That meant that the arrow wasn¡¯t from a longbow. Common sense suggested that in such crowded places, the cry of an assassin could be heard and noticed. ¡®It wasn¡¯t attempted from a distance. The sound definitely came from around here, and the weapon used wasn¡¯t a bow; something else was used.¡¯ He could guess what the equipment was. It was a handgun. People called it the hand cannon or firearms. It was a weapon loaded by gunpowder that was from the south¡ªthe Song Empire. A weapon that placed gunpower or small arrow into a metal stick. If used right, it could be utilized to kill a knight that was wearing armor. However, it wasn¡¯t a weapon that was commonly used in the Rhodesia Continent as it had no effect over Gigants¡ªheavy armored weapons. However, a few mercenaries carried it with them for the purpose of shooting an enemy commander or when dealing with knights beyond the expert class. Luke came to know about its information because of the new recruits who wanted to join the Red Wolf Mercenaries. ¡°You are the assassin!¡± ¡°Uh? No, no! It wasn¡¯t me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie! If so, then why do I smell gunpowder from your body?¡± Paladins, just like Luke, were finding suspects everywhere. Most of the mercenaries had hand canons or other handheld artillery weapons. ¡°Where did you hide your weapon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you. I don¡¯t have anything of the sort! Why are you doing these things to me¡­ Kuak!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act smart with me and speak out!¡± Yelled the paladin. ¡°I-it wasn¡¯t me! It really wasn¡¯t me!¡± Luke frowned as he saw the suspect get beaten by the paladins. He thought that the weapon used for the assassination was a hand canon as well, but something seemed off. ¡®The gunfire did ring, but there was no smell of gunpowder or smoke. In addition to that, the mana had reacted smoothly¡­¡¯ Luke hurriedly looked around. Considering the place where the gunshot rang, the assassin was likely to be very close. The assassin could have retreated already, but what if he chooses to attack again? ¡°You! There you are! Why are you looking around?¡± One of the paladins, who belonged to the Saint Guards, found Luke looking around. Luke kept looking to try and find the assassin. ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you what you¡¯re doing?¡± Yelled the paladin. ¡°Be quiet! You are distracting me!¡± Luke pushed off the hand of the paladin, which was placed on his shoulders, looking for mana that had a suspicious reaction. Luke rushed away. The assassin was still there. On top of that, he was much closer to the pope than one would have anticipated. Chapter 236 ¡°Is there an assassin among these men?¡± Arch Duke Gregory looked at the assassin suspects that his men had found out. Everyone was screaming and some of them were crying out saying ¡®It wasn¡¯t me!¡¯. At the sight of that, the Arch Duke just shook his head. ¡®This all waste.¡¯ He had been guarding the Pope for a long time, so he knew what an assassin would look like and how an assassin behaves. Basically they were very cool and calm. The higher the level the assassin was, the more troublesome they were to find. And they never got caught with the rudimentary mistakes like gunpowder smell. Even if they were bleeding to death, they would still be as calm as an ocean. ¡®Even if they cry in the face of trouble. Their bodies will always be ready for the next strike. But none of these men look like that.¡¯ And his subordinates couldn¡¯t have just brought them out without thinking. When it was time to hurriedly find the assassin among the tens of thousands of soldiers, his subordinates had gone in haste and bought out people with unreasonable thoughts. ¡°Free them all. They aren¡¯t the culprits.¡± ¡°Arch Duke, then¡­¡± ¡°If I were an assassin, I would look out for such a situation to happen to make my next move.¡± ¡®Is that definite?¡¯ A paladin thought to himself. A blond assassin ran from the crowd with his sword pulled out. He seemed like a man with pretty skills and by seeing that, Arch Duke Gregory¡¯s face went hard. ¡°Assassin!¡± ¡°Come quick and protect the Pope! Keep the Pope safe!¡± Some of the paladins around the Pope went forward to stop the assassin, while the others rebuilt the guard and tried to evacuate the Pope back into her wagon. But Veronica III, who was being asked to move, didn¡¯t move one step. ¡°What is it, Pope?¡± ¡®That person¡­¡¯ Veronica, who was watching through the veil, looked at the man who was rushing in front of the paladins. The paladins were thinking of him to be the assassin, but surprisingly it was the man she had seen multiple times in her dreams. A person who always stared at her, and within those eyes was the man who was full of longing for her. ¡®Luke de Rakan!¡¯ When Luke¡¯s face went visible, Veronica or Reina held her chest. Her heart began to beat fast and her mind was going blank. A brief whirlwind of emotions rushed to her which soon awakened her and together with the memories which she had forgotten till then. The memories of the ruined Princess of Volga and the past two years of her living the life of Pope Veronica III in the Holy Arthenia Empire. ¡®Reina! I knew she was Reina!¡¯ When Luke stared at the Pope who had her veil, he went pale. It wasn¡¯t like he was feeling down. After seeing each other after a long gap, the suppressed emotions were finally out. But he couldn¡¯t just rejoice right away. The man who was considered to be her assassin was getting close to her. ¡°This man! Trying to get past us!¡± ¡°Kuk!¡± The paladin who was in front of Reina wielded his sword, which made Luke wound his shoulder. It wasn¡¯t an attack he could avoid or prevent, however, even after being hit, Luke had no time to falter. It was because a black hole had appeared in the sky. ¡°Where are you looking¡­¡± The paladin who was facing Luke went shocked. Surprisingly, a Hand Canon suddenly appeared right next to him. As soon as the paladin stopped, the real assassin appeared in the air, aiming the shot at Reina. ¡°Fire Bolt!¡± Tang-! The sparks had burst out of the barrel with a loud shot. But the arrow that was supposed to fly towards Reina, turned back to the sky. Luke ran fast at the last minute, and thanks to that the shot hit the sword and bounced off. ¡°Kuk, such interruption!¡± Spoke the assassin. ¡°Trying to escape? No way.¡± As soon as Luke ascertained the location of the concealed assassin, he brought down the sword. Suak! The aura was so scary that everyone took a step back. The scene was moving the flow of the water, revealing the assassin¡¯s appearance. The flustered assassin had something of a transparent piece of cloth rolled up. ¡®A wizard, huh. Not just a plain assassin.¡¯ Realized Luke. Even if the gunshot rang, the absence of gunpowder smell and smoke made sure that it was magic. In fact, the assassin¡¯s main weapon wasn¡¯t the Hand Cannon, it was the staff-like structure at the back. It looked dull, but the fire bolt it gave out was powerful enough to put a deadly blow. It wasn¡¯t just strong weapons, the assassin had an invisibility cloak equipped with magic which allowed him to completely conceal himself. The magic that the assassin used was of base level. However, because it was such simple and mediocre, it made it tough to spot him in a place where the number of people was mixed up. Perhaps, the assassin had attacked by carefully calculating it in advance. ¡°Tch, today was such a failure, but next time¡­¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time.¡± Luke heard an unfamiliar voice and the hands of the assassin who were trying to tear off the scroll were cut off. It was Arch Duke Gregory, who wielded the sword so fast that the assassin couldn¡¯t even feel the pain, and Luke couldn¡¯t even notice. Arch Duke Gregory, appeared right next to the assassin and raised his sword to his throat. ¡°How dare you try to take down the Pope¡­ you must be willing to die.¡± The assassin looked flustered to suddenly appear in the close range of Arch Duke Gregory. But he brought himself to smile. ¡°I am sure. It is hard to die.¡± The assassin crossed his hands which left after getting cut. Luke noticed that he was trying to concentrate on the mana circle, and screamed at everyone close to him. ¡°Everyone hurry! It is suicide magic!¡± As soon as dangerous light shone from the assassin¡¯s heart, Luke ran over to the assassin without any hesitation. And shortly thereafter, wild roars shook both heaven and earth. Kwang! The tremors and the vibrations, the flashes soaring above the sky were clearly visible to the men in the Konrad Kingdom and the other army. Some of them were amazed, while the others were smiling. Making the wheel of destiny to turn silently into an unknown direction. Chapter 237 ¡°What the hell happened?¡± ¡°Well, it was too loud to even cheer for someone.¡± Not all the soldiers of the anti-revolutionary army had attended the welcome ceremony of the Pope. There were way too many soldiers to be included. Those who had to stay away, were back in their own barracks, telling stories and drinking. However, as each commander of the unit had to attend the emergency meeting and the knights began to wander, the soldiers began to notice that something huge had happened. Shortly afterward, the truth began to come out from the mouths of the soldiers who returned back from the welcoming ceremony. ¡°What did you say?! Someone dared to assassinate the Pope?¡± ¡°Shhh! Keep your voice low! The high-class men had told me this information secretly.¡± The soldiers were shocked after learning the truth. The same was true for the Red Wolf mercenaries who were waiting in their barracks. ¡°No, no, why would someone do¡­?¡± At the question from Philip, Victor who joined the welcoming ceremony with Luke frowned. ¡°What do you mean by that. It is the act of the rebels.¡± ¡°Is that really true? I heard that the Pope¡¯s visit was a secret and suddenly planned. How would the enemies even know?¡± ¡°Well, there might be a spy in the palace.¡± At those words of Victor, Philip just shook his head in disbelief. He knew that the rebels were going to be in trouble since the loss of Eisenberg. But what would they need for them to act on such impulse? In the Holy Empire, a Pope was the absolute being. Nevertheless, most people didn¡¯t recognize or accept the new Pope. The reason being, the Pope didn¡¯t go through the official process. ¡®So, the men decided to get rid of the Pope who entered the wrong way with the assassination?¡¯ It didn¡¯t look good for the rebels. If they chose the wrong way to overthrow the unclean, then the light which had to shine for their cause might fade. In severe cases, people were more likely to face backlash. ¡°What are the rebels even thinking¡­ Ahh, was it checked thoroughly?¡± When Philip kicked his tongue and asked, Victor¡¯s expression changed dramatically. He knew what Philip was asking about. ¡°Yes, I saw.¡± ¡°Was it really princess Reina?¡± Asked Philip. ¡°There is no mistake in that.¡± Victor nodded with a very confident look. In his firm expression was a small smile. Although he didn¡¯t reach as close to Reina as Luke did, he was clearly able to see that it was her. His years of service for Reina were never small, he knew even her smallest habits. ¡°Princess saw the Lord, and she seemed to be moderately shaken.¡± ¡°Is that so! By the way, where is the Lord? Is he by any chance, with the princess?¡± ¡°Lord¡­¡± Victor just sighed deeply. ¡°What happened out there?¡± ¡°Say something!¡± The knights other than Philip, all began to ask Victor. Victor opened his mouth and began to speak with a heavy expression. ¡°Along with the explosion, our Lord disappeared. And it wasn¡¯t just him, but princess Reina too¡­¡± Listening to the words of Victor, the expression of all the knights hardened. ¡®Since he wasn¡¯t seen, he might have just been missing!¡¯ Even Philip, who always kept his calm personality, went still like a stone. Nothing could be seen. This was the kind of darkness that Luke saw for the first time since his death in the hands of Sword Emperor Rakan and the deep purgatory that he fell into. ¡®No way¡­ did I just die again?¡¯ The assassin had turned his mana circle into a massive mana bomb with the Suicide Spell. Suicide magic was a spell that can be used only once in the lifetime of a wizard. Because when the assassin exploded, it wasn¡¯t just the magic power but also their remaining life and their body was gone with the spell. So even if the wizards stopped the magic circle, things wouldn¡¯t change after initiating. The assassin¡¯s magic abilities seemed to be 7 circle, which meant he was a very well trained War mage. A War Mage, who specializes in attack magic, the Suicide Magic was very powerful. Luke was prepared to die. There was insufficient time to respond, he tried to offset the power of the self-destructive magic by manifesting the shield magic one after the other. But the destructive force of the spell just tore through every shield that Luke had deployed. ¡®Isn¡¯t this so foolish¡­ hold up!?¡¯ Luke was struggling to wake up to the warmth which he could feel in his right hand. And was able to see a woman wearing a white dress. ¡°Reina?¡± Reina who was in Luke¡¯s arms nodded at his question. She wasn¡¯t able to easily speak her feelings, but her eyes were already filled with tears, and soon she buried her face in him. She wasn¡¯t able to stand the emotions that had been suppressed all that time. ¡°Luke¡­ Sir Luke, is this really you? Tell me that I am not dreaming!¡± ¡°Why? Still don¡¯t feel like believing me?¡± Asked Luke. Luke grabbed Reina and hugged her for a while. The reunion that he had been anticipating for so long was finally made. Reuniting with their dream lover, they were absorbed in the warmth of the others which erased all the pain they had gone through. Chapter 238 Chapter 238: A Reunion after 2 years 4 After a while, Reina calmed herself down and apologized to Luke, ¡°Sorry. You¡¯re always in danger because of me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sorry? Huh, are you thinking of putting an end to all of this with just a sorry?¡± Luke looked away, pretending to be angry. No, actually he was a little angry. ¡°Did you really have no faith in me? Was that why you decided to jump the moment the high elf said something to you? What would you do if something really bad had happened?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°I just wanted you to be safe¡­¡± Reina still couldn¡¯t speak and that made Luke once again embrace her in his arms. ¡°Don¡¯t ever do that again. I have no intention of losing you again!¡± For Luke, Reina was a special woman. He deeply understood what had led to his past life into a mess, and he fully embraced all those feelings. That was why he thought of her to be the incarnation of his old lover¡ªKatarina. ¡°But¡­ What even happened? Why does the Holy Empire think of you as an angel sent by God?¡± ¡°Ah, that? That is because¡­¡± Reina told Luke about everything¡ªfrom the World Tree to entering the Spirit World and meeting the Spirit King Sylphid, and how she got Aether from him. ¡°Aether, which is every living thing¡¯s source of power since the beginning of the world, has great spiritual power. It is a power that no human should be able to deal with, so Sylphid gave me all the information about the world from the moment of its creation.¡± The information allowed her to deal with the Aether, but it was like poison for Reina during that time. It was because she had taken in huge amounts of it in an unreasonably short time. ¡°As the Aether moved, a drastic change happened to my body. The same thing happened to my mind. I thought I would go crazy or that I would die, so because of that, I decided to seal my thoughts, ego, and memories.¡± Seal herself. It was actually impossible, but it was possible for Reina as the power of Aether split her body into two¡ªher body and her spirit. ¡°But that indeed was an adventure. I am not entirely at a stage where I can fully control the Aether yet.¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± Luke was shocked. If the seal wasn¡¯t successful, then Reina would have permanently lost her memories and stayed having a kid-like brain. ¡°Anyway, the seal was successful, and my body was able to transform itself into something new. It changed into something that was as clean as a white sheet of paper. I came back to the world, like a child learning to walk. Step by step, I was able to handle the Aether.¡± It was a part of her practice, so she could deal with her power that gave life to the stone statue in the palace or the wings of light. After hearing her stories, Luke just sighed. He was just glad to know that Reina didn¡¯t do anything wrong. ¡°It is easy to learn anything when we start clean. It was great that you had fallen into the capital of the Holy Empire. What would you have done if you fell into the evil den of Veritas Magic Tower?¡± The people there would definitely do experiments on Reina. She might get brainwashed, or they could turn her into an evil warlock. ¡°The idea of sealing yourself is really dangerous. What would have happened if you couldn¡¯t get back?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°That could have been, but¡­ I left clues here and there.¡± ¡°Clues?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Yeah. There were many things, but the most obvious one was you.¡± Although sealed, the Aether had the will of Reina. That was why Veronica III dreamed about Luke so many times. ¡°Maybe it was because of that will that I was pushed to the Holy Empire. Someone to help you, I wanted to be someone you could rely on,¡± Answered Reina. ¡°So, the Aether opened up in response to your will?¡± ¡°Yes, it was the same Aether that saved you and the others from the explosion that happened a while ago.¡± At the words of Reina, Luke recalled what had happened. The completed Suicide Magic of the assassin was powerful enough to take down all of Luke¡¯s defenses. If it went according to plan, Reina, Luke and all the soldiers around the two of them would die. However, he was alive and so was Reina. It was obvious that the paladins and the Saint Guards were alive as well. ¡°The power of the Aether is great,¡± said Luke. ¡°But what I have now is still weak compared to its true power. The true power of the Aether is so vast and magnificent that it can¡¯t even be explained.¡± Luke nodded at Reina¡¯s words. He had already absorbed Magi and the Aether, and he had enormous documents of the past. They all spoke about the power of the Aether. Whether El Kassel made the world or not, the entire world was full of Aether. In other words, it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that the Aether was the seed of all things, the seed of creation. ¡®It is as scary as it can get.¡¯ Whatever its power was, it came with a huge responsibility. Sylphid, the spirit king of wind, handed over the Aether maybe because of the huge responsibility it held. Even a small knife could be used as a tool for cooking and carving, but in some cases, it could be a weapon that could take a living being¡¯s life. ¡°Your expression is dark.¡± ¡°I am worried about you having to shoulder such tremendous power?¡± Said Luke in a low voice. ¡°Why? Are you worried that we are going to be partners?¡± At the mischievous response of Reina, Luke smiled, but seriousness soon took over his eyes. ¡°But, are you alright? Is there any conflict between your original self and the ego of Veronica III?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. The moment I saw you in person, the seal was received, and my two identities were united completely.¡± ¡°Then, it is great¡­¡± When Luke was still feeling anxious, Reina looked glum. ¡°What is it? Don¡¯t you believe me?¡± ¡°I am just worried about you; that is all.¡± ¡°It is fine. I am not weak anymore like in the past. I can protect myself now.¡± Reina moved her hands lightly. Drrrrrr-! The rocks around them shook and began to stick together and take the form of golems. The trees approached Reina, using their roots as their legs and branches as their arms. It wasn¡¯t just that. Even the wind blowing in the forest began to gather around her, like an escort knight. ¡®This is awesome! Is this the power of the Aether?¡¯ Luke saw the legion of rocks and the wind that had suddenly gathered. If he did the same thing with normal magic or dark magic, it would take a lot of time calculating the magic and the formulas needed to make the magic manifest. It was a miracle to do it with just one gesture. ¡°This is amazing!¡± Said Luke. ¡°Right? I am not the pope of the Holy Empire, which is equal to the Baroque Empire, just because I am lucky.¡± ¡®It was true that the fusion happened.¡¯ When Reina was gone, Luke thought that Veronica III would display the personality and influence of Reina. It wasn¡¯t that severe, but it really reassured Luke, which meant that it wasn¡¯t a huge problem like he thought. ¡°I understand the power that you possess, but the situation of the Holy Empire isn¡¯t so good, and there are people who are waiting for you¡­!¡± When Luke was talking to her after such a long time, he moved and pushed Reina behind his back. He suddenly felt some strong power around them. A very strong power being radiated from a person. Chapter 239 Chapter 239: Holy Arthenia Empire 1 Gulp! Luke¡¯s eyes tensed up after seeing who was in front of him. It was a young man dressed in a paladin¡¯s attire. The young man had a small physique; however, he seemed to have the strength of a giant. The coldness in his eyes seemed very incompatible to a man with such a young appearance. Reina, of course, knew whom Luke was looking at. The man Luke just encountered a moment ago. There was only one person in the entire Holy Empire who could express such deadly force. The leader of the Saint Guards and the Sword Sage¡­ ¡°Arch Duke Gregory!¡± Luke and Reina both exclaimed at the same time. Gregory bowed. ¡°At last, I found you, your Holiness. I am glad that you are safe and sound.¡± Gregory looked at Luke, who was standing in front of Reina. His gentle eyes that were looking at the pope turned cold in no time. Despite the massive explosion that flashed in the sky, there were no casualties. Only the young mercenary, who ran directly into the assassin, and the pope, who threw herself at the young man. ¡®He must have escaped to somewhere and not that far either¡­¡¯ The Arch Duke thought of such, and along with his men, he scoured the area around the camp and found the two people in a forest nearby. But rather than being happy to have found Veronica III, he found it hard to present himself to the pope. What did the pope have to do with the young mercenary, who tried to block the assassin? After hearing their conversation, it was obvious that they weren¡¯t any ordinary individuals. For the Arch Duke, Reina or Pope Veronica III was an apostle sent by God. The confused empire, which was rightly established by the will of God, had to lead the people to divine providence. However, the Pope, who was behind the young man, didn¡¯t feel like a being who had such a noble belief or actions. She seemed to be just another ordinary woman. Arch Duke Gregory couldn¡¯t tolerate such reality. ¡°You, over there. Tell me your name.¡± ¡°¡­ Lev.¡± ¡°Lev? I think I¡¯ve heard that name before¡­¡± Gregory tried to remember. Srrrrng! When he began to pull out his sword, which was hanging from his waist¡­ ¡°Arch Duke Gregory! What do you think you are doing?!¡± Reina, who was shocked by his actions, screamed on top of her lungs. Gregory sheathed his sword upon hearing the pope. ¡°Please forgive my rudeness, pope.¡± ¡°Right now, put that sword¡­¡± When Reina tried to order him to take back his sword, the Arch Duke burst out. Kwa Kwang! It was a breathtaking scene. Reina stopped speaking. Her emotions were so strong that the rocks, trees and the winds, which were acting like her escorts, moved recklessly. As Reina felt overwhelmed, she gradually began to lose her power and all the beings went back to normal. It was only Luke that remained the same, which what he saw. ¡°Lev? Aren¡¯t you the one that¡¯s called God¡¯s warrior in the rumors?¡± Asked Gregory. ¡°I am the one who stopped the falling meteor.¡± Luke pulled out his sword without even realizing it. Arch Duke Gregory¡¯s eyes, which was flashing with a golden aura, narrowed. ¡°I will test to see if you really are God¡¯s warrior. If you aren¡¯t ready to come out, then step back,¡± said Gregory. Luke didn¡¯t answer immediately. Reina was right behind him, holding his sleeve and shaking her head. No matter what, he seemed like the kind of person who no one should even think about retreating from. Luke nodded, trying to tell her that it would be okay. He slowly approached Arch Duke Gregory, which was engulfed with his aura. ¡°I don¡¯t mind taking up the test.¡± ¡°You are brave. I¡¯ll be the one to take the first strike.¡± The moment he was done speaking, Gregory rushed toward Luke. The attack was simple and straightforward, yet it wasn¡¯t a move that one could just brush off. Slash! The Arch Duke¡¯s attack hit Luke¡¯s nape then blood came out of it. ¡°Kyak!¡± Reina, who was about to run over to Luke, stopped when she saw his hand signaling her to stay where she was. Reina tried to calm herself. While looking at the blood on the tip of his knife, the Arch Duke frowned. It wasn¡¯t because he got his opponent in such a short time. Originally, he was aiming for the heart and not the nape. However, for some reason, he missed. There was a reason. Luke¡¯s sword made sure to divert the incoming sword over his shoulders. ¡®To think about avoiding the attack in such a manner!¡¯ It was unbelievable how he pulled that off. He was already convinced after seeing the unusual golden aura that his opponent would be good, but he was showing unexpected skills. ¡°Would this much be enough for a warm-up?¡± At the question from Luke, Gregory just nodded his head. Gregory changed his stance to a more aggressive one and pointed his sword toward Luke with a more serious expression. ¡°This time, it will go through you,¡± warned Arch Duke Gregory. The moment he was done speaking, terrifying attacks kept coming in from the Sword Sage. Luke was taking in the attacks one after the other. The Arch Duke¡¯s attacks now couldn¡¯t be compared to the attack he did earlier. It was just the beginning, and Luke had to overcome it, no matter what. Chapter 240 Slash! Chang! The two swords which constantly clashed with the other cut the air and created deadly sounds. The shockwaves from the aura of the Sword Masters, moved ferociously uprooting the trees as if they were being swept away by the storm. Nervousness spreading all through her body, Reina stepped back to see the battle between Luke and Arch Duke Gregory. She didn¡¯t know much about swords, however, she wasn¡¯t so blind to not know that their skills were just the training matches where one tried to recognise the skills of the others. Which was why she was scared every time Gregory¡¯s sword crossed with Luke. Instead of feeling any more emotions, she just wanted to stop the fight right away. But Gregory showed no signs of hearing to her words, and Luke didn¡¯t seem like he wanted to back down either. Kang-! At one point, Luke¡¯s sword flew into a bush. ¡®Dammit, I am weaponless.¡¯ Gregory rushed towards Luke who was shaking his hand to relive it from the shocks he felt from the clashing. Gregory had no intention of letting Luke go, whether the sword was in his hand or not. Nevertheless, Luke showed no signs of fluster. ¡®What are you going to do now? Are you going to block the sword with your bare hands?¡¯ The moment Gregory was rushing towards Luke with thoughts. Slash! The sword which had been thrown into the bushes was back in Luke¡¯s hand as if it never happened. It wasn¡¯t just that. The speed of Gregory¡¯s sword fell significantly. Almost as if his sword was being blocked by something. ¡®This, no way¡­¡¯ While Gregory stopped, Luke recovered the sword and fought back. His sword came in contact with Gregory, who was much eager than before. Arch Duke Gregory, a Sword Sage, was calmly avoiding the attacks, then blocked the attacks. ¡°You use magic. That too magnetic, huh? isn¡¯t that right?¡± Luke just decided to smile instead of answering Gregory¡¯s questions. The sword which flew away was recovered, and he was able to stop Gregory¡¯s furious sword strike right away because Luke managed to manifest Magnetic magic. The Magnetic magic was divided into anode and cathode, pushing the same pole and pulling the opposite pole. Luke silently applied the magic in the middle of the swords battle with Gregory. He constantly changed the state of yin and yang from time to time. So the offense and defense were going according to him. ¡®But, now I won¡¯t be able to use it anymore.¡¯ Just as Luke had thought, Arch Duke Gregory exploded his aura and in turn, destroyed the magnetic magic that was created. Thinking of the next action, Luke kept on wielding his sword. Luke hurriedly launched a golden aura to stop the offense from Gregory. ¡°So, your sword is the Gold Sword. Is that name Lev a fake one or is there another unknown bloodline of the Rakan?¡± ¡®Kuk, I was in a hurry.¡¯ At the words of Gregory, Luke¡¯s expression changed. Fighting was difficult when the identity of the enemy was unknown, he had ordered his subordinates to not use the family sword technique. But he was the one who was using the Gold Sword in the battle. The power of Gregory was so great and the momentum was so terrifying that he couldn¡¯t hold back. Even with the constant attacks, Gregory talked, ¡°The Gold Sword¡­ about 90 years back, I went to the Rakan territory to know about the swords, that was when I saw a knight performing it. It was so amazing that it wasn¡¯t anything like the Holy Sword.¡± ¡®That was why he knew.¡¯ Thought Luke. ¡°As a paladin knight at that time, I wanted to learn the Gold Sword. However¡­¡± In specific, the Gold Sword was a vision that was only passed down to the heads of the state and their own knights. ¡°I wanted to learn the Gold Sword no matter what, so I saw how it was used once. Of course, I wasn¡¯t able to get it right with just seeing it.¡± Nevertheless, Arch Duke Gregory trained desperately. He continued to study what he lacked and transformed and developed the Holy Sword. His research and practice of the Gold sword continued for decades. ¡°And at last, it paid off. I succeeded in learning the Gold Sword.¡± ¡®What?!¡¯ It turned scary when Luke heard that. The aura of Gregory¡¯s sword was rising like a flame. The aura that bloomed so, condensed and took on a light and clearer form. And soon it began to shine, the golden aura which Gregory so admired. Gregory stopped the attacks and looked at the Gold aura which he produced. ¡°It happened after 40 years of training that I learned the Gold Sword. At that time I was already a Sword Master, and I was constantly training to another level. That was when I learned and began to produce the Gold Sword.¡± Gregory who spoke till then looked over at Luke and asked, ¡°How do you think that I would have felt at that time?¡± ¡°Well, it would have been happy for you to have achieved a young dream which came true?¡± ¡°Happy¡­¡± At the response to Luke, Arch Duke Gregory smiled a little. All of a sudden his expression distorted and he shouted. ¡°Happy! The feelings I felt were anger!¡± Srrrrng! At the end of Gregory¡¯s words, the sword of Gregory fell to Luke with a thunder. Luke managed to block, but he was pushed back. It wasn¡¯t just that. The shockwaves were so powerful that several thick trees broke at the same time. Luke managed to get himself up, but he was coughing blood. The blows from Gregory were so strong that the impact couldn¡¯t be missed. ¡®Kuk! Such power!¡¯ He had already felt the power of the Gold Sword in his last life. The sword the Gregory was using wasn¡¯t near to the Rakan¡¯s. Sword Sage Gregory, there was a reason why he was able to develop the Gold Sword of Rakan. ¡°I knew the Gold Sword by recreating it. The swordsmanship of Rakan who is currently handling the sword is just half of the original one.¡± Gregory couldn¡¯t hide his emotions when he was creating the golden sword and the Gold Sword was the first step for the next challenge for him at that time. He was believing that the colorful and magnificent swordsmanship of the Rakan, now known by him, could be considered as his own. But that expectation soon collapsed for him. No matter how hard he tried to reproduce the entire swords skill of Rakan. It was only a decade later when he found out that he only learned the first half. The second half was handed down to the living heirs. ¡°It was ridiculous. I wasted half my life trying to learn only half a skill of the sword!¡± Just half the Gold Sword had a mighty power. No, it could be called as a destructive power, even without completing the Gold Sword. But the destructiveness alone wasn¡¯t a good thing. It was because of the swordsmanship and power, including the application and speed, all of those aspects had to be equipped and balanced in order for the real power to appear. Luke was relatively behind when it came to the sword skills, if he was equal, then Gregory¡¯s blow would have never worked. ¡°Since then, I abandoned the half Gold Sword. Instead of the half Gold Sword, I made myself devoted to a full sword, and all thanks to that I was able to become a Sword Sage.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°In other words, you have no chance against me. Your skills don¡¯t match my level, and the sword you¡¯re learning is just half.¡± Gregory continued to talk to Luke. ¡°That being aside, for some reason you are not giving your all. There is some hidden power. Are you planning of concealing it and winning over me?¡± ¡®Did he manage to figure all that out?¡¯ Thought Luke. Though he didn¡¯t say it out loud, Luke couldn¡¯t help but be nervous. In fact, in the fight with Gregory, Luke hadn¡¯t used his dark magic or his demon abilities. ¡®The problem is that I am not in a position to show off my skills.¡¯ Those two abilities of Luke had to be hidden at all costs. Even if he did use them, the paladin, who seemed to be very sharp and loyal, would begin to move hastily with force just to eliminate Luke. And it could happen, that he would accuse Reina for knowing it all along. Therefore, those abilities were problematic and hence they couldn¡¯t be used. Of course, when the time comes to a moment between life and death, things might change. Briefly thinking, Luke looked at Arch Duke Gregory who was staring at him and said, ¡°I feel like you¡¯re a mistake.¡± ¡°I am mistaken?¡± ¡°Yes, I mean¡­¡± Luke continued to talk with much seriousness and coldness in his eyes, ¡°I am not fighting you to win.¡± Chapter 241 There was a reason why Luke chose to fight Gregory, despite Reina¡¯s warning. He had two enemies that he had to deal with. The Lich, Arsene, an enemy of the past, and Emperor Rudolf of the Baroque Empire, the descendant of the other enemy. Among them, Rudolf was a known Sword Sage. So, he decided to use his head and calculate the amount he had to grow. But before he could even see what was happening, things had escalated fast. So, he thought he could test against the best knight of another continent, the Sword Sage. ¡°Is it fine to say I was testing you? Huh, just as I said, I act very loyal when it comes to a test.¡± At the words of Luke, Gregory frowned not being able to understand. ¡°Then, shouldn¡¯t one be more obsessed with winning? If you would have taken the initiative of my sword, you would understand what I thought.¡± Responded Gregory. ¡°Of course, I understand your emotions. But I have no intention of complying with your feelings. You just want to cut me off, don¡¯t you?¡± Gregory decided to not say anything. The silence was the answer, not negative. He did want to get rid of Luke, who had downgraded the Pope, who was sent by the Great Lord into just another woman in love. ¡°I too have a lot of experience, so I know how to see inside the people. Especially for those who are like you, who obey God¡¯s will¡­ those emotions are clearly reflected in your expression and eyes.¡± Stated Luke. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? I am very faithful when it comes to tests. Of course, the subject of the test wasn¡¯t me, it was you.¡± Luke shrugged and answered. ¡°Which is why I don¡¯t think that I have to win against you.¡± ¡°Why so?¡± Gregory asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think of you as an enemy.¡± Even though it was a troublesome situation, Luke hadn¡¯t thought of Arch Duke Gregory as an opponent he had to win over. If he did, Luke would have managed to use all his abilities to get rid of him. His goal was to indirectly assess Rudolf¡¯s abilities through Arch Duke Gregory. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t necessary to make any extreme decisions like using his dark magic or demon abilities. In addition, the actions of the Arch Duke when he took down the assassin a while back, or the words and the way he acts in front of Reina proved that he was very loyal to her. ¡°I know what bothers you so much. Reina, no, the Holy Pope¡¯s abilities, you think they will be flawed by me, right?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I know that heart. However, that is up to one¡¯s heart to decide, don¡¯t you think you are too greedy to think otherwise?¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± Gregory¡¯s eyebrows went up. Listening to him wasn¡¯t great, however, Luke kept on talking. ¡°I heard about the descent of the Pope and came into the nation. I don¡¯t how the Arch Dukes and Bishops would accept it, but she is someone I know very well.¡± ¡°A princess of another nation?¡± Gregory asked. ¡®So you knew. Then why act like you weren¡¯t aware?¡¯ Whether Luke confirmed or not, Gregory had expressed himself. ¡°Whatever her past was, she is the Apostle sent by the Lord, the chosen one for us.¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t like that. It was only by chance that Reina had appeared before you in the process of returning back from the Spirit World which she entered.¡± ¡°For you, it was just a coincidence. But it is a bond and destiny given to us by the Lord.¡± ¡®These words make no sense.¡¯ Gregory¡¯s stubbornness annoyed Luke. But he tried to put on a smile after a thought. ¡°Just as the Arch Duke has said, then the way I met Reina now, is a bond and destiny.¡± ¡°Yeah, that is true.¡± ¡®What, what did he say?¡¯ Luke lost his speech for a moment when the man nodded his head and agreed. If he would have disagreed with Luke¡¯s statement, Luke was planning on contemplating the stubbornness and make him give away. But he just convincingly accepted! ¡®Is he much thoughtful than I thought?¡¯ Thought Luke to himself. ¡°Today¡¯s meeting is a clear opportunity that the Lord has presented me to try and kill you if I can, that I am assured of.¡± Gregory said. ¡®I was wrong. This person isn¡¯t someone I can persuade or argue with.¡¯ Luke who was thinking positively about the person, shook his head at the man¡¯s next words. The Arch Duke Gregory was a person who saw and judged everything within the framework of destiny and loyalty. Like a wizard who questions the world, all went to solve questions logically and systematically. ¡®Yeah, I see how this man became a Sword Sage.¡¯ To reach the level of Sword Sage, the man had blindly devoted himself to the goal he believed and desired than to think deeply and question the basis. The same was true for the Rakan warrior, the former warrior. ¡®The men who support the gods¡­¡¯ It was problematic, but Luke didn¡¯t have time to get annoyed or frustrated. There was one thing that he knew without a doubt. The opponent couldn¡¯t be dealt with by words, and only force had to be used. Chapter 242 ¡°Arch Duke, I don¡¯t deny the existence of God, but I can never get myself to agree with your point of view.¡± Luke placed his sword out front and spoke to the man. ¡°Yes, I did expect you to think so. You are someone who will never be compatible with the pope.¡± Gregory saw Luke as someone who had to be excluded by the pope. And as he knew Luke to be someone who was associated with being a wizard, his will became much more concrete. There were wizards in the Holy Empire. Its priests were studying magic. Gregory acknowledged their existence, but he was in disagreement with their ideas. For him, those who study magic or did research on magic were suspicious, and they often ignored orders in the name of searching for the truth. The same was true for Marquis Meister Reas of the Arthenia Royal Magic Tower. He dared treat the pope like a spoiled child! ¡®A wizard¡¯s kid is considered as a prodigal son, but it is unacceptable for one to cover the eyes and ears of the pope!¡¯ That was why he should take the test, which was the will of his Lord. If the man in front of him was going to repent, he was willing to forgive. Otherwise, he would slash him. Arch Duke Gregory walked toward Luke. The blazing aura from his sword was quite different from what he had been using before. Hyper Aura could only be used by those individuals who have reached the level of a Sword Sage. The terrifying attack flew toward Luke¡¯s neck. ¡®Ah, no, no¡­!¡¯ Seeing what was happening, Reina¡¯s face turned pale. Luke was nowhere to be seen. Thanks to that, the Hyper Aura¡¯s cut was blocked by a few beautiful trees. ¡°Is that Blink?¡± Asked Gregory. ¡°Honestly speaking, swords were never my specialty.¡± In a moment, Luke appeared behind Gregory. ¡°Ice Lance!¡± Hundreds of ice spears were created in the air in a moment¡¯s time. They all showered down at Gregory. However, without any signs of panic or agitation, Gregory blocked all the incoming ice spears with his sword. ¡°What is this?¡± Gregory tried to speak. ¡°Then, how about this?!¡± Luke narrowed the gap between them and threw the Titan Fist. Gregory¡¯s body was hit by huge amounts of mana. Kwang! A crashing sound reverberated in all directions. However, Gregory¡¯s body was unscathed. ¡°That is useless against me.¡± ¡®Did Aura Armor stopped it?¡¯ Thought Luke. Aura Armor increased one¡¯s body¡¯s defense. In Gregory¡¯s case, he was using Hyper Aura, which meant that his defense was comparable to a heavy armor. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll just keep going until I take you down!¡± Kwang! Bang! Bang! Gregory was a little flustered when Luke began to come after him with consecutive Titan Fists. Titan Fist was indeed powerful, but the user¡¯s mana could easily get depleted even for a high-level war mage if used constantly. That was why it was never used for combat purposes in a war. ¡®I knew it. He has some hidden power!¡¯ Gregory smiled, knowing he was right. Gregory¡¯s thoughts about Luke were correct. Luke was fighting much better with magic than with his sword. He had already accumulated a lot of experience in fighting using magic during his time as Saymon. ¡®Well, I¡¯m still in trouble since I can¡¯t use my dark magic, but¡­¡¯ However, there was a way for Luke to make up for that. When Gregory rushed in with Hyper Aura, Luke went directly ahead instead of stepping back or defending himself. Kwang-! ¡°No!¡± Gregory was surprised for a second after seeing the attack that Luke did. He thought that Luke would defend his attack using his magic, but Luke took out a heavy and ugly sword from his subspace ring and swung it at Gregory! Moreover, the power of the sword didn¡¯t seem light. Luke was able to easily deflect Gregory¡¯s Hyper Aura Sword. ¡°I¡¯m delighted that you have such a nice sword,¡± said Gregory. ¡°Hut, this is Dragon Tooth; a masterpiece made by blacksmith Jig,¡± responded Luke. The Dragon Tooth was enchanted with Gravity. In response to Luke¡¯s magic, the magic of the sword got amplified and the shockwave from the Hyper Aura Sword got pushed away. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it just pushed off by force? But that is all you can manage!¡± Powerful swords, such as the Half Gold Sword, weren¡¯t much different. Gregory quickly managed to speed up his attacks. He was managing to push Luke back with overwhelming speed. Surprisingly, Luke didn¡¯t seem to be lagging behind in terms of speed. Kang! Kakang! Kang! ¡®What is this? When did he manage to change his sword?¡¯ The heavy and ugly black sword that Luke was using a while ago was nowhere to be seen. In his hand was a slender sword. Every time the sword lit up, Luke¡¯s speed would increase. ¡°Was that also Jig¡¯s art piece?¡± ¡°Huhuhu!¡± Instead of answering, Luke burst out with laughter. Iron Feather¡ªits magic could make one¡¯s movements much faster. Every time its magic increased, the sword¡¯s speed would increase several times. ¡°You¡¯re depending on your weapons rather than your skills!¡± ¡°The fact that I can use multiple weapons is evidence that I¡¯m better,¡± answered Luke. ¡°You speak well, young man. Then, I¡¯ll use the power of God to crush those weapons of yours!¡± Ddddd! Gregory¡¯s aura gathered and began to create lightning. It was Lightning Might¡ªthe ultimate sword technique of the Holy Sword. Only the finest of the paladins and the priests could bring out the divine power. It was the ultimate skill. ¡°Like ash, turn into nothing but dust! Disappear!¡± Grrrrrrng-! Gregory pointed his sword toward Luke then lightning flashed toward him. ¡°Kaak!¡± This time, Luke didn¡¯t manage to avoid it. He got hit and flew far away. He landed into a bush from afar. Even as Luke had disappeared from sight and was in the bushes, Gregory didn¡¯t stop his lightning attack. It was like he didn¡¯t want Luke to get up for another clash of swords. ¡°No! Stop it! Stop, stop all of this!¡± Reina yelled. However, it didn¡¯t seem like Gregory cared. He attacked till he thought his opponent really turned into dust and ashes and pulled his sword back. ¡®This should be enough to take him down.¡¯ There would no longer be an unclean fool in the eyes and heart of the pope. Gregory was convinced that that was the case. However, his face became distorted after a while. Luke was staggering from the other side of the darkly burned bushes. ¡°Kuk, I almost died.¡± Even after taking such powerful blows, Luke¡¯s eyes were still alive. ¡®How can this be? How is he still alive?¡¯ That was all Gregory could think of. Flustered by the unexpected result, Gregory didn¡¯t notice that the sword in his hand had changed again. A cross-shaped long sword with a low and soft light around it. It was the Demon Slayer. It was a sword that could nullify dark magic and demons. It was best to use it against Magi, but it still works effectively when used against divine power. That was how Luke managed to repel Gregory¡¯s onslaught. ¡°You can¡¯t break everything with God¡¯s power.¡± ¡°Keuk!¡± Arch Duke Gregory¡¯s face burned with anger, shame, and rage. He raised his sword. He thought of giving his everything to end the man in front of him. However, Luke¡¯s reactions were faster. He brought out the last of his energy to fight back. Quickly changing his sword to Iron Feather, he broke into Gregory¡¯s area. ¡°This¡­!¡± ¡°Titan Blade!¡± Shouted Luke. Luke abandoned Iron Feather and pulled out the Dragon Tooth from his subspace bracelet, amplifying the gravity magic that the sword was enchanted with, and he used Titan Fist at the same time. The shock wave generated by the fusion of the gravity magic, the enormous power and the attack from magic turned the blade into a hell-of-a-blade. For the first time, Gregory¡¯s expression changed drastically. His cold and arrogant expression disappeared. His eyes were filled with shock and embarrassment. Chapter 243 Kwang-Ahhh! Metal shards splattered all around with an exploding sound. Gregory, who lost his sword and armor, lost his balance and fell to the ground. That was the first blow he had ever experienced in his life. In the middle of the fight, there was a result that came from a combination of power and magic enhanced swords and Luke¡¯s swordsmanship. However, Luke didn¡¯t seem to be glad. Gregory, who had fallen down, soon began to stand up. ¡°Since the day I became a Sword Sage, this was the first time I have fallen to the ground.¡± Gregory spoke through his teeth. He took a broken branch nearby. Injecting the wobbly branch with Hyper Aura, he made a powerful weapon. A weapon that couldn¡¯t be compared to others. ¡®You have taken a beating, yet you are still going to fight?¡¯ Luke bit his lips while holding onto Dragon Tooth. It was the best attack Luke could manage to perform, but still, he wasn¡¯t able to defeat his opponent. ¡®I can¡¯t let this keep going, but¡­¡¯ Dark magic and demon abilities might have to be used. Of course, even if Luke did manage to use both of those skills, it still wasn¡¯t definite that he could beat a Sword Sage¡ªArch Duke Gregory. Even though the power of darkness was much greater, it was completely opposite to divine power. ¡®Even then, I can¡¯t keep on hesitating anymore.¡¯ The opponent was already determined to kill him. Therefore, he had to do everything he could to survive. Luke decided to use his build-up ability to recover from the injuries that he got and release his potential. However, he stopped upon seeing the person in front of Gregory. Reina, who had been silent in the entirety of the battle, stood in front of Gregory. ¡°Holy Pope¡­¡± ¡°Stop it now.¡± Reina¡¯s voice, which halted his steps, was enough to make Gregory tremble. It wasn¡¯t just that, his heart was beating hard. Nevertheless, he had no intention of retreating. The gleaming eyes of Gregory looked away from Reina¡¯s face. ¡°The test, which was placed for me, isn¡¯t over yet.¡± ¡°No, it is already over,¡± said Reina. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t like that, not till I change that impure mind of¡­¡± ¡°Are you not going to follow the words of the pope?!¡± At the horrific expression of Reina, Gregory withdrew. Surely he was a Sword Sage and a paladin, but he couldn¡¯t just break the shackles of authority that bound himself. ¡°I would never do that, Your Holiness. It is just that¡­¡± Gregory tried to reason with Reina. ¡°I know Sir Luke very well. Sir Luke is a man who doesn¡¯t harbor great faith like you, Arch Duke. Which is why he sometimes makes irrational decisions without thinking things through.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But he is a man who knows the difference between right and wrong. He admits to the flaws that he has and tries to take responsibility for them.¡± Reina was still standing face to face with Gregory, who still wasn¡¯t pleased with her words. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you, Arch Duke. Would you ever be able to give up your faith for the sake of others? Can you use the stigma of the unbelievers just to save millions of people?¡± ¡°Pope, Your Holiness, that¡­¡± Gregory shook his head, stating it was impossible for him. Faith was everything for him. His ability as a Sword Sage and his loyalty to the pope had all come from his virtues¡ªfaith and loyalty. And to throw away those things?! Could he really go hand in hand with the stigma?! ¡°Luke had lost all his power and was in need. He lost the pride of being a descendant of a famous warrior. That pride was as precious as your faith to the pope.¡± Reina bent down and grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground. The dirt and soil in her hand were full of earthworms, but she didn¡¯t seem to care. As Reina blew lightly into the dirt in her hand, a flower bloomed and lit up. Gregory¡¯s eyes turned serious when he saw the miracle happen right in front of his eyes. ¡°Life can sprout even in the little things that one considers as dirty and unclean. That sprouting life could be someone¡¯s nourishment, and the one who inherits it, grows old, dies, rots and returns back into a handful of soil and dirt,¡± Reina explained in detail. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What is dirty? What is unclean, and what is impure? Why do you think our great Lord and mother earth created them?¡± ¡®¡­!¡¯ At the question from Reina, Gregory¡¯s eyes went wide. A long time ago, around 100 years ago, he heard the same question that she asked. Gregory was a student of theology in the academy. He wasn¡¯t yet sure if he wanted to be a priest or a paladin. But even then, he had the same faith that he had currently. He used to get up earlier than anyone to pray. He used to go to work in the field earlier than anyone else. He practiced martial arts harder than anyone else. There was no one in the class who could keep up with Gregory¡¯s pace. In particular, Gregory was sharing his dorm room with an inferior student, who had a hard time memorizing the scriptures. Gregory didn¡¯t notice it because of his faith. Since the man wasn¡¯t skillful enough, Gregory thought that it was natural for him to find it hard. But one day, Gregory was called by his teacher. He thought that he was going to be commended for his dedication, but the expression the teacher held was serious. ¡°What is the most righteous thing for you? Don¡¯t you think you should help motivate the person you share your room with?¡± ¡°I believe that faith and loyalty is something that you need to work hard for to see yourself grow. It is something you can develop with or without help.¡± The teacher looked at Gregory. The teacher sighed briefly and said, ¡°You¡¯re going to be better than anyone else, but you¡¯re never going to be a Saint.¡± At that time, Gregory regarded his teacher¡¯s words as insignificant. It was because not just anyone could become a Saint. Since then, he had lived for over 100 years, and he never even thought about his teacher¡¯s words. ¡­ Until the moment he heard Reina¡¯s question. ¡°Holy Pope, I lived up to this very day, serving only God, working for the denomination and this empire.¡± Gregory spoke softer than before and looked at Reina, ¡°I am so stubborn and dull that the words of the pope didn¡¯t reach the deepest part of my heart. However, I will try to understand people more in the future.¡± At that, Reina smiled and Luke just sighed. The stubborn Sword Sage¡¯s test was done. However, Luke couldn¡¯t calm down. The eyes of Arch Duke Gregory were still unsatisfied with him. ¡®They are like the eyes of a father-in-law that doesn¡¯t like the man his daughter wants.¡¯ For the time being, things had gone well, but Luke couldn¡¯t help but worry about how much of a hard time he was going to face in the future. Chapter 244 After the end of the turmoil was finished, Reina and Luke returned to the army and the Saint Guards who were searching under the orders of the Arch Duke. Confused and scared with the assassination attempt, the men were delighted to hear that their Pope had returned safely. If there was anyone who was more pleased, it was Victor. Victor who managed to meet Reina after 2 long years, held her hands and shed tears. ¡°I am very sorry, Sir Victor. I behaved like a spoiled kid.¡± ¡°Not at all, princess. Now that I can see you are alright, I can die now.¡± ¡°Die. Never say that, please.¡± Luke glanced at the reunion between the two and turned towards Arch Duke Gregory. Gregory¡¯s eyes on Victor didn¡¯t seem to radiate much anger, but his eyes were as displeasing as the time Gregory looked at Luke. Gregory noticed that Luke was eyeing him, and shot him a chilly look with a question. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Just like that¡­ nothing specific.¡± Since he had already spoken, Arch Duke Gregory asked Luke. ¡°The attack that you used last moment, Titan Blade was it? It doesn¡¯t look like a Rakan¡¯s sword skill?¡± ¡°Yes. That is a skill I developed.¡± Answered Luke. How would Gregory react if Luke would have told that he made it on spot? Luke was curious to see his reaction, but he had lost the chance. ¡°It was a very great blow. But it was better to have closed in the gap between before using the skill. Were you constantly looking for the chance?¡± ¡°Yes, it was definite that there would be a gap. You did say that you threw away the half Gold Sword¡­ but in reality, you didn¡¯t.¡± At Luke¡¯s statement, Gregory nodded. In fact, it was true, Gregory hadn¡¯t abandoned the Gold Sword. Honestly, he just couldn¡¯t do it. It surely was just half of the real skill, and he resented it, but it was a sword skill which turned him into a Sword Master. The Gold Sword was so impressive and different. Even after finding out that it was just half of the real one, he continuously tried to develop it. ¡°I knew it after a few hits. It has turned into a familiar part of your sword technique, even the cuts.¡± Stated Luke ¡°Right. It is because your eyes have seen it.¡± However, Luke¡¯s grasp of Gold Sword and Gregory¡¯s sword skill wasn¡¯t just because he had practiced the Gold Sword for months. It was because, while fighting with Gregory, the memories of the past when he had crossed swords with the warrior Rakan, the creator of the sword, had flashed into Luke¡¯s memory. At that time, he wasn¡¯t able to understand the traits of the sword, but he was able to have a grasp of what it was this time. Which was why it was possible to enter Gregory¡¯s gap. ¡®I had to keep thinking about Rakan¡¯s sword skill and his technique when fighting him. Then, would I be able to find the second part of the gold sword¡­¡¯ Luke was beating himself up. At the Pope¡¯s barracks, a paladin had rushed into the place and looked at Arch Duke Gregory. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°There is an urgent report from the Lord Regent.¡± Answered the paladin. ¡°Archbishop Constantine?¡± The expression on the paladin¡¯s face was weird. After seeing the report, the face of Gregory too turned distorted. ¡°What happened?¡± At the question from Reina, Gregory tried to answer calmly. ¡°Suleiman of the Ranghel territory, he is invading the capital.¡± ¡°How can that¡­ how big is their army?¡± Asked Reina. ¡°About 50,000. It will be hard for the central forces in the capital to match them.¡± Reina, who thought for a moment, immediately gave out orders. ¡°Please get ready right away. We can¡¯t let the capital go into the hands of the rebels.¡± ¡°Understood, your Holiness.¡± Arch Duke glanced at Reina after listening to her orders. He was worried that she would try to get him gone and follow Luke out of there, but there were no such signs. On the contrary, she tried to show herself as a leader, much more than before. When Gregory moved away from the barracks, Luke and Victor were still troubled. ¡°Do you have to go back right away?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Right, princess. Isn¡¯t it up to the army to take care of the revolt?¡± Added Victor. They already knew that taking Reina would be a very tough task. It was because there would be a great number of men who would oppose them, even if it wasn¡¯t Arch Duke Gregory. However, they didn¡¯t know how actively she would engage in the work and matters of the Holy Empire. ¡°I am sorry, you have come here all the way to find me¡­ but, there are things I need to do in here.¡± ¡°Things you need to do?¡± Asked Luke. It is to stabilize the Holy Arthenia Empire.¡± Many people of the capital had witnessed the miracles done by Reina, so their trust in Reina was much stronger than the other parts of the Empire. But what would happen if that only place got devastated in the hands of the rebels? If the capital fell into the hands of the rebels, the rebellion fight backs would happen much frequently and the suffering of the common people would turn much worse. ¡°Why does the princess have to take responsibility for that? Didn¡¯t they make the princess into the Pope without even asking your opinion? Don¡¯t they have to be the one to take care of the situation?¡± ¡°Of course, Sir Victor, your words aren¡¯t wrong. But this is a chance for Luke.¡± ¡°Chance? Don¡¯t tell me that¡­you are..!¡± Stuttered Luke. Reina smiled as she looked over at Luke who was shocked. ¡°You aim to overthrow the Baroque Imperial, right? Wouldn¡¯t it be easier if we had the Holy Empire behind us?¡± Asked Reina. ¡°Of course it is¡­¡± He remembered the joke Philip was saying the other day. Whether Rudolf notices his presence or not, Philip said Luke had succeeded in taking over the Holy Empire. The situation wasn¡¯t an impossible one. Even Sword Sage Gregory, who was famous in the continent, would never disobey Reina. Nevertheless, Luke wasn¡¯t able to make such a decision. He felt uncomfortable because his beloved woman would have to shoulder the heavy burden of an entire Holy Empire. ¡°I know what Sir Luke is thinking. But I can stand. I have always depended on you. So this time, let me help you.¡± ¡°Reina¡­¡± ¡°I think one turns into a real companion when they are able to help each other. If you love me, please understand the reason for my decision.¡± Luke just stared at Reina. Her eyes were clear and strong, her beautiful face, full of aspiration. Luke finally made the decision. ¡°Understood. Do what you feel is right.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Luke glanced over at Victor, who was holding Reina¡¯s hands. ¡°Sir Victor, please stay by the side of this stubborn princess.¡± ¡°Phew, well I don¡¯t really want to, but I can¡¯t go against your orders. This will be the old man¡¯s last mission.¡± Victor sighed and vowed. He was never going to lose his princess ever again. ¡°Reina.¡± ¡°Sir, Luke.¡± The two of them hugged for a while, feeling the warmth of the other. They both made a decision for the future, it was a sorry situation where they would have to walk in different paths once again. Chapter 245 Between Rhodesia and the Southern continents were an archipelago of islands. And the group of islands weren¡¯t of small size or number, however, people never glimpsed at them. There was fog all around there, with reefs and whirlpools happening around, any ship which tried to get close to the island ended up getting wrecked. Which was why the sailors called the nearby sea as ¡®Sea of the Reaper¡¯, and the nearby group of islands as ¡®The Archipelago of Hell¡¯. In fact, the place was considered to be a taboo, sailors feared for their life whenever they used the close by waters. The largest of the seven islands which made up the Archipelago of Hell was the one in the middle. Covered by dense tropical jungle, the island was called Thanatos Island. On the island which was referred to as that, a few wizards were residing in it, gathered around a large pyramid which was located on the north of the island. There were two people who stood at the top of the pyramid. Among them, was a wizard wearing a grey robe, who bowed his head and spoke. ¡°The great master, I have cleared all of the remnants, including the squadrons, and the newly appointed Meister of Rokid magic tower.¡± At the report from his subordinate, the Lich of bones and teeth, complimented with his bizarre voice and grinding teeth. ¡°You. Did. Well. what about. Their. Bodies?¡± ¡°Some of them were completely shattered, but the bodies of the Meister and the few others were fully destroyed.¡± ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul. Subordinates. Will. Always. Grow.¡± The man was the resurrected wizard by Arsene, Saymon. In the Rhodesia continent which they were active on, they moved to there, to the Archipelago of Hell, tens of thousands of miles away from the continent. It was a strange thing to do when the war with the Reforms was at the highest. But, neither Arsene nor Saymon were worried or concerned about the Battle of Magic Tower. ¡°But, I did meet a weird guy when he was out.¡± ¡°Weird. Man?¡± ¡°He identified himself as a mercenary and was able to avoid all of my attacks. I wasn¡¯t able to find out who he was.¡± The warlock Saymon had retold the story about how he fought Luke. Arsene, who listened to the entire explanation, looked up and asked. ¡°Kul? For sure. Sword. Is used by. The mercenary. But, he was. Using. Magic. As well?¡± Using sword and magic together sure seemed to put the user in a higher position, but that wasn¡¯t the reality of it. Just to learn one of the two was a tough task, but learning both of them, and knowing more than 2 circle magic was impossible without talent and constant effort. In addition, if the sword and mana magic were different and not in harmony, it could destroy the body. Therefore, the Rune Knights were only a handful in history. ¡®It is strange. Right now, there is no Rune knight who can be able to go against that guy?¡¯ Recently, the rumor of the Rakan family, about Lord Luke being a Super Expert and a wizard of 4 circle magic was going around. And if one has such ability, they could be a Sword Master. By no means, could that man go against the power and body of the Devil King Saymon? And it was told that Luke was staying in the Rakan territory, all the time, after completing his military service. ¡®Now that I think, Emperor Rudolf did ask me to check if he was cursed or not.¡¯ Over and over again, Arsene never felt like he had to pay much attention to Luke. He was busy but was very confident that he could get rid of the Rakan¡¯s descendant whenever he wanted. ¡°Let Albert. Know. And investigate. If that. Man. is a. mercenary. let me. Know.¡± The better the man was, once dead, he could be made into a greater Undead. He decided to kill the mercenary who managed to leave an impression in his mind and make him a subordinate of his. ¡°And another thing, the Holy Arthenia Royal magic tower joined the Reformers¡¯ side in the battle.¡± ¡°They. Did?¡± Arsene knew that Arthenia Royal magic tower had always been neutral, and thought that it would be the case in the current battle. No, he just didn¡¯t feel like he needed to concern himself over the wizards who were outside his Empire. But those men suddenly decide to intervene! ¡°Kul. Do. They. Have eyes. On our. Identity?¡± ¡°I am not aware of them either. Meister Albert said that we should be careful.¡± In addition to Rakan and Saymon, Arsene secretly trained warlocks were active in the battle. However, if the Royal magic tower and the Saint Guards interrupted them, the warlocks couldn¡¯t be used any longer. ¡°Even then. Since. There is. No evidence. That can. Relate to. The. Veritas Magic. Tower. Nothing. Can be. Done. Until the. Resurrection. Is done. Drag. Time.¡± According to Arsene, one of the most influential variables in his dream was to occupy the Rhodesia continent with the Saint Guard involved. It was because they were superior, and could deal with dark magic and divine power. It wasn¡¯t like he had provoked the Holy Empire for them to enter the forefront of the battle, but it seemed like something had happened. ¡®But since the Holy Empire is under the civil war, not all of their corps will come out. Then, the Magic Federation will be able to deal with them.¡¯ Thinking so, Arsene teleported into the pyramid after receiving all the reports. Whooong-! As soon as his figure entered the large room, the wizards who were busy bowed their heads in unison. ¡°Forefather, have you come?¡± Nestor, the father of Veritas Magic Tower¡¯s Meister Albert, bowed upon Lich¡¯s arrival. Nestor was known to be dead to the world, but he was loyally fulfilling the orders of Arsene in there. The wizards in the pyramids were the first elders or officers of the Veritas magic tower, all who had an excellent knack for dark magic. ¡°Kul. How is. The. Progress. going?¡± Arsene asked, staring at the black coffins inside the pyramid. The coffins contained the bodies of knights and wizards whom he had collected over the past hundreds of years. Lower Experts or seven circle wizards, they were all being tried to be revived with the cursed dark magic. Well, it wasn¡¯t just about reviving them. It was to make a stronger ¡°Death Knight¡± and ¡°Lich¡± than one could ever imagine. ¡°By now, around 60 percent of it is complete. When the resurrection is completed, they will turn into a powerful vanguard for the Veritas.¡± ¡°Kuk. Ku. Ku. They. Should.¡± Arsene¡¯s reason for being there despite the intensification of the Battle of Magic Tower was the growth of Veritas magic tower. If both Death Knight and Lich were completed, there would be no power or being on earth who could put a stop to him. Honestly, the reason why Arsene initiated the Battle of Magic Towers was because of a few men who accused Veritas of learning and teaching dark magic, however, there was an unknown reason. It was to borrow the needed materials for the resurrection. It could be done with just anybody, a 7 circle magic possessing wizard or a highest-rated Expert knights were the only ones who could be used for his experiment. But such high leveled ones held a high position or fame in Magic towers and the kingdom, and their sudden disappearance would overturn the world. However, if a war broke out, things could change. It was common for men to die or disappear during the war. So he began to make steps for the progress of the battle between the magic towers and managed to gather so many materials over for the past two years. ¡®Kukk, it was a real luck for me to discover these ruins.¡¯ Arsene smiled weirdly looking at the black tube and the Ergen cable which connected a huge dome that was above. The Archipelago, which was accidentally heard about 100 years back, had the remains of Thanatos, a notorious Necromancer school, which was from during the time of the ancient civilization. The condemned Thanatos school was eventually left to ruins, but right behind that institute were hidden secrets. The black magic book, which had the Law of Resurrection written, and the pyramid¡ª¡¯Sonic Mana collector¡¯, which could implement it was all intact. The pyramid collected all the negative energies, negative emotions and the twisted thoughts of the humans on earth, and turned them into Magi. In order to enforce the Law of Resurrection, an enormous amount of Magi was needed, which meant that the place was the answer to solve their problems. After studying the black magic book for decades, Lich Arsene eventually managed to create all the magic circles and the equipment necessary for the resurrection and implemented it two years back. ¡°Just. Wait, my world! My army. Is at. The verge. Of. Completion. Will show. You. What. Hell tastes. Like! Kul. Kul. Kul!¡± Arsene raised his boney hands to the sky and laughed triumphantly. Chapter 246 Belfair was originally the 103572nd subordinate of the Vampire King, Leviathan, among all the demons he had under him. That was why he was considered low. He was close to being a Sword Master, but being a low ranking demon, he wasn¡¯t so strong compared to other demons. As a result, when the demon summoning magic had appeared, he didn¡¯t hesitate to go to earth. Earth, also known as Middle-Earth, was dominated by humans, but he was told by the higher demons that there were only a few that he had to fear. However, the warlock who summoned him wasn¡¯t just an ordinary one. Rather, he was battering the demons and taking their abilities and Magi. Luke, who managed to overpower Belfair, made him into a slave. He thought that there was going to be no one who could be wilder than that man, but that problem didn¡¯t end there. ¡°I¡­ I am training a demon who is known to be strong since their birth, and master did ask you to practice.¡± And he wasn¡¯t just practicing any normal sword skills. He was being taught the sword of Rakan¡ªSilver Sword. It was a sword skill used to kill warlocks and demons. ¡®Dammit, they should be spreading the sword skills of the Devildom here in earth. Why would they let go of such things?!¡¯ However, Luke knew nothing about the Blood Sky Sword or the Sky Breaker Sword, which was being thought in the Devildom. Eventually, he was made to practice the Silver Sword, which Belfair learned, diligently. He didn¡¯t have the chance to be lazy. His master put him at point-blank range. ¡°If you don¡¯t manage to meet my expectations even after two years, I¡¯ll send you back to Devildom, with you being the betrayer of your own people.¡± It was Belfair who helped Luke beat the demons Luke had summoned several times since the Naga incident. He wouldn¡¯t be left alone so easily if the demons knew that he betrayed his own men. ¡®Maybe I will be thrown into the hot fire or will be made to live in pain forever.¡¯ He wanted to avoid that situation, which was why he was forcing himself to practice the Silver Sword. ¡°Even then, thank goodness the results are good.¡± Swak! Kaaaah! When the silver light flashed on Belfair¡¯s Blood Shock, the giant manticore threw up blood. The manticore was a creature that had a lion¡¯s body, a human head, bat-like wings, and a scorpion¡¯s tail. It was known to be extremely ferocious and had a strong skin enough to bounce off steel swords. They had deadly poison. Maybe a Sword Master might have a chance, but it was too tough for the lower demons to deal with such opponents, but it fell down with Belfair¡¯s blow. ¡°This sword skill is really great. This is certainly worth the trouble.¡± Belfair smiled and looked at the Manticore¡¯s head. Two years ago, when he first learned the Silver Sword, he thought he was going to die. Because each time he opened up the Silver Sword, which had a bit of Holy Sword incorporated in it, the divine energy and the Magi in his body collided causing terrifying pain. At that time, he wanted to slap someone or break things, but he couldn¡¯t stop practicing because of Luke¡¯s warning. The intense pain shredded his entire body until it felt like his body would burst. Until recently, the pain had bothered him day and night. But a while back, when he wanted to relieve the pain, an unexpected thing happened. He seemed to have developed a resistance to the sun and divine power. The demons could work in daylight, but they were affected by the sun. They would feel a tingling and hot stabbing pain on their bodies, which was why many demons preferred to be active at night. Belfair belonged to the vampire clan, which was a typical nocturnal demon. But currently, Belfair felt nothing more than warmth on his skin. ¡®It didn¡¯t even matter even if I passed right by the sanctuary.¡¯ Divine power could kill demons. For demons, the sanctuaries or temples were like pits of fire, and the priests were the men carrying the fire with them. It wasn¡¯t long ago when Belfair was holding onto his head because of the tingling sensation he got from the temples. But now, the hymns were something he hummed along with. ¡°Is it getting better because of the Silver Sword? Anyway, I don¡¯t want to cross paths with corrupt priests!¡± Kuk! Kiiik! As the manticore fell, the small and large orcs bent their heads. The fact that Belfair was fighting the manticore was because of those orcs. The valley in which he decided to practice his sword was an orc territory. The orcs, who didn¡¯t want to give away their territory, threw stone axes and resisted, but none of them were ready to be Belfair¡¯s opponent. Eventually, they ran away, bringing back the nearby large monsters such as trolls, ogres, and minotaur to fight him. But when Belfair knocked them down, they went and brought back a manticore. It was giving him a good experience, but Belfair had no intention of saying thanks to the wicked orcs. ¡°Huh, you garbage!¡± Kick! Belfair wielded his Blood Shock covered with a silver aura. He killed a few orcs in an instant, and the rest of them ran away. ¡°Haahh! If you want to take over this body, bring a stronger guy!¡± Belfair mocked the fleeing orcs. ¡®No one is going to bother me anymore.¡¯ There weren¡¯t many manticore monsters in Middle-Earth, so the orcs couldn¡¯t bring anyone stronger, and there was no doubt about it. However, those wicked orcs brought something again. As Belfair thought, they brought someone stronger than the manticore. ¡°Were you the one who touched my men?¡± ¡®Huk! This¡­ Why is he here¡­?!¡¯ The one the orcs brought was a knight with a giant bizarre tattoo on his upper body and arm wearing an obsidian mask with feathers on it, whom Belfair had seen before. The Orc Hero, Shaikan, whom he met in the Navarre Duchy. The orcs, which were standing behind Shaikan, became flustered at the sight of the silver flash on Belfair¡¯s sword. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you before. You¡¯re the sidekick of that warlock who appeared at Navarre? Anyway, you invaded my territory and hurt my men.¡± Srrrng-! Shaikan pulled out his savage blade that was behind him. Seeing the bloody aura from the blade, Belfair began to sweat. His opponent was a Dragonian. After all, he was a monster who could transform into a dragon, and his own master had to go against him with a Gigant. ¡®Can I win against him?¡¯ He wanted to do what his heart wanted. But before he could even run away, his opponent would sure be quick enough to catch up to him and cut his throat. He was always warned in training to never turn his back and run away from an opponent. Even if he had to run away, he had to make sure there was enough gap between him and his opponent. But would he be able to turn it around? ¡®Oh my! Do I accept the fact that I¡¯m going to die or should I just run?¡¯ Belfair made his mind and held his sword. With his all powered silver aura, he rushed toward Shaikan, the bloody man. Chapter 247 The sky was yellow. However, it wasn¡¯t because of the sunset, so that couldn¡¯t be considered the reason. ¡°Kuuung¡­.¡± Cracked and crushed, Belfair rolled on the ground and groaned. Looking down at him, Shaikan titled his head and asked, ¡°This is interesting. How can a demon use divine power? That too, the sword skills of the Rakan Family¡­ Did you steal or learn it?¡± Not knowing that the warlock who had fought him in the Navarre Duchy was a descendant of Rakan, Shaikan looked ignorant. But soon, he put back his sword back into its sheath. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter to me. Anyway, you are a weirdo who is worth keeping alive, so this time, I¡¯ll let you be.¡± With those words, Shaikan turned back and moved away, and the orcs spit and smacked the fallen Belfair and soon disappeared. After some time, Belfair recovered his energy and managed to get up with his sword still in his hand. ¡°Kuk, if I need to meet a monster like that¡­ a lot of luck is needed.¡± The muttering Belfair turned into a bat and flew back to the Rakan territory He wanted to tell his master that the orc hero made his appearance in the Baroque Empire. But when he came back to the Marquis Rakan, Luke wasn¡¯t there, just Sebastian who was disguised as Luke. Belfair, who escaped the eyes of the guards, visited Sebastian and heard about the whereabouts of Luke. ¡°Master went to the Holy Arthenia Empire? No, I don¡¯t get it. Why?¡± ¡°because of Princess Reina.¡± ¡°Princess Reina? Ah, his lover who went missing because of the fairies?¡± ¡°Yeah, she is most likely the new pope of the Holy Empire.¡± Belfair had never directly met Reina. He just heard stories about her from either Luke or Sebastian. ¡°Sh*t! Our master, who is worse than any demon, is surprisingly a sucker for love.¡± ¡°But why are you looking for master? Are you already done with all your training?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t that. There is something I need to let him know right away.¡± ¡°Then are you willing to go over to the Holy Empire?¡± ¡°If I was like before, then I might not have even thought about it, but now it is all right. I have made some improvements.¡± Shrugging his shoulders, Belfair frowned at the woman who was on Sebastian¡¯s feet. ¡°By the way, why is that pervert b*tch here?¡± ¡°That is because this is her room.¡± ¡°No, I mean why is she here rather than in Navarre!¡± Asked Belfair. The two demons were currently in the room of Princess Margareta, who was still staying in Rakan. Because of her need for Sebastian, she completely went crazy on the maids and escort knights. Margareta was currently sleeping on Sebastian¡¯s feet. ¡°She came to trick our master once again, but all thanks to that, I can feed on her.¡± When Sebastian pushed Margareta with his feet, she twisted her body as if she had been shocked. ¡°Aing! Lord Marquis! Why are you treating me so roughly?!¡± She whined. Belfair just gave up when he saw Sebastian being driven with desires and negative emotions coming out of Margareta¡¯s body. Ever since he became Luke¡¯s slave, he had always seen people like that, but he had never seen someone act so sneaky and twisted. ¡°No! Ahhk! Ahh!¡± Whenever Sebastian touched her, even the slightest touch, it seemed like her mind was blown. Seeing that, Belfair couldn¡¯t help but wipe his lips. ¡°This is something I can¡¯t help, incurable pleasure,¡± said Belfair. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about it. That is something I dare to look at, and there is something that I can¡¯t dare to look¡­¡± Sebastian, who was rubbing his stomach after feeling full and satisfied, asked, ¡°What do you think? Would you like to have some too?¡± ¡°I am good. Such things don¡¯t taste good.¡± Like any vampire race, Belfair¡¯s favourite kind of meal was fresh blood. He didn¡¯t want to drink the blood of Margareta. If it was his past self, he might have rushed away as soon as he was asked. Strangely, he was reluctant now. ¡°I am going. Be careful; there are suspicious men looming around here.¡± ¡°Men? Don¡¯t worry about the emperor¡¯s pumpkins. Did you forget that this body belongs to the best killer of the Devildom?¡± Asked Sebastian with a grin. ¡°Well, I am just telling you¡­¡± Belfair turned around and flew toward the Holy Arthenia Empire. Chapter 248 The party of the Pope hurried back to the capital when they heard the news about Marquis Suleiman¡¯s rebels were advancing towards Bless. Just before getting into her wagon, Reina had a farewell conversation with Luke. ¡°Are you going to head back to the estates now?¡± Asked Reina. ¡°No, I think it is time to finish the rebels here. That was if it would be easier for you, won¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Thank you for wanting to do that. Once your work here is done, please stop by at Bless.¡± ¡°Understood, I will surely.¡± With those words, Reina left Luke. He respected her wishes and aspirations, but he had never imagined that he would miss her in less than an hour of getting her back. If things were going well, he would have followed her. If he could use his fly magic, he would be able to catch up with her wagon. But he couldn¡¯t just leave his men. ¡®Haa! Every time she leaves, there is a huge vacancy¡­¡¯ He felt that was two years back, but now it was much emptier than ever. Which meant that his feelings for her were constantly growing, and parting ways with her was tearing him apart. ¡°Are you alright, Lord?¡± ¡°Uh? Sir Philip?¡± Luke wasn¡¯t able to easily shake off the sadness and emotions. Philip who noticed it, and spoke. ¡°Would you like me to follow? I don¡¯t know who this Suleiman is or how strong he is, but to make you sigh this much¡­¡± They had already decided to support some of the central troops by taking a few men of their forces. As a result, members of a few units were busy. However, Luke hadn¡¯t asked to join them, and he had a reason for it. It was because he wanted to end the rebellion in the Konrad side and obtain evidence. ¡°Evidence?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°We found it the other day. The mercenary rider named Sancho from the Gigant battle was Count Ferrero.¡± ¡°Yes, that is. That thick voice which I heard in that Emperor¡¯s banquet and the fighting style was indeed the same.¡± Stated Luke. ¡°He is. This time I need solid evidence that the Baroque Empire is deeply involved in this rebel uprising.¡± In many cases, they were intervened in domestic affairs or disputes to achieve national interests or for specific self-purpose. It wasn¡¯t just the Baroque Empire, but the Volga Republic and the kingdoms and Empires too. But with clear evidence, the story would garner a different ending. In this specific case, to dispatching diplomatic envoys and protesters, in the worst-case scenario, it could be considered as a war declaration. ¡°You are going to threaten the Baroque Empire with solid proof.¡± At the question from Philip, Luke shook his head. ¡°No, I am not just going to threaten them. I am going to cause a dispute.¡± ¡°Dispute in the sense¡­ ah, like the way where you set rift between the nobility and the Emperor!¡± ¡°Exactly that!¡± Answered Luke. Two years ago, Luke was involved in the assassination of a few men, which caused both sides to take drastic decisions. Of course, the dramatic settlement didn¡¯t end up going to war, but in the end, conditions were placed and power checks were allotted. What would be the result if in such a situation another fire was lit up? ¡°If the Emperor was told to intervene in the rebellion of the Holy Empire, Emperor Rudolf would be criticized at both home and abroad. The nobility has the number, so they¡¯ll try to reduce the Emperor¡¯s power even more, which will undermine the prestige of the nation. Things would turn louder than ever.¡± Stated Luke. ¡°Then there will be actions against the Emperor¡­ if there was the involvement of armed conflict in that process, then a civil war will start.¡± Luke nodded at Philip¡¯s words and stood up. ¡°I already got evidence from Eisenberg. Some of the Gigants used by the rebels were from the Baroque Imperial Magic Tower.¡± Luke confirmed the doubt after thoroughly checking the destroyed and the captured Gigants. The color and outer metal were definitely made to look the same, but inside it was definitely Baroque¡¯s Gigant. He could see the difference because there were a few international and domestic Gigants which were purchased by Katarina Magic tower for the Gigant development. ¡°The Gigants of the Holy Empire come from Arthenia Royal Magic tower. Of course, the local nobles have a few cheap foreign goods and Gigants.¡± According to an official report of the Holy Empire, most of the imported Gigants were warrior-class, used Gigants or low-powered Gigants. Nevertheless, they wouldn¡¯t just use things from the Baroque Imperial Magic tower even if the Holy Empire didn¡¯t have a peaceful relationship. But what Luke managed to discover was, a knight class with an output of 2000 fights were present. ¡°Was it really from the Baroque Imperial?¡± Asked Philip. ¡°You aren¡¯t much aware of the magic, but, there is a slight difference in magic between the nations and the towers. What I saw was definitely from Baroque Imperial magic tower.¡± Said Luke. ¡°Even then, it is hard to consider them as proof with just a few parts. The rebels could have been in need and bought them.¡± ¡°Which is why we need to see this situation through and gather much solid evidence.¡± Luke wanted to find everything that could confirm his doubt in the rebels den, Alvera. The rebels would have thrown away the letters or books that they had exchanged. ¡°We need to hurry up and get things.¡± Said Philip. ¡°So, when do you think we will attack Alvera?¡± At the question from Luke, Philip told him what he had heard in advance. ¡°For starters, when the Pope¡¯s visiting is done, by which was, of course, Princess Reina, they were planning to send a messenger to Duke Ferrierd and give him the chance to surrender.¡± ¡°Okay? The commander nor would our working soldiers agree to it.¡± At present, the anti-revolutionary army was very hostile towards the rebels. They were very furious at the rebels who tried to assassinate the Pope, who had come all the way hoping for peace in the empire. ¡°But it was the order from the Pope. Everyone is hoping for Duke Ferrierd to refuse.¡± ¡°He should.¡± Luke nodded while looking at Alvera which was at a distance. While the rebels in Konrad kingdom, he was curious about what kind of decision Duke Ferrierd would take. Chapter 249 The Konrad kingdom, Alvera battleground. There was a war between the retainers who looked into the words sent by the anti-revolutionary army. ¡°Majesty, there are no odds. We need to negotiate on the terms of preserving the family and territory.¡± ¡°Look here, would that even be possible?¡± ¡°Then you won¡¯t fight till the end and look if any other option is available?¡± ¡°Who said that I am willing to do that? We need to find another possible way!¡± Watching the fights between the retainers, Duke Ferrierd just sighed. If he went to surrender just like that, it was very likely that the estate¡¯s name and fame would fall down. Which was why he asked Lazlie, who was listening to the retainer from a side with his arms crossed. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± At the question from Ferrierd, Lazlie spoke with a firm look. ¡°I feel like your Majesty needs to think and make the soundest decision.¡± ¡°Reason?¡± ¡°If you surrender like this, you can save your life. But would Archbishop Constantine keep his word about your Majesty and his family?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± At the words of Lazlie, Ferrierd was lost in thought. Considering the case of Constantine¡¯s unquestioned pursuit of Archbishop Michael who was aiming for the Pope¡¯s position, it was a good chance that he wouldn¡¯t agree to what they wished. ¡°And I am not so sure but, yesterday the assassination of Veronica III failed.¡± ¡°Assassination? Don¡¯t tell me¡­?¡± Stuttered Duke Ferrierd. Yesterday, fire soared with a massive explosion on the army side. Everyone thought that the gun power must have exploded due to some wrong handling. ¡°The problem is, your Majesty, is being the one mentioned for it.¡± Stated Lazlie. ¡°What, what did you say?!¡± Duke Ferrierd went pale-faced, it was like being hit with an invisible hammer, and even if they did surrender, he would never be able to hold his name after the news about the attempt to assassinate the Pope. ¡°What the hell are you all doing? Did you people do anything that I didn¡¯t order from you?¡± At the scream of Duke Ferrierd, the retainers kept looking at each other¡¯s faces. Although he seemed like he didn¡¯t have a hand, Lazlie laughed looking at them. It was he who had sent the assassin to the Pope. ¡®It took me a long time to use those ones that the Emperor sent me.¡¯ The Baroque Imperial family had secretly raised assassins. The assassin, called Hydra, were the kind who learned all the techniques for assassinations, and that included the wizards who went to kill Veronica III. Lazlie spoke to Duke Ferrierd and his retainers who were confused. ¡°Whether you were behind the assassination attempt or not, the surrender clause is probably a tactic to confuse us.¡± ¡°So that means¡­¡± ¡°The enemy will soon take an offensive stance. Whether we surrender or not, we turn Alvera into ash.¡± At the words of Lazlie, the atmosphere in the room changed into hopelessness. Some of the men sat back into their chairs. ¡®Huhu, they are completely down. Now should I try and boost their morale?¡¯ Which that thought, Lazlie opened his mouth with a smile. ¡°But we have some good news too.¡± ¡°Good news?¡± ¡°Yes, it was stated that marquis Suleiman of the Ranghel territory is leading his army towards Bless. So I heard that Arch Duke Gregory and his men are in haste to reach there.¡± ¡°Oh oh! Really?¡± ¡°And it wasn¡¯t just that. He promised us support. So if you can hang out for a few more days, we might hear some good news.¡± No one has to ask, who the ¡®he¡¯ was in Lazlie¡¯s words, everyone knew about whom he was talking about. With the good news he managed to convey, the atmosphere turned a little lively. With a little hope, one of the retainers spoke. ¡°So it won¡¯t just be the army which is lurking outside Konrad, but the outside people can be blocked too!¡± ¡°That is an understatement. Perhaps, if possible, we could subjugate the entire land of the Holy Empire.¡± Seeing the optimistic words of the retainers, Duke Ferrierd opened his mouth. He was holding the delusion of capturing the main estates of the Empire, and then driving away from the central forces of Bless and finally turning into the new Pope of the Holy Empire. And he had no intention of missing that opportunity, so which Lazlie said. ¡°Which is why we need to build up our resolve. Why not cut the neck of the messenger who was sent as an example?¡± ¡°Take the life of the messenger?¡± Ferried and the retainers were shocked by what they heard. ¡°That way you can stop any cowardly thoughts which reside in the hearts of the lords below you, who might want to depart. And we would be able to outrage and make fun of the enemy commanders too.¡± Duke Ferrierd was actually caught up in the thought. No matter how hard a war was, it was against diplomacy to kill the messenger. However, it seemed like a good way to stop the departure of the lords who would want to surrender. In addition, it was difficult for the Konrad Kingdom which was leaning on the Baroque Empire for support to actually reject Lazlie¡¯s proposal. Contemplating for a sweet time, Ferrierd made a bold decision. ¡°Kill the slave right away!¡± ¡°No! you can¡¯t do that! If we do that, the situation will only turn much more hostile, and we¡¯ll lose the honor of the kingdom!¡± Aslan, his son, was the one who opposed the act before anyone could even speak. If it was anyone else, he wouldn¡¯t have minded it, but since it was his own child, Ferrierd asked. ¡°Then, what do you have in mind?¡± ¡°Just kick him out. And we have nothing to do with the assassination¡­¡± At those words, Duke Ferrierd jumped out of his seat and raised his voice. ¡°Which nation¡¯s prince do you think you are? Will you bow down in front of your enemy?¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I meant¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! If you want to stay on the enemy¡¯s side, then get out of here, right now!¡± Ferrierd¡¯s anger caused Aslan to stop his fight and just shook his head. Lazlie quietly looked at the kid. ¡®Huh, to let an illegitimate son inside the topic. Did he really think that he could hold up to be a real prince?¡¯ The high priests in the Holy Empire couldn¡¯t marry. Because of that law, no high priests would marry, but they secretly inherited illegitimate children from the permission of the one in rule, either from their own families or by their own making. The prince of Konrad, the son of Archbishop, Duke Ferrierd was no different. Aslan was treated as a prince only after Ferreird¡¯s rebellion. ¡°Is there anyone else who would want to object?¡± The words were so cold that no other retainer could even get themselves to open their mouth, and eventually, it was decided to execute the messenger. ¡®Huhuhu, yeah! Fight like this till the very end!¡¯ In a deep silent battle that no one knew about, Lazlie smiled to himself. Chapter 250 When the messenger¡¯s executed body was sent back to the army in response to their request to surrender, the chief commander was enraged. Despite the assassination attempt, the pope had given them an opportunity to live, yet they chose to respond in such a vile manner! The chief of the Anti-Revolutionary Army now knew that the only thing they could give to Duke Ferrierd was a ruin. ¡°Attack them! Do not leave anyone who belongs to him, his followers or family!¡± At the command from Marquis Valentino, the chief commander of the army, tombs surrounding Alvera began to fall. Originally, the Holy Empire was known to be very generous to their enemies unless they were demons or warlocks or did any injustice to the temples and sanctuaries. In civil wars such as this one they were currently in, only the nobles involved and their immediate family members were punished. The other members of their family or their followers were rarely punished. However, the Holy Empire didn¡¯t feel like they should show the enemy such generosity as they had trampled the pope¡¯s name. Swooong! Kwang! Swooong! Kwang! ¡°Ahh! The wall has fallen! Everyone, move away!¡± ¡°Enemy Gigants are coming in! Riders respond!¡± Konrad Kingdom¡¯s army, who had endured the tension for several days, was unable to handle the constant saturation of the relentless artillery and the onslaught of Gigants. The beaten-down walls and the gates fell simultaneously. Thud! Kung! At the north gate of Alvera. Two gates had fallen already. A fierce battle was taking place between Alvera¡¯s army and the Konrad Kingdom over the last standing gate. The front of the gate was being beaten down by Gigants. Most of them were Konrad¡¯s short-lived Gigants. Nevertheless, Konrad¡¯s men tried to breach the wall and take hold of the gate. ¡°They are so persistent.¡± Luke frowned at the boring situation. An hour ago, the Red Wolf Mercenaries, which were being led by Luke, joined the battle when the 1st unit retreated after they lost. They had expected strong resistance, but the enemy defenses were much stronger than imagined. ¡°If I had Kratos with me, I could have just wiped them out.¡± Sadly, he abandoned the hero class Gigant, Kratos. It was due to the irreparable damage it got during the meteor strike at the Eisenberg city. That was why Luke was using Achilles, but since he was now using a warrior class instead of a hero class, he wasn¡¯t that excited to go into battle. ¡°I need to get a hero class as soon as possible¡­¡± ¡°Ahh! Be careful, captain!¡± Philip was in the middle of the battle with his Marina. There were 3 Gigants from the Konrad Kingdom that were running toward Luke¡¯s Achilles. But the problem was that they weren¡¯t just running in, they were running with huge swords smashed into their Gigant¡¯s core engine! ¡°These people are crazy!¡± Luke was frightened and hurriedly wielded his sword to smash the incoming enemies. He also took out a shield. Kwang! Kwang! Pung! The enemies oxidized, scattering the debris everywhere. Luke, who barely managed to avert that crisis, looked around and gathered his allies. ¡°Report the status of each Gigant!¡± said Luke. ¡°No. 2, there is nothing wrong with Marina.¡± ¡°No. 5, Thuderstar¡¯s shoulder and gloves are damaged!¡± ¡°No. 8, left knee joint ruptured! Please, I request for towing!¡± There were no major damages all thanks to Luke preventing that from happening. Luke hurriedly evacuated the damaged Gigants and attacked again. Time and time again, they constantly attacked, but their enemies had stubbornly resisted. However, the gates still got knocked down. The third and final gate at the north opened wide. Count Marcus, who saw the scene from behind, jumped up and gave out orders. ¡°The gate had fallen! All-out assault!¡± ¡°Wah!¡± The 4th squadron of the army began to pour into the grounds after receiving the order. The reliable men of the Red Wolf Mercenaries made the gate fall, and the assault continued non-stop. ¡°Sir Philip, from here on, you are in charge of the unit. I will head toward the rebels,¡± Luke jumped out of the Gigant and said. ¡°Are you going to look for evidence like you said? Be careful. There could be strong men out there,¡± warned Philip. Luke nodded and ran to the palace that wasn¡¯t far from where they were. He had encountered the troops of the Konrad Kingdom on his way, but he was able to pass through them because of his invisibility magic. ¡°What is this? Where was that guy from before?¡± ¡°He disappeared all of a sudden.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t concern yourself with that and stop the enemies before you!¡± The Red Wolf Mercenaries pushed Konrad¡¯s army which was falling behind. The enemies blocking the path were twice as large as the Red Wolf Mercenaries, but their numbers were irrelevant as the Red Wolf had the advantage. The troops fell to the floor from the impact of the gate that exploded. ¡°Push! Make sure there is an opening ahead!¡± Philip encouraged the men who were involved in the Gigant battle at the forefront of the attack and found a few hesitant members of the group. It was Gavel¡ªa former member of the Garlic Mercenaries. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of the nearby commercial building. Looking at the scattered goods and money on the streets by the owners and the employees who ran away from the war. Of course, there were a lot more things he could be able to get if he went on. ¡°Why are you just standing there?¡± Gavel got scared upon hearing Philip¡¯s question and tried to make an excuse. ¡°That¡­ I¡­ I am a little tired¡­¡± ¡°Tired? You¡¯re trying to loot, are you?¡± Asked Philip. ¡°Ah, not at all! Never!¡± Gavel trembled while shaking his hands. The other day, he looted the city of Eisenberg after the battle and remembered that he was hit very badly for that. His old habits weren¡¯t that easy to change, so he hesitated for a second but was caught by the eyes of the devil. ¡°Even if you are tired, hold on till the end! Aren¡¯t you ashamed of your hardworking colleagues?!¡± ¡°Uh, I understand!¡± Gavel rushed out. It was painful for him to not take those scattered loots, but he had been disciplined so harshly for what he did last time, so he didn¡¯t have the guts to violate orders for the second time. Chapter 251 ¡°Don¡¯t think about backing down! Hold on till the very end! Just a little more, the reinforcements will get here!¡± Duke Ferrierd directly led the knights, who were fighting in the streets. Things were turning worse and worse, but he still believed that he would have a chance. It was because of Marquis Suleiman and Emperor Rudolf. If he held on a little more, the enemies would retreat. That was why he kept encouraging his men, who were on the verge of getting themselves killed. But the momentum was in the Anti-Revolutionary Army¡¯s favor. With only a few hundred Gigants remaining on his side, there was no way Ferrierd could push ahead against the army, which had more than hundreds of Gigants. ¡°Lazlie! Where is Lazlie?!¡± When things started to get out of hand, the Duke Ferrierd called for Lazlie. Flying Dragons which had to be in the war couldn¡¯t be seen for a while. ¡°Lazlie said that he had to defend something at the dock an hour ago and lead his troops outside the castle ground.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°He said that you gave him permission to do so, father. Did he not?¡± Aslan asked Duke Ferrierd with a frown on his face. While listening, he quickly sent his men over to the dock and look for them. After a while, the messenger, who had gone to look, came back with a shocking report. ¡°There were no ships there that belonged to the Flying Dragons.¡± ¡°No, it¡­ It can¡¯t be!!¡± Lazlie had gone to the duke even before he had come out as an independent nation. He encouraged men to revolt with all sorts of theories. He said that if the power of the Konrad Kingdom and the full support of the Baroque Empire was provided, then Ferrierd would be able to achieve true independence. As a result, feeling delighted, Duke Ferrierd declared independence and thought that the situation was going just as he had planned. But as things went on, the situation took an entire 180-degree turn. The power of the Holy Empire was much more than what he had imagined. ¡®Did I end up becoming a clown in the hands of Emperor Rudolf all of a sudden?¡¯ The face of the man, who was late to realize what had happened, was red with rage. ¡°Your Majesty, the enemy is advancing toward the palace!¡± ¡°Reinforcements, please send in the reinforcements!¡± The messages were being relayed by the messengers, but the head of the duke was blurred. During that moment, Prince Aslan opened his mouth. ¡°We need to retreat right away.¡± ¡°Retreat? To where do you plan on running away?¡± ¡°There is no hope left for us in Alvera. Why not just leave the palace and head to the southern continent?¡± ¡°The southern continent?¡± ¡°Yes, the men said that there are still ships left in the dockyard. By sailing out to the sea, the Holy Empire would no longer be able to pursue us.¡± If the duke went and told his army that he would surrender, it was unlikely for his enemies to accept it. And if they did try to flee to the Castia Kingdom or any other nation, with their harmonious relationship with the Holy Empire, they wouldn¡¯t likely shelter them. Aslan was sure that it was better to cross the sea and head to the south. The duke, who had been thinking about what his son said, sighed. While looking at the ground, he said, ¡°Is that the only option left?¡± ¡°That is the only way in this situation!¡± Answered Aslan. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s do that.¡± When it was decided that they would retreat, Duke Ferried and his retainers immediately began to carry the remaining goods of the palace to the ships in the dockyard. The situation was so drastic that they only took things that wouldn¡¯t be a hassle for them, yet they didn¡¯t forget to take the treasures and the gold bars that they had collected from the craftsmen over the past years. ¡®Treasures are surely important, but¡­¡¯ Aslan rushed over to the royal library, where a few important documents were kept. The library was already turned into a mess. The administrators and the clerks were burning or destroying the important documents. However, the army of the empire was right at the palace front, so people began to escape. There were a few clerks who were concerned with eliminating any documents that could make the duke¡¯s family¡¯s name bad. ¡°Get rid of everything in here!¡± Aslan ordered the escorts to destroy the documents and removed several books from the innermost shelf. The bookshelf slid to the side opening like a door, revealing a hidden room. ¡®Dirty bastards! They have come here only to make sure of our downfall!¡¯ In the secret room were the confidential letters which were exchanged between Duke Ferrierd and the Flying Dragons and the Trade Book. There was also information about the secret plans they did. It also held the record of the knight of Baroque Empire, Lazlie de Voltaire, disguising himself as a mercenary. Aslan picked out the most important ones. He thought of reducing the number of documents to a minimum since carrying them would be tough, but the important documents were too heavy. While trying to figure out a way, Aslan¡¯s eyes went over to a young man. ¡°Look here, you! Come with me and move these!¡± ¡°Ah! Yes!¡± Answered the man. The young man with cold eyes ran over, and Aslan handed over some of the documents to him. ¡°Are they very important?¡± ¡°Obviously, they are important. Ahm, that isn¡¯t important now!¡± Aslan, holding onto the documents, rushed to the carriage. By the time he got to the carriage, Duke Ferrierd and his other major retainers were already there. ¡°What took you so long?!¡± ¡°There were things I had to take.¡± ¡°Get in fast. If we are too late, the waterways might get blocked!¡± Upon reaching the dock, the duke carried the treasure, and with some escort troops on three paddle ships, they set sail. ¡°Majesty! Please take us too!¡± ¡°Turn the ship right away! Duke, we believed in you and put everything on the line! We gave you the entire power of the estates. You can¡¯t be doing this to us!¡± After hearing about the retreat, the lower nobles and the neighboring lords ran to the dock, asking for help. However, the duke was ready to attack anyone who would even try to get close to his ship without mercy. The soldiers fired bows and crossbows at the nobles. ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°This damned man! He will surely be punished!¡± The ship had exited the dock and began to speed up. Later, the army of the empire knew about it and tried to chase after them but didn¡¯t manage to catch up to them. ¡®Suddenly! I had to run away like this, but I will come back one day!¡¯ While looking at Alvera which he was leaving behind, Duke Ferrierd thought to himself. As he was doing that, Aslan was looking for someone on the deck of the ship. ¡°Captain, have you seen the young clerk who came in with me?¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°He is about this height and has a platinum-colored hair and his physique is¡­¡± Aslan explained to the Captain. ¡°Well, I was in a hurry to set sail, so I didn¡¯t really look as to who got in.¡± Aslan¡¯s face soon began to turn stiff. The documents he had given to the young man were very important. ¡°It can¡¯t be. Was he not able to get in on the boat¡­¡± ¡°Maybe he is on a different ship. Why not ask them to check?¡± Asked the captain. ¡°Please do that.¡± Aslan was waiting for good news, but after a while, he was told that no one of such had got in. In the end, he had to be content with the documents he himself managed to bring in. A few days later¡­ Ferrierd¡¯s fleet, which was sailing through the mouth of Rio River, encountered ships with skull flags. Hiding behind the islands, the pirate ships suddenly bombarded them. When their ships got close to Ferrierd¡¯s fleet, the pirates hooked themselves to the deck. Without differentiating anyone, the pirates wielded their axes and swords at the soldiers and the sailors. ¡°Hahahaha! If you don¡¯t want to die, then jump off!¡± ¡°Get off quickly! The sharks are waiting for you!¡± Looking at the pirates on the deck, Duke Ferrierd found a young man whom he recognized. ¡°This man, Lazlie! How dare you deceive men who believed in you!¡± ¡°Huhuhu, what are you so upset about, Your Majesty?! Everything is already done so go away without any regrets. Go away quietly.¡± When Lazlie clicked his fingers, the pirates, who stopped killing Ferrierd¡¯s men, started killing them again. ¡°Euakk, save me! Please!¡± ¡°Please, please! I¡¯ll do whatever you say¡­!¡± Those who were on the deck or hiding in the cabinets got their necks slashed, and those who jumped into the sea were killed by the sharks, who smelled their blood. Duke Ferrierd fought till the end but soon fell when he got shot by a pirate¡¯s arrow. ¡°Father!¡± ¡°Guak! Hurry¡­ Hurry and go¡­¡± After the death of his father, Aslan cursed Lazlie with tears in his eyes. ¡°Lazlie! You will pay for this! Your clan and Emperor Rudolf, too!¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Go to a lord you believe in and ask him to punish us.¡± While mocking Aslan, Lazlie raised his hand. The pirates shot dozens of arrows and threw Alsan into the sea. The Flying Dragons, who finished the rebellion on behalf of the Holy Empire, dragged three of the seized ships and disappeared somewhere. Chapter 252 Priest Luther had gone to Alvera two months ago to help the poor. The other priests of the Sanctity of Holiness were in danger, but he didn¡¯t avoid it, knowing that the more dangerous the place was, the more help it needed. As expected, Alvera¡¯s slums were in a very bad situation. As the Konrad Kingdom declared itself as self-independent, the work and the poor didn¡¯t have work, and the masses couldn¡¯t be held. Luther went over to Duke Ferrierd and asked for assistance and food. However, he had his doubts that they wouldn¡¯t be willing to help. ¡°Why is a priest of the Sanctity of Holiness in the area of Marion Par? Get out of here right now!¡± Although not arrested or harmed, the retainers of Duke Ferrierd, who have been the spies of Archbishop Constantine expelled Luther from Alvera. Eventually, moved out of the city, he had no choice but to take care of the people around the nearby area. While serving in a small Baron called Pelier, he heard a few rumors that Alvera and the rebels had been captured by the empire¡¯s army. Baron of Pelier and his family made a close escape, and the next day, the army entered inside with Gigants. As the residents were anxious, Luther stood in front of the gates. ¡°I can¡¯t let you enter from here.¡± At the words of Luther, the leading army soldiers frowned. If just one soldier or a knight went out with a Gigant, the opponent would be down in a second. ¡°Look here, priest. The point is, the lord from this place has sent military support to the fleet.¡± ¡°On top of that, there was information that a few rebels who fled from Alvera and hid here.¡± At the words of the soldiers, Luther understood that the troops were from the capital. Looking at their outfits which were different, they seemed like mercenaries and not regular soldiers. ¡°There is no one here whom you seek. So, you should top.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t do that. We were ordered to occupy the place. Won¡¯t it end only with the remnants cleared? So please don¡¯t interfere, priest.¡± On the wall of the territory, a few people were looking at Luther and the mercenaries talking with nervous eyes. Luther didn¡¯t know that, but among the refugees in the place, there were a few men who were nobles and the families of nobles who sided with the rebels. Unable to escape with Duke Ferrierd, they had escaped from Alvera acting like commoners. They were the ones who were looking down from the wall. ¡°Didn¡¯t you guys listen? The lord and his son ran away last night. Not to mention the soldiers and the retainers. The only people here are the poor and needy ones, so you don¡¯t have to worry and you can go!¡± Luther was stubborn. He was very well aware of the evils and brutality the mercenaries committed once they entered the battlefield. Those mercenaries too might be there with an excuse to clear the rebels along with destroying the land. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t just let the innocent people be plundered, arson or even raped in their hands. ¡°You¡¯re too stubborn. Aeh, Marvin. Serve the priest with respect.¡± A large mercenary came out from the group with the instructions of the leader and grabbed Luther¡¯s arm. No, he tried to catch it. All of a sudden, from the inside of the gate, a white shadow popped out and caught the mercenary¡¯s hand and threw him away. Booong! ¡°Kuk!¡± The large mercenary flew in the air and then fell to the ground rolling. Surprised to see it, the mercenaries pulled out their weapons. ¡°The enemy!¡± ¡°Could be an expert knight! Be careful!¡± But the man who blocked the mercenary who went in for Luther wasn¡¯t either a wizard or knight. It was a dark-haired make with a chiseled jaw and round eyes. The clothes that he wore were different, with a Y shaped collar wrapped around at the waist, with loose sleeves and pants. ¡°Huh? You¡¯re from the southern continent?¡± The men of the southern continent differed from those of the Rhodesia continent. Most of them had dark eyes, dark hair, and bright copper skin. In addition, the outfit and hair were unique, so they could be recognized at a glance. The southern continental men weren¡¯t uncommon and always seen in seaside trading, they were pioneered in the trade and were active. But they never expected that men from there would be inland. ¡°Hwang Bo-sung, step back.¡± At the stern words from Luther, the man from the southern continent called Hwang Bo-sung shook his head and responded. ¡°They are trying to harm you. I won¡¯t ever let them do that.¡± ¡°Even then, violence isn¡¯t a good solution. I always told you to proceed to an issue with a conversation in case it even turns into an argument.¡± ¡°But they are dangerous men. I plan to keep you safe.¡± Answered Hwang Bo-sung. The mercenaries began to move forward to attack, when Luther exhaled, seeing the firm face of Hwang Bo-sung. ¡°Go ahead!¡± ¡°Avenge Marvin!¡± As the mercenaries rushed, Hwang Bo-sung responded immediately. ¡°Do not kill them!¡± Luther screamed to his man, but it was of no help. Puhk! The mercenary who got hit in the jaw fell down limply. The very moment, Hwang Bo-sung took a spear and swung it low. ¡°Euk!¡± ¡°Ahk!¡± ¡°My leg¡­!¡± The mercenaries were hit by the speed at which the spear was being hit, and rolled on the ground. The mercenaries were flustered and surprised. But even then, they tried to aim for the hand of Hwang Bo-sung. ¡°That bastard! I¡¯ll turn you into minced meat!¡± But in spite of the rush, it was the mercenaries and not Hwang Bo-sung who hit the floor in pain. Hwang Bo-sung simply incapacitated the mercenaries who were fully armored, with no weapons, just hands. ¡°The southern continent¡¯s warrior.¡± ¡°Warrior?¡± As the men asked, Luke explained to them. ¡°They are similar to the knights of our continent. But rather than not belonging to a royal or noble family they come from a place called Sega. I heard that there are many different kinds of swordsmen and martial artists and a lot of weirder skilled people.¡± Luke too gained the knowledge of the southern continent after his reincarnation. 500 years back, there was no news about men coming in, nor was there any means for safe travel. Even then, it was intriguing to witness first hand sight of the fight of the southern continent, and all were only known from the books and stories. But unlike Luke, the mercenaries whose blood was boiling seeing the scene of their colleagues being smashed. ¡°Everyone back!¡± ¡°I will deal with you!¡± The rest of the expert class mercenaries began to come out. They all acknowledged that the opponents were strong and decided to fight logically. Woong-! The expert class mercenary, with the weapon equipped with aura. Seeing that, Hwang Bo-sung seemed a little nervous and clenched his fists. A soft light hovered from his fists. ¡°That¡­ aura?¡± ¡°Fist aura was it? It is interesting when hit on the body.¡± Luke took a close look at Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s body with a lot of concentration. The expert class mercenaries were quite sharp and attacked Hwang Bo-sung, but they still weren¡¯t able to win. Not three, not five, but almost ten men surrounded him and attacked. Among them, there were four Rakan Knights. ¡°Captain, what are you doing here without entering the palace?¡± As Luke watched the battle of the southern continent¡¯s warrior with his men, he heard Philip¡¯s voice from behind. Philip was leading the mercenaries. ¡°Did you check the villagers?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Yes, but there were no rebel remnants there and it was wrong information.¡± Shrugging his shoulders, Luke looked forward and asked. ¡°But, who is he? A mercenary from the south hired by the rebels?¡± ¡°That fact is¡­¡± Luke told Philip the entire story. Philip, looking at his men, said. ¡°I feel like I need to deal with this.¡± ¡°Why? You think you can win?¡± Asked Luke. According to Luke, the warrior seemed to be a mature one, a mature class. Much stronger than Shirley whom Philip played with the Gigant Duel at Eisenberg. As proof for that, the warrior, didn¡¯t even break a sweat even after all the battle with the expert class mercenaries. ¡°I felt enlightened right after that Gigant Duel. Even if the opponent is a complete master, I am not going to let them win easily.¡± ¡°Fine, then go ahead and fight. If it turns dangerous, I¡¯ll enter.¡± The reason he had come was to take away Reina, but he wanted his men to experience as many actual fights and battles as they could. So whenever a strong enemy appeared, he gave the men a chance to fight. Philip, who got the permission moved forward in a relaxed manner. ¡°All of you stop! The man is my opponent!¡± Philip called out to the ten mercenaries who were facing Hwang Bo-sung. One of the Rakan knights went over and told Philip. ¡°Please be careful. He seems to be hiding his skills.¡± ¡°Hut, now that you say it, I can feel my body burning up!¡± Philip smiled slowly and pulled on his sword. He approached Hwang Bo-sung, who was staring at him. Chapter 253 The southern continent, specifically the Song Empire harbored famous warriors. There were five generations of warriors of Gupail clan, Hwang Bo-sung was the third son of them. Acclaimed as a genius warrior who was born after a hundred years in the clan, when he was still a kid, the boy acquired the visionary of the martial arts and by the peak of his twenties, he reached the highest point of skills. Nevertheless, Hwang Bo-sung remained confined to his family and continued to practice the skills to himself. Which was why the elders of clan had high hopes for him. They were excited about the revival of a king after 300 years. 300 years back, Hwang Bo- clan made by the martial style of King Hwang Bo-woong and overcoming the five generations, he was able to stand tall against a different clan. Although Hwang Bo-clan was a prestigious clan, on the unseen side, the constant emphasis of commerce has led to the offset of the Song Empire. They were very active in the international trade, and the clan often visited the Rhodesia continent. The man in charge of doing that in the Sega was Hwang-Bo-kwang, the eldest son. ¡°The world is so wide! Once a full man, shouldn¡¯t everyone see how big the world we live in is?¡± Hwang Bo-sung readily accepted the invitation. It was because he had heard rumors that the Rhodesia continent has a lot of different types of combat skills when compared to the Song empire. He crossed the sea because of that, he was smitten with the idea. At the banquet held in the memory of their safe arrival at the docks, he was stuck with paralysis and the curse poison, and it wasn¡¯t just that, the wizard soldiers, who had abandoned their duties and destroyed his men and crushed the legs and muscles of theirs and his. ¡°Kuuk! Why are you doing this to¡­?!¡± Hwang Bo-sung, with blood dripping off his mouth, stared at Hwang Bo-kwang, who was one of the magic soldiers. ¡°Are you asking why I poisoned you? Kukku, because you are the subject that everyone talks about.¡± Hwang Bo-kwang smiled and answered. It wasn¡¯t like his talents were common, but compared to a genius like Hwang Bo-sung, it was like a firefly standing in front of the sun. But the thought that he might be robbed of everything by that kid, Bo-kwang began to think of a trap to get rid of him. Once he managed to fill the positions with his men, he soon visited Hwang Bo-sung and tried to get close to him. And then decided on a day when he would remove him in Rhodesia. ¡°Brother! I never thought about being the successor of the family. Which was why I dedicated myself to training!¡± ¡°Huh, such lies! Wasn¡¯t it enough for you to coax the elders! And weren¡¯t you meeting father lately?¡± ¡°That, father was just there to encourage me¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! Hwang Bo-clan is mine. I am never going to hand it over to you, a perpetrator.¡± Hwang Bo-sung couldn¡¯t get himself to speak, seeing his brother¡¯s eyes glistening with madness. He realized that persuading wasn¡¯t an option anymore. Instead, he focused on getting out, the sensation of his body which started to come back slowly from a while back. The blood flow had been destroyed, but, his whole body was covered with pores. If he could push the poison into the lower body, he might be able to get rid of the poison and the paralysis. ¡®Little more, just a little more and I¡­¡¯ By the time he managed to bring the poison to the lower body, Hwang Bo-kwang ordered his pawns. ¡°Tear away this man and throw him as feed to the fishes!¡± ¡°Yes, Lord!¡± The escort warriors pulled on their weapons and approached Hwang Bo-sung. When they were just about to hit him, Hwang Bo-sung rolled over to avoid getting hit, and with both his arms, threw himself out of the boat. Splash! ¡°This, this man! Catch him! If needed, you have to chase him till hell and kill him!¡± If Hwang Bo-sung really managed to get back to Sega, then the only thing left for Hwang Bo-kwang was ruin. Hwang Bo-sung swam to the pier with both his arms, and he was able to listen to the evil voice which came from the ship. If he could do what he wanted, he really wanted to take the lives of Hwang Bo-kwang and his men, but his body wasn¡¯t at full potential. ¡®I need to get as far away as possible!¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung gathered all the energy that he could and tried to swim, desperate to flee from Hwang Bo-kwang, his brother. A month of wandering around in an unfamiliar land. Eventually, he was able to pursue a path and reach Castia kingdom. But over the duration of a month, he wasn¡¯t able to have one proper meal, he slept on the side of the roads and forests, still not being able to get a good rest. And it was when he had reached the limit to survive. ¡®I guess this is the end¡­¡¯ Over the verge of starvation in a remote ally at the port, he was saved. It was Luther, the priest of Sanctity of Holiness, who had extended the hand of salvation. Chapter 254 ¡®I need to save Priest Luther!¡¯ Over the past year, Hwang Bo-sung overcame half of the induced poison with the treatment he got from Priest Luther and his divine power and constant effort to improve, and it wasn¡¯t just that, he gained a significant level of skills. Honestly, Hwang Bo-sung could knock down 10 expert class mercenaries at any time of the day. However, there was a strong opponent before him, and he couldn¡¯t measure the limits of his strength. If he couldn¡¯t assess an opponent¡¯s level, that meant that those particular opponents weren¡¯t that strong. Therefore, he hadn¡¯t shown off his martial arts. He listened to the words Priest Luther had said to him. But in the meantime, the situation had changed. Out of the mercenaries who joined in, a strong man appeared. ¡®Although I can¡¯t give my 100% now, this might turn into a mess.¡¯ Even in the clan and the fifth generation, there weren¡¯t masters who could take on the highest level. Even those who had reached the highest level wouldn¡¯t be able to fight over a hundred men. But the man in front of him was told to be a mercenary leader. What kind of mercenary group did he belong to? ¡®If something happens, it won¡¯t be easy to escape.¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung, who was deep in his thoughts for a while, frowned and spoke to Philip, ¡°Stop. I challenge you to a Gigantic Duel.¡± ¡°Gigantic Duel?¡± Philip¡¯s eyes narrowed as he was about to pull out his sword. All of a sudden, the warrior from the southern continent asked for a Gigantic Duel. ¡°You are strong. I know how to honor the strong. That is why I challenge you to a Gigantic Duel since Gigantic Duels are meant for the honored.¡± ¡°I know what you are trying to say, but do you have a Gigant with you?¡± Asked Philip. ¡°I have something similar to it. If I win, have your mercenaries go back, and if you win, we will move.¡± Philip glanced over at Luke to ask him if he could accept the challenge. Luke nodded. Honestly, it seemed unlikely that there would be remnants of the rebels there, but he was really curious about the abilities of the southern warrior. Once Luke gave his permission, Philip, brought his Gigant. When the trailer holding Marina approached, he opened the breastplate and entered the cockpit. Hwang Bo-sung wasn¡¯t just standing still in the meantime either. He put small flags and wrote a few characters on the ground. He sat down in the middle and began to cast a spell. His hands kept moving, and it created a strange form. ¡°¡­ Warrior, move forward!¡± ¡°What is he doing?¡± Luke kept his eyes on Hwang Bo-sung from the very beginning. He looked at everything that he was doing. It was because he could sense unusual energy flowing from his body. ¡®What? This energy¡­ is like the Aether¡­¡¯ Thought Luke. Light and dark, chaos and order, existence and absence. The conflicting energies were moving in harmony. It was almost like whirlpools and tornadoes moving in the same direction. While thinking, as if something had stricken him, Luke jumped up. ¡°Yes! That is what it is!¡± Kwang! Hwang Bo-sung, who had finished moving his hands, hit his fists on the ground. The land shook a little, and something red came out of the ground. Hwang Bo-sung, who moved away, touched the head that was coming from the ground. ¡°G-Gigant?!¡± All the mercenaries were surprised at the sudden appearance of a Gigant. Luke just shook his head. ¡°No, it looks very similar to it, but it is completely different.¡± Rising from the ground was a humanoid weapon that was about seven meters tall. Its head had two horns like a bull, and it had large fists at the end of its long arms. The material it was made of was wood and not steal. However, due to its dark color, it seemed like it was hard. ¡°Puppet.¡± All the Rakan Knights turned to Luke upon hearing what he said. ¡°You know what that is?¡± ¡°I heard it from Sir Mute. He heard it from the merchants of the southern continent, but he never actually saw any.¡± Mute, who was currently the Meister of Katarina Magic Tower, wandered around a lot before settling in the Rakan territory. It was then that he had met a merchant from the southern continent who had come to trade, and according to the traders¡¯ words, the land he came from had a weapon very similar to the Gigants. ¡°The Puppet was said to be weapons used by the Han Dynasty, which went to war with its neighbors in the southern continent.¡± Its inventor was a man called Zegal, and he was considered to be one of the best inventors and geniuses in the history of the southern continent. The Puppet was originally developed for the purpose of transporting military weapons in harsh terrains and not for combat purposes. After the death of Zegal, the craft of Puppet making was halted, and it was never used for a long time. However, 200 years ago, it came back when merchants from the southern continent were already able to trade with Rhodesia Continent. ¡°At that time, the merchants of Rhodesia, who saw the Puppets, and the emperor, who saw it as well, were shocked. They were worried about the men who were entering their continent with such weapons.¡± The emperor, therefore, proclaimed to the wizards that he would reward handsomely anyone who could make such a giant weapon. They were able to create their own version of the Puppet by studying the records left by Zegal. ¡°Well, then, is that wooden puppet a weapon that is used in the southern continent like a Gigant?¡± ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t.¡± The Puppet wasn¡¯t as sensational or popular in the southern continent. It was because it took considerable time and cost to make the Puppet, and they couldn¡¯t be mass-produced like the Gigants. ¡°There is a great deal of bureaucracy in the Song Empire, and it was a strange power¡­ That was why they had rejected the idea of using magic or anything similar to magic.¡± In addition, the warriors of the southern continent didn¡¯t care much about Puppets. They emphasized on physical training rather than developing weapons. However, not all of the Moorim (Martial Artists) ignored it. Some of the Moorim¡¯s valued the use of Puppet. They were big, strong, resistant to the enemy force and were a useful source of power. Thus, the Puppets had been used several times to clear the disputes between the warriors and the apostates. In the case of Hwang Bo-sung, the three Puppets were given to him at a huge cost. One was handed over to him as a gift from the clan elder. When Hwang Bo-sung was attacked by Hwang Bo-kwang, he didn¡¯t have the time to use the Puppet as it consumed a lot of time and movement. ¡°You pulled out something very interesting, but are you ready to fight?¡± Philip asked, seeing that the Puppet¡¯s entire body had already come out. Right then, Hwang Bo-sung nodded and bumped the two fists of his Puppet. And for the first time in the history of Middle-Earth, the confrontation between a Gigant and Puppet began. Chapter 255 A fight between a Gigant and a Puppet. In both of the continent¡¯s trade sphere, there had been constant controversy as to who might be stronger if the two sides collided. Naturally, the traders of the Rhodesia insisted that a Gigant was stronger, and the merchants from the southern continent didn¡¯t doubt that the Puppet would be victorious. But in reality, no Gigant had ever gone against a Puppet. 200 years ago, the emperor of the southern continent wanted to test the power of the Puppet with two Gigants, but the emperor died from an illness before having the two weapons battle it out. The one who succeeded was a scholar who believed in the traditional ideas of the southern continent. The Puppet was the legacy of the first emperor, and yet it was thoroughly ignored, and after taking down a Gigant, they were made into farm equipment and was distributed to the people. And the next successors and emperors ruled the empire very smoothly with its surrounding nations, so the southern continent was peaceful, not needing to go out into any great wars. That meant that the Puppets had no role to play, so the two weapons didn¡¯t have the chance to face each other. Moreover, as the Puppet wasn¡¯t a common weapon unlike the Gigant, the wizards of Rhodesia weren¡¯t able to find them to test their ability. No, even when found, they weren¡¯t able to do proper research about them. The Puppet was made with the knowledge of a system that was too difficult for the wizards to comprehend. ¡°We might be watching the first-ever confrontation of a Gigant and a Puppet for the first time in history.¡± At the end of Luke¡¯s words, all the Rakan Knights looked ahead with curious eyes. Thud! Thud! Thud! The two Gigants¡¯ weapons clashed. Wheeing-! Kwang-! The two Gigants, who both had the most skillful riders, began to battle fiercely right from the very beginning. However, unlike the mercenaries and the Rakan Knights, Luke¡¯s interest wasn¡¯t in who would fall. As a wizard of the old times with unresolved curiosity, he stared at the Puppet¡¯s movement. ¡®The function itself is like a Gigant, but the mechanical structure and the power source are completely different.¡¯ Even though they both could fly, no one ever considered that dragonflies and birds were the same. Basically, Gigants used the core engine as energy to amplify the rider¡¯s mana or aura. But the Puppets were different. It was as if a very rare energy was flowing all over its body, and the energy wasn¡¯t mana nor aura, but it couldn¡¯t be said that it was divine or spirit power either. ¡°Even though it was summoned not long ago, his ¡®Zen Skill¡¯ is amazing¡± Zen Skill. It was a power used by the wizards of the southern continent, which had been developed as primitive magic or technique used by the ancient shamans. The shamans¡¯ power or shamanism was a power that existed in the Rhodesia Continent. However, its teachings vanished after being rejected and classified as a heretic act along with dark magic when the religious craze had begun in the early days. As shamanism meant communication with areas such as darkness, chaos, and vanity, religion denied it. Now, not the humans, but the orcs and goblins were some of the intelligent monsters who used it. But the southern continent was different. Contrary to the idea of the Rhodesia Continent, which divided the world into good and bad, white and black, the southern continent saw everything as yin and yang. If there was light, there was a shadow, and if there was day, then there was night. Under such an ideological basis and foundation, those called heretics and warriors systematically refined and developed shamanism into a new system of power and energy. They called it the ¡®Zen Skill¡¯. Of course, it didn¡¯t flourish as much because theologians constantly shunned its methods. However, the southern continent still had people who specialized in Zen Skill and researched about it. Among them, the Zegal Clan was the most famous for it. ¡®The reason why the Puppet is made out of wood was maybe because wood accepts Zen Skills rather easily compared to iron.¡¯ But that didn¡¯t mean that any wood could be used to make a Puppet. In the plateaus of the southern continent, Iron Core Wood could be found, and it could only be found at that place. The material was difficult to obtain that was why it was impossible to mass-produce Puppets. ¡®How do you control it? Mute said that he didn¡¯t know anything about it¡­¡¯ Luke was constantly staring at the Puppet with curious eyes. Kwang! The sound of a huge bang could be heard in all four directions. Philip¡¯s Marina got pushed back. ¡°Kuek! Dammit!¡± There were a lot of curse words coming out of Philip¡¯s mouth. Dozens of attacks and tons of defenses, yet none of them worked. Just when Philip thought that he had a chance, a fist came right at him. ¡®Are all the warriors of the southern continent this strong?¡¯ No, he was particularly very strong. Philip shook his head and began to pull out his mana. ¡®It is just a stiff wooden doll anyway. If I try to mix up my attacks¡­¡¯ Philip judged the attack from his experience. But unfortunately, the Puppet wasn¡¯t just a stiff wooden doll. Despite the lack of elaborate joints that Gigants had, the Puppet struck back, avoiding all the anomalous attacks with smooth movements. Pung! Pung! Pop! When its fist which was much bigger than the Puppet¡¯s head burst right at Marina, Philip didn¡¯t even have the chance to attack. The gloves of the Gigant were fine. However, the joints and the internal parts creaked as if they were cracked, and Philip felt shocked and disgusted from getting hit. He couldn¡¯t defend against all of the Puppet¡¯s attacks and fell to the ground. Dtoong-! ¡®Dammit, how the hell did this happen?¡¯ Philip¡¯s Gigant got up, but it was wobbling. As a result, he realized that his opponent was strong. What was considered as a simple counter-attack managed to break the balance of Philip¡¯s Gigant and caused serious internal damage. ¡®This guy is surely a Fist Master of intermediate level. Dammit, at most, he seemed just a few years older than me, but to be this strong?!¡¯ The world was wide and there seemed to be many geniuses. But that didn¡¯t mean things ended there! Philip, gathering all of his power, began to create a Gold Sword. Whooong-! As a golden aura sprang out from Philip¡¯s huge sword, the members of the Rakan Knights were all shocked. However, Luke, who should be angry, wasn¡¯t shocked at all. Honestly, there were probably very few people in the village who could recognize the Gold Sword. The golden aura didn¡¯t stop there; it increased further in size and each of its swings seemed like it would explode. The Rakan Knights were surprised to see such a powerful aura. ¡°This¡­ Impact Aura!¡± ¡°I was thinking he was making something, but to create this!?¡± Philip smiled proudly while listening to the men who were startled with his act. ¡®Huhuhu, even if you are an exceptional intermediate, you won¡¯t be able to stop an Impact Aura.¡¯ Philip sought after techniques to break a Sword Master after his last Gigantic Duel. He caught a clue and implemented it right away, and he somehow succeeded in implementing an Impact Aura. Impact Aura was a symbol of a Sword Master. Creating it was evidence that Philip had stepped into the end of the Sword Master. ¡°Maybe Sir Philip was the one who benefited the most from this expedition.¡± Unlike Luke, Hwang Bo-sung frowned. ¡®Isn¡¯t that a step close to the end, and he wants to go to the end with a wobbling body?¡¯ Like the Impact Aura, he had a powerful attack as well. No, his attack might even be more powerful. Boxing Energy. All that stumbled before it would break into pieces, but the problem was it couldn¡¯t be done. ¡®Dammit, if it wasn¡¯t for those damned men¡­!¡¯ He cursed the men who poisoned him. He could still only use half of his total abilities. Philip¡¯s attack had already begun while Hwang Bo-sung was cursing to himself. When the Impact Aura came his way, Hwang Bo-sung pushed ahead. ¡°Hahaha! Right, that is right!¡± Philip, determined to turn this battle into a win, was eager to attack. He was going to follow the flow and take his opponent down. But hasty conclusions were always counterproductive. During Philip¡¯s attack, his flow of mana was twisted a little bit for a moment. ¡®This is it!¡¯ Without missing the timing, Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s eyes found it. Hwang Bo-sung patiently waited for the right moment. Right then, as Marina rushed in with its sword pointed at him, he bounced to the right and gave Marina a devastating punch. Kwang! At that very moment, a bright aura flashed from both of the Puppet¡¯s fist, and Marina flew to the sky and hit the ground with a roar. Soon, it fell to the ground. ¡°Dammit, I lost!¡± Philip frustratedly hit the cockpit with his fist. The historic confrontation ended with the victory of Hwang Bo-sung and his Puppet. Chapter 256 ¡°Leader!¡± Startled the Rakan knights that yelled and ran forward. As they approached, they examined the broken condition of Marina. It was completely broken to pieces and fortunately, Philip who was in the cockpit was safe and sound. ¡°I won. Now go back.¡± Hwang Bo-sung, who returned the Puppet to its original form, told Luke with a proud face. ¡°Nice. A promise is a promise.¡± ¡°No. it can¡¯t be done. If we just go back, then we might be disciplined.¡± The subordinates began to say, however, Luke stopped them by saying that it wouldn¡¯t be a problem. ¡°It is alright. I looked over and no one was there.¡± Said Luke. ¡°Even then¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There is no one in the army who will try to go over my words.¡± Just as Luke had said, there was no person who was willing to cross Luke. He was being praised as the God¡¯s Warrior for his work in Eisenberg, and the last time he emerged as a new hero by saving the Holy Empire¡¯s Pope from the assassination attempt. Moreover, as the rumors spread, people started to show a lot of interest in him, and with the moment when the Pope called Luke specifically before her departure, even Count Marcus wasn¡¯t able to speak to him. Also, even his immediate superior Marquis Valentino, the Chief Commander too couldn¡¯t stop Luke. Luke reassured his men and approached Hwang Bo-sung. ¡°That was a very great skill. Perhaps one of the strongest in the Southern Continent.¡± ¡®¡­¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung couldn¡¯t hide his fluster. At first glance, it seemed like a tribute but his words held words deeper than that. ¡®Is he talking about my real condition and not my current condition?¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung was able to use only half of his skills because of the cursed seal that was left on him, due to the poison he had been exposed to. And Luke knew about it. ¡°What is your relationship with that priest?¡± ¡°My savior.¡± ¡°I see. I guess that was why you decided to step out.¡± Asked Luke. Luke nodded as if he understood, and then opened his mouth again. ¡°I¡¯d like to suggest one thing, by any chance, would you like to come under me?¡± With those words, everyone around Luke went shocked. Hwang Bo-sung, who listened to the question, seemed to have found it ridiculous. ¡°As a subordinate for you?¡± ¡°Yeah, when you come under me, I will do the best for you and will make you do your best.¡± The flustered expression of Hwang Bo-sung soon turned into a frown. Being born in the Moorim, he had always taken on the elite course. At last, he had fallen into hell because of his brother, though constantly stabbed, his pride hadn¡¯t fallen down. So, why would he want to put himself under a mercenary group? ¡®But, if I consider the strength they have, the status of mercenary might be fake.¡¯ Thought Hwang Bo-sung. Philip, whom he had fought with was strong, but the captain who had come to speak with him was stronger. The power was surely great, but the eyes which seemed too deep and mature for his age made it look like he was intelligent and calculative. ¡®Maybe a nobleman disguised as a mercenary¡­ but even then, I can¡¯t just bow down.¡¯ In fact, some of the high ranking priests and the nobles had been aware of Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s ability since he moved in with Luther, and constant offers had been made. But instead of going under them, he refused. ¡°I Hwang Bo-sung. Follow only those who are worthy to follow.¡± ¡°It is worth. This is a secret, but I am not a mercenary. My real status is the Marquis of Rakan estates of the Baroque Empire.¡± Said Luke in a low voice. ¡®The descendant of the Warrior Rakan!!!¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung seemed very surprised with Luke¡¯s last words. When they were nothing, it was he who had gone to the Rhodesia continent, and there was no one who would not respect the Warrior Rakan! Which was why Hwang Bo-sung knew well about the Rakan¡¯s descendants. He raised a ruined family and turned into a great noble in the Baroque Empire in just a span of two years, and he had a reputation for being a Rune knight. But for that person to make an appearance right in front! ¡°First of all, to show I am faithful, I will remove the curse seal that was placed on your body.¡± Hwang Bo-sung was shocked. He had heard the news and the rumors that the descendants of Rakan were unusual, but he didn¡¯t know that to the level that they could know about a curse and to remove it. ¡°Re, really?¡± ¡°Yes. I promise you under the name of Rakan.¡± At those words, Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s heart greatly shook. If he was such a man, then he wanted to make full use of his body. He had decided that he didn¡¯t want to get back to his Sega clan, and so, it was his thought to start all over again in a new place. ¡®But I need to pay back the priest for the grace he had shown to me.¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung hesitated as he looked over at Luther, which made Luke ask. ¡°The priest¡¯s role?¡± ¡°Priest Luther of the Sanctity of Holiness, one of the seven pillars supporting El Kassel.¡± ¡®Priest Luther!¡¯ According to the information Luke had obtained from the information guild, the named sanctuary was the purest and the most devoted of the seven tribes of the El Kassel. Luther was a high-ranking priest, who was the head of the sanctuary and was famous for his bitter and honest criticism of Archbishop Constantine. After all, Luke had no idea that priest Luther wouldn¡¯t be in the capital Bless, but in a country estate. ¡®Hoo, look at this? The pumpkin is right in the vines!¡¯ Luke, smiled at himself realizing something and made a suggestion. ¡°Priest Luther. If you send this man Hwang Bo-sung with me, I will build several temples for the Sanctity of Holiness. We will also contribute 1 million pesos over the next five years.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s mouth went wide. The temples were surely good, but one million pesos was a huge sum. In terms of the southern currency, it was 50,000 gold coins, which wasn¡¯t even available in their clan, and was at the higher level of the Song Empire. But Luther shook his head with a calm face. ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°Why so?¡± ¡°Although Hwang Bo-sung helps out in our temple works, he is neither a priest or paladin who is formally part of the sanctuary. Therefore, I think it is up to him to decide.¡± Luke, flustered at those words, asked again. ¡°Is that so? What should I do now, Sir Hwang Bo-sung? Would you join me?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Hwang Bo-sung had been following Luther for the past year and watched over the meetings. The sanctuary was run by actual and pure priests. When compared to the other tribes¡¯ greedy tribes, the difference was like heaven and earth. The priests of the Sanctity of Holiness wanted to help the poor people, but unfortunately, they didn¡¯t have the financial support for it. Like the other Archbishops, they didn¡¯t run any estates or businesses, nor did they look after any nobles or merchants. While serving the poor and hungry people all the time, the numbers of believers had increased, but the donations which came in very few. ¡®There is a limit as to what I can do from my side. Wouldn¡¯t it be a shortcut on paying back the favor Priest Luther has done for me and giving him the most needed money for the sanctuary? And it has been 500 years later, I wonder what kind of a descendant the Warrior Rakan is, the one respected by numerous people¡­¡¯ While Hwang Bo-sung was done with his thoughts, he knelt down in front of Luke taking an oath. ¡°I Hwang Bo-sung of Hwang Bo-sega. From this very day, I will serve with you as the Lord!¡± ¡°Hahaha! To come to the Holy empire to get the greatest income!¡± Luke smiled as he made sure Hwang Bo-sung rose back onto his feet. The fateful encounter with Hwang Bo-sung, who would later be called under the nickname of Fist Lord in the Rhodesia Continent. Chapter 257 After a while, the rebellion in the Konrad province was taken down. Although Duke Ferrierd¡¯s family was declared missing and some key nobles weren¡¯t found, the army succeeded in clearing out the remnants of the rebels against both Alvera and the nearby territories. ¡°Tomorrow, we return to Bless.¡± Philip asked Luke who had just come back from the Count¡¯s barracks with the news about heading back. ¡°What happened to the rebels who have attacked Bless?¡± ¡°The one called Marquis Suleiman, Arch Duke Gregory and the Saint Guards went in time and defeated them.¡± However, Arch Duke Gregory didn¡¯t stop there, he went chasing down the army led by Suleiman. The pursuit had continued till the provinces of Ranghel, Suleiman¡¯s base. With constant victories, Suleiman was killed and many other rebel masses were either killed or captured. ¡°That is a good thing. But there were still a few other territories like that in Jackson, why not go over there and suppress them?¡± Asked Philip. ¡°That¡­¡± Luke told him the story he had heard from Count Marcus. When the two largest insurgents were destroyed, the rest of them were either frightened or surrendered, or they volunteered to turn into faithful servants of Veronica III. As a result, the chaos in the Holy Empire, which was triggered over by Archbishop Constantine¡¯s presidency and the greed of the ambitious nobles and high priests was over. ¡°That is ridiculous, but things went good. Are we heading back to our estate?¡± Asked Philip. ¡°Still. I have an appointment with Reina, and I need to do a few things for her.¡± For that purpose, Luke was willing to extend his stay in the empire. ¡°I see. Then what about the mercenaries who have come all the way here?¡± The mercenaries were accepted into the army to establish merit. Now that the rebellion was down, the mercenaries weren¡¯t needed by Luke. But Philip felt like it was a waste to only let them be after two months of training them, leaving them strong in the Holy Empire. They had been ripped off by the lazy mentality of the mercenaries, so a little more of training would show a lot of promise in the future. ¡°If we promise good treatment, many will follow us.¡± Said Philip. ¡°Really? Then, you take care of it.¡± Luke just went along. ¡°Yes, please leave it to me!¡± The next day, the army began to head back to Bless, leaving behind a few troops. ¡°Wah! Red Wolf Mercenaries!¡± ¡°Where, where! Where is the God¡¯s Warrior who split the meteors falling from the sky?¡± ¡°Captain Lev, I love you!¡± When the army arrived near Bless, people flocked over to them for a grand welcoming. The most popular ones among all of the army were the Red Wolf Mercenaries and Captain Lev. Many of the capital men flocked to see the members of the Red Wolf Mercenaries, and when they passed by, they held out bouquets or threw flowers on them. Young women, in particular, used affectionate voice to shout out Lev¡¯s name and cheered for him. The Red Wolf Mercenaries were bewildered by the illusion that they had never seen before. ¡°No, I don¡¯t get it, how did this happen?¡± ¡°Right. It is common to cheer for knights and Saint Guard¡­¡± They weren¡¯t aware that Archbishop Constantine had widely promoted their success in the capital¡¯s bulletin board to strengthen his political stand and position. Therefore, they couldn¡¯t help but feel weird at the actions of the public. ¡°Well, this is much better than cold response.¡± ¡°Right. In the past, we were looked at like robbers¡­¡± No matter how well a mercenary fought, the perception of the common people regarding them was never so good. No one would like to fight with them, they could either kill or rape the young women if instigated. But the reaction they got in this war was different. The residents of Bless greeted the mercenaries a lot more than the regular soldiers. ¡°I think we did well in joining the Red Wolf mercenary.¡± ¡°Same here.¡± Luke was on a horse along with the Rakan Knights in the front and at the rear were the mercenaries walking and talking among themselves. Philip couldn¡¯t help but smile at the welcoming crowd and opened his mouth. ¡°Huhu, it is nice to be captain Lev. Young and pretty girls are screaming your names with fondness. Some lady threw her panty at you, what do you plan on doing?¡± ¡°Jealous?¡± ¡°Obviously I am jealous. Tch, I drew my sword against a Sword Master in the Gigantic Duel, why is there no one calling out my name?¡± Philip spoke with irritation. ¡°Why? Want me to promote it now?¡± ¡°No need. I am just fine with hearing the swears.¡± Mumbled Philip and changed the topic. ¡°Aren¡¯t you being bothered by the high-ranking nobles to join them?¡± ¡°Ah, that? Arch Duke Gregory had taken care of it before leaving.¡± Just before heading back to Bless, Arch Duke Gregory ordered the army to leave the Red Wolf Mercenary and Captain Lev all alone. No one knew the exact details on the orders, but there were no nobles who had dared to go past those words of the first knight of the Holy Empire, the leader of the Saint Guards, and the Imperial Chief commander. ¡°Rather than that, how many mercenaries are planning on coming with us?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Just as I said, most of them are coming, except for a few who wanted to fall out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s surprising?¡± Luke thought that even half of them and moving with them was a huge success. It was because mercenaries were used to being free spirits. But 3,000 mercenaries said that they would stay with the Rakan. ¡°Especially the expert and the usable men plan to follow us.¡± The two men weren¡¯t aware, but for the mercenaries, Luke was taken in like a second coming of the Mercenary King Gilford, after 300 years ago. It was their thought to stay by the man and be part of the legend that the king would write. Especially the mercenaries who committed themselves to the training. ¡°It is glad that many are joining us, but taking them to the estate would be harder.¡± Said Luke. ¡°I plan on taking a week off. We made money and accumulated a lot of fatigue from this expedition. In the meantime, we can call for a boat from the estate and use it.¡± It was impossible to go past the Castia kingdom which was needed to be crossed from the Holy Empire. No country would like to have more than 3,000 foreign troops entering their borders. Philip was, therefore, planning to use the Kirillov¡¯s transport ship through the Rio river and move the men. ¡°I am sure the Rio channel will be faster and less noticeable. But, is the estate being run well?¡± Asked Philip. At the end of the expedition, Luke called for an agent from Argos overseas branch which was located in the Castia Kingdom. He was curious about the situation of the Marquis Rakan, and he wanted to keep his eyes on the enemies. The agent had arrived in the morning and upon seeing Philip, he had given the full information to him, and Luke saw that. ¡°I thought that it wouldn¡¯t be going smooth. Without any mistakes and troubles, Rakan estate has to be run well.¡± Luke spoke his mind. ¡°But, not long ago princess Margareta had come over, the same day, and a knight calling himself Shaikan came in and showed tremendous skill.¡± ¡°Princess Margareta?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Yes. Sebastian, who had transformed himself into the Lord, is dealing with the situation, and are trying to find a way to get rid of her and make sure she doesn¡¯t gather much access to us.¡± The retainers of Rakan were observing princess Margareta¡¯s moves. Nobody was foolish enough to not know that she had moved there to try and swallow up the young lord who was turning into a promising person in the Empire. But they couldn¡¯t they just question the princess of another nation, so they were trying their best to treat her as politely as possible. ¡°Troublesome woman. I need to take action of her as soon as I get back to the estate!¡± Luke wasn¡¯t very fond of Princess Margareta. No, it was too annoying for him to keep his guard up as she always has something up her sleeve. ¡°But what happened with the one called Shaikan?¡± Along with the question, Luke¡¯s face tensed up. In fact, he was shocked that Shaikan had made an appearance rather than Margareta, and it was because the name belonged to the Orc Hero from Navarre. He was worried that the man might have come to take revenge on him. ¡°Baron Rogers and Kaper faced him, but both of them lost, is he someone you know?¡± Asked Philip. ¡°Hmm, he was the Orc hero who caused the monster wave in the Navarre.¡± ¡°Huh? The Orc Hero was a human?¡± Asked Philip. Philip went shocked. ¡°I was quite surprised to know that I saw them dealing with a human. But we didn¡¯t lose the estate, right?¡± ¡°He told his name and disappeared.¡± ¡°That so? I am glad.¡± If that Shaikan person rioted the estate, then his image would have suffered considerably. Of course, if he mobilized the knights and the silver knights, they might win, but with his ability to transform into a dragon¡ªit was possible to lose half the estate. There was no way they could know why he had gone to the Rakan Estates, but it didn¡¯t seem like it was for revenge. ¡®As he said, he was angry with the Baroque Imperial family. I¡¯ll have to find him and meet him soon.¡¯ ¡®Perhaps, he might be a strong ally.¡¯ Luke¡¯s mouth curled up without realizing it. After talking to Philip a little more, he arrived at the wasteland outside the palace and after passing through the crowd. The chief commander, Marquis Valentino was there to disband the army after giving a brief speech along with congratulations. Chapter 258 When the army troops were disbanded according to their units and left for their residences, a messenger was sent from Marquis Valentino asking Luke to come and see him. ¡°You were being summoned to the Holy Palace. It was said that you would be rewarded for your achievements,¡± said the messenger. ¡°Is that so? Take the lead then.¡± Following the messenger, he was taken to Marquis Valentino, who was there along with numerous other leaders of the army. ¡°Lev¡¯s the only one who has been asked from the mercenaries?¡± ¡°His army¡¯s achievements are beyond that of any army.¡± ¡°Could it be because Arch Duke Gregory had asked him to not be bothered to take him into the Saint Guard?¡± ¡°Well, it could be because the Saint Guard had never taken in a mercenary.¡± There were conversations where the commanders talked about Luke. Luke hadn¡¯t given him much attention, but Count Marcus was different. His expression was distorted. Count Marcus had done a lot to gather up achievements and attracted mercenaries to rub it in Gregory¡¯s face. Lev and the Red Wolf Mercenaries were recruited for such a purpose. They played a huge role in the subjugation. The only problem was that their greatness didn¡¯t end with being in the 4th squadron. On the contrary, the 4th squadron had fallen for him. ¡®Dammit, that mercenary¡­¡¯ Marcus couldn¡¯t hide the jealousy in his eyes. Both of them had the same status now. Even after knowing that, he tried his best to not show what he truly felt. ¡°If everyone is already here, then let¡¯s leave.¡± At the words from Marquis Valentino, the group went to Bless in a prepared carriage. As they passed the inner gate across the city, they could see the magnificent and antique buildings made of pure white marbles. And at last, they arrived at the Holy Palace. The most splendid building in the Holy Empire was the palace, which was used by the pope. The sunlight in the crown room turned into a colorful glow once it passed through the delicate stained glass. The light that was full of mystery made the statues and murals of the saints much more decorative than they were. The palace was very vivid. ¡®It is awesome. To be able to create such a beautiful and solemn atmosphere! This might make me believe in God.¡¯ Luke was admiring the palace. The servant, who was in front of the enormous bronze gate that was inscribed with a wooden crucifix that symbolized the Holy Empire, spoke, ¡°Marquis Valentino and the commanders of the army have arrived!¡± Kiiik! As the door opened, they entered and saw Reina seated on the highest level of a golden glowing throne. The next ones they saw were Archbishop Constantine and Arch Duke Gregory with dozens of other high ranking priests and nobles standing on either side of the red carpet used in the center. ¡°The Apostle, blessed by El Kassel to be the Holy Pope!¡± At the words of Marquis Valentino, the commanders, including Luke and Marcus, bowed their heads. ¡°You have all suffered a lot,¡± said Reina with a smile. ¡°Not at all, Your Holiness. We only fulfilled our duties.¡± ¡°Oh my, really? Then is it alright to not reward the men who just did their duty?¡± Asked Reina. ¡°Huh? T-that¡­¡± ¡°Hohoho, it was a joke. How can I not reward the men who went to fight for their empire?¡± At the vicious yet cheerful words of Reina, the leaders and commanders looked embarrassed. It was because, in the past, she couldn¡¯t express herself or even talk properly in general. In addition, when the pope spoke, they couldn¡¯t even think of talking back because they let an assassination attempt happen while she was in their presence. So it was natural for them to react in such a manner. Luke, who knew the situation, sighed internally. ¡®I knew it. There is a little bit of Veronica III¡¯s personality remaining inside her.¡¯ ¡°Uhm, uhm, there are things we need to do. Let¡¯s thank them already.¡± At the words of Archbishop Constantine, all the commanders once again bowed their heads. Reina was handed a roll of parchment from the servants. She got up upon receiving it and began to read it out loud, ¡°Marquis Valentino, listen. It was you who had made great efforts in defeating the rebels in the Konrad territory and served the people. For the victory you¡¯ve given to this empire, I hereby promote you into a duke and an estate near Bless, and you¡¯re now the commander of the 1st squadron¡­¡± The parchment held the rewards that were going to be awarded to the commanders and the influential figures of the Anti Revolutionary Army. Named members were called and received their awards. Some were satisfied and a few were dissatisfied with what they got, like Count Marcus. In the end, however, Luke, Lev¡¯s name was called. ¡°Red Wolf Mercenaries¡¯ captain Lev, you have killed Schmidt in the Gigantic Duel and saved Eisenberg and countless other soldiers and residents from the Meteor Strike. Along with the title of viscount, you will be handed the estate of Albertville. Congratulations, Viscount Lev.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t make you regret this decision, Holy Pope,¡± answered Lev. When Reina winked slightly, Luke couldn¡¯t help but smile. Arch Duke Gregory couldn¡¯t help but look at the two with objectionable eyes. ¡°What? No matter how active he had been in the war, isn¡¯t it a bit too much to provide land to a mercenary?¡± ¡°That is right. Albertville is known to have a great manor, and to just give it to some¡­¡± There was quite a rumble of words among the high-ranking priests and nobles in the crown room. They didn¡¯t expect that something of the sort would be awarded to the mercenary. For something so excellent, given the popularity and the ability that the man got, it was necessary to hold onto the man. However, Albertville had a fairly fertile farmland and a significant population compared to the Ranghel Province where the rebels of Marquis Suleiman thrived. Before the rebellion, the lord there ruled the region, and it was too big to be handed over to some mercenary just because he was promoted to a viscount. The old nobles glanced at Constantine. They wanted to receive the Albertville Estate for being in Constantine¡¯s faction. They even bribed a regent for it. But for someone who had no relation with the place to get Albertville¡­? Constantine was flustered by the looks on the noble¡¯s faces. It was because he had handed a clear list of rewards along with whom it had to be given too. But for such a reward to be given to a mercenary¡­? ¡°Holy Pope, is something wrong?¡± One of the impatient nobles came out and asked. He thought that Veronica III might have misread the rewards of another person to Lev. ¡°Would you mind looking at the parchment once again?¡± ¡°What words?! How dare you doubt the words of the pope herself!¡± Before Reina could even say anything, Arch Duke Gregory shouted. The noble, who shook his hands wildly, began to take back his words. ¡°Ah, no, it wasn¡¯t like that. I just didn¡¯t understand¡­¡± ¡°The reward given to the captain of the Red Wolf Mercenaries is the final decision of the pope!¡± ¡°Ah, I understand!¡± The nobles and high-priests, who saw the man back out, realized that the mercenary, Lev, was recruited by Arch Duke Gregory himself. There were fellow men from the same army who heard about the same rumor, but they couldn¡¯t believe things unless they saw if for themselves. ¡®He did tell us not to bother him and just let him be, so this was the reason!¡¯ ¡®Like a viscount¡­¡¯ All the misunderstandings between the nobles and everything that they had believed were cleared away. The expression on Constantine¡¯s face was serious. Gregory had never raised his voice in the throne room. Was he just never interested whether Constantine was in charge of the power or not? Or was it just an expression of willingness to actively intervene in the future? ¡®No, people can¡¯t change this easily.¡¯ Constantine began to shake off his thoughts. In fact, it was Reina who had decided to give Luke the title and the Albertville Estate. Constantine wasn¡¯t aware of that, and Arch Duke Gregory, who heard it beforehand, opposed to it. It was because of the thought that they were going to hand over the empire¡¯s farmland over to Luke, a noble from the Baroque Empire. However, Reina raised her hand, persuading and insisting that the enemy wasn¡¯t Luke and that he was an ally of the Holy Empire. ¡®Hohoho, making a foundation for me?¡¯ ¡®Thank you. It might be a little shocking for you, but without your help, things wouldn¡¯t have come this far.¡¯ In that cold atmosphere, Luke and Reina communicated with each other. Honestly, Luke was sure that he wouldn¡¯t get anything, but getting an estate and a title was something he never imagined. It was because he knew that there was very little Reina could manage to do with her poor political power. But in the Holy Empire, she gave him a title and an estate. ¡®Perhaps, she¡¯s telling me to build my strength up in that estate. I won¡¯t let her expectations go to waste.¡¯ Luke opened the parchment handed to him by the servant. It was a document stating his status and the Albertville Estate. At the end of the document was a map showing the location of the estate. ¡®It is close to the border of the Baroque Empire. If necessary, I can lead my troops and move right into the Baroque Empire,¡¯ thought Luke. Luke was more than grateful to Reina for her considerate way of thinking for him. ¡°The awarding ceremony ends here. See you all at the victory celebration in the evening.¡± Finally, Reina left the room, leaving the nobles and the high-ranking priests mumble to themselves in protest. Luke was a bit down because his reunion with Reina didn¡¯t last that long, but that made him look forward to the evening banquet. Seeing that, Archbishop Constantine and the nobles in the throne room looked at him suspiciously. The rebellion was over, but another storm seemed to be coming for them from afar. Chapter 259 Luke, who stayed in his lodging for the rest of the day, allowed his subordinates to take a much needed break. While he was relaxing, he heard a knock on the window of the room. When he turned around to see what it was, he saw a small bat flying around the window. ¡®Belfair?¡¯ Luke never imagined that Belfair would come all the way to this place, the Holy Empire, so Luke opened the window with a rather surprised expression. Swoosh! The moment Belfair entered the room, he knelt down and soon changing back into his human form. ¡°Lord.¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡±, asked Luke. At the question of Luke, without making a fuss, he got straight to the point. ¡°This is something huge, master! The Orc Hero we fought in the Navarre Duchy had appeared in the Baroque Empire!¡± What he told was a piece of very valuable information, but Luke¡¯s expression was sulky. ¡°¡­ I already knew about that.¡± ¡°Uh? You knew?¡± ¡°Yeah, he appeared in the Rakan Estate and then ran away.¡± Luke told him about the battle between the knights and Shaikan. ¡®Kuk! That damned stupid thieving cat! He should have told me if such a thing had happened!¡¯ When Belfair was cursing about Sebastian to himself, Luke pulled out his sword and asked, ¡°That is good and all, but you came all the way here to find me. Is your training done?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ That¡­ About that¡­¡± Belfair was stuttering and couldn¡¯t answer the question. He was very confident in the sword skill he had learned and developed, but he wasn¡¯t convinced that it could impress his master. ¡°On such a reunion, shouldn¡¯t we be testing it out?¡± ¡°That¡­ C-can¡¯t we do it some other time? This city has a lot of priests and high-priest, and there are a lot of paladins from the Saint Guards who¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. If we do it here, no one will notice that we are having a match.¡± Luke had a wicked smile on his face. He rushed toward Belfair with the sword in his hand to test out his demon. Belfair brought out his sword as well to defend himself from Luke, but he soon got one-sidedly beaten down by Luke. ¡°Hiiik! Save me, please!¡± Puck! Puck! Puck! Puck! For an hour after that, the sound of fighting could be heard from Luke¡¯s room in the lodging allotted to him. Chapter 260 The grand banquet hall of the empire, with godly yet subtle music. One of the most prestigious places in the Holy Empire, and it had been closed down since the former pope had been declared ill. And such a place, after four years, was holding a huge party, and numerous nobles participated in it. The purpose of the banquet was to celebrate the victory, but a lot of nobles and priests who weren¡¯t involved in the war had gathered there too. Before the banquet could pick up the pace, the early arriving nobles gathered and talked with each other. The older nobles gathered among themselves of the same faction and began to drink wine while boasting about their strong and long-lasting friendship, and the priests¡ªinstead of alcohol, drank tea and talked about common interests. ¡°Uhm Uhm, did you know that Arch Duke Gregory has begun to engage himself in the domestic affairs?¡± At the question of a noble, the one next to him immediately answered. ¡°There have been a lot of talks about that. At the award ceremony which happened in the morning, Archbishop Constantine didn¡¯t even make a sound.¡± ¡°However, even if Archbishop Constantine has been the regent of the Pope, hasn¡¯t Arch Duke Gregory been in the Empire for a longer time?¡± ¡°Obviously. The Great Arch Duke Gregory is honored and respected by numerous paladins of the Holy Empire, and hasn¡¯t ever been beside the Pope, right? Until now, he had been very ignorant of politics, but if he decided to get in, then Archbishop Constantine and the Marius faction would get pushed out.¡± ¡°This this, standing in line?¡± ¡°And with that mercenary, captain Lev. Knowing that he had the skill, Arch Duke quickly recruited him.¡± ¡°I know!¡± As the middle-aged nobles were talking about the new change in the Empire¡¯s politics, the young nobles boasted about their spirits and youth. ¡°Is that really true, Baron Peron?¡± ¡°It is, lady. You should have seen the enemies scattering like ants when I stood in front of the Alvera Seige with my sword in my hand and shouted at them.¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± ¡°That is really brave!¡± As the nobles in their late 20s who participated in the war began to spit up their saga¡¯s, the eyes of the ladies around went wide. Luke, standing in the middle of the grand hall, laughed at the scene. ¡®I thought that this banquet was going to be a bit different as it was being held in the Holy Empire. But not much different.¡¯ There was no way he couldn¡¯t have felt disappointed. The banquet place godly, and solemn, almost like the one held at the Baroque Empire. The music was more serious, and there were no nobles who were either drunk or acting presumptuously. ¡®It looks like everything is the same apart from the place we live.¡¯ If it wasn¡¯t for Reina, he wouldn¡¯t have gone there. Those who were jealous of him kept staring at him. As expected, there were quite small groups of people who were jealous of him. ¡°Kyak! That one, isn¡¯t he the captain, Lev? The one who broke down meteors falling from the sky.¡± A man who recognized Luke asked when a noble in front of him snorted and said. ¡°Huh, ridiculous story. He must have definitely done something.¡± ¡°Right. They must have firmly mistaken it.¡± Most of the nobles who didn¡¯t take part in the war were trying to slander Luke¡¯s reputation. They weren¡¯t going to believe stuff which they hadn¡¯t witnessed with their own eyes. But there were a few, like Count Marcus who knew but distorted the story. ¡°What good would it do to give a land? Things like that should be handed down to the men who know how to handle it. But to hand it over to people who don¡¯t know about anything other than weapons, they won¡¯t even care¡­¡± Whether Marcus grunted or not, Luke was there waiting for Reina to make an appearance. Right when he was getting bored, Luke decided to bully the bat which was on his shoulder. -Aht! Master, stop it! What do you want me to do if my identity get¡¯s revealed? With Luke¡¯s mischief, Belfair who lost balance from his shoulder fluttered his wings and protested telepathically. -It is alright. You are hiding the Magi entirely now, and the effects of the solver sword will make the priests think of you as a friend. -Bu, but even then¡­ ehit! Don¡¯t, stop! Stop tickling me! By checking Belfair¡¯s skills during the day, Luke came to know that something unexpected had happened to the Vampire assassin. The silver sword had thought him to build up divine power and the reason was entirely unknown, but it was clear that the divine power could coexist with the Magi. Divine power in the demon¡¯s body?! That could overturn the world if it came to be known. But thanks to that, Belfair was able to enter the Holy palace without any problem. As Luke was teasing Belfair, a young woman¡¯s voice entered his ears. ¡°Oh my, oh, is that a bat?¡± ¡°Some say they aren¡¯t carnivores or omnivores, but in fact, they are good beasts who eat pests and mosquitoes.¡± ¡°Really? When you look closely, it is kind of cute.¡± Luke¡¯s pet had made a nasty impression on the dazzling eyes of a lady who stared at it. However, seeing that it was a baby bat, her expression softened, and that body of the bat was filled with divine power. ¡°Can I please touch it, for once?¡± -Please tell her no! ¡°How many times you want to.¡± When the permission fell, the lady reached out and began to pat Belfair. Belfair did try to run away trying to show that he didn¡¯t like it, but Luke managed to hold him down with his fingers. ¡°Kyak! Look at it struggling!¡± ¡°It¡¯s like a shiver runs through your body when touched!¡± ¡°It is so cute! I too want to touch it once.¡± ¡°Me too!¡± As one lady began to touch it, the ladies around began to notice it and approached Luke asking for permission to touch or stroke Belfair. ¡®Kuk! The descendant of a vampire family, I have been humiliated by the human women¡­!¡¯ Belfair, whose face was stiff constantly tried to resist by squirming. But, it seemed like the women loved it when he did that. Eventually, he learned that not doing anything was the best outcome for that situation. Seeing Belfair look devastated, Luke asked the women to give the bat some space and moved to another place. Chapter 261 When he was thinking about going to the balcony to get a cool breeze rather than staying in the banquet hall, someone said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you Lev of Albertville estate?¡± Luke¡¯s eyes drifted to a dozen nobles who asked him. Most of them were in their mid-50s, and the one who asked Luke seemed to be the head of the nobility. ¡°Yes, but?¡± ¡°Ha ha ha, I am Telman of the Central knights who served for the Volga Kingdom. I was very close with your father Belik, the vice knight.¡± ¡°Ah, that so?¡± Luke took a clear look at the elderly noble. He wore a tailcoat, but the look didn¡¯t seem to suit the man. And as he had left the sword a long time back, the calluses which might have formed had long disappeared. ¡®I don¡¯t know what kind of a man he was, but now he might not even be a sword user.¡¯ As Luke was making judgments on him, Baron Telman approached Luke and opened his mouth. ¡°I had seen you just once when you were still a baby. I knew that you would find great success in life.¡± ¡°You went against advanced Sword Master Schmidt in a Gigantic Duel?¡± ¡°Surely you are the son of the Fire Storm Belik, what more can we expect from him?!¡± When Luke remained there kindly, the other nobles began to approach him acting to be all friendly. Some of them even patted his shoulders as if they were well-known. ¡®Garbage.¡¯ Victor and Pavel were the ones who told Luke that when the Volga Kingdom was showing signs of destruction and downfall, the nobles had fled from the kingdom. Some of those fleeing nobles had moved to the Holy Arthenia Empire and lived their life comfortably by bringing their fortune before their country was destroyed. But in the very few years which came after that, they fell from the luxurious life to a normal one and shamelessly sent letters to Pyotr II and princess Reina asking them to help them out by creating an uncomfortable situation. ¡®Surely the rumor about me belonging to the Volga has spread out very wide.¡¯ ¡°This time the nobles are going to make a ¡®Volga Kingdom¡¯s Revival¡¯ and, you too, you will be leading¡­ Uh, you, you!¡± Telman was very earnestly trying to get Luke into the game when he suddenly seemed shocked. Right then came Victor wearing a paladin¡¯s uniform. ¡°It has been very long, Telman.¡± ¡°Victo, Sir Victor? There have been rumors about you being in the Baroque Empire, how, how are you in here?¡± ¡°Why? shouldn¡¯t I be in the Holy Empire? And you are a Baron? You sold out your money and your empire for it, right?¡± ¡°That, it wasn¡¯t like¡­¡± ¡°I am never going to let Lev participate in your useless group. So don¡¯t bother the busy man and go away!¡± ¡°Hiik!¡± Looking at the cold expression of Victor¡¯s, the self-exiled nobles of Volga moved to another part of the banquet hall. Looking at their backs, Victor couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Phew, I am sorry that you had to see that.¡± As a loyal man to the Volga royal family, Victor wasn¡¯t very fond of those men. And they dared to approach the lover of their princess and tried to trick him! He really wanted to stuff them somewhere. ¡°It is alright. Rather than that, when is Reina coming?¡± ¡°Very soon she¡¯ll be here.¡± ¡°Really? Anyway, the uniform looks really good on you. When were you appointed as the paladin?¡± ¡°Huhuhu! It hasn¡¯t even been a few days. Only the paladins can pass through the Holy palace.¡± While the two were talking for a while, the music in the banquet had been stopped along with a bell ringing and voice announcing. ¡°The Apostle of the Great Lord and the representative of the Seven Tribe, Pope Veronica III of the Holy Arthenia Empire!¡± The door of the banquet hall opened wide and Reina, with a white dress, had entered inside. She was as beautiful as ever, but this time she looked like the snow queen, wearing a white dress and a tiara with pearls and precious stones of her head. ¡°She, she is the Pope?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she exactly opposite from when we saw her in the throne room?!¡± The young nobles who saw her for the first time drooled over her, and even the middle-aged nobles and the priests couldn¡¯t take their eyes off her. No one could even blame them. Even the noblewomen and other beauties who never thought that anyone could overpass their level of appearance were jealous of Reina¡¯s elegance and beauty. Reina looked around and greeted everyone. ¡°Thank you to everyone in the room who has come to attend this despite their busy schedules.¡± Everybody listened to Reina¡¯s exuberant voice and answered. ¡°Not at all, Pope.¡± ¡°It was obvious that we had to attend the victory banquet held by the Pope.¡± ¡°Thank you so much for making this place so lively.¡± The sweet responses from the nobles, Reina smiled and said. ¡°If that is the case, I am glad. Before we head into the celebration, I want us all to remember the soldiers and the people who had to lose their lives in the civil war.¡± While Reina was done saying, at the gesture from Archbishop Constantine, the court orchestra began to play a grand and solemn tribute. Reina knelt down and prayed. ¡°The Holy and Great order, and El Kassel, the God of light and justice! Today we are¡­¡± The moment she opened her lips for saying a prayer in her beautiful voice, divine power began to flow around. The nobles were surprised to see the divine power gather around her like petals of a flower. ¡°Oh oh! This is!¡± ¡°Surely the Pope is an Angel!¡± Some of the nobles who were in the banquet had witnessed her miracles in the main square of Bless. But most of them were witnessing it for the first time in the banquet. So, they could see it for themselves, and they were able to erase their disbelief. At the end of the words, Reina rose from her position and opened her mouth. ¡°It has been long since we had a peaceful atmosphere, have fun for a long time.¡± As she clapped her hands, the pedestals were removed and the banquet began in earnest. Right then, apprentice priests entered into the banquet hall with boxes in their hands. ¡°What are they up to?¡± Count Marcus seemed to frown upon the actions which were being done in the banquet. ¡°To receive donations to help the soldiers and the people who were injured in the war¡­¡± Said an apprentice. ¡°What? Donations? How dare you try to reap something in this occasion?¡± When Count Marcus seemed angry, the apprentice responded with a calm expression. ¡°Pope¡¯s words.¡± ¡°Hu! Really, really?¡± ¡°Yes, everyone gathered here love the Holy Empire and the people in it, so you can give as much as you want.¡± At those words, Count Marcus and the others turned towards the Pope. When she was completely ready, Reina sat in a colorful chair and smiled looking at the members in the hall. The hearts of the nobles, and seeing the angel smile the most beautiful smile could feel their hearts turn heavier. ¡°Obvious, obviously I am going to give donations. But I haven¡¯t brought much money with me right now.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, anything of help works.¡± Replied the apprentice. At those words, the nobles sweating offered up expensive jewelleries, such as rings and necklaces. Luke and Victor couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Hahaha, this is amazing. I love this act!¡± ¡°Right. You can¡¯t just waste the taxes taken from the people to create parties.¡± With such laughter, the apprentices tried to fill up the donation boxes. ¡°We, we too?¡± ¡°Yes, Pope, the Pope has said that if it was you two, you would pay a lot of sum.¡± ¡°This is!¡± Belfair, who looked at his master finding things to donate realized the woman of his Master was very different from the people he had come across. Dancing and music were indispensable at a banquet. With cheerful dances in the middle, young men and women began to dance hand in hand holding onto the other and walking to the center of the hall. As Luke watched the scene, not realizing what he was doing, approached Reina. As he approached the chair, the paladin escort allotted to her stopped him. ¡°Please step back. The ideal approach¡­¡± ¡°It is alright. He is the God¡¯s warrior, he won¡¯t ever hurt me.¡± At Reina¡¯s assurance, the paladin seemed flustered but soon withdrew. Luke approached her and politely bowed his head extending his hand. ¡°Can I ask you for a song?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°This is burdensome! How dare you harass the Pope, the Apostle of God!¡± Archbishop Constantine who was right beside Reina was upset. He was tensed with the change in the attitude and behavior of Reina. She has been growing more mature lately, and she was turning into a completely different person from the one whom he met on the first day. Having her at the banquet itself was crazy enough, but for letting the mercenary approach her! ¡°It is alright. One song isn¡¯t very tough to perform.¡± ¡°What are you even saying, Pope. An apostle of God¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the Pope herself say that it¡¯s alright?¡± At the low question from Luke, Constantine¡¯s complexion changed. He had been trying to fix Veronica III¡¯s words and acts which were like a kid¡¯s for the past two years. And if he didn¡¯t get the Pope to fit with him, he would be losing the dignity of holding the Marius faction, for which he used the Pope. And he made sure to talk only where there were no eyes to see. Even if she made any mistake, he never pointed it out. It was because he could be asked by the opposition for restricting the opinion of the Pope. He was so careful all that time, but he couldn¡¯t stop himself from making a mistake. Was it because he was flustered with the changes that were happening with the Pope and to the Pope alone?! ¡®Did that mercenary intentionally do this?¡¯ While Constantine was unable to sort out his thoughts, and Reina walked to the middle of the banquet hall following Luke¡¯s hand which was directed to her. When she appeared, both the nobles and the priests were shocked. A Pope had never danced in the banquet till then. It was customary to just leave the hall with a very stern expression. Veronica III was a young woman, so it was different from the previous Pope¡¯s they had. ¡°This was never done in history¡­¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t like he hadn¡¯t proved himself to be a man, but Viscount Lev doesn¡¯t know fear.¡± ¡°Ahh! If I knew, then I would have asked first!¡± While the young nobles felt shocked and jealous, the middle-aged nobles were eager to interpret the situation politically. ¡°No matter what, I feel like Archbishop Constantine is done for!¡± ¡°The Holy Pope no longer wants to listen to him.¡± ¡°This might be a good opportunity for someone¡­¡± Voices were all around, but Luke didn¡¯t care for anyone other than the woman who was right in front of his eyes. ¡°I wanted to dance with you just once.¡± ¡°I, too.¡± Seeing Reina smile, Luke couldn¡¯t help but break into a smile. ¡°But there is so much work that has to be done.¡± ¡°Ho ho, the Pope too is a human, you can surely dance for once. Maybe everyone will understand this.¡± Said Luke to calm her nerves. ¡°Well, if that is the case, then it is all good.¡± The two were dancing beautifully to the melody. The two were stepping and moving as if they had known each other for a very long time, and there was no single second of awkwardness in them. ¡°They are a perfect match.¡± ¡°The God¡¯s warrior and the God¡¯s apostle?¡± Those who were staring at the Pope and Luke were surprised for a second and began to join in on the melody. Chapter 262 The day after the big party. What happened at the banquet hall the day before had already spread all over the capital before noon. Whether it was a salon, where the nobles gathered, or the pub of the commoners, the story was the same. ¡°The pope started a banquet?¡± ¡°It was a victory celebration party, where donations were collected from the priests and nobles, so they could help the soldiers and the people who suffered from the civil war.¡± ¡°Oh! Such banquets should be opened whenever possible!¡± ¡°Yeah! That is what should be done!¡± The people gathered, raising their glasses as high as they could, praising the pope. At that time, a handsome man with a dissatisfied expression opened his mouth. ¡°Rather than that, the pope danced at the banquet! No, I don¡¯t get it. Can a godly apostle perform such an apostle act?¡± With those words, the people became silent for a while and then chatted away again. ¡°Obviously, she can dance, so what?¡± ¡°Yeah, was it ever written in the scriptures that angels aren¡¯t supposed to dance?¡± ¡°I feel like she is trying to be human? Isn¡¯t that okay?¡± While the commoners were concentrating on the dancing issue, the nobles focused on analyzing the pope¡¯s intention for her recent actions and the future political situation. ¡°The acts of Viscount Lev are obviously intentional.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like he had done it all alone¡­ Was Arch Duke Gregory behind it too?¡± After all, unlike Luke¡¯s concern, there was very little criticism on the pope¡¯s dancing. Only a few conservative narrow-minded priests and enthusiastic followers of Veronica III made a fuss saying ¡®An apostle of God isn¡¯t is supposed to act like this!¡¯. The capital¡¯s streets were all very noisy. Constantine, who was offended with Reina¡¯s act the day before, went to meet Reina. ¡°Holy Pope, why are you behaving like this these days?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Are you being motivated by that mercenary?¡± She overruled his decision and gave Lev a title and an estate. Along with those, she went dancing with him at the banquet and showed affection toward him. Her doubtful and suspicious behavior had been happening often, so he couldn¡¯t help but ask. However, Reina didn¡¯t seem to be flustered with his question. ¡°What will you do if that is the case, and what would you do if it isn¡¯t the case?¡± ¡°Holy Pope!¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it the words of the Regent. He is God¡¯s Warrior. Do you think that it is strange of me to see him like that?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Constantine, who wasn¡¯t able to answer Reina¡¯s question and stiff response, took a moment and said, ¡°It was just a story that I made to suppress the rebellion. Doesn¡¯t God¡¯s Apostle know this better than anyone that he isn¡¯t any warrior?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He is a foreign mercenary and has nothing to do with our denomination, and the Holy Pope is obliged to be chaste as the representative of our God El Kassel. It is unfair to fall in love.¡± At those words, Victor who was right behind Reina, frowned. However, he didn¡¯t step out of his role to defend her. Reina, who was reading scriptures before Constantine¡¯s arrival, closed the book. She looked straight into his eyes and said, ¡°And who said that? I have looked thoroughly in the scriptures, but there is nothing which says that I have a duty to keep my chastity.¡± ¡°T-that¡­¡± In fact, there was no rule that could be found in any scriptures of El Kassel or the past saints regarding what Constantine said. They only expected men to control their desires but not prohibit them. An unmarried status became a custom because it seemed to be favorable to perform the missions of God and devote themselves to the Empire that way. ¡°And the things about the duty to keep chastity, many high-ranking priests were secretly being helped by the men in the palace to given birth to their illegitimate children. Shouldn¡¯t they be ripped and punished?¡± Constantine went silent. It wasn¡¯t him, but he did know that high priests of most of the tribes, except for the Sanctity of Holiness, had secretly married and had children. Small patriarch supported God and turned it into the Holy Empire. Long after, prosperity and political stability led to the corruption and depravity of the El Kassel sanctuaries. Priests began to bring out their money and began to move with the priestess. And women were recruited only with the intention of making illegitimate children. At first, there were strong voices of criticism, but around 300 years ago, when the three tribes, including the Marius Faction, monopolized it, no one managed to change it after that. Perhaps, from that moment¡­ God¡¯s trust had never come to the sanctuary. ¡°T-that is just speculations in our denomination. The truth is¡­¡± ¡°Is it not the truth? Are you expecting me to believe those words? The words of a man who changes the words of God according to his wishes?¡± Reina got up from her seat and shot back in a stern manner. Constantine, not realizing it, stepped back. He could feel his heart freezing. The pope, who was in front of him, wasn¡¯t the same idiot girl, who kept referring to him as grandfather. He couldn¡¯t even recognize her at this point. Like the monarch of an empire, dignity could be felt from her. ¡°Let me make it very clear for you. I am no longer the old Veronica of Archbishop Constantine. I can now make my own decisions with my own heart, so the archbishop will now be stripped of his position and concentrate on working for the tribe.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t understand what I just asked of you? I am reclaiming the archbishop¡¯s position as the Regent.¡± Thud! It felt like thunder hit Constantine¡¯s head. He looked over at Reina with an expression that looked like he couldn¡¯t believe what was happening and raised his voice to ask, ¡°W-what the hell happened in Alvera? Did you hit your head when the assassin attacked you? Or have you been brainwashed by that mercenary?¡± Otherwise, such a situation made no sense for Constantine. One man was ready to answer the question. ¡°There is nothing wrong with the Holy Pope.¡± ¡®Gregory, Arch Duke Gregory!¡¯ Constantine was shocked when he suddenly showed up out of nowhere. However, it seemed like Reina knew that he would make an appearance. ¡°She just recovered the memories that she lost before. Isn¡¯t that the case, Holy Pope?¡± At the question of Arch Duke Gregory, Reina nodded. ¡°W-what the hell does that mean?¡± Constantine asked, still not understanding what was happening. ¡°It isn¡¯t something that you need to know. You haven¡¯t even made any efforts to know about them till now. You just need to know that she isn¡¯t the Holy Pope who used to just follow your orders, not anymore.¡± ¡°Is this your work?¡± Constantine stared intently at Arch Duke Gregory. He had the thought that if Gregory had been with Veronica for a long time, then such drastic changes made sense. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. The pope changing you is God¡¯s decision. Accept it for what it is.¡± ¡®To put it simply, the moment she met the God¡¯s Warrior, she changed. Of course, that was the will and decision of God as well,¡¯ thought Gregory. Constantine, who couldn¡¯t understand Gregory¡¯s words, shouted, ¡°I will never accept that! Who would take the Regent¡¯s position?¡± Constantine¡¯s face became pale, and he couldn¡¯t shout anymore. Because the moment he was about to express his anger, Gregory¡¯s body began to release a terrifying energy. ¡°Kuak, Kuk!¡± At that time, Gregory looked at Constantine, who was struggling to keep himself standing, and said, ¡°How dare you disobey the words of the pope? This isn¡¯t very bad for you. During all this time, you made sure to wipe out all the rats who were bothering you and this place.¡± Constantine could barely manage to breathe and spoke with a jealous expression, ¡°You, isn¡¯t it righteous for a knight to defend the empire rather than wish for power. Were you not interested in the government and its workings?¡± ¡°I have none, but because of a certain someone, I began to get interested. I thought of trying something even if it was a bit wrong.¡± At the words of Gregory, Constantine couldn¡¯t feel himself lose. He was called the Regent of the Holy Empire and was the second most powerful figure in the empire, but his opponent was Arch Duke Gregory, so he could do nothing. And if he decided to hold onto the army, then it wouldn¡¯t even take a minute for him to wipe out the entire Marius Faction. Reina looked at Constantine and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be too upset with your resignation. I have no intention of abandoning the Marius Faction. This empire will willingly accept anyone who has the intention of reflecting onto themselves and are willing to take steps to correct their wrongdoings.¡± ¡®P-pope Benedict!¡¯ At the words of Reina, Constantine¡¯s face remembered the former pope¡¯s face. Although he had suffered from an illness and was known to be a successor in later years, Benedict III was a very scary figure as well. In dire situations, he was famous for taking control of the entirety of the Holy Empire and forcibly pulled down the tribes. The Pope of Iron. That was the nickname of Benedict III. Why did Veronica III suddenly reminded Constantine of Benedict III¡¯s face? Was it because they looked similar? Or maybe¡­ Thud. Reina only sighed after seeing Constantine fell down on the cold, hard ground. It was fortunate that the dismissal of the Regent had happened much easier than she had imagined. On the other hand, it was ridiculous to think that the person who was broken down over a dismissal was helping her all this time. In fact, the dismissal of Constantine had been already decided on the day Arch Duke and Reina had returned from Alvera. Gregory stated that he strongly supported Reina¡¯s decision to reform the denomination and the Holy Empire. Within all that power struggle and politics, he decided to break off the long-standing stance and involve himself. ¡®This isn¡¯t the end. This is just the beginning. The Holy Empire needs to be more stable to help Luke, and that is for the benefit of its people.¡¯ The pope decided to take the task of exposing the corrupt denominations. The first thing she did was change the high offices of the Holy Empire. Regardless of the denomination, it was stated that new nobles and priests, who were enthusiastic and honest, would be recruited. ¡®Priest Luther, didn¡¯t he do a lot of relief work for the poor? I need to meet with him first.¡¯ With her vigorous step to reform, Arch Duke Gregory and Victor followed her like shadows. Chapter 263 On a wide plain, a battle was happening that shifted the earth and the sky. As many as 30 knight class Gigants and 10 hero class Gigants were aiming at one person, performing terrifying attacks. With just one punch, a huge rock broke down, but Emperor Rudolf was standing still. Effortlessly avoiding the attacks from the Gigants, he pulled out his sword to fight back. Swak! Pung-! Flash! Slash! When he used his sword to hit a knight class Gigant, a golden aura began to radiate. Swinging from side to side, the body of a hero class Gigant was cut in half. The more the Gigants come at him, the fiercer their attacks were getting. However, Emperor Rudolf was the one who was pushing them. Kasak! Kwang! Kwakwang! Eventually, after an hour-long battle, all the Gigants were destroyed. As the last Gigant fell on the ground, the surroundings changed. The beautiful plain, which was once there, disappeared in an instant. In a 10-meter wide field, Emperor Rudolf was sitting there with both his eyes closed. Flash! As Rudolf opened his eyes, a golden glow emanated from his eyes and spread. The brilliance of the light was so strong that it could probably melt a human being. With his eyes opened, the emperor looked up at the ceiling of the room, which exploded. ¡°Kuaaahaha! Finally, I have completed the second half of the Golden Sword!¡± The battle that just happened was an image training involving virtual magic. Being the emperor, there weren¡¯t many places where he could practice, and at that time, he decided to use an underground area where virtual magic could be applied. One might think as to what the effect of it could be? But it was a different story if a knight could do it. Since the emperor reached a stage where he couldn¡¯t physically grow any longer, he decided to break the limit to his mental strength and metaphysics. At any rate, Emperor Rudolf had finally completed the second half of the Golden Sword. ¡°Congratulations, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°To our Majesty, may the glory of your whole body reside with you!¡± The guards, who were guarding the underground station, entered and congratulated him. ¡°Haha, thank you. I will pass on the next part of the Gold Sword to the upcoming knights.¡± The knights were the chosen ones from the Knights of Guard of the empire, and they were like Emperor Rudolf. They learned the Arcane Sword from Rudolf himself and were Sword Masters. It wasn¡¯t known to the outside world; however, it was a secret that only a few people knew including the vice-captain of the Knights of Guard. Even when they had such solid skills, Rudolf didn¡¯t seem to be greatly satisfied, which was why he was planning on teaching them the latter part of the Gold Sword, which had been stolen from the Rakan Family a long time ago. If the knights learned the Gold Sword, it wouldn¡¯t take much time for them to turn into a Sword Sage. He would then be the first emperor in history to conquer the continent with knights that were Sword Sages. ¡®Huhuhu, so what if I wasn¡¯t a dragonian? I will become the strongest knight of all time!¡¯ A prince who was present decades ago, Rudolf had almost lost his position to his half-brother, Reichard, simply because his brother had the blood of the dragon in him. According to the prophecies that was passed down in his family, the prince who could awaken the blood of the dragon, Tiamet, would be the one to look down on the continent. But his mother-in-law¡¯s quick thinking allowed Rudolf to slay Reichard and inherit the throne. But from that moment, Rudolf couldn¡¯t kill the inferior feeling that had taken shelter in his mind and heart¡ªthat the dragon¡¯s blood would be superior once it awakened. So he practiced swordsmanship with his life on the line, and recently, he even complete the last warrior, the legendary warrior Rakan¡¯s skill. ¡®In reality, I don¡¯t regret giving you the poison! Even without the blood of the dragons, this will be the body that will look over the continent!¡¯ With a content smile on his face, he looked at the knights and asked, ¡°Did anyone come while I was practicing?¡± ¡°Count Voltas said he had something to report.¡± ¡°Oh my, we were supposed to meet today, right? I¡¯ll be there soon. Tell him to wait at my office.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Rudolf, who had bathed and changed his clothes, entered the office, and Count Voltas, who was there waiting, got up from his seat to give his greetings. ¡°I heard that you have completed the second part of the Gold Sword. Congratulations, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Then, I guess you are a Sword Emperor now?¡± ¡°Hut, I can bet that even if the bravest warriors come back to life, they won¡¯t be able to defeat me!¡± ¡°Ohoh! This is really great news!¡± Rudolf shook his hands at the praise of Voltas. ¡°Not at all. I should still strive to become stronger so that I could make the world bend on its knees.¡± ¡°It is a shame that there are young knights who lack such determination. They should learn from you, Your Majesty.¡± Rudolf decided to ask the reason for Voltas¡¯ visit. ¡°Yeah, do you have anything to report to me today?¡± Instead of answering right away, Voltas nodded with a slightly dark face and began to speak about the outcome of the situation in the Holy Arthenia Empire. Listening to it for a while, Emperor Rudolf asked, ¡°The Konrad Kingdom has been destroyed without causing much damage to the Imperial Army, and Marquis Suleiman and his province of Ranghel was suppressed by Arch Duke Gregory?¡± ¡°That was what has been reported to me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it. What was Lazlie been up to when the situations were turning like that? And what did the Flying Dragons even do? And Count Ferrero and Shirley?¡± At the bitter expression and questions from Rudolf, Voltas wiped the sweat off his forehead. ¡°It was said that they worked really hard but things went out of hand because unexpected people had joined the army.¡± ¡°Unexpected people?¡± ¡°Men of the Red Wolf Mercenaries had entered. Its captain had defeated Count Schmidt, and his lieutenant took down Shirley in a Gigantic Duel.¡± Count Voltas reported everything that had happened in the Holy Empire. ¡°Count Schmidt, huh. I heard of him too. In the past, he led the 1st squadron of the Holy Army, and a simple mercenary captain won against him?¡± ¡°Well, he isn¡¯t just some mercenary captain. Allegedly, Captain Lev was told to be the Son of Belik, the former knight of Volga Kingdom.¡± ¡°Son of Firestorm Belik? No way. Wasn¡¯t Belik¡¯s entire family destroyed during the rebellion?¡± ¡°I too have thought the same. No matter what, it seemed like someone has disguised themselves in the other nation.¡± Sometimes strong mercenaries did appear. However, if one could beat an Advanced Sword Master in a Gigantic Duel, he must be someone who had a higher knight position. However, someone who had never been heard off had suddenly won, and that was much more suspicious. ¡°Lev is also known to be a rune knight. Any person that comes to mind?¡± The fact about this mysterious mercenary captain being a rune knight and a Sword Master were all Rudolf needed to know the answer. ¡°¡­ Luke de Rakan?¡± ¡°In connection with the information we have, the new pope resembles Princess Reina, and Captain Lev could be Luke. The chances are surely high,¡± said Voltas. Rudolf was deep in his thoughts. However, there was another problem. ¡°But wasn¡¯t it informed to us that he was in his estate?¡± Even though he had dispatched numerous spies, they all kept their eyes on the Rakan Estates. Every report that came back said that Luke hadn¡¯t taken a single step outside his estate. ¡°Of course, it makes no sense¡­ The evidence seems very credible enough though. The falling meteor to be broken, but rune knights aren¡¯t very common to come across,¡± stated Voltas. ¡°If that Captain Lev is really who he is said to be, then isn¡¯t he better than that Luke guy?¡± ¡°But if that Luke is in hiding¡­¡± ¡°Stop! I know what you are going to say, but in order to punish the nobles, there has to be certain evidence. I can¡¯t do anything without any circumstantial evidence,¡± said the Emperor. ¡°Even then, should we summon him here first? Shouldn¡¯t we call him once¡­¡± With a sullen smile, Count Voltas locked his hands. As long as Luke came to the capital, he could differentiate between rats and birds. Thinking for a while, Emperor Rudolf shook his head. ¡°That won¡¯t work either. If we summon him and the man goes missing after coming here, it will turn into a huge problem. Find another way to get rid of that Luke.¡± ¡°Then, how about sending the Assassin Master of Hydra? That way we can handle the situation without leaving behind any traces.¡± ¡°Uhm, is he in the capital right now?¡± Asked the Emperor. ¡°He had completed his mission a few days back and was said to have returned.¡± ¡°Good. Then ask him to check if Luke is in the estate or not and assassinate him if the situation isn¡¯t troublesome.¡± The development of Rakan territory was really dazzling. If left alone, it would surely turn much more troublesome than the issues of the nobility, so they decided to take action as soon as possible. The news was that the Marquis of Rakan had no other direct descendants other than Luke. If he was removed, it was definite that the territory would be easily integrated. The two men, who decided to deal with Luke, went on to their next topic that needed their attention. ¡°What about the monster attacks that have been happening in the empire from awhile back?¡± ¡°I have sent the Central Army which was stationed nearby, but it was stated that the damage got worse, aggravating the monsters.¡± A few months ago, monsters from all over the Baroque Empire had begun to move. Initially, it was just like simple monster riots. But as the number of monsters kept increasing, the damage they caused increased as well, so the issue couldn¡¯t be taken lightly anymore. Rudolf moved the Central Army to the lords nearby, but the result wasn¡¯t favorable for them. ¡°Tch, we can¡¯t even defeat one monster!¡± ¡°They are much smarter and more organized than we thought.¡± Voltas looked at the reports that were handed to him and analyzed the monster attacks. As a result, they found out that the monsters were actually tactically attacking weak places. The troops of the Rhodesia Continent revolved around the use of Gigants. The general charter depended on the Gigant battle, and without a Gigant, there was almost no battle. It was a common story in the military textbook, and every commander knew about it. ¡°But this is troublesome. The units operating the Gigants are behind the infantry and the cavalry.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they using the trailers for moving them ahead?¡± ¡°Yes, they are but the trailers weren¡¯t really that useful. The roads are too long or the ground is too weak; that¡¯s why they can¡¯t help right away. The trailers aren¡¯t being very accessible.¡± ¡°So, they make sure to finish attacking a region before the Central Army could even reach the place.¡± The story had moved from Voltas¡¯s mouth to Rudolf¡¯s ears, which made him convinced, but a solution wasn¡¯t available. ¡°There is something to know in here. According to the testimony of the knight who got captured but managed to run away from the orcs, the Orc Hero is someone named Shaikan.¡± ¡°Orc Hero? The one who caused the Navarre Duchy monster wave years ago?¡± When asked by Rudolf, Voltas nodded his head. ¡°Right. This seems to be the same person.¡± ¡°Kaak! Why did that Orc Hero have to show up in this empire?! Make sure to send the right squad before he manages to assemble the monsters!¡± ¡°I will make sure to select the right person,¡± responded Voltas. At the calm response of Voltas, Rudolf frowned. ¡°It¡¯s annoying because nothing is getting solved lately!¡± The issues at the Holy Arthenia Empire, as well as the monster problem, everything was at a loss. If things hadn¡¯t gone like this, Rudolf was planning on wiping out the nobles at once, but the other problems seemed much worse. ¡®Should I be glad that the men from Volga are silent?¡¯ If the Republic decided to take advantage of the situation in the Baroque, then Rudolf would have to beat everyone and run straight for the battlefield. Chapter 264 ¡®Who is swearing at me?¡¯ Vladimir Rekov, the president of the Volga Republic, felt very tickled when he was working with Duke Dimitry. Slightly touching his ear lobe, he asked Dimitry. ¡°So, the fairies in the fortress aren¡¯t moving?¡± ¡°Yes, your majesty. There are a huge number of meeting happening among them, and an increasing number of sources have been sent to each of the kingdoms to gather outside information.¡± ¡°Maybe they are moving out to help out this Republic?¡± ¡°Then, Sylvia would have already reported to us.¡± Stated Dimitry. ¡°My my¡­ in the end things are happening like this.¡± Rekov closed his eyes and gulped. That was when Dimitry looked around for a while and asked with a low voice. ¡°Should we see for their movements through it?¡± The president had a secret that the world didn¡¯t know about. That was none other than he who could see the future. The people around the president thought that he had a great hunch, but his closest person, Dimitry, was different from them. He knew that the president had the foresight to see the future, even though it was all blurry and just fragments, he could see the future. Rekov¡¯s ancestors were shamans with powers, who kept their skills a secret after being rejected and suppressed by the denominations of El Kassel. From one generation to another generation, the family had worked for the king and the nobles, and when his grandfather was destroyed, his entire family went scattered. His grandfather before death had a very ominous prediction of the fate of the newborn prince. ¡®The prince was Pytor II, who will later become the exiled king.¡¯ After going through a hard childhood, Rekov encountering republican ideas turned into a hardcore republican. At that time, the boiling blood of the young Rekov had just 30 comrades to depend on. But even then, they started the republican revolution and fought strongly against the king¡¯s army. They had encountered numerous crises in the process, but he managed to break through with his ability of foresight which he had inherited from his ancestors. In the process, the number of comrades began to increase. Dimitry too was one of those who joined the revolution process. Although relatively late when compared to the other comrades, his active help had played a huge role in the success of the revolution. ¡°Did you see any signs of rebellion?¡± ¡°No, not a rebellion. I always see something in my dreams, the fairies are getting ready to do something very extraordinary¡­¡± Various fairies were gathering to perform some kind of a ritual. At the end of those rituals, the world began to change with a bright light. Huge clouds covered the sun, and auroras were glistening in the night dark sky all around the continent throughout day and night. The night was changing into daytime and the day into night, but no one knew when the time was changing because of the unchanging darkness. ¡°I think that whatever they are trying to do isn¡¯t just on the Republic, but for the entire continent.¡± Said Rekov. ¡°They are trying to make a contract with the Devil king by summoning him from the Devildom, right?¡± ¡°Well, they could be doing that. But whatever the case, I don¡¯t know anything more than that.¡± No matter how well he was able to see the foresight, he wasn¡¯t able to see it whenever he wanted. It was like a dream at night or an illusion right before his eyes, but they were always blurry and fragmented. And Rekov was the only one who could solve things seeing that great insight. It was definite that the fairies were doing something tremendous to the continent, but without any substantial evidence he couldn¡¯t just reject them, after all, they were one of the three pillars of the Volga Republic. Rejecting the fairies from the Volga Republic would hit back hard and make the nation confused. ¡°Is it because High Elf Erenes is dead? I think that the movements of the fairies are too extreme.¡± ¡°I too am worried because of that.¡± Erenes was an excellent leader and safety looking after person for the fairies. He was reasonable and wide, he was able to cooperate with the humans. But after the death of him, there was an unseen clash between the fairies and the republic. ¡°For starters, we need to find out what the fairies are up to, we need to keep a close look at them. And I don¡¯t think that we can trust the fairies in the Intelligence office, either, including Sylvia.¡± Said Dimitry. ¡°I guess so. Tch, at such an important time we are being made to rule out an important power source¡­¡± He wasn¡¯t fine with it, almost like he remembered something important as Dimitry asked. ¡°What happened to the Dark Moon? It makes no sense for them to not be able to develop a hero class Gigant even by now!¡± Asked Dimitry. ¡°That, they received a huge blow from unknown wizards the other day. They stated that the development progress is very slow as many of their senior wizards had died and important facilities have been destroyed.¡± ¡°HU, it was a story of a long way back, haven¡¯t they been recovered yet?! Do we need to find another way?¡± The president looking to at the ceiling stroked his chin and answered. Rekov had already foretold that the Baroque Empire would soon be involved in the civil war between the noble and the Emperor. The civil war which was going to start was going to be a huge battle and a great opportunity for the Volga Republic. However, the development of the hero class Gigant, a key force to invade the enemy empire, wasn¡¯t yet available. Although there were a few unforeseen circumstances at the Magic tower, the Republic government couldn¡¯t wait anymore. ¡°Would you like to involve in the Battle of Magic Towers?¡± At the question of Dimitry, the President nodded. ¡°I want to help the reformers and demand a hero-class Gigant from them.¡± ¡°But would they accept it?¡± So far, the top ten magic towers had clearly refused to sell hero class Gigants to the Republic. The Baroque Empire and the other kingdoms worried about the spread of Republic thoughts and tried to pressure them by restricting the ten magic towers. But the situation was different now. ¡°They all look ruined and in mess, and they won¡¯t refuse our help.¡± Said the president. Reformers Magic Tower was taking in great damage in the wartime. One of the top ten magic towers, Rokid Magic Tower, was completely destroyed and the others too faced serious damage. Even if they do manage to win the Battle of Magic Towers, they need to have a huge amount of money and time to fill their damages. ¡°It looks like a good way. Then, what about the Dark Moon?¡± Asked Dimitry. ¡°There won¡¯t be any particular change. They will keep on going ahead and try to develop the hero class Gigant.¡± Although the development of the hero class Gigant was slow and sluggish, the number of knights and warrior class Gigants were being supplied monthly and it was being maintained. As such, the Dark Moon was still being entrusted with the development of the hero class Gigant. But the two of the powerful men weren¡¯t aware. The Dark Moon which had moved into Luke¡¯s region of Jason territory had already completed the development of a hero class Gigant, and the production in the workshop was twice to thrice larger. Chapter 265 Late night, a small bat flew across the sky of Bless. The bat arrived at the lodging house where lights were almost being turned off to sleep. In a room, a young man was looking through a stack of papers with one small light. ¡°Come back, Belfair?¡± Belfair immediately turned back into his human figure at the question of Luke, the young man. ¡°Yes, master. I looked carefully and came back.¡± ¡°Really, what is Constantine¡¯s party doing?¡± A few days ago, Luke heard about the story of Constantine¡¯s dismissal and decided to understand their dynamics. The Marius faction was huge and was considered to be very powerful in politics, and they weren¡¯t the kind to retreat just like that. Which was why even now he was looking into their cases. He thought of infiltrating the Marius faction¡¯s residence and annihilate Constantine and the other heads of that faction. He thought that it would only be possible if Arch Duke Gregory and the Saint Guard didn¡¯t interrupt him. ¡°Realizing the truth, the Marius faction is quite embarrassed, but they haven¡¯t done anything so suspicious yet.¡± ¡°Are you sure? Not even a few of them had quarrels?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Of course, men gathered and discussed with each other, but were worried about the future situation of the faction and the government. But there was no statement which said that they were planning anything dangerous.¡± ¡°Constantine and Marcus?¡± One wielded the power as the Regent, and the other held the money of the Marius faction. So if something went wrong, then one of the two was bound to be behind it. ¡°Constantine entered the sanctuary and kept gazing at the pond. Can I say that the expression was like he was trying to catch something? Marcus was constantly complaining to his men in his mansion.¡± They wouldn¡¯t have felt so frustrated if Reina wasn¡¯t been backed with Arch Duke Gregory. They would have surely done something o get back in power. However, currently, they had no way to fight, only resolving or complaining. ¡®But they won¡¯t be doing that forever. We might not know but it could be a problem in the future.¡¯ No one who is aware of the taste of sweetness can ever know to withdraw. It was common practice to seek any means necessary to get hold of the sweetness again. ¡®Now, Gregory is a great shield, but I don¡¯t know what might happen in the future. Which is why Reina needs to have a strong position.¡¯ Fortunately, Reina¡¯s willingness to reform had received considerable support. The removal of Constantine as Regent has been received in a positive sign as the Marius faction had swept the power for the past two years. Above all, many men were interested in the declaration of Pope that anyone with the will to take part in the change of the Holy Empire would be used immediately. It was only a matter of a few days in the capital, but the slums had changed. ¡®Of course, when a full-scale reform begins, there will be plenty of people who won¡¯t even be able to smile.¡¯ The downfall of the current Holy Empire was due to the corruption in it. There was no person unrelated to it, except for the Sanctity of Holiness, which Luke had an interest with. He wasn¡¯t going to forget about Reina, there will be clear cut work made and in that process, there could be those who would appear as opponents. Fortunately, the situation with Sanctity could be cleared with talks and compromise. ¡®The military is powerful so it can¡¯t be handed down. The Meister of Arthenia Holy Magic Tower is acquainted with Arch Duke Gregory so there is no need to worry about it, and the reformers support is there too.¡¯ Then the Holy Empire¡¯s intelligence? The intelligence of the Holy Empire department was different from the intelligence organizations from the other nations. It was made of priests and the monks and was closely associated with the El Kassel denomination sanctuaries of the continent. At one point, they might look like an association which was made up for the purpose of devotions, but the struggles between the sanctuaries were being reproduced as the information, so the ability to gather information wasn¡¯t superior when compared to the others. Whatever it was, the most important thing was, the intelligence department was most loyal to Reina. ¡®Maybe Reina too is concerned with this. I hope that I can help her out a little bit.¡¯ Thinking so, Luke stared at Belfair who was still knelt on the ground. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have been monitoring alone and using the Dummy knight?¡± ¡°Surely you are the master! That is correct, I have been resurrecting demons divine or now. I used the Vampire deception.¡± Vampires had the ability to dominate creatures that were less capable than them. Creatures controlled by the vampires, automatically pass on the sight, sound, and experience they go through in real-time. Because of that, Vampire¡¯s were considered as the world¡¯s leading source of information holders. ¡°According to the southern continent sayings, birds head at mornings and rats at the night, was it? Even in Bless, pigeons, and rodents are widespread, making them useful for my work.¡± Said Belfair. ¡°You did well. In the future too, use your eyes and ears to uncover the truth behind men.¡± ¡°Sorry? More in the future?¡± ¡°Difficult for you?¡± Luke asked back Belfair who was flustered. ¡°There is a limit for anyone. Right now, I can¡¯t control more than 1,000¡­¡± ¡°In the future make it up to 10,000.¡± At the number given by Luke, Belfair jumped up. ¡°That is impossible! The ability to receive itself ends with 1,000.¡± ¡°Then, doesn¡¯t it mean that you will have to turn strong enough to control and receive from 10,000? If it is difficult for you, then train alone. And as such, I don¡¯t mind helping you.¡± As soon as Luke said the words help, Belfair clapped his hands once. ¡°Oh no. I will try my very best!¡± ¡°As soon as possible.¡± When Luke was done emphasizing the word, he turned back to examine the documents he had to look over at. Belfair was in despair for a while and soon he went back to his normal mood. ¡°But, what is that piece of paper that you are constantly looking at from yesterday, master?¡± ¡°This is the documented truth that the Baroque Empire had involved itself in the civil war of the Holy Arthenia Empire. The one I got when I was in Alvera.¡± During the siege of Alvera, Luke broke through the gates and infiltrated the Konrad kingdom, and cleverly disguised himself with magic. Finding the library with the document section wasn¡¯t very difficult. But finding the list of documents needed as proof wasn¡¯t very easy. ¡®Fortunately, that person had come over.¡¯ When he was looking, a young man made an appearance. When the administrators and the clerks saw it, they stated that he was the son of Duke Ferrierd, Aslan. Luke saw him take out the important documents from a hidden room and managed to sip away when handed a few. ¡°Oh, these documents will be embarrassing for the Baroque Emperor!¡± ¡°I did get it¡­ but, the problem is I can¡¯t figure out what is written in it.¡± The letters used to create the records were the dwarf letters, a writing which wasn¡¯t used in the current day. Perhaps, it was used for such secret documents, something which might have flourished in Eisenberg during the dwarven period. ¡°Can¡¯t it be translated?¡± Asked Belfair. ¡°I know the language of elves and dwarves, but this looks like an ancient dialect from a hundred years back from what I know. It isn¡¯t impossible to translate, but it will take some time.¡± Translating was translating, but the amount it took for it to happen was huge. There was consistency with the handwriting, and one man seemed to have submitted the report. Of course, after writing the report, it could have been burnt. ¡®The one who wrote it is no normal man. I don¡¯t know about the other stuff, but he must have a good knowledge of letters and language.¡¯ Thinking so, Luke wanted to meet him once. If he could meet him, then he could use him as a witness to prove about Baroque Empire¡¯s involvement. ¡®But it is difficult, maybe¡­¡¯ After abandoning the tough thought, Luke began to immerse himself in the translation of the document. Chapter 266 A ship was moving in the deep blue sea. The ship was box-shaped with a yellow sail that looked like it had been cut. The ship was different from the ships in the Rhodesia Continent. It was a trading ship in the southern continent. On its mast was the insignia of the ship. The ship was from the Song Empire. ¡°Land! I can see land!¡± The crewmen, who had been busy for days, cried like dogs when they saw land. It wasn¡¯t their hometown or land, but any land was like a paradise for sailors. Therefore, there was no man who was upset about seeing it. ¡°Sir, that is Lamer City, the port of Baroque Empire.¡± At the words of an old man, a young man looked at the port with an indifferent expression. Although he looked similar to people from the Rhodesia Continent, the young man was dressed in southern clothing and greeted the words of the captain in an unmistakably Song Empire accent. ¡°Thank you very much, Elderly Jin. I will never forget the grace you have shown to me.¡± ¡°Uh, what is all this about, Your Grace? It is natural for the men of sea to save the ones who are stuck.¡± After saying that, Captain Jin remembered the time when he saved the young man. Apparently, when he was passing the sea near the river called Rio. He was on top of an upside-down shark, wearing a golden armor. The young man was barely able to hold onto himself. He swung his sword at the sharks that were moving in to attack him. His left arm had been bitten hard by a shark, and numerous arrows were pierced through his body. Captain Jin rescued him and took care of him. After days of hardship, fortunately, the young man had finally opened his eyes. Knowing how the south men spoke, he asked where he had to go to. Captain Jin informed the man that the ship was a trading ship of the Hwang Clan and that it was going to stop at the port of the Rhodesia Continent and sell silks and potteries. He hadn¡¯t talked much, and the young man didn¡¯t mention anything about who he was or what had caused the terrible accident in the sea. And Captain Jin didn¡¯t take the luxury to ask him. He just assumed that there might have been a reason which he didn¡¯t have the liberty to mention to the others. And the young man reminded him of someone whom he knew. ¡®The third nobles were rescued like this as well. He might be alive somewhere¡­¡¯ Captain Jin had retired 10 years ago. He was in charge of the general affairs of the Hwang Clan. Right before he retired, he took in Hwang Bo-sung. The mother of Hwang Bo-sung was the daughter of a close friend. The man had lost his entire family due to illness. He felt comfort and bliss seeing Hwang Bo-sung grow up like a grandson. That was why he was pleased when Hwang Bo-sung was doing well and was expected to be the new head. But it was said that Hwang Bo-sung had died a year ago. According to Hwang Bo-kwang, who conveyed the news, they had encountered a storm when they were about to reach the Rhodesia Continent, and in the meantime, Hwang Bo-sung fell into the sea. After a few days of wandering in the sea, they realized that his body couldn¡¯t be found. Upon hearing the news, Jin cried for three days and nights. No matter how understandable he was, he couldn¡¯t help but feel angry toward nature. Was it possible to kill a promised child? Disappointed and depressed for some time, he just recently returned back to the sea. Couldn¡¯t he be alive somewhere, somehow?! Unfailing hope was what brought him back to the sea. After a while, the trading ship had entered Lamer City. The young man, who set foot on the land for the first time, thanked the crew once again. ¡°Only if my left hand was still intact, I would¡¯ve given you men a proper thanks.¡± ¡°Please take good care of yourself. Where are you going?¡± ¡°There is a place I have in mind,¡± answered the man. It didn¡¯t last long, but Jin had felt intense feelings from the young man. It was a feeling that could never be mistaken, a huge grudge. ¡°By the way, You haven¡¯t told me your name yet. Can you still not let me know?¡± The young man, who frowned on the question, thought and then answered, ¡°Aslan. Aslan de Ferrierd.¡± ¡°Aslan de Ferrierd¡­¡± Jin had heard that name before; he just couldn¡¯t remember where or when. That was why old men were supposed to die or rest when they get older; their memory fails them. Aslan greeted them once again by bowing his head. ¡°Then, I wish for your safety every time you sail.¡± ¡°Please look after yourself, noble.¡± Saying that, Jin watched Aslan turn his back and disappear into the crowd. And again, the old man¡¯s hope began to rise. Chapter 267 A few days after the victory banquet, Luke was ready to return back to his estate. However, it wasn¡¯t possible to immediately return back to the Marquis Estate. It was because he couldn¡¯t leave his reward¡ªAlbertville¡ªbehind just like that. So, he led the Red Wolf Mercenaries to the territory of Albertville. ¡°Lord, this is a lot more useful than what the rumors say.¡± Philip¡¯s thoughts of the Albertville Estate seemed pretty interesting from Luke¡¯s view. He had heard about the sacred nobles, but no concrete details were provided. ¡°It has 4 cities and 200,000 people. There are fertile farmlands along with the rivers and the salt mine in the south. The area is really neat, right?¡± And it wasn¡¯t just that. ¡°It was also very close to Jason Manor, which was rewarded to us by Emperor Rudolf. We might encounter a few wastelands and mountains, but we can go directly through it.¡± Of course, Luke, who had hidden the Dark Moon Magic Tower in the Jason Estate, had no intention of linking its path to his newly acquired estate. The more men it had, the more easily it was to get past to. ¡°Princess Reina really thought a lot about it. Obviously, she does so for her man.¡± Philip smiled to himself after seeing Luke, who tried to keep a straight face while riding his horse. ¡°By the way, did nothing else happen other than a meeting?¡± ¡°Nothing else in what sense?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t try to act all na?ve. When a man and woman meet and decide to keep meeting, of course, that happens, right? The Lord and Princess Reina too might¡­¡± ¡°Nothing like that happened.¡± Luke interrupted Philip¡¯s words before he could say them out loud. Philip, who couldn¡¯t believe it, decided to voice his thoughts, ¡°Do not lie to me!¡± ¡°All those will happen only after the wedding.¡± ¡°U-uh? I don¡¯t get it. You are a warrior and the devil king, and she knew that too, right!¡± exclaimed Philip. Honestly, Luke, who was from 500 years ago, lived with such a notion. Although he got the chance to be reincarnated and although he had been acquainted with a variety of new knowledge and trends, the social atmosphere of that duration hadn¡¯t been changed. ¡°Didn¡¯t the princess say anything?¡± Asked Philip. ¡°Reina isn¡¯t a woman whom you can just think lightly of,¡± answered Luke. ¡°You people are really a dry couple.¡± Philip pounded his chest, trying to relieve himself of frustration. He was actually feeling glad, almost to the extent that he thought they were a really good match. ¡°But, the mercenaries brought their families along with them. Wouldn¡¯t that slow us down?¡± Asked Luke while looking at the back. The Red Wolf Mercenaries returned after a week-long vacation. Each of them had brought back their families, friends, and acquaintances, and their number went to 10,000. Most of them were old men, children, and women, but a small number of them were mercenaries, who wanted to join the Red Wolf Mercenaries. Hearing the rumors about the second coming of the mercenary king, they wanted to join the man. ¡°I thought that a few would, but I never imagined that everyone would bring their families like this,¡± answered Philip. ¡°I heard that the mercenary families in the Holy Empire had different customs. Many men came from the meadows, so they usually carry their families with them and stay in the areas where they are hired,¡± said Luke about the stuff he learned. So some mercenaries made their families join. Though the mercenary family didn¡¯t join the battle, they were paid for their logistical activities such as the camp buildings, laundry, and meal preparations. ¡°Anyway, there will be no problem with the march. They are all used to marching, and they randomly gathered the wagons from Bless,¡± answered Philip nonchalantly. ¡°Won¡¯t it be hard for the elderly?¡± ¡°I think that we will be fine since we have hired new priests,¡± answered Philip. Luke initially planned to take all the mercenaries to Marquis Rakan, and for that, they thought of calling a ship from Kirillov. But his plans changed when Reina gave them the Albertville Estate. Rather than taking them to the Rakan Estate and exposing them to the eyes of the emperor, they thought that it would be better to strengthen their power in the Albertville Estate, which was close to the Baroque Empire and avoid the emperor¡¯s eyes. They decided to not travel by sea and travel by land instead. At the end of the war, the used wagons and carriages were all gathered and sold in the market, so they were bought at a relatively low cost. ¡°Then, I am glad. The problem is¡­ who am I supposed to leave the Albertville Estate to?¡± Luke shook his head as he couldn¡¯t decide on a person to hand it over to. Hans had been ruling Rakan as a vice lord while Luke was away for his military service. Although he was a good fit for the job, he needed to always be there in the Rakan Estate whenever Luke decided to leave. While Luke was concerned, Philip suggested. ¡°What about Dixon from the finance office? He is a little tilted towards the aspects of money, but his loyalty for the family runs deep.¡± Luke nodded thinking that it was reasonable. ¡°Maybe he is the right person?¡± ¡°Yes, he had a lot of experience in the administrative aspects, so he might be able to lead Albertville.¡± ¡°Then, I need to call him.¡± Once it was decided who would lead Albertville, Philip asked something else, ¡°Then what about the officers and the knights? Will you call them from our estates?¡± Since a part of the land given to him was a part of the rebellion, the forces from the rebellion and its officers wouldn¡¯t be stable. There were chances that they might have joined the rebels or have been killed, or they could just plainly not be reliable. ¡°If one of the Rakan Knights or Silver Knights makes an appearance, the emperor is bound to find it suspicious. So, I am going to bring out new knights from Red Wolf, who are quite smart and reliable.¡± AKA the Red Wolf knights. He was willing to make them equal to the Rakan Knights and the Silver Knights. And to do that, Luke intended to teach the Silver Sword to the mercenaries who would become knights. Also, he decided to distribute Gigants to them equally. Luke devised a plan for the Albertville Estate and wrote a letter to the Rakan Estate during lunch break. Long-range magic communication could be intercepted, so Luke didn¡¯t want to use it. He thought that it was safer to send and receive an encrypted letter through a trusted person, who could deliver the letter faster than a human being. -Have Sebastian deliver it to Hans Butler. Luke telepathically asked Belfair, who was seated on his shoulder and bothering him. -Me being a Vampire, should I even be doing such kinds of things? Just ask someone else¡­ -I guess you are missing the touch of a woman¡¯s hand. At that very moment, Belfair remembered what had happened a few days ago. Women in their late teens and early twenties rubbed Belfair¡¯s entire body. His wings, torso and every nook and cranny of his body was indiscriminately devastated, and his prestige of being a proud vampire had fallen to the ground. Belfair vowed that no matter what happened, he would never let himself be humiliated by women ever again. -Come to think of it, there are a lot of women and kids following us, right? -Hiick! No! I will deliver it right away! Terrified, Belfair took the letter into his mouth and quickly disappeared into the sky. ¡®I caught a good weakness of his.¡¯ Looking at the back of Belfair who was flying away, Luke smiled and began to move toward the Albertville Estate. Chapter 268 Then, after leaving Bless behind, A group of mercenaries led by Luke reached the border of Albertville territory. Since the previous lord had participated in the rebellion, it was bound for the land to give out a terrible atmosphere. The farmers who worked in their fields ran away in anger at the sight of the mercenaries. In addition, the fort and the guard posts where the soldiers had to stand vigilantly were all empty. The good news was that since everyone was feeling anxious, there was no more confusion. The worst case of the towns and cities being empty, or them being looted hadn¡¯t happened. ¡°Tch, it will take time for the people to trust us.¡± ¡°But it will end much sooner than we expect.¡± Luke, who crossed the territory arrived at Laval, where the permanent residence was located. Laval was the place where the administrative center of the estate was located and surrounded by thick infrastructure. Unlike the other places, the soldiers were still there, but they were the voluntary group of men who decided to take the role for the purpose of securing their city. As a result, they could help but feel hesitant when Luke appeared there with a group of 10,000 mercenaries and Gigants. ¡°Could that be the permanent manor?¡± ¡°Who might you be?¡± At the question of Philip, Luke stared at the elderly man who was standing at the gate. His neat outfit and the straight question made it sure that he wasn¡¯t a commoner. The lord man bowed politely as Luke approached. ¡°I see you are the new Lord. I am Baron Vante, the butler and the deputy lord of the Albertville estate.¡± ¡°A retainer of the former lord? Then you must be the remnant of the rebels. Why didn¡¯t you run away?¡± When Luke asked with suspicion, Vante responded with a bitter smile. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t someone have to stay over till a new person takes over the valuable estate? I managed to live enough to look after it.¡± It was plausible, if every retainer had run away, then the state of the manor was bound to be destroyed. In other words, there could have been looting and arson of maybe stealing, and the soldiers would have deserted their positions so the innocent men in the land would have had to suffer. Concerned about that, the retainers decided that one of them would stay back and remain in charge until the end, and Baron Vante, the eldest of them all, volunteered to take that role. ¡°Seeing the retainers, it looks like the former Lord was a pretty fine fellow.¡± Said Luke. ¡°Yes, even though Marquis Suleiman made the wrong choice because of his acquaintance with the other Lords, he still had a great virtue when it came to governance and his retainers.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Vante was very active in designating where the mercenaries and their families would stay, and handed over the related documents regarding the management of the estate and the expenditure. All that greatly reduced Luke¡¯s work to get the estate back on track. When everything related to the estate takeover was done, Vante pleaded. ¡°Now, I have done all the work. Kill this old man who sent the Lord into rebellion and to the capital without overseeing the situation.¡± ¡°That is enough. I¡¯ll pretend like I never saw you, just live in the estate.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± Seeing that the new Lord had no intention of punishing him, the butler looked shocked. ¡°The rebellion is already over and most of the instigators have been executed. Is there going to be anything different if I kill one or two of the men in here? If you can live silently, I don¡¯t mind covering for you.¡± Said Luke. ¡°Really, do you really mean that?¡± ¡°Yes, I do. The Pope has stated that anyone who can reflect on their sins will be forgiven.¡± Luke said that the story of how men in the Jackson estate who were termed to be rebels, hadn¡¯t been punished after they surrendered. Realizing that Luke¡¯s words weren¡¯t lies, Vante went out of the manor¡¯s office bowing his head and thanking again and again. ¡°Tch, that was a waste. Why didn¡¯t you hire him?¡± After Vante left the room, Philip who was listening to their conversation asked Luke. ¡°Because he wasn¡¯t the kind of man who would serve two lords. For whatever reason, we are the men who punished his first lord. There was no way he would forgive us for that.¡± ¡°That sounds plausible.¡± Nodding his head, Philip went out of the room saying that it was time to train his mercenaries. Luke, who was left alone, called Hwang Bo-sung at the night after reviewing all the documents. ¡°Called for me, Lord?¡± ¡°Yes, are all your injuries recovered?¡± Hwang Bo-sung nodded his head with a bright expression. Luke had made a special request to Reina before leaving the capital. It was that someone had to be healed, and asked her to make a healing potion with divine properties if possible. The potion was done by an extremely high leveled priest and was effective, it was faster than a wizard¡¯s making process and held no side effects. All thanks to Aether, which could exert incredible divinity compared with the bishops and cardinals, Reina herself created a highly effective healing potion. Luke had given that completed potion to Hwang Bo-sung and told him that his injuries would heal. Thanks to that, Hwang Bo-sung was able to recover from his injuries, his scars on both legs were healed. All that was left was the curse placed on him by the magic soldier. ¡°To remove the curse on your body.¡± Gulp. At the words of Luke, Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s expression changed. The matter had bothered him the most over the past 1 year, it wasn¡¯t the loss of power that bothered him. It was the curse placed on him. The curse placed on him with a wicked technique had caused Hwang Bo-sung terrifying pain every night. Priest Luther had recovered more than half of the endurance, but the pain couldn¡¯t be decreased. However, he was going to get rid of the curse! ¡°Lord, really?¡± ¡°Yeah, all this while I thought of breaking the curse on you. Now that it is ready, we can do it.¡± Luke saying that to Hwang Bo-sung, closed his eyes and sat down. The moment he sat, magic began to manifest. From what Hwang Bo-sung had said to Luke, the curse was done by a group referred to as Apostasy. But Luke wasn¡¯t aware about what kind of curse had been placed on the body. But he was able to understand the power that marks the curse. The power was Magi. Luke was very familiar with the dark magic and the power of darkness. ¡®I don¡¯t know who taught them the dark magic or whether the Apostate witches knew it from the very beginning on how to handle curses, but solving can be simple. I can absorb it right away.¡¯ Luke knew the powers of the demons and the dark magic so he could be able to absorb them. Simple, black bind. However, since the curse entered the body of Hwang Bo-sung, it was going to take sweet time to analyze it and to absorb it, Luke had to try to perform it as softly and harmlessly as possible. Hweeing-! The black bind stems began to come out from the ground and wrap themselves around Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s body. ¡®This, this is the Apostasy¡­!¡¯ When the binds encircled themselves around the body of Hwang Bo-sung, he panicked trying to move. ¡°Do not move! This is a make or break!¡± ¡°Lord, but this is¡­¡± ¡°Trust me!¡± Seeing seriousness in Luke¡¯s eyes, Hwang Bo-sung hesitated and sat back down. The stems completely covered the body of Hwang Bo-sung and began to absorb the Magi. Originally, the black bind would suck in not just the Magi but the vitality of man, but when Luke was concentrating on using it, he carefully and delicately only absorbed the Magi in Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s body. ¡®Kuek, just absorbing it isn¡¯t as easy as I thought.¡¯ Sweat was dripping from Luke¡¯s forehead. It was like holding a giant sword to carve something out of a small wooden cube. However, he continued to absorb the Magi that spread throughout the body of Hwang Bo-sung. Ten minutes later. When all the Magi was taken away from the body, the curse extinguished itself. As soon as the black bind was released, Hwang Bo-sung jumped from his seat and began to wield his fists as if trying to test something. Pang- pang! Every time his fist went through the air, the air split. The moment the fist went ahead, the wall in front of the fist trembled. ¡°What happened, Lord!¡± ¡°Did assassins¡­¡± Surprised with the thundering sounds, Rakan knights went running into the room. ¡°It is alright. It is no big deal.¡± Luke sent out the knights and watched Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s martial arts closely. His body seemed to be unfolding by converting mana in the body into attributes of lightning. Mana, concentrated in the two fists along a certain path, showed terrifying power each time it changed to lightning. If one was right there, it was possible for the man to get smashed with just the force. ¡®Is this the true power of ¡®Three Thunder God¡¯s Boxing¡¯?¡¯ Luke had exchanged a few words with Hwang Bo-sung on his way to Albertville. In the process, he learned a few things about Moorim on the southern continent and the martial arts which he had learned. The Hwang Clan¡¯s martial arts were largely divided into martial and internal, and of them, the one Hwang Bo-sung had said to have learned was the ¡®Three Thunder God Boxing¡¯. And it was something that only the immediate members of the clan head could learn. It was said that 300 years ago, martial King Hwang Bo-woong, had created Three Thunder God Boxing to break every form of other martial arts. At present, Hwang Bo-sung was at the 8th stage of it. Urrrng! Orrrng! Kwan Kwang! For around thirty minutes, Hwang Bo-sung kept on moving his fists. ¡®At last! How long has it been since I tried my fullest?!¡¯ It was his first time since he had been tricked by Hwang Bo-Kwang, a year later from getting hit. But the pain he felt in the meantime, made the year seem much longer. Standing briefly and trembling, he knelt down and pleaded to Luke. ¡°Warrior Hwang Bo-sung. I swear on heavens and the earthly gods that I vow to repay the grace shown by the Lord.¡± Though he decided to be Luke¡¯s subordinate, he was still skeptical in mind, but with what had happened, he truly decided to serve Luke with everything. Chapter 269 Near the Albertville lord¡¯s manor. There was a group of figures lurking on a hill that was overlooking the city at a glance. One of the two people who were leading the group surprisingly was Baron Vante. He looked anxiously at the woman who was looking at the Lord¡¯s manor. ¡°Lady Scarlet, are you sure about this?¡± ¡°Yes, with no strength to protect, I have given up on the estates, but I plan to get my father¡¯s revenge done.¡± ¡°But, the new lord isn¡¯t such a bad man. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to give up on revenge and find a way to live the rest of your life?¡± The lady was Scarlet, the daughter of the former lord, who was leading the group. She was wearing a leather armor that fitted to her slender figure and a huge bow behind her back. At the age of six, she learned the skills from her father by the age of 10, she went to a nearby forest to lean archery from an Elf whom she met in the forest. And by 18, she turned into a Bow Expert. Eight years later from that time, she was the top Bow Expert. The reason why such a lady hadn¡¯t joined the rebellion with her father Suleiman was because of her own beliefs. The ambition of Marquis Suleiman wasn¡¯t coveted, and the rebellion was unlikely to succeed. Nevertheless, her father, who had always been overwhelmed by his familiar acquaintances, had led the knights and the Gigant¡¯s forces to the capital despite her opposition. He made it look like a triumph was going to come if he advanced towards Bless, but he was defeated by Arch Duke Gregory. In the meantime, her father died. ¡°Where in the Holy Empire can the remnants of the rebels live? And I don¡¯t like the thought of living in another nation leaving behind my hometown.¡± When the news of the rebellion failing had come, her half mother and half brother along with the family retainers and knights had fled the territory. Loyal retainers and soldiers like Vante had remained, but the number of them was less than 300. It made no sense for them to fight a thousand troops brought in by the new lord. Nevertheless, she had come to the place to complete her mission of taking revenge for her dad. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to come, Sir Vante and the others, you can go out.¡± ¡°Phew, lady, you are my master now. How do you expect me to turn a blind eye when I know it is going to be dangerous? Since I have already aged a lot, I don¡¯t think that I can be much help to you, but I will be there for you.¡± The other retainers too nodded their heads. Seeing that, the lady couldn¡¯t help but close her eyes. Nobody would have blamed them if they decided to run away from her, but they stayed beside her all the time and protected her, she couldn¡¯t help but feel thankful. Taking back her tears, she gave out the orders. ¡°Everyone attack!¡± It wasn¡¯t long since the new men had gone there, so the lady had the advantage of making damage by the time the new lord is alerted. Hopefully, by the time the news spreads, they manage to take down the new lord. Scarlet¡¯s eyes shone as bright as the blades, accepting every possibility with confidence. After releasing the curse from Hwang Bo-sung, Luke went to bed to sleep but was soon awakened when Philip entered to report an urgent matter to him. ¡°The enemy has invaded?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°There wasn¡¯t much invasion since Hwang Bo-sung was nearby, but it looks like we have taken some damage.¡± The stealth enemy was reported to have attacked the stables and the munition warehouses located on the outer side of the manor. The surprise had worked well as dozens of horses had run away and the warehouses got burned down. Hwang Bo-sung, who was walking around without sleeping in for the night, witnessed the scene. Surprised, he swept the enemies in a hurry. They were surprised by the appearance of a Fist Master, and they decided to run away. ¡°Gigants?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Fortunately, the place they attacked was right next to the Rakan knights lodgings, so we responded quickly by moving our Gigants.¡± Answered Philip. ¡°The identity or the number of the invaders?¡± ¡°Because it was night, we couldn¡¯t figure out the details or the number. We did capture a few, but they show no signs of opening their mouths, yet.¡± ¡°Troublesome¡­¡± Said Luke. ¡°Hwang Bo-sung went chasing, and soon we might be able to find the identity of the enemy.¡± A sector, or a group of men. But Hwang Bo-sung had a huge weapon called, Puppet. As long as he was chasing, the result was obvious. If they were the knights of the empire, he wouldn¡¯t know what to do¡±. However, Hwang Bo-sung had come back empty-handed in the morning. Scratching his head, he reported. ¡°I am very sorry, Lord. The chase after them failed.¡± ¡°What did you say? What even happened?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± And this was what Hwang Bo-sung had explained. At first, it wasn¡¯t very difficult to chase after the enemy. The power difference between him and the enemy was huge. But at some point, however, everything began to turn tangled with the entry of a bow. ¡°That lady, she was shooting the bow like hell.¡± Hwang Bo-sung had initially assumed that the lady was just an ordinary archer. But when the arrows kept on coming at him with ferocious speed, he couldn¡¯t help but rethink. He had never seen anything like that slash of wind, and the sharpness at which the arrows flew, the archer was able to shoot several arrows at once. Even if he was a Moorim skills user, the sound of accuracy from the lady¡¯s shots was first-class. ¡°I was light, and I was fast on my feet too. I ran over for several minutes through the narrow paths. But I couldn¡¯t.¡± After chasing the unidentified archer, the distance increased, and the enemies who attacked were completely lost. The archer too managed to conceal the traces. ¡®Maybe an Elf?¡¯ Among the elves who lived in the forests, there were a lot of agile archers. There were Bow Experts and Bow Masters, and when he heard the story from Hwang Bo-sung, he thought they could be associated. But it was doubtful if such a skilled elf would tie hands with humans. ¡®If we meet the person we will get to know.¡¯ Thinking so, the next morning, Luke ordered the Albertville soldiers which were renamed as the Red Wolf, was out to search, which his mercenaries. Since there were a lot of mercenaries, Luke decided to check on the abilities of them using that occasion. Chapter 270 ¡°Huak, Huk!¡± Scarlet, who barely survived from the hands of the southern warrior, was out of breath. She was exhausted and had to go against a Fist Master all alone as she had to help her colleagues get away. ¡®If It¡¯s just any normal archer, then I might have¡­¡¯ Shaking the thoughts out of her head, she walked toward the north of the forest. ¡°Oh, Oh, Lady! You safely came back!¡± When Scarlet returned, Vante, who had arrived a little earlier, opened his mouth with a little color in his face. One of the retainers was crying, but she refused to think anything unless she confirmed it. ¡°That¡­ Around 50 people were left behind, and they haven¡¯t returned yet.¡± Thud! Some could¡¯ve gotten away, but most of them were either going to end up dead or captured. ¡°It was all my fault. There are such strong men under the new lord¡­¡± ¡°No, no My Lady. We don¡¯t think of it like that.¡± The knights, who were riding the Gigants, were strong, but those who seemed to have come from the southern continent were known to be scary. The reason why their surprise attack failed was because of the southerner. At first, they were surprised. In the middle of the night, infiltrating the secret passage of the lords¡¯ manor in order to delay the enemy, they managed to burn the warehouses and stalls in the gap. Suddenly, the man from the southern continent appeared and the situation changed. Using his fist, he literally hit everyone, knocking down the retainers like leaves. Most of the experts fought against him, but they had taken powerful blows. When such a strong man appeared, it confused the enemy, and everything backfired. Scarlet immediately ordered for a retreat. However, the southern continent man decided to chase after them all by himself. If Scarlet hadn¡¯t stepped in, he might have really killed a few of her men. ¡°What am I supposed to do now?¡± Scarlet briefly thought at the question from Vante. ¡°It is just a matter of time before the location is revealed. We need to move the camp to another place right away.¡± Even when captured, the retainers weren¡¯t going to open their mouths, and the enemy would definitely sweep the mountain to check for the location. With trees and fences all around, the men couldn¡¯t hold more than an hour. ¡°Everybody is tired, and it is hard on them but ask them to pack their belongings. We will move deeper into the mountains.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady!¡± The retainers scattered to carry out her orders. But Luke¡¯s movements became faster. Leading the mercenaries in pursuit, he managed to find their location. He had Gigants and 3,000 soldiers surround them. And just like that, they began to sweep through the region. ¡°Tch! If this continues, we will all die here.¡± As one member of the lady¡¯s retainers climbed the forest tree, they saw the soldiers approaching. Scarlet bent her head, staring at the retainers who were willing to stay with her till the end. ¡°I will never forget the loyalty that you have shown me. If there is an afterlife, I hope we meet again.¡± ¡°Hahaha, even there, I promise to stay by your side.¡± ¡°I am just a soldier with no special skills now, but in that life, I will be a Sword Master and take down the bad guys by staying beside you Lady.¡± ¡°Thank you, Tom.¡± Tom was originally a servant who did house chores in the lord¡¯s manor. But one day, Scarlet¡¯s step-mother¡¯s jewelry had disappeared. The manor had been overturned in search of it, and Tom was accused as the thief. Tom explained that it wasn¡¯t him, but Scarlet¡¯s angry stepmother continued to torture him, asking where he had sold off her jewels. Scarlet checked her step mother¡¯s room and found the jewel that fell behind the dressing table. Tom managed to barely escape death. Surviving that, Tom entered Scarlet¡¯s army and remained alongside her even when the lord had died in the rebellion. In fact, apart from Tom, most of Scarlet¡¯s retainers and soldiers were all men whom she took special care of. She helped some of them when their family members were ill and injured. She also helped a few of them, who were on the verge of selling off their daughters and wives, by taking them into her group. If an army was built in that way, their bonds would burn bright with determination and love. Suddenly, the enemy approached right at their bow¡¯s range. Among them, a white knight came forward and shouted, ¡°Surrender! You are surrounded!¡± Chapter 271 - Waking 5 ¡°So the daughter of the former lord and her followers went into the forest?¡± Luke asked Philip, who had interrogated the prisoners. Those prisoners were caught in the previous night¡¯s invasion. ¡°Yes, Lord. To take revenge for her father, they attacked but ended up getting attacked by Hwang Bo-sung.¡± ¡°Pretty daring lady,¡± was all Luke could say. According to Philip, Scarlet, the daughter of the former lord, was pretty acquainted with Ranghel Region. Despite many young nobles trying to court her, she insisted on not getting married till her death. ¡°And she didn¡¯t even date?¡± ¡°She is entirely different from what she looks. Unless one was stronger than her, she had told that she wouldn¡¯t marry.¡± The problem was none of the knights in the Ranghel Province were strong enough to even attack Scarlet. With just a bunch of arrows, she could break down a shield and even take down a swordsman. Her skills were enough to complete her last mission, only if the Fist Master hadn¡¯t involved himself. ¡°But, she is someone who can¡¯t stand injustice and had people following her,¡± said Philip. ¡°Right. But from whom did she learn to shoot a bow?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know. She definitely has a teacher though. Nobody knows as to who it can be as she hasn¡¯t told anyone.¡± ¡°Really? Well, we can always check for ourselves.¡± Luke nodded when Gavel ran in to report. ¡°Captain, no Lord. We have completed the siege.¡± ¡°You did well.¡± Luke slowly approached the place when he heard the confirming shouts from the soldiers who were conducting the siege. ¡°Surrender, you are surrounded!¡± The moment the warning fell, the response from the other side was rather wild. Swoosh, swoosh! Swoosh! With the sound of tearing air, arrows flew in at a frightening pace. Kang-! Any ordinary expert would have been frightened, but Luke simply just deflected the arrows with his sword. ¡®Oh ho, look at this?!¡¯ On the surface, he pretended to be fine, but Luke couldn¡¯t help but be amazed on the inside. ¡®Hwang Bo-sung didn¡¯t miss a single one of it.¡¯ Going out without preparation would have been an utter failure. ¡°What are you doing? It isn¡¯t polite to shoot arrows at first¡­¡± The moment Luke tried to figure things out, another five arrows came in at preposterous speed. They were all shot with a slight time lag, but they all flew where Luke was standing. Kang! Kwakwang! When Luke hit away all the five arrows, Scarlet couldn¡¯t help but bite her lip. A little while ago, Vante said that the platinum-haired man was the new lord. Destined to hurt him, she used all her strength to hit him, but none of it worked against the man. ¡°Eik! The new lord is quite talented¡­!¡± Next to her was Vante, who was struggling. Vante could only shake his head at what was happening. ¡°This is the Count¡¯s region, but there is a master class warrior from the southern continent, and all the knights are intermediate and higher class experts and the lord himself is known to be a really skilled swordsman¡­ Who is he?¡± From what Vante knew, to have such a power in the Holy Empire, one must be either an archbishop of a high ranking marquis, a prince, or a commander of the Saint Guards. But he had never heard of a young man in that position. And no matter how he saw it, the man looked talented. The rumors about Luke and the Red Wolf Mercenaries hadn¡¯t yet been reported to the Ranghel Territory. ¡°Even if he is an illegitimate son of Arch Duke Gregory, I will kill him!¡± Scarlet grabbed the necklace she was wearing and crushed the jewel in the middle of it. Wheeeing! ¡°Ah, Lady!¡± Smoke began to spread from the crushed gem all over the place, which surprised the retainers. The energy of the smoke was soon absorbed into her body. ¡®Master told me to not use too much of the necklace¡¯s strength¡­¡¯ The necklace was a gift to Scarlet from her elven teacher when her teacher bid farewell. Even among the elves, there were treasures that weren¡¯t known to others. Her teacher said that the necklace was made by an elven priest from ancient times, and it was sealed by the power of the earth goddess, Belize. ¡°Compared to the real power that Goddess Belize possesses, this is a thousand times weaker, but nevertheless, this is still the power from a God. Any human vessel will find it hard to handle, and when used incorrectly, it will end up taking your life.¡± She remembered her teacher¡¯s warning, but she already broke it. ¡®I wanted to keep it with me as teacher said¡­ Well, that doesn¡¯t matter now. I¡¯ve decided to sacrifice my life here!¡¯ Thud! Thud! Maybe it was because of the power of a God but the whole ground shook. In addition, her whole body was dyed with white light. Luke was watching her with his hawk eyes, but he couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. The thing that came out of her necklace was absorbed into her body. He knew what it was. ¡®That is Aether! How did that woman¡­!¡¯ The most fundamental force that made up the world was Aether. But when the world was divided into the Devildom, Middle-Earth and Spirit World, the power soon disappeared. No, the power was divided as well. Not long ago, Luke saw someone use Aether. It was none other than the Holy Pope of the Arthenia Empire¡ªhis missing lover. Reina told him that when she entered the Spirit World, the Spirit King of Wind gave her the power of Aether. But where did this lady get the power of Aether? ¡®Is it related to the necklace that she just broke?¡¯ Kwang! While Luke was still in shock, a flash of light flew from Scarlet¡¯s body and quickly disappeared. The white light that flowed through her body hid itself. ¡°Lady, are you alright?¡± Vante tried asking her, but Scarlet didn¡¯t respond. Staring at Luke with unfocused eyes as if the lady had lost consciousness, she immediately pulled out her bow. Drrrrr! ¡®What? Without an arrow¡­?¡¯ While Luke was wondering what was happening, light began to gather on the bow¡¯s arrow rest, and it took the form of an arrow. ¡®T-that!¡¯ It was an arrow made up of Aether. The arrow attracted the mana around them and began to take up a very distinctive shape. In addition, the white bow soon turned silver. Scarlet¡¯s bow seemed powerful enough to remind Luke of the mythical weapon Failnote. It was a weapon used by Belize in her fight against the Devil. Kaaaaa! The arrow made of Aether flew straight at Luke with a roaring sound; it was as if a dragon itself was roaring. ¡°Lord!¡± ¡°Dodge it!¡± Hwang Bo-sung and Philip screamed when they saw the arrow coming at Luke. They tried to jump in and save their lord, but the arrow made of Aether was fast. Kwang! The arrow exploded with a fierce sound. The moment it exploded, a shockwave was made and the ground nearby trembled. All the soldiers fell to the ground as if they were trying to hide from the shockwave. The soil flew up, and the trees were uprooted. ¡°Lord!¡± The voices of men hoping for Luke¡¯s safety could be heard everywhere. In the place where nothing should have remained, everyone¡¯s eyes were focused there, hoping for something. And what they saw shocked them. Chapter 272 A deep valley to the east of the Volga Republic. In the deepest level of the valley which had been enchanted with magic, was an old temple. The temple had a roof made with numerous branches and creepers, small trees grew densely on the walls of the temple. The only trace for it to be recognized as a temple was the front door, which wasn¡¯t yet covered by nature. Kiiik! The old door was carved with antique wooden vines and an elven woman had opened the door. ¡°You are late, Erwin Lesa.¡± Among the fairies who were seated around the round table, a fairy who made a sharp impression with the two pairs of wings behind him opened his mouth. Hearing that, Erwin bowed and apologized. ¡°Sorry, Elder Nanas. But what is the reason that I have been called?¡± The fairies who were gathered in the temple were the heads who represented each type of fairy. It was kind of delegation, and Erwin wondered who she was and who was in the far South that had been called. ¡°The ritual of opening the door to the Spirit World, was it successful? Or was it a failure?¡± She was not sure why they had called all the way to ask such a question, but she pretended to be calm and answered. ¡°Of course, it fails¡­¡± Trying to say that she had failed, she closed her mouth when she realized that the gazes of the fairies were on here. Their eyes harbored disbelief, displeasure, and doubt. Not surprisingly, Elder Nanas raised his voice after smashing his fists on the table. ¡°How is it that the princess Reina has come back alive if the ritual was a fail?¡± Chirp Chirp! The door behind the room opened when Elder Nanas clapped his hands, and a Suin representative opened it, a familiar dark elf had entered. ¡°Sylvia!¡± ¡°I am sorry, Erwin. I did this thinking that this was for our fairies.¡± Three months ago, Sylvia discovered that the new Pope of the Holy Arthenia Empire was none other than princess Reina, and informed Erwin. Upon hearing the news, Erwin told Luke and asked Sylvia to keep the information secret. If the fairies knew that Reina had come back alive, they would surely try to use her and open the door to the Spirit World once again. And to touch Reina meant to be touched by Luke¡¯s wrath, and Erwin didn¡¯t want any other elf to anger Luke. ¡°If his anger is directed towards us, there will be no future for the fairies. Never ever can we be hostile towards that man.¡± Though not as acquainted as Erenes, Erwin knew that Luke wasn¡¯t an ordinary man. Though Erwin wasn¡¯t on his side, she surely didn¡¯t want to go against him. Which was she had requested Sylvia to keep it a secret and ended up getting betrayed by the fairies for believing in her. ¡°Erwin, not some other men, but the successor of Erenes is doing this. What in the world are you doing?¡± A Lycan chief, who had attended the meeting asked. ¡°That is because you shouldn¡¯t touch the princess anymore.¡± ¡°We will touch! We were told that she was going to keep her promise.¡± ¡°She already did her share of promise.¡± Answered Erwin. ¡°But the door to the Spirit World isn¡¯t opened yet! The promise is only kept when the door to the Spirit World is opened!¡± Losing her temper, Erwin shouted against the fairies. ¡°Trying to force princess Reina?! You fairies have no sense of pride!¡± ¡°We do have. But maybe you have forgotten how many of our men have been sacrificed for the survival of the human race? Fairy hunting continues to happen all over the continent! At least for the future generations, the doors of the Spirit World need to be opened. For that, I can make sacrifices.¡± ¡°Catastrophe! What we mean is a catastrophe!¡± Erwin sighed at the reaction of the fairy representatives. ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect you to object to our needs like this. Then you leave me no choice. Imprison Erwin.¡± At the order from Elder Nanas, a male warrior stepped up and held Erwin¡¯s arms. ¡°Lightning Shock!¡± Swak! Erwin decided to manifest magic which the hand that had been held, and the warrior bounced off. Seeing that, Lycan chief got up from his seat. ¡°How dare you resist our decision?¡± ¡°Huh, anything regarding my body, I decided.¡± With that, Erwin disappeared in a second. She used teleport magic to escape from the temple. ¡°How could this be?! Catch Erwin! And don¡¯t let her get to princess Reina!¡± An elder member who was of warrior and wizards commanded their underlings, who began to chase Erwin. Erwin wasn¡¯t able to run much far. There were numerous magic enchantments in the valley which had interfered with her teleport magic. To stay away from the horrifying fairies who were chasing her, she ran around unlocking the security barriers. ¡°This is crazy! Everyone has lost their sanity!¡± Erwin, who kept on running away, repeated the same words again and again. In order to survive and improve the life of the fairies, it was needed for her to join hands with either princess Reina or Marquis Luke. However, the representatives of them were desperate enough to force the doors of the Spirit World open even with abduction. This was no struggle for survival. The excuse for survival was to recreate the glory of the Abaron Empire, which flourished thousands of years ago. ¡®Are things this bad?¡¯ After the fall of the Abaron Empire, the fairies were persecuted by the humans for the following years. They had already lost their rich lands, and they were often caught by humans and lived as slaves. Good looking elves ended up becoming the soothers for humans, and the famous dwarves who were locked in the smithy shop made weapons and jewelry for the humans. Even fairy pets, like watermen, were treated like pet animals and there were fairies who went extinct. Such human atrocities continued for years, even to the present day, which made the fairies hide deep in the mountains and underground cities. The grudge was totally understandable. Elves, couldn¡¯t hold back their anger when they saw human nobles treat fairies like slaves. ¡®But to create grudge just to solve our own grudge?!¡¯ Even the brutal humans of the current time were enslaved by the fairies and used for livestock during the Abaron Empire. Revenge just repeated in history. Even if the self grudge was solved, and the age of the fairies would come, one day again the human age was going to make an appearance. So they had to admit what went wrong and try not to make history repeat itself. Erwin thought that the only key for the new era was princess Reina. She had never hurt any fairies and willingly participated in the ritual of opening the door to the Spirit World just as she had promised. Only if the fairies had patience and hope, they would end up living in a better world. Which was why she didn¡¯t abandon or dislike her own race. For Reina, both humans and fairies were the same. She didn¡¯t want any of them to live an improper life. And to force such a person for keeping her promise was unforgivable. ¡®I need to tell this to Marquis Luke. I need to stop the tragedy from happening again!¡¯ With the verdict which she thought was evil, Erwin ran all the way to capital Bless of the Holy Empire, where Luke was meant to be. Chapter 273 - The Prophet’s Disciple 1 Wheeeing-! A gust of wind blew through the woods. The scary dust which had gathered because of the arrow of light shot from Scarlet began to reside showing what had happened. Some of the wild trees were broken, and several of the Gigants which were used for surrounding them were pushed back. And if things were like that for the Gigants, then it was only right to mention the soldiers and knights. ¡°Uahhh!¡± ¡°Hold anything close!¡± Luke¡¯s soldiers bounced over even with their shields in the hands, they either rolled on the ground or hit some tree. The knights on the back of the horses were the same, no one was in their position. However, all these things hadn¡¯t entered Philip¡¯s vision. His gaze was only looking for Luke. He who was running over to look check on Luke, stopped at what he had witnessed. ¡®Lo, Lord¡­!¡¯ With his face distorted with a demonic expression, Luke stood tall. The muscles had exposed themselves from the tightly worn armor, and his skin was as black as iron. Philip wouldn¡¯t have been so surprised with Luke stopping that attack, but the problem was with his appearance. A horn-like bulge protruding between his disorganized face, snake-like scales on his arm, and a sword-like rake on the back of his hand. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me, did he end up using the dark magic?¡¯ Philip, who knew that Luke had learned dark magic, felt slumped. He wouldn¡¯t have been worried if no one was around, but there were too many witnesses around. ¡°Kuak, what happened?¡± ¡°I think that arrow of light flew straight towards Lord¡­¡± ¡°Aht! Look over there!¡± A few soldiers had got up from the ground to look for Luke before Philip could fix his broken heart. Purple light shinning around him, Luke had returned back to his original state, but the number of soldiers who was Luke¡¯s monster appearance wasn¡¯t so few. ¡°Did I end up seeing something wrong?¡± ¡°No! it can¡¯t be! Surely the appearance of Lord was weird!¡± ¡°These people! Can¡¯t you be quiet?!¡± Philip had shouted back to the soldiers to calm the situation, but that wasn¡¯t something that could be subsided so easily. There were witnesses from the Rakan Knights, nor just the regular soldiers or knights. The only people who were aware of Luke learning the dark magic were the old men of the Volga Republic and Philip. If such rumors went out, it wouldn¡¯t end with problems rising in just the Holy Empire but even in the Marquis Rakan too. ¡°Did you all just see the power that arrow of Light had? If lord hadn¡¯t stopped it, we would have all been dead!¡± ¡°Ha, but Lord¡¯s appearance¡­¡± ¡°Well, to put it into words¡­ surely like a demon.¡± Those were the words from a Rakan Knight. Philip closing his eyes, soon went to grab the collar of the knight. ¡°This kid! Then are you trying to say that Lord is a demon?! Don¡¯t you know whose blood Lord shares?!¡± ¡°That, that is true, but¡­¡± Luke sighed at the sight of Philip shouting at the younger knight. ¡®I didn¡¯t know that I would have to face Aether arrows in here.¡¯ Nevertheless, the power of the Aether arrow was strong. Thinking that he wouldn¡¯t lose here as he hadn¡¯t lost to the Sword Sage, he figured something out. Patting his chest, Luke looked around and shouted. ¡°What are you all doing? Right away, attack the rebels who attacked us!¡± ¡°But, but Lord¡­¡± ¡°What but? Won¡¯t you attack those men right away?!¡± Luke kept on ordering, but the knights didn¡¯t move that easily. In addition, the soldiers with big round eyes looked for sympathy. ¡°There is one thing I want to ask before following the orders of Lord.¡± A knight whom Philip had just recently grabbed by the collar stepped forward and asked. Philip, who clenched his hands, tried to draw out his sword, but Luke signaled him not to. ¡®If I don¡¯t solve the questions and doubts they have, the suspicion will be amplified.¡¯ ¡°Go on, ask.¡± At the permission from Luke, the knight opened his mouth. ¡°When the arrow of light came to a while back, Lord did stop it. During that time, the appearance of Lord changed.¡± ¡°Ah, that? The thing which looked different?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Yes, your body seemed bigger than usual and your skin was black¡­¡± ¡°Lord had a horn between his head, and looked very similar to a demon.¡± Luke smiled at the words of the knights who kept on describing his appearance. Smiling wide, Luke asked. ¡°Are you dumb?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If I really was a demon, how could I have appeared in front of the Holy Pope or her subordinates? Among her close circle of men, there were paladins and high ranking priests too?¡± ¡°That, that¡­¡± Luke¡¯s question had made the knights step back a little. The man was an ordinary knight with good swordsmanship. Far from the relationship between Magi, Mana, and Aether, they were only aware of demons and gods. The only things such men knew were that the identity of a demon gets revealed in the face of God. ¡°Then, what was it that had happened just a moment before?¡± Asked back the knight. ¡°That? That was a Southern martial skill taught by Sir Hwang Bo-sung. And the name is ¡®Golden dragon martial¡¯ was it?¡± At those words, Luke turned his sight towards Hwang Bo-sung. His words were normal, but Luke was feeling nervous. ¡®He needs to go along with me¡­¡¯ What Luke had said was a plain lie. He had never learned any martial arts form from Hwang Bo-sung, and it wasn¡¯t even known if the skill called ¡®Golden Dragon martial arts¡¯ even existed. To block the Aether arrow shot from Scarlet, Luke ended up using demon abilities and not dark magic. What he used was a third phase of ¡®Build-up¡¯, which Luke had recently developed. In the third stage, the defense was greatly increased, but the problem was that the appearance was very similar to a demon. Which was why he wasn¡¯t sure of using it, but when the situation came, there was no other option for Luke but to use it. If Luke would have dodged it, the men behind him would have gotten killed. ¡°It wasn¡¯t the Golden Dragon martial arts.¡± At the honest answer from Hwang Bo-sung, Luke¡¯s complexion distorted. ¡®Was, am I going to get caught?¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s mouth curled up when he saw Luke sweating. ¡®Fun only till here.¡¯ Thought Hwang Bo-sung. Smiling, he opened his mouth again. ¡°It is Golden Heavenly Fire martial. Master, remember what I taught you.¡± ¡°Ah man, right! Since they are words of the southern continent they sure are hard¡­¡± Luke was trembling with relief. While looking, Hwang Bo-sung decided to sneak. Hwang Bo-sung decided to add credibility to Luke¡¯s lies. ¡°When one uses a Golden Heavenly Fire martial arts, the ki will¡­ no, the mana comes out to the surface. Which was why the skin turned black and the horns began to appear.¡± ¡°That, that is right. Something like an illusion.¡± The knights scratched their heads and began to agree. Knowing nothing about the southern martial arts, they had no choice but to believe the words of Hwang Bo-sung. With a coy expression, they asked. ¡°Can we learn that too?¡± ¡°We will do the very best, just give out the map¡­¡± ¡°Well, with your current level of skills, it can¡¯t be possible. Only men who are as strong as Lord can learn it.¡± ¡°Tch, such a waste.¡± Hwang Bo-sung looked at Luke with frowned expression. He too had noticed that Luke was similar to an apostasy. Nevertheless, it wasn¡¯t because of the grace Luke had showed by erasing the curse from him. Even though he was learning the demon skills, Luke seemed like a person who could use it well and properly. ¡®It wasn¡¯t a sword to hurt the people, but the heart to help the people. The arrows might have gone right through us otherwise.¡¯ When Hwang Bo-sung closed his eyes and thought about the arrows, Philip came out. As the situation had improved, he regained his original composure. ¡°Kay, has everyone¡¯s concerns been answered? Quickly clear off the rebels!¡± With that, the knights and the soldiers began to move ahead. Concerned that it might be their final outbreak, the rebel remnants subdued slowly. The power difference was huge, and the rebel leader Scarlet fell unconscious the moment he fired the arrow. ¡°Surrender! I will surrender!¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t attack!¡± Luke entered the rukus and looking at Scarlet, he asked. ¡°Dead?¡± ¡°No, she is still alive.¡± Luke nodded after seeing her condition. He had a lot to ask her about Aether. ¡®In a moment I exposed everything. She needs to accept the prize she gets.¡¯ Luke, who wasn¡¯t showing his emotions outside, shot a sharp look at Scarlet and moved ahead. Chapter 274 - The Prophet’s Disciple 2 The most common punishment for rebellion was death penalty. And Vante had no doubts that it was definitely going to be death for him this time. Last time, the new lord had released him saying that he didn¡¯t care about Vante¡¯s past actions as long as he had the will to change. However, ignoring the virtuous words, Vante aimed his sword to defend his old lord¡¯s loyalty and flesh. It wouldn¡¯t be just beheading, even if he was torn into pieces alive, there was nothing Vante could even say. Rather than that, the new lord who went back to the lordship asked for Vante to be brought to the office. And he wasn¡¯t punished as well. ¡°If there is something you have to say, go ahead.¡± ¡°¡­¡± When Luke asked, Vante, who was kneeling down, kept quiet. Looking down at the man who had a pathetic expression, Luke asked, ¡°What was the reason to attack? Did you think that you would be able to reclaim the territory with just a handful of power¡­ By killing me, you thought of avenging your former lord?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even show you my face.¡± ¡°Why did you do it if you couldn¡¯t even show your face?¡± Kwang! When Luke threw his fist at the table making a huge sound, the body of Vante trembled. Vante¡¯s heart was in pain. ¡°If the Lord was a man who couldn¡¯t support his army and turned into a traitor, shouldn¡¯t you at least look after his blood! Did you think that you would be able to keep doing stuff till the end?!¡± ¡°¡­ Please, please kill me.¡± Ashamed, having no words to say, Vante put his head on the floor. However, Luke¡¯s voice only became louder. ¡°You want to be killed?! Haven¡¯t you realized it yet?! If I wanted to kill you, I could¡¯ve killed you numerous times already! Nevertheless, what do you think is the reason for me to not kill you or Scarlet!? I didn¡¯t want to unnecessarily call for blood.¡± Vante understood Luke¡¯s intention. Although the former lord ended up making wrong acquaintances and wrong choices, the lord of Albertville was a man with virtue. How would the locals react if they heard about the blood and the retainers of the old lord were getting executed? Hostile words wouldn¡¯t come out right away, but there would be silent opposition, and there would be radicals who dreamed of revenge and a few who would go to the extent of carrying it out. ¡°A way to not call blood. You may not feel helpful for me, and you don¡¯t even have to cooperate with our work, but you must have known that your dumb deeds would risk the lives of all the people the former lord had taken care of!¡± Luke wasn¡¯t the kind of man to stay still if the people of the territory revolted or committed violence. If the entire estate thought of revolting, he would calm it down. But there would be a huge loss of lives because of that. Up until that point, Vante had no suitable answer for Luke¡¯s question. With head still on the floor, he was crying. ¡°Stop for now. I will consult with my men and dispose of your faction.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord.¡± Vante took a step back when Luke stated his verdict. Two days later, Scarlet had woken up. As soon as Luke got the report, he called her over to his office. Her face was red with shame and regret. ¡®She isn¡¯t someone who doesn¡¯t know her mistakes¡¯ The fact that Luke had raised his voice much more than needed at Vante was because of Scarlet. No matter how terrifying the treason was, it was difficult to kill the blood of the former lord who had always been known to be virtuous. That was why he had scolded Vante and tried to crush any little hope in her. Surely that had worked well, but Scarlet¡¯s state seemed like she was almost dead. Luke couldn¡¯t feel the hostility and hope that he had seen in her during the time she shot an arrow toward him. ¡°Sit over there.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± Scarlet was regretting her mistake and seated herself where Luke pointed to. Luke stared at her for a moment and asked, ¡°From whom did you learn archery?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°I will let you know in advance. It is better that you don¡¯t lie to me.¡± There was no way she had the ability to do it anymore, but Luke¡¯s overwhelmingly loud voice killed any hope Scarlet had in her. If she thought about it well, it was a fight with no cause, and she even ended up using the souvenir her Master had left, and yet she didn¡¯t manage to complete her mission. Moreover, instead of killing her, the opponent had the boldness to make her sit in front of him. ¡®I can¡¯t win anymore. He is a man that I can¡¯t break.¡¯ When she realized that, she felt displeased with herself. Scarlet sighed and said, ¡°I learned it from the elves who used to pass through our estates.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t unusual, but I knew that it was the skill of the elves. By the way, who is the elf who taught you that?¡± ¡°Erenes¡­¡± When the familiar name flowed out of Scarlet¡¯s mouth, Luke¡¯s face changed. ¡°Are you sure it was Erenes?¡± ¡°Yes, is he someone you know?¡± At the question from Scarlet, Luke¡¯s expression changed as he answered, ¡°He has been the face of the elves since ancient times.¡± In fact, he knew Erenes from 500 years ago, but people would think he was crazy if he said that, and no one would believe him. ¡®Erenes has taught this woman archery¡­¡¯ Erenes specialized in elemental magic, but he knew how to handle the bow very well. If he had to choose, Erenes would have surely taken archery than magic. Nevertheless, Luke never thought that he would have passed on his vision to a human, a woman. But there was a different concern. It was the power that Scarlet used, Aether. ¡°How did you get the power that you used to attack me?¡± ¡°It was in the necklace that he gave me. He told me that it was the power of God¡­ And that it was difficult to handle, so he told me not to use it.¡± ¡®Did Aether have a seal over it? But, he gave this woman that¡­¡¯ Erenes was known as a prophet among the fairies. It took quite some time before his prophecies would happen, but his prophecies always came true. There seemed like there had to be a reason as to why he had passed this vison of archery and handed it over to a woman. ¡°Has he said anything else?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Well¡­ When the night is darker than ever, he told me to hit the light on the shell of the big sea turtle. Do you know what it meant?¡± ¡°Well, not at¡­¡± Some of the prophecies of Erenes were straightforward, but some of them were metaphorical. The latter was often the most important ones. The problem was that they were so hard to understand that people would only realize that it had happened once it happened. ¡®Should this be regarded as the arrangement of Erenes?¡¯ Perhaps, Erenes knew that Luke would meet Scarlet since he had passed his archery and handed over a sacred skill and left a prophecy behind. ¡®Well, even if that wasn¡¯t the case, she is worthless if she is dead.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just about her archery. Scarlet hadn¡¯t realized it yet, but Aether was in her body. It wasn¡¯t known when the power in her would wake up, but if she knew how to handle it, it would be great. With just an arrow of light, quite a few Sword Masters could be taken down. When Luke was in his thoughts, Scarlet, who was nervously waiting for her disposal, opened her mouth. ¡°What are you going to do with my retainers?¡± ¡°Well, I did give you the chance to live quietly, but you kicked it out of the window, and the rumors had already spread outside of the estate, so living your life silently would be very tough.¡± ¡°Phew, I guess so. If this enters the ears of Arch Duke Gregory, he will try to eradicate the remaining rebel remnants.¡± He wasn¡¯t the kind to tolerate any danger to the pope¡¯s authority. Would he let these rebels alive? Never would he. They would be executed in a horrible manner to set an example for the others. ¡®I should¡¯ve listened to Sir Vante¡­¡¯ Luke smiled while watching Scarlet sigh with a dark expression. In fact, if Reina was there she would have dealt with the situation very silently. But in order to make the girl and her followers obey him, he needed to scare them a little bit. ¡°Since you are the disciple of Erenes¡­ Would you rather do this?¡± ¡°What are you suggesting?¡± ¡°Leave the Holy Empire. I have a lord acquainted in the Baroque Empire, and he will hire you and your retainers upon my recommendation.¡± ¡°So, you want me to leave my home town?¡± ¡°How long do you think you can live quietly?¡± Scarlet thought for a moment. Living wasn¡¯t going to be easy. However, to keep her retainers alive, she decided to follow the advice given to her by the young man. ¡°I understand. I will follow your advice,¡± answered Scarlet. ¡°You thought it through.¡± Luke wrote a letter for Scarlet right away. Scarlet took her letter of recommendation and opened her eyes. The new lord recommended him to the Marquis Rakan, the famous warrior. ¡®I thought that he was an unusual person, but to be an acquaintance of the Warrior¡¯s descendant¡­!¡¯ Scarlet was impressed. ¡®Huhuhu, how will she react once she knew that I am the Marquis of Rakan?¡¯ Luke was curious and decided to delay the fun for a later time. ¡°Ah, and the power that you used¡­¡± ¡°Are you talking about God¡¯s power?¡± ¡°To be precise, it was the power of Aether. The power is still new to you. It is as dangerous as it seems, so I¡¯ll let you know how to control it.¡± Scarlet was slightly puzzled. Was the man able to control the power of God that she hadn¡¯t felt before? But she soon understood. He knew her master and a warrior¡¯s descendant. He even managed to prevent the attack with his own power. He might know how to handle the power of God. ¡°Can God¡¯s power really be controlled?¡± ¡°Aether, not God¡¯s power. I have some personal experiences and a few things I have heard from other men.¡± Luke informed Scarlet about his techniques and the ones Reina informed him before leaving Bless. And it wasn¡¯t long before he revealed it since he learned that Scarlet possessed the vision, but more importantly, it was because she was taught by Erenes. It wasn¡¯t just teaching, he had revealed a lot of stuff and provided her with power. ¡®How would Erwin react if she saw this? Would she be jealous?¡¯ Luke was very excited to see once the two of them meet. He couldn¡¯t imagine how dangerous the situation was for Erenes¡¯ immediate disciple, Erwin. Chapter 275 - The Prophet’s Disciple 3 A meadow to the north of Rhodesia Continent. Located between the Volga Republic and Holy Arthenia Empire was a vast land that was turned rugged due to the numerous nomadic people residing in it. A thin elven woman was walking on such a path. Across the grassland, moving her body was the disciple of Erenes, Erwin. ¡°Huk! Egh, huk¡­!¡± Erwin was suffocating and her body was in terrible condition. Her head was completely covered with dark blood, and her body was covered with small and large wounds all over it that could be seen through her clothes. There was a broken arrow in her back, and her face was distorted due to the pain that was coming from the arrow that had stabbed her lung. It wouldn¡¯t have been very strange for her to have collapsed with such pain, but Erwin, pulling all her strength, pushed herself to the southeast. ¡°I need to hurry¡­ If I don¡¯t tell Marquis Luke about¡­¡± Erwin was muttering the same words for the past few days, stumbling all over the place. To reach the place she was standing, she had already fallen down a lot of times. She tried to wake up a lot of times and move ahead, but this time, her body wasn¡¯t listening to her. ¡®I guess this is as far as I can go¡­¡¯ She hadn¡¯t even reached half the distance. She hadn¡¯t told Luke that Reina was in danger. A lot of things ran in front of Erwin¡¯s eyes when she saw the grass in front of her. A child running away hiding behind her father. That was when she had first met her Master. Creating the artificial magic stone that revolutionized the continent, Human beings turned away from the world, disappointing her by behaving in a way she had never thought of. ¡®And then I met him.¡¯ Luke de Rakan. He who possessed the soul of the Devil Sage, Saymon; the man who was called the Devil King 500 years ago. A strong man who used the power of darkness but wasn¡¯t tainted by it. A pure heart. Before her master passed away, he told her that the world was being dominated by the men who killed Luke¡¯s beloved. A fight against the world where people weren¡¯t being given the chance to live like humans. And that fight was still going on. The fight to protect the woman who was considered to be the embodiment of his past lover. Erwin had never expressed her intentions, but she was strongly attracted to the pure and strong heart of Luke, and she wanted Luke to fulfill his wishes. She was also very envious of his beloved lady, Reina. ¡®I too have turned into a stupid woman.¡¯ It was because she had refused the request of the fairies. The fairies would never be able to erase their hate for humans. Their obsession with the glories of the past would result in constant discord and darkness over the world. But Erwin wasn¡¯t ready to persecute Reina, who had kept her share of the promise. Rather than for her cause, she didn¡¯t want Luke, the man she loved, to be sad or be hurt or be filled with anger. ¡®If I knew I was going to end like this¡­ I would¡¯ve been a little honest.¡¯ The regrets she felt all rose up to her eyes, blurring her vision. But before losing her consciousness, she could feel the sound of people moving. ¡®Who?¡¯ Were they the lycan warriors who had been chasing after her? But the mana wave was similar to a human, a human knight. Finally, when the knight got closer to her, Erwin had lost her consciousness completely. ¡°Huhu, I was wondering why the crows were flying around¡­ But to see an elf in this place¡­¡± An elder knight, stroking his nasty beard, stepped off his horse and examined her condition. ¡°You spent too much mana, and you have bled a lot. In addition, with the open wounds, you have a high fever¡­¡± The knight very carefully pulled out the broken arrow from her back. Then, taking a small vial out of his sleeve, he poured its contents on Erwin¡¯s wounds. Shhhh! The wound healed very quickly with a sizzling sound. Not just that, Erwin¡¯s pale complexion had begun to go back to normal. ¡°It has been a long time since I used it, but this still works. Is it because it was made by the elves? If I knew this, then I might have taken more.¡± The knight looked at the empty bottle with sad eyes and threw away the bottle. ¡°Kuak!¡± The bottle hit the bushes from where a scream had come out. As if he knew who it was, the knight stood up. ¡°How about you show your faces? At this age, I am not a fan of playing hide and seek.¡± From the bushes, the lycans began to appear from various sides. They were the warriors who had followed Erwin upon the orders of the fairy representatives. Slowly counting the number of warriors, the knight scratched his head and screamed. ¡°Uhh! This is huge! I guess I¡¯ll have to deal with a lot more than I thought!¡± The knight pulled out his sword that was hanging by his waist. The lycan warriors, who were wary of their opponent, looked unsure when the knight pulled out his sword. A rusted sword. In addition, it was short enough to be called a Short Sword. Except for the fact that it went well with the ugly knight, it was a sword full of disadvantages. Soon, the embarrassed eyes of the lycans began to show rage. ¡°Grrrng! Are you teasing us¡­¡± Puck! They tried to pull their weapon but weren¡¯t able to finish their words. The knight approached him in a moment and kicked the lycan in the heart. The lycan flew to the sky and bumped into the dark elf archers who were behind. ¡°This man!¡± Shung! Kakakang! The lycan warriors rushed in and swung their swords at the same time. However, the swords of the warriors that clashed with the knight¡¯s rusty sword were easily deflected. ¡°This, this can¡¯t be!¡± ¡°Be careful! This isn¡¯t a normal skill!¡± The warriors surely had to but the dark elves, who were behind them, moved further back as well. They were all warriors. They had a good ability to judge their opponent. As soon as they realized that the man was strong, they abandoned their pride and fell back. ¡°Die, you human!¡± Dark elf archers began to shoot arrows, and the warriors flooded in. Even as the arrows flew in, the knight with the rusty sword was still confident. ¡°Kuak!¡± As the arrows hit places, screams broke through from beings rolling on the ground. They were the dwarves who were preparing for a surprise attack. ¡°Tch, you should have shown your face when I asked you to.¡± The knight shook his head and moved like a wind toward a lycan warrior and struck the warrior with his sword. Wheeeing-! ¡°Grrrrng! ¡°This makes no sense¡­!¡± In a moment, all the warriors fell to the ground. The last thing they saw was a crimson light aura. All who remained were the dwarves hit by the arrows and the dark elves. In the midst of the one-sided situation, the eldest dark elf opened his mouth with a trembling voice. ¡°I-I can¡¯t be mistaken. This crimson aura has to be¡­¡± ¡°Huh? You know me?¡± With a chilly expression, the knight smiled and fixed his sword. ¡°Then I can¡¯t let you live.¡± ¡°Kuk!¡± As the knight stepped forward, the surviving pursuer began to escape, including the archers who recognized him. It wasn¡¯t just death that scared them. They had an obligation to report the appearance of this man, who unexpectedly interfered. Because of the existence of the knight, it could be a great hindrance to the republics as well as the fairies. But thanks to that, the knight was able to save his energy by not having to wield his sword anymore. ¡°You people don¡¯t even understand jokes, but your act was wise.¡± Putting away his rusty sword, he turned toward Erwin once again. Her condition had improved, but she hadn¡¯t yet gained consciousness. It was because of the strain of tension and fatigue her body had accumulated over the past days. ¡°If your condition is like this, then I won¡¯t be able to leave you alone¡­ I need to take her to a nearby village.¡± The knight decided to take the elf. He placed her on the horse¡¯s back and headed south. The only thing left in the place where Erwin was found were the crows circling in the sky. Chapter 276 - Assassin Master 1 A black sun rose over the sky which was colored in twilight. Humans and fairies fought desperately on the blood-reddened earth. ¡°Kill them!¡± ¡°The descendants of Abaron, dry away from the seeds of humans!¡± ¡°How dare the slaves act!¡± ¡°Stop them! Don¡¯t ever take a step back, for the glory of mankind!¡± As cries of anger and pain rose from both sides, the battle reached its end, the grey mist was hovering over the horizon. The ones who were barely alive and those who managed not to die walked out from the mist. The blood-stained earth and the twilight sky began to turn gray. It was time for everything to erode with silence, light, and death. A silver giant broke through the gray mist. The giant which had light in one hand and darkness in the other clasped both its hands. Kwarrrng! Along with a terrifying growl, a brilliantly colored rainbow stretched from the giant¡¯s hand, and the gray mist began to retreat. ¡®A dream?¡¯ Erwin woke up to the shout of a morning hen. Waking up she realized that she was in a strange place. ¡®Village? I must have fallen in the field¡­¡¯ Erwin recalled seeing a human knight when she lost her consciousness. ¡®Was I saved by him?¡¯ Knock, knock. At the sudden knock, Erwin looked at her clothes. Her wounds were all healed, and she was lying down in a small but comfortable bed. She wasn¡¯t sure who the visitor was but knew that he wouldn¡¯t harm her. ¡°Please come in.¡± When the permission to enter fell, the door opened with an elderly knight coming in headfirst. The unrefined beard and old armor which made him look like a mercenary of history. It was evident from the mana waves that he was the same man who had come to her when she lost her consciousness. ¡°Is your body alright?¡± Asked the elderly knight. ¡°Yes, all thanks to you.¡± When Erwin thanked him politely, the knight smiled. ¡°I am Erwin Lesa. And you must be¡­?¡± Asked Erwin. ¡°My name? you can just call me Rick. And you don¡¯t have to feel grateful to me. It is natural to help someone in need.¡± Erwin smiled a little at Rick¡¯s words. When she had first come across Luke, she remembered him saying something very similar to that. Anyway, she was just glad to have met a nice person. There were quite a number of humans who didn¡¯t consider Elves to be of the same social statue and tried to make them into slaves of selling them off. ¡°But, Erwin was it? It is a name that I seemed to have heard a lot about¡­¡± Erwin took Rick¡¯s reaction normally. More than a 100 years ago, she had developed the technique to artificially produce the magic stones. The production of artificial magic stones brought about a revolution in the world of magic, and she had turned into a famous figure in the continent¡¯s magic world. The elder fairies weren¡¯t very fond of her. Because of that achievement, many people had heard the name of Erwin¡¯s even though she wasn¡¯t a wizard. However, it wasn¡¯t because of the production of the artificial magic stone that Rick had known her. ¡°Yeah, it is very similar to the elf who saved me. His name was¡­¡± ¡°Was it Erenes?¡± Asked Erwin. When Erwin asked if it was Erenes. Rick bumped his clenched fists and nodded. ¡°Right. It was Erenes. Around 20 years ago, he saved me and gave me some very precious medicine. Is he your father, Erwin?¡± ¡°No. he was my teacher.¡± ¡°Really? Huhu, this is a strange coincidence. I was saved by the teacher and I saved his disciple.¡± Erwin¡¯s eyes were red. Rick¡¯s words about it being a coincidence weren¡¯t true. Erenes had the eyes which could look into the future. ¡®Teacher, I am alive because of your arrangement.¡¯ Erwin wiped the tears away from her eyes. Rick noticed her emotional outburst and kept silent, so he looked at the window. A guy cleaning the chimney on the opposite roof was staring at them. Camouflaged as a cleaner, but it seemed like the man was a dark elf. Probably the same gang of creatures he saw yesterday. Honestly, Rick had a fairly bad relationship with the fairies. It was because he had helped a few men destroy their families. However, it was a fairy who had saved his life. He had tried to forget everything he did that for the past 20 years, but the pain and grudge in his heart hadn¡¯t disappeared. So, if possible he never wanted to go back to Volga Republic, so, when he saw a fairy from the Volga in there, he was very grateful. ¡®Still far from weeping.¡¯ Rick shook the thoughts from his head and asked Erwin. ¡°Miss. Erwin, did you commit any sins against the fairies of the Republic?¡± ¡°No, it is they who want to sin, and are after me. They¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk more about this on our way. I think that it would be better for us to get out of this inn. Before anymore annoying men come in¡­¡± ¡°¡­ understood.¡± Erwin responded. Rick covered the window with the curtain. In the meantime, Erwin along with Rick escaped from the back door of the Inn. Soon after they left the village, they diligently ran towards the southeastern side of the Holy Arthenia Empire. ¡°I am very sorry that you have been involved in such a situation because of me.¡± ¡°It is okay. I am helping the disciple of his.¡± Rick shook his hands saying that he didn¡¯t mind while staring at Erwin and asked. ¡°But we can¡¯t keep running away. And is there anyone who can help you?¡± ¡°There is someone to whom I need to tell something and it is more important than asking for help. Probably in Bless by now¡­¡± ¡°Bless? Well, it is nice that my destination is there too.¡± Answered Rick. ¡°To Bless?¡± ¡°Exactly. They heard from men that his son earned a huge title from the last civil war.¡± Rick boasted but soon spoke with a mixture of loneliness and doubt. ¡°You know, a son who can¡¯t be alive is getting¡­¡± Said Rick. ¡®He can¡¯t be alive? What the hell is the story behind it?¡¯ She was curious, but Erwin wasn¡¯t able to speak to Rick who had a long face. Chapter 277 - Assassin Master 2 Perhaps the name Henry was one of the most common names in the Rhodesia continent. Common names, common looks and the words that differed. Henry had a mediocre appearance which could be forgotten as quickly as possible and was surprisingly great for an assassin. That too, not an ordinary assassin. He was the head of the assassin master of the assassination organization Hydra, created by the Baroque Imperial. It was him who was the dangerous member of the Hydra and was admired by the members. And as such, Henry had received a royal order awhile ago. ¡°Get rid of Luke de Rakan. Leave no trace of what he did, but make it look like a nobility.¡± Henry, who reached the land of Rakan, hovered around the target from far distances. Sometimes disguised as a servant working in the manor, and sometimes as a merchant who had gone to trade with the Marquis of Rakan. There was a reason why he couldn¡¯t go straight to the assassin part. ¡®Information gives us a chance to adapt and know through different eyes.¡¯ Henry had always taken his sweet time to observe the target before assassinating. Even if running out of time, it always made sure to verify the target for a week. He had to see and confirm with his own eyes, whether the information collected by the organization was indeed correct. Some of the assassins believed in at sight and their abilities, such men failed their assassination mission or suffered much greater defeats. Unlike those lowly men, Henry was able to carry on his success streak of never failing to perform his assassination tasks, all thanks to that care. ¡®Most of the information is the same, but what is it with the behavior and tone?¡¯ Henry had been spying on Luke for some time and caught something odd. The marquis of Rakan had gained fame for being a Rune Knight. His name began to come with the battle against Count Monarch, and had won the war with the Volga Republic during his military service, and was declared as a hero. It wasn¡¯t just that. He had shown his ability as a Lord by placing the small manor to a huge title of marquis. However, such a dangerous man, often used frivolous speech, not in the line of skill or fame. For that reason, they were always looked upon by the retainers. ¡®An exaggerated rumor, maybe? Or is he hiding his true face?¡¯ That wasn¡¯t marquis Rakan, and the retainers¡¯ achievements were unknown. However, he had to be careful of them. It was a proverb that the hawks hide their claws till the end. A man who was so great that he hides his true nature doesn¡¯t show his skills in front of the other. ¡®He will be much greater than what is known. So being careful isn¡¯t bad.¡¯ The tiger which hides in the bushes to catch the rabbit was the best one. How could an assassin right away kill a Rune Knight whom the Emperor seemed awfully wary about? ¡®Don¡¯t be over-cautious! As always, I am paying attention!¡¯ Henry was determined. The time when the moon wasn¡¯t completely down, the dark filled dawn. Henry crossed the manor¡¯s fence with a stealthy cloak darker than the darkness. There was magic detection everywhere, and the guard dogs, but none of them had noticed the intrusion of Henry as he was an Assassin Master. It was as fast as the wind moved, and like a rock when stopped. Far from the sound of the foot, there was no sound of breath and no odor was coming out of the body. But the stealth was surprising. As he passed through the garden, Henry on a tree, saw the inside of the manor and he was completely aware of the wall¡¯s furniture. He hadn¡¯t seen a single knight passing by. All of that was due to the artifact he had gotten from the ancient Mado Era, which was given to him by the Emperor. The artifact, called Chameleon Brooch, gave a different level of power than any normal invisibility magic. In addition, there was an ability which disabled the detection magic, and that doubled the ability of Henry¡¯s to infiltrate the manor. ¡®Lord¡¯s bedroom is in the middle of the third floor of the manor. There are two escorts standing at the entrance¡­¡¯ Near the bedroom, Henry pulled a small box out of his arm. When he opened the lid of the box, a small green moth fluttered towards the escorts standing at the entrance of the bedroom. ¡°Hwaaah. I feel sleepy all of a sudden.¡± ¡°Yeah. I shouldn¡¯t be falling asleep¡­¡± The Moths were dusted in sleep powder. Henry laughed at the men who fell asleep and entered the bedroom through the door. ¡®As known to the world, Marquis Rakan, a Rune knight with 6 circle magic and is the best swordsman. Did he surpass a Sword Master with combat power?¡¯ Considering that the man was hiding his skills, the Marquis was greater. And Henry was alert, yet not afraid. Because he was an Assassin Master who can stop the Sword Master. Srrrk! Henry, as if slipping on an icy road, approached the bed and pulled out the long slender needle from his hand. When the needle, which was made from grinding a purely high-quality diamond, stabbed in the chest, the target would die of a heart attack. In other words, it could be disguised as a natural cause of death with no traces left behind. Henry carefully raised the needle and lifted his head after checking the posture of the sleeping figure. But right then to his dismay, a voice came from behind his back. Chapter 278 - Assassin Master 3 ¡°Ahe, kitty. Stop pretending like you are asleep and get up, will you?¡± Flustered, Henry turned his head. When it appeared, a man in a black uniform with a sharp impression stood while leaning his back against the wall with his arms crossed. However, the man¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t turn to Henry. It went right to the bed. It was Marquis Rakan, who stood up from the bed and stretched. ¡°Tch, a guy who doesn¡¯t understand romance! I was here trying to have some fun, but you suddenly appear and interfere.¡± Flustered at the sudden appearance of Marquis Rakan, Henry jumped back to widen the distance between the two of them. He had just confirmed that the one sleeping was the marquis. But wasn¡¯t he asleep? Was he aware of the assassination attempt on him? Marquis Rakan and the man who was having conversation flustered Henry. ¡°To be assassinated only after finding romance twice.¡± ¡°Huh, did he think that we wouldn¡¯t notice a body coming over?¡± ¡°Well, with the cat¡¯s ability, we¡¯d know enough.¡± At Belfair¡¯s words, Sebastian straightened his hair. ¡°Kyak! I told you to not call me a cat or a kitty!¡± ¡°What am I supposed to call a cat then?¡± ¡°If you call me that one more time, I will start calling you a bat!¡± As an Assassin Master, the stealth and ability of Henry were very good. Chameleon Brooch, in particular, perfectly assimilated the surroundings for him. However, his opponent was none other than the greatest stealth devil from the Devildom, Sebastian. The ability to hide, clear, infiltrate one¡¯s body, he was much proud of himself than the other high-ranking demons in the Devildom. That was why he caught Henry¡¯s presence much earlier than anyone. As he was curious as to how the assassin would enter, he acted like he wasn¡¯t aware and let the assassin boldly infiltrate the manor and enter the master room. That was why he let the assassin do as he pleased, but Belfair had appeared at just the right moment. ¡°Rather than that, why are you here?¡± ¡°I have errands to run according to master¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°Errands?¡± ¡°Letter for Hans¡­¡± When the conversation began to deepen between Sebastian and Belfair, Henry pulled out two crescent-shaped weapons. It was a foreign weapon, Harpe. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you found me, but today is the day your life ends!¡± Although he was found, Henry didn¡¯t think that his assassination attempt would fail. His mastery of assassination was handed down to him by the great Bharat, which was equivalent to the Song Empire on the southern continent and a Sword Master. In reality, 2 years ago, he succeeded in killing a newly born Sword Master from the Volga Republic in a head to head battle. When Henry¡¯s sickle flew toward Luke ruthlessly, Sebastian smiled and hid behind Belfair. ¡°Ehh, I am a little busy, so deal with it!¡± ¡°Huh, you are such a fuss!¡± Despite knowing how to disguise himself, poison his enemies, and be stealthy, Belfair had to face Henry on behalf of the infamous Sebastian. Belfair smiled and tackled Henry¡¯s Harpe with his Blood Shock. ¡°It was a sharp attack. It is enough for the lowly.¡± Henry frowned and decided to quickly deal with his opponent. He wielded his Harpe in a flash and began to go against Belfair. Dozens of alter egos created by the fierce trajectory of Henry disturbed the vision of Belfair. When he wasn¡¯t sure which one was the real Henry and whom he had to attack, Belfair took a step forward and deployed the Silver Sword. Kwang! When three weapons collided, powerful lights clashed together. Shockwaves smashed the furniture in the room, and both Belfair and Henry were pushed away. Belfair was surprised at the power his opponent possessed. ¡®You are indeed a good assassin, but compared to the master¡¯s blow, it is nowhere near good.¡¯ Unlike Belfair, who smiled in between, Henry looked serious. It was because the man, who was hindering him from finishing his mission, was stronger than he imagined, and with the sound of shockwaves, knights and soldiers began to swarm to the corridor. He could kill the man with just a slash, but killing the lord needed more time. ¡°Dammit, it can¡¯t be.¡± Henry decided to retreat and threw himself out of the window. Grrrng! ¡°What was that sound?¡± ¡°An intruder! Catch the intruder!¡± The knights of the lord were drinking when they sensed an emergency from the lord¡¯s room, and Henry, who was completely sober, flew in the sky like a flying squirrel. Seeing that sight, Belfair clicked his tongue. ¡°Tch, running after something not realizing that it was fake.¡± It wasn¡¯t Henry who was flying. Cunningly, the moment he jumped out of the window, he pulled a dupe scarecrow from behind him and threw it in the opposite direction and ran away. ¡°Ah, cat! You can trace it, right?¡± ¡°Obviously! This Sebastian hasn¡¯t lost his touch!¡± Sebastian sneaked a trace of incense on Henry before hiding behind Belfair. As assassin was a kind of figure who could retreat anytime, so Sebastian used it in advance. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I can¡¯t miss the food that almost entered my mouth.¡± The two demons looked at each other and laughed a little. They then began to chase after Henry. Henry, who escaped the manor, ran straight to the forest. His face was crumpled with shame. It was the first time that he had ever failed in an assassination mission since he turned into an official assassin. ¡°Today, I had no time, but the next time, I will be sure¡­¡± Henry couldn¡¯t even finish his words and froze. Both Belfair and Sebastian stood in front of him. ¡®How did they follow me?¡¯ ¡°HuHuhu. We ran after you when you fled.¡± In front of Henry who was embarrassed, Sebastian spoke. But after seeing that, Henry backed off. ¡°Go ahead Belfair! Show a bitter end to the idiot who dared to assassinate our master.¡± ¡°You are noisy. Even if you don¡¯t tell me, I was going to do that.¡± ¡®This, what is this man¡¯s identity?¡¯ Upon hearing Sebastian¡¯s voice, Henry noticed that his target was a fake. He had been constantly feeling that something was strange, but he didn¡¯t even think that the Marquis Rakan, Luke, could be fake. ¡®Damn those men! Weren¡¯t they even able to understand this!¡¯ Henry was extremely upset with the Imperial Intelligence Department. It was a pity that his mission failed against a fake, but the important thing was that he had to get out of there. Henry grabbed his Harpe again, and Belfair pulled out his Blood Shock. Shortly after Belfair began to unfold the Silver Sword, Henry pressed a button on the Harpe¡¯s handle. The Harpe¡¯s blade began to rotate at a high speed. ¡®What is he doing?¡¯ Belfair, who was puzzled, watched the dark fog flow from the weapon. The grass and trees that the dark fog touched quickly began to die. Belfair stepped back, yet he was already wrapped in the dark fog. Almost immediately, he groaned, and blood started to come out of Belfair¡¯s mouth. ¡°Keuk, this! This!¡± ¡°Kukk. This is Absolute Poison a mixture of 12 demon poisons from the Devildom. So far, no one had managed to survive this!¡± Henry¡¯s Harpe wasn¡¯t an ordinary weapon. Along with the Chameleon Brooch which was a famous assassin from the ancient Mado Era, there was terrifying poison hidden in it. Rotating the Harpe caused the powder poison to flow out of the sickle, and if poisoned by it, even an 8th circle wizard or a Sword Sage couldn¡¯t survive. A while ago, this was what he tried to use in the room. ¡°Devil¡­ Devildom poison?¡± ¡°Hahahaha. Yes! No one can make a cure except for me, who is resistant to the poison¡­ Ah, no!¡± Henry creamed loudly. This was because Belfair, who was on the verge of death, got back up. It was because of Sebastian, who was behind him. He sprinkled a white powder that he took out from Henry¡¯s sleeve. The white powder was the antidote of the Absolute Poison. Henry couldn¡¯t believe what just happened. No man he had ever used it against had got back up! ¡°T-this can¡¯t be happening! Absolute Poison can¡¯t be cured. Even a substitute¡­!¡± ¡°Hung, what is the use of a venom with such a great name?¡± Sebastian sneakily said. Absolute Poison was nothing less than an old artifact to him, the greatest freak and a poison expert. ¡°You, what¡­ Who are you?¡± Asked Henry. ¡°Huhuhu, if it is this body you¡¯re talking about, it is I, Sebastian, Devildom¡¯s greatest killer of all time!¡± ¡°What? A demon cat? What nonsense!¡± Henry rushed toward Sebastian. However, Belfair stopped Henry from getting close. At the same time, Sebastian sent a small marble over to Henry. Thud-! ¡°Ahk!¡± Henry, who got hit by the marble, stumbled. It wasn¡¯t just any marble; the marble broke out and the solution it contained flowed out. But the solution turned out to be a poison. Henry felt a stinging pain in his eyes. No matter how serious the pain was, Henry flung his Harpe while covering his eyes and groaning. ¡°Kuakkk! T-this is!?¡± Assassins were trained to endure pain and torture. Like an Assassin Lord, Henry could even laugh even if he was being badly beaten. However, the pain he was experiencing was terrible! It felt like his eyes were being dug by thousands of ants, and his brain was being burned. ¡°Huhuhu. I mixed the red ants from the Devildom dessert and the Cotaris¡¯ saliva to make a great poison. The more you try to endure it, the more painful it will be.¡± ¡°Tch, tch, idiot. To boast about poisons in front of Sebastian¡­¡± Belfair clicked his tongue. There was a saying in the southern continent. It was something similar to showing off a sleazy talent in front of an expert, and that was what Belfair meant. ¡°Ahk! Ahh! I can¡¯t die like this! Henry hurriedly pulled out an antidote scroll and ripped it. But realizing that it wasn¡¯t going to work, he ran over to Sebastian and Belfair. ¡°I can¡¯t just die like this! I will take you to hell with me!¡± ¡°Where did you say you were taking us?!¡± Belfair stopped Henry with his Blood Shock. Henry¡¯s attack that seemed to be ignoring death shed some light, and it was revealed. It was because the poison energy that invaded his body spread at a frightening rate and that made him unable to attack properly. ¡°Kuakk!¡± Eventually, Henry, who had a sword pierced through his chest, screamed and fell to the floor in pain. Sebastian spoke when Belfair was about to finish him off, ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit of a waste to just kill him?¡± Sebastian had a nasty smile that was very demon-like. ¡°I am working on something, and I want to use him as an experiment.¡± In the meantime, when he was made to carry out orders on behalf of Luke, Sebastian had to give up his enjoyable hobby and specialty. He had a lot of time in his hands, and now he even had a great test subject, so his desire burned much brighter than ever. ¡°Would you like to make him a subordinate? Right, that¡¯s what we need since he knows his stuff.¡± ¡°Hehehe, right?¡± The two demons were in their line of conversation. While Henry was still on the ground to a point where he didn¡¯t even have the strength to kill himself, he felt himself being dragged by Belfair. He then lost consciousness. Chapter 279 - Assassin Master 4 Not knowing how much time had passed, Henry woke up and looked around him. He was surrounded by gray bricks. There was an iron bar window that was as long as a person¡¯s forearm. Perhaps, it was a prison. Apparently, a dungeon in the Rakan. ¡®Why didn¡¯t they kill me?¡¯ The answer to his question was going to come very soon. ¡®Kuk, those stupid men. They thought that they can suppress me just because I got caught.¡¯ Assassins who fail in their missions were often captured. And in preparation for that situation, assassins had a method to kill themselves. The same was true for Henry. Assasins had a vicious poison that could kill a giant troll hidden between their molars. He bit his molar and tried to release the poison. However, when he tried to crush it, nothing was crushed in his mouth. ¡°Are you searching for this one?¡± He suddenly heard a voice. As Henry turned his eyes to where the voice was coming from, he could see a man seated in the dark. He was Marquis Luke. No, it was Sebastian who was in Luke¡¯s form. Sebastian, who was playing with the poison capsule, dropped it on the floor. The capsule rolled on the floor and fell into a nearby sinkhole. ¡°Oh my, what am I supposed to do? It just slipped out of my hand?¡± Teased Sebastian. ¡°Uhhh, don¡¯t you dare mock me. Just kill me already!¡± Henry, whose body was tied with a rope, shouted. Sebastian laughed out loud and shook his head. ¡°What is it? Do you hate it?¡± ¡°I-if you think that I¡¯ll open my mouth if you torture me, then you are mistaken!¡± ¡°Why would I even bother torturing you? The one behind you is Emperor Rudolf. I can tell just by looking at you.¡± Henry was flustered with Sebastian¡¯s words. ¡°T-then why keep me alive?¡± ¡°Kukkk. I had to perform an experiment with you.¡± As Sebastian gave an evil smile, the door of the dungeon opened with Belfair slowly coming in. He was holding something in his hand. He handed it over to Sebastian with an annoyed look. ¡°Do not make me go on such an errand ever again.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Rather than the thing that Belfair brought, Henry was more amazed at the people who followed him. A young mercenary, a middle-aged pebble, a girl in a waitress uniform and a wandering wizard. They were the members of Hydra who had come in along with Henry for the purpose of supporting him and providing information. Henry wondered how did the two men know about them and capture them even though they were disguised? No, they might have been caught. But why were they following Belfair like they were his subordinates? And why were they not shackled? ¡°What the hell did you do to them?!¡± Shouted Henry. ¡°What do you mean by that? I made them my demon subordinates.¡± Belfair smiled, showing his sharp fangs. Henry didn¡¯t seem to recognize it, but there were teeth marks on the Hydra members who turned into slaves. It was the evidence for Vampire Delusion. In the case of small animals, dominant eyes were enough to subdue them, but when it came to higher organisms with intellect, it couldn¡¯t be used for long durations. So, in order to control them, vampires would strengthen the fluids in their bodies to dominate their victims. ¡°D-demon subordinates? Aren¡¯t you two humans?¡± ¡°Yeah, we are demons who won¡¯t fall for you humans.¡± Thud! Henry fell into despair. Belfair smiled while looking at Henry¡¯s face. Belfair wasn¡¯t a demon who could feed on a human¡¯s emotion like Sebastian, yet after seeing Henry¡¯s desperate face, Belfair felt happy. ¡°De, de, demons! Why would demons be helping Marquis Luke? Did Marquis Luke summon you? Did the descendant of the warrior sell his soul in exchange for power?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Belfair¡¯s expression was troubled when he heard Henry¡¯s questions. Actually, the relationship between the demon and the human was reversed, and the demons weren¡¯t ready to say that they were the faithful servants of Luke. ¡°Aht! The captured subject is asking a lot of questions! What are you doing Sebastian! That experiment or whatever it is, do it quickly!¡± Whether Belfair had said it or not, Sebastian drew a magic circle on the dungeon¡¯s floor. After a while, once the magic circle was complete, he placed the objects that Belfair brought to complete the circle. ¡°It is done. Now bring him over.¡± At the words of Sebastian, Belfair moved the slaves. Subsequently, the slaves approached Henry and dragged him out. ¡°Let me go! You guys! Have you forgotten your loyalty to His Majesty?¡± Henry¡¯s cries and screams didn¡¯t reach the hearts of his subordinates. They did remember their past very clearly, but they had already changed their loyalty toward Belfair and not Emperor Rudolf. The slaves bound Henry who was struggling and placed him at the center of the magic circle. Henry looked around. The objects he saw were of demon stuff. Cow¡¯s liver, pig¡¯s intestines, goat¡¯s skull, and a snake¡¯s skin, they were all gloomy and wicked. He didn¡¯t know what they were trying to do, but it didn¡¯t seem like it was being done for a good thing. ¡°You men, are you trying to perform a demonic ritual in the land of the warrior? But¡­¡± ¡°Are you caught by the information around you? You don¡¯t have to worry so much. This is originally the Devil King¡¯s castle.¡± The Magi remaining in the Devil King¡¯s castle would mask a demon¡¯s acts. No, even if it couldn¡¯t cover it, it didn¡¯t matter. The retainers who felt the psyched Magi would simply dismiss the anomaly as it came from the Devil King¡¯s castle. Sebastian, who was looking at Henry with mocking eyes, began to recite the spell by burning an incense. ¡°Ahura De Madrakara, Wusel Re Wuz Boger¡­¡± Henry¡¯s eyes changed as Sebastian began to recite the spell in the old demon language. He started to get dizzy and blurry like a drug stricken patient. He felt dizzy with tiredness, and thirst and drowsiness began to overcome him. Henry bit down his lip to endure the pain and for him to not lose consciousness as well. However, his body had lost its strength. ¡®What are they planning to do?¡¯ Henry looked down and was startled. It was because he saw his own body that was tied and was lying to the ground at the center of the magic circle. It was a scene that people normally couldn¡¯t see. ¡®T-this is Astral Projection (Out of body experience)!¡¯ Things about it were known to few. Demons normally took one¡¯s soul after making a contract with the warlocks, but sometimes, they would perform despicable tricks to force the souls out of their bodies. It looked like Henry¡¯s soul had gone out of his body because of a demon¡¯s act. No, it wasn¡¯t entirely separated. It was only separated halfway from his physical body. ¡®No way! They are trying to force my soul out of my body!¡¯ Souls that were possessed by demons would forever suffer. It was a punishment that was worse than death. ¡°Huhuhu. This is my first time doing this, and it worked out well!¡± Sebastian approached Henry¡¯s body with a dagger made of monster bones. Henry struggled, trying to find means to escape. However, because of the evil technique, his soul couldn¡¯t escape nor could it go back to his body. He had no choice but to take in Sebastian¡¯s dagger. Chapter 280 - Assassin Master 5 ¡°Uaahk!¡± The whole body of Henry was tingling with pain as if needles were being pierced into his flesh. The two demons who were right in front of his eyes were enjoying the scene with smiles on their faces. ¡®My soul!¡¯ Henry hurriedly looked at his soul. Fortunately, the soul was returning back to the body. He knew that if he would have to live in the hands of a demon, they would have to suffer and never die. ¡®Huh? the rope loosened?¡¯ The rope which was wrapped around Henry¡¯s body began to loosen. Henry, who wanted to use the opportunity, got himself up after entering the body to run. Right then, when he moved his head, Sebastian stabbed a lumpy black chunk into Henry. ¡°Ahhk!¡± Suddenly feeling pain, Henry fell to the ground right away. While he was like that, Sebastian continued to stab the black piece and Henry struggled every time because of the pain. ¡®This, this pain, why¡­?¡¯ It was a kind of pain that he had never felt before. It seemed trembling with fire like someone was trying to tear off the flesh with forceps like someone was applying salt and chili to his open wounds. Simply put, he was feeling all the sorts of pain he had experience at once. ¡°A success?¡± ¡°Huh, I think it was a success. Normal humans would have just died in instant, but this guy is used to poison so¡­¡± While Sebastian was answering Belfair¡¯s question, Henry, struggled to wake up. ¡°What. What did you do to me?¡± ¡°Huh, I guess you can speak.¡± ¡°Ahhk!¡± When Sebastian hit the black chunk once again, Henry rolled on the floor hitting his fist to the ground to subdue the pain. He tried to shake off the extreme pain that was being inflicted on him, but he couldn¡¯t hold it. ¡°This is a piece of soul which had been taken away from you. Even though it is just a piece of soul, you have no choice but to obey those who own it.¡± Sebastian saying so stroked the black stone, or the piece of soul while explaining. Strangely, a smile rose from Henry¡¯s mouth. It was because he felt like his master was stroking him for being a good child. However, Henry¡¯s smile soon crumbled. With Sebastian¡¯s words, he realized the situation that he was in. ¡°Did you enslave me?¡± ¡°You still haven¡¯t gotten all of your senses back?¡± The wicked master grabbed the soul stone tightly. 100 times more intense pain was being inflicted on Henry¡¯s body. It was so painful that he was tired of being treated like that. ¡°Kukkk¡­ please¡­ kill me!¡± At the scream of Henry, who was being much more polite than before, Sebastian shook his head. ¡°It was so hard for me to get this piece of soul, and now you want me to kill you? Why? Do you think that you¡¯ll be free if you are dead? You won¡¯t be free for even a little. As long as this piece of soul is in my hand, your soul belongs to me. This is what I want, I can put your soul in a human or a dog¡¯s body.¡± ¡®Sh*t!¡¯ When Sebastian smiled with a grin, Henry could feel himself being engulfed into torture. He clearly understood the situation that he was in and thought of what to do. ¡°Give that here!¡± Henry jumped up from the ground and rushed towards Sebastian. But the moment when Henry got hold of the stone, he fell down with pain. ¡°Kuakkk! Why, why would¡­!¡± ¡°You stupid man. This can only be used by me. When someone else touches it, you will only end up feeling terrible pain.¡± ¡®That, that can¡¯t!¡¯ There was no solution. With huge anger, Henry seemed like he was going insane. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to be so desperate. I am a broad-minded demon. I won¡¯t bother using it uselessly.¡± Sebastian, who spoke to the desperate man, picked up the fallen soul stone from the ground and swallowed it. With that, Henry was to become the subordinate of Sebastian forever. ¡°Whether you want pain or comfort, it is up to you. So, it would be much better if you can quietly accept your fate.¡± When Sebastian was done talking, Belfair who was watching the scene with interest led the subordinates out. ¡°Ahhhhk! Akkkkk! Eukk!¡± In the dungeon, heartbreaking cries began to ring, but both demons didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°How long will he be kept? 100 years? 200 years?¡± ¡°For starters, isn¡¯t there a lot of work to be done under our master? You and I have a lot to do anyway.¡± At Sebastian¡¯s words, Belfair just nodded. In fact, it was simpler to just kill the spies or assassins than to use them as a slave. Nevertheless, the reason they chose the specific method was because of their desire to entrust him to Luke¡¯s work, and the pleasure they would gain by the hunger and cravings of the slave. ¡°Won¡¯t master say something when he knows about it?¡± ¡°Well, he has to be killed either way. If master doesn¡¯t like it, then we can always get rid of it.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± The two demons decided to not take the matter so seriously. Because of their small hope to be comfortable, they didn¡¯t realize that it was going to cost them a lot of work later on. Chapter 281 - The Return 1 Luke decided to visit Jason Manor which was at the border before returning back to Rakan. It was because he hadn¡¯t looked at the Dark Moon magic tower since he had moved them there. ¡®I have something to take from there.¡¯ When Scarlet¡¯s party left, and his work in Albertville was done, he called for his men. Philip along with the Rakan knights was told to take a look around Jason estate, and the subordinates of the mercenary groups were told other words. ¡°In a while, I will head to the capital.¡± ¡°Huh? Why to the capital all of a sudden?¡± ¡°There is an urgent affair to deal with there. It will take a few days, so don¡¯t act negligently to your surroundings and do what has to be done.¡± ¡°Understood, don¡¯t worry, and return back safely.¡± Luke suddenly told the mercenary that he was heading back to the capital, yet none of the mercenaries doubted him. It was common for a powerful lord to advance to the capital and take office in there, to perform in political and social activities in the capital. Moreover, Luke was a special case. ¡°The new Lord, is it real that he is dating the Pope?¡± ¡°It is true. The rumor has it that they danced together at the banquet.¡± ¡°Hu hu hu. Was the sudden departure a love affair?¡± ¡°It is all when you are young. All the time here, he might have missed seeing the face?¡± Without realizing that there were rumors going around in the territory, Luke lied to them about the departure to the capital and headed to the border. ¡°Uh, I did hear that it changed, but this is a total change.¡± Luke opened his mouth as he saw the lush trees and plateau. He heard that the Jason territory wasn¡¯t developed at all, but he never thought that even roadways wouldn¡¯t have been constructed. ¡®It may be that there are no good resources or special material, but might be for military purposes.¡¯ Probably because it was very close to the Holy Empire, it seemed like the estate was neglected to destroy a possible invasion route from the enemy. But trying to use it as an invasion route to the Baroque Empire was of very little value. The forts of the Albertville and the other western provinces of the Holy Empire were too great to deal with. ¡®Anyway, the men of Dark Moon might have gone through a lot in here.¡¯ Luke was feeling a little sorry for them who were producing the Gigants and Hero class Gigants for him. ¡°Did they say that the Magic Tower was being made by remodeling the old castle? If I fly away it will be seen fast.¡± After looking at the map for a moment, Luke flew to the highlands to see the Dark Moon. ¡°Master, you are here!¡± When Meister Johas received a message from his disciple that Luke had arrived, he went to the lobby and bowed to him immediately. ¡°You might have been busy, why did you come? I could have come to your office.¡± ¡°How can I put our zeitgeist through that trouble? You must have come to see all our disciples, but this old man was the only one who has come to see you.¡± ¡°I guess so. But you did well.¡± Luke intended to keep his relationship with the Dark Moon a secret. It was because the thoughts of the Rakan family retainers were likely to jump up, and he didn¡¯t want to inform any other warlocks about his identity apart from Johas and Rob. ¡®In case my identity gets revealed to the world, it will turn into a huge problem.¡¯ Luke decided to speak to Johas, who was watching him closely. ¡°Anyway, the reason for me to come here, I¡¯d like to take a look around the tower.¡± ¡°I will be your guide.¡± Johas voluntarily took the lead. Luke, who stood up, pushed the hood on his head and followed the Meister. The appearance of the two was noticed by a few warlocks who were moving. ¡°Who is it? Looks like a nobleman?¡± ¡°Uhm, if Meister is being so polite, then he must be a high ranking noble or an official from the Volga Republic. Maybe a left hand or right hand of someone.¡± ¡°Has he come to hone our Hero Gigant production?¡± ¡°Since there aren¡¯t many things they care for, they want a lot.¡± Everyone shook their heads and ended their interest. Luke, who laughed at their words, followed Meister Johas to the production workshop. Chapter 282 - The Return 2 Swoosh! Swoosh! Thud thud thud thud! The inside of the Gigant¡¯s production workshop was too hot. In each of the workshops were dozens of wizards and engineers. The workers working there were sweating while performing their tasks. Each time a magical spark lit, various magical machines moved. An iron would get shaped and the magic circle would appear on the ground. Luke, who watched the entire process from behind, couldn¡¯t help but burst into admiration. ¡°This is brilliant. It has only been around 2 years, and you have managed to prepare a workshop of this size. Above all, it is amazing how meticulously structured it is.¡± The size of the workshop was larger than Katarina Magic Tower, which recently expanded the production facilities. Even when compared to the headquarters of Veritas Magic Tower that was currently occupying the 1st place of the top ten magic towers, the Dark Moon wasn¡¯t that small. At the praise from Luke, Meister Johas responded with a proud face. ¡°We have increased the size of our production workshop 3 times more than before and expanded our labs and other workshops 2 times more than before. The efficiency of the production equipment and the various magic tools were also maximized. All of this was because of your support.¡± In addition to providing them with a manor, Luke¡¯s slush funds were largely involved in the construction of the Dark Moon Magic Tower. When they were struggling because of a lack of funds, Luke supported them by giving them a huge sum of money. Those funds were part of the gold ingots produced in Rakan mines that were under the supervision of Kirillov, which have been secretly stockpiled by Luke for emergency situation. ¡°The supply and demand?¡± As the scale increased, more wizards, engineers, and workers would be needed to fill the slots. ¡°Even though all the students who were sent to the Volga Republic and the magic towers were brought in, with the lack of manpower, we either buy slaves or gather refugees to fill the lack of workers.¡± According to Johas, there were a lot of refugees hiding in the Jason Estate than what was known outside. They were people who ran away because they couldn¡¯t pay their debts, and living wasn¡¯t going to be easy for them because of monsters and slave hunters. ¡°So, they were willing to come because of some food from the magic tower and protection from potential dangers. Of course, we aren¡¯t just going to give them access. We have whipped up some rules, and we prevent them from going outside.¡± ¡°That is nice, but wouldn¡¯t they be reluctant to work if they know that it was being run by warlocks?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Well, since most of them are people who don¡¯t know the difference between wizards and warlocks, no problem of such has arrived, and we made sure to brainwash them.¡± The slaves were said to be more active than the exiles. After working for quite some time, Johas promised to liberate them from slavery. He did that so that the slaves would have a strong dissatisfaction with enslavement in the world. The Dark Moon Magic Tower¡¯s warlocks were using the anger and the rebellious nature of the slaves to unite them and make them members of their magic tower. ¡°Anyway, there is no need to worry about that. We have been able to stay hidden for over 500 years because we have considerable know-how in finding, nurturing and managing talent.¡± ¡°Then, I don¡¯t need to worry.¡± In the last part of the tour, Johas took Luke to the most secluded Gigant workshop of the magic tower. In that place, three new hero class Gigants that had been just recently developed were displayed. From the Gigant¡¯s head to toe, it comprised of 15 meters. The body of the Gigant kept pulling Luke¡¯s eyes. Its heavy armor that was covered with various magic circles felt like it could even break down mountains or split the seas. ¡®Amazing! It feels like a legendary giant is standing in front of me!¡¯ There was a reason why a weapon with no life was bringing out Luke¡¯s interest. It was because of the strong will, commitment and devotion that the workers poured into making such a masterpiece. In other words, the new hero class Gigants were beyond the word called ¡®masterpiece¡¯. Looking at the Gigant for quite some time, Luke asked Johas, ¡°Is this based on the Atlas blueprint that I gave you?¡± ¡°Yes, I named it ¡®Orion¡¯.¡± ¡°Orion, huh? It¡¯s named after a giant from the myths like Atlas?¡± In the past, Luke had handed over the hero class Gigant¡¯s blueprint, which he had stolen from Veritas Magic Tower¡¯s Brandon branch, to Dark Moon Magic Tower. Dark Moon spurred the development of the new Gigant, which was based on Luke¡¯s given design, and with a lot of trial and error, they managed to make three hero class Gigants. ¡°Would you like to ride and see it for yourself?¡± At the question from Johas, Luke coldly nodded his head. After his reincarnation, Luke thought of touching a Gigant as a means of exploring the truth. ¡°Then enter the guy who is in the middle. That one has been added with special magic features unlike the other two.¡± ¡°Special magic features?¡± Luke asked with curiosity. ¡°You will understand once you enter.¡± At the prompt from Johas, Luke hurriedly entered the cockpit of Orion. -Please, install Helm. ¡®Huh?¡¯ As soon as Luke sat in the cockpit, a beautiful voice of a woman entered his ears. As Luke was a little taken aback, he noticed an object similar to a helmet placed in the front of the cockpit. Luke was curious about the unusual shape of the hollow head sphere that was placed in front of his eyes. There were small engravements of magic with magic characters. ¡®Oh ho, this is¡­¡¯ Luke wore the thing called the Helm after taking a look at it. Then, a new voice entered his ears. -Orion steering system and rider¡¯s sense have been synced. Slight dizziness might occur, but if you feel any severe abnormality, please discard it. He saw a light shining in front of his darkened vision, and as the view widened, the scenery inside became clear. However, Luke¡¯s field of view was much wider compared to a Gigant¡¯s usual view. It seemed like he was actually watching through the eyes of the Gigant and not just controlling it. ¡°Haha, is this the function of the Helm?¡± The voice of Johas entered Luke¡¯s ears as he heard what Luke said. ¡°Zeitgeist, the Helm that you just used was a consciousness-based magic which we have been learning in the Dark Moon Magic Tower for a while. So, with the help of the Helm, it is like the rider and the Gigant has become one.¡± ¡°Indeed! This way, we can increase the reaction speed by aligning the senses of the Gigant and the rider!¡± Said Luke. ¡°I suppose that it will react much faster than Atlas or any other Gigant that will be developed on the continent in the future.¡± ¡°I guess so, but it will take time for a rider to get used to the Helm.¡± Luke started to move Orion to feel its reactions. He swung his arms in places, walked around and even ran. After a while, while holding a practice sword, wielding it lightly, he hit a steel scarecrow built on one side. Slash! It was just one strike. The steel dummy that was cut from its left shoulder to its right side collapsed. Thud! As the dummy collapsed, the vibrations of its fall subsided. Johas approached Luke and explained. ¡°Orion¡¯s output is 3,700 fight higher than Atlas.¡± ¡°I feel that too. But to feel it like this, I think that it isn¡¯t enough?¡± ¡°Then, how about sparring?¡± There was nothing better than to fight with a Gigant. Luke willingly accepted Johas¡¯ suggestion and went out with Orion. Chapter 283 - The Return 3 There were 5 Gigants that were prepared ahead of time. They were Dark Moon Magic Tower¡¯s knight class Gigants with 2,200 fight, ¡®Piero¡¯. Unlike its ridiculous appearance, it was quite a good enough force that was being used as the main force by the national guards of the Volga Republic. ¡°The level of the riders who are using it is also high. Should we do a test?¡± Luke slowly moved Orion forward. Then, the riders of Piero quickly entered and surrounded Orion. Hweeing! Hweeing! Chained hooks flew from two Pieros on the left and right sides. The hook wrapped itself around Orion¡¯s arms and pulled it. The other three launched their planned attacks. ¡°Hut. This is quite pretty, but it won¡¯t work on me.¡± Luke lightly manifested lightning magic. The mana required for manifesting lightning magic was amplified by the core engine and was instantly delivered from Orion¡¯s arms that were chained. ¡°Kah!¡± Frightened by the lighting shock that was coming his way, the rider was shocked, and Luke decided to fight back. After pulling the hooks from the Gigant, Luke threw them toward Piero and attacked. ¡°Ahh! Be careful!¡± Thud! Thud! When Luke wielded the Gigant¡¯s chain, the flustered riders immediately broke off the chain. They did try to fire back again, but Luke managed to get ahead of them. He went in between the Gigants and wielded the practice sword. Kwak! Thud! ¡°Kuk, don¡¯t panic and fight back¡­¡± ¡°This can¡¯t be. I can¡¯t even follow his movements!¡± The fight with the 5 Piero Gigants was one-sided. Luke wasn¡¯t using Gigantic Aura or the Gold Sword, and he only used magic once. Nevertheless, the Pieros were captured because of Orion¡¯s overwhelming power and superior reaction speed. ¡°This is great! This is just amazing!¡± Luke¡¯s face, which had come out from the hatch after the practice match, was shinning. Because of those praises, Johas smiled with a warm expression and began to tell Luke the story about Orion¡¯s development. ¡°Honestly, Orion¡¯s prototype was made in just three months after master gave us the design.¡± They were already under the rhythm of creating a bio-golem called Goliath, so even if the blueprint was a hero class, it wasn¡¯t much difficult for them to make it. ¡°Even then, since we want to make sure that the Gigant we will make is perfect, the completion of the prototype took time.¡± They were greedy when it came to creating an unprecedented Gigant, and that kind of behavior had never been seen in the World of Magic. The elders of Dark Moon, who were unsuccessful in creating a Gigant with the same performance as Atlas, began to use their heads. As a result, it was possible to develop a high powered core engine by implementing psychological magic in the cockpit. By doing so, the performance of a Gigant could get a score of 100 or even 120. ¡°Honestly, from the time of Goliath¡¯s development, some of the Dark Moon¡¯s elders have been studying the magic of psychological system related to tuning. However, we had to go through a few trials and errors when applying the magic to a Gigant.¡± Bio-golem was basically organic. It was cultured with a special magic solution and was not much different from a human¡¯s body, except for the fact that it had no digestive system. So, it was easy to apply the tuning function using the psychological system. ¡°But ordinary Gigants weren¡¯t compatible. We couldn¡¯t synthesize organic and inorganic materials. We couldn¡¯t apply the magic functions that were used to Goliath.¡± ¡°That was why you developed the Helm. Was that a way for you to convert the information flowing into the Gigant into simpler mana waves recognized by the brain and transmit it back?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Indeed master. As expected, you understand the theory behind it right away!¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re the one who is great here. I was just thinking about it, but I would have never been able to make it.¡± In any case, it would take quite a while for a rider to get used to the Helm and the sync functions. ¡°The only problem is the cost. Orion, which uses the Helm, required rare magic materials, radium alloy, and other special processing¡­¡± ¡°So how much did it cost to make one?¡± Johas, who had been thinking, calculated and responded to Luke¡¯s question, ¡°It costs around 600,000 pesos including the development costs.¡± ¡°Hmm, that is equivalent to an entire year¡¯s tax revenue,¡± mumbled Luke under his breath. ¡°But once the mass production starts, the unit¡¯s price would drop. Orion would be much cheaper than that if we don¡¯t include the Helm.¡± Even then, the production cost of any hero class Gigant was going to be enormous. No matter how great of a weapon it was, its cost would be its weakness. Although he was quite wealthy, there was a limit to the resources that the Marquis of Rakan could get his hands on. ¡®However, the hero class is a strategic weapon that cannot be easily obtained no matter how much a person is willing to pay, and if you think about it like that¡­¡¯ Luke thought of something and gave instructions to Johas. ¡°We will provide you as much money as we can. With general specifications, make at least two Orions a year.¡± ¡°Understood, master.¡± ¡°And look for a substitute material to replace the radium alloy. If it all worked together, there will definitely be an alternative.¡± Luke stored three prototypes into his subspace ring. One for Baron Rogers, the chief of the Lordship, and the knight commander. In addition to that, Luke also took 6 knight class Gigants and 20 warrior class Gigants. The Gigants were intended to be purchased from a familiar magic tower and provide them to the newly established Red Wolf Knights in Albertville. ¡°But, master.¡± When Luke was done with his task and was ready to leave. Johas opened his mouth with a stiff face. ¡°A few days ago, we received a call from a disciple who infiltrated Veritas, and he said that a large number of materials are being moved in secret.¡± Johas¡¯ camouflaged several young disciples a long time ago to infiltrate Veritas Magic Tower. They turned into fixed agents and steadily granted information they gathered in there, but one of such message had been reported recently. A large number of magical materials and food were being carried from Veritas Magic Tower to somewhere else in secret. Since the identity of the spy wasn¡¯t in a high position yet, he wasn¡¯t granted the information. ¡°Huh, did that Arsene finally show up?¡± Although the Imperial Army and the Empire¡¯s army did intervene, there were numerous opportunities for Arsene and Vertias to wipe out the reformers. And time kept on being dragged. So Luke thought they had something up their sleeve, but finally, a clue had been given to him. There were many things one could do with magic materials and food. For one, Arsene could be secretly raising an army of wizards or mass-produce warlocks. Or maybe he was making undead, zombies or ghouls. ¡®I need to go and see it for myself. There are presents that I want to pass onto him.¡¯ Luke, with a small smile, returned to Albertville. After handing over the Gigants that he brought, he took both Philip and Hwang Bo-sung back to Rakan Estate. Chapter 284 - The Return 4 ¡°You have been through a lot, Lord.¡± ¡°I am very glad for you to have come back.¡± When Luke made his return, the retainers had all gone to welcome him at once. Moving to the office room, Luke had told them all the experience that he had obtained in the Holy Empire. He did keep a few secrets to himself, but the retainers were astonished and admired Luke for the stories he told. ¡°Alas!¡± ¡°All that happened!¡± ¡°I am so glad that you got to see princess Reina again.¡± Everyone was delighted to know that Luke had seen Reina, who turned into the Pope of the Holy Empire. Their feelings were natural as they had seen Luke suffer miserably for the past two years after she had gone missing. ¡°But I find it hard to believe that the princess really became the Holy Empire¡¯s Pope.¡± ¡°What is there not to believe? Isn¡¯t it the perfect thing for our princess, she was always so faithful in her deeds?¡± ¡°However, no one can just sit in that place because of that.¡± A while later, when the extreme mood subsided, Luke ordered for the fact of Reina becoming the Pope to be kept as a secret. ¡°The only reason why Reina didn¡¯t come back is to stabilize the Holy Empire and add strength to me. The problem is that there are still rebel forces within the Holy Empire. And that is also the case with Constantine¡¯s faction which has been dismissed.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Although Arch Duke Gregory is backing her, we shouldn¡¯t just discard out information which turns into our strength.¡± The problem was the Baroque Empire. If the Empire knew that the Pope of the Holy Arthenia Empire is Luke¡¯s lover, Reina, the emperor would surely try to place a check. Everyone who understood the situation nodded their heads, all for Luke. ¡°By the way, is there anything else?¡± Luke had already heard of the rough situation from their Argos. However, he wasn¡¯t aware of anything recent. Butler, Hans answered. ¡°A few days ago, a man who called himself as the Prince, Aslan of Konrad Kingdom has asked for a meeting with the Lord.¡± ¡®Prince Aslan?¡¯ From what Luke knew, the family of Duke Ferrierd escaped from Alvera and disappeared. He heard of them running away, but the Prince Aslan of that family, appeared in his Empire and asked for a meeting? ¡°And so what did you do?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Because it seemed suspicious, we delayed the interview for one reason or another and he went away. Maybe a fake.¡± ¡°That so?¡± That day, dozens of people had come to meet Luke. Among them, there were many who claimed to be the heirs of the fallen kingdoms or the noble families. ¡°Ah, by the way, did everything start well for Dixon officer?¡± ¡°Yes, ten days ago, I secretly pulled out a few low ranking executives to help rule Albertville.¡± ¡°Nice. By the way, have you found out the motive of Shaikan¡¯s?¡± Asked Luke. When Luke was in the Holy Empire, the Orc Hero Shaikan had come to Rakan estate and managed to defeat the high ranking knights, including Rogers and Kaper. He also attacked Belfair, who was practicing. Perhaps he was the one behind the monsters who were making the fuss in the Baroque Empire, so Luke ordered the head of Argos, Hudson, to look into his whereabouts. ¡°We have deployed all the agents of Argos into it, but he still seems to be on the move.¡± ¡°Yeah? Then there is nothing we can do. Halt the search.¡± Said Luke. Luke cared for Shaikan, but he wasn¡¯t so impatient to meet either. He thought to extend talks if he ever came back. ¡°What is the situation between the nobles and the Emperor? Is there any sign of Civil war?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Hans thought for a moment and answered. ¡°In recent times, the Emperor¡¯s movements have been very active. Because of that, there are constant conflicts, but it seems like either side is refraining for making any serious conflict.¡± ¡®Should I enter?¡¯ Luke had solid evidence that the Emperor intervened in the Civil War. It was he handed it over to the nobles, they won¡¯t standstill. Most likely, it would turn into a civil war with just a little instigation. ¡°And princess Margareta?¡± ¡°She left a while after Sebastian¡¯s message. Phew¡­ if Sebastian wasn¡¯t there, it would have turned very annoying for us.¡± ¡°I guess so, Sebastian is much better at dealing with women when compared to me.¡± The Marquis of Rakan and his retainers knew that Sebastian was a very talented man, and knew that he displayed his talents in Navarre Duchy. He was a flirt and had a temperament, but he was the only person who could replace Luke when he was absent. ¡°By the way, Baron Rogers and Kaper aren¡¯t seen.¡± Luke looked around the room and asked. ¡°They have been practicing all day long since the defeat with Shaikan. Should I call for them?¡± ¡°No, there are things to talk, I will go and see them later on.¡± Luke shook his head and continued the meeting. With about 30 minutes of receiving reports and taking actions related to the territory, the next topic went to ¡®newly recruited talent in estates¡¯. ¡°This time, we took about 300 lower executives after the tests. I heard that Lord too has caught some fish from the Holy Empire?¡± ¡°Even though I don¡¯t want it, you¡¯ll meet them later.¡± When Luke clapped, the door of the office room opened and a man entered. The stranger who looked were weird to everyone in the room and came inside with his fist clasped in the other hand. ¡°Is he¡­?¡± ¡°Yes! He is Sir Hwang Bo-sung, who has recruited Lady Scarlet from the Holy Empire.¡± ¡°Ah! This friend is a fist master!¡± The retainers who were confused soon began to exclaim. ¡°I have become a retainer, I hope to get along with everyone.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Hans and the other retainers were always in the front when it came to recruiting new talents. And what was more, it wasn¡¯t just a normal talented person, but a master-class leader. Everyone approached Hwang Bo-sung and asked for a handshake or welcomed him with a friendly conversation. ¡°You might still feel a little awkward since we have different cultures from different places, so don¡¯t feel too cautious when trying to say something.¡± ¡°Haha. I will try.¡± Luke smiled intently at the faces of his retainers. There was a reason why he had brought in Hwang Bo-sung into the Rakan estate. He was planning to change the thoughts of the old retainers of Rakan who were stuck in their old beliefs and using Hwang Bo-sung and his different culture from Rhodesia, Luke thought of bringing in a change. ¡®Of course, the change won¡¯t be coming any time soon.¡¯ There was no way that the thoughts of a person could change that easily. However, no matter how long it took, Luke wanted to continue his attempt to change. Since there was no guarantee that he could always hide the secret related to his power. Chapter 285 - The Return 5 The headquarters located in the lordship for the knights. On the other hand, there was a training room specifically for the knights. There were two knights sweating from wielding their words constantly. One was with a Gold Sword and the other was a Silver Sword, Baron Rogers, and Commander Kaper. The two men had been defeated by Shaikan the last time he had engaged in a sudden battle. As a result, they were able to achieve a significant improvement. However, from their expressions on their faces, they didn¡¯t seem to be satisfied. ¡®I can¡¯t go against Shaikan with this!¡¯ ¡®Can¡¯t I unfold the Gold Sword much faster and strongly?¡¯ As they were devoted to their training, they weren¡¯t even aware that Luke and Hwang Bo-sung were watching. ¡°Master, the one on that side looks like a Sword Master. And that side looks like a higher Expert.¡± ¡°Yeah, they have progressed one step higher than when I left. They have changed while I was away. I need to thank Shaikan for it.¡± ¡°I, want to compete with them. Training match with the strong men makes the blood of Hwang Bo-sung boil.¡± Hwang Bo-sung bumped both his fists and asked for permission. But Luke just shook his head. ¡°It isn¡¯t the time now. I have something for them. I¡¯ll give you that chance later on, then you can fight freely.¡± ¡°You must keep that promise.¡± Luke made a promise to Hwang Bo-sung and approached the two. The two wielded their swords ignorantly even when Luke could be seen from the corner of their eyes. They assumed that it was Sebastian. But soon, they were shocked. ¡°Woah, Lord?¡± ¡°Master!¡± With the intense energy which came out from their body, they realized that it wasn¡¯t the fake Luke. Luke immediately greeted them. ¡°Hu hu hu. I heard the story. That you were smashed by Shaikan?¡± Both Rogers and Kaper¡¯s expression turned red. ¡°If you put it like that! If we meet again, I will put my hands on his neck.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be easy to deal with this time.¡± ¡°Good to hear. If you continue with that mindset, you will be surely able to surpass Shaikan.¡± Luke¡¯s praise and encouragement relaxed Rogers¡¯s expression. ¡°But, when did you come back?¡± ¡°Just a while back. I have a gift for you guys, follow me.¡± ¡°Gift¡­ do you mean?¡± ¡°Yeah, a very special gift which you can probably expect.¡± Luke took the two men to Katarina Magic Tower. When they entered the main hall of Katarina Magic tower, dozens of wizards and engineers were gathered in one place, including Meister Mute. ¡®What is it?¡¯ ¡®What is going on?¡¯ Unlike Rogers and Kaper, who were puzzled, Luke smiled. It was because Luke knew why they were there. As they got closer, they could hear the conversations which were happening. ¡°Oh, how the hell did this¡­!¡± ¡°I liked that I developed a Knight class, but I was a frog in a well.¡± ¡°Where did our Lord even get these Gigants?¡± ¡°If this is the level of the Gigant, then it must be made in one of the top 10 magic towers. With whom is our Lord even acquainted?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it crazy if this was one of the ten magic towers? When did the new Gigant even be developed?¡± In the place were the wizards and the field leaders were looking, were three Gigants. The wizards and the field leaders, who were busy talking among themselves weren¡¯t aware that Luke was approaching them when they found out that Luke was there, they were surprised. ¡°Lo, Lord!¡± ¡°Would you please move a little?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The path was made when wizards and the field leaders retreated. As Luke approached the three Gigants, Mute was stiff. He had the face of a woman who was in love fever. ¡°Hoo hoo! How is this, Sir Mute? Have you checked it all?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord. It is so great that I am not able to find the right words.¡± The Gigants were Orion, which Luke dropped by at the magic tower before meeting Rogers and Kaper. And if he did hand them over the subordinates, it was bound for the wizards of the Katarina Magic tower to maintain them, so Luke dropped them off for pre-examination. Mute was simply fascinated by the performance of the new Hero-class Gigant Orion. ¡°Where did this Gigants even come from? Are they from the Holy Arthenia Royal Magic tower?¡± Luke who had gone to the Holy Empire, came back with new Gigants. It was obvious for them to have those doubts. However, Luke just shook his head. ¡°Not from there.¡± ¡°Then, from Veritas Magic tower?¡± From what Mute knew, there were only two magic towers that were currently producing Hero-class Gigants with the latest magic engineering and 3,700 fight output. One was the Holy Arthenia Royal magic tower and the other was the Vertias Magic tower. However, since Luke said that it wasn¡¯t from the Holy Empire, Veritas tower was the next candidate. Even after mentioning Veritas Magic tower, Mute himself shook his head. From what he was aware of, Marquis Luke and the Veritas magic tower weren¡¯t enemies, but they didn¡¯t share a good relationship either. Moreover, he knew how Luke was treated when he had gone to the Brandon branch of the Veritas magic tower. It was like that, but suddenly, he willingly bought a Hero-class Gigant of the latest model which was very recently developed? ¡®It doesn¡¯t sound good. From which magic tower did the Gigant come from?¡¯ When Mute¡¯s curiosity increased, Luke smiled and responded. ¡°Huh. You¡¯ll be hurt if you knew. For now, let¡¯s announce that it was developed from our magic tower.¡± ¡®Maybe something being kept in secret?¡¯ It was something that was uncertain, stealing the assets of the other magic towers or intercepting their assets of a ruined magic tower happened frequently. It was the moment since the Battle of Magic tower was still going on. However, Mute didn¡¯t ask any longer. ¡°Ah well, have you looked into the cockpit?¡± ¡°Yes. I did enter a while ago, and one of it has a different gear than the other Gigants.¡± Said Mute. ¡°You mean the Helm. Speaking of that Helm¡­¡± Luke explained everything he had heard from Johas. Upon hearing the story, Mute was admired by the look. ¡°Oh Oh, by applying psychological magic to harmonize the senses of the Gigant and the rider! That is a very innovative idea!¡± ¡°You will feel a lot more refreshed when you look at it up close.¡± Luke tilted his head and pointed to the two knights who were behind him. ¡°Get on board.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that I brought a gift for you? These Gigants are your very gifts.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Rogers and Kaper¡¯s mouth went wide. ¡°Are you, are you really giving this to us?? ¡°Right. Ah well, the one on the far right is supposed to be given to Sir Philip, so take that out.¡± Luke was planning to give the 3 Hero class Gigants to the most prominent knights he had. He lost his Kratos in the rebellion subjugation of the Holy Empire, and he too was greedy for the Orion. However, in the meantime, he decided to yield it to those who enjoy it in there. ¡®If I give this reward, then the other guys will work harder for me. And what I ride for myself is what I make for myself.¡¯ ¡°Thank you, Lord!¡± ¡°I will do the very best until I die!¡± ¡°I understand that, go ahead and get on. Shouldn¡¯t you at least test it? ¡± At the words of Luke, the two knights opened the cockpit of Orion and were shocked. Wheeeing! Soon, the two Orion Gigants moved along with an intense core engine noise. Rogers and Kaper made their way through the Gigant, with various poses and basic maneuvers. After taming the Gigant for around 20 minutes and adapting to the Hero-class Gigant, the two began to move earnestly in the Gigant. Kung! Koong! The two Orion held a virtual confrontation and roamed. The wizards and the field leaders stepped to the side and burst into excitement every time they heard the sound from the core engine or the footprints of the Gigant. ¡°What a thrilling size to move!¡± ¡°Look at the speed of reaction of Baron Rogers¡¯s Gigant! Such a huge difference between the existing Gigant and his!¡± ¡°We need to make more effort to create a Hero class Gigant.¡± ¡°You mean like this? I am going to start the research today.¡± At the words of the wizards and the field leaders, Luke was satisfied. One of the reasons why he showed Orion to the entire members of the Katarina magic tower was to stimulate them. And it seemed to have worked well. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t just keep encouraging my subordinates. I need to devout myself.¡¯ About 500 years ago, Luke, was himself the Devil King; the one who invented the battle golem and was the origin of the Gigant. Even if he was relearning the magic engineering of the current era, his pride wasn¡¯t going to let him fall behind. ¡®Wait a little, students. I will be making a very startling guy!¡¯ Confident in his skills, Luke began to draw the picture of the strongest Gigant in his mind. Chapter 286 - The Misfortune of Veritas Magic Tower 1 A few days after returning to the lordship, Luke visited Sebastian and Belfair. He had some work that those two had to do, but he wasn¡¯t even able to see them around. At first, he thought that it was to avoid others¡¯ attention, but they didn¡¯t even appear at night. ¡®I don¡¯t know about Belfair, but Sebastian who had the ability to disguise himself should have come.¡¯ Even then, it wasn¡¯t so difficult to find them. It was because they were tangled into a sealed contract of slave and master, so he was able to know where the two of them were. The place where the two demons were at was the golem production workshop in the basement of the devil king¡¯s castle. The golem production workshop had been shut down for two years. It was because he had secured enough manpower and Gigant power, and even without mobilizing the golems, things went by smoothly. In the meantime, the golems produced were all used during the Monster Wave for the mine¡¯s development in the Rakan¡¯s wastelands. So Luke planned to use the golem production workshop into his own Gigant production workshop. ¡°What the hell are those two doing there?¡± Luke¡¯s head shook after seeing the bleak energy that was coming from the golem workshop. ¡®Well, I¡¯ll know once I go and see for myself.¡¯ After moving into the devil king¡¯s castle, he opened the door to the basement and entered the workshop. In the golem production workshop, Belfair was with dozens of humans in various costumes. A pretty waitress and a wizard stood on his right and left side with a stool on either side. They were fanning hard and were pouring alcohol into Belfair¡¯s wine glass. The rest of them were very pitiful, sweating in front of Belfair by picking things from the ground or rolling on the floor. ¡°What are you doing?! Are you tired already?¡± ¡°Ah, no. I¡¯m not tired, Master!¡± ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re not tired? I noticed the guy there is looking like he can¡¯t even lift a rock.¡± While taking out his anger, Belfair wore the red hat that was used by the Rakan instructors for training their men. ¡°All of you, again! Let¡¯s start with the demon gymnastic!¡± ¡°Huk! That¡­ Please just not that¡­¡± The faces of all the humans were pale. However, Belfair didn¡¯t seem to care and just smiled. ¡°What please? To reduce it? Okay. Then¡­ Then do the demon gymnastics 8 times. 8 times from 100.¡± The men screamed in despair at the instructions from Belfair and lied flat on the floor with their arms and legs upright. And at that moment, when their bodies were about to be twisted, their savior appeared. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Gulp!¡± Belfair, who was in joy seeing the slaves scream, became stiff from the voice he heard. At first, he thought it was Sebastian fooling around. But looking closely, it was Luke. Belfair quickly put down the glass that was in his hand and went stiff like a new recruit. ¡°Oh, you have come, Master!¡± ¡°Yes, it has been a few days since I have returned. I¡¯ll ask you once again. What are you doing here?¡± ¡°That, the thing is¡­¡± To Luke who was frowning, Belfair sweated and talked. Luke, who learned of the situation, asked with an absurd expression, ¡°So, you caught the assassin who tried to assassinate me and made his watchers your slaves?¡± ¡°Yep we can¡¯t just leave them like that, and what would death even do?¡± If one removed the assassin and the watcher, the Emperor would definitely doubt them and send a few more. And that time, much more capable ones might come back. ¡°I decided that it would be better to use them as double agents.¡± ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s not a bad idea; the problem is the magic in their bodies. If a priest saw it¡­¡± There would be a mess if demons were told to have appeared in the Rakan Estates. ¡®If I turn unlucky, the secret related to me will get revealed, but they didn¡¯t even ask me, and they did what they wanted?¡¯ When Luke¡¯s eyes turned cold, Sebastian appeared from the inside of the workshop. ¡°Belfair! At last, I succeeded. If you feed this to the slaves¡­¡± Sebastian shook a flask in his hand that was filled with something but went silent when he saw Luke. ¡°M-Master!¡± ¡°How dare you decide things for yourself.¡± When Luke¡¯s cold words fell, Sebastian knelt right away. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t like that. That bat was flirting around falling into the temptations.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you saying, you thieving cat?! You were the first one to do this!¡± ¡°W-who did what?! I just¡­¡± A scream fell while the two demons were arguing. ¡°Shut up, just stop!¡± The scream caused the two demons to fall on their knees. ¡°I guess there has been a lack of education since I was away.¡± Luke decided to educate them properly. No matter how much they gave themselves in, they were bound to cause an accident if he left them alone. In such a case, the right answer was to bend them as much as he could so that they wouldn¡¯t even think of acting. Rubbing. Sebastian turned pale after seeing Luke crack his knuckles. ¡°M-Master. Nobles aren¡¯t supposed to wield their fists like this.¡± ¡°That is right. Please consider your dignity¡­ ¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I am a person who knows of culture.¡± Luke wasn¡¯t going to use his fists. There was a more convenient way for him, magic. Why would he use his fists to hurt someone? Luke cracked his knuckles to scare them. Bang! Pak pak! ¡°Kaak! Save the vampire!¡± ¡°Oh, Master! I will die!¡± For an hour, ruthless magic attacks of baptism poured in. Henry and the other slaves of the two demons were stuck to the wall and looked scared. ¡°He¡­ is the real Marquis Rakan?¡± ¡°Those cruel demons couldn¡¯t even move!¡± ¡°We are done. I didn¡¯t know that the descendant of the warrior was going to be so vicious!¡± Was it better to voluntarily give out the information? The slaves who thought about it became sad. They were in a situation where they couldn¡¯t do anything they wanted. After a while, Luke stopped with his teaching and asked Sebastian, ¡°What was that thing that you brought in earlier?¡± Luke asked while pointing at the milky liquid that was in the flask to which Sebastian answered, ¡°Yeah! That is a magical reagent to mask the demon slave¡¯s Magi.¡± People couldn¡¯t know that the demon slaves were giving out demon vibes. Realizing that, they thought a lot and studied magic on how to hide them, and as a result, Sebastian was able to make a neutralization potion. ¡°Hmm, was something like that there?¡± ¡°In the past, there were a lot of non-combating demons who had entered Middle-Earth. In order to survive, they had to hide their magi, and for that¡­¡± It was said that the Magi Neutralization Potion was the efforts of tears of their elder demons. With that in mind, Sebastian succeeded in creating the materials that were needed for making the reagent in the lab. ¡°What did you say? You even robbed the underground lab?¡± ¡°E-everything was done to help you, Master! It wasn¡¯t because of my selfishness!¡± It wasn¡¯t like there was no selfishness in what he did. No, in order to fill their self-interest, they used Luke as their excuse. And it wasn¡¯t like Luke didn¡¯t know that. However, he thought that he could get some decent results, so he decided to stop teaching the two demons a lesson. ¡°Then, why did you look for us?¡± ¡°I have a task for you two.¡± ¡°Please let us know!¡± The two demons felt relieved upon seeing that Luke was still willing to give them a task. ¡°Get 7 of the advanced magic stones, roots of Mandragora and the horn of a unicorn. Look at this for a detailed list.¡± The two demons seemed confused. ¡°W-where do you plan on using these?¡± ¡°I am trying to summon a higher demon.¡± For higher demons, Luke¡¯s blood wouldn¡¯t be enough to summon them. In addition to his blood, some sacrifices were needed. ¡°Are you talking about a higher demon?¡± At the words of Luke, Sebastian and Belfair were startled. One higher demon was powerful enough to blow away an entire kingdom. The faces of the two demons were derailed after hearing that Luke would summon not an intermediate but a higher demon. ¡°M-Master, I know that your power is excellent, but you will have a hard time winning over a higher demon¡­¡± They knew that Luke had great summoning ability and power. However, the two demons tried to talk Luke out of it as they could die from trying. ¡°Who said that I am trying to absorb a higher demon¡¯s power?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°T-then what are you planning to do?¡± ¡°Huhu, you¡¯ll know what my plans are later, so get me the ingredients right away!¡± At Luke¡¯s prompt, the two demons went ahead with hesitant faces. Luke, who sent them away, looked at the slaves who had nervous gazes. ¡°You people¡­ are the emperor¡¯s men? You have a lot of work to do in the future, but for now, tell me all the things you know about the empire and the Veritas Magic Tower.¡± Maybe it was because of the desire of his demons, but Luke didn¡¯t intend to destroy the emperor¡¯s pumpkins. Chapter 287 - The Misfortune of Veritas Magic Tower 2 Vampire King Leviathan was one of the seven monarchs who ruled over the Devildom. He was relatively incompetent compared to the other monarchs, so he tried to be as powerful as possible while making as many slaves as he could. But after some time, his men began to disappear one after the other. The low ranking demons disappearing didn¡¯t matter to him, but when the intermediate class demons like Naga began to disappear without hearing any word from them, he had no choice but to worry about it. Blood Land. The land at the center was where the capital of Vampire King Leviathan was located. He lived at a magnificent palace made of red marble. On the splendid throne of the royal palace was a demon with huge wings and tail. He was Vampire King Leviathan. And in front of him was Crimson, the right-hand man of Leviathan. ¡°So they all responded to the summons of a warlock and never returned?¡± The voice of Leviathan rang out in the throne room. Crimson opened his mouth, trying to answer as politely as possible. ¡°That is right, Your Majesty. Recently, there have been demons who were summoned to Middle-Earth and were unable to return. It has been presumed that they are probably extinguished because they haven¡¯t been contacting us.¡± ¡°Those stupid men!¡± Urrrng! The entire throne room shook with Leviathan¡¯s shout. Leviathan¡¯s subordinates who were lined up on his left and right sides trembled at his shout. After a while, Leviathan, who was angry, asked out of curiosity, ¡°What kind of warlock is summoning and attacking our demons?!¡± Once the balance of power broke between a demon¡¯s lord, they would get eaten. So, Leviathan tried to increase his maximum number of slave to not show his weak side, but how dare a nameless warlock touch his slaves! ¡°It hasn¡¯t yet been figured out, but something similar to this had happened before.¡± ¡°Are there similar instances like this?¡± Asked Leviathan. ¡°Yes. More than 500 years ago, a warlock named Saymon summoned demons and subdued them or stole their abilities. He was very famous back then. Have you ever heard of him?¡± At Crimson¡¯s question, Leviathan nodded when he recalled something. ¡°I remember something. At that time, the cousin of the monstrous, Baol¡ªGarden¡ªwas taken down. If so, was he the one causing all this?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t the case. A human¡¯s life can¡¯t exceed 200 years, and Saymon was killed by a man called Rakan. Perhaps this is the work of a descendant of his.¡± ¡°Without even fearing us?!¡± If things went on like that, it would turn problematic for the demons. And Leviathan, who was proud of being a demon lord and had the ambition of becoming the sole ruler of the Devildom, didn¡¯t intend to forgive such a preposterous human being. ¡°I am thinking of sending one of the 18 generals to the next summoning.¡± There were a total of 18 generals under Leviathan. They were the higher demons who commanded the Blood Army, and their individual armed forces were enough to destroy a human kingdom. However, Leviathan didn¡¯t seem pleased with it. ¡°Only one of the 18 generals?¡± At the question of Leviathan, Crimson answered, ¡°Of course, if Your Majesty wanted to, we can open the door to Middle-Earth and take the Bloody Army to the humans¡¯ gate, but that would straight-up break the agreement between the New Worlds¡­¡± ¡°Hmm, this is difficult.¡± When the term ¡®New Worlds¡¯ was mentioned, Leviathan was forced to stop being anxious. It was the new world that boasted the presence of something that was absent, but whenever the demons tried to overpower a different world, an omnipotent power was demonstrated at times. In the past, many of Devildom¡¯s lords had fallen to the authority of the New World. Molrec, the 6th greatest king under Vampire King Leviathan, who had the title Great Demon, was executed and met with a miserable end. After the death of Molrec, a new agreement was signed between the New World and the Devildom. But it was more of a unilateral notice from the New World which said that if the agreement was violated the entire demon race would be annihilated. ¡°Responding to the human summons isn¡¯t against the agreement at all. Human beings want demons because they are angry with their own levels.¡± With that, even in the new world, there were foolish and greedy humans who brought in the demons when they themselves couldn¡¯t solve their own problems. Of course, if the summons of the summoned demons went excessive, they would give in help by delegating new recruits or powers. ¡°And if it is a high ranking general, he will have the power to summon lower level demons. It that¡¯s the case, we can send the Bloody Army to Middle-Earth and bring down those who have harmed the master¡¯s power,¡± explained Crimson. ¡°That is right! That is how my dignity will stand!¡± At the explanation from Crimson, Leviathan had a satisfied expression. ¡°That is a good idea. Get ready immediately! You must not miss a single summoning opportunity, and let the other demons¡¯ henchmen get it!¡± ¡°Please leave them to us, Lord!¡± When the permission of Leviathan fell, Crimson immediately summoned 18 generals. The 18 generals, as if they all wanted to take part, quarreled with each other about who will go. ¡°Majesty, leave this to me!¡± ¡°No. I, Kauren is the most fitting one to do this.¡± ¡°Shut up, you ignorant fools!¡± ¡°So what? You bony and skinless old man!¡± As the two sides of the generals fought, the general sitting at the center got up. ¡°Don¡¯t fight. In fact, for such a task shouldn¡¯t the highest of the 18 generals be the one to go?¡± ¡°How can¡­ I can¡¯t accept that! Let¡¯s reorganize our thoughts and order!¡± Crimson wasn¡¯t in a hurry when the generals were fighting amongst themselves. ¡°Just stop it! What good would it do to fight like this? Wouldn¡¯t our Majesty be laughing at us!¡± At those words, the 18 generals calmed down. Crimson presented a bucket with small sticks in them. ¡°Each of you has great abilities, so we are going to make a fair selection. The person who pulls the red colored stick will be the one to take on the mission.¡± The 18 generals pulled the sticks. And the one who got the red stick was Kauren¡ªthe 12th ranked general of the invasion force. Chapter 288 - : The Misfortune of Veritas Magic Tower 3 Chapter 288: The Misfortune of Veritas Magic Tower 3 ¡°Huh! that Emperor bastard. Pretending to be a dignified man is playing with the warlock who are behind him!¡± Luke interrogated the spies of Henry and the other subordinates of the Imperial and learned a lot of information. As a result, the information turned out to anger Luke. Most surprisingly, the Emperor authorized the Veritas Magic Tower to place a cruse on his body. Moreover, they informed that the curse wasn¡¯t just for Luke but for all the former Rakan descendants. In the case of Luke, they said that the Emperor had constantly been monitoring him through spies as Luke kept gaining and no sickness was appearing. ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for Reina, I might have already died.¡¯ Luke grabbed Reina¡¯s given locket. The locket she had given him had prevented the seizures from occurring in the most dangerous moments. However, the curse wasn¡¯t completely cleared, so he had to study the curse to understand it. ¡°Suddenly! That Arsene bastard. Even though I don¡¯t want to, I am going to touch your precious magic tower¡­ very preciously!¡± And then the next one would be the Baroque Imperial. Deciding on what to do, Luke¡¯s eyes fell on the eyes of a spy. ¡°Was it Henry?¡± ¡°Yes, that is right.¡± When looked at, Henry knelt down. He couldn¡¯t afford to take in Luke¡¯s anger, and both his legs trembled, but he tried to look as calm as he could. ¡°You came here to kill me?¡± ¡°That, our Majesty. No, the Emperor ordered me to¡­¡± ¡°Enough. I¡¯m not going to target you. You can head back and report the assassination process as a success.¡± Luke, who said that to Henry, turned his attention to the others. ¡°And you report that I got suddenly knocked down because of poison. And that the Rakan family is hiding the facts to keep stability in the region.¡± ¡°Ah, understood.¡± The watchers who weren¡¯t in the position to refuse just nodded their heads. Luke was about to leave when he suddenly talked to Henry. ¡°Ah well, you have more work to do.¡± ¡°What can I do?¡± ¡°Kill the lower commanders and the Expert riders and knights of the Central Army. As many as you can possibly do. As an Assassin Master, you can do it cleanly, right?¡± Killing the commanders and the expert riders could lead to suspicion. ¡®Of course, that doubt can be turned towards the noblemen. However, when it was powerful for me to disappear, the Emperor will go back and negotiate rather than go to war with the nobles. Committed to do it the next time.¡¯ There was no need to see from the Emperor¡¯s point of view, but getting rid of the lower commanders and the riders could play an important link in weakening the forces of the army. The weakened central army will face an unexpected defeat in the future civil war. ¡°Understood. Nothing else that I need to do?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Can you kill Emperor Rudolf?¡± At the question of Luke¡¯s, Henry contemplated and shook his head. ¡°That is impossible.¡± Rudolf is a Sword Sage. Moreover, it was out that he had become stronger in the recent years. In addition, there are numerous secret escorts and warlocks around the Emperor. The chances of getting through them for an assassination was extremely rare. ¡°That so? Understood. Just send a list of Hydra members. I will command you if anything comes up.¡± And Luke¡¯s orders ended there. Luke who sent out the demon slaves, used magic communication to speak with Meister Johas of Dark Moon. ¡°Johas? This time, there is something very fun and interesting that I am going to do, so would you like to join me?¡± Luke¡¯s mouth which was stern when proposing the request to Johas soon turned into the sneakiest smile ever. Chapter 289 - The Misfortune of Veritas Magic Tower 4 Chapter 289: The Misfortune of Veritas Magic Tower 4 After gathering all the offerings which Sebastian and Belfair had bought, Luke took them and headed to the north. At first, he thought that he should head over to the capital, Nemesis, but the location turned over to the Veritas Town, which was above it. ¡°Master, isn¡¯t this where the veritas magic tower is located?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you are planning to summon a higher demon in here?¡± Luke replied to the demon¡¯s question in a nonchalant manner. ¡°Yeah, I think that this will be a great gift for them.¡± ¡°Ugh! Then the capital will be overturned?¡± ¡°Hu hu hu hu. That is why the summoning is happening.¡± Last time, he had been informed by Johas that Veritas magic tower was sending out enormous quantities of food and magical materials. Thus, Luke too gathered relevant information for several days with the help of Argos but was unable to trace the whereabouts. ¡®I don¡¯t know what they are up to, but I am not going to leave them alone.¡¯ So, what he thought was, to give a huge blow to the veritas magic tower so that it wouldn¡¯t be in a position to provide materials and food. Moreover, it was just a few days since she learned of the reality of the curse on his body, so he had no intention of leaving them alone. ¡°Even if it is a Veritas Magic tower, they need to be prepared to deal with the higher demons. And the bonus will be the damage to the Imperial family.¡± When a high ranking demon was summoned in the northern part of the capital, the Knights of Guard and the Central army had to run. Since they were the representatives of the Imperial forces. ¡°Oh ho, you are aiming for two birds with one stone, such a dangerous man!¡± ¡°And not just that, considering the cause of the Battle of Magic towers, Veritas Magic tower will be properly branded with this incident.¡± Since the Veritas Magic tower had been suspected to have been practicing dark magic. What would happen if demons were summoned in such a situation? Many people would be convinced that the Veritas magic tower was indeed sheltering warlocks. ¡°And the reputation of the Baroque Imperials who for long had great relationships with them will also fail.¡± ¡°But I wonder if things will head the way that you want?¡± Belfair had a good reason to be pessimistic. Veritas Magic tower was a great magic tower which differed from the other towers, it was well bordered. The wall surrounding the magic tower was filled with lots of border magic made by the high ranking magicians, and there were mercenaries and sorcerers standing on the borders. Normally itself it was a steel wall, but since the initiation of the Battle of the Magic tower, they had upped the security. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easy to infiltrate? If we do this, there will be a lot of time to infiltrate, and if we make even a little mistake, they will all flock towards us.¡± Sebastian backed Belfair¡¯s statement. ¡°Then, we can¡¯t attempt to summon the demons. If there are traces of them, there is a chance that we will be pursued¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, as you said, it will be difficult. It is going to be difficult to reveal the skills.¡± In such situations, it was better to step back and watch. The two demons judged so, but Luke just casually walked towards the main gate of Veritas Magic tower. ¡®Is it a breakthrough?¡¯ The main gate in front of his eyes looked way stronger and heavier than anything Luke had ever seen. In addition, four Gigants were deployed and mercenaries and wizards guarded in front of the gates, which seemed uncommon. ¡°Master, what are you even thinking¡­¡± ¡°Shut up and watch out your disguises.¡± After making sure that the disguise wasn¡¯t a problem, Luke approached the wizard guarding the front wall and spoke. ¡°Hello. You have worked so hard today.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± With the words from a stranger, the guard gave Luke a vigilant gaze. ¡°I came to find the wizard, Fabian Azar. We are cousins. Due to the Battle of the Magic tower was concerned¡­¡± ¡°Enough. I¡¯ll check it out so wait.¡± The wizard broke the flow of Luke¡¯s words. After some time, the man came back, but contrary to the concern of Luke¡¯s demons, he let them in. ¡°Fabian asked for you to come in, saying that you were a relative. Don¡¯t make a fuss and meet him quietly.¡± Luke nodded with a smile and stepped in. As they passed through the main entrance, he was able to see the magnificent view of the Veritas magic tower. ¡®In the past, this competed for the 1st and 2nd place. But it is still flourishing up till today.¡¯ Somehow a cheerful wizard came over to Luke, meeting, and talked friendlily. ¡°Yo, it has been a while since then! Nice to meet you!¡± ¡°Have you been well, Fabian? Oh, such a long time! Your face has shrunk.¡± Unlike Luke and Fabian who were speaking intimately, the two demons had no idea. And then passing through a rear door, they were in an unknown situation with a huge river flowing past. ¡°After seeing the truth in the dark, I get to see master.¡± ¡°Yeah, nice to meet you.¡± Fabian, changed his position and began to speak rather politely with Luke. He was one of the disciples of Johas, who infiltrated the Veritas Magic tower. He had been contacted by the meister a few days back and prepared in advance. ¡°What about the others?¡± ¡°They are preparing for the summoning. By the way, you are planning on doing something great. Since I heard that you are a Rakan¡¯s descendant, I thought that it was unusual¡­¡± Only a few knew the identity of Luke inside the Dark Moon. What¡¯s more, only Johas knew of Luke¡¯s past as Saymon. ¡°Why? Is it scary?¡± ¡°Hu hu hu? Why would I be? I am just looking forward to see what kind of situation will unfold.¡± Smiling a little, Fabian guided Luke¡¯s party. Veritas¡¯ headquarters was huge. The entire area, including the research facilities and workshops, experimental sites and the accommodations, the relaxations areas, was almost the size of the Imperial palace. ¡°There are over 500 wizards who do pure research. That is why they wouldn¡¯t know the face of a wizard unless one is from the same job.¡± ¡°Surely it must be like that.¡± Luke looked at the crowd passing by. He wasn¡¯t sure about anything else, but the size of the Veritas Magic tower was enviable. ¡®This is how Katarina magic tower should have been brought up¡­¡¯ While relaxing, they met a female wizard who was in a large restaurant. A medical Mage, she too was a disciple who had been asked to infiltrate by Johas. He only contacts Fabian very rarely, so he never encountered another one. ¡°This is the robe of change, and this is the key to the warehouse which I borrowed today for an experimental purpose. Heath senior asked me to deliver it.¡± ¡°What about Heath senior?¡± ¡°He is preparing to escape from a wrecked ship. Then, I should be going too. Master, I hope you have the Black Sage¡¯s protection in the path you are heading to.¡± ¡®I am the very Black Sage, Saymon.¡¯ Instead of saying it out loud, Luke nodded and wore the robe handed over to him by the wizard. Luke¡¯s party was in the robe of Veritas magic tower which had its emblem printed on it, and the crowd which glanced at them till then no longer cared. ¡°Which side is the warehouse that you have rented?¡± ¡°It is at the end in the west of the tower. Our position in the Veritas Magic tower isn¡¯t so high, so we weren¡¯t able to rent anything in the central.¡± ¡°It is alright. All I need to do is be inside the Veritas Magic tower for it to work.¡± Luke¡¯s party, which arrived at the warehouse at the scheduled time, began to work terrifyingly at sunset. Luke, who pulled out the materials from the subspace, along with Fabian created a summoning magic circle in the warehouse. Meanwhile, Sebastian and Belfair took care of those approaching the warehouse, by standing on guard. ¡°What is with those? If they are planning on going to a date, they should go to a nice place, why come this way?¡± ¡°No matter how hard they try, it is like an affair. Taking medicine and going into the bushes.¡± It didn¡¯t take long for Luke to finish the summoning magic circle. When he was Saymon, he had summoned high-ranking demons and had a useful assistant named Fabian. ¡°Master, are you done?¡± ¡°Yes, the last thing is to welcome the demon.¡± Luke, who pulled on his sword, cut his palm and let the blood drop on the Summoning magic circle and began to memorize the spell. Chapter 290 - The Misfortune of Veritas Magic Tower 5 Whooong! Tremors began to form. The magic circle disappeared, and a dark space was revealed. As he peered through the warehouse, he saw that the subspace was larger and darker than ever before, which made Belfair nervous, gulping down on his saliva. ¡®Who the hell is going to come out? I hope it isn¡¯t one of the 18 generals who are under the Vampire King¡­¡¯ He hadn¡¯t even seen the 18 generals of the Devildom, but he did hear the rumors about how strong they were. It was because there had always been conflict at the border which were ruled by the seven demon lords. Not all the higher demons were the same. The 18 generals were strong enough to kill Belfair with just a flick of a finger. ¡®The problem is that they are far superior than the ones from the past.¡¯ As a human slave, moreover, seeing Belfair with divine power, the demons who came would be sure to kill him right away. When Belfair was looking into the subspace. Sebastian rushed in and reported, ¡°Master, many wizards and mercenaries are teleporting around this warehouse!¡± ¡°Uhm, did they detect the summoning ritual?¡± It wasn¡¯t like a secluded area, so it was inevitable for the surroundings to have been noticed. Moreover, Veritas Magic Tower was a group that studied dark magic in a dark way, so they couldn¡¯t be unaware of the ritual of summoning the demons. ¡°It is just in time for the main character in play.¡± Finally, something enormous began to appear from the space created by the summoning magic circle, breaking through the darkness. Bang! A huge leg that resembled a goat¡¯s leg made an appearance. A human torso came in next followed by a head that was very similar to a cow. Belfair and Sebastian screamed after seeing what came out. ¡°Hiiik! It is Kauren!¡± Kauren was known for being the most filthy and violent out of the 18 generals under King Leviathan. In addition, even though he was rude, he was the best of the 18 generals, and he could take down six commanders. Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, the two demons rushed over to Luke and pulled on his sleeve. ¡°Master, we need to run right away!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°That is Kauren. He isn¡¯t someone we can deal with! There is a saying in the Devildom which states ¡®Even if you want to fight a new senior demon, don¡¯t start a fight with Kauren!¡¯.¡± ¡°Okay? This is rather good, right?¡± At the cry of the two demons, Luke seemed rather satisfied. The stronger and more ferocious the summoned demon was, the better it was. ¡°Kuakkkkk! I am one of the general of Vampire King Leviathan, Kauren. Who summoned me?!¡± After passing through the subspace, Kauren screamed and hit the ground with his ax. Sebastian, Belfair, and Fabian were nervous at the sight of the monster who was larger than a hero class Gigant. Luke was the only one who was still calm. ¡°I, no, we summoned you. Please give me your magi and power willingly.¡± ¡°What? Then you men¡­ Kauk!¡± Luke¡¯s purple magic hit Kauren¡¯s eyes. Luke used a Hold Magic on Kauren who seemed to have stagnant magic that Fabian and the two demons prepared, so they could use teleport magic. But Luke didn¡¯t forget to play his role. ¡°Uh, you are the regular kind of demon. I need to run away.¡± ¡°Kukk! Stand right there!¡± Kauren unlocked the Hold Magic with brute force and swung his battle-ax toward Luke. But shortly before the ax could hit Luke, the entire party disappeared. ¡°That rat bastard!¡± It wasn¡¯t a huge thing, but Kauren¡¯s face was distorted with anger and rage. ¡°Teleporting to run away, I can¡¯t keep up¡­¡± When Kauren tried to trace back their movements, the door of the warehouse opened wide, and the wizards and mercenaries of Veritas Magic Tower began to enter. In the front was Meister Albert. ¡°Who dared to experiment without my permission?!¡± Albert shouted out loud but was amazed when he saw Kauren staring at them with anger. ¡®T-this is. It can¡¯t be¡­ a higher demon?¡¯ ¡®This seems to be part of the game of those rats!¡¯ Kauren guessed that after seeing the uniforms of the people in front of him. He then wielded his battle-ax. ¡°These men! Where are you hiding those rats?!¡± ¡°Uahh!¡± Most of them were wiped out by Kauren¡¯s single blow except for Albert and a few high ranking wizards who used blink and saved themselves. However, Kauren, who wasn¡¯t bound, ran out of the warehouse. Albert and the high ranking wizards screamed out loud, ¡°Monster! A monster has come out!¡± ¡°Collect the guards of the magic tower! Hurry up!¡± Screams and orders rang everywhere followed by the shouts of the men who were being wiped out by Kauren. The worst catastrophe was approaching the Veritas Magic Tower¡ªthe greatest heritage of the continent for over 500 years. Chapter 291 - Capital in Flames 1 Before Luke summoned Kauren, Veritas Magic Tower¡¯s Meister Albert was watching the works done in his office. It was because there had been a lot of work that had been accumulated as he was practicing magic and assisting Arsene. When he processed half of the paperwork on the desk, the door of his office opened wide and an elder in charge of the veritas Magic tower¡¯s foreign affairs entered. ¡°What is going on, Belmond?¡± ¡°Something huge just happened, Sir Albert! The wizard troops who had attacked the Terra Magic Tower have been greatly damaged!¡± ¡°What did you say?! Those Terra Magic Tower shouldn¡¯t be able to stop our wizards with their skills and power.¡± The wizard troops that the Veritas Magic Tower chose were the nurtured children who had excellent talents in magic, they symbolized the power of Veritas Magic Tower. If such power of the wizard troops consisted of war mages of 6 circles or more, it was possible to erase some mighty towers at once. In addition, their attack included Gigant units of mercenary riders to support the wizard troops. Even if Terra Magic Tower was one of the top ten magic towers, Veritas thought that with their power, they could wipe it off. ¡°What the hell happened in there? What was our cause to be defeated?¡± ¡°That¡­ Saint Guard troops and the Holy Empire¡¯s magic tower appeared there and helped the Terra Tower.¡± ¡°Keuk, those men!¡± Bang! With rage, Albert hit the desk. Originally, the Battle of Magic Tower was initiated to lean the power of the Magic Federation. But not long ago, the victory and defeat turned tense with Saint Guard and the Holy Arthenia Magic Tower intervening. The problem was that everyone was claiming that Veritas was mastering dark magic, and even a few wizards of the Magic Federation were drawing suspicion. Concerned about breaking off the unity of the alliance, Albert hurriedly tried to wipe of the Reformers, so he attempted a sudden attack on the Terra Magic Tower, one of the main forces in the current Reformers. ¡°How much was our damage?¡± Albert asked, grinding his teeth. ¡°Around 70% of the wizard troops either died or was injured, and the Gigant unit surrendered immediately after the battle went serious.¡± ¡°Those bloody mercenaries!¡± Elder Belmond gave his opinion to Albert who was clicking his tongue. ¡°For the time being, the loss of the wizard troops forces us to be defensive in the Battle of Magic Tower, and¡­¡± ¡°So what do you want to do?¡± At Albert¡¯s question, Belmond looked around for a moment and answered after lowering his voice, ¡°Why don¡¯t we use the warlocks once again?¡± The Veritas Magic Tower had a lot of fun days in the battles using the warlocks until the Saint Guard and the Holy Arthenia Royal Magic Tower intervened. And as soon as they entered the war, they banned the use of the warlocks as if they got caught; it was going to go downhill. ¡°No, it is better to ask our ancestors for help.¡± An altar of paladins. Holy Arthenia Royal Magic Tower which was made of priests who thought that they had to follow the truth and the path of God¡¯s will studied magic. Those men who knew the basics of divine power were the true nemesis of warlocks. Albert feared that his warlocks would be blown away by those men, and they wouldn¡¯t be able to recover from the damage if any evidence went out. At his words, Elder Belmond seemed puzzled. ¡°But, our ancestor can¡¯t leave his Resurrection project office right now.¡± ¡°Obviously, our ancestor is like that, but it is possible to borrow two beings which are under his control.¡± ¡°Ah! Those specters?¡± ¡°Yeah, they are the legendary warrior and the devil king, and they¡¯re great just as their name says.¡± ¡°However, I did see them the other day, and the momentum from their body wasn¡¯t a joke.¡± Belmond had seen the two ghosts in Veritas a while ago. At that time, he was amazed by the two. At first, he was amazed to know that the real warrior and the devil king were resurrected, and the second was they were powerful enough to deal with all of the Veritas elders in a single moment. The Veritas elders learned white magic as well as dark magic and possessed the same fighting power as the Meisters of the ten magic towers. As long as they were able to deal with them, there was no shortage in the Veritas troops. In fact, the one with the body of Saymon alone wiped out the entire Rokid Magic Tower, one of the ten magic towers. ¡°That is why I¡¯ll contact our ancestors, so you should be fully committed to the magic troops¡­¡± When Albert got up and was about to move to the long-range magic communication room. Suddenly, Magi could be detected from a place in the tower. At first, he thought that one of the elders forgot to hide his Magi while performing an experiment, but his complexion changed as the Magi presence kept on growing like darkness. ¡°T-this is surely!¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± At Belmond¡¯s question, Albert hurriedly picked up his staff and said, ¡°Someone is trying to summon demons within the tower.¡± ¡°Huh? Who is crazy enough to do that?¡± ¡°Quickly, call the war mages and the mercenaries too! We are out of time!¡± Albert¡¯s restless emotions made Belmond run out of the office. After a short time, when Belmond brought all the available wizards and mercenaries, Albert moved them to the place with teleportation magic. They tried to enter before anything could happen, but when they entered the warehouse, everything was already done. Chapter 292 - Capital in Flames 2 ¡°There men! Where are you hiding those rats!¡± The wizards and the mercenaries brought in by Albert were quickly wiped out with fierce blows from Kauren. Albert, who managed to save his life with Blink, ordered the other high ranking wizards who survived. ¡°Bring in all the tower garrison. Hurry up!¡± It was an urgent situation. Kauren, who broke through the warehouse was going crazy. ¡®I need to stop it somehow until the support forces reach here!¡¯ Albert clenched his fists. A while back, the terrible blow from Kauren scared him out, but he couldn¡¯t let things pass anymore. He wasn¡¯t aware who did such a thing, but he had to rectify the incident before it got any bigger. ¡®Although we are being attacked by the reformers of using dark magic, if this goes out, our magic tower will be clearly branded as a dark magic user¡¯s den.¡¯ Well, it wasn¡¯t entirely because of that, it was because he was the current Meister of Veritas Magic tower and the descendant of Arsene. ¡°Do you think that these fields made by the ancestors will be invaded by demons?¡± When Albert began to gather up power, Kauren burst into shouts and used Magi all over the place. Kuaaaaahhhh-! The ground split as if there was an earthquake, and the surrounding buildings all collapsed with huge explosions like mana bombs. Albert hurriedly unleashed defensive magic, but many of the wizards and researchers in the buildings were blown away. It was a dry situation in there. Survivors who managed to keep themselves alive barely crawled through the ruins. And the first thing they saw was a giant bull-headed monster roaring with Magi. ¡°Kyaahhhh!¡± ¡°Monster! Run away!¡± The wizards and the campers, who had never even imagined such a cause fled the moment they saw the demon. Kauren rushed towards them and trampled them indiscriminately, wielding his battle axe and smashing the buildings around. ¡°Not knowing that the New World is shaking, you dare to summon me and catch me?! You cheeky bastard!¡± In the eyes of Kauren, the wizards who teleported and the ones who were in front of his eyes were all the same. Still, he was ordered by the Vampire King¡ªLeviathan and when attacked, he crushed and trampled on men without any difference. ¡°That, that stupid demon!¡± In a moment, Albert began to tremble as he saw the western part of the tower got turned into a waste field. He no longer hesitated and poured out heatwave towards Kauren. ¡°O sinister, give in to the wrath of the earth! Volcanic Explosion!¡± Swoooosh- Kwaaahhhhh ! Hundreds of rocks soaring with lava fell at the feet of Kauren with a series of explosions. The power was so strong that even Kauren had staggered and collapsed. ¡°The monster is down!¡± ¡°Our Meister has saved us!¡± The survivors cheered with half-intention. However, instead of relaxing and waving at them, Albert shouted at them. ¡°He isn¡¯t dead yet! Collect all those who can fight!¡± Just as Albert said, Kauren rose up. He brushed away the dirt which came in from the ashes, and his face was much distorted, even worse. ¡°Kuek, Quite nice? Knowing that garbage just scratched my temper.¡± ¡°All attack at once!¡± Kwang! Bang! Kwakwang! Beginning with Albert, all the magic manifested by the wizards went straight towards Kauren. After a brief pause in the magic attacks, Kauren fixed his battle axe and struck the ground. Thud! ¡°Hurry!¡± The magic attacks seized, and Kauren wielded the battle axe again and began to engage in slaughter. Kang! ¡°Stop it, this monster!¡± ¡°What is with that metal?¡± Suddenly, with a giant sword and a steel giant stopping him, Kauren eyes shone with anger. Surrounding it were things like steel giants. The garrisons who Albert called for had finally arrived. The Hero-class Gigant, Atlas was the one which prevented Kauren. The rider on board was an Expert Sword Master, who had intermediate skills and the Veritas Magic tower had secretly invited them from the neighboring nations of the magic tower. He was an unforgettable advent of a powerful enemy, but from Kauren¡¯s standpoint of view, it was a damn piece of scrap metal which was a hindrance for him. ¡°Who dares to block the front with a thrash?!¡± Kang! Kauren, who put down the battle axe for a while, hit Atlas with his fist. It was his bare fist, but the power wasn¡¯t a bit funny. The output was of 3,500 fight for the Atlas but was pushed back. ¡°This can¡¯t¡­!¡± The riders of Atlas were forced to tremble. It was because the left arm of Atlas which tried to block Kauren¡¯s fist went shattered. The high strength abrasive alloy frame and the thick armor didn¡¯t offset the impact at all. But they didn¡¯t have the time to be surprised. Kauren was coming back at them. ¡°I will smash you all!¡± Kwannng- Kwannng -! The battle axe fell and with a little time, Atlas with a gigantic aura came at him. At the moment of crash, a shock wave spread around with a huge explosion. ¡°Wahhh!¡± ¡°Kuk! Save, save me!¡± Gigants who were there around, flew away like cans, buildings collapsed and lucky ones survived. Although it prevented the attack, Atlas wasn¡¯t too safe. As the shock was of a huge level, it was difficult for it to handle, the joints of Atlas creaked. ¡°This, this can¡¯t be! Just one blow!¡± As Atlas¡¯s rider was unbalanced, Kauren tried to knock him down again with the battle axe. But Kauren¡¯s movements got blocked. Several Gigants hurriedly threw in chains. ¡°These things!¡± Angrily, Kauren pulled on the chains. With a sound of the wind, the noose flew straight in. Gigants rose and fell. The output was lower than the Atlas, but Kauren didn¡¯t even lift his legs when he pulled in twenty warrior and knight class Gigants. ¡°Pull! Don¡¯t let him move!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let yourself get dragged! Don¡¯t leave your limbs!¡± ¡°Kuek! These nasty worms!¡± While Kauren screamed, a gigantic aura sprang from Atlas¡¯s huge sword. It was over 5 meters long. ¡°This is the end, you freak!¡± Atlas rider hit the final blow with a gigantic aura which boosted up to 3,500 fight. Kwakwakwa! Chang! It was when the blow of Atlast came in, almost like it could split the sea and mountain, and reached Kauren¡¯s body. Suddenly, the fog began to come out of Kauren¡¯s body. The gigantic aura hit by that magic got neutralized. ¡°Do you know who am I? I am Kauren, the 18th general of the Vampire King!¡± When the Magi spread, it surrounded the entire body of Kauren, gathered into one place and turned into a black lightning falling all over the place. Kwarrrrng! Kwang! Kwaaang! ¡°Uhkk!¡± ¡°A, avoid!¡± With the lightning falling down, riders threw away the noose and evaded the attack. However, it was impossible to avoid the black lightning which fell like a shower. Eventually, Atlas and the other Gigants fell down. ¡°It, it can¡¯t be done!¡± Albert, who was watching the Gigant battle from behind, was unable to recover from the shock. He did know that it was a strong opponent, but to take down others so easily! ¡°Ku! How dare you try to do the same things?¡± It was time for Kauren to strip off the steel noose around his body and get on with his slaughter. Thud Thud He saw Gigants and wizards running in from a distance. The number wasn¡¯t small. ¡°Kuek! Those steel cans¡­!¡± It wasn¡¯t shown but, the magic from Meister Albert and the Atlas Gigant had an effect on him. Which was why seeing those was annoying for Kauren. ¡°Dammit, this general¡¯s body is what you need to deal with¡­ come on! If you call yourselves men!¡± Grumbling, Kauren summoned right away. High ranking demons, like the generals, had the ability to summon the low ranking demons to the Middle Earth. Dozens of demons had appeared surrounding Kauren, all dark summons. They consisted of giant demons and the assault troops under Kauren. ¡°Called for us, General?!¡± ¡°Come! Get rid of those annoying steel things!¡± Upon Kauren¡¯s orders, the demons rushed towards the approaching Gigants. ¡°What, what?!¡± ¡°Monsters have come!¡± Mercenary riders and the war mages belonging to the magic tower garrison who came to support fired against the savaging demons. Kwang! Kwakwa! ¡°Kuek!¡± ¡°Kikiki!¡± With ferocious shouts, steels shattered and screams roared. Kauren encouraged them by wielding the battle axe behind. ¡°These humans who destroyed the Vampire King! Shatter them thoroughly!¡± His shouts reverberated in the open sky of Veritas, which was glowing due to explosions and fires. Chapter 293 - Capital in Flames 3 In the office of the Imperial Palace. Count Voltas had been feeling well for the past few days. It was because of the warrior¡¯s descendant who had been making the Emperor unstable because of the poisoning and was going to die. When Henry reported that he had been successfully poisoned, he was definite that he would die, and when the spies reported that they were trying to fight the death news, he was definite that the news was real. ¡°Even if they think of a cure, he won¡¯t last long. Now the anxiety of our Majesty will be reduced.¡± The next in line were the noblemen. After the purge, the blade of the emperor would turn towards the Volga Republic and the Holy Arthenia Empire. ¡°And then our Baroque Empire will be the strongest in the country, holding the history of defeating the entire Rhodesia!¡± Maybe afterward, it was possible for them to go over to the Southern continent. It had been said that there were no large combat weapons such as Gigants because of their high level of martial skills and lack of magic users. ¡°Hu hu hu. The goal to take over the world might not just be a dream.¡± When Voltas, who was talking to himself and turning the documents on the desk began to shriek. Ahh ahahhahh! Urrrrrng! ¡°What, what was that?!¡± Suddenly, he heard the growling of a monster from a distance, the entire building shook and the windows cracked, it was as if an earthquake had come upon them. Voltas, who felt something unfamiliar, immediately tried to grasp what kind of situation they were in. He was in a hurry to hear the reports from the men who had the information and headed to the throne room as he had been called by Emperor Rudolf. ¡°Your Majesty, called for me?¡± It was the time for his sword practice, so the emperor¡¯s body was giving out fumes from burning out because of the practice. ¡°What was the previous commotion? An earthquake? And what is going on to the north of the capital, some strong vitality and sharp energy rise?¡± ¡°The exact cause is still yet unknown, but it seems to be like something has happened in the Veritas Magic tower.¡± ¡°An accident?¡± Asked the emperor. At Voltas¡¯s vague response, the emperor could just frown. What was more annoying than the fact that the Veritas uproar was that they had no accurate report. ¡°Any explosion while studying magic? Or did the Reformers attack the Veritas Magic tower?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­¡± It was right when Voltas was about to tell his thought. ¡°We need to hurry!¡± A knight hurried through the throne room door. Normally, such rudeness was susceptible to punishment. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Veritas Magic tower is currently being attacked by unidentified monsters!¡± ¡°What did you say? Monsters?¡± ¡°Yes, your Majesty. Suddenly a monster appeared inside the Magic tower and began to smash all the buildings and is making Veritas magic tower into ruins!¡± According to the report of the knight, he reported what he had seen. The soldiers who were patrolling alongside the wall witnessed the monster crushing the Gigant unit and urgently placed a request for military backup. It was because the so-called monsters were destroying the town of Veritas and were making their way to Nemesis. ¡°Requested by Count Lotion which led the Imperial troops of Gigant.¡± It was when the knight had reported till there. Another knight jumped into the throne room. However, it wasn¡¯t just a guard, it was a messenger from the Imperial Army. ¡°Your Majesty, the monsters are so strong that Count Lotion and the other units are struggling. Please dispatch support forces right away!¡± ¡°What? How long have they been on the move? And there are already being pushed!¡± In Nemesis, one corps belonging to the Imperial troops were stationed. There were 20,000 troops and 100 Gigants, but even after leading them into battle, they still wanted reinforcements! At Rudolf¡¯s grim expression, the messenger replied. ¡°That, they are all fighting with their lives on the line, but if things move like this, then the Imperial Palace too¡­¡± Even if the entire situation wasn¡¯t known, the Emperor and Voltas could feel how serious the situation was. Sounds were coming their way, and till then there have been no sounds, and from the window of the throne room, the northern sky burning with fire could be clearly seen. ¡°Understood. Soon the Knights of Guard will appear. Tell the Imperial army to last longer.¡± ¡°Yes, your Majesty!¡± When the messenger left the throne room, Rudolf turned over to Voltas. ¡°We will notify all the Knights of Guard, SS!¡± ¡°You mean everyone of them?¡± Voltas couldn¡¯t help but feel surprised. The SS of the Knights of Guard was composed of Master skills, and it had been kept secret except for a few greetings. In addition, there were no known cases of them participating in any events. ¡°And prepare Kaizer.¡± ¡°Kai, Kaizer is your majesty¡¯s exclusive Gigant. Don¡¯t tell me, sire¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. I too will go in person.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know what kind of strong monsters are in there.¡± However, no Gigant troops of the nations were known to be lightly dealt with, nor the mercenaries or the Imperial Troops. It was never known if those group of monsters made their way to the capital. ¡®And my blood is boiling.¡¯ He had completed the other half of the Gold Sword and turned into the Sword Emperor, but he still wasn¡¯t able to hide his frustration. There had never been an opportunity for him to showcase his skills. The Knights of Guard who had reached the Sword Master too weren¡¯t given the chance to showcase their skills. So they were all waiting to cross swords with Arch Duke Gregory, but an adversary had come upon them. It was a disaster for the Empire, but it was an opportunity for the Emperor. ¡®I don¡¯t know from where that monster popped out, but it will be the first willing sacrifice for this Sword Emperor.¡¯ With a confident smile, Rudolf hurriedly went into the war zone to fight. Kwang! Puung-! The Gigant¡¯s abdomen had been pierced through with the claws by a demon which was scorpion-like. As the core engine exploded, the Gigants were exploding along with the buildings which were around it and blazing flames soared to the sky. ¡°Kyaaaaa!¡± ¡°Help me! There are people in here!¡± ¡°Please come here fast! This is dangerous, you need to run away soon!¡± People were screaming, cries for help and the forces of the Imperial were giving them orders for evacuation. The voices which were bursting out in the confusion were mixed with the battle roars of the demons and the explosions of the Gigants. The Knights of Guard and the Imperial army had come out, but there were very few of the ones they could save. The north street was an area that had been abandoned and redeveloped a few years ago. It was mainly composed of nobles, bureaucrats, merchant¡¯s residences, high-end shops for the rich, and entertainment for the nobles. So, even when a disaster was coming their way, the nobles tried to protect their homes rather than going into a refugee spot to save their lives. ¡°Uhhh! Please save me!¡± ¡°I might melt due to the heat¡­ kuaauuu!¡± There were 4 floors of buildings which were burning up in huge flames with a young girl and a baby boy. People were trying to run away, and they didn¡¯t see it. Because the place where the Gigants and the scorpion demon was headed to was the place they were blocked. ¡°Kuaak! Humans, where are you running away? Give up and become my sacrifice!¡± The faces of those who saw the demons went pale out of panic, a person broke through the flames and appeared on the fourth floor. The man with a mask jumped out of the building with a child in his left arm and another in his right arm. He gently landed as if he was landing on feathers, and turned to the demons who were approaching his direction. ¡°You are a unique man. Aren¡¯t you scared of me?¡± Instead of answering the demon¡¯s question, the man pulled a huge Mando from his behind. And shook both his hands. ¡°Cheeky! How dare you, humans¡­!¡± The demon wielded its claws to kill the man in front. Kwang! They who managed to quickly escape from the demon moved to its back and wielded his Mando at lightning speed. ¡°Dragonic Aura!¡± The light from the man¡¯s sword hit the demon. Cutting through the thick shells of the demons which only had a few scratches from the Gigantic battles, got cut in half. Slash! Everything happened so quickly that the demons couldn¡¯t even scream. The fallen demon which was gushing out green blood looked at the man¡¯s hand. ¡°No! Don¡¯t do that!¡± ¡°Flame Blizzard!¡± A storm of flame burst from the man¡¯s hand and made its way to the demon¡¯s body turning it into ash. The man, who handled the demon which couldn¡¯t be taken down with the Gigant unit, looked down and asked, then looked up. ¡°What the hell is going on in the capital? Why are the demons¡­¡± The man in the mask. Orc Hero, Shaikan. Because of personal affairs, he secretly entered the capital and got caught up in the unexpected turn of events. At first, he thought they were just regular monsters. However, when he came in for a closer look, they turned out to be demons. And that too, they were low-ranking demons. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but I¡¯d better avoid it.¡± Shaikan found demons on the other side of the city too. He could handle them with his abilities, but it wasn¡¯t the time for him to showcase it. In order to face Rudolf who had greater power, he had to hide his ability and identity. Shaikan judged very quickly and disappeared through the flames. Chapter 294 - Capital in Flames 4 Kwang! Bang! Kiiing! ¡°Stop that! Don¡¯t get pushed back!¡± ¡°If you are out of strength, use your body weight to push it back!¡± The luxury residential place in the north of Nemesis. The demons there and Imperial troops with their Gigants were engaged in a fierce battle. They were being pushed back by the demons, but Count Lotion¡¯s will to fight was getting broken down. At one point, a giant Gigant figure emerged from the flames that were devouring the streets. The Gigant, painted in gold, was much larger than a regular hero class Gigant and was armed with heavy armor. The knights of the army, who saw the Gigant, burst into cheers at once. ¡°It is Kaizer! Kaizer has come!¡± ¡°Your Majesty himself has come!¡± The Emperor¡¯s Gigant¡ªKaizer. Produced by the Baroque Imperial Magic Tower, the vastly sized Gigant was the only Superhero class Gigant on the continent. Kaizer used two 3,000 fight core engines. It was because its heavy metal body needed more power to move. However, since it had two core engines, it was very difficult to balance the output. In addition, the rider¡¯s aura consumption was incredibly reasonable. Riders, who were good at steering the Gigant, would get exhausted with just a few minutes of using Kaizer. So, it had been considered as a failure by the Baroque Imperial Magic Tower. But Rudolf wasn¡¯t concerned with its downside and made Kaizer into his own. He judged that he could handle the tricky Gigant with his skills and thought he would be able to compare himself with the Legendary Warrior Rakan from 500 years ago. ¡°But can that be used in combat? Wasn¡¯t that just a show piece?¡± ¡°While it is a 6,000 fight monster Gigant¡­¡± Nobody assumed that Kaizer could be used for battle. It was just a thing that the emperor rode to assure the people and encourage the knights. Kazier made people in front of it overwhelmed with just its physique. Kwaaaanh! Kaizer jumped into the air with a huge roar from its core engine. ¡°W-what was that?!¡± A giant frog type demon, who was taking down the Gigant troops, looked at Kaizer with wide eyes. Almost like a meteor, Kaizer fell with a terrifying speed from the air and pulled out its giant sword and knocked down the demons. Kwaaanh! ¡°Ahhhh!¡± The moment the Hyper aura giant sword cut the demon, heavy winds pushed everything away. The wind speed was so heavy that the nearby central troops and Gigants moved back. A huge crater had formed in the spot where Kaizer had landed. The demons, who were pushing back the troops¡¯ Gigant, were soon being pushed. ¡°T-that was awesome!¡± ¡°That is what Kaizer is?¡± ¡°Long live Your Majesty!¡± When Emperor Rudolf annihilated the demons with a single blow, the morale of the Gigant riders rose significantly. ¡°Your Majesty is with us! Annihilate all the monsters!¡± ¡°Woooooooow!¡± The troops that were being pushed down till then began to attack fiercely from that moment on. As the Knight of Guards stepped in, the demons who were stepping over the northern streets began to fall one after the other. ¡°Huge news! General! Our assault troops are being pushed back!¡± Kauren, who was sitting at the rubble of the fallen buildings and was watching the scene, calmly got up when the report came from his subordinate. ¡°What are you talking about?! Haven¡¯t you removed all the steel cans of the humans?!¡± ¡°That¡­ Suddenly, a strong one made an appearance.¡± The knight and hero class gigant, on which the Knights of Guards had boarded had a different power when compared to normal troops. As a result, the demons who had trampled the capital to their hearts content began to struggle. ¡°We are being pushed back. How about we summon more demons?¡± ¡°What did you say? Stop talking like we are weak! This is the assault troops of Kauren!¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t my intention¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! I don¡¯t want to listen to it! You don¡¯t even qualify as an assault member!¡± After grappling his battle-ax, Kauren split the head of the demon who had reported to him. ¡°Kyaaak!¡± ¡°Bloody bastard! Can¡¯t do anything right!¡± Kauren stomped and moved to see. A golden Gigant was coming to him. It was Kaizer, the Gigant of Emperor Rudolf. At first, Kauren was completely irritated, but soon he realized the mighty energy which was radiating from Kazier. ¡®This one¡­ He surely isn¡¯t human!¡¯ ¡®Strong. A different one from the ones I took down a while back. He definitely needs to be the boss of the monsters?¡¯ Kauren and Rudolf stared at each other while fixing their weapons. Rudolf and Kauren¡¯s weapons struck fiercely as if both of them were going to bleed heavily, but neither of them gobbled up. Was it right to say there wasn¡¯t any gap in their powers? ¡®Where the hell did these monsters come from?¡¯ ¡®Though not the general of the army, there had to be one human that stands at the top!¡¯ Nothing was more satisfying than a good opponent. In order to defeat such an opponent, they had to do their best. Kauren, who judged so, cried and struck his battle-ax to the ground. ¡°I am Kauren, the member of the 18 general of His Majesty, the vampire king! What is your identity?¡± At Kauren¡¯s question, Rudolf seemed surprised. ¡°A general from the Devildom? You are talking about the Devildom?¡± ¡°Yes! I will ask again! What is your name?¡± Kauren despised the weak and admired the strong. That was why he asked for his current opponent¡¯s name. However, Rudolf had no intention of giving his name. ¡°My Name? First, I¡¯ll kill you then we¡¯ll see about that.¡± ¡°Kuek, aren¡¯t you going to show respect to the warrior?¡± ¡°Such words coming from tricky demons. I¡¯ll slice your neck gently!¡± ¡°Oh! Such damned humans!¡± Kauren pulled out his battle-ax and shook it. Kwang! Kauren¡¯s battle-ax, with magic surrounding it, clashed with Rudolf¡¯s Hyper Aura. The place where they were at shook violently, and the wind flew in all four directions. The fight between Rudolf, the first sword emperor since Rakan, and the Demon General Kauren had begun. Chapter 295 - Taking Care of the General 1 Shirley, who previously participated in the Civil War of the Holy Arthenia Empire as a member of the Flying Dragons, was appointed as the captain of the Iron Guard of the Imperial Knights of Guard after coming back. Being appointed to a military post, she thought that she could soon succeed. However, her life in the Iron Guard wasn¡¯t as what she had expected. As a spear master, her skills were outstanding, but the knights secretly despised her and said that she was a mixed offspring of Dwarves. At first, she had thought of overcoming the prejudice, but as the days went by, her patience began to fade gradually. ¡®I can¡¯t! I need to catch them one after the other and play them.¡¯ While she was in her thoughts, things broke out in the Northern part of the capital. Suddenly, monsters appeared and burned the streets along with the residents being slaughtered. It was said that the Gigant troops of the central army, which had been dispatched, were pushed back and couldn¡¯t handle it. ¡®This is a good opportunity! I need to make use of this and make those men shut up!¡¯ That was her thought. However, the monsters turned out to be much stronger than she had thought. Somehow, the cockroach-like guy was able to fight. However, the half man half monster with fins and crown was tough for even a spear master. ¡°Ehhh! This fish monster! Why the hell is it so strong?¡± ¡°A fish monster! This is Tilapia, the commander of General Kauren¡¯s assault team!¡± Tilapia screamed back at Shirley¡¯s hero class Gigant who gave him an inappropriate compliment. Kwang Bang! Shirley stopped the pouring attacks with her lance. However, her lance wasn¡¯t able to handle the fierce attacks from her opponent¡¯s mace and broke down. Puong! ¡°Kyakk!¡± Shirley, who was hit with the weapon on her Gigant¡¯s breastplate, screamed while bouncing back. ¡°Kuku. That was surely one cute scream!¡± Tilapia stepped ahead toward the hero class Gigant that had collapsed. When Shirley tried to get up, he made sure to hit the cockpit twice. Eventually, after taking in two repeated shocks, Shirley was stunned, and Tilapia decided to take her soul before destroying her Gigant completely. ¡°I want to use your soul for four years.¡± While laughing at his own words, Tilapia concentrated a lot of Magi at his fingertips. ¡°Dance for me, doll!¡± ¡°Kuek!¡± Suddenly, a clear voice came from behind the Gigant that was on the ground. Rising up, the Gigant pierced its broken lance into Tilapia¡¯s heart. Subsequently, hundreds of small purple bullets flew past Tilapia¡¯s body. ¡°W-what the hell¡­?¡± Tilapia, whose body was getting crushed, was shocked. He was certain that the girl inside the steel had fainted. Then, why did that steel doll move? What was with that subsequent dark magic attacks? He saw a platinum-haired young man standing on a broken building. It was Luke and the party who summoned Kauren. ¡°You guys were overly excited.¡± Luke had summoned a higher demon to feed on the Veritas Magic Tower and the emperor. It was because he wanted to smash the Veritas Magic Tower and cause great damage to the central forces of the capital. However, he hadn¡¯t realized that the one he summoned would end up summoning subordinates and cause such riots. It didn¡¯t matter to him if the Emperor¡¯s nobles had to pay for it, but they decided to intervene in the battle, realizing that numerous deaths of the common people because of their rampage had to be stopped. ¡°You are the seeds I sowed, so I¡¯ll take it back.¡± As Luke flicked his hand, a black vine soared from under the ground and wrapped itself around Tilapia¡¯s body. It was Black Bind, a dark magic for absorbing Magi. ¡°Uahhh! No! Please let me live!¡± Tilapia struggled desperately, sensing that the black vine was sucking off his power and magic. However, he had suffered a fatal wound, and he had no energy to resist properly and ended up dead after all the Magi was taken off from his body. Hrrrrrk! Luke completely destroyed Tilapia¡¯s body with flame magic. Fabian and Sebastian, who was watching the scene from behind, clapped their hands out with cheers. ¡°Great! Surely you are our Master!¡± ¡°Intermediate demons aren¡¯t a huge deal for our Master anymore!¡± ¡°Huh. The Marionette magic and the surprise with the Dark Bullets was simply amazing.¡± Even then, Luke could feel the power. It wasn¡¯t because he had just removed Tilapia. He was able to take down the demons who were escaping very easily. However, despite absorbing so much Magi, his dark magic didn¡¯t rise to 8 circle. ¡®Does this mean I need more Magi?¡¯ If he had the right, he could have run around and absorbed all the Magi from the demons down in the city. However, because of the Knights of Guards and the Central Army being dispatched, he would be caught. ¡®I don¡¯t know about the other ones, but I need to get rid of the higher demon at least¡­¡¯ Luke saw the higher demon called Kauren fighting. In an instant, the Veritas Magic Tower garrison got wiped out and wondered if there was any surprise unit in the capital that could stop the demon¡¯s rampage. ¡°Master, you were here!¡± While Luke was in his thoughts, Belfair who was in his bat form came close. ¡°Did you get a close look?¡± ¡°Yes. Kauren is currently fighting with Emperor Rudolf.¡± ¡°Emperor Rudolf?¡± Luke¡¯s eyes went wide at the report. ¡°He started to fight the demons a while back with the Knights of Guards, and the Gold Gigant is the emperor¡¯s weapon. From what I heard, it was a Superhero level one.¡± ¡®If it is Emperor Rudolf, then it can be taken down.¡¯ Emperor Rudolf, along with Arch Duke Gregory of the Holy Empire, were the most powerful men of the continent. If such a person was riding an extraordinary Gigant, then fighting Kauren might be plausible, even winning over the demon was possible. ¡®I want to see it just once.¡¯ Luke, who wanted to see the enemy¡¯s ability, gave orders to Fabian and the others. ¡°You men will escape from the capital. After finishing my business, I will head back.¡± ¡°Be careful, Zeitgeist.¡± ¡°Please be safe.¡± Luke manifested his fly magic and flew in the direction that Belfair went to. Chapter 296 - Taking Care of the General 2 A golden giant and monsters raged on the streets turning it into ruins. Every time they stepped on the ground, the ground shook, dust and debris flew and swords clashed and axes crushed everything. Slash-! Kwang! A golden gust fell from the sky. The hyper aura; which separated everything and shattered everything in its way with a black lightning. ¡°Keuk!¡± ¡°Surely you are a strong guy!¡± Rudolf and Kauren who were in a strong conflict stepped back. The Knights of Guard who were fighting in close vicinity went to witness the fight. ¡°Your Majesty! I will join the battle too!¡± ¡°Shut up! If you don¡¯t want to die, then step back!¡± Rudolf asked them to step back. Instead of helping, they were only going to hinder him and the pride of the Sword Emperor wouldn¡¯t accept it. ¡®It has been a really long time since I have competed.¡¯ Rudolf refused to accept their help, but Rudolf wasn¡¯t even in such a good condition either. It was because he was hit hard and there were few injuries. Originally, Kaizer was difficult to control, the aura consumption was extreme, and Kauren wasn¡¯t someone easy to deal with, so a few attacks had come the way. ¡®The more troublesome things are the Magi this guy has released around here.¡¯ As a higher demon, Kauren gave out a tremendous amount of Magi. Although the effect of the Gold Sword eliminated the Magi, the impact of doing it passed the fatigue to Rudolf. Just as any antibodies caused high fever when it protected the body against diseases, his physical condition wasn¡¯t much better than a patient. Of course, Kauren too was going through the same phenomenon. Because like Rudolf, he was against an enemy who had the power which didn¡¯t go along with him. The power in the Gold aura scattered his Magi. ¡®Dammit, this is getting harder than I imagined. I need to get some results soon!¡¯ ¡®If with just one final blow¡­!¡¯ Magi spread throughout the battle axe of Kauren, and gold aura raged wildly in Kaizer¡¯s sword. The two sides which were clashing before were panting and looking at their opponent. As if the scene had frozen, there was no change, but the minds of theirs were constantly unfolding. ¡®If I aim for the side¡­ No, it is more likely to face him head-on.¡¯ ¡®After diving from the front, I need to quickly get back to my spot¡­ No, I can¡¯t use it if a counter-attack comes my way!¡¯ Neither one of them were able to jump because they had already grasped the others skills. Right when they were looking for a gap to attack. Kaboom! ¡°No!¡± ¡®This is the opportunity!¡¯ Suddenly, a flying grenade fell at Kaizer¡¯s feet. Rudolf stepped back at the moment, and Kauren moved swiftly like the wind. ¡°Such a mistake!¡± ¡°My win, human!¡± The knights were startled and moved for their aid, but Kauren was already reaching Rudolf. When Kauren, who had won the game, tried to inflict a critical blow, another shot blasted and moved back. ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Die, demon!¡± When Kauren¡¯s form shook, Rudolf quickly pierced the giant sword. Wooong-! Kaizer¡¯s huge sword pierced Kauren¡¯s chest and Kauren¡¯s battle axe drew a curve and slashed through Kaizer¡¯s breastplate and abdomen. At each other¡¯s throat. The worst-case scenario. ¡°This, this is!¡± ¡°Dammit, if only that bastard didn¡¯t cause that explosion¡­!¡± Black blood burst out of Kauren¡¯s mouth. The slashed Gigant of Rudolf was better than the demon, but yet, the situation didn¡¯t seem to be just good. This was because one of the core engines had been attacked with Kauren¡¯s slash, and was about to explode. As the cockpit was damaged in midst of the slash on the breastplate, the teleport magic circle for emergency escape didn¡¯t work. Forgetting everything, Rudolf jumped from the Gigant. Kwaaah! The explosion of the superhero class Gigant was truly enormous. Like the sun shone on the land, like a volcanic magma soaring the sky. The storm which was like a tsunami struck not just the streets, but also near the Nemesis and the Imperial Palace. After Kaizer exploded, The guards who were blown away with the explosion descended towards the Gigant to find the emperor. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, where are you?!¡± The heat from the explosion was so great that the ground went hard. No human could live with that heat. However, Rudolf was the most powerful knight in the continent. ¡°Keuk, dammit¡­¡± Watching him rise from the ash, the knights regained their color. However, the Emperor¡¯s body didn¡¯t seem to be in a good state. The red hair which looked like a lion¡¯s mane burned all over and turned bald, half of his face and body were burned together with melting skin. But that physical trauma was nothing. To avoid the explosion, he raised the gold aura to the limit yet suffered a severe explosion. Rudolf barely stood up and stumbled and a knight of Guard with SS status came in a hurry. ¡°M, Majesty!¡± ¡°Kuek¡­ I am fine.¡± Rudolf shook his hand and looked around. There was a reason, he had to check if Kauren was dead, but he, more importantly, wanted to know who fired a magic bullet. ¡®I was concentrating in the battle, but it wasn¡¯t possible for me to eye another one when a higher demon was keeping me occupied, and they wouldn¡¯t have stood in a noticeable place.¡¯ Perhaps it was done in the anticipation of being overwhelmed. No, that did make it sound plausible. ¡®Who the hell was he!¡¯ When Rudolf looked around. Thud! A huge body fell from the sky. It was Kauren who had been caught in the explosion of Kaizer. His body wasn¡¯t in a good shape but was trying to stand up with the broken axe. Hundreds of large and small fragments were stuck all over Kauren¡¯s body while he was severely bleeding. ¡°Kuek, This wasn¡¯t what I wanted.¡± When Kauren opened his mouth, the knights drew their swords to protect the emperor. However, Kauren didn¡¯t rush. It was because in the proximal distance there were far more Gigants than his demons. ¡°If I could, I want to see the end of this¡­ today, I am going to step back. Next time let¡¯s act fairly?¡± ¡°Fairly? That¡¯s a funny word coming from a demon.¡± Whether Rudolf laughed or not, Kauren gathered the remaining Magi. ¡°Catch him!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let him go!¡± The Knights of Guard pursued Kauren. Rudolf had no energy to keep up because of the injury, and just watched Kauren vanish. Chapter 297 - Taking Care of the General 3 When Kauren escaped from there, the surviving demons immediately followed after him. Of the summoned assault troops, only seven were alive. At the end of the day, after being attacked by the Knights of Guard, no demons seemed to be in a good shape. ¡®Dammit, I never thought that the human army was going to be that strong.¡¯ Until a few hundred years ago, the humans were only weak bones who wouldn¡¯t dare to go against anyone and were in desperate need of demons power. The human army couldn¡¯t even stand against the lower demons. But now, everything seemed to be different. It was because of the steel dolls which the humans were controlling. According to Kauren¡¯s own experience, two to three of the steel dolls whom the humans controlled were very strong, and the lower demons weren¡¯t even a challenge. ¡®I didn¡¯t know that the humans in the Middle-Earth had changed so much after the New World.¡¯ In the end, it was a failure. As a middle-aged leader had entered the invasion, he was defeated, and instead of taking him down the demons were driven away by the human army! ¡®I can¡¯t return to the Devildom like this! Somehow, I need to at least deal with it!¡¯ He had killed out the ones who defeated the demons and turned the place into a wasteland. However, he couldn¡¯t just go back without removing the original culprit. ¡®Then I need to recover my body first¡­¡¯ Kauren looked around and went down to a nearby valley. After confirming that the surviving demons had followed him, he grabbed the neck of the one closest to him. ¡°Keuk! Why are you doing this, General?!¡± ¡°These aren¡¯t my feelings towards you. However, I need food for my recovery!¡± In the Middle-Earth, there was a proverb ¡®Even if it rots it is a dragon.¡¯ Rather than absorbing the weak human flies, it seemed better to absorb the demons with more vitality and power even when seriously injured. It was enough to cure a slash and they summon back the demon again. ¡°The rest of you too will become my source for recovery!¡± ¡°Hiiik! The general has gone crazy!¡± Those who were alive tried to flee. However, their wounded body couldn¡¯t run much far and ended up becoming the meal for Kauren. ¡°Kuk, I haven¡¯t entirely recovered even half of my original strength! This can¡¯t be! Should I go out and hunt?¡± If he was lucky, he might be able to meet a Sword Master or Expert human and absorb their powers. Right when Kauren was thinking, something happened. Something from the sky suddenly hit his chest. Swooosh- Bang! ¡°Kuek!¡± Kauren, who was hit like that, got buried in the ground because of the force. ¡°Kuek, who, who?¡± ¡°I was the one who disrupted your fight a while ago.¡± In response to his question, Kauren looked up. A Gigant slowly descended from the sky. On the Gigant¡¯s shoulder was Luke, still in his Veritas magic tower robe. ¡°You, you are that¡­!¡± Kauren who recognized the man was shocked. ¡°Yeah, the one who called you. How was Rudolf¡¯s ability after fighting directly with him? I am thinking of dealing with him, so it would be better if you could let me know.¡± Said Luke. ¡®This is f*cking bastard used me? Towards one of the 18 generals?!¡¯ Kauren¡¯s face burned with anger, after realizing that he had been used. ¡°Bastard! I won¡¯t let you run away this time!¡± ¡°Well, will that be possible with your current body? Uh?!¡± Luke, who mocked Kauren, quickly moved into the cockpit. It was because he saw Kauren get up from his place releasing the Magi. The injuries weren¡¯t as bad as they were, but his body still couldn¡¯t deal with Luke. Kauren, manifested black lightning from gathering the Magi and released it towards Luke¡¯s warrior Gigant Achilles. Kwang! Not only would the Gigant chatter, but it was powerful enough to turn the opponent into char. However, the lightning fell in the place where Luke stood, on the rock wall, but neither Achilles nor Luke was there. ¡°A lightning deflector? It is a mistake if you think all my attacks will go there!¡± Kauren manifested much thicker Magi and struck a more powerful black lightning. Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! The explosions happened one after the other, and dirt was rising everywhere. ¡®Kukkk. For this level, only half of him will be left?¡¯ The dirt settled down. However, Achilles was in good shape. ¡°I, I can¡¯t believe it!¡± Kauren was shocked. No matter how hard it was, it couldn¡¯t have stood strong against the lightning made of Magi. However, there were reasons why the attacks didn¡¯t work. ¡°Hu hu hu. Didn¡¯t I say? I will take your power and your abilities.¡± Luke wasn¡¯t just blocking the black lightning with Stone Edge Magic. A Black Bind was placed under every summoned rock to absorb all of Kauren¡¯s used Magi. Of course, he could have tried to directly absorb the Black Lightning from the Higher demons, but using the core engine of Achilles which had medium capabilities, it wasn¡¯t a possible task. As a result, Kauren himself gave Luke his power. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it just be polite to return back what I had just received?¡± Hundreds of purple bullets spawned around Achilles and poured into Kauren. A thousand wave bullets of dark magic had manifested. The size was comparable to that of the shell as it was amplified by Magi from a Gigant. ¡°Keuk! Kuaak!¡± The massive Magi bullets flew through the air and pierced through Kauren¡¯s body. Since the body wasn¡¯t fully recovered yet, Kauren wasn¡¯t able to entirely block it. Nevertheless, the pride of being a higher demon, and a general for the Vampire King, he took a step towards the Achilles. ¡°You! I am going to get rid of you!¡± Rather bouncing off, Kauren rushed ahead and went fist first towards Achilles. As Luke cast Blink, the target vanished and appeared behind Kauren. ¡°Sonic Wave!¡± ¡°Uahhh!¡± The powerful wave amplified by the core engine made Kauren struggle. ¡°That, that is a demon power¡­¡± ¡°Hu hu hu. I take the abilities of the demon that I absorb.¡± Luke used the demon abilities on Kauren, who was in haste. Pussssss! With the sound of something falling, a dark purple mist surrounded around Achilles and Kauren. Upon the mist reaching Kauren, his skin and hair began to melt. ¡®This is Naga¡¯s specialty, Poison Smog! Not just the lower demons but the intermediate demons ability too?¡¯ As if confirming the doubt, blue snakes appeared through the mist and entwined Kauren. Snakes that were made of water dew from Kauren¡¯s body gradually grew. ¡°Dammit, Water control!¡± Kauren hurriedly ripped out the water snakes, broke through the poison smog and rushed towards Achilles again. Once again, Luke avoided Kauren¡¯s attack. However, as if expecting Luke to avoid it, Kauren turned his head towards Luke¡¯s Blink direction and spew breath. Kwanng-! ¡°Kuk!¡± Shield magic had been used, but Luke and Achilles who were a little exposed to it went back. Kauren continued to use a breath spell to not miss the upper hand. ¡°Fire Explosion!¡± ¡°Huh! Even if it touches, it won¡¯t hurt!¡± Luke continued to cast magic, but Kauren kept on using breath spell. ¡°Since you are not a warlock you are fighting cowardly! Don¡¯t even think that you¡¯ll be able to drive me into a corner with that kind of work!¡± Kauren exploded the whole body¡¯s Magi. Kwrrrrng! The valley where they were collapsed. As if an earthquake happened, the ground cracked. Along with him, a gust of wind blew in and large small rocks fell on Achilles. Luke blocked and avoided those incoming rocks relentlessly trying to not get hit by Kauren, and looked for the location. He was so concerned with so many things that he made a mistake. His leg slipped and Achilles fell down. Upon seeing that, Kauren ran like lightning. ¡°Die! You warlock!¡± Kwak! Of the two arms, Achilles¡¯ left arm was ripped off. ¡°Kuakkk! How does my attack taste¡­!¡± Kauren¡¯s face was gleaming with pride but soon hardened. He looked down not realizing what happened. His body was divided into two from the waist! ¡°How, when did this?¡± ¡°If you have thought of me as a warlock, you¡¯re mistaken.¡± Luke laughed showing off the huge gold sword aura. He used only the demons abilities from the beginning and slipped his foot trying to make it not seem deliberate, and close in the gap. No matter how injured Kauren was, Luke was prepared to take significant bleeding for killing a higher demon. ¡°Oh! This can¡¯t be! This can¡¯t be¡­!¡± ¡°This is purely to increase my growth.¡± Placing the Black Bind on the body of Kauren¡¯s, the vines soared from the ground and covered him entirely. ¡°Ah, no! don¡¯t! I can¡¯t die here!¡± Kauren turned into bones and then disappeared before he could even scream. The fight ended with the defeat of Kauren, and all the summoned demons in the Middle-Earth were gone. Chapter 298 - Taking Care of the General 4 Luke was done absorbing all the magi from Kauren. Kauren had already suffered a heavy blow from Emperor Rudolf, and due to the constant battles, he was already exhausted. Nevertheless, the difference between the higher demons and the generals was huge, and Luke was able to take huge amounts of magi. ¡®Thanks to that, my magic circle is now at 8.¡¯ Wooong-! Luke could feel a satisfying smile crawl on him, he could feel the black circle pulsating in his body. He raised his hand and then brought it down. Kwarrrng! A fierce purple lightning struck down like a storm. ¡°Was it Kauren¡¯s ability? Thunder Blinger? It really is awesome.¡± Thunder Blinger. The ability to make lightning with Magi. It was faster and more powerful and more effective than the normal lightning caused by white magic or dark magic. It was strong enough to make one¡¯s opponents into ashes. ¡°It was troublesome, but we overcame them.¡± He had crushed his first target, Veritas Magic Tower, and inflicted great damage to the Emperor¡¯s army, the Central Army and the Knights of Guard. He killed the higher demons with general status and absorbed their Magi and raised his magic circle to the next level. However, the biggest reward he had gotten from the battle was to witness the abilities of the emperor with his own eyes. Luke recalled the Emperor fighting with Kauren. The Superhero class Gigant Kaizer¡¯s massive core engine output, although amplified, it showed a Sword Emperor hyper aura. ¡®Same as in the past with Rakan¡­ No, it¡¯s probably more than that.¡¯ Rakan was a level better than what the world knew. However, Luke didn¡¯t know that the emperor was hiding his own skills. But Luke¡¯s face was never so stiff. He was already expecting the emperor to be strong. The problem was that the sword skill the emperor used while fighting Kauren was the Gold Sword. ¡®Why did the emperor even know the Gold Sword? The Gold Sword was only passed on to the lords of the state and the knights of the Rakans in the past.¡¯ And it didn¡¯t seem like a stolen skill. Unlike Arch Duke Gregory who once discovered the Gold Sword and pioneered it, the emperor¡¯s Gold Sword was more perfect than either Luke¡¯s or Rogers¡¯. ¡®Then¡­ Does the emperor even know the other half of the Gold Sword? When did he steal it?¡¯ Luke wasn¡¯t aware of the correct time, but it must have been taken out during the turbulent times when the Rakan was constantly in decline. ¡®That poor Rakan guy. Even after being dead he is being constantly eaten to the bone.¡¯ Luke just sighed. In the past, he felt intense rage against the stupid warrior who blocked his destiny, but now, he only felt pity toward him. ¡®Anyway, the important thing is that I can complete the Gold Sword by getting the other half, but I can¡¯t think of a way to get it¡­¡¯ After thinking for a long time, Luke decided to postpone the completion of the Gold Sword. ¡®Gold Sword is surely important, but my roots are magic and being a warlock. It is better to put more effort in the magic field than to a sword that is unlikely to get completed.¡¯ Luke decided that and wanted to head back to Rakan. But while performing the teleporting magic, something entered his mind. ¡°Would you like to do some more damage with these hands?¡± Luke took out a crystal from his subspace bracelet. He decided to give a final blow to the Veritas Magic Tower with something he saved. ¡°HuHuHu. I am very curious about how they will look when this is found.¡± With a smile more vicious than the demons, Luke disappeared. Chapter 299 - Taking Care of the General 5 ¡°We have arrived.¡± Scarlet and her retainers arrived at the lordship of the Marquis of Rakan, and their eyes were dull. Leaving their hometown of Albertville, they crossed the western border and entered the Baroque Empire. They had to travel by land instead of by sea, which was faster, in order to make sure that their identities were not revealed. They had struggled a lot, but after going through a hard time, they had arrived at Rakan. When they heard the Rakan descendant had developed the ruined territory, they thought that the development would be little. However, the port was constantly being visited by traders, and the city commerce and industry had developed. The rice fields were looking like golden waves. Despite the prosperity and wealth, the center of the Marquis was far from grand or luxurious. A simple old fashioned mansion that was neatly refurbished was what the Marquis of Rakan was like. ¡®He was indeed the descendant of the warrior!¡¯ ¡°What are your reasons for coming here?¡± When asked by the knight guarding the main gate of the lordship, Scarlet¡¯s party was shocked as it was their first time. ¡°We came to see the lord through the letter of someone he knows.¡± On behalf of Scarlet, Vante went out and handed in the letter of recommendation. The knight reviewing the letter of recommendation hurriedly contacted the residence. After a while, Hans, the butler, ran out to meet them. ¡°Welcome, come inside. I have heard before from the lord.¡± ¡°It looks like viscount Lev has contacted the lord in advance.¡± ¡°HaHa. That one¡­ you¡¯ll understand once you see.¡± Hans had already heard from Luke, so he knew that letting them know the truth in advance wasn¡¯t going to be fun. ¡°Currently, the lord is out. Please relax and wait till his arrival.¡± Thanks to the consideration of Hans, Scarlet¡¯s party enjoyed good food after a long time and were relaxed in their allotted accommodation. And after three days, they were able to meet the lord that just returned. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Luke de Rakan of the Rakan Estates.¡± ¡°Y-you¡­!¡± Scarlet and her retainers couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. The face of Lord Luke was very similar to the new lord of Albertville, Lev. ¡°Are you Lev¡¯s twin brother?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± When Scarlet asked the question, Luke shook his head. ¡°Then maybe a half brother with a similar face?¡± ¡°Not that either.¡± ¡°Then maybe¡­¡± Scarlet, who had been thinking for a while, made a reasonable guess. Jumping out of her seat, she screamed. ¡°Doppelganger! Are you some kind of demon?¡± ¡®Is this woman stupid?¡¯ Luke, who heard her ridiculous answers, frowned. Scarlet¡¯s retainers, including Vante, already guessed it, but Scarlet¡¯s weird answers were the only ones audible. ¡®Because she is a fool, she did reckless things in the past.¡¯ Even those who graduate as academy toppers often go erratic when they fall into the real world. In the eyes of Luke, Scarlet was someone very similar to that. ¡®But that was the reason why such people focus on other areas and often to different things.¡¯ Perhaps, even after receiving the vision of archery from Erenes, she must have had some personality that made him contribute to that. Anyway, Luke had decided to tell the stupid lady about his identity. ¡°I am Viscount Lev and also Marquis Luke. In the Holy Empire¡¯s civil war, I hid my identity and participated.¡± Only then did she learn of the truth and sat down with a red face. ¡°I-I¡¯ll let you know beforehand. I heard from generation to generation that the relationship between the Baroque Imperial Family and yours is bad. Are you thinking of betraying your identity and receiving estates from the Holy Empire?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say that that¡¯s the case,¡± said Luke. Scarlet tilted her head and asked Luke that considered her as someone stupid, ¡°Why are you telling us such an important secret of yours? What if we rush over to the emperor and try to get something from it?¡± ¡°I have no concern over such things,¡± said Luke. ¡°Yeah? What could be your reasons for trusting me so much?¡± ¡°It is true that I look forward to it. I just hope that you won¡¯t let me down.¡± Luke had a thin smile. Scarlet¡¯s party could feel chills on their body after seeing his smile. It was as if they were being warned to not let his expectations down. ¡®You don¡¯t care about being betrayed? In the end, it means that we are in our own hands.¡¯ Vante was able to notice Luke¡¯s intentions. Luke was confident about handling a number of betrayals, so he probably shared his secret. ¡°For the next 5 years.¡± ¡°Huh? 5 years?¡± ¡°For five years, carry out my command faithfully, and I will return Albertville Estate to you.¡± Scarlet¡¯s party was amazed at Luke¡¯s offer. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course. I promise on the name of the person that I cherish.¡± There was nothing unfortunate for Luke. 5 years was enough to make them into his. Just as he had given the land to the knights, Albertville could be left to them. ¡°Nice. I¡¯ll do anything, trust me!¡± ¡°Huhuhu. Since things will take time, don¡¯t act too hasty.¡± Luke got up and turned to the right wall. There was a map of the Baroque Empire. Emperor, nobles and the neutral territories were all painted in different colors. In addition, its approximate troops of Gigant and its financial situation were indicated there. ¡°You will be very busy in the future. It is going to be very noisy too.¡± Luke smiled meaningfully. Scarlet, who didn¡¯t know of his intent, was puzzled. Chapter 300 - Shaikan’s Secret 1 Wheeeing-! On the plains about 10-kilometers to the northwest of the Nemesis, the capital of the Baroque Empire. There was a former mansion of the Count Ebra. The mansion was spacious and magnificent showing the prestige of the family, which was known to be good during its time. However, at a point in history, Count of Ebra had been overturned by a traitor and was destroyed, and under the command of the Emperor, the mansion was ruined leaving behind only the cornerstone. There was a man in those mess of ruins. The man who was behind the mask was Shaikan. After escaping from the capital, he crossed the ruins and headed deep. There was headstone in there. It was much better maintained, unlike the other place where weeds covered everything, and the ground around that place seemed clean. ¡®It has been 25 years, mother!¡¯ Shaikan¡¯s eyes which looked down at the headstone were red with blood lust. Right. The countess of Ebra was the mother of Shaikan and Reichard de Baroque. In the past days of the Emperor, there were 3 princes in line for the Emperor title, all three of them enjoyed their days, but after the previous Emperor suffered and passed away from a mysterious death, everyone walked the path of death. And Rudolf, who became the new Emperor, crushed the backbone of Countess Ebra. The headstone which Shaikan was looking at belonged to his birth mother, Magdalene, the 3rd Empress. At first, where his mother was buried was totally unknown. However, at the library gate, he heard someone say that she was buried in her family mansion. Shaikan¡¯s mother, Magdalene, was a person of good heart. She always used honorifics when addressing her maids or court ladies and never liked seeing any animal sick. Because of that, there were many people who followed her to the Imperial Palace. ¡®But with being 1 year as an Empress, my mother wasn¡¯t able to eat.¡¯ In his memories, his mother was often sick or injured. It was always stated that the food wasn¡¯t going well with her body, or that she fell down and scratched her body. Young Shaikan always believed it. However, now when he thought about it, the 1st Empress must have been jealous. ¡®Mother! I am going to tear apart Rudolf and all his followers for a thousand times. So please trust this incapable son of yours and wait for a little more!¡¯ Shaikan, who made a bouquet with the wildflowers from the field, promised. Anger which couldn¡¯t be hidden from his body. As if his enemy was right in front of him, his eyes were red. However, the expression soon turned dark. ¡°Kuek!¡± On the other side of the headstone, where a pile of stones was placed, someone gagged. ¡°Who is it?¡± At Shaikan¡¯s shout, a dozen masked men appeared around the area. With an unknown appearance in front, Shaikan¡¯s eyes looked shocked. It was because he didn¡¯t know that there were so many people who knew of him being a dragonian. ¡®Are they some assassins sent by Rudolf?¡¯ Maybe he thought that the half-brother and captain who past assault had failed might come back and stab him. Shaikan pulled out his wooden sword from the back. ¡°Wait! We have no intention of fighting!¡± When Shaikan was ready to attack, one of the men hurriedly cut it off. ¡°Kuk, You come here and expect to be alive? Then you shouldn¡¯t have come to this place.¡± When Shaikan raised his wooden sword again, the man spoke much more. ¡°We aren¡¯t your enemies. No, we might be on the same side. So just wait for a minute!¡± At their begging, Shaikan stopped. With a grin he asked, ¡°Even though you say your are on my side, how come I don¡¯t know you?¡± ¡°Well, could you talk with that mask of yours?¡± There seemed to be no hostility in the men¡¯s words and attitude. Rather, Shaikan seemed to be expecting a lot from them. ¡®Should I listen for now?¡¯ Shaikan took down his sword. They were all flustered with stealth, and they seemed to be confident realizing that it was a trick. He was the Orc hero, the King of Monsters, and a dragon blood inheritor of the God Dragon. ¡°Understood. But it will be for just a second.¡± Shaikan slowly took off his mask. His face, exposed under the sun seemed very delicate, it didn¡¯t suit his strong physique at all. Shining strongly like the black obsidian were his eyes, and face which seemed to be chiseled. The man who was staring at Shaikan¡¯s face knelt down. ¡°R, Prince Reichard! You were the prince. Kuek.¡± The masked man began to sound like a happy child. However, the eyes of Shaikan were still cold. The man took off his mask in a hurry and began to speak in details. ¡°I am the standing head of the Count Ebra. Do you remember?¡± Shaikan looked at the face of the old man and was surprised. ¡°You are¡­ Baron Guildman?¡± ¡°Yes, that is right! You remember us!¡± Although he had turned much older than one could remember, he wasn¡¯t unrecognizable. He was the eldest of all the retainers. In the past, Guildman frequently met with his grandfather, he was the first person to welcome Shaikan and his mother when they returned there. ¡°You, you haven¡¯t died?¡± According to the information Shaikan obtained from the capital, the Count Ebra was entirely destroyed when the former emperor died and Rudolf got himself crowned. The Earl of the Count was executed under rebellion, and the retainers were captured or disappeared. Though there were rumors, no one had ever seen retainers from the Count Ebra. But the general was alive! ¡°Have you asked Rudolf to let you live?¡± At Shaikan¡¯s question, Guildman shook his head strongly. ¡°How can I who received the grace of the Count and the 3rd Empress do such an ungrateful thing? The Lord who saw through the crisis of the family used our hands beforehand.¡± ¡°Grandfather?¡± ¡°That is right.¡± Guildman, who sighed, started to tell the story from about 25 years back. Chapter 301 - Shaikan’s Secret 2 ¡°The 3rd Empress, who turned into a mother, was attacked by an unidentified group and passed away from the Emperor. But the problem didn¡¯t end there.¡± A month later, even after the Empress has been killed in a mysterious circumstances, Count Jonsen de Ebra realized that it was the conspiracy of the 1st Emperor. He immediately took some food and necessities and moved out of the Empire and left, then general Guildman became the head of state. ¡°Then, wasn¡¯t the Count Ebra entirely ruined?¡± ¡°That is true. The two of them who were the lord¡¯s distant cousins managed to keep it alive.¡± At the words of Guildman, the two masked men took off their masks. The twins, who appeared to be in their early thirties, seemed to have some resemblance with Shaikan. ¡®The distant cousins seem to be right.¡¯ There were quite a few features that he saw when he was a kid, so Shaikan immediately recognized them. When Shaikan was looking at them, Guildman opened his mouth again. ¡°At first, we thought of you to be a spy sent by Rudolf. Because people disguised as worshippers came here frequently.¡± Emperor Rudolf, who thought that Reichard, who had disappeared might still be alive somewhere. So, he often sent spies to the mother¡¯s mansion to look for him. But after a few first years, the spies appearances were turning worse, since Reichard hadn¡¯t been revealed for 25 years, they almost assumed him to be dead. ¡°But how did you know that it was me? You seemed to recognize me even through the mask.¡± ¡°That one, there was a Dragon Pier for the past prince. And it was said that the prince had inherited the God dragon¡¯s blood¡­¡± It was known that the Dragon Pier could be used by those who have only awakened the Dragon blood in them. Shaikan had been able to control the ability for a while, but when he went to visit the grave, his emotions were too much that he forgot to control it. And they perceived the Dragon Pier. Normal people couldn¡¯t distinguish between normal life and the wavelength of the dragon. The difference was fear and life. ¡°How could you know that?¡± Asked Shaikan. ¡°Because both of them awakened the blood of the God Dragon Tiamet.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Shaikan was surprised and raised his voice not realizing. ¡°Can¡¯t believe it! The God Dragon¡¯s blood can only be passed down to the Baroque family. Then how can another succeed?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t the truth.¡± ¡°The Baroque family is no descendant of the dragon.¡± Anxious Shaikan¡¯s question was answered by the twins Mitchell and Wiens. ¡°It isn¡¯t?¡± ¡°That is true. It was just a lie to increase the authority of the family. Like the other nobles, they just took in the tradition of the God Dragon which they heard from somewhere.¡± ¡°The blood of the God Dragon flowing through my body¡­¡± ¡°It was from our Ebra family.¡± With that said, Mitchell took off his mitt and Wiens followed. The twin brothers raised their arms and showed their armpits. There, the transparent scales that humans couldn¡¯t have were shinning in the sunlight. ¡®It was like mine when I was young!¡¯ He wanted to know they were real, so he touched it with his hands, and they seemed to like it too. In addition to that, when he touched the body of the cousins, the dragonic aura resonated at his fingertips, producing light and noise. ¡°When did this awaken?¡± ¡°It was a few years after the family had been destroyed. However, whenever I met the past Lord it resonates.¡± It was Jonsen who had discovered it earlier than anyone else. It was said that when the family had faced the crisis, they evacuated the two twins and handed them over to others. ¡°Are you sure that there is no dragon blood in the Baroque family?¡± ¡°If it would have been, they wouldn¡¯t have been quiet for hundreds of years. He would have boasted all over the continent.¡± ¡°But, I was considered like that?¡± Like Shaikan said, the fact that he was the blood of the God Dragon was only known to the Imperial family and some high ranking nobles. Why was it easy? And Wiens was the one who explained it in detail. ¡°The reason why they didn¡¯t publicly promote the Prince was because they weren¡¯t sure of the lineage. If turned out to be the other side, the dignity of the Imperial home would decrease.¡± What was even more difficult for the Baroque Imperial was that the Count Ebra was the ancestral lineage of the Libiyan royal family, which had been destroyed in the past. If something went wrong, Ebra would turn into the form which preserves the dignity that was lost by the fallen empire. ¡°Anyway, the important thing is that we met the Prince.¡± ¡°I agree with that too.¡± At the words of Wiens, Shaikan nodded. If not, he was wondering if he could fight and win over Emperor Rudolf with the monster corps because of the failure in the Navarre Duchy. Wandering the Empire¡¯s regions and learning about the potential forces, he felt the need to work with humans. And ended up meeting survivors of the family. It was inevitable. ¡°I think it was because of the care of my heavenly mother that I met you today.¡± At the words of Shaikan, everyone seemed to agree. In front of them, Shaikan expressed his aspirations. ¡°I know your wishes. And you know what I want! I will open the world with the power of the God Dragon! Will everyone go hand in hand with me?¡± ¡°We will be together till the end!¡± Count Ebra¡¯s men knelt in front of Shaikan. For the past 25 years, Baron Guildman has never withdrawn. They formed their own secret forces meeting with nobles and creating close relationships and holding onto the past. By joining them, the Orc Hero Shaikan gained a helping hand in the fight against Emperor Rudolf. Chapter 302 - Shaikan’s Secret 3 Erwin, accompanied by Rick, arrived at Bless, the capital of the Holy Arthenia Empire. On the way there, they had been attacked by fairies more than once. They decided to use a Gigant and mobilized one, and because of that, they were able to avoid any threat. When she arrived at Bless, the first one she contacted were the Argos agents, for information regarding the Marquis of Rakan. If Luke had been there, he would have surely placed an information organization. Using the code which they use to contact the agents, she asked for Luke and princess Reina. ¡°Lord, in the last civil war¡­¡± The agent hesitated for a moment. The agent began to cooperate with the fairy and told them everything in detail. Thanks to that, she learned that Luke played a major role in the civil war and received a title and estate from the Holy Empire and met Princess Reina, who was ruling the land as its pope. ¡°That is great. By the way, can we not see what kind of fairies are in the Marquis of Rakan?¡± ¡°You mean their dynamics?¡± In response to Erwin¡¯s question, the informant disguised as a peddler leaned, making Erwin ask the question again, ¡°Yes, like has there been any kind of change?¡± ¡°Well, it might seem pretty normal to know, but there haven¡¯t been any problems so far.¡± After hearing that, Erwin felt relieved to some extent. If the fairies of Rakan were apparently ordered by the Fairy leaders, the fairies would be in great trouble, and their relationship with Luke would be ruined. ¡®They might have decided to not follow the head¡¯s instructions.¡¯ Maybe it was natural. Luke didn¡¯t discriminate or oppress them after taking in the fairies into his estate. On the contrary, whenever an unfortunate incident occurred, humans were more likely punished. Even the villages of the Marquis, who weren¡¯t pleased with it, didn¡¯t bother with the rule later on. It was because after the fairies with talents and abilities developed the industry and mansion, their livelihoods turned rich. So although they were still a part of the same estate, the territories following Rakan seemed glad. And it was turning into a rather fair treatment for the fairies. In any case, the atmosphere at the place, no fairy in the Rakan estate was drunk in the concept of the Second Coming of the Abaron reign of the Legendary Magic Empire. There were many who were satisfied with their stable life and wished to continue to do so. ¡®The problem was with the fairies who were living elsewhere.¡¯ Before meeting Luke, Erwin saw the lives of the fairies who were living in the continent. There were those who showcased their powers and lived on par with humans. However, there were more fairies who were being persecuted as slaves, and there were a lot more who were hiding. If the fairy representatives showed any strong prospects, they were all bound to follow them, and the war between the humans and the fairies wouldn¡¯t end well. ¡®Considering the future of the fairies, the modest way of Luke is better even though it is slow. I need to stop the plans of the fairy representatives.¡¯ ¡°What are you thinking so seriously? The soup will get cold.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± At the question of Rick, Erwin raised her head and looked at him. The menu ordered from the restaurant was just as they were placed. First, Rick was slicing the bread then he talked to Erwin, who didn¡¯t even open her mouth. ¡°Is it because of those fairy representatives?¡± ¡°Yes, that is it.¡± On the way to Bless, Rick listened to Erwin. He too thought that it was unfair for the elves to be treated like this for many years. However, even so, the attitude of the fairies didn¡¯t seem to be right. ¡°I think there is no need for you to be so worried about it. No matter how much they try to do, there are limitations to acting openly,¡± said Rick. ¡°Yes, that is true.¡± Princess Reina was currently the Holy Pope of the Empire. The escort of the pope was powerful that even the elves wouldn¡¯t be able to overlook them, and then there was Gregory, the most powerful person of the continent. She couldn¡¯t even imagine them breaking past him and hurting her, but that still didn¡¯t make her feel relieved. They weren¡¯t aware of the conspiracy of the fairy representatives and wouldn¡¯t be able to respond to a sudden situation. Therefore, it was important to inform them of the danger. Erwin, who ate at the restaurant, visited the palace. When she arrived at the palace, she gave a heartfelt thanks to Rick who had accompanied and helped her all the way. ¡°Thank you very much for your help.¡± ¡°Thank you. I am already glad that I was able to help the disciple of Erenes.¡± Erwin and Rick shook hands. ¡°Are you going to visit your son now?¡± Asked Erwin ¡°Exactly. I don¡¯t know how he will react to his father who is supposed to be dead.¡± ¡°I am sure that he will be happy.¡± ¡°Huhuhu. Maybe he will¡­¡± Saying their goodbyes, Erwin moved into the palace. Guards standing at the front gate crossed their spears and stopped her. ¡°Stop. No one can enter here.¡± ¡°There is someone I would like to visit. Tell sir Victor that Erwin is here to see him.¡± ¡°Sir Victor?¡± When they heard Victor¡¯s name, the chief who was silent on one side responded. Although it hadn¡¯t been long since he was made into a paladin, Victor was one of the men whom the pope closely trusted. Known as a mercenary, he was considered as a thunder. He had experience and was a little old fashioned. However, he was praised as a great example for all paladins. Arch Duke Gregory praised him for his sincerity, loyalty and hard work in the old age. And a woman had come to visit that man who had been recognized by the pope and the Arch Duke? ¡®Maybe she is his granddaughter?¡¯ The guard thought about it and looked at the hood that was on Erwin¡¯s face. From what he knew, Sir Victor wasn¡¯t the kind to enjoy the colors of life. ¡°Please wait.¡± Delivering the information into the palace, he led Erwin to the room near the main gate. Soon after, Victor appeared. ¡°It is Erwin! What are you doing here?¡± Asked Victor. ¡°There is something I really need to tell you.¡± At the serious expression of Erwin, Victor toned down his excitement and asked in a low voice, ¡°Is it related to the fairies?¡± Erwin¡¯s heart trembled after hearing Victor¡¯s question. The Fairy representatives had already taken action. She thought that they wouldn¡¯t act on it, but that wouldn¡¯t be the case. ¡°By any chance, for the princess, sorry, the Holy Pope, did anything¡­?¡± ¡°Nothing of that sort. However, according to the schedule, I just delivered the letters as usual.¡± ¡®But the fairy representatives aren¡¯t like that¡­¡¯ Maybe they immediately realized that they couldn¡¯t deal with the pope¡¯s forces. No, they must have realized that stimulating her good-natured conscience and affection of Reina would be the right thing to do. ¡°Anything for the pope?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware of it, but I intercepted the letter for the middle.¡± Victor knew more about Reina than the fairies. Moreover, because he knew what had happened in the past, he wasn¡¯t the kind to trust the fairies ever again. ¡°You did good. The Spirit World shouldn¡¯t be opened again. I don¡¯t know if it will happen again in the future, but it should never be done.¡± ¡°What is the fairies¡¯ intention?¡± Asked Victor. ¡°They are thinking about the revival of Abaron, the ancient Mado Empire.¡± And with that, Erwin began to explain in detail what Abaron was like in the past and how the humans and fairies lived then. Victor was shocked to learn about the past. ¡°Then the fairies will repay the persecution of the fairies by doing it to the humans after the resurrection of Abaron.¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t want the grudge to continue nor the blood-stained history, and I don¡¯t want her Holiness to be caught in that.¡± Listening to Erwin, Victor nodded nervously. ¡°But hiding forever won¡¯t be possible. If their demands weren¡¯t met, then they will turn more outspoken.¡± ¡°That is true. First, we need to speak to the Holiness and never listen to their words,¡± said Erwin. ¡°That one, this old man can persuade. But just one thing¡­¡± ¡°Is there anything else that is going on?¡± ¡°I am worried that the fairies will harm Lord Luke.¡± Erwin too agreed with Victor¡¯s point. Reina agreed to open the door to the Spirit World in the past in order to comfort Luke. If something happened to him again, Reina¡¯s heart would once again shake. ¡°Of course, with Luke¡¯s skill, it won¡¯t be easy. But in this world, there are many things other than magic and swords that can threaten people.¡± ¡®But, if the current situation gets known to the Baroque family, it will become troublesome.¡¯ Luke had secretly participated in the civil war of another empire without the consent of Emperor Rudolf, and he even received a title and estate from that empire. If fairies knew of the political problems between them, they were very likely to use it. ¡°Of course, the lord¡¯s activity hasn¡¯t yet been known to the fairies. There are good men with the Marquis, and their identity in the Holy Empire has been documented.¡± However, there was no guarantee until when the secret was going to be kept. The most pressing issue was how much did Luke even know about this. ¡°Did you inform Luke about the letter that came from the fairies?¡± Asked Erwin ¡°It hasn¡¯t been disclosed yet. If news went from here, it would soon be revealed to the fairies that the identity of the hero of the Holy Empire, Lev, is the Marquis of Rakan.¡±. Because of his experience, Victor was very cautious. He would never hurry into anything. ¡°Soon, there is going to be an inspection at the Albertville. I am going to share that news during the inspection time,¡± answered Victor. ¡°I see. That is okay, but I have a favor to ask.¡± ¡°A favor?¡± ¡°I need a new identity.¡± Since she was being chased by the fairies, she couldn¡¯t figure out how to carry on her next tasks. Victor, who fully understood the circumstances of Erwin, nodded with a smile. ¡°Understood. That won¡¯t be a problem for me.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After having a conversation with Victor, Erwin felt a little relieved. Though the problem wasn¡¯t solved, she felt like a little weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Chapter 303 - Shaikan’s Secret 4 Luke had immersed himself in studying Gigants while hoping for things to happen in the capital. He had enough time to invest in the research as he had already taken care of the important things in the manor and had left the rest of the small tasks to his retainers. His goal was to create his own hero class Gigant. And for that, reference materials had been collected sufficiently. He also caught up to the current magical engineering and had accumulated enough skills to design and remodel a Gigant on his own. ¡®The problem will be the material needed for the production¡­¡¯ ¡°Is the lord here?¡± A man with a red beard came through the door of the office and asked with a husky voice. He was as tall as a human being and was known to be a giant among the dwarves. ¡°Can¡¯t you come in quietly?¡± ¡°I did come in quietly. The door is just way too fragile.¡± Kurgon shamelessly responded to Luke¡¯s question. Kurgon, who led the Red Hammer tribe 3 years ago, moved to the Rakan Territory and was quite rude to Luke and his retainers. Luke¡¯s retainers who didn¡¯t know of the circumstances grumbled at the dwarf, but Luke was able to fully understand his feelings. More than 500 years ago, the Red Hammer Tribe had followed Saymon, considering him as their savior, so it was natural for them to look at the descendant of Rakan, who killed Saymon, like that. If it hadn¡¯t been for Erenes, they would have never come back to Rakan. ¡°We picked up the steels that were ordered the other day and sent them to the Katarina Magic Tower,¡± informed Kurgon. ¡°Already? It has just been 3 days?¡± ¡°It would have been done in two days. The quality of the iron ore was poor, so it took a little longer to find the right one.¡± Luke nodded. ¡°What of the highest grade magic stone I requested?¡± ¡°I am digging at the Magic Stone Mine that you have given to me, so you might have to wait for a few more days.¡± In the meantime, the Red Hammer Tribe had never neglected the work given to them. They always did a perfect job as they didn¡¯t want to be nagged by Rakan¡¯s descendant or make Erenes¡¯ name bad. ¡°You did well. I will inform the housekeeper to send you a cold beer.¡± ¡°Send in some chicken too! Chicken and beer go well together!¡± ¡°Huhuhu, understood. I¡¯ll especially have them send you the fried one.¡± Even though his words were rough, Luke liked Kurgon. It was because he kept his loyalty in the past, and his current actions were consistent. And after Kurgon¡¯s departure, Luke turned toward his Gigant research. ¡°The materials I ordered have arrived or will arrive soon enough, so the only thing left is to design it and then build it?¡± There was a hero class Gigant¡¯s blueprint that could be referenced and the skills and information to make one could be transmitted from the Dark Moon Magic Tower. And with that, there was no great difficulty in making that Gigant comparable to either Atlas of the Veritas Magic Tower or Orion of Dark Moon. The problem was that Luke didn¡¯t think that it was enough. The successor wanted to create something amazing as if it was going to be the Gigant that would stand at the forefront when overthrowing the Baroque Empire. He wanted to make its combat power unmatched. ¡®Was it said that the Gigant of Rudolf has two core engines?¡¯ According to the survey made by Henry, the output of the Superhero class Gigant named Kaizer was of 6,000 fights. Although it was destroyed in the fight against Kauren, the monster like Gigant with such an output could never be produced by any tower. ¡®That was because we haven¡¯t yet tried to build a Gigant with such high core engine capacity, so the Imperial Tower only increased its power by using the parallel arrangement of two power sources.¡¯ The problem was that the Gigant was made with such a high capacity of output but was known to be scrapped because there was no rider who could balance its two power sources. ¡®It is better to have one core engine than two.¡¯ So Luke decided to build a 4,000 fight core engine. Enhancement of the output wasn¡¯t so easy, but analyzing the collected data and applying the magical knowledge based on dark magic might reveal a method. ¡°Another problem is on how to speed up the reaction¡­¡± The answer was already there. That would be the tuning helm produced by the Dark Moon. However, tuning helm needed a rare radium alloy and special magic processing, which would make the production cost rise. ¡®In fact, if I am going to use it for myself, there would be no problem. However, the tuned Helm can increase the fighting power of other knights¡¯ Gigants.¡¯ So, while making a Gigant, he decided to solve the cost problem. ¡°Okay then, I will need to find a material that can replace the radium alloy. Should we investigate materials with similar properties?¡± Diligently searching of the needed materials that Luke ordered, Hwang Bo-sung searched. He was upset as he hadn¡¯t practiced martial arts but was learning skills from the knights. He looked at Luke with a disgruntled expression. ¡°Master, I ask for you to keep your promise.¡± ¡°Promise? Ah, the fight with Baron Rogers and Commander Kaper?¡± Luke had promised last time, and he had been putting it off all this time. And Hwang Bo-sung was no longer able to tolerate his body going stiff. ¡°I¡¯ll talk about it tomorrow and hope that it will get done,¡± answered Luke. ¡°Thank you. If you will be so kind, please allow me to fight a Gigant.¡± ¡°Understood. But you will use that Puppet¡­¡± Luke stopped his words. He looked at Hwang Bo-sung, who was puzzled at the sudden halt of Luke¡¯s speech. Luke later spoke again with a smile, ¡°Your Puppet, can I take a look at it?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t a difficult task, but the mansion will come crumbling down if I do it here.¡± ¡°Then outside, no, let¡¯s go to the Katarina Magic Tower.¡± Taking Hwang Bo-sung, Luke left his office. He had been interested in the Puppet since the first time he saw it. However, he hadn¡¯t looked at it in detail. While their interests collided, Luke decided to look for some answers and problems while looking at the Puppet. ¡®Both of them have different principles but play the same roles. Analyzing the material used to make the Puppet of the Southern Continent may give me clues to solve the core engine or tuning problems.¡¯ Perhaps, because of his expectations, Luke¡¯s steps toward the magic tower went faster and faster. Thanks to that, Hwang Bo-sung, who was following him, began to walk faster as well. Chapter 304 - Fall of the Veritas Magic Tower 1 The Nemesis Imperial Palace. The nobles of the capital flocked to the throne room to solve the devastations which occurred a few days ago. ¡°What the hell is this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°That is what I am saying. How is it that suddenly a high ranking demons gets summoned in the capital?!¡± ¡°Who were the wizards who did such a wicked thing?!¡± Most of the victims were frantic with the attack and were mostly the Emperor¡¯s nobles. That too the lords which were affected. It was because their property and other shops were all concentrated on the streets to the North of Nemesis. In addition, a lot of brothers and other children of their families worked in the Central Army and the Knights of Guards, and the incident had quite a few casualties. Naturally, they had to condemn the act. Of them, a nobleman after a careful thought opened his mouth. ¡°Maybe the Veritas Magic tower is the culprit? Even though that isn¡¯t the case, wasn¡¯t there a rumor going around about them learning the dark magic?¡± For a moment, the entire throne room went silent. Honestly, the nobles were all aware of the fact that the Veritas Magic tower was indeed using dark magic, and about the Magical world being split in two because of it. So, after receiving the news that the Higher Demon first made its appearance in the Veritas Magic tower headquarters, they all decided to choose the Veritas as the culprit. However, the tower was very close to the Imperial family, and the nobles were scared to be called criminals for saying it out. It was because they knew very well about the close relationship the royal family had with the Veritas Magic tower due to the joined forces which suppressed the atrocities of Devil King Saymon 500 years ago. ¡°But could that be possible, I mean the Veritas too had suffered a lot from this incident?¡± ¡°That could be because they didn¡¯t perform it right or didn¡¯t control it properly.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think that someone deliberately infiltrated the Veritas Magic tower and summoned the demons?¡± ¡°Infiltrate such a place to summon demons? Would that even be possible?¡± ¡°I see nothing that can¡¯t be done.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you continue to take the side of the Veritas Magic tower. Did you take anything from them?¡± ¡°What kind of accusation is that¡­! I just want the truth to be revealed!¡± ¡°Truth? The most obvious truth and the fact are that the wicked demons have appeared in the Veritas Magic tower!¡± As opinions clashed, quarrels broke out, during this time a noble asked Count Voltas. ¡°How is Your Majesty¡¯s state?¡± Emperor Rudolf wasn¡¯t in the throne room at the time. In the name of getting his injury treated, he was refusing to see the officials. ¡°He feels like he should wait until the official investigation is over.¡± Answered Voltas. ¡°Hmm, that so?¡± The Emperor was in trouble too. There were many who were claiming the Veritas Magic tower as the culprit, and he had a close relationship with that tower, and since the damage caused by the accident was huge, he wasn¡¯t able to defend anyone. If he declared the Veritas Magic tower to be innocent, there was a chance for it to lead to a backlash from the nobles who suffered from the incident, and his public image was going to take a huge blow. Which was why the Emperor was contemplating on the excuse saying that it was going to be investigated. ¡°Rather than that, what happened to the Higher demon?¡± Asked Marquis Lucas, who was in charge of the Ministry of law and justice. He was a bureaucratic noble of the capital and was one of the Emperor¡¯s noble. ¡°The Knights of Guard were chasing him till the end, but they said that they missed the trail.¡± At the response to Voltas, the nobles in the throne room sighed. ¡°Any chance for the demon to reappear?¡± ¡°It was a demon which ran away from his majesty. There is no way he would choose to come back unless he has the intention to die.¡± In the beginning, they never thought a demon would come, which was why their defense seemed low. But now, even if the demon came back, they were completely aware and confident about catching and killing him. No matter how powerful the demon, the Knights of Guard wouldn¡¯t let it live if attacked once again. ¡°Since it hasn¡¯t come back again, couldn¡¯t he have gone back to the Devildom?¡± ¡°Wah, Then it is really nice¡­¡± It was when normal conversations had started between the nobles. A door guard came in the throne room and whispered something to Count Voltas. ¡°What!¡± Startled, Count Voltas raised his voice not realizing, and brought in the attention of all the nobles. ¡°What has happened?¡± When asked by Marquis Lucas, Count Voltas opened his mouth with a stiff face. ¡°It has been stated that a magic video crystal had been delivered to the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°A Magic video crystal?¡± The Magic Video Crystal was a kind of memory, and when a wizard injects mana into it, the video content can be displayed. It was a magic tool that wasn¡¯t used because of its expensive cost and hard production ability. But who, and for what purpose would send such an object? ¡°It was said that there are some pretty shocking scenes inside it, and was asked to see it together.¡± Voltas called the wizards of the imperial and went to the Magic Video crystal. When the Imperial wizards infused mana into the Magic video crystal, the images began to appear on one wall of the throne room. All the nobles who watched the video were shocked, and quickly, their expressions turned into rage. ¡°Unbelievable!¡± ¡°We need to wipe out all of those wicked people right away!¡± ¡°Yes! How dare they try to deceive the world! We will never forgive them!¡± Some of the impatient nobles tried to pull their swords out and run. All because of them, Voltas had to spend some sweet time trying to calm them down. Chapter 305 - Fall of the Veritas Magic Tower 2 ¡°Your Majesty, this isn¡¯t something we did! There is no individual who has learned of the magic to summon a demon, nor any summoners with us, and there is no such person in our tower! Please trust us!¡± Emperor Rudolf has refused to meet the nobles with the excuse of treating his injuries only to talk to a man in his office. It was Meister Albert of the Veritas Magic tower, who was speaking. He had just arrived back to the tower two days ago and was trying to explain about the accident which had happened during his time. ¡°You are saying it really isn¡¯t your work?¡± ¡°That is true. Please believe me!¡± ¡®Huh, so you expect me to believe you just because you say so!¡¯ Rudolf screamed in the inside. Emperor Rudolf was very well aware of the fact that the Veritas Magic tower had defeated the ancient warlock, the Devil King Saymon. Through the dark magic book, Arsene turned into a Lich and the former Meisters of the Veritas and the other elders too had learned a variety of dark magic. ¡®But no one has learned to summon demons? Such a shameless man this one is!¡¯ Albert could only exhale seeing the cold eyes of the Emperor. ¡°If that is so if we show our sincerity, would you believe our innocence?¡± Albert was well aware that Emperor Rudolf wouldn¡¯t claim Veritas as the main culprit. But the Imperial too was at loss. Nevertheless, he knew that there was a price to pay. ¡®Haha, The damages of our magic towers will be extreme this time. What kind of a bastard did such an act?¡¯ If Albert found out who did such an act, he was definite on making that man into undead and making him suffer forever. ¡®Hu hu. To get away with this, you need to be able to come up with pretty note-worthy things.¡¯ It was Rudolf, who remembered Veritas Magic tower to be his most valuable asset. Rudolf opened his mouth. Suddenly, the door of the office opened wide and Count Voltas entered. He looked at Albert and was surprised, but soon spoke to the Emperor. ¡°Your majesty, great trouble has come upon us!¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°A moment back, someone passed us a magic video crystal to the Imperial Palace, and there was a video of a person summoning the higher demon.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Shocked with the content, Rudolf got up from his seat. It was because it meant that the main culprit of the case was revealed. He didn¡¯t actually think that the Veritas Magic tower was the actual source. However, one of the Veritas Magic tower elders, who had been pushed out of the tower due to internal struggles, and had a bad intention in his heart could have done such thing, and such allegations couldn¡¯t be ruled out. ¡°Who is the culprit?¡± ¡°That, that thing¡­¡± At Rudolf¡¯s question, Voltas looked at Albert and hesitated. ¡°It is alright, let me know.¡± Said Rudolf. ¡°Yes, the magic video crystal has shown wizards summoning a higher demon, and it has been confirmed that they are of Veritas Magic tower.¡± ¡°Such an answer!¡± While Albert was flustered, Voltas pushed the Magic video crystal forward. ¡°Please check it for yourself.¡± Albert immediately infused the mana into the magic video crystal. Then again, the video began to appear on one side of the wall. The video continued on the wall showing the preliminary scene of summoning the demon, to drawing the summoning circles on the floor, to saying the summoning spells and then the summoned demon directly coming up. After confirming all of that, Albert could only gulp. It was because one of the two wizards in the video was someone he knew. ¡®Why, why is that guy in there¡­!¡¯ ¡°Those young wizards there is Fabian Azar. He once won an award in the capital magic contest.¡± Just as Voltas said, Fabian was a new wizard who had been prominent in Veritas Magic tower. He had great talent in magic, so he climbed to the 5th circle at a very young age, but due to his poor native origin, he wasn¡¯t able to garner anything else in the Veritas magic tower. Nevertheless, he never expressed dissatisfaction and Albert who was curious about him because of that thought of handing him a suitable place in the tower. But of course, the position was given over to a noble, a noble whose father had given bribes. ¡®Because of that did he do this¡­?¡¯ However, the question was how did Fabian manage to master dark magic, and how was he able to summon higher demons. It was because the dark magic teaching was kept very thoroughly in the magic tower. ¡®Then, is the guy with Fabian the one who did it?¡¯ The problem was that the man who was in the hood and performing the tasks didn¡¯t show his face. What was even more remarkable was that Fabian and the other one were wearing the robe embroidered with the Veritas Magic tower emblem. If such things happened, he couldn¡¯t get out of there! ¡°This, this is a conspiracy! We need to catch them right now and dig further information on the issue!¡± At the words of Albert, Rudolf nodded his head. He knew very well that to master the dark magic at the Veritas Magic tower, one had to be an elder. And even if that wasn¡¯t the case for all, the magic crystal video seemed unusual. ¡®What kind of a crazy warlock leaves behind the criminal record of his? What is more, is it possible to get any records while the man is capable of summoning demons?¡¯ While Rudolf was in thoughts, Voltas spoke with a stern face. ¡°I am not in a situation where I can talk about the conspiracy behind the scene. According to the report from the intelligence department, the crystal with this video has been circulating throughout the capital.¡± ¡°Kuak! That, that can¡¯t happen!¡± Albert¡¯s face went pale. It was because who watched the video would definitely believe that the demon was summoned from the Veritas. ¡°Your, Your Majesty. I will see you again next time.¡± Albert hurriedly left the office. It wasn¡¯t known whether he was trying to find where the magic video had come out from or trying to recover the spread ones. Anyhow, Rudolf¡¯s interest was elsewhere. ¡°Count Voltas, what do you think I should do now?¡± In response to Rudolf¡¯s question, Voltas thought for a moment and expressed his opinion. ¡°I think that this is the time to throw Veritas magic tower under the wheels.¡± ¡°The reason?¡± ¡°As soon as the magic video has been distributed, rumors will spread to the people of the Empire and as well as the other countries. It might even overlook Your Majesty and the Imperial family for trying to hold them in vain. And¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Intercept the Veritas assets while destroying the Veritas.¡± The Veritas magic tower was one of the two top magic towers along with the Holy Magic tower to have had a great history. There will be tremendous wealth and vision collected over the past hundred years. ¡°If we can take it, then you might be able to grow the Baroque Imperial Magic tower as the top two magic towers which will replace the Veritas.¡± ¡®Well, that does attract my heart¡­¡¯ Rudolf too was thinking that Arsene¡¯s ambition would one day turn hostile towards him. However, he turned a blind eye towards the Veritas because he needed the magic tower, but with the current turn of situations, he couldn¡¯t help it anymore. ¡®The problem will be Arsene. As long as that monster doesn¡¯t die, there will be constant repercussions towards the Baroque Imperial Magic tower for doing¡­¡¯ When Rudolf was hesitant to make a decision, Voltas urged him to make a decision. ¡°Your Majesty, if we let them go this way, there is a good chance that the nobles will sell the Imperial over to the hands of warlocks. So we need to quickly act.¡± Rudolf¡¯s heart was now concerned. On the other hand, he was also angry that Arsene will take notice of those things. ¡®What will happen if that monster attacks? I am now the Sword Emperor! Even if he appears before me, I will cut him off.¡¯ Rudolf gave the order to Voltas. ¡°Understood. Move the Central troops and the Knights of Guard and order them to surround the Veritas Magic tower, right away. Announce their sins and arrest the wizards!¡± Even though the Meister and the elders already learned of the dark magic, the power of the knights and the Central army was enough to subdue them. What was more, the Veritas had been hit hard by the demons. Deciding, Rudolf was stubborn about getting rid of them. Chapter 306 - Fall of the Veritas Magic Tower 3 ¡°Leave this place right away!¡± After the call of Albert, who had just returned back to the Veritas Magic Tower, the wizards, who were in a full swing, asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Hurry up and pack everything! We will be swept away by the Emperor¡¯s men!¡± Albert had been dealing with the Imperial family and the nobles for a very long time, so he knew how the power-thirsty men would act. If there was anything that they could gain from the other, they act all kind and heart-warmingly. However, when the same individual threatens their position, they would turn into a cold-blooded killer. It was no use to cry in front of the Imperial family talking about the conspiracy. ¡®Rather, they might be thinking about eating Veritas at this very moment!¡¯ Albert hurriedly called the elders to provide them with the directions. ¡°Elder Belmond went to the library to collect the magic books and research materials classified as high. Try to burn everything which can¡¯t be taken. And you¡­¡± Assets to take priority, the treasure of the Veritas Magic Tower and talented people. If there were such materials, then the Veritas could rise whenever possible. Of course, they wouldn¡¯t be able to call the magic tower as Veritas for a very long time. After giving instructions over to the elders, Albert gathered the rest of the wizards, mercenaries and other staff. ¡°You people head to the Hilt Valley to the west of the Veritas town.¡± ¡°Hilt Valley? Isn¡¯t that where we throw away our waste?¡± ¡°Right. But there is an emergency teleport magic circle there that you can use to escape.¡± Everyone was shaken with a lot of agitation when they heard the word escape. There were many words going around about the identity of the monster that had appeared a few days back. The heads of the magic tower were easy going on it, but rumors had broken out to the level that every one of the capital streets were talking about it. ¡®Are the words about black magic being taught really true?¡¯ ¡®Dammit, I stepped into shit.¡¯ The wizards all turned pale. Some thought that they were deceived by the magic tower and its heads. However, since the situation was so severe, they couldn¡¯t just withdraw at that moment either. ¡°Move fast, will you?! If you don¡¯t, there won¡¯t be a tile when you can see the light again!¡± At the stern prompt from Albert, everyone packed their bags and hurried to the Hilt Valley. The number of men was over 1,000. Their large scale movement was noticed by the subjugation troops that were dispatched after a while The commander of the subjugation troops consisted of the Central Army and the Knights of Guard¡¯s Vice-captain, Count Ferrero. Ferrero looked over at the movement of the wizards to the teleportation place. ¡°I did expect them to escape, but why are they gathering together instead of scattering?¡± ¡°I heard that there are numerous escape routes in magic towers. I guess the Veritas Magic Tower has the same principle. Perhaps, there is something being prepared on the west side where they are heading to.¡± Ferrero nodded in response to the answer from his lieutenant. ¡°We will divide the troops into two. The left side army will go with the lieutenant to chase after the fugitives, and the right side army will siege the magic tower with me, and don¡¯t miss any of the remnants, do you understand?¡± Ordered Ferrero. ¡°Understood, Sir!¡± Ferrero immediately gave out orders and pulled on the lieutenant who was ready to take charge. ¡°You are probably already aware but be careful. If anyone of those men summon a demon again, we will suffer a lot.¡± ¡°I will keep that in mind,¡± responded the lieutenant. The troops began to get separated into the right and left and moved in earnest. When the gigant troops and knights led by Ferrero¡¯s lieutenant appeared, the fleeing wizards were all shocked. ¡°T-the subjugation troops!¡± ¡°They are here to catch us!¡± ¡°Go on and run away!¡± The wizards and the mercenaries moved quickly toward Hilt Valley when they heard that the troops were chasing them. They really believed that they could escape from the army once they reach the teleportation circle. But how long could they walk or run in a wagon? Eventually, the troops caught up to them, and they received the blades of the knights. ¡°Kill everyone of these bloody warlocks!¡± ¡°I-I am not a warlock!¡± ¡°Shut up! You think that I will fall for those words!¡± Without differentiating between the innocent wizards, the knights of subjugation began to wield their swords at everyone. The riders were even worse. They trampled on the wizards and mercenaries and swung their huge swords at them. Out of all the knights, there were many who had fought the demons the other day. They contained lots of hostility against Veritas for what had happened. Even if that wasn¡¯t the case, there were many who were disgusted with Veritas, which had always been arrogant due to its past. ¡°Quickly, find that teleportation magic circle!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, go look for it!¡± Those who had reached Hilt Valley avoided the troops and wandered around, trying to find the magic circle. In spite of their efforts to survive, rather than a magic teleportation circle, not even a cheap scroll piece could be found. The entire valley was full of scrap and metal. It was literally a dumping site for garbage. ¡°It isn¡¯t here! It is nowhere to be found!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, Meister used us as bait¡­¡± The words from a certain someone got cut with the final blow. The wizards and the mercenaries, who were desperately searching for the magic circle, sat down after realizing that they were betrayed. The swords of the subjugation that were furiously chasing after them slashed into the wizards the moment they came close. Standing on one of the tallest ruined buildings was Albert, who was looking down at the subjugation troops heading his way. He was hoping that they would be out to catch those young fools whom he had used as bait. However, the commander of the troops had seen through his plan. It was good news that unlike the troops that went after the wizards, the troops heading to his direction were cautious like they were in a siege. ¡®I know what you are worried about.¡¯ Every time there was a light flashing inside the magic tower, the subjugation forces halted with fear. Thinking that a demon had been summoned, but in reality, the light was coming from the long-distance teleport scrolls used by the high ranking nobles who possessed assets and treasures of the Veritas Magic Tower. ¡®Should I try summoning a real demon at this very yard?¡¯ He really wanted to do that, considering that the Imperial family had just betrayed the friendship they had that had been going strong for the past 500 years. If he could collect the remaining materials in the current tower, he might be able to summon at least an intermediate demon. However, it wasn¡¯t the time to dilly dally. Moreover, if a real demon did come out and if it took too long to take it down, it would turn troublesome for them too. ¡®I am raging right now, but I am going to take a step back because this is the best thing I can do.¡¯ Only then would it be possible to gain sympathy by saying, ¡®The stupid Imperial family and the nobles fell for a conspiracy plot set up by some unknown person.¡¯ And that would make it easier for the magic tower. ¡°Master, you need to hurry. The subjugation troops had already entered the magic tower!¡± One of the disciples had reached the Meister and reported. Albert could see the Gigants entering. Gigants were on their way even though the towers had fallen. ¡°The spell books, magic books, and the research data? Has all of the treasure of the magic tower been sent?¡± ¡°Yes, the elders have secured them and left first.¡± ¡°Did all of the high ranking wizards and their disciples left?¡± ¡°Yes, it is just me and you, Master.¡± ¡°Then we should go out too.¡± Albert took one last look around the magic tower. Even after Kauren¡¯s riot, some places were still intact. Nevertheless, Albert was born in there, and he had been deprived of his Meister position. He had no choice but to give up on the magic tower. ¡®I will come back. Once again, it can be whenever¡­ on my heart!¡¯ After swearing to himself, Albert raised his hand. Kwah! Puaang! ¡°Fire, there is fire!¡± ¡°Everyone, move back!¡± The magic of Volcanic Explosion manifested by Albert engulfed the entire magic tower¡¯s remains. As the subjugation army, which was startled, retreated, Albert disappeared with his disciples. For many years, the Veritas Magic Tower, which held its position as the 2nd best magic tower in the continent and the head of the Magic Federation, disappeared in an instant, all due to some unexpected turn of events. And that event had a tremendous impact on the magical system of the continent. The alliance with the magic tower that not just gave a lead to the throne of the Imperial family was also the driving force for the destruction of the Veritas Magic Tower. Emperor Rudolf declared that the Veritas Magic Tower was the main culprit in the summoning of the demon that had destroyed the north of the capital, causing a great deal of suffering and loss. And effectively, it ended the Battle of Magic Towers! However, the reformers couldn¡¯t just rejoice over it. It was because the conflict between the two of them had caused a considerable damage to the magic of the continent and the magical world. And that could have a significant impact on the future of the continent. Chapter 307 - Fall of the Veritas Magic Tower 4 A pyramid located on the island of Thanatos in the Hell Islands. Arsene, who was committed to the great resurrection, got back a shocking report and got up from his seat. ¡°W-what. was it! Veritas. Magic tower. Is. Gone?¡± ¡°Please punish us because of the poor mismanagement of the descendants?¡± After reporting, Meister Nestor fell down on the floor and asked for punishment. Since he was serving Arsene for a very long time, he knew how much he loved the magic tower. It was for the very magic tower that he had decided to turn into a Lich. However, something terrifying had happened! Arsene was so angry that his entire body trembled, and his bones creaked. He barely managed to calm his emotions. He asked, ¡°How. In. the. World. Did this. Happen. Any. Report on. It?¡± ¡°That was¡­¡± Nestor told the entire thing that he heard from Albert. Arsene, who heard the entire news, couldn¡¯t help but feel the situation was absurd. ¡°From the. Magic tower. headquarters. One. Higher. Demon. Popped out. And. The. Warlock. Rumors. Spread! Who. Is stupid. Enough. To do. Such. A thing. In there?!¡± ¡°T-that¡­ We confirmed that a 5th magic circle warlock named Fabian was involved in it, but we cannot tell who the main perpetrator is.¡± According to the investigation done by Albert, none of the elders or the high ranking wizards of the magic tower who learned dark magic showed suspicious or unclear behavior. They were performing their own duties at the time of the demon summoning. ¡°Kul! Then. Is it. An outside. Work? How. Dare. Someone. Do. Such a thing!¡± Both of the eyes of Arsene were red with anger. ¡®Keuk!¡¯ Nestor, who saw that, could feel her entire body tremble with fear. It was because he was so intense and dominating that no warlock even with a 9th magic circle could look into his eyes. ¡®Who the hell could have done that? For a higher demon to be summoned, he couldn¡¯t have been lacking in skills, and if it is not an insider¡¯s act then¡­ Was it the guys from the Dark Moon?¡¯ No matter what, the only people who were capable of such a thing were the henchmen of Saymon. In addition, it could have been done by the remnants of the ten magic towers who had been targeted for opposing the Veritas Magic Tower. They could have held a grudge against Veritas and decided to touch the forbidden magic. ¡®Kuek! It doesn¡¯t matter who is doing this. I will make them pay 10 times¡­ No, they will be paying 20 times the loss I have faced!¡¯ The good news was that all the Veritas¡¯s assets and treasures had been saved. And with Albert coming to the island with those items, it was just a matter of rebuilding the tower from scratch. ¡°Master, according to Albert¡¯s words, the magic tower has been destroyed, and the crucial point is the betrayal of Emperor Rudolf. Shouldn¡¯t we be punishing them too?¡± ¡°Kul. Obviously. They will. Be. Punished. I used. My hand. For. All his. Works. And to be. Played with. Betrayal. Of. Veritas. Magic tower. everything. Is clear. I will. Be smart. To show. The after. Effects.¡± He wanted to go to the capital of Nemesis and kill the Emperor and destroy the palace. However, Arsene had to preside over the Great Resurrection project, which had to be done. It would be troublesome if problems arose after him going out. Of course, it didn¡¯t mean that he was going to let the Emperor get away with it. In this case, Arsene was preparing a masterpiece for the Imperial family. It had been under preparation for a long time, and yet no one in the Imperial family knew about it. All he had to do was to send off one of his guardians, and they would punish Rudolf. ¡®An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Rudolf, you bastard. I will be making you cry tears of blood!¡¯ With horrifying emotions, Arsene¡¯s eyes looked at the northern sky where the capital of Nemesis was located. Chapter 308 - Conflict Amplified Once Again 1 Although the Rakan Marquis had been evolving, the largest forces of the Baroque Empire was still the Marquis Mayers which was in the southern part. Their individual power alone had over 900 knights and Gigants of 250. It was comparable to the overall military power of a duchy. The basis of the forces were from 17 large and small cities along with vast farmland. The enormous amount of collected forces in there were all diverted to the support of the Marquis. In addition, Marquis Mayers was a noble, leading the noblemen provinces of the south. With all that forces, wealth and political power, the pride of Marquis and their retainers remained inevitable. No, they were more all less thinking about themselves to be the descendants of the Milton estates of the past. ¡°We have arrived.¡± In front of the permanent residence of Marquis Mayers, a young man dressed in southern continent attire appeared. His face was exhausted with the long trips and full of anxiety and tension. ¡®Getting rejected in here will put me in trouble. I need to meet the Marquis at any cost.¡¯ ¡°Stop.¡± As the young man approached, the knights of Marquis Mayers blocked the man by crossing their weapons. ¡°Please let me leave, I need to speak to the Marquis.¡± ¡°What? You need to meet with Marquis?¡± At the end of the young man¡¯s words, the knights looked at him from up to bottom. When they saw there was a sword hanging down his waist, they assumed him to be a mercenary who was traveling around. There were dozens of people who came there saying they were hired. ¡°Our Marquis is very busy. He isn¡¯t free enough to meet you, please head back.¡± The young man, with a sincere expression, spoke back to the knight. ¡°This is a huge deal to the Baroque Imperial. I really wish that the Marquis benefit from this, and this won¡¯t cause trouble to anyone, so please, I need to meet him.¡± ¡°Uh uh! Do you realize how many times men like you come here saying such stuff? If you don¡¯t move away from here right now, it will turn painful for you!¡± A stubborn knight spoke back to the desperate young man. ¡®Ha ah, I can¡¯t even get in here!¡¯ The young man with that attire, was Aslad de Ferrierd, the prince of Konrad Kingdom. Having escaped with his father and the retainers, he was almost betrayed by Lazlie barely managing to escape by taking the help from a southern sailing ship. And for vengeance against the Baroque Imperials, he turned towards the noblemen. However, they weren¡¯t welcoming Alsan, who was wandering around looking like a mercenary. Looking at his appearance, he was often asked to turn back with the excuse that the lord was too busy to meet him. ¡®However, would anyone even think of me as a prince, seeing me dressed like this? It might be weird to meet too.¡¯ It was when he was turning away with disappointment. Wooong-! A wagon, emitting white smoke from its chimney, quickly moved towards the manor. ¡®A mobile? I guess that it is a nobleman who is stacked with money.¡¯ A mobile was a means of transportation which used the magic stones, for fast movement. But there was nothing more to it than showing off the wealth and power of a person. Aslan was able to see the appearance of a sleazy person, asking the soldiers to open the door. But from the mobile, he heard a familiar voice which made him stop. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the son of Duke Ferrierd, Aslan?¡± ¡®Who could this be?¡¯ Surprised, Aslan looked in the direction of the mobile, and the door opened allowed the man to come out. ¡°You, you!!¡± ¡°Ha ha ha. Has it been 7 years? I never expected to see you in such a place.¡± The middle-aged man who approached Aslan with a friendly smile was Baron Aron de Bazo, the mastermind behind Marquis Mayers. In the past, Baron Aron had been sent to the Holy Arthenia Empire as a goodwill ambassador. At that time, he met Aslan who was studying away from home in the capital Bless and had together gone to the entertainment district. So, even though the appearance and the clothes changed, he was able to recognize Aslan at a glance. ¡°I heard that you and your father went to the Southern continent, so why are you here?¡± ¡°Ha, that¡­¡± Aslan who wanted to make something out of the situation explained everything to Baron Aron on what he had been through, and the situation where the Baroque Imperial deeply involved themselves in the civil war of the Holy Empire. After hearing the entire story, Baron Aron was shocked. ¡°Please wait here a moment. I have urgent work to take care of and will notify the Marquis immediately.¡± Having said that, Aron hurriedly set off back in his mobile. Aslan looked at the disappearing mobile into the manor and clenched his fist. ¡®Dammit! Just wait and see, Lazlie. No, Emperor Rudolf! Although I have no power to take on vengeance for the sake of my father, I¡¯ll make you pay as much as I can!¡¯ Clenching tightly, blood began to flow out from his right hand, but Aslan couldn¡¯t even feel that pain. Chapter 309 - Conflict Amplified Once Again 2 Marquis Mayers had been feeling troubled lately. It was because the Emperor had been quiet for a while and then suddenly turned active. He insisted on regaining the concessions made three years ago to close off the conflict between the Emperor and the noblemen, but was secretly excluding the noblemen from the positions such as military, administration, and was planting his own people. For what. The tax exemption policy that was released a while back seemed normal on the outside, but when learned in detail, it was very unfavorable for the noblemen. ¡®What the hell does Emperor Rudolf even want? Does he wish for a civil war?¡¯ Marquis Mayers felt that he couldn¡¯t compromise anymore and pushed for the noblemen to take action. However, a long while ago, there was a turmoil in the capital. Demons had appeared in the Veritas Magic tower, turning the northern part of the capital into a wasteland, and caused tremendous damage to the Central Army and the Knights of Guard. As a result, the pressure from the Emperor decreased by a lot. Marquis Mayers, who was gathering the information through his spies couldn¡¯t help but sigh out of relief. ¡®How much damage did the Emperor taken in? Could the Central Army and the Knights of Guard be hit till the level of annihilation?¡¯ When Marquis Mayers was in his extreme thoughts and expectations. Baron Aron returned from Nemesis after gathering information. ¡°Oh well, how much damage did the Emperor suffer from this?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Aron told the entire information which he had collected over the days. After hearing the report, Marquis seemed rather displeased. It was because the damage was much less than what he had expected. ¡°There are rumors that Emperor Rudolf had taken personal damage after appearing in the battle in person, but it is most likely to be false.¡± Answered Aron. No matter how strong the Emperor seemed, the opponent was a ¡®Demon¡¯. That too, a higher demon. And fight of one-on-one with higher demons and defeating it? Perhaps it was an exaggerated rumor inflate the Emperor¡¯s pride and the knights¡¯ morale. The cunning Emperor must have taken a step back and let his guards fight desperately. ¡°I was really hoping that the Imperial palace would have been smashed and the capital was burned down to ashes.¡± The Imperial Palace was a symbol of the Emperor. The capital was the place where the powerful and wealthy nobles of the Emperor were concentrated. If those both institutes would have been smashed, the Emperor would have taken in huge damage. All his support base would have been blown away. ¡°Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t the case. We won¡¯t be able to pass the Emperor¡¯s offensive line for a while.¡± Unfortunately, the noblemen had changed during the three years. The Emperor¡¯s acts had led them to create helpless conflicts within the noblemen itself. It was because the successor of Marquis Cavanill had opened his eyes towards the Emperor to gain a little more personal interest. Due to that, there were big and small disruptions within the noblemen itself. Marquis Mayers and Duke Butler had taken quite a pain in mediating the problems. ¡®Tch Tch, that Southern proverb did say, no dog should be placed under the hood, how could such a stupid child succeed that¡­¡¯ It was when Marquis Mayers was clicking his tongue.Read more chapter on our novelhall.com With a calm expression, Baron Aron opened his lips. ¡°Your Majesty, there is another piece of important information.¡± ¡°Important information?¡± ¡°Yes, when I came here to report to you, I met prince Aslan at the entrance of the manor.¡± ¡°Aslan? Perhaps, was that the name of Duke Ferrierd who had rebelled against the Holy Empire?¡± ¡°That is right.¡± Aron told the entire story about meeting Aslan and what he had told him. After hearing the entire matter, the eyes of Marquis Mayers glowed intensely. It was because after a long time the noblemen had something in their hand which could push back the Emperor. ¡°Send the message to all the noblemen right away.¡± ¡°Will you be heading to the capital right away?¡± Asked Baron Aron. ¡°Of course, I need to go and see him. The crumpled face of the Emperor, and the initiative I need to take.¡± Successive events took place in favor of the noblemen, even if they couldn¡¯t be declared as the God-given opportunity for their revival. If the two events were used properly, though they might not be able to overpower the Emperor right away, they would still be able to take the initiative in the working of the government. ¡®If I can¡¯t eat from a well-prepared dining table, I can¡¯t be called as an ambitious person.¡¯ Aron saw the ambition rise in Marquis Mayers eyes and opened his mouth cautiously. ¡°But the thing is, Aslan has lost all the crucial things that he had gathered during the escape from the manor.¡± No matter how many of the Imperial mercenary troops were dispatched, they had to take the permission of the Imperial parliament to send troops abroad. It was because, in the past, the nation¡¯s fortune had declined due to the indiscriminate dispatch of troops. However, since the Emperor, who should be the example, dispatched men freely violating the laws of the Empire and ignored the authority of the Imperial parliament himself. ¡°Oh, if we have no proof, we need to stop persuading. This isn¡¯t normal and the capital is in a mess right now, and that is enough for me to eat it alive.¡± Marquis Mayers had a confident expression, called a butler and asked him to guide Aslan, who was waiting outside, into the villa where the guests were asked to stay. ¡°Wait and watch Emperor Rudolf! Haha hahaha!¡± A delightful laugh came from Marquis Mayers¡¯s face for quite sometime. Chapter 310 - Conflict Amplified Once Again 3 ¡°Kuahhh!¡± After hearing about the story of the Veritas Magic Tower from Hudson, Luke burst out into a cheerful laugh. It was because he was the one who planned everything, but he never imagined that things would work out so well. ¡°Even then, it is a pity that the Meister and the elders have run away.¡± The emperor did send out the troops very quickly, but the quick-witted wizard rats fled by then. They had missed out on the real deal, but Luke wasn¡¯t that disappointed. He believed that if he could take down their men one after the other, then he might even be able to take down Arsene. ¡°By the way, when I was away, the fairies in our lordship were said to be slumped. Do you know anything about that?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°That is true, Lord. I did go out and try to investigate it. However, the fairies didn¡¯t open their mouth no matter how many times I asked.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t something unknown happening between them?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that. There were observations that the fairies were angry. It was as if they had a conflict of opinion, but everything else is the usual.¡± The fairies of the Rakan estate decided to not follow the decisions and the orders of the Fairy representatives. However, that didn¡¯t mean that they were going to comply with the decisions of the human leaders as well. It was just a minimal act of loyalty. ¡°Hmm, is that so? Even then, we never know, so keep an eye on the actions of the fairies,¡± said Luke. They were the betrayers of him once. In order to not lose his loved one once again, Luke continued to keep an eye on the fairies. When Hudson went away, Luke continued with the designing of the Gigant, which he stopped doing momentarily. As he had already gained considerable knowledge and skills, his hands were moving unceasingly, drawing think and thin lines on the parchment. Except for the core parts, he had finished designing the rest of the part and the magic circles. What he was doing was integrating the parts into one. Where one part had to be placed, and how the magic circles had to be drawn and so on. Luke, who was so busy with his work, suddenly looked over at the clock. Realizing that it was the time for his appointment in the Katarina Magic Tower, he headed there. And Luke¡¯s footsteps stopped in the exact place. Hwang Bo-sung was waiting over there. ¡°Lord, you have come?¡± ¡°Yeah, was the training satisfying?¡± As Luke asked, Hwang Bo-sung raised his fist and laughed. ¡°No one lasted over a 100 punches!¡± At the instructions of Luke, Hwang Bo-sung was able to train with Rogers and Kaper. It helped Hwang Bo-sung by a lot. However, it was a good experience for those two men who were desperate after losing to Shaikan. After Philip and the other knights watched the battle, the Rakan estate had its own training ground. ¡°I am glad that you were satisfied. Then, will you summon the Puppet?¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Since it had been numerous times, Hwang Bo-sung quickly placed flags on the floor with familiar patterns and wrote letters and signed a seal. ¡°¡­ Warrior strength, move forward!¡± Hwang Bo-sung, who cast the spell, hit the floor with his fists. Right then, a red light began to spread through the ground, and the puppet rose. At first glance, the wizards and the field masters, who were seeing that for the time first time, looked at it and then immediately went back to their own respective works. ¡°Master, then I will head back to the training center. Be careful.¡± Hwang Bo-sung, who set the puppet for Luke, quickly went back to the knight¡¯s training center. His head was full of thoughts on what kind of martial arts he would have to use to take down the knights. When Hwang Bo-sung went out, Luke approached the Puppet and began to look at it. He first touched the puppet and copied its images, figures and the characters that contained magical meanings, which were engraved onto a parchment, and looked at it carefully. The puppet was a weapon that was made completely different from a Gigant. The power to move it wasn¡¯t magic but tactics and mind-based. Its aether like property made the Puppet move through a spell and the techniques depicted on the iron core. That was why Luke paid more attention to the iron core. According to Hwang Bo-sung, the iron core tree had superior quality compared to other trees. They responded to aura. The reaction speed of the puppet came from that and made the Gigant move faster. The reason why Philip lost against Hwang Bo-sung the other day was also because of that momentary reaction. ¡®Isn¡¯t the iron core of this nature a substitute of the expensive radium alloy?¡¯ Luke, who removed the iron core wood from the puppet, had conducted dozens of experiments and tests. And through his experiment, he found out that the iron core wood could indeed replace the radium alloy. ¡°Hahaha! I was right!¡± Luke¡¯s face, which smiled brightly, quickly went stiff. ¡°But is this wood easy to find?¡± In the next few days, Luke obtained all the books that were related to plants, including the encyclopedia, and examined every inch of them. He searched to see if the tree was growing in the Rhodesia Continent, but he couldn¡¯t find that particular tree. ¡°Is it grown only in the Southern Continent?¡± He had to put the effort in, but it wasn¡¯t going to be a huge problem. Compared to the past, trade with the South was very active. Making a puppet was still uncertain, but he might be able to get the amount of wood needed for the Helm making. However, listening to Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s words, Luke¡¯s expression went hard once again. ¡°To get the processed iron core wood, I¡¯ll have to visit the Zegal clan.¡± ¡°Can I get it if I go there? The price would be?¡± Hwang Bo-sung, shook his head when Luke asked, ¡°The Zegal clan doesn¡¯t sell processed iron core wood. They only make it for their own use.¡± It was said that the iron core could be obtained by going to the highlands of the Southern Continent. The problem was that in order to get the properties that respond to the aura, the wood had to be processed. And the secret to processing the iron core wood was only known to the Zegal clan. However, they weren¡¯t selling them, which meant that it was a waste of talent. ¡°Okay, I will send a person to the place of the Zegal clan and try to buy them.¡± If that didn¡¯t work, he decided to go there and get the iron core wood himself. Luke¡¯s orders were delivered to the Kirillov Co., which was active in its trading with the Southern Continent with a tag termed ¡®priority¡¯. Chapter 311 - Conflict Amplified Once Again 4 An old temple in the valley to the east of the Volga Republic. Elder Nanas, who was currently the head of the Fairy Delegation meeting, remained silent and continued to walk in the room. The silver wings of the fairy flapped and powder fell. However, her face was still full of irritation. ¡°There is not a single task that can be completed perfectly!¡± The main reason she yelled was because she had failed to reopen the door to the Spirit World. Next, there was the betrayal of Erwin, which hurt her the more. When the countermeasures meeting was held again to open the door to the Spirit World, Erwin strictly opposed it. Not just that, she even fled without responding to their request. It was truly unbelievable for them, that the disciple of Erenes¡ªthe fairy prophet¡ªdid such an act. ¡®That wench¡¯s words aren¡¯t the will of Erenes. Yes, it certainly has to be that. Anyway, she might be dying to live with the humans¡­¡¯ The problem was that they couldn¡¯t catch Erwin. It was because a knight with tremendous skill had interrupted their chase. And his skills weren¡¯t just ordinary. He was good. Sylvia, who received the reports on him, returned to the Republic¡¯s intelligence office immediately. ¡®The only problem is Erwin. It will turn much troublesome if she goes and says unnecessary stuff to Princess Reina.¡¯ And Reina wasn¡¯t just a normal person like the past to just kidnap her. She became the Pope of the Holy Arthenia Empire and was constantly being escorted by Arch Duke Gregory, the second strongest man on the continent and the head of the Saint Guard. If they placed their hands without a plan, there was a chance for the fairies to be angered as well. Since getting Reina by force was impossible, they had previously sent a letter over to her, pleading for her help. Clink Clink Clink As Nanas clicked on the bell on the table, a dark elf entered. It was Hyrun, an agent of the Intelligence agency of the Volga Republic. ¡°Did you find it?¡± Asked Nanas. ¡°Has there been any response to the letter which was sent to the Holy Palace?¡± Asked Nanas once again. ¡°Unfortunately, there hasn¡¯t been any.¡± Hyrun, who had no expression, made an excuse when he saw Elder Nanas¡¯ eyes turn cold. ¡°I guess that it will take a little longer. The letter wasn¡¯t directly delivered to Princess Reina, and¡­ No, Holy Pope, and I heard that the pope has been very busy dealing with the busy affairs of her state.¡± Like Constantine¡ªthe regent¡ªwas taken out. The political system of the Holy Empire was in shock and confusion. Reina, not taking time, proceeded with the reform. They replaced the ministers of all the divisions, renewed the internal affairs, and rectified the wrongful system and laws. At the same time, she met with the leaders of all the other sects, including the Sanctity of Holiness of Priest Luther, which the local people favored. Regardless of where they came from, the pope¡¯s office was selecting talents evenly and secured finances to rescue the poor. Thanks to all of that, the Holy Empire was recovering quickly from the damages of the civil war and was regaining their stability. ¡°And it isn¡¯t just that, seeing the fairies as the kids of the same God, the fairies are being granted their rights and their interests. Those who were being unfairly treated within the Holy Empire are being given a new life.¡± ¡°Shut up! Are you all afraid of the humans right now?!¡± Shouted Nanas. ¡°But it is true that the steps taken by that lady are being very helpful for our fairies¡­¡± ¡°To truly help your brothers and sisters, you need to open the door of the Spirit World! All these appeasing policies are all plain deception!¡± Nanas was unhappy with the policy introduced by Reina that seemed like deception and close moderation with the Volga. It was true that they could be taking advantage of the situation. However, it was unacceptable considering the pride of being a descendant of the Abaron Empire. ¡®Barbaric men, will you stand on top of us, who have passed on the civilization to you men even after seeing your barbarism and turn us into slaves? I don¡¯t know about the things that happened till now, but I can¡¯t let things happen like this in the future!¡¯ In her eyes, human beings were weaker and duller than the fairies. They were foolish, ugly and short-lived animals. They had good breeding power, and their skill of stealing someone else¡¯s ideas was excellent, which was why they were able to dominate the continent, but that point of their life was going to end. ¡®To do that, we need to open the door to the Spirit World at any cost¡­¡¯ As Nanas¡¯s obsession developed into madness, the door opened with a lycan entering. He was the warrior responsible for the pursuit of Erwin. ¡°Did you find out where Erwin is?¡± ¡°We missed her near Bless. We thought that she might have gone to the Holy Palace, but it was said that she and the knight accompanying her broke away and only the knight could be traced.¡± When Nanas¡¯ face became distorted, the warrior lycan pulled out a letter. ¡°This is¡­?¡± Asked Nanas. ¡°Sent from the Holy Palace with our brothers.¡± It had to be the reply for the letter that they had sent. Nanas hurriedly opened the envelope to look at its contents. Before long, disappointment and anger lingered on her expectant face. She read the letter. ¡®We are very sorry for not being able to complete the work you requested, but to open the door to the Spirit World is a matter that needs little more thought. Our opinion that hunger can be the seed of ambition and conflict¡­ It is our opinion that we can open the door to a new future by joining our forces even if it doesn¡¯t lead to opening the door to the Spirit World. If you plan to join, you are always welcomed. The door is always open for you. Reina Petrovna Kirillov.¡¯ ¡®This wench¡­!¡¯ Tear! Tear! Reina¡¯s letter was torn by Nanas. Seeing her fierce reaction to the letter, Hyrun and the lycan warrior were able to guess what the content of the letter could have been. ¡°To think carefully? Let¡¯s open the door to the future together? That low life subject!¡± There were a lot of words here and there, but in the end, it stated that the door to the Spirit World wouldn¡¯t be opened. It wasn¡¯t clear if Erwin was the one who made it happen, but one thing was clear, the problem could no longer be solved with simple words. ¡®Even though she hates it, I need to make the door open at all costs!¡¯ Thinking, Elder Nanas decided to dig into the weaknesses of Reina. Even if that was horrible, she couldn¡¯t help it anymore. It was necessary for the door of the Spirit World to be opened, either sooner or later, to bring back the glory of the ancient fairies. ¡°Hyrun, did you say that the lover of Princess Reina was the Marquis of Rakan, Luke de Rakan?¡± ¡°That is true. But why¡­?¡± ¡°We will have to take him as a hostage. Only then will princess Reina agree to our conditions and follow our will.¡± Hyrun could just sigh at Nanas¡¯s words. He knew that, unlike the cold face of Nanas, she was in a hurry, and she wasn¡¯t even aware of the task she gave. ¡°Elder, unfortunately, he isn¡¯t a man we can just meddle with.¡± He was one of the dark elves who had abducted Reina in the past and had met Luke. And it wasn¡¯t just that, he had served in the Baroque Imperial Army and made remarkable merit because of how well his skills had improved. ¡°He isn¡¯t just the descendant of the warrior Rakan, but also the progressor of Saymon. He is probably not as strong as a Sword Sage, but¡­¡± ¡°He is the progressor of Saymon? Then you can threaten him about exposing him to his retainers.¡± At the response of Nanas, Hyrun could feel his heart skip. ¡°Of course, we could do that. However, how do you plan on doing that? To overcome that man, we will have to make great sacrifices.¡± ¡°I am going to make as many sacrifices as I can. For the future of the fairies!¡± ¡®This crazy wench!¡¯ Hyrun was shocked. He wanted to overcome the persecution of the fairies, which were happening in the hands of humans. However, he didn¡¯t want to witness unnecessary shedding of blood. No, it wasn¡¯t like he was afraid of dying in battle, but he was worried about how his brothers would be mad at the outcome. It was because Marquis Luke had enough power to stay on top even if people were angry at him. As if she could see through Hyrun, with a thin smile, Nanas said, ¡°What are you so worried about? What are you so dissatisfied about? I can understand. However, I am not just trying to be reckless here. There is definitely a way to subdue the Marquis of Rakan.¡± ¡°We can subdue him?¡± ¡°Yes, the world doesn¡¯t just have sword magic and divine power.¡± Hyrun was puzzled with Nanas¡¯s words. He remembered that Nanas had said a similar thing in the past too. At the time, Volga was in a republican revolution, and the army was rushing over to the king¡¯s palace. Among them, the palace had Kamarov, the commander of the proximal knights, and Kawin, the royal wizard. Kamarov was the advanced Sword Master representative knight of the Volga, and Kawin was the 8th circle war mage on the continent. Nanas had come up with the plan to eliminate the two vanguards of the royal family. At first, everyone assumed her to be wrong, but they ended up accepting her plan as there was no other way to fight back. ¡®And the royal guardians were ruthlessly executed by the revolutionary army.¡¯ Everything happened so easily that the kings weren¡¯t able to believe the news about their deaths. ¡°Definitely ¡®That plan¡¯ will work, even if he is a sword sage¡­¡± A Sword Sage or not, it was a plan that was definitely going to work. In other words, If the Marquis of Rakan could fall into the trap, his death was assured. ¡°Now will you believe me? Knowing what will happen, go and prepare everything as soon as possible.¡± At the order from Nanas, Hyrun bowed and stepped out of the room. He looked at the dark night sky that was surrounding the old temple. Kamarov and Kawin were smashed like lifeless toys in the very dark night. The scene entered his mind. At that time, those two couldn¡¯t resist it, let alone act. Chapter 312 - Gigant Development 1 Sponsorship from the Nemesis Imperial palace. Emperor Rudolf was eagerly calling out the Imperial family members to enjoy refreshments. However, his eyes weren¡¯t on the Empress but on the sword match which was happening behind her. Ka! Kang! With a wooden sword, but with that of an aura, the sound rising around. The one practicing was a sixteen-year-old boy with another. They were the Baroque Prince Lian and the 2nd in throne Barto. By age, Barto was the most popular one, but with the 3rd Empress giving out a royal birth, Lian was termed as the royal prince. In addition to the two sons, Rudolf had five boys and seven girls from 1 Empress, and 4 Empire concubines. Among them, the eldest daughter born from the Empress had been released to the royal family of a neighboring nation¡¯s noble families. ¡°Your Majesty, the skills of the prince have increased by a lot.¡± Rudolf shook his head with a smile on his face. ¡°Still it is tough. It still is tough for him to win against Barto.¡± Lian, who had a great deal of skill with a sword, was already an intermediate Sword Expert. However, Barto was already a member of SS knights and was starting to be at the Master status as well as a Sword Expert. No matter how great Lian was when compared to his peers, taking down Barto was impossible. However, the result from the match ended contrary. Barto, who staggered from Lian¡¯s strong blow, revealed a gap between the two and Lian took advantage of it and made the final blow. ¡°Your Majesty! Our prince has won!¡± Jacquelin clapped her hands with a huge smile on her face. Rudolf too nodded. ¡°Right, this is one strange turn of events.¡± When the princes who were done battling headed their way, he got up and praised them for their ability. ¡°Lian, it looks like you trained hard. Continue to devote yourself like that in the future too.¡± ¡°Yes. I will do my best, father.¡± Rudolf then whispered to Barto. ¡°You did well. The next time, you don¡¯t need to deliberately give the win to the prince.¡± ¡°Yes, your majesty.¡± Rudolf touched Barto¡¯s shoulders and patted, him, to which Barto smiled and bowed to him. He had a different attitude from the other wives and their kids. Unlike the other wives who were all given the title of Queen, Rudolf declared the princess of the Song Empire, Jacquelin as the legislative Empress of the Baroque, and the other Queen were given rather low power in comparison. Normally, the prince and the women were forced to have a bland relationship than a loving one. Whenever talking with Emperor Rudolf, Barto tends to use the military term to refer him and not the familial term. The reason why emperor Rudolf shared such a kind of relationship between his wives and kids was because of the influence of his childhood quarrels with his half-brother, Reichard. He made sure to draw a line from the very beginning to show everyone their respective positions in the family. There have been a few who have resisted such actions, but a few of them were used to give an example and the others decided to comply with the order of the Emperor. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like their powers were being crushed and were being forced to act in the name of dominance. Instead of empowering the queen¡¯s like the Empress, they were given preferential treatment in domestic trade and foreign trade or their kids were given high ranking positions in the office. Naturally, the children of the queen¡¯s thought that ¡®It is better to take the treasure when the prince is going to work hard¡¯. Barto was such a kind of kid, in the later years when Lian¡¯s reign started, he had a healthy goal of becoming the Commander of the Imperial army and receiving the title of Arch Duke. Not just that, no other queens or princes had any reckless ambitions in them. It was all due to the strict principles and discipline that Rudolf gave, and on the other hand, it was because of keeping the bonds of brother and sisters from cracking. He was the Emperor of the empire, but he was a kind father to his whole family. ¡°But, the youngest one¡¯s face doesn¡¯t look good.¡± Said Rudolf. Rudolf turned over to look at the upset child. It was the crown prince Martel, who was 5th in rank. ¡°Hehehehe! I am sorry, your majesty. I read a book until late at night, and I seem to have caught a cold.¡± ¡°Tch, you need to train to keep your fitness.¡± Martel was more interested in learning stuff from books than fencing. Even though he was just 10 years old, he had a full time appointed teacher. ¡°Please inform the doctor and ask them to send in medicine. And don¡¯t get stuck in the room just because you like books. Only when you look at the world with your eyes, will your insights expand.¡± ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± Rudolf smiled as he looked at the youngest kid acting politely. Although he had suffered from an injury to the head due to the domestic problems in the empires and the battles, all those disappeared when he met the kids. For Rudolf, his family was the one which would heal him of his tiredness, even if he went crazy with thoughts or was about to die for an incurable illness. ¡®Let it be Lian or any other princes, there has to be a person like that to clear out the troubles. And then, even after my death, there won¡¯t be any problem in maintaining the Imperial or the empire.¡¯ When Rudolf was keen in his thoughts, he could see Count Voltas enter the place. ¡®What is it again?¡¯ The Emperor¡¯s expression went distorted again. It was because there were very few things which Voltas would report to him. He thought that the good news would be Luke was in the process of death due to poison. ¡°What is it, Count?¡± Rudolf asked, hoping that it was good news. However, Voltas betrayed the Emperor¡¯s hopes from the very looks of it. ¡°I am very sorry, Your Majesty. The Imperial Parliament has just informed that the Majesty is being called for a hearing.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Rudolf woke up from his seat. Looking at Voltas¡¯s face, he did expect it to be a bad thing, but the news was much more shocking than he had imagined. Rudolf wasn¡¯t the only one who was surprised. The faces of Empress, the queens, and the princes¡ªtheir sisters were all serious. ¡°Brother, if it is the Imperial Parliament, then it surely is¡­?¡± When Lian was speaking under his breath, Barto replied with a stern expression, ¡°Yes, Prince. It is the legislative group that coordinates disputes among the nobles and monitors and advises the Imperial as well as the executive groups. Some of them even hold hearings.¡± ¡°Then for what purpose would they have asked for a hearing?¡± ¡°Well, that is something even I am not aware of. If gone there, the details will be given out.¡± At the words of Barto, everyone¡¯s eyes turned over to Rudolf¡¯s, and Voltas who was flustered. ¡°No, the nobles on our side aren¡¯t even slightly aware of what the noblemen are preparing for the hearings.¡± Said Rudolf. ¡°That, those nobles were said to have secretly moved over, it was said that nothing about them could even be understood until they arrived in the morning.¡± ¡°Huh! This is ridiculous¡­! Yeah, how could such a reason be given for a hearing?¡± There had to be a very good reason for the Imperial Parliament to request a hearing. If not, those who were requesting for the hearing would face a political backlash for such actions. Moreover, the opponent wasn¡¯t a normal noble or an Emperor. ¡°It was said that the reason was because there has been unrecorded help of giving the knights and the Gigants without the consent of the Imperial Parliament. Perhaps, they have noticed the Majesty¡¯s involvement in the civil war of the Holy Arthenia Empire.¡± To send the troops from Baroque Empire, the Emperor had to obtain consent from the Imperial Parliament. It was long ago that the nations of the Rhodesia continent were almost guilty of involvement due to unrestricted dispatch of the troops over to another place for the intervention of civil war. However, this time around too, the Emperor ignored the legal proceedings and sent the knights. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like they were openly sent. They had sent the knights camouflaged as the mercenary troops of the Flying Dragons, the problem was that it had been revealed. From where did that information even leak from? ¡°Dammit, call for Lazlie right away!¡± ¡°Understood, your majesty.¡± Rudolf¡¯s sweet break and refreshments had ended there. Without being able to spend time with his family, he hurried back to the office. Chapter 313 - Gigant Development 2 Shortly after, Lazlie, who had returned back to the Nemesis for a short break was called upon. Rudolf was furious when Lazlie entered the office. ¡°What the heck had happened for the noblemen to be aware of the knights which were secretly dispatched!¡± The noblemen would have never asked for a hearing if they only had simple evidence. They would have only asked for the hearing if they could lay their hands on solid evidence or witnesses. ¡°I, I too am not aware of the reason.¡± Only a very few heads of the rebels, including Duke Ferrierd, knew about the Flying Dragons mercenaries to be the Baroque Empire¡¯s knights and soldiers. And all the leaders of the rebellion were buried into the soil, even those who escaped from the battle were killed later on. However, it was unthinkable on how the facts of their interference of the civil war had reached the noblemen of Baroque. ¡°I will investigate it right away. If there is any kind of evidence, I will destroy them right away and if there are any witnesses, I will make sure that their mouths won¡¯t open again.¡± Lazlie was determined and resolved to complete the task, but Rudolf¡¯s eye¡¯s didn¡¯t seem to soften. ¡°I thought that you were the successor of your father¡¯s. But these days, I keep getting disappointed in you. Make sure to make no more mistakes from your side.¡± ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Stop all that and move.¡± When Rudolf asked them to leave, Voltas and Lazlie both stepped out of the office. ¡°Father, how in the world did such things happen?¡± Lazlie, feeling upset by the words of the Emperor, complained to his father. And Count Voltas, who wasn¡¯t feeling much different from his son, sighed. ¡°It all happened so sudden that I have no clue as to what the reasons are. However, according to the reports of the spies who have infiltrated the noblemen, they seem to have a definite witness.¡± ¡°A witness?¡± Asked Lazlie. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know the identity, but seeing how they have proceeded, it mush be a high ranking noble from the Holy Empire or the retainers from Duke Ferrierd.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be. None of them had survived.¡± Those who knew about Lazlie and Ferrierd were all on board the ship. And Lazlie was the one who had cut off their limbs and fed them to the sharks in the sea. Then, how could a witness have come out, that too all of a sudden? ¡°Anyway, think of this to be your last chance, and try your best.¡± Said Voltas. ¡°Understood, father.¡± Otherwise, the operation to crush the power of the Holy Arthenia Empire using the rebellion as an excuse wouldn¡¯t have turned successful. No, rather, after the rebellion, Archbishop Constantine, the former regent was dismissed and the Pope was known to have turned rather friendly with all the groups, and that she was cultivating public sentiment and gradually gaining stability in the Empire. ¡®The rebellion didn¡¯t tear off the Holy Empire nor was the Pope assassinated. If this fails, I will no longer be in the grace of his Majesty.¡¯ And if Lazlie failed, the family would be shaken. Lazlie, gritting his teeth, vowed to solve the problem regardless of the means and methods. When Lazlie was summoned to Emperor Rudolf, Marquis Mayers was laughing wholeheartedly in his residence in the capital. ¡°Hu hu hu. I wonder how Rudolf and the other nobles of the Imperial are looking right now!¡± ¡°Won¡¯t they be working very swiftly since fire just fell on their legs? They might try to find out who the witnesses are and handle them.¡± Aslan, who was with Marquis Mayers, smiled. When he thought of Emperor Rudolf and Lazlie being flustered, laughter came onto his lips. ¡°Then the Hydra will be on the move.¡± ¡°And what could Hydra be?¡± Marquis Mayers began to explain Aslan¡¯s question. ¡°That is a secret assassination organization which gathers special assassin and makes them work for the Baroque Imperial family. In the past, those who bothered the family were killed by using them.¡± ¡°¡­ so, they don¡¯t seem to be such great?¡± ¡°For what are you looking like that?¡± Asked Mayers. At the question from Marquis Mayers, Aslan spoke his thoughts. ¡°If they really are such great forces, wouldn¡¯t they have already tried to get rid of Marquis and Duke Butler?¡± At the answer from Aslan, Mayers smiled. It was like looking at an innocent child. ¡°Do you know anything about the short knife?¡± ¡°Are you talking about the dagger?¡± Asked Aslan. ¡°What do you think about the dagger as a weapon? Why do you think that it is effective to use it in the open and swing in the back streets?¡± Asked Mayers. ¡°No. It would be better to hide it and then pierce it.¡± ¡°Yes. The weapon one should cherish. Hydra is an organization which will be used like a dagger.¡± Aslan quickly understood the meaning of Mayers words. And one other thing. If he was aware enough to have grasped the organizations of the Imperial family, Marquis Mayers was prepared for it. ¡°I guess there is a dagger that marquis has too.¡± ¡°Well, rather than an offensive weapon, mine is more like a shield.¡± Answered Mayers. ¡°I wonder what kind of shield it is.¡± However, Marquis didn¡¯t answer to Aslan¡¯s curiosity. ¡°You will know soon. When they will come over here to take the life of yours.¡± With that, Mayers said no more, nor did Aslan ask anything. And life wasn¡¯t something that could be wasted to see such things. If there was anything scary, it was to die in vain without completing his revenge. So, he wanted the Marquis to play as he wanted to get his results. And seeing how things were going on, he was glad to have approached the Marquis. However, there was an unfortunate thing. ¡®It would have been a lot better if there were documents that could be used as decisive evidence.¡¯ Based on his testimony, Marquis Mayers was trying to make and gather evidence, however, it would be difficult to get perfect copies. ¡®Half of the evidence was stolen, and the other half was lost¡­ and the proof is expensive for saving one¡¯s life.¡¯ The more he thought, the more saddening it was for Aslan. And the bitter expression of Aslan wasn¡¯t easily erased. Chapter 314 - Gigant Development 3 Wheeing-! Kiiing! Creak! The secret workshop in the basement of the Devil King¡¯s castle, inside the Rakan Marquis. Various items that were operated by the magic stones melted or cut the metals, which engraved complex magic circles on the steel frame or iron plate. There was a young man with platinum hair at the center of the workshop who was working on his own thing. It was Luke de Rakan, the Marquis of Rakan estates. Around him were large and small magic circles floating in the air. As Luke commanded with every cast of spell and wave of his hand, the magic-based equipment in the workshop accurately and precisely worked. ¡°This is just for testing purposes, but it is developing faster than I expected.¡± Luke looked over at the Gigant, whose skeleton was being completed and had a satisfied expression on him. After deciding to make his very own Gigant, Luke had spent significant time in his secret workshop. All thanks to the generous availability of the materials, the design didn¡¯t take too long, and there was a prepared blueprint of Atlas or Orion from Dark Moon. Immediately after completing the blueprint, he began to produce the trial Gigant. Since the various parts were being made by an individual, the time taken was a lot. Moreover, core components such as high power core engines and tuning helms were difficult to obtain, making them almost impossible to get right in the beginning. So, Luke decided to skip those parts and start building the parts that he could. ¡°I think the skeleton, gloves and the joints are good enough.¡± Luke looked over at the Gigant¡¯s parts that he had made in the past three days with a warm smile. ¡°In the coming days, I will implant the Achilles parts to find out about the internal strength and the driving ability.¡± Luke took the warrior class Gigant, Achilles, from his subspace bracelet. Wheeing- Kiikii! Creak! Creak! With the magic equipment, Achilles had soon been disintegrated. When the rivets and bolts were removed, the gloves were the first to come off, and then the core engine and mana converter and the balance device was removed one after the other. Luke, in turn, fitted the parts to the test body. There was no problem with assembling the parts as they were all made ahead with precision. Luke, who finally assembled the armor, put the prototype into the subspace. ¡°Should we go out for testing?¡± Thinking so, Luke called Philip, who was in the manor. Luke and Philip were excited with the idea of testing the prototype. Philip was rather pleased with getting the chance to fight his lord again. In recent times, Hwang Bo-sung had cultivated a lot of talents, and Philip¡¯s ability had increased by a lot with the constant observation and fights with him. ¡°Huhuhu. Lord, I will not be going easy on you.¡± ¡°Understood, do our best. If you play around, I will confiscate Orion, so do well.¡± ¡°Ah! How can you take back what you just gave? I even carved out the name of Milena on its gloves!¡± ¡°What now, another name?¡± ¡°Obviously. Won¡¯t the lord be giving out a name if he had a baby?¡± When Philip had received Orion, his eyes were wet with tears of delight. A knight¡¯s dream was to be a rider, and a rider¡¯s dreams was to drive a hero class Gigant. However, Orion wasn¡¯t so great at looking. Philip took it to his hand in making the gloves sharper and smoother by taking it to the fields of Katarina Magic Tower. ¡°Sting II. No, Marina, what did you do with that? You were so desperate for it.¡± ¡°Huhuhu. I gave it to Anna,¡± said Philip ¡°Anna? Why?¡± Among the female knights, Anna was considered to be second to Scarlet, who had recently risen to the point of Advanced Expert. However, there were knights who were stronger than Anna, such as Alex and Hobart. That was why it wasn¡¯t understandable for Marina to be passed down to a knight like Anna. ¡°You were dating Anna. Was that why you gave it to her?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Huh. Honestly, there was no such thing. It is just a past relationship, but Marina is my kid whom I rode, and it would turn messy if I hand it over to the guys. That was why,¡± said Philip. ¡®This guy has serious complex issues with that thing.¡¯ There were a few geeks who pampered their weapons by giving them names and cleaning them. There were a few geeks of the sort in the manor like artisans and knights, but no one was as obsessed as Philip. Luke just shook his head and pulled out the prototype from the subspace. ¡°Anyway, concentrate. If you don¡¯t do well, you will end up seeing that old baby of yours once again.¡± When the prototype had come out from Luke, Orion¡­ No, Philip¡¯s Milena came ahead with lightning speed, wielding its giant sword. Kachang! When the giant sword collided, sparks flew around with terrifying sounds. Due to that, Luke¡¯s Gigant got pushed back. Due to the limitations of the output, he wasn¡¯t able to take in the blows from the hero class Gigant. ¡°Kuek! Wow¡­!¡± ¡°What is this? How could this be? Wasn¡¯t that a hero class?¡± Asked Philip. It was just a single strike, but Philip was able to grasp Luke¡¯s prototype with just its output. ¡°You thought that hero class is something that anyone can just make?¡± ¡°Even then, since it was being made by you, My Lord, I thought that it would be excellent¡­ But¡­ I am a little disappointed.¡± ¡°I will amaze you later on. So for now, just attack. Or, do you want me to attack?¡± Asked Luke. Even with Luke¡¯s threat, Philip didn¡¯t take a step forward. He was worried that Luke would get hurt. Looking at the guy standing still even after his words, Luke used the prototype¡¯s core engine to amplify the magic stone and go in for an attack. ¡°Blink Dash!¡± ¡°Uhk!¡± Luke¡¯s move narrowed the gap between him and Philip in the blink of an eye along with dozens of attacks. The image could be seen in the front. It was like lightning had appeared in front of Melina, wielding a sword and trying to stab it. Philip, who was somewhat hesitant because of the difference in the Gigant¡¯s output, hurriedly wielded his sword to prevent the attacks. ¡°Tch, this is why Rune Knights are sneaky.¡± ¡°If you are feeling sad, maybe you should start learning magic from now on.¡± ¡°That is not needed! The one thing that I hate doing the most is learning!¡± Philip had no intention to lose in the match, even if his opponent was his lord. With Impact Aura, he pushed Luke. Kiiing- slash! Kwang- Kwanng! In response to the roaring sound of the loud core engine, deadly slashes and strikes from the Gigants¡¯ swords poured in. Luke managed to stop the attacks from touching him by placing shield magic on his gloves. However, Philip¡¯s Impact Aura from the hero class Gigant couldn¡¯t be stopped. Ddd! Crrrrk! ¡®The built-in frame is shaking. Maybe it is because the Impact Aura is coming through the shield magic and touching the gloves?¡¯ Since the Gigant was supposed to be a hero class, the skeleton of the prototype was made much stronger than a general warrior class. Nevertheless, the fact that the internal frame was shaking meant that there was a problem somewhere in how the build-up was being held. ¡®For now, I will use the strengthening magic to hold the parts. I need to endure this now to know¡­¡¯ It was a test to examine the durability of the prototype¡¯s gloves and skeleton. That was why Luke focused a lot on getting the most powerful attack from Philip than attack Philip. ¡°Sir Philip! What the hell did you do last night that you seem so powerless now? Did you sleep with Anna?¡± ¡°I-I did nothing. Why?¡± ¡°Then what are you doing? Use more power!¡± ¡°Kuek! You might end up getting hurt!¡± After yelling, Philip decided to do his best. The Impact Aura he created began to become stronger and stronger. Kwang! Kwang! The sound of strikes and clashing steel spread all through the ground. Chapter 315 - Gigant Development 4 An hour later, the battle test had ended. While Philip was running out of energy due to casting a series of Impact Aura, Luke was looking at the state of his prototype. There didn¡¯t seem to be any major damage to his prototype except for the slight scratch on the glove. With his Hawk Eye ability, Luke took a closer look at the outer gloves and skeletons and found no fatal crack. ¡®Kurgon really does make great steel. If this is the level, there will be no problem even if I use this on the gloves and the skeleton of the Gigant.¡¯ However, there were other problems that had to be solved. Obviously, the prototype¡¯s armor and the skeleton weren¡¯t strong enough to withstand the attack from a hero class Gigant and the magic amplification. However, it wasn¡¯t like the joints were not capable either. Despite using the strength magic on the joints, the joints were worn out as the Gigant had undergone dozens of battles. The joints that connected the skeleton of the Gigant were weak and needed to be delicate. Even if the armor and skeleton endure the shock, the weak joints couldn¡¯t handle them easily. And it wasn¡¯t like Luke couldn¡¯t have predicted it. ¡°Tch, tch, it should have been made with a much stronger material. There are those people who tell you to not spare a single dime when it comes to the joints. Didn¡¯t you know that?¡± Philip, who got down, came along. Luke, who decided to ignore him, continued to look at the worn-out joints and tried to analyze the cause more accurately. ¡®They weren¡¯t made to be this weak¡­ I think that Philip¡¯s attack might have been much stronger than what I expected.¡¯ Luke knew that Philip had stepped into the borders of a Sword Master when he stepped into the battle with Hwang Bo-sung. However, it looked like he was a well-established master in the current battle. With such skills, giving him a hero class Gigant was like giving him wings, and it was natural for the attack power to have been higher than the calculated one. ¡®I was here to test the prototype, but it looks like I just tested Philip¡¯s ability too.¡¯ Anyway, the results were satisfactory for Luke, from the basic durability of the Gigant to the ability of Philip. In the future, the only needed parts that had to be made would be the crucial ones like the core engine, mana converters, and the balance devices that would compliment the joints and fit the Gigant¡¯s work. ¡°Oh my God! My Melina had a scratch on her forearm! Don¡¯t worry love, this Oppa is going to take you to the magic tower immediately and put new paint on it.¡± Luke couldn¡¯t help but frown, seeing Philip run over to his Gigant with flirtatious words. ¡®That jerk is seriously sick¡­ Well, I think it is high time he stop.¡¯ There was no way for him to cure a geek with drugs, so Luke decided to leave Philip alone along with his sickness. After testing, Luke returned back to the residence. In the midst of developing a dedicated Gigant, he looked at the documents submitted by administrators and clerks to make sure that there was no problem within his estate. ¡°Fortunately, there is no huge problem. But¡­¡± There was one problem which was troubling. The clans that were participating in the Gigant Arena of Lamer were gradually decreasing. The Gigant Arena was Lamer city¡¯s main source of income, and in recent times, the number of clans participating had shrunk by half. And it was because of 3 things. First, due to the Battle of Magic Tower, the magic towers supporting the clans decreased, and second, the supporters of the clans¡ªthe nobles¡ªwere the same; they backed off. And third was the departure of the mercenary riders and the iron mages. Those who were quite capable were being recruited by the Rakan estates, the Katarina Magic Tower, and the neighboring estates were interested in them as well. Naturally, the number of clans that were dismissed and destroyed was increasing, and the quality of the Gigant Arena¡¯s battles dropped significantly. ¡°So, it is natural for the crowd to turn their backs on it.¡± Something had to be done. Though not right, the merchant association in charge of Lamer city was asking for the knights to participate. In the arena, talented riders were recruited, and as for the knights, it was a way for them to train and gather experience. ¡°It is alright, but¡­ that won¡¯t be enough. As the clans have begun to shrink, it is necessary to start more diverse ways of play. Not just a simple one-on-one match but a three-on-three match¡­¡± In that regard, Luke decided to seek the advice of Philip. In the past, Philip had experienced the Gigant battle in the Capital Arena, so Luke thought that Philip would be able to give him unbiased advice. ¡°And the rest can be left over to the retainers. They will take care of it¡­ There is still time until dinner, so should I write a letter to Reina?¡± Luke took out a paper from his drawer. In his heart, he wanted to exchange stories with Reina directly using magic communication, or use teleport magic and move to the Palace in Bless. However, they were being interrupted by static, or they could be found out. That would not be good for either Reina or Luke if the people knew they were doing that. ¡®Moreover, I am bound to talk about sweet romance with her.¡¯ Laughing under his breath, Luke thought of the letters he had exchanged with Reina earlier. While holding a pen, he was thinking about what to write. ¡®Should I write about what I found out with my tests today? No, rather than that¡­¡¯ Smiling for long, Luke thought a lot, but the letter for Reina had to wait. It was because Sebastian ran inside wishing to deliver urgent news. Chapter 316 - Gigant Development 5 ¡°Master, Henry has just sent a quick list and works from the Hydra, urgently!¡± ¡°Urgently?¡± Sebastian handed Luke the message he had received from Henry. Luke, who read the full information with a serious expression, soon smiled. ¡°The nobles have asked for a hearing? They must have noticed the intervention of the Imperial in the civil war of the Holy Empire.¡± Moreover, it said that they had a strong witness. And according to Henry, it was likely to be sooner or later for Hydra to be ordered to assassinate the witness. ¡®Being a witness¡­ did the Aslan who appeared here wasn¡¯t a fake one but the real one?¡¯ From Luke¡¯s point of view, no situation was unfortunate. It was a great way for the nobles to go and put pressure on the Emperor. Luke was still under concern on when he was supposed to use the evidence that he had secured in the Konrad kingdom to encourage the nobles. ¡°Master, what are we to do?¡± ¡°For now, the order I gave about taking down the lower-ranked commanders and the Expert knights of the Central Army. And, sooner or later I will head there, till then¡­¡± Luke gave detailed instructions to Sebastian. He kept tapping his finger thinking if the idea was a good one or not. ¡®Huh. Both the factions will be able to fight with a lot of reliability.¡¯ Three years ago, Luke failed to initiate a fight between the nobles and the emperor. At that moment of extreme situations, the Emperor made concessions and great compromises. ¡®This time, I need to make sure to clearly divide both the factions from not letting that happen.¡¯ With a sneaky smile, Luke sent out instructions along with the ones he remembered. Shortly after, Sebastian went out taking all his orders, Luke called for Hudson, the head of Argos, the Information Organization of Rakan. ¡°The noblemen have just filed a hearing, are you aware of that?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Something like that, I was just about to report it to the Lord. How did Lord come to know¡­?¡± ¡°That is because I have a separate source of information.¡± Luke didn¡¯t reveal the fact that he knew someone from Hydra and the Imperial Intelligence agency. To explain about that, he would have to give out the information about his demons, which could turn troublesome. Which was why he gave out a rough answer, but Hudson didn¡¯t seem to find it suspicious. ¡®Did he use the other Information guilds? Maybe the one through the Holy Empire¡­¡¯ Hudson realized that the second one¡¯s possibility was higher due to Luke¡¯s close relationship with Pope, Reina. No, without any confusion he was definite about it. ¡°Well, because of that, the merchants of the nation are busy. With the purchases of grains, food, salt, iron and magic stones, and other strategic items, the prices are hitting the sky.¡± ¡°Are they expecting a civil war to happen?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Yes. Because of that people are very flustered.¡± Food and salt are very important items of everyday life.¡± Moreover, thanks to the war items, the other product prices were jumping high too. ¡°We don¡¯t care if they fight or not, but we will have to manage our strategic supplies well, just in case, for the estates¡¯ suture.¡± Advised Hudson. ¡°Well, I understand what the Lord is talking about. I¡¯d like to discuss this matter with other retainers and our new financial officer, Bentley.¡± Even if the noblemen failed to put pressure on the Emperor at the hearing, the relationship between the two sides would still take an irreversible blow. If not, Luke would take an aggressive route. ¡®The civil war happening is definite. I don¡¯t know who is going to win, but the powerful Baroque Empire will not be able to return back to its old glory and fame.¡¯ It could only be known because Luke had a very close look at the Holy Empire civil war. Although Reina was quickly reforming the policies, the overall power of the Holy Empire was comparatively less than before the rise of the Civil war. The rebellion ended earlier than expected, so it was a great thing, our Reina would have been in much deeper trouble than now. ¡®And if there will be any powerful lords who decide to act like me in this war, then we are all going to see a new age coming up.¡¯ The collapse of the Baroque Empire. From Luke¡¯s standpoint, it could be stated as revenge by liquidating the remnants left by the past enemy, Duke Baroque. Of course, not all of his plan ends there. New enemies were bound to rise in the most difficult times. So, as Hudson said, it was better to have a good managing of the materials and other needed things. ¡°I need to let Kirillov know in a different meeting. Ah right, and..¡± Luke, who forgot something, quickly asked Hudson another question. ¡°Has there been no word of Erwin yet?¡± ¡°Yes, since she visited an agent at Bless the other day and Sir Victor, all acts have been hidden. It has been presumed that there could have been a serious problem with the fairies.¡± ¡°Although I haven¡¯t seen Kurgon these days, there have been a lot of complaints.¡± The other day, Luke had visited the Red Hammer tribe because of the steel production for his exclusive Gigant. At that time, Kurgon seemed to be very drunk. And it was heard that an elder from another dwarf tribe had met and they ended up having a huge fight. Not knowing that Luke was around, Kurgon threw the beer bottle. ¡°Bloody bastards! You don¡¯t know what is going to happen if you anger them more!¡± That was what Kurgon said. Although it was a dwarf accent, Luke was able to understand to a little extent. At any rate, Luke could see that the fairies were up to something, and some of them like Kurgon were worried about it. ¡®What are you all planning? Considering that they opened the Spirit World¡¯s door with the help of Reina¡­¡¯ There was only one guess, however, Luke wasn¡¯t sure. Luke decided to find out more about it, seeing how the fairies would work in the future. Chapter 317 - The Baroque Imperial’s Tragedy 1 As being in the center of the Rhodesia continent, several denominations were located in the capital of Nemesis. Along with the small and medium-sized denominations including the El Kassel having the largest number of believers on the continent, the Mars/Marius sect worshipping the God of War was established with shrines. And among such denominations was a thing called Arahan. The Arahan denomination which began in the Barat, a great power in the southern continent, was the one which believed that anyone could gain enlightenment through meditation and mental practice could escape the reincarnation and become a true god. Already in the Southern continent, not just the Barat Empire, but also in the Song empire and Yemaek it was preached, but in the Rhodesia continent, small and medium denominations with unusual doctrines weren¡¯t considered to be weird. Even then, due to the trade which happened, there were believers in the Rhodesia continent and Nemesis, and the denominations were able to maintain their reputations. In the dark. A carriage with dozens of knights stopped in front of the Arahan¡¯s Shrine in the Nemesis. The knights were all in black cloaks and pulled down their hoods to cover their faces. All of the knights¡¯ sharp gazes fell on the man who was getting off the wagon. The man who got off from the wagon was unexpectedly the Emperor of Baroque Empire, Rudolf. A day ago, he had moved to the Arahan shrine to cure his wounds which he had suffered during the fight with the higher demon Kauren, a general of the Vampire King Leviathan. ¡°You have come, Your Majesty!¡± At the entrance of the huge shrine, an old priest with a gray beard and shaved head greeted Rudolf. ¡°I am asking you to take good care of me, today too, Nanda.¡± ¡°Yes, please come inside.¡± There was a reason for Rudolf to visit the Arahan, even though there were other more prominent denominations. The health of the Emperor had always been a secret from the Empire, and Rudolf was the one who was known to stop Arch Duke Gregory of the Holy Empire from entering their region. And if news went out that the Emperor had been seriously injured, noblemen or the enemies of Baroque would react right away. Which was why there was no other way than to hide about the Emperor¡¯s health. And thus, it was why Emperor Rudolf hasn¡¯t looked at the El Kassel or the Marius denomination which were connected to the Holy Empire or the noblemen. Instead, he visited the Arahan¡¯s shrine, which was politically unconventional yet highly supportive. Nanda, who was in charge of the shrine, had a mysterious divine ability which was different from the divine power of a high ranking priest, and had a considerable reputation in the Southern Continent, and was always referred to be an ¡®ambassador¡¯. At first, it was considered to be a kind of technique which involved the magic of the southern continent, however, Nanda was stern in saying that it was no magic, but the physical body¡¯s effort. He stated that if one could devote themselves to mental practice, one could learn the six abilities which belong to the realm of the Gods, and can notice things which weren¡¯t seen to human eyes or even heal men. ¡®Huh, how is this any different from magic or the divine power?¡¯ Rudolf, who wasn¡¯t familiar with the doctrine of Arahan denomination, had no choice but to feel so. However, he was interested to know that one could become a god through practice even without learning anything specific. And of course, he didn¡¯t like the doctrine which said that he had to cut off from ¡®Five desires and the Seven Emotions¡¯ to attain enlightenment. ¡°Your Majesty, did you take your medicine?¡± Rudolf nodded at the question of Nanda but looked down. ¡°Well, because there have been a lot of things I need to look after and then there are those issues with the noblemen.¡± ¡°Is it true that you have been drinking alcohol these days? Alcohol needs to be avoided as it increases burning in the body.¡± ¡°Understood. So stop nagging and come heal me.¡± As always, Rudolf was initially treated with a method of acupuncture and moxibustion. And he knew it because Rudolf had already gone through the treatment several times, and the escorts who followed around too knew how stinging and moxibustion were done. At first, the escorts thought that Nanda was trying to assassinate the Emperor, all of them pulled out their swords. After completing the treatment through acupuncture and moxibustion, Nanda seemed to have treated to Ruduolf¡¯s internal conflict along with the physical trauma. ¡®It is something that I feel every time, but it seems very physical.¡¯ Nanda was a native from Barat Empire, and he was well versed in the workings of the Southern Moorim. It was said that their bodies were strong enough to destroy the mountains and that they could go past the seas crossing all the human limits, however, Rudolf could never sense the same obsession of power and greed which he had in him. ¡®Maybe I pursued it stronger than anyone else. This obsession would have given the power to me one day, but¡­¡¯ From Nanda¡¯s view, Rudolf was less in terms of his spiritual power than his power. The trauma he was in wasn¡¯t difficult to deal with. And it was a wound that would be healed after a considerable amount of time even without treatment. However, Nanda was concerned about what kind of frustration and confusion the Emperor was experiencing to not be able to solve it with a little self-confidence. He wasn¡¯t aware if Rudolf was facing in adversity, but if the Emperor decides to distance himself from work for a little while, people under the Emperor would have to go through a lot. ¡®I feel it. Sooner or later, great anguish will come over the Baroque Emperor. But what can you do about the bad karma of your ancestors?¡¯ Nanda was in the Empire because of his wish to preach. In addition, since he was the master of physical awakening, it was possible for him to look at the fate and future of the others. Nanda, who finished the treatment, stood up and spoke. ¡°I have done all the procedures which I can do. For the coming time, it depends on His Majesty¡¯s efforts. Paying attention to your meal, and taking your medication on time, you will be able to shake off your injuries.¡± ¡°Really? How long will it take to be cured?¡± ¡°It will take around 1 year as soon as possible, and you will be back to your original state by three years at the latest.¡± Rudolf¡¯s injuries were attributes of Magi. Unlike the physical trauma which had been cured, it would take time to drive out the Magi which was invading the vitality of the Emperor. ¡°Hmm, a year at the earliest¡­¡± Rudolf could only frown. Being a Sword Emperor, he won¡¯t be able to demonstrate his abilities. Of course, if he reached out to another healer, he might get treated much quickly, but there was a guarantee that the healer would keep the treatment a secret. ¡°You worked hard. Though you had been through unpleasant situations.¡± When Rudolf clicked his fingers, the escort knight approached Nanda and pulled on his sword. Slash! A cold, sharp-edged sword pointed at him, however, Nanda wasn¡¯t taken aback. Rather, he seemed calm, as if he was expecting it. Rudolf opened his mouth. ¡°I have no intention of letting someone else know about my situation. So please understand my reasons.¡± ¡°Are you trying to accumulate bad karma in the end?¡± ¡°Huhu. Bad Karma you say? I am just trying to help you with achieving the God stature.¡± He just shook his head as if he was unable to comprehend the words of the Emperor. ¡°Your Majesty, before leaving I would like to give you a word of advice.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± The man was going to die anyway. And Rudolf was willing to listen to it, it was because Nanda wasn¡¯t willing to struggle. ¡°There isn¡¯t much time for Your Majesty to prepare. So hurry up and send the treasures that you cherish to another place. If you aren¡¯t able to send them to the remote places, then send it to a place which is closest to the God.¡± At the words of Nanda, Rudolf frowned. ¡°That sounds like a riddle. Are you trying to pretend as a prophet? Can¡¯t you speak normally?¡± ¡°You have already given out a lot of energy. Don¡¯t forget my advice, your Majesty, for the sake of the people living in this Empire!¡± ¡°Well, fine, I¡¯ll do that.¡± Rudolf replied with no sincerity and gestured the knight to strike Nanda¡¯s neck, and the escort did so immediately. Slash! But something surprising had happened. When the knight¡¯s sword slashed the neck of Nanda, in a place where red blood was supposed to fill, white petals began to fall. And the body of Nanda disappeared without falling on the ground. ¡®How, how could this be?!¡¯ The knights, as well as Rudolf, were amazed at what they witnessed. No high ranking wizard could disappear with deception like that. However, Rudolf could show agitation in front of his men, so he tried to look calm. ¡°Your Majesty, how could this be¡­?¡± ¡°Magic. The magic only used by the priests.¡± Responding very calmly, Rudolf instructed out the next orders. ¡°Burn it down. Don¡¯t leave even a single piece of wood behind.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, Your Majesty.¡± As long as he got his hands off on Nanda, he couldn¡¯t leave behind any evidence. The reluctant escort knight went out to carry the orders of Rudolf. After a while, fiery flame soared at Arahan shrine, from where the emperor moved out. The advice Nanda had passed onto Rudolf kept echoing in his ear. ¡°Hurry up and send the treasures that you cherish to another place. If you aren¡¯t able to send them to the remote places, then send it to a place which is closest to the God.¡± ¡®Tch, no need to concern myself with those words. I guess I am a little weak too.¡¯ Rudolf, who grumbled to himself, covered the curtain over the window. Despite his unsuccessful mind, Rudolf didn¡¯t take Nanda¡¯s words much seriously. Chapter 318 - The Baroque Imperial’s Tragedy 2 The day after Nanda treated him. As always, Rudolf was receiving the reports on general affairs of the empire. ¡°Your Majesty, there was a small fire in a small denomination shrine in the capital yesterday.¡± At the report from Voltas, Rudolf asked with a calm look, ¡°Fire? How so?¡± ¡°According to the magistrate¡¯s office, it seemed to be because of some faulty wiring. Anyway, around a dozen private residences in that area were damaged because of that.¡± ¡°Tch, such things happening around.¡± Rudolf was the one who did it, but he hadn¡¯t told Voltas about it. Voltas wasn¡¯t even aware because the emperor was good at hiding his work and private life. ¡°And there is another problem, one after the other, the presence of low-rank commanders and expert knights stationed in the Central Army and the capital are decreasing.¡± ¡°And the problem is?¡± ¡°They are¡­ dying in the red light district without wearing any clothes, dying from a heart attack during training, committing suicide, leaving a note saying that the work is too difficult for them to handle¡­¡± And the low ranking commanders and expert knights, who passed away, weren¡¯t just one or two. In addition, there were those who were injured by simple items and those who got sick just by eating something wrong. Rudolf was frustrated with the report. ¡°How are the subordinates being managed!¡± ¡°I am sorry, Your Majesty. Since our last battle with the demons, the atmosphere in the Central Army has been in the dumps¡­¡± ¡°Been in the dumps? Why?¡± Asked Rudolf. At the question of Rudolf, Voltas spoke his real thoughts, ¡°It is like the incidents are happening very quickly and the mental stability of the lower-ranked ones or the knights has worsened after seeing the demons walk around during that time.¡± They were just rumors¡­ No, they were all myths or legends that kids were told at night. It surely was a terrible thing and a strange feeling for the knights and commanders who were in the battle, fighting in the front lines. ¡°How could that be?! Fire the commander of the Central Army right away!¡± At Rudolf¡¯s orders, Voltas seemed hesitant. ¡°Your Majesty, Count Lotion is a man who comes in with great loyalty and power. So, please give it another thought¡­¡± ¡°Are you saying that a man with power and loyalty is acting like this in the Central Army? There is no need to think anymore! I am going to change him right away!¡± Honestly, it wasn¡¯t the demons¡¯ appearance that had caused trouble in the Central Army. It was Henry, who was ordered by Luke. Without knowing that he was using all types of sneaky methods, the current commander was being fired. ¡°Phew, then who will be appointed in that position?¡± Knowing that the Emperor¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t be changed, Voltas asked a question, ¡°Let¡¯s entrust the Central Army of the Capital to Count Ferrero, the vice-captain of the Knights of Guard. Even though he is a bit sloppy, there is no other person who can correct and discipline the men in a short period of time.¡± Voltas nodded silently, knowing that it was all he could do. ¡°That is all good, but what about the hearing?¡± A few days ago, they heard that the noblemen had filed for a hearing. So, Rudolf was eager to know how that matter was going. ¡°The chairman of the Imperial Parliament is reviewing it. He is a politically neutral and relaxed character, so it will take some time before the hearing gets opened,¡± answered Voltas ¡°Uh? Did you know who was that definite witness that the noblemen have?¡± ¡°Yes, through a visitor from Marquis Mayers, Lazlie came to know that it was the Prince of Konrad Kingdom, Aslan.¡± Voltas¡¯ forehead wrinkled while he answered. When he got the information from Lazlie, he was very flustered. Aslan, who was said to have been fed to the sharks, was still alive. That was why Voltas, who couldn¡¯t believe that report, kept nagging his son to tell him that the report was false. ¡°Tch, he didn¡¯t get everyone after all. Anyway, whether it be Aslan or someone else, tell him to get rid of him, immediately.¡± ¡°Right now? How about putting it off for now?¡± At Voltas¡¯ question, the Emperor frowned. ¡°You are asking me to delay it? Is there any reason for us to do that?¡± ¡°The noblemen will see this hearing as a great opportunity to diminish Your Majesty¡¯s powers, and what if a problem with the witness¡¯ identity arises even before the hearing? This will put us in a wrong place.¡± The emperor would lose the opportunity to counterattack. So, Voltas thought that it would be better to not act impatiently but to take advantage of the opportunity to condemn the noblemen and take away their power. ¡°Take the crisis as an opportunity? I haven¡¯t thought of that till now, but are you not aware of what kind of men Butler and Mayers are like?¡± Asked Rudolf They were the kind of person who could even create a witness if the real one was dead. No, not just that, they might even ask for an assassination and use that for some kind of political exploitation. ¡°They are going ahead with all they got. I think that it is better to act in advance than to take a risk in a later time.¡± ¡°Understood, Your Majesty, if that is what you desire, I will follow your words.¡± Though unfortunate, Voltas couldn¡¯t stop his emperor anymore. Right when Voltas was done with his reports and was about to go out of the room, a servant entered. ¡°What is with that?¡± Asked the emperor. ¡°That, the thing is¡­¡± Rudolf, who listened to the words of the servant, was shocked. ¡°What did you say? Martel is under pain? Is that true?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be wrong. The doctor has recognized the symptoms right away¡­ Y-your Majesty!¡± A piece of un-comprehendible news made Rudolf rush out of the office and run into Martel¡¯s residence. He didn¡¯t even stay a single second to listen to Count Voltas or the servant¡¯s words. Chapter 319 - The Baroque Imperial’s Tragedy 3 Martel, the 5th prince in line, usually liked to read books and lived in a separate mansion close to the Imperial Palace¡¯s library. At Martel¡¯s residence, where normally scholars from the empire came and went, only doctors and priests were busy moving around. The knights in charge of the place were anxious when Emperor Rudolf appeared on the premises. ¡°Y-your Majesty!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to go in just yet, it could be contagious for¡­¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Rudolf pushed the knights who were asking him to stop and entered the room where Martel was lying. ¡°Kug Kug Kug! M-majesty¡­¡± ¡°Martel! What the hell is happening to you?!¡± Rudolf saw Martel and couldn¡¯t hide his sadness. Just the day before, he saw his kid with a mild cough who seemed to be fine, but now, that same kid had rashes all over his body along with blood here and there. It wasn¡¯t just that. Every time he coughed badly, he ended up vomiting and getting a seizure. ¡°Majesty¡­ Am I¡­ dying?¡±, asked Martel. ¡°That won¡¯t happen. Now that I see it, it isn¡¯t a serious disease. You will be able to get up and run rather quickly.¡± When Martel asked with fear, Rudolf tried to look as comforting as he could for his son. After a while, Martel managed to calm himself down and fell asleep after taking the medicine given by the doctors. ¡°What in the world happened?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know either. His symptoms look similar to smallpox, but there are signs of tuberculosis¡­¡± ¡°All this, pathetic! What were you all doing before his body reached this point?¡± ¡°It was because the illness progressed suddenly¡­ Hik!¡± When Rudolf pulled out his sword, the doctor¡¯s face became pale. ¡°I am going to ask you once more. Can you cure Martel?¡± ¡°T-that¡­ Your Majesty, please let us be!¡± The doctor who was hesitant about giving out a definite answer fell on his knees and asked for forgiveness. It was because he wasn¡¯t confident about curing an illness that he had seen for the first time. If the doctor made a false statement about fixing the child, and if Martel died, then three generations of his family would be killed for deceiving the emperor. ¡°You are the Imperial doctor of the Imperial palace?¡± Slash! The furious Rudolf wielded his sword. Even in the presence of the Queen. Moreover, the kid was the youngest and cutest of them all, who was like candy to one¡¯s eyes. The emperor couldn¡¯t forgive an incompetent man who couldn¡¯t help his precious youngest child before reaching to that point. ¡°Get rid of this trash right away!¡± The knights dragged out the body of the doctor who got killed. The other doctors and the priests who saw that scene could only tremble. Rudolf pointed his bloody sword toward them. ¡°All of you, don¡¯t even think about hesitating. Think about how to treat the prince. Otherwise, you will be punished!¡± ¡°Uh, yes!¡± ¡°Move quickly if you understand!¡± At the scream from Rudolf, the doctors and priests rushed over to search for a kind of treatment. Rudolf could only sigh with anxiety and a shuddering heart. He slowly approached the elderly servant. ¡°Are you the prince¡¯s servant? What happened? Did Lian ask to check on Martel?¡± ¡°T-that isn¡¯t it¡­¡± Seeing the dark expression of the servant, Rudolf could feel his heart break. He had an ominous feeling rushing over him, but he wasn¡¯t ready to believe it. No matter how unfortunate or serious the issues could be, it couldn¡¯t be any worse than Martel¡¯s. However, his faith was entirely betrayed. ¡°The prince is in pain from an unknown disease, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Right now, are you all trying to mess with me?!¡± ¡°H-how could we even try to do that? After having breakfast this morning, he said that his stomach hurt and was feeling nauseous, and then his head started to hurt and suddenly¡­¡± The words of the old servant were interrupted It was because another knight ran in to give another report. ¡°Your Majesty, Prince Barto fell!¡± ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± Asked Rudolf. ¡°During his swordsmanship practice, the prince lost consciousness, and he has a high fever along with rashes all over his body.¡± ¡°This! This makes no bloody sense!¡± The news didn¡¯t end there. Soon there was another shocking news that the rest of the princes and the princesses were suffering. When things reached that point, everyone¡¯s eyes turned over to the emperor. All the princes and his daughters passed out just a few days after spending some time with the emperor. If it was an epidemic, the empress and the emperor were at risk. ¡°Your Majesty, even now, you need to be checked¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! There is no need for a checkup!¡± Rudolf¡¯s entire body was in pain. Although he wasn¡¯t suffering from any illness, the reality that his children were suffering in front of his eyes was ripping his heart to pieces. He had never experienced such pain. This was much more painful than the time when his bones were breaking on his path to become a great knight or the time when he was fatally wounded while fighting Kauren, the general from Devildom. This was unbearable pain, and he didn¡¯t know how to suppress it. ¡°Save them! Whatever the means you need to use! Lian, Barto and the other kids too! Otherwise, all of you will never be able to escape death!¡± The proud emperor, who was proud of being stronger than anyone else, could do nothing. The entire Imperial Palace was rushing with people because of it. Chapter 320 - The Baroque Imperial’s Tragedy 4 ¡°All of the Emperor¡¯s kids got sick?¡± ¡°Yes, and because of that, the entire Imperial palace has been flipped over.¡± Luke, who had gone to Nemesis, met with Henry who delivered him a shocking news. He turned over to Henry, with a stern gaze and asked, ¡°By any chance, is this your doing?¡± ¡°Huh? what is that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°Sometimes there are such extreme men. Those who commit useless crimes to prove their extreme loyalty to the master.¡± There were such guys 500 years back, under Saymon. Most of the men later joined the Devil king¡¯s legion, but they all did something out of greed and need for attention. The most common things which happened for it were slaughtering the healthy prisoners, hoarding the supplies or wiping out the civilians, forcibly recruiting young people and sending them as volunteers. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it! That is the truth!¡± ¡°Really?¡± And with that, Luke didn¡¯t seem to have any more suspicions, and Henry responded sounding as if he was upset. ¡°I am being serious! How would I even go through the guards who are always around the Emperor¡¯s family? If anyone does anything suspicious, we will be dragged out right away and tortured till death!¡± No matter how high-ranking Henry was in Hydra, the contact with the Imperial family was strictly forbidden. In addition, the servants and ladies who were taking care of the prince and princesses were already dragged down by the Intelligence service and tortured. It was because of the onset of the kids¡¯ pain were sudden. They were concerned if the maids had given access to anyone, or they had any hidden intention for doing that, or if they had used some unknown trick to make the kids sick. ¡°Understood. Seeing you like this, I guess you really don¡¯t have a hand in this.¡± ¡°Of course. But¡­ what is with that unpleasant expression?¡± Asked Henry. ¡°Then, should I be acting like I find it nice?¡± ¡°Well, it is because the Baroque Imperial and the Rakan are established allies.¡± At Luke¡¯s uninterested response, Henry shook his head and spoke with a grin. 500 years back, the Warrior Rakan and Karno de Baroque, the duke then fought alongside for the demise of Saymon, the Devil King. However, after the death of Saymon¡¯s, the Duke of Baroque turned ambitious and revolted, and Rakan died fighting even while his body was slowly deteriorating to protect the Libiya kingdom. Since then, the Rakan family had barely maintained their fame and reputation for the following years without being able to garner their past glory. So Henry knew that Luke would be very glad to hear about the tragedy which fell upon the Imperial family. ¡°Is there something that is bothering about this?¡± ¡°I was already worried that something else was going to happen from what I planned. Could the hearing asked by the noblemen be canceled due to the internal affairs of the Imperial family?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°But, it can and it can¡¯t be.¡± Noblemen were people who value face and honor. Even though the Emperor had violated the law of the Empire, it was unfortunate that affairs were happening to the Emperor, and it could be a viable justification for the cancellation too. ¡°Maybe the Emperor deliberately made his children sick to postpone the hearing?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be. It wasn¡¯t just one or two kids, but all of them¡­ and he would consider the after-effects for it.¡± Said Luke. ¡°It could be someone else¡¯s handwork, this is troublesome and way too cruel. They are kids who haven¡¯t even seen anything¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t sound like an assassin in this matter.¡± ¡°I too am a human. Well, I might just be a demon¡¯s slave right now.¡± As Henry was in the Imperial palace for taking up works, he knew well about the Imperial family and how they worked. Emperor Rudolf was a cool and powerful human in the eyes of the people, but he was a great father who was strict yet warm towards all his kids. The children were called innocent princes and princesses who had yet been dreaming about living happily instead of going behind power. If a parent was the guilty one, he didn¡¯t understand why the kids had to be the ones to suffer. ¡°There has been a thing going on about the curse from the Southern continent. It says that when a man does a lot of evil, the disaster will fall upon the offsprings.¡± Said Henry. ¡°I am not sure that I understand it very well.¡± ¡°It is a very easy theory. When a parent owes debt, the child will have to suffer through hardships to pay it back. Bad behavior eventually harms people, and it is a course of debt. And ancient times they have turned into sinners.¡± ¡°Well, that sounds pretty realistic to hear.¡± ¡°Yes it does, it is a reality that not many people who are aware of it would do such things.¡± Luke seemed bitter. For the sake of revenge, and to create a world where all humans could live happily, quite a number of people would suffer from his actions. Just a while back he had summoned a high ranking demon. Not just the wizards of the Veritas magic tower, but also the people of the capital had died in that mayhem. ¡®If there is going to be a civil war between the Emperor and the noblemen in the future, innocent and numerous people will get killed and would be hurt.¡¯ It was a reality that one had to accept. Even if there was a good reason; let it be for revenge or justification, a sin was a sin. And no sin was easy to erase. If the man doesn¡¯t pay back, the sin itself will find a way to make him pay. ¡®I knew everything very well. But I won¡¯t be afraid nor will I hesitate.¡¯ It was something he had accepted 500 years back when he was Saymon and touched the dark magic with his own hands. The path he chose was his own choice. He died once, but he wasn¡¯t going to walk away from the path. And that was the final decision for him. ¡°I will be in the capital until the hearing is over. So any trends of Emperor or the noblemen, keep reporting to me.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± As ordered, Henry quickly disappeared from Luke¡¯s eyes and left Luke behind. Chapter 321 - The Baroque Imperial’s Tragedy 5 Three days had passed in the blink of an eye. In that duration, Rudolf left everything related to the governing over to Count Voltas, which would allow him to focus on his ill kids. However, he had no choice but to use all the means and methods available. If there was a good doctor or priest, they were brought in and used regardless of the type of medication they were giving. And the following proclamation had been given. Anyone who can defeat the disease of the Imperial family members regardless of their titles will be given the title of Count. Even if they have committed any sins in the past, even if it was a deadly sin like treason, the Emperor would give them immunity. Despite all these efforts, the children¡¯s illness hadn¡¯t improved. No, as time passes, the conditions only worsened. And of them all, Martel¡¯s condition was the most serious. With already blood seeping out from the rashes, now the skin had begun to rot, and all the body parts began to lose movement, starting from fingers and toes. And the 4th queen, the mother of Martel, who saw her son in such a desperate state couldn¡¯t hold herself strong. ¡°Your, Your Majesty¡­ please, please¡­¡± ¡°Kuh! Kuh! Your highness, save, please save me!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die like this, Your Majesty!¡± From the pleading of Martel, Lian and Barto too asked Rudolf to help them, seeing that Rudolf could only imagine himself in the depths of hell. Unbearable to look at them, Rudolf immediately walked out of the room where the kids were being treated. He called for the warlocks who were being trained in the Imperial Palace. ¡°Is there no way?¡± At the question from Rudolf, including Meishin, the warlock¡¯s head, shook his head. Along with the numerous doctors and priests with divine ability, they too had watched the scene for three days. Which was why they weren¡¯t able to speak. However, if they kept their mouth shut, they would be slaughtered in the hands of Rudolf. So, Meishin was the one to speak as a representative. ¡°Your Majesty, I didn¡¯t directly examine the condition of the princes, so I can¡¯t give any definite answer, but this seems to be the curse placed by someone.¡± ¡°Curse? Then, can it be solved?¡± ¡°The thing is¡­ this has to be a very strong curse if no priest was able to even sense it. And dark magic normally aims at chaos, darkness, and destruction¡­¡± ¡°Then end it! Conclude it!¡± Flustered by the scream from the Emperor, Meishin decided to make it short. ¡°With my current ability, I am of no use against it.¡± ¡°This!¡± In fact, there was a thing everyone missed. It was to make the princes into undead. That way, they could get the princes away from the pain they were feeling, however, they would have to face the pain of living forever. He could have said, but Meishin decided to keep his neck intact. ¡°Ehh! All you useless men! Disappear from my eyes right away!¡± ¡°So, very sorry, Your Majesty.¡± The warlocks receded as the Emperor yelled. He screamed loudly, but Rudolf¡¯s tantrum wasn¡¯t done yet. Wanting to get rid of the stuffy feeling, he went down to the basement of the Imperial Palace and wielded his sword like crazy. ¡°Uhaahhhhhh!¡± Grrrrng! Grrrng! Despite the fact that he was a Sword Emperor who wasn¡¯t yet recovered, the power released from the emperor¡¯s sword made the palace go wild. The statues made of rocks and steel all shattered in the basement and the gold aura which hit it shattered into powerful energy. ¡°Huh! Huak!¡± Rudolf, who had been going crazy, stopped only after the ground was entirely messed. What he did was so terrifying that the famous sword he used, which was made of the Ergen got cracked. Rudolf threw away the ruined sword and sat down. ¡°Dammit! How can this even happen?! The strongest man in the continent, the one who looks after the millions of people of the land, can do nothing!¡± With anger, Rudolf hit the ground with his clenched fist. It was the very first time that Rudolf had felt how it was to feel incompetent. ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul. I see. That. Now. Realized. The power. you have. Is. Nothing. But. Worthless.¡± ¡°Who, who is that?¡± Suddenly a voice entered Rudolf¡¯s ears, which made the Emperor pick up the sword. Rudolf was the only person who could be in the basement. It was his desire of wanting to be alone so that his escorts didn¡¯t see him in such a miserable state. And who could have invaded that privacy? ¡°Who is it? Come in front of me right away!¡± A middle-aged wizard with a gray robe appeared from the air at the shout of Rudolf. He had large and small wrinkles along with wounds on his face. His lips were firmly closed and had a sharp chin. It was a face he had definitely seen. Rudolf pointed the sword at the wizard and asked, ¡°Who are you? What the hell are you even doing here?!¡± ¡°Upset. You must. Be. But. Forgot. Me already?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Arsene?¡± When the wizard asked Rudolf, taking a close look, Rudolf¡¯s eyes widened. The face was different, but the voice was very familiar, and so managed to notice. ¡°Kuk. You. Forgot. Me. Very. Thoroughly. I see.¡± The one who came to visit Rudolf was Arsene. A wizard who had become obsessed with the forbidden dark magic after being obsessed with the Veritas Magic tower and raising to high positions. Emperor Rudolf watched Arsene, who wasn¡¯t around for a long time and asked with caution and aura pulsating from the body. ¡®He did change, but did he end up changing his body?!¡¯ It was a misunderstanding from Rudolf¡¯s side. Arsene wasn¡¯t away from the Lich¡¯s body and changed into another wizard¡¯s body, but was briefly using the teachings of Saymon, by transferring part of his soul into a guardian. ¡°Oh my. You. Who. Can¡¯t go. Against me. forgot. Me. And. Now. You. Dare. To ruin. My. Veritas. Magic tower?¡± At the rage in Arsene¡¯s voice, Rudolf jumped not realizing. His opponent was a Lich, the worst kind of monster who knew both white and dark magic. And Rudolf knew that yet thought that he wasn¡¯t lacking much to the Lich, he quickly corrected his stance and raised his voice. ¡°On whom are you placing the blame?! Wasn¡¯t all of this the cause by you and the stupid successors of yours?¡± Whether it was internal politics or using someone, Veritas Magic tower wasn¡¯t properly built. However, Arsene¡¯s thoughts were different from Rudolf¡¯s. ¡°Even. If that. Is right. Being. An Emperor. Can¡¯t. you. Persuade. The heart. Of the. Public? Now. That. I see. This was. An opportunity. For you. To push. Down the. Magic tower. Destroy. The relationship. All because. Of your. Greed. Right?¡± ¡°That, that¡­¡± ¡°For a long. Time. We have. Been. Working. Alongside. To throw. It away. Like. This. So easily. With. Time. I should. Have seen. This before. If you didn¡¯t. your flower. Like. Kids. wouldn¡¯t. have. Been going. Through. So much pain.¡± Thought it wasn¡¯t entirely accurate, Meishin¡¯s words were right, someone had placed a curse on the children. ¡°Was, was that your doing?¡± ¡°Now it. Is you. Huh. you. I didn¡¯t. want. To believe. The change. In. you. But yes, this. Is the same, thing as. the curse. hanging on. The. Warrior¡¯s. descendant. A very similar one.¡± It was something very similar, but no one was able to understand it. The curse on the Rakan family hindered the men to move their body in the most urgent situations. The curse was placed right after the kid was born, and then it gets triggered once again as time passes. Just a thought, but what would happen if the body suddenly went stiff during a crucial battle? That was surely a terrible situation for one to be in. On the contrary, the curse placed on the Baroque Imperial children was cast in the beginning and then starts at the trigger from its caster. The effect of it was much stronger than the former one. It was because the curse would be triggered when one of the kids got it. ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul. Want. To. Know. Something. More amazing? Your. Kids. And. The. Curse. Which is hanging. On them. You have. It. On you. Too. The strongest. Man. On the. Continent. You. Can. Be killed. Without. Cutting. Off. Your wrist.¡± ¡°Then can¡¯t you just kill me?! Why bother my innocent children?¡± ¡°Because. I want. You to. Taste. The pain. That you. Have. Given. Me.¡± At the plea of Rudolf, Arsene only responded with a cold voice. The pain and anger for losing the magic tower which he had cherished for hundreds of years could not be compared to the pain of losing a child. The pain he was going through was much less than the time he was changing into a Lich. This was why Arsene wanted Rudolf to know how bitter the pain of losing something precious was. ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul. Like. The. Time. When. I wasn¡¯t. able. To save. My. Magic tower. And. Now. When. You. Won¡¯t. be able. To. Do anything.¡± ¡°Kwaaah! You monster!¡± Quickly, gold aura began to burst out of Rudolf¡¯s body. The aura responded to the intense anger and rage which was residing in his body. Kwaaaang! With the gold aura, Rudolf collided with Arsene who was using dark magic or the part of the soul which was controlling the guardian. A shock wave similar to an explosion of a Gigant¡¯s core engine shook the entire basement. However, the blow from Rudolf did very little damage to the guardian. ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul. Yeah. Run. To. Me with. No sense. Of. Battle. But. There. Isn¡¯t. anything. You. Can. Do.¡± ¡°Uhhh! Arsene, you jerkkk!¡± ¡°Later. When. You. Have. Lost. Everything. With. Nothing. In possession. Let¡¯s meet.¡± With those words, the guardian which Arsene was maneuvering, disappeared like smoke. Rudolf who ran could only hit the vacant air, not being able to get rid of his anger, he kept on wielding his sword. ¡°Where are you, Arsene! Come out! Come out this very instant, you monster!¡± Rudolf cried and screamed, and wielded the sword for a long time in that broken basement. But Arsene, who vanished made no appearance. Chapter 322 - The Hearing 1 The tragedy that fell on the Baroque Empire was known to the neighboring nation as well. They were all reported by the information guilds of each nation, which were located in the Nemesis. Pope Reina of the Holy Arthenia Empire was busy with reforming her empire, yet she still heard the news. ¡°Holiness, according to the reports from the priests in Nemesis, the condition of the princes and princess is critical.¡± Among the priests, who were taken in for treatment, the priests from the El Kassel denomination were the most common. As a result, they were able to know the most information than any other nation. ¡°Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just the children in the palace who were sick. Emperor Rudolf¡¯s eldest daughter and his daughter in law are sick as well.¡± ¡°Then, this isn¡¯t just some regular sickness,¡± said Reina. The informer nodded at Reina¡¯s words. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s obvious, and we might have to dispatch the Saint Guard. It is very likely that this is a curse from a high-level warlock.¡± ¡®It can¡¯t be¡­¡¯ The word warlock immediately reminded Reina of Luke. She remembered the fact that he was learning the dark magic of the Devil King from the past. Moreover, Luke had a strong hostility toward the Baroque Imperial family. However, she immediately threw away those thoughts. ¡®No, Luke would never take revenge in such a manner.¡¯ Saymon, unlike what the world knew, was a man who tried to defend a man¡¯s rights even after becoming a warlock. She knew because she read Saymon¡¯s personal diary. And Luke, who was doing great in his warlock studies, would never do such a wicked thing. ¡°Maybe the Veritas Magic Tower has something to do with it. It was destroyed just a while back, right?¡± At the words of Reina, Arch Duke Gregory agreed. ¡°I too believe the same thing. The Veritas Magic Tower and Baroque Empire were known to have a great relationship for a long time. Because of the news about learning dark magic, the Baroque Empire, turning its back on the tower, is a very fleeting manner.¡± ¡°Yes, and then the revenge comes into play¡­¡± ¡°Would those who have touched evil touch the right path. They will commit more atrocities than this.¡± Whatever the case, the ministers of the Holy Empire and the high ranking priests didn¡¯t really feel bad about the tragedy that fell on the Baroque Imperial family, nor was anyone feeling glad about it. Even though the situation was like this, most of the details were given in the past meeting. It was then that a man raised his hand and asked, ¡°Holiness, how about you help the Baroque Imperial family?¡± It was priest Luther, the high priest of the Sanctity of Holiness, who asked such a question. Although he was normally a priest, he was involved in the state¡¯s affairs after seeing Reina¡¯s devotion, who herself went and asked him for the reformation of the Holy Empire. ¡°Your Holiness, you have a unique spirit. You moved ahead and showcased numerous miracles. I believe in the power of Your Holiness, and you might be able to take down the disaster that has fallen on the Baroque Imperial family.¡± The moment priest Luther was done talking, opposition came in from the others. ¡°Priest Luther, what is that supposed to mean? Don¡¯t you remember what the Baroque Empire had done to us?¡± ¡°There are voices of resentment in not just our empire but in the Baroque Empire too about their intervention in the civil war! Why do we have to help them?!¡± The opposition to helping the Baroque Empire was intense. In the beginning, they had no idea that the Baroque Empire had supported Duke Ferrierd in the last civil war. However, not long ago, the fact as to why Rudolf had been asked for a hearing had been revealed. The priests and the ministers, who came to know of it, urged to take an immediate action. However, Reina persuaded them by saying that it was time for them to strengthen their internal affairs rather than going behind retaliation. ¡°Getting services there is tough, and now you want us to help them?¡± ¡°Right! Let them deal with their own problems.¡± Many people expressed their thoughts. ¡°That isn¡¯t right. If it was any other normal nation, I might be wrong, but our Holy Empire is a nation built to serve the Lord and to spread his will to every man on earth. So, I think that it is time to show some tolerance.¡± Luther saw the Baroque Empire as any other nation. However, if the nations decided to turn their backs, then the feud between the two would only worsen, and that would lead to the shed of blood and pain. ¡°The Baroque Empire is a precious child of El Kassel and Belize as well, the mother of earth. At least for them, we will have to forgive the Baroque Imperial family, even if we can¡¯t forget the past,¡± said Luther. ¡°The words of Luther are also correct. For peace, the first thing that needs to be shown is tolerance.¡± Reina took Luther¡¯s side as well after hearing his explanation. ¡°Tch, there is nothing we can do.¡± ¡°Do you really think that if we lend a helping hand, they would decide to walk straight and not cause any trouble?¡± ¡°If things went well, both nations could cooperate and take down the warlock, and the willingness of the pope to be tolerant and her power would spread everywhere.¡± As the opinions began to shift, a senior priest raised his hand and asked, ¡°All is good now, but how do you plan of securing the safety of the pope in the Baroque Empire?¡± Both Baroque and Arthenia weren¡¯t small nations, and it wasn¡¯t a good thing in certain situations. There were bound to be opponents everywhere. If that was the case, then would it really be wise to send Reina to the people who caused Arthenia¡¯s civil war in order to exhaust its power? ¡°It isn¡¯t like I don¡¯t believe in the power of the Saint Guard or Arch Duke Gregory, but it would be a problem if Baroque decides to attack, right?¡± ¡°I have an idea.¡± Priest Luther answered. ¡°And what would that be?¡± ¡°We can have a few senior wizards of the Holy Imperial Magic Tower accompany the pope. Even if the worst-case scenario happened, the party of the pope can be evacuated to a safe zone with teleport magic.¡± ¡°Surely, that could work¡± ¡°And there is a saying that says an enemy¡¯s enemy is a friend. Even within the Baroque Empire, there are forces that are against the Imperial family. I heard that the noblemen representative and the Marquis of Rakan in the south are there.¡± When the name Rakan was mentioned, Reina couldn¡¯t hide her smile. It was because Luke¡¯s face flashed in her eyes. ¡°Right. In case anything happens, we can ask them for help.¡± ¡°Yes, it is good to discuss with them before heading there.¡± Since the way to secure the safety of the pope was set, they were down to discussing the next thing. The minister of foreign affairs sent a message to the Baroque Empire through magic communication, announcing the will of the Holy Empire. Once the approval came back from the Baroque Imperial family, the long-distance teleport gates would be placed in Nemesis. However, no matter how long they had waited, no reply came back from the Baroque Imperial family. Chapter 323 - The Hearing 2 The one who received the magic communication from the Holy Empire was Count Voltas, who had been handed over the details from the Imperial family. It was because since the emperor was distraught with his child¡¯s illnesses, he wasn¡¯t interested in the delegation of state affairs for the time being. ¡°The pope will come and cure the epidemic¡­ If the sacred power of the pope surpasses that of the high priests in here, she might be able to cure the princes and the princesses.¡± Lazlie, who was next to Count Voltas, was against it. ¡°Father, this could be a trick. We must never respond to it!¡± When Voltas looked into Lazlie¡¯s eyes, he began to explain his reason in detail. ¡°Somehow they are acting tolerant, but they have been sharpening their dagger for years in secret. Even if that wasn¡¯t the case, why would the pope want to heal the Imperial family? They will ask for a huge favor in return for their help.¡± If they managed to get the grace of Emperor Rudolf, they would surely ask him to return the favor in a considerate manner. However, what if the Pope demanded the territory of the Baroque Empire? If not, there was still the issue of the Imperial family getting involved in the civil war of the Holy Empire, and there was no thought as to what would happen if such high officials of Holy Empire enter the Baroque Empire. In the worst case, the noblemen would have the chance to revolt. ¡°The Holy Empire might be aiming for it.¡± ¡°Uhm, maybe they are, but we never know,¡± said Voltas. And the emperor might just let everything for the sake of his children. ¡°And Your Majesty is likely to show some faith by giving them a hand.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Asked Voltas. ¡°To hand over the parties involved in the civil war to the Holy Empire.¡± The Holy Empire would be angry against those who have instigated a rebellion behind their backs. Although in the end, it would rest with Rudolf, he might hand over the investigation and details over to the Holy Empire for the grace they showed in curing his children. The problem was that the heads of the plan were Count Voltas and Lazlie. ¡°We are Your Majesty¡¯s extremists. Would he turn us over?¡± Asked Count Voltas. ¡°Did you forget that he is a Majesty who forgets tears, blood, and passion for the sake of his purpose? And there are many who can replace us.¡± ¡°Hmm, but surely¡­¡± No matter how good they were at their tasks, Rudolf was the kind who would drown any devoted pair of people for his own cause. It was the right thing for him. And even if they were handed over to the pope of the Holy Empire would they be granted forgiveness? The pope might surely be generous and kind, but it was likely that the ministers around the pope would insist on punishment. At most, it would be the death penalty, but even if they did manage to survive, they would have to face all kinds of problems and punishments under them. In the end, it was definite that the family that had enjoyed extreme power till then would be deprived of it. ¡°Let¡¯s say that we saw nor got anything from there.¡± ¡°Yes, that is the best thing we can do.¡± Count Voltas burned down the parchment that he had received from the magical communication from the Holy Empire. And the Emperor, Rudolf, had lost the last string of hope because of his right man, who decided to work for himself and for the power of his family rather than the Emperor¡¯s. Chapter 324 - The Hearing 3 The Imperial Parliament, which symbolized the interests of the Baroque noble, was created when the Empire occupied neighboring countries and expanded its power. The war for conquest continued to rise and win, but it increased the exhaustion of the Baroque Empire. As a result, the Baroque imperatives had no other choice but to seek the support and assistance from the noble, and as a result, the power of nobles increased. And the number of nobles increased significantly with the nobles merging their kingdoms or duchy. And accordingly, the nobles had demanded the establishment of a parliament to preserve their powers and interests. For the first time, the Imperial family strongly opposed the establishment of the parliament, as it was available only to the republican system of governing. However, as the nobles cut off their support, the Baroque fell down financially and the war of conquest began to wobble. Eventually, the Imperial family held back their greed and accepted the terms for the establishment of the parliament. It was difficult in the beginning. Once established, the powers and functions of the parliament gradually increased over time. One of its powers and functions was to hold a hearing. The summoning of the Imperial Parliament was usually with high ranking officials who committed crimes such as corruption, but if an imperial law was violated, then even the Emperor could be called in. If serious violations of the law were done, even the Imperial family cannot avoid the summoning, and it was an indispensable role for the nobles under the Emperor to go for the hearing even the high and mighty Emperor too. And this time, the hearing for the Emperor was done with an attendant. The representative was Count Voltas, the right hand of the Emperor. After seeing him as the attendant, Marquis Albain of the Imperial parliament asked, ¡°You have come. How are the prince¡¯s and the other children?¡± ¡°No one is looking good.¡± ¡°Really? That is such a saddening incident.¡± Rather than just sweet politeness, Albain was sincerely feeling bad. It was because he had a lot of hopes from the youngest prince, Martel. ¡°To have such misfortunes happen in the house¡­ Your Majesty must be so bothered with all.¡± ¡®If you think so, then tilt over to our side.¡¯ Voltas grumbled to himself. However, he couldn¡¯t just spew such words to the man. The eldest of the Parliament, Marquis Albain, was very famous for his personality. Even though he wanted to, Voltas couldn¡¯t say those words. ¡®Well, even so, it doesn¡¯t matter as long as he doesn¡¯t side with noblemen.¡¯ Marquis Albain was neutral. Compared to his title of Marquis, his estate was rather small with just 500 soldiers. Most of all, the Gigant was just one, he wasn¡¯t even able to reach the military power of even a Baron. Nevertheless, he was respected by both the nobles of the Emperor and the noblemen. Marquis Albain wasn¡¯t the one to use swords or magic, but the one with literary beauty, whose estate was run by a prestigious school so the nobles from home and abroad try to enroll their kids. The knowledge, age, and political neutrality helped him become the presiding chairman of the Imperial Parliament. ¡°Everyone is gathered. Before opening, I will take a moment of prayer in hopes of the well-being of the Empire and for the comfort of the children of the Imperial family.¡± At the words of the presiding chairman, everyone clasped their hands. ¡°El Kassel, the lord of heaven, a foolish child who is given by you and Goddess Belize has descended. Please come to our nation to¡­¡± Marquis Albain, who had said the prayers, declared the opening of the hearing immediately after the prayer. ¡°Then, we will start the hearing on the unauthorized intervention in the Holy Empire. First, we will listen to Viscount Mager who has requested their hearing.¡± The man made his appearance after obeying the words of Marquis Albain and took his place. He was the man, the retainer of Marquis Mayers, and the one who received the seal. ¡°My respected nobles of the empire. I am very sorry for taking this position here. However, it was inevitable to since we need to keep the nation¡¯s laws and the Empire stable and prosperous.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t drag it, Viscount Mager, proceed quickly and make it clear!¡± ¡°If the evidence isn¡¯t clear, you will have to take responsibility for this!¡± Emperor¡¯s nobles barked like wild dogs on Mager. It was an intent to block the noblemen¡¯s advances. And as they began to do that, the noblemen too didn¡¯t stand still. ¡°Are you threatening us right now?¡± ¡°Marquis Maglev! Isn¡¯t your child a member of the Knights of Guard, is he not involved in this?¡± All the nobles in the hall began to point at one another raising their voice. No one was willing to back down. ¡°Count Stark, how is your troop doing? There is a rumor going around saying that main members of your troops were sold to the army of the Holy Empire, was it a good deal?¡± ¡°Where did you hear such rumors, or are you making them?! Do you wish to die by my sword?¡± ¡°Haha. You think I will be afraid of your clumsy slashes?¡± ¡°This man! Come out right away! I am challenging you to a duel!¡± ¡°Did you ask me to come out knowing that it won¡¯t be allowed in here?!¡± When the parliament capital turned noisy, Marquis Albain knocked hard on the board next to him. Tang! Tang! ¡°Everyone, please calm down! Just because you are nobles doesn¡¯t mean you can act like this?! How can you people act in such a way and expect the hearing to continue?¡± At the stern voice of the chairman, everyone went back to their seats. When the situation seemed to have settled down, Albain gestured Viscount Mager to continue. ¡°Thank you, sire. Yes¡­ as you all know, the reason I have asked for a hearing is that His Majesty sent soldiers without the consent of the Imperial Parliament into a civil war of the Holy Arthenia Empire.¡± ¡°Those words! Couldn¡¯t it just be that the mercenary units were plain misunderstood?!¡± ¡°Proof, give me proof!¡± Once again, the Emperor¡¯s nobles began to shout on top of their heads. As a result, Marquis Mayers who was watching it all from behind, nodded his head looking at Viscount Mager. Viscount Mager, who called the guard presented a box as an evidence. ¡°I too first thought that it could be false and didn¡¯t believe it. But the stories I heard were so detailed that I had to send in an investigation team to Alvera in secret.¡± According to Viscount Mager, the investigation team found some surprising evidence. In the box which he opened, were the torn knights uniforms and weapons. ¡°These uniforms and weapons were found in Eisenberg, where there was a siege between the Holy Empire and the Conrad kingdom. This is the evidence that our soldiers intervened in the civil war.¡± ¡°What nonsense!¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be trusted! That much, anyone can manipulate!¡± As expected, the nobles of the Emperor began to refute. In fact, the amount of evidence wasn¡¯t enough. Because, just as the nobles of Emperor said, that much can be manipulated. Moreover, it was plain common for the soldiers of another nation to use our Empire¡¯s uniform and weapons to secretly cause pain. ¡°This is a conspiracy of the noblemen!¡± ¡°Exactly! We will never accept it!¡± Listening to the opposition of the Emperor, Marquis Mayers gestured something with his hand and a second evidence was provided. And before long, into the parliament, much larger boxes than before entered. Inside the box were parts of the Gigants, all broken and destroyed. ¡°The evidence from Alvera, the last city in the Conrad kingdom which resisted.¡± ¡°And the reason for this to be submitted as evidence?¡± When asked by Marquis Albain, Viscount Mager explained in detail. ¡°There are the core parts of Hector, the new Gigant developed by Imperial Magic tower. And from what I know, the Hectors are only distributed to the Knights of Guard, so how did they enter the rebel capital, Alvera?¡± At his statement, the hall once again turned noisy, but this time, the evidence couldn¡¯t be denied. As he had said, the Gigants were short in supply and were only given to the Knights of Guard. When the nobles made the flustered expression, Marquis Mayers seemed rather elated. ¡®Hu hu hu. They probably never thought that it would come out as evidence. Because they never even thought about this.¡¯ The parts were suddenly delivered to his mansion in the capital, just the day before. It was very unexpected for both Marquis Mayers and Aslan. Who the hell would give them that gift? He asked the man who delivered it, but the man said that he was given a little money but had no idea who sent it. ¡®Maybe a member of the Emperor¡¯s nobles who is dissatisfied with him.¡¯ There was a person whom he managed to guess, but he couldn¡¯t fix anything without any clear evidence. If the character he thought of was certain, then the intention was clear. It was an intent to push the empire and the Imperial Parliament. However, from Mayers¡¯s point of view, the act wasn¡¯t understated. He had the ambition to resurrect the destroyed Milton region and make it a power that would deal on par with the Baroque Empire. ¡®Kay then, what are you going to do, Emperor¡¯s dogs?¡¯ Marquis Mayers looked forward and smiled, and the noblemen raised their voices. ¡°This is a definite evidence!¡± ¡°Would you all want to say that this too is a false one?¡± ¡°Uh hu! Be quiet men, quiet!¡± When the noblemen were coming up, Marquis Albain put down the noblemen to silence and asked Count Voltas. ¡°Is there anything that the Majesty¡¯s attendant would like to say about this?¡± Count Voltas had gone stiff for a moment and then opened his mouth. ¡°In fact, we hadn¡¯t revealed this since it was a secret, but something had happened at the Imperial Magic Tower six months ago. Some of the wizards sneaked into the magic tower and stole out the new Gigants.¡± ¡°So what your words mean is, the parts of the Gigants which were found in the Holy Empire were the ones stolen then?¡± Asked Albain. ¡°Yes, that is what I think of this.¡± The men of the Emperor were sweating with the fact that they could take a breath when they heard Voltas¡¯s response, and all struck out at once. ¡°No, such a terrible thing!¡± ¡°There was such a rebellion going on in the Imperial Magic Tower! We need to find out the men behind it and deal with them!¡± ¡°Yes! Yes!¡± Marquis Mayers laughed at the natural-looking excuse from Count Voltas. ¡®The Gigants from the Imperial Magic Tower, that too, the whole new Gigant from the tower? That is such an embarrassing thing to say, a whole new level of low.¡¯ The Imperial Magic Tower was operated by the Imperial family fund. In fact, it could be regarded as the Emperor¡¯s personal magic tower. As such, only those who were loyal to the Emperor rather than having extraordinary abilities were included in it. In addition, the security of the Imperial Magic Tower was tightly managed by the Central Army. And how could such a newly developed Gigant get taken away by a traitor from the inside? ¡°At least make something we can even believe!¡± ¡°Such nonsense! Are you looking down on us! You think we are fools?¡± Unlike the noblemen, who were barking loudly, Marquis Mayers sat still. He never expected Voltas to act so shamelessly, but he did expect that Voltas would deny every evidence shown. ¡®Huh! He is someone who knows no shame. I will see as to how long you will be able to keep your face like that.¡¯ There was one more final blow which Marquis Mayers still had to give. It was a number of documents that were given along with Hector¡¯s parts. The documents were written in a dwarf language, and letters held the transaction of the Emperor and entourages to and from Duke Ferrierd. Aslan too said that it was real. Some of the documents were handwritten evidence which were lost right before his escape. ¡®But, if we use all the evidence on the very first day, the effect of the hearing will fall down.¡¯ To get a definite effect, it was best to use them when everything goes silent. So, Mayers quietly watched noblemen and the Emperor¡¯s nobles were fighting. And that was how the first day of hearing had passed. Chapter 325 - The Hearing 4 Marquis Mayers was on the outskirts of the capital, Nemesis in his manor. There were nobles gathered to talk about the hearings that took place during the day. ¡°Marquis Mayers, that is definitely an amazing resource.¡± Duke Butler, who had never thought that the evidence about Hector from Alvera would be available spoke to Mayers. If they managed to push it like that, they might be able to take an initiative of the governing from the Emperor¡¯s men. ¡°But if the Emperor pushed it blatantly as a traitor¡¯s job, wouldn¡¯t all the evidence we got go useless?¡± In the late twenties, a young man who seemed rather arrogant opened his mouth feeling regret. He was the next in line after Marquis Cavanill and was very displeased with the hearing. And just one day of hearing didn¡¯t mean they were done. No matter how blind a man went with greed, they weren¡¯t so stupid to not know that the Emperor had taken great damage from the Higher demon battle and that they were given the initiative in taking back the governing. However, he was dissatisfied with the failure of the first hearing. ¡®If the hearing ends successfully, the person with the biggest merits would be because of Marquis Mayers.¡¯ Duke Butler was the symbol of armed forces in the noblemen, so there was no problem with his position. However, the Marquis of Cavanill was in a state of dilemma after the death of his father, so it was unpleasant to see Marquis Mayers. Even so, because the other noblemen were like his dogs. Duke Butler wasn¡¯t aware to know the reasons for the complaints coming from Marquis Cavanill. However, he didn¡¯t rebuke the kid¡¯s spoiled attitude. ¡®Well, it wasn¡¯t like Cavanill¡¯s wrong in this.¡¯ If Count Voltas¡¯s excuse was accepted, that the Imperial Magic tower wasn¡¯t able to properly manage their newly made Gigant, then the Emperor won¡¯t be held accountable. Butler too was worried about that. ¡°Hu hu hu. Don¡¯t worry. That isn¡¯t the only evidence I have.¡± ¡°Really, Marquis Mayers?¡± ¡°Yes. So hold yourselves back.¡± Marquis Mayers assured them with a calm face. He had evidence and witness. If he decided to give in the last card, the Emperor will not be able to get over the claim. ¡®The problem will appear when the definite evidence and the witness disappear¡­¡¯ The Emperor had enough motive and power to destroy both evidence and witness. Even if he was going insane because of his children¡¯s illness, he won¡¯t just stand back and watch. Concerned with stuff, Duke Butler asked, ¡°Marquis Mayers, is there anything I can help you with?¡± When asked, Duke Butler meant that he was willing to send his own knights. ¡°I really appreciate you asking, but I have prepared things. The Emperor¡¯s assassination organization will never be able to erase the evidence or witness.¡± Duke Butler nodded with a calm expression. ¡°If it is you, then we can trust. Then, how are you going to proceed from now?¡± If the noblemen took an initiative in the Imperial Parliament¡¯s hearing, would the Empire stand? Absolutely not! Power was never shared between a parent and a kid. In the worst case, a civil war would start. ¡°Of course, we will move accordingly. The one in the center would be Marquis Cavanill, and the Duke of west too will try to gather as much power from the nobles as possible.¡± Marquis Cavanill represented the noblemen of the intermediate level. Duke Butler, was the lord of the west. And Mayers had insisted them, that in case of an event occurring in the future, the forces of the nobles had to be brought in. ¡°Of course, we will. We have to.¡± Three years back too, they had tried to take down the monster. And with the pass of time, no one wanted to stay still. The two noblemen expressed their sympathy as they knew that they had to prepare thoroughly even though they hoped for the worst-case scenario to not arise. ¡°Then that means if in case a civil war comes over¡­ would we be able to win?¡± Marquis Cavanill asked with concern and fear. The nobles said that the power of the noblemen was much less than that of the Emperor. And Emperor Rudolf was known as a Sword Sage, and there were only two of such class men in the continent. Moreover, there was a rumor about an SS knights forces which was completely hidden and raised under the orders of the Emperor, who were all Sword Masters. So, they couldn¡¯t dismiss a simple statement. This is was because there were quite a few knights who were in the Knights of Guards during the battle with the demon, and most of them demonstrated their skills as Sword Masters. ¡°Well, as you have said, we will lose if we put ahead all our forces. But war isn¡¯t always won with power. If people did follow and help, then we can never show power. And the hidden secret forces, they aren¡¯t limited to the Emperor. Isn¡¯t that right, Duke Butler?¡± When asked by Marquis Mayers, Duke Butler smiled and nodded. They knew that one day the Emperor and the noblemen would end up in a battle. So, they devoted themselves to forces and power a long time back, and most forces haven¡¯t yet been released to the public. It was the same with marquis Mayers. ¡°Hm, hmm, then I feel assured. However, if the Emperor gets an aide, how do you intend to deal with it¡­?¡± No matter what the situation was, the Emperor was the strongest knight in the Baroque Empire. Duke Butler, was the next best knight, but there was a considerable gap between a Sword Master and Sword Sage. And so, he wasn¡¯t a huge problem to Rudolf. And that much, all the noblemen along with Duke Butler would be able to know. The problem was that there was a Knights group of SS under the Emperor. ¡°Me and my knights will take care of the Emperor and his knights.¡± ¡°That is a remarkable word, but war is won with skill, not by words. Will you be able to beat the Emperor and his knights with your skills?¡± At the doubtful question of Marquis Cavanill, Duke Butler suddenly exhaled and began to show energy. Whoong! At that moment, the escorts of Marquis Mayers and Marquis Cavanill went pale. Some even knelt down because of the force. Pak! Pak! Pak! The southern continental pottery and glasswork which were decorated in the room all cracked. Even then, the ceiling and the walls began to crack. ¡°Oh, Oh my god! Such tremendous energy¡­!¡± Marquis Cavanill spoke under his breath as he saw the entire room radiate the energy. If Duke Butler didn¡¯t control the spread of his energy, the room would have burst. With a surprised face, the kid asked Duke Butler, ¡°By, by any chance¡­ Sword, did you level up to Sword Sage?¡± ¡°Hu H Hu. Right. As you said, war cannot be won with words by skills.¡± Duke Butler. He secluded himself into his estates for a long time. When something special was meant to be celebrated, he never spoke out about his sword. The reason was that he wanted to reach the level of Sword Sage and keep it a secret from all. Butler went into seclusion, and as a result, a year later, he became a Sword Sage. But it was kept as a well-hidden secret. If the world knew, the Emperor would get wary of him. ¡°What now? A chance to win with this?¡± When Butler asked, Cavanill nodded silently. There was no way that Duke Butler a Sword Sage could not defeat Emperor Rudolf. And they were all glad about that but was worried that the war would make his family troubled. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s think about how the hearing will go on for tomorrow.¡± Marquis Mayers turned the topic with a dismayed expression. And after an hour of conversation, they all went back to their respective homes. Chapter 326 - Luke’s Conspiracy 1 Baron was a high-level assassin and the vice-captain of Hydra. A few days back, he had received an order which had been issued from the higher up. It was to infiltrate the residence of Marquis Mayers, destroy the witness and the evidences that had been gathered for the hearing against the emperor. However, the Master, who had to carry out the order, still hadn¡¯t made an appearance. Baron, who had wasted a lot of time searching for him, wad forced to get into action with his own men. ¡°The operation will not be easy as the opponent is none other than Marquis Mayers, one of the noblemen, so prepare yourself for every possible situation¡­¡± Gathering his men, he had given out the orders. When the door opened wide and Henry entered. ¡°Master, you have come?¡± All the assassins got up and bowed to the man. Henry was a legendary assassin in the assassination world. There was no assassin in Hydra who didn¡¯t respect him for his skills. ¡°Where in the world where you? Did you take a lot of time?¡± At the question from Baron, Henry shook his hands and replied with a grin, ¡°I was on a very important mission. Rather than that, are you going to wipe out the witness along with the evidence today?¡± ¡°Yes, orders from above.¡± Baron pointed to the ceiling above him with his finger. It meant that the man giving the order was Emperor Rudolf. ¡°We will do what was asked of you, but we will twist the process a little,¡± said Henry. ¡°Huh? Count Voltas really said that?¡± ¡°Ahhh, I didn¡¯t mean that we will give up the operation or ruin it. It is just that we will revise the plan and take a smoother approach.¡± At the words from Henry, with a puzzled expression, Baron asked, ¡°Master, in what way would you like to revise the plan?¡± ¡°That¡­ It isn¡¯t me who will decide but him.¡± At the end of Henry¡¯s words, the door opened and a young man with a platinum hair entered. ¡°Oh, sh*t! T-that man is¡­!¡± All the men, who saw the young man, were shocked and stood up. The man with the platinum hair. He was the Marquis, Luke de Rakan, who was one of the targets of Hydra. ¡°Master, how is this possible?!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he Marquis Luke? The one that Master should have killed?¡± Despite the fierce protests from his men, Henry just remained silent. And on Henry¡¯s behalf, Luke approached the men and opened his mouth with a smile. ¡°Huhuhu. Do you all think that I am weak enough to get assassinated?¡± ¡°T-then¡­¡± ¡°Tch, you still can¡¯t understand the situation? I heard that you were all amazing when it came to your skills, but I guess you are all dumb.¡± When Luke sarcastically spoke to the assassins, with a dismayed look, Baron turned to Henry. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Master, did you betray us?!¡± Only then did the other men realize what had happened and tried to get their weapons out. However, Luke¡¯s magic was faster. ¡°Force of Gravity!¡± ¡°Kuek!¡± In just a second, all the assassins were flat on the floor. They all tried hard, but not a single man could even move his fingertip. ¡°Keuk, Master! His Majesty will never let this go!¡± Baron could barely raise his head and screamed. However, Henry just turned away his head. Rather than feeling sorry for his men, seeing the feeble Baron on the floor reminded him of himself when he turned into a demon¡¯s slave. ¡°Calm down, Baron. It will all end soon.¡± ¡°Shut up! You think you have a chance to live after this? I will gauge your eyes out and cut off your limbs¡­¡± Whether Baron completed his curse or not, Luke turned his head to the door and called for a man who was waiting outside. ¡°Belfair!¡± Dozens of bats flew into the room at his call. The bats flocked together and transformed into a pale looking man in black suit. ¡®Vampire!¡¯ Baron and the assassins were surprised and looked at Henry for an explanation. But Henry didn¡¯t explain anything to them. Talking about it would hurt his mouth, and the men wouldn¡¯t even listen, so he decided to let them know once everything was over. ¡°You called, Master?¡± ¡°Make all these guys your subordinates.¡± Despite Luke¡¯s busy schedule for making a Gigant, he had come to the capital to create a spark in the hearing. And to do so, he needed to control the information and the assassination organization that was known to the Baroque Imperial¡¯s eyes and hands. ¡®Kuku. Just wait and see, emperor!¡¯ Luke smiled to himself and spoke to Henry, ¡°You take care of the main heads, and the others will all be taken in by Belfair.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± From Hydra¡¯s place, they went downtown to Nemesis along with Sebastian, who was hiding using magic. There was a casino inside the downtown area where the intelligence headquarters that were being managed by the Imperials was located. ¡°We need to dominate them all at once. Can you do it, Sebastian?¡± ¡°Of course, Master. I am better than that bat guy when it comes to making slaves.¡± Sebastian tapped his chest as if asking Luke to leave everything to him. ¡®Yeah, and there are already slaves that had entered the area too.¡¯ The former subordinates belonging to the intelligence services had entered the headquarters with an excuse and waited there for Luke and Sebastian. One of the infiltrators would flicker the lamp at the window. It was the sign that meant that the guards outside were taken care of. ¡°Kay then, should we take over?¡± Luke invaded the headquarters, and Sebastian took out a bottle of poison and paralysis in advance. ¡®Rudolf, your eyes and daggers will all be mine.¡¯ That night, with the help of the two demons and their slaves, Luke succeeded in taking over the most important assets of the Baroque Imperial family. Chapter 327 - Luke’s Conspiracy 2 The hearing wasn¡¯t held for several days. As the prince and princesses¡¯ conditions weren¡¯t getting any better, the emperor asked them to give him some time, and the noblemen agreed readily. It was because they guessed that the emperor¡¯s nobles were feeling empathetic to the emperor¡¯s condition with a possibility of the children facing death. And even time was given, the noblemen didn¡¯t think that they would lose the hearing, as long as they could protect their witness and evidence. Unlike the relaxed noblemen, the emperor¡¯s men tried to find countermeasures using the time they had earned. Of course, Count Voltas was the one who tried harder than anyone else. ¡°Lazlie, when the world are you going to destroy the evidence and the witness?¡± Lazlie was brought to the Imperial palace and was scolded by his father. ¡°That¡­ Even I am trying¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you realize that His Majesty is getting nervous! If you don¡¯t get me results quickly, even your father won¡¯t be able to defend you any longer.¡± As the children were in pain, Emperor Rudolf was becoming more and more insane. It was becoming normal for him to wield his sword anywhere, and to execute the priests, wizards and the healers who were unable to help his children. In addition, the orders he had given the day before were insane. ¡°Get the remnants of Arsene and the Veritas Magic Tower right away! I myself will tear off their limbs and crush their bones!¡± They weren¡¯t that shocked about the remnants of the Veritas Magic Tower, but they couldn¡¯t help but feel bewildered when they heard the name Arsene, which was the name of a person from over 500 years ago. ¡®Are you trying to make your administration the same as the Song Empire?¡¯ Initially, the tomb of Arsene was dug from the site of Veritas Magic Tower, and his remains were brought to the emperor. However, the emperor was going on and on about the ¡®real Arsene¡¯. So, Count Voltas tried to be composed about the command of the emperor. However, Voltas couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious about the change in the emperor. ¡®Did he get extremely shocked because of these events?¡¯ The Sword Emperor was so strong that the Sword Emperor didn¡¯t even bat an eyelid even if everything went bad. However, the story was different if the problem came from his children and not an outside source. Especially, if it was his blood which the emperor had raised since they were young. ¡®No matter. I need to be careful to not let His Majesty keep his eyes on me. If I do a single thing to irritate him, he will surely cut my throat.¡¯ Thinking so, Voltas went to Lazlie, who was in front of him. ¡°The hearing had been delayed due to the dark clouds, which were floating on the emperor¡¯s kids, and if the noblemen did have solid evidence and witnesses, the emperor would end up in an irreversible situation. That was why they needed to hurry up and get rid of the evidence and the witnesses of the noblemen. Remember that this is the last time.¡± ¡°Understood, father.¡± Lazlie felt irritated about how his father acted toward him and left the office. ¡®Sh*t!¡¯ Crack! He threw a southern continental pottery, which was placed for decoration in the hallway. The pottery hit the wall and shattered. However, the reason he threw the pottery was different. ¡°Those damned assassins! How dare they think about disgracing me and not be able to do a single damn thing!¡± Lazlie, who was grunting, moved into the street¡¯s capital. A back alley behind the Nemesis, downtown. There had always been prostitutes, thieves and a lot more people gathered in that place, and they managed to shade a tall building nearby. A wagon stopped in that messy, dirty and dangerous street, which was gloomy even in the daylight. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Kukuku. Looks like a noble took the wrong path.¡± The ruffians of the streets were angry, seeing armed knights enter their region. ¡°W-What? Who would dare touch the child of a noble?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear about it?¡± The one who got off the wagon was Lazlie. With the knights of Flying Dragons, he went straight toward a three-story building that was in front of him without even giving a single glance at the ruffians. It was the headquarters of Hydra. Kwang! When Lazlie kicked the door, Baron, who was inside, was startled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you Young Master Lazlie? Why would you¡­¡± Puck! Before baron could even finish what he was saying, Lazlie hit him. He shouted at Baron, who could only frown. ¡°I ordered for the operation to be carried out, but you men are still wasting time in here!¡± Lazlie, who was filled with rage, grabbed Baron¡¯s cheek and snarled. ¡°Do you take my orders lightly?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. We were just modifying the operation for better results,¡± answered Baron. ¡°You were modifying the operation?¡± ¡°That is right, and you do know¡­ how our Master works.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know. His filthy and discreet personality.¡± Lazlie threw Baron to the side and snarled. ¡°The information being passed on to me isn¡¯t enough, so I came over to check and review the work in your own place. Well, it isn¡¯t so bad, but!¡± Lazlie talked normally but then soon raised his voice in the end and continued, ¡°It needs to be done in a day or two. Why the hell would you need a few days?! Would you mind explaining this so-called perfect operation that is going to give me a perfect result like you¡¯re saying?¡± Even without Lazlie asking, the men were all in the midst of revising the operation, and Lazlie thought that if their explanation wasn¡¯t satisfactory, then he would just crush their necks on the spot. ¡°I will explain it to you.¡± Suddenly, a voice had come from the back. Lazlie, who was shocked, immediately turned around to see who it was. And surprisingly, over there was a man whom he knew very well. ¡°Lu¡­ Marquis Luke!¡± ¡°Huhuhu. I never thought that I would be this popular. The first time I came to the capital no one knows who I am.¡± ¡°E-Everyone was told that you were dying from a disease because of poison. How are you?¡± ¡°Ah, that? It was an obvious lie.¡± At the very natural response from Luke, Lazlie¡¯s expression became distorted. It was because he thought that Henry and the other members of the intelligence had reported back to him without even confirming. However, Lazlie just laughed out loud. ¡°Huh, stupid man! If you¡¯re trying to cheat me, you should at least stay in a corner. Did you come in here knowing this place?¡± It was the headquarters of Hydra¡ªan assassin group operated by the Imperial family. And there were two hundred assassins over there, and if they managed to get information out, then around a thousand soldiers from the Central Army and the knights from the Emperor¡¯s nobles would come right away. ¡°Vice, I will give you one chance to make it up. Kill Marquis Luke right away!¡± At Lazlie¡¯s orders, Baron and the assassins drew out their weapons and approached Luke. Although Lazlie knew the men were high-level assassins, he didn¡¯t think that they could kill Luke, who was famous for being a rune knight, in a fair match. However, if his escort knights joined, then he thought he had a chance. ¡®In the meantime, if I can bring in the Central Army, I can end this man.¡¯ Lazlie smiled with a joyful expression, thinking that he could hit a jackpot. However, an unexpected situation began to take place. Rather than fighting, the men and Baron went behind Luke and took their positions. Lazlie, who ordered them to kill, was flustered. ¡°W-What are you doing?! I told you to kill him!¡± Lazlie screamed and screamed, but the assassins didn¡¯t even blink. Rather, they all smiled while looking at Lazlie. More than anyone, Baron moved ahead with a ridiculing expression. ¡°They are stupid? The one who is stupid is you. Did you think that I would have come here without any preparation?¡± Said Luke with a grin on his face. ¡°T-Then?!¡± ¡°I took over the Hydra of the Imperial family. Of course, along with the intelligence.¡± Kukung! At the declaration of Luke, Lazlie couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. ¡®How the hell did that happen? What does he mean?¡¯ There were so many questions running through his head, but instead of standing there and finding out the answers, Lazlie turned and ran. The fact that Hydra and the intelligence were taken over by Luke meant that the emperor was left paralyzed on one side. ¡®I need to get out of here quickly and tell this to father!¡¯ He did decide to escape, but he couldn¡¯t take more than a couple of steps. Luke caught up to him in an instant using Blink. Everything happened so fast that the escort knights belonging to the Flying Dragons didn¡¯t even see what happened. ¡°Ahhh! Over here! Here!¡± ¡°Save the commander!¡± Even then, the escort knights rushed over to save Lazlie. A magic that involved fire was used by Luke to stop them. ¡°Burning Off!¡± Wheeing! With a hand gesture from Luke, the escort knights rushed into the fire and began to burn. But it wasn¡¯t the end for the knights. Hearing Lazlie scream, the other escort knights were in a hurry. ¡°Bloody fly.¡± Luke, who was annoyed with the men, raised his hand and then swung it to the side. Kwaaa! Kwang! ¡°Kwak!¡± Purple lighting came out from Luke¡¯s body and wiped out the escorts. Thunder Bringer. The ability of the demon, the higher demon, one of the 18 generals of Devildom, Kauren¡¯s ability cut down all the other escorts. ¡®Oh my god!¡¯ ¡®It is like a demon catching trick¡­¡¯ The assassins of Hydra along with Baron were all shocked. After he became a slave, he did hear the stories from Henry, but he never thought that Marquis Luke would be a monster like that. However, the one who was shocked the most was Lazlie. ¡®T-This makes no bloody sense!¡¯ Lazlie had an unrealistic expression like his soul was being sucked. The escort knights, who were in the Flying Dragons, were very strong and comparable to the SS knights in terms of skill. Such a group of men was wiped out even without wielding their swords even once! ¡°Did you say your name was Lazlie? I won¡¯t kill you right away. However, you will have to let me know everything you know about the emperor and his men.¡± ¡°Y-You think I¡¯ll just tell you?¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Lazlie acted as if he wouldn¡¯t let go of his loyalty. However, his entire body trembled to only give one answer. ¡°Huhuhu. Try to endure as much as you can, but there are many experts when it comes to torturing in this continent.¡± ¡°Y-You are the descendant of the warrior!¡±, said Lazlie. ¡°And your emperor and his ancestors were the ones who made the descendant of the warrior into a Devil King.¡± Luke laughed when he heard that and looked at Baron. ¡°Now is the right time¡­ to conduct the operation.¡± ¡°Yes, Master!¡± The assassins, who were Balfair¡¯s slaves, bowed their heads to Luke after receiving his order, and Luke left the place at once. Chapter 328 - Luke’s Conspiracy 3 Chapter 328: Luke¡¯s Conspiracy 3 Despite it being late at night, the mansion of Marquis Mayers was well lit by lanterns. A few people quickly infiltrated the mansion by taking the help of the blind spots in the light. They were so stealthy and cautious, that even the knights and the soldiers guarding the mansion weren¡¯t able to feel, including the guard dogs which were known to have great senses. ¡®Time to head back to bed?¡¯ When Baron, who was hiding behind the tree in the garden looked at the mansion, fire rose from one side of the mansion. Not long ago, an agent from the Imperial Intelligence had infiltrated the mansion as a maid of Mayers and was the one who set the fire. ¡°Fire! The mansion is on fire!¡± ¡°Bring water over here! Hurry up and extinguish the fire!¡± The servants and soldiers were running around. They managed to make everyone evacuate the rooms which were close to the fire, and also managed to get the water to extinguish the fire. A few wizards used water-based magic to keep the fire from spreading over. Baron and the agents of Hydra quietly took advantage of the situation. ¡°Who is it? Kuk!¡± ¡°What, what is goin¡­kuak!¡± The soldiers and knights who were guarding the annex fell down one after the other. Baron and his men defeated the guards in the front of the hallway and went straight to the guest room which was on the third floor, known to hold the witness. And indeed, it held a young and handsome man who was sitting on his bed with a sword next to him. ¡°You men?¡± ¡°Hu huhu. We are the assassins of Hydra, the Emperor¡¯s dagger.¡± ¡°Kuek, that worthless Emperor has sent his dogs.¡± Aslan immediately pulled out his sword. Though he wasn¡¯t supposed to be awake, because of the unexpected feeling and because of the fire, he had been on alert. But for assassins to make an appearance! ¡®But these men are strange. To reveal their identity in front of me¡­¡¯ Were they all such confident assassins? He didn¡¯t understand the attitude, but to him, preserving his life was important. ¡°Kill him!¡± At Baron¡¯s hand, the men rushed towards Aslan. Aslan too wielded his sword towards the assassins. Both sides were wielding their swords. Clash! Clash! Suddenly, a black noose flew from the ceiling and began to fall on the assassins. ¡°Ah! Avoid!¡± At the cry from Baron¡¯s, all the assassins swiftly escaped the noose. It was like an assassin movement, however, the black noose had been chasing them as if it was a living creature. Eventually, the assassins took their weapons to take down the black noose. Kang! Kang! As it was made of a wire, the black noose gave out sparks every time a weapon hit it. When they were relieved to have taken down the noose, iron nets fell over the assassins. ¡°That is dangerous!¡± Baron, who never imagined that there would be iron nets on the ceiling, pulled out the dagger and ran forward. He ordered the men who were trapped in the iron nets to be released. At that moment, a power lightning-like magic spread through the net. Triiing! ¡°Ah! Kuak!¡± ¡°Kuakkk!¡± The assassin screamed as they fell in pain. They were all wearing an anti-magic ring, which could block the magic of the 4th circle magic, but it didn¡¯t seem to work. It was the same with Baron. Even though he wasn¡¯t down, the white smoke which was rising from the body made it hard to hit. ¡®Dammit!¡¯ While looking around, he went shocked. In the room, there were young men who were wearing simple and unique clothes. Elves, Dark elves, and the Lycans. ¡®Why are the fairy people in here? Did Marquis Mayers secretly join hands with the Volga?¡¯ Clap clap clap! When Baron was thinking to himself, a man had entered. It was marquis Mayers, who had entered along with his escorts. ¡°Hahahaha. Such a simple way to subdue the assassins of Hydra, surely there is nothing that money can¡¯t buy.¡± ¡°Marquis Mayers, are these the ones whom you mention¡­?¡± Aslan approached and asked, ¡°Right. That is the hidden power of our family, ¡®Aegis¡¯.¡± Aegis, unlike Baron¡¯s thoughts, was packed with fairies who had nothing to do with the Volga. It was an organization created by buying and training young children even the elves. They were entirely brainwashed and made loyal to the family, taught swordsmanship, magic, intellect, and assassination according to their forte. It was a time consuming and expensive process, but Mayers had never given up on it. And as a result, the current Aegis was born. ¡®Kuek, got caught.¡¯ Baron realized that their operation was leaked ahead. Otherwise, the equipment and the escort power, including the iron nets which were exactly hidden in the target location. ¡°Catch them! He is going to run away!¡± When Baron was trying to get up and escape through the window, Marquis Mayers gave out orders. Even before the orders fell, the fairies with their noose moved towards Baron. Baron, who was imprisoned, was taken to the fairies. ¡®This is wrong!¡¯ If it was a one-on-one match, Baron was confident about running away. However, the opponents were well-trained fairies and among them, there were dark elves who were taught to assassinate. ¡®I can¡¯t do it. I have¡­!¡¯ Baron tried to bite the suicide pill that was hidden in his teeth. All the Hydra¡¯s assassins were educated to commit suicide if caught by an enemy. Even after then, nothing would change. And just before he could bite it, a Dark elf had stunned him. ¡°Keep them in the mansion¡¯s dungeon. Make sure to keep the guards on them, without trying to escape.¡± ¡°Understood, master!¡± The fairies bowed to Mayers and took Baron and the other assassins out of Aslan¡¯s room. ¡°Hu! Success.¡± On the temple top which was overlooking the mansion of Marquis Mayers. There was a man in the dark, who was overlooking the mansion. It was Luke. Luke, who saw the assassins were captured, including Baron, stared and smiled at the situation. The assassination was unsuccessful, but the plan he originally intended was done. ¡°Mayers will take care of the rest.¡± When he was done talking to himself, Luke immediately opened a teleport spell. In Nemesis, he did everything he could. The rest of the works was in the hands of Marquis Mayers and the other noblemen. Luke decided to return back to his manor as it was difficult to be there. He decided to watch the situation while he was in his estate preparing his Gigant. Whoong! With a bright red light, Luke¡¯s entire body disappeared into the darkness. Chapter 329 - Luke’s Conspiracy 4 Chapter 329: Luke¡¯s Conspiracy 4 In the basement of the Baroque Imperial palace. In that personal place of the Emperor, there was the Emperor along with a few men in black robes. Those who were in black robes were the warlocks who had been secretly funded by the Imperial family. Meishin and his men were drawing a circle at the bottom of the ground. Surprisingly, it was the summoning magic circle to call for a demon. The Emperor, who could no longer put his hope in the priest or the doctor, decided to save the princes and the princesses with the help of the demon. If it went out to the world, it would turn into a huge catastrophe, but the Emperor didn¡¯t have time for all that. That was how serious his children¡¯s health was changing. ¡°Your Majesty, the summoning magic circle is complete. Now we have to make a sacrifice to proceed with the ritual.¡± ¡°Oh then. Then make that sacrifice.¡± When the approval fell from the Emperor, the warlocks dragged out the mountains of offerings that they had prepared in advance. Sensing that it was a strange atmosphere, the court ladies who had been dragged as the sacrifices struggled to get out. However, they were tied with ropes and the couldn¡¯t overpower the warlocks who were using magic. ¡°Kuak! Please, please spare me, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°I will do anything you say. So please¡­!¡± Emperor Rudolf didn¡¯t even pretend to listen. He was a man who could go to any extent when it comes to saving his children. However, when he saw the two women at the end of the summoning circle. He couldn¡¯t help but frown at it. They were the 3rd and 4th queens, whom he loved very much. Unlike the rest of the maids who were dragged, the queens went into the summoning circle with their own two feet, and that made the Emperor feel very bad. ¡°Your Majesty, do not put such an expression.¡± ¡°This is a great opportunity given to us to prove our motherhood.¡± A few hours ago, the two queens watched Rudolf grab the court ladies from the palace. Because of the children, the Emperor had been behaving rather cruel in the past few days. Rudolf had said to the queens. ¡°Do not interfere. This is the only way for us to save our children.¡± What could be the way that he could save his children? Even when the Empress asked, Rudolf had said nothing. However, the queens continued to ask him, and in the end, the Emperor couldn¡¯t help but let them know. At the truth from Rudolf, the queens couldn¡¯t help but feel shocked. And the fact that the Emperor was secretly training warlocks, summoning demons and was going to offer sacrifices! ¡°This is the only way out! Who else can help me? The Holy Pope who can do miracles? Voltas had said that the rumors had gone to the Holy Empire about our kids. They think that the kids are sick because of the wrongdoings!¡± Even the queens who were opposed to the plan Rudolf had, had no say in anything. However, after a short while, they asked for them to be used as sacrifices. The fact that they had to look at their children being so sick, was very painful. Rudolf who was shocked by their request felt overwhelmed, but he couldn¡¯t defeat their stubbornness to help their kids. And such things led to the current situation. ¡°Can¡¯t you at least rethink about this?¡± At the question from the Emperor, both queens shook their heads. They were doing it for their kids, and the two queens weren¡¯t as relentless as Rudolf. No, many people in the Imperial palace had warm and kind hearts. Feeling guilty for the court ladies who would be used as the sacrifices for the well being of their own kids, the queens decided to take matters into their own hands. ¡°Well, if that is your will, there is nothing I can do.¡± With a heavy sigh, Rudolf pulled on his sword. With his eyes closed, he approached the queens who were waiting for their final moments and wielded his sword. Puak! Puak! Along with an eerie vibration, the Emperor¡¯s sword pierced the 3rd and 4th queen. Beginning with the queens, the Meishin and the other warlocks began to slaughter the scared women. ¡°Please, spa¡­ spare me¡­ ah!¡± ¡°God look over us! Please show mercy on us¡­¡± ¡°You have all gone mad, Your Majesty! You will burn in hell!¡± There were those who begged, those who seek salvation from the god, and those who cursed the Emperor. Their bodies, each had the same end, all of them were placed in the summoning circle with flowing blood. Emperor Rudolf, silently watching the devastation in front of him, asked Meishin. ¡°With this sacrifice, what level of demon would come?¡± ¡°The higher level¡­ no, maybe the Devil King might come too.¡± Everything was prepared so well. Meishin, who said that to Rudolf, memorized the spell. The floor began to tremble violently and the summoning magic circle began to glow with blood. Soon after, the bodies which were offered as sacrifices disappeared without a trace, and the summoning magic circle too had disappeared. Instead, a black space had opened up. ¡®The Devil king is good even a demon is good. Anyone who can save my kids should be the ones to come!¡¯ Rudolf stepped back looking at the dark subspace to watch the entire summoning process. Chapter 330 - Luke’s Conspiracy 5 In the plains located in the northeast of Devildom was the land of Baol, the king. The huge rocky mountains at the center were the palace of Baol. The palace was where his family and direct descendants lived. ¡°Tah! Daemon Crow!¡± ¡°Huh! I can¡¯t even begin to say it!¡± On the plains, which was between two huge rocks, large gorilla looking demons were fighting. The attack was made by a red-haired demon. However, the blue-haired demon with deep scars around his eyes managed to skillfully avoid the attack while talking down the other demon. ¡°Huhuhu! Your motivation is good, but you are far from crossing you, hyung¡­ Uh?¡± The blue-haired demon was the one who was fighting with his younger brother when he suddenly found a magic circle flashing in the sky. After a while, the magic circle disappeared and an unknown subspace of depth appeared. ¡°T-That was¡­ Kuek!¡± ¡°Hehaha! You showed me the gap!¡± The red-haired demon, who knocked down his brother, looked at the subspace and spoke in a blunt tone, ¡°Oh! This is a summoning magic circle!¡± ¡°Yah! I was the one who saw it first!¡± The fallen blue-haired demon grabbed the ankles of his brother, who wanted to jump into the subspace. ¡°Isn¡¯t it okay to give this one over to your younger brother?¡± ¡°Kid, even if I am placed in cold water, I wouldn¡¯t!¡± The two demon brothers quarreled over the summoning magic circle and who to enter it. According to the treaty of the New World, the summoning magic circle opened by a warlock was the only way for a demon to legally enter the Middle Earth. Most of the young demons wanted to flee from the frustrated and desolate world of Devildom and enter the free living Middle Earth. And it was the same for the two demons, who were princes. It was when the two demons were quarreling that a sudden scream was heard. ¡°You stupid creatures! What do you think you are doing?!¡± ¡°Hii, Your Highness!¡± When a giant gorilla with golden fur came out of a rocky cave, the two younger demons knelt down. The golden gorilla, with a crown on his head along with three pairs of wings, was the monstrous devil, Baol. He pierced the ground with the steel rod in his hand and yelled hard at his children. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to not make a fuss on the rocky mountains? What were you fighting in here for?¡± ¡°I found a summoning magic circle, but hyung tried to steal it away from me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie. I was the one who found it first!¡± The brothers then began to quarrel once again. Baol frowned and screamed at them. ¡°Shut up, idiots! Do you realize what time it is?! And fighting over a summoning magic circle?! Don¡¯t you know that all the demons who have been recently summoned have gone missing in the Middle Earth?¡± ¡°Huh? Such things happened?¡± Baol frowned when he looked at the two brothers who had no idea. ¡°Yeah, the Vampire King said that he had lost a lot of useful men who jumped in, and Kauren, who entered, didn¡¯t make it back as well.¡± ¡°Ugh! That Kauren?¡± The Vampire King, Leviathan, and the King of Monsters, Baol, were in trouble, so they often met. So, they knew about Kauren, who was rumored to be ignorant because of his skills and being a member of the 18 generals. ¡°There seems to be an unusual guy in the Middle Earth. Probably like the man who had summoned and hunted demons 500 years ago.¡± ¡°500 years ago? Wasn¡¯t that the time when Karden died?¡± ¡°Yeah. That Karden¡­ He went out and got himself killed.¡± Baol thought deeply then spoke to his sons, ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t try to end up like him. No matter how great Middle Earth is, it is hard to leave this place, and it seems like you see humans as weak? They are a vicious and mean tribe. They were amazing enough to take down the powerful fairies in the past.¡± ¡°Tch, and so your highness doesn¡¯t want to go?¡± ¡°This jerk, are you crazy? Why would I leave my land and go to Middle Earth! To whom would that even do any good?¡± The seven demon monarchs were unrivaled in the Devildom. If the news went out that the King of monsters went to Middle Earth, everyone would follow him. ¡°First of all, it would be nice if your father went away, right? For you to be the king.¡± ¡°Ay, would that even happen? You know how filial I am.¡± ¡°Is that funny? How would father even take down a guy like that.¡± ¡°But why is the thing that happened 500 years ago happening again? He would be a new human, and you¡¯re new demons too!¡± While the father and his kids were exchanging words, the subspace that was opened by the summoning circle began to become smaller and smaller. However, even as it was disappearing completely, no demon seemed to be interested in it. Emperor Rudolf was anxiously waiting for a demon to make an appearance. He thought that it would be great if the demons had the ability to save his children who were cursed by Arsene. However, until the subspace closed off, not even a single lower demon appeared. ¡°What just happened?¡± At the question from Rudolf, Meishin¡¯s eyes drifted back and forth. ¡°T-This is something that even I am not aware of.¡± Meishin didn¡¯t know what went wrong. The summoning ceremony was perfect. However, the summoned magic circle had been avoided by the demons. ¡°Is this a fail then? Both queens are lying dead over there!¡± ¡°I will find the cause and make sure to succeed next time, so just give me one more chance¡­¡± If the emperor was in his normal rational sense, he would have held himself back and gave him a chance. However, Rudolf wasn¡¯t capable in making rational decisions in his current state Feeling overwhelmed with pain, anger, and disappointment, he cut Meishin¡¯s throat and began to slaughter all the other warlocks. ¡°Kuakkk!¡± ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°The emperor has gone crazy! All of you run away!¡± Warlocks were running away. However, the emperor chased after them and killed them all. ¡°Worthless pieces of shit!¡± Even after killing off all the other warlocks, the emperor didn¡¯t head back to the castle. He then burst into laughter. It was almost like he had lost all the strings of his sanity. ¡°Kukuku. Haahhhhaaa¡­ Kuakkkkkk!¡± The emperor sat down on the ground. He screamed out loud while banging both of his fists to the ground. ¡°I have been abandoned by God and even by the devil! I guess this is what I have become!¡± Rudolf failed to find the last hope. However, the dark cloud over the Imperial family hadn¡¯t moved away. The worst end for him was still waiting at the corner. Chapter 331 - Blood Approval Ceremony 1 The emperor sent assassins over to Marquis Mayers¡¯ mansion! The morning after the Hydra raid, the noblemen who heard of the news had raised their voices. ¡°We were deceived by the emperor!¡± ¡°Yes, the dark clouds over the Imperial family could either be the emperor¡¯s own game or a trick that involved him to gain some time to get rid of the witness!¡± ¡°We need to resume the hearing right now and blame the emperor!¡± Marquis Mayers decided to pour oil on the fire of the nobles. ¡°As a result of the interrogation of the assassins, who were captured yesterday, it turned out that they were the vice-captain and the other executives of Hydra, an Imperial assassination group. The one who gave them the order was Lazlie, the son of Count Voltas.¡± If the emperor¡¯s right-hand man¡¯s son had ordered for it, then it would have been the orders from the emperor. ¡°Kuek, we can¡¯t keep on waiting any longer.¡± ¡°Yes. We need to go to the Imperial parliament right away.¡± After agreeing with the words of Duke Butler and Marquis Cavanill, all the nobles immediately headed for the Imperial parliament. They wanted to ask the chairman to resume the hearing and present the witness and evidence all at once with the intention of driving the emperor into a corner. Aslan, son of Duke Ferrierd, the head of the Holy Empire¡¯s rebellion, made the emperor¡¯s nobles surprised. Most of the emperor¡¯s nobles didn¡¯t even know that Aslan was the witness. They were all guessing that the witness was some high ranking noble from the Conrad Kingdom. ¡°Isn¡¯t he supposed to be dead when he escaped Alvera?¡± ¡°Yeah, I heard that he was killed after being attacked by a pirate ship that was sailing on the same path¡­¡± Evidence couldn¡¯t have been forged. It was because there was the Baroque Imperial seal that had been stamped on the letters, which were exchanged between the duke and Rudolf. And there was magic added to that seal, and such seals couldn¡¯t be forged. ¡°I will ask Sir Aslan. According to the evidence presented, the Flying Dragons has supported you with 100 Hector Gigant and 500 Knights of Guard in disguise?¡± ¡°On Lord El Kassel¡¯s name, I swear to speak the truth. Moreover, the one who lead the Knights of Guard was Count Ferrero.¡± ¡°Is that the truth?¡± ¡°Yes, he was under a fake identity, but I could recognize him with his ability and skills. Moreover, there was an assault captain, a girl named Shirley. And when I came to Nemesis, there was a commander from the Knights of Guard named Shirley de Kyle.¡± Following the testimony of Aslan, the Imperial parliament became noisy again. Nevertheless, there was no noble who openly sided with the emperor because there was a clear witness and evidence. Rather than making any more excuses, they were swearing Count Voltas extremely under their breaths. What could the Count be doing without doing anything?! Bang! Bang! ¡°You all are being rowdy! Everyone, please calm down!¡± When Marquis Albain hit the desk and asked, every noble turned quiet. ¡°Unfortunate as it seems, the witness and evidence clearly revealed that His Majesty has sent the Knights of Guard to the civil war of the Holy Empire without the consent from the Imperial parliament. Are there any objections?¡± Marquis Albain asked with a stern voice. However, no noble objected. Nevertheless, everyone knew that the situation of the assassination on the witness was out in the open, so no one¡¯s excuse could work. ¡°Is there anything that Count Voltas would like to say as His Majesty¡¯s attendant?¡± ¡°¡­ There is none. However, I hope that the members of the parliament understand that Your Majesty did it only for the future of the empire.¡± Listening to Count Voltas¡¯ words, Albain nodded his head and asked Marquis Mayers, ¡°I would like to ask Marquis Mayers who represents the noblemen. How would you like His Majesty to take responsibility for this?¡± ¡°Since the emperor said that it was for the future of the empire, I don¡¯t wish to severely persecute our emperor. However, as a result, his civil war intervention had failed. The outcome might have been different if he did it with the consent of the Imperial parliament, rather than only using his close allies.¡± After a brief pause, with a thin smile toward Count Voltas and the emperor¡¯s nobles, he spoke his mind out, ¡°And with that, I am asking of the following; first, the personal management of the military should be given to the Imperial parliament! Second, the financial and business-related aspects of the empire and the Imperial family will be revised by the Imperial parliament! And finally, revert and change the tax and the customs legislation! That would be all.¡± At the words of Marquis Mayers, Butler cheered and clapped along with the other noblemen, and criticism came out from the emperor¡¯s nobles. ¡°Such a disloyal man!¡± ¡°Are you planning on making the Majesty a simple toy?!¡± ¡°In a word, you want him to act like the noblemen! How can this be?!¡± A few of the emperor¡¯s nobles had jumped out of their seats and rushed toward Marquis Mayers, hoping for a fight. ¡°Quiet! Be quiet! The hearing will end here with this, and I will vote about what Marquis Mayers has asked for.¡± When both sides were in a fight, Marquis Albain told his decision and made sure that the nobles returned back to their seats and began to prepare for an open voting. Shortly after, the vote happened with the defeat of the emperor. The Imperial parliament consisted of 4 for emperor, 3 for the noblemen, and 3 neutral. Usually in the past, the neutrals never sided to either the empire or the noblemen, but it was different now. It was because the incident had been clearly considered as the emperor¡¯s fault. ¡°As the votes have been passed, I will finalize the requirement of Marquis Mayers. Formal approval will be held at this very moment, tomorrow. So make sure to communicate this to the emperor correctly.¡± ¡°¡­ Understood.¡± Count Voltas, who nodded at the words of Marquis Albain, sighed. Approval of votes had happened in the presence of a representative of the emperor. The problem was that the emperor was not going to take it lightly with his current attitude. ¡®Maybe His Majesty would die with the sudden turn of events.¡¯ With that thought in mind, a sigh came out. Only the thoughts of why such things had to happen were wandering in Voltas¡¯ mind. But his problems weren¡¯t going to end there. ¡°This isn¡¯t just the approval of the bill. Tomorrow, Your Majesty will have to make an appearance in the parliament and apologize for the incident!¡± Voltas as well as Mayers were shocked at what they heard and looked at the man who said that. The man who spoke was Marquis Cavanill. ¡®No, this kid has to be crazy!¡¯ ¡®That brat. Why did he have to do something like this?!¡¯ The emperor had to apologize to the Parliament. Wasn¡¯t that a remark that meant to say the emperor¡¯s pride was being taken down and giving him a common status?! ¡°Marquis Cavanill, what kind of words are you speaking?!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see the fact that you men have already won?¡± The emperor¡¯s nobles criticized the young kid. However, Cavanill continued to speak up, ¡°I think one should apologize for what one did wrong, even if it is the emperor himself. I have no intention serving a tyrant!¡± ¡°Right!¡± ¡°You did well saying that out loud!¡± The young noblemen, who had a strong tendency, agreed with Cavanill¡¯s words. Their unplanned actions forced Mayers and Butler into a panic. They had already decided to fight the emperor. However, it wasn¡¯t good to gather too many opponents. Everything had to be done properly, step by step, but if they skip even one of their goal¡¯s process, things would become messed up, and then it would lead to their goal¡¯s demise. Marquis Mayers decided to settle the situation. He reached out to Count Voltas and explained the matter, ¡°As of the moment, Marquis Cavanill isn¡¯t officially a nobleman, so please don¡¯t take his words seriously.¡± ¡°Marquis Mayers! What nonsense are you saying now?!¡± Cavanill rebelled, but Marquis Mayers pretended to have not heard him. ¡°Chairman, let¡¯s end this now.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Look here, Marquis Mayers!¡± The chairman hit the desk and immediately declared the end of the hearing, ignoring Cavanill¡¯s comments. And the young nobleman, who asked for an official apology from the emperor, was taken out by the knights. ¡®That f*cking bastard!¡¯ Mayers knew what Cavanill was doing. Since his position with the noblemen had decreased recently, he was forced to go to the young nobles to gain their favor. Cavanill¡¯s selfish behavior had nothing to with the noblemen. Everyone was already prepared for a civil war, but the cause didn¡¯t have to be them. It was because rather than a revolution, their actions would be deemed as a rebellion. However, if they continued to get on the emperor¡¯s nerves, he would condemn the request isn¡¯t of getting justification. ¡®Furthermore, even if we use the present state of affairs, we can only bring so many to operate the empire. It isn¡¯t just a dream for me to gradually weaken the power of the Baroque Imperial family and achieve true independence, but a thoughtless boy almost ruined everything!¡¯ Fortunately, because of his quick actions, Voltas didn¡¯t seem to be taken aback. It was because Voltas was having a hard time thinking of ways on how to report the hearing¡¯s results to the emperor, so he didn¡¯t have the time to pay attention to Marquis Cavanill¡¯s remarks. ¡®Well, should I prepare for the next stage? I wonder how Rudolf will react!¡¯ Expecting something pleasant, Mayers decided to consult Duke Butler to make up a concrete plan. Whatever it was, the last hearing seemed to be a hearing that would end with a sword and not a pen. Chapter 332 - Blood Approval Ceremony 2 Emperor Rudolf, who failed to summon any demons, headed to the room where his helpless children were being treated. While taking care of their kids, the Empress and the 1st queen and 2nd queen were tired, but they were even surprised to see Rudolf, who seemed to have aged 10 years overnight. ¡°Your, Your Majesty, result¡­?¡± Unlike the queens, Empress Jacqueline was long aware of the relationship between the Emperor and the warlocks. And she knew about the summoning rite and the demon calling ritual of the night before and was waiting for the results. However, her expectations had crumbled miserably. ¡°I am sorry, Empress.¡± ¡°Ahhh¡­ Noooo!¡± The Empress who went into shock collapsed on the floor with loud wailing. While the 1st and the 2nd queen were trying to comfort the Empress, Rudolf decided to leave them alone. The room where the kids were was giving out a rotten smell. The rotten smell of flesh decaying and blood everywhere, yet the princes and princesses were still struggling for the life they wanted to live. ¡°Everyone, go out.¡± The priests and the doctors who were looking at the kids, went out when the orders fell from Rudolf. And those who said that they didn¡¯t want to leave, were cut down by the Emperor. There was a strange madness that was flowing out from the Emperor who was holding onto the sword in one hand. After everyone of them had gone out, the Emperor looked at each of the kids. ¡°Oh, Nanda! Was this what you told me about!¡± Now Rudolf seemed to have understood what Nanda meant by saying that his prized possessions over to a distant place close to the God. However, the situation was irreversible. ¡°Ah, Father¡­ father?¡± ¡°Lian?¡± Rudolf rushed over to Lian, who had regained consciousness. With half of his face rotten, Lian could only look at his father with the left eye. Lian, instinctively sensed the fate of himself and his siblings in the face of his father, who couldn¡¯t watch them in anymore pain and said, ¡°I, I can¡¯t¡­ suffer anymore, I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Lian¡­¡± ¡°Pl, please¡­ liberate¡­ us from this¡­ pain¡­¡± Rudolf¡¯s eyes turned red out of sadness listening to Lian¡¯s words. Tears that never flowed for the Emperor, began to flow down. The Emperor, who sobbed because of Lian¡¯s words, got up. ¡°My kid, I love you.¡± Lian, who knew about his father¡¯s love, nodded his head. The Emperor took out his sword, and Lian closed his eyes knowing what was coming next. ¡°Uaahhhh!¡± Pierce! Puk! Rudolf¡¯s sword pierced the heart of princes and princesses, starting with Lian. Hot tears fell over the blood which was puddling on the floor. After the hearing and votes, Count Voltas hurried back to the Imperial Palace. He had to report to Rudolf about the contents of the Imperial Parliament. With the worst results he managed to get, he was prepared to die. However, his resolution to lay down his neck evaporated before entering the palace. It wasn¡¯t because he lost his loyalty to the Emperor, but he was basically a man who liked power and wealth. ¡®For now, I should avoid anger.¡¯ Voltas decided to use a pinch. And the one to take the role of a pinch was Shirley. As soon as he noticed her patrolling the Imperial palace, he went toward her. ¡°Give this over to His Majesty.¡± ¡°But, what is this?¡± ¡°The outcome of the hearing and the final decision by the Imperial Parliament.¡± Shirley took the documents which Voltas handed with a grumpy look. Though it was tough for her to understand the complicated words in the document, it was enough from Voltas¡¯s expression to know that it wasn¡¯t a pleasing matter. ¡°Uhm, since I am busy I¡­¡± Shirley grabbed Voltas¡¯s hand when he was about to walk away. ¡°But, Sire, Lazlie¡­ sorry, I don¡¯t see the commander anymore, did something happen?¡± Lazlie had visited the Imperial palace until recently. However, in recent times, he couldn¡¯t be seen around. Which was why Shirley felt suspicious, however, Voltas who knew nothing about it, frowned. ¡°I am not aware. Where that kid goes and what he does.¡± Despite giving Lazlie the last chance of retribution, the man messed up. He knew that the noblemen would be strong, but he didn¡¯t understand how Lazlie managed to mess up even after taking such a long time. Moreover, the assassins of Hydra were known to be the sneakiest assassins of all. So Voltas suspected that Lazlie wasn¡¯t simply out to do his tasks, but was betraying his father and the Emperor by becoming a nobleman. ¡°Ha, it is like something completely revised.¡± Shirley sighed as he watched Voltas disappear. She was aware that the Emperor¡¯s situation and the Imperial office were in a bad position in recent days. However, she never assumed that she would be involved in it. ¡°Why should I sell my arms to them anyway? The temple here is full of offerings.¡± Shirley, who resented the god because of his neglect of people, handed out the documents from Voltas to her subordinate who always made fun of her. ¡°Sir Juan, take this over to his Majesty.¡± ¡°UH? Me? I don¡¯t want to!¡± ¡°How dare you rebel? Are you going to disobey my orders? Should I split your bones? Huh!¡± When Shirley turned angry and wielded her halberd, Juan had no choice but to accept the documents. It was because the lady was like a thug. ¡®Dammit, see you later. Hybrid Dwarf wench!¡¯ Juan, determined to drive her out, decided to take the help of his father a Marquis and headed for Emperor Rudolf. However, at the palace he was heading to seemed unusual than ever. Though there was the constant smell of blood around because of the sick kids, the stench coming for the day was extremely strong. ¡°What is it?¡± When asked by the guard who was guarding the place, Juan gulped and spoke. ¡°I have been sent to handover the documents.¡± Juan wanted the guard to deliver the documents over to the Emperor, however, his expectations were tarnished. ¡°Ahh, you came in a very horrible time. I hope you come back alive.¡± ¡®Uahh! This is driving me crazy!¡¯ As he was pushed in by the guard, Juan walked through the hallway and carefully stepped towards the treating room. The treatment room was at the end of the corridor. ¡°Hiik!¡± He carefully opened the door only to see a horrifying scenario. The princes and the princess were all stabbed in their hearts, and the Empress was hanging from the ceiling with her tongue out. The queens were crying and hugging their kids. ¡®This was why he told me it was tough getting back alive!¡¯ Juan, whose heart was full of tension, hurriedly stepped out of the room. And found the Emperor who was seated looking like he had lost his soul. ¡®Your, Your Majesty!¡¯ From his bloody hands, Juan was able to understand what had happened. He realized that the kids might have been in an impossible state to revive his kids and decided to take the act, and the desperate Empress committed suicide. ¡®The Baroque Imperial who rules the continent is thrown away like this¡­¡¯ Baroque Imperial family was thought to have taken over the nobles and the continent of Rhodesia beyond the Volga Republic and the Holy Arthenia Empire. It was ridiculous for the Imperial family to have fallen down. ¡°What is it?¡± Juan, who was frightened, was asked by Rudolf. The Emperor was back to his cold usual self, different from an Emperor who had lost his sense of sadness. ¡°¡­ I saw and ordered to give this over to Your Majesty.¡± Juan pushed ahead of the papers, which he wasn¡¯t aware of. Instead of saying anything else, he was just hoping that the Emperor wouldn¡¯t strike his neck. Silently, the Emperor took the papers which Juan handed over with nervousness. ¡°Send the guard over. Tomorrow I will have to attend the Imperial parliament in person.¡± ¡°Huh? I understand.¡± Juan, who wanted to survive desperately, left the chilly room. After he left, the Emperor wiped off the blood on his sword with a piece of cloth. ¡°If that is what they want¡­ I need to do as they please.¡± The eyes of the Emperor which were cleaning the sword looked at the shimmering blade. Chapter 333 - Blood Approval Ceremony 3 The next day, surprising news came to the Imperial Parliament. ¡°The Emperor is coming here?¡± ¡°Yes. We saw our spies leaving the Imperial Palace.¡± The marquis of Bazo was shocked at the report. The day before, the report about the knights of Guard moving around the palace had reached him with his spies. But he never thought that it was because the Emperor wanted to move. ¡°Why in the world¡­¡± ¡°Huh, Isn¡¯t that pretty obvious? As the demonic turmoil started, and the Central forces are diminished, and the political events of the Holy Empire are at stake, he is going to take his own steps to recover.¡± Cavanill, who looked at the Marquis¡¯s troubled face, smiled. It was as if the Emperor was thinking of appearing in the Imperial Parliament. ¡°This is the opportunity we need to take and inform the Emperor who believes in his power to act thoughtfully. The founder of the empire, and¡­¡± Marquis Mayers ignored the words of Cavanill and approached Duke Butler. Butler who was a bit puzzled spoke under his breath. ¡°Have you heard the news?¡± ¡°Yeah, something unusual happened. Yesterday, the sick prince and princesses were known to have taken the blow, was it because of that?¡± Though it wasn¡¯t officially announced by the Imperial Family, the news about the princes and princesses who were suffering from a disease had died got spread. After that, many nobles said that it was because the Emperor had touched the Holy Empire¡¯s land, and others said that it was the curse of the demons or the Veritas Magic tower. In any case, it was evident that the Emperor¡¯s heart had taken one huge blow after another. Or, there was no reason for the Emperor to comply with the wishes of the Imperial Parliament. ¡°Anyway, it would be better to leave that place for now.¡± ¡°Should we avoid things?¡± Asked Butler. When Duke Butler, a naturally emotional man, showed his inner feelings, Marquis Mayers persuaded him. ¡°Even a lion, the king of the jungle, will never go into a fight with a lost bear. And the Duke is a necessary part of us nobles. So, we need to think about our future.¡± ¡°Uhm, I understand.¡± Mayers and Butler, both left the Imperial Parliament with their own retainers. Noblemen, some neutral nobles who knew about the unusual things, also slowly left. However, there were still a few nobles who stayed there. They were medium lords and young nobles who were weak in power, but mostly those following Marquis Cavanill. ¡°Huh, that Emperor is coming huh, he seems to have bent his tail rather quickly.¡± ¡°That is all pretending to act like¡­¡± As Cavanill was talking to the men of his faction, a fat nobleman with a timid impression came over and asked, ¡°In the end¡­ will it be fine?¡± ¡°Fine? What do you mean?¡±, asked Cavanill. ¡°Although there seems to be a change in the Imperial Family, the crazy emperor to come into the parliament¡­¡± ¡°Huh! are you not aware of how sly that Emperor can be? That could just be a self spread rumor to gain some sympathy. Moreover, the situation with the Central Army is in a mess, would he really try to make the noblemen into his enemy?¡± The persuading arguments of Cavanill made the others feel relieved, including the fat insecure noble. ¡°If he acts like a tyrant, I will speak my voice out till the very end. That would still be a noble and honorable death for me!¡± Everyone admired the words of Cavanill and praised him for being very similar to his dead father. In response to the reactions, Marquis Cavanill seemed very glad. ¡®Stupid old men. Toothless dragons aren¡¯t to be feared. Get lost. In the future, I will be the one to take over the noblemen.¡¯ The noblemen, who admired their own level in front of the Emperor, would always change places. When he thought of the old men would be abandoned, a smile crept his mouth. ¡®But, the Emperor didn¡¯t really turn crazy, right? Even if he was, there was no way he could act like that in the Imperial¡­¡¯ Even though the men around him cheered for him, Cavanill couldn¡¯t erase the anxiety in his heart. While he remained visibly calm, a loud noise came from the outside of the Parliament. ¡®Did the Emperor come?¡¯ Shortly after everyone knew, the Emperor entered the Imperial Parliament, with very few escorts. With the greeting of Marquis Albain, the Chairman and the Emperor entered the parliament with a cold look at the noblemen who greeted him. ¡®What is that? He is unarmed.¡¯ Emperor Rudolf had no sword around his waist, he was wearing a black uniform and a cloak symbolizing that he was in a state of mourning. Even those around him seemed to be very upset. And Marquis Cavanill, who seemed very confident because of seeing the Emperor like that, approached him and spoke in a normal tone. ¡°You have come, Your Majesty. Has nothing special happened?¡± ¡°There have been a lot. And there are some of you who will take the blame.¡± ¡°You blame us? Wasn¡¯t it all because of your Majesty¡¯s pride?¡± Rudolf decided not to respond to the words of Cavanill. He glanced at the noblemen and opened his mouth. ¡°I can¡¯t see Mayers or Butler.¡± ¡°They have already left. They must have been afraid to meet Your Majesty.¡± Answered Cavanill. ¡°Really? It is bad, but they made a wise decision.¡± ¡°What, what are you saying Your Majesty? Are you really going to talk about such things here?¡± Cavanill tried to suppress his anger. However, the laugh which came from the Emperor was tremendous. ¡°Yeah well, I¡¯ll have to do it.¡± Puah! Cavanill went back, however, Rudolf closed in the distance between Marquis Cavanill and kicked him. ¡°Kuah!¡± ¡°Marquis Cavnill!¡± The noblemen were startled by the image of Marquis Cavanill rolling on the ground. However, they weren¡¯t given much time to worry about Cavanill. The Emperor released the sword from his escort. Whoong! He immediately went to the hyper aura in that Sword and began to move towards the noblemen. Kwang! ¡°Kuah!¡± ¡°Hiiiak!¡± Blood splashed all around the room with the slashes on the body, and the beheaded bodies fell down. The Emperor had turned into a beast and screamed at the noblemen. ¡°You garbage! Don¡¯t leave any of them alive!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± The guards who came in as escorts pulled out their sword. The knights of the noblemen, who were there as escorts ran in, but none of them could hold back the Emperor from going on a rampage. ¡°Hiikk! Your Majesty, please spare me!¡± ¡°Wah! The Emperor is crazy¡­ Kauk!¡± Was it like a flock of sheep being attacked by a lion? The noblemen were slaughtered in the hands of Rudolf and the knights and left the bodies of the noblemen scattered everywhere. Some noblemen tried to escape from the room, however, the room was locked from the outside. Eventually, all the noblemen were slaughtered, and it all took less than 10 minutes. ¡°Uh, what is happening¡­?!¡± Marquis Albain, who was shocked at the act of the Emperor asked. He did expect that the Emperor who just lost his kids might come into the parliament and wield his sword. No, the Marquis Albain was very certain of that to happen. However, he thought that he could only kill one or two members of the nobles and the rest would be left alive. ¡°Hiiik!¡± Cavanill, who had been kicked by the Emperor a while back tried to get up, but his body had given out. When he saw the head of a known nobleman rolling towards him, his complexion turned blue. At first, he found no one around him. However, the Emperor slowly made his way towards him. ¡°What is this now Marquis Cavanill? You weren¡¯t scared of me and decided to stay back here, right?¡± ¡°Pl, please save me, Your Majesty!¡± Clasping both his hands together, Cavanill prayed the Emperor to let him live. No, he didn¡¯t just fall to the ground but even kissed the shoe of the Emperor. ¡°If, if you let me live, I can do anything for you. I will hand over my estates. I will give you as much as I can. And I will become your slave!¡± He wanted to live. So he did everything. Cavanill was begging like that, but his words only made Rudolf more unpleasant. ¡°You dare to mock me by asking me to take such a waste as my subject? Do I look so funny to you?!¡± ¡°Kuak!¡± The Emperor who didn¡¯t want to use his sword anymore kicked and stepped on Cavanill making sure no one could recognize him. ¡°Kuak, Kuak! Puah!¡± Cavanill was vomiting blood, bones breaking everywhere and bones were piercing out of the skin. It was very unsightly, however, Rudolf wasn¡¯t concerned with that mess. No, rather he continued to kick him with a crazed look on his face. ¡°Please, please¡­ Your majesty. Mercy¡­ Kuakk.¡± In the end, Cavanill dropped down. He was still breathing, but that wasn¡¯t enough to declare him alive. Only then, Rudolf saw his nobles¡¯ hardened face. He ordered with a growl. ¡°Catch Mayers and Butler right away! The noblemen will be taken down!¡± On the day when the Imperial Parliament was covered in this haze and uncertainty, the civil war broke out in the Baroque Empire. And the Empire which enjoyed a peaceful era for 5000 years began to collapse. Chapter 334 - Fake Son with Fake Father 1 Luke, who returned back to his estate, had completely engulfed himself in his Gigant designing and core engine making. Surely, it wasn¡¯t like he wasn¡¯t being wary of the news and reports from Nemesis. ¡°The Emperor slaughtered the noblemen in the Imperial Parliament?¡± At the response of Luke, Belfair nodded his head and told the news. ¡°Yes, it wasn¡¯t just that. It was said that he was mobilizing the Central army to block off the nobles and kill all the noblemen, their families as well as their retainers and employees.¡± ¡®He must have really gone crazy. If the retainers were asked to be taken down then okay, but what did the employees do?¡¯ According to the investigation of the slaves, over 15,000 people were killed on the first day in the capital, and the blood of the men had stained the central square of the capital in red. For that reason, the people in the capital were scared of going away because they could be caught and brought back to be executed. ¡°Marquis Mayers and Duke Butler?¡± ¡°They were told to be in the Imperial Parliament, but left before the Emperor entered, and their whereabouts are unclear.¡± ¡°Hmm, it will be tough for them to die.¡± The noblemen could live if they were untied. Otherwise, the noblemen would collapse and be immediately defeated by the Emperor. ¡°Because those men are as sly as one can get, they would have gotten away from the nobles, one way or another.¡± Belfair, who was done speaking, suddenly disappeared after sensing that someone was outside the room. ¡°Enter.¡± With Luke¡¯s permission, a young wizard had entered the office. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°We received a magic communication from the Albertville estate in the Holy Arthenia Empire.¡± ¡°Albertville? I thought I told you to not communicate through magic if possible because of the risk of interception?¡± When Luke¡¯s voice went angry, the wizard replied with a flustered face, ¡°That¡­ I too told them, but Lord Dixon said that it was very urgent with a nervous expression.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± What on earth could have cropped up for Dixon to communicate in such a desperate manner? Luke hurried to the Magic Communication room in the permanent mansion. As Luke arrived, Dixon was screaming from the other side. -Lord, we are in trouble! Albertville is now being attacked by the enemies! ¡°What did you say?¡± Luke didn¡¯t understand why the manor of Albertville was suddenly under attack. It was because all the remnants of the Holy Empire had been entirely eliminated. And if the manor was under attack, it meant that something serious was happening, which meant that there might have been some kind of signs and changes. ¡°Dixon! Don¡¯t panic and explain it to me in detail!¡± -Yes, understood. Gathering his focus after the shout from Luke, Dixon began to tell everything in detail. The problem began three days ago. An ugly elder with a worn-out armor had reached the permanent residence. When asked to reveal his identity, he pretended to be the father of the Lord and demanded to meet with his son right away. ¡°What? That¡¯s crazy! Lord Luke¡¯s father has died long ago!¡± Upon receiving the report, Dixon was fierce and ordered for that man to be driven out of the place immediately for trying to scam them. However, the problem was the old man was extremely great when it came to a swordfight. All the men and soldiers who tried to stop him were beaten down, and the Red Wolf knights, who came as a response for assistance requirements were overpowered by him. -In the end, we had to mobilize a Gigant to drive him out of the lordship. The problem, however, was that one of the Gigant got seized in the process. ¡°What?! A Gigant got seized?!¡± -Yes, the mercenary, who seized the Gigant, brought in the morning to attack the lordship. After hearing the report, Luke couldn¡¯t hide his flustered expression. The Red Wolf knights were carefully chosen recruits. They were expert class talents from the mercenaries that Luke had taken care of during his stay in the Holy Empire. From where could that man be? Luke even taught the Silver Sword to make them an elite class of knights of Rakan or Silver Knights. And such knights of Red Wolf were being attacked by one man! That too from a man who managed to seize their Gigant. Albertville¡¯s Gigant troops, if they fell, it meant that the lord would fall. ¡°Who the hell is that man?¡± -That¡­ Even I don¡¯t know that¡­ It was when Dixon had replied. Suddenly, some thudding could be heard from the outside. Somebody had jumped into the magic communication room. -W-who is it? Get that¡­ Kuak! Dixon screamed and shouted, but he was overpowered. -Where are you going, geezer?! A strange man¡¯s voice could be heard, and since then, a one-sided thrashing sound could be heard from the area of Dixon. Puck! Puak! -Tch, tch, such a fragile man. How will you protect the manor in such a state? A man with a mercenary costume quickly seized the magic communication room with a wooden stick in his hand while clicking his tongue. Luke wasn¡¯t aware, but he was Rick. He was the one who saved Erwin when she was dying in the grassland and brought her to Bless. He had gone to Albertville in search of his son who was told to have become the lord of the estate. And that was why the commotion had been caused. He looked over at Luke¡¯s flustered face from the communication room and asked. -Hmm, are you the Lord of this place? ¡°Yeah. Who are you? How dare you attack my estate!¡± When Luke yelled with anger, Rick burst into laughter rather than flinching. -Who am I? Kuakk! I am your father! At Rick¡¯s words, Luke seemed embarrassed and went blank. He heard of the man to be a scammer but to go to such levels to cheat¡­ Luke frowned and raised his voice, ¡°What bullshit is that? I never had someone like you as my father!¡± -Uhhu, why are you behaving like this? Upset? I wanted to hear nice words from your mouth. ¡°Welcome you?! I would never¡­!¡± Luke, who was about to shout, went silent. A thought passed through his mind. ¡°D-don¡¯t tell me. Are you Firestorm Belik?¡± -Kuakkk! Right! I am Firestorm Belik! Surprisingly, Rick¡¯s actual identity was Belik. He was the last man standing among the knights of the Volga Kingdom. Belik, who laughed out loud, quickly went cold. -But why are you impersonating my son? Belik, who had gone away from the Volga Kingdom, was declared to be dead and heard of the rumors about his son being the mercenary King, Lev, who appeared like a burning comet in the civil war in the Holy Arthenia Empire. It was obvious that his son had died in the turmoil during the revolution and could never rise again. ¡®How dare he pretend to be my son and sell my name? I need to see what kind of man he is.¡¯ That was why he broke into the lordship to catch the impersonator. -You must be very lucky. You might have been dead if you were here. At the response to Belik¡¯s cold voice from the magic communication, Luke smiled and answered, ¡°I am very sorry to have impersonated your son, Sir Belik. However, there had been a situation.¡± -Situation? Was it is a situation that I can let go of? ¡°Of course. I will let you know of the reason right away. So, please wait a moment.¡± Luke¡¯s appearance disappeared after those words. Belik was no longer able to see Luke trough the Magical Communication room. ¡°You want me to wait? Are you trying to trick me and run away?¡± Grunting, Belik threw the wooden stick, which was in his hand. The stick flew toward the feet of Dixon, who was trying to escape from the room. Puak! ¡°Haak!¡± The wooden stick had hit the floor with great power. If it hit Dixon directly, his entire body would have collapsed like a tofu hit by a fist. ¡°Look here, deputy lord.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah!¡± At Belik¡¯s call, Dixon responded to him. ¡°I am very hungry since I have been jumping around since this morning. Ask the men from the manor to bring me some food.¡± ¡°Y-you want a meal?¡± ¡°Yeah, just a piece of bread is enough, but I want it as soon as possible. I have a habit of turning violent when I get hungry, so do it quick.¡± ¡°Understood. They will be brought here soon.¡± Dixon went to the broken door and alerted the Red Wolf knights to bring something to the man for eating. The man just talked with Luke a while ago, and Dixon couldn¡¯t ignore the monster, who was granted permission. Chapter 335 - Fake Son with Fake Father 2 Luke teleported directly to the city hall of Lamer city. When Luke suddenly appeared in the office, Pavel, who was seated there asked with surprise. ¡°Uh, Lord. Why did you come here all of a sudden¡­?¡± ¡°I will explain it to you later. You should come with me right now.¡± ¡°Huh? Where are we going¡­?¡± Luke once again triggered the teleport spell before Pavel could even ask a question. It took him about 3 minutes to go to Lamer and pick up Pavel. Meanwhile, Belik was looking over at the crystal ball while biting on the jerky brought in by the Red Wolf knights. -What? You came back? I thought that you ran away. Huh! Belik opened his eyes wide when he saw the old man next to Luke. It was because the man was someone very familiar to him. ¡°Y-you are¡­?¡± Pavel was the one who was first to recognize the man. His hair was grey and had wrinkles on his face, but the impression he gave was so strong that one couldn¡¯t recognize him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you Viscount Belick?! I guess you are not dead since I am seeing you alive!¡± Pavel¡¯s welcoming voice shook Belik to the present. -Sir Pavel, are you still alive? ¡°Huhuhu! Obviously I am. Even if I die, I will see through that the princess gets married¡­¡± -Wait a second, Sir. Did you just say, princess? Belik asked with amazement. ¡°I did. The princess grew up and is now in Holy¡­¡± ¡°Wait, Sir Pave! There is a risk of interception, so it is better to not talk about it.¡± When Luke pointed it out, Pavel ended what he was saying there. It was then that Belik jumped out with frustration. -Sir! Why are you not talking anymore? And you, you kid! How dare you scare Sir Pavel. When I see you, I will smash you¡­! When Belik began to get angry, Pavel stopped him. ¡°Sir Belik, don¡¯t act rude to him.¡± -Why shouldn¡¯t I? ¡°Because he is the princess¡¯s lover.¡± -W-what did you say?! Whether he could believe it or not, Belik¡¯s mouth was left hanging. Seeing that Belik was flustered, Luke shot back at him. ¡°Hu hu hu! Kay, now do you see why I pretended to be your son?¡± -Uh, what does that even¡­ Belik just shook his head not knowing what to say. ¡°There is something I need to speak with the deputy Lord, so move.¡± -¡­ Understood. At the request of Luke, Belik, with a blunt expression, backed off, and after a while, Dixon appeared into the room. Belik, in his invasion of the lordship, was injured here and there, and there was a bruise on his eye. However, he almost resembled the panda beasts that were imported from the southern continent for sightseeing purposes, and Luke spoke without his knowledge. ¡°Dixon.¡± -Yes, go on Lord. ¡°Is the long-distance teleport gate that I asked to be built, completed?¡± -Thanks to the wizards sent by the Lord, it was built without any delays. A long-distance teleport gate. It was a high ranking magic circle that could move people or supplies over 500 kilometers at once. It was convenient as row teleport spells didn¡¯t have to be used. However, the initial setup and the cost was so great, and an 8th circle wizard had to be the one to activate it. An elder wizard of one of the top 10 Magic Towers could be the ones to make it, and above all, the operating costs were so expensive that most of the kingdoms abandoned the practice of installing them. Currently, the Baroque Empire and the Holy Arthenia Empire are the only ones on the continent to use them. In the case of Luke, he had prepared the teleport gates in case of an emergency connecting from the Albertville and Jason estates and Lamer city and the estate of Rakan. To do that, the wizards of Katarina Magic Tower and the Dark Moon moved in secret drawing circles after Luke had already placed the major circle. -But, are you going to use it? ¡°Yeah, that is how I can meet with Sir Belik as soon as possible.¡± Dixon jumped up at the casual response from Luke. -You can¡¯t! Lord, you know this better than anyone on how much mana will be taken away with just one use of it! When long-distance teleport gates are activated, the life of the one who is moving will deplete rapidly due to the rapid mana deposition. More than 100 intermediate magic stones and higher magic stones that were built for the magic circle would get destroyed when it was in use. In addition, if the caster¡¯s ability was insufficient, the magic would fail and the magic stones wouldn¡¯t be usable once again. In the point of Dixon, who manages the finance, ¡®Spirit Stones is equal money¡¯, so he wanted to prevent Luke from throwing away fortune worth of magic stones. However, Luke ignored Dixon¡¯s request. ¡°I am going to cast magic from my side too, so be ready by 6 tomorrow morning.¡± -Lord! ¡°If things go wrong, you will have to take the blame.¡± At Luke¡¯s stern expression, Dixon wasn¡¯t able to understand what Luke was even thinking about. However, the only answer he could give was a nod. -Uh, understood. I will do as you please. From Luke¡¯s standpoint, it wasn¡¯t too much of a risk. It was because he knew how to regenerate the unrefined magic of the magic stones due to mana sedimentation. And there was nothing difficult about it, except for using a little of a human¡¯s blood and drawing magic circles. ¡®Would casting magic be the problem?¡¯ Luke was already an 8th circle warlock. Using Magi, he could also use high-level white magic, so long range teleport wasn¡¯t a problem for him. However, after being reincarnated, it was going to be his first time to perform such tricky high-level magic, and he was nervous to use a huge amount of magi. If he made any mistake, they would know that the source of his power wasn¡¯t mana but magi. ¡®It will be fine. I haven¡¯t made any mistake till now.¡¯ Though he was divided between the use of dark and white magic, magic was originally one. So, theoretically, it might be possible for him to use his current white magic into magi. However, since both mana and magi have unique properties in there, it was natural that they would repel. However, unlike warlocks and demons, the Magi that made Luke¡¯s Black Circle was very refined, being close to aether. White magic could be usable, and it wasn¡¯t like he had never used dark magic in front of people either. And he did it in the Holy Empire too. ¡®Yeah, if I don¡¯t learn to believe in myself, who will?!¡¯ Luke decided to be more confident in his white magic. The areas where he would have to use magic would be endless in the future. Chapter 336 - Fake Son with Fake Father 3 The next day, as soon as it dawned, Luke headed to the Katarina magic tower for the long-distance teleport gate. Despite it being early morning, there were a lot of wizards from the Katarina magic tower crowned around the teleport gate. ¡°You have come, my Lord?¡± ¡°This is still before the performance, but seeing everyone here I feel better.¡± Luke spoke brightly seeing the men. ¡°Haha. It is because of the activation of the teleport gate, it is something that many of them can see once in their lifetime.¡± There were very few teleport gates in the Rhodesia continent. Even those which were strictly managed by the Empire and his trusted men. And naturally, normal wizards had very little chance to see it activate. ¡°There are a few guys in here, to see if the Lord will succeed or fail?¡± ¡°Uh hu, then which side did you bet on?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Since the day I pledged allegiance, I decided to trust the Lord. Not just walking behind you, but in your skills too.¡± In response to Mute¡¯s answer, Luke smiled. ¡°Huh. Is that so? I need to live up to your belief.¡± Luke approached the long-distance teleport gate which was a 20-meter diameter circular bracelet. The gate gave out a blue shine under the morning sun. Unlike the ordinary magic circles, long-distance teleport gate used special metals like Adamantium and Gigantium and magic circles like Argen were used to make the magic circle. In addition, about 100 intermediate and advanced magic stones were embedded in the magic circles. ¡®I can understand Dixon¡¯s feelings, but he needs to understand.¡¯ Except for the magic stones, there were 10 Gigant metals and magical alloys were made specifically for the gate. If the results weren¡¯t shown, then everyone will think of taking away the construction of a Gigant. ¡°Kay, should we try it then?¡± Luke laid his hands on the circular-shaped structure built of one side of the long-distance teleport gate. A series of magic characters began to emerge on the circular-shaped structure responding to the magic. The magic characters were the newly constructed coordinates to match the Albertville. After setting the coordinates, Luke began to develop magic and memorize the spells. ¡°He who seeks the truth from the star shining in the dark, over time we will skip the space¡­¡± As the magic circle of 8th circle slowly infused magic, the magic circle began to glow in purple. Whoa! Whoa! In the beginning, the center of the magic circle flashed, and then slowly, the surrounding figures lined up along the lines and began to glow in succession. When the gate seemed to be working normally, admirations began to come out from the mouths of the wizards who were witnessing it from behind. ¡°Wahhh!¡± ¡°To see something like this while still being alive¡­!¡± ¡°It seems to operate so well, even for an 8th circle project, right?¡± ¡°Huhu¡­ that is awesome! When in¡­¡± ¡°Long live our Lord!¡± At the response from Mute and the other wizards of Katarina, Luke felt content. ¡®Hmm, I never thought that even I could do it.¡¯ To activate power and magic circle with mana, and not magi. Luke, was pleased to fully activate the long-distance teleport gate. The space in the center of the gate began to waver. The magic was finally done. ¡°Haha. This is a perfect success!¡± ¡°The achievements of our lord are great, but this is a little too much to invite one person¡­¡± When a wizard spoke a little negative, the other wizards spoke. ¡°He isn¡¯t just one person. I heard that he was the one who had wiped out an entire manor by himself. In short, he is a one-man army!¡± ¡°If we can just have him, the power of any manor would rise a lot.¡± ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s a waste of the magic stones to be used.¡± By the time the wizards were in a full-fledged battle of words, Luke had already entered the closed space and used a magic communication crystal. And then, the face of the wizards, dispatched to the Albertville estate had appeared. ¡°Is the teleport gate activated in your side?¡± -Yes, Lord. The wizards turned the crystal to show that the teleport gate was opened. Luke, nodded with a content expression and gave orders. ¡°Bring Sir Belik to this place.¡± -Will set the directions. After a while, the subspace got created in the center and the gate swirled violently and saw a person appear. An old mercenary knight with a black mark on his face. It was the Firestorm Belik, who appeared near the long-distance teleport gate. After a moment, he saw Luke and approached him. However, there were people who welcomed him before Luke. ¡°Sir Belik!¡± ¡°Oh oh, it really is Sir Belik!¡± ¡°I thought that you were dead, I am so glad that you are alive!¡± They were the old men of the Volga Kingdom, including Pavel. Last night, Luke used teleportation magic and brought them, he was still doubtful listening to Pavel¡¯s explanation. So he wanted Pavel to see the man with his own eyes and confirm. And the men who saw the man with their own eyes were thrilled to the level of tears. ¡°Everyone of you was alive without dying!¡± Belik who recognized the men embraced them. They were all his comrades who fought against the revolutionary army in the Volga and defended the royal family till the end. In the end, however, they were all defeated by the Revolutionary army, and all scattered here and there. ¡°If you were alive, why didn¡¯t you come here?¡± ¡°You would have been very pleased to see His majesty when he was still alive¡­¡± At the words of the men, Belik seemed rather sad. ¡°I was seriously injured in the last battle. The treatment took a long time.¡± When he barely managed to recover from the injury, he heard a report which had come from the Baroque Empire. It was news of Peter II who had been exiled had died. ¡°And then I met a family servant of my family and had learned that my wife and son were killed in the rebellion. I have been wandering around without turning crazy.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± At the words of Belik who seemed upset, the old men¡¯s expressions turned serious. Luke opened his mouth to Belik who was being comforted by the old men with a slight pat on the shoulder. ¡°How does it feel to meet after 20 years?¡± ¡°Feeling¡­ obviously happy.¡± Belik turned towards Luke, who asked him. ¡°Princess Reina¡¯s lover?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Then I will be polite.¡± Said Belik, and bent his knee in front of Luke. No, he pretended to bend his knee and pulled out his sword in the speed of lightning. Kanng! A sharp flame shocked along with sharp noise. Luke, who hurriedly took out the sword, stepped back, and Belik who wanted to surprise attack on him, smiled. ¡°You stopped it. You seem to have some skills. I hope you didn¡¯t get close to the princess by scamming her.¡± ¡°Sir Belik! What is the meaning of this?!¡± Pavel, who was shocked with it, yelled at Belik who only responded as it was nothing. ¡°What do you mean. I am just testing him, sir.¡± ¡°Tes, test?¡± Princess Reina was born right before the fall of the Volga Kingdom. Belik, was the vice-captain of the Guard Knights, had always seen her engulfed in hard work, and she was the one whom he wanted to meet the most. After the death of Pyotr II¡¯s death, she had become a target for the loyalty of many. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t leave Reina with a stranger. ¡°I want to see if he really is the princess¡¯s lover.¡± When they heard it, the old men looked flustered. Pavel, who was the most delighted person for seeing Belik, shouted with a red face. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to stop now?! Do you even know who he is? He is the direct descendant of the Warrior Rakan!¡± ¡°I have no concern from where he came! If he wasn¡¯t the princesses lover or a warrior¡¯s descendant, I can just cut him off!¡± Belik¡¯s nickname was ¡®Firestorm¡¯, and Pavel along with the other old men of Volga were sweating because they wanted him to stop. ¡°I am sorry, Lord. Normally, this friend has a nice personality¡­¡± ¡°It is alright. He said that he just wanted to test me, and I do too.¡± Luke, reached out to Pavel saying that it was alright and gripped hard on the sword. His hand was holding the Iron feather sword. It was one of the legendary swords made by the blacksmith Jig. However, the attack from the previous strike was so strong that the vibrations in the sword hadn¡¯t subsided yet. ¡®He is strong. Not as great as Gregory¡¯s, but definitely not to be taken easy.¡¯ Advanced Sword Master? Was what he could think. By the time Luke was thinking, Belik slowly began to cover the gap. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you wanted to test? I guess you are one confident lad.¡± ¡°I guess so. But not to the level of pulling tricks on weak swords.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Belik looked at his sword. Though not perfect, there were cracks everywhere as if the sword had been heavily rusted and would break any second. It was during the hit with the Iron Feather a while back. ¡°Tch, I can¡¯t help it. Look here, fraudster. Lend me a sword.¡± At the request in a natural manner, Luke, as well as those around him, couldn¡¯t hide their absurdity. Only those Volga men who knew of Belik¡¯s character remained the same. ¡°If you are so great, it would be nice to hand me something like the one in your hand¡­¡± ¡°If you are great, how about doing something other than the sword?¡± ¡°What? You mean?¡± ¡°Right. Let¡¯s do it with Gigant.¡± Gigantic Duel. When Luke offered for a Gigantic Duel, Belik laughed out loud. ¡°But you will regret it?¡± ¡°I have no intention of feeling that.¡± ¡°Kuek, I like this attitude. All right, bring it on.¡± Belik accepted Luke¡¯s proposal. And Luke felt very delighted at his acceptance. However, the old men of Volgas were nervous about what would happen and couldn¡¯t stop themselves from turning nervous. Chapter 337 - Gigant Master 1 ¡°What? Is that really true?¡± ¡°It is! And the opponent isn¡¯t just anyone normal.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go early and see! I don¡¯t want to miss the spectacle!¡± ¡°UH¡­ I too want to go.¡± The news about Luke and Belik¡¯s Gigantic Duel quickly spread to Rakan and the Unicorn knights. Except for those who were on the patrol, everyone headed to the ground outside the estate for the duel. Since both men were known to be very strong, having a Gigantic Duel in the knights training ground would cause the nearby buildings to crack. And if the nearby buildings were destroyed, the damage would be severe. But before the knights, there were men who went before. They were Baron Rogers, the army commanders of the Knights, two knights, Philip and Kaper, and Hwang Bo-sung along with Scarlet. ¡°Oh man, I am going to see Firestorm Belik.¡± ¡°You know him?¡± At the question from Kaper, Rogers nodded his head. ¡°Because he was a very famous person among the knights of my generation. There used to be even a warning for us to watch out for the Firestorm of the Volga in the battlefields.¡± ¡°I too have heard from my father. I thought he was dead, but he seems alive.¡± When Scarlet said that, the eyes of the knights changed. They did hear from the wizards that the opponent was a very strong man, but they didn¡¯t know that he was a celebrity who ceased an ear. ¡°Hwang Bo-sung, who do you think will win?¡± Philip asked Hwang Bo-sung, who was watching Luke and Belik and opened his mouth. ¡°Master is strong. But that man is very strong too.¡± ¡°Strong? How much?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I am not confident about the win.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± When Hwang Bo-sung spoke honestly, everyone seemed surprised. There was no one in the lordship who wasn¡¯t aware of the Fist Master. It was because every one of them had been in a battle with him at least once. And of all, Rogers and Scarlet were the ones who fought on par with Hwang Bo-sung. Considering that Scarlet was an archer, Rogers was the only one who could face Hwang Bo-sung in close combat. And if such a man said he couldn¡¯t place odds. It was the same as saying that no knight in the lordship could win. ¡°Is he that strong¡­?!¡± ¡°No, maybe he is stronger than what we thought. Belik was known to be a famous genius when it came to Gigant riders.¡± At Rogers¡¯s words, everyone¡¯s eyes went wide again. ¡°A genius rider?¡± ¡°Yeah, Expert Advanced Swordsman, he battled a Sword Master in a Gigant War.¡± Said Rogers. ¡°That makes no sense¡­¡± ¡°Which means he can show 100% in Gigant combat. If there was a title of Gigant Master, then it would probably be given to him.¡± Whether he heard their talks or not, Belik was busy trying to check the Gigant¡¯s movement. ¡°This is a good Gigant. Did you buy it from the top ten?¡± ¡°It was made in our Magic Tower.¡± Luke, who looked at the man, replied proudly. The Gigant which was lent to Belik was a Warrior class Stiletto made by Katarina Magic Tower. The core engine has been upgraded to 1,200 fights and skills were accumulated. Major components such as the Mana convertors and balance device were improved which resulted in higher performance and cleaner movement. ¡°Made at the magic tower of your estate? Hmm, I thought like that since the part assembling method resembles that of Veritas Magic tower¡­¡± With Belik¡¯s words, Luke and the Iron wizards of the Katarina Magic Tower were amazed. The technical foundation of the Katarina Magic Tower was, of course, stacked with the books and blueprints from the Veritas Magic Tower which were pulled out by the Veritas Magic Tower, so it was natural for one to think that. The problem was, a knight and not a wizard had figured it out. ¡°You seem to know well about Gigants.¡± ¡°Uh uhuh. I moved around a lot in the past years. It made me drive a few Gigants while working as a mercenary or a clan rider.¡± ¡®He must have a lot of experience.¡¯ Luke couldn¡¯t overpower Belik¡¯s pride. It was because Belik seemed very well versed when it came to taming the Gigant movement in accordance with his testing. They were all basic movements, yet, the Stiletto which was being controlled by Belik moved very smoothly. ¡®I can¡¯t hold back. I will have to do my best in defeating him.¡¯ The reason why Luke called Belik using a long-distance teleport gate even though it consumed expensive magic stones was to show him his wealth and power. Luke was going to marry Princess Reina anyway, and all the men from Volga were under him, so he wanted to get this man under him too. However, despite all that, the man still wanted to test Luke with his sword. And that could never be overlooked. He did seem like a fire, but Luke wanted to test him too. ¡®So, I need to take him down very quickly!¡¯ It was Luke¡¯s intention to press down the man after lending him a Gigant for a Gigantic Duel. ¡®If you can¡¯t understand with words, I will have to teach you myself. And this test will be replaced with a lifelong service. If I get one more Sword Master, it will be beneficial for me.¡¯ After checking everything, Luke boarded his Gigant and wielded his sword while moving to the middle of the ground. Soon after, Stiletto, which was on the other side, went to the middle. When the two Gigants met, Luke spoke. ¡°Sir Belik, if you beat me, you will know where Reina is. If you lose¡­¡± ¡°Huh, I won¡¯t lose, but if I do, I will take you as my master.¡± Along with Stiletto¡¯s sword, Belik¡¯s voice rang out with confidence. Luke smiled. Even though he didn¡¯t get to say it, the proposed condition was the one he wanted. ¡°That statement, you need to follow on it.¡± At the end of those words, Luke¡¯s Gigant disappeared from Belik¡¯s sight. ¡°What, Blink?¡± Belik was startled. It was because he didn¡¯t think that the fraudster would be someone who could use magic along with riding a Gigant. ¡®Ah, wasn¡¯t it said that this guy was a Rune Knight?¡¯ Rakan¡¯s young lord was rumored to be a rune knight with exceptional skills. There was also a story of how he managed to have shattered the falling meteors in the Civil War of the Holy Empire by impersonating Belik¡¯s son. ¡®I guess they weren¡¯t just rumors.¡¯ As Belik looked around, the giant sword struck something which appeared on the side. Kang! Along with a huge noise, the sword had passed through the gloves and the tip of the sword. But the one cut wasn¡¯t Belik¡¯s Stiletto, but Luke¡¯s tester Gigant. Luke¡¯s tester would have taken in huge damage if he hadn¡¯t stopped the attack, but he didn¡¯t retreat. ¡°Did you catch my movement?¡± ¡°Sure, you pretended to use blink and approached me using invisibility magic.¡± When Belik got it right, Luke couldn¡¯t feel chills on his body. The man wasn¡¯t even a wizard, yet he managed to get it right. ¡°Have you ever fought a Rune Knight?¡± ¡°Nope, I fought with a War Mage.¡± The War Mage was a fairy, who joined the revolutionary army of the Volga. It was a fairy named as Nanas, who was 100 times dangerous than a flimsy Rune Knight. ¡°I told you earlier. You can¡¯t take me down with tricks and poor magic.¡± ¡°Then I need to show you that my magic isn¡¯t poor and clumsy.¡± When the two were done speaking, the two men collided again and clashed their huge swords. And the real fight began in earnest. Chapter 338 - Gigant Master 2 Thump! Thud! Creak! The loud sounds of the Gigant¡¯s footsteps and the noises of the huge swords clashing with the other. Whenever the Gigants that Luke and Belik were riding went in contact, huge violent sounds rose and the knights who were watching them screamed from a distance. It was because the fierce mana wave that the Gigants were presenting was the first time for the knights to witness. Only Rogers, Philip and Hwang Bo-sung were the ones who were able to ignore the mana waves¡¯ pressure. They were at a master level, so they were more aware of the flow of the battle than anyone else. ¡°Our Lord really has a great feel and control.¡± ¡°Well, that is all thanks to me.¡± At the words of Rogers, Philip shrugged his shoulders and spoke about his greatness. Luke was able to attack Belik with brilliant magic attacks. At first glance, Luke seemed to be the one to take lead in the situation. However, Rogers didn¡¯t think so. ¡°Our Lord¡¯s attack doesn¡¯t seem to work on Firestorm.¡± ¡°That makes no sense at all. How is he able to stop and avoid all of the attacks?¡± Just as Scarlet said, Luke¡¯s attack had very little effect. That too with the attacks going on and on, but the most shocking thing was Belik barely managed to step out of his original position. With very minimal movement and brief steps, all of Luke¡¯s powerful and sharp attacks were blocked and dodged. ¡°Lady, it seems to imply the movement of the Master.¡± ¡°Is that possible, Sir Hwang Bo-sung? From the man¡¯s point of view, it is his first time meeting our Lord.¡± Hwang Bo-sung didn¡¯t respond to Kaper¡¯s question. He understood how Belik was responding to Luke¡¯s attacks. However, his language skills weren¡¯t proper enough to explain it in detail. Kang! After a series of attacks, Luke was struck by Belik and got pushed back. And seeing that a chance had opened up, Belik showed the desire to rush for Luke. When Luke managed to unfold magic and block the incoming attack¡­ ¡°Ice Blow!¡± Dozens of large ice cubes formed in front of the tester Gigant and flew right at Belik¡¯s Stiletto. It was just a piece of ice, but its strength was comparable to that of steel as Luke had strengthened it using magic. ¡°Huh, you think that this is going to stop me?¡± Belik didn¡¯t panic and just smashed the ice cubes with his giant sword. However, when he was about to hit the last ice cube flying in his direction, it exploded. Boom! The shattered piece of ice cube obscured Belik¡¯s vision for a moment. ¡°¡­!¡± As Belik was shocked by what happened, Luke rushed in using Blink. ¡°Cyclone Wave!¡± A powerful shock wave magic formed at close range and hit Stiletto. However, Luke, who watched its attack, frowned. ¡®What the?! He is being pushed back!¡¯ Cyclone Wave was a magic attack that struck the opponent with a powerful shock wave. Objects of volume and mass such as Gigants had no choice but to take in great damage due to the waves. However, since Belik¡¯s Gigant stepped back, it only got pushed, and the shock wave had no effect. And Stiletto didn¡¯t seem to have taken much damage at all. ¡°Phew! That was dangerous, dangerous indeed!¡± ¡°How did you know and respond to it?¡± Luke asked Belik, who was on the move. Shortly before Luke used magic, Belik deliberately disturbed the balance of Stiletto and made it get pushed away by the wave. ¡°Well, it was obvious for an attack to come flying in in that situation.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It was either a direct stab or a magic trick, and it is whether you try to hit me, stab me or pierce me.¡± So Belik decided that it would be best to at least reduce the damage from the hit in case it couldn¡¯t be avoided. That was why he deliberately got himself pushed back. ¡°Maybe it would have been destroyed then, but you had no choice but to make a simple and clear choice in such a situation. You are even more experienced in combat,¡± praised Luke. ¡°Kuk¡­!¡± Luke knew that the man was a formidable opponent. However, despite his nickname¡ªFirestorm¡ªor his unstoppable personality, Belik was very cool-headed in battle. The most surprising fact was that he was able to read the opponents attacks in advance. ¡°And just saying, Gigant¡¯s movements are pretty obvious. Unlike the individuals who have different body shapes and muscles, each Gigant is standardized to be the most efficient for combat purposes. The only difference is the thickness of the armor or the output of the core engine.¡± In addition, there are limited areas to be hit. It was easy to understand where the opponents attacks would come at. ¡®Right, that was why he was able to counterattack while minimizing the balance.¡¯ If one knew how their opponents attack, there wasn¡¯t much need to move around. If the movement of a Gigant was reduced, the consumption of aura would be reduced as well, and so the battle could move forward easily. ¡®If one is a skilled knight, it won¡¯t be much difficult to understand the opponent¡¯s movements. However, Belik¡¯s sense is definitely higher than the others.¡¯ Belik had a keen sense of computational and analytical thinking. He was more like a wizard than a knight in that sense. If he walked on the path of magic instead of the sword, he could have become an Archmage who might have made a name for himself in the continent. ¡°I do acknowledge that you are a great rider, but unfortunately, you met the wrong person.¡± Kung! With horrifying speed, Belik¡¯s sword went for a stab. A very straight forward attack aimed at the core engine. However, since the attack was fast and powerful, comparable to an Advanced Sword Master, he had to choose between defense and evasion. And Luke¡¯s choice was to avoid. On a hurry to hit, Belik¡¯s huge sword was chasing Luke¡¯s tester like a viper. Puak! In that process, the gloves of Luke¡¯s tester were scratched. ¡°You wanted to avoid me? Surely you knew that it can¡¯t be stopped, right?¡± ¡®Kuek, Blink Dash!¡¯ Rushing offensively to shake of the attacks from Belik, Luke shook his huge sword. Rather than simply using the sword skill, the left hand of the tester Gigant didn¡¯t hold a huge sword and poured out magical attacks. Was it because he was anxious? Belik¡¯s Stiletto was moving constantly. ¡°That is great. A Sword skill which isn¡¯t normal too will make no difference on me. However¡­¡± Belik, who truly admired him, changed his posture and counterattacked. ¡°You won¡¯t beat me with this!¡± Ka-chang! Belik¡¯s impact aura¡¯s trajectory covered the air, and at the same time, a sharp bursting sound rang out. Luke¡¯s tester Gigant, which was cut horizontally, touched the core engine. It glowed and stepped back. As the sparks glowed between the split up gloves, the faces of Rogers and Philip went blue. ¡°L-lord!¡± ¡°Stop the battle right now!¡± If the core engine bursts, Luke¡¯s life would be at stake. Those who were ready to stop the battle stopped when they heard Luke¡¯s scream through the transmission. ¡°Don¡¯t enter yet! It isn¡¯t done yet!¡± ¡°B-but¡­¡± ¡°The core engine is fine, so don¡¯t worry.¡± It was a lie. However, the balance of the engine was broken, so he couldn¡¯t center it in the right manner. Even if he tried to manage it, the Gigant tilted to either left or right. ¡®It will be impossible to fight this way.¡¯ Just moving a little ahead was turning difficult for Luke. The Gigant was bound to fall with Belik¡¯s next attack. ¡®What to do? I won¡¯t be able to win even over a normal rider with this state.¡¯ It was impossible for Luke to admit defeat. He wouldn¡¯t be able to reason with Belik, and he would have to see his arrogant behavior run out wild. And on top of that, Luke just had no intention to lose. ¡®Belik isn¡¯t a Sword Sage. If I can¡¯t even win over this one, how am I even supposed to defeat Rudolf?!¡¯ Biting his lip, Luke began to manifest magic and rushed straight toward Stiletto. Chapter 339 - Gigant Master 3 ¡°Tch, now he is doing reckless things.¡± Belik, who clicked his tongue, laughed at Luke¡¯s actions. ¡°But, I like this. If you are a man, you need to have this kind of side to you.¡± Slash! Upon acknowledging Luke, Belik relentlessly split the tester with his giant sword. From the left shoulder to the right leg, the test machine fell forward. Philip saw it fell down and was worried. ¡°L-lord¡­!¡± ¡°He isn¡¯t dead, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Belik showed his sword to everyone. Even though the cockpit was cut, there wasn¡¯t a single drop of blood. ¡°He probably escaped with Blink or teleport magic¡­¡± Said Belik. ¡°The fight isn¡¯t over yet. Why are you closing your eyes?¡± ¡°No!¡± Belik¡¯s eyes went wide. Luke was flying in the air right in front of it. There was also enormous magic with purple light circling in both his hands. ¡°Titan Fist!¡± Wooong! The magical fist from Luke¡¯s hand flew right at Stiletto¡¯s head and distorted his upper body. At the sudden act, Belik was flustered. The Gigant¡¯s head had flown away, so nothing was visible on the screen in the cockpit. He opened up the hatch to see the scene in front of him. He yelled at Luke. ¡°You insane kid, how can you attack a Gigant with your bare hands?!¡± ¡°Why? Can¡¯t we mess around with bare hands?¡± It was meant to be a Gigantic Duel. However, even after his Gigant was crushed, Luke hadn¡¯t given up. His strength was magic, nor swords or Gigants. ¡°Kukkk. There is nothing that can¡¯t be done. All right, come at me!¡± When Belik agreed, Luke immediately unleashed a new magic. ¡°Water Arrow!¡± Hundreds of thousands of droplets were created around Luke. The droplets soon formed into arrows and poured straight at Stiletto. However, Belik wasn¡¯t shaken. ¡°Do you really think you can take me down with a cheap magic trick?¡± Water Arrow was a 2nd magic circle magic attack. Depending on the skill of the wizard, the power and the number of arrows would increase, but it was still a low level magic, which meant that there was a limit. Pung! Pung! Puang! Countless arrows made of water struck Belik¡¯s Stiletto constantly. ¡°Huh, shoot them a thousand more times¡­ Sh*t!¡± Belik¡¯s laughing face soon went stiff and then distorted. It was because Stiletto¡¯s movements suddenly became stiff and dull. ¡°No! Don¡¯t tell me, it wasn¡¯t Water Arrow?¡± ¡°Hu hu hu. In the midst of using it, it turned to Acid Shower.¡± The magic arrows with strong acidity eroded the Gigant. Moreover, Luke focused most of the attacks on Stiletto¡¯s joints. Kiik! Stiletto couldn¡¯t move like it used to. Luke looked for the gap and once again shot the Titan Fist. Puang! Kwak! Stiletto, whose joint was broken because of the shock, fell to the ground. ¡°He won!¡± ¡°Our Lord won!¡± The knights cheered when Stiletto fell. However, the cheers didn¡¯t last for long. Belik jumped out of the cockpit. He jumped to the front aiming for Luke, taking out his belt to wield it toward Luke. The belt stretched out stiff and flew straight at Luke¡¯s body. ¡®To put impact aura on the belt?!¡¯ Luke, who wasn¡¯t sure on how to use an impact aura on the belt, hurriedly used shield magic. Bounce! The shield blocked the belt successfully. However, the attack from Belik was so strong that Luke moved to the ground. ¡°Kuek, you surely do the weirdest things!¡± ¡°That is what I should be saying!¡± Belik struck Luke with his belt sword and wanted to make it the final blow. Luke didn¡¯t evade the attacks and only unleased several layers of shield magic. Tak! Tak! Belik smashed through the shields until he was close to Luke¡¯s head. However, even if he wanted to, he couldn¡¯t get any closer to Luke. The moment the last shield was smashed, Luke took out his sword and placed it at Belik¡¯s neck. ¡°Keuk! Now you are fighting back.¡± ¡°It is because I know that I can¡¯t beat you by avoiding you.¡± Luke and Belik stared at each other. The one who moved faster would be the one to take the life of the opponent, or maybe both of them could die. ¡°Tch, I guess you weren¡¯t that easy to take down.¡± Belik took back his sword, With an expression that was saying that he couldn¡¯t be beaten, he grumbled. ¡°You sure are a great guy. You have lineage, good skills, a great position and you¡¯re talented. Above all, you have guts to go ahead.¡± ¡°What is it that you are trying to say?¡± Luke lowered his sword and asked, and that made Belik laugh. ¡°I am going to acknowledge you as my son.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I was only planning to measure your skills. How is that, nice?¡± ¡®This guy is crazy!¡¯ Luke almost welded his sword again. Although he looked like a young man, he had the soul of a middle-aged warlock. Moreover, he had a soul that had lived 500 years in the past. So how could he call such a man his father?! ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°Why? Then why did you impersonate my son?¡± ¡°I just couldn¡¯t help it because of the turn of events at that time.¡± At the response to Luke¡¯s cold words, Belik seemed rather disappointed. ¡°Ah, I am very upset about this. The God¡¯s Warrior, Lev, will be rumored to be a fraudster!¡± ¡®This man!¡¯ Luke¡¯s hand, which was still holding on to his sword, went straight at Belik who was threatening Luke to spread out the truth. The knights who watched it ran close to Luke. ¡°Lord, just give in.¡± ¡°What the hell are you saying, Philip? I am supposed to take that man as my father!?¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t he supposed to be your father? And he was the vice-captain of the Volga Kingdom, and it isn¡¯t like he lacks any qualification.¡± ¡°Yeah. In addition, it is common to have skilled or experienced men as guardians.¡± Following Philip¡¯s words, Kaper played along too. It was a long practice in which the son of a close friend was adopted or the son was sent in as a learner to a famous knight. It was because there was a need to establish a relationship network during the times of war. That was the case for high ranking nobles too. In the past, the mercenary king, Gilford, when he was at the highest point of his fame, enlisted himself as the stepfather or the elder brother of numerous nobles around the nations. And such customs were turned into guardianship in recent times, and the knights were trying to make Belik Luke¡¯s guardian. And Luke ended up looking at Rogers and wanted him to come to his rescue. However, Rogers was calculating how powerful the estate would be if the Firestorm Belik was taken into their group. The other knights too felt the same. Everyone was fascinated by Belik, who just showed amazing skills, so they were ready to twist even the mind of their Lord to take the man in. ¡°Sir Hwang Bo-sung? Is this a reasonable request? Is it right to mess around with another man¡¯s relationship and be asked to call father?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Luke heard that the southern continent¡¯s ideas were different, and they placed significance in courtesy and morality, so Luke decided to use Hwang Bo-sung to stop the efforts of the other knights. ¡°Lord, there have been times where cattle were given up for greatness. You can get huge talent by throwing away little pride.¡± ¡°Are you also going to be like this?!¡± Hwang Bo-sung came to Rhodesia Continent and fought with numerous knights. However, except for Luke, Belik was the first man whom he saw and couldn¡¯t guess the flow of battle. He knew that if he competed with a strong man, he would learn a lot of new skills. That being said, there was no reason to not take in Belik. ¡°Lord! Don¡¯t miss out on such a great opportunity!¡± ¡°Won¡¯t you regret it when you hit the ground at a later time?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t accept him, we are all going to go on a strike!¡± The knights were literally yelling at Luke. However, Luke didn¡¯t answer. He did want to take in Belik but not in the way Belik proposed. Unfortunately, luck wasn¡¯t on Luke¡¯s side. ¡°Hahaha! Son, why don¡¯t you stop being stubborn?¡± ¡°On whose will are you calling me son!¡± ¡°It was you who decided. I am just going along with what you did. Is that so wrong?¡± ¡®Kuek, Dammit!¡¯ At the shameless response from Belik, Luke could only clench his fist. He really wanted to blow the man out with his dark magic, but he couldn¡¯t with all the men blocking him. Eventually, Belik became a part of the Marquis of Rakan. Chapter 340 - Gigant Master 4 That night, there was a party in the Rakan lordship as Belik had been taken into their group of trusted men. It wasn¡¯t just the elderly men from the Volga, but also the old Rakan retainers who greeted the man. Luke didn¡¯t neglect his work as a Lord, but sometimes he pursued things arbitrarily, such as going through long-distance teleport gates to see Princess Reina of the Holy Empire. So, Hans and the other retainers hoped that Belik would lead their young lord to a brighter path. ¡°What is this?¡± After the party, Luke went to Belik, who was resting in a room given in the manor. Luke handed out a document to him. The ink wasn¡¯t even dried yet. ¡°As you can already see, it is an appointment letter handing you the position in the Red Wolf Knights.¡± ¡°Yeah, I did see that, but why do I have to go back to that place?¡± Belik had heard stories about the Marquis of Rakan in the party. Under the guidance of the young lord, the estate continued to grow rapidly and achieved remarkable expansion and development. And the story of Lamer city, which was known to be the best trading city of the Baroque Empire, was under the rule of Luke. So he decided to take advantage of the fraudster who pretended to be his son and wanted to spend a comfortable life in Lamer, where Pyotr II spent his last years. However, the young man was asking him to go to the Albertville estate and become a commander for the Knights. ¡°I heard that you smashed the Red Wolf Knights. And on top of that, you took down the Gigants of Albertville.¡± ¡°And so? Do you want me to make up for smashing up those weak good-for-nothing men?¡± When Belik was disgusted with that document, Luke smiled and said. ¡°Of course, you are going to compensate. Not to me, but to Reina.¡± ¡°What? Why are you suddenly dragging Princess Reina into this?¡± Belik, who frowned at it, decided to listen to what the man had to say. ¡°Though I am not willing to ask, I want to know more about Princess Reina. Where is the princess now?¡± Asked Belik. ¡°She is in the Holy Palace of the Holy Empire.¡± ¡°The Holy Palace?¡± Belik was shocked at what he heard. Recently, he had helped out Erwin. But that was the very place where Princess Reina was! ¡°I don¡¯t get it, why is she there? In the Holy Palace, only the high priests and paladins are given the permission to move.¡± ¡°Hu hu hu. Are you aware of Veronica III?¡± ¡°Are you talking about the Pope with miracle power? Well, there was a rumor that she was a princess from a country, and was an angel sent¡­!¡± Belik, who spoke till then, grabbed Luke¡¯s shoulders with shocked eyes. ¡°No, No way!¡± ¡°Exactly. Veronica III is Reina.¡± Belik¡¯s expression which was stern till then laughed out loud. He loved it so much that he jumped up. ¡°Hahaha! Uahhh! Princess Reina has become the Pope of the Holy Empire!¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t still known to the outside world. We thought about the situation outside the Empire and decided to keep it a secret.¡± ¡°Ha¡­ that was why Pavel was trying to say something to me. But how did she even become a Pope?¡± At Belik¡¯s question, Luke explained everything in detail since the moment Reina disappeared. Belik who listened to the story with twinkling eyes, turned serious after Luke was done. ¡°Okay. For overthrowing the Baroque Empire, the heavy burden has been rested on the Pope¡¯s shoulders.¡± ¡°It is also for the people of the Holy Empire. But one great man made the Albertville, my estate and ¡®Reina¡¯s estate¡¯ into a wasteland for his desires.¡± When Luke stressed on the word of Reina¡¯s estate, Belik¡¯s expression turned red. ¡°That, that was beca¡­ I didn¡¯t want to make such a huge fuss¡­¡± ¡°Surely there was no ill intension. But look at the results. If the Gigants were smashed and the lordship turned into a barren place, what if some underprivileged people attacks?¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t the civil war done?¡± ¡°Not long ago, some indigenous forces organized resistance and raided the estate. And there is no guarantee that it won¡¯t happen once again.¡± Luke didn¡¯t mention that the forces who were currently working in the Rakan estate were under him. There was nothing that could be said in the situation. Luke continued to speak, ¡°Reina is currently trying to stabilize the Holy Empire. But there are forces against her over there.¡± The faction of Constantine was recently evicted by the reform. At that moment, Arch Duke Gregory was there with her which made the faction scared, but they are bound to raise a rebellion as soon as the opportunity arises. ¡°In order to regain power, they will try to create even the smallest disturbances into huge flames. You were the Vice-captain of the Guard Knights, so I will assume that you know what I am worried about.¡± ¡°Understood. It can be done. You just want me to roll out the weak and recover the power of the estate to its original form?¡± ¡°No, we need to grow at least twice as much. We will need funds and supplies, so please hurry up.¡± There was a reason why Luke was trying to empower the Albertville estate. It was to hold the ankles of the Eastern army of the Baroque Empire. The eastern army, along with the northern army was a modified group under the control of the Emperor. ¡®But things will turn difficult when an invasion from the outside occurs.¡¯ Luke was planning to use the Albertville estate to shake the eastern Baroque Empire in event of a civil war against the Emperor. By holding onto the ankles of the eastern army to reduce the power of the Emperor, Luke would be able to get his hands on the eastern side of Baroque. ¡°I came here¡­ I came here to scam the fraudster, and got scammed again.¡± Belik, who sighed received the letter of Red Wolf Knights¡¯ recommendation. He got up from the bed and took the appointment letter in his arms. ¡°Are you leaving already?¡± ¡°I was told to hurry, right? Can I use the long-distance teleport gate?¡± Asked Belik. ¡°There are a few spare magic stones.¡± Luke was ready to send Belik. Since it was a waste to send him alone using magic stones, he provided with military funds, Gigant repair parts, and Iron mages to help in the Albertville estate. Shortly before leaving, Belik turned to Luke and said, ¡°Keep this in mind. I am working for Princess Reina, not for you.¡± ¡°I am fine either way.¡± When Luke smiled, Belik seemed displeased and moved to the subspace. The turmoil between the fake father and fake son, which had shaken the Rakan estates for a while, had reached an end. Chapter 341 - Singular Goal 1 Mount Berghorn, was located in the midwestern part of the Baroque Empire. The rocky mountain was shaped like a horn and was so dangerous that even active hunters never set foot in its vicinity. The mountain, known only for the stones and monsters, had been silent for some time. There was a fairly armed group which moved with monsters such as Orcs and knolls which moved in army-like patterns. The leader of the group was Shaikan, the Orc hero. Last time, he had gone to his mother¡¯s resting place and reunited with his family, and he was gradually preparing to take steps towards his ambitions. Meanwhile, he had heard an urgent news from Mitchell, a distance cousin. ¡°The first battle between the Emperor and noblemen?¡± Asked Shaikan. ¡°Yes, the two Gigant troops collided on the south plains of Loured in Nemesis.¡± ¡°Finally, the noblemen have decided to counterattack.¡± Shaikan and the family of Ebra had heard the news about the emperor¡¯s family along with a few retainers. Before a full moon, he heard that the Emperor had killed numerous nobles. Rudolf, who had been mentally devastated by the death of his children and the political proceedings, appeared to the Imperial Parliament only to commit brutality. The tragedy, along with the Emperor¡¯s proclamation to destroy the nobles had become widely known throughout the Empire, and many were either shocked or in anger. No matter how bad things happened, a person in the role of an Emperor shouldn¡¯t have done that. If he was dissatisfied with the noblemen, he should have called out to them or yelled or politicized them. But to go all the way to the Imperial Parliament and slaughter numerous nobles without any reason?! In any case, the storm had moved the Baroque Empire completely. Overthrow the Crazy Emperor! Get rid of the tyrant and transform the Empire! Those slogans were the ones that were spread by the noblemen, and they went out in an instant. As a result, it didn¡¯t just touch the hearts of the other noblemen but also the neutral lords. ¡°What was the result of the battle of the Loured plains?¡± Mitchell replied to the question of Shaikan. ¡°The noblemen were defeated, but the Central Army took in considerable damage. The lack of power was due to the lack of low ranking commanders and Expert knights.¡± ¡°Hmm, was there any force in the noblemen who could damage the Central Army?¡± Duke Butler and Marquis Mayers, who were in the Nemesis, had escaped and were on the chase. And Shaikan wasn¡¯t able to understand that they were the ones to do that, to provide forces to confront the Central Army which was very close to the Emperor, but there was no way those men could have done it. ¡°The noblemen and the power which had been mobilized this time were said to have been collected by Marquis Cavanill, who died in the hands of the Emperor.¡± ¡°That so? I guess they correctly used the power of a dead man. Which means that the power in their homeland is alright¡­¡± ¡°That is true. Considering the afterward situation, the Emperor was the one who lost a lot.¡± According to Mitchell¡¯s explanation, the noblemen Lords who were furious with the Emperor¡¯s assault leading the battle with Butler and Mayers joining at some time. In addition, there were some neutral lords who were showing signs of turning towards the noblemen. ¡°On the contrary, the Emperor¡¯s power doesn¡¯t seem so good. But the Northern Emperor nobles and the traditional emperor nobles still haven¡¯t recovered from the damage they have faced when the Volga Republic had invaded them.¡± In addition, the Central Army fought against the demons and they were currently in a state where they were unable to control their forces. It was unknown as to how they were able to recover from their losses in such situations. ¡°There are four other corps besides the Central Army.¡± Said Shaikan. ¡°Yes, there are some East-Northern border forces, but the Western forces are the ones belonging to Duke Butler, and the South is entirely dominated by Marquis Mayers.¡± ¡°However, the two of the four have great power and are under the noblemen.¡± The northern and the eastern forces were there, but the two of them were unable to move because they had to hold back the Volga Republic and the Holy Arthenia in case of an invasion. Of course, if they joined the Central Army, the power was bound to increase. But they couldn¡¯t just ignore the situation in the border. ¡°Anyway, the Emperor and the noblemen are bound to be desperate. Given what Emperor Rudolf did, it will hard to expect negotiations from both sides.¡± ¡°Yeah, the fight won¡¯t end until one of them falls.¡± ¡°In fact, the nation is in two pieces. It is a great opportunity for us, Master!¡± The family of Ebra, including Mitchell, were currently serving under Shaikan after taking him as their new master. The abandoned prince and the descendant of the ruined royal family of Libiya. And he was considered to be the true king who would dominate the continent and continue the lineage of God Dragon Tiamet. ¡°You are right. A nice opportunity. We can expand our power on both sides.¡± Currently, Shaikan was a knight with approximately 30,000 troops of monsters and nobles who were close to the Ebra family. In addition to that, there were Gigant troops. He didn¡¯t know about an estate, however, it was tough to win over the entire empire with his power. In addition, considering the public sentiment, the monster legion couldn¡¯t just be exposed. So he had to take advantage of the opportunity. ¡°It is important for us to persuade the small and medium lords who belonged to the neutral factions into our side. Baron Guildman is already preparing to negotiate with the men.¡± At the words of Mitchell, Shaikan shook his head. ¡°I will be the one to go.¡± ¡°Lord, you want to go?¡± ¡°Yes. Shouldn¡¯t we show the ones stuck between the Emperor and noblemen that there is another side available to move into?¡± At the words of Shaikan, Mitchell nodded his head. It could be dangerous, but it would be easier if their Lord really decided to go. ¡°It would be better to do it quick. There could be some ambitious people in the empire who might see this state as an opportunity and not a crisis.¡± ¡°Is there anyone who comes to your mind, Master?¡± At the question of Mitchell, Shaikan smiled. ¡°I visited the Rakan estates a while back. Rumor has it that they made tremendous significant progress. And the fighting spirit of the knights was very high.¡± The richer the Lord, the more Gigants they would hold, as well as many knights with excellent skills. However, it was rare that he felt very impressed with their skills. In such an extended rich and relaxed environment, the knights were bound to turn dull. ¡°And the Lord with such knights isn¡¯t going to be a normal person. I can¡¯t help but hope to see what he will show me in the future.¡± Said Shaikan. ¡°However, the Rakan family had been enslaved by the Imperial family¡¯s generations.¡± ¡°Right. And there is another person whom I expect a lot from¡­ I am not sure who or what he does though.¡± ¡°Who is it that you are so curious about?¡± ¡°Huhuhu. You will be surprised to know who it is.¡± Shaikan had recalled the warlock he had met in the Navarre duchy. At that time, the warlock had blocked Shaikan¡¯s results, and he was the descendant of the Devil King Saymon. If they met again, Shaikan wanted to make him his comrade to overthrow the Imperial family, but since that one time, he had never heard any news of the man. Just recently he had met the demon which wandered around him near the Rakan territory. ¡®Should I have asked for something, then? No, there will be another chance to meet him soon. Because in the most difficult times, all kinds of talents will come out.¡¯ Shaikan shook his expectations and softened his heart. However, he couldn¡¯t even imagine. That the descendant of Devil King Saymon was the Lord of Marquis of Rakan estates. And the fact that he was the real Saymon. Chapter 342 - Singular Goal 2 It wasn¡¯t just Shaikan who was sensitive to the matter of civil war that broke out. Luke too had been gathering information and solidifying his mansion and lordship. If he could strengthen his defenses in such times, later he would be able to move the way he wanted. ¡°The refugees, which had been decreasing in number in recent years, are beginning to increase once again. It is possible to assume that this was due to the effect of the civil war.¡± Regular Meeting times. Maron, the chief priest of Marquis of Rakan, said while looking at the papers in his hand. Since the temple was dedicated and under the mercy of the Lord, the priests looked brighter than the administrators. ¡°I don¡¯t think that you have gone down to the south?¡± ¡°That is true, but the southern noblemen¡¯s estates, including Marquis Mayers, have been mobilizing troops because those people are scared with the concept of surviving.¡± In normal times, the situation would have been left alone, but the civil war had broken out. Once war broke out, the lords would seize the exiles and be constricted as soldiers or laborers till the end of the war. And as a result, the refugees and the men from the southern side of the empire were evacuating to the Rakan estate, so they could survive and live comfortably. ¡°It looks like since our estate hasn¡¯t released a statement about its stand during the civil war, people are gathering over here.¡± At the end of Maron¡¯s words, the new financial officer, Bentley, raised his hand. He was the eldest son of Dickson, and was considered to be a lot tougher than his father. ¡°There is a limit to how many people we can feed and provide shelter for free. We need to make haste and take up measures.¡± ¡°Is there any solution you have in mind?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Yes, why not arrange for jobs in the mines?¡± At the words of Bentley, Luke nodded. ¡°That surely sounds like a plausible idea. Though not official, Kurgon nagged to me about how he was short of hands in the mines.¡± The mines of the estate were owned by the Red Hammer clan. However, recently, the miners were decreasing. Surely the pay for the mines was definitely high and possible ways to prevent the accidents in the mines were taken care of, but still, mining was a dangerous job. And so, not many humans were ready to go into the mines for work and were rather happy with plowing the land. And it wasn¡¯t just the humans who were like that. Even the dwarves who were born from the ground were readily choosing to work into a workshop or magic tower if given the chance. Last time, when Katarina Magic Tower gave out the news for recruiting men for their new fields, the dwarves fought amongst themselves on who would take the position. So this time, most people going into the mines would leave within a few years. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter if their humans or fairies, everyone wants comfort.¡¯ Luke, who thought to himself, asked Rogers, the commander of the army. ¡°Commander, what is the total power of our men now?¡± ¡°There have been quite a bit of change since the addition of the Albertville estates and the generation of the Red Wolf Knights.¡± Over just a year, the power of Marquis of Rakan had increased a lot, but the addition of Albertville estate had helped a lot in boosting their power. It was because more than 5,000 trained troops and 36 Gigants were deployed in Albertville. And the knights were faithful to him, and if they could be used as hidden cards, they could cause a huge damage to the Emperor. ¡°Currently there are a total of 150 Gigants in the Marquis of Rakan, combining the knights and the warrior class. The number of troops has increased to 35,000, and the number of knights is 1,100 along with the regular and the apprentice knights.¡± Luke smiled as he surpassed the number of troops a normal Marquis needed to have. It was because his retainers were constantly striving to improve the power of the estate. ¡°If we combine our forces with the Albertville estate, we are like a duchy.¡± ¡°That is right. In addition, we have 5 Sword Masters which are never in a duchy, and if we include the hero-class Gigant and the puppets we have, the Imperial¡¯s Central Army won¡¯t even stand a chance against us.¡± The scary thing about the Marquis of Rakan was the knights and their excellent skills. From the time he had woken up in the Rakan manor, the loyalty and skills of his men had increased more than ever. But just the fact that they have 5 Sword Masters was like a hidden card. ¡°Nice. What about the preparations of the Katarina Magic Tower?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Mute responded, ¡°Currently, we are working hard to form magical troops, so we can provide you with some combat and logistical support anywhere, anytime.¡± ¡°What is the number of skilled wizards belonging to the magic tower?¡± ¡°Currently, there are more than 20 people with 5 or more circles, and there are more than 50 people with normal circles. Most of the men are Iron Mages.¡± ¡°It is a pity that we are lacking with War Mages, but that is fine.¡± Luke nodded his head and asked, ¡°When will the knight class mass production be possible?¡± Katarina Magic Tower recently succeeded in developing a knight class Gigant. However, the Gigant called ¡®Gaius¡¯ was tested and improved in the field, yet they still found problems with it. To help that problem, Luke provided the key designs and some magic circles form the knight class Gigant Pierre from Dark Moon. The wizards of Katarina, who studied them, started fixing the problem of Gaius one after the other. ¡°Thanks to you, I was able to compensate for the lack of core engine power and the problem of balance breaking when starting at a high speed. The production facilities will be able to start the mass production after the full moon.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be right now, but we need to have it as soon as possible in huge quantities. I know that you are busy, but we might need to hurry,¡± said Luke. ¡°Understood.¡± Since then, there were suggestions about the technologies and the know-how¡¯s of Gaius, which would be applied to a warrior class Gigant that would be given to the Rakan estates. It was like an upgrade plan and it was Alex, the vice-captain of the Knights of Unicorn. ¡°If it goes according to the plan, our estate will have the best performances of all the warrior class.¡± ¡°I know what you mean. It will be hard to reach out to anything more since we already have Gaius and Stiletto in our hands,¡± Mute spoke with a warm expression. Some of the estate¡¯s warrior class Gigants were quite old, and they had been purchased before Stiletto. Moreover, they had different magic tower when it came to production. To improve, they had to grasp a more detailed structure and produce the parts accordingly, but more than that, it would take a lot of manpower and resources than one estate could provide. ¡°It would be better to throw away the old ones, and then if possible, use its materials to produce new Gigants.¡± ¡°But won¡¯t it take time to produce new ones? How are we going to fill in the gap? Moreover, there are many riders who are more used to using the older ones than the new Gigants.¡± When the debate started to get heated, Luke came up with a plan to solve the problem. ¡°Let¡¯s outsource for the improvement of old Gigants.¡± ¡°Outsourcing? Are you asking us to refer to another tower?¡± ¡°Yes. The agents of Argos reported that the Hallis Magic Tower is known to make sturdy Gigants.¡± Hallis Magic Tower was where Luke purchased his first Gigant. The performance of Sting II that was made there was very satisfactory. So, after that, Luke often went to Hallis Magic Tower if he wanted to buy or repair a Gigant. However, the battle of Magic Tower put the Hallis Magic Tower in jeopardy. Did they participate in the war? Nope. When half of the continent¡¯s top ten magic towers had fallen, the magic towers began to make aggressive investments, such as expanding their facilities and filling whatever they were lacking. In addition to Hallis Magic Tower, there were many middle-sized magic towers who thought of the same thing, and the talented lords like Luke built their own magic tower. The most prominent magic tower of such lords was Marquis Mayers. They not just actively recruited wizards of the ruined tower, but they also took in the branches of the 10 ruined magic towers, including the Veritas Branch in Brandon. Not just that¡­ Marquis Mayers repaired and produced Gigants by themselves and put pressure on the seized magic towers. ¡°It was the same with Hallis Magic tower, who has been placed under pressure. The Gigants are selling, and it is hard to pay the wages of the wizards by doubling the tax,¡± said Luke ¡°You want to give them a job?¡± ¡°Yeah, I think they would be very grateful if they were just given a job.¡± It was because of how Luke felt when he had gotten a Gigant from Hallis Magic Tower when he was still in his humble beginnings. It was a small, poor shop unlike Veritas Magic Tower, and he wanted to be kind. He judged that the men in Hallis were sincere and kind and would prove their loyalty to him. ¡°But Hallis is in the city of Brandon, the center of Marquis Mayers place. What would happen if our Gigant is sent there and something goes wrong?¡± ¡°Are you talking about the Gigant getting stolen?¡± ¡°Yes, aren¡¯t they fighting the Emperor? When the improvement and repair gets done, they might forcibly seize the Gigant. I think that it would be better to pay some reasonable amount and get it done in our estate.¡± Rogers knew the likelihood of Marquis Mayers behaving like that. ¡°Then, we should call the men of Hallis Magic Tower over into our estate and have them bring their equipment too. I think that it would be better to ask them to move in.¡± Lamer city was said to be the number one trading city in the south. However, it lacked the industrial base in terms of magic. The things the city had were medical or artifact related, and there were only small workshops and freelancing wizards that would go around supporting the clans in the Gigant Arena. ¡°Attracting the magic tower will lead to a competition and a high level of magical engineering, which will indirectly help the Katarina Magic Tower. In addition, it can be used as a supporting power in case we jump into an emergency.¡± ¡°It can provide new jobs for our young ones. The larger the production, the more taxes that can be collected.¡± The finance officer, Bentley, quickly came up with the advantages associated with tax revenue. However, there were still men who opposed to it. ¡°But do they have the skills to take on the task?¡± The purpose of upgrading the older Gigant was to have a greater performance in the class along with the technology that they managed to gather by making Gaius. It was natural to wonder if it would be possible for a medium-sized magic tower with no special skills to be able to do it. ¡°All we need is pass on some related skills.¡± ¡°Are you being serious?¡± Mute seemed startled at Luke¡¯s words. ¡°I already said it. We will need to pass on a few skills to them, but the gift we will be getting back is greater.¡± When words of such spread out, many more Magic Towers would try to enter the Rakan estates. And since there was a benefit being given for transferring, many more would be attracted, ¡°For example, it could be like tax-free for several years, or it could be to provide materials or manpower for the magic tower construction. I plan to use that as a bait to increase our estate¡¯s magic industry. At least for a brighter future, that has to be done,¡± said Luke ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Luke didn¡¯t tell them what exactly the future held, but his retainers knew what it was¡­ because magic was the foundation as to how a nation was created and sustained. The main example would be the Baroque Empire. The Baroque Empire didn¡¯t just cooperate with the Veritas Magic Tower for numerous years, it also developed the magic industry of the empire and made an Imperial Magic Tower. As a result, it enabled the empire to grow strong enough to tackle the Holy Arthenia Empire. ¡°Absolutely never. Think about using the civil war for anything else. You might be dissatisfied, but you need to think about the future of the estate and follow me,¡± said Luke. ¡°Understood, Lord.¡± And like Luke¡¯s proposal, they decided to outsource Hallis Magic Tower. Also, the plan to promote the magic industry of the estate was established and announced the very next day. That allowed the Rakan estate to prepare for their next big step. Chapter 343 - Singular Goal 3 Upon receiving the contact from Luke, the Hallis Magic Tower rushed toward the Rakan estates. They carried all of their needed stuff along with the Iron Mages and the related equipment into a trailer and began to temporarily erect a magic tower on the outskirts of Lamer to improve the old Gigants. Luke directly went to the Hallis Magic Tower to see if they had received the directions on how the Gigants had to be modified. As it was a temporary magic tower, he assumed that they would be having a lot of shortcomings such as accommodations and facilities. However, there didn¡¯t seem to be many problems. It was because of the financial support and the supplies of the Lamer city that were so generous that there didn¡¯t seem to be any shortage of support. ¡°Good thing. You can get to work soon.¡± At the words of Luke, Meister Meril, the head of Hallis Magic Tower, bowed his head to express his gratitude. ¡°It is all thanks to you Lord that we could get support like this.¡± ¡°And you will have to work hard from now on. But, didn¡¯t Marquis Mayers interfere on your way here?¡± Regardless if they were small or medium magic towers, they were still asked to pay heavy taxes. So, they thought that leaving wouldn¡¯t be so easy. ¡°Fortunately, he didn¡¯t seem to care so much because of his war with the Emperor. Besides, there isn¡¯t much he could say because it was an old magic tower, and we handed over the materials at a cheap price.¡± ¡°Is that so? Well, if there is anything else that you need, please let me know.¡± After talking with him, Luke walked toward the lord of Lamer. To meet Pavel, who was currently there on behalf of Reina to look after Kirillov. ¡°Is the trading going well with the southern continent?¡± ¡°It sure is. The tradelines are increasing every year, and the type and quality of the products are steadily increasing. With this trade, we plan to increase 12 branches we currently have to 30.¡± In addition, it was said that they were beginning to make branches in the Song Empire and Yemaek of the southern continent, as well as the Rhodesia Continent. ¡°In 10 years, I feel like we will become one of the best companies in the Rhodesia Continent.¡± ¡°You think so? Just thinking about it makes me feel good,¡± said Luke. The Kirillov Co. was developing remarkably with the efforts of the Volga Kingdom. Instead of rebuilding the ruined empire, Luke wanted to take advantage of the economic power. ¡°By the way, what happened with the iron core?¡± Luke had instructed them to secure an Iron Core wood for the making of his own Gigant and Orion. It was to reduce the manufacturing cost by replacing the very expensive radium alloy. ¡°Well, our men in the Song Empire came in contact with Zegal Clan, and they refused to sell them to us.¡± ¡°Tch, I need to make them sell it.¡± ¡°I hope so too. We heard that the principles of the Zegal clan are quite confidential, and they say that they have no intention of selling the Iron cores or the Puppets unless one has built a long line of trust with them.¡± ¡®Tch, it¡¯s exactly what Hwang Bo-sung said. I need to postpone this once again.¡¯ Luke decided to use radium allow for his exclusive Gigant and later add a tuning Helm to Orion as soon as the iron core gets secured. After talking with Pavel about that, Luke had taken the administrative report for an hour. The reports from the executive fields were quite satisfactory. Among them, the recommendation of the young executive Zetos was catchy. ¡°Currently, we are trying to attract a Magic Tower to foster the magic industry, but this won¡¯t be enough. It will be necessary to establish an academy and cultivate excellent talents for becoming wizards.¡± ¡°Academy¡­¡± Currently, there were large and small educational facilities in the Marquis of Rakan. However, there was no large professional institution like an academy. ¡°There is one great region around the Marquis. Even in the future, the Academy is a must for us.¡± ¡°Sure, that does sound right, but establishing an academy is not an easy task.¡± The most difficult part for the academy would be to have professors and instructors familiar with related subjects than to just build up facilities. To nurture the useful talent, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to just employ any professor. It was necessary to have at least a few reputable and knowledgeable characters. ¡°Once I discuss with the retainers, we will make a plan. And then let¡¯s think about selecting the site and funding resources.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord.¡± After giving a series of instructions, Luke went back to his manor. After coming back, he took some rest when Hans ran over and said, ¡°Lords, Marquis Mayers has sent an envoy.¡± ¡°Envoy?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that maybe this is a request to join the noblemen?¡± Just a few days back, there was a letter from Marquis Mayers. The letter asked Luke to join the forces to defeat the lunatic tyrant Emperor and turn Luke into a nobleman. Normally, he had to respond since the man was praised by the Lord. However, Luke just used it as a fire blazer for the fireplace. He didn¡¯t have such a lacking mind to get in between the fight of a crazy Emperor and greedy noblemen. When he didn¡¯t receive a reply to his letter, the man sent a person. ¡°Tell them that I am not here.¡± ¡°I already did, and they said that they will come back for you. He must have been ordered to only return after getting an answer,¡± responded Hans. ¡°This is so annoying.¡± Luke knew that he was bound to meet the man. However, he didn¡¯t go right away and decided to go out the next day to meet him. Since Hans had already said that the Lord wasn¡¯t present, Luke wanted to annoy the envoy, which had annoyed him for an answer. ¡°I was told you came.¡± ¡°It has been quite long, Lord.¡± It was Baron Bazzo who had come as an envoy of Marquis Mayers. Luke had already met the man once before joining the Imperial Army, but unlike that time, Luke was now being treated very politely. It was because of Luke¡¯s current position, which was no different from that of Marquis Mayers. ¡°I was told that you are suffering from a disease, but I guess they were all just rumors. I am glad to see you healthy and strong,¡± said Bazzo with a smile. ¡°Where did you get those rumors?¡± ¡°Huhuhu. From a very reliable source.¡± Luke had used Henry and the Imperial Intelligence service to deceive the Emperor a few days ago when Luke was asked to be assassinated. However, that was only the extent of the rumors, which they had to spread, so the rumors couldn¡¯t have spread to the other nobles. Nevertheless, Baron Bazzo knew about it. ¡®Does Mayers have someone in the Imperial Intelligence?¡¯ There could be, but Luke didn¡¯t seem to be overly cautious about it. It was because betrayal of information leakage in the future would be impossible for the Intelligence because of the subjugation that happened last time. ¡°I needed to rest my body for a while, that¡¯s all. But what¡¯s the reason for you to come here? To ask me to join the noblemen?¡± ¡°If the Marquis of Rakan will be joining our side, we will have nothing more to ask. All the other households will come to side with us.¡± Even after 500 years, the Warrior Rakan still held the same name in the knights of the continent. Therefore, there were still many who sympathized with the fall of the Rakan family, and those who were disgusted with the Baroque Imperial for doing it. And what would happen if the rumor spread that the Rakan family was fighting against the tyrant Emperor? The number of noble groups who would join would jump a lot. Among them, there would be lords with Gigant troops and excellent riders. ¡°Can you stand on our side?¡± ¡°If I was willing to do so, I would have already sent my knights to Marquis Mayers. Unfortunately, I am currently overwhelmed with just managing my territory, and I can¡¯t pay attention to anything until I find the whereabouts of Princess Reina.¡± ¡®This blatant child!¡¯ In the midst of the fight between the nobles and the Emperor, it wasn¡¯t like Baron Bazzo wasn¡¯t aware that Luke was secretly hoping for the fall of the Empie. However, the man was foolish enough to reveal his thoughts in front of a kid. ¡°That is a pity. I won¡¯t be asking you for anything more, but I hope you listen to this. While we were fighting the Emperor¡¯s army¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t attack you from behind? Would that be all?¡± Bazzo nodded at Luke¡¯s words. ¡°If we are hit on our back, we won¡¯t be able to do our best. So, I need to know this clearly.¡± The eyes of Bazzo changed. ¡°And what if I can¡¯t promise that?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Bazzon replied with a very normal voice, ¡°Then, my Lord said that his sword will be aimed at the Rakan before the Tyrant Emperor.¡± The warning of Marquis Mayers could be true. Even if Luke had changed his position, the man would have acted the same. Luke smiled and responded, ¡°Hu. Unless Marquis Mayers lays his hands on me first, I have no intention of fighting. And, what benefits would you get from fighting other people rather than the tyrant himself.¡± ¡°If that is your will, we can fight the Emperor with confidence.¡± Luke and Bazzo stared at each other and then smiled. However, both of their inner feelings were different. ¡®Keep your eyes open for now. Once you get all tattered up after fighting the Emperor, I¡¯ll clean you all up.¡¯ ¡®This sly boy! Bastard! Once the Emperor falls, it will be your turn.¡¯ The two men shook their hands without speaking their true intentions and wrote a promised treaty with a magic seal and signature. The agreement allowed the southern noblemen to know there would be no one going behind their backs, and Luke would be able to build his reality without fear of war coming at him. Chapter 344 - Erwin’s Return 1 Walk. Walk. And walk. The dawn wasn¡¯t so dark. And there was a young person who seemed to be approaching the lordship of the Rakan Marquis. The young one was wearing a white coat which symbolized the El Kassel denomination, and the face was covered with the hood. However, because of the lean body, it was easy to figure out that the young wasn¡¯t a man but a woman. ¡°Ha ah, I managed to come here at last!¡± A clear and calm voice came out from the woman who looked at the manor. She was a little exhausted with the long trip, however, she wasn¡¯t tired to the extent of falling unconscious. Taking steps again, she approached the gate of the manor. Right then, the guards who were guarding the place approached the woman and spoke very politely. ¡°Glory to the messengers of the light which illuminates the darkness! I am very sorry, but this is the place where the Marquis of Rakan resides, and no one can enter without his permission.¡± No matter who the man was, no human could enter the manor unless the guards were informed beforehand. And after the recent attack from the assassins, the entrance had been asked to work more sternly. At the words of the guard, the lady pushed back the hood which was covering her head. Behind the hood was a woman with unparalleled beauty and green hair. However, she wasn¡¯t a human. ¡®E, Elf!¡¯ The guards were startled. However, it wasn¡¯t because of her being a beautiful elf that the other guard was shocked. It was because the guard was familiar with her face and said, ¡°By chance, are you Miss Erwin?¡± There were very few fairies who were living in the Rakan estate. The guards were often called by the Lord. And the guards were made to memorize their names and appearances, including Erwin¡¯s. ¡°Yes, I am Erwin Lesa. Go and inform the Marquis that I have come.¡± ¡°But, it is too late miss, the time is¡­¡± The guards were rather flustered with her words. It was because their Lord normally would be asleep by the time. ¡°Please move fast. I have come to visit the Lord in a secret manner, that is why I had to come at this time to meet him.¡± She told them that so they wouldn¡¯t ignore her request. Though there was a little hesitation, the guards went and informed the butler that Erwin had arrived. ¡°What did you say? There is a visitor at this time? And would want to see our Lord?¡± It was said that when a man gets old, morning sleep was usually decreased. Hans, the butler and the deputy lord of the Marquis of Rakan, could feel his morning sleep decrease. Being an early riser, he tried to complete the pending work in the morning, and he was puzzled with the report a guard has brought in. ¡°Did he inform who he was?¡± ¡°Yes, an Elf named Erwin Lesa.¡± ¡°Who? Erwin Lesa?!¡± Hans knew that name very well. The disciple of High Elf Erenes, the one who was closely involved with Princess Reina¡¯s disappearance in the past, a 7th magic circle Archmage. He too had seen her quite a lot of times. Not long ago, he heard from the head of the Argos, Hudson, that his Lord was puzzled when the whereabouts of Erwin was declared as unknown. ¡°I guess that I need to go.¡± Hans hurriedly put on his coat and headed to the entrance of the manor. Indeed it was Erwin, dressed in pure white. He couldn¡¯t figure out why she, a wizard would be wearing a denomination¡¯s clothes, but he was concerned that she might have something bad for Luke. Which was why he wanted to decide after listening to her whether to grant an audience with his Lord or not. ¡°You are the butler, Hans. It has been so long.¡± She greeted him first. ¡°I am glad to see you. But what is with the visit at this time? Can I know why you are going to meet the lord?¡± She looked young, but Hans knew that the elf¡¯s average age could be around 200 years, and he couldn¡¯t speak recklessly towards her. And more troubling was that Erwin was like the head of the fairies in the Rakan estates. ¡°I have something to speak to him.¡± ¡°¡­ By any chance, are you trying to get him caught up in any strange request or incidents?¡± Erwin sighed at Hans¡¯s antipathy towards her. ¡°We have reflected on ourselves with the incident of Princess Reina. We weren¡¯t aware enough. However, this time, I haven¡¯t come to harm the Lord. I swear on the goddess of earth, Belize.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Only after the promise of Erwin, Hans moved. Fairies sure had big mouths, but they didn¡¯t lie as frequently as humans. Moreover, Erwin vowed to Belize. The goddess of Earth, Belize, the one considered to be the mother of elves. So, she couldn¡¯t lie under that name. ¡°Would it be alright to know the reason?¡± ¡°That could be troublesome. It is related to the fairy clans¡­¡± ¡®Clans of fairies?¡¯ Hans knew that there was a slight revolt between the fairies in the estate. The fairies haven¡¯t told anything about the reason, so he couldn¡¯t assume. But wondered if it related anything to his Lord. ¡°Then, I can¡¯t help it. I will guide you, please follow me.¡± ¡°Thank you so much.¡± After the conversation, the two of them moved into the manor, even as if the darkness of dawn still hadn¡¯t set. Chapter 345 - Erwin’s Return 2 ¡°You disappear without a word and come back without a word too.¡± Luke who looked at Erwin, was stern. It was because he had been called out when he was sleeping, and she too felt bad for asking him to get up in the middle of the night. ¡°You went from east to west. I even went to Albertville, followed the inspectors of the Holy empire¡¯s, but they said you were already gone.¡± Said Erwin. ¡°That is because I have a lot to do.¡± He was wondering if the woman moved on instinct and reached him by dawn. However, Luke decided to go straight to the main point. ¡°Yeah okay, so why are you here to see me?¡± ¡°The fairy representatives of the Volga Republic might be aiming at you. I don¡¯t know when and how they will come at you, but you need to be careful.¡± ¡°They are aiming for me? Why? Wasn¡¯t there that thing which said you would cooperate with me in Erenes¡¯s will?¡± Luke asked not being able to understand. When Erenes died, he made sure that all the fairies would be the ones to cooperate with Luke. And the ones who followed will stay in the Rakan and help the lord of the estate. But Erwin, a disciple of Erenes, just came back with a warning to watch out for the fairies. ¡°That is there, but¡­¡± Erwin frowned a little. She then informed Luke about the Fairy council meeting which happened three months ago. Luke¡¯s anger bursts out when he realized that they were choosing to take him to get to Reina by any means to make her open the Spirit World. ¡°What the hell?! You used her exactly 3 years ago, and I tried very hard to endure my anger without harming any of you, but those stupid guys want to do it again!¡± As a result of seeing Luke so angry, Erwin choked. If she didn¡¯t manage to protect her body with mana, her heart might have stopped with the energy he was releasing. ¡®How dare they try to scare her and make her do something dangerous again! Those men lack any basic sense!¡¯ 500 years ago, Luke had taken the path to becoming a warlock to avenge the death of Katarina. However currently, the fairies were thinking of using Reina, the incarnation of Katarina. To achieve their ridiculous goals of resurrecting the Mado Abaron Empire! ¡®I will never be able to forgive them!¡¯ Luke held Erwin¡¯s cheeks and spoke with a low yet scary voice. ¡°Right away, move to the home base of yours. I will come and show them how the anger of the devil will be like.¡± At the words of Luke, Erwin¡¯s eyes were trembling with fluster and anxiousness. The very reason why she had gone to the estate was to prevent the two sides from entering into a conflict. If Reina and Luke were vigilant, the fairies won¡¯t stand back. However, in the current situation, her warning just went ahead and ignited Luke¡¯s anger. And it wasn¡¯t like Princess Reina had been in any discomfort yet. Nevertheless, looking at Luke¡¯s violent reaction, she could see how special his feelings for the lady was. ¡®Anyway, if Marquis Luke did go in like this, I don¡¯t think that all the fairy representatives will be making it out alive.¡¯ He was once the man who managed to destroy one-third of the continent with his party. However, the problem this time would be that, during the removal of the fairies, it was likely that most of the fairies would suffer huge damage. There weren¡¯t many fairies who were supporting the representatives, yet they would be used like shields. If the representatives and the fairies were removed, could the other fairies manage to live peacefully? That couldn¡¯t be. They will act like they obey Luke, but they would always hate the man who destroyed their race. And Luke¡¯s eyes which would see the fairies would never be so calm. And the peace between the humans and fairies which were just developing would be destroyed completely. ¡®Uh! I need to calm him down!¡¯ Erwin who thought of it. ¡°Please calm down. They are representatives, but they don¡¯t represent everyone. There are those who disagree.¡± Once Erwin said that the fairies remained in the Rakan were safe. And the fairies of the estate were strongly opposing to the instructions which were given by the representatives. ¡®There was a reason why the fairies of my estate were suddenly having clashes.¡¯ Luke managed to find the answer to hid doubt, but that didn¡¯t mean that his anger had resided. He snarled at Erwin. ¡°Even then, I won¡¯t tolerate it if Reina is touched.¡± ¡°I will persuade the fairies to follow our instructions. So, please don¡¯t be so angry.¡± Even the ones of the fairies who had indomitable power within the fairy were like kings or monarchs. In other words, the one who delegates the authority. But the real power dwells within the elder of each race. Erwin intended to persuade them to neutralize the power of the representatives. If most fairies turn their backs, they won¡¯t be able to continue their plans. Upon hearing the explanation, Luke asked her while releasing the grip on her. ¡°Is that even possible?¡± ¡°Yes, I will make sure that it turns out like that.¡± ¡°Are you sure? You think that you can do it alone?¡± Luke mumbled, Erwin still kept her straight face. ¡°I am the disciple of Erenes.¡± Erwin was shining with pride. Seeing that Luke managed to calm his anger. ¡®When the civil war breaks out, we don¡¯t know what will happen to our land. And that is even more reason for me not to resort to it.¡¯ The representatives were nasty, but they weren¡¯t the kind to ignore the situations in their surroundings without taking advantage of them. And from the attitude of the Marquis of Mayers, it seemed like the noblemen had an upper hand over the Emperor. Although Luke had signed a non-aggressive treaty, he would be able to take part in numerous manners. The provocation wasn¡¯t a powerless move. ¡®To the point where I want to go, it is impossible not to make enemies.¡¯ While Luke was deciding, he gave a chance to Erwin. ¡°Nice, if you can persuade the fairies to stop making those stupid decisions, I¡¯ll stay silent.¡± ¡°T, thank you! The fairies who value peace and justice will certainly listen to me.¡± ¡°If things go the other way. Blood will flow.¡± Erwin who knew that Luke doesn¡¯t joke like that was feeling glad. Definitely she was going to persuade everyone, regardless of the means and method. ¡°Seeing you come wearing those clothes of El Kassel, I thought you came from Bless.¡± ¡°Yes, I thought that I should have informed Reina first.¡± ¡°Well, you did think right. Otherwise, you would have heard a lot more nagging from me.¡± Luke, smiled saying that and told Hans, who was waiting outside to call Philip. ¡°Called for me Lord?¡± Right after, Philip made an appearance looking surprised to see Erwin standing beside Luke. ¡°Oh my, you!¡± ¡°It has been long.¡± A simple case like Philip greeted her and Erwin just responded expressionlessly. ¡®Why is this woman here? Is she trying to do anything like¡­¡¯ Philip knew about the reason why Princess Reina disappeared had everything to do with Erwin. However, his suspicion got lifted listening to Luke¡¯s words. ¡°¡­ So, recruit some men from Rakan knights and send them as escorts.¡± ¡°You mean us?¡± Philip asked with a disgusted expression. He wondered if there was reason to remove the important members of the Rakan knights in such unsteady situations. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t gathering the dwarves or lycans be better? Wasn¡¯t it said that there are men who oppose the fairy representatives?¡± ¡°There is no need to say the reason. Just do what I am asking you to.¡± There was a reason why Luke insisted on sending the Rakan knights. They would act as escorts and also as guards. And in case of emergency, he was planning on using an agent of Hydra for help. ¡°Huh, fine. I¡¯ll organize the personnel today.¡± When Philip stepped down, Luke spoke to Erwin. ¡°When will you go?¡± ¡°I am going to rest today and then leave tomorrow morning at dawn.¡± ¡°I hope you will come back with results.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Erwin left the room with a bitter expression. Erwin¡¯s heart felt agitated at the thought of being hated by someone with a kind heart. Having spoken with Erwin, Luke used the Magi communication with Arch Duke Gregory of the Holy Empire. She said that she had already informed Reina, but he was worried if Reina was feeling anxious because of it. The representatives were crazy men focused on reproducing the glory of the past. The Arch Duke who answered the communication asked with a frown. -What is it? the long-range communication has a risk of being intercepted, shouldn¡¯t a wizard know this better than anyone? Although he knew about being the lover of Veronica III, very few people in the Holy Empire knew about it. Of course, there were a few petty rumors in the public too. However, the rumors weren¡¯t about Rakan Marquis Luke, but the Mercenary King, the God¡¯s Warrior Lev. As a result, Gregory was worried that the secret about the lovers would go out because of the long-range communication. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± -What is it? Related to the Holy Pope? ¡°Right.¡± Luke told him what he heard from Erwin. At that, Arch Duke jumped out at once. -What? Those fairies dare to use the Pope? I¡¯m going to drive the men of Saint Guard into the Volga right away! Surely, the man Gregory was great. The only problem was, the Holy Empire had to consider a lot of issues when dealing with Volga. ¡°It isn¡¯t our job to take over Volga or take down the fairies, but keep this one in mind.¡± -What do you mean? ¡°If even a single strand of Reina¡¯s hair is hurt, I won¡¯t be leaving the Holy Empire alone.¡± A terrifying light could be seen in Luke¡¯s eyes when he said that. Gregory learned about Luke when he fought with him in the Holy empire. -Hung, that will never happen. I will risk my life to protect the Holy Pope. ¡°If so, then I am very glad.¡± If the Arch Duke really kept his word and stayed beside Reina, no fairy could ever touch Reina. Luke deliberately communicated like that. -By that, the Baroque Empire is noisy due to the civil war. The Pope said that she would send support if needed. At the words of Arch Duke Gregory, Luke shook his head. ¡°Our strength here is enough. Support the Albertville estate instead. And I want to make some fuss in the eastern border.¡± -Uhm, at the border¡­ Gregory was a man with thick military thinking engraved into his bones. So he noticed what Luke wanted to say right away. -Are you trying to keep the eastern forces busy and make trouble for the Emperor? But to send troops to raise a disputed border might not be right. We will have to take a few of the eastern manors for this. ¡°Sure. But don¡¯t overdo it.¡± As Luke knew, the Holy Empire still had time to recover from the aftermath of the civil war. In such a situation, if a large scale war broke out, the people would suffer and opposition for Reina might grow. And the opposing factions of Marcus and Constantine would take over. Luke didn¡¯t want that to happen. -Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of it. Anyway, if you need help at a later time, please ask us. We will send reinforcements using the long-distance teleport gate. ¡°Yes, if a situation arises when I will feel the need of your help.¡± After the communication, Luke went back to the report submitted by Argos and studied it till morning. ¡®The fairies are going to hit their way up.¡¯ This day, Luke was in deep thoughts about whether he would be stepping into the civil war in the future. Chapter 347 - Trap of the Fairies 1 The orders from Emperor Rudolf was as it is relayed to Luke. It was because the officials of the Imperial Intelligence agency in the Nemesis were under Luke. ¡°What? He asked to spread the one about me learning dark magic, and that I joined hands with the warlocks secretly?¡± ¡°Yes, master. It was said that such rumors are already spreading in the capital and other areas. The Emperor is going to spread this rumor to other places too. The problem is that the rumor is quite plausible, and it is very interesting, so it will enter the ears and mouth of the people very frequently.¡± At Belfair¡¯s report, Luke thought that those who disliked him were the ones to spread it. And there were many people in the Baroque Empire who hated him, including Marquis Mayers. However, listening to the rumors, he couldn¡¯t just laugh it off. It sure was a story with a lot of questionable things. However, it contained the truth, which very few knew about. ¡®A warlock who is with the dark moon¡­ The Dark Moon magic tower.¡¯ Whether a rumor or statement, it wasn¡¯t fake. There were a few lies and truth mixed into it. So, if people realize there was one truth in it, they would begin to believe the entire rumor. ¡®What kind of bastard would do this¡­?¡¯ Luke managed to think up about someone who might have spread his secret out to the world. It was important to identify who the loose mouth was. However, it was also important to understand how far the rumors had already spread. ¡°Do the retainers know?¡± ¡°They still aren¡¯t aware of it. However, it is only a matter of time till they know.¡± The officials of the Intelligence agency hadn¡¯t followed the Emperor¡¯s orders. However, the rumors were so exciting and interesting that no one had to play their hand into making it spread. ¡°Uhm, this is annoying.¡± Luke had put up the manor from rocks to the next level with his excellent skills and leadership. The support from his retainers was boundless. However, there was taboo for the Warrior family, the Marquis of Rakan. That was Dark Magic. Never would one from the family or the retainers go near dark magic. It was inevitable that sooner or later the rumors would be asked to give some clarification. ¡°Master, why not let the retainers find it out?¡± ¡°If they do, they might commit suicide.¡± From the days since the poverty-stricken estate, the retainers had held and served the warrior¡¯s family with pride. If they found out that their young lord was trying to mix hands with the power of darkness, they would either end their lives without hesitation or seek death by trying to expose the truth. And if the suspicion broke out, fuss would break out. Luke¡¯s position might become a little less scary. ¡°Anyway, did you find out who is spreading the rumor?¡± ¡°From the Intelligence agency and that man Henry, it was neither Emperor Rudolf nor Marquis Mayers.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet, but I have been mobilizing all the men and looking into it, so we will be able to find out sooner or later¡­¡± That was when Luke¡¯s eyes changed. Belfair stopped talking when he noticed something. The waves of air around them had changed. ¡°An intruder has entered the mansion, Master.¡± ¡°I know. It seems that he isn¡¯t an ordinary one who is breaking through the knights¡¯ region.¡± Last time, after Henry¡¯s attempt to assassinate, the guards and boundaries for the manor had been made tighter. The defense walls were strong enough to keep up even during a battle with Baroque Empire. The manor had an increase in guards and alarm magic. However, seeing through it and entering the mansion wasn¡¯t common. ¡°If they have such a level of stealth, then it can¡¯t be a human.¡± ¡°Should I confirm?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that it is an assassin because I officially have ill health, and don¡¯t kill them. Catch them and bring them into the castle¡¯s secret lab.¡± Passing through the walls of the manor of the Marquis late at night was like asking for the death penalty. However, Luke asked Belfair to catch the intruder. ¡°Understood, Master!¡± Belfair turned into dozens of bats and quickly moved out of the office. ¡°How dare someone came to infiltrate this place? What is their purpose?¡± He could feel something sinister. While he was trying to hide his secret of being related to the lord, the feeling in his mind hadn¡¯t settled down. The sinister feeling that was lurking around. Chapter 348 - Trap of the Fairies 2 After a while, Belfair managed to grab the dark elf and tied him up. Luke, who had decided to be in the secret lab in the Devil King¡¯s castle using his teleportation magic frowned upon seeing the face of the dark elf. It was because it was familiar. ¡°You are¡­¡± ¡°Hyrun. It has been a long time, Lord Marquis.¡± Hyrun, an agent belonging to the Volga Intelligence department was the one who tried to kidnap Princess Reina in the past. Perhaps because of that situation, the words from Luke¡¯s mouth were cold. ¡°What are you doing here? It didn¡¯t seem like you were trying to kill me.¡± ¡°Do you know the rumor which has been circulating in the Empire recently?¡± At the words of Hyrun, Luke gave him a terrifying glance. Hyrun couldn¡¯t help but avoid the gaze and bow his head. ¡°The ones who spread the rumors about me, they were your fairies I see.¡± The warning of Erwin came to Luke¡¯s mind. Be wary of the Volga fairy representatives. He was doubting it, but things to turn like this! ¡®Well, the fairies of the Volga Republic might be aware that I am working with the Dark Moon magic tower. There are a few mixed-blood wizards in the Dark Moon magic tower, so.¡¯ Luke could feel his chest tighten when feeling frustrated about the turn of events. Luke decided to ask Hyrun again. ¡°Kay then, what is the reason for you stealthily infiltrate my manor like this? I am sure that it wasn¡¯t because you wanted to boast of your skills.¡± ¡°I brought you a letter from Elder Nanas, who currently is the presiding head of the Fairy delegation.¡± ¡°Elder Nanas?¡± ¡°Yes, A great Arch Mage of the fairies who has great leadership and conviction for the future of the fairies.¡± ¡®Huh, great leader my ass! Just one of a poor fairy blinded by greed and trying to hit back on the human-fairy alliance.¡¯ Luke never saw the fairy called Nanas, but it seemed like the fairy could be more human than a human itself. And on top of that, Hyrun frowned a little when he was referring to her as if he held some dissatisfaction with the one called Nanas. ¡°Well, let me take a look at the letter.¡± At the words of Luke, Belfair checked Hyrun¡¯s hand and brought him the letter. [To the Lord of Marquis of Rakan, Marquis Luke. There is something that I would like to discuss with you, closely, so a week later from now we will have a meeting at the Melvin Valley of the Volga Republic. If you don¡¯t come, I will have to reveal to the world that you are defending the Dark Moon by placing them in the gates of Jason estate, along with the truth about the Pope in the Holy Empire.] Wak! The letter from Nanas crumpled in Luke¡¯s hand. With a piercing glance, Luke asked Hyrun. ¡°Is this the will of all the fairies or of that Nanas own?¡± ¡°Uh, all the fairies.¡± At Hyrun¡¯s answer, Luke held his expression and then looked at the ceiling of the room and laughed out loud. ¡°Kuahhhh! This is the intent of all the fairies?¡± Luke, who laughed for a while, pulled out the sword which was hanging from his waist. Slash! Hyrun¡¯s face turned white seeing that. As the purple gleaming sword fell from the sky, he closed his eyes. However, instead of his neck being slashed, it was the ropes that bound him which were cut. ¡°Go now. Go and tell and I am due to come.¡± Luke opened up the exit to the outside. Hyrun looked at Luke for a moment and then vanished. Luke, who saw Hyrun leave, mumble sarcastically. ¡°Surely the fairies aren¡¯t good at lying. But, one thing is for sure. The truth is, those fairies aren¡¯t much different from humans.¡± Maybe that was natural. In ancient times it was the fairies who had brought up the humans, the primitive race, into slavery and handing out the civilization. The current humans¡¯ hatred by the fairies too was influenced by those fairies who were under enormous power and rule during the times of the Mado Abaron Empire. ¡®Not all humans are bad. And fairies too are very similar. The problem is the ones on the top. The ones with power and authority who aren¡¯t satisfied with what they have and are eager to destroy the world.¡¯ Because of such people, unjust things like violence and war will frequently fall on the world. In the process, someone would lose someone important. Violence is filled with sorrow and hate which will cause another war. As the saint said, sin produces sin, and blood brings blood. Luke too didn¡¯t deny himself as a sinner. However, he vowed to himself that he would use his power to condemn the other sinners. ¡®Anyway, my mind feels lighter. If I sweep things away with the fairy representatives of whatever, then they won¡¯t feel more nervous anymore.¡¯ Luke decided to deal with Nanas and the others. Of course, those who defend that person would also be taken down. ¡®If Erwin knew, she would somehow try to talk me out of it. But it is past that.¡¯ Erwin was relentlessly persuading the fairy chiefs and elders of each race. Luke wasn¡¯t going to let her know of this. If she found out, then she would try to stop Luke from going there. Chapter 349 - Trap of the Fairies 3 Melvin Valley. In the center of the valley was a forest full of trees that were black and twisted. The residents of the neighboring place referred to it as the Dark Forest and never laid their eyes on it. Most of the people entered the forest would return after being dead, or on the verge of death. Hundreds of fairies entered the cursed area a while ago. The one who led the fairies was a fair-haired fairy wizard. An Elder, she was creating something unusual in the Dark Forest. However, not many people knew what it was. ¡°It is almost complete. We can make it in time.¡± When Nanas smiled thinly, she looked at ¡®it¡¯, and Hyrun appeared in front of her. ¡°I have come, Elder Nanas.¡± ¡°You did great. What did he say?¡± Asked Nanas. ¡°He said that he would come.¡± ¡°Huh, very good! He can¡¯t help but come here since not coming here means that he would stand out.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± Hyrun was trying to say something when he saw a dwarf who was making ¡®it¡¯ had collapsed. The other fairies who were around him seemed shocked, but they didn¡¯t even move him. One of the lycan shook his head and looked at the dwarf worker who seemed to be dead. ¡°Well, this sure seems like a hard work.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about this being completed in the due time.¡± ¡°But the sacrifice is too great.¡± From what Hyrun knew, there were over 50 fairies who died from making that thing in the Dark Forest. There were those who were completely drained of their energy and those who were abolished from there. However, Nanas wasn¡¯t concerned with any of that. ¡°It is a sacrifice that we all need to make. Did you think that the one who is taking ahead the principles of the Devil King can be subdued without sacrifice?¡± ¡°No, that isn¡¯t what¡­¡± ¡°This is a sacred sacrifice to resurrect the Abaron Empire. History will remember and praise them.¡± Right when Nanas said that, another fairy fell. The fallen fairy wasn¡¯t dead but exhausted. ¡®A sacred sacrifice¡­¡¯ Hyrun looked at the structure which his men were making while cutting down their own lives. Built on the cursed land, the huge structure was a trap for the Rune Knight, Marquis Luke, who was succeeding the Black Sage. ¡®There is no result without sacrifice. But is this really going to be praised in history?¡¯ The doubt of Hyrun¡¯s was bigger than ever. However, one thing was certain. The fact that the thing would be done before he will be able to find an answer to his question. ¡®Three days left.¡¯ Three days later, Marquis Luke would arrive there. And his moves which took over the continent would come to an end. The trap laid out by Elder Nanas was so powerful that it dealt with a Sword Master of the Volga Kingdom along with an Arch Mage of 8th magic circle. Even a Sword Emperor, well technically, no Sword Sage could ever live past it. The bitter expression of Hyrun, seeing the structure couldn¡¯t be erased so easily. Chapter 350 - The Dark Forest 1 Sevastol¡ªa commercial city in the south eastern part of Volga Republic. The city along the side of a large river that flowed to the south of the continent. The place was built over a hundred years ago by a merchant named Bratt. The man called Bratt had supported the revolutionary army during the republican revolution. In return, it grew exponentially, benefitting from the supply for the military and the right to trade goods without duty and taxes. The Bratt Co. entered the continent¡¯s top 10 Chamber of Commerce the same year and was serving the republic. ¡°What is that carriage?¡± ¡°Seems like someone is going in it.¡± In front of the headquarters of the Bratt Co. in Sevastol, a carriage with men from El Kassel order had stopped. The men around the area looked at the carriage for a while and then continued to do what they were doing. It was because that shrine often purchased items that were needed for their shrines and other sanctuaries. However, the workers, who went back to work, stopped moving when they saw who was in the carriage. Even though the one inside was cool and expressionless, the beauty of the one inside was like a goddess. ¡°Huh, such a beauty for a priestess¡­!¡± ¡°What made her become a priestess? Maybe a heartbreaking story?¡± ¡°Her heart must have been broken by some bad guy.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t talk and get back to work!¡± At the shouts of their chief, the workers went back to working. However, as if she had heard the grunts of the workers, the goddess had stopped for a moment. She was Erwin. Erwin, who was under a written promise with Luke, smiled bitterly at the words of the workers. Though the other men didn¡¯t know, there was a bad guy who learned dark magic but isn¡¯t aware of her. ¡®I can¡¯t help it. I was the one who made it like this.¡¯ When it came to princess Reina, Erwin had did something in the past which made Luke despise her. It wasn¡¯t just that. Even after being crushed by his anger, he was consistently using a chilly tone when speaking with Erwin. ¡®The words of my teacher were right.¡¯ She remembered that Erenes had once scolded her for not being too compliant when it came to marriage. At that time, she didn¡¯t feel so bad with his words, but now she was regretting it. ¡®The next time we meet, would he treat me a little softly?¡¯ It was important for him and her to have a change in their attitudes, but it was much more important to get results. As promised to Luke, she had to persuade the fairies to neutralize the representatives of the fairies. In that way, Luke¡¯s view on the fairies and herself might be a little softer. Erwin decided to go along with the escorts provided by Luke and had gone into the main building of the Bratt headquarters. The escorts, who were dressed as knights of El Kassel, were all members of the Rakan Knights. ¡°What is your reason in coming here?¡± A person in the counter at the center of a spacious hall talked to Erwin¡¯s party. Coming to the head office of the company was very rare. It was because every item could be purchased in their branches. Moreover, the one there was a priestess. ¡°I am here to see the boss.¡± ¡°My boss is going to the capital because of work¡­¡± ¡°The one I want to meet is someone who loves cypress trees.¡± Upon saying that, Erwin took out the silver ring that she was wearing. The silver ring had words inscribed in it that said ¡®Truth and Eternity¡¯ in the elven language. It was a memento she received from her teacher¡ªErenes. The expression of the man in the counter changed as he saw the ring. After a moment, he pulled out a bell from the drawer and rang it three times in a row. With that, a door to the side of the hall opened, bringing an armed elf warrior. ¡°Follow me.¡± Erwin and the knights were guided by the elf warrior into the depth of the store. Upon moving, they passed a small garden and then went into passages and several doors. In the garden, a middle aged elf wearing a straw hat was trimming the tree with large scissors. Erwin approached him and bowed. ¡°The young daughter who succeeded the wise man greets the head of the Wind Valley.¡± ¡°Erwin Lesa?¡± The man asked without looking at her face. ¡°Yes, Mr. Bratt.¡± Apparently, the elven man who was gardening was Bratt Edelkron¡ªthe merchant who had founded the company. He was actually a promising wizard. He acted as a merchant in the human society, hiding his identity despite the opposition from his close aides. ¡°Money is what moves the human society. I will use the power of money to help my people who have been persecuted.¡± After succeeding as a merchant, Bratt saved the elves who were being sold as slaves with his money, and he secretly established an elf community in human society. Many elves were working in that community created by Bratt. Some elves were open to the public, but many of them were disguised as human beings like the one at the counter. Although the Volga treated the fairies very gently and better than the other nations, society was still more advantageous to humans. In any case, Bratt¡¯s activities were very helpful to the elves as well as the fairies. In the Volga Republic, Bratt was treated well because of his foresight and great merits. Gaining merits, Bratt soon became the head of the Wind Valley. Among the elves composed of various tribes, the Wind Valley was the one with more numbers and power. So, the head of the Wind Valley was recognized as the head of the elves. ¡°Are you here for the fairies?¡± Bratt knew exactly why Erwin had paid him a visit. ¡°Have you heard anything else?¡± ¡°Amur Khan told me that you will come sooner or later.¡± Amur was the head of the Lycan race. Erwin met and convinced him before reaching Wind Valley. ¡°If you heard it from Amur Khan, then you might be aware as to what I wish to talk about.¡± ¡°I do. I left matters to the fairy representatives regarding the Spirit World¡¯s door, and things are going too far.¡± The heads of the fairies were different, and they had to consider so many things for the sake of their tribe. So, the heads were selected to meet and negotiate with each other and empower each tribe. ¡°To be honest, I am in favor of opening the door to the Spirit World, but I don¡¯t want to provoke the Holy Empire and the one who has been recognized great enough to receive the branch from the World Tree by the wise man.¡± ¡°Then¡­?¡± ¡°Well, I am going to reclaim the power from the representatives. Especially, Nanas seems to be too obsessed with it. I am concerned for the fairy queen.¡± The heads of the fairies were all very busy watching the actions of the representatives, including Nanas. However, they couldn¡¯t just reclaim their powers when the word was out about opening the Spirit World¡¯s door and agitate their men, and they haven¡¯t been struck with any devastating problem. However, the situation was slowly changing. ¡°According to the recently obtained information, Nanas is told to be creating a great cause and is sacrificing the lives of the fairies. There are dozens of people who have already been sacrificed.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­! We need to do something immediately!¡± Erwin was shocked. ¡°I am still in talks with the warriors.¡± There were consultations between the chiefs of the races to regain the powers from the representatives, but there was no time. Bratt decided to move only for himself, the fairy queen and Amur with their forces. Their forces would be enough to stand against Nanas, and it was possible to neutralize the representatives of the other ones by promoting her problematic behavior. ¡°When will the warriors convene?¡± ¡°Well, a few more days at most¡­¡± When Bratt was speaking to Erwin, an elf warrior ran into the garden with a letter. After seeing the letter, Bratt¡¯s face hardened. ¡°This is bad news.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Asked Erwin. ¡°Nanas has completed the establishment of the Trap in the Dark forest. In addition, there are over 100 fairies who have been sacrificed,¡± responded Bratt. ¡°Dark Forest? A Trap?!¡± Erwin couldn¡¯t go ahead anymore. She was wondering why the fairies were dying in the hands of Nanas. However, it turned out a trap was being established in the Dark forest. From what Erwin knew, that was the method which was used in the past to kill Sword Master Kamarov and the Royal Wizard Kavin of the Volga Kingdom. ¡®Who is Elder Nanas aiming for?¡¯ Was it princess Reina, who was being protected by Arch Duke Gregory, or was it another person? ¡°Excuse me chief, but I must go.¡± Erwin felt like something bad was about to happen and decided to bid farewell to Bratt. ¡°The talks aren¡¯t done yet, where are you going? You aren¡¯t going to the Dark Forest are you?¡± Asked Bratt. ¡°¡­¡± At the question of Bratt, Erwin didn¡¯t reply. However, he knew what her silence meant, and Bratt wanted to restrain her. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything that will put you in danger. If you get caught when the trap is still under watch¡­¡± ¡°I know what will happen, but I need to go.¡± Bratt failed to defeat Erwin¡¯s stubbornness. ¡°Then, I hope you stay safe.¡± ¡°You too, chief.¡± She looked sad for some reason as she kept moving away, and Bratt put down the scissors from his hand. ¡®I too need to move more actively.¡¯ Thinking so, he hurriedly walked somewhere. Chapter 351 - The Dark Forest 2 ¡°Is that the Melvin Valley?¡± Luke stared at the valley that was in front of him. The mist-filled valley was dark and unpleasant. If Luke hadn¡¯t decided to wipe out the Fairy Representatives, he would have never found out about that place. ¡°Master, was this place of the promised meet?¡± ¡°Yeah, the sneaky bastards are stuck in place, which is perfect for my body.¡± At the response to Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s question, Luke answered. Luke had brought in the assassins led by Henry and Hwang Bo-sung as his escorts. As his meet was a secret, he couldn¡¯t bring in his general escorts. Philip and the two demons were made aware of the secret and the situation. However, they were busy at the manor, so they couldn¡¯t be asked to accompany Luke. And honestly, the current number of men with Luke was enough to bring down the fairies. ¡®If I bring out my dark magic and demonic power, no number of fairies can beat me.¡¯ Luke had brought the escorts, not for his protection, but to prevent the fairies from running away. It wasn¡¯t a problem if they ran away, but if they chose to hide and keep spreading the rumors about Luke, then it would turn into a problem. ¡°I have come, Lord.¡± Henry appeared in front of Luke. He had arrived ahead of Luke and gathered information about their surroundings. ¡°Have you learned anything about Melvin Valley and the fairies?¡± ¡°Yes, people say there is a Dark Forest in the valley. That the evil spirits are alive in there and not to look in that direction, but recently, hundreds of fairies had entered there.¡± ¡°A forest with evil spirits¡­¡± ¡°If someone goes in, they either die or go crazy. I wonder if there was a warlock or a demon curse placed on it?¡± Henry said, looking at Luke¡¯s face. It was because Henry thought that Luke might know since he has a demon slave. However, Luke didn¡¯t respond. It was because it wasn¡¯t just two or three forests or valley on the continents that were rumored to be homes for evil spirits or ghosts. There were so many of such rumors around. For the nobles to hide their gold and treasures, they would chose a forest and hide their money and make up such rumors to stop people from going in and finding their money. The humans were placed in there and asked to dress up as monsters such as trolls or bandits to scare away the humans. ¡°If there really was such a curse over there, all those fairies in there would have been dead or gone insane.¡± ¡°Yes, I know the story isn¡¯t so reliable, but that is the only side of the story I could gather.¡± ¡°A story?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°The current Volga Republic president, Vladimir, was hiding in the Melvin Valley during the Republican revolution. The Volga knights were dispatched to find the man and catch him. However, the troops, which went into the Dark Forest, never came back.¡± It wasn¡¯t just that, the royal wizard and the strongest knights also disappeared. ¡°Kamarov and Kawin¡ªthe knight and the royal wizard of the royal family¡ªwere very skilled. It was after they had disappeared that the chart had leaned over for the revolution¡¯s side,¡± said Henry. ¡°Hmm, I guess there was a trap placed at that time.¡± The head of their troops was used as a bait and the troops had prepared a trap in advance. ¡°I looked around before lord came, and there are dark elves on every street.¡± Henry had given up on trying to get inside the Dark Forest. Normally, he was cautious, but the borders of the forest were guarded by dark elves who were known for their senses. ¡°Master, what are you going to do? Would you still go ahead?¡± Asked Hwang Bo-sung, who listened to the story. Luke was feeling troubled. He had ignored the rumors about the forest but was worried that the Volga guards had gone missing. In addition, the dark and unpleasant energy he was sensing from the valley was annoying. ¡°We will enter for now. If there are any problems, we can get out of there.¡± Luke handed out the scrolls he had prepared in advance in case of an emergency. With utmost care, they all headed to Melvin Valley. Soon after, Luke¡¯s party had arrived at the entrance of Melvin Valley. Luke walked into the forest that was filled with mist. He sensed an insignificant energy ahead of them. Hwang Bo-sung, who had realized the change, hurried to Luke¡¯s side to protect him. ¡°Lord! Be careful. This one seems very skilled.¡± ¡°It is fine. It is someone I know.¡± Luke, who assured Hwang Bo-sung, went ahead. And the person who was lurking in the front began to emerge. ¡°What are you doing in this place, Arch Duke?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s supposed to be asking you that. Why are you here?¡± The person who appeared there was Arch Duke Gregory of the Holy Empire. He was leading 11 knights. 2 of them were Sword Masters and the rest were top-level experts. The power that could be sensed from them was like an iron wall with no holes. It was like a divine group. ¡°The fairy wizard called Nanas said that she would reveal the secrets of the others.¡± ¡°So you too received a letter?¡± At the question from Luke, Arch Duke Gregory frowned. ¡°Did Nanas send an intimidating letter to you, too?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°She said that if you don¡¯t come to this place, I will be revealing the true identity of the pope.¡± According to Gregory, rumors surrounding Reina were circulating around Bless before the letter had reached them. ¡°There was a rumor saying that the pope was not an angel nor a princess of another nation. It was quite on point. The reality about her would be spread all over.¡± Gregory knew that Reina wasn¡¯t an angel and that she appeared in the Holy Empire as an unexpected accident. However, since he believed that she was God¡¯s servant, his loyalty had never faded. The problem was that the rumor could be politically used by those who were dissatisfied with Reina. ¡°If the rumors intensify, people will ask for the pope to testify.¡± ¡®Why wasn¡¯t this reported to me?!¡¯ Luke wanted to ask that, but Argos must have already known. However, because of his keen interest in the Baroque Empire and his role in its current civil war, he was pushed to the background. And there was a report that came in when Luke was about to leave for Melvin Valley, but he chose not to listen to it. ¡°Well, a letter came in in the midst of it all. It said that the concrete evidence would spread if I didn¡¯t come here,¡± said Gregory, staring at Luke. ¡°You too got a letter from Nanas saying something about some concrete evidence about you. The Holy Pope¡¯s actual fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°An opposite rumor.¡± ¡°Right. Just before leaving the Holy Empire, I received another report. A strange rumor from the Baroque Empire.¡± Gregory, who said that, stared at Henry and Hydra. They were still overwhelmed with the presence of Arch Duke Gregory, who was like a life-sucking monster. ¡®It can¡¯t¡­!¡¯ Luke, who was nervously thinking about the situation, sensed something again. Another popular person had made an appearance that piqued the interest of Luke and Gregory. Dark elf warriors made their appearance. ¡°You have come. Elder Nanas is waiting for you.¡± The dark elf, who came out, was Hyrun. He was acting stiffer than before and soon turned his back. ¡°Well, anyway, we¡¯ll talk about the rumor later.¡± ¡°¡­ Okay.¡± Arch Duke Gregory followed Hyrun. Luke, who followed the man, sighed. He came all the way here to calm the rumors down, but it didn¡¯t seem like he could end the fairy representatives anymore. ¡®Did they see through everything and called us both?¡¯ He had an ominous feeling that he would be fighting against Gregory. Chapter 352 - The Dark Forest 3 Shortly after following Hyrun, the dead trees began to turn dry. ¡®Is this the dark forest? How did all this happen?¡¯ There were no signs of fire burns or magic. However, there was no sign of being invaded by Magi and sucking up the life of the trees either. Nevertheless, it still puzzled Luke, so he tried to touch the trees up close. As a wizard, he was curious about everything which couldn¡¯t be explained. ¡°I am very sorry, but please hurry.¡± At the prompt from Hyrun, Luke moved with a mixture of regret and dissatisfaction with Hyrun. ¡®And, Henry did say that dark elves were everywhere.¡¯ In addition, there were Lycans hiding in the bush and dwarves in the ground. However, no one had the intention to strike the two men. ¡®But it is a little uncomfortable to breathe in here. This isn¡¯t a high area, but¡­?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just that, the black circles on his heart were dull. It wasn¡¯t just Luke who felt that Hwang Bo-sung and the assassins, as well as faces of Saint Guards and Gregory, were stiff. ¡°How long are we supposed to go?¡± At the question from Arch Duke Gregory, Hyrun pointed to a structure which seemed to be on the other side. ¡°Over there. Almost there.¡± Along with Hyrun, in front of the structure was a group. ¡°Let¡¯s go up. Elder Nanas is at the top.¡± ¡®This is a strange building.¡¯ As he kept climbing, Luke looked around that structure in doubt. The build was too weak to be called as a castle and low and unsightly to be called a tower, made of glass and metal only. It was completely different from the normal architecture. ¡°Welcome. Nice to meet you.¡± When they reached 10 meters above ground, there was a pale fairy lady. A fairy, with two pairs of wings on her back, yet had sharp features. ¡°Are you Nanas?¡± At the question from Luke, she nodded. ¡°That is right. Are you marquis Luke? I am glad to meet you.¡± ¡°I am not very glad.¡± At his straight reply, Nanas smiled and pointed to the chair and table which were in the center of the hall. ¡°Let¡¯s sit down. We can¡¯t stand and talk, right?¡± At her words, Luke and Gregory sat down and the members of Saint Guard and Hydra stood at an altar and looked around. ¡°Okay, why did you send the letter like that if you only wanted to discuss?¡± When Gregory asked the question of the main point, Nanas seemingly impatient spoke out. ¡°I want Princess Reina or Pope to open the door to the Spirit World. It was originally promised to us.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you already open it? I think that the promise was well kept!¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Nanas¡¯s expression turned grumpy. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a complete opening. Which is why I am asking.¡± ¡°Why do you think that it wasn¡¯t a complete opening? Do you think that Reina deliberately didn¡¯t open it?¡± Luke had heard from Reina about her entering the Spirit World. The story of Silphid, the spirit king of Wind, the story he told Reina before providing her with Aether. The character of evil which divided the world was originally one. And there were endless desires and hatred which resulted in the current world. Evil never disappeared even after the worlds were divided. The fairy who built the Mado civilization developed resources and asked the spirits for help who refused, and then later, the communication with the Spirit World was lost. ¡°And you who have lost the power of the spirits fell. Conquered, chased and hunted by humans who have been regarded as slaves.¡± ¡°¡­¡± When Luke was mentioning the history, Nanas¡¯s expression hardened. On the other hand, Arch Duke Gregory and the members of the Saint Guard who were new to the history lessons showed interesting facial expressions. ¡°The reason why you want to open the door to the Spirit World is obvious. The prosperity of the ancestors, to revive yourselves like the time of Abaron. But is it possible to open the door to the Spirit World?¡± ¡°Why do you think that it is impossible?¡± Nanas asked with a hint of anger. ¡°Because this isn¡¯t the time when you can act by yourself. Do you think that by gaining the power of the spirits, you will be able to rule over the humans and enjoy life like in the past?¡± ¡°We have no intention of conquering humans or controlling them. And I do know that the humans have turned powerful with magical engineering. However¡­¡± ¡°For the prosperity of the fairies, should you really have the power from the time of the Abaron Empire? But, would the humans who look at you like that, only stand and watch?¡± Jealousy and envy would rise, and the fear to lose their current standard of living would exist. And even if one wouldn¡¯t intend, it will be natural for conflict to emerge. And Luke knew that the Fairy Delegation wasn¡¯t just trying to revive the time of the Abaron Empire. ¡°So, are you saying that we should continue to live like slaves? For the sake of your peace?¡± Asked Nanas. ¡°It isn¡¯t for the peace of the humans. How many of your fairies want peace? Do I look like someone who tramples an ambition for peace?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t peace that they enjoy. That is plain obedience!¡± Nanas¡¯ voice was getting higher and higher. Looking at her, Luke replied as calmly as possible. ¡°Then let¡¯s speak in that way, isn¡¯t your delegation asking for absurd delusions and self-ambitions? It isn¡¯t Reina¡¯s responsibility that the Spirit World¡¯s door isn¡¯t opened. It¡¯s just that the spirits didn¡¯t respond to you because they were worried that they would be used for the sake of your own ambitions.¡± At those words, Nanas¡¯s face turned red and she clenched her fists. ¡°You use weird words, the fairies who live in my estate would never obey my words if there was any complaint with what I ask of them. They work wholeheartedly and get paid and have equal fairness in life.¡± Continued Luke. The results were there that such treatments were being done. Rakan¡¯s estate¡¯s recent development in such a short period was all due to the close relationship with the fairies. Other human lords who noticed such development began to change the treatment of the fairies too. It was obedience, change was really happening. Even if there was no power and support from the Spirit World, there was a chance for a new future. ¡°I know how the persecuted ones are, and for that reason, I too feel bad for seeing that. However, just as the current continent is unjust, the past Abaron too was the same. So, neither I nor Reina will be tolerating the change which will affect the positions.¡± Arch Duke Gregory nodded his head agreeing with Luke. Nanas wanted to refute, but she couldn¡¯t come up with justifiable grounds to argue, she could only bite her lips. ¡°Honestly, I came here to sweep away all of you today. The same was with Arch Duke Gregory. It would be better for me, Reina and the other peace-loving fairies too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you guys have changed your thoughts then I can change mine too. However, if you can¡¯t do that, I won¡¯t hesitate to see blood.¡± Luke, who said that, waited for Nanas to answer. Nanas had an expression which said that she was disgusted; soon smiled and answered. ¡°I will not hesitate to see blood¡­ Indeed you are the one who takes after the Devil, Saymon.¡± ¡°What?!¡± The startled voices from the Saint Guard came out. It was because the Devil King Saymon had created endless victims out of the Saint Guard 500 years back. When they all pulled out their sword, Hwang Bo-sung and the other assassins of Hydra moved. ¡°Marquis, the descendant of the fallen Warrior Rakan. You should have taken off my head instead of talking to me. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have had to get hit by Arch Duke Gregory¡¯s sword.¡± Nanas who was speaking to Luke turned over to Gregory who was still silent. ¡°Did you know? The fact that Marquis Luke was learning the dark magic and was working with the remnants of Saymon.¡± ¡°I did hear the strange rumors from the Baroque Empire. I knew that he was concealing something when we met in the past.¡± Gregory got up from his seat and spoke while looking at Henry. ¡°I was suspicious, but when I saw people with Magi in here, I knew that it was definite.¡± ¡®He noticed it.¡¯ The assassins of Hydra weren¡¯t humans. However, the reagent made by Sebastian masked the Magi which their bodies gave out. However, it was impossible to deceive Gregory, the strongest paladin. ¡°I have lived my life according to the will of the God. It is my duty to cut down evil.¡± Swoosh! In a second, Gregory pulled out his sword which was displaying a brilliant golden hyper aura. Nanas smiled, and Luke¡¯s expression hardened seeing the power around him. ¡®In the end, we have to face each other.¡¯ Luke knew that such a day would come. However, he never foresaw that he would have to clash with Gregory at such an early stage. Chapter 353 - Triggered Trap 1 Slash! Gregory¡¯s sword was lightning fast as it fell through the air. Luke hurriedly developed defensive magic but it was of no help. It wasn¡¯t that Gregory¡¯s Hyper Aura had destroyed the defensive magic of Luke. The attack just didn¡¯t come for Luke. It was Nanas who got the sword of Gregory coming at her. ¡°Uh, why¡­?¡± Nanas who was struck in the neck staggered on the floor while clasping both her hands around her neck to stop the bleeding. The members of the Saint Guard looked at Arch Duke Gregory with an expression which said they didn¡¯t understand what just happened. Why was it that a man who was under the duty to cut evil didn¡¯t strike Luke, who was learning the dark magic of Saymon, but Nanas who revealed it? Gregory opened his mouth to answer the unasked question. ¡°If I was the man I was in the past, this sword would have gone to Marquis Luke.¡± ¡°¡­ did you change your mind?¡± Gregory shook his head at the question of Luke. ¡°No, the belief in the destruction of evil hasn¡¯t changed. It was just that I knew that you weren¡¯t stained by evil.¡± At the end of the civil war, Arch Duke Gregory studied Luke very closely. It was because he couldn¡¯t convince himself just because the man was a descendant of Rakan or had Reina close to him. ¡°You fought for the poor who had no strength. For the persecuted refugees from the Count Monarch and the Battle of Territories, and protected the fairies who were being unfairly treated. Not just that, you saved the Holy Empire during our crisis of civil war¡­¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°Was it possible because you possessed the dark magic? The words of Pope were right. You have abandoned the pride of being a warrior¡¯s descendant for the sake of the weak people. Even after you entered the darkness, you didn¡¯t let yourself stained by evil, but fought for justice.¡± Unlike Luke, Nanas threatened to disclose secrets of the others for the sake of fulfilling her ambition, It was clear which side harbored evil. ¡°Which is why I cut the fairy woman. I thought this was the right action.¡± ¡°Thank you for doing that.¡± Luke smiled and thanked Gregory. However, he had no intention of stopping there. As Gregory revealed his belief, he thought he should do the same. ¡°Thank you very much for believing me. But I am not that great of a human as Arch Duke is thinking of me.¡± ¡°Not that great?¡± ¡°That is true. Some things have been hidden from the retainers and even from Reina. In order to achieve the meaning for a few, I sometimes do things secretly. I am aware that the actions of mine will lead to bloodshed of thousands, and I have done a lot of things.¡± The members of Saint Guard, who were convinced with Luke¡¯s words looked at Gregory. If orders fell from Gregory, they were to pull their swords and take down Luke. ¡°The good deeds that you see aren¡¯t much. The Battle of territories and the civil war which I entered were all for the sake of Reina.¡± Said Luke. ¡°Is that so? How did you come to love out the Holiness to that extent?¡± At the question from Gregory, Luke answered. ¡°Because she is the person I trust the most, and understands my position more than anyone.¡± He was never interested in her because of her angelic beauty or the ruined status of a princess. He was interested in the fact of finding someone like Katarina, but that didn¡¯t mean he had accepted Reina. It was when Reina believed in Luke¡¯s position for mastering dark magic. It wasn¡¯t just that, she looked into the diary of Luke¡¯s past and understood the behavior of Saymon. ¡°How can I not love such a person?¡± Said Luke. ¡°Indeed, the heart of one person has brought you till here. However¡­¡± Gregory soon showed signs of stiffness and asked again. ¡°Is that it? Are there any other beliefs?¡± Luke replied without hesitation. ¡°I want to create a world where humans live like a human.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the current world?¡± At Gregory¡¯s question, Luke answered with a never seen intensity in his eyes. ¡°There are beasts around who are wearing human skins on themselves. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gregory agreed in silence. Not much long ago, the priests who coveted the wealth and power sold the will of God for gold. They couldn¡¯t be called priests. On the contrary, it was still a low act. And the beasts couldn¡¯t be completely organized. ¡°It will very hard to make the world that you speak of.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that I can change the world by myself. But if possibilities are shown, won¡¯t more people act with the hope to change?¡± Said Luke. ¡°Even if the stigma is overturned?¡± ¡°I am preparing for anything and everything.¡± Arch Duke Gregory was staring at Luke, neither of them drifted their gaze away. Strong, clear and gleaming eyes. Not a hint of evil in Luke¡¯s eyes. It was like a bright star shining in the pitch-black sky. ¡°Gather Power Sword.¡± ¡°Sire?¡± ¡°There is no evil heart. He just has a different belief.¡± ¡°But he himself said from his mouth that he made thousands bleed!¡± The eldest one of the Saint Guard protested. However, at the words of Gregory, he was speechless. ¡°Did we, in the name of God¡¯s Will shed the blood of millions?¡± So far, the Holy Empire had fought numerous wars in the name of temples and sanctuaries. But were all the wars sacred just because they were fought for the temple? ¡°T, that¡­¡± ¡°In those times, there were many innocent people who died and got injured in the wars. Nevertheless, our actions were justified as God¡¯s will. Can all those times be called right? Was it truly the God¡¯s Will?¡± Luke was flustered just as the members of the Saint Guard. When he first met Gregory, what he felt from him was the same as the unconventional Rakan of the past. But Gregory seemed to have changed a lot since then. ¡°Marquis Luke recognizes his own mistakes and drawbacks. Which is why even if touched the power of darkness, he wasn¡¯t stained by evil.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was being dumb and am not able to understand your words.¡± Said the Saint Guard¡¯s man. ¡°I guess so. I too was like you before.¡± Gregory nodded his head at the complaints of his men. After finishing his first fight with Luke, he repeated his thoughts and efforts to understand what was right and wrong, just as he had promised to Reina. He had already memorized the scriptures, he read them once again, he talked to a lot more people and listened to their stories. The one he talked to the most was Priest Luther. As the head of Sanctity of Holiness, Luther was the forefront when it came to providing relief to the poor, he knew about the absurdities of realities and the problems of society better than anyone else. Thanks to all those talks, Gregory was able to escape his centered thoughts of faith and sword. Gregory looked at Luke and spoke again. ¡°Marquis, show them that you aren¡¯t stained by evil.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Unlike Luke, who confidently replied, Hwang Bo-sung and the assassins of Hydra were wondering how that could be shown. How could good deeds or faith be shown? However, Luke knew of a very simple way. Srrrng! Luke pulled on his sword. His sword had to shine, and it did, with an intense golden aura. ¡°G, Gold Sword!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same as Arch Duke!?¡± The Saint Guard knights knew that Gregory¡¯s sword was influenced by Rakan¡¯s Gold Sword. Since the Gold Sword had originated from the Holy Empire and its Holy Sword, Rakan¡¯s swordsmanship was known to have excelled in anti-Magi and demons. However, when Luke, who learned dark magic showed golden aura even after having Magi within him, which was known to be counter for the sword, the shock they were in was inevitable. ¡°Will you believe now?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Dark Magic isn¡¯t a bad thing. It is just as a poison that can be used as a medicine, dark magic can save people too.¡± Hwang Bo-sung was also saved by dark magic, politely raised his aura fist while looking at Luke. The Saint Guard knights weren¡¯t aware of what happened between the two, but they were convinced with the Gold Sword. Above all, their idol, Arch Duke Gregory acknowledge it. Seeing their swords go down, Luke sighed with relief. He was expecting a huge fight with the paladins, but fortunately, the situation got resolved. However, it isn¡¯t over yet. ¡°This is surprising. I thought that the two heads would fight.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± A fairy woman spoke. Luke asked with a cold question which made her smile and answer. ¡°I am the ¡®real¡¯ Nanas.¡± Chapter 354 - Triggered Trap 2 ¡°You are the real one?¡± Asked Luke which made Nanas nod. ¡°Yes, the one whom Gregory killed is a subordinate wizard, who has a similar appearance to me.¡± It was the first time for Luke and Gregory to see Nanas. As a result, it was impossible for them to know how Nanas looked, and they didn¡¯t have the time to conduct a prior identification search. So when the fake one had come out, they couldn¡¯t notice it. Of course, even with a prior investigation, it would have been troublesome to know who the fairy was as the community of the fairies was closed. ¡°You are one stupid woman. You should have stayed hidden.¡± One of the Saint Guard¡¯s knights pulled out his sword and screamed, but Luke stepped forward and stopped the man. ¡°What are you doing, Marquis?¡± ¡°I have no intention of letting you do useless things.¡± ¡°What is that supposed to mean? Then¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, that is a magic illusion. The real one is hiding somewhere and watching us.¡± And to prove his words, Luke shot a Fire Arrow at Nanas. The Fire Arrow went past Nanas, and the body of Nanas distorted for a moment. The men of Saint Guard frowned for a moment. ¡°This ignorant¡­!¡± ¡°Huh, if you think this is ignorant, what about the humans who want our races to follow you?¡± Luke shot back at the sarcastic comment of Nanas. ¡°Well, it was you fairies who thought us to be a little ignorant. In particular, you fairies taught us magic and other stuff too, right?¡± ¡°Keuk, that is true. That was the biggest mistake of our ancestors.¡± Nanas, who felt disgusted, looked at Luke and smiled. ¡°But there was one thing that our ancestors didn¡¯t teach you, and that is at your feet right now.¡± Tat! When she said that, Nanas¡¯s finger snapped. The glass floor of the hall cracked, and the building began to shake as if there was an earthquake. Urrrrng! ¡°W-what is this?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me she is trying to bury us with this building!¡± Everyone tried to hurriedly escape from the building. However, as if they were being blocked by barriers, their bodies couldn¡¯t move out of the building. ¡°T-this can¡¯t be!¡± Crack-! Crack! While everyone was shocked and flustered, the glass broke at once and the building collapsed. Luke saw that even in such a situation, the building debris didn¡¯t fall immediately to the ground but began to transform into something by combining with the air. ¡®Is this¡­?¡¯ A Trap type magic circle. When the target approached, the magic-based materials that were scattered around moved into a preset position, and the magic circle would be completed and activate itself. ¡®But from the shape of its build, it is far from a magic circle.¡¯ It was like a huge box made of steel or glass, more like a cage. When the form was completed, Luke¡¯s group and Gregory¡¯s subordinates, who were floating in the air till then, landed on the floor. Although they fell from a height of 10 meters, none of them were weak enough to die. Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Hundreds of Fairy warriors, lead by Hyrun, appeared as if they were waiting for that moment and pointed their bows and weapons at the cage. In the middle of all this was Nanas. The real Nanas, not an illusion or substitute. ¡°What is all this?¡± Asked Gregory with his face as stern as ever. The fairies, after seeing his face, stepped back not realizing the effect he had on them. Nanas was the only one who wasn¡¯t overwhelmed by the fearsome force of the Sword Sage. ¡°It is just what it looks like. Both Marquis Luke and Arch Duke Gregory will be our hostages. That way, the Princess who acts like a pope won¡¯t play around.¡± ¡°You plan on holding us? Would that even be possible?¡± At the words of Gregory, Nanas felt pity for him. Even though he fell into the trap of the fairies, he judged that he couldn¡¯t be stopped with the magic circle of the fairies. ¡°Such measly traps, I can get rid of them with my sword!¡± Raising his voice, Gregory pulled out his sword and hit the glass and metal cage. The Hyper Aura of a Sword Sage could destroy anything. Its power could not just shatter any room but also a handful of fairies that was in its range. Luke¡¯s party and the men of Saint Guard believed so and showed a little anxiety. Kang! Along with a loud crashing sound, the Hyper Aura just bounced off. ¡°What¡­!?¡± The Arch Duke, who was shocked by what happened, kept hitting again and again, but the result was the same. There wasn¡¯t even a small scratch on it, and the Hyper Aura began to disappear. After seeing that, Nanas smiled. The members of Luke¡¯s party and the Saint Guards remained embarrassed at what they witnessed. ¡°Sire, what are we supposed to do?¡± When asked by a young knight, Gregory looked at the sword in his hand. His fist was trembling, and he couldn¡¯t seem to hold on to his sword. He was feeling exhausted as if he was really fighting a powerful enemy. ¡°My strength¡­ got sucked out.¡± ¡°Huh? What is that supposed to mean?¡± As if they weren¡¯t convinced, the knights began to pull out their swords and started hitting the cage. They couldn¡¯t break it as well. The reason was because the Aura of their swords was getting absorbed before it reached the cage. ¡®Dark Magic?¡¯ Luke, who was witnessing it all from behind, looked closely at the possibility of the cage being related to dark magic. When he saw how the aura was being absorbed, it seemed to be very similar to his Black Bind. However, there was no trace of dark magic around. ¡°This wench! What kind of magic did you use?¡± ¡°That is magic. A very natural phenomenon.¡± Nanas laughed as she answered the question of the knight. ¡°The water from the mountain flows into the sea. The wind too blows according to the season. Then what about mana, aura, and divine power?¡± ¡°W-what did you say?¡± Luke was the only one who understood the explanation of Nanas. In the old documents he studied, there were words that explained the nature of Magi in the past. In those documents he found in the ancient ruins, he found out about ¡®circulation theory¡¯ which was introduced when talking about Aether¡ªthe basis of all power. Just as the river flows into the sea, evaporates and then falls as rain on earth so was the Aether of the world. ¡°You know that there are mana fields all over the continent, right?¡± ¡°Obviously¡­¡± ¡°If the place where mana is abundant is like a mana field, then the place where you are standing now is like a vortex which devours everything.¡± ¡°Devouring vortex?¡± ¡°It is just like water being seeped and going somewhere. There are mana and divine power. Not just that, even the vitality is reduced. It may not be noticed by you people just yet.¡± The Dark Forest was a vortex that was sucking in Aether and vitality. In addition to that vortex, Nanas had built a kind of structure that had been passed onto the fairies from the days of Abaron. The structure strengthened and doubled the power of the vortex. As a result, over 100 people had died in the process of installing the trap. Even those who survived were severely exhausted, and living life would be difficult for them. ¡°Sucking in everything? Then, is this a cursed land?¡± When Gregory asked, Nanas shook her head and answered, ¡°This wasn¡¯t a cursed land. It has been made like this. The Holy Empire loved their God. Your own God created this. This made everything in this world move instead of a an eternal standstill.¡± Born and growing up, old age and then death, the body turns into manure and gives life to others. Any life that sprouts and bears fruits for another life. Just as Nanas said, it was circulating. ¡®Right. Mana and Aether circulate. The final destination of Aether and new starting point.¡¯ Luke roughly managed to figure it out. However, just knowing the concept wouldn¡¯t help them get out of there, and neither magic nor aura couldn¡¯t be used. ¡°T-teleport scroll¡­¡± One of the Hydra assassins ripped off the teleport scroll that he received from Luke. However, even with the light flashing the scroll didn¡¯t activate. The power of the scroll got absorbed into the cage when it was about to activate. ¡°Scrolls can¡¯t be used too?!¡± ¡°Lord, what are we supposed to do now?¡± At the pleading voice from Henry and the pitiful looks from the assassins, Luke answered in a calm voice, ¡°Don¡¯t panic. You are expert assassins, respond calmly.¡± Pretending to be calm, Luke calmed them down. When the assassin previously tried to tear off the scroll, Luke tried to get his Gigant from his subspace bracelet. If magic didn¡¯t work, Luke thought of using physical force to break out of the cage. However, the subspace didn¡¯t open. Like the scrolls, ancient artifacts couldn¡¯t be used as well. ¡®Is there no other way?¡¯ The power of the body couldn¡¯t be used. That meant Luke¡¯s body would become exhausted as well like Gregory and the Saint Guard. ¡®Well, I need some time for now. I need time to figure this out¡­¡¯ However, Nanas was able to understand Luke¡¯s thoughts. It was the second time she used the trap. Since she already had an experience when she killed Kamarov and Kawin in the past, she was aware of the actions and the psychological state of the ones in the trap would have. ¡°Marquis Luke, Arch Duke Gregory. I won¡¯t be killing you two. Instead, I will be holding you two as hostages.¡± With an evil smile, Nanas raised her hand. With that as the signal, the warriors fired their bows in unison. Chapter 355 - Triggered Trap 3 Pang! ¡°Those men!¡± Luke immediately used Shield Magic. However, the magic disappeared the moment it got activated and was absorbed into the cage. ¡®Keuk, this too!¡¯ For a brief moment, Luke felt discomfort when his power was being sucked. He was able to see why Gregory felt exhausted after a few strikes. And it was for everyone, not just Luke. Naturally, they couldn¡¯t stop the arrows that were flying through the bars. ¡°Kuek!¡± ¡°Kak!¡± ¡°Keuk, be careful, Master!¡± Assassins and some knights of the Saint Guard were shot and killed. Luke was safe thanks to Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s arm taking in the arrows. Gregory was able to block an arrow because of one of his men. ¡°Lord, they are going to shoot again!¡± At the voice of Henry, Luke ordered. ¡°Use the dead ones as a shield!¡± In response, the assassins made barriers with the bodies of the dead. They were feeling uneasy to use the bodies of their comrades for their survival. Seeing that, Nanas laughed. ¡°You could surely do that. However, how long will those useless shields last?¡± As Nanas said, the second round of arrows was being prepared. Rather than using auras, the arrows were being pulled strongly. And that meant strong power on impact. ¡°Kueak!¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± A few more assassin and Saint Guards fell trying to shield themselves from the arrows. ¡°Dammit, those goddammed bastards!¡± The angry assassins threw out their daggers. However, because of their power being sucked into the cage, the daggers didn¡¯t go that far. ¡°This can¡¯t be! There is no way!¡± The knights were in tears, hitting the ground with their swords. They couldn¡¯t believe that they had fallen for such a measly trap and was about to die helplessly. ¡®What now? Should I use every last bit of my power?¡¯ While Luke was in conflict. There was a different kind of power Luke had besides magic and swordsmanship. He thought that somehow he could endure it. However, it was a gamble. If he failed to escape with that power, he would really become the hostage of Nanas. ¡®Dammit! If I knew this would happen, I would have brought my men!¡¯ He was irritated by the fact that his men were being wiped out by a few fairies. As the look of regret could clearly be seen on his face, Nanas smiled. ¡°Hohoho. I need to finish it now. All of you, attack at once¡­¡± The moment her orders fell, huge flames rose from behind. ¡®Nanas has to be stopped!¡¯ When meeting Bratt, Erwin came across the fact that Nanas was installing a trap in the Dark Forest. There was one target for the trap installed. When she arrived at the Dark Forest, she saw Luke and his party in danger and immediately attacked. ¡°Fire Wall!¡± Fire magic of 7th magic circle burst out at the feet of the fairies causing an explosion. Kwaaah! ¡°Kuakkk!¡± Dozens of warriors in the explosion screamed out in pain. ¡°W-what is happening?¡± ¡°Who was that?¡± It wasn¡¯t just the fairies and Nanas who were shocked with the situation. Luke, who was in despair inside the cage, looked outside. ¡°An intruder! An intruder has appeared!¡± ¡°Hurry up and prepare!¡± Hyrun and the other fairies hurriedly looked around and tried to find the intruder. However, they couldn¡¯t find Erwin, who had used stealth magic right after deploying Fire Wall. She made her appearance in front of Elder Nanas. Erwin, who released her stealth magic, pointed her staff at Nanas¡¯ heart. ¡°Y-you¡­!¡± ¡°It has been a long time, Elder Nanas.¡± Nanas¡¯ face hardened at the appearance of an unexpected character. However, Luke smiled brightly. He never knew that seeing Erwin would make him so happy. That too when everything around him was at stake. ¡°Put all your weapons down, or Nanas¡¯s life is at stake!¡± At the words of Erwin, Nanas could feel chills on her body. ¡°Erwin Lesa, are you going to forsake the fate of all fairies?¡± ¡°No, I am stopping you so that you won¡¯t!¡± Shooting back at Nanas, she one again yelled at the warriors who were holding onto their weapons. ¡°I asked you to put down your weapons. Do you want to see Nanas die? Go and put your weapons down and then release them!¡± Kwak! Sparks flew from Erwin¡¯s staff. It looked like something powerful would go through Nanas¡¯ chest. Nanas¡¯ orders fell to Hyrun and the other fairies. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, shoot them.¡± ¡°Elder Nanas, you really¡­¡± ¡°Even if I give up my life, I don¡¯t plan on abandoning the revival of Abaron¡¯s time.¡± Erwin shuddered at the words of Nanas. She knew Nanas¡¯ intent to revive the Mado Empire had turned into madness, but she didn¡¯t assume the lady would turn crazy. ¡°Shoot! What are you doing! Shoot them right now!¡± At the orders of Nanas, the warriors pointed at the iron bars once again. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Erwin used her staff to blow out the arrows. Kwaan! The powerful sparks from the staff threw away the arrows coming in Luke¡¯s direction. Thanks to that, Luke and his party were able to overcome the crisis, but Erwin lost track of Nanas. ¡°Erwin, be careful!¡± Puak! Even with Luke¡¯s scream an Ice lance came at Erwin before she could react. ¡°Kuak!¡± Nanas raised her hand to inflict more damage on the broken shoulder of Erwin. ¡°You know, Erwin. Did you really think that you can stop me with that kind of resolve?¡± Kwang! Titan Fist left the hands of Nanas. Erwin, who got her sense back, tried to manifest shield magic in a hurry. However, she wasn¡¯t able to stop the attack entirely. Erwin rolled on the ground as she got hit by Nanas¡¯ magic. ¡°Uhh¡­ Cough! Cough!¡± ¡°Erwin!¡± Luke looked at Erwin, who was in pain. Erwin was coughing up blood, yet she smiled after seeing Luke. ¡°I guess you too can make that face for me.¡± He always had a cold expression in front of her. It was only for a second, but for the first time, he showed warm feelings toward her. ¡°Hey! What are you doing? Stop!¡± Luke, who was overwhelmed after seeing her coughing up blood, yelled at her, but Erwin had no intention to listen. She focused all her energy on her staff despite the fact that her mana circles were damaged because of the attack she got earlier. She clenched her fist and released her magic. ¡°Fire Explosion!¡± ¡°Everyone get down!¡± Kwang! Luke shouted with the heatwave that came in to shake the cage. Everyone in the cage was on the floor. Knowing that it was useless to hit it directly with magic, Erwin attempted to smash the iron bars with an indirect blow close to the griddle. However, even after Erwin¡¯s attack, the iron bar was fine. The cage was made by the dwarves, and it was made to withstand any kind of impact. If Erwin¡¯s condition was normal, it might have been possible. However in that situation, such an assumption was meaningless. ¡°Kugh! Kugh! I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry. I seem to have failed¡­¡± ¡°Erwin! Look here, get yourself together!¡± Erwin, who just released all her magic, lost consciousness and fell down. The injuries and the Dark Forest¡¯s influence allowed Luke to feel that the vitality of Erwin was depleting rapidly. If she was left alone, she was done for. The disciple of Erenes, the wise man, the one who was his comrade, would die. Cut. A few strings inside Luke¡¯s head, which were holding his logic and reasons, got cut. ¡°Everything is wrong¡­¡± Hwang Bo-sung mumbled in his native language without knowledge. He had tried very hard to break the iron bars, but none of his martial skills worked. He tried to summon his puppet. However, that too didn¡¯t work. When an unexpected savior named Erwin made an appearance, he became hopeful, but he was in despair again after seeing Erwin fail. No, it seemed like she was down in vain. Luke¡¯s eyes changed completely. Chapter 356 - Luke is Gone 1 ¡°What are you going to do, Marquis Luke?¡± Like Hwang Bo-sung, Arch Duke Gregory, who read the unusual mood talked in a very low voice. ¡°I will use my hidden power.¡± ¡°Dark Magic? Is that possible in here?¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Gregory, as well as those who were still alive, looked forward. They never thought that they would be anticipating for dark magic to be used to save their lives. ¡°It will be tough. This damn block will absorb all of the magi from the dark magic.¡± Magi too was a force which got split from Aether. Therefore, there was no way dark magic will escape from the Aether absorbing barrier. ¡®I can¡¯t completely stop it from absorbing. However¡­¡¯ A pot with holes had no choice but to leak. However, there needs to be a lot of water in the pot nor will the water won¡¯t leak out at once. Rather, it would overflow from the top. The problem was, Luke wasn¡¯t sure how big the hole of the pot was. ¡®There is surely a limit to how much magic this cage can absorb at one time. So, only when we exert our abilities, our power will get sucked up and vitality will be down.¡¯ Luke, who judged the situation, spoke to Arch Duke Gregory. ¡°I will make sure to break off this bar somehow. So¡­ Arch Duke, please live and protect Reina.¡± ¡°It sounds like a last will.¡± ¡°Maybe it is.¡± Gregory frowned at the bitter response from Luke. ¡°You need to live. I don¡¯t wish to see the Pope sad.¡± ¡°Huh. Understood.¡± Luke smiled listening to Gregory¡¯s statement which meant that he had acknowledged his relationship with Reina. But the smile didn¡¯t last that long. With the magic of Erwin¡¯s Fire Explosion running around, Nanas who watched the flames die was ready to give orders to her warriors. ¡®I need to hurry.¡¯ Luke stood in the front of the cage and grabbed a grill with both his hands. Although he could feel his vitality escaping at a frightening pace, he opened up the powers of demons without hesitation. ¡°Build Up!¡± DuDuDu! DU DU DU DU! When Luke triggered the third phase of Build Up, a purple glow began to rise all over his body. At the same time, the muscles began to swell with clothes tearing off and revealing black skin. There were small horns coming from his head, with scales on arms and hands. After seeing Luke change his appearance, Nanas and the other fairies were startled. It was the same with Gregory and the Saint Guards. ¡°This, this is the dark magic?¡± ¡°Oh Oh, oh my god!¡± They were all paladins who had the duty to discover and subdue the warlocks in the continent. At that time, they had witnessed how a man who sold his soul over to the demons. However, never once had they seen a person change their appearance. ¡®No, there was one written in the records.¡¯ Gregory¡¯s record was a diary left by a great paladin who fought against Devil King Saymon, 500 years back. He raided the Devil King, who was patrolling an occupied estate with his colleagues, however, Saymon suddenly turned into a monster and destroyed everyone and the paladin got his hand cut off. The paladin had already vowed to lose his life on the battlefield and hated the Devil King for leaving him alive and asked. ¡°How many people did you sacrifice to get that power!¡± At that question, Saymon gave out the evilest laugh and answered. ¡°Are you looking at me like I am one of those trashy warlocks? I summoned the demons and ate them up!¡± The devil left the paladin alone. When Gregory saw the record for the first time, he considered Saymon to have mocked the paladin who fought bravely and courageously. But looking at Luke, he knew that the answer was real. ¡°Kuekk! Dammit¡­!¡± Luke was constantly raising Magi to break the iron bars. However, the Magi raised was absorbed into the barrier. He could see the purple light which was rising get absorbed by the iron bars and to the ground. Nevertheless, Luke didn¡¯t let go. Even though the arrows of the warriors were getting stuck to his body, even in such a situation his monstrous body didn¡¯t move. ¡°That is wrong, Master. Stop it now!¡± ¡°You will die if you continue!¡± ¡°There has to be another way. So¡­¡± Hwang Bo-sung, and Henry, as well as the knights of Saint Guard, were calling him back. The members of the Saint Guard knew things very well by then. Just as Arch Duke Gregory had told them, Luke wasn¡¯t stained with evil. If Luke was a selfish warlock, he wouldn¡¯t try to save others by cutting down his magic and vitality. However, Luke wasn¡¯t listening to their cries. His head was full of thoughts about crushing down the barrier. Unfortunately, Luke¡¯s efforts were useless. The Magi was simply getting absorbed without any change in the state of the cage. ¡®This, this is wrong! I am reaching the limit of my strength¡­¡¯ Luke was desperate. Despite giving out the maximum power of the demons and pouring out Magi, it didn¡¯t touch the limit of the barrier. He would fail if things went like that. And everything which would come in the future would be according to Nanas¡¯s intentions. Chapter 357 - Luke is Gone 2 ¡°Huahhhh!¡± Kwang! All of a sudden, with a blast, the bars of the cage shook. Arch Duke Gregory moved forward and took the sword from the ground. When Gregory¡¯s hyper aura began to rise, the power getting absorbed was added and the cage shook once again, like an earthquake. The tremors were so strong that the arrows which had touched the hostages bounced back. ¡°A, Arch Duke?¡± ¡°It looked like your strength wasn¡¯t enough.¡± Gregory¡¯s face which smiled, soon turned. It was because just like Luke, the power was getting sucked from Gregory¡¯s body. However, Gregory made an unexpected turn. When the Magi was being absorbed, all of a sudden, divine power began to be used which made the collision of light and dark rumble the cage. No matter how similar their origin was, Magi and Divine power were still different poles. Naturally, repulsing actions began to occur, and the function of the barrier stooped for a second. ¡®Huh! Did this damn trap stop?¡¯ The one who grabbed the situation was Luke who was holding onto the barrier. He didn¡¯t miss the opportunity then. ¡°Khah!¡± Crack!! Luke, who brought in every last of his power, ripped up the iron bar. When the space came out for them to move, Arch Duke Gregory shouted towards his surviving party. ¡°Strike the neck of the fairy wench!¡± ¡°Uahhh!¡± Despite Gregory¡¯s loss of energy, when Gregory moved ahead to assault the fairies, the Knights of the Saint Guard and Assassins moved ahead with screams. Rather than following the men with the cry for vengeance, Hwang Bo-sung approached Luke. It was because he had just ripped up the Iron bars of the cage, but sat down due to exhaustion. Suddenly, purple and gold light rose from the ground! Wheeing! It was Luke¡¯s Magi and Gregory¡¯s aura which had stopped the function of the barrier. The forces that were refluxed by the repulsive action began to come back up. The space got distorted and a subspace was created where the powers of the two were united. ¡®That is!¡¯ At the sudden subspace which appeared, Luke seemed flustered. Although it was rare, subspaces were sometimes created due to unspecified causes of natural mana runaway. The problem was, no one could know where the imperfectly created subspace would go. Not exactly, the one in the subspace might never be able to get ou of it. ¡®If we don¡¯t go away from¡­!¡¯ The subspace began to suck in the surrounding objects. The size was small, but it harbored enormous suction power. Luke, who had used up all of his energy had no more power to resist the force. ¡°Lord! Master!¡± Hwang Bo-sung shouted knowing that Luke would get sucked into the subspace. He hurried and grabbed the hand of Luke. However, the power of suction was so strong that he couldn¡¯t save Luke, and Luke ended up getting sucked in along with Hwang Bo-sung. The subspace which swallowed both of them soon turned into a whirlwind of light and darkness and then disappeared, however, no one was aware. It was because there was a fierce fight happening between Arch Duke Gregory and fairy warriors led by Nanas. ¡°Kill them, those despicable ones!¡± ¡°Kuakk!¡± Due to the influence of the barrier, the knights and assassins were quite exhausted. Nevertheless, they were burning with anger for being used by the fairies and bewildered the fairies. The scariest person of all was Arch Duke Gregory. He didn¡¯t have the great amount of aura which he had used with Luke to break out the barrier, yet he walked towards Nanas, cutting down every fairy which came in front of him. Seeing him approach, Nanas¡¯s complexion went pale. ¡°H, How could this?¡± They surely managed to get out of the trap, but they had to be exhausted, however, Gregory was right in front of her eyes cutting down people with his sword. The other fairies were thinking the same. Hyrun, who had clashed swords with Gregory was able to realize how he was able to move. Sword of Heart. Those who learned the swordsmanship of the Southern continent talked about it. It was said that the one with a strong heart can cut as sharp as a sword with just bare hands. Of course, Hyrun never believed in anything he hadn¡¯t witnessed. He thought it was a kind of scene which would only appear in a novel, but that very sword was coming after his neck. Slash! ¡®Well, this indeed is the Sword of Heart¡­¡¯ He realized the principles of the Sword of Heart, but Hyrun fell to the cold ground without getting a chance to use it. Gregory, who took down Hyrun rushed over to Nanas, who was manifesting magic. ¡°T, this¡­¡± When a shield magic was about to get manifested, Gregory cut off Nanas¡¯s right arm. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Nanas screamed, grabbing the wounded hand. The mana went back when the magic got stopped, and the pain intensified. Right when Gregory was about to give out the last blow. ¡°Stop.¡± Tang! A powerful shield magic with a calm voice bounced off Gregory¡¯s sword. Startled, Gregory looked at the elven man who was blocking Nanas. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I am Bratt, the head of the Wind Valley.¡± The fight had ended before Bratt made an appearance. The forces led by him, Fairy Queen and Amur Khan surrounded the grounds. Gregory looked around and shouted with rage. ¡°You were short on fleet, so you readily prepared volunteers?¡± At his words, Bratt shook his head. ¡°That is a misunderstanding. We are here to catch Elder Nanas and the fairies who sympathized with her.¡± And to prove it, he handcuffed Nanas¡¯s left arm. It wasn¡¯t just the handcuff, it was a bondage magic that sealed the magic of a high ranking wizard. Suddenly, when the bondage got placed, Nanas¡¯s eyes opened wide. They had come to catch her, what happened? Looking at the troops brought in by Bratt, she noticed that the number of humans and fairies were similar. In the situation where Bratt had fewer troops to stop Nanas, he had asked help from the higher-ups and brought in humans. ¡°B, Sir Bratt. Why would¡­?¡± At the question from Nanas, Bratt answered coldly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear it? I came to arrest you, who sacrificed your people for the cause which only you believed in. Even the Fairy Queen has agreed.¡± As if Bratt was right, the Fairy lady looked at the Fairy Wizard and nodded her head. Nanas who saw it distorted her face. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do this, Ariete. Fairy¡­ no, did you forget the wishes of the fairies?¡± At the plea of Nanas, Fairy Queen Ariete spoke in a stern voice. ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten. But I think that the means and methods of the Elder is wrong.¡± ¡°So, you have come to stop me? And you brought in those dirty humans?¡± ¡°Even humans will say that the Elder is dirty, they think this method is mean and nasty.¡± When Ariete was done speaking, the fairy wizards rushed over to Nanas to capture her. ¡°Let go! You can¡¯t do this! This is the only way!¡± She had struggled however, she couldn¡¯t resist much with the bondage filled in. Nanas got dragged out, and the fairy warriors who sympathized with her soon disarmed themselves. Ariete approached Bratt. Bratt had approached Erwin, who was on the floor and looked at her condition. ¡°How is she?¡± ¡°She seems to be having last breaths. But I think that I can save her.¡± ¡°Then you need to hurry.¡± Arch Duke Gregory sighed with relief as he watched Bratt and Ariete cast recovery magic on Erwin. And the most urgent situation was resolved. ¡®I was being so vigilant. I need to be more careful in the future.¡¯ After a long time of carelessness, Gregory¡¯s men were sacrificed, and now, he almost regretted not standing up sooner. But then he realized the Sword of Heart. Sword of Heart, which was known to be in myths, was an ¡®indomitable will¡¯ which didn¡¯t endure hardship or adversity. Thanks to that, Gregory had longed for life and stepped into the grounds of Sword Emperor which was once blocked. ¡°By the way, I forgot about Marquis Luke while I was fighting.¡± Returning to the cage, he went to find Luke. However, Luke and Hwang Bo-sung were nowhere to be found inside the cage. ¡°Marquis Luke! Where are you, Marquis Luke?¡± Maybe Luke might have wanted to go somewhere, so Arch Duke searched around for him. However, no matter how much he called, there was no trace of Luke. Chapter 358 - Luke is Gone 3 The southern continent consisted of several large nations and dozens of tribes. The most powerful of them was the Song Empire. The Song Empire, which had occupied more than half of the southern continent in the past, had lost its land due to the succession of the Devil King¡¯s army. However, it was still evident that it was a nation with the largest territory and largest population on the southern continent. Nanjing was the cultural, commercial and transportation hub representing the southern part of the Song Empire, and it was a gathering location for food from the southeast area. It was also called the second capital of the Song Empire because it was the starting point of the Grand Canal to the capital. Anyway, that was how important that place was, so high ranking officials and royal family members often visited Nanjing. Jo Won-rak¡¯s, the current 3rd crown prince, itinerary, who was patrolling the south of the empire was also in Nanjing. ¡°Is your body alright, prince?¡± Around 500 medium and long cavalry guarding like an iron tank and in the center was a gorgeous carriage being drawn by 6 horses. Among them was a person in gold and giving out a strong impression, who had asked, ¡°Until yesterday my heart was in a mess. But everything feels fine now.¡± From the inside came a voice of a young man in his twenties. He was Jo Won-rak¡ªthe emperor¡¯s favorite son. He was a man, who was usually interested in the livelihood of other people. He made a request to the Emperor and asked him to go on a tour to the southern borders and provinces. It was his purpose to serve the people who had suffered due to the drought and the famine that had been going on for the past few years. However, the crown prince ended up eating water and food that became stale, and his body began to hurt. Due to high-fever and vomiting, the crown prince had no choice but to lie down for a while. He was taking all the medicine the military doctor had prescribed him. ¡°But, General Zegal, when will we arrive in Nanjing?¡± ¡°In around half a day. But, this is the first time for you to visit Nanjing?¡± ¡°Right. I heard that if there was a palace in heaven, it will be Nanjing, which had flourished in the past. Oh, General Zegal are you from Nanjing?¡± ¡°Haha. To be precise, I am from a place near Nanjing.¡± ¡°Is that so. Then you must have visited Nanjing quite often?¡± ¡°Yes, prince. When I was young, I often visited here and there. Well, the Nanjing I saw¡­¡± It was when General Zegal Hui from the Zegal clan was trying to explain about Nanjing that suddenly, the ground in front of them began to change. Masked men began to pour out like bees. ¡°W-what is this?¡± ¡°This is an attack! Protect the 3rd prince!¡± They were a cavalry of 500 men, and they weren¡¯t just composed of ordinary soldiers. They were the elite men selected from the Eorim troops that were directly under the Imperial family. Their individual skills were strong enough to match the warriors of Kang Ho. And the three chiefs, who led the troops, were first-class warriors, and Zegal Hui was like the peak of strength. Wheeeing! ¡°Go ahead!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t step back even a little!¡± With the Eorim troops and the masked men clashing. Soon, the noise and clashes of the swords began to spread loudly. It was the first time for Jo Won-rak to face such a situation. In addition, he was a literary lover, who had no idea about martial arts, so seeing a vicious battle unfold in front of his eyes, his complexion went pale. ¡°Ze¡­ General Zegal!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Don¡¯t let yourself get overwhelmed, Crown Prince. I don¡¯t know who is aiming for the Crown Prince, but soon they will feel pain for deciding to do this.¡± There was a reason why Zegal Hui seemed so assured. With just the power of the chiefs and the soldiers, a fairly large scale of men could be wiped out. Hundreds of assassins weren¡¯t much of a matter. ¡°Expand the circle! Let the rear cavalry fire!¡± Indeed, according to Zegal Hui¡¯s assurance, the masked men couldn¡¯t beat the Eorim troops. The Eorim troops were superior in their individual abilities, and their organizational skills and tactical abilities were superior to those of Kang Ho. The defense formation of the Eorim was like an iron wall. Whenever they counterattacked or shot arrows, the masked men fell on the ground splattering blood everywhere. ¡®Ho Ho Ho, yes¡­!¡¯ Watching the performance of the soldiers trained under him, Zegal Hui smiled contently. However, his smile disappeared when a new group of masked men appeared. ¡°Kuakk!¡± ¡°Kugh!¡± ¡°W-what are these men? The swords aren¡¯t being used!¡± When the new group of masked men pushed out, three people wearing exotic clothes appeared. Two wore a steel full body armor as if they were knights from the Rhodesia Continent, and the other wore a robe like a wizard. ¡®Aren¡¯t they northerners? Why are they here¡­?¡¯ As the trade between the two continents became active, information about knights and wizards began to flow out, and Zegal was able to know them because of that, but he couldn¡¯t understand why they would attack their Crown Prince. Goooo! KiKikI! The knights and wizard were giving out ghostly sounds from their mouths. However, their ability was unmatched to their ghostly sounds. Every time the knight wielded his sword, 10 or more soldiers fell on the ground coughing up blood, and whenever the wizard cast his spells, huge explosion broke out, making men collapse from the heat. Kwaang! ¡°Kuakk!¡± ¡°S-save the men!¡± In the blink of an eye, around half of the soldiers had died or had been injured severely. Zegal Hui, who saw his men being sacrificed, ran ahead with his sword. ¡°You bastard!¡± Slash! His sword, which was moving at a tremendous speed, was faster than light. Just when he was about to land the blow on the wizard¡¯s neck, a knight interrupted his sword. ¡®Huh, without any fear?!¡¯ No matter how strong the opponent was and after taking down the soldiers of Eorim, he was an Expert. When they went to the Rhodesia Continent, it was said that there were people with the status of Master, which was similar to his rank. And if he, with his full power, went against them, he believed that he would be able to cut the knight¡¯s body in half. ¡°I don¡¯t know if your body is covered with gold armor, or you are wearing an armor made from iron core, but even that won¡¯t be able to take the might of my sword!¡± Kwang! Zegal Hui and the black knight¡¯s sword collided. A powerful wave caused the dust around them to move. However, the results were shocking. It was because the body and sword of the black knight were perfectly intact. No, just being able to stop it at that level was shocking itself. ¡°Kuak!¡± When Zegal Hui backed away after attacking the knight, he began to vomit blood. The soldiers of Eorim and the 3rd prince Jo Won-rak were shocked. ¡°G-general!¡± ¡°Kuek, you guys aren¡¯t the apostate¡­¡± Before Zegal Hui could even finish what he was saying, the black knight attacked. Slash! When the powerful attack, which seemed strong enough to cut down a mountain, came down on Zegal Hui, he got pushed. He wasn¡¯t being pushed back because of the swordsmanship skills of the knight but because of the invisible Magi emanating from the knight. ¡®I guess not. I can¡¯t handle this one.¡¯ Moreover, there was another knight and wizard left. In addition, Eorim troops, who threw away the masked men the first time, had collapsed. There were hardly 100 men who could fight. Zegal Hui had to take special measures for things to turn their way. Kwang! ¡°Oh?¡± Suddenly, Zegal Hui¡¯s arm began to lit up, and the black knight stepped back to be cautious. Zegal Hui, who missed the gap, ordered the standing soldiers. ¡°2nd squad and 3rd squad stop them! The 1st squad will move with me to save the Crown Prince!¡± Zegal Hui, who rushed to the carriage, pushed the horsemen to the side and held onto the reins. ¡°Prince, hold on tight!¡± ¡°Understood, General Zegal!¡± Zegal quickly turned around the carriage and swung the whip. The horses, which were surprised, ran ahead like the wind. The soldiers of the 1st squad were following them. They left the 2nd and 3rd squad to stop the masked men from approaching the carriage. ¡°Don¡¯t let them go!¡± ¡°We shouldn¡¯t let Jo Won-rak live!¡± The masked men were trying to get past the remaining men of Eorim who were stopping them. The knights and the wizard, who was fighting like a machine, flew to the air and began to chase after Zegal. Chapter 359 - Luke is Gone 4 In the woods near Angyong, Nanjing. Two men were lying in the middle of a vacant lot which looked like it had been recently cut. One man had an exotic outfit but was southern. However, the other one was blue-eyed and unfamiliar with the looks in regard to the place. He was Luke. After getting sucked in by the subspace created by Aura and Magi, he lost consciousness. He was only then regaining his consciousness. However, he could only see a strange landscape unfold before his eyes. ¡°Uh¡­ Where is this?¡± He shook his head because of the exhaustion his mind was in after passing through a subspace. ¡®I don¡¯t know where we are, but this isn¡¯t Melvin valley.¡¯ The scenery of the forest was different. Instead of the iron bars, not a single piece of stone could be seen, and the remnants of strange stone statues and tombstones were scattered around. ¡®An ancient artifact related? This looks similar to the Abaron era¡­¡¯ Luke, who was interested in those artifacts, put the monuments and the stone statues into his subspace bracelet to study them later. He then began to look around the forest. There were many plants and beasts scattered around, even grass worms were moving. ¡°This must be the king tree. Obviously, the book says that it only grows in the southern conti¡­¡± ¡°Ahhh!¡± Amazed at the sudden scream, Luke turned around. There was Hwang Bo-sung standing. Just before getting sucked into the subspace, he remembered his hand being held by someone. Of course, the hand didn¡¯t help him much. However, Hwang Bo-sung seemed very excited. As he touched the soil and looked at the flowers and trees, he was literally crying. ¡°I¡¯m not mistaken! This is my homeland!¡± Because he spoke in his native language of the Song Empire, Luke couldn¡¯t understand what Hwang Bo-sung was talking about. However, he was pleased to see Hwang Bo-sung like that. ¡°Sir Hwang Bo-sung, what is going on?¡± ¡°Lord! This is my homeland, the Song Empire. I am home!¡± ¡°Huh? This is the southern continent?¡± Unlike Hwang Bo-sung who couldn¡¯t hold his happiness, Luke¡¯s face stiffened. He had suddenly moved to the Southern Continent that was thousands of kilometers from Rhodesia. A place with completely different cultures and environments. ¡®The Song Empire¡­ That damned subspace dropped me this far¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t go back. There were frequent trades between the Kirillov co. that worked for Luke. However, going back would take a lot of time. And there was the limited distance the teleport magic could be used. No matter how excellent a wizard was, it was impossible to cross over a vast sea. ¡®How could this happen when I had a lot to do¡­?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just one or two, there were rumors about him, and then there was Reina who would get worried about his disappearance, and the civil war in Baroque and the things with the fairies. In such a time, he had fallen in a distant place with unfamiliar surroundings. ¡®Well, I should feel glad to be alive, right? Besides, I haven¡¯t lost all my power¡­¡¯ Fortunately, his Black Circle was back to normal even after exhausting all of his power to break past the barrier. The forces of Magic and Aura didn¡¯t affect him much. All he had to do was get enough rest, and Luke would be as good as new. ¡®Did Gregory¡¯s men and himself escape as well?¡¯ His thoughts were hazy. The only thing he remembered was breaking out of the cage. It looked like the men had escaped from the fairies since their skills weren¡¯t so bad. ¡°First, I need to find the branch of Kirillov co. in the Song Empire. Sir Hwang Bo-sung, do you know this area?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Sir Hwang Bo-sung?¡± Looking at Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s puzzled face, Luke took a close look at him. The man, who was so happy just a moment ago, was frowning with a dark expression. ¡°What is it? Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Nothing Master. It is nothing.¡± ¡®Why do I feel like there is something?¡¯ As Luke thought, Hwang Bo-sung was indeed in a mess. It was indeed a pleasure to get back to his homeland, but his family had issues. Hwang Bo-kwang, his other brother, who was envious about his father¡¯s attention toward Hwang Bo-sung, had taken him to another nation and tried to assassinate him using a curse, a poison, and the apostate. Luckily, he survived that time and met his master and regained his old skills back. He had gained a lot of skills and experiences after competing with different people in the unknown land. ¡®I still don¡¯t intend to succeed the clan. But¡­¡¯ He wanted to set the past straight. So, he wanted to get back to the clan and get his revenge. However, talking to his brother was useless. He didn¡¯t want to hurt his father nor did he have any intention to shake the hearts of his poor family members. ¡®It will be very wrong if master will be involved in all of this.¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung was determined to not drag down his savior into his trouble and decided to cover up his revenge plot for a while. ¡°If we go to the harbor, we can catch a huge ship to the northern continent, Rhodesia, and fortunately for us, there is a huge port town nearby.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I am sure. There is a large city overlooking the clouds over there. The Hwayong Mountains, one of Song¡¯s five famous mountains and the last gateway to Nanjing.¡± Nanjing was a port city located on the Yangtze river, and they could escape from there by taking a boat to the sea. ¡°Nanjing¡­ I read about it in a book. Was it a thriving city of the Song Empire? Seeing that you know your way around here, you must have visited the place.¡± ¡°Right. When I was a kid, I used to follow my father around.¡± Hwang Bo-sung, who felt nostalgic, smiled upon remembering the memories of the past and soon pointed his finger to the side. ¡°If my memories haven¡¯t betrayed me yet, the road isn¡¯t much far from here. I will guide you from here, master.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Luke wondered what Hwang Bo-sung was so concerned about, but he didn¡¯t take the liberty of asking. People had their own secrets, and there were things that they couldn¡¯t confide to others. Luke knew that feeling better than anyone and decided to respect Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s will. Chapter 360 - Dark Clouds over Song Empire 1 The mountain was surrounded by waters. There was a huge manor in the place where rivers surrounded it on all sides and flowed around. It was comparable to the Imperial Palace of the Song Empire, but it was still huge and was one of the greatest in the empire. In the center of the region, where dozens of warehouses and buildings were gathered, were a few secret rooms that were covered with dark black walls. There were two people facing each other with a scented candle burning. He was a man in his late 30s wearing a yellow robe and another young man wearing a wizard¡¯s magnificent robe. ¡°It was. a death. Knight. And. Lich. Test. But. We never. Know. If they. Are not. So. Weak.¡± A half-faced uncomfortable voice as if a screeching sound from the mouth was heard. The man in the yellow robe across the seat and shook his head. ¡°Not at all, Mr. Arsene. If it is Zegal Hui, he is one of the strong fingers of the Zegal clan. Also, there was the medium-sized cavalry which was trained by him and was known as Eorim.¡± ¡°Kul. Well. Let¡¯s see, how. my cuties. Will act. When. They. See the. Meal. On the. Street.¡± The magnificently robed wearing wizard was Arsene. He had reached the southern continent to conduct experiments with the Lich and the death knights, on whom he had devoted his entire life. It was because conducting the experiments in Rhodesia was a troublesome task, which was against the dark magic uses. ¡°However, if they are strong warriors who were made by the great Arsene, even a simple death knight of the lich, they are bound to outperform a zen skilled master.¡± The man in the yellow robe said with a nod accepting the skills of Arsene. He was Hwang Bo-kwang, who had recently emerged as the head of the Hwang Bo clan. Despite the sudden backdown of the former candidate, the new head should have been in confusion, but Hwang Bo-kwang quickly seized his position and took the duties of the clan with skills. And with that, he was facing Arsene. ¡°The test. This. Time. Is good. Then. Stage 1. Of. Production. Is done.¡± Currently, Arsene was making 700 death knights and lichs. It would be nice to complete all of them at once, but the death knight and lich would be made according to their previous life¡¯s skills, and the amount of agents and offerings they had to place. 9th circle Arch Mage and Sword Emperor ranked 10. 8th magic circle wizard and sword Sage intermediate, 100. 7th magic circle and Sword Master, 590. And he had brought them for testing in the Song Empire, the lower class 33 subjects of the first stage of production. ¡°Oh! Has the 1st step been completed?¡± ¡°Yes. Although. It is. Still lower. It will. Be possible. To take down. Southern. Continent.¡± ¡°Is that true? But isn¡¯t there a powerful weapon called Gigant in the northern continent of Rhodesia?¡± ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul. Did. You. Think. That I. wouldn¡¯t. have. Thought. About that. And made one?¡± ¡°So, the Gigant too can¡¯t match with yours?¡± ¡°Obviously. Now, that. Is. Just a piece. Of scrap. Doll. End of. An era.¡± There was a reason why Arsene never came out of the Death Island despite the Veritas Magic Tower crisis. It was because, as long as he made 700 death knights and lichs, it was possible to make not just the Rhodesia continent but the entire earth kneel for him. ¡®Stupid Saymon. Creating the golems at the start of the war. But to be killed by that Rakan.¡¯ In any case, the real Saymon was convinced that even the legendary Rakan and the Devil King Saymon were resurrected, and they were unstoppable now. ¡°That. Is. One. Thing. But, there. Is. No problem. With taking over. The Song. Empire?¡± At the question from Arsene, Hwang Bo-kwang confidently replied. ¡°Everything is progressing as planned, so please leave it to me.¡± Hwang Bo-kwang who took control over the Hwang Bo-clan was planning to make Jo won-gyun, the son of his sister into an emperor. With support from Arsene, many of the ministers had already been taken down secretly, and the crown prince Jo won-gi was made addicted to drugs and declared unable to rule. The most stumbling rock for them was Jo won-rak, the 3rd prince, but the death knight and lich were secretly sent to eliminate him. Zegal Hui and the soldiers were together with the 3rd prince, but they can¡¯t face the death knights. ¡°Starting with Jo won-rak, I am going to remove all the prince and the royal family members who might interfere with the throne succession. And the last target would be the current emperor.¡± Arsene, seeing Hwang Bo-kwang all confident asked. ¡°Kul. Even the. There. Will. Be many. Opposing. Forces. Will the Hwang. Bo clan. Be enough?¡± Actually even if Hwang Bo clan was a force which had played a pivotal role in the Moorim arts and the economy, no one could counter them. Once the official government had formed and the Imperial family of Song emerged, there was a break in the Moorim arts of the clans, including Zegal clan. In order to capture and take all the forces, it was literally impossible for the Hwang Bo clan to do it alone. ¡°Hohoho. Besides the Imperial palace, there are already many people who belong to us. The ones given to us by Mr. Arsene¡­ no, those Dark Worms, work quite well.¡± ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul. Then. I feel. Glad.¡± Arsene had come to establish a stronghold in the southern continent 5 years back, and he accidentally met Hwang Bo-kwang. Upon discovering the ambitions and greed in Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s eyes, he reached out to the man. At that time, Hwang Bo-kwang had a considerable inferiority compared to his half brother, whom Arsene had helped in taking out. As a result, an alliance had formed between the two. And when Arsene would be taking over the earth, the southern continent including the Song empire would be given to Hwang Bo-kwang. Two years ago, Arsene handed Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s poison and an apostate who destroyed the future of Hwang Bo-sung. People didn¡¯t know, but Arsene had quite a lot of pawns in the southern continent, such as apostate, soldiers with magic and the dark worms. ¡®Kuku. Meeting Arsene was the best thing in my life. As long as I can make my nephew as an emperor, taking over the southern continent isn¡¯t an impossible task!¡¯ Of course, Hwang Bo-kwang had given his nephew only the good things in life and didn¡¯t intend to end him. He had an ambition that he would take over from his nephew and become a new emperor for a new nation. The final goal was to become the first emperor of a unified southern continent. There was a long time for that to happen, but Hwang Bo-kwang made sure that he would definitely do it. ¡°I need. To go. Since. I am. Busy. Since. This. Is my dream. I will. Give. You a. piece. Of advice. Don¡¯t. neglect. Anything. And bring. Things in. at the end. That. Will. Destroy. Us.¡± ¡°I will keep that in mind. Mr. Arsene.¡± As soon as the conversation ended, Arsene disappeared from Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s eyes. Hwang Bo-kwang already knew that he was an excellent wizard, so the disappearance of Arsene didn¡¯t surprise him at all. Rather than that, he was more interested in the singing voice of men getting closer. ¡°In a disheveled flower garden, with a bottle of wine-¡± The song wasn¡¯t nice to listen to. The voice was loud and lacking a pitch. But that wasn¡¯t the reason why Hwang Bo-kwang frowned. ¡®That guy. Did he come back from the place?¡¯ Hwang Bo-kwang, who came out from the secret room, found a male lying down in the flower garden close to the room. The youngest son of the Hwang Bo clan. Just like Hwang Bo-sung, the half brother, the kid had no feelings of jealously or envy. It was because, the kid wasn¡¯t good in arts and sciences, but loved alcohol, women, and gambling. That was why the Hwang Bo clan had regarded him as just a ¡®family number¡¯. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± At the question of Hwang Bo-kwang, Hwang Bo-yun, who was drunk with alcohol turned his head. ¡°Oh, hyung you were here? But did you go to a cemetery? Why is this smell going around¡­¡± Hwang Bo-kwang, who could just talk like he wanted to until then, brought out a deep voice and spoke. ¡°Get out of here right now! Didn¡¯t I tell you to not come here since this is my private place!¡± ¡°Tch, acting cheap¡­ fine. I will go, I am going.¡± Hwang Bo-yun, whose body was drenched in alcohol moved his heavy body to move outside. Seeing the kid walk out, Hwang Bo-kwang thought to himself. ¡®I have to deal with him quickly. He is a parasite which is sucking in the riches of the cattle.¡¯ From the time of the previous head, the amount of money Hwang Bo-yun had spent on alcohol and gambling was enormous. Only the amount used in the meantime was enough to make a huge pond. ¡®Should I deal with him in the mountains? I wish I could get rid of all the rats and birds without anyone knowing, but that old man will jump out because of that¡­¡¯ Hwang Bo-kwang was using his head to think of how he was supposed to deal with the youngest brother and moved into his room once again. There was a lot of work which had to be done if he wanted to fulfill his ambition. However, he didn¡¯t see. The moment he stepped into the room, Hwang Bo-yun¡¯s eyes glowed brightly. Chapter 361 - Dark Clouds over Song Empire 2 Du Du Du Du Du! Zegal Hui was driving the carriage like crazy. The surviving men who were behind tried to grab and take down the masked men and the three monsters and 1st squad soldiers joined the escape party to prevent men from reaching their prince. By the time one could look, the soldiers remaining were just a dozen. Zegal Hui, who lost all of his men whom he had nurtured and cared for shed tears of blood. ¡®Puah! I will never forgive whoever it was!¡¯ As soon as he returned to the Imperial Palace, he was determined to find out the identity of the assailants and destroy the men. However, in order for that to happen, it was necessary for them to get rid of the men following them. He managed to form a bit of distance between him and the chasers, but the road wasn¡¯t reliable enough to hide himself. At the least, he had to reach the Angyang which harbored the Zegal clan. The place where he was heading was the Zegal clan, not the original destination, Nanjing. Since Zegal Hui wasn¡¯t sure if there were traps installed in Nanjing, he thought of heading over to the clan area, which was the safest place according to him. And the distance to the place was close. ¡°General, are we still far from Angyong?¡± The voice of Jo Won-ruk, who was terrified in the carriage entered his ears. And he was never in a situation where he was in danger of losing his life. The 3rd Crown Prince was rumored to be patient and unique, but in the situation, he was in, he was in panic. ¡°We just need to go a little further. If we go to the Zegal clan, they will no longer be able to harm the Crown Prince.¡± He did tell that it was just little, but there were another 30 meters to go. The problem was that the horses which were pulling on the carriage were exhausted. Zegal wasn¡¯t sure if the horses would stand till they reach Angyong or will fall down midway. ¡°General, ahead¡­!¡± Puak! A soldier who was running ahead got hit by a black sphere and fell down in his puddle of blood. However, neither Zegal Hui nor the soldiers had any time to stop and mourn for him. The three monsters who were behind them were standing right ahead of them. Kuakk-! Kikikikiki! ¡®This can¡¯t be¡­ how did they?¡¯ He would have felt someone tagging them if they followed them. However, there was no such feeling, and it looked like they were waiting for them to reach that location. ¡®Did they come flying? Or did they use any other method, the paper tear?¡¯ He heard that the northerners had weird things to use and much more organized magical tactics. Just by using medicines which can heal wounds in an instant were used, and giant steel that moves. In addition, it was said that they could cause an earthquake and volcanoes. ¡®One of the three is definitely a wizard. And he seems to be doing a very good job with them.¡¯ Considering that the wizard was the most difficult of the three, Zegal Hui pulled on his sword and signaled the men with the other hand. He ordered his men to take on the Black Knights and the horse driver to flee with the prince. ¡°Prince, this is how far I can walk with the prince.¡± ¡°G, General!¡± ¡°Even if the God of Death comes down, the Crown Prince must preserve his body and take out the ruined Empire!¡± Zegal Hui, who said his last words to the prince rushed over to the wizard like a lightning bolt. He seemed to be blazing ahead with all of his strength and seemed like it could even melt the iron of the sword. This time, he had the will to defeat the wizard at all costs, and when he launched an attack, the black knight who was next to the wizard stepped ahead. ¡°This bastard, get away!¡± The sword of Zegal Hui who yelled turned and cut the knight¡¯s neck. Slash! The black knight¡¯s neck got slashed with an eerie sound. He seemed cheerful when the neck got slashed and the body rolled over the ground. ¡®I took one down! Rather¡­ no?!¡¯ Zegal Hui¡¯s joy didn¡¯t last long. The black knight with the severed neck was standing up casually and getting ready to hit the sword. Kang! ¡°Kuak! How¡­?¡± Zegal Hui, who hastily stopped the attack, stepped back in shock seeing something which he couldn¡¯t understand. Even the strongest of the Kang Ho Moorim could die if their throat got slashed, who why were these monsters in front of him not dying? ¡®It can¡¯t¡­ are they not even human?¡¯ And he was right. The three men attacking the 3rd prince were death knights and lich, and they wouldn¡¯t die even if their body breaks. However, Zegal Hui, who wasn¡¯t aware of the fact was only forced to move back. ¡®I thought that they might have something to do with the apostasy, but are they¡­¡¯ Zegal Hui misunderstood them as the animation created by the apostate when he saw that the black knight wasn¡¯t dead even after getting the neck cut. He wasn¡¯t able to recover from the shock, and at one point, he saw the wizard¡¯s staff glow. Paht! Black streaks began to spread and point themselves like needles, went right at the carriage and carried the black knight along with it. ¡°No, NO!¡± ¡°Kuakk!¡± ¡°Kuak!¡± The moment Zegal Hui screamed, the existing men around him were down with the black needles piercing through them. In addition, the carriage broke down and tilted, and it wasn¡¯t just the carriage, Jo Won-rak too was on the ground. ¡°Crown Prince!¡± The black knight approached Jo Won-rak and raised his sword high, Zegal Hui rushed and knocked down the black knight with his body. However, in the process, the black knight had slashed his back. ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°General Zegal!¡± It wasn¡¯t a huge wound. However, the wound on the back began to hurt. It wasn¡¯t just the open wound, the Magi which infiltrated his body was killing him. He thought that he had gotten lucky because of the small wound, but it was burning his back. And the winner of the fight would be decided there itself. He was fatally wounded by the enemy who wouldn¡¯t die even after getting cut. ¡®Kuak, this can¡¯t be!¡¯ As Zegal was giving up hope, he was falling down for something which wasn¡¯t even related to apostasy which was no way equal to Moorim. Who had made use of the northerner body with the use of animation? Was this really the doings of the apostate? However, the question remained unsolvable. The fate of Jo Won-rak was about to end there itself. ¡®The pure crown prince¡­ is going to abandon this Song Empire?!¡¯ Zegal Hui looked at the black knight who raised his sword high once again to cut down the crown prince, Jo Won-rak in pain. Kwaang! When the sword from the black knight whose eyes were black was about to fall, suddenly an attack at the stomach had come in from a man. The man who intruded the fight wielded his fists at the black knight and aimed for the head. Puang! Pung! The black knight who got hit multiple times in the head flew away unable to scream. At the unexpected help, Zegal Hui seemed to find a little relief. He then noticed the man who was using the martial arts. ¡®He, he surely must be from the Hwang Bo clan!¡¯ The technique created by Hwang Bo-woong, the king who defeated the Moorim king 300 years back. With each punch, the sound only seemed to increase, and light began to break into the target. Why was the man in front of him using the skills which no one other than the Clan leader had mastered? Could the man be related to the Hwang Bo clan? ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Behind! Look behind!¡± When asked by the man, Zegal Hui shouted at him trying to help. The wizard staff was shining once again. However, it was already late by the man who responded. The needle-like sharp streak poured down like showers. ¡®It, it is the end!¡¯ Zegal Hui closed his eyes tightly. However, he couldn¡¯t feel the pain. As he opened his eyes, he saw a platinum-haired northern man stood in front of the two. He reached out the wizard with his hand faintly giving out purple energy. The northern man mumbled under his breath with his foreign accent. ¡°Why are these things running around here?¡± It was Luke. Chapter 362 - Dark Clouds over Song Empire 3 Luke was heading to the main road Hwang Bo-sung guided him to. Although it was a rare area, they had to walk past many bushes to reach the main road. However, it was all thanks to Hwang Bo-sung, who was cutting down the branches and making the path walkable for Luke. On their way to the town, the two of them noticed weird energy ahead of them. ¡°No, this?¡± ¡°Someone is being attacked by those using Magi.¡± When the magi victims were detected, Hwang Bo-sung rushed ahead and ran toward the area. When Hwang Bo-sung suddenly disappeared, Luke used his fly magic and went behind him. Within a while, he was able to see the tragedy that took place. Those who were dead or injured were engulfed in dark magic and scattered around the carriage. There were a few survivors. Two knights and a wizard were rushing toward them. Luke was amazed at the identity of the two rather than the devastation itself. It was because the two were related to dark magic, Death Knight and Lich. Helping out Hwang Bo-sung who got himself involved in the situation, he mumbled with a frown, ¡°Why are these things here?¡± However, no one answered his question. The Death Knight and Lich, who suddenly noticed that someone strong had made an appearance, attacked in the direction where the strong presence they felt was coming from, leaving behind Hwang Bo-sung and Zegal Hui. ¡°Master, be careful!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡± The Death Knight and Lich, no matter how powerful they were, they couldn¡¯t be compared to Luke, who lived his life as Saymon. While Hwang Bo-sung was going against one Death Knight, Luke used Black Bind on the Death Knight who ran at him. Hwwrrrk! Things like climbers moved up from the ground and sprang around the Death Knight¡¯s body. Meanwhile, Luke, who was in the air, was hit with heat magic. Kwang! ¡°You think you can take me down with this much?¡± Kikiki The Lich began to develop more powerful magic as if he understood Luke¡¯s sarcasm. Thanks to the sudden saviors, Zegal Hui was just watching the situation unfold. Hwang Bo-sung, who was using his fist, was in a close fight with the Death Knight, and Luke, who captured the Death Knight, was also playing around with the Lich. ¡®I don¡¯t know where they came from, but maybe they can defeat those monsters.¡¯ But he couldn¡¯t be completely relieved. There was no guarantee when those masked men and other monsters would begin to appear. ¡®That is why I need to take the Crown Prince to a safe place.¡¯ Zegal Hui, who made that quick judgment, pulled on Jo Won-rak¡¯s sleeve who was still on the ground. ¡°Prince, you need to get out of here!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°This is a great opportunity for us to escape. Don¡¯t hesitate!¡± The most important thing for Zegal Hui was the safety of Jo Won-rak. That was why he needed to leave the monsters to the men whom he didn¡¯t even know if they could truly beat those monsters. ¡°The Song Empire is in your hands¡­ Kuak!¡± ¡°General Zegal!¡± Zegal Hui, who tried to flee with Jo Won-rak, collapsed after a few steps. The Magi was eating his body, and it began to take over his senses and his marrow. While Jo Won-rak and Zegal Hui were in such a turmoil, Luke was pushing the Lich. As a warlock, he was aware of a Lich¡¯s attacks and weaknesses. In the days of Saymon, the black magic book had knowledge about these in it. ¡®Although the magic is strong, the movement is less flexible. Then¡­?¡¯ And since it was a Lich, which means it was already dead, it lacked reasoning, and an object which moved without reasoning only advanced on the orders given to it. So, to face the Lich¡¯s attacks, Luke could respond however he wanted. ¡°Thousand Blitz!¡± When thousands of purple bullets struck the body of the Lich, he hurriedly tried to perform a defense magic. ¡®Surely, when hit by a certain level or more power, he switches to defensive magic.¡¯ As the thousand blitz magic knocked the Lich, Luke unfolded an 8th circle volcano magic. Kiiiki! The ground began to break around the Lich¡¯s feet, and hot lava began to soar. Kiii! In a moment, a screeching sound came out of the Lich, who got sucked into the lava. The Lich tried to get away from the lava pond around him, but since the lava was moving according to Luke¡¯s hand movement, the Lich wasn¡¯t able to escape. Eventually, the Lich turned into ashes. But Luke knew that if he couldn¡¯t destroy the vessel, the Lich would rise again. ¡®Which is why when dealing with these guys, one needs to look around.¡¯ Luke used Hawk Eye Magic on both his eyes and looked around. It was because there was a possibility that there could be a ¡®reserve body¡¯ to where the Lich¡¯s soul could be transferred. However, he couldn¡¯t detect any magic around them. ¡°Then¡­¡± Luke, who turned his eyes around at the speed of lightning, used Dark Blitz on the Death Knight, who was already down. The Death Knight, whose Magi was already being absorbed by Luke using Black Bind, got easily hit by Dark Blitz. With just a little blitz, the armor of the Death Knight fell and a small skull popped out. The dwarf skeleton was the body of the Lich¡¯s soul. ¡°This is unexpected.¡± Kikikiki! The dwarf skeleton or Lich¡¯s eyes began to shine and manifest dark magic. The dark magic spewed from the fingertips moved like flame and reached Luke. It looked like Luke would be swallowed by that dark magic. ¡°How dare you!¡± Wooong! Luke pulled out his sword and released his golden aura. The golded aura, which contained anti-magi energy, quickly destroyed the Lich¡¯s magic and burned the Lich¡¯s body. Kaaaak! Once it was done screaming, the Lich¡¯s body became completely extinguished, but Luke didn¡¯t put his sword back. ¡°Is there another body here?¡± He turned over to Hwang Bo-sung. Hwang Bo-sung, who was having the upper hand in his battle, was about to give out the final blow. ¡°Ominous one, disappear!¡± Urrrng! Kwang! The Death Knight, who was hit by Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s fist, got his armor broken into pieces. The broken body was burned by the lighting, which was released from Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s fist. ¡°It is done.¡± Looking at the scene, Luke sheathed his sword. If the extent of damage taken by the Death knight was huge, the Lich wouldn¡¯t be able to use it as a spare body. ¡°You have worked hard, Sir Hwang Bo-sung. Your tekken skills are as terrifying as ever.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, master. Some people are still alive.¡± ¡°Yeah, we did save them.¡± Luke hurriedly began to treat Zegal and the other men that survived. Chapter 363 - Dark Clouds over Song Empire 4 Luke brought out the healing potions that he placed in his subspace bracelet for emergency purposes and gave them to the wounded men. It was the best thing to give if one¡¯s body had been invaded by Magi. However, it was different from the time when Hwang Bo-sung was treated. Right now, the men on the floor were gravely injured, but if by any chance Luke tried to suck out the Magi and ended up absorbing even a little bit of their mana, it was possible for a few to die. Therefore, it seemed like it was better for him to remove the Magi after making sure that the Magi had stopped spreading. He could then restore their body to its original form. ¡°Once the emergency aid is done, you won¡¯t be in any danger. I hope you won¡¯t overdo yourself for a while.¡± Hwang Bo-sung was interpreting Luke¡¯s words. General Zegal was wrong about the new group that chased them, and Jo Won-rak, who was anxious about his men, felt relieved. He thanked the men in the official Rhodesia language. ¡°I am Jo Won-rak of the Song royal family. I will never forget the grace you¡¯ve shown us today.¡± It wasn¡¯t just Luke, but Hwang Bo-sung too who was amazed. It wasn¡¯t because the man had spoken a very clear Rhodesia language. It was because they assumed from his clothes that the man held a high status. However, never did they imagine that he would be from the royal family. And not just the royal family¡­ ¡°Master, this man is the Song empire¡¯s 3rd crown prince.¡±, said Hwang Bo-sung. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes. I have only heard of the rumors, but I am sure that I remember that name.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ He must be one important person.¡± Listening to Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s words, Luke made a happy expression. The man who might rule the Song Empire one day. He would be of great help to Luke in his quest to return to Rhodesia Continent. ¡°By the way, what are your names¡­?¡± At the question from Jo Won-rak, Luke answered, ¡°I am Luke de Rakan. I govern the Rakan estate in Rhodesia Continent. And this¡­¡± ¡°I used to be from the Hwang Bo clan, Hwang Bo-sung. I¡¯m currently serving as a retainer of the Marquis of Rakan.¡± ¡®What? Hwang Bo-sung?¡¯ Zegal Hui was shocked upon hearing Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s name. From what he knew, the one called Hwang Bo-sung wasn¡¯t alive anymore. But to meet that man right in front of him¡­! Many questions began to rise in his head. However, it wasn¡¯t the time to ask for answers. Another group of men could raid them. Therefore, it was necessary to take the 3rd crown prince to Angyong. ¡°Prince, we will have to talk about the details later on. We need to head to Angyong right away.¡± ¡°We will do that, but what about the injured men?¡± At the words of Zegal Hui, Jo Won-rak asked with a concerned expression. There were six injured men including Zegal Hui and the horse rider. The carriage was broken and the horses had run away. At the concern of Jo Won-rak, Luke smiled a little sneakily. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about what to ride.¡± ¡°Is there a way?¡± ¡°Yes, but it could be a little uncomfortable.¡± At the words of Luke, both Zegal Hui and Jo Won-rak smiled. Unlike Hwang Bo-sung who already knew what Luke was referring to, the two men had no idea what Luke was talking about. Thud! Thud! Thud! The road to Angyong. Along with the roaring and thudding sound, a rare object was running on the road toward south. A giant covered with steel from head to toe. It was a Gigant, the weapon that represented the Rhodesia Continent. ¡°Huh? It¡¯s made out of lumps of iron, yet it runs like the wind.¡± ¡°Nevertheless, it doesn¡¯t shake much compared to carriages or wagons!¡± Jo Won-rak, who was sitting on the shoulder of the tester Gigant that Luke had brought out from the subspace, was amazed and impressed. It was his first time to encounter a Gigant, and he wasn¡¯t sure if the heavy metal would be able to move fast, but its unexpected speed made him happy. As a result, he wasn¡¯t able to adapt to the speed. Zegal Hui and the other soldiers seemed fine, but the horse rider and Jo Won-rak were on the verge of vomiting. Seeing that Zegal Hui, spoke to Luke who was controlling the Gigant, ¡°Marquis Luke, run a little slowly, please!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Luke lowered the speed of his Gigant. He was the one who had gotten the request to speed up the Gigant run from Zegal Hui, who wanted to see the Gigant, and Luke too had to test his Gigant, so he ended up accepting the request. It was necessary for Luke to carry out all kinds of tests to make his own Gigant. And one aspect of Gigant was the Sprint. ¡°Zegal Hui, are you related to the Zegal clan?¡± When Hwang Bo-sung translated Luke¡¯s words, Zegal Hui nodded his head and replied. ¡°Yes. I am the 53rd generation of the Zegal clan, and our home is in Angyong. Is there any problem¡­?¡± ¡°No, there is none. I am just someone who is interested in the past of your family.¡± ¡°Is that so? Hehe, our family¡¯s reputation has reached even the northern continent¡­¡± ¡®It wasn¡¯t because of your fame though.¡¯ Luke had failed to achieve the iron core to create a tuned helm. Zegal clan was the one who sells the iron core, and the one who didn¡¯t want to associate with others. So he decided to take the iron core with him at the given opportunity. ¡®Of course, I saved them from blood loss and the prince as well. Wouldn¡¯t they feel bad and give it to me?¡¯ And if they weren¡¯t going to give it, Luke was planning on stealing it. Since he had gone all the way to the southern continent, he thought that he had to get a souvenir when going back. ¡®No, it isn¡¯t just that, there is one more thing I need to make clear.¡¯ Luke, who was losing his mind, talked to Zegal Hui with the help of Hwang Bo-sung. ¡°But, how did you get attacked by the Death Knight and the Lich?¡± ¡°Death Knight and Lich? I guess you are talking about the monsters.¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Zegal Hui explained to him about what happened. He told them about how Jo Won-rak was conducting a visit to the southern part, and how masked men had attacked their envoy after getting close to Nanjing, and the Death Knight and Lich who supported them. ¡°You aren¡¯t aware of their background?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Well, when I saw the Magi they¡¯re using, it seemed related to the apostasy.¡± ¡°Apostasy¡­¡± Luke had heard of the word Apostasy from Hwang Bo-sung in the past. It was said that they were using their power like warlocks in the southern continent, which was similar to the Rhodesia Continent, so he understood how the unknown men of the south would misunderstand the Death Knight and the Lich as apostasy. ¡®No, maybe it wasn¡¯t a misunderstanding. If the apostasy and the Rhodesia are somehow related¡­¡¯ A man¡¯s face had passed Luke¡¯s head right then. The main driver for such an incident to occur. He was Arsene. Considering his career as a Lich and the possibility of him having the ancient black magic book, he was most likely the person who would do such things. However, there was no evidence that would convince men that it was he who made the Death Knight and the Lich. It could be the work of some warlock whom Luke wasn¡¯t aware of, or it could be the act of a demon who is controlling a warlock. ¡®Either way, this isn¡¯t normal. I hope this mystery can be solved with the help of the people in the south.¡¯ Even though he didn¡¯t want to, Luke was still involved in the position to care for fairies who were dreaming of using the Baroque¡¯s civil war for their Abaron empire revival, and he was trying very hard to not get caught up in any more complicated things. Chapter 364 - The Zegal Clan 1 The clans were like the backwaters of blood relations. In order to become a main warrior of the clan, one had to be considerably close with the members of the clan and the blood of the other clans. Among them, the most closed clan was the Zegal clan in Angyong. Zegal Myeong was an inventor and a genius writer of 100 years back. The Zegal clan was proud to be of his blood and his descendants, and seldom invited outsiders into their homes. A while ago, a group of men had entered their home without any prior notice. ¡°What? Hui got attacked and was helped by unknown people?¡± The Zegal Clan¡¯s head, Zegal Moon was a slightly old yet freshman of 57 years. He had left the home for a while to check up on the business of the clan, and when he returned, he received a report about the general and was shocked. ¡°It was said that the assassins were aiming for the 3rd prince.¡± ¡°Hmm, what the hell is happening to the nation¡­?!¡± At the words of the man in the report, Zegal Moon swallowed his saliva and stayed in silence. Because he could guess why they were aiming for the life of the 3rd prince. Currently, there were only two men who would benefit from the disappearance of Jo Won-rak, and the most possible one was Jo Won-gyun. There was the prince Jo Won-ki, but he was involved in opium. And there was no other person in competition of the succession, so no man would argue with the court and change the prince. ¡®And so, Jo Won-gyun will have to work hard to get rid of his half brother.¡¯ The problem was that Zegal Hui was one of the 5 skilled members of the Zegal clan. In addition, he was trained by the head himself, and the Eorim troops were made by Hui, they could even take down the Kang Ho clans. And knowing their skills, the head couldn¡¯t help but wonder what drove them over the cliff of death. From what he knew, there was no force behind Jo Won-gyun who had such an overwhelming force. ¡°For the 3rd crown prince, there were men from the northern continent and Hwang Bo clan¡¯s.¡± ¡°What? Hwang Bo-sung?¡± Zegal Moon asked with a shock. Hwang Bo-sung was said to have gone to the North for a trade three years back and disappeared into the sea. It was said that the ship had got caught in the typhoon. However, Zegal Clan, who had the best information center than Kang Ho, had accurately identified the situation and the signs of the incident. They had also found out that Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s disappearance was due to Hwang Bo-kwang, the current head of Hwang Bo clan. However, there was no clear evidence, and they didn¡¯t give out the news since they would gain anything from a rivalry with the Hwang Bo clan. And in such times, Hwang Bo-sung had appeared. ¡®Is there going to be bloody winds in the nation which had been peaceful for too long?¡¯ Either the two events will cause a tremendous impact, or everyone is going to get hurt. Zegal Moon shook his head and went out to meet Zegal Hui and the 3rd prince¡¯s party. It was because he wanted to listen to the actual story about the incident and prepare for what is going to come in the future. ¡°Hyung, I am sorry.¡± Zegal Moon met Zegal Hui in the halls of the guest house. As soon as he saw the head, Hui bowed and apologized. Even if everything went good, he ran away like a dog after getting beaten up and lost, so he couldn¡¯t just show his face with pride. ¡°It is alright. When things get difficult, you need to live at all costs. And why are you making the relation between us so complicated?¡± ¡°Hyung¡­¡± Zegal Hui was the cousin of the younger brother of Zegal Moon. Zegal Moon had sisters, so he cherished Hui like a younger brother. Which was why he took in Zegal Hui and helped him personally when he wanted to join the military. It was all thanks to the cousin¡¯s support that Zegal Hui was able to show his outstanding skills and become victorious, and became the general of Eorim troops by 50. Zegal Moon was proud of him. However, such a prideful younger brother was standing with his head down because of a defeat. It was truly pathetic to see the guards of the 3rd prince standing with their sword down and bodies bandaged all over. ¡°Let¡¯s greet the 3rd prince and talk.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Zegal Moon, who entered the room of the 3rd prince Jo Won-rak, bowed on his knee and greeted him. ¡°Zegal Moon, the guardian of Kang Ho region, greets the 3rd prince.¡± ¡°It is my pleasure, clan head. Because of my unsuccessful circumstances, I had to rely on your family for a while, so please keep this untidy man under you till help comes from the capital.¡± ¡°I will do as you say, your highness.¡± To let Jo Won-rak who was shocked by the day¡¯s turn out rest, Zegal Moon walked out of the room. And had a conversation with Zegal Hui who was at the vacant administration office. ¡°You and your men have been raided in the past too, but you have never been back down. What the hell happened this time?¡± ¡°Honestly, the first group of men was taken care of by us. But then, suddenly, they appeared¡­¡± When Zegal Hui began to talk about what happened later, Zegal Moon was surprised. ¡°Animate? So, you mean the work of the remnants of Apostate?¡± ¡°I am not so sure, they were wearing the clothes of the northern continent. According to the man¡¯s words, in the north, they are called Death Knight and Lich.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Zegal Moon¡¯s expression hardened. As the trade between the two continents had turned active, the culture had spread too. When he was young, Zegal Moon used to read a lot of books with the legends of Rhodesia. Death Knight and Lich were mentioned in those books and described to be the most powerful monsters. In particular, the Lich was termed to be immortal. And such a legendary monster has appeared in the Song Empire! ¡°So, they don¡¯t belong to the apostasy?¡± ¡°Well, it wouldn¡¯t be too weird if an evicted apostasy has come back from the north.¡± The Apostasy was pushed out of Moorim more than 200 years back when they did all kinds of evil to the southern continent. At that time, the apostasy was so strong that not just the local clans, but the leading clans had to join in. Even the masters of the foreign nations such as Yemaek and Barat had joined to get rid of apostasy. After 10 years, the organized coalition forces were able to subdue the apostasy. And the apostasy disappeared from Kang ho region. And the thoughts of such Apostasy coming back to the area made the body of Zegal Moon tremble. ¡°That is huge. Considering the mess caused by the apostasy and witchcraft 200 years back¡­¡± At that time, the Zegal clan played a huge role in subduing the apostasy. So, they knew how evil and chaotic the apostasy was. They made a strong power. If such apostasy had come back and that too with the dark magic from the northern side, it would cause chaos which no one could stop. The region of Kang Ho had enjoyed peace for a long time, and for 200 years there was no hero. ¡®Besides, the royal family will be in a mess with the next throne succession coming on¡­¡¯ ¡°We need to tell the other clans of Kang Ho too. Shouldn¡¯t we be preparing for the subjugation army or something?¡± At the words of Zegal Hui, Zegal Moon nodded. ¡°Well, that is the work that I need to do. By the way, if the monsters were so powerful as you said and are capable of wiping out Eorim, then how did you escape to this place?¡± ¡°That is because of the men. Hwang Bo-sung and Marquis Luke who appeared at the time of crisis.¡± ¡°Master Hwang Bo-sung and Marquis Luke?¡± ¡°Yes, on our way here, I heard that Marquis Luke had helped out Hwang Bo-sung who was wandering in their place with grave injuries on his body. I asked if that is the truth and it turned out to be.¡± Zegal Moon was very knowledgeable about the culture and systems of the northern continent. So he knew that the title of Marquis meant huge power, and was a strong noble. But why would such a person take only one retainer and come all the way to the southern continent to defeat the so-called cursed monsters? The words of Zegal Hui answered a few of his questions. ¡°Hwang Bo clan¡¯s man had defeated one of the three, and the Marquis defeated two.¡± Hwang Bo-sung was a prodigy who made a name for himself in Kang Ho until he turned up missing. From a very young age, there were rumors saying that he would rise to peaks and become the second king of Moorim. In fact, the clan too believed and supported the kid. As a result, Zegal Moon wasn¡¯t shocked to know that he managed to take down one of the three monsters. However, what was surprising was Hwang Bo-sung who knew martial skills only took down one, while his Lord had taken down two of them. ¡°Is he that strong?¡± ¡°Yes, I only watched for a moment, but he is a very powerful man. His magic and sword skills have reached the highest level.¡± As Zegal Hui was speaking about Luke, he once again played the scene of Luke defeating the monsters. If he was about to fight Luke, he would barely last 10 seconds. How could such an amazing leveled man in two different spheres be of such a young age? Couldn¡¯t he be comparable to the highest level of martial arts which only two managed to achieve in the Kang Ho Moorim arts? Hearing the explanation from the younger brother, Zegal Moon was rather amazed. ¡®I need to see him myself.¡¯ Thinking so, he reached Marquis Luke and Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s resting area. Chapter 365 - The Zegal Clan 2 Luke and Hwang Bo-sung were resting in a close-by quarters to Jo Won-rak. ¡°It is much comfortable than I thought. The ventilation to my body is so good.¡± Luke, who had changed into the southern continent attire which was brought in by a servant, smiled after wearing them. Luke and Hwang Bo-sung dressed in new clothes, opened his mouth after having some home tea. ¡°Lord, how long are you planning on staying in Zegal clan?¡± ¡°I think I will stay here until the end of my work.¡± Even after Luke had taken down the 3rd member party, he remained in the Zegal clan because of the Iron core. ¡°I am sure that since I saved the 3rd prince and their family member, wouldn¡¯t they be more than willing to give me the iron core?¡± ¡°I am not too sure about it. The members of the Zegal clan are so unique that the normal public finds it too hard to understand them.¡± ¡°That so? Then maybe we should use another method.¡± When Luke shrugged his shoulders, Hwang Bo-sung asked him the question he had been holding back. ¡°But Master. Who were those gangster-like ones?¡± It had been two years since Hwang Bo-sung had settled in the Rhodesia continent, but he had never heard of such beings. He had to hit them so hard using his zen skills, and they wore the clothes of the knights and wizards of the Rhodesia continent. ¡°Death Knight and Lich.¡± ¡°Death Knight and Lich?¡± ¡°Yeah, they are considered to be the strongest type of undead monsters, made from the bodies of Sword Master knights and 7 or more magic circle wizards.¡± Luke frowned thinking of the undead. ¡®No matter how much I think about it. My mind always says that the one who made those monsters was Arsene.¡¯ Luke was convinced and he had a reason for it. In order to make a Lich and Death Knight, rare materials such as the bodies of Sword Masters and high ranking wizards and a place which was soaked with Magi were needed. And these weren¡¯t the materials which could be easily secured by a single working warlock. The Death Knight and Lich hadn¡¯t appeared in the Rhodesia continent and it was because of the eyes of the denominations which were always around. ¡®Only a group of warlocks who have secured a great deal of power will be able to escape from their eyes.¡¯ From what Luke knew, there were two such groups. The Dark Moon magic tower and the Veritas magic tower. The Dark Moon magic tower wouldn¡¯t make an undead because they followed the teachings of Saymon, and they wouldn¡¯t do anything harmful for the humans. But what about Arsene and his Veritas Magic tower? ¡®They are men who had to move away because of the mess. And they have been around since the ancient times.¡¯ Death Knight and Lich were the ones that could be called out by the Devil King from the Devildom. And it wasn¡¯t long since Luke had actually met one on the borders of the Holy Empire. Even though the body of Saymon had died 500 years back, the body of Saymon came back to combat that night. He had attacked the Veritas¡¯s opponent magic tower during the battle. Perhaps the materials needed to make the Death Knight and Lich were taken long back. Well, most definitely they were. ¡®Arsene. After fighting Erenes, it was said that no one could even sense him, but here he was in the Southern Continent making undead.¡¯ And it couldn¡¯t be just the three. There were many wizards and knights who died during the battle of the magic towers. If he did steal all their bodies during that time, and if he kept on stealing the corpses of the knights from the past 500 years, the legion of the undead under his grasp was huge. ¡®Dammit, the more I think about him, the angrier I get!¡¯ It was when Luke was thinking back. Stopping his feelings midway, the door opened and the servant came in. ¡°What is it?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°The chief of the Zegal clan is said to be coming. He seems to indicate master and me.¡± At the translation of Hwang Bo-sung, Luke smiled. ¡°Really? I was thinking about finding him, but this is good too.¡± After a while, two people had entered their room. A middle-aged man who seemed quite an intellectual and Zegal Hui. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Zegal Moon, the one in charge of Zegal clan.¡± Hwang Bo-sung took that as a greeting and bowed his head down. ¡°Hwang Bo-sung. It is an honor to see the Kang Ho sage.¡± Zegal Moon was a ¡®Heaven¡¯s Sage¡¯, which meant that he was the best in Kang Ho. However, Zegal Moon ignored such names. ¡°Haha. Those words¡­¡± Hwang Bo-sung introduced Luke to Zegal Moon, who clasped the hand with a shy face. ¡°I am not sure if you heard it from General Hui, but this man is my master.¡± ¡°Luke de Rakan.¡± Luke reached out and greeted the elderly man and gave his hand, however, Zegal Moon didn¡¯t reach out. It wasn¡¯t because he was unaware of the customs of the northern continent, but it was because he was surprised to hear Luke¡¯s name. ¡®Rakan?! Marquis Luke, a member of the Rakan family?¡¯ Zegal Moon had heard about Rakan, the man who was worshipped by knights in the northern continent. But he never assumed that a member of the Rakan family would come to him. It was because Zegal Hui didn¡¯t give out the family name of Luke. Rhodesian Warrior Rakan. In the past, he was the hero who had defeated the frightening dark magic wielding Devil King. His status as a Sword Emperor was comparable to the legendary masters of Kang Ho, who were the Martial King, Sword King, and Archery King. ¡®That is right. He might have the unique ability for being the descendant of the hero.¡¯ Maybe he was much stronger than what Zegal Hui had told him about. The strong eyes which weren¡¯t suitable for his age, the unprecedented energy which was flowing in his entire body were things which were hard to see even in the Masters of Moorim. Zegal Moon, who was giving out the expression without realizing, later apologized for his rudeness. ¡°I am sorry. I was shocked to know that you were the descendant of a famous hero¡­¡± Luke was shocked to see the language of Rhodesia come out of the man¡¯s mouth. ¡°No, it is alright. But you speak quite well.¡± ¡°I was a curious kid in my younger days, and learned it then.¡± After the causal greetings, they moved over to the table in the room. The servant left the refreshments on the table and Zegal Moon formally thanked Luke. ¡°Thank you for returning the 3rd crown prince and my brother very safely back to us. I swear on my ancestors to repay your grace.¡± ¡®Should I make him payback? Whoo Woo! I look forward to it.¡¯ Luke, who was thinking about how much to rob off them, smiled to himself. ¡°But, why did you have to come all the way to the southern continent?¡± ¡°That¡­ we were in an unexpected accident.¡± ¡°Accident?¡± ¡°You can believe us, an axe we believed had come out of the bag and stamped on our foot.¡± Seeing Luke¡¯s expression stiffen, Zegal Moon didn¡¯t ask what kind of an accident that was. It was because he could roughly guess what happened to Luke, and asking him right after meeting seemed too rude. ¡°Anyway, in a confusing situation, the subspace got opened and we were sucked into it. After waking up, we found ourselves in the Song Empire.¡± Said Luke. ¡°Sucked into a subspace¡­ I remember hearing a similar story in the past.¡± ¡°A similar story?¡± When Luke seemed interested, Zegal Moon began to give out the story. Chapter 366 - The Zegal Clan 3 ¡°A very long time ago, there was a nation called Yin on this earth. It was said that the people of Yin were the goblins from the north, who at that time used to cultivate humans like livestock.¡± ¡®Uh? This surely sounds like¡­¡¯ The nation of Yin that Zegal Moon was referring to sounded very similar to the Mado Abaron Empire. The goblins were the fairies. ¡°Humans learned a lot of literature from them. However, apart from that, most of the men in high-status were goblins. Dissatisfied with that, the humans revolted. The rebels had lost in the hands of goblins, but at that time, a man called Heechang appeared and changed the situation.¡± Heechang, who had learned skills from a nice goblin, created a huge hole by stabbing a spear of light and dark into the ground. The evil goblins got sucked into the hole and never appeared. ¡®A spear of light and dark, in the ground, a huge hole¡­¡¯ At the story of Zegal Moon, Luke recalled the situation before he got sucked into the subspace. A barrier that sucked in all power. To escape from there, Luke gave out Magi and Arch Duke Gregory used divine power. The contrast natured energies created collisions inside the barrier and created a subspace as a reflux process. ¡®This sounds very similar to the old-time story which he is saying. Considering that there are many metaphorical expressions in the traditional stories and legends, I never thought that something similar could happen in the southern continent.¡¯ While Luke was thinking, Zegal Moon continued, ¡°Honestly, it is very hard to believe an old story like that. However, the fact that you have saved the 3rd crown prince and Hui is a reminder to me. So whenever you need help, we will always be there for you.¡± Luke was swayed by those words and decided to talk to the head about what he wanted. ¡°Then, would you mind giving me the iron core?¡± ¡°Iron core?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if the head knows, but I tried to buy the iron core once already.¡± Luke told him about how he was developing a Gigant and how he asked Kirillov to buy it for him. At that, Zegal Moon seemed like he did know something about it. ¡°Hmm, that did happen. Nevertheless, for a few reasons, the northern merchants did try to find the iron core. I guess this was the reason.¡± ¡°Since you are aware of the reason, will you sell it now?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Zegal Moon, who was seated, got up. ¡°Follow me.¡± The place where Zegal Moon took Luke was a rocky mountain behind the main road. Passing through the complex cluttered road and other things was a cave that was guarded by warriors. ¡°I see the head.¡± ¡°Glory to the clan!¡± With the strong greetings of the clan warriors, the party approached the cave. The cave was blocked by a thick gate, and showing that, Zegal Moon spoke, ¡°Normally, this had been banned from the outside world since 10 years ago, but I think I can show it to you.¡± There was a reason that the value of the cave had decreased when compared to the past because of the struggle between the clans was fierce. In order to survive in the midst of the unfamiliar situation as such, they thought that it would be advantageous to have at least one strong friend from the royal forces. Kuuuung! The iron gate that was 30 centimeters thick opened. Its iron gate wasn¡¯t one but threefold. When the threefold gate opened and what expected to be a city in the cave turned out to be a large-scaled cavity. The underground cavity was like a spider web, and the passages were all around. However, it wasn¡¯t all dark, there were flowers and fresh bushes growing around. It was because the inside of the ceiling was bright with daylight. ¡®This, this is amazing! Only the dwarves of the ancient Mado Empire can make this¡­¡¯ For Luke, who was lost in thoughts, Zegal Moon briefly explained the origin of the cave. ¡°According to the legends, the cave belonged to the goblins. Even now, in the deepest part of the mines ¡®black iron¡¯ or ¡®cold iron¡¯ can be mined at times.¡± However, it was said that rather than for mining, the place had been used as a warehouse for stocking the goods of the Zegal clan, or a workshop for weapons or labs for tactical arts. ¡°The iron core is in this room.¡± The place guided by Zegal Moon was a workshop that produced the Puppet. Inside, along with a half-finished puppet, were what supposed to be the pieces of iron core rolling on the floor. However, Luke¡¯s eyes were drifting in the thickly dusted room. ¡°It looks like the work here has stopped for quite some time.¡± ¡°Huh, it did. Perhaps, the Puppet in front of your eyes will be the last Puppet the Zegal clan will make.¡± At the deep sigh of Zegal Moon, Luke asked cautiously, ¡°Are there any problems with the iron core?¡± If that was the case, then it was huge drawback. ¡°Most of the iron core that grew on the mountain plateau in the south got killed because of the drought that lasted for several years.¡± The provincial plateau near the border between the Song Empire and the Barat Empire was the only source to gather iron core. There were thousands of large and small iron core plateau, and most of them had died due to the heatwaves and long periods of drought. ¡°Honestly, it wasn¡¯t because the rain didn¡¯t fall. The problem was that the drought caused the insects to gnaw through the crops and the iron core trees were no exception.¡± It was a tree that was known to be hard, but the pests even ate a tree¡¯s roots, so the trees died. In addition, it was said that the natives burned poisoned trees to chase off the pests and that led to wildfires. ¡°It was a disaster I guess,¡± said Luke. ¡°The sky was to blame. Fortunately, few remaining seedlings were left behind.¡± That was why the Zegal clan refused to sell the iron core wood. Though the iron core was a precious metal, their essence was lost because of the unstoppable disasters. ¡®It doesn¡¯t look like it was a lie¡­ But even then, things might get difficult.¡¯ And Luke wasn¡¯t planning on using it only for the tuning helm of his Gigant. If possible, the idea was to apply the tuning helm to all the Gigants in the lordship, and not just Orion. However, listening to their situation, he was forced to step back on his plan. ¡®Should I just give up? Is there any way to use magic or something?¡¯ If he could solve the problem, it would be possible to get a constant supply of the iron core. However, as almost all of them were wiped out, reviving them wasn¡¯t going to be an easy task. Chapter 367 - The Zegal Clan 4 Hwang Bo clan had a secret room located at the center. It was a private place for Hwang Bo-sung to use his fists or work, and only his trusted men could enter that place. In that place, Hwang Bo-kwang had met with a VIP a while ago. ¡°My. Cuties. Did. They. Do. Well?¡± At the question of Arsene, Hwang Bo-kwang shook his face with a dark expression. ¡°That¡­ unfortunately, failed.¡± ¡°What? Was. It a. fail?¡± ¡°Yes, it was said that the 3 undead who followed the 3rd crown prince was found in a place, completely destroyed.¡± ¡°Kul. I will. Go. And. See!¡± Arsene seemed to be in shock. His eyes in his skull were shinning. Hwang Bo-sung spoke his assumption, ¡°Maybe the nearby Zegal clan assisted them.¡± Death Knight and Lich made by Arsene couldn¡¯t be killed by brute force, so it would be impossible for the Zegal clan and the other clans of Moorim. There were culminations who could be compared to Zegal Hui, and they were also making a Puppet. ¡®There is one thing that I don¡¯t understand.¡¯ The question was how the groups of the 3rd crown prince even know that there was an assassination attempt on the prince and came to assist so quickly? Getting there in time to help should have been very difficult for the men even if the request was sent immediately. ¡°So. Those. Men. Where. Are. They. Now? You. Know?¡± ¡°They are aid to be under the protection of Zegal clan.¡± It would be a huge deal if the 3rd crown prince went back to the royal palace. If the Emperor who cared for the 3rd prince found out, he would jump out in anger, and the others would lose the chance to kill him in the future. That was why Hwang Bo-kwang wanted to kill Jo Won-rak, who came out of the palace. ¡°Arsene, please lend me some power.¡± ¡°Kul. You take. Three. Of. My cuties. And now. Want. To. Borrow. More?¡± At the unexpected reaction of Arsene, he spoke out, ¡°If you can help me out once more, I will hand over the bodies of 7 culminations later.¡± The corpse of culmination was the best material needed for making a Death Knight. Even if they hadn¡¯t reached their peak, they could make an intermediate Death knight. Arsene, who briefly contemplated on the proposal, decided to lend the rest of the 30 that he had brought over to the southern continent. ¡°Good. However. Keep. In mind. That. This. Will. Be the. Last.¡± ¡°I will remember this.¡± When Arsene disappeared to bring in the Death Knight and the Lich, Hwang Bo-kwang yelled, ¡°Gwan-chang!¡± ¡°You called, Head!?¡± A thundering wave struck in front of Hwang Bo-kwang, and a black-masked man appeared in front of him. Gwan-chang was particularly good at hiding and infiltrating as a master of the ¡®Shadow Organization¡¯, a warrior organization that Hwang Bo-kwang secretly founded. ¡°What is the status on collecting information about the Zegal clan?¡± ¡°Most of our men are trying, but it isn¡¯t getting any easier because the men and the formation around the clan is too great to infiltrate.¡± There was another thing the Zegal clan was famous for other than their excellent strategy and puppets. It was their base formations. The fame created by the Zegal Clan was strong. Among them, it was rumored that the Daecheon soul circle around the clan was stronger than placing Shaolin temples together. ¡°Then, should we wait for them to come out?¡± Waiting for them would take a lot of time. If they didn¡¯t come out by the time the Urim reinforcements arrived, their plan of assassinating the prince would have to be put down. If the Urim came, they were monsters that he couldn¡¯t deal with. The monster, who reached two levels higher than the peak, the one referred to as the guardian of the Crown Prince and the Royal family. ¡°Unless Mr. Arsene goes out himself, that man cannot be defeated.¡± However, Arsene was a very busy person, and it didn¡¯t seem nice to depend on him for too many things. If he continued to ask for help, he would end up being a subordinate and not an ally of equal standing. That too for the monster of immortality and power of darkness. ¡°Chief, how about we ask for a favor from Earner?¡± ¡°Huh? To that bastard?¡± Hwang Bo-kwang was flustered. Earner ¡®The sage of ghost valley¡¯. His birthplace and name were unknown. The man called himself Earner, saying that he was progressing the ¡®Guigumen¡¯ a skill that was disappearing. He had skillful speech and excellent tactical skills, and with his outstanding abilities, he did more evil than good. There were times when he made clans fight amongst themselves for the sake of entertainment, and there were times when he cut the veins using tactics. And 4 years ago, he pretended to be God and threatened the royal family about spreading drought and pest to the whole nation if he wasn¡¯t given 100,000 gold. At first, the Emperor thought of it as a joke. However, the drought really broke out in the south, and the Emperor, who was enraged, tried to get hold of the man by using the Masters of Eorim but failed. The newly committed Earner continued to mess around with the government and began to walk through the masses of the capital. ¡°We know where he is, so¡­¡± ¡°But he is a wanted sinner!¡± He was in contact with him, but he decided to stay away from the man till the eyes of the royal family were looking for him. Until his nephew, Jo Won-gyun became the next emperor, he wanted nothing bad to come in his way and stop the making. ¡°But right now, there is no one other than that Earner who can break the circle of Zegal Clan in Kang Ho. What do you want to do?¡± Asked Gwan-chang. ¡°Kuk¡­!¡± At the end of the words, Hwang Bo-kwang bit his lip and held on to his head, moving from side to side. Deciding on something, he turned. ¡°I the chief will meet and negotiate with him in person. This should never be revealed to the world.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± When the man disappeared from the room, Hwang Bo-kwang bumped his fists. ¡°Even if it means death, I have no option but to meet him.¡± He didn¡¯t want to drag Jo Won-rak¡¯s life for long and decided to not let another opportunity get away from his hand. Chapter 368 - The Uncertainty of the Continent 1 While Luke was in the Southern Continent, the civil war in the Baroque Empire was deepening. While the Central army¡¯s commander Count Ferrero led the troops to the south towards Marquis Mayers, Rudolf had led the eastern troops with the support of the Knights of Guard to attack the western. ¡°What? The Tyrant Emperor is coming?¡± Duke Butler jumped out of his seat at the report from the soldier. He had never thought that the Emperor would make a move in the rainy season. ¡°If he is crossing the mountain. It must be his intention to hit the rear of our army.¡± The young knight in a bright armor said while showing the images of a map. His name was Axel de Vanden, the lord and Marquis of Vanden, the largest manor of the west after Duke Butler. He was the personal student and son-in-law of Duke Butler. As he was the genius who became a Sword Master at a young age and was one of the greatest lords, Duke Butler got his daughter married to him. He was proficient at geography, strategy, and Vanden was actually made as the chief of Duke Butler. ¡°The Miral area where are military troops are currently stationed at is to the north of Dris mountain and south to Dnar mountain. And in the east is the Orlan castle could the Emperor be¡­¡± ¡°If the Emperor plans to cross the mountain and block the rear, we will be blocked.¡± At the words of Butler and Vanden, the commanders of the Western Army shrouded. In numbers, the Western Army was definitely more, but the total power was just equal. The skills and equipment of each of a single Knight of Guards were known to be the strongest in the Empire, and the volunteers from the east were elite soldiers trained in a constant border disputes with the Holy Empire. In addition, there were a lot of problems within the Western Army. For starters, there were a lot of heads, and there were a lot of military supplies that were brought in. Also, there were quite a few new lords who just joined the noblemen. Problems such as minute disputes could be fine, but during urgent situations, it could cause a catastrophe. And the heads couldn¡¯t even say anything to them. ¡°Duke Sire, our supply will get delayed due to the rainy season, and if the rear is cut off, all out forces will be in trouble.¡± ¡°Count Stark is right. Even if it seems a little unreasonable, we might have to take an offensive stance.¡± ¡°We need to make a decision!¡± If not, they could choose to retreat, but Duke Butler never retreated. Duke Butler, who was listening to the words of the commanders turned his attention to a man with a different impression who was still looking down on the map with no word. ¡°What do you think, Count Voltas?¡± The man Duke Butler asked was surprisingly Count Voltas. He used to be the right arm of Emperor Rudolf. His life which had been victorious¡ªinvolved the failure of assassinating Aslan and the involvement of the Holy Empire. In addition his son Lazlie, who had failed his mission and fell to hell. After the bloody situation in the Imperial Parliament, the Emperor pursued Voltas to make him pay for the mistakes. He hadn¡¯t deprived the man of his merit, however, all the wealth and the title of Count had been confiscated and was thrown out of capital. The family fell, but Count Voltas didn¡¯t despair. Rather, he escaped from that land and joined the western noblemen group. And Duke Butler welcomed Voltas¡¯s visit. Voltas had long kept spies around Emperor Rudolf. And the information Voltas knew was far too precious to just injure the man and throw him away because he was once their political opponent. And that was why, he, serving as a member, participated in the meeting. ¡°I asked what you thought?¡± At Butler¡¯s second question, Voltas finally spoke. ¡°You think that Majesty will try and attack Orlan castle?¡± Asked Butler. ¡°Umm, right. If the enemy moves, I think that it won¡¯t be too bad to aim for the empty castle¡± If the Emperor was himself leading the army, the defense of the Orlan castle would be weakened. From the Emperor¡¯s point of view, the western army which would be in fear would try to retreat, but Butler¡¯s thoughts were different. Orlan Castle had military supplies in it, temporary problems could arise. ¡°Orlan Castle was the most important gateway to the capital. If they only occupy that place, they will have an open way to Nemesis.¡± From the Orlan Castle to the capital Nemesis, there was only one large plain. There were a few castles along the way, and they had no military power nor were they a threat to the Western Army. So, he didn¡¯t care if the castles ignored the troops. In Butler¡¯s point of view, Count Voltas nodded and said, ¡°You are right. But, wouldn¡¯t the Emperor think of that?¡± Nemesis is the capital city or the Emperor¡¯s city. Since it is the center of the Emperor¡¯s base and worth, if it was ravaged and occupied by the enemy, the political position and forces of theirs would weaken. ¡°And so? But didn¡¯t you just say that most castles are empty on the way?¡± ¡°Orlan Castle could be a harder opponent than assumed. The castle has triple walls and 100 large-sized canons, and there are traps to prevent the advances of the Gigants. In addition, the castle¡¯s internal structure is complex, and can cause significant damage to the opponent.¡± If something went wrong, the rear of the troops would get blocked reaching the Orlan Castle, and Count Voltas thought that the Emperor could face a counter-attack. ¡°Hmm, then what do you think we should do?¡± ¡°Then, we need to hit the Emperor while he crosses the mountain.¡± ¡°Do we know where they will come from?¡± They were only aware of the extent of the mountain but nor the location from where the Emperor would come. Sending in troops to locate the enemy and ambush them in advance wasn¡¯t an easy task to perform. Moreover, it would be difficult to identify the enemy¡¯s advancing because of the heavy fog in the mountains during the rainy season. But Count Voltas thought of something. ¡°There are many small and large mountain paths in Dris and Dnar, but the only fine enough route over Dris is the Perio highway. That is the only good road on the mountain path, and it will even shorten the march time.¡± He pointed to the man and spoke. ¡°If we can go half-day on the road and make our camp, it could be a good place to ambush. If we can hit the Emperor¡¯s advances from there, we might actually win. Hopefully takedown Rudolf.¡± At the words of Count Voltas, one of the commanders, Count Stark refuted. ¡°What if the Emperor is already occupying the land there?¡± ¡°That sounds plausible¡­ however, such a situation wouldn¡¯t arrive as you assumed. The canyon is a lot closer to us than the marching squad of the Emperor, so we will be the ones to get there.¡± ¡°Ung, that is something you are thinking.¡± Count Stark¡¯s eyes were full of hostility and contempt. Shortly before the bloody ceremony took place, he and Duke Butler had managed to escape the capital. However, quite a few nobles had died, and some of them were his close friends. It wasn¡¯t just that, the lovely retainers who were left behind in the capital mansion were all assassinated by the tyrant emperor. The trouble wasn¡¯t just with Rudolf, but also Voltas who always stayed by him was currently trying to sweet-talk them. ¡°I don¡¯t know about the others here, but I doubt you.¡± At the word of Stark, Voltas¡¯s face hardened. ¡°You are suspicious, do you think that I am a spy sent in by Rudolf?¡± Asked Voltas. ¡°Since there are a lot of doubts here, I can¡¯t just say no. It could be true that you escaped from that place alone, but joining us so shamelessly.¡± ¡°What did you say? Shameless? Are you saying such words not knowing in what state I had arrived here?¡± Voltas¡¯s face was red as he got up from his seat. His eyes were boring into Stark¡¯s when he tore off his coat and shirt. On his skin lied terrifying scars. Traces of being beaten with whips, and poked with awls and skin torn apart. However, even more surprising was the right arm which got cut off in the middle. The hand which he had used to point the map was a prosthetic. Since he had covered his hand with a full glove, no one was able to notice it. ¡°Oh, Oh my¡­!¡± ¡°That is terrible!¡± Although Duke Butler and Marquis Vanden knew something had happened to him, the other nobles were quite shocked. It was the same with Count Stark, who has suspected Voltas a second back. ¡°Look at me carefully. This is how the man who was loyal to the Emperor had been treated¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I surely made a terrifying mistake. I never believed my son¡¯s skills. And I was prepared to get punished for the mistakes. But to treat a long line of loyal men like traitors!¡± Voltas was crying out in a desperate tone almost as if he was trying to reason with Rudolf. ¡°The tyrant emperor had defiled my body and stripped of my title and wealth and my pride! And raped my wife and daughter right in front of my eyes! And told me he would take my hand off rather than my neck after making me witness that!¡± It was terrifying how Voltas was trembling and crying by falling on the ground. ¡°How could he¡­ how could this happen? After all I¡­¡± Voltas¡¯s feeling of betrayal from the Emperor was huge. In fact, no noble would be subjected to such a harsh torture unless they have committed to a heinous crime. And in terms of honor, it was known to kill them neatly. However, Rudolf didn¡¯t just torture Voltas, he cut off his right arm too. Cutting off the arm was a punishment for pickpocketing or stealing on streets. In other words, the emperor treated Voltas, who had lived loyal to the Imperial family the same as any roadside thief. From the point of view of Voltas, who had always lived in the capital with his family, it was more insulting than dying. ¡°Calm down, Count Voltas.¡± Marquis Vanden, with a sad expression, took off his cloak and covered Voltas¡¯s body. And spoke to the commanders who were still in shock. ¡°I was the one who found Count Voltas when he escaped and brought him to our camp. If he causes any problem, I will take full responsibility.¡± It was marquis Vanden who had brought Voltas out of the hell hole. Luke, Duke Butler, and Vanden paid attention to the value of the man. And as Vanden had the second largest position in the western army after Butler, the other commanders and nobles remained silent. Marquis Vanden then continued to speak. ¡°The Emperor is going to be the same, and we have nothing to do but go for the civil war. I can¡¯t place my full belief in Marquis Mayers or the south, and the behavior of the neutral lords is unusual.¡± The neutral lords who seemed to be joining the nobles at the start were turning passive. There were reports of them joining a third party which centered on power made by someone unknown, and doubtful of the Emperor¡¯s mind. ¡°Marquis Vanden is right. We need to take the opportunity and blow the throat of the Emperor, or at least strike close for his destruction. That way, we will be able to take the initiative of the Empire as the western lords.¡± Butler agreed with Vanden¡¯s words. The words of taking the initiative of the Empire were like a wind of fresh air for the western nobles. Even if they belonged to the noblemen collectively, no noble had the intention of sharing power with the southern lords who new only tricks and money. ¡°We will follow Count Voltas¡¯s plan. So hurry up and get ready to move.¡± ¡°Yes, Sire!¡± After the meeting was done, all the commanders scattered quickly. Voltas, who returned to his barracks, laughed gladly when the operation was accepted. ¡°Now it will be decided. My destiny¡­¡± Voltas went out of barracks and looked at the Dris mountain which was in distance. The mountain was dimly covered by rain clouds. Which represented that the future was unknown. Chapter 369 - The Uncertainty of the Continent 2 Thud! Thud! Thud! Kiiing! The path west to the Perios road to Dris mountain. A group of men were climbing on the mountain which had been raining. They were the western army Gigant troops led by Duke Butler. The western army had troops of 200 Gigants and elite riders, who were all very carefully selected, and followed by the artillery and engineers on 120 trailers. In addition, the troops in charge of the mission were actively moving ahead. ¡°Hurry up! The canyon must be captured before the Emperor¡¯s army reached!¡± ¡°Make it faster!¡± The lower commanders continued to speak encouraging words to the unit. However, the march was much harder than expected. Although they were too many men, the path on the mountain wasn¡¯t very wide, and the ground was mushy due to the constant rain. As a result, it was common for the Gigants and trailers to fall because of the sludge. The Gigants were known to be the key materials for war. They were difficult to operate on a rainy day, however, it was the same when it came to use gunpowder, and the bows whose strings get stretchy because of moisture and the spears which will rust. For that reason, it was common to engage in spy activities than war during the rainy season and pull negotiations between the two parties. Nevertheless, since the Emperor had moved his army, Duke Butler too was forced to move his men. ¡°How long until we reach the canyon?¡± ¡°We have another 5 kilometers to go.¡± ¡°Is that so? I hope the rain will stop by then.¡± Butler who looked over at the inclement, climbed up using his Hero class Gigant, Rigel. Before closing down the hatch, the Duke suddenly frowned when he looked around. ¡°Vanden, why are the troops left behind?¡± Just as Butler has said, pointing out to the military flag of Vanden which was pushed out in the marching. Considering that he was the one leading it, the troops were comparatively behind. ¡°That, a trailer sat behind during the march. There seemed to be some trouble with the magic items, and the Gigant is being used to tow it. But we have no help in speeding it up¡­¡± ¡°Tch, such pathetic things! Gigant being used to drag a trailer that needs to carry a Gigant!¡± The trailers were less than Gigants. It was because they weren¡¯t used in combats and had a simple structure, so they needed to have fewer troubles. Nevertheless, the fact that it had broken down meant that they neglected the maintenance of it before the journey. ¡°You weren¡¯t thorough enough in managing the troops. You can never get to a higher level with that poor mental state of yours.¡± Said Butler. ¡°Sorry, Sire.¡± ¡°Get assistance from the rear units. You can¡¯t dawdle behind. Do you understand?¡± ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± Butler, who looked at Vanden with an unpleasant look, hurriedly to the front of the march once again to encourage the troops. ¡°Speed up! Don¡¯t forget that our luck is based on the fight!¡± Apart from Butler¡¯s hope, he was hoping for the rain not to get stronger, and the dark clouds not to get darker due to the rain. The rain was falling and disrupting their field view with blur and faint image. An hour later, the western army Gigant troops made it to their target, canyon. ¡°Phew, we have arrived at last!¡± ¡°Go ahead and place the troops in their places!¡± When the troops in the mission had entered the canyon, the riders and soldiers suffered on a mushy land took a small break. ¡°Oh my, to move without rest.¡± Count Voltas accompanied Vanden¡¯s troops who were chewing on beef jerky and stiff bread to soothe their hungry stomach. In such weather, hot soup with lots of spices was the best, however, it was hard to hope for it since making a fire in the current weather would be difficult. Marquis Vanden, who moved to him gave him tea. ¡°Have this.¡± ¡°Ah, where did this come from?¡± Asked Voltas. ¡°It was boiled using magic by the Iron Mage. I have never regretted walking on the path with a sword, but I feel a little envious right now.¡± ¡°Huhuhu. I am sure you do.¡± Voltas was soothing himself with a warm tea and saw the scene where the engineers and wizards were doing something at the entrance of the canyon. Vanden was also seeing the sight. ¡°We are prepared for the other situation too, right?¡± ¡°Of course. If the Emperor arrived first and is trying to ambush us, we will have to put ourselves out on the line and go full power.¡± ¡°Otherwise, we could cut off the road and stop their attacks.¡± So the engineers buried gunpowder wrapped in oil scrim on the slopes of the ground at the entrance of the canyon. So the entrance of the canyon will collapse, and the heat wave installed by the wizards will get activated. A lot of rain poured in, but the gunpowder wrapped in the oil scrim could explode with a simple spark. ¡°But the fog is quite dense.¡± ¡°That is right. In such cases, if we did any mistake, the members of the troops will also get hurt¡­¡± Unlike the concerned eyes of Voltas, Marquis Vanden¡¯s lips curled up. Whether Voltas saw it or not, he was just sipping up the hot tea. Chapter 370 - The Uncertainty of the Continent 3 Shortly after, the scouting troops had returned. Returning to the canyons, they reported that there were no signs of Gigants or large units. The noblemen wondered if the Emperor had arrived before and made it look like favorable to the noblemen. ¡°Sire, we need to get into the canyon right away and prepare for the ambush.¡± ¡°Please order quickly to enter the Gigant units¡­¡± Despite the demands of his men, Butler who was standing on Rigel¡¯s shoulder, looked at the canyon without any response. It was because there was strange energy circling over the canyon that was covered in fog. ¡®But the atmosphere? But¡­¡¯ Since becoming a Sword Sage, Butler¡¯s gut feeling had improved. As a result, the dismal and calm energy felt from the canyon was huge. ¡®No wild animal is running around because of the rains, even then, it is way too quiet.¡¯ If one was an excellent knight, one could hide the energy released from their body. Moreover, the opponent was Emperor Rudolf and his elite group of knights. The scout troops reported to have found no signs, but Butler couldn¡¯t shake off the uneasy feeling in his gut. It wasn¡¯t that the scouts would have acted negligent, but as it was raining, it wasn¡¯t possible to find out traces of people or trailers. ¡®In the southern continent, there was a proverb that said to hit the stone bridge before passing. I need to check it at once.¡¯ Determined, Butler asked the artillery units to shoot their cannons at the canyon. The biggest misconception about cannons was that they couldn¡¯t be used during rainy days. It was because the gun powder turned moist, but that was the case when canons were initially developed. The method of managing the gunpowder, such as wrapping in an oil-fed cloth or drying it with magic were all made, and they could be used in rain too. However, there was a disadvantage that the number of misfires would increase and the effect would decrease. However, nothing could be done regarding that. At any rate, the orders of Butler annoyed the men of the artillery unit. ¡°What? Shoot the cannons?¡± ¡°but there is a high probability of a misfire in this kind of weather¡­¡± ¡°What are you talking about? It is an order! Go and shoot!¡± The commanders of the artillery yelled at the men and prepared. The cannons were brought out and the machines were pulled out of the trailers and parasols installed to prevent the rainwater. And then, the gunpowder and shells were loaded in order and fired toward the canyon. Pur! Pung! Pung! Bang! Bang! In a matter of seconds, a dozen shells had fallen from the sky, and a dozen more was ready to shoot. Butler was keeping a close look at the canyon. No matter how well they concealed themselves, they would panic if shells came pouring down on them. However, there was no sway in the canyon. There were no signs of the Emperor¡¯s ambush. ¡®I guess I was being too sensitive.¡¯ Butler, who judged so, hesitantly gave out orders to advance. ¡°Go to the canyon and notify this to the whole army.¡± Thud! Thud! Thud! Leading the hero class Gigant Rigel, which was used by Butler, the western Gigants entered the canyon. Around the middle of their path, they saw a waterfall. Due to the previous shelling, there were water puddles around that made the messy road a lot more troublesome to move. ¡°Wah, isn¡¯t this a bit too much?¡± ¡°Be careful. We won¡¯t know the answer unless we get out.¡± Butler clicked his tongue when some Gigants and trailers slip into puddles and squirmed. ¡°This is a good place to do an ambush. There are many places to hide in the slopes, and the road is difficult to move on¡­¡± Looking around for the best spot to create an ambush, he gave out orders to the commanders. ¡°From now on, we will prepare to ambush. Make sure nothing is seen. This will be the grave of Emperor Rudolf and his dogs.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Receiving the orders, the army moved quickly. Each unit moved to their designated location and concealed their Gigants and trailers, which were placed. When everyone was so keen, one engineer looked up at the sky instead of helping. ¡°Hey, what are you doing, newbie?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there something weird in the sky?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something round in the sky¡­¡± Objects through the dark clouds appeared one after the other. There was a round sphere, and soldiers were riding in it. ¡°They are hot air balloons.¡± ¡°Hot air balloons?¡± Many of the knights, who were aware of such things, explained to the men. ¡°It is a tool that flies through the air by magically blowing hot air into a large oiled cloth. Sometimes they are used for observation or surveying¡­¡± As the knights explained, the hot air balloons approached their direction and started to drop shells that were lit. Poh! Pooh! ¡°Fire, shelling!¡± ¡°Those were the Emperor¡¯s men! They are attacking us!¡± The western army that was trying to mix themselves in the forest was getting taken down by the shells. ¡°Sire, a huge problem!¡± ¡°I know. There is no need to panic.¡± Unlike the lieutenant who was worried, Butler didn¡¯t seem that troubled. An ambush operation that was carried out in advance, an unexpected attack from the air that no one expected, and the great loss they would suffer¡­ But even then, the western army had the advantage of taking over the canyon by reaching there first. ¡°It is raining. How are they able to use fire attacks so successfully? Calm the soldiers and organize the battle line to prepare for our next attack.¡± ¡°B-but the fire isn¡¯t going out.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± Duke Butler was shocked at the words of his lieutenant and looked around. Just as the man said, the fire shells that had fallen were burning fiercely rather than going out because of the rain. How could that be possible? Duke Butler, who was confused, found the answer right away. ¡°This is it! It is ¡®Vigorous fire oil¡¯!¡± Vigorous fire oil was a liquid gunpowder and weapon that could be brought in from the Song Empire from the south. It was used throughout the siege and naval battles in the southern continent, but it wasn¡¯t a popular means of attack in the Rhodesia Continent. Though it was harder to make than a normal gunpowder, it was more difficult to use them. In addition, there was no need to use such expensive and difficult oil in the siege, especially since they had weapons called Gigants with them. Forgetting the weapons of the old days, it was confusing the western army. ¡°Hii! Help me! Put this off!¡± ¡°The barrel is on fire!¡± ¡°Everyone move out! Avoid the fire!¡± The Emperor¡¯s fleet hovered over the canyon and continued to drop the oil. Screams of the soldiers and knights, who were caught in the fire, could be heard all over, and the explosions spread one after the other. The reaction of the Gigant riders were not different. They were stunned by the fire that couldn¡¯t be put out. They had already fallen into puddles and were entangled with the others and were accidentally crushing their allies to get out of there. The unlucky riders were burned by the oil that flowed into the hatch. ¡°Don¡¯t panic! Shoot the shells and drop those hot air balloons!¡± Duke Butler tried to calm the army. Even the commanders, who were scared as hell, tried to give out orders and calm their soldiers and fallen Gigants. Wahh! All of a sudden, the sound of a trumpet began to rise. A series of Gigant troops appeared from the east of the canyon. The Gigant troops that appeared through the mist were holding the flags of the Baroque Imperial. Chapter 371 - The Uncertainty of the Continent 4 ¡°The Knights of Guard¡¯s Gigant unit!¡± ¡°Come fast and get moving!¡± When the Emperor¡¯s Gigant troops stormed into the western army, it confused the soldiers. They began to approach them at a breakneck speed. Their fast and fierce momentum was like a wolf chasing them behind. ¡°Attack!¡± ¡°It is the Emperor¡¯s command to not let anyone live!¡± Bang! Bang! The Gigants of the Knights of Guard were at the forefront, wielding their huge swords against the western army Gigants. The western army tried to counterattack, but the Emperor¡¯s Gigants, who had already entered their second line, wasn¡¯t falling back. ¡°Kuk! They are fast!¡± ¡°How can they move so fast on such a ground!¡± The western riders were dumbfounded. They weren¡¯t aware that the Emperor¡¯s Gigant, Hector, was made of wood and not steel. Its defense was weak, but due to its light weight, its maneuverability had improved. As a result, they were able to march to the canyon faster than anyone else and was able to trample the western Gigants that were staggering. ¡°Kill them all! The Emperor will give the one who can kill Butler the title of Marquis! Butler who had been given a position by our Emperor but decided to betray him!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± At the shout from Shirley, the commander of the Iron Guard, the eyes of the knights shined and started looking for Butler. And finally, they succeeded in finding Butler, who was in Rigel. ¡°There it is, Rigel! It¡¯s Butler¡¯s exclusive hero class Gigant!¡± ¡°The title and the manor are mine!¡± A proximal knight ran over to Rigel leaving behind his colleagues. However, since he was blinded by the rewards, he made a terrible mistake. Slash! Rigel¡¯s giant sword struck down the Hector like a lightning. The rider, who decided on taking down Butler all by himself, went down without making a sound. ¡°How dare you, you rats!¡± Butler, who was trying to intercept the Emperor¡¯s Gigant unit, shook his sword against the Gigants that were coming at him. Slash! Bang! Rigel¡¯s huge sword didn¡¯t even touch the Gigants. However, just the tip of the aura emanating from the sword was enough to break down 5 Gigants. ¡°H-Hyper Aura!¡± Shirley, who found Rigel later than the knights, opened her mouth after seeing how Butler moved. The opponent was a swordsman who represented the forces of the western part of the Empire. In addition, he was the strongest enemy riding a hero-class Gigant. However, she didn¡¯t know that he could use a Sword Sage level skill, Hyper Aura. From what she knew, Butler was the best Sword Master. ¡®When did he reach¡­?¡¯ ¡°Sweep all the Emperor¡¯s dogs!¡± Starting with a roar from Butler, the western army began to counterattack. The riders, who escaped from the muddy chaos, were beating around the previously thought wolves. ¡°Follow the Duke!¡± With the orders coming in from Marquis Vanden and Duke Butler, the western army began to reorganize their lines. The general knights and artillery units were still confused all because of the Vigorous fire oil. However, when the riders began to launch a counter-attack, the army began to regain their lost momentum. ¡°Do not step back! Hit the necks of the enemies!¡± ¡°Overthrow the crazy Emperor!¡± From the mud, the Gigants that were pushed down began to push ahead. Kiing! Kiing! Kwak! The Gigants¡¯ maneuvering made hissing and clashing sounds as their huge swords moved. The screams of the riders accelerated the core engine, giving out heat that made even the raindrops around them vaporize. Amidst the chaos, there was someone who was carefully watching the battle unfold. It was the Emperor of Baroque, Rudolf. ¡°That Butler. When did he become a Sword Sage without us knowing?¡± Rudolf, who was watching the battle in the magic crystal, got up and boarded his Gigant. ¡°Your Majesty, are you planning to participate in the battle?¡± Rudolf replied as if it was obvious, ¡°Did you think I came here to just watch the battle through this rock?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, the Gigant¡­¡± The Gigant, which Rudolf had brought in exchange for Kaizer that he had lost during his battle with the Demon, Kauren, was a hero class Gigant that was made by the Imperial Magic Tower of Baroque Empire only for the Emperor. However, the current one wasn¡¯t a hero class Gigant. After losing Kaizer, Rudolf was quick to ask for a new Gigant, so he was given a knight class Gigant, which was equipped like Hector and also had 3,000 fight. As a result, the durability of his new Gigant was weaker compared to Kaizer, but its movements were fairly accurate, and since Rudolf was able to move Kaizer without any problem, he was able to move the knight class very easily. In just a year, Emperor Rudolf warned them that their necks would be cut off if they couldn¡¯t create a hero class Gigant that was comparable to Kaizer. ¡°Our knights are lagging behind because the skills of Butler are actually better than ours. I need to go ahead and change the flow of the battle.¡± Along with Emperor Rudolf and his Gigant, the guards went to the battlefield with their Gigants as well. ¡°Your Majesty has come!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t step back anymore!¡± The morale of the Gigants that was being pushed behind by Butler and the western riders rose again. They screamed out loud and wielded their swords and battle-axes. Shortly thereafter, as the Knights of Guard and Rudolf joined, the battle quickly took a turn to the Emperor¡¯s side. ¡°S-Sire¡­!¡± ¡°I know. Do not panic!¡± Butler wasn¡¯t flustered when Rudolf entered the battlefield. No, rather, he was waiting for such a situation to arise. Originally, Emperor Rudolf was clearly superior among those two. Butler had only reached the Sword Sage a while back. However, Emperor Rudolf had been in that position for over a decade. Of course, if Butler went in straight, he would lose. Rudolf currently had a weakness. ¡®Ho hooo ho. I know that the injuries you have suffered during the last Gigant battle with the demon haven¡¯t been cured yet. And the fact that you deliberately visited the small and medium denominations to hide that injury from coming out too is known to me.¡¯ He had gotten that information from Count Voltas. At first, Voltas didn¡¯t know about this either, but after the Emperor¡¯s energy had changed, he had found out by conducting a small investigation. ¡°Now is the best opportunity for the Duke to defeat the tyrant Emperor!¡± Voltas¡¯s words weren¡¯t wrong although there were blatant signs that he was encouraging such things in the last meeting. In a fight between two strong men, life and death would come with a little gap in between. In such situations, the weakness of one¡¯s body would have a huge impact. And so, Butler thought that Rudolf might not be able to defeat him. ¡®Even then, thank you for coming out here!¡¯ Although all of the Emperor¡¯s guards were Sword Masters and it was a bit troublesome, Butler thought that Marquis Vanden or his knights might give him the opening to go at Rudolf. ¡°Die, Duke Butler!¡± ¡°Huh! Get lost!¡± Kwang! Butler, who struck the Emperor¡¯s Gigant army, hurriedly walked toward Emperor Rudolf, who seemed to be waiting for Butler¡¯s arrival. ¡°Rudolf, today will be the last day you¡¯ll breathe!¡± ¡°Huh, aren¡¯t you being a little cheeky?!¡± The two men released their Hyper Aura simultaneously. However, the first to attack was Duke Butler. Rudolf quickly went into the defensive and blocked Butler¡¯s sword. Kwang! The swords of both Gigants were falling. In that process, a decoration hanging on the head of Rigel got cut off. ¡°Running ahead without fear to get hit. I guess you noticed that I became a Sword Sage.¡± ¡°Huh, you sound like a man who doesn¡¯t know how to cut things down.¡± Startled by Butler¡¯s sarcastic response, Rudolf turned his gaze down. The glove on the Emperor¡¯s Gigant was still holding its black sword. ¡°There is a way, but you can¡¯t match me.¡± Rudolf was already a Sword Emperor, beyond Sword Sage. Although he was incapable of exercising it because of the injuries he had received during his fight with Kauren, he did believe that he could take down Butler. ¡®That was because I have a few hidden cards.¡¯ With a smirk, Rudolf rushed toward Butler¡¯s Rigel. Butler didn¡¯t step back. He began to pull out his Hyper Aura to the maximum for a head-on battle. Kwaaang! As the two Hyper Auras collided, massive sparks flew around and shock waves arose. The battle between the two superhumans happened to seize the supremacy of the Empire to end. Chapter 372 - The Fall of Western Army 1 Kwang! Pung! Creak! Two steel Gigants running on a steep mountain were constantly exchanging blows. The rain had ceased to fall, and the canyon shook as if mighty thunders were roaring around because of the clash with hyper aura. Nobody was willing to get themselves involved in the fight between Rudolf and Butler. After seeing a few Gigants which were around burst, no one dared to enter their battle. ¡°Who will be the one to win?¡± ¡°Of course, it will be the Emperor. His skills exceed the skills of the legendary hero Rakan!¡± The guards who were loyal to Rudolf believed in his victory without a doubt. ¡°The problem is¡­ Butler¡¯s men?¡± ¡°Right. Aren¡¯t those men stronger than what we thought? I don¡¯t know if they can be compared to the Knights of Guard¡­ maybe more too.¡± The knights were clicking their tongues as they watched the western riders, who were 3 to 4 and endured the battle. In particular, among the direct knights of Butler who learned, there were many experts who reached the Sword Master level. Although their individual skills were lower when compared with the Knights of Guards, their organization¡¯s power and communication were superior. Which meant they might have gone through great training. In addition, the main army of Duke Butler was going against the Emperor¡¯s army with all their might. ¡°But, how long will they last?¡± ¡°It is almost time for His Majesty to be done¡­¡± The Knights of Guard knew that the Emperor was a Sword Emperor. Although he had suffered serious injuries while fighting with the demon, they thought that he recovered just enough to take down Butler. Kwang! When the Knights of Guard were full of anticipation, Duke Butler and Rudolf¡¯s Gigant smashed at each other. And something suddenly happened, the Emperor who was out there on a power confrontation was falling behind. ¡°Hu Hu Hu! This is the end, Rudolf!¡± ¡°Dammit! To get into trouble at this time!¡± Emperor Rudolf was holding onto an incomplete hero Gigant, which was falling behind. As the mana converter couldn¡¯t handle the core engine power, a problem occurred and the emission of hyper aura got halted in the middle. Because of that, he couldn¡¯t overcome the force of Butler. ¡°Huh, take this final blow!¡± ¡°Tch! Acting cheeky¡­!¡± It caused the Emperor to move immediately and try the gold aura. However, the mana converter was still having trouble and was able to resolve it. The Emperor who couldn¡¯t use the Hyper Aura and the Duke who could. That should have ended with the victory of Duke Butler¡¯s side. ¡°Your, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Be careful!¡± When the Knights of Guard were shocked and hurried to join and help, the sword of the Emperor moved like an illusion. The sword which cut through the hyper aura slashed Rigel at its waist. Slash! ¡°This, this makes no sense!¡± ¡°Mind Sword. In the Southern Continent, it is referred to as the ¡®Sword of Heart¡¯. was it said that it can be only used by those who have gone past the level of Sword Sage?¡± Rudolf was still a victim to some injuries and wasn¡¯t able to pull out his entire power as a Sword Emperor. However, the Sword of Heart was different. It was something that turned stronger when the man was in extreme situations. However, Rudolf¡¯s words didn¡¯t make it into the ears of Butler. It was because the condition of Rigel which got hit by the sword wasn¡¯t so good. ¡®Dammit, the balance device is damaged, I can¡¯t fight this way.¡¯ The balance device was a key component when it came to a Gigant¡¯s movement. If that part got hit or broke, it would be very hard for the Gigant to hold its center without falling down. And not surprisingly, Rigel, who was stumbling, sat down. ¡°No, No!¡± After seeing that, the riders of the Western Army, who knew what happened, moved to get towards Rigel. ¡°Sire has fallen!¡± ¡°Move fast!¡± The Western Soldiers of the Gigant troops retreated knowing that Rigel was down. However, neither Rudolf nor the Knights of Guard chased them. Shirley was unable to even understand their actions. ¡°Your Majesty, they are running away!¡± ¡°I know. Let them.¡± Butler, who was just about to take down the Emperor, fell. Seeing that, the Western Riders¡¯ morale had fallen drastically, and the soldiers were in shock and decided to live their lives. In such a situation, the fall of the Western Army was very close. Nevertheless, Rudolf was in no hurry. Because it was time for the hidden card to pop out and play. Kwang! At the west entrance of the canyon, with thunderous sounds echoing, dark smoke began to rise. ¡°Uh? What is happening?¡± When Shirley who didn¡¯t know what was happening got confused, Rudolf smirked and ordered the SS knights and the Knights of Guard. ¡°All army advance! Catch all the rats in the corner and kill them!¡± Chapter 373 - The Fall of Western Army 2 ¡°Uhh¡­¡± ¡°W, what is happening? What the hell is going on?!¡± The Western army who were coming out of the canyon listening to the news of Duke Butler being attacked by the Emperor was confused. Suddenly, the gunpowder which had been installed at the entrance of the canyon burst at once, and the only way out had been blocked. The thing which planned to halt the Emperor¡¯s advance to their estates had backfired. ¡°Uhh! Who was that idiot? There are a lot of allies who haven¡¯t escaped yet!¡± Count Stark who barely made it out of his grave looked around and asked. Towards such a confused man, Count Voltas came while humming a song. ¡°Here is the commander¡­¡± ¡°Keuk, you¡­!¡± Listening to the words of Voltas, Stark understood the situation. The previous explosion wasn¡¯t a mistake, but the act of Count Voltas. ¡°You, bastard!¡± With rage boiling in him, Stark rushed over towards Count Voltas. He tried to kill the man with a single slash, but the arrow which came out of Voltas¡¯s prosthetic arm pierced Stark¡¯s neck much faster. ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Tch, my bad. You were the only smartest one of all.¡± As his consciousness faded, Count Stark saw the knights and wizards appearing from the fog, killing off all the surviving soldiers. When he saw the emblem embroidered on their chest, he was shocked, making him gain back his fading senses. ¡®I, I can¡¯t die here! I need to let the Duke know¡­¡¯ Stark used all his might to get up. However, Voltas who noticed it fired another arrow from his prosthetic and took down the man completely. ¡°This is useful. After all, there are a lot of talented men in the Imperial Magic Tower.¡± With a bitter smile, Voltas recalled the situation where he had to let go of his right arm. Shortly after the bloody ceremony in the Imperial Parliament in the capital, Voltas was arrested by the Knights of Guard and placed in prison. He had already noticed the situation unfolding in the capital and was ready to escape out of the capital with his family, however, the Emperor wasn¡¯t blind enough to let the man leave in the mayhem. ¡°Huh, to fall like this.¡± Voltas, whose right arm had to been taken for being a sinner, sighed. ¡®What kind of punishment will I get? Is it going to be a death penalty? It would be nice to get an exile because of my merit and title, but the Emperor might not let me.¡¯ Voltas knew Rudolf¡¯s character much better than anyone else, so he knew better than anyone how dark his future was. ¡®What will happen to my wife and daughter? I should have never brought in this trouble¡­ that Lazlie, he couldn¡¯t even!¡¯ ¡°Are you worried about your wife and daughter?¡± He heard a voice. Voltas was surprised to find the owner of the voice. It was because the voice was very familiar to him. ¡°Y, Your Majesty?¡± The man who had entered the cell in his black uniform was clearly Emperor Rudolf. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about your family. I am taking good care of them, in the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°Uh, is it?¡± That only made Voltas more anxious. Though it was meant to be an assurance, it only made him feel threatened. ¡°By the way, where were you planning to escape? Volga Republic? Or, was it the Holy Empire? This is very disappointing and terrible.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I was just¡­¡± ¡°What if I gave you a chance to make up for the failure?¡± Voltas¡¯s eyes went wide when he listened to the proposal of the Emperor. Rudolf continued to speak by looking at him with cold eyes. ¡°I want to slash your throat with a single strike, but I can¡¯t disregard your achievements. Besides, you have a close relationship with the nobles on our side.¡± Srrrng. At the end of his words, the Emperor pulled his sword. Voltas understood what happened, seeing the blood around the blade. He placed his head on the floor while Rudolf was still watching. ¡°Please let me be. I will never lead you down again.¡± Listening to Voltas¡¯s oath, Rudolf had a smile return to his face. He saw the determination in Voltas¡¯s eyes which were dedicated to saving his family. ¡°Nice. And if you do things well, I¡¯ll make your daughter into an Empress.¡± ¡°My, my daughter into an Empress?¡± ¡°Yeah, isn¡¯t she going to be sixteen this year? She is a little young, but pretty and unique for me.¡± He heard that the Emperor had gotten insane ever since the death of his kids and the Empress and queens. However, he never thought that he would benefit for it. ¡°You must do very well to become the grandfather of the next emperor. So, let me take your right arm.¡± ¡°UH? What do¡­?¡± Before Voltas could even know, Rudolf cut the right arm. A clean-cut with a sharp blade and aura. ¡°Uahhhhh!¡± Realizing what happened, Voltas held his arm and screamed in pain. Rudolf who was holding his sword looked at Voltas who was in pain. ¡°Stop being pitiful and follow me. I will tell you what to do in the future.¡± Clenching the bleeding arm, he got up and chased the Emperor. And so he got a chance to walk out once again. Recalling that, Count Voltas sighed for a long time. ¡°Phew, Your Majesty is being too much. Even though it is hard to fool a human, to make my body like this for that sake¡­¡± As if it wasn¡¯t just enough to cut down the right arm of Voltas, Rudolf left Voltas to his men. And made sure that Voltas had a body that no one could sympathize with. The torture marks were needed to deceive the enemy. It was a warning to Voltas to never betray or give any disappointing results in the future. ¡°Well, this is something we need to pay for our family to earn merit.¡± Voltas, determined, looked at the canyon he had blocked. The shocked cries and screams from the other side were like sweet songs to his ears. Chapter 374 - The Fall of Western Army 3 ¡°T-this can¡¯t be!¡± When the retreat had been blocked, the Western Army got isolated in the canyon, which was turning into a mess. And it wasn¡¯t so different for the chief commander Duke Butler. The unexpected blow from Rudolf had caused fatal damage to the Gigant. However, he was still determined to not stand back. After retreating from the canyon, he had planned to cut off the Emperor¡¯s troops with the gunpowder that was placed at the entrance and then rearrange for the battle line-up. And that time would be enough to repair Rigel. However, when the unexpected news broke out, he was feeling completely lost. ¡°Sire, the Emperor is approaching us. What should we do?¡± Butler, who had been troubled for a while, came back to his senses when Marquis Vanden questioned him. ¡°Reorganize the line. I will end Rudolf right here!¡± ¡°D-Duke, Sire!¡± ¡°This fight is nothing different from our defeat, but if we lose just like this, I can never bear to see the face of that ignorant crazy emperor!¡± The explosives were blocking the retreat, and most of the troops were defeated with the chaos brought in by the Emperor. Even so, most of their troops might run away or back out, and moving together would get troublesome for the troops. Riders, who were flustered by the decision of the Duke, tried to calm themselves. Dying on the battlefield was an honor that every knight hoped for. ¡°Marquis Vanden, uh, Axel. Lend me your Gigant, Rigel can¡¯t fight properly.¡± ¡°Sire¡­¡± ¡°The road is blocked, but I will make a path out for bodies. You need to get out of here and take care of my family and the knights and the commanders. This is a request, not an order.¡± At Butler¡¯s words, Vanden spoke nothing for a moment. Everyone in there understood his feelings. For Vanden, Butler wasn¡¯t just any chief commander but a teacher and in-law. Could he really leave him there? And as everyone knew, Marquis Vanden spoke out about his refusal, ¡°Sire, I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to die in here¡­¡± It was when Duke Butler was trying to persuade Marquis Vanden¡­ When a sudden Impact Aura sword from Marquis Vanden pierced through Rigel¡¯s breastplate. Slash! ¡°¡­!¡± Everyone was shocked with what they had just witnessed. They all thought that Marquis Vanden would fight alongside the Duke. But to stab Duke Butler¡­! ¡°Kuak! W-what are you doing?!¡± Duke Butler, who was cut in the abdomen because of the sudden attack, coughed and asked with a mix of shock and confusion. And unlike in the past, Vanden replied in a cold and mocking manner. ¡°What am I doing? I am trying to hit the neck of the rebel squad to reach ahead.¡± ¡°Y-you can¡¯t be¡­!¡± Butler was shocked. Vanden, who was just about to fight with the Emperor¡¯s Gigant for him, suddenly turned into a traitor! ¡°Should I let you in on one more thing? It wasn¡¯t a soldiers mistake, the blowing up of the gunpowder and blocking the path out, but the work done by the lords who stayed behind. Ah, this was a well-thought plan by His Majesty and Count Voltas.¡± ¡°What is your reason for t-this? The reason why you had to betray me!¡± Butler screamed on top of his lungs. Vanden¡¯s reply was rather sarcastic, ¡°Reason you ask? I can¡¯t always live 2nd in line when it comes to your family and home. Even though our family had gone through all the troubles, your family took the achievements and glory. I decided the moment when my father died on the battlefield for you. I am going to end this godforsaken composition.¡± Vanden made up his mind 10 years ago when his father had passed away and 2 years before he became the student under Butler. He had never told anyone of his will or plan. It was when he had been granted an audience by the Emperor that he revealed his plans. While Rudolf was very welcoming, he asked Vanden to refrain from acting shy and nervous. He advised Vanden to get Butler¡¯s favor and turn into a trusted ally. ¡°So, I trained to live under you and married your tomboy daughter who no one even looked at.¡± ¡°Kuak! You ungrateful child!¡± ¡°Hahh! Yeah, I guess I am that, and I longed to see you cry like this!¡± Butler wanted to split the heart of Vanden. However, his Gigant was hurt. He couldn¡¯t move it properly, and he was fatally wounded, moving itself was bothersome, fighting was impossible. ¡°You disgusting traitor!¡± ¡°You who didn¡¯t even know how to act!¡± Duke Butler¡¯s men, who recovered from the shock, tried to attack Vanden. However, none of the riders were skilled enough to fight against Vanden on a one-on-one battle since he was an Intermediate Sword Master. In addition, the riders of Vanden blocked their approach. ¡°Save the Marquis!¡± ¡°Cut down all the enemies!¡± As long as their lord¡¯s sword was against the Duke, they had to wield their swords against the Duke¡¯s men without hesitation. ¡°Kuek! Come, Sire!¡± ¡°Do not let the enemy run away!¡± The voices of the knights on both sides rang fiercely in the canyon¡ªthe cries of betrayal and retribution. When the fights broke out inside their own Western Army, the army was destroyed to the point where recovering from it turned out to be impossible. The Emperor¡¯s troops that slowly approached them took the final blow at the Western Army and the battle ended. The Western noblemen collapsed in an instant due to the collapse of the Western Army. Although there were a few troops left behind in the manors, it was like playing with eggs to stop the boulders. All that remained was Rudolf¡¯s troops to enter each of the western estates and perform a complete take over of the region. However, Rudolf¡¯s expectations of taking over the Western region didn¡¯t come true. It was because a so-called ¡®Third power¡¯ had entered when the Western noblemen disappeared. Chapter 375 - The Fall of Western Army 4 ¡°Kuek! I can¡¯t just die¡­ in here!¡± An old knight was walking on the unsteady path of the mountain. His colorful armor and uniform were torn and broken everywhere, and the white hair on his head was ruffled. His steps stumbled every time he tried to take a step while holding his stomach with one hand and using the other hand to use his sword as a cane. The old knight was Duke Butler. Due to the betrayal of Marquis Vanden, he had lost everything. However, he managed to escape with his life at the expense of his men. ¡°Vanden¡­ Rudolf¡­ I will take your necks! Even if I have to sell my soul to the devil himself!¡± With a terrifying goal, he was running away, but the resentment of Butler didn¡¯t die down. Sniff. ¡°There are blood marks here!¡± ¡°Catch him! He couldn¡¯t have gotten much farther away!¡± From behind, he heard the cries of the Emperor¡¯s dogs who were pursuing him. It took less than an hour for a few knights to spot out the enemy. His long struggle had failed. ¡°This way! Butler is here!¡± Butler hurried at the shouts of the soldiers who were chasing him. However, the dog¡¯s under the Emperor ran and caught the leg of Butler. ¡°Keuk! These hybrid dogs!¡± Catch! Catch! After wielding his sword and slicing the two, the other dogs began to attack him too. But in the meantime, the chasing men appeared. ¡°HuHuhu. If we cut the throat of this old man, we can get the title of Marquis and a manor¡­ Keuk!¡± The knight, who looked down on Butler, got his neck choked on a spear. The soldiers, who were scared, didn¡¯t approach the man. ¡°Tch, I am a dragon inside¡­¡± The leader, who was leading the pursuit, raised his hand. The archers aimed at Butler. ¡°Launch!¡± When the orders fell, dozens of archers pulled their arrows. Swosh! Swosh! The arrow that flew threw the wind poured down like rain on Butler. Butler wielded his sword to avoid the incoming arrows, but with his injuries, he wasn¡¯t able to block all the arrows. ¡°Kuek! Kuak!¡± Starting from his leg, dozens of arrows hit his entire body. His armor did prevent him from dying, but the pain he had to bear was too much. Thud. Butler, who had no strength, sat down. The soldiers, who thought that they had neutralized him, began to gather around and narrow the space they had with him. The leader on the horse had himself got down, but Butler had no strength to even move a finger. ¡®It is over! This is my end!¡¯ It was so frustrating that tears of blood flowed from Butler¡¯s eyes. ¡°Goodbye, Duke Butler. I will keep your manor and title and take your body to His Majesty¡­ Kuak!¡± The leader was about to end Duke Butler¡¯s life when he threw up blood and screamed. Behind him was a masked knight with a mando (wooden practice sword) on his back. ¡®Who is he? I have no idea!¡¯ Butler wasn¡¯t the only one with that question running in his head. The knights and soldiers, who were chasing Butler, were flustered at the sudden interruption. ¡°Y-you, who are you?¡± One of the knights pointed his sword at the masked man and asked with a cold voice. ¡°Reichard de Baroque.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± Listening to the unexpected name, the knights were all shocked. Maybe their reaction was satisfactory to the masked knight because he laughed a little. ¡°However, right now, I am Orc Hero Shaikan.¡± At the end of those words, the orcs¡¯ goblin army began to pop out from the forest. Kikikikiki! Kaaaak! The startled knights and soldiers attempted to counterattack, but the monsters were much faster. With just a few of the monster¡¯s spear wielding, the men died. The knights fought back, but when they all rushed in, they were slaughtered. Duke Butler could only stare at Shaikan with shock and amazement. ¡®T-this man is the 3rd prince of the past Emperor, Reichard? I am sure that he was declared dead¡­?¡¯ The 3rd prince, Reichard, was known to have been killed by an unidentified assassin while heading to his home lordship with Empress Magdalene. However, the same rumored man had appeared there and insisted that he was the 3rd prince, so Butler was forced to think back. ¡®Maybe he is an imposter using the 3rd prince identity?¡¯ While Butler was trying to figure out all the possibilities¡­ He sensed an enormous power emanating from Shaikan¡¯s body. ¡°T-this is¡­!¡± The energy, which was emanating from his body, was too hard for even a Sword Sage to handle. ¡°Dragonic aura. It is the power that only those who have awakened the blood of God Dragon Tiamet can perform.¡± ¡°D-Dragonian!¡± A legend that was passed down in the family of the Baroque. Butler was aware of it, but he didn¡¯t find it truthful enough to believe. Drrr! When Butler was shocked by Shaikan, he opened up his shirt to give out proof. On his chest was a dragon scale. As Shaikan¡¯s Dragonic aura radiated, the scales began to spread over to his neck and shoulder. ¡°Oh, oh my god!¡± The legend about the Dragonian wasn¡¯t a lie! At the shocked expression of Butler, Shaikan brought out his mando and cut his hand with it, making his blood drip. He reached out to Butler, who was soaking in blood. ¡°You are dying. You have a stronger vitality than the others, but you won¡¯t last long. You can live by drinking my blood which is filled with Dragonian aura. But¡­¡± Butler, who was ready to drink the blood, stopped when he heard the following words. ¡°The souls of the ones who drink the blood of the dragon will regard me as their master. If the owner lives, you live. If the owner dies, you die.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What do you plan on doing? Would you accept it?¡± Butler thought for a moment. ¡°What will I get if I became your subject?¡± ¡°Your family will thrive forever with the new nation that I¡¯ll build.¡± ¡°New nation¡­?¡± Asked Butler. ¡°Yes. I will destroy the Baroque Empire and rebuild the Libiya Kingdom.¡± The Countess of Ebra, Reichard¡¯s mother, was a descendant of the people of the fallen kingdom of Libiya. Butler was aware of it too, but he felt embarrassed and flustered when he said about rebuilding a nation that was destroyed 500 years ago. Founding such a nation was impossible without considerable preparation and enthusiastic movement. Although he had seen the power of the God Dragon, did Reichard have the needed political foundation? ¡°But, first of all, I want to take revenge on that Rudolf. How about that?¡± That was the one thing needed. It didn¡¯t matter if Reichard could build a new kingdom or not. The most important thing for Butler was revenge. Butler was determined. He put down the sword in his hand and looked at Shaikan. ¡°If you can overthrow that crazy Emperor and that traitor, I am willing to be your servant.¡± Butler drank the blood that was dripping from Shaikan¡¯s hand. The blood of the dragon¡¯s aura that entered his body cooled down his body. Along with enhanced metabolism, his body recovered several times faster than normal. ¡°Kuak! Kaaak!¡± His wounds began to burn as they healed. His aura, which wasn¡¯t able to form because of his severely injured body, began to go back to normal. ¡®To recover this quick! Is this the power of those who inherit the blood of the God Dragon?¡¯ Duke Butler was amazed, seeing his body recover at an astonishing speed. He looked over when Shaikan¡¯s words interrupted his amazement. ¡°Get up. If you want to overthrow Rudolf, we have a lot to do in the future.¡± ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Butler followed Shaikan who was moving into the group of monsters. The key to the Western Army, which Rudolf hadn¡¯t completely eradicated, was in the hands of Shaikan, who was secretly building forces within the Empire. Chapter 376 - Iron Core 1 It had been a week since Luke had gone to the Zegal clan. He had originally intended to return back to his lordship immediately after obtaining the Iron Core. However, he came to know about how the Iron Core trees got devastated by droughts and pests, and things got tangled up. He did think about giving up and heading back, but he decided to look for a solution since there was a very rare chance for Luke to get back to the continent. ¡®Well, is there any way to increase the Iron Core production again? If there is any possible method, I might be able to get a steady supply in the future.¡¯ A memory suddenly passed Luke¡¯s brain while he thinking. When he had met Erwin for the first time, he remembered what she had done in the fairy village called Zenith. At that time, Erwin made use of Reina¡¯s hair and a few other materials to create a green jewel of earthly energy. The jewel revived the farmland of the village where every form of life had been exhausted and revived the withered crops. As a result, the fairies in Zenith village were able to continue their daily life without moving away from the village. ¡®Yeah, that might make it¡­!¡¯ Luke held onto Reina¡¯s locket. The problem was that he wasn¡¯t sure how to make that green jewel. And it could be possible if he could ask Erwin. ¡®And the other problem is she might be alive or dead.¡¯ Just before escaping from the barrier, Erwin was injured and was in a state of dying. Immediately after breaking the barrier, Luke got dragged into the subspace with Hwang Bo-sung, so he didn¡¯t know if she was alive or dead. If she was dead, he had to give up making the green jewel. ¡®Let¡¯s just try once.¡¯ Luke decided to go to Zegal Moon right away and make a puppet and ask for the leftover Iron Core. ¡°Where do you want to use them?¡± ¡°There is one way to revive the Iron Core.¡± Hearing Luke¡¯s words, Zegal Moon immediately responded to his request. In the first place he just wanted to cooperate with Luke¡¯s thoughts, so he wasn¡¯t feeling so sorry to use the Iron Core. Luke, who had been handed the Iron Core, returned to the room and took out some materials and other stuff from his subspace bracelet. And then began to make something huge. ¡°Master, what is that?¡± Hwang Bo-sung, who had come back from the training at the Zegal clan¡¯s field, was puzzled by Luke¡¯s gathered lattice-shaped artifact. ¡°This is called ¡®Antenna¡¯.¡± ¡°Antenna?¡± ¡°Yeah, it is an artifact that sends a signal or receives waves from the magical communication stations which are ten or even a hundred times away.¡± The magic communication stations can deliver videos or voices to a greater distance than the magic teleport, but the distance was limited. Because of that, communication was impossible between two continents at once. Which was why merchants used trade lines or tamed sea birds like the Albatross to cross the ocean even if it was time consuming. However, Luke had something to ask Erwin and began to use the ancient magic of the Mado times. The artifacts which the ancient elves named as Antenna was acquired in Saymon¡¯s days and were a relay artifact that allowed long-range magical communications. The principle of the artifact was surprisingly simple. Just as one could shoot a bow from a high place to make the arrow fly longer, it was a method of sending magical waves for communication through the air using the Antena and sending it to the ground. There was a reason why Luke hadn¡¯t used the artifact till then. At his first time of discovery, he had no use for such long-distance magical communications, and there were needs for material like radium, which allowed excellent mana conductivity. The radium alloy was so rare that Luke decided to put the artifact aside and then use the other artifacts. ¡°The Iron Core had properties that were similar to radium alloy. So, I can process it with the Antenna.¡± At the words of Luke, Hwang Bo-sung nodded and asked. ¡°To make communication with Lordship?¡± Luke never told his retainers that he was heading over to the Melvin Valley. However, because of the traps with the fairies, they suddenly disappeared and they had a chance to turn frantic. ¡°Yeah, they might be in a mess right now. I need to contact with the lordship, but there is someone who needs to be contacted first.¡± Said Luke. ¡°Someone to contact first?¡± Hwang Bo-sung, who thought, smiled and then bumped his fist. ¡°I know. The pope. Isn¡¯t it? I heard it from Sir Philip. That both of you are in a getting-married state.¡± ¡°Well, it is true that I should contact Reina, but not her.¡± At the response to Luke, Hwang Bo-sung seemed confused. ¡°Master, are you cheating on the lady?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There were always words about Hero¡¯s prurience, but that is a big deal. If Arch Duke Gregory or Viscount Belik know about this, they¡¯ll come with a sword right away.¡± Luke, who knew that Hwang Bo-sung had misunderstood him, just sighed after a long time. ¡°It isn¡¯t like that. You¡¯ll see the reason.¡± ¡°That so? Anyway, you will be made to pay if you leave her. Remember, Master.¡± Hwang Bo-sung, who gave his own advice, went to the washroom saying he had to wash his body. Luke, shook his head at the absurd words of Hwang Bo-sung and continued to get back to work. Chapter 377 - Iron Core 2 The next morning. Luke succeeded in completing the Antenna. Since he was dealing with the Iron Core for the first time, he had to work on the carving of the magic circles and stabilizing the magic. Nevertheless, because of his awareness of magic which he had accumulated in the past life, he was able to make the final product without too many trials and errors. ¡®Ho Ho Ho. Should I try to use it now?¡¯ After looking at the Antenna, Luke¡¯s expression was filled with curiosity, and the magic began to flow to the Antenna and connected to the Ergen cable. When the fly magic was applied, the Antenna floated out of the window and was pushed above to the high sky. ¡°This height would be enough.¡± Looking at the Antenna which was floating in the sky, Luke placed the coordinates of Erwin¡¯s telecommunication sphere into the communication formula and revealed magic. Beep Beep Beep. Several signals went out, but there was no connection. After that, Luke decided to raise the Antenna a little higher and sent magic communication again. Nevertheless, the other side didn¡¯t receive it. The appearance of Luke¡¯s face went darker. ¡®Was she caught by Nanas? Or, did she die¡­¡¯ He had broken the barrier with all his might, but did Gregory¡¯s party failed to escape? Or did they abandon Erwin and help themselves out? ¡®Answer it, please answer it!¡¯ Luke was screaming to himself, a plea to his heart that lifted his heart. ¡®Received!¡¯ When Luke cheered, a cool beautiful voice came from the other side. -Who is the one making a magical communication to me? Perhaps because of the distance between the two, the image on the crystal was too blurred. However, Luke knew who the one on the other side was. ¡°Huh. I am glad to hear your voice so vividly.¡± -Y, You¡­! Only then did Erwin recognize Luke and asked questions in a storm. -What happened? Why did you suddenly disappear like that?! And if you were alive, why didn¡¯t you contact me? Do you have any idea how much you made everyone worry? Tell me where you are right away! Luke was rather flustered with her passionate questioning. The usual blunt and cold Erwin was nowhere to be heard. ¡°Well, things happened.¡± -Well, were you hurt anywhere¡­ ¡°My body is fine. However, we fell into the subspace and came out, and we found ourselves lying on the continent across the sea.¡± -What did you say? So, you are on the Southern Continent? ¡°Yes, it is a place called the Song Empire¡¯s Angyong. A prestigious family is taking care of us. The magic communication barely got connected with the use of artifacts.¡± Erwin had been wounded and fainted when she tried to save Luke. She later received treatment from Bratt and Ariete, and her body recovered, but later she learned from Arch Duke Gregory that Luke had gone missing and went looking for him. In the meantime, magic communication had gone through from a strange coordinates. Erwin thought that it was a joke from someone. However, there were very few people who knew about her communication coordinates. And Luke was one of them. She was hoping for it t be Luke, and it really turned out to be Luke! -What happened on that day? At her question, Luke briefly told her the entire story about the formation of Subspace till reaching the Southern continent, and how he intertwined with the 3rd crown prince of the Song Empire. Also, the situation with the Zegal clan and the Iron Core. ¡°¡­ which was why I remembered that in the Zenith village, you made a green jewel with the energy from the Earth¡¯s Tears. I thought that it would be a great help.¡± -So, you are asking me to teach you how to make a Green Crystal? ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d like for you to tell me.¡± At the end of Luke¡¯s words, Erwin thought for a moment and nodded. Even if Luke knew it, there was no way that teaching him would harm the fairies in anyway. Moreover, to use it to revive the precious trees which were in danger of extinction? So, Erwin gave out the details for the process and the materials needed for the Green Crystal. ¡°Right. That was how it was done!¡± Luke expressed that he understood what Erwin told him. -By the way, when are you coming back? After she had gotten injured trying to save Luke, she realized that her feelings for Luke were much deeper than plain ¡®like¡¯. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was the so-called ¡®Love¡¯, but she knew that they weren¡¯t just plain words. She wanted to see the man right away and wanted to see that he was safe and unharmed with her own eyes. ¡°I will come back as soon as the problem with the Iron Core gets solved. In the state of civil war, the manor shouldn¡¯t be left alone for long.¡± -Then, I will head to the lordship. See you there later. ¡°Understood. But how did you persuade the heads of the fairy clans? I am curious about the fairy representatives.¡± Luke had gotten sucked into the subspace and had no idea what happened later. Erwin replied with reassurance. -You don¡¯t have to worry about it anymore. All the other radicals, including Elder Nanas, got taken away. We also agreed to reorganize the fairy representative delegation. ¡°That so? Then I am glad.¡± Luke had a hard time after falling into the trap of Nanas, but the outcome of the situation was good. It wasn¡¯t because he was afraid of the fairies, but because he was able to get away from unnecessarily spilling of blood on his hands. ¡°Then I will see you in the lordship later.¡± -Yes, take care. Keep in mind that there are many people who rely and look forward to seeing you. At the end of Erwin¡¯s request, Luke cut off the magical communication. ¡°Oh my, a woman as cold as the ice rink is worried about someone else.¡± It was shocking, but he didn¡¯t feel much worse. Luke just thought that the relationship was turning much more reliable. ¡°Anyway, should I connect to the Rakan manor this time with the magical communication? Since it will be in a mess by now.¡± Chapter 378 - Iron Core 3 Immediately after using the mana and magi, Luke and Hwang Bo-sung moved to the southern continent. Upon receiving the message from Erwin and Gregory, the Marquis of Rakan was in a mess. ¡°What? You said that the Lord has gone missing?¡± ¡°Yes, I just wanted to know if he went there using teleportation magic.¡± At the communication from the wizard, Butler Hans jumped out of his seat. ¡°No, what the hell is going on?! Please explain it clearly!¡± ¡°That was why we wanted to confirm¡­¡± After hearing the story, Hans immediately conveyed it to the retainers. Otherwise, the retainers would have been in a mess about the absence of their Lord. In that situation, they got the news that their Lord had gone missing after an explosion. As the civil war was intensifying and the revenge for the Baroque Imperial family was on the verge, the shock, which the retainers took, was great. ¡°No, why would he even go to the Volga Republic without telling us?¡± ¡°What the hell did the fairy guys even threaten that the Lord had to sneak away from us?¡± ¡°It must have been something rather secret. The rumors that were being spread around may be the ones to work. Perhaps, they threatened to spread out more if Lord didn¡¯t listen to them.¡± Philip, who heard what the Finance Officer, Bentley, said, was terrified. Except for the Volga¡¯s old men in Lamer, he was the only retainer who knew about Luke¡¯s dark magic. In addition, after Luke left, he heard about the situation from Belfair. ¡°We need to get revenge right away!¡± ¡°That is right. Let¡¯s catch every one of them who are still in the lordship!¡± As the atmosphere of the retainers were flowing toward one side, Butler Hans, who was listening to it quietly, banged the table. ¡°Quiet all of you! Don¡¯t you understand that finding our Lord is the first thing we should be doing?¡± He looked at all the retainers and opened his mouth once again. ¡°Aren¡¯t you speaking of a too extreme way? Will the Rakan family sacrifice men without knowing the reason?¡± No one could say anything after that. While the mouths of those who wanted revenge went quiet, Butler Hans looked over at Argo¡¯s head, Hudson. ¡°Inform the agents all over the continent and the Empire to find out about the whereabouts of our Lord. If the manpower in Argos won¡¯t be sufficient, ask any reliable guild for information.¡± ¡°Understood. And, wouldn¡¯t it be nice to ask help from the Pope?¡± ¡°They already are coming out of Holy Empire Intelligence agency. It was said that Arch Duke is using them.¡± Hans and the retainers decided to find the Lord by using all the intelligence services of Marquis Rakan. To them, not just the Holy Empire¡¯s men, but also the fairy chiefs in their manor were willing to cooperate in the search. In addition, Philip sneaked into the Dark Moon Magic Tower to seek help, and Sebastian and Belfair sought out for clues. A day, two days, three days¡­ A week had passed in the blink of an eye. However, no news about the whereabouts of Luke was heard. Luke¡¯s disappearance was unknown. Since Sebastian had disguised himself as Luke and performed his role as a proxy Lord, neither the executives nor the estate residents knew that the real Lord was missing. ¡°Is the Master really dead? Henry said that his strength was completely exhausted after he smashed the iron barrier?¡± Sebastian¡¯s words made Belfair, who was hanging upside down from the ceiling of the Lord¡¯s office, laugh. ¡°Are you stupid? If the Master died, the stigma on our necks would have disappeared. That means he is fine and alive somewhere.¡± ¡°Tch, really?¡± Seeing Sebastian¡¯s expression, Belfair¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°You just felt sorry for yourself right now, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°You were feeling bad that Master is still alive. Later, when the Master comes back, I am going to let him know.¡± ¡°Kuek! You ungrateful kid!¡± Sebastian, who picked up the bottle of ink from the table, threw it at Belfair. But Belfair disappeared in an instant. It wasn¡¯t that he was trying to avoid Sebastian¡¯s attack; it was because he could feel someone approaching the room. ¡°This is huge, Lord!¡± The door of the office had opened wide with Anna running in. On the day she was on a guard mission with her colleagues, she knew something was going on. Seeing her burst in, Sebastian asked with a frown, ¡°Huge? What is going on? Did someone enter the estate?¡± ¡°Not that¡­ Just a moment¡­ A communication came in showing the Lord¡¯s coordinates, and that came from the Lord!¡± ¡°What? Is that really true?¡± Surprised, Sebastian got up from his seat. And that was the same with Belfair who was in hiding. He was so surprised that he almost gave out his identity. ¡°So, everyone is going to the communication room. Are you also going to go Lord?¡± ¡°Of course, I have to.¡± Sebastian spoke and followed Anna to the communication room of the Lordship. After a while, they arrived at the magic communication room. There was no room in the magic communication room with all the retainers and the knights who were in there. The first to arrive there was Butler Hans. When he looked at the blurry crystal image of Luke, he screamed, losing his usual calmness. ¡°Lord!¡± -So loud. I am not deaf, so lower your voice. ¡°Is there any problem? What the hell happened Lord?!¡± Hans¡¯s voice didn¡¯t go down so easily because of all the stress that accumulated. -There was a situation, I am sorry. I will explain all in detail at a later time, so please understand. ¡°Phew, understood. Instead, the next time you leave, at least let us know the situation beforehand.¡± -I will do that. Rather than that, how is the civil war going? ¡°It was said that the Emperor led the Knights of Guard and the Eastern Army troops were in war with the Western Forces on Dris Mountain. The Western Army has been declared defeated, but the details are still under investigation.¡± -Is that so? First, the civil war is against the noblemen. ¡°That is right. I am concerned on how to act now.¡± From the standpoint of Rakan, the noblemen getting pushed back wasn¡¯t a desirable situation. Marquis Mayers was still there in the south, but with the Western Army destroyed, it was just a matter of time before the Southern Army was destroyed as well. The retainers of Rakan needed the Emperor and the noblemen to fight against each other as much as possible. That would make it easier for them to sweep away the rest of the men. -Well, we need to make plans before the noblemen turn defensive, but wasn¡¯t Duke Butler killed? ¡°Well, if he was killed, then they would have made a huge deal out of it, but there was no such thing going on nor anything said by the Emperor. The only thing we know was that the remnants of the Western Army were cleared up, and large amount of bounty was placed for the necks of the noblemen.¡± -Nice, which means¡­ Luke gave detailed instructions to Hans. Hans, who listened to all the instructions, suddenly asked, ¡°But Lord, where are you right now?¡± -Me? I am along with Hwang Bo-sung in the Zegal clan of the Song Empire. ¡°Song Empire? Hold on, the Southern Continent¡­?¡± -Erwin will let you know how this happened. She said that she will arrive there soon. ¡°Huh, understood, but when is our Lord coming back?¡± -There is something that I need to do here. Once that is done, I will return back as soon as I can. ¡°Please come back quickly. We still have our estate together, but we don¡¯t know what will happen in the future.¡± -I know. I will hurry and don¡¯t bother Reina. I don¡¯t want to make her worry. In fact, Luke had contacted Reina directly. However, the magic communication wasn¡¯t perfect, and they were kept being interrupted by static, so they eventually gave up talking to each other. ¡°Master, stay healthy, and come back! I love you, I respect you, Master!¡± Just before the magic communication got ended, Sebastian quickly interrupted and spoke. It was because he was afraid that Belfair would talk about what he said a while back, but he ended up giving Luke the idea of ¡®this guy is up to something fishy¡¯. -Don¡¯t spew nonsense, and do your best in my position. ¡°Yep! I will do my very best!¡± The communication ended with that. The retainers, who confirmed that the missing Lord was alive and well, smiled from their hearts with relief. Butler Hans clapped his hands and ordered everyone. ¡°Kay then, since we have confirmed that our Lord is safe, let¡¯s get back to our work and focus on it. Chief Commander Rogers, prepare what the Lord has ordered us to do.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After that, the Marquis of Rakan went back to normal as if everything had been settled. Chapter 379 - Iron Core 4 After completing the magic communication, Luke visited Zegal Moon. Zegal Moon, who was with a dark complexion due to the Iron Core depletion, was amazed at Luke¡¯s story. ¡°You can revive the Iron Core? Really?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Oh, oh, that¡¯s great!¡± Zegal Moon managed to learn a little more about Luke. According to the stories of the merchants at Nanjing, who were trading with the Northern Continent, Luke was the descendant of Rakan. However, he was a Rune Knight, who did not only use a sword but magic too. When he heard about the story where he revived the wasteland of the lordship into a fertilized and water-based farming land, he was kind of hoping for Luke to come up with a way to revive the Iron Core. But for the man to directly come to his room¡­! ¡®It looks like I need the Iron Core. But, so do the Zegal Clan.¡¯ How long had they been carrying the burden of not having the Iron Core? In addition to the Puppet, the Iron Core was used in various ways to express the technique of the Zegal clan. Talismans made from the Iron Core were many times more effective, and their coal was used as the best for podium. As it was useful in many ways, the Zegal clan tried to revive it with all the skills they were aware of, but they failed. They had tried around a thousand times and gave up. However, Luke had a solution! He grabbed Luke¡¯s hand and said, ¡°If you can, we will sell you the Iron Core as long as you want it.¡± ¡°Huhuhu. Is that a promise?¡± ¡°It is like the Southern Continent¡¯s middle-class gold!¡± After talking to Zegal Moon, Luke headed to the mountain with the people of the Zegal clan to the plateau. The plateau was 2,000 meters away from Angyong and 800 kilometers away from other regions. Although it was quite a long distance, the Zegal clan had tactical flying objects called ¡®Flying car¡¯ which allowed them to move quickly. ¡°It looks a lot like a hot air balloon but much faster .¡± ¡°This is made of Iron Core as well.¡± Zegal Moon, who was guiding Luke briefly, explained about the Flying car. ¡°The Flying car was made by Yemaek¡¯s zen skill users, and it has been improved by our clan by making use of the Iron Core to make it lighter and have it turn using the pinwheel. This allows us to fly much farther and faster.¡± ¡°Can this cross the ocean?¡± Luke asked in his normal cold tone so that he could probably use it to get back to his desired location. ¡°Hahaha. That is impossible. It can¡¯t carry enough food and water for it to cross the sea, and it isn¡¯t strong enough to withstand the harsh environment like storms and lightning.¡± Even through air, the environment in the ocean was much harsher than on land. There were many places with typhoons, and there were places with year-long thunderstorms. And in such places, a single mistake could be life-threatening. ¡°If we could make the Flying car cross the ocean, then it would be the greatest invention for intercontinental trading. The exchange of culture and thought would have been active.¡± ¡°Yes, it could be difficult, but sometime later, such things might happen.¡± Anyhow, thanks to the Flying car, Luke and the men were able to move pretty quickly. ¡°Almost there. The plateau is over there.¡± Looking at the direction where Zegal Moon was pointing at, he could see a few small and large mountains covered in clouds. The mountain was located at the southern part of the Song Empire, but due to the high altitude, it had a relatively cool temperature all year long. There was an Iron Core forest slope on the central area, which was far from the mountain. It had little rainfall and since there wasn¡¯t sufficient water, few people lived in there. The residents were tribals with small numbers, who came to the mountains to avoid taking up any societal role. They hunted and collected herbs or grew tea or herbals roots. They enjoyed the rich life they had by giving Iron Core to the Zegal clan. However, the Iron Core forest that those people lived on for many years got devastated by drought, disease, and fire. ¡®This is much worse than I imagined.¡¯ Almost half of the forest was burned, and the rest were all dried up plants because of drought and pests. However, Luke was trying to be optimistic. ¡®The vitality of the trees is strong. The burned trees are inevitable, but the dead trees can be revived.¡¯ ¡°There are the ones we have. Please save the Iron Core forest with your skills.¡± ¡°Huh. Don¡¯t worry.¡± After giving assurance to Zegal Moon, Luke took magic materials out of his subspace bracelet and opened the lid of the locket that Reina gave him. Her hair strand was inside. Exactly as Erwin had told him, he put crystal pieces and magic reagents into a small mortar and added Reina¡¯s hair. ¡®And then softened them with ultra-high temperature flame!¡¯ As Luke began to inject magic into the mortar, smoke began to rise along with pure white light. The materials, which were wrapped in the flame, began to melt and mix into a single mass. ¡®What is that?¡¯ The Southern Continent had something similar to magic; it was the Zen skill. It was based on magic and other theories of the philosophers, and like magic, it too was a phenomenon of nature and using the power to know the nature of magic. Zegal Moon was a master of Zen skill. His skills weren¡¯t just recognized in the Song Empire but throughout the entire Southern Continent. However, it wasn¡¯t because Zegal Moon solely focused on improving his Zen skill. Rather, it was because the man had extensive knowledge of magic and sacred powers of the Northern Continent as well as the many bodies of the Arahan denominations. And such a man was interested in Luke¡¯s work. ¡®I can feel a strange energy in the magical flame. This isn¡¯t the magic from the north, nor is it Zen skill. It is like the things that the spirits did in the ancient times, the oral transformation of knowledge¡­.¡¯ It was when Zegal Moon was in his thoughts¡­ A bright light began to rise apart from the flame; a brilliant green jewel had appeared. ¡®T-this is!¡¯ The spirit of Zegal Moon was thrilled at the sight of a magnificent and refreshing energy he felt from the jewel. His eyes were blurry. It was as if everything around him was covered in mist, and then a huge tree began to appear. The tree that was rooted deep into the ground spread around, and its branches moved toward the vast blue sky. ¡®God tree?¡¯ A sacred tree from the legends of Yemaek. The thought that it was a legendary tree that could connect heaven and earth entered his mind. ¡°Chief, are you okay?¡± At the question of the escort warrior next to him, Zegal Moon got back to his senses. The spiritual tree that rose in front of his eyes disappeared like a lie. He then saw Luke burying the magical jade jewel. ¡°Did I faint?¡± The escort warrior nodded at his question. ¡°Yes, it seemed like you weren¡¯t in your right mind.¡± ¡°I guess my age is getting to me¡­ T-that could be it.¡± His body was still shaking. Zegal Moon decided to watch carefully what kind of power the jade was going to show. Wooong! Right after Luke buried the green crystal, a gentle green light began to spread out in the ground. That was when something surprising happened. All the twisted Iron Core trees began to revitalize. The leaves began to bloom again, and new sprouts began to come out. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Unbelievable!¡± Words of shock popped out of the mouths of men who were watching the scene along with Zegal Moon. The Iron Core forest, which had been burnt black and brown, was rapidly going back to life. It was like a miracle unfolding in front of their eyes for Zegal Moon and his men. The escorts were smacking or pinching themselves to make sure they weren¡¯t lost in a dream. People were kneeling down and praying to show their gratitude. ¡°Oh my God! The Heavens! Thank you so much!¡± ¡°Your kids can now live!¡± While the people were all crying and smiling with joy, Zegal Moon touched the Iron Core tree with his hand. For an illusion caused by magic, the sensation on his finger seemed to be too realistic. It wasn¡¯t just that, his body felt so refreshed that he felt like he could touch the sky. He had never felt anything like that before. ¡°How was that? With this, I don¡¯t think that you need to worry about extinction.¡± Zegal Moon, who was close to being emotional, listened to Luke¡¯s voice and looked at him. ¡®This man, how did he¡­?¡¯ Honestly, he hadn¡¯t placed all his hopes on Luke when he said that he had a way to bring back the lost trees. He was already feeling grateful to have only a few trees be saved by the man. But the result was unexpected. Therefore, Zegal Moon¡¯s attitude toward Luke turned much more polite than before. His tone had changed entirely. ¡°Are you a being of the heavens who reside in the sky? Or a miraculous master of something unknown?¡± Being the best in using Zen skill at Kang Ho, he knew that the skills displayed by Luke were much better than anyone he had ever seen. When asked with such a stupid question, Luke smiled. ¡°I am just a wizard who looks for the truth.¡± He said and hurriedly added, ¡°Kay then, now give me the Iron Core, and don¡¯t think about handing me just one or two.¡± ¡°Hahaha! Would we even dare to do that? I will give as much as the grace wants.¡± Zegal Moon politely answered with a smile. Luke, who resolved the worry of the Zegal clan, would succeed in making a tuning Helm that could be installed into a hundred Gigants. However, his biggest achievement was having new companions in the previously unfamiliar Southern Continent. Chapter 380 - The Attack 1 The work in the plateau was done, however, Luke and Zegal Moon couldn¡¯t just head back to Angyong. They said that they couldn¡¯t just send back the men like that, and offered a tribute after a small celebration. ¡°Cheers to the Blue-eyed master!¡± ¡°Cheers to the Master! Cheers to Grace!¡± Luke was made seated at the top, and at the side was Zegal Moon, with people coming in and offering food and alcohol in incomprehensible words. ¡°What are they saying?¡± ¡°It looks like the people were surprised with the miracle the grace of a god has done. They are calling you a Blue-eyed master, and are asking for your blessings on them.¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡± Luke thought of it to be outrageous. No matter how many people he had helped in the dire circumstance, to call a dark magic wielder as a God was a bit too weird. ¡°I can¡¯t bear to get called as a God, nor am I great enough to be referred like that. There is someone else who needs to be treated like God.¡± It was all thanks to Reina, who possessed the power of the Ancient Aether and Erwin, a genius who made the Green Crystal. Without them, Luke would have been unable to achieve anything. ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel too burdened. You may regard the God as someone absolute in the North, but not in here.¡± ¡°I too heard about that. The religion where humans can become as Gods after achieving enlightenment?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°You must be talking about Arahan? In the Southern part, it is referred to as Sejong denomination, and it is very popular. And those who believe in it, rather than wishing for enlightenment, wish to save the world by gaining the blessing of the God.¡± Said Zegal Moon. ¡®Huh, humans live the same way irrespective of the place.¡¯ Luke had no intention of speaking ill about the men who wanted to be favored by God. It was because he had found God a long time back. Luke had prayed to be made one with Katarina, his beloved lover, and prayed to not send her away, the only light in his gloomy life. However, his faith was unfulfilled. Because she had killed herself after being ravaged by the Baroque. Luke, turned his back on the indifferent God and touched the power of darkness, seeking revenge. ¡®But the God of Destiny didn¡¯t allow me to take my revenge.¡¯ At first, he seemed to be going well, but then fell at the hands of Rakan, who turned out to be the key enemy, and he couldn¡¯t fulfill what he wanted. But it didn¡¯t end there. Oddly enough, his soul got reincarnated into the body of Rakan¡¯s descendant. Of course, the reincarnation wasn¡¯t that bad. He got the chance to do things again, he met Reina, Katarina¡¯s reincarnation. Luke¡¯s thoughts which were filled with old thoughts came back to reality. ¡°In fact, I am not much different. Even though I am a man of hope, I was stupid enough to pray to the famous temples after the Iron Core got taken down.¡± ¡°I was afraid that the God¡¯s power wasn¡¯t strong enough. Until I came here, I thought that the forest couldn¡¯t be saved.¡± Said Luke. ¡°I too thought so at first, but¡­ Looking back at it now, that doesn¡¯t seem like the case. Because I received a prophecy.¡± ¡°A prophecy?¡± Luke felt his curiosity at the word and asked immediately. ¡°Yes, it wasn¡¯t like a direct prophecy from the God, but I heard it from a high priest who had just returned back from the North. ¡®You will be blessed if you give help to the unwelcomed guest¡¯.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it common for those who say to have received the prophecy to talk so vaguely or act virtuously?¡± In fact, there were several denominations in the Rhodesia continent which promoted themselves by saying that they received the prophecy from the God. ¡°Even then, Saint Nanda cannot be ignored. He had realized the physical pain which can be called as the God¡¯s power.¡± ¡°Saint Nanda¡­¡± What kind of a man was he to realize the God¡¯s Power? Seeing that Zegal Moon admired the man, Luke could assume him to be a nice person. ¡°He is currently staying at the temple. Please go and meet him. The enlightenment is nice and you will never regret meeting him.¡± Luke was interested in Saint Nanda, but he didn¡¯t intend to meet him right away. Because, the problem with the Iron Core was solved, and it was needed for him to get back to his estate as soon as possible. Moreover, he had no idea what the situation in the Baroque Civil war was. Right when Luke decided to head back. Tring! Tring! Tring! The bronze bell which was beside Zegal Moon rang by itself. ¡°Looks like a telegram came in.¡± ¡°A zen telegram?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°This is similar to the magic communication of the north. But unlike the magic, it uses the zen and sends texts rather than images or voices.¡± Explaining, Zegal Moon opened the fan in his hand. The white fan which had nothing on it began to show up with ink. ¡°It was sent for the head of the clan. And the content¡­¡± Zegal Moon who was reading the texts went stiff. His eyes had seriousness which never showed before. Luke realizing something was wrong, asked for the reason. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It is said that some suspicious group of men are attacking the main streets. It was said that the outskirts and the circle around the clan are being destroyed rapidly, and they don¡¯t seem to be ordinary people.¡± The Zegal Clan¡¯s soul circle could only be solved by the clan¡¯s blood. In particular, the soul circle on the main street was the strongest line of defense built by Zegal Moon. But such a circle had been crushed! ¡®Obviously they are aiming for the 3rd crown prince. But are there anyone who can destroy that?¡¯ From what Zegal Moon knew, there can be only one person who was talented enough. And even if not for him, people could have put effort to bring down Jo Won-rak, but it seemed like the clan¡¯s power wouldn¡¯t be enough. ¡°Prepare the flying car! We need to hurry back home!¡± ¡°Yes, chief!¡± ¡°Hold on! There is another way for us to reach there quickly.¡± When the men were running, Luke stopped them. Zegal Moon asked with a flush on his face. ¡°Are you talking about teleport magic?¡± ¡°Exactly. With the clan¡¯s coordination, we won¡¯t have difficulty in moving right away.¡± However, the teleport magic had to be used repeatedly for farther distance. It would consume higher magic but was still faster than moving without a vehicle. ¡°Then, go ahead, grace.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t fall away from me!¡± When the party was ready, Luke immediately cast teleport magic. As the main group disappeared with a light, the ones left behind were amazed. ¡°Ch, chief is gone!¡± ¡°The chief is gone too! Did he take them?!¡± ¡°He must be a man of the heaven. He should be called as the Jade Emperor.¡± The mountain men who were shocked calmed down. ¡°Will they come again?¡± ¡°Even if they don¡¯t come back, we should never forget about the grace.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s build the shrine. The biggest and the most beautiful shrine in this area and support the clan.¡± Thanks to the innocent people, Rune Knight Luke from the Rhodesia continent became a Heavenly being and the guardian spirit of the village. Chapter 381 - The Attack 2 Tat! Tat! Hundreds of warriors wearing black uniforms and masks were running towards the Zegal Clan. At the forefront of the stride were knights wearing the armors of the Rhodesia continent and the wizards with a dark robe. They were the Black Knights sent by Hwang Bo-kwang to defeat Jo Won-rak, the 3rd crown prince, precisely they were the Death Knights and Lich¡¯s given by Arsene. Wheeeing! The Death Knight and Lich, who made weird, eerie, and incomprehensible noise which no one would believe as the sounds coming from the human¡¯s mouth. When they appeared, a giant blue dragon and white tiger appeared in front. Kiiiik! Kuannng! When the blue dragon and the white tiger screamed, ferocious torrents and hot flames suddenly struck the black-masked men and Undead. ¡°Huaah! H, Hot!¡± ¡°Ahhh! Save the people!¡± The Undead didn¡¯t feel any pain, so they just stood still, but the masked men were different. They screamed at the hot flames which were going to melt off their body and hurriedly tried to escape. The one who was in the lead was behind Gwan-chang, the young man turned to the back. ¡°Earner!¡± Just four years ago, the young literate who was known as Earner declared that he would give 100,000 gold crowns of the Royal Song family. He seemed to be a man in his 20s, but his actual age was 60. ¡°Understood, I get it. Tch, Tch, how many times should I¡­¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how many times he had been in the same situation. With a pathetic expression, the man pulled out a crumpled paper from his sleeve and threw it towards the blue dragon and white tiger. Crrrrrrk! The piece of paper which flew away with a force of wings shredded itself in the air and turned into a white blizzard. The blizzard which set off with flames began to freeze rapidly. The blue dragon and white tiger got themselves buried in the snow. ¡°Get back, stupid men!¡± At the words of the Earner, the black-masked crew who were down on the ground got up. Death Knight and Lich, who were in the dark, moved forward. ¡°Tch Tch, are these first-class men? I knew that the Kang Ho men had fallen low.¡± ¡°Kuek¡­!¡± The black-masked men glared at Earner for his words, but they followed the Undead without saying anything. Their opponent was a man who had established a name for himself because of his notoriousness and craziness. If they did anything offensive towards such a man, they could be walking down to their death. ¡°Can the ones here too be turned into the ones who are walking in the front? Then, I think that it is easy for your leader to make a huge deal.¡± At the words of Earner, the one next to him, Gwan-chang shook his head. ¡°There are somethings only a living person can do. Please feel free to help them out. Didn¡¯t you come out here to have a fair share of enjoyment too?¡± ¡°Uhm, I did. I came all the way here to enjoy.¡± The man Earner wasn¡¯t hired by Hwang Bo-kwang. He had come there because he wanted to get some fun by breaking down Zegal Clan, who was rumored to be the best Zen Master of Kang Ho, he wanted to burn the shrine of Zegal, who was known to be an inventor and strongest literate in history. It was a kind of competition. ¡°That is okay, was it known to be a Daecheon Soul Circle? This is more frustrating than I thought. It isn¡¯t being shredded, and the restoration is happening.¡± The Zen circle was like a magic circle, delicate yet complex. For that reason, even if the weakness was found and destroyed, the base layer of the system shouldn¡¯t have to work properly. However, the Daecheon soul circle was different. Even if a few of the forms were shredded, the circle was operating and quickly being restored too. For that reason, the black-masked forces weren¡¯t able to get into the Zegal clan right away and were fooled by the soul circle several times. ¡°But it has a limit to holding up. How long can it stay up?¡± Earner knew. That the power of the Soul Circle was getting weaker by moment. Every time he crushed on the force, Zegal¡¯s men were coming up and began to reinforce, but complete recovery wasn¡¯t possible. ¡°Seeing that, we might be able to empty the spot of Zegal Moon.¡± ¡°It is a good thing for us!¡± ¡°Kukk! Well right, Kay then. Let¡¯s turn the shrine into ashes before Zegal Moon comes back.¡± As the masked men approached the borders, the guards of the Zegal clan were moving, preparing for countermeasures. ¡°The men are breaking through the 3rd gate, and approaching the 2nd gate.¡± ¡°Border guards, we can¡¯t stand like this!¡± The woman, who seemed to be in charge and was getting the reports from the general and the soldiers bit her lips. ¡®This is all happening when he is away, how can such things happen!?¡¯ Her name was Zegal Soha. She was the sister of Zegal Moon. She was in charge of the Border Guards, and the clan¡¯s information office. She was in Nanjing to collect information and return back to her home after getting a call from Zegal Moon. Nevertheless, after hearing the story about Jo Won-rak¡¯s attempted assassination, she expected it to be a fire engulfing their clan. Even if they were persistent enemy, they would surely try to kill Jo Won-rak before he returns back to the Royal Palace. However, the enemies seemed to attack too boldly and confidently. They were attacking the prestigious clan of the Kang Ho Moorim clan in daylight! What was more surprising was the fact that the person who was about to break down the Soul circle was a notorious man. ¡®I knew that his skills were great, but didn¡¯t know it was till this level.¡¯ In the current situation, holding for an hour would be trouble itself. She couldn¡¯t hold them back until Zegal Moon returned. ¡°Soha, it is meaningless to act like that.¡± ¡°I know. Let¡¯s throw them out before they get close to the home!¡± It was Zegal Do and Zegal Shin who were the cousins of Zegal Moon who insisted on fighting. Each of them had their own nicknames, Wind Moon Sword Master and Salt King, the experts of Zegal clan. ¡°Although the state of us isn¡¯t so great, with the skills of us three we will be able to defeat them.¡± ¡°Even if we remove the injured, we still have Hwang Bo-sung, who is known to be the next Moorim king. The puppet is¡­¡± When the two men were talking, Zegal Soha shook her head. ¡°I am sorry, but it is a little dangerous than what we think.¡± She was trying to understand the power of the enemies while blocking them up. If they get tired, they can be taken down. The masked men weren¡¯t going to be much trouble for her or her men. However, the one, Earner who was destroying the Soul Circle seemed to be a dangerous person. Also, the ones who were in the front, the unknown men seemed to be very difficult to handle. ¡°There are various traps and circles in the 2nd and 1st gate. Once they exhaust the power of it as much as possible¡­¡± It was when she was saying it. A messenger screamed while getting towards them. ¡°Lady of Border Guards, the main gate has been broken!¡± ¡°What?!¡± They were all shocked at what the messenger had told them. It wasn¡¯t that long since it was said that the gates were being targeted, but to be broken down already? ¡®It makes no sense! How can they break through the 1st and 3rd gate?¡¯ ¡°We have no other options!¡± There was no time to even hesitate after getting the news. If they looked closely, the clan could get trampled, and the 3rd crown prince could get killed because of their delayed actions. ¡°Understood. Let¡¯s go there and fight immediately.¡± Two puppets were picked up by the cousins and led their men to fight the invaders. Although she didn¡¯t say anything out loud, she was hoping that Zegal Moon would come back early by one hour at least. Chapter 382 - The Attack 3 ¡°KukKkk. Those men must be surprised with us¡­¡± The men, who had defeated the 3rd and 1st gate, laughed when they imagined how flustered the Zegal clan¡¯s warriors and guards must be. The reason why they were able to easily pass through the gate was because they managed to get a grasp on the Daecheon Soul Circle as they passed the first one. Before the masked men cleared it, the Zegal clan asked the clan guards to restore the circle. However, after the men managed to understand how it worked, the core collapsed rather quickly and the guards could no longer do anything. ¡®Well, I need to admit, it indeed was amazing. I never thought that it would take so much time to break this.¡¯ Earner knew it was a Zen skill developed circle, but the admiration of Zegal Moon only increased. If it wasn¡¯t for the circle installed by Zegal Moon, he could have been able to get past the barrier. Anyhow, he had managed to invade the Zegal clan¡¯s region, and he was sure to stir ruckus in there. ¡®Kuek! I am going to break everything!¡¯ However, his thoughts weren¡¯t put into action. It was because the northern men lost some of their men. Kooo! Kukukuku! ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Kaauk!¡± ¡°B-be careful! The enemy¡¯s men are in zenith level!¡± The warriors of the Zegal clan, who were facing the northern men, were being pushed back. The 30 Death Knights and the Lich¡¯s combat power was too strong for them to handle, and the other men didn¡¯t even give them time to call for support or attack. In a matter of hours, more than a hundred warriors and guards died. Many of them were wounded as well. However, Zegal Soha, Zegal Shin, and Zegal Do led their men to prevent detrimental situations from happening. ¡°Do not step back! Rearrange your battle stance! Zen users will heal the wounded and support the warriors!¡± Under the orders of Zegal Soha, the warriors began to build a new line of defense, and the Zen users summoned thorn vines to block the path or healing spells to help the wounded men. However, the masked men didn¡¯t just stand there and watch. They tried to get back at the Zegal clan members before they got treated and cause unrecoverable damage. However, Zegal Soha and his two cousins wielded their swords and blocked their attempt to attack. ¡°Kuakk!¡± ¡°C-careful, it is Zegal Shin, the Wind Moon sword user!¡± ¡°It is the Fire King too!¡± ¡°Oh my God, leave them to the northern force and get back!¡± The Death Knight and the Lich faced them while the masked men, who were surprised by the Zeniths, backed off. The undead¡¯s combat power was at the highest point as their numbers were higher. However, even though Soha, Shin, and Do were struggling with the dark magic users, they weren¡¯t getting pushed back. ¡°Be careful. The magic from those isn¡¯t the usual kind!¡± ¡°I know okay!¡± They were quite familiar with Death Knights and Liches, unlike Zegal Hui, who fought them recently for the first time. Only a few days back, Zegal Hui had been supported by Hwang Bo-sung and Luke in fighting against the undead. The information he provided to the clan was already known to the important members of the Zegal clan. Nevertheless, a great ruckus occurred a while ago, and they were able to see the men much earlier than expected. ¡°They fight better than I thought? Surely they are the masters in the Zegal Clan.¡± Earner, who was watching the Zeniths use their power and yet not struggle against the northern men, was amazed. ¡°But, those northern ones are tired or dead. They won¡¯t last long.¡± ¡°Well, you don¡¯t seem to know much about them.¡± Just as Gwan-chang said, the three members weren¡¯t fighting at their fullest. The moment they stepped back to lure the undead, a huge smashing sound came over the fence from the rear and crushed the undead. Looking at the sight, Gwan-chang felt overwhelmed. ¡°Kuek, that Puppet¡­!¡± It was Hwang Bo-sung, who had brought in a Puppet. He remained at the Zegal clan without following Luke to look after the place. When the men invaded, Zegal Hui took Jo Won-rak to a rocky cave and asked Hwang Bo-sung to fight for the wounded. Hwang Bo-sung had readily accepted the request and met up with the group of Zegal Soha on his way to fight. In addition, he had held himself back to deliver a critical blow to the enemy in the decisive moment. It was the time for a counterattack. ¡°Right now! Everyone, attack!¡± ¡°Whoooo!¡± Five Puppets including the one with Hwang Bo-sung frightened the enemy. At the sudden counterattack, the heat of the masked men had collapsed, and the damage they had taken began to increase exponentially. ¡®We will get wiped out if things go like this.¡¯ Even though he wasn¡¯t concerned with the undead, the masked men seemed to have taken a lot of damage. Gwan-chang, who was thinking hard, looked over at Earner. ¡°¡­¡± He wasn¡¯t the kind of person who wouldn¡¯t have any contingency plans. He definitely had one that would solve this crisis, but Earner didn¡¯t even move. ¡°Kukuku. Wait and see. I feel like something interesting is going to happen.¡± Just as Earner had said, the rest of the undead, with the exception of the 7 that were destroyed, went into the air. Shhhh! The Lich, who was watching the Puppet move around, began to cast a weird spell. Shhhh! The body of the Lich was turning into smoke, and the 18 Death Knights were taking it in. The Death Knights, who absorbed the Lich, began to give out huge dark energy. ¡®What is that?¡¯ At the sudden surge of Magi, Hwang Bo-sung paused for a moment. He looked back to find the Death Knights stretching out black rays in all directions. Flash! Flash! ¡°W-what is this?¡± ¡°Dodge! Euak!¡± In a short period of time, warriors and Zen users who were near the undead were getting pierced by Magi. And those who escaped were shocked. ¡°T-those men¡­!¡± As Zegal Shin said that, the masked men were attacked by the black rays as well. No, the damage taken by the masked men was much greater as they were the closest to the undead than the warriors of Zegal clan. Even the leader Gwan-chang and those around him were attacked, but they barely managed to escape the crisis with the help of the Zen users on their side. ¡°This is all crazy!¡± ¡°Looks like it needs food.¡± ¡°Food?¡± At the question of Gwang-chang, Earner pointed to the bodies that were pierced by the Magi rays. The bodies were getting dried up and twisted, turning into mummies. The Death Knight¡¯s body was growing at a terrifying speed. ¡°T-that¡­!¡± Kuak! The Death Knight, which grew in size, was now as big as a Puppet. The men on the Zegal Clan and the remaining masked men were shocked. It was because it was their first time to see something like this¡ªa being increasing its size until it became the same size as a Puppet. ¡°Huh, you think that growing in size will scare us?!¡± A warrior, who was controlling a Puppet, rushed toward one of them. Puah! The powerful blow of the Puppet pierced through the Death Knight¡¯s body. ¡®Huhuhu. Not a huge deal¡­¡¯ The warrior smiled but soon went flustered when the Death Knight didn¡¯t die. ¡°Oh my! L-let go you freak!¡± The warriors tried to get it, but the Death Knight didn¡¯t move. Rather, they were getting attacked by the Death Knight. The Death Knight, wielding a Magi sword, slaughtered the head of the Puppet at a tremendous speed. ¡°This!¡± ¡°No, Hwang Bo Sire! Don¡¯t rush in!¡± When Hwang Bo-sung tried to rush into the Death Knight, Zegal Soha hurriedly held him back. The enemy was more in number compared to their Puppet, and the ability of the newly made giants was unknown. It was her decision to stay calm, but the Puppet of Hwang Bo-sung had already gone past her. ¡°Get lost, you dirty freak!¡± The head of the Death Knight, which was in the front of their group, got blown away by Hwang Bo-sung. One after the other, Hwang Bo-sung quickly destroyed three more Death Knights. However, Hwang Bo-sung, who picked up the pace, tried to attack continuously, and the Magi that came out of the fallen Death Knight¡¯s hands wrapped around the ankles and torso of the Puppet. ¡°Huh! You!¡± ¡°Hwang Bo Sire!¡± The warriors and the Puppet holders were rushing in to save Hwang Bo-sung, who was getting pulled in by the Death Knights. Hwang Bo-sung did try to escape. However, he wasn¡¯t able to shake off the black straps around his ankles and body. The more he moved, the tighter they got. That was when he saw the Magi sword of the Death Knight aimed at him. ¡®Dammit, I need to throw away this Puppet and lea¡­¡¯ No matter how precious his Puppet was, it couldn¡¯t be compared to his life. At that moment when Hwang Bo-sung tried to escape, a purple thunderbolt fell from the sky one after another. Kwang! Kwang! The Death Knights that were around Hwang Bo-sung were all pushed to the floor because of the powerful blows that came in unexpectedly. After a while, the protagonist of the thunderbolt made an appearance. A silver Gigant surrounded by purple light. Hwang Bo-sung, who knew who was inside it, regained his color. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Huhuhu. Did I make you wait a lot?¡± Luke, who had entered the battlefield, pulled out his sword. The tip of the sword was pointed at the head of a Death Knight. ¡°I¡¯ll give you enlightenment. Those who can¡¯t die even after dying.¡± Luke stormed at the Death Knights. Chapter 383 - The Attack 4 ¡°What is that?¡± Earner, who was keenly watching the invasion and battle between the Puppet and the Death Knights, was shocked at the sudden entry of a new giant. ¡°That is a combat weapon used by the northerners called Gigant¡­¡± As Gwang-chang tried to explain in detail, Earner shot back at him. ¡°You thought that I didn¡¯t know that? I am asking who is the guy inside it.¡± At that question, Gwang-chang just shook his head. He wasn¡¯t aware that there was a Gigant in the Zegal clan nor was he aware as to who the Gigant rider inside was. ¡®These men can do nothing right.¡¯ Earner clicked his tongue. He looked at Gwan-chang then to the Gigant. The steel giant was giving out a gold aura from its sword and was cutting down the Death Knights one after the other. ¡®That guy is weird. The lightning strike that just happened was clearly a cursed demon power. However, right now he is giving out the power of divinity¡­¡¯ Although it was unknown to the people, Earner had experimented with summoning in the past after obtaining a method from an apostate. Taking in hundreds of war criminals, he had wanted to summon a vicious demon. And the demon that called itself Kauren, the self-proclaimed great demon, jumped out at Earner and began to use its lightning all around him. ¡®Uhm. I almost died back then. If it wasn¡¯t for the old man in the black robe, who was hiding in the close vicinity, attracting him, the whole group would have been done for¡­¡¯ A man had appeared with the same power as that demon. And seeing that he was using a Gigant as a weapon, it could be presumed that the man was a northerner. ¡®And he seems to be good at fencing and magic as well.¡¯ Just a while back, the steel giant almost took down the Death Knight, which was taking down Hwang Bo-sung. Using Blink, he managed to avoid the black flame used by the Death Knight. ¡®He seems like a capable guy. But the voice of his says that he is young, but his spirit is like the one which had been rolling around the battlefields of Kang Ho for a long time¡­ Did he have a comeback like me?¡¯ Whatever he was, the man seemed very interesting. His interest was stimulating Earner the most. He was finding it harder to hold himself back and decided to fight Luke. ¡°Come on, my men!¡± As Earner pulled out another talisman from his sleeve and threw it out, a fire dragon appeared. The fire dragon, which was giving out heat with every flap of its wings, threw flame at Luke¡¯s tester Gigant. Kwaaa! ¡°What is that?¡± At the sudden attack of flame, Luke used a Death Knight, with the help of his Gigant, as a shield to not get hit by the flame. The Death Knight, which was used as a shield, melted instantly because of the heat. The sword and the gloves of the tester turned red too. ¡°Master, are you alright?¡± Hwang Bo-sung, who was helping out Luke in cleaning up the Death Knights, asked with concern. Luke nodded his head and signaled that he was alright. ¡°Sir Hwang Bo-sung, there are only a few of the Death Knights left. If the Zegal clan¡¯s Puppets can join, our number will be enough.¡± ¡°What about you, Master?¡± ¡°I need to take care of that.¡± Luke and the fire dragon¡­ No, he was staring at the men who had summoned it. At some point, Earner had climbed on to the head of the dragon and spoke to Luke in fluent Rhodesian language, ¡°This is the body of Earner that belongs to the Jade Emperor. Who is the one riding there?¡± ¡®What? This crazy bastard?¡¯ Luke, who had been in the Zegal Clan had learned the culture, the traditions of the Southern part, and came to know what the Jade Emperor was like. Like the style of the Rhodesia continent, the Jade Emperor was similar to El Kassel, and if he was the man of God, a representative, he had to be an angel. And any messenger of God would surely give out divinity because of their innate nature, but the man in front of Luke gave out nothing. Rather, the shiny eyes and turbid energy around him gave a feeling which resembled his liking to chaos. ¡®He looks like he isn¡¯t in the right mind, but even then, the skills he is displaying are difficult to perform just by any insane man.¡¯ Luke was fighting with amplifying the gold aura from the Gigant. That meant the combat power of Luke increased by several times than when using his normal body strength. The Death Knight, which got hit with the flame, had passed out with one blow. If Luke got hit directly, the tester Gigant would have been melted, and his life would have been in critical condition too. ¡°Can¡¯t speak? I asked who are you?¡± When Earner yelled, Luke smiled and opened his mouth. He was thinking of how he would introduce himself to the man. ¡°This is the body of the Heavenly Guardian.¡± ¡°What? Heavenly Guardian?¡± Actually, Heavenly Guardian was a God who presided over the people of the Song Empire. It was said that the Heavenly Guardian had blue eyes that could look through people¡¯s hearts, and the people in the Iron Core mountain, who saw the miracle Luke performed, with his blue eyes, they called him that and believed him to be that. However, to Earner, who wasn¡¯t aware, he just felt flustered and embarrassed. ¡°How dare you try to tease me?¡± ¡°Hahaha. This is better than those who cheat others, claiming themselves to be the messengers of heaven. This body will surely punish the cheater!¡± Luke, who introduced himself in a leveled manner, used Thunder Blinger straight away. Earner seemed to be a man with unusual skills, so he decided to act strong from the beginning. Kwang! Kaaak! ¡°Keuk, Kauren¡¯s lightning!¡± With a purple lightning that moved, trying to tear off his dragon, Earner hurriedly threw in another talisman to stop the attack. In the meantime, Luke, who used Blink to make an appearance in front of the Flame Dragon, struck the dragon with his huge sword with a golden aura. Shortly before being cut down with the golded sword, Earner and the Flame Dragon disappeared into the air. ¡°You know how to move instantaneously.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Earner, who appeared behind Luke, began to use his dragon to spew flames. Moving away from the direct flame attack, Luke focused the magic at the fingers of his tester Gigant and fired Thousand Wave. Pung! Pung! Pung! Pung! ¡°Oh, dangerous! That was dangerous!¡± Earner, who avoided the bullets, trembled for a second and pulled out a bottle of water from his sleeve. Splash! ¡°I knew how to do something similar!¡± The water drops, which reacted to Earner¡¯s movements, poured like shower onto Luke¡¯s tester. At first, Luke wanted to stop it using his sword or glove, but he just avoided it instead. It was because he wasn¡¯t aware what kind of ability those water drops had. Creak! Weirdly, a hole formed with white smoke rising as the giant sword got drenched with the drops of water. The water drops went straight through the steel. ¡°Keuk, you seem great.¡± ¡°You are pretty good too.¡± The two men, who complimented each other, began to fight again. The men of the Zegal clan were fascinated to see the men fight, that too with various types of magic. ¡®Amazing. To fight head to head against Earner who is known to be the strongest in the Kang Ho?¡¯ Zegal Soha was impressed. As far as she knew, the only one who could go against Earner was Zegal Moon. However, Zegal Moon wasn¡¯t the kind to use destructive techniques. It was because he was a man that was talented in making something, uncovering the truth, or using Zen to make Puppets than fight directly. ¡®Ah, those¡­?¡¯ Losing sight of the battle because of the fight happening in front of her, Zegal Soha forgot about the Death Knights and the masked men for a moment. Fortunately for her, the rest of the Death Knights were being handled by Hwang Bo-sung and the warriors riding their Puppets. In the end, whether they wanted to join or not, the remaining masked men including Gwang-chang had run away. ¡°Lady, the men are running away.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let them leave. Try to capture as many as you can without killing them.¡± At the orders from Soha, the men moved. It was certain that the 3rd crown prince was their target, but they needed solid proof to make their words credible. ¡°I will go and catch them. How dare they try to run away from here after doing all this? I will never forgive them!¡± Zegal Do stepped ahead. The proud Soul circle of the Zegal clan had been destroyed, and a third of their power had been destroyed. Since the establishment of their clan, this was the worst damage their family had experienced. ¡°This is a request, my brother.¡± When Zegal Do and his men left, Soha looked up to the sky to see the fight. Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! The fight between Earner and Luke was tense. Chapter 384 - The Attack 5 ¡°Fly like a butterfly and sting like a bee!¡± Earner threw in another piece of talisman which turned into a white butterfly and flew in at Luke. The butterfly which fluttered began to turn red and exploded. The power was so strong that the gloves of Luke¡¯s tester Gigant got crushed. ¡°Kuek¡­ that is too strong for a sting of a bee.¡± Said Luke. ¡°Don¡¯t get so moved. You will taste a much stronger one.¡± Earner touched the flame dragon¡¯s head, which he was still on. The red dragon soon began to turn into white. With that, the heat from the flame dragon turned even stronger. ¡°Move ahead, my man!¡± Wah! At the order from Earner, a flame dragon which looked at Luke began to use flame once again. But the flame this time was different. The high-temperature flame that touched the steel made it melt right away. ¡®Huh, no matter how hot it is, I need to avoid it and stop!¡¯ Luke¡¯s tester which got away by using the fly magic, used Blink and stopped. He wanted to avoid as much as he could but failed. If dodged it, the flame would touch the Zegal clan. And people would become wounded. ¡°Keukk. What will you do Heavenly Guardian?¡± ¡°You, sneaky man!¡± Upon listening to his sarcastic words, Luke brought out his maximum power to stop the flame. ¡°Ice Barrier!¡± Crack! In the moment when the flame touched the cold barrier, everything got evaporated. ¡°Oh, I thought that he would stop it.¡± When the gap got created with the water vapor, Earner threw a red branch out of his sleeve. The branches which moved in the air went and stuck to the sides of the armor of Luke¡¯s tester. The branch which stuck to the Gigant began to spread a terrifying rate and began to turn into a tree which hung onto the Gigant tightly. ¡°This¡­!¡± It had startled Luke as he was unable to move the tester. It was almost as if a steel net was wrapping his Gigant. ¡°Kukkk. It is called Red Blood Tree. It is a parasitic plant that grows taking in branches, roots and sucking onto life. It is a good weapon in the hands of a Zen.¡± As Earner said, the roots of the Red Blood Tree began to turn thicker and the output of the core engine dropped. It wasn¡¯t just that, Luke¡¯s mana was getting sucked along with the core engine. ¡°How is it? Can¡¯t move anymore? Once I decided, I can overcome any number of steel giants like that!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t move? Don¡¯t make me laugh!¡± Even if he wasn¡¯t able to use the sword or his magic, he still had the demonic abilities which he could use. Purnng! When Luke began to use his Build-up ability, it worked on strengthening the joint and the frame of the tester, and the core engine which had just fallen began to get amplified. With such amplified power, Luke instantly broke down the bondage of the Red Blood Tree and with the Gold aura went straight at the Fire Dragon. Slash! The fire dragon which got its head and body separated quickly disappeared. ¡°The next will be your neck.¡± Luke¡¯s ability to move such easily in the air made Earner smile. He was vigilant and the sword came at him, but Earner had another tactic, a summoner. ¡°Well, you think it is so easy?¡± ¡°I think it is easy.¡± However, Luke wasn¡¯t the one who had responded to Earner¡¯s question. A man who held a fresh air around him entered the eyes of Earner who turned to see. The energy which was flowing out of his body was incredible. ¡°Z, Zegal Moon?¡± ¡°That is right. I am Zegal Moon.¡± Zegal Moon, who had reached the clan with the help of Luke¡¯s teleportation magic, appeared to the battle a little later as he had to confirm the safety of Jo-Won rak. ¡°Earner, you will be held guilty for disturbing the Kang Ho and the Royal family.¡± Zegal Moon took out two talismans which were in the size of his palms and threw them at Earner. ¡°Huh! What would you even be ab¡­¡± The face of Earner who wanted to smile went frozen. The paper which flew over his head and under his feet instantly trapped him. Because of his late realization, Earner tried to get out of it, but it only burned on his body however, the bondage had no effect. ¡°Kuek! Zegal Moon, you!¡± ¡°Grace, it is now!¡± At the shout from Zegal Moon, Luke struck the giant sword at Earner who was trapped between two papers. Kwang! ¡°Kuek!¡± The gold aura which bloomed out of the giant sword cut Earner along with the papers. The body cracked, Luke and Zegal Moon were able to see the body. However, the two of them who were checking the body soon were flustered. It was because the body had turned into a stick. ¡°This!¡± ¡°Unfortunately he seems to have run away.¡± Said Zegal Moon. ¡°Some guy he was. So, he ran away before my sword struck him?¡± Unlike Zegal Moon, who had already heard about the talents of the man, Luke wasn¡¯t able to erase the thoughts out of his head. It was because it was the first time that someone with a unique set of skills had escaped from him. ¡®The chase can be done by Zegal clan.¡¯ Thinking so, Luke had come down to the ground and began to heal the injured. Although they were gone, the raid of Zegal clan seemed to have ended with Death Knights and the escape of Earner. ¡°Kuek!¡± In a forest from about 20 kilometers away from the Zegal clan. A young man, clenching his chest was coughing up blood. The young man, who pulled out a bamboo mug from the sleeve, poured in a green liquid and applied it onto his chest. With a white smoke, the blood swell, and the wound which had exposed the bones in his body began to heal neatly. ¡°He was one hell of a guy.¡± A young man in a Gigant was the one who gave Earner a strong blow. The only one of Heaven and Earth! He had been in Kang Ho because there was no one who could beat him. However, he was defeated by a northerner, whom he had never heard of and had to run away with his tail between legs. ¡®Maybe stronger than that demon called Kauren. But the defeat of today was all because of my neglect.¡¯ Earner was as strong as his thorough preparation. The more he prepared, the more summons he could call out, and the more powerful his technique would be. Therefore, even if it was an addition of one or two, he could safely defeat his opponents. However, he had neglected the preparations this time. He thought that all he had to do was break the Soul Circle and rest aside while the others deal with the direct combat. He also thought that the Black Knights and masked men would take care of everything else. Earner could only sigh thinking about that. ¡°Kuk, I don¡¯t know what kind of a man he was, but I will find him and will pay him back for today¡¯s defeat!¡± Even if he wasn¡¯t aware of his face, he would look into the details and find out the opponent. The selfish Earner had a principle for himself. The grace of a man could be ignored or repaid, but a grudge had to be repaid either 100 times or 1,000 times. 20 years back, the Mo Young clan which was famous at that time had fallen because they had treated Earner with rudeness and smug looks on their face. ¡°Just wait! I will find you and make sure to pay you back a thousand times. Hahaha!¡± Earner who was forming the revenge scene in his head laughed in the forest and then moved to another place. Chapter 385 - Confront the Enemy 1 To have a look at the Undead which Arsene had sent to attack the Zegal Clan, he had been watching with a special thing. The thing, which looked similar to an eyeball having wings, was a creature called ¡®Obscura¡¯ from the Devildom. Those things had the ability to remember what it saw and relay it back to the owner. ¡°Kul. They are. Fighting. Well.¡± A satisfying smile came to the face or Arsene who saw his Undead push back the Zegal clan. The Puppet had come and a few fell, but Arsene felt glad when the Lich merged with the Death Knight and became a giant. ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul. A. Combination. With. No faults!¡± But his feeling of happiness was only for a moment. The Death Knights which were giants began to get smashed at the entry of a Gigant. ¡°H. How. The hell. Did. A Northern. Gigant¡­?!¡± It was well known that the Gigant wasn¡¯t a weapon that belonged to the Southern continent. Some men from the Rhodesia introduced them to build up their name, and a few southern who were curious about the Gigants were bought by nobles or kings. Therefore, the appearance of the Gigant along with the Puppet in the Zegal clan wasn¡¯t so unusual. But, there were things which made Arsene more surprised than seeing a Gigant in there. It was the Gold Aura which was emerging from the giant sword of the Gigant. ¡°No. Rakan¡¯s. Teachings?¡± There was only one known place on the continent which still carried the Gold Sword. It was Marquis of Rakan. Arsene did know that Emperor Rudolf was acquainted, but Rudolf had no reason to enter the Southern continent. In addition to that, Arch Duke Gregory too was a man who used the Gold Aura with his sword skills which were based on the Rakan¡¯s principles. However, Arsene didn¡¯t understand why the man would come that far. Which was why he guessed that the Gigant rider in the Gigant was the descendant of Rakan. ¡®Now that I think, that Rudolf did grumble a lot when it came to that man.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just that, Luke had succeeded as the Rakan descendant. He had revived the lost fame of the family and turned into an outstanding Rune Knight. ¡®But, I heard that he still hadn¡¯t reached the status of Sword Master. Then how¡­?¡¯ To use the Gold Aura, one had to become a Sword Master. Which meant that the information getting relayed to Arsene was wrong. ¡®Stupid men! What the hell were they seeing and listening too?! No wonder such a Magic Tower had collapsed! Once I get back, I will have to teach them a lesson!¡¯ Arsene had blamed the descendants of the tower, but it was his own fault and indifference that things had gotten that bad. He wasn¡¯t interested in the Rakan family, even as Rudolf asked him to check on the man, he just ignored the request. He was in a hurry with the great preparation of his, which he had spent years on that and he decided to look at the Rakan at a later time. The Rakan descendants were terribly brought up, and he thought that taking them down would be the easiest task. He never considered them to be strong enough to halt his works. ¡°Kul. That. Man. Why. The hell. Is he. On this. Continent. Is something. I don¡¯t. know. But. I need. To head. There. Directly. For destroying. What. Is. Mine.¡± There was no reason for Rudolf to follow up, however, he could just stay still when a guy he knew was destroying the Undead he made. Arsene, who raised his energy jumped up from his seat and set off to Angyong. He was in the Song Empire to sort out some works, but getting to Angyong didn¡¯t take long. Chapter 386 - Confront the Enemy 2 Zegal clan barely managed to defeat the invasion. They hurriedly repaired the Soul Circle and treated the wounded warriors. And once again, Zegal Moon thanked Luke. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for your help, it would have turned out bad for us.¡± ¡°Not at all, what I did was very little.¡± ¡°Hahaha. You are too humble.¡± When the two men were talking, a clear voice interfered with them. ¡°Brother, this is Soha.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± As the door opened, a beautiful woman in her mid-twenties with black eyes and hair entered. Zegal Soha, who had entered the room, blushed when her eyes met with Luke. She bowed to Luke and then handed the scroll in her hand to Zegal Moon. ¡°We have counted the lives and the property damage that was caused by the invasion.¡± ¡°Oh my, good work. But what happened to the men who fled?¡± At the question of Zegal Moon, she bit her lip and answered with a grunting expression, ¡°We caught up with the men but couldn¡¯t capture even a single one of them. Brother Do, who caught one, said that they were biting on some poison pills when they got caught.¡± ¡°And Earner?¡± ¡°We searched 10 km around the area, but there was no trace for us to follow.¡± ¡°Hmm, that is unfortunate. Did you collect the weapons?¡± ¡°Yes, the men are analyzing the weapons that were left behind.¡± ¡°You did well. We need to make sure to get revenge for the clan members who have died, but for the well-being of the Song empire, we need to reveal their true faces. We need to continue to work hard.¡± ¡°Yes. Trust me and leave the matter to me.¡± After the conversation with Zegal Moon, Soha glanced at Luke. ¡®For him to be this young, there isn¡¯t much of an age difference between me and him.¡¯ She thought that the man who defeated Earner would be a middle-aged man. However, unlike that, the man was very young. In addition, though he seemed young, the stern atmosphere around him made her heart pound. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Ah, yes!¡± Soha, who was brought back to reality by Zegal Moon¡¯s words, stepped out of the room. Zegal Moon could only smile with how his younger sibling was acting. He guessed what had happened. ¡°She is a capable young lady.¡± ¡°Yes, the youngest sister in our family, those who don¡¯t know think of her as my daughter. Hohoho.¡± At the words of Zegal Moon, Luke nodded his head as if he understood. If he hadn¡¯t heard of their conversation, he too would have misunderstood their relationship. ¡°In fact, she is like my daughter. Since my parents and her parents passed away, I had to raise her.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°She is a smart and well-raised child but is stubborn, which is the only problem. I am reaching the age of a monk, but she says she doesn¡¯t want to marry unless she likes someone.¡± Saying that with a regretful tone, he looked at Luke. ¡°Is the grace married?¡± ¡°No, the retainers do ask me to¡­¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± At those words, Zegal Moon smiled. However, the one most delighted was Soha who was listening to their conversation from outside. Her heart was pounding so hard. ¡®At last, a partner for me has been sent!¡¯ Luke, who could sense Soha¡¯s energy from the outside, was feeling pressured. The words weren¡¯t out, but he could guess what Zegal Moon was expecting from his words and Soha¡¯s actions. ¡®Huhuhu. It won¡¯t happen, but I am a person with goals.¡¯ It was right when Luke was thinking about making it clear to them instead of letting them misunderstand the situation¡­ His head hurt because of an intense energy. Triing! The energy was bleak and evil. Luke dropped his head. ¡®T-this is!¡¯ ¡°Grace, this is¡­¡± As Zegal Moon felt it, he was shocked. ¡°It seems like a great enemy is coming here. We might never know, so take the men of the clan to the cave.¡± With a stern face, Luke said that and got up. The energy was very different compared to the enemies he had faced a while back. It seemed like even if there were 100 Earners, they would still lose against this new one. ¡°Ah, understood. But are you going alone¡­?¡± ¡°This is a problem I will have to take care of.¡± Leaving the room, Luke flew to the north. The evil energy kept getting stronger. Like a huge tsunami, the wave of magic was floating in the north sky. ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul. Come. To me. Like. I expect you. To. Foolish. Man.¡± A skeleton wearing a grey robe, giving out dark energy. He wasn¡¯t much different from the Lich that was seen the other day, but his Magi was much stronger than an Advanced Demon. However, Luke wasn¡¯t going to back out because of the intense magic. It was because the Magi, which was moving with the Lich, seemed very familiar. Even after a hundred years, there was no way that he could forget that, even after death and rebirth¡­ The man who should never be forgotten had made an appearance! ¡°Ar-se-ne!!¡± Luke¡¯s scream sounded like thunder from the sky. The words sounded so fierce that even Arsene jumped up. ¡®What was that? This guy knows me?¡¯ The one who knew of Arsene¡¯s existence was a handful, and Luke de Rakan wasn¡¯t one of them. Then how did the man know him? There wasn¡¯t enough time to find an answer to that question. Luke was getting closer. Luke, who used his build-up ability, rushed over to Arsene and used Thunder Blinger. Grrrrng! ¡°Ku. Uh. Uh. Uhh.uk!¡± The lightning that fell seemed like it would destroy the body of Arsene. However, Lich Arsene had lived for over 500 years, and he wasn¡¯t that weak to fall for that. ¡°How. Dare. You. Worthless!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you go. Never!¡± Luke¡¯s blue eyes glowed when he rushed closer to Arsene. Kwang! Kwang! Purple lightning ruptured the black flames that were covering the sky. Luke¡¯s anger, which had been inside him for 500 years, exploded in the face of his enemy. The anger that would never be satisfied until his enemy was destroyed shook the sky and the ground. Chapter 387 - The Clash 1 The Shaolin temple, which was at the foot of Sungjeong Mountain, was one of the five famous mountains of the Song Empire. The Arahan, well, Buddhism was spread to the Song Empire, and countless monks produced it. The Shaolin temple wasn¡¯t just respected by the people but also the Imperial family. It was because whenever the nation was in turmoil or the nation was facing trouble from the external forces, they also stood up. As a result, the people going to the Shaolin temple didn¡¯t stop. However, that particular day, the temple had many special worshippers. Gold studded ornate wagons and armored horsemen. The men in the temple stepped back seeing the unusual number of men who had come. ¡°This is amazing. Which clan¡¯s warriors are they?¡± ¡°You ignorant fool! Can¡¯t you see the flag that is hanging in the front? That is the royal army!¡± ¡°Oh, then the person in the wagon¡­¡± ¡°If you know, then put your head down already!¡± It was the Imperial family that could use the Eorim troops as escorts and the immediate members of the Imperial family. It wasn¡¯t just the common people who knew about the wagon but even the high ranking soldiers knelt down and bowed their heads. People were curious as to who the man in the golden carriage was, but the men of Kang Ho were rather interested in an old man¡ªa horseman. It was because the energy given out by the old man in red armor was as huge as a mountain and went very well to how he looked. ¡®Lee, Lee Yong-mu.¡¯ ¡®That old man is the general of Eorim troops, the red dragon king, Lee Yong-mu¡­?¡¯ ¡®He is the monster everyone is talking about!¡¯ Lee Yong-mu, the Red Dragon King, was known to be the guardian of the Imperial family. A descendant of Lee Seo-woon, the man who had made a 4 legged monster of Apostasy bend down 200 years ago, had already made a name for himself in his teens as the Demon slayer in Kang Ho. Unlike the members of his family whose bones were buried in their clan¡¯s residence on Kang Ho, Lee Yong-mu left his clan and made a name and merit for himself in the army. Among the enemies he had defeated over the decades were the Kita Empire of the nomads who had the power similar to the Song Empire, as well as the local rebels who fought for the throne. However, the most famous was the match that happened 35 years ago against a swordsman Yeon Ga-ram. Yeon Ga-ram was a warrior from Yemaek called the strongest swordsman of all. The two men had fought as the representatives of Moorim arts and the military power during a mid-autumn festival of the Empire and fought for three days and nights. As a result, Lee Yong-mu had lost with a difference of one second. Although he had lost the match, people admired the bravery he had showed and gave him the nickname ¡®Red Dragon King¡¯. And subsequently, Lee Yong-mu was regarded as the strongest and the most absolute force in the Song Empire. However, for a man who scared everyone around him, there was a man he was scared of. It was prince Jo Won-ki of Song Empire, who was in the golden wagon. ¡°General, I feel dizzy. Please give me some opium.¡± ¡°I am sorry, but no. The emperor has asked us not to.¡± ¡°My feet and hands are shaking! So just hand it over to me, you old man!¡± When the condition of Jo Won-ki began to degrade, Le Yong-mu felt bad and uneasy. It was because the tantrum the prince was throwing was in the midst of the crowd where everyone could hear. ¡®You bastard, if it wasn¡¯t for Your Majesty¡¯s request, you would have already been dead in my hands!¡¯ The reason why Lee Yong-mu was going to the Shaolin temple was to get the prince treated from the opium he had gotten addicted to. The empress, who wanted her son¡¯s addiction fixed, heard about Nanda, the famous priest of the Shaolin temple. She begged the Emperor to care for the prince with tears in her eyes, seeing that the Emperor had granted her one last chance to bring back the prince to his normal state. It was the Emperor who had selected Lee Yong-mu, who was practicing in the Imperial palace as the escort captain. ¡°Tch Tch, even the general is suffering.¡± ¡°Yeah, he is worshipped like a king in Kang Ho¡­¡± ¡°I understand why the men of Kang Ho aren¡¯t doing well. Such self-respecting people are made to endure such behavior.¡± The voices of the passing men made Lee Yong-mu feel more bitter. When he was thinking about it, a messenger from the capital came ahead. ¡°What is it?¡± Lee Yong-mu had intended to send a messenger to the capital after the mass was held, but he had gotten a letter before he could send it. He opened the wax sealed letter. His eyes, which were looking at the content, were wide with shock. ¡°What the?! The 3rd crown prince was attacked near Nanjing a week ago? And the Eorim troops that were sent as escorts got destroyed. Why am I only just hearing about this?¡± The messenger was hesitating. ¡°It was because getting in touch with Angyong took a while¡­¡± ¡°Does that even make any sense?! Doesn¡¯t that mean that the men of the Imperial army were just playing around!¡± If they wanted to get in touch, they could have used the telegram. Nevertheless, information being delayed could be regarded as negligent action or deliberate actions of someone. ¡°Send the Eorim to Angyong right away! If they get there any later, I will take their necks!¡± ¡°Yes, General!¡± Even after the messenger had moved away, the troubled expression on Lee Yong-mu¡¯s face didn¡¯t fade because of what happened on the 3rd crown prince, who had gone to the south due to a problem that the region was facing. ¡®If I could, I would head there directly, but I can¡¯t go past the request of His Majesty¡­¡¯ Lee Yong-mu had no other choice but to continue his role and pray that the 3rd prince was safe. Soon after the party of Lee Yong-mu arrived at the Shaolin temple. The monks and the others in the temple were already waiting as if they were informed of their arrival in advance, and Lee Yong-mu greeted them on behalf of Jo Won-ki, who had taken a drug and passed out. ¡°We are very sorry for hindering your schedule, chief.¡± ¡°No, not at all. In the world of Buddha, this too will have a meaning.¡± Lee Yong-mu was already over 80 years old. Although he was older, he had to take a step back when talking to the head of the Shaolin temple that was in Kang Ho. ¡°But, Saint Nanda?¡± When Lee Yong-mu asked and looked, the chief pointed to an old monk who was standing close. ¡°He is Nanda.¡± When Nanda stepped forward and bowed his head, Lee Yong-mu looked at his eyes. However, it only increased his doubts. ¡®This man is Nanda?¡¯ He had heard the rumors about Nanda, but it was his first time meeting him in person. However, it was difficult to see if the Nanda in front of his eyes was really the one who had got enlightenment on physical pain. His body was average, and his clothes were similar to the other monks around him. And it wasn¡¯t like he was giving out any unusual energy or something. ¡®In the end, will the man be able to cure the prince?¡¯ And his suspicion only increased when Nanda went to treat the prince, who was lying in his quarters. ¡®No, he can¡¯t just!¡¯ As Nanda moved his hand over the body of Jo Won-ki, his hand began to give out mysterious light. The energy of opium that was blooming all over the prince¡¯s body disappeared clearly. It wasn¡¯t just that, healthy blood was hovering in the lean and slender body of the prince, and his hazel eyes were back to normal. The prince, who had been holding onto his consciousness, was surprised at the improvement in his condition. ¡°How is it, Crown Prince?¡± ¡°It feels very refreshing, General. It is almost as if I am a kite flying in the sky.¡± At the halftoned question from Lee Yong-mu, the words of the prince followed. ¡°Now I can smoke the opium without any worries.¡± ¡°P-prince!¡± Yelled the general. ¡°Was it Nanda? I really like you. How about you come and be my exclusive doctor in the future?¡± The orders from Jo Won-ki turned Nanda bitter. A person¡¯s body was the only thing he could heal with his powers. A rotten mind filled with greed and sloth were things he wasn¡¯t able to heal. ¡°The treatment of the prince is only temporary. How the illness dies depends on the hands of the prince himself.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jo Won-ki¡¯s eyes turned red, yet he said nothing more. ¡°You have grown up till now without feeling a lack of regret on anything, so you don¡¯t know anything about patience or temperance. Since you have come here, how about learning the teachings of enlightenment?¡± ¡°You are asking me to be here?¡± Asked the crown prince. ¡°I think that it will be better for the people and the nation if you stay here. A lazy, greedy monarch can find thousands of ways to make people unhappy.¡± The face of the prince was turning red with anger. Although he hadn¡¯t expressed it, Lee Yong-mu was completely agreeing with the words of Nanda. Jo Won-ki, the crown prince and the eldest son, was always lazy and neglected his studies. Even if it wasn¡¯t for the opium, he was never the right vessel to become an Emperor. ¡°You worthless¡­!¡± Clang! Jo Won-ki pulled out the sword that was hanging by his waist. Startled, Lee Yong-mu had come out, but before he could react, the blade had already fallen on Nanda¡¯s head. However, before getting hit by the sword, Nanda¡¯s body became a cloud and scattered away! ¡°T-this!¡± Flustered, Jo Won-ki and Lee Yong-mu heard the voice of Nanda, which echoed in their ears. ¡°Abandon greed. That is the only way you can save yourself and others.¡± Unlike Jo Won-ki who looked like he had seen a ghost, Lee Yong-mu seemed rather inspired. ¡®As I heard, he indeed is a person with divine magic!¡¯ What Nanda did was neither martial skill or Zen skill. It was clear that he had given up on all human desires. It was shocking and puzzling too. Why was a man who was as good as him still living in such a stained world? ¡®Does this mean that the Song Empire is in such a mess?¡¯ Lee Yong-mu wasn¡¯t sure. However, he wasn¡¯t confused¡­ because the things happening around him were unusual. ¡°S-Saint Nanda, catch him!¡± ¡°Prince, we are done with your treatment. We need to get back to the Imperial palace.¡± Lee Yong-mu tried to calm the prince who was ordering the escorts loudly. However, Jo Won-ki only raised his voice louder, disregarding the words of Lee Yong-mu. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to follow my words? Catch that sassy man right now!¡± ¡°What are you doing?! Get the prince inside!¡± At the shout from Lee Yong-mu, the escorts started to lead Jo Won-ki back into his wagon. Lee Yong-mu reassured the chief of the temple when he saw the prince being taken in an unruly manner. ¡°This is nothing to worry about. I will explain everything to the Emperor.¡± ¡°T-thank you, general.¡± The chief of the Shaolin temple expressed his gratitude. ¡°Then, we will head back now.¡± As a thanks, 1000 gold coins were given to the temple for helping out their prince. And the reason why he did that was because of the mess he had brought from the Imperial palace. Chapter 388 - The Clash 2 The sparks from the sword outshone the sun. The huge flames which seemed to burn away everything got torn apart by the purple lightning as if hundreds of swords were falling. However, the black flame wasn¡¯t dying down either. And Luke, on the other hand, was constantly using Thunder Bringer and bit his lip. ¡®Arsene! I will get rid of you!¡¯ When Luke, well, Saymon had first met with Arsene, he was the Meister of the Veritas Magic Tower. Arsene was a man with whom Syamon couldn¡¯t compare himself as he was a newly taken wizard into the Magic Tower. There was a tremendous gap between his skills or status, and there was no contact between the two men. The ones who always persecuted him or used him as a slave were the senior wizards, so Saymon never really held any bad feelings about him. Rather, he used to respect Arsene. Putting in constant effort, he actually wanted to be like Arsene, one of the greatest talents in the Empire. However, seven years later, his respect for the man disappeared, as Arsene had stolen the most important person for his self-growth. Later, when he learned of Katarina¡¯s death, Saymon ran out to Arsene asking why such things had been done. However, instead of feeling remorseful for what had happened, Arsene¡¯s words were rather unpleasant. ¡°You must be the wizard whose eyes met with that wench. How dare a man who can¡¯t even level up to my toenails think of messing with my work!¡± Arsene had summoned up mercenaries and beat Saymon till death. It didn¡¯t end with that, he had even destroyed his magic circles. That was the most tremendous shocking thing for Saymon, the one who believed in Arsene¡¯s character and fame. After his magic circles were removed, he was kicked out of the magic tower, Saymon slowly had resentment and hated speaking up about Arsene. ¡°I will never forgive you!¡± ¡°If the God is on your side, I will be holding hands with the devil!¡± He had so many hopes of punishing the man. Even after Rakan died and 500 years later of his transmigration, it continued. ¡°Cheeky. Brat! How. Dare. You show. Up. And spew. Nonsense!¡± As Luke continued to approach the Magi flames, Arsene developed another dark magic. ¡°Dark Hole!¡± At the fingertips of Arsene, the energy of abyss floated and headed towards Luke. ¡®This is the absolute extinction of dark magic!¡¯ Knowing what power the Dark Hole held, Luke hurriedly cast Blink. When the Dark Hole had lost its target, it flew straight to the mountain which was in its path. Kun! ¡°Th, that can¡¯t!¡± The top of the mountain disappeared in an instant as if it got erased. Luke and the Zegal clan along with Moon were astonished with what had happened. It wasn¡¯t just destruction. It was a situation where extinction could happen, as the space got distorted and everything close to it disappeared without dust. ¡°It won¡¯t make any sense to hide from that!¡± ¡°Is there any way to stop it?¡± ¡°We just need to pray that the attack doesn¡¯t come over to our side.¡± But the one that was shocked was Luke. He knew about Absolute Extinction. Because it was written at the end of the ancient dark magic book he had obtained during his Saymon days. However, Luke hadn¡¯t mastered Dark Hole even after building up a 9th circle dark magic. It was because, it needed too much power, and the repulsive effect on the caster was too great. ¡®At that time, I used it just once and my organs felt twisted. The artifacts which were protecting my body all went broken instead.¡¯ How could Arsene manage to master something that Luke didn¡¯t even touch? The answer was simple. ¡®Well, this isn¡¯t the magic which a living person can cast. He could be able to use it because he is neither alive nor dead.¡¯ ¡°What. Is it? Said. That. You would. Kill. Me. Now. You want. To run? Now that. You. Are here. Got. Scared?¡± At the mockery from Arsene, Luke just stared at him. It was definite that he had rushed towards him without thinking. When he realized that his archenemy had appeared close to him, he had forgotten the fact that there was a 500-year-old Lich, an immortal, and the wizard who had reached both white and dark magic of 9th circle. But the situation had already passed. ¡®In my current state, I reached the 8th circle with white and dark magic, and by mastering the Gold Sword, I did reach Sword master.¡¯ He was a Rune Master and could use both magic and sword at high levels, which made him realize something. The fact that if the two levels were synergized, he could achieve something great. ¡®Of course, both are in the 9th circle. And he is one level higher than me¡­¡¯ However, the problem was that the gap between the 8th and 9th level magic circle was huge. If the former was a Sword Master, the latter was like a Sword Sage level. The synergy created by the combination of the two forms of magic could be hardly imagined. Moreover, the 9th magic circle wasn¡¯t the end of magic. It was said in the past that a dragon race could use up to 10th class, and the Ancient Dragon could go up to the 12th circle. Nevertheless, the reason why the 9th level circle was considered as the highest was because of the limited duration of the human span, but the magic of the above 9th circle could be imagined. But, what if there were difficulties? Something Arsene made by himself? ¡®Even if he is Arsene, he might not have gone past the 9th circle of white and dark magic. However, he has been accumulating magic power for 500 years, so it wouldn¡¯t be weird if he had a lot of magic power.¡¯ ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul. What. Are. You. Thinking. About? Thinking. About. How you. Should. Try. To. Beat me?¡± Arsene asked with a relaxed face. He wasn¡¯t in a hurry. Although Luke did have strong abilities than he had expected, Arsene could hurt himself with his strength. However, Arsene had no intention to kill, he just wanted to get rid of the man who tried to kill his undead. After much pain and frustration, he knew that Arsene had decided to make undead because of his state of neither living or dead. ¡®There are things I care about.¡¯ Thought Luke. His face changed. With large horns and scales protruding, resembling the demon transformation. Magi waves could be detected in the purple aura shed by Luke. ¡®Did the guy get in contract with the demons and learn dark magic? Who is this Rakan descendant?¡¯ Perhaps that was why the curse Arsene had placed wasn¡¯t so strong. It wasn¡¯t common, but there were times when poison could be used to treat poison. However, it wasn¡¯t easy to believe that an immediate descendant of Rakan would choose that method. ¡®That is true, but his spirit, it feels familiar. Why do I feel like this?¡¯ Thought Arsene. Unlike Luke, Arsene didn¡¯t know that the man in front of him was Saymon. Unlike the victim, Luke, Arsene had already forgotten about him. In addition, he had never faced the Devil King Saymon who had bought chaos over the continent. He had only fought with Saymon¡¯s colleagues, High elf Erenes. And the dead body of Saymon was sneaked into his lab and for using it as undead, he could never predict that the soul of the body had separated and would be standing in front of him. ¡®Well, I hate that look in your eyes. I need to pluck those eyes out!¡¯ Arsene reached out his hand. ¡°Dark Blitz!¡± Focusing his energy on his slender hands, five black bullets flew towards Luke. ¡°Huh, you want to kill me with this?¡± Luke, who moved his hand, called for Thousand Wave to strike back. When a hundred bullets flew at his direction, Arsene was startled. ¡°No! Dark. Magic. Similar. To mine¡­?¡± ¡°What is it? Is there any law that says you are the only one to use it?¡± It was Saymon or Luke who had unearthed the ancient dark magic book from the ruins. From Luke¡¯s point, Arsene was just a thief. ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul. Seeing you. Warrior. Rakan. Must. Feel. Very. Sad, using. Dark. Magic.¡± When Arsene was trying to make Luke feel bad, he didn¡¯t lose his concentration and kept sending the Dark Blitz. ¡°How would the Iron mages of your time feel if they saw the founder of the Magic Engineering act like this, turned into a bone? Maybe, to remove your name from the history books right away?¡± ¡°Cheeky. Bastard! You. Speak. All. Sorts of. Nonsense!¡± Arsene raised his hand. Luke¡¯s expression hardened as he knew that the Magi concentration would result into something. ¡®This is Black Abyss!¡¯ Like the Dark Hole, it was another powerful dark magic contained in the ancient dark magic book. It was dangerous magic, but Arsene¡¯s body wasn¡¯t a living one. ¡®I lose if I try to avoid it or defend from it!¡¯ The magic shouldn¡¯t be completed! Determined, Luke approached Arsene with the help of Blink and used Shock Wave with all his power. Kwang! The shock waves flew towards Arsene tearing up the air. ¡°Huh! You want. To. Get. Rid. Of me. Using. A. intermediate. Level. Demon. Skill?¡± Arsene took down the Shock Wave with a wave of his right hand. Right then, from beneath, Magi began to stretch out and wrap itself like an octopus around Luke¡¯s body. ¡®Uh! Black Bind?!¡¯ Black Bind too was one of the spells written in the ancient dark magic book. Luke, who was thinking about what attack to be used next was shocked when he realized that his body wasn¡¯t moving. ¡°Kul. Ku. Kul. I will. Suck. In all. Your. Power! give. It. To me.¡± The Black Abyss of Arsene was a bait. If the man was really Rakan descendant, then he would rush to him, since the attack can¡¯t be blocked or avoided. As expected, Luke approached him. Arsene, who canceled the Black Abyss, captured Luke with Black Bind. ¡®Kul, this is much easier than I thought. First, he can¡¯t escape so try to pull out as much power from him as I can¡­¡¯ Slash! It was when Arsene was planning on how to deal with Luke. A sharp blow from the back broke through Arsene¡¯s waist. ¡®Wha, what?¡¯ Arsene was surprised by how his body suddenly got split in half. When he looked at what happened, he found a Gigant with a big sword floating in the air. It was the silver Gigant that had slaughtered the cute death knights of his. However, the energy of the rider was vacant from the inside. ¡®What? Is, is he controlling it? Then, maybe he is using the marionette magic¡­¡¯ ¡°Haha! How did that taste, Arsene?!¡± Arsene¡¯s thoughts got cut listening to Luke¡¯s laughter. The silver tester Gigant of Luke was summoned from his subspace. Since a front attack made no sense on Arsene, Luke had decided to act sly and summon it behind Arsene just before he launched in for the Shock Wave. Arsene who was completely focused on Luke didn¡¯t feel anything ¡°Kuek. Cowardly¡­! ¡°I don¡¯t want to listen to such words from your mouth!¡± Luke who came out of Black Bind stared at him. Using Petro Light, the ability to petrify a demon was triggered. ¡°T, this..!¡± Arsene¡¯s body struggled to move out because of petrified rays. Crack! Crack! His white skull had turned into a gray stone. Luke flew towards Arsene who had turned stiff. ¡°Titan Fist!¡± A form of Tekken (Iron Fist), struck Arsene¡¯s body. Pung! Arsene¡¯s body got shattered flying everywhere. It seemed like the fight was done. Chapter 389 - The Clash 3 ¡°Master won!¡± ¡°That is great. I guess we don¡¯t have to go there¡­¡± Hwang Bo-sung and Zegal Moon, who were watching the battle burst into cheers when they saw Arsene getting smashed. It was all of a sudden, the terrifying energy from the enemy which was very similar to the high leveled apostate lord, a story which kids of Kang Ho were told. And as the stories were passed down, it was inevitable for Zegal Moon to think of the current situation in accordance to the story, and hastily evacuated the clan members along with needed food and prepared Zegal Soha, Shin and Do for possible battle. Hwang Bo-sung too had summoned his Puppet to fight. If he saw his Master getting pushed back, he was ready to jump in and support, but fortunately Luke seemed to have ended the battle with victory on his side. ¡°That man is using some weird skills.¡± ¡°That is right. I did hear that he was a wizard, but what he is doing seems different from what a wizard would do.¡± At the words of Zegal Shin, Do who was right next to him asked, ¡°Different?¡± ¡°Yeah, like¡­ well, I could be mistaken here.¡± Zegal Shin tried to say something. But he wasn¡¯t sure of it and didn¡¯t want to defame the man who had helped them by saying unclear words. When the two moved far, Zegal Moon looked at the man. Zegal Soha, who noticed the strangeness in his behavior asked, ¡°What is it, brother?¡± ¡°It is weird. Even though the battle is over, the evil energy didn¡¯t disappear. And it is getting too dark to even see the battle remains.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t feel that uncomfortable air around me anymore.¡± Zegal Soha too agreed and looked around everywhere. However, there was no enemy to point their weapons at. ¡°Well, could it be that he hasn¡¯t died yet?¡± ¡°Master too hasn¡¯t moved back.¡± Just as Hwang Bo-sung had said, Luke was still in his fighting stance. When the part of Zegal Moon gathered once again, a black energy gathered in the air and began to turn everything dark. The black energy which gathered began to take up a human form. ¡°Oh my god! He came back alive!¡± ¡°That is ridiculous, a monster!¡± Except for Zegal Moon, everyone else who wasn¡¯t aware of a Lich¡¯s characters got astonished. Luke frowned seeing Arsene return back to his original form. ¡®Tch, surely he couldn¡¯t have gone away.¡¯ The Lich could only be destroyed by destroying its life in the vessel. For Luke, there was no way of knowing where the life vessel of Arsene was kept, his best chance was to destroy the body that Arsene was using. So Petro Light and Titan Fist were used, but surprisingly, Arsene was able to revive himself right away. Even if he was a Lich, it would usually take some time before a solid body to form, however, Arsene¡¯s speed of revival was too quick. ¡°Kul. Kul. Ku. That was. A pretty. Good. Attack. However. You can¡¯t. take. Down. A fleshless. Body.¡± In the past, Arsene had been attacked by the elemental magic from Erenes when he went to raid the Dark Moon magic tower. The elemental magic was something that used the natural state of mana and turned it into a special state, and it was a magic that can be mastered after a Main Circle Magic had been attained. Arsene, who felt disgraced for turning hurt because of his negligence, lost his body and taken a great amount of time and power to regenerate his body and bring back his strength. It took a lot of time, however, it didn¡¯t seem like the efforts were in vain. Unlike the usual body of the Lich, the entire body had been smashed, but he managed to restore it back right away. ¡°Surely, I should have just burnt you.¡± ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul. No use. This. Body. Works. Only for. Me. And i. can resurrect. Myself!¡± ¡°Really? Then how about this?¡± Luke, who charged, pulled on the sword and began to release the Gold aura. The Gold aura was an anti-magi aura, and the Magi waves which were moving around Arsene¡¯s body faltered for a second. ¡®Rakan¡¯s sword skill? Well, it is one thing, but that sword won¡¯t hurt my body.¡¯ Just as Arsene had expected, the sword in Luke¡¯s hand was the Demon Slayer sword. It was one of the four magic swords he had taken from the Intermediate Demon Naga, and they had powerful magic. For that reason, the Gold aura got further strengthened. ¡®Well, that one could be a little dangerous, I might never know.¡¯ It was said he had mastered both white and dark magic, but in the end, Arsene was a Lich. It was bound to be that a divine power source could be the one thing that would hurt a darkness filled body. If he got hit in the right places, there was no guarantee that his resurrection ability will be of help. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t take this lightly. It is a pity that I can¡¯t see him more, but I need to end it quickly.¡¯ Thinking so, Arsene began to manifest magic from both of his hands. ¡°Fear. The. Death. Reaper. Right! Death Invader!¡± Woong! Woong! Magi which was flowing out of his hands turned into thousands of moths and spread everywhere. ¡®What is this? This is my first time seeing such dark magic?¡¯ Luke, who was confused, decided to step back. The moths of Magi were spreading a gray power everywhere. The toxicity of the powder seemed so strong in the air that a single breath was enough to crumble a human. If someone took it in without realizing, they could have gotten their lungs melted. ¡®I am great enough that some poison needs to be used to hurt me. But there was no such magic in that ancient dark magic book. Is this something that Arsene had developed by himself?¡¯ Luke was thinking, but Zegal Moon knows about the true nature of Arsene¡¯s so-called dark magic. ¡°Oh my! That is surely the ¡®Poison Moth Soul Technique¡¯!¡± It was a technique the apostasy used by summoning moths and making them spray poison. It was an old technique, he never knew that he would be witnessing such an evil technique which was told to give the victim the highest level of pain. What was more terrifying, the summoned moths were of 100¡­ well, 1000 in count, and more. ¡®What is that skill¡¯s identity?¡¯ Based on appearance, he seemed like a monster from the northern continent. However, he seemed to be a descendant of the apostasy using all their technique by himself. But, the identity of the opponent wasn¡¯t such an important thing. Would Luke really be able to defeat the man? ¡®We need to go!¡¯ When Zegal Moon stepped out to go and help Luke, others, including Hwang Bo-sung followed the man. However, it didn¡¯t take much to stop them. ¡°Kuek! The poison is here¡­¡± ¡°Stand back! Don¡¯t breathe it in!¡± The moths of Arsene were sent to the Zegal clan. The poison seemed so strong that, every vegetation that got touched by the powder died in an instant and the fishes in the pond died right away. Zegal Moon hurriedly went back, to treat the poison and medicine to those who have gotten exposed. And it seemed like they could help them out. Arsene seeing them smiled. ¡®Kul. Kul. I knew that you guys would join in.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t like Arsene thought that he would lose if those men of Luke joined the battle. The opponent was tricky, and he didn¡¯t want to welcome other troublesome situations. ¡®But, what happened to the Rakan descendants?¡¯ A while back, he saw Luke retreating away when he realized the moth held poison. He saw the moths chasing but turned his attention towards the group. ¡®Did he get concerned? Or did his body get melted with the poison¡­¡¯ However, Luke didn¡¯t seem like the kind to flee out of fear and wasn¡¯t weak enough to get hit by something like poison. He must be hiding nearby waiting for an opportunity. Pung! From a crowd of moths, a silver Gigant was blocking men out. The Gigant with golden aura rushed towards Arsene, taking down all the moths. ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul, you have. Come. At last!¡± Unlike before, Luke was inside this time. It was because he had amplified the aura and prevented the poison from reaching him. ¡°Die now, Arsene!¡± The huge sword shone brightly. Shocked, Arsene created a layer of defense with dark magic. Yet, the hugely augmented gold aura struck through the barrier created by Arsene. Chapter 390 - The Gorgos 1 ¡®No!¡¯ Arsene, who believed in his thick defense and was preparing for the counterattack, was surprised when he saw that Luke¡¯s attack was much stronger and sharper than expected. When Luke seemed like he was about to slash through the last line of the shield, he hurriedly used Blink to escape from there. If the deployment of Blink was even a little late, Arsene¡¯s head would have been blown once again. ¡°Kuek. How can. You. Have. Gold. Sword¡­?¡± Arsene had already understood the output of Luke¡¯s Gigant. Although he was the man who had stolen the Ancient dark magic book after Saymon¡¯s death, he was still the father of Magic Engineering. By just listening to the noise from the core engine, he was able to know the approximate power. ¡®It was made well, at best, a warrior class. Even if the aura had been amplified by the core engine, a warrior class shouldn¡¯t be able to break through my shield¡­¡¯ He became flustered when he saw the other sword in Luke¡¯s hand. It was the Demon Slayer sword that Luke had been holding onto a while back. ¡®Kuek, it is a weapon which strengthens the gold aura by combining the magic sword with the Gigant¡¯s sword using Magnetic magic.¡¯ Although it was a temporary solution, it was almost impossible for an individual to use such a skill when the situation was so critical. It was only possible if one had enormous combat sense and magic awareness. ¡®Just as I thought, he isn¡¯t a normal human being. He won¡¯t be doing any good to me by staying alive.¡¯ Just as much as Arsene felt threatened, Luke was regretting how he had missed the attack. ¡®Dammit, if only the output of this tester was a little higher¡­¡¯ However, his regret wasn¡¯t about not being able to make a Hero class Gigant. It was just that even with its current abilities, the tester should have taken the right strike. Luke, who felt sad, rushed toward Arsene, wielding the huge sword. At the storming attacks of Gold Sword which came at him, Arsene avoided the attacks by using Blink one after the other. ¡°Surely. The kid. Of Rakan. However. You. Still. Aren¡¯t. Worth. A palm. Of my. Hand.¡± ¡°Huh, what else do you have?¡± ¡°Kuk. Kul. Kul. Nothing. Much. Just. Something. That. I have. Prepared a. lot. Time. Back.¡± ¡®Prepared?¡¯ Arsene pointed at Luke and began to gather magic. When a sinister red flash appeared, Luke could feel a stinging pain in his chest. It was something that he had forgotten for a while¡­ No, it was the dark curse, which was on his body since birth. ¡®Keuk, Did he do this?!¡¯ ¡°Die. And. Become. My. Slave!¡± In the gap where Luke was in pain, Arsene used dark magic. The dark magic, which came out of his body, turned into dozens of spears, and came at Luke¡¯s tester. ¡®Kulkulkul, if you get hit by my Dark Javelin, you are good as gone¡­ No!¡¯ Kakang! Luke¡¯s tester was supposed to be down in the blink of an eye. But, he used the gold aura onto the tester glove and bounced off the incoming Dark Javelin. However, that wasn¡¯t the end. Luke, who used Blink, rushed over toward Arsene and wielded his Gigant¡¯s sword. Slash! Arsene did try to avoid the attack, but his right arm had been cut off. ¡°This. This makes. No. sense!¡± Arsene was clearly lost. His right arm could come back again. However, he had trouble understanding what had happened. ¡®Why didn¡¯t the curse work?¡¯ Because the young man in front of him should have died already before even turning into an adult, he thought that he could use his hands and speed up the process. However, he never thought that the curse wouldn¡¯t trigger even after starting it. It would have been very natural for his heart to stop. However, there was a reason. ¡®Thanks to Reina, I passed over that crisis.¡¯ Luke placed his hands on the locket that he always carried around. It was thanks to the guardian locket, which held the spirit¡¯s power, that the curse on his heart didn¡¯t work. However, when the one who applied the curse was right in front of him, the pain he felt in his heart was different than usual. However, the pain wasn¡¯t that much that it could stop Luke from striking back at Arsene. ¡°How does it feel when the hidden card you were hoping to work turns its back on you?¡± ¡°Kuk, I don¡¯t. Know. What. Happened. With. The curse. But. Even. Without. The curse. There. Are many. ways. To kill. You.¡± ¡°It looks like you are too flustered?¡± ¡°You. Are. Still. Here. Because. I let. You.¡± Wheeing! Arsene began to gather Magi. Luke turned, realizing the sudden outburst of Magi. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Something had appeared in Arsene¡¯s magic. A ghostly, dimly image. Hundreds and thousands of spirits with entangled bodies. Kuakk! Puh! Shhh! Please¡­ Give me rest¡­! Luke found a familiar face among the ghosts like creatures who were crying in pain and anger. ¡®That man is surely¡­¡¯ The branch manager of Alon co, Terin, who came right after Luke¡¯s revival and asked to clear the debt of Rakan. Terin, who had failed to take over the Rakan estate, got eaten by Arsene and was turned into a part of him. And all the ghosts that were entangled with Terin were the poor souls that Arsene had absorbed over the 500 years that he was alive. Like the Lich and Death Knight, they too were the slaves of Arsene. Arsene deprived them of power, knowledge and magic. ¡°Oh my god! What in the world did you do?¡± Luke was feeling anxious and angry. He too was a warlock, but never had he played with the soul of a human. ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul. You. Can. Understand. By. What. You. See.¡± Arsene smiled in the sneakiest way possible and waved his hand. Right then, Magi got mixed with the ghosts and began to form something. The Magi, which crushed into them, fused with Arsene, and they became a giant monster with a pair of wings, long arms, and a tail of snakes length and goat legs. ¡°W-what is that!?¡± ¡°My. Ghostly Armor! Gorgos!¡± Arsene dressed in his huge Magi armor. He rushed toward Luke, who was shocked. Kwang! Luke hurriedly stopped the attack with his Gigant¡¯s sword, but Gorgos seemed too strong. Luke¡¯s tester, which was in the air, crashed to the ground. In the place where the tester crashed, a huge crater formed, pushing away all the trees and dirt aside. ¡°Kuak!¡± Luke was vomiting blood because of the terrifying shockwave he took. Gorgos, which came down, looked at the crumpled tester that got destroyed with just one blow¡­ Arsene, inside it, shrugged. ¡°How. Was. That? Your. Scrap. Looks. Better. Since. My. Hands fell. On. It. Right?¡± ¡°Kuk, Arsene!¡± Luke, who was stuck with the tester, aimed his sword at Arsene with his anger burning wild. However, victory was starting to lean over to Arsene¡¯s side. It looked like neither speed nor power could beat Arsene inside Gorgos. ¡®Dammit, where did he learn that?¡¯ Along with the dark magic and the poison moths a while back, it was clear that such skills weren¡¯t in the Ancient dark magic book. How strong did Arsene become in the last 500 years? Dark thoughts were the only things that wandered in Luke¡¯s heart. Chapter 391 - The Gorgos 2 ¡°Oh my god! A ghost armor¡­¡± Zegal Moon, who was treating his men that got poisoned by the moths, was shocked. The ghost armor was a vicious technique of the Apostasy that transformed dead souls and make them into an armor. It didn¡¯t just stop any zen attacks, but it also had the ability to increase the combat ability of the caster by several times. ¡®Is that man really a descendant of the Apostasy?¡¯ Without knowing who the man was, Zegal Moon couldn¡¯t help but think. However, Arsene was able to use the technique of the Apostasy as he had been studying about them for 200 years. He was in a state where white or dark magic more than 9th circle couldn¡¯t be achieved. And so he pursued stronger powers. He reached out to the ancient witchcraft of the Southern Continent. During that time, the Southern Continent was at war between the Moorim and the Apostasy. A lot of Moorim clans had united to fight the Apostasies who ruled over Kang Ho. After a long struggle, the apostasy fell, and Arsene secretly helped the escape of the eldest son of the Apsotasy leader and a few elders into the Hell Island. The goal of Arsene was their Vision¡ªsecret. With a little progress, he removed those remnants of the Apostasy, who became useless to him. Well, he absorbed all of their vitality like he did with Terin. That was why he could use Apostasy skills and strengthen their magic. Kwank! Luke¡¯s tester, which got beaten to a pulp with just one hit, got smashed to the ground. ¡°Uh, Grace!¡± As Luke¡¯s Gigant got destroyed, a couple of houses got smashed in the Zegal clan. However, Zegal Moon was more concerned about Luke. Though the tester got crushed miserably, fortunately, Luke seemed to be alive and kicking. ¡°Kuek, bastard! He is this strong?!¡± Luke, who had been pushed back, tried very hard to stabilize the trembling black circle on his heart. ¡®I expected this to some extent, but this is more than what I thought. Was he just playing with me till now?¡¯ 500 years ago, the man in front of Luke seemed to have turned into a real monster. It wasn¡¯t plain concern that High Elf Erenes had shown. ¡°Oh, you. Can still. Move? That. Warrior. Toy. Is pretty. Well. Made.¡± While approaching Luke, Arsene mocked him. Although he was mocking the man, Arsene was really admiring Luke¡¯s Gigant, which had gotten crushed. ¡®Which magic tower could have made this? The sound of the core engine is similar to that of our Magic tower¡­¡¯ While Arsene was slightly curious, Luke quickly checked the condition of the tester. ¡®The core engine¡¯s ability has dropped to less than a half. The mana convertor¡¯s condition isn¡¯t normal, and the left shoulder joint is completely smashed. The right knee joints are broken too.¡¯ And the swords were damaged as well. Fortunately, the Demon Slayer sword was still safe. However, the tester could no longer do battle. Thanks to Kurgon¡¯s carefully selected and best-made ingredients, Luke managed to escape the blow. If the Gigant was made with any low-quality ingredients, then he would have been the one to turn into a scrap. ¡®What should I do? Can¡¯t I do anything but just suffer like this?¡¯ ¡°What. Are. You. Doing? Are. You. Giving. Up. Already?¡± Arsene made sarcastic remarks and attacked. He was attacking using physical attacks earlier, but this time, he used a magic attack. Gorgos¡¯s body, which seemed to be burning with flames, flew toward Luke. ¡°Kuek, Blink!¡± Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Luke kept using magic one after the other to avoid getting hit by Arsene. He tried as much as he could to provide very little damage to the clan, but there was a limit to what one man could do. The black flames destroyed everything it came in contact with. Among the destroyed buildings was the shrine of Zegal and another shrine that was dedicated to the ancestors of the clan. As the shrines and buildings kept falling down, the elders of Zegal shed tears of anguish. ¡°Kuek, get that man¡­!¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t touch him yet.¡± ¡°Brother! No, isn¡¯t this what needs to be done?!¡± Zegal Moon shook his head at Zegal Do¡¯s plea. ¡°How can I not be angry. There is one thing I wish¡­ and that is for you be safe.¡± The burned shrines and temples could all be built at a later time, but such things wouldn¡¯t happen in the men in the clan that died while protecting things. However, there were people who disagreed with his judgment. ¡°I respect the will of the Chief, but I can¡¯t let my master struggle there alone.¡± When Hwang Bo-sung got up, Zegal Soha too joined him. ¡°I will fight too.¡± ¡°Soha!¡± ¡°Brother, I can¡¯t let the grace take the damage. In addition, this is the home of our family. Who will fight if not us?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t leave you behind¡± As Soha said, she and Hwang Bo-sung recovered a little from the previous fight. And they were less exposed to the poison compared to Zegal Shin and Do. ¡°Understood. But don¡¯t overdo it.¡± Soha summoned her Puppet along with Hwang Bo-sung. She normally didn¡¯t like using her Puppet, but she knew that to fight someone like that monster, she would have to use it. Hwang Bo-sung, who completed the summoning, flew toward Arsene¡¯s Gorgos that was approaching Luke. Grrrrng! Gorgos, who had been hit by lightning, got pushed back a little. ¡°No. How. Dare. You?!¡± Normally, Arsene should have been able to prevent the attack. However, while he was approaching Luke who was acting like a squirrel, he was suddenly struck by an unexpectedly strong blow. ¡°I can¡¯t let you do anything weird anymore!¡± Zegal Soha wielded a giant sword from her Puppet against Gorgos¡¯s body. Hwang Bo-sung gave in constant blows too. However, Gorgos¡¯s body that was as soft as rubber absorbed the attacks and healed at an unexpected speed. Although he didn¡¯t get any serious wounds, Arsene was getting irritated with the constant attacks from the two people. ¡°You. Bugs. How. Dare. You?!¡± With his long Gorgos arms, he struck the neck of Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s Puppet. Hwang Bo-sung used his arm to stop the attack. Kwak! ¡°Keuk!¡± Gorgos¡¯s punch was strong enough to break Luke¡¯s tester, and this time, it broke the arm of the Puppet. Arsene didn¡¯t stop there, he used the flames of Magi. And the Puppet of Hwang Bo-sung quickly got caught in the flames. ¡°Hwang Bo-sung, sir!¡± Zegal Soha hurriedly used both her swords toward Gorgos. Shortly before her swords could reach him, Arsene used magic. ¡°Reflection!¡± Kwang! The sword bounced back against the barrier created by Arsene, and the legs of Soha¡¯s Puppet got cut off. Since he never expected her to get attacked so quickly, she was defenseless. Arsene, who quickly overpowered the Puppets with his Gorgos¡¯ arms, was ready to give them the final blow. ¡°Die. You. Bugs¡­ Wait!¡± ¡°You are being too vigilant, Arsene.¡± Luke¡¯s voice came along with the black stems that soared around the body of Gorgos. ¡°T-this. Is. Black Bind?¡± ¡°Told you, right? There is no law that says only you can use such kind of magic.¡± Thanks to Hwang Bo-sung and Zegal Soha, Luke was able to catch his breath and manage to get close to Arsene, who was distracted. Having captured Gorgos with Black Bind, he began to absorb Arsene¡¯s Magi. ¡°Uh. Uh. Uh. You!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll absorb everything until your very core, Arsene!¡± Being captured by Black Bind, one couldn¡¯t easily break away from it without someone else¡¯s help. Smash! At that moment, a tremendous force was applied onto the Black Bind that was around Gorgos, and it got cut. Arsene suddenly manifested white magic. ¡°Oh, Anti-cancel?!¡± ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul! You. Gave. Me. A. good. Opportunity.¡± Luke never thought that Arsene would have learned Anti-cancel, which was a skill specialized in destroying dark magic. The situation got reversed once again because of that. A black light flashed in front of Luke¡¯s bewildered eyes. Flash! Gorgos¡¯s light pierced through Luke¡¯s defense and went straight through the breastplate up to the cockpit of Luke¡¯s tester. Chapter 392 - The Gorgos 3 ¡°M, master!¡± Hwang Bo-sung who was very close to his shattered Puppet saw the black rays passing through the tester and turned white. ¡®Oh my! Master is hur¡­!¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung seemed very desperate and rushed towards Arsene with a determination to end his life. However, the fallen tester staggered and got up. ¡°M, Master!¡± Unlike Hwang Bo-sung whose face lit up, Arsene spoke with a rather annoyed voice. ¡°You. Are. Still. Alive. Luck. Is. Riding. For. You!¡± ¡°Kuek, bastard!¡± Luke, who got himself out of the twisted cockpit, managed to escape from the fatal wound and got out. He was shocked by the tremendous attack which Gorgos released, and the power of the black rays really astounded Luke. And as the rays began to advance towards Luke, instinctively, he had deployed shield. It was the best defense magic possible, however, he got defeated. ¡®I don¡¯t know what it was, but it had the same amount of Magi like Black Abyss and was focused on one attack point. It is the souls around him which makes it easy for him to gather such a huge amount of Magi at once.¡¯ Luke was able to figure out how Arsene was able to launch such an attack. Yet, it didn¡¯t help him much in turning the game around. With his current abilities, defeating Arsene was impossible. ¡®Kuek! Is this my limit?¡¯ He had finally managed to meet his 500 years back enemy, but the reality that he couldn¡¯t win over him made him feel cold. Yet, Luke was forced to admit the fact about the skill difference. That was when a thought had passed through his mind. ¡®Right, there is that way! But, if that doesn¡¯t work¡­¡¯ A few thoughts entered his mind, but Luke shook those off. It was because there was exactly one method Luke could think of. ¡°Oh my, let¡¯s see if the one who dies today is you or me!¡± Luke rushed towards the Gorgos with an evil thought in mind. As the broken Gigant faltered, Arsene who was still full of energy laughed. ¡°Kul. Kul. Kuk. Such. A. bug¡­ wait?!¡± Arsene¡¯s eyed went wide. It was because, Luke who went into his Gigant which was almost scrap-like, began to dazzle with a Gold aura similar to the sun. ¡®How the hell¡­?¡¯ ¡°Uhahhhh! Luke saved a city from the meteor falling during the Holy Empire¡¯s civil war. At that time, he activated the demon¡¯s abilities and the gold aura at the same time. He was thinking of gambling with that card. The 3rd phase Build-up boosted his potential to the maximum, and the gold aura was also released to the maximum. While both the Gold Aura and the demon abilities were being used to their highest, the pain and suffering Luke felt was too huge. However, the will to defeat Arsene made him disregard the pain. ¡®T, this is dangerous!¡¯ When Arsene realized that he was in danger, he tried to escape. Luke broke the half-broken sword and threw it. Arsene, who had a fake body got the sword pierced into Gorgos¡¯s torso before Arsene could even run. Kwaang! Along with the gold aura which was flashing like the sun, clouds began to rise in the air. Heat and dust began to spread all over the place. Flustered with Gorgos¡¯s death, Hwang Bo-sung and Zegal clan members bent down. However, the heat did no harm to them. Rather it was a huge help to them. ¡°The poison is disappearing?¡± ¡°Really?! How did that happen¡­?¡± At their delight, they even saw the body of Gorgos getting melted like wax. Luke¡¯s gambling seemed to be a success. Along with the tester, the Puppets which weren¡¯t his enemies too were beginning to get engulfed in the heat. ¡®Are we¡­ going to win?¡¯ Their faces were anticipating a win but soon changed. It was because immediately after the body of Gorgos got melted, the white smoke melted was revealing the grey-robed skeleton once again. It was Arsene. Despite the strong blow, he revived himself once again. ¡°How. Dare. You. Do. That. To. My. Ghost. Armor!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Arsene was shaking with anger, however, there was no reaction from the broken tester. Luke, who had just used all of his power for the previous attack was exhausted and lost consciousness. He was in no state to face Arsene. ¡°I will. Never. Forgive. You! Lose. Your. Body. But. I will. Tear. Your. Soul. Apart!¡± Magi began to burst out of Arsene¡¯s body. Zegal clan members had their hands on their swords, but none of them were able to draw them out. The bloody terrifying Magi Arsene was releasing turned their bodies stiff, making them unable to move, regardless of their wishes. ¡®In this world, no matter how many are killed, there are monsters which will survive again and again!¡¯ ¡®Ah, I am sure that this is the end!¡¯ When people were all preparing to see their end. ¡°Please Wait.¡± A gentle voice echoed through the sky, Arsene was the most surprised and turned. Which made him look at the old monk in shabby clothes standing before him. ¡°Oh, he is¡­!¡± Zegal Moon, who recognized the man, spoke in a low voice. Hwang Bo-sung and the other members were puzzled that they didn¡¯t know the man, but they were able to know that the victory was on their side. It was because their bodies moved once again after Arsene had suppressed their magic. ¡°Keuk, you¡­¡± ¡°It is Saint Nanda.¡± Arsene¡¯s eyes changed when the man told his name. He had heard the name from Hwang Bo-kwang. He was known to be the monk from the Bharat Empire, a high priest or saint with godlike abilities. ¡®He is Nanda? He doesn¡¯t seem to be a huge deal?¡¯ Arsene thought that the man would be scary or mysterious since he was claimed to be a god-like man. But from Nanda, no energy could be felt. Rather, it made Arsene more flustered. Because the man could possess a power that Arsene wasn¡¯t aware of. ¡°What. Is. It? Came. To. Get. Rid. Of me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like to kill. And I know everything about physical pain, but I have no power to defeat you.¡± ¡°Kul. Then. Why?¡± ¡°But for a few moments, I will be stopping your evil deeds.¡± ¡°What. Did. You say?¡± Arsene couldn¡¯t understand. How could a person who had no power inside them, defeat him? ¡®Well, another irritating man. I will get rid of him before he does anything strange¡­¡¯ Arsene reached out to blow off Nanda with dark magic. But in the blink of an eye, Nanda approached him and grabbed his hand. Flustered, Arsene quickly shook off Nanda¡¯s hand. However, the real surprise came next. Without any new feeling, the landscape around him had changed. It wasn¡¯t the region of the collapsed Zegal Clan, but a cold sea that had huge icebergs floating in front of them. ¡®Uh, this is! No way, the North Ice ocean?!¡¯ The Ice Ocean was located to the north of the Rhodesia continent, farther north. And he was standing in the middle of the Ice Ocean. He tried closing and opening his eyes several times, but the scenery didn¡¯t change. ¡®Hallucinations. He is trying to deceive me with hallucination.¡¯ Arsene who thought so tried to dispel the illusion which he thought was around him by creating Magi fire. But the only things which changed were the collapsing icebergs and drifting ice. No matter how much Magi he used, the scene in front of his eyes didn¡¯t change. It wasn¡¯t an illusion, but a reality. ¡°Ku. Uh. Uh. Uh! Nanda. Ah. Ah. Ah!¡± Arsene whose anger reached the limit wanted to take down the man, but Nanda was nowhere to be found. Arsene¡¯s struggles echoed through the ocean numerous times where only the sounds of ice winds and waves could be heard. ¡°Hyung, what just happened?¡± The question from Zegal Do couldn¡¯t be easily answered. Nanda had approached Arsene and then the two disappeared. ¡°Uhm, well¡­¡± It was when Zegal Moon thought of what could have happened, and Nanda¡¯s voice came from behind. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry anymore. He won¡¯t be coming here for a while.¡± As he turned, he saw Nanda. Arsene¡¯s image was nowhere next to them, so it seemed clear that Nanda did receive an awakening regarding the physical pain. Zegal Moon who felt relieved sighed and bowed to Nanda. ¡°Thank you very much, Saint.¡± ¡°Everything happened as it should have. You need to thank the man who brought over this old man here.¡± ¡°Ah, now that you say, the grace¡­¡± Zegal Moon turned towards Luke. Hwang Bo-sung and Soha were able to pull out Luke from his broken Gigant. ¡°He is alive. He is just exhausted and lost his consciousness!¡± At the words from Soha, Zegal Moon sighed with relief. ¡°Hurry and take the grace inside!¡± ¡°Yes, brother!¡± The party of Zegal Moon moved Luke to the cave where the injured men were evacuated to. ¡°The Saint will come too.¡± At the words of Zegal Moon, Nanda began to move complying with his words. The disaster which almost wiped them all had settled. Chapter 393 - The Gorgos 4 The day after Arsene¡¯s disappearance, Zegal clan¡¯s guards who had fled to the cave, came out again. For a while, they were dismayed at the sight of their half burnt homes and buildings, but they soon began to sweat with the orders Zegal Moon had given them. And there were those, who weren¡¯t so easily out of the shock. ¡°Is this all because of me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If I would just been in the Imperial palace, this would have never happened.¡± When Jo Won-rak kept sighing out of guilt, Zegal Hui who was keeping his silence opened his mouth with a heavy voice. ¡°Even if you were in the Imperial palace, it would have been no different. Those who aim for the crown prince will use every means and methods possible.¡± Zegal clan was a prominent clan in the Song Empire as well as in Angyang. And it was clear that those raiders had a considerable power behind them when they decided to attack the clan home in a bright daylight. According to the information gathered by Zegal Moon or Zegal Soha, the ones who attacked them were likely the faction pushing the 2nd crown prince Jo Won-gyun as the next Emperor. It was because that was the only faction who would have received a greater benefit if the 3rd crown prince disappeared. However, they were all still speculations, there was no clear evidence to follow, so they couldn¡¯t just decide to do anything. In addition to that, it was a matter which could lead to a conflict in the Imperial family. ¡°Prince, you need to hold your heart strong no matter what, you need to survive. All the victims of this incident were on the line with force and dedication to make you stay alive. If something happens to you, all of their sacrifices will go in vain.¡± Zegal Hui¡¯s eyes were wet when he was speaking. The damage suffered by his family was too great, but the death of the soldiers in the Eorim troops, the ones whom he had brought up since children came to his mind. It was unpleasant that the ones who were meant to be the future of the Empire were killed, even saddening was that a funeral couldn¡¯t be held for them. In order to soothe his heart, Jo Won-rak must be defended and he needs to be the one to sit on the throne. ¡°I understand what the general is saying. To be honest, I am still scared, but I promise to never turn into a coward and make extreme choices.¡± ¡°Well, you thought well, prince!¡± While Zegal Hui was listening to Jo Won-rak¡¯s words, Zegal Shin, Do, and Hwang Bo-sung were waiting for Luke¡¯s condition report. Together with them, Hwang Bo-sung approached Zegal Soha and talked. ¡°How is Marquis Luke?¡± ¡°He seems to be exhausted, and has taken some internal injuries, but they won¡¯t be major. Saint Nanda has healed the man so he will wake up soon.¡± ¡°That is good. But¡­ didn¡¯t the Saint say anything else?¡± At the question from Zegal Shin, Soha shook her head. ¡°Anything else? Is there another problem?¡± ¡°Well¡­ first, let¡¯s move to a place where no people are around.¡± They moved over to a nearby vacant corner. After checking for numeral times, Zegal Shin opened his mouth. ¡°What I meant wasn¡¯t anything else, but it was just that some of the skills Marquis Luke had shown when fighting were similar to his opponent.¡± ¡°Hyung too was talking about it. Only the color or the power of the skills seemed to be different, but the essential properties of them seemed to be very similar. In addition, that technique where the black rope rises from the ground and wraps itself around the opponent.¡± At the words of Soha, Zegal Shin and Do nodded their heads and agreed. ¡°Maybe both sides are related to the apostasy?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be!¡± Zegal Soha who had a tilted heart for Luke jumped out at the words of Zegal Do. And about that, Hwang Bo-sung explained the situation. ¡°Our master has nothing to do with the apostasy.¡± ¡°See now, he is saying it.¡± ¡°But it is true that he has learned dark magic.¡± Said Hwang Bo-sung. ¡°Dark Magic. Nothing to do with apostasy¡­ what is that supposed to mean?¡± Soha who was supporting Hwang Bo-sung was confused when he spoke about the dark magic. It was the same with Zegal Shin and Zegal Do. ¡°H, hyung. Dark magic means¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, the forbidden magic of the northern continent. It is a very similar technique to the Apostasy, a relationship with the devils.¡± Although in doubt, Zegal Shin didn¡¯t believe the words right away. When he heard the words from the man, saying that Luke had revived the Iron Core forest with his divine powers, he couldn¡¯t just believe everything. And the people of the mountain were calling him as the heavenly guardian and worshiped him. But the same Marquis Luke had learned dark magic! Astonished, they asked Hwang Bo-sung to give them the details. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand this. My Master only deals with the dark magic, he hasn¡¯t been eroded by them.¡± Whether it was the dark magic or the Apostasy, the danger for using it was to get their souls eaten by evil powers, and eventually become the body for a demon. And becoming a body for a demon was a sin for humans, and it usually ended with grave damage to the world. ¡°That is really true?¡± ¡°Yes. My Master has healed me, who was suffering from the curse afflicted by an Apostasy with the power of the dark magic. That too, when no divine power had helped in curing me.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it.¡± There was a reason why both Zegal Shin and Do were shocked. It was because the wounds and curses placed by the Apostasy were impossible to heal completely. It was known that the curse of the Apostasy would only double as time went. So, before the curse could spread over the body, the affected body part would be cut off, or the cursed part would be suppressed with zen healing. Only a man with an awakening of Physical pain, Saint Nanda could cure it, but those who were in the stage of learning couldn¡¯t learn about such healing even after 100 years of constant training. ¡°Believe it or now, it was freedom for me. He was acknowledged by Arch Duke Gregory of the Holy Empire that my Master hasn¡¯t mastered the Dark magic in the evil terms. I told you my Master¡¯s secret because I thought that you would understand this.¡± ¡°Uhm, Arch Duke Gregory is the representative of the Holy Empire, a paladin, and a stubborn one at that.¡± ¡°He is exactly as you say.¡± Since becoming a retainer, Hwang Bo-sung had watched Luke and his circumstances very closely. There were very few people around Luke, who knew about the secret, he and Philip were two of the few. If the news went into the world, then everything his Master tired to build so far would collapse like a sandcastle. He never spoke to Luke about it, but Hwang Bo-sung always thought that Luke was anxious and worried about it. After hearing the words of Hwang Bo-sung, Zegal Shin nodded his head. ¡°Well, this isn¡¯t something to publicize.¡± The Zen of the Southern continent was rooted with the Yin and Yang five elements. Just as darkness in the presence of light, they admitted to the principle of cosmology. The problem was that the Apostasy related men were too horrible in the past and that unconditionally, led to negative views on everything related to the apostasy, just as dark magic in Rhodesia. Which was why Zegal Shin was very concerned. If rumors spread about Luke using magic similar to the Apostasy, he wouldn¡¯t have the religious men going at him but the Imperial military too. And the Zegal clan who had a relationship with him would get into huge trouble. ¡°Well, can¡¯t we just shut our mouths?¡± At the words of Zegal Do, Shin shook his head. ¡°The problem is Saint Nanda. Do you really think that the man who has reached awakening in terms of physical pain doesn¡¯t need to know about the Marquis¡¯s powers?¡± ¡°Hm, well¡­¡± ¡°No matter what, I think that the Saint already is aware.¡± When Zegal Shin and the others were concerned, Luke who was exhausted finally managed to regain consciousness. ¡®This is¡­?¡¯ ¡°Are you awake?¡± At a strange voice, Luke turned his head. An old man with his hair tied tight and an old gray garment was standing by his bedside, looking down at him. He seemed ordinary, and Luke couldn¡¯t read any energy from him. On the contrary, the man had a clear look at Luke. ¡°The battle ended, and the enemy is gone, so there is nothing you should be worried about.¡± ¡®Arsene disappeared?¡¯ Luke had lost consciousness without winning over Arsene. But instead of death, he disappeared? Did the unknown person in front of him defeat Arsene? Luke decided to put his thoughts away for a moment and talked to the person. ¡°Who might you be?¡± ¡°I am called Nanda. Just an old man who cured you.¡± He answered with a smile seeing how Luke was still being cautious around him. Luke slowly began to look at his condition. The wounds he suffered while fighting Arsene were healed. ¡°Then I need to thank you first.¡± Luke who got up, bowed his head. Even though he was feeling suspicious about the man, he still had to thank him for saving his life. Which was when Nanda shook his hand and said, ¡°There is no need for that. I just came to see the man who returned after a long gap.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Luke was shocked at what Nanda said and got up. No one in the current world had noticed his true identity. It was the same for Arsene who held great powers. However, an unidentified monk who was standing in front of him, saw through Luke. This time, Luke asked a little more vigilantly. ¡°How did you know? How are you even aware of that?¡± ¡°I just saw. Like looking at a picture on the book, the experience you have is that of an elderly man.¡± ¡°Then you might know that I am not a very good person.¡± Luke, asked and began to gather Magi. He was planning on getting rid of the old man in front of him. Even then, Nanda¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°A person is neither good or bad. Your evil deeds are the karma that built up by those who have been seized the opportunity to fulfill their desires.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And the wind of yours is to fix the world in which such people live and make the lives of people more peaceful. Isn¡¯t that so?¡± Luke¡¯s Magi resided. Because the words of Nanda weren¡¯t wrong at all. He did feel unpleasant that his inner feelings had been seen through, but still, taking someone down who still hasn¡¯t done anything bad to him was wrong. And Nanda spoke again. ¡°I don¡¯t want you, who had a chance to rebirth suffer, or suffer because of another one¡¯s greed. Above all, I don¡¯t see you as the one who has an excessive desire for ruling the world by abandoning the principles of life and death.¡± ¡°So, are you going to help me, the one who has come back from death?¡± At the question from Luke, Nanda nodded his head and answered. ¡°Because this is something I need to do to save the world. And, I need to stop the evildoings of the man who was neither alive nor dead so that the karma can be cleared up.¡± ¡°The conclusion is to get rid of Arsene. Well, in what way can you be of help?¡± Luke realized what he lacked in the fight with Arsene. He had always thought that he had developed a lot more since his rebirth, but it all turned out to be false. The monster couldn¡¯t be defeated unless Luke becomes a lot stronger than his current self. ¡°I have learned about the law (act) though not completely, I won¡¯t be breaking any law for it, and there isn¡¯t much time that I have. But I will be able to help you achieve the desired growth.¡± ¡°You do say. Specifically, growth about what?¡± He smiled, looking at Luke all anxious and impatient. ¡°You haven¡¯t been complete. And I can show you what has been lost in your family.¡± ¡°A, are you going to show me the second half of the Gold Sword?¡± At the unbelievable question of Luke¡¯s, Nanda nodded his head. ¡°Yes.¡± Listening to those words, Luke grabbed Nanda¡¯s hands. He never thought that the man would show the second half of the Gold Sword. In fact, it could be the weapon that could defeat Arsene, since his demonic abilities or the dark magic had a little effect, but the Gold Sword contained divine power. However, he couldn¡¯t know the second half of the Gold Sword which got stolen by the Baroque Imperial, and such things can be showed off! He thought that he could get unexpected results and his expectations and hope swelled. ¡°Please tell me right away!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that showing you is a problem, but I am worried if you can understand it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think so lightly of me. I survived the dark purgatory and got revived!¡± Luke had a huge smile. The cooperation between the Devil king had failed to change the world and began to realize the power of the God. Chapter 394 - A Breath-taking Situation 1 When Luke was on the verge of getting to Arsene, the flames of the war hadn¡¯t subsided in the Baroque Empire. The Gorn Fort was one of the places where the flames were constantly blowing. Gorn Fort was the largest defense base in the Variand Mountains, which divided the central and the southern part of the Empire, it had steep mountains on either side that made sure that there was only one front and rear to attack. At the center of the fort was the Central Army that was being led by Count Ferrero and the Southern Army led by Marquis Mayers. Both parties were confronting each other. On that specific day, Marquis Mayers had launched a full-on attack after the rainy season had ended. Information was relayed to both that the army of Duke Butler was smashed by the army of Emperor Rudolf. As a result, Marquis Mayers was forced to make a decision knowing that the Emperor, who attacked the west, would be coming for him. ¡°That Butler is as stupid as one could get!¡± Mayers couldn¡¯t stand the outcome. Mayers did know that even if Butler didn¡¯t win the fight against the Emperor and his precious Knights of Guards, there would still be some time for Mayers to get some relief. But for that Butler to collapse in just one battle?! The betrayal of Marquis Vanden, the closest man to Butler, was said to have been the decisive element for his loss, but that unfavorable battle led the Southern Army of Mayers into trouble. Originally, it was planned to pull the Central Army deep into the southern territory and disperse their powers and defeat each incoming troops. They thought that it was the best plan after considering the weather and the geography of the land. But the situations turned, and they were forced to go for an offensive stance. ¡®Because the fight in the west is settled, the army of Rudolf will soon get here. And considering that it will happen, I need to preoccupy a strong base to defend myself, such as the fort.¡¯ The ultimate goal of Mayers was to revive the Duchy of Milton. Reviving the region of his ancestors which had perished¡­ Well, it was his dream to make a great Empire, an Empire that couldn¡¯t be compared to Baroque or Holy Arthenia. And in order to fulfill that dream, suffering loss in the southern estates would only cause more trouble. That was why it got turned into a full-scale offense. The problem was that the situation was at a disadvantage to Mayers. After hearing about the defeat of the Western Army, Count Ferrero had no intention of coming out of Gorn Fort, and the Southern Army had to siege and fight in the rain. ¡°Army, attack!¡± ¡°We must not take too much time! The fort needs to be captured!¡± ¡°What are the artillery units doing?! You need to support the Gigant units!¡± The commanders screamed and yelled at all the sides of Mayers¡¯s marching units. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! The Gigants, who were selected for assault, had already arrived at the chosen side of the fort. However, the artillery units, which had to support the Gigants, were quiet. No matter how heavy the rain was, the artillery wasn¡¯t that useless, but the silence from the units made Myers look for the messenger. After a while, the messenger got back with news. ¡°T-trouble, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± From the messenger¡¯s expression, Mayers understood that something unexpected had happened. However, what the messenger said was far beyond what Marquis Mayers had expected. ¡°It is said that the gunpowder for the artillery is completely wet and can¡¯t be used at all!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Hearing the messenger¡¯s words, Marquis Mayers jumped up. The gunpowder was usually stored in a double layer, oil-free cotton cloth placed in a wooden box with a waterproof coating, so getting it wet shouldn¡¯t have been an excuse. ¡°It was said that the officer who was in charge of managing the gunpowder for the artillery was an agent of the Emperor. Last night, he was said to have left his role and deserted the gunpowder.¡± ¡°If such a thing has happened, I should have been the first to be reported!¡± At the yelling of Marquis Mayers, the messenger replied with a low voice. ¡°I-it was said that the commander of the artillery unit, Viscount Serin has asked for it to be kept a secret¡­¡± ¡°Worthless!¡± The man was probably afraid of being reprimanded, but it was an act where one was aware and two were kept in the dark. Secrets never stayed hidden for too long, and if such mistakes got revealed at critical times, like what just happened, the punishment would just be much greater. And not surprisingly, Marquis Mayers ordered the replacement of the artillery commander after striking the head of Viscount Serin right away. ¡°Dammit! To siege without an artillery¡­¡± Even if the war was lead with Gigants, it was still difficult to wage a siege without the support cannons. The unscheduled siege was in trouble from the very beginning. ¡°Dammit, it can¡¯t be done. Enter the Iron Fist Knights!¡± With the words of Marquis Mayers, Iron Fist Knights with the crest of Mayers¡¯s estate entered. Like the knights who received the crest of the Milton Duchy, the Iron Fist Knights were all elite knights made of above expert level. The Gigants they operated were all Knight class, they weren¡¯t anything less than the personal guards of Marquis Mayers. And to introduce such strong knights right from the beginning of the war made people question the Marquis. ¡°Majesty, do you plan to use the Iron Fist Knights already?¡± Marquis shook his head at the simple question of Baron Bazzo. ¡°In order to survive, no matter what happens, we need to get a handful of forts before the Emperor retreats. Or¡­ we will perish.¡± The original plan was to attract the Central Army and defeat them and then advance to the north and occupy the capital, Nemesis. However, as the Western Army collapsed without creating much trouble for the Emperor, the strategy had to be revised, and Marquis Mayers decided to take over the Gorn Fort of Variand Mountains; that was their best option. It was just a fort, but that was all they needed when it came to coping with the huge army of the Emperor. ¡°But I am worried that the damage will only increase if we rush into using our elite.¡± Marquis Mayers planned to defeat the Central Army and then recapitulate the forts of the Variand Mountains. He was already prepared to give the nobles enormous wealth, interest, and beauty as long as they helped him. As long as the Emperor had already sneaked into one of the forts, Mayers still had the chance to reciprocate the situation to his advantage. But with the Western Army being defeated without a fight, the war was already unfavorable, and their plan to use the other forts couldn¡¯t be implemented. ¡°Some damage is inevitable. The only way out is speed. Now!¡± Marquis Mayers, who was stubborn on his decision, dispatched the messenger and ordered the other troops to come ahead to attack the fort. Thud! Thud! The southern troops in black were knocking on the falls of the Gorn Fort. The soldiers tried to use the cannons. The Gigants attacked, and they were ready to create momentum that would scare their enemy. As a result, anxiety and nervousness began to sit on the faces of the commanders of the Central Army. ¡°The enemy seems to be using all their troops without leaving any reserve troops.¡± Count Ferrero, who was watching the battlefield from an overlooking watchtower, nodded at the words of his lieutenant. ¡°Huhuhu. Perhaps, their minds are burning by now.¡± The reason why the Southern Army decided to act like that was because of the news that the Western Army had collapsed. In fact, the news had gone to the Central Army first. And Count Ferrero had deliberately used his men to spread the news into the Southern Army with his spies. It was his intention to fight with the advantage. ¡°They will somehow try to take over the defensive terrain before His Majesty comes from the west. I would have done that too.¡± ¡°Well, shouldn¡¯t we take the reserve and fight back?¡± Count Ferrero had sent troops over to the Emperor¡¯s nobles nearby in addition to the fort guards and the Central Army. The lieutenant asked if they had to break the reserve and put them into the line of attack. However, Count Ferrero just shook his head. ¡°No, we don¡¯t have to strike back. Time is on our side, so we only need to spend time here.¡± Count Ferrero was a battle maniac whose body was constantly in preparation to fight, especially when the opponent was strong, but he could never get himself to fight an unworthy opponent. In addition, he had come up with a good strategy to fulfill the commander¡¯s position. ¡°However, it is the same as a victory if we can endure until the Emperor reaches here.¡± The lieutenant nodded at the words of Count Ferrero then Ferrero asked, ¡°What about the situation of the other forts?¡± ¡°According to the magic communication we just got, they are being attacked all at once. But no fort is in any danger.¡± At the words of the lieutenant, Count Ferrero nodded his head, feeling satisfied. ¡°Kukk, that is good. Tell them all to pay as much attention as they can only on their defense.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Count Ferrero was about to take some time to rest, but he never imagined what kind of a variable would occur from the Western Region. Chapter 395 - A Breath-taking Situation 2 Emperor Rudolf¡¯s guards¡¯ operation on the Western side went smoothly. The nobles of the west were overwhelmed with the news of the Western Army¡¯s defeat and the death of numerous nobles and elite knights. The first few estates opened the gates to the Emperor and greeted the man themselves. However, the Emperor, who was already set in annihilating the noblemen, executed all the surviving noblemen. In the beginning, a few mansions were smashed, and that provided a chance for the nobles to escape. They had no thoughts of protesting against the Emperor. The only troops they had left were the knights and guards for their personal security. And to fight the Emperor with such troops was like going against a dragon with a kitchen knife. As a result, the estates were deserted and the noblemen flee to other places. And the Emperor¡¯s army, which didn¡¯t have a war to fight, was divided into several groups and began to take over the empty lands. Their goal was to reduce the amount of time taken to occupy the western region. However, small problems began to arise. Units sent to take over the empty estates began to get attacked by unknown enemies. ¡°What did you say? The troops of Baron Lisbane got annihilated?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. It was informed that they have been attacked by large scale monsters.¡± When he heard that they were attacked by monsters, it seemed like that was a possibility that could happen once or twice. And since it was a civil war, not much attention was given to the monsters. In addition, it could be that the troops, which had gone over, would prioritize the land over subduing monsters. However, all the reports stated that monsters were the reason, and the reports of the Gigant troops, which were pursuing them, were the most uncommon. ¡°It could be for the normal guards, but the Gigant troops lost against the monsters too?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t the monsters that fought with our Gigant troops, but Gigants with a dragon crest on their breastplates.¡± The one who answered Rudolf¡¯s question was Count Voltas. Right after the Western Army was taken down, Voltas returned to his original position because of the contribution he had done for the Emperor to win his war. ¡°What did you say? A dragon crest?¡± Emperor Rudolf was shocked. In the Baroque Empire, only the Imperial family could use the dragon crest. That was to emphasize that the Imperial family was of a dragon lineage. It was an unwritten rule although not a law. And so, families that had similar legends in their lineage would change their crest into a Wyvern or a Drake. ¡°Who is that bastard who stole the Imperial¡¯s crest?!¡± Kwang! The Emperor, who was enraged, hit the marble table with his clenched fist only to shatter it into a million pieces. Seeing that, each of the commander of the unit, who was gathered there for a meeting, trembled after seeing the energy that was coming out of Rudolf. If Rudolf hadn¡¯t controlled himself immediately, there could have been around 5 to 6 men who had died from a heart attack. ¡°P-please calm down, Your Majesty. According to the reports submitted by the military¡¯s intelligence, the Gigants that were attacked were presumed to be from the neutral territories of the west.¡± ¡°The neutral ones? Why would the neutral nobles do this?¡± The Emperor never thought that the neutral lords would even think of going against him. Of course, right after the ¡®Blood Ceremony¡¯, there were quite a lot of nobles from the neutral side that had joined the Emperor¡¯s side, and there were those neutral nobles who joined into the noblemen¡¯s group because a few of their family members died in the parliament. But that being said, Rudolf didn¡¯t turn the neutrals into his enemy. It would have been plain foolish of him to only increase his enemies. ¡°Did they go crazy? Would the western noblemen dare to fight me after such a crushing defeat?¡± Voltas was the one to answer Rudolf who felt the situation was unfair. ¡°But, I don¡¯t think like they are someone to be looked down on. They have been moving with the monsters, and it was reported that the person who is leading this combined legion of humans and monsters is the Orc Hero, Shaikan.¡± ¡°What? The one from the past?¡± Though it wasn¡¯t known, even before the civil war broke out in the empire, Shaikan had been moving from place to place by collecting monsters and making a mess. Rudolf tried to subdue him, but he couldn¡¯t get his hands on the man. In addition, suddenly, the civil war broke out with the noblemen, and Rudolf had completely forgotten about him. ¡°So he managed to move the neutral nobles? But how?¡± If one thought, it was likely for it to have happened. But what wasn¡¯t understood was how a monster or a mess-making man be able to sneak away from the neutral nobles, and from Rudolf¡¯s position, it wasn¡¯t supposed to matter much. ¡®How dare he¡­!¡¯ While Rudolf was grunting, a messenger entered with a letter and left after giving it to Voltas. Upon seeing the letter, Voltas¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°What is it?¡± At the question from Rudolf, Voltas spoke while his lips trembled, ¡°Your Majesty, the neutral lords of the Southwest have united with the remnants of the Western nobles, including Duke Butler, and they had declared independence. They are also calling their region as the Libiya Kingdom.¡± ¡°How dare they!¡± It wasn¡¯t enough that the remnants had fled from their hands, but they were going to use the name of a fallen kingdom of 500 years ago to rebel! He thought that it was all happening because of the Western neutral lords suddenly taking part. Thud! Rudolf got up from his seat and took his sword to wipe out all of his opponents. However, Voltas wasn¡¯t done with his words. ¡°And, it has been said that the King of Libiya is Shaikan.¡± ¡°Shaikan?¡± Rudolf¡¯s body, which was ready for a massacre, halted. Even among the neutral lords, there were a lot who were extremely ambitious. Still, Rudolf couldn¡¯t understand how such nobles had willingly given the title of a ruler to Shaikan. ¡°T-that could be because the identity of Shaikan is Prince Reichard de Baroque¡­¡± ¡°Huh, what the?!¡± After hearing the name of his half-forgotten brother, Rudolf doubted his ears. ¡°And it is said that Prince Reichard had awakened the dragon¡¯s blood.¡± Thud! Rudolf, who was flustered and irritated till then, was so shocked upon hearing Shaikan¡¯s real name that he couldn¡¯t move. Chapter 396 - A Breath-taking Situation 3 In the Count Felipe estate to the southwest of the Baroque Empire. A new flag was fluttering on the land, the land which had the strongest military power and largest neutral territory. The flag with a Dragon crest like the Baroque Imperia family, but the difference was the dragon had its wings wide open. Many of the guards which were around the flag were orcs, goblins, and monsters. Monsters armed with steel weapons, such as any human soldiers were faithfully guarding the region without any distractions. And the human knights and soldiers seemed relatively unconcerned. In the beginning, the humans seemed rather cautious to see the monsters move around them. However, after recognizing that the monsters wouldn¡¯t harm them, they began to do their duties. ¡°It seems more like an elite soldiers than a monster.¡± ¡°They are definitely much better than the new recruits of our troops.¡± ¡°How can they be like that? Did they submit themselves because of some weird magic?¡± In front of the knights who were mumbling, an armed orc came ahead. The orc which seemed incredibly overwhelming when compared to the size of a troll spoke to the knights with a flimsy voice. ¡°Kuek, not magic. Our king has the power of God Dragon. Orc, submit to the power of the dragons. The power of the God Dragon made the orc strong and clever.¡± ¡°Uhm, that so? Even being a monster, you know how to handle the bows and fire guns.¡± ¡°Woah, the power of a draconian is surely amazing.¡± The knights recalled the first time they had met the ¡®king¡¯. The man whom Count Felipe had introduced as a new king to take down the tyrant Emperor was a masked man. The masked man brought in tens of thousands of monsters from the territory, and he was the Orc Hero Shaikan who turned the Navarre duchy upside down. Shaikan, who appeared with a mask in front of the neutral nobles, gathered all the remnants of the Western Army into the mansion, claimed himself to be the 3rd crown prince, Reichard de Baroque, and a legitimate successor to the Libiya Kingdom. When the words spread, everyone seemed rather suspicious than surprised. In the midst of the turmoil with the Empire due to the civil war, he seemed like a fraudster trying to take advantage. Although Duke Butler stood beside the man to guarantee his claim, the words of a man who lost to the Emperor had no authority. That was when Shaikan, who had awakened the power of the Draconian transformed into a dragon and roared, and the doubts in the minds of nobles disappeared at once. Everyone wet their pants and decided to obey the man. ¡°Then who would win over your king and the Crazy Emperor?¡± ¡°Obviously our king will win. No matter how strong Emperor Rudolf was, he was still a human, but our king is half human and half dragon, with the power of the God Dragon.¡± ¡°Right. He can split a Gigant with a single strike.¡± At the knights who were constantly talking, the orc which was near them screamed. ¡°Knights, stop talking. Get into your position.¡± ¡°Ah, that orc is nagging us¡­ Uh! What are you doing?!!¡± The orc grabbed the knight who was mumbling and lifted him into the air. And spoke with a much colder voice than before. ¡°I am much stronger than a knight. And my rank is higher too. I¡¯ll have to hit you if you mess around.¡± ¡°Ah, understood! So just stop now¡­¡± ¡°Kuek! Speak with respect!¡± ¡°Understood, I was wrong! I won¡¯t ever do that again!¡± Upon hearing those words, the Orc released the knight who was full of himself, and the knights went back to patrolling the area. Count Felipe, who was looking at the scene from a window spoke. ¡°No matter how important, to keep a monster above a human¡­¡± However, a cold voice from behind entered his ears. ¡°It was decided by the king. If you have any objections, you can go and ask him yourself.¡± The count turned. He caught the glimpse of the man who spoke such cold words. An old knight seated in a chair, and he was the representative of the Western nobles, Duke Butler. Duke Butler had appeared alongside Shaikan, and he was currently the lieutenant general of the Libiya Kingdom and commander. ¡°And not all of the monsters are above the humans.¡± ¡°That is true¡­¡± In fact, it was the truth, only a handful of monsters were superior or high ranked than the regular knights. But for humans like Count Felipe, humans had to be superior, unconditionally. ¡°The thought is good, but a diligent monster is much better than a lazy human. And a hundred times better to believe a loyal monster than a man without good faith and loyalty.¡± Crack! The moment Butler said that the pen in his hand broke. In his mind, the image of Marquis Vanden, the traitor had flashed. Cough! Count Felipe choked when the energy coming out of Butler¡¯s body was suffocating him. ¡°Oh, please calm down, Duke!¡± With that plea, Butler immediately came back to reality. Perhaps the energy he had released was of anger, but all the devices and things inside the office were all smashed. And Count Felipe was breathing out cold air, drenched in sweat as if he had come out from a steaming room. ¡°Oh my, I am sorry. I began to have a bad memory when I was talking.¡± ¡°It is alright. I can understand.¡± Maybe it was better to not talk about monsters. It was because it looked like Butler could crush the bones in his body when talked about humans and monsters. Even if the man was still defeated by the Emperor, Duke Butler was still the Sword Sage of the Baroque Empire. Felipe, who was determined to live, changed the subject of the conversation. ¡°That is okay, but there are people talking about the national marriage.¡± ¡°National Marriage?¡± ¡°Yes, His Majesty is still unmarried. Some nobles say that he should choose a lady for the nation so His Majesty can be able to focus more on the foreign affairs.¡± Butler chucked at Felipe¡¯s words. ¡°Uh, those men speak too simple. Thinking, speaking, and wielding power will be much better.¡± ¡°hahaha¡­¡± The words of Butler made Felipe sweat again. And he didn¡¯t want to be wrong, he was actually aiming for the position. Felipe who only had sons was already willing to adopt a step-daughter from his distant relatives. However, there was an enemy. A woman who empowered Shaikan by integrating 15 small and medium estates across the western and southern Empire. Felipe who recalled ¡®her¡¯, went weak. ¡®I will never lose to a lustful wench from abroad! No, never!¡¯ Count Felipe decided to make his stepdaughter as a queen. Chapter 397 - A Breath-taking Situation 4 The next morning. Shaikan who had gone to complete a mission had returned to Count Felipe. At the back of his men, which was led by humans and the monster¡¯s allied forces, there were more than 30 Gigants and ogres. Thud! Those who were on the streets were heading to the manor to show the triumphal streak of their King. ¡°Did the Emperor catch the Gigant?¡± ¡°Look there! The crest stamped on the chest!¡± ¡°Your Majesty will blow off the mind of the crazy Emperor.¡± ¡°Long Live Your Majesty! Libiya Empire!¡± When the few men began to hail for the victory, the people who got excited began to join in making it noisy. And it wasn¡¯t like they had won the Civil War. And changing the ruling men didn¡¯t significantly change their love. However, Shaikan had lowered the taxes for the purpose of gaining public sentiment in his early days of founding an empire, and people liked it. Shaikan raised his hands as an answer to the cheers which were for him. In front of the estate castle, major nobles, including Duke Butler and Count Felipe were there. ¡°Your Majesty has brought us victory.¡± ¡°Congratulations Your Majesty!¡± As the nobles began to congratulate, young women, who were brightly dressed came out and offered bouquets and garlands. ¡®They aren¡¯t maids.¡¯ Just as Shaikan judged, they were the daughters and step-daughters of Count Felipe and the other noble families. They were brought out for the purpose of catching the King¡¯s eyes in advance. It wasn¡¯t that Shaikan didn¡¯t grasp the act of the nobles with the situation of the marriage being mentioned. However, he had no intention to dislike or reject that proposal. It was because even in his current position, there weren¡¯t many human subordinates for him except for the Ebra family. Moreover, those nobles had a strong political and social influence as they owned the estates and the people of that place would listen to them. No matter how terrifying the power of the God Dragon was, and the help it provided Shaikan in gathering the attention of the people making him the King, he couldn¡¯t rule over a nation without nobles. Even the power of a dragon had a limit. With the power which Shaikan had awakened, it was useful in maintaining the monsters or governing a noble like Duke Butler. ¡®And in order to defeat Rudolf, I have to be stronger. I can¡¯t worry about such trivial things.¡¯ Shaikan who thought that way took the bouquets gladly from the women and handed them over to the men and cousins behind him. He didn¡¯t observe the reactions of the others. There was no need to even look at them or give them an explanation. The nobles who were waiting in anticipation ended up with disappointed faces. ¡®Kuek, my third daughter is a known beauty in the capital!¡¯ ¡®Does he have eyes on someone higher?¡¯ ¡®Maybe, he already has a woman in his eyes¡­¡¯ Shaikan left the nobles to think what they wanted and entered into the castle. He was actually thinking of taking a small break and getting back to practice, but he got interrupted. ¡°You have come, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Princess Margareta.¡± A red-haired woman with a body that didn¡¯t go well. It was princess Margareta, of the Navarre Duchy. Last year, she had gone to the Baroque Empire with the intention of taking advantage of the nobles for her ambition and her Arachne Magic Tower. Unfortunately, she had to move back without being able to achieve anything major. Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t able to do much in the Rakan marquis, but she hadn¡¯t gone back to her homeland, but she waited for an opportunity to dazzle several lords and nobles with her magic. And then the civil war had broke out and she got a chance. The Western nobles with whom she tried to get in touch had collapsed much faster than expected, but then a new Orc Hero called Shaikan had emerged. It was the monster legion which had once drove her nation into the brink of destruction, but Margareta didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡®Does it matter much? Even if he did kill the family members and men of my region, if he is a tool to fulfill my ambition, then I can forgive him.¡¯ With such positive thoughts, she visited Shaikan and used illusion magic to make the nobles and lords into her slaves. Although they were still small and medium sizes estates, it was still impossible for one to ignore a total of 15 estates and people. Moreover, there was a need to get full support from the lords and nobles, so the merit which Margareta bought was no less than first-class help. In fact, she was rather quick in declaring her fondness for Shaikan. As a result, Margareta had become the most prominent candidate for Empress. Thanks to that, he didn¡¯t have to go and greet the woman with flowers. ¡°I heard you came back with a victory. Have you gotten hurt anywhere?¡± ¡°No. they were all small men.¡± He was the only man who could call the Empire¡¯s knights with words like ¡®small¡¯. ¡°Even then, you seem to be very tired.¡± ¡°I did meet a few annoying men a while back. You are as annoying as they are.¡± Despite Shaikan saying that with straight words, Margareta didn¡¯t wipe the smile off her face. Swaying her butt gently, Margareta moved to the side of Shaikan and embraced his tough arms, rubbing in her breasts. ¡°Huhuhu. You don¡¯t have to be so hard on me. I am lacking in a lot of ways, but I can make you feel comfortable and entertain you¡­¡± Margareta sweetly whispered into Shaikan¡¯s ear while tracing the chest with her fingers. However, at that time, Shaikan held her hand rather tightly. ¡°Y, Your Majesty¡­¡± ¡°You disgusting wench. Don¡¯t try to do anything to me.¡± The energy which came out of Shaikan¡¯s body was snarling around. Margareta who suddenly got hit with the energy, couldn¡¯t stop her body from trembling. ¡®Huuuu!¡¯ She was suffering without realizing it. It seemed like the huge beast in front of her would tear her apart at any moment. ¡°Did you think that I wasn¡¯t aware that you tricked those lords? If you thought that you could make me your puppet with such things, you have misunderstood where you stand.¡± ¡°P, please forgive¡­¡± Indeed Margareta was using some strong drugs to deceive Shaikan. On top of that, she was using the Charming magic. However, the Arachne Magic Tower, which is known for its deception and drugs which deceived men, didn¡¯t seem to have any effect on Shaikan. The dragons had magic which was superior to humans. Therefore, he had the ability to understand and analyze the magic as well as the ability to resist magic. Which was why Shakan wasn¡¯t affected by her drugs. ¡°I can kill you right here if I feel like it, but your works are useful to me in their own ways. However, if you do anything of such sort to me, then I will have to things worse than death for you.¡± ¡°I, I will keep that in mind¡­ please, forgive me, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°If you understand then get lost.¡± After that, Shaikan had moved away leaving Margareta behind. Even though no one was around, she wasn¡¯t able to calm her thudding heart. ¡®That was devastating. He is much more dangerous than I thought.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t ever let herself be in the same kind of situation ever again. Even Luke de Rakan wasn¡¯t enchanted with her tricks, but he never acted so violently towards her. ¡®Dangerous and a very strong man.¡¯ If she could use Shaikan¡¯s power well, then she could get what she desires. ¡®Well, the man who was indifferent to me, I want Luke de Rakan.¡¯ Margareta recalled the moment when she met Marquis Luke in the Rakan. Like the time in the Akbar Fort, she was attracted to a mysterious charm that was around him. But he silently threw her out, without acknowledging her existence. And abandoned Margareta turned her affection for Marquis Luke into hate. ¡®Hohoho! Left me, Marquis Luke. I¡¯ll make you pay the price for ridiculing me and chasing me out.¡¯ Margareta was sure of her feelings for Marquis Luke and the Rakan territory. And she was oblivious that it was Luke who did that but Sebastian who had transformed himself into Luke. Chapter 398 - Second Half of Gold Sword 1 Luke thought that he would have to understand a written book by Nanda to know about the second half of the Gold Sword. However, what Nanda said was strange. ¡°I haven¡¯t found anything regarding the sword.¡± ¡°Hold on, didn¡¯t you say that you knew about the Gold Sword?¡± ¡°Huhuhu. Of course, I did. However, not in a book form. As I said, I will be showing it to you.¡± ¡®What the hell did he say¡­?¡¯ When Luke was grunting, Nanda clasped his hands. Clap! At that moment, an unfamiliar landscape began to appear around Luke. A rocky valley that was lined with rocks, moss, and weed. Far from being a place with humans, the land was so desolate that even wild animals were hard to find. However, Luke instinctively knew that he was in a place in the Southern Continent. ¡®Where am I? This is a place I have never seen.¡¯ Memories and thoughts that were strange to himself. The landscape, which was so desolate, suddenly turned into a messy field after being struck with black lightning. Kwang! Kwang! Grrrrr! The mountains moved and the valley collapsed. When Luke was still puzzled with the sudden changes in the scenery, the voice of Nanda floated to his ears. -What you are watching isn¡¯t your memory. It is the memory of the head demon you have taken in. ¡®A head demon? Then this must be Kauren¡¯s memory!¡¯ Luke had defeated Kauren and absorbed his Magi and abilities. But it wasn¡¯t just those two he had taken. He had taken the memory of Kauren, but Luke just had no idea of doing it. It was because Luke didn¡¯t reach the level of competency to examine and use Kauren¡¯s memory and make it an asset. Among them, Nanda, who had already enlightened himself with the physical pain through long durations of practice, showed Luke his memory through an ability of ¡®Memory See Through¡¯. ¡®Kauren had been summoned here once before too? Huh? And who is that?¡¯ Luke, well, from Kauren eyes, saw an old man with black and white hair and white beard come down from the sky. The old man¡¯s entire body and face were red, and his body was giving out energy that soon stretched out. ¡®It is strong and not an ordinary skill!¡¯ Luke was able to guess how strong the old man was because he could feel how Kauren had felt on that occasion. When he was trying to measure the skills of the old man, a sharp voice popped out. ¡°This is the world where humans live! An evil demon like you has no place to stay here, so go away!¡± The old man yelled and pulled out his sword that had a round hilt. He began to wield his sword and attack Kauren. Kauren went against the old man with his battle-ax or using his Thunder Blinger. Watching the fierce battle, Luke shook his head. ¡®He is one great elderly man. He is all alone fighting against the demon general Kauren!¡¯ Luke had previously witnessed Emperor Rudolf fight with Kauren. At that time, Rudolf fought on an equal level against Kauren with his unique Superhero class Gigant, Kaizer, which had an output of 6,000 fight. However, the man Luke was looking at was using just one sword to attack Kauren, and he managed to deal damage on Kauren that was much stronger than that of a Gigant. ¡®Such a strong man in the Southern Continent, the world is really unique!¡¯ He was thinking that the old man there might be much stronger than the mighty Sword Emperor Rakan and that with such skill, he could surely defeat Arsene who had turned himself into a Lich. Amazed at his skills, Luke watched the battle with fascination. ¡°With the light of the Sun, I will cut the unclean! Gold Light God Sword!¡± ¡®No, that sword skills is¡­¡¯ For a moment, the fencing of the old man changed. The problem was that Luke knew about the sword. Although the manner and the method were slightly modified, it was clear that it was the Gold Sword. At first, he had used the first half of the sword, and then an unfamiliar movement appeared. ¡®This is similar to what Rudolf did. Then, this is the second half!¡¯ Luke was blindly looking at the sword of the old man. The fight between the old man and Kauren continued over three days and nights. But at some point, the old man started to get pushed. Although strong, a human¡¯s body is susceptible to being worn out¡­ Well, there was a limit for how long the aura could be used, and the opponent was a high ranking demon from the Devildom, who would never get tired. The old man, who continued to push, knew that there was nothing else he could do and gathered the aura once again. Kwang! The old man¡¯s sword split Kauren¡¯s battle-ax and his face. Kauren, who was seriously injured by the old man and was scared of getting killed by the old man¡¯s next strike, fled back to Devildom. However, the old man¡¯s condition was poor. No, he was desperate. The old man, who had exhausted all of his energy, collapsed. However, the thought of not being able to save the world from a devil, the man died with a sad face. That was the extent of Kauren¡¯s memory. Chapter 399 - Second Half of Gold Sword 2 ¡®That was just half of the sword skill.¡¯ After a brief moment of appreciating the old man, Luke opened his eyes and spoke to Saint Nanda, ¡°I understand now. You meant to say that I need to learn the sword skill from the old man who was in Kauren¡¯s memory.¡± ¡°I showed everything that I could show you. It is up to the man to decide on where to use and how to get there.¡± At the words of Nanda, Luke nodded his head cause he understood. ¡®It is enough. No, even if it isn¡¯t enough, I will have to manage.¡¯ The old man constantly used the Gold Sword several times while fighting Kauren. The gold sword, which was called the Gold Light God Sword was much more complete than Gregory¡¯s research, and it seemed much more detailed and powerful than the time Rudolf used it. After analyzing it, that seemed to be enough to master the latter part of the Gold Sword. However, just a few more questions remained. ¡°You seem to be curious about something,¡± asked Nanda. ¡°Exactly. What is the identity of the old man who was fighting Kauren? He seems to be like someone who is famous in the Southern Continent.¡± ¡°He is Yeon Ga-ram or the Sword King. He is from Yemaek. An absolute master who is known to have reached the highest point.¡± ¡°A Sword King¡­ He looked like it. He should be a Sword King.¡± Luke nodded. He had heard about the legendary masters¡ªSword King, Spear King, or Martial King¡ªof the Southern Continent from Hwang Bo-sung. There were people of the same sort, and people of different ages, so it was unknown as to who was the strongest and the weakest. However, from the story he heard from Hwang Bo-sung the Absolute Master meant a stage below the peak, and it was said to be more than the Sword Sage title of the Rhodesia Continent. At first, he thought that maybe the terms were mixed, but when he looked at the old man, his hope was gone. Well, seeing the old man, the stage of Absolute seemed to be much stronger than the story Hwang Bo-sung had told him. ¡®Isn¡¯t there a Red Dragon King, Lee Yong-mu, who has reached the Absolute Master in the Southern Continent?¡¯ Luke was thinking about meeting the man one day. ¡°But, I am concerned about how to learn the Gold Sword.¡± In the past, Rogers said that the second half of the Gold Sword was still in the family until 400 years ago. It was recorded in their books that the first half and the second half, the skills of the Gold Sword, were lost when their Lord back then was assassinated during a war. Fortunately, the first half of the sword was left behind as the son of Rakan¡¯s previous Lord was interested to learn it. ¡®Considering how Rudolf had used the Gold Sword, the Baroque Imperial family must have been the ones to issue the assassination of Rakan¡¯s previous Lord and stole it.¡¯ Even then, Luke still couldn¡¯t understand how the skill reached the Southern Continent. That was when Nanda said the story. ¡°Hmm, it could be related.¡± More than 200 years ago, merchants from the Rhodesia Continent began to visit the Southern Continent to trade. At that time, the merchant that visited wanted to make a good impression on the Song Empire¡¯s Emperor, so he wanted to give him a Gigant. ¡°That is something I know too. Worried that they had invaded the empire with such a weapon, the Zegal clan created the Puppet to fight it.¡± ¡°It seems like you are well aware. And in addition, the Emperor was curious about the extent of the northern military force, so he sent a lot of spies to investigate on the matter.¡± And among the spies who were dispatched was someone called the ¡®Shadowless God¡¯. He was known to be stealthy and quick. He wasn¡¯t just someone who stole the money of the denominations, but he also became trouble for the Imperial Palace. ¡°After chasing him for 20 years, the man got caught, but even though he was a sinner, the Emperor had given him a chance to cleanse himself. That was to become a spy and go to the Northern Continent,¡± said Nanda. The Shadowless God faithfully fulfilled the Emperor¡¯s orders. He came back with information about the Gigants, the military power of the north, and the excellent knights and the swordsman they had. ¡°The Emperor was delighted to know that such valuable information was brought in by the Shadowless God. However, on the other hand, he was concerned that the Shadowless God would tell the other nobles in his empire about that information.¡± ¡°He must have tried to get him killed,¡± said Luke. The Shadowless God wasn¡¯t dull enough to not notice that. He fled immediately. However, his whereabouts were known to the public. ¡°And this time, it wasn¡¯t just the Imperial family, but the Moorim clans also chased him. It was because the rumors spread about him secretly learning the sword skill of the Emperor of the North.¡± ¡®No, the Gold Sword¡­?¡¯ Wasn¡¯t the sword skill used by the Emperor of the Northern Continent the Gold Sword that was secretly stolen by the Baroque Imperial family? Just as Luke guessed, Nanda¡¯s story continued, ¡°Later, it was known that the Shadowless God left the Song Empire and hid in the mountains of Yemaek. The people there had protected him.¡± ¡®I guess so. Was it spread like that?¡¯ Yeon Ga-ram, the Sword King, was a man of the mountains. Apparently, to build up a relationship with the men and himself, the Shadowless God couldn¡¯t give them the Gold Sword to gain their favor. ¡°Is your curiosity satisfied now?¡± ¡°To an extent. But I still have another question.¡± Something which was more important than the flow of the Gold Sword. Luke, looking at Nanda with admiration, asked the question, ¡°How in the world are you able to show me the memories of the demons in my body? Are you a messenger of God or a real Saint?¡± Nanda shook his head. ¡°Oh my! I am not that kind of person! I just gained a few talents by repeating the teachings of the world.¡± ¡°That small talent¡­ Can I learn it too?¡± ¡°Of course, but you might not be able to.¡± At the answer of Nanda, Luke was dumbfounded. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°To learn about such things, you need to throw away your lustful thoughts. However, you are a person who emphasizes on relation rather than throwing away such thoughts and seeking enlightenment.¡± ¡°A relation¡­¡± The moment Nanda said that, Luke recalled Reina. If reincarnation existed like the Southern Continent was saying, then she surely was the reincarnation of Katarina. ¡°Your ties are clearly connected to the past. Roundabout life is how the world works, and there is no guarantee that similar things of the past will not repeat themselves in the current time.¡± ¡°S-similar things?¡± Luke was shocked. ¡°A twist in fate by those who are blind with greed. Though different from the past, it is still dangerous.¡± ¡®Surely¡­ it is dangerous.¡¯ Unlike Katarina of 500 years ago, Reina was in a topmost position in the Holy Arthenia Empire¡ªthe Pope. No one could dare use her for political reasons. However, she wasn¡¯t in need of power, and there were forces against her. There were oppositions in the Holy Empire such as Arch Bishop Constantine and Count Marcus. They were known to have fallen after the Civil War, but they weren¡¯t eliminated, and he was constantly looking for an opportunity to corner Reina. As evidence, some priests even raised their voices, saying that the Pope had to be tested. Hearing the rumors that were being spread by Nanas, the opposition was using them rather strongly. ¡®Even then, she had Arch Duke Gregory¡­ But, I can¡¯t just keep on placing the burden on him. Those who want power will use any means possible.¡¯ For example, the oppositions could be willing to attract foreign powers, or Arsene could secretly propose a cooperation with them. ¡®The most troublesome opponent for the Lich Arsene will be the Holy Empire. So, the more the Empire was in chaos, the more advantage he will have.¡¯ The thought itself made Luke angry, but it was possible for the greedy to fall into the trap of Arsene. And by assassinating Reina, he would like to instill confusion into the Empire. ¡°How can I prevent that?¡± ¡°The answer is simple. You already know it.¡± At the words of Nanda, Luke thought for a while and nodded. ¡°I need to get stronger.¡± ¡°Exactly. You already possess enough power, but you can¡¯t put them to proper use. Which was why you couldn¡¯t bring down Arsene.¡± ¡°To use my power in a proper manner¡­¡± He thought of what he did during his fight with Arsene. Dark and white magic, demon abilities, and the Gold Sword. He had to unite all of his strengths and abilities into one category. It was simple in words, but achieving it was close to impossible. No one had done it. ¡®But, I need to do it.¡¯ To defeat Arsene and not meet the same fate he had in the past, Luke wanted to get much stronger. Chapter 400 - Second Half of Gold Sword 3 A few days later, thousands of Eorim troops had arrived at the Zegal clan. Even though it wasn¡¯t known clearly, the troops were all flustered to know that the Zegal Clan had been relentlessly attacked. As a result, as soon as they arrived, they checked the comfort of Jo Won-rak and wiped out the concerns of their hearts. ¡°General, we are very sorry to have reached so late.¡± The lieutenant general who had led the Eorim troops knelt in front of Zegal Hui and apologized. Instead of scolding the man, Zegal Hui asked him. ¡°Did the information reach you very late?¡± ¡°Yes, Senior General too was very angry with it.¡± ¡°Did you figure out the reason?¡± ¡°It was said that there were way too many telegrams flying into the Imperial Palace, so it took time to confirm it.¡± At the response of the lieutenant, Zegal Hui didn¡¯t seem to understand. It was natural for the Imperial Palace to have numerous telegrams flying in. in addition to the military communications, there were also constant reports of the local officials and the spies at home nations and abroad sending information. However, in the case of Eorim troops, they were treated as the priority unit for the well-being of the imperial, and because there was a separated Zen user when it came to contact, so such an excuse wouldn¡¯t work. ¡®It is clear that someone had intentionally delayed the contact. Perhaps, the one who had a part with those who attacked us.¡¯ Zegal Hui decided to get back to the Imperial palace and find out more about it. That was when a lieutenant talked to him. ¡°But we heard that you were injured, are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes, it was thanks to the grace who suddenly came for me.¡± During his stay at the Zegal Clan, Luke healed Zegal Hui and some of the surviving men of Eorim. He absorbed all the Magi in their body with the help of Black Bind. ¡°I will go and tell my goodbyes to the Grace. In the meantime, please have the 3rd crown prince ready for departure.¡± ¡°Yes, General.¡± It was possible that the masked men would aim for the 3rd crown prince once again, but this time there were thousands of elite Eorim troops ready to save him. ¡®But even then, we can never be too careful, we might need to pick up a soldier and ask him to play the role of the 3rd crown prince.¡¯ Zegal Hui, who was thinking about the possible obstacles in their journey, left the lieutenants and went to Luke¡¯s resting quarters. Luke, who in the front yard of his quarters was holding a wooden sword and struggling with Hwang Bo-sung. Grrrng! Kwang! Swoosh! It was a training match with a wooden sword and bare hand, but the noise which came from their clashes wasn¡¯t normal, because both of them were trying to grow stronger. ¡®Surely the fist and skill of Hwang Bo-sung are great. But the sword skill of the Grace is hardcore.¡¯ Zegal Hui was more interested in Luke¡¯s sword skills than Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s martial skills. He too was a man with a sword, but there was a reason for it. ¡®I think I have seen it before¡­¡¯ Even the first time he met him, when he saw Luke cut through the Lich with the Gold aura, it wasn¡¯t like seeing something unfamiliar. It didn¡¯t seem to be used the way he thought. And at one point, he was surprised to see Luke¡¯s sword change. ¡®T, that is..!¡¯ That was when it struck him. 25 years back, Zegal Hui, who newly appointed to the Eorim troops, had witnessed a match. The main ones of the match were Lee Yong-mu the Red Dragon King and Yeon Ga-ram, who was known to be the Absolute Master of the sword in Kang Ho. At that time, Zegal Hui was completely fascinated with Yeon Ga-ram¡¯s unknown swords skills. In particular, he wasn¡¯t able to forget the man who had defeated Lee Yong-mu. ¡®There is no mistake! That is the Gold Light God sword. How did his Grace know of that?¡¯ The Gold Light God Sword was known in the Kang Ho region and was only taught to the swordsmen of that region. However, it wasn¡¯t sure as to how Luke, from the northern continent, was using it. Thud! While Zegal Hui was in doubt, Luke was attacked by Hwang Bo-sung and fell down on the ground. ¡°Master, what am I supposed to do if you show a gap?¡± ¡°Tch, that was a mistake. I guess I shouldn¡¯t have done that in that situation.¡± Luke was demonstrating the Gold Light God Sword, well, the second part of the Gold Sword to be exact. However, he still wasn¡¯t able to deal with the Fist Master, Hwang Bo-sung even with his freshly acquired sword skills. ¡°This is more difficult than I thought.¡± Luke, who adjusted his clothes and got up looked over at Zegal Hui. He already noticed that the man had come. And the fact that he was watching Luke. ¡°What is it, General Zegal Hui? I did hear that you were heading back to the Imperial palace with the Eorim troops?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. I was, which was why I wanted to say my goodbyes. And the Grace too is heading back to his home, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Actually I was preparing for a very long journey, but thanks to an extraordinary person, I don¡¯t have to concern myself with it.¡± It would usually take around one month to get from the Southern continent to the northern continent, even with the help of the fastest trading line. And if they encountered a typhoon or heavy rain in the middle, it would take a lot more time. Which was why Nanda, promised to send Luke to the Rakan estates by using his skill of God Step, which could send one over to another place in the blink of an eye. He knew that Luke had little time, so he planned on helping Luke as much as he could. ¡°That is good. But can I ask you what the sword skill you just showed was?¡± ¡°Ah, are you talking about this? It is a sword skill passed down in my family, it is called the Gold Sword.¡± ¡°Gold Sword¡­¡± ¡°Since it is difficult to master, I haven¡¯t been able to use it yet.¡± Luke didn¡¯t say anything more about it. It was because Zegal Hui¡¯s eyes were twinkling like crazy. If he had explained it elaborately and the man wanted it, then it would turn troublesome for Luke to teach it. And as expected, Zegal Hui was fighting between temptations. Luke was mastering the sword skill of the man he looked up to. And he wasn¡¯t in Eorim troops but stayed as a warrior in Kang Ho, but he might have immediately asked Luke to take him under his wing. Still, unable to give up, he asked here and there. ¡°If there is any chance later, please drop by. I will prepare the best sake and wait.¡± ¡°Surely. If time permits I will visit you.¡± Luke didn¡¯t just lightly take the request of Zega Hui, but he had actually taken the words very seriously. In the huge region of Song Empire, there was a man called Lee Yong-mu, the Red Dragon King. If Luke had a chance, he definitely wanted to meet him and he was the only Absolute Master in existence. However, Zegal Hui didn¡¯t know of Luke¡¯s thoughts. His head was already full of regret for sending away Luke. ¡®I can¡¯t just let him go like this!¡¯ Zegal Hui, who couldn¡¯t shake of the feeling of regret for losing the Gold Light God Sword, had a thought which passed his mind. Chapter 401 - Second Half of Gold Sword 4 Zegal Moon gathered the elders and the senior figures in the clan, which included Zegal Shin, Do, and Soha, and shared their thoughts and opinions for their future. A few coarse things were mentioned, including the tracking of the unidentified assailants, restoring the severely damaged clan, and how to respond if such attacks happen once again in the future. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Hyung, this is Hui. Can I come in for a moment?¡± At the sudden interruption of their meeting, Zegal Moon who was puzzled nodded his head. ¡°Yes, enter.¡± After a second, the door opened and Zegal Hui entered. ¡°You should be busy packing up, why are you here?¡± ¡°I have something to tell you, brother.¡± Zegal Hui went close to him and told about the sword skill which he saw Luke perform. ¡°The Grace is learning the Gold Light God Sword?¡± ¡°Yes, he said that it was a skill of his family and called Gold Sword, but it is definitely the Gold Light God Sword.¡± ¡°Uh, that¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t just Zegal moon but everyone else who were amazed with Zegal Hui¡¯s words. ¡°Maybe the Grace was a disciple?¡± At the response to Zegal Soha¡¯s question, Zegal Moon shook his head and answered. ¡°It can¡¯t be. The Grace said that it was his first time coming here.¡± ¡°Then there could be some other reason.¡± When the two people were talking, Zegal Do asked them with an excited face. ¡°Hyung, why don¡¯t we ask him to stay, just a little longer?¡± ¡°That will be difficult. The Grace is involved in an urgent situation, can we ask him like this? And there is no such thing that we will be able to get the sword skill by just holding him here, right? And he said it was his family skill?¡± A family skill meant that it was a secret skill that was passed down only to the family members. And Zegal clan, which had the most tightly shut doors in the Kang Ho region, would be unaware of the truth. ¡°But we can¡¯t just give up. That is the Sword King¡¯s sword skill. It is known that the guardians of the Song Empire, as well as the ancestors of the Yemaek too, didn¡¯t manage to learn the Gold Light God Sword skill.¡± ¡°That is right, chief. Haven¡¯t we decided that the successor for that apostate has appeared? We might have to fight him again, so we need to prepare ourselves.¡± The elders too raised their voices saying that they should learn the sword skill. That when an old man, who listened to it, asked. ¡°Then, how about doing this? Watching closely when the Grace is practicing.¡± Learning by themselves was never an easy task, but seeing with eyes can help to an extent. And that itself could be a tremendous help in the progress of the sword skill of the Zegal clan. ¡°But will the Grace allow it?¡± ¡°Rather than making it seem like a request, ask him directly. And Zegal Shin is the right person to witness the sword.¡± At the words of the elder, Zegal Hui nodded. With a talent for swordsmanship, his cousin was far superior to him. And Zegal Shin had great eyesight and strong memories, and he had been a swordsman till a very young age. However, Zegal Shin opposed it. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why so?¡± ¡°To see the sword skill, I will have to follow the Grace everywhere. And I might have to go to the northern continent, and I can¡¯t leave the clan for long.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°And I already accepted the request of Saint Nanda. And to follow that, I need to remain in the Song Empire.¡± Three days prior to the arrival of Eorim troops, Zegal Shin met with Nanda because he wanted to talk about the ability Luke used to fight Arsene. And luckily, Nanda replied that he had no intention of jeopardizing the clan or creating trouble for them. However, when Shin thought that a problem had been solved, Nanda had an unexpected request. ¡°There is an unusual wind flowing. This time you might have to accompany the 3rd crown prince and the thousands of men to get rid of the darkness which had dug itself deep into the ground. Only then can the imperial family, this nation, and your clan enjoy peace.¡± He would have ignored if it was some other person, but the man was Nanda, a highly respected priest. Zegal Shin was truly attracted to the Gold Light God Sword, but he didn¡¯t want to follow Luke by ignoring Nanda¡¯s words. ¡°Oh, with Zegal Shin refusing, there isn¡¯t anyone else who can learn with just seeing¡­¡± ¡°Why so? There is another one in here who can learn from seeing.¡± With the words of the elder saying there was none, everyone in the room turned their eyes to the young voice which contradicted his words. It was Zegal Soha, the youngest of the clan elders. ¡°I don¡¯t think that my eyes are any less than my brother. In addition, I don¡¯t feel like comparing myself with the elders, but I work hard.¡± ¡°No way, the Border Guard¡¯s head will leave?¡± ¡°This is something we normally do in the guards. Plus, this is a grave matter, so I need to do it.¡± They could just refute to Zegal Soha¡¯s words. She too was a master when it came to swords. She was good at martial skills and Zen, and as the head of a division, she was the best person to do it. However, Zegal Moon noticed that Soha wasn¡¯t just in it because of the Gold Light God Sword. ¡®Huhu. You are just going to follow the Grace for yourself.¡¯ Surprisingly, Soha seemed to have taken a liking to Luke. And Zegal Moon didn¡¯t seem to be against it. It was very common in the Kang Ho to use weddings as a political stance between clans. Although Luke was known to be a man from the far northern continent, he had a mysterious ability to revive the Iron Core forest and the blood of a great warrior. Considering how he fought against the evil without getting killed, having ties with him was nothing bad. Moreover, the Gold Light God Sword, no, the Gold Sword was said to be a skill which was passed in his family. If things went well, there would be no need to see and learn. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll leave this to Soha. However, since you might be gone for very long, we will have to take down the Border Guard¡¯s head position from you.¡± ¡°Ah! Thank you, brother. Uh, Chief!¡± The person who would bring back the Gold Light God Sword was decided to be Zegal Soha. A few elders seemed to be overwhelmed to it, but none of them expressed their opposition. The day after the 3rd crown prince, Jo Won-rak¡¯s party left, Luke too had gone to the Zegal clan so he could return back to the Rakan Estates. ¡®I came here really sudden, but what I got back was very high too.¡¯ First, the problem of the Iron Core was solved, and he obtained the second half of the Gold Sword. And when he goes back to the nagging retainers, if he informs them of this, they would be very happy. ¡®And the third, I know how good my enemy is.¡¯ Luke had two enemies. It was the Duke of the Baroque and the Veritas Magic tower, who had taken away his beloved 500 years back and led into his ruin. Among them, Rudolf, the descendant of the Baroque Duke, whose skills were aware of the fight he had with the demon Kauren. He needed to know about Arsene, but this time, he was able to know it all well. Arsene¡¯s ability to constantly grow over the 500 years was truly astonishing. In addition, he learned the technique of the apostasy which had long disappeared from the southern continent. The day after getting treated by Nanda, he was able to confirm it while talking to Zegal Moon. ¡®When I think about the fight in the future, knowing his current level is of great help. I will make sure to get rid of him the next time!¡¯ When Luke was truly determined, the clan¡¯s masters, including Zegal Moon had come to send him off. ¡°Did the Grace take care of the Iron core?¡± ¡°I put them in the safest place.¡± Luke lifted his bracelet to show. In the subspace of the bracelet, he had stocked the Iron Core of the Zegal clan. ¡°Even though the Grace might not need, the Iron Core can be used for many purposes. So, would you like to have someone to advise me?¡± ¡®What? Advice?¡¯ A woman stepped forward while Luke was still not sure. ¡°She is my youngest sister¡­¡± ¡°I am Zegal Soha. Although no comparable to my brother, I will still do my very best to help the Grace with the Zen skills that I know of.¡± Soha¡¯s expression said that she had a lot of expectations from Luke. And Luke managed to understand the intention of the Zegal Clan. ¡®The favor is clearly too much. They surely have a different purpose.¡¯ Luke knew that the Zegal clan was a very closely-knit clan. Moreover, she was one of the very few masters that the Zegal clan had. There was no way one would be willing to send away a talented person of their clan, especially when they suffered a huge damage from Arsene¡¯s attacks. ¡®Thinking how Zegal Hui was acting, their goal needs to be the Gold Sword.¡¯ The Gold Sword was already passed onto a few knights, and Philip was one of them. Luke had no intention of hiding it either. Rather, when he got the second half of the sword he was planning on informing Baron Rogers and Arch Duke Gregory about it. Normally, people upheld the Gold Sword as the ultimate, but for Luke, it was one of the many abilities. And the more people who master the Gold Sword, the better chance he had when fighting his enemies. ¡®When they steal and learn, I just don¡¯t want them to bother me.¡¯ Luke who knew it, accepted the so-called favor of Zegal Moon, making it look like he respected the thoughts of the clan. ¡°Thank you very much for your concern.¡± ¡°This is nothing compared to the Iron Core forest restoration which the Grace had done and how you protected the clan.¡± After talking with Luke, Zegal Moon turned to Hwang Bo-sung. ¡°Sir Hwang Bo-sung too will be leaving with Grace?¡± ¡°Yes, I am currently the retainer of the Marquis Rakan.¡± Zegal Moon could see Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s resolve. Not only was the man away from creating any trouble to the Hwang Bo clan, but he also seemed to have no determination to know the future of the words of the clan. ¡®If it turns out that the Hwang Bo clan is behind the attack on the 3rd crown prince, they will be punished for hurting our clan. If one thinks about that, it is better to stay away from the clan.¡¯ Zegal Moon was certain that Hwang Bo clan was behind the raid. If the 3rd crown prince disappeared, it was most likely Jo Won-gyun to rise to the next in line for the Emperor. They, the clan was trying to capture the masked men to punish the Hwang Bo clan who attacked the 3rd Crown prince and the Zegal clan. ¡®It is a pity that the martial arts of the Martial King are cut off from the Song Empire, but if this is the will of the heaven, it is inevitable.¡¯ Zegal Moon, who thought so didn¡¯t stop Hwang Bo-sung. ¡°Oh well, let¡¯s stop this all.¡± Luke nodded at the words of Nanda who was waiting to send them off. He, Hwang Bo-sung, and Zegal Soha approached while Nanda had both hands clasped tightly. Clap! With the clap of hands, the three people disappeared from the sight of the Zegal clan. ¡®Grace, please look after our Soha.¡¯ Looking at the spot where Luke and his party disappeared, Zegal Moon left after taking a few deep sighs. There was a lot of work that had to be done for the future of the clan, so he had no time to waste on feeling sad for parting with his family. Chapter 402 - Second Half of Gold Sword 5 ¡°Dammit! That bastard!¡± Clang Clang! The Hwang Bo clan, which had a manor in the center of their clan, kept sounding with curses for several days. It was Hwang Bo-kwang. He had been making a mess in the room. He had been showing signs of nervous breakdown ever since the masked men and Gwan-chang had returned from their failed invasion. The reasons were many. Well, they failed to assassinate Jo Won-rak and went on a raid that almost wiped them all out. In addition, all the forces passed to him by Arsene were lost. And the most troubling thing, the most irritating and frustrating thing. ¡®Hwang Bo-sung, that brat is still alive! He came back alive!¡¯ When he heard from Gwang-chang, Hwang Bo-kwang thought that he might have gone crazy. With the truth known, he couldn¡¯t just fall and become brokenhearted just because the former successor came back. The previous chief of the Hwang Bo clan had completely lost motivation to talk, so he would never speak out. But there were still many elderly men in the clan who followed Hwang Bo-sung, and he had a lot of friends in Kang Ho. ¡°Kuek! That leech! Why didn¡¯t he just die? Why does he have to come back here?! Why?!¡± There was a young man who was secretly watching Hwang Bo-kwang, who was screaming out in anger from the ceiling. He had infiltrated the masked men warriors and entered. He quietly passed through the pavilion before entering the warehouse that was at the corner of the manor. There were men who were waiting for him back in the warehouse. ¡°You have come, second master.¡± ¡°I am sorry. Did you wait long?¡± The man who entered the warehouse was Hwang Bo-yun¡ªthe famous son of the Hwang Bo clan. He was known to enjoy his alcohol, women and gambling. ¡°Did you figure out what the first master is up to?¡± Hwang Bo-yun, who served as the manager for the manor in the past, smiled and said, ¡°Zegal clan has twisted them, so he isn¡¯t sure how to rectify it.¡± ¡°Hmm, surely they would¡­¡± Hwang Bo-yun¡¯s party was very secretly yet actively keeping an eye of Hwang Bo-kwang and were keeping their eyes open on what was happening outside the clan. Although it was all unknown to the world, Hwang Bo-yun was the head of the Haomun, the largest organization in the Kang Ho region. Hwang Bo-yun had naturally gotten involved with her because his mother, a former prostitute, was an intelligence agent in Haomun. And in fact, he was just pretending to spend money on his worldly desires to avoid being under Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s radar. He was also doing that to strengthen his position in the Haomun. And his investment, which began with his ambition of becoming the head of Kang Ho¡¯s top intelligence organization, wasn¡¯t in vain. Thanks to that, it was possible to build a considerable network of information, and Hwang Bo-kwang in many ways, when it came to a fight against the forces of Moorim, the government and the Imperial. If things were released in hurry, they would disappear quickly too. ¡°He will surely secure something with the Zegal clan, but my brother will not stand getting pushed.¡± ¡°I think so too. Whether to cut tails or make the other religions cover the charges, he will surely.¡± At the words of Jin Cheon, Hwang Bo-yun nodded. He already knew that Hwang Bo-kwang would make himself look like he was a victim. ¡°That is all okay¡­ Sung is alive.¡± ¡°Sung?¡± ¡°My brother, Hwang Bo-sung.¡± Du-ddu Upon hearing what Hwang Bo-yun said, all the men in the warehouse were shocked. ¡°M-master¡­ Is that true?¡± Jin Cheon¡¯s voice rang in the warehouse. Even after hearing the news about Hwang Bo-sung, whom he considered as his grandson and he thought was dead, he directly drove to the Rhodesia Continent to confirm. Yet he had never thrown away the hope that he might be alive. But, Hwang Bo-sung was still alive¡­! ¡°I¡¯m certain. Among the guests who visited the Zegal clan, there were reports of unidentified people, and the next reports, which occurred during the raid, said that they saw the Puppet that had Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s mark and presumed it to be the former head.¡± But that wasn¡¯t enough to confirm. Most of the information that usually came into Haomun was exaggerated or unclear because too many spoke about it. However, it was all thanks to Hwang Bo-kwang, who had screamed out loud a while back, that they could confirm it. ¡°If he is alive¡­ If the 3rd master is still alive¡­¡± ¡°We need to bring him. If you let your hyung run this clan like this, this family will fall.¡± Hwang Bo-yun had no intention of inheriting the Hwang Bo clan. It wasn¡¯t that he lacked something. He just didn¡¯t have the talent to use Hwang Bo clan¡¯s martial arts. Rather, Haomun¡¯s martial arts, which specialized in the field of spying, fit his character better. As a result of constantly doing that, he was able to become one of the best masters in stealth and speed in the Kang Ho region. However, he had no intention of abandoning the clan and his family. The same was true for Jin Cheon or the others who knew of the existence of the man. ¡°I will go to the Zegal Clan and bring in the third master.¡± ¡°Jin Cheon, stay calm. If you act quickly, people will notice us. I know how you feel, but to do this, we will have to keep our emotions under control.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°And you have been under surveillance since the last time you went for a voyage by my brother. We¡¯ll think of a way to go out naturally, so make sure to wait.¡± ¡°Understood. However, please don¡¯t ask me to wait too much.¡± Jin Cheon, who was convinced about Hwang Bo-yun¡¯s persuasion, held his sad heart, believing that he would soon see Hwang Bo-sung. But he never imagined that such an encounter would take place much later. Chapter 403 - Split of the Imperial 1 ¡°What? The neutrals declared a nation?¡± Count Ferrero, who was defending the Gorn Fort, faced unexpected news and was dumbfounded. ¡®How the hell did that happen?¡¯ The neutral nobles he knew weren¡¯t favoring the Emperor nor the noblemen but were united under a single force. All they had to do was stay neutral and chatter without getting the attention of both predominant sides. And he understood their function very well since Count Ferrero was in a neutral group in the past. Now he was beside Emperor Rudolf since the Emperor himself asked for him. ¡°Tell me everything that happened in detail!¡± At the cold question from him, the lieutenant responded, ¡°A report came in from a messenger a while back which showed that the western army remnants and the neutral nobles joined hands with Orc Hero Shaikan who declared himself as the King.¡± ¡°Orc Hero Shaikan?¡± Ferrero had heard the name before. A few years back, there was a monster legion that caused destruction into the Navarre Duchy. And he did get the news that after entering the Baroque Empire it was struggling. ¡®But, why did the neutral ones choose a monster as a King?¡¯ The lieutenant, who saw the doubt on Ferrero¡¯s face, explained quickly, ¡°Well, it was said that Shaikan isn¡¯t a monster but a human. In addition, the neutral nobles claim that he was the long-time missing Reichard de Baroque¡­¡± ¡°W-what?!¡± This was the second time that Count Ferrero was shocked. When he was still young, he had escorted the young Prince Reichard briefly. So, when Prince Reichard went missing along with the queen, he felt sorry. But that same kid was still alive and not dead! ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t been confirmed yet, but there are rumors that Shaikan has awakened the God Dragon¡¯s blood.¡± ¡°Uhu, the God Dragon¡¯s power?¡± There was a rumor that was handed down to the Baroque family. He who awakens the power of the God Dragon would make the continent of Rhodesia kneel. If that was true, then Shaikan was mostly likely Prince Reichard. No, that was certain. ¡°And His Majesty?¡± ¡°He is advancing to their place, the root of rebellion. However, with the troops being distributed because of the western territories¡¯ occupation and the strong monsters, their advances are breaking down and the Gigants are getting damaged in the process.¡± ¡°Hm, this civil war will not be easy to end.¡± Count Ferrero realized that Emperor Rudolf¡¯s plan had been distorted by the sudden appearance of the 3rd crown prince, Reichard. And if such things happened, then their operation in the fort had to change. ¡°Put in the reserve forces to counter-attack right¡­¡± When Count Ferrero was about to give out orders¡­ Boom! A huge explosion rang, distorting the gates. ¡°Now is the time to move slowly.¡± Scarlet and her men had disguised themselves as mercenaries a few days back and infiltrated the Gorn Fort. The Gorn Fort was being supplied with materials and troops once every three days from a nearby province, and they infiltrated the supply unit. Her mission was to make the civil war a disaster for both sides instead of it being tilted to one side. It was the order of Marquis Luke who had suddenly gone to the Southern Continent. According to the chief commander of the army, Rogers, the selected knights of the estates who could infiltrate and operate and were dispatched into the front lines of Southern forces and the Central Army. At first, the Southern Army was fiercely attacking the forts with a strong momentum. However, as Count Ferrero responded calmly, their attempts failed. ¡°We need to do this ourselves. If left unchanged, the Southern Army will face a counter-attack and not be able to pass the Variand Mountains.¡± At Scarlet¡¯s words, a knight who had followed her since her departure from Albertville Estate nodded and replied, ¡°Well, these people are nobles by mouth and cheap in actions.¡± Marquis Mayers was a typical political noble unlike Duke Butler. Good at tactics, gathering forces making propaganda, but was very far when it came to implementing. So, even after dispatching several troops under him to attack the Gorn Fort, they were still unable to occupy any forts in the Variand Mountains. ¡°Even I think they are too pathetic. If he didn¡¯t have the abilities, he should have at least operated and asked the nobles under him to take his role in the war¡­¡± ¡°Unlike our Lord, he seems to be a doubtful and greedy noble.¡± For a while, Scarlet and the knight chewed up Marquis Mayers and then decided to move after gathering enough information. Their plan was simple. They decided to make the situation that the Southern Army wanted. Scarlet¡¯s party, which strayed from the assigned location, came to a place that wasn¡¯t that far from the fort¡¯s gate and hid. Scarlet pulled on her bow, aiming at the forehead of the soldiers who were guarding the gates. Whoosh! The string, which seemed to have been made of Ergen Alloy, got pulled and bent. A brilliant light gathered between the bow and the arrow. The identity of the light was Aether. After coming under the wing of Luke, she learned how to use Aether and continued to train afterward even though Luke didn¡¯t supervise her anymore. And the outcome was what was happening. As the Aether arrow began to take a clear shape, mana and other energies around her began to get sucked at the fingertips of Scarlet. ¡°W-what is happening?¡± ¡°M-mana is shaking!¡± The knights and the war mages near the gate were surprised at the lack of mana and looked around. However, they were already too late. Scarlet had an evil smile on her and let go of the string. Kwakwakwak! As if a dragon roared, the Aether arrow flew through the air and hit the gate. Kwang! The fort¡¯s gate, which was lined with several layers of steel to be protected from force and magic, exploded when the strong power of Aether hit it. All the protection magic on the fort got destroyed at once. Debris scattered all around, and the guards of the fort that were inside the gate got struck by lightning. ¡°Kauk!¡± ¡°Kuk!¡± ¡°W-what is this?!¡± The knights and infantry that were hit by the fragments and debris screamed, and the nearby Gigants that were covered in dust were unable to move. As a result, the vicinity of the castle gate was separated in half. ¡°Now is the time. Secure the gates!¡± Knights and soldiers of Marquis Rakan, disguised as Scarlet¡¯s mercenaries, ran toward the gate upon hearing the orders. They randomly cut into the fort and seized the gates. ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°It is the enemy! Hurry up and stop them!¡± The chaos overlapped, and the guards of the fort, who were trapped for a while, finally got back their senses and tried to stop the party of Scarlet. The Gigants attacked as well. However, Scarlet kept releasing the arrows of Aether toward them. It was less powerful than the one that smashed the gate, but it was still enough to wipe out dozens of soldiers and knights or to kill the riders of the Gigants by aiming at the Gigants¡¯ breastplate. When the infantry and the Gigants were blocked, the fort¡¯s defense forces began to be terrified. ¡°What are you doing?! If the gate falls into the hands of the enemy, it will turn into a loss for us! Stop them right away!¡± At the scream of the commander, the soldiers began to flock to the gate. However, they were already too late. The Gigant troops and the cavalry soldiers of the Southern Army, who understood the situation, began to pour in through the blasted gate. Chapter 404 - Split of the Imperial 2 ¡°Wh, what was that?!¡± The commander of the Gorn fort, who saw the gates of the fort being attacked was wide-eyed with tears. ¡®How did this happen? Did the gunpowder got left behind near the gate and a fire broke out by mistake?¡¯ However, if there was fire, there should be smoke, and if the fire spread along with the gunpowder, the enemy soldiers too had to suffer. However, that didn¡¯t seem like the case. ¡®To attract the allies and then destroy the enemies? No, there is no reason for the fort which was blocking very well to do that.¡¯ For a moment the commander who was staring at the gate looked at the situation inside the gate. A group of mercenaries took control of the main gate and were in a hurry to fight against the fort guards trying to gain the region. ¡®I don¡¯t have a detailed reason, but this is still a great opportunity!¡¯ Marquis Mayers who was in a hurry and sent a messenger several times in a day to report on the gates was shocked. He wasn¡¯t sure what happened inside, but he decided to enter the fort and ordered for his troops to initiate an assault. ¡°The gates are open! Everyone for assault!¡± ¡°Woahhhh!¡± Thud Thud Thud! The riders who were very frustrated with the unsuccessful siege drove their Gigants and ran ahead followed by the cavalry and the infantry. And the detailed reports were relayed to Marquis Mayers, who was waiting for the fort wall to fall. ¡°What? The gate opened by itself?¡± ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t it possible that the nobles of the Emperor came there?¡± The words of Baron Bazzo¡¯s made Marquis laugh. ¡°Huhuhu. We can never know. Anyway, since the gate had been opened, tell the entire army to attack!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± At the orders of Marquis Mayers, the soldiers of the army who were taking rest rushed towards the fort. In a battle, the flow was a very important factor. And that was directly related to the morale of the soldiers. Initially, the side of triumph was the fort defense and the central army. However, with the sudden burst of the gate and the sudden attack from the mercenaries passed the triumph over to the southern army. In addition, as the southern army pushed in, the knights and soldiers of the fort began to panic. ¡°Commander, Sire! We asked the reserved knights to enter, but we aren¡¯t able to take back the gates!¡± ¡°The Knights of the Central Army? Ask the nearby Gigant units to defend the gate¡­ no, I will go there myself!¡± Count Ferrero jumped out of the watchtower at once and boarded his Gigant It was his new hero class Gigant, Atlas, which he had received from the Emperor on the day he was appointed as the Commander of the Central Army. Atlas¡¯s production had been discontinued when Veritas Magic Tower was destroyed, but there were a lot of parts which were left back, so after getting them fixed, they were given to the SS knights and the Sword Masters near the Emperor. Woong! As Ferrero¡¯s mana flowed through the cockpit, the core engine began to shake vigorously. ¡®Kukku. With this level of performance, I think that I can win over a Sword Master.¡¯ Count Ferrero who smiled at the powerful output of Atlas headed for the gate. He quickly ran to the gate and found the Gigant troops of the enemy who were pushing through the gate. ¡°These men! How dare they enter this place?!¡± Ferrero wielded his giant sword to the front at the enemy Gigants which were hurting his friend¡¯s. Slash! Pung! The giant sword with the Impact aura quickly took down two Knight class Gigants. Thinking how the Gigants were taking down the friendly Gigants, the opponent riders must have been a very skilled one. However, it wasn¡¯t enough to handle Count Ferrero who had a Hero class. ¡°I, Impact Aura? Sword Master! A Sword Master has appeared!¡± ¡°It must be a hero class Gigant! Be careful everyone!¡± After breaking through the gates, the southern army and the Gigant troops made a mess for a moment. Count Ferrero, who came then, violently wielded his giant sword and defeated Gigants of the southern army. ¡°Kuahh! I will kill all of the obstructions in here!¡± Count Ferrero charged like a wild person. Every time the Impact aura flashed with Atlas, the Gigants that were struck fell down with huge noise. ¡°He surely seems to be our commander!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate and drive out the enemy from the fort!¡± The fort defenders and the central riders whose morale rose from the attacks of Count Ferrero fought back stronger than ever. The southern Gigants were forced to step back. ¡°T, this¡­¡± ¡°Do not step back! The gates should never be taken away!¡± When the situation was turning away, the strongest soldiers of the Southern army began to move ahead. With the Knight class Gigants belonging to the knights of Iron Fist, with a crest on the chest. As soon as the five Gigants moved ahead, they bravely ran towards Atlas. ¡°Die, Count Ferrero!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it embarrassing to abandon your role as a neutral lord and become the Emperor¡¯s dog?!¡± Even if they couldn¡¯t beat Count Ferrero, the five men who came at the same time were experts and could show enough skill to push Ferrero, that was what they thought. But it didn¡¯t take much time for them to realize that they were mistaken. Slash! Kwak! Slash! Puck! Slash! In a blink of an eye, Atlas¡¯s giant sword flew towards the knight class Gigant. With the nickname of being the Baroque Empire¡¯s crazy dog, Ferrero ripped off the opponent¡¯s Gigant with incredible power. Cyclone Wolf Sword. That was the name of the sword which Count Ferrero had just used. ¡°Oh my god!¡± ¡°T, this can¡¯t be!¡± In a matter of five seconds, five Gigant turned into scrap metals, and the morale of the Southern army dropped. If it was any other riders then nothing would have mattered, but the ones defeated were the advanced riders of the Iron Fist and they were trained and devoted to Marquis Mayers. They gained considerable training and skill and were given the best Gigants with proven performance. By the way, such elite knights couldn¡¯t manage to hold Count Ferrero for a mere moment and fell¡­! ¡®Dammit, he is more fearsome than the rumors!¡¯ ¡®So a Sword Master cannot be defeated with Expert knights?¡¯ ¡®If we go out now, we are sure to die.¡¯ When the Southern riders didn¡¯t know what to do, the sword of Atlas shook. And the loud voice of Count Ferrero could be heard. ¡°Kuahhh! Standing still even if your comrades are getting slaughtered! If you have a death wish, please do come here!¡± When the Impact aura of the Atlas was coming at them, scared army Gigants lifted the shields. ¡®Huh, coward bastard?!¡¯ Even if the shield was mixed with magic or made of Gigantium or Adamant, impact aura couldn¡¯t be stopped. It was right when Count Ferrero smiled and was ready to bring down his sword. An eerie energy rose behind him, and something flew at him at a frightening pace. ¡®Huh? What is this?¡¯ Ferrero who sensed a strange energy turned around and wielded his sword. Kwang! At the moment when something flew like a lightning, a huge explosion with dazzling sparks broke out and shattered Impact aura and the sword too. However, that didn¡¯t end the effect it had on Atlas and the Gigant got pushed back. ¡°Tch, fail.¡± Scarlet, was the one who shot the Aether arrow at Atlas, and she clicked her tongue at the unsuccessful result. When the Southern Army broke into the gate and created a ruckus, Scarlet and her men slipped away from there. They tried to look and confirm if the Central Army was defeated, but the Southern Army was forced to stand still because of Ferrero. She wasn¡¯t able to see the pathetic southern men and decided to attack. ¡°How dare someone¡­?¡± Count Ferrero who was impatient took over a sword from his subordinate and looked for the archer who aimed at him. Before she could get caught in his sight, Scarlet concealed herself quickly. ¡®That wasn¡¯t an ordinary arrow. With this level, it will be a Destroyer-level Master!¡¯ A Destroyer was a level that could take down a beginner level Gigant. Few people could involve themselves with just a bow and arrow. From what Ferrero knew, there were no such talented men in the Southern Army or under Marquis Mayers. ¡®Maybe a skilled bow master among the elves of the Volga Republic¡­ uh? What was that energy?¡¯ The sudden rise of energy was something he couldn¡¯t ignore, but he soon felt another energy from the gate. Ferrero turned his head to see two Gigant approaching from the Southern army side. ¡®Knight? No, seeing the booming of the core engine, it must be a hero!¡¯ Two sharp-looking hero class Gigant had a wolf-like head on it. Even though they looked weird, it was obvious that they belonged to the knights of Iron Fist by Marquis Mayers. ¡°Kya! It has been long, Ferrero.¡± ¡°Yu, you men!¡± When a familiar voice came out of the wolf-headed Gigants, Ferrero realized who his opponents were. The famous Sword Master brothers, Reynold Gram and Reynard Gram who were once famous in the capital. The brothers of Gram were a mixed race of humans with Lycan genes and were once a level less powerful than Count Ferrero. However, the skills of the brothers were well accepted and acknowledged. To a certain extent, there was a story in the past that said that when Duke Butler went to practice sword skill and he had lost to them. Count Ferrero was well aware of the fact that his beard had been severed in the past when he was going against the Gram brothers. If they were pure-blooded humans, they would have been able to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ferrero in the Central army of the Knights of Guards. ¡®These men should have surely left the Empire!¡¯ The Gram brothers who differed greatly from the humans and the elves or dwarf races in appearance were unable to tolerate the discrimination and moved in as mercenaries. And 10 years ago, the last news about them was that they participated in the civil war of the Southern continent¡¯s Yamatai. ¡°When did you come back?¡± ¡°Kuek, around a year back? They said that the fairies in the empire are getting better.¡± ¡°And Marquis Mayers sent a box of gold with his aides and asked us to sign in as Commander and vice commander of Iron Fist.¡± The Gram brothers who answered the question of Count Ferrero, slowly advanced. Their hero class Gigant labeled as ¡®Anubis¡¯ had a boomerang as a weapon, not a giant sword or battle axe. Moreover, it was two and not a single one. ¡°Die, Ferrero!¡± ¡°KyakYa! This time I will cut your body and not just the beard!¡± Reynold and Reynard began to wield the boomerang. Hwwwek! The Gram brother¡¯s boomerang flew in with a glow, flying right behind Atlas. Count Ferrero hurriedly swung his sword and slashed the boomerangs which were flashing with Impact Aura and broke them into four. Both Reynold and Reynard took back their boomerangs and shook them in like a sickle or double swords. Kang! Kang! Slash! Ferrero, who changed the position quickly was still unable to cope with the attacks of the brothers which came from up and down, left and right, and got pushed back. ¡®Dammit, those guys improved! They should be around Intermediate Sword Masters!¡¯ Although Ferrero¡¯s skill was Advanced Sword Master, he still wasn¡¯t able to show any overwhelming force against the Gram brothers who were showcasing their excellent skills. In addition, as time went, the movement of the Atlas¡¯s right arm began to slow down. When Scarlet had hit him with the Aether arrow earlier, it seemed like Atlas suffered a joint problem. ¡®Tch, in this state, I cannot fight those hairy bastards!¡¯ When he was taking on a defensive stance, the Gigant troops of the Southern army inside the gate began to counter-attack and pushed the Central army and the fort defenses. The Count, who judged that it was difficult to protect the fort in such a condition, screamed. ¡°Everybody withdraw! Retreat!¡± It was important to protect the fort, but more important to conserve the central army. It was because if Rudolf suddenly got there with his troops damaged, and knows that the central army in the South was destroyed, it would become a hell for them. ¡®It is a pity to lose a fort, but there are still numerous forts in the Variand mountains. If we can use them, we will be able to stop them.¡¯ Ferrero who ordered for the retreat after thorough thought saw that the Central army and the knights which were sent by the Emperor¡¯s nobles quickly retreated through the north gate. However, there was something that Count Ferrero wasn¡¯t able to figure out. It wasn¡¯t just the Gorn Fort, but all the other forts were infiltrated by the knights of Marquis Rakan and were suffering from similar situations. Chapter 405 - Split of the Imperial 3 ¡°I did come back in the blink of an eye.¡± Seeing the appearance of his big black marbled castle in front of him, Luke mumbled under his breath. He thought that the technique would be similar to teleport, but it was entirely different. With the current use of magic, no one could cross over an ocean in an instant, and nor was there any use of complicated spells or teleport gates. It wasn¡¯t sure. But if he climbed up to a 10th magic circle which would match with a Dragon force. ¡®It could be a godly power.¡¯ Luke already knew that the Saint was a great person seeing how he dealt with Arsene. But with the current move, Nanda made Luke much more interested in his skills. ¡°Is this the permanent residence?¡± Since it was the first time, Zegal Soha who had come to a strange nation, pointed at the Devil king¡¯s castle and asked. When she was young, she had seen books with pictures in it which had huge castles and similar structures showing the culture of the Northern continent. ¡°No, the mansion over there is the permanent residence.¡± ¡°Oh, that one. Then what is this castle?¡± The person who answered her question was Hwang Bo-sung. ¡°This was the place where the Devil King lived, a long time ago. Master¡¯s ancestor had defeated him.¡± ¡°Ah, then this must be the castle of the warlock Saymon, the one called as the Devil.¡± Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s explanation excited Soha. She heard the story of a hero and the devil who shook the northern continent 500 years back. However, she never imagined that she would set her foot in the very place. Looking at Soha who seemed excited, Luke smiled. ¡°Go and see it later, we should get going right now.¡± ¡°Yes, Grace.¡± Soha who wanted to address him with the first name thought that a day would come, and silently followed Luke¡¯s steps. ¡°Our Lord is back!¡± When the news of Luke entering through the gates came, Hans, the other retainers, and Erwin who had come to the Rakan estate rushed to the gate. Luke did inform him that he would be back soon, but they never imagined that they would come back so quickly from the Song Empire, so no one was able to hide their joy and surprise. ¡°Lord, do you have any idea how this old man was worried?¡± ¡°Please be sure to let us know the next time you plan something like this.¡± ¡°Lord you are the pillar of the Marquis Rakan. If something happened to the lord, many unfortunate things could happen around here. So be sure to take escorts with you the next time.¡± ¡°Understood. I will do that.¡± Luke kept on nodding and saying yes to every request of the retainers which poured in like a shower. Honestly, he had learned something from what happened. No matter how good a person is, one was sure to fall into a trap. Luke, who promised to be careful in the future, went close to Erwin. He greeted her with a pleasant expression. ¡°You have come here too. The Green Crystal you taught me last time was very helpful for me.¡± It was thanks to Erwin that Luke had saved the forest and was going to get a steady import of the Iron Core from the Zegal clan. ¡°I am glad that it was very helpful to you. I think it helped you a lot more than what I assumed.¡± Unlike Luke who was happy to see her, Erwin seemed to answer back in a thick voice. ¡®Huh? why is she acting like this?¡¯ When he communicated over magic, Luke thought that she had changed and was much pleasant, but seeing her there, it didn¡¯t seem like the case. No, it seemed like she turned much colder. While Luke was puzzled by Erwin, Hans spoke. ¡°Lord, and these people?¡± The two people who stood behind Luke. An old man who had grey hair on his head and a young beauty of the southern continent. By looking at them it was clear that they were from the Southern continent. Unlike the old man who seemed normal, the beauty had two swords dancing at her waist and seemed pretty pleasing to the eye. ¡°Ah, this is Saint Nanda¡­ no, well, a priest of the Arahan. And this is Zegal Soha, a prestigious student of the Moorim of the Song Empire.¡± ¡°Oh my, nice to meet you all.¡± ¡°I am Zegal Soha. Please look after me in the future.¡± Once Luke introduced them, both of them greeted the retainers. And seeing that the Lord had brought them with him, the retainers considered them to be as precious guests of their Lord and greeted them. However, Erwin simply nodded her head. The reason why she was acting cold towards Luke was because of him welcoming the one called Zegal Soha. As if Erwin wanted a special place in Luke¡¯s heart, her eyes were open to jealousy. ¡®First, you make people worried and then bring back a woman?!¡¯ ¡®Oh my, this fox-like woman, who is she? A lover of the grace?¡¯ While two women were having a cold stare, Luke moved to the conference room with his retainers. It was important to speak with them, but there were many things which he had to discuss. Even though he was constantly bringing in reports from the magic communication, it seemed like a lot of huge things have happened during the days. And once Hans went into the conference room, he reported the recent events of the Baroque Empire. ¡°Well, the neutral nobles are claiming to have found the Libiya Kingdom once again, and the Marquis Mayers who just took over the Variand mountains might declare it too?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°That is true. Yesterday, Marquis Mayers had sent us a letter of invitation to the coronation banquet, but what are you going to do¡­?¡± At the question of Hans, Luke thought a little and refused. ¡°Is attending it so necessary? Just send in a letter to congratulate them and end it there.¡± ¡°Yes, I will do that.¡± There was a saying which said to keep one¡¯s enemy closer than a friend, not just Luke, Marquis Mayers too thought that he would need to keep Luke close to stop the Baroque Empire for a while. When Hans was done reporting, Luke looked over Rogers. ¡°What happened to the Albertville estates which fought with the eastern army of the Emperor?¡± ¡°With the Holy Empire¡¯s help, we have captured around a third of the eastern estates.¡± The Albertville estate and the Holy Empire troops, who fought to hold Emperor Rudolf¡¯s movements, continued to sweep across the eastern side when Luke was in the Song Empire. Although the eastern army of the Baroque remained, half the power the Emperor had to hold was decreased, so the troops of Luke couldn¡¯t be stopped. ¡°They knew that the vanguard was Firestorm Belik, and the eastern army avoided the battles with us or made use of tactics. Accordingly, the Holy Empire too is restraining the excessive march and focused on the management of the occupied estates.¡± ¡°Hmm, that so?¡± They took a good chance of the civil war in the Baroque Empire. However, the Holy Empire too was in a tight situation, and they didn¡¯t want to increase any more damage than what they already have. And Luke wasn¡¯t feeling bad about it. The main reason for moving the Albertville estate and the Holy Empire was to contain the eastern army, the main force of Emperor Rudolf. And as long as the goal was successful, it was only a matter of how much dominance they had on the eastern side. ¡°But Lord, what do you think of the mansion¡¯s launch? The Gigant power, and the cavalry, every force of ours. Should we ready our troops to go out?¡± ¡°The atmosphere is near, but it isn¡¯t the time yet. We need to wait for the Emperor and the rebels to fight much more and turn into rags.¡± The Rakan estates had a state of force that went higher than the title, even then, going against the Emperor or his noblemen¡¯s force was still troublesome. Even then, it wasn¡¯t like Rakan would lose in the battle, but they would surely suffer considerable damage. ¡°But it looks like the war will end with the division of the Empire. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to aim that either the other neutrals and Marquis Mayers hurriedly declare themselves as part of the founding?¡± There were many nations that held a bad relationship with the Baroque Empire. And the most known ones are the Volga Republic and the Holy Arthenia Empire. If the civil war ended with everyone supporting the rebels or a declaration of independence, the dogs chasing would aim their eyes at the position of Marquis Rakan. And not surprisingly, Baron Rogers pointed it out. ¡°Although Emperor Rudolf is mad and angry at the rebels, he won¡¯t stop fighting until he loses his power. He wouldn¡¯t want to get eaten by a foreign nation which is looking for a chance and might turn on us.¡± ¡°Of course, we can never know. However, I have no intention of feeling joy over a scary victory. It is important for us to end this disgusting relation with the Baroque Imperial family, but to survive is more important. We need to survive to see a new future unfold.¡± Said Luke. At the words of a new future, the retainers were filled with expectation. Nonetheless, many heard the announcement of the founding of the kingdom by the neutrals and Marquis Mayers and thought ¡®Should we too do this?¡¯. ¡°No matter what happens, we need to be prepared. And for such a situation, train the estate troops more.¡± ¡°Understood, Lord.¡± Rogers sat down with a sad expression. At the thought of soothing his emotions, Luke changed the subject of the conversation. ¡°The chief commander will have to train harder too. On this trip, I brought back the second half of the Gold Sword.¡± ¡°Uh? Wh, what did you just say now?¡± The entire room burst into words. None of the retainers for the Marquis Rakan never had the Gold Sword. The Gold Sword was the ultimate weapon made by the warrior Rakan to defeat the Devil King. Unfortunately, the second half of the sword went missing over 400 years back. But to get that back¡­! The old retainers who were in the family for a long time couldn¡¯t stop themselves from shedding tears, and young ones clenched their fists in excitement. The most excited ones were Rogers and the other knights. ¡°Lord, are you being serious right now? Did you really find the second half?¡± At the question from Philip, Luke nodded and laughed. ¡°Thanks to Saint Nanda who is next to me, I got it. I¡¯ll teach you guys later, so prepare yourselves.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, the knights all bowed to the man with bright faces. The second half of the Gold Sword was like the last wish of the knights. It was said that if one could master it, one can go beyond Sword Master to Sword Sage. It would be weird if their heart didn¡¯t pound for it. ¡°And I am going to equip a Gigant with a tuning helm.¡± ¡°Huh? but didn¡¯t you say that you need special materials to make the tuning helm?¡± At the question from Meister Mute of Katarina Magic Tower, Luke nodded. ¡°With the help of Zegal clan, I was able to secure the Iron core.¡± ¡°Woah!¡± Mute was very well conscious of how different a Gigant moved with and without a tuning helm. So, he too had been persistent on getting the Iron core for each Ggigants, but the problem was that the material needed for it wasn¡¯t available. After knowing that the radium alloy would only put a hole through their expenses, he heard of the Iron core which wasn¡¯t so expensive but found out that it wasn¡¯t being sold. But his Lord had gotten that! ¡°We will have to put it in the Hero class one after the other.¡± Said Luke. ¡°I will personally help you!¡± The helm contained a complex magic circle. And the method of magic was unique. And seeing it from a side might be a great opportunity for Mute to improve his magic skills, so Mute¡¯s face wasn¡¯t able to stop smiling. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll start working tomorrow, so be ready.¡± ¡°I will get everything prepared.¡± Mute was glad. After being done with the reports, Luke opened his lips. ¡°Just like Chief commander Rogers said, the Empire will soon be divided into three nations. The Old Baroque Empire on the central region, the Libiya Kingdom in the southwest, and maybe Marquis Mayers in the south.¡± ¡°How long do you think those divisions will last?¡± When asked by the finance officer Bentley, Luke looked up and answered. ¡°Well, since there are many variables here, I can¡¯t give out a correct answer.¡± The south was flowing much differently than what Luke had predicted in the beginning. He never thought that the Western Army would be so weak, or the matters of the neutral or Marquis Mayers who was holding Shaikan on their backs would boldly declare themselves as a nation. ¡°Yet, this isn¡¯t a bad situation for us. On the other hand, it is perfectly great if they can fight harder. So, prepare everything you can by doing your roles for the day when our turn comes.¡± ¡°Yes! We will keep that in our mind!¡± ¡°For the glory of Rakan!¡± The retainers shouted at the same time, it was a military salute. And like that, Luke¡¯s homecoming was done. Chapter 406 - War Clouds From South 1 After succeeding the take over of the forts in Variand Mountains, Marquis Mayers declared the independence of his estates too. He called the nation the Milton Kingdom, which emphasized that he was the successor of Milton¡ªa nation that had currently perished. And after the declaration of independence, he chose stability over adventure. ¡®It will be hard to push the Emperor to the capital and take the Emperor¡¯s army in the west. In addition, many expeditions will have to go, and supplies will get wasted over the long-distance travel.¡¯ Marquis Mayers, who thought as such, built a defensive line and sent men to poor nations and estates between the Baroque Imperial family. While inviting them over to his coronation, he intended to contain Emperor Rudolf from making any more moves through diplomacy. And thus, the battle in the Variand Mountains ended. In the Brandon City, the center of the Marquis¡¯s past capital of the Milton Kingdom, Marquis Mayers took the coronation and got himself crowned as the Emperor. Hearing the news, Emperor Rudolf jumped out of his seat. However, he was currently trying to subdue the neutral lords who were calling themselves the Libiya Kingdom. In addition, the Holy Arthenia Empire and the Volga Republic of the North, which were aiming for the east, were looking for an opportunity to explore the region, and it made it difficult for the Emperor to send reinforcements to the central army led by Count Ferrero. While Emperor Rudolf was under pressure, Marquis Mayers¡­ well, Emperor Mayers, continued the banquet for a week in commemoration of victory, founding, and crowning. One might think that it was a waste of resources during the civil war, but it was a good way to spread the establishments of his kingdom all across the continent and ask for loyalty from the nobles. ¡°Congratulations, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Thank you. I wish for you to return back to us.¡± Mayers was a neutral lord¡­ No, he crossed over that sphere, and Count Felipe was the one who had been there to greet him as an envoy of the Libiya Kingdom. Mayers prayed for the Libiya Kingdom to last for a long time. That way, Rudolf wouldn¡¯t be advancing toward Milton, and he could empower his nation. ¡®Huhuhu. Seeing the condition of the continent, God himself decided to help me out.¡¯ Even if it wasn¡¯t God¡¯s wish, an envoy had been sent from the Holy Empire to receive El Kassel¡¯s denomination. It was just for formalities, but it was a statement that recognized Milton Kingdom. ¡®Yet there are those who haven¡¯t come yet.¡¯ When Mayers was looking at the chattering guests in the banquet hall to see if anyone else was going to enter, Count Bazzo came over to him. Count Bazzo, who was a baron in the past, gained an official title and was declared as the King¡¯s aide. ¡°Your Majesty, the guests from the north are waiting in the secret room.¡± ¡®Here, they are finally here!¡¯ At the whisper of Count Bazzo, Mayers got up and moved to the secret room that was on one side of the large banquet hall. In the secret room, a noble wizard wearing a colorful robe was waiting while being escorted by war mages. When Mayers entered the room, they got up and congratulated him. ¡°Congratulations on your coronation, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Thank you, Marquis Tyron.¡± With a smile, Marquis Mayers thanked the man¡ªMarquis Tyron. The Meister of Volga Republic Magic Tower. Marquis Tyron had been secretly brought into the Milton Kingdom by President Rekov. It wasn¡¯t because they wanted him to celebrate with them. To meet secretly like that under such an occasion meant that they had something they had to discuss in secret. The reason? To sign a treaty between the two nations of Volga and Milton. On the continent of Rhodesia, the Volga Republic was lonely. It was because the nobles and self-declared kings and emperors who were scared about the spread of the republican natures had isolated themselves from the Volga. However, as a means to contain the Baroque Empire, he had tolerated the Empire and hosted the Volga Republic. And that was the truth behind the nation of Milton. Most nobles were reluctant to reconcile with the idea of voting, legislative and parliamentary system and abolishing the feudal system. And as the treaty which caused anger among the nobles couldn¡¯t be signed in the open, Mayers was trying to make a secret treaty with Marquis Tyron, who had been delegated the full power from their president. ¡°This makes our Volga Republic and the Milton Kingdom friends. The President wants this relationship to last for a long time.¡± ¡°Hahaha. I hope so too.¡± Mayers and Tyron exchanged firm handshakes after signing the treaty. With the civil war, there was a loss of major power in the Baroque Empire. However, Mayers still couldn¡¯t ignore the power of an Empire that had been built for hundreds of years. It was evident that with a slight rest in the confusion, the power would once again rise to frighten everyone. The Milton Kingdom joined forces to survive, and the Volga Republic would seize the Imperial turmoil and gain the north. ¡°And this is a small gift from the President of the Volga Republic to commemorate this alliance of the two nations.¡± When the treaty was sealed, Marquis Tyron clapped his hands. And a war mage, who was waiting in the back, brought out a thick scroll of parchment. When the escort of Mayers received it, the parchment made Mayers curious. When he looked at the contents, he seemed surprised. ¡°T-this is¡­!¡± ¡°Yes, this is the blueprint of a Hero class Gigant.¡± Mayers had long organized and sponsored the Magic Towers in his estates for a long time. And the Magic Tower was currently being called the Royal Milton Magic Tower, and it grew in size after forcibly merging up all the small and medium Magic Towers that got destroyed in the Battle of Magic Towers. Even then with the Volga or the Holy Arthenia Magic tower or compared to the past top ten magic towers, they were unable to produce a Hero class Gigant on their own due to their low level of magic engineering. However, they just got a blueprint handed over from the Volga Republic. ¡°Although this is an old Gigant which had been developed 40 years back, if upgraded, this is still usable.¡± ¡°Hahaha, is that so? But how did you get the blueprint?¡± ¡°Huhu. We had to do a little work.¡± More than half of the top ten magic towers got destroyed in the Battle of Magic Towers. And among them were towers that produced Hero class Gigants. Once the Magic Towers got destroyed, the Intelligence agency pulled out the blueprints. Mayers wasn¡¯t aware of it, but he still admired their gift. The Volga Republic knew that Mayers had failed to produce and secure a Hero class Gigant. ¡°Our President also said that he will be sending 50 Knight class Gigants.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± ¡°Yes, the agents of the Republic are now shipping the disassembled Gigants. Sooner or later, they will arrive at Brandon city.¡± Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that it was for free. They would receive the full price of it, but in order to prevent the invasion of the Baroque Empire, the Milton Empire needed to secure a large number of Knight class. Knowing that well, Mayers nodded with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll say this once again, the Volga Republic and our Milton Kingdom will be together forever.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty¡¯s decision will be widely praised in the future.¡± After sharing their strengths and virtues of friendships between the two nations, the Volga Republic¡¯s envoy retreated. Count Bazzo, who was at one side, moved closer after they left. ¡°Your Majesty, are you sure that those Republicans can be trusted?¡± ¡°Hohoho. Believe them or now, does it even matter? What matters is what we can use them for.¡± Mayers had no intention of making a permanent alliance with the Volga Republic. It was an alliance that would get him out of the current crisis he had, and once the situation went back to normal, Mayers would step out too. ¡°I¡¯m glad if that is what you think. By the way, what should we do about Marquis Rakan?¡± Even though an invitation for the coronation had been sent, not a single ambassador from Rakan attended. Instead, a letter congratulating Mayers was sent. However, it was from lower nobles whose names Mayers had never heard of. In other words, Marquis Rakan seemed to have no intention of joining the Milton Kingdom. In fact, it was the same with Mayers. He thought that he would have to take over the southern part of the empire in order to completely escape from the pressure of the Baroque Empire. The vast estate, population, and a trade port in the Lamer city were essential for the future of the Milton Kingdom. ¡°I can¡¯t let this go.¡± ¡°Then would you like to punish them?¡± ¡°Yeah, at a reasonable price. While Rudolf fights with the Libiya Kingdom, we need to get Rakan in our hands!¡± At the words of Mayers, Bazzo expressed concern. ¡°Your Majesty, according to our spies, he heard that the power of Marquis Rakan is much greater than expected. It is a good thing to take over, but I am afraid that our allies will be seriously damaged in the process.¡± If Milton went to occupy Marquis Rakan, the power of the kingdom would be reduced greatly, and that would at a later time threaten the existence of the nation itself. ¡°I know that. That is why I intend to attract the neighbouring nations.¡± ¡°Neighbouring nations¡­¡± ¡°I have already had a few talks with the Grenada Kingdom.¡± ¡®Ah! Then..!¡¯ Three days ago, Mayers had gone to the Grenada Kingdom by himself. Maybe he had a discussion with them about the Marquis Rakan at that time. The Grenada Kingdom was an island nation in the southeast of the Baroque Empire and was famous for its strong navy. In the past, they were invaded by the Baroque Empire and the Holy Empire, but they weren¡¯t defeated, and they swept through the coastal areas of the two nations. ¡°If they use their navy, they will surely be able to punish the descendant of that warrior gruesomely! Kuahhh!¡± Mayers laughed loud thinking about it. Count Bazzo, including the other ones around him, praised the King¡¯s brain. Chapter 407 - War Clouds From South 2 Luke, who got back to the manor, waited for the chance to make his own tester along with training for the second half of the Gold Sword. The tester he made before broke in his fight against Arsene, so he needed to rebuild one. And for his new Gigant, he decided to equip it with the synchronous helm and a high power core engine that he couldn¡¯t use the last time because of lack of materials. ¡°Lord, why is it that you have designed this part so complicatedly?¡± At the question from Mute, Luke looked at the place he pointed to and answered, ¡°This is the most important part of the tuning helm that will be responsible for distinguishing the wavelengths of the brain and transmitting the signals over to the Gigant. It is only natural that the magic circle of this part is overlapped and complicated.¡± ¡°Then this¡­¡± Luke had promised earlier that he would use Mute as an assistant when creating a tuning helm for his testing machine. He was fully capable of doing it alone, but since Mute asked for it, he decided to let Mute develop his skills further. Mute was currently a 6th magic circle wizard, and to design a Hero class Gigant, he needed to be at least a 7th circle. Luke, who had been making the tuning helm for several days in the Katarina Magic Tower¡¯s workshop, made the core engine¡ªthe main part of Gigant. A Hero class Gigant needed 3,000 fight core engine, and that wasn¡¯t an easy thing to develop. To maintain such a high and stable output, it was necessary to have sturdy materials and compact design. And luckily, Luke had them both. The materials made by the Red Hammer tribe, the neatly smelted ores, and the blueprints of Atlas from the ruined Veritas Magic Tower and Orion made from the Dark Moon Magic Tower. However, Luke wasn¡¯t just replicating them. He wanted to create a core engine with better performance. ¡®Kay, first we should reduce the weight and get rid of the unnecessary magic circles.¡¯ Luke made several core engines and tested out each of their stability. And he didn¡¯t just involve the iron mages of the Katarina Magic Tower or Mute but also brought Erwin and Zegal Soha. Erwin introduced a newly improved man-made magic stone and informed him, and Zegal Soha introduced him to Taeul-ro, the power source of the Puppet and her zen skills. ¡°With the new magic stone, this is a lot cheaper than the ones we used, and this will be able to produce a higher output,¡± said Erwin. ¡°Grace, the Taeul-ro is similar to the core engine and acts like a heart for the Puppet, and the similarities will help develop a new core engine,¡± said Soha. Both the ladies wanted to tilt Luke with their skills. However, their enthusiasm overheated and conflict of opinion began to arise. ¡°Huh, the Puppet and the Gigant are similar? From what I know, a Puppet is different from a Gigant in terms of structure and materials, so I don¡¯t think that Taeul-ro would be of help in improving the core engine.¡± At the words of Erwin, Zegal Soha asked, ¡°Why would you think like that? I think that by using the structure of zen skills, Taeul-ro would be able to reduce the need of those magic stones or magic circles and increase the output, right?¡± ¡°Is there any definite guarantee that magic and zen work together? In addition, when I tested it with Sir Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s Puppet, Taeul-ro had a sharp output. I don¡¯t understand how it will rise from 500 to 2,500 fight at all.¡± The Puppet clearly had weaknesses. Zegal Soha, who pointed out the weaknesses of her product, turned red and said, ¡°I-it is a bit jagged but it is safer than a core engine. Taeul-ro doesn¡¯t explode when hit violently. I am doubtful of your role as a wizard if you can¡¯t realize the advantages.¡± ¡°Are you done?¡± Asked Erwin ¡°Yeah, I am done. What do you plan on doing?¡± Zrrrr! The reason they decided to fight was because they both wanted to tell Luke that ¡®I am better than you¡¯. However, what Luke felt was different. ¡°It¡¯s noisy. Should I kick both of you out?¡± At his words, the two turned silent. If they got kicked out of there, all the things they had prepared would be in vain. In fact, Luke wasn¡¯t unaware of what they were fighting for. However, he had a lover¡ªReina. Although she was far, his heart didn¡¯t seem to be concerned. ¡°Please calm yourself, Lord. Even if they are acting like that, they still think about helping you, right?¡± At the words of Mute, Luke decided to put up with them. And actually, the new materials and ideas given by the two women were indeed very helpful in developing the core engine. ¡°This is the only warning, the next time, I¡¯ll take action.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll be careful.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, Grace.¡± And Luke, who silenced the two women, began to test the core engine once again. A few days later, Luke succeeded in developing a new core engine. ¡°The prototype was finished much faster than expected.¡± ¡°Thanks to the information in the blueprints and Erwin and Zegal Soha¡¯s help. In addition, Lord¡¯s ability to quickly identify the pros and cons is amazing. You truly are the god of magic. You really are. It is really worth calling you that,¡± said Mute. ¡°Hohoho. Sir Mute too says a few strange things once in a while.¡± Once the prototype of the core engine was made, he built the new frame of the Gigant and gloves, basing it on the previous tester. And the newly developed 4,000 fight core engine was ready to be installed. The frame and armor were made of the same size and strength. ¡°The frame¡¯s strength and elasticity seems to be much better than Orion. Did you think of a name for the new Gigant?¡± At the question from Mute, Luke nodded his head. ¡°This one is going to be called Avenger.¡± ¡°In the ancient language, it means someone fighting rightfully for revenge¡­ This is the right name to use when fighting the Baroque Empire in the future.¡± ¡®And for paying Arsene back.¡¯ Luke clenched his fists while recalling the time he fought with Arsene in the Zegal clan. Arsene turned into a ridiculously terrifying monster. Even after getting hit with gold aura amplified with demon¡¯s ability, he quickly revived. ¡®How to go against him¡­ Well, there should be obvious weaknesses!¡¯ As long as he was a Lich, there had to be a life vessel. By finding and removing the life vessel, one could easily destroy a lich. ¡®The question is where did he hide it? I can¡¯t even ask Saint Nanda¡­¡¯ With Nanda¡¯s help, he realized God¡¯s true power and the physical pains and truth about the body. He had to know where Arsene¡¯s hidden vessel was. However, shortly after coming to Rakan estates, he had suddenly disappeared. He left a letter saying that he would return when the time came, but Luke was frustrated that be left in a time when he needed Nanda the most. Luke was assembling the Gigant when a wizard came in to report. ¡°Lord, Sir Hans is looking for you.¡± ¡°Sir Hans? For what?¡± ¡°Marquis Mayers¡­ Well, it was said that an envoy of Milton Kingdom has come.¡± ¡°An envoy¡­¡± Luke hadn¡¯t responded to Mayers¡¯ invitation for the coronation. It was just a celebration, but if an envoy came, then it meant something else. ¡®There is no reason to send an envoy to such a thing¡­ What is he trying to pull?¡¯ Luke decided to meet up with them and understand what they were planning to do. Luke went to the reception hall of the manor. Chapter 408 - War Clouds From South 3 It was Count Bazzo who came in as the envoy from the Milton Kingdom. When Luke appeared, he got up and greeted. ¡°Hello, Marquis. You haven¡¯t done anything special during this time?¡± ¡°Nothing special. More than that, you got a new title. After establishing a nation, you seem to have succeeded.¡± ¡°Yes, I did. Sir Marquis, you will go ahead like me.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± When Luke¡¯s gaze turned sharp, Bazzo glanced at his escort knight who had accompanied him. The escort knight handed Luke a luxurious box. It seemed like there were very precious objects in the box which had an ebony tree that was only found in the Southern Continent. ¡®What did he bring?¡¯ Luke opened the lid. Inside the box was a ring of iron and a parchment scroll. Luke didn¡¯t even glance at the ring which was engraved with the Rakan clan and opened the scroll with a frown. ¡°You will give me the role of Archduke for the Milton Kingdom and Prime Minister?¡± ¡°My Majesty is looking for talented people. Then Marquis, well, Archduke will surely put our Milton Kingdom on a solid rock no doubt.¡± ¡°Ha Hahaa¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t just Luke, it was Hans who had just come into the room chuckled not realizing it. It was surely not because it was good, it was because it made no sense. ¡°So, you want me to become a nobleman and under the Milton Kingdom? Marquis Mayers¡­ well, the king¡¯s servant.¡± ¡°No, not like that! It might seem like it, but it is not. Don¡¯t you know what role the Archduke has?¡± The Archduke was a step ahead of the duke, usually a title given to the king or Emperor¡¯s brother or a great noble who made tremendous contributions. It was also a title attached to the queen¡¯s husband, which is considered to be the second highest after the king. ¡°His Majesty intends to treat you as a brother. That is why despite everyone¡¯s opposition you were given the title of Archduke and the Prime minister.¡± ¡®These bastards, they are going to eat up my estate any day.¡¯ Thought Luke. It would have been different if Mayers has given Luke estates along with the title of Archduke. However, Mayers only handed him the title and one ring. And the problem with the position of Prime minister. Although it was a title of huge importance, it could just be an honorary with no real power in cases. It was more likely for Mayers to do that and not give up on his kingly title. In other words, Mayers was supposed to give a good position and official position and devour the entire marquis Rakan estates. ¡°And Sire, this might seem rude to say, but with such young blood, you will never hold great power. isn¡¯t surviving important over pride?¡± ¡°What the! How dare you say that¡­?!¡± Hans who raised his voice stepped back in a second seeing Luke raise his hand. And Bazzo who flinched for a second began to speak again. ¡°His Majesty considers this as your destiny to go against the Baroque Empire, together. Even if you think of the humiliation suffered by your ancestors, I hope you make a good decision!¡± ¡°This is a big decision¡­¡± Luke who pretended to think for a moment, spoke to Bazzo in a cold voice. ¡°The King. If you want to take big decisions on others part, at least act big.¡± ¡°Sire!¡± ¡°The envoy can head back. This is off.¡± Luke¡¯s resolute energy spread to the party of count Bazzo¡¯s and the knights who waited. Luke and Hans weren¡¯t the only ones who grasped the underlying intentions of Milton Kingdom. So, the knights were sorry that they weren¡¯t ordered to take out the man. ¡°Sire, you will regret it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do anything which you will end up regretting. It would be good for Milton¡¯s future to jeep in the South and protect your north borders well.¡± Luke sent off Bazzo¡¯s party and gave Hans the orders. ¡°Order Commander Rogers and the Estate army right away. No matter what, those idiots would end up doing something that Rudolf likes.¡± ¡°Understood Lord.¡± After Hans left, Luke looked out of the window. Being escorted by the Rakan knights, Bazzo¡¯s groups were riding back in horses and wagons. Luke seemed to know why Mayers had sent Count Bazzo. It was an invasion. ¡°Milton Kingdom¡­ the same as the ancestors who were blinded by greed.¡± More than 500 years back, before the Duchy of Milton fell into the hands of Duke Baroque who took their estates after the war, they attacked the Saymon¡¯s dark legion and fell. Foolishly, Mayers too seemed to be following his ancestors. Chapter 409 - War Clouds From South 4 Count Bazzo, who got pushed out by Luke, immediately reported that Luke¡¯s recruitment had failed through magic communication. Whatever the result, Mayers had asked to be reported as soon as possible. Upon receiving the communication from Bazzo, Mayers yelled. ¡°Huh, make a big decision? I did expect him to refuse, but that cheeky bastard!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, did you know that he would refuse, then why intend to recruit him?¡± The Iron Fist knight Reynold glanced through the conversation as he couldn¡¯t understand. After the last victory banquet, their king had been secretly gathering military personnel and announced his intention to invade into the Rakan estates. And after that, the military was preparing for war and increased the military exchanges with the Grenada kingdom. But after a while, he sent Count Bazzo as an envoy to Luke. ¡°Why I sent the offer? If he accepted out the offer, we would absorb the Rakan estates without any loss.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t you think that there was a high probability of rejection?¡± Asked Bazzo. ¡°I did. Failure couldn¡¯t be a bad thing. We have a cause for invasion.¡± ¡°Standing up for rejecting a proposal?¡± ¡°It is surely difficult. But if we move in the right direction, we can do it.¡± ¡®No way¡­¡¯ Reynold, whose head was never dull was able to predict what His Majesty meant. ¡°Your Majesty, you don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Shh! If you know more, you will get hurt. Stop talking. The opening isn¡¯t far so train the knights well.¡± ¡°Understood, Your Majesty.¡± Reynold politely bowed his head and stepped back. But once he reached to a place where no one was there, he spits at the knowledge of war. ¡°Sh*t! Greedy humans¡­¡± Sneaky, greedy, and mean people. Even though he knew well about them, he couldn¡¯t help but get back to them. No matter what kind of people the humans were, half of their blood and his brother Reynard had human blood flow. A few days after Count Bazzo left, Luke was hearing a series of reports from Sebastian and Belfair. ¡°Rudolf lost the battle against Libiya Kingdom?¡± ¡°Yes, Master. It was said that he took in more damage than expected.¡± The Imperial Intelligence agency remained dominated by the two demons. Pretending to follow the Emperor and took in the information. ¡°Hm, lost a lot¡­ was it because of Shaikan?¡± Shaikan had turned into the King of the self-declared Libiya Kingdom. Luke knew that he was a Dragonian. However, when he heard that he was Reichard de Baroque, the third crown prince of Baroque Empire, he was shocked. ¡®Was that why he told me that he had a debt to pay back to the Baroque Empire?¡¯ He mentioned that Luke could be his fellow on the same path. Either way, the plan of Shaikan was helping Luke. ¡°The Dragonian king didn¡¯t go out in the battle.¡± ¡°Shaikan didn¡¯t play? Even then, Rudolf lost?¡± Luke couldn¡¯t believe it. Although the Emperor had been injured because of the high ranking demon, Rudolf was in a Sword Emperor class. Who could stop such a strong man? ¡°That.. the supply line was blocked.¡± According to Belfair¡¯s description, the monster corps of Shaikan attacked the Imperial army and burned the warehouse ammunition and supplies were stored. Rudolf did plan on driving the Gigant unit and blow away the rebels, but he was unable to fight properly because the number of units weren¡¯t available. And no matter how brave the knights were, they couldn¡¯t fight without food and water, and even the most powerful Gigant of all cannot be operated without proper timely maintenance. ¡°The battle between the two armies took place in the border area and was very minimal. However, Rudolf had retreated because he would have taken in severe damage if he hadn¡¯t retreated the moment his supplies were short.¡± ¡°When I witnessed it, the battle seemed to be a draw.¡± ¡°But the results, since subduing Libiya Kingdom failed, everyone considered the Baroque to had been defeated. Which is why the Baroque Empire is in trouble.¡± Emperor Rudolf wasn¡¯t defeated in a direct battle. Even the demon in the capital got defeated by him. The Emperor, a strong man, was defeated, and such public statements were made up. ¡°Currently, the Emperor is placing power in Marquis Vanden. Even everyone expects the supply and the units to stabilize and then go back to subdue them again.¡± ¡°So he won¡¯t be caring about this for a while.¡± Luke thought of the monsters which played according to Shaikan. Even during the days as Saymon, the monsters were brainwashed with dark magic and used. However, that wasn¡¯t the strategy of Shaikan. Because brainwashing never included a change in the intelligence or the nature of the monster. According to Argos, the power of Shaikan in the God Dragon¡¯s power and when used on a monster can make them strong and clever. Not only that, but the nation was also rapidly developing by mobilizing monsters into wastelands, mine developing, and even civil engineering. ¡®I am envious of this. And when I did I was called Devil king.¡¯ In the early days of Luke¡¯s reincarnation, he developed a mine and waterway construction by brainwashing monsters with dark magic. However, with the fear in public, the monsters were sent out of the estate left unattended. Still, there were some advantages. Thanks to the brainwashing of monsters in advance, the raids and looting of monsters had disappeared. As a result, it was possible to prevent the loss of residents¡¯ lives inside the estate. That was also considered as a factor for the rapid development of the estates. ¡®Even if it isn¡¯t because of Shaikan, I need to think of ways to use them again.¡¯ It was when Luke was thinking. Hans burst into the office with a shocked face. Sebastian and Belfair went unnoticed as they disappeared the moment they heard someone outside the door. ¡°What is it?¡± Luke seemed uncomfortable for a second. It was because he asked the escorts to not let anyone into the room for a while. But seeing Hans, his feelings began to flow in all directions. ¡°The envoy of Milton Kingdom has been said to be assaulted and killed during the return!¡± ¡°What?¡± According to Hans, the envoy which visited them 4 days ago was on a fast move. However, they were attacked by masked men at the border between Marquis Rakan and the Milton Kingdom. ¡°The troops who were patrolling found them and ran to them, but the envoy was already destroyed.¡± ¡°the masked men?¡± ¡°When our men reached there, they had already fled, and they were told to have disappeared in an instant. Perhaps the transportation scroll.¡± Upon hearing the report from Hans, Luke was able to see what happened. ¡°This, one-shot kill.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°This raid is a self-play.¡± Said Luke. The Marquis Rakan had never had any visits from monsters or bandits in their estate due to the constant subjugation teams. And there was no way other nobles would break Luke¡¯s rules and attack men. Nevertheless, the envoy of Milton Kingdom was the one who got attacked. A proper justification for war. ¡°Are you saying that it isn¡¯t an act of the Baroque Imperial?¡± Hans too knew that the attack on the envoy was very suspicious. However, seeing Rudolf was on the other side, he couldn¡¯t even see what happened to the Milton Kingdom. And there was a reason for that. ¡°Even Count Bazzo who led the envoy is dead. And if what Lord said is true, then isn¡¯t this like King Mayers to plot a story by killing his right arm?¡± Hans thought that it was too much for a person to kill their trusted man. However, it was an act that happened with one who knew and the other two in the dark. ¡°Those who are blinded by ambition and greed have no blood or tears.¡± ¡°Even so, to a long-serving retainer suddenly turned into a sacrifice¡­¡± Said Hans, feeling bad. ¡°Because such a person is dead, it will be justifiable to fight. Anyway, things have turned dirty.¡± The envoy got wiped out and at that time, the Rakan guards appeared, and the criminals fled without a trace. And now that things were aligned, Luke couldn¡¯t help but feel suspicious of the fact that it wasn¡¯t actually the work of Rakan. Well, he convinced that the Milton Kingdom did everything. ¡°No matter what we say, they will never listen to us. Sir Hans, inform chief commander Rogers to get the Gigant troops ready. Ask for a warning to be issued in the army units.¡± ¡°Understood, Lord.¡± The fight was going to be bad, but Luke had no intention of avoiding it. If he wanted to fight with Rudolf, he had to get over Mayers. ¡®Let me pay back the cost of your act.¡¯ Luke who was releasing energy, recalled the face of King Mayers. Chapter 410 - Rakan Estate’s Crisis 1 Splash splash! The sea moved under the cool blue sky. And the fisherman Jim who came out to catch the fish in the sea in the early morning was annoyed when he saw the freshly brought in net. ¡°This is¡­! This is bad!¡± From his experience, he thought that there would be fishes gathered where seagulls were, but it seemed like he got deceived. But there was something else that made him annoyed than the betrayal of the seagulls. It was his eldest son, Jake, who was on the deck. Jim¡¯s eyes looked at the sight of his oldest son, who had fallen into sleep while at work. ¡°This kid! Won¡¯t you wake up right away?¡± ¡°Ah! What is it, father?!¡± Jake came back from his sweet dreamland due to his father¡¯s yelling. ¡°What is it? A young one is doing nothing and all he does is stay idle! Quickly check the fishing rod and the net!¡± Following the nagging of his father, Jake grumbled over to the net that was on one side of the boat. ¡°Tch, you keep bothering me even when I don¡¯t want to be a fisherman¡­¡± ¡°What did you say? This kid, eat sh*t. What will you do if not become a fisherman?¡± ¡°I told you last year. Once I become an adult next year, I will apply to the estate army, so go teach the art of catching fish to Kuel.¡± ¡°Oh my, this kid! Your younger brother is still 7 years old. Besides, someone who doesn¡¯t even know how to use a sword will become a soldier? Your lungs are filled with such fresh wind¡­¡± ¡°Tch! I might not know how to use a knife, but I can handle spears!¡± Jake, who picked up the harpoon from the side deck, swung it like a spear. Jim frowned at the sight of his son swinging it because he never thought that he would be that good. ¡°Let it be. After establishing a merit in the estate and becoming an officer, I will become a knight and turn into the escort of the Lord!¡± ¡°Huhu, you are being outrageous¡­¡± Jim, who couldn¡¯t understand his son¡¯s thoughts, burst into laughter. He immediately pulled his son¡¯s ear. ¡°Ahh! Father, what is it?¡± ¡°What do you mean? I am giving you medicine. The medicine for the sleeping one and the crazy acts.¡± As Jim raised his fist, Jake suddenly pointed to the horizon. ¡°Oh, father! There! Over there!¡± ¡°Uh-huh, trying to trick me¡­!¡± Jim, who thought that his son was trying to divert him somewhere else, turned his head with a smile. If there was nothing in the place Jake pointed to, he was planning on giving him a strong lesson. However, seeing the horizon, Jim¡¯s face went pale. It was because large sailing ships and paddle boats were moving. ¡°T-that¡­!¡± ¡°By any chance, are they a pirate fleet?¡± ¡°Yah, idiot! Words can turn into reality, don¡¯t speak such things!¡± Jim, who shouted at his son, looked at the approaching fleet with a little more confidence. A black crescent moon on the flag was fluttering on the front wheel. Jim was surprised to see it. ¡°That is Grenada¡¯s pirates!¡± Grenada, an island nation located at the southeast of Rhodesia, was known for its notorious pirate fleet. Near the archipelago, lined with the crescent-shaped volcano islands, there were hundreds of exiled men and criminals from all over the continent who built their own kingdom. The Grenada Kingdom had little farmland and no resources, so the villagers took a boat and plundered pirates. As a result, the naval force was turned inevitably strong. The pirates, who had polarized the seas for hundreds of years, stopped 30 years ago. They tolerated and tolerated the fights with the Baroque Empire and the Holy Empire and combined fleet with Castia Kingdom as the king was damaged. Drake, who later became the new king, emphasized on trade and was aided by the three nations on the conditions that Drake wouldn¡¯t attack them, and they got recognized as an official state. However, it was still stigmatized as a pirate nation. There were rumors that the Grenada royal family was implicitly supporting pirates. ¡°Grenada?¡± ¡°Yes, those men! We need to run right away!¡± As a young man, Jim had joined the navy and fought with the Grenada pirates. So he knew better than anyone how cruel they could be. ¡°If they catch us, we won¡¯t just be taken away! Just for fun, they will torture us to the point of death and make us feed for the fishes!¡± ¡°Huu! T-then¡­!¡± Jim threw away the fishing rod and hurriedly paddled. Frightened by what his father said, Jake too began to paddle. When they were about 10 meters away from the fleet, a roar rang. Puong! The black shell that flew from the front of the ship hit the boat. The boat got broken into two pieces, and Jim along with his son, Jake, lost consciousness and sank into the sea. Chapter 411 - Rakan Estate’s Crisis 2 ¡°Hit! It is a hit!¡± From the mast of large electrical wire with two pairs of wheels, there was a call to announce about the hit. The ship, over 200 meters long, was the flagship for the invasion fleet, Hyredin. Named over the notorious pirate king of the past, the ship moved to six mast and four magical steam engines. Mounted with 200 large and small guns and landing Gigants, the Hyredin was rated as the largest and the most powerful battleship of the world. ¡°Need to work hard for rewards.¡± A young man in uniform, which suited his slender body, laughed and opened his mouth, and an old fashioned man, who was looking into the telescope with Hawk Eye magic, shrugged. ¡°Being a seaman of Grenada, if you can¡¯t do that, then you need to get spit on.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t it easier to hit a ship hundreds of meters way than a rocking boat?¡± ¡°Huh, you talking about the stupid landmen.¡± The old man was the Duke of Grenada¡¯s Admiral, Nathan. As an Advanced Sword Master, he considered himself to be a true man of the sea. He was from a maritime warlord family with over 100 years of smuggling trade and both of his parents were pirates. Being born on the sailing ship, Nathan learned how to swim before he could walk, and he spent a lot of time in the sea than on land. As a result, his love for the ocean was profound, and his pride as a man of the sea was strong. ¡°You should learn from this opportunity if you want to be the next king of Grenada after His Majesty.¡± ¡°Okay. But I prefer fresh land over the fishy sea. Hahaha!¡± The words of the young man made Duke Nathan dissatisfied. ¡®If you weren¡¯t the king¡¯s son-in-law, you would have been smashed right away.¡¯ The young man was Fernando de Salizar. He was the descendant of the Count who got defeated and was exiled after the succession to the throne in the former kingdom of Castia. Fernando, a 20-year-old Sword Master, was a rising genius of the Grenada Kingdom. King Drake, who only had a daughter, was fascinated with Fernando¡¯s swordsmanship, his knowledge, and culture. Fernando, who had become a prominent successor to the throne, was currently the Lieutenant General of the Grenada Guards and was responsible for overseeing the land forces. ¡°But, I heard that Marquis Luke is a Rune Knight, and he has a lot of skills. I hope we cross paths at least once this time.¡± He was fascinated by Luke¡¯s reputation because he thought of himself to be similar to Luke. Duke Nathan, who read Fernando¡¯s thoughts, laughed. ¡°That will be tough¡­¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°Because Milton Kingdom is most likely to enter that region.¡± The objective of the Grenada Navy was to loot the coastal trading cities, and the goal of Milton Kingdom was to occupy the Marquis estates. With Milton Kingdom¡¯s power, more troops and strong forces forced to flee. ¡°That is unfortunate, but I am excited since the knights of Marquis Rakan are known to be strong too.¡± ¡°Tch, do you think of war as a tournament?¡± It was when the two people were having a good conversation. A middle-aged knight in a navy uniform came over and reported. ¡°Sir Admiral, everything is ready for battle.¡± ¡°Then start shelling.¡± When Nathan¡¯s orders fell, Hyredin and the fronts that were approaching the coast opened their guns toward the fishing villages. Pung! Pung! PuPupung! After several shots, they destroyed the small town and began to land the Gigants and troops to transport. ¡°Hurry up! Quickly!¡± ¡°Everybody needs to unload before the enemy notices us!¡± The first goal of the Grenada force, which had laid down the land-based army with 20,000 troops and more than 100 Gigants, was Lamer city that was half a day west. ¡°Work hard. I won¡¯t forgive anyone who falls behind.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will be waiting in the city of Lamer.¡± Duke Nathan and Fernando, who hoped for victory moved on both sides of the sea and land. Chapter 412 - Rakan Estate’s Crisis 3 ¡°What was that? The coastal villages are being attacked by pirates?¡± Luke who got woken up from the sleep, was shocked. The person who sent the news was Pavel, who was serving in the Lamer city and Kirillov on behalf of Reina. -They say they are pirates, but they don¡¯t seem like ordinary people, Lord. These are the pirates of Grenada! ¡°Well, why would they?¡± Luke also knew about the history of the Grenada Kingdom and its cruelty. Unlike ordinary pirates, they were very well-organized navy. They even carried Gigants on their ships and plundered everything. Some of them were still pirates of Grenada, so there was no way the navy would plunder cities. But what was known was, the Grenada hadn¡¯t pirated into the Empire after their sign with the peace treaty with the Baroque Empire which was more than 30 years ago. But why have they suddenly attacked the Marquis Rakan¡¯s estate? His doubts were all resolved by Pavel¡¯s words. -Grenada has been recently engaged in transit trade, but they don¡¯t seem to like the port cities making a fortune by trading with the Southern continent. ¡°Along with removing the thorns, they will benefit from looting the goods.¡± -From their point of view, that is. First, we are gathering the troops in Lamer city and the nearby areas, but we aren¡¯t sure if we can stop them. In the Lamer city and the nearby ports, the headquarters and the branches of several firms were established. There were mercenaries hired to protect each firm, so when combined with the defensive forces, it was possible to hold a guard. In addition, the Gigants too were owned by Lamer, and it was possible to bring out the Gigants and ask the riders of the Gigant arena to fight. The problem was that if they focused on the defense of Lamer city, the defense of the nearby villages would get neglected. In fact, Grenada was deliberately attacking the villages to lure out the troops and annihilate them in groups. ¡®At this point, the pirates to attack us¡­¡¯ Luke frowned. It was suspicious that the Grenada Kingdom suddenly moved on to Rakan before their war with the Milton Kingdom. But that didn¡¯t help draw a conclusion. If the cities on the coast were destroyed by the pirates, the damage for Rakan estates would be devastating. ¡°Firstly, get the people outside the city areas to evacuate to a nearby fort. And I will send Hwang Bo-sung and the Unicorn Knights.¡± -But wouldn¡¯t that mean that the defense in the north would get weaker? Pavel knew that Mayers was trying to fight a war till death. In the near future, Rakan was going to face the Milton Kingdom, and if an important power like the Fist Master Hwang Bo-sung and the Unicorn Knights were taken away¡­ ¡°Of course, I am not willing to reduce any power in here. But that doesn¡¯t mean that I will give up the lives of the men living in the southern cities.¡± -Understood. Then I will defend the cities as much as possible. ¡°Okay, it is my request.¡± With that, the magic communication ended. Luke immediately called for Hwang Bo-sung and the Unicorn Knights, and along with the Chief commanders Rogers and the two commanders of the knight¡¯s forces to discuss how the Grenada army needs to be stopped. The first thing Rogers said about the Grenada¡¯s power was that, ¡°Their Gigant power is a lot less than our estates.¡± No matter even a kingdom, the Gigant power of the Grenada Kingdom which was known for its navy wasn¡¯t so strong. ¡°But what we can¡¯t ignore that their Gigants are light and fast.¡± ¡°They would be great in a hit and run strategy.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord. There are a few with less than 500 fight output, and about 4 to 5 meters long, but they are unmatched in landing and climbings.¡± Grenada¡¯s long-suffering nation had been pressured not to sell any Gigants. As a result, the Grenada Kingdom was forced to smuggle or capture the Gigant power. However, there was a limitation for it, so they built their own Gigants in their Magic Towers. However, due to the lack of technology and resources, poor results came out. Due to the lack of core engine, the exterior armor was made of wood and each of the joints was simple structured. Even the poorly used left hands of Gigants were replaced with hooks. Grenada¡¯s Gigants were ridiculed as a ¡®crab¡¯ by the knights but said that they couldn¡¯t be overlooked as they were dangerous. ¡°Firstly, we need to focus on defense in a manor or fort. It will be difficult for out heavy Gigants to move on weak grounds.¡± ¡°Right. Besides, there can¡¯t be a battle of the ship boards.¡± Luke clenched his fists in disgust. The Baroque Imperial Navy had gone downhill after the treaty was signed 30 years ago. Emperor Rudolf was more concerned with the army than the navy, and the Count Monarch who ruled Lamer in the past just embezzled the funds of the navy. Luke too had been concentrating on the estates for a while, and the navy held its previous position only. It was because there was never a threat from the sea. ¡®It was my mistake¡­¡¯ His late regret, but this time everything was out of hand. From now on, there was no choice but to try. ¡°Currently, the naval forces of our estates would have been engaged in the naval battles with them. Is there any other way?¡± ¡°They could be used as a fixed turret at the port, or as a defense at the port entrance to block the landing forces.¡± It was when Rogers said that. A messenger rushed over to announce the new room. ¡°The Milton Kingdom threw in war proclamations and crossed into the estates!¡± ¡°Huh, they are coming in such a tight situation.¡± If Milton troops were coming in, he couldn¡¯t help but stay there. Luke went to the north, leading the Rakan Knights and retainers. After the civil war broke out, the fire had finally reached the Marquis of Rakan which was peaceful all the time. Chapter 413 - Rakan Estate’s Crisis 4 Once the Navy from the Grenada Kingdom invaded the Marquis Rakan, Mayers ordered an attack on the Rakan troops which were placed as the border guards on the Southern side. ¡°Go ahead all! Attack the descendant of the warrior to get the justice for killing my old friend Count Bazzo!¡± The forces which Mayers mobilized for the invasion amounted to 200 Gigants, 1,200 knights, and more than 40,000 troops combined with horsemen, artillery, and engineers. And that was the minimum power to contain the Baroque Empire and the total power excluding the security forces of the King. Mayers, who had no intention of fighting the war, was planning to wipe out the Marquis of Rakan once the naval war gets started by the Grenada men. However, there were a few officials who were concerned about the King¡¯s plan. The problem wasn¡¯t that the Baroque Imperial Army would descend from the north, but the military power of the Marquis Rakan was famous for being strong. In addition, the army of Milton hadn¡¯t fully recovered from the losses and fatigue they suffered in the Variand mountains. Nevertheless, Mayers was going ahead. Following the army, men were tasting the food of the newly recruited chef. ¡°Hmm, isn¡¯t this pretty tasty?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. A lot. In Yemaek, this is a food that goes into the mouth of high men.¡± The Yemaek chef was called Baek Won-jung of the Southern Continent. He was known to have been a master in the royal palace¡¯s kitchen. ¡°What is this white pudding called?¡± ¡°Tofu. Try wrapping it in kimchi over there. It is very delicious.¡± When Mayers tried to eat the tofu wrapping it in kimchi with his not-so-skilled chopsticks as the southerners, a knight ran towards him. ¡°Your Majesty, a message came in from the army ahead.¡± Mayers smiled and looked at the full text. ¡°Haha. Baron Pasca had been captured?¡± ¡°Yes. It was said that the enemy was frightened and fled right away.¡± Baron Pasca was in the northwest of the Rakan estates, and after the battle with Count Monarch, Luke had given up one mountain to a noble. It was a close border, so he thought that the defense of the place would be thorough, but it seemed very poorly managed. ¡°Huh, I thought that the Rakan manor knights were all brave, but I guess it was all a lie. He is lowering the tail from the very beginning.¡± At Mayers¡¯ words, the subordinates who opposed the war seemed uneasy. They had failed to catch the opportunity to get into the good grace of their king. ¡°Well, the lord himself is rotten, does he have any knights under him?¡± ¡°People who want peace won¡¯t be able to defeat our army who were trained against the Baroque Empire¡¯s army.¡± ¡°We must take this momentum and push into the permanent residence of Marquis!¡± Mayers raised his hand and shut them up for barking up like hounds. Even if his men didn¡¯t speak back, he was planning on making the Marquis of Rakan be punished. ¡°By now, they might be going insane to stop the Grenada. Between the left and right, we need to inflict critical damage and take down the Rakan manor. There is no guarantee when the Baroque Empire will come back for us.¡± When the name of the Baroque Empire came out, everyone¡¯s expressions froze. The same was the situation for everyone in Milton, the Baroque Empire was the most dangerous enemy of Milton. ¡°The Rakan estates is a must-have land for our Milton Empire to grow! We will have to win and then prepare the land, to become an Empire!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± At the words of Mayers, all his men bowed at once. The war was going to end, and they were seeing good signs from the beginning. Inspired with the victory in the west, Mayers encouraged the forces which were advancing. In the near future, he was expecting to have a victory party in the Rakan¡¯s permanent manor¡¯s hall. The residents who lived in the northern part of the Rakan entered into the refugee camos because of the sudden invasion from the Milton Kingdom. And those who were heading south were filled with anxiety and anger. ¡°I thought that the war was a distant subject¡­¡± ¡°Dammit. Why is this happening in the farming season?!¡± ¡°But I never thought that the Lord would give out the place without fighting.¡± ¡°Who would have!? I don¡¯t know why they were trained if they were going to go away like that!¡± The refugees were chatting among themselves and looked at the manor troops retreating along with them with cold gazes. Due to the accusation of the men, the nobles and knights of Baron Pasca were keeping their heads down. There was a compelling reason for them to have done that. Three days before this happened, Marquis Rakan lost five small manors and several forts in the north. The Rakan estates¡¯ army in the north didn¡¯t fight the enemies and gave them their lands and castles because it was a direct order from the Great Lord Marquis Rakan himself. ¡°I will lead the reinforcements, so don¡¯t mess around and retreat while conserving power.¡± From the Grenada navy standpoint, which was ready to split open the estates¡¯ lands, valuable troops couldn¡¯t be lost. It was necessary to conserve and collect as much power as they can to take down the enemy. Of course, the refugees were aware of Luke¡¯s judgments and orders. ¡°Huh¡­ no matter even if he is a Marquis, it is better to fight honorably against an enemy.¡± Baron Pasca sighed and avoided listening to the stingy words and glances from the refugees. It was then. A cavalry came from behind and reported. ¡°Lord! There was a report of 30 Gigants coming this way!¡± ¡°What? And the distance?¡± ¡°About 10 kilometers. But since we are moving by trailers, they will catch up with us soon enough.¡± Looking at the trailer speed, it seemed like an hour or two before the Gigants catch up with them. However, according to the messenger, it seemed like they were aiming for the refugees or the retreating allies. It seemed like the Gigant troops were the vanguards that were being sent in before the main troops of the enemy entered and hit the region. But since such a situation came, they had to decide something. Baron Pasca hastily summoned other lords and commanders. ¡°Fight? Marquis has asked us to avoid the battle as much as we could.¡± ¡°But he never asked us to not fight at all. Isn¡¯t this like saying this to the enemy to ¡®Go ahead¡¯?¡± Most of Pasca¡¯s words made the men nod. The Gigants which were retreating were around 27, which wasn¡¯t much different from the enemy. Moreover, though being declared as an order from the Marquis himself, there was some dissatisfaction and humiliation with retreating without a fight. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s fight!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s show the men of Mayers how hot we are!¡± The determined commanders ordered the soldiers to take the refugees into a safe place. They prepared for battle using the trailer and wagons as barricades on the highway. ¡°The enemy Gigant!¡± Baron Pasca turned to the north side of the road at the report from a knight. When he saw the Gigant running while giving off steam, he gave orders. ¡°All, prepare for battle!¡± ¡°Prepare for battle! Battle positions!¡± Commands were delivered orally and the riders began to board their Gigants. Milton¡¯s men too responded seeing the situation. ¡°Lieutenant General, enemies are camping ahead.¡± ¡°Are they the ones who fled? Huh, I guess they want to die.¡± The leader of the Milton Kingdom¡¯s vanguard Gigants was the Gram brother, Reynard. He formed the unit by picking up the best riders and high-performance Gigants from the Iron Fist Knights. Their mission was to dig into the Rakan ahead of their main troops and seize the castles and fort. However, he was feeling bored as he hadn¡¯t fought much during the time. ¡°Attack! Sweep away those Rakan¡¯s henchmen! Go!¡± ¡°Woah!!!¡± Once Reynard¡¯s commands fell, the Gigant which were taken down the trailers ran towards the Rakan estate¡¯s point where barricades were placed. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! The Gigant unit¡¯s sound rang louder as they went closer to the Rakan troops. However, the Rakan army didn¡¯t seem to respond at all. Were they scared? No, they weren¡¯t scared but were looking for the right time. ¡°A little closer, just a little more close¡­¡± Baron Pasca, who was looking at the Gigants approaching him, wanted to wait until they approached the barricades. Temporarily, he was commanding the forces of the five small manors as the enemies entered within 100 meters, he lifted his sword. ¡°Now!¡± Pung! Shoot! When the order fell, the war mages of their army launched their attacks all at once. Having prepared the magic in advance, they poured in Fire Balls and Fire Arrows. But were they too nervous? The magic which was used by them fell to the ground rather than the enemy. ¡°Huh, where are they looking¡­?¡± Kwang Kwang Kwang! Reynard laughed the moment he saw the magic get bounced off before touching the Gigants. Baron Pasca was preparing for the battle and had buried the gun power and the artillery into the ground. The gun powder and shells reacted to the flames made with magic and began to showcase lightings to the Milton Kingdom¡¯s Gigants. Chapter 414 - Rakan Estate’s Crisis 5 ¡°Now! Attack!¡± ¡°Keuk, damn it!¡± Being quick, the Gigants of the Rakan estate rushed toward Milton¡¯s Gigants that had taken modest damage. The Gigants of the Rakan estate, who jumped over the barricades at once, wielded their maces and swords at the collapsed Gigants of the Milton Kingdom. ¡°Don¡¯t let even one of them go!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s show fear to those who have invaded the land of the warrior without fear!¡± Kang! Kakang! The noise of huge metal gloves and swords colliding could be heard across the high way. In the early stage of the fierce battle, the Rakan estate had won. They smashed into the Iron Fist Knights with their weapons of Battle Axe, Morning Star, and Sword. ¡°Uh! These men¡­!¡± ¡°Do not panic! We are the knights of the Iron Fist!¡± The skills of the knights of the Iron Fist was much higher and considered to be elite in the Milton Kingdom, and the riders of some small manor were nothing in front of them. However, as they fell into the trap carelessly in the beginning, they were helpless. And there was one man who dared to step out once the heat went down. It was Reynard, the vice commander of the Iron Fist. Leading the vanguard troops, he was the owner of a Hero class Gigant and a Sword Master of Intermediate class. Even though he was lesser than his brother Reynold, he was still able to wipe out the Gigant troops of a small scale or medium scale Experts. ¡°How dare you do this?!¡± ¡°Huka!¡± When the impact aura flashed with the boomerang, two Gigant¡¯s fell. ¡°Sword Master!¡± ¡°Oh my god! Don¡¯t go in alone, push together!¡± Even though they knew their opponent was a Sword Master, the knights of Rakan estates couldn¡¯t just retreat. Because if they decided to turn their backs, they would take in much more damage. And now they might have a chance to win, so if they pushed together, they could figure out a way to win over Milton. And accordingly, five Gigants, including Baron Pasca¡¯s Gigant, surrounded Anubis. They turned around it, like a wolf looking at its prey and kept shouting to divert the attention of Reynard. And Baron Pasca, who was fighting Anubis, struck his huge sword. ¡°Huh, did you think that such an old fashioned method would work against me?¡± Reynard, who laughed at him, moved away and swept away Pasca¡¯s Gigant. Kung! ¡°Kuak!¡± After temporarily neutralizing the Gigant of Pasca, Reynard once again created an Impact Aura on his boomerang and rushed to the other four Gigants. Wheeing! Slash! Anubis raged like a wild beast with the roaring sound of the Hero class core engine. The boomerang, which flew in the air, suddenly turned 4 Gigants to scrap. ¡®Dammit, it is moving with a speed which no bird can follow! Sword Masters are on a different level!¡¯ Realizing that his thoughts were changing, Baron Pasca quickly ordered a collapsed Gigant to retreat. As soon as the Sword Master went out, the situation had overturned. ¡°Everybody retreat behind the barricades!¡± ¡°Huh, you plan on stopping me with such poor defense?¡± However, Baron Pasca wasn¡¯t giving out the orders of retreat in fear. He had hidden a large amount of gun power right below the barricades. The barricades were used only for deceptions. When the friendly Gigants crossed the barricades, he ordered the explosion of the gunpowder. However, Reynard¡¯s attacks were much faster than expected. The moment Pasca ordered the Gigant to light the wick, Reynard threw a boomerang and split a Gigant into two. ¡°T-this!¡± ¡°Kukuku. Since you lack in skills, you use weak tactics.¡± ¡°Damn it, attack!¡± Pasca ordered the attack against Reynard with a sad expression. It was too late to run away now. In addition, even if they thought of retreating, they would take the enemy troops directly to the refugees who were innocent and defenseless. There was no way he could endanger the lives of thousands, so he decided to waste their time and welcome death. With the same thought as Pasca, the Gigants of Rakan rushed toward Anubis at the same time toward the barricades. ¡°Uak!¡± ¡°D-damn it! Why is he this strong?! Kuek!¡± Though the remaining Gigants went in, they still couldn¡¯t stop Anubis. While Anubis was using only half its power, the Iron Fist Knights defeated the Gigants one after the other. Eventually, there were only three Gigants left on Rakan¡¯s side including Pasca. Reynard paused for a moment and talked to them, ¡°I will give you an opportunity to show your courage. Are you willing to join the Milton Kingdom?¡± ¡°Huh! we have no intention of betraying Marquis Luke, so kill us already!¡± The nobles of the northern side, including Baron Pasca, were distant members of the Rakan family. Although they didn¡¯t have excellent skills or power, it was the title they had gotten from the Rakan family that had kept them alive even in the most difficult times. So after defeating Count Monarch, the man was given back his title and estate. That was why their loyalty toward Luke was bound to be strong. ¡°Kuek. Then I can¡¯t help you. Goodbye to you all!¡± Reynard raised his boomerang. Baron Pasca closed his eyes when he saw the Impact Aura rise from Anubis¡¯s arm. ¡®Ha, this is my end.¡¯ There was no luck. He never imagined that the vanguard troops would have a Sword Master. If it weren¡¯t for the Sword Master, he would have been able to repel the enemies and go back to the refugee camp. ¡®Sire, please be sure to win this war!¡¯ The aura was done and the Gigant was ruined. There was no way the attack could be stopped. It was regrettable to leave his Lord and people, but it seemed like his role was done. The moment Baron Pasca emptied his mind, the Impact Aura of the boomerang came in furiously. Chapter 415 - Start of Counterattack 1 ¡®Your skills are lacking, but you are excellent.¡¯ Reynard admired Baron Pasca for putting up his best. So, he decided to kill him without pain¡ªa single strike. Kang! The moment the sound was released, the boomerang that flew toward Baron Pasca bounced off because of a giant sword that came flying in. ¡°What, who did this?¡± Catching the boomerang, Reynard turned his attention toward the opponent that deflected his attack using a sword. And then it appeared, a silver and slender Gigant. And then, dozens of Gigants began to run in from a distance. ¡®Dammit, he isn¡¯t an ordinary guy.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure who the man was, but he was able to stop something which was farther away from him. In addition, the silver Gigant, which was coming in, seemed to have a high performance. ¡°I will make you regret entering my land without permission.¡± A heavy voice flowed out of the silver Gigant. ¡°Marquis!¡± The riders, including Baron Pasca, survived. It was their Lord. Luke was the one who was riding the silver Gigant. He wasn¡¯t expecting him to come since they informed that the forces would take longer to come and support them. But he couldn¡¯t help but be glad when he heard his Lord¡¯s voice. ¡®I am glad I wasn¡¯t too late.¡¯ Luke had met up with the refugees heading to the north along with his Rakan Knights. When they heard that troops led by Baron Pasca were trying to fight the enemy vanguards, they lead the knights down the road. They were a little late, but they were glad to arrive before all of their allies were killed. ¡°Save our allies! Kill those bandits!¡± ¡°Yes, Lord!¡± As soon as Luke¡¯s orders fell, the riders of the Rakan Knights aboard the improved Stiletto and the new Knight class Gigant, Gaius, which were mass-produced in the Katarina Magic Tower. They began to rush toward Milton¡¯s Gigants. The Hero class Gigant, Avenger, wasn¡¯t finished yet, so Luke was riding Gaius when he attacked. Luke, who recovered his sword that he threw a while back, began to unfold the Gold Sword and wielded it toward Reynard¡¯s Anubis. Kwang Slash! Along with the sound, strong golden trajectory kept falling on Anubis. ¡°Kuek, so this is the Warrior Rakan¡¯s Gold Sword!¡± Reynard avoided the attacks that came in one after the other. In terms of the Gigant, he was riding a Hero class Gigant, Anubis. However, the opponent was too strong. Luke was a Rune Knight, who could go against a Sword Sage, and was learning the second part of the Gold Sword that he had learned in the Song Empire after fighting with Arsene. ¡®Kuek! This is tough! Maybe if I fought along with hyung¡­ No, even then, it might be difficult for us to win.¡¯ He ran toward the commander of the Rakan Knights, Philip. Being a complete Sword Master, he was on a Hero class Gigant, Orion, which he got from Luke. ¡°Lord, leave this one to me!¡± ¡°It is disturbing. Don¡¯t let him go, Sir Philip.¡± ¡°Just as Lord said, I won¡¯t.¡± The attacks spread quickly, while he was still recovering, and the attacker changed. Not being able to deal with Luke, he ran away and went straight to Philip. Reynard wasn¡¯t able to handle it. ¡®It can¡¯t be. I-it¡¯s getting annoying, I need to get out of here.¡¯ Most of his friendly Gigants were defeated. Reynard, who hesitated, decided that he wouldn¡¯t be able to fight against them and took something out. Kwang! ¡°Hahaha! How is my attack¡­ What?¡± Philip, who stabbed into the chest of Anubis, pulled out his sword only to be confused. He had clearly pierced into the cockpit, but he couldn¡¯t see blood spill out. ¡°What happened?¡± Luke answered Philip who seemed confused. ¡°There was magic inside just a second before. He must have run away with a scroll or something.¡± As he guessed, Reynard had pulled out a teleport scroll and used it. If he was a little late, he would have died to the sword of Orion that penetrated the cockpit. Anyway, Reynard¡¯s escape marked the end of the battle. All the enemy Gigants were defeated and most riders were dead except for those who got captured. He did achieve the first step in there, but Luke couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°It is a waste that we missed the Sword Master class rider.¡± The Sword Master class was as strong as a whole troop of soldiers. The next time he met them, he wasn¡¯t sure what kind of damage he would give them. ¡°We still captured the Hero class Gigant, right? I don¡¯t think that it is too damaged.¡± As Philip said, the Hero class Gigant was a very valuable power, especially in situations when they didn¡¯t have the capacity to produce one themselves. Therefore, the battle could be considered as a defeat to the Milton Kingdom. ¡°Right. Get the battlefield cleared at once. Help the damaged Gigants and the injured men.¡± ¡°Understood, Lord.¡± Luke wasn¡¯t pleased with the victory and was preparing for the next one. In addition to the Milton Kingdom, he had to think of a way to push out the Grenada Kingdom that was making a mess in the south. Chapter 416 - Start of Counterattack 2 Pung-! Pung-! Bang! Kwang! Bang! By the time Luke had defeated the vanguard Gigants of the Milton Kingdom, a fierce battle was taking place in the Lamer city. ¡°3rd, 15th, and 28th artillery!¡± ¡°Do not step back and keep shooting!¡± ¡°There is a fire on the east street! Please support with some fire-fighting men!¡± Shortly after the first battle, including Pavel and the residents, the soldiers and the entire city of Lamer was busy without break. The Grenada Navy, which had attacked villages and towns on the south coast, began to attack the Lamer city three days back. Duke Nathan divided the fleet into half, and alternately attacked the Lamer city, and Count Fernando attempted to siege with the soldiers leading the Navy. And as a response, Pavel formed a firm defensive line with the Unicorn Knights who were sent in from the teleport gate, and the Gigants were brought out from the arena. ¡°Today, we will surely take it down!¡± Thud Thud Thud! When Fernando¡¯s Gigant jumped over the city wall after walking over his allied Gigant¡¯s like stairs, Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s Puppet blocked his way ahead. From the very beginning, Hwang Bo-sung attempted to subdue the men by using the Three Star God Martial skills. Bang! Kwang! ¡°Euk! They are still coming!¡± Fernando clicked his tongue as he avoided getting attacked. The wood giant in front of him had a rider, and the power of it was as good as a knight class. After he was overpowered, Fernando stepped back a little and stabbed the knee and wrist joint of the Puppet with his large Estoc which was in his hand. It was a weakness that he had grasped for the wood giant. Puk! Puk! And the attack was successful. However, as if the hit was less than expected, the wooden giant which staggered for a moment began to come back at him. ¡®No way, who is he? How can it move even with the joints damaged?¡¯ Fernando, who had no knowledge of the Puppet, stepped back and frowned. Although he was riding a knight class Gigant and not a Hero class Gigant, he never thought that he would have to deal with a strong rider until he met with the Marquis of Rakan. However, his sense of pride got broken right from the beginning. It was because a never-heard wooden giant which appeared along with the Unicorn Knights and Fist Master who could control it. ¡®Dammit, should I aim where the magic stone is, in the chest or cockpit? No, what if even that doesn¡¯t work¡­¡¯ It was when Fernando was biting his lips and trying to figure out his opponent. A man yelled from behind. ¡°Count Salizar! The fleet signaled retreat!¡± ¡°What? Already?¡± When the siege was turning sluggish, it seemed like Duke Nathan signaled for a retreat. Fernando was forced to stop his attacks and retreat back mumbles, ¡°can¡¯t help it. All forces, retreat!¡± The land battle units which were under his commander were very similar to a low tide. Fernando stared at the wooden giant before jumping back on the wall. ¡°They are retreating! Chase them!¡± ¡°Woah!!¡± Hwang Bo-sung and the Unicorn Knights shouted and pursed them. However, unlike before, when the enemy infant Gigants were stepping on lines, a large obstacle had made an appearance. ¡°Kuek! These rats!¡± The commander of the Unicorn Knights, Kaper, burst into anger when he saw Grenada¡¯s Gigant¡¯s on the sandy beach. In his heart, he wanted to chase after the pirates and throw them off. However, if he chased after them, the heavyweight Puppet and the friendly soldiers will be facing trouble because of the sand. A counterattack in the situation could cause irreversible things to happen. ¡°I would have been nice if we had a lightweight Gigant to pursue them.¡± From the time of the Torlot Fortress, Alex, the close friend of Kaper was lamenting by his side. ¡°That is right. But now we can¡¯t take off the gloves and put on wooden¡­¡± ¡°Later we will have to ask Lord to make marine Gigants.¡± The two men who knew that they couldn¡¯t possibly pursue their enemies led the troops back to Lamer city. Seeing the flames and smoke rising from the city, they clenched their fist with their hardened faces. Bang! Fernando, who went back to the Hyredin office room, put down his helmet roughly on the table. Nathan, who saw the kid, smiled. ¡°Are you angry?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural? If only I had a little more time we could have been able to capture the city, but we had to come back because of the hasty signal.¡± ¡°Do you really think like that?¡± At the question from Nathan, Fernando bowed his head. ¡°Sorry, Sire. I am was angry and without knowing¡­¡± Duke Nathan knew very well how motivated Fernando was of this being his first-ever overseas expedition. Probably at the same time, he wanted to boast his sword skills which everyone called as a genius, and he must have thought that it was an opportunity to strengthen his position as a successor to the throne by taking merit. And he did succeed for the first few days. Several villages were plundered and small forts along the coast got burned. But for the first time in the Lamer city, his steps got blocked. Contrary to the thoughts that the city would be easy to fall, they had been in vain for three long days. Maybe the story would have been different if the man fighting Fernando was the Rakan Marquis, the descendant of the warrior. Because he was the only one Fernando accepted as his opponent. However, the opponent was a Fist master who he never heard of. It was the Rakan Marquis, who he considered as a rival but a man who seemed very normal. ¡°Tch, the battle sometimes leads to victory and defeat. There is still plenty of time, so we don¡¯t have to be impatient. An impatient sword can lead to injury.¡± ¡°Yes, I will keep that in mind.¡± On the advice of Duke, Fernando nodded his head. He had been on the land for three days, but that didn¡¯t mean that the entire expedition had been a failure. ¡°According to the spy of the Milton Kingdom, the Rakan Marquis led the rest of the manor¡¯s forces and marched north.¡± ¡°Then there is no more power to send to the southern coast.¡± ¡°Yes, you can perform the siege with peace of mind. The war is at our advantage.¡± Due to the constant bombardment and siege, the Rakan estate isolated the Lamer city, and the city was forced to wear out. And once the forces of Lamer get tired, they will exhibit gaps. Nathan and Fernando were aiming for such gaps and began to discuss possible plans to attack Lamer city. Chapter 417 - Start of Counterattack 3 ¡°Lord, this is the report from the Lamer city.¡± Luke, who defeated the Milton vanguards and took the refugees, was handed a paper from Philip. Luke who read the report of war which was sent on a magic paper. ¡°Those pirates!¡± The battle was a victory. The enemy forces were defeated by Hwang Bo-sung and the Unicorn Knights who were moved with the help of the teleport gate, and the Grenada Navy was unable to enter because the ships belonging to the estate had made an appearance at the port entrance. The problem was that the lives of people and the property damage was high because of the fierce shelling. The total number of deaths were 305, 626 injured men, and 7,509 victims in three days. Hundreds of houses got burned down because of the fire from the shelling. ¡°Some places, such as the stone offices and commercial branches weren¡¯t easily destroyed by the shelling, so they aimed for the residential area.¡± Philip who saw the report before Luke was also angry at the pirates. Grenada was a naval powerhouse, so their artillery was good. Despite being able to aim at the turret, the attack on the residential area clearly indicated the intention to damage the Rakan estates. ¡®We need to deal with the Milton Kingdom, but the Grenada men needs to be wiped out. I knew that our naval forces were vulnerable and came pushed by them.¡¯ Among the proverbs of the Southern continent, there was a saying that clothes needed to get wet in the rain. In order not to suffer during the later times, it was necessary to let the forces see Grenada Navy. Luke, who decided that, asked a plan which could combat the Grenada Navy in the meeting with Rogers and the other commanders ¡°Why not fire on their fleet with hot air balloons like the time that the Emperor did with the Western Army? They won¡¯t be able to stand against the unexpected fire.¡± Following the method of Philip, Erwin who was a wizard shook her head. ¡°Then, won¡¯t we need a lot of hot air balloons? In our estates, there are a few numbers of hot air balloons which are only used for observations, but it will take a lot of time for us to get them in large quantities.¡± ¡°And we will have to get a lot of heat appliances. There is a higher risk of falling over because of the ever-changing sea breeze.¡± It wasn¡¯t like Luke hadn¡¯t thought of air-based attacks. However, in many ways, it proved to be difficult so he had gave up on it. ¡°How about asking Castia and Holy Empire for help? I don¡¯t know about the Castia Kingdom but the Holy Empire will surely help us out.¡± Everyone nodded their heads at Rogers¡¯s suggestion. Reina, the current Pope of the Holy Arthenia Empire would surely respond to Luke. In addition, the Holy Empire¡¯s Navy had a superior size, although their quality was lower to Grenada. ¡°I am sure that they can help as the commander said. It might help in the long term. But this is the time we need to put off the fire on our feet.¡± ¡°I think that there is no choice but to endure it at this point. The sea troops aren¡¯t easy to send when compared to land, and a typhoon is going to hit soon, and it is natural for Grenada to retreat by then.¡± The man who said that was Baron Pasca, who got saved by Luke. And Luke knew that his words weren¡¯t wrong. ¡°This is rather frustrating. It could be able to if we could build a trap.¡± ¡°A trap in the sea? What do you mean?¡± Philip shook his head thinking it was ridiculous. Except for one person. ¡°You can create traps in the sea.¡± The one who responded was Zegal Soha. She followed the wizards to see Luke and was delighted when she had a chance to stand out. ¡°That true?¡± ¡°Yes, Grace. With a little time and materials, we can place traps in the sea.¡± Soha, who said that, explained to everyone on how to build a trap. The reactions were half and half. Some were greedy, like Luke and the others were skeptical like Erwin. ¡°In the end would that be possible? It has never been tried.¡± ¡°It is used in the Song Empire. It was to defeat the pirates. And it did work.¡± Luke wasn¡¯t hesitant to see it work. He immediately sent Zegal Soha to the city of Lamer by teleportation magic and instructed her to create a trap to defeat the pirates. After Luke was done thinking about what had to be done with the Grenada navy, the Milton camp was busy planning an operation to defeat the Rakan estate. Unlike during the border crossing, they seemed very nervous. It was because Reynard, the vanguard who they thought would be victorious, was defeated. It was a situation of defeat due to numbers, but they couldn¡¯t understand why he had to abandon his Anubis, a Hero class Gigant, and come back. ¡°The Gigant¡¯s power seemed to be better than what we thought. It is more necessary to see the actual power they have.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, Commander Reynold. But aren¡¯t we superior in terms of numbers?¡± Unlike Reynold, Mayers was still very confident. Currently, the number of Gigants in Milton were doubled, which made it 200, and the Rakan estate had 95. Originally, the Gigants of Rakan estate had to be more. However, they were unable to mobilize the Gigants as they had to stop the Grenada Navy in the south. ¡°It is painful to lose a hero class Giant, but with the other 8 hero class Gigants we have, there isn¡¯t much of a problem, and the exclusive fighter ¡®Rubira¡¯ and the other Anubis of the commander.¡± Behind the scenes of Emperor Rudolf, Mayers had always been increasing his Gigant force. He had manipulated the ledger and concealed the sales without letting any other nobles know. In addition, there were quite a few Gigants he had purchased from overseas foreign magic towers. After the Battle of Magic Towers, many of the towers had suffered from financial difficulties, and Fiore and the Altica Magic Tower, which were in the top ten magic towers were no exception to it. Mayers traded secretly with them to buy the hero class Gigants like Anubis and Rubira. Since the civil war broke out, he immediately bought the Gigants, and the Milton Kingdom ended up having more Gigantic power than what was known to the others. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just that, but recently we have 50 new Knight classes. And they were sent straight to us.¡± A commemorative of the alliance with the Volga Republic. However, Mayers didn¡¯t say anything about the source. The nobles of the Milton Kingdom hated republicanism, and if the rumors went out about the secret treaty with the Volga Republic, their loyalty to Mayers would diminish. Reynold too didn¡¯t ask for the source. It was because the problem for him was something else. ¡°Your Majesty, even if we do have the numbers with the Gigants, if the riders are unskilled, then it won¡¯t be useful for us.¡± ¡°What? Then do you mean that the Iron Fist knights can¡¯t go against the Rakan knights?¡± ¡°That is what I think. If that wasn¡¯t the case, does it make sense that our forces get wiped out the moment their reinforcements reach the place?¡± At the words of Reynold, Mayers¡¯ face swelled. He could never admit that his own trained knights were unskilled and worse than the Rakan knights. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just because of the vanguard? Sir Reynard did say that they fell into the trap of the enemy and fought with the reinforcements after already taking in a lot of damage?¡± Said Mayers. ¡°That is true, but my younger brother is an Intermediate Sword Master, and he had been single-handedly pushed by Marquis Luke. And with what, we know about the Marquis that shouldn¡¯t be possible.¡± The Rune Knight Luke¡¯s skill which was informed by the Milton Kingdom¡¯s intelligence agency was changed from Sword Master to Intermediate to Advanced. But an Intermediate Sword Master Reynard, with the most skilled Gigant was unilaterally pushed, and it was needed for everyone to realize that there was more to Luke than what they knew. If Marquis Luke did have some kind of concealed skills, there was a high probability that his retainers too had skills which the general public wasn¡¯t aware of. If that was the case, the future battles for the Milton kingdom would be much different than what they expect. Skills like Sword Master and Sword Sage could completely change the entire flow. ¡°So what do you want me to do?¡± Asked Mayers. ¡°As I said before, we need to grasp the real power of the enemy. And I heard that Your Majesty has some people who can work in the shadows called Aegis. It would be nice to use them when it comes to the enemy.¡± ¡°You are talking about assassination?¡± ¡°Yes, when we are at war, there are things we can and can¡¯t do. And we can at least assassinate their plans and actions. That way, we can reduce the loss of allies.¡± After hearing the story, Mayers seemed displeased. He too had done a lot of tricks for coming till there. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t think of assassination as a good tool for his situation. Nevertheless, his reason for grunting and displeasure was because of the Gram brothers, whom he had brought back after paying a huge amount. His younger brother loses a valuable Hero class Gigant and the older one makes up excuses to avoid going to battle. And he wanted to occupy the Rakan estates as fast he could. ¡®Dammit, I would throw them out if I could¡­¡¯ At present, the Milton Kingdom had no better talent than the Gram brothers. After the war, he was forced to keep them until the fight with the Baroque army had happened. ¡°Understood. About what you said, let me give out the directions.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Reynold bowed to Mayers. The nobles who watched the debate between the two sighed with relief as they achieved what they wanted. Chapter 418 - Start of Counterattack 4 Before the start of the fifth day. The troops of the Milton Kingdom, which had been pushing with force, slowed down unexpectedly. Something seemed to have happened, but Luke thought that it was for the best. It was because the friendly sacrifice seemed too big to go and initiate a fight. So he built a defensive team in the town of Batern, which was situated on the highway leading to the Rakan permanent manor. After evacuating the residents to a safe place, they dug holes and put up barriers at a low-level line to a wall. Thanks to the mobilization of Gigants, he managed to save time, and he was able to complete the task before the enemy arrived. ¡°Are they crouching in that small town?¡± Soon after arriving at the outskirts of the Batern town, Mayers laughed at the Rakan troops whom he saw. ¡°Your Majesty, it seems like their army is using this as their battleground.¡± At the words of Reynold, Mayers smiled. ¡°Those stupid men. Do they think that they can stop our troops with such silly obstacles¡­¡± There were two reasons why Milton Kingdom¡¯s advancement had slowed them. One was to find out the key figure of the Rakan knights, whom they would have to fight, and the other was to make time for the Aegis to infiltrate and conduct their operation. As a result of the investigation being done, Mayers wanted to fight a little to confirm. The first artillery units fired at his command. ¡°Start shelling!¡± Bang! Bang! The shells were fired for the purpose of suppressing the enemy¡¯s army, and it fell right into the town. And the Gigant troops, which were placed in the defensive line, lifted up their shields to block the shells, and the artillery units of Rakan fired back as well. ¡°Shoot Mayer¡¯s men, too! They need to taste what this feels like!¡± Bang! Bang! Unexpected blast and flames began to come over the Milton Kingdom¡¯s army camp. The bombardment from Rakan¡¯s side was intense. The Gigants of Mayers were falling back even after trying to use their shields. Mayers was shocked at how strong the enemy¡¯s shelling was when compared to his. ¡°W-why is this happening?¡± ¡°There was some information about the enemy mobilizing fort materials. Maybe that is the case?¡± The one in charge of the information responded to Mayers. The Fort guns meant large-caliber cannons for Gigants. If they could be aimed at the right spot, it could cause serious damage compared to normal cannons. It could even take down Gigants. However, they held a huge drawback. It was that they weren¡¯t easy to move because of their weight. That was why they were fixed to manors, castles, or forts. That was the reason why they were called Fort Guns. ¡°If such a thing was there, it should have been reported to me immediately!¡± ¡°P-please kill me, Your Majesty!¡± Mayers reprimanded the noble who was on his knees, but it wasn¡¯t something that required one¡¯s life. Mayers clicked his tongue. ¡°Aee, you incompetent ones. By the way, Commander Reynard. Do you know that the Fort Guns aren¡¯t easy to transport?¡± The use of Fort Guns in the field was something that could have been considered in any war, but it wasn¡¯t an easy thing to do. ¡°I think that they might have used the trailers to move the Gigants.¡± If it was a trailer, then it could surely carry a Fort Gun. However, in reality, the guess of Reynold was wrong. Luke, who fought with the Volga Republic in the past at the Torlot Fort, emphasized on the importance of movable artillery. Therefore, wheels and carriages for the artillery were improved in the same form as their use, and as a result, fort guns were easily transported. ¡°But even then, we struggled to move them.¡± Luke stared at the artillery being reloaded with shells. Although he suspected the reason for the Milton Kingdom to have slowed down, the fort guns were a solid plus to them. Since the Grenada navy was destroying their south, they had to use the nearby fort guns to replace the lack of Gigant power. It was difficult to move, but the Fort Guns played a good role. ¡°The enemy Gigant troops are about to assault.¡± Just as Philip announced the news, the shell fired by Milton fell ahead of the town. From the shell, white smoke began to come out. It was intended to conceal the assault of the Gigants by using the smoke bombs. And they would avoid the enemy¡¯s shelling too. ¡°Oh, that is a stupid thing. Shoot out smoke bombs and send out our allied Gigant units!¡± ¡°Yes, Lord!¡± With the support from the artillery, the Rakan estate¡¯s Gigant troops participated. Shortly after, the Gigants met at a middle point. Kwang! Kang! ¡°Don¡¯t step back!¡± ¡°Remove all the enemy scraps from here!¡± The harsh screams and loud hissing flowed out of the field. It was the Rakan troops who had the upper hand in the situation even though it wasn¡¯t easy to see through the thick smokescreen. It was because the movements of the Gigants were very smooth after the Katarina Magic Tower had equipped them with a tuning helm, and they overwhelmed the Milton Kingdom¡¯s Gigants with huge force. ¡°Kuek, such quick reactions¡­! A Sword Master?¡± ¡°Hahaha! I am glad you got it wrong!¡± Despite the disadvantage of the numbers, the reason Rakan estate held a higher position wasn¡¯t just because of the tuning helm. In the early moments, the mistakes made by the Milton Kingdom played a huge role. The smoke bombs shot to avoid the shelling from Milton to obscure the view of Rakan made it impossible to preserve their numerical advantage. Eventually, Milton Kingdom¡¯s Gigants retreated and suffered considerable losses. Naturally, Mayers was upset. ¡°What, 26 were damaged and 11 were completely destroyed?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I think that it was a mistake to fight in the smokescreen.¡± ¡°This¡­! Replace the artillery commander right away! They had to support the Gigant units!¡± Reynold and the other unit commanders were feeling bad. It was Mayers and not someone else who had asked for the smoke bombs to be used. Upon hearing that the enemy brought in Fort Guns, Mayers ordered the smoke bombs to be fired since he was scared about the damage his Gigants would take. However, he forgot it and blamed it all on the artillery commander. ¡°Your Majesty, please calm down. This is just the start. Once we enter into a full-fledged war, victory will be on our side.¡± In the previous battle, Sword Master class riders such as Reynold or Reynard and Hero class Gigants didn¡¯t appear. It was because the men of Milton said that he wanted to judge the skills of Luke and the unreasonable skills of his retainers and decided to use their Sword Master as hidden cards when the battle turned serious. ¡°And the enemy? Among the riders who appeared, there was something about a lot of them being Sword Masters?¡± ¡°They must have misunderstood. If a Sword Master fought, we would have noticed a peculiar energy flow from them.¡± As Reynold said that, Mayers nodded his head. ¡®Right, a Sword Master isn¡¯t a stone rolling in waters¡­¡¯ ¡°But, Your Majesty, what happened to the assassination of the enemy commander. The thing I suggested the other day?¡± At the question of Reynold, Mayers frowned. ¡°I got a report that Aegis is going into operation. We need to wait until they contact us again.¡± No intention of listening to Reynold¡¯s nagging, Mayers hoped that the assassination of one commander would be successful for Aegis. Chapter 419 - Start of Counterattack 5 Luke, who had a pleasant victory on the west side of his estates, raised the morale of the riders and the soldiers by giving them merit. Afterward, he set up a meeting with the commanders to prepare for their next battle, and as soon as the meeting ended, he met with his demons in a warehouse outside the village. ¡°These are the spies of the Milton Kingdom?¡± ¡°Yes, master. I caught them approaching through the southern forest.¡± When Sebastian said that, Belfair chuckled. It was Sebastian, but the assassins of Hydra and Henry, who were in charge of the surveillance of the grounds, were the ones who found the men and captured them. ¡®All fairies. Were these the ones who prevented Hydra¡¯s raid in the capital that time?¡¯ The agents of Hydra attacked Mayers¡¯ mansion to kill Aslan. The operation was a huge bust, and it seemed that the people in front of Luke were the ones who stopped them at that time. Most of them were human-like, dark elves, and half breed lycans. It wasn¡¯t surprising that the noble families had often used fairies as their slaves or subordinates. However, it wasn¡¯t just one or two fairies who were being used as Mayers slaves. It was like he was raising them for a long time. ¡°It seems like they were very thoroughly brainwashed. The moment they got caught, they took away their own lives.¡± At the words of Belfair, Luke looked at him. ¡°Isn¡¯t that very similar to the men of Hydra?¡± ¡°But they didn¡¯t kill themselves by taking poison.¡± While speaking, Belfair trembled. In fact, some of the men, who failed to immediately capture the fairies, were killed by the Explosion magic scroll and the gunpowder on their bodies. As a result, some slaves of Belfair were sacrificed. ¡°Anyway, if you look at the belongings collected from the captured ones, we can have detailed information about their assassination mission.¡± ¡°Assassination¡­ But, but is it enough to choose such means.¡± Before the war, Luke thought about assassinating the leader of the Milton Kingdom. However, it wasn¡¯t so easy to assassinate a king of a nation who wasn¡¯t a regular noble. A man constantly being escorted by the Iron Fist, and even if the assassination were successful, it wouldn¡¯t be effective if Mayers¡¯ son took over the throne. On the contrary, if there was any evidence left behind, it was highly likely that they would frame the descendant of Rakan to be a traitor and win the battle with unfair means. That was why Luke gave up on assassinating Mayers. ¡°You will have to work harder in the shadows. Tell the others to take care of everyone who seem like spies.¡± ¡°Understood. But Master, are you going to fight like this?¡± ¡°Fight like this?¡± When Luke asked back, Sebastian had a sneaky smile on his face. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be simpler to do that thing we did with Count Monarch? If we sneak in some poison in their food, within a few days, they will¡­¡± The Milton Kingdom wouldn¡¯t fight and blood wouldn¡¯t flow. ¡°Give up on that. Don¡¯t do anything suspicious or weird.¡± ¡°Eh? Why?¡± When Sebastian wasn¡¯t able to understand the reason, Belfair shook his head. ¡°Such a stupid cat! Don¡¯t you understand what kind of situation Master is in now?¡± ¡°What kind of situation? Ahh, that rumor¡­¡± Marquis Luke was said to have learned dark magic! The rumor, which was spread by Nanas, was still being circulated among the people. At first, it was considered to be a baseless rumor since there was no clear evidence. However, if something strange happened, people¡¯s doubts would start to arise and then deepen. ¡°Belfair is right. That is why I can¡¯t use my abilities to the fullest.¡± ¡°Oh, that is upsetting. I thought that I was given another chance to play an active part in battle.¡± Sebastian wasn¡¯t trying to build merit under Luke. It was just that the depressing and the dark emotions from the humans who suffer were something Sebastian fed on, so he was looking for an opportunity to make use of the battle. However, he had to abandon his thoughts. ¡°Don¡¯t feel that bad because there is still a role you¡¯ll get to play,¡± said Luke. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, this is something I think that no one other than you can do¡­¡± Luke told Sebastian about the operation ¡®Nightmare¡¯. Sebastian, who heard it, applauded as soon as he was done. ¡°Master¡¯s eyes are surely unique. Surely, this operation will do wonders.¡± ¡°Just in case, we never know, so let Belfair help you. Once you guys do that, the war will end.¡± ¡°Yes! Trust me and leave this matter to me, Master.¡± The two demons, who were done giving the report about the captured spies, left for their new operation. After they left, Luke took out a map. It was the military map that was sent by Scarlet¡¯s party who were working as mercenaries in the Milton Kingdom. The map gave him details about the military base, and the highways used in the Milton Kingdom. ¡°I need to make a move too, like the devil himself, kukuku!¡± Luke smiled before leaving the warehouse with his teleport magic. Chapter 420 - The Stab 1 After sneaking out of the warehouse, Luke moved somewhere using his teleport magic. And by night, he arrived at a deep valley in the western border of the Milton Kingdom. Kiiik! Kuak! Piiik! Piik! In the valley were monsters such as orcs, goblins, and kobolds moved in groups, Luke appeared there with a bright light, the large orc chief, and the goblin head who were in proper attire moved forward. ¡°Have any of you fallen apart?¡± At the question, they shook their heads. ¡°Good. Despite the short time, you were able to come.¡± Luke praised and smiled all through this conversation with them. When Count Bazzo¡¯s death marked the start of war with Milton Kingdom, he tried one thing to reduce the loss of power. It was to use the monsters which he had sent out from his estate. Until last year, the monster legions led by Shaikan disrupted all the parts of Baroque Empire and were now considered to be a normal power in Libiya Kingdom. ¡®There is nothing which can¡¯t be done. I can¡¯t use them publicly like Shaikan.¡¯ Which was why, before the start, Luke had gone to brainwash the tribes of the monsters. The monsters which were living away from the estates had increased considerably over the period. And he used the other monster tribes who were the original inhabitants of the place. Due to that, the fact that the Baroque Civil war and the Battle of Magic Towers have transpired, no one cared about the monsters. And the number of monsters reached to a 100,000. Luke moved the groups of orcs, goblins, and kobolds across the north of Rakan to the Milton Kingdom only during nights and invisible mountain trials. Of course, he didn¡¯t have the time to directly look after the monsters¡¯ movements, nor did he have the power of the dragon-like Shaikan to increase their intellect. Nevertheless, they were able to come without scattering or going in the wrong direction as Luke placed a lot of clothes with the monsters¡¯ favorite scents in the direction the monsters had to move in. And the monster succeeded in pursuing the scent and reaching the place. ¡°Now I will be giving a new order.¡± Keeek! Kiik! Kiik! At the words of Luke, the head of the monsters banged on their chest. That was an indication that they were ready for the new orders. Luke raised his hand and pointed to the east. ¡°Go in the direction where my hand points and make a fuss. The more humans who are scared, the better you are doing, make a huge mess over there.¡± At Luke¡¯s orders, the heads nodded saying they knew what had to be done and led their groups in the direction. As countless monsters went away, Luke smiled. ¡°Huhuhu. Try stopping this one, Mayers!¡± Mayers, who fell asleep late at night because of the meetings, suddenly opened his eyes at an eerie feeling. ¡°Yah, is someone there? It¡¯s so cold in the countryside¡­!¡± Mayers went shocked when he was about to ask the guard knight to light a fire outside. Next to his bed was someone who he was familiar with and was standing in his own blood! -Kuek! Cough! ¡°C, Count Bazzo?¡± Mayers was trembling with shock. The one whose blood was all over his body was Count Bazzo who was dead. -Why did you kill me? ¡°Killed, killed you, who? Wasn¡¯t it marquis Luke who killed you?¡± -Cough! It is unfair to me! The only loyal servant of His Majesty, the only sin I did was to fulfill all your missions. And His Majesty¡­ ¡°S, Shut up! I never did that!¡± -Why are you trying to cover the wide sky with your little hand! This is really unfair, your majesty! When Count Bazzo came close, Mayers went back and screamed. ¡°Yeah, Hello! Anyone there?! Come inside right away¡­ auk!¡± And when Count Bazzo wielded his sword on Mayers, he suddenly woke up. ¡°Y, Your Majesty, are you alright?¡¯ A knight stood next to him with concern on his face. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Just a while back, in the gloomy dark room, the figure of the bloody Count Bazzo stood tall, and now the lights were shining bright. ¡°By, by any chance did you see Count Bazzo?¡± ¡°Count Bazzo? Isn¡¯t he dead?¡± The knight was confused. Moreover, the war itself started to avenge the death of Count Bazzo, who had been killed on his way back. Seeing the expression on the knight¡¯s face, Mayers recovered. ¡°Ah, nothing. Nothing. I had a nightmare. Rather, did anyone enter the military camp when I was sleeping?¡± ¡°A cat was just kicked out. If you aren¡¯t feeling good, why not send a word to the medics?¡± ¡°Uhm, no need. I have something to think about so leave me for a moment.¡± At Mayers¡¯ words, the knight stepped out of the tent. ¡®What was that? Was I just dreaming?¡¯ It was too vivid to be considered as a dream. Mayers was wet with cold sweat, not just his back but also the bed¡¯s linen got wet. ¡®Since the battle isn¡¯t going according to my plan, my mind might be worried and playing tricks¡­ tch, so have such a nightmare. I might be getting old too.¡¯ With a bitter smile, Mayers fell asleep again. Shortly after falling asleep, the cool energy returned. -cough¡­ Your Majestyyyy¡­! ¡°Huak!¡± Count Bazzo came back once again. And this time, more terrifying than before. Mayers, who was suffering from the nightmare met up with his subordinates with drowsy eyes. ¡°Your Majesty, your complexion looks bad. Were you working long?¡± ¡°It is nothing. Go ahead and discuss how we attack the enemy.¡± Mayers, who didn¡¯t want to take down their morale didn¡¯t mention what happened last night. Although it was being kept a secret, rumors spread that their King was suffering from nightmares made by ¡®someone¡¯. Chapter 421 - The Stab 2 King Mayers, who had been confronting Luke despite the constant nightmares for the past days, received a magical communication from Brandon. ¡°What did you say? There are monsters creating a mess in the kingdom?¡± -Uh, yes, Your Majesty. What are we supposed to do? After Count Bazzo, Viscount Mager had been serving as the chief in the Royal palace and sweated cold when asking for the directions of the countermeasure. ¡°What do you mean by what to do? You need to deploy troops to subdue the monsters right away!¡± Mayers didn¡¯t take the matter of monsters so seriously. Rather, he was just irritated with it and accepted the situation. However, soon his irritation changed after hearing the next words of Mager. -We already tried to subdue them. However, there are so many of them and it is impossible to take them down. ¡°Huh, how is that possible?¡± According to what Viscount Magers said, monsters in hundreds were roaming around plundering the villages and making a mess. The estates¡¯ soldiers went out, however, with the number of monsters out there, they weren¡¯t able to subdue them. Rather, it was possible for them to prevent the attack of the monsters. When the situation began to take a turn for the worse, Viscount Mager began to send out the remaining defensive troops left in Brandon. However, the number of soldiers going out wasn¡¯t effective when compared to the monsters. The number of monsters was much higher, and there was an issue where important weapons, such as Gigants and guns were already dispatched for the battle, and the subjugation forces were poor. -According to the reports sent by the commander of the subjugation army, the monsters are aiming for the military base. ¡°Kuek! If such a thing was happening you should have informed me!¡± -I, I heard of the news only a while back¡­ ¡°Uh, stop them! I can¡¯t send the power from here in such situations!¡± For the last few days, the battles in the Bateron town were being overpowered by the Rakan army. On top of that, the Grenada navy attacks didn¡¯t seem to cause any further dissipation. Even then, he couldn¡¯t just give up and let the army go. The attacks from the Rakan were a concern, but if he decided to help them, the Milton Kingdom would turn anxious of the future attacks in the north and south. -Then how about the troops of the Variand mountains¡­? ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that it¡¯s a no?! it is obvious that the Baroque Empire will take over immediately! Tell the Lords in that region to last a little longer!¡± At the words of Mayers, Viscount Mager sighed. -I somehow tried to soothe the lords, but the situation is too frantic with the monsters outside, and talking with magic communication about the subjugations was tough indeed. And the monsters aren¡¯t the only problem. In the present situation, the remaining troops in the province were difficult to maintain. As Mayers had taken away the core power to hit the Rakan, the remaining troops were all scattered trying to take down the monsters. With the lack of security, bandits too have increased. And it wasn¡¯t just that. As the prices rose due to the war, riots were breaking out in the city and the refugees who had been used as slaves began to create trouble. And the domestic situation turned out to be annoying, lords were trembling with anxiety as their army was falling down. If their King Mayers didn¡¯t help, they would be reduced to a monster¡¯s meal or the victims of thieves or mobs. -I am feeling bad for saying this, but some Lords might make some extreme choices. And¡­ Extreme choices meant rebellion. They had already once betrayed the Baroque Empire, so there was no saying why they wouldn¡¯t do it twice. In the end, Mayers was forced to make a decision. ¡°I can¡¯t. Send a draft and draw general men to the spot. With those troops, stop the monsters first and try to maintain peace in the kingdom.¡± In the capital, Brandon city¡­ If men were recruited there, they might be able to attract a few thousands. -Sorry? Untrained soldiers are just scarecrows with spears? ¡°Then go out and fight those monsters!¡± Pung! Mayers stopped the magic communication and threw the crystal ball on to the floor. Suddenly, with the rise in the domestic situation and the frustrating words of Viscount Magers made his chest hurt. ¡®Dammit, what is so difficult about attacking the monsters¡­ where did they even appear from? Did the Libiya kingdom men strike behind our backs?¡¯ Libiya was known to be the only nation where monster troops were used. So, that was why they were the first ones to rise when thought about monsters. ¡®But why? Didn¡¯t they just send a congratulatory message and gift at the coronation ceremony?¡¯ Moreover, the Libiya Kingdom had no reason to attack the Milton Kingdom. Both the kingdoms were in the middle of the war of independence against the Baroque Empire. Even if they didn¡¯t think about the future, it was helpful for both the kingdoms to stay beside the other. Mayers¡¯ mind was full of complicated thoughts. A middle-aged noble with a sharp impression came into the military camp with a stern face. He was the man who was in charge of the communication with Aegis agents. ¡°Your Majesty, the assassination of Marquis Luke has failed.¡± ¡°What? Failed?¡± Listening to it, Mayers jumped out. ¡°Why, why would they even fail this?¡± According to the reports received, even though the boundaries of the enemies were closer, it was very likely that the aegis agents infiltrated seeing a gap. But suddenly, the news came back saying they failed! ¡°I don¡¯t know why. However, it is likely that they were all discovered since they haven¡¯t contacted me for a few days.¡± ¡°No, that can¡¯t be!¡± Not one or two, but dozens of fairies. After a long period of brainwashing and training, he couldn¡¯t believe that the men who were specialized to do stealth operations had failed. ¡°Although it is still early to conclude just because the communication has been lost. So we will wait until tomorrow morning.¡± Aegis agents had self-destructed tools in their bodies. Even if discovered, they would just die alone. If they did use those tools, the news would have reached to Mayers. So Mayers decided to wait until tomorrow morning and then take any countermeasures. ¡°Dammit, till tomorrow morning? I am going to be plagued by Bazzo.¡± And as expected, Count Bazzo constantly appeared in his dreams every night. The bloody terrible dead body he had been seeing for days still existed, and now he was getting accustomed to it, but the cool energy that was swaying his body and the sorrow of the talks was seeping into his mind. -Your Majesty¡­ it was unfair¡­ ¡°Stop it now will you?! I told you that I didn¡¯t do that, right?¡± -Huhuu, why did you have to kill me¡­? ¡°Stop it! Didn¡¯t you say you were loyal? Why are you bothering me like this?¡± -It is unfair! It is unfair! ¡°Heeik!¡± Mayers, who was feeling stressed, pulled the sword from his bedside. And swung at the image of Count Bazzo who was approaching him. ¡°Get lost, you damn ghost!¡± ¡°Kuek!¡± Mayers shook the sword but got woken with a clear scream. The dark curtain was bright, and a knight was dying with blood flowing out of his neck. ¡°Y, Your Majesty¡­ Majesty¡­ why¡­?¡± Upon hearing those screams, Reynold and the other men rushed to the King¡¯s camp and were shocked to see the bloody body of a knight and the bloody sword of the man who used it. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Ah, no! I didn¡¯t kill him because I want to!¡± Shocked at what he did, Mayers threw down his sword and was shaking while mumbling things. The cat, well, Sebastian, who was at the corner of the military base, smiled at the murder which happened. The next morning, rumors began to spread that the King had gone mad and killed a knight in his camp. The rumors did more damage to the Milton Kingdom than the losses they received from the Rakan estates. Chapter 422 - The Burning Sea 1 The 3rd level basement of the Gigant Arena in Lamer city. A series of troops showed up making unusual noises and were using the warehouses. Woong! Woong! ¡°Move it! We don¡¯t have much time!¡± ¡°Come on and complete the move before the gates close!¡± The long-distance teleport gates were installed on the third level of the arena. It was one of the gates that Luke had built, paying a huge cost for managing the expanded estates. And from an hour ago, he was busy throwing in troops and supplying with a gleaming shine. Pavel, who was witnessing this, approached the elderly knight in a red hood who appeared from the long-distance teleport gate. ¡°You have come, Sir Belik.¡± ¡°Tch, I heard that we will have to work hard, but it doesn¡¯t look like it.¡± The knight in the red hood and armor was Firestorm Belik. At the words of Belik, Pavel had a bitter smile. It was because he was very sick of being attacked by the Grenada men for the past few days. ¡°The pirates are notorious. What do we do? There seem to be a lot of Red Wolf Knights coming in.¡± ¡°Huh, we¡¯ll die if the knights don¡¯t have much force.¡± Along with the Holy Empire, the Red Wolf Knights stationed in the occupied eastern parts of Baroque were contacted by Luke a few days back. The city of Lamer was under attack by the Grenada navy, so he immediately talked to them. Along with Pavel and the other men of the refugees of Volga who were worried, Belik had brought in the scattered knights and went to Albertville estate at full speed. And then, without any break, he moved to Lamer city with the help of teleport gate. ¡°Where are those damned pirates stationed now? I will not forgive them for setting fire on the men of Pyotr Majesty.¡± When asked by Belik, Pavel pointed to the map that was on the wall. ¡°Currently, the enemy ships are anchored in the coast of Lamer. They are out of range for our cannons, so we can¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°They seem to be cunning men.¡± Belik immediately understood Grenada Navy¡¯s intentions. They were out of range for the attacks, but the reason they were camping in a visible distance was to fill the enemy with feelings of despair. In the position of Lamer city, there was an enemy right in front of them, so the knights of Rakan would feel anxious and be alert, and with constant feelings as such, they were bound to turn tired. In other words, the enemy was trying to make the knights weary by being in a close distance. ¡°And the army troops are stationed in a fishing village which was a little far from here.¡± ¡°Uhm, it will be a little difficult for individual groups to get close. Do we know who the enemy commander was?¡± ¡°From what Hwang Bo-sung said, he was called Fernando.¡± ¡°Hmm, Fernando de Salizar? I guess I met up with a troublesome one.¡± Pavel¡¯s eyes went wide with Belik¡¯s words. ¡°Is he someone you know?¡± ¡°When I was wandering around as a mercenary, I once went to the Grenada Kingdom. Although he is young, he was being praised for being a genius swordsman.¡± A few years ago, the Lords who greeted King Drake for political problems revolted. Belik was then hired as a rebel mercenary rider at the time and fought against the royal forces, and Fernando was the commander of the Royal Gigants. ¡°Because of him, the rebels struggled a lot. Eventually, I had to escape without getting a single penny since I lost. Anyway, he is arrogant, but he has skills, and taking him down won¡¯t be an easy task¡­¡± ¡°Uh? Huhuhu. It sure looks like we need those traps after all.¡± ¡°Trap?¡± According to Pavel, Luke had sent a few people to Lamer city a few days back. ¡°Zegal Soha, a young lady from the Southern Continent is the one in charge of it. She immediately looked at Lamer city and the surrounding terrain. She then got down to work with the other men.¡± ¡°Down to work? What are they planning to do¡­?¡± Belik was shocked, but he was even more flustered when he heard about the ¡®weapon¡¯ of Zegal Soha and how it was going to be used. He thought that they were likely to succeed. ¡°If that weapon works, we can surely destroy them.¡± ¡°It will work. I saw it during the test run.¡± Pavel¡¯s eyes twinkled with confidence. ¡°Anyway, we need a little more time to get ready. So stay still till then. We need your power and the Red Wolf Knights to succeed.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Pavel left, and Belik went over to a watchtower. Although he looked at the dynamics of the enemy ship with a telescope, he found no movement. Fortunately, it seemed like they didn¡¯t see the men of Rakan working. If they got caught, the Grenada weren¡¯t the kind of men to stay still. ¡°They need to succeed¡­ Your Majesty, please help the people of Volga and protect this land.¡± Belik descended from the watchtower with the hopes of winning for Pyotr II, who died in the midst of war. ¡°Let¡¯s do this quickly! We don¡¯t have much time!¡± Zegal Soha was currently building a trap by commanding hundreds of sweaty workers while traveling to Utah beach. The key to the operation was the pitfall she created. Victory was certain as long as the enemy fell into the trap. The question was, would it work properly, and would the eyes of the enemy not see it? However, the pirates didn¡¯t seem to have scouted their surroundings after seizing the coastal area, so they were able to create a trap during night time. It was like moving in dark waters, and it was thanks to the support of the talented technicians and wizards in the field with her. The trap itself didn¡¯t take much time. It was only necessary to install and assemble what was already made inside the city. ¡°Miss Soha, everything is done here.¡± ¡°Thank you for your work. Let¡¯s go back for now.¡± When the trap was done, Zegal Soha retreated. Before returning, she glanced back and smiled meaningfully at ¡®Overnight¡¯, a trap made by her. ¡®Hoho. If this operation succeeds, will I get to see Your Grace once again?¡¯ She wasn¡¯t sure why, but her heart was nervous when she thought of the elf called Erwin beside Luke. In addition, when she came to Lamer, she heard that Marquis Luke already had a beautiful fianc¨¦e. Luke¡¯s fianc¨¦e¡¯s name was Reina, and she was known to be a princess of a fallen nation. It was said that she was away because of a few circumstances. ¡®Hohoho, to be far is a charm. During this time, I will show Your Grace my ability and attractive points.¡¯ Until then, she was going to do any difficult and dangerous work given to her. Looking forward to a flower path, Soha moved back to Lamer. Chapter 423 - The Burning Sea 2 The next morning. The Grenada fleet flipped over. ¡°What did you say? The Rakan estate built a coastal fort on Touled land to attack?¡± ¡°Y-yes, Sire.¡± At the words of his lieutenant, Duke Nathan thumped the desk with a clenched fist. ¡°What the heck were you all doing? What the hell were you up to when the enemy was building their own coastal fort!¡± ¡°Well¡­ it was informed that it was made over night.¡± ¡°What nonsense! Do I look like some fool! How does one build a fort over night!¡± Even if Nathan wasn¡¯t used to land combat, he was still a man with common sense. He knew that it would take at least a few days to build even a wooden fort. ¡°Ah, shouldn¡¯t there be any countermeasures? The navy and army would be isolated.¡± When asked by the lieutenant, Duke Nathan thought for a moment. The problematic Touled peninsula was in the east of the Lamer city and had a crescent moon shaped land. It was also surrounded with fishing villages on all sides which were taken down. Nathan¡¯s fleet regularly supplied materials to the army corps and carried their wounded soldiers back and forth. Therefore, if a port got built on Touled land with artillery, it would be difficult for the supply of troops. ¡®If we bypass the land to supply ships to another coast? No, it would waste time. And if there are enemies, who were hiding, in that bay too, we would suffer great loss¡­¡¯ The most vulnerable point of a ship was when they are docked. And if attacked, even the most powerful battleships would be helpless. Even then, he couldn¡¯t move away from their current location. If he moved away from Lamer city, it would be difficult for the Navy to siege. As far as they go, the more time it took to attack and waste time as the enemy would have time to recover from damages. ¡®Those Lamer men, they played a strong move, but I can¡¯t let them go.¡¯ Nathan, who took the decision, discussed the countermeasures with Fernando over magical communication. ¡°All of this happened because of our men¡¯s mistake. How is this? Will this be possible?¡± At the question of Nathan, Fernando replied with a frowning expression. -Well, it seems to be very difficult. It is because there is only one way to attack by land, and there are too many obstacles, so securing the Gigants and moving them will be impossible while trying to avoid the shellings. Mobilizing the troops wasn¡¯t an impossible task. However, the enemy fort shouldn¡¯t know about it, or they would face a huge loss of lives. And the attacks of Lamer would currently go into water. -However, if you can provide artillery support from the sea, we will be able to capture the fort without causing much damage to the fort. At Fernando¡¯s request, Nathan frowned. It was because he believed that the mistake of the army was pushed over as the duty of the navy. However, he couldn¡¯t pretend or be biased. If the army got isolated, then attacking Lamer city would be difficult. In addition, if Fernando was a prominent successor to the throne and he died in this battle, Nathan would be reprimanded by the King. ¡°Ah, fine. We will support you, so make sure to capture that fort!¡± ¡°Thank you, Admiral.¡± After the end of the magic communication with Fernando, Nathan ordered his fleet. ¡°Move! Our goal is the Touled peninsula. Attack the enemy fort located there!¡± At the command of Duke Nathan, large sailboats and paddleboats, excluding the transport ships, began to sail east in unison. As the fleet began to move, the lieutenant spoke to the Duke, ¡°Admiral, do we need to send all our battleships to capture one fort? I think sending a part of them would be enough.¡± ¡°What nonsense. That fort is in a position where it blocks out contact with our men. If you can¡¯t get your mind together, you¡¯ll only cause more trouble.¡± Duke Nathan was the kind of man who thought that a thorn had to be plucked out before crushing it. That was why he was trying to eliminate the power of the fort with the fleet¡¯s power. ¡°The enemy might have prepared the fort as a trump card. We can never be sure as to what they will be up to if we take our sweet time.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± At the words of Duke Nathan, the lieutenant nodded as he understood. The fleet was near to the Touled fort. Although it was possible to reach the fort in less than an hour, Duke Nathan looked at the fort, waiting for the army to arrive rather than attacking it. ¡°Damn it, they are taking longer than I thought.¡± The fort was located on a towering rock edge and was surrounded by a bay of fishing villages. While the fort was mounted in the gap between the rocks, the surroundings were reinforced with stones and wooden fences. ¡®How did they even make it over night? It surely would have taken time to move those rocks and materials through such lands.¡¯ The jagged rocks made it difficult for even Gigants to enter. Even then, doing it through a boat couldn¡¯t be considered either. There were no ships that came carrying materials for Lamer, and anchoring such ships to a reef was difficult for anyone. ¡®Anyway, we brought in the fleet. I need to focus on firing and blowing it up.¡¯ ¡°Admiral! We have been contacted by the army just now! They have arrived and are prepared for battle!¡± At the report of the lieutenant, Duke Nathan nodded his head and gave orders. ¡°The whole fleet will attack! Open fire!¡± At the command, the high decks of Hyredin opened with large caliber cannons and guns. All of the weapons started to attack at once. Shoot! Pung! Kwang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Hundreds of shells were being fired toward the fort from dozens of cannons. Sparks shone and grey smoke rose. However, the damage to the fort was nowhere to be seen. Only rocks and a few stones around it collapsed. There was very little damage to the fort itself. ¡°Admiral, I think we need to get closer, so we could inflict more damage.¡± ¡°For us to do that¡­ The army needs to get ready to siege.¡± The Grenada fleet continued to fire on the fort. The cannons were easy, and the men on the boat were seasoned ones. The accuracy was also high. However, even as they attacked the fort, the men in the fort didn¡¯t seem to fight back. Suspicion kept crawling into Duke Nathan¡¯s body, who thought that the fort¡¯s men would become scared after seeing the power of the fleet. ¡°Lieutenant, don¡¯t you think something is weird?¡± ¡°What do you mean? Is it about the enemy not fighting back?¡± ¡°Yeah, they should at least retaliate, right¡­?¡± At the words of Nathan, the lieutenant thought for a moment and responded, ¡°Are they waiting for our fleet to get a little closer to their range?¡± ¡°Hmm, that could be¡­ But isn¡¯t the fort too quiet?¡± If so, many shells were going to come their way. Also, the fort should be overwhelmed with screams by now. Even if they weren¡¯t planning on counterattacking, the soldiers at least had to run around to move to a safe place, but none were seen. It wasn¡¯t just that. The shelling fell, and the guards were still keeping their position. ¡®Are they?¡¯ After trying to understand the ominous feelings, Duke Nathan brought the telescope to his eyes and looked at the fort. As he moved to a closer distance, the image of the fort turned clearer than before. Even though one side of the fort got blown away, the guard was still standing there without losing any blood. And the fired shells burned the dry wood. ¡°Oh, damn it! We have been deceived!¡± The fort was a fake one that was made to look plausible enough. The border soldiers were just models made out of paper and wood to look real enough. ¡°The fort is a fake one?¡± ¡°We fell into the trap they sold!¡± Yelled Nathan. ¡°But how will the Rakan estates with few battleships attack us?¡± They might have asked for help from another nation, but then, the Grenada navy must have found the ships closing in. And if the ally ships did come, they should have attacked the Grenada navy already. ¡°Anyway, we need to hurry¡­¡± Kwaang! The moment Nathan gave out orders, the ship shook with a heavy sound. The sailors on the deck wobbled, and Duke Nathan along with his lieutenant was plummeting into a water column. ¡°What is this? Where did the attack come from?¡± ¡°Admiral! Over there!¡± Nathan, who was standing on the wobbling ship, looked at the waters where his lieutenant was pointing at. A few large wooden boxes were tied over the edge of the boats and rocks in water. However, it had a lid and a thin rope outside of it. ¡®I-is that a torpedo?¡¯ While Nathan was trying to figure it out, the soldier pulled the rope that was attached to the lid. As he pulled on the rope, the lid opened. The cannon went through the water and caused another explosion. Kwang! ¡°Kwak!¡± ¡°W-what is this?!¡± The explosion caused a large hole to the side of the battleship. As the water began to flow into the hole, the ship, which had lost its balance, began to tilt, and sailors on the deck began to fall down. ¡°Ahh! Help me!¡± ¡°Save us! Please, help us¡­!¡± The damage happened in an instant. Duke Nathan who saw that was shocked. ¡°Get the rear line to move and save our crew! And hurry out of this place!¡± Nathan was turning pale, but he kept ordering his men. Bang! Bang! Bang! The waters began to show the upcoming attacks with heavy sounds. One after another, the torpedoes were fired. The ships of Grenada sank into the sea, staggering. The flames created by the torpedoes were taking down a wave of ships. ¡°T-this has to be a nightmare¡­!¡± In an instant, Duke Nathan witnessed half of his fleet sank, and some were caught in flames. Seeing that disaster, he sat down with a pale expression. Unfortunately for him and his fleet, it was just the beginning of their nightmare. Chapter 424 - The Burning Sea 3 ¡°The torpedo¡­ tremendous power.¡± Belik was hiding in the forest which was to one side of Utah river and kept a close eye on the Grenada navy. ¡°I always thought that the gunpowder could never be used when wet, was that not true?¡± ¡°That is the normal black gunpowder. but the composition of the gunpowder used for the torpedo is different.¡± Zegal Soha who had made the things and torpedo last night gave them a detailed explanation. ¡°There is a gunpowder which burns more violently after coming into contact with the water. The gunpowder which goes into the torpedo is made from the ingredients of vigorous fire oil.¡± ¡°Vigorous fire oil¡­ yes, I did hear about it. Was it the same thing that Emperor Rudolf used to fight with the western army?¡± ¡°Yes, that girl too, after hearing it said it was the same thing. In any case, the torpedo gunpowder explodes when it comes into contact with water. So, when the lids are pulled off and they touch water, it goes Bang!¡± ¡°Wah! That is just amazing. Was it the lady¡¯s thoughts?¡± When Belik asked, Zegal Soha shook her head. ¡°No, it was a weapon made in a place called ¡®Thunder gate¡¯ of the Song Empire to clean up the pirates of Yamatai who were in the coast of the Song Empire in the past.¡± Just as the Grenada pirates were famous in the Rhodesia continent, in the Southern Continent, the Yamatai kingdom was famous for its pirates. Yamatai, an island like east to the Southern Continent. Was said to have the lords who were pushed out after power struggles or the defeated civilians gathering over there to become pirates. It was one of the most dangerous nations, the Imperial family of the Song had commissioned walls of the Kang Ho clans to defeat the pirates. And the Thunder Gate had a lot of interest in the gunpowder production, unlike the other martial users. They were devoted to inventing various types of firearms rather than to learn or develop their own martial arts. The weapon created by them was placed near the high walls and given to the Imperial Family of Song was the torpedo. ¡°Unfortunately, despite the fact that the wall was set and prepared to subdue the pirates, the wall collapsed.¡± The Song imperial wasn¡¯t able to handle such powerful firearms. So they gave it a sign called ¡®supervised firearms¡¯ and a crest was incorporated into their military. Some of the martial family members were disgusted with the use of gunpowder and the need to depend on things rather than skills and retired. ¡°At that time there were men from the Zegal clan who helped in it and working alongside them, I knew about this.¡± Said Soha. ¡°Hmm, and that was why Miss knew how to make this possible.¡± Said Belik. ¡°Yes, but I never thought that it would be this powerful. Perhaps they were too shocked with the Nightmare lure we used as a bait, and seemed like they came much closer to the fort than we expected.¡± The torpedo was installed closer to the coast of the sea than between, so the enemy who was huge in number had to be close. The fort which was used as a bait came from the time of the Yamatai war, which was a game-changer. An important Lord named ¡®Oda¡¯ was under the attack by his enemy and built up a castle overnight to win. The fort itself had a very weak defense, but it was enough to confuse the enemy. Zegal Soha applied the same thing in the current operation. ¡°Anyway, this isn¡¯t the time to talk like this. We need to stop their breath when they are still confused.¡± ¡°Wah!¡± Belik pulled out his sword and signaled the Red Wolf Knights and the Rakan soldiers who were hiding in the woods to get onto the boats and attack the sea men. More than half of the fleet was sinking because of getting torpedoed, and the other half was still afloat. And Belik was going into the sea with his men to fight them. ¡°The Unicorn Knights on the other side are probably on the move. Miss, you can go back to Lamer city.¡± ¡°No, I will help you fight.¡± When Belik tried to tell Soha to get back she shook her head. ¡°But it will be dangerous?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± She pulled her double swords with a confident expression. Seeing her confident expression and the energy she was releasing, Belik was amazed. ¡®Wah, I thought that she was a smart miss, but turns out she is a Sword Master?¡¯ Knowing that Zegal Soha wouldn¡¯t back down, he pointed to a position. ¡°Then, support the right-wing fleet.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± When Zegal Soha left, Belik hurried into the boat. And ordered the soldiers who were waiting for the assault orders. ¡°Army, advance!¡± ¡°Numerous boats are approaching us from the north!¡± At the end of the lieutenant¡¯s words, Nathan picked up his telescope. Small boats, men of 10- 20, were coming through the north of the sea. Maybe in the summer, such an image would seem like ants rushing to a cicada. ¡°Kuek! How dare they try to face us with boat fleets!?¡± There were a lot of ships damaged because of the torpedo, but there were a similar number of good ships too. The flagship Hyredin which Nathan was riding on too was hit by a torpedo, but it didn¡¯t lose its combat power. ¡°Turn the ship! Open the doors of cannons towards the boat fleet!¡± ¡°Turn the ship! Prepare to fire!¡± When the lieutenant hurriedly relayed the orders, the ship¡¯s cannon doors were opened. ¡°Let them pay for the cheap tricks they used!¡± The time when Duke Nathan was raged and ordered for the shelling. Thud! All of a sudden, a big thunder shook the ship and the ship began to lean to one side. ¡°What happened? Was it another torpedo¡­?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t it! Our other battleship crashed into us!¡± The allied ships were crashing into one another to avoid the torpedo from hitting them. Such unsightly things were happening in many places. The ships collided with each other while moving in the same directions as they ran away from the torpedo, and they even bumped into the half-sunk ships. But the accidents didn¡¯t end there. Kwang! Along with the tremendous blasts, the blasts on the Hyredin deck began to sound. ¡°What is this?!¡± When Duke Nathan, who was seeing what happened, found his lieutenant in blood who came over to report. ¡°The gunpowder deck on the first floor turned on. Maybe the ignition broke in with the collision which happened¡­¡± ¡°Kuekk. Dammit!¡± Duke Nathan seemed like he was losing it. For hundreds of years they fought in the waters, but it was the first time for such terrible things to happen. ¡®This must be a dream! It has to be a dream!¡¯ Denying reality, he saw another calamity approach. The fleet of Rakan arrived avoiding the cannons of the enemy. ¡°Hand the hook!¡± ¡°Go up the deck!¡± A boat was attacked by the battleship. The knights led by Belik moved onto the ships and attacked the Grenada army. ¡°Kill all the pirates!¡± ¡°Do not step back! Go ahead with full might and show the power of the sea¡­!¡± The Grenada Navy has been very famous for being strong in naval warfare. In addition to the shelling ability, the ship¡¯s deck was excellent for using only lightweight Gigants¡ªcalled crab. However, with the current state of the ship, demonstrating the combat was difficult. It was because the torpedo destroyed the ships and most of the Crabs were kept in the storage deck as the ships only needed the cannons to fire. However, when Rakan troops went close to the deck, several Crabs began to appear on the deck. ¡°It¡¯s the enemy!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get flustered! They are just a piece of wood!¡± On the ship¡¯s deck, Belik and the Red Wolf Knights prepared Vigorous Fire. Blast! Wheeing! ¡°Keuk! Those bastards!¡± The crabs got caught in the flames right away. Burning of the wood armor didn¡¯t reduce their combat power by much. However, due to the smoke and flames which rose high, securing a view was difficult for the men inside them, so they weren¡¯t able to fight properly. ¡°Hahaha. Stupid! Where are you looking? This way, here!¡± ¡°Damn! I am going to kill you!¡± The rider of the Crab who was getting messed by Belik took out the huge swords and rushed towards him. Belik managed to avoid the incoming attack and the fired crab which was on the end of the ship fell into the sea. ¡°Huh, you don¡¯t even have to use aura against this idiot.¡± Belik who laughed at the crabs sinking into the sea turned around to look at the situation. The naval forces of Grenada were on fire. There were ships hit by the torpedo and sinking, and there was a new line of ships which were on fire because of the Rakan knights. ¡°Uah! Save me! Please help me!¡± ¡°Please just save my life¡­ keuk!¡± The wounded sailors of Grenada were sinking into the sea because of the unstable ships or the spears and sword of the Rakan. ¡®Huh, the Grenada fleet, the continent¡¯s strongest, is getting smashed like this¡­¡¯ He knew that the trap was good, but never expected it to work so well. ¡°General, all the men on the deck are taken care of!¡± Belik ordered according to the given report. ¡°Nice set fire on the hull and go out.¡± Shortly after the party of Belik resigned, the battleships began to burst out with violent explosions. Belik turned away from the battleships sinking and looked for another prey. His final goal was the great Hyredin, a huge ship located right in the middle of all. Chapter 425 - The Burning Sea 4 ¡°Oh my god, what is happening?!¡± Fernando¡¯s pale face was staring at the scene. He was a man more interested in the land. However, since the navy of Grenada was believed to be the strongest in the continent, he couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. ¡®Going and getting caught in a fake fort and turning¡­¡¯ A while ago, when the Navy began to bombard the fort on Touled, he took his men and charged. However, there was no one to fight. The Navy¡¯s shelling didn¡¯t kill the enemy, actually, there was no one in the fort itself. They just got caught in the trap of a decorated building. ¡®This is huge. If Duke Nathan knows, he might get angry.¡¯ When he knew that there would be a lesson from the Duke when he went back to the ship, he heard a loud bang from the sea. Wanting to know what it was, he climbed onto the rocks one after the other and saw the explosions which were happening on the battleships and the ships being sunken into the sea. It was then, as if waiting for them, a group of troops lurking in the woods near the shore ran over to boats and headed for the fleet. ¡°Count, what are we to do¡­?¡± Fernando came back to reality at the question of his lieutenant and ordered. ¡°Let¡¯s retreat for now.¡± ¡°To the warehouse?¡± ¡°Yes, we might enter some kind of trap staying here or bring in too much attention.¡± Being a land unit, there was no way Fernando could help the navy. To help the navy, he had to enter the sea and they didn¡¯t have any boats or ships they could use. In addition, it was worthless to stay on the land where the fort turned out to be a fake one. ¡®They won¡¯t get wiped out, right? The strongest navy of the continent¡­¡¯ If the Navy got wiped out, there was no way for them to return back to their homeland, it wasn¡¯t just Fernando but all the soldiers of the land were praying for the navy to win the battle. However, when the troops were going to run out, Gigants which were disguised in leaves and mines popped up. Thud Thud! ¡°Where are you running away to?¡± ¡°You, you are¡­!¡± Fernando¡¯s eyes saw the Gigant troops consisted of Unicorn Knights, Hwang Bo-sung, and the mercenary clans. They were all hiding out behind the fort and moved accordingly to block the troops Fernando was leading. ¡®This is bad! Our retreat got blocked!¡¯ Fernando went stern. The only opening was the sea ahead. They were like rats surrounded by poison. How would they get out of such a situation? When Fernando was thinking of a way to get out, Hwang Bo-sung answered. ¡°Hahaha. You men would have never thought that you¡¯d suffer like this.¡± All this time Hwang Bo-sung only had to stop the attacks from the enemies who were trying to siege his land, however, now he could act in any manner. How many times had he clenched his fists and grinded his teeth while looking at the enemy Gigants running back yet not being able to pursue them? Now was his time for revenge. ¡°Sir Hwang Bo-sung, is there any need to talk with those pirates? Let¡¯s just sweep them off.¡± Surely¡­ well, the Unicorn Knight Commander Kaper, who was next to Hwang Bo-sung asked. ¡°Right. Commander is right. There is a need for fists rather than words.¡± When Hwang Bo-sung agreed, Kaper immediately ordered the attack. ¡°Pull your swords! From now on, sweep away all the Grenada rats!¡± ¡°Wahhh!¡± The Gigants stormed in with the screams and cheers from the Unicorn Knights at the orders of Commander Kaper. Thud! About a hundred Gigants were running around. It was a number which came after borrowing the Gigant from mercenary and the Red Wolf Knights who were in the Navy battle. Fernando¡¯s order stuttered when he was the Gigants of his enemy running in his direction. ¡°Raise your shields and build a defense line!¡± The Touled peninsula was difficult to maneuver in Gigants due to a large number of rocks. So, if they managed to use some rocks to block the path, the Grenada army would be able to defend easily. If the Navy recovered and supported the land, they would be able to get out of the crisis. Fernando gave the orders thinking about that, however, it was a hasty choice. ¡°Die, you pirates!¡± ¡°Do you dare to go head to head with such Gigants?¡± ¡°This is for avenging the Lamer citizens who died in your hands!¡± Kwang! Thud! Whooong! Rakan estate¡¯s Gigant troops crushed the Grenada army¡¯s defense without any hesitation. The defense built in haste wasn¡¯t so strong. In addition, the Crab Gigants of Grenada wasn¡¯t strong enough against the Rakan Gigants. So even if the Rakan Gigants were in a small number they would have shattered every Gigant of Grenada. ¡°Oh my god!¡± When the Gigants were almost crushed, Fernando went scared. He quickly screamed at his men after destroying two Rakan Gigants with an Impact aura. ¡°Be mindful everyone! The number of our enemies is similar to us! The land is advantageous for us! We are still capable enough to stop them!¡± Fernando was getting annoyed with what was happening. A Gigant approached him. It was an Orion Gigant with Kaper. ¡°Die!¡± Without getting scared, Fernando wielded the sword with his Impact Aura towards the Gigant which approached him. Kwang! However, contrary to the thought that the Rakan Gigant would fall, the attack was blocked. ¡°Wh, what?! You took and blocked my sword?¡± ¡°Huh, don¡¯t look down on me?!¡± Kaper, who lost in the battle with Shaikan, had been a Sword Master. Although he was still an intermediate Sword Master when compared to Fernando, he still had a hero class Gigant Orion which had 3,700 fights to fill the gap. Fernando sharply went against the Gigant aiming for the gap he saw. ¡®This guy whom I never even heard of¡­?!¡¯ Fernando had mainly fought with Hwang Bo-sung during the Lamer siege. Kaper, the commander of the army was taking care of the siege on the other direction, so it was the first time for Fernando to meet him. Fernando was unable to conceal his inner conflict. He was a man who thought that Marquis Luke was the only one strong enough to compete with him, but a Gigant which was in front of him with a new man he never heard of was able to block him. ¡°This guy! I¡¯ll shatter you!¡± ¡°Commander Kaper, he was originally my opponent. I will be the one to take him.¡± Shortly later, Fernando saw Hwang Bo-sung run ahead in his Puppet. Thud! With the thunderous sound of the Puppet, Fernando¡¯s Gigant gloves got smashed and the Gigant got pushed back. As Fernando faltered with shock, Kaper pushed in the gap and wielded his sword. ¡°Keuk! How cowardly to team up and fight against one?!¡± ¡°There is no reason for me to listen to a man who killed innocent people!¡± ¡°It is unfortunate, but I agree with him.¡± The two men, cowardly or not, went in to attack. Eventually, Fernando¡¯s Gigant got defeated and all of the Grenada¡¯s land troops were killed or captured. It was pure destruction that happened over there. Chapter 426 - Seize the Gigant 1 Without knowing what the Grenada army troops were doing, Duke Nathan was struggling in what he seemed to think as a nightmare. After the first-floor artillery deck was taken over, Nathan immediately ordered for the guns and cannons to be thrown into the sea. The explosions were spreading at a terrifying speed and it was necessary for them to stop any further explosions. If the artillery decks on the second and third floors were also on fire, then Hyredin could have been shattered, as the decks carried gunpowder in the size of multiple Gigants. After entrusting the fire brigade to his lieutenant, Nathan tried to get the ship out of the waters. It was because any ship he wanted to use had already torpedoed, and he needed to move out. However, getting out with his battleship wasn¡¯t easy either with all the ships broken or half-sunk into the waters and blocking their paths. In addition, there were constant explosions happening underwater. Bang-! ¡°Damn it, what is it Again?!¡± Unlike the first torpedo, the second torpedo did huge damage. In the meantime, the right paddle of Hyredin exploded. When a paddle broke, the ship wouldn¡¯t be able to move forward, and it would just keep going in circles. Meanwhile, the Rakan army led by Zegal Soha was chasing them by boat. They fired arrows and then hooked onto the deck to climb on top. ¡°Kill those pirates!¡± ¡°Sweep them off the deck!¡± On the wide deck, both armies fought. In the beginning, the Grenada Navy tried to subdue the Rakan, getting into their Crab Gigants. However, Zegal Soha, who was leading the Rakan troops, wasn¡¯t standing still. ¡°Blue Waves!¡± ¡°Euk! What is that?¡± The deck shook like it was riding on waves. In such a situation, the riders weren¡¯t able to get into their Gigants or try to balance a Gigant¡¯s center, and the Gigants that were placed in the corners of the ship bounced off the ship. ¡°Damn it, that southern spearman appeared!¡± After Duke Nathan saw what happened, he pulled out his Cutlass and rushed toward Zegal Soha. ¡®Huh? This flow is¡­!¡¯ Zegal Soha, who was wielding two swords with seriousness, observed the man. Kang! The Cutlass had an enormous aura. However, it was unable to do anything more than block the attacks. ¡°Huh, if you think that is anywhere near my level of skill, then you must be blind,¡± said Soha with a grin. ¡°I guess the wench can¡¯t keep quiet!¡± Glaring at the girl in front of him, Duke Nathan began to attack. He was an Advanced Sword Master, a level that was above Soha. However, it wasn¡¯t easy to subdue her. She was definitely a girl with skills¡­ And, both of them were Sword Masters. Also, she filled the gap with skills that the man lacked. ¡°Fire Light!¡± Wheeing! Hot flames began to rise from Nathan¡¯s feet. However, he rushed ahead not caring about his feet with a roughly Impact Aura. ¡°This seaman isn¡¯t the one to fall for tricks!¡± And unlike before, the Impact auras weren¡¯t easy to be blocked as they went as long as one meter. She tried to stop it with her sword with all her might, but eventually, the woman got pushed back. Kang! Kang! Zegal Soha, who got pushed back by a lot, had to take a lot of steps to regain her balance. She struggled a lot and fell on the ropes that were lying around on the deck. ¡®This can¡¯t be!¡¯ In a fight between Masters, even a slight gap could lead to death. And as she collapsed on her back, her face was filled with despair. ¡°Die, you wench!¡± With a smile forming on Nathan¡¯s lips, Cutlass was ready to jump into the gap. Kang! ¡°¡­!¡± An entirely different swordplay. Nathan stepped back in shock at the power he felt from the right side and looked at the man who just stopped his attacks on Soha. And there he was, an old knight in red armor, standing in front of Soha. ¡°Kuek, who are you?¡± ¡°Me? I am Volga¡¯s Fire Storm.¡± ¡°What? You are Fire Storm Belik?!¡± Nathan was shocked at the man¡¯s introduction. He heard of the rumors stating that Belik was alive. But that was with the Holy Empire. How did that guy, who needed to be in the Eastern Baroque, appear there?! He wasn¡¯t sure why Belik was on the Marquis of Rakan¡¯s side. However, he didn¡¯t have any choice but to fight him. ¡®Damn it, I meet another annoying man!¡¯ It was when Nathan was frowning when a large sailing ship approached and bombarded Hyredin. Pung! Pung! ¡°Hold back!¡± ¡°Euk! Don¡¯t shoot, crazy bastards! Are you planning to kill all your allies?¡± The Rakan men bowed down in surprise at the sudden bombing. They had already killed off the Grenada men on the ships. However, the shells that flew to the deck didn¡¯t have power. They were smoke bombs of the Grenada. The captain of the sailing ship, who was shooting the smoke bomb, shouted, ¡°Admiral! Come over! Hyredin can no longer move!¡± ¡°Kuek! He expects me to abandon the flagship?¡± Nathan couldn¡¯t help but put up a disgusted expression. However, he knew the reality. Hyredin had already lost a paddle, and it couldn¡¯t move in a straight path. Surely, they could stop the steam engine. However, moving such a heavy ship with sails wasn¡¯t as easy to do. In addition, they lost a lot of sailors during the fight on the deck. It was just impossible to escape using wind power with the absence of the sailors to move it. ¡®Damn it, should I just give up like this?¡¯ But he couldn¡¯t just stand on a broken ship. He only crossed swords with him once, but he could feel it. The fact that Belik was stronger than him. ¡°Kuek, this humiliation will definitely be returned!¡± Eventually, Nathan gave out orders. As he and his sailors and knights jumped into the sea, a large sailing ship approached them and rescued them. ¡°They are running away!¡± ¡°Catch them!¡± The Rakan army tried to chase after them. Some of the courageous knights were ready to jump into the sea or toss a hook onto the sailing boat. However, the sailing boat didn¡¯t give them a chance. They immediately bombarded Hyredin to prevent the Rakan army from following them. Rather than chasing after the enemies, the defensive tactics of Great Defense Wall had to be used to stop the constant cannons, and Rakan army could only look at the enemy moving away. ¡°This is it.¡± At the words of Zegal Soha, Belik responded, ¡°This is frustrating, but it is what it is. I really wanted to wipe them all out.¡± He was frustrated too for not being able to kill the pirates, who attacked the new land of the Volga exiles that was considered as their own home. ¡°But they have been hit hard. They won¡¯t be able to come to the Rakan estates anymore.¡± As Zegal Soha said, the damage taken by the Grenada fleet was huge. The flagship was sinking and the ships, which were escaping, were damaged too. It wasn¡¯t just that, but on the land too, news came back that the enemy¡¯s land forces were completely destroyed. It would surely take them a few years to replenish their lost power. ¡°I will contact the Grace immediately. He doesn¡¯t have to worry about the South anymore.¡± ¡°Yeah. Even though he is over there, he might be waiting for the news about this place.¡± The battle on Touled peninsula was won by the Rakan army on both land and sea. As the blades on the south disappeared, the Rakan army could comfortably deal with the Milton Kingdom. Chapter 427 - Seize the Gigant 2 Luke, who immediately got the news about the Grenada Navy¡¯s defeat, talked to Belik with the help of magic communication. ¡°Good job. Thanks to that, we will be able to fight the Milton Kingdom with confidence.¡± -Huh, we didn¡¯t have to work hard. The pirates weren¡¯t enough exercise for our bodies. Belik just shrugged his shoulders at Luke¡¯s gratitude. Honestly, it wouldn¡¯t have been such an easy battle. Had it not been for the operation proposed by Zegal Soha and the request for a new weapon, the current situation could be declared impossible. Still, Belik didn¡¯t want to appear weak in front of Luke and shrugged it off. -If you feel that grateful, buy me a drink later. For your information, I prefer whiskey, and¡­ Luke, who frowned on the information Belik was giving about what he liked, quickly changed the topic. -After the battle, we caught some prisoners and pretty big shots too. ¡°Leading men?¡± -Yes, Fernando de Salizar, the Commander of the Grenada land troops. King Drake¡¯s son-in-law and the current leading successor to the throne. ¡®We got the next king of Grenada?¡¯ Fernando tried to escape with the help of a teleport scroll right after his Gigant got destroyed by Hwang Bo-sung and Kaper. However, he wasn¡¯t able to run that far away. It was because the coordinates for the scroll was the flagship, Hyredin. After Duke Nathan and his men retreated, there were only Red Wolf Knights and Rakan Knights led by Belik and Zegal Soha. Fernando saw that and tried to escape. However, he was overpowered by Belik and brought back to Lamer city. -Because of that, the Grenada men are turning restless. The Admiral of the Navy sent in a messenger asking about the whereabouts of Fernando. I think he wants to see Fernando¡¯s body to make sure he¡¯s dead. -So, what did you say? -First, we told him that the man was alive and that we didn¡¯t have the authority to make decisions, so they are now planning to meet our Lord to negotiate or beg. ¡°Great job.¡± At the news relayed by Belik, Luke nodded his head. Considering what they did to Lamer, he wanted to hang the successor to the throne under the sun. But then, the Grenada Kingdom wouldn¡¯t stand still. They might have lost a lot during this battle, but they still had the strongest navy troops in the continent. They wouldn¡¯t be able to perform a full-scale invasion like this time, but they would surely do multiple attacks on the coastal area. In the current situation where the Navy of Rakan was weak, Luke could use Fernando as a get-away card. ¡°I will take care of that matter. And Commander Belik, return to the occupied Eastern Baroque Empire.¡± -Return? You don¡¯t want your father¡¯s help? ¡°Of course. The Milton army can be defeated with the current power I have.¡± Luke wanted Belik and the Red Wolf Knights to head back east and harass the Baroque Empire again. That would keep the Eastern Imperial Forces bound over there, and it would be difficult for Emperor Rudolf to take down the Libiya kingdom. -Understood. Don¡¯t act rashly and end it well. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Let¡¯s meet again.¡± When Luke was done with Belik, a wizard entered to give him a message. ¡°Lord, our forces hiding in the Milton Kingdom were contacted via Argos.¡± ¡°And?¡± Luke received the full message and looked into the content. It was Scarlet who contacted him. She and her men were in Milton after completing their mission at the Variand Mountain, and it was because Luke had told them that they would be assigned to a new mission in the future. So, they were deliberately working under the Milton army and were patrolling the roads behind the battlefields. However, a while ago during the patrol, they received some inside information. ¡°Hm, this has to be done right away.¡± Reading the content, a smile crept onto Luke¡¯s face. Seeing that, Philip asked for the details, ¡°What is it?¡± Instead of telling him, Luke handed him the text. Reading the text, Philip understood Luke¡¯s intention. ¡°If we don¡¯t do it immediately, they¡¯ll become annoying to remove.¡± ¡°Right? Only around a dozen or so knights are there with excellent spying skills. With them, I need to go and solve the problem.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Philip seemed troubled. ¡°If Lord will say that he wants to go, I am sure Commander Rogers wouldn¡¯t agree to it.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t do anything. I am the only one who can do it,¡± said Luke while tapping his bracelet. ¡°There is no need to worry. I will speak to Commander Rogers. Also, Milton¡¯s offensive has weakened by a lot as well, so the commander won¡¯t be against it.¡± ¡®I guess he did something with that Devil King¡¯s skills,¡¯ thought Philip. If not, there was no other explanation on why the offensive of the Milton Kingdom had suddenly weakened, and the Milton retainers were having divided opinions. No one in Rakan knew the cause, and to Philip, it meant that Luke had done something. ¡®This is only going to get worse.¡¯ Philip shrugged his shoulders and looked at Luke, who had a sneaky smile on his face. Chapter 428 - Seize the Gigant 3 Around the sea, when the Grenada navy turned into a food for the fish, the rumors began to circulate the Milton Kingdom camp. ¡°His Majesty turned mad and killed a guard knight?¡± ¡°Every night, the ghost of Count Bazzo visits him in his dreams.¡± ¡°But why does Count Bazzo¡¯s ghost visit his Majesty? It was Marquis Luke who killed him.¡± ¡°That is what we know. But maybe the truth is different.¡± The rumors that Sebastian spread after turning into a knight spread throughout the kingdom in no time. And as a response to that, the Milton Kingdom¡¯s army commander stated that the King¡¯s nightmare was groundless rumors and the dead knight was someone who tried to execute the King under the orders of Marquis Luke. Even then, the rumors didn¡¯t subside so easily. Therefore, the commanders began to release statements that the rumors were the enemy¡¯s trick to divide the men, and those who would be caught spreading the rumors would be punished. Indeed, dozens of soldiers and knights were executed as an example. But the more they did things like that, the more rumors and doubts began to grow. In addition, something unexpected happened. -Huhuhuk¡­ Your Majesty, it is unfair¡­! ¡°What, what is this sound?¡± ¡°Ho! G, ghost!¡± The ghost of Count Bazzo who only appeared in the King¡¯s nightmare began to appear and disappear every night before the knights who were standing guard to the King¡¯s camp. And it didn¡¯t stop there, the ghost appeared in the dreams of the elder nobles, including Reynold and complained about the unfair treatment he had suffered. ¡°The complexion isn¡¯t great, maybe this is a dream¡­?¡± ¡°Shh, lower your voice. We will be put to death.¡± ¡°Okay. But was Count Bazzo really killed so unfairly?¡± ¡°Maybe he was deliberately sacrificed to start a war against Marquis Rakan?¡± They were men who never knew that politics was so heartless. The suspiciousness floated around, but none were raised officially, fearing the news about execution. The problem was that the army of Milton kingdom forced their troops to fight with such doubts. There was nothing wrong with the cause of war, but the suspicion only threw down the morale of the knights and soldiers sharply. They were worried of dying in a fight that was started without any real need for justice. And the morale fell even more as the news spread about their homeland being plagued by the monsters and the lack of troops to stop them. And naturally, the outcome of the battle changed with that. ¡°What the hell is this?! How long am I supposed to hold my legs without attacking the small town?!¡± King Mayers screamed with his round sleepless eyes and skinny cheekbones. He was daily being tormented by Count Bazzo every night, and his men didn¡¯t proceed any further with the battle. ¡°Y, Your Majesty, it was¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! If you can¡¯t take them down tonight, be prepared to take responsibility for your failure.¡± Mayers couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and gave out ultimatums to his commanders. If they failed to occupy the town, Mayers wouldn¡¯t just deprive them of their titles but even hand them to death. When his eyes were gleaming with madness, Reynold said. ¡°Your Majesty, Batron is a small town, and it has the full force of Marquis Rakan and his knights. Capturing it won¡¯t be easy.¡± ¡°What? Are you not going to follow my orders?¡± ¡°I am not saying that I wouldn¡¯t follow, but I am saying that it is practically not possi¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! The attacks keep failing because of men like you who are frightened to fight! If you don¡¯t follow the orders right away I¡¯ll have to cut your neck!¡± Mayers shouted and shrieked at the nobles and commanders. Reynold was the commander of the Iron Fist knights. Except for his brother, Reynard, it didn¡¯t make much sense on how many people would be killed in the battle going in like that. And even if they didn¡¯t and he got executed by the King, the morale of the knights would completely fall down to the floor. So the servants around the King went tense. ¡°Your Majesty, please calm down.¡± ¡°Yes, Commander Reynold too said those words with a frustrated heart, so please understand him¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! What are you knights doing? Get that man out right now¡­ kuk!¡± Instead of calming down, Mayers fell down on his back. Reynold, Reynard, and the other servants who saw that were shocked and lost their minds. ¡°Y, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Oh my! Call the medic right now!¡± The servants of Mayers shouted in nervousness. As the commander was silent, the servants called for a medic to help the unconscious King Mayers and take him back to the army camp. ¡°How is His Majesty?¡± Reynold¡¯s question was answered with a sigh. ¡°Thanks to getting him here right away, the danger has passed. But he is down due to extreme fatigue and insomnia, I don¡¯t think that he¡¯ll wake up for at least 2 to 3 days.¡± ¡°Huh, make it forever¡­¡± Unlike the elder brother, Reynard was rather outspoken and mumbled in a low voice about his wish to let Mayers fall asleep forever. Reynold stepped on foot as quickly as possible. It wasn¡¯t that he had no complaints with Mayers, but there was nothing about speaking them out loud when there were many nobles watching them. ¡°Anyway, we need to hold our breath for a while.¡± ¡°In the duration let¡¯s do some maintenance. Things are getting heated right now, and the morale of the army is off.¡± The cavalry commander Marquis Volant nodded. Ever since they got stuck with Batern town, the persistence of Mayers had gotten worse. Preparing every morning for the meetings, and the constant threatening to kill down the commanders who failed to siege, and the confiscation of the estate. Naturally, the pressure on the front line commanders was severe. Then spread the rumors that the real killer of Count Bazzo was the King himself, and the loyalty of the commanders wavered. ¡°That aside, what about the attack on Batern?¡± ¡°Obviously it needs to stop. If we try to attack, aren¡¯t we the ones in trouble?¡± At the words of Reynold, Marquis Volant nodded. In fact, he was actually thinking of the invasion as a failure. The enemy¡¯s defense was stubborn, and the nation was turning into a mess with the monsters and lack of soldiers. In such a time, the morale of the knights and the soldiers were broken, which meant there was no chance for them to have a win. Marquis Volant, who had a large manor within the Milton Kingdom wanted to return back to his homeland right after hearing the news about the monsters. However, the King was too stubborn to let anyone go back. However, there was an excuse now. ¡°How about we just resolve this? The attacks are sluggish, and our domestic situation isn¡¯t good, and Majesty has passed out¡­¡± ¡°No way! How can we ever violate the majesty¡¯s orders and retreat on our own terms?¡± It was Count Lao, one of the closet aids to King Mayers who began to oppose Marquis Volant¡¯s request. As a response to that, Reynold spoke with a stern face. ¡°Then do you want us to grumble in here?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?! Shouldn¡¯t we capture Batern town?¡± ¡°The attacks we did so far are in vain. And if there is a problem with Your Majesty¡¯s health, will you be taking responsibility?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the Majesty tell us already during the last meeting? We will have 50 knight Gigants being deployed.¡± Reynold heard about it, so he knew. It wasn¡¯t just about the 50 knight class Gigant, and they were enough to tilt the battle. But that didn¡¯t mean that the skills which Reynold and the knights had were lacking, it was just that the morale had fallen for their riders. And there was no guarantee that the 50 Knight class Gigants would be supplied right away. But Count Lao who might be aware or not of it spoke. ¡°And, the Majesty will be in good spirits by 3 days. Shouldn¡¯t we give him the news about victory when he wakes up?¡± ¡°Good spirit? That was never mentioned around us.¡± The medic said that he wouldn¡¯t wake up for 2-3 days. Even if he did regain consciousness, no one was sure if he would be able to stand tall before the rest of them. However, the eldest son of Count Leo who was listening to all of it asked Reynold. ¡°Commander Reynold, it seems like you don¡¯t wish for his Majesty to get up in good spirits.¡± ¡°How could I? I just wanted¡­¡± Before Reynold could even finish his explanation, Reynard shouted. ¡°This kid! Are you condemning my brother?¡± ¡°Kid! How dare you say that!¡± ¡°Hurry up and apologize, Sir Reynard.¡± The fight grew as the son of Count Lao intervened and Reynard shouted. The other nobles began to take a side. And as a result, the Milton Kingdom¡¯s commanders divided into two. The sides of those who were withdrawing and the side to continue into battle. The former sided ones were the nobles who had rich manors in the Kingdom and the latter were the close retainers and the aides of Mayers and the ones facing favor through the battle. The opinions were different, and neither attack nor withdrawal was decided. Chapter 429 - Seize the Gigant 4 Grrrng! Grrrng! ¨C Grrrng! Near the southern highway leading from the Milton Kingdom to Rakan estates. Until the start of the civil war, it was a road that was used by the merchants extremely, but currently, troops were moving around. With hundreds of cavalry moving around and a dozen of trailers, they were a special transport for the Milton Kingdom. The mission to deliver 50 Knight class Gigants from the Volga Republic as a sign of alliance gift. ¡®If we get these there, we can turn over the battle at once?¡¯ The captain of transport, Baron Lovett thought seeing the surrounded Gigants being oiled on the trailers. According to the news, Milton¡¯s army had stopped their advancement in a town called Batern and was struggling because of the Rakan¡¯s defense forces. Baron¡¯s brother in law was in the knight¡¯s guard, and because of that, his wife and mother-in-law were worried that something would happen to the kid. ¡®I don¡¯t know from where these were bought, but if the Gigant arrives there, the situation will take a 180-degree change. 50 Knight class Gigants are a tremendous amount of power.¡¯ Which was why the nobles wanting for the battle were confident. Because of the monsters and the bandits, the nation of Milton was an open book, and with all the Gigants being taken to the battlefield created a ruckus. In fact, there were cases of a few lords stealing Gigants in the night to help their regions. And because of such situations, Baron Lovett couldn¡¯t sleep at night. ¡°Speed up everyone! Just a little further, it is the land of Rakan! Our allies are waiting over there!¡± At his command, the soldiers sped up their horses. How long where they on the move? When a large wagon blocked the road in the middle. ¡®What is that? An accident?¡¯ The wagon seemed to have been damaged and a noblewoman was scolding her attendants. A red-haired noblewoman, who seemed to be in her mid-twenties and was quite a beauty with her slender body. And because of that, Baron Lovett couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the lady. Normally, anyone would pretend to be kind to the lady and then try to get the noble lady. But he was on a very important mission. So he gave out orders to his lieutenant immediately. ¡°Go quick and move that wagon.¡± ¡°Yes, Baron!¡± The lieutenant, who took in strong soldiers, approached the wagon. But the noblewoman and her party who saw the men approaching them picked up their bows and swords and attacked the lieutenant¡¯s party. ¡®Are they crazy?¡¯ When Baron Lovett was shocked, men began to appear from both sides of the road with their bows. ¡®What is this? Are they the enemy forces?¡¯ They didn¡¯t seem to be bandits from their clothes. However, he didn¡¯t have the time to guess who the men were, he had to avoid the incoming arrows. Shoot! ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°I, it is an attack!¡± Due to the surprise attack, dozens of the troopers fell in an instant. Baron Lovett who defended himself from the arrows ordered his soldiers. ¡°Don¡¯t panic! There isn¡¯t much number to the enemies!¡± The cavalry hurriedly moved. However, there was no way to hit the enemy troops who were moving among the trees. Moreover, the red-haired noblewoman with a bow, the one whom the Baron was struck because of the beauty, was amazing. She was able to load three to four arrows at a time to shoot the bow, and yet she didn¡¯t miss a single target. ¡®A Bow Expert?¡¯ Baron, who wanted to do something, began to use his aura and went towards the red-haired wench on his horse. Du Du Du Du! The red-haired lady shot two arrows at baron Lovett who came in towards her. The horse Baron was on got hit, the Baron managed to block one arrow, but the horse¡¯s leg got hit. Heeeing! The horse which got hit rolled on the street. ¡°Hmm!¡± Baron Lovett who jumped from the saddle before the horse fell, struck the sword with a lightning speed at the neck of the woman. Although she had excellent archery skills, he thought that his attack would be much faster on her. But, the woman swayed to another side and avoided his attack! Moreover, she struck arrows right at the Baron. An arrow aimed right for his face. The distance between them was so close that the Baron could never avoid it. ¡°Hohho. Checkmate! The courage was great, but too reckless, Baron Lovett.¡± ¡°Keuk, you know my name, who the hell are you?¡± ¡°Is there any need for you to know? You are just going to be dead anyway.¡± Along with that, she pulled on the bowstring. ¡®Dammit, this is the end.¡¯ It was when Baron Lovett closed his eyes with grief. Swoosh! An ice arrow came flying in towards the woman. The moment the woman was surprised, a wizard appeared from the other side of the road and used magic. Kang! Kwang! ¡°Dammit, War mage. Run away!¡± As the flames broke all over the bush, the enemy¡¯s forces fled. The red-haired woman with a sad face escaped into the forest. ¡°Don¡¯t chase them! Stand by your location!¡± When the men tried to chase after them, Baron Lovett hurriedly asked them to refrain. It was dangerous to enter the thick forests with horses. In addition, when he started on the journey, Viscount Mager said that he should never let the Gigants be alone. ¡°Are you alright?¡± A young War mage, who just used the magic rushed over to Lovett with the mercenaries. ¡°Thank you for helping me out. I am Baron Shaylon de Lovett who is in charge of the transport. And you?¡± ¡°I am Lou, the head of Minerva mercenaries. I am currently employed in the Milton Kingdom army and in charge of the highway.¡± ¡°Hm, is that so?¡± Currently, for the purpose of resolving the lack of guards and security, the lords were hiring mercenaries saying they would be paid back after the return. Normally, the monsters or the bandits had to be subdued, but with the King¡¯s army out for invasion, the roads had been guarded by the mercenaries to save power and add troops. And on the way to Rakan, Baron Lovett saw such mercenaries. ¡°Who were those men just now? They don¡¯t seem to be any normal group of rouges.¡± ¡°Maybe a unit of the Marquis Rakan who infiltrated our nation.¡± ¡°A unit¡­¡± Lou looked at the ¡®stuff¡¯ on the trailer and nodded as if he understood. It was because he could guess what the items were from the silhouette and size. ¡°Anyway, we will accompany you to the next gate. They might attack again.¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± The troops cleared the injured, and buried the dead and began to move again. Baron Lovett talked to Lou who was beside him. ¡°You seem to be a young man, but you have great skill.¡± ¡°I used to work in the Rokid Magic tower in the past. It got ruined during the Battle of Magic Tower.¡± Seeing the dark expression of Lou, Baron Lovett nodded his head. The collapse of the Magic Federation and the destruction of the Veritas Magic tower prevented the enhancements in magic. The top ten magic towers were ruined and many of the other magic towers fired their wizards. Which caused wizards to wander away. Some were recruited into noble families, but there were those who worked as mercenaries. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll make sure to report about your help to me. I¡¯m sure that you will get a huge prize for it. Maybe you can get into our Royal Magic Tower.¡± ¡°I hope so. I¡¯d like that to happen.¡± As they went on talking, the sun faded. Normally, it was necessary to arrive at the gate before sunset, but due to the attack which happened, the time got delayed. ¡°Everyone stop. Take a break over here for a while.¡± Baron Lovett planned to get to the gate by night, but he had no intention of rushing the men. It was because only in good spirits can people walk and even withstand the attacks from the enemies. When the order was issued, the horses were all gathered and fires were made out of small branches. Lou and the Minerva mercenaries too helped. Baron Lovett saw Lou and his men spraying dried leaves on the bonfire. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°It is a herb from my hometown. If it is used in the fires, it will help relieve the fatigue gathered in the day.¡± ¡°Really? It surely is clearing my mind.¡± The cloud of smoke from the bonfire spread lightly. Even the soldiers who were active began to feel their body refreshed. But that was all for a moment. ¡°W, what is this? Why is my body!?¡± ¡°My body isn¡¯t moving!¡± Everyone felt their bodies turn heavy and sat on the ground, and a few fell down unconscious with bubbles coming out of their mouths. Only Lou and the Minerva troops were fine. They had already taken the antidote in advance, so the herb didn¡¯t have any effect on them. ¡°Tch. You trust people too much, Baron.¡± ¡°Keuk! You coward¡­!¡± After seeing Lou smile, Baron Lovett knew that he was hit. He took the sword and tried to move. Baron was paralyzed but he was an expert, so he managed to move a little. But standing up was the only thing he could do. Lou hit him with magic and the man fell immediately. ¡°Yeah, are you part of the enemy¡¯s unit?¡± ¡°Not a part, but the commander.¡± ¡°What? Then, you are Marquis Luke¡­?¡± ¡°Now that you know, sleep tight.¡± Lou, well, Luke slammed his fist, and Baron Lovett could just look. ¡°Lord, I took care of everything.¡± ¡°You did well.¡± The knight accompanying Luke knocked down the enemies who didn¡¯t fall unconscious with the herb. When the situation got settled, Scarlet and her men appeared. ¡°You people too worked hard.¡± ¡°But, why did we have to do all this?¡± Scarlet, who was dressed as a noblewoman, asked her doubt. Their target was the Knight class Gigants which the enemy was bringing in. So, for Scarlet, killing everyone and taking down the units was easy. ¡°This is why I said I had to careful.¡± Luke saying that, tore off the fabric from the Gigant and showed it. And showed the scrolls attached to the Gigants. ¡°This¡­ I think it is similar to the explosion scroll?¡± Said Scarlet looking at the scrolls. ¡°Right. But more sophisticated than that. It senses the surroundings and then reacts.¡± Scarlet and the subordinates didn¡¯t seem to understand. Luke then dragged the fallen Baron Lovett and kicked his arm. And a tattoo began to form on his arm showing the pattern which was on the scroll. ¡°This is a magic tattoo engraved on the other soldiers too. The scrolls are interlocked with the Gigants and the men. So, if more than half of the soldiers die in the attacks¡­¡± ¡°Ah! The scroll detects it and explodes. Of course, the Gigants wouldn¡¯t be taken away by others!¡± ¡°Right. I don¡¯t know who did this, but they planned it very well.¡± In fact, Luke was actually thinking about taking over the Gigant unit with Scarlet¡¯s troops by raiding the enemy forces. However, he sensed some manage between the soldiers and the Gigants. ¡°Moreover, it triggered if the distance between them is too far. So I had to intercept it like this.¡± ¡°Is it removable?¡± ¡°Yes, but it will take some time.¡± It was estimated that around a 7 circle wizard was the one to do the magic. Perhaps, the one was a court Wizards of the Milton Kingdom or the Meister of the Royal Magic Tower. Luke was in the 8th Magic Circle. He immediately pulled up the magic and tried to find the magic structures used to remove the self-destruct. ¡°Kay, now we need to pick them up.¡± Luke immediately opened his sub space bracelet and put in the Gigants. Scarlet and her men were shocked at what they witnessed. ¡°You have such an amazing magic item?¡± ¡°Of course. Did you think that I wouldn¡¯t have such treasures in my mighty family?¡± Although it was the legacy of the Devil King. Luke managed to get the work done and told his men to leave. Without leaving any trace behind, everyone left. Chapter 430 - Fall of Mayers 1 ¡°Your Majesty is awake!¡± ¡°Oh, oh!¡± From that very morning, the camp of Milton Kingdom was noisy with cheers and talks. Mayers had woken exactly after 3 days just as the medic said. Sleeping as if he was dead, yet better than before. He didn¡¯t have any nightmares in the past three day¡¯s sleep. ¡®Bazzo, are you finally giving up now and leaving me for good?¡¯ Indeed, the ghost was appearing in the dreams of the other people like the guards and knights, but Mayers didn¡¯t know about it because they were all strictly forbidden from using the word ¡®ghost¡¯. At any rate, Mayers was delighted that the nightmare ended for him. And that day, he decided to treat all his servants generously. ¡°Your Majesty, there were torpedo¡­¡± When Reynold spoke about the meeting room, Mayers shook his hand. ¡°Enough of that. You still haven¡¯t attacked Batern? I felt like I pushed you too hard and felt sorry for that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s think slowly and steadily now. Soon we will get 50 Knight class Gigants. Wouldn¡¯t it be possible to break off their defenses with that?¡± At the question of Mayers, all the nobles who were attending the meeting, including Reynold, remained silent. It was as if a group of students had made a huge mistake and just got noticed. Seeing the air around him, Mayers could feel an ominous feeling. ¡°Why is no one answering me? Did something else happen?¡± Everyone was hesitant at the question from Mayers, and it only increased the vague atmosphere further. That was when Reynold decided to speak on behalf of everyone, ¡°Those 50 Gigants aren¡¯t coming, Your Majesty. It is our assumption that the Gigants were stolen during transportation.¡± ¡°W-what?!¡± Reynold began to give more details to Mayers who was shocked. ¡°As the scheduled time arrived, no transport arrived and a nearby defensive troops led the soldiers to search for them. All they found were the traces of fire and the pieces of used scrolls.¡± ¡°T-that was a special transport! What the hell happened?!¡± ¡°We found traces of our soldiers buried, and the rest of them are on their way. We don¡¯t know if the remaining ones are dead, have run away, or were taken in by the enemy.¡± The reason why the Milton army wasn¡¯t able to get the full information of the situation was mainly because of Baron Lovett, the captain of the transportation. After Luke left, he woke up, and with the fear that he would be executed for failing the mission, he ran away. Soon, his knights and men were scattered too. And thus there was no one who could inform the Milton army what the exact situation was. ¡°T-this¡­ cough!¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Mayers, who jumped up from his seat in anger, quickly grabbed the table and sat back down. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t fall and become unconscious like the last time. However, the shock of having his Gigants taken away wasn¡¯t easily shaken off. ¡°Kuek! Release our troops right now and order them to find the Gigants! I need to know what happened over there!¡± At the orders of Mayers, Reynold sighed and answered, ¡°Unfortunately, we cannot pull out the troops from here, and we can¡¯t ask for the troops from the kingdom either. They already have very little troops to defend themselves from the monsters.¡± ¡°I ordered them to draft the young men. Why don¡¯t they have any troops yet!?¡± Shouted Mayers. ¡°Well, just suppressing the riots in the Brandon city itself is turning into trouble.¡± At the answer from Reynold, Mayers face went pale. ¡°R-riots? There are riots happening in the royal city?¡± ¡°Yes, while Your Majesty was asleep, those who were dissatisfied with the drafting had called for a riot.¡± Though they were all referring to it as riots, it was actually a revolt. The nobles, who were dissatisfied with the war, instigated their people to riot and who was behind them. ¡°At first, it was at a level where people didn¡¯t respond to conscription and training, but in the process of suppressing the men, the soldiers caused casualties, and later, it turned impossible to ask them to stop.¡± With the uprisings of the royal city, the residencies of the nobles, their main halls and other buildings belonging to the nobles were plundered and burned. Viscount Mager tried to suppress them. However, he lacked the troops. And the defensive troops that were left behind had no artillery to use either apart from the soldiers. And what was more, instead of fighting properly, the troops either fled or sided with the rebels. ¡°The news spread and the number of deserters in our army have increased significantly. General soldiers, as well as junior officers and even knights, have begun to run away.¡± ¡®This makes no sense, none at all. How could all this happen in just¡­¡¯ Less than a month after starting the fight with Marquis Rakan. Hordes of monsters were suddenly showing up. The absence of policing broke out bandits and mobs, but never did Mayers think that his nation would be shook so easily. But all this happened because Mayers only thought about himself and not the others. He had been preparing for independence for a year by then. In order to confront the Baroque Empire, he stockpiled the military forces, he attracted talented men and negotiated with domestic and foreign forces. It was needless to say that such process needed tremendous resources. The problem was that he raised the amount of taxes, and the classes who had to pay the taxes weren¡¯t the nobles or the rich families but the people with low income and had no power. From the time of being a Marquis, the Milton Kingdom has been a wealthy area for agriculture and commerce. However, it was just the nobles and their subjects who enjoyed the wealth it brought, and there were very few residents who could get bread from them. Despite the hard work, the majority of the people in Milton were poor. And with the intent to prepare for war, Mayers became more ambitious and raised the taxes. Obviously, that made it more difficult for the poor. In fact, they still held some hope until the nation was declared because they believed that their King would refrain from going into war and run the nation in a stable manner. However, following the independence from the war, Mayers waged war on the Marquis of Rakan using the death of Count Bazzo. If there weren¡¯t any problems, maybe everyone would have endured it. However, the monsters that Luke sent had shaken the entire Milton Kingdom and caused them to become terrified. ¡°What should be done? What should I do!¡± Mayers, who stood up from his seat, asked in anguish, and a blunt voice from the room answered, ¡°Huh, what do you mean by what has to be done? We need to reunite right away.¡± The voice belonged to Reynard. At his rude words, the main nobles including Count Lao, who was mad at him, didn¡¯t bother talking. It was because all their main residencies were in the Royal city. Loyalty to the head was important to the nobles, but an even more important aspect for them was their foundation. It was their thoughts to reunite with their domestic troops and overcome those riots and revolts. ¡°Reunite? Is that the only way? Do I need to go back like this? How can I show my face?¡± ¡°How would you like it if the kingdom crumbled more? Is your pride the one feeding you?¡± ¡°How dare you?!¡± Klang! At the words of Reynard, Mayers threw a glass that was close to him. Reynard¡¯s face that got hit by the crystal goblet began to bleed immediately. ¡°Oh, sh*t! See this! See!¡± ¡°Huak!¡± When Reynard stood up from his chair, Mayers¡¯ face turned pale. As a lycan mixed race, Reynard was over 2 meters tall, as tall as a giant tree. He could feel the pressure coming off him. Knowing what was happening, the knights pulled out their swords toward Reynard¡¯s directions. Reynold hurriedly went toward his brother. ¡°Don¡¯t! Hold yourself back.¡± ¡°Hyung!¡± Reynard hadn¡¯t pulled out his sword yet. However, the energy his body was releasing was enough to threaten the knights and Mayers. ¡°Your comments were disrespectful. Go ahead and apologize to Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Hyung! Hyung, do you also think that I was wrong?¡± ¡°See¡­¡± Mayers words and actions that placed importance to his pride and face rather than the lives of his soldiers weren¡¯t right. Honestly, it wasn¡¯t like Reynold didn¡¯t want to pull out his sword and kill the man either. ¡°Even then, he is the King of a nation and our master.¡± ¡°tch!¡± Work for what was received. The Gram Brothers were wandering mercenaries, but they never broke their word. To deceive someone or betray others was something they referred to as the acts of humans. Reynard mumbled to himself and bowed his head to Mayers as he wasn¡¯t able to work for what he had received, ¡°My Majesty, I was very rude. Please forgive me.¡± ¡°Kuek! You¡¯re a sour candy to my eyes! I don¡¯t want to see you, go away!¡± As Mayers frowned and yelled, Reynard went back to the army. When the issue of Reynard was done, Count Lao opened his mouth. ¡°Your Majesty, what are you going to do now¡­? Would you like the army to work?¡± ¡°Hugh! Isn¡¯t that a problem we need to think about? If we act recklessly and send in our army, we will face Marquis Luke¡¯s counterattack.¡± ¡°That is true.¡± It wasn¡¯t the mainland of Rakan estates that they were watching over. Therefore, even if they retreated, they would have to leave behind some soldiers to contain their enemy from making a move. The question was, who would lead the remaining soldiers? ¡®Should I leave it to Reynard for his atonement? No, to send someone who is dissatisfied with me is¡­¡¯ Reynold was a fine man as well, but Mayers couldn¡¯t get the other Sword Master to be loyal to him. And yet, he couldn¡¯t leave it over to the other commanders. ¡®Damn it, this is messed up!¡¯ Honestly, even after deciding on the army, Mayers thought of taking a day to think it through. The nobles were frustrated with it, but it hadn¡¯t been long since Mayers woke up, so they decided to hold themselves back for once. But Mayers never expected how much anger they held in for such an act to have happened at that time. Chapter 431 - Fall of Mayers 2 For the past few days, Erwin had a serious expression on her face. When Zegal Soha had gone to defeat the Grenada pirates by using a method from her continent, she decided to perform actively. ¡®Maybe Princess Reina¡­ But I can¡¯t let myself get pushed around by a Southern Continent woman.¡¯ She didn¡¯t even think about what the reward was going to be, but Erwin burned with enthusiasm and excitement. From that moment on, she looked for every opportunity to help Luke. ¡®Firstly, I need to take advantage of my main skills.¡¯ Her main skill was magic, and she was considered to be the best in alchemy on the continent. She was someone who could manufacture artificial magic stones¡ªgreen crystals filled with Earth¡¯s tears. However, that wasn¡¯t the kind of help Luke needed at the moment. ¡®I need to find a way to defeat the Milton Kingdom¡¯s army!¡¯ Thinking about it, she suddenly remembered about the magic used by the elven rangers. The Elf Rangers, the best hunters in the forests, used a magic called the ¡®Silent¡¯ magic before getting close to their target. With that being used, one wouldn¡¯t have to maintain silence until approaching the target, so they would be able to catch their prey without giving out any sound. With that thought, she ran over to Luke who was trying to suggest and encourage his soldiers. ¡°A way to help defeat the Milton Kingdom¡¯s army?¡± Asked Luke bluntly. ¡°Yes, applying Silent magic to the Gigants. The enemy won¡¯t even notice until we get close to them.¡± ¡°Hmm, Silent magic¡­¡± Contrary to Erwin¡¯s expectations, Luke¡¯s reaction was mild. Commander Rogers and Philip, who were assisting Luke, seemed skeptical about it. ¡°It is a good idea. But till this moment, has anyone ever used such a method?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Well¡­¡± As Luke pointed out, there had been no attempt of applying Silent magic on the Gigants. One of the shortcomings of the Gigants was the heavy noise that roared as it moved. In addition to the previous top ten magic towers, several magic towers sought ways to reduce the Gigant¡¯s noise. The effect of surprise was greater if the noise was reduced. However, success wasn¡¯t achieved due to the limitations of Silent magic. A Gigant¡¯s noise couldn¡¯t be hidden with a 5 magic circle Silent magic. And the enhancement of the skill would consume a large amount of mana, which would decrease the power of the core engine. However, it still didn¡¯t give a definite decrease, and the noise cancellation wouldn¡¯t last long either. ¡°In a word, it is quite inefficient. In addition, even if the sound from the Gigant was removed, the weight of the Gigant would cause vibrations on the ground. How do you plan on getting rid of that?¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡­¡± When Erwin became flustered because of the unexpected problem, Luke saw that and added, ¡°That was why regular magic towers used invisibility magic on Gigants to hide them instead of eliminating their sound.¡± ¡°I know about that. I saw it for myself in the past, and I did hear that there was no place where it has been used since they are still in the research stage.¡± In other words, Invisibility magic was also another method they could use. She thought that it would be enough to cover the excess use of mana for the Silent magic if she could use the artificial magic stone, which was an easy task for her. ¡°I am sorry. I was too impatient and took away your precious time.¡± ¡°No, it is alright.¡± Luke shook his hands at Erwin¡¯s apology. Erwin wasn¡¯t a professional Iron mage even though she used magic. Moreover, she came over and expressed her opinion to help Luke. However, Luke couldn¡¯t take it because it wasn¡¯t feasible. ¡°And your opinion of using Silent magic wasn¡¯t in vain. They can be used in a different manner,¡± said Luke. ¡°Really?¡± Asked Erwin immediately. ¡°Yes.¡± Hearing what Erwin said immediately brought up a thought in Luke¡¯s mind. He was still in the process of thinking up something, but Erwin¡¯s idea about Silent magic increase the effectiveness. ¡°Firstly, we need a lot of Silent magic scrolls and magic stones. A lot more than the army troops we have currently¡­¡± Said Luke. ¡°I will teleport over to the nearest magic and bring them over.¡± ¡°Yes, please do that.¡± Right after the end of the conversation with Luke, Erwin unfolded a teleport scroll. She felt a sudden chill and disappeared. Luke, who saw the change in the woman, smiled lightly. When Philip noticed that, he went over to Luke and whispered. ¡°Lord, it seems like you are getting popular.¡± ¡°Well, I think so too.¡± ¡°Even then, you shouldn¡¯t cheat. Princess Reina, well, the Pope would be angry.¡± And if the Pope became angry, the blind paladins next to her would come for Luke¡¯s neck right away. And the one leading those paladins would be Arch Duke Gregory. Luke, whose head was imagining what would happen, shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s far fetched. What nonsense.¡± Erwin was looking different from the past, and Zegal Soha was working actively. Looking at the women by his side, he was able to figure out what kind of emotions they were holding in and what they were expecting. And Luke wasn¡¯t blind to not realize that. However, Luke¡¯s relationship with Reina was so strong that he had no intention of accepting their feelings. ¡®This is unfortunate, but I need to hold myself back and say something to them. And at the end of the war, I need to go see Reina.¡¯ Luke hadn¡¯t met Reina for a very long time because of the various things that were thrown at him. Sending and receiving regards was no longer an option. So Luke decided the next time, without any fail, he would go see her. Chapter 432 - Fall of Mayers 3 In a time past midnight. On a hill overlooking the camp of Milton kingdom. Was Luke, looking down on their camp, where a campfire was burning bright, he hid himself in the shade of the dark clouds. ¡®Hohoo. Looks like the plan went pretty well.¡¯ Nightmare, the name of the operation for the two demons. The key aspect of the plan was to create confusion and division within the enemy by using Sebastian¡¯s ability to place in dreams. Whether it worked well or now, the morale of the Milton Kingdom was on the ground. And the evidence was right in front of his eyes. The knights and guards who had to keep their eyes open and watch the surroundings were all seated together and looked at their commander¡¯s tent. And that was the anxiety and distrust manifesting. ¡®The king who is rumored to be crazy, but the battle hasn¡¯t been resolved yet, and the home nation¡¯s situation is turning worse, everyone wants to go back.¡¯ Luke was able to be in close contact with the camp of Milton because of the spies and the Argos agents who had infiltrated the enemy camp. He knew that it was time to switch from defensive to offensive, which was why he wanted to sneak up on them. ¡°Lord, please give out the orders to attack!¡± At the words of Commander Rogers, Luke turned his head. Right below the hill were a number of Rakan troops lined up. Beginning with 80 Gigants, 1,000 cavalries, and 5,000 infantries, men were waiting for orders. The troops fleeing the Batern Town moved at sunset on a faraway mountain path to the hills behind the Milton Kingdom¡¯s camp. ¡®Huh, they are like stupid men. Do they think that we¡¯ll stay still just because we have been defending till now?¡¯ Was it because of Operation Nightmare? Milton¡¯s recently disorganized military forces had neglected their roles. They just pretended to scout and didn¡¯t look closely. The guards standing around the camp were only a handful of their troops, and it made it easy for Philip to lead the vanguards. ¡®I got nervous when we suddenly had to encounter the 100 cavalry soldiers a while back.¡¯ When Luke had almost reached the destination of the hill, they came across the enemy forces. The troops of the enemy were startled along with Luke¡¯s raid troops, however, there was no conflict. The commander of the enemy decided to surrender without a fight. And in the later interrogation, it was revealed that they weren¡¯t the enemy troops. They were the Lords who were worried about their hometown and his people, so they decided to abandon their roles in the war and head back with their soldiers and men. If Luke would have had to fight with them, their plan for assault would have failed. And they wouldn¡¯t have been able to finish the battle after everything in their strategy was done. ¡®For a commander who is a Lord to abandon his role on the battlefield. I surely did a good job with using the monsters at the right time.¡¯ Honestly, Luke had never anticipated the collapse of the Milton Kingdom in such a manner. He just assumed that the monsters planted right behind the enemy would decrease the amount of troops his army would have to fight. However, the Milton Kingdom which he had a high regard for, collapsed like a sandcastle and led to riots. ¡®Anyway, should we begin?¡¯ Seeing the opportunity, Luke decided to make a decision that would break Mayers. The first move would be the vanguard knights in the dark with black camouflage. They were all crawling on the ground to move. If the moonlight was bright, their movements would have been spotted right away. However, it was a cloudy night that covered the moon, and the Silent magic placed on the body of the vanguard troops helped the movement. After some movement, they all took out a wand with a magic stone and a silent magic scroll into their hands. The wand was usually a tool used to increase the concentration of the mana and magic, however, it could also be used as a weapon by enchanting it with an attack like a strike or evasive magic. ¡®And they are going to be infused with the silent magic too.¡¯ The vanguards put their wands on the ground and tore the scrolls to place silent magic onto the wand. Woong! With a very soft sound, all the noise within a 30-meter radius of the wand disappeared. The sound of grass moving or the insects flying, everything stopped. The vanguards continued to move forward with the wand on the floor, and silently casting magic. The path of silence created was around 50 meters. The path of silence was a further development of Luke¡¯s plan which was taken from Erwin¡¯s idea with the wand being the key instrument. The Wands used by wizards were equipped with Erwin¡¯s magic stones, which amplified the silent magic. In addition to that, Luke added powerful absorption magic. And that was why all the noise within the 30-meter radius got sucked in like a black hole. ¡®Kukk. When my troops reach there, suddenly, the Milton men would lose their sh*t.¡¯ Philip looked ahead after the last wand was installed. The distance from the enemy was 50 meters. Judging by the bright lights ahead, they couldn¡¯t get any further nor were the troops ready to take a chance and risk anything. And for that distance, a Gigant would have to move. ¡°Lord, the advancement is over.¡± ¡°Good work. Prepare for the battle right away.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Philip boarded his Hero class Gigant called Orion which he named Milena. After confirming that all the riders were on board, Luke boarded his Gigant and advanced towards the enemy. Because of the silent magic being used on the path, the noise of the Gigants got erased, no forces of the enemy knew about the intruders into their camp. Luke, who stood behind 50 meters of the enemy, spoke to the others. ¡°Listen my men! I, Luke de Rakan, for the men who accused our estates and dared to invade our land, those Milton thieves will be wiped out. Don¡¯t show mercy to the enemy!¡± ¡°Army, Attack!¡± ¡°Wah!¡± Following Luke¡¯s speech, Rogers gave out orders which resulted in the riders shouting and assaulting the enemy. The Guards of the Milton Kingdom were shocked seeing the Gigants coming out of the darkness. ¡°E, enemy!¡± ¡°Enemy surprise attack!¡± Ting Ting Ting! The watchtowers bells didn¡¯t ring for long. The watchtower collapsed when Rogers¡¯ Orion pushed it. Kwang! Thud! Kwang! Rogers, Philip, and Luke pushed ahead without any mercy and assaulted everyone in the camp. And subsequently the cavalry and infantry too moved swiftly. ¡°Kuek!¡± ¡°Pl, please save me!¡± ¡°What? What is happening?¡± Due to the sudden intrusion of the enemy, the Milton Kingdom wasn¡¯t able to respond properly. Most of them were asleep during that time, and people who were exhausted due to the recent turn of events weren¡¯t even waking up. ¡°It is the enemy! The enemy has entered our camp!¡± ¡°Prepare for battle!¡± Even then, some quick knights jumped out in their bare clothes and ordered the soldiers, and others went into their Gigants. However, there were only a few men who responded. Rakan estate riders were fiercely pushing into the Milton Kingdom¡¯s camp and when they noticed anyone trying to step into the Gigant, they immediately used their swords. In such cases, the door to boarding the Gigant wouldn¡¯t open. ¡°Dammit, I felt uneasy for some reason!¡± Reynard, armed and running to his brother was anxious with the screams which came in from all sides. A mixed-race of humans and lycan slope, and were more sensitive than humans. It wasn¡¯t just that, he had years of experience as a mercenary. All of a sudden, when the sound of the wind reached him, the cries of insects went quiet, he felt something was going to happen. ¡°Hyung!¡± ¡°Oh, Reynard?¡± Reynold looked over at his brother who had a pale face. The most reliable thing for them in the crisis was that they were twins. It was the same for Reynold who felt something off. So when the attacks started, he was running ahead to the King¡¯s knights. ¡°Hurry up. Go ahead and check Your Majesty¡¯s camp.¡± ¡°Tch! Because my brother is so sincere to him!¡± At his brother¡¯s response, Reynold shot back. ¡°For mercenaries, the contract is meant to be the most sacred duty to keep, even in the face of death!¡± The Gram brothers had signed a contract with Mayers to commit themselves to the Milton Kingdom and took over the knights of Iron Fist. Since they were Sword Masters, their payments were very expensive, and Reynold was willing to stay as long as Mayers kept his word. ¡°If we run away from this we can¡¯t call ourselves as mercenaries, but we would be called scammers. We can never cheat.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, understood, commander.¡± The two brothers exchanged a few words and headed right for the King¡¯s army. Maybe they went halfway, and they encountered the knights of Mayers. Mayers, who had come out in just a coat and pajamas, went crazy seeing his camp turn into a sea of fire. ¡°How the hell did this happen?!¡± ¡°The Rakan estate troops have invaded and attacked us.¡± ¡°What the hell? The Rakan are attacking us? What the hell were the guards even doing? What were they doing when the enemy was entering our camp¡­¡± ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time to throw responsibility over to others. Move to a safe place, Your Majesty!¡± Reynold spoke to Mayers and immediately told his brother. ¡°I will take His Majesty to a safe place. And you¡­¡± ¡°Get time, right? Understood. Leave it to me.¡± Honestly, Reynard didn¡¯t intend to run away with his tail between his legs. As long as he lives, he would always aim for the head of the leader. And after the destruction of the Vanguard which he was leading, he didn¡¯t get to play much of a role in the war. In the battle of Batern, the opponents weren¡¯t Sword Masters, so the Milton Kingdom had put Reynard back in the line. And there was the other one. He wanted to pay back Luke, the Marquis of Rakan who unilaterally pushed him out. ¡°Take my Anubis. So that you won¡¯t lack when it comes to fighting.¡± Said Reynold. ¡°Then hyung?¡± ¡°I can borrow His Majesty¡¯s Hero class Gigant, Rubira.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll take the Gigant.¡± Rubira was a dedicated Gigant that was only for the king and was a symbol, but Mayers, who was worthless in the battle for now, never used it. It was only used to show off when celebrating an event or meeting. Even at the beginning of the war, the knights joked around that the day Rubira would enter the battle would be the day when the Milton Kingdom would be standing on the edge of a cliff. ¡®But this is actually happening!¡¯ With a frustrated look, Reynold looked at Mayers. The sound of the Gigant¡¯s core engine was getting louder and louder in the back, it was almost as if the enemy Gigants were chasing behind them. Chapter 433 - Fall of Mayers 4 ¡°Kill them! Sweep out the invaders!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t step back! Move with the flow!¡± There was a terrifying battle going across the camp of Milton Kingdom. Initially, the Milton Kingdom forces were attacked left and right. Because they had been attacked all of a sudden in the middle of the night, and they were unsure as to how many enemies were coming at them because of extreme confusion and exhaustion they had over for weeks. However, thanks to the commanders such as Reynard and Marquis Volant, the chaos began to subside little by little. ¡°Die! You despicable men of Marquis Luke!¡± Kwang! Grrrrr! ¡°Keuk! How dare you scratch my Milena?!¡± Philip¡¯s Milena got pushed back with the strong blow of Reynard¡¯s Anubis. Reynard seemed to be taking revenge for the past when he was wiped out, and from the very beginning, the Impact Aura was being used to the full extent all for Philip. The Boomerang, wielding it like a sickle or sword, freely cutting through the air and digging into the ground as a part of Gigant. Philip, who was getting pushed back by the force constantly, wasn¡¯t able to easily overturn the match and was using constant defense. Luke was watching the onslaught of Reynard from behind. ¡°That rider of the wolf head Gigant is quite something.¡± ¡°From the sword that he seems to be using, he is a Sword Master who commanded the enemy¡¯s vanguard the last time.¡± At the words of Rogers, Luke nodded. ¡°That is true. But looks a lot stronger than that time. Maybe the poison seeped into him.¡± It seemed like he was being aggressive from the beginning of the match because of loss. ¡°No matter how I see it, I should go out.¡± Said Rogers. When Rogers was about to go ahead after seeing Philip getting pushed back, Luke stopped him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. Philip isn¡¯t the kind to fall back for such a thing.¡± Philip was normally a laid back kind of person, but the moment he took a sword in his hand, he would turn more serious than anyone else. In addition, he constantly competed with strong men besides Luke, like Hwang Bo-sung, Rogers, and experienced a lot of battles. ¡°So he won¡¯t get defeated just because he is getting a little pushed around now.¡± ¡°But if¡­ he loses?¡± ¡°In that case you need to train him, like hell.¡± Luke¡¯s words buried in the noise of the fights which were happening, and didn¡¯t enter the ears of Philip. Nevertheless, Philip felt something creeping on his spine. He felt an ominous aura and that wasn¡¯t because of the opponent¡¯s sword. Philip, who just thought that he felt a threat for his life, began to counter-attack. ¡°Dammit! You will suffer!¡± Swoosh! Kwang! Philip¡¯s Impact Aura, which was willed in turning the flow of the battle, blew away Anubis¡¯s shoulder gloves. When Reynard faltered with it, Philip pushed his opponent with a Gold Sword rather than the Phantom Sword which he had been using till then. The fight between them processed tightly with the counterattacks and the blocking. ¡°Look here. Didn¡¯t I tell he won¡¯t lose?¡± ¡°Hmm, I guess you did!¡± Luke spoke to Rogers who was feeling glad. ¡°Unfortunately, I need to leave this matter to Sir Philip and try to find Mayers. The war will only come to an end if I kill their head.¡± ¡°I know, Lord.¡± After leaving Reynard to Philip, Luke led the riders of Rogers and the Rakan Knights to catch Mayers. Pung! Pung! Around the time when Luke was on a chase, a flash of light shone in the sky with a terrifying roar. Milton¡¯s army, who were already in confusion, was amazed at its size. ¡°What was that? Shelling?¡± ¡°This is huge! Enemy reinforcements have appeared!¡± When the sneak squad of Luke succeeded in their task, the units who were left behind in Batern began to turn offensive. With the support of the remaining Gigants and trailers, the artillery who were pulled out of the town began to fire at the Milton camp. However, the shells they used were flash or smoke bombs with low killing abilities. It was because their allies and enemies were mixed in the region. However, that alone was enough to surprise the troops of the Milton Kingdom. In addition to that, 2,000 cavalry units and 20,000 infantrymen, who were in the town, went out of the streets and began to work. ¡°Your Majesty has been killed!¡± ¡°Everyone run away! They said that everyone is running away already!¡± ¡°If we stay here it is only a dog¡¯s death!¡± Sebastian and Belfair who had infiltrated the enemy camp began to fan chaos while disguising them as the troops of the Milton. Most of the words they spread out were false, but soon they caught something. ¡°Look at those who are running away. They are clearly knights!¡± ¡°Iron Fist Knights and the Gigant too¡­¡± ¡°Dammit, they are only doing this for themselves, what is this?¡± The knights and soldiers who watched the King and his men escape from their quarters lost their will to fight. Their commanders ordered and screamed at them to fight, but it was to no avail. An army whose morale had been completely defeated could no longer be considered as an army. The battle was done. Those of the Milton Kingdom who were in power fled, and those who didn¡¯t have the energy to move abandoned their weapons while others chose to fight. After seeing the army fall, Mayers was raging in anger and despair. ¡°Keuk, is my army miserable like this¡­?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look back, Your Majesty. We need to hurry and get out of here!¡± Count Lao urged Mayers to pull the reins on his horse. There was a reason why he was rushing. The Gigants which were following them were the ones belonging to Marquis Rakan. The Gigant unit belonging to the Rakan Knights, led by Luke and Rogers. ¡°Stand right there Mayers!¡± ¡°Save His Majesty!¡± The Iron Fist Knights began to move and block the approaching Rakan Knights. Kang! Slash! Kwang! Kwang! The tall steel Gigants collided. Gigantic Aura, rising from a huge sword brightened the dark night sky, the fierce yelling and the shrieks shook the place. ¡°Kuak! Long live the king of Milton¡­!¡± ¡°This is crazy! Self-destruction, avoid!¡± The Iron Fist Knights who fell behind the Rakan Knights in terms of ability and performance suffered. However, they filled in their gap with loyalty to protecting their king. When they were being stopped and could no longer help their army, they took off the gloves and stabbed their Gigant in the spot of the core engine. Kwang! Kwang! Gigant¡¯s which were pierced in their chests exploded with huge flames. Luke only clicked his tongue seeing the desperate moves of his enemy. ¡®While the others are still standing on the ground, the others are burning. He has very loyal men. Only if Mayers wasn¡¯t in the revolt against the Baroque Empire.¡¯ As much as Luke believed in the power of his Rakan Knights, Mayers had to believe in his Iron Fist Knights. ¡®Such a waste. If only they didn¡¯t choose the wrong master¡­¡¯ Luke was thinking about how good it would have been if people with such loyalty would serve under him. Luke, who was saddened seeing the truth of the world, cut off the enemy Gigant¡¯s arms which were rushing for him. He could have aimed for the cockpit without any mercy, however, he thought that killing them would be wrong. So he ended it with a simple suppression. ¡°Don¡¯t think that I am going to fall with just this!¡± ¡°You are one annoying man!¡± The Gigant rider whose arms got cut off got his torso to be cut off again. His desperate actions were hidden with his intent to make Luke aim for the core engine. When Luke pushed his giant sword ahead, he was thinking of getting hit in the core engine. And it wasn¡¯t like Luke not to notice such behavior. He avoided the approach with Blink and cut off the legs of the Gigant to stop him. ¡°What is this, a magic-using rider?¡± ¡°Rune Knight? Then the rider of that silver Gigant is¡­¡± ¡°Marquis Luke! It must be Marquis Luke!¡± Rune knight meant a person who could use magic and sword at the same time, it wasn¡¯t a very common skill. In addition, Luke was the only Rune Knight of the Marquis Rakan, so it was easy for the Iron Fist knights to judge the rider of the Silver Gaius to be Luke. ¡°Kill Marquis Luke!¡± ¡°If we can kill Marquis Luke, we can win the war!¡± The knights of Iron Fist thought that if they could kill Marquis Luke who had no heir, they would be the winners of the war. So more Gigants rushed for Luke. ¡°Dammit, protect our Lord!¡± Rogers ordered in a hurry, however, the desperate acts of the Iron Fist knights were faster. The four enemy Gigants which approached the silver Gigant struck the Silver Gaius at the same time. Chapter 434 - Receiving the Crown 1 ¡°Die, Marquis Luke! You!¡± ¡®Blink magic¡­ No, I don¡¯t have time for that!¡¯ If he used Blink magic, Luke would be unable to avoid the enemy attack until the magic manifested. But if he tried to avoid their attacks with his Gigant, then he would miss Mayers who was ready to run away. That made Luke move ahead instead of using magic. The silver Gaius, which went ahead like an arrow released from the bow, pushed ahead, avoiding and trying to deflect the giant swords of the Gigants that were in front. Kwang! ¡°This can¡¯t!¡± Fearing their extreme loyalty, Luke stabbed the Gigant¡¯s balance device. He immediately moved and dove into the other 3 Gigant. ¡°I hit him!¡± The giant swords of the enemy Gigant rushed from the back and seemed to have pierced Gaius. However, what they actually stabbed was an afterimage. With the high-speed movements Luke was making, the afterimages remained for a while, and with the golden aura, he immediately hit the three Gigants. ¡®Ahh, that is the second half of the Gold Sword!¡¯ Rogers was in awe as he saw Luke¡¯s huge sword unfold the first half and then the other part of the Gold Sword. However, Luke, on the other hand, seemed to be displeased with the second half of the Gold Sword. ¡®This shouldn¡¯t be it. How can this be so weak?¡¯ A while back, Luke was able to see the Gold Light God Sword with the help of Saint Nanda¡­ Well, technically, it was the second half of the Gold Sword. However, it seemed like his wielding was inferior to Yeon Ga-ram. And he was able to notice that he lagged behind when it came to sword skills. No matter how ingenious he was, there should have been a difference in sword skills when he was using it from the Gigant. However, what he couldn¡¯t understand was the core engine of the Gigant fell down when it had to amplify the attack. ¡®This is weaker than the Gold Sword used by Yeon Ga-ram who used this with his bare body¡­ What seems to be the problem here?¡¯ ¡°Die, Marquis Luke!¡± While Luke was trying to think about it, the enemy Gigant came in to attack. Luke, who was still aware of his surroundings, used another second half of the Gold Sword toward the man who came rushing at him. Kwang! Kwang! The wings of Phoenix spread out from the metal body of Gaius. That moment, the 5 Iron Fist Knights floated in the air at the same time and fell to the ground. They weren¡¯t even touched by the sword. They just got blown away by Luke who was wielding his sword. ¡®Not this either. Where am I even making the mistake?¡¯ Luke looked down at the giant sword he was holding with despair despite the mighty blow he just delivered. However, the Iron Fist Knights were thrilled. ¡°Kuek! That is the Warrior Rakan¡¯s sword!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get killed! We are the invincible Iron Fist Knights!¡± Smacking their lips, the Iron Fist Knights rushed to Luke. As their Gigants were wobbly moving right and left, they continued to attack without giving up. Despite the fact that Luke was fighting alone with them, neither Rogers nor the Rakan knights joined in. It wasn¡¯t that they wanted Luke to fail. It was because they were able to see the second half of the Gold Sword in front of their eyes. ¡®This is something I didn¡¯t see before¡­¡¯ ¡®This is it. Is this the second half of the Gold Sword that the Lord talked about?¡¯ ¡®This is awesome! This is more awesome than the first half that commander Rogers uses!¡¯ Luke¡¯s Gaius, which moved like the wind, left behind golden remnants, and then, with waves of gold, the sword moved. It truly seemed like the sword of God himself. Whenever the enemy Gigant slammed into the sword, the Gigant fell and kept losing some of its metal pieces. Some of them were attempting to self-destruct in close range of Luke, which made Luke take violent actions and slash off the hands of the enemy Gigant. ¡°This is really great! Our Lord, defeated 32 on his own!¡± ¡°And he did that in just 5 minutes. I believe this to be the second coming of the Warrior Rakan!¡± Despite the admiration of the Rakan knights, Luke wasn¡¯t satisfied. Despite the proper application of the energy and the movements in the situation, the power he saw in his memories didn¡¯t seem to form. ¡®This is strong enough. But to defeat that Arsene¡­!¡¯ Kang! A powerful blow had suddenly come in. Luke¡¯s Gaius, who hurriedly defended with its sword, got pushed back. Flustered, Luke looked over at the Gigant that attacked him. It was a Gigant that had a more prominent shape than Gaius, a gleaming glove, and an ornament on its helmet. However, Luke was trying to concentrate on the core engine of the Gigant rather than its appearance. ¡°Hero class?¡± ¡°Tch, my surprise attack just got stopped.¡± The one who just attacked Luke was Reynold. Borrowing it from Mayers, it was the exclusive Rubira. He came to help the Iron Fist Knights. It was because he felt that the troops wouldn¡¯t be able to chase after the Rakan Gigants that were following them. And his thoughts were right. The Iron Fist Knights were being unilaterally slaughtered by one silver Gigant. ¡®That silver Gigant is the one Reynard spoke of¡­¡¯ He had heard from his brother, Reynard. The troops who destroyed the vanguard were the reinforcements of Rakan Marquis, Luke. At that time, Marquis Luke was riding a silver Gigant, and he told that he got unilaterally pushed back, even though the Marquis wasn¡¯t in a Hero class Gigant. ¡®The problem wasn¡¯t with Reynard. This man is a monster!¡¯ After seeing Luke with a huge aura and slaughtering his Iron Fist Knights, he wanted to go and slice off the necks of all the intelligence agents on the Milton Kingdom. ¡®That monster isn¡¯t an Intermediate Sword Master, he is an Advanced! What kind of judgments did those bastards even make?!¡¯ He decided that he should feel overwhelmed. However, he wanted to take advantage of the surprise attack. With all the screams of the riders, he silently approached Luke¡¯s silver Gaius. He used the core engine¡¯s power to the maximum and fired for a surprise attack. Kwang! As a Hero class Gigant, the power of the boomerang he fired had an output of 3,200 fight and was tremendous. However, Luke managed to stop it and was just pushed back. Though the plan of Reynold was a bust, he couldn¡¯t step back. ¡°I am Reynold Gram, the commander of the Iron Fist Knights! And I want a one-on-one match with Marquis Luke!¡± As Reynold shouted through his Gigant, Rogers yelled back, ¡°Shut up! This guy! You are asking for a face on confrontation after pulling a trick like that? I know what you are trying to do!¡± The opponent didn¡¯t want an honorable Gigantic Duel. It was just a matter of delaying the time to let Mayers run away. Luke too noticed the intention of Reynold. However, he still accepted the Gigantic Duel. ¡°Commander Rogers, step back. I will deal with the man.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We can catch up with Mayers at any time.¡± Rogers, who was opposed to it, stepped back after detecting the aura from Luke¡¯s Gaius rise. It was because he judged that his Lord could win the battle. With the aura and energy Luke was releasing, he didn¡¯t just feel the desire to fight but also the will to learn something. ¡®Maybe he learned the second half of the Gold Sword and a higher level? I can¡¯t interfere if that is so.¡¯ And the guess of Rogers was almost correct. Luke, who was observing his own sword for a while, was aware. He was aware that something was wrong with the Gold Sword. However, he wasn¡¯t able to figure out what was wrong and what was lacking. So he decided to use the opportunity to enlighten himself through going into a battle with strong opponents. ¡°Let¡¯s attack!¡± When Rogers and the Rakan Knights stepped back, Luke pointed his sword at the Rubira of Reynold. As a response to his actions, Reynold stared at Luke¡¯s Gaius, which stood still, staring at its sword. He was planning on rushing ahead and use his Boomerang right away if he saw an opening, but he couldn¡¯t find one. ¡®Kuek, this guy is really good. Not just a Hero class Gigant, even higher than a Hero class would be useless against him.¡¯ The silver Gaius that was standing still like a rock met eyes with Reynold. Reynold didn¡¯t know what he had to use to go ahead. ¡°Would you like to come?¡± Listening to the calm voice of Luke, Reynold began to sweat. He was different from the others from the Iron Fist Knight who fought against evil. As he was an Intermediate Sword Master, he was able to see how strong the opponent in front of his eyes was. ¡°Then, I will go,¡± said Reynold. With just those words, the attitude of Luke changed. Reynold rushed in, aiming for the gap that Luke showed. ¡°Uhh! Die, Marquis Luke!¡¯ Reynold had no intention of backing off from the battle. He brought out every little power from the core engine with the intent to take Luke down with one final blow. Due to the sudden depletion of aura, Reynold began to feel dizzy. However, he decided to hold himself up for a while. Kwang! Rubira broke into the space and rushed toward the silver Gaius. Rubira looked like a wolf that was running alongside the gust of winds. The moment the wolf¡¯s teeth were going o reach the target, a crouched Phoenix spread its golden wings once again. Woosh! Loud and low noises could be heard, and the position of the Gigant changed. Rubira stood in the place where Gaius was standing previously. In a second, the upper body of the Gigant, which got cut diagonally, fell to the ground. ¡°Hu, Huaah!¡± Reynold, who suddenly felt a gush of cold air, trembled. If Luke decided to wield his sword a little lower, his head would have been cut off and not just the top of the cockpit. On the other hand, Luke¡¯s silver Gaius was fine and didn¡¯t have any scratches. ¡°I l-lost.¡± As Luke¡¯s Gaius approached Reynold, the man descended from Rubira and knelt. It was because Reynold knew that Luke had deliberately saved his life. Luke opened up the hatch of his cockpit and talked to Reynold. ¡°That was a great skill. If I was a little late, you might¡¯ve killed me.¡± Even if he failed, the blow Reynold was going to deliver was strong. Although it all happened in a moment, the power of an Advanced Sword Master, well, a Sword Sage¡¯s Hyper Aura got released. If Luke hadn¡¯t raised his skill in the Southern Continent by fighting Earner and Arsene, this battle would have been a bust. Of course, that was the case when only the sword skills were considered. If Luke used his dark magic and the demon¡¯s abilities, Rubira would have been smashed before it could even get close. ¡°This is an undeserved talent for Mayers. What do you say? Any intend to change?¡± At the unexpected offer, Reynold was startled. However, he shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t. Me and my brother have a contract with King Mayers. Even if death is the end, we plan to stay by the contract.¡± Lycans, being a mixed-race, Reynold and Reynard were mercenaries for long. However, they never broke a contract in the middle nor runaway. It was because they had always thought of themselves to be different from humans who fed on falsehood and betrayal. If he wasn¡¯t a mercenary who had never breached the contract or trust, he would have never been able to reach his current position. ¡°You are a great man.¡± Luke smiled with a sad expression. It was because he saw the loyalty of the Iron Fist Knights, who killed themselves, and Reynold. ¡°Go back. The surviving men will take over, so take the others away.¡± Reynold was once again shocked at what he heard and expressed his gratitude. ¡°I will never forget your mercy.¡± Shortly after, Reynold left with the other surviving Iron Fist Knights and moved away. There fewer deaths than he had imagined. That was when he realized that Luke had prioritized subduing rather than killing. ¡°There was no need to let them go?¡± ¡°There was no guarantee that they would stay on our side if we held them tight either.¡± Rather than getting Reynold, Luke was frustrated that he wasn¡¯t able to complete the second half of the Gold Sword. He thought that he would realize something if he went against a strong opponent. However, even after fighting with someone at the level of Reynold, he was still lacking something. He was only getting more and more irritated, but he decided to hold off his emotion for a while. ¡°The battle is done. If there are enemies who are resisting, then ask them to move out of our estates.¡± ¡°Understood, My Lord.¡± The massive raid ended with the victory of the Rakan side. The war hadn¡¯t ended, but the power of the Marquis Rakan had inclined toward their win. Comment COMMENT FIRST Rate this chapter Vote with Power Stone Chapter 435: Receiving the Crown 2 Milton¡¯s army, which had been defeated by the Rakan Estate¡¯s forces, fled. After two days of fleeing, they managed to reach the border of the Milton Kingdom and finally dropped on to the floor to rest. ¡°Haa, how the hell did all this happen?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either. It was almost like a ghost was moving around us.¡± ¡°Damn it! How could we not know until the Gigants hit the camp!¡± The nobles of the Milton knights gathered in a group of three or five and recalled the raid that happened two days ago. The attack was surely sudden and was a surprise. The Gigants weren¡¯t small but the heavy Gigants had appeared right in front of their eyes. And then the disaster began. Even the allies tried to fight with their Gigants. However, more than half of the Gigants were destroyed even before they entered the battle with the enemy. And when the Gigant¡¯s got cut off from the battle. The winning side and the losing side of the battle got confirmed. ¡°Oh my god, this was all because those guards neglected their duties!¡± ¡°We need to punish the knights and the soldiers who were in charge!¡± Different and horrifying opinions formed among the nobles who were ready to push off the responsibility. However, even if they did try to go and punish them, the people involved weren¡¯t present. The knights and soldiers either fled the scene of battle or died during the surprise attack. It wasn¡¯t just those guards and knights but also many knights and soldiers were missing. They were either killed or captured by the enemy. However, the number of men who escaped from the battle was a lot more. Fortunately, Reynold brought the Iron Fist Knights that survived. His younger brother, Reynard, who was using Anubis, became a lead. ¡°The borders are vigilant, but we need to blow the heads of those intelligence agents! If only they had grasped the right power of the enemy, we wouldn¡¯t have had to witness such a miserable scene.¡± Reynard, who barely escaped from the battle with Philip, burst into screams. His brother, Reynold, nodded his head agreeing to it. If Marquis Luke hadn¡¯t acted out of mercy, the knights of the Iron Fist, as well as his life, would have been ended. As such, the knights of Rakan were strong. In the midst of the words between the two angry Sword Masters, the intelligence nobles and agents were nervous. ¡°I-isn¡¯t this something that needs to be decided after settling down? Whether the intelligence agents are negligent or got cheated?¡± ¡°Exactly. Besides, this isn¡¯t supposed to be a matter for us to decide. In the end, whoever decides to dispose of the rules will be abolished.¡± Reynold could only frown at their excuses. ¡°What is His Majesty doing right now?¡± ¡°Phew, he went to bed due to fatigue. Since we escaped in the middle of the night, he is in extreme fatigue. And as soon as he got here, he passed out.¡± At the words of Count Lao, a sudden turmoil was raging outside the commander¡¯s campsite. ¡®Did the enemy chase us all the way here?¡¯ The brothers were stiff because of fear. They were more terrified now compared to the time they went to the Southern Continent for the first time. They were holding onto their chests. The nobles were holding their breaths as well and wanted to know what was happening. Fortunately, the enemy didn¡¯t appear, and the agitated guards became embarrassed. Mayers, who was asleep, jumped out of the tent. Mayers fell into a deep sleep due to the shock of defeat and fatigue during their escape, but he wasn¡¯t in a position to sleep. It was because his nightmares, which he thought was over, started to hunt him again. -Your Majesty! This is unfair! Why did you have to kill me?! A blood-soaked Count Bazzo was on his knees, crying. A cool wind tingled his eardrum, and his headache only made it worse. ¡°I have nothing to do with it. Didn¡¯t I tell you that I know nothing about it?!¡± -Don¡¯t know? How can you not know, Your Majesty?! Didn¡¯t Your Majesty send those men to kill me and my companions who were going to return? Indeed, Mayers sent Aegis fairies to kill Count Bazzo. The reason why he had to use Aegis for the assassination was because very few people knew about their existence apart from Mayers. Although Aslan was present, he had no idea of what they were used, and he was sent to Variand Mountains after the war as a commander to the fort. -It is unfair! How could you do this to me?! ¡°Uahh!¡± He had to keep listening to the same words again and again. As time went on, they started to get on his nerve. Even if it was a good song, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered, but it was a ghost, complaining right into his ear. In addition, Mayers, who was in a slump because of his last defeat, reached the peak of his patience. ¡°Yeah, I killed you. What can you do? And you call it unfair? You are a man who was below me and enjoyed riches because of me!¡± -Your Majesty, I devoted my body and mind to fulfill your dreams¡­ ¡°Really?! It was because you were so loyal to me that I killed you! The right justification to wage war on the Marquis Rakan!¡± At those words, Count Bazzo narrowed his eyes. -Was the cause more important than me? ¡°Obviously! Whether you give your body and mind to me for years or not, you are just another servant under me! If I want you dead, you need to be dead!¡± Mayers, who was in a bad mood, screamed at Count Bazzo. ¡°I am the nation! I am the absolute existence that determines the life and death of the millions under me! If you were truly such a man, you wouldn¡¯t be crying over like this. You should rejoice that you were the base for the long-awaited burden! Even from hell, you were helping me!¡± -Do you really think so? Would the other nobles agree with Your Majesty¡¯s ideas? ¡°Huh, what does it matter if they agree or not? If needed, I can use the same method any time. Anyway, the nobles and soldiers are just long term baggage.¡± -Hahahahahahaha! All of a sudden, Count Bazzo burst into laughter. Suddenly, his bloody figure turned neat. -You have no blood or tears. I knew that. I won¡¯t bother you anymore. There is no need for that to happen. ¡°What? What do you mean¡­?¡± -Keuk. I hope the nobles understand this well, Your Majesty. That is if they don¡¯t want to see the country fall. COMMENT When Mayers, who wondered about the last words of Count Bazzo was about to ask again, Bazzo disappeared. And in the blink of an eye, his surroundings changed. ¡®No, this is the outside of the tent, how¡­?¡¯ He was sure that he had fallen asleep in the tent, but he was outside instead, wearing his nightgown. In addition, there were many nobles there, including Reynold. The problem was their gaze, which was unusual. The feelings of agitation, disappointment, contempt, and anger, were all mixed together. And for Reynold and Reynard, they seemed bitter and cold. If eyes could kill a person, they would have killed Mayers and cut him into a thousand pieces. ¡®Did they just hear the entire conversation he had with Bazzo in his dreams?¡¯ Mayers recalled the knight when he had killed a guard in his tent. Just as then, Bazzo seemed to have done another trick. ¡°Your Majesty, did you really kill Count Bazzo? Did you kill him so you could justify this war?¡± Marquis Volant asked with a shocked face. ¡°T-that¡­¡± ¡°And were you serious when you said that you would take us down if necessary, just like a piece in a chessboard?¡± Mayers wasn¡¯t able to answer because of how confused he was. If he admitted that he was serious, he would face backlash from the nobles who were supporting him till then nor could he give up an awkward lie with no truth. ¡®Damn it, what should I do¡­?¡¯ As Mayers hesitated without answering, the eyes of the nobles only turned colder. Chapter 435 - Receiving the Crown 2 Milton¡¯s army, which had been defeated by the Rakan Estate¡¯s forces, fled. After two days of fleeing, they managed to reach the border of the Milton Kingdom and finally dropped on to the floor to rest. ¡°Haa, how the hell did all this happen?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either. It was almost like a ghost was moving around us.¡± ¡°Damn it! How could we not know until the Gigants hit the camp!¡± The nobles of the Milton knights gathered in a group of three or five and recalled the raid that happened two days ago. The attack was surely sudden and was a surprise. The Gigants weren¡¯t small but the heavy Gigants had appeared right in front of their eyes. And then the disaster began. Even the allies tried to fight with their Gigants. However, more than half of the Gigants were destroyed even before they entered the battle with the enemy. And when the Gigant¡¯s got cut off from the battle. The winning side and the losing side of the battle got confirmed. ¡°Oh my god, this was all because those guards neglected their duties!¡± ¡°We need to punish the knights and the soldiers who were in charge!¡± Different and horrifying opinions formed among the nobles who were ready to push off the responsibility. However, even if they did try to go and punish them, the people involved weren¡¯t present. The knights and soldiers either fled the scene of battle or died during the surprise attack. It wasn¡¯t just those guards and knights but also many knights and soldiers were missing. They were either killed or captured by the enemy. However, the number of men who escaped from the battle was a lot more. Fortunately, Reynold brought the Iron Fist Knights that survived. His younger brother, Reynard, who was using Anubis, became a lead. ¡°The borders are vigilant, but we need to blow the heads of those intelligence agents! If only they had grasped the right power of the enemy, we wouldn¡¯t have had to witness such a miserable scene.¡± Reynard, who barely escaped from the battle with Philip, burst into screams. His brother, Reynold, nodded his head agreeing to it. If Marquis Luke hadn¡¯t acted out of mercy, the knights of the Iron Fist, as well as his life, would have been ended. As such, the knights of Rakan were strong. In the midst of the words between the two angry Sword Masters, the intelligence nobles and agents were nervous. ¡°I-isn¡¯t this something that needs to be decided after settling down? Whether the intelligence agents are negligent or got cheated?¡± ¡°Exactly. Besides, this isn¡¯t supposed to be a matter for us to decide. In the end, whoever decides to dispose of the rules will be abolished.¡± Reynold could only frown at their excuses. ¡°What is His Majesty doing right now?¡± ¡°Phew, he went to bed due to fatigue. Since we escaped in the middle of the night, he is in extreme fatigue. And as soon as he got here, he passed out.¡± At the words of Count Lao, a sudden turmoil was raging outside the commander¡¯s campsite. ¡®Did the enemy chase us all the way here?¡¯ The brothers were stiff because of fear. They were more terrified now compared to the time they went to the Southern Continent for the first time. They were holding onto their chests. The nobles were holding their breaths as well and wanted to know what was happening. Fortunately, the enemy didn¡¯t appear, and the agitated guards became embarrassed. Mayers, who was asleep, jumped out of the tent. Mayers fell into a deep sleep due to the shock of defeat and fatigue during their escape, but he wasn¡¯t in a position to sleep. It was because his nightmares, which he thought was over, started to hunt him again. -Your Majesty! This is unfair! Why did you have to kill me?! A blood-soaked Count Bazzo was on his knees, crying. A cool wind tingled his eardrum, and his headache only made it worse. ¡°I have nothing to do with it. Didn¡¯t I tell you that I know nothing about it?!¡± -Don¡¯t know? How can you not know, Your Majesty?! Didn¡¯t Your Majesty send those men to kill me and my companions who were going to return? Indeed, Mayers sent Aegis fairies to kill Count Bazzo. The reason why he had to use Aegis for the assassination was because very few people knew about their existence apart from Mayers. Although Aslan was present, he had no idea of what they were used, and he was sent to Variand Mountains after the war as a commander to the fort. -It is unfair! How could you do this to me?! ¡°Uahh!¡± He had to keep listening to the same words again and again. As time went on, they started to get on his nerve. Even if it was a good song, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered, but it was a ghost, complaining right into his ear. In addition, Mayers, who was in a slump because of his last defeat, reached the peak of his patience. ¡°Yeah, I killed you. What can you do? And you call it unfair? You are a man who was below me and enjoyed riches because of me!¡± -Your Majesty, I devoted my body and mind to fulfill your dreams¡­ ¡°Really?! It was because you were so loyal to me that I killed you! The right justification to wage war on the Marquis Rakan!¡± At those words, Count Bazzo narrowed his eyes. -Was the cause more important than me? ¡°Obviously! Whether you give your body and mind to me for years or not, you are just another servant under me! If I want you dead, you need to be dead!¡± Mayers, who was in a bad mood, screamed at Count Bazzo. ¡°I am the nation! I am the absolute existence that determines the life and death of the millions under me! If you were truly such a man, you wouldn¡¯t be crying over like this. You should rejoice that you were the base for the long-awaited burden! Even from hell, you were helping me!¡± -Do you really think so? Would the other nobles agree with Your Majesty¡¯s ideas? ¡°Huh, what does it matter if they agree or not? If needed, I can use the same method any time. Anyway, the nobles and soldiers are just long term baggage.¡± -Hahahahahahaha! All of a sudden, Count Bazzo burst into laughter. Suddenly, his bloody figure turned neat. -You have no blood or tears. I knew that. I won¡¯t bother you anymore. There is no need for that to happen. ¡°What? What do you mean¡­?¡± -Keuk. I hope the nobles understand this well, Your Majesty. That is if they don¡¯t want to see the country fall. When Mayers, who wondered about the last words of Count Bazzo was about to ask again, Bazzo disappeared. And in the blink of an eye, his surroundings changed. ¡®No, this is the outside of the tent, how¡­?¡¯ He was sure that he had fallen asleep in the tent, but he was outside instead, wearing his nightgown. In addition, there were many nobles there, including Reynold. The problem was their gaze, which was unusual. The feelings of agitation, disappointment, contempt, and anger, were all mixed together. And for Reynold and Reynard, they seemed bitter and cold. If eyes could kill a person, they would have killed Mayers and cut him into a thousand pieces. ¡®Did they just hear the entire conversation he had with Bazzo in his dreams?¡¯ Mayers recalled the knight when he had killed a guard in his tent. Just as then, Bazzo seemed to have done another trick. ¡°Your Majesty, did you really kill Count Bazzo? Did you kill him so you could justify this war?¡± Marquis Volant asked with a shocked face. ¡°T-that¡­¡± ¡°And were you serious when you said that you would take us down if necessary, just like a piece in a chessboard?¡± Mayers wasn¡¯t able to answer because of how confused he was. If he admitted that he was serious, he would face backlash from the nobles who were supporting him till then nor could he give up an awkward lie with no truth. ¡®Damn it, what should I do¡­?¡¯ As Mayers hesitated without answering, the eyes of the nobles only turned colder. Chapter 436 - Receiving the Crown 3 Pung! Pung! Pung! When Mayers and his nobles were confronting each other, the bells began to ring. A flash of enchanting light magic circles lit up the sky revealing the true image. ¡°What, what was that?¡± ¡°Who is shooting up the flares?¡± All the nobles were flustered. Woooing! Along with strong screams of confusion, the army of Rakan estates showed up close to their camps. ¡°The enemy! The enemy chased after us!¡± ¡°How can that be?! In such a situation¡­¡± They thought of such a situation happening, however, for the enemy troops to really catch up. ¡°We need to retreat immediately!¡± ¡°You think we don¡¯t know that? But we have no time to escape!¡± The Rakan army was sieging the Milton¡¯s army from all the directions. There was no other way for them to break past the siege and escape, and with the current power of the Milton army, going past the enemy was impossible, on top of that, they had thousands of injured and only a few Gigants in working conditions. The time when Mayers and the other nobles were frustrated not knowing what to do. Thud Thud! A silver Gigant which shone in the lights walked into the camp and spoke. ¡°I am Luke de Rakan, the Lord of Marquis Rakan!¡± ¡°Keuk! Luke?¡± Mayers tried to speak back to Luke. However, the knights began to round him up. Whether Mayers talked or not, Luke continued to speak. ¡°Listen, we are the invaders of the Milton Kingdom. You are surrounded. Surrender now as you have no place to escape. If you surrender we are willing to spare your life!¡± Luke¡¯s declaration threw the camp into haywire. Mayers had already lost a great deal of forces and barely managed to escape with his life, and now he was surrounded right before crossing into their borders. ¡°Dammit, what do we do now?¡± ¡°Seeing Your Majesty¡¯s personality, it is unlikely for him to surrender¡­¡± ¡°Do you mean that we will fight? There is no way we will win!¡± Most of the soldiers were anxious. They had struggled in the Batern tower and they knew the real power of the Rakan estate. In addition, they had all fallen into the trap of the Rakans in the raid. ¡°Don¡¯t fear!¡± ¡°This is a lie to divide us! Whether we surrender or not, they will kill every single one of us! They are monsters!¡± Some of the knights and commanders tried to rile up their soldiers, however, the effect had on their words was insignificant. ¡°Go ahead and surrender! Marquis Luke isn¡¯t the kind to break promises!¡± ¡°He promised to send us back to our homes!¡± The prisoners of the Milton kingdom, who were caught in the war with Rakan came out and spoke for the Rakan. And their unarmed appearances shook the hearts of the soldiers, knights, and officers. A few prisoners of war were high ranking nobles. ¡°Dammit, what do you think you are doing?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you see they are trying to cause a rift between us?¡± When the atmosphere was turning heavy, flustered Mayers stepped ahead from the nobles who were talking. ¡°Well, what are you all thinking?! Get ready for battle, right away!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, battle?¡± ¡°Why are you asking as if you don¡¯t understand? Shouldn¡¯t you run the siege ahead for us to escape?! To guide the Iron Fist knights and lead them ahead to help break the siege!¡± ¡°Huh?! More than half of our men were killed or injured in the last battle, you think this is possible?¡± Reynard sarcastically asked at the King¡¯s words. ¡°And what fight? If we surrender, we would at least stay neat without spilling anymore blood.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you speaking! Surrendering will get us all killed¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty, do you really think that Marquis Luke will not spare you?¡± Surprisingly, it was Count Lao who spoke to Mayers. With his cold eyes, he continued to speak. ¡°Of course, we will be prisoners, but I think that we can get out with negotiations and giving huge concessions.¡± If Luke was a determined man not to destroy the Milton Kingdom, he would surely release the prisoners after receiving the appropriate compensations. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that Mayers would be released, but the nobles were likely to be released. And when Lao mentioned about negotiations, it seemed like many wanted to surrender without war. Seeing that happen, Mayers only turned redder. ¡®This, this man is trying to betray me?¡¯ There was a reason for the sudden change in the attitude of the nobles. In the current world, the King and the nobles were in a feudalistic relationship. The King was obliged to guarantee the nobles and their estates with protections, and the nobles were to be loyal to the King, unconditionally. However, King Mayers was the first to break their trust. For his ambition, he sacrificed his own retainers without consent. A life which was always known to be more precious than an estate or title. It was natural for all the nobles around him to feel betrayed. Even the highest of the nobles. ¡°Even if I have to give up all my power, I will still be alive¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, bastard! What are the knights doing? Take Count Lao right away and kill him!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± At the orders of Mayers, the knights pulled on their swords. Their hearts shaking with worry, yet they were loyal to their King to the very core of their bones. However, such loyal actions weren¡¯t in the bones of the Sword Masters. Reynold and Reynard blocked the knights who were ready. Mayers could only hide his anger. ¡°You ungrateful bastard¡­!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, calm your mind and make a sound judgment!¡± Said Reynold while holding his composure. ¡°Shut up! You are no longer the commander of the Iron Fist Knights! If you want to surrender, go ahead and do it!¡± At the sudden notice of Mayers¡¯ decline, it wasn¡¯t just Reynold but the nobles too were shocked. Regardless of whether Mayers was under stress or not, Mayers had removed the Gram brothers from power and decided to curse them. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my intention to reach out to the dirty mercenaries like you. You bitter hybrid trash! And you men are Sword Masters? Maybe all the tricks you learned were from falling on your knees in front of the enemy!¡± ¡°Ugh! What did you say?¡± Reynard¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot. Being a mixed-race, there was nothing that he hated more than the word ¡®Hybrid¡¯. ¡°Huh, do you even have any shame? You aren¡¯t even a human, just a hybrid¡­¡± ¡°This motherf*cker! I will kill you!¡± Reynard¡¯s body pushed past the knights and rushed over to Mayers. Well, almost rushed. However, his brother Reynold was a step ahead and struck the sword at the King. Puck! The blade which was shining with an Impact aura, flashed through Mayer¡¯s mouth. ¡°You were out of line. With such a tongue, how do you plan on running a nation?¡± ¡°Kuak¡­ Kuak¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t complain about this. The one who let this happen was you.¡± Reynold pulled back the sword, and Mayers fell to the floor struggling. ¡°¡­!¡± Unlike the rebellious brother, Reynold always showed loyalty to Mayers. The nobles were shocked by the scene where Reynold acted without hesitation to their King. But for Reynold, it was only a natural thing. Mayers was the one who fired him as the commander of the Iron Fist Knights, he broke the rules of the contract, and the only reason for his loyalty had disappeared when the contract was violated. Reynold turned to the nobles who were staring at the bloody body of their King. ¡°I think that making a decision is much easier now?¡± However, no one responded. No, it would be right to say they couldn¡¯t because their head could be cut off immediately. And frankly, there were every few nobles who wanted to object. ¡°Then, let¡¯ stop the flow of blood right here.¡± Reynold, who took the silence as a consent, finally formed a decision. Luke was flustered watching the situation unfold in the Milton army. He didn¡¯t give them any limited time, but he never even thought about how long the talks for surrender would go. But sooner than expected, a white flag came out of the Milton camp. The representative for the surrender delegation was Reynold Gram, the one who fought with Luke the other day. ¡°I guess we meet again.¡± ¡°That is what this looks like.¡± At the words of Luke, Reynold had a bitter smile on his face. ¡°The decision of King Mayers had been made, I assume. He must have been very greedy for a person who just builds the nation.¡± ¡°Your Majesty was self-driven.¡± ¡°He said that?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Yes, unfortunately¡­¡± Shocked at the unexpected words, Luke looked at the faces of the nobles who came to surrender alongside Reynold. Looking at their complexions, he thought that it was unlikely for Mayers to be self-driven. ¡®Well, it doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡¯ He was anticipating for an inside battle, and he entrusted the work to Sebastian, his demon. Whether Mayers committed suicide or was killed by his men, the end result was good enough for Luke. ¡°As of now, the Milton army unconditionally surrenders to the Rakan estate. And¡­¡± ¡°What is this?¡± When Count Lao offered a gold-wrapped wooden box, Luke took it and opened it after a careful inspection. He wondered if there was any hidden meaning behind it and used his magic, however, he couldn¡¯t feel anything dangerous, such as poison or gunpowder in it. Instead, what was inside the box made Luke¡¯s eyes go wide of shock. It was an old fashioned luxuriously designed crown, and the jewel in the center of the crown radiated in its own light. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a crown?¡± ¡°It is the treasure which has been passed down since the time of the Milton Duchy.¡± A treasure that has been handed down since the time of Milton Duchy, almost the same as a legacy. ¡°Why are you giving this to me? Is there any reason for¡­?¡± When Luke asked, the Milton nobles knelt down in front of him. ¡°Be the new king of Milton. And please take us all in!¡± ¡°Please accept it!¡± The retainers of Rakan, including Rogers were flustered and embarrassed at the request made by the Milton nobles. Even if they surrendered, there was no reason for them to give up their nation. However, Luke was able to grasp the situation. However, instead of running ahead, he asked them. ¡°Why leave the crown to me? Mayers surely had kids under him?¡± ¡°That is true, but the sons and daughters of the King aren¡¯t good enough to deal with the threats of the Baroque Empire and the fate of the nation.¡± That was the truth. Luke had previously investigated Milton¡¯s royal family through his Argos sources, and he couldn¡¯t find anyone who was intimidating or remarkable. ¡®But that can¡¯t possibly be the only reason. Maybe they don¡¯t want to embrace the death of the king and the defeat of the battle on themselves.¡¯ That was what Luke thought. Honestly, the nobles taken in were war prisoners and were released. It seemed like the kids of Mayers were going to rave about the defeat and the death of the king. But there was another reason for the nobility of the Milton Kingdom to ask Luke to take over the crown. ¡®It is highly likely for the throne of greedy Mayers to be taken away by his blood and then be ruined.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯d rather have Marquis Luke become the King. He has a good background, and has enough virtue to release the prisoners of war and avoid battles and he is a man of force¡­¡¯ In that manner, the nobles of Milton had calculated their move. And Luke spoke. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s say that I did accept it. But can¡¯t there be anyone in here who represents the Milton Kingdom? Surely there needs to be someone who will object to this.¡± Count Lao coldly replied. ¡°Then we will have to convince them. Anyway, the nobles of Milton Kingdom have no other choice.¡± The southern nobles who helped Mayers and founded the Milton Kingdom were all because of their ill intent towards Emperor Rudolf. And now they can¡¯t go back to Rudolf, and even if Rudolf did take them back, they would be declared as rebels. Surely, there were other options of seeking asylum in the other nations, but throwing away everything they worked hard for and starting anew in a strange nation wasn¡¯t so easy, not even for the nobles. And realizing that they had no choice, they all agreed for Luke. However, Luke couldn¡¯t fully trust the nobles of the Milton Kingdom. ¡®A desperate move. They are very eager to protect what they have invested in.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t an unfamiliar scene for Luke. He had witnessed the defeat of Count Monarch in the past. At that time, the retainers and the lords under the Count pledged loyalty to Luke and his aides under the condition that their estates and lands along with their titles would be taken away. It took time for Luke to tame them and turn them loyal, however, it wasn¡¯t an impossible task. ¡®Well, this is sudden yet a good opportunity. If I can take in the Milton kingdom which is intact, my power would turn stronger.¡¯ And that power would help fight Emperor Rudolf and Arsene. Of course, there was a huge task for Luke to stabilize the Milton Kingdom, however, it wouldn¡¯t be so difficult since he was the main culprit for such situations to unfold. He would stop the raids of the monsters, improve the security of the nation. ¡°Sire, please accept it. We know the grudge the Marquis had on the Baroque family.¡± ¡°That is right. In the future, we will become the spears fighting the Baroque Empire!¡± As the nobles of the Milton asked Luke for succession, the retainers of Rakan all had absurd expression not being able to understand, and soon they wanted their Lord to take it. ¡°Lord, accept it.¡± ¡°Now the time has come to take down the Baroque family!¡± ¡°That is true. A complete independence!¡± The retainers too went ahead, however, Luke didn¡¯t open his mouth. The decision was already made. However, only when you make a child wait long will they turn earnest. Of course, he couldn¡¯t act too late. Luke who pretended to be in thoughts, revealed his intentions when he thought it was the right moment. ¡°Understood. I will accept this according to your will.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sire. No, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°We will serve you with our hearts!¡± The wealthy Milton nobles swore their heads and allegiance. The war with the Milton Kingdom had come to an end, and Luke had earned a tremendous spoils of war, the crown. That gave him a new start and an indication of his transition. Chapter 437 - Into Brandon 1 The war between the Rakan estate and the Milton Kingdom ended with the victory on the Rakan side. And in the next few days, the news had spread throughout the Milton Kingdom. Luke too encouraged the spread of rumors through Argos and other information guilds. ¡°Marquis Luke is driving his army and coming into Brandon?¡± ¡°The nobles including Count Lao have surrendered and are marching alongside the Marquis, the new king of Milton.¡± ¡°He was always next to the king, why is he with the enemy? I don¡¯t get it, why did he do that?¡± ¡°Well, it was said that King Mayers was the one who killed Count Bazzo. And the Count¡¯s ghost appeared before the king and the guard every night, complaining about the unfair killing.¡± ¡°Damn, then this war had no reason.¡± ¡°And he made his nation look like this for a war without any justification¡­¡± The people of Milton Kingdom chewed on Mayers, who just started the war without any cause. Although he was dead, it still was a tremendous disrespect for the former King, however, no one was talking back to them. What was weirder was that the monsters who were making a fuss all over the nation had stopped and retreated at the end of the war. For that, a few priests said that the riots and fuss of the monsters was the punishment for Mayers who started a war. In the end, the monsters disappeared, and the dizzying stability of the nation began to stabilize. The bandits were wiped out as the troops who were fighting the monsters have returned, and the riots slowly began to subside. Thud! Thud! Thud! A week after the war, the troops of Rakan led by Luke entered Brandon. On his way there, Luke hadn¡¯t faced any resistance. There was no power left in the Milton Kingdom to fight the Rakan army. On top of that, Luke has entered Brandon with powerful nobles of the Milton Kingdom like Marquis Volant and the Gram brothers. On their way to Brandon, many nobles surrendered after hearing to the lords above them. The nobles who initially disliked the war responded normally to the subjugation, and they weren¡¯t ready to lose their breath when they were being given their own estates. ¡°The royal road is bloodless.¡± As Luke mumbled to himself, Philip responded as if he had been waiting for it. ¡°Oh, you mean was there no one loyal enough to fight for death?¡± ¡°Why do you think there was none? I heard that it had been cleaned up before we got here.¡± Viscount Mager and his guards who were standing on the royal road didn¡¯t know the truth about the king and were ready to attack Luke. Well, he did hear the rumors, but he wasn¡¯t ready to believe them. Rather, he thought of it to be a rumor that Luke had spread to take over the kingdom. ¡°They all shut the gates of Brandon and were to battle until the end. However, they were suppressed and destroyed by the anti-war groups with the help of Count Malcom, the Minister of Home Affairs.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Philip¡¯s expression turned bitter looking at the royal road as soon as he heard Luke said that. The commanders and the residents of the city of Brandon were all uneasy looking at the soldiers and knights of Rakan march into their city with a proud expression on their faces. It was good that the war had ended them, but they couldn¡¯t be sure how the new ruler would treat them. ¡°It looks like the atmosphere in here isn¡¯t as the time when we came to by the Gigant.¡± At Philip¡¯s words, Luke nodded his head noticing it. ¡°The expressions of their faces are dark.¡± Most of the shops were closed, and there were signs of fire used in the battle. Residents were feeling unsteady and struggling with anxiety. The people didn¡¯t seem to have eaten well and most of them were lean and sick. In addition, many young men had been conscripted to war for the monster subjugation, so the young people were barely seen on the road. The bright and vibrant appearance of Brandon which was alive till a few years back had faded. ¡®Why did you have to make such a nation enter the fight and take my land? ¡­ That Mayers jerk, he really was pathetic.¡¯ Even then, Mayers was still someone superior in political power and management. But with the turbulent times he had seen, it seemed like Mayers turned into someone not much different from the other greedy nobles. But seeing the nation in its current state, it could be said that it was much worse than it should have been. ¡®Excessive greed leads to loss of reason, tossing oneself into the pit of corruption and at the same time, will make people around unhappy. This is something I need to keep in mind and be aware of.¡¯ While Luke was trying to understand all that, he and his army reached the palace. ¡°Woah!!! Long Live Marquis Luke!¡± ¡°The name of Rakan, shine forever!¡± A group of people gathered at the front of the royal palace. They were the nobles who were on the royal road when Luke began his march, they welcomed Luke with happiness. Like any person who would be sensitive to power, they brought out their relatives and showed them Luke, the new ruler. ¡°Marquis! Congratulations on becoming the ruler of Milton.¡± A middle-aged noble who had mustache appeared as the representative for the group and bowed. ¡°You are?¡± At the question of Luke, the middle-aged noble was flustered. ¡°I am Count Malcom. The minister of Home Affairs of the Milton Kingdom.¡± ¡°Ah, you are Malcom?¡± Count Malcom, the Minister of Home Affairs, had a higher rank and status when compared to Viscount Mager, however, he wasn¡¯t in the good graces of Mayers. The reason was that he used to change his positions quite frequently in the past. At first he was under Duke Butler, and after going to Nemesis, he got under Marquis Cavanill, and after the Marquis got assassinated he came under Mayers. And as a result, even after the founding, he wasn¡¯t able to gain much power. Even when Mayers was going ahead for war, he had entrusted the royal town to Mager and not Malcom. He was treated like that, but he managed to be a representative for that day. ¡®I need to decorate Elina well and place her in the Marquis¡¯s room. It is only a matter of time since Elina holds a child of the Marquis who has no heir.¡¯ Count Malcom was thinking to send his youngest daughter to Luke. It was because he didn¡¯t know that Luke already had someone in his heart. Well, there was no reason for him to know. He thought that being a ruler, the Marquis knew that needing an heir was much important than chasing a beloved. Luke spoke to Malcom who was having weird thoughts in his head. ¡°You wiped out the men of Viscount Mager and his guards who were ready to fight on the royal road?¡± ¡°Yes, I took charge and arranged the killing of them.¡± ¡°And you killed the Milton family, right?¡± ¡°T, that is right.¡± When Luke¡¯s expression didn¡¯t seem to be as great as he expected, Count Malcom started to doubt. He knew that something had gone wrong. ¡®What? Did I do something wrong?¡¯ Without trying to figure out, he spoke in a hurry. ¡°Marquis, the nobles who have followed me have prepared for a grand dinner at the banquet hall. People go in and enjoy with the commander who worked¡­ Kuak!¡± Stopping halfway from his words, Count Malcom was bent ahead. And Luke kicked him right in his stomach. Maybe the pain was too great, Malcom grabbed his stomach and rolled on the ground. Even after seeing him in pain, Luke snarled at the man by stepping on his head. ¡°Who asked you to do that?¡± ¡°I, I just didn¡¯t want Marquis to dirty his hands for that¡­ uak!¡± ¡°Not for me, but because of your greed. Did you think that I didn¡¯t realize that you were the one who made the people rebel?¡± Luke had heard the story from his Argos agents who had infiltrated the Brandon city. Some of the nobles who supported the anti-war provoked people who were dissatisfied with the draft and revolted. As a result, Luke knew that some parts of Brandon were destroyed and plundered and he saw the damage the residents took. In fact, the chaos of Milton could be linked to Luke, who was the one who pushed in the monsters in huge numbers. However, that was only to disperse the power of the Milton Kingdom and not to cause pain to powerless people. However, Count Malcom and his family, rather than trying to rectify the confusion, instigated people for their own political interests. ¡°Put Malcom in the prison. And arrest everyone who was on his side!¡± At Luke¡¯s orders, Malcom and his nobles turned white. ¡°T, that is a misunderstanding. We were only trying to help out Marquis!¡± ¡°Sire, there was no way us nobles would to this for ourselves! Please reconsider!¡± Nobles who were getting dragged yelled and yelled, however, Luke didn¡¯t even spare them a glance. ¡°That was good. Bats like those don¡¯t help in building the kingdom at all.¡± ¡°That is true. No matter how much you decide to embrace the Milton Kingdom, rotten ones need to be separated.¡± Rogers and Philip supported Luke¡¯s decision. Count Lao and the recently surrounded nobles pretended to not even see when they saw Malcom attend Luke. It was because they were displeased with those men. Yet, when they saw the men dragging them away, they felt a little cheerfulness and anxiety. They wondered if they too would be wiped out because of such cases. However, Luke was the one who held all their lifeline, so no one even dared to ask. ¡°The dinner is canceled. Distribute the food to the poor outside the palace.¡± ¡°Understood, Sire.¡± For the sake of his own benefit, Luke had taken away the betrayers and walked into the royal palace with a sense of pride. And with a frightening pace, he began to calm the Milton Kingdom. Chapter 438 - Into Brandon 2 Luke, who went into Brandon, had put up a funeral for Mayers and his family. The bodies of the queens and the princes, which no one even saw, were collected and placed in an expensive marble casket. With the permission of Luke, the tomb was made to look extravagant as well. ¡®Oh, if I could do what I wanted, I¡¯d throw the body of Mayers into a wild beats¡¯ herd and bury his family in the wild¡­¡¯ However, in order to quickly incorporate the Milton Kingdom to his liking, it was necessary to show that Rakan troops weren¡¯t ¡®conquerors¡¯ and ¡®occupying forces¡¯. So he deliberately held a funeral¡ªa great way to show how tolerant Luke was. And Luke didn¡¯t stop there, he also built a monument in honor of Viscount Mager and the royal guards of the palace who died faithfully while standing next to Mayers. ¡°The people of the Milton Kingdom are now my people, so you will be treated equally. Anyone who commits unfair things will get punished, regardless of their status!¡± Luke took over the military first because he had no intention of bothering the Rakan troops, which were stationed in Brandon, and cleared off the bandits. He also focused on gaining public sentiment by announcing a few promising words. ¡°Marquis Luke has freed all the young men who have been forcibly drafted?¡± ¡°In addition, it was said that he opened up a warehouse and distribute grains to the poor to stabilize the prices.¡± ¡°Huh, thank goodness. Otherwise the price of the food would have gone so high that even one meal would be tough to get.¡± ¡°And there was another thing. It was said that there would be tax reductions too!¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°No mistake! I went to the square in the morning and saw claims. It was written in there. That is why Marquis Luke is no joke.¡± When the people of Milton Kingdom were gathering, they were all eager to know what else Luke had done for them. While Milton¡¯s people were excited with their new ruler, Luke, his officials had to work day and night to unite Milton after the post-war. As they looked through the numerous documents and the books of the royal palace, they kept on getting new information and instructions on the current state of the Kingdom, and the days passed quickly. ¡°Kuek, I feel like having a nice meal and a good sleep¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t complain, Sir Philip. Aren¡¯t you asking for a sandwich and to sleep in the chair?¡± Reynold, who was working next door, yelled. However, it wasn¡¯t enough to stop Philip¡¯s grumble. ¡°That is because I feel like I can fall because of exhaustion. Knights are meant to die on the battlefield. Are we trained to die out of working over piles of paperwork?¡± ¡°Kuekk! Then should I kill you?¡± With that, Reynard got up by pushing aside his pile of papers. ¡°We weren¡¯t able to see the end of our battle the last time, so how about we make it to the end this time!¡± Reynard was burning out because of the work. He was struggling with the documents and decided to use the fight as an excuse to run away. Philip, who looked at him, sighed and shook his head. ¡°Hu, I really want to do that¡­ But, the Lord will then come for both of us before we even get to the end of our battle.¡± ¡°Hmm, I can already see that happening.¡± At Philip¡¯s words, Reynard sat back down. Even though he was a mixed-race between a lycan and a human, he was afraid of Luke. It was because he had already experienced Luke¡¯s skills, and his brother, Reynold, spoke about the time he was overpowered by Luke in their last battle. ¡®How far does Marquis Luke¡¯s true ability go? Basing on the last fight, wasn¡¯t he already a Sword Sage?¡¯ While Reynard was in his own thoughts, Baron Rogers spoke in a low voice, ¡°By the way, how long should we do this? When are we going back to the administration and assist?¡± ¡°From what I heard, the retainers and administrators remaining in Rakan have a lot to do. The Granada pirates have messed up the southern coast¡­¡± At the response from Philip, the Gram brothers and the other officials of the Milton Kingdom weren¡¯t able to participate in the talk and remained silent. It was because they were the ones who brought in the Grenada. Of course, it was all done by Mayers, but as they all joined the war, they couldn¡¯t ignore the truth. The first full moon after entering Brandon. At last, the support group that Philip had been waiting for had arrived. Butler Hans, who led the retainers and the executives of Rakan, greeted Luke, who was struggling with the pile of papers in the royal palace. ¡°Congratulations, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, what nonsense¡­ I haven¡¯t even had a coronation yet.¡± After stacking up the papers, Luke handed them over to Hans. ¡°The diplomatic documents of the Milton Kingdom. I¡¯ve already looked into all the important and confidential documents, so all you need to do it to summarize the report and submit it.¡± ¡°Oh my, this old soul hasn¡¯t even settled in yet.¡± ¡°Who do you think settled in? Nah, I never knew the work would be so much.¡± It was very different from the time when Count Monarch fled. At that time, it was an estate. However, now it was a nation¡ªmerged estates. Diplomacy, administration, the legal system, and on and on. Such a huge amount of work was something Luke had never gone through even during his life as Saymon 500 years ago. It was because the world had developed in such a complicated manner, and the population had grown tremendously. ¡°Even if Mayers hadn¡¯t done anything stupid, this wouldn¡¯t have been destroyed in just two months after the founding.¡± ¡°Because of that stupidity, he will be recorded as the man to hold the shortest ruling in history. We should try to do that.¡± ¡°Obviously.¡± Luke, who was talking to Hans and the others, looked at the documents and suddenly changed the topic as if he had something on his mind. ¡°By the way, what is happening on the academy establishment we talked about?¡± ¡°It got suspended because of the war. The plan was to expand the villas used by the Count Monarch, but it isn¡¯t easy to invite professors and instructors.¡± ¡°Hmm, then establishing an academy will be difficult this year.¡± Upon the recommendation of administrator Zetos, Luke tried to create comprehensive educational institutions to cultivate more bureaucrats, knights, and wizards. The role model for it was the Albain Academy, the famous private higher education institution under the Marquis of Albain. What was different about this Academy was that it wasn¡¯t just for the nobles but the common people and other races as well. The undergraduate department would also be divided into administrative, knights, magic, and those who manage to graduate with excellent grades would be hired right away. ¡°But, I heard that the Albain Academy was closed, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I heard that it got caught in the war, and it was said to have been almost closed.¡± The Marquis of Albain, the head of the Baroque Imperial parliament, was a neutral noble. Originally, he had been staying away from the civil war. However, the situation took a change when the neutral nobles began to cooperate with Shaikan and founded the Libiya Kingdom. In addition, since the nobles¡¯ kids were all enrolled in there, there was no way that Rudolf would let them off. ¡°Decisively, as his estate is located close to the Libiya Kingdom, it was told that the Imperial Army is forcibly using the academy as a military base.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Then what happened to Marquis Albain and the professors of the academy?¡± ¡°It was said that they were exiled abroad. Shall we send troops to find out their whereabouts?¡± When Hans asked, Luke nodded. ¡°Yes, ask the agents of Argos to find out.¡± Luke was confident that establishing the academy would be a lot easier if he could get the Marquis to sign up. ¡°But, isn¡¯t there an academy in the Milton Kingdom? Why not just draw out their staff first?¡± ¡°Of course we can, but their skills are lower than the Albain Academy, and the professors¡¯ policies and ideas are far off from what I know.¡± The Milton Kingdom did have an academy. However, the intellectual level or ideas of the professors there didn¡¯t satisfy Luke. Teachers were meant to have a profound effect on their students. The professors who fell into feudal thinking or noble¡¯s elitism wouldn¡¯t treat all their students equally. The talent that Luke wanted wasn¡¯t the trained men. ¡°Identifying and correcting the talent is the most important thing for us in the future. There is a limit as to how long a textbook fashion will take us, so make sure to lay the foundation that will nurture the students¡¯ innate talents.¡± ¡°We will keep that in mind.¡± Hans bowed his head and asked out of curiosity, ¡°And how is the maintenance of the fort and the highway going?¡± To take immediate control of the Milton Kingdom meant to take control of their forts and highways. It was because the military base had to be taken in to avoid any possible rebellion, and the traffic on the highway had to be under surveillance to check if the local lords were trying to influence the public. ¡°It was all messed up by monsters and bandits. But there is nothing serious, and the repairs are being done quickly.¡± ¡°That is good. How about the Variand Mountains?¡± The Variand Mountains held forts at the forefront that could stop the Baroque Empire, so it was necessary to replace the fort¡¯s commander. And Luke managed the matters of the Variand Mountains as well before doing any other task after entering Milton. ¡°The first was the commanders were all replaced with our own men, or they were brought to our side. And I plan to dispatch the executives brought in by the butler this time,¡± said Luke. ¡°That is good. But we¡¯ll have to keep an eye on the remnants of Mayers and the spies of Rudolf, so they don¡¯t mess around with us.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. I was also worried about the Baroque being involved in the war when we were in battle, but fortunately, they were either caught with their matters with the Libiya Kingdom or the Holy Empire, so they didn¡¯t do anything.¡± In addition, northern Volga Republic was going to cross borders as soon as possible. And there was no way that Rudolf would want to battle the Milton Kingdom at such times. ¡°Anyway, when there is time, we need to work hard and lay some foundation. Fortunately, everything here is going smoothly. But just in case¡­¡± Said Luke. ¡°Is there something that you are worried about?¡± At the question of Hans, Luke nodded and looked at the box that was next to him. ¡°Mayers seemed to have placed a secret deal with not just the Grenada but also with the Volga Republic.¡± ¡°Huh? He did?¡± At the surprise of Hans, Luke opened the box and showed him the treaty agreement of the two nations. The two nations had made a secret treaty who got crushed the other day when the fifty Gigants on the highway were intercepted. As a result, the Gigants were searched and apart from their differently decorated gloves, they were the Knight class Gigants, Piero, the main forces of the Volga Republic. His thoughts had been uneasy the moment he saw the treaty of the two nations in the royal palace. ¡°Since Mayers is dead, the Volga Republic might make a move soon.¡± Princess Reina, the Dark Moon, and the fairies. Luke had an uncomfortable relationship with the Volga Republic in many ways. But with him occupying the Milton Kingdom, it was unlikely that such a relationship would remain the same. Chapter 439 - Into Brandon 3 The official residence of the Volga Republic. It was late at night, and three people were seated there. President Vladimir Rekov, Duke Dimitry¡ªthe greatest of the Republic¡¯s guardian¡ªand Marquis Tyron, the Meister of Republic Magic Tower. ¡°The reason why we are gathered here today at such late hours of the night isn¡¯t anything different. It is to cover up the secret.¡± ¡°Is it because of the Dark Moon Magic Tower?¡± When asked by Marquis Tyron, the president looked at him with surprise. ¡°Right, how did you know?¡± ¡°Well, the thing is, I received a letter from Sylvia.¡± It was the same for Duke Dimitry, who was in charge of the military. President Vladimir smiled bitterly since he knew what it was about. ¡°Well, if everyone knows, there is no need for me to explain it. The negligence and the deception of the Dark Moon Magic Tower.¡± For a while, they all knew that the reason why the Hero class was underdeveloped by the Dark Moon was because of the attack, which happened on it that resulted in them moving over their tower to another place. This was why they were waiting for them to contact. However, a few days back, they received surprising news. Sylvia, the second in charge of the Intelligence service, reported that the Dark Moon Magic Tower betrayed the Republic and was cooperating with Rakan¡¯s descendant, Luke. Naturally, the President and the other 2 leaders didn¡¯t believe Sylvia. The Dark Moon was one of the three pillars that made the dreams of revolutions and republic government possible in the Volga. That being said, the Rakan descendant, who would be the first to kill the tower, have joined hands with the Dark Moon? ¡°And I wanted to be sure of it, so after spying on the Dark Moon, I am able to confirm that Sylvia said the truth.¡± Unlike the two members, who decided to ignore her report, Vladimir sent a spy. It was because he was doubtful that the place where the Dark Moon Magic Tower was located was at the Jason Manor, an estate that belonged to Marquis Luke, the one that was given by Emperor Rudolf. In the beginning, the President tried to think of it as a secret place where the magic tower could lay low and be away from trouble. However, the report from the spy shattered the faith and hope he had on the Dark Moon. ¡°From the Dark Moon, it was confirmed that a Gigant had been produced and sent to the Rakan estates. Not just that, but one of the Gigant handed down to them was the new Hero class Gigant, Orion.¡± ¡°T-that can¡¯t be!¡± It was the product the Volga had asked for development. Such an item was made yet delivered to the hands of the wrong forces! The two leaders, who heard the story from their President, were shocked. ¡°Kuek! Those Dark Moon bastards, they betrayed us!¡± ¡°Duke Dimitry, don¡¯t be hasty. Couldn¡¯t they have been threatened over something which they couldn¡¯t refute back?¡± ¡°Threatened? Does it make any sense to bow your head over to the opponent whom you have hated for so long?¡± ¡°However, there could have been circumstances we aren¡¯t aware of, right?¡± Meister Tyron defended the Dark Moon Magic Tower. He was angry and felt betrayed. However, he was a wizard, so he thought a little bit rationally compared to Dimitry. And then Vladimir opened his mouth again. ¡°I too had the same thought, so I called over Sylvia and asked to get to the bottom of this, but¡­ her whereabouts are unknown.¡± She said that she had been summoned by the Fairy representatives and went to their base. Honestly, that didn¡¯t end there. She got caught up in the arrest issued by Bratt. When she noticed that Elder Nanas and the fairies who supported her violent actions as herself were being arrested, she informed the President and the others before getting caught. She informed that Luke was indeed interacting with the Dark Moon Magic Tower and intended to trouble the fairy chiefs who weren¡¯t cooperating with him. Of course, the intentions of the Republic were known by the Dark Moon. ¡°How about we contact Meister Johas and listen to what he has to say about this situation? And¡­¡± ¡°I already contacted him, but he can¡¯t be reached. I think that it is a waste of time to talk with them.¡± ¡°Then what do you plan on doing?¡± When Marquis Tyron asked, the President had a hard expression. ¡°I am going to send them an ultimatum. If they don¡¯t respond to that, we will have to solve it by force.¡± Listening to those words, Dimitry and Tyron understood why their President had called for them. And Vladimir ordered them. ¡°Choose knights and wizards from the military and organize the troops to attack the Dark Moon. We will infiltrate the Jason Manor in advance, so we will be able to attack right away.¡± ¡°Understood, sir.¡± The Dark Moon was living in the shadows of the top ten magic towers. In addition to the warlocks, there were many fairy riders and humans who cooperate with them. Could such a place be overpowered by a handful of troops? Although he was in doubt, Tyron accepted the orders without any question. When the two of them left the office to organize their troops, the President also moved to the communication room to deliver the Dark Moon his ultimatum. He was ready to go at them hard. However, he was still hoping that the problem would get solved through diplomacy. After the turmoil of the Baroque Empire, it was better not to focus on the wrong things as much as possible for better growth of the Volga Republic. Chapter 440 - Into Brandon 4 Luke, who devoted himself to the affairs of the office throughout the day, moved over to the Milton Royal Magic Tower from the palace. Kang! Kaang! ¡°Be careful! Put it down slowly!¡± ¡°Who was the one who placed the magic circle on this one? This is crappy!¡± The Iron Mages and fielders were in the middle of burning sweat in their workshops. They didn¡¯t care about Luke¡¯s arrival, or they were fully immersed in their works that they didn¡¯t notice him. In the workshop, the work got the top priority, so neither Luke nor his attendants blamed them. ¡°Lord, you have come.¡± ¡°Ah, Sir Mute. Good work here.¡± Currently, there weren¡¯t just the members of the Royal Magic Tower, but also Mute, the Meister of Katarina Magic Tower and was the court wizard of Rakan. He had brought 20 iron mages from the Rakan estates and were repairing the Gigants along with the wizards of the Royal Magic Tower. And for that to happen, Mute seemed to have worked all night repairing stuff, which was clearly visible with the dark circles below his eyes. ¡°How is the repair work going?¡± ¡°Currently, the Knight class ones are our top priority. So far, around 53 units have been put into service and tested.¡¯ Most of the damaged Gigants were the captured ones from the Milton Kingdom. There were a total of 158 Gigants, but since the battle was one-sided, only 30 of the Gigants were totally fine. Luke wanted those Gigants to be repaired as soon as possible so he could put them back on the front line. Even though the Baroque Empire was unable to pursue in the South at the moment. It would be forever, and it was necessary to hurry up and provide sufficient power for survival. However, repairing the Gigant over 120 units in such a short period of time and bringing them back to their original condition was nothing less than heavy work for the Iron Mages. The old fashions or poor performing Gigants were being outsourced to small and medium-sized Magic Tower, and if it wasn¡¯t for that, the Iron mages would have died from overwork. ¡°By the end of a month, all the repair and testing will be done completely. But the problem is with the Hero class one¡­ there are many high precision parts with high performance and expensive materials.¡± Above all, in order to properly repair the Gigant, it is needed to know the applied magic circles and internal structure. The problem was, the analysis would take a lot of time without having any base for the magic circle or the advice of a high circle wizard. In the Royal Magic Tower, there were wizards who previously belonged to the top ten Magic towers, but they weren¡¯t the ones who were included in the Hero class repairs. Most of them didn¡¯t even know how to repair the minor damages of the Gigants or replace a 5th magic circle, and they have never been able to see the repair of the cockpit or the core engine parts. ¡°The Hero class maintenance is still over the level of Katarina Magic Tower or the Royal magic tower. I¡¯ll look after the hero class, so you can let it be.¡± Said Luke. ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± Luke was already seeking out a hero class Gigant captured on the black market or was looking into the whereabouts of the Meister of the Ten Magic Towers through Argos. However, most of them died or retired because of the Battle of Magic towers, but once the civil war broke out, they seemed to be making an appearance, one after the other. For the iron mages, war was the best chance to increase their need, and it was a moving laboratory for them. ¡°By the way, what happened to the reinforcements you mentioned earlier?¡± Mute asked with a frown. As much as the officials and the knights were struggling with the paperwork, the wizards too were eagerly waiting for the reinforcements. Well, they were waiting for their suffering in the workshop to be decreased and they were desperate for help. ¡°I am trying to find out, however, unfortunately, it isn¡¯t as easy as I thought.¡± ¡°Hugh, I see. We can¡¯t help it then. Rather, we need to wait¡­¡± Luke, a former wizard, it wasn¡¯t that he was unaware of the difficulties the Iron mages face. Which was when he entrusted the repair work to his men, he promised them to provide them a workforce to support their efforts. And he did have forces to call to. It was the Dark Moon magic tower, the seed leftover from the time of the Devil King, Saymon. He tried to entrust the Gigant repairs over to the Dark Moon, or at least select those Iron mages who haven¡¯t mastered the use of Magi to help as manpower. But¡­ ¡®Dark Moon could have been here. Well, it isn¡¯t the responsibility of the Dark Moon to shuffle between me and Volga.¡¯ Luke, had a bitter expression thinking of what happened a few days back. Luke, who promised to support Mute, sent a call through magic communication to Meister Johas of Dark Moon. -I heard that you have been victorious from the outside invasion. Congratulations on the victory, master. ¡°Thank you. But your expression seems dark. Is something happening?¡± Luke asked as he noticed the face of Johas which smiled at him, yet not a real one. -The thing is¡­ Johas who hesitated immediately spoke out. ¡°What? The Volga President knows that we are interacting?¡± ¡°Yes, the Intelligence agent Sylvia, a female dark elf, is a member of Nanas. That wench seemed to have informed the president.¡± Just as the fairies knew what was happening inside the Dark Moon, the warlocks of the Dark Moon too had links with the fairies. According to the information they had reported, they sent back a confidential letter to the president right before Bratt caught them. ¡®Kuek, that group of that damned fairy wench, always making it hard for the people. I shouldn¡¯t have felt relieved when I was told that they were captured.¡¯ Luke was feeling bad and asked Johas. ¡°And so, what did Vladimir say? Did he threaten to reveal the secret?¡± They could have threatened to reveal the existence of the Dark Moon magic tower if they chose to never return back to the Republic. -He asked for several things, but he didn¡¯t say that. It doesn¡¯t seem like he plans on doing that. The fact that the Dark Moon magic tower had been working with the fairies and the reason for laying the foundation of the Volga was known. Although they had a Republic Magic Tower of their own, many of the parts and Gigant parts were all developed and distributed to the Republic. If they revealed the secret, they might make it tough for the Dark Moon, but even their roots will be exposed. Which was why their President asked them to come back rather than threatening. He said that he would provide more support to the magic tower this time around. ¡°The Hero class Gigant Orion must be very important. So, plan on going back?¡± At the question of Luke, Johas replied. -Kuek. Crazy? We, the Dark Moon, will stay in your arms until you yourself plan on kicking us out. Johas has already refused the President¡¯s proposal to move, but there was a problem. President Vladimir wasn¡¯t the one to stand still. Which was why Johas convened the warlocks of Dark moon to have daily meetings. After hearing that, Luke couldn¡¯t even get himself to ask them for help. ¡®How will the President act?¡¯ ¡°Greetings, Marquis.¡± A young wizard approached Luke and greeted him. Looking at the outfit, the man seemed like a full-fledged wizard. But for Luke who recognized his face, he was shocked. ¡°You¡­? ¡°It has been very long.¡± The wizard who smiled gladly was none other than the student of Johas, Fabian, whom Luke met in Veritas Magic Tower. Having infiltrated the Veritas magic tower, the man also helped Luke in summoning the High ranking demon Kauren. ¡°What is it? Since when have you been here?¡± ¡°It has been months since the Veritas got destroyed. I have something to relay to you.¡± Seeing Fabian¡¯s expression change in a second, Luke knew that the information was something only for him. So he moved to a place. Kang! Kang! Where Luke took Fabian was the place where the metal was forged, a place at the corner of the workshop. The surroundings were noisy, but it was the right place for them to converse. Luke, who ordered his attendants away, asked Fabian. ¡°Okay then, what is it?¡± ¡°I received a call from our Meister. President Vladimir has sent us an ultimatum.¡± According to Fabian, the President had demanded that three Orions be released upon the return to the quarters. It was said that he asked the Tower to give him 5 hero class Gigants each year. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°No. he has asked us to cut off our relationship with the Rakan family.¡± ¡°And if you refuse what is his plan?¡± ¡°I was told that he didn¡¯t see anything, but isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Forces will be mobilized. The behavior of the recent Dark Moon magic tower could be taken as a betrayal and treason towards the Volga Republic. ¡°We need your help. I am sure Meister wants it too.¡± After a day long meeting, Johas decided to ask Luke for help. ¡°Has your Meister decided to fight the Volga?¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t said it out loud, but don¡¯t you think that is why he is asking you for help?¡± ¡®Will that be?¡¯ After hearing Fabian, Luke thought for a moment, The Dark Moon had security systems in place for external attacks. That was why they had been able to maintain their fame for 500 years. However, when Arsene attacked, many of their elder warlocks and skilled mercenaries had died. Therefore, it was unclear if they could withstand the attack from the Volga Republic. ¡®Surely, if I join I can defeat them. But, in this situation, there is nothing good for me to stand against the Volga Republic.¡¯ As Volga¡¯s power diminishes, the Baroque would feel less burdensome. And such a situation for Baroque wasn¡¯t welcome for either Luke or Volga. It was because the President already mobilized forces, and even if Johas did have the force to attack, the President was unlikely to back out. ¡®Then it is sure what I need to do.¡¯ After making the decision, Luke spoke to Fabian. ¡°Call Meister. This problem, I¡¯ll solve it. So ask him to wait.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After talking to Fabian, Luke went back to the Royal palace and brought out the treaty between the Volga and the Milton Kingdom. The first clue to solve the current problem was the treaty. Chapter 441 - Founding Preparations 1 Vladimir, who had delivered the ultimatum to the Dark Moon, was waiting for a response to come from Johas. However, the answer came back from an unexpected person. ¡°What did you say? Marquis Luke is in contact on the secret line?¡± ¡°Yes, Sire. It was said that he has to talk regarding the Dark Moon problem.¡± At the words of Luke¡¯s aides, the President frowned. ¡°How did he even know our secret line¡­?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t he have obtained it upon finding the treaty we had with the Milton Kingdom?¡± As the aide pointed out, the treaty contained the secret line coordinates of the two nations in case there was anything urgent to discuss. And the President wasn¡¯t ignorant of it. However, he never assumed that the treaty would fall into Luke¡¯s hands. ¡®Damn those Milton! Even if they did have to dedicate themselves to the nation, why didn¡¯t they even try to get rid of such confidential documents?¡¯ Although the President was angry, the people who knew about the secret of the two nations were King Mayers, who was deceased and Count Bazzo, and a few knights of Viscount Mager, all dead. As a result, the treaty was unharmed. ¡°Anyway, shouldn¡¯t we send an answer?¡± ¡°Huh, if he wants to have a talk, he needs to come here.¡± There were several uncomfortable things between Marquis Luke and the Volga Republic. It was Luke, the commander of the Torlot Fort who played the decisive role in stopping the Republic¡¯s past invasion. In addition, he was in love with Reina, the last royal member of the old Volga Kingdom, and gave settlements to the Volga refuges. And what more? The Dark Moon, he lured the Magic tower, which was the core power of the Volga Republic, and took them to his own estates. And he kept it all hidden for years. It was only natural for the president to have such words in his mouth. ¡°But, it¡¯s difficult for us to demand that of him, right?¡± As the aide said, the distance between the Milton Kingdom and the Volga Republic was quite long. And there was quite a hostile environment in the Baroque. In addition, the two sides were on inconvenient terms, even without the war. Asking Luke to come to Volga was like telling a dragon to enter its altar. ¡°If he can¡¯t accept such demands, we don¡¯t have to talk. And as long as they are the ones asking for talks, their demands will be taken into careful consideration.¡± Vladimir¡¯s decision wasn¡¯t just because of his emotions running wild. He too actually wanted to solve the Dark Moon problem with dialogue rather than force. However, he had no intention of putting his head down, so he wanted to negotiate under favorable conditions of being the most powerful person. Shortly after the response, Luke sent a call saying that he accepted the demands of Volga. In response, Vladimir announced the date and time along with the location for the talks. The meeting point was in a secluded mountain fort on the southern border of Volga Republic. The President deployed a special force prepared to attack the Dark Moon. The task force, led by Duke Dimitry, included 30 knights and Expert knights in advanced and intermediate levels. They had around 30 war mages and 5,000 elite cavalries, artillery, and the infantries led by Marquis Tyron. On the day of the talks, the President visited the fort and smiled contently looking at the task force. ¡®Marquis Luke surely is skilled, but he won¡¯t have a chance if he sees this.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just that, there was Duke Dimitry, who turned into a Sword Sage during the time. Luke¡¯s side might have skilled men, however, Dimitry was sure that he was unrivaled with the power he built. ¡°Marquis Luke has arrived.¡± ¡°Hmm, he is coming right on time.¡± Vladimir got up at the report of his aide and went to greet Luke and his attendants, however, seeing the fort gates open, he couldn¡¯t help but feel shocked. ¡®What? Just five?¡¯ From what the President saw, Luke was there with just 4 men. Philip, Erwin, Sebastian, and Belfair disguised as humans. Philip saw the task force lying in the fort and clicked his tongue. ¡°This is terrifying. Have they brought in all the knights and wizards from the Volga?¡± ¡°Without any mistake, this has to be their attempt to take down our hopes before going into talks.¡± At the words of Erwin, Luke nodded his head. However, he thought of the situation in a different manner. ¡®I don¡¯t think that I am powerful enough for them to want to kill me.¡¯ Although unrevealed, they were trying to be vigilant and brave. However, so were the other side. It was because Marquis Rakan had won and defeated the Milton Kingdom in a full out battle. In addition, the Grenada Navy, known to be proud of its navy force, had been defeated in their own sea. Which meant the current power of the Rakan couldn¡¯t be compared with the Volga Republic. In any case, Luke passed through the knights and faced President Vladimir. ¡°Vladimir Rekov. Nice to meet you, the descendant of a prominent warrior.¡± ¡°I am Luke de Rakan. Thank you for the grand welcome.¡± The two men shook their hands with smiles on their faces. The words of the President included criticism of Rakan¡¯s descendant for hanging out with warlocks, and Luke¡¯s words were for guests who came a long way. ¡°For today, we can sit outside because of the nice sunny weather. If you don¡¯t want it, we can move inside.¡± ¡°No, there is no such thing that I need. People only stay healthy when they are exposed to the sun.¡± The place prepared by Vladimir was in the middle of a garden, surrounded by men of his task force. It was like sitting on thorns because of the energy the kings were releasing, however, Luke just sat down without any distraction. ¡®He surely is an annoying one. There was a reason why last night¡¯s dream was so weird.¡¯ Vladimir had the ability to foresee in his dreams, and he dreamed of a silver Gigant last night. The dreams which he usually had were so ambiguous or misty, but the day before those ones were different. The battle with the silver Gigant was so clear. The Gigant, which held the sword of light, had darkness on the other side, but the Gigant didn¡¯t falter nor retreat, even after getting hit by thunderbolts falling from the gray clouds. Rather, he tore the clouds and flew into the sky wearing brilliant light which turned into the Gigant having the sun as its crown. ¡®Did the Gigant represent the Marquis who won Milton¡­?¡¯ For a moment, the man stared at Luke. ¡°You know the past work. We faced a lot of trouble because of us. But I decided to skip over all that.¡± ¡°You do realize that I wasn¡¯t the first one to act, right?¡± The troops which invaded the Baroque Empire and the Torlot Fort and elves who kidnapped Reina were all members of the Volga Republic. And the President continued without falling for Luke¡¯s words. ¡°But this time¡¯s act is hard to get over.¡± ¡°Are you saying that you won¡¯t give up on the Dark Moon?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°Yes. They are our comrades who have been with us since our revolution. And recently, with the bloody tax of the people of Volga, the Hero class Gigant got developed. But should we let a wrong person enjoy the fruits of our hard work?¡± At the words of the President, Luke laughed. If the man was an unfamiliar one to the situation, one would assume the President¡¯s words as reasonable. However, the truth was hidden from the words. ¡°Sire, do you know how the Orion had been developed?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°That was because of years and years of Dark Moon¡¯s har¡­¡± ¡°Orion was made with the reference of the blueprints I provided. The blueprints of Atlas, the new Hero class Gigant of the Veritas Magic Tower.¡± At the words of Luke, it wasn¡¯t just Vladimir but also Marquis Tyron who was shocked. They had never heard of such a story. ¡°That is ridiculous! It hasn¡¯t been long since the Veritas Magic Tower has been destroyed, so how did you get a blueprint of the hero class?¡± Even if the blueprint was leaked, it was likely for the Baroque Imperial to snatch it than let someone else have it. ¡°It was obtained long before the destruction of Veritas. Of course, I can¡¯t tell you which way I chose for it to happen.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe such words just because you say it.¡± ¡°Even if you don¡¯t believe it, you will have to. Once you see the real Orion.¡± According to Johas, the Volga Republic had captured the damaged Atlas during the last war. Naturally, they would have studied it by tearing it back and forth. In other words, if they see the Orion, they would realize that it was a Gigant similar to the Atlas¡¯s design. At Luke¡¯s words, Vladimir¡¯s eyes shone. ¡°Show Orion? So you are saying that you are going to hand over the new hero class Gigant to us?¡± ¡°If you pay for it, there is no reason for us not to sell it. It is clear that part of the development was from the tax of the Volga. However¡­¡± Luke, who stopped talking midway, made his intentions clear with a strong tone while staring at the President. ¡°The Dark Moon will never be handed over.¡± Chapter 442 - Founding Preparation 2 Wheeing! Luke¡¯s bomb-like declaration changed the air in the talks. With the face of their president turning cold and hard, the sharp energy that he was releasing was tremendous. However, Luke and his men weren¡¯t weak enough to fall for it. ¡®Huh, he must be looking down on us.¡¯ Philip was a Sword Master. Erwin was a 7th circle wizard. Moreover, Sebastian and Belfair were demons. Of course, the knights and the wizards had the ability to handle the energy. It was just one thing. A while ago, there was someone who caught Luke¡¯s eye. A young knight with a good physique, standing right next to the president. However, the young knight wasn¡¯t giving out any energy or life. It was as if he was just there to observe. He was staring at Luke¡¯s party with curious eyes. However, Luke knew that he was no ordinary man. It was because his eyes resembled Arch Duke Gregory of the Holy Empire, and the atmosphere felt unusual. ¡®Sword Sage. Then, is he Duke Dimitry, the strongest knight of Volga?¡¯ The Volga Republic¡­ Well, the republic was the people who betrayed the royal family in the civil war and caused a revolution. At that time, Dimitry was praised to be the strongest in the Volga Kingdom, after Kamarov, the commander of the proximal knights. A number of knights were killed because of his betrayal, and that Sword Sage was there. ¡®If I brought along Belik, he would immediately go for the man¡¯s neck. I can¡¯t expect him to act any other way because of their past.¡¯ While he was in his thoughts, Vladimir coldly spoke to Luke, who was smiling, ¡°Did you say that you can¡¯t hand it over?¡± ¡°That is right. It isn¡¯t like they are some kind of object. I can¡¯t give them because I asked for their opinion, and they didn¡¯t want to go back. They already made a decision, and wasn¡¯t that why the president sent them an ultimatum?¡± ¡°Surely, I did¡­¡± ¡°Have you ever wondered why they decided to leave the Volga Republic?¡± Upon hearing that, Vladimir frowned. However, he had nothing to say. It was because Luke, who took the initiative in the conversation, continued to talk, ¡°The amount given to the Dark Moon by the Volga Republic was terrifyingly small. And even with support, they still ran out of wizards every time since there¡¯s a short supply of wizards because of your wars.¡± And the same continued even after the Dark Moon Magic Tower was severely damaged because of Arsene¡¯s assault. However, despite the omission, the Republic Government hadn¡¯t pursued the men who attacked Dark Moon. It was because the government was worried that they would get hurt after going out. ¡°I knew about such things through a warlock whom I captured during the battle in Torlot Fort, so I proposed a plan to them to come under me.¡± At Luke¡¯s explanation, Vladimir asked a question that he wasn¡¯t able to answer, ¡°Why did you have to join hands with the Dark Moon? Aren¡¯t you the descendant of Rakan, the man who killed Saymon, the ancestor of the Dark Moon?¡± ¡°Hut, this is a world where yesterday¡¯s enemies become today¡¯s allies. Indeed, that happened, but what good will a 500-year-old resentment do to me?¡± After saying that, Luke looked at Marquis Tyron. ¡°And you should already know by now what kind of person I am from the men who suffered badly in the Torlot Fort battle for standing against me.¡± ¡°Kuek¡­!¡± Marquis Tyron, who was defeated by Luke in the past, clenched his staff so tight that it broke. Seeing it, Luke just spoke casually, ¡°I have no intention of relying on the name and fame of my ancestors. If I can resurrect my estates and take revenge on the Baroque who crushed my family for generations, I don¡¯t mind joining hands even with the devil himself.¡± ¡°That was why you went along with the Dark Moon?¡± ¡°Yes, I supported them so much that they would never regret it, not just the funds but also the blueprints for a Hero class Gigant.¡± After hearing Luke¡¯s words, Vladimir clenched his fist. Luke¡¯s words were irritating, but he was more upset with the men around him. Dark Moon was a comrade who helped the Republicans succeed. Nevertheless, they were discriminated against because they were a group of warlocks. And such things led to such a situation. ¡°As I said before, I plan to sell Orion to the Volga. I already have the Milton Kingdom in hand. However, it will take time for us to settle down, and I need more power to face the Baroque Empire.¡± ¡°So you are looking at us as tools to defeat the Baroque Empire?¡± Asked the president. ¡°Yes, it doesn¡¯t matter much to us even if you, the Volga, decided to think of us as the same.¡± Luke¡¯s words made Vladimir laugh. ¡°It sounds very plausible to sign an alliance, but we can¡¯t trust you.¡± ¡°Why so?¡± ¡°Are you asking because you don¡¯t know? You have the remnants of the Volga Royal family and even took the Dark Moon. Didn¡¯t you take the fairies and elves too?¡± From the old days, they knew that the behavior of the fairies was abnormal, but just recently, they came to know that the elves were supporting Luke. Elf Chief Bratt, Lycan Amur, and the Fairy Queen Ariete. They demanded the government to restraint themselves from responding too stiffly toward the Dark Moon and the Rakan. ¡°You pull out the roots of someone else¡¯s home, and now you¡¯re trying to take down our hearts too? Do you think we¡¯re fools? Do we look that easy to you?!¡± Kwang! The president hit the table and got up. At the same time, Dimitry, who felt outraged, began to release his energy. Wheeing! Suddenly, the wind around the table began to turn heavy. The Sword Sage, Duke Dimitry¡¯s energy was intense, the mana around them was reacting violently. Luke¡¯s men, who remained unconcerned with the previous pressure, were slightly flustered. ¡®Oh my god, you have got to be kidding!¡¯ ¡®Oh my, if it goes like this we will have to fight¡­¡¯ Philip and Erwin along with the two demons¡ªSebastian and Belfair¡ªwere sweating. Luke was the only one who didn¡¯t feel agitated. Despite Dimitry trying to aim for Luke, Luke seemed rather fine and still had a smile on his face. ¡°Huhuhu. I don¡¯t know who is dealing with a fool.¡± ¡®No!¡¯ Dimitry¡¯s expression, which was stern, changed sharply. The moment Luke got up from his seat, the entire air around them burst out like flames. Wahhh! ¡°Do you think I am that easy?¡± Luke threw back the president¡¯s words. The energy Luke gave out was so intense that every other energy that was there just got engulfed. The intensity was so huge that the knights began to feel the surroundings tremble a little bit. ¡°Kuek!¡± ¡°H-he is a monster¡­!¡± Dimitry was the only one who could still stand. He was standing right in front of Luke and tried to push off Luke¡¯s energy to protect the president from feeling terrified. However, that wasn¡¯t possible. He could already see their president sweating and shaking extremely. ¡®H-how is this possible? I am a Sword Sage. I am on the same level with the greatest men in the world, Rudolf and Gregory so how¡­¡¯ Dimitry wasn¡¯t able to understand the situation. However, the reality was different from what he saw. Even though he was a Sword Sage, Gregory was much stronger, and Rudolf had stepped into the realm of a Sword Emperor, a level higher. And Luke confronted both of them. It wasn¡¯t just that. He fought against the Dragonian Shaikan, the crazy man who called himself Earner, and Lich Arsene. Compared to them, the energy Dimitry was giving out was mediocre. In addition, Luke¡¯s ability had improved. He was learning the second half of the Gold Sword. ¡®I can¡¯t lose, even if it is the blood of Rakan!¡¯ Dimitry took out his sword from his waist. As soon as he took his sword out, the aura of Thunder Blade went right toward Luke. Grrrng! ¡°Die, Marquis Luke!¡± The aura that responded to Dimitry intensified and rushed like lightning. The Thunder Blade seemed strong enough to even destroy a mountain. However, when it was about to reach Luke, it got torn by a fierce sword that tore through the sky. The sword that erased the Thunder Blade flew toward Duke Dimitry and cut his neck. ¡°Kuak!¡± Dimitry clasped his neck and fell. However, he didn¡¯t see any drop of blood on his hands. Luke wasn¡¯t even wielding his sword. He hadn¡¯t even touched its hilt. In fact, a while back, when the Thunder Blade was used, Luke using the Gold Sword was just an illusion. If it actually happened, the surroundings would have collided the moment the two swords came in contact. However, the one thing wrong about the illusion Luke created was that the Gold Sword Luke used was the second half and was much stronger than what Luke could actually perform. The illusion of the second half was very similar to Ga-ram¡¯s Gold Sword. ¡®Well, it was an illusion, so there is nothing wrong with it.¡¯ Luke, who thought so, looked at Vladimir and Dimitry who were still dazed. ¡°Before you talk about how someone destroyed your roots, think about how well you managed the roots when they were in your possession. And if you did good to them, I wouldn¡¯t have had to come here myself.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± The expression of the president subsided because of Luke¡¯s words. It was because Luke was a worthy ally and not someone who looked down on Volga. ¡°Neither I nor Reina have any intention to overthrow the Republic. I wish for the people of Volga to live well.¡± ¡°Why should we believe you?¡± Unlike the previous time, Luke responded with a smile, ¡°You do know that Reina is the Pope of the Holy Arthenia Empire, but has she shown any hostility toward Volga?¡± ¡°No, not really.¡± Sylvia¡¯s letter did contain information that Pope Veronica III of the Holy Empire was Princess Reina. Also, she was busy reforming the Holy Empire, but as Luke stated, she never acted hostile toward Volga. On the contrary, they made relief measures for the poor people and selected talented fairies and improved the tax systems which were what the republics insisted on. ¡°The only person we want to fight is Rudolf, President Vladimir. I believe that you aren¡¯t a person who is being misled by his own greed like Mayers.¡± As Luke said, the president had nothing to take. The attack on Baroque in the past was to avoid getting invaded by the Baroque. That was why he needed the Hero class Gigant and was furious with Luke who took over the Dark Moon Magic Tower, the ones in charge of developing it. ¡°I plan on trusting you as I have nothing to say here. As a successor to Milton, I plan to keep the secret alliance alive, and if you sell the Hero class Gigants at an affordable price, we won¡¯t make noise anymore.¡± ¡°Of course, we will keep things like that.¡± The two sides, which were violent just a moment ago, settled for an agreement and resolved the problem. The other items would all be discussed in detail at a later time at the presence of both parties. Vladimir, who personally went to seek out Luke, mumbled to himself after seeing Luke leave, ¡°Luke de Rakan¡­ isn¡¯t a king¡¯s vessel.¡± ¡°Not a king¡¯s vessel?¡± Duke Dimitry didn¡¯t understand. What he witnessed today showed him that Luke had enough skills and guts to be considered as the king of a nation. However, the president seemed to have different thoughts. ¡°The Emperor¡¯s hand. There was a reason why he looked like a giant in my dream.¡± Perhaps, another empire would make an appearance on the continent in a few years. Vladimir was very convinced about it. Chapter 443 - Founding Preparation 3 After returning from clearing up the Dark Moon issue, Luke once again went back to engaging himself in the government¡¯s affairs. His nightly sleep and rewarding acts made the world of Milton Kingdom come under him without much trouble. ¡°Commander Rogers, how is the military?¡± Baron Rogers responded to Luke¡¯s question right away. ¡°Firstly, we are thinking of taking in new knights for the Iron Fist and Milton¡¯s Royal Guards. And we plan to add another 20,000 more troops in the form of recruitment.¡± Some of the former knights of Milton refused to join and left. However, most of them willingly accepted Luke as their new Lord. Some, who were disappointed with Mayers¡¯ last words, were fond of Luke¡¯s generous steps and chose to work under him. Rogers decided to select them and put them into the military. However, there was no other way to increase military power in a short time. ¡°Then, we will have a total of 60,000 knights with 4 squads of knights?¡± ¡°Yes, that is if we add Albertville.¡± ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t need to be counted, and it is going to cost a lot more than I thought.¡± The military was an association that consumed a lot with zero production. However, such a group couldn¡¯t be reduced or dismissed. It was because if one¡¯s military was weak, then it wouldn¡¯t take much time for it to lose. And that was something that went well with the current turbulent times. As the Baroque Empire split due to the civil war, it was possible for anyone to make a move and overpower the surrounding estates. Fortunately, the war with the Milton Kingdom had ended in a very short time, so the power of Rakan was hardly damaged. The southern trade, which got suspended temporarily, because of the Grenada Navy¡¯s mess, had also been resumed. ¡°Baron Rogers, train new troops and make them join.¡± ¡°Understood, Lord!¡± And with that, the reports about important issues ended. However, the retainers didn¡¯t go out of the room. They were constantly eyeing one another. ¡°Is there something else that needs to be said?¡± ¡°Uhm, well¡­¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Han¡¯s opened his mouth on behalf of the other retainers. ¡°Lord, isn¡¯t it time for you to take the crown?¡± At his words, the retainers in the room nodded right away. Their faces were filled with excitement. The Libiya and Milton Kingdom have already proclaimed their founding and freed themselves from the influence of the Baroque Empire. The Marquis of Rakan, who occupied the Milton Kingdom, had enough power and estates, and Luke could declare his founding too. ¡°In the last war, the Baroque Empire didn¡¯t help us. That is a violation of the military contract of the empire.¡± In feudal lordship, the contracts of military were very important. The king or emperor was obliged to defend the estates from which he was receiving power and taxes. However, Emperor Rudolf hadn¡¯t helped the Rakan when they were under war with Milton. Of course, it was also true that the Rakan didn¡¯t help the emperor when subduing the Libiya Kingdom or with the battle of the Volga and Holy Empire. However, despite the diplomatic and other measures, the Grenada Kingdom had violated the contract with Baroque, yet the Emperor didn¡¯t move. The hope of ruining Rakan¡­ Well, the Emperor could have been hoping for the fall of Rakan as well as Milton. ¡°On top of that, the Baroque Imperials have had a long relationship with the Veritas Magic Tower, who was secretly studying dark magic. Wasn¡¯t that the reason that the successors of Rakan always got killed under weird circumstances?¡± ¡°That is true. The curse of the dark magic!¡± At the words of Hans and the retainers, Luke laughed. Surely, his body had a curse placed on it. And it was officially confirmed from the Hydra and the Intelligence of Baroque that the Imperial family did place a curse on the Rakan family. However, since the sources couldn¡¯t be released, it couldn¡¯t be let out in public. But, that wasn¡¯t enough for Hans to justify. The Veritas Magic Tower did study dark magic, and it was true that the Baroque Imperials were very close to the magic tower. ¡°There is no reason for us to serve the Baroque Imperial family anymore. I feel like you should take up the throne as soon as possible and clear up the bad luck of your ancestors.¡± When Milton¡¯s nobles had given him the crown box the other day, Luke did think about going independent. However, he forgot it after looking at the pile of work that had to be done in Milton. Seeing their faces, Luke nodded and said, ¡°Yes, I think so too. It is time. But before that, there¡¯s something that we need to do. A new name for the nation and new royal name.¡± ¡°A new national and king name?¡± The retainers were quick to make the room noisy. Luke continued to talk, making them quiet, ¡°In the current maps, Rakan is in the southwest. In order to punish Baroque Empire in the future, the capital and the base need to be moved to the north.¡± If the capital was too far away, there would be a lot of inconveniences that would hinder the nation¡¯s development. It would be difficult for the military to move or spread the supplies, and such developments wouldn¡¯t provide a good balance for the estates. At Luke¡¯s words, Bentley, the financial officer, started to discuss about it. ¡°Thinking of another place? Won¡¯t the capital be too costly?¡± ¡°A new city would surely cost a lot. However, I think there is nothing wrong with using the existing cities.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s keep the Brandon City as the royal capital. The city of Brandon is five times the size of Rakan lordship, and everything here is well equipped.¡± ¡°And the north is an appropriate location too.¡± At the words of Bentley and Rogers, the retainers seemed to agree on it. Luke too had no objection on Brandon City being the royal capital. ¡°But, is there any reason to change the name of the nation?¡± Marquis Volant, who was the representative of the former Milton Kingdom, stoop up and questioned. ¡°Of course, that needs to be done. The Milton Kingdom is a name placed for being the successor of the Milton Duchy. However, the lineage got cut off, and the present region is beyond the extent of the Milton Duchy. I think there is a need for a new name that everyone can relate to.¡± The heads of Rakan were people who had nothing to do with Milton. That was why Luke wanted a new name for the estates rather than the old Milton. And the other nobles of Milton, including Volant, who wanted the same name to stand, could no longer argue. ¡°Then, are you going to name it after the Rakan family?¡± When a retainer asked, Luke shook his head. ¡°I wish I could, but I want a name that empathizes with everyone and their ideals.¡± Honestly, empathy and ideals was an excuse. Up until then, he couldn¡¯t help it, but in the future, Luke was hoping for the name of Rakan to not be used. Whether this or that, Rakan was the man who had killed him in the past. ¡°Then, finding such a name would be difficult¡­¡± ¡°The harder it is, the more we need to look for it. For me, ¡®Symphonia¡¯ sounds nice. What do you think?¡± The eyes of the retainers shone after hearing that. ¡°Symphonia¡­ I-I believe that it¡¯s the ancient word for harmony.¡± When Bentley said that, Luke nodded. ¡°Yes. Why? You don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. Rather than considering between Rakan and Milton, the other estates were all united into one, it could be thought to be the perfect name.¡± Contrary to what Luke expected, most of the retainers nodded their heads and accepted it, and that made Luke smile. Actually, the name Symphonia belonged to a small nation that existed on the southern part of the Rhodesia Continent during the end of the Mado Civilization. In that nation, there were no slaves, or nobles, no distinction between the humans and nobles and fairies. Regardless of the race, all citizens were thought as equals and had the right to be happy. Symphonia, which had a different system than Abaron of the Mado Empire that reigned for a long time, survived even long after the collapse of the Mado Civilization. ¡®Even during the extreme turmoil of the end of Mado, the nation was able to stand because of the unity its people had. I need to keep that in mind.¡¯ Luke had learned about its existence during his time as Saymon when he found ancient literature in the ruins. He was impressed by it, and he always wanted to reflect the principles and policies of Symphonia into reality if an opportunity came for him. Fortunately, the new name of the nation was accepted without much trouble. Thinking about the policy ahead, Luke knew that there would be people who would oppose it. However, Luke didn¡¯t intend to make it public. Such a radical change would be confusing, so he decided to change it slowly. ¡®This is why I need an academy.¡¯ Education was something that could make the sprouts grow and turn it into a tree one day. By spreading the new ideas and institutions into the minds of the people, the world could be changed easily. That was what Luke thought, so he gave out the order. ¡°Anyway, I think it isn¡¯t just imperialism. It¡¯s a real founding, so let¡¯s go ahead. Since the situation in the nation is tight during the post-war restoration, save as many funds as possible.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord¡­ Uh, Your Majesty!¡± The retainers bowed all at once. Tears of joy were flowing out of the retainers¡¯ eyes, who had been engaged with the Marquis Rakan all their lives. ¡°Sir Hans, I will leave you in charge of the Nation Founding, so please prepare everything.¡± ¡°I will do my best, Your Majesty!¡± Hans knelt in front of Luke. Leaving him as the head of the National Founding meant that he believed in him the most among all the retainers. And they were all no longer the retainers of the Marquis Rakan who were under the Baroque Empire. The name of King Luke of Symphonia spread throughout the continent. Chapter 444 - Luke’s Coronation 1 The news of Luke¡¯s proclamation spread everywhere at a quick pace. ¡°Marquis Luke is finally getting crowned?¡± ¡°Now he will turn into a Majesty. That was why the nobles and administrators are dying out of work.¡± The establishment of a nation wasn¡¯t just a matter of deciding on a name for the nation or claiming their individuality. By holding the coronation ceremony and inviting guests from home and abroad, it was seen necessary to show the nation¡¯s founding was solid and recognized by the others too. And the bureaucrats were already busy enough preparing. However, Hans and the other retainers who served the Rakan family for a very long time didn¡¯t know how hard it was to prepare for the founding. On the day when the preparations for the founding were underway, magic communication came for Luke. It was Reina. During all this time, he was very busy and because of that, he only exchanged letters with her, and Luke was happy when he got to converse with her. ¡°How have you been?¡± -Uh, I am doing fine. Sir Luke too looks happy and healthy. ¡®Have been well? Her face looks a bit lean¡­¡¯ As Luke saw, Reina had suffered a lot recently. Because of the tricks of Nanas, Luke had disappeared and after going to the southern continent he immediately returned for war, and he caught up with the Milton Kingdom. She asked to help him while sending her Holy Imperial army right away. However, Luke refused. If Reina would have sent troops to other nations without cause or reason, she would face political backlash. -By the way, I heard that you were declaring the founding? ¡°We are. The retainers wanted it, and I thought that it would be a good idea to establish the nation in my way.¡± Luke¡¯s willingness to go with the wishes of the retainers was because he thought that his men would be more open to his ideas and hopes in the future. In the process of preparing for the founding, Luke also worked on the legal systems, which included matters of slavery, the prohibition of racial discrimination, and the status systems. It was his intention to formally put it under the national law which he couldn¡¯t do during his time as Marquis. There was also a plan to improve the land system and make civil construction projects and to create jobs for the poor. In addition to that, he intended to increase the position and the status of the aides who had public trust. Only then would it be possible to strengthen kingship and the rule of the nation. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this got you, but I have decided to name the nation as Symphonia.¡± -Symphonia¡­ it goes well for the word which Sir Luke is pursuing. She knew the meaning of Symphonia. Reina nodded her head, and having something in her mind, she spoke. -By the way, what is Sir Luke¡¯s thought about hosting the coronation? ¡°You mean, you yourself?¡± At Reina¡¯s offer, Luke was shocked. The coronation ceremony could be held by one a high priest or an archbishop. So Luke had entrusted his coronation to Priest Maron, who was in charge of Marquis Rakan. But Reina, the Pope of the Holy Empire, wants to do it herself! That was totally unexpected, and if known, the continent would be in a mess. It was the same as announcing that the Holy Arthenia Empire has accredited to the founding of Symphonia, and that was like claiming the two nations had a strong relationship. Maybe if Rudolf found it out, he would be more upset. ¡°It sounds good for me, but will it be alright for you to come here?¡± What Luke was worried about was Reina¡¯s identity. If it went out that he was in love with her, the authority of the Pope would get hurt. Even if that didn¡¯t happen, high priests and nobles, including Constantine would try to cut down her authority. Rumors continued to spread that the Holy Pope of the Empire, Veronica III wasn¡¯t an angel, but a princess from another nation, the princess of the Volga kingdom. If that was it, it would have been fine. Rumors were inflated that she was in love with the Marquis and had already spent the night together, and as a result of rumors spread by Nanas¡¯ men, opposition increased. ¡°I don¡¯t think there is any need to deliberately do this¡­¡± -It is fine. I know what Sir Luke is worried about. However, my position here isn¡¯t easy enough to be shaken by those. Honestly, when Luke was busy with civil war, Reina was extremely criticized ad condemned by the opposition. She wasn¡¯t an angel but a witch who stole the power to rule. And listening to those words, Reina spoke back. ¡°If I am a witch, what should I call those who stood me up as an angel? So an angel when they use and a witch when they can¡¯t? Is this what those who accept God would say?¡± ¡°That was because we were deceived¡­¡± ¡°The men of the Archbishop and the cardinals of the Holy Empire fell because of a witch¡¯s magic? Then, should we be suspicious that your faith fell?¡± Listening to Reina¡¯s words, the opposition went quiet. It was because she said that she was in the wrong and accepted it, she admitted to being incompetent. Moreover, during all that time, she stabilized the internal affairs of the Holy Empire and successfully attacked the eastern part of the Baroque Empire through reform policies. So the faith people had in her was strong. In addition to that, she brought in intelligent men and young nobles, and priests who tried hard to transform their nation. The number of supporters Reina managed to get was surprising. As a result of that, the criticism and condemnation of the opposition didn¡¯t work. Rather, Reina was forced to refrain as the enthusiastic adherents of Pope went a step ahead in putting their wagons and mansion into a sale. ¡°I¡¯m glad if that¡¯s the case. Honestly, it is my wish to feel the warmth of talking to each other face to face rather than magic.¡± -I think the same. I am trying to make up excuses to meet you, and that is why I am going to host the coronation ceremony. They were far enough for their feelings to vanish for the other, however, it didn¡¯t seem like Luke and Reina¡¯s love for the other cooled down. Well, as time passed, their will to stay together continuously blazed. Reina, who couldn¡¯t stand her wish, made up a plan. Of course, Arch Duke Gregory would oppose it because of the concern for safety, but she knew that if she could persuade it as an alliance with a new nation and advantage to them, he would agree. ¡°The coronation will take place soon. And I will be ready to welcome you.¡± -Yes, until then, I will keep on wishing to see you. The words between the two ended there. Luke, who wanted to meet Reina desperately, accelerated the preparation for the founding. Chapter 445 - Luke’s Coronation 2 It was finally Luke¡¯s day of coronation. Nations were invited in their mission to advance for Symphonia. Although there were differences with each nation, which includes smaller or huge ones, there was a reason why each nation had dispatched a large number of men and it was because they highly anticipated the power of Symphonia. The mission of delegation was the first to unify the circumstances of the new nation which was located in the region of Milton Kingdom and declared its own independence from the Baroque. And if things went well with the delegations, the second goal was to form an alliance. In any case, it was much bigger than the coronation which had happened in the Milton four months back. The Brandon central square was filled with people from all over the kingdom. The number of men reached 200,000. There were people who settled out on the street from dawn to catch a glimpse of the coronation ceremony which would be held on the east side of the square. ¡°Look here, have you heard the news?¡± Marquis of Rakan. No, a middle-aged man had arrived from the Rakan estate and was now under the direct command of the King, spoke to a friend from Brandon. ¡°About what?¡± ¡°This coronation is said to be directly under the control of the Holy Pope of Arthenia Empire.¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± ¡°Yes, my younger brother is the new priest of the Ministerial Order of Rakan, but the Pope¡¯s party had appeared through a long-distance teleport gate. They could make a fuss by accepting.¡± If the words of the man were true, it meant great honor. The King, who was crowned and blessed by the Pope, the one called the messenger of the god, the agent of god, a rare sight in history. What was more, the Pope of the Holy Empire herself had come to coronate the King and it was something which had never happened before. ¡°Then are the rumors true? That the Pope was actually princess Reina and the fianc¨¦ of our King?¡± ¡°I heard that story too. Even if it is true, is there anything wrong?¡± ¡°Anyway, I just wish I get to see the Pope¡¯s miracle at this coronation.¡± ¡°Well, if we are lucky enough we might get to.¡± They had heard the rumors that the Pope of the Holy Empire had performed several miracles in the capital of Bless. It was said that every time the Pope blessed, the sick patients were cured, and the disabled men would recover their limbs. There were quite a few patients who had come out to see the coronation that day with the help of their family. The conversation between the patients who wanted the miracle to happen was the same as the previous one. ¡°Is the Pope really princess Reina?¡± ¡°Well, the people who saw her say she is really young and beautiful. But I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Hoho. I saw princess Reina a few years back. It was when she had come to ask Mayers to rescue the Volga refuges, and they were waiting for him in the hot sun.¡± ¡°Hu, how bad¡­¡± ¡°Maybe if then the Lord had shown some compassion towards her.¡± Pam Pa Para Pa Pam! It was when the people were talking about the Pope. The door of the royal palace opened and the trumpets began to sound all at once. And then came the proximal knights and the soldiers in colorful robes and swords by their sides. Thud Thud Thud! Behind them, the horsemen and the nobles. After so many people passed, the hero of the day, Luke was seen. His appearance on a large shiny black horse shook the hearts of the young women. ¡°Oh my! Look at that face!¡± ¡°How hard would the chest be? I have no more wish than to hold him.¡± The eyes of the noblewomen who were in the coronation shimmered. If only they could catch the eyes of the King, they could achieve a tremendous status increase. And there it was, rumors spreading in the social world of the Symphonia kingdom, ¡®a woman who captures the heart of His Majesty will rule the land!¡¯ ¡°Is His Majesty still single?¡± ¡°Yes, however, there is something going on about someone who already has a place in his heart¡­¡± The women who were chattering like birds went quiet. It was because they found a woman with tremendous beauty was following Luke. Dressed in the silk of the Song empire and jade ornaments with exotic beauty, Soha, and there was the elven woman wearing a tiara made of platinum in a neat yellow-green dress, Erwin. Both of them were dressed up for Luke¡¯s coronation, and those noblewomen who saw them could feel their ambitions disappear. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just wear those dull baggy clothes like ever? They suit you best?¡± Erwin shot back at the sarcastic words of Zegal Soha. ¡°I can see how clothes can be used as wings seeing you.¡± ¡°Keuk! These clothes right now are from my place!¡± ¡°I am sorry. Actually, the make up is what looks bad.¡± ¡°Oiii! If she could, Zegal Soha would have ripped out the heart of the elf right away. ¡®But Grace, no, it is His Majesty¡¯s coronation.¡¯ Unlike before, Luke was going to be influential and a nation would be under his authority. Even if he was fine, the servants under him would fight for power. So she had to be courteous even at the meeting, and if she ruined the coronation, Luke might end up hating her. And if those rumors spread all around, then how was she going to face her family back home? ¡®I need to bear this. If I can¡¯t I won¡¯t be able to even become a queen.¡¯ She was waiting for the right situation. Soha, who judged that she should never make a mistake in such a place, waved her hand with a hearty smile. Whether he knew what the women next to him were doing or not, Luke silently headed for the coronation grounds. And what appeared at the end of the procession was a gorgeous sacred carriage, led by white horses. On the roof of the carriage, was a wooden cross symbolizing the denomination of El Kassel, which made people guess who was in it. ¡°Woah! The Pope!¡± ¡°Cheers to the Pope!¡± Once Luke appeared, the cheers grew. Seeing the shouts and cheers, Luke smiled. ¡°It looks like it is the Pope¡¯s coronation and not mine.¡± ¡°Huhuhu. Jealous much?¡± ¡°No, rather, I feel glad. Because of Reina, my authority will increase.¡± The carriage stood and Reina got off from it. The crowd was thrilled by her beautiful figure which wore a white coat embroidered with gold thread and gave out holy energy. There were quite a lot of people who were shouting over wanting blessings from her and there were quite a lot of people who were pushing to get close to her. ¡°Everyone, move back!¡± ¡°Whoever approaches the Pope carelessly will have to be punished!¡± The paladins of the Holy Empire blocked the pushing people. It was because they were worried that an accident would happen. Reina, who saw her paladins ready with their spears, spoke to them. ¡°Don¡¯t be violent.¡± ¡°But, Pope¡­¡± ¡°It is alright. I can calm them.¡± Reina was well aware of the people¡¯s wishes and knelt down to pray. ¡°Oh great father, El Kassel, in heaven and the mother of earth Beliza! Please provide me a little favor and help your poor children!¡± A soft white energy spread from her body and soon soared into the sky, which gave out an immense glow. People were amazed while seeing that magnificent sight unfold in front of their eyes. And it was like snow began to fall without clouds. Well, it was exactly snowing. They were white petals with soft light. The petals which touched the skin soon entered their bodies. People who were touched by them could feel their body and mind refreshing. ¡°Is this the sacred power of the Pope?¡± ¡°This is the miracle! A miracle!¡± The ones who were hurt in their hearts gained peace, and those who were sick were no more troubled because of their bodies. In a miracle performed on the numerous people on the square, people sang for the Pope. ¡°Long Live, Veronica III!¡± ¡°El Kassel! Blessed us! Holy Father!¡± Luke, who was looking at the people, felt shocked. It was because the mana and Magi around him seemed to have melted away because of the sea of energy Reina just left. ¡®This is amazing. Is this the power of the Pope, the Apostle of God?¡¯ In the past, the paladins and the high priests weren¡¯t so strong during Seyman¡¯s time. Perhaps this was because of the character of Reina, which was different from any regular Pope. Perhaps, the power of Aether from the Spirit World seemed to have amplified the divine powers she had before becoming a Pope. ¡®Maybe the one who is most upset with Lich Arsene is Reina and not me. With her intellect, she may easily be able to overcome Arsene.¡¯ Of course, even then, Arsene wouldn¡¯t act carelessly in front of her. The moment he senses divine power from her, he would cut the rope and run away. But for now, things were sorted, and Luke led his procession to the center. Chapter 446 - Luke’s Coronation 3 When Luke¡¯s party arrived at the coronation ceremony, the atmosphere went wild. Reina climbed onto the stairs of the stage and conducted a mass for the prosperity and stability of the newly founded Symphonia. With the solemn consciousness and a beautiful chant, Luke¡¯s mood rose to the top. Seeing Reina, Luke knelt in front of her. As a king of a nation, he shouldn¡¯t kneel in front of anyone. However, the coronation was the only exception. ¡°You, Luke de Rakan, shall take care of the hundreds and thousands of subjects that are under you according to the will of El Kassel¡­¡± In a solemn voice, Reina began to list the responsibilities Luke had to perform as the king. However, her eyes were looking at the man she loved dearly. And it was the same for Luke. ¡°¡­ Will Luke de Rakan fulfill his responsibilities as a king in the name of God and your people?¡± ¡°I will.¡± Nodding her head, Reina received the crown handed to her from Priest Maron and placed it on Luke¡¯s head. ¡°I, Veronica III, the Pope of the Holy Arthenia Empire, declare you as the first king of the Symphonia Kingdom with the divine authority entrusted in me!¡± Listening to her, every noble around the stage cheered and shouted except for Philip. ¡°Long Live His Majesty!¡± ¡°Eternal Symphonia!¡± Pung! Pung! Pong! Hearing the shouts, the guards shot their arrows to the sky as a sign of honor. The people, who realized that the coronation was over, began to greet each other. ¡°Congratulations.¡± Reina approached Luke, who stood up and smiled. Luke smiled slightly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Honestly, he tried to keep his composure. However, he wasn¡¯t able to hide the feelings overflowing from him. More than 500 years ago, he was called the devil king, who spread fear into the Rhodesia Continent. However, currently, he was being celebrated as a king. However, more than the acceptance of the people at the coronation, it was the presence of Katarina¡¯s reincarnation, the one he loved the most. ¡®I can do it! This time for sure¡­!¡¯ Luke was swelling with emotions. He pulled out his sword. He raised it to the sky and declared in front of everyone, ¡°I swear to God and the people that I, Luke de Rakan, will create a world where people can live as humans and create a nation where there is no discrimination and persecution!¡± Luke¡¯s voice was amplified with aura and was heard in the entire square. The nobles and the common people were uplifted by Luke¡¯s declaration and cheered. ¡°Long Live His Majesty!¡± ¡°Blessed Symphonia!¡± As the coronation ended with a good mood, the history of the Symphonia Kingdom, which was just starting, would create ruckus on the continent. After the coronation, the celebration started. Despite the orders to save the budget, the royal palace banquet was fairly well prepared, and the ambassadors of all the nations were present there. People listened to the orchestra and gathered together with other nobles to acquaint. ¡°You know Baron Rogers, the Sword Master, has gotten the title of Marquis?¡± ¡°Yes, it was said that in this reorganization, he will be appointed as the chief commander of the kingdom.¡± ¡°And Sir Philip is His Majesty¡¯s escort?¡± ¡°It was said that the Rakan Knights of Sir Philip were promoted to the 1st squadron and was given the title of Count.¡± On the eve of the coronation, Luke greeted his retainers who were close to him. As discussed in the meeting, Baron Rogers, the chief commander of the army, was pushed three titles ahead and was promoted to Marquis and became the chief commander of the Symphonia Kingdom. Philip was promoted as the commander of the 1st squad and was given the title of Count, and Kaper became the 2nd commander of the Uniron Knights. The changes didn¡¯t only happen to the existing Rakan family¡¯s retainers. The former Milton Kingdom¡¯s nobles¡¯ positions were changed as well. Reynard Gram became the commander of the Iron Heart Knights, which consisted of the old Iron Fist Knights, and became the 3rd squad of the Northern Army. ¡°Marquis Volant was appointed as the commander of the 5th squad for the Southern Army?¡± ¡°Yes, because of his experience in the Baroque Imperial Navy in the past, it was said that he would be training the navy.¡± Although it wasn¡¯t publicly announced, Luke had appointed a 6th squad that was in the Albertville Estate, and he gave the role to Belik and promoted him into a Count to which Belik reacted, ¡°What? Count? Is there any such instance in the world where the king¡¯s father was only a count? Even if you are a couple, you can¡¯t do this. You should at least give me a title that I deserve!¡± Eventually, Luke gave Belik the Arch Duke title to pacify him. Anyhow, it was just a title, and since there was no separate estate, there was no burden that went with the title. In addition to the changes in the military, Luke decided to entrust Hans with the position of Prime Minister along with the title of Duke, and Meister Mute was given the title of Count. Also, the Katarina Magic Tower¡¯s name was changed to Royal Magic Tower. In addition, Erwin was appointed as the court wizard, and Zegal Soha was appointed as the court tactician. ¡°By the way, did you see the pope¡¯s face during the coronation?¡± ¡°No, she was wearing a thin veil, and the light was so dazzling that I couldn¡¯t see her face.¡± Some of the nobles who attended the coronation were curious about how the pope looked, and they were curious to see if the rumors about her being Princess Reina were true or not. As Reina hadn¡¯t stayed in the Baroque Empire for long, not many people knew her. However, the nobles failed to see her because of the light she was radiating during the coronation. ¡°If princess Reina is the pope, then that is awesome.¡± ¡°I know, right. If that happens, then Symphonia will be the strongest nation on the continent.¡± Think about it. Symphonia and the Holy Empire, an alliance made through marriage. Then the Rhodesia Continent would have the Symphonia Kingdom become the strongest center. ¡°But, can the pope get married?¡± ¡°No. The previous popes had illegitimate children, but none of them were married.¡± ¡°But according to the priests, there are no rules saying that the pope couldn¡¯t be married in El Kassel.¡± ¡°But, the high priests usually live alone¡­¡± While the nobles were talking, the bells rang. ¡°His Majesty is entering! Everyone, please stand!¡± The music stopped and the nobles bowed their heads. ¡°Long Live His Majesty!¡± ¡°Cheers!¡± With the cheers of the people, two people came hand in hand. Luke and a young woman had entered the hall. She was wearing a pure white dress and a butterfly mask so that no one could see her. However, her body¡¯s curves showed that she was pretty. ¡®W-who is that woman?¡¯ ¡®One of the two beauties who went behind him during the ceremony?¡¯ ¡®Maybe the pope?¡¯ ¡®That can¡¯t be. Would they act so obvious when so many people are gathered?¡¯ ¡®But if the pope is Princess Reina¡­¡¯ Leaving the nobles with their own questions, Luke arrived in the middle of the banquet hall and looked around for a moment and said, ¡°Thank you all for attending my coronation. Even though we haven¡¯t been able to prepare much, I hope you enjoy yourselves before leaving.¡± After his brief speech, the music played once again, and Luke was in the center of the banquet hall with the masked woman. ¡°It has been so long since I danced with you.¡± The one wearing the butterfly mask was Reina. She was ready to reveal her identity. However, Arch Duke Gregory told her that it wasn¡¯t the time yet. Since Luke agreed with Gregory, Reina complied with them. However, Luke wanted to enjoy his coronation, so he offered her an alternative. That was the butterfly mask that Reina had. And because of that, the nobles were dying to know who she was. However, the old men of Volga knew who the lady was, and they were feeling glad about it. ¡°Please wait a little longer. I am going to rise to power, so no one would come between us.¡± ¡°Yes, I will help you along with the Holy Empire.¡± The two of them danced along softly to the music. With their beauty and elegance, everyone was engulfed by them. ¡°They are a really good pair!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who she is, but she is the best candidate to be the queen.¡± There were two people who weren¡¯t glad about that though. It was Erwin and Zegal Soha. They had dressed lightly. They attended the banquet and saw Luke with Reina. Luke had a gentle expression on his face whenever he was looking at Reina, and he only acted that way with her. Right now, Reina was just an ordinary woman who was in love and not the pope. In that way, they could tell how well they loved each other. ¡°I lost.¡± ¡°Right? An opponent no one can beat.¡± The two women sensed defeat for the first time. In the meantime, the songs turned joyful. Reina, who enjoyed one last dance with Luke, retired from Luke¡¯s side. ¡°Huh? Where are you going?¡± ¡°To meet the woman who you are cheating with.¡± ¡°I-I did nothing like that¡­!¡± ¡°Hoho. It will be just for a while.¡± Shortly before coming there, she was informed by the intelligence of the Holy Empire that there were two beautiful women beside Luke. According to the reports, they played a huge role in winning the war against the Milton Kingdom. The reports also said that they seemed to have feelings for Luke. She had already met Erwin before. It was because of the High Elf¡¯s disciple that she had opened the door to the Spirit World. However, Reina would be meeting the woman from the Southern Continent for the first time. Reina, who went to the place where the two women were, bowed to them. ¡°It has been a while Erwin, and you must be Zegal Soha? It is nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Well¡­ no, it is my honor to meet the princess.¡± Flustered, Zegal Soha gave Reina a full bow like the tradition in her continent. That was because Reina¡¯s face was overflowing with grace and dignity. No, well, it wasn¡¯t just that. The divine power from Reina made her feel like a sacred being. ¡°I heard that you helped us a lot in repelling the Grenada Navy.¡± ¡°T-that¡­ It was just a new boat.¡± Zegal Soha felt nervous while talking to her. She was concerned if Reina was going to punish the wench who tried to steal her man. But, Soha had no idea how kind Reina was. Reina held Soha¡¯s hands and smiled. ¡°It takes a lot of talented people to make the world he dreams of, so please keep on helping him in the future.¡± ¡°Huh? C-can a woman stay by His Majesty¡¯s side?¡± Zegal Soha was confused. In a way, Soha was the lady trying to take away Reina¡¯s place. If Soha was in Reina¡¯s place, she would have never let a woman, even if she was talented, to stay next to the man she loved. However, Reina was no normal lady. ¡°Oh my, do you want me to take you off his side?¡± ¡°Ah, no.¡± ¡°Hoho. Honestly, when I first heard about you, I was a little bit angry. But it seems like your feelings for him are rather sincere.¡± Reina, while she was dancing with Luke, saw Zegal Soha¡¯s reaction. And she was able to notice the sadness on their faces. ¡°I knew that both you and Erwin were serious with your emotions, and I understand. However, I can¡¯t cheer for you.¡± Everyone would want a loved one for themselves and not share them. That was the same with Reina. However, she decided to respect Luke¡¯s will. ¡®Luke is now the king of a nation, and I can¡¯t always be there for him¡­¡¯ So, if he decided to accept another woman other than her due to political problems or complicated circumstances, she decided to tolerate it. In other words, Reina decided to give both the women a fair chance. ¡°T-thank you! Thank you so much!¡± ¡°Thank you, princess.¡± Hearing Reina¡¯s words, both Erwin and Zegal Soha thanked her by bowing their heads. The nobles were curious to know what the beauties were talking about. However, Luke, who roughly knew the situation, was so anxious that it made him sweat a lot. Chapter 447 - Secret Wedding 1 Around the end of the celebration party, Luke moved to a separate room and met with the ambassadors around the world. The envoys offered gifts and shared friendship tokens between the two nations. Luke wanted to have a smooth relationship between the other nations. It was because he knew that that had to be the first thing he needed to do in order to revive his kingdom and go against the Baroque Empire. Thanks to him being the Devil King 500 years ago, he had no intention of replicating the same situation that happened in the past. ¡®To repeat the same mistakes in the past would mean I am nothing more than an idiot.¡¯ When Luke was thinking, an unexpected envoy approached him. ¡°You are from the Baroque Empire?¡± ¡°That is right. I have a letter from His Majesty.¡± The young nobles, who identified himself as Viscount Kurian, gave Luke the letter from Rudolf. ¡®Would the Emperor celebrate my climb?¡¯ Luke opened the letter with a doubt. The handwriting of Rudolf, which was filled with arrogance and anger, caught his eyes. ¡®Listen well, Luke de Rakan. I have heard that you punished Mayers and the nobles. But why did you have to make a foolish move to go for the throne, which your enemy built, and create your own nation over there? It¡¯s not too late. Return to the Empire and be a part of Baroque and a noble from here. If you continue to act foolishly, you will be erased from the world forever with a thousand Gigants and a million troops coming for you.¡¯ ¡°Huh, thousand Gigants and a million troops? I guess the Emperor is exaggerating.¡± Even in Baroque¡¯s past, the Empire had no such force. However, currently, the nation was divided into three, and he could mobilize such force? Luke chuckled at Rudolf¡¯s words and looked at the man in front of him. Viscount Kurian, who caught his eyes, was flustered. However, he tried to remain calm. ¡®Quiet and calm. He isn¡¯t an ordinary one. He might be a Sword Master?¡¯ And as Luke thought, Kurian was indeed a Sword Master. A knight whom the emperor raised himself. In fact, he was given a secret order to assassinate Luke. However, the guards around Luke were very thorough, and Luke wasn¡¯t willing to give any blindspot. Also, he wasn¡¯t a man that acted hastily, so Kurian had given up the thought of assassination. ¡°Go back and tell the Emperor that one day, I will come back with a spear in my hand.¡± A spear in hand meant to hit Rudolf¡¯s neck. ¡°Understood.¡± Luke, who stayed calm, paused for a moment and watched Kurian. ¡®The reason why he sent this man was to show me that he had such a knight by his side? I guess the Baroque Empire won¡¯t fall so easily.¡¯ Despite the rebellion and the invasion from the neighboring nations, the imperial power had accumulated for over 500 years, and it wouldn¡¯t disappear so quickly. He wasn¡¯t sure how long the forces would stand, but Luke decided that he would never be careless when fighting against the Baroque Empire. Whatever it was, Viscount Kurian went out, and the next envoy was from the Libiya Kingdom. The representative was Count Felipe, who had visited Mayers for his ceremony. ¡°Uhm. Shaikan, well, King Reichard wants an alliance with me?¡± ¡°Yes, that is right. Our King sees Libiya and Symphonia walking on the same path.¡± ¡°Hmm, I understand.¡± Luke had previously met with the Orc Hero, Shaikan. That was why he knew what he wanted and his intentions when talking about an alliance so quickly. ¡°I also see a positive view of this alliance with Libiya. But, I think that it is necessary for us to have a more detailed conversation to make a treaty.¡± ¡°Then, are you saying you want a meeting?¡± ¡°Exactly. Sooner or later, the kings of the two nations will get a chance to meet,¡± Luke wasn¡¯t sure about the other nations, but he had no intention of making an alliance with the Libiya Kingdom. So he thought that he should at least meet with Shaikan. After talking a little more, he sent out the envoy of the Libiya Kingdom. ¡°Which nation is the next one?¡± ¡°Grenada.¡± At the answer from Prime Minister Hans, Luke seemed shocked. ¡°What? Grenada?¡± ¡°That is right. Would you ask us to inform them to head back?¡± ¡°No, let them in, we¡¯ll see.¡± When Luke allowed them to enter, Hans signaled the guards. It was then that a middle-aged man with a slight glow on his copper face came in with several people. ¡°I am Count Haran de Greg, the foreign minister of the Grenada Kingdom.¡± When Count Greg bowed with a polite expression, Luke opened his mouth with a grim expression. ¡°Kuek, Count Greg. I never thought that an envoy of Grenada Kingdom would come.¡± The Grenada Kingdom was at war with the Marquis of Rakan not long ago. No, they unilaterally invaded the Marquis. And it turned troublesome for Luke because the surprise attack of Milton came at the same time as well. ¡®Such men send an envoy to celebrate by coronation, huh.¡¯ Well, the reason was roughly understandable. However, Luke didn¡¯t expect them to put up such shameless faces on an official event. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because they are all pirates? Thick-skinned men.¡¯ Luke¡¯s body felt discomfort and released an overwhelming aura. Count Greg, who was exposed to it, began to sweat. Yet, he opened his mouth pretending that he was fine as he was a foreign minister. ¡°T-the last war was led by some stupid men who followed Mayers¡¯ words. Please understand that it was never our King nor our Kingdom¡¯s move.¡± ¡°Huh, was that so? With just some nobles, the navy of the kingdom and the knights of the kingdom with the Royal Navy flagship moved? That is one surprising thing I am hearing.¡± ¡°W-well that was¡­¡± ¡°Either way, the Grenada Kingdom wasn¡¯t as thorough as I thought.¡± As Luke¡¯s eyes kept staring at him, Greg¡¯s head began to throb. Count Greg, who had a strong heart, was breaking in a cold sweat. However, it was difficult to lead a negotiation when proved guilty, so Greg repeatedly tried to deny the facts. ¡°As I said earlier, it was because some of Mayers¡¯ masterminds had encouraged our military personnel. Our King was furious as well with the turn of events, so please don¡¯t misunderstand us because of that.¡± ¡°Misunderstanding¡­ Well, let¡¯s call it that for now.¡± When Luke said he would turn a blind eye, Count Greg felt relieved and pushed the box he carried. ¡°This is a gift from our King as an honor to His Majesty¡¯s crown and for the last war, so please accept it.¡± Luke looked at the gist from Grenada. The box was made of ebony and had a transparent stone with rainbow hue. ¡°This¡­ is this coral crystal?¡± ¡°Yes, it is a magic stone that has been brought out from the deepest depths of the sea.¡± The coral crystal reefs that could be made into magic stones were great for making potions. Since the power of the stone was condensed, it was possible for it to last longer, and it would improve the aura and mana of a wizard and a knight greatly. Even though they were so efficient, they were hard to collect, and getting in huge sums were close to impossible. ¡°It is said that the Coral reefs are larger in size and more colorful. Even those in the box will be able to run a count sized estate for years.¡± ¡°Uhm, wow¡­¡± ¡°We have also prepared other gifts.¡± Greg opened the boxes in turn and showed black pearls, silks, or ceramics from the Southern Continent. As the treasure was expensive, Luke seemed satisfied. ¡°I¡¯ll think of it as something to mend the damages caused by the war. I¡¯ll accept them, but to give me such precious things, what is the real reason for you to come to Symphonia?¡± Luke didn¡¯t think that they were simply there to congratulate him on his coronation. All this while, the Grenada had plundered the cities and towns of Rakan during the war, and they never officially apologized to them. Not surprisingly, Count Greg opened his mouth. ¡°The release of Count Fernando de Salizar who was captured in the war.¡± ¡®There it is¡­¡¯ He was already guessing. Fernando de Salizar, a promising Sword Master and the only son-in-law of Grenada¡¯s King, Drake. There were other possible candidates to be the successor. However, there was no one who was as talented and skilled as Fernando. Therefore, the King decided that he wouldn¡¯t let such a candidate be held by another nation. ¡°In the war between nations, there is a custom where high nobles and royalties are released after receiving a high ransom. We are willing to pay the amount. We would appreciate it if you release the Count.¡± That was the mission of Count Greg, the ambassador of Grenada. At his request, Luke opened his mouth. ¡°If there is a reasonable ransom, then I have no objection. But I need something more than money and jewelry.¡± ¡°Then what would you like¡­?¡± What was he asking for? Luke spoke to Greg who was unsure, ¡°In the last war, I captured a ship called Hyredin. It has been in a bad state because of the battle. If your wizards and engineers would assist us in building a modern battleship of such, we will consider releasing Count Salizar.¡± ¡°T-the same class as Hyredin?¡± ¡°Yes. I was thinking that I should develop the navy of my kingdom.¡± Luke had used torpedo in the last war to smash the navy of the Grenada Navy Fleet, but their battleships made Luke feel jealous. The other ships they used were tough too, but Hyredin, which was equipped with more than 200 guns and landing Gigants on wheels, seemed like an invincible fortress in the sea. Maybe if the troops of Luke had to face that battleship in the middle of the sea, then getting out alive wouldn¡¯t have been possible. But, as Luke demanded too much, Count Greg jumped out. ¡°That will be hard. Battleships similar to Hyredin, even our Kingdom only has 3 of them. And in order to make such ships, you need to have a large shipyard and excellent technology¡­¡± ¡°That is why I am asking you to send people. If you can send wizards and engineers, we can make the ship on our land.¡± ¡°Of course, that would be nice. However, for the sake of national security, the wizards and engineers of our shipbuilding regions are prohibited by national law to leak such information.¡± ¡°Is that so? Will you stick with those words even if the life of Count Salizar can¡¯t be guaranteed?¡± At the threat from Luke, Count Greg gulped. If he couldn¡¯t negotiate with Luke and Count Salizar was killed, his King would never let him live. Especially when Count Fernando de Salizar was the next in line to be the King. ¡°I am sorry, but can¡¯t you ask for something else¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need anything else.¡± Greg could only sigh, seeing Luke act stubbornly. After a few push and pull negotiations, they eventually ended up agreeing to send enough engineers to build a merchant ship rather than a battleship. Luke was pretty pleased with the results. In fact, he knew his first demand was excessive. ¡®The navy has trained sailors and more important ships.¡¯ Marquis Volant, who was the commander of the 5th squad, had emphasized the need to develop the navy too. That was why Luke decided to build shipyards and ships and then develop the battleships once the sailors were trained. Chapter 448 - Secret Wedding 2 The Coronation ceremony of Luke had continued for a week. Nobles, as well as the people, wished for the prosperity of Symphonia by drinking the beer given by the royal family. At the end of such a bright festival, all the messengers and ambassadors from the nations were ready to go back. Wooong! The long-distance teleport gate in the Rakan estates was opened under the direct orders of their king and a person came from there. When he appeared, Luke greeted him in his usual cold demeanor. ¡°Welcome, Arch Duke Gregory.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to meet the King directly.¡± The visitor was none other than Arch Duke, Sword Sage, Albero de Gregory of Holy Empire. At his words, Luke smiled and shook his hands. ¡°Haha, you don¡¯t have to interpret it like that.¡± ¡°No, since you have become the monarch of a nation, you need to be humble. Besides, isn¡¯t the King the fianc¨¦ of our Pope?¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­¡± Luke who was about to answer felt his body turn stiff. It wasn¡¯t the attitude and actions of Gregory which made him feel like that, but because he could feel what Gregory intended to say. ¡®This is very thorough. In addition, his body seems to have aged.¡¯ Gregory, who looked very much like a young man, wasn¡¯t suitable for the actual age of 120. As a Sword Sage, he had a powerful aura and divine power, and all thanks to that, his body regeneration and abilities were exceptional. But now, Arch Duke seemed lean, as if he was seriously ill and held a cane. In addition, his head had white hair here and there with wrinkles on his face and hand. It wasn¡¯t just his appearance. He couldn¡¯t feel the overpowering looks from him anymore. ¡®Was it because he lost a huge amount of aura when we fell into the trap of the fairies? But I am fine so how¡­?¡¯ Looking at Luke who was lost in thought. Gregory smiled. ¡°You seem to be very surprised with my appearance.¡± ¡°Yes, I haven¡¯t heard anything about Arch Duke¡¯s health.¡± Argos would have surely been the first to relay the information if anything happened to Arch Duke Gregory. Yet, Luke had heard nothing from them. ¡°Huhu. All this time I had to keep it a secret, so there is no way you could have heard it.¡± Gregory had to hide his condition thoroughly. He couldn¡¯t cause any rift between Luke and Reina, and there was no saying how the opposition would react if his illness came out. ¡°It was pretty hard. I can¡¯t say that I am alright now¡­ but I won¡¯t retire.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± At his words, Luke¡¯s eyes changed and he stepped back without his knowledge. It was because he felt a much stronger power than he did at the arrival, well, he actually could feel nothing. ¡®His body has gone weak! He has no energy left! Did he get infected with something?¡¯ While Luke was thinking so, Gregory spoke. ¡°By the way, when you went to the Southern Continent, you ended up learning the second half of the Gold Sword?¡± ¡°Yes, I told Reina after coming back¡­ let¡¯s move somewhere to sit.¡± Luke took Gregory to his Rakan¡¯s personal training room. On the way there, he explained how he got the second half. ¡°Physical pain¡­ that is amazing. I never knew that there would be anyone in the world with such ability.¡± ¡°It was quite different from the divine power. If divine power was something that you borrow from God and use, then this could be the enlightened power from the body.¡± Luke who talked about Nanda¡¯s ability for a while. Lifted the wooden sword and cast the Gold Sword. ¡°The second half is largely divided into a minimum of 8 parts to 64 parts. Depending on the application of fusions and forms, hundreds to thousands of variations¡­¡± In the beginning, Gregory was curious and watched every single progress. With excitement, his expression changed. ¡°Oh my! That was the second half!¡± ¡°But there could be some southern skills in here too, or maybe I am not able to understand it rightly¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± On hearing Luke¡¯s words, Gregory picked up a wooden sword from the armory and began to visualize it. When Luke left the spot, he slowly wielded the wooden sword and unfolded the second half of the Gold Sword. At first, it wasn¡¯t much different from Luke¡¯s. However, an intense glow began to spark at the sword Gregory was wielding. Kwang! ¡®No!¡¯ As the aura exploded, half of the equipment in the training center got blown away, and Luke was just shocked. It was a simple motion of wielding the sword with aura, and there was a difference when he began to unfold the second half. But the difference in power was like heaven and earth. Though what Gregory did wasn¡¯t as good as his memory, but it felt very close to it. What was going on in there? Arch Duke Gregory spoke to Luke who was puzzled. ¡°I think that because the King is still inexperienced and the actual power isn¡¯t coming out.¡± ¡°I am inexperienced?¡± ¡°Yes, the king is strong and undoubtedly strong to compete with me, but there are things which you are yet to realize about the depth of the sword other than just wielding it.¡± Currently, Luke¡¯s skills were intermediate. However, his true realization wasn¡¯t still there. ¡°Because I haven¡¯t realized¡­ will I know when I go to Sword Sage level?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Gregory smiled. ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t something that I can simply put like that. You will only know it when you realize and feel it, but I too only realized it after the injury I received a while back.¡± What was he supposed to feel and realize? When Luke tried to question more about it, Gregory changed the topic. ¡°But why did you invite me? I don¡¯t think that it was just to inform me about the second half.¡± Gregory stayed in Bless to defend the Empire when Reina was gone. He was taking care of the Empire while hiding his health condition. However, Luke and Reina had asked him to come to Rakan through magic communication. ¡°Is there some tough fight going on? Did the fairies try to do something again?¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t like that¡­ the Arch Duke might be a little angry when you hear this.¡± Luke, who was speaking, had a slight grin on his face. ¡°Please be the notary.¡± ¡°Notary? Have someone you want to duel with?¡± A duel would need a notary. For the sake of Luke who was strong, Gregory was worthy enough to be a notary. However, who was the madman who wanted to duel with the King of a nation? ¡°No, not a duel but a wedding.¡± ¡°Wedding? No, don¡¯t tell me¡­!¡± Luke could see Gregory¡¯s eyes go wide for the first time. Maybe Luke was the only one who witnessed such an expression of Gregory. ¡°Because Reina said that she wanted to have a wedding before she left. I said that it is too fast, but she is acting stubborn, so¡­¡± ¡°My Majesty.¡± Maybe it was Luke¡¯s illusion that he felt like Gregory was calling him as Majesty. Not surprisingly, Gregory continued to speak with the wooden sword still in his hand. ¡°The story will be discussed more while working on the Second Half.¡± ¡°Th, no!¡± Looking at the face of Gregory, Luke began to sweat for the first time. Maybe he had to survive first to ask for the permission. Luke, who had been sweating for a long time in the battle against Arch Duke Gregory, headed to the Devil King¡¯s castle. Drrrr! When he pressed on the wall behind the throne room, a hidden secret door opened with a low sound. Luke, who was busy for a long time, had visited the secret lab and the workshop with a sad expression. ¡°This is the place which has been a strong foundation for me, but now I will have to bid my farewell.¡± It was in the very laboratory that Luke had come to recover from the revival and became the successor of the ruined estates. However, he could no longer use those facilities. As he was a king, he couldn¡¯t get away with such things. Which was why he was transferring his base from Rakan estates to Brandon, the capital of Symphonia. The representative was Katarina Magic Tower. The Katarina magic tower which was promoted to the Royal Magic Tower was integrated into the former Milton Royal Magic Tower, it was to expand the scale and the buildings along with research institutes. ¡°I am going to move the things in here to the secret room that I set up in Brandon¡¯s palace.¡± Luke opened up the subspace bracelet, packed the records, materials, magic tools, and magic stones, and everything else in the workshop and lab. He decided to get something useful right there and leave, leave those which weren¡¯t in need, and then slowly move them later. ¡°Ah, I almost forgot.¡± Luke, who was almost done packing up the items, hit his head when he realized he forgot something. He placed his hand in the safe of the cabinet in the lab. His hand, moving for a second, pulled out a small wooden box. Inside the box was a pair of gold rings. Simple yet elegant old-fashioned rings, which had the words ¡®forever together¡¯ written on it in an ancient language. ¡®I never thought that I would see this ring again¡­¡¯ The ring was made by a dwarf who Syamon had met on his business trip when he had gone to a distant nation during his time when he was still in the Veritas Magic Tower. It was very difficult to buy his work, but at that time, he was too excited to propose to Katarina, and he bought the ring after giving the dwarf everything he had. However, the rings never made it to their owners. When he returned from his trip, Katarina was nowhere to be found. ¡®I won¡¯t let the same thing happen again.¡¯ He was dead struck by keeping Reina, Katarina¡¯s incarnation safe! Woong! A light magic rose from the rings Luke held. It was as if the rings were responding to the oath. Chapter 449 - Secret Wedding 3 Dang Dang Dang! Flap flap! A peaceful morning with bells ringing and pigeons flying. A few people were gathered at the entrance of a small church located near a street. There was a woman in a pure white gown, a veil, and a dozen people behind her. There were the Rakan Knights in the grounds, which made people passing by wonder. ¡°What is it? A wedding?¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be. There seem to be no guests at all.¡± ¡°Even then, that doesn¡¯t seem to be a regular wedding gown, maybe a wedding of a noble family who didn¡¯t accept their union.¡± ¡°Then, are they the notaries?¡± Among the guest, there were a few with unusual looks. One was a young man with a Southern Continent impression with strong muscles and an elderly knight in red armor with a white hair. However, the most impressive one of them was the grey-haired man standing with the help of a cane. Contrary to the old appearance, the man was releasing tremendous energy. ¡°That man, he isn¡¯t someone to mess with, right?¡± ¡°Yes, he must have been a knight with great skill. He seems a lot stronger than the man in the red armor¡­¡± Thud! All of a sudden, the knight in red struck his sword to the ground. As if a Gigant had stepped into the grounds, the people who were in the area shook, and the glass windows around the temple shook. As a result, the complexion of the men turned white. ¡°Maybe he is strong too?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s, let¡¯s get out of here. He must have heard what we said.¡± Belik was the one in the red armor, however, he didn¡¯t turn his attention to the fleeing boys. There was a reason why he was staying there. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Get yourself together. There isn¡¯t much time left, don¡¯t you realize that?¡± When Belik turned angry, Pavel and Victor tried to calm him up. ¡°No matter what, it is the princess¡­ well, to make the Pope wait!¡± ¡°Huhu! Shh! What if others hear it?!¡± Luke and Reina¡¯s wedding was being held in secret. So, deliberately, a magic illusion was placed on the face of the guests to prevent the general public from recognizing them. Although it had been preached that the El Kassel denomination that priests shouldn¡¯t be married, it was a custom that many had followed, every high priest had remained single. And such customs weren¡¯t embedded not only in the priests and nobles but also common people. As a result, the alliance between the Symphonia Kingdom and the Holy Arthenia Empire, which a few nobles discussed in the crowning ceremony was extremely unlikely. If there was any indication that it would happen, they were most likely to oppose it at home and abroad, and both nations were likely to face political criticism. Luke and Reina didn¡¯t want their marriage to happen between disputes and complications. Luke continued to develop strength and forces and wanted to wait until he was strong enough to crush any opposition, however, Reina was different. She didn¡¯t want to wait till one of them was strong, she just wanted the both of them to meet. And that was, it would stop the competitors to go after Luke, and it would soothe their hearts. ¡°There is no change of heart, right?¡± ¡°There can¡¯t be. Let¡¯s just wait a little longer.¡± Reina stopped Belik¡¯s attempt to spoil the mood of the occasion. Though she hadn¡¯t said it out loud, she wondered if Luke wasn¡¯t going to make it to the wedding. ¡®Did something bad happen?¡¯ Since it was the early stages of the kingdom, anything could have happened. It was when she was lost in thoughts as such. ¡°Your Majesty is coming.¡± Luke appeared with Philip¡¯s cry. A large bouquet of flowers in one hand and the other on the reins of the horse. ¡°What are you doing making us wait?¡± At Belik¡¯s scream, Luke smiled. ¡°I remembered something which had to be done before the wedding.¡± ¡°What is there to do before the wedding?¡± While everyone was wondering, Luke approached Reina and bent on his knee and offered her the bouquet. ¡°Reina, I am here now because I met you and walked the same path as you.¡± Luke, who spoke gentle words kissed the back of her hand. ¡°I want to walk for the rest of my life with you. As a companion, I want to stay beside you and face how many difficulties we will have on the road we choose.¡± ¡°Luke¡­¡± What Luke said, about something which had to be done before a wedding. The proposal, something which was very popular among the young people of the current days. Hearing about it from his escort knights, Luke went and prepared a bouquet and wrote his vows for the wedding. ¡°Will you join me?¡± Reina looked into Luke¡¯s desperate eyes and nodded with a smile. ¡°Yes, I will stand with you forever.¡± When Reina accepted his proposal, Luke smiled turned wider, and hugged her. While everyone was watching it with a gleaming face, Maron coughed. ¡°Well, shouldn¡¯t we head up and get to the main act?¡± ¡°Yes, to proceed and get the thing done, quickly!¡± Belik pushed them into the church. If Luke and Reina were married, he wouldn¡¯t just be the father of the Symphonia King but also the father-in-law of the Holy Empire¡¯s Pope. Luke and Reina, who were pushed by the ambitious men around them, were ready to have the wedding under Maron. ¡°Marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman which is taken before the God. Living a satisfying life, with mutual trust and effort for themselves and the other half¡­ and that is love and happiness.¡± Maron went through the rites and quotes from the past. After his words were done, which were too short or long, he moved onto the wedding vows. ¡°Does the bride swear before the God that she will respect and love Luke de Rakan as her husband this moment?¡± ¡°Yes, I do.¡± ¡°Does the groom swear before the God that he will be married to Reina Petrov Kirillov forever, and fulfill his duties as her companion forever?¡± ¡°Yes, I swear on my soul!¡± Both Luke and Reina pledged their vows and put on the wedding rings on their partner. Wooong! As if their hearts beat to the same rhythm, the wedding rings shone brightly. ¡°With this, I declare the two of you to be married!¡± At the end of the Maron¡¯s words, the guests rose from their seats and applauded to the newlyweds. Luke and Reina, who were happy, kissed. There was still a long way they had to go, but at that moment, there was no one as happy as those two. ¡°We were shot down in point range.¡± ¡°Yes. I realized that she was an angel¡­ but she gently knows when to move.¡± To the other wall of the castle overlooking the church, two women had bitter faces. Zegal Soha and Erwin were having a conversation. A few moments ago they heard that Luke and Reina were getting married, however, no matter how quick they were, they couldn¡¯t see the wedding, so they stayed at a distance. Reina had asked both of them to stay by Luke¡¯s side. The women were eager to take over Luke¡¯s heart with her permission. But, Reina was having a wedding! In a way, it could be said that they were fooled, however, they couldn¡¯t blame Reina. It was because they were willing to betray her too. And if they thought about it, she was someone who was well suited to be Luke¡¯s companion. ¡®Even then, I didn¡¯t want to lose.¡¯ ¡®She really suits well with him.¡¯ The two of them were looking at the church. Creak! It was alright for Reina, but the two women stood there not moving. It wasn¡¯t strange if a storm came over, however, Erwin and Zegal Soha smiled. ¡°I think we need to have an alliance.¡± ¡°Yes. And just like this the grace, well, His Majesty¡¯s heart was always tough to get.¡± Till then, they were very wary of each other. However, in the future, it seemed like they didn¡¯t have to be so spiteful of the other. In order to divert Luke¡¯s attention from Reina, it was necessary for them to join forces. ¡®Moreover, this wedding is being kept secret.¡¯ ¡®Officially, His Majesty is still single.¡¯ The throne of the queen was still empty. In other words, any kind of political marriage could come for Luke. The two women, who were struggling with Reina, didn¡¯t want any new enemies to enter their lives. That was why an alliance was created. ¡®I¡¯ll endure until I get his heart.¡¯ ¡®After getting His Majesty¡¯s heart, I need to chase after this elf woman right away!¡¯ The two women, who were hiding their intentions, smiled brightly for a new tomorrow. Chapter 450 - Darkness Blooms Once Again 1 The Sea of Reapers, located between the continent of Rhodesia and the Southern Continent. In the heart of the gloomy misty sea were seven islands called the Archipelago of Hell. A group of wizards were gathered on the largest island in there, the Thanatos Island. They were the remnants of the Veritas Magic Tower, which had been destroyed on the Rhodesia Continent. Since they were secretly studying dark magic, they had fallen into a trap by unexpectedly summoning a high ranking demon and were waiting under the shadows of Arsene for the resurrection to be completed. A giant pyramid was located to the north of the island. The leader of the Veritas Magic Tower gathered in a secret room inside the pyramid to receive a series of reports and proceeded with the meetings. ¡°What is the current situation of the Rhodesia Continent?¡± When asked by Nestar, the former Meister of Veritas Magic Tower, the current Meister Albert, answered, ¡°The Baroque Empire has been completely divided, Father. Emperor Rudolf continued to attack the Libiya Kingdom founded by Reichard, but he hasn¡¯t been able to get favorable results.¡± ¡°Then in the south? What was it about Mayers being dead?¡± ¡°A spy of ours got caught and committed suicide in the battle against Marquis Rakan. There were rumors that Mayers had committed suicide or was killed¡­. Either way, Luke de Rakan has taken over the Milton Kingdom and renamed it the Symphonia Kingdom.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Will there be a 3rd battle?¡± ¡°Yes, neither the Dragonian Reichard nor Luke, the warrior of Rakan are normal.¡± It was already assessed by the elders and Albert of the Veritas Magic Tower that with the current abilities of Rudolf, defeating those two would be hard If it came to force, Rudolf surely was the strongest in the continent. However, force alone wasn¡¯t enough to win a war. It was needed to have a calm and divisive strategy and think of careful tactics, and currently, Rudolf didn¡¯t have such a strategy. ¡°Was it because his family was killed?¡± ¡°That could be too. Our spies stated that the Intelligence Agency of the Baroque Empire has been acting weird.¡± ¡°The Imperial intelligence agency is acting weird?¡± At Nestar¡¯s question, Albert spoke in detail, ¡°We still haven¡¯t figured it out, but it seemed like the reporting process within the Intelligence Agency has changed.¡± In the past few days, all the information was sent directly to the right hand of the Emperor, which was Count Voltas. However, that wasn¡¯t the case anymore. It was said that the speed of information was slowed and the report was reduced comparatively from the past. ¡°At first, I thought that it was because Voltas, who was the one in charge of the Intelligence, went missing during the process of subjugation of the western nobles. However, even after he is back, there seems to be no change.¡± ¡°Well, then Rudolf might be putting Voltas on a tight leash, or both Voltas and Rudolf have turned blind.¡± It was still just words. However, Nestar thought that a 3rd party might have taken over the Baroque Empire. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s related to the division of the empire¡­¡¯ Nestar, thinking for a moment, shook his head. He wasn¡¯t ready to make any assumptions or conclusions about it. If he acted and decided something when the information was still uncertain, they could suffer enormous losses. ¡°Anyway, apart from the Baroque Empire, how about the Holy Empire?¡± Nestar was handed a map of the Holy Empire. It was the Holy Arthenia Empire which was a huge stumbling block for the wizards to create their own world. ¡°We did hear that Veronica III certainly took power, right?¡± When Nestar asked, Belmond answered, ¡°That is right. It is unlikely for Arch Duke Gregory to stop her, and the people love her, so she will not be opposed.¡± It was almost as if there were no forces in the Holy Empire to challenge Veronica III. However, there was opposition from Constantine, a few Archbishops, and lords who started a political offense based on rumors. So it was Belmond¡¯s thoughts that it would be hard to oppose the Pope unless they found something very wrong about her. ¡°In this situation, the Pope of the Holy Empire visited Symphonia and crowned Luke de Rakan herself. And there are so many stories about it.¡± Belmond saw the alliance of Symphonia and the Holy Empire. The rumors said by some were very unlikely to happen. However, Symphonia, which seemed to know that going against the Baroque Empire with its own power would be tough, relied on the Holy Empire, and the Holy Empire lent its power to Symphonia and helped to defeat Milton and the Grenada Navy. ¡°In the future, the Rhodesia Continent will mainly move around Symphonia and Holy Empire.¡± ¡°Tch, that¡¯s unfortunate. We should have intervened during the last civil war in the Holy Empire and drained off all their power.¡± At the words of Nestar, Belmond replied as if he agreed, ¡°That is true.¡± Honestly, Veritas Magic Tower was planning to use their warlocks and undead within the Holy Empire during the civil war. No matter who won, the Holy Empire would have been in a mess, and the land would have weakened. That way, they wouldn¡¯t be able to interfere with the future business of Arsene. They waited for the right time to have their warlocks infiltrate the Empire, but the civil war ended. As the civil war ended within a short time and turned into a happy ending, the heads of the Veritas Magic Tower ended by being chickens. It was a moment of regret. Because right after, a demon had been summoned, and their tower was destroyed. ¡°By the way, when will Lord Arsene come back from the Southern Continent, Father?¡± At the question of Albert, Nestar shook his head and spoke, ¡°Well, he should have come back by now, but we haven¡¯t been contacted yet, so I am worried as to what is happening over there.¡± Arsene had gone to the Southern Continent with his completed undead Death Knights and Lich for testing purposes. He thought that it was a good opportunity with the request of the Hwang Bo clan to help them. However, since then, the members of Veritas had lost contact with Arsene. Despite the success or failure of his test, it was time for Arsene to come back. ¡°Maybe something happened to the Lord?¡± ¡°No way. There is no way anyone in this current world could beat our Ancestor.¡± He was someone who could freely use the 9th circle white and dark magic. In addition, a Lich would never die as long as his life vessel was safe. Could such a being be defeated? Even if it was the dragon itself, the strongest creature from the ancient times, he would still return. ¡°That could¡­¡± Albert felt uneasy. This was because the Veritas Magic Tower was painstakingly aware that the affairs of the world wouldn¡¯t go as one intended. Like his father, there could be no one who could beat their Ancestor. However, on the southern continent, there could be a different leveled transcendental being which the Veritas¡¯ members weren¡¯t aware of. ¡°Well, I just can¡¯t wait for our Ancestor to return.¡± ¡°But, in order to help our Ancestor with his cause, we need to build a solid foundation on that continent.¡± Nestar nodded at Belmond¡¯s opinion and gave orders, looking at Albert. ¡°I heard that the magic society is hoping for a revival through the war between the Baroque and Libiya. Take the men you can use and lay down some groundwork. However, refrain from acting too openly.¡± ¡°Understood, Father.¡± When the other elders along with Albert and Belmond retreated, Nestar left the room to look at the undead. They didn¡¯t know when Arsene would return. However, it was necessary to prepare everything once he returned. Chapter 451 - Darkness Blooms Once Again 2 A few days later, Arsene returned to Thanatos Island. When they heard of his return, Nestar, who was half asleep, went to meet him without even dressing properly. ¡°You have come, Ancestor?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nestar and the other warlocks smiled at the blunt response from Arsene. Nestar carefully asked, ¡°Since you didn¡¯t contact us, we were all wondering. If something happened over¡­¡± ¡°Kul. Tired. I¡¯ll. Tell. You. Later.¡± When Arsene immediately avoided answering the question, Nestar became more curious. However, Arsene¡¯s mood seemed to be bad, so he decided to wait until he was called privately. And the next day¡­ Arsene called for Nestar. ¡°Undead. Test. Was. A success. However. Lost. Everything. That. I took.¡± ¡°Huh? How did that even happen?¡± Nestar, who was shocked, got up from his seat. It was because the undead, which Arsene had taken with him, were strong enough to erase an entire nation. Arsene explained to him everything that happened at the Zegal Clan. ¡°Well¡­ so, Marquis Luke had been to the Southern Continent and learned dark magic?¡± ¡°Kul. It is. More. Shocking. Than. Anything. Else. For. Him. To learn. Dark. Magic. And to. Be on. Par with. Me.¡± ¡°If so, then he must surely have the legacy of Saymon in his hands.¡± ¡°Yes. His. Estate. Has. The. Devil. King¡¯s Castle. which. Belonged to. Saymon. There. Is a. possibility. For. Him. To. Have it.¡± In fact, the warlocks had long been anticipating that there might be a dark magic book that belonged to Saymon in the Devil King¡¯s castle. That was why Arsene had tried to get the Devil King¡¯s Castle under him by using Terin, the manager of the Alon Chamber. Surely, it was more important for Arsene to establish the mana field below the castle than the legacy as it wasn¡¯t certain if the castle really held the legacy or not. ¡°Anyway. That, Luke. Destroyed. Undead. I made. But. Not my opponent. The problem. Is. Nanda.¡± ¡°Nanda?¡± Nestar was confused by the name that he was hearing for the first time. ¡°A monk. From. The Arahan. Has. Skills. Which. I never. Heard. Of.¡± The moment Nanda came, Arsene got quickly moved to the Northern Ice Region. Upon hearing Arsene¡¯s words, Nestar seemed surprised. ¡°Sorry? Isn¡¯t that something that is impossible with white and dark magic?¡± No matter how long the teleport would be performed with magic, it was impossible to cross the oceans and continents. If it had been possible, then the trade between the two continents would have been active a long time ago. ¡°Right. So. I didn¡¯t. know. About. It. And. I was. Angry. However, I cooled. My head. And found. More.¡± With just one move of his hand, they got sent to a distant place. And if Nanda acted more, what else could be done? Nanda said that he hated killing, yet he didn¡¯t have any reason to not defeat Arsene. However, Arsene didn¡¯t believe his words. Because of that, he couldn¡¯t even retaliate immediately. ¡°In the. Past. Arahan. Spoke. About. Physical. Pain. Sh*t talks. About letting. Go of desires. Same. As divine. Power. but. Seeing. Directly. It. Is. Different.¡± ¡°Was that the real power of God?¡± ¡°Kul. That. Even. I don¡¯t. know. But. Needed. To. Go. To. Bharat. And. Investigate. Arahan.¡± That was why Arsene came back late to Thanatos. However, Arsene wasn¡¯t able to get any satisfactory information from Bharat. It was because there were too many things that were lying around about the Arahan doctrines of enlightening one¡¯s self. Everything spoke about empty vessels and virtual thoughts, and the desires in people¡¯s minds. ¡°In the. End. This. Is what. Happened. How. I can¡¯t. die through. Dark magic, like that, the ones. With God¡¯s power. too. Have. Weird. Powers.¡± Even after accepting that, Arsene¡¯s mind wasn¡¯t calm. It was because of the realization that there were people in the world who could interfere with his work; those who could threaten his existence. After hearing Arsene¡¯s explanation, Nestar gulped. ¡°Then we need to find a way to win against that enemy.¡± ¡°Obviously, but. first. Need to. Clean. Those. Who. Are trying. To tie. Up my. Legs.¡± Arsene spoke those words with a fierce glance. ¡°So. First. Target. The descendant. Of Rakan. That, jerk.¡± ¡°Are you talking about Luke de Rakan? He is currently the King of a nation. In addition, he has a strong relationship with the Holy Empire and¡­¡± Nestar tried to speak more. However, Arsene stopped him. ¡°Even. More. Important. To pull. Out. The weed. Which. Turned. Into a. Thorn. Need. To take. Him. Down. Before the thorn. Grows.¡± Arsene wasn¡¯t stubborn without measures. He already thought about how he could take him out, and he had a good card in his hands. ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul, I wonder. How. The. Retainers. Of. Rakan. Would. React. Seeing. It?¡± His card was to use the body of Rakan himself. What would happen if the warrior, Rakan, whom they all worshipped, appeared in front of them? Maybe a tremendous shock would shake the newly founded Symphonia Kingdom. ¡°KulKulKulKul!¡± Arsene¡¯s cheerful smile filled the room. Chapter 452 - Darkness Blooms Once Again 3 Over the recent days, Emperor Rudolf wasn¡¯t able to subdue his raging anger. The reason was the lack of support he was getting for taking down the Libiya Kingdom. According to his plan, he should have already crushed the Libiya Kingdom and advanced over to the Symphonia Kingdom by establishing anxiousness in the hearts of his enemies. However, the reality was that he couldn¡¯t even take down the Libiya Kingdom. Kwang! ¡°How long are we going to fight with the bastards of the west? Are the wizards and knights of Baroque so incompetent?!¡± Rudolf cried out loud by fisting the tables and shaking his head in denial, Count Voltas and Count Ferrero were gathered in the office. ¡°We apologize, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Please blame us!¡± ¡°God! You men don¡¯t even move, how do I even act?!¡± Despite the heavy criticism from the Emperor, everyone in the room were silent. During that moment, an old wizard seated in the corner opened his mouth. ¡°Your Majesty, how about this?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°There is an ancient heritage that Your Majesty was handed over to me in the past.¡± The old wizard was the Meister of the Imperial Magic Tower, Kepler. He was recently re-employed after he had already been pushed out for not being to remake the Emperor¡¯s Gigant. When the last summoning of the demon failed in the Imperial palace, Rudolf had killed off all the warlocks he had been secretly nurturing. And it was Kepler whom he considered for using the warlocks left behind things. And Rudolf helped him by bringing in some of the warlock¡¯s items and research materials and instructed Kepler to continue his studies. ¡°There was a tightly sealed reagent among the ancient heritages given by Your Majesty. I have been researching the reagents for a while, and I have come across a surprising fact.¡± Knowing that it was a reagent, he conducted a careful study on it and soon realized that it was a poison that held a disease named ¡®Vers¡¯, which had swept the Rhodesia Continent during the Mado era. According to the remaining ancient records, the soldiers were suffering and the highly contagious disease reduced the population of the continent by a third. ¡°The high wizards and the fairies during that time went in search for the cure, however, there was no potion that could cure the disease. Even the divine power too couldn¡¯t cure it.¡± ¡°So, what are you intending to say?¡± Kepler, with a sneaky smile, answered Rudolf¡¯s question. ¡°Let¡¯s spread this poison to the soldiers of the enemy castles and fort. Then the enemies would lose their force and power to fight against us, and eventually succumb.¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be done!¡± Listening to Marquis Kepler¡¯s plan, Count Ferrero, the commander of the Central Army jumped up. ¡°It is highly dangerous to spread a disease that can¡¯t be treated! We will end up killing not just the enemy but innocent people too. And if it comes to our side¡­¡± Then, it is nothing but a released catastrophe! However, Rudolf¡¯s thoughts were different. With a serious expression. ¡°So what are a few people to die? In the end, they were the ones who betrayed me for the enemy.¡± ¡°But, Your Majesty, they were your people. And they didn¡¯t join the revolt because they wanted to.¡± ¡°Then, can we subdue the Libiya Kingdom with our current force?¡± At the cold words of Rudolf, Count Ferrero was silenced. There have been many reasons why they haven¡¯t been able to attack the Libiya Kingdom, but the most important factor was the rapid growth of power in the LIbiya because of the monsters, which the Baroque didn¡¯t have. And with Reichard known as a Dragonian, the large group following him were strong enough to take down the personal knights and SSS knights of the Emperor. ¡°Are there any other objections? Well, if there¡¯s more I will kick you out.¡± Rudolf¡¯s threat forced everyone to stay silent. It was because kicking out didn¡¯t mean they would be pushed out of the discussion. They would lose their title and their position, however, with the recent mood of Rudolf, they could be killed. ¡®Even if that is the case, this is a crazy act!¡¯ Count Ferrero bowed his head in dissatisfaction, however, Rudolf ignored it. It was because he didn¡¯t know what kind of anger will bring upon him because of his stubbornness. Luke was busy as the royal of Symphonia Kingdom, and after he was done with the work¡­ There wasn¡¯t much work in the lordship, however, there seemed to be a lot of work and care to be taken in the development and management of a nation. ¡®Hugh, I need to show to the people how ambitious their king is.¡¯ Normal people, when they think about a king, usually think of him as the one being served by beautiful women in the palace. However, the series of reality was different, it was reviews and payments all in piles of a document. Of course, Luke surely could enjoy a lot of entertainment than anyone else in the palace. However, to settle his 500-year long grudge and to establish a world which was made of his ideals and dreams, he had to avoid all the unnecessary activities. Even then, he wanted to be free from the pile of documents he had to review. ¡°The Republicans aren¡¯t so wrong to say that they want an equal distribution of power. considering how the world is a lot more complicated than the past, both politics and administration have to be improved.¡± After becoming the king, Luke realized that the current feudal political system and administration structure wasn¡¯t suitable in a society where commerce and industry have developed and had become widespread than the past. Nevertheless, the reason for no change in the thoughts of the ruling Emperor¡¯s, kings, and nobles was simple. Their search for taxing the people to fill in their pockets, or for the military was well known. ¡®The Volga Republic managed to withstand even after being isolated from the continent¡¯s nations because their system and their political administration are efficient. Symphonia needs to change like that.¡¯ The problem for Symphonia was that the number of nobles reluctant for the change was numerous. Rakan¡¯s lords were likely to be influenced by Luke, however, the problem was the former lords of Milton, they were still loyal to Luke, and were reluctant to pass any law stating a change in the noble system. ¡°I am envious of Reina. In Holy Arthenia Empire, there is no one who would dare to go against her¡­¡± Surely she had a lot of opposition, but the people and nobles of the Empire believed in the miracle power of the woman and considered her to be the messenger of God. Because of that, even those suspicions about her origin were able to die down fast, and they managed to reform every policy they wanted to pass. ¡®But, is Reina doing well?¡¯ Thinking about her political stance, Luke thought of her and looked at the ring on his hand. The figure of Reina on their wedding day came to his mind. During that time, he noticed that she was more beautiful and happy than he had ever seen her. Recalling her bright smile, Luke¡¯s dark expression and exhaustion from the state affairs quickly vanished. ¡°Honey, what are you thinking?¡± Luke suddenly looked up to the person who spoke with a familiar voice. Reina was there dressed in a white dress with her usual gold embroidery. ¡°Hohoho. Were you by any chance thinking¡­? Kuek!¡± Luke, who got up, caught Reina by her throat. Reina, who was troubled, soon turned into a cat. ¡°Don¡¯t joke around, Sebastian.¡± ¡°I, I am sorry, Your Majesty. I, I just wanted to soothe your lonely mood since I am loyal¡­¡± ¡°All you have to do is do your given task perfectly. That is the only way you can prove your loyalty to me.¡± ¡°Yes, yes! I understand! Please let me go!¡± The demon Sebastian kept rubbing his palms with tears in his eyes. Sebastian looked very cute in that way, however, Luke didn¡¯t want to go soft on him. Sebastian was formally appointed to the throne the moment Luke was crowned. Every task was the same as before. When Luke will be out, Sebastian will help in the execution of Luke¡¯s chores, and act as the representative for the king in human form, and for 10 minutes in Luke¡¯s disguise if anything urgent happens. However, maybe because he was in the position closest to the king, more people bowed to him and this only made Sebastian get arrogant. The previous mischief he played with Luke too was caused by the swelling up of his pride due to the amount of respect he had been getting from the others. ¡°That is alright, but what is happening? I remember telling you to not come for me unless you have work, right?¡± Asked Luke, with his hands still around Sebastian. ¡°Yes, that¡­¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t come here to play pranks on me, right?¡± When Sebastian hesitated to answer, Luke snapped his fingers which made a purple light flash, indicating that he would blow Sebastian. Seeing the magic, Sebastian replied. ¡°The Baroque Imperial has sent some extraordinary information!¡± ¡°The Baroque? What is it?¡± Luke narrowed his eyes as he stopped using magic. Sighing out of relief, Sebastian reported the incoming information. ¡°It was said that Emperor Rudolf will release some poisonous drug on the soldiers of Libiya and aim for the war when the number of the soldiers in Libiya will educe.¡± ¡°Uh, that sly bastard. He surely is the descendant of that man.¡± Luke, recalled the time when he was Saymon, 500 years back. During that time, the ancestor of Rudolf, the Duke of Baroque, deliberately spread a plague to the villages and towns on the sides of the roads to stop the Devil¡¯s legion. The epidemic infected humans and fairies, and the devil¡¯s legions had only a small number of them. The Duke didn¡¯t just release the disease on the clothes of the men living in slums, he also released the blood of an infected man into the well, which was the drinking source of the people during that time. Luke, who at that time, managed to get the information beforehand, avoided taking his army in that direction. However, hundreds to thousands of innocent people had suffered due to the epidemic. The Duke of Baroque who committed such a sin of blatantly spreading a plague said that it was the act of the Devil King Saymon. ¡°UH, Your Majesty. This isn¡¯t something which can be considered as a sly or cunning. This is madness.¡± ¡°Madness?¡± ¡°Yes, because it was said that the plague which Rudolf is trying to spread is in Vers.¡± ¡°Wh, what was it?¡± Luke who heard of that name couldn¡¯t hold in his shock. Vers. An epidemic that swept through the Rhodesia continent during the end of the Mado era. Named after the first infected, the disease critically damaged the people of the Mado era, which soon lost the war with the disease and collapsed. It was called as the ¡®punishment of the gods¡¯ as it had no proper cure and no divine power could work on it¡ªthat the disease took the lives of millions of humans and fairies. It was so contagious that people had escaped from the cities and towers during that time and ran away to the mountains and wide forests. And no agriculture or industry couldn¡¯t be maintained, and people died from starvation due to food shortage. The entire society collapsed, violence took over and many scholars and wizards died from hunger as they entered insanity. ¡®Rudolf! He is really crazy!¡¯ In the course of investigating the ancient ruins, Luke read the records of ancient people who wrote regarding Vers. The disease itself was terrifying, however, conditions in which the era collapsed was even more horrifying. But to use that disease! Sebastian considering it as madness wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°Your Majesty might be aware of this disease, but you might not be aware of this. Vers is a disease which spread in the devildom too.¡± ¡°Even in the Devildom?¡± ¡°Yes, in the ancient times, a warlock who had summoned the demons had asked for a treatment. Well, even the demons were unable to heal.¡± The problem was that Vers got transmitted to the summoned demon. The demon who wasn¡¯t aware of the transmission returned back to the Devildom, which led to an outbreak in the Devildom. ¡°It was so serious during that time, that the seven demon kings who ruled the Devildom, couldn¡¯t deal with the spread and gathered to discuss collective measures.¡± ¡°Did you demons find the cure?¡± ¡°Not at all, we all had to raise our hands to the sky and ask the new world for help.¡± The Devildom and the New World weren¡¯t in a hostile situation with each other as the humans knew. Although they were deprived of their desires, the demons too were the creations of El Kassel, and there were many high ranking demons who followed the god. ¡°At that time, an angel from the New World said that the disease was made in the Abaron Empire.¡± At that time, humans were revolting against the fairies and were said to be creating a ¡®weapon¡¯ under process, however, it leaked out by an accident. ¡®Oh my, they got hold of such a thing!¡¯ The important thing was that some crazy guy had captured the poison and Rudolf had it in his possession and had plans to use it on Libiya Kingdom. He had to hurry and inform this over to the Libiya Kingdom. If something went wrong, it wouldn¡¯t just be the Libiya Kingdom but the entire continent which would suffer. ¡°We have to inform the Libiya Kingdom.¡± ¡°Of course. I need to go and tell this myself.¡± ¡°Your Majesty will go?¡± ¡°Yes, I did promise to have a summit between the two nations, so it wouldn¡¯t matter if I went there earlier.¡± Luke spoke to Sebastian. ¡°Tell your slaves to keep an eye on the trends of Baroque. If the Libiya Kingdom wasn¡¯t able to take care of it, we will have to enter.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Once Sebastian went out, Luke was ready to set off for the Libiya Kingdom. As things were escalating faster, he began to move quickly. Chapter 453 - Counter Use 1 Luke was busy as the royal of Symphonia Kingdom, and after he was done with the work¡­ There wasn¡¯t much work in the lordship, however, there seemed to be a lot of work and care to be taken in the development and management of a nation. ¡®Hugh, I need to show to the people how ambitious their king is.¡¯ Normal people, when they think about a king, usually think of him as the one being served by beautiful women in the palace. However, the series of reality was different, it was reviews and payments all in piles of a document. Of course, Luke surely could enjoy a lot of entertainment than anyone else in the palace. However, to settle his 500-year long grudge and to establish a world which was made of his ideals and dreams, he had to avoid all the unnecessary activities. Even then, he wanted to be free from the pile of documents he had to review. ¡°The Republicans aren¡¯t so wrong to say that they want an equal distribution of power. considering how the world is a lot more complicated than the past, both politics and administration have to be improved.¡± After becoming the king, Luke realized that the current feudal political system and administration structure wasn¡¯t suitable in a society where commerce and industry have developed and had become widespread than the past. Nevertheless, the reason for no change in the thoughts of the ruling Emperor¡¯s, kings, and nobles was simple. Their search for taxing the people to fill in their pockets, or for the military was well known. ¡®The Volga Republic managed to withstand even after being isolated from the continent¡¯s nations because their system and their political administration are efficient. Symphonia needs to change like that.¡¯ The problem for Symphonia was that the number of nobles reluctant for the change was numerous. Rakan¡¯s lords were likely to be influenced by Luke, however, the problem was the former lords of Milton, they were still loyal to Luke, and were reluctant to pass any law stating a change in the noble system. ¡°I am envious of Reina. In Holy Arthenia Empire, there is no one who would dare to go against her¡­¡± Surely she had a lot of opposition, but the people and nobles of the Empire believed in the miracle power of the woman and considered her to be the messenger of God. Because of that, even those suspicions about her origin were able to die down fast, and they managed to reform every policy they wanted to pass. ¡®But, is Reina doing well?¡¯ Thinking about her political stance, Luke thought of her and looked at the ring on his hand. The figure of Reina on their wedding day came to his mind. During that time, he noticed that she was more beautiful and happy than he had ever seen her. Recalling her bright smile, Luke¡¯s dark expression and exhaustion from the state affairs quickly vanished. ¡°Honey, what are you thinking?¡± Luke suddenly looked up to the person who spoke with a familiar voice. Reina was there dressed in a white dress with her usual gold embroidery. ¡°Hohoho. Were you by any chance thinking¡­? Kuek!¡± Luke, who got up, caught Reina by her throat. Reina, who was troubled, soon turned into a cat. ¡°Don¡¯t joke around, Sebastian.¡± ¡°I, I am sorry, Your Majesty. I, I just wanted to soothe your lonely mood since I am loyal¡­¡± ¡°All you have to do is do your given task perfectly. That is the only way you can prove your loyalty to me.¡± ¡°Yes, yes! I understand! Please let me go!¡± The demon Sebastian kept rubbing his palms with tears in his eyes. Sebastian looked very cute in that way, however, Luke didn¡¯t want to go soft on him. Sebastian was formally appointed to the throne the moment Luke was crowned. Every task was the same as before. When Luke will be out, Sebastian will help in the execution of Luke¡¯s chores, and act as the representative for the king in human form, and for 10 minutes in Luke¡¯s disguise if anything urgent happens. However, maybe because he was in the position closest to the king, more people bowed to him and this only made Sebastian get arrogant. The previous mischief he played with Luke too was caused by the swelling up of his pride due to the amount of respect he had been getting from the others. ¡°That is alright, but what is happening? I remember telling you to not come for me unless you have work, right?¡± Asked Luke, with his hands still around Sebastian. ¡°Yes, that¡­¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t come here to play pranks on me, right?¡± When Sebastian hesitated to answer, Luke snapped his fingers which made a purple light flash, indicating that he would blow Sebastian. Seeing the magic, Sebastian replied. ¡°The Baroque Imperial has sent some extraordinary information!¡± ¡°The Baroque? What is it?¡± Luke narrowed his eyes as he stopped using magic. Sighing out of relief, Sebastian reported the incoming information. ¡°It was said that Emperor Rudolf will release some poisonous drug on the soldiers of Libiya and aim for the war when the number of the soldiers in Libiya will educe.¡± ¡°Uh, that sly bastard. He surely is the descendant of that man.¡± Luke, recalled the time when he was Saymon, 500 years back. During that time, the ancestor of Rudolf, the Duke of Baroque, deliberately spread a plague to the villages and towns on the sides of the roads to stop the Devil¡¯s legion. The epidemic infected humans and fairies, and the devil¡¯s legions had only a small number of them. The Duke didn¡¯t just release the disease on the clothes of the men living in slums, he also released the blood of an infected man into the well, which was the drinking source of the people during that time. Luke, who at that time, managed to get the information beforehand, avoided taking his army in that direction. However, hundreds to thousands of innocent people had suffered due to the epidemic. The Duke of Baroque who committed such a sin of blatantly spreading a plague said that it was the act of the Devil King Saymon. ¡°UH, Your Majesty. This isn¡¯t something which can be considered as a sly or cunning. This is madness.¡± ¡°Madness?¡± ¡°Yes, because it was said that the plague which Rudolf is trying to spread is in Vers.¡± ¡°Wh, what was it?¡± Luke who heard of that name couldn¡¯t hold in his shock. Vers. An epidemic that swept through the Rhodesia continent during the end of the Mado era. Named after the first infected, the disease critically damaged the people of the Mado era, which soon lost the war with the disease and collapsed. It was called as the ¡®punishment of the gods¡¯ as it had no proper cure and no divine power could work on it¡ªthat the disease took the lives of millions of humans and fairies. It was so contagious that people had escaped from the cities and towers during that time and ran away to the mountains and wide forests. And no agriculture or industry couldn¡¯t be maintained, and people died from starvation due to food shortage. The entire society collapsed, violence took over and many scholars and wizards died from hunger as they entered insanity. ¡®Rudolf! He is really crazy!¡¯ In the course of investigating the ancient ruins, Luke read the records of ancient people who wrote regarding Vers. The disease itself was terrifying, however, conditions in which the era collapsed was even more horrifying. But to use that disease! Sebastian considering it as madness wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°Your Majesty might be aware of this disease, but you might not be aware of this. Vers is a disease which spread in the devildom too.¡± ¡°Even in the Devildom?¡± ¡°Yes, in the ancient times, a warlock who had summoned the demons had asked for a treatment. Well, even the demons were unable to heal.¡± The problem was that Vers got transmitted to the summoned demon. The demon who wasn¡¯t aware of the transmission returned back to the Devildom, which led to an outbreak in the Devildom. ¡°It was so serious during that time, that the seven demon kings who ruled the Devildom, couldn¡¯t deal with the spread and gathered to discuss collective measures.¡± ¡°Did you demons find the cure?¡± ¡°Not at all, we all had to raise our hands to the sky and ask the new world for help.¡± The Devildom and the New World weren¡¯t in a hostile situation with each other as the humans knew. Although they were deprived of their desires, the demons too were the creations of El Kassel, and there were many high ranking demons who followed the god. ¡°At that time, an angel from the New World said that the disease was made in the Abaron Empire.¡± At that time, humans were revolting against the fairies and were said to be creating a ¡®weapon¡¯ under process, however, it leaked out by an accident. ¡®Oh my, they got hold of such a thing!¡¯ The important thing was that some crazy guy had captured the poison and Rudolf had it in his possession and had plans to use it on Libiya Kingdom. He had to hurry and inform this over to the Libiya Kingdom. If something went wrong, it wouldn¡¯t just be the Libiya Kingdom but the entire continent which would suffer. ¡°We have to inform the Libiya Kingdom.¡± ¡°Of course. I need to go and tell this myself.¡± ¡°Your Majesty will go?¡± ¡°Yes, I did promise to have a summit between the two nations, so it wouldn¡¯t matter if I went there earlier.¡± Luke spoke to Sebastian. ¡°Tell your slaves to keep an eye on the trends of Baroque. If the Libiya Kingdom wasn¡¯t able to take care of it, we will have to enter.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Once Sebastian went out, Luke was ready to set off for the Libiya Kingdom. As things were escalating faster, he began to move quickly. Chapter 454 - Counter Use 2 Once they were ready, Luke took a few of his men to the city of Felipe, the capital of the Libiya Kingdom. Since it was just a few men along with him, all Luke had to do was Teleportation magic and Fly magic, so it took just a couple of days for them to arrive. ¡°Y-your Majesty of the Symphonia Kingdom!¡± As the envoy of Symphonia fell from the sky, the soldiers who were contacted by the guards appeared in front of the royal palace only to be startled. Luke announced that he was going to visit there just before he departed from the palace. However, the men of Libiya didn¡¯t expect them to arrive so quickly. However, he quickly recovered his composure and pointed to the inside of the palace. ¡°Please follow me. I will guide you, Your Majesty.¡± Luke¡¯s party followed the man into the palace. With human soldiers and monsters like orc and trolls on the borders, Symphonia¡¯s guard knight¡¯s commander, Hwang Bo-sung, exclaimed while looking at it. ¡°Your Majesty, this Reichard¡­ seems to be doing good.¡± Even though he had lived his life in the Southern Continent and only came recently to the Rhodesia Continent, he knew that monsters were incompatible with humans. It was because of the innate instincts that were deeply embedded in the monster against humans. Therefore, when a monster meets a human in their path, they would attack unconditionally. However, to suppress such nature of the monsters and turn them into civil beings alongside humans, surely, Reichard¡¯s ability was commendable. ¡°In addition to controlling the monsters, King Reichard is also a man with exceptional forces.¡± ¡°Forces? How good?¡± ¡°Well, at least to the level of a Sword Sage.¡± A few years ago, when Reichard was still living as Shaikan, he caused a monster wave in the Navarre Duchy, and Luke was the one that was sent there to subdue the monsters under the orders of the Emperor. At that time, he was able to cross swords with Reichard. However, Luke wasn¡¯t able to beat the man even after using both dark magic and his demon abilities. His Rune Knight skills seemed to have no effect on the man as well. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like Reichard could beat Luke either, but his power as a dragon must have changed during the time. ¡®How strong did he get by now?¡¯ Without fail, the man must have become very strong. In the past, Luke witnessed Reichard¡¯s hate toward the army sent by Emperor Rudolf, Sword Emperor, to take down the monsters. ¡°Sword Sage? I want to fight him once.¡± Hwang Bo-sung, who wanted to raise his Fist Master¡¯s level, wanted to fight Reichard if an opportunity was presented to him. ¡°Huh, Count Hwang Bo-sung, your skills won¡¯t last after 10 strikes.¡± Belfair, who had come there as Luke¡¯s attendant, spoke. ¡°Is he that strong?¡± ¡°Yes, due to my rotten luck, I met this man and almost died.¡± Belfair had gone against Reichard. To be more precise, he fought with monsters during his own personal training and got hurt after getting hit by Reichard, who came out suddenly. And he did try to battle against Hwang Bo-sung a while ago. That was why Belfair was able to know the difference between the two. Hwang Bo-sung, who was strong, could never win against Reichard who was a dragonian. However, Belfair¡¯s words only sparked the desire in Hwang Bo-sung. ¡°Huhuhu, that made me want to fight him even more now!¡± When he was in the Southern Continent, he never knew that there were such strong people in the Rhodesia Continent. Although he was deceived by his half brother for taking over the clan, he thought that staying in Rhodesia was a good thing. ¡®Oh my, this puncher isn¡¯t going to back down.¡¯ Seeing Hwang Bo-sung smile while bumping his fists, Belfair shook his head. Having such conversations, they passed through the garden then a corridor and entered a building that the King was using as his office. According to the guard, the main officials and Reichard gathered there to discuss their national affairs. ¡°Since Your Majesty Luke¡¯s visit is so sudden, we were unable to prepare ahead. Even though this might seem lacking, we hope you understand.¡± ¡°Ah, there is no need. We understand.¡± When Luke nodded, the guide pointed to the office. ¡°Your Majesty, the King of Symphonia has come.¡± ¡°Bring him in.¡± With a thick voice, the door opened. Luke walked in confidently. He looked at Shaikan, well, Reichard who got up from his seat. ¡®Hmm, so this was the face he was hiding behind the mask? I thought he was a complete savage during that time.¡¯ ¡®He is the king of Symphonia? The descendant of Rakan?¡¯ Unlike Luke who was in his thoughts, Shaikan was quite surprised. Someone with the name of Marquis Luke was rumored to be extraordinary, and there was the warlock he fought against in the Navarre Duchy. Shaikan looked at the man in front of him. Peculiar energy flowed from Luke, which was very similar to the warlock whom he met. ¡®Wasn¡¯t there a rumor that Luke de Rakan was learning dark magic? Well, was this why? But this doesn¡¯t seem like a useless rumor.¡¯ If he could take down the Baroque Empire, Shaikan was willing to hold hands with even the demon or warlocks. With such thoughts, Reichard welcomed Luke with a happy expression. ¡°Welcome, King Luke.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Your Majesty.¡± The two of them greeted each other and sat down. The attendants, who followed Luke, went to the empty seats while the others stood. ¡°I heard from Count Felipe that the Pope gave you the crown? I really envy you.¡± ¡°I have a personal connection with the Holy Empire. By the way, on the way here, it seemed like monsters and humans are living in harmony. It looked really nice and amazing.¡± After a certain amount of time, Shaikan had proposed to sign a cooperation and mutual defense treaty with the two nations. ¡°A mutual defense treaty?¡± ¡°Exactly. In case the Baroque Empire wage war, the treaty will state that the other nation would actively help the other when under invasion. How is that?¡± It was a bit worse than the Alliance treaty of attack and defense. However, the conditions weren¡¯t bad. In the end, both nations were created to overthrow the Baroque. And once the Baroque Empire was removed, there would be no reason for the two to abide by the treaty. Also, economic cooperation met the interests of the two nations as well. There was much to exchange between the Libiya and Symphonia since one had too many plains and the other had too many rugged mountains. ¡°The trade between the two will have no taxes.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Reichard seemed puzzled. ¡°You mean no tax at all?¡± ¡°That is right. We shouldn¡¯t be burdening a comrade when the common enemy is Baroque, right?¡± Shaikan, who contemplated briefly, nodded his head. ¡°Fine. Since we need to remove the thorns, let¡¯s write the treaty right away.¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do that.¡± After the agreement, the two Kings started with the documentation. The terms and clauses were all included in the documents of both sides. After confirming the drafted document, Luke and Shaikan signed on both sheets with their seals. ¡°And with this, we have now become allies. Tonight, we will have a party to celebrate this, so please make a room for King Luke.¡± ¡°Sure. But before that, I have something that I personally want to share with His Majesty.¡± ¡°Haha, sure. That was what I wanted too.¡± Shaikan and Luke got up and headed to the personal office. The two entered the office away from their attendants. Once they were inside, Luke immediately placed Silent magic in the room. After taking a series of actions, he talked to Shaikan in a more stern voice than before, ¡°Now we can talk comfortably.¡± ¡°Huhuhu. You must have been very uncomfortable. Living with secrets that not everyone should know,¡± said Shaikan. ¡°Right. I wasn¡¯t born as royalty like someone in here.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Shaikan refuted with a smile. ¡°What are you talking about? You have the blood of Rakan, whom everyone is envious of. However, if you keep living under the shadow of your ancestors, we will stand still.¡± ¡°Right. There is a huge problem coming around. Something that¡¯s beyond your imagination.¡± The words changed. Luke had no intention of telling others what the truth was. If he did, it would be the reversal of the divine destiny and fate would be swayed. Shaikan spoke as he had no intention of asking any more questions. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about your secrets. I have nothing to benefit from troubling you.¡± ¡®Huh, does he plan on playing hard to get?¡¯ Luke had no idea as to what Shaikan¡¯s intentions were. But until the Baroque fell, it was certain that Shaikan wouldn¡¯t create problems for Luke because doing that would benefit him and the Libiya kingdom. ¡°But what brings you here suddenly? I do know that the state of Symphonia isn¡¯t so at stake.¡± The Baroque Empire constantly attacked the borders of Libiya. However, it didn¡¯t cross sides with Symphonia. The Baroque Empire wasn¡¯t strong enough to fight with two kingdoms at the same time, and since Shaikan was a royal lineage to the Baroque, he was considered to be more dangerous than Luke. ¡°Of course, my nation isn¡¯t at stake. But, your country is¡­ well, the entire Rhodesia could be thrown into ruins.¡± ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know what you mean, but it seems a bit exaggerated.¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s see if you think of this as exaggeration after listening to the whole story.¡± Luke told everything about the plot that Rudolf had planned out. At first, Shaikan didn¡¯t seem so concerned, but with the concrete details and evidences, the glow on his face disappeared. ¡°That man¡­!¡± ¡°As I said, it isn¡¯t just the Libiya Kingdom. Even if you think about the future of the continent, that needs to be stopped. You and I joined forces too.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Shaikan nodded. His eyes were a lot serious than before. ¡°We will look into it, and we¡¯ll plan something out. So please be prepared for anything.¡± ¡°I understand. Thank you for the information.¡± After talking with Shaikan, Luke unlocked the Silent magic. Luke finished all his business. However, he wasn¡¯t heading back right away. He was going to enjoy the banquet prepared by Shaikan while staying in the royal palace for 2 to 3 days. Chapter 455 - Counter Use 3 After the banquet prepared to celebrate Luke¡¯s visit, Shaikan had secretly convened the key figures of the kingdom, including Duke Butler, late at night. ¡°Why have you called for me this late?¡± ¡°Well, isn¡¯t the offensive strike of the Baroque Empire on the verge of breaking down¡­?¡± The key nobles gathered in doubt. However, they were shocked at the information Shaikan gave them. ¡°H-he plans on spreading the plague to our kingdom?¡± ¡°Rudolf, that man! How can he?!¡± They were all shocked and raging with anger. And among them, the emotions of Duke Butler, who was in charge of the military were running wild. It was because such things were never done during his time as a knight. ¡°Everyone calm down. The disease of Vers hasn¡¯t been spread yet. We can overcome the crisis by blocking it all in advance.¡± The meeting was initiated to counter the despicable attempt of the Baroque Empire. And accordingly, the nobles had come up with various defensive measures. ¡°We need to strengthen the inspection at the border area. Well, how could we block it completely?¡± ¡°If we give out the signs of noticing their moves, the enemies will revise their plans. It is important for us to get more information from the spies than to give out our moves.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. The King of Symphonia has promised to provide us with information.¡± There was one person who kept silent while everyone was offering their ideas and opinions. It was the representative of the 5th manor and was the current member of the royal family, Margareta. Her love for Luke and her ambitions were on par with everyone. She was actively committed to the Libiya Kingdom and took over as its medical doctor. But, however, this time, she was assigned as the aide of the King of the new nation and was assigned to entertain him. She promised to herself that she would make Luke fall on his feet for her. However, the reality seemed to have swayed. It was because she was the one bowing in front of him. What was even more embarrassing for her was the fact that Luke didn¡¯t even seem to care about her. When she met up with him, he could have at least treated her warmly for knowing her. ¡®Tch, I was thinking of strengthening Libiya to devour the Rakan estates. Well, the Symphonia Kingdom¡­ But the two formed an alliance¡­¡¯ Whatever the case was, that was how things had turned out. She was feeling resentful because of how stupid the King of Milton got defeated. Mayers faced the Grenada Navy that was defeated by the weakest navy defense of Rakan. ¡®If those men did it right, that Luke would have been quivering. Rather, he built a nation and received Reichard¡¯s attention!¡¯ As she was biting on her nails, Reichard spoke to her, ¡°What is the Minister of Medicine thinking?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± ¡°This might not have anything to do with your role, but if you do have a good plan, don¡¯t hesitate to share it.¡± Her only job was to conduct royal ceremonies or entertain foreign delegations. Nevertheless, Shaikan had asked for Margareta¡¯s opinion because he knew she had huge power. Seducing the lords and making them join Libiya, she was very good at attracting and manipulating people with magic, and she was the one who held the legacy of Arachne Magic Tower. In fact, the position was placed with the intention of demonstrating her abilities. Shaikan intended to use her abilities which would be useful when it came to extracting the information from the Baroque Empire or to deceive or mediate matters when things turn hard. Margareta, who was asked out of nowhere, began to think up of a good idea. ¡°Your Majesty, if we could intercept the virus which the Baroque is trying to spread, what would you do?¡± ¡°I will get rid of it.¡± When she heard Shaikan¡¯s obvious answer, Margareta smiled. Her smile was beautiful. However, it was like a dark flower that was surrounded with thorns of poison. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that it is a waste to get rid of it?¡± ¡°Waste? Don¡¯t tell¡­¡± ¡°I think we can use it to attack the Baroque Empire.¡± Margareta¡¯s proposal quickly disrupted the peace in the room. Some men thought of it to be worthwhile while the others claimed it to be high risk and immoral. ¡°Quiet, everyone!¡± At Shaikan¡¯s shout, all the fuss faded. With their lips sealed tight, they waited for their King to decide. ¡°Princess Margareta, I heard that the disease is highly contagious, and there is no cure for it. Wouldn¡¯t that affect our kingdom?¡± ¡°It could but would you really believe the words of King Luke right away?¡± When Margareta asked that, Shaikan couldn¡¯t reply. He decided to form an alliance with Luke. However, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could trust the man¡¯s words. And he did know that Luke was secretly using the dark magic of Saymon. ¡°I will never know what he really is. But, he is a man who is concerned for the future of the continent, and for that very reason, he came here and warned me of the danger, and you think he will betray me?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that he is using our Libiya Kingdom for his gain? He could sneak up on us while we are on the verge of fighting with the Baroque Empire and decide to take Vers?¡± ¡®Well, I can¡¯t be certain that he wouldn¡¯t do that.¡¯ At the words of Margareta, Shaikan nodded his head. Vers was a disease that came at the end of the Mado era. A highly contagious disease could be a great weapon when used on their enemy. And the Libiya was constantly in battle with the Baroque Empire. If the plague operation failed, Rudolf would surely think that it was Libiya¡¯s doing. Rudolf would definitely lose his sanity even more if that happened. ¡°And although the Mado era was great, it won¡¯t surpass the abilities we have in our current time. In terms of medicine or treatment, we have developed a lot further with the use of both ancient traditions and knowledge.¡± The legacy holder of Arachne Magic Tower could be called a medical mage according to the skills she used. Surely, she extorted the mana of the weak men and resorted to evil methods, but she had much higher knowledge when it came to medical ideas than general wizards. ¡°Does that mean that Vers won¡¯t trouble us?¡± ¡°Yes, and even if things take a turn for the worst, I think that with the power of the dragon in you, you can take down all their soldiers.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± At the words of Margaerta, Shaikan fell into deep thought. ¡®It is impossible to let this war continue forever. Even if we do win over Baroque, if it means losing our military, then our victory will be in vain.¡¯ Shaikan mobilized monsters to raise the power of the Libiya Kingdom to a great force in a short amount of time. However, it was still not comparable to the number Baroque had. This was why whenever the enemies came in, Libiya already resorted to defense tactics. They wanted to head over to Nemesis with their army, but their recklessness wouldn¡¯t give them victory. ¡®If the war continues, there will be no time to build up with my dragon power. Forget about conquering, I won¡¯t even be able to pay back the enemy.¡¯ Their impatience led to a great deal of excitement over Margareta¡¯s proposal. Moreover, it seemed like that would put a simple end to Baroque¡¯s troops, and the dragon power was present to clean the remaining soldiers and knights of the enemies. These were what could possibly happen if they could cure Vers with the power of the dragon blood, but Shaikan was sure that he could. It was the blood of the dragon that had pushed Shaikan to this level. Shaikan was meant to die in the wilderness. Therefore, Shaikan believed in the power of the God Dragon. He thought that its power would never betray his expectations and desires. ¡°Nice. Let¡¯s do it according to your suggestions.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, you shouldn¡¯t!¡± When Shaikan agreed to do it, Butler and Felipe opposed strongly. ¡°I know what you are concerned about, but this is a great opportunity to defeat the Baroque Empire. I think it would be a great benefit to us if we can do this without losing our troops.¡± The King¡¯s decision couldn¡¯t be opposed. Even as some nobles were feeling anxious and concerned, Shaikan had already prepared a secret plan to reverse the plans of the Baroque Empire. Chapter 456 - The Capital’s Disaster 1 The night filled with darkness. There were people approaching the Odessa, the border of the Libiya Kingdom. Knights in black robes and faces painted with black ashes. They crossed the wall while the guards had closed their eyes for a moment. When the wizards flew in with the help of the Fly magic, they dropped ropes, and the knights used them and climbed up. Immediately getting down the beneath the walls, they exchanged their eyes and sent hand signals. They were acting like a close-knit group of troops which were infiltrating the enemy estates, however, their targets weren¡¯t barracks and armory storehouse. They moved to the most densely populated residential area along the way, and upon arriving the common well in the residential area, they began to work. ¡°Be careful! One small mistake and we will all die.¡± When the wizard pulled out the bottle from his sleeve, the knight who was looking at him from behind nagged. The knights who belonged to the Duke of Baroque Empire had entered the enemy lines to spread the plague. Just before leaving, they were informed that the disease which the bottle held had effects that were terrifying beyond one¡¯s imagination. Just smelling the liquid was enough to make one feel feverish, and within a few days of time, they would turn dehydrated like a mummy and succumb to death. ¡°I need to get married to my fianc¨¦ next month. I don¡¯t want to get sick of it and die a miserable death, so do it right.¡± ¡°Kukk. Don¡¯t worry. I will do it as safely as possible.¡± The wizard wearing a leather glove and mask which covered his face opened the cap of the bottle very cautiously. No, well, he was trying to open it. Slash! Swooh! Suddenly, something moved in the dark and cut the right arm of the wizard which was holding onto the bottle. ¡°Oh my god!¡± The soulful scream of the wizard filled the silence in the residential area. The wizard who got his right arm cut off swiftly grabbed the falling solution and ran to the alley on the other side. ¡°Who, who was he?¡± ¡°Seek him and catch!¡± Puk! The knight following the wizard suddenly stopped. The knights got stabbed by dozens of blades which came in through the darkness and died immediately. ¡®No, no!¡¯ While troops of the duke panicked, the surroundings turned bright. As magic lamps flashed everywhere, hundreds of soldiers, knights, and monsters appeared into the ally and the roofs of the residential areas. When did they perform for such a siege? They weren¡¯t able to assess what had happened, they were frustrated and in doubt. ¡°Kyakya! We were looking forward to you guys coming in here.¡± The man who cut the wizard¡¯s arm snatched the bottle with a smirk on his face. ¡°Dammit, we were pulled into a trap!¡± When there was no time to escape, the expression of the Baroque troops turned pale. They weren¡¯t able to understand what was going on. The plan they were able to execute wasn¡¯t known to anyone, there were a few people who knew about it, and Emperor Rudolf constantly changed the troops for the plan without revealing their intentions. Then, how did the Libiya kingdom get to know? Who among them had betrayed their troops? In any case, the operation had to be aborted and they fell into the trap. And they had to get out of the city as soon as possible and report it to their heads. ¡°We will deal with them! The wizards head back quickly!¡± ¡°Kuek, we are sorry!¡± The knights pulled their sword bravely and rushed towards the Libiya troops. Meanwhile, the wizards flew to the sky with magic or concealed themselves with invisibility magic. ¡°They are running away. Catch them!¡± The Libiya kingdom was already prepared and wasn¡¯t going to let their enemies escape. The soldiers and knights who built troops beforehand knocked down the troops of the duke with a spear, and the archers on the roofs of the houses used their arrows to take down the wizards escaping in the sky. Those who were wearing the invisibility spells were caught by the monsters who had a great sense of spell. ¡°Kuek!¡± ¡°Dammit! Those damn traitors!¡± The members of the Baroque troops struggled to the very end and turned into bodies that crashed to the ground. ¡°Your Majesty, we have captured all the spies of the Baroque Empire who infiltrated the border cities and forts.¡± Shaikan, who had been watching the affairs until late at night, looked forward to hearing the report from his cousin brother, Mitchell. ¡°That is good. And the disease?¡± ¡°It was reported that all the bottles were safely recovered.¡± ¡°Huhuh. Nice! Very nice!¡± A pleased smile made its way onto Shaikan¡¯s lips. ¡°I guess the information given by King Luke was accurate.¡± ¡°Yes, reports sent by the commanders showed no errors at all. In addition, as a result of the interrogation of the prisoners, they had no idea that their operation had been leaked.¡± Shortly after the last visit of Luke during the treaty signing, the Intelligence of Symphonia handed over the top-secret documents. It contained the details of time and places where the Baroque Empire¡¯s troops were going to spread the disease. And, the elite troops of a Baroque Duke were dispatched. ¡°Then, all that¡¯s left is the counter-attack?¡± ¡°Yes, at the same time we need to take over and we need to start the operation ¡®Reaper¡¯s sickle¡¯. Probably by then, the agents handed over their vials of disease and crossed into the Baroque border.¡± As Mitchell said, skilled knights and agents snuck into the Baroque Empire in the same way as Rudolf planned. However, Libiya¡¯s agents weren¡¯t aiming for a fort or town. They were aiming for the capital, Nemesis. It was Shaikan¡¯s goal to spread the disease in Nemesis to disrupt the Empire¡¯s peace. ¡°Kuekk. Rudolf! I will send back the gist you just sent me, so accept it well! Kuahhhahah!¡± Just thinking about it made Shaikan laugh out loud. Chapter 457 - The Capital’s Disaster 2 The capital of the Baroque Empire, Nemesis. Due to the advent of the high ranking demon and the aftermath of the civil war, the Empire had been divided into three different nations and the glory of the city was lost, but it still held a large population of over 2 million. Being so, it was still one of the most populated cities on Rhodesia Continent. Although the inhabitants were all nobles who had comfortable residences and large mansions to live in, there were numerous slums which weren¡¯t much far from the commercial streets. In such congested streets, two merchants were moving in cautious eyes. They were the agents from Libiya Kingdom. ¡°I think the number of people have reduced by a lot more than before.¡± A middle-aged man with a frown said, making the young man with freckles look around for the answer. ¡°Because of the havoc raged by those demons and the civil war, many people moved over. In addition, Emperor Rudolf has wiped out nobles against him from the capital.¡± There was a common saying in the people about the nobles, ¡®A family with a gold spoon¡¯. However, there weren¡¯t many people in the capital who were living as employed in the nobles. Working as an employee in the noble family, it was common for them to hold the responsibility to build or repair the mansion of the nobles, or make clothes for them, or bring them food. ¡°Which means that many people in this city were living off the nobles in many ways. And Rudolf just blew it all up.¡± ¡°Aha, there were many people who left the capital because of the broken trust, right?¡± ¡°That is true. The public sentiment turned for the worst, however, Emperor Rudolf didn¡¯t seem to be so concerned with it.¡± People were dissatisfied, however, they couldn¡¯t express themselves. It was because they were afraid that the mad emperor would slaughter them like he did with the nobles. ¡°Even then, the emperor is no fool, so he is holding people with political movements. But it won¡¯t be of huge impact.¡± ¡°Huhuhu. It would be worthwhile if the epidemic spreads in such a situation.¡± When the young man was speaking, the middle-aged one stopped him. It was because there were soldiers ahead of them, checking the visitors. When the young man reached for the dagger on his waist, the middle-aged man stopped. ¡°This is normal. It is just a general checkpoint to find out the spies who are trying to enter the capital.¡± Shortly after the civil war broke, the Baroque Imperial frequently searched in the capital to catch any spies who might have infiltrated. ¡°So, does this have nothing to do with our mission?¡± ¡°Kuku. They already believe that their plan has already been implemented.¡± And as said, the Libiya army deliberately acted to suffer in the border areas to deceive the Baroque Empire. The soldiers were sent to the treatment camps, and the medical mages were dispatched to show like they were trying to control the epidemic. And it didn¡¯t just stop there, they also spread rumors stating that strange disease was spread in the Libiya through the spies of the baroque. ¡°See, don¡¯t get nervous. Since everything will work out.¡± The elderly who managed to stop the young man stopped the wagon in front of the checkpoint. A soldier, bowed to the two and the two in the wagon smiled. ¡°Hello, kid. What is happening?¡± ¡°Nothing sir. We¡¯ll inspect you for a moment. First, please present your ID and pass.¡± As the words of the soldier, the young man took out an ID and pass which had been forged. ¡°We are working in the food materials supply to a high-end restaurant in the capital. It is a place only for the high noble¡­¡± Not listening to the words of the man, the soldiers looked at the ID and pass presented to him. Maybe he wasn¡¯t able to figure out if it was forged, he looked around to the other soldiers who were looking through the goods of the wagon. ¡°Have you found anything suspicious?¡± ¡°Well, there are vegetables and greens and mushrooms, some meat and fish which have been frozen with magic.¡± ¡°Tch, we are at war and the nobles eat so well.¡± The world of magic had developed, however, only the talented nobles were the ones who benefitted from them. Fresh meat and fish, the soldiers who couldn¡¯t even dream about eating them frowned. ¡°Wait, there are some bottles in here.¡± A soldier found a wooden box that had glass bottles at the corner of the wagon. Even the agents disguised as merchants turned nervous at that. It was the bottle that contained the epidemic fluid in it. With a cold gaze, the soldiers spoke. ¡°Yah, what is this? Some kind of drink or a potion?¡± Since the war had erupted, the Baroque Empire had banned the manufacture and sale of liquor and sold off all the potions in the nation. It was to prevent the waste of food siding it with alcohol and to secure as much attention from the soldiers as possible on work. Which was why those on duty were extremely irritated. However, the agents from Libiya weren¡¯t aware of it. ¡°No, kid. That is for our cooking purpose, sauce.¡± ¡°Sauce you say? I have never heard of a sauce which had such black liquid used in it?¡± When the officers¡¯ doubts weren¡¯t clarified, the middle-aged man laid out another lie. ¡°That is soy sauce, and it is imported from the Yemaek kingdom on the Southern continent. They said that it was made after fermenting the boiled beans in seawater.¡± ¡°Ah, I did hear of that. I heard it from my cousin¡¯s sister who works in a high-end restaurant, but it is very chewy. They said that it tastes amazing when eaten with grilled meat.¡± A soldier to the side spoke. However, the soldiers who were leading the check didn¡¯t seem to believe it. ¡°How do you ferment soil beans and turn them black?¡± ¡°Well, maybe something was done for it¡­ Oh! Don¡¯t open the stopper! It is very expensive and we can¡¯t use it if the scent blows away!¡± ¡°Really?¡± The soldiers looked at the men who stopped them. ¡°That sauce is expensive because it is made with all kinds of ingredients. Besides, it has come all the way from the Southern continent, it would be very expensive. Maybe the salary of the chef for a year¡­¡± ¡°Keuk, those damned nobles eating away the salary of ours.¡± The soldiers put back the bottle in its place. Seeing that, the agents of Libiya sighed out of relief. They too heard the rough stories from the soldiers around them. If the lid was opened or the bottle had broken, they would die a terrifying death. ¡°Pass. Go.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you so much, kid.¡± After some time, the agents were passed through the checkpoint and arrived at the location they had to release it. ¡°Be careful. If you don¡¯t want to die, we shouldn¡¯t open that lid.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We all heard about it.¡± After delivering the bottles, the agents left Burinake. The spies of Libiya who were handed the goods moved into the crowded street. It was a tough day, but they decided to move right away instead of using it at night. Besides, since it was the midway, a lot of people were moving around. And that way the epidemic would spread faster. The spies left the bottles of the ground and moved away. The glass bottle got caught between the feet of the people moving or the wagons that went over them, breaking them. And some curious walking men opened the lid to check what it was. The spies watching from a distance looked at the broken bottles and confirmed the spread. They were convinced that the God of Death had descended on Nemesis. Chapter 458 - The Capital’s Disaster 3 ¡°And the Libiya Kingdom¡¯s dynamics?¡± Count Voltas, who just reported to Emperor Rudolf regarding the war, nodded his head at the Emperor¡¯s question. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. It was strange, but the monsters are spreading across the borders. Perhaps, the Vers we used the other day is working.¡± ¡°Kuekk. Looks like it worked well.¡± Honestly, until hearing back the official report, Rudolf was concerned that their plan was unsuccessful. It was because his troops hadn¡¯t returned. ¡®Hmm, maybe they couldn¡¯t get back to us because they were exposed to that disease and collapsed right there. It was said that it was a terrible disease.¡¯ Voltas spoke to Rudolf who was deep in his thoughts, ¡°I heard that it was quite serious, and they are adding new troops in the border forts. At this opportunity, for us to move¡­ it would be impossible, right?¡± ¡°Obviously. As the disease will spread to us, we can crack open a border and send them some medicines and potions telling them that I sent them.¡± ¡®He must be glad.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t like Voltas didn¡¯t know Rudolf¡¯s thoughts. Even when using the disease, Rudolf wanted to kill nobles and the people too, and when the situation turned favorable to him, he would use it. Perhaps, once the relief supply arrived, the people of Libiya and the nobles would feel grateful for the Emperor. Also, there was no way that the people would know that the Emperor was the one who spread the disease to them. ¡°Anyway, can we relax and watch the situation? Well, there is Luke in the south.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we use the disease over there too?¡± At Voltas¡¯s question, Rudolf shook his head. ¡°It will be too difficult to send it in. The troops in the south are handled a lot differently than ours.¡± The door of the office opened wide, and Marquis Kepler, the Meister of the Imperial Magic Tower, came rushing in. ¡°Y-Your Majesty! We are in trouble!¡± ¡°What is it?!¡± Rudolf frowned. However, he was shocked when he heard what Kepler had to say. ¡°Vers is spreading in the capital.¡± ¡°W-what are you talking about?! Why would that spread in the capital?¡± The Emperor, who got up from his seat, immediately grabbed the neck of Kepler. Vers was clearly handed to the best agents and were pushed into the Libiya Kingdom. However, the epidemic was spreading to the capital? ¡°Kuek! T-that¡­ We aren¡¯t sure why. In the process of extracting the disease bottles and transferring it over here, we are checking if maybe a wizard got infected¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! Are you sure that Vers is the disease that is spreading throughout the capital?¡± He wondered if they were mistaking another disease for this epidemic. However, Marquis Kepler nodded with a pale face. ¡°The symptoms include a high fever, and at the rate in which the disease is spreading, it is clear that it is Vers.¡± ¡°This thing!¡± Kwang! The Emperor, who was angry, hit the table with his fist. The hard marble table in front of him got smashed. However, that didn¡¯t seem to relieve his anger. The epidemic wouldn¡¯t stop. Shortly after, the other heads entered the Imperial office. As the epidemic occurred in certain parts of the capital regions, it was needed to take measures. Gathering the officials of the Imperial palace and the commanders of the military, Rudolf began to look for measures. ¡°Currently, we have blocked the Imperial path, but with the rate of transmission, we shouldn¡¯t feel relieved. So Your Majesty, please hurry outside the capital.¡± In response to that, Rudolf bit his lips because he didn¡¯t like the solution since he had to run away without doing anything. It was the same feeling of helplessness he had felt when he lost his children due to Arsene¡¯s curse. ¡°If you let this go, the capital will be destroyed. What can we do?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, this disease has no cure¡­¡± Kepler closed his mouth. Rudolf was staring at Kepler with anger in his eyes. He grabbed the hilt of his sword. ¡®Keuk, why did I have to ask for the spread of the disease?!¡¯ Kepler was very sorry. ¡®I never thought that disease would get leaked out. He shouldn¡¯t have spoken at all from the beginning.¡¯ And now, there was no solution, and it seemed like his neck would be Rudolf¡¯s target. ¡°There is no cure, but we need to stop the spread.¡± ¡°Is there a way?¡± ¡°Yes, eradicate the sick patients and those who came in contact with that person and the place where that person went.¡± Eradication was either containment or killing. ¡°Are you sure that killing is the only way?¡± Kepler nodded his head at Voltas¡¯s question. ¡°There is nothing else other than that. Unless we kill everyone who has been infected and everyone they came in contact with, we won¡¯t be able to eradicate the disease.¡± According to Kepler, to get rid of Vers, the Emperor had to burn everything. ¡°Is there any other way? We already have thousands of patients identified¡­ No, tens of thousands who had contact with the ones who had the disease.¡± ¡°You want the entire nation to turn into this? If we don¡¯t do this, the capital, the entire continent will be over!¡± Bang Bang Bang! When the Emperor banged the table, Voltas and Kepler became quiet. ¡°Do it according to Kepler¡¯s directions. Take down the patients and also those who have been in contact with them. Take them to the north of the capital, and burn the area for purification.¡± Rudolf decided to sacrifice some of the people instead of fleeing away from the capital. ¡°Majesty!¡± ¡°That is too much!¡± When some nobles including Count Ferrero tried to rebel, Rudolf pulled out his sword. ¡°I will not hear any other opinion against this! If you want to voice your opinion, be ready to sacrifice yourself, or move while you have time!¡± ¡°¡­ We will follow your command.¡± The nobles yielded to the Emperor and went out of the room. They were all people who thought ¡®this shouldn¡¯t be done¡¯, but none of them could do anything other than to hold their trembling hands. Chapter 459 - The Capital’s Disaster 4 ¡°Bring in the infected men and burn them along with the infected regions!¡± ¡°Hurry up! We need to get it done by today!¡± At the Emperor¡¯s orders, the infected men, patients, their close relatives, and every single person who stepped into the affected area were gathered. Driving the healthy people out of the region, the affected area was burned down, people were shocked to see their homes and properties burning. ¡°What are you all doing?¡± ¡°Stand back! This is the only way to get rid of the disease!¡± ¡°Even if you say that, this is too¡­¡± ¡°Those who won¡¯t accept His Majesty¡¯s commands will be punished for treason.¡± The people, who didn¡¯t have the courage to go against the army of the Emperor, moved to the northern side of the capital as the soldiers directed. The place where they were brought to was in ruins. After some time, the people, who arrived in the northern streets, glanced at the ground. ¡°You want us to live here?¡± ¡°Oh my god, the future seems dark for us.¡± The streets of the northern side of the capital had already been damaged due to the battle with the demons, and because of the civil war, there was no fund to use for the north¡¯s repairs. As a result, most of the buildings were burnt or broken. ¡°Damn it, they burned our homes and drive us into such a place! What kind of law is that?! Just because he is the Emperor, he¡¯s doing this to us?¡± ¡°Shh, lower your voice. The soldiers are watching.¡± ¡°First, let¡¯s find out where the patients will stay.¡± The men, who had the energy to move, looked for homes that had a decent condition where they could keep the infected patients with severe conditions in. The soldiers and knights, who had brought the people into the north streets, kept their eyes open and looked for any riots. In the meantime, the gates and roads leading to the northern streets were all closed off by the Central Army and the Knights of Guard; the area was covered with barricades. ¡°What is this?¡± Later that night, the officer in charge of border patrol on the streets of the north pointed at a jar. Then, someone who had come to deliver something spoke, ¡°This is Vigorous Fire. This is what is left when it was used last time to subdue the enemy.¡± ¡°Ah, even if it rains it will keep burning¡­ But, why bring it?¡± When asked by the officers, the delivery person answered, and the reason made the officer shocked. ¡°Huh? What did you just say? Burn the north street?¡± ¡°Yes, they were orders from His Majesty¡ªto incinerate all the patients.¡± It wasn¡¯t just the officer who was surprised. The soldiers, who were in the area, were surprised to hear it as well. Some were too shocked to speak while the others had let go of their spears. The officer spoke with a shocked face, ¡°B-but many of the people there are some of the soldier¡¯s families, relatives, and acquaintances. Some of the patients are their family members. In addition, our comrades, who led the people there, are still there¡­¡± Many of the soldiers and patrollers in the Central Army, who were defending the capital, belonged to Nemesis. Naturally, once they knew that the order had fallen to incinerate the people in there, the troops would turn over. Well, the entire military could revolt. In response to the concern of the officer, the delivery person raised his voice and asked, ¡°Then, if the epidemic spreads to the other regions and areas, will you be responsible? It is His Majesty¡¯s words that the buds should be cut short even if it means that sacrifices should be made.¡± With the words of the man, the officers could no longer refute. Honestly, rather than refuting, he was more concerned about what would happen if the epidemic spread because of him. Shortly after, the orders of Emperor Rudolf were issued to all the troops of the Central army. Some of the soldiers and knights who heard of the order were shocked. ¡°That makes no sense! How can such things be?¡± ¡°You mean that we are going to be murderers who will kill innocent people?¡± Despite the fierce protest of his men, Viscount Dick, the vice commander of the Central Army, didn¡¯t even blink. Srrrng! He pulled his sword out and looked at them. ¡°if anyone here disobeys the order, they will be punished for treason!¡± His threats weren¡¯t empty. The Knights of Guards immediately entered. Eventually, the officers and soldiers were forced to obey the orders while holding their tears. ¡®I hope my family is not there!¡¯ ¡®God! Oh God please forgive me!¡¯ Their hearts were praying for atonement and well being of their families. They put the fire onto their arrows and shot at the north streets. Pung! Pung! Hundreds of the jars of Vigorous Fire drenched the streets, and archers were on standby. The flames roared with explosions all over the street. As fire struck in the middle of the night, patients, suspected patients, and the soldiers who led them in there were shocked. ¡°W-what was that? Sudden shelling?¡± ¡°Rather than that, we need to put out the fire¡­!¡± Wheeing! Nemesis was a dry city that rarely saw any rain. And on such a dry place, flames were spreading over quickly. ¡°Ahh! Fire! ¡°Save me!¡± Patients, who were barely asleep because of the unfamiliar environment, jumped out of the place in surprise of the sudden shelling and flames. However, everything around them was in fire. Critically ill victims were swept away by the flames, and patients, who were only suspected of infections, were busy trying to help the sick in avoiding the flames. ¡°Go toward the gate!¡± ¡°Right! If you stay here, you¡¯ll all die!¡± People tried to escape the flames and go to the north streets. However, the gate was locked on the outside, and the roads leading to all the other streets were blocked by tall barricades. ¡°Open the door!¡± ¡°Cough! Cough! What are you doing?! Open the damn door!¡± No one responded from the outside. People trapped in there were flustered for not finding anyone on the outside. ¡°Damn it, they didn¡¯t gather us all to just kill us off, right?¡± ¡°Open the door, you bastards! I am not infected!¡± ¡°People, it won¡¯t work like this! We need to break the gate!¡± Healthy people brought in axes and logs to break the gates and barricades. The knights and soldiers, who led them there, helped them too. The officers on the other side gave orders. ¡°What are you doing? Shoot the cannons! Burn them!¡± At the words of Dick, the men who couldn¡¯t help but follow the command fired the cannons. Wizards dispatched by the Imperial Magic Tower showered the north street with Flame magic. ¡°Kuak! Help¡­!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± The soldiers who were trying to break the gates for the people to escape were engulfed in flames. They screamed until every last hope in them died along with the flames. However, the soldiers who fired at the north street couldn¡¯t get the image of innocent people burning from their eyes. They all fell down due to the guilt. And soldiers, who couldn¡¯t get over the guilt by crying, screamed, ¡°This is hell! I need to get away from this hell!¡± The men, who couldn¡¯t stand their guilt, jumped down from the high buildings that they were standing on. The flames of hell soon swallowed everybody it touched. Chapter 460 - The Capital’s Disaster 5 Flames which were soaring in the north street created a secondary problem. The people inside the capital, upon hearing the sudden shelling and seeing the fire ablaze began to run out. ¡°What just happened?¡± ¡°That is the place where the patients were isolated¡­¡± To stop the disease from spreading, they knew that the patients were sent to another location, it was a publicly released statement. People who figured out what was going on and those who just wanted to save the patients screamed at the Central Army which was surrounding the north street. ¡°What are you doing? Put out the fire already!¡± ¡°My wife is in there! Open the gates, you damned bastards!¡± People whose families were in the fire threw stones or rotten fruits at the central troops who were standing on the side of the barricades and walls. Most of the soldiers and officers were silently letting the people take out their anger, however, not everyone thought like that. ¡°These men!¡± A commander from the Central Army who got hit by an egg yelled at the people. ¡°We are following the Emperor¡¯s words! Get out of here! Or we will have to persecute you according to the law!¡± Despite the warning, those who were already in anxiety with their families stuck in the fire didn¡¯t retreat. ¡°Law my ass! Law is meant to protect people, what are you doing here?!¡± ¡°You caught the nobles and killed them, and now you are burning people to death!¡± ¡°If you are going to kill, just kill us already!¡± The stones being thrown only increase. It turned so worse that the Gigants of the Knights of Guard had to block the path, yet people showed no signs of yielding. Well, it only made the people rebel more fiercely. ¡°Everyone, you shouldn¡¯t be like this! Open those gates!¡± ¡°I will take the lead! Those who want to save your family follow me!¡± Woah! The furious people rushed towards the city gates. Thousands of people ran at once, the Knights of Guards and Gigants were so flustered that they didn¡¯t dare to do anything. ¡°No, no, you shouldn¡¯t do this!¡± ¡°Go back! Dammit! You think we are doing this because we like it?¡± The soldiers waiting at the gates tried to calm the people. However, could it be possible to reason with families who were seeing their loved ones burned on the other side of the city? The commander who lost his reasoning, ordered for an attack if the gates got breached. ¡°Those who oppose Your Majesty¡¯s orders will be considered as rebels! Kill the mob!¡± Soon the capital¡¯s residents turned into rebels in a matter of seconds. Pung! The people who were flocking to the north gates were wiped out. ¡°Uahh! My, my legs!¡± ¡°You bastards! How can you do this?!¡± The suppression didn¡¯t just take place on the people who were near the gates, but on the roads where the people were standing close to barricades. However, this only made the people explode in rage, but they could barely fight back the army which had weapons in their hands. And like that, the night blaze created rebels. Clink! Clink! Clink! Late night, Count Ferrero, who was spending his night in the military office got up with the ringing of the loud bell. ¡®What? No¡­?!¡¯ He immediately picked up his sword and went out, the lieutenant ran towards him and reported. ¡°We have trouble, Commander! The people of the capital are rioting!¡± ¡°Huh, surely they would.¡± Ferrero sighed. It wouldn¡¯t have been so depressing if the troops of the Libiya Kingdom had infiltrated their capital and turned it into a mess. Ferrero was already expecting something like that to happen, however, the sword in his hand felt heavy as it was the people who were rioting. This time, he would have to cut down the people with his sword. ¡®If I knew I would end up doing this, I would have gotten my life taken in the hands of His Majesty¡­¡¯ During the day, Ferrero was given the order to transport all the infected patients to the north streets. As he was unable to carry out the Emperor¡¯s command to kill the patients for stopping the epidemic, he assigned the task to his vice, Viscount Dick, telling him that he wasn¡¯t in good health to move. Viscount Dick was a passionate Emperor¡¯s nobles, so he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to carry out any order from the Emperor. His faith and loyalty could be seen by the smoke and flames soaring on the north. The people of the capital, wouldn¡¯t have been able to cope with their families being burnt alive, so they would have collided with the Central Army and the Knights of Guards who carried out the orders. And the clashes between them would have grown out of control and turned into a riot. ¡®What is His Majesty really doing¡­ Kuek, all this is because of that Kepler bastard. This wouldn¡¯t have happened if he didn¡¯t want to take advantage of the damn plague!¡¯ Ferrero was having a mental breakdown. A knight who came from the Imperial Palace riding his horse conveyed the Emperor¡¯s next orders. ¡°His Majesty has stated that you need to send out the remaining troops from the Central Army to subjugate them.¡± ¡°Subjugation?¡± ¡°Yes, it was stated that this riot was caused by the enemy spies.¡± ¡®Enemy spies? What nonsense!¡¯ It was definite that Emperor Rudolf too knew why such a situation had formed. But to think of such baseless reason to make forces move, to conceal the massacre of patients and to establish a justification of riots. ¡°Please hurry up. He told us to look at this as the situation created by the enemy who wanted to distract us, he has ordered us to suppress them thoroughly and take them down.¡± ¡®He is only pouring more oil to the blazing fire!¡¯ Ferrero already knew that if he followed the orders of the Emperor, it would cause more havoc and unable to calm the people. And the riots wouldn¡¯t just stop in the capital, but all through the Empire. In addition to that, knowing what was happening, people would justify the founding of Libiya and Symphonia Kingdom due to the cruel nature of the Emperor. ¡®We need to stop things from getting any worse!¡¯ Ferrero thought of heading to the Imperial palace and withdrew such order. However, before he could even take a step, a messenger knight came to relay another word from His Majesty. ¡°And His Majesty said that he wouldn¡¯t withdraw this order. He said that anyone against this would be ruled as disobedience and treason, and asked to fulfill the mission faithfully.¡± ¡°Kuek, fine. Just go back already.¡± At the words of the messenger, Ferrero nodded his head with anger. He realized that the Emperor had lost his rational judgment. Although the Empire got divided into three, the public sentiment had deteriorated in the aftermath of the war, yet the people of the capital and the neighboring nobles sent support to the Baroque Imperial family. Though it was the fear of getting killed by the Emperor, there were those who sympathized with the Emperor who lost his wives¡¯ kids and was betrayed by his own nobles. There was a slight understanding, so Ferrero too, endured Rudolf¡¯s suppression. However, the relationship between the emperor and the capital people was completely disrupted. ¡°Did he decided to venture on the path of no return?¡± Ferrero, who had a bitter laugh, ordered to move. Even if the Emperor¡¯s subjugation orders were kept aside, the people had to be calmed down. ¡®May God help you!¡¯ For a man who had no faith, it was his first time searching for God. Chapter 461 - Dismissed Warrior 1 ¡°The Central Army! The reinforcements from the Central Army has come for us!¡± As Ferrero led his troops, the people who had been fighting with the soldiers fled immediately. Because they knew that the fight was in their odds. ¡°We will pursue later! Look for the injured!¡± The soldiers of the Central Army, who were brought in by Count Ferrero, approached the fallen colleagues. And before long, around 100 soldiers who had been hit with stones were brought just to be gathered. Some soldiers were even robbed of their weapons. Yet, the people were still kind at heart, so they didn¡¯t kill any soldiers. There were reports from the other guards of the gates and barricades that there have been a lot more fatalities. ¡°Sire! The mob is coming back at us!¡± When the wounded soldiers were in treatment, the knights who were keeping guard screamed. Ferrero immediately turned his attention there. A lot more people were coming back than the group which just scattered. It seemed to be around 3 times, well, more like 10 times. Most of the unarmed people rocked towards the central forces led by Ferrero. ¡°Get to the camp! Soldiers use shields!¡± When Count Ferrero¡¯s orders fell, the shields of the soldiers stopped the incoming soldiers. Yet they couldn¡¯t stop a few which were falling over the heads or the feet. ¡°Dammit, if we had Gigants we could have suppressed it right away.¡± ¡°No, at least a three artillery units¡­¡± Knights mumbled under their breath while lifting shields or wielding swords to block those stones. Ferrero had left the Gigants and cannons in the barracks as he moved for subjugation. In spite of the urgent situation, even though his lieutenant had asked to take them, he didn¡¯t want to. ¡°As a knight, it is utter disgrace to use a Gigant or cannons against innocent unarmed people!¡± It was said that Count Ferrero ordered the knights to not attack the people using the aura or force. In addition, soldiers were also banned from firing or stabbing people with their swords or spears. His orders were delivered to the troops which were dispatched through messengers, it was said to stop all offensive means. ¡°What is the commander thinking?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do this, and don¡¯t do that¡­ what the hell are we supposed to do, wah!¡± Although the vice commanders and the other higher officers were fiercely dissatisfied, yet the soldiers of the central army would never violate his command. They were all wondering how long they could last. It wasn¡¯t just the central army which was ordered by the Emperor to move for subjugation. The knights of guards all fled to the streets of the capital by leaving behind only a few knights, war mages, and mercenaries in the Imperial Palace. And they were very fierce in the subjugation of the riots, unlike the passive Count Ferrero. They took the Gigants and rushed over to the places where people gathered and trampled on them, knights were wielding their swords or spears on the people. Archers were using fire arrows to burn people. ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Kiik!¡± ¡°Sa, save me!¡± No matter how great the number of people gathered was, there was no way that they could defeat wizards, mercenaries, or men trained in professional combat. Needless to say, they used aura and Gigant riders. ¡°For His Majesty! Annihilate the entire mob!¡± ¡°Do not hesitate! They are just rebels!¡± The commander of the Knights of Guard, who was leading the suppression at the forefront, found a Gigant, Atlas, which had stopped to the side and yelled. ¡°Shirley! What are you doing! Aren¡¯t you going to move?!¡± When the commander screamed at the Gigant, Shirley who was in the Atlas Gigant responded casually. ¡°This isn¡¯t moving at all. I think it is broken.¡± Then get out of the Gigant and fight! Have you forgotten how to fight with a sword after riding inside the Gigant?!¡± ¡®Tch! That f*cking bastard.¡¯ Shirley got off the Gigant with slow moves. She was literally unhappy with the mission. Born between a human father and a dwarf mother, she suffered persecution since her childhood as a mixed-race. She felt bitter for being teased and hurt, which was why she trained and grew up, she was never going to forget the teaching of a Spear Master. Which was why she didn¡¯t especially like the task of slaughtering powerless civilians. ¡°Shirley! Where are you going?¡± The commander of the Knights of Guard screamed, seeing Shirley run in the wrong direction. Shirley pointed to an alleyway on the other side. ¡°The mod ran away over there. I will slaughter them and come back!¡± Shirley with her halberd entered the alley she pointed to. Walking slowly, she found people hiding in the dark corner of the alley. Among those who were hiding, there were young boys and girls, and infants. ¡°Hiik!¡± ¡°Ru, run away!¡± Shirley, reached out to them to calm them down. ¡°Woah, woah! Calm down. I am here to rest, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Shirley dusted the small wooden box next to her and sat down on it. She thought that she would play like that until the situation calmed down. ¡°Hugh, what are you going to do now, Ferrero? This is getting nasty.¡± Count Ferrero, had accompanied her during the visit to the Holy Empire for the civil war. Shirley, who liked his rough yet straight-forward attitude, was worried. Chapter 462 - Dismissed Warrior 2 By the time Shirley was busy ignoring the orders, the Central Army led by Count Ferrero was still in the defensive. ¡°Sire, we can¡¯t keep this up!¡± ¡°The damage to the soldiers is severe! We need to move ahead and order the suppression!¡± Officers and knights begged Count Ferrero. It was because the soldiers were falling down as well because of the constant stones coming at them. In addition, the people were using stolen weapons and arrows at them. ¡®¡­¡¯ The request of his men only irritated Ferrero further. He thought that if the army didn¡¯t act hostile toward the people, they would avoid the battle or forceful methods. However, that didn¡¯t seem to happen. The people, who had seen the blood and pain because of the Central Army and the Knights of Guards led by Viscount Dick, weren¡¯t ready to calm themselves. ¡°Die, you Emperor¡¯s dogs!¡± ¡°Show me how you¡¯ll kill me! You burned my sister in there. Kill me like that if you can!¡± As time passed, the emotions of the people only burned brighter, leading to many intensive attacks. ¡°We can¡¯t let things go like that.¡± ¡°That is true, Sire. We need to go ahead and give order¡­¡± Clink! When Count Ferrero abandoned his sword, the lieutenant¡¯s eyes that didn¡¯t understand what to think of it opened wide. ¡°Sire, what did you do?¡± ¡°Shut up. Hold on tight and see!¡± Ferrero got off his horse and walked toward the people. ¡°Residents of Nemesis! I am the Count and Commander of the Central Army, Ferrero! Would you like to have a discussion to calm this havoc?¡± ¡°Shut up, you killers!¡± ¡°Just die, you crazed Emperor¡¯s dogs!¡± Along with the swearing, the stones were all diverted on Ferrero. The knights, who saw that, were ready to attack the people. However, on the gesture of Count Ferrero, they stopped. ¡°I know the feelings that you have in your heart, but all this will only make things worse!¡± Ferrero continued to move closer to the people to persuade them. He took off his helmet and armor then he threw it to the ground. Even in the midst of that, the stones continued to fall. However, Ferrero didn¡¯t try to avoid or protect himself. It was natural for that act to cause bruises all over his face and body. Blood began to come out of his scars. Puck! ¡®Kuak! ¡°Commander!¡± It wasn¡¯t long before an arrow struck the left side of his face. Despite the anger and shock of his knights, Ferrero hadn¡¯t ordered any of them to move. He casually pulled out the arrow and continued to move forward with his arms wide open. ¡°If you want to release your anger, go ahead and release it all on me! This is my responsibility for misrepresenting His Majesty!¡± The crowd was stunned and the stones began to fade. The bloody appearance of Count Ferrero seemed to be like a holy figure; a reminiscent to a martyr who was trying to show his faith when being persecuted. Sometime later, the stones stopped, and Ferrero stood right in front of the people. As the people took a step back, Ferrero knelt down with both of his knees and bowed his head to them. At that sight, the Central Army and all of the people were at a loss of words. Count Ferrero. They knew about him. The best man in the Baroque Empire. Someone who would never even kneel in front of the Emperor himself. If he wanted to, he could have killed all of the people there by himself, but why would such a man endure such humiliation and wounds? As the silence went on for a long time, a young man yelled from the crowd. ¡°Just because you¡¯re doing that, everything will be solved! My dead brother isn¡¯t going to come back!¡± ¡°Your words are right. I haven¡¯t saved innocent patients. Acting cowardly, I let it happen. And that insidious act let to today¡¯s result.¡± Ferrero raised his head. Blood was flowing from the arrows which struck him a moment ago. ¡°However, I will not act cowardly from now on. I promise to run to His Majesty right away and unblock the streets to the north and release any remaining survivors, so trust me this once and hold onto your emotions. Preserve your comfort.¡± Preserve one¡¯s comfort. In other words, he was asking people to stop the riots and go back. If things go on at this rate, the patience in the people would reach its limit and the same for the knights too. Also, the ones at a disadvantage would be the people. No one in the public was stupid enough to not realize what he meant. And there was no one brave enough to ignore Count Ferrero¡¯s personal request¡ªa man who had abandoned his armor for them. ¡°Tch, I will believe the count and go back.¡± ¡°Please, save my family!¡± One after the other, people began to put down the stones and voluntarily let go off their weapons. The young man, who spoke out first, remained till the end and spoke with a voice full of hatred, ¡°I believe the Count, but I will never get myself to believe that mad Emperor.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It would have been better if you could stand on our side and fight.¡± The young man, who spoke his words, stepped back and left. After hearing the young man¡¯s grief, Ferrero felt bitter. It wasn¡¯t like the thought of fighting for the people hadn¡¯t crossed his mind. However, he didn¡¯t want to be declared a traitor. And since he had respect for the Emperor, the strongest knight in the continent, he wanted to bring the Emperor back to the right path. ¡®Maybe I walked too far to change this back, but¡­¡¯ He had already promised the people, and he planned to keep his promise. Thinking so, Ferrero moved in the direction of the Imperial Palace. ¡°What is it, Count Ferrero?¡± Emperor Rudolf had been receiving the reports for the messengers while staying in the Imperial Palace. He looked at Count Ferrero who had come to meet him. He didn¡¯t like meeting the commander of the Central Army, who was supposed to be subjugating the riots, but ended up getting beaten all over. Whether the Emperor was pleased or not for seeing him there, Ferrero begged him. ¡°My Majesty, it¡¯s not too late. Lift the blocked streets to the north and save those who survived.¡± ¡°That is impossible. You also know that there is no other way to get rid of the epidemic, right?¡± ¡°If we look hard enough, there will surely be another way, so ple¡­¡± Kwang! The Emperor pushed his sword into the marble floor to cut off Ferrero¡¯s words. With a fierce gaze, Rudolf sternly spoke to him, ¡°You have been objecting to the spread of Vers from the beginning, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I thought that if anything went terribly wrong then¡­¡± ¡°So now you are dissatisfied and determined to stand on Reichard¡¯s side?¡± At the words of the Emperor, Ferrero couldn¡¯t comprehend. ¡°W-what are you talking about?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it because of your feelings towards him that you sneaked Vers inside and used it on the capital¡­ to destroy me and my army.¡± Ferrero¡¯s voice rose because of the height of misunderstandings that took place in a second. ¡°I never even had such thought, Your Majesty! I would never betray Your Majesty and this nation!¡± ¡°And such a person would kneel down in front of everyone!¡± At Rudolf¡¯s words, Ferrero realized that an Emperor¡¯s man was keeping a watch on him. If not, then did a messenger reached Rudolf before he even left the barracks? ¡°Your Majesty, it was to dismiss the people from¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear any more of it! What are you doing? Get him out of here and lock him up in the prison!¡± The knights around the Emperor surrounded Ferrero. ¡°Majesty, please listen to my words! Uh! Let go, you men!¡± Ferrero tried to get rid of the knights, but all the knights, including Kurian, were Sword Masters. Unlike Ferrero, who wouldn¡¯t pull out his sword in the room, they pulled out their swords without a hitch and pointed at Ferrero¡¯s limbs. ¡°Keuk! Your, Your Majesty! You must not abandon the people of the capital! If they lose their reasoning, the nation will¡­ Auk!¡± ¡°Drag him out quickly!¡± The knights dragged out Ferrero, whose limbs had been removed, out of the throne room. At that time, Marquis Vanden, who was in the room, spoke to Rudolf to strengthen his ties, ¡°Your Majesty, do you really think that Count Ferrero has released the Vers?¡± It was right to sternly oppose. However, Count Ferrero had no social network in the Imperial Palace. In addition, since the Emperor himself had planned everything for the operation, the likelihood of Ferrero to intercept the disease and spread it was extremely low. ¡°I don¡¯t think Ferrero did it.¡± ¡°Then why di¡­?¡± The Emperor answered Vanden who was puzzled. ¡°In terms of being valiant, Ferrero is the best in the Empire. But as stubborn as he is, I too had the same level of stubbornness.¡± Rudolf, who had already experienced rebellion from his nobles, thought that he should put his servants on a tight leash. Of course, he did give them some opportunities to disagree. However, it was absolutely unacceptable to disregard those who didn¡¯t care about the Emperor¡¯s name. ¡°There is no way to know when such a man would betray our men. I had to use my hands in this opportunity that had presented itself.¡± Rudolf answered Vanden with a sad expression. ¡°But Count Ferrero is a talented man. There are surely many talented knights below Your Majesty, but I think that it would be a huge loss to execute a Sword Master who is experienced in war.¡± ¡°You are right. With the Libiya Kingdom and Symphonia, it is a pity to get rid of thrilling fighters. However, Ferrero needs to be broken first.¡± Whether in jail or in exile, Rudolf was planning to make Ferrero miserable. He wanted to show who was the law and whose words were orders in his Empire. ¡°Marquis Vanden, keep this in mind. How you behave in the future will determine your life.¡± At Rudolf¡¯s warning, Vanden nodded his head. He was anxious inside. It was because the Emperor knew that Vanden was a man who had already betrayed Butler in the past. However, without letting his anxiousness take over, he wanted to follow the Emperor. He wanted to go ahead and quickly destroy the Libiya Kingdom and restore the Emperor¡¯s trust by slashing Butler¡¯s throat. Chapter 463 - Dismissed Warrior 3 Kiing! Kiing! ¡°Slowly! Be careful! Yes, stop there!¡± Along with the sounds of machines running with magic, the harsh voice of the engineer could be heard. All that noise was taking place in Brandon¡¯s former Milton Royal Magic Tower. Currently, it was the Katarina Magic Tower, the Royal Magic Tower of Symphonia, and the workshop for making Gigants. ¡°Completion of the right hand joint!¡± ¡°Left-arm is also done!¡± Luke was seriously looking at the Gigant whose arms were being assembled one after the other. The reason why he had gone there for a short while even though he was busy was because the Gigant that was currently being assembled was special. A 4,000 fight, Hero class Gigant, Avenger. The product whose production got delayed because of the war and founding was about to be completed. ¡°What about the core engine?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Mute answered, ¡°It will be assembled at the end of the day.¡± An hour later, just as Mute said, Luke¡¯s very own Avenger¡¯s core engine got transported with a crane. Despite having a 4,000 fight output, which was a lot higher than any Gigant, it was still 30 percent smaller than other Hero class Gigant¡¯s core engine. That was due to the result of applying the artificial magic stone developed by Erwin and the Taeul-ro knowledge provided by Zegal Soha. ¡°There was no problem with the power test. How about the start-up test?¡± ¡°Depending on the degree of resistance of the joints and drive, the output might not be as good as we assume, so a start-up will give a good insight.¡± The new core engine was slowly mounted on the abdomen of Avenger. The engineers immediately fixed it, and the Iron mages meticulously connected it to the body¡¯s Ergen cable. Luke, who wasn¡¯t pleased with just watching, approached the Gigant closely to check each part of the connection to the Ergen cable. After all the work was done, the core engine¡¯s cover was sealed, and the internal and external armor got fixed. ¡°Finally, done!¡± ¡°Hahaha! Everyone worked hard!¡± Iron mages and engineers cheered with a bottle of champagne. It was because it was their first time to produce a Hero class Gigant, and Hero class Gigants took years to finish. ¡°Good work. I¡¯ll give out the pay, so go and rest for a few days.¡± As Luke congratulated them and looked at the Gigant, his eyes looked at the giant silvery Gigant. He was full of joy and anticipation. ¡®In the future, this guy will change the history of the continent with me.¡¯ Annihilate the Baroque Empire and defeat Arsene! Luke, who was delighted, climbed into the cockpit of Avenger. He was going to maneuver it. He would like to do not just simple movements but combat moves too. The Sword Master Commanders were all scattered in different regions at the moment because of the supply of troops and recruitment. Wheeing! Luke started the Gigant by pouring out mana into the core engine. When hundreds of magic circles got activated, both his eyes lit up along with the core engine. The new Gigant had to be tamed. Luke kept on repeating the same basic movements and then walked around the workshop. Thud Thud! ¡®This is amazing! The movement is smooth and light!¡¯ The Gigants he had used in the past always gave out a little vibration when moving. However, Luke couldn¡¯t feel it at the moment. Not just the core engine but also the Gigant¡¯s frame and overall balance seemed to have improved. Luke, who decided that there was no problem in the movement, decided to take it for a battle and gave orders. ¡°Inform the commander in the military to bring their Hero class Gigants to the eastern fields of the Brandon city.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± When the messenger went with the commands, Luke went out of the castle. While waiting for them to come, Luke decided to try out Avenger. Shortly after Luke had gone to the eastern field, four trailers ran with a stream of dust and smoke. The trailers contained four Hero class Gigants, Orion and Symphonia¡¯s Sword Masters, Rogers, Philip, and the Gram brothers. Another one was Hwang Bo-sung, a Fist Master. He summoned his Puppet while the other Sword Master¡¯s Gigants were boarded. ¡°It seems that after a long time, I am going to battle with Master.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think it has been so long? Maybe your body just got stiff?¡± While Luke laughed with Hwang Bo-sung, Reynold and Reynard were busy adjusting Orion. ¡°Hyung, this seems a lot better than Anubis. Isn¡¯t the movement different?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t help it. This isn¡¯t a dedicated Gigant which had been made according to hyung¡¯s skills.¡± The Hero class Gigant, Anubis, that was used by the Gram brothers in battle wasn¡¯t fully repaired. Anubis was made from Altica Magic Tower, and since so many detailed and sensitive areas in the cockpit got damaged, repairing it wasn¡¯t an easy task unless a high ranking wizard from Altica could be found. So the two of them were given Orion, which was made by the Dark Moon Magic Tower. ¡°Great carpenters don¡¯t need the right tools. Moreover, the purpose is for a battle to check the performance of Your Majesty¡¯s Gigant, Avenger, right? So we don¡¯t need to be too greedy.¡± ¡°Even then, I don¡¯t want to get pushed back.¡± Reynard already knew the extent of Luke¡¯s skills. He met him once in the war and heard stories that his brother had told. However, he never had an equal footing battle with His Majesty. Even with Duke Butler in the past, there was a pass-through with the brothers and decided to see who would be defeated. ¡°This side is ready, but are you all ready?¡± ¡°It will end soon, Your Majesty.¡± After a while, Luke and his Sword Masters were ready to battle. 1 to 5. Although they were all Sword Masters, Luke didn¡¯t think that he would lose. As Luke seemed relaxed, Rogers and Philip gulped. They could feel that Luke¡¯s skills seemed to have increased over the past war. As Rogers and Philip refrained from any nasty attacks and watched Luke¡¯s Avenger move, Hwang Bo-sung however rushed ahead with his Puppet and flew in to throw a Trinity Punch. Grrrng! A powerful pressure ruptured the air, and the ground erupted. However, Luke, who was fully aware of Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s skills, avoided the attack. ¡°Indeed, Count Hwang Bo-sung is being active right from the beginning.¡± At the words of Rogers, Hwang Bo-sung responded, ¡°When a strong man like Master is standing still, one must hit with their full power from the beginning. Once he notices my movements, I won¡¯t be able to attack properly.¡± ¡°That is right.¡± Philip and Rogers, who realized their mistake, wielded their swords and joined in to attack. ¡°Hahhaha! Your Majesty, forgive us in advance for scratching your Gigant!¡± ¡°I need to forgive you guys since you won¡¯t be able to match me.¡± After receiving Philip¡¯s attack from the Gold Aura, Luke reached the right side of Rogers¡¯ Orion who was ready to strike. ¡°Explosion!¡± Bang! Flames exploded right in the front. Rogers, who placed his giant sword like a shield to prevent the attack, moved back and groaned. However, when the attack created the gap, the Gram brothers used their boomerang. ¡°Your Majesty, this time you will have to accept the brother¡¯s attacks!¡± ¡°Kuek, you won¡¯t be able to get an easy win like before!¡± The Gram brothers¡¯ boomerang swords moved like sickles and charged toward Avenger. Their moves were great, making Luke put up his guard. And it was all just a for a moment. When Luke steadily stopped the attacks with Gold Sword and magic, the two brothers brought out Impact Auras on their boomerang and flew toward Avenger. Wheeing! Boong! The boomerangs became four boomerangs around Avenger, creating rustling noises. At first, Luke was trying to attack, but he was surprised to see that the boomerangs changed their paths and closed in on the gaps. ¡®Are they adjusting the trajectory of the aura?¡¯ In the Southern Continent, there were ego weapons, and the boomerang attacks of the two seemed very much like it. If it was only the two brothers, Luke would have managed to attack back. However, in the current situation, Luke had to deal with Philip, Rogers and Hwang Bo-sung. There was no time for him to fall back and think. ¡°Trinity God Martial!¡± With Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s voice, he rushed fiercely and kicked Luke. ¡°This is a kick! Where is the punch?¡± ¡°Hut, Master, A person who gets deceived by it is foolish.¡± The Gram brother¡¯s boomerang was about to hit Avenger¡¯s back. Luke quickly avoided the attack with Blink and attempted to use Fire Arrows toward the Gram brother¡¯s Orion. However, Rogers, who was waiting for Luke to use Blink and move, struck him. Bang! ¡°This!¡± ¡°Haha. I am the first one that touched you, Your Majesty.¡± The right arm glove of Avenger got scratched by Rogers¡¯ Impact Aura. Luke managed to twist his Gigant just enough to avoid the sword, which made the scar not go deep. However, Luke¡¯s feelings weren¡¯t so calm after realizing that this new Gigant got scratched. ¡°Surely, I can¡¯t let this go.¡± No matter how strong Luke was, his opponents were Sword Masters who were armed and in action. Thinking that he was looking down on them, Luke began to speed up. It was a Gigant of 4,000 fight output and full second half of Gold Sword. Thud! When the momentum of Avenger changed, the five Sword Masters frowned. Their Gigant¡¯s stood still for a second as they realized how strong Luke was. For a moment, they were all delighted with their fighting spirits in rage. ¡°Hahaha! Your Majesty, do you want to get serious now? ¡°Then we too will deal with you with our all.¡± Reynard jumped to the air catching his boomerang to go for a hit. And their words weren¡¯t false. The boomerang was bigger and had a darker Impact Aura. Woah! ¡°No!¡± There was no way that with one strike the Avenger would kneel down, but they would still be able to get some steam off of them. However, being scared of getting hit by Luke¡¯s sword, Orion, which was led by Reynold, jumped to the air. Orion was a Hero class Gigant as well with considerable size and weight. Besides, Avenger seemed lighter on the surface. And there was no way that Luke¡¯s Gigant could blow up Orion in one strike. However, it didn¡¯t end there. As Rogers and Philip rushed in at the same time, Luke wielded his sword gracefully and stabbed the tip of the sword into the ground. Grrrng! The ground shook and a loud noise reverberated everywhere. ¡°Woah! T-this is!¡± ¡°Is this an Earthquake magic?¡± The Gigants staggered as their masters were distracted with the sudden blow. And in the midst of all that, the boomerangs, which lost control for a second, flew in a random direction while one of it hit the Puppet of Hwang Bo-sung. ¡°Huhuhu. This is no magic. This is the second half of the Gold Sword which can only be done with the maximum output of the core engine.¡± The explosion would have been bigger in an enclosed space. Although Luke wasn¡¯t able to complete the full second half of the Gold Sword, it was unfinished, but it still was merged with the 4,000 fight output of a core engine, which made such an earthquake happen. Anyway, Luke didn¡¯t want to miss the opportunity to confuse everyone. Immediately using Blink and Fly magic, he cut the right arm of Orion and pushed the giant sword into Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s Puppet. ¡°How is that? I think this is enough to decide things, right?¡± ¡°Kuek, this is infuriating, but Master wins.¡± In addition to Hwang Bo-sung, the other masters gave up as well. In the end, it was just a test to check the durability of Avenger, so they didn¡¯t have to fight seriously. And if it led to anyone dying or being injured, it was a serious loss. And even though the five people would go at the same time, they weren¡¯t sure about attacking him. Rather, if such things went on, it was likely that they would see more ugly scenarios. ¡°Hu, Your Majesty¡¯s ability was really interesting.¡± ¡°That is so true. It seems like only yesterday when you learned swordplay under the Chief Commander¡­¡± Rogers and Philip were impressed by the change in Luke over the years, and Hwang Bo-sung along with the Gram brothers talked about Avenger. ¡°What does the performance look like?¡± ¡°Since I drove the Orion myself, that one seems to be excellent in both output and movement. After all, it was something that His Majesty had developed himself.¡± ¡°If he has time, should we ask him to make one for us too?¡± In response to his brother¡¯s question, Reynold replied, ¡°Your Majesty is very busy. Rather, let¡¯s just adjust Orion¡¯s movement to make it faster. I think it is a lot better than Anubis.¡± Orion alone was significantly superior to the existing Hero class. At 3,700 fight, the output of the core engine was high, and although it was expensive, it had a helm, which allowed the rider¡¯s judgment directly linked to the Gigant movement. So, Iron mages classified Orion as a Super Hero class. As each of them was appreciating Avenger, a messenger hurried toward them from the royal city. Luke, who was satisfied with the performance of his Gigant, became stone-faced when he saw the message that was brought in. ¡°What is it, Your Majesty?¡± When Reynold asked, Luke sighed and spoke in anger, ¡°Something I didn¡¯t hope to happen is going on.¡± ¡°Is it something unavoidable by you?¡± ¡°Could there be such a thing? I am going first. This will be cleaned up later.¡± Luke hurried back to the palace. It was shocking news, which meant that he had to gather all the sources and grasp the entire situation. Chapter 464 - Dismissed Warrior 4 What the messenger delivered was a report from Baron Hudson, former head of Argos and currently the Intelligence chief of Symphonia Kingdom. He reported that an unknown epidemic had spread rapidly in Nemesis, the capital of the Baroque Empire, and in the process of controlling it, numerous patients were burned to death which lead to massive riots. ¡°Keuk, an unknown epidemic?¡± Luke already knew that Rudolf was up to something with that Vers. It was confirmed that the epidemic was surely Vers, however, the problem wasn¡¯t clear whether it had happened because of an accidental leak, or whether it was a counter-attack from the Libiya Kingdom who had been made aware of the plague. For that, Luke ordered Belfair to gather information from the officials of Hydra and the Baroque Intelligence immediately. The next morning, Belfair came back with a report. ¡°Master, the epidemic spreading in the Nemesis is Vers. However, it isn¡¯t clear if the Imperial magic tower had accidentally leaked it while moving, however, from the actions of Emperor Rudolf it is definite that it was unintentional.¡± ¡°That so.¡± Luke was able to know who the suspect was. ¡®Unless Rudolf turned completely insane, well even then, he wouldn¡¯t risk his own people with a plague. He would never burn people who would support him and the capital was indeed made of his men. Besides, if an accident broke out in the Imperial magic tower, there should be patients in there too.¡¯ Nevertheless, the first outbreak patients were in a residential area and a market, that was mentioned in the report from the other source. At that time, only the Libiya Kingdom was likely to hold the virus. Thinking so, Luke immediately brought out a crystal ball. In addition, the coordinates placed to communicate were directly for Shaikan, and mana was infused. Woong! For a moment, the lights flashed on the ball, and then the face of Shaikan, well, Reichard appeared. -What is it, King Luke? Shaikan¡¯s lip corners were slightly raised as if something good was happening around him. Luke couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°I heard that an epidemic was spreading in Nemesis, do you have anything to do with it?¡± -Huh? what is that supposed to mean? ¡°The Vers which I spoke about seemed to have spread. Wasn¡¯t it a reverse attack with the virus which you got in your hands the other day?¡± At the words of Luke, Shaikan jumped. -What are you talking about? You thought that I would do something like Rudolf even after having the dragon¡¯s blood in me! ¡°Are you saying you wouldn¡¯t?¡± -Huh?! Who do you think you are looking at?! I would never give such an order, and our kingdom would never do something like that. It is disappointing that you would suspect me in mishandling and leaking it. ¡°If I did misunderstand, I will surely apologize to you later. But after doing some more digging, I¡¯ll contact you again.¡± After cutting off the communication with Shaikan, Luke was swelling up with anger. ¡°Dammit! That bloody Baroque men, not even one of them can be believed!¡± In the conversation which happened a moment back, Shaikan had denied all the allegations placed by Luke, however, with the expression he had on his face, Luke knew something had to be done. Although Shaikan did manage his expression as much as possible, there was no way he could fool a warlock who was called as the Devil King, the man who trembled the entire continent. ¡®This is my fault. I should have done this myself without letting him know!¡¯ Luke was feeling guilty for the people who got killed. I thought that he should stop relaying any information to the Libiya Kingdom, no matter what kind of information it was in the future. Belfair, who was next to him asked. ¡°Master, will you break the alliance with the Libiya Kingdom?¡± ¡°No, we will have to stop the Baroque Empire, so we need that alliance. Instead, I am not sure what Shaikan would do, so I need to spend more spies to the Libiya Kingdom.¡± That was what Luke had decided. If Shaikan was ambitious and driven with a blind goal, then he would surely do anything to the Baroque. And Luke was currently holding hands with them for the same purpose, however, he had to avoid getting stabbed by the ones he was holding hands with. That afternoon, Luke called for Baron Hudson. He tried to tell him to increase the spies in the Libiya Kingdom, however, Hudson gave out some interesting information. ¡°Your Majesty, are you aware of Central army¡¯s commander, Count Ferrero?¡± ¡°I do. Why?¡± Count Ferrero was the best knight the Baroque Empire had. He was excellent with armed battle, however, he proved himself to be very effective as a commander because of rich on-hands experience he learned. Not long ago, Ferrero was trying to regain the Empire¡¯s south forts of Variand mountain. However, when the war with Libiya turned unsuccessful, he was called back by Rudolf to get back to the capital, leaving only the troops behind to guard the fort. ¡°When the epidemic spread and riots broke out in Nemesis, the Emperor¡¯s orders to Count Ferrero were to subjugate the people. However, he refused the orders and was placed in prison.¡± ¡°What? What happened?¡± To imprison a competent commander for not subjugating innocent people?! Luke¡¯s eyes flashed with anger due to the absurdity he heard. An idea passed through his mind. ¡°Huhuhu. All is for our good. Let¡¯s save Count Ferrero.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Let us bring him back to our Symphonia Kingdom.¡± Thinking for a moment, Hudson nodded his head. ¡°It sounds like a pretty good idea.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Yes, bringing in Count Ferrero would help our Kingdom greatly. However, I think that it would be better to listen to the opinions of the military and the intelligence before we proceed with the rescue operation.¡± At the words of Hudson, Luke immediately called for a meeting with the officials. And nobody had any objection to say, so the mission to rescue Count Ferrero had begun right away. Philip, who was defeated by Luke in the Avenger tests, was training till sweating in the royal 1st squad barracks. ¡°Will this work? No, this is how it needs to be done.¡± He was training in the second half of the Gold Sword which he observed while Luke was using. Luke had promised to teach the second half after coming back from the Southern Continent, however, only a few lessons had been done. There was a reason why the second half of the sword wasn¡¯t fully taught, it was because difficult events like war and founding took place one after the other. Philip too knew it, which was why he was practicing by himself after observing Luke while performing it. ¡°Master, please take a break.¡± At Anna¡¯s words, Philip¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Huh, master? Count or Commander is what you should be calling me.¡± ¡°Huhu. Sorry. It just comes out from my mouth.¡± Anna was a member of the Unicorn Knights and was transferred 1st squad after the founding of Symphonia. Philip who was dating her, held her hand. ¡°If that is awkward, then you can call me darling, I¡¯d be fine with that too.¡± ¡°Huh, master¡­ no, Count!¡± Anna tried to hit Philip when he pulled her into a hug. The members of Rakan Knights who never saw their commander in such good expression were cursing inwards. Maybe a curse was successfully placed on him? A royal knight from the palace entered the barracks and spoke to Philip. ¡°His Majesty has something to discuss, so he asked to come right away.¡± ¡°What? Now?¡± ¡°Yes, please start.¡± Philip, who was asked immediately, went to the royal palace without even washing to meet Luke. ¡°Your Majesty, what is it?¡± ¡°Ah, nothing much, a moment back, Marquis Rogers and the Intelligence department came¡­¡± At the next words of Luke, Philip¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Huh? You want us to rescue Count Ferrero and bring him to Symphonia?¡± ¡°Yes, this will turn our Kingdom¡¯s path.¡± It was surprising enough that Count Ferrero, his former teacher was placed in prison, but even more shocking was the fact that Luke wanted him to be saved and bring him to Symphonia Kingdom. But unlike Luke who was looking glad, Philip seemed rather stiff. It was because he knew Count Ferrero¡¯s personality. ¡°Count isn¡¯t someone who can be turned so easily.¡± ¡°Then what do you think happened for him to change from neutral to aid the Emperor?¡± Originally, Ferrero was a neutral noble. And it was before a civil war broke out and he turned towards the Emperor. At Luke¡¯s question, Philip thought and answered. ¡°That Count was honoring Emperor Rudolf, the greatest knight on the continent. That was why he changed his stance after getting called by the Emperor himself.¡± As Philip said, Count Ferrero was an avid follower. He had a strong admiration for the strong and had a virtue of a knight. ¡°Then even I can use some power and force.¡± What Luke said made Philip think of the Gold Sword. Would Ferrero really leave the sword he was learning and take a new one? Maybe that was an exaggeration. Ferrero in the past knew of Luke¡¯s skills and constantly asked for a battle. As much as he was interested in the battle with Luke, he wasn¡¯t someone who would lose. ¡°But why was Count Ferrero imprisoned?¡± From what Philip knew, Count Ferrero was taken into the army by the Emperor¡¯s words and was favored for his skills, he was turned into the commander of the Central Army. Although letting go of the Variand Mountain was a mistake, what Ferrero did was a strategical retreat and it was the right decision too. However, imprisoning an experienced Sword Master overnight made no sense to Philip. ¡°He had rejected the order of Rudolf to subjugate the riots.¡± ¡°Tch, so that was what happened. I always thought that Count¡¯s personality didn¡¯t go well with Rudolf¡­¡± Hearing the entire details, Philip yelled at Luke. ¡°Please send me! I will bring him safely without hurting anyone!¡± To save him from the dungeon of Nemesis, there was a need for skilled knights and wizards. So Philip wanted to go. He wanted to return the favor he had received from Count Ferrero in the past, but his main purpose was to use the second half of the Gold Sword and learn through the battles he would face in Nemesis. Though he didn¡¯t say it, Luke had called Philip because of his intention to send him there. Though Philip claims not to be one, in Luke¡¯s eyes, Philip too was a battle maniac like Count Ferrero. ¡°Nice. I will also come so get prepared.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Philip was shocked. ¡°Your Majesty too?¡± ¡°Yes, I am the only one capable of disarming the traps and alarm magic circles in the dungeons.¡± There were too many outstanding Sword Master knights in Symphonia Kingdom, but unfortunately, the only wizard to have 8th magic circle or above was Luke. Of course, the Dark Moon magic tower had Meister Johas, but he was a warlock. And he couldn¡¯t be asked to accompany the knights, so Luke had to go. ¡®Of course, I need to give a gift to Rudolf and this prize will be gold. Kuk!¡¯ Luke smiled intently and Philip continued to discuss the rescue operation. Chapter 465 - Rescue Operation of Count Ferrero 1 Chapter 465: Rescue Operation of Count Ferrero 1 Philip, who was defeated by Luke in the Avenger tests, was training till sweating in the royal 1st squad barracks. ¡°Will this work? No, this is how it needs to be done.¡± He was training in the second half of the Gold Sword which he observed while Luke was using. Luke had promised to teach the second half after coming back from the Southern Continent, however, only a few lessons had been done. There was a reason why the second half of the sword wasn¡¯t fully taught, it was because difficult events like war and founding took place one after the other. Philip too knew it, which was why he was practicing by himself after observing Luke while performing it. ¡°Master, please take a break.¡± At Anna¡¯s words, Philip¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Huh, master? Count or Commander is what you should be calling me.¡± ¡°Huhu. Sorry. It just comes out from my mouth.¡± Anna was a member of the Unicorn Knights and was transferred 1st squad after the founding of Symphonia. Philip who was dating her, held her hand. ¡°If that is awkward, then you can call me darling, I¡¯d be fine with that too.¡± ¡°Huh, master¡­ no, Count!¡± Anna tried to hit Philip when he pulled her into a hug. The members of Rakan Knights who never saw their commander in such good expression were cursing inwards. Maybe a curse was successfully placed on him? A royal knight from the palace entered the barracks and spoke to Philip. ¡°His Majesty has something to discuss, so he asked to come right away.¡± ¡°What? Now?¡± ¡°Yes, please start.¡± Philip, who was asked immediately, went to the royal palace without even washing to meet Luke. ¡°Your Majesty, what is it?¡± ¡°Ah, nothing much, a moment back, Marquis Rogers and the Intelligence department came¡­¡± At the next words of Luke, Philip¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Huh? You want us to rescue Count Ferrero and bring him to Symphonia?¡± ¡°Yes, this will turn our Kingdom¡¯s path.¡± It was surprising enough that Count Ferrero, his former teacher was placed in prison, but even more shocking was the fact that Luke wanted him to be saved and bring him to Symphonia Kingdom. But unlike Luke who was looking glad, Philip seemed rather stiff. It was because he knew Count Ferrero¡¯s personality. ¡°Count isn¡¯t someone who can be turned so easily.¡± ¡°Then what do you think happened for him to change from neutral to aid the Emperor?¡± Originally, Ferrero was a neutral noble. And it was before a civil war broke out and he turned towards the Emperor. At Luke¡¯s question, Philip thought and answered. ¡°That Count was honoring Emperor Rudolf, the greatest knight on the continent. That was why he changed his stance after getting called by the Emperor himself.¡± As Philip said, Count Ferrero was an avid follower. He had a strong admiration for the strong and had a virtue of a knight. ¡°Then even I can use some power and force.¡± What Luke said made Philip think of the Gold Sword. Would Ferrero really leave the sword he was learning and take a new one? Maybe that was an exaggeration. Ferrero in the past knew of Luke¡¯s skills and constantly asked for a battle. As much as he was interested in the battle with Luke, he wasn¡¯t someone who would lose. ¡°But why was Count Ferrero imprisoned?¡± From what Philip knew, Count Ferrero was taken into the army by the Emperor¡¯s words and was favored for his skills, he was turned into the commander of the Central Army. Although letting go of the Variand Mountain was a mistake, what Ferrero did was a strategical retreat and it was the right decision too. However, imprisoning an experienced Sword Master overnight made no sense to Philip. ¡°He had rejected the order of Rudolf to subjugate the riots.¡± ¡°Tch, so that was what happened. I always thought that Count¡¯s personality didn¡¯t go well with Rudolf¡­¡± Hearing the entire details, Philip yelled at Luke. ¡°Please send me! I will bring him safely without hurting anyone!¡± To save him from the dungeon of Nemesis, there was a need for skilled knights and wizards. So Philip wanted to go. He wanted to return the favor he had received from Count Ferrero in the past, but his main purpose was to use the second half of the Gold Sword and learn through the battles he would face in Nemesis. Though he didn¡¯t say it, Luke had called Philip because of his intention to send him there. Though Philip claims not to be one, in Luke¡¯s eyes, Philip too was a battle maniac like Count Ferrero. ¡°Nice. I will also come so get prepared.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Philip was shocked. ¡°Your Majesty too?¡± ¡°Yes, I am the only one capable of disarming the traps and alarm magic circles in the dungeons.¡± There were too many outstanding Sword Master knights in Symphonia Kingdom, but unfortunately, the only wizard to have 8th magic circle or above was Luke. Of course, the Dark Moon magic tower had Meister Johas, but he was a warlock. And he couldn¡¯t be asked to accompany the knights, so Luke had to go. ¡®Of course, I need to give a gift to Rudolf and this prize will be gold. Kuk!¡¯ Luke smiled intently and Philip continued to discuss the rescue operation. Chapter 466 - Rescue Operation of Count Ferrero 2 Thud! Thud! A prison located deep beneath the Imperial Palace in Nemesis. There was a person who had been imprisoned in there a few days back in a special prison that was allocated only for rebels or sinners who have committed crime similar to treason. The man in there had grown his beard almost similar to a bandit. His arms and hands were all sealed with magic to block the usage of aura. He had been in that mess for the past few days. His clothes were soaked with food and traces of torture could be seen all over his body. But the most difficult thing for the man was that he wasn¡¯t able to see anything through his eyes due to the darkness. The only sound one could hear was the drops of water that fell from the ceiling onto his body. It wasn¡¯t just some old-time prison. Rather, it was a deliberately designed prison to make a sinner suffer. If it continued to stay so silent for the next few days, the sound of the water drops would begin to seem louder than any roar. Before prisoners died in that prison, it was common for them to go crazy. Nevertheless, the man, who was being held in there, opened his mouth with a heavy sigh. ¡°What is the situation at the capital?¡± He was looking at the prison door. The guard¡¯s face could be seen through those bars. The guard, who brought him his meal, laughed. ¡°You still care about the people, Count?¡± The guard knew the man in the cell. He was Count Ferrero, the commander of the Central Army, and the greatest asset to the Baroque Empire. The gap between the guard and the count was too huge for him to even look at his face. However, they were in the prison of the Baroque Empire, and whoever was in there had to be treated as a sinner. The guard knew that not a Sword Master, even if a Sword Sage entered the prison to take the Count out, they would be able to. Even to that day, Count Ferrero was being dragged to the torture chamber and was being brainwashed. Being an Advanced Sword Master, he was able to hold his thoughts, but he was bound to become the Majesty¡¯s faithful servant. ¡°Do you know why you have been dragged in here? Please answer me.¡± ¡°Huh, are you that curious?¡± In response to Ferrero¡¯s answer, the guard opened a small side door beneath the thick bars and pushed in a moldy piece of bread. ¡°The plague has disappeared and riots have been subjugated. Also, the enemies you stood up from were killed or executed.¡± With the last bit of strength in him, Ferrero screamed on top of his lungs for knowing that the people who believed in him were killed. ¡°They were all just trying to save their families!¡± ¡°It is no use to say that to me. I am just a prison guard. It is better for you to look ahead, Count. Shouldn¡¯t you be more concerned about your family? They are made to suffer more than those people, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± He didn¡¯t seem to say it out loud, but the faces of his family came up to Ferrero¡¯s head. His first wife had died early, so he had remarried and asked her to look after his kids. He felt a lot of gratitude for his good wife, who never spoke badly about him even though he was always busy with military affairs, and his kids who were proud of their brave father. The pain he felt in his body was a lot more than his scars. ¡°It isn¡¯t too late now. It would be better to ask His Majesty for forgiveness. If you don¡¯t want to let down your family and their lives by continuing to do this, act humble.¡± When he was done speaking, the guard turned and left. ¡°Phew¡­!¡± As the guard disappeared, Ferrero sighed. His family¡¯s state caused him to turn anxious. However, his heart was aching for failing to keep his promise to the people. ¡®Your Majesty, this is too much.¡¯ Count Ferrero felt regrettable that the Emperor, the strongest knight on the continent, whom he had respected all this time, was only getting farther away from him. Count Ferrero¡¯s mansion was being watched by the Knights of Guards of the Imperial family. The Count¡¯s family were all anxious inside the mansion. They were all waiting for some news about their father. ¡°There are a lot of talented people than I thought.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t see them, but I am sure that there are War Mages hiding there.¡± Luke and Philip watched the mansion from a nearby place. Luke, who had come to Nemesis, was afraid to use too much time. It was because the throne couldn¡¯t be left empty for too long. However, the information given by the officials of Hydra and Imperial Intelligence made him change the operation¡¯s plan. ¡°Since his family is confined in the mansion, I don¡¯t think that the Emperor has abandoned Count Ferrero completely.¡± If Rudolf, who had a crazed personality was planning to punish Count Ferrero, he would have killed his entire family or locked them all in prison. Before reaching there, the Count thought that his family would have been killed. ¡°That is true. And if the Count doesn¡¯t bow his head, the treatment will change.¡± Luke decided to change the operation and rescue Ferrero along with his family too. Luke, who previously took the blueprint of the Imperial Palace and the Count¡¯s mansion, gathered the personnel involved in the operation. ¡°Count Ferrero will be taken care of by the first group led by Sir Philip. The Count¡¯s family will be taken care of by 2nd group, Belfair, Scarlet, Erwin, and the 3rd group will be led by Henry. They will ignite the enemy barracks and other offices.¡± ¡°Understood, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°The time for the operation will be at midnight. I hope everyone will be on time and ready.¡± Luke ordered everyone and gave the teleport scroll to everyone when the time came to escape from the capital and to inform if anything happened. On the other hand, he already prepared a gift for Rudolf. In fact, Luke was more focused on the ¡®gift¡¯ rather than the rescue operation of Ferrero as it was supposed to help greatly in the future. ¡®Huhuhu. I expect a lot of responses.¡¯ When the thought of how the Emperor and ¡®he¡¯ would respond, Luke couldn¡¯t help but smile. Chapter 467 - Rescue Operation of Count Ferrero 3 A dark night without the moon in sight. There were a series of shadows running through the darkness in the capital¡¯s streets. They were moving silently and were assassins along with Henry, who belonged to Hydra. ¡®All of this feels new, but the demon¡¯s ability is great.¡¯ Henry, who looked at his men, thought to himself. After becoming the demon¡¯s slaves, his physical abilities have improved significantly compared to when being a regular human. Especially on a dark ebony-like night, his abilities seemed to have bloomed. At first, he was utterly discouraged after being turned into a demon¡¯s slave, but now that he calmly thought about it, it didn¡¯t seem to be so bad. ¡®This is why the warlocks gain power after signing a contract with the demons.¡¯ Thinking so, Henry stopped at the crossroads and spoke to his men, ¡°Let¡¯s scatter here. Anyway, we should be drawing in a little attention, so avoid any unnecessary response.¡± Nodding at the words, the agents of Hydra, with their ghost-like moves, entered the barracks. They began to fire the gunpowder sack they had brought along and throw it into the armory. Bang! Bang! Wheeing! As Hydra agents moved away, the flames soared high along with the explosions in the barracks and the officers throughout the Nemesis. ¡°W-what was that?¡± ¡°Idiot! This is no time to delay! There is gunpowder on fire!¡± Unlike the offices, the Central Army was quick to respond when they saw the soaring fire from the barracks. There were a lot of gunpowder and shells in the armory. And thanks to that, everyone was busy running away rather than trying to find out who was at fault. Kuahhh! Once all the gunpowder and shells of the armory detonated, a loud roar rang. Along with that, an earthquake-like vibration shook the entire capital. It was then that an urgent cry was heard in the ears of the knights and soldiers who were on guard during the hectic situation caused by the explosion. ¡°The enemy! The enemy¡¯s special forces have invaded!¡± ¡°The Libiya Kingdom¡¯s men are here!¡± The agents of Hydra and Henry disguised as the Central Army soldiers went around shouting the same thing. They weren¡¯t just shouting; they were taking down knights and soldiers who were alone and were in their way. ¡°Kuek!¡± ¡°The enemy! The enemy has appeared!¡± ¡°Be careful! The enemies have disguised themselves as our allies!¡± While the barracks and the armory were on fire, the Knights of Guards who were guarding Count Ferrero¡¯s mansion were shocked. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Juan, who was on the lookout for the mansion, asked the lady knight on the horse who was running away from the barracks. The beautiful lady with red hair and had an embroidered uniform and a Knights of Guard¡¯s crest on her answered, ¡°The Libiya Kingdom¡¯s special forces have appeared.¡± ¡°What?¡± Her eyes looked at Juan who was shocked and continued, ¡°Right now, all parts of the capital are under attack. There is an order from the top to clear the enemy forces with all troops on hand.¡± ¡°But we were ordered to defend the mansion. Without his Majesty¡¯s orders, we can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Do you think that you have a chance for that to happen? The commander said that he¡¯ll take responsibility and get the approval from His Majesty, so move now!¡± ¡°U-understood. We¡¯ll leave right away.¡± Depressed because the female knight shouted at him, Juan left his office with minimal force. The remaining knights spoke to the others with a worried expression, ¡°They said there are a lot of invading troops.¡± ¡°Yes, moreover, they even disguised themselves as us!¡± ¡°Uh! Then it¡¯s even more troublesome. By the way, which squad are you from? I never met such a pretty guy like¡­ Kuek!¡± An arrow hit the knight who tried to reach out to the female knight. Over there standing in front of the fallen man was Scarlet with her bow in her hand. ¡°W-what was that?¡± While the knights were shocked, Scarlet, with her agility of being a Bow Expert, killed the rest of the knights. ¡°Kuek!¡± ¡°Kuek!¡± Dozens of knights went down in a second. ¡°Clean this up.¡± At the orders from Scarlet, the members of group 2, who were waiting for her command, ran over and cleared up the bodies. Meanwhile, Belfair and Erwin, who had infiltrated the mansion¡¯s walls from the backside, took down all the hiding war mages. Heading straight to the room where Count Ferrero¡¯s family was locked. ¡°W-who are you?¡± Bang! The knights, who were guarding the room, pulled out their swords. However, the Heatwave magic of Erwin reached them quickly. At the same time when the knights fell, the door broke. The Count¡¯s family members were surprised by it and moved back. ¡°You, who are you?¡± The Countess and her children behind her back asked in fear. Erwin politely replied, ¡°We are here to save you.¡± ¡°To save us?¡± As Erwin tried to explain it briefly to them, Belfair spoke, ¡°There isn¡¯t enough time to explain it now. Emperor Rudolf decided to kill Count Ferrero. We need to hurry out before the orders of execution reach the knights.¡± It was a complete lie, but Erwin didn¡¯t feel like contradicting it. In fact, it would take a lot more time if she had to explain that they had come from the Symphonia Kingdom and were trying to rescue Count Ferrero, who was in a messed up situation. ¡°H-how can his Majesty¡­! But if we run away, what about him? Who will save him?¡± ¡°The people have already left, so you can come with us with no worries.¡± Belfair took the kids into his hands and urged the Countess The Countess, who was still confused, decided to follow Belfair and Erwin. She thought that she had to get out of that depressing room and atmosphere to think clearly. ¡®These demons work better than I thought.¡¯ Erwin knew of Luke¡¯s identity of being the warlock, Saymon, the Devil King from 500 years ago. The ability to summon demons and take away their abilities was great. However, there were always doubts in her mind whenever Luke used those demons for his work. However, the demons seemed more human-like. If they were dead ones, then wouldn¡¯t it mean that the demons were once fairies or humans? Moreover, in the case of Belfair, he learned the silver sword, which had divine power in it. ¡®Well, he is an extraordinary person. If he can do this, then he can surely tame the demon lords.¡¯ Luke was the character in whose hands High Elf Erenes had left the future of the fairies. Luke was someone who wanted to escape the prejudiced world and look for new things to create a whole new world. ¡®I also need to stop my prejudicial and stereotypical thoughts.¡¯ Erwin thought so because she knew that that was the only way she could get Luke¡¯s heart. Chapter 468 - Rescue Operation of Count Ferrero 4 At the entrance of the Imperial palace dungeon, was the headquarters of the Knights of Guard who were placed close to the Imperial palace for security purposes. Normally, it would have been difficult to enter such a place because of its strict guarding. However, all thanks to the explosions which just happened, around half the knights were dispatched, and the other half were completely confused. ¡°That Henry is doing a lot better than I thought.¡± Not only did Henry manage to draw in the enemy¡¯s attention, but also well prepared to use the right means to distract them. The uniforms of the Knights of Guards, the forged IDs, and the dungeon map which Luke¡¯s party were currently wearing were all the items prepared by Henry, and the ID¡¯s were so perfect as Philip had been a Knights of Guard in the past, so he helped him. ¡°After this work, he needs to be rewarded.¡± At Philip¡¯s words, Luke nodded to show that he considered doing it. ¡®A prize¡­ should I remove them from being demon slaves?¡¯ Henry was currently Sebastian¡¯s first slave. Luke didn¡¯t know what Sebastian had done to make him his slave, but liberating Henry should be simple. Because all Luke would have to do was say one word to Sebastian. Once Luke asks him to liberate, Sebastian who was Luke¡¯s slave would have to free Henry at all costs. ¡®No, there is no need to hurry. There aren¡¯t many slaves who can be used like this.¡¯ Some other reward would be enough for Henry. Thinking so, Luke walked forward to find a huge gate. The iron gate was one of the three gates which shut the dungeon, and it wasn¡¯t just engraved with complex magic circles, but also the best of the Knights. ¡°Stop. Who are you?¡± As a knight, who appeared to be in front stopped Luke. Luke spoke with a normal tone. ¡°I came to pick up the sinner under the command of His Majesty.¡± ¡°His Majesty¡¯s command?¡± ¡°Yes. Please open the gate.¡± Even after saying that it was the Emperor¡¯s orders, the knight didn¡¯t seem to be convinced. Rather, with suspicion, he asked Luke. ¡°According to our commander¡¯s words, we were asked not to release the sinner until a specific order has been given to us from him. Is there any evidence of what you are saying?¡± ¡°None. There is no time to draft the order as the situation is urgent.¡± ¡°What about the urgent situation? The outside? Is it related to the earthquake?¡± The guards of the dungeon gate were kept at their positions all day, so they had no idea what was happening outside. Which made Luke answer. ¡°The Libiya Kingdom¡¯s special forces have attacked the capital. The central barracks were assaulted, and the armory exploded. It is a complete mess in there.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Because of all that things about the enemy on the move, His Majesty has decided to grant Count Ferrero a chance to wash away his sins. So, please open the door.¡± Luke¡¯s words seemed reasonable. It was a chance for a Sword master to shine his abilities because of the war outside. Nevertheless, the gates didn¡¯t move. Philip decided to take the lead. ¡°What are you delaying this for?! If things go like this, you will all be held accountable!¡± The knight stared at Philip. It was almost as if he was trying to look through Philip¡¯s eyes. Which made Philip wonder if the knight recognized him. ¡®This wouldn¡¯t be too strange if he recognizes me as I was in the Knights of Guards. But with what I am, my appearance changed and so did my voice because of His Majesty¡¯s magic so this can¡¯t.¡¯ However, there was one thing that couldn¡¯t be changed even after changing the appearance. It was the mana waves. Each knight had a unique mana and aura, so the knight with excellent skills was quick to find out who the opponent was even before seeing the face. Nor surprisingly, the knight asked Philip with a loud voice. ¡°You are Philip! The one who ran away 7 years back, handing in your resignation! Why is such a man disguised himself like this and standing here?¡± ¡®Dammit, he noticed?¡¯ When things went wrong, Philip immediately went for his sword and struck the iron gate. It was a blow with Impact aura, but the iron gates didn¡¯t seem to move. The knight managed to stop the attack, as he was a Sword Master like Philip. ¡®Dammit, why is a Sword Master being kept as a gatekeeper?¡¯ Philip couldn¡¯t understand. At what the knight was, he could be placed a commander for the knights of guards. ¡°Sound the alarms! We have intruders¡­¡± The knights¡¯ words stopped midway. It was because of the silent magic used by Luke. The moment the magic got triggered, the members of group 1 rushed to the guards. When a group of men with swords met, it was sure for noise to ring everywhere, and it indicated that there was a need for silence to avoid suspicion. It was a preparation for a situation if Ferrero escaped, the knights used as guards were all Knights of Guards, and the knight who spoke to Philip was the head of the 3rd squad. So, the fight wasn¡¯t going to be an easy one, however, with Luke¡¯s support, the situation could be changed. ¡®Petro Light!¡¯ ¡°Huk!¡± Luke¡¯s eyes shone with a purple hue, and the abilities of the demon got activated. Petro Light, which was being used in less amount not to give out suspicion, couldn¡¯t turn the bodies of the knights into stone, however, it was sufficient enough to temporarily harden their bodies. And once they faltered, the swords of Philip and the group 1 cut their necks and dug into their hearts without hesitation. ¡®All done?¡¯ Once Philip handled the guards of the Iron Gate, he wiped the sweat off his forehead with a sigh of relief. All of a sudden, the magic circles engraved on the iron gate began to act weirdly. King! King! Chrr! Various mechanical devices rose from the ground and formed in front of the iron gate, and the strength of the gate seemed to have doubled. And the light changed from green to red. Seeing that, Philip and the others were all flustered. ¡®This can¡¯t be, it looks like some kind of tattoo engraved on the body of the dead, an alarm linked to the gate.¡¯ Normally, it would have turned noisy, but with the silent magic used by Luke, the alarm wasn¡¯t audible. However, if anyone noticed the change of the light, there would be knights coming for the dungeon, and there already seemed to be a large number of troops approaching them. ¡®Majesty!¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t worry.¡¯ Luke shook his hands to push away the anxiousness of his men. The iron gates were strengthened and the defense magic was complicated, but it wasn¡¯t at a level where Luke wouldn¡¯t solve it. Luke simply neutralized the magic circles with his anti-magic and opened the iron gate. After a while, the iron gates which were opened, closed tightly once the Baroque knights of guards had appeared. ¡°Dammit, there is an intruder! Open the gate right now!¡± The War Mage, who had been dispatched from the Imperial Magic tower, tried to open the iron gate at the knight¡¯s orders. For a moment he chanted some spells, however, he couldn¡¯t help but be confused. ¡°That¡­ it won¡¯t open if the man opened it is inside.¡± The reason why the iron gate didn¡¯t open was because Luke, who had gone inside, changed the magic circles on the iron gate. ¡°One has to be at least 8 circles to take that down. It is too much for me, and I might need to bring Meister here.¡± ¡°Tch! Can¡¯t wait till then. Guard the gates. And raise the knights to the Imperial Palace!¡± The intruders were surely those who had come to rescue Count Ferrero, who was placed in the dungeon. After all, those who went in would have to come out. ¡®I¡¯m going to report this to His Majesty right away.¡¯ Rudolf was in charge of handling Count Ferrero. Moreover, if the intruders had killed off the guards and changed the magic circles on the iron gate, they wouldn¡¯t be any normal men. Maybe the Emperor or his special knights would have to come. ¡°Men broke into the dungeon?¡± Though woken up at the report of the explosion from a knight, Rudolf frowned. ¡°Is this the Libiya Kingdom¡¯s men?¡± ¡°It does seem very likely.¡± Voltas agreed to it from the side. Originally, Ferrero was a neutral noble. He had a very close relationship with Felipe, who rebelled after meeting with Reichard. ¡°Considering Ferrero¡¯s personality, talking wouldn¡¯t convince him but if they rescued him then Ferrero could be brought to his side.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. They haven¡¯t escaped from the dungeon yet. They all like sitting rats, we can take them out at once.¡± ¡°No, we don¡¯t need to move. We will wait for them.¡± Rudolf reached out to a crystal ornament that was on the side of his chair. Woong! When the Emperor touched the dragon-shaped ornament, the magic circles flashed around the office floor, and a three-sided dimensional view of the Imperial Palace and the dungeon began to show. ¡°This, this is?!¡± Count Voltas was surprised at it. As a close aide, he had been serving Rudolf for a long time, however, he never knew such a thing was in the Emperor¡¯s office. ¡°Kukk. It is one of the secrets the world isn¡¯t aware of. The rats don¡¯t even know where they are.¡± Rudolf¡¯s mouth turned to a smile looking at the three-sided dimensional view of his palace. Chapter 469 - Ruins of Imperial Dungeon 1 ¡°This is the dungeon path?¡± Luke who went past the other two gates, looked around. He had imagined the prison underground to be more dirty and frivolous, however, there were magic lights everywhere and the path was much cleaner. Even the walls had elaborate sculptures that had inscriptions at regular distances. ¡°This dungeon seems to be made during the Mado era time?¡± The sculpture patterns and the characters were all belonging to the late Abaron Empire time. In addition to that, the sculptures weren¡¯t of humans, but of fairies like elves and dwarves. The fairies were wearing bright expressions and costumes as if they were jumping out of the wall. ¡°Then, there was a story about the Imperial Palace. Before the fall of the Libiya Kingdom, in the hands of the ancestors of Baroque, they were known to go to an old temple, which belonged to Goddess Belize, and serves her.¡± According to the rumors which Philip heard while his time as a Knights of Guard, the past princess of the Libiya Kingdom was in charge of the temple¡¯s well being. It was said that the princess wasn¡¯t properly treated as a royal family member because of her blood belonging to a fairy, and it was said that she didn¡¯t cooperate with the extortionist, Karno de Baroque. ¡°When the Libiya Kingdom got ruined, some knights reportedly felt the palace and reached the temple with a royal scepter. The princess closed up all the doors of the temple and prevented the rebels from entering it.¡± And Karno De Baroque was scared to spill blood on the holy place of the Goddess, so he surrounded the temple and waited for the princess and her guards to appear outside Since the temple had very little food and water, they were bound to come out of the place. ¡°However, a week had passed and then a month, no single person had come out of the temple. The Duke who felt something was wrong broke the temple doors and entered, unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t able to find anyone. There was no body found either.¡± Obviously he wasn¡¯t able to find any of them. The Baroque Duke had tried searching every corner to find the whereabouts of the princess, however, he wasn¡¯t able to find them anywhere on the continent. ¡°However, strange things didn¡¯t end to happen. Since then, there have been multiple incidents of missing priests and knights who were there to investigate the temple. Even the youngest son of the Baroque Duke, who went there in curiosity never made it back.¡± And that led to rumors. The Goddess Belize, who took pity on the princess and her knights, punished the rebels and placed the princess somewhere safe. ¡°After that, the death of the Baroque Duke took place, and the eldest son who succeeded after him destroyed the temple which gave birth to rumors. And on top of that, a new palace was built, the current Baroque Imperial palace.¡± ¡°Hmm, so the eldest one wasn¡¯t scared of God.¡± Perhaps, he only feared the uprising of the last Libiya Kingdom¡¯s descendant rather than a God. But listening to Philip¡¯s story, Luke dug up his past. He knew Princess Sophia, the main character of the story, the one from 500 years back. ¡®Princess Sophia¡¯s mother was an elf brought into slavery. That was why she was never considered to be a royal family member¡­¡¯ During his time as Saymon, the fairies under him asked to take Princess Sophia onto his side. Even though she was a mixed-race, it was because she could easily help Saymon in conquering the lands, as she was the last bloodline of the Libiya royal family. However, Luke refused their offer. It was because she was a priest, and it wouldn¡¯t do justice for her to stand by a warlock. ¡®Moreover, the character of princess Sophia was different, no wonder she didn¡¯t want to hold hands with Karno de Baroque.¡¯ The problem was the truth held in the story. It could be believed that the goddess really helped, or whether there were secrets, and Luke decided to trust the other one. It wasn¡¯t a huge deal, with the invasion of the devildom during that time, there wouldn¡¯t have been time for the Gods to intervene in the New World. ¡®Maybe, 500 years back, the party of princess Sophia was helped by the ancient power and magic at the basement of the temple.¡¯ When Luke was deep in thoughts, Philip spoke while looking at the map Henry had given them. ¡°But, this dungeon is a place I am not aware of, how did that friend of Henry even get a map?¡± ¡°It was made from the information given by an elderly who worked here as a guard.¡± The old man didn¡¯t seem to have told Henry about the ruins. Or maybe he wasn¡¯t aware of it either. In fact, the knowledge of the ancient times was usually known only to the educated scholars, wizards, and some nobles, so there wasn¡¯t any chance for the jail guards to know about it, and it was nothing weird. ¡°I can feel the energy from ahead.¡± Say that, everyone stuck themselves to the walls or hid behind the pillars. Soon then, a middle-aged man in black clothes, symbolizing a jailer, walked while humming. ¡°Travelling the life where have I been¡­ kuak!¡± Suddenly Luke jumped out and placed his sword on the man¡¯s neck, making the man frightened. ¡°Why, why are you doing this and who are you!?¡± Luke was wearing the uniform of a knight, however, the jailer didn¡¯t see him as any knight. It was because the dungeon wasn¡¯t a place even the Knights of Guard could enter by themselves. Among the Knights of Guard, only those who were given power by the Imperial family had access. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know who we are. Where is Count Ferrero?¡± ¡°Yo, the Emperor will never forgive¡­ Hiik!¡± As Luke¡¯s sword preparing to stab the jailer, the jailer¡¯s expression went pale. ¡°Scared of the Emperor far away from you, or are you scared on the man in front of you?¡± ¡°I, have nothing to do with this. Save me, please.¡± The jailer clasped his hands and begged him. Philip and the other members of the knights didn¡¯t seem to understand. Since he was someone guarding the prison inside the dungeon, they had expected him to be a Knights of Guard. And thought that they would have to torture the man for more than 10 minutes to learn the location of Ferrero because of his undying loyalty to the Emperor. However, the jailer was a normal human with no skills. ¡°I¡¯ll save you, so take me to the place where Count Ferrero is.¡± ¡°Uh, yes! Please follow me.¡± Luke continued to point the sword at the neck to keep the man from doing anything sneaky. He was once trapped by the fairies, so he wasn¡¯t going to let an ordinary man deceive him. Chapter 470 - Ruins of Imperial Dungeon 2 After some time, two stone gates appeared. There were a lot of metaphysical patterns, numbers, and symbols engraved on the gates, and the guard approached the gates and pressed patterns and symbols. Kuukng! When the thick-as-hell stone gate opened, the dungeon began to unfold in front of everyone¡¯s eyes. They weren¡¯t aware, but the dungeon was created by the Baroque Imperial using the structure of the Abaron Empire. ¡°Count Ferrero is in the third room on the left.¡± ¡°But, what is that stone gate over there?¡± When Luke pointed at the stone gate on the right side, the jailer seemed flustered. ¡°Even I don¡¯t know. I am only asked to work here, so His Majesty spoke nothing about it.¡± The reason why the jailer was able to work there was because he was related to the Baroque Imperial family. He was a noble but had no ability. However, Rudolf viewed it as an advantage. The guys with swords didn¡¯t like cramped places, and wizards and scholars are more interested in admission rather than punishing. In addition to the possibility of an intruder getting into the dungeon being very low, there was no need for the Emperor to put a skilled man there. All it had to be was a human who could torture the prisoners and give them meals occasionally. ¡°I honestly wanted to do something, so I came up here, but I never dreamt that I had skills to do this work here. And whenever I get close to that gate, I feel like I am losing power¡­¡± ¡®Losing power?¡¯ At the words of the jailer, Luke recalled the time when he was trapped by Nanas. At that time, he had gone to the Dark Forest where the trap was installed. He was unable to breathe, and it was uncomfortable as the black circle on his heart was moving slow. It was because of the trap installed by Nanas¡­ Well, it was mainly because of the place where it was located. The Aether Vortex could drain one¡¯s power regardless if it was an aura, divine, mana, or magi. Could such thing be behind the iron gate? Was it made so that everyone would be prevented from entering it? When Luke was in doubt, Philip rushed into the dungeon to look for Count Ferrero. ¡°Vice-captain! Are you okay?¡± When he heard his old title, Ferrero, who was leaning on the wall, lifted his head. ¡°Philip, is that you?¡± ¡°Yes, it is me. I am here to see you, Vice-captain.¡± Ferrero smiled at Philip¡¯s words and saw him break the prison door. ¡°What are you talking about? I am your enemy.¡± Ferrero had ears everywhere, and he knew how well Philip had turned out. He knew that Philip was a Sword Master and was the commander of the 1st squadron of the Symphonia Kingdom. When he heard all of that, Ferrero was delighted. It seemed like Philip had met a very good master that made him a free bird. Ferrero wasn¡¯t wrong when he recognized Philip as a talented kid. It was a pity that he would have to clash swords with Philip on the battlefield someday, but even then, it was the fate of a knight. But that same Philip was in front of him now. ¡°I have no intention of betraying the Empire. I don¡¯t know how you managed to get here, but you need to go back.¡± ¡°Then you did think about betraying the Emperor, right?¡± Luke asked. ¡°You are surely¡­!¡± Ferrero¡¯s eyes went wide. The leader of the enemy, the enemy of Emperor Rudolf, the man called the traitor, Ferrero never thought that such a man would appear here. Regardless of Ferrero¡¯s reaction, Luke continued, ¡°The Emperor doesn¡¯t know, but you didn¡¯t want to abandon the people I guess. Is that why you are saying you won¡¯t betray the Empire?¡± When Luke went straight to the point, Ferrero¡¯s eyes watered. He knew that the distance between the Emperor and him had grown too much to fill. Nevertheless, it was he who failed to think of the people. If he ran away or lost the battle there, there would be no one left to protect the powerless people from the Emperor. ¡°Well, your decision is an important one. But, for now, why don¡¯t we make a bet?¡± ¡°Bet?¡± As Ferrero asked, Luke nodded. ¡°In the past, you always asked for a battle against me, right? Once you get out and recover to an extent, we will do that.¡± ¡°There must be something else, right? Should I become your servant if I lose?¡± ¡°Exactly. Instead, if you win, take my neck to Rudolf. The Emperor will be fond of you and will clear away your sins.¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Upon hearing the ridiculous offer of Luke, Philip and his agents shouted. Even if he was the Majesty, saying something like that was stupid. However, Luke stopped them and asked Ferrero, ¡°How is that? Will you agree, or will you refuse?¡± ¡°Huh, I agree. I always wanted to fight you.¡± Ferrero had always wanted to compete with Luke since the first time he met him in the Imperial palace. It was because he felt a tremendous amount of strength from the man who claimed to be just an Intermediate Expert. But currently, the kid seemed to have developed a lot. He was now a Rune Knight and could use magic, so he wanted to fight Luke now more than ever compared to the past. ¡°Very well.¡± Kang! Luke, who smiled, immediately slashed through the magic seal that was holding Count Ferrero in place. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of this depressing place. Sir Philip, help Count Ferrero move.¡± ¡°There is no need. I have the strength to walk on my own two feet.¡± Ferrero staggered while getting up. Philip, who saw that, couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. However, fortunately, Ferrero began to walk steadily. It was when Luke¡¯s party had left the cell that urgent screams were heard outside the dungeon¡¯s stone gate and among them were the jailers. ¡°What are those?¡± ¡°It is a monster! Be careful!¡± The screams were troublesome, but Luke, who could sense the mana, ran out. Grrr! Grrrr! Thud! The guards, who were outside the stone gate, were confronting the stone statues. The dolls in the shape of fairies, elves, and dwarves that they passed by to reach the cell began to move. Well, when he saw the empty pieces on the wall, Luke had already figured it out. ¡®Golems? No, in here, they must be the dungeon guardians.¡¯ The Golems moved under the control of a wizard. However, it was different for the dungeon guardians. They acted on their own will. ¡®But how can they move?¡¯ Dungeon guardians came in a number of varieties. Some were living creatures like monsters and chimeras, and the others were made of stone and iron such as Moving Armour or Gargoyle. However, they all had one thing in common. Their mana was charged, so they could move. It was a form in which the mana get charged while waiting and detecting the intruder. However, on his way there, Luke couldn¡¯t feel any mana from the stone dolls. So he just simply passed by them without thinking twice. ¡®Is someone secretly injecting mana in those? We will have to deal with her.¡¯ Produced to protect the lands and dungeons during the ancient Mado era, such stones dolls had unprecedented combat power and couldn¡¯t be dealt with unless one was a Sword Expert class knight. Luke, who had gone through several dungeons as Saymon, knew the powers and weaknesses of the dolls. So he immediately asked the flustered knights. ¡°There is no need to be so shocked! Stab their heads or hearts with your swords! Break the magic stone and they will stop!¡± Luke tried to stab a gargoyle to demonstrate what he was telling them. However, something unexpected happened. His sword simply bounced off. ¡®What? How did this happen?¡¯ It was alright if the sword was just deflected, but the aura disappeared from the sword as well. It just got absorbed into the stone. The screams of his men entered Luke¡¯s ears. ¡°Your Majesty, our swords aren¡¯t working!¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t just that. The aura is being absorbed!¡± Just throwing back the sword was annoying enough, but those stones were absorbing their aura too. It was observed when a knight showed it to Luke. ¡®Magic too?¡¯ In any case, Luke used Fire Bolt toward a doll. The magic flames that flew toward a lycan and dwarf stone twisted in the middle and flew toward the fairy. And just like what happened to his aura earlier, the magic got absorbed and then was fired back to Luke. ¡°Tch, this only brings back unpleasant memories.¡± An unpleasant memory of something sucking one¡¯s power. Luke could remember his feeling of despair when he fell into Nanas¡¯ trap while avoiding the Fire Bolt. ¡°Kuek!¡± While Luke managed to avoid the dolls¡¯ attacks, one of his men couldn¡¯t avoid it and got killed on the spot. However, everybody stopped moving, including Luke. ¡®How are we supposed to smash them?¡¯ If he used stronger magic or demon abilities then they could be smashed. However, that would make Luke extremely exhausted. Moreover, the way the dolls moved and attacked seemed very violent and cumbersome. The dwarf and lycan wielded an ax and a mace, and the elf had stone arrows. Also, what looked like a fairy doll seemed to use fire and ice magic. The combination was very difficult to deal with, and Luke and Philip were the only ones who could attack them. They couldn¡¯t hide in the prison. The moment they stepped anywhere else, they would become rats waiting to be killed. ¡°Your Majesty, what should we do?¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± The stone dolls grew in number, and the men who were dealing with them were collapsing. In such a situation, everyone looked at Luke. They expected their master with exceptional abilities to overcome this. ¡®I can¡¯t help it. I have no choice but to push through.¡¯ Thinking so, Luke ordered Philip. ¡°Push through! Do your best!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Luke and Philip attacked the stones in front of them with Impact Aura. Count Ferrero, who was behind them, borrowed a sword as he knew that the situation was turning against him. Thud! Bang! And Luke¡¯s thoughts were right. There was a limit to the power that could be absorbed. When hit with Impact Aura, the stone dolls crumbled. ¡°Once a path opens up, follow me¡­!¡± While saying the word ¡®follow me¡¯, Luke¡¯s eyes went wide. The stones, which were smashed, began to piece back together. ¡®What the hell is this?!¡¯ Luke frowned at the unseen things happening in front of him and made a shield to block the arrows and magic attacks coming at him. The stone dolls were all aiming for Luke as they considered him to be the most dangerous among all of them. Preventing the attacks, Luke began to curse under his breath. ¡®Those Abaron bastards! Why did they have to make such annoying things?!¡¯ If it wasn¡¯t for the situation, Luke would have been impressed with the powers of the ancient fairies who created such skilled dungeon guardians. But he couldn¡¯t do it then as he had to get out of that place safely. ¡®I need to find a way! There must be some way out of here!¡¯ Not wanting to have the dungeon be his grave, Luke thought desperately. Chapter 471 - Ruins of Imperial Dungeon 3 ¡°Huhuhu. Surely they are all stuck in there.¡± Emperor Rudolf, who was looking through the three-dimensional view in front of him, smiled. In one of the sections of the dungeon, several red spots were currently blocking the green spots, not letting anyone move. Well, the red dots were disappearing one after the other. ¡°Your Majesty, this is¡­?¡± Voltas was asking the same question for the fifth time. Rudolf, staring at the three-dimensional view, turned to Voltas with a smile. ¡°Huh? What did you say, Count Voltas?¡± ¡°I asked what the device was. I never knew such a device was in Your Majesty¡¯s office.¡± ¡°Obviously, you didn¡¯t. This is a top-secret that only the Emperors of the past knew.¡± At Rudolf¡¯s words, Voltas could feel his heart stabilize. Surely, such a thing had to be a top-secret of the Emperor. Voltas was just a little worried about whether or not the Emperor knew everything that he was doing. Had he ever been outside the Emperor¡¯s eyes? ¡°You know about the legend that goes around the Imperial Palace, right? The story where the last princess of the Libiya Kingdom had disappeared with a ruby.¡± ¡°Yes, I knew very well the story that was created by the ancestors, but¡­?¡± ¡°You must know it. It is real. It was a lie that the Goddess Belize took in the princess and dragged the first Emperor to hell.¡± Emperor Rudolf sat while looking at the portrait of the 1st Emperor at the side of his office. ¡°In the past or in the Mado era, there was a special magic tower where magic research was being conducted. It was a place where the impossible was being studied. Even in those days, the magic was as brilliant as now.¡± ¡°Impossible areas¡­?¡± ¡°Time and Space.¡± At the words of the Emperor, Voltas couldn¡¯t get his head around it. He was someone who didn¡¯t know much about magic, but he knew what the Emperor was showing now was truly something that happened only in the realm of God. In response to Voltas¡¯ reaction, Rudolf smiled. ¡°You might not believe it. However, the thing about space was successful. It was rare, but there are things like ¡®subspace¡¯ which have been created to contain items.¡± Subspace items made in the Mado era were all over the ancient ruins. Luke¡¯s subspace artifact was one of them. ¡°Even if space was possible, isn¡¯t time impossible? Going to the past or to the future only work in novels.¡± At Voltas¡¯ words, Rudolf shook his head. ¡°We already achieve the results with space. Why do you think that ¡®time¡¯ is impossible?¡± ¡®Was it really possible?¡¯ Rudolf continued to speak whether Voltas considered him to be insane or not. ¡°Anyway, the ancient fairy wizards who succeeded in creating the space continued to study in Time, and they came to the conclusion that adjusting Time would require a huge amount of magic to match with the power of the God.¡± It was impossible for people to have magic powers equivalent to the power of God. A human¡¯s body wouldn¡¯t be able to stand it. Thus, the ancient wizards tried to get such power from nature. As they searched for places with mana fields in nature, they finally managed to find the best place. ¡°And was that the Imperial Palace?¡± ¡°Yes, the place where the dungeon is located attracts all the powers in the world, not just mana or aura. Even people who stand there for a long time will die.¡± ¡®Was that why a prison was built over there?¡¯ While Voltas was in thoughts, Rudolf continued to speak, ¡°Even after the Mado era disappeared and the magic tower perished, the strange phenomenon of the place didn¡¯t change. That was why humans began to seal it off and build temples over them, in hopes that the evil of the world would disappear.¡± And that didn¡¯t mean that the phenomenon disappeared. However, after the temples and shrines got built, the number of victims who died or disappeared fell. ¡°Let¡¯s put the story aside for a moment. The ancient fairy wizards continued to study with the enormous power gathered in the place. On one hand, they studied the flow of power and made experimental weapons.¡± Those experimental weapons were currently blocking the intruders, and it was Rudolf who woke it up. Ancient magic items obtained in the process of building up the palace by the 2nd Emperor managed to inject mana into the underground dungeon¡¯s weapons and made them grasp the topography and structures around the palace at a glance. ¡°However, it was just an experiment that was done for the first time. He could only use them in the ruins. Even the remains of the underground are true. They can¡¯t move outside and there is no way to control them inside those ruins.¡± In fact, even the disappearance and accidents that happened in the past were all caused by the devices built to control the ruins that malfunctioned in the process of excavating the ruins. ¡°And what about now?¡± ¡°We are still researching it in the Imperial Magic Tower¡­ However, we haven¡¯t found a way to control them.¡± Well, they actually found a clue. Mana, aura, divine power, and etc were all sources of power and also Aether¡ªthe possible main source of the world¡¯s creation. The problem was that there was no research on Aether. Marquis Kepler, the Meister of the Imperial Magic Tower, reported that it would take some time to achieve that. ¡°If I had a way to control the remains in my lifetime and manage time, I might be able to reverse everything which happened so far. Just as the fairies would try to change the mistakes they did.¡± Rudolf¡¯s eyes were displaying feelings of sadness while saying that. The figure of the children he had killed with his own hands had come to his mind. ¡®If we could turn back time, we might be able to stop tragedies. No, I will stop everything!¡¯ The elders and high ranking wizards of the Imperial Magic Tower were in charge of the study, yet they were in fear of touching something that solely belonged to God and was terrified of being punished by them. However, Rudolf wasn¡¯t afraid of punishment. It was because he already thought that he had been abandoned by both God and the Devil. ¡°Well, dealing with intruders is the most important thing right now.¡± Saying so, Voltas pointed at the magic device. The red dots that fell were currently moving trough the green dots and were heading to the entrance. The green dots continued to decrease as they reached the entrance. ¡°There are a few troops that are waiting outside the entrance, but with this momentum, they might get out.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen. Everything will turn into ash.¡± Smiling for some reason, Rudolf placed his hand on the ornament. The green dots began to flash as if they were being controlled by the Emperor. ¡°This is a pity, but they are good enough to come and rescue Ferrero and get rid of such guys. They aren¡¯t that bad.¡± Voltas didn¡¯t know what the Emperor just did. Judging by the Emperor¡¯s hearty laughter, he knew the fate of the invaders in the dungeon. ¡®We need to do it. We need to escape!¡¯ Luke and his party, who continued to break through the stone dolls, stopped when they noticed the stones stepping back. ¡°Your Majesty, why are they suddenly doing that?¡± ¡°Somehow, they seem to be getting redder?¡± Even if the men didn¡¯t say it, Luke knew something was unusual. The magic stones inside the stone dolls were flowing heavily, and there was just one thing that could happen. ¡°Everyone down!¡± Bang! Right as Luke gave his order, the stones exploded. Flashes, flames, and heatwave filled the passage engulfing Luke¡¯s party. Chapter 472 - Ruins of Imperial Dungeon 4 Arthenia Imperial Magic Tower. Not just in the Arthenia Empire, but the entire magic towers, it was known to be one of the best, and a very precious visitor had gone there. It was Pope Veronica III of the Holy Arthenia Empire. The Meister, Marquis Reas and the other high ranking men of the Magic Tower, heard about the visit from the Pope and went to meet her. It wasn¡¯t that the Pope had never been invited before, it was just that she had never visited the Magic Tower without prior notice. Reas, who greeted the wagon of the Pope, looked at her and asked. ¡°Holy, Holy Pope. Suddenly a visit here¡­?¡± ¡°I was patrolling around here and thought about stopping by for a while, however, I feel like I might be troubling you.¡± ¡°Not at all. You could never do that.¡± Honestly, Marquis Reas initially disliked the Pope. It was because he thought of her to be a puppet in Constantine¡¯s hand, he began to doubt if she was an angel or not, or if she got corrupted after getting involved in the politics of the government. Which was in the past, he met with Gregory and complained about it in secret. However, with the civil war, the Pope seemed to have changed. She boldly defeated Constantine¡¯s faction and recruited various talented people to promote and reform the policies and renew the Holy Empire. Which led the Marquis to see his Pope in new colors. ¡®In the end, the words of Arch Duke were right.¡¯ Pope, well, Reina talked to him with a smile. ¡°I wanted to look inside, would that be alright?¡± ¡°Of course. I will be your guide.¡± Reina changed into the robe of the Magic Tower before entering. It was because she didn¡¯t want to surprise or disrupt the work the wizards were doing. In addition, since the number of attendants around her were reduced to a bare minimum, the general wizards or the staff of the Magic Tower didn¡¯t know that the one who visited them was their Pope. The Holy Empire¡¯s Imperial Magic Tower was huge in size. It had dozens of stone buildings, various workshops, warehouses, and a lot more. Among them, at the Gigant assembling workshop, Reas proudly presented a white Gigant ¡°This is a Hero class Gigant, Veda, which we are currently producing at our Magic Tower. It is very strong, however, we are going to improve the performance a lot further by using the new information obtained through our Intelligence agency from the Baroque Empire.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After hearing Reas¡¯s words, Reina smiled. The new Gigant of the Baroque Empire was the Atlas of Veritas magic tower. Luke, who wanted to keep the Baroque Empire under control, gave Reina a copy of Atlas¡¯s blueprint. And it would have surely been strange if the Pope of an empire stated that she miraculously got a blueprint of a war machine, so he asked the intelligence agents to secretly pass it to the Imperial Palace. Marquis Reas seemed proud without realizing the full story behind it. ¡°Gigant¡¯s are surely nice, but I would like to take a look at the medical mage research. Since we heard the news about the plague in the Baroque Empire.¡± ¡°Ah, I have heard of that too. They said that something terrifying had happened there. A plague or disease was normal, but the act to control it was cruel. Tens and thousands of patients and suspected carriers were all gathered in one place and killed, and those people who protested against the act were all labeled as rebels and executed at random. Eventually, the spread of the disease with a terrifying infection was prevented, but the public sentiment in the capital was severe. ¡°There is no guarantee that such things won¡¯t happen again. Because the epidemics are different kinds and many lives will be lost before we figure something out.¡± ¡°Surely that is, but, isn¡¯t this nation under divine power?¡± The person with the best healing power in the entire continent was the Pope. And she had already showed the miracles she could do several times in the squares and other places, but healing numerous incurable people seems to be impossible. ¡°It is true that I have a unique ability. However, there are many people who are sick and die of illness where my eyes can¡¯t reach. They will need medicine and a medic who can really cure them rather than a miracle which might never reach them.¡± ¡°I understand. My thoughts were short-sighted.¡± At Reina¡¯s words, Marquis Reas nodded. The support he gave to the Pope wasn¡¯t because of her ability to perform miracles. The main reason was her intent to reform the tax policies, price stabilization which eased the burden on the people and improved their quality of life. ¡®And even when the strange rumors came out, her position stood strong even after facing the slander of the opposition.¡¯ The story of the Pope being a princess of the destroyed Volga Kingdom had been spreading for quite a time. However, there were many who didn¡¯t believe the rumors. In addition, there were people who defended that, since Lady Reina had been performing good deeds before coming to the Holy Empire. She had been chosen by the God as an angel, or that she acted as Constantine¡¯s puppet to seize the power from him and do good to the people. While Marquis Reas was in thoughts, Reina spoke. ¡°I heard that there are a lot of refugees coming to our nation due to the civil war in the Baroque Empire. The place where the refugees might stay seems poor in sanitation¡­!¡± ¡°Holy Pope?¡± Reina¡¯s words stopped and her complexion turned white. It wasn¡¯t just that, her pupils lost focus and her body began to tremble. ¡°Holy Pope! Are you alright?!¡± Reas hastily held her. The paladins who followed her were in shock. Fortunately, before long Reina was able to regain consciousness, however, her pale face didn¡¯t bring back the color. ¡®What did I just see?¡¯ She didn¡¯t see it in front of her, but she saw a landscape in front of her. A field filled with thick fog. Countless people died like a war had occurred. And there was Luke, who was over a body, looking miserable. Standing opposite to him, barely being able to support his body and a broken sword, was a knight with a cold gaze exuding grey energy all over his body. The knight, which had a lot of resemblance to Luke, was holding a sword that was giving out the Golden Aura. The knight with the gold sword struck Luke. ¡®No, NO!¡¯ Reina screamed and ran towards Luke. However, neither her lips or her body move. It was as if someone had taken over her body¡¯s control. Flash! At the last moment, a white light passed, and her mind came back. ¡®Was it a dream? What happened to him?¡¯ Her pounding heart and the illusion didn¡¯t sink in. Cold sweat flowed from her forehead. As a result, Reina tried to communicate with Luke directly with the magic crystal she always carried. However, she couldn¡¯t connect. Anxiousness reaching the peak, she touched the gold ring Luke had given her and prayed. ¡®Great Lord El Kassel! Mother of Earth Goddess Belize! Please protect him.¡¯ Chapter 473 - Aether Monument 1 Wheeing! Roar! Immediately, after the immense explosion and flame which swept through the dungeon, a piece of stone fell from the ceiling. Once the heat and the flames receded, a hemispherical bluish veil appeared. It was the shield that Luke had made. Luke¡¯s hand managed to build up a shield for him and his men at the right moment. He wondered if he would be able to do it since the stone dolls all seemed to have a mana of an 8th circle wizard. Most of the shields which he made during the explosion in the dungeon were broken, yet, it still managed to block. ¡®Kuek, I don¡¯t know who made those things, but they are terrible!¡¯ If he could, Luke would have captured one of the stone dolls to analyze it. However, Luke wasn¡¯t able to do anything as such as all the dolls had self-destructed. ¡°Is everyone safe?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Fortunately, there seemed to be no casualties, all thanks to Luke¡¯s response. However, he couldn¡¯t feel calm. The situation was much worse than before. The passage of the dungeon collapsed due to the explosion. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, there was a huge crack in the ceiling, and the stones kept falling from above. Even if a chain collapse occurred, they would all die. ¡®Was he aiming for this?¡¯ Perhaps the self-destructing stone dolls were to destroy the dungeon and kill the intruders. Luke wasn¡¯t sure if the one who was making it happen was Rudolf or a third person. ¡®Huh, my head¡¯s hazy, but I can¡¯t stop and think here.¡¯ Luke tried to use teleport magic. When he entered the dungeon, he wasn¡¯t able to use it as they didn¡¯t know the exact coordinates of the dungeon. However, the sneaky smile on Luke¡¯s face soon turned into a fluster when using magic. Strangely, he couldn¡¯t find out the coordinates of the dungeon ruins. ¡®What? How is this¡­?¡¯ Luke who was confused looked around. It was because he could see an unusual flow of energy through the dungeon which was blocking the movement of teleport. Perhaps, the ancient fairy wizards used all their skills to prevent the unauthorized access into their dungeon. ¡®Then Teleport Scrolls will be useless. Analyzing the wavelength will take some time¡­¡¯ Luke, who frowned, ordered his men. ¡°Step back to a safe place!¡± Listening to the orders, Philip and the other men hurried back to the dungeon. However, hiding in the dungeon couldn¡¯t be an alternative. The dungeon was strong on the inside, so it wouldn¡¯t collapse, however, it was the same thing as getting blocked inside. ¡®But, there should be a passage out of the prison, or we are doomed.¡¯ Luke was convinced, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel troubled. ¡®Should we really dig through a place where magic can¡¯t be used? No, if I do something and the ceiling falls down, withstanding the fall will be tough by saving others.¡¯ No matter what side they chose, they were in a huge mess. Because of the mess they created outside, the Imperial Army would be waiting outside. ¡®If I run into Rudolf after losing power, it is the end. In the end, analyzing the wavelength will take time.¡¯ Flustered, Luke¡¯s eyes turned towards the stone gate he had been a while back. The stone gate on the right side of the dungeon which the jailer called as tiresome. He pointed to the stone gate. ¡°Open the gate. Maybe there is a passage to the ground.¡± Still, it was true that it had been troubling Luke since the first time he saw it. At Luke¡¯s words, the men approached it. However, even with a push or an aura covered sword, it didn¡¯t open. ¡°I think this is made with the same materials as the stone doll?¡± Philip judged that because he fought the stone dolls a moment back. Luke, who kept looking at the stone gate, agreed. No magic circle or device, yet it had a similar power and working to that of a doll. ¡°But there has to be a limit to absorption. Let¡¯s keep pushing.¡± Luke¡¯s party persistently hit the stone gate. Fortunately, the results they wanted had come. After hitting for about a dozen minutes, the thick stone gate got broken with the constant use of Aura. Phat! Luke, who made a magic torch for himself and his men walked inside the stone gate. ¡°Be careful everyone. I don¡¯t know what is on the inside.¡± Tap tap. As he looked around carefully and entered, a short walk and a large cavity appeared in the underground. In the center of the cavity was a three-meter high stone monument. And small stone statues were weirdly placed around the huge monument. The number of small stone statues, which seemed to be kneeling in front of the huge monument seemed to have gone past 100. ¡°A monstrous statue which resembles a fairy¡­ please tell me that they don¡¯t move!¡± Philip responded to Count Ferrero who was anxious seeing too many stone dolls. ¡°No way. If you are anxious, should we smash them in advance?¡± ¡°No, leave them. We will get tired while doing it.¡± Instead of destroying the statues, the two decided to hold their energy. On the contrary, Luke who was looking at the stone statues seemed interested. ¡®Aren¡¯t these very similar to what I saw on the southern continent?¡¯ The forest in the Southern Continent where he fell after getting caught in the subspace. The statues there were almost similar to what Luke was currently seeing. Although most of the statues were broken, he wanted to keep them in the subspace bracelet. ¡®Maybe they are connected?¡¯ He didn¡¯t know the specifics, but Luke knew that the underground vacant spot was very similar to Nanas¡¯s trap. He didn¡¯t feel his entire power getting absorbed as then, but he could still feel his energy and power of the body flowing into the center of the spot. ¡®Not just my power. it is sucking in the power from the outside too.¡¯ Luke looked up at the ceiling. The ceiling, which seemed to be something that could be reached by stacking a five-story building, was engraved with a magic circle which had never been seen before. Well, it actually made Luke wonder if it was a magic circle. Unlike the existing magic circles, the structure, its form, and the process seemed to be different, but it seemed similar to the pattern of decorations used on the temple. Most importantly, the strange magic circle seemed to be in operation. Mana and all other energy flowed from the center of the magic circle. The energy, which was being refined by the magic circle, got absorbed into the giant monument which was in the center of the place. Luke, who was keeping an eye on the flow, heard Philip. ¡°Your Majesty, I have looked inside, but I don¡¯t see any passage through.¡± ¡°It is alright. Don¡¯t turn nervous and wait.¡± Despite the calm reaction from Luke, Philip and his men seemed to be puzzled, yet since their King had asked them to stay put, they rested silently. Ferrero who saw that was curious. ¡°This is amazing. You think he will get you out of this place so you won¡¯t even say out your frustrations outside.¡± ¡°Because that is what His Majesty means to us.¡± Ferrero, who heard Philip¡¯s words full of trust, nodded his head. He knew that Luke was someone who survived a malfunction of a Gigant. It wasn¡¯t just that, he revived the land at that time and even won battles which he wasn¡¯t supposed to. He was a man who had overcome several difficulties and turned into a true king. It was very natural for Philip and the other knights who watched Luke from a close distance to put immense trust in him. ¡°And His Majesty is knowledgeable in magic as any other wizard. He is currently our only 8th circle wizard in the Symphonia Kingdom.¡± ¡°Huh, he grew that much?¡± He knew that Luke was famous for being a Rune Knight, but Ferrero never knew that his magic skills would be the same as a Meister of the Baroque Imperial magic tower. When Ferrero looked shocked, Philip showed off about Luke, wanting to show his pride for being beside him. ¡°Do you know something else? Unlike the rumors of the public, he is a swordsman who has already reached the Sword Master intermediate level. Not long ago, five Sword Masters got defeated at once.¡± ¡®Huhu, this is¡­!¡¯ If Philip¡¯s words were right, then Luke was around the level of Sword Sage. Ferrero realized that King Luke was more terrifying than known. It was because Luke had been deceiving everyone about his skills for years. The wrong information had aroused the minds of the enemies. And among them was Emperor Rudolf and the Imperial Intelligence Agency. ¡®Maybe the biggest enemy of the Baroque Empire wasn¡¯t the Libiya Kingdom but the Symphonia Kingdom¡­¡¯ While Ferrero was in thoughts, Luke approached the monument in the center. Wooong! As he went closer to the monument which was shimmering, a low reverberation emanated from the monument with a purple light. At the same time, the black circle on Luke¡¯s heart accelerated spontaneously and the guard which Reina gave him began to glow. ¡®This¡­ power and resonance!¡¯ When all kinds of energy got gathered, he expected some change, but the power of the monument was actually Aether. Which was why Luke¡¯s Magi and Reina¡¯s guard reacted so violently with Aether. ¡®What is with this monument? Why does this have Aether in it?¡¯ Luke slowly extended his hand and placed it on the monument. The moment his hand touched the stone, the magi in his body got sucked in. ¡®No way!¡¯ Luke was shocked that his entire energy could have been taken in by the stone. Contrary to his concerns of Magi getting absorbed, well, the same amount of Aether entered his body. Amazed by the tsunami of Aether in his body, Luke was shocked. It was as if his body would explode due to the uncontrollable force which entered his body. However, as if he had turned into one with the monument, his hand didn¡¯t move. ¡°Kuek!¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± When Luke screamed because of the pain he was feeling due to the monument, Philip and his agents ran for him. However, before they could reach Luke, they bumped into a purple wall and bounced back. ¡°Wh, what is this? How is all this happening?¡± Count Ferrero, who was flustered, looked around. The purple light from Luke¡¯s body and the monument was spreading through the vacant lot like a wave. With that, every wall was shaking, as if it was going to collapse anytime. Woong! Woong! But Luke couldn¡¯t pay attention to his surroundings. It was because the Aether which entered his body was making the black circle on his heart accelerate like crazy. ¡°Kuakkk! Ahh!¡± The change in the speed was so sudden that Luke could feel his body being swept away. ¡®Am, am I going to die like this?¡¯ Luke felt the horror of facing death as he could feel his body ripping itself from the inside. The moment the pain and fear reached the peak, his body flashed and disappeared from the eyes of everyone. Chapter 474 - Aether Monument 2 A dark space that didn¡¯t allow one to distinguish right, left, top, and bottom. Luke was floating in a space that was very similar to purgatory. The space he had fallen to after he died in the hands of Rakan. ¡®But this feels a lot warmer than that purgatory which I was in.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just that; the pain and fear which was plaguing him for a while disappeared like a lie. Luke looked at the darkness, which was everywhere, and became uneasy. ¡®How long will this landscape last? It isn¡¯t like 500 years had passed¡­¡¯ Maybe he died again and went back to purgatory. When the fear began to rise in him, a small light glowed around Luke. Soon, it looked like a constellation of stars were occupying the dark night¡¯s sky. A man was standing at the center of the constellation. The moment Luke¡¯s eyes met with his, Luke¡¯s body got pulled in. As he got closer, he could make out the details of the man. The man had a gold-embroidered robe and a pure gold staff. He seemed young, but the mysterious air around him said otherwise. The man, who saw Luke, smiled. ¡°It has been a very long time since I got a visitor. How long has it been?¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± The man replied to the question of Luke who was nervous, ¡°Well, I guess you can call me the Watcher.¡± ¡°Watcher?¡± ¡°Yes, it is my job to always watch everything that is happening in the world.¡± Luke was curious about his name¡ªWatcher¡ªbut he couldn¡¯t ask anything more. It was because he felt like he couldn¡¯t put himself at risk by acting cocky. And with the mysterious air around the man, he was able to identify a lot about it. Thinking carefully, Luke asked another question, ¡°Do you know anything about the ruins that I touched?¡± ¡°Of course, I do. It was created long before you were born¡­ to steal the power of Time that can¡¯t be caught.¡± ¡®The Power of Time?¡¯ While Luke was startled, the Watcher continued to speak in a nostalgic mood, ¡°Humans and those who were similar to humans have always wanted to steal something like that. They stole fire from the sun¡¯s chariot, the wisdom from good and evil, and the mystery of life from the giant¡¯s spine. They¡¯ve tried for tens and thousands of years and many more times, over and over.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And finally, they came to the dimension and tried to steal time.¡± ¡°What led them here?¡± ¡°Their pride. The mistakes and faults they did.¡± At those words, Luke was able to guess. The ruins of the dungeon of the Imperial Palace were created by the fairy wizards of the mighty Abaron Empire. Obviously, they all tried to gain the power of time and the power of the spirits to restore their fallen world. If they could turn back time, they could reverse what they did wrong. ¡°Huhuhu, would it be nice if I could think as innocent as you? I might have let them steal it a little.¡± Luke was shocked with the Watcher¡¯s words. ¡°You can read my thoughts?¡± ¡°Yes, I can see it. Didn¡¯t I say that it was my job to see everything that is happening in the world? You are no exception.¡± ¡®Surely, this one¡­ Now, this being is¡­¡¯ Luke, who was sure about the identity of the one in front of him, spoke in a polite tone, ¡°Then, what made¡­ Well, why did the Abaron Fairies try to turn back time?¡± ¡°To exterminate the humans.¡± ¡®T-that!¡¯ It was the humans who were constantly exploited as slaves by the fairies at the time of the Abaron Empire. The humans, who gradually educated themselves and learned magic, revolted after the collapse of the Abaron Empire when it was hit by a catastrophic plague. The fairy wizards thought that if they could turn back time, they could destroy all the humans and continue their lives. Luke wasn¡¯t aware, but the terrifying disease, Vers, was a disease created by the fairies for that purpose. ¡°Yes, what about you?¡± ¡°What about me? I just stumbled across this place while looking a way out of a dungeon in the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°Yeah, sure you did. But, now that you heard my explanation, you must expect something in that mind of yours?¡± ¡°That¡­ I do.¡± When the Watcher asked, Luke nodded. ¡®If I could turn back time, maybe I can go back 500 years ago and save Katarina¡­¡¯ The past was something he couldn¡¯t forget, and his desire to change it couldn¡¯t be stopped. However, such desires and regrets disappeared after seeing the gold ring on his hand. If he went back to the past, his relationship with Reina would come to an end. Unlike the past, which he could remember, the present would disappear like it never happened. ¡°Everything has its cause and effect. And now, if there is something I want, I will have to pay a price for it.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± ¡°The price of returning to the past means erasing everything that is connected to the present, and those who are precious to me in the present, my regrets in my past life¡­ I will give it up.¡± Katarina¡¯s thoughts hurt Luke. However, it wasn¡¯t just him who had experienced something sad or had suffered. Millions of people that experienced injustice suffered a very similar pain. Therefore, he didn¡¯t want to reverse the logical world for his selfish desire. ¡°Will you give up? Won¡¯t you regret it?¡± ¡°Of course, I will regret it. But I have decided to move ahead. I can¡¯t go back now.¡± Seeing Luke stick to his words, the Watcher smiled. ¡°Understood, you can do as you please. Since your choice is something different, I am going to help you so that you can move ahead to the future and not the past.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Watcher.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s send you back.¡± Tap! As the Watcher hit the floor with his staff, Luke suddenly disappeared. Wooong! At the same time Luke disappeared, another person appeared in the starry place. She was a woman with an elf-like appearance with a voluptuous body and a warm smile. She looked at the spot where Luke had disappeared; she spoke as if she knew him. ¡°It looks like he can¡¯t remember. 500 years ago, he came here searching for it.¡± ¡°Not searching for it, it was the light that you give out that attracted him.¡± In response to what the Watcher said, the woman looked at him. It was because he wasn¡¯t supposed to help people. ¡°What should I do then? Isn¡¯t it pitiful to keep wandering the world of hopelessness and burn without appreciating death?¡± Said the woman. ¡°Even then, it isn¡¯t right to break the rules.¡± ¡°Well, if you knew so well about the rules, why did you help?¡± The Watcher just looked away, not being able to refute the woman¡¯s words. More than 500 years ago, Luke came to the same place as Saymon. Under the guidance of the woman, who was regarded as the mother of everything. That time, Luke spoke to the Watcher. A chance to survive. If he was given another chance, he would endure any kind of disgrace and contempt thrown at him. The Watcher listened to Luke¡¯s request, and he erased all of the memories that Luke had about the dimension. ¡°Because you are nasty. Out of all the bodies out there, you chose the one that belonged to his enemy¡¯s descendant¡­¡± ¡°He was the one who said that he would face any shame and contempt. Shouldn¡¯t he be able to handle that much?¡± After the Watcher said that, someone else stepped into the place, breaking the world of light and dark. ¡°Oh, another guest.¡± Upon turning her head, the wizard in a white robe appeared in the couple¡¯s eyes. She was in her late 20s and seemed to have a varied complex energy in addition to mana. As she approached the couple, she bowed to them as if she knew the identity of the two. ¡°The poor daughter greeting her great parents.¡± ¡°Huhu, you seem to have come here with a strong resolve.¡± The Watcher clicked his tongue. If Luke got into the starry place while trying to find a way out, this one came to the place by digging through the records and ruins left by the Abaron wizards. And she had a reason why she wanted to meet them. ¡°I believe you know why I came here.¡± The Watcher, who knew everything that was happening around the world, knew the wizards¡¯ situation. ¡°Please give me the power of time. I¡¯ll pay any price.¡± At the request of the wizard, the Watcher looked at her seriously. ¡°In return, you will lose all your power. Does that sound good? Will you be able to forget the existence of the world and wander here in the purgatory in its loneliness and darkness?¡± ¡°I came here already prepared for it. The world would be better like that than ruined.¡± At the words of the wizard, the Watcher went silent. He knew how serious the things were and how long it would take to cleanse the world and restore the ruined world. He finally, decided to help her. Even if they were going to break the rules, it was best for them to solve their own problems. ¡°Fine. I will give you the power of time.¡± Tap tap! The Watcher hit the floor twice with his staff. Suddenly, a three-dimension magic circle began to form over the head of the wizard. From the magic circle, she was able to sense an enormous power that could pulverize the continent. As a middle-class wizard, her self confidence got crushed after feeling that power. The wizard grasped the guard around her neck. ¡®Mother, father¡­ empower me!¡¯ Chapter 475 - Aether Monument 3 Luke, who stepped away from the Watcher, fell into a vortex. As the surroundings made him dizzy, his eyes were shut, and his head was heavy. But it wasn¡¯t as painful as the time he touched the Aether monument. When he was able to adapt to an extent inside the vortex, his eyes saw something. ¡®You¡­ Katarina!¡¯ Around 500 years back, when she was doing chores in the Veritas Magic Tower, she was there, Katarina, handing Saymon a handkerchief with a smile. It was his first encounter with her. The memories kept passing. The next thing he saw was the time he fought with Rakan. Again, the confrontation with Rakan, Luke¡¯s enemy, made him feel displeased. As he frowned, a strange sight unfolded in front of his eyes. It was a beautiful half-elf dressed in a uniform of armed knights. ¡°Princess Sophia, where is this place?¡± ¡°Well, I believe that this is the place where Goddess Belize has led us to rest.¡± ¡®Princess Sophia? The last princess of the Libiya Kingdom?¡¯ The one known to have disappeared from the temple¡ªthe place where Luke¡¯s party stood. However, the place where they stood seemed to be different from Rhodesia Continent. It was like the Southern Continent. Nor surprisingly, a few moments later, thousands of the southerners flocked to them, a young man in golden armor reached out to the princess. The moment, Sophia held his hand, the landscape changed again. This time, the place was the same one he had seen a moment ago, the large monument. And their faces seemed familiar to Luke. It was Jo Won-rak, the 3rd crown prince he met in the Song Empire, and Zegal Hui, the general of Eorim Army. ¡°This is the place where Emperor Qin Chong and Empress Taifu met 500 years ago, right?¡± ¡°Yes, the Empress was said to be a fairy who came to earth because of the will of the heavens. The officers, who wrote the history, probably didn¡¯t want to write down rumors or unverified facts, but she was definitely someone with extraordinary powers.¡± ¡°If only one had one percent of her power, if we could only get her power¡­¡± ¡°Yes, countering the forces would be a lot easier.¡± Judging from the clips he was seeing, Empress Taifu was Princess Sophia. If the scholars of history knew it, they would be very shocked. The immediate lineage of the old Libiya royal family, which was thought to have been killed in the Rhodesia Continent, flowed to the far Southern Imperial, Song. ¡°This¡­ What happened there?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, what is going on?¡± ¡°The ones who broke into the dungeon are alive, and they are in the closed ruins¡¯ side!¡± Suddenly, the landscape changed to Emperor Rudolf and Count Voltas. From the outrageous magical three-dimension view in front of Rudolf, Luke figured out who woke up the little stone dolls. However, Luke paid more attention to the progress of the video than the artifact. First, it displayed the past, and now it was showing the present. ¡®Then, will the future be shown?¡¯ The future was a time that couldn¡¯t be fixed on what was seen. The future changed according to changes that happened in the present. However, some believe that at the moment, a decision has already been made about the future. Usually, the priests believed that great fates were already decided by God¡¯s will. However, they insisted that the destiny made by a man was merely a decoration carved by God for his big picture. ¡®I don¡¯t know what is true and what is not. But¡­¡¯ Once again, the view in front of Luke changed. Kuakk! Kuk! The ruined image of a huge city. Black rain pouring down from dark clouds, rotten corpses everywhere, and bizarre screams. Thousands of men¡­ No, tens of thousands of men. ¡®They are Undead. Surely, they are zombies and ghouls, right?¡¯ Leading the zombies and ghouls was a Lich and a Death Knight. However, Luke was surprised to see where the undead legion was flocking to. The Brandon Royal Palace, which he had decorated. Inside the burning, and collapsed royal Palace were rusted broken Gigants and bloody soldiers; the ones who suffered from hunger, showing their bones. They shot arrows and stone at the undead who were clinging onto the royal palace. However, the undead, who flocked like ants, climbed on top of the fallen ones. ¡°We have no more Gigants that can move. We won¡¯t be able to stand it anymore, so let¡¯s evacuate¡­¡± ¡°Evacuate? The world is full of dead ones everywhere. Where can we run to?!¡± In the royal office room, the roof collapsed on the old men while they were having a meeting. Their images of grief and suffering was very familiar. Luke could see who they were in a glance, but he couldn¡¯t believe what he saw. A miserable situation like that had appeared and put everyone in despair. ¡°This is all because of you! If only you weren¡¯t deceived by the words of that fake¡­ this wouldn¡¯t have happened if you believed His Majesty a little more!¡± ¡°Who knew that he was a fake?¡± ¡°Stop, this isn¡¯t the time to fight about the past! We need to save our lord. The only flesh and blood of ours¡­ and take the last wizard, our only hope.¡± After that, the men argued for a while, but Luke heard nothing. No, he didn¡¯t want to hear it. A world full of despair and ruins was in the future. He didn¡¯t know what happened, but he didn¡¯t want to accept that, he couldn¡¯t tolerate that such things were held in his future. ¡°This can¡¯t be! I will never accept that!¡± Luke closed his eyes and ears. Nevertheless, the scenes continued to pass in his head. It seemed like his head would be blown off with the tremendous amount of visual and audio information that was being poured in. ¡°Kuakk! Stop it! Stop it right now!¡± With the screams spread in the air, Luke¡¯s consciousness subsided. Chapter 476 - Aether Monument 4 ¡°Your Majesty! Your Majesty get yourself together, Majesty!¡± ¡°Kuek¡­¡± Luke opened his eyes with a loud scream. ¡°Sir¡­ Philip?¡± When Luke opened his eyes, Philip spoke in a mild voice. ¡°You recognize me? What happened to you?¡± ¡°What¡­ happened?¡± ¡°You suddenly disappeared right in front of our eyes. And then appeared again.¡± ¡®Disappeared? Me?¡¯ At Philip¡¯s words, Luke thought back on what happened. After touching the monument, Luke collapsed not being able to handle too much Aether in his body. And¡­ ¡®What? I don¡¯t remember anything.¡¯ He felt like he had been through various things, but he couldn¡¯t get himself to remember any of it. Even if he tried his very best to think, he could only feel darkness which was overlaid around him. ¡°What the hell¡­ Kauk!¡± ¡°Your, Your Majetsy!¡± Luke grabbed his heart as he vomited blood. When he touched the monument a while back, there was too much of Aether running in his body. Somehow, he did try to suppress it, but it wasn¡¯t easy. His whole body was blazing as if it was going to explode at any moment. ¡°Kuak¡­!¡± When Luke¡¯s condition began to turn bad, Philip and the men began to think. ¡°Is there anything we could do?¡± When one knight asked, Count Ferrero, looked at Luke. ¡°It is like an aura is running through his body at uncontrollable force. He needs to be seen by a priest or doctor right away.¡± ¡°But is there a way out of here?¡± When everyone was feeling flustered. Woong! The purple light which spread in the dungeon began to gather together, swirl like a tornado. At one point, it broke through the air and created a tunnel of light. ¡°Wh, what is this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it looks like an aisle.¡± Count Ferrero reached out to the tunnel of light and jumped inside. ¡°Ah, Vice-captain!¡± At Philip¡¯s cry, Ferrero, who disappeared from the tunnel of light, reappeared. He shouted back. ¡°There is a field on the other side! We can get outside!¡± At the words of Ferrero, Philip and the other men supported Luke and hurried into the tunnel of light. It was more important to get out of that place and care for Luke whether they knew the place or not. When a series of disturbances were taking place in Nemesis. Of the 3 squads in the Baroque Knights, Shirley the captain of Iron Guard was leading a few men to patrol the vicinity of the capital. It was because it had been discovered that they had neglected the orders of subjugation in the last riots. So, for a few days, they were patrolling outside the capital without entering. It was like self-reflection on what they did. Moreover, it was the most shameful disciplinary action for one. The knights who were supposed to protect the Empire and Emperor from a close distance were kicked out of the capital. ¡°Captain, it seems like there is trouble in the capital, is it fine not going back?¡± ¡°Huh, to do what? There was no order asking for our return.¡± She could see the flames soaring inside the capital, but Shirley ignored it. ¡®Eh, I guess the mad Emperor is massacring again.¡¯ Shirley had been feeling skeptical lately. It was because she wanted to follow the Emperor even after such a situation happened. ¡®I am tired of nagging from the people.¡¯ Shirley was the daughter of Count Kyle. However, she was never treated with respect as she was half-dwarf. The situation didn¡¯t change even after she turned into an outstanding Spear Master. Well, rather men thought that she would be a threat to their position, and the retainers constantly kept her in check with all kinds of tricks. And then, the former Sword Master captain fell in the battle with the Volga Republic, and the retainers began to change their views after her family fell, and bowed to her. It wasn¡¯t because of her family, but for their own sake. ¡®Oh my, should I just beat up everyone and leave?¡¯ When Shirley was thinking, there was a sudden earthquake that shook the land. Kuung! ¡°Kyak! What is this?¡± Rather than Shirley or her men, who were more surprised were the horses they were riding. They barely managed to calm the horses which were terrified and saw a tunnel of light which appeared as if the field in front of their eyes got distorted. While Shirley was looking closely, the men¡¯s eyes went wide when they saw a group of men appear from it. A dozen men supporting a silver-haired man. Shirley¡¯s party, who were stunned for a while, surrounded them as the light disappeared. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Abandon your weapons and raise your hands!¡± The use of shape-shifting magic was banned up to 10 km from the outskirts of the capital. That was to prevent the rebels or the enemy to attack them. To make sure of that, magic circles have been installed in various parts of the capital to interfere with the magic. After the civil war broke out, such measures were intensified. But, the fact that many people moved around in some space meant that the wizard was very skilled. ¡°Be careful. there could be an archmage in there¡­ What? Uncle Ferrero?¡± Shirley, who was alerting their men, found a familiar face among the suspicious men. Ferrero, who recognized her spoke. ¡°Huh, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ uncle, you should answer first! Shouldn¡¯t you be in the dungeon right now?¡± After visiting the Emperor to ask for the withdrawal of subjugation, Ferrero had been placed in the dungeon, and she knew that. What was going on with a man who was supposed to be playing with mice in the dungeon cell? ¡°Uncle¡­ don¡¯t tell me¡­ you broke out?¡± Ferrero had a bitter smile at Shirley¡¯s question. ¡°It would be nice if you can pretend to have not seen us.¡± Ferrero was grasping Shirley¡¯s skills. Philip would be able to overpower her. However, the problem was Luke, fighting so close to the capital would only cause trouble. They¡¯ll be chased right away. Which was why he asked her if she could turn a blind eye. But before Shirley could reply, the Iron Knights came ahead. ¡°Sire you shouldn¡¯t be doing this.¡± ¡°That is right. Prison break is treason. Please go back before it is too late and surrender with us.¡± They pushed their swords at Ferrero, who was once their commander. ¡°Haha, I can¡¯t help it.¡± It was when Ferrero brought his hand to the hilt of his sword. Shirley, who was standing far, wielded her spear at her men. ¡°C, captain! Have you gone mad¡­ Kuak!¡± Taking down a dozen knights happened quickly. They, who could never imagine their own captain hitting them, fell instead of fighting back. Shirley, who calmed all her men, clicked her tongue at Ferrero, who was in awe. ¡°Hehe, it is hard to pretend that I haven¡¯t seen you, so let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°With me?¡± ¡°Yes, I am going to desert the position.¡± In response to Shirley¡¯s answer, Count Ferrero was flustered. However, the reason why she decided to desert her position was because of the appearance of the man in front of her. Her loyalty to the Emperor had dropped a lot in recent times ¡°But, the people behind you, who are they?¡± ¡°The special forces of Symphonia who came to save me.¡± Ferrero didn¡¯t reveal Luke or Philip¡¯s identity. He thought that giving a detailed explanation will have to be in a safe place. ¡°A special force from the Symphonia Kingdom? Then, the mess the capital is in¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah, an operation they did to save me, and seems to have worked very well.¡± ¡°Wah, those Central Army and Knights of Guard would been very upset about this.¡± It was when they were talking. Philip looked at Luke¡¯s condition. ¡°We can talk later. I think his condition has gotten worse than before.¡± ¡°Even though you didn¡¯t ask, we are going to move. We¡¯ll get in trouble if we meet up with the Imperial army here.¡± They all looked at the fallen troops. And moved to the southern side, where they decided for the 2nd and 3rd group to meet after the operation. Chapter 477 - Another Rakan Descendant Appears 1 When Luke had gone to Nemesis to save Count Ferrero, the Capital city of Symphonia, Brandon got turned over. It was because a self-claimed real descendant of Rakan had appeared. ¡°What? Someone dared to pretend as the warrior¡¯s descendant and is trying to get into the royal palace?¡± ¡°Yes, Prime Minister Hans has asked you to hurry.¡± Rogers, who had gone for a patrol near Brando, received a sudden emergency call. Hurrying back, what he saw was the sight of hundreds of knights and soldiers in the square of the palace. Not just soldiers, but the proximal knights, including Hwang Bo-sung were there for the imposter. But, rather than subduing the man, they were avoiding his sword. Rogers¡¯s face went red with anger, seeing them like that. ¡°What the hell is this?!¡± Shouting, Rogers hurried to the place. The man who was about to hit Hwang Bo-sung stopped. Rogers burst out at Hwang Bo-sung, who was standing there. ¡°What are you doing? A commander couldn¡¯t do anything against an imposter!¡± Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s face was flustered by Rogers¡¯s words. ¡°The man isn¡¯t an imposter, Marquis.¡± ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡± ¡°The man knows Gold Sword. Isn¡¯t that something exclusive to the Rakan Knight¡¯s skill?¡± ¡°What, what?¡± Flustered, Rogers took a close look at the imposter. A man with bright blue eyes of confidence and a silver hair which gave a strong impression. It was as if he had been painted exactly based on the appearance of Warrior Rakan, who was in their family portrait. ¡®Wait, during the Battle of Magic Towers, there was a rumor about a mercenary who used Gold Aura.¡¯ Rakan¡¯s retainers even suspected that the man could be another child of the warrior. However, their pursuit failed, and as the Battle of Magic Tower soon receded. ¡®Is he really another child of Lord Rakan?¡¯ In order to solve the question in his mind, Rogers decided to approach the man. ¡°Who might you be?¡± In response to the man¡¯s arrogant question, Rogers slightly frowned. ¡°I am Marquis Rogers, the Chief Commander of the Symphonia Army. Who might you be?¡± The man opened his mouth after slowly looking at all the knights and soldiers around him. ¡°I am Hiros de Rakan. The 17th generation of the Warrior Rakan. I came here to dispel the shame on the family which touched the power of darkness and bring in success and glory as the real family.¡± The man, well, Hiros¡¯s words, made the knights and soldiers talk. ¡°Not an imposter but another descendant of the warrior?¡± ¡°Could have happened too long ago, a family member split.¡± ¡°But Your Majesty touched darkness?¡± ¡°I heard the rumor about something like that the other day, but is this real?¡± A few months ago, rumors about Luke¡¯s dark magic broke out. However, there was no evidence to prove that claim, and the achievements Luke had accumulated over the years helped the dismissing the rumors. But when the same topic rose again, people weren¡¯t so sure. At his words, Rogers screamed thinking that he had to protect his King¡¯s honor and shut Hiros¡¯s mouth. ¡°You must be someone with a death wish! How dare you spread rumors without grounds! I will have to punish you for this act!¡± ¡°Huh, try it if you can.¡± Hiros smirked only to provoke Rogers. It ended up angering Hwang Bo-sung and the other knights too. Rogers pulled his sword and went for the man. But Hiros swung his sword with a single hand and managed to block his attack. Kang! And next came the attack from Hiros. It wasn¡¯t easy for Rogers to stop the constant attacks from the man. He could feel the sweat flowing down from his head. ¡®Sir Hwang Bo-sung was right about it. He never stops!¡¯ Hiros¡¯s fencing was different. It looked like the sword of the man was dancing to its own rhythm, however, the tip of the sword always came exactly for the heart or neck. ¡®He is surely Sword Master, no, he could be more.¡¯ With thoughts in mind, Rogers didn¡¯t want to act on defense and decided to go for Impact Aura and Gold Sword. Pretending to step back, he took a step ahead suddenly and hit Hiros¡¯s sword. Kang! When the swords of both men clashed, a huge sound rang. ¡°Kuak!¡± Rogers couldn¡¯t stop his body from getting pushed back. And the hand which held the sword was trembling. ¡®It can¡¯t be!¡¯ Hiros, who was attacked by an Impact Aura, just canceled it with a slash. However, what shocked Rogers, even more, was that Hiros was using Gold Sword. The movement of the man was so fast and concise that no one could have figured it out. ¡°Still doubting me?¡± At Hiros¡¯s question, Rogers just looked at him without answering. ¡°You don¡¯t want to believe it. then I should fight you a little more.¡± Hiros¡¯s sword stretched to the sky, drew in a beautiful trajectory. Seeing the intense golden aura at the sword, Rogers¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡®Oh, oh my god! That is the second half¡­!¡¯ It was similar to what Luke had showed them in the combat with the Avenger test. At that time, Luke put the sword to the ground to create an earthquake-like effect, however, Hiros was using that at Rogers. Trrrr! The sword, which was in the air, went right at Rogers¡¯s sword. The same moment, a huge wave of force hit Hwang Bo-sung and the knights who were watching from behind. ¡°Uahh!¡± ¡°Ahk! My legs!¡± The knights screamed at the shockwaves created by Gold Sword. Hwang Bo-sung was the only one who didn¡¯t get hit by the shockwave. However, he seemed too upset. ¡®Without a mistake, that is the second half. Currently, the one¡¯s learning of the second half from his Majesty are Count Philip and Arch Duke Gregory of the Holy Empire. How does that man know?¡¯ Rogers was having the same question run through his head. Once Rogers¡¯s sword seized to move, Hiros opened his mouth with a blunt voice. ¡°The previous attack, I deliberately lowered its impact, considering everything around here and your ability. Thank you for being Rakan¡¯s retainer.¡± ¡°Kuak!¡± Rogers held his broken sword¡¯s hilt. It was because the man said he deliberately lowered the impact. However, it wasn¡¯t right for someone who was spared to speak out impolitely. Rogers, whose pride was hurt, spoke back bitterly. ¡°You may be a descendant of a warrior. And you could be a Sword sage. However¡­¡± Rogers stopped talking and screamed by releasing an Impact Aura from the half sword. ¡°However, you are a knight with no basics!¡± ¡°That could be too.¡± Hiros responded casually to Rogers and fixed his sword. At that moment, Rogers rushed to him, a voice stopped them. ¡°Stop this!¡± The voice belonged to Prime Minister, Hans. He and Maron were approaching their place. ¡°Prime Minister?¡± ¡°Marquis Rogers, take back the sword. There are things that need to be checked.¡± At those words, Rogers stepped back, throwing down the broken sword to the ground. Hans sighed looking at Rogers and spoke politely to Hiros. ¡°There are too many eyes here. Why not talk inside?¡± ¡°Should I think from your people¡¯s point of view?¡± At the words of Hiros, Maron responded instead of Hans with stiffness in voice. ¡°Think of your position better than ours. If you really are the Rakan descendant, this act will dishonor your family.¡± At the words of Maron, Hiros thought for a moment and nodded. ¡°Understood. I will accept it.¡± ¡°You choose well.¡± And thus, with Hans and Maron, Hiros moved to the officer with officers. During that time, rumors spread in the royal city that another descendant of Rakan had appeared. Chapter 478 - Another Rakan Descendant Appears 2 On the way to the office room, Maron approached Hans and asked, ¡°Prime Minister, you really believe that he is the descendant of Rakan?¡± ¡°Well, the face looks similar.¡± ¡°Well, I do see that¡­¡± After Luke¡¯s past policy, the statues and portraits of Rakan had turned difficult to find. However, Hans and the other old retainers, who grew up in the mansion, remembered his face. ¡°But, in that case, His Majesty¡¯s friend, Sebastian, resembles the warrior, but he isn¡¯t one, right?¡± ¡°Of course. But didn¡¯t you see that back there? The Gold Sword was something mastered by the knights and the lord only.¡± The Second Half had vanished from their estate 400 years ago. Luke had recently found the second half and taught it to himself while Philip stole it, but the probability of an outsider to know it was zero. ¡°I see¡­ Isn¡¯t it possible that the kid went to the Southern Continent and learned it? Your Majesty found it there.¡± Luke explained to his retainers that he discovered the second half of the Gold Sword on the Southern Continent. ¡°But, he said that it was because of Saint Nanda¡¯s help. Anyway, this needs to be approached carefully.¡± If Hiros was a real descendant of Rakan, a conflict would occur in Symphonia. And if his argument that Luke learned dark magic was true, it would lead to a catastrophe. After a while, they reached the room. Once they were all sitting, Hans asked for confirmation, ¡°Are you sure about being the descendant of the warrior?¡± ¡°Yes. My ancestors broke up with Viscount Rakan of the 6th generation.¡± In the meantime, Hiros gave out the names of the 1st to 6th Rakan members, their retainers and their kids. Some of them were Hans and Maron¡¯s ancestors, so their eyes shone when Hiros mentioned them. ¡°Over 400 years ago, you know that the 6th Rakan, Saul de Rakan, was assassinated in the war against the Castia Kingdom?¡± ¡°Yes, that was when the second half of the Gold Sword was lost.¡± ¡°It was known to be done by the military of Castia but was actually done by the Baroque Imperial family.¡± ¡°Imperial family?¡± ¡°Yes. It said that it was done to stop Saul, who was leaning toward Castia.¡± According to Hiros, Saul, the 6th heir, fell in love with a woman from the enemy territory. The problem was that the lady was an illegitimate child of a high ranking noble of the Castia Kingdom, and a spy from Castia Kingdom knew it. ¡°The woman named Rutier is my great grandmother. Saul, who hadn¡¯t forgotten the grudges he held on the Imperial family, handed the information of the army to my grandmother, trying to give it to Castia.¡± However, Saul¡¯s actions became apparent to the Imperial Intelligence agency. And according to their law, they should immediately arrest and execute him for such crime, but the problem was that Saul was a descendant of Rakan. Rakan, the famous warrior who defeated Devil King Saymon, the man who helped Duke Baroque in taking down the Libiya Kingdom. ¡°Then, even if Saul betrayed them, the Baroque will be condemned for any action against him. That was why they made it look like he was assasinated by Castia.¡± Of course, it was denied by the Castia Army, but no one believed them. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for an assassination to occur under adverse war situations. ¡°Well, my great grandmother escaped safely. And after a few months, she gave birth.¡± ¡°How about the second half of the Gold Sword¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. Saul handed it down to his lover before he was assassinated. Thanks to that, I was able to learn the second half.¡± Both Hans and Maron nodded at the plausible story. However, there were still parts that were not very clear. ¡°Why didn¡¯t Mr. Hiros¡¯ ancestors return to the family after all these years?¡± ¡°It was because my great grandmother, Rutier, was concerned about the enemies pursuing us and wanted to keep it secret. His records and the second half of the Gold Sword were sealed away, so my ancestors and father lived their lives without knowing that they were the descendants of Rakan.¡± ¡°Hmm, I guess so.¡± ¡°I too wondered for a very long time as a mercenary and then went back to my hometown after a decade and while I was cleaning up the attic, I saw the things that my grandmother, Rutier, left behind. Since then, I tried to practice the second half all the time.¡± ¡°It must have been very difficult. Do you know that it is impossible to learn the second half of the sword without learning the first half of it?¡± As Hans pointed it out, Hiros nodded. ¡°Yes. That made me think about going back to the homeland, but I was able to compensate it with the experience I gained on the battlefield.¡± ¡®That could be because he was a mercenary for a long time.¡¯ Maron recalled the situation he saw with Rogers a while back. Maron was angered by the rude and obnoxious words Hiros spoke and couldn¡¯t think of him as a descendant of Rakan. However, he was able to understand it. Dignity and culture were innate. They had to be educated. Hiros, a mercenary, would certainly have less of those qualities. ¡°Honestly, I was thinking of returning to my homeland as I was confident enough of proving myself to be the descendant of the warrior. But when I heard that the family got revived, I put off my plans. If I came back after it turned out well, I would be treated as a shameless person.¡± ¡°Then what made you come back now?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you already? It is to dispel the shame brought on to the family by touching dark powers.¡± Saying that, Hiros hit his sword. When the sword hit the ground, the people in the room could feel their heart tremble. However, not being swayed by it, Hans spoke very carefully to not create any misunderstanding. ¡°It is just a rumor that is going around. It is true that His Majesty has learned magic, but he doesn¡¯t wield dark magic.¡± ¡°Huh, you really think so?¡± ¡°Yes, we do. Otherwise, how would he have been able to learn the Gold Sword?¡± Originally, the Gold Sword was a form of Holy Sword that was used by paladins of the Holy Empire. One wouldn¡¯t believe that a man who touched darkness could master such skill. ¡°On top of that, the one who oversaw the coronation of His Majesty was the Pope of the Holy Empire. If His Majesty mastered dark magic, then the Pope, the God¡¯s representative, would surely have noticed it.¡± At Hans¡¯ words, Hiros laughed. ¡°There are rumors that the Holy Pope wasn¡¯t the representative of God but a princess of the destroyed Volga Kingdom, right? And surely, she is in a relationship with King Luke?¡± Hans and Maron were silent. It wasn¡¯t said out loud, but they even held a secret wedding. However, Hans refuted everything about it. ¡°I never heard of such a story. If so, then the refugees of the Volga in Symphonia Kingdom would have immediately moved to the Holy Empire, and there was a rumor saying that such words about the Pope were being spread only to undermine the position of the Pope.¡± At Hans¡¯ refusal, Hiros was unable to respond for a while, but then he spoke, ¡°Well, we¡¯ll know once we meet if it is the truth or not. Guide me to the king.¡± ¡°His Majesty is outside.¡± At Hans¡¯ words, Hiros seemed confused. It was certain that the Majesty was in the palace. ¡°Where did he go?¡± ¡°To patrol the lands in secret. It will take a few days for him to come back,¡± answered Hans. ¡°Tch, then I¡¯ll have to wait.¡± ¡°Please do so. His Majesty will be pleased to know that his relative has come.¡± Would Luke really be pleased with such a rude relative? Hans and Maron were skeptical, but they couldn¡¯t ask Hiros to leave. If the mess rose once again, more rumors would spread. ¡®Oh my! Come back soon, Your Majesty!¡¯ There were just two people who really prayed that Luke would get back quickly. Chapter 479 - Another Rakan Descendant Appears 3 The day was bright and the turmoil, which occurred in Nemesis, went quiet. However, Rudolf was left with anxiety. The Central Army, which was damaged by the turmoil last night was in a mess, but the bigger problem was that the intruders had come to save Count Ferrero. And those who had to be killed in the dungeon went into an ancient ruins¡¯ side. ¡®They looked through the ruins, and the earthquake last night was proof of their movement.¡¯ Marquis Kepler said that the earthquake in the Imperial Palace wasn¡¯t a natural phenomenon. From Rudolf¡¯s point of view, it was inevitable that a struggle would come out. The ruins were managed and studied by the Imperial family for generations together, and Rudolf himself was very interested in it. As a result of constantly studying it, it was discovered that the ancient fairy wizards tried to turn back time. Rudolf was very curious and tried to bring the ruins back to life as well. Nevertheless, he never managed to revive it. But some strong men entered the ruins and moved it! ¡®They couldn¡¯t have gone to the past, right?¡¯ If so, then a situation where Reichard became the Emperor would happen. And as read in the novels, once the past changed, the present was bound to change into something entirely. Fortunately, Rudolf saw no signs of that. However, he couldn¡¯t just get it off his mind as anything could happen. ¡°Your Majesty, this is Voltas.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± At Rudolf¡¯s words, Count Voltas, who entered the Emperor¡¯s office, reported his findings. ¡°In last night¡¯s mess, the forces involved were Libiya¡¯s special forces, and we found flyers all over the streets.¡± ¡°What was it?¡± ¡°Yes, there were a lot of indescribable truths.¡± The flyers were filled with contents about Rudolf and his attempt to assassinate King Reichard, the true descendant of God¡¯s Dragon, and Reichard¡¯s wish to overthrow the tyrant. ¡®Kuek, this Reichard!¡¯ Honestly, the flyers were all thrown by Henry under direct orders from Luke. It was his intention to make a mess for Rudolf and show that Reichard was similar to him. And Rudolf went straight for the trap. ¡°And a spy, disguised as a knight, was a family member of Count Ferrero who was detained in their mansion. Also, the iron knights patrolling on the outskirts have reported that Count Ferrero had escaped.¡± ¡°What? They saw Ferrero?¡± Rudolf, who was already raging with anger, burst like a volcano upon hearing the last report. ¡°Yes, it was said that he suddenly appeared from a passage that formed in the air, but he was accompanied by an unidentified crowd.¡± ¡®No mistakes here. It was the same thing that Princess Sophia used to escape from the temple.¡¯ Fortunately, the men didn¡¯t go to the past. The Emperor, who felt relieved, was suddenly lost in thought. ¡°Wait! Shirley de Kyle should be the one in charge of the iron troops, right¡­?¡± Rudolf was feeling anxious as he asked. He knew that Ferrero and Shirley held a very thick relationship. And he was right to feel anxious. ¡°Yes, Capitan Shirley was reported to have betrayed the Empire and escaped with Count Ferrero.¡± ¡°Keuk! These things!¡± Thud! His fist smashed right through the marble desk. Even then, Rudolf, who couldn¡¯t express his anger, went quiet. ¡°Get them right now! Block the borders and thoroughly increase the checkpoints on the road to Libiya Kingdom!¡± Rudolf wanted to get down to Libiya Kingdom and turn it into hell. However, Rudolf, who knew that he couldn¡¯t move with the situation of Vers in hand, had to swallow his anger. In a field outside the capital. Wizards escorted by knights arrived. ¡°You mean to say that Ferrero showed up here?¡± ¡°Y-yes, Vice Meister.¡± The iron knights, who were hit by Shirley the other day, pointed to the place where the tunnel of light appeared. They were knights who failed to jail the prisoner that escaped, so they were worried about what kind of punishment they were going to face. Count Rolex, the Vice Meister of Baroque Imperial Magic Tower, asked them, ¡°Why are we going there? It isn¡¯t going to be easy to go after the sinners.¡± They thought so but didn¡¯t dare to ask. The mistakes they did were unforgivable, but huge difference between their titles of knight and Count was too high. So they guided to the field when asked. Count Rolex glanced at the wizards who came along with him. The wizards pulled out various magic devices from the trailers and began to investigate something where the light had appeared. ¡°How does it look? Got anything?¡± The wizard, who was holding a glowing crystal, responded coldly. ¡°Yes, there was a wave detected in the ruins of the Imperial Palace in the past. Perhaps this is the main coordinate that can be reached from the ruins.¡± ¡°Hmm, that could be.¡± When Count Rolex nodded, an iron knight, who couldn¡¯t resist his curiosity, spoke carefully, ¡°That¡­ What are you looking for?¡± ¡°Why? You want to know? Even if knowing this will get you killed?¡± ¡°Ah, no. I was just asking. I don¡¯t want to know.¡± In a cold question from Rolex, the iron knight hurriedly stepped back. Rolex laughed at the man and watched his wizards who were still investigating. ¡®But, did the ruins of the dungeon really work? What did they even do there?¡¯ Rudolf, who had been very interested in the ruins of the Imperial Palace, knew the existence of the ruins. He tried to operate the ruins numerous times under the Emperor¡¯s command but couldn¡¯t find any signs of success. They couldn¡¯t even figure out how the ruins work. However, it was surprising that there were people who managed to activate the ruins. Rudolf seemed to be very troubled with it and immediately asked the Imperial Magic Tower to investigate. ¡®It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know what His Majesty feels that was caused by all of these unfortunate things he has been through lately.¡¯ Losing his entire family and being betrayed by his own retainers and nobles, Rolex could understand why the Emperor was acting as such, but it was inevitable that the Magic Tower felt burdened. Except for the fact that the remains were of Aether and that it could manipulate space and time, the magic tower discovered nothing. In such situations, what would happen if the Emperor placed pressure on the magic tower to hurry up and activate the ruins? ¡®Ahh, I hate imagining it!¡¯ Thinking what would happen if he couldn¡¯t meet the Emperor¡¯s needs, Rolex¡¯s entire body began to sweat. ¡®I feel envious of Count Ferrero who ran¡­ Uh?¡¯ Suddenly, the mana around them fluctuated. Even the wizards, who were looking for things, stopped after noticing it and glanced at the epicenter where mana gathered and fluctuated. There it was; the tunnel of light opened for them. Chapter 480 - Another Rakan Descendant Appears 4 Kung! Grrrng! ¡°What? What is this?¡± ¡°Earth- An earthquake! Get to safety!¡± The mana¡¯s fluctuations were so strong and getting stronger that the ground began to crack. Count Rolex and the other wizards were surprised at the changes and took a few steps back from the center. ¡®This, this is surely¡­¡¯ The Iron Knights who were in charge of guiding them recalled the time when Ferrero appeared from the tunnel of light. It was the same situation, however, this time it was a lot more intense. The trees around were collapsing and the ground shook. Woong! After a while, the tremors which seemed to have destroyed everything around subsided, the center began to show a tunnel of light. ¡°That is it! Count Ferrero came from that!¡± ¡°What?¡± At the words of the knight, Count Rolex couldn¡¯t believe it. According to the Emperor¡¯s words and his vision of the Imperial Palace, all those in the underground ruins were told to be gone. Moreover, it was difficult to think that someone would have entered the dungeon as the exit had collapsed. ¡®Then, where is this connected to?¡¯ When Count Rolex was puzzled, someone slowly walked out of the tunnel of light. He seemed to be a southerner with long hair and beard. ¡®Southern Continent man?¡¯ Count Rolex was shocked. He thought that it could be some guys from the Libiya special forces who infiltrated their ruins, but a sudden appearance of Southerner only confused him more. He who had numerous scars on her face and a prosthetic right arm was holding a silver-haired girl who was asleep. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Where did you come from?! Answer me!¡± The knights jumped at the man and pointed their swords at the southerner. The man was looking around at the place, he looked at the knights, the words engraved on their armor and laughed. ¡°Kuakk, hahhhha!¡± ¡°What, what is with the old man? Him laughing is getting on my nerves!¡± ¡°He isn¡¯t retarded, right?¡± The wounds on his neck seemed to have hit his vocal cords. Count Rolex asked his guards to hurry for the man. ¡°Capture him! Don¡¯t kill him!¡± He had to figure out how that man had appeared from that tunnel. At the command of Rolex, the knights approached the elderly southerner. They were all confident in their skills, however, they were aware of the many different kinds of fighting techniques that southerners used. ¡°Do not resist. Follow the instructions and gently¡­¡± Puhk! As soon as the knight reached out to the steel prosthetic hand, the knight disappeared. He punched the knight, which made him fly distantly. It was evident from the knight¡¯s bloody body that fell on the ground that he died on the spot. ¡°Dammit, this man!¡± ¡°Attack him! All we need to do is stop him!¡± The knights who were angry yelled. However, the movement of the elderly was much faster than the sword the knights wielded. Each time the steel prosthetic moved up, down, left or right, a body of the knight flew or collapsed with limbs bent. ¡®Fist Master!¡¯ A skill which could be compared to that of a Sword Master. Count Rolex, who recognized the man¡¯s skills, hurriedly used magic. He believed that his magic could hold down the man who was creeping everyone out with his Fist Master skills. But the changes in the man¡¯s movements were quicker than Rolex¡¯s thoughts. Quickly holding the girl in his arms tightly, he punched three times at Rolex and the wizards. Rolex was amazed at the force in which the fist came. ¡®What was that, a strike with aura?¡¯ Grrr! A shock wave with powerful lightning flew with the sound of a thunder. Startled at the force, Count Rolex immediately nullified the Press spell and went for Shield magic. Kang! ¡°Kuak!¡± Wizards who responded slowly or outside the scope of Rolex turned into ashes. ¡°Kuak! How is this¡­?!¡± Rolex ended up throwing up blood. He thought that it would be easy to stop an attack from a Fist Master since he was an 8th circle wizard. But being pushed like that meant that the elderly man was much stronger than him. ¡®Fist Master? No, he must be Fist Sage!¡¯ Rolex was screaming inside when he was preparing for the next attack. He could end up getting his bones bent, so he tried to do his best. However, the next attack didn¡¯t come. As soon as he looked at the man, he couldn¡¯t find him anywhere. He could find no trace of the man walking away or where he went. ¡®What?¡¯ With a bright expression on his face, Rolex hurriedly brought out the magic communication device to report to the Emperor. The emergence of someone new and strong had appeared in the Baroque Empire, and that was the priority. At the meeting point of the south of Nemesis, Luke and his party met and hurried to get to the Symphonia Kingdom. ¡°Although not as much as the southwest road to the Libiya Kingdom, the southern highway passes through the Baroque Empire. Yet, with just slight suspicion arising on us, we will get arrested right away.¡± Philip nodded as soon as Henry spoke. ¡°We need to go across the mountain or forest.¡± ¡°Yes, but if we are moving there, we¡¯ll get noticed, so it will be better to move into different groups.¡± Henry, who handed the information, returned to Nemesis with 3rd group. The plan continued to spy the Baroque Empire for the future time. Based on the information Henry gave them, the party headed for Symphonia Kingdom. Avoiding the Baroque Empire army, they used the trails in the mountains and rested during the days and moved during the night. Belfair transformed into a bat and led the party while looking ahead for enemies or obstacles. It was on the third day of their movement to the south. They rested in an unknown forest. ¡°Haa, what is this¡­?¡± ¡°That is right. I never thought that His Majesty would turn out like this.¡± The knights looked at Luke and couldn¡¯t believe their eyes, they saw Luke who was unconscious on the stretcher. Honestly, the operation was a success. To draw out the attention, the 3rd group carried out their acts of terrorism in Nemesis, and the 2d group which picked Count Ferrero¡¯s family completed the mission without any casualties. However, the problem was with the 1st group, in which everyone was considered to be the strongest. Luke touched the monument and fell into slumber. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he awake yet?¡± At the question of Scarlet, Erwin who was looking at Luke¡¯s body sighed out of frustration. ¡°I am not sure. He hasn¡¯t gone any better despite the fact that I am using healing magic since the moment we got here.¡± Sometimes, Knights and wizards come across the mana runaway. It didn¡¯t matter if one would learn to control the runaway themselves, but in severe cases, the person¡¯s consciousness would be lost. However, even in those cases, the outstanding wizard or priest could overcome the crisis. It was because of their auras or mana rattle with divine magic or healing magic so their situation could be stabilized. However, the condition seemed to be different with Luke. Even though Erwin had been healing Luke for a dozen times, his body didn¡¯t seem to accept it. The mana treatments wasn¡¯t getting absorbed into the body, but rather, it was bouncing off. ¡®There is a little which might bet taken in, but¡­¡¯ The energy arousing from Luke¡¯s body resembled a light fresh green hue which was the same as Zenith village. The energy which felt from Princess Reina, on her first visit. ¡®Holy Pope is said to have the power of Aether. But does Aether harm people? And did His Majesty get Aether from some place? Was it the monument in the underground ruins?¡¯ When Erwin was thinking about all those, Scarlet seemed worried. ¡°Of course, we are not going back like this, right?¡± While she was mumbling, Philip jumped up. ¡°Lady Scarlet, how can you be so disrespectful? Should I tell his Majesty everything once he wakes up?¡± ¡°Ah, no I just¡­¡± When Scarlet was answering, Philip turned towards Erwin and asked. ¡°Court Wizard, is there really no other way to wake up His Majesty?¡± After thinking, Erwin spoke drawing out her conclusions. ¡°Maybe Princess Reina, no, well maybe it will be possible for the Pope.¡± ¡°I guess so. With the power of the Queen¡­¡± Reina was the Pope of the Holy Arthenia Empire, the best divinity power on the continent of Rhodesia. Honestly, the source of the divine power was Aether, but Philip, who didn¡¯t know such details, thought that she might be the only one to awaken Luke who fell into slumber. ¡°Then we should head back to Symphonia as soon as possible.¡± To call Reina who was in the Holy Empire, and the only place they could use the long-distance teleport gate. Otherwise, for her to reach Symphonia would take more than two weeks. Currently, there were 4 long-distance teleport gates in the Symphonia Kingdom. Rakan manor, Lamer city, Albertville Estates, and the Capital, Brandon. The first three were made before the founding, and the gate in Brandon was previously half-built by the Milton Kingdom¡¯s king, and Luke completed them after his coronation. The closest gate to the group was in Brandon. ¡®Honestly, Nemesis is much closer than that, but in this situation, it is like entering the Dragon¡¯s lair¡­¡¯ Whatever was the case, Philip urged the party to start moving. It took a while to move since the family of Count Ferrero seemed exhausted, but they didn¡¯t seem to talk about it. However, when everyone was about to start. Luke¡¯s body which was on the stretcher began to shake. ¡°Ma, Majesty?!¡± While Philip and Erwin panicked, Luke opened his eyes. A grey ominous light was flowing out of his body which had been lying still till then. Chapter 481 - Aether Induced Coma 1 At the meeting point of the south of Nemesis, Luke and his party met and hurried to get to the Symphonia Kingdom. ¡°Although not as much as the southwest road to the Libiya Kingdom, the southern highway passes through the Baroque Empire. Yet, with just slight suspicion arising on us, we will get arrested right away.¡± Philip nodded as soon as Henry spoke. ¡°We need to go across the mountain or forest.¡± ¡°Yes, but if we are moving there, we¡¯ll get noticed, so it will be better to move into different groups.¡± Henry, who handed the information, returned to Nemesis with 3rd group. The plan continued to spy the Baroque Empire for the future time. Based on the information Henry gave them, the party headed for Symphonia Kingdom. Avoiding the Baroque Empire army, they used the trails in the mountains and rested during the days and moved during the night. Belfair transformed into a bat and led the party while looking ahead for enemies or obstacles. It was on the third day of their movement to the south. They rested in an unknown forest. ¡°Haa, what is this¡­?¡± ¡°That is right. I never thought that His Majesty would turn out like this.¡± The knights looked at Luke and couldn¡¯t believe their eyes, they saw Luke who was unconscious on the stretcher. Honestly, the operation was a success. To draw out the attention, the 3rd group carried out their acts of terrorism in Nemesis, and the 2d group which picked Count Ferrero¡¯s family completed the mission without any casualties. However, the problem was with the 1st group, in which everyone was considered to be the strongest. Luke touched the monument and fell into slumber. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he awake yet?¡± At the question of Scarlet, Erwin who was looking at Luke¡¯s body sighed out of frustration. ¡°I am not sure. He hasn¡¯t gone any better despite the fact that I am using healing magic since the moment we got here.¡± Sometimes, Knights and wizards come across the mana runaway. It didn¡¯t matter if one would learn to control the runaway themselves, but in severe cases, the person¡¯s consciousness would be lost. However, even in those cases, the outstanding wizard or priest could overcome the crisis. It was because of their auras or mana rattle with divine magic or healing magic so their situation could be stabilized. However, the condition seemed to be different with Luke. Even though Erwin had been healing Luke for a dozen times, his body didn¡¯t seem to accept it. The mana treatments wasn¡¯t getting absorbed into the body, but rather, it was bouncing off. ¡®There is a little which might bet taken in, but¡­¡¯ The energy arousing from Luke¡¯s body resembled a light fresh green hue which was the same as Zenith village. The energy which felt from Princess Reina, on her first visit. ¡®Holy Pope is said to have the power of Aether. But does Aether harm people? And did His Majesty get Aether from some place? Was it the monument in the underground ruins?¡¯ When Erwin was thinking about all those, Scarlet seemed worried. ¡°Of course, we are not going back like this, right?¡± While she was mumbling, Philip jumped up. ¡°Lady Scarlet, how can you be so disrespectful? Should I tell his Majesty everything once he wakes up?¡± ¡°Ah, no I just¡­¡± When Scarlet was answering, Philip turned towards Erwin and asked. ¡°Court Wizard, is there really no other way to wake up His Majesty?¡± After thinking, Erwin spoke drawing out her conclusions. ¡°Maybe Princess Reina, no, well maybe it will be possible for the Pope.¡± ¡°I guess so. With the power of the Queen¡­¡± Reina was the Pope of the Holy Arthenia Empire, the best divinity power on the continent of Rhodesia. Honestly, the source of the divine power was Aether, but Philip, who didn¡¯t know such details, thought that she might be the only one to awaken Luke who fell into slumber. ¡°Then we should head back to Symphonia as soon as possible.¡± To call Reina who was in the Holy Empire, and the only place they could use the long-distance teleport gate. Otherwise, for her to reach Symphonia would take more than two weeks. Currently, there were 4 long-distance teleport gates in the Symphonia Kingdom. Rakan manor, Lamer city, Albertville Estates, and the Capital, Brandon. The first three were made before the founding, and the gate in Brandon was previously half-built by the Milton Kingdom¡¯s king, and Luke completed them after his coronation. The closest gate to the group was in Brandon. ¡®Honestly, Nemesis is much closer than that, but in this situation, it is like entering the Dragon¡¯s lair¡­¡¯ Whatever was the case, Philip urged the party to start moving. It took a while to move since the family of Count Ferrero seemed exhausted, but they didn¡¯t seem to talk about it. However, when everyone was about to start. Luke¡¯s body which was on the stretcher began to shake. ¡°Ma, Majesty?!¡± While Philip and Erwin panicked, Luke opened his eyes. A grey ominous light was flowing out of his body which had been lying still till then. Chapter 482 - Aether Induced Coma 2 ¡®Kuak! How long will this go on?¡¯ Luke was suffering from extreme internal pain for three days. It was because of the enormous amount of Aether that came from the monument and pressured his aura, mana, and magi in his body. For the first time, aura, mana, and magi were fighting against the runaway Aether. However, the three forces weren¡¯t able to fight against the Aether, the most fundamental energy of the world. Aura and mana got pushed away in a matter of seconds, and even the purely refined magi that was close to the Aether had no chance as well. At some point, the three of them began to consolidate each other¡¯s skills and fight the Aether. And that resulted in Luke¡¯s unconsciousness to stop the Aether runaway. During the process, the aura, mana, and magi and the black circle located on his heart began to fuse. The fusion of the three forces succeeded in slowing the runaway Aether at some point. The 8th circle white and dark magic and the Sword Master¡¯s aura combined and created the ability to power up a Worm class dragon. And then, the three forces that were fused and Aether continued to compete in Luke¡¯s body. On the outside, it seemed to be the runaway of the mana, but in reality, the three forces were struggling. And the reason Erwin¡¯s healing magic didn¡¯t get absorbed was because the Aether was interfering. In any case, a day after fainting, Luke managed to regain his consciousness from within. Since he was only awake, he wasn¡¯t able to speak or move his body. Though he was troubled, he soon began to figure out why and searched for a solution. ¡®First, I need to stop the Aether runaway.¡¯ All three sources of energy in his body were fusing and enduring, but there was no guarantee that they could hold on. Moreover, if someone harmed him from the outside, then it was immediate death. ¡®Somehow, I need to stop the runaway Aether or at least combine it with mine¡­¡¯ That would allow his body to stabilize and move again. The problem was that Luke didn¡¯t know of a way to interfere with the runaway Aether. Besides, he couldn¡¯t even try using Reina¡¯s method of dealing with Aether. Reina had previously accepted Aether in a blank state as she had no power, but Luke had strong mana, magi, and aura. It was a different case and the outcome would surely be different. ¡®Is there really no other way to stop the runaway Aether?¡¯ The moment Luke was about to fall into pessimism, Luke came up with a way. ¡®Isn¡¯t there something in the Southern Continent? A poison can be treated with poison.¡¯ Was there really another way to stop the runaway with another runaway? It was purely theoretical with no guarantee that it would work. Rather, it could end up for Luke to completely lose all three forces against Aether. Then avoiding death would be difficult. ¡®Even then, I need to do it!¡¯ Since he couldn¡¯t figure out how long he had been like that, Luke decided to do everything to go back to normal. When the world got created from chaos at the beginning, Aether was what filled the empty space. Aether was known to be the power of God and had tremendous potential. However, not everyone could use it as Aether was the purest and fundamental. In ancient times, the demons, fairies, and dragons, who longed the spiritual powers of the gods, processed Aether into several other forms for their own use. It turned into the driving force for living, evolving, and developing creatures in worlds divided by mana, magi, aura, and divine power. However, there were those who continued to find ways to carry and use Aether. The first ones to figure out a way were the dragons. They used their Dragon Heart as a means to suppress and control the Aether runaway in their bodies. They absorbed the very small amount of Aether in their body and devised a way to control it with the enormous mana in their Dragon Hearts. That was the only way they could do it. Even though it was a very small amount, dragons with Aether since then reigned as the strongest creatures in Middle-Earth. ¡®Of course, because of their arrogance, they weren¡¯t able to rule the land for a long time and were destroyed.¡¯ And currently, Luke had such control. It was the convergence of the three forces of, magi, mana, and aura. The complex forces kept his body from eroding the runaway. The problem was that the amount Luke¡¯s body had absorbed was by no means could be considered small. In response, Luke wanted to fuse the three to calm the Aether. ¡®I¡¯ll have to deplete my mana first!¡¯ Thud! The mana circles moved along with Luke¡¯s consciousness. It resulted in magi, which uses a black circle on his heart, moving together. ¡®Kuek! Not yet. No¡­!¡¯ Luke, who suppressed the magi runaway, sensed that Aether had briefly entered his mana¡¯s runaway and immediately let out aura. ¡®Kuek!¡¯ Once aura got released, he could feel the pain of his whole body being torn apart. Of the three, the power that had the most direct influence on the body was the aura. That was why even if he couldn¡¯t move, the pain caused by the aura¡¯s runaway was vividly present in Luke¡¯s consciousness. ¡®Ah, it is still too far! There is still one more thing to do!¡¯ His consciousness was overwhelmed when the two powers were already running out, and Aether was moving. It was like he was going to lose consciousness once again. Luke somehow endured and grasped the Aether by simply struggling. It seemed that the two forces worked better. ¡®Now is the last time!¡¯ Grrrrng! Luke thought magi as the last resort. Magi, the base of his magic, had a massive runaway, far more than mana and aura. His body, which could move till then, began to shake wildly. What was more surprising was that the Aether runaway subsided. ¡®Nice. Success! I was right¡­ Ah, no!¡¯ Luke, who was surprised and delighted by his success, was shocked to see the Aether that subsided to soon rise and interlock with the magi runaway. Magi and Aether, which was entangled like snakes, began to react violently. ¡®How is this¡­ Ahh, I see! I was wrong!¡¯ The plan to stop the runaway seemed to have an effect. The problem was that Luke¡¯s magi was getting purified as it was close to Aether. Honestly, because of their similar nature, they could be used to fight mana and aura, but when things happened, Aether could be calmed using magi. Krrng! Krrrrng! There was nothing to stop it, so Aether ran wildly. In an instant, the Aether hit Luke¡¯s heart and brain. ¡®Damn it! What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Luke, who began to get frustrated with the results, tried to prevent the runaway by calming his mind, which he learned from the Second Half of the Gold Sword, and the enlightenment he learned from dark magic. However, the Magi was already out of his control. Moreover, since he mixed it with Aether, even the minimal traits possessed by magi had disappeared. An ominous shimmering grey light rose from Luke¡¯s body as seen by Philip and Erwin. It was the remnants of magi disappearing. ¡®Kuek! I can¡¯t stop this! I might die if this continues!¡¯ Immediately after the grey color faded, Luke¡¯s body saw a bright light. The Aether that dominated his brain and heart was finally producing some spectacular explosions. ¡°Oh my, where is this light His Majesty¡¯s body coming from?¡± ¡°Is he getting some kind of energy?¡± Seeing the light shine from Luke¡¯s body, the men around Luke were confused. It was because sometimes, the knights of high ranks and Sword Masters experience the same thing when entering a higher level. But what was happening to Luke wasn¡¯t the same. Erwin, who knew about Aether, understood it. ¡°No! If this continues, His Majesty will¡­!¡± She tried to push all her magic to calm the Aether¡¯s runaway in Luke¡¯s body, but none of her efforts worked. Erwin¡¯s face was full of despair as she watched Luke¡¯s blood vessels shine with bright light. She couldn¡¯t get herself to see Luke die like that in his sleep. She turned her head to the other side and closed her eyes. Chapter 483 - Aether Induced Coma 3 ¡°It¡¯s alright. Everything is fine now.¡± A voice suddenly rang inside her head. The voice spoke again to Erwin. ¡°Don¡¯t worry and open your eyes.¡± As if she was talking to herself, she opened her eyes. The bright light, which was radiating out of Luke¡¯s body, began to subdue itself like a lie! Instead of the bright light, a small haze-like light was rising from his heart, giving out thousands of butterflies of light flying around the party. ¡®What is this?¡¯ ¡®Both my mind and body feel calm and refreshed.¡¯ Everyone was fascinated by the mysterious effect going on around them. However, Erwin was only looking at Luke, no, a silver-haired girl who was holding onto Luke¡¯s hand. She seemed to be a 3 to 4-year-old child. ¡®Who is she? Where did this kid come from?¡¯ But, there was something more shocking than the answers to that question. And that was the energy of the Aether that could be felt from the child¡¯s body. The child didn¡¯t just have Aether in her body, but she even managed to calm and stabilize the Aether in Luke¡¯s body. Thanks to that, Luke¡¯s skin returned to normal, and his consciousness returned. ¡°Uh¡­ Where?¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°You are awake, Your Majesty!¡± At the words from Luke¡¯s mouth, all his men, Philip, and Erwin seemed to get some color back in their faces. Luke, who was slowly trying to move his limbs, felt a strange mix of feelings in his heart. Woong! The Aether in Luke was clustered and moving in a circular form. And the black circle on his heart couldn¡¯t be found anywhere. ¡®What happened? Was it because of the runaway effect?¡¯ The black circle on his heart had disappeared, but he could feel that he didn¡¯t lose any of his powers. The Aether seemed to have filled the void. His nerves, veins, and muscles that were strained with the changes in his body seemed to be recovering at a rapid rate. It was a much better effect than the recovery achieved by the acceleration of the black circle. ¡®Aether, the basis of all power, replaced the existing power?¡¯ ¡°Your Majesty! Don¡¯t overdo yourself.¡± Despite Erwin¡¯s words, Luke tried to get on his legs. Philip came to help him. However, Luke refused. ¡°It is okay, Sir Philip. I¡¯m feeling better now.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± When Luke shook his head, Philip eventually retreated. Luke, who was surrounded by his knights, used the basic 1st circle light magic. ¡®Will I be able to use magic properly? Even if Aether is substituted, the manner to use it will be different¡­¡¯ Phat! Contrary to Luke¡¯s concerns, a dazzling light twinkled at his fingertips. The sphere of light magic was bright enough to light up the entire area around him despite the fact that it was only on his finger. However, Luke noted that the manner of using magic hadn¡¯t changed nor did the power. ¡®As I tried to use magic, the Aether turned itself into a mana circle. Then¡­¡¯ Luke, who stopped his Light magic, picked up a broken branch and tried to trigger his aura. Then the Aether mass that had transformed into the mana circle turned into a power vessel and infused aura into the branch. ¡®If this is its level, I wouldn¡¯t have to use dark magic at all.¡¯ In his brief experiment, Luke was able to grasp three major things. First, he managed to escape the crisis of Aether runaway. Second, he didn¡¯t lose his ability. And lastly, the Aether in his body could turn into mana, aura, and magi according to the man¡¯s wish and will. ¡°Your Majesty, are you alright?¡± At Erwin¡¯s question, Luke nodded with a light smile. ¡°Thanks to you. Are you the one who released the Aether from my body?¡± ¡°No, that wasn¡¯t me but¡­¡± Erwin who tried to say ¡®it was because of that cute kid¡¯ looked flustered. It was because the child was nowhere to be found. ¡°Where did she go?¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°There was a girl about 3 to 4 years old here earlier. Sir Philip, you saw her, right? The girl holding His Majesty¡¯s hand.¡± At Erwin¡¯s question, Philip nodded. ¡°Ah, yes. I saw her too, but I don¡¯t know where she went.¡± While everyone was looking at Luke who just woke up, they lost track of where the child went. ¡®A kid? Who are they talking about?¡¯ While Luke was puzzled at their words, Belfair hurried back to the camp in his bat form. ¡°Move quickly. We need to leave this place right away.¡± ¡°What is going on, Belfair?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Belfair turned his head, looking at Luke who just woke up. But what was more shocking was the report he had to give them. ¡°The forces of the Imperial are coming here. Maybe it¡¯s because they saw the light shining from here.¡± Belfair was actually coming back to shout at the one who did such a stupid thing. But knowing that it was Luke, he held back. Luke didn¡¯t ask for anything more but ordered his officials. ¡°Hurry up. Everyone get ready.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± The men weren¡¯t completely relieved of their fatigue, but they seemed a lot more energetic than before. It was because their King woke up and was completely healed. In a hurry, they all moved, and Luke¡¯s party headed south. In the dark was a man who was still watching them. An old Southern Continent resident with a scary face. In his arms was the silver-haired girl, who held Luke¡¯s hand, when he was asleep. Chapter 484 - Aether Induced Coma 4 With Luke recovering, the party was able to slow their walk home. With their king unconscious, it was necessary to hurry back home, but it was no longer necessary to do that. Luke too recovered and Erwin no longer had to focus on treatment, so now they could use teleport magic in a row to return back to Symphonia. But considering the family of Count Ferrero, it was necessary to acknowledge them. All this time, they were exhausted from moving because of walking through mountains and forests. So, the party decided to take a break for 2-3 days in an old castle located in the woods. Shirley asked Philip while chewing on beef jerky for their late lunch. ¡°Uncle, there are many fairies and mixed races in Symphonia Kingdom, right?¡± Philip frowned at her question and replied. ¡°Many. But there are no cheap ones like you.¡± ¡°What about me? You wouldn¡¯t have been able to get Ferrero all the way here if it wasn¡¯t for a cheap one like me.¡± Shirley spoke with a blunt voice. ¡°And if people like me are following you, shouldn¡¯t you at least be thankful? But, rather than thank you, you are seeing me like some kind of baggage¡­¡± ¡°Because you always call for a fight! Being a Spear Master your legs hurt, you¡¯re always hungry and thirsty¡­ take a look at Vice captain¡¯s kids!¡± As Philip said, Count Ferrero¡¯s kids didn¡¯t have any serious struggle on their way there. Even when they were feeling troubled, they refused to give up and kept walking. Thanks to that, Philip was able to see how well Count Ferrero and his wife had taught the kids. ¡°And we have enough, we have enough master class knights. There is no merit in having cheap steaks like you.¡± ¡°Huh, so what if you have them? They are duds if they have no experience. For someone like you to be the commander of the 1st army¡­ it seems like Symphonia lacks in talent.¡± ¡°What did you say? This monster kid!¡± ¡°Huh! Let¡¯s battle if you are dissatisfied! No-fun uncle! I¡¯ll give you a better teaching than the Holy Empire!¡± On their way there, Philip and Shirley confirmed that they met each other in the civil war of the Holy Empire. Philip, who recognized Ferrero during the civil war, asked about the girl too. ¡°Both of you stop. With just your voice here, the Imperial Army will come running this way.¡± Count Ferrero, who bought a hunted deer from the woods, shot back at them. While he scouted around, he brought food only to see Philip and Shirley snarling at each other. ¡°Vice-captain, is your body alright?¡± ¡°Fine. It is better already. Don¡¯t treat me like I am some old garbage.¡± Even when he left Nemesis, Ferrero never mentioned about the torture wounds. However, after joining Erwin, he took in the potions and received recovery magic. ¡°And I am more worried about him than myself. I don¡¯t know if it is alright for a person who was asleep to run around so casually like nothing happened.¡± ¡°I asked the Court Wizard. And it said nothing wrong with it.¡± ¡°Then it is alright. I was worried if I would lose a good battle partner.¡± Ferrero, who was concerned, spoke too soon. ¡°But I have no idea what your master is doing in the forest. Even today too, he was killing time all day.¡± ¡°Since he is a wizard, he meditates.¡± Luke was an outstanding Rune Knight, and his magic was in the 8th circle. And to develop as a wizard, one would always have to meditate. ¡°Meditate? It didn¡¯t seem like that to¡­¡± ¡°Then go and ask him yourself.¡± ¡°Well, I should have.¡± Shrugging his shoulders, Ferrero began to grunt after putting the deer on the ground. By the time Ferrero and Philip were having their conversations, Luke was looking into the Aether mass in his body. ¡®The black circles and the power vessels aren¡¯t gone. They lost shape with the runaway, and then fused into the Aether.¡¯ When he woke up, he checked, but the Aether mass changed its structure according to the power he wanted to use. And he just created a while back, it didn¡¯t deform so quickly. It took time to switch from mana to aura and then back to mana. Luke continued to train the switch, he powered-up day by day as he wanted to reduce the delay of change. Fortunately, the achievement was that he managed to reduce the time it took to deform the structure. ¡°But the problem is the Aether mass¡­ no, Aether Globe¡­¡± Once magic got converted, it seemed to give out a power of 9th circle magic. That was the same when using magi, and with aura, it was the Sword Master¡¯s best? It was a great level. Indeed, the crisis was avoided when growth was achieved, but not everything was sure. It was because Luke hadn¡¯t used a proper 9th circle white magic or black magic with the use of the Aether Globe. In addition, the structure of the Aether Globe took time to change, so using it in battle couldn¡¯t be easy. There surely were opponents who could be taken down by force, but not for those who were on the same skill level as Luke. ¡®Well, how many skills do I have¡­?¡¯ Luke, who smiled to himself, glanced over to the side where he felt a sudden power. It was different from the time when he felt Count Ferrero¡¯s aura. ¡°Who is it?¡± At Luke¡¯s words, with a rustling sound, a small figure showed up. A silver-haired girl of 4 to 5. Though it was the first time for him to see her, he felt rather close to the kid. It wasn¡¯t just that, the moment his eyes met with the kid¡¯s, his Aether Globe in the heart shook. It was resonating with the Aether flow from the child. ¡®A child with Aether? So this must be the child Erwin was talking about?¡¯ When he woke up and was moving to this place, he heard the story about the child with Aether. According to Erwin¡¯s explanation, the child appeared from somewhere and used some technique, and ended up calming the runaway Aether in Luke¡¯s body. ¡®How did she?¡¯ When Luke was in doubt, he slowly approached the child. She lowered his posture and spoke to the kid. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Karen.¡± ¡°Karen? And where did Karen come from?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, the child, well, Karen raised her small hand and pointed to the sky. Luke smiled unknowingly. ¡°The sky? Are you an angel?¡± Unknowingly, Luke reached out to the child and stroked her head. However, something strange happened at that moment. Woong! The Aether Globe in his body rotated violently, and the Aether of Karen rose like flames. And voices rang inside Luke¡¯s ears. ¡°Karen, you are the only hope.¡± ¡°You must be very shameless! To abandon His Majesty and come where¡­!¡± ¡°You can. You can surely do it!¡± ¡°Even if all the people in the world die, the princess needs to survive.¡± ¡®W, what?¡¯ Shocked, Luke pulled back from Karen. There were a few familiar voices mixed in there, but he wasn¡¯t able to figure out what they meant. He just felt upset for some reason. ¡°Is there something that you need to tell me?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Karen only looked with a worried glance instead of answering. Luke once again stroked Karen¡¯s head. However, this time, nothing happened. The Aether Globe was quiet, and the Aether which bloomed from Karen didn¡¯t show up this time. Instead, Luke noticed another aura and frowned. ¡°See now, how about coming out instead of watching from the sidelines?¡± The opponent hiding in the bushes didn¡¯t respond nor come out to Luke¡¯s questions. So, Luke decided to act first. He picked up a broken branch that fell on the ground and rose aura. Pung! As if a heat wave magic was used, the bushes touched by the aura struck. At the same time, a man jumped out and rushed to Luke. ¡®Old man?¡¯ That too, like a Southerner. Whether he survived a great battle or not, his face was full of big and small arms, and a steel prosthetic arm on the right. Luke, who didn¡¯t want Karen to get involved, used blink and moved back and used shield magic. Chang! An intense wave shook the surroundings as the 8th magic circle shield magic was expressed and collided with an old man. ¡®He is strong! A Fist Sage?¡¯ Luke didn¡¯t fall into a sense of crisis. On the other hand, the elderly¡¯s wielding method seemed familiar to his eyes, even though both of them weren¡¯t backing off. Kang! Luke, pulled the sword from his waist and struck the steel hand and then pointed at his neck. Luke asked the old man who stopped moving. ¡°Your style is similar to Hwang Bo clan. How are you related?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Won¡¯t answer?¡± The old man, who didn¡¯t open his mouth at Luke¡¯s question, slowly stepped down and raised his hands. A sign to say that there was no hostility. Rather, it was like he was impressed to meet Luke. ¡®He seems like he knows me, who is he? I never met someone who was so proficient at this¡­¡¯ Luke was in the Southern Continent for a very short time. And most of the time he was only in the Zegal clan, and hardly met anyone except for Jo Won-rak and Zegal clan members. In addition, it didn¡¯t seem like the man just came back from the Southern Continent, it was like he stayed on the Rhodesia Continent for a long time. Luke, who was puzzled, noticed that someone was pulling his shirt and looked. It was Karen. ¡°Someone you know?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Karen nodded. ¡°Do you know his name?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Karen, who hesitated for a moment, shook her head. She didn¡¯t know, or she knew but couldn¡¯t tell anyone. ¡®These people are so strange.¡¯ That was the only thing Luke managed to figure out about them. Chapter 485 - Luke’s Identity Gets Revealed 1 ¡°Your Majesty, you have co¡­ oh my!¡± Erwin who was taking a walk outside the castle met up with Luke who was coming back from the woods. She was surprised to see Luke bring back a girl and an old man. The old man was someone she didn¡¯t meet, but she was familiar with the child. The one who saved Luke from the Aether runaway. ¡°Where did you find her?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t find her. She was the one who came to me.¡± Karen, who was holding Luke¡¯s hand and hiding behind him, as she found Erwin¡¯s stare on her to be burdensome. ¡°She told me nothing except for her name, Karen. And the elderly one seemed to be the one who accompanies her, maybe he can¡¯t speak or is staying silent.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Erwin looked over at the old man who smiled at her. Although he had a rather nasty impression because of the beard and scar, his smile seemed very calming. Even though Erwin was someone who had foresight, she couldn¡¯t feel any malice flowing in his heart. ¡°He somehow feels familiar¡­ right. He looks a lot like Hwang Bo-sung.¡± ¡°Right? He did use the Hwang Bo clan skills. Maybe a kin of his.¡± Luke and Erwin took the two of them into the old castle. When the King came back, Philip and the others stood up only to be surprised at the new strangers. Perhaps they were nervous about the strangers being people of the Baroque Empire who came to catch them but shook their thoughts trusting Luke. ¡°Kyaa! Who is the child? So so cute!¡± When Shirley went towards Karen, Shirley screamed in a high pitched voice. Karen, who was scared of being in front of strangers clung to Luke. ¡°Your Majesty, this child seems like the one we saw last time?¡± ¡°Erwin said the same.¡± At Philip¡¯s words, Luke nodded and replied. ¡°She is. At that time, I couldn¡¯t look at her so closely¡­¡± Philip looked at Karen and spoke with a mischievous grin. ¡°Now that I see her, she seems a lot like Your Majesty. She isn¡¯t one of your love child, right?¡± ¡°What kind of nonsense is that?!¡± Luke jumped up at the absurd question from Philip. After his reincarnation, the only woman he wanted to embrace was Reina, and he was wed to her in secret, and they never shared a bed till then. So how could a daughter come up? But there were quite a few people who thought like Philip. What was more, Karen seemed to be very attached to Luke, like they were acquainted with each other. ¡°This is making me suspicious.¡± ¡°Yeah, I remember His majesty often goes out undercover.¡± ¡°Look at her. Doesn¡¯t this seem weird to your eyes too, Court Wizard?¡± ¡°How would Princess Reina respond if she knew¡­¡± Contrary to the reactions of the men, Belfair had something different to say. Moving over to Luke, he talked. ¡°Your Majesty, I went down to the nearby village and came here after seeing the Imperial army leave¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± Belfair looked at the old man. ¡°The old man¡¯s picture was attached to the flyers of the Baroque Empire. The prize money is similar to that of a sinner.¡± ¡°That so?¡± ¡°Yes, it was reported on the flyer that they attacked the Imperial Knights of Guard.¡± Luke turned to look at the man. At the words of Belfair, the old man nodded his head to say that it was the truth. Luke turned back to Belfair and asked. ¡°Was there a name on the wanted flyer?¡± ¡°Yes, it was written as Auster.¡± ¡®Auster¡­ that can¡¯t be the real name.¡¯ The names of the Southern Continent were different from the Rhodesia continent. In addition, Auster was an ancient word that meant South. Considering that, the old man might have hidden his real name and mentioned it as Auster, or maybe it was named by the Baroque Empire who had given it to him. ¡®But why did he attack the Knights?¡¯ That was the question Luke had. But, Luke had no reason to blame the man. It just meant that the old man fought against the Baroque family. It wasn¡¯t like Luke wasn¡¯t aware of Belfair¡¯s concern. They were still in the Baroque Empire, and it would turn troublesome if they were found out to be with someone guilty. All because of the old man, the Baroque troops could be pursuing them. ¡°Look around the perimeter. If something feels off, let us know right away.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± After giving orders to Belfair and his men, Luke reached out to the old man called as Auster by the Baroque knights. ¡°There are a few things I want to ask, so follow me please.¡± When Auster nodded, Luke stared at Karen who was still stuck to him in another room. There were several rooms in the old castle, so they could go anywhere. Luke took a seat on the old dusty table and took out a piece of paper from his subspace bracelet and handed it to the man. ¡°You know how to write? It is alright if it is from the Southern language too.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Auster lifted his pen and wrote in fluent Rhodesian language. -No problem. ¡®He surely has lived in the Rhodesia continent for long.¡¯ Luke, who thought so, immediately asked the question. ¡°Your real name?¡± -I am sorry, but because of certain circumstances, I can¡¯t let you know. Just call me as the Baroque Empire is referring to me. At Auster¡¯s answer, Luke frowned. Even if he was writing, there was nothing Luke would be able to figure out if the man evaded his question. So he decided to ask a question to find out as much as possible. ¡°It was said that you attacked the Baroque Empire?¡± -They attacked me and Karen first. What we did was a simple self-defense. ¡°Why did they attack? And what is Karen¡¯s identity?¡± -I can¡¯t tell you that. At the answer from Auster who evaded the most important questions, Luke opened his mouth with a stern voice. ¡°I am Luke, Symphonia¡¯s King. Being hostile to the Baroque Empire, we are willing to help you, who are being chased by them. But if you aren¡¯t cooperative, we can¡¯t help you.¡± Auster, who listened to Luke¡¯s words sighed and picked up the pen again. -I already know about Your Majesty. Your Majesty says that he will help us, but in fact, we are here to help you. ¡°You have come to help me? From where and who sent you? Zegal clan? The Holy Empire? Or the Volga Republic?¡± Rather than that, how did the old man know about Luke¡¯s crisis? Auster wrote an answer to Luke¡¯s questions. -Even though I want to, I can¡¯t say it. The more I say the more dangerous it turns for Karen. Helping His Majesty itself is bringing in significant risk to her. ¡®What is all this?¡¯ Luke was confused that a child who could barely risk was taking risks to help him. However, Auster¡¯s eyes were too serious to be considered as a joke. ¡°What are you going to do? Do you plan on following me?¡± -I want to. I haven¡¯t completed my mission yet. ¡®Didn¡¯t complete the mission? There is still something I need help with, so I am still in some kind of danger?¡¯ Was the danger because of Aether or something else? In the end, instead of solving the questions, more questions arose for Luke, which only turned Luke more cautious. Chapter 486 - Luke’s Identity Gets Revealed 2 Luke returned to Symphonia Kingdom without any further questions to either Auster or Karen. The other part of the journey wasn¡¯t so difficult thanks to the successive use of teleport with Erwin. After a week of absorbing Aether and controlling it, he was finally about to return to Brandon. ¡°This is Brandon?¡± ¡°The scale is a lot less compared to Nemesis, but the feel here is a lot better.¡± Count Ferrero and Shirley were both talking. Brandon, who shook off the aftermath of the war, was lively with people around the streets. People were actively engaging in civil engineering and construction projects for the increased population with new homes, shopping streets, and expanding roads and sewage facilities. However, apart from there, there was a different feeling. It could be seen from the argument going on the roadside. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± ¡°But there were rumors like that before. It is strange that he helps fairies, just like the devil.¡± ¡°Dammit, so what about it? Have you lost something because of the fairies? Where do you hear such things¡­¡± ¡°Because he is a fraud. He is the real one!¡± The citizens were talking about something. Most of it was just arguments, but there were situations were the guards ran over to stopped the fights. ¡®What the hell is happening?¡¯ Luke, who was puzzled with it, decided to find out the details after arriving at the palace. ¡°You have come, Your majesty.¡± ¡°You must have gone through a lot of trouble.¡± Zegal Soha and Hans, who were contacted in advance, came out to receive the party. ¡°Yes, but what is with the people of Brandon? Did something happen?¡± ¡°That¡­ Let¡¯s go inside first.¡± Luke was brought to the office by the two. In the office was Sebastian disguised as Luke. Sebastian greeted Luke, and Luke heard what happened from Hans and Zegal Soha. ¡°What? How can that be?¡± Luke was upset at the self-proclaimed descendant of the warrior Rakan coming in and saying that Luke mastered dark magic. Zegal Soha seemed visibly upset but held her emotions. ¡°Yes, since he is a mercenary, he isn¡¯t very polite and arrogant.¡± Honestly, she knew that Luke was mastering dark magic. She was informed by Hwang Bo-sung when he was in the Zegal Clan. However, since Luke never showed signs of being eaten by the evil powers and fought for her clan and family, she understood the situation. However, someone else claiming to be Rakan¡¯s descendant popped out. It made it difficult for her plan, so it was inevitable for her to not feel bad. Sebastian also expressed his uncomfortableness. ¡°He is a very unpleasant guy. He doesn¡¯t make one smile.¡± As a response to the two complaints, Luke asked about his behavior. ¡°Did he act suspiciously or treated anyone weirdly?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much since I couldn¡¯t sneak around, but unlike the day he came when he made a fuss, he was strangely quiet.¡± ¡°Hmm, is that so?¡± Luke looked at Sebastian and then turned at Hans. ¡°Where is he now?¡± ¡°He is currently at the 3rd palace. He said he would wait for His Majesty¡¯s arrival.¡± ¡°Is that so? I must see how good he is.¡± Luke decided to go and see his rude relative. Before that, he went to those who accompanied him. Count Ferrero and his family, Shirley and Karen along with Auster, were asked to go to their rooms. ¡°Specifically the child is young, so pay attention to her.¡± ¡°Understood. But Majesty, the child is¡­?¡± Hans couldn¡¯t help but ask since the child didn¡¯t seem to be related to Count Ferrero. Then came the words from the side. ¡°Majesty¡¯s hidden child.¡± ¡°Wh-what?! Is that true, Sir Philip?¡± For Luke to be out making kids! Then what about Princess Reina who he just got married with? Hans was shocked as such things could lead to a great conflict between the newlywed couple. ¡°Haha. I¡¯m just joking.¡± At the answer from Philip, Hans raised his fist to punch Philip¡¯s good-looking face. He was currently more committed to his title as the Rakan family¡¯s butler than being a Prime Minister since Hans was once a knight that represented the Rakan family. ¡°Oh my. Please save me, Your Majesty!¡± Philip was trembling because of what Hans did to him and hid behind Luke. When he failed to get Philip into his hands, Hans said, ¡°Even as a joke, don¡¯t ever say such things! There are already rumors out in the royal city and all this bad mood in here¡­¡± While he was grumbling, Erwin glanced at Soha. She thought that Soha would be shocked, but she was rather calm. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to believe Sir Philip¡¯s words,¡± said Erwin to her. ¡°No. It is just that I thought about it, and heroes are known to be rather horny.¡± That was why it wouldn¡¯t be so shocking that Luke, the descendant of the continent¡¯s hero, would have an affair. ¡®But she looks a lot like His Majesty. In addition, there are features that resemble the Pope.¡¯ While Zegal Soha was looking at Karen, Luke tried to entrust Karen to Hans. But Karen kept hugging Luke and didn¡¯t show any signs of leaving him. ¡°Huh, such rudeness to His Majesty!¡± Said Hans. ¡°All good? I will play with you later, so please wait here.¡± Despite Hans¡¯ words and Luke¡¯s recommendation of playing later, Karen shook her head. With a troubled look, Luke stared at Auster. He thought that Auster would take her and keep her company, but he just scratched his head with a smile. ¡°Ah, such annoying man you are.¡± Eventually, Luke lost the battle and took Karen to the 3rd wing of the palace, and Auster silently followed them. Chapter 487 - Luke’s Identity Gets Revealed 3 Luke accompanied by Sebastian and several of his men went to the 3rd wing of the palace. Hwang Bo-sung, who was placed as the guard along with the other proximal Guard Knights, saw Luke. ¡°You did well, Commander Hwang Bo-sung. To face the man called Hiros?¡± ¡°I have no face to show you, master. I will devote myself to improving my skills a lot more.¡± ¡°Well, that is more than enough.¡± Luke, smiled at the sulked shoulders of Hwang Bo-sung and entered the room. However, Auster, who was following Luke, stopped walking and stood in front of Hwang Bo-sung and looked at him. The two men looked very much like father and son. A thought went into Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s mind when his gaze met with Auster. ¡®Southern Continent? Is he from the Song Empire?¡¯ Auster reached out to Hwang Bo-sung, who smiled at him. ¡®What? Does he want to shake hands?¡¯ The Song Empire had no custom of shaking hands. It was something only the Northerners of the Rhodesia Continent used to do. Seeing that, it felt like the man had lived in the Rhodesia Continent for a very long time. ¡®Well, I feel no hostility from him.¡¯ It was surely the first time for them to meet, and he could feel things like that, yet such intent wasn¡¯t felt from him. But it was like he met someone very close to him. Hwang Bo-sung grabbed the hand of Auster. Woong! ¡®It can¡¯t be. This is¡­!¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung was amazed when he sensed aura from Auster. ¡®Intense Mind Keep.¡¯ An indispensable energy used only by the Hwang Bo clan¡¯s trinity martial. But what was even more surprising was that Auster¡¯s skills surpassed his own. ¡°Are you from the clan? Are you an adult that got separated from the Hwang Bo clan?¡± Hwang Bo-sung asked Auster in his native tongue. Auster just smiled back, not giving any answer. It only ended up making Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s head confused. ¡®The meditation and the martial arts are all passed down from generation to generation of the direct line of the clan. However, there was no one in the clan who developed Intense Mind Keep.¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung was the only one from the clan that managed to resurrect the Trinity by bringing out the Intense Brain Keep skill that was left untouched 300 years ago. However, he was seeing someone who surpassed him right before his eyes. ¡°By any chance, are you Hwang Bo-woong¡¯s¡­?¡± The moment Auster¡¯s Mind skills entered Hwang Bo-sung through his hands¡­ ¡°Ah, stop!¡± When Hwang Bo-sung was suddenly shocked by it, Auster¡¯s Mind Keep passed through his head. ¡°Kuakk!¡± ¡°Commander!¡± The knights, who were around, hurried toward Hwang Bo-sung whose hand was shaking. They all pulled their swords and rushed toward Auster. However, Hwang Bo-sung stopped them. ¡°Don¡¯t, pull back your swords!¡± ¡°But commander, this man¡­¡± ¡°This is not an attack, so step back!¡± At the command from Hwang Bo-sung, the knights pulled back their swords. And Auster, walked into the 3rd wing as if nothing happened. Hwang Bo-sung stared blankly at Auster. ¡®I can¡¯t believe it! How can this be? I have to be dreaming, right?¡¯ Just a moment ago, a series of images flashed through his head because of the use of the Intense Mind Keep skill that was used on him. They passed very quickly. However, Hwang Bo-sung was able to see everything very vividly. ¡®If all that is true, then¡­ Then¡­!¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung, who clenched his fists, ran into the palace room. There was something he had to check if the information given by the man was true. Chapter 488 - Luke’s Identity Get’s Revealed 4 ¡®No, this¡­!¡¯ Luke arrived at the room. And in there he saw himself¡­ well, he looked at Hiros, who looked very much like warrior Rakan. But it was only a moment of shock that soon turned into him gritting his teeth. ¡®Huh! What kind of a bastard put someone inside the body of Rakan.¡¯ At first, Luke saw the face which resembled the warrior and thought of it to be the real descendant. But when he looked closely at him, he realized that he wasn¡¯t human. It was an undead which had been infused with the soul of the warrior who had died 500 years back just like the fake Saymon, whom Luke met in the Castia Kingdom. It was so well made that anyone would believe, but he couldn¡¯t deceive Luke¡¯s eyes, who had seen all kinds of things in the past. Moreover, he was the one who witnessed the real Rakan of the past on his last day. ¡®My body wasn¡¯t enough so he even touched Rakan¡¯s body, that monster¡­!¡¯ When Luke was cursing Arsene in his head, he slowly approached Hiros with a calm face and talked first. ¡°You are the warrior descendant Hiros de Rakan?¡± ¡°Yes. And you must be Luke, the king of Symphonia Kingdom.¡± At the arrogant tone of Hiros, the men who followed Luke seemed angry. ¡°How dare you talk to¡­¡± Luke raised his hand and stopped Philip from speaking anything more. And continued to talk to him. ¡°I was told that you believed that I use dark magic and that made you hate me?¡± ¡°Yes. If a man claimed to be the warrior descendant lacked in skills, he will try to fill what he lacks, so disappointed in his innate skills, he touched the cursed dark magic.¡± ¡®He is openly talking about what he was made from.¡¯ Hiros was the one who was created by the use of the cursed dark magic. However, shamelessly, he spoke about it as if it didn¡¯t concern him. Luke decided to talk to him suppressing his intense desire to strike the man¡¯s neck. ¡°Do you have any evidence? You seem pretty confident in it?¡± ¡°Obviously I do.¡± With a smirk, Hiros smiled and pointed to Sebastian who was behind Luke. ¡°Huh? what about Sebastian?¡± ¡°That is because he is a demon and not a human.¡± Philip, who knew about Sebastian¡¯s real identity couldn¡¯t help but feel worried at Hiros¡¯s words. ¡®Did we get caught?¡¯ Luke was the one who was more embarrassed than anyone, but he pretended not to care at all. It was because Sebastian was one of the best demons he came across, he had the ability to create poison and transform himself. And it was the same for Maron and the other priests who heard Sebastian being called as a demon. ¡®If he is someone of dark magic then I should feel Magi right? But no one would believe it even if I put it into words.¡¯ Just like Luke. Hans and the other men too were wearing their expressions on their faces. In particular, Maron wasn¡¯t able to hide his unpleasant feelings. It was because to him, Hiros considered him to be a priest who couldn¡¯t even figure out a demon who was walking around him. ¡°Hahaha. It must be a joke. To call a decent person a demon.¡± ¡°Decent person? Will you say that even after seeing this?¡± Hiros pulled out a white powder from his waist pouch and threw it on Sebastian. Pop! The white powder turned into a blue flame upon touching Sebastian¡¯s body. In a flash, Sebastian fell to the floor screaming. ¡°Uakk!¡± ¡°Sir Sebastian!¡± Startled men tried to extinguish the fire on Sebastian¡¯s body. However, when they saw Sebastian¡¯s body shrink gradually, they all seemed shocked. After a while, a small cat wearing boots and gloves remained in place of the human once the flames faded. ¡°Kuaa! How, how did this?!¡± Sebastian, who returned to his demon state from human, was shocked at his form. His sudden change in the appearance left the knights and men in the room shocked. The most shocked person was Maron. Seeing Sebastian¡¯s change, his eyes were wider than anyone else. Hiros spit out. ¡°Are you still going to say that?¡± ¡®Kuek. To use such a thing. Was that white power an ancient thing which transforms demons?¡¯ Just as Luke thought, it was indeed an artifact made by the fairies during the Mado era. It was called as the ¡®Sand of Truth¡¯ and was created to discover the warlocks who hid their identity or the demons who infiltrated the human world. Hiros had obtained the Sand of Truth from his master, Arsene before he came here, and used it on Sebastian. ¡°The only one who can call a demon from Devildom is the Warlock himself. So who summoned the demon which was placed as a part of the King¡¯s men?¡± At the words of Hiros, all men turned towards Luke. Except for Erwin, Philip, and Zegal Soha who knew, and everyone was in doubt. A moment of change in everything. Luke yelled at his Hiros. ¡°You! What the hell was the trick you just did?!¡± ¡°Trick? I just revealed the truth¡­¡± ¡°To make a human into a demon! As you said, aren¡¯t you the warlock?!¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Hiros had a momentary shock. He thought that he drove Luke into a corner, but he never thought that Luke would act so shamelessly. ¡°Your Majesty is right! Why have I turned into a demon?! I am a human! Turn me back to my human form!¡± As Luke said, Sebastian began to play his part very actively. This was all the men needed to change their doubts. They all wondered if they jumped to conclusions too quickly. ¡°Are His Majesty¡¯s words right?¡± ¡°It looks like it. Honestly, he is too cute to be called a demon. Besides, the Magi from his body is too insignificant.¡± Everyone nodded at Maron¡¯s words. ¡°Yes. Speaking of demons, they are usually very huge and ugly¡­¡± Sebastian was able to avoid suspicion because of his cute appearance and the poor amount of magi in him, but his pride was hurt. But he couldn¡¯t reveal the truth now, so he just made a sad face. ¡°Who sent you? The Emperor of Baroque, Rudolf? Or was it the remnants of the Veritas Magic Tower?¡± Asked Luke. ¡°What? You are blaming me now?¡± ¡°Blaming? This is all your doing. In this way, you tarnish my name and shake the Symphonia Kingdom!¡± As Hiros tried to hit back, Luke spoke more furiously. There was a saying that a man with a huge voice was the one who wins. Although it was plain ignorant, it was true to some degree. ¡°Do you think that I don¡¯t realize? The Baroque Imperial and the Veritas Magic Tower. They have sided with each other for long and cursed our family for generations together. And now you call me a warlock?¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Hiros spoke with a red face. ¡°You are really shameless. I am going to show you that I am nothing like that. What will you do if I show that you are learning dark magic?¡± Hiros said it and once again sprinkled the Sand of Truth on Luke. Pop! He thought that Luke¡¯s magi hidden into the body would show, but Luke seemed fine after the blue flames extinguished. Obviously he was fine. Luke¡¯s Black Circle was already replaced by an Aether Globe. In other words, there wasn¡¯t a single cell of Magi in his body. ¡°Huh, you are doing the same thing. Do you want to make me a cat too?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Hiros realized that he lost the lead in the battle. ¡°You swine! Show your true self!¡± Screaming on top of his voice, Hiros went to attack Luke with his Bastard sword. He thought that If he used the full power of his, then Luke would use dark magic in order not to die. Kang! However, Luke managed to create a shield magic much faster. The bastard sword which hit the shield bounced back with a clear sound. ¡°Wh, what?¡± ¡°Get him! He tried to attack His Majesty!¡± Philip and the other knights who didn¡¯t respond to the sudden attack of Hiros pulled their swords. However, Luke stopped them from rushing ahead. ¡°Stand back! He isn¡¯t someone you can handle.¡± The knights who were about to rush got stopped by Luke¡¯s stern orders. Luke looked at Hiros, who held the bastard sword and thought to himself while clenching his hand. ¡®Dammit, he is strong.¡¯ A moment back, Luke had to unleash almost the 8th magic circle. But Hiros too almost managed to break it. The shock was that he didn¡¯t even use the Gold Sword. In addition, Luke was barely able to detect it, so he had to use hyper aura. ¡®Even if it rots, it is still Rakan right?¡¯ Anger rose more than fear. The rage was because someone fake was using the real body. And the memories of the past, when he got killed in the past flashed through his mind. However, it was anger at Arsene, who was more monstrous than Rakan, who was just a body now. ¡®Not much different from 500 years ago. At that time, I had to go against a living Rakan and now I am going against the dead guy who is a puppet!¡¯ He couldn¡¯t forgive it as his past seemed to play again. ¡°Come out Luke. In the name of our ancestors, I will give you the right punishment.¡± ¡°Shut up. The one who will receive it is you.¡± As Hiros went to the backyard, Luke went behind him. However, Karen blocked him. When he entered the palace, Karen was right next to Luke. And after entering the room, she was hiding behind Auster and watched the entire situation unfold. ¡°Stand back, Karen.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Karen shook her head showing that she didn¡¯t want it to happen. Still, as Luke tried to move, she opened her mouth. ¡°If, if you fight¡­ no.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Fight, lose¡­¡± Karen was talking while breaking into a sweat. Suddenly, as if hit by something, she trembled and collapsed. ¡°Karen!¡± In a hurry to hold her, Luke noticed that the Aether in her body seemed a lot less. In addition to that, her body seemed very small. But the strange thing was something else. ¡°He went at His Majesty. That Hiros isn¡¯t a human.¡± ¡°Can you reverse what has already happened? Didn¡¯t Emperor Rudolf study it?¡± ¡°Please give me the power of time. I will pay very dearly for it.¡± ¡°Will you get into the purgatory leaving behind the world and remain here in the darkness and loneliness?¡± Once again, a series of voices echoed. Auster approached and supported Luke¡¯s stumbling body because of the voice in Luke¡¯s head. Upon taking Karen into his hands, he shook his head looking at Luke. Auster too was trying to tell him not to fight. ¡®Wha, why¡­?¡¯ Luke too knew that the Rakan¡¯s body was being used. But he couldn¡¯t just leave the situation. He wanted to shut the man¡¯s mouth, and he didn¡¯t want Arsene to abuse the dead body of Rakan. ¡°What are you doing, Luke! Are you going to step back?¡± Hiros screamed from outside. Luke shook his head at Auster and spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. I¡¯ll get your neck right away!¡± Luke, who went past Karen and Auster, went to the yard. ¡®This, this!¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung, who went to the room watched a series of situations and was shocked. The situations he was seeing were very identical to what Auster showed him. Luke and Hiros arguing, Sebastian becoming a cat and all. The only difference was that Auster and Karen weren¡¯t there. Hwang Bo-sung already knew why. ¡®He shouldn¡¯t fight! If Master battles¡­ he will lose everything!¡¯ To prevent the end of the world, Karen and Auster came from a very far place. They bet everything they had to make the impossible possible. But in the end, they had no choice but to watch Luke and Hiros fight. Chapter 489 - Real Descendant vs Fake Descendant 1 Chapter 489: Real Descendant vs Fake Descendant 1 ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul, in the end, you. Will. Be. gone.¡± Inside a dark room. Under the gleaming glow was someone of bones watching images pass through the crystal ball. In the crystal ball was a young king facing a mercenary with a bastard sword in the yard. It was Luke and Hiros. The party which sent Hiros was the Lich, Arsene, who was currently watching the fight. Arsene, determined to organize the forces which were hindering his future, decided to remove Luke, who was turning into an eyesore. To end him, he sent Hiros, a guardian soul placed into the body of Rakan. It was to place Luke into trouble, who was the descendant of the warrior and was secretly using dark magic. The plot seemed to have worked out very nicely. The man was summoning demons and keeping them close to him. Thanks to that, finding evidence wasn¡¯t so tough. Of course, Luke was flustered and then blatantly refuted that Hiros was the one who did magic. Eventually, he got caught into the provocation of Hiros. ¡°Kulkulkul. Hiros. Sword. Rakan¡¯s. ability to. Be. a Sword Emperor. Not. Just that. The skills which. I loved. For. 500 years.¡± There was no knight who could beat Hiros on the current continent of Rhodesia. Baroque Emperor, Rudolf, who was known to be the strongest on the continent, couldn¡¯t win over him. It was the same with the Rune Knight, Luke. However, Luke had another ability. In his own experience, Luke had demon abilities and dark magic and if he did things, his fight with Hiros would be a win on Luke¡¯s side. ¡®The moment he reveals his skills, he is done for.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t as if anyone was blind, Luke was the descendant of the Rakan. And if it was known that he mastered the dark magic, people would turn their back, even his own retainers and knights¡ªthose who served him for years. It won¡¯t just be that, but the Holy Arthenia Empire, which had a strong relationship with Symphonia too will change its stance. ¡®There was that rumor that Princess Reina is the Pope Veronica? Even if that wench is Luke¡¯s lady, she won¡¯t have anything to say to support the man who used dark magic.¡¯ Of course, Luke too might be worried about it and decided not to use his dark magic and demon abilities. But if that was what he decides, he will be killed by Hiros. Then, with his honor still intact, the King of Symphonia will face death. Luke, was known to have no successor. ¡®And if that one disappears, my plan will go smoothly.¡¯ Whatever was the outcome, it was favorable for Arsene. Of course, the result of Luke winning with white magic and sword was there, but it was highly unlikely, so he didn¡¯t have to worry. Rakan, descendant. Show. Your. Skills. To. your. Hearts. Content. Show. Me. what. That body. Of your. Ancestor. Is made. Off. kul. Kul.¡± Arsene cheered as he saw Luke move towards Hiros. In anticipation that Luke would ruin himself. Kang! Kang! Wheeing! Wheein! In the battle between Luke and Hiros, the garden which was planted was completely overturned with the slashes of the sword. The plants which swept back and forth with aura didn¡¯t fall on the ground because of quick strikes. It was a pretty beautiful sight, but those who watched it were feeling more nervous than glad. ¡°Would His Majesty want help? This is a formal duel¡­¡± When Maron, who was watching the battle asked, Philip shook his head. ¡°Impossible. If we could neither I nor Hwang Bo-sung would be standing here like this watching them.¡± Normally, the battle between knights was a colorful sight to see. Various different types of skills, auras colliding and creating a scene never seen before. However, it was different for humans who exceeded a certain level. It could seem like a normal aura or fencing. So when people who weren¡¯t aware of the sword and its skills saw the fights, they couldn¡¯t distinguish. However, the fight between Luke and Hiros went more than what was shown. The aura of the two met but never ended, it only continued to wander the garden, creating intense heat. In such a situation, getting involved in the fight was far, just getting close to them would tear up their bodies. ¡°Should we just see them like this?¡± ¡°This is the only way to help His Majesty. If we do something and it distracts their attention, then we might just create an irreversible situation.¡± An irreversible situation. Maron and the men knew exactly what that was. So everyone in there clenched their fists and held their ground. The ones who were concerned were Erwin and Soha, but the equally frustrated was Hwang Bo-sung. He already knew what the outcome of the fight would be. Because Auster just showed him the secret with the Intense Mind Keep. ¡®Master, don¡¯t use dark magic. Somehow, you need to stand and use only white magic and sword!¡¯ He was standing quietly when he wanted to cry out his emotions. Fortunately, Luke seemed to be fighting well. Hwang Bo-sung knew that at this point, Luke¡¯s sword had to be broken and his right arm be cut off, but Luke was still standing all intact. ¡®Is there a change in the situation?¡¯ With such thoughts, Hwang Bo-sung turned to Auster. Auster, who silently held Karen in his hands nodded when his eyes met with Hwang Bo-sung. He too seemed to have anticipated the situation where a different visual was happening from what he saw. Chapter 490 - Real Descendant vs Fake Descendant 2 ¡°Blink!¡± Luke, who was crossing swords with Hiros, used magic and aimed at the gap where the attacks were less common. As the Aether Globe turned into a mana circle, his body appeared into the spot around Hiros. ¡°Titan Fist!¡± Kwang! A powerful fist magic hit Hiros. His armor shattered into a thousand pieces. However, his body was fine. It was strengthened with the Gold aura to protect itself from the Titan Fist. ¡°You are pretty good at hiding yourself.¡± ¡°Who is the one hiding themselves here?¡± Kang! As Luke tapped his feet, long pillars soared from the ground. ¡°Stone Edge? You think you can defeat me with this nasty magic?¡± ¡°It is impossible, but I can tie your feet for a while.¡± As Luke said, while Hiros was busy avoiding the Stone Edge, he created dozens of fireballs in the air. Each one of them was created with an 8th circle magic. ¡°Explosion Bomber!¡± At Luke¡¯s hand gesture, the fireballs all went for Hiros. Kang! Kwang! Bang! Each time a fireball attacked, a huge explosion broke out causing heatwaves and shocks to spread around. The explosion was so strong that a hole opened up on the ground; the heat spread through the entire palace wing as well. As a result, a part of the building collapsed, and the window glass broke. Even the men, who were looking at the battle, were caught up in the explosion. However, in time, Erwin and Soha performed Shield magic, and Venus used Iron wall skill to keep them safe. ¡°H-huge.¡± Philip trembled after seeing the fireball explosion that melted off the glass pieces. ¡®How is Hiros?¡¯ If he was attacked with such power, even a Sword Master or Sword Sage would suffer injuries. However, Hiros was surprisingly safe between the flames and black smoke. He appeared to be almost naked but didn¡¯t seem to have taken any physical damage. ¡°That was a powerful attack, but you can¡¯t get rid of me with just that.¡± ¡®A f*cking monster!¡¯ While Luke was looking at him, Hiros fixed his bastard sword and went into an offensive stance. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, you better use that dirty power that you are hiding. The attack I¡¯ll do now isn¡¯t something you can stop with magic and sword.¡± As Hiros said that, he rushed in. Rushing with the tip of his sword on the ground, he smashed the sword fiercely. Grrrng! Woong! The moment Hiros¡¯ bastard sword and Luke¡¯s sword collided, a sharp resonance occurred. It was because both of them were using Gold aura. However, since Hiros was using Rakan¡¯s body that mastered the Second Half, he was able to overpower Luke, who was still learning it. ¡®Kuek! This must be the complete Gold Sword of Rakan!¡¯ Luke, who was pushed back by Hiros¡¯ offense, was in awe. When he fought with Rakan 500 years ago, he had no idea how great the Gold Sword was. It was because he was a warlock with goals in mind. However, as he learned the sword after reincarnation, he was able to see that it was like going against an Ancient Dragon. It was completely different from the Gold Sword and the Gold Light God Sword that he saw with the help of Nanda. The Gold Light God Sword was like a strong wind that could bring down a mountain, and the Gold Sword was like a typhoon with thunderstorms around it. Bang! A sharp golden trajectory fell right on Luke a few times and broke his sword. It wasn¡¯t just a normal sword. The sword that Luke was wielding was the Iron Sword, which was created by the legendary blacksmith, Zig. As a famous sword that was supposed to be indestructible, it easily broke into two. It wasn¡¯t just Luke but also Hwang Bo-sung and Auster who were shocked. It was doubtful, but did the future really changed? ¡°Die, Luke!¡± Hiros charged at Luke with his sword in hand while Luke was still in shock. At that moment, everyone thought that Luke would step back and think of something. However, Luke ran into Hiros. ¡®Magic?¡¯ Flustered, Hiros held his sword and began to place Gold aura around his body. He wasn¡¯t sure what kind of magic Luke would use to him, and he thought that with Gold aura around his body, he wouldn¡¯t take in any damage. However, Luke, who everyone thought would perform magic, ended up making a fist and punched Hiros¡¯ stomach. ¡°Thunder Burst!¡± Pung! ¡°Kuak!¡± With a groan, Hiros flew back. The punch Luke just gave him had both Gold aura and mana. The 8th circle Thunder Burst just tripled the power of the punch with the use of Gold aura on Hiros¡¯s body when it struck him. The men, who were watching the fight, exclaimed in shock at what they saw. ¡°Martial arts and magic!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a skill of Sir Hwang Bo-sung?¡± As Philip pointed out, what Luke just did was Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s Trinity punch martial arts. Luke stole and modified it. Of course, Luke didn¡¯t learn the Mind Keep, so he had to use magic instead of zen. Its power was a lot weaker compared to the real Trinity punch, but Luke, who always thought of other means to make up for what he was lacking, didn¡¯t seem to have any difficulty in looking for a solution. Hiros stumbled down and spoke, ¡°Keuk, you think you can knock me down with just that? Kuak!¡± ¡°It seems like you were just knocked down?¡± Hiros, who didn¡¯t get hit by Luke till then, fell on his knees. It wasn¡¯t just that; his entire body was shaking, and he was also throwing up blood. ¡°What did you do to my body? What kind of magic did you do?!¡± ¡°Magic? What nonsense. Your body is just shocked with the power of the Thunder Burst that came in.¡± Just as any wizard would be stunned or injured when their mana circles in their hearts were hit, knights could be injured as well if their power vessel was damaged. Just like a Gigant¡¯s core engine, the aura was controlled by the power vessels in a human¡¯s body, and it used the nerves and muscles. If an attack successfully twisted the nerves and muscles, they weren¡¯t going to be easy to fix. The greater the damage, the more time it took to recover. However, Hiros, who was made of dark magic, was different. Despite his fatal injury, he was recovering pretty quickly. And Luke wasn¡¯t going to stand still and watch him. ¡°Titan Fist!¡± ¡°Kuak!¡± Kang! Knag! Starting with the Titan Fist, Luke used Fire Explosion and then Thunder Burst. He also used all of his high circle magic attacks on Hiros. The men watching the battle were lost in thoughts. ¡°Isn¡¯t the battle already done?¡± ¡°But the other one was someone who insulted His Majesty and still holds a sword in his hands¡­¡± ¡°Even then, he is a descendant of the same warrior. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to hold hands than kill him?¡± Hwang Bo-sung frowned at the words of the men around him. ¡®It¡¯s not over yet. And on the other hand, he isn¡¯t someone to hold hands with.¡¯ Luke seemed like a man who was beating a non-resisting opponent, but Hans knew that it was ¡®something which had to be done¡¯ and the identity of Hiros had to come out. ¡°Kuek! Kuek! L-Luke you¡­! ¡®You dirty person.¡¯ Not just his power vessels were nearly destroyed, but the bones in his body were distorted, and his skin was melting. However, Hiros was still alive. No, well, he didn¡¯t have the expression of being alive. It was like he was trying to bring in all kinds of souls into a dead body and make it move. ¡°Your Majesty, you need to stop now¡­¡± The words of Maron went silent. Despite the rudeness he showed, Hiros was still a descendant of the warrior. In addition, he was the one who was able to use the latter part of the Rakan Sword. He didn¡¯t want such a talent to die. In spite of Maron¡¯s words, Luke didn¡¯t stop attacking. He took out the Dragon Tooth sword from his subspace bracelet and released his Gold aura to the maximum. ¡°This is the end!¡± ¡°Ah, no! Stop, stop it!¡± Slash! Cyclone Rage. The most powerful skill of the second part of the Gold Sword was cast by Luke using Dragon Tooth. The dazzling golden aura, which shattered the blue sky, fell on Hiros¡¯ neck, well, Rakan, the creator of the Gold Sword. 500 years ago, Rakan went for Luke¡¯s neck because he was referred to as the Devil King, Saymon. Chapter 491 - Real Descendant vs Fake Descendant 3 ¡°Kul! What! He. lost?¡± After seeing the struggling head of the corpse fly, Arsene dropped the crystal ball from his hand. Trr Trrr The crystal ball that fell on the floor rolled away. Arsene was under the impression that Hiros would win. He thought that Luke would use dark magic to live, or that he would die holding onto white magic. He thought so until Luke¡¯s sword was broken. But suddenly, the results changed! Luke was able to avoid the perfect Gold Sword of Hiros and hit his power vessels using the Southerners¡¯ skill and then struck his neck. ¡®This makes no sense! Hiros had the body of Sword Emperor Rakan. How is that possible?¡¯ Arsene couldn¡¯t accept the results he saw. However, there was a fact that they didn¡¯t know. The latter half of the Gold Sword¡¯s skills used by Hiros were all skills Rakan used 500 years ago on Luke. Among them, the last blow from Luke was what Rakan used. Although Hiros had power, Luke wasn¡¯t weak enough to let the past repeat itself and kill him. And unlike Luke, Hiros turned too ignorant after breaking the Iron feather sword. Moreover, he never expected Luke to counterattack with a punch. Such a process led Luke to create a series of attacks and end up with the result where the Sword Emperor class¡¯ undead was defeated. ¡°Kuk! This. Can¡¯t. be! This. Can¡¯t. be. Forgiven!¡± Arsene had a long way to go. He was upset that the guardian, which he had taken many years to make, was now broken. However, the biggest failure here was that they couldn¡¯t make Luke use dark magic. ¡®Should I go to the Symphonia Kingdom and kill that Luke?¡¯ He was that desperate, but he couldn¡¯t act. If his existence was revealed ahead of his goal, the whole divided continent would unite to kill him. In the past, seeing the powers of Devil King Saymon, he thought that it wasn¡¯t bad. Also, Luke just defeated Hiros who was using the body of Rakan, the strongest knight in the continent, and seemed to have gotten a lot stronger than before. He wasn¡¯t sure what changed in Luke, but one thing was clear, his skills were higher than the time he fought in the past. And he didn¡¯t know where that Nanda was lurking. Arsene, who hated Nanda, was looking everywhere for him, but he had no idea where the man was hiding. ¡°Kul. Nothing. Can. Be. done. But. To. recycle. Hiros.¡± Although his neck was cut, Hiros wasn¡¯t done. If he could use it, he would be able to kill Luke and learn about dark magic. ¡®If I can do that, at least his base can be wiped out.¡¯ With determination to do it, Arsene picked up the fallen crystal ball and began to cast a spell. While Arsene memorized the spell, Luke, who ended the fight with Hiros, was hearing resentment from his men, especially Hans and Maron. ¡°Your Majesty, why did you have to kill Hiros?¡± ¡°No matter how he was, this is the same as murder. If this is known to the world, this will be difficult to condemn.¡± Luke smiled at the two. ¡°Murder? You mean that guy is my brother?¡± ¡°S-surely, he is not your brother but considering how rare Rakan¡¯s blood is¡­¡± ¡°Do you really think that he has Rakan¡¯s blood?¡± Luke knew the real identity of Hiros. Hiros was actually the real Rakan¡ªan undead monster that had the souls of the dead in his body. A 500-year-old dead body. But, those old men were yelling at him without realizing the truth! ¡°Didn¡¯t he already tell you? With the history and appearance of Hiros that is close to Rakan and his latter part of the Gold Sword, then he must be.¡± ¡°Then? I have a huge monster as my relative.¡± Luke, who ridiculed them, pointed at something. Hans, who tried to refute, looked at what Luke was pointing at and turned pale. It was because Hiros, who had fallen on the ground, was slowly getting up. ¡°Aukk! W-what?!¡± ¡°How, how is he still alive?¡± The knights, who approached Hiros¡¯ body to clear out the ground, were frightened. The body fluttered back and forth. It picked up its head that fell not far away from it and held it in its hands. It was an unbelievable sight. Everyone there was speechless. Luke was the only one who could smile. It was because he already sensed black circles being activated in Hiros¡¯ body. ¡®Arsene, it seems like he wants to kill me that badly.¡¯ Otherwise, he would want to use Hiros. ¡°Lu¡­ ke¡­¡± Hiros¡¯ distorted voice flowed from his mouth with black smoke. The men trembled as if they saw a ghost in front of their eyes. ¡®No. What is this? Already? Isn¡¯t this something that should happen later?¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung, who was relieved with Luke¡¯s victory, panicked when Hiros got up. According to the memory of the future given to him by Auster, it would take five years for the Undead Hiros to reveal his true self on a war against the Holy Arthenia. Until then, he pretended to be human and deceived everyone around him. ¡®In the war against the Holy Empire, Arch Duke Gregory is the one who will destroy him. And the Symphonia Kingdom gets destroyed.¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung looked at Auster with a dumbfounded expression. Maybe he read his thoughts because Auster nodded. ¡®But he is already revealing his identity¡­ Was it because His Majesty won? Will the future change?¡¯ The change wasn¡¯t the problem. However, he was worried that Luke would have to do what Arch Duke Gregory did. The power of the man who showed his true color. ¡®This can¡¯t be done. I need to do something.¡¯ When Hwang Bo-sung decided to give orders to his men¡­ Wheeing! A gloomy energy lingered around Hiros¡¯ power vessels that were destroyed, and dark sparks rose from his body. ¡°T-that is¡­?¡± ¡°Magi! That is magi!¡± Maron¡¯s face fell as he saw what was happening around him. The magi from Hiros was more terrifying compared to what Sebastian showed. It was strong enough to be compared to a high ranking demon. ¡®This, this monster was made¡­ with human hands?¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t look down on humans.¡± ¡°Never be fooled by humans.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give humans great power.¡± Those were the advice given to the young demons from the elder ones. However, very few demons cared for it. The same went for Sebastian. After meeting Luke who was a warlock that ate demons, he learned the truth that humans were scary. However, this was the first time he was truly afraid. ¡°Luke. You. Want. to hide. Your. Powers. That. Badly?¡± Luke didn¡¯t listen to Hiros¡¯ words. However, he noticed that something was happening when the energy shed. Kaaah! ¡®Help me!¡¯ ¡®This is painful! Please let me¡­!¡¯ The souls of the ghosts screamed from within. Luke saw this once before. It was during his fight with Arsene at the Zegal clan. ¡®I saw this when he used that Ghost Armor or Gorgos¡­!¡¯ Luke, who sensed the rush of magic, realized that if he let things go on like this, they would struggle. ¡°Explosion Bomber!¡± Dozens of bombs charged toward Hiros. Kwang! Kwang! Kwakwang! Hot flames and the heat seemed to have evaporated the magi and hit Hiros. But the flames and heat quickly eroded because of the huge Magi. Hiros¡¯ wounded body absorbed everything. Magi, which developed its power from the flames and heat, began to create dark clouds. With a pair of wings and two long arms, bent goat legs, and a snake tail, there it was, the Gorgos, the Ghost armor that he saw at Zegal Clan. Kwaah! The men turned pale upon seeing the scene in front of them. Hiros, who was in the magi armor, cried like a monster. And the future that Hwang Bo-sung and Auster knew began to move in an unknown direction. Chapter 492 - Real Descendant vs Fake Descendant 4 ¡°Wh, what is all this¡­?¡± Hans and the others who saw the image of Hiros turning into a giant monster were shocked. They were in a moment of shock and fear which soon turned into anxiety. Hwang Bo-sung ordered everyone there. ¡°Everyone run. Move out right away!¡± He was so worried that he spoke in his native language and not the official Rhodesia language. However, it wasn¡¯t like anyone there couldn¡¯t understand it. Everyone was on their feet running away, and the knights who vowed loyalty to Luke pulled their swords and were ready to fight it together. They knew that their skills and strength wouldn¡¯t be enough, but they couldn¡¯t step back. Among them were Hans and Philip, including Erwin and Zegal Soha. ¡°What is that? That evil spirit is wrapped in that thing¡­?¡± At Erwin¡¯s question, Zegal Soha shot back. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. But what I do know is that it is terrifying.¡± She recalled what happened in her clan. At that time, Luke fought with Arsene in the armor and lost his tester Gigant. At that time, Luke had to use his demon abilities and the Gold aura at the same time to defeat the Ghost Armor. Even then, Arsene couldn¡¯t be eliminated ¡®If the same method as that time can be used, this one can be killed. But¡­¡¯ But unlike then, Luke wasn¡¯t in a situation where he could use the dark magic or the demon abilities. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t use it, he could. But the moment he uses it, all his efforts till then would be in vain. And he was only with armor. He had the superhero class Gigant, Avenger in his subspace bracelet, but Hiros didn¡¯t give Luke the opportunity to summon the Gigant out. ¡°Die, Luke!¡± When Hiros raised his long arm, his arm turned into a giant sword. It wasn¡¯t just that, but sharp blades and thorns were all forming on Hiros¡¯s arm. Hiros struck his ugly changing arm towards Luke. ¡°Shield!¡± Luke chose to defend rather than avoid it. It was because his knights were all standing behind him, and the other men evacuated to the back of the palace. Kwang! The shield of 8th circle magic broke down miserably. Thankfully, Luke managed to make multiple shields with different angles to brush off the attacks. And Hiros seemed to be weaker than Arsene. There was the thing of him lacking the skills, but the number of devilish souls in them couldn¡¯t be ignored. Even then, Hiros, with the Gorgos on, a Ghost Armor, would be hard for Luke¡¯s body to cope. ¡°Kuk, he is surely a monster.¡± The Aether Globe transformed into a mana circle and fluctuated violently due to the constant breaking of shields. Because of that, Luke had to suffer from the pain his heart being torn, but Luke didn¡¯t have time to waste on his pain. Hiros was about to attack again. ¡®The best attack is a perfect defense!¡¯ Luke, who thought so, went for defense. ¡°Stone Edge!¡± The ground where Hiros set foot danced like waves. Tall sharp stone pillars began to soar to the sky didn¡¯t hit Hiros or any part of his armor, but the effect of the ground wobbling was more than enough for Hiros to lose balance. ¡°Chance. Thunder Bust!¡± ¡°Kwahh!¡± Bang! Bang! At Luke¡¯s spell, dark clouds quickly gathered in the sky and began to create intense light. Hiros¡¯s body which got caught up in the moment stumbled around like a doll. ¡°Uh.¡± Auster was groaning as he watched the battle unfold. At first glance, it seemed like Luke was able to push back Hiros who was in the ghost armor, but he knew that without using the full power of his abilities, Luke wouldn¡¯t be able to win. Hwang Bo-sung summoned his Puppet wondering if he could help Luke in any way. ~Sik. With a smile of his face, Auster handed Karen over to Erwin. ¡°What are you doing? You are not¡­?¡± Auster smiled and nodded, he soon ran towards Hwang Bo-sung and climbed into the Puppet by using Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Kuek, what are you doing?!¡± Hwang Bo-sung who looked through the man knew that the one who used him was Auster. ¡°Wait, hold on! I am telling you to wait!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Despite Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s attempt, Auster rushed towards Hiros. Thud Thud Thud! It was the time when Hiros was about to escape Luke¡¯s magic attacks and hit back with a counterattack. At first, Luke, using high circle attacks of magic which appeared one after the other, but the attack was a lot less than expected because the damage was getting recovered very quickly. Besides, Hiros managed to grasp the magic attack so hitting him wasn¡¯t so easy. Eventually, the attacks from Luke ceased, and Hiros¡¯s counterattacks began. ¡®Dammit, it is hard to do this with magic!¡¯ Luke, who was ready to be on the defense frowned. That said, it was reckless to deal with Hiros with Gold Sword and no armor. Whether it was the demon abilities or dark magic, he needed to take the help of a Gigant. ¡®Can¡¯t help it. Black Bind¡­¡¯ He was hiding the fact that he could use dark magic, but it was more important for Luke to save his life. It would be a matter of his life, and once he could get rid of Hiros, he could persuade the retainers or brainwash those who oppose him or throw them into prison. The moment Luke decided to use dark magic and raised Magi, Auster who was riding the Puppet, intercepted and used trinity punch. Bang Bang Bang! Hiros stumbled a lot because of the powerful shock and fell down. Auster didn¡¯t miss the gap, he soon raised the Puppet and then smashed Hiros¡¯s body with the legs. ¡°Kuakk! Luke!¡± Hiros tried to get up, but Auster wasn¡¯t letting him move. Auster, who managed to hold Hiros down for a while, turned to Luke. He hoped that Luke wouldn¡¯t miss the opportunity and luckily, Luke wasn¡¯t the kind to fail his expectations. Using the time when Auster was holding Hiros down, Luke summoned his Avenger. ¡®Done, now¡­¡¯ Puk! The satisfied expression on Auster¡¯s face stiffened in a moment. Hiros¡¯s right hand rang which turned into a sword and went straight through the Puppet¡¯s head. Unlike a Gigant, the Puppet¡¯s cockpit was in the head. Red blood began to flow through the cracks, which made everyone realize that it was a fatal blow. ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Auster!¡± Luke who just boarded the Avenger looked at Auster because of the scream from Soha and Erwin. ¡®The one in the puppet is Auster and not Hwang Bo-sung?¡¯ Auster, who intercepted the battle to help Luke was fatally wounded. Luke could only feel grateful to him. Auster who fell from the cockpit of the Puppet fell to the ground and smiled. As if he wanted to say something to Luke, his body which touched the ground turned into white sand and disappeared without a trace. Chapter 493 - Truth Is Revealed 1 ¡°Thi, this can¡¯t¡­!¡± Hwang Bo-sung was on knees when he saw the spot where the Puppet fell. At that moment, a memory of Auster passed through his mind. A beautiful silver-haired wizard standing in front of a large stone monument in the underground, with a number of people watching it. ¡°He allowed the power of time. However, a corresponding price needs to be paid for it. First of all, everything in this space-time will disappear from that day.¡± ¡°Then we too will disappear.¡± ¡°If that can change the miserable reality of ours, then it isn¡¯t so bad, but what about the princess?¡± ¡°I will disappear too. This is the body which has to pay the price, and I don¡¯t exist in that space-time too.¡± ¡°What if a person who exists in that time accompanies the princess?¡± ¡°The one associated with this space-time will disappear too. However, there is a possibility that some sort of synergy may occur when the same one touches.¡± ¡°What do you mean by synergy?¡± When asked by the old knight, the wizard took out a piece of paper. Something was written on top of the paper, but there was only a blank bottom. After the wizard wrote the top, she folded the paper into a roll and overlapped the part. What was written above could be seen from the bottom. Hwang Bo-sung, saw the recalled memory of Auster. ¡®One piece of paper meant the same person. If the top was the past and the bottom was the future, it means that when both sides meet, the one from the future can remain in the past.¡¯ He already knew most of it when the memories passed, but thanks to what the wizard showed, he was convinced of Auster¡¯s identity. ¡®Are you going to take over my place because you need to leave anyway? Did you decide to end it all?¡¯ Kwang! Hwang Bo-sung, who was in thought was awakened by the roar that shook the ground. Luke in his Avenger and Hiros were still in battle. The fight between the two was much huge and intense than before. Whenever the arm, which was turning itself into a giant sword moved for a while, it left clear traces on the Avenger¡¯s glove. The shock wave which flowed from the attack left a huge mark on the garden. Moreover, the sounds which came each time an attack took place was enough to not just scare the men in the palace, but also the people who were around the palace. However, the one in Avenger didn¡¯t have time to think. Rather, each time Luke attacked with Gold aura, Hiros limbs burned. ¡°Kuakk! Luke, bastard!¡± Whenever he suffered damage from the Gold aura, Hiros yelled and cursed and released Magi. But the Magi he released had very little effect on the surroundings. It was because the Gold aura was getting amplified by the core engine of the Superhero class Gigant, Avenger, and destroyed the spreading Magi. ¡®This is surely different from that time.¡¯ Luke recalled the fight he had in the Zegal clan. At that time, he was hardly able to push Arsene who was in the Gorgos armor. Although the tester Gigant had lower performance than the current, his new earned ability of second half of the Gold Sword seemed to be of huge help. But above all, Arsene was incredibly strong. He was able to take down Hwang Bo-sung and Soha who tried to support Luke and used all sorts of dark magic and white magic to take Luke down. ¡®Compared to Arsene, he isn¡¯t using the power of the Ghost Armor so greatly.¡¯ Just as he was wielding his sword, he was making his hand into a sword and was waving it around. Of course, the attack was surely strong. He couldn¡¯t use the Gold aura, but it was clearly a Gold sword. Even if the sword was being used, the power of the Gold Sword with no aura was powerful in itself, and the amount of force he was using couldn¡¯t be ignored. Perhaps, if he was a normal rider and not Luke, then the magi used by him would have ended up encroaching the man. ¡®I need to hurry up. Any more damage than this will make it difficult for me.¡¯ A part of the Royal Palace was destroyed. And Luke didn¡¯t want any more damage. Luke amplified the Gold aura as much as he could. In the fight against Arsene, he had to use the demon ability of Build-Up, but he couldn¡¯t do it in the palace. Unlike the broken tester then, the Avenger had a core engine that had a great boosting ability. Wheeeing! ¡°Disappear! A monster created by another evil monster!¡± Luke rushed through with his Avenger and struck the sword which was amplified with Gold Aura into Hiros as much as possible. As the skill, Cyclone Rage of the second half of Gold Sword, which had been used previously, Luke used it with several times more power which split the body of Hiros with a thunderous sound. Kwaa! ¡°Kuak!¡± As if the sun was glaring over there, heat spread all over. And the body of Hiros melted like a wax. ¡°It is done! ¡°His Majesty defeated the monster!¡± The knights and officials who were watching the fight from afar to keep themselves safe, burst into cheers. However, Luke, who defeated Hiros was still being cautious. It was because the Magi from him wasn¡¯t completely exhausted. ¡®Something is left. It¡¯s not over yet!¡¯ Luke roamed to chase after the unextinguished Magi was traced. And then, the gleaming remnants of the Ghost Armor which melted was a marble. ¡®That is!¡¯ Wooong! The Magi, which didn¡¯t disappear was because of the black marble floating. Whenever the Magi flowed, the black marbles began to flutter and vibrate with more sound. ¡®This, it is dangerous!¡¯ Luke didn¡¯t know what the black marbles were for, but instinctively sensed something was going to happen. One layer, two, three¡­ as many as he could. Kwang! A huge explosion, strong enough to tear off the sky flashed around because of the black marbles. Dark red flames soared in the sky. The flame swallowed the clouds in the sky and disappeared along with the wind. Chapter 494 - Truth Is Revealed 2 ¡°Haa, what the hell was that?¡± Hans exhaled as he got up the ground. Everything was fine until someone who claimed to be another descendant of the warrior had arrived. There were very few descendants of Rakan. However, that man aimed his sword at the shinning king, who was a direct descendant, and turned into a monster that fluttered magi till he was killed. The two men turned the royal palace into a wasteland, and Luke managed to overpower them, and even before the fake disappeared, he exploded. If Luke¡¯s Shield magic wasn¡¯t done, then it would have turned into a devastating explosion, not just the Royal Palace but the Brandon city would¡¯ve been wiped out. ¡°I¡¯d rather wish everything was a dream.¡± Three days have passed since the incident. However, it felt like it just happened. Maron was in the temple. He was stuck with the thought of, ¡®This must be a dream. This has to be a dream.¡¯ ¡®Wow, even if I want to deny what happened, the scars the battle left are too huge.¡¯ The palace was hit hard, enough for it to go under repair, and the other buildings close to the palace were broken with windows because of magi and aura. But the serious damage was done in the palace backyard. As the aftermath of the self-destruction, there was a huge pit that was in the size of the palace. And because of that, repairing the palace was tough. Gigants were mobilized to close the pit, but the work wasn¡¯t fast enough. ¡°Oh my, how do we make this right?¡± Sebastian scratched his head in confusion. He transformed back into a human because of Hiros¡¯ doing. However, no one seemed to be suspecting him as he claimed it to be a curse placed on him by Hiros, and it got lifted on his death. Well, no one was in a state where they could even doubt another. ¡°Prime Minister, will this be okay¡± ¡°Well, won¡¯t it turn into a huge lake once it rains?¡± At Hans¡¯ answer, Sebastian glanced at him. ¡°Do you really mean that?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t look good at any angle. The kings of the other nations deliberately make things like those to enjoy royal bathing in the palace.¡± Hans wanted to know what he was trying to say. However, he was in severe emotional shock to even think about what he was talking about. Honestly, the blow taken by Luke or the Symphonia Kingdom wasn¡¯t as great as they thought. Although the Royal palace was broken, fortunately, Luke and the others survived with few casualties like Auster and a few other knights. And on the contrary, rumors spread that a dark magic user crept into Luke¡¯s palace. Rumors said that a man claiming to be the king¡¯s kin turned into a monster who used dark magic. Although Hans ordered for the rumors to be stopped, the incident was too large and loud to stop. And since the rumors weren¡¯t doing any damage to the king, they left them. ¡®In the end, everything is fine, right?¡¯ Hans¡¯ heart couldn¡¯t settle. It wasn¡¯t simply because of the shock or the damaged palace. ¡®Hiros definitely used the Gold Sword, but it turned out that he was an evil monster filled with magi.¡¯ Previously, the Gold auras were considered to be incompatible with magi. But, Hiros broke the prejudice. He used Gold aura and was hiding the Magi in his body! Maron was shocked too at the realization. Hans, who worshipped the warrior Rakan, was unable to comprehend that a monster made of magi was using the Gold Sword of Rakan. ¡®If Hiros could do it, then His Majesty too¡­?¡¯ Luke de Rakan learned dark magic. Rumors like that have been passing around even before Luke became king. However, Hans and the other retainers, who long supported the Rakan clan, considered it to be groundless rumors. If Luke really learned dark magic, he couldn¡¯t have mastered the Gold Sword. But the prejudices were getting broken. Once the doubt began to creep in, Luke¡¯s past behavior began to turn questionable. When he was dealing with the Devil King¡¯s castle, Luke turned angry at the proposal of demolishing it and took down the statues of Rakan. He secretly went outside without letting the retainers know. ¡®Does His Majesty really know dark magic? No, the Holy Empire wouldn¡¯t treat us favorably if that was the case.¡¯ If Reina loved Luke enough to ask for a wedding, she would have known the truth. However, Arch Duke Gregory, who was known to be the strongest knight in the Rhodesia Continent would never neglect God and leave the matter aside. ¡®But why is Arch Duke Gregory being too quiet? No, that can¡¯t be. He would never.¡¯ Hans struggled to answer the questions in his mind. He didn¡¯t want to think that the man he served, and the man who was the head of an honorable family touched the power of darkness. By the time Hans was troubled because of his thoughts, Luke was on the eastern side of the palace. The east was actually the queen¡¯s side of the palace or the one¡¯s who were next in line. However, since the woman who should be there was in the Holy Arthenia Empire, he kept it empty and placed the wing under control. And that was the place where Auster and Karen were asked to reside. The two people, especially Karen, couldn¡¯t be considered normal. It wasn¡¯t just because she saved him from the Aether runaway or was trying to stick close to him. Though it was hard to point out, something felt different for Luke after seeing the child. ¡°What do you think?¡± Erwin replied while looking at Luke who was laying down beside Karen who was asleep. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but she seems to be tired. Her energy is getting weaker, and it doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s sick.¡± ¡°That so? This is nothing like what I saw.¡± Zegal Soha, who took a look at Karen before Erwin, shared the same view. However, unlike Erwin, she carefully added the sad news. That meant that Karen would die within a month. Luke could feel that too. He could feel the Aether in Karen¡¯s body slowly disappearing, so he tried to give her some of his Aether, but no visible difference could be seen. ¡®Karen, who are you? Why did you suddenly come and save me? Why did you try to stop the fight with Hiros?¡¯ Was she an angel from heaven? Though seeing Auster, in the end, was convincing, he couldn¡¯t get the thoughts out of his mind. Shortly after the fight, Luke asked Auster¡¯s body to be taken and instructed his men to prepare for a proper burial. If it weren¡¯t for the man, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to summon his Gigant, Avenger. However, the guards, who checked the Puppet, came back with a shocking report¡ªthat there was no blood marks on the ground or the Puppet. As it was unbelievable for Luke, he directly went to look at the Puppet. And he himself confirmed that there were no traces left. ¡®Like something white got mixed in the air. No, was his existence erased?¡¯ How could that even be possible? When in doubt, a maid came to report. ¡°Your Majesty, Count Hwang Bo-sung, the commander of Guard Knights, has asked for an audience.¡± ¡°That so? Understood. Wait a minute. I¡¯ll get up.¡± After saying that to the maid, Luke turned to Karen. Holding her little hand, he tried to give her Aether once again, looking forward so that she would wake up and answer his questions someday. He left Karen in the room and went to meet Hwang Bo-sung who was in the office room on the first floor. ¡°What is it, Commander?¡± After confirming that no one was around, Luke asked. ¡°Master, there is something I have to let you know.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I know things that Master is curious about, and Auster let me know before his death.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Luke was startled as Hwang Bo-sung spoke such words with seriousness. ¡°You might not believe it, but I never lie, so trust me.¡± ¡°Tell me what it is. This has nothing to do with what I believe and what I don¡¯t.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Hwang Bo-sung paused. He was worried if things could be told, so he thought once again and decided to speak out. ¡°Karen and Auster aren¡¯t people from our time. They are from the future.¡± ¡°What?¡± Hwang Bo-sung guessed that Luke would be shocked and decided to continue. ¡°And Auster is the future me. That was why he was able to pass his memories, well, the future to me.¡± ¡°Speak in detail. If this language is uncomfortable, you can use your native tongue.¡± When Luke asked with a sincere expression, Hwang Bo-sung nodded and began to talk about the memories he was handed over from his future self. Chapter 495 - Truth Is Revealed 3 ¡°Maybe they came to the point where His Majesty¡¯s regretful situations started. Auster. His Majesty¡¯s future wasn¡¯t normal. Everything was much slower than now.¡± Luke, who returned from saving Count Ferrero, didn¡¯t have a great complexion. And according to Philip¡¯s words, who escorted him, Luke was injured after touching a monument in the ancient ruins that were close to the prison dungeon. Although they escaped, Luke was unconscious as he wasn¡¯t able to suppress the energy that his body absorbed. ¡°Right. There was a tremendous Aether in the monument, and the moment I touched it, it flowed. I tried everything I knew to stop the runaway, but I misjudged the situation.¡± ¡°According to Sir Philip¡¯s words, Your Majesty wasn¡¯t in a dangerous situation, and your locket was shining bright. And because of that, you were barely awake.¡± ¡®Right. Wasn¡¯t that Karen, or was it because of Reina¡¯s locket?¡¯ The Aether runaway was too severe. ¡°The problem was Hiros.¡± ¡°Yes, a battle broke out as he waits for His Majesty¡¯s return. And unlike this time, His Majesty, who wasn¡¯t in normal condition ended up using dark magic.¡± However, Luke still didn¡¯t win over Hiros. Shortly before the death of Luke, who was at the end of Hiros¡¯ sword to punish him, Saint Nanda appeared and took Luke away. ¡°Of course, the entire nation turned upside down. The retainers who got deceived by His Majesty were condemned. And I, who didn¡¯t like that, abandoned my post and searched for His Majesty.¡± ¡°And did you find me?¡± ¡°Yes, during my search, a warlock from Dark Moon came in the shadows to inform me that His Majesty was living in the Jason Estate.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s where Dark Moon Magic Tower is.¡± And Hwang Bo-sung immediately went to the Jason Estate and met with Luke. Although Luke was pale, Nanda managed to help him by healing his injuries and calming his unstable Aether. ¡°I need to thank Saint Nanda then.¡± ¡°After that, I contacted the queen of the Holy Empire with Arch Duke Belik¡¯s help. Despite Arch Duke Gregory¡¯s opposition, she came to Jason Estate to look after His Majesty.¡± However, even with the treatment from Nanda and Reina, Luke¡¯s body couldn¡¯t be cured. That was how bad it was, so Reina secretly took care of Luke while traveling back and forth from Bless to Jason. ¡°Meanwhile, a great disaster happened in the Symphonia Kingdom. Hiros managed to become the king by forcing punishments on the retainers who opposed him like Hans and many others.¡± Belik was their representative. Belik defended Luke when he knew that Luke mastered dark magic. It was because Reina said Luke didn¡¯t learn dark magic with any wicked sense in his heart and persuaded everyone that Devil King Saymon wasn¡¯t actually an evil person. ¡°In addition, the military commanders such as the Gram brothers and Volant protested too. Those who never saw the battle happen between you and Hiros thought that a plot has been conspired.¡± ¡°Then, there must have been a civil war.¡± ¡°Yes, they tried to rectify it, but it didn¡¯t work.¡± Hiros, the new king, brought his own loyal group of men and took over the Symphonia Kingdom. He took over the military commanders, who were opposing the throne, and abolished the fairies and made them his slaves. ¡°At that point, the retainers who were against such forces weren¡¯t considered at the beginning. Rather, as time went by, they were framed and then executed or sent into exile.¡± As a result, there was never a peaceful day in the Symphonia Kingdom. The Baroque was still in war with the Libiya Kingdom, or Rudolf would have immediately pushed his army for a takeover. ¡°But eventually, an external invasion occurred.¡± ¡°Was it Rudolf or the Grenada Kingdom?¡± ¡°No. It was the Holy Arthenia Empire who invaded.¡± ¡°The Holy Empire? Why would they?¡± Hwang Bo-sung went silent for a moment and slowly answered, ¡°Because Hiros had His Majesty assassinated.¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡± Luke, who heard that, smiled vainly at Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s words. However, the following explanation changed Luke¡¯s complexion. ¡°The identity was later revealed to be the Veritas Magic Tower. What was surprising was that there was an Undead made from Saymon¡¯s body. And Your Majesty, you died fighting that monster.¡± ¡®I guess so. It was Arsene and Veritas who supported Hiros to become the king.¡¯ Reina, who lost her man, lost her reasoning. After not eating, drinking, and crying for days, she was engulfed in anger and wanted revenge. That led her toward the Symphonia Kingdom¡­ No, she declared war on Hiros. ¡°The war lasted for more than three years. Eventually, Symphonia was defeated, and Hiros, who fought against the Holy Empire till the end, met his end.¡± Hiros¡¯ end was between Arch Duke Gregory and Belik. He transformed into a monster that used magi. That was when Gorgos was summoned, the Ghost Armor, which he lost in the hands of current Luke. ¡°Belik was killed while fighting the monster. Arch Duke Gregory tied Hiros using his Gigant and used his full divine power by using the core engine to amplify it.¡± And just like that, Gregory was able to execute Hiros after sacrificing himself. The Holy Empire won, but it gained more wounds than glory. It wasn¡¯t just that. The nation¡¯s proudest knight, Arch Duke Gregory, was no more. The pillar who stood strong for years with the Empire. As a result, the Holy Empire went into war, but Constantine and the others opposed. ¡°Reina? Didn¡¯t she leave?¡± ¡°The queen was in a deep depression. Even though she got her revenge, she didn¡¯t get you back.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Eventually, Reina resigned as Pope. After giving up the post to Luther, she left the Holy Empire. She returned to Rakan estates where her memories of Luke were strong. ¡°She just had five more years to live. Her body and mind became weak since His Majesty¡¯s death.¡± Luke could only sigh after hearing the long and terrible future that would have happened if not for Karen. ¡°Then¡­ Did the dark story end there?¡± ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t the end. It was the beginning of the end.¡± ¡°Beginning of the end?¡± Hwang Bo-sung began to explain once again. A few years later after Reina¡¯s death, unidentified troops appeared on the Rhodesia and Southern Continent. No warlock, wizard, martial arts, or divine power could defeat them. The Undead Legion. The seeds of death quickly seized the entire world. ¡°It was different from 500 years ago from Saymon¡¯s time. Because of the battle for the throne, the Song Empire couldn¡¯t fight the Undead with their full power, and the Rhodesia had internal fights as well. They all came together, but it was already too late.¡± As a result, small nations began to form and the great powers of the Holy Empire, the Baroque Empire, and the Volga collapsed one after the other. And the Libiya Kingdom wasn¡¯t an exception. Shaikan, who claimed to be the true blood holder of the God Dragon and leader of the monster legion, met a terrible end as well. It was in the hands of Rudolf, who was defeated by the Undead Legion and was turned into a Death Knight. ¡°In the meantime, a small hope rose. After His Majesty¡¯s death, Court Wizard Erwin appeared with a genius mage.¡± ¡°That is Karen¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± Karen, taught by Erwin, was a master in using magic, sword, divine power, and Aether. Thanks to her, surviving humans and fairies gathered around and began to resist the Undead Legion. The point of resistance was Brandon, the Capital of the Symphonia Kingdom. The remaining people gathered together, but more than half of the human race was already turned into the Undead, so the fight couldn¡¯t be overturned. In addition, Arsene¡¯s power over the Undead was beyond comprehension. They fell one after the other from the Undead¡¯s attacks. The hope they had was soon turning into despair. At that time, Karen went on an expedition and stumbled upon the ruins of Nemesis and found the monument that Emperor Rudolf was working on in the past. ¡°The study of space and time in God¡¯s realm. Using her power, Karen saw it, and the time and space were reversed to change history.¡± Luke couldn¡¯t help but feel stuck at Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s words. He was a wizard, and he himself knew how reckless and ridiculous the research was. It was because it would be a rejection of the laws set by God. However, surprisingly, Karen succeeded. She even managed to come back and change history! ¡°If you¡¯re Auster, I will take my time to understand it slowly.¡± ¡°That is true. What Erwin and Karen did was nothing less than a miracle.¡± Eventually, Karen succeeded in gaining time, and with the old Hwang Bo-sung, she came to the past. The reason why Hwang Bo-sung was chosen was because he was a prominent knight who managed to survive and knew all the events that happened on the continent. ¡°So he came back to the past, but he had to pay the price. Karen lost her magic, aura, divine power, and also her long life. That was why she turned into a child.¡± ¡°There is Aether remains¡­¡± ¡°That power is needed to restore time and space. That was why she didn¡¯t lose it.¡± And it was a necessary force to save Luke. Hwang Bo-sung, who recalled that, only felt guilty. It was because he was hiding a fact from his Master that needed to be told. It was related to Karen¡¯s birth. ¡®Your Majesty, Miss Karen, or rather Princess Karen is your and the queen¡¯s daughter.¡¯ Reina conceived Karen while Luke was hiding in the Dark Moon. He was defeated by Hiros and neglected by his own retainers, and the only person he could rely on was the woman who loved him for what he was. It was no wonder that love only grew for them. Sadly, a child that should have been nurtured with love grew up in an unfortunate era and gave up everything she had to change history. Nevertheless, he couldn¡¯t tell the truth to Luke that he was Karen¡¯s father. Hwang Bo-sung couldn¡¯t tell the future that was changed. ¡®If I reveal the truth, we might lose the existence of the princess here.¡¯ Karen was sick because her existence was threatened. She was someone who didn¡¯t exist in the current time and space. In addition, she was a child who had to be born at a later time because she needed to be born to Luke who got defeated by Hiros. Even if there was a child born for ¡®Luke who won over Hiros¡¯, the child of Luke and Reina wouldn¡¯t be Karen. ¡°The small actions of the present will have an impact on the future. Going back to the past and telling my existence will make me disappear, and I am supposed to disappear either way.¡± Before coming to the past, Karen told Auster to never reveal her identity to her father no matter what. ¡®In the beginning, I refused to accept the future. It is so pitiful that Princess Karen will be forgotten for all that she was.¡¯ Nevertheless, he agreed because Karen only said that after meeting up with the past Luke. ¡°I have never seen my father. I only heard things about him from mother and master. So while I¡¯m still alive, I want to see him a little longer.¡± Brrr! Hwang Bo-sung, who recalled the future, was sad and clenched his fists to not let himself speak the truth. ¡°Sir Hwang Bo-sung?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, Karen is a pitiful kid. Please take good care of her.¡± ¡°Obviously, I will. You don¡¯t have to mention it to me.¡± A child who gave up everything to save him and change his dark future. Even if Hwang Bo-sung didn¡¯t ask for it, he was going to protect her with all his heart. Chapter 496 - Truth Is Revealed 4 A marble square in the center of the stars, at the edge of the abyss. Among the gods, there was a man standing in a place called the Watcher of Dimensions and called himself the Lord. The Watcher was looking up at the stars. It seemed like he was observing the countless events which were taking place in those stars. At one point, someone stood in front of the young man¡¯s eyes. At the same time, the movement of the universe stopped as if the time itself stopped. ¡°His thread of fate has been twisted.¡± A second twist. The first one was made by the one who gave the man a second chance to live after 500 years. ¡°This will help overcome the immediate crisis. But his Karma is so piled up that one day he¡¯ll have to pay for it, what will he do then?¡± Karma had a repulsive nature. Even if the immediate fate was dodged and the crisis was avoided, one day, a bigger crisis will come along the way. And the ones who break the threads of fate would always suffer more. ¡°Huh, I wonder how that woman will look in the future.¡± The stars which stopped began to move again, and Watcher once again began to observe everyone. Quite some time had passed. Woong! The light began to split in the empty space, and a white-haired knight in his early thirties, wearing jewels and golden armor, appeared in front. However, his identity as a knight was strange. Blood and flesh all over his armor as if he had just been revived from battle, and his eyes were full of madness. ¡°Where is this? Where is the power of time?¡± Watcher didn¡¯t answer the question of the white-haired knight. Watcher, who looked at the man, soon gave a thin smile. ¡°I see. You got a chance since the kid twisted space and time. But there is no chance for¡­¡± ¡°What did you say? Who are you? Who do you think you are talking with such a face?¡± When asked by the white-haired knight, The Watcher answered the obvious. ¡°Rudolf de Baroque. The ¡®last¡¯ Emperor of Baroque Empire.¡± The word ¡®last¡¯ was emphasized by Watcher, and the white-haired knight, well, Rudolf stayed still. But he couldn¡¯t talk back. He was the real last one. When the Imperial Magic Tower wizards managed to barely operate the ruins under the palace, the enemy troops had already defeated the central army and the Knights of Guards who were defending the capital were close to the palace. Although Rudolf himself led the Knights of Guard, he couldn¡¯t stay back. Watcher spoke to Rudolf, who was holding the sword in his hand. ¡°I will acknowledge your commitment. For the tremendous knowledge, one would need to interpret the ruins and operate it in such a short period of time.¡± ¡°Shut up! Shut up! What the hell are you talking?¡± ¡°I know everything. You are trying to get back your lost family and the Imperial family by the power of time. My heart feels sorry for your family, but you have been hurting way too many innocent people to fulfill that wish.¡± Rudolf felt like he had been stabbed in heart at the words of Watcher, he was shocked yet angry which made him wield his sword. ¡°You won¡¯t give my wishes. then I will take what I need!¡± ¡°Do you know who I am and to whom you are acting this rude?¡± ¡°Huh, what use would knowing do? It has nothing to do with me if you are the God¡¯s remnants or the demons, I fear no one! I have been abandoned by both God and the Devil!¡± ¡°You have abandoned yourself.¡± Rudolf, who was enraged at the stern words from Watcher, raised Hyper Aura from his sword. Wooong! It was far stronger than the warrior Rakan¡¯s, and its light reached everywhere, but Watcher didn¡¯t blink. ¡°Go ahead and give me the power of time. Otherwise¡­¡± The moment Rudolf was speaking, a gold staff struck Rudolf¡¯s figure and he disappeared. He went back to the real world. ¡°Tch, tch, this one and that one, people are coming randomly¡­ they need to do better in the future.¡± Grunting, Watcher turned to the stars and continued his mission. Chapter 497 - Karen Disappears 1 The east wing of the Royal Palace. With the late dark night passed, the time was heading for dawn, however, there was light in one room. ¡°Haa, haaa ¡°Be strong. It will be okay.¡± Erwin was trying to cool down Karen¡¯s body with a cold towel by placing it on her forehead. She stayed up all night as she was worried about Karen. Karen was going through severe high fever and body pain of an unknown cause, and her symptoms were too serious for a child¡¯s body to handle. She herself tried a lot, she even went to Zegal Soha and even the Court Medic and tried all kinds of treatments, but it was useless. Whenever Luke gave her Aether, Karen seemed to be fine. ¡°This can¡¯t go on. I¡¯ll bring His Majesty here.¡± ¡®Teacher¡­¡¯ Karen mumbled in her mind as she saw Erwin leaving the room. The heat which was building up in her body was strong enough to crack the delicate fingers on her body. It wasn¡¯t just her body which was sore. It seemed like her mind and soul were being torn. The pain began to start after she treated Luke, and began to turn worst over time. ¡®This, this is God¡¯s Punishment.¡¯ The punishment which would be given for taking a path that was against the fate and order of the universe. Except for Aether, she had already lost all her strength and vitality, even the locket which she inherited from her mother, however, it seemed like she still didn¡¯t pay the right price. However, the space and time of an entire period had disappeared because of her. No matter what the cause was, even for saving the world lost in crisis, she couldn¡¯t pass the fact that she made the loss of an entire time. ¡®Huu! I have already come prepared for this so¡­!¡¯ As a woman with excellent skills in magic, sword, divine power, and Aether, she was strong enough to endure the sickness. Nevertheless, she was staying there patiently and stubbornly as she didn¡¯t want to make her father, Luke worry. Apart from that, Karen didn¡¯t seem to have any other concerns. ¡®Will Uncle Hwang Bo-sung tell the truth?¡¯ The Hwang Bo-sung from the future had come to save her father and disappeared in the process. But before disappearing, he seemed to have made contact with his present self. If not, Hwang Bo-sung, who came in to visit her a while ago and looked at her with a sad expression. ¡®Please don¡¯t say it! You can never do that!¡¯ She didn¡¯t want Luke to know her identity. It was because she was worried that if her father learns the truth about her, things would change. Think about it. When a daughter from the future comes back to the past and finds out that it was to save his life, how would a father¡¯s heart feel? Originally, Karen only planned to complete the mission and then disappear silently. However, the Hwang Bo-sung from the future had disappeared, and she was in a weak state where her Aether¡¯s mana circle couldn¡¯t be used. Which was why she wasn¡¯t able to escape from the Royal Palace, and she was being cared for in her father¡¯s arms and Erwin, who would end up being her teacher in the future. ¡®I can¡¯t be here like this forever. I shall never make father cry because of me.¡¯ Karen, bit her lip as she got down from the bed even as the pain was tearing her. Even though she was weak, she moved her lean limbs and crawled to the door. After struggling for some time, she managed to get close to the door. However, even if she wanted to, she wasn¡¯t tall enough to reach the doorknob. Maybe people would find the body of a kid on her knees trying to open the door as cute, but Karen wanted to cry. ¡°Kid, where are you going to?¡± A sudden voice from a being startled Karen, making her turn her head. In front of the window in her room, was a bald-headed old man who stood under the light of the dawn. With his yellowish skin and the unusual grey clothing, he looked more like a southerner than a Rhodesian. ¡®This, this man is¡­!¡¯ Karen, who looked at the man¡¯s face was shocked. It was because she had seen him in the future a number of times. He was the one who saved her numerous times from Arsene¡¯s and the Undead¡¯s hands during her early days. But she never knew about his identity. After saving her, the man always disappeared. But to meet that same man in the room! ¡°Wh, who are you? And how did you get in here?¡± When Karen asked the man, the old man smiled softly and replied, ¡°Oh my, there¡¯s no need to be so wary of an old man like me. Rather, seeing you suffer from God¡¯s Punishment, you must be the one who broke the thread of fate.¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± Karen could feel her heart sink. It was because she never thought that she would meet a man who knew about the time travel. ¡®Maybe a dragon? No, dragons were long extinct. Then a demon or Lich King Arsene?¡¯ In the future where she lived, Arsene had the Undead Legion which terrorized the world, which earned him the title, Lich King. However, the body felt from the old man was gentle and warm, so he couldn¡¯t be called an Undead or a demon. Moreover, if he was a demon of the Lich King, there was no reason for them to save her. When Karen was trying to figure it out, the old man spoke. ¡°You have come to save Luke¡¯s life, and Luke is fine but the child is being punished in his stead. My bad, maybe this is a relationship that the Lord didn¡¯t want!¡± The old man who spoke out with resilience and incomprehensible words reached to Karen. Woong! The warm wind around the old man¡¯s body was soon absorbed by Karen. ¡®Aether. No, it was¡­¡¯ It was a warm energy which she always felt from her mother, Reina, when she was a kid. But rather than the surprising sense of mystery around the old man, was the power he held. Along with her body filling up with vitality, Karen could feel the pain disappear. ¡®Uh, how can humans have the will to remove¡­?¡¯ No matter how much Aether they absorbed, a human was still a creature created by God himself, and could never wield God¡¯s power. That was the same for the dragons or the apostle of the gods or any strong creatures on the middle earth. The old man smiled while stroking Karen¡¯s head. ¡°It should be fine now. However, this is just a temporary measure. I will teach you how to protect yourself from the punishment, so why not come with this old man?¡± ¡®Protect myself from God¡¯s Punishment?¡¯ Was that something that was even possible? Karen was well aware of the punishment. When she discovered the ruins related to the power of time, she managed to get the materials that were collected by Rudolf¡¯s men, which talked about the fairy wizard¡¯s fate who tried to twist fate in the past. Even those who failed to change the time had to go through with the punishment. Then, how could one themselves avoid it? Thinking it to be impossible, Karen was shaking her head. ¡°If you stay like this, your body won¡¯t even last one week and you¡¯ll die. Even then, you¡¯ll stay here?¡± At those words, Karen tilted. She couldn¡¯t cause pain to her father by staying like that. ¡®I am going to disappear anyway. In addition, Lich King Arsene, who failed to kill dad this time will have some new evil plot¡­¡¯ History has already been changed. It wasn¡¯t sure when she would go away, but she was willing to take responsibility for the history that she changed and fight against those who were still planning to destroy the world. Karen decided to take the man¡¯s hand. ~Grab. Shortly, the two people disappeared and Erwin entered the room. ¡°Haa! His Majesty too, how can he be out of the palace at this time¡­¡± Luke was asleep, but when he heard that an accident had occurred in the Gigant workshop of Katarina Magic Tower, he left. Still, she tried to get in touch with him, hoping he wouldn¡¯t waste time. ¡°Huh?¡± Erwin looked around with a sad face for Karen. ¡°Karen? Karen! Where are you?¡± Although Erwin searched the entire east wing after the room, she couldn¡¯t find Karen anywhere. Chapter 498 - Karen Disappears 2 With Karen¡¯s disappearance, the entire palace turned upside down. Returning to the palace after being contacted by Erwin, Luke summoned Hwang Bo-sung, the Guard Knight¡¯s commander, and the other chiefs of the East Wing. ¡°How can such a thing happen here? A kidnapping happened in the palace itself?!¡± When the king screamed at them, the knights of the palace were all scared. ¡°W-we are at fault, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°We were all standing on full alert like steel¡­¡± There was a reason why Luke thought it was a kidnapping. In her current state, Karen couldn¡¯t have acted alone. ¡®Who could have kidnapped her? Lich Arsene?¡¯ Considering what happened in the Southern Continent, Arsene seemed to be the most likely one. At that time, when Luke dealt with the Undead, Arsene himself appeared to attack the Zegal clan. ¡®I don¡¯t know if this is the same. Since Hiros failed, he went out and tried to deal with me, but maybe he ended up feeling a strange energy from Karen and decided to take her¡­¡¯ Luke¡¯s heart was only turning unsteady with his doubts. ¡°Right away, inform the 1st squad knights to surround Brandon city. She must be unconscious. Keep all of your eyes open and search everywhere.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± As everyone left the room, only Hwang Bo-sung remained. Luke glanced at him with a snarl. ¡°What is it, Commander? Is there something you know?¡± ¡°Master, maybe Miss Karen disappeared.¡± ¡°Disappeared?¡± ¡°The history has been changed, and Miss Karen was born and raised in the time where¡­¡± ¡°Enough!¡± At Luke¡¯s shout, Hwang Bo-sung went quiet. With anger on his face, Luke spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what you aren¡¯t sure about. Karen saved my life. I plan to think only optimistically till the end when it comes to her.¡± ¡°Sorry, Master. My thoughts were narrow.¡± Hwang Bo-sung immediately apologized. He thought that Karen¡¯s existence might have been erased based on the information he received from his future self. However, that couldn¡¯t be all. Maybe he judged the situation too quickly. ¡®Just like His Majesty, I shouldn¡¯t give up so quickly. And until Princess Karen¡¯s whereabouts are confirmed, I need to keep her identity to myself.¡¯ As long as there was even a 1 percent chance of her being alive, he couldn¡¯t go and speak the truth that could jeopardize her entire existence. Hwang Bo-sung, who thought so, no longer mentioned anything and went out of the room. ¡®You shouldn¡¯t disappear just like this, Karen. I haven¡¯t even paid my debts to you.¡¯ Luke truly wished for Karen to be safe. If not for Karen, Luke wouldn¡¯t have been able to get a hold of the Aether in his body. If the child hadn¡¯t interfered, he would have been damaged, as in the original history, and would have been defeated by Hiros. Considering that, Karen didn¡¯t just save Luke¡¯s life, she was someone who changed the fate of Reina and many others. He wanted to pay her back by treating her as his daughter since the child was all alone in a time that she didn¡¯t belong to, but she suddenly disappeared! ¡®This shouldn¡¯t happen, not like this. I need to search for her myself.¡¯ Luke, who stayed calm for an hour, waited for reports to come. However, he couldn¡¯t wait any longer. However, a report came from the knights of the 1st squad. ¡°What? Someone witnessed a strange bald man with a girl who looked like Karen?¡± ¡°Yes. We asked the farmer who lives outside Brandon, who said he saw them on his way to the field in the morning, and he was sure that it was Karen.¡± At the same time, the knight gave Luke a parchment that had the image of the people the farmer saw. ¡°Base on the color of their skin and their bodies, he was presumed to have come from the Southern Continent.¡± ¡®No, he is¡­?¡¯ The old man with the parchment. The others weren¡¯t away, but Luke was able to guess the man at one glance. The Arahan monk who suddenly appeared and saved his life when he almost died in the Zegal clan. It was Saint Nanda. This man had the ability to enter Karen¡¯s room without tipping off the guards and take her away. He was someone who had the power of God. ¡®But why would Saint Nanda do this?¡¯ Why would he need Karen? Have they known each other? Or did he feel something from Karen and decided to take her on purpose? Or¡­ ¡®Enough! Whatever the reason, Karen needs to be found first. That is the only way I can pay the grace of the child back.¡¯ Luke, who thought that, sent a letter to Symphonia Kingdom asking to find Karen and Nanda. He called Hudson and ordered them to trace the whereabouts of the two. In the process, he heard an unusual report from Hudson. ¡°What? Reina fainted? Was it serious?¡± ¡°Yes. She lost consciousness when she was traveling around Bless. Seniors of the palace thought of it to be a simple overwork problem to prevent any agitation¡­¡± Even before Hudson could finish what he was saying, Luke disappeared using teleport magic. Hudson, who panicked after seeing his king disappear, quickly regained his composure. He was able to guess where his king was headed to. Chapter 499 - Karen Disappears 3 Luke, who quickly left his office in Brandon using the long-distance teleport gate, went to Holy Arthenia¡¯s Bless. When he showed up at the long-distance teleport gate, the paladins were all ready. It was because they already received orders from Arch Duke Gregory. His orders were to bring the Symphonia Kingdom¡¯s king once he arrived. ¡°You have come, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Reina, the Pope?¡± Luke asked Gregory who greeted him. ¡°She has been in slumber for the past few days. And we have tried all kinds of methods as well as divine magic, but everything was in vain.¡± ¡°What happened? Did someone do anything?¡± What he meant was an attempt to assassinate her. Luke, who knew that the Holy Empire still had men who opposed Reina, couldn¡¯t help but think so. ¡°It wasn¡¯t an assassination. She suddenly passed out for no reason.¡± Gregory led Luke to Reina¡¯s bedroom and explained in detail. A few days back, she stopped by the Arthenia Magic Tower for a moment. It was said that she fell unconscious while she was talking with Meister Reas. Luckily, he was quick to get a hold of her. But three days ago, she suddenly woke up in the middle of the night and began to scream and ask for Symphonia Kingdom to be contacted right away. The problem was that she immediately fell into slumber again. After hearing all the information about Reina one after the other, Luke realized that Reina¡¯s conditions was a bit similar to the time when she accepted the Aether¡¯s power and went missing. ¡®Is it related to something, or is it just a coincidence?¡¯ While he was thinking about this and other possibilities, a lady came to give them news from the bedroom. ¡°The Pope just woke up.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± At the nod of the lady, Luke and Gregory felt relieved. ¡°Yes, but as soon as she woke up, she began to cry.¡± ¡®She is crying?¡¯ What was even happening? In a hurry to see her, Luke entered the room to see Reina overwhelmed in tears. While she was grieving for something, Arch Duke Gregory asked the paladins and the priests in the bedroom to leave. His goal was to create an environment where the two could talk freely and sweetly. Reina raised her head after she heard Arch Duke Gregory leave the room and opened her lips while looking at Luke. ¡°You have come.¡± ¡°Yes, I heard you suddenly became ill.¡± Luke sat down on the bed and held Reina¡¯s hand, trying to make her feel his warmth and love for her. ¡°You look very lean. I asked you to not overdo it¡­¡± ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t because of work.¡± Reina shook her head and wiped the tears off of her face. ¡°Honey, I had a very scary and sad dream.¡± ¡°Scary and sad dream?¡± ¡°Yes. It was a horrible nightmare that I don¡¯t even want to think about.¡± Reina told Luke about the nightmare she had. ¡°I had the first one when I fell unconscious at the magic tower. The knight of grey energy who resembled you was at swords length.¡± ¡®That was the fight with Hiros¡­!¡¯ Reina¡¯s story continued, and Luke¡¯s ears couldn¡¯t help but comprehend it. ¡°I dreamed of it, and it made me feel uneasy, but I believed in you, so I went back to work.¡± That was when her second dream came, three days ago. In those dreams, Luke was severely injured and was being nursed in a place that seemed like a magic tower. Suddenly, a wicked army of Undead with grey energy flocked toward the tower and fought with Luke. ¡°It really didn¡¯t feel like a dream. It felt very real. Even after waking up, I wasn¡¯t able to tell the difference between my dream and reality.¡± ¡®Reina, that actually happened¡­ Well, it was a future that almost happened.¡¯ The tragedy would have happened if not for Karen saving him. Anyway, it was a future that disappeared, but it was surprising that Reina, who was unconscious, saw it. ¡®Was it because of her relation to the Aether?¡¯ According to Hwang Bo-sung who had memories of the future, Karen had succeeded in reverting the space-time using her power of Aether. Perhaps, the fragments of space-time that changed history were seen by Reina who possessed the power of Aether. ¡®Maybe Reina losing consciousness could be related to the collapse in the space-time¡¯s original timeline too¡­¡¯ Anyway, Reina was too startled with it and wanted to immediately talk to Luke. ¡°That was when I had the third dream¡­ There I was, the mother of a child.¡± ¡°Huh, you were?¡± Luke was startled at Reina¡¯s sudden story. Reina knew how absurd it was too. ¡°It was surely strange. We haven¡¯t even slept together yet.¡± ¡®That is because of that man outside the room.¡¯ Arch Duke Gregory disliked the two of them getting wed. But thanks to Reina¡¯s stubbornness, he finally accepted it, but he objected to the part where it came for them to share a room. His claim was that if the Pope became pregnant, the authority of the Pope, which was only strengthening, would shake once again. And Luke couldn¡¯t refute to a perfect claim, so he sent Reina back to the Holy Empire. ¡°When I think about it, maybe it was because the two of us hoped for a child.¡± ¡°We never know. Some scholars say that dreams are the mirrors of inner consciousness.¡± Luke nodded and asked Reina. ¡°Yeah, what kind of kid? Did the kid look a lot like you?¡± ¡°She resembled you, our daughter. She was very cute and lively.¡± ¡°I guess she must have been a tomboy.¡± ¡°Yes, but suddenly¡­¡± Reina didn¡¯t talk again and began to cry. It was because a scene in the dream, which she disliked the most, came to her mind. ¡°Suddenly, some white light swallowed her. The light began to burn hot, and she was sick. She kept crying for help, but there was nothing I could do for her.¡± Luke wiped Reina¡¯s tears. ¡°Calm down. It was just a simple dream.¡± ¡°A simple dream? What if it was something like before?¡± ¡°If so, then we need to be careful, so don¡¯t worry so much.¡± Nodding at Luke¡¯s words, Reina buried herself in Luke¡¯s arms. Her loved one was still alive. She wanted to feel his warmth, and the sound his heart made. Luke swept Reina¡¯s hair and patted her head. ¡®A kid, a child of Reina and mine.¡¯ Luke, who was thinking about the story Reina said, suddenly recalled Karen. Even though he wasn¡¯t sure, Philip did joke that she looked like his daughter. ¡®There were corners that resembled Reina, and she was cute.¡¯ The words she spoke were very few, and she seemed very familiar. ¡®She followed me way too much. Maybe she came from the future¡­?¡¯ Erwin was said to be Karen¡¯s teacher. When she came to the past, the Hwang Bo-sung of the future accompanied her as an escort. And above all, she appeared at the moment when he was in a crisis and saved him. If the world of ruin had to be saved from Arsene¡¯s hand, she should have gone further to the past. ¡®But Hwang Bo-sung said nothing about it. Does it have anything to do with him? Or is he hiding something even after knowing the truth?¡¯ Luke suddenly recalled the time he spoke with Auster in the abandoned castle, well, Hwang Bo-sung from the future. That was where he said that he could reveal neither his nor Karen¡¯s identity and that Karen helping him was dangerous for her. ¡®I need to find the child.¡¯ Whether she was his daughter that was born in the future or not, she was still a child he had to take care of. Chapter 500 - Karen Disappears 4 ¡°What. Kind. Of. situation. Is. this?! He. was. Supposed. To be. Too. Strong. But. Then he. Lost!¡± Arsene was having a tough time. It was because he got the report that the guardian, on whom he had devoted his heart and soul for years together, didn¡¯t manage to cause even a little blow to the Symphonia Kingdom or Luke. Grrrr! Bang! Arsene¡¯s wrath and anger caused the floors and pillars of the room to crack, large and small debris began to fall from the ceiling as if it was going to collapse. Nestar, who was in front of Arsene, was in cold sweat. ¡°It, it feels like maybe that Luke man has luck on his side.¡± ¡°That. Does. Look like. It!¡± Hiros even used the Ghost Armor, and it was monstrous enough that one couldn¡¯t win over it even after learning 9th circle white and dark magic. Arsene¡¯s masterpiece which had been under development for more than a hundred years, a power which has long surpassed that of the demons. But a man with luck on his side, won? ¡°This can¡¯t. be. No matter. How. I. need. To. get. Rid. Of that. Luke.¡± While he was burning in rage, Arsene decided that Luke was his top priority. ¡°I. will. Go to. Symphonia. Directly. Right now. And. Slash. His throat. And. Limbs. And turn. Him. Into. My. Undead!¡± Nestar was shocked by Arsene¡¯s declaration. ¡°No, Master! It is difficult to do that right now!¡± ¡°What. Is. difficult. What. Do you. Mean?! Could. there be. Anymore. Hard. Days. For. Us than. this?!¡± Bang! Arsene screamed while hitting his staff on the floor. At the moment, his wicked energy was released from the body, even Nestar who was a 9th circle warlock felt fear. However, there was something which Nestar had to say, so he struggled yet opened his mouth. ¡°If you leave now, we will have to destroy the Lich and Death Knights which have just entered the changing process. Would you still go ahead?¡± ¡°Kuk. That¡­ no.¡± In the test he conducted on the Southern Continent a few days back, all the Undead legion of Arsene which were sent to Zegal Clan were destroyed. Arsene, who was very proud of completing the Undead by himself, was sad at the unpleasant result. Accordingly, he decided to improve the fighting ability by strengthening them more than it was and before starting the new Undead legion. Nestar and Albert, as well as the other leaders of the Veritas Magic tower, agreed silently. They didn¡¯t have the confidence to resist their ancestor¡¯s decision, but they also felt the need to strengthen the Undead. And on the Rhodesia Continent, it wasn¡¯t just Luke, but there were several other powerful men. There was Shaikan, who had the power of God Dragon and Emperor Rudolf, who defeated a demon by himself in the capital. The odds were far more than what they expected, including Arch Duke Gregory of Holy Empire and the Duke Dimitry of the Volga Republic, and the one who entered Sword Sage, Butler of Libiya Kingdom. In addition, the wars initiated by the Baroque Empire only improved the skills of the Riders and were revitalizing the magic world which fell during the Battle of Magic Towers. In addition to the development and improvement of the Gigants, the skills of the war mages were increasing. In preparation, the wizards, Arsene, and the Veritas men have begun the first step to enhance the power of a few Lich and Death Knight. And such a process of resurrection required a considerable amount of magic and a high level of dark magic, so Arsene had to be present and supervise the process. In such a time, if Arsene left, the resurrection would turn into a mess. And the Undead which they work on will have to be discarded. ¡°So please be patient until the resurrection reaches a stable point.¡± ¡°Kul. there. Is. nothing. I can. Do.¡± Arsene accepted Nestar¡¯s plea. He was concerned about what his future would be if Luke only turned stronger in the future, but even after considering that, he could neglect the undead which would pave way for his future. He thought that Guardian Hiros would be a strong enough opponent, so he sent him alone only to be defeated. And in order to complete the cause, it was necessary to look at the opponent but even more to strengthen his own power. ¡°And ancestor. Before invading the Rhodesia Continent, it is necessary to complete the two things. The first is to control the Southern Continent and the second is to weaken the Holy Empire.¡± Arsene and his men looked at the Southern Continent and then on the Rhodesia. It wasn¡¯t just the population and the military power of the region, due to all the presence of priests and paladins of each denomination, they had a power over the dark magic. So, once they occupied the Southern continent, it was their plan to use the Undead Legion and invade the Rhodesia Continent. ¡°Yes. We. have. To. go. According. To plan.¡± To take control of the Southern continent, the first thing they had to be was to get to the Song Empire. The Song Empire, which occupied more than half of the Southern Continent was leading in all economic, cultural, and military power than the neighboring nations. Arsene was in the process of taking control over the Song Empire and the Song Imperial family with the help of the Hwang Bo clan. The man, Hwang Bo-kwang, failed to assassinate the 3rd crown prince Jo Won-rak, and ended up losing all the Undead he sent, but the man seemed determined to make up for his fault. As a result, he succeeded in brainwashing most of the men in the court and attracting the Emperor¡¯s attention to Jo Won-gyun. Jo Won-rak, who was a prominent contender with the Emperor post, was unable to stay in the palace and was passed to the province. ¡°Kul. Not. Many. Days. Sooner. Or later. We. will. Be.¡± ¡°The Song Empire will be the best source of Undead Legion.¡± ¡°Yes. The problem. Is. Holy. Empire¡­¡± The divine power was a problem for the Undead. In order for the process to move smoothly, the Holy Empire, armed with divine power and paladins had to be weakened. ¡°But currently, the Holy Empire is going strong. Because of the new reforms from Veronica III, ever since the civil war, the public sentiment has been stabilized, and the nation¡¯s finance is growing.¡± ¡°That Veronica III. Was. The old. Princess. Of. Volga. Kingdom. Right? That Bastard. Luke¡¯s. Fiance.¡± ¡°Yes, there are rumors like that. It was argued that the reason for such a strong relationship between the Symphonia Kingdom and Holy Empire had a reason.¡± ¡°Hmm, huh. then¡­¡± Arsene thought for a moment. If they can weaken the Holy Empire, they won¡¯t be able to not just move smoothly, but also weaken the power of the Symphonia Kingdom. ¡®In addition, if a problem arises with that wench Pope of Luke¡¯s, his eyes will turn over.¡¯ Arsene had no intention of killing Luke, who was gathering his attention. Before dying, he planned on making Luke taste all kinds of pain and after death, he planned to make him into a slave and work him until his bones turned to powder. ¡®Kuk, I need to make him go crazy like Rudolf. It would suit for the man who holds the lineage of a noble warrior. Kuk!¡¯ But for that to happen, he would have to handle the Holy Empire. However, it was hard to see it without making his Undead perfect. It was a nation full of people dealing and using divine power in their daily lives. ¡°Is. There. No. good. Way?¡± And the answer to Arsene¡¯s question, Nestar responded with a smirk on his face. ¡°I have a good idea, would you like to listen?¡± ¡°Idea?¡± ¡°Yes, you won¡¯t be disappointed.¡± With the permission of Arsene, Nestar began to tell him the plan with sly eyes. As he continued, Arsene¡¯s face began to glow up with a smile, once the plan was done, he clapped his bony hands. ¡°Kul! Kul! Kul! Nice. Nice! As planned. Do. it!¡± Hopefully, the Holy Arthenia Empire would be hit with a storm that won¡¯t allow them to regenerate, or the people would begin to lose trust in the Pope and Priests. ¡®If a scarecrow can be placed there, things will turn very interesting.¡¯ Adding his own detail into Nestar¡¯s plan, Arsene smiled. Once again, another conspiracy was planned to take down Luke. Chapter 501 - Situation of Devildom 1 The elven chief of the Valley of Wind, Bratt, asked the Fairy Queen Ariete and Lycan slope Amur Khan to set up a meet with the elves. The chiefs had all gathered as representations and were curious about the meat. It was because the request to meet was too sudden, and they weren¡¯t given any other information other than ¡®Urgent matter¡¯. ¡°What is all this?¡± ¡°I came to know. I know that the organization of the radical fairies are over¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it probably because of our brothers who are left in the Baroque Empire?¡± ¡°Maybe that is.¡± As everyone was in their own thoughts, being escorted with his elves, Bratt entered the room. ¡°Thank you all for attending this meeting even under your busy schedules. The reason I asked for the meeting today isn¡¯t so foreign to us, it is because there are serious signs going around the Middle-Earth.¡± At the words of Bratt, Amelia, the chief of Dark Elves opened her mouth with a blunt look. ¡°Huh, when did such things not occur? It isn¡¯t a bad sign, it has always been there.¡± The others nodded their heads. If such words came from Erenes himself, they would have still reacted bored. ¡°Dear friend Bratt, have had a dream?¡± At the dwarf¡¯s ridicule, Bratt didn¡¯t fluster. ¡°It would have been nice if it was a dream. But the signs are coming to life. A man with the God Dragon¡¯s blood appeared, and a vicious spirit disease which everyone thought should have disappeared, came back alive.¡± Even though they didn¡¯t know about Shaikan, the heads of the chiefs jerked when they heard about a vicious disease spreading. It was because every one of them was very familiar with the history and ancient Abaron civilization, it had been passed down to the races and every clan. Naturally, they knew about the evil plague Vers, which led to the destruction of the civilization. The fact that their ancestors had created that Vers to destroy the humans. ¡°Then, was it the plague which spread in Nemesis a while back?¡± ¡°If that is true, then I wouldn¡¯t be able to blame Rudolf for doing something so cruel and terrible.¡± As Amur and Amelia spoke, the only way to stop the spread of Vers was to cut off everyone and everything which was touched by it. With a bitter smile, Bratt spoke. ¡°The reappearance of things which should have been disappeared in the past is a proof that the world is turning back. I think that we will see more than Vers in the future.¡± ¡°More than Vers?¡± At the question from Ariete, Bratt took out a letter from his hands and opened it. ¡°This was sent by Miss Erwin, the disciple of the great sage Erenes. She is currently the court wizard of the Symphonia Kingdom.¡± ¡°We know about that too.¡± Recently, the biggest topic of discussion among the fairies was the Symphonia Kingdom. A nation that didn¡¯t discriminate against the fairies. It was said that if one had the ability, even if it was a fairy, they would be given an official position in the palace without regard to mixed races. Erwin and the Gram brothers were an open example of it. So far, there have been many rulers who wanted to explore the fairies and use their abilities, but they were never given the position. It was because they were seriously concerned about the master and slave contract which would be used. However, King Luke, who had given preference to the fairies, even before the nation¡¯s founding, was trustworthy. Some people were dissatisfied with it, but no one acted significantly or resisted it. It was because this King was considered to be a lot better than the Libiya Kingdom, where monsters were given priority. ¡°Well, what did the letter which the disciple of the great sage sent? Did she ask us to cooperate with the Warrior¡¯s descendant more than before?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t that, she saw a child with Aether.¡± ¡°A, aether?!¡± The faces of the chiefs changed. As far as they knew, there was no one on the continent who could use the power of Aether. The Pope of the Holy Empire, Reina did enter the Spirit World and ended up getting the power, but Erwin was the only one who knew that. Concerned about the creation of more greedy people like Nanas, she didn¡¯t reveal Reina¡¯s secret. However, she had to tell them about Karen. It was because she wanted to get the help of the fairies to find her because Luke wanted her found. And if she did ask them to help the search of an ordinary child, the fairies would surely act uncooperative, which was why she deliberately told Bratt about Karen¡¯s secret. ¡°Erwin said that the child saved the King of Symphonia Kingdom with the power of Aether.¡± ¡°How could a kid even be born with the power of Aether in the first place¡­?¡± The power of Aether was something that the fairies itself couldn¡¯t use. Well, besides the dragons and the legendary or mystic heroes, there was no other race that could deal with the power of Aether. But a human, that too, a young girl in it was able to use it. ¡°Erwin herself doesn¡¯t hold much details about it. However, given the fact that the child was being persuaded by the Baroque Empire, we never know if the Baroque Imperial family did any experiments on her.¡± The chiefs nodded at Bratt¡¯s words. The Baroque Empire and Emperor Rudolf were surely very capable of doing something like that. ¡°Bratt¡¯s words seem real. If Aether too has come, then surely things have gone past Vers.¡± ¡°I agree with Ariete. Then is the meeting held to find the child?¡± At Amur¡¯s question, Bratt shook his head. ¡°It isn¡¯t just that.¡± ¡°Is there something else?¡± Dark Elf, chief Amelia asked with a tired expression. Vers and Aether itself was a huge thing to process, but something other than that?! Bratt spoke with a small face. ¡°You all know what business I do. Thanks to that, a very distant nation¡­ I hear news even from the Song Empire in the Southern Continent.¡± ¡°Huh? News from the Southern Continent?¡± When the story about the Southern continent came out, everyone seemed confused. ¡°It was said that a number of Undead appeared there a few days ago. From the look or form, they were clearly from the Rhodesia Continent.¡± What happened in Angyang, despite the Zegal Clan¡¯s coverup, spread everywhere. There were no eyewitnesses because the raids all happened in the middle of the day in a secluded place, but the information went out after the Zegal Clan was under investigation because they helped the prince there. ¡°Undead? Did the warlocks on Rhodesia ever go to the south?¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t ordinary Undead. It was said that they transformed enormously.¡± Ariete was shocked at what Bratt said. ¡°Transformed? If one was able to make such different ones, then they certainly aren¡¯t any ordinary warlocks.¡± ¡°We might have to ask Dark Moon for further details, but it surely is a skill that crosses our efforts.¡± There was no fool who was so stupid as to not figure out that what horrors an Undead would bring after making them. Just because it was in the Southern Continent, it couldn¡¯t be ignored. The fairies weren¡¯t sure when the ones who touched the darkness would reach out for Rhodesia Continent. ¡°Bratt, what do you plan on doing in the future?¡± At the question from Ariete, Bratt answered. ¡°First I intend to ask the Dark Moon about it and then respond. If we step out too quickly, we¡¯ll only end up getting hurt, and the opponent might go into hiding.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°And we need to figure out what their signs are related to.¡± And then everyone would have to join forces. Which was why Bratt called for the meeting. ¡°That sounds painful. For such things to happen when I am the chief was¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not grumble and discuss the measures to be taken.¡± And with that, the Fairy chiefs began to take measures by exchanging their opinions with one another. Their eyes were shining with hope that the future of the fairies which was in darkness would shine once again. Chapter 502 - Situation of Devildom 2 A month had passed since Luke had returned back from the Holy Empire. While continuing to search for the whereabouts of Karen, he practiced handling the Aether in his body. He focused on strengthening the power of his existing magic and sword skills while minimizing the delay that it took for the Aether Globe to convert the power form. It was all so that he could win his next battle against Arsene. ¡°Huh! I¡¯m certain that I¡¯ll become more powerful.¡± An unhealthy relationship with Arsene, which had been going on for 500 years. And his feelings were going strong because the man was still alive. Honestly, when Luke woke up as a descendant of the Warrior Rakan, he was extremely flustered. Revenge and suicide wasn¡¯t a possible solution, it was because he was given a new life as a descendant. However, unlike the Baroque Duke or Rakan, Arsene was still alive. ¡®Thank you for giving me the chance to clear my resentment toward you, Arsene. I will never give up on you!¡¯ Luke¡¯s hard work wasn¡¯t limited to Aether mastering. In order to increase his demon abilities, he decided to take a special time off and went to the valley in the west of Brandon along with Sebastian. ¡°Master, what kind of demon will you call this time?¡± Sebastian, with his typical face, asked by rubbing his hands. If a lower demon that was weaker than him were summoned, it would be killed right away, but he hesitated to ask. Although he had human slaves like Henry, demons were the best kind of slaves according to Sebastian. But Luke didn¡¯t intend for that. ¡°At the least, I am going to aim for a Kauren class demon.¡± ¡°K-Kauren class?!¡± Sebastian jumped upon hearing the name. ¡°He is one of the 18 Generals of the Devildom under King Leviathan, the most famous demon in the Devildom. Although Master was able to kill Kauren, wasn¡¯t it just because he was already exhausted with the other fights? If they are in good condition, winning wouldn¡¯t be a possibility.¡± ¡°Huhuhu. That is what I want.¡± The stronger the opponent was the more thrilling the match would be. And currently, Luke wanted to become stronger than ever, and he hadn¡¯t absorbed any demon¡¯s abilities for a long time. ¡°Anyway, be prepared.¡± ¡°Uhuhuhu. Fine, understood.¡± Luke, who crushed Sebastian¡¯s hope, headed to the promised place in the valley. There were two warlocks of the Dark Moon Magic Tower there. They were contacted in advance. It was Rob and Fabian, the students of Meister Johas. Luke met Rob when he was still a commander at the Torlot Fortress. Rob, a war prisoner, and Fabian became acquainted with Luke during the summoning of Kauren in the Veritas Magic Tower. Johas had a purpose to send them there. ¡°Lord, has come?¡± ¡°Yes, are you ready for summoning?¡± ¡°Yes, we have completed all the summon magic circles using the materials we were asked to gather before. It can be started.¡± At the words of Fabian, Luke nodded and slit his right palm with his sword. A drop of blood fell from Luke¡¯s palm and dropped at the summon magic circle. Wooong! The moment the blood fell, the circles disappeared revealing the dark subspace. ¡®Phew, thank god.¡¯ When the summoning circle worked normally, both Rob and Fabian sighed out of relief. Fabian had once drawn a summoning circle with Luke, yet he wasn¡¯t sure doing it by himself would guarantee a 100% success rate. The summoning circle was a simple task for Luke, but it was a very difficult process for them, who were still 5th magic circle warlocks. However, the relieved faces of the two were shocked after a while. ¡®W-what is happening?¡¯ ¡®Why isn¡¯t anything coming out?¡¯ No one appeared even after 20 minutes had passed since the forming of the subspace. Sebastian shouted at Rob and Fabian, who were already flustered and unsure what was happening. ¡°Hey, you men! Are you sure that you did it correctly?¡± ¡°Uh, we did the same thing that I performed the last time.¡± ¡°Really? Did you intentionally use any poor quality materials to save money? Is that why the summoning circle isn¡¯t working?!¡± ¡°On the name of Mana, we would never do that!¡± ¡°Right!¡± Both Rob and Fabian shook their hands. The materials used to make the summoning magic circle were the finest materials, roots, and unicorn¡¯s horn. They were all rare and expensive materials. It wasn¡¯t strange that Sebastian suspected them for trying to embezzle those materials, but the two didn¡¯t do anything of that sort. Then what happened? ¡°Enough Sebastian. The summoning circle is working fine.¡± ¡°Then why¡­?¡± ¡°It just means that there are no demons who are willing to respond to my summons.¡± Luke shed more blood in the circle of the summoning just in case his offering was lacking. The blood of a wizard who was in the highest circle of 8th and 9th was the most wanted one for the demons. Wooong! The size of the subspace increased with more loud sounds, but nonetheless, no demon appeared. This shouldn¡¯t happen unless the demons went crazy, or there had to be something seriously wrong with the Devildom. ¡°What do we do now?¡± ¡°Maybe the news about Vers in the Middle-Earth spread there too¡­¡± Luke called for Sebastian who was moving around Rob. ¡°Sebastian!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty! Yes!¡± Luke gave orders to Sebastian, who was determined to do anything that would reward him. ¡°Go to Devildom right away and figure out what is happening.¡± ¡°D-Devildom? Right now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Luke¡¯s resolute expression made Sebastian¡¯s complexion fade. Even if he was in the Middle-Earth, even though he was a slave, he reigned as the most fearful demon who seized the darkness, but in Devildom, he was the lowest demon who could do nothing. What was more, if any demon knew that he was helping Luke in summoning demons and killing them, what would they do to him? Maybe he would die, forever? ¡°Why not Belfair or the warlocks¡­¡± ¡°Belfair is in Nemesis looking at the situation there, and you know that humans can¡¯t stand the evil environments where the demons live, right?¡± Luke spoke the words in a way that meant that he wouldn¡¯t close the subspace until Sebastian left. Eventually, Sebastian entered the subspace with tears in his eyes. Chapter 503 - Situation of Devildom 3 Unlike the Middle-Earth where humans and fairies could live, the Devildom was rather barren. With sulphur smoke clouds in the sky and dry flaked red ground, it was obvious that trees and plants wouldn¡¯t survive there, and those that grew there were all poisonous or evolved to eat small demons. Despite the harsh environment, a large number of demons lived in Devildom. It was because there were a few zones in Devildom which were favorable for survival, like the oasis in the deserts. There were cities and towns in the Devildom and the powerful rulers would look after them. Karinsha was one of the cities, and it was a territory that was under the demon lord Lucifer, who was one of the 7 monarchs of Devildom. Demon Lord Lucifer. He was the descendant of Uriel, once the head of the angels. Uriel was an archangel who fought against the gods by falling into temptations during the War of Worlds and was the ancestor of all the other angels in the world. Uriel¡¯s immediate lineage, Lucifer, had the power of an archangel and had numerous fallen angels around him along with humanoid demons. Karinsha, located at the border, was the home for more than 500 angels and humanoid demons. It was a land where the Vampire King Leviathan was aiming to capture as it had numerous populations of edible plants. Sebastian, who arrived there through subspace, sighed. ¡°Hugh, Your Majesty is being too much.¡± Even if he was a demon, this mission wasn¡¯t great for Sebastian, who had little power except for stealth and poison. ¡°Once I get back, I need to go away some other place like that bat guy. If I stay with His Majesty I¡¯ll be made to do such things again and aga¡­¡± ¡°Euu, you cat!¡± Shocked by the voice that came from behind him, Sebastian slowly turned his head in the direction of the voice. A fallen angel with black feathered wings and an ax on his shoulder clasped with his hand. He looked like the city¡¯s guard. ¡®Running away might be tough.¡¯ Fallen angels were the fastest among the demons. In addition, they had teleportation ability, so they could just jump straight at the enemy, So, instead of running away and provoking him, Sebastian asked, ¡°What is it, kid?¡± ¡°I have never seen you before, where did you come from? A spy for the Vampires?¡± When the angel asked with doubt, Sebastian shook his hand. ¡°Aee, you too. Would any spy run around like this? I am just an old man who came here under the command of my Master to run an errand.¡± ¡°Hmp¡­!¡± The fallen angels had the ability to read one¡¯s mind. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that they understood one¡¯s inner feelings, but they were capable enough to know if the man was telling the truth or not. And Sebastian didn¡¯t lie. It was true that he came there to run an errand for his master. Moreover, demons who used other demons as slaves usually used the lower level demons such as Sebastian. ¡°I guess you¡¯re telling the truth. Don¡¯t do anything useless. Or I¡¯ll have to eat you right away!¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Sebastian bowed to the guard and then stopped walking when he saw the bulletin board in the town square. ¡®Eh?¡¯ Like in the Middle-Earth, the town board was used to write the orders of the kings and lords. Sebastian opened his eyes wide to see what was written on the board. ¡®Is this because of this that the demons didn¡¯t accept the summon?¡¯ When he read it, it seemed like he had to dig more into the matter, so Sebastian went out of the town and crossed the border. He went to the Vampire King¡¯s town. If what he saw was indeed true, then his Master would be quiet upset. The next day. Sebastian, who returned to Middle-Earth safely because of Luke¡¯s summoning circle for lower demons, told Luke the entire story. ¡°What? There are official letters everywhere in the Devildom?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. There was something saying that they shouldn¡¯t answer a warlock¡¯s call.¡± Sebastian said as follows. In the past years, the summoned demons to the Middle-Earth were all missing, and even Kauren, the notorious General of the Vampire King¡¯s men, was reported to have been overtaken. The greatest damage taken was by Vampire King Leviathan, but the other demons couldn¡¯t just let it go. They too were unsure when their precious demons would begin to disappear. And if there was a loss of power, then they would have to face war over territory. As a result, the 7 Monarchs of the Devildom issued a decree for their men to not respond to any summons for the next 100 years, ¡°Honestly, this happened 500 years ago too, and that time, the lords have asked to not respond to the summons of any warlock as well.¡± ¡°Huh¡­!¡± At Sebastian¡¯s words, Luke was flustered. ¡®Then, since that time when I reached the 9th circle of dark magic, I couldn¡¯t find a single demon.¡¯ Things made sense, and since his time as a Rakan, Luke rarely summoned demons. He thought that maybe the demons could identify his blood and didn¡¯t answer! ¡°So we can¡¯t summon demons any longer?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be like that. I spread rumors about His Majesty.¡± ¡°Rumor?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Sebastian replied with a wicked smile, ¡°Yes, that the reality of the disappearing demons was different.¡± The rumor that Sebastian spread was this. Leviathan secretly signed a contract with the warlocks and attempted to enter Middle-Earth and lied to deceive the eyes of the other demon lords. Of course, if Leviathan heard about the rumor, he would search for the source, but what of it? By then, Sebastian would have come back to Middle-Earth already. ¡°Hmm, you think that it¡¯ll work?¡± ¡°Of course! I heard the old demons screaming, ¡®the demons lords and the young demons are silently pushing their men to Middle-Earth while making us stop¡¯.¡± Smirk. Luke smiled. ¡°Though I didn¡¯t ask, you did well. I will reward you for that.¡± It wasn¡¯t sure as to how effective the rumors spread by Sebastian would be, but Luke thought that it would probably succeed. There were not many demons who could hold down their curiosity. ¡°Huhuhu, how so?¡± ¡°Yeah, I will increase your magi.¡± The source of a demon¡¯s power was magi. Luke approached Sebastian and placed his finger on his heart. A small amount of Aether flowed from Luke¡¯s body to Sebastian. The Aether that flowed soon turned into magi and began to mix with the existing magi inside Sebastian. Brrr! Sebastian¡¯s eyes wavered, and his body dropped to the ground. At some point, the trembling stopped, and he knelt in front of Luke. He then said, ¡°I am grateful, Your Majesty! I will be your loyal servant all my life!¡± Luke recently learned a new ability that dealt with Aether. It was that Aether could be transformed into various forces and given to others. Of course, the amount he could give was still small, but it was of magi. However, it was enough to help and strengthen the power of the people. ¡°Anyway, it is almost over, so we need to stop.¡± It would take some time for demons to be caught even with the rumor. Yet, Luke went back to the Royal Palace without feeling any regret. Chapter 504 - Situation of Devildom 4 ¡°Your Majesty, did the work you go out for turn out well?¡± When Hans asked, Luke, shook his head. ¡°No, things are the same. Did any information regarding Karen¡¯s whereabouts come in?¡± ¡°Well, a while back, Hudson, the chief of the department came in and said that it was likely for them to have left the Symphonia Kingdom.¡± ¡®Hmm, where could Saint Nanda be taking her¡­?¡¯ In addition to Argos and the Baroque Intelligence agencies, Luke sought help from the fairies to find Karen. ¡®Did he take her to the Southern Continent?¡¯ With Saint Nanda¡¯s abilities, it was a possible outcome. The last time, when Luke had to reach Rakan estates, Nanda managed to bring him back to the place in the blink of an eye from the Southern continent. ¡®Since the Kirillov is trading the Southern, I¡¯ll have to ask them to take a look around. Also, it might be better to ask Zegal Clan for some help.¡¯ Luke, who decided to expand his search in the Southern Continent, called for a meeting in the throne room. The main topic for the meeting was the military reforms. Marquis Rogers, the chief commander for the Royal army was the first to report. ¡°The organizations and augmentation of the 1st squad as a part of the Royal Army and the 2nd squad centering the Rakan estates are progressing without any problems. And the training for the 5th squad in naval too, are happening very smoothly.¡± After being attacked by the Grenada Navy, Luke and the military of the Symphonia Kingdom worked hard in training at the naval base. While they trained sailors and others by inviting help from the Castia Kingdom and Holy Empire, they handed over Count Salizar to the Grenada Kingdom with the deal of crafting a battleship based on the techniques of the shipbuilding passed by the Grenada men. And such a process caused a huge amount of money to be spent. Fortunately, not just with Kirillov, but the huge amount of wealth accumulated by the other foreign trades and donations were used, so they made sure that the royal palace didn¡¯t suffer much. And the determination of the merchants strengthened with the thought that the Symphonia Navy would protect their businesses in case of any war. ¡°The problem is the 3rd squad in the North and the 4th squad in the East. Especially the 4th squad. The Lords and knights are resisting the military reforms by excusing themselves from it.¡± ¡°That was expected. Since they think of it as us snatching away their bowl of rice.¡± The core of the military reforms currently underway according to Luke¡¯s orders was for regular troops. Except for the Volga Republic, most of the nations on the Rhodesia Continent consisted of Central and provincial troops. The Central Army, which could be referred to as a regular army, was purely for the King or Emperor¡¯s purposes, but the provincial army consisted of 80 to 90 percent of the men supported from the local regions. As a result, when the civil war broke out in the Baroque Empire or the Holy Arthenia Empire, the local troops turned into rebels along with their Lords. Moreover, unlike the Central Army, the local army had great differences in skills and knowledge of the soldiers and knights, and the types and specifics of weapons were different which made it tough for analysis. Unlike the Central Army which had similar types of Gigant, the provincial army often had the Gigants which were manufactured and made by the local Magic Tower and bought by the local Lords. So, when a war broke out, it was a waste of time for repair and parts supply for the local Gigants. The reason why the Volga Republic could face the Baroque Empire which was superior to it was because they didn¡¯t have such forms of army. ¡°Will that inefficient army be able to fight the war smoothly? It could be difficult in the current times, but the military system has to be reformed for the future!¡± Luke, cried out for the military reform since the founding of the Kingdom, emphasized the unity of the centered Gigant troops. Purchasing the Warrior class or higher Gigants from the lords and relocating them with similar models, and changing the riders by sending them off to talented men. Most of the local forces were regularized, except for the troops who were in charge of the security. Naturally, the local lords jumped at that and opposed the reforms. The nobles from the Rakan clan or those who entered Luke¡¯s side earlier were better off, but the backlash from the former Milton¡¯s nobles who weren¡¯t surrendering to the Symphonia¡¯s new forms was troublesome. If Milton hadn¡¯t lost the war and they had considerable power, they would have turned into a serious headache for Luke. Perhaps, a revolt or a civil war would have broke out. However, the Gigant power was already in Luke¡¯s hands, so they weren¡¯t having an easy time resisting their new king. So, the Lords were disassembling the Gigants or concealing it, or deceiving about its output or prevented their use, or acted uncooperative to the forces giving out excuses that their soldiers and knights were sick to move. ¡°We might have to punish a few lords as an example, but it might turn difficult too.¡± ¡°So, would you like to give generous compensation to the Lords?¡± At the question from Luke, Rogers nodded. ¡°That could work too, but the rewards are paid for a duration of 10 years, and most Lords have the tendency to gather power rather than their wish to collect wealth.¡± Unlike the bureaucratic nobles, the Lords often believed in having power rather than wealth. And such an idea wasn¡¯t wrong. Honestly, that was why Luke was mostly spent on trying to weaken the force of such nobles. ¡°Then we need to change their thoughts.¡± ¡°Should we send an inspection officer to the Lord¡¯s land? Certainly, if they are caught up in corruption or heavy taxing, they will lower their tail.¡± At Hans¡¯s opinion, Luke spoke with a smile. ¡°That is a good way. But I think that there is a need for something more intense than that.¡± ¡°More intense in the sense¡­?¡± ¡°Recently, we are planning for the new year celebration, we will hold a massive military parade in the square of Brandon. I am going to invite a few lords and let them see how futile it is to try and pull my patience.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, the retainers nodded their heads. The military parade was a major event that showed the public how strong the military power of their continent was and it was accompanied by hunting and fighting competition. It was to enhance the loyalty and the pride of the nobles and an inspection of some sort for the people to understand their military and see how well-trained their soldiers were, and the other aspect was to restrain any rise of rebels. ¡°Military parade¡­ it might cost a lot of money to bring Lords and foreign envoys.¡± Bentley, who was in charge of the finance, looked worried, and Luke who expected that response nodded his head. ¡°Just as he said. But this will benefit us according to how much we spend. Moreover, this will cause an uneasy feeling for the people which rose because of the attack on the Royal Palace to settle and break down the thoughts of the nation which would want to attack us. We need to think like that.¡± When Luke spoke about Hiros, Bentley and of course, many other retainers changed their thoughts. It wasn¡¯t a matter of Royal and the local Lords, it was about the unity of the Nation. The Royal palace was devastated by a man who claimed to be the descendant of the Warrior and almost killed their king. As a result, there were public opinions that were favorable to the palace, and there was a lot of shame and anxiety which fell over the Symphonia Royal family. ¡°There are three goals which we need to achieve during the Military Parade for the new year. One, to show how strong the military power is to the local Lords, the second one, to end the anxiety and doubts which rose on us, and finally, a power check in preparation for the war against the Baroque Empire.¡± Listening to the third goal of Luke, the expression of the retainers including Hans and Rogers changed. They were under the process of founding and managing the nation, and due to the busy situations which happened, they weren¡¯t able to punish the Baroque Empire yet. ¡°The final one, about power check, will we be fighting the Baroque Empire next year?¡± ¡°I think that it is necessary for us to strike them once, even if not an all-out one. And Rudolf, whose mind is completely on the Libiya Kingdom wouldn¡¯t even look at us.¡± With the war on Libiya Kingdom, the Holy Empire, and the Republic of Volga, the defense of the Baroque Empire and their military power had deteriorated. The military of Baroque had been accumulated for numerous years, so it wouldn¡¯t collapse so easily, however, if another nation of Symphonia gets added, the situation could change. ¡°It isn¡¯t necessary to knock down the tree with the axe. There are many woodcutters out there who will make the tree fall, the only thing we will have to do is to scratch the tree in a considerate moderation.¡± Of course, it was Luke¡¯s intention to take the neck of Rudolf in the end. ¡°I understand what you mean. I will make necessary preparations just as Your Majesty asked.¡± At the words of Rogers, Luke nodded. ¡®Rudolf too, but there is another enemy that I need to deal with at the same time. So it has to be arranged.¡¯ According to Hwang Bo-sung, who had memories from the future, Arsene led the Undead Legion and attacked the continent when the war started. So, Luke decided to sort out Rudolf before going into a fight with Arsene. Chapter 505 - Military Parade 1 With the New Year ahead of them, Katarina Magic Tower, the current Royal magic tower was working a lot. This time, the military selected the flagship Gigants of Symphonia Kingdom as Warrior class Stiletto and Knight Class Gaius. The selection itself wasn¡¯t a huge deal. It was the production. The problem was that with the specification of the Gigants, their parts, the weapons, and the logistics, the Royal Magic tower in the Kingdom were turned upside down. Engineers at the Magic Tower were talking about such matters. ¡°It was said that the purchase of Gigants by the Lords had plummeted because of the military reform?¡± ¡°Well, His Majesty has asked for letting go of the possession of less than 1,000 fight Gigants which could be used in the monster subjugation. But they too are in less number¡­¡± As a result, some local magic towers had abandoned the domestic sales and began to target the foreign markers or converted the low power Gigants into monster subjugations or marine combat and training. However, most of the small and medium Magic Towers took a more stable route, it was to take the orders from the Symphonia Military, which was the largest customer in the nation. However, the customer was more tilting towards making Gigants in the Katarina Magic Tower. The sub-contracted Magic Tower supplied parts to the Katarina magic tower and were treated fine, but those Magic Towers which didn¡¯t make a contract were forced to turn down. They either had to meet the standards of the wizards of Katarina Magic Tower and had to move to North and South along with the wizards to support them. ¡°A lot of the Magic Towers were forced to sub-contract because of that, right?¡± ¡°Well, they didn¡¯t have to suffer in the end. We have received the skills and the know-hows from our tower.¡± In exchange for the unification of standards, Luke had passed the technology of Gigant making and the artificial magic stone. Of course, the disclosure was limited to the Warrior class Stiletto, and the Knight class Gaius was only known to the Katarina Magic Tower. ¡°Anyway, if it was unified, then repairing would turn easier.¡± ¡°Sure. When I was in Milton Kingdom, I was put to serve in the Variand Fortress, and had to suffer when the wrong part of a Gigant was sent to us¡­¡± It was when one engineer was talking about his experience. The head of the group came in with a spanner in his hand yelled. ¡°These kids! Don¡¯t chat and finish the work carefully! Do you want to turn lazy without working?¡± The man was a small dwarf with a beard, he was a mixed-race of dwarf and human. Originally, he was a slave in one of the top ten magic towers but fled to Holy Empire when his Magic Tower fell into a mess with the battles. There, he was swept into the civil war and then came under Luke when his merits increased and joined the Red Wolf mercenary. In addition to the Katarina Magic Tower, there were quite a few fairies, human-fairies which Luke brought from here and there. ¡°Ah, not at all!¡± At the word of their head, the engineers answered back and went back to tightening the wrench and hurriedly attached the armor. ¡°Tomorrow we will have to paint, so if there is any rust, scratches on the glove surface, wipe it off or tinker it. Because the surface needs to be clean for the paint to look nice.¡± ¡°You want to pain it glossy?¡± ¡°Of course. The Stiletto is going to be in the Military parade for the New Year, so I need to pay special attention¡­¡± Kuaakkk! The engineers were startled by the horrifying sound which came in. The head grumbled with a frown. ¡°Tch, once again, something came in.¡± ¡°Will, will we be alright? I am definite that it is another advanced demon or maybe an angel.¡± ¡°Well. I wonder if it is like the one summoned in Nemesis¡­¡± At the response to the concerned engineers, the head could only hold his thoughts. But he too was anxious about it, he just didn¡¯t voice them out. Five days ago, at the northern side Forest of the Brandon, a large high ranking demon appeared. They weren¡¯t sure who was the crazy warlock that summoned it, but the demons which came up seemed to be very strong. The demons attacked the King and the Knights who were at the Gigant training field which was near the forest. It was noted to be an emergency, but surprisingly it was handled very easily. Their King, Luke managed to subdue it on his Avenger. Everyone thought that the demons were dangerous and asked for them to be killed however, Luke refused to it. ¡°Who knows who summoned this to kill me, but wouldn¡¯t this be a good sight? It will be a spectacle that will enhance the New Year¡¯s military parade.¡± After Luke said that, Luke held the demons in the warehouse of Katarina Magic Tower by chaining it with magic. The demons captured were raging, but most of them were lost, it was as if their bones were broken and their bones were the only things left in place. Being held with strong magic seals, the only thing they could do was shout and struggle. Nevertheless, people weren¡¯t able to wash away their anxiety. It was because the demons were known to be scary and it was something people were taught from their childhood. ¡°But who summoned the demons?¡± ¡°What do you mean who? Probably the same ones who sent the monster who claimed to be the descendant of the warrior.¡± It wasn¡¯t just the head or the engineers, even the officials of the Royal palace and the people of the city too thought so. It was also speculated that the King¡¯s intention wasn¡¯t to kill the demons, but to warn the powerful demons by making a spectacle of them and tell ¡®I am so strong so you shouldn¡¯t act hastily¡¯. ¡°Well, Our Majesty is strong. And Emperor Rudolf barely managed to catch the demon which got defeated.¡± ¡°Well! Majesty is indeed the descendant of the Warrior. What¡¯s more, he plans to become stronger and greater than his ancestor, who is the hero.¡± ¡°Ohohoh, he will surely¡­!¡± The crew head, who looked at the engineers who were cheerful, nagged again. ¡°Well, get the job done! If you don¡¯t do it well and embarrass my Gigant at the New Year¡¯s event, I will send you flying from here.¡± ¡°Yes, we will keep it in mind!¡± When the head of the crew nagged with a stern voice, the engineers turned attentive and began to focus on their work. Kuaaak! The demon¡¯s scream was heard once again, but they didn¡¯t care this time. Chapter 506 - Military Parade 2 ¡°That one seems really nice. That is how it should be to move in the Military Parade.¡± Luke, who was in Katarina Magic Tower for the touch up on Avenger¡¯s balance, smiled thinly when he heard the cry of a demon. Fabian then said while helping him, ¡°While the wizards are all scared, there are those who are interested in it. And there are a few priests like that too.¡± ¡°However, very few people have ever seen a demon.¡± Most people have only encountered the image of a demon through traditions or records that were passed down through generations. So they all know of demons to be vicious and terrifying. ¡°The demons are like that because of the harsh environment in the Devildom. In order to survive, they had to become strong and emotionless.¡± ¡°Now that you say it, the demons that Master has are different. Was it because they were in Middle-Earth for so long?¡± ¡°That was one thing, and then there is my influence on them too.¡± ¡°And, they don¡¯t seem to dare disobey His Majesty.¡± Fabian recalled the time when they captured the fallen angel the other day. Luke, who came out of the royal city with the excuse of self military training, sneaked out of the camp at dawn and summoned a high ranking demon in the woods. The fallen angel, which appeared because of the rumors spread by Sebastian, was ambushed by Luke and had its tongue cut off. The other fallen angels too were all wounded and struggled, but they weren¡¯t able to win. With the Black bind magic amplified with the core engine of Avenger, Luke stole the magi of the fallen angels and immediately used Thousand Bullets. ¡°I did take them down, but I never expected them to be so easy to defeat. They are weaker than Kauren, but they were high ranking fallen angels; a demon in a way.¡± ¡°It was because the first blow was fatal.¡± ¡°Ah, I did use the Gold Aura in the beginning!¡± The Gold Aura was like poison for the demons. So, the fallen angels which were hit by the sword were probably on fire. In addition, as the Gold Aura slashed through their bodies and penetrated inside, it hindered with the flow of magi, and the other fallen angels were easy to take down as they couldn¡¯t show their full ability. Luke, left the disabled fallen angels to return back to the Devildom and returned to the camp. ¡°Are you deliberately leaving traces for them?¡± ¡°No, instead, I erased the trace. If they know where I have been, it is possible that they won¡¯t come after me.¡± The demons have a method of hunting, and that was the strong preyed on the weak and not the strong. Even though they were defeated by Luke, they had no intention of meeting him. They would go back to Devildom, replenish their lost magi, recover the wounds inflicted on them and pick up a human using the unclosed summoning circle. So, they would try to hit the humans, who were close to them. In short, it would be the Symphonia Knights, who were led by Luke. ¡°Huhuhu. It will be fun to see those demon¡¯s reactions when they see Master¡¯s Avenger,¡± said Fabian ¡°Huh. They would feel like hell. Of course, the knights who don¡¯t know anything about it would be terrified.¡± And what would happen next was known to everyone. The fallen angel, which fell for the rumors spread by Sebastian, was an intermediate demon. He got caught by Luke and was humiliated by him in a way that no demon had done before. ¡°What will you do with him once the Military Parade is over?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need him, so he will be killed. Shouldn¡¯t we be saving the summoned ones?¡± Luke smiled sneakily. Even during his days as Saymon, he had summoned fallen angels and absorbed their magi and ability. At that time, the abilities were Scud and Insight, and they were quite usable ones, so he was in anticipation for it. ¡°Later, you need to try it too. You need to be able to kill a demon for becoming a true Dark Moon Warlock.¡± ¡°Yes, master. I¡¯ll muster up some courage and try once. And¡­¡± Fabian, who was trying to say something, stopped. ¡°And?¡± ¡°Ah, nothing. I will devote myself to my growth in the future.¡± ¡°Yes, you need to work hard.¡± Luke didn¡¯t know what Fabian was trying to say or ask. ¡®When would it be possible for the warlocks to go into the world?¡¯ Luke knew better than anyone about the reality of how warlocks were dealt with. He remembered being hunted by people just for revealing his identity. ¡®How long will I be able to hide this secret from the people of this world?¡¯ Luke could feel his mind turn heavy with the question. Although he defeated Hiros, he was under the impression that his future hadn¡¯t changed by much. Chapter 507 - Military Parade 3 After all the preparations were done, the day of New Year Military Parade had finally come. With enough public news given in advance, quite a lot of people had come to Brandon. Local nobles who weren¡¯t invited, as well as the common people who could afford, swarmed to the place. And starting with various kinds of Gigants, the knights, the elite men, and the military in its full capacity was a rare sight unless one was in a senior position in the military. Therefore, people gathered in the square to look at all the strong men in their nation. ¡°Majesty, all the preparations are done.¡± At the end of the messenger¡¯s words, Luke got up. ¡°Then, we need to start.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The two men left the king¡¯s office and caught up with the guards who were all dressed up. Their suits were specially tailored for the event, and it was an apparel that focused on fashion than on one¡¯s activity. ¡°How many of our invited men came?¡± At the question from Luke, Hans answered, ¡°It is safe to think that most of them came.¡± For the parade, Luke had sent various invitations to major nobles of various kingdoms along with the domestic lords. The Military Parade was being conducted with a huge cost, and it rarely happened due to how expensive it was, so many nobles were curious and responded to the invitation. ¡°We haven¡¯t counted them, but we estimate that there are over 400,000 men.¡± The past year, around 200,000 people had gathered from across the nation to celebrate the king¡¯s coronation and the kingdom¡¯s founding. It could be seen that the expectations of the people were high from the number of people gathered. In the grounds of the Royal Palace, it could be seen that the Knights and Gigants belonging to the 1st and 5th squad were lined up. There were specifically crafted Gigants for the Military Parade. And behind the Gigant, each unit¡¯s knights and soldiers stood in their position wearing colorful armors. The commanders ordered their men. ¡°Huhuhu. Should I summon my Gigant?¡± Luke summoned Avenger from his subspace bracelet. When Luke¡¯s Gigant suddenly made an appearance, all the soldiers were focused on it. It was because the size and appearance of Avenger was overwhelming compared to the other Gigants. With a cloak embroidered on its silver glove and a silver thread hanging from the back of its neck, it was like seeing a giant warrior from the legends. ¡°Then, let¡¯s start the parade!¡± When Luke gave orders from his Gigant, the military band that was waiting ahead began to play at once. With the sound of trumpets, a playful marching song began to be played and the flags with the symbols of the Royal family began to move out with the units. Thud! Luke moved with Avenger as well. For the parade, the main gates of the Royal Palace were specifically remodeled for Gigants over 10 meters tall, so they could move out freely. ¡°Woah! Majesty!¡± ¡°That is His Majesty¡¯s exclusive Gigant!¡± People began to cheer once Avenger came out with the king¡¯s symbol on its breastplate. For normal people who had no titles, Luke was a popular being. It was because he abolished the taxes that the nobles placed on them and halved the taxes imposed on the farmland and the population. Instead, Luke developed commerce and increased the industries while bringing in funding to the kingdom. He actively promoted trade with the Southern Continent, and huge profits were being generated that could fill the tax revenues. Various workshops were built as well in local cities to encourage the production of daily necessities and products. It was kind of business. In any case, it was natural for people that benefited from Luke¡¯s reforms to cheer for him. ¡°Woah!¡± ¡°Woah! Long Live Your Majesty!¡± Behind Luke, Gigants belonging from the 1st to 5th squad began to appear in turn. From a Knight class then Orion to Gaius, the commander of each unit were on board. And whenever the improvised Stiletto with the commanders of the knights showed themselves, people shouted more loudly as if they were possessed. But the ones who were the most excited were the children. ¡°Daddy, I too want to become a Gigant Rider!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see. For that to happen, if you¡¯re not a noble, you should at least try to be a knight¡­¡± ¡°Daddy, you are! What old man talks are you saying? It was said that if we can fence perfectly in the school, they would recommend us to the military academy!¡± ¡°Really? Then, I guess you need to work hard.¡± While the children of the common people were burning up with ambitions and dreams, the expressions of the nobles in the VIP seats were different. ¡°Your Majesty seems very stubborn.¡± ¡°I know. I never expected him to release the top class military level Hero class out to the public.¡± ¡°Haha, if this is our level, would we lose to Baroque Empire now?¡± ¡°The future of our Kingdom is very bright!¡± The bureaucratic nobles enjoyed the scene in front of their eyes, but the provincial Lords, especially the former nobles of Milton Kingdom, had a dark expression over them. They were quite shocked to see the king¡¯s real power on display. ¡®Compared to their regular army, the army of my estate is nothing.¡¯ ¡®Haa, if King Luke happened to be angry at me, I would have been kicked out.¡¯ They were able to feel the gap between Luke and themselves without even seeing the parade, but once they witnessed it themselves, they felt even more inferior in terms of power. The lords felt the tricks their opponent was resorting to. ¡®Surely, this Military Parade is to show their strength to us.¡¯ ¡®It would be better to follow the Military Reform. It would surely be better than getting destroyed by the royal retainers¡­¡¯ When the lords were seriously thinking about their future, foreign nobles who were invited looked at the parade procession with serious faces. Primarily, a high ranking military or administration officials were insanely analyzing the newly seen Gigants and the wizards. ¡°Are those Gigants the commanders are riding on a Hero class?¡± ¡°Yes, Count. It has never been produced in any of the top ten magic towers and seems to have been developed in the Royal Magic Tower of Symphonia Kingdom.¡± Currently, the only Hero class productions possible after the Battle of Magic Towers was in Baroque and the Holy Arthenia Empire¡¯s Imperial Magic Towers. But surprisingly, Hero class Gigants were made in a kingdom that was just founded! Gulp. The Castia Kingdom¡¯s noble had a very nervous look. ¡°What could the output of the core engine be?¡± ¡°Well, I am not sure. Would you like me to check?¡± ¡°Yes, check it out. If the performance and price are all good, we will import them to our Kingdom.¡± All the conversations taking place in the VIP seats were being noted and gathered by the Argos agents that were placed around them. Chapter 508 - Military Parade 4 The parade was halfway through. All of a sudden, screams and groans began to sound. ¡°What, what was that?¡± ¡°Well. Did something tremendous come up?¡± People who were gathered on the street began to look towards the Royal Palace. After a while, they could see the reason for the shouts. Kuakkk! A dog larger than a Gigant, with arms and legs chained, was being brought. ¡°Kyaak!¡± ¡°Oh, oh my god! What is that monster there?¡± ¡°A demon! It has to be a demon!¡± ¡°Look at the size! That is so huge!¡± The crown was in a mess. The Gigants on the left and right, with the demon¡¯s arms and legs being chained, and strict borders were placed. The existence of the demon itself was enough to send shivers down the spine. In addition, women and children were screaming on top of their lungs looking at something which was so huge. However, the agitation of the people didn¡¯t last long. Puck! ¡°Don¡¯t make a mess and walk forward.¡± A Gigant, which was walking to the side of the demon, hit the head with his mace to calm him. Kuak! ¡°This, where do you think you are? Thinking that this is your Devildom?¡± ¡°There are bitter things you haven¡¯t tasted yet!¡± The riders, who watched the fallen angels and demons resist, used their maces without discrimination. The fallen angels had already suffered in the hands of Luke, but now they were being kicked with seals placed on them and the fallen angels had no power to resist. Kuuuk! Kuuuuk! Whether it was hurt by the constant whips or because of the humiliation, the fallen angels who struggled began to walk with the riders¡¯ guidance. And the crows threw away their fear. ¡°Huhu, we seem to be dealing with the demons!¡± ¡°It just seems huge, but doesn¡¯t seem to be so different from a regular monster?¡± ¡°Well, it seems like it. I heard from grandmother that if our eyes met with demons, our souls would be robbed forever¡­¡± Honestly, most of the information which the public knew about the demons was a plain exaggeration or false. People were turning more curious rather than scared as the demons seemed to be a lot different than they knew. ¡°That one with huge black wings must be a fallen angel, but who caught all the demons?¡± When a middle-aged priest asked, a soldier who was controlling the crowd spoke. ¡°His Majesty himself caught it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. My superiors said that the evil forces aiming for His Majesty were summoned and sent.¡± Information about the demons spread quickly from mouth. Not just the public, but the nobles at home and foreigners talked while looking at the demons which were being walked on the street. ¡°Who is aiming for the King of Symphonia?¡± ¡°Are you really asking without knowing? The remnants of the Baroque Imperial or the Veritas Magic tower. Didn¡¯t you hear the rumors which said that they cursed the entire lineage of Rakan with dark magic?¡± ¡°No, you mean the rumor is real?¡± ¡°If not, why would the Rakan family always be so short-lived? I heard that King Luke was also cursed, but thanks to the Holy Pope he managed to survive.¡± All such rumors were being spread by Argos agents. There was no solid evidence to support such claims, but it was a plausible story with facts. ¡°But, capturing such demons isn¡¯t so easy.¡± ¡°His Majesty must be the personification of War God.¡± ¡°Long Live His Majesty!¡± ¡°Hurray!¡± The shouts of Argos agents passed through the wind, and the people began to scream more loudly. Shouts from hundreds to thousands of people engulfed the square. The screams were so overwhelming that the backlash against the King was getting subdued every second. Honestly, the day¡¯s military parade could be considered to have wiped out all the forces that were against the King or those who opposed the Military reforms in the Symphonia. Chapter 509 - Military Parade 5 Once the Military Parade ended, the Gigants were placed for exhibition at the plaza for the general public, and Luke held a banquet for the nobles of home and abroad who came for the event. However, the banquet was very different from any other banquets which offered simple food, drinks and dances. It was because the banquet served as an academic conference of the wizards and the royal scholars of the Royal Katarina Magic Tower. ¡°Look at this very carefully. This is the secret gunpowder that defeated the Grenada Navy.¡± Pung! ¡°Woah!¡± Once Zegal Soha dropped a small amount of gunpowder into a container filled with water, the water exploded. The nobles who looked at such situation were curious and then shocked. Throughout the banquet halls, such magical experiments and newly developed items were being turned into good attractions. Luke wanted to show off Symphonia¡¯s magic engineering skills with the opportunity. Meanwhile, some foreign nobles approached Luke and asked if Orion would be sold. ¡°Your Majesty, I am Count Novel of Castia Kingdom.¡± ¡°Oh, Count Novel. Thank you so much for responding to our invitation. But what do you need?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t anything troublesome. I was just wondering if you would be willing to send us the new hero class Gigant which was released at the parade today.¡± ¡°Are you talking about Orion?¡± ¡°Is the name of the new Gigant Orion, the giant hunter of ancient mythology? It goes quite well with it.¡± Count Novel was able to determine the approximate performance of Orion. As a result, he was able to find out that Orion had a terrific performance of 3,700 fights and he wanted to buy it. If the purchase was successful, he would be given a strong presence in the court of Castia. ¡°Huhu, well, it is quite expensive¡­¡± When Luke indirectly refused to it, Novel¡¯s eyes flashed. He was confident that he would be able to pay any cost for it. He was a member of the central bureaucrats of Castia and had a considerable connection with the Minister of Finance. In addition, he also owned a large firm in the Kingdom. ¡°Of course, it is expensive. Isn¡¯t it an Original Hero class Gigant, it is known to be a rare thing which can¡¯t be afforded right? But I¡¯d like to pay whatever the cost, so please give me a chance.¡± No other nations had ever sold a Hero class Gigant, a strategic weapon that was needed for the development of the nation. Therefore, the nobles who knew about it were sure that Luke would refuse its sale. But unexpectedly, Luke allowed it. And the price was a high amount of 1 million pesos. ¡°Thank you. Thank you very much.¡± After Count Novel went back with a happy face, Meister Mute of Royal Katarina Magic Tower went close to Luke and asked. ¡°Your Majesty, are you really going to sell Orion?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But Orion is the newest Gigant in the Symphonia Kingdom. Please reconsider this sale.¡± It wasn¡¯t just Mute, but also Prime Minister Hans and Marquis Rogers asked. But Luke didn¡¯t sway away from his thoughts. Honestly, he had another purpose for the military parade. It was to prepare for Arsene, who was hiding somewhere in the Southern Continent developing his power. As Hwang Bo-sung said, Arsene¡¯s undead legion was bound to come to the Northern Continent in the future. It was informed that the Rhodesia Continent, whose power was diminished due to the war between the nations, couldn¡¯t prevent the disaster from happening. So he thought of selling his Gigants to the other nations which were acquainted with him and boost their power. Of course, however, he didn¡¯t intend to sell Orion just like that. The idea was to remove the tuning Helm, lower the core engine and sell a downgraded version with a reduced armor strength of 30 %. But even that alone would outperform any other Hero Class made by the top ten Magic Tower. ¡°Your Majesty, please sell Orion to our Irea kingdom.¡± ¡°We want one for our Navarre Duchy too.¡± When Luke said that he planned to sell, several nobles of the other nations approached him and announced their intention to purchase. ¡°That might be difficult. Orion cannot be made a lot in a year. So, why don¡¯t you buy our Knight and Warrior class first?¡± In addition to Orion, Luke had other Gigants to sell. They were the Gaius and improved Stiletto. ¡°Oh! The Gigants which were shown in the parade today?¡± In addition to Orion, other Gigant¡¯s movements and output seemed pretty nice. ¡°Yes. They also perform better than any other Gigants of the other Magic Tower.¡± Luke, like a trader, skilfully dealt with foreign nobles. Of course, it was basic to sell them for more cost than their original price. And the trick was possible as the magic towers and the Magic World of the continent still hadn¡¯t escaped from the consequences of the Battle of Magic Towers. And several small and medium magic towers, and more than half of the top ten magic towers were destroyed, which made finding new Gigants impossible. Moreover, the production volume had reduced by a lot, so the nations, their nobles, and the military were in a hurry to find new ones. Naturally, the performance and quality of a lot of Gigants were satisfactory. Under such circumstances, they were compelled to buy the new types of Gigants at the cost which the Symphonia Kingdom stated. ¡®I don¡¯t know about the sales, but production is going to be a problem. We might have to expand the workshop of Katarina Magic Tower or expand the subcontracted magic towers.¡¯ After a crazy environment, his messenger brought a man. Luke was looking forward to meet him, so he moved to a separate room to discuss with the man. ¡°You must be Marquis Albain?¡± ¡°Yes, and I am honored to meet His Majesty.¡± A decent old man with glasses bowed to Luke. He was the Marquis of Albain, the Chairman of Baroque Parliament, and the dean of the Albain Academy. After losing all the things he laid foundation for, he had to wander abroad with other scholars due to the civil war in the Baroque Empire, and he came to Symphonia because of Luke¡¯s passionate courtship. ¡°I am the one who is honored, I heard that the Marquis was a person who educated students without any discrimination in the Empire.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it reasonable to teach without discrimination? No one should discriminate against a person even more towards a child.¡± Marquis Albain had denied it, but Luke didn¡¯t mind. It was because discrimination was based on talent and not on the status or race. However, they don¡¯t just take in the talented people, but also cultivate step-by-step education suitable for each level and raise them into useful men in the society. ¡°Well, the Royal Academy has been completed near Lamer City. Marquis will take over as the dean.¡± Luke was planning on making the Royal Symphonia Academy as the best in the Rhodesia Continent. The more talented the people were, the more would flourish the nation they live in. For that end, in addition to Marquis Albain, Luke was planning to actively recruit scholars from the Southern continent. ¡°I¡¯m grateful to you for taking such a person under your wings.¡± ¡°Uhu, you need to work hard and cultivate talented men.¡± After a brief talk with Marquis Albain and the future of the Academy, Luke moved back to the banquet hall. Chapter 510 - Unstable Movement 1 To the south of the capital, Bless, Holy Empire, was a large ornate marble mansion that stood out of place with the scenery. It was the mansion of high priests and nobles. Even though the evening had just started, there was pleasant music and the sound of drunk men and women laughing. ¡°Hohoho, here, here!¡± ¡°Where are you? If I catch you, I won¡¯t let you go!¡± Count Marcus, who was blindfolded, was playing tag with the women and was on his feet searching for his targets. The nobles and knights, who were drinking with him, were all laughing at his act. The sound of laughter became louder when Count Marcus was about to fall while trying to stand up. ¡°Hahaha! You are drunk, Count!¡± ¡°Surely, the alcohol works well, but you should have exercised. I mean if you want to stand on par with your brother and not an orc.¡± Everyone laughed at the words of the nobles that were close to Marcus said. Marcus was currently too fat to be recognized. Perhaps, it was because he continued to have prosperous days since the civil war. Marcus managed to get on his feet with the support of his servants and took off the blindfold to look at his friend, who spoke out earlier. ¡°Exercising? Then should we stop by for a hunt later?¡± ¡°Sure. Apparently, there are a lot of deers near Solver Fortress in the North. Since the lord there is my relative, let¡¯s go out and get some air.¡± ¡°Solver? Ah, that is too far from here. Why don¡¯t we just go to the capital?¡± ¡°The capital? Do you know what we can hunt there in the capital? A silver dark fox.¡± Wheeeing! At the words of Count Marcus, the hall went silent. His friends, who were laughing and chatting till then, the crew and servants who were hosting it, even the orchestra men who were playing music, shut their mouths and had blank expressions on their faces. It was because everyone knew who the silver fox that Marcus mentioned was. Pope Veronica III. Although rumors were already circulating, people and her budding forces still regarded her as an angel sent by God. But for the opposition forces like Marcus, she was a fox-like wench who cleverly took over power without letting anyone know her true colors. ¡°Let¡¯s go get our men and catch them together. Without the Fort, let¡¯s go and hunt without fear.¡± ¡°Marcus, you have been drinking too much.¡± ¡°Ha! Too much? You are calling me drunk?¡± Marcus grabbed another bottle. Acting like a drunkard in the back alleys, he approached the nobles and knights. However, he was disappointed. It was because none of them seemed to be willing to join him. As usual, the people, who complained about the reforms of the Pope or her treatment toward their faction, were all quiet. Everyone pretended as if they haven¡¯t heard what the man proposed. ¡®Tch, all of you are f*cking cowards. I thought that there would be at least one or two who would come along.¡¯ Honestly, there was nothing wrong with them being scared or backing off. In order to get rid of the Pope, they had to defeat the greatest paladin and the Saint Guard¡¯s leader Arch Duke Gregory. In addition, the public wouldn¡¯t let them. When a scandal about the Pope rose recently, some of the opposition nobles and priests, who tried to use it politically for their benefit, had been attacked and beaten up by the angry people. As such, they knew that the people¡¯s trust in Veronica III was too great to move. There was no possibility of success by revolting. Of course, Count Marcus didn¡¯t expect to get past things. They were all in the same faction, but they couldn¡¯t find someone who was strong enough to tackle her. On the contrary, there could be someone out there who would want to occupy the position of the Pope and use it. They really needed someone like that.¡°Wheeeheheh! Whether I¡¯m drunk or not, I am going to catch that fox, Phew!¡± Marcus, who shook his bottle, suddenly went on four legs and put his head into the skirt of a woman. He pretended to have caught her. ¡°Here it is! The fox is here, huahhh!¡± ¡°Kyah! Count!¡± The nobles shook their heads and laughed upon seeing what Count Marcus just did. What Count Marcus just did made everyone there forget what he just said earlier. Chapter 511 - Unstable Movement 2 While Marcus was leading a dissolute life with the men of the same faction, his cousin, Archbishop Constantine, was stuck in a chapel. The Marius Faction he was leading, the faction that one boasted as the highest-ranking one in the Holy Empire, was so weak. Veronica III, who declared that she wouldn¡¯t choose a certain faction to strengthen the Holy Empire, entrusted key positions to people who were loyal and committed to their acts. As a result, young priests and lower nobles who were doing basic chores in the Marius Faction fled and went toward the Pope. Even the high ranking bishops betrayed Constantine. ¡°Kuak, I was deceived! I was deceived by that wench!¡± Constantine, who said the same thing a hundred times before, was stripped of his position of being a regent and was whipped countless times. The so-called ¡®repetition¡¯ was a practice of seeking God¡¯s grace while reflecting on their sins. Crack! ¡°Oh, great El Kassel! Forgive this foolish man and give me the power to defeat that witch!¡± Initially, Constantine¡¯s whipping was strongly protested by the others. But later, it was notified that he was facing atonement for his wrong decision of electing the Pope and trying to shake the position of Veronica III. However, the reaction of the believers was rather cold. The people began to say that Constantine was getting senile. They also said that he would be closer to God if the Pope used a poison or a dagger on him instead of a whip. That led for Constantine, who was overwhelmed by those responses, to take the whippings sincerely. He was getting whipped constantly. Even as his blood oozed out of his body, the whipping didn¡¯t stop. Even when Count Marcus and the others pleaded to her, she didn¡¯t order for the whipping to stop. ¡°Please allow me to defeat that witch! Grant me the divine power to defeat the witch who is deceiving everyone¡¯s eyes!¡± Day and night, he kept repeating the same thing in front of God¡¯s statue that stayed silent. Rather, it seemed like the statue was laughing down at him. It was to show that everything that happened was due to his greed. ¡°Please, please give me the strength! If I get to defeat the witch and correct this Holy Empire, I am willing to pay any price!¡± Are you really sure you would do that? All of a sudden, a voice sounded from somewhere. Constantine, who was shocked by it, looked around. ¡°W-who is it?¡± Don¡¯t be afraid. I am the one you have been waiting for. Crack The statue in the front cracked and fell to the ground. Blue flames appeared at the place where the statue was standing and took the shape of a human. ¡®T-this is¡­?¡¯ Constantine was flustered and tried to figure out what just happened, and a solemn voice came out of the flames. My child, now that I showed myself, won¡¯t you accept me? ¡°Huh? Ah, I-I apologize.¡± As the flames shook like it was going to devour him, Constantine fell to the ground in fear. Seeing the man who was laying on the ground, the moving flame spoke in a soft voice. My child, your sin was that you got deceived by the witch who was using magic, and for that, you need to die. But I¡¯ll give you a chance to atone for it. ¡°A-an opportunity you say?¡± Constantine raised his head, and the flames nodded its head. Yes. Soon, punishment will be given to those who have been deceived by the witch and moved away from my will. Make sure that those sinners will repent. ¡®Punishment? Then what about the Holy Empire?¡¯ Constantine was startled and was panicking. If something went wrong with the Pope, it was an opportunity for him and the Marius Faction. Honestly, he wasn¡¯t sure if the person in front of him was really a God or not. It was because he couldn¡¯t feel divine power from the flame. Nevertheless, he believed that it was some kind of God. It was because he thought that God would be the only one who would support him, the man who made a mistake and wanted to repent. I will share my power with you, so try to awaken those foolish sinners with these powers. When the words were done, the fire disappeared. The smoke, which was hovering over the place, soon faded from Constantine¡¯s vision. The cloudy smoke around Constantine soon entered his body through his eyes, nose, and mouth. Humph! The moment he began to breathe in the smoke, the pain on his back disappeared. In addition, his wrinkling face and hands became smooth again, and his grey hair turned black. Constantine was captivated with the new feeling of vigor in his body that seemed to have brought his youth back. ¡®God¡¯s power! This is God¡¯s Power! The thing that he gave me. It¡¯s God¡¯s power!¡¯ Thrilled with it, Constantine stared at the place where God¡¯s statue had disappeared. For a moment, he apologized for doubting God¡¯s presence and thanked the generosity that was shown to him. ¡°Thank you, God! I will surely accomplish the work you have given to me and punish that witch and her followers!¡± There was a shadow that was watching Constantine praying several times. ¡®Huh, got him.¡¯ The sinister creature made from the body of someone who was once referred to as the Devil King smiled at Constantine and disappeared immediately. Chapter 512 - Unstable Movement 3 Three days after the New Year¡¯s Military Parade, Luke summoned the military officers. About 20 people were gathered in the throne room, from Marquis Rogers, the chief commander of the Royal army to Arch Duke Belik and numerous other commanders. Everyone had bright expressions on their faces as if they were expecting something. ¡°Everyone had to go through tough times because of the New Year¡¯s Military Parade.¡± When Luke spoke and looked around at the men, Belik responded in a sarcastic manner. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why such military training is given only to do such things. If you would have given me enough funds I would have made the soldiers much more efficient.¡± Was it because he was hurt for not being called to the Military Parade? Or maybe he really thought of it to be a waste of money. But it was clear that Arch Duke Belik¡¯s heart was upset with something. ¡°Arch Duke, you are being too much!¡± At the words of Marquis Rogers who tried to stop him, Belik looked at him and clicked his tongue. ¡°Tch, once you became the chief commander of the entire army your eyes seem to turn in other directions. Has it been long since you had a duel?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t something I can¡¯t do. Once everything here is done, let¡¯s move to the field.¡± Rogers shot back with no intention to lose. Belik¡¯s words towards Luke were uncalled for, which was why Rogers felt the need to stand up. Even though publicly he was the King¡¯s father, Belik was under Luke. At the times he went out of line, they had been patient, but this wasn¡¯t a private meeting, and Belik was talking back to the King who had called in all the commanders of the army, Rogers¡¯ patience reached its limit. ¡®I don¡¯t get it, what does that old man think¡­?¡¯ ¡®He is being too reckless!¡¯ Each of the military commanders, including Philip, were all watching the situation unfold. Excluding Luke, Belik was the best swordsman in the room. Moreover, he was a natural fighter with the title of Gigant Master. But Rogers too had something specific to him. The Gold Sword which he received from Luke recently and he moved from Intermediate to Advanced Sword Master. With the two being in play, he wouldn¡¯t fall behind in skills. ¡°Look here, Marquis Rogers. If you don¡¯t feel like dying, be nice to me. Don¡¯t keep involving in others¡¯ matters.¡± ¡°If you want to let loose your mouth like that, then go back to being a mercenary. It is unfair for someone you like you to be called as Arch Duke and Fire Storm.¡± ¡°This man, I am going to show you, kid!¡± Prime Minister Hans raised his voice at the two men acting like kids not showing any signs of backing up. ¡°What are you two doing here?! Have you forgotten who is present in the room?¡± At the words of Hans, both Arch Duke Belik and Marquis Rogers had to back down. Hans, who managed to stop the bickering, turned to Luke and spoke. ¡°Your Majesty, you can continue to speak.¡± ¡°Thank you, Prime Minister. The both of you will stay back after the meeting. You seem too energetic and unable to control it, I¡¯ll deal with you two directly.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, both Belik¡¯s and Rogers¡¯ faces went stiff. It was because they knew what exactly he meant. After the fight with Hiros, Luke often called for the Commander of each army squad or visited them himself and fought. It was to increase their skill as Sword Master, but also to understand the usage of the latter half of the Gold Sword. However, the training battles weren¡¯t acknowledged. They all were made to fall down until their mana and aura were exhausted, or beaten to the point where their entire body was sore. Count Ferrero, who always wanted to cross sword with Luke enthusiastically, was in his room after being robbed for his fighting spirit in the battle. And in the case of Shirley, once she realized that she wasn¡¯t skillful enough to battle, she began to head to the mountains to practice and build-up her skills. Belik and Rogers too had suffered in the hands of Luke. Especially, Belik who was using his flagship Gigant was almost pushed by Luke. ¡®Tch, that Rogers guy made me look like the bad one again.¡¯ ¡®Kuek, this all because of you! When His Majesty was rejected, I should have sided with him!¡¯ Once the two men sat down feeling anger towards the other, Luke opened his mouth. ¡°I called you today because the time has finally come to fulfill our wish, the Baroque Imperial family.¡± ¡°Woah!¡± Admiration burst from the commanders¡¯ mouth. Luke had already mentioned it a few days back that they would invade the Baroque Empire after the Military parade. However, everyone seemed surprised at the fact that they would be invading so soon. ¡°Your Majesty, are we finally going to use our swords?¡± ¡°Yes. The expeditionary will be based and organized around the 3rd squad. Each army squad will have to recruit and support the Knights and Gigants.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, both Philip and Kaper raised questions. ¡°Was the size of the expeditionary forces decided?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, who will be the commander?¡± ¡°Leave it to me! I will stand as the vanguard!¡± The greatest honor for a soldier was to establish merit on the battlefield. There were numerous young and competent commanders in the Military of Symphonia Kingdom. Accordingly, Luke mobilized around 40,000 troops and appointed Arch Duke Belik as the Commander and Philip as the vice. In addition, the Gigant unit was centered on the Rakan Knights, and that unit was entrusted to Kaper. ¡°But Your Majesty, how far are the objectives for this expedition?¡± Rogers asked the question on behalf of the military. It was natural to punish the Baroque Imperial in the operation named ¡®Attack on North¡¯. However, depending on how far they would have to move to achieve their goal, the plan of operation would have to be formed. According to Rogers, it would be difficult to advance to Nemesis with 40,000 troops. The Gigant troops had great power, but they would require a huge amount of supplies and would have to manage the estates captured. If one assumed the Baroque Empire to be on the same level as the Milton Kingdom, then it was a grave mistake. Though Libiya and Symphonia Kingdom were declared independent, the extent of the Baroque Empire was still twice more than the two Kingdoms and had twice the population too. It would be impossible to attack without building some strong power. ¡°I know that we can¡¯t take down the Baroque Empire with our current force. But I plan to strike a critical blow for our future.¡± Luke, who said that, got up from his seat and pointed to the map which was stuck to the wall. ¡°Our goal is this place right here. By attacking that place, we will set the foundation for the full-fledged operation of Attack of North.¡± The commanders knew the place where Luke pointed and nodded. It was the center of the Southern Baroque. Located on a traffic hub, it was a city where the headquarters of the Imperial Southern Army and military supplies were stocked. If they managed to target it, the Baroque Empire was sure to suffer a fatal blow. And it was evident that the Northern part of Variand mountains too would weaken. ¡°Since you all understand, start to prepare for it. In any unlikely event that this entered the enemy eyes, disguise it as a large training.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± The commanders of the Military immediately withdrew from the room and began to organize the expeditionary force. Forming an expeditionary force wasn¡¯t so difficult as the core units of each army squad were all in Brandon city for participating in the Military Parade. Chapter 513 - Unstable Movement 4 The Baroque Empire which lost the forts on the Variand Mountain formed a defensive line at the northern side of the mountains. Maybe they were remodeled or the already present manor was extended to create a fort, traps were dug and gunpowder was buried in an expectation of an invasion to block the enemies Gigants. However, despite such investments, the Southern side of Baroque was having one hell of a fine day at that time. It was because they didn¡¯t have any constant battles when compared to the Western Front, where the battle with Libiya Kingdom was happening constantly, or the Eastern and Northern sides with border disputes of the Volga Republic or Holy Empire. As long as the Symphonia Kingdom was quiet and Emperor Rudolf was occupied with Libiya Kingdom, the Southern army was likely to have a calm time. ¡°Kya, what a nice position!¡± ¡°Yeah, I wish I could keep doing this.¡± Two knights who were fishing near the creek talked to each other. Not long ago, they belonged to the Western Front and managed to move to the south side with a lot of help from their fathers and his nobles acquaintances. If they wanted to grow their merit, it was better for them to stand on the fronts, but they have already been in the battle for quite some time and seen moments of life and death which made them turn their backs against the war. ¡°I wish His Majesty could do things in moderation. After the war and the mess which happened in the capital, the livelihood of the entire nation has been in a mess, yet he keeps saying that he wants to reclaim the fallen territory¡­¡± ¡°He lost his family and was betrayed by his most trusted men, it must have been a bitter situation for him. He probably has no emotions to feel.¡± ¡°That is understandable, but, maybe it was because of Prince Reichard. He was considered to be the real successor of the Emperor.¡± ¡°Yeah, you are speaking loudly. What will happen if someone else listens to it?¡± ¡°Huh, who would listen in such a place¡­¡± The knight who answered looked up at his friend. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, you aren¡¯t going to tattle on me, are you?¡± ¡°Look here, do I look that unfaithful? Why don¡¯t you start caring about the fishing rod in your hand?¡± At the words of his friend, the knight turned towards fishing. The fish was biting on the bait. He hurriedly pulled the fishing rod. ¡°Woah! Look at its power, it is no joke? Maybe this will be huge!¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t make any mistake. First, pull with power¡­¡± Slash! Puk! When the knight was about to try, he saw his friend suddenly hit by an arrow that came straight for him and fell back. ¡°Huk! Wh, who is there?!¡± When his friend died in an instant, the knight who was startled hurriedly left the fishing rod and tried to pick up his sword which was right next to him. But before he could pull on the sword, an arrow went straight for his neck. ¡°All done. Next will be the guards and the patrollers will have to be taken.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss Scarlet!¡± A special unit in black clothes swiftly approached the Baroque garrison and removed the targets. Swoosh-pung! When the signaling flare popped to signify that their completion of the mission, the Gigants and the soldiers disguised in the forests began to appear. They were the troops of the Symphonia Kingdom moving in with swords and spears. ¡°Attack! If there is anyone who resists, cut them down!!¡± ¡°Woah!!¡± With the order of Baron Hobart, the leader of the Spear troops, the Gigants troops, and the other soldiers of Symphonia Kingdom went to assault the Imperial garrison. It was the moment when the Symphonia Kingdom, which had stayed silent till then began to dig its claws into the Baroque Empire. The attack of the Symphonia Kingdom on the Baroque Empire took place even before the enemy was aware of it. The reason for such success was because of the expeditionary forces of Symphonia who thoroughly camouflaged their movements and bypassed their invasion routes which the Baroque Empire might have anticipated. In addition, the Baroque Empire was overwhelmed by the information which the Intelligence office was sending them, the Baroque Intelligence was sending them false information or gave them information one step later. ¡°H, huge trouble, Your Majesty!¡± Emperor Rudolf, who was in a serious discussion with his officials in the throne room, frowned when he saw a wizard walk into the throne room. ¡°Why are you acting like this?¡± At the question of Rudolf, the wizards knelt down and opened the magic message which was sent from the South. ¡°The southern rebels are said to advance to the border. The army is currently defending, but it is said that defense of the border is being broken and the garrison has faced a sudden attack.¡± ¡°Whaaaa, what?!¡± ¡°How can such things¡­?!¡± Voices of surprise began to sound all over the room. Emperor Rudolf and his other men have paid very little attention to the Symphonia Kingdom in the south. Luke and his men who claimed their own independent nation were no match for them, however, they haven¡¯t provoked the Baroque at all. Moreover, it was just a month ago when a man who claimed to be the descendant of Rakan had tore down the Royal palace and almost killed their king. And when such things happen in a newly formed kingdom, it was natural for the king to be busy with stabilizing the nation and gather public sentiment, but to invade all of a sudden! Count Voltas was shocked. ¡°They aren¡¯t confusing it with Libiya Kingdom or the Volga Republic?¡± The Libiya Kingdom was currently waging small and large battles across the borders. And as soon as Rudolf got the information that they hadn¡¯t been hit with Vers, he ordered for an assault. The Volga Republic was battling at the northern border. ¡°According to the magic communication, the Symphonia Kingdom¡­ ah, no, they were clearly stated to be the rebels of the south.¡± ¡°Tch, we have been completely caught off guard.¡± Rudolf could only shake his head with sharp words. It was a time when Rudolf was hoping to go for a massive invasion on Libiya Kingdom. His main purpose was to get rid of Shaikan, well, Reichard, and all the other enemies, however, he also intended to clear the problems in Nemesis. Fighting with foreign nations to turn the internal dissatisfaction into public sentiment was a widely used political plan ever since the ancient time. And an order was already issued to the border troops, and a considerable number of troops were already on the move to the west. At such time, he was getting hit in the back! Rudolf asked the wizard. ¡°How huge are the rebels of the south?¡± ¡°It was said that the troops were from 30,000 to 50,000 and around 200 to 300 Gigants.¡± The number wasn¡¯t too huge yet, it wasn¡¯t small enough to ignore. Especially since the Gigant power was superior when compared to the Southern Army. ¡°Your majesty, I feel that we should immediately deploy the reinforcements.¡± ¡°That feels right. We need to deploy the Central Army right now.¡± There were voices along with Count Voltas who said that support had to be sent. Unlike elsewhere, the Central Army had been running out of men as they have been in a fight with the Libiya Kingdom for the past months. Surely, there were recruits or conscripts of noble families to fill in the gap, but the quality of knights such as training and skills were very inferior to the existing southern army. ¡°Weren¡¯t the Central Army being pushed to the western to subdue the rebels there? Do we have any troops to send to the South? Should we hire the mercenary forces?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, we don¡¯t have any more mercenary units in our Empire to hire.¡± ¡°Kuk!¡± At the answer from Voltas, Rudolf frowned with displeasure. Sending the Central army to the South would give an opportunity to Reichard and if he ignored the request, the Southern Army would collapse. And if the Southern Army collapsed without a fight, the southern part of the Baroque would fall into the hands of the Symphonia Kingdom. And if that happened, the Central region of the Empire along with Nemesis would turn into risky zones. ¡°What the hell is the Information Ministry doing when all these were happening?! How could they not know that an enemy was approaching us from the South!¡± Marquis Lucas, the minister of justice, stood up against the Imperial Intelligence agency. If they were in a normal situation, the intelligence department would have informed then right away. And to do that, the intelligence agency had to pay a budget every year. However, the Ministry of Information didn¡¯t play any role in recent times. And the information from the agency didn¡¯t match with the reality even by a little, and the operations of assassinating the enemies had failed a lot of times. And such things kept happening even after the head of the intelligence service had been changed a while back. ¡°Majesty, I have sinned, Your Majesty! Please punish me!¡± The Intelligence chief, Count McMillan fell on the floor and begged. Rudolf wanted to kill the incompetent man right away. However, the head of intelligence was a young man, so he pulled back the hand from the sword. ¡®Yeah, killing isn¡¯t that hard. This kid hasn¡¯t been in the position for long¡­¡¯ Rudolf, who had such thoughts, decided to endure the man¡¯s incompetence. ¡°Stand up, McMillan. If such things happen again, I will surely consider you to be guilty.¡± ¡°Thank you, thank you, Your Majesty!¡± Count McMillan kept thanking a couple of times and got up. ¡°Go ahead and gather information about this situation as soon as possible.¡± At the words of Rudolf, Count McMillan rushed out of the throne room. Rudolf, who sent the man out, discussed with the other officials about sending the central army to the south. ¡®The question is, who should be placed as the commander of the support forces¡­¡¯ When Rudolf was contemplating on who had to be appointed, Marquis Vanden stepped up and spoke. ¡°Your Majesty, please send me.¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°Yes, I will surely come back after taking down those savage rebels.¡± Vanden had betrayed Butler and stuck to Rudolf ever since. His betrayal to Butler had helped in the subduing of the Western nobles, however, there wasn¡¯t much to do in the war against the Libiya Kingdom. As a result, Rudolf¡¯s trust in his ability was gradually decreasing, and he had already betrayed once so the people suspected that Vanden would one day betray their Emperor. ¡®I need to make some merit and show them my skills!¡¯ The rebels were coming from the south, and they were a group of rebels from the Symphonia Kingdom. ¡®Huhhu! Luke is famous for being a Rune Knight, I¡¯ll reach tremendous heights by taking down him and his men!¡¯ Under such thoughts, Vanden volunteered. Rudolf thought for a moment and nodded. ¡°Fine. I will appoint you as the Commander of the support forces. And I will send 10 knights of mine with you.¡± ¡°Y, you mean the SS class knights?¡± Count Voltas and the other men in the room were shocked. The SS knights were the last group of men formed for the sake of defending the Emperor. All of them were Sword Masters, and their riding level of the Gigant¡¯s were close to Hero class. The officials were surprised to hear that 10 of them would be sent along with the reinforcements. ¡°The SS knights and their Gigants will be enough to subdue the rebels.¡± In his heart, Rudolf wanted to save the strongest men only for him, and send some nobles of newly formed soldiers as reinforcements. However, due to the Vers and the attacks from Libiya, the spirits of the nobles in the capital weren¡¯t that great. And if they were asked to perform such tasks, Rudolf would face a troublesome situation in the future. ¡°Marquis Vanden and the SS knights will be sent. So be sure to subdue the rebels and calm the south.¡± ¡°I will make sure to do that, Your majesty.¡± At the word of the Emperor, Vanden was feeling nervous. The Emperor didn¡¯t give him the option of coming back with a loss. It was impossible to assess a victory even if he was being sent in with powerful SS knights. He wanted to volunteer. However, soon his thoughts of loss were erased. He had 10 Sword Masters who were really powerful. ¡®Moreover, I too am a Sword Master. If I can¡¯t defeat an enemy of such measly power, then I¡¯ll just have to bite my tongue and die.¡¯ Vanden, who was making up his mind to win and regain the Emperor¡¯s trust in him, left for the South with SS knights. Chapter 514 - Star of Battlefield 1 To the north of Variand Mountains. Due to the surprise attack from the Symphonia Kingdom, flames were rising all over the castles and forts that were built on the defense line. Symphonia Kingdom, which managed to bypass the invasion route of the Baroque Empire forces, took over the borders and the forts. As it was an unforeseen attack, the guards of the fort were either forced to leave the places without closing the gates or fighting their enemies properly. ¡®We did the first step perfectly.¡¯ Belik, who was satisfied with the outcome of the plan, proceeded to the north to occupy the other forts along the region. The southern troops, who were dispatched to stop the enemies until the reinforcements arrived, tried. However, because of the faster and fatal attacks of Symphonia, they couldn¡¯t hold long. Two days from the border of the Symphonia Kingdom was at baron¡¯s land. The wall of the lord¡¯s manor was sturdy, and that made the lord think that he was safe until it fell halfway. The Gigants of the Symphonia Kingdom were attacking the helpless lord¡¯s manor. The knights and soldiers of the manor walked up with weapons in their hands. However, they were all shattered along with their Gigants. Their faces, which understood their defeat in the hands of Symphonia Kingdom, were filled with fear and anxiety. It was because they knew very well on how the war prisoners would be treated. However, the soldiers were shocked after a few seconds. The army of Symphonia Kingdom had just left them there. On top of that, they had handed them some food and money. ¡°What if they join the enemy side once again?¡± Philip¡¯s concerned question was answered by a man who was riding on a luxurious white horse with red armor. ¡°Hut, maybe I could have reached faster with my own two feet instead of this horse or carriage? And if they join, we will have to smash them the moment they join.¡± The man who replied confidently was Arch Duke Belik, the Commander of the expedition. Answering Philip¡¯s question, he looked over at the middle-aged knight who was on the other side. ¡°Look here. Your expression hasn¡¯t been so good for long. Are you hurt somewhere?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t that I haven¡¯t been well. Not long ago, I was protecting this place.¡± ¡°Ah well, that is true. That was why you were chosen as the guide.¡± Belik nodded his head as he realized the truth later. The middle-aged knight was Count Ferrero, whom Luke had saved from the prison dungeon two months back. Before heading back to Nemesis, he stayed there to rebuild the Southern Army, the forts and strengthen their skills. In addition, they knew about the route of invasions that could bypass the original route to Variand Mountains and the other southern territories. Luke knew that the situation was favorable for him in that area. So Luke put him and Shirley, who were practicing swordsmanship or moving around the castle without any official title or position, as ¡®Guides¡¯. Ferrero, who had been defeated by Luke the other day, took Luke as his new master just as he had promised and followed Luke¡¯s orders without a word. However, he wasn¡¯t feeling happy about it. It was because, among the knights and soldiers, who were protecting the place, he was one of them. Because of his faithfulness to the given word, he accepted the condition. However, he couldn¡¯t get the thought of betraying his home out of his head. However, the one who broke the trust between their war principles was Emperor Rudolf. He imprisoned Count Ferrero in the dungeon to tame him. Even if that could be excused, he had taken Ferrero¡¯s family as a hostage and intimidated them. Also, he ordered Ferrero¡¯s followers and retainers to be killed. It was all Rudolf¡¯s attempt to make Ferrero into a dog that only listened to his words. However, Rudolf only brought antagonism upon himself. ¡®Yeah well, I am no longer following Rudolf!¡¯ Upon thinking it through, Ferrero shook his thoughts away. It was fortunate that Symphonia Kingdom didn¡¯t kill nor discriminate between war prisoners or nobles. Like before, the normal soldiers weren¡¯t harmed and were released. Commanders, knights and the officers would be taken to the Symphonia Kingdom. However, there was no danger of them being executed. They would try to reason with them and turn them toward Symphonia, or they would be given rewards and have them released. ¡®Maybe I¡¯ll be placed on the persuasive work.¡¯ Seeing Symphonia Kingdom act more generously and provide equal treatment, Ferrero had decided to help more in the expedition team. Rudolf had to fall quickly in order to save the people from suffering. It was then that Shirley, who had been out to scout, returned and reported the situation. ¡°The enemy troops stationed on forts 40 kilometers to the north are retreating at once. Maybe they will join Sherwood city and defend.¡± Initially, the Southern Army did send reserve troops on command to the support forces. However, the speed of Symphonia Kingdom exceeded their expectations, and they had to immediately retreat. And as that wasn¡¯t enough, they were gathering troops stationed at other forts and estates. ¡°Hmm, that commander there seems to be like a complete fool. It would have been a good plan to gather a capable defense region and watch the leftover power be defeated.¡± Ferrero nodded at Belik¡¯s words and said, ¡°He is still a young Count and has weak sword skills, but he is someone who can use his commanding abilities to the fullest.¡± ¡°Then we might need to be cautious about Sherwood.¡± The final goal of the expedition forces was Sherwood, the central city of the southern part of the Baroque Empire. It was a place of commerce and industry that developed as a key point for movement and where the headquarters of the Southern Army was established. The city was located on a region, which was in the middle of a flowing river, so attacking by regular means would be difficult. ¡°Surely, the same tactic will not work. If I could work by myself, I would blow up the bridge leading to the city and burn all the boats.¡± ¡°Even then, we need it standing until we reach there. In order to look for the retreating or defeated troops.¡± Belik could only laugh at those words. Both Shirley and Ferrero noticed that the man was cooking something up in his mind. ¡°Anyway, for the siege, we need to change tactics and think of a new operation. Tell the engineers to secure the materials for the bridge and any temporary transport. If needed, tell them that Gigants or trailers can be used.¡± ¡°Understood, Arch Duke.¡± Once Philip had been given orders, he stepped back to make the preparations, and Belik asked the scattered troops to attack the South. If the opponent was going to concentrate their entire power in one region, then this side would play along with them. Chapter 515 - Star of Battlefield 2 The river city, Sherwood. Gigants and troops were constantly entering the city using the two bridges and the boats of the city. They were all the defeated troops that were retreating to the south. ¡°Move it! Enter the city quickly!¡± ¡°Once the rebels are here, we¡¯ll break the bridge! Hurry up, everyone!¡± ¡°Yah! The Gigants aren¡¯t supposed to enter at once! Take turns! One after the other!¡± From the observation deck that was overlooking the entire city, a fragile young nobleman was anxious after seeing the situation. He was Count Darland, the commander of the Southern Army. Darland frowned after seeing the lords who were trying to step into the city gates. ¡°They are stupid people. In such battles, Gigants are of very little use.¡± Maybe it was a typical place, but Sherwood was located on an island that was covered by a river. And as the width and depth of the river was quite deep around the city, steering the Gigant was a difficult task. And there was a possibility for a ship or a boat to sink the moment they were attacked. In addition, the winters of the south weren¡¯t so harsh, so there was no possibility of thick ice forming on the river. In other words, it was purely unlikely for Gigant battles to take place in this battle. It would have been a lot more helpful if they were bringing in fortress canon instead of Gigants. However, the conservative nobles who always stuck to the old fashioned chivalry didn¡¯t value the use of canons in the battles. ¡®However, when it comes to the cost, Gigants are much more valuable than canons.¡¯ That was indeed true, and there were nobles who were bringing in their wagons of riches and trailers. It was annoying for Darland. A situation in which a handful of gunpowder would have been more useful than any silver or gold. ¡°Commander, we have completed reinforcing the southern wall.¡± At the response of his lieutenant, Darland nodded and asked, ¡°Good work. Do we have enough of that Vigorous burning fire?¡± ¡°Yes, all available bottles and jars were filled. How are we supposed to deal with the defeated men?¡± When asked by his lieutenant, Darland seemed worried. Unlike the other men that abandoned their forts, there were too many unarmed soldiers that were defeated because of the enemy¡¯s quick attacks. The problem was that there weren¡¯t enough weapons or food that the region of Sherwood could provide to them. The reason was that Emperor Rudolf devoted himself to attacking the Libiya Kingdom and provided the South with minimal supplies. ¡°If we keep feeding the desperate ones, we won¡¯t last until the reinforcements from the capital arrive,¡± said the lieutenant. ¡°Then should we starve them?¡± ¡°Would they rather be kicked out of here?¡± At the words of his lieutenant, Darland jumped up. ¡°Kick them out? Are you saying that while not understanding what that would lead to?¡± It wasn¡¯t uncommon on the battlefield for the defeated soldiers or abandoned ones to turn into robbers and raid the nearby villages or noble households. And if such things happened, the public sentiment could take a hit for worse. And once bad sentiments find a home in public, everyone knew what would happen next. ¡®Those Symphonia men, they are doing this intentionally.¡¯ Well, it wasn¡¯t their plan for such things to happen. They surely must have had other thoughts too. With such thoughts, Count Darland gave orders to his lieutenant. ¡°First, ask the defeated soldiers to remove their weapons and give them some work. And keep a closer look at them. There is a possibility for the enemy¡¯s men to have infiltrated the defeated ones.¡± The most dangerous thing in battle wasn¡¯t the enemy bombarding them with arrows. What was dangerous was for fights to broke out inside the castle because of the enemy. ¡°Understood. We will do a thorough identity check to make sure that no spies had entered the castle.¡± Once the lieutenant went out of the room, Darland went to the communication room. It was so that he could urge the capital to send a few supplies along with reinforcement troops to the north of his province. ¡°Can¡¯t we speed things up anymore?¡± Marquis Vanden, who received 20,000 knights as reinforcements, was heading to the South in a hurry. However, unlike his restless mind, the speed of his march was slow. It was because the morale of the Central Army was greatly affected because of the recent turn of events in the capital, and the trailers that were holding the Gigants would often get stuck. ¡°Most of the trailers are new, but they seem to be of poor quality. It seems like there was some kind of defect in the process of producing them in urgency.¡± ¡°Hugh, even though it is new, it is no good.¡± ¡°The most concerning aspect isn¡¯t the trailers but the regular soldiers. We are constantly trying to encourage them to march, but even with such words¡­¡± Maybe the number of desertions could increase, or in a worst-case scenario, there could be internal riots. ¡®Dammit! Because of that stupid emperor, everything seems to be out of line!¡¯ The horrible trailer conditions and the low morale of the soldiers, all of this happened because of Rudolf. If only things were done more smoothly, such a crisis wouldn¡¯t have happened. Vanden, who was cursing Emperor Rudolf in his mind, talked to the communication wizard who was standing next to the lieutenant, ¡°Has Sherwood contacted us?¡± ¡°An hour ago, the commander of Central Army, Count Darland, contacted us to urge us about the advancing speed.¡± ¡°Is that so? Was there no word about the enemy?¡± ¡°The enemy still doesn¡¯t seem to have reached them. Just some small scout troops appeared near the city and tried to keep them on alert.¡± ¡°If that is all, then it is a good thing.¡± With the reports he got from there, the advancing speed of the enemy was unimaginable. Maybe the cavalry was their main force, or maybe they had some other means, which they haven¡¯t revealed yet. And Count Darland, the commander of the Southern Army, said that he would concentrate all his remaining power on Sherwood City and try to expand his land. It would be fortunate if they weren¡¯t defeated before that happened, or their communications weren¡¯t being intercepted. If they arrived late and Sherwood was occupied, Vanden¡¯s chance to gain merit would be gone, and the emperor would surely punish him. ¡°Tch, speak to the soldiers and the wizards so that they can speed up the march.¡± Marquis Vanden, who had let out a deep sigh, spoke to the others. Maybe the battle wasn¡¯t going to be as easy as he had initially expected. Chapter 516 - Star of Battlefield 3 Three days later, the army of Symphonia Kingdom arrived in front of Sherwood city. It took them three days to reach the city because they had packed a lot of logs to build their own bridge and other transports for the siege. It wasn¡¯t just that, they had to manage to leave someone in charge of the defeated forts or the abandoned ones, and also to a riverside fort for their stay. And then there was the aspect of trailers which were holding heavy Gigants. ¡°Please give the orders! We can fire at them right away!¡± ¡°I guess everyone is motivated. But we will have to hold back.¡± Belik, tapped the shoulder of the artillery commander and stared at Sherwood which was surrounded by water. Approaching him, Philip reported. ¡°We have been contacted by the spies who mixed with the Sherwood soldiers.¡± ¡°Good, what did they say about the internal situation?¡± When asked by Belik, Philip responded with a troubled expression. ¡°It was said that the preparations of the siege are meticulous. The southern army might be supported by the northern army, and the identifications are being held thoroughly.¡± As numerous spies who were caught were either arrested or executed, the remaining spies were all hiding in the undergrounds and had a tough time contacting their men. And because of that, it was turning impossible to start an internal riot or disturb the peace. ¡°That is unfortunate. We have no other hand to attack the Sherwood.¡± ¡°Just as Count Ferrero said, Commander Darland seems to be a capable one.¡± ¡°Yeah, it looks like it, he is called as the Star of Battlefield, I guess it was a name given for a reason.¡± ¡°But we still have a lot of force left?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Belik looked at the black trailer which was behind them. The trailer was loaded with cargo wrapped tightly in oiled cloth. The cargo was specifically given by Luke, telling him that it would help in taking down Sherwood. And Belik too thought that it would play a decisive role in the battle. ¡°When are the reinforcements of the Baroque Empire arriving?¡± ¡°According to the intelligence, the morale of the army is extremely low and the trailers are constantly breaking down, so maybe a week or so¡­¡± ¡°A week, huh¡­ and we will have to take down Sherwood before that.¡± If any normal person would have heard Belik¡¯s words, they would have declared him insane. The city of Sherwood was located on an island that was in the middle of the river, and it had numerous slopes and walls around it, which was very difficult for a siege to happen. However, it wasn¡¯t just Belik, but Philip too thought that they were capable enough to go for an attack in a week. There were still many cards they haven¡¯t used yet. ¡°A full-scale siege will begin tomorrow. Let the soldiers have some rest today. However, don¡¯t neglect in securing the borders, the enemy can strike at any time.¡± ¡°Understood, Arch Duke.¡± Once orders were given, Philip left Belik alone. Belik, who was still looking at Sherwood, had a smile on his face. Pung! Pupung! Bang! Kwang! The next day, Symphonia Kingdom started their attack along with the sunrise. With the artillery at front, they relentlessly shot shells towards the walls and the gates. During that time, the engineers were trying to reach the rebuilt broken bridges with materials such as tools and logs. ¡°Hurry! Don¡¯t waste the cover which the artillery is providing us!¡± ¡°The victory or defeat of this battle depends on us!¡± The Southern Army of Baroque wasn¡¯t watching all this mess happen silently either. They were using the cannons mounted on the walls, they fired shells at the artillery unit of Symphonia and their engineers. The Gigants¡¯ riders helped in bouncing off the shells with their huge shields and also in loading the cannons. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it look like we are assistant to artillery?¡± As the rider was grumbling for not liking what he was ordered to do, a colleague came and spoke to him to soothe it. ¡°Don¡¯t go around being impatient. Once the bridge gets repaired, it is all ours.¡± ¡°Well, that is if the bridge can be repaired¡­¡± The Southern Army shelling was more focused on the engineers than the artillery. The engineers too were provided with Gigants to assist and help them out, but the space on the bridge was too small and the huge numbers could be placed on the bridge because of the Gigant¡¯s weight. ¡°Yeah, that¡­!¡± When the shells were smashing the bridge, the riders could only click their tongues. ¡°This can¡¯t be done. If we don¡¯t spread out attack methods on the enemy¡­!¡± ¡°I guess that has to be done.¡± Arch Duke Belik ordered for a series of infantry units to be rafted into the river. The Southern army which witnessed the move turned towards them. ¡°Sir! The enemy infantry unit is trying to enter.¡± ¡°Disperse the shelling and stop them! If there aren¡¯t enough cannons, then go for the catapult! If they don¡¯t exist, use the Gigants to throw heavy rocks on them!¡± At the command of Count Darland, some of the cannons on the walls were moved to fire at the rafted fleet, and the catapults which were considered to be old fashioned were being pulled out of the warehouses. Bang! Bang! Splashes of water soared high because of the shelling, but the troops of Symphonia didn¡¯t stop rowing their boats. Rather, they attempted a counterattack with the large crossbow which was mounted on their rafts or used a smoke screen. ¡°Cheer up! It won¡¯t be long¡­¡± ¡°Uak!¡± The rafts which were approaching the island were smashed by shellings or rocks fired from the catapults. It wasn¡¯t just that, the soldiers were crumbled with the rocks which the Gigant¡¯s were throwing from the walls. ¡°They are going to die.¡± ¡°This can¡¯t go on. Pull them out. And the engineer squad too.¡± A loud trumpet was sounded as a sign of retreat orders from Belik, the Baroque army on the walls were cheering for their victory on the first day. ¡°Woah! We won!¡± ¡°Cheers for the Baroque Empire!¡± But, no matter how cheerful the men were, Count Darland¡¯s face didn¡¯t change. It was because he was thinking about the enemy, the damage from the enemy artillery was much more than he expected. The enemy¡¯s shells were always on spot, which meant that their shelling was accurate. ¡®I always thought that shelling of such level would be only in the Volga Republic or in the Grenada Kingdom¡­¡¯ But whatever it was, it proved that things were only going to get tougher. Count Darland, who had no time to think about the pessimistic thoughts, immediately gave orders for his lieutenant. ¡°The enemy¡¯s scout might go upstream or downstream. Release our scout troops and monitor the riverside constantly.¡± ¡°Understood, sir.¡± Commander Darland ordered the artillery commander on the wall to prepare for a second attack. In particular, their defense was asked to be increased. However, the Symphonia Kingdom didn¡¯t attack anymore. And the first day¡¯s engagement in war ended with the victory on the Baroque side. Chapter 517 - Star of Battlefield 4 On the second day, like the previous day, Symphonia Kingdom launched the attacks right in the morning. The operation of attempting to recover the bridge under the cover of the artillery units and forcing the infantry unit to move was unchanged. If there was any other addition to it, the army had begun to build a bridge that wouldn¡¯t be hit by the shells. Upon receiving the report, count Darland, sent his Gigant and cavalry troops to check the strength of the Symphonia Kingdom. When the Southern army camped across the river where the Symphonia was attempting to build a bridge, the army of Symphonia withdrew right away. It was because if they proceeded with the operation, the damage they would have taken was too much to ignore. ¡°Today too, we had no progress.¡± At the words of Philip who was disappointed, Belik shrugged. ¡°Siege isn¡¯t an easy task. Even more, if it is a city in the middle of the water.¡± Even in the past, there were a few cities in the middle of rivers. Even if such places fell, it was only because of an internal spy opening up the door, or with the food supplies being exhausted due to prolonged siege. And Belik was very well aware of that fact and didn¡¯t execute forceful operations. It was because he thought that it wasn¡¯t necessary to increase the damage his men took. And there was another reason. He was given a reliable card from Luke. That evening, Belik had gathered all the commanders of each unit and help an operational meeting, she asked Shirley who was scouting up and down the river. ¡°Are there any places we can use?¡± ¡°Nope, the enemy¡¯s units have already started to guard the crossings. And there Gigants troops which came out of the riverside for their sides.¡± ¡°They seem pretty good.¡± Darland was referred to as the Star of Battlefield. Even if he was so thoroughly prepared for a siege, Count Darland deserved to be called as the Master. And he was surely someone worthy enough to be complimented, Philip spoke to Belik who couldn¡¯t think of another way to attack. ¡°I really feel that we should use ¡®that¡¯, sir?¡± ¡°That?¡± ¡°Yes, the thing which His Majesty gave us.¡± After thinking about what Philip said, Belik shook his head. ¡°That is going to be our last card. If we use it in a hurry and end up failing, then we won¡¯t be able to think of any other method.¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t delay this situation. According to the information we got, the enemy reinforcements are speeding up their march. In addition, it was said that the Emperor¡¯s exclusive knights and Gigants were being sent.¡± At Philip¡¯s words, Belik¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°What? The Emperor¡¯s Knight¡¯s are being sent?¡± ¡°Yes, around 10 of them, who were known to have reached the full state of Sword Master.¡± The story of Rudolf¡¯s knights were already known. It was because Count Ferrero and Shirley had given them the information. And it was the first time for them to listen that such men were being sent as reinforcements, that too, to battle in the front line. ¡°This is bad. If they joined¡­¡± If the battle was on the plains, Belik wouldn¡¯t have blinked. He was a confident man when it came to Gigant Battles, and he was someone referred to as the Gigant Master. However, they were in a siege and had to attack an island city. If they were getting hit with the enemy both on the front and back, it would be the worst situation for them. ¡°Can¡¯t help it. We use ¡®that¡¯. Before those troops come in, Sherwood needs to be captured.¡± ¡°Then we need to start with the operation.¡± ¡°Surely. It is our last resort and we shouldn¡¯t fail.¡± Belik spoke seriously and everyone nodded. They began to select the troops and the knights who would participate in the operation, they brought in the information about the geography of Sherwood city and the facilities it held from Count Ferrero. ¡°The operation starts at 2 am tomorrow. Let¡¯s finish it all before sunrise.¡± ¡°Understood, Arch Duke!¡± The military commanders quickly returned back to their units. And Belik went out of the military camp and looked at ¡®that¡¯ which was being unwrapped by the soldiers. To take the Sherwood, it was the last resort they had. At the same time, from across the river in the observatory, Count Darland, who came back after looking at the Symphonia Kingdom¡¯s camp, held for an operation meeting. ¡°The enemy is likely to be on move.¡± ¡°Did the spies in the enemy side report?¡± When one of the men asked, Darland, shook his head. ¡°No, it is something obvious and doesn¡¯t need to be reported by the spies.¡± The siege had ended a lot earlier than they had expected, and there was smoke which rose in the enemy camp that day and the day before. It was obvious that the camp was feeding their men to the fullest, in preparation for something. ¡°Surely they would attempt to do something in the dark. We need to be prepared thoroughly.¡± ¡°Then, we should send wardens, Sire!¡± A rough-looking middle-aged knight stood up being scared with Darland¡¯s words. It was Bodley, the one in charge of the Gigant troops of the Southern Army. ¡°Nice, when the enemy moves in through the river, attack them¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that, please use the boats. We will smash them before they even knew what happened.¡± Bodley was an assault captain. Because such a character was stuck behind the walls, his body was compelled to go for an all-out fight. So he proposed a counterattack, but Darland stopped him. ¡°Sir. You shouldn¡¯t be wasting power recklessly in such operations.¡± ¡°Reckless! So you want us to get beaten up without a fight!?¡± Bodley almost threw a fit. Someone who was younger than him was appointed as a commander, and the man wanted to respond passively, thus, his annoyance couldn¡¯t be hidden any longer. ¡®Huh?! Why would one call such a coward who can¡¯t even wield his sword in a battle as the Star of Battlefield!¡¯ Bodley wasn¡¯t well aware of it, but Darland had achieved his merit after the conflict with the Volga Republic and the Holy Empire in the past. However, it was relatively unaccepted that such merit was gathered from his defensive plan rather than an aggressive move. ¡°The Gigant unit will be the last card we use to block the enemy if the gates get breached. We aren¡¯t sure when the reinforcements will come, but we can¡¯t spoil things when the situation is still in our hands.¡± ¡®Tch, so you just want to leave them alone. I am hungry to take them down, what is with him?¡¯ Bodley was annoyed, but he couldn¡¯t speak his words. It was a critical situation, and the commander in front of him was a coward. Yet, if he protested any longer, he would be punished immediately. ¡°Understood, sire. As you said, the Gigants will only be used for the ambush.¡± ¡°Good to know. But we never know what might happen, so leave half of the troops in the castle.¡± The added remarks from the commander made Bodley more irritated. However, he didn¡¯t protest. He was sure that the troops along with Marquis Vanden, would accuse the commander for his passive response and his constant holding back of the Gigant troops. Chapter 518 - Star of Battlefield 5 It was already dawn where darkness was only getting darker. Symphonia Kingdom¡¯s men, who went to bed early, were moving busily. They ate the pre-prepared meals of the camp from last evening and were ready to launch an attack on Sherwood City. When the infantry troops that were on the vanguard were rafting quietly, a torch suddenly shone brightly on the walls. ¡°Shoot them!¡± Pung! Pung! Shells soared from the sky and flashed in the darkness. The flashes that caught the eyes of the infantry units of Symphonia changed the dark night into a bright one. ¡°Damn it, we have been caught!¡± ¡°Do not panic. Hurry and provide cover for our allies!¡± The Symphonia artillery unit, which was silently waiting for the opponent, began to fire at once. During the night, flashes of light and fire shone relentlessly. Screams continued to sound on the water where the shells were falling. A full-scale night siege began. During the fierce battle, a series of rafts floated upstream of the river. However, the Southern Army¡¯s gaze, which was extremely concentrated on the shelling of Symphonia, failed to notice the rafts that were approaching them. As the city of Sherwood was huge, there were large sewers through which various kinds of dirt and rainwater moved. The sewage, which was connected to the riverside on the east and south had double iron encased bars to prevent the enemy from invading. Guards were placed near the opening, but seeing how huge the enemy forces were, they didn¡¯t consider the sewage as an option the enemy would use. Inside the guard post of the east sewage entrance. When his colleague began to doze off, another guard woke him up with irritation. ¡°Look here, stay alert! If you doze off here, the knight might just come to slash your neck.¡± ¡°Uhm, sorry. I was out repairing the walls in the day, so I¡¯m tired¡­¡± ¡°Even so, you should do this properly. How could you even sleep with all that noise outside?¡± ¡°Well, the shells aren¡¯t falling anywhere near us. I am really sorry for all our friends who are dying at the wall, but shouldn¡¯t a man get some rest?¡± ¡°If you are really sorry for them, then just stay alert. What if a special unit of the enemy comes here?¡± It had happened numerous times in the past, secretly infiltrating another land with the help of the sewage tunnels. That was why everyone was concerned with it. However, his fellow soldiers just shook his head with no worry. ¡°Hey, this is made of double layers of Gigantium allow, and it is thicker than regular sewer gates.¡± In addition, defense magic was enchanted on it, so it wasn¡¯t just regular soldiers, but even if knights came, they wouldn¡¯t be able to succeed. ¡°But what if a Gigant comes in and breaks it?¡± ¡°How come I have to be with such a stupid friend. How can such a heavy Gigant even cross that flowing river? And what if it does cross it? Even though this sewer is large, it isn¡¯t large enough for a Gigant to fit in. And if they try to force it to enter, it wouldn¡¯t able to move further in or move out.¡± It was for that very reason that only a handful of guards were placed in the guard post. And for that very reason, the knights, who should have been near the guard post ordering the guards were in the city getting rest instead of staying in such a stinky place. ¡°Then, I feel relieved¡­ Huh, what is that?¡± ¡°What is what?¡± While the two soldiers were having a good conversation, one of them noticed a raft floating at the entrance of the sewer. The raft, which was entangled with weeds and other plants, soon released two arrows. ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Ack!¡± As the two soldiers collapsed on the floor, Scarlet and the special unit led by her emerged from the raft. After carefully looking around and seizing the guard post, they signaled others by turning on the magic lamp to show the other side of the river. And a large boat standing still in the middle of the flowing river approached their way. Woong! GIgants began to come up with reeds and myelin sheaths. They were much smaller than regular Gigants, and the Gigant was wearing a large leather tube filled with air in it, which was placed around its limbs, and the wooden gloves of the Gigant were placed with floating magic circles. ¡°Thank god it didn¡¯t sink.¡± ¡°I guess no one died being frozen in that river.¡± Hobart, who was riding in the Gigant, spoke up and handed a brandy to Scarlet and the other men of the special unit. The Gigants, which were being led by Hobart, were all the captured Gigants from the Grenada Army in the last war. Originally, they were developed and taken in for the purpose of water and boat combat in mind, so the Crab was rather light when compared to regular Gigants. However, it was so light that even if the main parts were combined like the core engine or the alloy in it, it would only amount to a few tons. Yet, it wasn¡¯t an object that could float. But, once the war ended, the wizards of Katarina Magic Tower studied the Crab and researched it, and Luke managed to find out that if it could be equipped with auxiliary equipment in the Gigant, it could float on rivers. However, it was their first time to put it into practice, and if such information was known, the continent would turn into a mess. War tactics and strategies would all change. ¡°There was no one who drowned in there, right?¡± When Hobart asked, his men answered, ¡°There was none. However, water leaked into the cockpit of Gigant 5 and 8.¡± ¡°Yeah? Maybe I have to give the iron mage an earful.¡± Hobart instructed his men to stand on the ground and then maneuver their own Gigants to see if they were working fine. There was leakage in a few Gigants. However, it wasn¡¯t enough to interfere with their mission. ¡°Good luck men.¡± ¡°Wish for a good fight.¡± Hobart and the riders of Crab began to enter the sewer path and crawl behind Scarlet and other members of the special unit. A regular Gigant of 10 meters would have been easy to notice. However, a Crab was a Gigant of less than 7 meters long and easy to move. After some time, the Gigantium alloy that Count Ferrero had informed them was in front of them. Hobart, who was in the lead of the Crab Gigant, began to wield his aura induced Gigant sword at the bars. Crack! Cling! Crack! Clink! ¡°Nice, go on slowly!¡± Hobart succeeded in cutting through the bars and led his men inside. After some time, a manhole appeared that lead to the city. The entrance of the manhole was so narrow that the Crab couldn¡¯t move, yet it wasn¡¯t a huge deal for them. All they had to do was burst through it with their swords. Bang! Hobart smashed the entrance and climbed to the ground. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh, seeing the city of Sherwood. ¡°Kay then, now is the time for us to move!¡± Chapter 519 - Sherwood’s Fall 1 ¡°Commander, despite the counterattacks, the enemy is still trying to proceed!¡± After hearing the lieutenant¡¯s report, Count Darland nodded his head as if he guessed it. Just as he had expected, the enemy was on a massive scale siege tonight. ¡°What about the situation?¡± ¡°Although a few of the enemy Gigant¡¯s went close to the walls of the southern side, the ambush Gigants stepped in and took care of them.¡± ¡°And the shelling? Did we take in much damage?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t suffered much damage yet. It was all thanks to your advice to increase the defense of the turret.¡± As a satisfactory report was given, Darland¡¯s mouth formed a smile. ¡®Huuhu, it is going well. Those Symphonia men, I¡¯ll turn them into ghosts.¡¯ While Darland was down thinking like that, flames roared inside the walls and screams came along with the sound of things being smashed and destroyed. He was shocked to see the view outside the window when he saw the commotion. ¡°What is with all that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Maybe the enemy shells fell in¡­¡± At the response of his ignorant lieutenant, Darland raised his voice after hitting his desk with clenched fists. ¡°Don¡¯t give me unsure answers. Check what is going on and give me a clear answer!¡± ¡°Yes, Sire!¡± His lieutenant, who got scolded, hastily sent a messenger to bring him the cause of the situation outside. As they wait, the city was getting messier as time went on. Count Darland, who was still looking at the situation through his window, was turning anxious. ¡®This isn¡¯t good. Something must have happened!¡¯ He was hoping that the uneasy gut feeling of his would turn false. By the time things were happening in the city, Viscount Bodley, the captain of the Gigant units, was supposed to fight along with his men and other riders. He only sent out his men and didn¡¯t go to the riverside himself. He didn¡¯t want to have a small fight with the enemy infantry, and he didn¡¯t want to follow the command of his commander. ¡°Now now, drink! Drink!¡± ¡°Captain, is this really okay?¡± When one of his members asked with a worried expression, Bodley frowned. ¡°Is this okay? Do you see any problem here?¡± ¡°It was clearly the commander¡¯s orders to organize a great deal of men to ambush the enemy. However, if it gets known that you drank during a mission¡­¡± ¡°So what? I am only drinking to celebrate our victory in advance!¡± ¡°Captain!¡± Clink! At the response of his men, Bodley smashed the glass that was in his hand and shouted as loud as he could. ¡°So what, I ask?! Get lost, even if it¡¯s not us, the competent commander will defend the place and produce wonderful results with just his artillery units! In the end, we are just a burden! Ugh!¡± Bodley, who was already drunk, let out his pent up feelings and frustrations. Several members of the group, including the senior riders, nodded as if they agreed with the man. It wasn¡¯t comprehensible for them, a Gigant unit, which was considered as the flowers of a battle were being treated so lowly, even if the man was the commander himself. ¡°Damn it, we are the last card to use if the gates are breached? In this situation, do you really think that the gates would be breached? Does the enemy even have a chance to enter the manor?!¡± Thud! Bang! Right when Bodley was complaining. The entire ground shook with heavy sounds. The captain and the members of the squad were shocked. ¡°Captain, is this¡­?¡± ¡°Huh, what is this? It is just a shell that missed its target and fell into the walls.¡± ¡°But doesn¡¯t the power seem a bit unusual?¡± Despite his men¡¯s words, Bodley continued to drink. However, just then, a messenger rushed inside the barroom and reported, ¡°We have trouble! The enemy Gigants have entered the city!¡± ¡°W-what?!¡± Bodley was so shocked at the information that he fell back along with his chair. He could barely move his drunk body. Grabbing the messenger, he asked, ¡°What and how did this happen? How did the enemy even find a way to infiltrate the city with their Gigants?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. Anyway, this isn¡¯t the time for that. They are igniting fires and burning down the food in the warehouses, the gunpowder bins, and are smashing all the military buildings.¡± The previous explosion was the sound that came due to the gunpowder house being blasted. Bodley, who was now sober upon hearing the unexpected news, turned to the messenger. ¡°Does the commander know about this?¡± ¡°I am not sure. He must have already received the report. He might lead the support forces and block them, so hurry up and take down the enemy Gigants.¡± ¡®Holy sh*t! What kind of situation is this?!¡¯ The enemy Gigant appeared in a place that no one thought could get into! The voice of his men was filling the ears of Bodley, who couldn¡¯t get his head around the absurd situation. ¡°Captain, your orders please¡­!¡± ¡°The normal knights and soldiers will never be able to stop those raging Gigants!¡± There was a law in a war. A Gigant should be used to stop a Gigant. That was why the Gigant riders were rated to be above the knights, and their pride in the matter of using the Gigants was exceptional. ¡°D-dispatch the men! Go all out and destroy those rebels!¡± Upon hearing Bodley¡¯s orders, the riders immediately ran to their Gigants. Staggering with his hazy drunk body, Bodley rose and entered his Knight class Gigant. ¡®Damn it, how did this even happen?!¡¯ The concern his commander had, turned into a reality. Bodley¡¯s crumpled face wasn¡¯t easily relieved as he knew that the situation was only going to get more horrible. Chapter 520 - Sherwood’s Fall 2 The squad of Crab Gigants which was being led by Hobart divided into three and were sweeping the downtown of Sherwood. Information about the structure of the city and the major warehouses were all received beforehand from Count Ferrero, which made it easy for them to get around. ¡°Here they are! The enemy Gigant!¡± ¡°Go ahead and¡­ kuek!¡± The knights on the horse blocked the Crab Gigants, however, their defense didn¡¯t seem to be so strong. No matter how small the Crab was along with its low output and weak armor, it was still a Gigant. It wasn¡¯t something that couldn¡¯t be prevented by swordsmen or infantry of knights. Surely, there were wonderful exceptions. Expert top level knights or War Mages above the 6th magic circle could hit back the Gigant to some extent. Unfortunately, Sherwood didn¡¯t have such strong men. ¡°Commander! The enemy Gigant appeared and fired the eastern supply warehouse!¡± ¡°Tch! The east side is blazing a lot.¡± Darland, who led his 1,000 reserve troops into the city could only bite his lip at the news. He was still not able to understand how the enemy Gigants had found a way into the city and caused riots, however, all he could do was run and try to stop the enemy from creating further havoc. It was because, once all the food and gunpowder of the city were lost, they wouldn¡¯t be able to stand still. ¡°You men head over to the east warehouse and put out that fire. The rest, follow me.¡± Darland led the knights and soldiers to head towards the supply warehouse which wasn¡¯t attacked yet. Shortly after his arrival there, three Crabs led by Hobart had appeared. Whether they reached the warehouse from elsewhere or fought there itself, their gloves were filled with blood and soot. ¡®Where did I see such a small Gigant? Is it maybe¡­?¡¯ Information was passing through Darland¡¯s mind, who wanted to find the answer to the enemy Gigant. The large sewer which led to the outside of the city. If it was a regular Gigant, it couldn¡¯t have been the case, but if a Gigant was so small then that tunnel could be used. ¡°Sire, it¡¯s dangerous!¡± Darland¡¯s eyes shot open at the urgent cry. The enemy Gigants were rushing at them with a frightening rate. Thud! Thud! Thud! ¡°Kyaaak!¡± ¡°Ack!¡± As the Gigants rushed and wielded their swords, the knights and soldiers who were standing in a defensive stance fell down with blood all over. If his lieutenant hasn¡¯t thrown himself to defend Darland, he too would have met the same end. ¡°Sire, you need to get away.¡± ¡°Kuek, those men!¡± Darland ran to see the Gigants breaking the door of the supply warehouse. ¡°What are our Gigant units doing?!¡± Those squad members who had gone outside the walls will take time to return back to the city. However, half of the Gigant squad was asked to stay back in the city in case of such an emergency. However, they couldn¡¯t see a sign of their Gigants! Bang! Crack! At last, the Crabs who succeeded in breaking the door entered the supply warehouse, set fire to it, and fled. ¡°No-No it can¡¯t be! Put off the fire!¡± ¡°Sire! It¡¯s dangerous! We will do it! Sire come back here!¡± The lieutenant, who managed to pull back Darland who was running at the blazing warehouse to extinguish the fire, stepped at the front of the warehouse along with the wounded knights and soldiers to do something. However, they judged that it was already late. Boom! Boom! The fire rose higher with the explosive sounds and the ground shaking. The gunpowder and shells stored in the warehouse exploded. ¡°The fi-fire is spreading everywhere¡­¡± ¡°Hurry up and move! Move!¡± The heat waves from the supply warehouse spread to the military weapons warehouse. Count Darland, who lost everything right in front of his eyes, couldn¡¯t help but look devastated. Chapter 521 - Sherwood’s Fall 3 During that time, Bodley¡¯s Gigant troops, who were dispatched late, they were running through the city roads to catch the Crabs. However, it wasn¡¯t easy to get rid of the Crab Gigants. Hobart and the Crab riders were well aware of the performance and the combat power of their Gigant, so they tried their very best to avoid the fight with the enemy Gigant. Because of their very high-speed maneuvering ability and the small size, the Crabs ran back and forth and hid, which made Bodley and his men run around not being able to find them. Their annoyance reached a height when their Commander Darland quickly shot back at them. ¡°Great! You couldn¡¯t even come out right away! You disgusting cowards!¡± Hobart, who was hiding behind a three storey building laughed at Bodley. ¡°Kuekku, I guess he got his medicine served well.¡± Was he feeling like that because he was treated the same way by the Grenada Kingdom? However, he was feeling a bit sorry for them. ¡°Here! He is hiding in here!¡± A knight, who was on his horse scouting the region for Crabs, screamed when he found Hobart. ¡°Sh*t, got caught?¡± ¡°This man! Stop there!¡± Thud Thud! When Hobart was about to run away, Bodley and his few other Gigants pursued the man. They made a vow to themselves that they would catch that rat-like Gigant and crush it into pieces, and the rider in it too. However, when Hobart entered into a narrow alley, they could no longer go after him. It was impossible for such huge Gigants to enter the narrow space. ¡°Kuaa! That loach bastard!¡± ¡°First we will have to block the street. I will go and block the other side¡­ Ah! Captain!¡± Bodley didn¡¯t care about his men¡¯s words and pushed his Gigant down the alley. As he was riding a Knight class Gigant, its head was larger than the regular Gigants, the houses on both sides of the alley were broken as the aftermath of his reckless move. Bang! Tear! Grrr! ¡°Euh! Why is a Gigant going in this place?!¡± ¡°Ou-Our house is collapsing! I haven¡¯t even paid the installment yet¡­!¡± People jumped out in shock and screamed at what they were forced to see. Hobart was running away without even sparing a glance at Bodley and the destruction he was causing. ¡°Did I do too much?¡± ¡°You there, stop! If you are a knight, stand there and have a fair fight!¡± ¡°How would this even amount to a fair fight? These Gigants have such different output rates.¡± The Knight class Gigant had around 2,000 fights when compared to the Crab which had only around 500-600 fights. In other words, going for a fair fight was a ridiculous task. Hobart continued to run away ignoring Bodley who was still pursuing him. Bodley was reckless and ended up missing the balance because of the drinks he had before the battle. Thud! ¡°Acuk!¡± As Bodley¡¯s Gigant fell, it smashed into a three storey building, and people inside the building were the only ones who suffered. ¡°Kuak, all this sh*t¡­¡± Bodley immediately got up with his Gigant and followed the path where Hobart¡¯s Crab had run. Within some time, he was able to see Hobart standing and no longer running away. In addition to him, when looked closely, all his other Crab Gigant were on the streets. ¡°Kuak. Those rats are going into the holes!¡± However, Bodley and his men were completely in the dark. The fact that a hole was drilled through for the Crabs to move. The Crabs returned back to their original point of invasion, one after the other went into the sewer. ¡°They! They are running away!¡± Bodley, who was startled and wanted to catch at least one, ran ahead. However, the rate at which the Crab Gigants were retreating was much faster. Once his men entered, Hobart was ready to enter the sewer hole and just before disappearing he showed up his middle finger, Bodley ran down the road and wielded his huge sword. Bang! Bang! Bang! He kept hitting the sewer¡¯s entrance again and again, however, he couldn¡¯t break it huge enough to enter. ¡°Kuak, those men!¡± Once Bodley thought that the hole he made was large enough for him to enter, he pushed his Gigant into the cramped place. ¡°Captain, please be patient!¡± ¡°If you enter it with your Knight class, you¡¯ll get stuck right away!¡± That was when Bodley ordered his men to bring oil. It was his thought to pour in the oil into the sewer and give them a taste of fire. However, implementing the thought wasn¡¯t as easy as it seemed. It was because all the oil in the city was already gone when the Crab¡¯s were busy burning down the warehouses. ¡°Captain, if we head to the river where this sewer meets, we might be able to catch them!¡± At the words of his men, Bodley led his unit and ran towards the east entrance. However, by the time he reached the entrance, he saw the Crabs walking across the river with tubes around them. ¡°Kuak, he should have chased after them much faster! As he was too involved in getting oil and fire into the sewer, he couldn¡¯t come up with the thought of reaching the exit until his men gave him the idea. Because of his nervousness and ignorance, he wasn¡¯t able to come with a sound judgment. ¡°What are we supposed to do now, captain?¡± ¡°Kuek, bring the transport! Go across the river and chase them!¡± When his subordinate asked, Bodley gave an immediate answer. ¡°Sorry? But the night rivers are dangerous. And we are in the middle of battle, unless we are ordered by the commander himself¡­¡± ¡°Then are you telling me to let those men away like that? I will have to reprimand you for not being able to stop the enemy.¡± At the word of reprimand, the knights and riders jumped out. They were asked to fight before the enemy attacked them. If things went out about the order, the punishment would be inevitable. ¡°Bring the transport! And I am not acting about it without thinking. To just go after them without thought. They can¡¯t possibly think that in such situations we wouldn¡¯t cross the river for our job!¡± The riders were convinced when Bodley spoke confidently and asked for the fellow members of the ambush squad. And began to transport the Gigant with anchored ships. ¡°W-what is this?!¡± The officer in charge of the ships was startled at their request. Bodley coldly spoke to the man with his sword at the neck. ¡°Shut up! We are just borrowing the boat to chase after the enemy. If the commander asks anything, tell him we went to show them the taste of fire!¡± Bodley took over the ships without official orders by threatening the crew. And commander Count Darland wasn¡¯t aware of what was happening. It was because he was busy working on reducing the fires and securing the supplies that were left. After he was reported, he jumped up. ¡°Stop them right away!¡± However, Darland¡¯s orders were late. The ship carrying the Gigant troops already went to the middle of the rider. ¡°Arch Duke, the enemy fleet is approaching us.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It looks like they are following the crab squad.¡± As Bodley predicted, the Symphonia men had no idea that they would be pursued. They thought that Sherwood wouldn¡¯t act recklessly. But just because they didn¡¯t think, it didn¡¯t mean that they weren¡¯t prepared. It was because the enemy troops would deploy troops wherever possible. ¡°Should we give orders to the Gigant unit?¡± ¡°Firstly, tell the artillery to attack and stop them at the river.¡± With the orders from Belik, artillery units that were on standby smashed the shells at the enemy fleet. Bang! Pung! As the shells poured in and knocked on the ship, the sailors were shocked. The ships which were tried to move past them hit the other ones and began to change directions. The artillery of Symphonia continued to shell. ¡°Kuak, those men! Don¡¯t act like this and let¡¯s fight fairly!¡± Bodley, who was struggling on the deck when a shell fell right on the ship, sank with his Gigant. Because of his foolish actions, the Southern Army troops in Sherwood lost their last available card. Chapter 522 - Sherwood’s Fall 4 The morning that came after that night was rather white. A ship with a white flag on its pole was moving across the river from the Symphonia Kingdom. ¡°Should we sink it?¡± After the suffering from the previous night and the long endless night, Darland just shook his head at the question of his red-eyed lieutenant. ¡°No, we need to save what little gunpowder we have. I do understand what you are thinking, but I want to listen to what they have.¡± Shortly after, the soldiers brought in a middle-aged man onto the observatory deck of the ship. Count Darland, who saw the man¡¯s face, was shocked. ¡°C-Count Ferrero!¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you, Darland. The last time I saw you was on my way to the capital. It has been almost a year, right?¡± ¡°Yes, exactly a year and a month. But why in the world would you¡­? I heard that you were imprisoned for going against the emperor. Did you escape and fled to the Symphonia Kingdom?¡± ¡°Well, somehow, it all ended that way.¡± Ferrero sighed and spoke about his purpose for being there, ¡°Anymore fighting and resisting is meaningless. Just surrender.¡± ¡°Surrender?¡± Darland was shocked. The expressions of the knights around Darland were stiff too. However, Ferrero continued to speak without any hesitation. ¡°Last night, all the gunpowder warehouses and food supply houses were burned. And even the core power, Gigant troops which followed us recklessly to fight us either drowned in the river or were captured.¡± Somehow, the enemy troops managed to sneak into the city with their small Gigants and set fire to all the supply houses, and all the information was provided by Ferrero. It was natural for Ferrero to know all the important military secrets as he was a Commander of the very place and the Chief Commander of the Southern Army during the war. ¡°Even if you did flee to the enemy nations, how can you betray us as a knight?¡± At the yell from Darland, Ferrero¡¯s face distorted. ¡°Betrayal, yeah, betrayal¡­ Well, I¡¯m indeed a traitor. However, it was Emperor Rudolf who broke that relationship first.¡± ¡°H-His Majesty?¡± ¡°Yes, I asked him to stop the ruthless murder and slaughter of the innocent people of the capital. However, I was dragged into the dungeon and was tortured. He took my family as hostages and threatened me. How do you expect me to continue to be loyal to him?¡± At Ferrero¡¯s words, Darland understood the situation. ¡°Was that what happened?¡± ¡°Yeah, and there is something that you don¡¯t know. The plague that spread in the capital was also because of the emperor¡¯s greed. I objected to using it. However, he didn¡¯t even listen to my words.¡± Darland couldn¡¯t help but sigh at the terrible betrayal a loyal knight had to face. From what he knew, Ferrero wasn¡¯t a person who would make up words that weren¡¯t true. Rather, Emperor Rudolf was indeed ruthless. Darland knew that the emperor¡¯s greed and need for strength were strong. However, he never imagined that he would lose his sanity over it. ¡®His Majesty really did a huge mistake.¡¯ What had already happened couldn¡¯t be changed. It was a huge mistake from the emperor to accuse Count Ferrero, a strong pillar of the Baroque Empire, someone who was considered as a model for chivalry. If other nobles and knights knew about it, would there be anyone who would choose to be loyal to Rudolf? ¡°That is why you don¡¯t need to be loyal to him till the end.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t surrender just because my situation has turned difficult. Soon, the reinforcements will arrive. Don¡¯t you think that the Symphonia Kingdom should be careful?¡± At the words of Darland, Ferrero spoke with a compassionate look, ¡°Look here, how many hours do you think you¡¯d last if we attacked constantly?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°Would you be able to endure our attacks till the reinforcements reach you?¡± With the lack of gunpowder, it was impossible to use canons, which was a core power for the island cities. And with the Gigant mostly drowned, the Southern Army had no other option of stopping the Symphonia army. It was certain that they wouldn¡¯t last even for a few hours. ¡°Your stubbornness will only mount for more sacrifices of the soldiers, so surrender.¡± At the words of Count Ferrero, Darland¡¯s expression became distorted. If there was some other man, Darland could have yelled and stopped the man from speaking. However, Ferrero knew very well about the Southern Army. And there was no way things would go according to Darland¡¯s wish. ¡®Damn it! If only we had the Gigant power, we could have endured them¡­¡¯ With the Gigant alone, they could have managed to maintain the land till the reinforcements reached them. However, Bodley, the man whose head was full of muscles, ran to the river and destroyed everything! ¡°Please give me some time to think.¡± Darland, who realized that his situation was impossible to turn, eventually asked for time. ¡°You will need time to persuade the men. I can give you exactly an hour.¡± Said Ferrero from his ship, and returned back to the Symphonia army camp. After he left, there was some turmoil and noise, and in the end, the Southern Army raised their white flag and the Symphonia Kingdom¡¯s troops succeeded in invading Sherwood. Chapter 523 - Sherwood’s Fall 5 Marquis Vanden, who had descended at full speed along with the reinforcements, heard of the news about Sherwood City before getting there. The report was that the Southern Army had surrendered to the Symphonia Kingdom. ¡°W-what the hell? Count Darland put up the white flag?¡± ¡°That is true. I myself witnessed the white flag rising from the manor which at the north of the river. And the magic communication between our nation and Sherwood City has been lost.¡± Marquis Vanden had a long face at the report of the communication wizard. ¡°Kuak, if the Southern Army surrenders, there is no reason for me to go support them!¡± It was the worst result for Marquis Vanden. When he arrived at Sherwood City, he planned to sneak an attempt on the rear sided camps of the Symphonia army. And if things went well, he would be able to defeat the enemy by sandwiching them back and forth. And that would make the siege of Symphonia difficult to proceed. ¡°Those stupid men! Defending themselves is better than giving themselves to the other nations. How couldn¡¯t they even last for three days! The title of Star of the Battlefield is a waste! It is just a waste!¡± His real anger was for some other reason, but Marquis Vanden, who knew about nothing, threw his anger at Count Darland. ¡°Sire, would you like to head back like this?¡± When his lieutenant asked, Vanden realized that his men were full of enthusiasm, and if he wasn¡¯t careful, things could get bad only for him. Vanden shook his head after thoroughly thinking things through and said, ¡°No, we are going in like this.¡± ¡°Sire, but Sherwood has already fallen¡­¡± ¡°Huh, the lost city will be taken in once again! We will wait here for a while and then scout.¡± Would Emperor Rudolf ever accept if Vanden went back with the news of the Southern Army¡¯s surrender? Never. That was why Marquis Vanden decided that even if he wasn¡¯t going to get Sherwood City back, he would at least try to achieve something. For example, cut down the throat of the enemy commander. In any case, he decided to take a rest and then wait for his men to recharge. But right then, the lieutenant came back again. ¡°Sire, will our current number be alright?¡± ¡°What do you mean to say?¡± ¡°The enemies are more in number than our allies, and they have the Sherwood City in their hands, which is a great defense place. I feel that we should call the Emperor and ask for more troops to be sent.¡± At the words of his lieutenant, Vanden couldn¡¯t hold back his anger. ¡°There is no need. I have a plan in mind, so don¡¯t contact Your Majesty yet.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± His lieutenant, who tried to speak up, shut his mouth when Vanden¡¯s fearsome glance fell on him. ¡°Do you mean that you want to cause more trouble to His Majesty who is already troubled with those traitors at the Libiya Kingdom? And if we relay this news to him, have you thought how he would feel?¡± ¡°I-I just wanted¡­¡± Vanden¡¯s eyes became angry with his lieutenant¡¯s attempt to speak out again. ¡°You just need to follow me, so don¡¯t go around speaking out of turn!¡± ¡°I-I understand sir.¡± Vanden shut his lieutenant¡¯s mouth and visited the communication wizard. He wasn¡¯t compelled to earn more merit with the task, yet he wanted to complete the task that was handed to him. ¡°The expeditionary troops captured Sherwood City!¡± ¡°Ohh!¡± Luke and his officials were delighted at the report brought in by Sebastian. Everyone knew that Sherwood City was known for its impregnable defense, which was why they knew that capturing the city was tough, and that was why they felt glad. ¡°They did it a lot faster than I expected.¡± ¡°Yes, it was said that they used the Crabs very well.¡± ¡°Was that so? Surely, they couldn¡¯t keep their hands off the lightweight Gigant.¡± At Luke¡¯s word, Prime Minister Hans and the others nodded their heads. In general, when people thought about Gigants, its high output, its huge size, and its thick armor were the things that entered one¡¯s mind. However, a good weapon had no specifications. If one was a good weapon and a good Gigant, then it could be used in the right place for a favorable outcome. Hans spoke with a bright expression, ¡°By occupying Sherwood City, the target of our expedition, we have opened the way to the middle of the Baroque Empire.¡± ¡°Yes, this is a fatal blow to the Baroque.¡± During its war with the Libiya Kingdom at the west, at the north with the Volga Republic and the Holy Empire in the east, they now had to prepare for any possible attacks from the Southern side¡ªthe Symphonia Kingdom. The greater the threat of war, the more burdened the empire would feel, and the more their power would decrease. And it was the worst for the Baroque Empire. ¡°The question is, will Rudolf stay still? I am sure that he will try to get Sherwood back.¡± ¡°That will happen. But for Rudolf, the Libiya Kingdom, which questions his legitimacy, is the top priority.¡± The Baroque Empire was most possibly not going to point its sword at Symphonia Kingdom unless Symphonia decided to push further deep. Check level disputes and invasions would happen at a regular level. Maybe, they could use a foreign nation, just like the Milton Kingdom ended up using the Grenada Kingdom. ¡°Anyway, we will have to prepare thoroughly to avoid any problems for the expeditionary force and the management of the territory,¡± said Luke while immediately shaking his head. ¡°Well, I¡¯d better go and take a look for myself, sooner or later.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, Sherwood is a distant place.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that Your Majesty has to act on it. It can be left to the other commanders.¡± In spite of his retainers trying to convince him, Luke didn¡¯t stand back. ¡°If I use teleport consecutively, I will be able to get there in two days. And if I go there directly to congratulate them, the morale of the troops will increase, and it will seep into great public sentiment. I think it will help us stabilize our positions.¡± ¡°Surely that would happen, but if there are assassins of the Imperial Army sent for you, won¡¯t it be a huge mistake to move?¡± ¡°Huh, that isn¡¯t something you need to concern yourself with.¡± Luke already had control of the assassination organization Hydra in his hands, and he wanted to see other people who would attempt to assassinate him. Yet, he couldn¡¯t ignore the advice of his men, so he decided to move along with a few guards of the 1st squad. Chapter 524 - Vanden’s Taunt 1 Three days after Sherwood¡¯s fall, the king of Symphonia, Luke had visited it for congratulating the men. Luke summoned the chief commander of the expedition army, the lieutenant, and provided them with merits, and looked into the surrender of Count Darland. ¡°Thank you for choosing such a difficult decision.¡± ¡°No. thank you very much for treating a defeated commander and persuading them like this.¡± Darland¡¯s expression, while answering to Luke was dark. And it wasn¡¯t because of the shame for holding out a white flag of defeat. Luke, knew why Darland was feeling uncomfortable. It was because he had heard from Count Ferrero personally before meeting Luke. ¡°Family of your household will be saved from their places. Our intelligence agents will take care of them.¡± At those words of Luke, Darland couldn¡¯t hide his excitement. ¡°Re-really?¡± ¡°Of course we will. We have faster hands and wider feet than Emperor Rudolf.¡± It wasn¡¯t an easy matter to bring in the family of Count Darland, who were in the Baroque Empire and constantly under the radar of Intelligence agents. And they could be caught even on their way from the capital. ¡°Please don¡¯t worry about anything and focus on the meeting with the prisoners. I don¡¯t know how the Baroque Empire deals with such situations, but I don¡¯t plan to act hostile or subdue others.¡± ¡°Understood, Your majesty. I will do my very best.¡± By the time he spoke with Darland, the headquarters was noisy. When he saw messengers coming and going, knights being scattered into positions, Luke called for Belik. ¡°Arch Duke, what is going on?¡± ¡°It is the Baroque Empire. The reinforcements from Nemesis have arrived across the north of the river.¡± Just as he said, the Baroque reinforcements appeared to the north of the city. As the troops stepped down the hilly region, they seemed rather cautious without attacking. Upon the report of the enemy troops¡¯ arrival, Luke led Belik and other commanders to the watchtower. Luke, using the Hawk-eye magic, and the other commanders looked at the telephotos they received. After a thorough look, they opened their mouths with confusion. ¡°Those men, I can¡¯t even understand what their thoughts are pushing till here.¡± ¡°I feel the same, Your Majesty. We surely have the power, and we are at a geographic advantage.¡± The number of Symphonia troops in Sherwood were huge. In addition to the number, they had already captured the Sherwood city, so they could rely on using the river to their advantage. ¡°Maybe they are placing their trust in the SS knights? Or maybe Rudolf decided to send additional troops in time?¡± At Luke¡¯s mumble, Belik shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Well, whatever the circumstances, this is good for us. If we can defeat those Baroque troops, they won¡¯t be able to act on the South for a while.¡± ¡°That is true.¡± Luke and other chief officers of Symphonia were more devoted than taking over the Sherwood city for the war, it was to cut off the enemy¡¯s ability to initiate a war in the future. And that would ensure reports saying that the newly formed Southern estates were stable under the other hands, and the Libiya Kingdom along with other nations would start entering the Baroque. ¡°Well, let¡¯s wipe out those men.¡± Unlike the south of Sherwood, the bridge on the north was fine. That was why the Gigants and troops of the Symphonia were able to move without crossing the ship. Belik asked at Luke¡¯s words. ¡°Do you mean right away?¡± ¡°Why, is there any reason for us to wait? If those men decide to attack at¡­¡± It was when Belik was trying to reason. All of a sudden, a single Gigant came out of the enemy troops and approached the river. ¡°What is going on?¡± ¡°Well. I don¡¯t think that he is a messenger since he doesn¡¯t have a white flag lifted¡­¡± Luke and Belik were thinking what it was and was looking at the situation to unfold, when the Gigant at the riverside screamed. ¡°Listen well you rebels! How can you point your sword at the Empire and your Master even after knowing the royal virtues you need to uphold? I know that the demons of the Devildom have risen up, and you men¡­¡± No one knew who the riders of the Gigant was, however, the man just began to blame and abuse Symphonia¡¯s command. The voice was so thick that it creeped out the Symphonia commanders on the wall. ¡°Huh?! that sounds like a bastard¡¯s voice.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, please give me orders. I¡¯ll blow out that bastard with a single canon right away.¡± ¡°Leave it. A scared dog is the one which always barks.¡± Luke held back his men who were too enraged to hit the man. Thanks to that, the rider of the Baroque Empire was able to speak till the end. ¡°I, Kurian, a high ranking knight of the Baroque Imperial Knights, requests a Gigant Duel!¡± The entire speech resulted in a Gigant Duel request. ¡®I thought they were out here to perform something great¡­¡¯ Luke held a calm expression for a while, the soldiers and knights on the city walls screamed at the rider. ¡°Get lost, you idiot!¡± ¡°If you want to play Gigantic Duels, get your ass to the Holy Empire!¡± ¡°Scared, are you? Now that you are here, you are scared to have a real fight, right? Right?¡± At the wild screaming from the Symphonia kingdom, Kurian too felt absurd. Honestly, he too felt that a Gigantic duel at such a point was ridiculous. The Gigantic Duel, which would give out the victory and defeat due to a one on one duel between the two riders, with a strong skill set, was a classic battle method found in the Holy Arthenia Empire. What was more, when it was established that forces were alike, there was no reason for the Symphonia Kingdom to accept them. But the Baroque¡¯s side had somehow asked the enemy to accept a Gigantic duel. ¡®Are there any other rear gates for them to enter Sherwood, or is he trying to cut the advanced riders of the enemy? He seems to be doing his best to avoid the wrath of His Majesty.¡¯ Vanden¡¯s obvious trick was easily understood by Kurian. On the other hand, they wanted the enemy to accept the Gigantic Duel. Due to the nature of the Emperor¡¯s special guards, it was rare for them to participate in the battle. As a Sword Master and with the pride of a knight, his whole body was overflowing with content, however, he was asked to support the reinforcements along with other knights. Even if they were going to retreat, he wanted to compete with the enemy, at least once. ¡®When I went for the crowning of Luke last time, I got a good look at how strong the guy was, but, how many strong men does he have?¡¯ With that thought in mind, Kurian raised his sword even more than before to provoke the Symphonia Kingdom. ¡°Would you not accept the Gigantic Duel? I thought that I would be honored by the warrior¡¯s lineage, but I guess you are just plain traitors! Cowardly and undisciplined!¡± Knights and soldiers who prided themselves for serving the descendants of the warrior were furious at Kurian¡¯s words. Some of them were angry enough to point their Gigant swords in his directions, and those on the canons were ready to shoot him down. Belik and the other men looked over at Luke. They too knew that there was no need for a Gigantic Duel, but Kurian¡¯s words were too rude to ignore. Which was why they wanted Luke to accept his request. Whether he read the challenger¡¯s eyes, Luke gathered mana and replied back to the enemy. ¡°Listen to me the men of Mad Emperor! You are the descendant of the traitor who stole nations, and you honor the man who assassinated his own father! I¡¯ll teach you what real honor and knighthood is, so raise your throat and wait for me!¡± ¡°Kuakk, what is he saying?¡± ¡°Ho-How dare he¡­!¡± At the words of Luke, it wasn¡¯t just Kurian, but also the other SS knights, who drew their swords. However, they didn¡¯t rush over to the gates. The Gigantic Duel was accepted. And things could be settled at that moment. Chapter 525 - Vanden’s Taunt 2 Once Luke accepted the Gigantic Duel, the commanders and riders of the expeditionary troops soon began to ask for them to be sent out to battle. ¡°Your Majesty! Please send me out! I will go out right away and will take down that cheeky bastard!¡± ¡°No! I will be the one to go. Please send me!¡± ¡°Uhh, what are you all talking about? Is there anyone who is more expert at the Gigant Battle than me? Isn¡¯t it obvious that I am the person who needs to be there.¡± In addition to Count Philip and Ferrero, Belik, who was silently listening in, lifted his arms and spoke with bright eyes. Even though he was angry with the taunt of the enemy, the Gigantic Duel was an opportunity for him to show off his knight skills in front of numerous people. And no man in the Symphonia Kingdom would turn away from the opportunity. Luke thought about hurrying up with the decision as leaving it would only cause disparities in his men. ¡°First, the vanguard will be Sir Philip.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°And the second in line would be Arch Duke Belik.¡± Listening that Philip was going to be placed as Vanguard, Belik¡¯s expression was disfigured but soon healed. Honestly, the moment the Gigants went in, the stronger they were, so playing a little late wasn¡¯t a huge loss. ¡°In the third position, let¡¯s see the progress of the two and then point it out. Which is why I need everyone of you on your feet and ready to compete.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± At Luke¡¯s words, commanders and riders ran straight to Gigant warehouses and checked their Gigants. The Gigantic Duel usually continued until they either admitted defeat on one side or at the start of an all-out war, so they knew that one order was all they needed to act. At the same time, in the Baroque Empire camp across the river, Vanden held an operational meeting for the Gigantic Duel. ¡°And you are sure?¡± ¡°Yes, it was clearly the voice of that traitor Luke.¡± At the report from Viscount Kurian, Vanden¡¯s heart felt delighted. The request for the Gigantic Duel was to create a possibility of taking the throat of the enemy commander, and the request for the duel was accepted much easier than it was thought. In addition, in the Sherwood was King Luke de Rakan, of Symphonia Kingdom! ¡°Luke, do you think that he would enter?¡± ¡°He did tell me that he was going to teach me true honor and knighthood.¡± ¡°Huh, that¡¯s great! I will deal with that man myself!¡± His excited self made Vanden sigh and advise him. ¡°Sire, Luke de Rakan isn¡¯t an easy man to go against.¡± ¡°I know. He is a Rune Knight? He is a master in both swordsmanship and magic, but he won¡¯t be much of an opponent in front of an Advanced Sword Master like me.¡± After betraying his master Butler, Vanden was taught by Rudolf himself for a few times and recently reached Advanced Sword Master, which made his confidence soar high. ¡°Those might be your thoughts. Luke is stronger than what is known to the world. I checked it with my own eyes.¡± Kurian faced him when he went to visit Luke for the coronation. At that time, he could feel a tremendous sense of aura from him, who flung away the letter from the Emperor with no fear. It wasn¡¯t comparable to Emperor Rudolf¡¯s Sword Emperor status, but the Sword Master was a class that he could take over. ¡°In addition, there were words around, there were stories of him capturing high ranking demons.¡± ¡°Huh, those rumors! His Majesty had to struggle a lot to take down the High ranking demons. Are you still stuck on it?¡± Marquis Vanden shook his head and laughed. Indeed, those who haven¡¯t gone to the Brandon Military parade were not the kind to believe in rumors, just like Vanden. That was because the demons were perceived to be strong and terrifying beings. How could one believe in something like that? ¡°Viscount Kurian, I¡¯ll take your words as advice and refrain myself for acting too vigilant.¡± ¡°Sire, please reconsider it. You can¡¯t go for a one-on-one with Luke. You need to ask us guards to enter.¡± Despite the repeated warnings from the skilled Kurian, Vanden didn¡¯t seem very considerate of it. Rather, he doubted that Kurian and the other SS knights were trying to steal his merit. ¡®That bastard! Is he really Marquis Vanden who is good on mapping and strategy?¡¯ No matter how bright a man was, if they were blinded by greed, their eyes would look straight ahead and miss everything happening around them. That was exactly what Marquis Vanden was doing. However, Kurian had no intention of watching Vanden destroy things. At the end of the meeting, he gathered the other SS knights and prepared a separate operation. He didn¡¯t want to miss the chance to kill the Emperor¡¯s rebel. Two hours later, the Gigantic Duel began. The Symphonia Kingdom opened its gate and sent the vanguard. Philip, appeared in his Hero class Gigant Orion, Milena, who had a sharp armor which reflected his taste. Crossing the river with the bridge, he introduced himself. ¡°This is the 1s squad Army Commander of the Symphonia Kingdom and Count Philip! The strong one can come in. Please play carefully with me.¡± ¡°Huh! The man who got kicked out from the Knights of Guard is still alive!¡± At the end of Philip¡¯s words, an Atlas Gigant from the Baroque Empire emerged. The rider in it was a man who was a SS Knight along with Kurian. ¡°I am a knight of the Imperial Guard, Baron Arquill. The traitor is going to get his neck served!¡± ¡°Crazy bastard! If you are sick of my throat, come here yourself!¡± A brief argument between the two. The first one to fight was Philip. He ran to his opponent and struck the giant sword. Slash! Bang! Philip¡¯s Milena, a sleek reconstruction of Orion, with an output of 3,700, went to slash Arquill with tremendous speed. Bang! Bang! The noise of the giant sword with impact aura resonated like thunder and sparks flew everywhere. Soldiers who were watching it from far stumbled at the shock waves or stiff seeing the sparks rise from their weapons. The fierce battle between Philip and Arquill began to incline towards Philip¡¯s win. ¡°What happened? Didn¡¯t you want to slash my throat?¡± ¡°Tch! You¡¯re pretty shameless even after being kicked out from the Knights of Guard!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t kicked out! I came out on my own two feet!¡± Philip, who had been on offense from the very beginning, continued to drive at Arquill without giving a gap. Atlas¡¯s output was lower than Milena, and Arquill¡¯s ability was less than Philip. ¡®This isn¡¯t possible! I have no reason to be pushed back even after being taught by His Majesty directly, the strongest man in the continent!¡¯ Arquill denied reality however, that didn¡¯t change the situation. He didn¡¯t know, but Philip often competed with opponents who were stronger than him, such as Luke and Hwang Bo-sung, and gained experience in various battles. In addition, just recently, he learned the second half of the Gold Sword from Luke and was learning pretty well. On the other hand, Arquill who was a knight and learned skills under Rudolf was more like a flower in a greenhouse. Kwang! Philip immediately brought out his Phantom Sword and began to infuse it with Gold Sword. Then, Atlas¡¯s breastplate was torn apart and Arquill who was in the cockpit appeared. Arquill was bloodied by the splatter of the attack, and his eyes went wide with a shocked expression. ¡°This-this makes no f*cking sense. To lose to a garbage like¡­¡± ¡°Huh, garbage once recycled is better than the original.¡± Philip responded coldly and stabbed the giant sword into the cockpit. Puck! In a second, Arquill fell. Atlas, who lost its owner fell down like a doll. ¡°Woah! Commander won!¡± ¡°Long live Count Philip!¡± Unlike the gloomy knights of Baroque, troops of the Symphonia Kingdom who were above them all were cheering with excitement. Some of them even shot to the sky. ¡°Kuek! How could he lose?!¡± The Knights, including Viscount Kurian, felt a lot worse than Marquis Vanden who ran his mouth. It was because they all thought that Arquill was the pride of SS. Had it been a tight fight, they would have felt alright. However, Arquill consistently fought less skilfully and drastically reduced the morale of the men. ¡°Let¡¯s bring back the pride to our SS name. Who is the next one?¡± ¡°It is me, Sir Kurian.¡± The other Knights of Guard were shocked. ¡°Cranel? Keep it in mind that behavior like Arquill is unacceptable.¡± ¡°Do not worry. You know me very well, right?¡± When Cranel smiled confidently, Kurian nodded. Cranel was among the youngest of the Knights of Guard SS, yet he was one of the five most prominent in Gigant control. In particular, his sense of control was extraordinary, and Emperor Rudolf himself had praised him for his skills. Kurian was sure that the young knight would be the strongest rider of the SS class in just a few years. ¡°You know your skills, but don¡¯t act too vigilant.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. When I come back, let¡¯s prepare wine and have a toast.¡± Cranel, who rode his Gigant, went to the battlefield. For some reason, Kurian felt anxious seeing the overconfidence of the kid, but he threw away the ominous feeling. He never thought that those rebels would ever be able to possess someone as good as Cranel. Chapter 526 - Vanden’s Taunt 3 Clang! Clang! Thud! Bang! The sound of huge swords colliding in the air shook the earth. The tremors were felt by everyone whenever the Gigants move. The second match¡¯s performance seemed to differ from the first one. Cranel consistently launched attacks against Symphonia¡¯s rider. ¡°Good job. Smash it in him!¡± ¡°Give the rebels a taste of power!¡± Unlike the knights and other soldiers of the Baroque Empire, who were cheering for their rider, Marquis Vanden and the other SS Knights of Guards were nervously watching the match. Surely, the attack was being led by Cranel. However, the opponent wasn¡¯t allowing a valid hit on him, and the man showed no signs of agitation. What was more awe-inspiring was that Symphonia¡¯s rider wasn¡¯t moving from his spot. In other words, he wasn¡¯t getting pushed. ¡°Is this what your talent is, kid?¡± ¡®I-it makes no f*cking sense!¡¯ Cranel¡¯s face was pale. Just a moment back, he used his own secret skill called Red Squall. And so far, it was only Emperor Rudolf who could prevent the skill that gave out a consecutive 27 strikes with aura. However, he met another person who could stop it. ¡°You have a good sense of the match, but you met the wrong person.¡± Symphonia¡¯s second rider was Arch Duke Belik. He was so proficient in Gigant battles that he was called the Gigant Master. In other words, Cranel met an opponent who had superior control and experience. Clang! ¡°Ack!¡± As Belik approached in an instant, Cranel¡¯s Gigant got struck with a sword, and his chest became wide open. The gap made by Belik¡¯s Orion was clearly visible, and at the same time, cool energy began to flow in. ¡°I will ask you directly. Are you willing to surrender? If you do, then I might take you in as my student.¡± ¡°Kuk, crazy bastard! Don¡¯t act all high and mighty and kill me if you want!¡± Cranel refused Belik¡¯s proposal. No matter how poor his skills were, he had no intention of betraying his Emperor, who was his teacher. It was almost certain that his family would be killed if news about his betrayal reached the capital. ¡°Tch, such a waste. If you became my student, I would have passed down all my knowledge to you.¡± ¡°Long live His Majesty!¡± When Belik was mumbling, Cranel tried to stab the core engine of his own Gigant with an impact aura. Instead of turning back with defeat, he thought of destroying himself and taking down a rebel with him. Slash! However, Belik was faster than the kid. Slash! The moment he lifted his sword, Cranel got cut into two along with his Atlas. At the same time as Atlas, which avoided getting hit in the core engine, slumped to the ground, cheers broke out from Symphonia Kingdom. ¡°Damn it! I can¡¯t see this any longer!¡± When another one of his men was defeated, Marquis Vanden¡¯s face turned red and went to his Gigant. He now wanted to jump into the battlefield himself. ¡°Sire, please be patient! It isn¡¯t your turn yet!¡± ¡°There will surely be a chance for us to make up to it! Please stand down!¡± Vanden, who was ready to go out, opened the hatch to the cockpit at the pleading of his lieutenant and his other men. He stared at the SS Knights of Guards for a moment and spoke with an annoyed expression, ¡°Send the next rider! But, exclude the SS riders!¡± ¡°Sorry? But we don¡¯t have anyone worthy of going in then.¡± The lieutenant shook his head as he couldn¡¯t think of any suitable man. There were no other riders in Baroque Empire¡¯s reinforcements who had great skills compared to the SS knights. Also, there was no one with a Hero class Gigant except for Vanden or the SS knights. If just anyone would be sent, they would be forced to look at ¡®defeat¡¯ and the flow would continue. That was what everyone thought. However, Vanden didn¡¯t ask for the SS to not proceed with thought. For him, it was a blessing. ¡°I don¡¯t care about the Gigant or the skills! Send in the young riders!¡± And thud, a third rider appeared. He was a 23-year-old Sword Expert rider on a Warrior class Gigant. As he walked forward, he pointed his sword at Belik, who took down Cranel. ¡°I am Ruzal, a rider from the Central Army of the Baroque Empire! You rebel will go down with my sword!¡± ¡°Haaa, what is this?¡± Belik was rather flustered to see the kid who was waving his giant sword. Once he became a Sword Master class, he was able to guess the opponent¡¯s skills by simply reading their movements and the energy of a Gigant¡¯s body. However, the boy who was standing in front of him, couldn¡¯t even be compared to his toenails, be it either his skills or his performance. Maybe it was like the saying, ¡®One wouldn¡¯t know how scary a dragon is unless woken.¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight kids or senseless men.¡± ¡°Die, you traitor!¡± Ruzal dashed bravely with his sword. He was about to get eaten by the Impact Aura of Belik when his own Gigant couldn¡¯t produce a normal aura. Nevertheless, Belik decided to avoid the attacks to not scratch his Gigant. However, Ruzal was persistent, and Belik¡¯s patience was running thin, so he kicked him. ¡°Kuak, this traitor!¡± ¡°Look at this. Something like you comes out on such drastic times!¡± While grumbling, Belik returned to Sherwood¡¯s city walls. It was because there was no honor or fun in taking down Ruzal. On the contrary, he was getting criticized for his actions. ¡°That traitor ran off with his tail between his legs!¡± ¡°Sir Ruzal has won! Long Live the Baroque Empire! Some knights tried to speak and increase the morale of the Baroque Army. However, there was very little response. At their shameless acts, the Symphonia Kingdom troops booed them from the wall. ¡°Booo!¡± ¡°Sending in such weak opponents. If it was a normal battle, we wouldn¡¯t know, but for such a person to be sent in a Gigantic Duel, there was no way that someone like Belik would go ahead in such measly fights.¡± Luke smiled and decided to send a knight who would match Ruzal in age and skills. ¡°Is there any knight who can compete with that shameless man?¡± ¡°Sir Given would be appropriate. He was a Knight Guard of the former Milton Kingdom. It would be a perfect match.¡± At Philip¡¯s recommendation, Luke made a knight call for Given. With similar skills and Gigant being of the same Warrior class, the fight between Given and Ruzal would be tight. The level was much lower than the previous fight. One couldn¡¯t see a powerful aura or sparks flying across. However, since they exchanged sword with force, the tension was quite high, and the cheers of the soldiers were high. ¡°Kill him! Beat him up!¡± ¡°What the hell?! What would one do if giant swords are being wielded like that?!¡± The Baroque Empire troops needed a boost for their morale, so they fought impatiently. However, the troops of Symphonia were acting as if they were in a Gigant arena. Some officers even began to bet secretly. ¡°This is like watching some messy gladiator fight!¡± Belik, who climbed over the gates, laughed at the battle. The fight, which went on for a long time, ended with Given¡¯s Gigant bent after the attack of Ruzal. Once he was incapable of fighting, he threw his Gigant¡¯s shield at Ruzal¡¯s Gigant and hurried to the gate. ¡°Woah! Sir Ruzal won again!¡± ¡°Kuakk! Running away like a mutt in the middle of a fight!¡± Great cheers burst out from Baroque Empire¡¯s troops unlike before. Luke, who looked at it, spoke to Philip, ¡°Was Given his name? Once this war ends, make sure to train him well.¡± ¡°Understood, Your Majesty.¡± While Luke spoke, after 2 wins and 2 losses, the Gigantic Duel continued. The Gigantic Duel with 12 riders from each side ended at sunset. Normally, when a Gigantic Duel was in progress, battles wouldn¡¯t take place, so the men of Symphonia considered it to be fun, and the riders were satisfied with the experience they got. However, the situation that Vanden expected didn¡¯t happen. It was because Luke had consistently observed the day¡¯s progress. Chapter 527 - Vanden’s Taunt 4 ¡°Damn it, what the hell was all that?!¡± Being unsatisfied with the result of the Gigantic Duel, Vanden grumbled till late at night. On the records, the events of the day were even. However, the Baroque Empire suffered more of a loss. In particular, the death of two Swordmasters at the beginning was an irreversible shock. However, the most outrageous thing for Vanden was Luke, who was thought to be involved in the matches, didn¡¯t even appear. ¡°You all speak very eloquently, but this is all because of those SS!¡± Vanden saw the SS knights as the cause of failure. If they were serious in the battle and killed Luke¡¯s men, then surely Luke would¡¯ve jumped into the battle. But rather, Vanden was the one jumping into a Gigant. ¡°This can¡¯t be. If we don¡¯t find a way to get that Luke out¡­!¡± When Vanden was engrossed in his thoughts and plans, there were a few who sneaked out of the Baroque camp. They were the knights led by Kurian, who had an unprecedented loyalty to be called as a simple deserter. After silently escaping from the camp, they moved upstream. They quietly entered the water and swam toward Sherwood¡¯s city walls. ¡°Did the enemy notice us?¡± ¡°There are no such signs yet.¡± Kurian nodded with a content expression at the words of his fellow guards, who were swimming ahead. They were currently in for separate operations. Originally, if Luke participated in the Gigantic Duel, they planned on going all out to take down Luke¡¯s supply warehouses at the time regardless of what Vanden thought. But Luke didn¡¯t play. Kurian, who understood Luke¡¯s clever mind, thought that he could not enter the match, so he set up another strategy. The second plan was an assassination. Assassination, it was a messy task that no Swordmaster could think of. However, none of the Knights of Guard rejected it. It was because everyone was a lot more loyal to Emperor Rudolf than to their own titles and pride. ¡®If I can cut off the throat of the enemy, my face and pride wouldn¡¯t matter!¡¯ That was their common idea and thought. Splash! In front of the Knights of Guard, they crossed the southern wall of Sherwood and secretly approached the permanent manor. However, the number of alarm magic installed in the manor was a lot less than expected. That said, Kurian was feeling odd. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me. Have these men noticed our assassination operation¡­?¡± ¡°Could that even be possible? This operation was planned without the involvement of any other men.¡± ¡°That is true. Perhaps the enemy¡¯s men are too high with their victory.¡± What the knights said was plausible, but Kurian quickly asked, ¡°Tch, because of that, our work seems to have become easier, but it is only annoying me.¡± The cause of the enemy¡¯s neglect was the incompetence of the allies of the Baroque camp! Kurian couldn¡¯t help but get angry. He decided to get his anger by removing the rebels in the group and urged his step toward the manor. Soon after, Kurian arrived at the nose of his destination and pulled out a pendent, which had an ancient pattern from his pocket. It was a pendant, which Emperor Rudolf had specially given to him, an ancient artifact that had subspace magic. Injecting mana into the pendent, he chanted the words. ¡°Out in Dimension!¡± At that very moment, a black space opened in front of his eyes and 8 Hero class Atlas Gigants appeared. ¡°Everybody on board! We¡¯re going to break the entire manor!¡± Even if the opponent was a Rune Knight with outstanding skills, he wouldn¡¯t be of much worth when he was suddenly attacked. In particular, if they went inside the manor with their Gigants while everyone was asleep, then they wouldn¡¯t even be able to talk back. Kurian found out which room Luke was staying at through the spies who were placed in Sherwood. With the orders out, the SS Knights of Guard quickly boarded into their Gigants and went into the manor, wielding their huge swords. Thus Thus! ¡°Die, you rebels!¡± ¡°Kuakk! I am going to crush you all flat!¡± Still, as there was a king inside, there would be escorts and knights in the residence. However, all the invaders were in Hero class Gigants and were Swordmasters, and there were 8 of them. They thought that even if there were escorts in the manor, they wouldn¡¯t last long before their lives meet its end. ¡®The problem was Luke de Rakan! He must be taken down before he wakes up!¡¯ They entered through the wall of the manor. However, there was no one in sight. Be it the king¡¯s escort or the king¡¯s servants, it was a harsh view to see. The Knights who entered through the walls didn¡¯t know what to think. ¡®What happened?¡¯ ¡®They couldn¡¯t have¡­¡¯ When the anxiety began to swell up inside their minds as they reached for Luke¡¯s room, they looked through the window on the corridor into the brightly lit room only to see that no one was there. ¡®I-I was sure that he would be in here¡­ They didn¡¯t run away because of the Gigant¡¯s sound, right?¡¯ Were they in a hurry to summon their Gigants that they didn¡¯t notice their surroundings? It was when Kurian and the other SS knights were looking around¡­ ¡°Huhuhu, surely, you never cease to surprise me.¡± ¡­ A loud voice came from above. When everyone turned their eyes toward the roof, they saw the target they sought after. ¡°You rebel, Luke de Rakan!¡± Luke unfolded his magic and jumped to the floor while laughing at the men. ¡°Rebel? Isn¡¯t that the words used for those who serve a ruler who built him an empire through rebellion and extortion?¡± ¡°Shut up! That was a story of 500 years ago! There is no reason to be fed up by it now!¡± Luke¡¯s expression was calm while listening to the shameless response of the man. It could have been in a distant past for everyone, but it wasn¡¯t the case for Luke. ¡°It was a thing of the past¡­ Even then, you people can¡¯t seem to abandon your dirty traditions, applying for a Gigantic Duel then coming here to assassinate me.¡± It was a rule in the battlefield that had been passed down for a hundred years. No assault or attacks were supposed to be carried out during the Gigantic Duel. ¡°Kuak, everything is fair in war!¡± ¡°Yeah, that sure is not a wrong word!¡± At the shameless words of Kurian, Luke had a thin smile. Kurian could only feel more uneasy because of how relaxed Luke was. ¡®What kind of plan does he have? Revealing himself with no fear, isn¡¯t he afraid of death?¡¯ Luke wasn¡¯t holding any weapon, and the assassins were on a Hero class Gigant. Nonetheless, none of the SS knights were able to launch an attack. It was natural that they all felt overwhelmed by Luke¡¯s calm attitude. Kurian, who was deep in his thoughts, yelled while wielding his Impact Aura. ¡°There is nothing more to talk about! Attack him!¡± With orders falling from Kurian, all the other SS knights went to attack Luke at once. Clang! 8 Hero class Gigants raised their core engine power to the maximum and wielded their swords toward Luke. With extreme Impact Aura, all went straight for Luke. There was no gap for Luke to escape. ¡®Kuk, I am going to make him look very bloody!¡¯ Kurian was smiling while thinking of Luke¡¯s death, but Luke was just standing still. However, Kurian¡¯s smile soon disappeared when Luke¡¯s body hazed away after the Impact Aura fell. It was because the body they were seeing was just an afterimage of Luke. ¡®Where¡­ Where did he go?¡¯ Kurian looked around and saw a fellow Gigant coming toward him. The voice of Luke came from the top of Atlas¡¯ head. ¡°You did say that everything was fair in war, right? Yeah, well, I will fight the same way as you people.¡± Once Luke was done speaking, he clasped his hands lightly. It was then, suddenly, the landscape around them had changed dramatically. From the gloomy Sherwood manor, it turned into a hot and dry wasteland. Luke summoned his Avenger aboard and spoke to the flustered knights, ¡°Welcome to hell, gentlemen!¡± Wheeing! The moment Luke started his core engine, a purple light began to glisten from the body of Avenger. When they saw the beautiful yet spooky purple light, Kurian was sure of one thing. The fact that something was terrifyingly wrong. Still, they couldn¡¯t just step back. ¡°Everybody, we will charge at him head-on!¡± Upon Kurian¡¯s cry, the knights formed up a line and attacked Luke. It was the beginning of what Emperor Rudolf had taught them, especially when their opponent was stronger than them. ¡®Huh! With this formation, we could stand toe to toe even with the Emperor!¡¯ Kurian and his men fiercely went for Luke. Chapter 528 - Crisis of Holy Empire 1 Around the time when Symphonia¡¯s army was attacking Sherwood city, a great deal of things happened in the Holy Empire. An unidentified disease spread in the Jackson region to the north of the Empire. People who were infected with the disease had their skin turned to black and their body would rot over the week and die, and those who died would be revived once 24 hours passed. Almost like an undead zombie, and not a person with reasoning. Kiiii! ¡°Ack! Everyone run away!¡± ¡°Flee from here!¡± The village which was attacked by the disease began to attack the other villages into zombies and turned into a group of asura. Several village men picked their axes or other weapons, but they were unable to keep up with the number of zombies and their force. Eventually, rural villages were destroyed in an hour. Those residents who were bitten by the zombies soon turned into one. Even those who barely managed to get themselves out of the villages and flee to the estate manor saw their skin turn black and skin rot. As soon as they turned into zombies, they began to attack the living. ¡°This can¡¯t be!¡± There was a group of zombies who entered the lord¡¯s manor, which was turned into a zombie den. There were around 30 paladins and priests who were dispatched to the place after getting the communication from the manor. In the beginning, they thought that an undead or a warlock had appeared and summoned some demon, or then some negative mana had caused the rise of a strong entity from the graveyard. However, they saw that the zombies were overflowing in the manor! Kuuuu! Kiiii! When the living ones appeared, all the zombies turned their eyes on them. ¡°Priest Marion, you need to step back from here!¡± Paladins stopped the men and asked for a retreat. It was because there was no way that such a number of paladins could eradicate the zombies by themselves. ¡°Oh oh, El Kassel, all my faith and respect and loyalty was dedicated to you! Please give me the blessing to rest these people in the manor who have turned into cursed monsters!¡± As the zombies began to run at them, Priest Marion began to prey. The paladins had fled after setting a fire. The only way to get rid of the zombies was to use divine power or purify the dead with fire. They set fire all over the manor and found a few children who were being chased by the zombies. ¡°Priest, please save me! Mom and dad are trying to kill us!¡± When Marion looked at the paladin, they infused the sword with divine power and took down the parent zombies right in front of the children. Kiiik! The children who saw their parents fall to the ground in ash shed tears. It was because they were parents who had loved them immensely till the moment they changed. ¡°Euah, mommy¡­¡± ¡°It is alright, it is alright now. The god will take care of your parents.¡± Marion spoke to the children and escaped from the manor. They were relentlessly rushing outside, however, they could barely rest till the sunset. ¡°What are we supposed to do now?¡± When a paladin asked, Marion responded. ¡°I need to meet with Archbishop Bremen and discuss this. I don¡¯t think that this is normal.¡± ¡°However, I did hear from the children when we arrived, that people who got sick ended up dead and turned into those undead things.¡± ¡®Because of a disease?¡¯ At the words of the paladin, Marion grunted. He wasn¡¯t able to understand how one would turn into zombies because of an illness. ¡®The kids probably misinterpreted something.¡¯ Maybe when the kids weren¡¯t looking, people were bitten by the zombies. They saw the children scratching their faces and arms constantly. It looked like a normal itch, however, their condition seemed to be serious as the wound would turn blue after rubbing. ¡°Hugh! I wasn¡¯t looking at them because I was in a hurry to get out.¡± Feeling sorry, Marion began to memorize the prayer and began to unfold divine power. Soon the wounds on the children¡¯s hands began to get swept away with the divine power. ¡°My divine power wouldn¡¯t reach the skills of the Pope, but this might¡­¡± ¡°Ahhk!¡± The moment priest Marion¡¯s divine power began to get absorbed into the skin of the children, they began to scream and struggle with pain. All of a sudden, flame broke out all over their bodies and their skin turned charred. ¡°Help me! Save me, priest!¡± ¡°It is hot! Please¡­¡± It was an unexpected situation, an absurd situation, Marion and the paladins went stiff seeing what was happening. What went wrong? While they were shocked, the bodies of the children turned into ash. ¡°Th-this was¡­? Ahhh! Lord El Kassel! What the hell did they do wrong!?¡± Marion sat down in front of the dead kids and wept. His grieving cry spread over the reddish sky with the setting sun. Chapter 529 - End of the Attack on North 1 Red dust swelled with the sound of thundering under the dry sky in the barren land. In the red dust were 8 hero class Gigants, Atlas who moved around Avenger, with their swords moving quickly. Every time they went in for an attack, the Impact Aura would rip the air and the sound of iron clashes sounded like thunderstorms. ¡°Kuek, this doesn¡¯t seem that great, right?¡± Luke, who was completely surrounded by the Baroque Imperial¡¯s Knights, hurriedly extended his sword to prevent the surprise attack from Viscount Kurian. Right then, the Atlas of the Knights of Guard from behind ran and hit the back of Luke¡¯s Avenger with its huge sword. Clang! ¡°Damn, got hit again?¡± Fortunately, there was a shield put on the back of the Gigant, so no major damage was found. However, it seemed like the Impact Aura of the Sword Master couldn¡¯t be completely nullified, so there was a huge scratch on the back armor. ¡°Die you traitor!¡± ¡°Huh, it is so awful that such a flimsy attack managed to succeed!¡± Bang! Luke hurriedly used Fire Explosion magic to the Atlas that was behind him and continued with successive attacks. Luke managed to shake the opponent, however, their siege was still going strong, and attacks on them were turning unsuccessful. The Knights of Guards were all attacking at the same time, as few as two at once and then five according to the previously agreed plan of theirs. Conversely, when Luke tried to go for a counterattack, those people who were in the attack formation would bring out their swords and get into a defensive formation. Thanks to that, Luke had constantly been on guard, and the Knights of Guards SS were able to have an advantage in saving their power and aura. It wasn¡¯t an easy task to use Blink and avoid the siege. It was because the knights would come in once they realized that Luke would use Blink. ¡®Kuek, I thought it was a passing stage? This is turning a lot more annoying than I imagine.¡¯ In fact, something similar was present in both Baroque or Symphonia. However, it wasn¡¯t an organized attack as of now. The passing stage was a situation where only endurance mattered until the reinforcements arrived and cornered the opponent. However, the Baroque knights didn¡¯t just try to endure, but a well-formed team was aiming to smash the opponent. Also, the swords skills they were all using was Sword Master level, which wasn¡¯t much lacking when compared to Luke. And accordingly, Luke abandoned his thoughts and began to use the second part of Gold Sword. Wooong! Gold aura began to form on the huge sword of Avenger, Kurian and his other knights couldn¡¯t help but feel startled. ¡®Go, gold sword second part! The one which was stolen from the Rakan family, ho-how is¡­?!¡¯ More than 400 years ago, after Saul de Rakan, the sixth lord, was killed by the assassin of Hyrda, the second half of the Gold Sword was being secretly handed down in the Baroque Imperial, who stole it. Then, how did Luke manage to use it?! Shocked, they all came together and began to block the attacks from Luke. Clang! Bang! Kwang! Every time the attack got stopped, a tremendous shock shook the ground as if a shell was exploding. Some of the knights fell to the ground, but with the help of the others, they managed to escape any serious damage. The second half of the Gold Sword was terrifying enough to reverse the flow of the battle. However, the eyes of Kurian, who was exchanging blows and defending himself several times, weren¡¯t so shocked. Rather, they seemed to gain light. ¡®The second half of Gold Sword isn¡¯t perfected!¡¯ He was able to learn because of the frequent matches he had with Emperor Rudolf, who managed to completely learn the Second Half. The Emperor said that in order to complete the second half of the Gold Sword, one would have to reach the level of Sword Sage and gain enlightenment. If not, even if one would use the second half, it wouldn¡¯t have much power. ¡®Luke¡¯s skills seem to be a lot stronger than what we were told, but I can manage this much! No, if I can just aim for that one loophole, I can crush that bastard down!¡¯ Luke was using constant magic attacks to fill the gap in the second half of the Gold Sword. But once his enemy found the loophole, it would be the end of Luke. Kurian decided that he would have to make use of the trump card in order to make a huge blow to Luke, and began to concentrate on the aura of his sword. The aura, which was swaying, began to change into a different color. ¡°That is?¡± Seeing the gold aura form on Kurian¡¯s sword, Luke¡¯s eyes were shocked. ¡°How dare you use the Gold Sword!¡± ¡°Hahaha! The Emperor has passed it onto us!¡± In addition to Viscount Kurian, five other knights too began to demonstrate gold aura. Although no one managed to learn the second half because of their lack of skills, they managed to learn the first half of it. ¡°I am going to cut you off with your ancestors¡¯ legacy!¡± ¡°You people are like thieves who have no values!¡± Luke, immediately converted the Aether into mana and began to strengthen the shield around him. The power of a Gold Sword was known to be stronger than an Impact Aura. Clang! Clang! Luke¡¯s attacks were being stopped with a lot more speed and power. And the gloves of Avenger, which were taking in the attacks, began to break at the joints. When Avenger tried to move to the sky as a retreat, an Atlas jumped ahead and knocked him back to the ground. Which made Luke go straight for Blink, however, in the process of avoiding the attacks, he lost his sword. The skills of the knights were a lot superior to Luke¡¯s assessment. The team which he thought would only capture him, ended up using Gold Sword. ¡°Kuek, this isn¡¯t going to be easy, I guess.¡± With a smirk on his face, Kurian spoke to Luke. ¡°Huhuhu! Even his Emperor had to work for two long hours against us. Do you think that you can even endure as long as His Majesty?¡± ¡°Definitely¡­ if I go ahead like this, it will be tough for me.¡± Luke was really impressed with the power the men were displaying. It was impossible for Luke to defeat them with swords and white magic alone. As if giving up, Avenger raised both its hands to the sky. ¡°What? Are you surrendering now?¡± ¡°Surrender? What funny joke. I am going to show you something other than magic and sword, this is a gratitude I am showing to the men who pushed me into the corner.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Grrr! Rnnng! When the Avenger¡¯s body began to give out energy, the look on the faces of the knight¡¯s changed. ¡®This is like those warlocks whom His Majesty had¡­¡¯ Yet, there were always rumors going around that Luke de Rakan was learning dark magic. Emperor Rudolf had deliberately instructed Count Voltas to make the rumors into a huge topic. While Kurian wasn¡¯t able to believe what he was feeling, sparks began to flash from Avenger¡¯s fingertips. Bang! ¡°Av- avoid it!¡± Purple flash, which soared through the sky, divided into eight strands of lightning to fall on the knights. The purple lightning struck. Knights like Kurian who knew Gold Sword avoided it. However, those men who didn¡¯t, couldn¡¯t help but be shattered while they were still in their Gigants. ¡°Th- this was used by that High ranking demon which was summoned in the capital¡­¡± ¡°Yeah. This is Kauren¡¯s Thunder Bringer.¡± ¡°Thi- this can¡¯t be!¡± Kurian wanted to scream out loud at the nonsense his opponent was spewing. How could a human possibly possess the powers of a high ranking demon? Even if he did manage to master dark magic, that wasn¡¯t something which could be done. Yet, he couldn¡¯t just blindly deny what he witnessed with his own eyes. The purple lightning he just saw was surely the same technique that the high ranking demon had used when it was creating havoc in the capital. For Kurian, who was filled with confusion and shock, Luke spoke. ¡°Because you attacked me with the sword which you stole from my family, I will smash you with the powers I stole.¡± That was enough explanation, and the time had come for everything to be eradicated. Chapter 530 - End of the Attack on North 2 Luke was aware of the assassination attempt of the Knights of Guard SS in advance. It was because the spy of the Baroque Empire¡¯s intelligence agency, who had remained in Sherwood City, reported that the SS knights asked for ¡®the king¡¯s quarters in the manor¡¯. So, Luke deliberately emptied the residence in Sherwood to sweep them off altogether. Including the escorts, the commanders were asked to leave the place as well. And as obvious as it could get, Philip and Belik strongly opposed to it. However, Luke said, ¡°I am going to a place very far from here with something like a teleport circle to take them down. Don¡¯t you think it would be difficult for me if my allies are involved in it?¡± With those words, the commanders who knew Luke¡¯s skills in magic eventually agreed to it without saying anything anymore. Luke¡¯s words were not only for his commanders but for the regular knights as well. After telling them his plan, Luke built a magic circle in the manor, which would blow all the knights. The problem was the magic circle was different from a normal teleport circle. The magic circle, which had magi elements in it, which were used to summon the demons, was coordinated to the Devildom. When he was still Saymon, he was curious about where the demons live, and how the conditions of their living were. He tried out a demon summoning circle by changing its elements and went to the Devildom in person. From the air around them to the soil below their feet, Luke was shocked by the harsh environment where no human could ever live. Understanding the reason as to why the demons were so tough and angry, he returned to Middle Earth after a brief investigation. What was the reason why Luke had to take the Knights of Guard SS into such a place? ¡®Kuekk. If it is the Devildom, even if I use all my abilities, there would be no one to see or say anything about it.¡¯ Luke wasn¡¯t able to use any of his other abilities except for the sword and the white magic when fighting with the Sword Masters of Symphonia, excluding Philip. It was certain that his subordinates would be upset if they knew about Luke using dark magic or the demons¡¯ abilities. Using only half of his abilities, Luke was honestly stressed. However, it was a different story in the Devildom. Nobody would say anything if the Knights of Guards were killed in there. So he thought of it as a stress relief and brought them there. However, those SS knights took a lot more time than he though to show up and began to use something that shocked Luke to the core. It was the sword that was passed in his family. The skills they unfolded were far more systematic and effective than what the Symphonia Kingdom could perform. ¡®This is surely a nice thing, right? Later, this would be very useful once I go against Rudolf of Arsene¡­¡¯ He had the time to prepare it before the knights appeared, but it wouldn¡¯t be possible to use it every time he wanted to fight. It actually would have failed once. If Karen from the future hadn¡¯t come to the past by using the power of Space and Time, Luke would have lost everything after getting defeated by Hiros, who claimed himself to be the descendant of Rakan. ¡®That is why I need to be thoroughly prepared. I need to prepare all means and methods to win.¡¯ This was why Luke changed his plan of killing the knights at once and decided to get a good look at their skills and formations before taking them down. In order to understand their methods of formation and skills, he intentionally put them to play while using only his sword and white magic. Well, Luke didn¡¯t just use sword and magic. It wasn¡¯t noticeable, but Luke used the ability of Insight that he had taken from the fallen angels, who were placed in the warehouses after the Military Parade. ¡®There is nothing better than being able to figure out and steal another person¡¯s ability.¡¯ With Insight reflecting in his eyes, all their tricks were found out. It indeed was surprising that Kurian and some of his men were able to use Gold Sword, but the attacks from the Gold Sword was something he had seen through. Luke, who realized that further understanding the men was pointless, decided to use his demon abilities as well as his dark magic to wipe them out. ¡°Thousand Bullets!¡± Swoosh! Swoosh! When the Aether Globe on his heart transformed into the black circle, thousands of dark magic spheres began to form all around Avenger. The bullets, which flew faster than sound, smashed right into Atlas. Pung! Bang! ¡°Ack!¡± When hundreds of bullets that were more powerful than shells poured down like rain shower, Atlas¡¯ gloves quickly turned into rags. As a result, their formation was no longer effective. Kurian stabbed his sword into the core engine of Atlas and held the shield high to avoid the movement of the bullets. Crack! The destroyed core engine quickly flashed red and was about to explode. ¡°W-what the?!¡± Kurian, who moved Atlas toward Luke, was shocked to see that the explosion was stopped. Kwang-! Atlas¡¯ core engine exploded, and the shock that formed because of it shook the ground. The other Gigants that couldn¡¯t avoid the attacks bounced back because of the explosion, rolling around like an empty can while the dust soared high into the sky. Once the tremors subsided, Kurian¡¯s Atlas appeared after a huge hole was formed in the ground. He fell to the ground to avoid the engine¡¯s explosion. ¡°Kuek. Surely, the explosion of a Hero class Gigant has a lot of power.¡± If it exploded properly, it could sweep away any small manors and create huge pits in the ground. That was the reason why riders were careful to not damage the opponent¡¯s core engine in a Gigantic Duel. ¡°Did Luke get smashed? It would have been nice if I was the one to hit him¡­¡± While Kurian was getting up and thinking about Emperor Rudolf rejoicing, the other SS Knights began to crawl out of the ruins created by the explosion. Although their Gigants were a mess, a lot of knights seemed to have survived. ¡°Kuek, Kurian, you bastard!¡± ¡°Calm yourself before speaking out of turn!¡± ¡°Cough! Rather than that¡­ I have been feeling it from before. The air here seems to be too cloudy and heavy, right?¡± ¡°I feel that too. Where the hell are we? A desert on the west of the continent?¡± Abandoning their metal Gigants that turned into scrap, the knights looked around the region while covering their noses. They opened their eyes wide to see if they could find something. The sky was where their gaze headed. Luke¡¯s avengers were descending from the sky. Their gloves were full of debris, yet it didn¡¯t seem to be damaged. ¡°T-this can¡¯t be! How the hell did this happen?¡± The one who was shocked the most was Kurian, who believed that Luke had been defeated. He bit his lip upon seeing Avenger slowly walking toward him. ¡®I have no idea how he managed to survive the explosion, but he seems to be stronger than I thought. I need to end him soon!¡¯ With aura on his sword, he rushed wildly toward Avenger to strike him down. ¡°Die, you traitor!¡± Clang! It was a direct hit. However, it seemed like the huge sword, which was supposed to hit Avenger¡¯s head, broke in half. ¡°H-how is this possible?¡± ¡°Kuekk! What do you mean how? Everything has an explanation.¡± Luke was being sarcastic at Kurian since he missed. Shortly before being caught up in the explosion, he used a shield spell and amplified the demon ability Build-up with the help of the core engine. The armor of Avenger was several times harder. And the core engine wasn¡¯t even scratched by the explosion, which made it safe for him to face the full-fledged attack of Kurian. ¡°Uhk, you devil! You are the devil, Luke de Rakan!¡± When Kurian was feeling struck because of the difference in power, it made Luke laugh. ¡°Yeah, well, I am the devil made by you guys.¡± After saying those words, Luke knocked Atlas with a punch. Bang! Atlas, who was hit by Tekken Punch, flew for about 10 meters away and fell to the ground. The punch was so strong that the head of Atlas flew off and rolled on the ground like a ball. ¡°T-that was!¡± The knights, who watched the fight from a distance, hurriedly stepped back. It was because their morale and motivation to fight Luke had disappeared, seeing Viscount Kurian fall to the ground. ¡®I am not running away from here. I am just going back to inform His Majesty that Luke de Rakan has gained the power of the demons!¡¯ ¡®Even his Majesty had struggled with the demons. We need to tell him about it and make counter measures!¡¯ Luke pretended to not see those who were running away on their own. However, their own leader, Kurian, was different. He broke out of Atlas¡¯ hatch, which was no longer in a usable condition, and looked at his companions who were running away. ¡°Kuek! Aren¡¯t you going to come back?! You stupid good-for-nothing bastards!¡± Regardless of whether the Gigant was broken or not, it was an untold principle that one had to fight the enemy till the end. ¡°Come back right away! If not¡­!¡± ¡°Ahk!¡± One of the knights who escaped was suddenly sucked into the ground. The knights, who were shocked, stopped right away. They pulled out their swords from their waist and looked at the ground. They could sense something moving in the ground. However, the ¡®enemy¡¯ wasn¡¯t just in the ground. The anti-intruder ghosts who were in the clouds and sand hit the knights. Kiiik! ¡°W-what is that! Ack!¡± The knights wielded their swords with aura. However, the enemy wasn¡¯t a demon that could be killed by just striking him with a sword, it was a high-ranking demon, Kinon, who was reigning as a predator in the harsh environment of the Devidom. No matter how man times they were cut, they rushed to the knights with their sharp teeth and poisoned claws. ¡°Ack! Help me!¡± Those who managed to escape from Kinon ended up getting caught by ants which dragged them into the ground. ¡°Hick!¡± Kurian, who saw his men being eaten alive, went pale. ¡°W-what the hell is this place¡­?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say it in the beginning? Welcome to hell. This isn¡¯t Middle Earth. We are in Devildom.¡± At the words of Luke, who didn¡¯t seem to care, Kurian was shocked. He had felt it from the beginning that the land was a little strange, but he couldn¡¯t imagine that they were brought into the Devildom. Luke soothed the man. ¡°Don¡¯t look so disappointed. The Emperor you respect so much will end up being sent here too.¡± ¡°Uhhh! Luke, you¡­!¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know if you can manage to stay alive till then.¡± The last words of ridicule ended with Avenger turning transparent. Luke, who finished his work, returned to Middle Earth. ¡°Wait! Wait! Wait!¡± Feeling scared, Kurian ran over to Avenger to catch him. However, Luke was already far away, and Kurian only stumbled down and fell on the dry ground. The demons, which were done eating his colleagues, began to move toward him. Kiiik! Keeek! In order to take their last remaining prey, the delicacy that they hadn¡¯t tasted for a long time, the demons quarreled. And the victorious one went for the nape of Kurian. ¡°Ack! Help me! Please help me, Your Majesty!¡± The cry of Viscount Kurian, who was pleading for salvation, sounded all through the desolate sky of Devildom. Chapter 531 - End of the Attack on North 3 ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong that could¡¯ve happened, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t jinx anything and keep quiet. We will hear good news.¡± The commanders of Symphonia Kingdom, who were in the manor, were waiting for Luke¡¯s return. They were waiting and wanted to put their utmost belief in Luke¡¯s words and expect nothing to go wrong. However, as two hours had already passed, they couldn¡¯t help but be worried. Woong! Right then, Avenger made an appearance in front of them. They were nervous when they saw a lot of fragments of Avenger on its gloves. However, they sighed out of relief when they saw Luke coming out of the cockpit. ¡°Why were you so late?¡± When Belik asked him with an irritated voice, Luke just shrugged. ¡°I was about to come back right away, but they showed me something very impressive, so I ended up taking my time.¡± ¡°Tch! I should have gone along with you.¡± Belik, who didn¡¯t consider himself to be that great of a performer in the Gigantic Duel, grumbled while looking at the enemy lines. ¡°Well, the day looks bright, something worthwhile might happen.¡± ¡°It could be worth seeing, so keep your eyes on them. No matter what, avoid oversleeping.¡± At the end of Luke¡¯s words, Belik nodded his head and returned to his quarters. Luke and his other commanders went back too. However, some engineers and soldiers had to stay up all night to fix the wall of the manor that collapsed. The next morning, just as Luke had promised, the Baroque Empire¡¯s camp that was on the north of the river was in a mess. ¡°W-what the hell?! Are all of the Knights of Guard gone?¡± ¡°Yes, Sire. No one has seen them since they left yesterday evening.¡± At the words of his lieutenants, Marquis Vanden slumped into the chair. ¡®This damned time! How can the men¡­? The Sword Masters of the Emperor, his special guards, run away?¡¯ He, who looked blank for a short while, turned red out of anger. ¡°Find them right away! This calls for immediate execution!¡± ¡°But Sire, then the morale of the soldiers¡­¡± Even so, those who didn¡¯t do their duty correctly couldn¡¯t be excused. ¡°Kuek! Well, just find them for now!¡± At Vanden¡¯s words, his lieutenant went to organize a search party to pursue the whereabouts of the SS knights. However, despite being kept secret, rumors about the disappearance of the SS knights couldn¡¯t be prevented. The soldiers of the Symphonia Kingdom, who were at the walls, shouted. ¡°What are your men doing? Did the Knights of Guard flee at dawn?!¡± ¡°You too need to pack up and get back already! Battle with you men is turning annoying for us!¡± As the enemy kept mocking them, the men of Baroque ordered their soldiers to not get tricked. However, as the Knights of Guard didn¡¯t show up even after the next day, the peace of the camp was inevitably disturbed. ¡°Did the SS really flee?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it time we back off from this too?¡± The Baroque Empire¡¯s troops were in confusion. Although there were no deserters in the camp, the absence of the SS knights decreased the morale of the soldiers, and the troops¡¯ flow was destroyed. Hearing the reports, Marquis Vanden burst into screams. ¡°Those rats! They are men that should work under my feet!¡± The angry Vanden contacted Emperor Rudolf via magical communication to report about the SS that deserted them. Before the fleeing men went to the emperor and told some weird story, he wanted to speak to the emperor first. However, the emperor didn¡¯t believe his words. -The Knights of Guard escaped? What nonsense are you talking about?! ¡°I feel bad for saying it, but it is true¡­¡± -Shut up! I have already heard from Kurian that you men asked for a Gigantic Duel due to the late arrival. Why are you blaming them? Emperor Rudolf knew about the loyalty of the SS knights, which made him doubt Vanden¡¯s words. On the contrary, he said that Vanden wasn¡¯t given permission to leave Sherwood City without them and without taking the city back. ¡®Haa, has he decided to hit me?¡¯ The traitor couldn¡¯t be trusted. It was because those who once resorted to betrayal would always be suspected to do the same act again. Even if not for that, his position in the Baroque military was shaking, and it made his position as the commander of the reinforcements shudder. ¡®Would I surrender to the Symphonia Kingdom?¡¯ Since he had already betrayed people once, doing it again shouldn¡¯t be a problem. However, Vanden shook his head. Even if he was a Sword Master, there was no way the enemy would give him a high position after learning about his betrayal. Moreover, his relatives at the Baroque Empire and loyal retainers would be killed if he betrayed the emperor. ¡®Well, we need to break through the crisis head-on! The battle isn¡¯t over yet!¡¯ Vanden, who thought that his opportunity hadn¡¯t completely disappeared, stepped up to the gates of Sherwood after getting in his Hero class Gigant, ¡®Yeti¡¯. ¡°What is with him, that guy?¡± ¡°He isn¡¯t going to ask for a Gigantic Duel once again, is he?¡± When the soldiers of the Symphonia Kingdom were confused and looking from the wall, Vanden screamed through his Gigant. ¡°I am Marquis Vanden, the commander of the reinforcements! Ask Luke de Rakan to come out!¡± ¡°What? He is the enemy commander?¡± In time, Luke and the commanders of Symphonia Kingdom, who climbed the walls, heard him. ¡°Come out, Luke, you traitor! Let¡¯s not sacrifice more men, and let¡¯s decide this between ourselves like men!¡± ¡°Shut up! Do you think His Majesty has time like you to deal with your tantrums?¡± At Vanden¡¯s request, Philip screamed back at him. He turned right and spoke to Luke, ¡°Your Majesty, please give me orders. I will go and slash the neck of that man right away.¡± ¡°No need, please send me. I will pull that trash out of his Gigant and punch him.¡± ¡°Please send me. I haven¡¯t even gone into battle yet, so give me the chance!¡± Along with Philip, Belik and Ferrero asked to go out as well. Everyone despised Vanden. He was famous for betraying his master, Butler. Everyone wanted to punish Vanden with their own hands. The problem was that Luke had the same thoughts in his mind as well. ¡°I am free at the moment. I¡¯ll take care of the man.¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°That is a royal order. Anyone who tries to stop me will have to go against me later.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Luke¡¯s threat scared everyone. Even though they wanted to go and battle with Vanden, they didn¡¯t have the courage to go against their king. ¡°But, Your Majesty¡¯s Gigant, Avenger, is still being repaired.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need an Orc¡¯s sword to catch a goblin.¡± Luke, who said that, took part in the battle with a Knight class Gaius and not the Hero class Orion. Chapter 532 - End of the Attack on North 4 Thud Thud Thud! Luke, who passed through the opened gates, pointed his sword towards Vanden. ¡°Are you the one who betrayed your family and stuck yourself to Rudolf? As you wish, I will give you a chance to form a decision according to your mind.¡± In response, Vanden seemed startled. ¡°Are you really Luke de Rakan?¡± ¡°Why? Do I have to prove myself to you?¡± When Luke was done with his words, he lightly swung the giant sword of his Gigant. When Vanden moved to prevent his Gigant from getting smashed, Luke¡¯s Gaius¡¯s left hand cast a spell. ¡°Titan Fist!¡± Bang! The powerful 7th circle magic shattered the large shield which Yeti was holding, and the heavy Gigant got pushed back. ¡®I am certain! He is Luke de Rakan!¡¯ Sword and magic. The ability of the Rune Knight was known to the world, and only Luke de Rakan and the mercenary of the Holy Empire, Lev, were such men. There was no reason for Lev of the Holy Empire to help Luke out, so it was definite that the one in the Gigant was Luke. ¡®Huhu! The king is here?¡¯ Vanden was glad. In fact, he didn¡¯t hope for Luke to accept the Gigantic Duel which he had asked for. He thought that he would have to face with a lot of Symphonia riders in order to face their king. But, since the King itself made his appearance, he felt like his workload had been decreased! ¡®With this, I can make up for the mistake by taking down Luke¡¯s neck! I can¡¯t ignore those Knights of Guards who told me about the Emperor and might come to throw me out of the military any time soon!¡¯ Thinking of creating a flowery future for himself, Vanden violently swung the Impact Aura Gigant sword. ¡°Die, you traitor!¡± Luke, who saw Vanden¡¯s incoming attack, used the second half of the Gold Sword to counterattack. However, as the output of the knight class Gigant was low, and his Gold Sword wasn¡¯t complete, he couldn¡¯t overpower Vanden at once. Clang! Clang! Clang! Kwang! Both the men¡¯s fight was very tight. The both of them, who were in for full offense, went back a little to catch their breath. ¡°Rebel Luke! I guess you don¡¯t know fear!¡± ¡°You mean I should be scared of you?¡± ¡°Huh! You must be proud because of your little fame of Rune Knight. Well, I¡¯ll be hitting your neck!¡± ¡°Well, well, let¡¯s see if it is my neck or yours which will fly today.¡± Luke, who went along with the conversation, began to gather energy at the sword. It was Cyclone Rage, the most powerful trick he knew in the second half of Gold Sword. Bang! A golden aura slash filled the air and smashed right into Yeti¡¯s left shoulder. Along with a huge sound, the magic alloys, the gloves broke down revealing the joints. ¡®Kuek, he seems like he is better than I thought!¡¯ Luke¡¯s mighty blow, made Vanden clench his teeth. However, he soon smiled and stood straight. Luke was surely stronger than he expected, however, he had no thought of losing to him. ¡®I was the first knight to get merit and fame among the small group of knights. And now I am the Sword Master, does he really think that I will lose to a child?!¡¯ Of course, Luke was known to have a frightening growth in the recent years, but what good was that? Vanden too moved behind the back of Butler and joined with Rudolf who taught him a lot of skills, and ended up becoming Advanced Sword Master. ¡°Die, Luke!¡± Hweeeing! The Impact Aura which came out from Yeti¡¯s sword was like an ice blizzard. With the intent of killing Luke right away, Vanden began to develop ¡®Blizzard Sword¡¯. Vanden had developed the skill by applying the Southern Continent¡¯s martial arts of ¡®Ice White Divine Palm¡¯, the sword was notorious for how difficult dealing with it was considered, and it had the nature to freeze everything which it came in contact with. It was simply amazing. Crrrrk! Every place which was touched by Vanden¡¯s sword turned frozen. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting piece. You can create magic phenomena with aura.¡± Luke, rushed away with the use of Blink and appeared behind Yeti to knock him down with the sword. Crack! Yeti¡¯s upper body faltered with the sound of cracking ice. Somehow, Luke decided to rush back as the sword of Gaius was turning into ice. Vanden smiled and explained, ¡°Kuekk. My Blizzard Sword isn¡¯t specific to a sword. It is placed on the entire body like the aura shield.¡± ¡°It¡¯s stronger than the ice magic itself!¡± When the Gigant¡¯s control was sending a chill to both his hands, Luke frowned. It was at that moment, As he pulled on the magic, Gaius¡¯s sword swells with heat, and all the ice around began to melt away. It was like seeing sparks of fire spread, it seemed like a magical sword was being used. ¡°You have an interesting swordsmanship, but that doesn¡¯t mean that there is no way to deal with you.¡± Spoke Luke. Vanden continued to attack with Blizzard Sword again and again, however, he wasn¡¯t able to properly demonstrate the power of his sword as the flame magic was supreme when compared to his. Maybe, with an ordinary knight who didn¡¯t know the use of magic, Vanden would have held his victory, however, when going against Luke, who was a Rune Knight, it was a hard fight. However, Vanden didn¡¯t seem to have his confidence crushed as he was still going strong with the attacks of Blizzard Sword in his Hero class Gigant, Yeti. Luke managed to unfold magic. ¡°Thunder Strike! Titan Fist!¡± Every time, a spell came out of Luke¡¯s mouth, different kinds of magic unfolded. And Vanden would cancel the magic with his Blizzard Sword. ¡°Hahaha! Since you can¡¯t stop my sword, you step back and only use magic on me!¡± ¡°Well, I have the freedom to use whatever suit¡¯s possible.¡± Luke spoke back to Vanden¡¯s sarcastic words and shot Ice Blow. As a huge cube of ice flew right at him, Vanden couldn¡¯t help but laugh while trying to avoid it. However, before Vanden could break the ice, Luke blasted the ice. Pieces of shattered ice scattered all around Vanden¡¯s Yeti. The moment, the ice fell, the land around and the feet of Yeti too was frozen. It was like a magnet, the power of the magic Luke used got amplified as it responded to Blizzard Sword, which had the same properties as the spell. ¡°Thi- what is this!?¡± ¡°It is never good to overdo anything. Now I am going to take closer steps.¡± The ice could only hold the Hero class Gigant for a very short time. However, the moment was all one would need to determine the battle. Luke, who unleashed the Gold aura from his Gigant, rushed in. The sprint of the Gigant was as if a phoenix had spread its wings. Grrrrng! ¡°Ackkk!¡± A powerful sword flew in huge gusts of wind, Yeti¡¯s gloves shattered and limbs severed. Vanden barely managed to scrape from the torso of the Gigant and fell to the ground. ¡°Cough, how did this¡­?!¡± Luke, who saw Vanden staggering with the injuries, approached him and held him with magic. ¡®I guess Sword Masters really aren¡¯t the ones to die so easily. But, how am I supposed to handle this man?¡¯ He didn¡¯t want to simply kill the man. And to send back a man who pointed the knife at him, would be too generous on Luke¡¯s part. Even then, it was impossible for him to act recklessly in front of a large crowd of people and use his Black Bind. ¡®Ah! That can be done!¡¯ Luke, who was in deep thoughts, smiled at the passing thought. ¡°Vanden, I am going to hand you over to Duke Butler.¡± ¡°Wh- what?¡± ¡°I am giving you a precious opportunity to apologize to him.¡± ¡°N-No! I surrender. No, I will do everything I can for you! I will be the dog or cat for you, please don¡¯t hand me over to Duke Butler!¡± From what Vanden knew, Duke Butler would never forgive him. Even if he would be killed, he would be tortured to death. Which made Vanden plead again and again, however, Luke was no longer listening to him. ¡°Com-commander has been captured!¡± ¡°Wooo! We need to retreat!¡± At a distance, the Baroque Imperial troops, who witnessed the defeat of marquis Vanden being taken captive, were getting ready to retreat. The Attack of North, which the Symphonia Kingdom had launched against the Baroque Empire, had ended. Chapter 533 - Emperor of Steel 1 Jackson, one of the provinces of the Holy Arthenia Empire. The capital city of Jackson was Bremen. Archbishop Antero, who was in charge of looking after the area, was informed that an undead monster, a zombie, had made an appearance in their region. As a response, he contacted the close by sanctuary to dispatch priests and paladins to find out if it was summoned by a warlock or some other cause. However, the report which came in after a few days was surprising. People, who were infected with the strange epidemic were dying and turning into zombies, and the rate of transmission of the unknown disease was incredibly fast. The epidemic, which first made its appearance in the rural village passed to the official manors within the next full moon and was spreading to small and medium-sized cities in the estate. Accordingly, Archbishop Antero tried to prevent the situation by mobilizing the lords and priests and paladins under Jackson. However, as time went on, the number of zombies began to grow exponentially, even the priests and paladins who were involved in the treatment of the patients turned into victims of the infectious disease and had to be killed. ¡°Such ridiculous situations! Even those who serve the God are getting turned into the undead!¡± ¡°Archbishop, they didn¡¯t turn into undead. They died showing the symptoms the same as those who turn into zombies.¡± ¡°That is true. Unlike the normal people, who died with the symptoms turning worse, the priests and paladins showed immediate body combustion.¡± In spite of the reports from the other high priests, Archbishop Antero failed to make a decision. Even though they didn¡¯t die, the fact that the priests couldn¡¯t overcome the illness was rather unpleasant for him. ¡°Well, is there any way to stop the zombie illness?¡± ¡°Zombies can be eradicated immediately, but the problem is those who are infected or any suspicious patients. When they are being treated with divine power, the body begins to burn and they die which leads them to turn into a zombie..¡± ¡°Kuk, horrible!¡± Archbishop tried to control his frustrated heart by taking deep breaths. In the end, he felt that his skills were limited and the need to report it to Bless¡¯s Imperial palace for help. -Those who are sick turn into zombies? The magic communication with the Pope of the Holy Palace was activated. At the question from Veronica III or Reina, Archbishop Antero nodded his head with a sullen expression. ¡°Yes, Pope. The zombie disease is highly contagious and spreads very quickly to everyone.¡± -Not long ago, didn¡¯t the Baroque Empire¡¯s capital too hold the symptoms similar to an epidemic? Luke, who had gone to visit her last time, said that a disease called Vers, which drove the ancient Mado civilization to its end had been spread again. This was why Reina was naturally reminded of Vers when the Archbishop spoke about such transmission and mortality rate. ¡°This one is completely different. This zombie disease isn¡¯t showing the symptom of high fever, but it is showing the rotting of flesh and the intestines, and once infected, all turn into zombies. In addition, when we tried helping people with divine power, they burst into fire and died.¡± As a result, the infected patients were scared and refused treatment or fled from safe places. And then before long, they would turn into zombies, and the vicious cycle would hit again. ¡°Since there is no other way to stop the disease, the public sentiment in Jackson isn¡¯t that great at the moment, and the reputation of the denomination is getting worse by minute. I feel like we should act.¡± Honestly, it wasn¡¯t like there was no other way. As Emperor Rudolf of the Baroque Empire did, they could bring in all the infected and suspected patients to one place and remove them. However, if they decided to follow such a measure of the cruel act, the feelings of people in the Empire would take a turn for the worse. What was more, the zombie disease was so unclear about the development and how it got infected. So, Antero didn¡¯t propose the method. ¡°First, I wish you could send in the ¡®Holy Grail Guardian¡¯. Till then we will try to block the spread of the disease and learn about its cause.¡± -Oh my god¡­ is it so bad that I have to send those men? Unlike the Saint Guards, the armed group of the best paladins of the Holy Empire, the Grail Guardians were created by the priests and fostered under the denomination to combat demons. Although they had deeper faith and higher divine power than ordinary priests, they were hardly revealed to the public. It was because they usually lived in quiet places like temples or sanctuaries all around the empire and only showed up when the Holy Empire was in crisis. And such men were asked to be dispatched! ¡°We are in a situation where normal priests and paladins have no effect on them. We still aren¡¯t sure, and it is more likely that someone with more power than we known of is behind this.¡± If it was the act of such a man, they were sure to have a hidden intention for causing such havoc. If it was a priest who spread the disease, it meant that it was an attempt to destroy the Holy Empire, which maintained the authority and values of El Kassel. ¡°But, we need to hurry up. The estimated number of zombies alone is increasing to tens of thousands, and a thousand patients are turning up every day. If left alone like this, in just another month, it won¡¯t be just Jackson, but the entire Holy Empire will get infected.¡± The Jackson estate was just one province of the Holy Empire, yet, it was a key piece for them. If they didn¡¯t hurry and stop the new epidemic, the epidemic would spread over to the entire Empire. -I understand. We will send the support right away. Reina immediately cut off the magic communication with Archbishop Antero and asked for a meeting to be held right away. At her emergency call for a meeting, all the high-ranking figures of the Empire, Marquis Gregory, and Priest Luther too were gathered. ¡°Some of you might have already received the report, but an unknown epidemic of zombies is currently spreading in Jackson.¡± ¡°Zombie?¡± Luther seemed curious. ¡°Yes. It doesn¡¯t seem to look like an ordinary infectious disease, when one dies, they turn into zombies.¡± ¡°Huh?! that doesn¡¯t even make sense!¡± Upon the words of the high priests, Reina began to tell them everything which she heard from Archbishop Antero. At first, they thought of it to be a simple trick of a warlock or a normal epidemic spreading with peculiar symptoms, however, as her story continued, they couldn¡¯t help but realize that the situation was a lot worse. ¡°That seems bad, I think we need to dispatch priests and paladins right away to save the people. Surely, we have no way of saving those who are already sick, but we will still be able to stop the disease from spreading faster.¡± At the end of Luther¡¯s words, Reina nodded her head. ¡°Archbishop of Jackson asked me to send in the Grail Guardians.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it take time for the Grail Guardians to enter? We should immediately send over the Saint Guards.¡± Everyone agreed with Arch Duke Gregory¡¯s opinion. And soon, other opinions followed. About an hour later, it was decided that one squad of Saint guards would be sent, with 200 priests with excellent divine power and medicine and another 30,000 soldiers, to support them. With that power, it would be enough to subdue even an intermediate demon. And so, the Holy Empire thought it regained its stability. Chapter 534 - Emperor of Steel 2 Ten days later, shocking news was reported to the capital, Bless. The troops, which left for Jackson, were completely destroyed, and the city of Bremen, which was the capital of Jackson, was under the hands of zombies. The report turned the peace in Bless. It was because they heard of the defeat of the strongest group, Saint Guard. ¡°That can¡¯t be! How did that even happen?¡± ¡°Then, what about my brother? What happened to all those soldiers who left to support the Saint Guards?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t hear about it? They were wiped out. I feel bad telling you this, but they probably turned into zombies and are roaming around Jackson.¡± ¡°That makes no sense! Bremen had three of the most influential denomination of the 7! How could they not stop that?!¡± Shock and anxiety were spreading quickly among the residents of Bless. With the rumors going around, they were aware of the zombie disease, and they did know that eradicating the disease wasn¡¯t going to be an easy task. However, they expected that the number of zombies would decrease, but what they heard about was the annihilation of their men! ¡°It will be alright. The Holy Pope will take care of it.¡± ¡°Huh, what good can the pope do? There are hundreds of thousands of zombies in there. What¡¯s more, the moment divine power touches them, let it be a zombie or a patient, both of them are going to die, right?¡± ¡°Yet, it is a better manner to attain salvation.¡± ¡°I know. Rather than being in a state where we aren¡¯t sure of being alive or dead¡­¡± To the already confused people of Bless, more confusion and doubt rose. Those, who were opposed to the reform policies of the pope, alleged that it was a punishment for choosing a fallen angel, and the priests who followed her. Among them, Archbishop Constantine was the representative. He, who once was the regent of the pope, publicly criticized the pope in the central square of the capital. ¡°The zombie disease is a punishment! God is punishing the witch, her officers, and those who are following her!¡± The supporters of the pope shouted and protested to his words. ¡°What nonsense are you spewing? Didn¡¯t you see the miracles the pope did!¡± ¡°On top of that, you are the witch and not the pope. Don¡¯t go around spewing venom on others for being kicked out because of your inefficiency!¡± ¡°Right! Rather, are you really Archbishop Constantine? Aren¡¯t you a love child of Constantine?¡± Some people doubted the identity of Constantine. After the increase of the pope¡¯s rule, rumors spread that Archbishop Constantine was abolished from the capital. And there were a few that said that they witnessed the abolishment. Yet, the man in front of them seemed to be very young. It was as if he aged back. Their doubts weren¡¯t so unreasonable. Constantine¡¯s nose flared at their reactions. ¡°I regained my youth because of El Kassel, who gave me his blessing. He forgave my sins of getting deceived by that witch and made me into his true disciple.¡± Those words brought about a few moments of silence, which ended up making the crowd boo. ¡°Don¡¯t be funny. You being a disciple?¡± ¡°If you are a real disciple, give us evidence! Show us!¡± ¡°Right, show me miracles as the pope did!¡± Rather than panicking at their request, Constantine smiled. ¡°Evidence? A miracle? Fine! I will give you clear evidence, to show who is the real disciple of El Kassel!¡± Constantine glanced at Count Marcus. Marcus dragged a wagon, which was on one side of the plaza, and moved the black cloth that was covering it. Kiii! Kikiki! Shocking as it was, zombies were encaged in the wagon. The moment the people saw it, they couldn¡¯t help but move back after seeing the zombies push their hands from the iron bars of the cage. ¡°Kyaaa! Zombie!¡± ¡°Crazy bastard! Why would you bring a zombie into the capital¡­!¡± ¡°Call the Saint Guards! We need to get rid of the zombies right away!¡± There was no way the people wouldn¡¯t feel fear. They never imagined that a zombie would appear in the middle of the capital. When the mess only increased, Constantine screamed with a dazzling light shining all through his body. ¡°Be quiet people! These are the zombies from Jackson. They were brought to prove that this really is God¡¯s punishment, and I am the real disciple, so you have no reason to be afraid.¡± His voice, which was full of confidence and grace, displayed subtle divine power, which made the people settle a bit. It wasn¡¯t just that, his energy made the zombie¡¯s movements slow down. As the disturbances subsided, Constantine looked at the people and said, ¡°Look carefully everyone. I will bring them back to their human senses with the power that was bestowed onto me by God for being his true disciple.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t spew ridiculous words!¡± Among the crowd, a middle-aged man came forward. He was a priest, Keaton, who was a member of the Sanctity of Holiness, which was well known for providing relief to the capital¡¯s poor. He had a strong personality compared to Luther. Even after being called by Veronica III, he refused to join in the politics as he felt he had to provide service and relief to the people who were suffering. ¡°Zombies are a kind of undead. Even if they were once humans, they are beyond help even with the use of divine power! It makes no sense for God to punish a man and turn a living human into a zombie, and there is no way for a zombie to be turned back into a human!¡± Constantine laughed at Keaton¡¯s claim. ¡°Priest Keaton, you don¡¯t seem to be aware of the greatness of God. Don¡¯t you know that God¡¯s power is what makes us perform miracles? Are you really considering that to be ridiculous?¡± ¡°I know about the miracle. But, you who is stained with desire and greed can definitely not do it like the pope.¡± Keaton, who was so confident, spoke back to Constantine, ¡°I have been watching your moves for a long time, so I know for sure that there is a reason why you are doing all this. They obviously aren¡¯t real zombies. They should be one of the theatrical actors, all dressed up to help you.¡± ¡°Is that what you really think? If you don¡¯t believe me, you can check them for yourself.¡± When Constantine stepped out, Keaton approached the wagon with zombies and began to pray. ¡°Oh Heavenly Father! The child who follows your path is here¡­¡± As he continued to pray, soft divine power began to emanate from his body. Kiiiiiik! Kuakk-! With screams, the zombie that was closest to Keaton turned to ash and disappeared. Keaton was flustered and shocked at what he witnessed. ¡°N-no! That can¡¯t be!¡± ¡°Oh my, what great actor he was to turn into ash in no time!¡± Count Marcus applauded and made fun of Keaton. Constantine shook his hands and asked him to stop. He looked over at the people, opening his mouth again. ¡°Now you see, they are real. It is sacred to provide the power of God to the most valued man, and I, his true disciple, will show it to you. Look carefully.¡± Constantine pushed aside Keaton, who was still in shock, and reached out to the zombies with his right hand. A cloudy light began to wrap his hand and spread to the zombies. However, the zombies, who should¡¯ve turned to ashes and crumble to the floor, gradually began to regain their human complexion! Their rotten skin was regenerating, and the hair from their head was beginning to grow back again. It wasn¡¯t just that. Their broken and twisted vocal cords were being restored instead of their bizarre cries. They were stuttering yet they were able to speak. ¡°Wh-where am I?¡± ¡°Wh-why am I i-in this iron bar¡­?¡± Unlike the confused men, the crowd was full of agitation. It was because something crazy just happened in front of their very eyes. ¡°A zombie turned back to being a human!¡± ¡°Holy! Am I dreaming?¡± As people were screaming with shock, Constantine looked at Keaton who was still in daze. ¡°I know what you are thinking. You think I deceived the people with some trick.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you are still in doubt, check them yourself.¡± At Constantine¡¯s suggestion, Keaton approached the people who had just turned back to being humans and touched them with divine hands. Flinch. Surprised by what Keaton did, they stepped back. However, unlike the thoughts of Keaton, who assumed them to turn into ash, they seemed more vibrant. It was as if they were getting treated by divine powers. ¡°I guess it is true. The Undead turned back to humans!¡± At Keaton¡¯s words, the people who were still suspicious began to go quiet. In the crowd, there were those who knelt down to pray to God. ¡°He is the disciple! The real disciple of God has appeared!¡± ¡°Oh, Lord El Kassel, forgive me for my sins!¡± Many of those people were placed in the crowd in advance by Count Marcus. However, there didn¡¯t seem to be a lot who doubted Constantine¡¯s miracle. ¡°Disciple! Save us from the punishment!¡± ¡°I will do anything you say!¡± As the shouts began to grow, the dubious crowd began to kneel down one after the other, being swayed by the flow. Constantine smiled, looking at the wealthy people who were in front of him. Keeping his composure, he spoke, ¡°Those who want salvation, follow me! I will make you the masters of the real kingdom of God!¡± At Constantine¡¯s declaration, Count Marcus and his men began to shout. ¡°Follow the real disciple!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s purify the fallen denomination!¡± ¡°The witch needs to be pulled out and the Holy Empire needs to be placed on the right path!¡± Dozens of words spread quickly. After a day or so, the word spread inside Bless and all the surrounding areas. Reina¡¯s reform policy started the new storm of rebellion in the Holy Empire. Chapter 535 - Emperor of Steel 3 ¡°What was it? By Constantine, you mean him? I can¡¯t believe that!¡± ¡°But it¡¯s the truth!¡± The incident in the central square soon spread to the palace. Rather than hearing of the rumors from the mouth, the crowd of the palace was excited with the incitement of Count Marcus¡¯ instigation and attempt to enter the palace. The riots were suppressed as the guards and the Imperial Palace Saint Guards advanced. However, the expression of the officials and the priests weren¡¯t bright. It wasn¡¯t that long since Veronica III had risen and become the pope. She had just garnered the people¡¯s favor, and now they began to rebel in large numbers. The bigger problem was that it wasn¡¯t nobles or the high-status people but the general public. ¡°They must be very worried about the zombie disease than we thought.¡± At the end of Reina¡¯s words, Arch Duke Gregory nodded. ¡°It isn¡¯t unreasonable to feel fear because of the disease that is spreading at a horrible speed with no measure to counter it. However, I never thought that the public sentiment would change this quickly.¡± At that, Luther spoke, ¡°They haven¡¯t changed sides completely. It was only those who saw the miracle performed by Constantine.¡± ¡°What if that group grows? If I was Constantine, I would be going around showing the miracle of turning zombies back into humans.¡± And indeed, Gregory¡¯s assumptions of Archbishop Constantine was on point. He was gathering people in Bless and close by regions to attract his followers. However, the public sentiment didn¡¯t change as Constantine had thought. It could have been because the people remembered the past where Constantine used a similar situation, or maybe they were head-over-heels for Reina¡¯s reform policies. ¡°But, where did Constantine even get those powers?¡± Through priest Keaton, they came to know that the conversion of zombies into humans wasn¡¯t fraud or deception. ¡°Well, maybe he held hands with the men who are responsible for spreading the zombie disease.¡± As a response to Reina¡¯s question, Arch Duke Gregory grunted. However, he didn¡¯t know the truth. The fact that his guess was almost right on the mark. Whatever was the situation, the pope and her closest figures such as Gregory and Luther didn¡¯t believe that the zombie disease was God¡¯s punishment or that Constantine was the true disciple of God. It was because they knew him better than anyone. ¡°Pope, we need to catch Constantine who is out there spreading rumors on us.¡± ¡°That is true. We need to catch him and find out what role he played in the zombie disease and the cure. Please give us the orders!¡± Despite the demands from her officials, Reina shook her head. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be doing that.¡± ¡°Pope!¡± Everyone was in despair after hearing her answer. However, Reina spoke her thoughts, ¡°Even I want to know about the cure as soon as possible, but I don¡¯t think that arresting Archbishop Constantine will give us the answer.¡± Reina didn¡¯t consider the situation to be God¡¯s Will. For some reason, it seemed like the work of someone who wanted to destroy the peace of the Holy Arthenia Empire. ¡®Who was the one who spread the zombie disease? Was it the Baroque Empire? From what he said, the Baroque did have an ancient plague called Vers spreading, maybe this is related to it.¡¯ Moreover, the Baroque Empire had a very good reason to place the Holy Empire in such a tough spot. The Holy Arthenia Empire competed with the Baroque Empire for the past 500 years for supremacy over the other, and the Holy Empire constantly put pressure on the east side of Baroque. Also, the Baroque Empire might have gotten the news that the Holy Arthenia Empire was having a close relationship with the rebellious men of Symphonia Kingdom. Considering the fact that Count Ferrero was sent to the Holy Empire to rage the civil war, it was likely that Constantine too had been encouraged by them. However, the method of execution was completely unknown. ¡°If there is a certain force behind the zombie disease, the moment we put our hands on Constantine, we will end up digging our own graves.¡± ¡°Right. There is no reason to make him into a martyr.¡± At Reina¡¯s words, Gregory nodded his head. Even if it wasn¡¯t Constantine¡¯s actions, there was some dissatisfaction with the pope. In other words, there were many who would replace the rebellious role of Constantine. ¡°Pope, in that case, what should we do?¡± They had no other way to stop the zombie disease. And what would happen if they couldn¡¯t push back Constantine nor know how the zombies were being turned back into humans? What could they even do? When asked by priest Luther, Reina thought for a moment and spoke, ¡°For now, we will encourage Constantine. If what he wants is power, he will be willing to sit down and talk with us.¡± ¡°B-but that¡­¡± ¡°It is more important for us to save the people and put their anxiety to rest.¡± Reina was willing to give up the position of pope if people could be saved. The day after they had thorough discussions, Reina sent a messenger to Constantine¡¯s mansion. However, the pope¡¯s messenger had to return back from the gate itself. ¡°Holy Pope, Archbishop Constantine said that he had no intention of talking to you.¡± ¡°Any reason? Was it because I am a false angel or a witch?¡± The messenger couldn¡¯t say it out loud and just nodded at Reina¡¯s words. Honestly, Constantine had said much worse remarks. ¡°I guess there is no other way. I will meet him in person.¡± No one seemed willing to. However, they couldn¡¯t break Reina from her decision. Yet, she wasn¡¯t able to meet Constantine. Maybe it was because he was scared of getting arrested and went into hiding. Hours after his disappearance, rumors spread that ¡®the silver-haired witch from the palace was trying to kill God¡¯s disciple.¡¯ ¡°What are you going to do now?¡± At the question of Luther, who was troubled, Reina answered, ¡°I will go to Jackson along with the Grail Guardians.¡± ¡°Huh? B-but why there¡­?¡± ¡°What do you mean why? It¡¯s to save the people of course.¡± At Reina¡¯s words, her officials strongly opposed her plans. Firstly, it was dangerous as the place was swarming with zombies. And the second one, the divine power could adversely affect them. ¡°If your divine power can work miracles, then maybe you could save those who are infected with the zombie disease. But if that isn¡¯t what your power does, you will be the lady who slaughtered thousands, the angel who murders.¡± ¡°It could be either, but I don¡¯t intend to stay here without doing anything.¡± That said, Reina gave them another reason to leave for Jackson. ¡°And we might find Archbishop Constantine there. If he has the power to save people, he will be trying to get as many followers as possible.¡± ¡®Surely, if it is Constantine¡­¡¯ Priests began to agree with Reina¡¯s words, yet they kept asking her to rethink her thoughts about visiting Jackson. However, time and again, she proved herself to be a stubborn lady. Instead, for the sake of her safety, in addition to the Grail Guardians, she went with Arch Duke Gregory and the Saint Guards instead. And all her plans were kept secret. Chapter 536 - Emperor of Steel 4 Around the time the Holy Empire was under the torture of the zombie disease. The atmosphere in the Baroque Empire took a turn for the worst. The intelligence chief, Count McMillan, spoke his final words to his family and went to the throne room. It was because the news he had to deliver to the Emperor was truly horrible. ¡°Majesty. It was said that our reinforcements scattered because of loss, Marquis Vanden was captured and taken in as their prisoner after the Gigantic Duel.¡± Emperor Rudolf, who was discussing about the relocation of troops with Voltas, jumped up at the report given by McMillan. ¡°WHAT? They couldn¡¯t even stand for one day?¡± ¡°Th-that¡­ it seemed like they didn¡¯t do something to reverse the situation.¡± ¡°That stupid man!¡± Seeing the wrath of the Emperor, McMillan bowed his head and trembled like a sapling. It seemed like the Emperor¡¯s sword would come at him, but fortunately, the Emperor never touched it. ¡®I was anxious since yesterday as I couldn¡¯t reach the SS knights with magic communication!¡¯ And he was concerned that Vanden might have been in thoughts about surrendering to the enemies to the South. But to collapse in just a day! ¡®He must be a stupid person! If I knew this was going to happen, I would have sent some other commander¡­¡¯ However, it was too late to regret it. Rudolf who looked down talked to McMillan, who was still trembling. ¡°Let go of Vanden, what about the SS knights? Did Kurian contact me?¡± ¡°T-the, the SS knights are directly under Your Majesty, why would I be aware of them?¡± ¡°Kuek!¡± Rudolf was angry, yet he didn¡¯t scream. Count McMillan wasn¡¯t wrong. The SS knights always directly reported to the Emperor. Of course, there would be reports which would pass through the military or the intelligence, but that would be done with prior orders. And during their current mission, such orders weren¡¯t given. ¡®By the time I wanted to contact, I couldn¡¯t even get through them, something must have happened.¡¯ When Rudolf was in thoughts, Count Voltas asked. ¡°Your Majesty, the situation in the South, we lost our hand in it, what about the troops deployed from the west? Should we move them?¡± Originally, Rudolf was planning to assign the rebellion of the Symphonia Kingdom over to Vanden. However, as the Sherwood city fell too quickly, the plans were changed. In order to handle the situation, they decided to deploy 60,000 troops and 400 Gigants from the west to secretly move to the south and regain the lost land. Vanden, who led the reinforcement forces, was supposed to attack the enemy by moving through the bypass route and attack Sherwood till the other troops arrived, however, Vanden collapsed too quickly. The plan had to be executed correctly. ¡°For now, we move. The troops are gone, but, just as planned in the beginning, they go to the south and sweep those rebels of the south.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t plan on driving them away by sweeping them off?¡± ¡°Yes. There will be no one we won¡¯t kill. Not just the Variand mountain, but we will be taking the Southern sea too!¡± Rudolf was planning to restore the real land, and punish the rebels who claimed to be from the Symphonia Kingdom. It was because he saw Luke de Rakan¡¯s moves to be a lot more drastic and dangerous than Reichard, who was an eye-catcher. ¡®Since Sherwood has fallen, the central part of the Empire is in danger. If I don¡¯t smash that man, he will end up coming for my neck¡­!¡¯ If he couldn¡¯t punish men like that, no nobles under Rudolf would trust and follow him. At least establishing the authority as an Emperor, it was necessary for Rudolf to touch the Symphonia Kingdom and Luke. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll order the western army to move right away.¡± ¡°Good, keep the minimum defense in the west. We need to proceed in secret so that those rebels don¡¯t notice.¡± And so, it was decided to take over Symphonia. Yet, the situation didn¡¯t go as Rudolf intended. The current western army included the elite troops from all the western estates, it was three times the actual number of the Western Army. With such a large group of people, no matter how secretly they moved, they would be found out. About two days before the main group of the Western Army left the western border, information entered the ears of Shaikan. ¡°Majesty, the western border troops are withdrawing from the border.¡± ¡°Huh, the Symphonia men must have hit very hard on Rudolf¡¯s back.¡± Shaikan had a very bright smile. Libiya kingdom troops crossed the border the next day. With Gigant troops, cavalry, and fast-paced monsters, they attacked the rear of the western army which was moving south. Western forces, who never imagined that the enemy outside the border would enter and hit them from behind were in shock. Dozens of knights and soldiers were killed, and violent blows were given to take down the force. And twice were the number of wounded soldiers and unrepairable Gigants. Eventually, the Western army ceased to move and informed Emperor Rudolf about the attack of the Libiya Kingdom on them. ¡°What the hell?! Those men from Libiya sent out troops to follow the Western Army?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty! And it was said that the damage of the allies wasn¡¯t small.¡± ¡°Kuuu! Reichard!¡± When Rudolf was screaming, another messenger entered around to give him another report. ¡°Your Majesty! The Volga Republic is attacking the forts on the Northern border!¡± ¡°There are riots breaking out in eastern and central parts of the Empire as people refuse to pay taxes and accept the military draft. If we don¡¯t hurry up¡­¡± At the words which came in, Rudolf was first blank-faced and then burst into laughter. ¡°Huhhu! Now, even those who are like rats are coming at me? I never thought that such a day would ever come. HaHaha!¡± ¡°Your-your Majesty!¡± Looking at the unusual response of their Emperor, McMillan, and Voltas were flustered and scared. Rudolf, who kept on laughing for a while, pulled the sword from his waist and pierced into the marble floor. Kwang! Just some days back, the marble had been replaced, yet once again it was shattered and the pieces flew everywhere. Without blinking, Rudolf gave orders. ¡°Convene the troops as they are! I will use my own hands and kill all those rats who are coming for me!¡± With anger, the Emperor issued for the mobilization of troops all throughout the Empire. Till then, he tried to clean up the enemies with the Central troops alone, but he realized that there was a limit for it. The entire Baroque Empire began to sway. In addition to the estates, noble soldiers and knights flocked to the capital, and young men between the age of 18 to 30 were conscripted and sent to the army. In every workshop, blacksmith and warehouses, instead of farm equipment or daily necessities, weapons such as swords and spears were being intensively produced. The Baroque Empire, which was in the greatest turmoil since its founding, was facing invasion from south, west, and north. What remained was to see if Emperor Rudolf would be able to overcome the crisis wisely. Chapter 537 - The Path She Took 1 After finishing the first attack by capturing Vanden, Luke left the other matters to the commanders and returned to Brandon. The one who welcomed Luke was Hudson. When he heard the news that the King was returning, he went to meet him and relay the information, which made Luke¡¯s mood change. ¡°Is that happening in the Holy Empire?¡± ¡°Yes, according to our source of Argos, the situation is getting worse over time.¡± ¡®Oh my God. The Holy Empire had been peaceful since the last civil war, how could such a ridiculous thing happen over there?!¡¯ Trying to calm his mind, Luke immediately pulled out a magic communication ball and entered the coordinates to contact Reina. This wasn¡¯t the usual circumstance where Luke had sources that informed him of things before. The zombie disease was a mysterious disease that he wasn¡¯t familiar with. ¡®Well, I did hear things similar to it.¡¯ It was in the information of the future, which had been erased by Karen, according to what Hwang Bo-sung had told. An undead legion which appeared on the continent after Luke and Reina passed away. It was said that the place where the undead walked through, ended up being the haven for more undead, to the point where the entire world was filled with undead. The disease wasn¡¯t mentioned, yet, the aspects seemed very familiar. Maybe, in the so-called future, the disease was overlooked because of the war. ¡®I need to hurry, yet, it is likely that Arsene is involved in this. Which means, Reina and Holy Empire are in danger!¡¯ Woong! Magic was infused into the magic communication ball, which began to radiate with bright light, and soon a human figure began to shine. However, the humans wasn¡¯t Reina but a middle-aged wizard. -Excuse me. But why was I contacted? ¡°I am Luke de Rakan, the King of Symphonia Kingdom. Who might you be and where is Holy Pope?¡± -Auck! Shocked by Luke¡¯s introduction, the wizard yelled out and hurriedly introduced himself. -I-I have taken the communication ball of the Pope in her stead. Hol-Holy Pope¡­ is currently at¡­ that¡­ When the communication wizard was nervous at answering the question, Luke spoke. ¡°I was informed that something bad was happening in the Holy Empire. I would like to discuss this with the Holy Pope, could you please direct her to the room.¡± At the request of Luke, the wizard closed his eyes and answered. -Holy Pope isn¡¯t at the palace right now. ¡°Isn¡¯t in the palace?¡± -Yes, three days back, I was entrusted with the magic communication ball and Pope went to Jackson with the Saint Guards. ¡°Wh-what?!¡± Luke was shocked at the unexpected answer. It was because Jackson was the place which was reported to have become the den of the zombies, and was a too dangerous place to be visited without knowing the details of the disease. Even if one had amazing guards around, they would still be infected with the zombie disease if they were unlucky. Yet, that woman went to Jackson without any fear! ¡°What was Arch Duke Gregory even doing? Didn¡¯t he even try to stop the Pope?!¡± Shocked by Luke¡¯s outburst, the communication wizard stumbled back into the ground. -T-that, well¡­ although he did try, she was too stubborn so he went along with her. ¡°Huh! Dammit¡­!¡± Luke thought of her act as outrageous, yet some part of him knew why she did that. Reina chose to remain as the Holy Pope to help the Empire and its people. And as time passed, the people of the empire began to love her for her acts. ¡®That was why she must have gone herself to prevent the spread of the zombie disease. And she left the magic communication ball because she knew if she took it along, I would object to it.¡¯ Luke tried to calm his anger. And spoke to the wizard who was still in shock. ¡°Fine. If you are contacted by the Pope, let her know to contact me using these coordinates.¡± -Ah, yes. Luke, who cut the magic communication couldn¡¯t shake off the troubled feeling in the pit of his stomach. How was he supposed to safely bring her back and how to help the Holy Empire overcome that crisis? ¡°I need to go there and do something.¡± After making a decision, he convened the officials into the throne room to inform them about the situation in the Holy Empire. And told them about his decision to go there himself and fix the problem. That was when Prime Minister Hans and the other officials went full swing at him. ¡°Your Majesty! You just came back from the attack, why would you have to go right away?¡± ¡°That is right. It is very likely that Emperor Rudolf will attack us to reclaim his lost land. Your position shouldn¡¯t be empty in such situations.¡± ¡°And isn¡¯t that zombie disease something that priests could handle? I think that you, going to the Holy Empire is very dangerous for us!¡± The room turned noisy in an instant. He was expecting their contradicting opinions to some extent, but over the top concern made Luke irritated. Bang! He hit the handle of the chair to silence everyone. ¡°The one who is in the Jackson estate is the one I love. Do you mean that we should let her be in that dangerous situation?!¡± ¡°We do understand the heart of Your Majesty, but to involve personal feelings into national affairs¡­¡± ¡°These aren¡¯t my personal feelings! The Holy Arthenia Empire is the most important alliance for us to take down the Baroque Empire. We will never be safe if they fall into the crisis!¡± Although he didn¡¯t mention, it was more than necessary for the Holy Empire to be stabilized, as they would be needed to protect the future of the continent from Arsene¡¯s Undead legion. Yet, the mouths of the officials began to work again. Luke looked around at the men who were still opposing his decision and spoke. ¡°I didn¡¯t call for the meeting to get your permission, but this was to notify you about my actions and prepare for any measures. So organize the troops to leave for the Holy Empire right away, and form a system which will run the state administration while I am away.¡± ¡°Huh, understood, Your Majesty.¡± Hans signed and bowed his head. He wanted to stop Luke more than anyone else, yet, he knew about Luke¡¯s stubbornness and was able to understand his feelings. ¡°¡­¡± Luke¡¯s expression turned distorted seeing the reactions of Hans and the other officials. They were dissatisfied with their extreme reliance on Luke and his words. ¡®Yet, this is unreasonable. I led every step till the founding.¡¯ It was all because of Luke that the Rakans were able to see victory against the Baroque Imperials and win. Which was why the retainer believed him, but on the contrary, he too turned dependent on them without realizing. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t do things like this in the future. I need to make sure that there is no problem in running the state even in my absence and make sure they agree to it¡­¡¯ And it wasn¡¯t something which he could think and execute right away, so he decided to take care of it once he was done helping out the Holy Empire. Chapter 538 - The Path She Took 2 While in hurry to leave for Holy Empire, Luke called the Dark Moon Magic Tower late at night. It was because the matter was related to undead, and he needed support from the warlocks. -It has been a very long time, Master. ¡°Nice to see you, Meister Johas. Actually, I wanted to talk about¡­¡± Luke told Johas about what was going on in the Holy Empire. Hearing the entire story, Johas seemed to have held a serious expression. -I too heard about the Holy Empire from the monks and priests. Surely, I thought of it to be someone¡¯s job. ¡°I feel that it was Arsene. Do you have any guesses Meister?¡± -I too am suspicious of Arsene. He is the only warlock with the skill set and mind to do something of this huge scale. ¡°Well, the Holy Empire surely would have been the most annoying aspect for that Lich man¡¯s future. Anyway, I plan to go to Jackson. I will go and find out how this zombie disease is getting transmitted, and how a person is turning into undead and for a possible cure.¡± Johas wasn¡¯t aware of why Luke was stepping into that mess. He had never witnessed it, but he did hear about the rumors that the current pope of the Holy Empire was Princess Reina and the fianc¨¦ of Luke. If the rumors weren¡¯t true, the coronation of Luke where the pope decided to visit surely would have known about Luke using dark magic, and Luke wouldn¡¯t be involved in the affairs of the Holy Empire. -Since we know Master¡¯s skills, we have nothing to worry about. Even if you did master dark magic, didn¡¯t you always keep away from any matters related to the undead? ¡°I didn¡¯t keep away from it, I just never used the skills. All that magic and the knowledge about it is still in my head. Surely, that is a very wide area, so I think it might be a bit too much for myself.¡± At the words of Luke, who was honest about his lack of information, Johas nodded his head. -What can we do for you? ¡°I want you to send warlocks to assist me to Jackson. I wish them to be those who have great awareness of undead, doesn¡¯t matter if their skills are poor.¡± -Understood. Ah, now that I think about the undead, the other day, an envoy of fairy representative came and told me this. Johas told Luke the story he heard from the fairies. After hearing it, Luke couldn¡¯t help but be lost in thought. As it was related to what he went through. ¡°It was true that a different kind of undead appeared in the Southern Continent. I witnessed it myself and confirmed that Arsene was behind it.¡± -I thought so. Then, he must be developing power on the Southern Continent? ¡°That is highly likely. Anyway, tell the fairy representatives to come and find me sooner or later. If they want be more active in the world, they need to do something.¡± -Understood, Master. Being done with the magic communication, Luke fell deep in thought. ¡®Since the Southern Continent¡­ I haven¡¯t really paid much attention to our relationship with the Zegal clan.¡¯ During that time, the appearance of the undead in the Zegal clan was related to the 3rd crown prince, Jo Won-rak. As he was the target of the undead in the first place. Given that, Arsene was more likely to be involved in the royal battle going on in the Song Empire. ¡®There shouldn¡¯t be a situation where the Song Empire falls into his hands. Firstly, I need to contact Jo Won-rak.¡¯ The national power of Symphonia Kingdom was limited. Even then, the Song Empire was the largest nation on the Southern Continent, and it couldn¡¯t be left alone. That was why Luke decided to entrust the fairies to the Southern Continent. Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Luke wanted to run over to the Holy Empire, yet, he couldn¡¯t go there without any preparation. While suppressing his upset heart, he monitored the Baroque Empire very closely. ¡°Was the Baroque Empire raided by both the Libiya Kingdom and Volga Republic?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. There is rebellion happening in numerous places, so it doesn¡¯t seem like he would be paying attention to the Symphonia Kingdom any time soon.¡± Luke smiled at the report from Belfair. It was because the situation he had hoped for with the Attack on the North, was finally happening. ¡°But, in any case, we never know what might happen, so keep an eye on them. If necessary, you can create confusion and cause fighting within the Empire. Don¡¯t let Rudolf have enough time to look at us.¡± ¡°Understood. Please leave the matter to me.¡± Soon after, Belfair went back and the court wizard, Erwin, entered. ¡°Your Majesty, the representative of the fairies has arrived.¡± ¡°Really? They came at the right time.¡± Even if it wasn¡¯t for that, Luke was going to have a meeting with them later. Luckily, they came in before Luke left for the Holy Empire, which saved a lot of time. Luke went to the lobby of the palace, where he met with Elven chief Bratt, the Lycan chief Amur Khan and Fairy Queen, Ariete. ¡°Nice to meet you. I heard from my court wizard that you noble people helped during that unfortunate turn of events in the Dark Forest. This is very late, still, I am very grateful for what you did then.¡± When Luke bowed his head to thank them, Bratt hurriedly shook his hands. ¡°What happened then was a few of hard-headed fairies acting out of line. Thanking us, there is no need for it.¡± ¡®Hmm, he holds back his words.¡¯ Luke deliberately looked at the representatives of the fairies. If Bratt pretended to take the credit or ask for reward in any sort, he intended to distance himself from the fairies. However, the fairy representatives managed to pass the test. Luke, who felt good about that, went straight to the point. ¡°Unfortunately, I am out of time, so please understand my situation for going straight to the point without asking any pleasantries.¡± ¡°We know about it. It¡¯s about the Holy Empire since you are allied with them, right?¡± Bratt heard the news from Volga Republic before getting into the teleport gate. The damage of the Holy Empire wasn¡¯t just for the regular people but also the fairies that resided in there. That was thy they decided to meet with Luke right away. All the other fairies had moved to the Holy Empire to protect and help their kind. ¡°It is my work to go there and solve it¡­ I need you to pay attention to the things happening in the Southern Continent.¡± ¡°The Southern Continent, are you talking about the undead that appeared there?¡± ¡°Exactly. The one who is making the undead is a very dangerous person.¡± ¡°Who could that be?¡± ¡°Arsene, he was the Meister of Veritas Magic tower 500 years ago.¡± Luke explained to them in detail on how Arsene touched the forbidden magic. Upon hearing his explanation, the fairy representatives seemed shocked. ¡°H-how could that man!¡± ¡°He was the one behind most of the turmoil that rose in the continent!¡± Luke asked them to go to the Southern Continent and help the 3rd crown prince Jo Won-rak. ¡°If the 3rd crown prince is lost, it is likely for the Song Empire to fall into the hands of Arsene, so you might have to protect him.¡± ¡°We get that. Is that all we are supposed to do?¡± Luke, who thought for a moment about Ariete¡¯s question, opened his mouth again. ¡°Please try finding Arsene¡¯s base. However, don¡¯t get yourself involved further. Just watch them.¡± ¡°You think we can¡¯t deal with him on our own?¡± Amur Khan grumbled with a frown on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t know how strong you are. However, even if you might be able to defeat the Undead Legion, you won¡¯t be able to catch Arsene. That man is sly.¡± And if it ended up with the man getting out of sight, once again, everyone would have to wait until he moved again. Moreover, Arsene was a Lich, an immortal. If he decided to hide himself, finding him would be tough not just for Luke, who was a human, but also for the long-lived fairies. After understanding what Luke was concerned about, Bratt and the other two nodded. ¡°We understand. We¡¯ll look for his whereabouts, but won¡¯t act on it.¡± ¡°That is all I request from you.¡± After being done with the meeting, Luke left for the Holy Empire. Chapter 539 - The Path She Took 3 Luke and his group traveled to Bless, the capital of the Holy Empire, at once with the use of long-distance teleport gate. Since he had already contacted them before his departure, Priest Luther was in the Holy Palace on behalf of Reina to meet him. ¡°We welcome you, Your Majesty.¡± Luther, who greeted Luke gladly, looked at Luke and Hwang Bo-sung. ¡°I always wondered what kind of person the king was¡­ I never thought that it would have been you.¡± ¡°Hut, my identity was only known to you.¡± Luke was a mercenary during the civil war in the Holy Empire. At that time, he met with Priest Luther at Baron Prier. That was the time when Hwang Bo-sung was Luther¡¯s escort. ¡°By the way, where is the pope? Isn¡¯t it too dangerous?¡± Luther smiled at the appearance of Luke, who was asking about the welfare and comfort of the pope. Not long ago, he learned about the relationship between Luke and the pope. There have been rumors regarding that for a very long time, and he did have his suspicions about it, including the intentional visit of the pope to Symphonia Kingdom to present the crown and Luke¡¯s sudden visit when the news of the pope passing out in the magic tower spread. However, he didn¡¯t want to meddle into the matter. He knew there was nothing good that would come out of knowing such matters and didn¡¯t think it was right on his part to ask when she didn¡¯t feel the need to tell him. However, a few days ago, after he received reports that Luke was seriously against the idea of the pope¡¯s personal decision to visit Jackson, he could no longer hold his thoughts. That ended up with Luther making a magic communication with Arch Duke Gregory and ask about the matter. Arch Duke Gregory was silent at first, but as Luther kept on asking about it, he opened his mouth, and in the end, Luther managed to find out that the rumors that were wandering in the empire were true. Pope Veronica III was the last princess of the Volga Kingdom, Reina Petrovna Kirillov, and the lover of Symphonia Kingdom¡¯s ruler, Luke, no, the truth that she was currently married to him. Suddenly knowing the truth made Luther feel shocked and troubled. Soon, however, Arch Duke Gregory convinced him that ¡®everything was God¡¯s will¡¯. There was nothing bad that happened after Reina took on the role of the Holy Pope in the Holy Empire. Well, when Constantine was the regent, she was nothing but a scarecrow, which made Gregory and many other like him concerned about the turn of events, but when she began to expel the corrupt priests and nobles and began taking steps to renew and revitalize the Holy Empire, they began to trust her. ¡®The pope wasn¡¯t a priest from the very beginning, so what¡¯s wrong if she marries like a regular woman? The most important thing is that she can understand God¡¯s will and take care of the people.¡¯ One didn¡¯t have to be tied to the habit of being a priest or keeping their chastity. Luther, thinking like that, managed to get his thoughts together, which was why he didn¡¯t take Luke¡¯s sudden visit or his outburst to be an offense. ¡°At the moment, the pope is in a small town called Wolfs in Jackson. She is out looking for cure while staying in an open shelter to prevent the spread of the zombie disease.¡± ¡°Did she take enough escorts with her?¡± ¡°All 80,000 troops with 300 Gigants who have started out in advance to protect the troops against the spread, including Gregory, his Saint Guards, and the Grail Guardians are guarding and protecting her.¡± ¡®Then, it wouldn¡¯t be dangerous.¡¯ More troops had been dispatched from the empire to prevent the zombie disease from spreading; a lot more than Luke had expected. All of the divisions of Saint Guard¡¯s knights were mobilized, and nearly half of the army was being placed in action. In addition, priests and paladins near Jackson were mobilized to prevent the further spread of the disease. It was a sign that that Empire viewed it as a huge disaster. ¡®She¡­ She should have asked me for help if things were this bad!¡¯ Although he was grumbling to himself, Luke wasn¡¯t stupid enough to not know why Reina had to do that. She knew that the Symphonia Kingdom was at war with the Baroque Empire, so she couldn¡¯t get herself to ask for help. ¡°But, Your Majesty, is this the entire party?¡± Luke¡¯s party was a lot less than Luther imagined. There weren¡¯t any huge men, or his escorts too weren¡¯t that huge in number. And Hwang Bo-sung, who was the commander of the Guard Knights, Luther knew well about his skills, yet the small number made him feel nervous. ¡°More will come. We decided to join with them near Jackson.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Rather than that, is the guide, who I asked for, ready?¡± Before moving through the long-distance teleport gate, Luke asked the Holy Palace to provide him with a guide to Jackson. Jackson was never a place he had been to or heard about. As a result, he was unable to move with teleport magic, so he intended to fly from Bless to Jackson as fast as possible instead. To do that, someone who knew the place well was essential. ¡°I will guide you.¡± ¡°You will? Then what about the Holy Palace?¡± At the end of priest Luther¡¯s words, Luke was a bit shocked. ¡°I already asked for a trustworthy priest, and the Jackson region is something I am well aware of as I was there during my younger days.¡± At that time, the faces of people to whom he handed out food and help came to Luther¡¯s mind, which made him look bitter. ¡°Then, I feel relieved. Is it fine if we leave right away?¡± In response to Luke who was in a hurry, Luther nodded his head. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I knew you would ask that and prepared myself in advance.¡± Luther pointed back to the small backpack he had on his back. It looked like the bag had a change of clothes and some extra food. Luke, who seemed glad at his preparation, spoke to his men, ¡°First, we leave Bless. From there, we will fly to Jackson.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± The Guards and Hwang Bo-sung replied in unison. After a while, Luke who began to use magic flew to the sky with Luther and his attendants. Chapter 540 - The Path She Took 4 Wolfs was a town which was to the south of Jackson. As it was the town of Jackson, which was known to be the key point for transportation, Wolfs had roads leading to the other southern parts of the Empire. The population of residents there was about 100,000. Soldiers and Gigants crowded the town, which should have been crowded with wagons and merchants carrying goods. After the Pope reached there, Wolfs managed to turn the stronghold against zombie disease. ¡°The 1st squad of Saint Guards will patrol around the city and destroy any remaining zombies!¡± ¡°The 2nd squad will advance to the north to prevent the zombies from moving here!¡± ¡°The wizards from the Holy Arthenia Imperial Magic Tower will build a flame magic circle in front of the walls to block the access for the Undead!¡± Arch Duke Gregory who went to Wolfs along with the Pope, was giving out military orders to the Saint Guards and the wizards at the city hall, which was considered to be their quarters. In addition, he was conducting operations around the state of Jackson by diving the army into four units. ¡°Have the wizards who went to Bremen come back from scouting?¡± A knight responded to Gregory¡¯s question. ¡°They have just returned, but the villages and the cities around the place were said to be full of undead. And then¡­¡± ¡°Did they see something else?¡± ¡°It was said that they collected the remains of the Saint Guards who went there in the beginning. And they confirmed that the soldiers who went there for reinforcements the other day turned into zombies.¡± ¡°Huu, they got wiped out.¡± Prior to their departure, one squad of soldiers of 30,000 troops were sent in as reinforcements, who were now declared to be wiped out. They were expecting a few survivors, but they only heard bad news. ¡°How does the situation look? Do you think that Jackson estate has already fallen into the hands of the undead?¡± ¡°Jackson is a really large area. It has dozens of cities, large areas, and villages. As you can see from the map, there will be some safe places where the population is low like the mountains or the forests.¡± Which meant that there could be a manor or a village which managed to survive the zombie disease. And that was the only hope. According to the reports of wizards returning to and from Bremen with fly magic, the places were completely covered with Undead. In addition, there didn¡¯t seem to be any place that was receiving the magic communication even after trying for the cities and villages of Jackson. Some of them thought that it could have been because the wizard of the magic communication ran away or went to fight the zombies, yet, there were a lot more pessimistic thoughts. ¡°Just a little bit of good news will make the heart of Pope feel at ease¡­ did any manage to find out anything about Constantine¡¯s whereabouts?¡± ¡°The Grail Guardians are out searching, but they don¡¯t seem to have any information yet.¡± When they reached Jackson, they thought that finding Constantine would be easy, but surprisingly, the man wasn¡¯t easy to find. Or, maybe he was out of the reach of their eyes. ¡°Since he is pretending to be the disciple of God, he will show himself soon enough. Rather than that, what is the Pope doing?¡± After reaching Wolfs, Gregory hadn¡¯t seen Reina¡¯s face. Although he was busy conducting the military actions, Reina continued to stay outside the city hall. ¡°She is studying about the captured zombies along with Marquis Reas and turn them into humans at the nearby sanctuary.¡± ¡°Ah, that so? Was it successful? Don¡¯t bother, I will go and see it myself.¡± After taking care of all the matters, Arch Duke Gregory seemed to relax and moved to the place where Marquis Reas and Pope were creating their lab. A small to medium-sized magic tower called Ford was near the Wolfs city hall. The tower was made up of several workshops, wizard rooms, and labs, the magic tower was empty with no wizards in sight as they fled with the fear of zombie disease. Reina, who reached Wolfs took over the place and was conducting her work along with the Arthenia Royal Wizards to cure and research zombies. ¡°We¡¯ll start then.¡± Reina, who heard Meister Reas¡¯s words, nodded her head. Raising her hands, she focused her mind and raised her strength. Woong! The divine power began to shine mildly out of her hand and spread to the zombie which was chained. Kiakkk! The zombie began to scream the moment Reina¡¯s divine power touched it and ended up burning itself by turning into ash. Poof! ¡°Aaa!¡± Tears began to flow from Reina¡¯s eyes as she watched the zombie disappear in front of her eyes. ¡°Pope, it is inevitable to sacrifice a few subjects when developing a cure. I hope you don¡¯t feel too heartbroken over this.¡± ¡°I know that. But to kill someone with my own hands, someone who could have been turned back into a human, it just tears my heart.¡± ¡°Surely I understand what you feel¡­ if we let them go, it is likely that someone else would get infected. Rather, it is best to take rest under the hands of the Pope.¡± Despite Reas¡¯s attempt to comfort her, Reina¡¯s expression didn¡¯t seem to settle. She couldn¡¯t get herself to stand still, till the knights found out about Constantine¡¯s whereabouts, which was why she tried to work day and night in helping the wizards of the Holy Imperial Magic Tower in finding the cure. In addition to the various attempts, she tried to cure the zombies by changing the Aether in her body little by little. However, it was a situation in which they were constantly failing. ¡°How did Archbishop Constantine even manage to turn the zombies back to humans?¡± ¡°It could have been possible, but unfortunately, we still haven¡¯t been able to find an infected person near Wolfs.¡± Wolfs was already full of zombies. Thankfully, the center of the city was evacuated by the people before the disease spread, and those caught up in the situation ended up turning into undead. They thought that they could find some survivor who was hiding, so they dispatched troops to look around, however, they couldn¡¯t find anyone. ¡°Huh, I never thought that it could be easy for us, but this really puts us in a tight spot.¡± ¡°I agree. From the very beginning, it felt like we might have made a mistake in the approach of this aspect.¡± ¡°Mistake?¡± At Reina¡¯s question, Marquis Reas spoke out what he was thinking. ¡°Divine power and divine magic don¡¯t work well, you might have seen that too. Zombie disease is deeply related to dark magic and the dealings of the undead. Rather, if we approach with the theories of dark magic¡­ Sh*t!¡± Marquis Reas, who was staring at the Pope was shocked at what he was speaking and began to bow his head repeatedly. ¡°I-I apologize, your Holiness. I was just thinking about the possibilities, I have no intention of studying dark magic!¡± ¡°I know, Marquis. So, you don¡¯t have to be so scared.¡± Reas sighed with Reina¡¯s words and lifted his head. It wasn¡¯t unreasonable for him to feel overwhelmed. The Holy Empire was founded to preach about El Kassel. As a result, the wizards of the Holy Empire too had a mindset of ¡®receiving God¡¯s will and exploring truth¡¯. Such a wizard of the Holy Empire was Reas, who turned out to be the Meister of Arthenia Imperial Magic Tower and hated dark magic. He could have been accused of having ill-intended thoughts and wouldn¡¯t even be excused for those words. However, Reina didn¡¯t seem to take it seriously. Luke, her better-half, was learning dark magic, and the other was because Reas¡¯s thoughts might be valid. ¡®Should I ask him for help? I can¡¯t do that, he must be very busy with the post-war preparations¡­¡¯ In addition, with the acquisition of Sherwood city, the first step for the Symphonia Kingdom was accomplished, but it was unlikely for Emperor Rudolf to stay silent. It was sure that Rudolf would retaliate and try to punish Luke in one way or another. ¡®But, asking for advice might be alright, it should be fine¡­¡¯ When Reina was in those thoughts, Arch Duke Gregory came to the lab. The rest of the wizards, in exception of Marquis Reas quietly left the lab. ¡°Pope, how is the research going on?¡± As a response to Gregory¡¯s question, Reina replied with a sigh. ¡°Unfortunately, we haven¡¯t found any answer.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± No one in there thought that they would find the cure in an easy way, which was why Gregory nodded with a calm face. Rather, he tried to comfort Reina, who seemed disappointed. ¡°I know your feelings, but don¡¯t overdo it. If your Holiness collapses, we won¡¯t be able to raise your head when the escort comes.¡± ¡°Huh? what do you mean? Escort coming, you don¡¯t mean¡­?¡± At first, Reina thought that Gregory was joking to make her feel at ease. But seeing his expression, she realized that he was serious. ¡°I received a report from the Holy Palace before I left for the lab. All things aside, they are headed this way.¡± ¡°Really¡­?! I intentionally didn¡¯t even contact him because he would¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he the kind to come over even when told not to?¡± ¡°He is.¡± Reina smiled. Luke was leaving behind the state affairs of Symphonia, yet, she was feeling excited and happy. Even though she was the uppermost positioned leader called Pope, she was a woman who was in love. ¡°He might even scold me.¡± ¡°Huh, isn¡¯t he the kind to be prepared to solve everything for you?¡± It was when Reina and Arch Duke Gregory were having cheerful talks about Luke. Marquis Reas who had taken a step back intervened in their conversation. ¡°Holiness¡¯s escort? Who might he be?¡± Marquis Reas was someone who was yet to know about Reina and Luke¡¯s relationship. While Arch Duke Gregory, who had forgotten about his presence was shocked, not knowing what to answer. Reina gave out the truth. ¡°¡­ all that happened.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be!¡± At Reina¡¯s expression, Reas¡¯s eyes and mouth were opened wide. The story he heard was the most shocking story he had heard ever since he touched the 8th circle. With his mouth open, Reas stared at Gregory with the expression ¡®How could that happen?¡¯. However, Arch Duke Gregory¡¯s words were. ¡°Everything is God¡¯s will.¡± ¡®God¡­ you mean?¡¯ Reas had no idea on what to even say. However, his confusion and doubts didn¡¯t resolve. And he ended up deciding to accept God¡¯s will. Because thinking that would at least calm his heart. And like that, there added another person who knew about the truth of the Holy Pope. Chapter 541 - Visitor From The Dark 1 Luke, diligently headed to Jackson along with Priest Luther and his Guard Knights. Thanks to the fly magic being used in mass, they were able to move faster than riding a wagon or a trailer, yet they weren¡¯t moving as fast as expected. There were two reasons for it. First, was the limit of magic. No matter how huge one possessed mana, it wasn¡¯t easy to fly using their magic to move 20 people at once. Second, there were many people who weren¡¯t used to flying for long durations of time. They ended up with symptoms of motion sickness, such as complaints of dizziness or vomiting as their balance seemed disturbed, just like the cases of riding wagons or boats. It wasn¡¯t just Luther who showed such symptoms, but the Guards as well. Which forced everyone to settle down. ¡°Pathetic! The proximal Guard Knights are tying down the King! How ridiculous this situation is!¡± ¡°We, we are very sorry, commander.¡± When Hwang Bo-sung yelled with a disgruntled expression, the knights bowed their heads in shame. However, Luke, who was the most frustrated one, ended up taking their side. ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on them. This is all on me, to bring them on such an unfamiliar journey.¡± Wizards, even those who were skilled at using the fly magic too weren¡¯t good at holding themselves in the air for long. It was natural for the knights, who were used to war on the ground, to feel troubled. ¡®They¡¯ll have to be trained to fly the next time. It will get tough if this keeps happening again and again¡­¡¯ Yet, since their bodies and physical abilities were strong, the knights weren¡¯t able to get back up pretty quickly. Thanks to that, on the second day after their departure from Bless, they were able to reach the estate borders by sunset. They could understand that they had arrived at the border. It was because the Lords and wizards who were out of the Jackson estate dug deep pits for the zombies to fall and installed fire magic circles and barriers. ¡®They seem to be acting fast to make sure that it doesn¡¯t spread.¡¯ Luke, seemed to be satisfied with the actions taken by the Holy Empire and crossed the border with the party. ¡°From this very moment, we are entering the realm of the zombies. I need everyone to be alert. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± It wasn¡¯t sure if they could be attacked in the air, but once they landed on the ground, they would be bound to be attacked by the infected. Which was why Luke had to scan through the entire area to find a relatively safe place to land. And soon, they were able to find such a suitable place. It was the summit of the rocky mountain which was in the middle of the forest. Luke, sent Luther and his Guards first and ordered them to prepare meals and tents for resting. ¡°Huh? What is that?¡± While Luke was scouting the surrounding areas with Fly Magic, he saw something strange at a distance. ¡°Master, what is it? Is it a zombie group?¡± When Luke couldn¡¯t take his eyes off something, Hwang Bo-sung, who was on the ground, asked with a nervous expression. ¡°Something seems to be present 2 kilometers ahead of this place. I will have to check this out.¡± Even though he wanted to get to Reina, he couldn¡¯t just ignore something and turn a blind eye over it. The zombies which Luke managed to see were displaying strange behavior from what Luther had told him about. In the hope that it might have a direct connection to the zombie disease or the forces behind, Luke flew straight to the place despite Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s concern. Kiiik! Kuakkk! After a while, Luke managed to arrive in a small village on the low hill. Zombies were completely filling the village which had barriers around it. Till then, there was nothing much different from what they saw in the other regions of Jackson. However, there was something odd. The zombies were fighting with each other with their hands. Around a thousand zombies were divided into those with red headbands on, and those without, those with red headbands were preventing the zombies without the headbands from entering the village. Moreover, they were armed with farming equipment such as axes and ploughs unlike the ordinary zombies which were supposed to move with bare hands, they were even handling firearms. ¡®They seem to be moving like an army.¡¯ The number of the red headband zombies were less, yet they seemed to move very efficiently. In particular, the power of the fire was so great that they were able to burn a dozen zombies at once. ¡®Zombies moving like an army. Such things can only be done with the dark magic spell of Corpse Manipulations. Then was this¡­?¡¯ Luke immediately tried to trace any dark magic being used. Before long, he managed to find Magi, which was flowing out of the watchtower which was in the middle of the village and controlling the red headband zombies. On the watchtower stood a middle-aged man who was wearing a stained robe. Every time, the wizard waved his staff and memorized certain spells, the red headband zombies were moving. ¡®He doesn¡¯t seem to be a regular warlock. Seeing the zombies move in accordance to the line-up, he must have learned about strategy.¡¯ Maybe the warlock was someone who had a considerable experience on the battlefield as a War Mage before mastering dark magic. As Luke pondered and watched, the red headbands defeated the zombies which were trying to enter the village. Yet, it wasn¡¯t like the red headband zombies hadn¡¯t suffered any damage. More than half of them had been crushed or hurt, yet, the Warlock had demonstrated his ability to cope with corpses by taking control of the zombies and making them his allies. ¡°The zombies will head back! You can all be at ease!¡± ¡®What, there were survivors?¡¯ Luke was shocked at the words and looked closely at the village. As the warlock yelled, the windows and doors which were closed till then began to open and one after the other people began to come out. They seemed to be around hundreds. The villagers approached the warlock. ¡°Than-thank you very much. Wilf.¡± ¡°Thanking him. That won¡¯t even suffice for what he did, chief.¡± People who came out of their homes began to repair their wooden fence around the village and throw out the remains of the burned or destroyed zombies in their land. The zombies with the red headband were helping the humans out, and the people didn¡¯t seem to be scared or flustered with it, almost like they were used to what was happening. ¡°Ah man, to see such a day. For a warlock to save us¡­¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The warlock, who was controlling the red headband zombies and the villagers who were cleaning their homes were shocked at the strange sound flowing in the air. Only to find Luke, who suddenly appeared in the air and then stepped onto their ground. ¡°Wh-who are you?¡± ¡°I¡­ I am the Viscount of Albertville, Lev.¡± Instead of giving out his real name, Luke introduced himself with the alias he had used during the Civil War. However, what was more fascinating was that the warlock seemed to have known about him. ¡°Lev! You¡­ you, you are the Lev, who was claimed to be the reincarnation of the Mercenary King?¡± ¡°Yes. Because of the zombie disease, I was called by the Holy Pope to move to Jackson. But, who could you be? You seem to be different from a normal warlock¡­¡± If one was a warlock, they would be treated like the servant of the Devil. Someone whom no person would wish to be acquainted with. Before his departure from Brandon, Luke called up Meister Johas and asked him to send manpower for aide. ¡°Did you come from Dark Moon?¡± ¡°What is Dark Moon?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know Dark Moon?¡± ¡°Yes, this is my first time hearing that name.¡± Not knowing, the warlock shook his head. ¡®What? If not from Dark Moon, why would a warlock even be here? Moreover, considering how his skills were, he must have learned white magic till 5th magic circle spells and perfectly used to 3rd magic circle of dark magic¡­?¡¯ With the sharp eyes Luke had, he was able to glance at the warlock and understand it. ¡°I am a wandering wizard, Wilf. You must have seen it, but I am mastering dark magic.¡± ¡°Yeah, treating the zombies like your limbs.¡± With Luke¡¯s words, Wilf who was contemplating fell on the ground. He clasped his hands together and began to plead. ¡°It-it was because of the circumstance I was in. I never sold humans to the demons or did anything bad. Please believe my words!¡± ¡®He seems to be genuinely scared.¡¯ Luke smiled, yet he didn¡¯t seem to care about the man being a warlock. In the Holy Empire, warlocks were the group of people who had to be eradicated upon discovery. And the man in front of the warlock was Lev, a man who managed to split the falling meteorite and saved the city which was on the brink of destruction. No matter how well he learned white and dark magic, to confront an opponent like Lev was impossible. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so scared. I am a different person than the priests.¡± ¡°Re-really?¡± Luke, asked Wilf who looked up at him. ¡°For now, I want to know what happened here. Why are you protecting this village¡­ well, cancel that, from where did you learn the dark magic?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I will tell you everything.¡± Wilf, who felt a little relieved, began to talk about everything which Luke was wondering about. Chapter 542 - Visitor From The Dark 2 ¡°I am actually a child from the village of Ribek. I was someone born to a paper craftsman¡­¡± As a child, Wilf worked on delivering the papers made by his fathers to the sanctuary or paper or the magic towers in his village or nearby villages. In the process, he learned to write and began to borrow books and then acquire knowledge. At the age of 12, he became the disciple of the wizard who was working in the village¡¯s magic tower. ¡°The magic tower in my village had rather little experience to give. Instead of being stuck in the laboratories, I wanted to go around and build up my own experience with real interactions.¡± ¡°Hmm, you must have wanted a practical experience.¡± That was why Wilf left the magic tower in his village at 18 years old and traveled around the continent as a mercenary wizard. In the process, he began to take up small tasks such as monster subjugation. He participated in the wars of the other nations and gained experience as a war mage. ¡°In the process, I met her and fell in love.¡± ¡°Her?¡± Luke turned to the direction where Wilf¡¯s gaze fell. There was a female zombie wearing a red headband armed with double swords in a typical mercenary outfit. She looked more like a half-elf. Maybe because of Wilf¡¯s skills, the beauty didn¡¯t die right away despite her losing a lot of blood, and she wasn¡¯t snarling like the other zombies. ¡°How did it turn out then?¡± ¡°Phew, it has been 20 years already. At that time, we were asked to subdue the warlocks who were residing in the wastelands. But¡­¡± The warlocks, who was known to be honing their skills with Corpse Manipulations, turned out to be experts in developing their powers through the contracts with demons. During that time, the paladins and priests of the sanctuary were commissioned, and the mercenary group that Wilf belonged to barely managed to execute the warlock after numerous struggles. ¡°But, our sacrifice was too great. Everyone but me had died, Eva too.¡± ¡°Was that why? Don¡¯t tell me¡­?¡± ¡°It is exactly what you think.¡± Wilf, who ended up losing his long time companions and lover, Eva, had lost his reasoning. He touched the items left behind by the dead warlocks, the dark magic books, and somehow managed to save Eva. ¡°There were many spells in that dark magic book, but the only thing I was interested in was getting my Eva back. Well, she isn¡¯t completely revived yet. I just wanted to be with her someway or another. I don¡¯t even know how Eva views my selfishness and greed¡­¡± With a bitter look, Wilf could only sigh. He had gone through the painful experience of losing the only woman he had loved. Luke knew right away that he would have done the same if he was in Wilf¡¯s position. ¡°Well, in the end, I lived by avoiding any kind of interactions with people. I would have been killed for any reason, either for walking around with magi in my body or walking around with a zombie.¡± In the end, he would wander around the wastelands instead of going back to a group or a magic tower. If he ever ended up needing things to buy, he would go to the villages where sanctuaries and denominations weren¡¯t much prominent. ¡°And then I came to know about the things which were happening recently. I was shocked to see the enormous number of zombies wandering around, with no one to control them. I just wanted to know who was the bastard that created such a devastating situation.¡± The reason any a warlock would create a zombie was to use them as their own personal slaves for battles or work since zombies didn¡¯t need food or sleep. Yet, during this time, the zombies were being produced in mass but for no purpose. ¡°I thought a lot about it. About hiding myself and my abilities like I did or to use them and save the people.¡± Wilf had learned dark magic, yet his fundamentals were good-natured. He wasn¡¯t sure if he would be let to live if he went out, it wasn¡¯t like he wasn¡¯t concerned for himself. ¡°In the end, you choose the latter one? Was that why you came back to save your hometown.¡± ¡°Yes, I was fortunate that I wasn¡¯t too late.¡± During his hiding, Wilf didn¡¯t just waste time. In order to revive Eva, he continued to study dark magic related to Corpse Manipulation so that her body could at least be maintained. Thanks to that, he managed to make hundreds of zombies move, which ended up saving the village of Ribek. ¡°The people of the village are thankful for it. Still, they are scared of the fact that I am a warlock. Most priests in the village didn¡¯t even want to help, and there were a few who said he would rather burn than help.¡± ¡°Huh, priests are always like that.¡± Listening to Wilf¡¯s story, Luke briefly looked at the villagers who were working with the zombies and asked, ¡°Are there any villagers who have caught the zombie disease.¡± ¡°Zombie disease? Ah, you must be talking about the symptoms of turning into a zombie, the rotting of flesh. You don¡¯t have to worry. We managed to identify the source of infection and acted on it.¡± ¡°What? You identified the source of infection?¡± Luke couldn¡¯t help but listen closely to what Wilf had to offer. ¡°Yes. Before coming over to the village, I met a few people who were infected and ended up dissecting the zombies, and I saw that there was a medium for the disease to spread.¡± ¡°Hmm, a medium¡­¡± Luke too thought about the fact of the zombie disease to have a medium because of the fast-spreading rate. However, he wasn¡¯t able to identify what the medium was. Wilf began to give Luke the details he had noticed from his study. ¡°Most of the infectious disease and pandemics end up spreading because of the fleas, almost like the Black Death. It was known to have spread because of the rats, but in reality, it was the fleas on the rats that started the disease.¡± ¡°I know about that too. Then, is this zombie disease being transmitted through small insects or animals?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case. If that was the case, then even this village would have ended up with too many infected patients¡­ But we have no infected people in this village, and the one who ended up getting infected was because that person got bitten by zombies during their early attacks.¡± According to Wilf¡¯s findings, the towns and cities that ended up turning into a zombie haven were all along the lines of small and large rivers. However, the village of Ribek was located far away from any water source, and the villagers had wells or stored the rainwater for drinking purposes. That was why no one was infected by any other source. ¡°And we aren¡¯t contracting the disease by just getting in contact with the zombies. When being bitten, if the saliva or any other fluid from the zombie enters one¡¯s body, the transformation will begin. However, if the bitten part is cleaned and the fluid is immediately pushed out, a person won¡¯t get infected.¡± ¡°The problem is with the water and the zombie fluids.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As Wilf said, those sources could be the carriers of the zombie disease. However, Luke just nodded and didn¡¯t credit the man for his findings. It was because the information given by Wilf wasn¡¯t verified. It was necessary to cross-validate the information that he got. ¡®I need to ask how and where the disease started to spread. Well, before that, should I ask priest Luther?¡¯ Thinking so, Luke returned to the camp and decided to meet Wilf later. If the information given to Luke was indeed true, he had to change the way he viewed the disease. The rivers that passed from Jackson were surely flowing to other regions. If the rivers couldn¡¯t be stopped or controlled, things could be chaotic in the future. Chapter 543 - Visitor From The Dark 3 Around the time when Luke was being given the clues and information about the spread and possible sources of the zombie disease, anomalies were unfolding in the city of Bremen, the capital of Jackson. Until the day before, the zombies that filled the streets and the major squares of the city were currently not seen anywhere. And that didn¡¯t mean that they walked outside the city and scattered to other places. Rather, the zombies from places outside the cities were constantly flowing into the place. However, those zombies that entered the city began to disappear one after the other and not a single zombie was in range. If anyone saw such scenes unfold, they would think that it was related to some ghost haunting, but unfortunately, no one knew the truth behind the disappearances. The underground of the Bremen city. Bremen City was built out of the facilities that the dwarves constructed during the times of the ancient civilization. It was a fairly large underground waterway path that stretched in all directions like a spider web. And the zombies, which were disappearing, were heading to the places where the rainwater or the household waters were getting stored. Kuuuu! Kiiiiiii! Zombies began to fill the underground waterways like bean sprouts and were headed somewhere like students under strict rules. The place they headed for was an underground plaza that was set in the middle of the waterway. In the past, the underground plaza built by dwarves had a shelter and a fort that was 100 meters wide and 10 meters high. With such a large underground plaza, zombies from Bremen City and the nearby places too could move in. There was a high platform in the center of the plaza, and hundreds of people were gathering around it. They were definitely people who weren¡¯t zombies! ¡°Oh, the disciple of El Kassel!¡± ¡°Throw out the fake angel and show us the path to the new world!¡± ¡°We believe in the disciple!¡± People were screaming madly and praying to the man who was on the platform. The underground plaza was noisy with their prayers and shouts, yet the zombies didn¡¯t move to attack the people. Rather, as if afraid of the humans, the zombies were keeping their distance. ¡°Be quiet everyone!¡± Thud! On the platform was a young man radiating with confidence, who struck the golden staff that was in his hand onto the ground. The underground platform that was noisy till then immediately went silent. He was none other than, Archbishop Constantine, who had disappeared from Bless. Constantine, with a faint smile on his face, looked at the people and asked, ¡°Soon, there will be a rise of a new and real kingdom of God on this earth, just as you all wished. In order for that to happen, we need to hide ourselves from the people who have been deceived and hail the fake angel out there. Can you all trust me and follow me till the end?¡± At the question, a man with a strong physique stood up and screamed. ¡°If the disciple asks, I would gladly jump into the fire!¡± ¡°I will punish the witch and her followers!¡± ¡°I will stand as the foundation for purifying evil and establish the true kingdom of God!¡± One after the other responded, which made Constantine speak, ¡°Huhuuu. You all deserve to go to heaven after your deaths.¡± Constantine, who smiled out of joy, began to give out series of instructions to the representatives of the groups and headed out of the underground plaza. One of the follower asked Constantine and his attendants who climbed onto the boat in the waterway, ¡°Where should I take you?¡± ¡°Go to plaza 8.¡± Under the city were dozens of underground plazas that were created by the dwarves. It wasn¡¯t a small number of people who began to turn into Constantine¡¯s followers and stayed with the zombies. After checking in all the underground plazas, and the behavior of the zombies, Constantine headed back to the ground. The place where he arrived was at the manor where Archbishop Antero stayed at. All the priests had died and fled, so the ones who took over the place were Count Marcus and Constantine¡¯s followers who accompanied them from Bless. ¡°You have come, brother?¡± ¡°Yeah, well, did it go well?¡± At Constantine¡¯s question, Count Marcus smiled and answered, ¡°Yes, with the help from the Grey Order, a large number of zombies in the nearby areas have been collected and hidden in the nearby forests and valleys. If that witch goes over there, she will never get out of there alive.¡± While in Bless, those who were wearing grey robes visited Constantine in secret. They called themselves the people of the Grey Order and that they received divine revelations and were asked to follow Constantine who was selected as the disciple. They were a group, which had never been heard till then, but Constantine accepted them without a question or doubt about their identity. It wasn¡¯t simply because they supported or were willing to follow him. Their leader, Baymon, would give out the same energy that flowed from God who descended to help him, which made him trust the man. Following the ideas of Baymon, Constantine led his followers to Jackson and then took control of Bremen City. There were over 300,000 zombies in Bremen City, yet none of them seemed to be hostile toward Constantine. Maybe they knew that Constantine was the true disciple of God, and the zombies who were exposed to the light given out by him would turn back. Moreover, although not to the extent of himself, the so-called priests of the Grey Order knew how to overcome the zombie crisis. Foolishly, some of the followers even suspected that men of that Order could have been warlocks. However, such people who were accusing them of being warlocks ended up turning sick and then changed into zombies. People thought of it as a punishment from God for being faithless and never spoke about it again. Constantine, who seized the city of Bremen, returned a few zombies into humans. However, he wasn¡¯t some kind and loving natured man for turning those zombies into humans. He would select and treat only those zombies who would be essential for the creation of the true Kingdom of God. Those who were turned back to humans were noble people, or Gigant riders, knights or merchants, wizards, scholars or someone famous. He wasn¡¯t just trying a cure. Even though he thought of them to be incompetent, women with special features and beauty would be revived. ¡®Well, it isn¡¯t possible for the men alone to create the new world.¡¯ And of course, no one thought that Constantine was doing worthless stuff. On the contrary, those who noticed what he was doing would offer them a zombie with a pretty face. And people who would do that were being treated like loyal followers and began to turn into those kinds of men who would jump into fire for Constantine. They were being saved, but that wasn¡¯t the only reason. There was something that Constantine and the Grey Order would always say, ¡°Those who follow the False God or the witch¡¯s God¡¯s Will, will neither die nor live but will suffer forever!¡± ¡°Only those who are chosen and trusted to be loyal to God will be the people of the new kingdom!¡± The zealous believers, who completely believed the revelation, were given the power to command the zombies. In the witch hunt that would come, they would end up serving as great sacrifices and shields. ¡°How is the Saint Guards?¡± ¡°A great number died while going against the zombies, but those who went into hiding were caught by the Grey Order priests and our followers.¡± ¡°Those guys must be rather easy to catch, yet our men did a good job.¡± ¡°The skills of Baymon and the Grey Order are great.¡± Contrary to what was known, the 1st group of the Saint Guards who had reached the place weren¡¯t entirely wiped out. They were actually waiting for the reinforcements from Bless to come and assist them. Unfortunately, Constantine¡¯s followers, and not the reinforcements, got to them first. ¡°How did it go? Did they say that they would follow me?¡± ¡°Those unbelievers, they seem like they would follow that fox till the end. I¡¯m thinking of using them to show an example,¡± Count Marcus answered. Priests or paladins didn¡¯t turn into zombies even after bitten by a zombie. The moment the disease would go in contact with their bodies, the divine power would act and turn their bodies into ashes. And it didn¡¯t matter even for the Saint Guards. ¡°Well, that is a pity, but we had no other choice.¡± ¡°What if there was a way that didn¡¯t lead to such a pity?¡± It wasn¡¯t Count Marcus who said that. It was a middle-aged man in a grey robe. He was Head Baymon, the head of the Grey Order. Despite the sudden appearance of Baymon, neither Constantine nor Marcus seemed to be shocked. It was like they were used to the man sneaking up on them. ¡°Head Baymon, is there a way?¡± ¡°Yes, if we can use the ¡®Holy¡¯ items we have in our Order, we might be able to change their hearts. We would be able to use their skills.¡± ¡°Huhuhu. In that case¡­¡± Constantine and Marcus could only smile because of such good news. They were constantly trying to plan on how they were supposed to use the surviving Saint Guards to defeat Veronica III. ¡®A sword that protects the fox would harm it, that would be the best option!¡¯ Think about it. What would the people see it as the men who were trained to protect the pope with their lives on the line would turn on her and assassinate her? Even if the assassination attempt fails, the trauma and fear it would inflict in the mind of the pope and her followers would be huge. It wouldn¡¯t end there, rumors would spread that as Veronica III wasn¡¯t the real disciple of God, such an act had happened. ¡°Well, the perfect siege around Bremen is being completed. That witch¡¯s henchmen wouldn¡¯t have noticed it, right?¡± Marcus shook his head at Constantine¡¯s question. ¡°Some wizards have been scouting the place with fly magic, but as they were scared of the zombies, they didn¡¯t seem to fly close enough to see anything. They won¡¯t know anything until we strike.¡± ¡°Good! But we will need to have a great bait to drag the witch in here¡­¡± Veronica III was currently working in the south of Bremen, a town called Wolfs. No matter how perfect their preparation was, there was no reason for her to come all the way to the city. ¡°Huhu. Well, I managed to find something that could be used as bait to bring in that fox, let me show you.¡± With a smile on his face, Count Marcus spoke and clapped his hands. The door opened when the knights brought in an elderly priest and put him on his knees. ¡°Oh my, this man is¡­?¡± The man that entered the room was someone Constantine was familiar with. It was Archbishop Antero who was in charge of Jackson. Along with a few survivors, he was hiding in a place until the men of Count Marcus discovered them. Antero was curious about the people whom he saw were wandering around the city with no zombies attacking them. What kind of person wasn¡¯t scared of zombies? But, when he saw Constantine in front of him, he managed to guess what was happening. ¡°You! You were the one who made this ruckus come alive!¡± ¡°Huh, what nonsense is that? This is the punishment of El Kassel for the witch and her followers.¡± The words of Constantine only made Antero angry and yell. ¡°God¡¯s punishment! Don¡¯t go around spewing nonsense!¡± It was certain that Constantine had been working hand in hand with some warlock because of his greed to enjoy power! Otherwise, it was the act of a force who wanted the empire to suffer and were using Constantine as their scarecrow! ¡°What? How dare you say such words to God¡¯s disciple¡­!¡± Antero¡¯s words seemed to have upset Constantine. ¡°You dirty and worthless bastard! Are you even a priest? I don¡¯t know what you are planning, but what you want will never be yours, Constantine! You will be punished!¡± ¡°Kuek! Take this guy out right away! Drag him out and shred him to pieces till he dies!¡± ¡°Brother, please control yourself. If you kill the bait, we will lose the witch!¡± Despite, Marcus¡¯s constant pleading, Constantine found it hard to settle down. Baymon, who was watching things from the side, came out. He pulled out a black necklace from his sleeve and shook it from side to side in front of Antero and recited a spell. ¡°The lie you see from the eyes and the false sounds which enter your ears. The truth is what the mirror inside your heart shows you¡­¡± ¡°Wh-what is that? What are you doing?¡± When an ominous red light began to shine from the red jewel on the necklace, Antero tried to turn away his head. However, the spell that was being chanted by Baymon caught his eyes, as if he was chained to see the jewel move. Within a moment, Antero¡¯s eyes began to turn blurry. Falling into a state of haze and drunkenness, once the spell from Baymon was done, Antero bowed his head to Constantine. ¡°Ohoh, Holy Pope.¡± ¡°Huh? What the hell did he say¡­?¡± ¡°Has he lost his mind?¡± When both Constantine and Marcus was confused, Baymon explained it to them in detail. ¡°I just twisted the man¡¯s brain so that he would think that you¡¯re the pope. He now sees you as the witch he serves.¡± ¡°He mistakes me for the pope?¡± ¡°Yes, he will never be able to decline any order from you.¡± The magic that Baymon just used on Antero was a magic that could affect one¡¯s mind. It was hallucinations and illusions on the eyes of the man. In addition, it was like brainwashing, Antero would act as the slave and listen well to everything his master says. Baymon¡¯s words only made Constantine smile. ¡°The Saint Guards too can be tamed this way.¡± ¡°Ture. The plan can go ahead as planned. There would be no problems.¡± ¡°Huhu. Then we will be able to take the neck of that witch!¡± ¡°The Holy Empire will now belong to us!¡± Watching Constantine and Marcus smile, the guardian of Arsene, well, the one who was made of Baymon, well, Saymon, smiled. It was almost as if he was looking at two puppets moving according to his wishes. Chapter 544 - People Gather One After Another 1 Returning back to the camp, Luke summoned priest Luther and told him all the information Wilf had given him. Priest Luther couldn¡¯t hide how absurd the story was. ¡°For a warlock to protect the survivors¡­ I- I can¡¯t believe that!¡± ¡°Huh, I guess it is surprising.¡± Luke, could only smile. ¡°What do you mean surprising?¡± ¡°I never expected you, who I thought would be an awakened man would be so prejudiced. Not all warlocks are evil nor are all priests are good. Have you ever seen those who serve the God, corrupt and cross paths into darkness?¡± ¡°But that is¡­¡± Luke began to speak before Luther could counter. ¡°Do you remember about a paladin named Schmidt, who died during my eyes in the civil war of the Holy Empire?¡± ¡°You mean Count Schmidt, the former commander of Saint Guards? Of course I do! He was a sinner who murdered innocent women in the capital after torturing them.¡± ¡°It was a murder done to the innocents. But let me tell you. Even after committing such tremendous sins, he was still able to use divine power, not just the Count, but there are so many paladins who showed inappropriate behavior and personalities which a paladin shouldn¡¯t, yet they have divine power.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Have you ever wondered why that was?¡± Luke¡¯s question could only bring silence from Luther. Although there were numerous times where they would criticize and lament about the unclean priests and conduct of the paladins, never have they once thought about how they were all able to maintain their divine power. ¡°Well, that is not that important right now. From what Wilf said, the process of the zombie disease spreading might be related to the water near Jackson?¡± ¡°Well, the man called Wilf might be right.¡± Priest Luther brought out a map of Jackson. The map was a copy from the meeting room in the Holy Palace, where details about the spread of the zombie disease were marked in detail along with the dates. Because of that, Luke was able to see the towns close to the village to the cities and the time in which the infections spread. ¡°Right away, the pipelines need to be stopped. With the current number of men, we might not be able to stop the zombie disease.¡± Currently, the army of the Holy Empire which surrounded Jackson was like a steel barrier, which would block humans and monsters. However, it was centered on the land, and the river was excluded from the surveillance. Of course, they did try to prevent the incoming boats, but now, they seemed to care about the water animals or what the river carried. If there were zombies swimming in it or diving, no one would even notice the sight of them crossing the waters. However, no one ever saw a sight of zombies using water to cross lands. ¡°But, Your Majesty. What if the warlock¡¯s words are wrong, everything would turn into a mess.¡± ¡°Surely that could be too. But we need to immediately purify the water, make sure that the zombie disease isn¡¯t related to water. What do you think is the reason for the Holy Empire to focus their eyes on the containment of Jackson?¡± The reason why the Holy Empire was blocking Jackson with all their might and forces was if the situation spread from the place, the army wouldn¡¯t be able to control the spread. Therefore, if there was any possibility, it was necessary to prepare when the disease was still under their hands. Luther, whose complexion went pale right away, rushed over to a magic communication crystal and contacted the palace. He asked the seniors in the palace to clean up all the rivers and the streams which would flow their way from Jackson. -Do we really need to do that? The senior men were shocked at what they were being asked to do. It was because, from what Luther said, a huge number of wizards and priests had to be mobilized. ¡°You need to bring in all the wizards and the priests in the Holy Empire. And the ground water around Jackson is very likely to be contaminated, so make sure that the people would always boil the water or purify it when they drink.¡± -Yes, we will make sure that it happens. With that, the communication got cut. Fortunately, all of the officials were running out right away, making sure that they hadn¡¯t wasted any time to help the people. Probably by the time the magic communication was cut, somewhere, the water could have been touched. And they didn¡¯t want it to reach all the way towards them. After contacting them, priest Luther spoke to Luke. ¡°For now, we will be able to stop the spreading.¡± ¡°Thank you for following my words.¡± Luke¡¯s thanks didn¡¯t seem like they were directed at Luther¡¯s speedy actions. ¡°We are the ones thankful for you to come over to our Empire and help us. And for His Majesty to be the other half of our Pope, how would you even be able to avoid it?¡± ¡°Huh? you knew?¡± Seeing Luke flustered, made Luther smile. ¡°Well, rather than that¡­ didn¡¯t Wilf know how to deal with the zombie disease?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but he said he didn¡¯t know how to cure it. But I think that he might be able to find it soon.¡± ¡°I hope it will be done just like Your Majesty¡¯s words.¡± After the conversation, the two of them had their dinner and went to bed. Chapter 545 - People Gather One After Another 2 The next day, Luke¡¯s party departed early morning and managed to arrive at Wolfs by lunchtime. Dang! Dang! Dang! Dang! ¡°Emergency! Military emergency!¡± ¡°Some kind of mysterious group is flying towards the town! Be ready for battle!¡± As the loud bell rang all around Wolfs, knights and wizards began to get onto the walls to take down Luke and his party who were flying in their direction. Each of the wizards or archers on the wall were awaiting for their commander¡¯s orders to shoot. ¡°Arch Duke, an order to attack¡­¡± ¡°Wait. We still haven¡¯t confirmed if they are enemies or not.¡± Arch Duke Gregory looked at the unidentified group with the long-range observation artifact which his lieutenant handed him. ¡®Huh? they are?¡¯ Checking Luke¡¯s face at the forefront of the group, he couldn¡¯t help but smile and release the emergency orders. ¡°They are no enemies to us. Stand down.¡± Knights, wizards, and archers who were on the walls, began to climb down listening to Gregory¡¯s orders. In such a short time, Luke¡¯s party closed in and landed near Gregory. ¡°You have come, Your Majesty. I did receive a call from the Holy palace, but I didn¡¯t expect your arrival this early.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it either, the Arch Duke would be keeping secrets from me.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Arch Duke Gregory could only smile. Honestly, he was actually lamenting on asking Luke for support, since Luke was proficient in dark magic yet a man with a good heart. However, Reina was stubborn about not calling Luke, in the end, he had to give up his will and follow her instructions. ¡°But, where is Reina?¡± Luke asked when he couldn¡¯t find her, he actually thought she would be there to receive him. ¡°Pope is currently studying on how to cure the zombie disease in the town¡¯s Magic Tower.¡± ¡°She is? Are there any results?¡± ¡°Well, till now we don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°I thought so.¡± Luke, who was already aware of it, headed to the Magic Tower following Arch Duke. After a while, Luke arrived at Ford Magic Tower and entered the lab where Reina was. Reina, who was in a conversation with Marquis Reas, was shocked to see Luke enter the room. ¡°Lu- Luke!¡± ¡°Ah, look here. Your husband comes over, yet you couldn¡¯t¡­¡± Before Luke could even make fun of her, Reina rushed into his arms. Whether Gregory or Marquis Reas saw them or not, she kissed Luke. ¡°Will you forgive me now?¡± Even after the long kiss he shared, Luke shook his head. ¡°Huh? This doesn¡¯t even make the half of it. I told you not to get yourself involved in dangerous stuff, why couldn¡¯t you just listen to my words?¡± Luke deliberately tried to look angry at Reina and tapped her head. ¡°Ahh!¡± ¡°Yo- you!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I feel like you need to hit her harder.¡± Unlike Marquis Reas who was shocked, Arch Duke Gregory was encouraging Luke. He had the same concern in his heart regarding Reina¡¯s welfare. However, he could only scold her yet not hit her like Luke did. ¡°Do you have any idea how scared and worried I was?¡± ¡°I am sorry. I just couldn¡¯t ignore innocent people suffering out there¡­ and, with my abilities, I thought that I could find a cure.¡± ¡°I know that. But from what Arch Duke spoke to me, there were no success or any leads as of now.¡± When Luke said that, Reina nodded with a heavy sigh. She had the ability to use Aether, the source of all power and things, she could transform the Aether into divine power and perform miracles that were never seen before. However, that didn¡¯t mean that she could be versatile like Spirit King when it came to using Aether. ¡°Coming here, I came across some pretty interesting information. And that was¡­¡± Luke told Reina about the things he heard from Wilf. And what he spoke wasn¡¯t only for Reina, but also Marquis Reas and Arch Duke Gregory who were beside her. ¡°That! For water to be the medium in which the zombie disease is getting transmitted¡­!¡± ¡°It could be. It was in the reports that the zombie disease spread too quickly in the early days¡­!¡± Though he didn¡¯t want to admit it, Marquis Reas was still collecting information about the zombie disease to find some clue about the cure. However, the zombie disease spread more quickly than any other infectious disease during the initial period, and the number of patients who turned into zombies soared too high that no information could be gathered. The one thing they were sure of was, it was a planned act of someone, and not a natural disease, yet, finding out who was the reason for it wasn¡¯t an easy task. All because of the disease has a dire consequence and the terrifying rate of transmission. ¡°Even though we didn¡¯t come in contact with any zombies, our soldiers began to get infected, but for the water to be the reason for all that, water being the medium.¡± Marquis Reas was easily convinced. Water was an element that was present in every human society or locality, there was no human or any living being which didn¡¯t depend on water for survival. ¡°We need to clear the contaminated water source¡­¡± His words were cut off by Luke. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Marquis. We have already contacted the Holy palace before we come here. All the water which flows from Jackson is being purified.¡± Everyone in the room sighed of relief at Luke¡¯s detailed follow-up. It would have been unpleasant if the disease had spread to other regions while they were in Jackson for blocking them. ¡°I can see the results after Your Majesty came here. We might be able to stop the further spreading of the disease.¡± Luke shook his head at the words of Marquis Reas. ¡°Well, this is no result. I was just lucky enough to find it.¡± If he didn¡¯t see those zombies in the village and decided to turn a blind eye, he would have met with Wilf or know about the spread of zombie disease. ¡°Anyway, we need to find a cure as fast as possible. It won¡¯t be long when the military in Jackson will fail.¡± Everyone nodded at Luke¡¯s words. The power of the Holy Arthenia Empire was so terrifying that it was considered to be the 2nd largest empire on the continent, yet, there were limitations to every army. A lot of supplies were being sent to maintain the barriers around town, and if there was a long-term blockade on the area of Jackson, which was considered to be the key transportation point, it would be a huge economic loss. ¡°Although I wouldn¡¯t want to admit, nervousness is rising all over the Empire. And the anxiety-stricken public will only worsen the situation.¡± ¡°During the meantime, the opposition groups who work for Constantine will try to take us down¡­¡± Seeing Arch Duke Gregory and Marquis Reas speak in despair, Luke decided to find a cure as quickly as possible. If the Holy Empire fell, the pressure on the Baroque Empire would weaken, and that would end up causing a burden on the Symphonia Kingdom. ¡®Even though she might hate it, I need to get Reina back into the palace walls.¡¯ Luke never wanted Reina to be in any dangerous situation. For him, that lady would always be his other half. Chapter 546 - People Gather One After Another 3 Jackson, Holy Empire. Two people were walking on the road that was next to a small town filled with zombies. There was a bald man with a strange grey garment and a little girl that was holding the man¡¯s hand while they walk. While they were moving, the zombies began to gather around them. Kuuuuu! Kiiiii! Kiii! The bald man, who looked at the zombies running at them, raised his hands into a prayer position. ¡°Oh, Amithaba (Infinite Light)..¡± Woong-ohh! Soft warm light began to flash from the old man¡¯s body. The zombies, which were running at him, went stiff in their own spots as if they turned to stones. The bizarre sound, which could creep out any human, could no longer be heard. After a while, the old man and the child walked away from the village, and the zombies began to move. The child, who saw that, asked the old man, ¡°Sir Nanda, why didn¡¯t you put them to rest?¡± The child knew the full extent of Nanda¡¯s abilities. She knew that he could have cleared the village full of zombies. However, Nanda only restrained their movements. ¡°Because they aren¡¯t dead yet.¡± ¡°But that can¡¯t be. They had already turned into the Undead.¡± ¡°Is that what you really think, Karen?¡± Karen nodded at Nanda¡¯s question. The future¡­ Well, in the time-and-space that disappeared, she saw zombies all around her. The only grace she could ever show to those who fell into the trap of the evil men and who attacked the living was to kill them. That was why she had the thought of killing the zombies. ¡°Not everything is the same because they seem similar to you.¡± ¡°It is not just the looks. Their bodies, I can feel the magi flowing. Surely, Sir Nanda can feel that too, right?¡± Karen had a disgusted expression when she thought of the zombies she had encountered in the time-and-space that disappeared. Due to the invasion of Lich King Arsene, several kingdoms failed to respond during the initial stages. The wind later began to overwhelm the continent and divided it into half. Zombies, ghouls, skeletons, death worms, more and more undead were hitting the streets. Karen went to study dark magic like her father because she thought that to defeat the enemy, she had to know his skills. That was why she believed that the zombies and any other form of Undead couldn¡¯t be brought back to life. ¡°I can feel that. The pain of those who will run to kill despite their will because of some monster who did that to them.¡± ¡°So they aren¡¯t zombies?¡± ¡°They are zombies. However, it is a case where the zombies are still alive. If we can break the curse on their bodies, they can go back to being humans.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t happen. They have already¡­¡± Karen kept shaking her head to deny it. However, suddenly, she felt like her thoughts were prejudiced. Moreover, Nanda was a saint, a monk, with powers strong enough to save her from being destroyed by God¡¯s punishment. Holding powers that were beyond human capabilities, he could have sensed something that Karen failed to perceive. ¡°It is never good to make assumptions without learning the truth about the situation.¡± ¡°I understand. If what Sir Nanda is saying is true, then how can they be saved?¡± When Karen asked, he responded with a smile, ¡°Even if the sky collapses onto the ground, a hole will form in the place where the sky once stood. How can we assume that there¡¯s no way?¡± ¡°Then, would Sir Nanda be able to save them?¡± While they were on their journey, they saw several cities and towns filled with zombies. From what they knew, the entire population of Jackson had turned into zombies. Seeing Karen expect something from him, Nanda looked at the sky. ¡°There are somethings this old man can do and those which I can¡¯t.¡± Nanda had a sad expression on his face. He managed to understand and awaken himself from physical pain and desires, yet he wasn¡¯t that powerful. ¡°However, you don¡¯t have to worry. There are those who can save those touched by evil.¡± ¡°You mean it?¡± ¡°Yeah, otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t be going this way to see them, to see what this old man can do to help them.¡± ¡®Who were ¡®they¡¯?¡¯ While Karen was in her thoughts. ¡°They are people whom you know.¡± Hearing that made Karen seem both embarrassed and shocked. It was because she never wanted to meet them again or make them sad. Yet, regardless of what she was thinking, her feet were moving much faster than before. Chapter 547 - People Gather One After Another 4 The next day after meeting with Reina, Luke heard the good news that the warlocks from Dark Moon had arrived at Wolfs. ¡°Huh? There are wizards from Symphonia outside the gates?¡± At the messenger who came to report the news, Reina questioned. ¡°Yes, Your Holiness. However, they don¡¯t seem to have the accent of the southern part where the Kingdom is located, rather they sound northern. I was feeling a little suspicious, and the chief guard asked them to stay outside. Should we bring them in?¡± In the current situation, the Holy Imperial Army was in the middle of the enemy territory. As a result, they couldn¡¯t help but feel suspicious about everyone. At the report from the messenger, Reina looked over at Luke to confirm the fact. Luke nodded his head and vouched for the men. ¡°I am the one who asked to come and help out this situation. They stay in the north as they have been sent into exile from the Volga Republic.¡± ¡°I see. But would they really be able to help?¡± The wizards from the Holy Imperial Magic Tower were already working themselves to death in finding a cure. Marquis Reas, an 8th circle wizard, the other wizards that were expert medical mages, and every other wizard was at least 5th magic circle. And with that much skills, Reina didn¡¯t think that a few more wizards would be able to help them out of their situation. ¡°Surely, if they were regular wizards I wouldn¡¯t bring them here.¡± ¡°You mean¡­?¡± ¡°Huhu, whatever you are thinking are right on point. They are the ones I have been secretly bringing.¡± At Luke¡¯s whisper, Reina was startled. She was already told about the warlocks when she got there, and Marquis Reas did mention that he should try examining the disease from a dark magic user¡¯s perspective. However, it was inevitable that asking warlocks to enter the Holy Empire was dangerous. The moment their real identity was revealed to the public, all the priests and paladins would never leave them alive. And Luke, who vouched for their credibility, would also face great trouble. However, the zombie disease was a priority. Reina decided to take the help and asked, ¡°Are you sure they are skilled?¡± ¡°When it comes to the undead, they are more knowledgeable than anyone else. Surely, they will be of great help to us.¡± Luke smiled confidently when speaking about them. As a result, Reina gave permission for them to enter, and the messenger, who was waiting for her answer, immediately retreated. Luke waited for the warlocks to come. Suddenly, he could feel something weird, an anxious feeling, he ran out of the magic tower and went toward the gate. ¡®I knew it¡­!¡¯ Maybe his worst fears began to appear. The warlocks were being confronted in front of the Ford Magic Tower. ¡°These men! How dare they come in here!¡± ¡°Uhh¡­¡± There was a man in front of the warlocks that pulled his sword and yelled at them. It was none other than, Arch Duke Gregory, who was out patrolling the magic tower. ¡®I did a mistake. I was too excited about seeing Reina that I forgot to tell Arch Duke Gregory!¡¯ Honestly, Luke had sent Sebastian to the warlocks before they left from Dark Moon to help them hide their magi. On the way to Jackson, there was a high possibility that they would encounter priests and paladins. And Luke saw the effect of the reagents that Sebastian made. Even the high ranking priests or paladins failed to notice their magi. However, there was one exception¡ªArch Duke Gregory. When Luke entered the Dark Forest with his Hydra assassins, Gregory, who had extraordinary senses, noticed the magi¡¯s presence in the assassins. No matter how great the reagent was, unless one was as skilled as Luke in hiding his magi, the twisted nature of magi could be felt. ¡°Wait a minute, please listen to us. We are¡­¡± ¡°Shut your mouth! How dare you step into the land where the Holy Father resides!¡± Thud! Gregory yelled while stomping his feet. He did hear from Luke that there were good warlocks out there protecting people from the zombies. Nevertheless, the ones in front of him were people who hid their magi and entered the city like thieves. For him, a person who always put the safety of the pope as his priority, these men were nothing less than suspicious. ¡°Stop!¡± Kang! When Arch Duke Gregory struck his sword against the warlocks, Luke intervened by stepping in and using his sword. ¡°Your Majesty, why would you¡­?¡± ¡°Take back your sword. These men belong to me! I have called them over as they will be essential in helping us come out of this situation.¡± Hearing those words, Arch Duke Gregory looked at the warlocks. And the warlocks were all bowing to Luke. And it wasn¡¯t some sort of military salute. It was their way of respecting the man, and that was all it needed for Gregory¡¯s doubts to turn diluted. ¡®But, King Luke learned dark magic. And the fairy called Nanas turned out to be a witch. She did say that the warrior¡¯s descendant had extended his hands toward Saymon¡¯s remnants¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t unusual for Luke to have warlocks under him. When Gregory took back his sword, Luke sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s move now. We¡¯ll go to the magic tower and tell you the details.¡± Luke took the Dark Moon warlocks into Ford Magic Tower and introduced them to Reina. ¡°My Greetings. I am the Holy Pope Veronica III, the Pope of the Holy Empire.¡± ¡°Uh!¡± The warlocks were shocked at what they saw. They knew that the situation in Jackson was serious, but they never assumed that the pope herself would be there. And who was the pope for the warlock? The natural enemy, more like a predator for the warlocks. The warlocks had immediately turned into a herd of herbivores who met the most violent predator in the food chain. Soon, Luke and Arch Duke Gregory lowered their eyes as a sign of asking the warlocks to greet her. ¡°We humble beings greet the Holy Pope.¡± ¡°You are the people who seek the truth in the darkest places. It is a pleasure to meet you.¡± From Reina¡¯s words, the warlocks were certain that she knew of their identity. ¡®Did our zeitgeist tell her the truth?¡¯ ¡®I guess the rumor about her being his fianc¨¦ was indeed true.¡¯ While the warlocks were feeling uneasy, Marquis Reas, who was the only one in the room who wasn¡¯t told of their identity, tilted his head. He wasn¡¯t as super-sensitive regarding one¡¯s energy as Arch Duke Gregory, yet he was an 8th circle wizard with divine power. That was why he could feel something suspicious coming from the crowd which was in front of him. However, before he could open his mouth and ask, Arch Duke Gregory spoke ahead of him, ¡°Your Majesty, please explain to us in detail about them. How and when you met them?¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Nodding his head, Luke spoke, ¡°They were the ones whom I accidentally met 4 years ago or so. They are the descendants of Devil King Saymon.¡± ¡°Wh-what was that?!¡± Arch Duke Gregory, who heard Luke¡¯s words, casually nodded his head. However, Reas, who was hearing this for the first time, was in shock and was dismayed. Devil King Saymon, he was the man with whom the Holy Arthenia Empire had gone into a furious and fierce fight 500 years ago. The Holy Empire, which had taken in considerable damage at that time, was shaken to the core to the point where the pope had to give out strict orders to get rid of Saymon¡¯s remnants. And the people in front of Reas¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t normal warlocks but the descendants of that man, and they were now standing in front of the pope! ¡°H-how dare you all¡­!¡± Marquis Reas, who couldn¡¯t hold back his rage and anger, grabbed his staff to chant a spell. Luke yelled at the man before he could do anything. ¡°Did these men did anything wrong?!¡± Whether Luke released mana along with his scream or it was his force, Marquis Reas could feel the mana circle in his heart shaking. Soon, he calmed his heart and spoke, ¡°But aren¡¯t these men warlocks?! And in order to learn dark magic, the blood and flesh of a living person need to be sacrificed¡­¡± Once Marquis Reas began to speak about the general theory of warlocks, Luke shook his head. ¡°I will speak with a hand on my heart. They have never sacrificed any humans being in the process of mastering dark magic.¡± ¡°Even if they didn¡¯t, they surely must have made a contract with the demons. Maybe the reason why the undead are rising is because of¡­¡± ¡°They never signed a contract with the demons, and they have nothing to do with this mess.¡± At the sharp snap from Luke, not just Marquis Reas, but also Arch Duke Gregory went stiff. ¡°How can one even become a warlock without doing any of that?¡± As Reas asked, Luke sighed. ¡°How much do you know about dark magic and its principles?¡± ¡°Well, t-that¡­¡± Marquis Reas was indeed an 8th magic circle wizard, but frankly, he wasn¡¯t familiar with any other forms of magic. If he knew about the others, he surely would have been able to solve the problem. ¡°I think you know only what is known in the world and the truth. Then, if you look at the conduct of the priests, and if the people insist that El Kassel¡¯s Order is rotten from within and the Holy Empire must be punished, would you be able to agree to it?¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Reas¡¯s expression turned grim. He hated the time when Constantine was working as the regent for the pope. He hated how the poor were being treated at that time. ¡°Surely, I wouldn¡¯t be able to refute to it. But don¡¯t the warlocks do more evil than good deeds?¡± ¡°It is true that people have prejudice and misunderstandings. Dark magic is the study of exploring the dark and chaotic nature of Mother Nature.¡± ¡°Dark and chaotic nature?¡± ¡°If there is day, there is night, and if there is a sunny day, there will be a stormy one too. Just because there is an opposite study, it doesn¡¯t mean that it is unconditionally evil or unclean. Darkness too is a providence of Mother Nature.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Rather, they sprout from the dirt and reach for the sky once the storm settles.¡± Dark magic too was a study as a providence of Mother Nature to create a richer world. The problem was that the warlocks had fallen for the contracts with the demons in order to gain more strength and power for themselves. There weren¡¯t so many who had fallen for their own desires, yet it began to spoil one¡¯s imagination and how people perceived the warlocks. Because of that, people considered them to be warlocks who performed witchcrafts, and even the good ones were condemned. Nature, which had to be balanced, was dwelling in tragedy and a new form of hatred took birth. ¡°During that time, there was a group of people that tried to explore nature and seek the truth in the dark and followed their own beliefs. They are Saymon and his descendants.¡± ¡°So, Saymon too is an uncorrupted warlock?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± When Marquis Reas didn¡¯t seem to agree to it, Luke continued to speak, ¡°It is true that Saymon showed his sword toward the continent, but did you know what caused the war?¡± ¡°Well that was because¡­¡± Reas wanted to answer it. For some reason, it felt like whatever he knew was going to be the wrong answer. However, he had to answer it, so he spoke what he knew, ¡°Saymon tried to taint the entire continent with blood.¡± ¡°Considering the history of this continent for the past years, there have been many cruel conquerors. What about the first pope, Julian? Raising a nation, Arthenia, as the Holy Empire, he killed countless atheists during his time.¡± ¡°It was wrong to kill men indiscriminately just because they didn¡¯t believe in El Kassel. But that Saymon tried to turn over the world.¡± ¡°Sure. But, was that wrong? It was to create a world where everyone was treated equal.¡± ¡°Huh? A world where everyone is equal?¡± As Reas was shocked by what he heard, Luke took a deep breath and continued, ¡°A world where the strong don¡¯t deprive the weak. A world that doesn¡¯t discriminate and persecute based on race. A world where everyone had the right to live happily.¡± Saymon¡¯s legion had to discriminate between race or status. The key positions were all entrusted to those people in whom Saymon had faith in, and those who had the ability to fulfill the task given to them. ¡°One of the crimes that Saymon was known to have committed was killing the nobles, shutting down sanctuaries, and holding people captive. But, actually, the land that was owned by the lords and priests had been evenly distributed to the people in a fair manner.¡± ¡°B-but¡­¡± ¡°It was a policy which isn¡¯t much different from what Volga Republic follows.¡± Reas opened his mouth. Without Luke¡¯s elaborate explanation, he was able to see how dangerous Saymon¡¯s policy was. The identity system and the feudalism was much stronger and crueler than the current time. Naturally, the nobles and the rulers had no choice but to clash for more power to rule the world. ¡°And Saymon had touched dark magic because he ended up losing his beloved. He never killed recklessly, nor did he create any undead.¡± ¡°But he¡­ Saymon used golems.¡± Arch Duke Gregory, who was listening to Luke, spoke. According to the reports he read, it said that people were caught and fed to the golems. It was also specified that the ones taken in as slaves and prisoners for feeding the golems were the nobles. Saymon had never killed a noble or knight whom he fought in person. Although they were all things written in the books that held the history of the continent, it was the intention of the writers to blame Saymon by saying, ¡®It was his intention to insult and shame the nobles.¡¯ In any case, Marquis Reas was confused as the story turned out to be entirely different from what was known commonly. It didn¡¯t seem like Luke was trying to make up lies to deceive him. ¡°His Majesty¡¯s words are true. I will swear on the name of our Heavenly Father El Kassel and Mother of Earth Belize.¡± As Reina, the angel, the miracle powered pope vouched for them, Reas could only sigh. ¡°But, how does His Majesty know that?¡± Everything that Luke just said were secrets which were unknown to the world. How did Luke even know about it? ¡°That is because I learned the legacy of the Devil King Saymon and read his diary.¡± Ba-bang! Luke¡¯s revelation wasn¡¯t just surprising for Reas, but the wizards, the priests, and the paladins that were just outside the lab were shocked as well. There were always rumors that King Luke was learning dark magic. But for that to turn out to be true and that he also held the legacy of Saymon¡­! Luke, who was well aware of those who were eavesdropping, shouted proudly, ¡°Dark Magic is not all bad! Depending on the person who uses it, it can be either beneficial to the world or conversely, harmful. Marquis Reas, if you are someone who truly serves God and seeks for the truth, shouldn¡¯t you start from throwing away your preconceptions?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ But, I want you to show me evidence of what you claim.¡± ¡°Evidence of what sort?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Reas spoke in a serious tone. ¡°Those warlocks who had a contract with demons have a mark on the nape of their necks. If you truly are the descendant of Saymon and only seek the truth in the darkness, then you shouldn¡¯t have that mark.¡± ¡°Yes, what you ask is the truth. Check me. Those people outside that overheard our conversation, come inside and take a look.¡± Luke shook his neck to relieve his stress and showed them. Reas meticulously looked at Luke¡¯s nape. He examined it to see if the mark was hidden with magic. However, no mark could be found on Luke or the other warlocks. ¡°There really is nothing on them.¡± ¡°Was it pure research?¡± Some priests and paladins, who weren¡¯t able to believe their eyes, used divine power. With the magi in the body of the warlocks, when the divine power touched their necks, it burned, yet they couldn¡¯t see any mark. Realizing that what their common knowledge on dark magic had completely turned out to be false, Reas shook his head. ¡°It is true.¡± ¡°Surely, His Majesty, Luke, whom I know, is the one who marks the demons.¡± At Reina¡¯s words, excluding Arch Duke Gregory, everyone in the room was shocked once again. To overpower the demons, such things weren¡¯t possible with the holders of dark magic. Seeing them all shocked, Luke and the warlocks couldn¡¯t help but put up proud faces. Though it was still far away, they thought that the world full of prejudice might change a little. Chapter 548 - Holy Sword Valiant 1 Once the meeting and confirmations were done, Dark Moon warlocks were taken to the lab where the zombie disease was being researched. In addition to the abundant knowledge of the undead, various experimental tools that they brought by themselves helped the research. ¡°This is a magic tool called a microscope. It allows us to see minute objects which our human eyes cannot see.¡± Elder Quintero, the 7th circle warlocks, who led the group explained by pointing the tool. The microscope consisted of two lenses made of crystals, the body engraved with magic stones, the condenser, and the plate where the objects had to be placed. ¡°At first glance, this looks like a telephoto artifact.¡± The words of Marquis Reas made Quintero nod his head. ¡°Honestly, this is an improvement to the telephoto artifact. When collecting, the light magic circle installed in the condenser and the two crystals referred to as the lenses will amplify the size of the objects to a hundred times and make it visible for our eyes.¡± ¡°Oh, that is amazing. But, do we need to learn dark magic to use it?¡± ¡°Not at all. It is made with general knowledge on magic and can be used by anyone regardless of their magic.¡± In general, magnification artifacts used by the medical mages amplified the magic circles on the artifact, so it was impossible to examine the objects in great detail. However, using the microscope, the hair follicle would look thick as a finger. ¡°Thanks to the development of this magical tool, our Dark Moon warlocks were able to make progress in the study of origins of life.¡± ¡°Origins of life?¡± Quintero explained in great detail at Luke¡¯s question. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Chicks are born from the eggs, but they aren¡¯t chicks in the beginning. When we break a chick egg, it is just the white and yolk inside.¡± It wasn¡¯t just the chicks, even humans didn¡¯t have a set form to generate, such as heads or limbs in the very beginning. Whether the egg or a mother¡¯s womb, everything began with a very fine form and continued to grow. ¡°There are those people in our Dark Moon who have been exploring the original form of life and the structure of the life and growth process, and these microscopes were created by them.¡± After a long study, the wizards discovered that living things consisted of tiny structures called ¡®cell¡¯. ¡°Cell?¡± ¡°Yes, there is a difference in the number, but every living thing is made of these cells.¡± ¡°But the records don¡¯t say that!¡± Marquis Reas spoke out. Prior to becoming a wizard, he was an educated priest, so he couldn¡¯t accept Quintero¡¯s words. Quintero nodded his head, as he understood why Reas had to say that. ¡°Of course there weren¡¯t mentioned. There is only a record which says that Goddess Belize shaped the earth and the Lord gave life to those.¡± ¡°I see you know about it. But why do you¡­¡± ¡°We only study about life, we don¡¯t deny what¡¯s written in the records. When a life is lost, the body¡­ well, the cells go back to the soil. I think that it is because of the power and the will of the transcendent beings that the creatures are able to grow and make decisions for themselves, and aren¡¯t similar to stone, chunks or dust.¡± Marquis Reas, closed his mouth when he heard the man accept the existence of God. However, Luke, who was listening to the explanation from the other side was rather astonished. What Quintero had just explained was a theory that was completely unknown to the magic world and the continent as well. ¡®That is amazing. When did these warlocks develop such great things?¡¯ Just as there were various types of schools such as elementary, medical, magic engineering in White Magic, it seemed like the Dark magic too have been divided into several categories according to the subjects and studies. In the past, when Luke was Saymon, and referred to as the Black Sage, and erected his own Magic Tower with his warlocks, they only researched a few topics. Among them, Luke paid attention to the magic engineering, production of Golems and such, which was carried out and made into Gigants of the current world. So, there was a sphere that was attempting to uncover the origin of life in dark magic, yet, he had no idea that the research was happening too deeply. ¡®I was always busy with this and that, however, it is time for me to reflect on my duties. I used to be called the Black Sage, but now I lag behind the successors in science¡­¡¯ As a king, he had a position to keep and duties to perform, so it was clear that there was a limit as to what he could learn. Moreover, the magic in the current times was more diverse than in the past. Even then, it was necessary for him to learn and understand what and how things changed. That was the only way he could have the advantage of controlling the wizards under him. ¡®When I go back, I need to raise the funds for the magic department to the military level. The budget and the number of people have to be increased.¡¯ His warlocks had brought a lot of magic tools in addition to the microscope. The other artifacts included anti-dust-inhaling masks, anti-gas masks, which prevented the toxic substances from entering the nose and mouth. And they were all the tools that were essential in studying the zombie disease, which would infect the body with fluid. Thanks to that, the wizards and the priests of the Holy Arthenia Magic Tower were able to have a thorough and in-depth study about the zombies. Chapter 549 - Holy Sword Valiant 2 Few days had passed since the warlocks arrived. The cleansing of the river went according to plan, and the zombie disease didn¡¯t spread to regions outside Jackson. In addition, the zombies didn¡¯t attack Wolfs. As Wilf did in his village of Ribek, Luke and the Dark Moon warlocks controlled the zombies nearby. Thanks to that, the sacrifices of the paladins and the soldiers had been reduced, and there was no need to exterminate the zombies. It wasn¡¯t just that, something surprising had happened. Kuuu! Kuu! ¡°Oh my, how are the zombies¡­¡± The soldiers who were standing on the walls of the borders, had their mouth hanging when seeing the scenery outside the region. It was because they were seeing zombies carrying farm equipment and performing farming, such as ploughing or trying to plant seeds. If the farmlands would be left alone, it would turn desolate. Because of that, it was necessary to keep the land used, but they were in a situation where they were unable to deal with zombies. However, the zombies were working on the lands where the people were working before turning into zombies. ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± ¡°I heard it from a priest who knew about it, the warlocks are controlling the zombies.¡± ¡°What? Warlocks?¡± ¡°We need to catch them and kill¡­!¡± The soldiers who heard that were furious, however, the man spoke again. ¡°I heard that not all warlocks are bad guys. As you know, not all priests are good ones either.¡± ¡°Well, that is true. The priest of our village was called Greedy Pig. The bloody man used to take away huge amounts of grain¡­¡± A fellow soldier frowned, recalling the things he witnessed in his hometown. ¡°Well, anyway, the warlocks had volunteered by themselves and said that this wasn¡¯t their act, and they didn¡¯t seem that bad.¡± ¡°Is that really true?¡± ¡°Yes, not just here, but the village of Ribek was also able to save their people because of a warlock in their village.¡± Honestly, Wilf¡¯s story didn¡¯t spread from the mouth. It consisted of the instructions from Luke and the Holy Empire officials, who decided to use Wilf as an example. The fact about the descendant of the Rakan hero learning dark magic, that too, the legacy of Devil King Saymon, would have been too much for the people to take in. Both Luke and the other higher officials of the Holy Empire thought that it would work well for Luke, and instead of letting out the full truth, they decided to spread only the appropriate information. And that was what the soldiers were aware of. ¡°So, that was why the wild zombies are acting like that.¡± ¡°Well no matter what, it is useful for us. Without day or night, they can work and provide us with food.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t it, you stupid friend. We don¡¯t know if they are sinners or good people, it is a terrible disease that rots away the flesh. This isn¡¯t something a human can do.¡± ¡°Well, that is what it is. The warlocks are helping the Pope to study the cure for the zombie disease, and will soon be successful.¡± As the warlocks were getting attention, Luke was taking a group of zombies that were approaching Wolfs. Taking control of the zombies with the undead dark magic, Luke drove them to a nearby valley. ¡°You all, don¡¯t go around walking here and there. Later, once the cure is found, I¡¯ll bring it here.¡± Uhhhh. The zombies nodded their heads as if they understood. Luke, who moved a huge rock at the entrance of the valley to avoid any attention, turned towards Wolfs. ¡°Phew, it isn¡¯t easy to control zombies.¡± Even if he was great in using dark magic, it was Luke¡¯s first time to use undead magic. Moreover, the number of zombies was huge, and he was in no position to control them one after another. ¡®If the cure isn¡¯t found quickly, I¡¯ll be overworking myself.¡¯ ¡°Back? You seem tired?¡± Reina welcomed Luke with a smile. Luke, who would have normally smiled back at her, asked her with a stern face. ¡°Why are you still here? I told you to leave all the work in here to me and my men and head back to Bless, to look after the people there, get back to your followers.¡± Once the warlocks joined, Luke asked Reina to stop her work in Wolfs. No matter how careful one was, they were in a place where anything could happen. If she was going to stay there, there was a chance that she could be infected with the disease. At Luke¡¯s words, Reina replied with a sad expression. ¡°I don¡¯t know if there is anything I can do over there.¡± ¡°Of course, there is no way we can know¡­ yet, I don¡¯t want you to be in this dangerous place.¡± ¡°But, did you ever think from my point of view? I hate you staying here on my behalf and getting hurt.¡± Reina could never get herself to forget the nightmare she saw last night, the nightmare in which Luke gets killed. Well, she didn¡¯t want to forget it. Which was why she wanted to stay, she wanted to stay to make sure nothing like that would take place. ¡°I would rather stay here and be wrong than leave you here alone¡­¡± ¡°Fine. I understand so stop thinking those bad thoughts.¡± Luke decided that he could never win over Reina¡¯s stubborn nature, and raised his hands in defeat. However, to himself, he was thinking of sending Reina to Bless, even if it meant to use sleep magic on her. At that time, he felt someone walk outside. ¡°Holiness, I, Luther have come.¡± ¡°Please come in.¡± At Reina¡¯s words, Luther opened the door and brought in the good news. ¡°It was said that the warlocks of Dark Moon have discovered the cause for the zombie disease.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± Luke couldn¡¯t hold back his question when he heard that some kind of result came out. ¡°Yes. We can head over to the Magic Tower lab right away.¡± When they went there, they were met by Marquis Reas and Arch Duke Gregory, who received the report early. When people gathered, Elder Quintero showed the microscope and began his explanation. ¡°This is a body tissue that was removed from a goat which was infected with the zombie disease, and it is now in the microscopic stage. If you look closely, you can see the parasite attacking the tissue cells at random.¡± At Quintero¡¯s words, Luke, Reina and the other officials in the room brought their eyes to see the picture in the microscope. They were able to see tiny red worms, which looked very much like centipedes, wriggling and wandering around the tissue. The number of worms were too many to count, those who saw that weren¡¯t able to calm their eyes for a while. ¡°They are breeding inside the body!¡± Marquis Reas was shocked at what he saw, which made Quintero smile. ¡°It was very impossible to see it with regular observation devices. This too is an image we are able to see after we used our dark magic reagent.¡± ¡°So, what you mean to say is that, those worms are the cause of the zombie disease?¡± According to Quintero, the parasites had invaded the body of an organism and were spreading through blood vessels which would pass through all body parts. In particular, the part where it reproduced the most was the brain, spewing its toxins, it was decaying the host¡¯s body and was taking control of the brain and nervous systems. ¡°The reason for the attack is to breed itself in huge numbers. No matter how small a parasite is, there is a time limit to which it could stick to one individual.¡± ¡®Right. Does it look for another target?¡¯ When Luke was thinking and nodding his head, Quintero continued to speak. ¡°What is worse is that the parasites release deadly toxins when they die. Because of that, the body of the host turns into zombies.¡± ¡°Which is why, when divine power was used, they were turning into ashes.¡± Priests and wizards, such as Marquis Reas and Reina now seemed to understand. ¡°Then, can the worms be removed from the people and revive them without any trace of the disease?¡± Reina¡¯s biggest concern was to revive those who were turned into zombies. With a stiff expression, Quintero answered her question. ¡°Theoretically yes, but we still haven¡¯t found a way to safely remove them. In the future, after conducting experiments on animals, we might see some kind of a result.¡± ¡°Hugh, I see.¡± When Reina showed her disappointment, Arch Duke Gregory and Marquis Reas began to soothe her. ¡°Holiness, we just identified the cause, we will soon be able to develop the treatment too.¡± ¡°That is right. Once the cause is known, we can see this as being half successful.¡± Reina spoke with a faint smile, still seemingly upset. ¡°If there is anything I can do, please tell me without holding back your thoughts.¡± ¡°Understood, Holiness.¡± When Quintero was bowing to Reina, Luke looked through the microscope once again. ¡®How do we get rid of these ugly creatures?¡¯ Killing the parasites shouldn¡¯t be done. Killing them was releasing fatal toxins, which was turning their body into ashes when coming in contact with divine power. Right then, something went past his mind when he was thinking about removing them without killing them. Something he had seen when he was walking around the village to contain the zombies. Unlike people and their livestock, wild animals didn¡¯t seem to turn into undead. Even when bitten by a zombie, the animals died, but never moved again. Besides, it looked almost like the wild animals didn¡¯t seem to get infected by the zombie disease. They surely would drink from the river and it was bound for the parasites to spread. ¡®It was the same with the fishes in the river. Are these parasites only attacking humans and their livestock? Or¡­¡¯ Something else entered Luke¡¯s mind, the story he heard from Luther when moving to Wolfs. According to him, the former regent Constantine was able to show a miracle that brought back a zombie into a man. He claimed himself to be the ¡®true disciple of God¡¯ and was told that Constantine seemed to have aged backwards. ¡®Maybe Constantine has something to do with this disease. Maybe catching him would bring us the cure.¡¯ Luke wasn¡¯t the only one who thought so. Arch Duke Gregory too was looking out, as they all thought that Constantine would be somewhere near Jackson. ¡®For now, I need to see what I can do right away.¡¯ Thinking so, Luke went outside to catch some wild animals. He was going to scrutinize the animals and see why they weren¡¯t getting infected with the parasites, the main reason for the zombie disease. Chapter 550 - Holy Sword Valiant 3 While Luke was struggling to find a cure for the zombie disease in the Holy Empire, Prime Minister Hans of the Symphonia Kingdom was standing in front of a large pond in the Royal Palace. The pond had formed during the huge fight with Hiros, and the rain that fell later after that created a pond in the Royal Palace. ¡®Did His Majesty really master dark magic? What are we supposed to do if that is the truth?¡¯ Honestly, Hans wasn¡¯t the only one who was worried. Maron, the high priest, and the other retainers of the Rakan Family were also concerned about it for a long time. However, they found no clear evidence of it, and if such things went out, nothing good would come from Symphonia Kingdom, which was still in a growing process. Everyone, who was concerned, were struggling. However, maybe their frustration couldn¡¯t be controlled, so they went to speak with Hans. And each time, Hans¡¯s reply was, ¡°Don¡¯t spew nonsense.¡± However, his own doubts were burning his mind. ¡®Our Lord Rakan, what am I supposed to do?¡¯ While Hans was looking at the sky and grieving, a messenger ran and gave him a startling report. ¡°What? You found some strange sword in the basement of the floor while rebuilding the residence in the Rakan Estate?¡± ¡°Yes, it was just half of a sword, and it isn¡¯t so unusual to see either.¡± After Symphonia¡¯s establishment, Rakan Estate had been turned into a royal estate. They decided to use the manor there as the local palace and were trying to make it look its role. In the process of reconstruction, old artifacts were popping out. The sword, which was discovered, was one of those artifacts. ¡®If it was a basement field, then it must be the place where our ancestors were practicing¡­¡¯ Hans, who wanted to know, asked the man to bring the sword. Luckily, the administrator that was in charge of the reconstruction had already sent the sword directly to the Royal Capital, so there was no need to wait for long. ¡°This is the sword?¡± Hans, who scrutinized the sword, brought it in a wooden box. It seemed very much like a bastard sword that was broken in the middle, and just as said before, there was nothing unusual in it. It was as if the sword was made a long time ago. It was an old fashioned Rococo-style Bastard Sword, which was radiating extraordinary energy. ¡°This, this looks like an Orichalcum Sword!¡± Katarina Magic Tower¡¯s meister, Mute, who came upon Hans¡¯s call, looked at the sword and said, ¡°Orichalcum? This one?¡± ¡°Yes, this ecstatic brilliance and its unique form. The subtle energy waves coming from the metal must surely be Orichalcum.¡± Surely, the materials it was made of were amazing, but there was something more shocking. It was the two patterns that were engraved on the right side of the handle. One was a wooden cross flag, the symbol of El Kassel Denomination, an angel holding a shinning sword. The second one was the symbol of the Rakan Family. Well, something similar to it. ¡®A sword with Orichalcum material and two symbols on it¡­!¡¯ Hans, who was searching in his memories for information, was shocked. ¡°H-Holy Sword Valiant!¡± ¡°Huh? Is this the one?¡± ¡°It is. This is the sword that Warrior Rakan had used, and it matches with the appearance of the Holy Sword Valiant which was written in the records!¡± Hans and Mute couldn¡¯t hold back their excitement. Valiant was a sword that had suddenly disappeared after the death of their ancestor. There were rumors saying that the Baroque Family had stolen the family sword. Some said that after the death of Saymon, it was taken back to the Holy Empire. However, neither of them seemed valid. There were many people who claimed that the existence of the sword was fake and the Rakan retainers were making things up. ¡°To find the Holy Sword in the basement of the manor!¡± ¡°Huhu, the bottom of a lamp is always dark¡­¡± The question was why was the sword broken in half. Orichalcum was a metal that wouldn¡¯t break unless it took too much shock, and the one who made the sword was Zig, a legendary blacksmith. ¡®There shouldn¡¯t have been anyone skilled enough for this to break?¡¯ Thinking so, both Hans and Mute took a closer look at the sword. They discovered something. It was quite a lot of fine print that was engraved on the broken blade¡¯s backside. The writings were so small and tightly fit that anyone would mistake it as some kind of a carved pattern. ¡°Are you able to understand what it says?¡± ¡°Well, hold on, it is so small to reach¡­¡± Mute took a close look at the sword while narrowing his eyes. When he thought of using magnification magic, the sunlight from the window reflected on the sword. Flash! The bright reflection shone on the wall on the other side. Surprisingly, the letters engraved on the sword magnified. ¡°Oh! I guess this can be done too.¡± ¡°Yeah, it seems like our ancestor didn¡¯t want just anyone to see it.¡± Mute and Hans read what was written on the wall¡­ with huge anticipation and curiosity. ¡®If someone is reading the writing on the sword, then I might not be alive. I am Rakan. A Paladin of the Holy Arthenia Empire who defeated Saymon, a warlock who was called the Devil King. I had been praised as the hero of the continent. However, now that I think back on it, what I did then was the biggest mistake in my life and in the history of the continent.¡¯ Both men were shocked to see what Rakan had thought. Killing Saymon was a mistake! What could have been his reason for such thoughts? They were extremely confused and wanted to hurry to read. ¡®When Saymon was killed, the nobles and the other people who didn¡¯t know anything about him cheered. Rather than rejoicing, the people of the Southern part of Libiya Kingdom, whom I thought was being oppressed by Saymon, resented me. Fairies like elves and dwarves saw me as their enemy till death. They accused me of doing something that couldn¡¯t be corrected. Yet, I was young and simple-minded. I couldn¡¯t understand what their words meant. Later, when I came to understand what it meant, the nation was ruined by the Baroque extortionists. Only after I lost my loyalist nobles and retainers who served me with their hearts, could I see what the Baroque Duke had done, and his nobles like the Archmage Arsene. Saymon told me during our fight that those men were wild dogs hiding under sheepskins. He was right. The Duke of Baroque was a sinner that didn¡¯t stop eating the nation. He was a sneaky bandit who had a clever group of people who would use foolish men like me for their own greed. They were the true demons who stole the land from the people and behaved like greed-driven animals. I served as a puppet for that demon, and when the value and worth of mine disappeared, I was thrown away like trash.¡¯ ¡®This is all the words of our ancestor¡­¡¯ Hans couldn¡¯t help but feel dismayed looking at how the young Rakan had written. Anyone who learned the history knew that Carno de Baroque was a serpent who would use anyone for his cause. However, he later managed to create the Baroque Kingdom and then an Empire. And no matter how much one would hate the Baroque Duke, for one to side with Saymon¡­?! ¡®Losing everything and struggling with my will to change, I wanted to know about Saymon. I listened to the stories from those who knew the man, and in the process, I found out that Saymon wasn¡¯t an evil man like the world knew. He took away the land from the nobles and gave it to the people. He liberated the fairies who were being treated as slaves. He chooses people with talent regardless of their status and didn¡¯t collaborate with demons even though he learned dark magic. When I think about it, he was just trying to change the world. Of course, it turned out to be impossible for the other high ranking nobles to watch the world they knew being replaced. They couldn¡¯t compromise and the fights broke out, and it grew into a bloody war over the course of time. In that war, I was turned into an assassin who killed the enemy leader. I thought that in order to punish a group that was involved in evil deeds, it was fine to choose any means and methods. And I entered the war and performed the most despicable act of assassination, and I was looked up to as the hero. I fooled myself with my victory and heroism and played according to their wishes.¡¯ The expression of Hans and Mute distorted over the things they were reading. It was because everything that they knew till then turned out to be false. ¡°Maybe, could this be something someone else and not our ancestor wrote?¡± ¡°I would surely like to think that¡­ But, the style of writing and the spellings of the words, they were all things that were used 500 years ago.¡± And, the sword was genuine. Who in the world would use such a sword, which no one could find for hundreds of years as a prank? Even if someone did find the sword, they would have taken advantage of holding that famous sword rather than engraving such a sword with words praising Devil King Saymon. ¡°Even if we think of that to be the act of Saymon¡¯s remnants, there is no reason why they would leave it here. It must be the real one.¡± ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s read what is written.¡± Hans and Mute went back to reading. I broke the precious sword, not because I reflected on the mistakes I did but because I didn¡¯t want any other greedy and lustful men to take advantage of the sword. I ask those who find this sword. If you are someone who wants to change the world or know someone who wants to, if you are someone who isn¡¯t bound by customs and wants to break this world¡¯s unjust ways, empower yourself or him. Even if they slander you or those who are on his side, that is when I will shine once again with this sword and be your strength. While the two read the last parts, they went silent. Mute was the one to open his mouth. ¡°What are we supposed to do? Revealing this will turn the world into a mess.¡± ¡°I know. We need to discuss it with His Majesty once he gets back.¡± ¡°That sounds good to me.¡± The two men, who agreed with the other, placed the sword back into the wooden box. What they saw was closed, yet the deep impact it left on their minds by Rakan didn¡¯t settle down. Chapter 551 - Holy Sword Valiant 4 The clue to the zombie disease was finally found. However, that didn¡¯t mean that the treatment procedures were being developed right away. The warlocks of the Dark Moon, who were being led by Quintero, collaborated with the Holy Arthenia Magic Tower and found a way to safely get rid of the parasites that were causing the zombie disease. In the process, they managed to use special reagents, which were improved through purification magic circles. Even a dark magic method was used. However, all those methods only succeeded in removing the parasites, yet none of them turned the nobles back to their humane nature. During that time, Luke had started experimenting on animals. The wild animals weren¡¯t being infected with the zombie disease, even when injected with the bodily fluids of the zombies. The parasites that entered the fish or wild animals were unable to reproduce, and it disappeared. ¡°Is it because of the antibodies in the bodies of the wild animals?¡± At Reina¡¯s question, Luke shook his head. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem like the case. I tried injecting animal blood into an infected one, yet that didn¡¯t seem to work that well.¡± ¡°Though huge effects weren¡¯t seen¡­ I did hear that it worked, right?¡± ¡°It did. To some extent, the parasite production was stopped but that was all.¡± It was on a repeat, looking for new treatments by repeating the experiments and countless discussions, day after day. One early morning, shocking news came for Reina, who was in talks with Arch Duke Gregory. ¡°Holiness, we received a magic communication from the wizard at Bremen, and surprisingly, Archbishop Antero is still alive.¡± Reina couldn¡¯t help but be startled at the new piece of information. ¡°I beg your pardon? Was that verified?¡± ¡°Yes, it was said that they were certain they heard Archbishop Antero¡¯s voice. And the wizard said that it wasn¡¯t just Archbishop but the others too.¡± Everyone thought that the city of Bremen was completely taken over by the zombies, and that was the reason why they had lost contact with Archbishop Antero. However, that didn¡¯t seem like it! Arch Duke Gregory, who was next to Reina, asked, ¡°And why haven¡¯t they contacted us in the meantime?¡± ¡°That¡­ When the city fell, they ran away from the undead and lost their magic communication ball. It was said that they barely managed to get back and contact us.¡± According to the wizard who had been contacted by Antero, the Archbishop hid underground once the city was taken over by the zombies. In an old sanctuary, which was common to have labyrinth passages, they ended up in a secret room in the underground to prepare themselves. Those secret rooms in the sanctuaries were usually used for meditation or any other activities, so food and water for emergency situations were always kept. So, maybe Archbishop Antero hid there. ¡°But there was something that Archbishop Antero said that sounded very weird. The zombie disease in Bremen, he said that he found a clue about it¡­ and said that he would only say the clue if Holiness goes to visit him.¡± The words of the messenger made Reina look surprised. ¡°A clue regarding the disease?¡± ¡°Yes, but we weren¡¯t given any specific details. The magic communication got interrupted in the middle.¡± It was said that there was a lot of noise during the call, with the cry of someone telling others to run away just before the call got cut. ¡°Oh my, it seemed like something was wrong. We need to go and rescue Archbishop Antero right away!¡± At Reina¡¯s words, Arch Duke Gregory sternly spoke, ¡°Holiness, that place is crowded with zombies!¡± ¡°But there are people over there who are waiting for help. If we don¡¯t hurry, they could be attacked by the zombies.¡± ¡°It can be done by your men. Your Holiness, you will have to stay here.¡± ¡°But, it was said that there was a clue to the disease in Bremen and that I need to be there to get the clue.¡± ¡°I think we can secure Bremen City first and then take you there safely. So, please hold yourself.¡± And honestly, that place was more dangerous than Wolfs. It was because everyone in Bremen was now zombies, and if she went there and something unexpected happened, everyone including the pope could be infected. Surely, after Luke came, thorough preparations were done like purifying the water and not coming in contact with the body fluids of the zombies, but accidents could happen anywhere and anytime. And for the pope to go to such a dangerous place, there was no way Gregory would ever give her the permission. Even then, Reina wasn¡¯t someone who could be convinced so easily, and he needed the help of Luke. After getting the message from Gregory, Luke jumped out and went to persuade Reina. ¡°I will go to Bremen instead of you. Me and a few more Proximal Guard Knights are enough to save those isolated people in the city.¡± With the skills of Luke and his knights, they would be able to deal with thousands of zombies. It was because inside Luke¡¯s subspace bracelet were the Gigants of the Proximal Guard Knights. So, if what he needed to do was just assess people out and not take over Bremen City, the task seemed rather easy for Luke. ¡°But Archbishop Antero asked me to come.¡± ¡°I did heard about it, but I think it is dangerous for you to go to Bremen without knowing what the clue even is.¡± ¡°I know what you are worried about, but what if we miss the opportunity and some grave mistake happens? There is only so much we can do regarding the containment of Jackson. The more time we take, the more people will suffer.¡± Luke couldn¡¯t refute back at Reina¡¯s plea. ¡°Fine, instead, you will only come till the suburbs of Bremen. Me and my Guards will head in first to rescue Archbishop. If something dangerous happens, we will all step back immediately.¡± ¡°Understood. We will do that.¡± Luke and Gregory, who barely managed to convince Reina, began to set up the troops for them to move for Bremen. Chapter 552 - Straight Into The Trap 1 Departing with the 3rd squad of Saint Guards, which consisted of around 1,000 men, Luke and Arch Duke Gregory separated near Bremen. Luke entered the downtown areas to attempt the rescue of Archbishop Antero, while Gregory decided to stay outside the city and guard Reina. ¡°Don¡¯t ever get into anything which might seem dangerous, do you get it?¡± ¡°I do. You should be careful too.¡± Luke, managed to talk and kiss Reina secretly, entered downtown of Bremen along with Hwang Bo-sung and his other Guards. After flying himself and his men with the use of Fly magic, Luke began to scrutinize the city. ¡°Everything is still. It almost feels like the time has stopped for this place.¡± ¡°I agree with Master¡¯s words. It doesn¡¯t seem like a city of our world.¡± Just as they were talking, the Bremen city which was being looked at from the sky was desolate. Let alone the humans, not a single dog could be seen walking on the roads, even the zombies which had to be walking around the city were barely visible. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s weird.¡± ¡°It gives out the feeling of something sinister lurking in the corners. This is very different from what Arch Duke Gregory gave us.¡± At Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s words, Luke couldn¡¯t help but nod. It seemed very much like the calm before the storm. ¡°What are we supposed to do, Master? Should we go back?¡± ¡°I really agree with that¡­ but, we have no other choice but to save Archbishop Antero, who was in the sanctuary.¡± Archbishop Antero, he had claimed that he knew a vital clue about the zombie disease. And if what he said was indeed the truth, then they had to risk themselves and save him. Luke, who was still feeling hopeful about the clue, moved to the place where the sanctuary of the God was. Unlike the other places, the manor had numerous zombies gathered in front. They could be wiped out with magic, but Luke couldn¡¯t help but feel something ominous and decided to save his power as much as he could. ¡®Well, with that level of zombies, I am sure my Guards will be able to take care.¡¯ Luke, opened the subspace bracelet and summoned the Gigants of the Guard Knights. Thud! Thud! Dozen Gigants settled in front of the square of the manor, all the Guard Knights, who were floating in the sky headed to their Gigants with the help from Luke. Hwang Bo-sung too picked his Gigant. His Puppet was severely damaged in the battle against Hiros, and it was still under the process of repair. As he always repaired his Gigant by himself, it was taking quite some time, during the meantime, Hwang Bo-sung began to learn how the Gigant works. Controlling Puppet in every situation wasn¡¯t possible, and as he was the Commander of the Proximal Guard Knights, he should be familiar with the weapons and Gigants his men were handling. ¡°It is the first time for Commander Hwang Bo-sung to control a Gigant outside practice, right?¡± ¡°I practiced to the level where I wouldn¡¯t make basic mistakes. I promise to not make my Master feel embarrassed by me.¡± ¡°Then show me.¡± Hwang Bo-sung nodded his head at Luke¡¯s words and headed to the zombies along with his men. Kuuuu! Kiiiii! Instead of them approaching the zombies, the zombies were running towards them. It wasn¡¯t like the Gigant¡¯s were moving slowly, but the zombies which ran for the Gigants were fast enough to make it look like they were going to swallow the Gigants. ¡°They are all people, let them be treated well.¡± Hwang Bo-sung, who prayed briefly for the zombies, began to unleash his Trinity Martial arts. Bang! The power of the Trinity Punch was unfamiliar when being used in a Gigant. However, not just the Gigants, but it was strong enough to blow away all the zombies which were running for them. In addition to Hwang Bo-sung, the other knights too managed to annihilate the zombies who were rushing at them with just their swords. Soon, the zombies that were all around the manor were completely cleared. Luke, with a smile on his face, spoke to Hwang Bo-sung and his other Guard Knights. ¡°I will be the one to enter the sanctuary, and you all Guards will have to be here and guard the place.¡± ¡°Master, it could be dangerous. I will accompany you.¡± When Hwang Bo-sung couldn¡¯t hide his concern, Luke shook his hands. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I know enough on how to deal with the undead.¡± ¡°Even then¡­¡± ¡°Honestly, I am more concerned about Reina who is outside the city. As soon as possible, I will come outside the sanctuary, so the Commander and the Guards too will have to be ready to secure our retreat.¡± ¡°Understood. Please be careful.¡± Luke, who left behind Hwang Bo-sung and his Guards, went into the sanctuary. He had already been briefed about the structure of the Sanctuary in Bremen from Arch Duke Gregory, so he went directly to the underground where the secret room was located. ¡°Archbishop Antero! Where are you?!¡± After entering the labyrinth-like warehouse in the second level of the underground, he walked further in and looked at the walls. According to what Gregory had told, he was following the blue wooden cross tiles which were on the wall to find the secret room. Finally, at the end of the path, Luke managed to reach the dead end and shouted looking at the wall. ¡°I have come to pick you up on behalf of the Pope. So open the door and come out!¡± Despite shouting loud, there was no response from the other side. It wasn¡¯t just that, he couldn¡¯t even feel any energy on the other side. ¡®Is he and everyone else inside the room dead? Or did they run away to another place?¡¯ When Luke decided to use force and open the dead-end wall to check, footsteps could be heard from the other side of the wall. Tap tap tap tap! After a while, the stone door, which was blocking the entrance to the secret room moved with a low voice, opening slightly. Inside, people with warming clothes looked out and asked slowly. ¡°And you must be?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear anything I said? I am Luke de Rakan, the King of Symphonia, who came to save you.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, the old priest who began to tear up asked. ¡°Oh! Oh my! Is it Your Majesty Luke?¡± ¡°Yes. And you are? Are you Archbishop Antero?¡± At the question from Luke, the old man opened the stone door completely. He moved out of the room and replied. ¡°I am Archbishop Antero, the High priest of Bremen. But where is the Holiness? Is she outside the sanctuary?¡± ¡°No, her Holiness is outside of Bremen. The city was too dangerous to enter, so I came here to save you and your men.¡± ¡°Oh my! Oh dear! I had asked her Holiness to directly come here!¡± Antero sighed with a sad expression. Luke, who saw that couldn¡¯t help but ask him. ¡°What was it that you needed the Pope to come here? The clue about zombie disease?¡± ¡°It is something very simple, yet difficult. The cause of the disease is the fake one who is pretending to be the disciple of God. The disaster will stop once the fake one is removed.¡± ¡°Getting rid of the fake ones¡­ that is surely the right option.¡± Since Luke came to Jackson, he had a clear grasp of the situation, someone had deliberately spread the disease. And it seemed like they had a strong connection with Constantine, who was pretending to be the true disciple of God. So, the words of Archbishop Antero convinced Luke. However, Luke didn¡¯t fully comprehend the meaning. The fake who Luke thought wasn¡¯t the fake who Antero thought. ¡°The Pope said. That wench who was staying at Bless is a witch who disguised herself and deceived people. Killing that witch will make this entire disaster go away.¡± ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Did you not understand? It wasn¡¯t supposed to be His Majesty who came here. It should have been that witch who is pretending to be as the Holiness. They contacted them to specifically bring in the witch.¡± Antero¡¯s glistening eyes showed that he turned into someone else. ¡®This can¡¯t be¡­!¡¯ Luke, who looked at Antero, decided to check his condition with magic. He thought that his mind too was corrupted when they were being chased by the zombies, however, when he looked closely, the consciousness of his mind had been twisted with magic. ¡°This, this a trap!¡± ¡°There was an old saying, better take the substitute when the real one is absent. Killing the descendant of the foolish warrior who has been deceived by the witch, I will be doing a great help to you.¡± Antero¡¯s words were turning scary, and dozens of wizards appeared along the wall of the underground room. Luke, who saw the magic circle change around him couldn¡¯t help but turn stiff. ¡®This, this is the explosion magic which I made over 500 years back!¡¯ Why were such magic circles built in a sanctuary? Even before he could find the answer, a huge explosion occurred in a line with the magic circles. Booom-! The powerful explosion which occurred in the 2nd level of the underground had blown away the sanctuary of Bremen city. Chapter 553 - Straight Into The Trap 2 ¡°Huhuhu. She is caught!¡± Archbishop Constantine, who was in the plaza of the underground, smiled when he felt the ground under his feet tremble because of the shockwaves. He knew what the explosion meant. In the underground of Bremen, there were mana bombs made from enormous amounts of gunpowder. They were all disguised as natural materials and placed in the places. In addition, Baymon, the leader of the Grey Order, even built an explosion magic on the wall. The magic circle was supposed to work when Archbishop Antero would be rescued by Holy Empire¡¯s men. ¡°Everyone must have gone to the ground along with that sanctuary. Who got crushed? Is it the witch or that Gregory?¡± Constantine was sure that either of those two would be the ones to come for Archbishop Antero. And it was most likely going to be Gregory. He was a terrifying follower of Veronica III, so he would never let her go alone without making sure that the place wasn¡¯t dangerous for her to step in. ¡°Gregory isn¡¯t a great loss. If we are planning to get rid of them, it is better to tear off the limbs of everyone who follows that wench and finally make her life miserable till the end.¡± He wouldn¡¯t just kill the woman who had betrayed him or the God. Using the hidden zombies and then the Saint Guards whom Baymon had brainwashed earlier, he was going to take down everyone on her side. That was Constantine¡¯s plan. ¡°Brother, the army of that fox is waiting outside the city. How about we move slowly?¡± Constantine nodded at the words and ordered Count Marcus. ¡°Let Baymon and the others release the zombies!¡± When his orders fell, the zombies who were lurking in the underground waterways began to move to the ground. The explosion in Baymon¡¯s sanctuary was clearly seen by Reina¡¯s eyes, who was outside the city. When the dark smoke filled the sky, the wizard, who was placed on watch, came back with a pale expression. ¡°The sanctuary blew up!¡± ¡°Ahhh, then he¡­¡± Reina couldn¡¯t stop her trembling legs. Arch Duke Gregory, who supported her and made sure she didn¡¯t fall to the ground, asked. ¡°What about Majesty Luke and his Guards?¡± ¡°The Gigants which were being used by the Knights of the Symphonia seemed to have survived the explosion. However, Majesty Luke was nowhere to be seen. We aren¡¯t sure, but maybe he went inside the¡­¡± If that was the case, he must have been engulfed by flames and the explosion. And the previous explosion was huge. The sanctuary itself blew up, could a human body survive such an explosion? Even if he was riding a Gigant, his safety wasn¡¯t something that could be confirmed. ¡°I¡­ I need to go and see for myself.¡± Reina, who was still in shock said. Hearing that only made Arch Duke Gregory jump up. ¡°Holiness! We haven¡¯t figured out what is going on in there. So how can¡­¡± It was almost as if the enemy trap was placed in Bremen, and entering it would only bring death. Gregory who looked stern couldn¡¯t hold back Reina who was stubborn. ¡°Majesty Luke has been my ally even before the alliance of our Holy Empire with his. How can I feel at ease knowing that he¡¯s out there in some unknown condition? If something did go wrong, at least his remains¡­¡± When she spoke that. All of a sudden the ground began to shake along with the troops. ¡°What is going on?!¡± Arch Duke Gregory who couldn¡¯t calm himself, asked. His lieutenant, who was talking with the messenger, understood the situation and explained it to him. ¡°It is the zombies! It was said that zombies are constantly pouring out of the city, forests, and the allies from the front!¡± ¡°What?!¡± For a second, Arch Duke Gregory couldn¡¯t understand anything. Just a short while before, he had sent his troops to all the areas around them and scouted the region for zombies. However, all the reports which came back from his wizards and the knights who scouted the area contained zombies who were rarely seen in the city of Bremen. It was the same with the nearby forests and allies where the troops were stationed. However, all of a sudden, zombies were pouring out! ¡°If they were buried in the ground or summoned through some magic circle, there must have been a way in which the zombies were hidden!¡± Upon the words of the confused lieutenant, Arch Duke Gregory said what he could understand. ¡°Kuek! This was a trap!¡± If that was the case, the magic communication which Archbishop Antero said was likely to be fake. ¡°Arch Duke! It would turn into a mess if we get surrounded and enter a battle. Please hurry up and give us the orders for retreat!¡± At the prompt of his lieutenant, Arch Duke Gregory was flustered. What they were running away from would be the zombies. An innumerable number of zombies. Although they had 1,000 troops along with the 3rd squad of Saint Guards, fighting there was a bad option. Even if they won the battle, the loss would be too great. And if they lost, they would be wiped out. He too wanted to retreat right away, however, the problem was Reina. He wouldn¡¯t be able to do much if she kept on insisting to do what she wanted. Maybe she realized that he was turning anxious, or understood the situation calmly, Reina gave out the order. ¡°Arch Duke, we will take your troops to a safe area right away. If we enter a fight, there is a chance for the soldiers to turn into zombies, and that isn¡¯t something we should let happen.¡± ¡°Understood, Holy Pope.¡± Listening to the pleasing orders, Gregory ordered for retreat immediately. Thanks to the decision, the Holy Empire¡¯s troops were able to retreat before the zombies surrounded them. However, they weren¡¯t completely out of the crisis. Zombies that came out of the city continued to chase after them, and the ones who were coming from the forests would close in from their side. And another enemy appeared there. ¡°There is a new report! An unidentified Gigant troops have appeared and blocked our retreat path!¡± ¡°What? Who would come¡­?!¡± They would have been the ones who probably dug the trap and made the spread of the zombie disease. To Arch Duke Gregory, who was holding the hilt of his sword in rage, Reina ordered. ¡°Lead the knights and open up a path as soon as possible. Also, capture the enemy riders if possible. We need to figure out who is the one doing all this.¡± ¡°But if I leave¡­¡± ¡°Arch Duke is the only one who can give us an opening quickly. And I have Sir Victor with me, and the other Saint Guards too. So you don¡¯t need to worry.¡± Gregory looked over at Victor who was standing beside Reina. Although he was old, he was a reliable knight which had followed Reina ever since the Volga Kingdom fell. In addition, he was seasoned and experienced. At least he wouldn¡¯t put her in a risky position. ¡°Sir Victor, I ask you to look after Her Holiness.¡± ¡°Understood. You can trust me.¡± Gregory, who entrusted Reina to Victor, rode his Hero class Gigant Veda and ran towards the enemy Gigant unit. Maybe the combat power of the enemy was much stronger than imagined, or it was too sudden, but, by the time that Gregory arrived towards his men, his men were taking considerable damage. In addition to hundreds of soldiers being slaughtered, more than a dozen Gigants were defeated by the enemy. ¡°Those bastards, I will never forgive them!¡± Arch Duke Gregory, who spoke with anger in his eyes, ran towards the enemies. Bang! Bang! Along with the harsh and loud noise, the enemy Gigant units began to be wiped away in an instant. The enemy rider¡¯s skills were substantial enough to prevent the retreat of the Holy Empire. However, once Arch Duke Gregory and his Saint Guards joined the battle, the situation took a quick change. After the short battle, nearly a third of the enemy fell, and the Gigants of the enemy began to retreat after giving out signals to their troops. ¡°You cowards! Where are you running to?!¡± Gregory went after them. However, the gunpowder which was buried in the forest grounds was lit up once the enemies retreated, and the chase was forced to be given up. The Gigant troops of the Saint Guards were composed of Hero class or Knight class Gigants, which were too huge to enter the forest, and if they ended up encountering more enemy troops on that side, it would turn dangerous. Moreover, the most important aspect for the Holy Empire troops was their retreat and not to annihilate the enemies. Gregory, who returned back to the troops, went to the place where the fight had started. In addition, he looked at the enemy Gigants and ordered the commander who was clearing the region. ¡°Take in the prisoners.¡± ¡°Tha-well¡­¡± ¡°Was there any problem?¡± In response to Gregory¡¯s question, the commander spoke with a hint of regret. ¡°When they were caught, they ended up committing suicide.¡± ¡°What the?! They really are the worst kind of men.¡± The best way to keep their confidentiality was to commit suicide. That was why some kingdoms and their knights, who held the information on the officials would do such things when they encounter some situation like, ¡®a situation where it feels like we are getting caught by the enemy, kill yourself¡¯. However, that wouldn¡¯t work always. Rather than trying to fulfill their mission by dying in the end, people would sometimes want to survive. And what Gregory witnessed was a rare case. ¡°It looks like they have been brainwashed.¡± ¡°Any belongings or their Gigants?¡± ¡°Yes, the Gigants had parts from all of the ten top Magic Towers and there were no personal belongings which would help us identify them.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± While Gregory was in thoughts, a messenger ran towards them. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Ar- arch Duke Gregory, Holiness¡­¡± ¡°What about Holiness?¡± Looking at the messenger, an ominous feeling washed over him. With a scared and frightened expression, the messenger said, ¡°Holiness has disappeared.¡± ¡°Disappeared, what the¡­?!¡± Gregory¡¯s expression hardened in an instant. Before he entered the battle, Reina was acting too stubborn and wanted to head to the downtown of Bremen and check about Luke¡¯s state. In addition, she acted all calm and gave out orders to secure a path for retreat. Maybe, all this while Reina was making up a plan in her head to walk away. ¡°This- all this! This shouldn¡¯t be done, at all!¡± Words of anger burst out of Arch Duke Gregory¡¯s mouth. Subsequently, he gave out orders to the officers and the various commanders who were equally shocked at the news. ¡°Cancel the retreat! Enter the city of Bremen!¡± ¡°But Arch Duke, Holiness has ordered for our retreat¡­¡± ¡°Holiness went into Bremen! Do you really think that the Holy Empire has any future without the Holiness?¡± Gregory¡¯s question was answered with silence from everywhere. They all witnessed how much the Holy Empire had changed since Reina took over the position of Pope. And if they lost her as Arch Duke Gregory said, all the changes would cease to exist, and once again their Empire would crawl back to hell. ¡°I will not be punishing those who don¡¯t want to follow me.¡± It was no help to take in people who didn¡¯t want to help. Gregory, who spoke so, took his Saint Guard knights and entered Bremen. The commanders of the army hesitated for a moment and followed them, the soldiers and knights too looked at the others and then headed towards Bremen. Even though they were afraid of the Undead, no one in the army wanted to lose their only hope, the Pope. Chapter 554 - Straight Into The Trap 3 Kabooommmmm-! All of a sudden, a huge explosion occurred right behind the Guard Knights and Hwang Bo-sung, who were guarding the sanctuary. With the huge force the explosion did, the Gigants bounced back a few dozen meters away, and some of the Gigants smashed into the ground or were covered by the debris of the fallen buildings. Boom! Kwang! ¡°Ugh!¡± Due to the unexpected explosion which shook them, the knights that fell down along with their Gigants, feeling extreme pain. However, thanks to the thick armor and the defensive magic circles on their Gigants, they were able to escape the worst possible case. No rider had died in there. Hwang Bo-sung, who got up first, looked back at the sanctuary in dismay. ¡°M-master¡­¡± The sanctuary couldn¡¯t disappear. There were huge stones, which made up the magnificent structure of it, just a moment ago. ¡°Kuek!¡± ¡°Uhk!¡± The knights, who were getting up one after the other, groaned in pain and asked with despair in their voices, ¡°C-commander!¡± ¡°What are we supposed to do now?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?! Search for His Majesty right away!¡± Right when the knights, who were ordered by Hwang Bo-sung, tried to approach the ruins Crack! Crackk! All of a sudden, the large stones in the structure of the sanctuary moved, and Gigants jump out of there. Hwang Bo-sung and the knights were shocked to see what had happened. ¡°W-what was that? An ambush!¡± ¡°How many Gigants were being hidden there?!¡± The grey colored Gigants, whose origin couldn¡¯t be understood by the Symphonia Knights, rushed over to the Symphonia Gigants. However, neither Hwang Bo-sung nor his knights were too shocked to stand still. Their instincts were honed through the battles they fought alongside Luke. They hurriedly began to attack the enemy Gigants that were circling them. Kang! Clang! Puck! Puckk! The situation seemed to be against the Symphonia Guard Knights. Surely, the Gigants of Symphonia had better output and performance, yet most of their Gigants had lost their swords and shields in the previous explosion. Hwang Bo-sung, who was proficient in close combat and martial arts, was able to hold his ground by using the Trinity Martial skills. ¡°Do not panic! If there is no weapon on you, pick up the weapons that were dropped by the enemy and fight back!¡± Despite the constant guidance from Hwang Bo-sung, the situation of his knights didn¡¯t improve by much. It was because the number of men, who were there to ambush them, were huge. Hwang Bo-sung began to sigh after seeing the Gigants of his knights fall down one after the other. They were going to get wiped out before they even know where their Master was! Crack! ¡°Kuk, this!¡± Hwang Bo-sung, who knocked down the enemy Gigant that had approached him with the Trinity Punch, seemed frustrated with the fact that the right arm of his Gigant was damaged. Unlike his Puppet, the Gigant wasn¡¯t a weapon designed to withstand close combat. Even when used with aura, it was made for the purpose of holding a weapon. ¡°Come here! Get rid of him!¡± Noticing that the right arm was broken, the enemy Gigants rushed toward Hwang Bo-sung. Right when Hwang Bo-sung had switched from offensive to defensive position. The land beneath them began to tear apart. Crack! ¡°Kuakkk!¡± A sudden explosion made the Gigants fall. However, Hwang Bo-sung and his knights didn¡¯t seem to be too glad. They wouldn¡¯t be at ease until they saw a Gigant rise from the cracks and confirmed it to be the Gigant of their King, Avenger. ¡°Hehehe! I got them at the right time!¡± Luke smiled after seeing the enemies look irritated. Hwang Bo-sung managed to approach him and ask with concern, ¡°Master, are you alright? Did you get hurt anywhere?¡± ¡°I¡¯m completely fine. The moment the explosion happened, I summoned my Avenger and boarded it.¡± The moment Archbishop Antero triggered the explosion magic, Luke had created a distance between him and them by using Blink and summoned his Avenger from his subspace bracelet. And he knew that being in the Gigant would be better for him than to face the explosion with his bare body. Luke boarded his Avenger and began to use a lot of shield magic layers. The shield magic that was amplified by the core engine managed to keep Luke safe inside Avenger during the explosion. ¡°Huh. For a second, my mind began to realize. Even a priest who held his hands out for God, eventually, he is nothing but a human being¡­ And I just learned that even he could be brainwashed.¡± Luke¡¯s words seemed calm and casual, but Hwang Bo-sung and the Guard Knights could feel the rage in his words. It was because the energy flowing out of Avenger was terrifying. It was as if they were witnessing the demons that were summoned from Hell. ¡°I did get a very good experience from it. Now, how am I supposed to reward those men who have given me such great and different kind of experience?¡± Luke turned his Gigant toward his enemies that didn¡¯t fall from the previous shock. He could never imagine for a Gigant ambush to take place even after falling into the explosion trap. Luke was too focused on the zombie disease and securing the area that he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the traps of the Gigants or the mana circles that were sealed by Baymon. While Luke was trying to figure out how to deal with them, the enemy Gigants had recovered from the shock and were ready to engage in battle. ¡°The enemy¡¯s head has appeared! If we can kill him, the true disciple of God will give us great rewards!¡± ¡°Attack him! God¡¯s warriors!¡± The shouts of those that seemed to be commanders rang through the place. The enemy Gigants rushed toward Avenger all at once. When Hwang Bo-sung and his knights tried to counterattack, Luke stopped them. ¡°Guards, stand by.¡± ¡°Master, but how¡­?¡± ¡°These men had given me a great experience. Shouldn¡¯t I show them my true skills as a sign of gratitude? That way, even if they die, they will understand what I mean.¡± Luke was so upset with the enemy ambush that he wanted to wipe out all his enemies. ¡®True skills of Master in the sense¡­?¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung knew what the real power of Luke was. However, the knights that heard it were curious. ¡®His Majesty¡¯s true skills? Is he going to use dark magic?¡¯ ¡®Is it true that he had learned the legacy of the Devil King Saymon?¡¯ They had heard about the occurrence of the warlocks from Dark Moon and Luke¡¯s revelation. However, they were too shocked by the story. Also, they weren¡¯t in the position to talk about it, so they kept their silence. It was because even the Holy Empire, which was known to hold its hand against dark magic had stayed quiet, and no one thought that Luke would have learned dark magic with any bad intention. Moreover, the warlocks were able to control the zombies and isolate them from the towns. They were also helping the people there. The hostility toward the warlocks reduced by a lot. ¡®If His Majesty uses dark magic, how strong would His Majesty¡¯s combat ability be?¡¯ ¡®Well, seeing how he was able to catch the high ranking demons the other day¡­¡¯ The knights had seen the Sword Masters of the Symphonia Kingdom battle with the King several times. There were a lot of one-on-many battles, but they never felt like Luke was giving out his all. So, in a rough extent, Luke would be at a Sword Sage level at the very least. As everyone was expectant on seeing Luke¡¯s true skills, Luke took a step toward the enemy Gigant and raised the right hand of Avenger. ¡°Black Bind!¡± Thud! The Aether Globe in Luke¡¯s heart soon changed into a black circle. The moment Avenger¡¯s core engine amplified the dark magic, something that was similar to roots rose from the ground. The roots or stems that seemed very much like creepers began to bind itself around the legs and torso of the enemy Gigants, which were on the front line. ¡°Uhk! What is this?!¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t move my Gigant¡­¡± The shocked enemies moved around, but the more they struggled, the more the output of the core engine of their Gigants decreased and so did the rider¡¯s aura. The Proximal Guard Knights of Symphonia seemed a little disappointed when the enemies didn¡¯t even move from their spot. ¡®What? Was that dark magic?¡¯ ¡®I thought that it was going to be some kind of great destructive power, but it is just a simple hold magic. That¡¯s all?¡¯ What they thought wasn¡¯t unreasonable. The enemy¡¯s aura, which was being absorbed by Luke¡¯s Black Bind, couldn¡¯t be seen through the naked eye. When the captured enemies began to falter, Luke once again used dark magic. ¡°Make sure that not a single one of them remains. Dark Grinder!¡± The same time as the spell unfolded, purple mist began to gather over the heads of the enemy Gigants. The mist that hovered over their heads turned like a whirlwind and covered the enemy Gigants. From the fog could be heard the sound of metal cracking and splitting. Crack! Tear! In addition to the rupture of the Gigants, the screams of the riders could be heard. ¡°N-no! Save me!¡± ¡°Uakkkk-!¡± Dark Grinder was a new dark magic that Luke had created very recently by using Dark Gravity and Dark Impact magic. It was a terrifying dark magic, which accelerated its movements with Magi particles in it. It would turn into a purple fog and become faster than a storm itself. Once caught in the magic, even a Hero class Gigant couldn¡¯t survive. The enemy Gigants, who were stuck in the Black Grinder, turned into nothing more than black powder without being able to defend themselves. Seeing that, the Guard Knights of Symphonia couldn¡¯t stop their bodies from trembling. ¡®T-this is the dark magic of Devil King Saymon!¡¯ ¡®Is this what it is? The power that went against the continent in the past?!¡¯ The enemies were as astonished by Luke as the knights. However, their astonishment broke soon enough. The enemy too had seen war at home and foreign nations. They watched the knights and wizards, but they never witnessed their Gigant troops being swept away like that. ¡°Unbelievable¡­! I¡¯m just dreaming, right!?¡± ¡°R-run away!¡± The enemies, who were terrified of it, tried to retreat. Avenger, who pulled out his giant sword, rushed toward them like lightning. Slash! Slash! Avenger moved like a rolling stone under Luke¡¯s control. As if dozens of Avengers had appeared, after imagers had appeared everywhere, and the trajectory of the aura being used was appearing on the air like a spider web. The insects that were getting trapped in the web were being destroyed without fail. ¡°Damn it! Our path is blocked!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stand there! Smash everything!¡± The enemies tried their best to fight against evil. However, once Luke unleased the third phase of Build-up and the fallen angel¡¯s Ultra-high-speed movement ability, the movement of Avenger couldn¡¯t be caught with the naked eye. In an instant, the enemy troops got defeated, and the rest of them threw away their giant swords and shields and ran away. They were too scared that some guys even left their Gigants and ran on barefoot. ¡°Huhuhu, you wanted to mess around with your own will, but when it comes to running away, you need to get my permission!¡± Grrrng! The hand of Avenger triggered Thunder Bringer. With the purple sparks on his fingertips, lightning spread where he pointed to. The remaining men, who were trying to run, turned into ashes. Luke¡¯s battle, which left no enemies alive, left the Guard Knights¡¯ eyes wide open. Even Hwang Bo-sung, who knew about Luke¡¯s power, was shocked. ¡®I thought that it was going to be a one-sided fight¡­ This wasn¡¯t a fight. This is a slaughter.¡¯ ¡®The Sword of the Warrior can use the power of the Devil King!¡¯ ¡®Emperor Rudolf is no longer an opponent for His Majesty!¡¯ While everyone was in their own thoughts, Luke gave out orders. ¡°Take care of the injured and prepare for battle.¡± ¡°Prepare for battle? Master, isn¡¯t the fight done?¡± When Hwang Bo-sung asked, Luke shook his head. ¡°No, the movements of the zombies are a lot more active than before. They are surely aiming for the Holy Imperial¡¯s army that is stationed outside the city.¡± There was anxiety in Luke¡¯s speech. The knights knew what he was so worried about and decided to clean up the mess and follow their King. Chapter 555 - Close Encounter 1 The north of Bremen. There was a group of individuals that were secretly approaching the city. They were Reina and a dozen Saint Guard knights. They had sneaked away from the main army and turned to the north of the city to avoid confrontation with the zombies. ¡°Holiness, it is very dangerous. It isn¡¯t too late to turn back, please.¡± One of the best knights in the Saint Guard, a young lady named Bertie, told Reina once again. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you already? I have no intention of heading back, at least not until they recover the body of my companion.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ I really understand how you feel because the one you lost is your fianc¨¦. However, we might end up getting surrounded by the zombies. Do you really think that His Majesty would want you to do this?¡± ¡°Surely, he wouldn¡¯t want that. However, I need to know the state of his life.¡± Reina was being too stubborn because of the nightmares she had. The nightmare that showed Luke being murdered very vividly. It had been etched in the back of her mind. ¡°If you are scared, you may head back to the retreat spot. I can go and find him myself.¡± Reina¡¯s stubborn attitude only made the young Bertie look at Victor. It was meant as a sign for him to convince Her Holiness. However, Victor only shook his head followed by silence. After being with Reina for a long time, he knew that he wouldn¡¯t be able to convince the woman. And there was no one who could stop her from doing what she wanted. ¡®It is better to help her achieve what she wants and head back.¡¯ Eventually, unable to defeat her stubbornness, they entered the city through the broken border gates on the north. ¡°It is emptier than I thought.¡± ¡°Maybe the zombies all moved to the south.¡± There were some zombies here and there, but none of them approached them. Maybe it was because they could feel the divine power emanating from Reina and felt threatened. ¡°Which is the path to the sanctuary?¡± ¡°This is the way. If we go down the alley here, we will get there sooner than using the main road.¡± Reina¡¯s group moved on the path that the knight of Saint Guard, who was used to Bremen, showed. The experienced Victor stood in front of the group and looked around. How many streets did they cross? Reina¡¯s group met with another group of people that came from the opposite side. ¡°Holiness?¡± ¡°No, why would¡­?¡± Reina stared at the people who appeared suddenly and seemed startled. And it wasn¡¯t surprising that she did since they were living people and not zombies. Moreover, the armor or the clothing that they were wearing was the same as the Saint Guards. ¡°Holiness, this is the 4th squad of the Saint Guard!¡± Bertie, who recognized her colleague¡¯s face, shouted with happiness clearly registered on her face. The 4th squad, which was the infantry division, had been dispatched to the city and were told to be destroyed. However, it seemed like there were survivors. The Saint Guard knights, who were with Reina, had pulled back their swords and lowered their guards after seeing their colleagues well and fine. It was the same with Victor. ¡°I am glad you are safe. Were you hiding here?¡± ¡°Yes, Holiness. Rather than that, we have urgent information¡­¡± The commander of the 4th squad, who answered Reina¡¯s question, said that there was something important that had to be relayed to her. ¡®This is strange. Why are their clothes so clean if they have suffered avoiding the zombies?¡¯ Victor was puzzled to see the knights of the 4th squad look too clean. He noticed that the knights of the 4th squad were reaching out for their swords. ¡°Everyone, on guard!¡± With the cry from Victor, the knights of the 4th squad pulled their swords out and launched themselves like lightning. ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Ahk!¡± The escorts of Reina were the knights from Saint Guard. They were the ones who were given the position that was the closest to being with the pope. That was why, along with being Sword Masters, they were individuals that had excellent skills and instant coping mechanism. They were the best even among the Saint Guard. However, when their own colleagues turned on them, five to six people had taken damage. Among them was the Sword Master, Bertie, the young female knight. Although she managed to avoid the attack, she couldn¡¯t help but stagger while trying to regain her balance. ¡°What are you doing?! Abandon your weapons right now and stand back!¡± With the shout from Victor, instead of standing back, the 4th squad said to him, ¡°Sir Victor, be careful! That person you are trying to protect is a fake!¡± ¡°Wh-what do you mean?¡± ¡°Did your ears stop working? He said that the pope is a fake! That witch drove out the real pope and placed herself in his position. She is a fox who is trying to disrupt the Holy Empire¡¯s peace!¡± ¡°That bastard! How dare you go around and speak such nonsense?!¡± Victor, who wasn¡¯t able to hold his anger any longer, released his aura that rose like flames. Maybe he would have been convinced if he thought of her to be a fallen angel or God¡¯s disciple, but Reina is the princess of the ruined Volga Kingdom. She had nothing to do with that world. And to call Reina fake?! After reuniting with her, Victor had been walking in her shadows all along, which was why he would never be able to accept what the 4th squad was saying. ¡°Leave your sword and kneel down for forgiveness! Otherwise, this old man¡¯s sword will never be able to forgive you!¡± ¡°Huh! You¡¯re the insane one here!¡± The commander of the 4th squad and his men attacked once again. The escorts of the pope, who were already hurt with the surprise attack, wouldn¡¯t be able to neutralize the incoming attacks. Fortunately, those who weren¡¯t killed were all treated by Reina right away and were ready to fight. However, the skills of the 4th squad were too much to handle. The Sword Master, Bertie, joined the battle as well after being healed, but they were still struggling to hold their ground. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! The 4th squad isn¡¯t supposed to be this strong¡­¡± ¡°Huh! Our pope made us stronger!¡± Honestly, Baymon was the one that made the 4th squad stronger. He had brainwashed the captured prisoners, and by using the forbidden mental magic, he raised their potential. If one could increase the potential of a person with artifacts, for a short period of time, that person could become stronger. On the other hand, it had drastic side effects of shortening one¡¯s lifespan. One could die within 10 days or within a month. That was why this kind of magic was forbidden. However, Baymon wasn¡¯t concerned with it. He was supposed to use the Saint Guards and kill Veronica III as planned. They were just tools to kill. ¡®I was planning to go out and assault them at the sanctuary, but to meet them here? I guess it was my luck.¡¯ Baymon, who was sneaking from the roof near the alley, smiled. It was when he was thinking that he had managed to prevent the pope from escaping. The 4th squad commander rushed toward Reina, passing through her line of escorts such as Victor and Bertie. ¡°Die, witch!¡± ¡°Aah! Your Holiness, run!¡± Reina, who was busy treating the injured knights, was shocked to see the man flying toward her. However, she wasn¡¯t a wizard nor was she a knight who was trained in ground combat. The 4th squad commander knew that and smiled. He was confident that he could execute the witch who dared to push out the real pope with his own hands. However, the 4th squad commander and Baymon, who was watching them, saw something that they could¡¯ve never imagined. Chapter 556 - Close Encounter 2 Woong! Cang! ¡°Ugh! This- this cant be!¡± All of a sudden, when a light flashed from the ring that Reina was wearing, the sword which was being wielded by the commander of the 4th squad turned fiery. In addition to the commander of the 4th squad and Baymon, even Reina was shocked. However, she managed to find out the reason. It was the wedding ring she had received from Luke which had shone, the promise she made with Luke. ¡®He is still protecting me!¡¯ Honestly, the wedding ring had Luke¡¯s magic in it. In case Reina ever felt any crisis, a strong shield was supposed to be triggered. It was late when Baymon had noticed that there was strong magic hidden in the ring. However, there was another reason why he seemed so surprised. ¡®That ring¡­ it feels familiar, somehow.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just that, but his heart was pounding strongly for some unknown reason. Baymon, no, the guardian who was placed by Arsene didn¡¯t know the reason. The truth was, the body he was using belonged to the Devil King Saymon, and it still contained memories and remnant emotions from the past. The ring which Reina had on her hand was a 500 years old ring which Saymon made to be given to Katarina. ¡°Tch! That witch¡¯s magic?¡± The commander of the 4th squad, who seemed irritated with her shield, went for Reina once again. However, this time, Bertie managed to attack him first and push him aside. ¡°Holiness! Do not hesitate and avoid any attacks towards you! Sir Victor! I¡¯ll take care of all this, so please take Her Holiness away from here!¡± ¡°Fine!¡± Victor nodded at Bertie¡¯s words and hurriedly pulled Reina by her hand and rushed to escape from the alley. However, Baymon had come out. He had intended to hide and watch the show, but now that the Pope had shown herself, he couldn¡¯t help but come out and complete the task. Shhh! Grey shadow began to appear and block the road, Victor wasn¡¯t able to realize what had happened. He hadn¡¯t felt any other presence until the shadow appeared in front of him. ¡°Wh- who is he?!¡± ¡°What do you plan on doing after knowing it? You are going to die here anyway.¡± Before the opponent could complete the words, Victor took a step ahead and threw his sword. Everything happened pretty fast. Tang! The sword, which was supposed to hit the neck of the man accurately bounced away. ¡®No!¡¯ When the attack failed, Victor wasn¡¯t sure what to do. ¡°Kuek! That was a surprise attack¡­ an old man who looks all decent and humble to do such a cowardly act.¡± Baymon, who knew that he had to get rid of the annoying ones, created a dark wave from his right hand. Victor, who noticed the form of magic was shocked. ¡°Holy, warlock!¡± ¡°Knowing my identity is a waste of time now. Just die!¡± Baymon, who had a stiff smile on his face, shot Black Bullets which were created by his right hand. Ping- Puck! The power of the Black Bullets was strong. As the bullets crushed the aura placed by Victor¡¯s sword, his body blew back around 10 meters. ¡°Uhk¡­¡± ¡°Sir Victor!¡± As Reina tried to run towards Victor. Baymon didn¡¯t give her the chance. ¡°Kukkk. Where are you going?¡± Reina couldn¡¯t help but stare at Baymon who blocked her path. ¡°Are you the warlock who caused this zombie uprising? Why did you have to do all this?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know. You just need to die, Veronica III.¡± Baymon didn¡¯t forget the fact that Reina was wearing an enchanted magic ring with defensive magic in it. However, no matter how strong the defensive magic was, with constant attacks on it, it was bound to break. He created a Thousand Bullets Wave and was ready to shoot at her. However, the hundreds to thousands of bullets, just disappeared like a mirage, even before activation. ¡®Huh? why is it not¡­?¡¯ It was a completely absurd situation for Baymon, so he once again created Thousand Bullets. However, it was the same result. It was as if his body wasn¡¯t ready to attack Reina, like his body was refusing the orders. Flustered as he had never faced such a situation, he was too shocked to think of anything. When an attack came from his back. Swooosh! ¡°Kuak!¡± Baymon¡¯s body took a great deal of shock with the attack. Getting up with the help of his hands, Baymon turned his head to look at the person who had attacked him and caused pain. ¡®A kid?¡¯ A child, a girl, who seemed to be around 5 years old or so, was looking right at him. ¡°Holy Bullet!¡± ¡°Kuek! This kid! Shadow Shield!¡± Baymon, who stopped the Holy Bullet from the child, fought back with dark magic. ¡°Black Spear!¡± The dark spear flew towards the kid like lightning. Baymon, who smiled thinking that the child would never be able to counter his attack, soon was shocked. The kid managed to block the Black Spear with her bare hands. Well, maybe he wouldn¡¯t have been that shocked if the kid had blocked it. Swoosh! Rather, the Black Spear which was blocked by the kid¡¯s hand soon lost its shape and got absorbed into the kid¡¯s body! ¡®She absorbed the magic? How can that kid be able to handle dark magic!?¡¯ Right when he thought that the kid was weird, he realized that the kid didn¡¯t just know divine power but also dark magic. The bullets he was attacked in the beginning were clearly of divine power. ¡®The divine power is normally used for healing or purification. It is rare for such divine power to be used for attacking purposes, that too by a kid.¡¯ There were men who could do that. There were wizards in the Holy Arthenia Magic Tower, who studied magic and divine power. ¡®Is that kid a wizard at the Arthenia Magic Tower? Even then, to use divine power like that, she needs to be around 8th magic circle¡­¡¯ In other words, the kid had to be a ridiculous genius who knew how to deal with divine power and dark magic and was on the 8th magic circle. ¡°Who are you? From where did you learn to use that power?¡± ¡°¡­ Phoenix Blow!¡± Instead of responding, the little girl used a flame magic. The flame attack called for seven giant firebirds one after the other rushing at their target. Lich Arsene, the master of Baymon who was learning both white and dark magic wouldn¡¯t have been unable to perform that spell. ¡®Kuk! I don¡¯t know who she is, but she isn¡¯t a normal kid!¡¯ In the Southern Continent, there was something called ¡®Age Shift¡¯. It was similar to the ¡®body change¡¯ phenomenon in which the body was reconstructed after the man reached the Sword Sage level. Maybe the kid was of such kind. ¡°You are fun to see, kid. I need to take you to my master as a gift. He will be very interested in you.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the Lich, Arsene?¡± The kid, who seemed to be silent till then, spoke for once and shocked him. ¡°You know our master?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Huhhu. You are making me a lot more curious about you. I really need to take you to my master.¡± Baymon laughed out loud and began to wield his Magi a lot stronger than before. Despite the momentum, the little kid didn¡¯t step back. Almost as if she was going to protect Reina who was behind her. Chapter 557 - Close Encounter 3 ¡®This, this monster seems to be a lot stronger than I imagined¡­¡¯ Karen, who stood in front of Reina, acted all calm and composed, however, she was shocked. It was because she knew the identity of the monster who was in front of her. When she arrived near Bremen with Nanda, she heard a huge explosion. When she realized that something unusual had been happening to her mother and father, she looked over at Nanda. Nanda nodded and with his powers, he immediately reached Bremen city. ¡°I have a feeling about how I shouldn¡¯t fight. Instead, I will share my powers with you. I will be able to make your abilities stronger than normal.¡± It was a little, but when it came to normal wizards it would have made a huge difference. Because Karen had already been considered to have the ability of a genius wizard in the last world. However, the undead monster¡ªthe subordinate of the Lich King, wasn¡¯t someone easy to handle. Even though the space-time of the future had disappeared, the past undead monster had called for a lot of struggle before it got destroyed. They barely managed to win the battle at the expense of her teacher Erwin and her motherly figure, Zegal Soha. However, the current situation seemed worse than that. Her power was less than half, and there were no Erwin or Zegal Soha beside her. ¡®But I don¡¯t plan on losing. If I step down from here, my mom will be in danger!¡¯ However, there was something which Karen didn¡¯t know. The monster, the undead which was created by Lich King Arsene, was the body of Devil King, Saymon, or the body which belonged to Luke, her father¡¯s past body. ¡°Black Bind!¡± Swoosh! Wheeing! The Undead monster, well, Baymon, launched another dark magic attack. Karen avoided the Black Bind which was trying to wind her with the use of Blink. Seeing her movements, Baymon rushed towards her like a ghost and used ice magic. ¡°Huhhu. Dark Freezing¡­ uhk!¡± Before Baymon¡¯s magic could be manifested, Karen, who began to form aura at her fingertips and wielded the sword at Baymon. Victor, who was being treated by Reina, was shocked at Karen¡¯s fencing style. ¡®Th- that is the Gold Sword! How could that child be¡­?!¡¯ In the past, when he was under Luke, he used to constantly see him practice sword. Which was why Victor was able to recognize the style which the child used as the Gold Sword. It was the same with Baymon. However, he wasn¡¯t able to recognize what she did. Another memory inside the body, the memory of Saymon, who fell by Rakan¡¯s sword made his body filled with displeasure. ¡°Dammit! Now a kid like you can even use sword skills?¡± ¡°Huh, there is something that I still haven¡¯t shown you!¡± Karen¡¯s nose flared in arrogance, and hands moved in air as if she was writing something. However, just before she could complete, black flames burst from Baymon¡¯s hand. ¡°Dark Flame!¡± Srrrrng! Crack! Avoiding the flames hastily, Karen moved. However, it was a well-planned trap by Baymon. While Karen was busy moving around, he was preparing for a number of tricks, and whipping something black, he caught her neck. ¡°Kyak-!¡± ¡°Kid!¡± Victor screamed out in shock. He felt bad that he couldn¡¯t help out the child because of his injury. It was the same with the other knights who were still in a battle with the 4th squad. ¡°You really are a talented kid. But first, I need to take away your breath.¡± His master was someone who had overcome death. Even if he managed to take just the body, he could summon a soul and place that in the body, and then inquire about the abilities the body held. ¡°Kua! Cough!¡± ¡°Huhuhu. It is no use struggling once you are in my hands.¡± Although he seemed like a regular wizard, Baymon¡¯s physical powers were enhanced by magic and his hands were currently as strong as the ogres. And surely, it was too much when he was trying to choke a child¡¯s neck. If Karen wasn¡¯t desperately trying to resist, she would have already been dead. ¡®Th- this was wrong. I can¡¯t¡­¡¯ Karen¡¯s body was reaching its limit, she began to lose her vision. ¡°STOP IT!¡± ¡°NO!¡± When Karen was at her limit, a rock golem came from Baymon¡¯s behind and struck him hard. Crack! Bang! The attack was too strong that the body of Baymon, which got hit by the golem flew through several buildings and crumbled to the floor. ¡®Kuek, who was¡­?¡¯ In a hurry, Baymon went to the alley where the fight was taking place. It was then that he managed to find out who had been moving the rock golem and attacked him. The Pope¡¯s escorts were too busy fighting his brainwashed men. The old man who fell from his dark magic attack was shocked with the broken sword still in his hands. ¡®Then?¡¯ His gaze finally rested on Reina. Reina was holding onto Karen¡¯s body. ¡°Huh, was it the Pope?¡± He never imagined the Pope to use something like a rock golem to attack him. Although it was a surprise, there was no way a single rock golem couldn¡¯t stop Baymon. Approaching Reina with a sarcastic smile, he looked into her eyes only to stop. It wasn¡¯t just Saymon¡¯s body that had refused to attack. The eerie feeling he felt when looking into Reina¡¯s eyes changed everything. Just a while back, she seemed calm like the earth, however, looking into her eyes, it looked like something burst in her. ¡®Prin- princess!¡¯ He had served Reina for long, yet, Victor had never seen her that angry. Reina, who managed to stop Baymon in his track, glanced at him and spoke. ¡°How could you kill a child without hesitation?¡± Baymon who listened to her speak, shot back at her. ¡°Huh, you call that a child? If you had eyes, you would realize that she isn¡¯t like a normal kid!¡± ¡°That is no reason to kill or harm those who have different abilities!¡± ¡°Those are your ideals.¡± Baymon who felt the conversation was ridiculous, used dark magic to summon the undead. Because his body was refusing to attack Reina with any form of direct attacks, he tried to get rid of her indirectly. Kiiiiik! Kukkkkkk! The undead which he summoned were Death Knight and Lich, which Arsene had previously released on the Southern Continent. Although they weren¡¯t strong, it was enough to wipe out the Pope and her party. ¡°Kill her!¡± At the command of Baymon, the Undead moved. Reina managed to create a number of rock golems with her Aether ability to block the Death Knights and Lich. Kwang! Punch! The rock golems seemed to be a lot more powerful than expected. While the Death Knight and the Lich ran towards Reina and her party trying to overcome the golems, Baymon flew to the sky with another undead. He intended to attack from the sky to the ground. ¡°Huh, surely they seem strong¡­¡± Wheeing! Slash! He heard the sound of something strong moving in the wind, and by the time he realized something, the Death Knight beside him was slashed from the waist. The wind, which acted like blades, started to move around him and the other undead. ¡®This can¡¯t be! How is that wench able to attack with all this happening?!¡¯ The blade of wind had managed to split the Death Knight who was supposed to be a 9th circle magic attack. It was rather unbelievable that a Pope, who was known to have never mastered magic, managed to attack him. And even if she didn¡¯t master the use of magic, not everyone who learned magic could use it well. Those who were timid in nature would never showcase their true abilities because of their fear of battles with Knights or wizards. Which was why people emphasized the need for knights and wizards with experience. But Reina, who Baymon knew about, had never involved herself in any kind of battle. She was a tender figure who would choose not to battle. ¡®I feel like I am seeing an angry lioness.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t so unusual, but there were cases where ordinary women rushed towards predators or monsters with their bare hands in serious crisis. What they all had in common, they were trying to protect their children. Even if the woman was weak, a mother was always strong, at least there was such a saying. ¡®Is it her motherly affection? Did the scene of me attacking the child stimulate the wench¡¯s motherly love?¡¯ Baymon¡¯s guess was rather accurate. When he tried to kill Karen. Reina could feel the suffering of the child, at the same time, she felt something burn in her heart. It was because she felt an unknown connection with Karen despite it being her first time seeing her. The child she saw in her dreams, the child who cried and asked for death so others would live in light, the figure and similarities to Karen were unavoidable. That was why Reina decided to fight. ¡®Well, everything is a mess. I can¡¯t get myself to attack that b*tch¡­¡¯ Even after all that time, his body refused to attack Reina with any direct attack. It was unfortunate that he entered into the battle not realizing the true skills and abilities of Reina, and most of his undead men were destroyed. Wheeing-! ¡°Huh?! You think I would let myself be attacked again?!¡± Baymon and his undead managed to escape the Aether wind blades of Reina. Reina¡¯s attacks continued to chase after them, however, unlike the first time, no one was getting hit. The difference was the experience. No matter how strong Reina¡¯s power was, she had no real foundation or experience, and she couldn¡¯t defeat Baymon or his undead. ¡°You are powerful, but the attacks from the wench who is a Pope are rather simple to read. Let¡¯s cut them off at once!¡± Kuakk-! Kiiiick-! The Death Knights and the Lich which were ordered and descended from the sky. They began to move around Reina in a swift motion. Victor tried to join her even with his broken sword, however, he wasn¡¯t able to go to her because of the brainwashed Saint Guard Knights who blocked the way. Kuakkk! The Death Knights, who managed to escape the incoming attacks from the golems, moved towards Reina. In that urgent situation, Reina began to release divine power from her body at huge levels. The Death Knights, who were getting exposed to the powerful divine power, quickly turned into ashes and crumbled down. However, the black swords they were wielding stayed in the air and flew at Reina. Cang! ¡°Ah¡­!¡± It was Karen, who managed to save Reina. Karen, who was still in Reina¡¯s arms had recovered her consciousness and stopped the sword from flying into Reina with her bare hands. The sword of the fallen Death Knight was deflected by Victor with his broken sword. ¡°Use that sword!¡± Victor was struggling to keep up the fight with his broken sword, however, with the words from Karen, he managed to pick up the fallen sword of the Death Knight and cut down the brainwashed Saint Guard knights. Karen who managed to give Victor a winning chance, caught the Black Spear used by the Lich and absorbed it into her body, and converted it into Holy Bullet sending right back at the Lich. ¡®My power seems stronger than before. Was it because mom helped me?¡¯ That was what Karen had predicted. Originally, the Aether in her body was something she had inherited from her mother, Reina at birth. Which was why when Reina was holding her in her arms, she could feel the Aether of Reina flow into her body naturally. ¡®It isn¡¯t just the power which went stronger. It feels like my existence in this world is turning stable.¡¯ The kid, Karen, was not someone who could exist in the current space-time. And the space-time of the future, where Karen existed had been destroyed because of her intervention in the past. In that process, she was in the danger of disappearing from the world, however, Nanda said she could be helped. And he managed to teach the child how to hold her presence in the current world even with the God¡¯s Punishment on her. ¡°You need to awaken yourself and realize the truth about all the things in this universe. That is the only way you will be able to impact that God¡¯s absolute will.¡± In other words, Nanda meant that she had to turn herself into a transcendent who would realize the realm of God. However, if she chose to follow that path, she would have to continue her life as an aesthetic for many years to come. It was something impossible for Karen who barely maintained her existence with the power of Nanda. And that led to the power and life span given by Nanda to her shorten. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much child. It was said by the Lord in the past that when a hole forms in the sky even if the sky collapses, even though you violated the rules of heaven, will they not realize how devoted you were to stop the destruction of the world they created. Even if the entire world forsakes you, heaven and earth will keep you alive.¡± When she first heard it, she thought it was something Nanda said to comfort her. But now she knew. There was a heavenly father and warm earthly mother that would protect her even if the world abandoned her. Even if her own parents didn¡¯t know about her, even though she was born in a space-time completely different from the present, the string of their bond never broke. Woong! ¡°That is why I need to protect her! I will surely protect them till the end!¡± Woong! When Karen¡¯s body was burning, the Aether in her body began to react. It was very similar to what Reina did. Resonating with her emotions, Karen¡¯s Aether began to react extensively and vigorously. While all of that was happening, Reina, who was still holding Karen in her arms, could feel her Aether flowing into Karen¡¯s body. Karen managed to sense the flow of Aether rushing into her body as well. ¡®Does she need my power to defeat those men there?¡¯ Even though Reina didn¡¯t ask her thoughts, Karen held her hand and nodded. Wooong! The moment the two held their hands together, blinding light began to shine from them. ¡®Th-this is¡­ This is dangerous!¡¯ Baymon¡¯s heart was full of fear when he sensed what was happening in front of his eyes. It was an intense amount of light that was filled with Aether. For the first time since he made his appearance in the alley, he was feeling anxious, he could feel his mind telling him that somehow he had to stop the two from proceeding with their attack. He mobilized as many Liches as he could and began to pour out all the dark magic attacks at them, like Thousand Bullets. Bang! Bang! Bang! As the dark magic bullets poured on Reina and Karen like rain shower from all directions and continued to increase in number, the light barriers, which was created by the Aether, resonated from the two, and neither of them was hurt. Karen, who continued to take in the Aether that Reina was giving to her, made a fist when she managed to get the needed amount. ¡®Don¡¯t! This much is what we need!¡¯ With the power she took, she could surely defeat the monster that was created by the Lich King. When Karen was feeling so sure of the power in her, Baymon was feeling the greatest crisis in his life. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t let that happen. I need to get rid of that kid. It doesn¡¯t matter how. Both I and my master will be at risk if she is alive!¡¯ He triggered the extreme extinction dark magic spell, ¡®Black Abyss¡¯, which was taught to him by Arsene himself, yet Arsene warned him about using it. Pitch darkness rose in Baymon¡¯s left hand. Along with that, Lich and the Death Knight who were within the 30-meter radius turned into powder. Soon, the power of the Lich and the Death Knights were sucked into the abyss hole, and Baymon didn¡¯t just draw out his own Magi but also that of the undead and triggered the extinction spell. When he felt like the magic was completed, he threw it straight to Karen. ¡°Black Abyss!¡± ¡°Million Impact Spear!¡± Against the Black Abyss sent in by Baymon, Karen converted all her Aether into mana and cast it into magic. As she clenched her fist, a silver spiral arrow began to grow with a bright illuminating light. ¡®Million Impact Spear.¡¯ Just as Karen knew, the strongest magic managed to crush the Black Abyss. ¡°Th-this can¡¯t be!¡± Baymon was shocked at what he saw. However, it was something more startling than the Black Abyss getting crushed. The silver arrow that seemed to have broken the Black Abyss was soon turning into thousands of arrows. ¡°T-this can¡¯t be! This makes no sense¡­!¡± Bang! Along with the roaring sounds of explosion, huge bright light soared into the sky. The light, which was radiant and warm like the sun, engulfed the entire existence of the darkness that was created by evil desires. Chapter 558 - Close Encounter 4 Luke, who slaughtered all the enemies who had attacked him and his knights, treated his injured men only to sense the energy flow of the zombies that were rushing out of the city and driving south toward the army of the Holy Empire. ¡®I knew it. Those zombies won¡¯t just disappear.¡¯ The number of zombies moving was too large, and that meant Reina and the Holy Empire were in grave danger. When Luke was about to move, Hwang Bo-sung approached him and reported, ¡°Master, we have finished treatment and are ready.¡± ¡°Then we will start moving right away.¡± He was already done gathering his men and had unleased Fly magic for all his knights when a pair of dark magic attacks, which were aimed at him, came flying in. Maybe if Luke was a normal wizard, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to feel the magic. However, Luke was different. He managed to sense the attack when it got close. ¡®Huh? This is the Secret Black Spear?¡¯ While Luke was looking at the dark magic, his men yelled in shock. ¡°Y-your Majesty!¡± ¡°Please be careful!¡± The hearts of the knights shuddered in fear. However, Luke wasn¡¯t the kind to let himself get attacked after knowing about the presence of an attack. Pung! He managed to simply unfold the defensive magic and blocked the Secret Black Spear. He then looked for the attacker. On a building that was far enough to be seen with the naked eye was a man in a grey robe. ¡®A warlock? Are there any other men in here besides those from the Dark Moon?¡¯ While he was trying to think, he managed to find out the answer. The Secret Black Spear, the attack that was just used on him was a dark magic attack which could be found in the ancient Black Magic Book that was obtained by Saymon 500 years ago. And the people who knew about it were Luke and the warlocks from Dark Moon. The remnants of Arsene and his successors of the Veritas Magic Tower, who Luke believed to have stolen his books and visions. ¡®Now I am sure of who¡¯s behind this entire zombie situation, and what that person who is supporting Constantine is getting.¡¯ Luke couldn¡¯t help but smile when he found evidence right in front of him. However, he chose to kill the attacker rather than catching him. He wasn¡¯t in a position where he could waste time. And the most important thing for him was Reina and her safety. ¡°Dark Blitz!¡± Black bullets were fired from Luke¡¯s hand and went toward the warlock faster than light. ¡°Kuak!¡± Once the man fell down, Luke tried to unleash Fly magic once again. However, things didn¡¯t go as planned. Swoosh! Swoosh! The remnants of the Veritas Magic Tower, who began to appear all over the place like moles, began to unleash dark magic toward Luke. Some of the warlocks, who noticed that the attacks wouldn¡¯t have any effect on Luke, began to focus their attacks on Hwang Bo-sung and the other knights. Luke, who constantly prevented the successive attacks on him and his men, began to turn irritated. ¡®Bloody rats, they keep bothering me and bothering me!¡¯ They were keeping him tied down. Luke spoke to Hwang Bo-sung after deciding that he would get rid of them even if it meant taking time, ¡°I will equip you guys with shield magic, so take the knights and immediately head to the south to help the Holy Empire. I need to take down those rats first.¡± ¡°Be careful, Master. It seems like they have something planned for you.¡± ¡°Yes, I think so too.¡± Luke, who manifested Blink magic one after another, approached the closest one and cut his head off with his sword. Well, he still ended up taking time, so he planned on killing all of them, leaving only one man behind. Kwang! Bang! Slash! Slash! Luke managed to take down one-third of the warlocks, who were attacking him, by turning them into ashes or splitting them into two pieces. And the remaining men that survived began to retreat. ¡®Huh, are they trying to lure me?¡¯ It would have been fine if he didn¡¯t follow them, but if he let them run away, they would once again come back and attack him. That was why Luke decided to play along with them. As long as he was going along with them, he was confident to avoid and escape any traps. The remnants of the Veritas Magic Tower that fled stopped at an empty space near the walls of the west side of Bremen. ¡°Is that the place where you all have marked my grave?¡± As Luke approached them and spoke, a magic circle that was hidden on the ground got triggered and a vortex of subspace got created. Luke was impressed as the subspace was huge. ¡°Kuek, a reverse summoning?¡± It was a technique where a magic circle was used to reverse the normal conditions of summoning a demon into the world by sending in a target into the Devildom. Maybe it was another one of their tricks that had been prepared if the explosion didn¡¯t take out the army of the Holy Empire. ¡°Kuakkkk!¡± As soon as Luke¡¯s body got swallowed into the subspace, remnants of the Veritas Magic Tower burst into laughter. ¡°Kukkk. It was a success!¡± ¡°Surely, Mr. Baymon¡¯s preparedness has worked for our advantage.¡± ¡°But, who was that man? I expected Arch Duke Gregory to come, but some other guy seemed to have made an appearance?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now.¡± However, their joyful conversations about the success of their plan only lasted for so long. Luke, who they thought would have ended up in Devildom, came out of the subspace. ¡°Wha¡­ No¡­!¡± The warlocks that saw what happened couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. It was because everything they believed was crumbling in front of them. ¡°Kuk, I used this reverse summon once on one of Rudolf¡¯s dogs.¡± Luke used the reverse summon numerous times, including the time when he lad the SS Knights who were led by Kurian. Therefore, the structure of the reverse summoning circle installed by Veritas¡¯ remnants was easy to understand and change. ¡°D-damn it! Run!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t deal with that man!¡± The remnants of Veritas Magic Tower, who realized that they weren¡¯t a match for the unknown man, attempted to escape with Teleport magic. However, Luke was a step ahead of them. ¡°Cyclone Rage!¡± ¡°S-save me!¡­ Kuakkk!¡± When he used the second half of the Gold Sword, the remnants didn¡¯t take much time to turn into ash by decomposing. There was just one person remaining. If it wasn¡¯t for Luke¡¯s decision to leave one person and gain information, he would have been killed, yet it was of no use. ¡°Uhk! Uhhhh!¡± ¡°Tch! This one seems to have lost it.¡± The warlocks, who went insane at the sight of his colleagues literally ¡®decomposing¡¯ in front of his eyes, grabbed onto his head and screamed. Luke, who disposed of the man who couldn¡¯t take the truth about his colleagues¡¯ death, flew to the north gate and not the south. He managed to detect an unusual energy from the north while he was battling with Veritas¡¯ remnants. He wouldn¡¯t have thought of it as a huge deal if the problem had been handled. However, the problem was that he could feel Aether rising from there. And the only ones who could handle Aether on the continent were Reina and Karen, who was missing. And in the current situation, it seemed more likely for the Aether to belong to Reina. ¡°She really can¡¯t listen to anyone. I asked her to wait. Even then, she doesn¡¯t listen to me!¡± No matter how pissed he was, he had to hurry. It was because he could feel the aura of a strange form of dark magic along with Aether. Moreover, the owner of the dark magic was someone Luke was familiar with. A few years ago, while he was fighting in the civil war of the Holy Empire, he had a brief battle outside of Castia Kingdom. ¡®It is dangerous! No matter how much Aether resides in Reina¡¯s body, that monster can¡¯t be taken down¡­¡¯ Bannngggg! All of a sudden, huge flash of light with a terrifying blast happened in the north. Luke was shocked and puzzled, so he stopped in mid-air. ¡°What the hell just happened? What the hell is going on here?!¡± Luke, who clenched his chest, began to move faster than ever. As he flew there, he saw something staggering on the other side. ¡®That!¡¯ His face was crushed. However, Luke was able to recognize him very clearly. It was his own body, which he had lost after his death 500 years ago. The body that was used by Arsene to create a monster. The body of Devil King Saymon! Chapter 559 - Unexpected Gain 1 ¡°Kuak! For me to lose¡­?!¡± Baymon had his left shoulder and arm completely removed from the body. He was staggering to walk, while he thought about running away. He never thought that there would be an opponent in the world, except for his master Arsene who could take him down, which was why the attack from the kid was a huge shock to his pride. Baymon looked back to confirm if Karen was following his trail. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t find the kid. However, his anger rose as he realized that he was scared of getting caught in a kid¡¯s hand. ¡°Dammit! That little b*tch! I am only stepping back now but next time, I will tear her apart!¡± He vowed to heal himself and take the most brutal form of revenge which the entire world would fear. Baymon, who fled to meet his men, encountered a man along his way. Recognizing the opponent¡¯s face, he seemed startled. ¡°Y- you are!¡± The young man who was staring at him with a bitter look in the eyes was Luke, the King of Symphonia. Luke was rather shocked at Baymon¡¯s words and asked. ¡°You remember who I am?¡± ¡°Obviously I do, I saw you on the border of the Castia Kingdom during the Battle of Magic Towers.¡± Baymon answered with a groan and gruntled. ¡°Kuek, if I knew that the mercenary there, whom I met 4 years back would turn out to be the descendant of the Warrior Rakan, I would have never let you pass.¡± If he knew that the Warrior¡¯s descendant would turn into such a hurdle for his master, Baymon would have taken him down at any cost. Luke couldn¡¯t help but laugh at Baymon¡¯s exasperation. ¡°It has already happened and time passed, what do you wish to do now? Rather, how about you think about how to escape from the current problem? You won¡¯t be able to beat me since you are a mess.¡± ¡°Huh! I can take you down with just a finger. Because¡­¡± Baymon who went silent, stretched himself straight and spoke proudly. ¡°Because the real identity of Baymon is none other than the legendary Devil King, Saymon!¡± ¡®Does he still believe that he is the real Saymon?¡¯ Seeing Baymon who was deceiving him and bluffing, Luke could only see him as a pathetic and miserable existence. The real Saymon was Luke. However, a man born as an undead monster was impersonating him because of Arsene! ¡°You are Saymon? Then I guess you know who is the person whom you value the most.¡± ¡°Of course. The most precious and forever grateful I am to him¡­ my master, the great transcendent being, Arsene!¡± ¡®¡­ ah.¡¯ Even if there was just 1% of Saymon¡¯s soul, he would have been able to answer that. Not being able to stop himself from smiling. ¡°You truly are a fake. If you are the real Saymon, you would have never followed Arsene.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Arsene had killed the most precious person in Saymon¡¯s life. In other words, they are sworn enemies.¡± ¡°Th- that can¡¯t be¡­¡± The image of a dazzling woman passed through Baymon¡¯s mind. At Luke¡¯s words, he was reminded of the memory which was still left back in Saymon¡¯s body. However, Baymon was brainwashed by Arsene before placing him in Saymon¡¯s body, and he denied Luke¡¯s words. ¡°Huh, don¡¯t go around lying!¡± Pung! Baymon stretched his right hand towards Luke with anger. It wasn¡¯t just for the purpose of escaping. There was still one card he believed would work. ¡°Are you summoning your other men? What to do? I ended up killing all of them.¡± ¡°W- what?!¡± As Baymon panicked, Luke shrugged his shoulders and spoke slowly, word by word. ¡°I said, I killed all of them!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Baymon¡¯s heart trembled. And realized the weird thing. Despite the fact that he had signaled the flash magic several times as a signal since his defeat, his subordinates never made it to him. In other words, something must have happened to them. ¡°You think their presence would do something to me? Arsene, didn¡¯t he tell you about me? What kind of a power I possessed or how strong I am?¡± ¡°Sh- shut the f*ck up! I told you, right?! My single finger is all I need¡­¡± ¡°I guess you still didn¡¯t get yourself together. You are currently a lot below than me, especially with the injury you have. You still think you can win?¡± Luke¡¯s words were correct. Even the power Baymon had to possess wasn¡¯t working because of Karen¡¯s Million Impact Spear. Honestly, the fact that he survived was a miracle itself. ¡°My master is Arsene, the great transcendent being. He can make your nation into hell in just a moment. Are you trying to mess with such a man?¡± ¡°You are a mess. I don¡¯t feel like talking to you anymore.¡± When Luke didn¡¯t want to hear his own body talk great about Arsene, he gathered magic, powerful gravity magic, and crushed Baymon. ¡°Kuak!¡± The moment Baymon groans from his mouth, Luke unleashed the next magic. ¡°Black Bind!¡± Wheeeing! Wheening! Baymon, who was already stuck to the ground because of Gravity magic, got his body wrapped by the black plants which were coming from the ground. ¡°This is Black Bind? How- how are you able to¡­?¡± It was a rumor, and Baymon knew that there was a rumor which said that Luke learned dark magic. However, he never expected Luke to master Black Bind, which was a magic that was learned after the highest level. As he was in crisis, he looked at Luke and asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the descendant of the high and mighty warrior, and you are absorbing me, the devil?¡± ¡°This has nothing to do with the bloodline.¡± In the end, Baymon¡¯s body was his own to begin with. Luke was thinking of absorbing all the magic which was left in his body, even the last piece of blood and flesh. ¡°N- NO! I can¡¯t die like this!¡± As the power was getting sucked out of his body, Baymon struggled. However, there was no way out of the situation he was stuck in. The plants which stretched from the ground were making him lose his sense, and the fear of being lifeless hit him hard. Puk! Eventually, all the life was sucked out of him. Everything in him was taken in by Luke. ¡°Phew, is this the strength and body which I lost?¡± There weren¡¯t as many Magi as he thought. Maybe after the attack from Karen, he didn¡¯t hold much power. However, there was better gain than the Magi, his physical condition seemed to have improved. It wasn¡¯t just the physical. Pat! Wheeing! Luke, manifested the flame magic of 1st circle. The small flames which were supposed to burn on the fingertips were burning brighter and stronger than ever. ¡°The speed has improved by a lot.¡± The Pure wizard. That too, the body belonged to the Devil King or Black Sage, so maybe his body¡¯s reaction had improved by a lot when dealing with dark magic or such simpler magic. It wasn¡¯t just that, the efficiency of the magic increased by a lot. ¡°Uhh, I made an unexpected gain with this. But, who injured him this much? Was it Reina?¡± It could have been possible with the divine power she possessed. However, she wasn¡¯t someone who was familiar with battles of using attack type magic, and there was no way she would have been able to take down undead monsters, even those who couldn¡¯t be taken down by 8th circle wizards. ¡®I need to hurry. It has already been too late.¡¯ Worried about Reina, Luke hurried to the place where he could feel Aether. Chapter 560 - Unexpected Gain 2 Within a while, Luke managed to arrive at a narrow alley. Maybe it was the aftermath of the battle, all the buildings around the alley had collapsed, and there were blood spots on the ground very clearly. One side were a few bodies whose faces were covered with handkerchiefs. The groans of the men could be heard while they were being treated by Reina. ¡°Reina!¡± ¡°Ahh, you are okay!¡± Seeing Luke alive and well, Reina rushed over to him with tears in her eyes and hugged him. Luke took a close look at her to see if she had been injured anywhere, and when he was sure that she wasn¡¯t hurt, he yelled at her. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to step back if something dangerous happened?!¡± ¡°But I was worried and I couldn¡¯t stop myself.¡± ¡°Huh, Holiness is really a troublesome person.¡± Victor and her escorts knights all nodded their heads in agreement. Bertie, the young lady knight, spoke her heart. ¡°Your Majesty, Holiness almost treated you as dead. Even if all that was left of you was the body, she insisted on bringing it back with her, and there was no way we¡¯re able to stop her.¡± ¡°Retrieve my body¡­ hold on, can¡¯t you at least believe in my skills?¡± ¡°They say that a Sword Master can be killed by a sniper arrow.¡± ¡°What do you think of me as?! My skills are a lot more than the Sword Master level!¡± ¡®Uhm.¡¯ Karen, who was dozing off along with the injured, opened her eyes at the loud noise around her. After defeating Baymon, she ended up exhausting all the power in her body and decided to take some rest, and in that time, her father entered the scene and ended up fighting with her mother. ¡®They aren¡¯t going to get divorced because of this, right? They can¡¯t!¡¯ She was worried that the history would twist itself, but fortunately, the argument didn¡¯t spread much. It was because everyone was worried about everyone in the end. ¡°Well, those dead ones, did they die because of the sudden raid?¡± ¡°Some of them are those, but there were those who attacked us and we inevitably killed them.¡± Luke was shocked by what Victor said. ¡°They were the raid team? The Saint Guard knights?¡± The Saint Guards was the best division of the Holy Empire and were natural guards for the Pope. And all the armors of the dead Saint Guards were the ones of paladins. Then, why would they attack their own Pope? ¡°They belonged to the 4th squad who were dispatched and managed to survive, they spoke something about the Pope being fake and them serving the real one.¡± And those, who were captured without being killed were told to have returned back to their normal forms. It was because the one who performed the magic, Baymon had died, however, Reina and her party couldn¡¯t figure it out. ¡°Wh- what all did we do¡­?!¡± ¡°El- El Kassel! Please forgive our sins!¡± The paladins of the 4th squad Saint Guards, who remembered what they had done began to shed tears and wailed. Reina went close to them and comforted them. ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself too much because of it. You were brainwashed by the wicked men. And now we need to head down to those who did this and solve this problem.¡± Luke, who looked at Reina with a warm smile, soon found a girl who was struggling to move and was shocked. ¡°Karen! You are Karen, right? Right?¡± Karen took a step ahead because she wanted to move and was held by Luke¡¯s hands. ¡°Why did you disappear without even saying a word to me? And what are you doing here? Did Saint Nanda bring you here?¡± Luke looked all over Karen¡¯s body by asking questions one after another. It was because during her stay in the palace, she looked like her existence was at stake and she would disappear someday. However, looking at her then, she seemed normal and a little taller than before. And he could feel a significant amount of Aether in her body, while Luke was taking a closer look at her. ¡°Her name is Karen?¡± Reina suddenly asked and Luke nodded. ¡°Yes. She was the one who saved me when I was in the crisis that day.¡± ¡°I see. And this time she saved me. The man behind all this was attacking and she came here to help¡­¡± Luke was surprised when she heard everything from Reina. He was wondering who had managed to defeat Baymon and turn him to a mess, but for the person to be Karen! ¡®No, it isn¡¯t that strange either. According to Hwang Bo-sung, this child is a genius wizard who was considered as the only hope for the future.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of Nanda, but Karen seemed to have gotten a little color back in her cheeks. Maybe he knew what was going on, and that was why she was sent to save Reina. The zombie incident which had happened wasn¡¯t something which was present in the original timeline, but she was someone from the future, and had enough experience and knew about Arsene. ¡°Well, I am just glad that you are safe and healthy. You have no idea how worried I was.¡± Listening to Luke¡¯s words, Karen could feel herself fill up with joy and grabbed her father¡¯s hand. She felt it before, when she fought with her mother, that the blood bond was something which wouldn¡¯t be broken, and under any circumstances, they would all come together. Bang! Bang! Luke, who was in a warm mood, went stiff when he heard sounds from a distance. ¡°What was that?¡± At Reina¡¯s questions, Luke spoke his thoughts. ¡°Maybe the Holy Empire¡¯s troops fighting the zombies.¡± ¡°Even now? I ordered for their withdrawal.¡± ¡°You really think that Arch Duke Gregory would listen to that after what you did?¡± From what Luke knew, Arch Duke Gregory was the kind of person who would enter the zombie lair or even the Devildom if it meant to find the Pope. Thinking so, he smiled. ¡°This is fun. The Pope who doesn¡¯t listen to her husband and the Chief Commander of the Holy Empire. Such a great match made in heaven.¡± ¡°You are being mean! You don¡¯t have to say all that!¡± ¡°Hahaha. I guess it was too much. But, did I say anything wrong?¡± Luke turned around and looked at Victor, Bertie, and the other knights, who nodded their heads. ¡°Well, I will go and take a look at the situation of the army, so stay here and wait. Do not move anywhere.¡± ¡°Okay, please come back quickly.¡± ¡°Karen, Reina, both of you please stay put.¡± Karen nodded her head. Luke stroked Karen¡¯s head and flew to the south where the Holy Empire army was supposedly still in battle. Chapter 561 - : Unexpected Gain 3 It was an ambush with zombies flowing in from all directions, and the Holy Imperial army was trying to enter Bremen to save their pope. Constantine and Count Marcus couldn¡¯t help but panic, looking at the momentum which was building in the Holy Imperial army. They were all definite that the Holy Imperial army would retreat to a safe place once they were attacked in huge numbers. They even managed to sneakily install the flame magic circles or gunpowder bombs at the retreat points, and a number of zombies were deployed ahead around the possible retreat areas. They were all expecting to inflict a fatal blow on the Imperial army of the Holy Empire once they chose to retreat. However, they were all rushing into Bremen city. ¡°Push ahead! We need to find Her Holiness at all costs!¡± ¡°Do not be afraid of those zombies! Even if you end up turning into one, you will have to save Her Holiness!¡± The courage and the selflessness of those men, who stepped in to not lose their pope, was something that the zombies weren¡¯t able to stand against. The zombies that were ahead of the fierce assault began to collapse like sandcastles. The Holy Imperial army, which Constantine had planned to stop, was somehow turning into a raging wave of destruction for him. He had no other decent response for it. ¡°Hurry up! Move ahead and bring in the zombies that were placed at the ambush points and the Gigants troops in the city, too! We won¡¯t be able to stand a chance this way!¡± ¡°Understood, brother!¡± Count Marcus immediately rushed to deliver the given orders to the men. However, he returned with a pale complexion. ¡°T-there is a huge problem! The Gigant troops, which were deployed near the sanctuary, have been completely destroyed.¡± ¡°What was that?! What had happened out there?¡± According to the messenger that went out to help them, a single Gigant had jumped out of the collapsed sanctuary after the explosion and destroyed all the ambush Gigants. ¡°O-one Gigant annihilated our troops?¡± ¡°Y-yes! And as the enemy Gigant troops were attacking the rear of the zombie troops, the Holy Imperial army began to enter the city like a tide.¡± ¡°T-this can¡¯t be¡­!¡± Constantine was clearly distressed since everything wasn¡¯t going according to his expectations. However, he still believed that it wasn¡¯t the end. He had a reliable card that he could use. ¡°Call for Baymon! And call all of the Grey Order priests and ask them to stop the incoming Imperial army!¡± Surely, those priests from the Grey Order could buy them some time. The number of zombies, who were placed to ambush in the retreat spot, were over 100,000. Moreover, unlike humans, zombies would never get tired. At Constantine¡¯s orders, Marcus shook his head. ¡°You are asking for Baymon? Didn¡¯t he lead the brainwashed 4th squad of the Saint Guards to catch that fox-like wench?¡± ¡°Ask him to come back then! Use those magic communication tools, those marbles, and send information!¡± At Constantine¡¯s shout, Count Marcus ordered the wizards under him to connect the magical communication to Baymon and the Grey Order priests. However, no one responded to their call. ¡°Why the hell are they not receiving the call?!¡± Marcus never imagined that both Baymon and his men would have died in the hands of Luke. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­? Please, they weren¡¯t using us, right? Now that we are of no use, they decided to abandon us?¡¯ Such thoughts of betrayal entered his head. However, Marcus shook them out. Who else in the world could turn back the zombies into humans? It was surely not the one calling herself the pope. The one who was considered the Apostle of God by the people, or definitely not that unidentified leader of Grey Order, Baymon. Marcus believed that Constantine had the real divine power and thought that Baymon would never give up on them, at least not that easily. ¡®But this situation doesn¡¯t seem that good. Once the Holy Empire takes over the city and starts to conduct a massive search, we will be done for.¡¯ Constantine had the tremendous ability to turn the zombies back into their human form, but that was all he could do. In addition to the Gigant troops in the city that just got wiped out, the zombie troops hidden in the other places would take considerable time to come. Strategically analyzing the current situation, Marcus rushed straight to Constantine. ¡°Brother, we need to get out of Bremen right away!¡± ¡°What? What about Baymon?¡± ¡°It is odd, but I can¡¯t reach him or his men either. Let¡¯s get up and move out before something more troublesome happens!¡± Constantine, who was feeling troubled, left the base where he held meetings with his followers. However, by the time he took the decision to withdraw, he was already a step behind the Imperial army. The Holy Imperial army pushed ahead. ¡°T-this can¡¯t! go on and stop them!¡± Kukkkk! Kiiiiik! When Constantine¡¯s orders fell, hundreds of zombies who were the last line of defense moved ahead to block the Holy Empire¡¯s Imperial army. ¡°No, they are¡­!¡± Arch Duke Gregory, who was leading the military at the forefront, was shocked at the sudden appearance of the zombies. The zombies, who were blocking the path for them, were the soldier troops who were sent to Bremen in the beginning. Yet, his hesitation was just brief. As soon as he gained his composure, he gave out the command. ¡°Attack! Sweep away those zombies!¡± ¡°Please, please wait, Arch Duke!¡± It was when the knights of Saint Guard tried to move under Gregory¡¯s orders that Luke flew in and halted Gregory¡¯s actions. Instead, a huge explosion happened at the front. He must have sensed that! Gregory was able to feel how Luke¡¯s power had reached a tremendous level. ¡°You are safe, Your Majesty. Have you seen Her Holiness?¡± Luke nodded. ¡°I met her on my way here. The pope is safe and sound. I can take care of those zombies.¡± When Luke spoke, his Aether Globe began to turn into a black circle. He manifested the dark magic that was developed to control the undead. Wheeeing! Purple light shone from Luke¡¯s body and wrapped the zombie soldiers. The moment the light touched them, all zombie halted their movements. It wasn¡¯t just their movements being halted. They moved away on either side as well, creating a path in the middle. ¡°It won¡¯t turn into a mess now.¡± ¡°Is that so? This is comforting.¡± Though no one was saying it out loud, many of the riders that were steering their Gigants were exhausted as they had to rush at all the zombies while staying in the front line. There was no way they would have felt bad for Luke¡¯s help. Unlike the Holy Imperial army which was rejoicing, Constantine, who was watching things happen from a distance, was shocked after seeing Luke¡¯s ability. ¡®Uhh, who is he? How dare he come here suddenly and take my zombies?¡¯ ¡°There are suspicious men over here. Get them at all costs!¡± At the cry of a knight that found them, Constantine and his followers began to flee in panic. However, escaping from there wasn¡¯t that easy. The Gigants of Symphonia Kingdom led by Hwang Bo-sung was blocking their road ahead. ¡°Damn it! Run into the underground first and stop them!¡± ¡°They might be the ones controlling the zombies! Be sure to catch them!¡± Hwang Bo-sung and Arch Duke Gregory simultaneously gave out orders. ¡®Damn it! Why did things have to turn out like this?!¡¯ His plan was perfect. The plan had been successfully implemented until the sanctuary exploded, and the zombies rushed out for an all-out war with the Holy Empire¡¯s Imperial army. However, the situation changed somewhere in between, and he wasn¡¯t able to understand how and why. Constantine, who was trying to escape, began to run deep into the underground waterways where there was no light. He wanted to avoid the paladins at all costs. Chapter 562 - Unexpected Gain 4 ¡°Pant! Pant!¡± Constantine kept running in the underground waterways. Marcus or any of his followers, who couldn¡¯t see in the darkness, had scattered along the way. And the only thing that could be heard were the footsteps of the paladins, who were chasing them from all sides by giving out orders. ¡°Over there! Someone ran that way!¡± ¡°Uhk!¡± ¡®How could this¡­ As a messenger of God himself, why am I being pursued like this? I, who had been given the power of God, had to be the master of the new world, right?¡¯ How long did he move like that while grieving to himself? It was just around the corner of the underground where the waterway¡¯s path took a turn. Someone had come out along with a dim light toward Constantine. ¡°Wh-who is that?!¡± When Constantine, who was startled, began to step back, the one on the other side spoke with a soft voice, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be afraid of me. I am the one who has come to pick you up.¡± Upon hearing those words, Constantine looked at the one speaking. Although the man¡¯s appearance seemed to be very unusual, Constantine soon sighed out of relief when he saw the greasy grey robe. ¡®Is he a priest from the Grey Order?¡¯ In fact, when he took a closer look at the source of the voice, Constantine noticed that there was something different with his clothes. Yet, Constantine was currently being chased, and he didn¡¯t have the time to take such an inspective look at his savior. ¡°Did Baymon send you? Where is that man?¡± ¡°He had to go back to the place where he belonged.¡± ¡®Go back? Where was that?¡¯ However, he couldn¡¯t figure it out. The noise of the paladins approaching him was getting closer and closer even in such dark places. ¡°Ah, well, just get me out of here right away! I am ordering you to take me to your leader, Baymon!¡± The old bald priest remained silent at the arrogant words of Constantine and soon nodded with a soft smile. ¡°Fine. Please take my hand.¡± Constantine immediately grabbed the hand of the bald priest. Swirl! In a second, his entire surroundings changed and the landscape of an urban desolate city had appeared and not that of an underground. ¡®An instant magic manifestation?¡¯ Although the priest displayed the magic that couldn¡¯t be performed by anyone other than a high ranking wizard, Constantine didn¡¯t seem too puzzled. He already knew that the Grey Order priests could use magic. In fact, even in the Imperial Holy palace, there were priests who studied and used magic. ¡°Where is this? I think we are still in Bremen¡­¡± ¡°People will come and soon pick you up.¡± Constantine was puzzled by the words of the bald priest. He soon saw those who appeared on the opposite side of the alley and was shocked. Veronica III and Arch Duke Gregory were out front. ¡°Holiness, you should never leave us and do such dangerous things by yourself.¡± ¡°I understand. I will never deceive Arch Duke ever again¡­ Oh my? You are?¡± While the two of them were talking in the alley, they found Constantine and were equally surprised. From what they knew, Constantine had fled into a complex underground waterway. Marcus was the one who informed them Constantine¡¯s whereabouts, and that was why they thought Constantine was still wandering somewhere in the underground with the paladins pursing him. However, he was underground! ¡°Uhhhh!¡± The screaming Constantine turned back to run away. However, he couldn¡¯t move one step. The man standing next to the pope ran quickly and blocked him. ¡°Y-you are Lev¡­?!¡± ¡°Yes, and also Luke de Rakan, the King of Symphonia.¡± Luke, who placed his sword on Constantine¡¯s shoulder in the speed of lightning, smiled. He finally met the person he was searching for; the clue which would solve the hellbent situation they were in. Chapter 563 - The Words Of The Wicked 1 ¡°Yo-you are the King of Symphonia, Luke?!¡± Constantine¡¯s eyes screamed in confusion when he looked at Luke who had a blade to his neck. ¡°What gibberish nonsense are you spewing?! Why would the king of Symphonia be here?¡± ¡°Huh? Are you really asking because you don¡¯t know the answer? You were the one who spread the rumor about the Pope and me, and yet, you don¡¯t know if it was real or not?¡± Just before the founding of the Symphonia Kingdom, there was a question about the relationship between Luke and Reina, the Pope of the Holy Arthenia Empire. It was a rumor that the Pope had entered into a secret relationship with the descendant of the fallen warrior who was learning dark magic, and they had already spent the night together. When Luke heard about the rumor, it didn¡¯t take much time for him to know who spread it. Reina¡¯s only opposition, Constantine. No one would have spread the rumor of such sort unless they wanted the Pope to be sent out of the Holy Empire. However, there was no proof of whether the rumor was spread around by Constantine¡¯s factions after gathering the truth or they just decided to spread it after learning about the previous rumors about Luke going around in the Baroque Empire. ¡°Ugh! Then the reason why everything went wrong today¡­¡± ¡°Yes. All because of me. It was me, who met up with Archbishop Antero who was brainwashed and went into the sanctuary instead of the Pope.¡± Only then did Constantine realize why his perfect plan had failed so miserably. It was all because of him! Everything went distorted by the descendant of the warrior. Had it not been for the man standing in front of him, his faction would have established themselves as a strong political power in the Holy Empire¡¯s civil war, which took place several years back, and the current pitfall would have been a success which would have removed not just the Pope but also Arch Duke Gregory. ¡°You-you, all because of you¡­!¡± Constantine was speechless and rushed to Luke. Luke was rather shocked by his movements, and the man didn¡¯t seem to regard the sword which just cut the skin on his neck. Ugh?! ¡°Kuak!¡± Luke¡¯s knees went for Constantine¡¯s stomach making him vomit and fall to the ground while holding his stomach. The pain which was piercing in the body made Constantine grab his stomach and roll on the ground with screams. ¡°Huh, you should know what your opponent is capable of by looking at him, you really are someone who can¡¯t judge people.¡± Luke, who laughed, looked at the old priest who was on the other side of Constantine. Paladins who knew nothing assumed that he was on Constantine¡¯s side and pointed their swords at him, however, Luke shook his hand. ¡°Long time no see, Saint Nanda.¡± ¡°My pleasure to see you here, Luke, no, I should start calling you Your Majesty.¡± ¡°What have you been doing all this time?¡± ¡°It is too much to say while standing. Well, I just brought you a gift with my bare hands.¡± Luke didn¡¯t have to ask what the gift was. If he did, it would only point to stupid Constantine. ¡°Your Majesty, who is that person?¡± As Luke and Nanda were talking with smiles on their faces, Reina approached them and asked with a twinkle in her eyes. ¡°His name is Saint Nanda, a high ranking member of the Arahan denomination of the Southern Continent. Saint, this is Veronica III, Pope of Holy Arthenia Empire.¡± Once Luke introduced them to Reina, they both politely greeted each other. ¡°Amitabha. This is a real honor for me to meet you, who has been recognized by the heaven.¡± ¡°I am glad to see someone with high virtue. Just the other day, I heard something from His Majesty, Luke. You helped him get the second part of the Gold Sword, right?¡± Reina knew very little about the Arahan or Saint Nanda. She knew about the existence of the Arahan denomination, however, there were very few temples in the Rhodesia continent, and meeting the priests was even rare. And all she knew was what Luke had held her during her visit to Symphonia for Luke¡¯s coronation. ¡®Indeed, he isn¡¯t just a normal person. He is surely someone who holds great power inside him, he is no normal human.¡¯ The energy flowing in Nanda¡¯s body seemed very similar to Sylph, the Spirit King of Wind when Reina had gone to the Spirit World. She didn¡¯t know it by then, but now she was able to feel it. The spiritual energy the man held was something that only those who stepped foot into the realm of God! ¡°I heard that the priests of Arahan aim to turn into Gods, is that true?¡± ¡°Our Lord said that if we can gain enlightenment through spiritual practice, and in that way, we will be able to achieve profit and liberation of desires. It isn¡¯t fundamentally different from the doctrines of your denomination, which says that if we receive the teaching of God, you will be the person chosen to enter heaven.¡± ¡°You seem to be familiar with the doctrines about El Kassel.¡± ¡°Because the missionaries of your denomination are present in the Southern Continent. And some time ago, I stayed in the Baroque Empire to preach.¡± It felt like she met with someone with whom she could speak openly. Reina, whose eyes were shining, began to ask Saint Nanda about the doctrines and beliefs of the Arahan denominations and of El Kassel too. Arch Duke Gregory approached Luke and spoke. ¡°Your Majesty, the battle is over, and it seems like there is no need to control the search any further, so let us go and interrogate the evil one.¡± Luke nodded at the words of Arch Duke who wanted to return the zombies back to the humans. ¡°Let¡¯s do that. But he will be interrogated by me.¡± ¡°Your Majesty?¡± ¡°You heard it right. It will take a lot less time if I am the one to do it.¡± ¡®Well it is natural, since His Majesty, Luke is an excellent wizard and warlock¡­¡¯ Perhaps mental magic would be excellent for interrogation, so Luke did seem very suitable for the job. Gregory too agreed with Luke¡¯s words. ¡°Then I will meet you after interrogation.¡± ¡°Huh? aren¡¯t you going to do it here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone to see. I¡¯ll come back soon, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Frankly, Luke didn¡¯t want Saint Guard Knights to witness him interrogating, and avoid even more if Reina was going to be there. The interrogation method he followed was violence and brutal violence. Paht! The light flashed as he held Constantine, and the two disappeared. He used Teleport Magic. ¡°No, wait, where did he go?¡± Reina who was talking to Nanda was surprised when Luke disappeared. Arch Duke Gregory shrugged his shoulders and answered. ¡°Your Majesty, he would interrogate him personally to find out about the things they did and how to turn the zombies back into their human forms.¡± ¡°He did?¡± ¡°I agreed to it as His Majesty would bring out the truth much faster than us.¡± ¡°Well¡­ while he is interrogating, we¡¯ll have to camp ourselves and organize the troops. There are still many zombies around the city.¡± ¡°Understood, I will give out the orders right away.¡± When Gregory went back to order the military, Reina and the others moved to the Bremen city hall. Preparing the camp there, they were going to wait until Luke returns. Chapter 564 - The Words of the Wicked 2 Wheeing-! Luke¡¯s Teleportation magic which was used on Constantine, took them near a cliff close to Bremen city. Constantine couldn¡¯t stop his body from trembling when he looked at the end of the cliffs. ¡°I think it would be best to answer my questions right away. That is¡­ if you don¡¯t want to experience your entire body crushing itself while reaching the bottom.¡± ¡°Uhhh, you bastard! Are you really someone who should call yourself as the descendant of Rakan?¡± Laughing at Constantine¡¯s childish outburst, Luke released the hand on Constantine¡¯s nape, making him fall. ¡°Uhhhhhh!¡± Phat! Constantine who crashed down the cliff kept on twitching on the ground. Along with the muffled sound, his entire body was shuddering in pain due to the breaks. Constantine¡¯s entire body was crushed because of the fall. ¡°Uhhhhh! Ahhhhh! Uggghhhh!¡± He was hurting enough to die, but somehow he didn¡¯t seem to have died. Right before Luke left him, he placed strengthening magic on him and then used a form of Healing magic called ¡®Treatment¡¯. ¡°Now, do you feel like talking?¡± Luke¡¯s voice could be heard in his ears. ¡°I¡¯d rather let you kill me.¡± ¡°Oh ho, you want to go through that again?¡± Luke brought back Constantine¡¯s body with Anti-gravity Magic. The healed body and once again thrown off the cliff. After the process was repeated for a few times, Constantine surrendered. ¡°I-I¡¯ll start speaking! I¡¯ll tell you everything! Please don¡¯t throw me off again!¡± He had been through a lot of suffering all his life, however, the pain of feeling his entire body crush itself to reach the bottom was devastating to endure. Luke healed the body of Constantine and began to ask the questions. ¡°Is Arsene the one behind all this?¡± ¡°¡­ Arsene? Who is that? Are you not referring to the Archmage who was famous 500 years back?¡± At Constantine¡¯s words, Luke had a bitter expression on his face. ¡°The great and famous guy you are talking about had turned himself into a Lich and is still alive.¡± ¡°Th-that can¡¯t be! Nonsense!¡± ¡°You should have heard it. That the Veritas Magic tower was destroyed because it was studying dark magic.¡± Surely everyone would have heard that. It was a Magic Tower that was on par with the Holy Arthenia Magic Tower, and somehow they summoned a high-ranking demon in their warehouse and ended up turning the Nemesis city into a wasteland and eventually destroyed the demon. During that time, there were stories going around that Emperor Rudolf of the Baroque Empire was so angry at them, that he had ordered for the body of Arsene to be dug up and his bones to be smashed. Yet, it was a shocking story. Veritas¡¯s founder¡ªArsene, who was known to have tried to abolish dark magic had turned himself into a Lich and was still alive. ¡°And, among the men who tried to attack me and kidnap Reina, there were remnants of Arsene, the subordinates in Veritas Magic tower.¡± ¡°Su-subordinates?¡± ¡°Those men in grey robes. They all pretended to be priests, but they were all warlocks. One of them was quite strong yet, in the end, they all died with these hands.¡± ¡®No- No way!¡¯ Baymon or the other ones in Grey Order had never responded to the magic communication, but for them all to be dead because of Luke! Constantine shook his hands when Luke was staring at him with a nasty expression. ¡°I-I really don¡¯t know. I have never met that Arsene. I just received a God¡¯s revelation!¡± ¡°Puht! God¡¯s revelation?¡± Luke couldn¡¯t hold himself from laughing. So, God had nothing better to do and decided to reveal himself to the rotten priests who was known for his greedy and self-ambitious goals! Everyone knew that revelation only reached those who were faithful priests or to those who have practiced the preaching of God for a long time. Even then, it would take a lot of time and was very rare to happen. ¡°It is understandable if the revelation was from the Devil God too. He too is a God in an aspect.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t spew nonsense!¡± Constantine screamed at the ridiculing words of Luke. ¡°I am sure that I received the revelation from God himself, I gained the power of God! Who else in this world can turn back zombies into normal humans?!¡± Luke understood that Constantine, who was throwing a fit like a kid, knew nothing about what had happened. He was just a piece in the chessboard which Arsene used. Luke raised his head and stared at Constantine. He then cut down his words. ¡°Arsene knows, on turning zombies back into humans.¡± Brrrr! Constantine, who was exposed to the energy released by Luke could feel his heartbeat against his ribs. He even peed in fear. However, he realized that it was his last chance, and decided to open his mouth by gathering his courage. ¡°Wh-who knows if that is the truth? I-I¡¯ll let you know if you can agree to my conditions.¡± ¡°Conditions?¡± ¡°Ye-yes. Swear on the mana and I will teach you what I know, and spare my life and my followers.¡± ¡®Asking me to make a mana oath? Eh? What kind of a bastard¡­?!¡¯ Luke couldn¡¯t help but consider Constantine as a fool after hearing his request. He caused the entire crisis involving the zombie situation, killed countless people in the process, and a moment back he experienced the pain of dying yet, the man didn¡¯t want to give up on his chance for attaining power. The man in front of his eyes was never going to repent. Luke was convinced. He wanted to burn the man as slowly as possible until he died. However, he calmed himself. He had to find the cure to the zombie disease, and that was the most urgent matter at hand. Whether he would keep his promise or break it was a matter of some other time. ¡°Fine. If you tell me how to do it, I will swear on the mana oath to guarantee the life and status of you and your henchmen.¡± The vows made by a wizard on mana can never be broken that easily. It was because, once the oath was broken, the mana circle within the heart would break. And with Luke¡¯s answer, Constantine seemed relieved. He explained in detail the powers which were passed from Arsene, whom he believed to be God. ¡°God visited me the next night and gave me power. There are small evil spirits in those who have been turned into the zombies because of God¡¯s punishment.¡± ¡®A small evil spirit¡­ it must be the parasite that carries the zombie disease.¡¯ ¡°The evil spirit is so horrifying that if one would try to take it out or kill it, it will turn the host into ashes. However, he told me that if I use the special divine power given to me by God, I would be able to eradicate the evil spirit without any side effects and return the zombies back to normal humans.¡± Luke heard the entire thing from Constantine. ¡°And what was the special divine power?¡± ¡°Well, that special power¡­ it is a mysterious force which is hard to explain through human words.¡± ¡°Really? I guess there is nothing special about the true disciple of God. You can¡¯t even explain one single thing.¡± Luke¡¯s sarcastic words brought redness to Constantine¡¯s face. He looked like he wanted to protest, but Luke beat him to it. ¡°If explaining it is tough, demonstrate it, okay?¡± ¡°Su-sure.¡± At Constantine¡¯s words, Luke took him to a village of zombies. It would be easy to believe when witnessing it once rather than listening to it a thousand times. Chapter 565 - The Words of the Wicked 3 Kukkk, Kuuuu¡­ A dozen zombies were wandering around in a small village with 20 houses. Normally, there would have been a lot more than that, but since Constantine had called for the zombies to enter Bremen, the number of houses became less in the village. When Luke and Constantine appeared, the zombies rushed toward them. ¡°Hold!¡± Once Luke tied up the zombies to prevent them from moving anymore closer to them, he looked at Constantine and said, ¡°Okay then, I held them back, so do your thing.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Constantine approached the nearest zombie and showed his power. Wooong! A cloudy light shone from his hand and spread around the zombie. Right then, the rotten flesh on him began to regenerate. The color of his body turned back to normal, and his eyes, which lost its light, came back to life. The zombie turned back to human. ¡°Eh? I-I¡­ What just¡­?¡± ¡°Rejoice. You have been saved by the disciple of God!¡± Constantine spoke with a stern face to the person who was confused. ¡®Huh, even in such a situation, he still tries to trick people.¡¯ Luke could feel his anger rising in him, yet he left Constantine alone. Instead, he took a closer look at the sight of how the zombies were being turned back. He tried to use magnifying magic as much as he could and saw things he hadn¡¯t seen before. The sight of parasites coming out of the zombies. The parasites, which moved out of its hosts¡¯ body, quickly ended up dying as soon as they came out of them. ¡®Now I see. The parasites moved in water, but now that they have been exposed to air, they are dying.¡¯ When Luke confirmed the treatment method, Luke took a closer look at Constantine¡¯s power. ¡®He didn¡¯t receive the real power of God, yet it isn¡¯t the dark magic that uses Magi.¡¯ Magi wasn¡¯t an energy that could be used by anyone. The reason why the warlocks were able to deal with Magi was because they studied dark magic for a long time, or they signed a contract with the demons. Moreover, Magi and Divine power contradicted each other. If Arsene had given Magi to Constantine, who held Divine power, either the Magi vanished or Constantine would have. ¡®Me, Reina or Karen are able to use Aether. When we need it, we can switch it and use it. But what Constantine did wasn¡¯t that.¡¯ Luke watched closely for any changes in the body of Constantine as he used his abilities. He even looked closely at the strange Divine power. ¡®What is that? It¡¯s not Mana or Magi. It¡¯s not even Divine power. This is like¡­¡¯ A wild and lively energy. He saw it while studying wild animals. It was an energy that was similar to a wild form of energy. ¡®Now that I have a closer look. It is a lot like that thing, much broader and vivid¡­ Yes! This is similar to the Earth¡¯s Tears in Reina¡¯s body!¡¯ Earth¡¯s Tears. It was the key that connected Middle Earth to the Spirit World. Reina, who possessed ¡®The Tears of Earth¡¯, the key to the Spirit World, had gone to the Spirit World and met with Sylphid, the Spirit King of Wind, and was given Aether. The memories of losing her and bidding farewell to her had risen in Luke¡¯s mind. ¡®If it is the Earth¡¯s Tears, then it must surely be the Power of the Spirits. That means, the elemental power¡­ No way! Hasn¡¯t the Spirit Power disappeared from Middle Earth a long time ago?¡¯ Luke was shocked when he began to think about the reality of Constantine¡¯s power. From what he knew, Spirit Powers on Middle Earth vanished a thousand years ago right after the passage between the two worlds was disconnected. And naturally, the spirits, who used spirit powers, lost their source of energy and disappeared one after the other when the two worlds were cut off. However, after a thousand years, the spirit powers came back! ¡®Where did Arsene even get it to grant it to Constantine?¡¯ Luke was puzzled and looked more closely at Constantine¡¯s spirit powers. ¡®Yet, there is something unusual. According to ancient records, the spirit powers need to be as lively as a living flame¡­¡¯ Reina, who could handle Aether, could move stone statues, make flowers bloom, or make trees move. Even the wind behaved like a living creature. However, Constantine¡¯s spirit powers were rather wild and not lively. ¡®It¡¯s almost like a corpse¡­ Yeah, now I get it! He is using something like a spirit stone!¡¯ If a creature died, it leaves behind its bones and as they age, they turn into fossils. It was the same for the things called Spirit Stone from ancient times. When an elemental spirit died and fossilized, it would turn into Spirit Stone. Just as wood turned into fossilized coal, the Spirit Stones also contained spirit power. Of course, they weren¡¯t as strong as living spirits. However, the problem was that the items called Spirit Stone were the resources only present in the ancient literature. Before being cut off from the Spirit World, they were used as an essential resource until the days of ancient Mado Civilization. A Spirit could be called by an Elementalist. However, with the presence of the Spirit Stones, the action could be implemented right away without any time delay. And as a result of such abuse of the Spirit Stones, the Spirit Stones were completely exhausted during the Mado Civilization. ¡®Were there any left? Was that what Arsene had handed over to Constantine?¡¯ Luke¡¯s mind started to form new questions. However, there was no one who could answer it. The wild animals that drank the contaminated water didn¡¯t seem to get infected with the zombie disease. Maybe it was because they possessed the peculiar feral power that was similar to the Spirit Power, which could kill the parasites. Constantine gained Spirit Power with the help of a Spirit Stone. Of course, unlike Magi, it didn¡¯t collide with Divine power, and it was surely something everyone would regard as a ¡®mysterious power¡¯, just like Reina¡¯s. ¡®Surely, the Spirit Stone was crushed until it became powder, and then he ingested it. It is probably because of that Spirit Stone that the old man turned young again.¡¯ However, the important thing was that Spirit Power had the ability to eradicate the parasites, which was the main cause of the havoc that was happening, without any side effects. Constantine talked with Luke, who seemed glad to have found the right answer for the zombie disease. ¡°See, I showed you everything that I could do, so you need to keep your promise.¡± ¡°Before that, I have a question. How many zombies can be turned back into humans at once?¡± ¡°That¡­ At least 3 to 4?¡± ¡°What? That is all you can manage?¡± Around hundreds, no, thousands of people had been turned into zombies. And only 3 to 4 could be turned back at once, when would all the infected people be turned back to humans at that pace?! ¡°Huh, obviously, that is the only number I can manage. Did you think that things would be so easy just because I was chosen by God?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t that you were chosen by God. You chose to believe that.¡± There was a reason why Constantine had been stubborn even when going through the bitter taste of death over the cliff. Luke and Reina surely would have decided to save the people at all costs, and in the end, they would have to rely on him. ¡°Surely, I can¡¯t just leave you like that.¡± Luke smirked and that made Constantine reflexively take a step back. ¡°A-are you going to kill me? Yah, your mana circle will disappear if you decide to break your mana oath, right!?¡± A wizard wouldn¡¯t be hurt that much if he or she lost a little bit of his or her mana. However, if they suddenly lost a huge amount of mana, there was a high probability that the wizard¡¯s body might collapse since they would be unable to cope. ¡°Huh, who said anything about breaking the oath? You and your henchmen¡¯s life and status will be guaranteed. However, you all will completely be forgotten from the world.¡± ¡°Wh-what? You aren¡¯t saying¡­¡± ¡°It would be better for you to start asking for a clean kill, tch, tch, tch.¡± Constantine¡¯s expression began to turn dark with every passing second. He wasn¡¯t foolish enough to not know what Luke meant. It was a common occurrence to report that culprits went missing after being tortured to death. And he too had done such things. ¡°And the other thing is that even if mana disappears, I have a lot of power to replace it. It would matter to me because I¡¯m going to kill you.¡± Luke had no concern even if his mana disappeared. With the Aether Globe, if he needed mana, he could just replace the Aether with mana and use it. In other words, unlike the other wizards, he didn¡¯t have to revolve his entire existence around a mana circle. ¡°In the beginning, I thought that I should just get rid of both you and your henchmen. But that would be paying too less of a price for what you did. So, you need to disappear for them to repent.¡± ¡°NO-NO! Uahkk!¡± Tak! Luke snapped his finger, and the Black Bind began to wrap itself around Constantine¡¯s body. It slowly began to absorb the Spirit Power in his body. The Spirit Power, which was being absorbed by the Black Bind, slowly made its way to Luke. Constantine¡¯s body began to age once again, losing all the energy his body held. ¡°Hiiii! What are you¡­ doing to me? Ahhhh!¡± As the Spirit Power was completely absorbed by Luke, fire rose on Constantine¡¯s face. His wrinkled old face quickly became distorted as it started to burn. ¡°Uhhh! Hot! Save me! Please save¡­. Kuak!¡± Constantine, who was screaming, got his tongue sliced off by Luke. ¡°Do not worry. I am not going to kill you.¡± 500 years ago, during his days as Saymon, Luke used to keep the fallen nobles and the corrupt priests as slaves. He was thinking of giving Constantine the very same treatment as them. ¡°You made innocent people into zombies. Now you need to pay the price.¡± ¡°Uhhh¡­ Ahhhhhh!¡± Tears of blood flowed out of Constantine¡¯s lifeless eyes. It was a miserable scene for someone who once sought after the position of the pope of the Holy Empire. Chapter 566 - The Words of the Wicked 4 ¡°Huh, you look great. People might even mistake you for a zombie.¡± Looking at Constantine¡¯s face, Luke smiled. Luke was a nice man, just not as kind as Reina. He was someone who believed that the wicked should be punished. ¡°Huh¡­ Uhhhhh¡­¡± Constantine, whose body was burnt all over, tried to heal his wounds with Divine power. However, he wasn¡¯t able to use it. Luke had absorbed all the Spirit Power in him and sealed off the Divine power in Constantine. Luke had fought against numerous priests and paladins when he was called the Black Sage, so he knew how to seal one¡¯s Divine power. He managed to find the solution in a battle. When priests who considered him to be evil just because they assumed that Saymon had sold his soul to the demons and was nothing much than trash, it was then that Saymon had placed a flame magic stigma on their bodies. ¡°If I am a henchman of demons and you are a follower of God, then who sells God and squeeze the blood out of the people who believe in that God of yours?!¡± With such emotions, a huge amount of power rose in his body. Those priests, who were branded by Luke, failed to release their Divine power. In the case of high ranking priests, it wasn¡¯t that effective, yet their divine power would be reduced significantly, and the power would never restore to its original amount until the stigma got removed. And after that, most priests took considerable precautions to avoid getting branded by Saymon. ¡®Thanks to that stigma, I knew that there was a ¡®taboo¡¯ that the priests would always resort to. I was too busy fighting at that time that I didn¡¯t figure out how it worked.¡¯ It was the same as now. There was something about the taboo and Divine power. However, once he realized that the corrupt priests could handle Divine power, Luke knew that Divine power had nothing to do with faith. In addition, during his time as Saymon, Luke wasn¡¯t interested in the theology of Divine power nor was he currently. It was because only one task could be perfected, and he was already proficient in magic and sword. He didn¡¯t want another. Also, it was involved in the behavior of the denominations of the Rhodesia Continent. Most of the denominations considered God to be sacred and were reluctant when it came to analyzing Divine power, so it wasn¡¯t an easy subject to study. ¡®Maybe Divine power is similar to magic. Just one stigma on one¡¯s body and that body will be unable to exert Divine power. It¡¯s almost similar to mana getting blocked by a sealed magic circle.¡¯ In addition, magic and Divine power really went hand-in-hand. It was evident that the wizards of the Holy Arthenia Magic Tower could use both magic and Divine power. ¡®Divine power, magic, and aura all originated from Aether. It shouldn¡¯t be so shocking. Hold on, then¡­ can I handle Divine power too?¡¯ Reina always said that she used Aether as her Divine power. If that was the case, Luke, who had Aether in him, also might be able to channel it. Divine power and dark magic were contradictory powers, and he could currently convert the black circle on his heart whenever needed, so there was no need for a collision. ¡®Right. Rakan¡¯s Gold Sword alone had numerous Anti-Magi properties. It might actually be easy now that I think about it.¡¯ Luke once again used Black Bind on Constantine. This time, he tried to take in all of his Divine power. ¡°Uhhhhh!¡± Constantine screamed out of pain as his Divine power was getting absorbed. However, it didn¡¯t seem that well. ¡®What? It can¡¯t be absorbed? No, it was obvious that it wouldn¡¯t happen.¡¯ Black Bind was a dark magic spell. The mana aura or the Spirit power might be able to do it. However, that would only happen when the two forces collided with Divine power. Realizing that, Luke slumped down and looked at Constantine. ¡®This doesn¡¯t seem to work. Is there any other way?¡¯ There were two reasons why Luke was so greedy when it came to Divine power. The first thing was that he wanted to learn about it. Until then, he thought that Divine power could only be used by the priests and believers of God. So he never even thought of acquiring it. However, it was different now. The second was that it could be critical when fighting Arsene, who is a Lich. Honestly, neither magic nor Magi was of any use when fighting a man who lived for over 500 years. A Gold Sword with Anti-Magi might be useful but only to a certain extent. To take Arsene down, he would have to hit him properly with the right power. The only answer was Divine power, which didn¡¯t sit well with dark magic. ¡®It might be impossible for me to absorb Divine power with Black Bind¡­ Should I ask Reina for some Aether?¡¯ Luke, who concluded his thoughts, teleported to Bremen City, where Reina was, with a burning desire for new power. Chapter 567 - Arsene’s Fury 1 The news that Luke had returned from his investigation reached Arch Duke Gregory. ¡°Your Majesty, how did the interrogation go?¡± ¡°I did figure out a way. The power that Constantine used to bring back the zombies to humans was with Spirit power.¡± ¡°Oh Oh OH!¡± Gregory and the other paladins were delighted. However, the knowledgeable priests and wizards sighed. It was because they knew that the Spirit power didn¡¯t exist in the current world. However, as Constantine was able to use it, they didn¡¯t give up hope and decided to do something about it. ¡°But, Your Majesty, who is he¡­?¡± When Luke brought back an old and ugly looking man instead of Constantine, Gregory asked with confusion. ¡°Uhm, Uhm, Constantine repented and condemned his actions during the interrogation process. And while we were on our way back, he was running away from the sins he committed. So I decided to subdue him instead of killing him so that Arch Duke would take care of him.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Gregory looked at the face of the man which was burnt. ¡®If I think about what all he did this time, he can¡¯t be excused from death! Neither him nor his men!¡¯ Everyone would have to pay the price for their actions. Gregory decided to instruct the paladins to imprison Constantine. ¡°How about the Pope and her men?¡± ¡°They are in the city of Bremen and have placed their camp over there. I will guide, please follow me.¡± Luke silently followed Gregory to the Bremen city hall. The city hall and all the surroundings were busy with the reorganization of the Holy Empire army. Reina was consoling the injured soldiers of the battle. If she could, she would have healed them. However, they were bitten by the zombies, and if healed with divine power, it would be similar to slaying them. ¡°Please hold for a little more. I will surely save you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself too much, Holiness.¡± ¡°I have already prepared myself. If I turn into a zombie, don¡¯t hesitate to take me down.¡± It was when Reina was feeling sorry listening to the words from the soldiers. Luke and Arch Duke Gregory appeared near her. ¡°You have come. Have you figured out how to cure it?¡± ¡°I did. I can show you myself.¡± Luke approached the injured soldiers and unleashed the Spirit power which he had absorbed from Constantine. He wasn¡¯t sure on how he was supposed to use it. However, when Luke raised his hand, the Spirit power seemed to react to his will and a dull light began to sweep around the soldiers who were wounded. The effect of it appeared rather quickly. The swelling of the body and the lost complexion because of the zombie turning returned back to the original state and the decayed flesh began to heal. ¡°Oh Oh! The wound is gone!¡± ¡°That uneasy feeling on my back is no more! I can feel my body!¡± Those who got treated got up and left the barracks. Reina, who was shocked, immediately began to use divine power on the treated soldiers. Soon the body of the soldiers revitalized and healed them. Seeing them handle the divine power, Reina hugged Luke. ¡°Wow! You really figured it out!¡± ¡°The answer was Spirit power, and the zombie parasites which entered the body leave out when spirit power enters the body.¡± Luke soon began to treat the other soldiers. Perhaps, because they weren¡¯t all full-fledged zombies, the effect of the treatment was rather fast with just a small amount of Spirit power. In a moment, the wound gets healed and the body which was turning into a zombie would turn back to human. However, there was a limit to Luke¡¯s Spirit power, and he had treated around 10 people and was done. Considering that the number of soldiers who were injured in the battle were almost 3,000¡ªit was a very small contribution. Reina was looking at it from the other side. ¡°I will try it now.¡± ¡°You?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Reina smiled confidently. ¡°You did say that the answer was Spirit power so it isn¡¯t that difficult for me.¡± Reina¡¯s Aether was given to her by Sylphid, the Spirit King of wind¡ªwhen she had gone to the Spirit World. Because she had been to the Spirit World, she knew better than anyone about the spirits and their powers. In addition, the Aether which was given to her by the Spirit King could be easily converted into Spirit power. ¡°I am restraining right now, but the time when I came back to Middle-Earth, I was able to revive the dead trees which had died with my Aether.¡± ¡°The time when you lost your memory?¡± ¡°Yes, I wasn¡¯t aware, but I think I know how to use the spirit.¡± All she didn¡¯t know was that the Spirit power could be used to treat the zombie disease. But looking at Luke¡¯s use of Spirit power, she knew that her ability was similar to that. ¡°Now that we know the answer, I don¡¯t have to hesitate.¡± Reina immediately transformed her Aether into Spirit power. Wooong! A fresh light shone from her body, flowers began to rain from the sky. It was so beautiful to see the sky rain flowers which were filled with the pure energy of nature. ¡®Th-this is!¡¯ Luke was shocked. The Spirit Power which Reina had just unfolded was a lot lively and huge when compared to the Spirit power Luke stole from Constantine. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°These are flowers?¡± The injured soldiers who were being treated in the square next to the city hall had a strange expression when they saw flowers raining down. It wasn¡¯t even the season for the flowers to bloom, and even if it was, there was no way that flowers would bloom in Bremen¡ªlet alone rain down on them. Where did all those flowers coming from? However, after a while, the body of the wounded began to change. The men who were bitten by zombies were turning back to normal. ¡°Th-the miracle!¡± ¡°Oh oh! Her Holiness has worked her miracle!¡± That was when the wounded soldiers had grasped the situation with smiles on their faces. Some of them were so thrilled that they began to kneel and pray. As a result, the flowers which rained down instantly cured 3,000 people. In addition, the zombies which were hanging around the city hall too turned back to humans. The miracle which Reina performed once again blossomed hope in the northern city of Bremen. Chapter 568 - Arsene’s Fury 2 Chapter 568: Arsene¡¯s Fury 2 ¡®Huh was it¡­!¡¯ In the underground of a pyramid located on Thanatos island. Arsene¡¯s forehead frowned at the thought of strengthening and stabilizing the Death Knight and Lich. He was constantly connected with the guardian soul in Baymon, who was placed in Saymon¡¯s body. However, the link broke. It meant only one thing. It meant that Baymon was no more. Arsene¡¯s eyes were flashing with anger in his skeleton. ¡®Kuk! How the hell did that happen? Was it the Pope? Or that right arm! Arch Duke Gregory? If not them¡­¡¯ Was it Luke de Rakan, who had destroyed Hiros, who was placed in the body of Rakan? ¡®There is a high possibility that it had happened. He is the fianc¨¦ of the Pope, and would surely do that.¡¯ Thinking that only made him feel more unpleasant. Constantine was supposed to be used as a puppet by Baymon. And the Spirit Stone placed in Constantine¡¯s body was gone! ¡°Kul! Baymon. Needs. To. Be with. Constantine. Yet. This happened! What. Kind. Of. Disgusting. Situation. Is this?!¡± Urrrrng! The entire pyramid structure shook because of his anger, stones and debris fell from the ceiling. He never thought that the plan to disrupt the Holy Empire would fail so miserably, especially after he had put so much effort into it. Honestly, he shouldn¡¯t have failed. Hundreds and thousands of zombies would be spreading the plague and his warlocks could handle the situation. He even sent Baymon, the strongest warlock in his men apart from him, Baymon was someone who would freely use the 9th circle dark magic. And now that plan had failed, he couldn¡¯t hold back the anger burning in him. ¡°Nestar!¡± As the response to Arsene¡¯s angry cry, the wizard who had a splendid robe on him rushed to him. ¡°Cal- called for me, ancestor?!¡± ¡°Right. Now. I. will. Head. To. The Holy. Empire. Towards. That Wench. Pope. Of. Divine. Empire. And. Kill. Them. All!¡± Till then he had been refraining from directly going to the Rhodesia Continent because a drawback, such as the whereabouts of Nanda was unknown and his Undead had to be strengthened. However, he couldn¡¯t hold himself back anymore. At his words, Nestar immediately fell on the floor and pleaded. ¡°Ancestor! Couldn¡¯t you please tell me what even happened?¡± ¡°Baymon. And. The. Spirit Stone. Given. To. Constantine. Connection. Lost. It. Looks. Like. They. Are. Done.¡± ¡°Eh? Then that means?¡± ¡°Kul, Someone. In. Holy. Empire. Killed. Them.¡± ¡®That- that can¡¯t be!?¡¯ Honestly, the one who created the framework for the plan was Nestar, so he knew if the Holy Empire could handle it or now. But, he thought that his plan would fail! In a hurry, he shook his head. ¡°Master, Ancestor, it is natural for you to punish the leaders of the Holy Empire who ruined our plan. However, it isn¡¯t so clear about who offended us. At least we need to figure out who it was in the Holy Empire and then plan!¡± Nestar was sure that if someone like the guardian of his ancestor, who was stronger than himself had been defeated, then it was clear that the Holy Empire had a very strong ally. From what he knew, Arch Duke Gregory didn¡¯t possess the skills to defeat Baymon. ¡°Kul, it is. Obvious. It. Is. That. Descendant. Of. The. Warrior. He. Knows. The Pope. Of. Holy. Empire. They. Are. Together. I. need. To. Get. Rid. Of. Him.¡± There were only a few strong men who could face the guardians made by Arsene, in the Rhodesia continent. Of course, it was possible to try and avoid a few plans placed by Arsene, however, the number of traps Constantine had placed were numerous. And there were around 200,000 zombies in the city alone. In addition, the descendant of the warrior and the Pope¡ªtheir relationship was well known. ¡°But¡­!¡± Pung! Nestar tried to open his mouth, however, with the gesture of Arsene, she flew back. He did manage to unfold the 8th magic circle Absolute Barrier, but in the face of Arsene¡¯s fury, it was of no use. Even after he collapsed, the wall behind collapsed on the back. ¡°Kuk!¡± Arsene, snarled at him seeing the man struggle and vomit the blood from his mouth. ¡°If. You. Keep. Stopping. Me. Again. I. will. Never. Turn. A. blind. Eye. On. You!¡± ¡®Uhhh!¡¯ Arsene¡¯s anger seemed like bubbling lava, so everyone stayed silent. Nestar had never seen Arsene that angry. Which meant that trying to even reason with him had just turned impossible. Eventually, he decided to back off. The strengthening of the Death Knight and Lich was also done, so all the work was done, and whatever was left could be done by him and his men. The powerful Death knight and Lich, who were of 100 in number would be sufficient to take over the Southern Continent. ¡°Please do as you please. But, this man has one request to ask.¡± ¡°Request?¡± ¡°Yes, if you are going to get rid of the leaders, take out Luke in the beginning. Isn¡¯t he the most troublesome one for us?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± ¡°He must have gained a lot of skill if he could take down Baymon. If he and the other leaders of the Holy Empire strike together¡­¡± At the end of Nestar¡¯s words, Arsene¡¯s eyes went cold. ¡°Kul. You. Don¡¯t. believe. In. My. Abilities?¡± ¡°I would never do that. However, I am looking at the situation reasonably. Defeating them will make things more complete. If the cause is delayed due to the damage and loss of you, won¡¯t you, ancestor be the only one who is at loss?¡± It wasn¡¯t wrong. The forces which would go against Arsene were the powers of God, which don¡¯t go well with Arsene¡¯s power, so it was definite that Arsene would struggle. ¡°Okay, since. You. Are. Begging. Me. And. Since. I don¡¯t. want. My cause. To. Be. Delayed. Any further. I. will. Be. Cautious.¡± ¡°Thank you, ancestor.¡± Arsene turned away from Nestar and left for Rhodesia Continent. To finish off the descendant of the damn warrior who kept destroying Arsene¡¯s plans. Paht! When his body disappeared, Meister Albert of Veritas Magic Tower, who was panicking from the other side, approached Nestar and asked. ¡°Father, is it fine sending an ancestor all alone?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± There was a Southern Continent saying, one hand could never block ten. Even if the proverb wasn¡¯t understood, Nestar had no intention of neglecting the safety of Arsene. It would be difficult for them if something happened to him. ¡°Then?¡± ¡°This time, the ability of the intermediate Undead to attack the Holy Empire can be ordered, the ones made to attack the south.¡± They couldn¡¯t directly help Arsene, who was too proud of his own abilities. He would never accept any help. Instead, Nestar planned to attack the Holy Empire and make them incapable of supporting Luke. It was an appropriate plan in the situation. He checked the performance of the intermediate Undead which was just completed a while ago. All of the undead which was used in the Southern Continent a few months back were of low-level. Nestar was planning to send 5 undead to the Holy Empire, which had Sword Sages and 8th circle wizards. Think about it. What would happen to Gregory if 5 Undead ravaged on him? Perhaps, the Holy Empire could really be destroyed this time. Chapter 569 - Arsene’s Fury 3 Reina¡¯s miracle, which involved Spirit power, began to heal the zombies near Bremen, very quickly. Those who were turned into complete zombies didn¡¯t realize the situation they were in. However, after hearing the situation from the soldiers, they couldn¡¯t help but bow their heads for the Pope. ¡°Thank you so much, Pope.¡± ¡°Holiness is really the only savior and apostle of God!¡± Reina shook her head when the people started praising her. ¡°I didn¡¯t do all of this alone. It was all because of His Majesty Luke¡¯s help.¡± At the same time, she gave her thanks to the warlocks that had spent a great deal of time in studying the disease. Those officials, who knew of her intention, had asked her to not speak about them. However, Reina was hardly the kind to sway from her thoughts or actions. It was an opportunity for her, and she wanted to change the perception that people had about warlocks and Saymon. As a result, she not only wanted to appreciate the warlocks of the Dark Moon Magic Tower, who were studying in the lab at Wolfs, but also the Warlock Wilf, who was looking after his village, Ribek, and finding out the source of the disease. Naturally, Marquis Reas and the other priests jumped at her intentions. ¡°Holiness, the warlocks surely helped us a lot in resolving the current situation, but they still are a group who have been secretly conducting forbidden researches. I do think that just this one act is worthy of forgiving their sins, but there is no need to reward them.¡± ¡°Marquis, we have no idea what they had committed. Do you mean to say that they have summoned the demons like the warlocks of Veritas Magic Tower? Or have they sacrificed humans and spread the epidemic after mastering dark magic?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it in that context¡­¡± ¡°You surely must have heard Majesty Luke¡¯s words, right? The basis of dark magic is to study the natural phenomenon of darkness and the confusion which surrounds that the topic.¡± ¡°Yes, I know that. I learned that dark magic wasn¡¯t all bad. It could be good or bad depending on the user. But, just that one thing wouldn¡¯t change the perception of the entire world.¡± The greatest concern for Marquis Reas was that the task, which Reina wanted to take upon her, would affect the reputation of the denomination and the Holy Empire too. Until then, the warlocks were searched for and eradicated by the priests of the Holy Empire. But all of a sudden, they were going to accept their existence and award the warlocks? The other nations would definitely see it as the Holy Empire was joining forces with the warlocks. In addition, it would be another possibility for the forces that oppose the pope to rise once again. ¡°And it is stated in the national law that the warlocks or those involved with dark magic need to be punished in extreme measures. If we decide to overlook that, the prestige of the nation¡­¡± ¡°Then we should start changing the national law.¡± ¡°H-Holiness!¡± A small amount of legislative work wouldn¡¯t really matter if the pope decided to change it. However, the law against the warlocks was decided by the first pope, who was referred to as a Saint. No pope had ever touched that law. Rather, they didn¡¯t have the nerve to touch it. ¡°If there are mistakes in the law, we are supposed to reflect on it and make sure to not follow them.¡± ¡°Of course, that is indeed true, but to change it suddenly will only call for opposition. Please think about it again.¡± Despite her stubbornness, due to the strong opposition from the priests and the officials, Reina had to give up on the thought of rewarding the warlocks. As if it wasn¡¯t something satisfactory, she complained to Luke during their dinner. ¡°This is really disappointing. The perception of the world isn¡¯t easy to change, but they aren¡¯t even trying to change a little!¡± ¡°It is something that shouldn¡¯t be done, but I am glad that an opportunity had been presented to us where the people¡¯s view of dark magic had been changed a little.¡± Luke¡¯s blunt words struck her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you frustrated or irritated with this? You did nothing wrong, yet in reality, everyone despises and acts hostile toward the warlocks.¡± ¡°Of course, this is very frustrating. I would just like to avoid as much backlash as possible. I don¡¯t want what has been earned by us to end in vain.¡± Dark Moon¡¯s warlocks didn¡¯t expect any reward for their actions. They were only hoping for the reality, where warlocks being killed, to be changed even by a little. ¡°I still think that I need to change the law.¡± ¡°Of course, you should. I think of this as a great opportunity. It is necessary for the people to understand about dark magic in order to cope with the evil deeds of certain warlocks.¡± ¡°Do you plan on supervising the warlocks?¡± ¡°It was said that the Mado Civilization did something like that. The state used to manage the magic that could have been deemed dangerous for the empire.¡± Reina couldn¡¯t hide her interest in the story. ¡°It isn¡¯t that hard to understand. It could be thought of as a thieves guild.¡± What was the relationship between the thieves guild and the officers? Wasn¡¯t it a relationship of one catching the other? Well, not entirely. When one would look at certain cities, it was clear that both the agencies would work mutually. With the promise that minor crimes would be overlooked, the guild would be banned from murders, robbery, and human trafficking. And the officers would feel good due to fewer cases of severe crimes in the city, and the thieves guild could conduct their activities just as they wanted without the worry of getting caught. In addition to that, the thieves guild were able to earn enough money by not just doing petty crimes but also by conducting background investigation with their special skills or receiving and giving money to a certain someone. The so-called thieves guild, in some places, had been renamed Information Guilds. ¡°You mean you want to be the head of the thieves.¡± ¡°Exactly. In the Southern Continent, it is called as IJ (Controlling the barbarians).¡± Luke, who had given her a brief idea of his thoughts, changed the topic. ¡°By the way, if it isn¡¯t too much, I would like you to cooperate with the experiment we are doing today¡­¡± ¡°You mean the analysis and exploration of Divine power? You still haven¡¯t given up on that?¡± ¡°If I was going to give up in a day or two, I wouldn¡¯t even start studying it in the first place.¡± Luke¡¯s words reached Reina, who still couldn¡¯t understand. Woong! The Divine power, which was transformed by the Aether, flowed into Luke¡¯s body. He was able to absorb Reina¡¯s Divine power like a cotton swab, yet he still couldn¡¯t understand. It was obvious that since he had the Aether Globe in his heart, he was able to absorb Divine power. However, he couldn¡¯t hold it in his body as he did with mana or Spirit power. Once the Aether Globe absorbed the Divine power, it gave a sensation of getting lost somewhere, where it couldn¡¯t be tapped. ¡®Eh, why is this happening? Is it because I learned dark magic?¡¯ That was what he thought, but he wasn¡¯t convinced. If that was the case, Luke shouldn¡¯t have been able to master the Gold Sword, which was known to hold anti-Magi properties that were close to Divine power. ¡°This seems to be completely different from sword skills or magic. That is why this is difficult¡­¡± ¡°I told you, right? Divine power is expressed by faith.¡± Reina¡¯s constant nagging about Divine power irritated Luke. The faith she was talking about meant to pray to God and stay loyal to his teachings. When he went to speak to Marquis Reas, the priests, and the wizards, he gave the same answer. No, he spoke a lot of different things. Divine power was a power that belonged in the realm of God, and it wasn¡¯t something that could be analyzed or studied with the knowledge that humans possess. ¡°You can only receive Divine power when you give your heart to God and follow the words of his priests.¡± ¡°Well, if that is so, then why is it possible for those priests, who violated his teachings, to still be able to use Divine power?¡± Constantine who was blinded by his desire for power and turned innocent people into zombies, or Count Schmidt, who was notorious for murdering people in the Empire, was also able to use Divine power. Luke didn¡¯t think that he was a good being who could follow God¡¯s teachings. However, he couldn¡¯t believe that trash like Constantine and Schmidt were able to wield it. So why was he not able to use it? ¡°There is a saying, ¡®I will never throw away the sheep that is wandering outside the fence. You too shouldn¡¯t forsake yourself.¡¯ Maybe the unclean priests weren¡¯t completely abandoned by God.¡± ¡°The wandering sheep, huh? Am I the same?¡± ¡°Hohoho, God might see you as a wolf rather than a sheep.¡± ¡°I am a wolf? Fine, since I am a wolf, I might as well act as one then.¡± Luke, who said that, reached for Reina with a smirk on his face. ¡°Kyak! You look like a delicious sheep! Which part should I start eating?¡± ¡°Kyaaa! Save me!¡± Pretending to play around, Reina put on her robe and ran around the table. After running around the table several times, the play of tag ended with the wolf catching its prey. ¡°Kukk, caught you. Where should I start eating you?¡± ¡°Ahh, you should¡­¡± It started as a playful joke. Soon, she felt the warmth of her husband¡¯s hands. Luke then went in for a kiss. However, that was all they could do. All of a sudden, the shepherd dog that was standing outside the tent came in and looked at them fiercely. ¡°You two, how about you end that joke there?¡± Thud! Luke and Reina could feel themselves turn red. Luke looked at Arch Duke Gregory that just spoiled the best time. ¡°Hmm, ahm, what are you doing here, Arch Duke?¡± ¡°I need to stay by Her Holiness¡¯ side. But now that I¡¯m seeing it, it seems good.¡± Luke and Reina¡¯s marriage was a secret, and only a couple of people in the Holy Empire knew. However, in recent days, the two of them were being too close. If a little more space would be given to them, they might end up doing a mistake. Honestly, a mistake or two wouldn¡¯t have been the problem, but Reina getting pregnant would be a disaster. Such a mistake should never happen. ¡°Holiness, can I talk to you for a second? I need to tell you something.¡± ¡°Ah, I understand.¡± Eventually, Reina left the tent with Arch Duke Gregory, and Luke had no choice but to relish the kiss he had shared with her a while ago. Chapter 570 - Arsene’s Fury 4 In spite of the anger that he couldn¡¯t move any further in his relationship with Reina, Luke went back to studying Divine power. He read all the scriptures of El Kassel¡¯s denomination from beginning to end if he really needed to form faith in him. However, reading all those huge books didn¡¯t work. ¡°They are all good stories and words, but that is all they have.¡± In fact, 500 years ago, he had read it. It was something that Priest Brandon, who had saved his life, had recommended to him. Though Luke didn¡¯t speak to Brandon about his feelings, the priest seemed to have sensed the deep anger residing in Luke. So he handed the book to Luke and said, ¡°The grudge and hatred you have led you here, and that path you chose is hard to follow. It isn¡¯t too late now, so come to the side where God is present.¡± Of course, Luke didn¡¯t accept the invitation, and the book made no sense to him. Rather, it only made him feel angrier. Why was it that those who follow God or feed on the money of God not follow the teachings they preach to others? Why were the Gods only observing the world they created? Whether it would be to sweep the world with flood or using the spear of God that could turn the world to ashes, all those things were mentioned in the mythology. Such means were necessary to punish the unclean and select the rightful men. ¡°Does God not feel responsible for what happened? If he doesn¡¯t, shouldn¡¯t he at least use his skills or will?¡± It was when Luke was muttering the words to himself that an unusual energy rose behind him. Luke quickly turned his head. Nanda was the one standing there. ¡°Ah, Saint, I thought you were a ghost.¡± Even Luke¡¯s energy couldn¡¯t sense the presence of Nanda. If Nanda himself didn¡¯t give out energy, Luke would have never had the idea that someone was behind him. ¡°Huhuhu. This old man is not a ghost. Just someone who can¡¯t be felt.¡± Nanda sat in front of Luke and said, ¡°You seem to be troubled. Do you feel the need or are you desperate?¡± ¡°I guess I can¡¯t hide things from you. You are right. I want to learn about Divine power, but I am worried that I can¡¯t.¡± Luke spoke to Nanda about what he was trying to learn regarding Divine power and the problem he faced. ¡°The priests say that I need to side with God, but I don¡¯t think so. Reina is very religious, but till the moment she gained Aether from the Spirit World, she never was able to exercise Divine power.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± ¡°I am honestly very annoyed. Sinful, ugly, and the most vicious kinds of humans are priests and paladins, and they are able to use Divine power, but why can¡¯t I? it is true that I lack the faith, and there are way too many things that are hard to understand.¡± Luke had a thin smile on his lips. ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­ Isn¡¯t this how the world works?¡± Said Nanda. ¡°The world works? There are many situations where the wrong always wins.¡± ¡°Who is the one who determined those situations? Your Majesty, you have the power of magic. If you use flame magic, those who don¡¯t understand magic will surely wonder.¡± ¡°That can be explained through magic¡­¡± ¡°Could a farmer understand magic? Would you understand my abilities if our positions changed?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Nanda¡¯s absence of physical pain. Luke surely didn¡¯t understand his powers, which were termed to be closer to the powers of God, even after the Zegal Clan had explained to him. It was because the concept itself was very unfamiliar to Luke. Yet, Nanda¡¯s ability wasn¡¯t a trick or skill that wasn¡¯t absent in the world. Nanda continued to speak to Luke, who seemed to understand what he was saying. ¡°It is natural to not understand the world. That is why we people don¡¯t stop learning and gaining experience, even while repeating our regretful reincarnation.¡± ¡°Regretful reincarnation¡­¡± ¡°Sometimes we sin and sometimes we do good, to live in compliance with nature without any worries, to be distressed because of our intelligence, and to realize the road to escape the circle of reincarnations and reach a higher level.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you feeling resentful that God doesn¡¯t care about this world? But aren¡¯t you more displeased with the fact that God doesn¡¯t interfere directly with the world? Your Majesty, have you ever heard the bitter cry of the farmer who gets bitten by the ant?¡± ¡°So, people are like bugs?¡± Even though Luke seemed rather unpleasant with it, Nanda continued to speak, ¡°What makes a human that different from bugs? We have only one life, and when we die, that body returns to the soil. It is true that we possess intellect, but from God¡¯s point of view, humans still haven¡¯t come out of the confined creatures created by him.¡± ¡°¡­ Is there a chance to come out?¡± ¡°Of course. Whether we chose to spend our life in vain, build up good deeds, or to awaken our souls¡­ everything is up to us.¡± Convinced, Luke nodded. ¡°In the end, it is up to me to learn Divine power, not God.¡± ¡°Yes. Faith is surprisingly simple. Think carefully about why God, who you think overlooks the humans, would give Divine power. if you are wise, you¡¯d be able to realize it immediately.¡± With those last words, Nanda disappeared. There was no trace of him in the place where he sat as if he hadn¡¯t been there in the first place. Luke didn¡¯t seem surprised as Nanda was the kind to do that. Instead, he began to chew his brain on what Nanda said to look for answers regarding Divine power. ¡®Is faith that simple? The reason why God gives Divine power¡­¡¯ Luke began to think back and forth and reopened the books that he had already finished reading. Right then, at the beginning of the mythic era, the chapter that spoke about Genesis told the birth of a tree, the World Tree, and the following verse. ¡®The initial chaos has been put rest by Heavenly Father, El Kassel, and Mother of Earth, Belize, they together have planted small shoots. The buds spread their roots, and the leaves started to stretch out, giving rise to the sun, the moon, and numerous stars. Green leaves spread, mountains rise from the roots, and water accumulated in low places. Life began to grow from the branches that had stretched out toward the sky, which made Goddess Belize very glad and happy¡­¡¯ ¡®She felt happy¡­¡¯ It was a verse that spoke about the world being made with no malice. The thought of happiness stroke a very old memory in Luke. The conversation he had with Priest Brandon when he gave him the scriptures to study. ¡°Become a priest? But I am already overflowing with Magi?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Even when being a warlock, you are still the child of God. If you return to God, he will be very glad and happy.¡± ¡°Loved by God? Then why would he give me such sadness? Why would he make me hate him?!¡± ¡°Phew, how can we humans ever understand their reason? One of the reasons why you are alive and breathing and was helped by this humble man is all because of his love and care for you.¡± Brandon tried to persuade him over and over again. He always emphasized that a warlock such as Saymon was still loved by God. ¡®Love¡­ yes. If you can like someone, you can surely love.¡¯ The first person, who came into Luke¡¯s mind, upon thinking of the word love was Reina. He loved her a lot more than Katarina, his previous lover. He trusted her a lot more than anyone. Reina would never betray Luke¡¯s faith and love. ¡®Right. Since you can like someone, you learn to love, and through love, you find faith. It is the same for people in science and religion.¡¯ Luke learned magic because he liked it. He had faith that magic could be the strength. The same was the case for swords after his reincarnation. In the same way, anyone could love and have faith. Even a wicked person could do so. Those, who were shameless and blind like Constantine and Schmidt, believed in God, and that was why they were able to use Divine power. God would give his worthless children the chance to live and breathe because of their will, expecting them to one day realize what they had done. ¡®Those people who deny love and side with the Devil are abandoned. Yeah, that is why Divine power doesn¡¯t respond for the ones sided with the Devil.¡¯ Even Reina, who was able to attain the miracle power that made her into the pope, tried to sacrifice and dedicate her entire existence for her beloved Luke. Realizing what she had in mind, Sylphid gave Reina the power of Aether, and Reina was able to convert it into Divine power. Luke¡¯s fingers traced the wooden cross over the cover of the scripture. ¡°Oh, Great Heavenly Father, Mother of Earth! I was too shallow to understand your will and reasoning, but I love the woman who follows your preaching. My faith is all for her.¡± For the first time ever, words of complete sincerity flowed out of Luke¡¯s mouth. ¡°Not my will, but I want to respect her will and protect her, and if you love me, the one who cares for her, give this child of yours a little power.¡± Woong! Maybe the earnest appeal and love of Luke had reached the person in heaven. Luke¡¯s Aether Globe began to transform into something different. A light and warm energy hovered around his body and spread to both his hands. The cold stone on the floor came to life, and buds bloomed brightly through the floor. As if an indoor garden had been created, Luke couldn¡¯t hide his emotions and smiled with joy after seeing the ground change. ¡°Thank you so much, God.¡± Luke was a warlock who had been buried in darkness for his revenge. After finally understanding God, he was able to get under the grace of God and achieve his power. Chapter 571 - Obtain the Holy Sword 1 Luke, who succeeded in acquiring the Divine power, immediately brought people together and showed it to them. The zombies made by Constantine were returned back to their human form, and his divine power was used to clean the wounded. In the process, Luke didn¡¯t try to use anything other than the Spirit Power and Divine power. As a result, Marquis Reas and the priests were all shocked. Even if Luke hadn¡¯t sold his soul to the demons, he still used Magi, but the same person was able to use Divine power! ¡°Unbelievable! Aren¡¯t dark magic and divine power incompatible?¡± ¡°Maybe dark magic really isn¡¯t that bad¡­¡± ¡°Maybe this is an exception. Isn¡¯t it true that most warlocks are evil, except for Majesty Luke and his followers?¡± ¡°But it is true that the teachings we read are completely broken. We are trying to solve the problem with Holiness¡¯s miracle power, but wasn¡¯t it Majesty Luke and his warlocks who cured and treated the disease?¡± ¡°Yes, we need to admit that.¡± It wasn¡¯t just the priests who were shocked. The Dark Moon warlocks were out of their minds. ¡°I knew that he was an extraordinary man, but I never thought he would be able to achieve this¡­¡± ¡°Would it be possible for us too?¡± Quintero shook his head when asked by his men. ¡°Well, I think we should consider our Master as one with extraordinary skills and abilities.¡± ¡°But even then, wouldn¡¯t it be possible if we read the scriptures or carry the cross? That way, we will be similar to the priests.¡± ¡°To explore the darkness with the power of faith¡­ huhu, sounds like a good method.¡± ¡°Maybe that way our Dark Moon¡¯s warlocks can walk into the world with confidence.¡± Dark Moon warlocks¡¯ greatest wish for themselves was to reveal their true selves to the world. Think about it. If people learned that they knew Dark Magic, they would be killed right away, but this way they wouldn¡¯t! In the past, even the thought itself scared them. The moment one displayed dark magic, they would be killed rather than listened to. But with Luke in the front line, a new future seemed possible. Luke showed his Divine power and put the priests and warlocks in shock. However, Reina was enjoying some tea time with Karen. The zombies weren¡¯t completely treated, and they didn¡¯t know when they would be asked to come help, so they rarely had the chance to meet and talk. ¡®But, why is that man here? He is quite annoying.¡¯ Luke looked at the gargoyle-like man, who was standing on one side of the room, Gregory¡¯s eyes were as sharp as a hawk. Because of him, even if he wanted to express his affection to Reina, he couldn¡¯t. Unlike Luke, who cared about the presence of others, Reina was rather happy to see Karen. Karen, who was chewing on some baked cookies, looked so cute with a smile and eyes twinkling. ¡°Is that delicious, Karen?¡± Nod Nod. Karen, who was chewing on the cookies in the bowl like a squirrel, nodded her head. It was the first time that she had eaten something so sweet and delicious. In the future which had disappeared, there wasn¡¯t enough food for all, and due to the outbreak of the zombie legion, they couldn¡¯t even ask for tasty food. Even after coming to the past, she wasn¡¯t able to enjoy food and drinks. ¡®At least to eat these delicious things, I need to defeat Lich King, Arsene!¡¯ When she decided on that, even she realized that her thoughts were turning childish. Maybe it was because she was in her younger form, she began to wonder if she would be able to solve something which her parents weren¡¯t able to solve. ¡®This fight isn¡¯t over yet. So I need to be confident¡­¡¯ ¡°Tasty, Karen? Would you like to have some of this then?¡± Karen¡¯s maturity came crumbling when Reina pushed a pastry towards her. Slurp! She nodded her head violently, not even realizing. Before realizing what she did, Reina hugged her. ¡°How can she be this cute¡­ how, Karen? Would you like to come over to Bless with me?¡± ¡°Uhm, I have decided to take care of Karen.¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°Yes. I am formally going to accept her as my stepdaughter.¡± Karen was shocked by the revelation that Luke just released. She never thought that her own father would adopt her. Hugging her more tightly, not wanting Karen to be taken away, Reina said to Luke. ¡°If you do want that, then you should hand her to me. A child needs a mother¡¯s love.¡± ¡°That is true, but I owe her.¡± ¡°It is the same with me. If it weren¡¯t for Karen, I wouldn¡¯t be alive here.¡± Reina¡¯s stubbornness couldn¡¯t be rivaled, which was why Luke spoke in a serious voice. ¡°How would people react if the Pope suddenly appeared with a daughter? Don¡¯t create trouble and leave her to me.¡± ¡°Trouble? How many previous Pope had adopted daughters?! There were many! Isn¡¯t that true Arch Duke?¡± ¡°Eh, yes, Holiness.¡± When Reina asked, Gregory immediately nodded his head. There were cases when the young prospective priests and paladins were adopted into noble families and raised as successors. However, there was a secret that wasn¡¯t leaked about it. It was that every child adopted was an illegitimate child of theirs. Since the priests were unable to marry, they held illegitimate relations. ¡®The child might not be her Holiness¡¯s, but¡­ too similar. Though I am curious, I have nothing to say.¡¯ Reina didn¡¯t like Karen, just because she saved her. Every time she saw the child, she could remember her and Luke¡¯s daughter who looked very much like Karen. The child who she saw in the dream was rather lonely and sad. Karen, who looked similar to the child in her dreams thought that there was no way that Reina would let her go. She considered it to be a gift from God. ¡°Well, I am going to raise Karen as a great person.¡± At Reina¡¯s declaration, Luke objected. ¡°No way, that child has exceptional talent. If I don¡¯t teach her¡­¡± ¡°What do you plan on teaching a child of this young age?¡± ¡°You¡¯re taking it the wrong way. People don¡¯t evolve further in lower-income families because their children aren¡¯t educated at an early age.¡± ¡°You think that is so great? Haven¡¯t you heard the scholars claim that a parents¡¯ greed kills the creativity of the child?¡± Karen stared at her parents arguing about her. When she was panicking, Arch Duke Gregory came ahead. ¡°How about you ask the child yourselves what she wants?¡± ¡°That is a good idea. Karen, with me¡­ no, come with dad.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t come with your mom. If you follow your dad, you¡¯ll end up learning magic and fencing every day.¡± It was very similar to ¡®Do you like your dad? Or do you like your mom?¡¯ Karen looked at the two people alternating, she sighed and embraced Reina. Meaning that she would follow her. Reina seemed very pleased with her, however, Luke was considerably upset. ¡®Dad, I am sorry. I want to be with dad too, but I need to protect mom.¡¯ Between the two, Karen felt like she had to protect her mom, Reina, who was extremely powerless in such cases. It was because there was no guarantee that the raids like before wouldn¡¯t happen again. ¡°Oh my, then we meet again¡­¡± When Luke was trying to emotionally bring in the child, Hwang Bo-sung entered the room with news. ¡°Master, we have magic communication from our nation.¡± ¡°Yeah? Something bad¡­?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t seem like that, but it seemed like they wanted you to contact them right away.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± At Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s words, Luke took the crystal ball of magic communication and called the Symphonia Palace. The face of Hans¡ªthe Prime Minister¡ªpopped right away as if they were waiting for Luke¡¯s contact. -How have you been, Your Majesty? I heard that the situation in Jackson is getting solved. ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d get the good news so quickly.¡± Good news. It was said that Luke had been carrying on the legacy of the Devil King Saymon and possesses the contact with warlocks of Dark Moon. That information was being held secret by Marquis Reas and a few other higher officials. However, Luke knew that secrets couldn¡¯t be kept forever. Contrary, he thought that it wouldn¡¯t be bad if the news about warlocks helping in solving the zombie disease went out. -Good news? I already heard about the warlocks joining in to resolve the situation. Everyone thinks of it to be an inevitable situation. That is what I believe too. ¡®Didn¡¯t they decide on a decision on the situation? No, rather than that, from Hans¡¯s personality, he should be asking me to shy away from getting in contact with any warlocks, right?¡¯ The most conservative people of the Symphonia Kingdom were probably the Rakan family retainers. And Hans was a model character for that role. Did he realize that the King was with the warlocks? It wouldn¡¯t be strange for Hans to yell or ask Luke to walk away from there. Luke, tilted his head and asked. ¡°By the way, Prime Minister, what is happening in our nation¡± -That¡­ there is nothing wrong here, it¡¯s just that, there is something why His Majesty must check and judge. So please come back if your work there is done. ¡®Something I need to check and judge? What could that be?¡¯ The question would be answered only if he went back to Symphonia. Luke, nodded his head. ¡°Understood. I will try to get back as soon as possible.¡± -Yes, we¡¯ll wait for His majesty¡¯s return. When Luke was done with his call, Reina, who was listening from the side, asked with a sad face. ¡°Are you heading back?¡± ¡°Yes. Not going right away¡­¡± Luke was feeling the same. Since the situation with the zombie disease had been settled, they thought that they could spend some alone time together. ¡®Great power comes with great responsibility¡­¡¯ The words which a saint said to the hero in a novel of the past. It was a very popular dialogue that was especially favored by powerful nobles. Why did they like it? Maybe because of the lingering words. ¡®Great power comes with great responsibility. And the right to enjoy the wealth.¡¯ However, Luke seemed to be unable to afford the luxuries of the rich man, who was taking up great responsibility. It was very rare in the history for a monarch to have enjoyed extravagant luxuries and entertainment. They were all devoted to the administration of their empires that they were neglected by their kids, and often ended up when military forces turned on them after the newer generation of leaders rose. ¡®When will I and Reina be at peace? Would it be possible after defeating the Baroque Empire and Arsene?¡¯ He was envious of the ordinary people who could spend their time with their loved ones. However, it was impossible to stop his goal in the middle and he had already decided to reach his goal. Luke decided to put off his happiness for a while, if it meant to prevent the tragedy which would strike the happiness of the ordinary families. Chapter 572 - Obtain the Holy Sword 2 A few days later, Luke had decided to return. Reina and the other high ranking officials of the Holy Empire, who were all in Bremen, and those who were saved, all gathered at the city square. ¡°Don¡¯t look too sad, we¡¯ll meet again.¡± ¡°Yes, the next time, I¡¯ll come for you.¡± When Luke and Reina said their goodbyes, Karen, who was next to Reina walked forward. Feeling shy, she opened her mouth. ¡°You need to be careful¡­ dad.¡± ¡®Ah, she called me dad!¡¯ It was the first time that he heard himself being addressed as ¡®dad¡¯ from that lovely child¡¯s mouth. As Luke was surprised, but soon said, ¡°Ah, yes! You too should listen to your mother.¡± With a confident nod, Karen hugged Luke while he patted her head. Hwang Bo-sung couldn¡¯t help but smile looking at her. Along with Karen, his future self had come to the past and disappeared, he couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for Karen, who wouldn¡¯t even tell her real identity to her own parents. However, Luke was the first to decide about taking her in as his adoptive daughter, and Reina was more than glad at his decision. ¡®Maybe the affection of blood and flesh remains constant even if the world changes?¡¯ With the thoughts running in his mind, Hwang Bo-sung suddenly got reminded of his father on the Southern Continent. According to the information which they get from the merchants of the Southern Continent who visit the Symphonia Kingdom, or the Zegal Clan, his father was heartbroken when the news of Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s death was reported, so he decided to step down from his work in the clan. It wasn¡¯t just once or twice that Hwang Bo-sung had thought of telling his father about his survival and current position. ¡®But this isn¡¯t the time.¡¯ Once his father realizes that Hwang Bo-sung was alive, he wouldn¡¯t just stop feeling glad. Considering his personality, he would definitely try to find out the reason as to why his youngest son had gone missing in the first place. ¡®Hyung, already wields a strong influence over the Song Empire, as well as the clan, can¡¯t afford to create havoc. If I do let father know, his life can be at stake.¡¯ Which was why he should refrain from acting rashly. However, even when he tried to calm his mind, he couldn¡¯t help but feel the burden on his shoulders. ¡°Sir Hwang Bo-sung, something on your mind?¡± ¡°Nothing at all, Master. Just thinking about when we¡¯ll start.¡± Luke was a little puzzled at Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s words, and nodded his head and immediately used Teleport magic. Woong! The moment the magic circle was built under their feet, a bright light began to shine. From the sights of Reina, the people of the Holy Empire, Luke and his Guards, as well as the warlocks who did extraordinary work in the pandemic, disappeared at once. Karen and Reina stood for a minute even after they disappeared, and once the light began to vanish, they stepped back with the words of Arch Duke Gregory. Luke took the part to Bless. He decided to return to the capital to use the long-distance teleport gate, the same way he had come. Before that, he had to return the warlocks back to the Dark Moon magic tower. ¡°You have all worked very hard. Till the next time I call for you, study and work hard in the Magic Tower.¡± ¡°Yes, master, we will¡­¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Elder Quintero replied and immediately left for Jason estate along with the other warlocks. Seeing them off, Luke returned to Brandon along with his Guard Knights. Prime Minister Hans, who was present at the long-distance teleport gate, greeted him. ¡°You have come, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Yes, what was it that I had to check?¡± Impatiently Luke asked. Hans looked around for a moment and said, ¡°I will guide you there. Please follow me.¡± Hans took Luke to the innermost part of the palace, the private room. Luke was rather shocked to see the knights who were placed while moving to the private room. It was because, it wasn¡¯t just the Guard Knights, but also war mages and magical barriers of warning for some kind of containment had been constructed. ¡®What could it be? Why did they have to do all this¡­?¡¯ Luke was rather puzzled when the door to the private room had opened. Kiiik! The door opened to reveal what was inside. Erwin and Marquis Rogers got up and bowed their heads towards Luke. Luke was rather upset at seeing them rather than the thing he had to check. ¡°Are there two people whom I am supposed to check, Prime Minister?¡± ¡°No, Your Majesty. These are the guardians who were placed to protect the Holy Sword.¡± ¡°Holy Sword?¡± Luke was shocked when Marquis Rogers handed Luke a long box that was on the table. ¡°Your Majesty, this is the Holy Sword, Valiant, the one used by your ancestor Rakan.¡± ¡°Valiant!¡± Luke who was astounded, immediately opened the lid of the box. Before his eyes was a half-broken Holy Sword. ¡®This is no mistake! This is definitely the sword of Rakan!¡¯ The moment he touched the blade, Luke could feel the sharp yet bright divine power in it. That too wasn¡¯t something his body felt, but something his soul could perceive. The moment he touched the sword, Luke could vividly feel it piercing through his heart and throat. His entire body was filled with discomfort, however, there was no one other than Erwin who could understand his emotions. They all assumed that Luke was getting emotional after seeing the precious sword used by his ancestor. ¡°Where did you find this?¡± ¡°We found it in the underground of the permanent manor in Rakan estate. It was said that it was found buried in the floor, and during the reconstruction of the manor, they fell upon it.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Luke carefully picked up the sword which had sucked out his past life. Unlike the time when it was in the hands of Warrior Rakan, the current Valiant sword didn¡¯t overwhelm him. It wasn¡¯t because of Rakan¡¯s strength. The one who crafted the sword was Zig, the master of blacksmiths. He had made the Holy Sword which already had immense Divine power in itself. However, with the ravages of time, the Divine power was hardly present. ¡®Was it because the Sword¡¯s life got drained after it was broken? Who even broke this sword?¡¯ When Luke was contemplating, Erwin spoke out. ¡°Your Majesty, please use the sunlight to reflect the image of the sword.¡± ¡°Sunlight?¡± When Luke asked, Hwang Bo-sung had slid the curtains in the room to one side. Push! Once the sunlight made into the room, the sword reflected the light, along with the words written on it. ¡°Th-this is¡­!¡± ¡°The words left behind by him. Till now it has remained unknown to the world.¡± At the words of Hans, Luke carefully read through everything Rakan had written. In the beginning, he wanted to quickly read it and get it done. However, he was startled when he saw that Rakan felt the killing of Saymon to be the biggest mistake of his life, and the Continent. ¡®Rakan regretted killing me¡­!¡¯ In Luke¡¯s memory, Rakan was nothing bust a loyal dog to the Duke, Karno de Baroque and the Veritas Magic Tower¡¯s Meister¡ªArsene. Which was he was displeased with being reborn in the body of his descendant. He even deliberately broke the statue of Rakan and cleared up all of his portraits in the manor. However, Rakan didn¡¯t jus regret killing him but traced back the reasons for Saymon¡¯s actions. And was hoping for someone to walk the path of Saymon and destroy the mess he had created. ¡°I ask those who find this sword. If you are someone who wants to change the world or know someone like that, if you are someone who isn¡¯t bound by customs and wants to break the unfair laws and the like, empower yourself or him. Even if it slanders you, or those who are on his side¡­¡± ¡°Huh, even we were surprised to read that¡­¡± Hans sighed and spoke, Luke finally realized why Hans and Rogers had such complicated expressions on their faces. It wasn¡¯t because of finding the ancestral treasure, but because the ¡®truth¡¯ they saw was very different from what they knew. Of course, Erwin, who knew the history was rather calm. ¡°That was why you didn¡¯t say much when you heard that I was out with the warlocks in the Holy Empire.¡± Hans nodded at Luke¡¯s words. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Moreover, according to the intelligence chief Hudson, they were the warlocks who succeeded in Saymon¡¯s path¡­¡± ¡®Did they get information about Dark Moon? Then it is only a matter of time before they come to know that they are all my men.¡¯ Surely the Holy Empire, which was known for its conservational style of acts understood it. It was because the situations and the information they had provided changed their perspective. The problem was the conservative men of Symphonia. In any normal condition, they would never even listen to anything of that sort, but the man they looked up to, Rakan had said it. Even the head of such a conservative group, Hans, itself was shaking. ¡°Just as Your Majesty saw, your ancestor has asked to help anyone isn¡¯t entangled with the current customs and wants to correct the unjust order of the world. And in the eyes of this old man, I see Your Majesty as the pioneer.¡± ¡°Do you really think that?¡± ¡°Yes, I can tell that by looking at all the actions Your Majesty has taken till now.¡± All the policies which Luke had passed so far, with accepting the fairies as equals of the society, without discrimination¡ªwho had given them equal rights and all. Rogers too nodded in agreement. Seeing that, Luke smiled. ¡°How many people know about this?¡± ¡°With the exception of those in the room, Meister Mute is the only other one.¡± Hans, who responded to Luke¡¯s question, asked something he had always wanted to ask. ¡°But Your Majesty, there was something that I always wanted to ask you, would that be alright?¡± ¡°You mean the truth about rumors circulating around?¡± Luke asked as if he was expecting the question, and Hans nodded. Rogers too was curious and asked with the passion in his eyes. ¡°Before that, there is something, a truth you need to know.¡± Saying that, Luke took a book from the subspace bracelet. His own diary, from 500 years back, which he had brought from the Devil King¡¯s castle to Brandon. The records, the diary, and the truth behind Devil King, Saymon. ¡°Look at this and think about what is in it. What the truth was and what had been hidden from the world.¡± Saying that, Luke gave them the book and left the room. In his arms¡ªwas the sword left behind the warrior who regretted using it. Chapter 573 - Obtain the Holy Sword 3 Luke, who obtained Holy Sword Valiant, summoned great blacksmiths to repair the broken sword. In the Symphonia Kingdom, the blacksmiths who were called out were mostly dwarves. One of the most prominent among them was Kurgon, the head of the Red Hammer Tribe. When called by Luke, he looked at the half-broken sword. ¡°Is this the f*cking sword that Rakan wielded?¡± Among his ancestors, there were thousands of dwarves who had turned victims for the sword, Valiant, when they stood against Rakan. That was why Valiant was notorious among the fairies. If it was the knights who admired Rakan, they would have been enraged at Kurgon¡¯s words. However, Kurgon calmed his mind as King Luke was the legacy of Saymon. ¡°Saw that? Can you repair it?¡± ¡°This one, it won¡¯t attach itself to the other¡­¡± Orichalcum was known to be the metal of God. It was difficult to deal with, and not many people knew how to handle it. In the case of Kurgon, he had learned all the secrets from his ancestors, and when he was in the Republic of Volga, he was commissioned to the Arch Duke to restore Oriharkon Fort. Yet, he didn¡¯t seem very confident in repairing the Holy Sword. ¡°What is the problem?¡± ¡°How should I explain it to you? Well, ah! It would be very similar to trying to save a dead body by attaching to it its severed head.¡± ¡®Uhm¡­ That bad?¡¯ Luke wasn¡¯t as proficient in metallurgy as Kurgon. However, he was someone who studied magic engineering that was why he could understand it. As a result, he already assumed that restoring the Holy Sword to its original form was impossible. However, he wanted to listen to the opinion of the blacksmiths. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you realize it, whether its a Holy Sword or a Magic Sword, they weren¡¯t just polished metal pieces. They are the souls and will of its creator and its wielder.¡± ¡°Restoring it to its original form is impossible.¡± ¡°Yes, in order to restore it properly, it will take more than just the skills of the creator. It is harder to fix it than make it.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Upon hearing it, Luke kept on thinking about what Rakan said. ¡®You were a good one till the end. I would understand if you just hid yourself in regret, but why break the sword?¡¯ Perhaps, Rakan didn¡¯t want his sword to be exploited by others. However, Luke couldn¡¯t help but get angry. A precious Holy Sword was deemed useless. ¡°Well, can you fix it?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be that easy to restore it back and have it perform like it used to, but it can be attached. I will take it to my workplace and get it done.¡± ¡°Really? However, for now, let it be here.¡± There was something that had to be done before getting that sword fixed. Prominent scholars were needed including Marquis Albain and show them Rakan¡¯s words. He was planning to wash away the stigma of the past and improve the perception people had on dark magic so that Dark Moon would be able to come out of the darkness. Of course, it wasn¡¯t guaranteed. Whether it was history or magic, it took time for new theories to be formed and be recognized. ¡°Well, tell me when it needs to be done. I will come running for you.¡± Even the best blacksmiths in the Symphonia Kingdom wouldn¡¯t have the chance to touch such jewels, that too a sword made by Zig, which was someone famous all over the continent. That was why Kurgon didn¡¯t want to miss the opportunity. ¡°If you give that to someone else, I will never forgive you! I, no, will retire from doing anything for you!¡± ¡°Huh. Don¡¯t worry and head back already.¡± Shortly after talking with Kurgon, Luke went back to his office and met with Prime Minister. ¡°Saw it?¡± ¡°Yes, not just me, everyone saw it.¡± When Luke nodded, Hans returned the diary of Saymon back to Luke. ¡°Everyone must have been shocked.¡± ¡°Yes, especially Priest Maron¡­¡± Maron was the most shocked. If Saymon¡¯s diary spoke the truth, then everything that the public knew that happened 500 years ago would turn into nothing but lies. Those who were considered to be the symbols of justice would turn into evil figures, and those who were considered to be evil would be the rightful ones. Hans and Mute spoke about words left behind by Warrior Rakan. Maron looked at the words and made a judgment about it. ¡°There was a saying about winning a war. If needed, one would have to hold hands with the devil, but I never really thought it would turn out like this.¡± ¡°Maybe that was why Saymon¡¯s grudge was so terrifying.¡± ¡°But it is outrageous that the war started on the continent all because of the death of a single woman.¡± Luke, who put the diary back into his subspace bracelet, frowned at Hans¡¯ words. ¡°Why does it seem so outrageous?¡± ¡°At that time, it wouldn¡¯t be just one or two people who suffered such unfairness¡­¡± Bang! Luke hit the desk with his clenched fist. If he hadn¡¯t held himself back, he would have shattered his desk. With anger in his eyes, he said, ¡°It was just one or two people who had been treated unfairly? Don¡¯t make me laugh. Don¡¯t you think that the general public are those who are always wronged. They are the ones who suffer the most. They are the ones who want the world to change the most! Those who were with Saymon never got deceived with dark magic!¡± Hans could understand what Luke was trying to say. Saymon was the representative of those classes of people, who were treated unjustly during those days. As a result, it wasn¡¯t Saymon, who learned dark magic, that brought in the bloody war on the continent. It was the broken order and system of those days. It was a war that never would have happened if the ruling class such as the kings and nobles had done their part for the general public. ¡®However, since that time, the system had been relaxed to an extent.¡¯ Although the current time was overshadowed by the development of magic and engineering industry, the feudal system had been changed. Taxes and benefits were improved, and policy of compassions have been brought for drought or any disaster. Although it wasn¡¯t openly admitted, the nobles recognized what would happen if they exploit the general public like before. That was why they were being considerate of the people. ¡°Well, when we received the diary from Your Majesty, we understood.¡± In addition, he would have learned about Saymon and the progress of dark magic. Luke looked at Hans and smiled. ¡°Even if I hold hands with the devil, there are a few people I wish to take down.¡± ¡°The Baroque Empire and Veritas.¡± The bad luck, which had been riding on the Rakan Family for the past 500 years, had turned into a grudge for Luke. The same was the case for Hans and the other retainers. ¡°Yes, and while taking revenge, I wish to change the unjust system and create a new order.¡± Law and order, which had been the problem for the past 500 years, still revealed obvious limitations in the current system. In order for the society to develop a lot more, laws and institutions had to be changed. However, most high nobles and conservative nobles wouldn¡¯t want to let go of their power. ¡°The rotten ones are on the verge of losing their control. The republican change in Volga wasn¡¯t sudden nor is the civil war that is happening in the Baroque Empire.¡± ¡°If you look at it, the founding of our nation will be a part of that change.¡± ¡°Of course. If we fail to change, we will fall behind the line. Once we fall behind, we start losing. That is the law of nature. Such law of nature doesn¡¯t give the humans a free pass.¡± Luke picked up the Holy Sword that was on his table. ¡°Anyway, I will release the memorandum on this Holy Sword and the diary of Saymon in the future. We will have to handle everything that comes our way.¡± ¡°You feel confident enough to handle the repercussions?¡± At Hans¡¯ question, Luke answered with a strong resolve, ¡°Yes.¡± Sparks! The moment he answered, purple Magi began to surround the Holy sword. Hans, as well as the knights who were in the vicinity, were able to feel the Magi. ¡®Majesty using dark magic¡­?¡¯ The moment everyone¡¯s complexions flickered, the Magi rising on the sword disappeared like a lie, and warm light shone. Hans, who panicked, smiled when he felt a warm light similar to sunshine fall on him. The fear and panic in his heart disappeared. ¡°D-divine power!¡± ¡°What was considered to be incompatible turns compatible. I will remind those who don¡¯t believe anymore. I will show everyone that this world can change!¡± Luke¡¯s face held a confident smile that no one had ever seen before. Chapter 574 - Obtain the Holy Sword 4 Arsene crossed the ocean. He first infiltrated Bless and met the spy who was disguised as an owner of the magic store. The 7th magic circle warlock, Chatan, gave the detailed reason for Baymon¡¯s failed attempt. ¡°¡­ So, Baymon died and Constantine disappeared. I was told that all their followers were caught too.¡± ¡°Kul, I. Knew. It. That. Descendant. Of. The. Warrior. Was. The problem. For. Everything.¡± The rumor was that Luke had found the cure to the zombie disease that the Holy Empire had struggled for. It was also stated that the warlocks, who had helped Luke in studying the disease were currently in Bless. ¡°The. Warlocks. Came. Out?¡± ¡°Yes, they said that the outbreak in Jackson wasn¡¯t their fault, and they volunteered to help. Rumor has it that the pope¡¯s knights had asked for them to be executed, but Luke de Rakan defended them.¡± ¡°Damn! That. Guy. Was. The. One. Who. Did. All. Of. This?¡± Arsene had several chances of getting rid of Luke in the past. However, for some reason or another, he kept failing, and just recently, he was defeated by an unknown person. As a result, Luke continued to stumble upon Arsene¡¯s plans and stopped him. ¡®No matter what happens, this time for sure, he needs to be taken down!¡¯ When he decided to move to Jackson estate with teleport magic, Chatan said, ¡°Luke de Rakan, he isn¡¯t there.¡± ¡°What? He. Isn¡¯t. There?¡± ¡°Yes. According to the information gathered from the officials, once the situation got resolved, he went back to his nation.¡± ¡°Kul. Don¡¯t. know. The. Reason. For. The return?¡± ¡°Yes, it was assumed that something was going on with his high ranking officials, considering that the Prime Minister was the one who contacted him. However, we haven¡¯t been able to figure out the details.¡± ¡®Tch, got himself some time.¡¯ Thinking so, Arsene turned toward the Symphonia Kingdom and headed there. He was committed to getting rid of Luke no matter where he was! Immediately after Arsene left, Chatan received a magic communication from the Archipelago of Hell Islands. Moving straight to the basement, he pulled out the huge crystal ball that was vibrating in his hands. As Chatan infused Magi into it, a familiar face appeared in the crystal ball. It was Nestar, the former Meister of Veritas Magic Tower. ¡°Did you want to talk to him?¡± -No, I thought that our Ancestor would stop by over there? ¡°He just stopped by and left. By the way, what is it?¡± -It felt very bad for some reason to send him alone, so I dispatched 5 intermediate Undead. He wouldn¡¯t be pleased if he knew about it. So, use them to take down the power of the Holy Empire. ¡°Ah, then? But, Mr. Nestar, actually¡­¡± Nestar was shocked at Chatan¡¯s answer. -What? Luke went back to his home nation. The ancestor went to Symphonia Kingdom as well? ¡°Yes. What should I do?¡± -Well, it is fine. It turned out good for us. I will send the Undead as planned, so use them and attack the Symphonia Kingdom. Nestar thought that the Symphonia Kingdom was the major block for their goals. As long as Rakan¡¯s retainers¡¯ descendants were alive, they would never compromise their positions. Nestar considered them to be bad luck. Although it had less power than the Holy Empire, the power of Symphonia Kingdom was growing at a terrifying rate. -Considering the relationship between the Symphonia Kingdom and the Holy Empire, it is possible that the Symphonia Kingdom will be absorbed by the Holy Empire if Luke dies. If the Holy Empire grows bigger than this, it will only be more trouble for us. ¡°In other words, we need to make the Symphonia Kingdom impossible to recover.¡± -Yes, can you do that? ¡°Yes, trust me and leave this to me.¡± After receiving the orders, Chatan immediately canceled the magic communication and went for Castia Kingdom. Waiting at the port, he would join the ship that would carry the Undead. Chapter 575 - Second Fight Against Arsene 1 In the capital, Bless, the story of Luke and the warlocks working together for the cure had spread. In the capital of Symphonia Kingdom, a whole different rumor had been spreading around. ¡°Did you know that the Holy Sword Valiant was found?¡± ¡°Yah! Isn¡¯t that a fake one?¡± ¡°No! All the prominent wizards and scholars including Marquis Albain have verified it, but it was told genuine!¡± Rakan¡¯s story of the Holy Sword Valiant was enough to excite the hearts of the young knights who admire him. However, there was another shocking news. ¡°Rakan broke his sword before his death?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°According to a friend of mine in the Guard Knights, the Holy Sword had an engraved memorandum of his resentment against Karno de Baroque and Meister Arsene of Veritas Magic tower for deceiving him.¡± ¡°How did they manage to deceive Rakan? Was it about how he was beaten by Karno¡¯s rebellion?¡± ¡°That was the one, and Saymon, who was taken down by Rakan¡¯s own hands wasn¡¯t a bad person according to him.¡± ¡°Really? If that turns true then it will be a huge shock to all, right?¡± During all this time, the people in the Rhodesia continent would always curse out Saymon and called him the Devil. However, suddenly he wasn¡¯t considered a devil, there were confused about his identity. Along with the rumors about the Holy Sword and Rakan¡¯s memorandum, the contents of Saymon¡¯s diary was known. ¡°He turned towards the darkness because of his fianc¨¦¡¯s death¡­¡± ¡°That was all Karno and Arsene¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°Ah! Isn¡¯t that so romantic? He went against the entire continent to get revenge for his loved one.¡± While the young woman was falling head over heels for Saymon¡¯s act of love, the young men who secretly followed republican teachings paid attention to Saymon¡¯s ideas and policies. ¡°He must have been the Lord of Terror from the standpoint of high nobles and priests. It was said that their lands were snatched and distributed to the people¡­¡± ¡°If we look at how he had eliminated the nobles and distributed the land, he was a pioneer for a better future.¡± ¡°Maybe, him being a warlock was a lie? Even when we look at the official records of his, there wasn¡¯t anything about him creating the undead?¡± ¡°He must have been framed. It is a common occurrence even to this day.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was a common practice to frame or spread a lie to remove someone from society. Most of the people who heard about the rumors were shocked and startled, however, there were those who weren¡¯t. They were the fairies and mixed races. They had already heard it from their ancestors, and they couldn¡¯t help but feel cynical when looking at the people¡¯s reactions. ¡°Look there. What did I say? I told you that Warrior Rakan did a huge mistake. If not, why would he do all that before dying?¡± At the words of a female elf employee who worked at the information guild, the other member scratched his head with embarrassment. ¡°Huh, it was because what we knew was¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make excuses, go to your home and do something else.¡± However, not all the rumors which were spreading around were believed. Unlike the general public, there were a few who didn¡¯t believe the rumors. Most of them were priests or those who thought of themselves to be knowledgeable. They were narrow-minded and insisted that the diary of Saymon couldn¡¯t be believed. ¡°Rather than huge opposition, it seems like most people are believing about it.¡± At Hudson¡¯s report, Luke asked for the reason. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because of the forced throne grabbing of Karno de Baroque, there has been a lot of support. In addition, with the case of Veritas Magic tower and Arsene, the Magic tower was recently suspected of using dark magic too.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When Luke understood, Hudson continued to speak. ¡°And the fairies, there have been those who always supported Saymon and criticized Rakan. On the other hand, there was a large movement of change in the nobles who are young intellectuals.¡± In addition, over the recent times, people were showing interest in these new perspectives rather than the usual ones. With the new technologies, knowledge, and civilization changes, there were developments in science, magic engineering and trading, each of those have influenced the minds of the people. So the rumors about the past seemed more reliable to believe than the old reports and books. ¡°Here, the fall of the Baroque Empire, the emergence of the new nations such as Libiya Kingdom and our Symphonia Kingdom and the changed reforms of the Holy Empire changed the situation of our continent.¡± ¡®Well, the perception of people is changing along with the changing world, maybe?¡¯ In order to survive, in order to be a master for the new era, it was necessary to listen to different claims and ideas and make our own judgments. The reason why the feudal system had been established on the continent was that the nobles and the knights would hold their swords and protect their own lands and people in case of violence. ¡®But we are coming to the end of the feudal system, there is a lot of confusion, however, it isn¡¯t lawlessness or violence.¡¯ For the future, Luke predicted that those who hold knowledge and information would be able to capture the thoughts of the people as well as the land to move the world, and not with the help of swords. ¡®Surely the world can¡¯t change right away. But the future will surely show us such a world.¡¯ Luke was over 500 years old. Although he didn¡¯t ask for it, thanks for the chance provided to him, he would be able to see the birth of a different age and a new culture. ¡®Then, how would it be 500 years from now? The dark future which Karen witnessed had already come to an end¡­¡¯ When Luke was lost in his train of thought, he felt something strange from the east. The energy was colder and eerier than the mid-winter cold breeze, and it was enough to make his entire body shiver. ¡®This gloomy evil energy must be¡­?!¡¯ ¡°Your Majesty?¡± When Hudson leaned to look at Luke who had gone stiff, Erwin rushed into the room and told him about the information she got through the magic communication. ¡°Your Majesty, the city of Anbury was said to be attacked by an unknown monster!¡± The city of Anbury was a gateway city that was 20 kilometers east of Brandon. Although it had a very low population, it was a city that defended the entry to Brandon, which meant numerous soldiers and Gigants were deployed. Hudson was shocked to hear that such a well-defended place had been attacked. He was presented with no information beforehand about the plan of the other nations to attack or a rebellion in the city. However, unlike him, who was unsure, Luke knew who was the one attacking. ¡°Damn, that Arsene!¡± He had come. He himself was calling for Luke. And that was the truth. Arsene was attacking the city of Anbury to lure Luke over there. Fighting in Brandon, where the elite of the Symphonia Kingdom were all gathered, it was like asking Luke to battle in his own territory. And Arsene wanted a clean chance to kill Luke. Luke, who thought that Arsene shouldn¡¯t and couldn¡¯t have his way, got up from his seat. ¡°Your Majesty, are you going to go?¡± At Erwin¡¯s question, Luke nodded his head. ¡°I think that he is someone whom I should be dealing with.¡± ¡°¡­ by any chance, do you know who the monster might be?¡± ¡°Yes. Veritas Magic Tower¡¯s former Meister, Arsene. The monster who didn¡¯t die for the last 500 years.¡± Ba-dum! At the answer from Luke, Erwin could feel her heart drop. She had heard the stories from the Zegal clan and Hwang Bo-sung, who traveled to the Southern Continent with Luke. It was said that during that time, Arsene had appeared as a Lich, and ruined the clan buildings of Zegal Clan, almost killing Luke. They did say that Nanda was barely able to save Luke with his powers, but the same monster appeared once again! ¡°You can¡¯t go! If you want to go then gather all the Guard Knights, No! take all the Central Knights with you!¡± Erwin was trying to stop Luke from going to Anbury. It was truly unfortunate that the city of Anbury was being destroyed and the citizens over there were getting killed. However, it seemed much better than Luke going there directly and asking for death. For Erwin, Luke wasn¡¯t a king she was serving. He was a pioneer who was going to bring about the change in the continent, a hope for the fairies. A man chosen by her Master, Erenes. Therefore, even though she would be called selfish for her words, she wanted to make his safety her top priority. ¡°Your Majesty is the pillar of Symphonia. If something goes wrong with you¡­¡± Luke couldn¡¯t help but smile seeing Erwin all riled up and concerned as she wasn¡¯t someone to show her emotions. ¡°Do you think I will be losing to that monster?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I can.¡± It¡¯s been a little over a year since Luke had gone to the Zegal clan. After his return, there were many things which had happened, such as the founding of Symphonia, but how much was Luke able to advance himself was unknown. Lich was an immortal monster. And the Lich was developing and learning dark magic for 500 years, how could such a man be defeated? ¡°It is nice that you worry about me, but sometimes, I think you should start trusting me.¡± There was one thing that Erwin wasn¡¯t aware of. That just recently, Luke managed to gain power in the Holy Empire. Luke thought that he could defeat Arsene with the powers he gained from God. And now he had to go. Arsene¡¯s brutality and violence wouldn¡¯t end in Anbury city. In time, he would destroy Anbury city and attack the other ones. If that happened, it would be a huge loss for Luke. The delay in response would end up in destruction, and people¡¯s trust in their King would drop. ¡°Court Wizard, bring together the Guards and Central Army knights along with Marquis Rogers.¡± When Luke¡¯s decision reached its conclusion, Erwin gave up. ¡°Understood. Instead, take this with you.¡± She gave the Holy Sword Valiant which was lying in Luke¡¯s office. The sword, which was brought back after the analysis of Marquis Albain and the other scholars, was left in the office. ¡°This will be helpful?¡± ¡°The Holy Sword had Orichalcum metal, and it amplifies magic and aura, it will be better than a regular sword.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll keep this with me.¡± Luke took the broken sword and disappeared on spot using teleport magic. Hwang Bo-sung followed Luke who stood as his shadow. Chapter 576 - Second Fight Against Arsene 2 Chapter 576: Second Fight Against Arsene 2 Flash-! Bang! ¡°Kwakk! Save the people!¡± ¡°Cough!¡± Anbury, the gateway city that helped 20,000 troops and 50,000 residents. After the founding of the Symphonia Kingdom, the first time a disaster had occurred in the city and turned it into a mess. The one who did it was a skeleton who was dressed in grey robes, flying in the sky spitting out dark magic and summoned hundreds to thousands of ghosts. The ghosts and the dark magic began to encircle the skeleton man making the man transform into a huge monster. With a pair of wings, two pairs of long arms, a long tail like that of a snake, and goat-like legs. The Ghost Armor, Gorgos. It was one of Arsene¡¯s tricks which he had used on Luke when he was in a crisis in the Southern Continent, there was no way the people of Anbury wouldn¡¯t see it. ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul. To. You men. May. The. Death. Fall. Upon you!¡± Bang! Once Arsene wielded his long Gorgos¡¯s hands, all the buildings and houses on the ground got smashed. The dark magic which was constantly present on the arms killed the people who were running away in fear. In just a short time, a third of downtown Anbury was burned down. Anbury¡¯s troops who were shocked by the unprecedented attacks hurried to fight back. The Gigant troops who were on line to fight with the Gorgos of Arsene, led by Viscount Howl, the commander of the Defense Troops, kept ordering. ¡°Don¡¯t keep running ahead! Disperse his attention and earn as much time as possible to evacuate the people out of here!¡± As a member of Iron Fist Knights during the Milton Kingdom, Viscount Howl had considerable experience on the battlefield, so he was able to instinctively realize that he couldn¡¯t handle it. Which was why he bought time to save people. Fortunately, the Gigants too followed him. He wasn¡¯t frightened or restless by the terrifying attacks from the monster, he constantly kept attacking the monster to divert its attention. During the disturbances created by the Gigants, the artillery units were dragged to support them. ¡°Shoot! Cover our Gigants!¡± Bang! Bang! More than a hundred shells poured in from all the directions towards Gorgos. However, even after the desperate assault of the Gigants, as well as the shells from the artillery, none of them worked. They were all neutralized by the Shield magic used by Arsene. ¡°Kuek, from where did that monster¡­?!¡± Viscount Howl, who felt troubled at the situation, shouted at his men who were taking a step back. ¡°Do not step back! The safety of the people and your family rests on you!¡± Honestly, he himself wanted to run away. The monster wasn¡¯t something they all could stop. Yet, he didn¡¯t back down. If he stepped out of line, his wife and children who could still be in the city would be at risk. It was the same with the other knights and soldiers. Many of the city¡¯s residents were their own families and relatives. As a result, no soldiers even stepped back. Only more streets got destroyed by Gorgos. They witnessed the death of their acquaintances during the building collapse and the black flames rising around. ¡°Die, you monster!¡± ¡°I need to get rid of you to at least appease the families of those who lost their family members!¡± Five Gigants approached through the Dark Blitz shot by Arsene. Shields and gloves on the Gigants shattered, yet they rushed in to wield their swords. ¡°Youuu!¡± ¡°DIIIEEEE!¡± Their eyes filled with anger, the five Gigant riders jumped at the monster. Rather than hitting at different areas, their aura swords were focused on one spot. Maybe the successive attacks of Arsene were successful and the shield magic shattered. ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul, Quite. A. View!¡± With a smirk on his face, Arsene who was inside Gorgos shook his hand lightly. Swing-! A sharp black trajectory formed in the air, and the 5 Gigants got cut in a row. Naturally, at the position they were hit, all the riders inside were killed on spot. ¡°Ugh! He is a real monster!¡± ¡°Where on earth did this monster even appear?¡± ¡°We, we can¡¯t win over it!¡± When the five riders were killed by the single attack, the morale of the knights plummeted. Arsene¡¯s fighting power, which was known to be the strongest, wasn¡¯t just his sense to complete the mission, but a flame of vengeance. Viscount Howl, who realized what was happening, stepped ahead. ¡°Do not be afraid! The support troops will arrive soon! So focus on preventing him from moving forward!¡± Once again, with Howl, who reached the Sword Expert, his riders too rushed at the monster. ¡°Insects. Like. Men.¡± Arsene who ridiculed them, looked at the Gigants which came running towards him. Without using the dark magic, he just wielded Gorgos¡¯s long arms and tail to crush the steel gloves and smashed the Gigant with his feet. Kwang! Bang! ¡°Kuakkk!¡± ¡°How is this?!¡± ¡°Damn it! Let¡¯s die together, bastard!¡± Howl and the other Gigant riders were acting really brave. They were fighting Gorgos, neglecting their own safety. Some riders, even on the verge of death, held onto the arms of the Gorgos to create any possible opening for their colleagues. They tried to use every move in the books, but they weren¡¯t strong enough to face Gorgos. Eventually, the Gigant troops at Anbury were wiped out, rendering everyone unable to move. ¡®Kuek, am I the only one left?¡¯ Howl couldn¡¯t hold back his tears seeing his soldiers and close men killed in front of him. The monster trampled the Gigants and was arrogantly rubbing its hands. ¡®My sword is broken, and my left arm is useless to move. In addition, the gloves are completely shattered¡­¡¯ He was the only one who didn¡¯t fall, however, Howl¡¯s Knight class Gigant wasn¡¯t in a good condition. Yet, instead of running away, Howl rushed towards Gorgos with his half-broken sword. ¡°Long Live Symphonia Kingdom!¡± ¡®Huh?¡¯ Arsene could feel the commitment his opponent had. He saw Howl¡¯s Gigant which was rushing towards him, stabbed in the core engine with his sword. Howl was planning to blow himself up! ¡°Kul. Such. Loyalty!¡± Gorgos moved like lightning. Puck! Just before Howl destroyed the core engine, Gorgos¡¯s right arm slashed the Gigant¡¯s breastplate. The Gigant, in which the rider died, fell down like a doll. ¡°Woooo!¡± ¡°Commander has passed away!¡± ¡°Attack head on!¡± Although it ended in failure, the last diversion of Howl¡¯s last attempt was enough for the army to move. The artillery units fired like crazy, the archers fired their arrows. Riders on the horses rushed towards Gorgos with aura on their spears. ¡°Ku. Ku. Ku. Such. Unnecessary. Attacks.¡± Arsene, who laughed at the fighting spirit of the soldiers, reached out to Gorgos¡¯s arms and memorized the spell. ¡°The. Reaper. Of. Death. Death. Invaders!¡± Dozens and hundreds of grey moths emerged from the magi which bloomed on Gorgos¡¯s right hand and flew towards the knights and soldiers. As the moths danced around, power fell from their wings. The moment the skin of the knights went into contact with the powder, the skin began to melt like candle wax. ¡°Ughhhh! Wh-what is this?!¡± ¡°Sa-save me!¡± In an instant, thousands of soldiers died from the poisoning of the moths. Seeing their men die, the other soldiers ceased their attacks. The moths flew over their heads and began to flutter their wings. ¡°Thi-this can¡¯t be!¡± ¡°Sh*t!¡± The moment when fear and despair took over their heart, a bright spell resonated in the sky. ¡°That which burns everything with the heat of the sun. Absolute Flame!¡± A flame that blazed like a raging phoenix shot towards the moths and burned them away. The one who was seen after the flames resided was a silver Gigant. The soldiers who saw the Gigant began to sigh in relief and joy. Chapter 577 - Second Fight Against Arsene 3 ¡°It¡¯s the Avenger!¡± ¡°His Majesty has come!¡± Cheers of hope broke out among the soldiers, who were in grief and despair. Unlike them, Arsene glared at the Gigant and said, ¡°Luke. De. Rakan!¡± ¡°You are really one pathetic person, Arsene. If you wanted to kill me, you should have come to me directly. Why would you hurt innocent people and soldiers? Are you that scared of me?¡± Arsene screamed at Luke, whose voice was heard from Avenger. ¡°Shut up. Thoughtless. Words. Come. From. Your. Mouth! Who. Is. Scared. Of. You?¡± Enraged, Arsene moved the hand of Gorgos toward Luke¡¯s Avenger. The black trajectory, which cut down five Gigants, moved at the speed of lightning. However, Luke was able to block the black trajectory with his Golden Aura. ¡°Do you really think that you can get rid of me with this?¡± At Luke¡¯s retort, Arsene frowned. ¡®He did improve a lot!¡¯ Arsene felt that Luke had gotten a lot stronger than the time he met Luke in Zegal Clan, defeating Hiros and his guardian, Baymon. It was because Luke had been constantly growing and improving himself that Arsene had turned more furious. That was the very reason why he decided to kill him. He turned into someone who could no longer be overlooked. Someone who shouldn¡¯t be left alone. ¡°If you plan on attacking, you will have to do better than this.¡± Wooong! The sword began to shake with Gold Aura and Avenger disappeared. While Arsene was thinking, Avenger appeared on Gorgos¡¯ head. Avenger used its sword to give out a fast and strong slash. Kwang! Bang! Flustered at Luke¡¯s quick movements, Arsene hastily developed shield magic to stop the attack. With a heavy explosion between the two, sparks shone one after the other. ¡®Is that the second half of Gold Sword?¡¯ Arsene knew that Luke had been learning the second half of Gold Sword. It was because he watched the fight against Hiros through a magic crystal ball. However, the attack just now seemed a lot different from then. It seemed more polished, stable, and stronger. ¡®Surely, being with Arch Duke Gregory worked out well.¡¯ The night before leaving from the Holy Empire, Luke had a two-hour-long battle with Gregory. He tried to hone his sword skills and find problems in the second half of the Gold Sword by working with someone who had a deeper understanding of the skills. They couldn¡¯t figure out much due to the short time, but they understood one thing. ¡®It shouldn¡¯t end with just the wielding of the sword. The sword needs to move as if it is alive!¡¯ It felt like that was how the second half of the Gold sword, Gold Light God Sword by Yeon Gu-ram, and Hiros, the undead monster in the body of Rakan, used it. Even though Arch Duke Gregory¡¯s second half of the Gold Sword wasn¡¯t complete, it gave out a different vibe of vitality. ¡®The sword needs to be given a free-spirited vitality, like a wild furious torrent or a thunderstorm.¡¯ In doing so, he had no intention of following the path of those who have learned the second half. Luke felt that it was necessary to take a different approach to achieve a different form. Luke¡¯s sword skills have yet a long way of reaching Gregory. Of course, he still was comparable to Hiros, who used Rakan¡¯s sword skills, or the Southern Continent-style Gold Sword. ¡®Even then, I am strong. I will make my own sword skills with my own abilities!¡¯ The second half of the Gold Sword had 8 parts in total and 64 sub-parts in detail. By applying or fusing those tens of thousands of variations, Luke could surely achieve it. ¡°You don¡¯t need to try and master or understand all those variations. Your Majesty can refine his sword in a way that suits you the most.¡± After the battle with Arch Duke Gregory, that was what he advised Luke. Luke was able to realize what it meant when he was fighting against someone as strong as Arsene. ¡®Yes, sometimes it is necessary to abandon what you feel is useless to make something perfect for you.¡¯ A more concise and quick attack that couldn¡¯t be traced by one¡¯s eye. Rather than an elegant blow, he wanted a powerful blow in one shot. In order to defeat Arsene, Luke was trying out new forms with his polished second half. Arsene, who was suddenly attacked, managed to avoid the strong attack when he instantly felt another thing unfold right before his eyes. ¡®What is that? How is he¡­?¡¯ There seemed to be a star in the sky. A star that burned itself down and fell to the ground. However, the path where it seemed to fall was toward Arsene. Pung! As soon as Avenger¡¯s giant sword touched the shield of Arsene, it cut off the shield as well as the left arm of Gorgos. ¡®No!¡¯ ¡®Did it work?¡¯ Unlike Arsene¡¯s shock, Luke seemed to be rather glad. However, at that moment, the giant sword of Avenger broke into two. Arsene, who tried to block the star-like attack that was coming for him, used Black Spear but bounced off. But from Luke¡¯s point of view, it was a good thing rather than a loss. If the Gold aura on the sword wasn¡¯t huge, the magi condensed Black Spear used by Arsene would have gone right past the breastplate of Avenger. ¡®That guy is a trivial skull-headed person.¡¯ ¡®That boy! Today, I am going to tear him to pieces!¡¯ Luke and Arsene stared at each other. The battle of the two began in earnest as the flames soared everywhere. Chapter 578 - Second Fight Against Arsene 4 Kwang! Bang! Crack! Puck! Luke and Arsene kept on exchanging fierce attacks. Unlike before, now, Arsene was the one attacking, and Luke was on the defense. There was reason why Luke was unable to take the lead even after he managed to land successful attacks. It was because of the residents still evacuating in the city. More than half of the residents of Anbury were in the city, and not many of them have been evacuated. That meant that Luke couldn¡¯t attack recklessly. And realizing that, Arsene took full advantage of the situation. He deliberately developed wide range dark magic attacks. He didn¡¯t give Luke a chance to attack but also aimed to create a gap for him. Luke knew that Arsene would notice it if he tried using Star Sword again and interfere with it. ¡°Kuk, you sneaky skeleton bastard!¡± ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul. Even. The. Descendant. Of. The. Warrior. Can. Do. Nothing. In such. A. Situation.¡± The soldiers, who saw Avenger¡¯s gloves shatter and break off, realized that Luke was in great trouble. It wasn¡¯t like their king was suffering because of his own weakness. The reason was them and the numerous citizens who were still in the city. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to just watch!¡± ¡°Yes, we need to give more space for His Majesty to fight!¡± While Luke was enduring the attacks, the soldiers of Anbury began to rescue the people who were trapped under the collapsed and burning buildings and asked them to evacuate the city. ¡°Hurry up and run! Get out of the city right away!¡± A young soldier, who was sending people out of the city, ran to the nearby sanctuary of Mars Order. He saw a few people gathering over there. When he opened the door to the sanctuary, he saw numerous people kneeling on the ground and praying to the statue of Mars. The bald priest, who stood before them, was silently performing a ritual. The soldier, who saw that, frowned. ¡°What are you all doing here? You need to evacuate the city right away. Please hurry!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t disturb us! Have you lost your sanity! Can¡¯t you see this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m very sane, but please run! Don¡¯t you know what is going on outside?¡± As the soldier was getting nervous, the bald priest frowned. ¡°We know. The evil incarnation has descended on us.¡± ¡°If you know, then you¡­¡± The moment the soldier tried to reason with the bald priest, he looked at the soldier in the eyes and spoke with a stern voice, ¡°Do you think that you¡¯ll be able to run away from this? What we need now is faith and courage. If we can do that, Mars, the God of War, will descend and cut down the devil with his sword!¡± ¡®Damn it, they have lost it!¡¯ The soldier frowned. The soldier was a member of the Mars Order as well. However, he wasn¡¯t such an advent believer. If God really had the interest to look after their well beings, he would have helped people 100 times already. Srrrng! ¡°Hik! What are you doing?¡± The soldier pulled out his sword and pointed it at the waist of the priest. ¡°Get out of here right now! Do you wish to be punished?¡± ¡°Shut up! I know nothing about that punishment! If I talk to His Majesty, he¡¯ll get rid of you!¡± ¡°Th-this ungrateful young man!¡± The believers rushed in. Kwang! ¡°Ahhh!¡± Arsene¡¯s dark magic fragments had shattered the roof of the sanctuary. As a result, the pillars collapsed. The statue that was in the front and the altar got smashed. Maybe, if Mars, the God of War, had seen that, he might have really appeared with a sword. However, Mars seemed to be caught up in something else. God didn¡¯t show up before the poor lambs. ¡°Cough, Cough! Go on now¡­¡± The soldier, who was covered in dust, spoke to the bald priest, who escaped first, and the believers, who were behind him, shouted, ¡°Tch, pathetic act by a priest!¡± There were always such people. People who thrived on their own knowledge and status. ¡®Guys like him need to be collected and kept away from society, so they can¡¯t mess with the others!¡¯ The soldiers shook his head seeing the other people rush out from the rubble. The noise of the battle between the king and the monster seemed to get closer to his location. Chapter 579 - Another Crisis 1 The Central army knights who were in close vicinity to the capital flocked to the headquarters in Brandon. ¡°All of a sudden an emergency had been called, sire? What is happening in our kingdom?¡± Commander Philips of the 1st squad, who had reached the meeting first asked Marquis Rogers. The Chief Commander of the Royal Army, Rogers, opened his mouth with an anxious expression. ¡°An hour back, we had reports that the gateway city¡ªAnbury was being attacked by an unknown monster.¡± ¡°What was that?!¡± Philip was startled. He wasn¡¯t able to understand how such a thing happened. ¡°Any information about the enemy involved?¡± Anbury was close to Brandon city, if the enemy invaded that place, the report had to be brought to the 1st squad as the invaders would have to pass the regions they were in charge of. Marquis nodded understanding Philip¡¯s emotions. ¡°Yes, we have it. But the question isn¡¯t on how the monster appeared in Anbury. His Majesty and Hwang Bo-sung are the only ones who went to stop him.¡± ¡°Ehh, if His Majesty went¡­¡± Philip hit his face with his hands. The identity of the monster attacking Anbury wasn¡¯t known. However, Luke was able to defeat High ranking demons and was a Sword Master who beat 5 commanders of the Symphonia Kingdom at once, Luke might be able to defeat it. ¡°He went to sort it out, then why were we knights called out under the term of emergency?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t that simple problem to solve.¡± When Philip was being too optimistic, Erwin, who was beside Rogers, spoke. ¡°The monster attacking Anbury is Lich Arsene.¡± ¡°Lich Arsene? N-no¡­!¡± ¡°Hugh, that is right. The archmage who threw himself into darkness, the ancestor of the Veritas Magic tower. The opponent who almost killed His Majesty during his stay in the Southern Continent.¡± ¡°I-it can¡¯t be?!¡± Philip was startled. Philip too heard about what happened in the Zegal clan, so he knew about Lich Arsene. He was considered to be the most terrifying opponent, but for Luke to only take Hwang Bo-sung with him! ¡°I will lead my knights and head there right now!¡± Rogers shook his head at Philip¡¯s words. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t. Your Majesty asked you to lead all the Guards and the Central Knights from the 1st to 4th squad. I think it was to deal with the monster by not taking much damage.¡± If the knights, who were known to be the core power of the Symphonia Kingdom would be sent to deal with Arsene in succession, and in case most of them lose their lives, the state of Symphonia would be similar to a lit candle blown by the wind. The Baroque Empire would surely invade them. Which was why Rogers thought that taking all the power to deal with the monster at once was great. ¡°But if we wait till then, Your Majesty would be at risk!¡± ¡°I know that. But¡­¡± ¡°Damn it! Chief Commander! This isn¡¯t the time to sit still! If His Majesty dies, all our dreams and our future are done!¡± Marquis Rogers realized something when Philip yelled. It was true. Before their king, Luke was their Lord. If he died, the future of the Rakan family which they had all looked forward to would disappear. Luke had no kids in this world, nor was there any other descendant who could take up the role. No, there was no person in the Symphonia Kingdom who had the skill set to carry Luke¡¯s will or thoughts, even if they weren¡¯t of the same blood. ¡®I was too concerned for the nation.¡¯ Taking on the role of the Chief Commander, Rogers always focused on the kingdom. Sometimes, it was necessary to have a Lord than a kingdom, and he realized that now was that time. ¡°Fine, Philip. Firstly, lead the Guards and the 1st squad Rakan Knights!¡± ¡°Huh. you will also come with me?¡± At Philip¡¯s question, Rogers held his sword. ¡°Of course. I will be the vanguard.¡± A fire in Marquis Rogers¡¯ eyes shone after a long time. Moreover, the opponent, a monster, had put Luke on the brink of death, the most famous and skilled Rune Knight of the continent. Yet, Rogers wasn¡¯t hesitant or scared. Rather, his will to fight against such a strong enemy boiled his blood. Feeling his body rush to the battlefield, he spoke to Erwin. ¡°Court wizard, I and Count Philip will lead the Guards and the Rakan knights, please gather the other knights of the Central Army and ask them to follow us.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Erwin gave up on trying to stop them. She knew that her words would have no effect on Philip or Marquis Rogers. And honestly, she herself wanted them to go and help Luke. ¡°Please, please save His majesty.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll look after him.¡± That being said, Rogers went to his Gigant to prepare his march to Anbury. However, his preparation was halted by another messenger. ¡°We have a problem, Chief Commander! The southern port, including the city of Lamer is under attack!¡± A few days back, Chatan was ordered by Nestar to board a ship of Veritas, which would be disguised as the merchant ship, which would pick him up on the Castia Kingdom. The ship had 5 undead of intermediate level, one Lich and four Death Knights. ¡°Oh ho, I, a 7th circle warlock is scared of this amount of magi!¡± They surely were intermediate class Lich and the Death Knight were giving out enormous magic which overwhelmed the 7th circle warlock. Even then, their eyes were closed and they were giving out such energy, he was scared to imagine how strong they would be if they opened their eyes. Nestar did tell him that the Lich was an 8th circle warlock, and the Death Knights were close to Sword Sage. Even if they were half close to the mentioned levels, they were shocked to see. ¡°Creating such monsters¡­ surely our ancestor is great!¡± He was busy working as a spy in the Holy Empire, so he didn¡¯t have the chance to see the creation process of the undead. Yet, he heard the rough story from the islands. And such good results were in front of him! The problem didn¡¯t end there. There was another 90 intermediate undead under development. There were more undead which were lower than the intermediate level, and even more powerful undead than the intermediate level. Even then, he was told that Arsene had been trying to develop the lower level undead for better performance. ¡°Kukkk. One day, when all the production is over, the entire Middle Earth will bow to our Veritas Magic Tower!¡± Chatan¡¯s laughter could be heard from the cabin. With the ship, Chatan arrived at a port city in the southern part of the Symphonia Kingdom. The moment he got close to the port, he activated the undead. He memorized the undead activation spell which Nestar had given and spoke it. Kukkkkk! Kikkikii! Lich and the Death Knight began to get up by releasing magi all around. Chatan¡¯s expression turned blue and his balance missed the instant they released their power. ¡®Thi-this is more than what I imagined!¡¯ Will those monsters even obey his words? The fear of getting killed by them was tugging him, yet Chatan decided to move ahead. He had to accomplish the task handed to him¡ªthat would indeed conceive a better future for the Veritas Magic tower. With that in mind, he gave orders to the undead by connecting his Magi to them. ¡°Go-go to the land and destroy every human you see!¡± The undead didn¡¯t seem to move even after his words. ¡®Did, did I fail?¡¯ The moment Chatan felt nervous seeing the undead stand still. They moved to the cities, even the Lamer city of Symphonia Kingdom. Among the 5, the one which appeared in Lamer city was the lich. The soldiers who were standing on the border gates were puzzled looking at something flying across the sea towards them. ¡°Huh? what is that?¡± Normally, there would be seagulls and migratory birds passing by, but the ones they were currently seeing were larger in size. When they looked into the telescope, they noticed a robe and staff. ¡°Who is the wizard using fly magic without getting permission?¡± ¡°That is weird. Report this to the¡­¡± This was the last word anyone on the border spoke. Kwang-! The border got smashed by a wide-range attack of the Lich. ¡°WH-what?!¡± ¡°Enemy! The enemy has invaded us!¡± Ding! Ding! Ding! As the bell sounded urgently around Lamer city, the Lich began its ruthless attacks. At the same time, Death Knights were slaughtering the other port cities, and the 5th squad of Symphonia Kingdom turned upside down. The unexpected assault captured the legs of the army who wanted to go and help Luke. Chapter 580 - Another Crisis 2 Luke, who was blocking all the insane attacks of Arsene¡¯s dark magic, felt that the number of people in the city were disappearing rapidly. Or, maybe the surviving soldiers in the city realized that evacuating the city was a priority. Their strength was too insignificant when compared to Luke or Arsene, but them, risking their own lives for the residents of the city was a huge act of bravery. ¡®I am thankful to them.¡¯ Luke, who felt thankful to the soldiers, turned his attention to Arsene, who was ready to use another dark magic attack. ¡®Should I fight back now?¡¯ Luke was unable to use any aggressive attacks as he was busy blocking the attacks of Arsene from reaching the city. But that wasn¡¯t the only reason for the delay in attacks. He had a hidden card, and he needed the right opportunity to use it. No matter how strong the enemy attack was, what Luke possessed was a single time counter-attack. ¡®Something is wrong. That guy Luke, who is he getting pushed back so easily?¡¯ As Luke continued to act defensive, Arsene felt troubled. Even if it was due to the safety of the people in the city, it didn¡¯t make any sense that Luke didn¡¯t use one single attack and continued to defend. ¡®Is he looking for a gap¡­?¡¯ It was a time when Arsene¡¯s attack faltered because of his extreme thoughts. Kwang! Luke suddenly used Blink and struck a mighty blow. The gold aura which spread from the sword cut the wing of Gorgos in half. ¡°Haha. You were quick, Arsene!¡± ¡°Kuk, you. Worthless. Bastard!¡± Arsene, who got his wing cut off on one side grunted his teeth. ¡®Right, there is no need to think. The moment I think I end up giving him a gap!¡¯ Therefore, he needed to be killed at once. Arsene, who was determined to get rid of Luke, immediately pursued Luke to launch an attack. Pung! Wheeeing! Gorgos¡¯s fists, which were strong, seemed to even turn steel into powder, during that time, flame as hot as magma began to flow. The armor on Avenger began to turn tattered and seemed like it would melt any moment. No, they would have melted if it hadn¡¯t been for the cooling magic used by Luke. In spite of the situation, Luke had a smile on his face rather than panic. It was because he had reached the place where he would be able to use the hidden card on Arsene. ¡°Now, Hwang Bo-sung!¡± ¡°Order!¡± Along with the words of the Song Empire, a huge wooden puppet stood tall on the remains of the broken buildings. A Zen skill weapon of the Southern Continent, which could be compared to the Gigant. It was Puppet. Arsene¡¯s eyes, which were looking at the Puppet in front of him were shocked. ¡®Th-that is¡­!¡¯ ¡°Be punished under the name of God!¡± Even before Arsene could take up a defensive position, Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s puppet, threw in a Trinity Punch at Gorgos¡¯s body. Urrrng! Urrrrrng! The Trinity punch rained on Gorgos¡¯s body with the sound of thunder. Pung! Pung! Pung! Pung! When the fist made of Iron Core hit the body of Gorgos which was stronger than steel, impacts soon erupted on it. ¡®Kuk, this!¡¯ Gorgos was getting beaten up in a speed of light. Eventually, he was unable to defend and cracks began to form on Gorgos¡¯s body. In addition to the unexpected damage which Arsene took, Hwang Bo-sung, who attacked was also surprised. ¡®Huh! such neat repair, no! it has been strengthened!¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s Puppet had been destroyed in the battle with Hiros a few months back. However, it had been repaired during the time when he and Luke went to the Holy Empire. The person who repaired the Puppet, was Zegal Soha, the Court Tactician. She incorporated the magic engineering of the Rhodesia Continent which she learned during the production of Avenger and used it on Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s Puppet. Therefore, the attack power of the Puppet had been doubled. Surely, it wasn¡¯t a fatal blow to Arsene. The damage was something he could recover with his dark magic. The problem was that Hwang Bo-sung wasn¡¯t the one only dealing with the opponent. The main enemy of Arsene was Luke. What Hwang Bo-sung did was to create a strong attack that would provide the right gap for Luke. ¡°Get this, Arsene!¡± ¡°Kuke! Well. Dug. Trap!¡± As Avenger rushed in at him, Arsene continued to defend against the attacks by using Black Spears instead of using defense magic. Clang! The dark magic attack which was pouring in on Avenger shattered the huge sword. Arsene who saw it cheered. ¡®Kul, I knew it!¡¯ No matter how much of Gold Aura was being produced on it, the sword of a Gigant was just a lump of metal. It had a huge size, however, the amount of special metals that go into the sword were of a small amount. And if the fight went on and on, the sword was bound to lose its efficiency. Moreover, they were in a battle which surpassed the normal human strength, the metal was bound to get weaker. ¡®Now he has no choice but to fight with bare hands. So he will surely attack with magic!¡¯ Arsene, who made such a judgment, hurriedly prepared to counter Luke¡¯s magic. It was his plan to neutralize Luke¡¯s magic and then intend to use the final blow. However, Luke, who seemed to lose his sword hesitated for a while and rushed in without using any magic attack. ¡®Wh-what? He plans on using his bare hands?¡¯ When he looked closely, Arsene saw the Gigant clench its hands. The attacking position seemed very similar to the Puppet. ¡®Is he going to use that martial technique he used on Hiros? Huh, he thinks I will falter with such simple attacks!¡¯ Just as Arsene expected, Luke unleashed the Trinity punch which was used by Hwang Bo-sung. It was because the Intense Mind Keep arts were difficult for Luke to learn only by watching, however, the Trinity was something Luke could learn without further instructions. Well, it was easy for Luke to follow since he had been training on it from the very beginning. ¡®That is it, master! It doesn¡¯t matter if the opponent can block your attacks or not, you need to use it!¡¯ Anything which blocks the attack would get shattered. That was the basic use of Trinity punch. Hwang Bo-sung couldn¡¯t help but nod seeing Luke attack. The movement and attacks were so clean that it could be compared to his. The question was, Luke who didn¡¯t know the Intense Mind Keep arts, would hit the enemy with what? Upon defeating Hiros, the lightning magic which had similar attributes to the Intense Mind Keep were used with a punch. However, it was rather doubtful if the same attack would work on Arsene who seemed a lot stronger. ¡°Kul kul kul! The. Same. Trick. I saw! Anti. Magic! Anti. Cancel!¡± Arsene reacted swiftly as he watched Avenger use Tekken. Between him and Luke, the white magic and dark magic spells were simultaneously used creating a wall of neutralization on both ends. ¡®The only thing left is aura, will that¡­¡¯ Arsene¡¯s sly smile changed and turned stiff. It was because the white light which Avenger was using to fly wasn¡¯t magic, but light. Arsene was shocked that the light was bright enough to blind him. ¡°Div-divine. Power!¡± The power which only the priests and paladins who believed and followed in God could use. The power of light and life, a complete opposite source of energy to darkness and death, rushed towards Arsene despite the white and dark magic attacks he had been unfolding. ¡°Show me how you¡¯ll stop this, Arsene!¡± ¡°This. Can¡¯t. Be!¡± Bang! Kwang! Bang! Tekken¡¯s 3 consecutive hits were with Divine power and hit Gorgos¡¯s body, which already taken damage from Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s attacks, it completely shattered like a spider¡¯s web. The moment it began to break, every piece of it turned into ash and burned. Together with it, the ghost who formed the body of Gorgos was released and ascended. Kuakkk! Thank you¡­ for releasing me! Now¡­ I get to have eternal¡­ rest! ¡°Kuk, this. Makes. No. F*cking. Sense¡­!¡± As he watched the ghosts of Gorgos get released, Arsene couldn¡¯t understand what was happening. It wasn¡¯t easy, but magic and sword could be learned over time and practice. And those who achieved such skill were called Rune Knights. It was possible for both magic and Divine power to be compatible if they were used with faith and loyalty to God. That was how the wizards of Holy Arthenia Magic tower used their powers. However, how could one who uses dark magic wield Divine power?! There were no such reports or records from the ancient time which mentioned such atrocities. ¡°This. Is. A. Huge. Trickery-!¡± With a scream of feeling betrayed, Arsene disappeared along with Gorgos. Chapter 581 - Another Crisis 3 ¡®Huh, did I win?¡¯ Luke sighed as he watched Gorgos disappear. The previous attack wasn¡¯t just a simple blow. He used every bit of his Divine power and amplified it with the Core engine of Avenger and then attacked. That was why he had saved his Divine power and waited till the end to use it Although he succeeded in attacking, Luke was stiff instead of being delighted. He knew that Arsene would die from that attack. ¡®Arsene is a Lich. As long as I don¡¯t destroy the vessel that is hidden somewhere, he will keep coming back.¡¯ Even if it meant destroying the current body he was using, for Arsene, his body was nothing more than a Gigant. ¡°Master, have we done it?¡± ¡°I think so¡­ But I can¡¯t assure anything yet.¡± Luke recalled a time when he fought with Arsene in the Zegal clan. Even then, Luke had used the strongest attack he could. Arsene¡¯s body got recovered even after Gorgos was destroyed. ¡®But it was an attack with Divine power. It has an upper hand over dark magic. Could this time be different?¡¯ Luke was hoping for his expectation to be right. It would have been the worst if the Lich recovered right away. At any rate, Luke didn¡¯t try to overthink things and stared at the place where Gorgos fell. A minute had passed and then 5, yet nothing happened. ¡®Maybe Arsene¡¯s body has completely disappeared.¡¯ The moment Luke felt relived, Hwang Bo-sung yelled. ¡°M-master! Your feet!¡± ¡°What about my feet¡­?¡± Luke looked down at the feet of Avenger and was shocked. Starting from Avenger¡¯s feet, its legs were turning black. Kiiing! Luke hurriedly released his Gold aura by amplifying it using Avenger¡¯s Core engine to spread the aura around the body of Avenger. He tried to shake off the dark magic. However, it didn¡¯t seem to work. Rather, it was spreading even faster and the Gigant was eroding. ¡°Wh-what is this?¡± ¡°Kul. Kul. Ku! Thought. I. would. Die. So. Easily?¡± An unpleasant voice could be heard from Avenger¡¯s leg. ¡°Arsene?¡± ¡°Yes. It. Is. Me! I. will. Swallow. Your. Gigant!¡± Shortly after being attacked with the Divine power, Arsene¡¯s body along with Gorgos was turned into powder. Arsene¡¯s Undead body couldn¡¯t be recovered that easily as the attack was of Divine power, the only attribute his body couldn¡¯t take. As a result, Arsene decided to give up and retreat. ¡®But I can¡¯t just go back like this!¡¯ His body had the essence of dark magic, which he had gathered for 500 years. Even if his body was destroyed, he wanted to be the one to take Luke¡¯s life. Instead of using the power in him to restore his body, Arsene scattered his body and hid under the shadow of Avenger. While Luke was preoccupied with the decomposition of Gorgos, Arsene swiftly moved and clung to Avenger. ¡°Nonsense. How can the Gigant¡­?!¡± When Luke started to panic, Arsene¡¯s voice, which was filled with ridicule, spoke to him, ¡°Kul. Kul. Kuk! Do. You. See. This. As. Impossible? You. Hold. The. Legacy. Of. Saymon. Right? The magic. Applied. On. A. Gigant. Can. Bond with. Dark. Magic.¡± ¡®T-that means¡­!¡¯ As Arsene said, the Gigant was a structure that was based on the Battle Golem model that Luke had created when he was still Saymon 500 years ago. It was made of white magic and not dark magic of the current times. Its structure had been evolved over time, yet the most basic form of it hadn¡¯t been changed. Due to the dark magic, Arsene was able to make the Gigant erode. Of course, in return, Arsene had to give up his body that held dark magic, yet he decided that it wasn¡¯t a huge loss if it meant taking away Luke¡¯s life. ¡®No, if I can control this one¡¯s body than erode it¡­!¡¯ If that could happen, Symphonia would just be under him, and the entire continent of Rhodesia, including the Holy Empire would be under his feet. He couldn¡¯t help but smile when he thought of deceiving the people using the descendant of the Warrior. ¡°Master! Please escape!¡± ¡°Kuek, the hatch won¡¯t open!¡± Arsene had completely eroded the Core engine as well as Avenger¡¯s armor. Naturally, Avenger was no longer under the control of Luke. The cockpit was turning dark and the hatch didn¡¯t open. Luke was puzzled. ¡°Kul. Kul. Kuk. Will. You. Give. Up. Now¡­ Huh?¡± Flash! Arsene had used the Anti-cancel and the Anti-magic magic around the cockpit to make sure that Luke wouldn¡¯t escape from the Gigant using Teleport or Blink. However, when Luke was able to break the hatch, Arsne was shocked. ¡®Kuk, he still has this much power left?¡¯ ¡®Damn, getting Avenger stolen is the worst thing that could happen!¡¯ Luke, who barely escaped, looked at Avenger in dismay. As it was his very own Gigant, he had only used the best materials and applied the latest magic engineering in it. Avenger had the latest core engine with the output of 4,000 fight and the Iron Core he had brought from the Southern Continent. It also had a linked Helm that was connected to the mind of the riders. There was no Gigant in the Symphonia Kingdom that was stronger than Avenger. It was safe to say that no Gigant in Rhodesia Continent was stronger than Avenger. ¡°Huh! This. Is. Similar. To. Atlas. But. Did. You. Steal. This. From. My magic. Tower?¡± At the question from Arsene who had been examining the structure of Avenger, Luke asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you also steal the research data of Saymon?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Master, hurry and call the Gigant from the subspace!¡± Hwang Bo-sung said, moving his Puppet to block Luke. It was because he felt that fighting with a Gigant seemed more advantageous in terms of defense and offense than one¡¯s bare body. Luke¡¯s subspace always held an emergency Gigant¡ªa Knight class Gigant called Gaius. Although it wasn¡¯t as great as Avenger, it had its own skills. ¡®What to do? I got stuck in this emergency. If one doesn¡¯t have teeth, he should at least try to bite with his gums.¡¯ Right when Luke tried to open his subspace bracelet, Arsene shielded himself from Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s attacks and used Dark Blitz on Luke. Pung! Ping! Ping! ¡®Kukk. I can¡¯t let annoying things happen!¡¯ Arsene had already lost once and didn¡¯t want to take another chance by giving Luke the time to prepare. To keep Luke on his toes, Dark Blitz was more than enough. Amplifying the core engine of Avenger, the Dark Blitz was shot toward Luke. Due to that, rather than summoning a Gigant, Luke hurriedly tried to avoid the attack. ¡°He is like a monster!¡± Hwang Bo-sung, who saw the plight of his Master, jumped in. He didn¡¯t want Arsene to attack Luke. However, Arsene didn¡¯t seem to know his intentions. Rather than responding to Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s attack toward him, Arsene avoided Hwang Bo-sung and focused on attacking Luke. That ended up creating a funny situation. Hwang Bo-sung attacked Arsene unilaterally, and Arsene attacked Luke in the same way as well. However, no one was able to overpower each other. ¡®How should I deal with this annoying man from the Southern Continent?¡¯ Arsene was contemplating the different methods he could try to get out of the mess. Of course, it wasn¡¯t his intention to turn his attention to the Puppet and turn it into ashes since that would end up giving Luke a chance to summon his spare Gigant. However, Avenger seemed to be in a much worse condition than he thought. In its battle against Gorgos, some of Avenger¡¯s joints and internal parts got damaged. ¡®It won¡¯t be favorable for a Gigant battle¡­ Right, that one!¡¯ Arsene, who was in thought, soon came up with a solution. He deliberately created a gap. Hwang Bo-sung, who wasn¡¯t aware of Arsene¡¯s intentions, struck a blow. Kwang! The Avenger, which had been struck by the Trinity punch caused a huge explosion. Hwang Bo-sung, who was trying to attack, stopped. The right hand of the Puppet turned dark as if it had been dipped in ink. ¡°T-this is¡­!¡± ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul. You will. Also. End. Up. Like. Your. Master!¡± Arsene deliberately allowed Hwang Bo-sung to attack him. Due to the difference in the structure, he wasn¡¯t able to take over the Puppet. Even then, it was enough to create panic in Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s heart. ¡°You coward!¡± Hwang Bo-sung used his left hand to cut off the right hand of the Puppet. Seeing that, Arsene smiled. ¡°Discard. It! Would. You. Cut. Off. The legs. Too?¡± Pung! Ping! Dark spears, which were released by Arsene, hit the knees of the Puppet. The Puppet, whose legs were smashed, fell to the ground helplessly. Arsene, who saw the Puppet got smashed, laughed at Luke. ¡°Kay. Now. That. The troublesome. Man. Is down. The. One. Left. To kill. Is. Luke. De. Rakan!¡± He ran toward Luke like the wind. Thanks to the time that Hwang Bo-sung had given him, Luke managed to open his subspace bracelet. However, he couldn¡¯t summon Gaius yet. ¡®Damn it! If only I had a little more time¡­!¡¯ He regretted the delay in his actions and avoided the attacks from Arsene instead of summoning the Gigant. It was because if he let himself get attacked by the Gigant, his body wouldn¡¯t be able to take it. Rushing over to a defensive stance, Luke began to think about how to overcome the difficult situation he was in. However, he couldn¡¯t find any clear solution just yet, and that made his expression gradually harden. Chapter 582 - Another Crisis 4 Bang! Kwang! In Lamer city where the explosions weren¡¯t going any easy, fires began to blaze around the city. Gigants and the city soldiers were fighting in the heat of the flames. Their enemies turned out to be oddly looking monsters. Monsters that were completely different from what they had seen on the continent. The Gigants were all on the vacant grounds while soldiers were scattered throughout the city. ¡°More, quickly!¡± ¡°We need to get rid of them before they destroy the entire city!¡± A group of soldiers was moving through the alley of the city. Those free-spirited outfit of theirs weren¡¯t regular army soldiers, but the mercenaries hired by the Kirillov chamber. The mercenary troops of Kirillov were different from the other mercenary groups in the kingdom. Most of them were the refugees of the Volga Republic or former knights or military leaders of the Volga royal family. As a result, they weren¡¯t just skillful but also organized and loyal to their tasks. What did they have? They had around 10 Gigants, which could take down a few estates. In addition, they were able to mobilize around another 20 to 30 Gigants from the Gigant Arena in case of an emergency. In addition to the mercenaries, there were also regular troops, so the city of Lamer had the strongest military force in the Symphonia Kingdom, excluding the Brandon city. That was why when the Grenada Navy attacked them in the past, they were able to stand their ground instead of getting captured. However, currently, Lamer city seemed to be in a bigger crisis. Streets were noisy all over the city because of the sudden appearance of demons and monsters. Kyahhh! ¡°Tch! Everyone! Stick to the wall!¡± A monster with two wings was flying over the city. The mercenaries decided to hide in the shadows of the buildings and decided to move once it passed them. However, the monster, which they thought would fly away, had landed on the roof of the building above them and attacked them with its beak. ¡°Eukkk!¡± An unlucky soldier got his torso pierced. The soldiers around him were frightened at the sight of it but decided to fight rather than flee. ¡°Damn! Die, you monster!¡± ¡°Do not step back!¡± While the soldiers with spears kept their distance from the monsters, the archers released their arrows. Yet, even after getting stuck with arrows on his head and torso, the monster still moved. ¡°Everyone, out of the way!¡± A mercenary stepped out with a large metal tube. The metal tube was filled with gunpowder. It was something referred to as the hand cannon as it was held and used by hand. The mercenary pushed the hand cannon into the monster¡¯s mouth. Shoot! The moment the trigger on the cannon had been pressed, the eyes of the monster exploded. As the monster dropped dead, the captain of the mercenary cut the monster to confirm its death. ¡°Dead! Keep moving ahead!¡± There were many monsters they had to deal with. They didn¡¯t have the luxury to rest, so they began to walk ahead. Pung! Kwang! The residents, who escaped to the shelter in the underground of the city, looked at Pavel with confusion and fear on their faces. Pavel, along with the commander of the 5th squad, Marquis Volant, was in the shelter, seeking measures to subdue the mysterious enemies, who were raging havoc in southern cities, including Lamer. ¡°Right now, the one attacking Lamer city isn¡¯t a warlock but a Lich. And the ones carrying out the destruction in the other cities seem to be Death Knights.¡± At Marquis Volant¡¯s words, Pavel asked, ¡°How could that be?¡± ¡°Well, according to the reports from the troops who were engaged in a battle with them, the enemies were able to move even after getting hit by attacks that no human could survive.¡± Shortly after the founding of the Symphonia Kingdom, Luke had given titles to the Volga refugees who worked for him. As a result, Pavel had the same title as Marquis Volant, yet Volant was speaking very respectfully to the elder man. It was because he was closest to Princess Reina, the companion of Luke. ¡°What the?! What kind of a person?!¡± At Pavel¡¯s outburst, the commander spoke, ¡°It must be the person who summoned all the high ranking demons in our Kingdom.¡± Honestly, all the demons that were summoned in Symphonia were because of Luke. However, everyone believed that it was an act of hostility by the forces of the Baroque Empire and the Veritas Magic Tower¡¯s remnants. ¡°All of this happened while the navy training was going on!¡± As Pavel said, the main force of the 5th squad, the navy, was training on a large fleet. It was attacked when the most powerful of them weren¡¯t present for the training. Unlike Pavel who thought of it as unfortunate, Marquis Volant felt glad by it. The Lich that attacked them didn¡¯t seem to be good with just dark magic, but it was also good at summoning monsters. Navy forces trained to fight against sailors would be no match for knight troops let alone a monster. If they had all been training on the fleet, then Volant would have lost the navy troops he had been training for the past year. ¡°I made a request for assistance, but it might take time for the navy troops to return. The same goes for the Central army.¡± ¡°Uhm, is it because of the monsters in the Anbury city?¡± ¡°Yes, it was said that this is causing confusion in the headquarters, whether to split the forces and subdue the enemy or hit one at a time.¡± The important thing was that no one could be waiting for reinforcements. In the midst of their waiting, the city would be damaged beyond repair. ¡®I am glad the underground shelters were still accessible.¡¯ The port cities, which had been attacked by the Grenada Navy, had taken considerable damage last year. That was why Luke ordered for the underground shelters to be prepared in case the residents had to escape because of an unexpected crisis. Many dwarf technicians, who were good at excavation and construction, had helped them in the construction. ¡°However, it is lucky that Lamer city had great defensive forces and high ranking mercenaries, but the other cities might be facing rather unfavorable situations.¡± ¡°Death Knights are that strong? Can¡¯t they be dealt with using Gigants?¡± When Pavel asked, Marquis Volant sighed. ¡°According to the report, the Death Knights are attacking innocent people rather than going into battle with Gigants.¡± ¡°Kuke, that is unforgivable!¡± When it turned difficult for the Gigants to move in the city to catch the Death Knights, soldiers, knights, and even wizards were mobilized. Nevertheless, the subjugation was still tough. They couldn¡¯t go for a Death Knight as individuals as it would attack them, and when they moved in groups, it would fly away. ¡°Phew, then, are they all waiting for the Central Army to send in support troops?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem like an easy option either. According to the message we got from Chief Commander, the monster in Anbury is known to be stronger than His Majesty¡­¡± ¡°Uh, then¡­¡± ¡°It is totally normal for His Majesty to be given support as a priority.¡± The king, Luke, a symbol of strength in the Symphonia Kingdom. Even if the south was devastated, the army would surely choose to save and support Luke. ¡°So we have no choice but to wait for¡­¡± ¡°Domestic power can no longer be mobilized¡­¡± When Marquis Volant said that, Pavel looked at the man with sparks in his eyes. ¡°If our domestic forces can¡¯t, then what about from abroad?¡± Volant was the first to respond. ¡°Well, I heard that the Holy Empire was just having a hard time with the zombies¡­¡± Moreover, from what Pavel knew, they led the Saint Guards led by Arch Duke Gregory and the pope. They were still in Jackson. Even if they did come, they would take a lot of time to reach the port cities. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we at least try? We¡¯ll contact them first.¡± At Volant¡¯s words, Pavel hurriedly told the communication wizards to contact the Holy Empire. Hopefully, they would hear a piece of good news from that side. Chapter 583 - Resurrection of Holy Sword 1 Luke¡¯s plan had been completely reserved with the sneaky trick used by Arsene. Arsene struck the fist of Avenger at Luke. Kang! When a punch, full of Magi hit the ground, a large crater formed. It wasn¡¯t just that, the shock waves swept away all the debris created by the collapsed buildings. ¡°Kul kul kul! Run. Away. Like. A. rat. Warrior. Descendant. That. Is. The. Only. Way!¡± Arsene screamed, seeing Luke take a step back, however, Luke didn¡¯t respond. He had no time to get himself into a verbal fight with Arsene. It was important to take out the Gigant from his subspace bracelet. However, Arsene wasn¡¯t giving him the chance. ¡°You. There!¡± Dozens of Black Spears formed around Avenger¡¯s fingers. Luke, who was hiding behind a building, hurriedly escaped. ¡®Kuek, only if I had a little more time!¡¯ He struggled and looked at the object which was in his hand. The wooden box containing the Holy Sword Valiant. In the midst of summoning the Gigant from the subspace, he ended up bringing something else out. ¡®It would have been fine if another sword would have come out.¡¯ In addition to the broken Iron Feather sword, there were a few more magic swords made by Zig in Luke¡¯s subspace. When Luke first held the Holy sword, he wanted to activate it numerous times. However, the half-broken sword was nothing more than a sharp blade. How would it even be helpful in such a situation? ¡®If I teleport myself from here and reorganize¡­ no, if I step back now, I lose everything!¡¯ Luke thought about what Arsene would resort to if he retreated. The brutality Luke would have to witness scared him. Even if he did manage to survive, the nation would have a huge loss, and the people will start to lose trust in him. ¡®If I don¡¯t get away from here¡­!¡¯ ¡°Come. Out. Luke. De. Rakan! If. Not. City. Will. Be. Blown. Up!¡± Screaming loudly, Arsene¡¯ raised the hands-off Avenger and pointed to the city which hasn¡¯t yet been destroyed. As Magi was gathering on it, Luke ran out. He had no time to think, and he couldn¡¯t afford another destruction right before his eyes. He had to stop Arsene. He could no longer let the innocent people suffer because of the monster in front of his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t do useless stuff, Arsene! I am here!¡± Luke flew in at Arsene with Titan Fist. It was a magic combat attack with huge power, however, it was a lot less as he had no core engine to amplify the attack. Pung! The Titan Fist got easily blocked by Arsene¡¯s shield. ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul! That. Tickles. Was. That. The best. You. Had?¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± The Titan Fist was just a check. Luke had lured Arsene¡¯s attention with the attack. He wasn¡¯t sure if it would work, but he had to know where he stood. Arsene noticed that Luke was up to something. However, with the confidence he had, he was only curious about it. Arsene was sure of his win as long as he didn¡¯t let Luke take out the Gigant from his subspace bracelet. However, when Luke continued to do the same thing again and again, his anger grew. ¡°Annoying. Luke! How. Long. Will. You. Keep. Doing. That?¡± Bang! Arsene brought in Magi and directed it at Luke. As the ground burst because of the explosion, the roads and the stones scattered all over the place. ¡®Kuk, should I drag it more?¡¯ Luke was thinking of testing Arsene¡¯s patience a little more, but felt like he should start attacking. ¡°Build Up!¡± Thud! Luke exerted three phases of demon ability of Build Up. The Aether Globe in Luke¡¯s heart changed to Black Circle and his appearance changed to a demon. His height went to 3 meters. Pung! Pung! During the transformation, Arsene¡¯s attack went for Luke¡¯s body and hit him. ¡°Kuek! Kuek!¡± Luke gagged in pain. He hadn¡¯t used up his demon abilities as it took time for them to change and form. Surely it didn¡¯t take the time to summon a Gigant, but he didn¡¯t find the gap to use it. Because of the repeated blows, Luke ended up vomiting blood. Luke somehow managed to avoid getting any fatal injuries by covering his face with his arms, and immediately used Thunder Bringer, the ability he got from Kauren. Kwang! Bang! Suddenly, purple lightning was coming in! Arsene, who didn¡¯t expect Luke to strike back that quickly, was shocked by the display of lightning. If he was controlling a good Gigant, maybe it would have held the power to stand tall even after getting smashed by a powerful blow, however, Avenger, which wasn¡¯t in the top condition faltered. Fortunately for Arsene, Luke¡¯s Thunder Bringer wasn¡¯t precise, so it hit the ground around Arsene and not him. ¡°Huh, I. won¡¯t. Fall. If this. Is. Your. Level!¡± Arsene was surprised by the strong attack which just missed him, yet, Arsene was ready to counterattack. Wheeeing! Dark abyss was created on Avenger¡¯s left hand. It was the extinction magic, Black Abyss. It was rather hard for such kinds of dark magic attacks where the body wasn¡¯t perfect. However, Arsene concentrated all of his power with the hope to see the end of his opponent. ¡°Have. A. safe. Trip. Luke. De. Rakan!¡± Bang! The moment Arsene manifested the magic, the ground around Arsene¡¯s feet crumbled making Avenger lose its balance. Avenger staggered at the sudden unexpected situation. With that sudden movement, Arsene ended up sending the Black Abyss to the sky rather than at Luke. ¡®Now!¡¯ The opportunity he waited and waited for. Keeping his eye straight, Luke pulled out the broken Holy Sword Valiant from the wooden box. Although it was broken and couldn¡¯t exert its full power, the Holy Sword was made from Orichalcum metal, which amplifies the aura a lot more than what any other swords can. ¡®This is the only chance!¡¯ Luke, who was rushing towards Avenger, used Blink and unfolded the second half of Gold Sword. Woong-! A bright and brilliant light began to rise from the broken Valiant. With a golden light flying straight, Luke went for Avenger which was still struggling. ¡°Th-this. Damn it¡­!¡± Arsene tried to defend in a hurry. However, the attack of the Gold Sword was much faster than the manifestation of dark magic. Slash! The moment the Golden aura was wielded, a huge golden trajectory went for Avenger and eroded its entire body. ¡°Kuek! Luke. You. Disgusting. Man!¡± No matter how much Avenger had been taken over, in the end, it was a Gigant. When the mana converter, the balance device, and the other important parts got smashed, Avenger collapsed without help. Thud! ¡®I did it!¡¯ Luke sighed out of relief when he saw Avenger unable to move. The crisis which intensified with Avenger seemed to have ended there. Chapter 584 - Resurrection of Holy Sword 2 ¡°Oh oh, it is done!¡± After the Puppet broke, Hwang Bo-sung could only watch Luke¡¯s fight. Seeing Avenger fall down with no life, he clenched his fists. It was a pity that the King¡¯s exclusive Gigant was broken down. However, it was 100 times better than being used and abused by the hands of the villain. ¡®But, what was the reason that Avenger just faltered over there? Was it luck, or did His Majesty do something?¡¯ What Hwang Bo-sung wondered was a situation Luke had created. Shortly before he was luring Arsene, Luke managed to find a manhole on the road. Unlike 500 years back, the current cities had great sewage facilities. Although they were expensive to create, considering the damage caused by the water pollution, it was seen as rather cheap. Anbury too had a great sewage facility, and the water was supposed to escape through the large sewage which was right beneath the roads and headed to the nearby river. What Luke aimed for was the sewage system down the road. The road was made sturdy so it wouldn¡¯t collapse even with the attacks of the Gigant, however, due to the battle which was happening on the road, it had taken quite a lot of damage. It was Luke¡¯s Thunder Blinger, which had caused the crumbling. He deliberately pretended to aim for Avenger, and launched his attack on the road. For that reason, when Arsene unfolded Black Abyss, the ground collapsed and made Avenger lose its balance. ¡°It worked quite well for an impromptu plan.¡± Luke stared at his broken Avenger, ready to use the Gold Sword again. There was no guarantee that Arsene was destroyed. Just a while back that he had taken over the Gigant, it was impossible to know what kind of foul trick Arsene would use. ¡°Kukkk! Luke. You. Bastard! How. Dare. You¡­!¡± When Arsene¡¯s distinctive voice could be heard, Luke turned towards the source of the voice. He found fragments of Magi, which seemed to be less than a handful, moving around like flies. The Magi fragments formed into the shape of an angry face. ¡°Indeed, you are sticky as hell, Arsene!¡± ¡°This. Is. The. Power. of darkness. You. Must. Have. Learned. It. Too. Right?¡± ¡°No, I just use it for power. The power to destroy monsters who wear a human¡¯s visage, the ones like you!¡± Which was why Luke had never created an Undead or sold his soul to the demons. He had no intention of turning into a slave for power like Arsene. ¡°Huh! Power¡­ you. Are. A. kid. Who. Doesn¡¯t. know. What. True. Power. feels. Like!¡± ¡°Master, dodge!¡± At Arsene¡¯s ridicule, Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s urgent cry roared. A sudden surge in the energy behind his back, Luke hurriedly turned to defend. ¡°Shield!¡± ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul. One. Step. Late!¡± Puck! The right arm of Avenger, which fell off from the body, flew at Luke. Though he had used Shield, he was unable to overcome the mass of steel which came in with Arsene¡¯s dark magic. Luke¡¯s body bounced back and flew quite a distance before hitting the ground. ¡°Kuek! Thi- sh*t¡­!¡± Luke, who threw up blood, stared at Arsene. Crack-creak! Arsene began to recover the broken Avenger. He really had a persistent nature. Well, it was more like the dark magic he possessed was great? At any rate, Arsene laughed at Luke who was in shock. ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul. The descendant. Of. Warrior. Is a. real. Fool! Only. If. The. Core. Engine. Was. Destroyed. I wouldn¡¯t. Have. Come. Back.¡± A while back, while breaking his Avenger, Luke didn¡¯t hit the core engine. Well, it was more like he didn¡¯t break it on purpose. If he damaged the core engine of a Superhero class Gigant, Avenger who has 4,000 fights, the entire city of Anbury would have disappeared without a trace. It would be a disaster if the city wasn¡¯t fully evacuated. ¡°Should. I just. Try. Doing it?¡± ¡°St-stop!¡± The words of Arsene terrified Luke. However, Arsene didn¡¯t touch the core engine. It was because he knew that Luke still had enough power to run away. ¡®It would be difficult for him to escape with teleport magic right before the explosion. But I need to finish him off with my own hands.¡¯ Arsene was dead set on killing Luke. Luke was hit hard, and exhausted with the constant attacks directed at him, it looked like Luke¡¯s body could only use one or two spells at most. ¡®If that old man doesn¡¯t involve himself like the last time¡­¡¯ Arsene glanced around the city to make sure that Nanda wouldn¡¯t pop out suddenly. Fortunately, there was no sign of Nanda. Instead, Hwang Bo-sung, who summoned the Puppet, ran towards Avenger ready to use the Trinity punch. It wasn¡¯t just Arsene, but also Luke who was shocked by the reckless move. ¡°Sir Hwang Bo-sung!¡± ¡°Master, get away!¡± ¡°This. Troublesome. Bug!¡± Arsene stomped the feet of Avenger and fired dark magic to catch Hwang Bo-sung. Luke couldn¡¯t help but get angry, seeing Hwang Bo-sung avoid all the incoming attacks and run ahead. If he could, he would have gone in right away to help the man. However, his internal organs had taken quite a damage and the Aether Globe on his heart seemed to be damaged, he was desperately waiting for the Globe to recover. ¡®Sh*t, if I don¡¯t hurry, Hwang Bo-sung and the people of Anbury will¡­¡¯ Luke didn¡¯t want anymore people to be sacrificed. He wanted to defeat the Lich, however, he wasn¡¯t in a state where he could walk by himself. ¡®Anyone would do! Someone give me the power to kill that devil¡­!¡¯ Wooong! The moment when Luke was intently praying for someone to lend him power. The Holy Sword in his hand shone brightly with a faint resonation. Luke was startled at the sudden reaction of the Holy Sword. It was nothing more than a dead sword, however, it was resonating as if it had life in it. Besides, even though he was holding onto the sword, Luke wasn¡¯t infusing it with any magic. ¡®What is this?¡¯ While Luke was puzzled, the words of Kurgon came to his mind. ¡°to restore it properly, it will need more than just the work of the creator.¡± The will beyond what the creator made. When Zig made the Holy Sword, he must have made it with a firm mind. The hope that the sword would protect someone and not harm anyone. ¡°The will to protect¡­!¡± Luke held strongly on the Holy Sword. Valiant, as if it cried¡ªbegan to give out stronger light. Seeing that Luke was sure. It wasn¡¯t as strong as the time he saw it in Rakan¡¯s hands, but the dead sword seemed like it was about to revive. With his will to defeat Arsene and protect those who were loyal to him. ¡°Valiant, you killed me in the past. Your master¡¯s ignorance blocked my way.¡± Wooong! The resonance of Valiant only went stronger. It was as if he understood Luke¡¯s emotions. Luke kept on holding it tight, wanting it to understand his hope and will. ¡°I need you to rise! Rise and let me borrow your power! Please defeat that evil with your strength and open the path for me!¡± Pahhh! The sword resonated and bright light spread everywhere. Naturally, it grabbed Arsene¡¯s attention. Arsene was just pushed to a dead end by Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s constant attacks, and turned his head at the irritating energy which was rising to one side. ¡®No, this¡­¡¯ Luke holding that half sword, stood with an expression that Arsene couldn¡¯t comprehend. He would have called Luke to be crazy for holding such a thing, however, the energy coming from Luke¡¯s sword didn¡¯t let him speak. It felt a lot stronger than the divine power which had destroyed the Gorgos. However, there was another thing that scared Arsene. ¡°Holy. Sword. Valiant! It. Is. Still. There!¡± A sword that suddenly disappeared after the death of Rakan. Despite stealing the body of the warrior, Arsene was unable to figure out where the sword was. A mole from the Imperial palace was sent to the Holy Empire and the Rakan estate to search, however, no such sword was found. Which made Arsene believe that the sword was either broken or completely gone. However, it was in Luke¡¯s hands! ¡®From where did that guy¡­!¡¯ The place or source wasn¡¯t important. The most important thing was to get rid of it. ¡°Along. With. The. Legacy of. The. Past one. Go. To. Hell! Dark Hole!¡± Arsene created a dark energy that resembled the Abyss at the right hand of Avenger. It was rather unreasonable to trigger a high-level magic with nothing but a broken hand, however, it wasn¡¯t time to be picky. Regardless of the completion of Dark Hole, Arsene shot it at Luke. A Dark Hole could suck in everything at a radius of 30 meters and turn it to dust. When the attack came, the Holy sword wasn¡¯t fully resurrected, Luke was in a hurry to avoid it. -No, don¡¯t try to avoid it. Hit it in the front. Luke could hear someone¡¯s voice in his head. The moment the voice which resembled the Warrior Rakan was heard, the broken sword grew. Flash! The moment when Dark Hole and the Holy Sword collided, a bright light engulfed Luke¡¯s body. ¡®That is!¡¯ Escaping the crisis, Hwang Bo-sung immediately stepped back, but got caught in the bright light. Like a sun rising from the horizon. It seemed like the morning sun which burnt away the darkness of dawn, and erased the Dark Hole which Arsene created. ¡°This. Makes. No. sense!¡± ¡°Master!¡± Between Arsene¡¯s shock and Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s cheers, the light faded and Luke appeared. ¡®Pain is gone. Are my injuries completely cured?¡¯ Was it because of the Divine light? Luke looked at the Holy Sword Valiant in his hand. The Holy Sword was in its full form, impossible to believe that it was broken. It wasn¡¯t just that, it seemed much brighter and stronger than the time Rakan held it. ¡®Did the Sword form itself?¡¯ Even though it was eating his mind, Rakan¡¯s words were going around in his mind. The sword that was broken, clearly spoke to him. How could that be? Was it because of the metal called Orichalcum, or was it a miracle which couldn¡¯t be explained by magic or knowledge? Luke knew that defeating the evil in front of him was more important than finding the answer. ¡°I won¡¯t make a mistake this time.¡± ¡°Kuak! Die. Luke. De. Rakan!¡± Arsene, who was suddenly attacked, randomly attacked Luke. However, Luke, who was still wrapped in the holy light, wielded the sword and destroyed the dark magic attacks which Arsene was using on him. Yet, Arsene rushed through. Flustered, Arsene tried to develop much stronger Dark Magic. ¡°Kuak, Black Abyss¡­!¡± However, he was late. Luke, who already reached Arsene, was ready to use the second half of the Gold Sword. ¡°Cyclone Rage!¡± Thud! A bright golden aura filled the air. Just one attack, stronger than any attack which could be used by any sword, aimed for the evil energy which was in front of him. Slash! Golden aura was slashed through Avenger. Avenger was completely fine. Instead, the dark energy, the power of Arsene, which was controlling it, was hit hard. ¡®Kuak, this can¡¯t be! I can never accept this!¡¯ Arsene wasn¡¯t ready to accept the defeat until he saw the existence of his Lich who started to erode from Avenger, and was completely destroyed. Well, he wasn¡¯t able to accept it. The fact that it was a stupid descendant of the warrior¡ªwho had the ability that dares to threaten his existence and eliminate him. A man who had been ruling the world from behind, for the past 500 years. However, despite Arsene¡¯s struggles, the results didn¡¯t change. ¡®Is this really the end?¡¯ Luke looked over at Avenger which looked like it lost all its power. He couldn¡¯t feel anymore dark energy left, nor did the Gigant stand up. ¡®I destroyed his body today. If I don¡¯t get rid of the Lich¡¯s vessel, this fight will never end.¡¯ Arsene would reappear someday. He didn¡¯t know if it was a year from now or ten years later. Maybe he would decide to appear after the death of Luke. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t appear again, I will search for him. Just like you came for me!¡± An immortal monster that could destroy the continent. A remnant of the unclean past world, an obstacle to the new era. Luke raised the Holy Sword to the sky, thinking that he would surely defeat him. The sun, which began to appear from the gray sky, lit the Holy sword he had lifted. Chapter 585 - Resurrection of Holy Sword 3 The moment when Luke took down Arsene. In the Lamer city, a fierce battle was taking place outside the Gigant Arena, where a long-distance teleport gate was stored underground. It was the battle between the army, who were trying to protect the city, and the Lich along with his monster troops that were trying to smash the long-distance teleport gate. ¡°Kuk! Slaves of darkness, quickly, come out and wipe out Symphonia kingdom!¡± At the order of Nestar, Chatan, the warlock who had unleashed the Undead into the Symphonia Kingdom, began to move. He watched the battle from a distance and kept on ordering the Undead. Originally, it was his intention to release the Undead and walk away from the place. However, Nestar had given him further orders, ¡®Watch over the battles of the Undead and submit a detailed report on it¡¯. Based on the combat power of the intermediate level Undead, he intended to accurately identify the power of the troops they were producing. Such a report was necessary if they wanted to conquer the continent in the future. They needed to know the exact power of their Undead troops so that they could distribute them according to their abilities. Of course, it meant that Chatan was in a dangerous position. There was a high possibility of him dying on the ground if he encountered a Hero class Gigant or a Sword Master of the enemy side. That was why his safety was his first priority. However, knowing that the army of the Southern Symphonia wasn¡¯t a match for the Undead, he felt at peace. The Death Knights had already grasped the power of the military, and the Lich was great at performing its tasks. The Intermediate Lich was capable of summoning hundreds of small and medium demons. The number of its demons could take down a small duchy. Well, maybe an estate. ¡®Kukk. That mighty Lich only moves according to my orders. I feel like the Devil himself!¡¯ The fear that he felt when releasing the Undead was no longer present. Rather, he felt extraordinary after seeing them move according to his orders and slaughter everyone in town. ¡°Kuakk! Sweep it all down quickly! Let¡¯s leave Lamer in mess and move to Rakan estates! The main quarters of the Symphonia Kingdom!¡± Chatan proudly raised his voice as if he was the Devil himself. The eyes of the Lich flashed red, and the Lich rushed over to the defense forces in Lamer. ¡°Kuek! Stand tall!¡± ¡°Very soon, the support forces from the Holy Empire will come! We should never let them take over this place!¡± The commander of the troops. Marquis Volant, aboard his Gigant, wielded his sword and tried to encourage his men. Just a while ago, the Holy Empire replied to their request and stated that they would be sending in reinforcements as soon as possible. Lamer city was two weeks away from the Holy Empire if traveled by land. Even if they used the boats, it would take around 10 days. The only way to send support as quickly as possible was to use the long-distance teleport gate. This was why Marquis Volant had come out of the underground shelter and led his own troops to the Gigant arena, where the long-distance teleport gate was placed. However, their movements were stopped by Chatan. Chatan had noticed the movements of the troops, which were gathering at the Gigant Arena. He felt that something was odd as they were gathering at an Arena instead of the city hall or any other important administrative buildings. According to the information he had gathered during his time as a spy in the Holy Empire, King Luke had built numerous long-distance teleport gates throughout his nation even before the founding of the Symphonia Kingdom, and he used the teleport gates whenever it was urgent. In their last battle with the Grenada Navy, it was said that Belik, who was attacking the eastern part of the Baroque Empire, had suddenly appeared and saved Lamer city. Based on that information, Chatan was convinced that there was a fully functioning long-distance teleport gate somewhere in the Gigant Arena of Lamer city. ¡®They need to hurry up and destroy the long-distance teleport gate before things turn bad for us.¡¯ With those thoughts in his mind, he mobilized all the forces in the city and attacked the Gigant Arena. Swoosh! ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Commander!¡± When a crocodile-like demon was slaughtered, Marquis Volant¡¯s Gigant faltered a little. The Lich saw it and immediately used Black Spear to attack the Gigant. Even if Marquis Volant was an expert, there was no way he could stop the dark magic attack that had been deployed secretly. Maybe he noticed something coming his way. He quickly twisted the Gigant toward the shoulder side. If not, the core engine would have been hit and a huge explosion would have occurred. ¡°Commander, are you fine?¡± ¡°I am alright, but the Gigant¡­¡± Volant¡¯s Gigant, whose balance device got damaged, couldn¡¯t stand up properly and failed to work. Marquis Volant wasn¡¯t a Sword Master. Even then, he was given command of the Navy unit. However, he wasn¡¯t given a Hero class Gigant. It was because the Hero class Gigant was too heavy and sturdy to be used as the Gigant was close to the waterside. It was considered to be a disadvantage at the sea battles. Instead, Gaius, which had its core engine reinforced, was the Gigant that was given to him. His Gigant was currently in the top ten Gigants used for battle in the kingdom. When such a Gigant fell, it was like creating a huge gap in the troops. It was as if enduring the battle just turned a whole lot more difficult. ¡°Damn it! Retreat into the Arena, Tell the artillery units to hurry!¡± At the command of Marquis Volant, who had decided to give up his half wrecked Gigant, the cannons present in the Arena fired. Bang! Kwang! The demons, which were chasing after the retreating defense troops, were knocked down by the shelling. However, they still ran as if they could feel no pain. Eventually, the monsters that were hit began to knock down the barricades at the entrance and pushed into the Gigant Arena. ¡°Kya! Kya! Go ahead and find the long-distance teleport gate! If we can break it, these guys are done!¡± At Chatan¡¯s orders, the Lich and the monster went searching around, leaving the defense forces. They managed to find a passage down to a basement. At some point, the demons that came to the third basement of the Arena found the long-distance teleport gate. ¡°S-stop them!¡± ¡°Whatever we have to do, stop them!¡± The Gigants, which were placed in the 3rd basement floor, desperately tried to stop them. However, they were all the Gigant that had been destroyed in the battle and only the emergency repairs on them were done, which meant they couldn¡¯t be used as a full-fledged battle Gigant. The wizards, who were in charge of the teleport gate, tried to use their magic attacks and stop them. However, they were war mages, so they couldn¡¯t do much damage to the demons. The demons, not being able to feel any pain, shook their tails at the teleport gate. Woong! The moment the gate was about to be smashed to pieces, a white Gigant with blue light around it could be seen near the gate and wielded its huge sword toward the demons. Slash! Kukkkk! The demon screamed out desperately, as the crocodile shaped one¡¯s torso got slashed in two. ¡°Th-that is¡­!¡± ¡°The Hero class Gigant of the Holy Empire, Veda!¡± The moment people in the 3rd basement began to cheer, Veda plunged ahead, leaving its afterimage and smashing the demons that were running in to destroy the long-distance teleport gate. Kyakk! Kyah! Kikkki! In the blink of an eye, dozens of large demons were killed. The small and medium-sized demons that came later into the room shuddered and moved back as they saw the golden aura shining on the sword of Veda. They were quick to notice that the energy being released from the sword was not something they would be able to survive and that the opponent in the Gigant was a strong person who was nothing like the defense troops. ¡°How dare you all step on Middle-Earth¡¯s soil! I swear to God. I will smash everyone with my own hands!¡± Fearing the words that came out of Veda, the demons tried to run away but were still smashed to pieces. Every time the sword of Veda moved, the beasts were cut down as if they were pieces of meat. Marquis Volant and his men, who run behind the demons, which had infiltrated the basement were shocked by the performance of Veda. The Gigant surely had a great ability and performance, but the skill of the rider was even better. ¡°Who is the rider¡­?¡± ¡°A-Arch Duke Gregory! The Arch Duke himself has come to support us!¡± At the end of his subordinate¡¯s words, Volant immediately glanced at the words engraved on the gloves of Veda. It had the clover symbol embedded in it, which represented Arch Duke Gregory. ¡°Arch Duke Gregory has come to support us!¡± ¡°Woahhh!¡± Arch Duke Gregory, the only commander of the Saint Guard. It was known that the man was the most powerful swordsman in the continent. The morale of the defense forces, which had plummeted to the ground, rose like fire. As if responding to the cheers for him, Arch Duke Gregory moved forward and turned toward the demons. After sweeping the demons in an instant, he climbed up and decided to slaughter the demons that were outside the Gigant arena. Once the flow of the battle changed, Chatan couldn¡¯t help but panic. ¡°Th-that is Veda of the Holy Empire? That too, the one which belongs to Arch Duke Gregory!¡± Chatan was very far away. However, his eyes were able to recognize the clover symbol on the glove of Veda. ¡°Damn it! a Sword Sage has appeared!¡± He was trying to destroy the long-distance teleport gate as he didn¡¯t want this scenario to happen. However, everything was in vain. Chatan had a choice to make, either to fight with the Lich or run away. He wanted to choose the latter option as he preferred it the most. However, it felt like running would waste away the ability of the Lich. He was told that the Lich was an 8th circle archmage, and if the Lich was able to summon demons, it might as well take down the Sword Sage. ¡®Arch Duke Gregory is a stumbling block to our conquest. If I can kill him here, my position in Veritas will surely go up.¡¯ All this while, Chatan was only a spy and was never promoted to a higher position. Chatan, who was burning with greed, gave orders to the Lich. ¡°Kill Gregory! Ignore the other men if you want!¡± Kiiik! The Lich immediately took note of the orders and began to move. When the Lich summoned demons again, a huge demon that resembled an eel popped from the ground. It had dozens of layers of sharp teeth, and a mouth big enough to swallow an entire Gigant and crush it. Kuuuk! Kyakkk! The demon worm, which looked like an eel, was called Megius, a rare demon in the Devildom. Not just living things, but when extremely hungry, it had the tendency to eat rocks and boulders. The scales around its body were so tough that not a slight scratch would appear even from the strongest attacks. That was why even the highest-ranking demons in the Devildom avoided getting in contact with it. ¡°He looks so ugly.¡± It was Gregory¡¯s first time to see Megius, and he didn¡¯t know how dangerous it was. Gregory¡¯s Veda lifted its sword and rushed toward Megius. However, Veda was swallowed by Megius, who opened its mouth. Gulp. Immediately after swallowing, the sound of something getting crushed in its mouth could be heard. Crack! Crack! Crunch! ¡°A-Arch duke!¡± The complexion of Marquis Volant and the other men turned pale. Never did they imagine that Arch Duke Gregory, the man who had come to save them all, would die in the mouth of a demon. ¡®We are done! We are all going to die!¡¯ Everyone¡¯s faces were drenched in despair. Woong! A bright light began to shine from the body of Megius. A golden light that seemed to be like a hundred slashes appeared from inside Megius. Slash! Slash! In an instant, Megius turned into dead meat, and Gregory¡¯s Veda appeared once again. Veda was completely smeared with the blood of the demon. However, there weren¡¯t any signs of damage to it. The sound of cracking inside the mouth of the demon wasn¡¯t the Gigant being shattered. It was the sound of Megius¡¯ teeth being crush by Veda¡¯s Gigantic Aura. ¡°Th-that can¡¯t be!¡± While Chatan was panicking, Gregory pointed the sword with Gigantic Aura toward the Lich. The Lich simply avoided the attack using Blink. However, the giant sword, which halted in the air, produced dozens of swords that rushed at the Lich. Actually, it wasn¡¯t the sword that was divided. It was the Gigantic Aura that had transformed itself into multiple swords. ¡°This is a sword skill that I made by basing it on the second half of the Gold Sword, ¡®Patriot Sword¡¯. You will be the first sacrifice for it!¡± Wheeing! Wheeeing! Gregory attacked the Lich by controlling his aura. With dozens of aura swords flying in like thunderbolts, the Lich got beaten without hesitation. At first, the Lich tried to endure the attack with dark magic. However, all of the Lich¡¯s attempts were getting smashed. Soon, its body turned into ashes. ¡®Oh my, even an intermediate Lich got defeated in an instant¡­!¡¯ The Lich had the power to destroy an entire city. He was told that the Lich could even handle a Sword Sage, but it just got defeated in front of his eyes. Chatan trembled, not knowing what to do. He couldn¡¯t feel the confidence that was overflowing in him a while back. ¡®I n-n-need to run right away! If I get caught by them, I¡¯ll die!¡¯ Thinking so, Chatan fled immediately to avoid being spotted by Arch Duke Gregory. However, after a while, he stopped. ¡°Look here, where are you going in such a hurry?¡± A wizard wearing a white robe with a silver cross on it blocked his path. He seemed so kind that he would have passed as a priest rather than a wizard. However, the fierce amount of magic from his body gave out his identity. ¡®H-he is the Meister of the Holy Arthenia Magic Tower! Marquis Reas!¡¯ An 8th circle archmage and the Marquis of the Holy Empire, Reas. He had come to Lamer city along with Arch Duke Gregory. Gregory was in Jackson and was able to reach Lamer in a matter of hours thanks to Reas¡¯s ability to transport. If Marquis Reas hadn¡¯t traveled several times from Bless to Jackson using the long-distance teleport gate, Gregory wouldn¡¯t have been able to come in time to help the Symphonia troops. He came to Lamer city and prepared to use his magic attacks and join the battle in his own way. However, he had very little work to do since Arch Duke Gregory had done everything. Luckily, his eyes ended up catching a suspicious man. ¡°King Luke said not every warlock is a bad one. Certainly, we did meet the good ones and were offered huge help.¡± ¡°Uhh¡­!¡± ¡°But you are an evil warlock.¡± ¡°Die, Reas!¡± As Chatan rushed at him, he used Dark Blitz to attack. If the one taking the attack was a normal wizard, the results would have been in favor of Chatan. However, Reas was an archmage who was used to both Magi and Divine power. This was why Chatan decided to launch an attack, and during the time in between, he decided to tear the teleport scroll and run away. However, Marquis Reas wasn¡¯t stupid enough to fall into Chatan¡¯s tricks. ¡°Holy Arrow!¡± ¡°Ack!¡± Reas used his left hand and blocked Dark Blitz and sent a magic attack toward Chatan. The Holy Arrow, which penetrated Chatan¡¯s chest, crushed his black circle. ¡°Kuakkk! Akkkk!¡± Once the Black Circle on his heart broke, Chatan could feel the pain of his entire body that was tearing apart. However, the pain was temporary. His body began to burn from the inside. The Divine power of Marquis Reas began to purify the body of Chatan. ¡°S-save me¡­ Please¡­¡± ¡°If you aren¡¯t able to bear this little pain, how do you plan on enduring the pain you will get in hell?¡± Reas spoke coldly and turned his head away as Chatan¡¯s body turned into white ash and flew away with the wind. ¡°Oh my, I was a little late.¡± Realizing that someone was left, Arch Duke Gregory rushed over, but the man had already died. ¡°Huhuhu. Arch Duke, we still have to take care of the other Undeads in the city.¡± ¡°Right, Death Knight?¡± Arch Duke Gregory recalled that the remaining Undead in the southern part of Symphonia was 5 and not 1. Meeting with Marquis Volant, he managed to get accurate information. ¡°I wonder how strong Death Knights are.¡± ¡°I am looking forward to it too.¡± Whoong! Once the teleport magic circle drawn by Reas got triggered, the two of them disappeared, leaving behind a trace of hope. The next day. The unexpected Undead mess that struck the southern part of the Symphonia Kingdom ended with the destruction of the 5 Undead. Chapter 586 - After the Battle 1 Chapter 586: After the Battle 1 On an isolated island far from Rhodesia Continent. A huge lighthouse that stood in the middle of the rocky island. An island long forgotten from people¡¯s memories. The shape and architectural style of the lighthouse seemed to have been something that was made during the ancient times of Mado Civilization. Phat! All of a sudden, a bright light shone in the lighthouse that hadn¡¯t been in use. However, the light was a shade of red that could never shine in the lighthouse. The red light in the lighthouse began to move around like a firefly and roamed inside the lighthouse. A large room inside the lighthouse, where several sarcophagus were placed. As if choosing, the red color light moved between the sarcophagus and settled at the one in the middle. A bizarre patterned magic circle carved onto the sarcophagus began to flash in red and slowly covered the entire stone. Flash! ¡°Uh-oh!¡± The cover stone opened and a bare-skinned man appeared. However, when the man¡¯s body began to get in contact with the air, it began to burn, giving out the white smoke leaving behind only the skeleton. The skeleton, which came out of the sarcophagus, frowned upon, feeling disgusted and screamed out loud. ¡°Luke. Uh! I. will. Never. Stay. Still!¡± An uncomfortable voice was heard that was like glass being scratched with a nail. It was Lich Arsene who had come out from the coffin. Lost in the fight against Luke once again, after losing the body he had been using for the past 500 years, he resurrected on the rocky islands where his Life Vessel was hidden. In case of any emergency, he placed a body there. Arsene looked around and grunted. ¡°Surely. I. will. Chew. That. Luke. While. Still. Alive¡­Ugh!¡± Arsene staggered and grabbed onto his chest. A Lich could be revived as long as the Life Vessel was kept safe. However, when the body disappeared, it didn¡¯t mean that they wouldn¡¯t suffer. Just as the brain would feel the sensation of shocks spreading throughout the body, the Lich too had senses that surround around the body through spirit body, which would still affect the Life Vessel and the body used. A promising attack could extinguish or damage the spirit body. However, the Holy Sword Valiant that Luke wielded inflicted tremendous blow on Arsene¡¯s body. For a human, such an attack would be similar to getting his soul cut off. Still, he had lived as a monster for over 500 years. Arsene was irritated. The pain, which hit him, was comforting him. It helped him calm down from acting reckless and going into battle once again. ¡®Although this body was made by cloning the original body with dark magic, I can¡¯t help it.¡¯ Since it was a body that was originally cloned, the magi contained in the black circle of his heart was around 500 years ago. That meant it was that good. However, it had a drop in the number of magi and the quality than the body used before. Of course, he had the know-hows, which he had accumulated over the past 500 years, so if he practiced, he might be able to restore his old abilities. But given Luke¡¯s growth rate, Arsene would have to grow a lot stronger and restore his original strength. Arsene wasn¡¯t sure where Luke managed to gain the strength of his sword. ¡®Should I rather wait for him to die? No, it will take too long of a time, and I can¡¯t stop the production which I already started.¡¯ The average life expectancy of a modern Rhodesian was around 30 years. The life expectancy was used to be 50 years old. After factoring infant deaths, war, or any other common problems with regular people, it decreased. The average nobles¡¯ lifespan was around 20 to 30 years longer than the common people, and the lifespan of an Archmage and a Sword Sage were much longer. They could even rejuvenate their body using Body Change. The best example would be Arch Duke Gregory of the Holy Empire. He was already 120 years old, but it was assumed that that man could be living for another few decades. From Arsene¡¯s view, Luke, who wasn¡¯t that great in skill compared to Arch Duke Gregory, was always scheming. ¡®What should I do? How am I supposed to kill him?¡¯ Arsene wandered around the lighthouse and thought again and again. ¡®I think it would be possible if I take the body of a man who is as strong as Luke¡­ The question is, is there anyone on the continent who is as strong as him?¡¯ The first one who came into Arsene¡¯s head was Emperor Rudolf, the Emperor of the Baroque Empire. He was known as a Sword Sage. However, Arsene knew the skills of Rudolf. He knew that he was a Sword Emperor, the title that Warrior Rakan had achieved. His skills as a knight would be far superior to Luke. ¡®But, he only knows sword skills.¡¯ Rudolf never practiced magic or dark magic. It felt rather useless for Lich Arsene to have his body. He thought of attacking Luke with another guardian, but he quickly gave up. He had seen how Hiros, the guardian made from the flesh of Warrior Rakan, lost. ¡®He needs to be as strong as Luke and has strong magic abilities, but Rune Knights aren¡¯t common¡­¡¯ Arsene¡¯s steps stopped. Maybe something came to his mind. His smile widened. ¡°Yes, him!¡± There was someone. The King of Libiya Kingdom, Shaikan. His real name was Reichard de Baroque, the 3rd prince of the Baroque Empire. The half brother of Rudolf. Hearing from Nestar and Albert, he came to know that the man had Dragonian blood of the God Dragon Tiamet. He was the only one in the continent who could use Dragon magic. ¡®All I know about Dragon magic is that it is ancient. However, I won¡¯t be able to deal with a Dragonian with my strength.¡¯ Arsene had another thought¡­ to make Shaikan¡¯s body his own. ¡®That way, the Libiya Kingdom would be in my hands, and I can use that as a stepping stone for achieving greatness.¡¯ As a result, Arsene¡¯s heart turned impatient. He hurriedly went to Thanatos Island to discuss his plan with the heads of Veritas Magic Tower such as Nestar. ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul! Wait, Luke. Next. Time. I. Will. Take. Your. Throat!¡± Arsene laughed out loud in the lighthouse. The sound of that unpleasant laughter sounded even eerier because the place was a closed space. Chapter 587 - After the Battle 2 During the fierce battle between Luke and Arsene, in Anbury city. The knights of Symphonia Kingdom had arrived in the city, where more than half of the city was destroyed between the battle of the two super humans. Under the command of Rogers, the knights had gone to the places where the Undead had led to confusion and havoc in the southern side of the cities and rescued a survivor from the wreckage. ¡°Now, now! Move fast!¡± ¡°I can hear the screams of the people trapped under that collapsed building!¡± ¡°What are the Gigants doing?! Get rid of that stone boulder from there!¡± As the day began to pass, complaints began to erupt. ¡°This is really! I thought that we would be fighting till death, but to be shoveling around the dirt like this!¡± ¡°But at least your task is better than mine. I think I just came here as a delivery man. Bringing in the food, the water¡­ should a Gigant rider be doing this?¡± The knights did all their work even without much words. Maybe they thought they had to do all the work as they were late for the battle. ¡°But Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Healing his wounds, getting the insane number of reports and consoling the survivors.¡± Despite defeating Arsene, Luke had no time to rest. Fortunately, the undead which appeared in the south were taken down by Arch Duke Gregory, yet, the restoration of the place was entirely Luke¡¯s responsibility. ¡°That Lich bastard!¡± Luke broke down at the reports which he had been submitted about the property damages. In the city of Anbury itself, around 20,000 casualties had occurred and half the stationed soldiers were killed. In addition, the total amount of damage to the city, the destroyed Gigants, and the civilian properties exceeded 15 million pesos. Yet, that wasn¡¯t the end. He still hadn¡¯t gotten the reports from the south. Although it was said that the human loss was much less than Anbury, they still had to suspend the trade for a while. The treasury was bound to turn up empty, and the nation¡¯s finances would turn tight. ¡®Ugh-uhh! Arsene, I swear on God that I¡¯ll get rid of you!¡¯ That was what Luke thought, yet he had to look after his duties for the time being. Luke, who stayed in Anbury for a week, comforted the citizens over there and returned to Brandon. Reading the reports of damage sent by Marquis Pavel and Marquis Volant, he left another long sigh. Yet, there was something comforting. ¡°Your Majesty, there is an active donation from various parts of the kingdom.¡± Luke glanced at Sebastian at his report. ¡°Donations? Who is leading it?¡± ¡°The nobles. Just something I heard, but it doesn¡¯t seem to be less in amount.¡± Beginning with the nobles, merchants, and the commoners¡ªmost people joined the donation campaign to help Anbury and the other people of the southern cities. The money collected was no small amount. ¡°It is a lot of money, though it will not be able to rectify the damages, yet, it seems meaningful as people are united in such a national crisis.¡± ¡°Right. It is a good thing.¡± Luke had a smile on his face. If there was no bond in the nation, confusion would begin one after another. Opponents would try to criticize the one in power, the policies, and in a worst-case scenario¡ªrevolt. It was seen only in the Baroque Empire. The Baroque Empire ended up dividing into three parts because the Emperor and the nobles broke out and civil war took place, everything happened right after the demon descended in the capital. In addition, he was suffering from the invasion and rebels of the neighboring nations of Volga Republic. ¡®Huh. honestly, it was because of me that baroque turned out like this.¡¯ Luke was the reason why the high ranking demon had appeared in the capital, Nemesis. However, he didn¡¯t have to do anything after that. All Luke did was throw in the embers, and the others fanned hard, which soon developed into a great flame that burned the entire Empire. ¡®It would be easy to say that such amount of complaints were there.¡¯ As the Emperor turned weak, the nobles and the others who had been oppressed by the Emperor began to stand up. In other words, the Rakan family, which had founded the Symphonia Kingdom, was one of the noble families which was dissatisfied with the Emperor. The Baroque and Rakan families, which were known to have bad past, have been waiting to take the other one down for 500 years. ¡®Even if it wasn¡¯t me, the Empire was bound to land in trouble. Unlike that Baroque, my nation is strong and happy.¡¯ The Symphonia Kingdom was a new one that has just been established. Even if there were forces against Luke, it won¡¯t be that bad. In particular, the local lords who lost their power over the military because of the new military policy were the ones who had the most complaints. Even though the rebellion hadn¡¯t started, there would always be an attempt to blame the king. However, learning through the information guilds, no forces showed signs of movement. ¡®Although there are complaints, the nobles know their place. The fact that their claims cannot be presented.¡¯ There were people who didn¡¯t have great power, however, they felt responsible for the power given to them. It was because the nobles were given the duties of looking after farming, trading, and good production. Yet, the taxes which were needed for the run of the Kingdom came from the nobles¡¯ pockets. If they failed in doing their tasks, the estate would turn poor, and if they decided to turn their backs, the kingdom would fall. Even if they wanted to revolt, they would have to win the hearts of the people in their land. However, the nobles were having a hard time getting the people to like them in Symphonia. It was because Luke¡¯s priority was the well being of the people. So, people knew about the uprising which happened in the Baroque Empire and the remnants of Veritas Magic tower. Woong! ¡°What? Reina?¡± Luke looked at the communication crystal in his arms, when he received the communication from Reina. -Are you good? ¡°What is it, Reina? Didn¡¯t we speak just a few days back?¡± Luke had contacted Reina immediately after defeating Arsene. It was to prevent Reina from turning anxious or impatient while she stayed in the Holy Empire. -Huh, should I have a reason to contact you? I just wanted to see you. ¡°That is fine¡­¡± Reina, who watched Luke in silence, spoke with worry. -Your face looks dark. Just as Sir Pavel said, it seems like you took a hit this time. ¡°We did. But the nation isn¡¯t ruined.¡± Luke told Reina about the donations which were happening within the kingdom. ¡°Like the saying, the ground hardens after a strong rain, I think that overcoming this disaster would be a good change for us.¡± -It will be. I will use my hands to make sure that the ground hardens quickly. At Reina¡¯s words, Luke immediately shook his hand. ¡°There is no need. The Holy Empire hasn¡¯t recovered from the zombies¡¯ attack.¡± The zombie situation in Jackson was settled with the power of Reina. People who became zombies turned back to humans, however, there were still many who had died as zombies before they could be treated. In addition, Jackson was the gateway to transportation, and since it was blocked for a while, the financial damage was severe, and the people were suffering because of the high prices. ¡°Marquis Reas had come over after taking care of the Undead. I heard that the priest began to jump out because of the sanctuaries being opened to gather resources.¡± -Hohoho. They had no choice but to do that. They did see miracles happen right in front of their eyes. The miracle wasn¡¯t done by Reina. In the sanctuaries which had to loot the money from the believers, gold ingots were made and buried under the statues. The gold ingots were secretly used, not for the sake of God and his believers, but for the political people and private needs of the priests. ¡°Huh. well, how did you end up getting the information? Did God tell you in your dreams? Or did Constantine¡¯s family confess it after the family got caught?¡± -The little child of God told me. ¡°Little child?¡± -You know her too. ¡°Ah! The heartless daughter who is in the Holy Empire thinking that her mom is better.¡± As Luke smiled, the face of the daughter appeared in the crystal. It might because Reina was looking after her, Karen seemed a lot cuter than before. Almost as if she was the princess of a nation. Well, should she be mentioned as the real princess since both Luke and Reina adopted her? When Luke was thinking. Reina stroked the head of Karen, and spoke. -It is amazing. I did know that she was a child with different abilities, but for her to know about that¡­ ¡®That is because Karen is from the future.¡¯ Couldn¡¯t she have heard it or seen it in the future? It was Luke¡¯s prediction and he was right. In the future which had disappeared, Karen had suffered a lot, she had stolen the fortunes hidden in the famous sanctuaries of the Holy Empire, all to fight the undead legion and Lich King, Arsene. Money meant power, a purpose to live life, and it was important to survive. However, with all the economy of the continent destroyed, gold didn¡¯t hold such value. Instead of that gold stone, it would have been better to have food or weapon. ¡°Anyway, you are going to help your husband with free gold.¡± -Our side needs it too, so I can¡¯t send much, but I will send you around 5 million pesos. And I am asking the other nations to support the Symphonia Kingdom. ¡®Foreign support, huh¡­¡¯ Luke and his retainers hadn¡¯t thought about it. The problem was, there was no free help in the world, and it was a diplomatic practice to give something for what is received at a later time. Which was why Luke was hesitant, however, Reina seemed to found a way. If the Pope of the Holy Empire was ready to take the initiative, the Symphonia Kingdom could take a step back. Yet, there was no great burden over the Holy Empire. There were no nobles or rulers who would make unreasonable demands in the Holy Empire, the strongest nation of Rhodesia. And if there was any noble who would resort to being so rude, El Kassel priests would go against the noble for standing against the Pope. The Holy Empire was a place where the influence of religion was overwhelming. ¡°Thank you. I am seeing the advantages of having a beautiful wife like you.¡± -Since my handsome husband had done a good job in his role. After a few conversations with Reina, Luke ended the magic communication. Sebastian, who was still listening near Luke, spoke. ¡°She surely is the Queen, the budget problem will be solved!¡± ¡°Yes, thanks to her I am able to breathe.¡± The restoration costs will be sufficient if the budget of the Symphonia Kingdom was combined with the funds collected by the donations and foreign aid. When Luke felt a little relieved. Knock. Knock. A knock came from the outside. ¡°Who is it?¡± Luke asked. ¡°Your Majesty, this is Hudson. I have something to report, can I come in?¡± ¡°Come on in.¡± When the permission fell, Hudson entered the office. ¡°Your Majesty, our agents outside the nation just sent in information.¡± ¡°Is it? Where from?¡± Luke was curious as to how the outside situation was. On the first line was the situation of the Baroque Empire. ¡°Hmm¡­It isn¡¯t a sign of a peasant uprising.¡± ¡°Emperor Rudolf isn¡¯t just stopping at nobles, he is defeating all the rebels over the nation. On the contrary, even if he is at loss, he is able to maintain the power by taking a few nobles under him.¡± Hudson chimed in. ¡°It feels like there are external forces, too?¡± ¡°Yes, the Volga Republic and Libiya Kingdom are openly supporting each other when attacking the Baroque Empire. There was also the information where the two heads of the nations would soon meet.¡± ¡°Did you find the reason?¡± ¡°We still haven¡¯t¡­¡± Luke laughed as Hudson bowed his head in embarrassment. ¡°Well, either way, this is fun. The snake and raccoon meet.¡± Shaikan was a leader of monsters, and the half brother of Rudolf, who had been in dark most of his life. Volga¡¯s Vladimir was also an insignificant figure, Luke wondered what they would talk about. ¡°And the Song Empire¡­¡± The report also spoke about the Song Empire. ¡°Yes, the conflict between the princes is rising in the Southern Continent. It isn¡¯t that good for us, who are dealing with the money and trade with the Song Empire.¡± ¡°Tch, I knew this would happen and sent those fairies¡­ was I late?¡± The 2nd prince, Jo Won-gyun, took control of the Song Empire. It was said that he was leading in the administration on behalf of the Emperor, who had turned as a victim to a sudden disease. That didn¡¯t mean that the 3rd prince, Jo Won-rak had completely collapsed. He had escaped from the forces of Jo Won-gyun and escaped to the neighboring state of Yemaek. ¡®There seems to be no quiet place anywhere.¡¯ The distinction of the Holy Empire and the Symphonia Kingdom were currently off, however, the neighboring states were noisy. There was no time for him to breathe. In order to prevent future troubles, we had to take safety measures. Luke fell into deep thought. Chapter 588 - After the Battle 3 Chapter 588: After the Battle 3 Song Empire, the self-proclaimed nation in the Southern Continent. The Imperial Family of the Song Empire had been covered in darkness for the past several months. There were two main causes for it. The first was, the Emperor had collapsed with an unknown health deterioration. The officials knew it, and so did the entire nation. For that, the tacticians from the Kang Ho clans and the wizards from the Northern continent were brought together, but everyone was in vain. With the attempt to know something, officials brought together ancient monks in the nation to help the Emperor, but nothing had changed. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Huh, from what I see, I feel like it was because of the crown prince. All this while, His Majesty had lost a lot of energy because of him, right?¡± ¡°Well, the Empress too has grown old with anxiety¡­¡± The Emperor had turned into a man in stasis, he spent his life the entire day in bed, while the great men of the palace were outside as they sighed deeply. The second in the line of the Song Emperor was prince, Jo Won-ki. Originally he was a drug addict, he had gone to the Arahan Sungjeong shrine and got himself treated for addiction. But within one month of returning from the treatment, he once again touched opium. No matter how much the Empress had begged, everything turned useless. That soon enraged the Emperor. After hearing that the Empress wasn¡¯t able to rectify the prince, the Emperor had scolded her which made the Empress hang herself out of guilt. Many people felt sorry for the lady as she had been struggling for a while trying to fix the child¡¯s addiction. Eventually, the Emperor had abandoned the prince and fell ill. Due to that problem between the two, the Imperial palace of Taehwa and the family had a dark and gloomy atmosphere over them. To the east side of the Imperial palace of Taehwa. The voice of someone shouting at the people who were upset with the happenings in the palace made the people shocked. ¡°Yo-you, people! Are-aren¡¯t you going to listen to my orders? I, I am the prince! The next ruler of the Song Empire! Won¡¯t you go and bring me some opium?!¡± With his addiction turning severe, Jo Won-ki had lost his sanity and yelled at the people with his hands and feet trembling from the withdrawal effect. However, the workers and the court ladies, who were inside the prince¡¯s chambers didn¡¯t even make an eye contact with him. If they passed opium to Jo Won-ki, they would never be treated the same. ¡°Ugh¡­ you, you people are really!¡± Where was the power he previously possessed? Jo Won-ki rushed over to the court ladies, after overthrowing the table which had vases placed on it. ¡°Kyak!¡± Startled and scared, the court ladies screamed and scattered everywhere. However, one lady, who was rather slow when compared to the others, got caught by Jo Won-ki. ¡°Hiik! Pl-please let me go, crown prince!¡± Terrified, the court lady kept rubbing her hands and prayed to the man. Jo Won-ki, who saw that laughed and spoke to the lady. ¡°Wh-who said that you would be killed? I-I¡¯ll let you go if you give me some opium.¡± ¡°Uh, I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t have it with me.¡± ¡°What? You don¡¯t have it? How can that be? Kuakk!¡± The disappointment led to Jo Won-ki having a seizure. He grabbed the small pale neck of the court lady and began to choke her. ¡°Kuakkk! Sa-save me¡­¡± The court lady struggled while her other colleagues looked at her. However, the workers and the court ladies hid behind the pillars of the room, and no one dared to step out. Even if he killed the workers, and even if the Emperor had abandoned him, he was still the prince. It was the moment when he was about the drain the life out of the lady, the body of the prince was wounded. It wasn¡¯t a deathly one, but still, it was still the prince¡¯s body. ¡°Grrrr¡­!¡± Eventually, the court lady dropped to the ground and coughed up trying to breathe again, surprisingly, the person who attacked Jo Won-ki was in the room. ¡°Prince, stop it now and let this all go.¡± The one who dared to touch the prince was Jo Won-gyun, the second prince. With a broad shoulders and square chin. Jo Won-gyun, who was almost like a foreigner, resembled his uncle Hwang Bo-kwang, the man always had a smile on his face. ¡°Gyun, is it Gyun?¡± Jo Won-ki turned his head and looked over at his half-brother. Jo Won-gyun looked at the man with a sad expression and nodded. ¡°You recognize your siblings? How did the crown prince, who was so intelligent when young, get ruined like this¡­ this is so unfortunate.¡± ¡°I, I am not ruined. Well, I am sick and I need the medicine to get cured!¡± Jo Won-ki¡¯s plea made the court ladies sigh. Who would ever consider opium as a medicine? Well, sometimes it was used as a medicine, that is, if a doctor prescribed it. Jo Won-gyun, who clicked his tongue at the words of his brother, looked at the room. He looked at the court lady who wasn¡¯t able to survive, laid on the floor with her tongue out. ¡°This looks pitiful¡­ get it out right away.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± Under the orders of Jo Won-gyun, the workers immediately moved the body. They didn¡¯t even look at Jo Won-ki. It was because recently, Jo Won-gyun was more like the Imperial family head. Before the Emperor fell, he had received the support from the higher officials, and once the Emperor fell ill, he was appointed as the regent. Jo Won-rak¡ªthe 3rd prince¡ªwho was always considered to be the most prominent contender, fled abroad as a rebellious sinner for meeting with the opposition. The rest of the princes were too young to know about the court rulings. When the people carried out the dead body of the court lady, only the two brothers remained in the room. That was when Jo Won-gyun revealed his true color. The former good looking figure, who was looking sad while watching his brother tremble with withdrawal symptoms was no more, he was looking at his brother with a frown on his face. Well, it didn¡¯t stop there. He started to stomp off the feet of his brother with the boots made of leather that was created with precious materials that flew from the North sea. Stomp stomp! Stomp! Stomp! ¡°Kuak! Ugh! Gy-gyun! Why are you doing this? Don¡¯t do this! Pl-please, let me go!¡± Did he know that his life was more precious than opium? Jo Won-ki begged by grabbing onto the feet of Jo Won-gyun. Jo Won-gyun, who was stepping on his brother, smiled and said, ¡°For someone who is a trash, the position of a crown prince is too much. Sooner or later, I am going to snatch that position, so live quietly with the opium provided. Don¡¯t go around creating useless issues here.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Honestly, Jo Won-gyun wanted to kill Jo Won-ki right away. However, in a state where the Emperor was in stasis, if the crown prince¡ªthe one in line for the throne ended up dying with an unknown cause¡ªthen his reputation would tarnish a little. In addition, the most troublesome person, the Red Dragon Lee Yong-mu was still in the military. Which was why he was going to follow the procedures as closely as possible to expel Jo Won-ki from the royal family. ¡°Spat!¡± He spit in the face of Jo Won-ki, who was shivering and went out of the crown prince¡¯s room. He soon headed to the Emperor¡¯s quarters. Chapter 589 - After the Battle 4 Jo Won-gyun, who arrived at the Emperor¡¯s throne room, announced his arrival. ¡°A guest has arrived.¡± ¡°A guest?¡± When Jo Won-gyun went inside the room, the man who was sitting near the throne greeted him after standing up. It was his uncle, Hwang Bo-kwang. ¡°Where are you coming from, Majesty?¡± Hwang Bo-kwang had recently risen to the post of being the advisor to the prince. No one had opposed his ascendance to the position as he had already brainwashed the minsters in the court. When asked by Hwang Bo-kwang, Jo Wong-gyun frowned. ¡°I met with the opium freak a while back.¡± ¡°Is that so? How did you feel after seeing that trash?¡± ¡°Kukuku, he was the trash I created, but he was too pitiful to watch.¡± Actually, it was because of Jo Won-gyun that Jo Won-ki had begun to touch opium. After receiving treatment from Saint Nanda, he hadn¡¯t touched opium for a while. The Emperor felt extremely glad, and there was some willingness in him to mend their relationship. However, Jo Won-gyun secretly embraced the court lady in charge of the food and poisoned the food and alcohol consumed by Jo Won-ki. As a result, the prince who failed to overcome his addiction was hated once again. ¡°Now, he is even willing to commit murder. I think I can pull him down from the prince¡¯s seat.¡± Although they had the family and court officials under their control, the Song Empire still had many officials and officers, who were loyal to the Emperor. They were mainly the local officials. Though those individuals were weak, they would turn troublesome if they formed a group. That was why they were pretending to follow the rules to avoid any suspicions. ¡°By the way, did the work in Yemaek go well?¡± Hwang Bo-kwang had gone to Yemaek, a neighboring nation, a few days back. It was to request the 3rd crown prince, Jo Won-rak, to be exiled from there. However¡­ ¡°The king of Yemaek, Biryu, refused.¡± ¡°Huh, just as expected, that man is too pretentious.¡± ¡°Right. We need to hurry up and raise our troops to punish that arrogant man.¡± Hwang Bok-kwang had gone there to meet. However, the two people knew that the Yemaek King wouldn¡¯t hand over Jo Won-rak. Although they were interacting with each other, Yemeak didn¡¯t hold a good relationship with the Song Empire. After such long wars, even those sinners, who fled from the Song, even the current Jo Won-rak, were never returned. The Emperor, however, engaged three princes with the princesses of Yemaek to improve their relationship. And that was bad news for the Jo Won-gyun side. Jo Won-rak had run away over there. Despite knowing that their request would be rejected, Hwang Bo-kwang went there to create a cause for war. ¡°Before we invade Yemaek, we need to clean the military. There is no way Lee Yong-mu would follow our orders.¡± At the words of Hwang Bo-kwang, Jo Won-gyun nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. What about those troops who were created to serve as the vanguard units? Are they usable?¡± After seeing the undead made by Arsene, Hwang Bo-kwang secretly cooperated with Earner and turned a few men into Kangshi (frozen corpse). Undead and Kangshi. It was almost the same, using the dead body, but the difference between them was the magic and techniques used to make them. Moreover, the making time of Kangshi was much shorter. ¡°We tried them against the Namgung clan, but they don¡¯t seem that great as the Undead.¡± According to the subordinates, the Undead warrior called as Death Knight was said to have the power of the Absolute Powerholders. Compared to that, Kangshi was surely good and balanced. They were good, but not comparable to those master pieces. ¡°Which is why I am asking Earner to improve them, but I don¡¯t think that the results will be coming out anytime soon.¡± ¡°Tch, we have nothing to do. Instead, let¡¯s make a lot of them.¡± ¡°Huhuhu. You don¡¯t have to worry so much, even while we are talking in here, the Kangshi are being produced.¡± If the quality was so poor, we they can just use them in huge numbers. The Song Empire had long boasted its strength for having the largest population in the Southern Continent. And such large groups would be used to create strategies for different Moorim styles. In the same way, the number of various martial arts prevailing were large in number. Hwang Bo-kwang was randomly grabbing not just the people but also went after the men who opposed him and turned them into Kangshi. ¡®Arsene was said to have made 700 Undead? Then I will make 1,000¡­ No, I am going to make 10,000.¡¯ With that amount of Kangshi under him, he wouldn¡¯t be able to not just control the Southern Continent but also the Northern Continent! When Hwang Bo-kwang was in deep thought, Jo Won-gyun asked with a frown. ¡°But uncle, can you really put your trust in them?¡± The ones Jo Won-gyun asked were the warlocks of Arsene and Veritas Magic Tower. Although their support made it possible for them to control the Moorim styles and the Emperor of Song, they weren¡¯t honestly sure if they could be trusted. They were scared of being used and then thrown away. Hwang Bo-kwang placed his finger on his lips and spoke to Jo Won-gyun, ¡°Shh! Someone might be overhearing our conversation right now.¡± Currently, there were several warlocks, who were secretly supporting them in the palace. Considering their mysterious magic, they thought that the warlocks would eavesdrop on their conversations and relay it to Arsene. Hwang Bo-kwang brought out a small paper from his sleeve. Woong! A soft light began to form around the paper and soon spread inside the room. ¡°This was something Earner gave to me. It has the effect of cutting off the surrounding energy, which the Northerners refer to as mana. Now you can speak freely.¡± With an expression of reassurance, Jo Won-gyun asked Hwang Bo-kwang, ¡°Can we really trust Arsene?¡± ¡°Of course we can¡¯t believe him.¡± Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s answer was firm. Power was known to be a law that could never divide parents and children. However, Arsene wouldn¡¯t be helping them in the Song Empire if he had no reason. ¡°Then, what are you planning to do in the future?¡± When asked by Jo Won-gyun, Hwang Bo-kwang thought for a moment and answered. ¡°For now, we need to cultivate and increase our strength by pretending to follow his words. In addition to the Moorim clans, we need to start grabbing the power of the Song Empire and the kingdoms nearby. With that, we can deal with that monster.¡± Hwang Bo-kwang knew how strong Arsene was. To fight such a monster, he would need more than one or two Absolute Power holders, maybe the power of one or two nations. He thought that he would be able to win over Arsene if the greatest fighter, Yeon Gu-ram, who was known to be the greatest at martial arts, would come back alive. ¡®But what if Heechang comes back?¡¯ God¡¯s man, Heechang. The ancestor of the legendary Zhou Kingdom. He was known to be the hero who had destroyed the mighty kingdom of evil spirits like goblins and liberated humans from their sufferings. He was famous for his act and a person who was considered even greater after his death. People praised the man and called him the ¡®Heaven¡¯s Light¡¯. For such a man to return? Of course, it didn¡¯t mean that Heechang would really be brought back. What they wanted was to nurture a new one who held the abilities of Heechang. ¡®Huhuhu, I already started my research on him.¡¯ Shortly after being promoted as the advisor, Hwang Bo-kwang had investigated the reports in the Imperial Palace with the permission of Jo Won-gyun. In the Imperial Palace¡¯s treasury, the ancient heritages possessed by other dynasties and the land under them were all mentioned. Among them, there was a book that held records of Heechang. The book was referred to as the ¡°Heaven¡¯s Light¡¯s Record¡±. However, as it was written in the ancient characters of goblins, no one was able to interpret it. As the interactions with the northerners turned active, they came to know that the letters in the records were very similar to the characters used in the Abaron Empire, which ruled the Northern Continent during the Mado era. And with the scholars and wizards brought in from the North, Hwang Bo-kwang was secretly providing shelter in the Imperial Palace for making them interpret the records. Those records might have information about Heechang¡¯s legendary skills. ¡®Honestly, I don¡¯t know how long it will take to understand the report and create someone who implements his teachings. But thinking about the future, I need to be prepared for everything.¡¯ The future¡­ The future in which he planned on turning into the ruler of the world. Although it was still far away, Hwang Bo-kwang, who thought of it, smiled earnestly. Chapter 590 - Fallen Dragon 1 The mountain fortress on the Southern border of the Volga Republic. The same place where King Luke of the Symphonia Kingdom and President of Volga, Vladimir, had talked. In the same place, another meeting was held. The only difference was that the meeting wasn¡¯t with Luke but with the Orc Hero Shaikan, the King of Libiya, Reichard. Vladimir, who looked at Reichard that was in front of him, asked with a disgruntled voice, ¡°Do you really need to wear that mask?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you feel the need to take off that mask?¡± Duke Dimitry, who spoke after the president, looked at Reichard with his hands ready on his sword. However, President Vladimir glanced at Dimitry. The opponent was a legendary dragon blood owner. Even if Duke Dimitry was a Sword Sage, a Dragonian was a tough opponent to deal with. He felt that it wasn¡¯t necessary to sacrifice his precious Sword Sage just because of some trivial need. ¡°We don¡¯t intend you to take off that mask, but can¡¯t a small word and kind act deepen the relationship between us?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t there be trust for a relationship to last?¡± ¡®Huh, surely it isn¡¯t wrong.¡¯ Vladimir¡¯s attention was completely focused on the nations to the south of the Baroque Empire. The Symphonia and Libiya kingdoms. As the two Kingdoms split from Baroque Empire, the power of Baroque wasn¡¯t able to recover. Moreover, as Baroque was focused on the South, he was unable to send in armed troops to attack the Volga Republic that was in the North. This was why Vladimir wanted the two Kingdoms to fight with Baroque as long as possible. ¡®But both nations are going in completely different directions.¡¯ The Symphonia Kingdom, ruled by Luke, was implementing numerous republican reforms. Centralized military reforms, people-oriented policies that prioritized the well being of the general public, active commerce, and industry, the republican activities were tolerated until it was for the well being of the nation. The idea of republicanism spread among young people. However, another emerging nation, the Libiya Kingdom, was different. Unlike the unpredictable use of monsters that were known to have intelligence and skills, their national system was rather conservative. The nobles¡¯ powers and interests were retained. Besides that, those who rebelled because of the issues of the nations or acted even a tiny bit suspicious were relentlessly executed. The same was true for the Volga Republic. Those nobles, who were regarded as thorns, were removed. So, the people and scholars with republican thoughts in the Libiya Kingdom were exiled either into Symphonia or the Volga Republic. ¡®People¡¯s taxes were greatly reduced, but it was possible because they were able to save money by using the monsters to secure labor and military power instead of humans.¡¯ In other words, Libiya Kingdom was no different from the Baroque Empire. No matter how it was seen, they seemed very similar. He did have the Dragonian blood in him. However, Reichard was still a member of the Baroque family. Perhaps, if he had the borders close to Volga, he would have been as troublesome as the Baroque Empire. ¡°Even if there is no trust, we just need to hold hands. We have a common enemy. Isn¡¯t that why the king himself has come here?¡± ¡°That is true. I need your cooperation in defeating Rudolf.¡± The heads of the two nations realized that it was better to attack the Baroque Empire together than by themselves. That was why the meeting had been proposed. When Reichard agreed to it, Vladimir immediately began talking. ¡°It was said that the Baroque Empire had weakened a lot. However, neither Rudolf nor his knights can be dealt with easily. Which means, we will have to act more aggressively than our current attempts.¡± ¡°A more aggressive attempt¡­ In what way?¡± ¡°Firstly, we¡¯ll manage and support the peasant uprising in the Baroque Empire.¡± In the Baroque Empire, peasants uprising had been taking place throughout the nation due to the high tax and the lootings during the war. Both the Volga Republic and the Libiya Kingdom were secretly supporting the movement. In addition to handing them the military supplies, they hired mercenaries to increase the power of the rebels. The peasant rebels, which were scattered in Baroque Empire, were a great help in shaving down Baroque¡¯s power. ¡°It was something I felt too. I think that we should unify the rebel forces first.¡± ¡°Firstly, we don¡¯t have the skill to push the peasant rebels.¡± ¡°Then, we will have to build an integrated command based on the people we put into the movement.¡± Vladimir and Reichard shared their views on how to support the peasant rebels of the Baroque Empire and the roles to be done. ¡°The next would be sharing information to open a common front.¡± The two nations were currently invading the Baroque Empire from North to West. However, if information could be shared about the common front, they could attack Baroque a lot more efficiently than now. ¡°That sounds like a good idea too.¡± ¡°And it would be good to discuss the territorial division in case of the fall of Baroque Empire. Each side can prevent unnecessary doubts and conflicts with each other.¡± Vladimir, who said that, spoke what he had thought in advance. ¡°Our Volga Republic needs 32 estates north of Irtis river.¡± ¡°If you put them together, that will be almost 2/3rd of the Republic, are you confident enough to hold it? It isn¡¯t a good thing to have too much land.¡± ¡°It is my job to think about it. And if you say it like that, shouldn¡¯t the king be worrying about it? Libiya is taking a lot more land than it can handle.¡± ¡°Well, half my blood is of Baroque. I think I can manage things a lot better than one would know.¡± Reichard wasn¡¯t pleased with the division of land. It was because he regarded the Baroque Empire as his own. ¡®Well, we can let him take it for now and then snatch it back at a later time.¡¯ Of course, Volga wasn¡¯t so innocent as to stand still either. At some point, he would try to stomp on the Volga Republic, the Symphonia, and the Holy Arthenia Empire too. That way, he could rule the continent with his God¡¯s Dragon blood. ¡®For now, I¡¯ll dance to your rhythm. But the next time, I will be moving along to my own rhythm.¡¯ ¡®His eyes are sneaky looking ones. I need to find a way to slay this Dragonian.¡¯ With different thoughts, the two leaders of the nations documented their discussed issues and signed on them. ¡°King Shaikan, I think your future will be rather very busy.¡± ¡°All of that to win.¡± ¡°Then hope you see victory and prosperity.¡± Vladimir¡¯s right hand reached out to Reichard. It was meant for a handshake. After a brief thought, Reichard accepted the handshake. Ching! ¡°¡­!¡± The moment their hands joined, a series of images passed through Vladimir¡¯s head. ¡°What is it?¡± Reichard asked when he saw Vladimir flinched. The president quickly recovered his composure and smiled as if nothing had happened. ¡°Nothing at all. All of a sudden, I felt a chill¡­¡± ¡°That so? Maybe it was because of me.¡± Reichard thought that it was because of the energy he had released that Vladimir felt dizzy. He did refrain when he was talking, but still, Shaikan was releasing enough energy to show his power once their conversation was done. Surely, Reichard thought that. However, it was wrong. All of a sudden, Vladimir had visions of the future because of Reichard¡¯s energy. The only one who noticed it was Duke Dimitry. After Reichard and his men left, Dimitry immediately spoke to the president, ¡°Did you see anything?¡± ¡°Well¡­ a dragon was wrapped completely by a grey snake with fog around it, like it was dying.¡± ¡°A dying dragon? That looks auspicious.¡± Duke Dimitry¡¯s complexion rose. The Dragon was a symbol used by the Baroque Imperial family. Therefore, the death of the dragon could be interpreted as the fall of the Baroque Empire. ¡®Is it really auspicious?¡¯ The president had different thoughts. Baroque Imperial blood was in both Rudolf and Reichard. If one thought about it, didn¡¯t that mean that Libiya Kingdom too would perish? What could the grey snake that killed the dragon mean? ¡®It doesn¡¯t feel good. I think something unusual will happen.¡¯ Vladimir, who was able to recover from the unfamiliar images, stepped back into the fort while looking back and forth over the south side where Reichard had gone. Chapter 591 - Fallen Dragon 2 After all the urgent work and reports were done in Brandon, Luke had returned to Anbury city. It was to direct the reconstruction of the city, where more than half of the structures were destroyed and burned during the battle with Arsene. Honestly, he didn¡¯t do all that. However, unintentionally, he ended up volunteering to increase the morale of the people who were in a slump after the sudden battle, so he wanted to help to wash away their feelings. Tak! Tak! Tak! Pull! Kang! Kang! Kang! Many people, from all over the kingdom had come to volunteer. The number of fairies too were huge, and the dwarves, in particular, boasted their construction skills. Volunteers, like regular people, diligently helped in rebuilding the city. Building the broken houses, the buildings, rework on the pavements on roads, everyone moved with no rest. Luke too used his magic to clean up the places which were filled with rubble. And if the King of the nation was using his own hands and helping his people, there was no way that the Central Army Knights would stand still. A number of knights pulled out their Gigants to help with the construction. As a result, the construction speed had increased several times. It was when Luke was smiling. A knight went close to him and announced. ¡°Your Majesty, Count Joon, and three other nobles have applied for an audience.¡± ¡°Huh? Count Joon?¡± Count Joon was a former Milton Kingdom noble, he was an influential noble with a manor near Brandon. After the Rakan invaded the Mayers¡¯ estates, he was reluctant to serve Rakan and resigned from his post with an excuse of being ill, which allowed him to maintain his power and his position along with the estate. Of course, because of the recent military reform placed by Luke, the military power of his estate was greatly reduced. The rest of the nobles who had asked for the audience with the King were either rich or influential. ¡°Would they like to have a meeting with me?¡± Why did they have to come all the way there and ask for a meeting with the King? Luke, who was curious, accepted their request. ¡°Bring them to the city hall.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Luke headed to the city hall¡¯s meeting room, which was being used as his temporary office. And after a while, he was able to meet the nobles. ¡°Your Majesty, you must have been through a lot.¡± ¡°There would never be any leader who would work on the reconstruction of the city for the sake of the people, I guess only Your Majesty can do that.¡± At the words of the nobles, Luke only shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Could what I have been through be worse than the people who have lost their homes and lives? For what reason did you come here and ask for me?¡± The Count took out a box of jewelry which was in his hands and pushed it forwards. ¡°I and the other nobles too have been collecting the money. To help rebuild the city.¡± The gold was changed to reduced sizes to increase the volume. ¡®Oh ho, so these were the ones.¡¯ Luke was told by Sebastian the other day that a few nobles were raising the money for the sake of the Kingdom. But, it looked like it was Count Joon and the other nobles. ¡°Uh, thank you. I won¡¯t forget your help.¡± Thankfully, Count Joon who came to Luke and handed the box, added a word. ¡°But, Your Majesty. If you can listen to my ideas, we are willing to pay more.¡± ¡°Huh? Ideas?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯m listening.¡± When Luke was listening, Count Joon gulped and opened his mouth. ¡°It was always the nobles who have sustained the nations by helping out the Monarchs who had their own wills. There were countless nations which ran like that, including the past Libiya Kingdom, even the Republicans.¡± The noble system of the Volga Republic was a little different from the other nations. If the nobles supported their principles of republican aims, those nobles weren¡¯t deprived of their titles or positions. However, they weren¡¯t given any independent military power, and very few nobles were given any privileges. The nobles who rebelled and tried for more power were punished, and their positions were immediately deprived. However, Luke didn¡¯t point out the details. ¡°So? Could you get to the point?¡± When Luke asked them what they wanted, Count Joon spoke. ¡°The monarch alone cannot rule the nation, even the power of a single monarch would lead to corruption. Even the Baroque Empire had a parliament, and I want our Kingdom to have a parliament for the nobles.¡± ¡®In the end, they want power.¡¯ The Symphonia Kingdom currently had the power concentrated between the King and his followers. In other words, the local lords had limited power. There was no way they would remain like that, Luke had the entire military under him. In the Baroque Empire, the nobles began to work together and rebelled, they wouldn¡¯t have managed to live past a day without it. Which was why the parliament came up. Since the Symphonia Kingdom was in a financially difficult situation, they were going to give in money and take some power under them. Once the parliament got created, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for Luke to dismiss the opinions of the local lords. In other words, they could legally take over some of the nation¡¯s power from Luke. Count Joon and the other nobles looked at Luke with a nervous expression. Would their King yell or accept it? Contemplating, Luke spoke. ¡°Well, that sounds like a good idea.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, are you sure?¡± The faces of the nobles went bright. ¡°I will not accept it right away. But I will surely review it.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°We will pay 10 times more than what we gave now!¡± The nobles returned, feeling good that their plan was successful. Hearing it from Luke, Hans and the other officials jumped out and opposed. -Majesty, why would you even give them the power? -Right. Once that parliament gets created, they will start acting like the nobles in the Baroque Empire. It is clear that they are trying to gather power under them. Looking at his retainers who were complaining through the magic communication, Luke smiled. ¡°You have nothing to worry about. I have something to use.¡± -Haa¡­ ¡°Enough of that, how is the restoration of Lamer city and other port cities going on?¡± -Firstly, we are giving in materials and manpower, but we ended up using a lot of the budget. Large scale constructions were currently being pursued, and that meant that the budget would turn insufficient. However, the port cities needed to be restored very quickly. To reduce the loss which was coming because of the trading halt with the Southern Continent, the Symphonia Kingdom was funding the port cities. ¡°I will soon send some money over.¡± -Understood. ¡°And what happened to finding the base of the Veritas Magic Tower remnants?¡± After defeating Arsene, Luke had instructed Argos to find the base where the remnants of Veritas Magic tower were hiding. It was to destroy Lich Arsene before he could completely heal his body and restore his original strength. -Sir Hudson is trying to mobilize all the agents in the branch, but he still hasn¡¯t figured it out. We were planning on sending more agents into the southern continent. ¡°Please do that.¡± After the magic communication ended, Luke approached the window in the room and looked at the sky. The sky was clearer than ever. ¡®Huh. Foolish nobles. Who do you think will be the council members in that?¡¯ Luke¡¯s mouth soon formed into a sly smile. The nobles, including Joon, were all thinking only about the existence of the parliament. However, Luke had a different point of view. Even if the parliament was created, he had no intention of creating the feudal style parliament which shared the power with the nobles. It was when Luke was smiling, he suddenly frowned. ¡®Huh? That is?¡¯ Dark clouds were appearing at the other side of the sky. These clouds seemed rather unusual. It was like darkness was the source of it¡ªa dark and sinister energy was rumbling around it. The direction where the dark clouds seemed to move was to the northwest, where the Libiya Kingdom was located. Chapter 592 - : Fallen Dragon 3 Once the meeting with Vladimir was done, Reichard immediately headed back to Libiya Kingdom at a terrifying speed. It was because he had to refer to the requests and deals made with the Volga Republic and talk with the members in his kingdom. But while he was heading back, an unexpected situation occurred. That too was something which shouldn¡¯t have happened. ¡°Your Majesty, the soldiers in Samora city caused a riot.¡± ¡°What, riot? And the reason for it?¡± At the report given by the military commander¡ªDuke Butler, Reichard frowned. Being in war with the Baroque Empire, Reichard had paid a lot of attention to the military affairs as well as the other nation¡¯s military. He constantly supplied the needed munitions so that the morale of his soldiers and knights wouldn¡¯t fall, and the salaries for the military personnel was a lot more than the Baroque Empire. Even then a riot had occurred? ¡°Did someone embezzle the funds sent to the military?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t it. It is that they just seem to hate the idea of going back into the battlefield.¡± The damage caused by the riot wasn¡¯t so huge. Rather than looting the civilians, the soldiers only marched in the streets and focused on their anti-war protests. However, the officer who tried to stop the riot was killed and a few other casualties had incurred due to a fight between the troops who had come to suppress them. ¡°UH! Those cowards! Make sure all the people who are involved in the riot are taught a lesson!¡± ¡°It would be nice to do that. But, we won¡¯t really be able to punish even a single one of them.¡± ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± When Reichard asked not understanding, Duke Butler began to explain the background of those who participated in the riot. ¡°The soldiers who were in the riot are conscripts. Originally, most of them were workers who had jobs in the markets or worked in the mines, but since the founding of the nation, they all lost their jobs.¡± It was because of Reichard that they had turned unemployed. Reichard had proceeded with the construction of the national projects, clearing the wastelands and developing mines by using the low-level monsters such as goblins and kobolds. Monsters seemed a lot more efficient than humans, simply because all the monsters needed only the food and no other expenses. This saved the national budget a lot and reduced the taxes to gain support from the people, but the position of the lower-income people who lost their jobs overnight was different. ¡°Did we conscript them as soldiers to solve the unemployment problem?¡± ¡°Yes, but there are many who are dissatisfied and upset with it.¡± Enlisting the unemployed increased the number of soldiers available in the Kingdom, and the unemployed were given jobs and salaries. It was a good theory, however, the reality seemed different. If it wasn¡¯t for the current situation, Reichard¡¯s intentions would¡¯ve been applauded. But currently, they were at war. Moreover, the opponent was the Baroque Empire. It was said that the Baroque was going through civil war and border battles at the same time, yet, it was still the strongest nation with military power. There was no way the conscripted soldiers wouldn¡¯t be afraid. Even though they didn¡¯t want to fight, they were forced to fight, which turned them anxious and dissatisfied with the position they were in. ¡°Why does the King keep dragging the war?¡± ¡°If the need for soldiers is that great, can¡¯t he just increase the number of monsters? ¡°I want to go back to my hometown! Even if it means selling meat, I¡¯ll at least be able to live without worrying about it when I die!¡± The dissatisfaction in the soldiers piled up, and eventually, it led to the situation of a riot happening. ¡°This isn¡¯t something which can just be overlooked. It was said that similar signs are happening in the other units in charge of the conscript training.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± If Butler¡¯s words were true, they couldn¡¯t be punished. If the hearts of the trembling soldiers weren¡¯t put at ease, the same situation would keep coming back. Well, if Emperor Rudolf knew about the situation and decided to put his finger in it, the situation would turn out of control. ¡®The number of monsters I can control has a limit. And I am already at my limit.¡¯ Even if Reichard had inherited the Dragon¡¯s blood, it wasn¡¯t like he could control the infinite monster. He didn¡¯t say it to his officials, however, he was already at his limit. Which was why it was difficult to replace the conscripts with the monsters. The difference between the efficiency of the two nations regarding the war was different. ¡®Should I stop the war for a while? No, that will turn into trouble for us. I even made the agreements with the Republicans, and I can¡¯t give Rudolf the time to settle the civil war in his empire.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t do that, everything he did till now would end up turning useless. When Reichard was in conflict, Duke Butler spoke to him. ¡°I believe that we need to stop the war for a while and clean up the nation. We have been constantly running in one direction only.¡± ¡°You mean to act like Symphonia?¡± ¡°Yes, that was what I meant.¡± At Reichard¡¯s question, Duke Butler nodded his head. Butler was intrigued by the Symphonia Kingdom. It was because they had handed over the enemy to Vanden, who had betrayed Butler and went towards Rudolf. Thanks to that, Butler was able to loosen the pain that was eating him away. ¡°The Minister of Commerce and Industry insists that the Navy should be cultivated and we should start engaging trade with the Southern Continent. You might already know, but the trade with the Southern Continent has reached astronomical heights.¡± Not only did Marquis Rakan conquer the Milton Kingdom, but it was all because of the goods and resources that it earned with the Southern trade that it was possible to establish the Kingdom without worrying about the Baroque Empire. In the west of Libiya Kingdom, there were ports that were already built. However, the scale was paralleled to the Southern ports in the Symphonia Kingdom, Lamer city. ¡°I heard that a while back, some unfortunate turn of events happened in the Symphonia Kingdom¡¯s port cities, even with Lamer city. If we take advantage of the opportunity, we will be able to take goods from the South.¡± It wasn¡¯t unreasonable to make a huge amount of money through the trade and attract the trade towards their own port cities. ¡°Fine. It doesn¡¯t seem to be an easy decision, so I¡¯ll think about it and let you know.¡± ¡°Yes, then I will head back.¡± When Duke Butler went out, Reichard kept tapping his fingertips on the table. ¡°Symphonia¡­ Symphonia¡­¡± During the same time, the two nations had declared themselves to be independent from the Baroque Empire. However, the situation of Symphonia and Libiya was entirely different. Unlike Libiya which was constantly fighting the Baroque Empire, Symphonia only moved till Sherwood city, the military hub, and ceased all the war activities from then and focused on domestic affairs. ¡®They are capable ones. The Rakan¡¯s retainers, the Volga Kingdom¡¯s remnants, and along with that are the fairies who are known to be the most competent in commerce. That too many valuable officers.¡¯ They were all talents which Luke had around him, they built their nation on trust and loyalty. Unlike Luke, Reichard was less reliable. His family was mainly the Ebra family, centered on Mitchell and Wienz. The others, like Count Felipe, were afraid of the King, and the ones like Princess Margareta bowed their heads to take advantage of the power and authority. ¡®Although there are a few to trust, it is still a huge problem that we don¡¯t have enough talented and skillful people to take on the tasks.¡¯ If there were people who were bright in the nation¡¯s financial and industrial development, there wouldn¡¯t be any need for Reichard to feel so troubled. However, the Libiya Kingdom didn¡¯t seem to have any such talented men. Well, even if there were, they tried to move to other nations, the monsters had power, and they didn¡¯t want to stay in a Kingdom which was always at war. On the contrary, there were men who weren¡¯t afraid of war. They were the knights and mercenaries who dreamed of success, the Iron mages who moved to sell their Gigants. With the Iron mages, Reichard didn¡¯t neglect his deals with them. It was because the battle with the Baroque Empire required Gigants, the main force of war, and wizards to repair it. Which was why he combined several medium-sized magic towers in the Kingdom and made the Royal Libiya Magic Tower. And if one was an Iron mage, they were used regardless of them coming from small or medium-sized troops to make the Gigants. Thanks to that, even if the Gigant¡¯s lacked in power, the number made up for it. ¡®This is frustrating, but I need to start looking around the Gigant workshops.¡¯ Reichard, who thought that, got up and headed to the workshop in the Royal Libiya Magic Tower, which was in the south of the Royal Palace. Chapter 593 - Fallen Dragon 4 Kang! Kang! Clang! Creakkkk-! The production of the Gigant was in full swing in the magic tower workshop where the sounds of hammering and screeching could be constantly heard. ¡°Is this the first Knight class Gigant developed by our Royal Magic Tower?¡± ¡°That is right, Your Majesty.¡± Meister Vasyli responded to Reichard¡¯s question in a cold voice. He was known to be the elder of the Fiore Magic Tower, one of the top ten magic towers in the continent. ¡°This Tyranno was created with the base being Vermillion, the Gigant that was produced by the Fiore Magic Tower. I myself built it.¡± ¡°Hm¡­ doesn¡¯t it look old fashioned?¡± At Reichard¡¯s thoughts, Vasyli immediately answered, ¡°However, it¡¯s reliable. Vermillion¡¯s structure was relatively simple, and it had relatively low troubles to deal with, so it was a masterpiece that every frontline rider favored.¡± However, the core engine output was weak for a Knight class. For that reason, several attempts were made by the Fiore Magic Tower. However, they always improved the balance instead of a stronger output, which was always criticized by the riders. Vasyli saw the problem with the core engine when he was still in Fiore Magic Tower. So, the engine was removed and the core engine made by the Rokid Magic Tower had been installed. ¡°And with that, the output had been increased and the balance was as stable as ever.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t there be any problem by using two parts from two different magic towers?¡± ¡°There is no need to worry about that. Magic circles have been placed for the Gigant to work without any problem. In addition, this work was led by the former wizards of Rokid Magic Tower, so there won¡¯t be any problem.¡± ¡°Right. And how is the development of the Hero class Gigant going?¡± If the core of the military power¡ªthe Gigant¡ªwas to be used, the Hero class would be the major support for our troops. Even if a dozen Knight class Gigants were gathered, it was common knowledge to the public that a single skilled rider could defeat them with a Hero class Gigant. In the past, only the Baroque Empire and Holy Arthenia Empire of the Rhodesia Continent were able to produce their own Hero class Gigant. However, that number has increased since even the Symphonia Kingdom had done it. In the New Year¡¯s Military Parade, they had unveiled the self-developed Hero class, Orion. As the number of the top ten magic towers had decreased due to the Battle of Magic Towers, the search for a Hero class Gigant was like reaching for the stars. That was why they were assessing that even the Symphonia Kingdom was ready to buy a Hero class from another nation. Reichard didn¡¯t want to lag behind Luke. Unlike his thoughts, the reality was different. ¡°Firstly, we have obtained the Hero class Gigant of the Fiore Magic Tower and are currently reverse engineering it. The main devices of the Hero class were usually produced by the Meister and the senior wizards, so it will take time to analyze each part and research them.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you an elder in that Magic Tower?¡± ¡°I have nothing to answer to that. But thanks to my position, I wasn¡¯t a target of the assassination attempt that happened on the magic tower, which is why I had the opportunity to serve you, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t decide on things too soon.¡± When Reichard didn¡¯t seem to feel that great, Vasyli spoke about something hopeful, ¡°However, these days, a lot of talented wizards are coming in and the research is happening faster than expected. Even the famous wizard of the Altica Magic Tower, Rabua, has also come to us.¡± ¡°Rabua¡­ I haven¡¯t heard that name before.¡± ¡°He is a very famous person in the magical world. Would you like to meet him once? Rabua also wishes to see His Majesty once. After all, you are the famous descendant of God¡¯s Dragon.¡± Normally, Reichard would just ignore it. However, considering the morale of the wizards in the Gigant production, he decided to go along with it. He decided to meet Rabua. Vasyli led him to the lab where Rabua was working. His lab seemed to be in the quiet part of the Royal Magic Tower. ¡°This is it. He doesn¡¯t like mixing in with people, so he stays here alone.¡± ¡°I guess his one of those weird ones.¡± Reichard opened the door and entered the room. He was confident in his abilities and the escort knights were all waiting right outside the room. ¡®The room is larger than I thought.¡¯ Seeing the small door, Reichard thought that the lab would be small too. However, the room seemed enormous. It was large enough to compare it to his own study. On the dark side of the room, a wizard in a grey robe was studying the Gigant parts. ¡°Are you Rabua?¡± Maybe he didn¡¯t hear it, or he chose to avoid it, but Rabua continued to study the parts. As a result, Reichard approached the man a little closer. However, before they were a step away from each other, Rabua turned. Reichard was shocked to see the face behind the hood. Was he ugly? It wasn¡¯t because he was ugly or that great to see. It was because of the red eyes, which flashed under the hood. No human being possessed eyes with that color and boney hands. ¡®What is this?¡¯ ¡°It. Is. You. Shaikan.!¡± His voice screeched in Reichard¡¯s ears as if it was iron bars being rubbed on each other. Rabua was terrifying to be with. Well, the skeleton rushed toward Reichard. Reichard, who was startled, pulled the sword that was on his waist and turned to the monster. Ssssh! The sword with Dragonic aura struck the skeleton. As soon as it fell, the skeleton monster turned into powder and spread in the air. Reichard thought that the power of the dragon in him would destroy the monster, but it was all an illusion. Slassh! The power of the skeleton scattered in the air and began to wrap around Reichard¡¯s body, like a snake. ¡°This!¡± Reichard tried to wave off the powder. However, the powder soon infiltrated his mouth, nose, and eyes. It flooded into him. To explain would be tough, but it was like a battle that was spread in all four directions. ¡°Kuakk!¡± Reichard screamed and struggled with pain as if his entire body was burning. He tried to shake off the powder using his Dragonian abilities, but every time he moved, the powder seeped deeper into his body a lot faster. ¡°Kuakkk!¡± His consciousness finally faded in a situation where he choked. He couldn¡¯t see or hear anything. Thud! The lab door shook as if something happened. ¡°Your Majesty, did something happen?¡± The escort knights waiting outside ran into the room after hearing Reichard¡¯s screams. At first, they thought it was just yelling. The Dragonian, who was the descendant of the dragon, was strong enough to get rid of anyone. Reichard was an excellent swordsman, and he was good at ancient magic¡ªdragon magic¡ªas well. No 8th magic circle wizard could stand against him. Would such a strong king scream? They thought their king might just be exhausted. However, they heard it again. They broke through the door and ran inside. Reichard was standing there with his sword pulled out. ¡°Your Majesty, was it an assassin?¡± ¡°Did you get hurt?¡± Reichard¡¯s body seemed a little above the floor for some time, and soon, he landed. He casually replied while putting away his sword, ¡°Why are you making such a fuss?¡± ¡°We heard your screams and came in.¡± ¡°I screamed? I did?¡± The knights were flustered when Reichard asked them. ¡°Huh? Then you weren¡¯t attacked by an assassin?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t attacked. Did you hear my scream?¡± Reichard asked while pointing at Vasyli, who was behind the knights. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything, Your Majesty. I just heard the sound of scraping from the nearby workshop. It seems like the knights are mistaken. Please forgive us.¡± At the words of Vasyli, the escorts knights laughed as if they were mistaken. ¡°Majesty, did you meet Rabua?¡± ¡°There was no one inside.¡± One of the young wizards came in at the words of Reichard. With a puzzled look, he asked Vasyli, ¡°Meister, you came? Why did you come into my lab?¡± ¡°What¡­ Rabua, you were out?¡± ¡°Yes, to find the things I needed¡­ Hiik, Your Majesty!¡± Rabua, who recognized Reichard late, bowed to him. Reichard smiled at the wizard and reached out to him. ¡°Get up. You did nothing wrong. You don¡¯t have to bow down like that.¡± ¡°I-I am sorry.¡± Rabua held the hands of Reichard with a smile on his face. However, it wasn¡¯t because of the joy of being recognized by the king. ¡®Master, it was a success.¡¯ ¡®Kul, kul, kul, he was supposed to be a Dragonian, but he wasn¡¯t much.¡¯ The two exchanged words with just their eyes. In fact, Rabua was a warlock of the Veritas Magic Tower. It wasn¡¯t just that. The real identity of Vasyli was Albert, the Meister of Veritas Magic Tower. With Nestar¡¯s spell, he used magic to disguise himself as Vasyli and infiltrated the Libiya Kingdom to lay down the groundwork. He then brought Reichard all alone to meet Arsene. Thanks to that, Arsene was able to seal away Reichard¡¯s soul and take over his body with dark magic. ¡®Well, this is a pity, but this body isn¡¯t completely mine yet.¡¯ Although he took over, Arsene was unable to use Reichard¡¯s Dragon magic and sword skills. In a hurry to seal away his soul, he wasn¡¯t able to completely control Reichard¡¯s ability and knowledge. It just meant that Reichard was a difficult person to control. However, Arsene didn¡¯t seem too concerned about it. It might take some time to analyze it, but he thought there was no way anything could stop him from tapping into Reichard¡¯s skills. ¡®Kul, kul, kul, just wait, Luke. I am going to come for your neck once I have made the Dragonian power mine!¡¯ Looking over to the southeast where Symphonia was located, Reichard, well, Arsene smiled to himself. Chapter 594 - Parliament Establishment 1 Luke, who was concerned about the dark clouds that he had seen earlier, asked Hudson to see if there were any disturbances in the Libiya Kingdom. A few days later, Hudson submitted his report on the matter. ¡°There was nothing more than the conscript soldiers rebelling and their suppression?¡± ¡°Yes. There was something that happened on the Baroque Empire¡¯s side¡ªan assassination attempt on the Emperor.¡± According to Hudson, the rebels in Baroque had secretly set up huge amounts of gunpowder and flame magic circle on the road where Emperor Rudolf led his army. Rudolf was an opponent, who was difficult to kill with a sword or poison. That was why they tried to blow his entire army away along with him. ¡°However, it was said that the attempt had failed because of Marquis Kepler, the Meister of Baroque Imperial Magic Tower, who managed to find it.¡± ¡°That is a shame. But, aren¡¯t the rebels in the Baroque supposed to be the peasants? Do they even have the ability to set up traps of that size?¡± In the Baroque Empire, it was believed that the Libiya Kingdom and the Volga Republic were secretly supplying gunpowder and wizards, so did the intelligence department of Symphonia judge that. ¡°I see. You can go back.¡± After sending out Hudson, Luke called for Belfair. It wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t believe in Argos, but he needed to cross-check the information and get more detailed facts. ¡°There is nothing unusual about the Libiya Kingdom. The same as what the Intelligence chief reported. Instead, there was a story that the public sentiment is shaking as the war is going longer than expected.¡± ¡°Hmm, I see¡­¡± ¡°Rather than that, Your Majesty, are you going to make the parliament?¡± Belfair asked carefully. Since he was a demon, he didn¡¯t really worry about the political issues surrounding the kingdom. However, he couldn¡¯t help but care about it as his master¡¯s position could be influenced. ¡°There are lots of things that need to be done in the nation. I can¡¯t handle all the matters alone. I need people to take care of it.¡± ¡°But, can you completely trust those nobles?¡± After Mayers¡¯s death at Reynold¡¯s hands, the nobles of Milton surrendered to Luke and asked him to be the new king. That was how the Symphonia Kingdom was born, and more than half of the nobles were from the former Milton Kingdom. When the parliament got created, there was a great amount of belief that they would try to influence the legislation and internal affairs of the state. The power of the kingdom would be passed to the nobles. ¡°Belfair, do you really think that I¡¯ll go ahead with the decision without any thought?¡± ¡°Then¡­ Ah! You are going to turn the nobles into slaves. If you do that, they will be near your feet as loyal puppets.¡± Belfair clapped his hands as if he understood Luke¡¯s intention. However, Luke¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°Even if we don¡¯t turn them into that, I can do as much as I want to make sure that the parliament doesn¡¯t head their way. No, I can say with confidence that things will change without their knowledge.¡± ¡°Huh? How is that?¡± Luke had a sneaky smile and looked at Belfair, who still didn¡¯t understand it. ¡°You will understand once you see it. Anyway, how is the movement of the nobles?¡± When Count Joon got the permission for the establishment of the parliament, nobles of the former Milton Kingdom quickly began to build their own forces with Count Joon as their head. Their official name was, ¡®Symphonia¡¯s Nobility League¡¯. However, in short, the people called it the Noblemen. And it was a fact that in the beginning, most of the noblemen were the nobles in the Baroque Empire. However, the optimistic nobles, who were hopeful of gaining power, faced an unexpected obstacle. It was because Luke had placed a limit on the number of seats in the parliament. In the Baroque Empire, there was no limit to the number of seats. Whether it was the noble in the capital or a local lord, anyone who had the will and reason to attend could appear in the parliament. It was because the parliament was the place for the nobles. However, Luke didn¡¯t allow the attendance of the nobles with official positions, or those with military power and limited the number of seats to 300. Moreover, not all 300 seats were given to the nobles. Limiting it to 125 seats for the royal office members and 50 to the neutral nobles, who supported the royal family in secret, and only 125 were given to the nobles. The nobles initially opposed it. However, they didn¡¯t continue their opposition. It was because they were all concentrating on taking the seat rather than trying to increase the number of the seats. In the case of Count Joon, he agreed to the limited seats from the very beginning. ¡®They know that coming out entirely would turn difficult.¡¯ He knew that power wasn¡¯t divided evenly even among the rich. As Luke predicted, Joon was a very ambitious man. He was attempting to use the limited number of seats to solidify his strength and order within the noblemen. Even if he didn¡¯t like Luke and his nobles, Joon wanted to pay attention to the noblemen and avoid any internal struggle within. In the end, Luke was able to make the parliament that he wanted because of it. ¡°But, Your Majesty, the neutrals?¡± Belfair didn¡¯t know about it, so he asked. There were nobles in the Symphonia Kingdom that expressed their political neutrality. However, there weren¡¯t enough numbers to fill the 50 seats, and they didn¡¯t even have the major number of seats like the royals or the noblemen. ¡°Huh, they have fewer seats, but the neutrals will be the ones to lead the parliament.¡± ¡°That is because with the neutrals¡¯ support we can win the voting¡­ But, can the neutral nobles with small numbers even fill up the seats and do their work?¡± Due to the devastating wars, almost all of the nobles who were considered to be neutral had disappeared from the Symphonia Kingdom. Advocating themselves as the neutrals, they would keep jumping on both sides. So, even though they spoke about being neutral, the nobles either belonged to the royalist side or noblemen side. ¡°Huhuhu, well, what about that?¡± Luke, who had a picture painted in his head, smiled contently. However, Belfair, who didn¡¯t know about it, only tilted his head. Chapter 595 - Parliament Establishment 2 Chapter 595: Parliament Establishment 2 The story about the establishment of the Parliament spread like a wildfire throughout the Kingdom. It turned into a hot topic not just in the capital city, but also the other estates. Those who paid more attention than the general public were the republicans in the kingdom. A small caf¨¦ in the commercial city was located. In the caf¨¦, talks about the parliament establishment by the republicans were being held. ¡°The King has allowed the parliament.¡± ¡°I heard that only ¡®nobles¡¯ can attend it.¡± A young republican replied to the words of his colleague in a deep tone. There already was a parliament of nobles, in the Baroque Empire. Besides, it was the same, the establishment was agreed in exchange for money. What was different was, in the Baroque Empire, it was created because of threats against the nobles and taking over the military by the Imperial family. And in the case of Symphonia, it was in exchange for donations for the development of the destroyed cities. ¡°It isn¡¯t a legitimate parliament. Will the nobles really communicate the will of the people? King Luke has always been on the side of the people, but when we look at it, this is the nobles¡¯ intention to take revenge on the royalists, right?¡± ¡°Right. This is nothing different than their will to fight it out in a legal battle.¡± The reaction of the young republicans was rather skeptical, which made the middle-aged scholar smile. The words of the young were those of the kids who had still a lot more world to see. ¡°As you said, this is a parliament where only the nobles can attend. But we are also, ¡®Common people only¡¯, right? Aiden, you might be able to do it.¡± Aiden was a noble family of a nearby estate and was asked by the middle-aged scholar. In the academy of the Royal Brandon Academy, he secretly met with republicans and later, dedicated himself to republican principles. ¡°Of course, that is true, but would anyone, who isn¡¯t the direct lineage of the nobles be treated as one?¡± The middle-aged scholar¡¯s smile didn¡¯t rub off even after Aiden¡¯s words. ¡°I took a close look at the decree. It said that any noble could attend it, it didn¡¯t mention anything about having a title or being the direct family member of the titled ones.¡± The words of the middle-aged scholar changed the expressions of the young ones. Republicans weren¡¯t commoners. Even the nobles were falling into republican ideology, such as those who were far from the inheritance and title, the second and third children who had little power to use. As such, they were dissatisfied with the current existing noble system and status. ¡°The seats for the neutralists are around 50 right? The royals and the noblemen are already ready with their seats, but the neutral ones are still not full.¡± ¡°Must be because the number of seats is a lot more than the real number of neutral.¡± ¡°Right. That is why it is empty. But if we decide to stand still, the seats will be passed on to the indecisive men who only want to earn money.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± As the middle-aged scholar spoke, the young people seemed distressed. ¡°It isn¡¯t as much as we¡¯d want, but this is still an opportunity for us. You need to take advantage of this, though this is small, it can lead to the break in the noble system in the future.¡± ¡°I understand what Mr. Hegel is saying. The question, can we take full control of the neutrals?¡± The middle-aged scholar¡ªwho was their teacher called Hegel, smiled at Aiden¡¯s question. ¡°It might be difficult to control right away. We need to go and change the system. To do that, we will have to need a lot of money and connections. It is necessary to properly use the given opportunity and use the noblemen¡¯s desire for power into our advantage.¡± ¡°No way, you want us to compromise with the nobles?¡± Aiden frowned asking it. ¡°In order to graze the green lands, sheep will have to wear the skins of the wolves. In any group, there will be those who have fallen. You will have to get in touch with them.¡± Hegel explained to the young republicans on how they were supposed to move in the future. Their heated debate on the political systems continued throughout the night. Viscount Lamerit, a member of the noblemen, was in a poor mood. It was because he hadn¡¯t been given a seat in the parliament. ¡°Damn that jerk Joon! He is eating the fruits I made!¡± In fact, he was the first to insist on drawing political advantage from the king by starting the donations. Count Joon went and got permission to establish the parliament, but the one who gave the most money were the ones who were under Viscount Lamerit¡ªand he was the one who encouraged the people to give money. Besides, he even went to visit the King with Joon. However, the number of seats given to the noblemen were 125, and only 18 seats were given to the merchant nobles. That too, after excluding Viscount Lamerit who was the head of that group. ¡°Viscount Lamerit, you are the foundation of our nobility. Only if you can support us from behind, the frontline nobles would be able to work freely.¡± Upon saying that, Count Joon didn¡¯t give him the seat. Instead, he turned into the leaders of the noblemen, and he gave plenty of the seats to the men and acquaintances under him. Maybe if his faction were given enough seats, Viscount Lamerit, would¡¯ve tried to convince himself. ¡®But 18, just 18 seats! 18 seats!¡¯ Viscount Lamerit and his men weren¡¯t satisfied with the number of seats given to them. ¡®What should I do now? Should I end up becoming a royalist? No, I heard that the dispute for the seats there is fierce. Also, it will make me look like a traitor, and I won¡¯t be placed in a good position in the future.¡¯ With all those thoughts in his heart, he wanted to bring the army in his estate and the men of the mercenaries to wipe out Count Joon and his men. However, because of the military reform, his entire force had ended. King Luke had no intention of seeing a civil war rise within his nation. Maybe if the situation hadn¡¯t changed, he would have surely applied for war with the royal family. However, with the reform, it was impossible. Because it would be forbidden to create a domestic conflict when the nation was preparing to go for war against the Baroque Empire. However, it was his dire need to restore the trampled honor, but that didn¡¯t mean he would ruin the nation. ¡°Huh, I was a fool. Joon, I shouldn¡¯t have believed that fox-like guy¡­¡± The butler approached and spoke to Lamerit, who was sighing a lot. ¡°Viscount, a guest has come.¡± ¡°Guest? Who could that be?¡± ¡°Well, a young man called Aiden, a blood relative of Baron Haier.¡± Baron Haier was one of the noble families with estates to the south of the Kingdom and had a grain trade relationship with Lamerit. Although not of the same faction, they were still in a good relationship. ¡°Aiden? Who is that?¡± Lamerit¡¯s question was answered by the butler. ¡°He isn¡¯t directly related, but is currently the nephew of Baron Haier.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then I guess we have no reason to entertain, send him back.¡± If there was no real power over the estate of the family, there was no need to meet that person. However, after hearing from the butler, he changed his mind. ¡°He said he had something to offer about the election of members in the parliament?¡± ¡°¡­ let¡¯s meet first and know what it is, sir.¡± The butler immediately brought in Aiden. With a dignified impression, the man greeted Lamerit. ¡°I am Aiden de Haier.¡± ¡°Uh, yes, nice to meet you. I heard you had something to offer. What could that be?¡± When Viscount Lamerit asked about the subject right away, Aiden smiled and spoke. ¡°I am studying at the Royal Academy, I met a lot of people and came to know a lot of things through them. And this time, we neutralists had an offer about electing the leader.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The face of the Viscount went wide. He was already a sack of barley because of the grains he used to cultivate, but this time it was because someone had come to ask him to be a member of the Parliament. ¡°Congratulations. You people will have to work hard.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to celebrate yet. I just received the offer.¡± ¡°I meant it like¡­¡± Said Aiden and continued. ¡°You need to have support to secure the seat.¡± At Aiden¡¯s words, Lamerit¡¯s eyes shone. He noticed what the man was suggesting. ¡°I am not sure if Viscount already knows this, but most nobles would prefer to have you behind them than to place you directly in the seat of politics.¡± ¡°I know, they are fools.¡± ¡°Yes, which is why I was able to talk to a neutral noble. However, the competition of the representatives for neutrals is also difficult.¡± ¡°So would you like me to support you with my funds so that you can win over the seat?¡± Asked by the Viscount. ¡°That is right. If you can help me and my friends to get elected, then you will be given a political stake over the matters the neutrals have influence in.¡± It was a very encouraging story. However, humans and animals were the same kind of beings whose hearts change in a matter of seconds. After being elected into the parliament on their own virtue, the young man and his group of friends would probably act like they were unaware of the Viscount. He was concerned about it, but¡­ ¡®But, there is nothing bad about investing. Because I will be able to exert some influence on the neutrals, and it will increase my political position too.¡¯ The number of seats for Royalists and the Noblemen were 125. In order to win the vote, the neutrals had to be drawn to either side. Which means both the Royalists and the Noblemen would have to bow down to the Neutrals. ¡®Kukuku! I don¡¯t know about the others, but I¡¯d like to see that jerk Joon beg me!¡¯ It might be a failure too, however, he wasn¡¯t going to give up because of the fear of failure, there was also the possibility of succeeding too. Viscount Lamerit accepted the hand of Aiden. ¡°It is impossible to abandon the spirit of the young man.¡± ¡°Thank you so much. You will have a long way in history as the savior of the new future for this nation.¡± ¡°Huhuhu. That would be great.¡± Viscount Lamerit smiled as he dreamt of the delusion of governing the politics of Symphonia. Without even thinking that the words of young Aiden could have other meanings. Chapter 596 - Parliament Establishment 3 Chapter 596: Parliament Establishment 3 Yemaek¡ªwhich was located to the east of the Song Empire. War movement began to circulate in the place where the Song Empire hadn¡¯t been well acquainted for a long time. It was because an order had been issued to mobilize the entire army troops after the envoy of the Song Empire went and came back. ¡°I am very sorry, Your Majesty. This is happening because of me¡­¡± Jo Won-rak bowed his head and apologized to Biryu, the ruler of Yemaek. It was because he felt that there was no need to spill blood for the 3rd person. However, Biryu¡¯s thoughts were different. ¡°It isn¡¯t because of you. Even if it wasn¡¯t for you, Jo Won-gyun had been aiming for Yemaek. The war just happened to come a little closer.¡± ¡°I am grateful that you think so.¡± Jo Won-rak had been framed for a sin, and escaped to the neighboring nation, Yemaek. He was engaged to the daughter of Biryu, So-hye, and he thought that the evil man Jo Won-gyun wouldn¡¯t dare to step foot in there. However, his thoughts were completely wrong. It was because Jo Won-gyun, who took control of the Song Empire¡¯s imperial family, sent Hwang Bo-kwang¡ªan outsider of the royal family, and threatened to start a war if Yemaek didn¡¯t let go of Jo Won-rak. ¡°And what are we? If Hye and you get married one day, you will become our family soon. We don¡¯t have the custom of abandoning one¡¯s family in Yemaek.¡± Biryu was a typical character, he had the temperament of a kid and didn¡¯t hesitate to spill blood if necessary. He thought that the war might be able to cut the fate of the Song Empire and Yemaek, so he issued the troops¡¯ mobilization order. In the mobilization order, many of the Moorim clans and warriors in Yemaek had been included. He was preparing for a war that would decide the fate of the nation. Jo Won-rak, who left the throne room, headed to his room. In his room, which was in the Royal palace was Zegal Hui of the Eorim troops, who too had been exiled. ¡°How did it go, prince? What did King Biryu say?¡± ¡°Fortunately, the king regards the war as an established fact.¡± Thanks to that, his feelings of guilt had decreased, but the problem was whether they could really win the war against the Song Empire. If the war was lost, his intention of seeking the asylum in the neighboring nation would disappear. He would be taken back to the Song Empire and would have to beg the evil hands of Jo Won-gyun. ¡°What did the Zegal clan say?¡± At Jo Won-rak¡¯s question, Zegal Hui answered about the call he had made. ¡°Elder Zegal Shin, who is infiltrating the enemy lair, caught them making the Kangshi in the Hwang Bo clan. It was said that the Moorim clan was being gathered in secret.¡± The masked men and Arsene¡¯s previous attack on the Zegal Clan had left a huge blow on them. However, as they were the representatives of the Moorim, they gradually managed to recover the strength. During the time, they rebuilt their clan, and at the same time, they mobilized the intelligence troops and traced the identity of the masked men. As a result, they discovered that Hwang Bo-kwang was secretly training men. They weren¡¯t surprised by a lot as they were already expecting something of that sort. However, the problem was that the Hwang Bo clan could attack them at any time. It was because Zegal Hui, one of the direct lineage of the Zegal clan, was an ardent supporter of the 3rd crown prince, Jo Won-rak. In their eyes, the Zegal clan would take the 3rd prince¡¯s side. As a result, Zegal Moon and the other elders continued to monitor the Hwang Bo clan¡ªand as a result, they found that they had captured men of Kang Ho clans and warriors and turned them into Kanghsi. The Zegal clan, who knew that they couldn¡¯t handle the Hwang Bo clan by their own strength, secretly began to inform the various other clans in Kang Ho about it, and created the ¡®Anti- Hwang Bo clan alliance front¡¯. ¡°Then, I don¡¯t think there isn¡¯t much to worry about. But the problem is that the monster which helps the Song Imperial¡­¡± A monster that appeared after the masked men were killed. Because of that non-human monster, the Zegal clan was almost destroyed. Luckily, Saint Nanda had appeared there and took the monster to somewhere else, yet, the clan was never able to win the war. ¡°I think we should ask for help from ¡®him¡¯, the one in the Northern Continent.¡± ¡°Him?¡± ¡°Yes, goblin¡­ no, listening to the words of the fairies, it was said that he had founded the nation called Symphonia. They said that with his strength, he might be able to deal with that monster.¡± At the request of Luke, the fairies had come to stop Arsene who was trying to take control of the Song Imperial family. Unfortunately, their task wasn¡¯t completed. It was because Hwang Bo-kwang had taken control over the Song Imperial family much more quickly than they had expected. The fairy warriors who came as the representatives weren¡¯t small, however, they weren¡¯t eventually outnumbered. Therefore, they only managed to rescue the 3rd crown prince Jo Won-rak and pushed him into Yemaek. The fairy troops were currently staying in the forest near Asadal, the capital of Yemaek. ¡°If he has become the ruler of one nation, it would be difficult to move and help someone else without getting permission from his men. Would he come all the way to the Southern Continent to help us?¡± ¡°It might not be easy. However, in order to remove the dark clouds over the Song Imperial family and correct the order on the continent, we will have to get his cooperation.¡± ¡°Huh, then I should be asking the help of the fianc¨¦ and my father-in-law.¡± Sending a letter from the Southern Continent to the Northern Continent took more than one month of sending and receiving. In order to shorten the time, he would have to send something like a long-distance communication which Luke had used in the past. Just a while ago, Jo Won-rak was told that the Yemaek royal family had a similar treasure. Jo Won-rak was already prepared to face some criticism, he then got up from his seat and once again moved towards the throne room. Chapter 597 - Parliament and Black Tower 1 The Opera House located in the center of Brandon city. It was decided to use that building as the temporary parliament until the official building had been constructed. It was around 300 nobles who had attended the parliament. The royalists were seated to the right side of the stage and the noblemen to the left, while the neutrals were in the center. ¡°There are many young nobles on the neutral side.¡± ¡°Tch, what do the young ones even know about politics?¡± ¡°I know that. Shouldn¡¯t the number of the neutrals be reduced and our noblemen need to be allotted more seats, right?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?! It should have been assigned to our royalist, not the nobles.¡± Not only the nobles, but also the royalist saw the neutralists as unneeded group. Someone even thought that they had to be given more seats. Meanwhile, some men thought of it to be the best move. Mostly, the high ranking or elderly nobles thought that the young ones who didn¡¯t know about politics could be easily manipulated and asked to vote in their favor. However, Aiden and the other neutralists weren¡¯t dull enough to not know the intentions of the two sides. ¡®Huh, now I am a neutralist but in the future, I will be called a republican!¡¯ Hegel, who was the advisor to the neutral side, thought. As knowledge spread widely, the position of the common people would grow due to the development of commerce, industry and the nobles would start paying attention to the people. Right now, they were being called as royalists and noblemen, but in the future, they will be together as ¡®conservatives¡¯ and will be opposing the republicans. That was the prediction of their teacher, Hegel, the advisor of the young republicans. ¡®But the audience¡­¡¯ Not just the officials of each party, but the nobles who weren¡¯t given a seat, the common people who wanted to learn about the policies, could sit in the grandstand, overlooking the parliament. Although they weren¡¯t given the right to speak out, the presence of the audience was bound to influence the words of the lawmakers. This meant that the words and actions of the lawmakers would be disclosed to outsiders. ¡®Surely, King Luke isn¡¯t an easy person to deal with¡ªthe audience¡¯s seats and the seat restrictions¡­¡¯ Wouldn¡¯t it be an optimal situation for the republican¡¯s rosy future as long as the people were there? When Aiden was thinking that, the bellman, accompanying the Council head, announced. ¡°The chairman has come! Everyone, stand up!¡± An elderly priest, who wore a high-class robe, stood on the platform. Bishop Pascal, who served as the high priest in the Southern Baroque region, was appointed as Chairman by Luke. He was a very knowledgeable man in the Symphonia Kingdom and ascended to the high priest position of the El Kassel order. He was a man who lived with faith, so Luke was the only noble he was acquainted with. It was also possible because Luke was very close to the Holy Pope of Arthenia Empire. Otherwise, he would have stayed away even if Luke was the King. In fact, he was chosen as the chairman of the parliament because he had a neutral character. Bishop Pascal cleared his voice on the platform and spoke, ¡°I am lacking in many ways, and I have become the first chairman of the parliament that will remain in the history of the kingdom. I hope that all of you will work with your hearts and soul for the sake of His Majesty and the people of the Symphonia Kingdom.¡± After the brief speech of the chairman, the parliament was started. The first group to initiate the bill were the royalists. A baron named Jordi, who had retired from the war due to the injuries he had sustained as a member of the Unicorn Knights, was the first to speak, ¡°A lot of damage had been done to the forces because of the warlocks in Anbury City and the southern cities. To prevent the same thing from happening again, we need to search for warlocks and make sure this never happens again. We need to come up with relevant legislation and study on dark magic, and how to respond to warlocks and their skills.¡± Not just the warlocks, but the audience too was disturbed by what they heard. Searching for warlocks was understandable. But to study dark magic? Noblemen began to refute. ¡°Baron Jordi, are you even sane? Are you saying that you want to help the nation by studying dark magic?¡± ¡°We need to know the enemy to respond to his acts. There is nothing wrong with studying dark magic for that purpose.¡± ¡°It is plausible, but there is a guarantee that it won¡¯t be exploited!¡± Not just the nobles, but some neutralists and even some royalists raised their voices. ¡°If we take such measures, our nation will be degraded as a mess in the continent!¡± ¡°Right. As a response to the warlocks, the religious ones and wizards would have to work together. Won¡¯t that solve it?¡± Luke clicked his tongue as he watched the discussion from the audience¡¯s seat. He saw that the reactions were a lot stronger than expected. He had tried to change the perception that people had on warlocks. The story of warlocks who contributed greatly to solving the zombie crisis in the Holy Empire, and the fact that Devil King Saymon wasn¡¯t an evil person had been spread to the people with the help of the intelligence department. Nonetheless, the perception of people in the Symphonia Kingdom regarding warlocks didn¡¯t change much. ¡®All of this is happening due to what Arsene did.¡¯ Not long ago, half of the gateway city was blown away, and the port cities on the southern side were destroyed. The incident only happened in the Symphonia Kingdom and not the other nations. That was why people were in doubt. Yet, he couldn¡¯t withdraw from his goals. It wasn¡¯t just Luke, but also Baron Jordi who had taken his orders. Secondly, personally, him being called a warlock, there could be a rise of suspicion about the royalists¡¯ identity too. That was why he had to push away those thoughts. However, enough evidence was given to Jordi from the king himself. ¡°When did the wizards and the religious men ever cooperate? Do you think that Anbury and the southern port cities would have collapsed if they came?¡± No one could refute to Jordi¡¯s words. Once he picked up the momentum, Jordi continued to speak, raising his voice, ¡°We do not know a lot about dark magic than what we know. If we fear and hate it now, the same will happen again and again. Do we all want the same things to happen?¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it cause diplomatic problems?¡± It was the neutralist Aiden who responded. When he listened to Jordi, he was very much convinced, yet he couldn¡¯t agree with his words. ¡°If diplomatic problems are what is holding us back, then would Holy Arthenia Empire be able to achieve what it just did?¡± Baron Jordi, who said that, unfolded the proclamation of the Holy Empire, which was passed to him by Luke beforehand. He then continued to speak, ¡°This was a recent report. There might be a lot of people who don¡¯t know about this. Under the orders of the Holy Pope, we are encouraging the surrender of the warlocks to the Holy Empire.¡± In the report, it was written that those who would surrender before the given deadline would be able to avoid the death penalty, and if they cooperated with the study of anti-dark magic, they would be granted limited pardon according to the pope¡¯s ordinance. The decree was considered highly confidential even within the Holy Empire. That was because, till then, it was an iron rule that if a warlock was found they had to be killed. Surely, there were good warlocks, who had helped the people during the zombie disease outbreak, but the negative perception about them was still existent in the minds of the people and the priests. Even if that wasn¡¯t the case, there was a strong negative opinion that warlocks wouldn¡¯t really respond to it. Since they had mentioned a limited pardon, it meant that the warlocks would be under surveillance all their lives. The warlocks, who were used to hiding and living in the dark, would they really have the confidence to come and surrender in those conditions? ¡®Huhu. There were a lot who thought like that, but there were a lot of people who surrendered.¡¯ Luke smiled as he recalled the stories he had heard directly from Reina and the Argos agents. Not because of greed, but because of a moment of curiosity, and like Wilf, the man Luke met in the village of Ribek, many had learned dark magic because of the unavoidable circumstances they faced. They didn¡¯t know when they would be caught and burned, so they immediately succumbed to the decree as soon as it was issued. In just half a day, dozens of people reached the capital, Bless. And among them was a wizard who had disappeared while he was in the Arthenia Magic Tower. The Empire, which was proud of being a state that had no warlocks in it, couldn¡¯t help but feel shocked when they saw the number of warlocks coming to the capital. ¡°There is a proverb in the Southern Continent that said something about a barbarian being the only one capable of subduing another barbarian.¡± No one in the seats wasn¡¯t aware of what Baron Jordi said. Since the trade with the Southern Continent had been revitalized, many products of the South were a sign of wealth and authority for the nobles. And as Baron Jordi spoke about the proverb of the Southern Continent, he displayed an understanding to the culture and the traditions of the South. ¡°As we can see from the zombie outbreak in the Holy Empire, the way the warlocks attack is beyond our expectations. To prepare for it, it is necessary to study dark magic.¡± ¡°But what if something unexpected happens?¡± As Aiden continued to ask questions, Jordi frowned and continued, ¡°Don¡¯t we need to manage the laws and supervise it for the warlocks? The only thing our kingdom can say to warlocks is, ¡®Dark Magic and those related to it are to be exiled or punished¡¯.¡± His words created noise once again. Even if the study of dark magic was put aside, no one knew how to manage and supervise those beings, who were being considered fearsome. ¡°I think it is better to just find them and get rid of those¡­¡± ¡°And then, if a situation like the zombie outbreak happens again, where do you plan on getting help?¡± ¡°I am not saying that they are all bad, but get everyone you can find and then use them until we get the answers out.¡± Bang! Bang! Bang! When the atmosphere turned noisy, Bishop Pascal, the chairman, hit the wooden hammer on the table. ¡°Let¡¯s not do the back and forth talks but decide whether or not we will be able to make a relatable bill.¡± A high ranking priest, a bishop, the first person who opposed to dark magic related talks. Until a while back, dark magic was considered to be against El Kassel. However, when the Holy Empire took the move of embracing the warlocks, he was forced to change too. From the standpoint of a bishop, going against the pope¡¯s authority was impossible. The pope was the representative of God. Fearing the words of the chairman, the attendants diligently walked and handed the lawmakers a small marble. When everyone was holding it, the chairman pointed to the small room at the side of the platform. ¡°Go inside that booth and vote. Putting the marbles in the white box means that you agree, and putting it in the back box means that you oppose it. We will decide by the number of marbles in the box.¡± ¡®What? Not in front?¡¯ Count Joon, who was watching from the auditorium above, was astonished. If the voting was being done in a booth and not in front of the platform, there was no way to know who voted whom! There was no need to look at others and form an opinion. There should a lot of ¡®shifters¡¯. For example, Lamerit¡¯s own members, who had criticism for the less seats, could go and vote along with the royalists. ¡°This is not the right way!¡± ¡°We are nobles! We should disclose your opinion openly!¡± Nobles, who thought similar to Joon, started to protest. However, the only thing that came back was yelling and ridicule from the royalists and neutralists. ¡°You dare go against the way His Majesty wishes to run the parliament?!¡± ¡°Openly? Hmm, that is funny to hear when you are the ones who do all sorts of mischief behind the scenes.¡± Despite all the accusations, many noblemen persisted, saying that they couldn¡¯t agree with the secret ballot. Bishop Pascal spoke sternly to them, ¡°If you refuse to vote, you can abstain from it. However, if you continue to object about the voting method in the coming future, I will have to disqualify your position in accordance with His Majesty¡¯s parliamentary law.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± With that, the noblemen reluctantly entered the voting booth. Count Joon, who was watching it from the stand, trembled. How foolishly he believed that the king had accepted the establishment of the parliament. He was tricked! ¡®This is a mistake! I should have looked into things once the seats given to use were limited!¡¯ It was too late and regret had hit him strongly. However, he could do nothing. Looking at Count Joon¡¯s crumbling face, Luke had a smile on his face. Chapter 598 - Parliament and Black Tower 2 The dark magic-related bill was decided with 164 to 136 in favor of it. Although the margin was short, there was no unexpected movement of disagreement. It was because there were signs that the law was already decided, and they tried to move on to the next one. Honestly, it was closely related to their interests and rights. ¡°The decision has been made to enact the legislation, so please let us know the details and a clear plan.¡± At the words of Bishop Pascal, a young man called Craig, who was one of the neutralists along with Aiden, rose. He was the fifth son of a former Milton Kingdom noble and was a student. ¡°I think that it would be a good idea to refer to the treatment being provided by the Holy Empire as they have already implemented it.¡± Several members of the same neutralist group agreed with Craig¡¯s words. ¡°Sir Craig is right.¡± ¡°If it was the King, then working in cooperation with the Holy Empire should be fine.¡± Following the neutralists, the royalists and the noblemen expressed their opinion too. ¡°However, the warlocks, who have already committed crimes and are on the watchlist, shouldn¡¯t be accepted.¡± ¡°Even if a dark magic research institute gets created, people might turn anxious, so the place needs to be considered after careful thought.¡± All kinds of opinions were gathered, and finally, the ¡®Dark Magic Management Law¡¯ was created. The detailed points of the law were as follows. 1.Limited dark magic research is permitted to prevent the evil behavior of those related to dark magic. 2.Dark Magic Institutes are collectively called , yet they will be thoroughly monitored and supervised by the kingdom¡¯s government, and it will be supervised by wizards and religious men. 3.Warlocks participating in the study process need to be recruited. Their behavior and mentality are to be thoroughly screened and then registered. 4. The warlock registered in the Black Tower can¡¯t leave the area without permission. 5. The use of dark magic by anyone registered in the Black Tower is prohibited. ¡­.(Skip)¡­.. 12. The bill may be amended at any time depending on the circumstances in the future. Looking at them all, Luke nodded his head. At first glance, from a warlock¡¯s point of view, their freedom would be viewed to be greatly restricted by the law. However, it could be seen differently. They would be officially recognized, and their existence could be declared. ¡®It is impossible to change everything at once. It should be done one after the other.¡¯ Luke was planning to register some of the Dark Moon Magic Tower warlocks into the Black Tower. If he could get them registered, there wouldn¡¯t be those who would deviate from their own research. The question was where to put the Black Tower. The bill stated that related studies on dark magic shouldn¡¯t cause damage or anxiety to the residents and to install it in an area where monitoring them would be easy. ¡®It is annoying, but should we try putting it on Jason Estate? The home of Dark Moon is already there¡­¡¯ Jason estate was a separate land from Symphonia. An undeveloped area close to the Holy Empire with no population. However, being too isolated could raise doubts in people¡¯s minds about their management. In addition, if it came out that Luke had been raising warlocks in the past, it would turn as a huge hit for his position. ¡®Maybe I need to find something near the capital. Should we rebuild the old fortress on the west hill?¡¯ Thinking so, Luke went out of the parliament that was bustling with new bill discussions. His must-see was over, and as king, he had to look after the state affairs. If he had time, he would¡¯ve seen it till the end. However, he didn¡¯t have the time to sit there and watch. Luke reached the capital. Erwin, the Court Wizard, had been organizing the papers and the research materials published in the kingdom¡¯s magic world over the month. Luke was interested in magic, so summarizing it was part of her routine. ¡®Huh? Someone is contacting me?¡¯ Erwin pulled out the magic communication device, which was vibrating. However, she wasn¡¯t able to answer it, which only made her more curious. It was because this was her first time seeing the coordinates of the incoming communication. ¡®Who could the caller be?¡¯ There were a few childish wizards. They typed any coordinate and teased or lied to the answerer. There were even cases of fraud, so it was recommended to not answer calls from unknown coordinates. Erwin didn¡¯t answer it at first. However, even after 2 to 3 times of not answering it, the call kept on coming, so she answered. If the other side was trying to play a joke, she decided to kill the man even if it meant tracing back the communication wave to the other side of the world. ¡°Who are you?¡± The face on the marble was too blurry for her to recognize it. Besides, there was a lot of noise, and the voice kept getting cut. ¡®A joke?¡¯ It was when Ewin thought that, finally, a clear voice came. ¨C I was ordered by His Majesty Luke¡­ Came to Southern Continent¡­ Eli. ¡®If it is Eli¡­!¡¯ Eli was one of the fairies whom Luke had sent to the Southern Continent to crush any conspiracy attempted by Arsene. She was the one who called Erwin. A fairy wizard of 7th magic circle. As an elder in Fairy, she was fluent in magic. Erwin asked her right away as she was curious and scared that the connection would fail again. ¡°I heard that you all went to Yemaek with Prince Jo Won-rak. Are you all doing fine? Hold on, how did you even contact me from the Southern Continent?¡± From what she knew, for a magic communication to be initiated from the Southern Continent to the Northern one, a special item had to be there. It would be impossible for a call to be done without an artifact such as an antenna, which Luke had. -Well, Yemaek Royal family¡­ Long-distance communication¡­ A treasure made it possible¡­ So. According to Eli¡¯s explanation, the treasure was made by the excellent craftsmen during the time of old Yemaek. It was just a replica, but it was pretty much like an artifact from the ancient Abaron Empire. It was called a treasure, and it had the function of amplifying magic communication. ¡®Maybe, it was similar to the antenna that he made?¡¯ However, it wasn¡¯t such an important thing. -A word with His Majesty¡­ I need. Please, call him. ¡°Your Majesty is out of office. You will have to wait.¡± Erwin immediately sent word to the parliament. However, Luke appeared earlier than she thought. It was because he was already back from his visit to the parliament. And on his way back, he encountered the attendant sent by Erwin, and he walked quickly to speak to Eli. ¡°I heard the reports that Jo Won-gyun took control of Song Imperial family. So, you are in Yemaek now?¡± -Yes, Your Majesty. Unfortunately, we failed¡­ By the time we went, everything¡­ The representative of the fairies that were commissioned by Luke only chose the strongest from each race and sent them to the Southern Continent. However, it was already late when the fairies got there. Well, the result was rather worse. They felt bad for even being there. Jo Won-gyun¡¯s men, who grasped the contact between Jo Won-rak and the fairies, accused the 3rd crown prince of planning a revolt with goblins of the Northern Continent. Eventually, the fairy warriors escaped with Jo Won-rak, who was framed, and evacuated him to Yemaek, the nation of his fianc¨¦. ¡°That happened, huh? But why are you reporting this to me over such a long-distance device?¡± If it was such a simple situation or report, all they had to do was inform him with the help of the trade lines. However, they could only use the Yemaek Royal Family¡¯s treasure to contact him, and there was a strong reason behind it. -The Song Empire¡­ declared war on Yemaek¡­ ¡±What!?¡± -There are already troops on the border¡­ The movement isn¡¯t that huge¡­ According to Eli¡¯s explanation, the Song Empire revealed their intentions and then declared war on Yemaek. The cause of the war being that Yemaek didn¡¯t release the 3rd prince, the sinner of the empire. However, considering the fact that large troops were being deployed on the borders, their intention to occupy Yemake was clear. ¡®Tch, the Song Empire is trying to spill blood in the Southern Continent? If that happens, things will go according to Arsene¡¯s will.¡¯ Luke heard from Hwang Bo-sung the futures he had seen, and he knew what kind of world Arsene wanted to create. Taking over the Southern Continent, he would use it as the outpost to invade the North. Using the countless resources and humans in the Southern Continent, he would be able to create an Undead army. ¡®The Rhodesia Continent was destroyed because of the Undead army that came from there. A future that doesn¡¯t exist now¡­¡¯ Eli was hesitant to speak since Luke was deep in his thoughts. However, she still decided to say what she had to say. -The 3rd crown prince, Jo Won-rak, and the King of Yemaek, Biryu¡­ from Your Majesty Luke¡­ requested help¡­ to stop those behind¡­ to stop them. ¡®Behind? They mean Arsene.¡¯ He managed to defeat Arsene with his own hands in Anbury City. He might not appear right away in the war. Even if a Lich was immortal, restoring its body could take a lot of time especially if its power was lost. ¡®But it is Arsene. If that monster appears there, no one will be able to stop him.¡¯ Although there was Saint Nanda, his location was never known. And even if Arsene didn¡¯t appear, the situation was unfavorable to Yemaek. The Song Empire was the strongest nation on the Southern Continent. It had troops as well as supplies. In addition, with the help and support from Arsene, they might destroy the Royal Family of Yemaek. ¡®It might be better for me to join the war.¡¯ If Arsene appeared again, Luke could destroy him once again. And it didn¡¯t matter if he appeared or not. He just couldn¡¯t stand the fact that the Song Empire might take over the Southern Continent. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll come there.¡± Fortunately, all the urgent work in Symphonia Kingdom and Holy Empire was done. The rest of his tasks could be handed to his retainers and officials. This was why Luke decided to go to the Southern Continent. Eli went wide-eyed at his decision. She thought that asking Luke to help them would be difficult. However, Luke agreed too easily. -Your Majesty will¡­ Is this possible? ¡°Of course. Would you like me to come quickly?¡± The Song Empire had declared war. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if they started the battle right away. Therefore, the faster Luke went, the better it would be for Yemaek. -I will inform¡­ the King of Yemaek¡­ 3rd prince. Once the magic communication with Eli was done, Luke summoned his aides in the royal palace. Chapter 599 - Parliament and Black Tower 3 An hour later, the servants all gathered in the King¡¯s office, they couldn¡¯t help but jump up at Luke¡¯s words. ¡°Majesty! It isn¡¯t a neighboring nation, you are going to the Southern Continent!¡± ¡°No matter how good the conditions are in our Kingdom, Your Majesty shouldn¡¯t be gone for such a long time!¡± It was never good for the King of a nation to be away from the nation for a long time. It was because there would always be nobles and people who have unclean minds. And Luke wasn¡¯t talking about just visiting the outside continent, he was about to participate in their war! They knew about Luke¡¯s power, however, if he was struck by a blind arrow, it would be a huge deal for the nation! Which was why most of the retainers opposed it. However, some didn¡¯t. Hwang Bo-sung, the Commander of the Guard Knights, was the first to approve of it. ¡°Master, I believe in your decision.¡± Hwang Bo-sung knew about the future where the Rhodesia Continent would be destroyed. Which was why he thought that the Song Empire shouldn¡¯t be allowed to dominate over the Southern Continent. ¡°Count Hwang Bo-sung, what are you even saying? You are in favor of His Majesty going all the way to the Southern Continent with just a handful of escort knights?!¡± Hans half-yelled at him. But then, Bentley, the finance minister, sided with Hwang Bo-sung. ¡°Even I agree with His Majesty¡¯s words. If the Song Empire dominates the Southern Continent, it will turn into a major blow for our home with the trades being stopped.¡± If the Song Empire, which in case unified the entire Southern Continent, monopolizes the trade routes, then it would cause a huge friction within the Symphonia Kingdom. Well, there was a high probability that the Song Empire would take over the trade matters into their hands. Which would mean that making huge profits would be impossible for the Northern Continent? ¡°You want to bet your Majesty¡¯s life for money?!¡± Hans yelled at Bentley, however, Bentley didn¡¯t back down. ¡°Don¡¯t you realize that money can make or break a nation? People are hungry for it.¡± ¡°Well, but¡­¡± Symphonia Kingdom¡¯s southern side was the most financially stable place, the trade was the main income source for the nation. If there was any disruption in the trade activities, the nation¡¯s finances were bound to be affected. Wasn¡¯t the situation with the Undead attack a few days back a clear example of what would happen if the trade ports were damaged? ¡°Currently, Castia, Grenada, and the Libiya Kingdom are trying to attract the Southern trade ships to their sides. If we don¡¯t take this opportunity, we might lose out the share of trade in the future.¡± ¡°Which is why Your Majesty will have to go and stop the Song Empire from settling and establishing a strong relationship with Yemaek. Then we won¡¯t be facing any problem in the future.¡± At the words of Rogers, Bentley nodded his head. That was when it made sense for a few, yet, Hans and a few more didn¡¯t seem glad. With what Bentley had said, Luke knew that he didn¡¯t have to persuade them, so he spoke with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I won¡¯t be taking a few escort knights like the last time, but I will be taking an army of knights.¡± ¡°Huh? An army of knights? Then, it would take a lot of time for them to be dispatched.¡± Duke Hans was confused. From what he knew, the Southern Continent didn¡¯t have any long-distance teleport gate. Even the time when Luke had come back from the Southern Continent, he returned with the help from the mysterious Saint Nanda. Which meant, the only thing left was the sea route, and no matter how fast the ships advanced, it would take a week or two to reach the destination. However, in order to carry food and military supplies like Gigants to the Southern Continent, it was necessary to take the ships. Though slow, ships would have to be used for carrying all that load. Which meant that it would take a lot of time for them to get moving. ¡°There is one solution for that.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Hans wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°Eh? A solution?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Luke showed his retainers a picture. It was the blueprint of Hyredin which had been captured from the Grenada Navy in the last war. ¡°That is¡­?¡± ¡°It has been studied and written by the technicians who were repairing it.¡± Luke looked at Hans and the other retainers confused faces and explained with a smile. ¡°As you know, Hyredin had been captured a year ago, and was being repaired and renovated.¡± Hans and the others knew about it. Luke had told them about how large and powerful battleships were needed to protect their trade routes with the Southern Continent and the need for the battleships to prevent the invasions of the pirates and foreign enemies through the sea. So, while repairing the battleship, they managed to study the Hyredin, which was captured during the war. ¡°The Hyredin sailed on a large machine wheel with six masts and four magical steam engines. However, the method was rather inefficient.¡± The masts weren¡¯t just useless without the wind, but also slowed down when the winds came against them. In addition, if they were broken during the battle by shelling, the sailors on deck would take severe damage. The same was true for any such ship. If one or two of the masts were broken, the shop wouldn¡¯t move forward, but keep circling in the same spot. ¡°Which was why I removed everything and put a Screw on the bottom.¡± ¡°Screw? For what?¡± It was their first time hearing it, and all the retainers were shocked. ¡°It is like a pinwheel, spinning inside the water. It was said that it was commonly used during the ancient Mado time.¡± During his time as Saymon, Luke had learned about the Screw from the records of the ancient Mado civilization. Ships in the Mado times, whether military or merchant ships, moved only with a vane that circulated underwater, not with the sails or steam engines. Would it be possible for a small metal Screw to move such a large ship? There were questions as such, but during the ancient times, such questions didn¡¯t matter. It was because, during their times, they didn¡¯t need to build their own navy fleet. However, in the current time, the navy training was important. ¡°I applied it to a small ship, and the speed is three times faster than before.¡± ¡°Oh! Three times faster?¡± The retainers were shocked. It was shocking that the speed of the ships didn¡¯t double but tripled! Luke nodded and continued. ¡°So I applied it to Hyredin right away. The magic steam engines were also replaced right away with a large core engine that had enough power to rotate the Screw.¡± Unlike the core engine applied to the Gigants, the large core engine for ships had a simpler structure and much better efficiency. Unlike the Gigants where the movement was complicated, all the core engines of the ship had to do was rotate the Screw. ¡°According to the report from Marquis Volant in the Navy, it was said that it boasted a very high speed on the test.¡± ¡°T, that was done?¡± ¡°Huhuhu. It was conducted in secret so the spies wouldn¡¯t know about it.¡± ¡°Uhm, then¡­¡± Hyredin itself was a ship with tremendous power. However, it was more useful with the fact that it could carry a hundred Gigants and supplies on it. Even with such heavy metal on board, it was able to keep the enemy at sea, Grenada Navy had shown them what the Hyredin could do in the war. ¡°Well, our navy is like a chick which broke out of its shell. We don¡¯t have the experience for a large scale expedition, but would it help Your Majesty¡­?¡± As the retainers were concerned, Luke didn¡¯t shake from his decision. ¡°This opportunity will give them a lot of experience. Moreover, many of the sailors are made up of the crew members of the trading ships, so they will be familiar with sailing, I don¡¯t think that sailing would be such an obstacle.¡± No one could refute to those words, it was like they had nothing more to ask. However, Hans couldn¡¯t get rid of his worries, so he said. ¡°Even after you leave the place, you will have to keep your security close to you.¡± ¡°Of course. There is also a good replacement, you don¡¯t have to worry so much.¡± When it came to a replacement, Hans thought of Sebastian. He was someone who always took the King¡¯s place in Luke¡¯s absence, but Hans was anxious because of Sebastian¡¯s temperament. Even then, he decided to go along with it as Sebastian had always played Luke¡¯s role without any problems. ¡°Well, the decision has been made, so hurry up and prepare for the exhibition. Pay special attention to the expeditionary force.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± And thus, the first Southern expedition of the Symphonia Kingdom got decided. Luke, who sent out his retainers, prepared his own weaponry. In order to defeat Arsene, who might come or not, he didn¡¯t want himself to be too cautious or neglected. Chapter 600 - Back to Southern Continent 1 Splash! Splash! Splash! On the surface of the endless water, a giant ship ran down. Even though they were facing the waves which were strong enough to turn down the ships, no ship crashed. The giant ship was the battleship of the Symphonia Kingdom Navy, Hyredin¡­ well, it was the Auster. Whatever the past was, it felt inappropriate to name their own battleship based on a pirate ship. ¡°Master, I never thought that you would name it after me. Luke, smiled at the words of Hwang Bo-sung, who had turned quite good in his Rhodesian language fluency. ¡°It was because I couldn¡¯t think of any other name that deserved being placed.¡± Auster was the name given to Hwang Bo-sung who had come back to the past from the future. An ancient word of South, the name which the Baroque Imperial army had placed for Hwang Bo-sung on the bounty flyers for not knowing his real identity. Luke was grateful and sorry for the one from the future, who had sacrificed himself for Luke and died. Which was why he decided to name the battleship of the Symphonia Kingdom on him. Of course, those who didn¡¯t know the things which had happened thought that Luke had just thought of some random name and named the ship. ¡°But, I heard that you were scolded by the Queen.¡± ¡°She said it was too much.¡± After returning from the Holy Empire, he fought with Arsene without even being able to get any rest. Right afterwards, he led the reconstruction of the cities and left his family and headed to the South. Of course, from Reina¡¯s thoughts, she couldn¡¯t help but worry about her husband¡¯s health. ¡°She was complaining about turning into a widow. In the past, it would have convinced me, but I feel like I am getting used to it.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Master, that is perfectly normal?¡± ¡°Normal?¡± ¡°Yes, there is a saying in my hometown, once a woman marries, she immediately turns into an aunt.¡± Once married, the woman was asked to take care and manage the home. And if a child was born, it was another bonus task over her head. Naturally, her life force and will to live was strong, and she begins to turn tough. A mother who wants to protect her children was stronger than any monster. ¡°That must be why you aren¡¯t getting married.¡± ¡°Wh-what is that supposed to mean, Master?! I do have the intention to get myself a wife, but I need to get permission from my parents and¡­¡± Hwang Bo-sung jumped up at Luke¡¯s joke and began to ramble. However, none of it entered Luke¡¯s ears. Because he was thinking about the past. After losing her because of the fairies, he met Reina again after she became the Pope of the Holy Empire. At first, he tried to bring her back to Rakan estate. However, Reina chose to stay there, and by staying there she always helped Luke. ¡®Instead of them, she took over the sick Holy Empire to help me.¡¯ Reina was placed in charge of living in a foreign nation and to help those suffering there, she went through various hardships for him. Not it wasn¡¯t just that, it wasn¡¯t just once or twice that she had helped Luke. At the same time, they had secretly wed themselves, they hadn¡¯t even consummated their marriage and she was already thinking about turning into a widow. And just recently, they took in Karen as their adoptive daughter, a child who wasn¡¯t there, a child who didn¡¯t exist in the current world. ¡®Was that why? Did she turn into an aunt now?¡¯ The reason why Reina, who was as delicate as a flower, changed because of Luke and his ideals. He felt like he wasn¡¯t in the position to complain about her, nor was he qualified enough to do it. ¡°I need to buy a nice gift and take it to her on our return. Yemaek has a rare elixir called wild ginseng, right?¡± ¡°Yes, besides the wild ginseng, there are a lot more elixirs called the Jade wine which give the people of Moorim arts a sense of strength and long life to the normal people. And¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Though not like the aunt, the Yemaek women are strong ones. Among the Kings, and nobles who insisted on polygamy, however, they were all beaten down by their own woman.¡± ¡°¡­ isn¡¯t the legendary woman there? What was it called, Amazon or something.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything of such sort.¡± After talking with Hwang Bo-sung, Luke looked at the sea for a moment and turned his gaze to the deck. Knights were engrossed in their training on the deck. No matter how huge Auster was, there were limited places to go since most of the ship was filled with Gigants and supplies. Which was why the knights spend their time training on the deck the entire day. ¡°Yeah! Tornado slash!¡± ¡°Huh. I won¡¯t get caught in such a trick!¡± Count Reynard battled with Shirley while avoiding her attack from a halberd. However, Shirley didn¡¯t stop there, she continued to swing her halberd like a top and chased after Reynard. ¡®Ikk, it is no joke!¡¯ Reynard, who first looked like he was enjoying it, soon stiffened after seeing Shirley continue to form the tornado with her aura on. Kang! Cang! Cang! Pang! Eventually, Halberd¡¯s tornado attack hit Reynard¡¯s sword and sparks splattered. As soon as Reynard tried to counterattack, Shirley stepped back. She was biting on her lip as she went too far with the attack. Due to the constant spinning, she had lost sense of her balance. ¡°Gosh¡­ dizzy as¡­¡± ¡°Uhh! That¡¯s dangerous!¡± She staggered to gain her balance, and the knights began to move away. That was when they realized that Luke was in close range to her and shouted. ¡°Your Majesty, move!¡± ¡°It will be hard to avoid as she can¡¯t stop it¡­¡± Luke, who was well versed in both sword and magic, was the strongest person in the Symphonia Kingdom. And from a flimsy attack from a Spear Master, Luke would be able to stop it with his eyes closed. In addition, there was Hwang Bo-sung, the commander of Guard Knights, next to him. Hwang Bo-sung had been practicing steadily, and he was almost a step away from turning into the first-ever Fist Sage class. As if to show off his skills, he grabbed the halberd of Shirley with his bare aura hands. ¡°It is plain stupid to use a skill which you can¡¯t even handle! Are you a master who doesn¡¯t even know how to handle her own energy?!¡± ¡°Ughh¡­ sorry.¡± Shirley, who was still dizzy, couldn¡¯t stand upright and ended up listening to Hwang Bo-sung yell. After being scolded for a while, Shirley regained her balance and rushed to Reynard again. Hwang Bo-sung who saw that, frowned on whether his efforts were worth it. ¡°Your Majesty, I don¡¯t know if this expedition is really okay.¡± ¡°Even if it isn¡¯t okay, it can¡¯t be helped. We have already come this far and we can¡¯t go back now.¡± Although Hwang Bo-sung was dissatisfied, Luke had paid attention to the appointment of the force. It was because they were going to an entirely different continent. Which was why he selected those who had experience in the wars of the other nations. As a result, among the Sword Masters, Reynard, who had experience as a mercenary in the Southern Continent, and Shirley¡ªwho frequently took on the special missions in Baroque were selected. If it was possible, Luke wanted to bring everyone with him. However, Symphonia Kingdom couldn¡¯t be left empty without any protection, so he brought Hwang Bo-sung and the other two. ¡®Because of the many master-level skills in Yemaek.¡¯ According to what he heard from Hwang Bo-sung and Zegal Soha, Yemaek was a small nation, however, it produced a lot of strong people. ¡°The Swordsman Yeon Ga-ram is also from Yemaek, right?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. He was very great, but, it is said that King Biryu of Yemaek also shoots the bow very well.¡± Traditionally, there were many famous places in Yemaek, and the bow made in the nations were said to be the best and luxurious ones in the entire Southern Continent. ¡°Besides the art of making weapons, the artillery making is excellent. It was that around 30 years ago, when defeating Yamatai pirates, several ironclad chips similar to turtle structures were used.¡± ¡°Oh! Ironclad!¡± Ironclad ships were present in the Rhodesia continent. Metal plates of iron or copper were wrapped around the deck and surface to prevent fires. The problem was that such ships were slow to move and could be used for limited purposes. Their main use was for breaking or charging through the navy battles. Not just that, it couldn¡¯t be used recklessly as it was several times more expensive than the regular ships. ¡®I thought it was a small nation, but it might be richer than I thought.¡¯ Maybe the expedition could do a lot more help to Luke than expected. Luke smiled and asked while looking south, ¡°How much time left for our arrival?¡± ¡°It takes five days to reach the southern continent and three days to travel over the land to reach the Yemaek and Song Empire border.¡± Thanks to the Screw, the two-week-long voyage was reduced by a week. Yet, they still had 8 more days to go. ¡°Tch, war shouldn¡¯t start before we reach there.¡± According to what he heard, Yemaek¡¯s power was lower than the Song Empire. If the two nations collided head-on, Yemaek was at a disadvantage. Luke was praying in his heart for the war not to transpire until he arrives there. Chapter 601 - Back to Southern Continent 2 Around the time Luke was heading to the Southern Continent. Emperor Rudolf of the Baroque Empire was busy purging the rebels in his nation. ¡°Those f*cking rats¡­!¡± When he first stepped out to subdue the rebellion, he thought that he could rid of the peasant rebels very easily. And he did have a great streak in the battles. Well, rather than fighting, there were more cases where the subjugation army entered the scenes and the rebels fleeing. However, the rebellion didn¡¯t cease. As soon as the main force of the subjugation army led by the emperor passed the region, they would once again hit the place. They would relentlessly attack the squad that the subjugation army left behind to patrol the region. The rebels knew that there would be no victory for them if they went to a head-on-battle against the army, so they ended up attacking by poisoning the wells or food and burying explosives underground. There were cases where the rebels disguised themselves as villagers. They treated the troops very generously, and at the end of the day, they would seal off the doors and windows and burn the soldiers¡¯ rooms while they were sleeping. ¡°We can¡¯t let this go on, Your Majesty! They must be taken care of right away!¡± Dick, the commander of the Central Army, insisted on the extermination of the rebels. He took over the Central Army on behalf of Count Ferrero and rose from his own title to Count. However, his attitude and thoughts didn¡¯t change from the time when he decided to slaughter the sick people during the plague. ¡°The main force of the rebels are the peasants. We need to set a clear example for them.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we already setting the example?¡± Count Voltas, who was beside him, shot back. Just as he said, the occupied lands, those who were involved in the rebellion, were searched for and executed, not just the person but their entire family and relatives too. If the man didn¡¯t have any family members or relatives, the neighbor next door would be killed under the charges of aiding the rebellion. ¡°Didn¡¯t you listen to what I said? Not just the relatives and the neighbors, but the entire village where the rebels stay or come out from needed to be wiped out! Entirely!¡± ¡°You mean killing all the peasants of the empire?¡± ¡°Of course, killing them all would turn difficult for us because we need them to farm and pay taxes. However, as an example, a few villages can be burned down¡­¡± ¡®He went completely crazy!¡¯ Voltas frowned at the man¡¯s words. It was an answer for them to stop the rebellion from turning any more troublesome. The reason for the uprising was the harsh taxation and the constant wars. Well, rather than trying for subjugation, there was a need to make the people understand. However, Emperor Rudolf and Commander Dick were ignoring that basic principle. In particular, Dick was encouraging Rudolf to make all sorts of absurd mistakes. Fortunately, the cruel Emperor hadn¡¯t completely lost his sanity. No matter how much rebellion they were causing, they had to be torn apart to decrease the momentum, it was foolish to cut the belly of the goose, which laid golden eggs. ¡°First, we need to turn a bit.¡± ¡°Huh? Your Majesty, really?¡± At the question of Commander Dick who was shocked, Emperor Rudolf nodded his head. ¡°It would be hard to fight against them. So, if we ask for negotiation, they might respond to us.¡± According to the reports from the Imperial Intelligence Agency, the Volga Republic and the Libiya Kingdom were backing the rebels. And if they were involving themselves in the rebellion, they wouldn¡¯t stop with just supplying weapons. They would certainly make the peasant rebels rally to various places and turn it difficult for the Imperial Army to handle. If things went wrong, the peasants would try to set up independent lands like Symphonia and Libiya Kingdom. ¡°This is why we need to get things out. We can direct and hit them all at once.¡± ¡®He is talking about a fake negotiation attempt.¡¯ Count Voltas liked the sound of it. However, the only thing that bothered him was asking them to come for negotiation and hitting them in the back without even listening to their demands. ¡°Your Majesty, that is a good way, but I am worried that your name and honor will be broken by doing it.¡± ¡°Huh, it is about the nation, does that even matter? And in terms of those being sneaky, the rebels did a lot more damage to us.¡± If the peasant rebels heard that, they would jump up right away. It was because they knew the reason why they were rebelling. It was because their lives were being exploited and constantly insisted on living their lives while being surrounded by war on all sides. ¡°By the way, I heard we have insufficient weapons.¡± At Emperor Rudolf¡¯s question, Count Voltas answered, ¡°Yes, the farmers¡¯ rebellion made the corps harvesting inconvenient, and the trade with the other nations was very insignificant¡­¡± Currently, the Baroque Empire was in full force and working, yet their weapons were constantly decreasing. The taxes were increased to a high amount as there was a need for military equipments. Even the nation¡¯s finances were all directed toward the military. However, it all reduced the economy and production in the nation. It was because all the money needed to invest in the economy and trade were being directed to military equipments. As the nation¡¯s economy reached stagnation, the military equipment turned insufficient. However, Voltas didn¡¯t point it out. The emperor already decided on what he was going to do, so if Voltas pointed it out, it would be like blaming the emperor. In order to keep his life, he decided to keep his mouth shut and go along with the emperor¡¯s words. ¡°If we have a hole, we need to think about filling it.¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t. You are not thinking about raising the taxes again, are you?¡± Count Voltas was shocked. It was because it was obvious that once the taxes were raised more, even those who were silent would end up joining the rebellion. Fortunately, Rudolf wasn¡¯t thinking about that. ¡°We have already gathered enough from the living, so let¡¯s try and reap the dead.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°What do you think? Do the dead have any use for gold or wealth? Dig their graves and take all the money!¡± At Rudolf¡¯s words, Voltas and even Dick¡¯s face went pale. Although the cultures and the values differed from countries and ethnic groups, there was taboo in every culture. And that taboo was to regard the dead with respect and to not act rashly with the dead. Even if one¡¯s sins were revealed after their death or if their descendants had committed great sins, there was no reason to rob the dead. This was enough to turn away the nobles who supported the emperor too. ¡°Your Majesty, no one will follow that order!¡± ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t follow that?!¡± ¡°Would the nobles even understand if we threaten them?¡± At Voltas¡¯s words, Rudolf laughed. ¡°Who said that we will be using a sword? I will take the lead.¡± ¡°Huh? You mean to set an example¡­¡± ¡°Right, dig into my ancestor¡¯s tomb.¡± Rudolf¡¯s order was to dig into his own ancestor¡¯s grave. He gave specific instructions to Voltas and Dick, who were still not able to understand his orders. ¡°As far as I know, Majesty Karno, the founder of the nation, had extraordinary accessories. And the emperors after him also offered enormous gold and jewels to the temples, which were maintained by the Imperial Family.¡± ¡°Ha, I see¡­¡± ¡°This is all to overcome the national crisis we are in. The first emperor will understand, so don¡¯t be afraid to act.¡± As his men didn¡¯t oppose his orders, Rudolf left them to their thoughts. Shortly after, the royal tomb of Karno de Baroque, which was near the capital, Nemesis, was torn down. That too at the hands of the SS Knights, who were known to be the emperor¡¯s hands. Numerous people at home and abroad were shocked at the disgusting act. They all called Emperor Rudolf crazy and a gravedigger. However, Rudolf rarely cared about what others thought about him. ¡®The winners record history. If I am the winner, I can wash away every stain and rewrite everything.¡¯ The emperor chose the path which he thought would bring him victory. Karno de Baroque, the ancestor and the first emperor of the Baroque Empire, paid a terrible price for the evil he had accumulated in his life. It wasn¡¯t by the hands of those who held resentment against him but by his own blood. Chapter 602 - Back to Southern Continent 3 The shared border of Yemaek and the Song Empire. Elite troops from both nations were gathered. The Song Empire, which is known for its high population on the Southern Continent, mobilized as many as 600,000 troops. In addition to the existing number of standing troops, the number of conscripted troops from various places together resulted in a total of several cities¡¯ populations. Among them were 100,000 men called the Leopard troops, who were all volunteering warriors, who were expected to take the lead in the war. On the other hand, Yemaek deployed 100,000 defense troops and 30,000 powerful soldiers to the border. Thousands of wizards were included in the troops of both sides, and various weapons including the artillery units and Puppets were displayed. When the elite troops and combat weapons were gathered and the border was filled with nothing but the scent of war, the civilians took refuge in shelters far from the border. Yu-dong castle. That place, a famous border town and fort, was being used as the headquarters of the Yemaek Army. From the early morning itself, voices were roaring inside the headquarters¡¯ building. ¡°When will the reinforcements from the Northern Continent arrive?¡± The owner of the voice was Yemaek¡¯s chief commander, Eulji Dok-mun. With his small eyes and beard that resembled a hedgehog, he was a member of the Eulji Family, a prestigious family in Yemaek. Jo Won-rak, who was also seated in the conference room, answered his question with a flush of redness on his face. ¡°We checked in yesterday, and we¡¯re told it would take them another five days.¡± Crossing the sea didn¡¯t mean the end of their journey. They should land on the coast of Yemaek and move all the way to the battlefield on foot. And for all of that to happen, it would take five days. ¡°Five days, isn¡¯t that too much time?¡± ¡°They are unfamiliar with our place, and the steel giants they use as weapons are heavy. It seemed like it was going to take a while to move them.¡± ¡°What the?! We don¡¯t know when the war would even start¡­¡± Hearing Jo Won-rak¡¯s answer, Eulji Dok-mun didn¡¯t seem too pleased. They were already in the border. The troops and the atmosphere was building up to the extent that the war could break out at any moment. Both sides were fiercely scouting all the talents in their own nation and trying to find the faults in the others. ¡®For now, it would be better to think of them as spare power.¡¯ Eulji Dok-mun had excellent strength. However, his skills were in formulating tactics and his leadership. In addition, he was a person who calculated all the variables in war because he was calm and delicate, unlike his rough appearance. For him, the Symphonia troops led by Luke was a headache. It wasn¡¯t just because he underestimated them but also because they didn¡¯t know the power or number of their troops. First of all, it was said that the king himself was leading his men and was bringing in steel giants, which were considered as weapons, so they considered them to be elite troops. ¡®To think of such troops as reserve forces because of insufficient troops¡­¡¯ In any war, the first phase of the war was very important. The nations leading to the first phase of the war was more likely to win it. That was why Eulji Dok-mun was intent on mobilizing as many troops as possible to defeat their enemy and break their morale. ¡®Tch, this isn¡¯t right. For now, we have no choice but to play using what we have.¡¯ With his head down, he asked the woman in a blue dress, who was seated next to Jo Won-rak, ¡°Princess, does the Katai or Yamatai have any intention of helping us out?¡± The woman in the blue dress was Princess So-hye, the fianc¨¦ of Jo Won-rak. She was an excellent tactician and Zen skill user. She came out to help in the battle. ¡°It was said that His Majesty has sent envoys to their regions, but Yamatai hasn¡¯t given a response. And Katai said that they wanted to maintain a neutral relationship and not get involved in the conflict.¡± ¡°Tch, those damn thieves!¡± The intention of both nations was obvious. They were waiting for the Song Empire and Yemaek to bite down each other and weaken. They were always like that. The neighboring nations always enter the scene when there was a political crisis in the states. When it came to stealing in land, the men of Katai were the best, and the Yamatain were best at stealing things in the sea. ¡°They really are men with no thought. Don¡¯t they know that once Yemaek falls in the hands of the Song Empire, they will be next¡­¡± At the venting of Eulji Dok-mun, Jo Won-rak opened his lips. ¡°How can people who loot other people of their wealth know the feeling of death under others¡¯ hands? Rather, commander, how are the defense preparations?¡± ¡°Sufficient troops and supplies are being gathered in each castle and fort to prepare for the long war. After the enemy¡¯s vanguards are defeated, we plan to lure and destroy the enemy by going on an all-out offensive counterattack.¡± Yemaek never had a peaceful relationship with the Song Empire. This was why dozens of forts have been built on the shared borders over the duration of time. Both the nations had already experienced war in the past. During that time, the Song Empire failed to cross the border and was destroyed. It was because if the Song Empire took down one of Yemaek¡¯s forts, the troops from the nearby fort would attack from the rear and destroy the Song troops. However, that didn¡¯t mean that Yemaek had the upper hand. If the route was long, then the Song troops could build a barrier. In fact, there were times when the troops were blocked like that. Since it was more effective to use the geographical and military advantage they had, the Yemaek Army decided that their strategy would be to lure their enemy and then counterattack. However, their current situation was different. The troops mobilized by the Song Empire had exceeded their expectations. In addition, around 100,000 warriors from the Moorim clans were participating in the war. ¡°Since there are too many Song troops, it will be a tough battle.¡± ¡°We have built and reinforced the forts for a very long time, yet it will be difficult to capture them with quite a few attacks.¡± ¡°It would be better if the war ends with little damage on both sides¡­¡± Although he did take refuge in Yemaek, Jo Won-rak didn¡¯t abandon his nation. As a result, he couldn¡¯t help but worry about the soldiers who were forcibly recruited by Jo Won-gyun¡¯s men. Princess So-hye nodded and agreed with Jo Won-rak¡¯s wishes. ¡°If we think about the relationship between the two nations, the fewer the sacrifices, the better. General Lee Yong-mu of the Song Army, who was the commander of this war, suddenly decided to resign. The moral of the soldiers is low. The war won¡¯t last long like that, so I think even the other side will use less force rather than let their men die.¡± ¡°I really hope it will turn out like that.¡± At the words of his fianc¨¦, Jo Won-rak thought about it. Why would Lee Yong-mu, the strongest man on the Song Empire, resign so suddenly? Although Lee Yong-mu usually had a lot of dissatisfaction with the crown prince, he wouldn¡¯t have decided to resign. Rather, he must have been displeased with the actions of Jo Won-gyun and Hwang Bo-kwang. ¡®But he suddenly stepped back and let brother take control of the military?¡¯ What could that mean? Was there something else that happened to Lee Yong-mun, or did Jo Won-gyun do something? The latter made Jo Won-rak uneasy. It was revealed that the Hwang Bo clan was behind the strange Kangshi, which appeared the last time. If the Hwang Bo clan had the power strong enough to eliminate General Lee Yong-mu¡­ Could Yemaek even be safe for a while? It was true that Yemaek had been preparing for war steadily. However, the Song Empire continued to increase its military might as well despite internal conflicts. In addition, what if Hwang Bo-kwang managed to make a lot of Kangshi like that time? The troops of Yemaek, who had never gone against such enemies, could collapse at once. ¡®If such a monster appears in the absence of King Luke¡­¡¯ While Jo Won-rak was in his thoughts. Thud! Suddenly, the door to the room opened and an armed man entered while panting heavily. ¡°This is bad! The Song Army has begun its advancement!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Eulji Dok-mon jumped up from his seat and received a detailed report from the man. It was said that the Song Army, which crossed the border, began to get offensive in all four directions. Five castles and forts were already under attack, and they were ready to keep attacking. ¡°What¡¯s the damage to our troops?¡± ¡°It was said that there wasn¡¯t any major damage since the start of the attack. It was said that the generals and the ones in command of the army in the fort are responding according to the plan we prepared in advance.¡± ¡°That is great. Ask them to send in the scouts to get a closer look at Song Army¡¯s movement.¡± ¡°Understood, Commander!¡± The man stepped out of the room after receiving the order, Eulji Dok-mun moved to the fort models on the table. Princess So-hye asked, ¡°A full-scale war has started?¡± ¡°It looks like it, Prince. Now, the fate of Yemaek and Song will be decided by this battle.¡± The winning side would have a huge loss. However, the losing side would be thoroughly trampled under the troops of the other nations. ¡°Commander, for the sake of our people, we shouldn¡¯t lose this war.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We will surely win. So trust me and your soldiers.¡± Eulji Do-mun had already analyzed their strategies and tactics. They had built a triple line of defense and a lot of fire ammunition were installed in the mountains. If they were used at the right moment, they could annihilate their enemy and bury them at once. Although his army was fewer in number, he never thought that the Yemaek Army would lose. Chapter 603 - Battle on the Sea 1 Balhae was the sea between Yemaek and Song Empire. About 100 ships carrying the Song Empire¡¯s flag were crossing the misty sea. A boy with his one eye covered was smiling while leading the flagship. ¡°Kukkk. Stupid Yemaek men. It is a huge misconception to think we would keep making the same mistake over and over again.¡± He was the son of Hwang Bo-kwang, Hwang Bo-jangcheon, the one in charge of the Song Empire¡¯s unit. The fleet he led consisted of about 30,000 strong warriors and 500 zen skill users. And the core power of them were the warriors from the Hwang Bo clan, and the men who had reached the peak of their skills. In addition to that, under the deck were a number of Kangshi, created by Hwang Bo-kwang and Earner. As all of the power is placed on the front, they were planning on landing to the rear of Yemaek and take control. They were in a fight which they wouldn¡¯t lose at all. ¡°Look here, General Mak. How long till we reach Yemaek¡¯s port?¡± Hwang Bo-jangcheon, who was looking at the east of Yemaek, asked with a triumphant expression. There stood the one-eyed old general. General Mak Dong-chung, with a natural bronze-colored face of a sailor, was the military leader of the Song Empire. He was famous for being a well-established figure for starting as a junior soldier and rising to the rank of general. If there was Lee Yong-mu, the Red Dragon King on the land, then the position of Mak in the navy was considered to be great. Although Hwang Bo-jangcheon didn¡¯t have any status, Mak Dong-chung didn¡¯t seem to care about his words. Unlike Lee Yong-mu, his family wasn¡¯t outstanding in arts, however, he had a strong desire to succeed. He was struggling to solidify his connection with the Hwang Bo clan, the real leader of the Song Empire, which was why he didn¡¯t seem to mind the rudeness of the child, Hwang Bo-jangcheon. ¡°Lord, Yemaek¡¯s troops aren¡¯t that weak. However¡­¡± ¡°However, what?¡± Mak Dong-chung hesitated for a moment seeing Hwang Bo-jangcheon¡¯s annoyed gaze on him. ¡°It isn¡¯t too late, why don¡¯t we turn back the ship?¡± Honestly, Mak Dong-chung didn¡¯t have hopes for the success of the expedition. Yemaek¡¯s navy was known to be very strong even with the small numbers. They were known to have armed ships with large artillery on them, which was why even the Yamatai pirates were known to have lost against Yemaek¡¯s navy troops. In particular, the ironclad ship called the Turtle Ship which resembled its structure to the said animal was known to cause great damage to the enemy fleet before they could even reach the port. From all that information, Mak Dong-chung opposed the landing of the troops through the sea route. However, he couldn¡¯t oppose the order issued in the name of the emperor. ¡°Eh, that again. I have another idea.¡± At the repeated concerns of Mak Dong-chung, Hwang Bo-jangcheon spoke in a bad mood. Prior to the expedition, he already planned a trick to divert the attention of the Yemaek troops. He had asked the heads of the Yamatai pirates to lure the navy of Yemaek in exchange for enormous wealth. By now, the Yemaek troops would be busy chasing after the pirates and wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the Song Empire¡¯s fleet. ¡°General just needs to pay attention to landing our troops safely after crossing the sea.¡± ¡®Ha ah, what kind of thoughts does the kid have? He is too na?ve to think that those sneaky pirates would follow our plan just because we gave them some money!¡¯ Mak Dong-chung couldn¡¯t understand that they were joining hands with the pirates and believed that the pirates would follow them without planning their own secret mission. And even though he was the son of the royal family, the idea of the 16-year-old kid, who was placed as the lead for the troops, sounded too unconvincing. ¡®Does he think that the war is a joke? Or is he so confident in his abilities that he thinks of everything as a joke?¡¯ All he could do was sigh. Still, he had no choice but to go ahead with the orders given, and he gave Hwang Bo-jangcheon the answer he wanted to hear. ¡°If the voyage goes well, we will arrive at the Phoenix castle in Yemaek in three days.¡± The Phoenix castle was a port city, located a little further from the royal palace, and could reach Asadal, the capital of Yemaek in two days from there. The reason why it took three days by sea when it could reach in a day on land was because they had to take a roundabout. ¡°Three days? Can¡¯t we go any faster? No shortcuts?¡± ¡°We can, but it won¡¯t be possible because of the reefs. Balhae was a foggy sea, and it would be difficult to avoid the reefs under such conditions.¡± ¡°Tch! Then just speed up!¡± ¡°We are already on the fastest. As you can see, the transport is slow because of the full cargo¡­¡± As Mak Dong-chung continued to explain to the child, Hwang Bo-jangcheon stopped him by shaking his hands. ¡°Enough, I am going to my cabin, so order the girls to dress up and send them to me.¡± ¡°Hahaha, understood.¡± Hwang Bo-jangcheon was excellent in martial arts, but the kid was extremely stimulated. Which was why, on the current expedition, he brought a number of prostitutes with excellent bodies. Originally, it was illegal to carry women while on the battlefield. However, it wasn¡¯t the case with Hwang Bo-jangcheon. High ranking officials would always do it in the dark, and Mak Dong-chung was no exception to it. It was when Hwang Bo-jangcheon, who ordered, was ready to go below deck. On the mast, the bell sounded and shouts came. Dang! Dang! Dang! ¡°Ships! Ships are coming in from the north!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Shocked, Mak Dong-chung opened the new telescope and jumped onto the side of the mast to see. And looked at the direction where the sailor was pointing to. ¡°Kuek, where is the fleet?¡± At first glance, it was no trading ship. It was because the appearance of the ship was more suitable for combat than the transport of goods. ¡®What is that in the center? I don¡¯t see any sails?¡¯ He heard that the northern ships were run with magic or some other things, however, he never heard of a ship with no sail, let alone see it. ¡°General Mak, the Yemaek fleet?¡± Hwang Bo-jangcheon came onto the deck and asked. He didn¡¯t think it was possible, however, their opponent was the Yemaek troops, which meant anything could happen. The main troops of the ship were all warriors. They weren¡¯t that skilled in navy battles, and the current Song fleet was a transport ship carrying the troops. ¡°I think we will know by taking a close look at it. However, as the ship has come from the north, maybe¡­¡± ¡°Maybe what?¡± ¡°A battleship from the northern continent.¡± ¡°What? The Northern Continent?¡± Hwang Bo-jangcheon couldn¡¯t understand it. It was because there was no reason for the battleships from the Northern Continent to even appear there, that too when they weren¡¯t trading ships. In the entire history, it was only once that the battleship from the Northern continent had appeared on the Southern Continent. Around 100 years back, when a ship from the Grenada Kingdom got wrecked in the distant sea, lost the course and stopped on the continent for a while. After that, no battleship from the north had ever appeared. However, suddenly it appeared during the time when they were in war! That too in the middle of their task. At the sight of the unknown fleet, the Song Empire¡¯s Navy fell into deep confusion. Chapter 604 - Battle on the Sea 2 ¡°Fleet to the south! The number is over 100!¡± At the announcement from the sailor, Luke went up the mast and inspected the fleet. ¡°Is that the Yemaek navy?¡± As the sea was on the Yemaek side, it was in obvious doubt, anyone would have thought like that. Moreover, just a day back they had met with the ships of Yemaek and were guided to the Phoenix castle. But Hwang Bo-sung who was next to Luke shook his head. ¡°Master, that is a ship from the Song Empire.¡± ¡°Song Empire¡¯s Navy?¡± ¡°Yes, it is a typical Song Empire ship with a square structure at the bottom. A battleship with three sails. And its transport vessel is more than five.¡± At the words of Hwang Bo-sung, Luke noticed why the Song Empire fleet appeared there. It must be to cross the sea and hit the rear side of Yemaek. ¡°What should we do?¡± When Hwang Bo-sung asked, Luke spoke with a sneaky smile on his lips. ¡°Do you have to ask? We need to smash it.¡± They were on their way to help Yemaek. So, if they meet a ship of the Song Empire on their way, they need to smash it down. At Luke¡¯s command, Auster and the Yemaek ships which were guiding them ahead, entered into combat maneuvers. The Yemaek sailors lowered their sails and pulled out a number of oars from the sides. They aimed their guns at the enemies who wanted to invade their nation. Accordingly, even the Song Empire pushed their battleships ahead. Kwang! Kwang! Bang! As the distance between the fleets narrowed, the ships began to breathe fire. The fleet of the Song Empire was much larger, however, the Yemaek fleet had the upper hand in terms of firepower. As a result, the battle proceeded tightly. That was until Symphonia Royal ship, Auster joined in. ¡°Wh-what is that?!¡± ¡°What ship is that huge?!¡± ¡°That looks like an island floating on water!¡± As the ship Auster approached them, the sailors of the Song Empire began to panic. It seemed unrealistic for it to be that huge, but the ship which was in the center of the enemy fleet as it continued boasting its dignity, which was ten times more than their flagship. Besides, it wasn¡¯t just huge. It was very fast, the surprising thing being that the ship had no sails of oars. ¡°The Turtle ship! That needs to be the turtle ship!¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t hurry up and run¡­¡± As some of the superstitious soldiers made a fuss, the Navy general, Mak Dong-chung pulled out his sword and shouted. ¡°Calm down everyone! We have the number in terms of battleships! Don¡¯t be afraid just because of one huge enemy ship!¡± The screams on the deck subsided at his orders, however, the morale of the soldiers and sailors didn¡¯t rise. Mak Dong-chung immediately hurried and prepared for the battle. Honestly, Mak Dong-chun too was afraid of the huge battleship which stood at the vanguard of the enemy fleet. However, the battles weren¡¯t based on the hugeness of the ships. In most cases, the game could be taken over by strong skills and firepower. In terms of that¡ªthe Imperial Dragon Ship, the flagship of the Song Empire wasn¡¯t that behind. It was because the upper deck and the sides were covered with iron and the guns that were loaded with 100 openings; both small and large. If the battle could be carried on calmly, the Song fleet could win the war. Pung! Pung! Pong! The guns fired at once from the Imperial Dragon Ship. Dozens of steel shells flew into the sky, to strike the huge enemy ship. ¡°Woah! Hit it¡­!¡± The faces of the Song Empire¡¯s troops who were shouting with joy upon hitting the enemy ship went stiff. They never thought that the huge enemy ship, which was as huge as an island would sink right away after being hit. However, they thought that it would suffer from damage, however, the ship was fine. ¡®What just happened? It surely had no iron armor around it, then why?¡¯ Mak Dong-chung seemed flustered. From what he saw, the Auster wasn¡¯t covered with iron plates on the hull. It was because the iron plates would only end up adding huge weight and slowing down the speed. At best, the meaning of installing the Screw below would disappear. Instead, Luke increased the defense by engraving the shield magic circle on the hull of Auster. Mak Dong-chung, who wasn¡¯t aware of the situation, tried to encourage the sailors who went stiff. ¡°What are you doing?! Reload the shells and attack the ship at the same point!¡± There was no indestructible thing in the world. No matter how huge the ship was or how great armor it had, if the shelling was focused on one spot, then it was bound to break. The time when the nervous sailors understood what the general was saying, they began to move. They started for a counterattack on the huge enemy ship. ¡°The leading guns from 1 to 10 still converged on the enemy flagship. From the 11th to 100th we will support the surrounding Yemaek fleet!¡± Luke looked at the battle situation and gave the orders to the captain of Auster. With the flagship of the enemy fleet, he considered the 10 guns to be more than sufficient. Any more guns than that would be like cutting a dead hen with a cow-cutting knife. While remodeling Auster, Luke had replaced the leading guns with larger firepower. It was five times larger and more powerful than the existing guns, it had that much severe recoil. If it was any other ship, it would have sunk with the recoil, however, Luke made it easy by engraving magic circles to reduce the recoiling effect. In addition, the existing guns were replaced with fort cannons which had twice the power. So, the number of Auster¡¯s guns were cut by half in number, but the overall firepower was stronger than before. The reason why the Grenada Navy didn¡¯t make such an artillery improvement in the battleship was that they considered their existing guns to be strong enough. Moreover, the advantage for Auster wasn¡¯t the long-range artillery on board. It was the onboard battle and navy Gigants. Kwang! Kwang! The guns at the forefront of Auster, spew fire with loud sounds which could tear off the eardrums. In front of the Imperial Dragon ship, large splashes of water soared. ¡°Tch, did it miss?¡± Luke wasn¡¯t getting his hopes up. It was the first time for the Symphonia sailors to use such long-distance and powerful guns in action. It was something that was bound to happen and they had come for the expedition without any proper training. ¡°Well, next time we¡¯ll hit it.¡± While Luke was relaxed, Auster was ready to get hit by the Song Empire¡¯s battleships which were coming their way at full speed. Kwang! Kwang! Two Song empire battleships moved courageously and advanced forward while they collided with Auster and ended up shattering. The sailors of the Song Empire as well as the Yemaek soldiers were shocked to see the two ships shatter like eggs. And the Auster began to perform its strength from then. Pung! Pung! ¡°Kwaaak!¡± ¡°Ughhh!¡± When the ships which hit Auster were trying to gain balance, Auster immediately fired its guns in all directions by rowing in a circle, the entire formation of the Song Empire fleet collapsed in a matter of seconds. When he saw that, Mak Dong-chung struck his fist on the ship¡¯s railing. ¡®Ugh! It is a lot more troublesome than I thought!¡¯ Not knowing that such a situation would happen because of one ship, he bit his lip. The most important aspect of a naval battle was the formation of maintenance. It was because effective power could be projected by focusing the guns based on the formations. However, the Song Empire¡¯s fleet turned out to be unable to maintain their formation due to the movement of stirring Auster. Despite their superiority in numbers, the ships scattered away, trying to avoid the shelling from Auster. The ships which were busy trying to run ended up falling into the line of shots for the Yemaek fleet. ¡°Reorganize the line! What are they doing?! Signal the fleet with a flag¡­¡± Pung! Splash! A water column rose right next to the Imperial Dragon ship and swallowed the words of Mak Dong-chung. The expression of the sailors turned blue as the shelling kept closing in on them. No matter how strongly the iron defense was built, it seemed that if they were struck by the enemy¡¯s guns, they would sink for sure. ¡°This is dangerous, we need to step back¡­¡± It was when Hwang Bo-jangcheon, who was terrified, was about to signal a retreat. Mak Dong-chung shouted with a loud voice. ¡°Everyone! Attack the huge enemy ship! All attack it!¡± Experienced in the navy battles, he knew that if he retreated without taking any measures, he would only end up creating more damage to his side. It seemed better to go straight for the enemy¡¯s ship and conclude the battle in close combat. When Mak Don-chung¡¯s orders fell, the man in charge of signaling the ships, waved the flag fiercely. Seeing the Imperial Dragon rush boldly while signaling, the other ships regained their forms and began to rush towards Auster at the same time. Of course, Hwang Bo-jangcheon jumped at it. ¡°Eh! Are you crazy?! Step back right away!¡± ¡°Shut up! If you can¡¯t understand sea battles, step back!¡± The polite man screamed at the young man, Hwang Bo-jangcheon, whose face was burning with anger and drew his sword. The moment he was about to slash the head of Mak Dong-chung from the back, a shell shot from Auster hit the Imperial Dragon. Kwang! Crack! The heavy shells hit the deck. The shell, which had been made to smash a Gigant, struck through the hull which was covered with iron armor. ¡°Hiik!¡± Frightened with the enormous power of the enemy, Hwang Bo-jangcheon and his men ran away from the hull thinking they lost. Whether they lose or not, Mak Dong-chung didn¡¯t take his eyes off Auster. ¡°Master! The enemies have targeted our ship.¡± ¡°Hehe. I am seeing that.¡± At the words of Hwang Bo-sung, Luke smiled widely. The enemy surely used his head, yet, it was like a moth flying towards the fire. ¡°Get ready to hit the enemy!¡± Taking the orders from Luke, Hwang Bo-sung immediately went to relay the orders to the knights. It was until then that the sound of Gigant¡¯s core engine rose from under the deck. Chapter 605 - Battle on the Sea 3 Luke had been leading the 1st squad knights for the expedition on the Southern Continent. They had 200 knights and 100 Gigants and another 50 iron mage and war mages to assist them. Normal soldiers wouldn¡¯t be of great help, so he brought a minimal number of troops to support the knights and be on guard during the missions. However, in addition to the 100 Gigants led by Luke on Auster, 20 more ships for self-defense were carried. Those Gigants were made by reverse-engineering the Crabs captured from the Grenada Kingdom in the past. The Gigants were named Triton. They were smaller compared to the average Gigant, and its outer armor was made of wood, so it looked different from a Crab. However, it was different as it had been equipped with a warrior class¡¯ core engine of 1000 fight, and it could float on water because it had an air tube inside. In any case, the marine Gigants had been lifted onto the deck via the fright lift. Kwang! Kwang! Bang! The ships of the Song Empire didn¡¯t give up the battle even after getting smashed by Auster and getting hit by the shells. As soon as they retreated, they could escape. However, the transport ship carrying the landing troops would be captured or sunk by the enemy. In that case, even if they survived, the operation would be recorded as a huge failure, and the commander¡¯s name would be removed along with the lives of the commander¡¯s family members. At least considering the remaining family members in the home country, they all thought that fighting and dying in battle would be the best option. ¡°Do not step back! Stand tall!¡± ¡°Approach the ships that are down and attack!¡± The struggle of the Song Empire was heard. Despite the damages they sustained from the shelling, they eventually succeeded in sticking together to fight. When one of them was down, a dozen ships, including the Imperial Dragon, stuck to Auster. The Song Empire sailor hung ropes and began to climb on board. ¡°Shoot them!¡± ¡°Stop the enemies from getting onto the deck!¡± Symphonia sailors shot their arrows, trying to stop the men coming on board. Hundreds of soldiers suddenly appeared from the Song Imperial Navy¡¯s side. They were the strong Moorim martial clan men belonging to the army. Some of them were on the transport ships to assist in any possible attacks. Wheeing! Wheeing! They struck down the pouring arrows with their swords, and they quickly flew to the deck of Auster. ¡°Wh-what? These men are?¡± ¡°Stay back! They are strong men!¡± Most of the Symphonia sailors didn¡¯t know what Hwang Bo-sung was talking about. However, knowing that they were not strong enough, they stepped behind the knights. The knights, who were already equipped with armor, came ahead with their swords and shields. The powerful people, who climbed on the deck, were astonished. They weren¡¯t surprised to see the knights but were shocked to see the large doll that was behind their backs. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ A puppet?¡± ¡°No, they must be the steel dolls used by the northern men!¡± The Moorim warriors were compelled to stay still. It was because they couldn¡¯t imagine seeing a Puppet or any Gigant in the middle of the sea. While they were in shock, Luke ordered the knights. ¡°Shoot! Don¡¯t let them go back!¡± Triton rushed ahead and swung its giant sword at the Moorim warriors once the orders fell. Following Hwang Bo-sung, the Symphonia Knights began to attack as well. ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Kuk!¡± ¡°D-don¡¯t fall back!¡± The battle proceeded one-sidedly in favor of the Symphonia Knights. The Moorim people sent by Mak Dong-chung tried numerous things only to be wiped out by the enemy. Among them, there were a number of Absolute power-holders of Moorim. However, in front of the Gigant¡¯s combat power, they were powerless, and the moment their weakness was seen by Luke, Hwang Bo-sung, Reynard, and Shirley immediately took action. Besides, the skills of the other knights were considerably high too. When it came to being a strong player on the field, they were one step behind, being first-class knights. They had enough experience in war. Their not just excellent with swords but also in close combat. ¡°Ugh, this is bad for us. Step back!¡± ¡°Retreat!¡± At the words of the Moorim people who realized that they couldn¡¯t do much, they tried to run back while a few of them were captured. When the Moorim warriors retreated, the morale of the Song Empire sailors plummeted. Despite the encouragement, their situation didn¡¯t improve. Rather, Tritons threw in large planks or jumped onto the deck of the Song Empire and swung their huge swords. The confusion and hopelessness turned intense. ¡°Huhuhu!¡± Mak Dong-chung burst into laughter as he saw his fleet crumbling. The entire operation felt bad for some reason, but he never thought that he would meet such a monster in the sea. That large ship of the enemy exceeded what they heard about from the Yemaek Navy. And the Puppet, well, he never imagined the steel doll of the northerners, which were only used on land battles, would be fighting on the ship¡¯s board. The steel doll named Gigant was a weapon that ordinary soldiers or Moorim warriors could ever deal with. If he had known there was a Gigant on the ship, there was no way General Mak would engage in a battle on board. ¡°The entire fleet, retreat!¡± He couldn¡¯t help but order a retreat. However, their escape wouldn¡¯t happen that easily. The Yemaek fleet was already blocking their retreat, and even the Imperial Dragon ship and two Tritons crossed over and created hell on the deck. Thud Thud Thud! ¡°Surrender! If you surrender, I will let you live!¡± The riders in the Tritons, who were on deck, screamed while moving their giant sword. Mak Dong-chung didn¡¯t understand what the Northern Continent rider was saying, but he didn¡¯t have to know the language to understand what the other party was saying. In any case, there were two options in the situation¡ªsurrender or fight. However, Mak Dong-chung was an honorable warrior. ¡°You think I will beg for my life in front of the enemy? Me, the General of the Great Song Empire?!¡± Mak Dong-chung struck Triton with a pole. The rider flinched at the momentum and screamed at the man that came at him. Without his knowledge, the rider swung his sword at Mak Dong-chung. Slash! Mak Dong-chung, whose martial arts weren¡¯t that outstanding, quickly fell for the giant sword. It was a terrible death. A death that everyone on board would never forget. ¡°Th-that stupid¡­!¡± Hwang Bo-jangcheon, who was recused by an allied ship after leaving the Imperial Dragon ship, swore while looking at the battle from a distance. He did run away, but he thought that he could lead the battle to an advantage if he succeeded in leading one ship. The battleships of the Song Empire had powerful Moorim warriors on board, so he thought that with enough men, he had the chance. And as he thought, he managed to relay orders to the Song Empire¡¯s ships which were in close range to the enemy¡¯s fleet. ¡°Kuahhhh! Right! Go up on their ships and kill everyone! Wipe them all out!¡± As if he had been conducting the operation from the beginning, Hwang Bo-jangcheon screamed. However, the battle, which he thought he would have a chance, ended when the Puppet and knights of the enemy entered onto their ships. The Moorim warriors, who struggled to fight with the enemy, either tried to escape or surrendered. ¡°Damn, turn the ship! Retreat at full speed!¡± Hwang Bo-jangcheon, who became nervous, gave orders for the entire fleet. There were still 20,000 warriors, 5,000 zen skill users, and Kangshi hidden under the deck. However, no matter how strong they were, what could they do? If their opponents shot their guns from a distance, the ship would capsize and the entire Kangshi troops would be annihilated. Dozens of transport ships turned around and began to flee at full speed. But that didn¡¯t happen. It was because Luke, who had been chasing them with Fly magic, cut off the mast of the transport ship with Wind Cutter magic. Eventually, several ships ended up sinking, it was then that the Imperial Dragon ship lifted their white flag. Chapter 606 - Battle on the Sea 4 Chapter 606: Battle on the Sea 4 ¡°Come on, you men! You know who I am and still, you are going to commit such acts!¡± Hwang Bo-jangcheon, who was captured by the Symphonia Knights and brought on to Auster, swore abusively at the knights. ¡°Wah, he talks so much! If you keep talking, I will split your head in two!¡± Shirley, who was feeling irritated at the man¡¯s words, screamed at Hwang Bo-jangcheon with her halberd and made the man grunt his teeth. However, he looked at someone behind her and was shocked. ¡°Y-you, how are¡­!¡± ¡°You have grown a lot since the last time I saw you.¡± Hwang Bo-sung, who saw his nephew after a long time, seemed bitter. He heard a familiar voice on board and assumed it to be someone he knew. However, he never expected his own nephew to take part in the war. ¡°This can¡¯t be. You can¡¯t be alive! Father said that he poisoned you and cursed you, making sure you suffered from paralysis!¡± ¡°Well, I did almost die. But then, I met a nice man and was saved by him.¡± Shirley approached Hwang Bo-sung and asked with a cold expression on her face, ¡°Someone you know?¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s the advisor of the Song Empire¡­ My half-brother¡¯s son.¡± Shirley and the other knights were left with their mouths wide open. They thought the kid would have been some commander with high status because of the gold armor he was wearing, but he turned out much more important. It wasn¡¯t just that. He was Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s nephew! ¡°There is a high possibility that he has valuable information, so take him to the interrogation room and question him. He is a spoiled brat, so there is no need to be considerate when questioning him.¡± Once Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s order fell, Shirley dragged Hwang Bo-jangcheon to the interrogation room. ¡°Kuak! This dirty bitch! I will tell every single thing you did to me to my father!¡± ¡°Be quiet! Shut up!¡± Punch! Hwang Bo-sung looked to the other side when he saw Shirley beat his nephew and drag him. ¡®To entrust the command of an army troop to such a young person¡­ what on earth was my brother thinking?¡¯ Was he trying to get his young children to build up titles and merits? Or was there something more important that he decided to let the young one handle the task? ¡°Kuak!¡± As Hwang Bo-sung was contemplating, a sudden scream came from the side of the captured transport ship. As he turned his head, he saw the soldiers of Symphonia, who went to search the deck below of the ship, run out. ¡®What? Didn¡¯t everyone surrender?¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung, who was puzzled, soon turned pale when he heard of the report that came from the transport ship. Hurrying over to the ship, he ran straight into Luke¡¯s cabin. After the battle, Luke left his men and went to talk with Reina to be updated. The antenna was raised using Fly magic, yet the call didn¡¯t connect because the distance was too far. ¡°Hmm¡­ A little more higher maybe?¡± When Luke was contemplating, Hwang Bo-sung entered the room. ¡°Master, there is something you need to see right away.¡± ¡°I need to see? Right now?¡± ¡°Yes, things, which shouldn¡¯t have been, present were found on the transport ship that was captured.¡± ¡°Really?¡± What could it be that was making Hwang Bo-sung frown so deeply? Intrigued, Luke delayed contacting Reina for a later time and went over to the captured transport ship along with Hwang Bo-sung. On that ship, the wizards, who were brought for the expedition, were brisk walking on the deck, discussing something serious. Wizards were always curious ones. It seemed like something new had been discovered. ¡°This is the place.¡± The place where Hwang Bo-sung guided was a large cabin at the bottom of the transport ship. Luke went into the dark cabin, which was lit by the faint lantern, and was shocked. ¡®No way. Th-this is¡­!¡¯ The reason he was shocked was that there were people in it. People he never expected to see on the Southern Continent. Kiiiiki! Kukkkkk! The Undead were hissing with weird sounds out of hostility toward Luke. However, something seemed strange about it. It was because the Undead in front of his eyes were very different from the zombies Luke knew. Firstly, they didn¡¯t have the typical Rhodesian Continent appearance, but they had Southern Continent features with their yellow skin and dark hair. Also, their clothes were all black and loose-fitting, which people in the South called the Kang Ho warriors¡¯ attire. On their forehead was a piece of paper with an unknown pattern. Perhaps, the Undead could only make sounds, but they couldn¡¯t raise their hands because of the magic on the paper. Luke took a careful look at the Undead when Hwang Bo-sung explained it to him. ¡°Master, this is what we call Kangshi in the Southern Continent.¡± ¡°Kangshi? Oh, now that you mentioned it, the Undead of the South were referred to as Kangshi!¡± ¡°Yes, they are like the zombies of the Rhodesia Continent, but they¡¯re quite different from them.¡± Kangshi was an Undead just like the zombies, but the process of making and moving them was quite different. The Undead such as zombies and ghouls were extremely hateful toward living creatures, and if they saw any living creature around them, they would attack right away. The Kangshi, which were made using Zen skill, could only be used through Zen skill. ¡°Hmm, this is pretty interesting. So, that yellow paper attached to their forehead is an amulet of the sort?¡± ¡°That is right, Master. If you take that paper off and say the spell, the Kangshi can be controlled.¡± Hwang Bo-sung showed the paper and showed how to move the Kangshi. ¡°By the way, if we are bitten by the Kangshi, do we turn into Kangshi too?¡± ¡°Well, we were told to stay away from them, but in reality, it doesn¡¯t happen.¡± People bitten by either zombies or ghouls would be infected by its magi, and within a few days¡¯ time, they would turn into the Undead like zombies or ghouls. However, even if one was bitten by a Kangshi, since there was no magic in its body, one wouldn¡¯t turn into a Kangshi. ¡°Right. How strong are the Kangshi?¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t at a level where one can just ignore them. We had quite a loss during the search of the ships.¡± It was said that when the soldiers were searching for any men that were possibly hiding, the soldiers of Symphonia removed the talisman on a Kangshi. As they weren¡¯t aware of what they were doing, they ended up letting the Kangshi free, and it attacked them all of a sudden. This led to quite a few soldiers getting killed, and a lot of them got injured. ¡°Tch, they weren¡¯t careful.¡± Luke clicked his tongue, feeling bad. ¡°It was said that two Intermediate expert knights, who ran in after getting the report, were able to defeat it, but they only managed to barely do so.¡± ¡°That means they are strong. If zombies and ghouls were that strong, the Rhodesia Continent might have already turned into the Undead Continent.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Hwang Bo-sung shook his head. ¡°The original Kangshi aren¡¯t this strong. Somehow, these Kangshi seemed to have undergone some different making process.¡± ¡°That so? Just asking, does the Song Empire plan on using the Kangshi as their war weapon?¡± At the question from Luke, Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s expression saddened. ¡°Well, in the past, the corrupt ones in power, like the apostasy, did use them. In the old days, it was a temporary measure for returning the dead people to their hometowns for proper burial, but they were never used as weapons in battle.¡± ¡°Then, these Song Empire soldiers, who were captured, might not even know that they were on the transport ship.¡± ¡°Well, it is likely¡­¡± They wouldn¡¯t know anything. Suddenly, the image of his nephew Hwang Bo-jangcheon flashed in front of his eyes. He had been wondering why such a young man had been pushed into participating in this nasty war. He seemed to have found the answer. ¡°It seems like we need to thoroughly interrogate the enemy leaders who are in our hands.¡± ¡°We should do that.¡± Hwang Bo-sung was troubled by what was happening. After a while, the captured men of the enemy like Hwang Bo-jangcheon and the other generals revealed shocking information. It was revealed to them that those Kangshi were made by Earner. He was invited into the Hwang Bo clan, and he made famous warriors, who were kidnapped, into Kangshi. ¡°Haa! How much more is my brother going to sin¡­!¡± Hwang Bo-sung sighed out loud. Even if he did leave behind his clan, it was a pity to see his family gradually fall into depravity. Even if the confusion on the Southern Continent subsided, he was starting to wonder if the Hwang Bo clan would be able to stand. Chapter 607 - : Towards Yu-dong Castle 1 -Huh, such things happened¡­! ¡°Which is why it would be better to be careful when dealing with the Song Imperial army.¡± It was the evening of the day when they found a Kangshi. Luke announced the existence of the Kangshi directly to the 3rd crown prince Jo Won-rak with magic communication. Jo Won-rak, who was talking with the help of the fairies, was shocked by the news. If the Kangshi really appeared in such large numbers on the battlefield, the already tensed army would flip over. In addition, he felt anger at the attitude of Hwang Bo clan and Jo Won-gyun, who were using them as weapons. -Thank you so much for letting us know, Your Majesty. I will definitely make sure to repay your good grace. ¡°I better get going now.¡± When Luke ended the magic communication, Shirley, who was interrogating the prisoners, asked Luke. ¡°Your Majesty, what are we supposed to do with the transport?¡± ¡°What do you mean by asking that question? We need to drag it to the Phoenix castle. if we connect the ships to Auster with thick ropes, we can manage moving them with enough speed.¡± Accordingly, the forces of the Symphonia Kingdom headed for the Phoenix castle with the troops of Yemaek and the captured prisoners of the Song Empire and the transport fleet. The captive Song Imperial naval forces and the soldiers followed them without any resistance. It wasn¡¯t just because their weapons were confiscated, or because they were afraid of the Yemaek and Auster naval fleet. They still had strong men with them, strong enough to rebel and demand release. However, there was one thing that made them go quiet. It was the story of Kangshi being found on the transport ship. Not just the Symphonia forces, but even the Yemaek forces didn¡¯t bother hiding the issue, so the words kept on spreading from person to person on every ship. ¡°Are you saying that Kangshi really came out?¡± ¡°It was said that the Hwang Bo clan made Earner to secretly create them for the war. Probably the plan to release the Kangshi and then destroy the enemy by taking over Yemaek.¡± ¡°Those bloody guys need to be killed!¡± ¡°Such a dishonorable act! They didn¡¯t just dishonor the dead, but also threw away their pride of belonging to that clan!¡± The warriors were more outraged than the sailors. Most of them didn¡¯t even fight against an apostasy, but they heard of the horrors by their predecessors. There were no Moorim clans that weren¡¯t affected by the riots done by the apostasy of the past. In addition, they were displeased with the fact that Hwang Bo-kwang and the other Hwang Bo clan members complained about the state affairs and suppressed the numerous clans of the Kang Ho region. But they were secretly creating stuff behind their backs! ¡°This is a war which I didn¡¯t like from the very beginning, with this truth out, it is like a complete loss in a cause.¡± ¡°Right, there is no meaning to fight.¡± ¡°No, I will fight!¡± At the word of their colleague, the other warriors looked at him and asked. ¡°What? You want to fight?¡± ¡°Yes, I will stand on the side of the 3rd crown prince who was driven away by false accusations, and I will help defeat Hwang Bo-kwang and his men!¡± ¡°So that is what you want to do.¡± ¡°Well then, I have no choice then!¡± ¡°I too will come with you!¡± One after another, all the warriors changed their sides. They asked for their weapons to be returned and said they would help defeat Hwang Bo-kwang. Luke was kinda expecting the situation. In fact, in order for such a thing to happen, he deliberately spread rumors and even made a few prisoners speak out the truth. However, the number of people who changed sides was much higher than expected, which made him shocked. ¡°This isn¡¯t a bad thing, but controlling them would be troublesome.¡± ¡°Master, you think they might betray us?¡± At Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s question, Luke shook his head. ¡°They are serious about the change. However, no matter how strong they are individually, if they can¡¯t be controlled as a unit in the war, then they are useless.¡± The military always put great effort into organizing and transportation. There were various concepts and organizations ranging from artillery, defense, brigade, legion, and such. It was because complete control could only be attained if the organizations were to be structured closely and with suitable officers in charge of them. An uncontrolled army was nothing less than a haphazard. ¡°The problem is that each nation has a different method. Also, among those who switched sides, they all seemed like normal warriors and no leader among them.¡± Even the troops of the strong men were always controlled by military heads. And such officers or leaders rarely switched sides. Rather, when the battle ended, there were many people who jumped into the sea or committed suicide before the Symphonia soldiers could take them under control. They did say that Hwang Bo-kwang and his men were doing the worst thing possible, but that they couldn¡¯t turn their backs on their nation. If they resorted to that, their siblings, family, and other relatives would be persecuted. ¡°As Master, that would surely be a problem. It was said that, even during the fight with the Apostasy in the past, the clan chiefs formed an alliance, and thus managed to form an organization that was comparable to an army.¡± ¡°Our officers are on board, we are short in number and they can¡¯t speak our language¡­ should we ask the Yemaek army to lend an officer?¡± When Luke was contemplating, someone who could help appeared. ¡°Your Majesty, that problem can be solved by her.¡± There was Zegal Soha, the court tactician who was from the Southern Continent and willingly participated in the expedition. Looking at her, Luke asked. ¡°Can you solve it?¡± ¡°Yes, she was in charge of gathering the information even in her own clan. And we did manage to get the information from the prisoners about the people behind them, because of her.¡± Said Hwang Bo-sung. Things like, what kind of martial arts, what clan they belonged to, what were the abilities they had, and what role they played within the clan? Even though she wasn¡¯t a warrior, she had a certain grasp of the situation. ¡°That is great. Hundreds of them¡­ well, thousands of people and information from them would be huge¡­¡± ¡°Huhhu. If I can¡¯t memorize that much, I won¡¯t be worthy enough to be called as the head of Zegal Clan.¡± Nod nod. The words of Zegal Soha did sound arrogant, yet, Hwang Bo-sung thought it was fine. It was because the Zegal Sega was a clan which was excellent when it came to using their heads to the maximum. ¡°In them, there are those who are not skilled, but good at commanding. Appointing them as officers would solve the problem.¡± Each Moorim clan was armed, and in order for them to be controlled in the group, they needed someone who shared their ideology. All they would have to do was select someone who could play the role of an official. At her explanation, Luke nodded. ¡°Fine, I leave this matter to you. I need it done as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± In that way, Zegal Soha was given the Moorim warriors unit to lead, the unit who would fight against the Apostasy¡ªthey called themselves the God¡¯s Army. The ones belonging to the God¡¯s Army wore headbands which were blood red, vowing to overthrow Hwang Bo-kang¡¯s group. For that reason, Luke and the Symphonia Knights sometimes referred to them as the Blood Band. While the God¡¯s Army was getting organized on board, the ship arrived at Phoenix castle. Phoenix castle was as huge as Lamer city as it was also a major port city, however, because of the wartime situation they were in, it was uncomfortable. ¡°On Guard! We will move on the ground from now on!¡± The knights who stepped on the ground after a long time were pale, however, the Iron mages and the Yemaek troops sighed. Because the good times were over. While the Gigants were on board, they checked the magic circles and the core parts and made sure that they worked properly from time to time. However, once they land, almost every day would call for maintenance and continuous repair. And if they entered the war, things would get even messier. It was because the maintenance time got delayed by one minute, and the lives of their allies would be lost. ¡°If I knew things would be like this, I would have just remained back in the Symphonia Kingdom¡­¡± ¡°But what can we do? We were the ones who eagerly applied for the expedition of the Southern Continent.¡± All the wizards and Iron mages were rushing to volunteer for the mission. Therefore, no one could be blamed. Eventually, they ended their sighs and began to look at their Gigants. But the process wasn¡¯t as smooth as they thought. It was like a beginner¡¯s movement, they didn¡¯t have much time to move the Gigants onto the land. ¡®It is messier than I thought.¡¯ As time passed, Luke frowned as he saw the movement and the mess created by his men. Every time he moved the Gigants, it would happen very soon as he would use the Subspace bracelet on his hand. However, the subspace bracelets weren¡¯t dependable. He realized it when he was fighting Arsene. Due to Arsene¡¯s repeated attacks, Luke wasn¡¯t able to summon his Gigant. In addition, if there was any ancient magic that could interfere with the subspace summoning, it would turn useless for a while. In the end, artifacts weren¡¯t stable and safe. As long as it was a man-made object, it would break one day to stop functioning. Which was why Luke avoided using the subspace bracelet as much as possible. ¡®Once we head back, they need to be put into landing training.¡¯ Field officers and Iron Mages, who weren¡¯t aware of Luke¡¯s thoughts, continued to unload the Gigants with cranes constantly from the ship while sweating profusely. Hwang Bo-sung, ran towards Luke who was looking at the mages. ¡°Master, it was said that King Biryu will come.¡± ¡°Oh, the King himself.¡± After a few moments, the King¡¯s men arrived at the place where Luke was staying. Because of the war, King Biryu was wearing thick armor and he had a bow on his back. He then greeted Luke. ¡°King of Yemaek, Biryu. Thank you so much for coming all the way here to help us.¡± ¡°It is an honor to meet the person who is referred to be a great person.¡± The two kings shared words for a while and immediately moved onto the matter of war. ¡°I am not sure if you have gotten the report, but on our way here, we have encountered the Song Empire¡¯s navy. They were planning to raid this place with their troops.¡± ¡°But I heard the news from my messenger. It seemed like they were trying to attack us from behind and separate our forces, maybe they thought that facing us head-on would be difficult for them. Because of that, I ordered my men to thoroughly defend the regions besides the borders too.¡± ¡°That was a good decision. And what about the war?¡± ¡°We are struggling because the number of enemies is huge, but the forts are managing well. Even then, we are keeping hope on the reinforcements you have, will the King directly take them?¡± ¡°I will. We will hurry up and prepare to move.¡± It was when Luke and Biryu were talking. An armed messenger ran inside to deliver the news. ¡°This is urgent! Yu-dong castle is said to be under the assault of the Song army¡¯s main unit.¡± ¡°What? By the enemy units? What were the troops and the castle guards doing?¡± The messenger spoke with tears in his eyes as Biryu yelled at him. ¡°Looking from the words before the call cut off, they might have been captured already¡­¡± ¡°Hu!¡± King Biryu was at a loss of words. Between the Song Empire and the Yu-dong castle, there were dozens of forts that were built on the mountain ranges. However, the forts¡¯ contacts were lost! ¡®Well, something seems to be off.¡¯ Thinking so, Luke decided about doing something. ¡°I think I need to lead the reinforcements right away and start advancing to Yu-dong. King Luke can follow slowly.¡± It was when Luke spoke back. ¡°One hour, well, 30 minutes, give me 30 minutes and I¡¯ll be ready to move. I have something to tell you on our way there.¡± ¡°Uhm, I see, then we can hold for 30 minutes!¡± At Luke¡¯s serious request, Biryu couldn¡¯t help but nod. Praying that the bad situation wouldn¡¯t turn worse until he and Luke reach the place. Chapter 608 - Towards Yu-dong Castle 2 ¡°Shoot! Stop everyone who is going to climb the wall!¡± Kwang! Bang! Bang! The walls of the Yu-dong castle, where the general command of the Yemaek army was located, was filled with shouts and orders. Arrows and shells of both armies were pouring in like the sky was showering down meteors and hail, the blood of the soldiers painted the walls and ground in dark red. ¡®There is no end to them!¡¯ Commander Eulji Dok-mun, who was in charge of the castle, trembled as he saw the enemies constantly come in like swarms of ants regardless of their attacks. The enemy¡¯s troops had suddenly approached them. There was no report from the castles and forts which were ahead about the enemy troops which won over them. Even if the forts were captured, the fort commanders would have raised a beacon to the sky in case the messenger wasn¡¯t present, however, nothing happened. It was almost as if they turned into ghosts. But currently, the commander didn¡¯t have the time to get upset at them. ¡°Commander, hundreds of enemy flags were placed on all our forts!¡± At the report of the messenger who was scared, Eulji Dok-mun gave out orders. ¡°Send the men towards the archer troops!¡± ¡°But they are already in the field!¡± ¡°Then send in the Golden Warriors! The princess will allow it.¡± The Golden Warriors were the troops who guarded the palace of Yemaek and an escort for the princess, So-hye¡ª300 of them had come to Yu-dong castle. Along with them, came Zegal Hui, who had come to Yemaek along with Jo Won-rak, and the fairy tribes from the Northern Continent who came to support them. The moment they arrived, was just minutes before the Song army appeared outside the wall and tried to break the gates. ¡°Fire Blaster!¡± ¡°Magic Ball!¡± ¡°Strike!¡± ¡°Protect the city gates!¡± Starting with the long-range attacks from the fairy wizards, the Golden Warriors and the fairy warriors attacked the army which managed to invade. The Song army fought bravely, however, their opponents were way too good. It was because the Golden Warriors were the masters who were chosen from the clans, and the fairy warriors were the best of their tribes. They quickly defeated the Song army and protected the land. ¡°Phew, it was almost a huge hit for us.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that they would be able to work well with the regular soldiers and manage such huge numbers.¡± Upon hearing the report from the messenger, Eulji Dok-mun sighed. But he knew that it wasn¡¯t the end. The Song army later marked and hit the north, south, east, and west gates at the same time. However, they only suffered losses from the counterattack of the Yemaek army, who managed to respond calmly and withdraw for a regroup. Because of that, the morale of the Song army had fallen for a while, they temporarily suspended the attack on the Yu-dong castle and retreated. ¡°Phew, did it stop?¡± ¡°I think so. But how did they manage to suddenly appear in Yu-dong?¡± ¡°I am not sure either. Anyway, I hope that there won¡¯t be any more siege for today.¡± It was when the tired soldiers were sitting down and sighing of relief due to the halt in battle. Suddenly, large and terrifying giants appeared from behind the Song troops¡¯ army. Seeing the giants, Yemaek soldiers were shocked. ¡°Wh-what is that?¡± ¡°It looks like a puppet?¡± ¡°No. The giant iron cased ones, they are the northern continent ones!¡± Some well-aware troops spoke, they knew that it was the Gigants which had appeared behind the Song army. Having that number of Puppets was rare, especially as the production of Puppets had been stopped by the Zegal Clan after the lack of Iron Core. Well, even if that wasn¡¯t the case, there was no reason for the Zegal Clan who was supporting Jo Won-rak¡¯s side, help Jo Won-gyun. And in spite of fear, when Jo Won-rak ran away to Yemaek, the men of the Zegal clan hid in a shelter which was prepared in advance. For that reason, Jo Won-rak was unable to mobilize the large amount of Puppets needed for the war. With enormous interests, the merchants of the Rhodesia continent who came for trade in the Southern Continent gave the Song troops the Gigants and the riders. The Rhodesia merchants brought in one or two Gigants for the purpose of guarding their ships or their offices in the Southern Continent, and when all the Gigants borrowed were combined, there were as many as 30 Gigants. Of course, the Gigants were very old compared to the active Gigants on the Rhodesia Continent. They were as old as any Gigant could be. However, Yemaek troops, who didn¡¯t know the circumstances, were confused and frightened. Moreover, the Gigants which Song Empire had borrowed looked quite good on the outside, but mostly because of the new paint on them. ¡°Commander! The Song troops have mobilized the iron clad Giants! What should we do?¡± When asked by the lieutenant, Eulji Dok-mun couldn¡¯t give out any orders. It was because he knew that he would be the strongest one on the battlefield, however, it was the first time that he had been dealing with Gigants, therefore, the Puppet was not an exception. He was embarrassed for a moment, however, he soon recovered his composure. ¡°Load the Skyrocket Guns!¡± The Skyrocket Guns were the largest cannons in the Yemaek nation. On land, they were mainly used for destroying the enemy siege weapons, such as chariots and towers. ¡°Do not shoot until I command. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, commander!¡± With the lieutenant going off, the Yemaek army began to move. On the contrary, the Song Empire troops cheered as the Gigants rushed towards the Yu-dong castle while making huge sounds on the ground. ¡°Go ahead! Go and break those gates!¡± ¡°Show those monkeys a bitter taste of defeat!¡± ¡°Avenge the dead people on our side!¡± The mercenary riders who controlled the Gigants seemed flustered at the screaming of the men from afar. The only thing they had ever done was guard the ships with the Gigants or defend their own shops, it wasn¡¯t like they weren¡¯t without any war experiences, it just wasn¡¯t a recent war. In normal situations, troops would move along with Gigant and head for the enemy gates. Gigant was a huge and easy target to hit. ¡°They don¡¯t even know anything about the Gigant or its uses in battle.¡± ¡°I know. This is a Gigant which is used to support the artillery units and the warfare siege.¡± ¡°Well, the enemy soldiers are shocked, didn¡¯t see that?¡± ¡°I see that. They are savages, so they don¡¯t know a single thing about this¡­¡± And it was an occasion for them to show how terrifying the Gigants were. The mercenary riders, who were determined to show their skills, advanced towards the castle in their Gigants. It was when the Gigants approached the castle walls. In the ears of the Yemaek troops, who could only hear the sound of the enemy Gigants walking close to them by stomping on the ground, the voice of Eulji Dok-mun was soon heard. ¡°Burn it!¡± ¡°Fire-!¡± At the fast command of their commander, the huge artillery appeared through the holes in the walls. The moment they saw that, the Gigant riders immediately lifted the shields to prevent getting hit by the artillery shells. Kwang! Bang! Kang! Bang! The powerful shells began to pour in from very close range, making the sound terrifying to hear. Some shells managed to crack the shields and the gloves of the Gigants, and some smashed the legs and hand joints of the Gigants. ¡°Damn it! Don¡¯t step back!¡± A middle-aged mercenary rider, who was serving as the temporary commander of the Gigant unit, shouted. If they managed to open the gates of the Yu-dong castle, they would be given a huge reward. He decided that he would take the huge amount and enjoy his life as he had suffered a lot in recent years. As a result, the mercenaries raised their broken shields and went moving ahead. Thud! Bang! The Gigants approached the gate and struck it with their hands and shoulders. When the heavy Gigants collided with the gate, the reinforced steel thick plates shook like they would break any time. ¡°Th-this can¡¯t be! Shoot the guns quickly and stop them!¡± ¡°Well, look commander! They are right under the wall, we won¡¯t get the right angle to shoot them!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± When Eulji Dok-mun was down in frustration, the soldiers on the gates dropped huge stones or logs. However, such tricks would work on the Gigants. ¡°Hahah. Stupid men. I won¡¯t fall even if a hundred of them were thrown my way.¡± It was when the rider was ridiculing the efforts of the men and was ready to hit the gate with one final blow. Bang! A huge thunderbolt fell from the sky with a roaring sound and power incomparable to any fire attack. The Thunder Sword shattered the Gigant which was trying to break into the gate. Startled, the Yemaek troops¡¯ gaze went towards the woman who appeared on the castle balcony with Jo Won-rak. With a sword in one hand and a handbell in the other, she was Princee So-hye¡ªthe daughter of King Biryu. Ever since she was a child, she had been well-known for representing Yemaek as a warrior. ¡°Woah! The princess is here!¡± ¡°Our princess defeated that Iron giant!¡± In midst of the cheers of the Yemaek army, So-hye kept striking the thunderbolt in succession while saying out the spells. Krrrng! Kwang! ¡°Th-this can¡¯t be! Retreat! Retreat right away!¡± ¡°F*ck! This is why we need artillery behind us!¡± All of a sudden, the Gigant mercenaries who were being hit with lightning, began to retreat. No matter how great the reward was going to be, it couldn¡¯t be more precious than their own lives. However, less than half of the Gigants managed to escape because they were hit by not just the lightning from princess So-hye, but also the shelling. ¡°The iron giants run away!¡± ¡°Hahah! The huge giants ran away losing their tails!¡± The soldiers of the Yemaek army who saw the Gigant walk back shouted in joy because of the rise in their morale. On the contrary, the soldiers of the Song Empire began to use abusive language at the Gigants which retreated. This time, Gwan-chang, who was left in charge of the troops by Hwang Bo-kwang to defeat the Yemaek troops, was no exception to the booing of the Gigants. ¡°Bloody bastard! I thought that they were going to be useful, but they couldn¡¯t even break a single gate and they were 30 in number!¡± ¡°But, didn¡¯t we cut down the time?¡± A lazy voice came from the other side. Gwan-chang, turned his head to the one who spoke just then. The young man whose intentions could never be known was seated there. Gwan-chang didn¡¯t mind the rude words of the man. Well, he wasn¡¯t in the position to talk about it. It was because the mad wizard Earner was known for being notorious and cruel. If the man was pissed off, it would just cause the failure of the expedition, but he would kill everyone on the field. ¡°Uhm, as Earner said, we did cut down the time. When will the operation be pushed ahead?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do it right away, but wouldn¡¯t it be better to avoid doing it when we are in everyone¡¯s sight?¡± ¡°Well, the sun will set very soon.¡± Gwan-chang smiled as he watched the sun set at a fast pace. Yu-dong castle was known to be impregnable but would be defeated once the night came. Like the castles and forts which have collapsed before it. Chapter 609 - Towards Yu-dong Castle 3 Du Du Du Du! A vast plain located between the Phoenix Castle and the Yu-dong Castle. Ten thousand cavalry and hundred trailers were all moving at once. Whenever the horse put their feet on the ground, dust rose around the plains. It seemed like a grandeur scene one would witness in an ending war. ¡°Woah! This is the first time I have ever seen such a spectacular sight!¡± Luke smiled after hearing Shirley¡¯s words. ¡°Well, we don¡¯t see anything like this in the Rhodesia Continent anymore.¡± The tactics of operating thousands of cavalry at once had long disappeared from the continent of Rhodesia. It was because, with the advent of time, a much powerful weapon had been produced, the Gigant, which had the intensity to operate as efficiently as the cavalry. And considerable effort and time had to be placed to grow horses into excellent partners for war. Surely, horses were a lot cheaper than making Gigants, but unlike Gigants that had similar making techniques and blueprints, horses were different from the other, and they were hard to train. In addition, unlike the horses, which had to be fed daily and given considerate attention, Gigants only needed to be looked after at one time. As a result, many lords of the Rhodesia Continent began to foster Gigants instead of cavalry. Of course, there still were cavalry units, but they were resigned to the role of assisting the Gigant troops. It was a rare sight to see. 10,000 cavalry running around at the same time. However, the situation of the Southern Continent seemed different. Although they had the wooden Puppet, which was similar to Gigants, only a few warriors of the Moorim clans used them. Accordingly, many nations still depended on the large cavalry units. The nations of the Katai Empire and Yemaek were made up of nomads. While the main power of the Katai Empire was with light cavalry armed with bows, Yemaek¡¯s main power was medium cavalry with heavy armor. In particular, Yemaek¡¯s heavy-duty cavalry was famous for its tough armor that had magic. The magic on the armor lightened its weight and increased the stamina of the horses and the cavalry. In particular, when the heavy and long cavalry was charged and turned black, the appearance of it was spectacular to see. The sight installed fear in their enemies and courage in their allies. ¡°So the horses of Yemaek are called the ¡®Black Demon Horse Units¡¯?¡± Hwang Bo-sung, who was riding in the trailer with Luke, nodded at the question. ¡°Yes, Master. This is the one reason that the Song Empire hasn¡¯t been able to occupy Yemaek till now.¡± Whenever the Black Demon Horse Units appeared, the Song Imperial Army would always run away. ¡°That is why the Black Demon Unit is called as a rising group. This means every time it steps into battle, they always win.¡± ¡°Uh, that is why it¡¯s considered to be a strong unit only when together. Well, no matter how much magic is engraved on their armors, if they¡¯re up against 100 Gigants, they will end up getting annihilated.¡± At Shirley¡¯s words, Luke smiled and asked, ¡°Why would you think so?¡± ¡°Well¡­ no matter how much help they have from their Zen skill magic, a Gigant is made of iron and is a mechanical mass, which means it will have an advantage over the horse.¡± If a fight would break out on a plain, the Black Demon Units would be very active for a while in the beginning but will eventually be defeated by Gigant units. It was because their endurance and physical strength had a limit. In addition, in terms of attack power and defense, Gigants, which were made of huge iron blocks and high defense magic circles, would work more efficiently. ¡°In the end, the Gigant units will win.¡± At Shirley¡¯s words, Luke nodded as he found it reasonable. However, he raised an objection. ¡°But what if there was a person who was skilled enough to take down a Gigant with only his or her bare hands in the Black Demon Unit?¡± ¡°A Destroyer level person? Like Your Majesty?¡± Luke¡¯s question changed the expression of Shirley. It was because a variable had occurred. ¡°And it was said that during Volga¡¯s republican war, the cavalry of the republican army lured the Gigants to a place were gunpower was buried and defeated the entire unit. After luring them into an alley where the movement of Gigants turned difficult, they shot cannons over their heads and smashed the hatch on the Gigants and killed every rider.¡± ¡°Well, if such things¡­¡± ¡°No matter how great Gigants are as weapons, it can still be defeated by someone if we get too cocky¡± No matter how good a weapon was, if the person using it couldn¡¯t understand it, it was nothing more than a loss. ¡°So don¡¯t get too confident when entering the war.¡± ¡°Yes, I will keep that in mind, Master.¡± ¡°Fine, fine, I won¡¯t act arrogant at all.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Hwang Bo-sung and Shirley, as well as the other commander level people nodded their heads. How many more hours would they have to move? Two days after their departure from Phoenix Castle, the plains ended and mountain ranges began to be seen. At that time, King Biryu from the side of the Black Demon Unit and his Gold Warriors opened his mouth. ¡°There is a small fort called Ung-seong near here. It is getting dark, so how about we all take a break?¡± Ung-seong was a fort located to the northern end of the border like Yemaek. They needed to go there because his men needed rest. However, King Biryu had another reason. ¡°Firstly, we need to find out the situation of the other forts, excluding Yu-dong. We lost contact with all of them at once. Going in is important, but if we enter the war without knowing what is going on, we might not be able to go out alive.¡± ¡°That is true.¡± Luke nodded and agreed. Even since he left Phoenix Castle, they had been able to hear about the war on a regular basis through telegram. The problem was that there were no reports from other regions other than Yu-dong. They didn¡¯t know what was wrong in the forts in front of Yu-dong. They estimated for them to have already collapsed, but the castles and forts behind Yu-dong couldn¡¯t be contacted, which made it even more puzzling. ¡®I hope nothing bad happens¡­¡¯ It would be difficult if something happened even before they could reach the place, which was why Luke was hoping nothing unfortunate happened. Chapter 610 - Towards Yu-dong Castle 4 Chapter 610: Towards Yu-dong Castle 4 After a while, a part of the Black Demons¡¯ main unit parted from the troops and headed for Ung-seong. It was to examine the situation of the Ung-seong fort. The Black Demons and the Symphonia Kingdom troops continued to advance to the fort while maintaining their pace. As they climbed over the mountain range for an hour along the ridge, they saw the Un-seong fort. The stone fort was located in a good place, and it had a view over the northern coast. ¡®Oh my, this energy¡­¡¯ Luke took a closer look at the Ung-seong fort. The closer he got the more familiar the energy felt. He couldn¡¯t help but feel confused. The closer he got, the stronger the energy became, but when he looked around, no one seemed to notice it. ¡®Oh my, it looks like a mana blocking circle has been installed.¡¯ Otherwise, there was no way that Hwang Bo-sung, a Fist Sage, or Zegal Soha, a brilliant Zen skill user couldn¡¯t feel it. ¡®Who on earth would have installed it?¡¯ While Luke was curious about it, the scouts, who went ahead for the Ung-seong fort, returned to report the situation. ¡°Your Majesty, the gates of the Ung-seong fort are tightly closed, and there was no sign of anyone living within the walls or guarding it.¡± ¡°How could that be possible? Was the Ung-seong fort also been captured?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that is the case¡­ Something seems to be off.¡± King Biryu used his whip on the horse and arrived at the front of the Ung-seong fort. On the outside, the fort looked fine. However, just as the scouts said, there was no single guard on the fort¡¯s wall. ¡°That is weird.¡± If the fort had been captured, there must be a guard standing over the wall. ¡°Is the enemy hitting the place and leaving it vacant?¡± ¡°It could be.¡± At the question of his men, King Biryu answered. The ultimate goal of the Song Imperial Army was to invade Asadal, the capital of Yemaek. So, while the main unit of the Song Army was hitting Yu-dong, the secondary unit must have crossed the path and attacked Ung-seong fort to advance to Asadal. Probably, at the end of the battle, they didn¡¯t feel the need to leave behind any sign that they had captured it. ¡°But, if there was a battle, there should at least be signs of siege. Isn¡¯t it too quiet? Like nothing happened?¡± ¡°I think it is better to check inside the fort.¡± After a while, several Golden Warriors climbed over the wall and opened the gates. Kiiik! The hinges of the old gates opened with a creaking sound. With that, hundreds of horses went in through the gate. Thud Thud Thud! ¡°See here! There is no one!¡± Modal¡ªthe leader of the Golden Warriors¡ªsaid while looking around. He was as strong as a Sword Master in Rhodesia Continent, and his voice shook the place. No one responded to his yelling. No enemies nor allies had come out. Modal, who felt something was off, couldn¡¯t wait and ran hurriedly toward Biryu, who entered the fort. ¡°There is no trace inside. If something happened, there should be bodies or bloodstains, but everything is way too clean.¡± At Modal¡¯s words, Biryu frowned. It was because he knew that such a situation couldn¡¯t happen. Everything felt out of place. Right when he was about to order his soldiers to conduct a thorough search of the fort. Luke, who was beside him, stepped in. ¡°Be careful. There are lots of wicked beings under the ground.¡± ¡°Wicked beings?¡± ¡°Those who are dead are acting alive and moving in a group.¡± Kukkkk! Kiiiikiki! Right when Luke spoke, a pack of Kangshi began to pour out of the fort. However, the Kangshi didn¡¯t walk, but they jumped on the roofs and walls like they were part of some Moorim clans. ¡°A-ambush!¡± ¡°Protect His Majesty!¡± The warriors of Golden Warriors surrounded their king and built their escort formation. Luke and his men were quick to respond too. ¡°Thousand Holy Bullets!¡± Spheres of lights generated in an instant and flew from Luke, hitting the Kangshi. However, the power of the Undead was strong. It was because the Kangshi were made from strong warriors, yet once the light hit the Undead, they scattered like powder. It was all thanks to the Divine power Luke had used. After being attacked by Arsene, Luke kept on devising new attack techniques that had Divine power in them. Thousand Holy Bullets was one of them. However, it was quite similar to Karen¡¯s Holy Bullet except for the number of bullets and what it was called. Most of it was the same. ¡®Doesn¡¯t having same abilities lead to having the same thoughts on things, or is it something related to having the same blood?¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung, who had the memories of the future, looked at Luke with a frown on his face, when he suddenly found a Kangshi rushing toward him only to blow it away. When a few Kangshi were destroyed with their attacks, the fear in the army troops dissolved and they pushed in for the fight. ¡°Cut down all the monsters!¡± ¡°Woaaaah!¡± The Golden Warriors and Luke¡¯s escort knights swung their swords and attacked the Kangshi. The Master level spearmen Shirley, Reynard and Modal cut down the Kangshi in the front, while the escort knights and the other warriors slaughtered the rest of them. While they were fighting like that, another attack flew in from the right and left sides. Swish! ¡°Uhm? Arrows?¡± Discovering arrows that were flying in their direction, Luke used Shield magic. Thanks to that, all the arrows flying toward them bounced off. King Biryu, who turned his head, was shocked after seeing the arrows that came for them. It was because those people, who were releasing the arrows, had blue faces and were wearing the military uniform of Yemaek. ¡°No way. Did the Ung-seong fort betray us¡­.?¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t. They are already dead.¡± Luke could sense the dark energy from the archers, which was very similar to the Kangshi. He wasn¡¯t sure what the hell happened in the fort, but all the Yemaek soldiers in the fort seemed to have been turned into Kangshi. ¡®But the archers¡¯ body, even after turning into Kangshi, can use the bow¡­ If they turn a Gigant rider into one, then will it be able to control a Gigant?¡¯ Right when Luke was thinking about it¡­ Thud! Thud! Thud! Gigantic things appeared all around the fort, making loud noises whenever they step on the ground. At first, everyone thought of it to be the Puppet. It was because the Puppets were used as the representative weapons of the Southern Continent. However, the huge giant had a talisman attached to it. The problem in the giant was the stuff it was made of. Countless number of corpses were woven together. All of them wearing the uniform of Yemaek. In other words, they were all the people who were living in the Ung-seong fort. King Biryu¡¯s eyes turned blood red. He clenched his fist really hard. ¡°Those bastards! To use the dead ones like this! To use innocent people¡­¡± ¡°Order the Gigant Unit to head out. Ask them to stop that monster!¡± At Luke¡¯s orders, the Gigants were brought out from the trailers, which were outside the fort¡¯s gates. They immediately made their way to the corpse dolls and fought. Meanwhile, Luke looked over at the energy flowing in the Kangshi and the corpse doll. ¡®Kanshi are Undead as well. If we are able to see the Undead show this level of coordinated movement, it is obvious that someone is controlling it from nearby!¡¯ Luke, who assumed as such, traced the flow of the dark energy. After a while, he managed to notice that it was flowing from the large blue-tiled building at the other side of the fort. He used Hawkeye magic to see the target, who was far. It was a man, standing on the roof. But he was someone that Luke had already met once. ¡®Is he the one I met at the Zegal Clan?¡¯ He was the crazy man who called himself Earner. Well, he was someone who referred to himself as the Jade Emperor. He did hear that the Hwang Bo clan were the ones making Kangshi, so why was that man there? ¡°What is it? Is something the matter?¡± ¡°Ah, it looks like someone is over there¡­¡± The moment when Luke was looking over, King Biryu asked him. Earner suddenly changed sides. Perhaps, he noticed Luke managed to find him. ¡°This! Did he think that I was going to let him run away?¡± Luke immediately pursued the man with Fly magic. However, the arrow shot by King Biryu was faster than Luke¡¯s Fly magic. Wheeing! The arrow, which flew in its own speed, went right for the head of Earner and pierced him. ¡®Oh my! That was great!¡¯ Luke couldn¡¯t help but be amazed. Earner was very far from where the fort battle was happening. From any normal person¡¯s view, the person could only be seen as a white dot on the blue-tiled building. However, the arrow that hit Earner right on the head and the speed of the arrow was so terrifying that Earner couldn¡¯t even respond to it. ¡®It was almost as if that arrow could separate the sky from heaven.¡¯ That attack proved that he was of Bow Master level, well, Bow Sage. From what Luke knew, there was no one in the Rhodesia Continent who had that level of archery. Luke had never seen humans or even the elves with such great skills. High Elf Erenes, who had very great knowledge in archery, had passed away. However, Erenes was an archer and a wizard. He wasn¡¯t a pure Bow Sage. ¡®Well, for now, this situation needs to be cleared right away.¡¯ Perhaps, it was because Earner was the one controlling the dead from behind the scenes. The movement of the giant corpse dolls stopped. Luke went for the fallen Earner with his Fly magic. However, Earner, who was hit by an arrow, got up casually. ¡°Oh my, I was thinking who it was, so it was you?¡± Luke frowned while looking at Earner who talked to him. ¡°¡­ You¡­ aren¡¯t real I guess.¡± ¡°Yes, this body is made of Puppet zen skills and my hair strand. One of the hundreds of abilities that I have. It is a very useful one.¡± The one called Earner used ¡®transformation¡¯ to manipulate the Song Imperial Army¡¯s Kangshi as well as the fort Kangshi and corpse dolls too. ¡°The raid was a huge fail, but I got very good information. Your identity and the archery of King Biryu¡­ Maybe, this war is going to be entertaining after all¡­¡± Pop! Luke released his Flame magic while Earner was speaking. The person, who looked like Earner, quickly turned into a paper doll and turned into ashes because of the flames. ¡°The war will be fun? That crappy guy. Let¡¯s see if it¡¯s still going to be fun once my sword had sliced your neck.¡± Grunting, Luke went back to King Biryu and told him everything that happened. Biryu¡¯s expression was quick to change. ¡°Eh, for that Earner to directly interfere in the war¡­! Anyway, all the castles and forts we lost contact with had probably turned like this.¡± ¡°We need to head over to Yu-dong before it became like this place.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, King Biryu nodded his head. The Golden Warriors and the Symphonia Knights, who were done with the battle, gave up on setting the camp and ran for Yu-dong all night. Chapter 611 - Crisis In Yu-dong Castle 1 As the sun went down, the entire area around the Yu-dong castle turned quiet. It was hard to believe that a fierce battle had happened in the same place a few hours back. The Yemaek army in the Yu-dong castle had place fires all over the wall to keep a lookout on the enemy. ¡°The enemy might come at night. So don¡¯t let down your guard!¡± ¡°Yes, commander!¡± The commander was giving out orders to his men, and went towards Princess So-hye, to see if she was resting. It was princess So-hye, who was currently leading the castle with her zen skills. ¡°Princess, is something wrong?¡± ¡°There is no need to worry, once the enemy attacks, we will sound the drums.¡± In Yu-dong castle there was a scepter. It was a machine which would make the drum sounds once the enemy came in, even if the Song Empire¡¯s army raided in the early morning, the self-working drums would inform them. ¡°It is important to prevent the night attack, but is also important to observe the movement of the Song Army.¡± At So-hye¡¯s words, Eulji Dok-mun nodded his head. ¡°Even if that isn¡¯t the case, I was thinking of taking the help of the goblin warriors brought in by the in-law. It was said that they had great stealth techniques¡­¡± Right when he was about to say something. The alarm began to sound. Dum! Dum! Dum! The expressions of the two people who were in talks heard the sound of the drums. ¡°It looks like the Song army was getting ready for the night attack.¡± ¡°They seem to be in a hurry to defeat us.¡± Eulji Dok-mun, who quickly went back, ordered the entire army to go out and battle. When the drum sounds ran, not just the soldiers who were on alert, but also the soldiers who barely went back to sleep ran out of their camps. ¡°Uhm¡­. What is it?¡± ¡°Seems like the Song army is ready for a night attack.¡± ¡°Those damned jerks. They don¡¯t even want to sleep.¡± Yemaek army was getting ready in haste to fight the enemy. Strangely, however, they didn¡¯t see any movement in the Song army camp. They searched all through the walls and in the castle windows to see if some soldiers managed to secretly infiltrate the castle, but they couldn¡¯t find the enemy soldiers. ¡°Well, we don¡¯t see the enemy anywhere in here.¡± ¡°Damn, it looks like the drum is broken.¡± It was when the lower officials were patrolling the castle grumbled with the soldiers and turned back. The ground beneath them began to shake and something popped out of the ground. Kekeke! ¡°Wh-what! This is?!¡± The lower officials startled and drew the sword. However, the monster coming from the ground was faster to attack. In the speed of lightning, all the soldiers who accompanied the official and the soldiers were all killed in an instant. ¡°What is that thing?¡± The troops who heard the sound went towards the area to find out the source. What appeared in front of them was a black-faced monster with bright glowing eyes. However, it wasn¡¯t one or two monsters which greeted them. There were numerous ones, crawling out of the ground. ¡°Tha-that, they are¡­. Kuakkk!¡± Kikikikiki! Another group of squad members too got turned into dead bodies upon arrival. Hundreds of monsters climbed out from the ground and scattered everywhere. After a while, screams began to resonate all throughout the castles. ¡°What all is happening over here?¡± Eulji Dok-mun¡¯s voice rose as he heard the fuss happening around him. The lieutenant rushed into the room, reported what he knew. ¡°The enemy seems to have dug underground tunnels into the castle and infiltrated us!¡± ¡°A tunnel! There is no way the enemy dug tunnels!¡± With a thought in mind, Dok-mun had been keeping an eye on the enemy camp ever since daytime. Moreover, tunnels weren¡¯t something that could be built in a matter of two days. With the enemy¡¯s main unit in charge of the siege, it was impossible in every way for them to create a tunnel that extended all the way till the castle. ¡°But, there is no other way for this situation to make sense.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ hurry up and defeat that group of men! Don¡¯t ever move in small groups, move with at least hundreds of you together! Even for patrolling!¡± ¡°Yes, commander!¡± ¡°And don¡¯t neglect the defenses, the enemy soldiers outside the castle will attack us right away if they notice any change.¡± Even though Eulji Dok-mun was concerned, the Song imperial army troops hadn¡¯t moved an inch at all. Meanwhile, the casualties inside the castle kept on increasing. Fortunately, they managed to identify the enemy who had invaded them. ¡°Commander! It is being said that the Kangshi are the ones creating the mess in the castle!¡± ¡°What the?! The Kansghi are being used by the Song Empire!¡± ¡°Yes, the Kangshi were surely wearing the clothes of the Song Empire!¡± ¡°Those bloody rat sh*t-like men!¡± Euilji Dok-mun couldn¡¯t control his mouth. Even after Jo Won-rak had informed them about the creation of the Kangshi, he didn¡¯t want to believe in it. It was because both the Song Empire and Yemaek had immense respect for the dead. However, when the Kangshi were the ones who had rushed into the castle and created a mess, he couldn¡¯t help but feel the rage inside of him. ¡°Get rid of the Kangshi, right away!¡± ¡°We have already sent the assault troops and the Golden Warriors and the northern goblins are also being asked for help. Rather, shouldn¡¯t we hurry and inform the residents inside the city?¡± ¡°You are right lieutenant. Hurry up and send a telegram!¡± Eulji Dok-mun, ordered the lieutenant who was ready to go to the zen skill user. However, he only returned back with a pale complexion. ¡°Commander! They said that the telegram can¡¯t be sent!¡± ¡°What is that supposed to even mean?¡± ¡°It was said that the energy is being cut off from all sides¡­¡± ¡°Then send a messenger! Raise a beacon so that the nearby people and forts will understand!¡± Soon, a messenger came out through a secret route in the caste and released the beacon which lit the night sky. However, no matter how long the man waited, they couldn¡¯t see any response. The messenger didn¡¯t return, and no nearby fort city replied to the beacon. Meanwhile, the situation inside the Yu-dong castle turned even more serious. Somewhere, a giant corpse doll stood up and began to stir a mess in the castle. To prevent that, the assault troops, Golden Warriors, and the fairies from the Northern continent all had come out, but as the number of Kangshi began to cross up to ten thousand, they weren¡¯t able to control the situation. ¡°Ughhh!¡± ¡°From where did so many appear?!¡± ¡°Block them! Stop them at all costs!¡± The number of Yemaek troops that were defending the Yu-dong castle was only 50,000. Among them, the total number of assault troops and the Golden Warriors wouldn¡¯t even exceed 5,000. Princess So-hye and the other zen skills users and the fairies from the north were helping, but such a huge scale of invasion couldn¡¯t be stopped. ¡°Commander! We can¡¯t stop them!¡± Eulji Dok-mun, who was beginning to turn jittery because of the lieutenant¡¯s report, made a decision. ¡°Well, it is out of our hand. Mobilize the soldiers on the wall.¡± ¡°But they are¡­¡± ¡°If the Kangshi takes over the castle, Yu-dong will fall. Hurry up and suppress the Kangshi first and then we can guard the wall.¡± Many of the guards who were guarding the wall, on the orders of Eulji Dok-mun were mobilized to suppress the Kangshi. Chapter 612 - Crisis in Yu-dong Castle 2 ¡°Kukuku! Finally, they moved!¡± In the dark sky, Earner was looking at the Yu-dong castle with a wicked smile spread across his face. In a matter of time, he knew that the Yu-dong castle would fall, just as planned. Yu-dong was a rare castle fort, which had been attacked by the Song Empire several times over the past hundred years. However, they never managed to capture the castle because of its close vicinity with the other forts. From the Song Empire¡¯s point of view, it was known to be the wall of wailing. However, Yu-dong, who couldn¡¯t get any help from the other forts due to the Kangshi and was nothing but a rat in the cage. ¡°Right then, should we start playing shogi in earnest now?¡± Snap! When Earner flicked his fingers. The very moment, sparks began to form in the air, illuminating the darkness on one side. Gwan-chang, who saw that, gave orders to the Song Empire. ¡°All! Full speed ahead!¡± ¡°Attack!¡± Dum! Dum! Dum! Dum! ¡°Woahhhh-!¡± As the drums were sounded, the announcement for the advance fell, Song Army which was waiting in the darkness, began to flock towards Yu-dong castle like a swarm of ants. The number of troops was more than what the Yemaek dealt with in the morning. All of the 600,000 troops attacked at once. Thud! Thud! Thump! Thump! At the lead of the Song Army, were Gigants which fled in the day. Their goal was to break the gates and open the path for the troops. ¡°The steel giants are coming!¡± ¡°Attack! Attack!¡± Kwang! Bang! Kwang! Bang! To stop the Gigant, the cannons on the wall were used right away. However, it was night time, it caused limited visibility, and because of that, the Gigants managed to walk past them without any effort. Eventually, some of the Gigants who arrived at the gate, broke down the gate with the war hammer in their hands. ¡°We-we are in trouble!¡± ¡°Stop them! Stop them at all the costs!¡± The officers and the soldiers who guarded the walls were shouting on top of their voices. In a hurry to defend their castle, they went out and placed the Three-layered Shield right behind the castle gate. But they didn¡¯t think that it would stop the steel giant. ¡°Kukuku. Do they think that it can stop us?¡± ¡°Their courage is sure nice to see, but we need to move ahead!¡± Not surprisingly, the mercenary riders approached the line and swung their arms at the shield. They began throwing away the shield as the men kept the shield on. ¡°Agh!¡± ¡°Cough!¡± ¡°Kuk. Stupid men! Do they even know why the Gigants are known as the core weapons of war?¡± ¡°Even a thousand of you men would be useless in front of us!¡± The mercenary riders began to run wild trying to erase the bad name they had accumulated in the day. At that moment, the gate was about to break completely. ¡°How dare you!¡± They soon heard the terrifying voice from the inside of the castle, and lightning fell from the sky. Grrrng! ¡°Ugh! Be careful everyone!¡± Getting hit once, the riders began to turn scared and scattered back. However, they were slow compared to the Thunder Sword skill and ended up breaking. Pung! ¡°Woah! Princess!¡± ¡°Princess So-hye, long live!¡± When she appeared, the morale of the Yemaek army rose rapidly. Aiming her sword at the Song army, who flocked right outside the castle gates, So-hye said. ¡°As long as I am in here, you won¡¯t be able to take a single step inside!¡± ¡°Uh, is that really so?¡± In the air, the voice of a wicked man laughed at So-hye¡¯s declaration. ¡°Who are you? Identify yourself right now!¡± At the voice of her shouting, a man appeared in the dark sky. He was Earner, who looked very much like a young man. ¡°KiKiki! I heard that Yemaek¡¯s princess was really good at using zen skills, but seems like words do your skills no justice.¡± Princess So-hye frowned at the gloomy energy the man¡¯s body was giving out. ¡°By any chance, were you the one who made the giant corpse doll with the Kangshi?¡± ¡°Yes. The world calls me Earner!¡± ¡°Ea-earner!¡± A feeling of astonishment showered over the mind of princess So-hye. That was how high the man was known for his notoriety. Earner. In the Southern Continent, there was no person who wouldn¡¯t know about him. It was because rumors blew up all over the nations about the crazy man who had superior ability and was thought to be the descendant of Kwi Gok-mun. Five years back, he became famous for his act of saying that he would offer 100,000 gold crowns for the Song Empire. However, the same crazy man had appeared alongside the Song Empire on the battlefield to fight the Yemaek! So-hye¡¯s face went stiff. It wasn¡¯t simply because of his name. It was because the opponent seemed to be a lot stronger at using zen skill than her. Fear inside her urged her to escape, but she couldn¡¯t step back. ¡®If I retreat now, the iron giants can¡¯t be stopped!¡¯ If that happened, the gates would open, and the Song army would take over. ¡®I need to stop them at all costs!¡¯ Once Yu-dong gets captured, the nation would fall. There were other forts and castles, but they didn¡¯t have the power to stop the Song army. So-hye, who was determined to stop them, looked at Earner. ¡°You are the lunatic! Earner. Fine. I guess I need to get rid of you too.¡± ¡°Hahhha! What did you say? You will get rid of me?¡± ¡°Right. Bringing out the dead from their sleep and using them as weapons! I will never forgive you for that!¡± She was angry. Being a zen skill user meant one should understand the reason for everything in the world, and the use of strength for a better world. There were a lot of selfish men who always chase to try to satisfy their own greed. However, Earner was a person who committed evil deeds that wouldn¡¯t come under the category of greed. There was no way she could ever forgive someone who carried out the tasks of apostasy under the name of the zen skill. Getting rid of her worries, she could only feel anger rise in her, which allowed her to have the first one to attack Earner. Biting her little finger till she bled, she wrote letters on the talisman and blew it into the air. ¡°Divine being, phantom of heavens! Pity the girl and defeat the ungodly one. Thunder Sword!¡± Grrrrng! Krrrrrng! As the talisman kept burning, countless numbers of lightning formed in the sky and flew right at Earner. It was the most powerful offensive attack among all the Thunder Sword Zen skills she had. Each of the lightning was strong enough to nearly take down Gigants. ¡°Oh my! Seeing you use Zen skill, you seem quite good.¡± Despite the countless lightning flashes flying at him, Earner still had a smile on his face. ¡°However, this won¡¯t be enough to stop me!¡± As soon as the lightning reached him, Earner took out a vial from his sleeve and shook it. Swoosh! Something amazing happened. All the lightning which were supposed to hit Earner was sucked into the vial. ¡°Th-that can¡¯t be!¡± ¡°Kukuku. It is possible because this is the Chaos Vial, a technique created by the founder of Apostasy 5,000 years back. It has the ability to absorb all the zen attacks.¡± As Earner smirked through his explanation, So-hye went stiff. Earner laughed looking at her. ¡°And, it doesn¡¯t just have the ability to absorb it, but also to return it back, stronger too!¡± Kwrrrrrrng! The lightning from the Chaos Vial went right for So-hye. Strong lightning which looked like dragons rather than swords illuminated the entire Yu-dong castle as if it was day. The shock waves and the roaring sounds blew away the roof tiles and muted the screams from the soldiers on both sides. ¡°Kuk¡­! I won¡¯t stand against that!¡± If such a strong attack hit the castle, the entire castle, the gate, and the walls surrounding it would be destroyed. However, Princess So Hye decided to endure it. She was already out of zen energy. ¡°Oh, I guess you need to stand because you are the princess of the nation.¡± When Earner was making fun of her, he tried to get close to her slowly, So-hye disappeared from his eyesight. ¡®What just?¡¯ When Earner was shocked. F*ck! A blade pierced from his chest. Somehow, So-hye managed to appear behind him and stabbed Earner in his heart with a sword. Earner fell down vomiting blood and grabbing himself in pain. ¡°Th-that was surprising. Already for this¡­ kuk! To learn the art of teleportation?!¡± ¡°It was because you were too arrogant.¡± ¡°Nope, the arrogant one is you.¡± The moment he said that, the face of Earner who was in pain, went back to his normal sly expression. ¡®A trap?¡¯ The moment when doubt took over So-hye¡¯s mind, she felt tremendous heat in her palm. So-hye looked over at her hand which seemed like it was on fire. When she saw it, the sword in her hand was burning and melting down! ¡°Ack!¡± Hurriedly, she removed her hands from the sword and stepped back. Earner turned himself into a giant dragon and rushed. Wheing! If she was attacked when he was still in the dragon form, her entire body would be incinerated. So-hye hurriedly tried to bring every last zen energy in her body to perform another teleportation. Thanks to that, she managed to avoid the attack from Earner. However, Earner, who went back to his human form, appeared very close to her and grabbed her by the neck. ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°What should I do now, princess? Should I crush your neck bone that I feel? Or should I pop the brains out of that pretty head? How should I kill you to make the Yemaek troops feel depressed and worthless?¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± Those words weren¡¯t from So-hye. It was the voice of a young man filled with anger. Earner turned to the source of the voice and seemed shocked looking at the person standing there. ¡°Oh, who could this be?! The traitor prince, Jo Won-rak, right?!¡± ¡°Shut up! Let the princess go right away!¡± Jo Won-rak aimed his bow at Earner and snarled. Zegal Hui and his other escorts scattered all over the place trying to fight the Kangshi, so they couldn¡¯t help him. That didn¡¯t mean that he had any special skills. Nevertheless, Jo Won-rak had no intention of backing off. He didn¡¯t want to be the man who runs away leaving his companion in danger. Even if it meant that he was about to die with her. ¡°Tch Tch, just goodwill doesn¡¯t help anyone.¡± After throwing away So-hye, Earner rushed towards Jo Won-rak. However, the moment his hand reached for Jo Won-rak¡¯s neck, a sharp sword cut his hand. Slash! ¡°Kuk! Wh-who was that bastard?!¡± ¡°If you look around with goodwill, some person will be ready to give you their strength.¡± Earner who recognized the voice frowned deeply. He knew that the person would come. But the man arrived a lot earlier than expected. ¡°Luke de Rakan¡­!¡± Earner grinds his teeth, spitting out the man¡¯s name. The descendant of a warrior who was supposed to be in the Northern continent and governed his Symphonia Kingdom. The tip of his sword which appeared in the darkness was pointed at Earner. Chapter 613 - Crisis in Yu-dong Castle 3 The Black Demon Unit and the Symphonia Expeditionary Unit ran without rest or sleep from Ung-seong. Surprisingly, they managed to make a four-day journey into a two day one. When they arrived near the Yu-dong region, they could see the castle being attacked even though it was midnight. The sound of iron bumping into things could be clearly heard in the silent night. The yelling and screaming of those in pain and those of cheers could be heard as well. Even the bizarre sounds, which could never belong to a human, could be heard. Fires soured all over. However, it didn¡¯t seem like the castle had been captured already. Feeling it was a fortunate incident. However, they knew that the danger of losing the castle wasn¡¯t that far away. In particular, the dark energy that could be felt from the gate. ¡®I need to go and take a look.¡¯ Luke decided so, thinking that at least he had to catch the one who was exuding that dark energy. So he informed King Biryu. ¡°The castle seems to be in jeopardy. I¡¯ll move first.¡± ¡°Please do so.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, what are we supposed to do?¡± Shirley, who was listening from behind, asked in shock. Luke shrugged. ¡°If you can manage to follow me, then follow me. If you can¡¯t, then take the order that King Biryu gives.¡± Having said that, Luke took a leap to the sky and flew straight for the castle. Some of the war mages, who learned Fly magic, followed him too. ¡°Tch! You should be taking us along!¡± ¡°I know.¡± When Shirley grumbled, Reynard, who was beside her, added to it, leading to Hwang Bo-sung to rebuke to them, ¡°The battle is right ahead of us. What kind of talk is that? Hurry up and get ready to move!¡± The next highest-ranking person in the Symphonia troops after Luke was Hwang Bo-sung. At his words, the two hurriedly ran to their Gigants and boarded them. Even if they wanted to participate in the battle with their own bodies, they would surely tilt the charts as they were Sword Master level. However, their true power and skills came out when using a Gigant. Thud! Thud! Thud! There were dozens of Gigants in front and behind them, and riders were in a hurry to board them. ¡°Hurry up and prepare for battle!¡± ¡°Respect!¡± At the orders from Hwang Bo-sung, men wearing bloody headbands all drew their spears. Among them were the warriors of the Song Empire, who were captured in the Navy battle. They were those who converted to the Symphonia Kingdom, God¡¯s Army. They got into a trailer. It was because the Symphonia Army didn¡¯t have any means to transport all of them. Luke decided to take 1,000 of them and left the rest to Zegal Soha because of that, asking her to equip them with some kind of transport and asked them to follow quickly. ¡®They seem to be in good energy. Well, it might be because they came in with those self-moving carts.¡¯ Thinking so while looking at the expeditionary forces of Symphonia, King Biryu looked at the Black Demons and gave orders, ¡°All forces, align!¡± The formation had been a mess because of how much running they did from Ung-seong. In order to inflict a huge blow to the enemy, they believed that they needed the right formation. At the command of the king, the soldiers quickly began to reorganize their formation in the shape of an arrowhead. It was a strong march ahead with the strong ones in front, exuding great pride. Thud! Thud! Thud! Although people and horses were tired from the long journey, they quickly formed the formation. When the formation was complete, King Biryu shouted, ¡°Today, we stand here to make history and preserve our history too! Sons of Yemaek, who inherited the blood of our ancestors, will we let those wicked men trample us?!¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°We will never let them do that!¡± Shouts came in from all sides. The confrontation between the Song Empire and Yemaek had been going on for thousands of years. The war to cover the eastern side of the Southern Continent occurred almost once every hundred years, and each time, both sides would take in huge damage. The main force of Yemaek, the Black Demon Unit, was born out of such confrontations and struggles. The unit, which was made up of the most talented warriors of the five clans that make up Yemaek, served as the pillar and guardian of the nation. Being a part of such unit, the pride held by those men was different from regular soldiers. ¡°Let¡¯s drive out those men from the Song Empire!¡± ¡°We will wipe out our enemy!¡± King Biryu smiled as he heard the shouts of his warriors. He pulled out his sword. ¡°Sons of Yemaek, run with me and save our men, who are in crisis! Let us take them down so that they never forget our strength ever again!¡± ¡°Woah!¡± ¡°All forces, forward!¡± After a short impressive speech, King Biryu took the lead and began the march. The members of the Black Demon Unit followed him and the regular soldiers after that. ¡°We are charging too! Do not fall behind the Yemaek troops!¡± Thud Thud Thud Thud Thud! At the order of Hwang Bo-sung, 100 Gigants and God¡¯s Army began to run toward Yu-dong at the same time. The empty trailers and the iron mages decided to remain behind. It was because there was nothing they could do in the war. Dudududududu! It was a spectacular sight to see the Black Demon Unit running. And at some point in between, black light began to emit from their armors. It all seemed like magic. The ¡®Black Demon Full of Vitality¡¯ was actually on display. The Black Demon Full of Vitality activated and merged into one. It seemed like a huge dragon with dark scales over it. The dragons were considered to be a god in the Southern Continent, and they appeared different from those, which were seen in the Rhodesia Continent. Kuakkk! Almost like the dragon had opened its eyes, the morale of the Black Demon rose. On the contrary, their targets, the Song Empire, turned over. ¡°We have a huge problem! They are!¡± Gwan-chang was watching the siege from the rear. He frowned and asked the messenger who was screaming from the other side. ¡°What are you making such a fuss for?¡± ¡°Black Demon¡­ The Black Demon is charging at us!¡± ¡°Wh-what?!¡± Gwan-chang turned pale upon hearing that. They were all expecting the reinforcements to come, but not that fast. What was more! Black Demon, the most terrifying of all, was coming for them! ¡°What are the 1st squad doing?!¡± ¡°Well, they were placed for the Yu-dong castle attack¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! Hurry up and ready our defense! Move it!¡± At the shout from Gwan-chang, the generals moved to order their remaining units to respond. However, for the order to be delivered and the formations to be organized, it took quite some time. Before that could happen, the Black Demon Unit attacked like a violent wave. Kwang! Slash! ¡°Kwak!¡± ¡°Kya!¡± The Song Empire was trampled by their horses. ¡°The only one that can stand in our way is death!¡± ¡°Die!¡± Hundreds of Song Empire soldiers fell down like straws when they were attacked by King Biryu and the Sword Masters. ¡°Hiiik! Runaway!¡± ¡°Our opponent is the Black Demon!¡± In an instant, the enemy troops were down. Shortly after that, even the reserve troops of the enemy waiting for the call were crushed like tofu. In their own way, the clever general gave orders to their trained men to attack the Black Demon¡¯s rear and side troops. However, before anything could happen, 100 steel giants moved behind. Thud! Thud! Thud! ¡°Ack!¡± Each of the Gigant rushed ahead and wiped out the soldiers by waving their arms and legs. It was almost like their entire body could be used as a weapon, and the movement of the Yemaek riders was more refined than the mercenaries that the Song Empire hired. The Song Empire had its first taste of how terrifying Gigants could actually be. It was more terrifying than the Black Demon. ¡°Th-this!¡± As soon as the enemy troops pushed into the command post, Gwan-chang halted the charge and ran. In the back, he could hear a lot of screams and shouts. However, he was devoted to saving himself and ignored the others. King Biyru, who was leading the Black Demon Unit, could clearly see him running away even in the dark. ¡°How dare you?!¡± In an instant, Biryu shot an arrow that went straight for Gwan-chang. Swoosh- Puck! ¡°Kuak!¡± The arrow flew straight to Gwan-chang¡¯s head. Before even knowing what happened, his body fell to the ground. A very vain death for the commander of the Song Empire¡¯s Imperial Army. The commander was ambitious enough to take over Yemaek. ¡°The enemy leader is down!¡± ¡°Gwan-chang is dead! Song Army, surrender quickly!¡± ¡°Those who will surrender won¡¯t be cut down!¡± Those who followed King Biryu began to shout out loud. The Song Army, which was at the gate of Yu-dong castle, went quiet upon hearing the announcement. ¡°What? The commander is down?¡± ¡°Then we are done!¡± Even though they weren¡¯t attacked from the rear by the Black Demon, the atmosphere fell. The number of troops for the siege was huge, so they continued to siege the castle as they wanted to be able to block the Black Demon Unit. However, since the news of the commander being killed had spread, the morale melted like snow in the sun. Eventually, the assault unit of the Song Imperial Army, which managed to occupy more than half of Yu-dong castle, turned noticeably dull. Chapter 614 - End of Earner 1 ¡°Luke de Rakan¡­!¡± Earner reached for his severed hand while grunting his teeth. Luke, who saw him in pain, couldn¡¯t hold back his smile. ¡°Woah, I meet you once again here. I heard that in the Southern Continent, if people meet for three or more than three times, it isn¡¯t considered as coincidence, but the inevitable end. Maybe our relationship is such an inevitable one?¡± ¡°What bullshit are you spewing?¡± ¡°It means that between me and you, one of us is destined to die. You must be feeling it too, right? Isn¡¯t that why you keep on avoiding me by doing this and that?¡± ¡°Kuk, you think I am afraid of you, so I¡¯m avoiding you?¡± At Luke¡¯s sarcastic words, Earner seemed angered. He had never fought with Luke in his full strength. Even in the past, both of them fought in the Zegal clan. However, they stepped back after fighting for a bit. But to consider their meeting as not a coincidence but the end of the other, that made no sense. Luke called it the inevitable end for one of them. ¡°This body hasn¡¯t just mastered the uses of Zen energy but also the techniques of the Apostasy. If I decided to go full power, it wouldn¡¯t take long to turn you into powder!¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you try it?!¡± At Luke¡¯s unending ridicule, Earner¡¯s anger was turning into rage. ¡°You¡­!¡± There was a reason why Luke flew right toward Earner and kept on engaging him into a conversation. It was to make enough time for princess So-hye and crown prince Jo Won-rak to evacuate and to install the secret magic barrier to prevent Earner from running away. Even if he could let the other enemy soldiers run away, Luke thought this man in front of him shouldn¡¯t be left alone. There were two reasons for it. Firstly, it was because Arsene too was learning the techniques of the Apostasy, and it seemed like Earner too was using the same skills. In order to defeat Arsene, the enemy of his life, Luke had to be familiar with the techniques of the Apostasy. And the second one was because Luke was the great wizard, who had managed to get the 9th circle. As a wizard and a scholar who studies the reasoning surrounding the world, he was curious about the techniques of the Apostasy, which were similar to dark magic. This made him think that by capturing Earner, he would make the man speak out all the techniques of the Apostasy. ¡°If you get caught, I am going to turn into a worm that swirls around in the dirt.¡± ¡°Y-you bastard!¡± At Luke¡¯s arrogant words, Earner¡¯s face turned red with anger. Earner had nearly been alive for 200 years. It was the first time that he had been insulted so horribly. That was why the little insult was enough to turn his face red. ¡°I¡¯ll see if you would still be this arrogant when I peel your skin while you are still alive!¡± ¡°Before going after my skin, how about I get rid of your confidence?¡± Luke showed no signs of backing off in their verbal argument. If Earner was the man who lived for 200 years, then Luke was the Black Sage, who once swept the entire continent of Rhodesia, making him known as the Devil King. Earner, who had fallen for Luke¡¯s provocation, pulled out a large bell from his sleeve and began to shake it while chanting a strange spell. Jingle! Jingle! Jingle! Luke, who couldn¡¯t understand what Earner was doing, tilted his head. All of a sudden, he felt something terrifying behind his back. Luke turned back reflexively and swung his sword. Cang! His body was pushed back by the heavy force. However, Luke was shocked to see the one whom he used the sword against was himself. Rather, it was Hiros. ¡®What is this?!¡¯ Before even Luke could understand what was happening, fire magic came from behind and hit his shoulder. Pop! ¡°Kuk!¡± Groaning in pain, Luke turned his head. It was Arsene¡¯s guardian, Baymon, the one made of his past body, standing with a staff in his hand. Luke couldn¡¯t even understand what was happening. Although he wasn¡¯t sure if Hiros was alive, Baymon had been completely rid of his energy in the hands of Luke. So how could that man be alive and attack him? The moment when Luke wasn¡¯t able to think of any suitable explanation, others attacked him from left and right. ¡®Shaikan and Arch Duke Gregory?¡¯ Shaikan¡¯s stance against him couldn¡¯t be known, but Arch Duke Gregory would never fight against Luke. Rather, Arch Duke Gregory would never leave Reina¡¯s side in the Holy Empire to come all the way to the Southern Continent. ¡°Then this must be illusions.¡± ¡°Hahaha! It might not be as simple as that. There are strong enemies residing in your mind, and with my skills, they are capable of attacking you.¡± Earner, who managed to create distance between Luke and him and disappear, burst into elated laughter. It was an illusion, but they weren¡¯t fake. Getting struck by it, it seemed like he would bleed and die. An ancient technique of the Apostasy. The reason why Earner seemed so good at his work was because he managed to find the lost techniques of the Apostasy, which were scattered all around the world. In addition to that, he seemed to have all the skills of the Kwi Gok-mun, whose descendant he calls himself of. In fact, in the distant past, Earner¡¯s skills and the techniques of the Apostasy seemed to have come from the same roots. If the Kwi Gok-mun were the ones who settled down to have normal lives after sealing away their dangerous skills, then the Apostasy were the ones who went into the world because of their ambitions. And it was a fact that only Earner knew because he succeeded in their teachings. However, Earner had no intention of living a normal life like those who did in the past. However, that didn¡¯t mean that he would go on a rampage and create organizations to take over the continent like the annoying Apostasy. He felt that it was good enough if he could intervene in the foolish fights of the humans. In particular, trampling those who were known to have extraordinary skills gave Earner an incomparable pleasure. Rather than counterattacking, Luke kept on avoiding the attacks from the images. ¡°Kuakkk! Where are you running off to? If you are the descendant of the warriors, you shouldn¡¯t keep avoiding me¡­¡± Slash! Earner, who was hiding in the dark and teasing Luke with an elated voice, shut his mouth. It was because of a blow that hit him deeply on the cheek. ¡°Y-you, how did you?!¡± As Earner was muttering something, not being able to understand, Luke, who appeared in front of him, had a cheeky smile. ¡°A man who is good at creating illusions. Shouldn¡¯t you be able to recognize the illusions created by others?¡± Luke was caught up in the situation created by Earner. He didn¡¯t get caught up between the four men as Earner saw. Rather, he used the illusion magic to trick Earner¡¯s eyes and began to search where Earner was hiding himself. ¡°That was a pretty decent trick, but the illusions don¡¯t seem like they can attack at the same time. And it seems like the illusions respond to what you see and attack, right?¡± Luke¡¯s observations were wrong. Until the moment Earner was attacked, the illusions only pursued the illusions, which represented Luke. ¡°I hope that it wasn¡¯t the best trick you had. Otherwise, this would be a very crappy fight.¡± ¡°Uhh! Y-you!¡± Earner¡¯s face distorted with disgust. However, Luke, who managed to defeat the Lich, Arsene, this man, wasn¡¯t that scary. Luke was confident. He believed in his skills and his mind, which was full of curiosity. Chapter 615 - End of Earner 2 ¡°Die! Die, you bastard!¡± At the words of Earner, the illusions which were chasing after Luke¡¯s illusion rushed towards Luke. Luke, who escaped from the illusion of Hiros with Blink, released divine power. ¡°Holy Nova!¡± Luke, who recently awakened the divine power, could only use a few skills by using it. However, such attempts would be considered to be great from the perspectives of the general priests, and the Holy Nova which he used just now was overflowing with power. The skill was rather simple. It was a skill that used Divine power and strengthened the Holy Light skill, which emitted the sacred light. However, as divine power being used was considerably high, the power and effectiveness couldn¡¯t be compared to Holy Light. Wooong! ¡°Kuak!¡± As if the sun appeared, the sky began to brighten the entire place in an instant. The powerful light and the divine power melted the vision of everyone who was close to Luke. Earner couldn¡¯t even believe what was happening. ¡°Ho-how is this¡­?¡± ¡°Huh. the Divine power has the ability to purify evil and powers of darkness. Even if your skills are different, the roots are evil, so you will have to disappear.¡± ¡°How dare you! Are you insulting me and my ancestors?!¡± Earner who heard Luke¡¯s explanation yelled at him. ¡°This is the body of the ancestor! In other words, it represents the will of his! Whether it is the light, dark, clean, or filthy power, I am justice and I am in the right!¡± ¡®Surely this one is crazy too.¡¯ Apart from the fact that he was a madman, the skills performed by the angry Earner wasn¡¯t so weird. He took out the talismans from his sleeve and threw them, and each time a dragon appeared while spewing flames. ¡°Ugh! The dragon!¡± ¡°Ru-run away!¡± The flame dragon didn¡¯t just attack Luke, but also the men whom it saw, and it didn¡¯t have the ability to distinguish between people. Jo Won-rak, who helped So-hye to escape from the castle gate turned to see the flame dragon rushing towards them. ¡®Are we going to die here¡­?¡¯ Pop! The flames of the dragon flew to the ground. However, Jo Won-rak and So-hye weren¡¯t hurt at all. A steel giant suddenly appeared before them and blocked the flames which were spewed by the dragon. The steel giant was Luke¡¯s exclusive Gigant, Avenger. The one which was destroyed in the fight against Arsene had been rebuilt again with great defense and strength. Because of that, it managed to endure the fire. Luke hurriedly summoned Avenger to save the two of them, and Earner who saw it seemed to feel unpleasant. ¡°Coward, trying to use other people to divert the fight.¡± ¡°What is so cowardly in a fight? War is to use whatever you can! Whether a human or a bait!¡± Earner, who refuted Luke¡¯s words of cowardly, didn¡¯t care and continued to make the dragon burn everything. Luke controlled the Avenger with Marionette¡¯s magic and tried to get rid of the flame dragon. However, when he realized that a single Avenger wouldn¡¯t be enough, he pulled out the other Knight-class, Gaius, and the Warrior-class Stiletto¡¯s, which had been stored in the subspace bracelet spares. When the three Gigants with the use of Marionette magic moved to attack, the flames of the dragon turned to smoke and the dragon disappeared. At Luke¡¯s excellent maneuvering skills, Earner was shocked. Apart from the fact that the dragon was very powerful yet on the verge of being destroyed, it was thanks to Luke¡¯s control on the Gigant that seemed way beyond excellent. ¡®It makes no sense! I heard that the Northern steel Gigants were needed to be manipulated by a person inside them, then how is this?¡¯ Had Earner studied it more in-depth, he would know that the Gigant was a prototype of the Golem, the rock golem which was manipulated by the Devil King, Saymon with his Marionette magic. However, Earner knew very little about the magic engineering in the northern continent. Following the illusions, even the flame dragons, which could face thousands of soldiers, were being neutralized in Luke¡¯s hands. It compelled Earner to use the last resort. ¡®I need to change the flow before he gets rid of the flame dragon.¡¯ Earner, who bit his lip, pulled out a black bamboo flute from his sleeve and began to blow in it. Peeeing! The sad, gloomy music from it resounded everywhere. The soldiers who were around lost consciousness and began to fall where they were standing. ¡°Cover your ears, fast! Don¡¯t listen to it!¡± Princess So-hye blocked Jo Won-rak¡¯s ears and ordered everyone around her. She didn¡¯t just warn Luke, but also to the other soldiers. ¡®An attack using sound waves?¡¯ Luke had heard that there was a ¡®Sound attack¡¯ in the Southern Continent which used sound to attack the opponents. So Luke wondered if the flute which Earner was using was one sort of the Sound Attack. However, along with the illusions, the dragons, and the 3 layered defense shields which were major skills of the Apostasy, the Sound attack wasn¡¯t a mostly used attack. It was an evil tool that would forcibly separate the listener¡¯s soul from the body and gather the ghosts around him. Thousands of ghosts of those who died in the battle in Yu-dong began to float around. Listening to the tunes which contained the magic spells to summon the ghosts, he could transform them into evil spirits which could be compared to the demons of the Devildom. ¡®Tch, this can¡¯t separate Luke¡¯s soul. Humans with strong spirits or strong energy have resistance to this¡­¡¯ He was thinking of giving rise to thousands of evil spirits. When attacked by the evil spirits, no matter how strong the man would be, he would take in considerable damage. Thinking so, Earner took a moment and continued to play the melody. The moment when he was playing, suddenly, something came up. ¡°Kuak! Th-this is¡­!¡± ¡°Well, the poison from the Devildom.¡± Poison Smog, the demon¡¯s ability which was taken away from the intermediate demon, Naga. When Luke wasn¡¯t able to get close to Earner because of a sound attack, he secretly released the mist around Earner. The moment he inhaled it, the poison would soon seep into the body and started to melt down the organs. ¡°Kuakkk!¡± Earner, whose face began to turn black, coughed up blood. He tried to stop the spread of poison, but none of his skills had any effect on it. The poison from the Devildom was unknown and weird. ¡°Kuak! Coward¡­ descendant of warriors¡­!¡± ¡°Huh, it was you who said that war means to use everything possible? I am just doing what you said.¡± ¡°Uh, ughhh!¡± Earner felt a huge pain surge through his entire body, and there was no way he couldn¡¯t admit defeat in that situation. However, that didn¡¯t mean that he would let himself get caught over there. So, he decided to run. Once he ran away, he would think of a way to neutralize the demon poison. ¡®This! I will pay him back for the shame given today!¡¯ Earner, who grunted to himself, secretly used a technique that would teleport him. He would be able to travel 100 km at once with that skill. Flash! However, even though the skill unfolded with sparks around his body, his body didn¡¯t disappear. Thinking that something went wrong, he tried it one more time, only to see the same result. ¡°Kukuku! Thinking of running away? I can¡¯t let you do that!¡± Said Luke with a smirk. As soon as he flew in towards the castle, he was secretly unfolding magic barriers that would prevent Earner from running away. Luke raised his hand towards Earner who was flustered. ¡°Now, let¡¯s slowly make you a prisoner. Holy Bind!¡± The moment Luke snapped his finger, rings of divine power formed, trapping the body of Earner. If he got caught, he would die vomiting blood and suffer in the enemy¡¯s hands. It seemed better to just die right away. Earner¡¯s eyes changed from anger to madness, and began to memorize the hidden spell, which was his last resort. ¡®Om¡­ mani Jubaya Sarodaya¡­¡¯ It was a self-destructive spell. As soon as he was memorizing the spell, his body began to swell up like a red balloon. ¡°Kuak. I might have lost in the battle, but I¡¯ll never get caught by you!¡± Earner laughed like a mad person and memorized the last part of the spell, and the moment it was done, his body exploded. Baaaannnnnnggggggg-! As if a few wagons of mana bomb exploded, enormous heat and flames spewed everywhere out of control. ¡°Th-this can¡¯t be! Aegis!¡± Luke never expected that the sneak, cunning man like Earner would ever take up the extreme option of self-destruction. He kept on unfolding dozens of layers of defensive magic around the body of Earner which had just exploded. It wasn¡¯t much difficult for him to avoid it. However, if he didn¡¯t hold the explosion, half the castle would be blasted and its rocks would fall all around. Dozens of layers of mana of defensive magic made of the 9th magic circle surrounded the flames which were about to spread in all the directions. Crack! Crack! Earner¡¯s last resort was astonishing. Dozens of layers of Aegis defensive shields created by Luke were continuously breaking. However, Earner¡¯s self-destruction flames didn¡¯t go past the Aegis shields and slowly subsided. ¡°Phew, that was almost dangerous.¡± Luke, wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand and looked at the place where Earner was supposed to be. The ground was hollow and there was no trace of him. ¡®Tch, I was thinking about finding out the Apostasy skills from him¡­¡¯ It was unfortunate, but there was nothing Luke could do. Shaking his head, Luke went to help the Yemaek army which was around him. Chapter 616 - End of Earner 3 After the death of Earner, the battle focused on Yu-dong castle. The Song army, which had already lost the morale at the death of the commander, Gwan-chang, retreated at once even before knowing that Earner had died because of the massive explosion. ¡°Follow them!¡± ¡°They need to pay for invading our land like this!¡± The Yemaek army wanted to annihilate the enemy who was running away. However, King Biryu shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t bother pursuing them. First, move to the Yu-dong castle and take a break.¡± No matter how much of elite warriors they were, the Black Demon unit had been running for days together and just had a battle, their King couldn¡¯t ignore the fatigue they would have gathered. In addition, the soldiers of Yu-dong weren¡¯t in a very good condition. Well, they were in a horrible condition. Because of the sudden intrusion of the Kangshi and the attack from the Song army, half of the Yu-dong soldiers were either killed or injured. If the reinforcements hadn¡¯t come in time, they would have been wiped out. ¡°I am very sorry, Your majesty. I take full responsibility for this.¡± Eulji Dok-mun, who met with King Biryu, knelt and pleaded for not being able to protect the castle. ¡°No, father. The commander did his best. However, the Kangshi sneaked into the castle and wreaked havoc¡­¡± When princess So-hye tried to explain in detail why the castle fell into crisis, King Biryu shook his head. ¡°Stop! I came here after understanding what had happened. So there is no need to explain it all to me.¡± Biryu, who said that, looked back to Eulji Dok-mun¡ªwho was still kneeling on the ground, asking to be punished. ¡°Commander, you need to do your work of clearing the remnants of the enemy. Advance and remove them. Your sins and merits will be considered once the war is over, for now, do your duty.¡± ¡°I will do my very best!¡± Eulji Dok-mun resigned from the room with happiness as the King excused him. He was the most excited when he heard the King¡¯s words. The King asked him to advance. Daeryang, the capital of the Song Empire. Even in the past, Yemaek¡¯s attacks on Song Empire happened, however, they had never set the capital as their target. ¡°Father, are you really going to march to Daeryang?¡± At So-hye¡¯s question, Biryu nodded. ¡°We need to deal with Jo Won-gyun and Hwang Bo-kwang. Otherwise, this war will keep on continuing.¡± If his son-in-law, Jo Won-rak would become the emperor, the friendly relationship between the two nations would start. Of course, since the fights have been going on for years, getting into a peaceful relation would be tough right away. However, considering that such a peaceful relationship might happen, Biryu thought that the opportunity couldn¡¯t be missed. ¡°The Song Empire is much larger than our Yemaek. It was said that hundreds to thousands of troops have been lost in this battle, but if we can ask everyone to come front, I am sure that skilled men will come ahead. So we need to strike before the enemy recovers from the attack.¡± ¡°But do you think the expedition would be that easy? The road to Daeryang is long, and the Kitai or Yamatai might attack the forts and castles if we all move ahead.¡± So-hye¡¯s point was valid. The reason why Yemaek had been attacked by the Song Empire repeatedly¡ªwas because of the thieving skills of the neighboring nations. Both Kitai and Yamatai watched the war from the sidelines. Not because they were neutral, but because Yemaek and the Song Empire were destined to battle, and they would take advantage of the battle when both sides got tired. ¡°What you said is right. But we are not going to the Song Empire to capture them. We are going to place the crown prince as the Emperor. And the troops won¡¯t be that huge either.¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be much troops?¡± ¡°Yes, and there is no need to worry much about Yamatai or the Kitai.¡± What was the King even thinking? About the matter of troops being taken, Jo Won-rak and So-hye could understand, but how was the King going to prevent the neighboring states from invading into their nations? ¡®Is he planning on going to Kitai, Yamatai and then Song?¡¯ ¡®No, that would take too much time.¡¯ Biryu had a sly smile on his face when he looked at his daughter and son-in-law deep in thoughts. ¡°For now, go back and take rest. You must be tired fighting all night. I will call for you again if I need help for you.¡± At the words of their King, So-hye and Jo Won-rak stepped back. After they left, Biryu who was alone in the room, took out something from his sleeve. It was the Kangshi talisman, which Luke had revealed to him after the Kangshi attack on the Ung-seong castle. According to Luke¡¯s words, the talisman was attached to the forehead of the Kangshi on the transport ships of the Song Imperial Navy fleet, they were needed to control the Kangshi. ¡°Only evil can destroy another evil¡­¡± People on the Southern Continent were extremely reluctant when it came to carrying the dead, except for a few rare cases. It was because of their beliefs which talked about the dead who must not be bothered in their slumber. However, Luke, who was from the northern continent, had a different idea. He thought that using the Kangshi would mean reducing the damage to the soldiers and taking the lead. There were already made, and undead such as zombies and ghouls constantly appeared in the Northern continent. ¡°I am not pleased with this, but if it means to reduce the sacrifice of my men¡­¡± Muttering to himself, King Biryu looked down at the talisman in his hand. Chapter 617 - End of Earner 4 While Biryu was giving out the instructions from within the castle, Luke was looking at the situation outside. ¡°Stand straight!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to slit your throat, don¡¯t do anything stupid!¡± They were the God¡¯s Army or the Blood Band along with the Yemaek army, monitoring the prisoners. The Song Imperial Army was completely destroyed by the Black Demon Unit and the Gigant Unit of the Symphonia Kingdom. As their strong force collapsed, the enemy¡¯s army fled and scattered right away. Therefore, not a major number of men were captured. But still, enough men were caught. As the enemy had an army of 600,000, around tens of thousands of enemy soldier¡¯s bodies were collected by them. Since the Yemaek Army or the Symphonia troops couldn¡¯t handle it, they decided to use the prisoners that surrendered to clear the battlefield. ¡°Dig the pit!¡± ¡°You there, collect the bodies, and you men over there, organize the captured weapons!¡± The prisoners followed the orders given to them without any questions. It was because they had Gigants wandering around the castle. Last night, the prisoners had witnessed the terrifying capabilities of a Gigant, and they realized that even if a thousand people attack a single Gigant, the fight would be impossible to win for the men. And then¡­ ¡°Wasn¡¯t it the king of the Northern Continent who killed Earner?¡± ¡°Shhh! Be careful. Don¡¯t make eye contact with them. You might be killed.¡± Prisoners, in particular, those from the Kang Ho Regions were extremely afraid of Luke and the Gigants. Not only did Luke punish the notorious mad man, Earner, but there were rumors that the king could perform the most unexplainable things. Above all, the stell giants were all moving under his command. If the king said a single word, all the prisoners would be crushed to nothing by the stell giants. ¡°Majesty! As instructed, we collected the Undead, well, the Kangshi.¡± ¡°We also found out those who were managing the Kangshi along with Earner.¡± Shirley and Reynard went to Luke to report their findings. With a smile on his face, he asked, ¡°It would have been difficult to find out the people who were controlling the Kangshi as they weren¡¯t involved in the field battle, right?¡± When the battle was done, the Zen users, who were managing the Kangshi, quickly changed their attire and hid among the ordinary soldiers. It was absolutely impossible to distinguish them. ¡°Hoho. Well, I am a mixed-blood from the Suin clan. The sense of smell of those in our Suin clan is 100 times better than a human.¡± They first grasped the odor of the Kangshi, and then they caught all the prisoners who had even the slightest odor similar to the Kangshi. ¡°Surely, I think we will be able to get things moving thanks to your skill. Count Reynard, you did great.¡± With the death of Earner, Luke, who planned on studying the techniques of the Apostasy, had to change his plan. This new plan was to interrogate and batter those who worked alongside Earner. It was certain that they would have been less proficient when compared to Earner, but they still would be able to know the skills of the Apostasy. ¡°Your Majesty, why did we have to collect the Kangshi?¡± Shirley asked not being able to hold back her curiosity. The Yemaek Army looked for all the places where there might be a possibility of hiding Kangshi, and they were nervous to even go near them. The Yemaek Army was worried that the Kangshi would go wild again, and the prisoners, who were caught, were worried that they would be unfairly killed because of something their generals did. The act of insulting the dead was something that even the Yamatai of Kitai, who was known to be the worst of the bandits, wouldn¡¯t dare to do. Even if the enemy prisoners were declared to be the remnants of the Apostasy and decided to be burnt alive, the prisoners weren¡¯t in any position to protest. Of course, neither Luke or Biryu were willing to kill the prisoners. ¡°I plan to use them to invade the Song Empire.¡± ¡°Eh? The Kangshi? For the war?¡± Asked Shirley. ¡°Yes. Is there any reason why we aren¡¯t supposed to do that?¡± ¡°Well, the people of this nation usually¡­¡± Shirley talked about the funeral culture of the people of the Southern Continent. Their respect for the dead was similar to that of the Northern Continent. However, in the culture of the Southern Continent, they believed that the dead would be reincarnated after constant worship, and their belief, rituals, and customs were fierce. ¡°Huhu. Of course, I know about that too. However, it was Jo Won-gyun¡¯s group that made the Kangshi.¡± And that was a fact, which was known to even the last of the Song Imperial Army, who were captured. It was because there were very few people, who had been informed about the Kangshi by the enemy commanders, and they suddenly witnessed the Kangshi coming out from their own camps. And it wasn¡¯t just one or two people, who were angry at Jo Won-gyun¡¯s group. Luke assumed that God¡¯s Army would only grow bigger. ¡°Moreover, the ¡®hometown¡¯ of the Kangshi is the Song Empire. We just need to return the Kangshi back to their hometowns, as the ancient law states,¡± said Luke with a smile on his face. Understanding what Luke said, Reynard too had a sneaky smile that formed on his face. ¡°Kukuku! Surely, it is a good cause!¡± The reason why the ancient men created the Kangshi was to make sure the dead would go back to their hometowns from the battlefields. They believed that the souls of the dead wouldn¡¯t wander around the world and take rest or step into the afterlife. However, when the Kangshi would go to their hometown, they would stop near the fort or the castle. And the soldiers of the Song Empire couldn¡¯t help but move aside to let the dead walk back to their homes. Shirley, who realized Luke¡¯s intention belatedly, spoke with a sly smile, ¡°This advance is going to end unexpectedly.¡± ¡°Well, it would still be difficult as Jo Won-gyun is holding the emperor hostage.¡± Luke wasn¡¯t being overly optimistic. It was just words that passed, but the Song Empire¡¯s emperor was still said to be alive. After taking over the title of the emperor¡¯s aide, he would surely be willing to use everything possible to win the battle. And Jo Won-rak, would end up hesitating if it meant the comfort of the emperor. ¡°Moreover, they¡¯ll be holding hands with Arsene, so breaking them down won¡¯t be that easy.¡± ¡°Right¡­ I forgot about that.¡± ¡°We need to take careful measures and attack them.¡± When the three of them were having a discussion, Hwang Bo-sung rushed to Luke to report. ¡°Master, King Biryu is looking for you.¡± ¡°Huh! Has he finally made a decision? He surely came to a conclusion much faster than I expected.¡± ¡°Huh? About what¡­?¡± ¡°Nothing much. I¡¯ll go to King Biryu. Hwang Bo-sung, take charge of the field.¡± ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Luke left behind the work to Hwang Bo-sung and headed to Yu-dong castle, where King Biryu was staying. Chapter 618 - Transformation of Libiya Kingdom 1 Late at night. Margareta, who was in charge of the diplomatic matters of the Libiya Kingdom, was unable to sleep. It wasn¡¯t because of the work given to her, nor the pleasures she had while having the lords and knights under her feet. Going back and forth in her room, she was stuck in her own mind. ¡°Something seems weird.¡± King Shaikan¡¯s actions had changed. A few days back, he was a king who was devoted to strengthening the military of his Kingdom as if he was planning to conquer not just the Baroque Empire but the entire Rhodesia Continent. However, for some reason, the policies changed. They focused on defending their borders by defeating the troops that invaded from Baroque. And instead of reducing the number of troops, he was investing a lot in magic. In addition, efforts were being made to increase foreign trade. ¡°Magic engineering is an industry for the future. And if the nation¡¯s people are strong, the military power will grow by itself.¡± Saying that, Shaikan began to devote himself to a lot of practice by staying in the training room of the royal palace, while he devoted himself to the internal affairs. At first, the retainers were puzzled, but, they didn¡¯t have the confidence to question their king. It was because, ever since the founding of the nation until the current day, they had been engrossed a lot in the war. As a result, public sentiment agitated and dissatisfaction began to sprout among the nobles too. However, the king decided to take a break and let everyone catch their breath. ¡®But there are people who oppose it.¡¯ They were Mitchel and Wiens, as well as Count Ebra, Shaikan¡¯s mother¡¯s side¡¯s retainers. They argued that the Baroque Empire was suffering from financial difficulties to the extent that Emperor Rudolf had decided to dig the tombs of the ancestors to obtain wealth, and they insisted that it was the opportunity, which shouldn¡¯t be left behind. Even the military leaders such as Duke Butler agreed to their words. However, Mitchel and Wiens, who were so persistent of going to war, suddenly withdrew their words a few days later. After being called over by Shaikan, every time they were asked for their opinion on any matters, they would replay with formal words such as ¡®we accept Your Majesty¡¯s decision.¡¯ And Duke Butler was no exception. After having a person meet with Shaikan, he too began to withdraw his words and so did the military people who were below him. Everyone had questions regarding it. However, they came to the conclusion that Shaikan, who had a daunting personality and the power of the Dragons, might have influenced the retainers through persuading them. Princess Margareta was the only one who didn¡¯t think so. ¡°From what I know, this seems very much like Brainwashing magic¡­¡± As a descendant of the Arachne Magic Tower, she knew when the opponent was using such magic. As a result, she couldn¡¯t help but fall into doubt when the attitude of the people changed overnight. ¡®But His Majesty is a typical man. Even if he knew of such means, he would never resort to using them¡­?¡¯ The usual Shaikan would have destroyed his opponent¡¯s opinion by releasing his enormous energy in the throne room itself without any one-on-one meets. It was something she knew as a fact as she had always been closely moving around Shaikan. And, even if no one was aware, to brainwash someone like Duke Butler, who was at the level of a Sword Sage, one should have a great mastery of Mental magic. One should at least be more than a 7th circle. However, if anyone in the royal palace had such skills, Margareta would have been the first to know. Anyway, the king¡¯s behavior was what caused her doubts, but she couldn¡¯t draw any definite conclusion. ¡®I don¡¯t know what happened, but maybe something changed in his heart¡­ Maybe if I ask for a change in the position of my title, maybe my magic will work on him as there seems to be a change in him.¡¯ Margareta¡¯s sole ambition from the beginning was to dominate the Libiya Kingdom. With her dazzling beauty and the magic of Arachne Magic Tower, she managed to wrap countless nobles and lords with her hands. Although she had the nobles under her, it was impossible for her to control the kingdom. King Shaikan had always been an overwhelming opponent for her. When she wasn¡¯t able to use her power, she tried to seduce them with magic, not knowing the power of Dragon¡¯s blood in Shaikan. And the result wasn¡¯t so good. It brought on the wrath of the king himself, and she almost lost her life in his hands. ¡®Even now, thinking about it¡­ I feel like I could die at any moment.¡¯ Even though she lost all the trust she built up, Margareta didn¡¯t give up. Rather, her eyes found the opportunity. ¡®Delusion magic would work if a gap got created in one¡¯s heart, and then it will begin to work.¡¯ Let it be a knight, priest, or wizard, there was no person, who was perfect enough to not be corrupted. Even if the magic¡¯s effect wouldn¡¯t appear right away, it would work over time. ¡®There is nothing that can¡¯t be obtained. No matter how great the Dragon¡¯s power is¡­¡¯ Knock. Knock. When Margareta was strengthening her will, she heard a knock on the door. ¡°What is it?¡± The maid, who knocked on the door, entered the room and answered Margareta¡¯s question. ¡°A guard from the royal palace has come and said there was an urgent message.¡± ¡°Urgent message? At this time?¡± Margareta was puzzled, yet she went to the guard, who was waiting in the lobby. The guard greeted her and told her the reason for his visit. ¡°What? His Majesty has asked for me?¡± ¡°Yes. He insisted on it.¡± The confusion on Margareta¡¯s face soon turned into desire. ¡®He is calling me this late at night? Oh! Huhuhu! The magic I used the other day must be taking effect!¡¯ She was wondering if it was a failure, but the effect just happened a little late. She thought that maybe her magic managed to change the heart of the king. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t be wasting time thinking about it. I need to make use of this opportunity well¡­!¡¯ Hurriedly, Margareta put on her makeup with a somewhat revealing dress and headed for the royal palace in her carriage. Chapter 619 - : Transformation of Libiya Kingdom 2 Da-dak! Da-dak! Except for a few magic lights lit for security reasons, the palace was immersed in deep darkness. The carriage of princess Margareta stopped in front of the palace. She headed right for the King¡¯s office, which was guided by the guard knight. She knew where the office was, but Margareta decided to move slowly. At the end of the night, she was going to be the winner. The guard knight, who stopped at the door, looked back and spoke. ¡°You can go in. I was ordered only to bring you here.¡± ¡®Hohoho. Seeing the guards being asked to stay behind the door, I guess my spell really did work on him.¡¯ With a small smile, Margareta opened the door and entered the office. Kiik! Shaikan was seated behind the mahogany desk. She politely greeted the King and asked. ¡°Your Majesty, you called for me?¡± ¡°Sit down first.¡± ¡°Yes, your Majesty.¡± Margareta approached the chair Shaikan pointed to and sat down. Of course, she didn¡¯t forget to reveal her white thighs through the slits in the dress. Noticing her thighs, Shaikan just looked back at her face and said. ¡°There was a reason why I had to call you here, in such a late night.¡± ¡°A reason to call for me?¡± Margareta thought that her magic was working on Shaikan¡¯s heart, and she was close to achieving her dream. His eyes seemed like they were glowing with lust under the magic light. However, she pretended not to notice his desire. Because she thought that playing with a man¡¯s heart only made Shaikan want her more. Shaikan gulped and spoke. ¡°I want you to be a faithful person to me.¡± ¡°Huhuhu. Even now, I am being a faithful person to you, aren¡¯t I?¡± Margareta laughed while covering her mouth with the back of her hand. ¡®Hehehe. The look in his eye and his body seems so sweet. Now, only if I pretend not to understand what he is saying¡­¡¯ When she was thinking of a plan to trick him. Pop! Shaikan approached Margareta and took her hand, and pulled her into a hug. ¡°Ah wait, Your Majesty¡­ you are being too rough¡­!¡± The moment when Margareta was trying to show off her charms, a red flash appeared in the eyes of Shaikan. With strange magic patterns forming on the pupil, each time a circle added in his eyes, Margareta could feel the mana in her body get sucked out and her mind felt lost. ¡®Wh-what is this? This is dangerous!¡¯ The moment she was about to lose consciousness, Margareta sensed she would be in trouble and pushed herself out of Shaikan¡¯s arms. ¡°Yo-Your Majesty! What was that magic just now?¡± The voice of Margareta was filled with doubt and caution. It was because the magic she witnessed Shaikan perform was powerful and weird when compared to the delusion magic she was learning. And if it was something she couldn¡¯t understand, it could be the dark magic which was forbidden on the continent, however, she couldn¡¯t understand why Shaikan would be learning it. ¡°What did you even do to me? If this fact gets known to the continent¡­.¡± Clap clap! Unconcerned about Margareta¡¯s words, Shaikan clapped his hands. Among those who appeared in the office were Duke Butler, Mitchel, and Wiens. ¡°W-why are you all here¡­?¡± Margareta couldn¡¯t understand what was happening. It was a huge doubt for her why those men were asked to stay at the royal palace in such late hours, and more suspicious that they came into the room when she was supposed to be with the King all alone. Something wrong must have happened. The moment she took a step back, Shaikan, with a sly smile on his face, spoke to the men. ¡°Stop the bitch from running away.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± The three men ran towards the entrance of the office and the window, almost like the military dogs, and blocked all escape routes. ¡°Move! I am asking you to step back!¡± Margareta, who was late in escaping, cast delusion magic on Duke Butler who was stopping her escape. However, Duke Butler didn¡¯t move. ¡°Sorry, but your magic doesn¡¯t work on them.¡± At Shaikan¡¯s words from behind, Margareta began to feel scared. ¡°What on earth is happening here? Why did you have to touch the forbidden dark magic even after holding the great power of the God Dragon?!¡± ¡°Like you, I want to get the entire nation into my hands.¡± ¡°Huh? what is that¡­?¡± Margareta shook her head as if she didn¡¯t understand, but Shaikan had no intention of breaking down the information for her. He reached out his right hand towards Margareta and began to memorize the spell. ¡°Dark Attract!¡± As the words ended, Margareta¡¯s body dragged away only to get caught in the hands of Shaikan. ¡°Kuek! Why are you doing this, Your Majesty? Your Majesty, this is already your own nation!¡± ¡°Kuaah! You don¡¯t need to think about anything. I need you to give me the mana in your body and then turn into my faithful servant.¡± ¡°Wh-what?!¡¯ What was Shaikan even talking about? Confused, Margareta could feel the huge amount of magic in Shaikan¡¯s body, Magi which she was unable to detect. It wasn¡¯t the level of magic that could be accumulated over a short period of learning the Magi. Which made her realize one thing. ¡°Yo-you aren¡¯t Shaikan!¡± The opponent clearly had the same face and body as Shaikan. However, even after awakening the power of the Dragonian, Shaikan was never able to become a wizard. And becoming a warlock was much farther away. And he didn¡¯t use any magic, but the man in front of Margareta possessed a terrifying amount of Magi which could turn her dead in a matter of seconds. ¡°Kukuku. Now, do you understand reality? But it is too late now, way too late. All that is left is to make you into my faithful servant.¡± Shaikan, who laughed wickedly, well, Arsene, activated the brainwash magic. ¡°Kyahhh! Ack! Ughhhhh!¡± Margareta screamed on top of her lungs with the pain of her mind melting away. In order to counter Shaikan¡¯s brainwashing magic, she began to memorize spells and magic, but she wasn¡¯t able to overpower Arsene¡¯s magic. Arsene¡¯s brainwashing magic was based on the 9th magic circle. And just a moment back, the mana in her body was taken away, a part of Margareta¡¯s soul was absorbed by Arsene. The moment the soul gets taken away, the brainwashing magic turned complete. As soon as he let go of her neck, Margareta fell to the floor. Arsene smiled and spoke. ¡°Margareta.¡± ¡°Yes, my master!¡± Margareta had a hazy look in her eyes. ¡°I tried to pull out all the mana in your body, but I think that you might be quite useful to me, so I left a little inside your body. Do you resent me?¡± ¡°No, master. I would never think that.¡± ¡°Kuekk. If you are serious, then bend down like a dog and lick my shoes.¡± At Arsene¡¯s orders, Margareta began to lick his shoes without any hesitation. If she said anything about her being the princess of a nation, Arsene would have surely killed her. ¡°You seem to be brainwashed well. There will be more guests in a while, so go back and wait with the other men till then.¡± ¡°Yes, master.¡± At Arsene¡¯s instructions, Margareta went back into the office with the other three men. ¡°Kuakk! Kuaakkkk!¡± Looking up at the ceiling, Arsene burst out laughing like a maniac. Arsene had taken over the body of Shaikan over a month back. It took him about two weeks¡¯ time to completely drive out the soul of Shaikan and take over his body. Arsene took over everything with his Magi, including Shakan¡¯s Dragonian powers¡ªthe aura. Of course, to learn the swordsmanship which Shaikan had, that was going to take a lot more time and so would understanding the Dragonian power and its potential. However, even at his current level of control over the body, Arsene would have no problem controlling the Libiya Kingdom. Once he managed to gain control over the body, he focused on brainwashing the main aspects of the Kingdom, changing the direction of the state affairs to his own liking. It was his intention to call for the warlocks of the Veritas Magic Tower after brainwashing the main officials in the Kingdom and then take control of it. His first target were the cousins of Shaikan, Mitchel and Wiens. As an excuse for a private meeting, he brainwashed them by calling them to the royal palace. The second was Duke Butler, who wasn¡¯t an easy subject. As he was someone with the power and level of a Sword Sage, the brainwashing magic wasn¡¯t that effective. Because of that, the brainwashing turned into a failure and Butler went wild. However, Arsene was quite a warlock. With Black Bind, he pulled out Butler¡¯s aura, and then eventually, when it felt like Butler had been robbed of enough power, he then succeeded in brainwashing him the second time. After a while, only a few more people including Count Felipe had to be taken down, and then the Libiya Kingdom would be in his hands. ¡®Kakakakak! I should have done this from the beginning! Then it would have been very easy to manage the Tower and rely on the wizards!¡¯ Arsene regretted having to work in secret for the past 500 years. He thought that controlling the nation by himself would be cumbersome, so he had been manipulating the nation by staying behind the scene. However, now that he had taken power, it didn¡¯t seem like it was too bad. He thought that having taken control of the nation, whether an Empire or a Kingdom, would have helped his plan on world domination. ¡®Maybe it is because of having a strong body under me. Otherwise, it might be because I lost and gained more power.¡¯ Perhaps, the second one was right. Before that, for hundreds of years, he never thought that he had changed. ¡°Huh! that Luke, he managed to remind me of some good things. Just wait for a little while. I will pay off my debt along with the interest!¡± Arsene, looked over at the side of Symphonia Kingdom, pledging his desire to take Luke down while grinding his teeth. Chapter 620 - Transformation of Libiya Kingdom 3 The change in the movement of the Libiya Kingdom was known all over the continent. The most flustered ones were the Volga Republic. It was decided that they would invade the Baroque Empire along with the Libiya Kingdom, however, Shaikan seemed to have changed his plans. They at least hoped that Shaikan would continue to support the peasant rebellion, but even took his hands out from it. ¡°Ahh! This is why the Baroque Imperial family should never be believed!¡± President Vladimir Rekov burst into anger. And with the Libiya Kingdom withdrawing their support, the activities of the peasant rebels were diminished greatly. ¡°Sire, now that this has happened, we need to get out of there.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t possible. The peasant rebels are like the shackles who will hold down Rudolf. We shouldn¡¯t step back because the Libiya kingdom withdrew their support.¡± Officials were split on the matter. The one side of Volga Republic said that the burden was too large for their nation and if it backfired, then it would be scary. The president wanted to continue the support of the peasant rebels. In addition to them being the shackles which held Rudolf, there was another idea. ¡°Why did we build this nation? Why did we drive out the kings and the unclean nobles and set up a republican form of ruling which every other nation is scared of? Wasn¡¯t it all to save the people who were being persecuted and create a land where dignified ideals could be achieved?¡± Everyone nodded at their president¡¯s words. Although there was a status quo. The nobles in the Volga Republic didn¡¯t get the chance to step up to any other titles than the ones they possessed. They didn¡¯t have a chance to rise, but there were a few guarantees given to them. ¡°Turning our backs when they are all having a hard time. How would the people in the Baroque Imperial see us? Seeing us as the nobles, as the monarchs, they would think we abandoned them after using them. And if that happens, the flames of republican revolution wouldn¡¯t spread anymore.¡± President Vladimir¡¯s words had great power. He questioned about the spirit of revolution, and there was no one who had the courage to refute it. Everyone in the room had all participated and worked through the republican revolution. However, reality was a problem. The finance minister, who was the most sensitive one regarding the problem opened his mouth. ¡°Sire, I apologize, but revolution costs a lot of money. Don¡¯t forget that when we were in trouble, Bratt and the other fairies were the ones who supported us.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t something I can never forget. I have no intention of ignoring reality.¡± ¡°Then¡­?¡± ¡°We need to find a new partner. There will be some nations who don¡¯t like the stability of the Baroque Empire.¡± At the words of the president, the foreign minister quickly found the candidate. ¡°Let¡¯s have a meeting with the Symphonia Kingdom.¡± The Treaty and Alliance with the Symphonia Kingdom during the days of Milton was kept secret. Moreover, the King of Symphonia Kingdom, Luke de Rakan, was a man who had a huge dislike for the Baroque Imperial family. So they expected help from Symphonia Kingdom. However, with a magic communication, their expectations were missed. ¡°Sire, we received an answer that it would be difficult for the Symphonia Kingdom to take our side.¡± ¡°And the reason for it?¡± ¡°it was said that the damage they received during the last attack of the warlocks hasn¡¯t completely recovered yet. Moreover, they are in a situation where they are trying to manage the warlocks¡­¡± ¡°Well, this means they are tied too?¡± President Vladimir nodded his heads as he was convinced, but there was one thing he didn¡¯t know. It was Luke¡¯s expedition to the Southern Continent. In a situation where the King was absent, the retainers of the Symphonia Kingdom couldn¡¯t take any actions. However, if they let others know about the absence of their king, the enemies might try to attack the Kingdom. ¡°If Symphonia can¡¯t help us, then the¡­¡± ¡°There is the Holy Arthenia Empire. The one right next to the Baroque Empire.¡± At the words of the foreign minister, the president sighed. ¡°I know that, but¡­ it is princess Reina. Well, will Pope Veronica accept our request?¡± It was princess Reina, whom the Republicans had driven out of the nation, even though she was admired by the people. They knew that she had no bad feelings against the Volga Republic, but they wondered if she would accept any request which would do a favor for the republicans. In addition, there were rumors that the old retainers and supporters of the royal family of Volga, like Victor, who was the Volga Guard Knight, and Belik, the Firestorm were around the Pope. ¡°If they are around her, there would be a lot of people opposing it. No, Belik would come to Volga right away screaming to cut off Duke Dimitry¡¯s neck.¡± During the revolution, it was Duke Dimitry who fought the most against Belik. And Belik was someone who held a grudge. Because of the betrayal of Dimitry, who supported the republican revolution, Belik had lost his family, his nation and his fellow knights. ¡°But there is justification for the Holy Empire too.¡± At the words of the foreign minister, the president¡¯s eyes shone. ¡°Justification?¡± ¡°Yes, didn¡¯t the mad Rudolph rob the graves of the ancestors to gain riches? It was said that a few sanctuaries have seen blood because of it.¡± Tombs of royal families and noble families were maintained by the sanctuaries. The tombs of the Baroque Imperial family were maintained by the El Kassel denomination and several other denominations. Emperor Rudolf¡¯s knights didn¡¯t just rob the sanctuaries, but also robbed the treasures and the offerings given to the god after killing the priests. ¡°This fact alone is enough to infuriate the Holy Empire. Moreover, such kind of robbery is a crime and strictly prohibited in their denomination.¡± ¡°Right! Let¡¯s use that cause to instigate the Holy Empire. It would be okay to send our spies and sway the public opinion.¡± ¡°Yes, sire! I will send them the commands right away!¡± The priest in the room bowed his head at the order of the president. The door to the conference room opened, and a messenger hurried in. ¡°Sire! Viscount Rajat has sent a request to surrender to this nation.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Viscount Rajat¡¯s estate was one of the places closest to the Volga Republic and was located to the north of Irtis river, Vladimir had signed the agreement with Shaikan regarding this very estate. Located at the basin and surrounded by mountains, the estate had huge farmlands, silver mines and copper mines, which was the highest income gaining estates in the north. ¡°It was said that, with the wealth that they possess, they are scared of getting attacked by the Emperor.¡± ¡°That is crazy. They are trying to rob the estates which are supposed to be protected?¡± President Vladimir laughed at the report and soon turned suspicious. ¡°Is that really trustable or some kind of a scheme to destroy our army¡­?¡± ¡°We can trust it. The Ministry of Information said that the public sentiment of Viscount Rajat wasn¡¯t that great, and the manor just confirmed it.¡± ¡°Then we need to quickly move.¡± It wasn¡¯t just about the wealth Viscount Rajat had, but also the military stance. However, the place would be tough to take over. It was because of the fortified and triple-layered walls around it, and the area around the estate was full of rugged mountains. Volga had tried to invade Rajat a few years ago but gave up when they couldn¡¯t move any further. However, if they could manage to get Rajat into their hands, occupying the Northern Baroque would turn a lot easy than planned. ¡°The problem is. We are already targeting the borders of other estates and we don¡¯t have enough troops to send to Rajat as we are supporting the peasant rebels in the Baroque Empire.¡± Currently, all of the Volga Republic forces were invading the Baroque Empire. Although the Libiya Kingdom and the rebels have slowed their actions, Volga has sent troops to fill in the gap, and it was clear that Volga didn¡¯t have anymore spare troops. ¡°Then send the Crimson Knights and the Capital National Guards.¡± ¡°Eh? You want the Crimson Knights and the Capital National Guards?¡± At the president¡¯s words, everyone in the room was shocked. Duke Dimitry strongly opposed it. ¡°Sire! The Crimson Knights are your newly formed knights, and the Capital National Guards are the last troops the nation had for protection.¡± If the two forces were placed and the take over fails, the foundation of the Republic would be shaken. President Vladimir understood the concerns of Dimitry. ¡°But if we don¡¯t take advantage of his opportunity, we might regret not going for it.¡± As Shaikan changed the policies, the alliance with Libiya was almost a lost cause for the Volga Republic. Under such circumstances, they wanted to touch the Baroque Empire, rather, it was like their president couldn¡¯t hold himself back. He thought of it to be the chance to hit the Baroque Empire. ¡°Organize troops right away and send them to Rajat!¡± ¡°Understood, Sire!¡± No one could speak back to the president who was stubborn. Duke Dimitry immediately organized the reinforcements from the capital and led them directly to Rajat. Chapter 621 - Transformation of Libiya Kingdom 4 Dimitry would come! The northern army of the Baroque Empire, who had been holding back the offensive stance of the Volga Republic, was turned upside down because of some intelligence report. It was because if Dimitry joined the front lines in battle, then the war would go to the Republicans as he was known as the strongest swordsman of the Volga Republic, being in the Sword Sage level. ¡°Damn it. When would the reinforcements mentioned by His Majesty even arrive? It is more important to stop those Republicans than the rebels!¡± The lieutenant, who listened to the grunting and annoyed question of Count Omar, the commander of the Northern Army, answered, ¡°Just a while back, we received the magic communication from the Imperial Palace, and they said that they were going to send 3 Sword Masters of the SS knights, and they asked us to hold on a little longer.¡± ¡°Three Sword Masters? They won¡¯t even be able to stop Duke Dimitry!¡± Even ten Sword Masters wouldn¡¯t be able to stop a Sword Sage. However, that didn¡¯t mean that the power of the Northern Army was that low compared to the Volga Republic. Fortunately, the current offensive stance of Volga was a mess. Otherwise, Volga would have managed to invade the northern regions, and many estates might have been stolen. ¡°Your Majesty said that if we can stop them for a week, then all the rebels would be wiped out by then.¡± ¡°Eh! Well, we can¡¯t help it.¡± If one didn¡¯t have teeth to bite, they would have to catch things using their gums. Omar, who had an expression that said that he couldn¡¯t help it, decided to stop Duke Dimitry with all his might. Being put on the first line of the army, he was always ready to prepare for the offensive against the Republic. However, the moment they were prepared, something happened. Viscount Rajat, who was supposed to back him, decided to back out. Because of that, the forts near the estates of Viscount Rajat were attacked relentlessly. Bang! Bang! ¡°Do not back down! Stop those Republicans!¡± ¡°Just a little more. Endure a little more and His Majesty will come to support! Hold till the end!¡± ¡°Long Live the Baroque Empire!¡± The voices in the forts sounded continuous. But it didn¡¯t last long. Once the Crimson Knights, the best elite group in the Volga Republic, and the Capital Guards participated in the war and the betrayal of Rajat was known, everything seemed painful. Eventually, before three days, the walls of each fort collapsed and the Gigants of the Volga Army invaded and the Northern Army, which could no longer stand, lifted the white flag. Thus, the Volga Army, who had claimed the area around the Rajat estates, entered the regions. The people of the estate, who didn¡¯t know what was happening, were scared of seeing the Volga troops. It was because there was no law in Volga, which spoke about committing murder or looting the places. However, after seeing Vladimir¡¯s decree and the tax exemption clause, they quickly began to turn consistently. The Volga Republic was delighted with it, but the Baroque Empire was in pain. The border wars with the Volga Republic was a natural thing for them, but they never assumed that the Northern troops would collapse in an instant. The city of Blatter, where Rudolf¡¯s family was staying. The emperor and the other high ranking nobles were all gathered in the office of the manor. For some reason, the atmosphere was terrifying, it was because of the shocking news from the North. The Northern troops, which given the task of blocking the Volga Republic, were defeated, and the entire front line collapsed. ¡°How the hell did this happen?¡± A cold question came from Emperor Rudolf¡¯s mouth instead of fiery questions and killings in the room. However, Count Voltas and the other nobles in the room hoped that Rudolf screaming out loud was a better situation for them. It was because every time Emperor Rudolf would try to be calm, he would release a huge amount of energy. The energy was so harsh that no official in the room could stand on their own feet. People fainted, not being able to hold themselves up. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me asking what happened? Do you need me to ask the question once again?¡± When words as cold as ice came out, Count Voltas decided to answer, ¡°According to the knowledge I have, Dimitry had participated in the war and the elite men from Volga had come, but it was said that the decisive move was the betrayal of Viscount Rajat.¡± ¡°Viscount Rajat was a traitor? What was his reason for betrayal? Did the Volga men try to blackmail him?¡± ¡°It is embarrassing to say¡­ It was said that the exploitation of central forces was too severe.¡± ¡°What?¡± Rudolf couldn¡¯t understand. It was because the finances were out, and they even had to dig out the Imperial Tombs, but they never exploited the estates on the borders. Rather, they even provided food and military personnel to those living in the borders. ¡®But all of this happened¡­ It must have been because of those corrupt rats in the middle, taking away everything.¡¯ Corruption had been prevailing in the empire for a very long time. In the past, Rudolf often turned away his eye on the nobles, even after knowing that they committed crimes. In some cases, the nobles, who committed infidelity, were his close friends, so he used to leave them alone, and at a later time, he used their crimes for purging. In fact, the nobles, who opposed Rudolf, were always caught and purged. However, it only applied when the nation was peaceful. As the empire was currently divided into three parts, the organization was losing the balance in the war, and corrupt nobles were running wild as they didn¡¯t have anyone over their head. Since the Imperial family and the nobles were too busy concentrating elsewhere, they further exploited the local estates and took care of the resources. That was one of the reasons why the peasants¡¯ rebellion didn¡¯t come to an end. ¡®I was stupid.¡¯ With his head down, Rudolf thought and asked Voltas, the head of the Imperial Intelligence Agency. ¡°Count.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. What is it?¡± ¡°Get a detailed understanding of the situation. And all those who have been involved in the incident must be captured.¡± Rudolf had no intention of ending things hastily. He was planning to take down all the rats, who were eating away his nation, and punish them all. That way, he would be able to establish some kind of disciplinary acts and also fight the enemies on the outside. However, it was unclear if the purging would take place according to Rudolf¡¯s plan. He was the cause of everything that had happened until then. As long as the war and the repression continued, people, who were being pushed to their limits, would rise up, and that would include those who turned their backs on the Imperial Family. The only people left for Rudolf to rule were the rats he would punish, and the men that already succumbed to fear. The great end hadn¡¯t come yet, but the great Baroque Empire, which stood for hundreds of years, was already crumbling like a sandcastle. Chapter 622 - Transition 1 Elluradi. The man called Savage Land in the Song and Yemaek nations was a war chief, who rule the Kitai, a nomadic race in the Southern Continent. Although he ruled the vast grasslands and thought of him to be the emperor, the land was barren with very few people to rule over. This was why, like his predecessor, he invaded the Song Empire and Yemaek and looted them. When the opportunity came, he decided to take over the fertile land of the Song Empire and Yemaek and wanted to build a great empire by enslaving the people currently living there. ¡°Now, once the Song and Yemaek fight, the opportunity will arise for us. The day when both of them turn exhausted, it will be the time for Kitai!¡± While instructing the border chiefs to keep an eye on the war of the two nations, he sent his son across the eastern sea as the ambassador to the Yamatai Kingdom. Yamatai also had the ambition to escape from their narrow island and advance to the large continent. So, Elluradi formed an alliance with them. If the Yamatai pirates hit the backs of Yemaek and Song while they were in a tough war, they could win with ease. He issued an emergency order in Karakorum, the capital, to begin the war preparations. ¡°I was told that the Song Empire was attacking the Yu-dong castle. What happened?¡± The servant answered the question from Elluradi with a doubtful expression. ¡°Just before the fall, it was said that King Biryu entered with the Black Demon Unit and defeated them.¡± ¡°But, if Yu-dong castle was pushed that horribly, shouldn¡¯t the Yemaek troops have taken a lot of damage?¡± ¡°Yes, War chief. It was because the Song Empire was told to have used the Kangshi¡­¡± ¡°Kangshi? You are talking about the Kangshi?¡± The word made Elluradi¡¯s eyes flash. It wasn¡¯t because he was shocked by the Song Empire breaking a taboo, but it was because he wasn¡¯t aware that such things were happening. ¡°That was why the border forts and castles were captured. However, it is difficult as the Yemaek has brought in troops from the Northern Continent.¡± ¡°Northerners?¡± ¡°Yes, according to the spies, many soldiers with blonde and brown hair with northern clothing were seen in large groups in Yu-dong Estate.¡± ¡°Well, I see that Biryu has called over the northerners from across the sea.¡± ¡°According to the other report, it was said that they came over on a huge ship, which was like an island.¡± Elluradi frowned at the report. The northerners practiced curious skills, and they used steel giants as weapons. When he was young, Elluradi had seen a steel giant that was being secretly brought into the Song Empire. The stell giants he saw were a lot older, and their movements were very dull. However, it exhibited tremendous fighting power, enough to smash down hundreds of elite cavalry horsemen. He heard that the northerners mobilized dozens or maybe hundreds of such steel giants for their own wars. ¡®The northerners, who came to support Yemaek, would have surely brought in their steel dolls.¡¯ Elluradi¡¯s predictions were on point. Shortly thereafter, he sent the chiefs to the border and asked to bring in the approximate size of Symphonia¡¯s expeditionary. However, what surprised Elluradi the most was that the heavy steel giants were moving at a speed that matched the movement of the Black Demon Unit. ¡®Then, their speed is also that great? Such turnover. Well, how long will they¡­¡¯ It was when he was thinking about the siege and was lost in his thoughts¡­ ¡°War chief! We have a huge problem, War chief!¡± A man came in, running. ¡°What is it? What is all this fuss?¡± ¡°It was said that the Song Army put the Kangshi into play!¡± ¡°Huh, I already got that news.¡± The Song Family of the Song Empire, who were believed to live their lives based on their culture and preached about following all the laws of nature, displayed such hypocritical behavior. Just that information was enough to criticize and ridicule them. However, Elluradi thought that something good would happen once the Kangshi were involved. Kangshi didn¡¯t need food or sleep and were way stronger than living soldiers. ¡°Was there a lot of damage taken in by the Yemaek Army? Jo Won-gyun, that child is leaning toward such dark methods¡­¡± His words got cut off by the man. ¡°That isn¡¯t right, War chief! It was said that the Song Army has released the Kangshi into our land!¡± ¡°Wh-what?! Did you verify it?¡± ¡°The border chief considered it to be a rumor at first, but it was said that the Song Army crossed into our border at night and released dozens of coffins.¡± The border chief visited the scene after he got in the reports from the hunters, who witnessed the situation and found coffins with open lids lying on the ground. The coffins were empty. However, it was impossible to know which direction the Kangshi were headed to. ¡®Why did the Song Army leave their Kangshi into our land¡­? No, they couldn¡¯t have guessed.¡¯ Obviously, it was a situation where they wanted to avoid letting the Kitai be involved in their fight with Yemaek. Yet, it was true that Kitai¡¯s War chief was looking for an opportunity to invade both regions. It wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the tens of thousands of Kitai nomadic warriors with just a dozen Kangshi, but if the reports of Kangshi spread, it would create an ugly public sentiment. Moreover, if it was the Song Army¡¯s intention to attack them in surprise, Elluradi¡¯s own life could be in danger. ¡°Hurry up and find those Kangshi and destroy them! Move it! Mobilize all the available soldiers and find them!¡± ¡°Yes, War chief!¡± After the orders were given, Elluradi struck his table with irritation on his face. Bang! ¡°Those mean bastard! Can they even call themselves civilized people after doing all this?¡± He was furious because he had missed the golden opportunity to establish a great empire. However, Elluradi wasn¡¯t aware. The number of coffins that were released into Kitai¡¯s land was over a hundred in number, and the same thing had happened to Yamatai. And most importantly, it wasn¡¯t the Song Empire who did it. Chapter 623 - Transition 2 Dak! Dak! Da! Inside the halls of the Yu-dong castle. Luke and King Biryu, who should have been busy preparing for the attack on the Song Empire, were playing ¡®Go¡¯. Go was a game that used black and white stones between two players. It seemed to be a lot simpler than chess, however, in reality, it was much more difficult to play. The strategies were endless, and it was as fun as it seemed complicated. Accordingly, Luke was showing as much interest in Go as in the techniques of Apostasy. On some days, he would play the Go the entire day, and King Biryu would give him some tips. ¡°King Luke, it is good to enjoy, and don¡¯t lose yourself too much into this. Even though the army of Song was defeated, the nation took huge damage and the King will be disgraced as he couldn¡¯t get himself to leave from the game board.¡± ¡°I know¡­ there is nothing good in worrying too much about anything.¡± Whether it was magic, science, or even faith. Anything which would lead a person to madness and obsession would turn the man distorted. Said King Biryu while laying down a stone of Go. ¡°It seemed like our plan worked out well.¡± It wasn¡¯t possible for the Yemaek to leave and advance to Daeryang without holding back Kitai and Yamatai. And the moment they would move without looking after the Kitai and Yamatai, they would strike them from behind. Which was why Luke decided to take advantage of the fear of the people in the Southern continent regarding Kangshi. They were all made to wear the military uniforms of the Song Empire which were collected from the prisoners, and the coffins were asked to be left in the borders of both nations. Of course, they didn¡¯t actually release the Kangshi. Honestly, it was just to stimulate fear. It would be difficult to subtly handle the Kangshi with the few skills he learned from interrogating the apostasy skills users. However, if they were just left into the enemy state, they would have been defeated right away, which was why the coffins were the only ones left there. ¡°How much will this false attack work¡­?¡± ¡°I think that it will hold the ankles of them, enough till we clear things up. Hasn¡¯t the maintenance of the soldiers been done already?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, King Biryu nodded. The Black Demon unit and the expeditionary forces of Symphonia Kingdom were already done with their maintenance, and the Golden warriors which remained in the Phoenix castle also reached the Yu-dong castle. Not just that, but the enemy troops too were composed of the men who converted their loyalty in the Yu-dong castle. Led by Zegal Hui and Jo Won-rak, the converted men were willing to stand at the forefront with the God¡¯s army and pave the way to the Daeryang capital. ¡°The problem is the Emperor in the capital. Even if we want to rescue him, I can¡¯t figure out where he¡­¡± Luke was trying to collect relevant information through the spies in the Zegal family, who were trying to infiltrate the capital. According to the reports, Jo Won-gyun placed the Emperor in some other place. There were rumors that the place was confined and separate from the palace, and near an island, but there were also words that the Emperor hid in the temple and uglier reports that the Emperor had already been killed and buried. ¡°The information from the Kang Ho clans is accurate, but even they seem to have trouble grasping the situation inside the Imperial Palace.¡± At Biryu¡¯s words, Luke shrugged. ¡°Well, for now, we have no choice but to enter the capital.¡± ¡°If we go, the answer will come out, whether they have taken him as a hostage, refugee, or the Emperor was killed.¡± Luke and Biryu decided to advance towards Daeryang. It would be nothing more than giving time to Jo Won-gyun, if they wanted to wait a little more for accurate information. Yeongwon fort was a massive military city of the Song Empire located near the border of Yemaek. Like Yu-dong castle, it was in charge of seeing the other towns, forts, and castles. However, the atmosphere in the place was a mess. It was because 6000 troops rushed to conquer Yemaek, and after a while, the defeated soldiers flocked back to the fort. ¡°The Black Demon is coming!¡± ¡°The Northern steel giants are also coming. Nothing can stop them!¡± The talks of the defeated soldiers were enough to make the people in the fort turn nervous and anxious. However, there was another set of rumors which made the soldiers and officials of Yeongwon fort bewildered. ¡°What was that? Our emperor used the Kangshi?¡± Yeongwon¡¯s fort commander, Lee Si-beak jumped up at the report of his subordinates. ¡°According to the defeated soldiers, there was an evil Apostasy who created the Kangshi in mass and controlled them.¡± ¡°Huh?! No matter how much they justify it regarding the need to conquer Yemaek, how can they do that? This doesn¡¯t even compare to being crazy!¡± ¡°It seems like Your Majesty and the 1st crown prince have a huge difference between them.¡± The fact that the emperor¡¯s son was using Kangshi to carry out the tasks was something that the local lords and officials weren¡¯t informed. Well, they didn¡¯t even matter to let the monsters in the palace know about their plans. That was because Jo Won-gyun wanted it to be kept a secret. In order to prevent the rumors from spreading around, Lee Si-beak gathered everyone who talked about the Kangshi. Regardless of whether it was true or false, it was a matter which influenced the royal family. Above all, it would turn difficult to hold the fort if the public sentiment turned bad. The public sentiment had already deteriorated due to the release of the conscription for the war, and if it was known that such a taboo had been touched and their ruler was going against the morals of the land, building the trust in the people would turn impossible. However, in less than a day, he met with the opposition. ¡°Commander, will you just keep on covering up the rumors?¡± ¡°Then do you want the people to know about it and start a riot or rebellion?¡± Lee Si-beak shot back at the official who asked him. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean that you get to catch men or kill all the witnesses. Someday, it will be known, and that day you won¡¯t be praised by the people. Rather, let¡¯s do this, revolt against Jo Won-gyun¡¯s group!¡± From the standpoint of the scholar Yoo-saeng, making Kangshi was an act that would enrage anyone. And Jo Won-gyun and his men, who resorted to such tactics wouldn¡¯t be followed any longer. ¡°Eh! You think that it will be so easy?!¡± If he could, the commander would have done it long back. However, his son was in the capital. He was placed in the Imperial Palace, if word went out about the Commander¡¯s change in position, his son would be executed. Moreover, no matter how much they planned, Jo Won-gyun was already taking steps to replace the Emperor, and there were still thousands of troops under his command. It wasn¡¯t just that, Jo Won-gyun was a man who didn¡¯t even hesitate to create the Kangshi and use them in war. How could regular commanders go against the man who was siding with witchcraft and apostasy? Yoo-saeng spoke with a subtle voice towards Lee Si-beak, who was frowning. ¡°If there was a good way to get rid of Jo Won-gyun, would you follow it?¡± ¡°A good way?¡± ¡°That is right. It is to support prince Jo Won-rak who is against Jo Won-gyun.¡± ¡°Jo- Jo Won-rak!¡± Lee Si-beak was shocked. Prince Jo Won-rak was currently hiding in Yemaek. To follow the man was the same as surrendering to Yemaek. If he decided to do it, the commander would be blamed for the betrayal of opening the border for the enemy. As if his worries were noticed, Yoo-saeng tried to pursue the commander more strongly. ¡°I am not asking you to open the way to Yemaek. Only to open the path for Prince Jo Won-rak.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± ¡°And honestly, didn¡¯t the Emperor always prefer the bright and wise Prince Jo Won-rak over the greedy and fierce Jo Won-gyun?¡± ¡°That is true.¡± It was a fact that any official in the Song Empire would know, the Emperor had always preferred Jo Won-rak over Jo Won-gyun. Had he not been exiled after wrongly accusing him, he would have been the one in line instead of the greedy ones and the addict. ¡°As long as we can protect prince Jo Won-rak and save His majesty from the evil and wicked ones, we will become contributors for good. That would mean that our loyalty to the royal family will remain forever in history!¡± After the constant persuasion of Yoo-saeng, Lee Si-beak managed to make a decision. ¡°Fine. As you said, we will uphold the 3rd prince.¡± ¡°Hahaha. You thought well.¡± In the meantime, Lee Si-beak decided to surrender by persuading their nearby commanders of the other forts. It was because the increase of people who believed in the same decision would make them feel reassured about the decision they had taken. Calling his men, he immediately sent messengers to the nearby forts. DaDak! Da Da! Yoo-saeng flew over the eastern sky after coming out of the Yeongwon fort. In his hand was a paper with a list of lords and commanders who agreed. In fact, Yoo-saeng was a spy of the Yemaek who had been in the Song Empire for a long time. He was always collecting and sending information from the Yeongwon fort, however, he suddenly received an order from King Biryu to take over the fort. And because of the situations which were rising, Lee Si-beak had accepted his proposal much more quickly than expected. ¡®Huhuhu. This will make the opening of the border much easier.¡¯ After completing his mission, he smiled widely, recalling the reward he would receive from King Biryu. Chapter 624 - Transition 3 Song Empire¡¯s capital, Daeryang. A huge city with a population of 1 million, it was a city that had already flourished for a hundred years in military, political, and economic phases. As a result, the city was full of color and it wasn¡¯t just a few people who would drink and dance because of the luxury around them. Among them, in particular, was the western street, or the Red Light district, which was called as such because it was a place in which the lights would never go off. And two people were meeting in a closed room in that street. They were Zegal Shin, who was in charge of the Anti-Hwang Bo Alliance Front on behalf of Zegal Soha, who had to follow Luke and Hwang Bo-sung, and the one famous for being a fool in the Hwang Bo clan, Hwang Bo-yun. ¡°Have you found out His Majesty¡¯s location?¡± Hwang Bo-yun, shook his head at the question from Zegal Shin. ¡°I went through the entire Imperial palace, but I couldn¡¯t find him anywhere.¡± In order to prevent the nasty Hwang Bo-kwang, Hwang Bo-yun secretly joined forces. There was a group of men who were concerned about the future of the clan, they were those who opposed Hwang Bo-kwang. However, they alone couldn¡¯t stop Hwang Bo-kwang, who attained great status in the palace. So, they were all about slowing him down or hindering the steps of those who took over the Imperial family and the Kang Ho clans. And one day. Hwang Bo-yun reached out to a spy of Cheong Ung-bang in the Daeryang. He found a samurai of Cheong Ung-bang, who he had met during the clan meeting moving around the palace. During the very same time, the 3rd crown prince and Zegal Hui were exiled. It wasn¡¯t known that the Zegal clan family had planted a spy in the capital and were still going on with the alliance. ¡°Tch, then, as the rumors mentioned, is he being confined elsewhere outside the Imperial palace?¡± ¡°Maybe a separate palace or a temple near the capital, but we have no clear answer on which one.¡± After Jo Won-gyun had become the regent, the whereabouts of the Emperor was totally concealed. In the palace, there was no maid or guard, nor even the officials who had directly seen the face of the Emperor after he fell sick. It was said that the Emperor was sick, and he couldn¡¯t move, so the Emperor was avoiding to go outside and meet with the officials, but even that statement called for a lot of suspicion. Even if the Emperor was sick, and suffering from a contagious disease, it was absolute for a high priest or a legal advisor to be close to the Emperor as long as he was being treated. However, the entrance of the Imperial Palace and the Emperor¡¯s residence were being strictly controlled, and the access for the outsiders was being blocked. As a result, Hwang Bo-yun¡¯s personal infiltration was a failure, the Emperor was not in the palace or his residence. ¡°It can¡¯t be that His Majesty has already been taken down¡­¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be. He wouldn¡¯t take such an irrational step.¡± The men of Jo Won-gyun were already issuing various orders in the name of the Emperor. The reason why Jo Won-gyun hadn¡¯t been able to rise to power quickly was because of the loyal men of the Emperor who strongly opposed Jo Won-gyun. And the one representing it was lee Yong-mu, the Red Dragon King, who resigned from the post of the Commander of Eorim army by his own decision. His influence in the palace was no less than Jo Won-gyun. He was a strong adherent and a famous person in the Song Empire, and he wasn¡¯t just admired in the military but also in the Moorim clans too. ¡°If they do that, they would immediately create enemies. And they will surely keep His Majesty alive, at least until they get rid of the entire opposition.¡± ¡°That¡¯s reassuring¡­¡± ¡°In addition, from what I have found out, my brother is working with people who are supposed to be the wizards of the Northern continent. For all we know, the unclear disease His majesty is suffering from could be because of his plan.¡± The very people who had condemned Jo Won-rak for holding hands with the goblins of the north were using the northern powers. With worry on his face, he asked. ¡°The invasion of Yemaek is right around the corner. If we don¡¯t secure His Majesty¡¯s safety right away, we will be in huge trouble.¡± Depending on whether the Emperor could be saved or not, the war would end quickly, or it could last for a long time. The innocent people would suffer from damage caused by the delay. Which was why the Zegal family was trying to rescue the Emperor, however, they weren¡¯t sure about the location. ¡°Let¡¯s try our best. But apart from that, there was a massive uproar happening around.¡± ¡°Uproar?¡± Zegal Shin asked with a confused expression. As he placed all the power to rescue the Emperor, all the information around the palace was in dark. ¡°Recently, there are more and more people who have died in the Kang Ho and the slums, and their bodies were being handled by the Eorim army and the Hwang Bo clan. Even the sick ones.¡± At the words of Hwang Bo-yun, Zegal Shin tilted his head. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for people to freak out when someone died in a slum, and the remedies were always done by those in Imperial offices. It was to prevent the public sentiment from turning worst and to show that the Imperial palace cared for every life. ¡°I don¡¯t think that it is a huge problem, why would you think that?¡± ¡°It was because there was a rumor that a body killed by a monster has turned into Kangshi.¡± At the words of Hwang Bo-yun, Zegal Shin jumped up. ¡°What! Was that verified?!¡± ¡°I have checked in the slums. Moreover, sick patients were said to be bitten by the Kangshi and that it turned contagious.¡± The most suspicious thing was that this disaster started a few days back when the liquor and food brought from the Imperial palace was given to the slums. It was said that it was food being given to the people because of their constant prayers for the well being of their Emperor. ¡°Well, according to Soha¡¯s message with the 3rd crown prince, it was said that the Song Empire ordered Earner to mobilize the Kangshi for war¡­¡± ¡°We were made aware of that too. Even then, it scares the hell out of us.¡± At Hwang Bo-yun¡¯s words, Zegal Shin recalled what he heard from Saint Nanda. ¡°Go to Daeryang and get rid of the darkness which digs into the humans. Only then will the Imperial family, this nation, and your family can enjoy peace.¡± Hearing that, Shin left for the capital right away. What if the darkness which was in humans was the disease that Hwang Bo-yun just said? If so, then he couldn¡¯t take the matter any lightly. ¡°We need to gather as much information as we can before we take actions.¡± ¡°Yes, like the old saying, it is always best to take a step back when in dire situations.¡± The two separated after having serious conversations. Hwang Bo-yun, who saw off the man, headed for the meeting room of the shadow organization. Having a mother come from Haomun (Shadow Organization), he also climbed his way to the top and was secretly running a martial arts room in a gambling house. However, when he arrived at the room, he heard unexpected news. ¡°Sir, we got a call from the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°Did they find where His Majesty is?¡± ¡°No, that isn¡¯t it. Instead, it was said that they are going to send Jo Won-ki to the temple on the Cheon yeong mountains tomorrow and confine him.¡± ¡°Confinement?¡± Hwang Bo-yun was confused. There have already been rumors that Jo Won-ki was confined. However, they didn¡¯t think that he would be sent over to the Cheon Yeong Mountain. The Cheon Yeong Mountain was a place that was very close to the Hwang Bo clan, and the temple on the mountain wasn¡¯t large enough for an imperial family member to live in. ¡®I can¡¯t understand this. No matter how much of an addict Jo Won-ki is, he at least needs to be treated as an imperial family¡­¡¯ Hwang Bo-yun was thinking and suddenly asked his men. ¡°Bring me a map. The area around the mountain and the details of the region!¡± After a while, he looked at the map. ¡°Well, the Hwang Bo clan and the Hung wang temple.¡± The reason why the names were different from the clan was because it was built during the time when a civil war had occurred in the Song Empire. It was war with Jo Myong-do who had lost the battle against Jo Yoo-moon and fled to the temple which was in the mountain, and the temple was the Hung wang temple. King Jo, who gained strength while staying in the temple, went against the one on the throne and won the battle with the help of a fairy. And the Emperor got called as Jinjong, and he joined with the Empress, and the temple was called Hung wang temple as the King rose to power in that place. ¡®Hung wang is more like a fortress. The walls made during the civil war are still strong. Besides, there is only one road to the access, and all surrounded by the rocky mountains.¡¯ That wasn¡¯t the end of the problem. There were around several villages where hermits lived, and they were all built and managed by the Hwang Bo clan. And the place was used for military uses. ¡®It is hard to get in, and once we get locked in, it is hard to get out. Is there any reason for him to be this wary against Jo Won-ki that they feel the need to confine him in such a ruined place? If he goes, it will be a huge failure!¡¯ Transition. A strategic retreat where the leader would leave the province and flee to another place. Jo Won-gyun¡¯s men seemed to be trying to secretly send the Emperor to the temple under the disguise of sending Jo Won-ki to exile. Apparently, they thought that it would be a much safer base than the capital. ¡°Was it tomorrow? We need to hurry up, call them in!¡± Hwang Bo-yun, who needed to meet with Zegal Shin again, immediately left in a hurry. Chapter 625 - Transition 4 Thu! Thu! Thu! Thud! The main gate of the Imperial Palace, which had been firmly closed after the news of the emperor¡¯s illness was reported, was opened. From there, a series of actions emerged. A gorgeous wagon led by the Eorim Army, armed with flashing weapons and eight white horses as its escorts. The residents in the capital were looking at the wagon. ¡°Who is riding it?¡± ¡°Well, looking at all those beside it, it doesn¡¯t look like someone average is inside¡­¡± ¡°Maybe the other empress is going to pray at a nearby temple.¡± The wagon left the city gates and headed to the west. However, there were those who secretly followed the wagon. They watched where the wagon was moving to and followed it closely. Hwang Bo-yun and Zegal Shin, who was disguised as warriors, were waiting. ¡°Sir, we have checked and they are here.¡± ¡°Did you see it clearly? Were they really heading over to the Cheon Yeong mountains?¡± At the question of Hwang Bo-yun, the man from Haomun, who was following the wagon, answered, ¡°I am sure.¡± ¡°Uhm, well¡­¡± The movement of the emperor in disguise and the exiled Jo Won-ki was confirmed. ¡°We should go after it right away.¡± At the words of Zegal Shin, Hwang Bo-yun shook his head. ¡°No, we shouldn¡¯t follow it.¡± ¡°What? You don¡¯t mean to save His Majesty?¡± ¡°Huhu. That wasn¡¯t what I meant. I know of a shortcut, so let¡¯s move in that direction.¡± At the words of Hwang Bo-yun, Zegal Shin nodded his head and left. However, they were hurrying too much that they missed one thing. It was the fact that there were people who were watching them. ¡°Hiik! Save me! The bugs are on my body¡­ Ackkk!¡± A young man with long feet was jumping around in the wagon. He was the crown prince, who was supposed to be exiled, Jo Won-ki. In addition to Jo Won-ki, there were two more people who were riding inside the spacious wagon. An old man, who wasn¡¯t strong enough to bow to him, and an elderly lady with a fine haircut was next to him. Duk! Duk! Duk! As a result of the hallucinations and withdrawal effects, Jo Won-ki was scratching his body to the point where it was already bleeding, and the lady, who was in the wagon along with him, tried to calm him. ¡°Prince, get yourself together. Hey, is no one going to respond? Call a doctor right now!¡± The lady, well, the other empress, cried in the wagon toward the Eorim Army, who were outside the carriage. However, everyone pretended as if they didn¡¯t hear it. Well, it was more like they couldn¡¯t hear it. It was because the wizards that were brought in from the North by Hwang Bo-kwang put Silence magic on the wagon. And even if there was no magic on them, they wouldn¡¯t have obeyed the words of the empress. They had already pledged their allegiance to Jo Won-gyun and Hwang Bo-kwang, and the empress had no power as the emperor was ill, and Jo Won-ki was a well-known addict, who had no rights in the Imperial family. ¡°You nasty people! Don¡¯t you guys fear those above the sky!¡± The empress kept on crying and yelling. Even though she tried to hold back her tears, it felt like if she tried to hold back her emotions she would have an emotional breakdown. No one from the group of Jo Won-gyun had informed her of anything. However, the empress, who lived for decades in the empire, couldn¡¯t see what was happening in her empire. And it was too late for her to even realize the conspiracy that Jo Won-gyun had resorted to. ¡°Uh, wah¡­¡± ¡°Oh my! Prince, what is wrong?¡± When Jo Won-ki, who was suffering from hallucinations was losing control, the empress began to turn concerned. ¡°Oh my, my, my¡­ Please kill me. I am going crazy again, and I am worried that I¡¯ll kill both of you!¡± ¡°Why would you say that?! You need to stay sane.¡± When the Empress was trying to calm the prince, the wagon, which was escorting them, suddenly came to halt. It was because the cart in the front blocked the path. The moment when the Eorim Army were about to leave the wagon and see the situation ahead, one of the men from the cart ahead ran back. ¡°Oh my! I am so sorry, sir. The wheel suddenly broke down.¡± ¡°The wheel broke down? Was it broken intentionally?¡± ¡°I-intentionally? What the hell is that supposed to mean..?¡± Hwang Bo-yun, who was dressed like the man from the cart ahead, acted confused. He thought that the Eorim Army¡¯s men would yell at him and ask the cart to be moved. However, it was as if the Eorim Army knew. ¡®No way. Was the information leaked beforehand?¡¯ Just the thought of it sent shivers down the spine of Hwang Bo-yun. Even Jo Won-gyun wouldn¡¯t have liked serving under the name of the emperor. He needed a proper justification to claim the throne. What if the cause was that the emperor was attacked? ¡®Oh sh*t, we were played!¡¯ ¡°Raid! Protect His Majesty at all costs!¡± The soldiers and the attendants all pulled their swords when the commander of the Eorim Army shouted. Once the commander¡¯s orders fell, they swung their swords at the wagon and not at the strangers. Well, they were informed by Hwang Bo-kwang in advance. If a group of people trying to save the emperor appear in the middle of the path, they were asked to not hesitate and kill the emperor. Of course, the crimes for the death of the emperor would go over to the strangers. ¡°Save Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Waoh!¡± Not just the men who were disguised along with Hwang Bo-yun, but also the warriors who were hiding behind the bushes on the other side of the road jump over with Zegal Shin at the shout of Hwang Bo-yun and attacked the Eorim Army. Kang! Kang! The noise of the weapons and the shouts of the troops rang loudly from both sides. The fiercest fighting was happening around the wagon holding the royal family. The blood of Eorim, who wanted to kill the emperor and the warriors who wanted to save them, colored the wagon red. Cang! Cang! Cang! Zegal Shin, who was dealing with five of the Eorim troops at once, was turning nervous. He already anticipated that the Eorim troops would have great skills. He too selected the best warriors from his clan. It was the same with Hwang Bo-yun. However, it wasn¡¯t just the troops, but even the attendants were a lot stronger. Well, they had to be strong. It was because they weren¡¯t just any attendants from the Imperial Palace. ¡®Salmak? These guys are the murderous assassins!¡¯ Seeing their martial skills, Zegal Shin managed to find out their real identity. They were killers, notorious for carrying out assassinations. The Kang Ho clans didn¡¯t go well with them. Until recently, there was no major dispute between the Kang Ho and the Salmek clans either to see that they were attached to the Jo Won-gyun group! ¡°Kueak! My eye¡­!¡± ¡°Be careful! They have poison!¡± The assassins of Salmek weren¡¯t just excellent, but they also knew how to use poison. As a result, the number of warriors, who were brought in by Zegal Shin and Hwang Bo-yun, were taken down. If things went like that, annihilation awaited them¡­ Well, even the emperor¡¯s life would be lost. ¡®We made a mistake. We should have been more careful and prepared!¡¯ At the time when Hwang Bo-yun was grunting to himself. ¡°These men!¡± Suddenly, a man with a bamboo mask, who ran from behind, jumped in. He had a spear in his hand, and each time he swung it, the assassins of Salmek coughed blood and fell down. The assassins attacked him with poison. However, the warriors were much faster. Whenever he threw the spear in his hand, the spear would move like a living dragon and pierce the necks and hearts of the assassins. Swoosh! ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Kuk!¡± ¡°Ack!¡± ¡®Th-this is!¡¯ Zegal Shin and Hwang Bo-yun were shocked at the formidable skills of the man. ¡°N-no way. Is he¡­?¡± ¡°Run away! It is Lee Yong-mu, the Red Dragon King!¡± Currently, Lee Yong-mu, the Red Dragon King, was the strongest warrior in the Song Empire as well as the Kang Ho clans. There was no other person who could use a spear as skilfully as him. The assassins, who managed to recognize him, ran away. Lee Yong-mu threw his spear into the sky. The spear that rose to the sun split into dozens of spears and fell over the fleeing assassins. ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Ackkkk!¡± Zegal Shin and Hwang Bo-yun couldn¡¯t shut their mouths after seeing the assassins get wiped out in the blink of an eye. Zegal Shin himself was proud of climbing into the stage of a master, yet after seeing Lee Yon-mu, he realized that he wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. ¡°You guys were too hasty.¡± When Lee Yong-mu recovered his spear, he approached the two men and talked to them. ¡°We are ashamed. We don¡¯t know what would have happened if the commander¡­.¡± The two men immediately bowed their heads and expressed their gratitude. ¡°By the way, how did the commander come to know about this place?¡± ¡°It is a huge mistake to think that only you people have spies. I¡¯ll tell you the details later, so come and hurry. We need to take His Majesty to a safe place.¡± At Lee Yong-mu¡¯s words, Zegal Shin and Hwang Bo-yun hurriedly took the emperor¡¯s family and left the place. Although things went far from their original plan, they somehow managed to rescue the emperor. All that was left was to wait for Crown Prince Jo Won-rak to enter the empire with his own army. Chapter 626 - Red Dragon King Lee Yong-mu 1 ¡°What do you mean by not yet?! You still haven¡¯t found his whereabouts!¡± At the Imperial Palace, the voices of someone yelling resounded. Hwang Bo-kwang, who was recently placed as the General of the Eorim Army, was yelling. Well, he looked at the assassins of Salmek and grunted his teeth. Things went wrong five days back. Hwang Bo-kwang had devised a scheme to draw out the men who were trying to rescue the emperor while using Jo Won-ki as bait. It was because he knew in advance that those dissatisfied with the changes would look for an opportunity to rescue the emperor. It was his plan to deal with both the opposition forces, the emperor, and Jo Won-gyun, who wanted to become the emperor as quickly as possible. However, a problem occurred during the course of the operation. Even though everything was prepared and the trap was placed, the emperor was taken away, alive! ¡®Damn it. If I knew it was going to turn out like this, I would have just killed him at the Imperial Palace!¡¯ It was Jo Won-gyun who insisted for the emperor to be killed soon, and he wanted to use a plausible cover for the death of the emperor. ¡°Find the emperor quickly! If that bastard goes to Jo Won-rak, it means both you and I will be skinned alive!¡± Hwang Bo-kwang, who was yelling at the members of Salmek, sent them out and sighed. He didn¡¯t have the chance to take a breath. ¡°The prince is waiting for you.¡± Jo Won-gyun had recently been placed with the title of crown prince after disposing of Jo Won-rak. Of course, it all happened with the ministers and officials who supported him. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go to the throne room then.¡± In the throne room, a bunch of officials was gathered. It was because the news of the conquest of Yemaek¡¯s failure had been reported a while back. However, Jo Won-gyun had a much more pressing problem to discuss. ¡°Uncle, did you find out the whereabouts of Jo Won-ki?¡± ¡°It is regretful, but I haven¡¯t been able to figure it out. We will find them soon, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Thud! Jo Won-gyun grabbed the armrest of the chair so hard that it cracked. The moment the muscles in his hand swell, he exhaled. He somehow managed to subside his anger. It was because he knew that the emperor, who disappeared, wouldn¡¯t appear if he acted in haste, and it was important to take measures related to the defeat of the Song Army in Yemaek. ¡°How many of the troops have returned?¡± ¡°I would say that around 200,000 troops have gone over to Yeongwon fort. The problem is that they lost their weapons and their allies¡­.¡± There was still room for troops. There were another 300,000 in the capital and the other major cities, and if there weren¡¯t enough troops, they could always draft more. So, the number of troops wasn¡¯t a huge concern. By taking advantage of the south, it was possible to secure the military capacity as much as possible. The problem would be the military supplies and weapons. ¡°Kuk, we need to urge the Kyung deuk-jin to produce military supplies as much as possible.¡± At the words of Hwang Bo-kwang, Jo Won-gyun nodded. ¡°Kyung deuk-jin is a city where all the workshops are gathered, so there won¡¯t be much of a problem with the production of resources. Rather, did we finish analyzing the cause as to why our army got defeated?¡± In terms of history, Yemaek could never be conquered. The troops on Yemaek were indeed superior. However, this time, the Song had taken in over 100,000 Kangshi. So, they thought that there had to be some unknown reason for their defeat. ¡°Well, a message had been relayed from the spy in Yemaek. According to the report, a man, who was the king of the Northern Continent, led the iron giants to help out Yemaek.¡± ¡°What did you say?! Iron giants?!¡± ¡°Yes, it was said that the number of the giants itself was 100.¡± Jo Won-gyun also knew about the iron giants, which were referred to as ¡®Gigants¡¯. When a single iron giant moved, the area around it would shake like an earthquake was happening. Instead of resources and the Puppet, Jo Won-gyun had reached an agreement to use the Gigants of the trade merchants from the Northern Continent and send them to Yemaek for capture. But it was said that the King of the Northern Continent called Luke had brought in three times more Gigants. ¡°Those steel giants are a problem. However, the King from the Northern Continent was said to be very skilled with magic, and it was said that not even one of our Zen skill users could win against him.¡± Hwang Bo-kwang didn¡¯t speak about Earner¡¯s death. It was a secret, the creation of Kangshi and its mobilization, making them part of the troops and joining hands with Earner. ¡°I heard that the goblins of the north, who appeared in the capital the other day, were also sent by the barbarian king.¡± ¡°Uh! I need to take care of my land and sea. Why is he interfering in businesses of other people!?¡± ¡°Maybe because he is a barbarian? Barbarians are blind to greed and know nothing. It must be his intention to use Jo Won-rak and then devour the entire empire.¡± ¡°Uh, yes! We can¡¯t allow that¡­!¡± It was when Jo Won-gyun, enraged by Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s words, was about to break off the chair. The door of the throne room appeared, and a junior official in charge of liaison between the central and the local entered. ¡°There was huge trouble, Crown Prince!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± On behalf of Jo Won-gyun, Hwang Bo-kwang asked. ¡°100,000 Yemaek troops have crossed over the border and are invading the area. The messenger reported that their target is the capital.¡± ¡°What? It is as if they are going crazy! They have gone crazy!¡± Hwang Bo-kwang was confused. It must have been some kind of luck for them to have won over the Kangshi and the Song Army. But without even any fear and move in to invade the Song Empire? With his face clearly registering shock, he immediately gave orders. ¡°Tell the commander of Yeongwon fort, Lee Si-beak, to block the border right away and send only 30,000 troops for the reinforcements, right away!¡± While the 30,000 troops will take some time to reach the border and defend, Hwang Bo-kwang thought of leading an elite army at the center and destroy the Yemaek Army. However, the official stutteringly said, ¡°Well, that won¡¯t be possible¡­ Yeongwon fort¡¯s commander, Lee Si-beak, and the neighboring forts have all surrendered to the Yemaek troops and the border has already been breached.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Hwang Bo-kwang and the others were shocked. If the Yu-dong prince was the backbone of Yemaek, then the Yeongwon fort of the Song was the empire¡¯s backbone. However, the fort had surrendered without a fight! ¡°Crown Prince, we need to show an example for Lee Si-beak and others who have surrendered to the Yemaek. We need to dispatch the troops to stop the Yemaek Army right away!¡± ¡°The words are valid!¡± ¡°We need to hurry and destroy our enemies!¡± At Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s words, the officials in the throne room nodded. It was the time when the throne room was turning noisy¡­ Hiiik! The door of the throne room opened again, and an elderly general with a red armor entered. The armor was so colorful as if shiny scales were attached to it. The cloak with a red dragon on the black background. Thud! Thud! Every time the general walked ahead, the sound of the floor cracking could be heard. The strange beat on the floor matched the pace where the elderly general was moving, and the noise in the throne room went silent in a moment. ¡°God¡¯s warrior, former Eorim Army General, Red Dragon King Lee Yong-mu, greets His Majesty!¡± He put his hand on his chest and called himself Lee Yong-mu, the man who reached the zenith level in the Southern Continent, the real power behind the military. Hwang Bo-kwang intervened as soon as Lee Yong-mu introduced himself. ¡°What is the Red Dragon King, who resigned from the palace, come to the throne room for?¡± Lee Yong-mu hadn¡¯t gotten along with Jo Won-gyun since the moment he took over the regent position. The situation of the military and the ruler didn¡¯t please him. Naturally, there was a conflict. And things took a turn when they prepared to conquer Yemaek. Of course, when the title of commander for the conquering army was given to a man whose name Lee Yong-mu had never heard of, Lee Yong-mu¡¯s pride was hurt and he resigned from his post. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to go to the next stage of life than be buried right away, maybe take care of your grandchildren?¡± When Hwang Bo-kwang was speaking sarcastically, Lee Yong-my calmly replied, ¡°I do want to live comfortably with my grandchildren, but I had no time to rest because of the incompetent man who took down 600,000 of my troops!¡± ¡°Wh-what!?¡± Regardless of Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s anger, Lee Yong-mu turned his gaze over to Jo Won-gyun and continued, ¡°Prince, I heard the news that Yemaek had crossed the border.¡± ¡°So?¡± Jo Won-gyun asked by flaring his eyebrows. It was understandable that the information reached Lee Yong-mu. After all, he was the former general. But, why did the former general went to the throne room? He was the one who resigned from the position. Lee Yong-mu looked at Jo Won-gyun and asked, ¡°How can I rest at home when our enemies have trampled our land? Please let me lead the army and stop them!¡± Lee Yong-mu was the most influential person during the Song Empire, during the reign of the emperor. Whenever there was a foreign invasion, he would lead the army himself and subdue them, and never once did Lee Yong-mu lose in battle, which was why he gained the nickname, Rising General. That was why he couldn¡¯t hold himself back when Yemaek started invading their nation after a long time. ¡®If Lee Yong-mu steps in and stops the Yemaek army, I guess there could be nothing more reassuring to me than that. But, wasn¡¯t he displeased with me?¡¯ Jo Won-gyun was worried for a while and called for Hwang Bo-kwang while gesturing. As he approached, he asked if he could trust the Red Dragon King. Hwang Bo-kwang immediately activated the sound blocking ring, which he had received as a gift from Arsene, and whispered the answer, ¡°Honestly, at least, from what I saw so far, I think we can trust him.¡± Lee Yong-mu was the first one who had been under the surveillance of the Jo Won-gyun group. And Hwang Bo-kwang planted a spy near him and kept a close eye on the man. As a result, it was confirmed that during the last month of his retirement from the military, he hadn¡¯t met with any special people or contacted anyone other than his household men. ¡°As long as he believes that His Majesty is in our hands, he would never try to betray us.¡± ¡®But¡­¡¯ Lee Yong-mu¡¯s greatest known weakness was his undying loyalty to the emperor. That was why Hwang Bo-kwang or Jo Won-gyun tried to remove the man until he himself wanted to move out. As the two men were whispering to each other, Lee Yong-mu suddenly lifted the sword on his waist. Srrrng! Surprised escorts in the throne room hurriedly surrounded Lee Yong-mu and pointed their swords at him. However, Lee Yong-mu didn¡¯t seem to care much and took off his helmet and cut off a wrist full of hair. Also, he politely bowed while looking at Jo Won-gyun and placed it down. Hwang Bo-kwang was shocked to see that. In the Song Empire, a person¡¯s hair couldn¡¯t just be carelessly cut because it was one¡¯s body¡¯s most prideful part. In particular, warriors weren¡¯t allowed to touch their heads even if meant forfeiting their lives. It was because of the law and pride. However, some of them used their hair as a sign of loyalty. So, giving out one¡¯s hair was like giving away their life. ¡®Is he being serious?¡¯ When Hwang Bo-kwang was puzzled, Lee Yong-mu, who cut off his hair, patted his chest. ¡°It is true that you are nothing like His Majesty. But now, it is more urgent to stop the enemy than to put our feelings ahead. If I can¡¯t stop our enemies, go for my throat right away!¡± ¡®Uhm¡­¡¯ Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s eyes shone brightly because he had managed to come up with a great idea. He told Jo Won-gyun his thoughts and managed to make a decision. ¡°Fine. I entrust you with 100,000 of our elite soldiers. Go ahead and show those eastern barbarians who don¡¯t know when to stop!¡± ¡°I will, Sire!¡± Lee Yong-mu bowed to Jo Won-gyun before he left the room. Thus, the participation of Red Dragon King Lee Yong-mu had been decided. Above the massive eastern walls on the palace of Daeryang. Hwang Bo-kwang, who was watching Lee Yong-mu, smiled. The typical smile of a villain, who was planning something terrifying. There was one reason why Hwang Bo-kwang agreed to Lee Yong-mu¡¯s request. It was because he managed to find a golden opportunity to break Lee Yong-mu¡¯s neck. Lee Yong-mu, the zenith of the Southern Continent. He was a person who couldn¡¯t be killed in a head to head combat. Even if he put together all of Hwang Bo clan or the best of the Absolute powerholders, killing Lee Yong-mu wouldn¡¯t have been possible. However, putting in all those men would turn annoying for Hwang Bo-kwang, and he didn¡¯t want to take a chance. That was because even the tigers in the forest end up getting killed by humans, who were much weaker. He had a glimpse of the perfect opportunity. Hwang Bo-kwang left the wall with a smile on his face. The thought of defeating the man in battle made him smile. It was good for Lee Yong-mu to die during battle or for him to never return. As he wanted, he would be able to kill him. ¡°Kukkk, Lee Yong-mu! You will never survive this battle.¡± Hwang Bo-kwang, who was looking at the soldiers in a distance, spoke to himself with an upbeat voice. Chapter 627 - Red Dragon King Lee Yong-mu 2 The advance of the Yemaek army and the other troops was much smoother than expected. It was because the Yeongwon fort, which was considered to be the toughest border to cross, was ready to surrender. King Biryu had already been contacted by his spy, so he knew it, however, he kept the information a secret. It wasn¡¯t just Luke, but the soldiers of the Song Empire who surrendered in Yu-dong province and the men led by Jo Won-rak, were all made up of powerful warriors. Just before entering into the Yeongwon fort, they were told the truth. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us in advance?¡± Jo Won-rak opened his mouth with a voice of regret. He wanted to lead the war to victory and was worried all the time that King Biryu would have a change of heart during their move. Luke, who was next to him, intervened. ¡°Don¡¯t be so disappointed, the King seems to have intended to raise the morale of the soldiers.¡± ¡°To raise morale?¡± ¡°Exactly. The rebels surely have the justification for advancement, but in reality, they are more agitated.¡± The rebel¡¯s army began to rise with the intention of overthrowing the Jo Won-gyun group, who had forsaken the morale of Kang Ho. Most of the strong people in the military had responded to it, but the military officers and the nobles with families in the capital did not. It was because Jo Won-gyun¡¯s group, currently held the Emperor, and was acting as the regent, if they decided to betray the throne, Jo Won-gyun would declare the nobles as betrayers. It was Song Empire¡¯s law to destroy the entire family of those who rebelled against the Imperial family. ¡°And it isn¡¯t like we won over the hearts of the regular soldiers. There will be many who joined the rebel army only to have a simple life.¡± The most plausible reason for joining the rebel army was, they feared that they would be treated as slaves if they denied joining the rebels group, and were extremely scared of getting killed. As soon as the Yeongwon fort gates opened, the heavy steps of the officers and soldiers turned light. It was because the soldiers in the border slowly began to turn their backs on the Song Empire, and it seemed that the 3rd prince, Jo Won-rak, had the victory on his side. Rebellion wasn¡¯t treason. Rebellion would be recorded as a revolution in history. ¡°We have a long way to go to Daeryang, and it will be difficult if we lose strength in the beginning.¡± ¡°I see. I wasn¡¯t able to figure it out.¡± After entering Yeongwon fort, King Biryu and Luke received hospitality from Lee Si-beak. The soldiers rested for a day, and the next day they set off for the capital. Even Lee Si-beak, and the military of the fort joined in. And there didn¡¯t seem to be any quarrels. All the commanders and the castle lords who were encountered in the middle of the march were terrified and couldn¡¯t run away. Just the sight of Yemaek and Symphonia troops scared them, and seeing the Kangshi which were placed ahead, they didn¡¯t have the heart to fight. And the God¡¯s army showcased the Kangshi they caught. ¡°These Kangshi were originally the people of Song Empire, good people, and they were created like this by Jo Won-gyun and Hwang Bo-kwang, who held hands with that Earner!¡± ¡°The men of Jo Won-gyun killed them miserably, and made them into their own war tools!¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t using them as weapons. We are taking them back to their homes, just like the old times.¡± ¡°Do not block our path, we are moving to let them find peace! And punish people such as Jo Won-gyun!¡± Honestly, the rebel forces only made the advance, they had no intention of using the Kanghsi for battle. Just spreading the atrocities of Jo Won-gyun to all directions, while putting the Kangshi in the lead, and that led to a significant effect. When the fights didn¡¯t seem to happen, the soldiers of the rebels were initially delighted, however, they were beginning to get bored. ¡°Ah, no fun! Your Majesty, we might meet our end just marching like this.¡± Shirley, who was riding the trailers along with Luke, opened her lips with a lazy expression. ¡°War doesn¡¯t always mean blood and spears. With a single word, sometimes a castle collapses, and there are cases where the enemy can be taken down only after step after step.¡± ¡°But I still want to fight the strong. Uhm, should someone make a dispute?¡± She had heard from Hwang Bo-sung, that there were many talented warriors in the Song Empire. Among them, there were a lot of people who reached the level of Sword Master, so she was looking forward to the battles, but instead of battles, they were leaving! Shirley¡¯s boredom ended on the plains, which was around 100 miles ahead of the capital. There were 100,000 troops in the way, but they weren¡¯t like the Song Empire¡¯s army who rolled their tails. The scout who went to look returned back in a hurry. ¡°Your Majesty, there is a red dragon flag in the enemy camp!¡± ¡°What!¡± Biryu and Jo Won-rak, as well as Hwang Bo-sung were shocked at the word of Red Dragon flag. Luke was the only one, who didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Something wrong?¡± Hwang Bo-sung answered Luke¡¯s question. ¡°Master, the Red Dragon flag is only used when the Red Dragon King, Lee Yong-mu participates. It is a symbol in the military.¡± ¡°Lee Yong-mu, the Red Dragon King? Then it must be the strongest warrior in the Song Empire¡­¡± ¡°Yes, he is deeply loyal to the Song Imperial Family and the Emperor. He is the only zenith in the Southern Continent when it comes to spears.¡± ¡°Lee Yong-mu¡­¡± Luke¡¯s eyes twinkled at the sense of a strong opponent. When he first came to the Southern Continent, he heard the story of Lee Yong-mu. Luke himself considered himself to be the strongest in the North. He always hoped that one day he would face him, but to think the day had come! Unlike Luke, who was excited, the rebels seemed to sway. ¡°Why, why is General Lee Yong-mu on Jo Won-gyun¡¯s side?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because His Majesty is in Jo Won-gyun¡¯s side?¡± ¡°Either way, we have to fight the Red Dragon!¡± ¡°Oh, damn it. We will lose!¡± ¡°All the good times are done.¡± It wasn¡¯t just the rebels who were feeling low. Even the Yemaek troops also seemed to tense up. They all had heard the rumors about Lee Yong-mu. And every warrior who fought against him was declared dead. Only the Symphonia army didn¡¯t seem agitated. They didn¡¯t know who Lee Yong-mu was, so they only looked ahead for the battle. When the camp was uneasy, the commander in red armor and spear came ahead on a horse towards the enemy camp. ¡°I am Lee Yong-mu, the General of Eorim troops, and known as the Red Dragon King! People, listen carefully to me!¡± Lee Yong-mu¡¯s shout resounded all throughout the Yemaek troops, the rebels, and the Symphonia troops. Making the voice sound impactful could be done by people who weren¡¯t warriors. However, Lee Yong-mu, seemed to be on a whole different level. Despite being a kilometer away, his voice shook throughout the enemy camp. ¡°Kuek. He really is a monster, scary!¡± Reynard, who closed his ears because of the loud voice, hardened at his sight. His head seemed to throb the moment he saw him. Among the common soldiers who heard Lee Yong-mu¡¯s voice, there were those who kept falling down one after the other, and the knights and officers were blocking their ears. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you intend to get by coming here, but if you try to move ahead, my spear will never forgive you!¡± Woong! Woong! King Biryu, looked around at the voice of Lee Yong-mu and clicked his tongue by tightening the grip around his bow. ¡°Tch, we can¡¯t just leave it alone.¡± He knew that it was difficult if he let the morale of his army fall before the war even started. As he was about to protest against Lee Yong-mu, Jo Won-rak, who was barely able to stand, stepped forward. ¡°King, please wait a moment! I will try to convince him.¡± ¡°¡­ can he be convinced?¡± Jo Won-rak replied to Biryu who seemed to be in doubt. ¡°Even if I can¡¯t, isn¡¯t it worth a try?¡± Jo Won-rak wanted to avoid any meaningless collision. If the fight started, the people who would be sacrificed were the Song Empire ones. The majority of their allies, the enemy troops who hated the use of Kangshi, were all the people of the Song Empire. And Luke too supported Jo Won-rak¡¯s words. ¡°I don¡¯t think that convincing him would do anything bad for us.¡± ¡°Uhm, then fine. Biryu, with a strong grim look on his face, didn¡¯t object anymore. He lowered his bow, and Jo Won-rak approached Lee Yong-mu. Thud! Thud! When Zegal Hui and the other escorts tried to follow him, Jo Won-rak shook his hand. ¡°Prince, it is dangerous!¡± ¡°It is alright. If we move together, it will only increase their doubts on us, it won¡¯t be of any help¡­¡± Despite Zegal Hui¡¯s plea, Jo Won-rak went to Lee Yong-mu alone. Lee Yong-mu, who wanted to see the man who was willing enough to meet him, recognized Jo Won-rak¡¯s face and seemed to be flustered. ¡°3rd crown prince!?¡± ¡°Haha! It has been a while, General.¡± Lee Yong-mu looked at the man and frowned. ¡°This is ridiculous. Zegal Hui, what is he doing without coming along with you?¡± Protecting the Imperial family was the main duty of the Eorim troops. And Lee Yong-mu, who was the general of Eorim troops, knew that Zegal Hui was someone he believed to do his duty. No matter how divided the camp was, he couldn¡¯t hold his anger as he didn¡¯t see the prince¡¯s escort right next to him. ¡°Huh, whether General Zegal Hui is by my side or not, if you, General, make up your mind, he won¡¯t be able to save my life, right?¡± That was true. If Lee Yong-mu decided, even if 10 Zegal Hui escorted Jo Won-rak, there was no way to stop him. ¡°Did you come here knowing that? Don¡¯t you know that there are people in the Imperial palace waiting for your neck to be delivered to them?¡± ¡°Of course, I know that. But if the General really meant to take my neck, you would have already done that.¡± Before being a warrior with the title, Lee Yong-mu was someone who protected the Empire. For the victory of the Empire, he had organized operations and ambushes a lot of time, and he was someone who could perform any number of assassinations. With that in mind, if Lee Yong-mu decided to get rid of Jo Won-rak, he could have killed the man before even meeting up with him. However, without even moving his spear, he stood there, as if he meant that he had no intention of killing Jo Won-rak. Looking at Lee Yong-mu, Jo Won-rak said. ¡°General, I didn¡¯t take that side because of some personal ambition. I had taken the inevitable decision as I wanted everything to go back to normal.¡± ¡°It could be an inevitable decision for the prince, but war is a state affair. Would you think that people would gently withdraw if they saw the prince winning by standing behind the Yemaek troops?¡± It was a huge price. Whether the land or treasures, they wanted it to be under the control of someone who belonged to the Song Empire. The reason that Lee Yong-mu stood on the side of Jo Won-gyun and blocked the Yemaek troops was to prevent the loss of land to the Yemaek. ¡°Do you know that Jo Won-gyun and his men were making Kangshi, general?¡± At Jo Won-rak¡¯s question, Lee Yong-mu nodded. ¡°I know that, I already heard those rumors.¡± ¡°Then you must also know that he is using His Majesty as a scarecrow and is compromising the state affairs. And you still intend to take their side?¡± ¡°Do not judge my loyalty. After blocking the path of my enemies, I will later plan to catch those bandits who are trying to destroy the Empire from the inside.¡± At Lee Yong-mu¡¯s words, Jo Won-rak was puzzled. ¡°Th-then does the General mean that he would do it alone?¡± ¡°Do you believe that I can¡¯t do that?¡± Jo Won-rak felt like he could no longer convince Lee Yong-mu. The man seemed to be overflowing with confidence. ¡°I understand what the General is saying. But I have no intention of stepping back.¡± After that, Jo Won-rak tried to convince Lee Yong-mu for another few minutes, however, he turned his back with unfavorable results. Seeing the prince walk back to his camp, Lee Yong-mu felt glad. ¡®The 3rd prince is a typical civilian oriented person¡­ there needs to be a person like that.¡¯ The energy emanating from Lee Yong-mu made it difficult for the army to endure. Yet, Jo Won-rak, who was as white as a paper, kept himself tall. That wasn¡¯t it. He said everything he wanted to and went back. Looking at that, Jo Won-rak seemed a lot more suitable person to sit on the throne when compared to Jo Won-gyun. It made Lee Yong-mu think that the exile did something good. ¡®We never know, he might grow a little more from this battle.¡¯ Lee Yong-mu had a thin smile on his lips. He wasn¡¯t sure how the future would be, but the growth of Jo Won-rak, the prince he had loved, pleased his heart. Chapter 628 - Red Dragon King Lee Yong-mu 3 Chapter 628: Red Dragon King Lee Yong-mu 3 ¡°I have no face to show you. The talks failed.¡± ¡°No, what you did was enough.¡± Even though he failed, Luke thought that Jo Won-rak¡¯s attempt wasn¡¯t bad. Many soldiers saw Jo Won-rak going all alone to persuade the enemy General. The soldiers were greatly moved by the appearance of their prince, and their agitation subdued a lot. King Biryu too felt that his son-in-law was a lot more than what he showed. ¡°Well then, it looks like I need to take down that stubborn man first.¡± ¡°King Luke, you will come out?¡± Asked Biryu. There were several strong warriors in Yemaek. There weren¡¯t a lot of people who reached the Absolute Powerholder level, but there were men who were great zen users and martial arts specialists. King Biryu himself considered himself as the strongest man in archery. However, compared to the young king in front of him, everyone seemed inferior. He watched the battle Luke had with Earner, and the energy in Luke¡¯s body was a lot stronger than his own. Well, it felt like Luke had an energy which was more than twice to his own. ¡°Obviously. I have been looking forward to this opportunity since I got here.¡± Srrrng! Luke pulled the sword from his waist with a broad smile on his face. It was when he was about to step outside. All of a sudden, an Orion Gigant jumped out and ran towards Lee Yong-mu. ¡°That¡­?¡± ¡°Seeing the stance, it is Shirley¡¯s Gigant. She is someone who doesn¡¯t know when to stand back, and went right in.¡± Hwang Bo-sung shook his head and spoke with a frown on his face. He turned to Luke and asked. ¡°Shall I call her back right away?¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s watch what happens.¡± Luke, who lost the chance to move first was flustered but decided to let her play. He liked Shirley¡¯s actions, which showed him her willingness to hold onto her confidence in the situation of crisis. Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! ¡°Yah, even if you don¡¯t know how good you are, you won¡¯t still be able to take on a Gigant with a bare body!¡± Shirley confidently marched towards the man. She rushed towards Lee Yong-mu, maximizing the power of her Hero-class Gigant, Orion. She was thinking of getting some merit and turn into the best Spear Master in the world by taking down that man in front of her. ¡°Wohoo. An Iron Giant!¡± A huge Gigant, with a battle axe in its hand, went towards Lee Yong-mu. However, Lee yong-mu didn¡¯t seem too flustered. He held onto his spear and struck the Gigant¡¯s battle axe with a terrifying speed. CanG-! ¡°What?!¡± Shirley¡¯s Orion, which crossed with Lee Yong-mu, stumbled back. Luke, who was watching the scene was shocked. ¡®That was amazing! He used the power of the rushing opponent and pressed them down!¡¯ Riding the Gigant would amplify the aura of the rider or the power through the core engine. If they almost added tons of weight, so no one would be strong enough to move it with their bare body. But, the man out there, he managed to press down the Gigant with just his body! He saw that the man who was claimed to be the strongest in the Southern Continent wasn¡¯t just all bark. ¡°Tch, so a destroyer class, huh?¡± Shirley, who barely managed to get back the balance of the Gigant, went into the fight right away. However, the Orion didn¡¯t move. Orion ended up getting its foot in the muddy area. And as the Gigant stood still temporarily, the Gigant¡¯s ankles seemed to get caught in the mud. ¡°Wh-what is this?!¡± ¡°Huhu. We weren¡¯t just waiting until you guys came here.¡± Until the enemy troops entered, Lee Yong-mu made his troops spill water and create muddy areas around them. He was informed that the number of rebels was large, and the Black Demons of Yemaek and Gigant from the North were also coming their way. Both of them needed a vast and solid land to move and work efficiently. A number of tricks were done before, to stop them. ¡°No matter how terrifying the iron giant may seem, if you can¡¯t move, it is nothing more than a chunk of metal waiting to be hit.¡± Lee Yong-mu, who moved on his horse, swung his pear as he passed Orion. With energy bursting from the tip of the spear, the iron joint of the Gigant¡¯s leg broke and Orion sat in the mud. Woahh! The 100,000 of the Song Imperial troops cheered at Lee Yong-mu¡¯s attack. As their cheers grew, Shirley¡¯s face flushed red. ¡°Uhhh! Coward! Coward!¡± Shirley opened the hatch of the Gigant which turned worthless and ran at Lee Yong-mu with her halberd. When a small girl with a heavy halberd was exuding intense energy, Lee Yong-mu seemed impressed. ¡°You know how to handle the spears well.¡± Lee Yong-mu spoke fluent Rhodesian language. However, Shirley wasn¡¯t too surprised. There was something which was really shocking though. Kang! Kang! Kang! ¡®He-he is blocking all of the attacks with just the tip of his spear!¡¯ Shirley was thrilled at the scene of Lee Yong-mu stopping her halberd¡¯s attacks with just the tip of his spear. He was taking down her best attacks with simple moves! ¡°It isn¡¯t that uncommon to handle such spears in Kang Ho¡­ won¡¯t you surrender? I will make you my student.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t kid around!¡± Shirley¡¯s halberd formed a hyper aura. She wanted to break down the frustrating flow of the battle, but without her knowledge, she briefly entered the realm above the rank of a master. However, Lee Yong-mu¡¯s movements were faster. He concentrated and stabbed the spear with lightning speed. Pop! ¡°Kuak!¡± Shirley bounced back coughing up blood. If she was hit in the right spot, she might have ended up dying right away. Right then, Luke appeared in the air and caught her before she hit the ground. ¡°Healing!¡± He used recovery magic to heal Shirley¡¯s magic injuries right away, and handed her over to Hwang Bo-sung who followed him. ¡®I don¡¯t get it, when did he?¡¯ Looking at Lee Yong-mu, who was shocked, Luke spoke after bowing to the man. ¡°Thank you so much for watching out for tomboy.¡± ¡°It seemed like a waste to kill her.¡± A while ago, Lee Yong-mu struck Shirley with the back of the spear and not the blade. Which was why that she flew back instead of falling to the ground right away. ¡°But you appeared earlier than I thought.¡± At Lee Yong-mu¡¯s words, Luke pointed to Shirley who had fainted. ¡°I would have appeared faster if not for this.¡± When the enemy troops arrived, Lee Yong-mu sensed a strange energy from the camp. There were many strong men in the camp, but not once had he ever sensed something so strong like that. One person¡¯s energy. A strong man hiding in the huge crowds, he felt the energy similar to a dormant volcano before it burst. Same to the time when he confronted Yeon Ga-ram. ¡®I heard that the Northern King dealt with that Earner¡­ I didn¡¯t know he would be this strong.¡¯ When someone who looked similar to himself appeared, Lee Yong-mu couldn¡¯t relax. So he decided to launch the first attack. ¡°If you are confident, stop my attacks!¡± Lee Yong-mu jumped off from his horse and went for Luke at a terrifying speed. With energy gathered at the tip of the spear. Swooong! Kwang! Cloud of dust rose between the two people as if a bomb had exploded. As the dust settled, people could see the two men taking steps back away from each other. Attack. Neither Lee Yong-mu who attacked, nor Luke, who managed to stop it seemed in advantage. Le Yong-mu was shocked seeing the Golden energy exuding from Luke¡¯s body. ¡°Gold Light God Sword? Did you learn that sword skill?¡± ¡°No, this actually my own skill.¡± The swordsman Yeon Ga-ram, who learned the Gold Light God sword. His was the origin of the Gold sword. With a smile, Luke quickly released the Gold sword. Kang! Kang! Kang! The sharp trajectory in the air was pointed towards Lee Yong-mu. It seemed as if the earth and the sky were shaking together because of the sword. The Song Imperial army and the rebels group with the Yemaek troops were all watching it unfold with shock in their eyes. ¡°General Le-Lee Yong-mu is being pushed back!¡± ¡°Who the hell is that person there?¡± People were shocked and admired him, but Luke was confused. Because Lee Yong-mu was able to stop all his attacks. It wasn¡¯t that he was being pushed back, it was more like Lee Yong-mu was trying to study Luke¡¯s skills. Kang! The moment he realized it, Lee Yong-mu and Luke¡¯s positions changed. Along with that, a thin line of blood dripped from Luke¡¯s forehead. ¡°This, thank god.¡± ¡°I feel the same too.¡± Blood was flowing from Lee Yong-mu¡¯s side too. They constantly exchanged blows. ¡°It seems like you have done enough exploration in battle, so let¡¯s get serious and go for some proper attacks.¡± ¡°I have been waiting for it.¡± Energy which was strong as a storm rose from both of their bodies, the two people changed their postures and they were completely serious. Kwang-Kwang! Kwang! Bang! Kang! Luke, who defeated Arsene and became the strongest knight on the Rhodesia Continent, and Lee Yong-mu, the strongest zenith of the Southern Continent, their fight began in earnest. Chapter 629 - Move of Hells Island 1 ¡°Faster, faster, load the Undead onto the transport ships!¡± ¡°We need to move the first batch by today!¡± ¡°Be careful! If you drop even one of the coffins into the sea, you people know what will happen!¡± Thanatos Islands, the foggy archipelago of hell. Black coffins inside the wagons were being moved into a large ship, which was on the pier. They were the Undead that Arsene made. ¡°Phew, really. I wondered something wrong would happen if our ancestor would have gone missing,¡± above a pyramid, one of the two people who was looking at the shipments being moved said. The man was the former Meister of the Veritas Magic Tower, Nestar. Four months ago, Arsene had left for the Symphonia Kingdom, saying that he had to kill Luke right away, but he then lost contact with his men. Chatan and 5 intermediate Undead were sent along to assist Arsene. However, he lost contact with Chatan, and the entire Veritas Magic Tower turned over with the news. They had all assumed that with the 5 Undead and Arsene, not just Luke, but the entire Symphonia Kingdom would be under their hands. But they lost contact with both of them! Accordingly, at the tower, he ordered the investigation by his men, who had infiltrated the continent, and a few days later, they were told of the news that Arsene looked like he had died after his battle with Luke. The report left the Veritas in a spire of confusion. It was because they couldn¡¯t figure out whether to take revenge for their ancestor or send someone over to the Symphonia Kingdom to find any traces left behind by their ancestor. ¡°But, even I was flustered and shocked at that time.¡± Albert responded to Nestar¡¯s words. Their founder, Arsene, a Lich, even if he was killed by Luke, that didn¡¯t mean that Arsene was dead. A Lich could rise once again as long as its life vessel wasn¡¯t destroyed. Nevertheless, Arsene¡¯s defeat was so shocking that Nestar and the other leaders of the Veritas Magic Tower were left confused. ¡®The ancestor had mastered white and dark magic and climbed up to the 9th circle. The strongest man with no rival on the continent. He could sweep out the top ten magic towers with just a snap of his fingers. Still, he ended up losing to Luke?¡¯ If that was the case, then the entire analysis of Veritas Magic Tower on Luke was completely wrong. And there was another reason why the leaders were flustered. A Lich could resurrect where its life vessel was present. However, no one knew where Arsene¡¯s life vessel was. So they had to wait till Arsene himself contacted them. One day had passed and then the next day¡­ And then two months had passed, but Arsene still didn¡¯t contact them. They couldn¡¯t help but worry. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t even think about laying down the groundwork in an unexpected place.¡± ¡°Kuek, That is right.¡± At Albert¡¯s words, Nestar smiled. While waiting anxiously about the news, Arsene resurrected and returned. Arsene came and shared his plans. He went right after Shaikan, the king of Libiya Kingdom! They did think that it was a great idea, but Nestar was deeply concerned. Perhaps, maybe Arsene was in the middle of his resurrection. Arsene seemed weaker than before. Would he be able to defeat the Dragonian, Shaikan, who inherited the power of dragons¡­ Nestar couldn¡¯t even rest in peace even after sending a few warlocks and Albert along with him. Around a month ago, he received a magic communication from Libiya Kingdom. Shaikan appeared in the magic communication. Seeing Shaikan, Nestar felt that Arsene got caught. However, surprisingly, his ancestor managed to take over the body of the Dragonian. The joy and surprise he felt that time was insurmountable! ¡°Why do you think the ancestor decided to use the Libiya Kingdom to be our base?¡± ¡°Well, I do think that we have our own strengths and weaknesses. Honestly, the Hell Islands are good for hiding, but this place has too many restrictions. It isn¡¯t easy to collect the materials needed to make an Undead army. Instead, the Libiya Kingdom was located on the Rhodesia Continent, so we get to hide our identity and be active at the same time.¡± In addition, if the entire Libiya Kingdom could be made into an Undead area, the power they could have would be greater than making the entire population of the Southern Continent into the Undead. A dagger aimed near the heart would be deadlier than a farther one. Whatever the case was, Arsene decided to move the secret base of Veritas Magic Tower with that thought, and the work was in full swing. Half of the Undead and warlocks, who were currently working on the first phase of transporting the Undead, were asked to ship the Undead to the place, and with a month¡¯s gap, the second batch would be shipped. However, while talking with Albert, Nestar¡¯s eyes wriggled. Suddenly, he turned and shot a dark bullet into the forest. Swoosh! Puk! Nestar opened his mouth shortly after the dark bullet disappeared through the lush trees. ¡°It looks like a rat is hiding on our island.¡± ¡°A rat?¡± Albert¡¯s eyes frowned. It was because no spy had ever infiltrated the Hell Islands in the last 200 years. ¡°People are moving in and out of this place. It seems like information has been leaked out. Track him and catch him now!¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Receiving the order, Albert immediately flew using Fly magic and went toward the place where he was hearing the groans. However, he only saw blood marks, and no spy appeared in the place where the dark bullet hit. ¡°It seems like the rat¡¯s ability is a lot better than I thought, but he can never escape from Hell Islands!¡± The moment he began to chant the Tracking magic, Albert¡¯s eyes began to glow in blue. Being with monsters such as Arsene and Nestar, he managed to reach the 8th magic circle. He built confidence over the years to find and annihilate any number of spies that infiltrated the tower. Swoosh! He flew again and began to follow the footsteps of the intruders, which got revealed because of the Tracking magic. Chapter 630 - : Clash Between Red Dragon King and Luke 1 Belfair received a report from Argos agents a few days back. An agent was spying the western part of Libiya Kingdom under the disguise of being a port merchant. According to him, ¡®Grain Chambers¡¯, one of the top ten traders on the continent, suddenly brought in a large number of transport ships and sent them over to the Southern Continent. It was natural to trade with the Southern Continent if any trading company was of the level of Grain, so it didn¡¯t seem unusual to send in a trading fleet. The problem was that the transport ships of Grain that was departing to the Southern Continent were empty. The spy didn¡¯t enter the ship, but he got information that the ship¡¯s wight line was clearly out of the water. Merchants, who didn¡¯t want to lose any credit in the commercial activities, wouldn¡¯t do that. They would usually go to the Southern Continent to trade their entire products, so the ships always left the Rhodesia Continent full of goods, and when they returned, they would come back with the specialties of the Southern Continent. But, the transport ship wasn¡¯t of a small merchant, and the ship was said to belong to one of the top ten merchants on the continent, and it left empty? ¡®The Grain Chambers has recently begun its trade in the Libiya Kingdom, right? Maybe they had something to do with the transformation of Libiya Kingdom.¡¯ So, Belfair decided to find out more details about it. Unlike Sebastian, who acted as a regent in the absence of the King, Belfair was acting more as an information agent in the dark to know the matters of the continent. ¡®Well, His Majesty isn¡¯t here, and there isn¡¯t much work for me to do, so I¡¯ll just go over there and check it in person.¡¯ After chasing the trading fleet of Grain, Belfair turned into a bat and went to the coast of the Grenada Kingdom and had successfully sneaked in the transport ship. However, the air around the trading fleet felt weird. The number of sailors was fewer than he expected, and the bodies of those that seemed to have high status as merchants and captains were giving out magi. ¡®What? Is there a warlock behind the Grain Chambers?¡¯ Even among the warlocks, there were men who would subtly disguise themselves. Moreover, unlike the other trading chambers, the Grain Chambers¡¯s growth was quick, so there was much talk about it. ¡®If the warlocks are doing a good job behind the scenes, including the transaction or investment, then such rapid development and growth wouldn¡¯t be impossible. By any chance, are these men the warlocks that are going to the Southern Continent?¡¯ Even if that wasn¡¯t the case, Luke kept on asking the intelligence officials to find out where the remnants of the Veritas Magic Tower were hiding. ¡®I don¡¯t know, but maybe I¡¯ll get a clue if I see this through.¡¯ However, it wasn¡¯t the Southern Continent where the trading fleet had arrived after a week. Surprisingly, it was the Archipelago of Hell Islands where the fleet stopped. That part of the sea was a place where traders never went because of the never-ending thick fog, reefs, and the fierce whirlpools, and the raids of monsters all throughout the year. And so, in the past hundreds of years, no human had reached that place. However, the trading fleet had gone into that place without any fear. Belfair, seeing how skilled they were stirring their ship away from the fog and reefs, figured out that the fleet of the Grain Chamber hadn¡¯t been to the Hell Islands just once or twice. ¡®Is this their hangout place?¡¯ Thinking so, Belfair knew that the men were sharp, finding the men were hard. On the island where the fleet stopped, he saw a huge pyramid above the forest. It seemed like it was an ancient building, but he could feel mana moving in the air as if the structure was still functioning well. ¡®Huh! There are such ruins in the Hell Islands?¡¯ It was when Belfair was shocked at the evil feeling¡­ Dadak! Dadak! The wagons driven out by the warlocks from the woods began to come out. One after the other, they kept on coming out. There were coffins on the wagons, but surprisingly, there seemed to be Undead inside them. ¡®I knew it¡­! These are the remnants of the Veritas Magic Tower!¡¯ There were Undead and warlocks, who Belfair was familiar with. Belfair was quick to identify it. Grinding his teeth, he approached the pyramid slowly. However, he stopped quickly. One of the two warlocks, who were standing on top of the pyramid, used a dark bullet on him even though he was hiding in the branches. ¡°Kuak!¡± The Dark Bullet was much faster and powerful than he thought. Belfair was injured, but he still tried to run away immediately. However, a warlock was able to follow him. ¡°That bastard rat!¡± Contrary to the thought that he would be able to catch the spy, Albert couldn¡¯t get a hold of the spy, who escaped his grasp. Albert couldn¡¯t calm himself down by the fact that he wasn¡¯t able to catch the spy. He ended up at the southern seashore in his pursuit of the spy. Using the 9th magic circle spell, he began chanting. Lightning Web. Pajack! A powerful lightning net covered a 20-meter area, and a scream broke out from the mouth of the spy, who was wearing a dark hood. ¡°Ackkk!¡± Thud. The guy, who flew in the sky, ran into the net and fell to the ground. Albert moved close to the spy and spoke with a sly smile on his lips, ¡°Kukuku, how dare you think that you could run away from my hands? Stop struggling and show yourself!¡± When he went close to the spy and tried to kick off the hood on his head¡­ Swask! Something flew in with an eerie feeling. Shocked, Albert used Blink to quickly avoid whatever it was. However, the blade, the aura blade, moved in the air and went for Albert¡¯s neck. ¡°Kuak!¡± In the unexpected counter-attack, Albert¡¯s head and body got separated. Like Nestar, his father and former Meister of the Veritas Magic Tower, he too was an Archmage, who didn¡¯t just learn white but also dark magic. However, the spy seemed to be an Intermediate Sword Master! ¡°Kuekk! Even a 9th circle Archmage would get hit by that surprise attack!¡± Belfair took his hood down and looked elated. In a normal sense, a 9th circle Archmage was powerful enough to be compared to a Sword Sage. In addition, the opponent was learning dark magic. Belfair deliberately pretended to be hit by the Lightning Web, knowing that he wouldn¡¯t be able to win against the man in a direct confrontation even if he was a demon. However, he managed to attack him with a surprise attack. While Belfair was feeling triumphant¡­ Swash! Albert¡¯s head and body, which were separated, began to reattach. Albert got up and frowned while touching the part of his neck that was cut off. ¡°That was pretty painful, an unexpected attack.¡± ¡®Wh-what is this?!¡¯ Belfair was stunned by what he saw. Albert glanced at him and laughed. ¡°You must have been shocked since I didn¡¯t die. This isn¡¯t so unreasonable. It would be worthless to learn dark magic if I didn¡¯t learn about resurrection and regeneration.¡± Recovery magic wasn¡¯t something that was exclusively for white magic. Although it wasn¡¯t common in dark magic, it also had Recovery magic. Among them, ¡®Dark Resurrection¡¯, a 7th magic circle spell, had the efficacy to automatically attach one¡¯s severed head or heart if there were enough magi in one¡¯s body. Of course, there were conditions required for it to work. It wasn¡¯t something anyone could just do because it required a significant amount of magi and life force, as well as placing the spell on one¡¯s body in advance. However, Albert wasn¡¯t just some warlock. He was a magnificent warlock, who learned both white magic of the 8th circle and dark magic of the 7th circle, and was one of the best warlocks in the history of magic. He was a very cautious person, and he regularly performed the dark resurrection circle on his body. Thanks to that, he didn¡¯t die. However, Albert, who looked at Belfair, couldn¡¯t hold back his shock. ¡°Y-you aren¡¯t human! A demon? What made a demon come to Middle-Earth? Who summoned you?¡± ¡°There is no need to tell that to an insignificant human.¡± At the arrogant response of Belfair, Albert¡¯s face turned red. ¡°You cheeky son of a demon. I will make you regret being this arrogant!¡± Albert, who snarled through his teeth, used powerful flame magic on Belfair. Pung! Belfair, who avoided the attack upon seeing a small gap in it, rushed toward Albert and stabbed him with his sword. Puck! The greyish-white light pierced through Albert¡¯s heart. However, at the same time, Albert used lightning magic, and it struck Belfair. ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Huh, you lack the ability to learn. I did say that I mastered dark magic resurrection and regeneration, right?¡± Albert was elated. He stretched out his hand toward Belfair, who had fallen on the ground. However, his face suddenly turned pale and began to vomit blood. ¡°Uh, no way, ugh¡­!¡± Looking down on his chest, he saw something unbelievable. Blood was flowing down from his heart, which should have been healed by Dark Resurrection! Not just that, even the Black Circle on his heart was damaged, and the wound was burning down his body. ¡°Kuak! H-how did¡­? What the hell are you?¡± Belfair struggled to get up and smiled, seeing Albert ask questions in a desperate manner. ¡°Puahhhhh! You look rather funny after saying all those words! I don¡¯t know if you learned the greatest of the dark magic or if you are a great opponent. I had used a little divine power in my Aura Blade!¡± ¡°D-Divine power!?¡± ¡°Uh, yes. That was the cause of your defeat. Because of that Divine power, your fierce dark magic got nullified.¡± Magi¡¯s destruction occurred with Divine Power. Albert was aware of that, but he didn¡¯t understand how it happened. ¡°H-how could¡­ a demon like you¡­ use Divine power?!¡± ¡°Huh, it¡¯s the result of my painful practice, I guess?¡± It was all because of Luke¡¯s brutality toward Belfair that he was able to deal with Divine power. Belfair was able to put a little Divine power into Aura even though he was a demon because he learned the Silver Sword, and since he was constantly training, he managed to do it. Of course, to get into his current level, Belfair had to taste pain countless times. Even then, the fruits of his hard work were very sweet to him. It was because he was able to subdue an enemy as strong as an Archmage by himself. ¡°D-damn¡­ This makes no¡­ sense¡­ kuak!¡± Albert clutched his chest and coughed up blood while slowly falling to the ground. Belfair noticed that his breath was completely cut off and sighed. It was really lucky for him that he was able to kill Albert. If Albert knew white magic resurrection and not dark magic, then Belfair would have been the one to die. ¡°Euu, boring. I need to get my slaves to do this next time.¡± While healing his own wounds, Belfair¡¯s body trembled. It was because tremendous energy was soaring inside the pyramid that was on the side. And the enemy began to come out to the place where Belfair was standing. ¡®Now I have gone and done it! Those warlocks seem to know that their subordinate is dead!¡¯ The warlock, who shot Dark Bullet in the beginning, seemed to be twice stronger than the dead one. There was no way that the same attacks from Belfair would work on him. Holding onto his chest, Belfair used every last energy in his body and transformed into a bat. He then flew toward the sea. Kwang! In the place where Belfair was standing a while back, something blasted and dust rose everywhere. The person that appeared there was Nestar, in his usual colorful robe. ¡°Uh, I missed it.¡± Looking at the sea, he mumbled to himself, feeling regret. He sensed Albert¡¯s magi running wild after he went down to chase the spy. Looking around, he was shocked to find Albert¡¯s dead body with his chest pierced. ¡°T-this can¡¯t be!¡± He shook Albert¡¯s body, trying to get him back. However, no matter how much he shook it, Albert, who was dead, didn¡¯t wake up. ¡°Uhhhh! Who is he?! Who was the bastard who did this to my son?! Uahhhh!¡± With Albert in his arms, the magi in Nestar began to rise. His cry of sorrow was so loud that it resounded in the entire island. Belfair¡¯s ears hurt while listening to it. ¡°Phew, if I was a little late, it would have turned into a huge mess for me¡­ Ugh!¡± He glanced over at the island in relief as his body plunged toward the land. The injuries he had suffered from Nestar and Albert were severe. However, it was nothing compared to using Divine power with the body of a demon. Barely being able to flap his wings, he rose once again. ¡°Damn, I will drown at this rate.¡± It would be nice if there was a trading ship passing by, but there wasn¡¯t even a single common fishing boat around the Hell Islands. Belfair flew hard and found a monster that was glancing at him over the misty water. Seeing it, he found out that it was a whale that floated to the surface to take a breath. Belfair managed to come up with something, and he immediately began to use every last bit of his energy and uttered a spell. Dominate Eye, a specialty of the Vampire race. He had always used this ability on low-level creatures, but fortunately, the whale accepted him. ¡°Let me be on your back, cute one!¡± Poooh! The whale spewed water from its nostrils as if saying okay and approached Belfair while sticking out his back. Belfair sighed in relief as he escaped from drowning. After that, he returned to the Symphonia Kingdom while on the whale¡¯s back. Chapter 631 - Clash Between Red Dragon King and Luke 2 Cang! Kwang! Slash! Puck! Pung! Pung! Whenever the spear and sword clashed, the surrounding air all exploded with force. As the strongest representatives of the Southern and Northern continent, every move of them shook the ground beneath their feet. Occasionally, when the two men collided, a shock wave would spread into the air as if cannons burst in close range to the camp. The soldiers who were at the forefront of the camp flew back with every shock wave from the attacks, and a few would step back without their knowledge. ¡°That is amazing! I would have believed if someone said that Hero class Gigants were fighting.¡± Count Reynard, who had a unique sense of power because of being a mixed-race of Lycan, trembled watching the fight between Luke and Lee Yong-mu. A Sword Master of Sword Sage was considered to be a one-man legion, however, such people were rarely seen. He wondered if it should have been a giant and a dragon fighting one another, like the myths he heard. ¡®The fights of the middle ages. No, well, His Majesty is being pushed back, but we can always reverse that with the use of magic.¡¯ In the midst of fierceness, Luke was gradually getting pushed back. However, Reynard and the knights of the Symphonia Kingdom weren¡¯t anxious at all. Their main force, Luke was a Rune Knight, he used both magic and sword, and reached the highest level a Rune Knight could. And such a person was showing only half of his abilities. Perhaps, while dealing with Lee Yong-mu, Luke wanted to check his sword skills and evaluate the opponent¡¯s skill. ¡°If the opponent can be figured out to some extent, then magic can be¡­¡± ¡°Count, if His Majesty uses magic, the fight will end very soon. Right?¡± ¡°Yes. Your Majesty is the strongest Rune Knight in history!¡± It was when Reynard was having small talk with the other knights, Hwang Bo-sung shook his head. ¡°He can¡¯t do that yet.¡± ¡°No, but why? If Your Majesty uses magic, that man can be overwhelmed, right?¡± ¡°Well, Majesty isn¡¯t in a situation where he could easily use magic.¡± To those who didn¡¯t understand what he said, Hwang Bo-sung explained it very detailed. ¡°While striking swords with someone with similar skills, can you read a book or do a mathematical equation?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Red Dragon King Lee Yong-mu is very different from every opponent His Majesty has ever competed. I mean, this isn¡¯t a battle where His Majesty could leisurely use magic.¡± And Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s words were indeed right. At first, Luke faced Lee Yong-mu with just a sword, to know how well the opponent was. However, that turned into a wrong turn. It was because Lee Yong-mu wasn¡¯t giving Luke the time to use magic. In order to prevent Lee Yong-mu¡¯s spear from coming right at him, Luke had to use his sword constantly without even closing his eyes. ¡®Tch, he isn¡¯t giving me the time to use magic.¡¯ Red Dragon King Lee Yong-mu was more than what Luke had expected. Luke was told that Yeon Ga-ram, was the famous zenith in the Southern Continent in the past. ¡®That too a warrior. Even Arsene cannot compare to him when it comes to battle sense.¡¯ The strongest opponent Luke had ever fought was Lich¡ªArsene. He had the excellent ability of a War Mage and had the terrifying magic which he had accumulated over 500 years. However, the sense of battle and the experience were a lot inferior for Arsene. All because he was a wizard who always stayed behind the scenes. Unlike him, Lee Yong-mu was trained in martial arts, and as if it was a daily task. Of course, he was great enough to excel in battle, and unlike Arsene, he had no arrogance. ¡®He might already know. That he would be at a disadvantage if I end up using magic.¡¯ Lee Yong-mu also managed to get information about Luke from the sources under his command. He didn¡¯t get much information, but he knew that Luke was very strong and that he should be too arrogant when dealing with him. Which was why, like the time when he dealt with Yeon Ga-ram in the past, he used his spear with all his might right from the beginning. ¡®Definitely a difficult situation, but¡­ why does this seem so fun?¡¯ Luke¡¯s specialty was magic. Although he gained fame for being a Rune Knight, he was a wizard to the core. But now, he wasn¡¯t even able to demonstrate his skills. Of course, using the powers divine power or the demon abilities would be able to change the battle. However, he thought that it would be very undesirable for him to showcase his abilities in front of thousands of soldiers. The only thing that he could use was the sword skills he had learned from the Rakan family. Luke had learned the second half of the Gold Sword. However, he hadn¡¯t mastered it like Yeon Ga-ram or Arch Duke Gregory. He decided to learn only those parts which seemed suitable for him. So, despite being unable to deal with the opponent with just his sword skills, Luke felt more excitement than fear. It was because his body was moving before his head. And he knew that the fight would help him grow a lot more. Woong! Woong! When Luke was in the midst of the fight, the Holy Sword, Valiant which was reflecting in his eyes, began to cry out a bright light. As a response to the master¡¯s heart, it was exerting energy. For a brief minute, Lee Yong-mu¡¯s eyes were taken by the mysterious energy of the Holy sword. And Luke didn¡¯t miss that gap. Cang! ¡°Hu¡­!¡± The spear blade of Lee Yong-mu¡¯s spear got cut off with a loud sound. As the spear blades were repeatedly being used, Lee Yong-mu was flustered. Taking three steps back and in a defensive position, Lee Yong-mu asked Luke. ¡°That isn¡¯t an ordinary sword.¡± ¡°It is a sword that cut off the breath of a person called the Devil King in the past.¡± The person whose breath was stopped¡ªwas himself. Because of that, Luke was forced to put up a proud smile instead of a bitter smile. However, Lee Yong-mu, who didn¡¯t know of that, was feeling bad. ¡°Tch, if I had known that you had such a sword, I would have come out with the Heaven¡¯s perception¡­¡± ¡°Heaven¡¯s perception?¡± As it was the first time Luke had heard it, he tilted his head. ¡°It was a weapon used by our ancestors who were called Shin-jang in the past. He defeated the Apostasy with it.¡± The spear which Lee Yong-mu was using currently was a defense spear, which the Emperor had given in the past, although it was a masterpiece, it still didn¡¯t fall short when compared to Luke¡¯s Valiant. But that didn¡¯t mean that Lee Yong-mu didn¡¯t feel bad for leaving that weapon back home. Regardless of whether it was possible or not, the one in his hand was the spear currently being held. ¡°Well that is good, there is a gap, so I thought that you would use magic right away, but this is shocking.¡± ¡°I too thought so, somehow I didn¡¯t feel like it.¡± At Lee Yong-mu¡¯s words, Luke laughed and shrugged his shoulders. Rather than a great attack magic like Hellfire, only the occasional blowing of fireballs or magic arrows would make an effect on Lee Yong-mu. Even though he could, Luke didn¡¯t use magic, all because of his greed to defeat the man with pure sword skills. In addition, unlike Arsene and the other undead, there was a desire in him to honor Lee Yong-mu, the loyalist of the Song Empire, the greatest warrior. ¡°Whoo ho ho. It feels like you are treating me with respect.¡± Smirk. With a small laugh, Luke affirmed it but suddenly asked. ¡°Well, you wouldn¡¯t be offended if I don¡¯t use magic, right?¡± Sometimes, there were the proud knights or wizards. Those who get the kick in the battle only when the opponent shows their full ability. ¡°No way. Regardless of the means, isn¡¯t the King trying to do his best by using just the sword?¡± ¡°Huh. well¡­¡± Luke, had a huge smile, and raised his sword again, and pointed it at Lee Yong-mu. ¡°Well, I caught my breath, so let¡¯s keep fighting.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Lee Yong-mu nodded his head and gripped the spear. At that moment, the momentum which seemed to collapse brought out a huge energy from his body. If the opponent was someone normal, that energy alone would have been able to defeat them. However, the opponent was Luke. So, he too began to release the Golden aura and took the lead. He ran towards Lee Yong-mu and used the Holy sword. Cang! Taking a step back, Lee Yong-mu blocked Luke¡¯s attacks with the spear. And the sword which came right after he turned the spear to defend came in one after the other. ¡®Huh? this is¡­?¡¯ Luke, who kept on attacking, was shocked with different results. His attacks were far more powerful than when the Valiant Sword resonated. However, Lee yong-mu was still able to block it with his spear. Even if the spear blades were cut or broken. Because of that, Luke took a close look as he wanted to realize if he was supposed to use Hyper Aura or any other hidden ability. But that wasn¡¯t it. Lee Yong-mu launched in for a counter-attack. Kwang! Bang! Bang! The spear split into dozens right in front of his eye, almost as if the dragon had turned into the snake and rushed for Luke. It was so flashy that it felt dizzy, but each spear contained a powerful blow that could move past a rocky mountain. It was amazing yet strange, but Luke managed to figure out Lee Yong-mu¡¯s skill. ¡®Right! The spear, well, it is Hyper Aura condensing into a single point.¡¯ Even the flowing water could be turned strong enough to cut down stones when it finds the right hole to put the pressure in. Among attacks or magic attacks, there were techniques that would create strong power and damage by just a small amount of magic. And Dark Bullet was such a thing which Luke used. The problem was that it was never that easy to control the magic concentration at one point. And it¡¯s a lot more difficult to use a Hyper Aura in such a way. However, every time the spear blade and his sword collided, the energy condensed into invisible points! ¡®The strongest man in the South is surely not an easy one to deal with!¡¯ Luke, with a smile on his face, decided to respond to the attacks differently. The Golden aura on his sword disappeared in an instant. The Yemaek troops and the Symphonia knights who saw that were filled with concern. For them, it looked like Luke was out of mana. However, Lee Yong-mu¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡®Maybe he is going to use the same one as me?¡¯ Kwang! The moment the weapons crossed, flame rose in the air. The spear blade of Lee Yong-mu¡¯s turned shorter than before, and Luke¡¯s Valiant echoed with a groan. ¡°Stealing and learning isn¡¯t an easy task¡­¡± Luke shrugged and replied to Lee Yong-mu, who was in shock. ¡°It is because I know how to use a similar skill with magic.¡± ¡°Even then, you were overwhelmed. Getting hit with my energy, and then suddenly trying to rupture the air around us, it isn¡¯t something anyone can do, you fine?¡± At Lee Yong-mu¡¯s point, sweat dripped from Luke¡¯s forehead. As he said, the Aether globe on Luke¡¯s heart was moving quickly, and the mana in his body was flowing at a high speed. It was a natural reaction because Luke was going against such a strong man, and he didn¡¯t even have a practice battle to warm up his body. ¡°Kuk, you don¡¯t need to worry about me. No matter how I seem, I am tough enough to die and then come back alive.¡± At Luke¡¯s blunt words, Lee Yong-mu smiled. He thought the truth to be a joke. And it wasn¡¯t just Luke that felt good fighting Lee Yong-mu. Apart from it being an important confrontation, Lee Yong-mu was excited about the battle. He had never fought such a strong person since that one time in the past. Chapter 632 - Clash Between Red Dragon King and Luke 3 Lee Yong-mu and Luke were enjoying their duel, but those who were watching it weren¡¯t so much. It was because the morale of the armies on both sides was at stake. However, the rebels, generals, and even King Biryu were watching patiently. But that wasn¡¯t the case for those in the Song Empire camp. In particular, those who worked for Hwang Bo-kwang. ¡°Damn it, does Lee Yong-mu not have the heart to fight properly?!¡± Yang-gwi, who was given the position of the commander for the current battle, burst into anger while watching the fight of Lee Yong-mu. At first, it seemed like he was seriously fighting with his Ki, however, as time extended it seemed like his Ki was slowing down. Of course, it was just his misunderstanding, both Luke and Lee Yong-mu were in the middle of the battle exchanging their fierce blows while carefully controlling their weapons. However, it was hard for Yang-gwi, who was a former civilian to recognize how the battle went. The lieutenant who listened to him explained it. ¡°It might look like they are playing, but General Lee Yong-mu and the opponent are showing a very high level of skills.¡± ¡°Huh, you call that high-level skills?! Even if that was the case, they fight with no commitment and passion!¡± Lee Yong-mu was revered as the strongest warrior in the Southern Continent. In addition, he was always used for ambushes and assassinations in every war. However, in the current one-on-one confrontation, he was dragging time. ¡°What do you think? Do you really think that I am wrong?¡± The complexion of those who were dispatched by Hwang Bo-kwang changed at the question of Yang-gwi. ¡°If the Red Dragon King is fighting with this spirit, then as the commander said¡­ there is a possibility that he is siding with Jo Won-rak.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Yang-gwi argued that if the Red Dragon King was really using his full skills, he would have already cut off the Northern Continent King with a single strike. ¡°Uhm, then it is a huge problem for us.¡± ¡°If he really sided with Jo Won-rak, do you think that there is any way for us to take an upper hand?¡± It wasn¡¯t just one of the two generals who admired Lee Yong-mu. And it was no different because there were 100,000 soldiers who had the same admiration for him. Not just the Imperial army would fall for Lee Yong-mu¡¯s words, but there was a possible chance for the army to turn into rebels. When the people¡¯s complexion went pale, Yang-gwi¡¯s lips formed a huge smile. ¡°Do you really think that our advisor released that old monster without any measures? He prepared a way to subdue that old man and sent that one.¡± Having said that, he took out a wax doll from his sleeve. The doll, which had spells engraved on it, was a technique used to control or assassinate the humans with magic. And inside the doll was a hair strand of Lee Yong-mu, who had offered it as a proof of loyalty to the regent. ¡°The impact on the doll is supposed to be passed to the real subject. No matter how strong he is, he won¡¯t be able to live once his heart or brain is crushed.¡± Meanwhile, Yang-gwi stabbed the doll with a needle. Of course, he had no intention of killing Lee Yong-mu right away. It was intended to be used once Lee Yong-mu¡¯s attempt of betrayal turned clear. ¡°Honestly, this doll has no use, Lee Yong-mu¡¯s family members are currently staying in the residence in the capital. Considering that they would be hostages under us, Lee Yong-mu wouldn¡¯t make such a move.¡± At the words of Yang-gwi, the men under Hwang Bo-kwang sighed in relief. ¡°I am relieved to hear that. But, I have a question.¡± ¡°Question?¡± ¡°Yes, if he is already siding with Jo Won-rak, is there any reason to go ahead like this? There could have been a more easy and safe way than this, right?¡± This was what the man meant. While the two troops were confronting here, the enemy¡¯s troops could advance secretly and hit the capital. That was the most likely opinion, but Yang-gwi shook his head. He too was concerned about that, so he had already released scouts to all the regions to monitor the movement of the enemies. As a result, he knew that the enemy people didn¡¯t even split from the main troops. And the rebels in the enemy troops weren¡¯t in the war to defeat the regent or take over the throne, they were to defeat those who used the Kangshi. And the enemy didn¡¯t seem to divide into multiple forces. ¡°Then what the hell are¡­¡± When Yang-gwi and the other person were in doubt, the lieutenant next to them who listened to the conversation opened his mouth. ¡°Commander, I don¡¯t know what this is, but if the Red Dragon King decides to sides with the enemy, should we strike first?¡± ¡°You mean to strike first?¡± ¡°Yes, if we attack from his side, wouldn¡¯t those people of the other army think that Lee Yong-mu cheated on them?¡± Surely the enemy commander could think of it to be an accidental situation. However, the people who suffered the damage because of the attack wouldn¡¯t consider it, and if they were attacked with a massive attack that blew up many of their allies, they would fight back. And if it turned into a mess, the Imperial army could go ahead with their place. In addition, if the Song Imperial army decided to strike, the enemy would surely be in confusion to respond right away. ¡°Fine, lieutenant, prepare for a surprise attack. We must move quietly so that neither Lee Yong-mu nor the enemy notices us.¡± ¡°Yes, but what about those who don¡¯t follow the orders¡­?¡± At the lieutenant¡¯s concerns, Yang-gwi smiled. ¡°Is there anything to worry about? If you say that it was a plan that Lee Yong-mu had devised beforehand, they will follow us without any doubt.¡± ¡°Kukkk, understood.¡± The men of Hwang Bo-kwang didn¡¯t know that Lee Yong-mu and Luke were fighting purely out of respect for each other. And as was ordered¡ª100,000 Song Imperial troops began to move for the surprise attack. Chapter 633 - Downfall 1 ¡°Huh¡­¡± ¡°What is it, Your Majesty?¡± When King Biryu was looking serious, Jo Won-rak frowned and asked, ¡°Are you not happy with how the fight is proceeding?¡± ¡°No, it is because of the movement of the Song Empire. It seems suspicious.¡± Biryu, who had excellent skills in the continent, had sharp eyes too. His eyesight was far superior compared to other experts, so it was rumored that King Biryu could even look at the stars in broad daylight. Honestly, it was not that great, but the level of movement in the enemy camp was clear enough. ¡°It looks like they are going to strike us in surprise.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it good to be prepared.¡± When Biryu said that, a messenger rushed to him. Looking at the flag on him, he was dispatched with the Symphonia Kingdom¡¯s army. ¡°What is it?¡± At Biryu¡¯s question, the messenger hurriedly knelt on one knee and answered, ¡°Your Majesty, the Symphonia Army has stated that the movement behind the Song Army turned busy.¡± While Luke was between the fight with Lee Yong-mu, the war mages of the Symphonia Army were keeping an eye on the Song troops with Fly magic. Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s men didn¡¯t know that the opponent was keeping an eye on them. It was because they were too involved in the betrayal of Lee Yong-mu and the initiation of the surprise attack that they ignored the movements of the wizards around them. ¡°I knew it. They were planning for a surprise attack. Immediately, put all the troops on the artillery range and deploy the defense troops and the rear troops to respond to the cavalry attacks of the enemy!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± The rebel troops and even the Yemaek troops began to move. No matter how much attention they were paying on Luke and Lee Yong-mu, the troops of Yemaek couldn¡¯t help but notice the changes. After exchanging blows, they took a step back to catch their breath. ¡°While we were in battle, something seems to have happened in the camp.¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Lee Yong-mu looked ahead and clicked his tongue. ¡°Tch, it seems that my camp¡¯s heads are turning impatient.¡± Lee Yong-mu was so busy fighting Luke that he didn¡¯t see the movement of those in his own camp. However, now, even the opposite side was preparing for the surprise attack. He understood that his camp was planning to do something without any orders from him. ¡°Red Dragon King, what are you going to do? When a full-fledged battle occurs, we will have to return back to your camp. It is a pity that our confrontation will end halfway.¡± ¡°I still think that there¡¯s little time left for us to complete it, don¡¯t you think?¡± Luke turned to Lee Yong-mu as he heard regret in his voice. ¡°Do you think we will see the end within what little time is left of us?¡± The fight between the two people was tight. Until then, they have been fighting for an hour, and they wanted the battle to end with just a few more strikes. Was that even possible? ¡°Then, would you like to go back like this and regret it?¡± At Lee Yong-mu¡¯s subtle provocation, Luke burst into laughter. When he saw that the man was confident enough to bring the end of the battle, his spirits began to rise. ¡®It is stupid to fall for an opponent¡¯s provocation.¡¯ His sober brain was trying to warn him. However, Luke¡¯s body had no intention of following it. He fought numerous enemies in the past as well as the present. With the desire to create a world where people could live with equal rights, he always fought tough enemies. Those, who were stronger than himself, like Arsene. He still had numerous fights ahead of himself. Fights he wasn¡¯t supposed to lose at any cost. Unlike his other fights that had a lot at stake, this current confrontation was very enjoyable. Even though he knew that losing the battle over there would put his life in jeopardy, he didn¡¯t want to avoid the battle for some reason, even though the chance to withdraw was right ahead of him. That was how much he liked the man in front of him, the warrior called Lee Yong-mu, the Red Dragon King. He definitely wanted to see the end of it and wanted to be the one to win. It was his will and his ambition upon being a knight, not as a wizard. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s finish this.¡± ¡°Huhuhu, I knew you would come through.¡± Lee Yong-mu smiled with joy and grabbed his spear. At the same time, Luke changed his posture and concentrated all his aura by activating the Aether globe. ¡®I am already well aware of Lee Yong-mu¡¯s skills. Now is the time to break it.¡¯ Luke thought that the spear of Lee Yong-mu was a real storm to deal with. Sometimes, the spear was as flexible as the wind, and sometimes, it was as strong as hail and thunderstorms. The scary thing was how accurately the spear would move and attack its target as if there was magic around it, controlling its movements. If the opponent wasn¡¯t careful enough, he could die in a single blow from that terrifying spear. ¡®In front of that storm, even hot flames will go out so will the large trees. There is one way to overcome such a storm! Only one!¡¯ To jump into it without any hesitation. To dance along with the storm and pierce the heart of the dragon that crouched in the wind! That was the only conclusion Luke could come at. Bang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Luke jumped in boldly at the spear. Knowing that the tip of Lee Yong-mu¡¯s spear would aim for his vital points like his neck and heart, Luke swung his sword to avoid Lee Yong-mu¡¯s attacks. ¡®Kuak! He is taking a defensive move to attack?¡¯ ¡®This fight won¡¯t end unless we put our bodies on the line!¡¯ The two people exchanged words with their eyes, and they fought again without hesitation. Cang! Cang! Caeng! Bang! Along with the spear, a white trajectory struck the air countless times. At that moment, a red mist rose and surrounded them both. It was a phenomenon that got created by the drops of blood that fell around them and was mixed with the air. The eyes of both side¡¯s troops, who were preparing for the surprise attack, focused on the battle once again. ¡°Look over there! They are fighting more intensely than before!¡± ¡°That is all blood!¡± Speaking of the fight, the battle of the two men seemed like a dragon and a giant storm. However, even though it seemed like a fight for life or death, the two men seemed to move elegantly. ¡°What are you doing?! Hurry up and prepare to attack!¡± The troops of the Song Empire went out and prepared to attack. Nevertheless, as the movements slowed down, the men of Hwang Bo-kwang yelled at them. ¡°You slugs! Hurry up, hurry up!¡± ¡°If you won¡¯t follow my command, I will slash your throats!¡± While the men were yelling at them, the battle between the dragon and the storm in the bloody fog reached its peak. ¡°This is the end!¡± Cang! Puak! Valiant went for Lee Yong-mu, and the spear went for Luke¡¯s chest. ¡°Ah! That is¡­!¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Including Hwang Bo-sung, the knights of the Symphonia Kingdom, who were watching the fight, went pale. It was because the worst possible result just happened in front of them. But then¡­ Pop! Lee Yong-mu¡¯s spear broke into pieces. With that, Luke, who was holding Valiant, pushed toward Lee Yong-mu. ¡°This will be the last one!¡± Suk! In the swift movement that no one else could see, Lee yong-mu saw Luke¡¯s movements. Yet, he wasn¡¯t able to move. It wasn¡¯t just the spear that got shattered. It was because he could feel his body move a lot slower than Luke. ¡®Well, this is surely my¡­¡¯ The swordsman, Yeon Ga-ram, the only days he fought with ambition. It was a similar feeling to the day he was defeated by a swordsman named Yeon Ga-ram. Although, not exactly the same, Lee Yong-mu smiled with satisfaction, seeing that he would fall for the Gold Light God Sword, which he used to feel inspired by. At that moment, his entire vision was filled with a gold light. Pung! Swooosh! With a terrifying noise, the golden sword pierced Lee Yong-mu. Clear blood rose from him. ¡°Kuak!¡± Blood flowed out of Lee Yong-mu¡¯s chest. Slash! The tip of the spear, which was stuck in Luke¡¯s heart, got pushed out, and the wound began to heal. ¡°Hu! Hu!¡± Luke kept healing himself in the speed of light. He chocked because of the aftermath of the battle. Clenching his teeth, he raised the sword to the sky. The fight between the Southern Red Dragon and the Northern Giant ended with the victory on the Giant¡¯s side. Chapter 634 - Downfall 2 Chapter 634: Downfall 2 ¡°Woahhh!¡± ¡°Your Majesty has won!¡± ¡°The Northern King defeated the Red Dragon King!¡± Starting from the Symphonia Kingdom troops, shouts of joy began to spread throughout the allied forces. In contrast to that, the Song Empire troops froze in shock. Even Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s men, who were suspicious of Lee Yong-mu, couldn¡¯t help but be shocked by the result of the battle. It couldn¡¯t be. The Red Dragon King lost. ¡°Commander, what should we do now?¡± ¡°What do you mean what!? Hurry up and do what I ordered!¡± In the midst of the commotion, Yang-gwi sent the men, who froze, because of the result. Meanwhile, Lee Yong-mu squeezed out every last bit of his energy and approached Luke to speak to him. ¡°Kuak! Congratulations¡­ Huh.¡± ¡°No, it was an unfavorable fight.¡± Had Lee Yong-mu fought with a weapon that was equivalent to Valiant, then the results wouldn¡¯t be the same. The spear wouldn¡¯t have shattered when it collided with the Hyper Aura, or the spear wouldn¡¯t have missed Luke¡¯s heart even after being blocked. ¡°The thing in the last¡­ the last move¡­ Can you tell me about it?¡± At Lee Yong-mu¡¯s request, Luke nodded with a smile. ¡°If I¡¯m going to name it, then I guess it¡¯s called Clock Up Sword. I realized it after fighting you.¡± The confrontation with Lee Yong-mu gave Luke a great understanding of the sword. And one of that was the instant condensation of the Hyper Aura into a single point on the weapon. However, the most decisive thing he managed to create was the last trick using the second half of the Gold Sword, the Clock Up Sword. ¡°Clock Up Sword¡­ Parallel acceleration, kuek! The last one in the Gold Light God Sword.¡± Lee Yong-mu looked at Luke and asked one final request. His life was running out, and both his eyes were turning heavy. ¡°All the sins¡­ were done by the higher-ups¡­ Please, let the soldiers and the people¡­ Have mercy on them.¡± Whoong! He closed his eyes. At one point, his entire body was wrapped in a warm energy. ¡®This is weird. I thought that my body would feel cold right after losing so much blood.¡¯ Was he dead and already in heaven? Lee Yong-mu opened his eyes and saw Luke with a smile on his lips. Warm energy was flowing from the right hand of the king. ¡°Th-that is¡­?¡± ¡°Divine power. Even I can use the power of a priest.¡± Although Luke almost got stabbed in his chest, his Aether Globe was perfectly fine. That was why he didn¡¯t just heal himself but also Lee Yong-mu. ¡°Huh, I didn¡¯t think that I would survive that¡­¡± Lee Yong-mu stroked his head and chest, feeling surprised to see only a scar on his body. He heard stories from the merchants of the North that the priests in the Northern Continent had the power of heaven and could exert abilities similar to the temples in the South. However, it was his first time experiencing it. Moreover, the person, who healed him, was an enemy whose life was at risk because of himself! ¡°Since my life was saved, I will one day try to repay the grace shown on me.¡± When lee Yong-mu said that¡­ ¡°Grace, huh? You don¡¯t need to repay it later. Why not do it now?¡± Luke pointed to the Song troops. The artillery units had come ahead as if they were going to attack, and the rear was bustling with the cavalry units, getting ready to attack. Lee Yong-mu, who was shocked for a while, replied, ¡°If you promise to bury those who sinned, I will follow you.¡± ¡°Of course, I will.¡± As Luke nodded, Lee Yong-mu looked around and picked up a spear. It was the halberd that Shirley had dropped in the first battle. As his spear was broken, he needed a new weapon to replace it temporarily. Lee Yong-mu struck the ground with the halberd and shouted at the Song Imperial troops. ¡°Stop everyone!¡± Fearing his command, the Song Imperial Army stopped. The Red Dragon King, who they thought would end up dead, was alive and standing. The officers, who cried out for revenge because of Lee Yong-mu¡¯s death, were shocked. ¡°There is no more reason to fight in here! Our true enemies are in the capital!¡± At Lee Yong-mu¡¯s cry, the Song Imperial troops froze. No one in the troop was foolish enough to not know who the enemies Lee Yong-mu was referring to. Of course, the first to notice was Commander Yong-gwi and Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s men. ¡°Lee Yong-mu! You want to betray the nation and rebel against the emperor!?¡± ¡°Shut up, bastard! Haven¡¯t you guys committed treason! Do you think that I didn¡¯t know how you men are trying to hurt His Majesty by using the assassins of Salmek!¡± Lee Yong-mu thumped the halberd while shouting. Each time he thumped it to the ground, the ground shook, and Lee Yong-mu¡¯s cry echoed through the sky. Yang-gwi had to hold himself strong because of his sweat and took out the wax doll from his sleeve. He had to punish Lee Yong-mu as soon as possible. If he didn¡¯t do it, there was a chance that the troops of Song would turn against him. ¡°Lee Yong-mu! You ungrateful old man! You will pay the price for leaving us!¡± Once he said that, Yang-gwi pushed a needle through the heart of the wax doll, and the light flashed over the inscription on the doll. But that was the end. Rather than Lee Yong-mu vomiting blood or falling to the ground, he was walking toward him. Yang-gwi was flustered and stabbed the doll¡¯s heart once again, yet nothing happened. ¡°Hahaha, you guys are stupid! Did you really think that I would pass my loyalty to you men that easily?¡± Laughing, Lee Yong-mu took off his helmet and threw it away. His shaved head appeared. Before entering the Imperial palace, he had shaved his head, and in front of Jo Won-gyun and Hwang Bo-kwang, he cut off the horsehair wig he had worn in advance. Lee Yong-mu¡¯s shaved head was a huge shock to the entire Song Empire Army. In the Southern Continent, especially the Song and Yemaek, a man¡¯s hair was the pride of a man. Therefore, no one thought that Lee Yong-mu, who had the right to be proud of being the best warrior in the Southern Continent would shave off his hair. ¡°Should I feel ashamed for correcting my nation! Sons of Song Empire! It isn¡¯t too late now! Defeat the sinners and prove your loyalty!¡± At the cry of Lee Yong-mu, appreciation rose from all over the Song troops. ¡°Wah! Let¡¯s follow the General!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t live as the dogs of Hwang Bo-kwang!¡± Yang-gwi and the others tried to suppress the turmoil that was raging. However, there were very few who trusted their words. The situation turned irreversible as the rebels advanced. Eventually, Yang-gwi and his men fled, and the 100,000 Song Imperial troops, who were dispatched to stop Jo Won-rak, ended up joining the rebels on Jo Won-rak¡¯s side. With that, the men of Hwang Bo-kwang, who once dominated the Empire, began to fall rapidly. Chapter 635 - Downfall 3 The turnover of the Red Dragon King¡¯s stance was quickly known in huge numbers. Unsurprisingly, the Song Imperial palace who heard the news was overturned. ¡°What? Lee Yong-mu asked the troops along with him to surrender over to Jo Won-rak?¡± ¡°That is right. It is said that after being defeated in the confrontation with the Northern King, he suddenly spoke to the soldiers and expressed his disgust for the current ruling.¡± At the report of the servant, the officials who were in the throne room got up and began to talk about Lee Yong-mu¡¯s actions. ¡°We were deceived by Lee Yong-mu!¡± ¡°Right. He had no intention of stopping the Yemaek troops at all, he only wanted to talk with Jo Won-rak!¡± ¡°We need to punish the traitor right away!¡± Jo Won-gyun, was frowning at all the requests the officials had asked them. ¡°We need to punish Lee Yong-mu who couldn¡¯t be taken down from the cursed doll¡­ any ideas?¡± ¡°Well, of course by mobilizing the Eorim troops¡­¡± Bang! Jo Won-gyun strongly struck the armrest in the chair he was sitting on. With a sharp voice, he yelled. ¡°Eorim troops are the last troops left to protect the Imperial family! But you want to mobilize that troops? Then who will protect the capital and the Imperial palace?¡± Eorim unit was created by gathering orphans all over the nation and putting them into intensive training and made them loyal to the Imperial family. It was a total of 100,000 members. Because of them, the Song Empire was able to stand tall for thousands of years, it was the last shield which protected the Imperial family. Jo Won-gyun, and Hwang Bo-kwang who decided to devour the Song Empire, took control of the Eorim heads. And such a group to be dispatched? Didn¡¯t that mean that the Imperial family would be unprotected? ¡°If not the Eorim, there is no one who can stop Lee Yong-mu and the Yemaek troops.¡± The minister¡¯s words had meaning. According to the recent information, the Yemaek troops alone were around 100,000. In addition, the rebels who followed Jo Won-rak and the troops of Lee Yong-mu were close to being 300,000. In order to win over such a large army, there would be no favorable end if the enemy reached the capital. Among the central troops, around 100,000 elite soldiers followed Lee Yong-mu and joined the enemy army, and the remaining 200,000 in the capital were all novice and recent recruits. Not only did they lack training, but the troops gathered all over the capital and nearby areas wouldn¡¯t reach the Imperial palace in time. ¡®F*ck! This is all because of that disgusting old man!¡¯ Jo Won-gyun, grinded his teeth and gave out orders. ¡°There will be a large number of family members of Lee Yong-mu. Grab them and take them to the wall.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t they be executed?¡± ¡°The execution will be postponed until a later time, once we take that man as our hostage.¡± It was a very mean trick, but the Imperial palace was in a sticky situation. Immediately, Eorim troops left the Imperial palace and attacked Lee Yong-mu¡¯s home. However, they couldn¡¯t do their mission. The entire home was empty. ¡°We found a tunnel on one side of the wall. It looks like they have escaped.¡± Jo Won-gyun was getting irritated at the report of Eorim troops. It seemed like Lee Yong-mu was ready from the very beginning, he was intentionally thinking of betraying the Imperial palace, so he dug a tunnel to move the family to safety. ¡°They can¡¯t get out of our grasp just yet. Search through the capital and find them!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± After the General of Eorim went out of the room, Jo Won-gyun began to panic. Nothing was going along to his plans. ¡°Damn! Damn! Damn it¡­!¡± Hwang Bo-kwang, who was watching Jo Won-gyun panic, opened his mouth. ¡°Sire, I feel like we need to use Daeryang.¡± ¡°Huh? You mean to change it?¡± As Jo Won-gyun looked up startled, Hwang Bo-kwang nodded. ¡°That is right. With our current troops holding the capital would be tough. So, it would be better to collect the current power and destroy the current one to gain time to move away to the west.¡± ¡°Then, the sentiment of people in the capital would turn for Jo Won-rak!¡± It wasn¡¯t like Jo Won-gyun didn¡¯t think about shifting the capital. However, he decided to use it when the situation was worst for him, and there was a reason for not going with it. The capital had political capitals and economic stability and was in the center of the Song Empire. In addition, as there were many people who came Daeryang for study admissions, the public sentiment in Daeryang would influence the people of the Song Empire. For that reason, even in the past, in any civil war, the king would try to enter the capital. ¡°If we move and leave at once, Jo Won-rak won¡¯t stay silent. It is obvious that he will try win over the public favor of those in Daeyrang by all the means.¡± And there was another problem which Jo Won-gyun was concerned about. The presence of the Emperor. The Emperor had been kidnapped by someone else, and they seemed to be hiding the presence of the Emperor. ¡°As you said, if we leave, that would happen. However, we can do enough if we act in advance.¡± ¡°Advance?¡± Hwang Bo-kwang had a smile on his mouth as he approached Jo Won-gyun. And whispered what he thought in secret. Hearing the explanation, Jo Won-gyun, who was startled for a second, smiled sneakily. ¡°Kukuku. If we follow as you said, we can wash away all our worries at once.¡± ¡°Yes. And the enemies will bite and fight with each other.¡± Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s plan was something Jo Won-gyun would have never thought of. Normal people would never think of it. Well, it was because such things weren¡¯t meant to be thought of. However, Jo Won-gyun, who had lost his sight because of his desire for power, laughed and accepted the operation. Chapter 636 - Downfall 4 Late in the night, the massive slums in Dearyang capital. There was a well which was used for public uses in the slums, which were all lined with shacks. One well was provided to each district, it was an important source of drinking water for the residents of the slums. Therefore, the residents of the close vicinity would take turns to protect the water in the well. It was because if some prankster with ill intentions threw dirt into the well, and the waters couldn¡¯t be used for a while. ¡°Look here, Mr. Dong. A few days ago, didn¡¯t you say that the General, Red Dragon King himself led the army out?¡± A man in shabby clothes spoke to a neighbor who was on duty with him. The neighbor immediately began to give him the news. ¡°Have you heard about it? The 3rd prince who joined hands with the Northern barbarians came all the way to the point that the entire capital is being flipped.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it irrelevant who is on the throne, right? Whoever becomes the Emperor, our lives don¡¯t turn out any better¡­¡± ¡°What you say is right¡­ this is a world for the rich!¡± The two men continued their conversation and kept shifting topics to ward off drowsiness. The deeper the night, the slower the time seemed to move. ¡°By the way, have you heard of this rumor?¡± ¡°Rumor? Which one?¡± ¡°You know I am pretty close to Mr. Kang who lived two streets from over here. The one who works hard at the construction site along with me.¡± ¡°I know him.¡± ¡°Well, this is something that I heard from Mr. Kang yesterday, it seemed that one of the residents suddenly became a Kangshi.¡± ¡°What? Kangshi?!¡± The man was startled. It was because of the stories that he had heard in his childhood, the name itself brought fear into human bodies. ¡°Yeah, he suddenly turned into Kangshi and went into havoc.¡± It was a time when the poor were being helpless in riots and Kangshi. Suddenly, the Eorim troops emerged and suppressed the people who turned into Kangshi or were bitten by it and took them far. In addition, it was said that if people spread rumors regarding the matter, the entire locality would be arrested. Of course, that warning didn¡¯t help much in blocking the spread of rumors. ¡°Huh, but the nation is so noisy with all the war going on, and now a Kangshi is raging around! How on earth can a Kangshi even appear in Daeryang?¡± ¡°I understand how you feel. Well, it seems like some crazy bastard infiltrated the capital. Anyway, just be careful when you are moving around. Because we never know where and when a Kangshi would come out.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± It was when two of them were talking about it. A long shadow stretched behind them, and a man appeared there. He was tall¡ªwearing a black hood and holding a dagger. The man who showed up swung his dagger and cut off the necks of the two men. ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Gag!¡± The man, who killed the residents in an instant, clicked his tongue and wiped the blood off his dagger. ¡°F*ck! Because of those northern warlocks, only dirty blood is being spilled onto my precious dagger.¡± The grunting man was one of the second class murderers who was hired by Hwang Bo-kwang. Not long ago, a warlock from the Northern Continent was said to have poured a liquid into the food and alcohol of the Imperial family. It was said that the warlock made a mistake, however, it was believed that the liquid was mixed into the food for the purpose of experimentation. Anyway, those who ate the food turned into Kangshi. And since the existence of the Kangshi shouldn¡¯t be noticed by the people of Daeryang, Hwang Bo-kwang gave out orders to Salmek and Eorim troops to collect those who turned or were bitten by Kangshi. ¡°But this is being done today.¡± From his sleeve, a porcelain bottle was taken down. He had to sprinkle the liquid from the bottle into the water well, and the slum would turn into hell. ¡°Ki ki ki! I wonder why he suddenly changed the policy, well, it doesn¡¯t matter if I can get a large amount of money for it.¡± It was when the cap of the bottle was opened to pour it into the well. ¡°Stop!¡± Swoosh! From an alley on the left, a loud scream and something flew in and cut off his hand. It was a sword that had energy all around it. ¡°Kuak!¡± The murderer groaned and took a step back. The man who appeared like lightning took away the bottle and looked at the murderer. ¡°What is in here?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to answer. Well, I should just feed you with my sword so I¡¯ll know what this is.¡± The man who intercepted the bottle being opened was Hwang Bo-yun. After he rescued the Emperor, he and Zegal Shin hid him somewhere near the capital. It was to avoid the pursuit of Jo Won-gyun and Hwang Bo-kwang. However, they didn¡¯t stop monitoring the capital. They secretly held hands with Lee Yong-mu, and mobilized the Haomun¡¯s men and Zegal clan¡¯s intelligence members to monitor the movement of Jo Won-gyun and his family. As a result, they managed to discover that a group of men wearing black clothes was carrying out missions for Hwang Bo-kwang. Accordingly, Hwang Bo-yun followed the men along with Zegal Shin and was able to get a few down. ¡°Eiik, die!¡± The murderer threw his dagger at Hwang Bo-yun and began to try and run away. It was because he knew that Hwang Bo-yun was a strong person, and he couldn¡¯t win over him. He would be in trouble if Hwang Bo-yun got hold of him. ¡°Where should I try this?¡± ¡°Ehh! uh!¡± Hwang Bo-yun peeled the cap of the bottle and poured the contents into the mouth of the murderer whom he caught up. ¡°Kuak, kuak¡­ gulp!¡± Something shocking happened. Life was extinguished from the body, while he was groaning and rolling on the ground in pain and died. ¡°Poison?¡± Were they trying to poison and kill all the people in the slums? But why? It was when Hwang Bo-yun wasn¡¯t able to find an answer to his curiosity. The murderer¡¯s body which went pale suddenly got up and rushed towards him. Kikkkkik! ¡®Wh-what?! He turned into Kangshi?¡¯ Shocked, Hwang Bo-yun hurriedly swung his sword and cut off the hands of the Kangshi which were coming for him. However, the Kangshi didn¡¯t even care and kept moving ahead to bite him. And thanks to the quick response of Hwang Bo-yun, the Kangshi bit his sword. Clink! Clink! ¡®This is terrible!¡¯ Hwang Bo-yun¡¯s sword was made of steel alloys, it was similar to the armor of the Iron Giants of the northerners. No matter how strong it was supposed to be, the Kangshi seemed to have enough power to put cracks into the sword! ¡°Sky wave!¡± Hwang Bo-yun, began to gather energy into his left hand and cut down the Kangshi¡¯s neck. The Kangshi who got separated from its head from the body struggled for a while and fell to the floor. ¡°Tch, I was in trouble.¡± The other day, he received a report from Haomun that something was being spread in the slums which turned people into Kangshi. There was also a rumor that the Imperial palace too was given something like that, so the Emperor fell ill, which made everyone doubt Jo Won-gyun. ¡°They are trying out something more dangerous than I imagined. If I don¡¯t stop them¡­¡± If the disease spread, many people would turn into Kangshi and those bitten would spread it around. Just thinking about it made his body shudder. Hwang Bo-yun, who recovered from the sudden shock, immediately hurried over to another place. He stopped the current one, but there was no guarantee that the other wells weren¡¯t touched yet. ¡°Hwang Bo-yun? Why are you here¡­¡± When he ran over to the other slum which was close to his vicinity, the warriors of Zegal clan were gathered. As if properly handled, the assassins were on the ground bleeding, and the bottles were in the hands of Zegal Shin. Pop! Hwang Bo-yun hurriedly took the bottle and threw it into the bonfire which the residents had lit. The bottle smashed into the fire and the liquid evaporated. Zegal Shin, who covered his nose because of the terrible smell, asked. ¡°Was it some kind of poison?¡± ¡°It is a lot more dangerous than what we imagined.¡± Hwang Bo-yun gave out the details of what he saw a moment back. Zegal Shin¡¯s expression changed at once. ¡°This can¡¯t be! They are planning to turn everyone into Kangshi!¡± ¡°Before the day starts, we need to hurry up and figure out a way to take action!¡± Hwang Bo-yun and Zegal Shin contacted the subordinates who were in a hurry to protect the wells. Soon after, a report came in. They managed to block some wells, however, some wells were already poisoned due to the late arrival. Accordingly, Hwang Bo-yun instructed that he contaminated wells to be covered up. Since there was no right way to cleanse off the water, and it was inevitable to block the water for the people. ¡°Phew, we have it under control for the moment.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. The underground water sources are connected and there is no guarantee that the poison won¡¯t spread elsewhere.¡± ¡°Then what should we do?¡± ¡°Once the information comes that the Kangshi has appeared, we must prevent the spread as soon as possible. We need to actively prevent the use of water wells by spreading the information to the people.¡± And the rebel army too was approaching the capital, so they had to prepare for it. Hwang Bo-yun talked about the tactics in detail and Zegal Shin nodded his head. Forgetting that they had to sleep, they kept on taking walks on the streets of Daeryang till sunrise to prevent anymore problems. Chapter 637 - The Battle of Song 1 It was still early in the morning, yet the capital was already overturned. It was because a series of mass murders in the slums and other places of residence were recorded. Murders were a frequent occurrence in large populations, but the problem was the rumors that accompanied them. ¡°Really? Hwang Bo-kwang has poisoned the capital?¡± ¡°Yes, in the neighborhood in the next street, two of the heads, who were kept as guards at night, died. It was also said that a poison that turns people into Kangshi was created. You should never drink that water from the well!¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t joke about it. Where is such a poison?¡± ¡°That is because you don¡¯t know. Didn¡¯t you know that a Kangshi appeared in the slums last night? It was rumored that it was because of some disease, but in fact, it was because of Jo Won-gyun!¡± At first, people weren¡¯t believing the rumors, which were being spread by the men of Haomun at dawn. However, the situation changed as people, who drank the water from the well, suddenly lost their lives and died. Moreover, the controversy exploded when the body of the dead suddenly turned into Kangshi. ¡°You mean that poison is really Kangshi?¡± ¡°No mistake about it! Do you know Jang, the neighbor next door? The old lady in the family died after she drank water from the well, but then she got up and bit her daughter-in-law and killed her.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°But it is true. I saw it with my own eyes! If it weren¡¯t for the warriors who were passing by, something huge would have happened.¡± The words erupted everywhere. In addition, shortly after, monsters, who were supposed to be Kangshi, appeared on the streets and killed everyone in sight. While it was all happening, the Imperial Palace and ministers in the palace were rubbing their hands. The situation didn¡¯t worsen as they thought, the warriors of Haomun and the Zegal family were all stepping in to deal with the Kangshi. They weren¡¯t just dealing with the Kangshi, but they also told people how to deal with it with weapons and Zen. ¡°Everyone, never ever drink that water!¡± ¡°If you need water, get rainwater and drink it. Otherwise, make sure to boil the water before drinking it!¡± ¡°A body killed by Kangshi or bitten by it needs to be cremated!¡± Hwang Bo-yun and Zegal Shin found that the boiled water was fine to drink after they experimented on it while feeding it to dogs and hens. However, the poor were still exposed to dangers. It was because the prices of clean water and firewood had skyrocketed since countermeasures for Kangshi poison were known. The worst-case situations were prevented by using Haomun, but the rage of the poor couldn¡¯t be stopped. ¡°Those crazy bastards! Why poison such good wells?!¡± ¡°Even the Red Dragon King has turned toward Jo Won-rak, so maybe the regent¡¯s eyes went blind. He needs to hand over the power, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Does that make any sense for him to kill his own people?!¡± ¡°Have you heard the rumors yet? These men used the Kangshi as weapons during the conquest of Yemaek. They were all people like us.¡± In an instant, public sentiment shifted. However, it wasn¡¯t just the public sentiment that turned so ugly. A restaurant in the barracks of the Central Army located in the capital. ¡°What is even happening?! It is time to serve. Why are you being so sloppy?¡± The military officer, who was there to eat, was yelling at the chef that was nervous. ¡°Well, this was supposed to happen. No one want¡¯s to eat anything since morning.¡± ¡°What? Are you saying that these men reject the food that the emperor has given us?!¡± ¡°There were rumors that something strange was being spread in the water, so everyone is feeling hesitant.¡± Even inside the barracks, the words were flowing. Even the generals of the units were listening to what was going on outside. In addition, Haomun deliberately spread the information to the soldiers. ¡°Is that an excuse? It is all okay if the water is boiled!¡± ¡®Damn it. What am supposed to do if they don¡¯t want to eat?¡¯ The officer frowned at the chef. Rumors were circulating all around the barracks. ¡°The prince said that he was going to make all the central army into Kangshi!¡± It was an unpredictable rumor. However, rumors that Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s group creating the Kangshi and using them for war was spreading, and in the current war where Lee Yong-mu turned toward Jo Won-rak, people couldn¡¯t help but doubt. If an ordinary person was made into Kangshi, they would¡¯ve had the same fighting power as Kang Ho clans. If the soldiers of the Central Army were all turned into Kangshi, the troops would be a lot stronger. ¡°Convene the entire army right now! Those who don¡¯t eat will be punished according to military command!¡± Thus, the soldiers of the Central Army were forced to eat. Of course, they didn¡¯t like it, and their angry hearts quickly turned into resentment toward Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s group. ¡°Damn it. If I turn into Kangshi, the first one I will bite would be Hwang Bo-kwang and his henchmen!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak nonsense! If we turn into Kangshi, we will move according to their orders.¡± ¡°Yes, if they ask us to kill ourselves, we will do it.¡± By the time an ugly story was circulating among the soldiers, the military command fell. At first, they thought that it would be about stopping the enemy from advancing to Daeryang. However, the Central Army wasn¡¯t asked to move to the border of the capital but to a large city. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± ¡°There was a riot in the slums.¡± ¡°Riots?¡± ¡°Yes, the people started attacking the offices and the Imperial Palace.¡± The reason they moved was because of the order of Hwang Bo-kwang. When Eorim troops first appeared, the people thought that they were sent to solve the Kangshi situation. However, Eorim troops left out the Kangshi into the slums and caught the people who were spreading the rumors, and they even arrested the men who fought against them. Even if they refused to comply with the arrest, they were punished on the spot. Of course, the enraged public sentiment was bound to explode. ¡°Let¡¯s catch and kill the demons who are trying to kill the people in Daeryang!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get Jo Won-gyun and Hwang Bo-kwang, hit their necks!¡± At first, the offices near the slums were attacked and burnt. However, when the general public who had lost their relatives to the Kangshi joined the riots, all the offices in the capital and the residences of the high ranking officials were all attacked. And those people, who saw blood in their path, couldn¡¯t be stopped at all. Hwang Bo-yun and Zegal Shin only fuelled those flames. ¡°The rebel army of prince Jo Won-rak has come close!¡± ¡°The reason why His Majesty fell ill was because of Jo Won-gyun poisoning him!¡± ¡°It was said that the rebels have rescued the emperor from Jo Won-gyun!¡± ¡°The reason why Lee Yong-my has sided with the rebel army was because he was ordered by the emperor himself!¡± ¡°The real traitors are in the Imperial Palace!¡± As the situation turned very serious, the Central Army came out after the Eorim troops. Even the soldiers of the Hwang Bo clan began to suppress the people. But the mess didn¡¯t die so easily. It was because more than half of the population in the capital were participating in the riots, and at the forefront of them were the warriors of Haomun and Zegal clan, empowering their voices. Not just them, all the clans, who had been watching the situation of the capital, rose up and stood ahead with swords and bows in their hands. Many people were aware that Hwang Bo-kwang was the one who drove them to a corner. No one wanted their clan to be sacrificed. Woah! Wow! With a shout from far away, Jo Won-gyun clenched his fist firmly. The officials of the capital were all immersed in heavy silence. Not all the officials were safe in the palace. Some managed to flee quickly while others, who were caught by the rebels, were being kept in another place. Except for the officials who were brainwashed, those who remained back in the palace were all turning nervous. The situation wasn¡¯t that great. If the massive riots were still raging, and Jo Won-rak¡¯s army entered the capital and strikes them, everything would be over. ¡®Would I live if I ran away?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯d rather let Jo Won-gyun or Hwang Bo-kwang take the blame¡­¡¯ ¡®Damn it, nothing more can be done in here!¡¯ While a few officials were thinking, Hwang Bo-kwang entered the throne room. As if to show that they were in a bad situation, he wore an armor and not some fancy silk cloth. ¡°What happened?¡± At Jo Won-gyun¡¯s question, Hwang Bo-kwang answered, ¡°The Eorim and Central troops have destroyed the mob. So, calm your heart.¡± Hwang Bo-kwang, who reported that, looked at the officials and said, ¡°Now that the turmoil has subsided. Go back to your offices and do your business as usual.¡± ¡°But it is still noisy outside!¡± Hwang Bo-kwang replied to the question of an official, ¡°Huh, it¡¯s just the soldiers who are subduing the rebels. There is no need to be scared.¡± Hwang Bo-kwang sent out the men who were scared. With a very serious expression, he looked at Jo won-gyun and said, ¡°Sire, the Central Army has turned and sided with the rioters.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ I knew it.¡± Hwang Bo-kwang had taken out many commanders during the early stages. Yet, the new ones didn¡¯t seem stable enough to control the people. And as the Central Army was divided into multiple leaderships under junior military officers, some divided troops sided with the people. ¡°There is no doubt that the Eorim will stay loyal to us. If we have time, we can subdue the riots. But right now, we need to get out of the capital because Jo Won-rak has reached the place.¡± ¡°Kuek!¡± Excluding Lee Yong-mu and the troops taken by him, there were 100,000 Eorim and 30,000 Central Army under them. However, 30,000 of the Central Army were siding with the rioters, and even the Eorim seemed to be shaking. In that state, having a battle was impossible. Internal cracks were more lethal than external attacks. ¡°We have planned to run, but I am getting worried about being caught, Uncle.¡± According to the plan, the people should have drunk the poisoned water and turned into Kangshi and turned into their troops. If that happened and the enemies entered the capital, Jo Won-gyun had a winning advantage, and they would be able to develop the Hwang Bo clan¡¯s place as the next capital. However, the Kangshi operation failed. It seemed that the reason it didn¡¯t work was because of the men who hid the emperor. There were still some men under them, but they didn¡¯t have enough force to win. And if they waited in the palace, they would get caught by Jo Won-rak and Lee Yong-mu. ¡°There is still a way to get away.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that¡­ You don¡¯t mean to burn down the palace, right?¡± Jo Won-gyun asked with a frown. ¡°I feel bad, but that needs to be done. That is the only way to make it out in time.¡± The Imperial Palace of the Song Empire was once burnt down. Jo Yeo-moon, the first emperor, was driven to his end and didn¡¯t want to hand over the palace to Emperor Jin jong. Jo Won-gyun, who knew about his options, couldn¡¯t help but feel annoyed, thinking that he would do the same thing as the first emperor. ¡°Sheeesh! If that is the only way, it can¡¯t be helped but go along with it.¡± Jo Won-gyun decided. He didn¡¯t have the intention to stay there and wait for Jo Won-rak. With the help of a secret passage, Jo Won-gyun and Hwang Bo-kwang left the Imperial palace after selecting the best of the Eorim troops. To prevent the rebels from pursuing them, they left behind some soldiers to save time. Rumble! ¡°Fire! There is a fire!¡± ¡°The Imperial Palace is on fire!¡± Once they escaped from the palace, the Imperial Palace, which had been standing tall for 500 years, was once again being burned in flames by those who couldn¡¯t get rid of their greed. Chapter 638 - The Battle of Song 2 Luke was currently preparing for the ambush in the massive Red Pine Forest in the west, led by only his Symphonia Empire. It was because when they almost reached the capital, Daeryang, they received a call from the spy of the Zegal Family, who had infiltrated the capital, saying Jo Won-gyun might abandon the palace and escape. As a result, Luke let the rebels and the Yemaek to move for the capital to conquer and lead his own men to the forest to capture Jo Won-gyun and his men. ¡°Your Majesty, will they really come this way? Count Reynard asked with worry. The highlight of the war was supposed to be the fall of the Song Empire¡¯s capital. It was because if the enemy¡¯s capital got captured, half the war would be over. However, while they were so close to being the greatest contributors, they were asked to move to such a remote place. ¡°I know they will come.¡± However, Luke was certain. It was because if they were trying to protect the capital, Jo Won-gyun would have been seen once or twice to divert the people and gain time. However, there was no such news from Daeryang. ¡°Huh, I do hope that is true.¡± Reynard, who saw Luke¡¯s confrontation with Red Dragon King Lee Yong-mu a few days ago, was all ready for battle. It was a wonderful confrontation of people with their life on the line, something he wanted to see. Hearing from Hwang Bo-sung, he knew that in the Song Empire, there were many people in the Eorim troops and the Central Army, who had great skills. Among them, there were those who reached the Absolute powerholder level and could be close to Lee Yong-mu¡¯s level. ¡®Please, I want to fight just one man like that!¡¯ It was when Reynard was praying for a dignified battle¡­ Du Du Du Du! The ground was vibrating with dust raising from a faraway direction. Reynard immediately pulled out the Hawk-Eye, which was enchanted with magic, and looked at the place. ¡®They are here!¡¯ His face brightened up. Currently, the Symphonia Army was ready for their ambush. They were on a road leading to Luoyang, the place where the Hwang Bo clan was located. Although he wasn¡¯t certain, Luke predicted the road would be the shortest route to Luoyang and that the men of Jo Won-gyun would want to hurry. However, his prediction seemed to be on the spot. ¡®His Majesty¡¯s words were right.¡¯ At that time, while he was having an expression of deep admiration, Luke had relayed a message to every commander. -Make sure to lure them and attack them. In accordance with the operation mentioned before, the enemy shouldn¡¯t be killed but captured, understood? ¡®Yes, Your Majesty!¡¯ The Symphonia Kingdom¡¯s knights, who were hiding on the left and right side of the Red Pine forest, responded by tapping their chest at once. Woong! The moment Luke cast magic, the presence of the troops, who were ready to ambush, had disappeared like a ghost. Du Du Du Du Du Du! There was a large magnificent wagon that was running under the escorts of the Eorim troops, who were wearing colorful armor. The symbol of the Imperial Family was stuck on the roof of the wagon, and Hwang Bo-kwang along with Jo Won-gyun were inside it. However, Jo Won-gyun had a pout on his lips as if he didn¡¯t like something. ¡°Damn it. I didn¡¯t know that this would happen. I, the son of the emperor, burning down the palace and running away like a worm¡± ¡®It¡¯s because of those people behind the scenes¡­¡¯ Hwang Bo-kwang was sure that there would have been people that agitated the general public. ¡®I knew that people, who were suspicious of us, were active in the capital¡­ I underestimated them.¡¯ Hwang Bo-kwang had received a report from his subordinate that there were spies in Daeryang, who were secretly carrying out their own searches. However, during that time, he was too busy with the Yemaek conquest and overlooked it. Honestly, he was a little overconfident, thinking that the spies could do nothing as he managed to take control of the Imperial Family and the Moorim clans. However, he didn¡¯t assume that they would kill all the assassins of Salmek and spread the news about the poisoning of the wells. Perhaps, they were of the same group of men that saved the Emperor or maybe an allied group. They must have been related to Lee Yong-mu. Somehow, things went wrong because those rats and Jo Won-rak¡¯s allied forces were advancing faster than expected, so Hwang Bo-kwang had no choice but to escape from the capital. Because of that, the Imperial Palace, the treasures it held, and the brainwashed servants, all had to be left behind. ¡°For now, I¡¯ll think of leaving them behind as they are a burden, but I will go and get them back.¡± Hwang Bo-kwang had the confidence that he would recover all that was lost. Although things were twisted around, he thought that with help from Arsene, the situation could be reversed. The reason why he didn¡¯t ask Arsene for help was because he knew that every help from Arsene would require Hwang Bo-kwang to pay a huge price. In addition, after taking control of the palace and exiling Jo Won-rak, he didn¡¯t even feel the need for Arsene. ¡®If things have come to this point, he will mock me and demand a huge price¡­ But I can¡¯t help it. The priority is to turn over the empire again.¡¯ Right when Hwang Bo-kang was grinding his teeth, Jo Won-gyun asked with irritation clearly registered in his voice. ¡°By the way, uncle, how are we going to get ready to make Luoyang the capital?¡± Luoyang was the capital of the Qin nation, a dynasty before the Song Empire. As such, the population was large, the infrastructure too was well equipped to serve as the second capital, and the walls of the Qin Palace were strong. Also, the place had various offices for governing purposes. The reason why they were heading to Luoyang wasn¡¯t just because it was the hometown of the Hwang Bo clan. ¡°We have already contacted the family and everything has been prepared in advance. As soon as we arrive Luoyang, I will arrange a ceremony for Your majesty.¡± As long as the title of the emperor and the capital were snatched, the tide could always be reversed. Accordingly, Hwang Bo-kwang planned and mobilized the forces, who followed them to be present at the Jo Won-gyun ceremony. The soldiers conscripted from the other provinces and the masters of the Moorim, who have been forced out of their own clans, were brought over to Luoyang. Once the forces and the troops came, they would once again move to recapture the lost capital. ¡°We are also planning to borrow the troops from Kalmyk, which is on the western plateau. Kalmyk is a barbarian tribe but has good military power, similar to Kitai.¡± ¡°Well, just hurry. I want to pay back the disgrace I faced from those men as much as possible.¡± ¡°Understood, Your Majesty.¡± While the two were having such a long conversation, the carriage suddenly stopped. ¡°What is it?¡± When asked by Hwang Bo-kwang who looked out of the window, General Wang-cheong of the Eorim approached and said to him. He was the second strongest person in the military after Lee Yong-mu. ¡°There is a thick Red Pine Forest ahead. What are we going to do?¡± Hwang Bo-kwang nodded at his words and looked ahead. ¡°Take a careful look ahead.¡± No matter how fast they had to move, they couldn¡¯t neglect their surroundings. In particular, the Red Pine Forest was a wide area, and several pine trees there were tens of meters in height and were densely growing, making it perfect for an ambush. Although the soldiers of the Eorim troops were the best of the best in the Song Empire, they would still take a lot of damage if an ambush was prepared for them. When Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s words fell, Wang-cheong gave out the orders. Then, about 10 horses ran ahead toward the Red Pine Forest. The cavalry, who had been trained that way, paid attention and scoured through the forest. Returning back after another 30 minutes or so, they reported that the forest was safe. ¡°Zen users?¡± At Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s question, an officer from Eorim, who went out, answered, ¡°It was said that the Zen users of the Imperial Palace detected something, but there were no traces of practice in close areas.¡± It was a way to make sure that no soldiers or rebels were hiding in close range. The Imperial zen users were the best in the Song Empire. Even though they were less proficient than Earner, they were still skilled. ¡°Tch, we don¡¯t have any time, let¡¯s go¡­¡± From the back, the voice of Jo Won-gyun, who was unable to bear his frustration and rage, could be heard. Although it was annoying, Hwang Bo-kwang, who heard it, ordered for the escorts to start to move. A procession of 30,000 soldiers and 2,000 cavalry and hundreds of wagons began to enter the Red Pine Forest. Chapter 639 - The Battle of Song 3 ¡®Hu Hu Hu, there is no way that my magic can be detected with low-level ones.¡¯ On a red pine tree which was 100 meters tall. At the top, Luke was looking down at the procession of the Eorim army at the entrance of the Red Pine Forest. They weren¡¯t too sure of the forest, so the troops scouted the area in advance. The zen users and scholars with excellent skills entered the forest and carefully examined it. However, in preparation for that, Luke had already unfolded 8th level magic of Stealth magic, over the entire Symphonia troops. The magic managed to completely hide the sound and appearance of the Symphonia troops, as well as the tense energy which the soldiers released, not even a Sword Sage would have been able to detect them. ¡°Hu hu hu, a little more, just a little more!¡± Luke waited for them to completely enter the Red Pine forest before he ordered the attack. -Attack! The first message of magic was sent to the leading Gigant units. The riders who already boarded their Gigants, moved it by injecting the mana into the core engine. Kiiing-! Woong-! The sharp and magnificent sound of the core engine erupted at once in the quiet forest. Gigant, breaking the branches revealing the enormous bodies, began running towards the enemies. Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! ¡°Wh-what is it?¡± ¡°It is an Iron Giant! The Iron Giants have appeared!¡± The sudden appearance of the Gigants shocked the soldiers and Eorim. It was because they were done in the preliminary scouting of the area, so they never thought that the enemy would still be hiding in the Red Pine forest. Especially, when Iron Giants from the Northern continent were hiding. Kwang! Pop! The Gigants, which rushed and led the forces, launched the attack without even looking at the people. The Gigants used in their swords to blow away the horses and the soldiers. Among them, there was a Gigant who pulled out a beautiful tree and swung it at the people or took a rock and threw it. ¡°Achh!¡± ¡°Keeek!¡± No matter how elite the soldiers were and how strong the Eorim were, they weren¡¯t strong enough to deal with the Iron armored giants. There were some generals who had reached the heights, but they were all in the middle of the line. Therefore, in the surprise attack, the troops in front were wiped out helplessly. ¡°Stop them! Don¡¯t back off!¡± At last, the generals and the Hwang Bo clan members came out. Count Reynard and Shirley and the other high ranking knights rushed along with the Blood Band warriors. ¡°Kuak! When are we going to get busy?¡± ¡°Oh ho ho! Do you men understand how long Shirley has waited for you? You will be having fun with us from now on, so be prepared!¡± The Symphonia Knights were in a state of giving up their Gigants to their subordinates if it meant to have exciting battles with the Southerners. They shortened the distance in no time and even ran to the opponent who they thought would be the strongest. Boong! Kwang! The halberd, wielded by Shirley, went towards the high ranking warrior of Eorim troops. ¡°Kuek! How powerful can this little girl be?!¡± The warrior, who got pushed back because of the powerful blow from a little child. Shirley looked short and was skinny on the outside, but she was a dwarf, a mixed-race, and her strength was a lot stronger than any human knight. ¡°Ho ho ho. I am the spear master of the Symphonia Kingdom, Viscount Shirley.¡± ¡°A beautiful girl! On such a skinny body!¡± Shirley raised her halberd at the words of the man and went ahead to attack. ¡°What did you say?! Skinny body!?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel that your surprise attack has been a success! In words you will understand, I Joyang learned the martial arts and spear skills of the Imperial family and will help them¡­¡± ¡°You ugly thing speaks a lot, huh!¡± Shirley, who was annoyed, swung her halberd with aura. And the warrior, who identified himself as Joyang, went for a strong counterattack to avoid Shirley¡¯s attack. Maybe it was because of mastering the spear skills of the Imperial family, his spear seemed strong. However, Shirley didn¡¯t get pushed back. ¡®If I can¡¯t win against such an attack, I¡¯ll never be able to be strong enough to beat the Red Dragon King!¡¯ Shirley, who resented Lee Yong-mu for being defeated, swung her halberd while grinding her teeth. Cang! Cang! CanG! Meanwhile, Count Reynard was exchanging fierce battles against another warrior of Eorim. Wang-sang, he was the cousin of Wang-cheong, and the third strongest person of the Eorim troops. If considered in Rhodesia Continent, the man could be between Sword Master and Sword Sage. If the warrior had little more practical experience, he might have risen to the top of the Sword Master. It was a difficult opponent for Reynard to deal with, who just recently reached the Advanced Sword Master level. However, he struck the opponent constantly by neglecting his defense. ¡®Kuk, what could they all be doing?¡¯ Wang-sang was shocked at the great skills that Reynard was displaying. He knew that there were a lot of gaps which Reynard was giving to them, however, he didn¡¯t have the time to react for a counterattack after blocking. It was the result of Reynard¡¯s constant battles with Luke, he managed to learn how to deal when battling with strong men. ¡®Kuakk, Your Majesty said when dealing with an enemy stronger than myself, he said to not choose any other techniques, but to make sure that the opponent doesn¡¯t use any skills on us.¡¯ One could only win when a situation was created where the strongest ones turn incapable. It was Luke¡¯s advice to all the Sword Masters in the Symphonia Kingdom. Following the advice, the Sword Masters including Hwang Bo-sung, began to develop their own methods. Some studied joint attacks with their colleagues, while the others studied how to gain time by thoroughly defending. It might seem cowardly, but war wasn¡¯t a play game, so everyone tried to find the best suitable attack for them. Among them, Count Reynard¡¯s development was to grab onto the initial attack and keep on attacking the man. It was named ¡®Beast Sword¡¯¡ªbecause the trajectory of the sword would follow the instincts of a beast. Of course, there were numerous loopholes in it. It was because if the opponent ended up being a lot stronger, and could play excellent defense, the possibility of his offensive streak would end up as a failure. However, the man he was dealing with was on the borderline of strength. It was because there wasn¡¯t much difference from Count Reynard when it came to skill and martial arts that focused on the offensive, so he couldn¡¯t do much when on a defensive stance. Deprived of the momentum, the warrior was on the defensive stance not being able to showcase his strength. ¡®Um, everyone seems to be fighting well.¡¯ Luke was standing on the tallest tree. He looked around the battlefield and smiled. It was because the subordinates were battling a lot stronger than he imagined. Honestly, just riding the Gigant was enough to take down all those warriors. The power of Gigant was enough to deal with almost everyone, except for the men who were absolute power holders. However, what actually happened, Count Reynard, Shirley, and other senior knights were all giving up their Gigants to fight with the warriors. It ended up making Luke confused. Even if he wasn¡¯t sure, the Southerners seemed to be stronger than the Northerners when it came to martial arts. It was because the southerners had their own world of warriors called Moorim, and they were strong. Unlike the Northern Continent, which emphasized on the use of group combat, weapons, and military tactics, the Southerners had warriors who developed their own skills for their own selves, and their clans would keep the skills alive. There were a lot of excellent people who were still rising in martial arts, and even more people who were nearing the zenith level. But in the end, Luke went along with what his men wanted. It was because he wanted his men to bloom. In order for them to develop new skills, they had to enter real battles instead of training battles. So he wasn¡¯t worried. It was because he believed in the teaching he gave to his knights. ¡®But I don¡¯t see Sir Hwang Bo-sung. Where is he?¡¯ Luke was puzzled when he didn¡¯t see Hwang Bo-sung along with Reynard and the others. So he glanced through the woods, and found him in front of the most gorgeous wagon, with his eyes fixed on it. ¡®The one with Hwang Bo-kwang? Didn¡¯t he try to kill Hwang Bo-sung to take control of the family¡­?¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung, who almost died because of the poison and curse, said he would abandon his family and loyalty to stand by Luke. However, Kang Ho clans always prioritized their own blood, so Hwang Bo-sung couldn¡¯t hold himself back. ¡®Well, in order to see the end, we will have to clear up the nasty obstacles first.¡¯ Luke, who thought so, sent word to the general in the Eorim troops, Wang-cheong, who was a golden warrior by magic. Wang-cheong, who received the message through magic trembled for a moment and stiffened completely. ¡®Are you the man behind the ambush?¡¯ -There is nothing to be so nervous about. Instead, rejoice, you have the opportunity to face the enemy leader. Despite Luke¡¯s attempt to calm him, Wang-cheong didn¡¯t relax. The sweat on his hand only increased. In front of him was a brilliant man, with eyes shining bright because of the energy around him. Chapter 640 - End of the War 1 ¡°Out-outside! What the hell is happening here?! Didn¡¯t you men check and say there was no ambush! But now Iron Giants are surrounding us!¡± Jo Won-gyun, who saw the armored Giants boasting tremendous power like the mythical monsters, screamed like a child throwing tantrums. Hwang Bo-kwang looked at his terrified nephew and said, ¡°Do not worry. Any enemy can be defeated by the elite members of the Eorim and the Hwang Bo clan.¡± Although they were caught in the ambush, Hwang Bo-kwang wasn¡¯t too worried. There were only 30,000 elite Eorim troops. And among those of the Eorim and the Hwang Bo clan family, there were those who reached the height of Zenith, which they believed could easily defeat the Iron Giants. He knew that if the elite men went out, they would take in some damage, but believed that they could overcome the ambush. However, his thoughts changed from the moment when the powerful men began to appear among the feet of the Eorim leaders and the Hwang Bo clan. When the elite members seemed to be in a tough spot, the lead nor the rear troops could hold the defense, and they were helplessly beaten by the Iron Giants. When the head and rear of the troops were blocked, the troops which entered the Red Pine Forest were caught in the middle, not being able to do anything. ¡®Tch, they are like sticky rice! It is so annoying but I can¡¯t even do anything!¡¯ Hwang Bo-kwang, got off the lead wagon to direct his troops. It was also because he was a Fist Master. He knew all kinds of skills, and he was proud of being an expert when it came to poison, and learning all the secret forbidden skills. But, he was shocked at the man who appeared before him. Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s eyes widened in shock looking at the man. ¡°Yo-you are¡­ Hwang Bo-sung?¡± Around 7 years back, his half brother had fallen into the trap he carefully designed. Even though he managed to run away, Hwang Bo-kwang thought that his brother would have met with death because of the poison given to him. And if he was alive, he assumed the man to come back to the clan and seek revenge. However, till the very moment, there was no news about Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s movement, no one who even resembled him was discovered. But he suddenly appeared as his enemy! ¡°Brother, it has been so long.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Frightened, Hwang Bo-kwang glared at Hwang Bo-sung, who seemed to have his eyes fixed on him. It was shocking how his brother managed to overcome the poison and curse placed on his body, but the energy rising from his younger brother¡¯s body seemed a lot stronger than before. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Protect the advisor!¡± Unlike the warriors of the Hwang Bo clan who recognized Hwang Bo-sung and went stiff, the other escorts of the Eorim rushed to protect their king¡¯s uncle. Listening to their words, Hwang Bo-sung made a fist and punched the air. With a roar, the trajectory of the punch moved ahead. All the escorts who got caught in the punch bounced back and fell to the ground. ¡®Th-this can¡¯t be!¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t that very similar to the skill which our creator Hwang Bo-woong used 300 years back!¡¯ The complexion of the Hwang Bo clan warriors went pale. So far, countless of the descendants of the clan have tried to learn the martial arts move of their chief, however, no one was ever able to recreate the Trinity Punch in the perfect manner. The only one who didn¡¯t seem too shaken was Hwang Bo-kwang. ¡°You seem to have completed the Trinity Punch.¡± ¡°Well, in one way, it was all thanks to my brother¡¯s attempt.¡± ¡°Huh, if you really think so, you shouldn¡¯t have come in front of me again!¡± Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s image disappeared from Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s sight. Hwang Bo-sung who didn¡¯t want Hwang Bo-kwang to deceive his sight turned around hastily and punched his fist into the air. Pung! ¡°Kuak!¡± Hwang Bo-kwang tore the air behind him and revealed himself. A groan escaped from Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s mouth as his fist was met with a palm. It was because the palm of Hwang Bo-kwang was burning hot like a furnace. ¡°Th-that is¡­!¡± Hwang Bo-sung was in shock when he saw the palm of Hwang Bo-kwang. ¡°You must have heard about it. The God who has the ability to burn the sky, the ¡®Extinct Fire Palm¡¯.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t that a fictional story said to children?¡± ¡°Kuah ah ah! Even though I thought it was a story, but it existed for real. The deepest part of the Imperial palace knew it!¡± Hwang Bo-kwang, who burst into a lively face, rushed towards Hwang Bo-sung, and began to punch indiscriminately. Pop! Pop! It was also said that a constant attack of punches could even dissolve the fighting spirit of the man if used correctly. There was also a legend that the God¡¯s warrior Heechang had even defeated Geum-gang, who was said to have the hardest body in the world. As such, the moment Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s fist came in contact with his brother¡¯s hand, his entire fist began to give out white smoke. ¡°Hahaha! How is that? This is the skill of God¡¯s warriors!¡± ¡°Yeah! Isn¡¯t the Hwang Bo clan embarrassed by looking at you, brother? Abandoning the ancestor¡¯s skills while taking on a new skill, it is like an affair.¡± ¡°Huh?! What do you mean about being embarrassed? Time is changing! The era of the Trinity punch is gone! In the future, I will make the entire Hwang Bo clan change into the name of Hwang Bo-kwang, and the whole world will learn the extinct skill of Extinct Fire Palm!¡± Hwang Bo-sung frowned at Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s words. ¡®He doesn¡¯t seem to understand that there is another sky above the one we see, the truth is always hidden where we can¡¯t see.¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung clenched his fists. If his brother wasn¡¯t aware of the facts, he wanted to personally teach it to him. The Trinity Martial arts was the strongest form of Moorim arts, and was not secondary when compared to any other arts! Chapter 641 - End of the War 2 ¡°Look very closely, brother. This is the Trinity Punch!¡± Hwang Bo-kwang swung his left hand away from the heat to release the burning sensation that was wrapping his hand. Pachk! Blue sparks spread around his right fist, and a lighting bolt spread around Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s body. And it didn¡¯t stop there. Large and small flashes began to spread everywhere. Those, who were fighting, dropped their weapons and were shocked by the electricity. ¡°Wh-what was that?¡± ¡°Is that the Brain Keep Thunder Strike?¡± Everyone stopped fighting for a moment and looked over at Hwang Bo-sung. It was the same with Luke, who was defeating Wang-cheong, very comfortably. ¡°Oh my, it looks like he is going to do that.¡± Luke knew what Hwang Bo-sung was planning to do. It was because he watched Hwang Bo-sung train all the time, especially after the troops dispatched to the Southern Continent, even on the ship. Pajk! Pajk! ¡®What the hell is Brain Keep? I heard even Hwang Bo-woong couldn¡¯t even use it!¡¯ Hwang Bo-kwang couldn¡¯t help but feel confused. Even if he meant to put aside the unknown skills, the problem was his own heat of the Extinct Fire Palm didn¡¯t even pass through the current of lightning, which was generated by Hwang Bo-sung. In simple words, it meant that his attacks didn¡¯t even work. ¡°You! What the hell are you doing?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? I am going to show you the Trinity Martial arts!¡± Hwang Bo-sung saw Luke when he was fighting Arsene. Luke combined the lighting magic with the punch and used a skill similar to Trinity Punch. That was the time when he saw the new martial arts of magic and punches. ¡®It will be unreasonable for it to work perfectly for me.¡¯ Maybe for Luke or Karen, it could have been an easy task. However, Hwang Bo-sung, who never learned magic, could never create such skills. Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t give up and continued to practice. In the Moorim clans of Kang Ho, there was a word called Manryu Return. It meant that all rivers would flow and merge into the sea and so did the energy. Hwang Bo-kwang realized that his brother wasn¡¯t just using martial arts. Just as one could create lighting, fire and ice could also be created by Zenith masters. ¡®Maybe the fundamental principles of magic and martial arts are the same. Even if I can¡¯t learn magic, I know the basics of it, so I might be able to further strengthen my martial arts?¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung, who thought so, learned magic theory from the court wizard while training his Trinity Punch. The area he was particularly interested in was the lighting magic. Lightning magic was a method of creating artificial lightning by colliding the elements of nature with mana. It was tough to summon lighting in the beginning. However, he eventually managed to create lighting with a small amount of mana. However, the part where Hwang Bo-sung focused on his power was the nature of lighting. According to the court wizard¡¯s explanation, if an electric shock could be sent through a copper wire, it could become magnetic with enough force, and if the magnetic force could be created, one would be able to pull or push an object. ¡®If it strengthens the pushing property, I can use it as an anti-attack, and if I can accelerate it, I may be able to land a stronger punch!¡¯ In order to test that, an enormous Brain Keep power was needed. Fortunately, Hwang Bo-sung managed to have enough Brain Keep power because of Auster. With that, he went straight to experiment with his skills. At first, it was nothing but utter failure, and he almost fell into a slump because of it. Nevertheless, while continuing his training without stopping, he improved his concentration and stability. And thus, he managed to complete the skill. A shield created by lighting that prevented attacks from the opponent by creating a magnetic field around the user. In addition, he managed to strengthen the current power of the Trinity Punch. ¡°Look here, Brother! This is the real Trinity Martials Army!¡± Bang! Hwang Bo-sung pushed his fist forward. The energy at his fist gathered and accelerated. It exploded as it went toward Hwang Bo-kwang at a terrifying speed. ¡®This, this¡­!¡¯ Hwang Bo-kwang was startled and hurriedly raised his palm and tried to stop the punch. However, the energy, which flew toward him like it wanted to destroy the entire ground, pushed him back. ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°Uncle!¡± Jo Won-gyun and the Hwang Bo clan¡¯s warriors stepped back and watched the battle unfold with their eyes wide open. Hwang Bo-kwang, who was confident that he had risen to the last level of Zenith, was in a horrible state after one punch! ¡°Cough! Couuugh!¡± Blood flew out from Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s mouth. He groaned while trying to stand up. ¡°Sire, are you okay!¡± The warriors of the Hwang Bo clan ran over to ask him about his health. Luke, who was watching the battle of Hwang Bo-sung from behind, clicked his tongue as if he didn¡¯t like something he just saw. ¡°Tch, Count Hwang Bo-sung, you still see him as your brother.¡± If he really attacked the man with sincerity, Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s bones would have shattered the very moment the attack hit him. But Hwang Bo-sung held his power back when he released his punch! However, contrary to Luke¡¯s thoughts, Hwang Bo-sung wasn¡¯t looking at the man because he belonged to the same family or that he didn¡¯t want to raise his hand against his brother. He destroyed the pride of his half brother, who had been very arrogant for learning another clan¡¯s martial arts, making sure that he would be seen by others as someone useless. For a warrior, being hit like that was more severe than instant death. ¡°It is over, Brother. Accept your sins and pay the right price for your arrogance!¡± ¡°Uh! This motherfcking son of a btch!¡± Hwang Bo-kwang, who barely managed to sit with the aid of his subordinates, was infuriated. However, he couldn¡¯t refute it. The entire war turned inside out. The Eorim troops were smashed horribly by the Symphonia Kingdom¡¯s army, and they were in no state to protect anyone, and most of the escorts of the Imperial Family were defeated by Reynard and Shirley. Just as his half-brother said, everything was done. ¡°No¡­ It isn¡¯t over yet!¡± Desperately denying the reality, Hwang Bo-kwang took out a talisman from his sleeve and threw it. The moment he threw it, a light flashed through the talisman and Hwang Bo-kwang along with his men disappeared without a trace. Jo Won-gyun¡¯s face turned pale while hiding behind the wagon and watching the two fight. It was because he never thought that his uncle, who also stood beside him and applauded him, would leave him and run away. There was no one left to protect him. Jo Won-gyun was desperately looking for an answer. He couldn¡¯t recover from the shock he just witnessed. ¡°Tch, it must have been a similar skill to teleporting.¡± Luke went out to the place where Hwang Bo-kwang teleported and examined the flow of energy. To him, Hwang Bo-sung bowed down and felt bad. ¡°I am sorry, Master. I was caught off guard¡­¡± ¡°It is alright. He won¡¯t be able to run away. The outcome of this war can¡¯t be changed anymore.¡± Luke turned his head and looked over at Jo Won-gyun. He saw that Shirley had pulled out Jo Won-gyun from the wagon. ¡°It was obvious that Hwang Bo-kwang would escape. Even if we chose to not follow him, this is the end.¡± Luke recalled the war with the Milton Kingdom. King Mayers, who insisted on fighting without surrendering even after losing the war, was slaughtered by his own retainers and servants. It was stated that the King of Milton had committed suicide. However, Luke doubted it and later found out the truth from Count Reynard. The state of this current war was almost similar to that. The Hwang Bo clan would also do everything for them to survive, so Luke believed that the clan members would choose an appropriate solution. Chapter 642 - End of the War 3 Chapter 642: End of the War 3 Wheeing! Wheeing! Guando near Luoyang. There were around 20 warriors running at a fast pace. They were so fast that it looked like they were flying. They were none other than Hwang Bo-kwang and his men, who managed to escape from the Red Pine Forest. After moving to a city that came on the way to Luoyang, they ran toward the Hwang Bo clan with all their might. Hwang Bo-kwang, who was moving at the same pace as his men, ground his teeth with an angry face. ¡®I will definitely repay him a thousand times for what happened to me today!¡¯ The damage he suffered was enormous. It was all because of the ambush of the Symphonia Kingdom¡¯s troops, who were hiding in the Red Pine Forest. He had lost a lot of the hired Salmek assassins and the Hwang Bo clan warriors who followed him. Where did he end up? He ended up fleeing from the ambush without even thinking about saving his nephew, Jo Won-gyun, who was supposed to be the emperor of the new capital Luoyang. A gloomy situation unfolded. A situation which he never thought would happen. Yet, there was something in him. Something which persuaded him to believe in his goal. ¡®I still have a lot of pieces left!¡¯ It was Arsene. He thought that if he had the power and ability similar to Arsene, the entire Southern Continent would be filled with darkness. Until then, Hwang Bo-kwang hadn¡¯t actively placed the warlocks of Arsene. It was all because he felt that the warlocks had too much power. Just one drop of the liquid in the vial and hundreds of humans could be turned into Kangshi. If he decided to pour the contents of the vial into a river, in just a few days, all the cities could be destroyed. In a year, the entire Southern Continent would be done. What Hwang Bo-kwang wanted was to be the emperor of a great and unified Southern Continent, the first one in the history, not a puppet master to the land of death where no living creature lived. However, things changed. If things went ahead like that for him, he decided that he would rather throw away his family under the wheel than sacrificing himself for them. ¡®Looking at all these things¡­ even if it means to sell away my soul to the devil, I will change things!¡¯ Hwang Bo-kwang, who made up his mind, decided to actively borrow the power of Arsene, even if it meant dyeing the Song Empire and the entire Southern Continent in blood. How long did he run? The eyes of Hwang Bo-kwang, who was looking at the back of his men, began to see the Hwang Bo clan. The Hwang Bo-clan was located on the outskirts of Luoyang. It boasted a tremendous size, showcasing the family¡¯s fortresses. In the middle of the tall wall was a door with engravings of the ascending phoenix, reaching ahead. A warrior with Hwang Bo-kwang yelled, ¡°The chief has come! Open the door right away!¡± A shuddering voice rang around, but no one responded. As a result, the aide tried to shout once more. However, Hwang Bo-kwang stopped it. ¡°Something is weird.¡± ¡°Weird, like how?¡± ¡°They always keep the front door open, and there would always be ten guards outside, but no one is standing here now, right?¡± It did seem weird. Except in the past when the fight with the Apostasy was going on, the clan¡¯s doors were always kept open. It was a sign, showing the dignified side of the Moorim¡¯s prestigious family, asking either their friend or foe to enter their homes without any restrictions. Such a door was firmly shut, and there were no guards either outside or above the wall. Not just that, even the visitors who would stand and walk around the clan¡¯s walls were nowhere to be found. ¡°No matter how much I think about it, something is wrong¡­¡± ¡°I see. We might have to withdraw and come back¡­¡± It was when Hwang Bo-kwang and his aide were having a conversation¡­ Piing! Puck! ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°P-protect the chief!¡± Suddenly, an arrow was shot from the door, and dozens of people surrounded them. While the men tried to deflect the arrows and protect Hwang Bo-kwang, the main door of the Hwang Bo clan opened and warriors poured out. In addition, warriors began to come out from the trees and bushes close to the wall. They were all aiming their weapons at Hwang Bo-kwang. ¡°What is all this?¡± Hwang Bo-kwang frowned and yelled. The old man, who appeared among the warriors, stared at him and answered, ¡°Hwang Bo-kwang, we are putting you under arrest for causing a war within the nation, attempting to kill your relatives and committing the great sin of touching the dead.¡± ¡°Wh-what did you say? How dare you Jin-cheon?!¡± Hwang Bo-kwang looked at the old man, well, Jin-cheon. Jin-cheon was a man who called himself the guardian of Hwang Bo-sung, and he was also Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s uncle. He too was someone Hwang Bo-kwang had always thought of removing, but he left the man alone because he was old and didn¡¯t seem to have enough power to play a major role in the clan. It was also because he became depressed and was alone after the news of Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s death spread. However, that man appeared in such a moment and stabbed his back! ¡°Kuek! Did you hear that Hwang Bo-sung is alive? Is that why you are all making things up like this?¡± ¡°Huh! Do you think that I would stoop to your level to get something done?¡± Jin-cheon snorted and stepped aside. From the back, people began to appear. Hwang Bo-kwang was surprised to see them there. One of them was the man whom he had bribed so he wouldn¡¯t be involved in their matters, and the other person was a figure who was regarded with great respect. ¡°F-father!¡± The appearance of the former chief, Hwang Bo-in, made Hwang Bo-kwang surprised. As soon as Hwang Bo-in saw his son, he sighed deeply and fell to the floor. ¡°A great sinner was born out of our family!¡± ¡°Father, help me out. It isn¡¯t over yet. There is still an opportunity for us to rise¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, bastard! How much more should this nation suffer before you find peace?!¡± Hwang Bo-kwang was stunned at what he heard, but he yelled back with anger in his eyes, ¡°Why do you think I had to do this?! Isn¡¯t it because all of you did something wrong to me?! O-only if you didn¡¯t favor the other kids¡­ I-I wouldn¡¯t have done this!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! What are you all doing?! Imprison the traitor right away!¡± Warriors approached them and captured Hwang Bo-kwang, who was trying to run away. Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s men didn¡¯t rebel. They threw their weapons. It was because they thought everything would be fine if they did it willingly. ¡°It was you who drove me into madness, Father! You are the original sinner!¡± At the words of his eldest son, Hwang Bo-in closed his eyes. Jin-cheon stepped forward and ordered the warriors, ¡°What are you doing? Go ahead and drag those sinners away!¡± ¡°Fa-father! Father!¡± Immediately after Hwang Bo-kwang was taken away by the warriors, Hwang Bo-in spoke with a very sad face, ¡°I misled my child¡¯s path.¡± ¡°Where is the chief¡¯s fault in that? It was because of the other men who didn¡¯t support him.¡± Jin-cheon shook his head at Hwang Bo-in¡¯s apology. ¡°I am not going to get involved in this anymore, so I¡¯ll leave you to take care of this.¡± ¡°Understood, Chief!¡± Jin-cheon bowed his head as Hwang Bo-in moved away. He decided to straighten out the child. In that way, Hwang Bo-kwang fell to the ground before he could draw the last trick up his sleeve. With this, the war that struck the Song Empire had come to an end, leaving behind a lot of problems yet to be solved. Chapter 643 - End of the War 4 Chapter 643: End of the War 4 After finishing the battle, Luke leisurely headed over to Luoyang, to meet a group of people. The group of Hwang Bo clan led by Jin-cheon. They were on their way to convey what happened in the capital to the Hwang Bo clan, but they ended up encountering them before even reaching the clan. Luke heard everything that happened to Hwang Bo-kwang and his group of men. ¡°So that was what happened.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s all because of the great help that the second lord gave us.¡± Hwang Bo-yun, who was active in the capital, was constantly sending information to the elders of the clan and Jin-cheon. Among the information, there was a news article that said that Hwang Bo-sung was still alive. Upon hearing that, Jin-cheon contacted the former chief, and informed him of the fact. Naturally, Hwang Bo-in was in shock. Hwang Bo-in was raging in fury when he realized that the son¡¯s disappearance was the conspiracy of Hwang Bo-kwang, who took his brother to the Northern continent and claimed the brother disappeared. He immediately summoned the elders of the Hwang Bo clan and took their permission to regain the title of chief which he had passed down to his son. However, it wasn¡¯t easy to drive out the followers of Hwang Bo-kwang who didn¡¯t let him take the position. That was when he saw an opportunity arise, the news about the rebels reaching higher numbers than the army was informed, and he immediately created a huge discussion. He sent Jin-cheon over to another elder in Luoyang to persuade him, to take control of the Hwang Bo clan in secret. ¡°When the clan control was almost done, Hwang Bo-kwang entered.¡± ¡°What happened to Hwang Bo-kwang?¡± ¡°They said that the warriors took him out. After a while, we might have to meet him at the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡®Huh, did they take over everything?¡¯ Luke couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He heard that when Hwang Bo-kwang took power, everyone around the clan trembled at him, however, the position seemed to have changed rather quickly! However, he had no intention of blaming the opportunistic behavior of the men. If these men didn¡¯t cooperate, there might have been more blood spilled to catch Hwang Bo-kwang. ¡°Well, good work done. I will tell the leader of the rebel army about your contributions.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Jin-cheon bowed down, and Luke pointed to Hwang Bo-sung who was next to him. ¡°And you seem to be familiar with our Commander of the Guard Knight, however, for some moments he will leave that title, so please talk among yourselves.¡± When Luke moved out of the tent, Hwang Bo-sung and Jin-cheon shared their joy of meeting each other. ¡°Uncle Jin-cheon¡­¡± ¡°I always believed that you were alive somewhere, 3rd Lord.¡± The two men held their hands and shed tears. Luke glanced at it, from outside the tent and smiled at the heartwarming scene but soon was troubled. ¡®What to do if Count Hwang Bo-sung decides to remain in here?¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung was a Fist Sage and was the warrior of the Symphonia Kingdom. If he wanted out of the post, Luke would suffer a significant loss. ¡®But it would be impossible to hold onto him.¡¯ Even if he held him captive, his mind would wander around his clan. Which was why Luke decided that he would respect Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s choice, even if it would affect him. After a while, Luke asked the man after he was done talking and walked out of the camp. ¡°Count Hwang Bo-sung, what are you going to do now?¡± What he meant was he would still follow me, or stay back at your clan. Hwang Bo-sung answered if he didn¡¯t need any time to think. ¡°I will go as the sword and shield of Your Majesty. I never intend to leave Your Majesty¡¯s side.¡± Hwang Bo-sung didn¡¯t think that being the Fist Sage was the end of its martial arts. Just as he managed to create a new skill that surpassed the previous master, he believed that he would be able to create new martial arts techniques that would surpass the other skills. For that, he had to stay next to Luke, the man who was proficient in sword and magic. He wanted to learn more things from his King. ¡°Haha, thank god.¡± Luke felt at ease when he heard the answer of Hwang Bo-sung. ¡°Instead, I have a request.¡± ¡°Request?¡± ¡°Yes, give me permission to see my father.¡± Hwang Bo-sung left the Hwang Bo clan unwillingly in the past. As a result, he couldn¡¯t even say his goodbyes to his father, relatives, or anyone who loved him. Therefore, Hwang Bo-sung wanted to meet his father and give him a proper goodbye. If not, he wasn¡¯t sure when he would even come back to the Southern Continent. At the request of Hwang Bo-sung, Luke nodded. ¡°You don¡¯t need my permission to do that. And while going to the Hwang Bo clan, take down the talismans that Hwang Bo-kwang might have. It will be annoying if that man escapes again.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± After receiving the order from Luke, Hwang Bo-sung took a few men and went to Hwang Bo clan with Jin-cheon and the others. ¡°Your Majesty, are we going over to Daeryang?¡± Count Reynard went close to him and asked. ¡°Yes, Hwang Bo-kwang will be taken over by Hwang Bo-sung, so I think we can just return back to the capital.¡± Luke was done with all the tasks he was given, such as capturing Jo Won-gyun. Therefore, there was no reason to head over to Luoyang. At that, Reynard ordered the Symphonia troops to retreat and turn for the capital. The day to return home wasn¡¯t that far away. Chapter 644 - Veritas Magic Tower Steps on Tail 1 A week later, Hwang Bo-sung, who had gone to the Hwang Bo clan, had returned. However, he didn¡¯t come back alone. He was back with the elders of the Hwang Bo clan, including the former chief, Hwang Bo-in. Hwang Bo-in and the other elders of the clan, knelt on their knees in front of the Imperial palace as they committed a grave sin. ¡°Your Majesty, please kill us!¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t forgive the thoughtless sinner who gave birth to such a monster!¡± Hwang Bo-in and the others bowed their heads and asked to be prosecuted. Some even touched the ground with their heads. Hwang Bo clan once reigned as the best Moorim clan. After Hwang Bo-kwang became the advisor of the regent, people of the other clans would point their fingers and spit on the gates, the Hwang Bo clan had turned into a clan which had committed all kinds of sins in the Empire. ¡°Huh, they are surely struggling to not let the clan be taken down.¡± ¡°The father itself handed over his son to the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s all like cutting the tail of a lizard, it only comes back.¡± There were only a few people who felt bad for the Hwang Bo clan elders. All because the people of the capital were almost sacrificed and the creation of Kangshi had turned into a huge topic. In addition, as Hwang Bo-kwang and Jo Won-gyun fled, they set fire to the Imperial Palace, and the fire ended up spreading over to the residential homes which were around and caused a huge loss of property to the other people. Fortunately, the rebels had entered the capital at the very moment and started to subdue the fire with the help of Princess So-hye and the other wizards, they were barely able to prevent the fire from destroying the capital. ¡°Your Majesty! Please kill us¡­¡± Thud! As he asked, a stone flew into Hwang Bo-in, who had been asking to be punished for the crimes. ¡°If you know you are in the wrong, you can quietly decide to punish yourself! What do you expect them to do?¡± ¡°You people don¡¯t even deserve to raise your voices!¡± Hwang Bo-in and the elders were silently facing the stones and dirt thrown onto them. Hwang Bo-sung and Hwang Bo-yun, who watched it all unfold from a distance were confused. A few days back, when they reunited with their father, they made sure to talk to their father, who wanted to get punished. The public sentiment in their clan had already taken the turn for the worst. So they kind of expected the situation to turn out a little like that. As a proud warrior, Hwang Bo-in was very ashamed to get down on his knee and plead. However, he went through with it. It was because he thought that a simple end to his life wouldn¡¯t be suitable for a sinner, and he wanted the Hwang Bo clan to flourish, so he decided to plead as the sinner. ¡°Chief, how would our family be if they see you like this?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think that it needs to be our concern for now.¡± According to the Song Empire¡¯s law, the first rule about the clan that sins were to destroy 3 families in the clan. In the most severe cases, 9 families would be destroyed as an example. The problem was that not all of the Hwang Bo clan had participated in the treason. In the case of Hwang Bo-sung, he assisted Luke and helped the rebels, and Hwang Bo-yun also supported the opposition forces within the clan and prevented the spread of Kangshi in the capital. And it wasn¡¯t just that, he was also part of the rescue group which took in by the Emperor. Those who made that kind of help couldn¡¯t be executed. So, Jo Won-rak was discussing the appropriate level of punishment for the Hwang Bo clan by exchanging the opinion with Luke, King Biryu, and Lee Yong-mu. ¡°By the way¡­ I got to see you again brother. I always thought that you only enjoyed drinking.¡± ¡°Huh, isn¡¯t a capable hawk supposed to hide its claws?¡± Hwang Bo-yun had a sneaky smile and said. ¡°Even the one you serve as your Master seems to be the one who hides his nails too.¡± ¡°Yes, he won the one-on-one combat with Lee Yong-mu. Perhaps, even if both the Southern and Northern warriors combined, there seems to be no one who can beat him.¡± There was one person they didn¡¯t know about. It was said that he defeated Arsene a while back, however, there was no guarantee when and where that undying monster would strike back. ¡°I think that it is reassuring if that kind of a person is on our side.¡± ¡°Yes, he will remain to have a friendly relationship with the Song Empire until we decide to remove the source behind the incident.¡± The Kangshi poison, which was meant to be spread in large amounts, was the same as the zombie disease which was spread throughout the Holy Empire. In addition, there were traces of the warlocks experimenting in the Imperial palace after the fire was subdued. Since the first time that he had come to the Southern Continent, Luke had been suspicious about the connection between Hwang Bo clan and Arsene, so Luke asked for his men to conduct a thorough investigation into it. ¡°What are you planning to do in the future?¡± ¡°As soon as the things are done here, I will return back to Symphonia Kingdom with my Master.¡± ¡°Going back? Who will look after the clan?¡± Hwang Bo-yun didn¡¯t expect that answer from his brother. ¡°Aren¡¯t you still here, brother?¡± Hwang Bo-yun shook his hands at his younger brother¡¯s words. ¡°I hate it. It isn¡¯t that I hate it, I just don¡¯t have the ability to do it. As you know, the only martial arts I learned from the clan are the basic ones.¡± Hwang Bo clan is a warrior family. Naturally, the principle was that the chief had to be someone from the direct lines and be the best in their clan¡¯s martial arts. Which was why Hwang Bo-kwang envied Hwang Bo-sung. ¡°As you said, our clan won¡¯t be destroyed, but it will be difficult for our family to regain its lost glory. I think that you, who has managed to master the Trinity skills are the only one who can revive the Hwang Bo clan.¡± ¡°I am very sorry brother, but I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°What my elder brother said and did to me were terrible, but some of his words were indeed right. You know¡­ the world is a lot more than what we know. I want to follow my Master to see this huge world and reach a higher level.¡± At the words of his younger brother, Hwang Bo-yun stared into his eyes. Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s eyes were clearer than the sea, as it held a deepness that could engulf any human being. Hwang Bo-yun saw the seriousness in his younger brother, something which didn¡¯t exist in his time when he was in the clan. ¡°If that is what you want, I can¡¯t do much to change it¡­ father will be very disappointed.¡± Said Hwang Bo-yun with a smile. Hwang Bo-sung felt bad at the words, however, he had no intention of going back on his decision. Chapter 645 - Veritas Magic Tower Steps on Tail 2 As the Yemaek and the rebels entered, the capital, which was under fire, changed. Jo Won-rak reappointed the court officials while purging all those who sided with Hwang Bo-kwang and his men. First of all, Jo Won-gyun and Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s aides were executed. It was because they had committed a great deal of brutality, such as waging war with neighboring nations and trying to turn living humans into Kangshi and turning the slums into Kangshi hubs by using poison. On the main road to the Imperial Palace, while people were watching, their heads were cut off. Next were the ministers, who were brainwashed by Hwang Bo-kwang, and the generals of Eorim troops were all exiled together along with their family to remote areas. Although they were only following the regent, the sins they committed as being the limbs of Jo Won-gyun weren¡¯t easy to forgive. So instead of executing them, they were exiled for the rest of their lives. In addition, junior officials, military officers, and all the merchants, who were behind Hwang Bo-kwang, were exiled outside the nation or imprisoned. They all tried to blame it on Jo Won-gyun¡¯s administration, but no one was ready to listen to their arguments. It wasn¡¯t Jo Won-rak but the emperor who gave out the sentence. The emperor, who was in a coma because of the warlocks of Hwang Bo-kwang, was able to recover because of Luke¡¯s Divine power and healing. However, although his body seemed to have recovered, his mind wasn¡¯t completely sane. ¡°I will punish Hwang Bo-kwang, that criminal!¡± Hwang Bo-in, who was watching the emperor give out the sentences, closed his eyes. He had already expected it. His son had suffered a terrible death in which his limbs were torn out. ¡°In addition to that, the Hwang Bo clan will be sealed for the next 30 years. In addition to the prohibition, no activities will happen in the nation under the clan¡¯s name.¡± The elders, who were standing next to the Hwang Bo clan, sighed. Banning all activities inside the nation meant to not engage in any affairs of the Moorim. That meant they were very close to extinction. However, considering the sins committed by Hwang Bo-kwang, it was fortunate that the usual punishment to destroy their entire family wasn¡¯t given to them. ¡°And another great criminal, Jo Won-gyun¡­¡± ¡°Father! Please save me! I have nothing to do with all of this. I only did what Hwang Bo-kwang told me to!¡± Jo Won-gyun, who was cuffed, begged while he was on his knees. However, his words and attitude only made the emperor angrier. ¡°Shut up! Who gave the sinner the right to carelessly use his tongue?!¡± ¡°Uh!¡± Jo Won-gyun shrugged at the emperor¡¯s rage. ¡®To think that this sneaky and disgusting one is my child¡­¡¯ The emperor could feel the heat rise in his body. ¡°Jo Won-gyun, you made your own brother addicted to drugs and tried to kill your other brother. You too deserve punishment. You will no longer be considered an Imperial family member. You shall leave this nation.¡± ¡°I will be ruined! Father!¡± He was exiled outside the nation, and once Luke decided to go back, he would like to take Jo Won-gyun to Symphonia Kingdom along with him. For the rest of his life, he was going to experience hard labor in another nation and live a life that was worse than death. However, Jo Won-gyun, who didn¡¯t realize the plans the men had for him, was just happy to survive. A month later, once all punishments were done, Luke met with King Biryu and Jo Won-rak to speak out his words, ¡°My work here is done, so I will return to my place.¡± Jo Won-rak and King Biryu asked, ¡°Is the investigation about the matter done?¡± ¡°The crowning ceremony of prince Jo Won-rak will be held in two months. Won¡¯t it be nice to see it?¡± The emperor, who had a great deal of mental shock due to the war, announced the intention of the crowning ceremony. Accordingly, Jo Won-rak was officially appointed as the crown prince, the emperor decided to give up his throne later. King Biryu asked his men to return, only keeping a handful of escorts, and he was thinking of returning to see his son-in-law¡¯s enthronement and marriage. However, Luke had different ideas. ¡°My expedition has ended up taking longer than I thought. I can¡¯t leave my Kingdom by itself any longer.¡± There was no more reason to stay back in the Song Empire after preventing it from falling into Arsene¡¯s grasp, and he even managed to kill all the warlocks, who were supporting Hwang Bo-kwang in the past. Most of all, the expedition ended up lasting for 3 months. Even the knights and war mages wanted to head back home. ¡®The only thing regrettable was that the tracks of Arsene couldn¡¯t be found.¡¯ He came to the Southern Continent because he wanted to catch him and kill him. However, the warlocks, who were caught, didn¡¯t know about Arsene¡¯s whereabouts. They said that they hadn¡¯t been contacted for a while, but they didn¡¯t know why they weren¡¯t contacting them anymore. If it was true that these warlocks weren¡¯t contacted, Luke thought that it had something to do with the defeat Arsene had faced. ¡°Tch, then you can¡¯t stay. Instead, how about entering an alliance between the Symphonia Kingdom, the Song Empire, and Yemaek?¡± ¡°There is no reason for me to say no.¡± Luke, King Biryu, and Jo Won-rak formed an alliance to confront any dangers Arsene would throw at them. They decided to send envoys to each other¡¯s nations to exchange information from time to time and provide active help to each other, including dispatching troops in case of a crisis. Actually, the alliance was proposed by King Biryu and Jo Won-rak, who only recently learned about the existence of Arsene while interrogating the traitors. The warlocks of Arsene and the Veritas Magic Tower had enough skills to wash away the entire Southern Continent. He thought that Luke¡¯s help was needed to stop those who might once again reach out to the Southern Continent. In response, Luke responded by forming an alliance, which included the Holy Arthenia Empire too. The alliance organized, not just the information exchange and military help, but also the trade between the nations. After discussing the issues such as lower tariffs, increasing the trade volume, and securing the settlements for merchants among the allied nations, they all signed it up. ¡°By the way, do you really not wish to marry one of our daughters here in Yemaek? Besides So-hye, I have another daughter.¡± ¡°Even the Song Empire would like His Majesty to think about it too.¡± After seeing Luke¡¯s power and the Symphonia army, King Biryu and Jo Won-rak kept on offering marriage proposals to Luke for the past month. The alliance was good. However, they wanted marriage. It meant that they would turn into a family. However, Luke shook his head. ¡°I am already married, and I have no intention of taking someone in as a concubine.¡± That was one of the reasons why Luke kept on declining their marriage proposals. He really hated listening to it, and the two weren¡¯t ready to stop asking the question. Even Lee Yong-mu once visited him and introduced his great-granddaughter. ¡°Well, then, if you change your mind about it, feel free to contact me.¡± ¡®I will never contact you regarding that.¡¯ The next day, Luke left the capital along with the Symphonia army. Chapter 646 - Veritas Magic Tower Steps on Tail 3 Chapter 646: Veritas Magic Tower Steps on Tail 3 The size of the Symphonia Kingdom¡¯s troops had increased since their dispatch. It was because the fairies, who had come ahead to the Southern Continent to help out Jo Won-rak and the many warriors that called themselves the Blood Band, decided to follow Luke without going back to their hometowns. Most of them were young people, who had a strong yearning to see the new world, which they didn¡¯t have the chance to see. ¡°So there is no such thing as chiefs in the Northern Continent?¡± ¡°It was said that they had lords, like how Yamatai does.¡± ¡°Wah, I will rebuild my arts there!¡± ¡°By the way, it doesn¡¯t seem like you are the only one who is trying to do that.¡± At the words of the warrior, people looked at the men, who were following Hwang Bo-sung. They were the warriors of the Hwang Bo clan, who were banished. When the Emperor turned it impossible for them to operate within the Song Empire, Hwang Bo-in handed some of the young men and the secrets of the clan to Hwang Bo-sung. He decided to entrust the future of the clan to his 3rd son, who decided to settle in a strange land. Even if it was in a strange land, he hoped that his son, Hwang Bo-sung, would teach them, and one day, the Moorim arts would return to their hometown and the fallen fame of the family would rise again. Some of the elders, including Jin-cheon, and the talented young warriors of the clan decided to join the Symphonia Kingdom. Hwang Bo-sung, who refused to take over the clan, couldn¡¯t refuse when his father was the one who made the request. ¡°Your Majesty, if it is this level, then would you like to make a few more of them on a regular basis for the military?¡± At Shirley¡¯s words, Luke smiled. The best virtue of warriors was force. A great warrior had the power to deal with a huge number of opponents. ¡°Surely, the military personnel would be very pleased to do it. But the Finance minister would complain a lot about the money going out for them.¡± Even then, they had gifts, so their own treasury wouldn¡¯t be extinguished. These were the treasures which were presented as a token of gratitude from the Song Imperial Family and the increased trade due to the alliance. Most of the treasures given to Luke were the Imperial treasures, and there were many rare things that seemed to be related to the ancient Abaron Empire. ¡®The things which will remain after paying enough for the expedition and the expenses¡­ some of the things could be sold off.¡¯ Luke was particularly interested in a thing called Heavens Light Record. It was a record which was left by the warrior, Heechang, a famous man in the Southern Continent. According to the words of the Song officials, Hwang Bo-kwang had learned the martial arts written in there. ¡®If I can study it right, it might be of some help in getting rid of that Arsene.¡¯ Luke was on his way back home in a good mood. On the way back, in the northern port called Yeosun, the Auster was anchored, he received a long-range magic communication from Prime Minister Hans, of Symphonia Kingdom. -Your Majesty, are you exhausted? ¡°I have managed to achieve my purpose so not so much. I am returning to the continent. What is it? I guess this isn¡¯t a normal communication.¡± On his expedition to the Southern continent, Luke had promised to his retainers to communicate with them regularly once every fortnight. His retainers had asked for communication every three nights. However, the magic stones needed for long-range communication were a lot, and above all, it was very annoying to catch the line, so Luke pushed it once every fifteen days. Of course, the only exception was Reina in the Holy Empire. Somehow, it wasn¡¯t the time for their call yet, so Luke was puzzled when the Symphonia Palace had communicated to him. ¡®Did something troublesome happen?¡¯ As he thought, Hans opened his mouth with a stiff face. -Well, there is something I wanted to speak to Your Majesty. ¡°Specifically to me?¡± -Yes. Lord Belfair was reported to have sent news after going out for an investigation a month back about a suspiciously moving Grain Chamber transport ship. However, the reports from Lord Belfair were lost, and just recently, we managed to get news from him. However, the report, which they received from Belfair, who contacted them after losing contact for a long time, was quite shocking. He said that he found out where the remnants of the Veritas Magic Tower were hiding. ¡°What? He found out the hideout of the remnants of that Veritas? Fine, where did he say it was?¡± Luke ground his teeth and asked. For him, Arsene and the Veritas Magic Tower were enemies that were purely hellish, and they had to be destroyed. -Surprisingly, they were hiding in the Archipelago of Hells Island, the Sea of Reapers which is located between the two continents. And then, Hans spoke about the entire story he had heard from Belfair. When Luke heard everything about it, he clicked his tongue. ¡°Huh! I never thought it would be the Hells Island.¡± In order to find the remains of the Vertias Magic Tower, the intelligence department and the fairies were moved to search both the continents thoroughly. However, they never assumed that they would be located in the Hells Island. It was because it was a well-known fact that the sea was rough to move in. The rumors about the sea were the same even when he was Devil King Saymon. Even during that time, the Sea of Reapers was regarded to be a place where humans weren¡¯t given the right to go to, all because of the disasters it had caused. And for Arsene to hide in there¡­! -By the way, according to Lord Belfair, the remnants are currently relocating the tower. ¡°Relocating?¡± -Yes, I don¡¯t know the reasons for it, but it was said that dozens of trading fleets were being loaded with people and supplies. It was said that they were moving away. ¡°Damn it! I need to hurry up before they find another place.¡± It was all luck that they managed to find out their hideout. So Luke wanted to grab hold of their tail before they went into another hiding place. ¡°Send in the navy right away to track the whereabouts of those ships that left. I will go to the Sea of Reapers.¡± -Yes, Your Majesty, After ending the communication, Luke ordered the troops to march ahead at full speed. As a result, the trailers, which were carrying the Gigants and the troops, started to run. The warriors of the Blood Band and the Hwang Bo clan decided to follow them slowly after Hwang Bo sung and Zegal Soha briefed them on the matters. Swoosh! Auster, which was carrying the Symphonia army, ran through the sea. Originally, it was a fast ship, but with Luke¡¯s magic, it was able to move in the sea almost twice its original speed. ¡°The Sea of Reapers begins here so be careful.¡± At the words of the captain, Luke nodded his head. It was because if the ship sank in the Sea of Reapers, it would be difficult to manage all the people on board no matter how much magic he used. Slowing down the ship, Auster carefully headed toward the opening of the Sea of Reapers, where he found a familiar person. It was Belfair, who was on a whale. Belfair had gone to the Symphonia Kingdom to give them a report and then ran back to the place to monitor them. ¡°It has been a long time, Master.¡± At Belfair¡¯s almost happy greeting, Luke nodded from a top of Auster and asked, ¡°Are they still on the island?¡± ¡°The first trade fleet has left, and the second one is still in the port.¡± People and supplies were being loaded onto the ship. ¡°Fortunately, we aren¡¯t too late.¡± ¡°Master, would you like to wait for them in here, or are you going to the island and attack them?¡± At Belfair¡¯s question, Luke thought for a moment and came to a decision. ¡°No matter how I look at it, the island will be an advantage to manage the Gigants and the troops. We will attack them on the island.¡± ¡°Then, please follow me there.¡± When Belfair, who already crossed the Sea of Reapers, was guiding them on his whale, Auster was able to easily pass through the Sea of Reapers, avoiding all the reefs and the marine monsters. As they broke through the eerie fog and cut through the dark sea, the islands that were made of strange rocks had emerged into their sight. The ship went around the islands and approached the Thanatos Island from behind. Swoosh! Luke flew into the sky and used the Hawk-Eye magic to get a clear look. At the pier on the other side of the island, he saw wagons lined up and warlocks loading the supplies. ¡®Damn it! Those men belong to Veritas!¡¯ It was quite far, but Luke was able to know that the men belonged to the Veritas Magic Tower by the energy their body was releasing. In particular, one of them had a lot of energy. He looked carefully to see if the man was Arsene, however, it wasn¡¯t. ¡®Meister of Veritas Magic Tower?¡¯ Luke assumed that if he was able to be that great at managing energy, he would at least be the Meister. However, the wizard Luke saw was Nestar, a former meister. Having seen his son, Albert, who died because of Belfair¡¯s counterattack, he remained in the islands to clear all his missions. ¡®Even if I don¡¯t know who it is, they are all the ones who need to be gotten rid of as soon as possible.¡¯ For Luke, Veritas was a pest that needed to be eradicated completely. Whether the skills of the Veritas men were high or low, he had to kill them. ¡®But first, let¡¯s capture him. He would surely know quite a bit about Arsene.¡¯ Having decided that, Luke went back to Auster and held a meeting with Reynard and Shirley and the other commanders. ¡°The warlocks on the island are the same ones who attacked the Anbury city and the southern cities?¡± ¡°Yes, Count Shirley. There are very much the remnants of the Veritas Magic Tower. Lord Belfair had been tracking their whereabouts.¡± Luke¡¯s explanation quickly changed the expressions of the commanders. That was how angry they were. It was believed that no ship could enter the islands because of the reefs the fog and the marine monsters. ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s words are right. First, using the Auster to shoot them, Triton troops will take over the coast. The Gigant troops will then land and will wipe them out.¡± At Count Reynard¡¯s suggestion, Luke nodded. ¡°Nice, I¡¯ll give you the coordinate for the shooting.¡± Luke was thinking about using his attack magic and assisting them. The power of shooting would decrease if the enemies use defense magic. Of course, they could defeat the enemy¡¯s meister warlock. ¡°And just in case, we never know what happens, so set up the torpedo on our way to attack.¡± The torpedo made by Zegal Soha was used to destroy the Grenada Navy in the past. Production of the torpedoes continued even after the war was over, and they were all installed in the Auster. They brought them along because they didn¡¯t know what kind of tricks the Song Empire would use on their expedition. However, they didn¡¯t have the opportunity to use them in the Southern Continent. And it seemed like they were going to use it in the islands. ¡°Your Majesty, I will direct the use of Torpedo.¡± When Belfair volunteered, Luke accepted. He was the one who guided the way till there, so he decided that Belfair would know the route through the ships thoroughly. ¡°Hurry up and prepare for battle. The more we hurry, the more we will be able to take them down before they bring trouble to the continent.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± The operation¡¯s meeting had ended. And the commanders quickly scattered around to prepare for the war, where they would get the chance to take revenge. Chapter 647 - Veritas Magic Tower Steps on Tail 4 Chapter 647: Veritas Magic Tower Steps on Tail 4 ¡°Phew-! God damn!¡± After watching the loading work at the pier, Nestar returned back to the pyramid and sighed while drinking a glass of alcohol. After the death of Albert, he ended up drinking every day. Arsene had asked for the body to be sent, saying that he would save it, yet, his words didn¡¯t seem that comforting for him. For a warlock, resurrection meant turning into a Lich. Moreover, if it wasn¡¯t like turning into a Lich by staying alive, he was going to be revived for the dead, all the consciousness and memories of his life wouldn¡¯t stay intact. It would be very similar to making a doll which had Albert¡¯s power. ¡°How preciously I raised him¡­ kuek!¡± Arsene and some of the other elders regarded Albert as an incompetent man who couldn¡¯t prevent the fall of the Magic Tower. However, Nestar didn¡¯t treat him like that. He thought that one day, the dark magic and its research would be out into the world. He was planning on taking over the continent before the truth went out, however, things went horribly wrong. And he couldn¡¯t regard it as Albert¡¯s fault. In fact, even Arsene¡¯s plans too went out of order once or twice. ¡°Grandpa, please stop drinking.¡± As Nestar picked up a new bottle, the young warlocks next to him nagged. The warlock, Zehart was Albert¡¯s son, Nestar¡¯s grandson. He was 5th level in white magic, but considering his young age, he couldn¡¯t be termed as very proficient. All because he was brought up by giving all kinds of elixirs to improve his magic power and special guidance as the son of Meister. He was surely gifted with magic, but he had no passion for it. He was interested in being in a favorable position on the foundations established by his predecessors. Yet, he was very interested in making money, so he was able to develop a company that was one of the best in the continent in a very short period of time. ¡°Too much drinking isn¡¯t very good for your health.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being noisy. If I die, I¡¯ll just end up turning into a Lich.¡± Replied by Nestar while pouring whiskey into his glass. ¡°By the way, what about the thing I asked you to look into?¡± ¡°You mean the assassin who killed my father? We collected all the information which was coming out of the ports from the merchants, however, there didn¡¯t seem to be any favorable results.¡± During that incident, there were no ships passing around the Hell islands, and no wooden drifts were said to have picked up around the sea. ¡°He probably died in the sea while he was fleeing after fighting his father with his strength. Otherwise, the injury ended up turning severe and he turned into a food of the monsters.¡± ¡°Huh, well it could be. Your father isn¡¯t the one to die without taking down the enemy.¡± When Nestar had a bitter smile on his face, Zehart spoke. ¡°But I am not sure if it is accurate. If our land had been infiltrated, it means that men have figured out where we are.¡± ¡°So?¡± As Nestar raised his eyes, Zehart flinched for a moment and continued. ¡°I remember telling this last time too¡­ it isn¡¯t too late now, so why don¡¯t we check through the Hell Islands and be more cautious?¡± ¡°Huh, while we are preparing to leave?!¡± Nestar, who yelled at Zehart¡¯s request raised his voice by lowering the glass. ¡°We are loading all the ships right now, however, now you want to stop the loading and ask our men to hid the rats which might or might not be hiding? If they really are here, it is better to move quickly.¡± ¡°But, we might never know¡­¡± ¡°Even then! It is your huge flaw for being so cautious! You need to know how to make bold decisions for your age¡­¡± Kwang! Nestar was nagging his grandson. However, his words ended up turning buried by the huge band behind them. In an instant, Nestar pushed away from the alcohol and jumped over to the window to look at the spot. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Bang! Bang! Kwang! As if waiting for his words, a heavy sound burst again, and this time flame soared over the pier. Ships began to sink and the port broke, people who were wrapped in the flames jumped into the water to escape the flames and the black smoke. Rain of flames and smoke covered the heads of those who were trapped on the pier. ¡°Ho-how is this even happening¡­?!¡± ¡°Someone who knows about this place is attacking it.¡± At Zehart¡¯s words, Nestar took a step forward. ¡°Who in their right mind would even do that?! Who are those men who dare to do this?!¡± Zehart sighed. It seemed to be the assassin who stepped away from the island after killing his father and managed to bring in more of his men. Was his grandfather really going to act oblivious even after knowing why all this was happening? He seemed to have lost his reason and turned cold after losing his son. ¡°As far as I know, there are only three nations that have such a capable fleet of creating havoc. Grenada, Hoy Empire, and the Castia Kingdom.¡± Recently, the news about the Symphonia Kingdom was also making an effort to increase the navy power. But currently, he didn¡¯t think that a nation that was currently growing in terms of the Navy would come all the way to a faraway island. Because Luke¡¯s mission to the Southern Continent was kept a secret, and the existence of Auster was confidential, so Zehart didn¡¯t even think about them. ¡°Ah! Then it has to be the Holy Empire. They are the ones who have always kept their eyes lit to catch the warlocks!¡± As Nestar was grunting through his teeth, Zehart quickly spoke. ¡°For now, we need to get out of the Sea of Reapers.¡± They could fight on the island. However, there was only one entrance to the Sea of Reaper, and if that get¡¯s blocked by the warlocks, then the enemy could be taken down. ¡°Huh, you want to run away? I will kill all the men with my own hands!¡± Nestar spoke and flew towards the pier despite Zehart¡¯s words. Zehart couldn¡¯t help but sigh at it. ¡°He has completely lost it.¡± Zehart too had lost his family, so he knew how Nestar was feeling. He too felt resentful at the death of his father, and he despised the followers of God. However, it was his opinion that a person in the position such as his grandfather shouldn¡¯t drown himself in grief. There was still a lot of undead which weren¡¯t moved over to the new area. Moreover, if their leader runs out for vengeance in a situation where the enemy just attacked them, aren¡¯t the subordinates bound to die? ¡°Sire Zehart, the former Meister¡­¡± ¡°Where is Nestar?¡± ¡°We are in a huge mess right now! There is a massive mana disturbance going on, and the communication magic isn¡¯t working!¡± As the elders were all speaking out the problems at once, Zehart sighed. He hesitated for a moment, and perceives what to say, but then gave out the answer to the elders. ¡°Grandfather went to the pier. He wanted to meet with the enemy, and ordered each one to bring in their undead and disciples.¡± ¡°Understood, we¡¯ll get on it.¡± Having sent out the elders with a message, Zehart headed to the North with a little treasure and documents. There was a cave covered with rocks on the northern shore, and there was always a ship standing by. It was a ship which he had prepared several years ago to escape from any emergency situation. ¡®By now, everything will be under the attack. There was only shelling till now, but there could be a massive fleet waiting to land soon.¡¯ It was obvious that if they were the Holy Empire, they would go for an all-out war to annihilate the warlocks. With the unfinished undead and a large number of the undead moved on the first fleet, the current island didn¡¯t have enough power to endure the Divine power. ¡®Shouldn¡¯t I get out of here and let my ancestor know what happened here?¡¯ He was trying to reason and not feel guilty for leaving behind his grandfather and the other people of the Magic Tower. All the men he left behind were people who always nagged at him for lacking enthusiasm regarding magic and laughed behind the back of a young child. ¡°Because I am self-taught, I will be able to get out of here on my own. I will not lose.¡± Zehart turned towards the pier and laughed. Looking at it once, he quickly continued to move to the north. Chapter 648 - Burning Island 1 Thanatos Island. The island which was a raging hell with all the blasts and heat waves running in all the directions. Bang! Bang! Kwang! Bang! ¡°Uahk!¡± ¡°Kuak! My legs!¡± Veritas warlocks and the Grain merchants screamed through the fire. ¡°Stay calm! Calm down and take out the undead from the warehouses and the burning ships!¡± ¡°What are the warlocks even doing! Hurry up and use the defense magic!¡± At the pier, the warlocks and the merchants did try to respond to the shelling. However, at the most, every time they gathered wizards and tried to use shield magic, they were often interrupted by magic attacks that flew in from somewhere. Moreover, the power of the shelling was too high to block. With each shelling, a large ship and a warehouse would go down. There didn¡¯t seem like using Shield magic would even stop it. As a result, the damage increased rapidly and people began to get hurt. Even if they ran away in the moment¡¯s fear, they weren¡¯t even sure where they were supposed to hide as they were in an island with nowhere to go. ¡°Where the hell is the attack coming from?¡± ¡°What about Meister Nestar? It would be a lot easier for him to stop this kind of shelling with just his hand!¡± When elders of the tower and leaders were rapidly looking for Nestar. A grey light appeared in the sky and made all the shells bounce off from the pier! ¡°Wah! This is a wild shield!¡± ¡°Sir Nestar has come!¡± Just as they all said. Nestar, wearing a colorful robe, appeared behind the grey smoke. He stared into the sea. ¡°Those men! How dare they attack this place?!¡± The Hell Island had been the secret hideout of the Veritas Magic tower. Among them, the Thanatos Island, which was used as the base, was the second home of Veritas. And some random men dared to enter their own sea! ¡°They might have been the ones who killed Albert! I¡¯ll show them the taste of death!¡± Magi flashed and a dozen of giant dark spheres were created around Nestar. It was the dark magic ¡®Dark Moon¡¯, an 8th circle magic which was quite stronger than a 9th magic circle attack. It was when he was about to release the dark sphere in the direction of the shelling. Flinch. His body picked up an energy. Nestar, who felt the powerful energy canceled the magic attack. It was because he couldn¡¯t give out a gap when he was aiming for releasing such a strong attack. ¡°Who are you?!¡± As he sent a magic communication with his mind, the answer entered his ears. -Who am I, curious much? If you want to see my face, come over here. ¡°You bastard!¡± Nestar grumbled. Even though he didn¡¯t know what kind of person the enemy was, he was challenging Nestar in his own home place! However, if we fought at the pier, the damage for the Vertias would increase. In addition, there would be a huge delay until support came over from the pyramid, so he moved to the place where the message was sent. ¡°Huh? where are you going Sir Nestar?¡± ¡°Please help up!¡± The merchants and the Magic Tower wizards screamed from below, but none of their screams went into Nestar¡¯s ears. Eventually, they were all eaten by the flames around them. Luke, who was flying in the air with fly magic, smiled when the guy had taken the bait. It was a pity that his opponent wasn¡¯t Arsene, but he seemed to be a Meister, so he assumed that taking the man down would cause great damage. ¡®If we destroy the secret base of Veritas Magic Tower, Arsene who is hiding somewhere will end up crawling out!¡¯ The next time he would meet him, Luke decided to smash him to the extent where resurrection wouldn¡¯t work. But to do that, he would have to break the Life Vessel which was hidden somewhere. Otherwise, the fight would keep on repeating. ¡®I need to find a clue about the Life Vessel. I hope this guy knows where¡­¡¯ It was when Luke was filled with expectations. A light flashed, and Nestar appeared. Nestar managed to recognize Luke. ¡°Yo-you are¡­ Luke de Rakan?!¡± As the other person recognized him, Luke bit his lip. ¡°You know me?¡± ¡°Obviously I do! How can I not know someone who defeated our ancestor?¡± Veritas Magic Tower had been investigating a lot of things about Luke. He had emerged as the greatest enemy of the Magic Tower. Thanks to that, Luke was quickly recognized because of his portrait they had created in the tower. ¡°You must be in the Symphonia Kingdom, how can you be here¡­?¡± Nestar believed that the shelling was all because of the Holy Arthenia Empire¡¯s fleet. So he assumed the one who called him was Arch Duke Gregory, the Sword Sage of Holy Empire. But, it ended up being Luke de Rakan! ¡°I stopped by after returning from the Southern Continent, and heard that the remnants of the Veritas Magic tower were hiding in here.¡± ¡°What was that? Then your men killed Albert the other day!¡± ¡®Albert? The current Meister is dead?¡¯ At Nestar¡¯s angry face, Luke was rather puzzled. He didn¡¯t hear anything about that from Belfair. ¡®Huh, looks like he ended up taking down a huge fish.¡¯ Luke thought that he should grant Belfair a huge prize once he returned. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you and take vengeance for my son!¡± ¡°Hu hu hu, you will kill me? Arsene himself couldn¡¯t beat me.¡± ¡°Kuek! It is a mistake if you think that our ancestor couldn¡¯t take you down, I¡¯ll take you down!¡± Nestar yelled at Luke who was making fun of him. It was the truth that his strength was inferior to Arsene. Unlike the ancestor who knew both white and dark magic, he was only 9th circle in dark and 8th circle in white. Of course, he was one of the best in the continent, but winning in a one-on-one battle with Luke was impossible. But he believed he could. The advanced level undead in the pyramid. A few days ago, two advanced undead were finished and were connected to him. If he called for them, they would run for him right away. He could feel them moving. Once he calls for them, they wouldn¡¯t need a second to reach him. ¡°Kukuku, you will realize that you called for your death sooner. When you disappear, our ancestor will be very pleased.¡± The advanced Undead were monsters equal to the guardians which Arsene had created in the past. The corpses belonged to those who received fame for being the strongest in the North and Southern continents hundreds of years back, and the amount of sacrifices that went into creating them was incomparable. ¡®Well, if completed properly, Lich will be 9th circle warlocks, the Death Knight will be close to Sword Emperor, but it is a pity.¡¯ The death of Albert still lingered around Nestar. But that didn¡¯t mean he turned into a slave for alcohol and forgot his duties. Zehart and the elders weren¡¯t aware, but he prepared for the most unfavorable situations, and awakened two advanced undead. All because of the concern that someone else would die an outrageous death like Albert. And what he did was a complete violation of Arsene¡¯s instructions. If the Undead were awakened suddenly, the Undead would turn incapable of exerting its full ability. ¡®It can¡¯t be helped. First of all, I need to live through this and even see the rage on my ancestor¡¯s face.¡¯ And he believed that if Luke was removed, his ancestor would forgive him for violating his orders. As Nestar was in thought, Luke glanced at the pyramid and asked. ¡°Huh! Well, you believe in those two rotten corpses? Fine then, I will wait for them to arrive.¡± ¡°Kuek! Your arrogance will be the biggest flaw! A mistake you can never change!¡± Nestar wanted to run towards Luke right away. However, he waited. He knew that Luke wasn¡¯t an opponent who could be taken alone. While they would be awakened, the advanced undead won¡¯t be very strong, but they would still be over the level of Sword Sage. If Nestar could cooperate with them, they might end up taking Luke¡¯s life. ¡®Wait a little more, Luke! I will make sure that you regret coming here!¡¯ Chapter 649 - Burning Island 2 When Luke and Nestar met, the shells, hitting the pier of the island, stopped. ¡°What just happened? Didn¡¯t it just kept pouring down like rain a while ago?¡± ¡°It might be because the barrels have overheated. The cannons can¡¯t keep on firing if it isn¡¯t completely cooled down.¡± It was only then that the warlocks and the merchants sighed out of relief and turned their heads. They thought that something was approaching them from the surface and then came close to the pier. Thud! Thud! Thud! ¡°Wh-what is that? Those things are¡­?¡± ¡°Damn it, Gigants! The enemy had landed!¡± A Gigant, which resembled a crab, was walking ahead. However, it was made of iron. Those Gigants were Triton, and they came from Auster. They were brought there from the Southern Continent. They were supposed to use them for any coastal battles, but they ended turning up useful for the current expedition. ¡°Stop them! Stop them at all costs!¡± Slash! ¡°Kuak!¡± The warlock, who was about to use evil and firebolt magic, ended up getting killed by the red Triton, which was in the lead. Triton, the red one, who overpowered the warlock with a single slash, shouted, ¡°This is for the entire troop! Before our second wave starts, hurry up and take over the pier and secure the bridge! Not even one of you should be hurt!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± All the Triton¡¯s yelled at the same time as the red Triton ordered them. They quickly rushed toward all the surviving warlocks and mercenaries. Swwong! Bang! ¡°Ugh!¡± When a large spear was thrown, the warehouses got smashed and dozens of merchants hiding inside it got crushed and killed. ¡°Ehk! Dark Ball!¡± ¡°Fire Explosion!¡± ¡°Magic Spear!¡± A variety of counterattacks came from the wrecked pier. They were warlocks that survived the shelling. Triton, who got hit by the attacks, staggered back a little, but thanks to the defense magic circle engraved on its shield and armor, they managed to withstand the 4th circle attack. ¡°Two warlocks in the west side building! Take care of them!¡± ¡°Yes! Captain!¡± Tritons moved quickly and threw their spears and crossbows toward the warlocks. The attack of the mercenaries was ignored. From the standpoint of the riders, the warlocks, who could damage the Gigants, were the most troublesome compared to mercenaries. Of course, there were exceptions even for the mercenaries. ¡°Captain, there is a shooting at 11 o¡¯clock from 100 meters high.¡± ¡°Scatter! And use the rubble as a shield!¡± The surviving mercenaries after the Auster shooting fired the artilleries at Triton to see if they could handle the shelling. Poop! Pop! Bang! Triton, who was made with thin armor for Navy warfare, were hit severely when the shell hit them. However, the Gigants were so light that the movement was excellent. The riders, who made use of their mobility, weren¡¯t that bad to get hit by such poor shelling. ¡°Damn, reload quickly¡­ Ahhk!¡± ¡°Kuak!¡± The mercenaries hanging around the canons were red. The Tritons began to throw stones and gravel from the floor. The mercenaries screamed and fell to the ground as they got hit by huge rocks. ¡°Well done. Make sure to break down those canons, so they can¡¯t be used again.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The 3 Tritons, who were instructed, broke into the building and turned the artillery into scrap. Like that, the Triton troops steadily cleared up the pier with all their hands and feet intact. Meanwhile, another unit was preparing to unload from Auster. Loaded with infantry and artillery, Gigants approached the pier. If they landed, they would be able to wipe out the entire Thanatos Island. ¡°Nice, the landing has turned up successful!¡± It was when the captain of Triton was satisfied when suddenly, from the woods behind the pier, people wearing black armor ran out. They had a very different aura than the mercenaries, and they swung their swords toward Triton without any hesitation. ¡°Huh, that sword is¡­¡± The Triton rider, who was in the lead, snorted while looking at their enemies. In order for a knight to deal with a Gigant with his bare body, he had to be a Sword Expert of the intermediate class. Of course, just being that class didn¡¯t mean that they could take down the Gigant. It just meant that they could take down the armor for the Gigant. Therefore, it was impossible to win a one-on-one against a Gigant unless they were an Expert. But, how many mercenaries of the advanced level, who committed sins in the Northern Continent, would even be available to the Veritas Magic Tower? There could be none. Thinking so, the Triton rider struck a giant sword right away. He thought that soon their blood would splatter¡­ Cang! The giant sword got blocked by a sword with a black seal. ¡°Wh-what! He stopped it?¡± When the rider was flustered, the black-armored man screamed and pushed Triton. Kiik! ¡°Th-this is!¡± Triton got pushed back. It wasn¡¯t just some kind of deception that he got pushed back. Six Tritons near the forest were pushed back by the men in black, or the knee joints of the Gigants were cut down. ¡°Be careful. They are Death Knights. They aren¡¯t humans!¡± The captain, who identified the enemy¡¯s real identity, warned his men. Every single one of them that heard the message went into the line. ¡°One, two, three¡­ Thirty-two in total.¡± ¡°Captain, normal attacks don¡¯t work on them.¡± In a short moment, the rider, who managed to compete with a Death Knight, frowned. ¡°I know.¡± The captain of the Triton unit had fought a Death Knight in the Lamer City during the last Undead attack. He knew that a Death Knight could smash a Gigant. A Death Knight was a lot faster and stronger compared to normal humans. A normal Gigant wouldn¡¯t even stand a chance against them. Dealing with more than 30 Death Knights wouldn¡¯t be possible for a weak Triton. ¡°Of course, that is if we use normal attack.¡± Death Knights were strong but not invincible. They had an obvious weakness. ¡°You are talking about that?¡± ¡°Yes, it is time to use that!¡± At the captain¡¯s words, the riders pulled out a large glass bottle from the leather pouch, which was hanging by every Triton¡¯s waist, and threw it at the running Death Knights. Crack! Splash! The glass bottle, which broke, spilled all over the Death Knight. Kiikki! Kikikiki! Death Knights that were covered in the water ran wild. Black smoke rose on their bodies as if they were set on fire. ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s Holy Water is working!¡± ¡°Even if they are Death Knights, they are the Undead.¡± Before attacking the island, Luke discovered the Undead coffins. There might be strong Undead like those who attacked the southern coast of the Symphonia Kingdom, so everyone prepared countermeasures. And what they came up was the Holy Water, which was made by infusing water with Divine power. ¡°Pour Holy Water on your swords! A weapon with Divine power will do a great deal of damage on them!¡± At the orders of their captain, Triton riders took out the Holy Water from their pouch and poured it over their swords. KiKikikii! The bodies of the Death Knights were covered in Holy Water and melted like a candle. The Tritons that applied Holy Water on their swords ran ahead and crushed the Death Knights. The moment they cleared the Death Knights, a new one appeared. The Lich. Five low and intermediate Lich were flying in the sky and directed magic attacks toward the Tritons. The riders weren¡¯t aware, but the low-level Lich could use magic up to 7th circle and the intermediate one could use 8th circle. Swoosh! Bang! Crack! Black flames and lightning burst everywhere. With the powerful magic coming at them, the Triton captain yelled to his men, ¡°Damn, don¡¯t face them head-on. Try to avoid it!¡± However, despite his warning, about half of his men were hit and their Gigants were destroyed. In fact, the attack toward him and his fallen allies made the Triton captain stunned. During that time, another group of Death Knights and warlocks appeared from the woods. ¡°Kukkku! How dare you people come to this place?!¡± ¡°Kill all of those who attacked our Veritas Magic Tower and turn them into Undead!¡± The warlocks that appeared were the elders of the tower and their disciples, who run from the pyramid to stop the attack. In order to prevent the enemy from landing, they considered it urgent to wipe out all of the Triton troops and take control of the pier. However, the riders of Triton, who took the lead in the pier, didn¡¯t seem like easy opponents to deal with. It was because Luke made the unit of Triton based on skilled knights, who had strong sword skills. ¡°Use Flash Bullets!¡± The Tritons used Flash Bullets that contained Holy Water in all directions. Pop! Bang! Pop! Dazzling flashes burst on earth. When they saw the bright flash caused by the Holy water, the warlocks closed their eyes. As they stopped giving orders, the movement of the Undead stopped for a brief moment. In the meantime, the Triton troops grabbed the fallen Gigants and escaped from that spot. ¡°Those rats!¡± ¡°They think they can live by running away!¡± One of the elder warlocks led his two Undead to pursue the Triton troops. But just then, a fire rang from afar and huge shells fell at him. ¡°Th-this is!¡± The disciple of an elder tried to use shield magic in a hurry. However, the shell fell a lot faster than his magic. Auster¡¯s large-caliber shells that could smash any Gigant went for the Undead and warlocks. The elder screamed at the disciples since they were slow to react. ¡°What are you doing?! Shells are pouring in! Hurry up and deploy the shield magic!¡± The Tritons used Flash Bullet not just to escape, but they used it to tie their opponent¡¯s feet and inform the sailors of the Auster on where to fire. ¡°Shield magic, hurry¡­!¡± Swoosh! As the elder shouted, shells rained on them. As a result, the elders couldn¡¯t pursue the Triton troops and were busy looking for ways to survive the shelling. Chapter 650 - Burning Island 3 When the Triton troops detonated the flares from the ground and retreated, the advanced Undead, which Nestar was waiting for, had appeared in front of Luke. ¡°Oh, they are quite the deserving ones.¡± Luke, who took a closer look at the advanced Undead, said. The Lich, who had dull, gloomy, and sickly energy radiating from his body, was wearing an old fashioned robe, almost as if it belonged to the days of Saymon. On the other hand, the Death Knight, which was carrying two curved swords, was giving out a menacing aura. ¡°This Lich is made up of the body of Flaming, who was a famous safe 400 years ago, and the Death Knight is made up of the carcass of Yamatai¡¯s most famous Musashi, who was notorious for his two swords!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Despite the proud introduction, Luke didn¡¯t seem very nervous, and Nestar, who saw that, was turning red with anger. ¡°The Lich¡¯s framing was a 9th circle warlock, and the Death Knight¡¯s framing was a Sword Emperor. They are the perfect match! As long as these two join hands, there is no chance for you!¡± They have awakened ahead of their time, so they were inferior to all the things he was shouting out. Yet, he had no doubts that his men would hit the neck of the arrogant man in front of him. ¡°They certainly look strong. If I go into a fight like this, it might be difficult to win.¡± ¡°Huhuhu. It is too late for you to regret this!¡± Nestar, with a smile on his face, immediately used magic. ¡°Dark Javelin!¡± Dozens of magical spears formed above his head and struck him like lightning. ¡°If this is the level¡­!¡± It was terrifying to look at, but it was a dark magic attack that Luke had already experienced in his fight against Arsene. He already knew how to deal with it, so he seemed rather laidback. However, after avoiding one or two of them, it felt as if his entire body was wrapped in a thick web. And it came into his view, a grey net, very similar to a spider¡¯s web, hanging around him, and it was created by the Lich, Flaming. It was the Dark Spider Web. Kikikiki! A bizarre voice rang from the lips of the Lich, Flaming, and the magi net around Luke began to become stronger. Aiming for the gap, the Death Knight, Musashi, ran ahead. ¡®He is fast!¡¯ Luke was both shocked and surprised while he summoned his Gigant, Avenger, from his subspace bracelet. Kang! The moment Avenger stopped Musashi¡¯s sword attack, Musashi¡¯s second sword flew to Luke, pushing past Avenger¡¯s giant sword with a force behind him. Luke pulled out Valiant while Avenger blocked Musashi and hurriedly stopped Musashi¡¯s attack after widening the distance between them using Blink. ¡®That was amazing! That quick sword just a second ago was of the same speed as Arch Duke Gregory and General Lee Yong-mu!¡¯ And who were Arch Duke Gregory and Lee Yong-mu? They were people who have already crossed the level of Sword Emperor. If this Death Knight was on the same level as those two, Luke couldn¡¯t help but take the battle more seriously. When a Death Knight was made, the physical abilities were strengthened more than the time they were alive. However, that didn¡¯t mean that their skills would enhance too. With his speed and fierce quick attacks with his sword, Musashi seemed to have excellent abilities even during the time when he was still alive, and Luke¡¯s thoughts were right. Musashi was a revered swordsman in the Yamatai Kingdom when it came to using two swords, and he was equivalent to a Sword Emperor. But how would Musashi react once he knew that his body was being used by evil people? Would he be angry, or would he be happy to fight people even after his death? ¡®Well, I don¡¯t think now is the time to think about those things, right?¡¯ He could feel that Nestar was gathering power from behind while the two Undead were attacking him. ¡®Kukuku, Luke, will you be able to stop this?¡¯ Nestar, who was showing dark and white magic from both his hands, fused them into one. It was Chaos Strike, a dark magic attack of 8th circle. Chaos Strike was a representation of an attack in the state where the universe was first created, and it held a terrifying momentum to it. Wheeeing! Nestar released the sphere of energy he had created toward the back of Luke, who was busy fighting with Musashi. ¡°Die, Luke de Rakan!¡± ¡°Huh, you are going to kill me with that Chaos Strike?¡± Chaos Strike was powerful. Although it was an 8th circle magic attack, one could make it as strong as a 9th circle depending on the magi that was infused into it. However, the problem was that the creation of the dark magic attack was based on Saymon. Luke, sensing the attack from behind, moved Avenger with a smile on his face. Pop! In no time, Avenger appeared behind Luke and struck Chaos Strike with its giant sword. ¡°Wh-what was that? That Gigant doesn¡¯t seem to have a rider in it. How is it even moving¡­?¡± ¡°I can control this Gigant even without a rider.¡± As if to prove his words, Luke pulled out a piece of a Gaius Gigant, which he had in his subspace bracelet, and attacked the Lich, Flaming. While fighting Musashi, Luke was controlling two other Gigants. Nestar wasn¡¯t able to recover from what he was seeing. ¡®How is he even¡­?¡¯ Luke showed off his abilities. Nestar felt startled for the first time since the battle started. However, he shook his head. ¡®But if we can do our very best, we can kill him!¡¯ Biting his teeth, he grabbed his heart and shouted at the Undead. ¡°Flaming! Musashi! Even if you are on the line of magi runaway, kill him! Get rid of him at all costs!¡± For the Undead, magi was like a life force, which held one¡¯s body. It was the same as the Ki energy that the Moorim clans in the Southern Continent talked about. But to go to the level of runaway meant that there was no going back. Kiiiii! Ki ki ki ki! Upon hearing the order from Nestar, Musashi and Flaming¡¯s bodies turned dark red. They released more than twice the power they were showcasing until then and began to run for Luke. Gaius, which was dealing with Flaming, broke its armor and fell to the ground in one strike. Nestar didn¡¯t want to waste that chance. He gathered all the magi in his body to deal with Avenger and Luke at the same time. ¡°Kuek! These ones¡­!¡± Kwang! Bang! Pop! Pop! Kwang! Luke¡¯s face went stiff by the tremendous dark magic that was being directed at him and the sword attacks. Nestar smiled when he saw Luke. Although Luke continued to block all the incoming attacks, he would be able to deal with an enormous attack when two people were coming at him. ¡®We can do it! If we can keep attacking him like this, we can kill him!¡¯ Although he would lose two advanced Undead, he thought that if he could kill Luke, then he would be able to create a lot more. ¡°Well, I guess this won¡¯t work for me.¡± When words flowed out of Luke¡¯s mouth, he bounced off from Musashi¡¯s sword. Nestar was convinced that he would win this battle. In his mind, the picture of him holding the severed head of Luke with a wicked laugh on his face and praise from Arsene filled his heart. ¡°The battle on this ground will put my men in jeopardy¡­ I will have to take special measures.¡± ¡®What is he¡­?¡¯ As Luke was curled up, Nestar began to turn nervous. Before he could even understand things, a change happened on the battlefield. It was because Luke who seemed to be on the defensive till now suddenly began to give out tremendous magic. And that was¡­ Chapter 651 - Burning Island 4 The Symphonia Kingdom army, who landed at the pier, with the second wave was fighting fierce battles with the undead. As soon as the shelling was done, the Death Knight and Lich who ran at the pier were hit. Reynard and Shirley, each boarding their own Orion, commanded their troops from behind. ¡°Riders do not back down! Unite, unite into a group of three, and spread around!¡± ¡°The artillery attacks the enemies in the back, and the infantry interferes only when necessary, so others can retreat to Auster quickly!¡± The low-level Death Knights had the power of a Sword Master, and the Lich would be around 7th circle. No matter how many made up the group, it would be useless for a normal Knight to go one-on-one against a Death Knight. Which was why they came up with the three-member team. ¡°Damn it, these undead seem to be a lot more than what we imagined, right?¡± ¡°I know. If it wasn¡¯t for the Holy Water which His Majesty has given us, the damage they take would not increase.¡± When they were informed that Thanatos island was a warlock¡¯s lair, they were all expecting undead. However, they never really assumed that the undead would be in huge numbers, and that their individual power would be that strong. With this level of power, it seemed like they could take down an entire kingdom. ¡°But, if we retreat like this, Your Majesty would be very disappointed in us, right?¡± At Shirley¡¯s question, Reynard answered with a troubled smile. ¡°Of course, he will. And for us Lycan warriors, going ahead is the only option.¡± Kiing! Count Reynard, used the core engine to enhance the aura. A sharp and heavy sound began to resonate. With the core engine running on full power, he ran ahead. ¡°You poor men who can¡¯t even die after getting a proper death! With my hands, I will give you eternal rest!¡± Reynard ran ahead and threw the giant sword at the Death Knight in front of him. Pop! Kuak! Kuuuk! The Death Knight blocked the sword with their weapons, but their entire bodies began to scream. Unlike the other knights, Count Reynard was an Advanced Sword Master. In addition, the power of the Gigantic Aura amplified through the core engine of the Hero class Gigant, and the Holy water which was used on the Death Knights, made them sensitive to the attack. And the same with Shirley. As the holy water was used, she cut off the throat of the Death Knight and Lich with her halberd. ¡°Damn it, control the intermediate undead and kill those two!¡± A high ranking elder, who was watching the fight between the Gigants and the undead from behind, raged and yelled. The warlocks next to him moved the intermediate Death Knight and Lich to attack the two. As a result, Count Reynard and Shirley had to end their streak. Unlike the lower level, the intermediate undead were powerful enough to win or lose even if the opponent was in a Gigant. Kikkk! ¡°These monsters!¡± ¡°Be careful, Shirley! They are faster than us!¡± Reynard, who warned Shirley, stopped the intermediate Death Knight¡¯s sword from attacking the ankle joint of Orion. Cang! When he was attacked by the Death Knight, terrifying sounds of the sword clashing could be heard, shock waves spread in all directions. Reynard trembled, he felt the vibration enter the cockpit. ¡°This is a f*cking monster!¡± No matter how great a Sword Master he was, the Death Knight couldn¡¯t just beat a strong Knight who was inside a Gigant, that too, a hero class one. However, the intermediate Death Knight was able to do it. Boong! Reynard controlled Orion and kicked the intermediate Death Knight. However, the Death Knight quickly avoided the attack and jumped out, making Orion lose its balance for a moment. If Reynard hadn¡¯t gotten back his balance, the arm of his Gigant would have been cut off because of the counterattack from the Death Knight. While the two Gigants were blocked by the Death Knight, the Lich launched an 8th circle attack at the Gigants. ¡°Uhk! That is!¡± ¡°Damn it! Avoid it!¡± It was Hellfire! The fierce fireball hit the two Gigants which were fighting the undead at the forefront. Bang! ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Sa-save me!¡± The shield magic which was engraved on the Gigants was destroyed by Hellfire and the thick shield and gloves melted. In an instant, three Gigants were completely destroyed and five were broken. A whopping number of 15 Gigants were damaged. Riders, were able to understand why an archmage wasn¡¯t supposed to be let loose on the battlefield. ¡°Kuakk! Good job! Kill the rest of them too!¡± At the cry of the elder, the Lich started to cast wide-area magic. The faces of the riders who saw the Lich preparing to attack, turned dark. They had to at least bring back Shirley and Reynard who were in battle with the Death Knights and the Lich was there ready to attack them. Woong! Two eight magic circle, Hellfire, began to cast by the Lich. At that moment, the attack was done and ready to be released towards the Gigants. Flash! The sun seemed to rise high in the dark sky. A sun made of a Divine Power! Chapter 652 - End of Hells Island 1 Chapter 652: End of Hells Island 1 Holy Arthenia Imperial palace. The Holy palace was known to be the most beautiful and has the most beautiful garden with full blooming flowers. In that beautiful garden, Reina and Karen sat for their tea. After taking her in as their adopted daughter, Reina was trying to spend time with Karen whenever her schedule allowed her. As was the tea time, and the conversations with Karen were a lot more fun than she thought. It was because Karen¡¯s knowledge was so wide that she couldn¡¯t be considered as any child. So was the current conversation. The first time she came up with a story which spoke about the properties of the divine power, and the contents of the conversation just kept on turning deeper. ¡°The Fusion Power?¡± Karen nodded at Reina¡¯s question. ¡°Yes. Aura, mana, Divine Power, and the Magi are different in power, but it isn¡¯t like they are forever incompatible.¡± The current people knew that the different powers when placed together would always repel. And that was true to some extent. Except for Luke, the reason that no one had been prospering or even trying to be a Rune Knight for all the years was because aura and mana would collide with each other in the body. The Divine power didn¡¯t go well with Magi, and Magi was opposite to Mana. And such powers could be combined into one? To respond to Reina¡¯s question, Karen continued to explain by moving her eyes around cutely. ¡°Of course, it is impossible in a general manner. But it is possible by creating something called an Aether Globe.¡± ¡°Aether Globe? What is that?¡± ¡°My mother too had Aether which could be used and changed when needed into mana and magi¡­¡± When Karen was speaking out, she suddenly stopped her excitement and spoke in a normal tone. Among what she told was Holly Soleil, a perfect example of the fusion of power. Holy Soleil. It was left as a theory in the spacetime from where Karen had disappeared, it was something which meant that a sun would form when the Divine power and magic power were reached to a limit. The nemesis for the Undead. ¡®If I could have only created that, the future wouldn¡¯t have collapsed in such a way.¡¯ When Karen seemed to have a sad expression. Reina asked. ¡°How does Karen even know that?¡± How could a five-year-old girl child know something which even the Meister of the Holy Imperial Magic Tower and the Arch Duke Gregory, the Sword Sage of the Emperor didn¡¯t know? ¡®Sh*t! Did I go too far?¡¯ Karen had been talking a lot in recent times, and she enjoyed being with her mother, and as time passed, she was speaking stuff she wasn¡¯t supposed to. ¡®What should I do? What am I supposed to say and cover¡­¡¯ If she wasn¡¯t accurate in her answer, the truth would have to come out. And as she didn¡¯t find the right answer, she decided to act with her secret weapon. Acting like she didn¡¯t know, using her cute innocent puppy eyes. ¡°I heard it from dad.¡± ¡°From him?¡± ¡°Yes, eh he he!¡± Karen¡¯s innocent smile led to Reina getting deceived. She succeeded in covering up a problem, but it ended weird for her. ¡®That man is really¡­!¡¯ It was Reina¡¯s thoughts that children had to be treated like children. No matter how great or a genius the child is, it didn¡¯t mean that the 5-year-old girl could be taught difficult magic terms which even the adults were unaware of! ¡°No wonder you never play with kids and always went into the library and looked at all those books.¡± ¡°Well, that was because¡­¡± ¡°Because dad told you to study, right? That was what he told you?¡± Well, Luke never did that. The reason why Karen didn¡¯t play with the kids called over to the palace was because those kids were very far from her mental age. It wasn¡¯t like she would willingly go and build sandcastles and tag just because she was in a small kid¡¯s body. Moreover, the Holy palace library was full of rare books which were lost in the future where she lived. ¡°I told you that early education wasn¡¯t needed¡­ later, when I talk to your dad, I will have to yell at him!¡± Karen was hoping that nothing bad would happen during that time, as Reina was ready to put a sword to Luke¡¯s neck. ¡®I am sorry, dad. I couldn¡¯t help it, I had to live.¡¯ She didn¡¯t want Reina to know the tragic future she had come from. And now that the time and space disappeared, it would hurt Reina a lot more. So Karen diverted the topic. ¡°But, when is dad going to come home?¡± ¡°Well.¡± Luke had led the Symphonia Kingdom on an expedition to the Southern Continent. it was to protect the Southern Continent from the evil Lich, Arsene. ¡°Song Empire¡¯s capital has already been captured?¡± ¡°Yes, the last magical communication said that he would return after finishing with the cleanup. It was even the time for him to contact me, but I didn¡¯t get any connection from his side.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that he got caught in another case?¡± ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be¡­¡± Reina was unsure, but it didn¡¯t seem possible for Luke who would be driving back to do what she was thinking. She was worried that he immediately got caught in another problem and got hurt. Even if he was a very strong person in Rhodesia Continent, he couldn¡¯t possibly handle ten skilled players at once. ¡®It was said that there are many strong martial arts users in the Southern Continent¡­¡¯ Clasping her hands, she put a smile on her lips. Reina prayed for Luke¡¯s safe return to El Kassel. Chapter 653 - End of Hells Island 2 Chapter 653: End of Hells Island 2 Woong! Kikiii! Kikikikiki! The Divine sun was shining brightly in the cloudy and gloomy island. The light from the sun was enough to lit up the entire Thanatos Island. Dark smoke began to emanate from the Undead bodies, which were exposed to the Divine light. The Death Knights, who were previously knocking down the Gigants, were all over the ground, groaning in pain. The Liches, who were busy casting magic, fell to the ground as the fire began to rise on their bodies. The light didn¡¯t melt their bodies as the Holy Water did, but since the Undead wasn¡¯t able to move around properly, the light did weaken their bodies considerably. If was a flustering situation. However, the warlocks, who were controlling the undead, couldn¡¯t help but feel helpless. It wasn¡¯t just the Undead that were affected by the Divine light. ¡°Achk! My eyes!¡± ¡°Agh! Ugh! It is hot! Save me! Help me!¡± The warlocks, who used magi to fight against the Symphonia troops, were blinded by the light. Just like a fire that burned an oiled wick, the Divine light was burning everyone with magi, causing serious damage to the black circle on their heart. Many of the warlocks began to cough out blood because of their organs getting burnt in the inside. ¡°How did this even happen?¡± Shirley and Reynard, who saw the intermediate Death Knight struggling with pain, were confused. ¡°Huhu, well, it looks like His Majesty has used that skill, which he kept hidden.¡± ¡°That skill which he kept hidden? Ugh, if he had such a thing, he should have used it sooner!¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s talk about it later! Now, prioritize by taking out these trash in front of us.¡± Saying that, Reynard struck his giant sword at the intermediate Death knight who made him suffer. Unlike the other low ranking Death Knights, the intermediate one was relatively intact, yet he couldn¡¯t stop the raging attack of Reynard. Maybe the light affected his movements. Slash! It was almost as if he was ready to die, the sword went and struck the neck of the Death Knight. ¡°All! Get rid of the warlocks!¡± ¡°Yesssss!¡± At the order of Count Reynard, the riders, who were all stiff because they got scared of the Lich¡¯s Hellfire, began to scream and slaughter the undead and the warlocks together. The Divine light of the sun, which suddenly rose in the sky, didn¡¯t just weaken the Undead and the warlocks, but it also seemed to boost the energy of the knights. Like how the way the battle on the ground turned around like a lie, the battle in the sky reversed in the favor of Luke as well. ¡°Kuak, what the hell is that¡­?¡± The moment Luke unleashed his magic, Nestar hurried and manifested a shield with magi. Even as a dark shield was unfolded with 9th circle magic, it wasn¡¯t able to fully block the light of the sun as it was in close proximity. And that was the same case for the advanced Undead. The two high-ranking undead, who were meant to be the cards to take down Luke, suffered a serious blow as they were burning up to the state where their dark bones were exposed. As the distance closed in, the damage became more severe than the low or intermediate Undead. ¡°Kuak! What the hell did you do?! What have you done?!¡± At Nestar¡¯s question, Luke answered with a wicked smile on his face. ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t such a great trick. Well, it can be said that I leveled up the Holy Light of a priest to extra-large size.¡± ¡°That is a lie! This power makes no sense!¡± The Undead, which Arsene and himself had prepared for a long time after giving great care to it, were getting defeated so helplessly! Although he did get the information that Luke knew how to use Divine power, he didn¡¯t think that it would be at this level. Even the so-called miracle of the Holy Pope of Arthenia Empire couldn¡¯t have done such a scene. ¡°Well, of course, as you said, this power makes no sense. Well, it surely is impossible to convert all the Aether in my body into Divine power.¡± ¡°What did you say? Aether?¡± Nestar was shocked at the existence of Aether. Whether he showed his shock or not, Luke continued to talk, ¡°But, I have tools to amplify my power, be it aura, magi, mana or Divine power.¡± ¡°N-no no way¡­!¡± Nestar stared at the sun, which was floating in the sky, even if it meant enduring the pain as it burned his eyes. A giant with its two arms outstretched toward the sun. It was Luke¡¯s Hero class Gigant, Avenger, which he was fighting till then. ¡°No way, you amplified the Divine energy with the core engine?¡± ¡°Yes, and I added a little magic to accelerate the core engine too.¡± Accelerating the use of magic would always almost lead to runaway. If Luke¡¯s power wasn¡¯t handled in the right away, Avenger wouldn¡¯t have been shinning like the sun but would have caused a huge explosion. If that was the case, the entire Hells Island would have been wiped out. ¡°I-it can¡¯t be, for such a power to exist¡­¡± ¡°I was also equally surprised. However, it turned out to be a lot more powerful than I thought.¡± If Karen had seen the artificial sun, she would have called it the Holy Soleil. The Divine power or divine magic was theoretically made by the wizards of the Arthenia Magic Tower in the space-time that disappeared to defeat the Undead army. Luke, who created that, didn¡¯t know anything about Holy Soleil. He had struggled a lot because of Earner in the Song Empire, so during his free time, he thought of a way to effectively destroy the Undead. Of course, there was some difference between the sun he came up with and Holy Soleil. Luke created a similar effect by accelerating Avenger¡¯s core engine to the max instead of using magic to amplify the Divine power. ¡°Huhu! Should we finish this up?¡± Luke held his Holy Sword Valiant to the sky and flew toward Nestar. If he managed to kill Nestar, then the two advanced Undead, which were nothing but his puppets, would automatically stop moving. ¡°Flaming! Musashi! Stop that man!¡± Nestar, with a strong voice, yelled at his men. The black circle on his heart was cracked, and he wasn¡¯t confident enough to block Luke¡¯s attacks. He needed time to recover magi and recreate his half-broken black circle. ¡°Huh, I knew you would do that!¡± Snorting, Luke unfolded the Clock-up sword, the last trick he learned in the second half of the Gold Sword. Swoosh! His body ended up turning several times faster and managed to pass the Undead in an instant. For Nestar¡¯s eyes, it was almost as if the time around him had slowed down. Luke, after passing through the advanced Undead, pierced Nestar¡¯s heart with a golden aura and Divine power. Puck! ¡°Kuak!¡± Before Nestar could even do anything, the golden aura passed through his heart. ¡°Th-this can¡¯t be happening¡­!¡± Nestar looked down at his chest with an unbelievable expression. Push! From the part where the sword pierced, his body began to turn black and then turn into ash. ¡°Goodbye, Veritas Magic tower¡¯s former Meister.¡± When Luke pulled back Valiant, Nestar¡¯s body crashed into the sea below. The advanced Undead he was using plunged to the ground. The heart and the black circle were smashed because of the gold aura and Divine power. Even the demon himself wouldn¡¯t be able to stand in front of it. However, things were done. Nestar¡¯s face crashed into the sea with a terrifying sound. ¡®I can¡¯t die here! I shouldn¡¯t die alone!¡¯ Thanatos Island had a device in preparation for the end of the Veritas Magic Tower. It was a kind of self-destructing magic circle that he could activate just before he died. Nestar pit out the spell that would start the self-destructing magic circle. ¡®I am going to take you to the other side with me, Luke de Rakan!¡¯ The final attack was then secretly activated. Chapter 654 - End of Hells Island 3 Chapter 654: End of Hells Island 3 The moment Luke joined, the battle on the ground ended in a breeze. Until then, the Undead and warlocks, which were sweeping the battle, began to flee the island. ¡°Your Majesty, we¡¯ve caught all those who fled the forest.¡± ¡°However, those who hid inside the pyramid continue to resist. It is a situation where the sacrifice of the knights and soldiers is increasing because the Gigants can¡¯t enter the building easily.¡± At the reports from the commanders, Luke ordered a not so very tough option. ¡°Set the pyramid on fire or the entire island except for the place where we aren¡¯t currently stationed. Let them choose whether they want to burn or crawl out from there.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Luke¡¯s frightening order fell, and Thanatos Island got engulfed in red flames. ¡°Ahk! Fire, fire!¡± ¡°Hurry and run!¡± ¡°Damn it, where are we supposed to run to?¡± Just as Luke said, it wasn¡¯t long before the warlocks and the Undead, who were hiding in the pyramid, began to crawl out. Luke¡¯s Heatwave magic and Auster¡¯s shelling poured on to them. Riders were also diligently chasing after the remnants as if they were catching insects. Three hours after the initial shelling, the battle was completely done. ¡®It¡¯s over. But what is this stuffy feeling?¡¯ Something felt like it wasn¡¯t right. Luke looked over at the pyramid that was being used by the Veritas warlocks as their hideout. It was the den of the warlocks, so dark energy flowed from it, and it was being purified by the fires the army set. ¡®Is it because of Arsene? Or is there any other reason for that energy?¡¯ As Luke thought, Count Reynard approached him and reported, ¡°Your Majesty, all the elders have been taken captive, but they killed themselves.¡± ¡°What was that? They killed themselves?¡± ¡°Yes, it seemed like they had taken poison. They aimed for the gap when the surveillance was neglected and did that.¡± The elders that were held captive were captured by Luke, and their black circle was destroyed, which meant that they were barely holding onto their lives. Of course, they didn¡¯t have any power to resist. All their weapons and artifacts were confiscated. So, the knights and guards decided to take their eyes off the elders for a second. ¡°The fault of the subordinates reflects on the superiors. Your Majesty, please go ahead and punish us.¡± Luke frowned at Count Reynard¡¯s plea for punishment. It was because the elders needed to be interrogated to know where Arsene¡¯s Life Vessel was being kept hidden. The only reason he went ahead and killed Nestar was because he knew that there would be other elders of the Veritas Magic Tower who would be able to give him the information, and now, everything went wrong! ¡®Was this why I was feeling stuffy?¡¯ Luke sighed and shook his head. ¡°That is enough. It is useless to regret something that has already happened. Interrogate the rest of them as far as possible.¡± ¡°Understood, Your Majesty.¡± It was after Count Reynard, who went away after taking the orders¡­ Urrrng! Suddenly, the ground shook. ¡°What is this? An earthquake?¡± Luke flew around the island with Fly magic to see if there was an earthquake. However, the intensity of the earthquake wasn¡¯t that strong and it stopped right away. The sea seemed way too quiet for an earthquake. ¡®I guess it was just a tremor.¡¯ Thinking so, Luke flew over to help clear the battlefield. The wounded knights and soldiers were being healed. ¡°Your Majesty, why don¡¯t you leave this to us and take a rest?¡± ¡°Yes. I heard that Your Majesty had killed the enemy¡¯s leader.¡± At the words of Shirley and the other knights, Luke spoke with a smile, ¡°If I directly help, things in the field can be cleared quickly. And there is an old saying that a king¡¯s hand is a promising hand.¡± ¡°Huh? There was such a saying?¡± ¡°I heard that a mother¡¯s hand is a promising hand, but¡­¡± As the servants and Luke were talking, the soldier in charge of guarding duty ran over to report. ¡°Your Majesty, Sir Belfair and his party are returning!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Belfair went to set up a torpedo in the sea at the only exit point of the islands. Having had his whale and three boats along with him, he returned. Luke asked, ¡°You came later than I thought. Did something happen?¡± Belfair responded to Luke¡¯s question, ¡°Well, when I went there, there was a fish that got caught in it. I was late because I had to clean it up.¡± ¡°Fish?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, he explained in detail. Belfair, who installed the torpedo, was waiting outside the Hells Island. Thinking that if there really was someone who was smart enough to escape from the island, they would get caught. However, the battle ended with no such lucky men. As a response, Belfair returned and found a ship sunk by a torpedo at the entrance of the other side. It was too late to get the assets out from the ship. ¡°There were classified documents that were retrieved from the sunken ship, and if you look closely, we can see where the Grain merchants have sent their cargo from this island.¡± ¡°Oh! That is good work!¡± In the stamped documents of Grain, the letters, which were all written in ink, were smeared, but it could be made out that the words were supposed to be encrypted. However, if magic could be used, Luke might be able to restore it. Still, the elders had all committed suicide, and he was feeling upset that the Veritas men had managed to keep secrets, but this was good news for Luke. ¡°But, Your Majesty, there is something else I have got.¡± ¡°Apart from the papers?¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± As Belfair clapped his hands, the sailors, who were out with him, dragged back a young man in a robe. The young man with a magic power seal on his hands was soaked wet as if he had drowned. In addition, seeing that his eyes were closed and he didn¡¯t manage to move, it was like he lost consciousness. Seeing the young man¡¯s face, Luke frowned. Something changed his entire mood. ¡®Arsene, he looks very similar to him!¡¯ The young man resembled Arsene¡¯s youthful appearance before he became a Lich. ¡®A bloodline?¡¯ He could be a descendant. It would be very strange for the Veritas Magic Tower, which had flourished for the past 500 years, to have no descendant of Arsene. When Luke was full of displeasure, Beflair explained why he brought in the guy. ¡°I looked through as I found something floating on the broken ship when the torpedo exploded. He seemed to be a high ranking person because of the documents he had in his hands.¡± ¡°Ho, really?¡± Maybe there was no need for Luke to restore those confidential documents. Excited, Luke flicked his finger. Snap! With a small noise, a small amount of Divine power flowed into the young man. It was his intention so that the light would seep into the young man¡¯s body, and soon, black smoke came up, and then everyone saw his body burn. The young man opened his eyes in an instant and began to struggle and scream. ¡°Ack! H-hot, it is hot!¡± ¡®I knew it, this one is a warlock too.¡¯ If he was just a normal merchant, his injuries would have been healed by the Divine power, but seeing the man struggle, he must have learned dark magic. Luke had already guessed it as he resembled Arsene a lot. However, he wasn¡¯t sure if he would believe it, but the results made Luke smile. ¡°Ugh¡­ this is?¡± The young man got up and looked around. The pyramid on the other side was on fire. Armed knights were all staring at him with a grim expression on their faces. And he found Luke, who seemed to be the one in power, and was shocked. ¡°Y-you are?!¡± It was a face he could never know, especially if he was someone belonging to Veritas Magic Tower because he was considered to be the greatest obstacle to their ancestor and their growth. ¡°Wow! Huhu, you know me? Then I guess talking to you would be easier.¡± Unlike Luke, who laughed, the young man was nervous. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°My name, well, Zehart.¡± Zehart answered right away. It was because he knew that if he kept silent, he would be tortured. Even if he wasn¡¯t killed right away, the men around him would surely torture him. ¡°Okay then, Zehart. Where is Arsene, the founder of your tower?¡± Zehart, who became silent upon hearing Luke¡¯s question, shook his head. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I-I am not lying. I am not very talented when it comes to magic, so I was always pushed out of the meeting and ran errands as their merchant. My grandfather and father would always give me instructions, but I don¡¯t know where my ancestor is, really.¡± Actually, he knew it. He knew that he would spill something out of his clumsy mouth, or they could find out that he was lying. His neck would snap right away if they did, but he had a reason to hide it. As long as he was being held captive, he knew that Luke would never spare him, a warlock, even if he cooperated. Luke, a descendant of Rakan, a warrior who defeated Devil King Saymon, and Luke had always stopped Veritas¡¯s attempts to change the world. ¡®I can¡¯t just die like this!¡¯ How much money would have Nestar and Arsene secretly save? The young one didn¡¯t want to die on a gloomy island considering his option to create a family and see beautiful lands. So, he decided to make a deal with Luke. He believed that Luke, who seemed very eager to find his ancestor, would surely go ahead with the condition. ¡°But, if you decide to save me, I will find out where my ancestor is, well, Arsene, and I will make sure to inform Your Majesty right away.¡± ¡°So what you mean is, you will betray Arsene and stand by my side?¡± ¡°Y-yes! I was forced to follow him because we are blood relatives, but who would want to follow a monster who never dies!?¡± He wasn¡¯t just spitting out words to live. Zehart was speaking out what he really meant. He was more interested in riches and making money than magic, and he was never pleased with the madness around Arsene or the Veritas men, who wanted to conquer the world and change it into the Undead. There was a proverb in the Southern Continent, ¡®It is better to win even if it means to roll in sh*t.¡¯, and Zehart considered it to be true. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°It is true. If I had any intention of following Arsene, I wouldn¡¯t have run away from here and would have been dead like those idiots over there.¡± ¡°Hm, sounds plausible¡­¡± Luke nodded with a smile. Seeing that, Zehart felt that his words managed to do the work. However, it was an obvious misjudgment. ¡°Zehart, even though I might not be sure, there is one thing I know for certain. Do you know what that is?¡± ¡°Well, I can¡¯t guess it, but¡­¡± As he was in thought, Luke gave out the answer in a cold manner. ¡°That is, there is no one to believe in the Veritas Magic Tower or the Baroque Imperial family.¡± ¡°Th-that can¡¯t be!¡± Luke stretched out his hand towards Zehart, who was sulking. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you are being honest or not. I¡¯ll find out everything by myself.¡± The moment his eyes shone, Zehart¡¯s eyes turned hazy. It felt like his entire mind had been overpowered. Luke placed his right hand on the head and forced the memories to be extracted. ¡°Kuakk!¡± The method of forcibly searching through the memories had serious after-effects. Most of the people, who are subjected to such methods, end up turning into mental patients. So, in the magical world, it was taboo as the dark magic, but Luke had no intention of Luke treating Zehart with time and patience, especially after seeing that he was a blood relative of Arsene. Besides, the man learned dark magic, which means he would have committed all kinds of sins. He knew all that by looking into the man¡¯s memories. It was true that he had been pushed out of the magic tower, but it was also true that he received preferential treatment as the Meister¡¯s son. ¡®Huh, he really did a lot of things.¡¯ The wealth Arsene and Nestar had stolen was enormous, and the evils committed while Zehart was expanding the business. Using warlocks and mercenaries to get rid of the competitors or to take down the powerless people through money loaning. In addition, Luke was eager to find the main person. ¡®Huh, Arsene is surely bad, but he is¡­ huh?¡¯ Luke was shocked as he kept on reading through the memories. ¡®This can¡¯t be! No way Arsene would be there!¡¯ Luke knew that Arsene was hiding in some remote place where people would be scarce to build up his strength. However, he seemed to be in the most unexpected place, he turned into the most unexpected person. Shaikan of the Libiya Kingdom! What was even more surprising was that he wasn¡¯t simply disguising himself as Shaikan, but he took over his body. This was one hell of a scary thing to happen especially if Zehart wasn¡¯t imagining stuff. ¡®Shaikan is a dragonian, a hybrid between a human and a dragon. And Arsene managed to take over the body of the dragonian?¡¯ Luke had faced Shaikan in the past. He, who possessed the ability of dragon magic, wasn¡¯t a person who could be won over so easily. But Arsene took away his body! ¡®Arsene is a guy who can¡¯t be underestimated at all!¡¯ Currently, the Libiya Kingdom and the Symphonia Kingdom were in an alliance. However, when Shaikan spread the Vers virus in the capital, Nemesis, of the Baroque Empire, Luke began to turn wary about him. However, compared to other nations, the military of Libiya was loose, and it wouldn¡¯t be a huge deal to attack them. ¡®Wait a little more, Arsene! Dragonian or not, I will kill you!¡¯ Grr. Luke began to look for information about Arsene¡¯s Life Vessel. However, no matter how much he searched through Zehart¡¯s memories, he couldn¡¯t find the location. Perhaps, Arsene seemed to have hidden it in a place where even his own people weren¡¯t informed. Chapter 655 - End of Hells Island 4 Chapter 655: End of Hells Island 4 Rumble! Rumble! It was when Luke was searching through Zehart¡¯s memories. Suddenly, the entire island shook violently. The vibration was so much more stronger than an earthquake tremor which was felt a few moments back, even the knights and soldiers fell out of balance. ¡°Wha-what was that?¡± ¡°Another earthquake?¡± It was when the soldiers were confused and tried to know the reason. Grrrrrng! The pyramid which was being engulfed in the flames suddenly began to collapse to the ground with a huge roar. It wasn¡¯t just the structure but also the ground around them cracked like a broken glass. ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, please avoid it!¡± At Count Reynard¡¯s cry, Luke freed Zehart. All thanks to looking into his memories, he could see the cause for the earthquake. ¡°The island is sinking! Withdraw all the troops!¡± ¡°Sorry? The island is sinking?¡± Shirley, who was near Luke asked with shock. ¡°Yes, sooner or later it is going to sink completely, so hurry up!¡± ¡°Damn it, withdraw the troops! All forces! Withdraw! Move the wounded men! Quickly!¡± Reynard began to run around with Shirley and inform the other men. At that time, a knight who heard the orders ran towards Luke and asked. ¡°Your Majesty, what are we supposed to do about the Gigants?¡± Gigants were heavy and large, it would take quite some time to move them. However, Luke seemed to come up with a plan. ¡°I will organize something about it, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°And the prisoners?¡± ¡°I have already found the important information so they are useless to us. Leave them alone, they¡¯ll think of something for their well being.¡± The earthquake stopped for a moment and then continued again. Each time it started, the intensity was getting worse, and at one point, lava began to come out from the mountain peaks on the island after throwing out ash. In addition, the seawater was gushing up the cracks from the ground. Just as Luke said, the island was indeed sinking. ¡°Do not panic! Everyone will escape safely from here!¡± Luke, who was taking in all the Gigants, damaged or intact into the subspace bracelet, yelled. He manifested teleport circles several times to transport the wounded troops onto the boat. ¡®Ugh, I don¡¯t know what kind of a guy did this, but it looks like he planned to sink everyone on the island, well, it won¡¯t work as he planned.¡¯ Luke never thought that it was the job of Nestar, whom he had killed. However, because of Zehart¡¯s memory, it was possible to know about the existence of the self-destruction magic circle located in the base of the island. Originally, a self-destruct magic circle was set up to take down the enemy when the Veritas Magic Tower¡¯s leader got hit. ¡®If it worked normally, the best magic stones embedded in the magic circle would run havoc and cause a huge explosion, and the island should have sunk in an instant. But¡­¡¯ The self-destruction magic circle seemed to have been activated at a level that was less than half of the original speed and power. The reason for that was the arrogance and the corrupt nature of the Veritas Magic Tower warlocks. Since there hadn¡¯t been any kind of invasion in Thanatos island for a long time, the self-destruct magic turned less efficient, and the top-notch magic circles which were supposed to be placed in the magic circle were taken out for the purpose of making Arsene¡¯s best undead. In addition, Zehart pulled out the other remaining stones and secretly used them. ¡®This is ridiculous. We are alive because of their carelessness and their corrupt nature¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just something to take as a joke. This was a lesson worth learning. No matter how strong the nation or an organization was, a crisis of vigilance will come over it. And there was no guarantee that such a situation wouldn¡¯t come into Symphonia Kingdom. ¡®Once I return, I¡¯ll have to inspect the ministers and all other working spheres in the nation. I don¡¯t know where and how the new tax reform is being handed, and the corruption which might take place.¡¯ From the other side of Auster¡¯s deck, Luke watched the Thanatos island sink. Crack! Rumble! Crack! The dark island which shook for a while began to sink and was finally underwater. With that, the gloomy haze around the island too began to disappear. As the fog disappeared, a bright light shone everywhere. And in the bright light, Auster began to move at full speed towards the North of Symphonia Kingdom. Chapter 656 - : Internal Cut 1 Chapter 656: Internal Cut 1 After the complete subjugation of the Thanatos Island, Luke returned to his home nation after a few days. As the expedition to the Southern Continent was a secret, there was no fancy welcome for them. The ship itself reached the port on a dark night. Instead, Luke instructed all of the expeditionary troops to take sufficient rest and rewards be granted to them, and they headed for the capital, Brandon. The retainers who had been contacted in advance gathered near the palace to greet them. ¡°I am very delighted to see Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I am also happy to see you. By the way¡­ it doesn¡¯t seem like you are feeling much joy.¡± Luke looked at the pile of documents handed over by his retainers, and made a shaky expression. While he was away, Sebastian and Hans, became the regent of the King, took over the state of affairs, but there were a number of issues they couldn¡¯t handle at their current level. They were all the diplomatic documents. Among them were a few summits proposed by the Holy Arthenia Empire. ¡°It was an urgent request from the Pope of the Empire to come over to Bless immediately.¡± ¡°Urgent?¡± No matter how he looked at it, it seemed very much likely to become a meeting and a talk between a couple. In the first place, Reina didn¡¯t like his Southern Continent expedition to be favorable. It was because she thought that Luke was working out too much. He knew that if he went to Bless, he would have to hear a lot of Reina¡¯s nagging. ¡°Fine. It is her order. Give me the urgent news right away.¡± ¡°Yes, what about Hwang Bo-sung? Did he stay back in his hometown¡­?¡± When Hans asked, Luke shook his head with his eyes still on the papers. ¡°There is a new knights troop recruited from the Southern Continent, so he will just come here a little late.¡± The trading ship couldn¡¯t follow the speed of Auster, so even if they moved at high speed, it would take another week to reach the Symphonia Kingdom. ¡°Ah, now that I see, it must be the Blood Band which came along with us?¡± It was something that Hans had heard during his regular talks with Luke. ¡°Yeah, right after the battle, they were troops made up of the warriors of the Southern Continent, and there were quite a few who wanted to come over to our state as the civil war was done. Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s clan too, almost all of the clan seems to have come over.¡± ¡°If they are skilled men, it would help a lot in the national defense. But the problem would be¡­¡± ¡°The money.¡± Organizing a new troop would cause a lot of money. It was because to create the troops would cost a lot, and the homes for them, and including their monthly salaries. In particular, to organize a whole new troops, they would have been taught Gigant riding, and it would cost a lot of budget. ¡°But don¡¯t worry about that. We have received a lot of treasure from the Song Empire and Yemaek, and there are places where we can get money.¡± The place where Luke mentioned about was Grain. Luke, who peered into Zehart¡¯s memory, decided to take down the wealth in the Grain Chamber. In addition, in relation to Libiya Kingdom, where Arsene was currently located, he planned to use the Grain merchants to form a plan properly. Of course, he had no intention of proceeding right away, but wanted to form a plan to proceed step by step and finish it properly. ¡°By any chance, was there any movement in the Libiya Kingdom?¡± ¡°Libiya Kingdom? There was a bit of violation of the alliance treaties between the two nations just recently.¡± ¡°Violation of alliance?¡± Luke¡¯s eyes shone at the news which Hans delivered. Because he knew that it meant Arsene, who took over Shaikan¡¯s body did something. ¡®I am sure that he is going to take control of the Libiya Kingdom and hit my back.¡¯ As Luke was thinking, Hans responded. ¡°Well, calling it a violation of alliance would be an exaggeration. It is just that they are reluctant when it comes to sharing the trade information.¡± It was either asking the agents who had gone for information to return back, or restricting the number of cities or port towns that the merchants could visit. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°The foreign minister said that the domestic situation was devastated there because of the war with the Baroque Empire and that there was no time for them to fully implement the signed treaty.¡± ¡®Huh! he is hiding the information with a plausible excuse.¡¯ And if Symphonia agreed to it and turned their heads, the Libiya Kingdom would hit them in the back. Snorting, Luke stared at Baron Hudson, the head of the Intelligence. ¡°Send more agents to the Libiya Kingdom.¡± ¡°The Libiya Kingdom?¡± Till then, the intelligence department had devoted most of its members into finding the remnants of the Baroque Empire and Veritas Magic Tower. Suddenly, however, they were asked to send their agents to an ally nation, the Libiya Kingdom. ¡°Yes, during our expedition, we got information that they would hit our backs. So we need to keep our eyes on them.¡± Information that Arsene had taken over Shaikan couldn¡¯t be disclosed to his retainers so early. So Luke tried to give them a rough cover-up. And that was all they needed. Until then, Luke had never been wrong about anything. In addition to dispatching more agents, the officials decided to secretly maintain and border the fortress towards the Libiya Kingdom and increase the troops. After discussing the work with his retainers for another hour, Luke moved to his room. There was also something he had to think about the future, and he had to relieve the fatigue he had accumulated during the expedition. Chapter 657 - Internal Cut 2 ¡°What? Our secret hideout, Hells Island, is gone?!¡± Shaikan. Well, now, he had to be called as the entity that possessed him, Arsene, jumped up at the report of a warlock, who was in a grey robe. The warlock was terrified at how angry Arsene was and stuttered while replying, ¡°W-well, to be precise, it seemed that the self-destruct magic circle in the basement of the Thanatos Pyramid had been triggered.¡± The former elder of the Veritas Magic Tower, who followed Arsene into Libiya Kingdom, began to explain the signal he received an hour ago. There was a specific signal, which was set to be generated when the self-destruct magic circle located under the island of Thanatos got activated, and the elder managed to get that. ¡°No way!¡± Arsene knew that the self-destruct magic circle in the basement of Thanatos Island would only be activated when the secret hideout was in danger or about to be captured. And if it was triggered, it meant that their secret hideout was on the verge of getting captured by a strong enemy. ¡°Even I couldn¡¯t believe it, but the signal was so clear that I couldn¡¯t help too.¡± Arsene frowned at the words of the former elder. ¡®Kul! About a third of the Undead¡¯s power was left behind on the island. Even if they weren¡¯t perfected, they were still strong enough to fight well against a few nations. And before the secret hideout got captured, a self-destruct magic circle got triggered?¡¯ Even with both the Southern and Northern Continents combined, there were only a few places that held such power¡ªthe Holy Arthenia Empire, the Castia Kingdom, and the Song Empire. And among them, the Song Empire and the Castia Kingdom didn¡¯t have any reason to act like that, so the main doubt was on the Holy Arthenia Empire. ¡®But how did the Holy Empire know¡­?¡¯ How could they even know that the secret hideout was in Hells Island? And even if they managed to figure it out, if the Holy Empire had sent out large scale troops and Saint Guards, the intelligence agency would have reported it to Arsene. ¡®I need to wait for the survivors, at least Nestar, to contact me.¡¯ No matter how much the island had been compromised, someone might have escaped from there. When Arsene decided to wait for the call, the door to his office opened quickly and a middle-aged warlock came in. ¡°Ancestor, we are in trouble! Just now, the Song Empire¡­¡± He tried to speak out, but he went stiff when he saw the former elder and Arsene¡¯s angry expressions. ¡°What about the Song Empire?¡± ¡°Th-that¡­ the news just came in¡­¡± As Arsene looked at the man with a sharp glare, the man, who was stuttering, went silent completely. He wasn¡¯t able to endure the energy Arsene was releasing. ¡®Kul! This thing and that thing¡­!¡¯ Slightly annoyed, Arsene extended his palm. The middle-aged warlock got pulled toward him like a magnet. Whether the warlock was struggling in pain or not, Arsene didn¡¯t back down from reading through his memories. ¡®What? Hwang Bo-kwang, did that guy attack Yemaek? He didn¡¯t even bother informing me¡­!¡¯ Arsene was extremely displeased. Hwang Bo-kwang, who had been pushed aside by his Hwang Bo clan, was able to rise to such a royal position because of Arsene¡¯s help. However, the man took advantage of the time when Arsene was busy in the Rhodesia Continent and took the help of a man called Earner who could create Undead, and he tried to move on his own. Still, Hwang Bo-kwang lost the war and fell. Yet, there was one thing that annoyed Arsene more than the loss. ¡®Luke, that guy, he went to the Southern Continent and supported Yemaek and Jo Won-rak?¡¯ As that thought ran around his mind, another possibility arose. It was about the identity of the enemy who attacked Thanatos Island. ¡®That could be possible! But it isn¡¯t clear!¡¯ Arsene¡¯s anger made him clench his fist. Snap! Looking down, he saw that the middle-aged man was close to death as he almost broke his neck. ¡°I found out the attacker of the secret hideout.¡± ¡°And who is that?¡± The former elder asked, raising his eyebrows. ¡°It was Luke, who always stepped on us.¡± ¡°He¡­ How did he even know?!¡± The former elder looked ridiculous. It was because he thought that Luke was staying in the Symphonia Kingdom. ¡°Maybe that guy was a fake one. It is because he actually led his knights to the Southern Continent.¡± According to the report from the almost dead warlock, Luke led Gigant troops to Yemaek to protect them from Song Empire¡¯s attack, and he then assisted the 3rd prince, Jo Won-rak, to gather huge support. And after that, he wiped out Jo Won-gyun and Hwang Bo-kwang. Arsene had been wondering why he hadn¡¯t been getting any reports from his subordinates, who were dispatched in the Song Empire. He knew the reason now. ¡°Then, isn¡¯t this a huge problem?¡± All this time, the help Arsene and the Veritas Magic Tower did for the Song Empire wasn¡¯t small. They had been planning to use the Southern Continent as their Undead production base after helping the Song Empire to unify the entire continent. However, as Hwang Bo-kwang¡¯s group was wiped out, one of the strongest lines, which Veritas Magic Tower had been trying to take control of, was gone. ¡°Of course, this is a huge setback. However, the biggest problem is that my location had been revealed.¡± If Luke managed to find out about the islands, he might have found out where Arsene was hiding. Of course, he couldn¡¯t have gotten the information too. As the self-destruct magic circle got triggered, there was a possibility Luke, who attacked the island, sank into the sea. ¡®But considering his skills, it is most likely that he lived through it.¡¯ Arsene had lost his last battle against Luke. Therefore, it was only natural for Arsene to feel anger. He did take over a Dragonian¡¯s body, but he still hadn¡¯t managed to fully utilize its power, and even his dark magic hadn¡¯t reached its original level. ¡®I need time. First, I need to make sure that he doesn¡¯t find me.¡¯ There were many ways for that. He could either confuse the Symphonia Kingdom, or he could make someone very close to Luke attack him. ¡®Kukuku, there is a suitable way.¡¯ He recalled a person, who turned into his own spy. He shook the bell on the table. Jingle! Jingle! ¡°You called for me, Your Majesty?¡± After a while, Margareta, who was dressed in a heavily exposing clothing, entered the room. She was the successor of the Arachne Magic Tower. She used Illusion and Enchanting magic as her main power. She was below Arsene after she got overpowered. ¡®It is unfortunate. Only if I was three hundred years younger¡­!¡¯ With a sly smile, Arsene opened his mouth. ¡°I have an order for you.¡± ¡°Wh-what is it?¡± After their last encounter, Margareta was too nervous to even stand in front of Arsene. He shook his hands, seeing her terrified. ¡°Huhu, there is nothing to be afraid of. This is something you can do very well.¡± Arsene approached her and gave instructions into her ear. When she heard the instructions and the detailed steps of it, she looked relieved. It was really something she could do. ¡°I will give you warlocks, so go out right away.¡± ¡°Understood, Your Majesty.¡± Looking down, Margareta set out to the Grenada Kingdom with the former elder who was beside Arsene. But Arsene¡¯s instructions weren¡¯t just for her. He later called other several servants and sent them all to different locations. ¡°Kuahahaha! Luke, you are going to get really busy for once!¡± A laughter of joy and evil rattled all through the office. Chapter 658 - Internal Cut 3 Chapter 658: Internal Cut 3 For the next 3 months, Luke had to deal with the documents that had piled up for a while and wanted to proceed to the Holy Empire. However, the situation around him didn¡¯t seem that simple. First, there was a sign that the battle between the Volga Republic and the Baroque Empire would go on for an all-out-war. The Baroque Empire, which seemed to breathe for a while because of the Libiya¡¯s retreat, was moving. However, due to the unexpected betrayal of Viscount Rajat, many more northern estates were taken away. As a response, Emperor Rudolf, who was angry, cleared up the civil war to some extent, and he then went out to stop the Republican army on his own. If the Volga Republic were allowed to run wild, it seemed that the entire northern part of the Baroque would be taken away. ¡®The problem was that this can¡¯t be simply regarded as a crippled man¡¯s work.¡¯ Part of the peasant rebels requested shelter in the Symphonia Kingdom as the emperor turned his sword to the entirety of the north. It wouldn¡¯t have been a huge problem, but the problem was that a bunch of imperial nobles, who were involved with the rebels or harsh taxing nobles, were also crossing the border. The Baroque guards, who were on the border with the Symphonia Kingdom, were all turning into virtual bystanders. It was because they knew that the emperor wouldn¡¯t bring his troops and check the border during the current times. The most flustering thing for Symphonia was the number of migrants coming over, the number was so huge that they couldn¡¯t be handled. Food and clothes were something they tried to manage. However, it wasn¡¯t so easy to provide shelter or jobs for them. Moreover, as some migrants committed crimes such as thefts and assaults, the public sentiment in the region was deteriorating. ¡°Even the parliament, the royalists, and the nobles are arguing loudly over the issue of refugee assistance¡­¡± It was an annoying problem, and the rebels that entered Symphonia were some military, insisting on marching to the North. To attack Emperor Rudolf while he was in the midst of a battle with the Volga Republic. In a way, it didn¡¯t seem like a good opportunity. But currently, Luke¡¯s enemy wasn¡¯t Emperor Rudolf. It was Arsene, who was growing up in the Libiya Kingdom. ¡®The more delayed it gets dealing with him, the more damage will the nation have to face.¡¯ Second, there had been changes in internal affairs over the past three months. Before the Southern expedition, after the dark magic related bill had been passed by the parliament, the Black Tower was built in the capital of Brandon, and wandering warlocks and Dark Moon were gathered. They all told about the information they held regarding dark magic and actively participated in the production of Gigants. As a result, the production, efficiency, and quality had improved. Until then, the wizards of Katarina Magic Tower had been the center of the Gigant production such as Stiletto, Gaius, and Orion, and the Symphonia¡¯s magical engineering skills had increased by a lot. However, its production capacity was lacking compared to the top 10 magic towers. Dark Moon had great knowledge of technology and the making of Gigants. They were good enough to supply flagship Gigants to the Volga Republic for a long time. Thanks to the exchange of information and cooperation, the shortcomings in the Gigant were covered. However, with every good thing came bad things. ¡°Is a manufactured stone unfavorable compared to a man-made stone? On top of that, there is a conflict between the white and dark wizards¡­¡± There was no way there wouldn¡¯t have been any differences when the wizards of entirely different properties made to work together. The white wizards would look closely at the skills of the dark wizards. The warlocks were ready to face some discrimination, in the beginning. However, as it got worse, the emotions of warlocks worsened. There was a need to arrange new rules to some extent. However, no one seemed to have an opinion on it. If any noble decided to take a side, they would end up getting caught in the Magic World. ¡°In the end, I have to go and organize it.¡± It was annoying, but as king, it was his job. And the third and last thing, the dynamics of the Grenada Kingdom had changed. The conflict between the two nations ended when the Symphonia Kingdom was founded during Luke¡¯s crowning. Recently, however, they demanded Hyredin or Auster to be returned, and the invasion of the territorial waters by the Grenada navy had increased. ¡®It may be related to the last undead attack in the Southern Continent. They might have thought that we turned weak after it.¡¯ According to the report from the intelligence, the Grenada military¡¯s men were unhappy. And in the center of everything was Count Fernando de Salizar, who had been taken as Luke¡¯s prisoner during the last war, and released through the negotiations between the two nations. Fernando, the son-in-law of Drake, the current King of Grenada, and the next successor of the throne, was extremely dissatisfied due to the defeat and the humiliation he suffered because of getting captured. Fortunately, it was a simple political comment, but it would have turned into a war if taken seriously. ¡°Things are getting really annoying!¡± Luke clicked his tongue and went out of the office. The building of the temporary parliament in the Symphonia Kingdom, located downtown of Brendon, the capital. Heated voices rang since morning. Maybe it was because of the debate between the members. ¡°Baron Jordi, if we won¡¯t travel to the north right now, when will we move? We need to speak with His Majesty right away and attack the Baroque Empire.¡± The royalist, Baron Jordi, who was sitting across Count Joon, the head of nobles, who dressed very fancily, replied, ¡°Our Symphonia Kingdom has indeed agreed to overthrow our enemy, the Baroque Empire. But that doesn¡¯t mean that it needs to be done right away. Now is the time to strengthen our national defense and power by stabilizing internal affairs.¡± ¡°Well, can¡¯t you even hear the suffering and screams of the people who are suffering because of the tyranny created by Rudolf?¡± ¡°Who said that I couldn¡¯t? However, the damage and side-effects of going into a war in our current state will not be small, and we are not in a state to go to all-out-war with the Baroque.¡± The Symphonia Kingdom had made remarkable progress over the past few years. Its territory, population, and industrial production had increased by several times compared to the Rakan estate in the past. However, every good side had its bad side. The war with the Milton Kingdom followed by the declaration of independence, the attack on the coastal cities by Grenada, the conquest of the Southern Baroque Empire, the raid of Arsene on the southern city, etc¡­ Indeed, the damages they suffered from those wars and raids were restored quickly with the help of resources of the newly expanded estates and the Holy Empire. However, due to those wars, the mental exhaustion of the general public and the army couldn¡¯t be ignored. ¡°Mental exhaustion? Is there any evidence that the people are struggling?¡± Baron Jordi replied confidently to Joon¡¯s question. ¡°Yes, there is. Over the past year, the offerings to the sanctuaries and El Kassel denominations have doubled. The growth of the new denominations including Arahan is also remarkable, and the construction of temples and statues has increased.¡± Religion was one thing that would stand out in cases of economic recession. It was because people searched for mental stability by relying on faith. ¡°In addition, many people joined large and small guilds in case of disaster. ¡®Insurance Guild¡¯ is a new system that regularly collects money from guild members and provides them insurance payments if they end up becoming the victims of a disaster.¡± When the insurance story came out, some of the nobles nodded their heads. It was because it wasn¡¯t just the common people, but even the nobles joined the insurance guilds, all in preparation for disasters or accidents. ¡°Even if we set it aside, the military power of our nation isn¡¯t superior to the Baroque Empire.¡± ¡°I know that you are from the military, but aren¡¯t you underestimating our army?¡± At Count Joon¡¯s sarcastic words, Baron Jordi answered, ¡°I am not underestimating anything. I am simply stating the facts. Of course, I have no doubts that our kingdom will win the battle against the Imperial, but in order to win a war, we need supplies, and supplies are as important as the combat abilities of soldiers in the military.¡± Soldiers had to eat to fight, and Gigants had to be regularly inspected and repaired before the battle. The reason Baron Jordi was skeptical of the advance was because he wasn¡¯t sure if the Symphonia Kingdom could supply necessities all throughout the war. ¡°The count insists on providing relief to the helpless people suffering under Rudolf¡¯s tyranny, but our advance and the occupation wouldn¡¯t enrich our lives right away. Also, we will run out of food for everyone.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you realize how much resources we will need to feed the hungry people in Baroque? Moreover, our people will end up having to bear the burden of it!¡± ¡°So, what do you plan to do then?¡± Count Joon, who had been constantly pushing, asked with a low voice, ¡°Anyway, as time goes by, the economic and military power of the Symphonia Kingdom will dominate, and after a little more time, it won¡¯t be too late to conquer the Baroque Empire.¡± ¡°Huh! What if the Baroque Empire is revived in the meantime? Don¡¯t you realize that you need to push away things when we have the opportunity, or we will hit the ground!¡± Honestly, Count Joon knew that Baron Jordi¡¯s words were right. Nevertheless, there were two reasons he was insisting on the war. First, unlike the royalists, who were many were made of Luke¡¯s men who established a strong name for themselves, the war-like situation was an opportunity for him to attain a stable position in the nobles. And to his advantage, the Baroque Empire, which was raging with rebellion and invasion, stood out. If the people of the empire were freed from a tyrant such as Rudolf, the nobles who insisted on war would gain public sentiment from the people in the occupied territories, and those nobles¡¯ political position in the Kingdom would be strengthened. Secondly, the war would mean a great mobilization of the nation¡¯s services. So, if they weren¡¯t defeated, the nobles that ran large scale farms in the estates and the domestic merchants would benefit greatly. But, when the persuasion didn¡¯t seem to work on the royalists, Count Joon turned toward the neutralists. ¡°Representative Aiden, what do you think?¡± ¡°You are asking me?¡± ¡°Yes, do you also agree with us? From your standpoint, you won¡¯t be able to ignore the people suffering under the tyrant, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± There were many republicans among the neutrals, and Aiden was one of the republicans. Count Joon was aware of the thoughts of the energetic youths. So he believed that they would be on his side if he considered their ideological cause. And the temptation given by Count Joon made Aiden, who was considered to be the most influential in the neutral group, frown. It was because the opinion of both royalists and the nobles seemed valid. With a little thought, Aiden opened his mouth. ¡°I agree that this is a great opportunity to strike the Baroque Empire.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Count Joon said with glee. It was because if the neutrals agreed, he would able to go ahead with his argument with around 175 votes to 125. But that wasn¡¯t the end. ¡°But I don¡¯t think that it would be fine to move our army like Baron Jordi said. Moreover, Your Majesty must have a plan of his own, so isn¡¯t it our duty to at least understand what his intentions are?¡± ¡®What the hell is he saying?! This rotted republican! When did they ever pay any attention to the king¡¯s will?¡¯ Was he siding with the king because the king seemed to tolerate republicans? Count Joon, who went stiff with Aiden¡¯s answer, began to persuade them. ¡°Of course, Your Majesty¡¯s will is important. However, if we hesitate and miss the opportunity of hitting¡­¡± It was when he said that¡­ Beep! The door to the room opened, and the attendant cried out. ¡°The sun will illuminate the nation, the Ruler of Symphonia, His Majesty, the king, enters! Lawmakers, please stand up and greet!¡± At the announcement of the man, everyone in the room got up at once and bowed their heads toward the entrance. Step! Step! Step! The highest authoritative person. Although not flashy, Luke entered in a dignified uniform and sat in the king¡¯s seat, which was in the middle, and told everyone, ¡°Please take your seats.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Immediately, the 300 lawmakers sat down, Count Joon raised his hand and said, ¡°Your Majesty, this on¡­¡± ¡°Stop! I have already heard of this from the lords outside. There is no need to say it all over again.¡± Luke, who stopped Count Joon, continued. ¡°I have no intention of carrying out troops to punish Baroque any time soon.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, the people in the Imperial are suffering from the man, who is ruling over them¡­¡± When Count Joon tried to speak, Luke stuck his palm to the table. Thud! The table didn¡¯t smash, but the energy that left his palm sent shockwaves to everyone in the room. Count Joon, who was standing up, staggered back. ¡°Joon, aren¡¯t you mistaking something? This parliament is a place created to support the internal affairs of the kingdom, resolve the disputes between nobles, and communicate. But you dare to intervene in my authority over diplomacy and military affairs?¡± His cold voice¡­ It was almost as if everyone froze inside the room. Count Joon, who went still for a moment because of Luke, shed sweat. ¡°Moreover, you are only the head of the nobles, you aren¡¯t a legislator. So, why is your voice raised here?¡± ¡°W-well, it is because of my loyalty toward Your Majesty¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Thud! Joon, who tried to come up with an excuse, went stiff when Luke hit the table again. ¡°Regardless of whether the Imperial family is punished or not, it is up to me to decide what the military does. The parliament needs to hurry up and find a concrete way to help the refugees of the Baroque Empire.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, the lawmakers cleared the issues they had been discussing so far and began to discuss support and security for the refugees. ¡®Huh, I left him alone for a while because I was too concerned with the expedition to the Southern Continent, but he dares to intervene in places where my authority is?¡¯ Luke created the council to share the internal affairs of the kingdom. Instead of giving legislative and executionary powers, he planned to solve noble disputes and internal affairs and also intended to give some sense of pride to the crushed nobles. That way the nobles would stand against one another and take little initiative in certain tasks. However, over the past 3 months, when Sebastian and Duke Hans had taken over in Luke¡¯s absence, it seemed like some of the lawmakers had lost their minds and forgotten what their duties were. ¡®And there was one more reason besides Arsene why I want to postpone the war.¡¯ The existence of the Blood Band Warriors, which Hwang Bo-sung had brought. Luke was planning to select a few skilled martial arts warriors and strong loyalists to form a Gigant unit. There were 6 Gigant units in the Symphonia Kingdom. The 6th one was the Guard Knight. That meant 600 Gigants. He planned to add 2 more units of Gigants that would be made up of Blood Band Warriors. It would take a minimum of a year for them to be trained and organized into Gigant riders. This was why Luke was thinking about pushing the war to the end of the year. However, the men inside the parliament were continuously insisting on the march to the north to punish Rudolf. ¡®I need to make my stand clear to those nobles.¡¯ Luke was already aware of how stubborn the nobles could be. Moreover, before coming to the parliament, he received a report from the intelligence department about the corruption inside the nobles. The nobles, who illegally mobilized people in their estates to clear the wasteland, and how much bribes were being taken behind the backs of the merchants. ¡®It isn¡¯t a big problem yet. But if I don¡¯t stop this now, it will end up rotting into Veritas Magic Tower and fall.¡¯ Luke didn¡¯t forget the reason why the self-destruct magic circle of Veritas Magic Tower didn¡¯t work. After an hour or so, Luke left his seat and let the parliament continue. Chapter 659 - Internal Cut 4 Chapter 659: Internal Cut 4 The next place Luke visited after the parliament was the Black Tower. The Black Tower was created after the first Warlocks Management Act in the parliament. The tower, which was built in a fortress outside Brandon, had around 300 warlocks, white wizards, engineers, and priests. The purpose of monitoring and guidance of the warlocks, it was given as the duty for the priests. And it was a matter which was set by law. However, even the white wizards and the engineers who were dispatched to support the work, looked suspicious of the warlocks. They looked at each of the actions, their magic spells, even the robes they wore. Because of that, the Black Tower which was created, was under constant surveillance. It was fortunate that there were no major incidents there. ¡°Huh, look at this. This is tough.¡± ¡°That is right.¡± The top floor of the Black Tower. It was where the office of the tower was made, two people were sitting facing the other and sighing deeply in their discussion. It was Mute, Meister of Katarina Magic Tower and Meister Johas of Dark Moon. The two were tasked with the duties of managing the Black Tower jointly, but they were struggling with the task which didn¡¯t seem to be very easy. ¡°As the conflict between the wizards is getting worse, what are we supposed to do?¡± ¡°I am also worried about it. I came to the capital to work for the nation and His Majesty¡­ but the friction here is a lot worse than expected.¡± ¡°Tch, I thought that things would get better with time.¡± It was when the two Meister¡¯s were clicking their tongues and discussing. The magic communication ball placed on the table rang, and a message was relayed. ¡°Meister, Your Majesty is coming!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Mute and Johas jumped up from their seats. The two of them hurriedly adjusted their clothes and led the elders and trusted disciples, to meet the king. However, the atmosphere behind the two people, where the people lined up, was bad. Warlocks and the wizards kept staring at each other, as if shooting lasers at each other. In their eyes, there was hostility. It was when Mute and Johas tried to speak to them. Dak! Dak! The king¡¯s dedicated carriage and escort knights that led on with six white horses appeared. When the King and the party arrived, the two Meister¡¯s politely bowed. ¡°You have come, Your Majesty.¡± Following the two Meister, the elders and the disciples knelt together. ¡°God bless Your Majesty, the sun of Symphonia Kingdom!¡± ¡°Blessings to Your Majesty, who is shining like a star in the dark.¡± Looking at them, Luke opened his mouth. ¡°Stop it, stand up. Today I came to see the two Meister, the others can go back and work hard.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°We understand!¡± The wizards returned and Luke moved into the Black Tower along with the Meisters. He bit his lip when the maid brought tea into the room and opened his eyes. ¡°I expected it to some extent, but the aura here doesn¡¯t seem good.¡± It was a statement he managed to form by seeing the people who were competing to greet him before. He didn¡¯t yell at them right away because he was the King, but it was obvious that people were more anxious inside the tower. ¡°We thought that with time it would end, but they still seem to be frustrated.¡± At Mute¡¯s answer, Luke shrugged. ¡°I am glad that the heads aren¡¯t confronting each other.¡± ¡°It is because if we fight, things will only get bigger.¡± In fact, until Luke went into the Southern Continent, the two Meisters too were suspicious of each other. It was because of the prejudice that was created over the past, and their different stands on a topic. However, as the friction between the wizards and warlocks continued to intensify, both the Meisters began to sit down and talk about how the problem should be solved. As a result, the two could find a common ground. ¡°The path taken is different, but the position of me and Johas have is the same. But still, we are having a hard time cracking down the subordinates.¡± ¡°As we talked about it, we started to get closer.¡± As the words of the two Meister, Luke nodded. ¡°Surely, open conversations can resolve misunderstandings and solve problems easily. Given the experience of the two, it won¡¯t be much of a problem to reduce the friction between both classes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. We also encouraged them to have conversations with each other, and hold individual talks, but the effect¡­¡± Mute seemed skeptical. However, Luke¡¯s lip was of a smile instead of anger. ¡°It can¡¯t be forced. Both need to create a topic that will pull them all into it.¡± ¡°Topic¡­ do you have any other options, Your Majesty?¡± When Johas asked, Luke nodded and said. ¡°Once I am gone, spread the rumors that the King is bringing in a bunch of zen skill users from the Southern continent. Well, it would be better to release it to a subordinate at a drinking party.¡± ¡°Zen skill? Are you saying that there are more people like Zegal Soha on the Southern continent?¡± The two also knew that there was the title of a Court tactician in the Symphonia Palace, and Zegal Soha was in charge of it. She also had some knowledge about the weapons used, but she never polished it. Magic and zen were different, and the influence of zen on the Rhodesia continent was too small. ¡°By the way, what would everyone think if it was said that I brought a huge number of zen users? Won¡¯t they feel a sense of crisis?¡± Since both the Meisters were smart, they both understood Luke¡¯s words at once. ¡°Nothing is as good as an external enemy to unite the people. But, Your Majesty might lose the trust of the wizards.¡± If it was rumored that the King wanted to use zen users instead of wizards, the loyalty of the wizards might fall. And that would sometimes lead to a reduction in the morale of the wizards. In the worst case, it would lead to a fall in the quality of the Gigant, the main weapon of war. ¡°If that happens, it will happen. But as long as there are rumors, there won¡¯t be anything to worry.¡± After tapping the shoulders of both men, Luke instructed them on what they were supposed to do and left the Black Tower. Todd, who lost a bet against Luke a few years ago, was brought over to Rakan Estate. Since then, he steadily accumulated skills and achievement and became an executive of Katarina Magic tower. He was dispatched to the Black Tower to be in charge of research, and the day after Luke visited the Black Tower, he was visited by his colleague, Humphry. ¡°Hey, did you hear the thing?¡± Todd, who was looking at the Gigant¡¯s design raised his head at Humpry¡¯s question. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°There is a rumor that Your Majesty is recruiting a large number of zen users from the Southern Continent.¡± ¡°What? Zen skills?¡± ¡°I heard it directly from Elder Jufier, and Meister Mute said that at a drinking party.¡± A zen user, it was a word that was heard. They were said to be very similar to wizards, and that they were like the wizards of the Southern Continent. It was said that there was one such court tactician in the Symphonia Royal Palace. ¡°Okay. But what about it?¡± Humphry, tapped his chest getting frustrated at the simple question of Todd. ¡°Yeah, man! It is a problem because those zen users will take away our positions!¡± ¡°Wh-why?!¡± He heard the rumors about zen users, but didn¡¯t know much about the zen. There was very little information about them. ¡°It is only a rumor, but Your Majesty is thinking of letting the zen users make the puppet.¡± ¡°Puppet?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know Puppet? The large doll which Count Hwang Bo-sung, the commander of Guard Knights brought out during the battles!¡± ¡°Ah! The weapon similar to a Gigant?¡± ¡°Yes, the movement and stability of the Puppet were seen to be better. It seems like he might want them mass-produced instead of the Gigant.¡± The wizards of Katarina Magic Tower had observed the battle between Luke and the Sword Masters. At that time, they saw Puppet, summoned by Hwang Bo-sung, and they were very curious about them, but they came to know that only a zen user could make it. ¡°Oh my god! We are doomed then!¡± ¡°That was what I was saying!¡± Why were the wizards receiving the treatment and support from the nobles? It was all because of the Gigants. In order to secure the Gigant with superior performance than the other kingdoms and nobles, the wizards of the tower were sponsored continuously. But, what would happen if the Gigants were replaced? The support and money sent for them would have to be returned. In the worst case, the wizards of the Symphonia Kingdom would be pushed away. No, just the Symphonia, but within a decade, the Puppet would be considered to be higher in the continent. ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to stop that from happening?¡± Todd¡¯s question made Humphry doubt his ears. ¡°Stop? How can we stop?¡± ¡°That, well, like a strike of protest¡­¡± ¡°Huh, you think that it would work? Don¡¯t you know how Your Majesty¡¯s works? Wouldn¡¯t everyone disappear right away if he gets mad?¡± When he was generous, he was generous, but when he got mad, he could commit ruthless acts. Especially if the target is a noble. The two people who had memories of being hit in the past, went stiff. ¡°There is only one way. If you don¡¯t want to be pushed by the zen users, we need to change Your Majesty¡¯s mind by making a Gigant with a better performance.¡± ¡°Better than Puppet? However, with our magic and skills, isn¡¯t this a bit too difficult?¡± ¡°Of course, with our ability it is difficult. But¡­¡± Humphry looked at the warlocks who were working on the other side. That look, Todd noticed his thoughts. ¡°Let¡¯s join hands with the warlocks?¡± ¡°It is something the nation allowed us. In fact, there are several collaborative projects and research already in progress.¡± Of course, because of the conflicts between the wizards and the warlocks, the research didn¡¯t proceed much. It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t know how to improve the Gigant, they didn¡¯t have the skills. However, because of the deep-rooted distrust and conflict, they were unable to reach out. However, it seemed like it was time to change the attitude. No matter how it seemed, it was warlocks who were in the same subject of magic, and communicating with them seemed a lot easy. ¡°I heard the warlock guys talking in the restaurant a few days back, and they said that flexibility issues could be drastically improved with a bio golem or something.¡± Todd asked, with a disgusted expression at Humphry¡¯s words. ¡°Bio Golem? Isn¡¯t that an undead?¡± ¡°It is not using a corpse, it was said that it was made by something like muscle tissue, as a medium. I don¡¯t know anything about it.¡± To know more than that, they had no choice but to contact the warlocks. Fortunately, the Dark Tower was an area where the exchange of information was permitted. They just didn¡¯t do it because they were reluctant to do it. ¡°Damn, I have said quite rough things about them, how can I go and talk to them now¡­?¡± At Todd¡¯s words, Humphry shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they will also turn restless very soon. Let¡¯s meet them at a restaurant or workshop, and greet them.¡± Rumors about the recruitment of zen users spread among the Katarina Magic Tower, and the warlocks too. Rumors began after Johas called them for a drinking party and told them, he specifically asked Dark Moon tower warlocks to spread it. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be pushed over by them!¡± ¡°Right. I barely took a chance and came into the world, I can¡¯t let everything change again!¡± ¡°This is so bad! But let¡¯s just join hands with the white ones and create a new Gigant!¡± The wizards and warlocks who felt the sense of crisis and thought of the same remedy, then actively began to open up an exchange of dialogue unlike before. Chapter 660 - Pirate Kingdom’s Taunt 1 Chapter 660: Pirate Kingdom¡¯s Taunt 1 -Your Majesty, the warlocks have begun to work. They directly came up to me and suggested new projects, well, multiple projects. At the words of Mute which were coming through the magic communication, Luke smiled. ¡®Looks like my plan worked out well.¡¯ There could still be some displeasure between then, but soon the results of working together would show. And when that happens, the development of a new Gigant, and the performance improvement of the existing Gigants would happen. Luke, who had mastered both white and dark magic, believed in the synergies which would happen when both the wizards and the warlocks would join forces. -Then, I will go ahead and work with Meister Johas to improve the performance of Orion. The strongest Gigant in existence was Avenger, which was self-produced by Luke. A 4,000 fight core engine with magic stones and tuning helm which would allow one to control the movements of the rider in a convenient way, the Avenger¡¯s movement couldn¡¯t be compared to any existing Gigant. However, it would be impossible to create another Avenger by the tower as it would require someone like Luke with the highest level of white and dark magic. As a result, Mute and Johas worked hard to improve Orion as the next best Gigant. However, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to make such a great Orion with 7th and 8th magic circles. So accordingly, the two of them were trying to improve the performance by applying the Chimera¡¯s crafting technology or the Bio-golem. ¡°Fine. Work hard.¡± Luke, ended the magic communication with Mute and looked over at Hans who was in the room. ¡°What happened to the Baroque refugees¡¯ problem?¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s visit to the parliament had a great effect, and I think that a specific refugee aid bill will be passed sooner or later.¡± At Luke¡¯s stern yell, left the nobles and royalists to actively think about taking care of the refugees¡¯ issue. There were currently 200,000 refugees in Symphonia. After asking them to move to any of the 12 estates in the north, they decided to provide jobs and support their livelihoods by participating in national major projects such as land reclamation, roads constructions, canal maintenance, and mine development. ¡°Before the national project is fully implemented, we plan to provide food through the ration system. And to the end, we decided to release a stock, and to constantly replenish the stock by sending troops to the Holy Empire or Castia Kingdom for purchase.¡± ¡°Well, what about the housing problem?¡± ¡°To cut down on construction time, we have decided to use the temporary house construction method by using wood and plywood used by dwarf engineers. It was originally thought for the barrack constructions or temporary forts for the soldiers.¡± ¡°Even then, isn¡¯t it impossible to build those for 200,000 people in one day? And winter is also approaching.¡± ¡°We plan to use the village¡¯s temple¡¯s or sanctuaries or community centers that are temporary shelters for the refugees. And the castles and manors of the Lords and nobles too have been given for temporary shelter.¡± In addition, it was said that additional troops from the south would be sent for maintenance, and volunteers from the refugees would be taken. ¡°You want to send in the southern troops? Then, wouldn¡¯t our troops have turned weak if Grenada changed its words?¡± At Luke¡¯s concern, Hans shook his head. ¡°The 5th squad is very different from before. So there is no need to worry about that.¡± Currently, the 5th squad consisted of Navy training only. After the last war with the Grenada Kingdom and the undead raids which devastated the southern cities and coastal area, the power was doubled under the request of Marquis Volant. And as such, was the deployment of marine Gigant Triton, improved ships, troops, and Crabs. In addition to that, he inculcated a tremendous amount of training which was on par with an actual battle, it was like a reborn elite Holy Empire Navy. ¡°The new ironclad ships are also expected to come in soon. They were all done with keeping Auster in mind, so Your Majesty might know about it.¡± ¡°The new ironclad ship¡­ yes, I forgot about that.¡± The new ships were smaller than Auster, and the regular battleships too. However, because of the magic engineering skills which were applied to it, the defense and firepower were much stronger than the current ships. ¡°If our fortress of the sea is turned into full power, even the Grenada pirates won¡¯t be able to reach our coast.¡± ¡°Huh, then I guess there is nothing to worry about. Rather, the name of the new knights¡¯ troops to be created by all the Southern warriors brought in by Count Hwang Bo-sung¡­¡± It was when Luke and Prime Minister Hans were discussing the name and organization, and distribution of the knights which were known as Blood Band warriors. Open! An officer entered the room, and Sebastian came running in. ¡°We-we have a huge problem, Your Majesty!¡± Luke took a glance at his face when he saw the seriousness, he asked. ¡°Problem? Is there anything wrong with the Blood Band, did they have any problem in the sea?¡± There was no way how a human could understand when the sea flow would change. No matter how often people use the sea, there was a guarantee that they would always face the sea in the same way, if they were unlucky, they could end up turning into food for the monsters. Not just that, but the compass could break or cause the ship to get lost. For that reason, a number of trade ships also go missing in the sea all throughout the year. ¡°Not that¡­¡± ¡°Have the pirates of the Grenada Kingdom attack us?¡± ¡°Not that either.¡± ¡°Then what the hell is the problem?¡± When Sebastian kept on saying no, Luke got annoyed. However, the expression of Sebastian changed. ¡°The queen¡­ Veronica III, Her Holiness is here!¡± ¡°What? Reina is?¡± For everyone, she is the Emperor of the Holy Arthenia Empire, the Pope of El Kassel church, and in secret, she was a companion for Luke. And she decided to come? ¡°But I want to give you some news about that!¡± If Reina had planned to come to the Symphonia Kingdom, she would have informed them in advance. The movement of the head of a nation was never to be seen that lightly. ¡°Huh, I am sorry for not informing you in advance.¡± As Luke wasn¡¯t sure, he saw Reina enter. Karen and Arch Duke Gregory were right behind her, both smiling sheepishly. Reina approached Luke and pointed her finger at his face and began. ¡°Why the hell am I ever supposed to get permission to come to visit you?¡± ¡°Well, that is because there are a lot of problems in the kingdoms which need to be solved¡­¡± ¡°You can leave that to your retainers. Why do you have to do everything on your own? You created a parliament, so can¡¯t you leave it to them?¡± ¡°¡­ sorry. This won¡¯t happen again.¡± Luke apologized as if he had done something wrong. Because of Luke¡¯s dream to overthrow Arsene and the Baroque Empire, create a world where people could live happily, Reina was unable to feel happiness on a personal level, and she had to live with her husband only in her heart. And if Luke would have come up with excuses, it would only hurt her heart. Fortunately, with the apology, the atmosphere calmed down. Maybe she felt bad for barging into Luke¡¯s office uninformed. ¡°Huh, I¡¯ll let this go only this once. You get it?¡± ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°The problem I wanted to talk about¡­¡± Trying to speak something, Reina glanced over at Arch Duke Gregory. Taking the hint, he quickly left the room with Hans and Sebastian. Karen was also about to go out when Reina caught her hand. ¡°You stay here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Reina turned her head from Karen to Luke and opened her mouth. ¡°What I mean to say is, you decide to ignore my words even after what I said the last time.¡± ¡°Ignore what?¡± Unlike Luke who was confused, Karen sighed, taking a guess. Not long back, at their tea time, she shared her knowledge on Aether and Holy Soleil. At that time, she decided to throw the blame onto her father to divert attention, and it looked like her mother was talking about that issue. ¡°You teach your child difficult magic knowledge, even after knowing that I am opposed to early education? I heard the stories of nobles and rich merchants using magic communication to let their children listen in to lectures, but I didn¡¯t know that you would do that behind my back.¡± ¡°I ordered for education behind your back?¡± ¡°Yes, do you have any idea how Karen is doing in my Empire? A child who needs to dream and be creative by playing with children her age, and developing companionship is always stuck in the library¡­¡± Reina raised her voice when she was talking about Karen¡¯s daily life. And she listed all the ill things which would come up with early education. Luke, who couldn¡¯t even understand what was happening, glanced over at his daughter. Karen, who was standing behind Reina, put her hands together and seemed apologetic. ¡®Huh, I don¡¯t know what it was, but it doesn¡¯t seem like she came here for me.¡¯ Only then did Luke understand why Reina had come all the way to the Holy Empire without informing him. She might have wanted to meet with him, but the issue of early education for her daughter had a higher importance. ¡°I was so worried because she was reluctant to play with the other kids, people say that she has the dignity for being the next pope, but, unlike the other kids, she is way too quiet and keeps to herself¡­¡± Luke sighed at her complaints and apologized once again. ¡°I am sorry. I will never teach anything which is difficult for Karen again.¡± Chapter 661 - Pirate Kingdom’s Taunt 2 Chapter 661: Pirate Kingdom¡¯s Taunt 2 ¡°Kukuku, Our Majesty is so pitiful.¡± ¡°I thought that he would end up bowing down to his wife, but he didn¡¯t realize that it would be to such an extent.¡± Outside the door, Prime Minister Hans and Sebastian, who were listening to Luke and Reina¡¯s conversation, looked at each other and laughed. How would the people react when they see the scary king, who was the utmost authority in Symphonia and a respected man in the Southern Continent, acted in front of his wife? Maybe a hero, who was perfect in everyone¡¯s eyes, wasn¡¯t much different from a normal person. Unlike the two of them who were smiling, Arch Duke Gregory shook his head and sighed. In fact, he had recently scolded Reina regarding Karen¡¯s education. The reason was that he thought that children should be taught swordsmanship from a very young age. Gregory had been very curious about Karen, who ended up displaying enormous capabilities when they first met. And when he saw her creating an aura from a branch, he wanted to advise her but got caught by Reina. ¡®But, is princess Reina really a child?¡¯ No matter how much of a genius the child was, would it be possible for a child younger than 7 years old to create an aura? She had to be at least a Sword Expert, and Gregory couldn¡¯t believe that the child had stood through severe training with her delicate body. ¡®By any chance, is this the Body-Change that is known in the Southern Continent? Or was the blood of any kind of fairy¡¯s race got mixed with a human that slowed down the aging of the child?¡¯ It was when Gregory was trying to think of a plausible reason, the atmosphere inside the king¡¯s office changed dramatically. Luke and Reina, who were in a one-sided couple fight, began to calm down. ¡°I am glad to see that you came back safely. You don¡¯t know how worried I am about you.¡± ¡°I did contact you frequently through magic communication, why?¡± ¡°It is a woman¡¯s feeling, and a woman can never be relieved unless she sees her family in person.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Luke nodded and did something to soothe Reina. ¡°I know that you have been very worried and stressed because of me. I hope you are just a little more patient in the future. The Baroque Empire is unlikely to last that long, and we have found out where Arsene is hiding.¡± Luke¡¯s words made Karen and Reina¡¯s eyes shine. Karen was happy because she had come to the current time because her world had been destroyed by Arsene, and she went against the norms of time to change that future. ¡°Is the end finally coming close?¡± At Reina¡¯s question, Luke nodded his head. ¡°I went to the Southern Continent to do that. I got valuable information about it.¡± ¡°Ah, I hope that day comes very soon. So I won¡¯t be having to feel this nervous anymore.¡± Reina took off the crown that was on her head and looked into the blue eyes of the man. ¡°And that time, I can withdraw from my position as the pope and stay with you every moment of my life, right?¡± ¡°Obviously. But¡­ have you considered a candidate?¡± If she suddenly withdrew from being the pope, the El Kassel denomination would be overturned. It was because the position of the pope was both important and absolute in the empire. Luke, who asked the question, took a look at Karen. Immediately after his return to Symphonia, the Ministry of Information handed over a report that contained articles about her. It looked like there had been many stories within the Holy Empire about the sudden acceptance of a daughter under the pope. It was said that she had brought in her secret daughter, that it was a blood relative of another Volga royal family, or that she was another angel sent from heaven. Surprisingly, there didn¡¯t seem to be many negative reactions. Maybe Reina and Karen¡¯s abilities played a part in it. Finding out the temples and sanctuaries, digging out the hidden golden ingots, treating the sick children with Divine power, it wasn¡¯t like people were thinking about the next pope. But Reina didn¡¯t seem to want Karen to take the same heavy burden as her. ¡°I am considering Priest Luther as the next in line. As he is a priest, he speaks well and is active in communicating with the people. In addition, there are very few people who are hostile to him because he isn¡¯t shy, and he listens to the opinion of the people around him.¡± ¡°Priest Luther, huh¡­ He is surely a good person.¡± Luke¡¯s expression seemed like he understood it. Reina asked him, ¡°Is there something bothering you?¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t anything like that.¡± A while ago, Luke had a little frown on his face. It was because he recollected the story of the time and space where Karen was born. According to that story, Reina surrendered the position to Luther and moved to Jason estate after Luke was defeated by Hiros. But that wasn¡¯t the problem. The thing was, Reina, who had been residing in Jason estate, died young without seeing much in life. ¡®She pointed out Luther all of a sudden, that I thought of it. I will never let the same thing happen again.¡¯ He defeated Hiros and defeated Arsene. So there wouldn¡¯t be a tragic thing like her dying. Well, Luke had no intention of letting that happen. ¡°The reason I came to Symphonia was to have fun with my family.¡± ¡°Okay. I will put off all of my schedules today.¡± At Reina¡¯s request, Luke nodded. It was as she said, just Luke, Reina, and Karen. It had been months since the family had gathered in one place. So it felt like it would be better to have a good time rather than worrying about things, which wouldn¡¯t happen right away. The day after having a good time with Luke, Reina and Karen returned to the Holy Empire. Reina wanted to spend a few more days with him. However, since the Holy Imperial Palace couldn¡¯t be left alone for long, she didn¡¯t try to stay long. Luke went to the long-distance teleport gate to see them off. Immediately after returning to the palace, he heard the news. ¡°Your Majesty, it was said that the King of Grenada is dead.¡± ¡°What was that? Did you verify it?¡± ¡°Yes, it has been confirmed through several guilds.¡± At the report of the intelligence chief, Hudson, Luke frowned. Fernando de Salizar, the next in line to be the King of Grenada Kingdom, was a stubborn one. He was held captive in the last war when Luke was the king, and it was very likely that once he attained the throne, the southern sea of Symphonia would turn noisy. ¡°I need to hold a cabinet meeting. Notify every military commander right away.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± A storm would come into the southern sea, terrifying enough to end the pleasant breeze. To prepare for the storm that might blow away the Symphonia Kingdom, Luke began to take measures. Chapter 662 - Pirate Kingdom’s Taunt 3 Chapter 662: Pirate Kingdom¡¯s Taunt 3 All of a sudden, the king, Drake, had died. There was less than a month for Count Fernando de Salizar to win and take over the throne as the new king. It happened so fast that not many people in London, the capital of Grenada, even know about the inauguration of the new king. ¡°Ohohoho! Your Majesty, that is rough.¡± In the king¡¯s office located inside the royal palace. On the knees of the new king, Fernando, was a red-haired woman dressed in erotic clothes. Fernando, hugging her waist strongly, stroked her thighs that were exposed through her dress¡¯ slits. ¡°Huhuhu. All of this is thanks to you, Princess Margareta.¡± Fernando recalled what happened the last month. Originally, King Drake had been suffering from a chronic disease and was in bad health. However, it wasn¡¯t serious enough for him to die. One day, the king died and suddenly, Fernando ascended to the throne. The people accepted it pretty easily, but Grenada¡¯s throne wasn¡¯t an easy place to take. It was true that Fernando was the son-in-law of Drake, but it wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t have any competitors. His strongest contender, Arch Duke John, was the former king¡¯s aide. Arch Duke John, who joined the navy force at the same time as Admiral Nathan, accused Fernando¡¯s misjudgment on why they lost the war and the loss of countless lives of sailors, and the great loss of treasures to free him from Symphonia. Because of such criticism, it was made known to everyone that he wasn¡¯t suitable to be the next king, and wildfire rose among the politicians and the military officials, even the local lords joined in. In fact, King Drake would rather have his daughter stay as the queen, and it wouldn¡¯t matter if the man was Fernando or not, and he asked his servants to see what kind of man Arch Duke was. When his position seemed shaken, an envoy of the Libiya Kingdom had come to Grenada. Margareta, Libiya Kingdom¡¯s delegation representative. After secretly visiting the mansion of Fernando, she offered to make him the king. And actually, she helped actively to make Fernando ascend the throne. She used Enchanting magic to seduce the nobles of the Arch Duke and those who are anti-Fernando, including Nathan, and helped in getting rid of powerful contenders. Also, she trapped Arch Duke John. ¡®The reason why King Drake died suddenly was because of the duke.¡¯ There was no evidence, but that happened. ¡°Hohoho. I wouldn¡¯t hold back anything for you, Your Majesty. Just asking, would you listen to what I ask for?¡± When she asked with smiling eyes, Fernando replied, grunting through her teeth, ¡°Of course! Luke, the King of Symphonia, is an opponent who brought an indelible shame to me as well as you. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll never leave you alone, and I will make sure to treat your grudges as mine.¡± After being captured by the Symphonia Kingdom and released, how long had he suffered? Duke Nathan and the other navy personnel spoke about Fernando being incompetent. Drake would often see him as someone incompetent. ¡®Not just that, even my wife began to act coldly toward me! Compared to that, princess Margareta is¡­¡¯ Over the past month, his relationship with Margareta had developed into a romantic one. Although in the beginning, he only saw her as a political partner. His heart got pulled toward her gradually. Otherwise, his grudge against Luke wouldn¡¯t have been so honest and driven, and Margareta tried to capture the man using her Enchanting magic like the other nobles she trapped. It was natural that he heard titled for such a woman. Moreover, the beauty of Margareta couldn¡¯t be compared to Grenada¡¯s women. ¡°How about spending some time with me, in the sense of being my companion?¡± At Fernando¡¯s request, Margareta replied with a shy face, ¡°¡­ I am embarrassed, but I love Your Majesty so¡­¡± ¡°Uahhh! Sooner or later, I will drive out that pig-like queen and make you my queen, so wait a little more.¡± Fernando hugged her and went into another room that was attached to the office. Looking at his departing face, Margareta mocked him. ¡®Stupid man, I thought I would have to be wary because he is a Sword Master, but he is just like a dog in heat.¡¯ Fernando de Salizar, he was surely handsome, almost like a young lion of the Grenada Kingdom. Also, he was known to be a great swordsman. But what was really great about him was he was attracted to her, and he was turned into a slave. Moreover, unlike the other nobles, she didn¡¯t use magic or drugs. All she had to do was flirt with him and whisper a basic spell in his ears, and he began to wag his tail for her. Fernando himself seemed to regard it as love, but it was a play for Margareta. ¡®He is a kid. Could he be any special? Compared to him, that old man Nathan was very stubborn.¡¯ Duke Nathan, the navy admiral and Advanced Sword Master, wasn¡¯t tempted by Margareta. In the end, she was able to barely hold him back with drugs. Margareta did a great job in seducing Nathan, as he was, in fact, the head of the Grenada Military, and he was the most important thing. The Enchanting magic she used on him would make it impossible for Nathan to violate Margareta¡¯s orders. ¡®Ohhoho! If I successfully complete the mission, will I have a chance of being held in His Majesty¡¯s arms?¡¯ Even if her soul had been taken over, she was still a young woman, who wanted to conquer the continent, and she was stubborn as hell. Of course, she had sexual desires going on, and her goal was to become the queen alongside Shaikan and not for Fernando. To that end, Margareta planned to perform her mission as well as possible. Chapter 663 - Pirate Kingdom’s Taunt 4 Chapter 663: Pirate Kingdom¡¯s Taunt 4 P¡±Everyone hasten to prepare for our departure!¡± ¡°Spread out the sails, and start running the magic steam engine!¡± ¡°The lazy men will be made to starve for today, to be prepared for the consequences!¡± Rondo was the capital of the largest port city of Grenada Kingdom. From early in the morning, battleships were being gathered on the pier of Rondo and began to move. It was because the order for the movement was issued from the royal palace. Hundreds of naval battleships and twice the number of pirate ships had left the port and began to line up the shore. Half water and half ships on the shore. Looking at that, Fernando stood on the mast of the flagship Barbarossa with a triumphant expression. ¡°Wait a little more, Luke! I will repay what you gave me last year!¡± For the coming New Year, Fernando issued a total mobilization of 100 battleships a month ago. But it wasn¡¯t a large number, so Fernando summoned a fleet from the high ranking nobles. His promise to Margareta was one reason, but as soon as he became the King, he thought that his face had been defaced because of the past defeat, and decided to go for an all-out-war to show the nobles his true power. This was an opportunity intended to completely devastate the coastal areas of the Symphonia Kingdom. The Symphonia Kingdom had depended mostly on the trade in the port cities for their finances, people will be killed, civil riots and rebellion would be infested in various places. No matter how powerful the Gigant troops were, if the cities were rioting from the inside, the city would end up destroyed. By then, taking down Luke¡¯s throat would be very simple. ¡°Your Majesty, the entire fleet has aligned.¡± Duke Nathan approached and reported. Fernando looked at him with a cold expression. It was because Nathan was a representative figure who criticized Fernando and supported Arch Duke John. ¡®If the chief commander of the Great Fleet wasn¡¯t needed, it would have removed him right away¡­¡¯ Regaining his composure, he asked. ¡°What is the size of the entire fleet?¡± He had heard about it, but he wanted confirmation on the number. Nathan replied to his question. ¡°Three ships of the same class of Hyredin which was stolen by the Symphonia, 86 sailing ships equipped with a magic steam engine, including the new sailing ships and 900 of various ships.¡± In addition to that, there were around 1,300 ships which were in charge of transporting troops and supplying food and weapons. After losing the last war, the Grenada Kingdom put great effort into their navy power. Among them, the most elaborate efforts were to build the follow-up ships similar to Hyredin and develop new sailboats. The large battleships were named after famous pirates, Barbarossa, Edward, and Jolly Roger, who were the strongest in the world. The newly developed sailboats were firing ships, which had 100 canons in them. In addition, the number of existing flagship and sailing ships had increased. ¡®Woohoo, with this much power, no matter how many of those Symphonia men try to touch me, they will die!¡¯ He knew that the Symphonia Kingdom had been improving its navy power. However, no matter how much they trained, Fernando judged that they would be able to handle Grenada¡¯s power, as it was a traditional navy based kingdom. ¡®It isn¡¯t the navy¡¯s ability. We have sailors who are great with sea battle. The difference in experience is something that the Symphonia will never be able to follow.¡¯ One more advantage of Grenada had was the private fleet owned by the lords. Although the size and equipment of the ships were less than pirate ships, they weren¡¯t ships which could just be ignored. With a happy smile, thinking that he would overpower the Symphonia Kingdom, Fernando gazed at the pier. There, his beloved Margareta was waving her handkerchief. ¡®I will bring Luke¡¯s head as your gift.¡¯ Determined, he spoke to Duke Nathan. ¡°It is safe to say that the expedition might be life or death. So tell everyone to be on alert.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After completing the inspection, Fernando ordered the entire fleet¡¯s dispatch. And from the 1st fleet of the Navy, all the ships started to head towards the northwest, for the Symphonia Kingdom. Chapter 664 - Pirate Kingdom’s Taunt 5 To the west of the Symphonia Kingdom was a vast wasteland. In the days of Rakan estate¡¯s development, Luke had initiated mines by brainwashing the monsters and increased farming lands by bringing in water. During those days, there was a shortage of labor and funds. After that, as the number of residents increased, the estates¡¯ finances stabilized, and monsters were sent to the western wastelands. Rather than making use of the lands, the idea was to create a buffer zone by letting the monsters live peacefully until needed. The monsters which migrated to the wasteland took their places in the tribes and began to increase in number. The monsters were later mobilized for a while during the Milton Kingdom¡¯s war, and once their role was done, they were sent back to the western wasteland. After that, Luke had almost neglected them, and recently they increased to over tens of thousands, turning into a monster force in the western wasteland. Kuak! Kuak! Kikki! Dozens of orcs were on their way after hunting. The other monsters they hunted were placed on the wooden sticks and were being carried away on their shoulders, they shouted with joy at the thought of feeding their females and children with the food. Du Du Du Du! Then, at one point, the earth shook, and dust began to rise from the ground. Seeing that, the Orcs were puzzled. It was because there were no more swarms or animals moving in large groups in the western wasteland. But, within a while, they knew. The Orcs jumped up and started to run away. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! A huge monster army appeared from the dirt and was running towards him. Thud! Some were humans mixed with the monster legion of various types of monsters¡ªsuch as giant Orcs, ogres, trolls, and so on. Men with very dull robes began to memorize a certain spell towards the Orcs, and as the spell continued, their eyes changed and began to look dazed. ¡®Kukk! This is around 100,000. With 100,000 monsters hitting the west side of Symphonia, will they be able to stop this?¡¯ Lenuk, a former Veritas Magic Tower Meister, smiled recalling the upcoming invasion. From the perspective of the Symphonia Kingdom, the monster army which would appear from the west would cause a huge disaster. It was because it would end up being an act which the army would have never thought of. As such, the defense wouldn¡¯t be adequate, and invading the kingdom would be easy. For the operation, the warlocks struggled to lead the monster¡¯s legion from the Libiya Kingdom. ¡®It wasn¡¯t just that. From the south too, sooner or later, the Grenada fleet will appear, right? If the warlocks who secretly infiltrated the Symphonia will cause a riot, the confusion will reach an extreme point.¡¯ What was regrettable was that the Baroque Empire couldn¡¯t be used. The Baroque Empire was currently at war with the Volga Republic and couldn¡¯t afford to send forces to the south. If it weren¡¯t for that war, Rudolf surely would have led the army to punish Luke right away. Not just Lenuk, but Arsene felt very bad about it. ¡®Well, even with the current power, Symphonia can be stirred enough.¡¯ Lenuk, who gazed at the monster army he brainwashed with dark magic, uttered another spell. Kuakkkk! Kuak! Kiiiiiik! Whenever the spell spread, the monsters which stood still, ran towards Symphonia. Pop! Pop! Kwang! People who were working on the hills of Lamer city turned their gaze towards the sea upon the firing of the Navy battleships. These Navy battleships were training in artillery with floating targets in the middle of the sea, almost looking like a real battle. ¡°Is it training day?¡± ¡°No way. The Grenada pirates might be coming back soon.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t the new king the one we captured last time?¡± ¡°Right, that time we should have just hanged him by the neck¡­¡± The people who were talking about it, hurriedly shoved piles of stones when the head appeared. The dwarf squad leader dispatched the engineer unit, which was known to be meticulous. ¡°Faster, faster! Move it! When will you start working seriously?! Do you want to die in the hands of the pirates? The more we sweat right now, the less blood will spill!¡± Those who were moving slowly worked faster upon hearing such words. It may seem that they were dissatisfied with the sudden change in roles, but rather, they were helping and encouraging each other. ¡°Kay then, let¡¯s work hard!¡± ¡°Of course. Didn¡¯t His Majesty always give us a happy life? So this time we will help him!¡± Luke who was on the scene, went for inspection, looked at the scene, and gave instructions to attendants. ¡°Since they are hard-working, make sure to get them beer at night.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± After the death of King Drake of Grenada Kingdom, Luke had spent the entire last month preparing for war. After receiving the information that Fernando had ordered the mobilization of the navy fleet and the pirate lords too, Luke began to look for defense and coast fort construction. In that way, the Navy¡¯s artillery training was increased, and the port defense facilities were built, and the reinforcements were requested in advance. It was just the Holy Arthenia Empire that came to assistance. ¡°The Song Empire and the Yemaek fleet, will they arrive within a week?¡± After moving to the office in the city hall of Lamer, he looked at the young official who was reading the text sent in by the Foreign Minister and asked. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. It was said that 50 from the Song Empire and 130 from Yemaek and a total of 180, in terms of the number of battleships, it is said that the Yemaek army has actually sent their main ironclad ships.¡± ¡°The ironclad ships¡­ even a single ship of that would be enough to create great destruction.¡± According to the intelligence report, there are around 1,300 ships that Grenada mobilized for the war. It was more than 10 times for the current Symphonia navy. No, it was even worse after considering the Symphonia Navy, the transport ships, and even the main fleet. Luke tried to make up the odds with the quality of the ships and the advanced magic engineering. And so, he prepared several weapons, including the new iron armor. Even so, the armor couldn¡¯t completely provide defense, so the help of the allies was requested. ¡°And the Holy Empire said they wouldn¡¯t be able to send us their fleet.¡± ¡°What? What is that supposed to mean?¡± Luke was in shock. He felt like he had been hit on his foot with a sharp axe, took the report from the man¡¯s hands, and read the contents by himself. ¡®The sailors are on vacation, so when they arrive back, they will send, and will be late? And so¡­¡¯ At first, Luke frowned at what he saw, but then nodded. It was because the operation proposed by the Holy Empire seemed valid. ¡®Just to be sure, if we want to get rid of those pirates, we need to follow this plan. Then the Grenada fleet must deal with the allied forces of Song and Yemaek.¡¯ Since they had already set up the operations for the navy battles, they had to wait for the Yemaek and Song fleet to arrive. ¡®Those pirates, they will never enter our waters!¡¯ It was the time when Luke was looking at the map and was planning some strategy. A messenger hurriedly entered and delivered a report. ¡°Your Majesty, a large number of monsters have appeared from the west of the kingdom!¡± The face of Luke and the retainers went pale at the news. While all their efforts were directed towards stopping the Grenada army, an unexpected enemy appeared from the west! If the western border got breached, the Kingdom would be dominated by monsters running wild. ¡°Your Majesty, we need to dispatch the central army right away.¡± ¡°It is necessary to increase the number of Gigant troops, even the eastern army.¡± While the retainers were giving their thoughts, an unexpected smile caught on Luke¡¯s lips. ¡®Huh, is he using that thing again?¡¯ He looked at the messenger and said with a very confident expression as if he knew something. ¡°Speak to Marquis Rogers, Chief Commander of the Royal Army. Tell him to start the Operation Storm Break right away.¡± An operation prepared in advance after discussing with just the senior officials in the military. When the order was given, once the peace was broken, he drew out a card which he had prepared beforehand. Chapter 665 - Prince of Ruined Nation 1 The western front of the Symphonia Kingdom. At the news of the huge crowd of monsters coming in, the villagers took their household items and went to take refuge in a nearby castle or fortress. ¡°Hurry up! Quickly!¡± ¡°We never know when the monsters will come for us!¡± ¡°Wahhhhh!¡± In the confusing situation, the children in the wagon were terrified and began to cry. Then, a man in a priest uniform, who was following behind the wagon, tried to appease the crying children. ¡°Priest Isaac, do monsters really come to eat people?¡± ¡°There is nothing like that. Soldiers and knights will protect us to the end.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. That is why you need to carefully listen to dad and mom.¡± ¡°Huh, I will.¡± As the innocent children believed the man¡¯s words, they started to talk to other people in the wagon with a little smile on their faces. However, the priest¡¯s expression went stiff after seeing the children¡¯s smile. ¡®Haa, I just wanted to calm them¡­¡¯ Isaac sighed under his breath. However, his real name wasn¡¯t Isaac. Aslan de Ferrierd. A few years ago, he was known to be the illegitimate child of Duke Ferrierd, who rebelled against the Holy Empire¡¯s pope. Duke Ferrierd declared self-independence with the help of the Baroque Empire and became the king of Conrad Kingdom, and Aslan was treated as the prince. However, such a great movie didn¡¯t last for long. It was because the Conrad Kingdom was destroyed with a full-scale suppression from the Holy Empire. While running away with his father, he was attacked by the pirates, well, a special force of the Baroque troops who were disguised as pirates, and he almost drowned in the sea. He was hit by an arrow and lost one arm to a shark, but fortunately, he was saved by a trade ship of the Southern Continent that was passing by. Barely saving his life, he went to Marquis Mayers, the head of the noblemen who confronted the emperor, Rudolf. He then exposed the Baroque Empire¡¯s involvement in the civil affairs of the Holy Empire. That resulted in the war between the emperor and the nobles, which divided the empire. After that, Aslan was granted the title of count by Mayers, who became the king of the Milton Kingdom, and was appointed as the commander of a fortress near the Variand Mountains. ¡®It was a good treatment for the prince of the ruin, but in reality, I was deemed no longer worthy and put in a corner.¡¯ He felt very bitter, but Aslan wasn¡¯t very dissatisfied with it. He believed that everything given to him was sufficient as he was able to get revenge for his father¡¯s death by destroying the Baroque Empire, the losing nation whose 500 years of ruling. He thought that for the rest of his life, he would always stand on the front fighting what was left of the Baroque Empire. However, within a year of King Mayer¡¯s desire to conquer, the war broke out and the Milton Kingdom fell. It was Luke de Rakan that took over the Milton Kingdom and established the new Symphonia Kingdom. He did not oppress nobles of the Milton Kingdom and accepted them as his subjects. Aslan¡¯s title and position were confirmed. ¡®The problem was that the king has a great relationship with the Holy Empire.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just an alliance. He invited the pope for the royal coronation ceremony. In addition, there were rumors that Pope Veronica III was the lover of Luke, Reina, the princess of the perished Volga Kingdom. As a result, Aslan couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of crisis. Would the Symphonia Kingdom, which is close to the Holy Empire, abandon him, the son of a traitor? He could be arrested if his identity got out. As a result, Aslan escaped from Symphonia Kingdom when it was founded. However, he couldn¡¯t enter the Holy Empire and not the Baroque Empire. The Volga Republic was too far to move, and the Grenada and Casta Kingdom could be reached only by ships, and there was no way he could avoid the checkpoints. And the only place he could go to was the Libiya Kingdom. However, as the travel was expensive, he disguised himself as a priest and settled in a small village for a while. Although he couldn¡¯t use any Divine power, he had no problem pretending as one as he was an observant person in the Holy Arthenia Empire. He was thinking of going to Libiya once he earned enough money after teaching kids and listening to people¡¯s confessions. However, a year had passed, and even though he collected money, he couldn¡¯t leave. All of a sudden, the border between Symphonia and Libiya Kingdom was full of monsters. And the monster never crossed the borders and attack the villages of Symphonia. People thought that it was because of the alliance with King Shaikan of Libiya Kingdom, the Lord of Monsters. Eventually, Aslan was tied to the village, which was in southern part of the Symphonia. In fact, it wasn¡¯t like he couldn¡¯t go, somehow his life seemed to make sense while living with the innocent villagers. ¡°Priest, isn¡¯t that troubling you? If walking is hard, please get on the wagon, we can ride together¡­¡± Aslan shook his head at the words of the elderly woman that was riding the wagon with her children. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t that difficult for me.¡± ¡°Really? Your face doesn¡¯t look that good¡­¡± ¡°I am just concerned about what has to come. It isn¡¯t because of the walk.¡± Aslan looked around and saw the movement. On the way to the fortress, the line for evacuation increased. People from other villages too joined the path. After a full day, the refugees, who had increased to thousands in number, arrived at the Verange Castle. The Verange Castle was located in the Northwest part of the Symphonia Kingdom. It was built by the villagers and was declared as the administrative and military center of the region. Although it had a population of 30,000, it was built for military purposes, so it could accommodate around 100,000 people including the refugees. Aslan entered the castle with the other people and saw a flag being waved at the gate. ¡®That is the flag of the 1st squad¡­ Has the royal army been engaged already?¡¯ His thoughts were right. Commander Rogers was informed about the appearance of the large scale monster group and immediately led the 1st squad. He entered the castle and prepared for battle while sending soldiers to help and control the refugees. ¡°All the men please come to this side!¡± ¡°Women and old people come over and get the rations! We have enough food, so don¡¯t push and keep order!¡± ¡°Are sick people in here? If there are, then come over to the plaza for the medical treatment!¡± Soldiers with medical supplies were standing on the palace and yelled. While the people were being taken care of, men looked after the walls, handed tools, and built temporary houses for the shelter. Men were being mobilized to work outside the castle with the soldiers. Aslan was about to go out, but then when he was known to be educated, he was given another job. ¡°You are a priest? Then you must know how to read and write?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Please help with the administration. The situation is so urgent that there aren¡¯t enough people over there.¡± ¡°I guess this is what war does.¡± Aslan nodded at the soldier¡¯s words and assisted the administrators in identifying the refugees that entered the castle and aligned the documents. But that didn¡¯t last long. Suddenly, a knight of the 1st squad came to him with armed soldiers. ¡°Count Aslan de Ferrierd? You need to come with us.¡± ¡®Kuek, have I been caught?¡¯ He never thought that there would be knights in the castle that would recognize his face. Aslan clenched his fist. However, even though he was an intermediate Sword Expert, he couldn¡¯t fight because he didn¡¯t have any weapons on him. Eventually, he let go. His life, which had been twisted to the core, seemed to come to an end. Chapter 666 - Prince of Ruined Nation 2 Chapter 666: Prince of Ruined Nation 2 Aslan, who was cuffed, was brought to the Lord of Verange Castle. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he was going to be left at the bottom of the dungeon all his life. ¡°Sire, we have brought Count Ferrierd.¡± ¡°Good work. I can interrogate him myself. Everyone, out.¡± Marquis Rogers, the commander of the 1st squad, who led the army from Brandon. He looked up from the reports he was verifying about the forts. He looked over at Asland, who seemed to be nervous. ¡°Why you were caught here, I am sure you know the reason for it, right?¡± ¡°Of course. Because my father rebelled against the Holy Empire. And from the position of Symphonia Kingdom, his son is also a sinner who shouldn¡¯t be missed.¡± Rogers laughed at Aslan¡¯s cool answer. ¡°It wasn¡¯t the reason for getting caught. It is because you left your work without taking permission. You deserted your job.¡± Rogers laughed and spoke back to Aslan. ¡°You are no normal soldiers, you know how bad it is for a commander of the fort to desert his position?¡± Aslan¡¯s desertion of his post. He finally realized after some thought. The subordinates in the fort were afraid that they would get punished as they let a superior desert his post and hid the truth but were caught by the abrupt inspection. According to Symphonia¡¯s military law, desertion whether wartime or not called for the death penalty. ¡°But if I didn¡¯t desert it, I would have been dragged to the Holy Empire and executed after heavy torture.¡± ¡°Huh, It seems like you think that we would punish you for the rebellion that you did in the Holy Empire. Did you really think that we didn¡¯t know your identity from the start?¡± At the time of taking over Milton Kingom, the Rakan retainers brought in the details of all the nobles. And they knew about Aslan. They knew who he was and how he received the title of Milton Kingdom¡¯s count. ¡°And it wasn¡¯t just us. Even the Holy Empire knows about your presence. Even then, they didn¡¯t ask for you to be handed over. What do you think was the reason?¡± ¡°¡­¡± At Rogers question, Aslan was silent. It was because he really didn¡¯t know the answer to it. Rogers went close to the man and said, ¡°It was because Her Holiness has no intention of starting a rebellion which has already ended. She thought that it was needed to help sick people than reopen old grudges.¡± The same was true for Luke. It wasn¡¯t like Aslan had done anything wrong in the nation, and there was no reason to catch the man and cause useless noise when it was time to embrace the nobles of the Milton Kingdom. ¡°But then, you ran away because you¡¯re terrified of us.¡± ¡°From my point of view, I had no other choice¡­¡± Rogers immediately cut his answer. ¡°Was there a wanted note for you? Was there a bounty on your head? As I said, if we wanted to catch you, we would have done that.¡± At Rogers words, Aslan sighed. ¡®Huh, I guess I was being stupid.¡¯ No matter how much of a small village he tried to hide in, it wasn¡¯t like the information flow would be halted. He knew what kind of ruling Luke and Veronica III did from the merchants and tourists who would pass by the village. He was intimidated and scared that he closed off any other options. Only then, realizing his foolishness, he knelt down and said, ¡°I will pay the price for deserting my post. And I do not blame the reason for desertion onto His Majesty, who showed mercy upon me.¡± Marquis Rogers looked at Aslan, who admitted his wrongdoings and drew his sword. Srrrng. The clear sound of a sword being drawn out from its sheath was heard. Aslan was prepared to die and closed his eyes. Slash! Aslan¡¯s body flinched because of the sound. However, what was cut wasn¡¯t his neck but the ropes around his body. ¡°W-why would you¡­?¡± Rogers pulled back his sword and spoke to Aslan, who was confused. ¡°We are in a troublesome situation. I don¡¯t have the time to waste on something that happened in the past.¡± ¡°Th-then¡­¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t like it wasn¡¯t your responsibility to inform us before you do something like that in advance, we end up taking down your position to demoting you. We will put you with artillery, so try to make some merit while working there.¡± Aslan, who was dazed for a while, got up from his knee and bowed to Rogers. ¡°Thank you, Chief Commander Rogers.¡± ¡°You should be thanking His Majesty not me.¡± Rogers wrote a letter of appointment as an artillery engineer and sent out Aslan. Aslan de Ferrierd, whose whereabouts were hidden, was revealed to the continent once again. Chapter 667 - Prince of Ruined Nation 3 Chapter 667: Prince of Ruined Nation 3 In the Northwestern part of the Symphonia Kingdom, in addition to the several fortresses were built to prevent the monsters. However, the center of all the forts was the Verange castle, and of course, it was also the place where the most number of monsters were gathered. Aslan, who was appointed as the engineer, dug the ground on the plains west of Verange castle and put in oil and gunpowder mixture at the order of his superior. At first, he did what he was asked to do right away, but when he saw the wizards building up magic circles for flame on the mixture where oil and gunpowder were kept, it made him puzzled. ¡®I can¡¯t keep doing this¡­¡¯ Looking at the work he did all alone, he was able to understand what kind of a plan the Storm Break operation which their King ordered was. However, the operation couldn¡¯t be carried out like that. Aslan, who thought that, went to Baron Tart, who was in charge of the 1st squad artillery engineers. ¡°What was that? We shouldn¡¯t do it like this?¡± ¡°Yes, it is like we are trying to pull in the monster legion and then launch our fire, but this plain isn¡¯t a suitable place to light a fire.¡± ¡°What the hell are you blabbering about that? What the hell is it that you even know to say such words!¡± Tart yelled at the man. Even if he wanted to change, he was asked by his superior to complete the work as soon as possible, and it seemed natural that the man under him couldn¡¯t do it and decided to come up with an excuse. ¡°It seems like you think you are still the commander of the fort, just do what I asked you to do.¡± Whether Aslan was a former Count or not wasn¡¯t the problem. Right now, Aslan clearly had a boss, and if he once again violated the military code, he would definitely be punished by the military law. ¡°But if we don¡¯t do that, we will all suffer serious damage, so will the innocent people!¡± ¡°This man! You have been forgiven for deserting your position as the commander, and now you want to disobey the orders?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t what¡­¡± When Aslan tried to correct Tart¡¯s misunderstandings, Marquis Rogers and the senior commanders entered the camp. They had come to see if the work assigned, the gunpowder burying, which was supposed to be the backbone of the Storm Break operation, was going well, but they ended up hearing the screams. ¡°What is going on?¡± ¡°Nothing at all, Sire. It is just that this guy doesn¡¯t know where he belongs¡­¡± ¡°If my ears aren¡¯t wrong, I think I heard something about our allies being hurt?¡± While Baron tart hesitated to answer, Aslan approached Marquis Rogers and reported. ¡°Sire, we shouldn¡¯t go ahead with the gunpowder work on the plains near the castle. it will turn into a sea of fire for Verange Castle.¡± ¡°Th-this is a cocky bastard!¡± Baron Tart¡¯s face went red with anger. A man, who was supposed to be a measly worker was opposing his words, a senior officer, and directly reported to the Chief Commander! He tried to raise his voice, but Marquis Rogers raised his hand and stopped Baron Tart. ¡°Is that really true? Even the Verange Castle will take damage?¡± ¡°Yes, at the pace in which the monster legion advance, it will be a week before they arrive here. However, at that time, the northwest winds blow strongly in this region. Instead, the flames will move all the way to the castle.¡± At Aslan¡¯s explanation, Rogers asked with a frown. ¡°The northwest winds will really blow during that time?¡± ¡°I know it well because I have lived around this region for many years. If you can¡¯t believe me, call for any local and ask them.¡± At Aslan¡¯s words, Rogers summoned old people who lived in the close vicinity to check for the information. And he was able to confirm that Aslan¡¯s words were indeed true. ¡°This! If that happens the operation cannot be executed!¡± It had been two months since operation Storm Break had been started. After learning that Arsene had taken over Shaikan¡¯s body, Luke knew that the Libiya Kingdom would surely send in their monster legion to invade Symphonia. And as a response to that, Rogers was sent to establish a defense operation and the solution for it was gunpowder blasts. The name of the operation was called Storm Break in the sense of destroying the monsters which would come in like a raging storm. Gunpowder and oil necessary for the operation were collected, and then asked the wizards of the Magic Towers in the Kingdom to set up a magic circle for Heatwave magic. ¡°We put in so much effort¡­ everything went to waste!¡± It was when they were feeling bad and flustered as they were closing in on the time, they should have at least understood how the wind works. ¡°Sire, what are we going to do?¡± ¡°If we proceed with his operation like this, we might have to evacuate the people who have entered the Verange Castle.¡± The officers and the other commanders were all discussing, but it wasn¡¯t so easy to once again ask the refugees who came to the castle to move again. Moreover, at such times, almost all of the people were flocking over to Verange castle. ¡°Go and call for Aslan de Ferrierd right now.¡± At the order of Marquis Rogers, who couldn¡¯t find another option, called for Aslan. Having been able to point out the problem, he thought that Aslan might be able to come up with a plan of alternatives. Aslan, who was called into the operation room, looked at the map and spoke. ¡°I will say this again, the plains around the castle aren¡¯t suitable. In my personal opinion, I think that the monster legion should be finished before they enter the plains.¡± ¡°Somewhere other than the plains?¡± Asked Rogers with thoughts running in his head. ¡°Yes, the enemy is going through this area right now. If the number of monsters exceeds 100,000, they won¡¯t be able to enter at once. So we can dispatch troops to every open ground beforehand and grab the enemy by his ankles.¡± ¡°Are you proposing the battle in the mountains? The terrain in the mountains is narrow and it isn¡¯t easy to move the Gigant in such spaces.¡± The reason why Luke and Rogers chose the plains was because the use of Gigant could be done in huge numbers. After inflicting a critical blow on the enemy with the explosions, they decided to cut down the remaining ones with the Gigants. ¡°That will be the same for the enemies, they won¡¯t be able to move in large numbers. If the terrain is narrow, they will also have a numerical disadvantage. And in a defensive battle instead of an offense, we can block the path and endure the battle for a long time when compared to them.¡± ¡°It certainly is, but the enemy might not be a fool, and he will choose a detour.¡± If it was a simple group of monsters, the attempt would surely break them. However, the monster legion of the Libiya Kingdom wasn¡¯t just any group of monsters. Among them were wizards who could control monsters, and act as the brains of the legion. ¡°Before they look for a detour, we hit them first as separate units. It is about sending in soldiers who are good at mountain battles. If we can keep hitting them at every blockade, the monsters will try to annihilate their own troops to stay alive and not get caught.¡± ¡°So, we are going to use their own monsters as bait. And while holding them down, we will drag them to a place where we can set up a trap, right?¡± ¡°Yes, Chief Commander.¡± Rogers took a close look at the mountains on the northwestern part of the map. There was no other area that was wide enough to lure 100,000 monsters at once, however, there were several places to disperse the enemies. ¡°We will stop and lure them. Over here and here¡­ set up traps in these four places.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°We are short on time, so let¡¯s hurry.¡± At the command, their Chief Commander who worked on the plains got canceled right away. The Symphonia army, seeking to achieve the victory with their short-lasting time, began to move. Chapter 668 - Prince of Ruined Nation 4 The headquarters of the Blood Hawk Knights located outside the capital of Brandon. Not long ago, there were barracks and training centers of about 20 buildings and newly created barracks. Kang! Cang! clang! Two men were in a battle with dozens of knights watching. It was a confrontation between a knight and a southern continent man with dark hair and dark eyes, the knight wore the armor which had the emblem of the 1st squad of Symphonia on the chest. The warrior from the southern continent was wearing light gloves and used a sword with quick moves. On the other hand, the knight of the 1st squad was armed with two swords, they were both facing each other with seriousness. ¡°Cloud Dragon word! Type 3: Falling Leaves!¡± The sword skill of the knight from a Southern Continent man, the knight with the two swords made a cross to defend. ¡°Ugh! Can¡¯t stop it! Tower Sword!¡± The knight created the Aura shield that caused a collision between the two, and a strong sound burst out. Kwang! Kwang! The practice battle between the two was held between the Blood Hawk Knights and the Rakan Knights every week. Initially, it was started as a friendship battle between the knights, however, both sides ended up putting more pride in their skills, and the battle turned fierce. The battle, which took place for about 10 minutes, ended up with victory on the southern continent knight¡¯s side. ¡°Kuek! We lost again!¡± ¡°Haha! Is this 5 to 2? Well, their individual power is greater than ours!¡± Gyochon, who watched the Rakan knights talk about their loss, seemed elated. Gyochon was one of the few people in the Blood Hawk Knights who was fluent in the Rhodesia language and had a very snarky personality. Not only did he get acquainted with the Rakan knights who came for battles, but also tried to work well with the knights. Gyochon, who was showing outstanding adaptability, arrived in the Symphonia Kingdom with other warriors from the Southern Continent a month back and was organized into a knights group. They were given an official name of ¡®Blood Hawk Knights¡¯, they were given their own armors and weapons with a crest of a red hawk and were given training and missions. They still weren¡¯t given any Gigant training as they were supplied with enough Gigants, but their physical training and swordsmanship training was a lot greater than the Symphonia Knights. It was because everyone in the group was already a warrior from Kang Ho. ¡°Oh, but in a group battle we won, so we are 4 to 4¡­¡± ¡°Kuk, that is¡­¡± Gyochon, who was looking triumphant, went frowning when he heard the Rakan Knights member Fab¡¯s refute. It was because he was right. Kang Ho Moorim clans also had great teams for battles, like the Shaolin group 100 years back. However, the Blood Hawk Knights, mostly had small and medium groups or individuals without any contacts, so such teamwork couldn¡¯t be learned. Which was why every team battle would end up in their defeat. No matter what anyone said, the knights of the Northern Continent have been training together for a very long time, so they knew each other very well, and they were quick learners. Gyochon, who wanted to tease Fab, looked around and asked. ¡°By the way, there are fewer Rakan Knights here. What is happening?¡± ¡°That¡­ not long ago, the 1st squad army was dispatched.¡± ¡°Dispatched? To where? Is there a war?¡± Gyochon seemed shocked. It was because the Blood Hawk Knights didn¡¯t even know about the outside situation. They were being given the information about the situation and the current trends of the Rhodesia Continent during the training period. And as a result of that, they were told about the Grenada Kingdom setting up a fleet to invade the Symphonia Kingdom. However, it wasn¡¯t just that. ¡°Shh, this is a secret okay? Monsters have appeared on the west side of the Kingdom on a very large scale. It seemed that it would be difficult for just the 2nd squad army of the Unicorn Knights for the west to deal with it. So many from the 1st volunteered.¡± ¡°Really? Then, aren¡¯t we supposed to be dispatched too?¡± ¡°That is His Majesty¡¯s decision about us being dispatched.¡± At Fab¡¯s words, Gyochon sighed. Living with a sword and dying by the sword was a man¡¯s life, but to go to a strange continent and not being put into war felt wrong. ¡°In this way, let go of rebuilding my clan, I won¡¯t get married and just die.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to end up like that, then start practicing.¡± Right when the two of them were having a conversation. Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! The bell on the unit¡¯s watchtower began to ring. ¡°Th-this is¡­?¡± ¡°A signal for the army! Stop the practice and gather at the parade ground!¡± The senior knight yelled and asked the men to stop the practice. Rakan Knights immediately returned to their camp, and the Blood Hawk Knights stopped everything and gathered. When all the members gathered, Hwang Bo-sung appeared on the platform. As the commander of the Guard Knights, he was temporarily serving as the Blood Hawk Knight¡¯s commander. ¡°Did we finally get an order to move?¡± At the appearance of Hwang Bo-sung, lieutenant Kwak In-hyuk, who was standing in the front row asked. Born in a medium-sized clan, he was a master Iron Palm, a fist master Like Hwang Bo-sung. ¡°Yes. It was said that the Grenada pirates have finally set sail.¡± ¡°Then, we won¡¯t be able to avoid war.¡± Kwak In-hyuk, who said that, asked with curiosity. ¡°By the way, I heard that monsters have appeared in the west as well, and we felt a little threatened.¡± ¡°Well, we go south. According to His Majesty¡¯s words, you will be given a special mission in the navy.¡± If the King, who was the strongest and won over the Red Dragon King said so, there had to be a reason. Hwang Bo-sung, who took a glance at the people, gave orders. ¡°In an hour be prepared to dispatch and assemble here on the ground. As this is the first time, make sure that you aren¡¯t too negligent. Do you understand my words?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± The knights who performed military exercises scattered at once to prepare. ¡®Huh, I think that it will be a pleasant operation for some reason!¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung smiled. Through the magical communication from Luke, he heard the operation which the Blood Hawk Knights would be given. There was a huge difference in the navy power of Grenada and the Symphonia Kingdom, almost around 5 to 1. To overcome that difference, Luke made certain preparations. And Blood Hawk was a part of that. Hwang Bo-sung had never heard of such an operation, but he didn¡¯t doubt the success that would come from using his men. Chapter 669 - Battle in Pamire Mountains 1 Felipe, the capital of the Libiya Kingdom. In the central office, which was on the 5th floor of the palace, was a man in a colorful robe, looking out of the window. The city had lost its old vitality and color and seemed very gloomy and sad. However, the man seemed to like it. Behind him was an old man with a gloomy expression, kneeling. ¡°Master, it was said that the fleet of Grenada Kingdom has left. According to the report of Elder Kazel, who went along with Margareta, it was said that the stupid man Fernando has left with a fleet of more than 1300 ships and is very likely to invade the Symphonia Kingdom with luck on his side.¡± ¡°Kukuk, resentment is one hell of a scary emotion for any man.¡± ¡°And the army of monsters, which had been marching since a month ago, is also crossing the Pamire Mountains through the wasteland. However, it seems like the troops are also moving for the first time since the monsters were dispatched, and the warlocks requested additional reinforcements.¡± ¡°Lenuk, that bloody stupid good for nothing bastard! I taught him to control the monsters with magic, but he couldn¡¯t even do that one thing right?¡± Arsene looked nervous. Taming a monster or an animal could be done with a skill called Taming. Shaikan used the power of the Dragonian to tame the monsters like his own men. However, warlocks didn¡¯t have the ability or the power of a Dragonian. So, Arsene developed a monster brainwashing magic that could replace the Dragonian power and passed it onto Lenuk and other warlocks. ¡°It isn¡¯t easy to cross a mountain with such a large army, even if it is a monster army. Still, he might be able to enter into Symphonia and launch an attack at the same time as when the Grenada fleet strike, so please believe in him and watch him with generosity.¡± ¡°Kul, he¡¯ll have to pay a price if he can¡¯t do that.¡± Normally, Arsene was ferocious. However, after taking over Shaikan¡¯s body, he turned cruel. Now he didn¡¯t back out from killing an Elder of Veritas Magic Tower if he didn¡¯t like him. Just killing the man was already fortunate. If Arsene decided to absorb the soul of the man, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to enter Devildom. This was why Zemerton, who reported to Arsene, was a lot more careful. After Nestar and Albert, he didn¡¯t know who of the 5 elders in the Veritas Magic tower squad would be the next to be killed. ¡®Did the blood of the Dragon change the character of ancestor?¡¯ Zemerton thought so, but the truth was different. It wasn¡¯t because of the Dragon¡¯s blood or power, but it was Arsene¡¯s mind. The shame of losing to Luke was deeply embedded in his mind, and it made his personality take a turn for the worst. When Zemerton was in thought, Arsene asked, ¡°What happened to the undead production brought in from Hells Island?¡± ¡°Currently, we have completed the first stage, and we had finished 80% of the second stage. Everything will be ready within a year.¡± The Veritas Magic Tower hideout in Hells Island was smashed by Luke. The island was attacked before they could send the undead, and the damage it took wasn¡¯t small. However, the 1st fleet of Grain Chamber brought in a significant number of warlocks and undead monsters. The undead monsters, which was moved from the island, were in the final stages, and they were kept in a hideout that was in the Libiya Kingdom. ¡°That is good to hear. However, we never know when the 2nd hideout will go public, so tell them to hurry up.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± If he could, he wanted to go and do the work by himself. That would cut down the time by half. However, currently, Arsene was the King of Libiya Kingdom. There would be hundreds of spies from the other nations watching him. Anyway, the location of the second hideout could be revealed, and if that happened, Luke or the Holy Empire wouldn¡¯t stay silent. ¡®There is something more important to me than the undead production.¡¯ It was to absorb the Dragonian¡¯s ability fully as his own and restore the power he lost. If he didn¡¯t rush off things, he would end up getting hit by Luke once again. ¡°By the way, is the improved zombie poison spreading well?¡± ¡°We have been infecting the villages and cities, but the results are likely to appear after 6 months or one year.¡± At present, the warlocks of Veritas were shockingly in the process of making the entire population of Libiya into the undead. Originally, it was their plan to make the people in the Southern Continent into the undead, but his mind changed after taking over Shaikan¡¯s body. The current process was only 50% done, and the improved zombie poison was being spread in the estates and cities in the inland regions where people wouldn¡¯t step outside. It seemed easy to infect them. They just had to release the poison into the water wells. However, the process of turning people into the undead through the water source seemed tough. In order to achieve the maximum effect, it seemed advantageous to turn them into the undead slowly and then release them into other nations. And then, the Death Knight and Lich, who were completely finished, would take a stand. Arsene improved the zombie poison that was used in the Holy Empire. Normally, it would enter the host¡¯s body, but the moment the warlocks chanted the words, the venom would activate right away. ¡°If the 30 million undead army with a Death Knight and Lich jump out suddenly, there will be no nation that can prevent that! Kuakkk!¡± Arsene¡¯s mouth formed a cheerful smile. Even the Holy Empire, the strongest on the continent, wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the 30 million undead army. The power of a Death Knight and a Lich at the vanguard were also strong, but with the sheer number of the undead, they wouldn¡¯t have much work to do. In addition, if people fought with the undead and get bitten, they would get infected, so the more the people fought the undead, the more the number of undead would increase. Arsene was convinced that the new world would come close. ¡°If that is the report, then go back.¡± Arsene, who laughed, gave orders to former elder Zemerton. However, Zemerton hesitated as if he had more to say. ¡°What else is there?¡± ¡°Actually, Zehart has been acting suspiciously for a while.¡± ¡°Suspicious?¡± ¡°Yes, he hasn¡¯t come into the nation yet. He was selling merchant items for cash. In addition, he is monopolizing the right to supply the food and also the weapons to the Libiya Kingdom, which the nobles and merchants were complaining about.¡± The only person who had come back from Hells island was Zehart. Currently, he was one of the few in the bloodline of Arsene. It could be said that he was the only direct descendant of Arsene. Therefore, it was hard to blame the kid for amassing wealth and earning some money during the chaos that was ensuing in the Libiya Kingdom. However, because of that, the dissatisfaction of the nobles, the merchants, and the superiors were spreading, and it was something that needed to be reported to Arsene. Until another year, till the undead production was done, he had to hold onto the nobles. ¡°Well, it looks like he is a luxurious person. Even if it is so, let him keep doing what he¡¯s doing for a year. Leave him alone.¡± Arsene knew that Zehart was obsessed with wealth more than magic. He didn¡¯t like it, but he didn¡¯t stop the kid because he was the last one from his bloodline. However, Arsene at that time didn¡¯t realize that the kid would start leaching off the Libiya Kingdom. Chapter 670 - Battle in Pamire Mountains 2 The Pamire Mountains to the northwest of Symphonia Kingdom. It was a path that had to be taken to enter the Symphonia Kingdom¡¯s territory. There was a path from where wagons could come in and go, but it wasn¡¯t that wide. Also, it was a windy road, so it took a lot of time for one to travel on that path. Moreover, the northwestern border was crowded with monsters, so there weren¡¯t many traders, and thanks to that, the maintenance of the road was hardly done. ¡°Damn! This is difficult!¡± Lenuk, who was leading the monster legion of 100,000 monsters under Arsene¡¯s orders, burst into anger. It was because it took a lot more time than what he expected to move on that narrow land with blowing winds. Above all, the problem was that their procession was as long as a thin thread. As the brainwashing magic only worked in a certain range, it was common for those outside the range to go crazy. In the western wasteland, Lenuk and around 100 warlocks were enough to control them, but marching on the road ended up being a whole new challenge for them. As a result, Lenuk was forced to ask Arsene for additional help. Fortunately, he did send in reinforcements, but in the process of their arrival, the march got delayed. And that meant giving some time for the Symphonia army to prepare. He was worried about what would happen if the enemy brought in a huge army, but fortunately, the spies didn¡¯t see such a thing. Obviously, if there was any movement, the spies would have reported it right away. ¡°It means that the pirates are doing a very great job? Margareta, that one seems to be doing a good job.¡± Although she seemed like a pathetic girl who was working for her own ambition, she went away on one word from his ancestor and did a very great task. She was able to move the naval nation like a puppet in her hand without much effort. ¡®But things are going to be difficult because now that bitch¡¯s merit would increase¡­¡¯ The new era, which was supposed to come, should only be enjoyed by people from the Veritas Magic Tower. He thought that a woman shouldn¡¯t be given such a position, especially for a woman who dressed like she was in heat all the time. It was when Lenuk was in his thoughts, the advancements of the monsters stopped. ¡®What is it?¡¯ He immediately connected to the other warlocks in the lead through magic communication. ¡°Why did you stop? Is the road broken or something?¡± -The road is blocked by something like a landslide¡­ We are trying to clean it up. ¡°Ah, hurry up! It will be hard for us if we get delayed any further!¡± Perhaps, as the road wasn¡¯t maintained, there could be cases where the mountain collapsed on the road and ended up blocking the path. Every time such things happened, they couldn¡¯t help but waste time, but Lenuk was annoyed because the monsters that had to be used to kill the enemy were being used for such tasks. Kung! Somewhere, it felt like a noise of something hitting the ground could be heard, and soon afterward, he heard the screams of the monsters. ¡°What? Did something happen again?¡± Lenuk looked to the distance where dust was rising and called the man who was ahead. In the crystal ball, his subordinate warlocks that were covered in dust appeared. ¡°What happened?¡± -That, the stones and rocks on the side of the hills suddenly fell. Hundreds of monsters, including trolls and ogres, were crushed beneath the rocks. -Someone deliberately did this. I can smell gunpowder¡­ Kuak! An arrow from somewhere came in and hit the neck of the warlock who was reporting. ¡°N-no!¡± Shocked, Lenuk hurriedly called the other subordinate through magic communication, but the call didn¡¯t connect at all. ¡°No way, this can¡¯t be an enemy ambush, right?¡± When looking at the point from where the arrow flew in, he thought that whoever it was had to be good at mountain climbing and an elite. ¡®There can¡¯t be a lot of them. Their number might not exceed a thousand. But if they are elites, then they might be able to inflict huge damage,¡¯ Lenuk thought while being drenched in sweat. Even if the monsters were 100,000 in number, if they were attacked in the rear, they would suffer great damage. Most of all, if the warlocks died, the monsters who were under their control would run lose and inflict more damage to the other monsters. ¡®The collapsing road and the landslides must be one of their tricks, trying to delay our advance. I can¡¯t play the game they intend to play.¡¯ Lenuk ordered his subordinate warlocks to hurry up and clear the chaos and select monsters such as orcs or kobolds, who could run on the mountain, to track down those who were trying to ambush them. But he couldn¡¯t have ever imagined. The fact that his given instruction was already in the enemy¡¯s plan. ¡°They started scattering the power and searched the mountains.¡± At the scout¡¯s report, Scarlet, who was commanding the special troops, nodded and gave orders. ¡°Nice, erase the traces as much as possible and hurry to the third point. Build up a trap that will stop their pursuit.¡± ¡°Yes, commander!¡± Two months ago, Scarlet, who turned into a Bow Master, came to Verange Castle with the 1st squad led by Marquis Rogers. Originally, she was in charge of observing and reporting enemy troops that she could spot, but then the operation was changed along the way, and it turned into a special unit for war. In the process, the troops were reinforced and formed separately into 1,000 elite troops. The troops had more fairies than humans. In particular, there were many elves and lycans. They were all flying, riding the mountain, and good at handling bows and explosives. ¡°Captain, we have finished up cleaning the area and installing the traps.¡± ¡°Okay, go right away.¡± Scarlet and her special troops moved through the mountain like snakes. They then saw a group of monsters climbing from the bottom. Since the distance was quite far, the monsters couldn¡¯t see the special troops yet. However, for Scarlet and the other fairies, the monsters were clearly visible. Scarlet, who was an archer, had exceptional eyesight. ¡®Orcs and kobolds are mostly easy.¡¯ Scarlet paid attention to a human in a gray robe, who was accompanied by orcs. A wizard that seemed to be controlling the monsters. Scarlet didn¡¯t even know that her opponent was a warlock, but she clearly recognized that they were the targets she had to remove. ¡®With a little more, I¡¯ll reach the place where the trap is installed. And¡­¡¯ Scarlet pulled the string of the bow in her hand. The bow she was currently using was a special Horn Bow made from Yemaek, and she received it as a gift from Hwang Bo-sung, who came back from the Southern Continent. Its size was smaller than the bow of the Rhodesia Continent, but the elasticity of the string was very strong and using it was a lot difficult. Still, it was worth the trouble. It had almost twice the range of a normal bow, and the power it had was greater than her previous bow. Puck! When she released her arrow¡­ Pop! Pop! Kiik! The leading orcs were caught up in the explosion. It got caught in a trap that the special troops had set up before withdrawing. The moment the warlocks shouted and tried to stop the advancing monsters, Scarlet readied her bow. Piing! Swoosh! The arrow broke through the wind and flew for the warlocks. The warlock, who heard the sound, laughed. It was because he anticipated the attack in advance and was ready with shield magic. However, the arrow pierced his shield as if it was a sheet of paper, and it struck his eye. ¡°Kuak! This¡­ This is such¡­¡± A Bow Master¡¯s skill, the Yemaek Bow, which was famous in the Southern Continent. Among them, it was made by the best master that had the ability to enhance the power, but the dying warlock didn¡¯t know that. After a while, the warlock¡¯s magic, which controlled the monsters, disappeared upon his death. Kiiik! Kik! Kiik! Kiiik! Scarlet¡¯s special troops hurried into the third point while the orcs, gnomes, and kobolds went rampant after waking from their slumber. Chapter 671 - Battle in Pamire Mountains 3 ¡°Ugh! These men need to be killed right away!¡± Lenuk was furious at the current turn of events. After he ended up getting caught in a surprise attack, he kept on suffering from drawbacks because of the enemy¡¯s special forces for five consecutive days. The enemy cut off the roads and ended up stopping the monster march, blasted down the cliff, rolled down the mountain rocks onto them. They even had the audacity to leave behind a mocking article like this one. 80 kilometers to Verange. Here are the shortcuts to those sluggish nerds who are wandering around the mountains. Blast! The sign which was struck in front of a forked road was smashed by Lenuk. When he saw the scene, the subordinate who was behind Lenuk, tried to stop him. ¡°Be patient, Elder Lenuk! If we do something wrong, we might be shot by the enemy men!¡± ¡°Shut up! You think I would die because of a wooden flying stick?!¡± Lenuk, an 8th circle warlock, wasn¡¯t afraid of arrows, but his subordinates were. The enemy, regardless of day and night, persistently aimed at only the warlocks. During the march ahead, it seemed common for arrows to fly in, and the fire arrows would sometimes aim for the barracks created for rest in the night. Some of the warlocks who picked up roadside herbs died after having them, and few fell into a trap created by them. If the number of warlocks decreased like that, controlling the monsters would turn very difficult. In fact, the large army of over 100,000 was reduced to 90,000 and more than dead ones, the monsters which fled were huge in number. They were fortunate if the monsters just ran away. Violent ogres and orcs attacked the monsters around them as soon as the brainwashing got released. Anyway, when the sniping of the enemy turned frequent, Lenuk organized a pursuit unit to wipe out the enemy¡¯s special forces. But there wasn¡¯t much of a good news. It happened only a few times when the special troops of the enemy hurried away like rats, or sometimes they would lead the warlocks into a trap they dug and the chase would end right away. ¡°This won¡¯t do! I will go ahead directly and take down those sneaking bastards¡­!¡± ¡°Please be calm! If the squadron elder itself leaves, more monsters will end up leaving.¡± ¡°Then do you expect me to keep hiding like this until we get past the mountain?! Watching the monsters like a nanny?¡± Right now, most of the warlocks were hiding themselves in between the monsters or using an invisibility magic. Some even disguised themselves with monster skin like Orcs. ¡°¡­ this can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°There is no other right way now.¡± At the words of his subordinate, Lenuk broke the staff which was in his hand. But that didn¡¯t mean that he completely agreed with the subordinates¡¯ words. ¡°Ah, such useless ones around me¡­ hurry up and continue marching!¡± The monsters who had paused for a while, began to march at Lenuk¡¯s order. However, they didn¡¯t take the shortcut which the Symphonia men had informed them about. Even if they looked into the information given by my spies, they knew that the shortcut was clearly the right path, because it was a lot narrower and more difficult than the other one. ¡®If we enter that one and end up falling into a trap those men have dug, everyone else will turn disheartened.¡¯ With that Lenuk, ended up taking the path which he thought was the safest. Without realizing that the shortcut was really the safe path. ¡°The enemy is coming our way!¡± At the scout¡¯s report, Marquis Rogers looked at the defense he had built which would block the path. Along with the barriers which were installed as the obstacle points for the enemies, dwarves wrapped several layers of newly invented barbed wire. The barbed wire was like a thorny bush of twisted wires, and even if the Gigant was safe, it was effective enough to deter humans or small to medium-sized monsters. Behind the barrier and the barbed wires were several small pits, which had a pointed stake in the center. Which was also meant to stop the marching monsters. ¡®Even if they break through that, there are Gigants.¡¯ Knight class Gigants of Gaius, pressed tightly together to block the road. The warrior class ones placed behind the Gaius were supposed to give them strength, to keep them from getting pushed. Stones and spears were placed to the rear. ¡°Gigants have been placed in the rear for artillery right?¡± ¡°Yes, the old Gigants which were put away from active duty was placed in charge of transporting the artillery equipment.¡± The area where the current line of defense was deployed was quite large for a mountain path. In the past, the procession at the top of the mountain was left vacant for camping, and Marquis Rogers planned to stop the monsters in that place. With the same intention, he wanted to build a fort over there. However, they didn¡¯t have the time or resources to do it. So what they devised was to use the artillery units. Rogers deployed the artillery in the rear and ordered them to move away after firing three shots. It was because if they decided to stay in one place, they could be damaged by the enemy magic or attacked by the monsters. And of course, there was no way that the soldiers would be able to move the cannons so quickly, so the transport of the artillery was entrusted to the used Gigants. ¡°I don¡¯t know if they can hold it well. No matter how much we try holding them back with the Gigants and attack with cannons, the monsters are around 100,000 in number¡­¡± ¡°We need to endure it. If we can hold it off here, they will try to find a detour.¡± There were two more roads going down the mountain, and similarly sized defense units were already deployed there. If anyone of the three defense units were broken, the monsters would step foot directly into Symphonia. If that happened, the people and soldiers would end up being in trouble. ¡°What about the engineers¡¯ units deployed in the areas?¡± ¡°The work isn¡¯t going on time, it will take another five more days for completion.¡± According to the information given by the one in charge, the operation was modified in the middle, and the work wasn¡¯t going smooth as there were too many obstacles in the basins which were selected for attack. ¡°That will be too late, tell them to finish it in three days.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± If he and the other defense troops run out of power, they could surely hold on for 5 days with their skills. But Rogers didn¡¯t like the idea of using his men in the west any longer. There was no guarantee that the only enemies coming towards them were the monster legion or the Grenada Navy. ¡°If I was the enemy, I would prepare for an internal revolt of some kind¡­ What does the Chief Commander think?¡± Before the war, Luke once asked Rogers for personal talks. Rogers agreed with Luke¡¯s assessment. Enemies from the east were impossible to invade, as the Holy Empire was located there, and the Baroque was too busy fighting with the Volga Republic, so they didn¡¯t have to care about it. Therefore, it could be said that a domestic rebellion of unrest would be created to shake the Symphonia Kingdom. The Minister of Intelligence had already selected some leading rebellion candidates. Some nobles, radical republicans, and such. Of course, there were all just possible candidates, and they held back to see whether they will work with Symphonia or move with the enemy and cause war. ¡°The enemy Vanguard has appeared!¡± The guards placed on the mountain peak yelled. Weeik! Rogers jumped onto his Gigant, Orion. He stood on its shoulder and looked at the approaching enemies. Trolls and Ogres and all kinds of large monsters were coming towards them in rows. It seemed like monsters of hell were coming towards them. ¡°They are finally coming, let¡¯s try and see how this goes!¡± With his fists clenched, Rogers boarded into his Orion. Chapter 672 - Battle in Pamire Mountains 4 ¡°All Attack! Don¡¯t leave a single one of them behind, and tear them up!¡± As soon as Lenuk found the Symphonia forces blocking the road, he ordered for an attack. It was intended to cool off the grudge which had been plagued into his head because of those enemy troops. Keuakkk! Kuek! Kwoooo! The monsters in the lead were screaming on top of their lungs at the order of attack and charged at once. The fastest flocking ones were the goblins and Kobolds which were quick on their feet. The ones who jumped ahead would run even without concerning the barbed wire which was laid down. It wasn¡¯t because they didn¡¯t feel pain. It was because they were brainwashed and unable to make their own judgments to decide their actions. The recklessness resulted in enormous sacrifices. Kuak! Kuakkk! Kiiik! Kiakkkk! The kobolds and goblins wrapped with the barbed wire struggled in pain, but the more they struggled the more they got tangled in it and couldn¡¯t get out. The ones who followed them stepped onto the monsters or jumped into the trap. However, the barbed wire was built by Symphonia to stop their movement. Moreover, the Symphonia army made sure that the monsters didn¡¯t pass over the barbed wire. ¡°Sh*t! Stop them from rushing in!¡± When Marquis Rogers gave the orders, the archers standing on top of the mountain trees, poured in their arrows. Goblins and Kobold who couldn¡¯t walk past half the barbed wire area fell down with the arrows. And instead of them, the medium-sized ones like trolls and Orcs began to appear. The orcs stumbled over the barbed wire, but the Trolls and Ogres seemed different. They just smashed past the wire or ripped out the entire barbed wire and moved forwards. However, the trap laid in the ground couldn¡¯t be ignored. Cang! The ogres who got stabbed by the sharp stake in the pit, fell. The injury wasn¡¯t serious enough for the monsters to die, but such a heavy body couldn¡¯t move with an injury on legs. The leading Gaius and Warrior class Gigants in the back threw in the spears and rocks towards the staggering monsters. Kwang! Kang! Puck! The artillery too began to fire. The shells which flew in struck the crowded monsters which were in a narrow space. The screams of the monster echoed through the mountain path. ¡°Kuak! What the hell are they doing?!¡± When Lenuk saw the monsters not being able to move forwards, he clenched his fists. ¡°The enemy built the trap very cautiously¡­ In addition, the fallen monsters are turning into obstacles for us.¡± ¡°Shut up I hate hearing all that! Get rid of those which can¡¯t move! And how the hell are those archers shooting arrows from the top? Get rid of them quickly!¡± At Lenuk¡¯s yelling, the subordinate warlocks seemed upset. ¡°What if we fire a magic attack and then end up creating a landslide? If the road is blocked, we will end up making more time.¡± ¡°Shut up! Can¡¯t you use an attack that won¡¯t cause a landslide?! Sweep them all away by using some lightning magic!¡± At Lenuk¡¯s cry, the warlocks attacked the top of the mountain¡¯s trees with lightning magic. Grrrrng! Kwang! Kwang! ¡°Woah!¡± ¡°Magic attack! Everyone get down!¡± As dark clouds suddenly formed in the sky and lightning fell, the soldiers hurriedly bowed down. The peak of the mountain had no place to hide. Nevertheless, casualties were extremely rare. It was because they had anticipated and responded to the attack. ¡°The words of the War Mages were right. Lightning falls in the highest place!¡± ¡°It was good to have a long spear around!¡± The officer yelled as the soldiers sighed in relief. ¡°Stop talking and locate the guys who used the magic attack and let the artillery units know!¡± It would be easy to shoot the arrows, but it would be difficult for the archers to accurately find the warlocks as the monsters were guarding them. ¡°Yes, we will do it right away.¡± The archers quickly signaled the artillery with flags. And shortly thereafter, the shells fell like rain onto the place where Lenuk and his men were. ¡°Kuek! Those men¡­!¡± Thanks to the shield magic, Lenuk and the warlocks weren¡¯t hurt at all. But the attack was enough to rile him up. ¡°I will never let these people just die so easily!¡± Lenuk sharpened his teeth and declared punishment. Although he was the commander of a large monster legion and had to keep calm, he was erupting like a volcano. Chapter 673 - Red Hawks Flying in the Sky 1 When the battle of Symphonia army 1st squad and 2nd squad began in the northwestern region against the monster legion. The Blood Hawk Knights traveled to the city of Lamer via the long-distance teleport gate and were greeted right away by the count. ¡°You have come early, Sir Hwang Bo-sung.¡± ¡°It has been very long, Count Pavel.¡± Pavel and Victor and other Volga men were awarded new titles after Luke founded the Symphonia Kingdom. Among them, Count Pavel had officially taken the office as the Mayor of Lamer city. Making him the mayor of the second-largest trading city in the Symphonia Kingdom after the Royal capital, Brandon, it was a way for Luke to show how much trust he had in Pavel. ¡°Haha, if I could do something, I would have welcomed you with a banquet, but we are all prepping for the war, so I might have to postpone it for next time.¡± ¡°I know the situation, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it. Rather, where¡¯s His Majesty?¡± ¡°He led the fleet early in the morning to meet the enemies halfway.¡± ¡°Tch. I thought I would get to see him. That was unfortunate.¡± The two men had a lengthy conversation and then led the knights to a field near the Lamer city. There were dozens of wizards who were dispatched from the magic towers and several engineers gathered together to do something. There was also a scene where the air was being injected in dozens of flying devices. Maybe they were about to be completed or in the process of completion. ¡°Is that the hot air balloon that we will ride?¡± Hot air balloons were mainly used for whether observations or scouting purposes. However, it wasn¡¯t that great for other purposes as it was weak against crosswinds, and it was difficult to control. But then, Emperor Rudolf managed to defeat the western rebels by using them in huge numbers. ¡°But its size and appearance are very different from what I heard.¡± Pavel nodded at Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s question. ¡°It is. I heard that the boarding space in the balloon has been increased, so it could carry more men. Also, artifacts had been attached to it to increase its stability and control efficiency.¡± The improved hot air balloon was a collaboration between Luke and Zegal Soha. As a result of the hard work to overcome the inferior fleet power the Symphonia possessed, he devised an assault operation using the hot air balloon. Of course, in order to load the soldiers, the size of the hot air balloon had to be increased and the stability had to be maintained. For that, magic circles and magic artifacts were equipped into the balloons. ¡°Ah well, a person who will give you the hot air balloon training.¡± Pavel, who was explaining to Hwang Bo-sung, pointed to a woman who was giving instructions to wizards and engineers there. She was none other than Zegal Soha. She had disappeared from the Royal palace for a while, and her whereabouts were unknown, but she was over here. Zegal Soha came to the place where Hwang Bo-sung was. ¡°Has it been two months?¡± ¡°It has. This is the first time that I have seen you after returning from the Southern Continent, so I guess it has been two months or so.¡± After a light greeting, Zegal Soha brought up the subject. ¡°I am sorry, but Your Majesty has given me just two days to train, so we will have to start practicing right away.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Immediately after Zegal Soha summoned the Blood Hawk Knights, she gave them instructions on how to board the balloon. Since the control of the hot air balloon had to be done by the wizards who would accompany them, the knights didn¡¯t have to learn much about the hot air balloons. However, the only important thing they had to learn was to use a magic item called ¡®Wing Suit¡¯. ¡°Wing Suit? Does it mean some kind of winged clothes?¡± ¡°I know that it is supposed to look a bit grand, but¡­ it is more like the form of a flying squirrel.¡± ¡°Is that really something which can be done?¡± As Zegal Soha herself demonstrated how to wear the Wing Suit, the knights were in awe. Zegal Soha halted her explanation and took down the sword from her waist and slammed it to the ground. ¡°Pay attention everyone! If you don¡¯t learn how to use this now, you¡¯ll end up landing in the wrong place or fall somewhere and die!¡± The Blood Hawk knights went silent at her cold words. That was when Gyochon raised his hand on behalf of everyone to ask a question. ¡°Miss, well, Court Tactician. Should we really have to learn this? Can¡¯t we just get closer to the target with this hot air balloon?¡± At Gyochon¡¯s words, everyone nodded. From their point of view, if they took the hot air balloon and move it to the place it was supposed to go, they would probably have to jump down 10 meters, but they were being asked to wear a Wing Suit, which would end up being a hassle. ¡°The hot air balloon has the disadvantage of being vulnerable to every external attack. The speed would be slow and if the cloth is torn somewhere in middle, it is very likely for us to fall.¡± That was why they asked for the hot air balloon to be placed above the target. If not, they would have to jump hundreds of meters from the air and land on their targets. This had the advantage of not being hit by shells and arrows, but without that suit on them, everyone would be dead. ¡°But to jump by wearing that piece of cloth¡­¡± ¡°This is not just a piece of cloth. Floating magic, weight reduction magic, and anti-gravity magic circles are imposed on the Wing Suit, so if you can handle this right, you won¡¯t have to worry about safety.¡± Zegal Soha emphasized the words ¡®won¡¯t have to worry about safety¡¯, but the knights paid attention to the words ¡®if you can handle this right¡¯ instead. Zegal Soha, who had explained the specifications and the usage of the Wing Suit, showed a demonstration and jump from a 20-meter high tower that was installed for a temporary training ground. ¡°Keep in mind that in order to go down, you will have to read the direction of the wind and the power!¡± Zegal Soha looked at the wind¡¯s direction and then jumped off the tower. Flutter! With her arms and legs wide open like a squirrel, she flew to a point far from the tower and settled on the ground with light footing. Not realizing it, everyone clapped their hands. ¡°Now, you all saw what the Court Tactician can do right? Go ahead and start your training men!¡± At the words of Hwang Bo-sung, the expression of the Blood Hawk knights turned stiff. It was impossible for them to disobey their commander who was looking straight at them, so everyone went and wore their own Wing Suits and climbed up the tower one after the other. ¡®Oop! This is a lot higher than I thought!¡¯ Kyochon, who was the 1st one, looked at the bottom of the tower and began to break out in sweat. With the height they were in, if he was a master who could deal with heights, he might not die right away from the fall. Moreover, there were priests and medics on standby in case of any emergency. So there was nothing to fear, but Kyochon couldn¡¯t jump off quickly¡­ because he was scared of heights. ¡°What are you doing? Aren¡¯t you jumping off?¡± ¡°Uagkkkk!¡± As Kyochon kept on thinking, Hwang Bo-sung, who got onto the tower, pushed the man from behind. Kyochon, who was suddenly thrown away, struggled. Flutter. The Wing Suit unfolded. However, because of his poor posture, he wasn¡¯t able to fly that far away and rolled onto the ground without a proper landing. Still, thanks to the magic circles engraved on the Wing Suit, he only had a few bruises. ¡°Kay, saw that now? You can¡¯t just go and do things like that. Keep in mind that hesitation can end up hurting you.¡± ¡®Th-the commander pushed me!¡¯ The knights, who saw what Kyochon did, didn¡¯t hesitate anymore. ¡°Woahhh!¡± ¡°Oh, mother¡­!¡± ¡°Miss Line! Please end up marrying me!¡± Everyone jumped off the tower by crying out their family members or the names of their girlfriends. The first run was a mess, but it ended without anyone getting injured. And like any person who learned martial arts, they tried several times and managed to quickly adapt to it. During the two days of training of the Blood Hawk knights, the wizards and engineers succeeded in assembling large hot air balloons. Now all they had to do was wait for Luke¡¯s orders. Chapter 674 - Red Hawks Flying in the Sky 2 Chapter 674: Red Hawks Flying in the Sky 2 Luke had left Lamer city two days ago with his fleet. A smile caught his lips when he looked at the vast sea. It was because he remembered the talk he had with Reina and Karen in the morning through magic communication. -Be careful. I wish you come back victorious. -Cheer up! Daddy, you can¡¯t lose! The encouragement from those two who wanted Luke to win, Luke thought he should stop by at the Holy Palace once this was done. ¡®But it has to be done before Arsene can fully regain that power of his¡­¡¯ Luke was convinced that Arsene was behind the war. It was because he knew that simultaneous invasions in the north and south could never be a coincidence. In addition, according to a report from the intelligence, there was a person who saw Margareta in the Grenada Kingdom just before King Drake died, so Luke¡¯s doubt turned into suspicion. ¡®No matter what it seems like, they don¡¯t want me to go over to Libiya Kingdom. For now, I need to remove the fire at my feet and then discuss it later with my retainers.¡¯ No matter how confident he was in defeating the Libiya capital all by himself. It would turn tough to deal with Gigants and monsters that could rush over to defend the royal palace. In addition, there seemed to be a high possibility that the people of Libiya Kingdom, who were innocent, would be the ones to take in damage. Therefore, Luke decided to defeat those in front of his eyes and then discuss the other matter with his retainers. ¡®Anyway, I have plans ready. There is no way that things are going to happen according to your plan, Arsene!¡¯ What Luke learned after he became the king from being a lord was that even if he was smart, ruling over a nation wasn¡¯t that easy. In the Southern Continent, it was called ¡®The king in a war is someone who does ten thousand things¡¯, and it wasn¡¯t much different from how the kings in Rhodesia work. Luke took advantage of that and secretly carried out an operation to put Arsene on a tight leash. It was because as long as Arsene was disguised as Shaikan, he wouldn¡¯t be able to ignore the duties of a king. ¡®If he neglects the responsibilities, some people will turn angry. And if the angry people start to cause unexpected trouble¡­¡¯ The greater the conflict, the more disorderly the nation of Libiya would turn into, and Arsene¡¯s control over the nation would decrease. In severe cases, it would deal with noble rebellion or civil war. For that to happen, Luke was in the process of shaking up the economy of the Libiya Kingdom by moving the Grain Chamber with the information he managed to obtain from Zehart on Thanatos Island. ¡®Since it is still the early days, the problem isn¡¯t that huge, but sooner or later, something is going to happen.¡¯ Luke glanced up at the sky with a sly smile and asked, ¡°How is the war in the northwest going on?¡± Sebastian, who was waiting to be questioned, answered right away, ¡°I¡¯ve checked in a while back, and it was said that Marquis Rogers is doing good in stopping the monsters.¡± When Rogers announced that he would stop the monster legion in the mountains rather than on the plains near Verange Castle, Luke wanted to know the reason for the change. However, after the detailed explanation which followed, the operation got changed right away. Even if the monster legion was defeated, the people didn¡¯t have to be sacrificed for it. However, Luke stopped being concerned when the operation was changed all of a sudden. However, like a well-seasoned commander, Marquis Rogers seemed to be doing well against the monster legion. ¡°It was said that the installation of the traps of the engineer unit is done, sooner or later, there will be a mess.¡± ¡°Nice. And where are the Song Empire and Yemaek fleet right now?¡± ¡°They are hiding in the reefs near Gregg Island, just as we asked them to. They decided to attack them as soon as they come in.¡± Gregg Island was an island that was located between the trade routes between Grenada and Symphonia Kingdom. It was a place where tired sailors would take a break in the uninhabited island and rest. There were hundreds of rocky island reefs around it, which was where Luke asked the Song Empire and Yemaek¡¯s navy to hide. The operation was carried out by communicating it through Zen telegrams. Zegal Soha created a scepter that could communicate with Yemaek and the Song navy. For Luke, who was still clumsy when dealing with Zen users, magic communication seemed a lot easier. However, as the Southern Continent didn¡¯t have the right equipment, he had to ask Zegal Soha. ¡°How about the installation of submarine cables?¡± ¡°Just finished.¡± ¡°Huhuhu, it feels so good to know all the preparations are done on time.¡± Honestly, even Luke wasn¡¯t confident if he could beat the 1,300 ships that were coming for them. Just 1,000 ships were enough for any nation to lose, but Grenada was bringing 1,300 ships! In order to win over such a fleet, they had to think of things that were never done before. Luke came up with several strategies, one of which was to use the complex reef as a battlefield. Of course, to increase their odds of winning, they developed new submarine cables and Wing Suits. ¡®The newly developed iron-clad ships will play a huge role. No matter how large the enemy ships are, this is a war they can¡¯t win.¡¯ While Luke was feeling good, the magic communication crystal in his hand began to vibrate. ¡®What could this be?¡¯ When Luke infused mana into it, Marquis Volant, the commander of the 5th army, the Navy, appeared. He was aboard the front line, and as soon as Luke answered, he spoke. -Your Majesty, the scout ships have contacted us, and they said that they saw the enemy¡¯s ships approaching us. ¡°Really? Which side?¡± -Around 6 o¡¯clock to the southeast. If we move at the same speed, we¡¯ll meet around 3 pm. ¡°Hu hu hu. The time is right for us to meet.¡± -Yes! Order taken! Marquis Volant took the military command from Luke and ended the communication. After a while, the leader of the fleet thought that things would become a mess, and more than 50 fast-paced ships began to go ahead. An operation that would be recorded in history and would be called the Battle of Gregg had begun. Chapter 675 - Red Hawks Flying in the Sky 3 Kwa Kwa Kwa Kwa Kwa! Numerous ships which were receiving a good wind moved ahead to the northwest. In the case of the large Barbarossa flagship, the battleship which was in the center, they could move a lot faster by the self-sailing magical steam engine. However, they didn¡¯t opt for it. It was because they speed up, the transport ships and the supply ships would end up falling behind. And once they reach a fixed point, they have to move together. It was when Fernando was standing in the lead and enjoying the blowing wind. The Duke, Nathan went up to him and asked. ¡°Your Majesty, we are entering the waters of the Symphonia Kingdom, we need to be careful.¡± ¡°Tch, I know that. Send in our scouts to all directions and tell them to find out the whereabouts of the enemy, and look closely to see if there is anything we aren¡¯t aware of.¡± In the previous battle, the Grenada Navy, despite having a dominant force, fell into a trap that the enemy made and were defeated. After biting the bait, the fleet ended up getting hit by the torpedoes, and the land squad, isolated on the Touled Peninsula surrendered without even a proper fight. So, this time, they first sent in the fast scout ships in advance to make sure that the Symphonia men didn¡¯t dig a new trap. Fortunately, the scouts who returned back reported that nothing was out of the blue. ¡°I know we¡¯ll have to face a whole new one! This time, I will be striking them with overwhelming power and destroy the coast!¡± The main point of the operation was to reduce the capabilities of Symphonia. A large fleet of 1,300 ships and more than 100,000 land troops, were expecting to annihilate the Symphonia Navy and the coast. That was why when they entered the Symphonia waters, they were cautious. Suddenly, a sailor who was on the mast yelled. ¡°The enemy is seen! The enemy fleet has emerged!¡± And the words of the sailor were right. When Fernando checked with the telephoto item, he saw fifty ships on the horizon. Among them were several ships that were stolen by the Symphonia Kingdom in the past. It was obvious that they purposely put them at the fore in order to disgrace the Grenada army. Thud! Fernando, who recalled the shame of the past, grinded his teeth and gave orders. ¡°Send in the 1st fleet to attack!¡± The royal 1st fleet was Grenada¡¯s elite navy, consisting entirely of battleships. They alone could crush down the entire Navy of the Symphonia Kingdom. In response to Fernando¡¯s orders, Duke Nathan immediately asked him to hold back. ¡°Your Majesty, sending in the 1st fleet is like sending in an Ogre to catch a single Kobold. How about we send in the noble lords fleet.¡± ¡°Well, then do that.¡± When he thought over, it felt like following the words of Nathan seemed better. Perhaps since he was an expert in naval battles. It felt better to leave the navy matters to an expert than to go ahead with his stubbornness. When Fernando accepted it, Duke Nathan quickly gave orders to the raiding fleet. And around 300 large and small wooden ships on the right side of the fleet, took lead. Although the size and performance of the ships were incomparable to the regular navy, the pirates were more terrifying in terms of fierceness. ¡°Wohoo! They are like a swarm of moths.¡± Marquis Volant, who was leading the battleship, looked at the enemies through the photo item and smiled. It was because the enemies took the bait. Well, even if he was in that position, he wouldn¡¯t have hesitated or moved away from approaching the enemy. Tak! When he looked at the item, Volant ordered his lieutenant. ¡°Let¡¯s go ahead as planned.¡± ¡°Yes, Commander.¡± More than 500 fleets, including the battleship, waited until the fleet of riders approached with a formation. Then, as the enemies entered into the gun range, they began to fire at once. Pop! Pop! Pop! Bang! Some of the leading pirate and noble ships were struck by the shells and began to break down. The small wooden ships which were hit twice or thrice sank right away. Nevertheless, the pirates didn¡¯t seem very shocked or troubled. It was because each group had a lot more ships, and the damage seemed very insignificant when compared to the total number of fleets. In addition, the raiders¡¯ ships were specialized in looting, and it didn¡¯t contain guns, so there was no way they could stop it. ¡°If His Majesty manages to seize the enemy troops, he said that he would grant up their enemy ships! Since His Majesty said that he would give us special rewards, we need to catch those Symphonia men!¡± ¡°Woah!¡± ¡°Charge! Charge!¡± Like pirates, they shouted and raised their morale. However, it was when they wanted the distance between the fleet to be narrowed down to 100 meters. The ships of Symphonia Kingdom which were fiercely bombarded turned their ships and began to flee at once. ¡°Wh-what are they?¡± Pirates who never thought that the Symphonia Navy would flee were shocked. But that was just for a while. Blinded by the rewards they would get, they screamed and pursued the enemies very fiercely. ¡°Hahhha! Stand there, you cowards!¡± ¡°You fools! We are the men of the sea!¡± The pirates booed and swore from behind, but the Symphonia Navy didn¡¯t respond at all. For the sake of victory, the level of humiliation they were facing seemed fine. Chapter 676 - Red Hawks Flying in the Sky 4 Chapter 676: Red Hawks Flying in the Sky 4 The chase went on continuing for about two hours. The pirates were confident in their speed, but the Symphonia Navy ships turned out to be a lot faster than expected. ¡°Damn it, those Symphonia men aren¡¯t getting caught!¡± ¡°Why are they so fast for a typical battleship?¡± Specialized in assault and looting, the raiders focused on speed over firepower and were faster than battleships which had to hold shells. It was because seizing the cargo was more profitable than destroying the merchant ships for pirates. And the pirates were great on hand to hand combat on the deck. However, the way the ships of the Navy were built, and despite guns on board, their speed was incomparable to the pirate ships. It was because the ship was made with advanced magic engineering, and the magical steam engine was improved. Even a magic circle was drawn on the sail so that even a little wind would be used to advantage. ¡°Oh my god, how long are we supposed to pursue it?¡± ¡°I want to fight quickly¡­¡± The chase continued, which seemed to go on. By the time the pirate¡¯s patience melted away, the situation changed. Suddenly, large and small rock islands and reefs appeared. ¡°Oops, stop!¡± ¡°Lower the sails!¡± Starting with the lead pirate ship, the fleet began to stop in front of the reef. ¡°What happened? Why are they stopping the chase?¡± Fernando, who was leading the main fleet, followed slowly and frowned at the sight of the pirate ships stopping. Duke Nathan, who looked at the situation, seemed troubled. ¡°Your Majesty, ahead is Gregg island and the waters around the island are full of rocks and reefs.¡± Whether a merchant ship or a pirate ship, they go around the reef. And there were always reefs underwater, which were trouble for ships. ¡°If we move too quickly, we might get caught in the reefs. So it is better to safely bypass and pursue the¡­¡± ¡°The enemy ship went into the reef?¡± At Fernando¡¯s point, Nathan took the telephoto and looked at the enemy ships. The Symphonia fleet was entering the reef without even slowing down. Not even a single ship was stuck and they were moving rather steadily in that mess. ¡®What? Do they know the oath?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that strange. Since it is their own sea region, it was possible for them to figure out the path in the reef ahead of time. ¡°Since they have entered, is there any reason why we shouldn¡¯t go? Immediately send in the signal for the raiding ship to chase after them.¡± ¡°But¡­ no, I will do as ordered.¡± Nathan tried to object, but he soon changed his mind. He thought that it was the enemy¡¯s idea, but then they had a very huge size of the fleet and decided that dealing with the enemy wouldn¡¯t be tough. ¡°But we will only pursue them with pirate ships. Like the last time, if the enemy uses torpedo, the damage will be great.¡± ¡°Yes, there is no need to take in damage. The other ships will bypass the reef.¡± When the King¡¯s consent was approved, Nathan immediately signaled the raid with a flag. ¡°Lord, Majesty has ordered for pursuit.¡± ¡°Go into that bloody reef, like this? I know that the enemy went in, but¡­¡± The pirate lord who was leading the fleet ahead, instructed the captain to advance. ¡°Follow them! And catch up with them! Be careful!¡± ¡°Yes, understood!¡± The captain of the pirate ship which was in the forefront yelled to the sailor on the mast. ¡°Look carefully at the path the enemy has entered and let everyone know! If the ship gets caught in the reef, the ship¡¯s formation would break away!¡± ¡°Yes yes, don¡¯t worry.¡± The sailor diligently followed the movement of the Symphonia feet. The ships moved into the reef with very careful movements as indicated by the sailor on the mast. As the leading fleet moved, the other fleets which were hesitating in the back began to move after a momentary hesitation. And when 300 pirate ships entered the reef. Crack! Thuuddd! Bang! Creak! ¡°Ohhhhhh!¡± All of a sudden, the leading pirate ships rattled with loud sounds and halted. In the shock, the pirates lost all their balance and fell on the deck. ¡°What happened? Did we get caught in the reef?¡± ¡°Yah! This jerk! Sailor! Where have you been watching?!¡± The sailor, who was barely holding himself on the mast, shouted back to the men on the ship who were falling. ¡°I was looking straight at them! The enemy ship also passed this way!¡± ¡°Then why would our shop get¡­ Woah!¡± The captain¡¯s eyes went wide. It was because the pirate ships which were following them didn¡¯t stop and came crashing. ¡°Ugh! Hold on!¡± ¡°Be careful everyone!¡± Thud! Bang! As the ships all stopped, a bottleneck opening occurred between the rocks. The pirate ships were made with sails, and those who used sails for movement couldn¡¯t suddenly turn or stop their boats. In addition, the pirate ships in the center didn¡¯t even have enough space to move if they wanted to, and they couldn¡¯t help but move ahead. Eventually, the ships ended up colliding with each other. In that very instant, dozens of pirate ships struck each other, and the ships in the rear which had a little distance hurriedly turned left or right. However, there were way too many boats hitting the reef. ¡°Yah you crazy bastards! Why did you suddenly stop!¡± ¡°It is because of you that it¡¯s all¡­!¡± The pirates on the crashed ships didn¡¯t notice that there was a heavy submarine cable underwater. The submarine cable, which was previously installed by the Symphonia Navy, was a mechanical device with a magic circle installed throughout the rocky islands, and it was discussed ahead that the cable would be left alone when the friendly passes, and then pulled tight for the enemy. ¡°Captain, water is coming in from the crashed spot!¡± ¡°Take a few sailors and stop it! What more can we actually do?¡± The captain of the stranded ships was shocked when they saw small ships appear from behind the rocky islands. The ships, which were slightly larger than boats, had Symphonia navy soldiers and wizards on board. It was then that the men pulled the submarine cable. ¡°Kulkul, this is nice, those bloody pirates!¡± ¡°Wizard, let¡¯s feed them another shot before we go.¡± At the words of the rowing sailors, the wizards nodded their heads and fired magic attacks¡ªFireball. There were 6 wizards who were in charge of the submarine cables. The young wizards, who were on the edge of the 3rd circle tried together, sinking a pirate ship would be impossible. However, the results were different depending on how the magic was used. Pop! Bang! Bang! ¡°Ahh! Fire!¡± ¡°Quickly put off the fire!¡± Six fireballs collided in the air and dropped in multiple directions. The sparks struck to the sails on the ship and the places where the gunpowder was placed on the deck. Shortly after, black smoke and flames soared all over the tangled up fleet. Nearby, the pirates with their bodies on fire jumped into the sea. ¡°Kakkaaak! How was that¡­ Ugh!¡± Wheeing! Wheeing! The Symphonia sailors who were cheering in, saw the arrows which were flying in from the rear and rowed in fear. Several pirate ships that bypassed the submarine cable attacked them. ¡°Those bloody Symphonia men! They couldn¡¯t even put up a nice fight¡­¡± Thud! One of the pirate ships which had just attacked, felt the ship rattle. It got caught in the reef. Small boats passed over easily, but the pirate boats were huge so they couldn¡¯t avoid it. ¡°Kuakk! I will rip the skin from them!¡± Another ship in the fleet was hit, and the angry pirate lord chased the boat with artillery and arrows. Getting caught like that, he couldn¡¯t help but grind his teeth wanting to kill them by torturing them. However, the captain stopped. ¡°My Lord, there is no place to pursue. In a little while, the sun will set and the sea will turn dark.¡± As the captain said, the sun was indeed setting and the sea was turning a lot darker. Night sail in the reef was like jumping into fire blindfolded. ¡°Noisy! Can¡¯t we just turn on the lights or whatever? Whether it was a torch lamp, use whatever we can!¡± ¡°B-but¡­¡± Cang! The captain who was trying to speak back, almost got his neck slashed. ¡°Understood. I will do as commanded.¡± It was when they lit the lights and pursed them for some time. A group of ships appeared in the dim light behind the rocky islands and fired at the pirate fleet. Bang! Bang! ¡°Wh-what was that?!¡± ¡°Be careful, the enemy ships are firing!¡± The captain, who was holding back his words because of the pirate lord, clicked his tongue as he knew this would happen. To light up lanterns in the dark was like declaring themselves as targets. Bang! Bang! ¡°Th-that!¡± The pirate lord who was shocked with the turn of events, saw a huge arrow zooming down the mast on his ship. The huge arrow was made from a log that shouldn¡¯t have broken down the mast, but it crushed the mast and the mast of the next ship too. ¡°That seems like the Yemaek¡¯s ship¡­¡± The pirate lord was shocked at the words of an old sailor on deck, who had gone through numerous wars. ¡°Yemaek troops? Why would the southern continent appear here?!¡± To get there from the Southern Continent, it would take almost two weeks to sail. And that was the case with fast trading ships, and the general military ships would take much longer time. ¡°But lord, the ship which has a watchtower in the middle, is very much likely to be Yemaek troops.¡± In addition, the log arrow that had just flown in was a cannonball or a Genera arrow, used in Yemaek. ¡°Damn it! Get rid of it quickly, whether it is Yemaek or Symphonia!¡± At the command of the pirate lord, pirate ships fired at once. However, the ships of Yemaek, which had shot, hid behind the rocky island again. ¡°Ugh! Those men!¡± The pirate lord, who reached the end of his patience, dispatched all his ships to the back of the rocky islands. And that was an obvious mistake. It was because a strangely shaped ship that had a blade and a dragon¡¯s head on their sails, appeared from behind the rocky island. ¡°Wh-what?! What is that turtle?¡± The lord seemed flustered when the elderly man explained again. ¡°Perhaps that is the ironclad ship called¡ªthe Turtle.¡± ¡°Turtle Battleship?¡± ¡°Yes, the Yemaek has built a ship to prevent the Yamatai pirates from running around, but how are they¡­?!¡± While the Grenada pirates were notorious for their acts in the Rhodesia continent, the southern continent had the famous Yamatai pirates. They raided and plundered all through the southern continent, along with the Song Empire and Yemaek suffered the most damage. Accordingly, Yemaek developed a special ship to counter the Yamatai pirates, which was the Turtle Battleship. It was a decisive weapon that made the dragon¡¯s head on the ship covered with wood, iron plates, and spear blades, making it impossible for anyone to get close to it. Even the elder man on the ship heard about it, and that ship appeared in front of him. ¡°We need to turn the ship right away! That ship cannot be taken down¡­¡± The moment the man on the deck tried to tell the lord, the enemy ships began to spew fire onto them from all directions. Pop! Pop! Pop! ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The artillery of Yemaek was considered to be the most powerful in the Southern continent. When such a cannon blew fire from a short distance, the wooden ships broke down by throwing away debris from all the sides. It wasn¡¯t just that, the battleship went ahead and performed the collision, and killed the pirates on the deck by emitting flames and poison from the dragon head. ¡°Ahh! Save the people!¡± ¡°Do not step back!¡± The pirates who saw what was happening, threw in ropes with hooks. The problem was that they didn¡¯t know where to throw in the hook. And even if they were lucky enough to throw the hook, they didn¡¯t have any solid groundwork on their broken ship to cross over. Some of the brave pirates rode on the ropes, but they either fell into the sea or slipped. ¡°Damn, if you don¡¯t have a path, set their ships on bloody fire!¡± When it turned impossible for them to win, the pirate lords decided to fire back. They shot fire or threw in oiled spears, but that didn¡¯t work. It was because the back of the battleships of Yemaek were covered with iron plates. Eventually, even if the method was tried, it only extended the time and didn¡¯t bring in any results, and made a mess for the pirate fleet. In the meantime, the ships of Yemaek that were hidden, came back again and attacked. The pirates, who went extremely disorganized, couldn¡¯t respond back to any kind of assault. As the damage kept on accumulating, they started running away. But that wasn¡¯t that easy either. It was because they ran away and ended up getting caught by the submarine cable which was pulled between the reef in the dark waters. There, the Yemaek and the Song Empire ships which were ready for ambush appeared and attacked, the aid fleet was annihilated within three hours after entering the reef. Chapter 677 - Swords Clash 1 Chapter 677: Swords Clash 1 ¡°Wh-what the hell happened there?!¡± Fernando, who was leading the fleet that was bypassing Gregg Island, opened his eyes wide when he saw the flames shine bright over the reef. It was nothing that couldn¡¯t be guessed. He thought that the pirate fleet ended up wiping out the Symphonia Navy. However, the pirate fleet was firing up signals in the dark night sky calling for help, and the pirate lords aboard the ship sent in urgent help request from the magic communication devices. ¡°It looks like the enemy¡¯s main unit has ambushed us in the reef.¡± ¡°How could that be?!¡± The Grenada Kingdom was proudest for having the strongest navy troops. Even though they were a pirate fleet, for them to break down to the extent of asking for assistance..! ¡°I must save my allies right away¡­ Damn it, but that can¡¯t be done!¡± Even though Fernando was ignorant about the matters of navy battles, he knew very well what would happen if he went into that dark reef at night. ¡°This is horrible, but we might have to think about giving up on the pirate fleet.¡± ¡°Right, we can¡¯t do much.¡± At the words of Duke Nathan, Fernando seemed disappointed but didn¡¯t cross his words. It was a pity that the pirates couldn¡¯t be used for land battles as scapegoats during the landing, but he thought that it was a great opportunity as the pirate lords were being killed. In the Grenada Kingdom, the pirates weren¡¯t a group that listened to the words of the king. ¡®Thanks to the Symphonia men, my rule might end up strengthen even more after the war.¡¯ While Fernando was in his thoughts, Duke Nathan spoke, ¡°Our fleet must continue sailing and attack the coastal area of the Symphonia.¡± ¡°With the enemy fleet right behind us? Then what if we get attacked from the rear?¡± ¡°Their current fleet alone isn¡¯t enough to stop us.¡± Even if the transport fleet and 300 sailing ships were removed, there were around 700 battleships. Among them, ships with strong combat power and battleships were with the troops. But Fernando¡¯s thoughts were different. ¡°I thought that those who ran away from us a while ago would get wiped out by the pirate fleet alone. But the reality turned out different from my expectations.¡± ¡°That was¡­¡± ¡°If we retire back like this, they will rage a lot and run wilder. We should think about the morale of our men. We need to destroy them and move forward.¡± For a second, Nathan nodded at Fernando¡¯s words. Fernando¡¯s words made sense from the king¡¯s point of view. ¡°Understood. But it is absolutely hard to do it at night.¡± ¡°I know that. Instead, send in a ship to watch the waters around the island. Even they can¡¯t get out in the night.¡± Nathan, who had no reason to go against such a valid order, went back. Fernando ground his teeth as he glared at the reef which was defying the darkness with flames. ¡°There is no way that I would lose! Never!¡± When the darkness went thick and the battle screams ceased, Luke received reports of their victory in the battle. His men moved according to the plan, and the arrogant enemy troops fell into the trap made in the reef. ¡°Three large ships were sunk, and five Song Empire ships caused 300 casualties. On the other hand, there were around 300 ships of the enemy that were sunk and only 65 were captured.¡± There were more than 2,000 prisoners who surrendered in the war. Although detailed counts would be possible in the day, Luke was still satisfied with Sebastian¡¯s report, which said that they got a lot of enemy soldiers down. ¡°It was more like annihilation.¡± ¡°Yes. Your Majesty, there were very few ships that managed to escape, but the damage was too severe that the ships can¡¯t be used for battle anymore.¡± Sebastian, who said that, talked about what Marquis Volant had suggested. ¡°How about taking the advantage of the momentum and attacking the enemy¡¯s main unit at night with the new ironclad ship?¡± ¡°This is good enough motivation, but we need to refrain ourselves. Enemies who got hit will always be on the lookout.¡± A surprise attack against such a cautious enemy wouldn¡¯t make a huge advantage. On the contrary, if they ended up suffering a counterattack from the enemy, the morale of the troops would fall. ¡°Attack the enemy¡¯s main fleet according to the plan we made. I want to make sure that those who move without the order will be subjected to military punishments.¡± ¡°Understood, Your Majesty.¡± After being done with the report, Sebastian left the cabin. Luke was delighted with their victory. Soon, his expression turned cold. There were reports yet to come about the battle in the west. There¡­ ¡®I don¡¯t know if the royal capital will be okay while I¡¯m not in the palace.¡¯ Luke did come out from there with enough preparation, but he couldn¡¯t shake off the concerns and pulled out the communication device. He decided to contact that person once more. Chapter 678 - Swords Clash 2 Brandon, the capital of Symphonia. Flames erupted in the south and west, but the royal capital seemed to have a very peaceful time. Of course, the people there weren¡¯t like they didn¡¯t have anything to worry about. In particular, the anxiety of people on the battlefield was extreme. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of men would always go for war.¡± ¡°This is all because of the Grenada pirates and the monsters.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this just the beginning? Maybe more wars will happen from now.¡± The merchants on their way to the royal capital with the goods were talking to pass away their boredom. Their only concern was the situation in the capital. During this time, the sales and the income would vary a lot depending on the state, so they had to pay a lot of attention. At that time, a priest, who was riding in the same carriage, slipped into their conversation. ¡°It is all because the king has no values.¡± ¡°What is that? There is no one who is as great as our king!¡± ¡°Yes. At this level, His Majesty is like the Holy Lord!¡± Thanks to Luke, the trade had grown significantly over the last few years. The tyranny of lords, who collected huge taxes, disappeared. Also, The movement of goods was safer, and the roads were secured and well maintained, so it was good for travel. From where could that priest be? In the past, some merchants or lords would monopolize the special products from the Southern Continent and would sell them back at higher prices. ¡°These times cannot be compared to the times when those nobles used to tie up our limbs.¡± ¡°Right, I wish that His Majesty lives for a very long time.¡± When the merchants were speaking in support of Luke, the priest spoke again without considering their opinion, ¡°Aren¡¯t there far more damage now to our soldiers and people on the border because of this continuous warfare?¡± ¡°Not at all, where did you even come from, priest? There was only once that His Majesty Luke had gone for war. That was to punish the tyrannical Baroque Empire.¡± ¡°Right, apart from that, it was Milton and the Grenada who attacked first.¡± ¡°My distant relative lives in the Lamer city, and he almost died two years ago because of the pirate attacks.¡± ¡°Anyway, His Majesty needs to end the enemies and eliminate any war¡­¡± Listening to the merchants, the priest frowned. It was because the people¡¯s support for Luke seemed stronger than expected. ¡®Well, if those who I am going to meet are crooked enough, they will be able to fulfill the mission.¡¯ After a while, the priest arrived at Brandon and entered the royal city with an ID prepared in advance. The priest, who said his goodbyes to the merchants passing the gate, seemed shocked. ¡®Is this really Brandon?¡¯ The priest had once stayed in Brandon during his childhood. This Brandon was no way the same small city. It was so developed and vibrant that it couldn¡¯t be compared to the past. High rise buildings were lined up along straight roads. Thousands of people and wagons passed on the roads and alleyways. Among the people in the road, there were few fairies and Southern Continent men. Rare spices, silks, and ceramics lined up in the markets and shopping streets. It was almost like the capital of the Baroque Empire, Nemesis, in its brightest time. ¡®There was a reason why the men supported Luke.¡¯ Nodding his head, he entered a shabby bar that was two blocks away. Only flies were flying in the daylight with no customers, but the bald owner, who was guarding the counter, frowned when the priest entered. ¡°Our store doesn¡¯t accept priests as customers. I have no intention of paying offerings so please go.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t come as a guest or to ask for an offering.¡± The priest approached the bald owner and whispered, ¡°I came here from the high priesthood to meet with Michelle from Canaan. Look at this.¡± The priest showed the old rosary to the owner. At first, he just looked at it, but then, he noticed the letters engraved on the rosary and was shocked. Returning the rosary to the priest, he looked at the entrance and said, ¡°Open that door and enter. There will be someone to guide you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The priest had a gentle smile and entered the small door at the back of the counter. He entered into the alley after passing the door. A rough-looking man with a knife mark on his face stood far away and spoke, ¡°Follow me.¡± Although he didn¡¯t have to, the priest silently followed the man. The man with the mark on his face went round and round on several cramped alleys to see if anyone else was tailing him and then guided him to the mansion. Creak! ¡°You are late for the meeting, Baron Bruce.¡± When he opened the door of the mansion, a noble lady with striking beauty greeted him. The priest, well, Baron Bruce, opened his mouth with a cold face instead of the gentle expression he had been putting up till then. ¡°There were heavy checks all over Symphonia. Maybe it¡¯s because of the war. Rather, is everything prepared?¡± When Baron Bruce asked, the officer of the Libiya Kingdom¡¯s intelligence agency, Janet, nodded. ¡°Yes. I put them all in one place. I was waiting for you, baron, to come.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go over right away.¡± Deciding to save time, Bruce decided to meet the men right away. Janet led him to a closed room in the mansion. On the way to the room, Janet spoke, trying to figure something out. ¡°But I still don¡¯t understand His Majesty¡¯s intention. I thought that we were only focusing on the war against the Baroque Empire, but to suddenly touch Symphonia is a little off.¡± ¡°The Baroque Empire is done. It is so done that the crazy emperor makes no sense anymore. Rather, the Symphonia Kingdom is dangerous. If we leave them, they will end up destroying us in the future.¡± ¡°Well, what could someone with Dragonian powers be so scared of¡­¡± ¡°Be wary of your words! Do you want to lose your life?¡± Janet shut her mouth when Baron Bruce yelled at her. It was because he might just do it. ¡°We need to do what we are told. You don¡¯t need to question everything you were ordered.¡± ¡°I am sorry, Baron.¡± Bruce nodded at the apology of Janet. But even he was feeling a little skeptical about the matter. It was because looking at the wealth of Brandon and the people¡¯s faces, it seemed questionable if his operation would succeed. Above all, just as Janet mentioned, there was no reason to touch the Symphonia Kingdom at such a point. Obviously, if it came to thinking about the future, all they had to do was check, but they wondered if there was anything good coming out by touching other nations without information. ¡®He has the Dragonian power, but Your Majesty isn¡¯t that great. Even then, it is hard to understand the sudden change of course.¡¯ Immediately after the founding of the nation, Shaikan didn¡¯t delay in attacking Baroque despite the opposition from his retainers, but one day, he suddenly stopped the war and foreign activities. In the process, they began to recruit new talent from outside and everyone taken seemed suspicious. In addition, Libiya¡¯s political stand changed. In the past, people were afraid of Shaikan, so they couldn¡¯t help but just follow along with the order. However, it wasn¡¯t the case of the high-ranking nobles. But now, everyone seemed to have turned into his puppet dolls and just followed the orders given. Thanks to that, the work did get faster, but people couldn¡¯t feel a sense of security like the past. ¡®Well, maybe there are just my anxious thoughts. It¡¯s probably because I am getting old.¡¯ And no informant was supposed to have thoughts of their own. It was because the moment the informant had doubts, the mission would turn into a mess. That was why they were always taught to obey orders. While Bruce was in his thoughts, he entered the room. As he entered the room, he saw four men seated around the table. One middle-aged noble, who looked greedy, and three young stubborn men. The middle-aged noble complained to Janet¡¯s face. ¡°Yeah, Miss Janet. I was waiting here because you asked me to, but it is too much for me to sit in the same place as commoners. I am going to be the successor of the nobles of the Symphonia Kingdom you know!¡± At the words of the middle-aged man, who raised his voice, the three young men scoffed. ¡°Huh, I guess you only lived with your pride and loneliness all your life.¡± ¡°I know. To be with a high ranking noble is just business.¡± ¡°People like him always think they are more important than they are.¡± At the young men¡¯s words, the middle-aged man¡¯s cheek shook. ¡°T-these men! You dare to say all those things?!¡± The moment the noble was about to explode, Janet stepped in. ¡°Hohoho! Viscount Lamerit, that is bad for your health. I¡¯ll invite you over to our salon later and give you a special service, so please relax, okay?¡± ¡°Kuhm, only for this madam¡¯s beautiful face.¡± With Janet¡¯s cute face, Lamerit managed to calm his anger. She ran a salon. Paradise in Brandon was a social club and luxurious. Paradise was just a year old, but there were many people there including Janet. They all had good looks, and they attracted nobles, merchants, and bureaucrats and made them enjoy their time. And such, quite a lot of information could be gathered from the men. ¡°Hoho, we are supposed to be in the same boat in the future, so how about we introduce ourselves to each other first?¡± ¡°Okay. But who the hell are these young ones?¡± At Viscount Lamerit¡¯s question, Janet introduced the three men. ¡°These are the executives of the ¡®Red Dawn Revolutionary¡¯.¡± ¡°What? Re-red Dawn Revolutionary?!¡± Viscount Lamerit seemed startled. It was because the Red Dawn Revolutionary was the most extreme organization among the republicans. They had been active even before the founding of the Milton and Symphonia. They were notorious for choosing any means or methods to build a republic government. They had been engaged in the so-called struggles and assaulting government officers or assassinating the nobles and as a result, their power weakened greatly after the massive subjugation done by the Baroque Empire 20 years ago. However, they did not disappear completely, and after the founding of Symphonia, they began to appear again. Even when the Symphonia Kingdom was founded, they were running around saying that Symphonia was ruling as a dictatorship under disguise. However, it had little influence on people expect for letting people know that the organization was still alive. Republicans like Aiden and Hegel were also paying attention to the Red Dawn Revolutionary. It was feared that these extremist activities could end up trampling on the republicanism emerging in the Symphonia Kingdom. ¡°You were Lamerit, right? I will tell our comrades to remember your name.¡± At the words of a young man whose eyes were stern, Lamerit turned sweaty. In fact, it seemed like they were assassins. ¡°Now then, next, this is Bruce Baron from Libiya Kingdom.¡± At Janet¡¯s words, Lamerit and Red Dawn Revolutionary officers glanced at Bruce. ¡°What? Noble of the Libiya Kingdom?¡± Viscount Lamerit seemed shocked once again, it was because the Symphonia was currently under war with a monster legion on the northwestern borders. Of course, that wasn¡¯t confirmed to be the Libiya Kingdom¡¯s doing. However, people with some perception skills were able to guess it. Currently, the only nation in the Rhodesia Continent that could use monsters as a large army was the Libiya Kingdom. Anyway, when he got introduced, Bruce stepped forward and opened his mouth. ¡°You must be wondering why I suddenly got here. I will tell you one thing in advance. The work we are supposed to do will be good for you and won¡¯t hurt you.¡± What could the plan be? Lamerit tilted his head at Bruce¡¯s words, but Bruce kept on talking. ¡°What I am saying now is a secret which we will have to take to our tombs.¡± With that, he began to explain something to the four. Those who listened to the explanation seemed startled at first. However, once they were done listening to it, their expression turned full of greed and spirit. Chapter 679 - Swords Clash 3 ¡°Really, they are meeting in the mansion right now?¡± It was a scene in the Symphonia Royal palace Prime Minister¡¯s office. Baron Hudson, who answered Hans¡¯ question, nodded. ¡°Yes, it seems that they are plotting something, just as you expected.¡± Before leaving for the city of Lamer, Luke called Prime Minister Hans and the Intelligence chief, Baron Hudson, and asked them for the surveillance of the spies of Libiya. As a result, Hudson monitored Paradise Salon, which was suspicious for its growth, and found out that they were spies of the Libiya Kingdom. ¡°Are they trying to agitate the dissatisfied men to revolt, just as His Majesty said?¡± ¡°It seems like some nobles and extreme republicans have already fallen in the trap.¡± At Hudson¡¯s words, Hans titled his head for not being able to understand. ¡°But even if they incite those men, they can¡¯t threaten the capital or dominate the power. so why¡­?¡± After the founding of the Symphonia Kingdom, the strength of the nobles was weakened a lot, thanks to the new military reforms Luke had enforced. With low-level Gigants, and the Knights which were there for the noble families were all they had. As a result, the estates were all downgraded to the level of only maintaining their own security and subjugating the rampant monsters, the nobles didn¡¯t have the power to rebel against the ruler. ¡°By any chance did they import the Gigants or trade them in with some unknown channel?¡± Gigant¡¯s were the power needed for rebellion. It was because most of the war on land would start with Gigants and end with Gigants. At Hans¡¯ question, Hudson shook his head. ¡°It isn¡¯t possible to trade the Gigants in our Kingdom or outside, especially since Argos has eyes everywhere. And if their reason is to make us unstable and cause confusion, they don¡¯t need the support of the strategic materials Gigants. Don¡¯t we already know that there is something more powerful and dangerous than the Gigants itself?¡± ¡°No way¡­?¡± In response to Hans¡¯ reaction, Hudson nodded his head. ¡°Recently, many unidentified men were recruited by the Libiya Kingdom, and they were all the warlocks of the Veritas Magic tower.¡± There was a saying in the Southern Continent, an enemy¡¯s enemy was our comrade. If Shaikan broke off the alliance and decided that Symphonia was his enemy, there was no law that said that he shouldn¡¯t hold hands with Veritas Magic tower which didn¡¯t like Luke at all. And if the warlocks decided and made a mess, it was only a matter of time before the city got destroyed. ¡°Huh! I can¡¯t believe it!¡± ¡°Did Prime Minister know that Your Majesty returned from his last expedition to the Southern Continent and went right away to defeat the remnants of the Veritas Magic Tower who were hidden in the Hells Island? At that time, some warlocks were said to have understood the situation in advance and moved over to Libiya Kingdom.¡± In response to Hudson¡¯s words, Hans was shocked. ¡°How could His Majesty not even speak to his own retainer about doing that?¡± After returning back from the Southern Continent, it felt strange that Luke was taking a defensive position against the Libiya Kingdom. But for him to have such clear sight and not say anything! ¡°Because he thought that the information would leak out. Even at that Paradise Salon, there were quite a lot of political figures who were always on our side.¡± ¡°Ugh, all this¡­¡± Hans was unable to take the frown off his face and asked Hudson. ¡°Fine, that could be right¡­ what is important right now is to stop their men. Is there any way to respond to that? Any way to stop them from infiltrating our cities with their warlocks?¡± ¡°About that, His Majesty has already told us to seek advice from the Black Tower.¡± ¡°Black Tower?¡± Hans didn¡¯t like the sound of it. They wanted to use the warlocks to counter the enemy¡¯s warlocks, but Hans didn¡¯t want to owe anything to the warlocks or give any merit to them. Honestly, Rakan¡¯s memoir revealed the truth about the Devil King Saymon. However, that didn¡¯t completely erase the prejudice which had accumulated over the warlocks for all the years. There were instances where southern ports were all hit because of the very warlocks too. However, Hans couldn¡¯t express his displeasure when his nation was in danger of extinction. ¡°If they come up with a good plan, there is no reason to reject them. But if they betray us in any¡­¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen. Many of the warlocks currently recruited into the Black Tower were those who succeeded in the legacy of Saymon. They have grinded their teeth sharp to bite off Veritas and the Baroque Empire.¡± It was the Veritas Magic Tower and the Baroque Imperial who defeated Saymon and called him evil. The warlocks could never hold themselves back when it came to those two. ¡°Well, that is a good thing then.¡± At Hudson¡¯s words, Prime Minister Hans decided to trust the Black Tower warlocks. Chapter 680 - : Swords Clash 4 Carmel, an elder of Veritas Magic Tower. A disciple of former elder Lenuk, he was asked to sneak into the Symphonia Kingdom along with a few trusted men. He and his men were tasked with summoning the monsters with dark magic in Brandon and the nearby cities, or to spread the zombie disease in the Symphonia army, and cause massive chaos. Then, those against Luke would rise up, and Symphonia Kingdom would be in a turmoil for power-seeking nobles. ¡®If only this turns out successful, the nasty Luke will no longer be able to interfere with our work. I will be able to establish a name for myself next to elder¡­¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure if Arsene knew, but there were many factions that were divided into Veritas leaders. They were all trying to showcase their power to Arsene and solidify their status in the tower. It was because, in the dark world which Arsene wanted, they too wanted to reign as a high force. ¡®How far is Master leading his monster legion, did he reach safely?¡¯ Carmel¡¯s party heard about the war in the northwest region of Symphonia from the intelligence agents of Libiya. However, it was said that the advancement of the monster legion hasn¡¯t been very smooth. The terrain was unpredictable, and the Symphonia troops too were struggling. Somehow, it felt like bad news and Carmel seemed uncomfortable. Because of that, he thought that he had to succeed in his given mission at all costs. ¡®I need to relieve the Master a little off his burden. If the central region was put in a mess, the Symphonia army in the northwest will have no choice but to withdraw!¡¯ After thinking that, Carmel hurried and moved to Brandon. In front of the large gates which lead to Brandon, he saw a strange sight. Those who seemed like Dwarves, were carrying several wagons of beer, and were giving beer to the people in the checkpoint. ¡°What are they doing? Festival during the war?¡± Soldiers, who were waiting at the checkpoint in the front, replied to as if he heard Carmel¡¯s mumbling. ¡°A new brewery has been opened up in the capital. After tasting it, they will ask you if you like it to buy the beer.¡± When Carmel first heard that, he wasn¡¯t sure. Well, he later thought that it would be okay to get a cup of beer as he was thirsty. ¡°Come on, drink it, and cool down. Our Krom Bar is different from the other breweries!¡± ¡°It is made with a secret recipe of the Golden hammer tribe, it tastes so bitter and is excellent!¡± ¡°If you drink this with fried chicken and potatoes, you never know when you¡¯ll fall into love with it!¡± The words of the dwarves who were promoting their beer were heard behind. After a while, Carmel¡¯s turn came. He was handed the golden beer which was poured from the dwarves which had glass tin and he brought his mouth to the glass. ¡®Th-this is¡­!¡¯ It didn¡¯t seem like an ordinary one. That didn¡¯t mean that it was so tasty. It was because the moment he sipped the beer, it felt like his lips went numb. ¡®No way¡­ is it holy water?¡¯ He did hear the stories of mixing the holy water with wine in the temples and sanctuaries. However, there is no reason for it to be used in typical breweries. There had to be some special reason for adding that. ¡°No, why aren¡¯t you drinking it?¡± The dwarf who poured in the beer, asked Carmel. Carmel kept on making excuses. ¡°Well, I stopped drinking for my health¡­¡± ¡°Would anyone be sick from having a beer? This beer is healthy, which is why ours is so great!¡± ¡°Yes, even sick people get up and walk.¡± Carmel saw the dwarves sneakily lifting their axes and hammers. At some point, some of the checkpoint troops at the city gate too approached them. ¡®Damn, we got caught. Those cunning men!¡¯ ¡°Uh, why are you hesitating to drink?¡± ¡°Is something not feeling right?¡± Unable to withstand the questions of the dwarves, Carmel threw the beer mug, and pulled out a wand from the back and used magic. ¡°Dark Impact!¡± ¡°I knew it, you little rat!¡± The moment Magi spread from Carmel¡¯s wand, a yellow bearded dwarf rushed ahead and struck the hammer. A white light flashed from the hammer he swung, and Carmel¡¯s dark magic got extinguished. ¡°Di-divine power?¡± ¡°What are you so shocked about? Never seen a dwarf priest?¡± It wasn¡¯t comparable to the priests of El Kassel or the Mars faction, but the fairies also have traditional beliefs and they believed in priests. The dwarfs in front of Carmel¡¯s eyes were priests who followed such traditions or beliefs. The existence of priests was a trouble to the warlocks. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about divine power. Instead, we¡¯ll take you down in our traditional way, so be prepared!¡± ¡°F*ck, Dark Bullet!¡± After that, not just the dwarf priest but the other dwarves too began to go to Carmel, Carmel avoided them with Blink magic and fired dark magic. ¡°Ohh, what is this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°He is a warlock, come on hurry up!¡± Those who were waiting near the checkpoint scattered all of a sudden. Fortunately, they weren¡¯t too confused. It was because Carmel was focused on fleeing and not fighting, but because a talented person was secretly waiting behind the gates. ¡°Black Bind!¡± ¡°Ah! No!¡± Suddenly, black plants rose from the ground and trapped Carmel who was shocked at it. ¡°Tch Tch, your Magi is unpleasant. What kind of dirty tricks do you even have?¡± ¡°Ahk! Y-you! Who are you? Who are you using dark mag¡­?¡± When Carmel was getting his Magi absorbed by the dark plants, an old man wearing a dark blue robe answered. ¡°This old man is Johas, from Black Tower.¡± ¡°J-Johas? No way, from the Dark Moo¡­?¡± ¡°Huh, you seem to know well. Just like any other Veritas Magic tower warlocks.¡± ¡®Not a henchman¡­¡¯ Carmel wanted to refute, but he had very little energy left and lost consciousness. Thud. When he fell, the dwarf priest approached and asked. ¡°Man, you didn¡¯t kill him right?¡± Veritas magic tower warlocks, when found, were asked to be captured. Because there was a lot of information that they had to find out from them. ¡°You think I will be that clumsy? And the Dark Moon warlocks might be in the dark for long, but we respect the words of God more than our lives.¡± The dwarves and knights couldn¡¯t take the fluster off their faces when they heard of Johas¡¯s answer drawing out God¡¯s name. Although they heard that the warlocks belonging to the Black Tower were different from existing warlocks, it was because they seemed very different from the others. ¡°Take him quickly and question the man. Shouldn¡¯t we dig up the information?¡± At the words of Johas, the knights and soldiers quickly lifted Carmel with magic restraints and dragged him somewhere. Arsene¡¯s plan to cause confusion in the royal city, Brandon and other cities went out of hand right from the start. Chapter 681 - End of Monster Legion 1 Kuek! Kuek! Kiiiiik! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Large monsters such as trolls and ogres were beating the Gigants, which had their shields unfolded. They pulled out the rocks and trees around them to knock down the Gigants, but the 18 Knights class and Warrior class Gigants didn¡¯t move. They were like a solid wall that wouldn¡¯t collapse. Rather, the ogres and trolls ended up getting wounded and collapsed because of the counterattack, in which the Gigants would occasionally stab through the shields. ¡°Wh-why can¡¯t we get through?¡± Lenuk, who was watching the situation from behind, tapped his chest because of a bad feeling. For the past few days, they were under the attack of the Symphonia troops which were blocking their path, and the damage from the monster legion increased every day. That didn¡¯t mean that they didn¡¯t try for other methods. They tried using various methods such as dark magic attacks and sending the monsters in roundabouts up the mountain, but everything failed. In the end, he couldn¡¯t help but come up with another decision. ¡°Bring out the Chimera monsters.¡± ¡°Huh? You really mean that? But it wasn¡¯t part of the plan to use them¡­¡± At Lenuk¡¯s order, the subordinate warlock was shocked. ¡°Kuek! Since you incompetent men can¡¯t do your jobs properly, why not send those ones in to break through those bastards! Go and let them out! Let them out!¡± At Lenuk¡¯s furious words, the subordinate went to give out the signal. And then, monsters of quite bizarre shapes began to emerge from behind. Grrrrr! Kikkkkkki! A monster with the head of an ogre, body of a troll, and limbs of a saber tiger. A monster with two heads and six limbs. They were monsters made by attaching the bodies of various monsters together, like a rag doll. They were known as Chimera. Among the forbidden magic of ancient times, there was a section of study which explored the origin of life. And the school that studied it was Camaria. However, the wizards of Camaria school went down in later times and forgot the original purpose of life and got obsessed with creating stronger forms of life. And what appeared from their obsession was the Chimera, a man-made creature. However, due to the unethical means and cruelty involved in the study, which included humans as subjects, they were taken down by the Holy Arthenia Empire 300 years ago. The El Kassel denomination and many other denominations defeated the Camaria school¡¯s abomination. But the Chimera, which was said to have disappeared, was appearing again! ¡°Kukuku, one Chimera would be enough to deal with two or three Gigants. It is a pity that I ended up using them. I wanted to save them till I meet Luke, but I can¡¯t help the situation I got in.¡± A hundred years back, a magic book from the extinct Camaria school accidentally flowed into the Veritas Magic Tower through the black market. It was Lenuk¡¯s teacher who studied its contents. Lenuk too used to help out his teacher and invested considerable time in the Chimera research, and the result of it was the synthetic Chimera made by extracting the best traits of monsters. However, the other elders of Veritas or Arsene didn¡¯t show much interest in the Chimera. They thought that the undead like the Death Knight and Lich was better than the crafter monsters. It was because the Chimera was at a disadvantage when it came to mass production. However, Lenuk didn¡¯t accept their words. Even a Lich and a Death Knight weren¡¯t easy to mass produce in the beginning. It was his thought that if one was interested enough, then they could come up with a breakthrough method in mass production. ¡®At this point, I will use all the Chimera to sweep away the Symphonia Kingdom and show that my teacher¡¯s choice wasn¡¯t wrong!¡¯ How powerful the monsters would be if they possessed the sharp and agile movements of saber tigers, the regeneration of the trolls, and the strength the ogres. That would be able to tear up quite a few Gigants with just its strength. At Lenuk¡¯s instructions, the Chimera screamed and ran toward the Gigant. ¡°Huh? What is that?¡± Rogers retreated for a brief break and maintenance. He seemed somewhat puzzled since it was his first time seeing such a monster. They looked like a monster but weirder than normal. ¡°They, they are Chimeras!¡± The executive of the Katarina Magic Tower, who was there for support, seemed startled and screamed. ¡°Chimera?¡± The wizards hurried and explained to Marquis Rogers, who didn¡¯t seem to understand it. Rogers, who heard the explanation, couldn¡¯t help but show his displeasure. ¡°The Chimeras are that powerful?¡± Although large monsters were strong, they were always inferior to Gigants. Even since the invention of the Gigants, mankind had defeated several kinds of monsters, and the performance of the Gigants was always increased. However, they didn¡¯t think that monsters that were made using other monsters would outperform the Gigants. ¡°According to the rumors in the magic world, Gigants are like insects in front of them, and they are known to heal quickly. So we can¡¯t rush in!¡± Gigants today were far superior than that of 300 years ago. It was because the magic engineering and technology had developed over time. However, the making of the Chimera too had evolved, so it seemed like being headstrong wouldn¡¯t be the right option. ¡°If that is the strongest the enemy has, I¡¯ll have to deal with it myself.¡± Rogers boarded his Orion and approached his camp, just in time before the Chimera could barge in. Bang! Kwang! ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Tch, they are so strong!¡± The moment five Chimera¡¯s were about to bit the Gigant¡¯s shield, six Gaius, who were shoulder to shoulder a moment ago were on the ground. The same thing happened with the Warrior class Gigants who were in the back supporting them. Mayne Gigants were down, and those who were lucky managed to avoid the attack. But, that wasn¡¯t the end. Kuakkk! The Chimeras began to wield their fists and claws. Kwang! Kwak! Scratch! However, something shocking happened. The shield made of steel broke because of their fists, and their armor began to get cut off like a sheet of paper. ¡°Don¡¯t panic and fight back!¡¯ ¡°They are just monsters!¡± The riders, who got back up, yelled and tried to cheer up the others. However, it wasn¡¯t just to encourage their colleagues but to make sure that the fear in their hearts would run out. ¡°Die, you monster!¡± A giant sword that was swung by a rider of Gaius cut through the Chimera in the lead. Its scales and leather were so tough that it failed to completely cut through the monster even with the Gigantic aura on it. However, from the depth it went, it was a fatal injury. ¡°I mean, it is made of blood and flesh¡­ No?¡± The Chimera staggered because of the attack and the bleeding, but its wound healed quickly. Flustered, the rider clenched his teeth and swung his sword again. ¡°Damn it, I will slash through it!¡± But his attack didn¡¯t go as intended. The Chimera broke the arms of the Gigants and the attack missed. To make matters worse, Gaius got pushed back. ¡°Kuak, don¡¯t get pushed back!¡± ¡°Hold the line! Or all of us will die!¡± The riders desperately blocked the road. But things didn¡¯t go the way they wanted. The Chimeras¡¯s attacks caused gaps to form in the Gigants¡¯s line, and through those lines, small monsters such as orcs and lizards pushed in. And the artillery, who was waiting behind, had to hurry up and start the shelling. ¡®Damn it, are we all going to die now?¡¯ The faces of the soldiers, who kept on getting pushed back by the monsters and Chimera, turned blue with every passing second. Just then, a fierce sound from a core engine entered their ears. ¡°Stop them!¡± The man of Hero class Gigants was none other than Marquis Rogers. If the path got opened like that, everyone knew that the entire operation would fail. ¡°Riders open up and rearrange the lines! No more letting them pass!¡± Kwang! The Gigant of Marquis Rogers ran around and screamed out his orders. The massive steel body, which left huge footprints on the ground, cut through the air and went for the Chimera. At the same time as the landing, Orion¡¯s giant sword swung horizontally with aura. Kiik! Two Chimera¡¯s, who defeated Gaius, raised their arms to block the Gigantic aura. However, Sword Master¡¯s Gigantic aura, which could split anything is a single blow, cut off the Chimera¡¯s hands, body, and its head at the same time. The combination of the Sword Master and the Hero class Gigant called the one-man legion was terrifying. Sword Expert rider started by chopping off the Chimera, who was going against the Knight class. ¡°It is the chief commander!¡± ¡°If you have time to speak, get up and start fixing the line!¡± While Rogers was gaining time, the Gigant riders rearranged their lines. When there was no further inflow of monsters, the small monsters, which entered through the gaps, were cleaned up. It was fortunate for the Symphonia Kingdom but horrible for Lenuk, who was leading the monster legion. ¡°Damn, send in all the Chimeras!¡± Kikkkki! Krrrrr! At Lenuk¡¯s order, another group of Chimera rushed in. There were 50 of those monsters, and they all rushed toward the Symphonia Gigants. Rogers cut off the Chimeras by constantly swinging his sword. Even if he was a Sword Master, it was impossible for him to stop all the Chimeras by himself. However, due to the topography of the place, there was no way that the Chimera would have the chance of surrounding the man, and a major crisis could be avoided as the Gigants rearranged the lines. ¡®The problem is¡­¡¯ The Symphonia troops, which were blocking two other paths, didn¡¯t have anyone with his skill. If there were more Chimeras, it was only a matter of time before the line collapsed. It was when Rogers was concerned about it, something flashed in the rear. A sign that Marquis Rogers and the troops were waiting so long for. ¡®It looks like they have finally completed the trap installation!¡¯ Although it was delayed than the time ordered for its completion, they succeeded in doing it. With a smile on his lips, he gave orders to the lieutenant behind him. ¡°Tell the orders of retreat to the units blocking the other paths. Implement the plan!¡± ¡°Yes, Sire!¡± After a while, the Symphonia troops blocking the path began to escape with the artillery and infantry moving ahead. As the troops went, Rogers and the Gigants troops pretended to be weak and withdrew from the place. Chapter 682 - End of Monster Legion 2 ¡°Those Symphonia men ran away!¡± ¡°It looks like they couldn¡¯t stand against our Chimeras!¡± The warlocks, who watched the Symphonia Kingdom¡¯s forces retreat, shouted in joy. It seemed like the stress accumulated by the warlocks because of the Symphonia troops had been eased a little. ¡°Kuek, I had to use my trump cards, but it would be hard to stop those iron toys without them.¡± Lenuk shrugged with an elated face. A Hero class Gigant had intervened in the middle, causing an unexpected number of damage, but he was under the impression that just one or two Sword Masters wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the entire Chimera unit. And his judgment was indeed right. ¡°What is the situation in other places?¡± Lenuk asked, curious about the turn of events in the other places. Fierce battles were taking place in other places besides that one. As he was stuck in one place, Lenuk looked at the man and found other paths through the mountain range. He then sent the monster legion to those places, and in those places, they were battling with the Symphonia troops as well. Each of them was sent with a dozen Chimeras, so he thought that if the Symphonia troops over there didn¡¯t have any Sword Master, then they would be able to breakthrough. ¡°Unlike this one here, there doesn¡¯t seem to be a Sword Master. Thanks to that, they were able to kill more Symphonia men than here.¡± ¡°Really? If so, then I think that we can just go to Verange Castle at our current pace.¡± With a smile of getting the task completed, Lenuk gave out orders to the other warlocks with the magical communication device. ¡°We are late! Each legion needs to march in haste and take over Verange Castle!¡± ¡°Yes, Elder!¡± Verange was the first castle that would come across one¡¯s path when going down Pamire Mountains. It was the largest and the most populated region of the northwest. As Lenuk struggled to cross the mountain, he thought that if he took over the castle, then his monsters would have bloody dinner. Kikkkki! Keeeeeek! The monsters, who passed through the street, began to run toward Verange Castle at once. The warlocks, who barely passed through the narrow path, feared whether enemies had created any hidden traps or would ambush them. Fortunately, there didn¡¯t seem to be any such thing, but they were attacked by the Symphonia troops, who suddenly appeared from the rear. ¡°Kill them all! You shouldn¡¯t let them go to Verange Castle!¡± Kuekkk! At the same time, the cavalry invaded, and the archers came, riding on large goats instead of horses and attacked the monster legion. It wasn¡¯t long before the battle started, but the damage was considerable as the monster legion was advancing without keeping a watch behind. ¡°What? 3,000 monsters died in the blink of an eye?¡± ¡°The size of the enemy troops was considerable. It seemed like they had quite a few thousand on their side.¡± The warlocks, who were hiding between the dead monster legion, managed to save their lives and were in extreme distress. According to him, the units that had just appeared outnumbered them and attacked from behind. ¡°Thousands¡­ Is there any place where the enemy is hiding?¡± At Lenuk¡¯s words, the warlocks went ahead. ¡°Fly with Fly magic and check from the sky, and there are three or four basins in the mountain ranges from where the army could be stationed.¡± ¡°Uhm, that means¡­¡± ¡°The enemy might have deliberately withdrawn from this narrow path. Maybe they are trying to trap us in the middle and attack us from the back.¡± At the subordinate¡¯s words, Lenuk looked at the map in front of his eyes. There was a fan-shaped forest at the end of the mountain range. It was a point where the three road path crossing the Pamire Mountains would join, and after passing through the plains, they would reach Verange castle. ¡°If we get seized back and forth before getting passed the woods, we will end up taking a lot of damage.¡± ¡°So what are we supposed to do?¡± ¡°We must split up some troops while we search for and annihilate the enemy behind us. Elder Lenuk should continue on his advance to Verange Castle, leading Chimera as the main unit.¡± ¡°But we will divide into three, do you still want us to divide?¡± ¡°Won¡¯t the troops end up joining back after crossing the forest? Our troops won¡¯t decrease any further. Most of all, if you wait here, Arsene will not be happy with us.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Once the name of Arsene came out, Lenuk began to sweat. Even they didn¡¯t have a hand in it, the march was running behind on their given time. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s do that. Instead, if you destroy the enemy, join into the main unit right away.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± Eventually, Lenuk accepted the plan created by his subordinate. Thus, 20,000 monsters were divided and headed to the basins where the Symphonia Kingdom would be hiding. The Symphonia¡¯s scouts were watching all of this unfold, but the warlocks, who were dead set on making up for the delayed time, couldn¡¯t even bother to look for them. As the Symphonia troops expected, the monster legion divided and head toward the basin. Aslan, who was leading the engineer troops into the fan-shaped forest, installed traps and climbed onto a nearby hill and looked to the west. At that time, a scout on a horse ran in a hurry. ¡°The troops who withdrew are coming back!¡± Du Du Du Du! Shortly thereafter, as the scouts said, allied troops from three directions came toward the range and dust rose. Knights on horses and infantry troops arrived ahead, followed by the artillery soldiers and old Gigants came next. The last unit was the Gigants used by Rogers. The Gigants didn¡¯t seem to be in a good shape because they had to stay back till the end and block those ugly monsters. There were Gigants shields and armors that got shredded off. ¡°That looks really bad.¡± Aslan clicked his tongue. Although he knew how the war would go, he couldn¡¯t imagine how horrible the battle was for their own Gigant troops to be like it. ¡®It is a good thing though. Even though we are tired, the damage isn¡¯t as great as I thought.¡¯ There was no way that there wouldn¡¯t be any sacrifices to stopping the monsters. However, the damage was less than expected, Aslan sighed in relief. After joining in the forest, the Symphonia troops escaped to the plains of Burya and make their camp. After taking a break from maintaining my line, they had to go in attack the monsters once they fell into the trap. ¡°The enemy is coming!¡± Shortly after the allies arrived, the monster legion appeared. Those monsters, who were chasing behind the Symphonia troops, stopped for a moment when they saw camps being built. It seemed like the monster legion was waiting for the monsters of the other divided units to come in. Maybe their plan to charge at once and push ahead to Verange Castle. ¡°Phew! I have heard that the legion was divided into different units are being killed, but there are still quite a lot to be taken down.¡± When the war mage next to him said it, Aslan shrugged his shoulders. ¡°If our monster who was dispatched in the other places join those ones, they will be more than us.¡± When he said that, dust rose in from all the directions toward their spot, and another group of monsters appeared. It would have been the other unit that attacked a second spot. Once they all gathered, Aslan looked at the war mage and said, ¡°Now! Start it now!¡± At Aslan¡¯s request, the war mage began to chant a spell. Over the past few days, Aslan and the other engineers buried hundreds of sulfur mixture, gunpowder, and numerous magic circles on the fan-shaped forest. After digging the ground deep enough to make sure that the monsters didn¡¯t smell anything suspicious, they buried the explosives and then placed scented grass on the ground. Wizards built explosive magic circles near the flammable substances. It was a kind of detonator. ¡°Fire Explosion!¡± When the War Mage was done chanting the spell, he shouted. However, instead of an explosion, nothing happened. The War Mage became flustered and chanted the spell again. The magic circle didn¡¯t explode. He tried once more, then again and again. ¡°Kuek! The magic circle isn¡¯t responding!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we done then?!¡± At the words of the War Mage, Aslan panicked. The entire heart of the Storm break operation was the chemical explosion. But the explosions didn¡¯t react from the very beginning. ¡°Damn it, why isn¡¯t anything happening? The magic circle was placed correctly. Is there any problem with the magic stones? Or is¡­¡± The flustered War Mage was mumbling to himself. On the other hand, the monster legion, which had managed to meet up with the others, was preparing to charge toward the plains. ¡®If things go this way, the allies on the plains would take in a lot of damage. Not just that, even the people who are taking shelter in the Verange castle are also in danger!¡¯ Even if the monsters pass through the forest, the Symphonia troops would eventually be able to take down the monster legion. However, the damage to the army and people would increase. Aslan got up from his position after recalling the faces of the villagers, who helped him in the past few years, and those who were currently taking shelter in the Verange castle. Immediately getting on a horse, he shouted to the men that set up the trap and were managing the supplies. ¡°You, bring that box to me!¡± ¡°Eh? What are you doing¡­.?¡± Aslan took over the box from the soldier¡¯s hands as if he snatched it, and he began to sprint into the forest. Du Du Du Du Du! The box that Aslan was currently holding onto contained high-grade magic stones with an explosive magic circle engraved on them. Chapter 683 - End of Monster Legion 3 ¡°What is wrong with him?¡± ¡°Is he trying to commit suicide?¡± The two warlocks who were on the right side of the monster legion titled their heads seeing a man run up to them on a horse. It was because he was moving in too close to be called a scout, and was only one to even call him an attacker. However, he couldn¡¯t be called as a messenger sent by the commander of the other troops as he wasn¡¯t holding up a white flag. ¡°Uh-that?¡± Someone would take care of him. Every warlock delayed in reacting to the man, and Aslan jumped into the forest. Swosh! Kikk! Kiak! The orcs and goblins swung their spears. Aslan managed to escape their incoming attacks by driving the horse to dodge the attacks and continued to go further into the legion. Slash! Slash! The more he pushed in, the more the number of monsters attacked him, so avoiding the attacks turned impossible. Eventually, large and small cuts made their way onto his body. However, Aslan didn¡¯t stop moving. If he stopped there, he would no longer be able to see the smiles of those villagers who treated him so warmly. ¡®I can¡¯t leave things like this!¡¯ Maybe he was ready to go all the way. At the last moment, he reached the point where he was aiming, and jumped down from the horse. His left hand was completely tattered with the scratches, he took out the high-grade magic stone from the box and struck the floor. The two warlocks who had been calling him as a suicide seeker, were shocked when they saw the magic stone being pulled out from the box. ¡°Th-that¡­!¡± ¡°St-stop it! Explosion magic circles are engraved!¡± The intricate pattern engraved on the magic stone gave out an eerie feeling. At first glance, it seemed like a magic stone with an explosion magic circle engraved on it. And it was evident that it was a high-grade stone because of the enemy waves it was releasing. The monsters rushed towards Aslan at the cry of the warlock. Shhhhh! Kiiiiiik! Along with a tremendous explosion, the monsters which were around Aslan cried as the flames soared to the sky. Thus! Screams could be heard from the monsters caught in the flames. But that wasn¡¯t the end of the explosion. Crack! The floor cracked with a sound of tremors and fire began to erupt from places. In some cases, there was a series of explosions. The fan-shaped forest and the monsters were engulfed in the flames in an instant. ¡°Wh-what was?!¡± Lenuk, who was standing at the forefront of the camp, preparing to charge couldn¡¯t understand what just happened. Why was the forest which was totally fine till a moment back, turned into a sea of fire?! ¡°Ah, it looks like we have fallen into the trap of those Symphonia men!¡± Despite being very careful while chasing after them, it seemed that they were hit back. It was evident that they dug up a trap in that forest, after knowing that the monster legion would split in the narrow path. ¡°Kuek! Stop those bloody flames first!¡± Lenuk, hurried the other warlocks to stop the flames. However, the time he gave out the orders were already late. Hundreds of sulfur and magic stones engraved with explosive magic circles on them burst out in an instant, and more flames rose as a result of it, it was impossible for the warlocks to subdue it. Moreover, with the air currents colliding with the flames, fire tornadoes began to sprout. Kiek! Kiiik! Kuakkk! Kwak! Kwaaaak! The warlocks and the monsters which were in close range of the tornadoes began to get pulled into the flames. Large monsters with a higher desire for survival began to trample over the small monsters, and the small monsters clung to the large monsters. It wasn¡¯t much different for a Chimera. ¡®We were wrong! We can¡¯t do it anymore!¡¯ Eventually, Lenuk and his other party members decided to escape from the place without extinguishing the fire. However, as they went towards the mountain range, flames were spreading and they decided to run over to a lower plain. ¡°Good thing. I was worried that the explosion wouldn¡¯t happen.¡± Marquis Rogers who watched the fan-shaped forest turn into a sea of fire, tapped his chest. When the first monster legion joined in the forest, he thought that he would see explosions. However, there didn¡¯t seem to be any sign of explosion until the time passed and the monsters, in turn, were ready to charge. The moment when his heart was trembling, he tried to communicate with the troops in the mountain in order to know what went wrong, but then suddenly the explosions began. ¡°But a moment ago, a horse ran in front of that forest. What happened?¡± Rogers¡¯ question brought in a shocking answer from the lieutenant who communicated with the engineer unit. ¡°W-well it was said that the explosion didn¡¯t happen in the beginning.¡± ¡°What? Then that scene we saw?¡± As Rogers pointed to the flames roaring in the forest, the lieutenant then explained. ¡°It was said that the commander, Aslan jumped into the forest with high-grade magic stones as the spells for explosion didn¡¯t seem to work.¡± The trap got activated thanks to Aslan, who had reached all the way to the main point of the trap, and exploded the high-level magic stones. ¡°Th-that can¡¯t!¡± ¡°I think that the rewards will be huge from His Majesty after the battle.¡± ¡°Of course he should be!¡± If it wasn¡¯t for Aslan¡¯s sacrifice, the battle would have been difficult to win. If the troops had to fight with the monster legion without the explosions, there was a high probability of the monsters breaking through, and if that happened, villages and various forts would have taken huge damage. ¡®Aslan, he sure saved so many lives.¡¯ Rogers, looking at the forest in flames, pulled out his sword. Srrrng-! Pointing to the enemies who started to escape out, he cried out loud, enough to excite the men behind him. ¡°Listen to me soldiers! It is said that the engineer unit commander Aslan sacrificed his life to make that explosion a success! In order to not waste his sacrifice, we shouldn¡¯t let those monsters run away! Remember the name of the hero and slaughter every one of those monsters running away from the forest!¡± ¡°Woahh!¡± At the cry of Marquis Rogers, the entire Symphonia troops began to run towards the forest. On that day, a large army of 100,000 monsters got trapped and annihilated at the entrance of the Pamire mountains and plains. Chapter 684 - Bloody Sea 1 By the time the army was busy fighting with the monster legion, the Symphonia navy on Gregg Island was busy fighting the Grenada fleet. The Grenada navy which had built siege units network in the surrounding waters to make sure that the Symphonia navy wouldn¡¯t try anything overnight, and began to search the reef with small boats and ships in the dawn. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like the Symphonia army had any intention of letting them do their own searches. If Grenada¡¯s search ships wanted to enter anywhere close to their place, their ships would ambush them with shells. ¡°Symphonia men, I think they are definitely camped in there.¡± ¡°They have submarine cables spread all over the place, and the reefs and rocky islands are being used to block out shells and guns. Somehow, we aren¡¯t moving ahead.¡± At the words of Duke Nathan, Fernando frowned. ¡°What does the great Naval expert think about it?¡± Even though he was offended with the voice of mockery in Fernando, Nathan responded without showing any signs of anger. ¡°Ignore them and then pass by.¡± ¡°What? Just pass by?¡± As Fernando¡¯s eyes were about to go wide, Nathan hurriedly gave his answer. ¡°If we ignore them and pass them by, they will think that we are going over to attack the Symphonia coast, and they¡¯ll chase after us.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess you have a plan. Are you trying to lure them into the open sea and then use our full fleet to destroy them?¡± Fernando was used to land battle, and he could understand the tactic which was similar to luring in the enemy by standing still. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t the sly enemies know our intention?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need to worry too much about it. They¡¯ll be too concerned with us sweeping off their shores, so they¡¯ll definitely follow us. And we will be able to do our operation.¡± ¡°And any bait?¡± ¡°We will put our transport fleet in the rear.¡± The transport fleet was the slowest in the fleet. In addition, there weren¡¯t many guns in the transport fleet and were vulnerable in naval battles. However, it was necessary to manage them with care as they would carry all the supplies and food. So even when the fleet moved, the transport fleet moved at its own speed and had enough value around it. Duke Nathan was willing to ignore the principles in order to lure the enemies from the Gregg Islands. ¡°Probably, it is clear that they know that destroying the transport ship of the enemy would be a great deal, so they will chase after us.¡± ¡°Indeed! You want to give flesh and take back their bones?¡± ¡°Yes, because the enemy would be too involved with taking down out transport fleet, the main unit would detour to the south and hit the rear of the enemy. I believe that Your Majesty knows what will happen afterwards.¡± Seeing the plausible plan, Fernando asked them to get into action. The Grenada fleet reversed and began to move towards the coast of the Symphonia Kingdom in unison. After moving to some extent, the main unit consisting of fast-paced battleships separated from the transport fleet and diverted to the south. After a while, Fernando grunted his teeth when he heard the report that the enemy fleet moved from Gregg Island. ¡°They are crawling out huh? Those bloody rats!¡± He wanted to catch everyone and feed them to the sharks. But in the midst of the rush, an unexpected report blew in. Duke Nathan, jumped out and yelled. ¡°Your Majesty! We are in trouble!¡± ¡°What is it? Did the enemy notice our plans and go back to the island?¡± ¡°No, that isn¡¯t it¡­¡± Nathan took a deep breath and explained it in detail. ¡°According to the scout ship¡¯s report, the flagship of the Symphonia royal family was hung on the center of their fleet.¡± ¡°What? Was it confirmed?¡± Fernando jumped out of the sea. It was because the report was too startling. The fact that the royal family flag was hung means the King himself decided to come. In other words, it was said that Luke de Rakan, the man who humiliated him was directing the fleet. ¡°Is that really confirmed?¡± ¡°Yes, it was said that they checked it several times with the telephoto items.¡± ¡°Huhuhu, this is so good!¡± A deep smile struck Fernando¡¯s mouth. He wasn¡¯t sure about what kind of confidence Luke came out to the battle, but it seemed like a proper chance to get revenge. ¡®If I catch him here, my revenge plan will end very easily!¡¯ He had no intention of letting Luke go. Fernando, who was determined, gave orders to Nathan. ¡°Maximize the speed of our fleet. We are going to hit them back a lot faster than we planned.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, the speed we are heading is the highest. Anything higher than our current speed will put a strain on the magic steam engine. Then in case of a battle, the engine might not function properly.¡± At Duke Nathan¡¯s words, Fernando pressed his eyes shut. ¡°It can¡¯t be done¡­ but it isn¡¯t like we can¡¯t get our plan done.¡± ¡°True. However, victory or defeat in the battle is all based on the direction of the warheads, and the direction of the war will determine the fate of the nation. An unfortunate death can happen in any place, we need to be as prepared as possible.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t wrong, but I think it is the right decision. It is hard to take down Luke.¡± Luke was known to be the continent¡¯s strongest Rune Knight. Being very knowledgeable in magic and sword, he led the magical engineering of the Symphonia Kingdom and created a great number of excellent Gigants which were being sold to other nations such as Gaius and Orion. In addition, many talented wizards were known to have been recruited and trained. There was a high chance that the wizards trained would be used in the current war. ¡°Duke, as you know Symphonia¡¯s magic is far superior to our skill. When we are in the sea, those men could be looking down on us with their wizard skills.¡± ¡°That, Your Majesty¡¯s words could be right.¡± Grenada, which was branded as the pirate nation in the continent, hadn¡¯t made much progress in magical engineering. The value of the wizards turned too important that wizards were being recruited for dangerous tasks. ¡°So we need to act quickly, especially since they haven¡¯t noticed us yet.¡± ¡°But what is¡­ well, I¡¯ll send the orders to the other ships.¡± Nathan, who was about to disagree, saw the frown on Fernando¡¯s fleet and gave up. The reason he tried to disagree at first was because he thought that the royal flag could be a trick to lure them in. The scouts said that they only saw the flag on the ship, but none of them said anything about seeing Luke de Rakan on board. It seemed very much like a well-devised scheme knowing the impatient side of Fernando, and there was nothing more embarrassing than being taken down in the sea. ¡®However, our enemy¡¯s location is in the middle of the sea and has some distance from Gregg Island. It wouldn¡¯t be a huge deal if we attack from all sides.¡¯ The reason Nathan decided to make the decision along with Fernando was because of Margareta, who slaughtered the Grenada King and enchanted him with her magic. Because of her brainwashing, he was bound to obey Fernando¡¯s words, and he was unable to carry out his own decisions like before Chapter 685 - Bloody Sea 2 A few hours later, Grenada¡¯s main unit successfully managed to complete the bypass and tail the Symphonia fleet. All of a sudden, seeing the enemies appear in the rear made the Symphonia fleet confused. ¡°Hahaha! Those men are probably very shocked!¡± However, it was already late to move the plans. They were still at the end of the reef, and soon, the fleet would reach a point where firing would be easy for the Grenada fleet. The thought of erasing Symphonia made Fernando smile. ¡°Your Majesty, even if we attack, we need to be very careful till the very end of the battle. Luke de Rakan is a man who is very good at magic, and we have no idea what he might do.¡± In naval battles, the most troublesome ones were the wizards. They could burn sails or an entire ship with simple flame magic. ¡°Huh, no matter how good he is at magic, how can he block tens of thousands of shells all by himself? We can handle their fleet.¡± ¡°As you put it, Luke de Rakan is a human. But¡­¡± ¡°The Duke is way too cautious, which is bad. If you are a person of the sea, shouldn¡¯t you be trusting the power of your own fleet more than assessing the enemy?¡± At the sarcastic words of Fernando, Nathan went quiet. Instead, he decided to devote his time in carefully eyeing the enemy fleet with the telephoto artifact. ¡®It seems like the movement on the deck is heavy. It is natural if they are trying to respond to our surprise attack, but¡­ what is with that long rope which is flying in the sky? Are they flying a kite?¡¯ He heard stories about the naval battles of the Southern Continent about kites carrying people or scouts to the sky. He even heard about it from the survivors of the recent Song army and Yemaek ambush, so seeing that string in the sky made him a little worried. ¡®But it isn¡¯t just one or two. How many did they even launch?¡¯ The enemy ship, which was assumed to have flown kites into the skies, were more than dozens. When Nathan moved the telephoto to the sky, he was interrupted by the sailor on the mast who was yelling. ¡°There is something in the sea! And it is floating toward us!¡± ¡°What was it?¡± Duke Nathan hurriedly moved the telephoto item to the sea. He could see a floating item that was being drifted by the ocean current and moved toward their fleet. A large wooden barrel painted in blue. Nathan, who couldn¡¯t get the bad feeling out of his mind, looked over at the enemy fleet. The Symphonia sailors, who were too busy on the ships, were dropping barrels into the water. Nathan, grasping the situation, hurriedly yelled to the helm of the ship. ¡°This is a torpedo! Go ahead and turn!¡± The expressions of the officers and the seniors on the deck changed when they heard the word torpedo since they experienced what a torpedo could do in the last war first hand. ¡°Board title! Turn the ship!¡± ¡°Hurry up! The enemy¡¯s torpedoes are floating toward us!¡± When the flagship, which was moving ahead with good momentum, suddenly turned, the ships, which were following it, were confused about what was happening ahead. But soon after, the situation was communicated to the others, and the Grenada ships all clamored for an evasive maneuver. However, the speed of the torpedo floating through the current was faster than they expected. And the number of the torpedoes was over a hundred. Bang! Bang! Pop! Pop! The battleships that couldn¡¯t be avoided in time were struck by the force. There also accidents where the ships collided with each other because of the sudden change in direction. ¡°Th-this..!¡± ¡°We are being taken down by them again!¡± When flames and smoke rose to the sky, Fernando and Nathan, who were on the deck, were feeling crushed. They really didn¡¯t expect it. Not on the coast, but the enemy was using torpedoes in the middle of the sea. ¡®Were they using the ocean currents? Damn it! They expected us to tail them¡­!¡¯ The torpedoes used by the Symphonia fleet inflicted considerable damage on the Grenada fleet. It was because there were many ships that couldn¡¯t turn back and evade the attack as they were too overwhelmed, and some ships that couldn¡¯t change the direction as the steam engine was already at full speed and turning it would tilt the entire ship. However, the more serious problem was the entire fleet had been scattered. On contrary, the Symphonia fleet lined up all its battleships in a straight line to fire. ¡°Shoot!¡± ¡°Take those pirates down!¡± Bang! Bang! Pop! Every time the shells fell from the sky, heatwaves and black smoke soared from the Grenada fleet. Dozens of ships sunk or were destroyed. Still, there were far more Grenada ships than Symphonia. There were more than six hundred ships in good shape. ¡°Damn, fight back!¡± ¡°We have more ships on our side!¡± The firing from the Grenada fleet began. However, it didn¡¯t hit the Symphonia fleet in huge numbers. It was because the Symphonia fleet was equipped with a front-row firing while Grenada didn¡¯t have that. Duke Nathan was very well aware of that, and he didn¡¯t expect any immediate results from the firing of the fleets. ¡°Don¡¯t panic! The enemy¡¯s torpedoes are limited!¡± In addition, the torpedoes that were drifted away by the current couldn¡¯t be brought back on the track. And without a torpedo in the game, Nathan believed that he had a winning chance against the sly Symphonia, and he did his best to send in signals to recover the line of his fleet. When the line was formed, the Symphonia Navy, which had finished the first attack with the torpedoes, began their second attack. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°A strange-looking ship is approaching from their fleet!¡± Five ships were closing in. They were smaller than battleships and were more like an upside-down boat. In addition, there was no mast, and no sailors were visible on that ship¡¯s upper deck. It looked very odd, but Nathan noticed the identity of the enemy ship by just looking at the darkly shining surface of the ship. ¡°The Ironclad ship!¡± ¡°Ironclad ship?¡± Not knowing what it was, Fernando asked. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. There is nothing to worry about. It is not invincible because of its armor.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it supposed to fully withstand the shelling?¡± ¡°The iron plate on it might be thick, but if we continue to bombard it with our shells, it will break.¡± Having said that, Nathan immediately ordered his fleet. ¡°Concentrate the firepower of the entire fleet on the enemy Ironclad ships!¡± Pop! Bang! Pop! Bang! Hundreds of shells fell toward the Ironclad ships once the orders fell. The Symphonia fleet fired as a cover, but the Grenada fleet ignored the incoming attacks and kept on attacking the Ironclad ship. A single Ironclad ship had power similar to 10 wooden battleships. Bang! Thud! ¡°Ugh!¡± Sebastian, who was leading the 1st Ironclad ship along with Luke, fell to the floor when the enemy attacked them. The sound of shelling could be heard, and each time a shell struck, the hull shook with a ring. He was anxious and thought that he might have just entered a large metal coffin. ¡°Your Majesty, is this boat really any good for us?¡± It wasn¡¯t just Sebastian who question it. Almost all the sailors of the Ironclad were confused. Luke looked through the magic glass installed on the hull and reassured them. ¡°It is alright. During the test run, it endured a lot more shelling than this.¡± Unlike the other Ironclad ships, the new one had its interior made of wood. As the outer hull was made entirely of metal. Because of that, Hans and a few other retainers, who weren¡¯t aware of magical engineering, opposed to it. However, Luke ended their concerns by reminding that vessels made of metals would float in water. ¡°The hull of the ship is made of Adamant and Gigantium alloys, which are used on Gigants. The sheets are thick enough, so even if we are hit by a large-caliber artillery, we¡¯ll be fine!¡± In addition, the hull was designed to be inclined to bounce off the shells, and there are shield magic circles engraved on the surface. And hitting it was tough. Everything apart from the upper structure was below water. The Ironclad ship was a ship no different from a Gigant floating in the sea. Luke spoke to the soldiers that were controlling the Ironclad¡¯s engine with magic. ¡°How about we hit back instead of getting hit stupidly?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Your Majesty!¡± The captain of the Ironclad ship¡¯s words made the sailors move with gunpowder. ¡°Open the hull! Show the pirates the taste of hot powder!¡± Kiiing! As the sailors turned and the gun doors opened with large cannons protruding outside. For a normal battleship, the distance was measured, and the gunpowder and gun angle could be adjusted, but this Ironclad ship didn¡¯t have that. They were close enough to the enemy ship that they didn¡¯t have to measure the distance or change the angle. Bang! Bang! Tearing off the ears of the sailors, the Ironclad ship began to fire. The Grenada battleship, which was being bombarded by the large caliber artillery at close range, was crushed with shots and sunk. The shelling was so strong that the shells smashed through the ships. ¡°Monster, that one is a monster!¡± The Grenada sailors trembled at the sight of Symphonia¡¯s Ironclad¡ªthe ship that didn¡¯t care about getting hit by its enemies and kept on sinking its enemies. Contrary to them, the sailors of Symphonia Kingdom cheered. ¡°Well done! Beat them all!¡± ¡°Make sure to scare them enough that they never enter our waters again!¡± Including Luke¡¯s ship, there were 5 Ironclad ships moving around the Grenada fleet. Thanks to that, Nathan¡¯s intention of making a fleet line failed completely. Chapter 686 - Bloody Sea 3 The Ironclad ships wandering around, the Symphonia battleships constant shelling, and the arrival of Yemaek and Song Empire fleets. Because of that, the Grenada ships were sunk and half of them were destroyed beyond use. ¡°Admiral, this shouldn¡¯t be like this!¡± ¡°That is right. All our battleships will get smashed if this continues.¡± ¡°This is horrible, but we need to retreat¡­¡± At the words of the staff, Duke Nathan frowned while staying silent. The situation was so serious that even their king¡ªFernando¡ªdidn¡¯t intervene in the decision. ¡°Hold on like this.¡± ¡°Duke Nathan!¡± Fernando raised his voice on behalf of the staff who turned pale. He too seemed to think that retreating was the right option when it came to the current stage of his fleet. But Nathan wasn¡¯t the kind to be stubborn without thought. ¡°Your Majesty, the line of our fleet is too scattered right now, but we still have the numbers advantage. The shells and gunpowder on the enemy ships aren¡¯t going to be infinite.¡± There was an amount of damage they would be able to do. However, Nathan believed that if he was able to endure the crisis, then they would get the chance to counterattack. Three large battleships, such as Edward, Jolly Roger, and Barbarossa were still in good shape, and there were dozens of other battleships that had thick hull. In addition, the amount of shells and gunpowder loaded in them were huge. ¡°If we curl our tails here, the enemy¡¯s nose will rise higher. And the transport fleet thrown in as bait will be in real danger, and does Your Majesty want that situation?¡± ¡°Never.¡± Fernando shook his head. It was because the 100,000 troops and supplies on the transport fleet were too enormous to lose. Giving up on that ship meant a huge loss even if the war was won. Duke Nathan turned his gaze toward the staff, and no one seemed to have anything to say back. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take is as everyone has agreed to it¡­¡± ¡°Sire! Something is floating in the sky!¡¯ The moment Nathan was about to give out orders, shouts were entering from men above board. Nathan looked to the sky in haste. Long objects among thick clouds were flying. ¡®Is that¡­ a hot air balloon?¡¯ It was a little bit different in shape and size, but it was definitely a hot air balloon. The problem was that there weren¡¯t just one or two of these balloons. When looked through the telephoto in Nathan¡¯s hand, they seemed to be dozens in number. ¡°Look there, isn¡¯t that a kite!¡± A rope from the Symphonia fleet extended to the sky. Nathan thought that it was for a kite. But instead of a kite, the rope was tied to the hot air balloons! ¡°Spread the fleet! Hurry up and scatter!¡± ¡°Huh? Scatter?¡± The eyes of the staff were widened when they heard Nathan¡¯s orders of letting the fleet spread. Nathan explained to them in a hurry, ¡°They need to scatter! They are using the hot air balloon to shoot us down!¡± Several years ago, during the civil war of the Baroque Empire, the imperial force used a hot air balloon to annihilate the western rebels. It was a unique case of using a hot air balloon as a weapon, so it ended up turning into a huge topic among the commanders of the continent, even Nathan admitted the strategy used by Emperor Rudolf was genius. ¡°The artillery! Can they shoot into the sky?¡± The sailor shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that can¡¯t happen, sir. There is no angle for the gun to be mounted.¡± At the sailor¡¯s words, Nathan seemed upset because he never expected the attack from the sky. What was more, they didn¡¯t even think that the hot air balloons would be used so far from land. This was why they didn¡¯t prepare for air battle. ¡°Ugh! Call the archers! It will turn into a mess if the enemy¡¯s balloons reach us and set us ablaze!¡± The ships were all made of wood. Even the battleships made of iron had their boards and decks made of wood. There was no way they wouldn¡¯t be scared of fire. Nathan was concerned about that, but the enemy¡¯s hot air balloon didn¡¯t rush for the fleet. They dropped something. It was as if flowers were blooming in the sky. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but it sure is fast!¡± The Grenada Navy was confused in the beginning. It seemed like squirrels the same size as humans were flying in as a unit on the sea where any naval battle took place. ¡°Yah-oh!¡± ¡°I am the sword that cuts down the sky!¡± The Blood Hawk knights, composed of warriors from the Southern Continent, including Gyochon, were flying toward the Grenada Fleet. They were trembling during the training, but now, they seemed extremely excited. Jumping down from the hot air balloon was easier and refreshing than jumping from a stationary height. ¡°From here on, it is our time to play an active part in the war! Let¡¯s show those pirates the taste of the Southern Continent!¡± ¡°Respect!¡± At the cry of their commander Hwang Bo-sung, the member of Blood Hawk cheered and descended toward the Grenada ships. Shocked, enemy sailors hurriedly fired arrows, but they weren¡¯t able to stop the Blood Hawks flying in. Swoosh! Gyochon and his colleagues hit the white sails to reduce their speed and landed on the deck after tearing down the sails with their swords. ¡°Shall we start running wild now?¡± ¡°S-stop them!¡± The Grenada sailors rushed toward the knights with swords. Gyochon and the other knights rushed toward the enemy without any hesitation and cut the enemy. ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get push¡­ Kuak!¡± Though inferior to pirates, the Grenada Navy was good at hand to hand combat. However, their enemies were top-notch when it came to combat. They didn¡¯t even need a sword to kill off their enemy. Not just the ordinary soldiers, but even the sword experts Grenada men couldn¡¯t withstand the offense. ¡°Don¡¯t act recklessly. There are a lot of ships we need to take down!¡± Gyochon advised his colleagues to overturn the gunpowder on the deck and set fire to it. Bang! Pop! When the Blood Hawk knights saw the ship on fire, they jumped off of it. Having being used to jumping, they jumped on the wooden debris of blown up ships and jumped into other ships. The same kind of blasting situation happened everywhere. It was mainly focused on the large battleships. The flagship Barbarossa, which had Fernando and Nathan on board, was no exception. The ones who attacked Barbarossa were warriors Hwang Bo-sung, Kwak In-hyuk, and members of the Hwang Bo clan. With the masters including Fist Sage and Fist Master on deck, screams were heard everywhere in no time, and the entire ship turned red with blood. ¡°We were wrong! They can¡¯t be stopped!¡± ¡°Kuek! Get the crabs out!¡± At the report of a sailor, Fernando picked up the last trump card they had. The Barbarossa was equipped with 20 Crab Gigants for a possible onboard battle. They were tough to use in battles with land Gigants, but they still had great power. However, the Crab, which climbed onto the deck, got smashed and rolled over with Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s punch. Hwang Bo-sung had completed the Trinity Martial punch after returning from his homeland. The Crabs were made of wooden armor, and they couldn¡¯t stop the fist that came at the speed of a bullet. ¡°Hahaha! I meet you again!¡± Hwang Bo-sung, who broke through the line of guards and Crabs, saw Fernando and smirked. In the last war, he was the one who captured Fernando along with Viscount Kaper, who was the commander of the Unicorn Knights. And naturally, Fernando remembered his face. ¡°Kuke! The damned barbarian of the south!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be given expensive food in the prison this time. You will be served food made of dirt!¡± Fernando¡¯s face went stiff at Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s words. He wasn¡¯t stupid enough to not recognize the ability of Hwang Bo-sung, and he knew the man was a lot stronger than before because Fernando was a Sword Master. ¡®No matter how inclined the victory of the battle is, I can¡¯t get caught again, right?¡¯ It was when Fernando stepped ahead with a stern face. Srrrng! Nathan drew out his sword and stood ahead of him. ¡°Your Majesty, leave this to me. Please hurry up and get away from here!¡± ¡°Duke Nathan!¡± ¡°Please hurry, I am not confident in taking him down.¡± It could be because of the brainwash magic done on him, but Fernando was impressed by Nathan¡¯s loyalty. However, it wasn¡¯t a situation where he could slowly enjoy the situation and talk, so he hurried out with a handful of escort knights. ¡°Catch them. The pirate¡¯s head is running away!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let go of him!¡± The Blood Hawk pursued them, but thanks to the sacrifices of the sailors, Fernando managed to escape from the flagship. He transferred to a boat, which wasn¡¯t touched by the enemy, but felt lost when he saw the scenery above the water. Countless ships from his fleet, sinking or burning. Hundreds and thousands of sailors fell into the bloody sea or were hoping to live by, holding onto wooden pieces. It was hell. The hell for the navy of the Grenada fleet. ¡°To our nation¡­ we retreat.¡± Fernando gave orders after trying to stop his feet from stumbling and entered his cabin. The navy battle, which lasted for nearly three hours, ended in a devastating defeat of the Grenada fleet. Hundreds of battleships destroyed and sunk. The flags of Symphonia and Blood Hawk were fluttering above the large ships, including battleships. The Symphonia completely cleared the sea by capturing the transport fleet of Grenada that was left behind. The huge typhoon of war that flew in from the south was taken down near the Gregg Island without even exerting their full power. Chapter 687 - Bloody Sea 4 Fernando managed to escape from the sea which was like hell. He ran back to the Grenada Kingdom with a dozen ships following him. He didn¡¯t care about the transport fleet. It was because it would turn into a huge deal if he ended up getting caught by the Symphonia fleet once again. Of course, there was no supply of food and they ran out of water, and the sailors began to starve. However, Fernando as a king, was able to have minimum meals. The beer and the moldy break were all that they had. ¡°Kuek! Luke de Rakan! You are making me go through this once¡­!¡± Inside his cabin, Fernando would run wild every day. Even his own guards stayed far from him, scared that he would act harshly towards them. ¡°Keuk! I will definitely take my revenge! Even if it means to sell my soul to the devil himself, I will get my revenge on you!¡± While Fernando was cursing Luke, the ship kept on moving without a stop. After 10 days they arrived at Rondo. Originally, it was a distance that could have been reached in a week, however, it took more time because of the winds and weak sailors. Somehow, Fernando managed to reach the port. Usually, when a ship with a royal flag appears near the port, people gather with hospitality, but the current port was too silent. Well, it felt eerier. ¡®Did they know that I was defeated in Symphonia?¡¯ An ambitious fleet got smashed to the core. Almost 100,000 troops turned into war prisoners of the enemy or food for fish¡­ If that news went into the minds of the nobles, they wouldn¡¯t hold back their words. It was because the nobles too had provided supplies and troops for the battle. There could be a rebellion. This was why Fernando decided to check the situation in the royal capital by communicating with his servant. However, there was no response from the servant even after trying magical communication three times. ¡®This doesn¡¯t feel good at all.¡¯ The pit of his stomach told him to escape, but the sailors were too tired and hungry to move again. ¡°We can¡¯t help it. Carefully enter the port.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Upon receiving the orders from Fernando, the captain entered the port of Rondo. However, as soon as they entered the port, dozens of large ships surrounded them. ¡°Wh-what is this? From where did these ships come?¡± ¡°It is the Holy Empire! It has to be the Holy Arthenia Empire¡¯s fleet!¡± When the captain saw the flag on the enemy ship, he shouted in panic. It turned out that all the ships which surrounded them had a white flag with a cross on it. It was a flag that symbolized the Pope who ruled the Holy Empire. Fernando¡¯s mind which went blank was brought to reality by the voice which came to the enemy ship. ¡°Listen to us Fernando, the head of the Grenada pirates! The main port and Rondo have already been occupied by the Holy Arthenia Empire. Don¡¯t think of rebelling, surrender now!¡± ¡°D-damn it, run away! Hurry up and take us away!¡± At the words of Fernando, the captain of the ship immediately turned the ship to move out of the port. However, it wasn¡¯t like the Holy Empire to silently watch it. Pop! Pop! Guns were fired from the Holy Empire fleet and sank off the leading ship. When the retreat was blocked, the hungry sailors surrendered without putting up a proper fight. As a result, Fernando couldn¡¯t escape and got caught. Surprisingly, it was Arch Duke Gregory who came over to get him. He put a seal on Fernando¡¯s wrist and spoke with a smile. ¡°Thank you. Because of your stupidity, we were able to capture Grenada very easily.¡± Rondo and the other major ports were almost empty, thanks to Fernando who was driven by his vengeance, and took out the entire troops. Thanks to that, the Holy Empire Navy was able to easily occupy the ports without even putting up a huge battle. Several times over the past hundred years, they tried to subdue the pirates, but the Holy Empire always failed, they couldn¡¯t even get close to the port. ¡°It looks like you went ahead and assumed that we would support Symphonia in the war, that was a huge mistake on your part.¡± ¡°Kuek!¡± Realizing the huge mistake he made, Fernando seemed completely hopeless. ¡®¡­ But it isn¡¯t over!¡¯ He had some hope. Princess Margareta, the envoy of Libiya Kingdom. They were still in the Grenada Kingdom, they helped Fernando ascend the throne. So Fernando believed that they would run over to save him. However, his hopes got shattered when he reached the square in front of the palace. It was because the Libiya kingdom¡¯s envoys were hung by their necks. Among them was Margareta. She had an ugly death with her tongue sticking out and an expression which said ¡®how did this happen?¡¯. ¡°Y-you crazy bastards! They are the envoy of the Libiya Kingdom, killing them so carelessly¡­!¡± It was an unwritten rule to never kill the envoys even if they were war partners. At Fernando¡¯s words, Arch Duke spoke back. ¡°If she wouldn¡¯t have learned the enchanting magic and the forbidden dark magic, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± When Rondo was taken over by the Holy Imperial army, Margareta and her party tried to escape from the place. But unfortunately, they encountered the paladins led by Arch Duke Gregory. Gregory, who looked young on the outside, was skilled enough to learn that Margareta and her party were made of warlocks. Of course, he was about to take them down right away, but then Margareta used enchanting magic, which made no effect on Gregory, who was a Sword Sage. They were captured right away, and were subject to execution. ¡°Th-that can¡¯t be¡­!¡± To Fernando, who didn¡¯t want to believe it, Arch Duke spoke with a stern expression. ¡°Their bodies will be burnt after the cleansing ritual.¡± The Holy Empire was famous for subduing the warlocks the moment they were found out. In recent years, the policy was changed to punish the men according to the crime done, but the Veritas men were considered to be an exception from it. It was because of the atrocities they had been committing in the nations under the cover, and a few years back, the zombie poison in the Holy Empire was a result of their actions. ¡°The Libiya Kingdom has joined hands with the remnants of the Veritas Magic tower¡­! We were wondering why the Symphonia Kingdom was trying to keep the Libiya Kingdom in check, figured it was for a good reason.¡± Gregory, who said that, looked at Fernando who was staring at him. ¡°In any case, even you, who joined hands with those warlocks can¡¯t be excused.¡± ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know! I had no idea!¡± At Fernando¡¯s desperate denial, Arch Duke Gregory¡¯s face turned cold. ¡°Did you really not know? Just a moment back, it seemed like you were expecting something from them?¡± ¡°That was¡­¡± ¡°Your wife has already testified. You assassinated King Drake after entering into a relationship with that woman. It is enough to understand while looking at your face the moment you saw her hanging.¡± ¡°No! I was framed! That wasn¡¯t me!¡± Fernando desperately denied everything, but no one listened to him. Two days later, the bodies of Margareta and the other warlocks were buried, and Fernando was taken to the Holy Empire and hanged. That brought an end to the history of the pirate kingdom, which had been wrecking the sea of the Rhodesia continent for hundreds of years. Chapter 688 - Arsene’s Suffering 1 The underground dungeons of Libiya. In the center was the King training vigorously. ¡°Dark Hole!¡± A gloomy spell flowed from Arsene¡¯s mouth while he was in the center of the training center. And then, at the tip of his finger, a deep darkness engulfing sphere began to form. Kiiik! As the abyss began to move, the objects within the radius of 30 meters disintegrated and began to be sucked into the sphere. The stones on the floor were dismantled, and the nearby weapons began to get sucked in. It seemed like if a little more time passed, the entire training center would be destroyed, maybe the dungeon could collapse. ¡®Kul, still difficult to do.¡¯ With a smile on his mouth, Arsene canceled the Dark Hole. The dust, which was gathered because of the spell, scattered all around. The pit which got created of about 30 meters, made Arsene feel great. ¡°I have recovered around 90 percent of it.¡± Maybe thanks to the secret training, and intensive meditation, the pace of regaining his former abilities seemed to increase gradually. ¡°Now I just need to combine the power of the Dragonian and the dark magic as one.¡± If those two forces could be combined, there wouldn¡¯t be any more reason to fear Luke. He could once again reign as the strongest person on the continent! ¡®Of course, Luke wouldn¡¯t stay at the past level either¡­ but he won¡¯t be able to increase his level during the mess we created for him!¡¯ In the meantime, Arsene would cross Luke. And would enjoy the look of defeat on Luke¡¯s face! It was when Arsene smiled. Flash! The door to the training center opened with a flash, and Zemerton entered. And he reported the urgent news from the south. ¡°What?! The monster legion and the Grenada Pirates have both been smashed? Already? How does that even happen?!¡± At Arsene¡¯s question, Zemerton went down on his knee and spoke in a trembling voice. ¡°I apologize for it, but it is all true! I couldn¡¯t believe the information so I checked and checked¡­¡± Because of the constant checks, it took a few more days for the report to reach Arsene. There were also warlocks who confirmed the authenticity of the information, but they thought if a wrong report was presented to Arsene, they would be killed right away. And as expected, Arsene¡¯s wrath was already on him. ¡°Ackkkk!¡± The air around the dungeon seemed heavy at once. ¡°Kuak!¡± Zemerton¡¯s complexion went white, and he was lying flat on the floor spitting blood and clenching his chest. Even though his entire body was used to dark magic, his body felt devastated from the inside. It was because Arsene¡¯s wrath was, Dragonic Fear. Arsene had absorbed around 60 percent of the Dragonian power, and sometimes the power would come out without his knowledge. ¡°Ple-please don¡¯t be angry!¡± At the pleading voice of Zemerton, Arsene withdrew Dragonic Fear. ¡°How on earth could they destroy the army of over 100,000 monsters and a fleet of 1,3000 in less than 15 days? What the hell were Lenuk and Kazel doing until all this happened?!¡± Arsene, along with the monster army of Libiya, sent in warlocks¡ªthe elders of the squad to make sure that the plan went along. And then sent in Margareta to seduce Fernando. Nevertheless, they couldn¡¯t even hold Symphonia back for one month! With no damage to Symphonia. ¡°Couldn¡¯t they push ahead? Ask those two what happened!¡± ¡°Ye, well! Both of them were killed.¡± Lenuk who led the monster legion fell into the trap of the Symphonia troops and died, and Kazel who went to Grenada as the envoy of Libiya Kingdom got caught and was hanged while he tried to flee from the attack of the Holy Empire. ¡°Damn it! Elders couldn¡¯t even run away?¡± ¡°Th-that, Elder Lenuk was moving away from an explosion when a Bow Master attacked him, and Elder Kazel met up with Arch Duke Gregory¡­¡± Although Zemerton stated about it, Arsene¡¯s anger didn¡¯t subside. ¡°Those worthless men! Hopefully, they were taken to hell. If they come back alive, I will punish them in the most horrifying way possible!¡± Arsene, who was cursing the elders, asked suddenly. ¡°What happened to the men who infiltrated Brandon city? What happened to them?¡± When the war broke out, Arsene tried to spread the zombie disease by sending in warlocks. In addition, it was planned to induce rebellion by encouraging the dissatisfied forces within the Symphonia, in case the war would turn out to be a failure, the disease would spread and the rebels would overwhelm the rulers, and it would be able to take down Luke to some extent. However, even the last card was against Arsene¡¯s expectations. ¡°Kuek, unfortunately, they were caught in the process of infiltrating and were executed.¡± ¡°Huh, another fail.¡± Arsene¡¯s frown deepened. Maybe because of anger and frustration, it seemed like his heart would break. However, there was something more annoying. It was because, once the training was done and he went in for a meeting after a long time, his servants reported that riots were occurring all over the kingdom. ¡°What? It happened in Libiya and not Symphonia?¡± ¡°That was because the prices have surged abnormally in the recent¡­¡± Shaikan¡¯s Foreign minister and cousin, Weitz made a report. In recent years, the price of the daily commodities including grains, have risen sharply. Of course, at one point¡ªthe public sentiment exploded and complaints came out even from the local lords. Nevertheless, the prices weren¡¯t reduced and further went up, and that led to riots taking place in various regions of the kingdom, including the royal capital. ¡°How the hell did that happen? Why did this happen?!¡± Arsene didn¡¯t really understand the situation. In order to use the people of Libiya Kingdom as undead resources, they were secretly releasing zombie poison. And the current riots which arose weren¡¯t supposed to be issues which had to rise when such important work was going on, so Arsene had tried to impose policies in which the people wouldn¡¯t oppose much. Shaikan stopped the war against the Baroque Empire, cut down the taxes, and expanded the foreign trade. All the policies were for the development of the nation, and both nobles and people were welcoming it. But for this to suddenly happen! At Arsene¡¯s anger, Weitz spoke with a terrified expression. ¡°That¡­ I did manage to find out the cause, but it seems to be because of grain.¡± ¡°It is because of grain?¡± ¡°Yes. I have checked it several times.¡± When the Grain chamber was mentioned, every official in the room looked at Arsene. Weitz said it first, but they also knew about the Grain chamber causing trouble. But no one wanted to speak out about it. It was because the Grain chamber was being protected by the King himself. Honestly, it was only recently that it happened, but even though they were given an official position they didn¡¯t have the confidence to speak out against the man who was being protected by the King. By moving to Libiya, the Grain chamber had provided many jobs to the merchants and the people, and was active in its trade, it also managed to fill the vacant treasury. It also contributed to bringing in the price stability by importing food and daily needs and selling them at a low cost to people. Naturally, the influence of the Grain chamber spread rapidly throughout the kingdom, and the management of the chamber reached a level that it governed the economy of the Libiya Kingdom. But the Grain chamber which was being praised by the people changed its actions. ¡°All of a sudden the price of daily needs have increased. At first, it was a little rise, but later it was said to have risen high¡­¡± ¡°Kueuk. I will deal with the Grain chamber myself, so try to put down the riots.¡± Arsene who was offended by the reports, sent out his servants right away. The servants who saw their King¡¯s face hardened left their seats right away to not get involved in any unfavorable situation. ¡®F*ck this! I am getting annoyed! People are dying and even my business is being pushed into trouble!¡¯ Arsene called in Zemerton again and asked him to bring in all the executives of the Grain chamber. ¡°All of them?¡± ¡°Yes, if we miss anyone, I¡¯ll make sure to show you the taste of hell.¡± At Arsene¡¯s words, Zemerton went to gather them. He knew what Arsene was talking about, so he hastened in gathering them as much as possible. Chapter 689 - Arsene’s Suffering 2 At Arsene¡¯s rage, all the executives and merchants in the royal city ran over to the palace. It was said that they were the best traders on the continent, but they were on the side of the Veritas Magic Tower. It was hard to say that people of such side would disobey Arsene¡¯s command, who was the head of it. And even if he didn¡¯t know the real identity of Arsene, there was no one who would dare to ignore the summons of the king, where the nation¡¯s trade quarters were located. The executives summoned like that were caught in the rageful eyes of Arsene in the throne room. ¡°I believe you know why such busy people are called pigs here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± At Arsene¡¯s cold words, the senior executives went stiff. Some of them were clenching their eyes shut as if they had already expected the situation. ¡°Speak honestly. Did you make fun of the commerce because of your insatiable greed?¡± Corruption here and corruption there. Arsene, who had lived as a Lich for hundreds of years, had seen the same events happen countless times. He himself had committed corruption. So he didn¡¯t think that the Grain Chamber¡¯s merchants, who were always under his wing and given an absolute position in the Libiya Kingdom, wouldn¡¯t resort to corruption. ¡°If you decide to confess right here about what has been done, you might be saved from hell.¡± At his words, the executives looked to see if anyone would react. ¡°I-I¡¯ll tell you everything!¡± At that time, a huge middle-aged man in the front row spoke out. ¡°This is all because of the Chamber¡¯s head, Zehart.¡± ¡°Th-That is the truth. It¡¯s because the company funds are being pulled in by him¡­¡± ¡°If we didn¡¯t end up doing that, the business would have gone bankrupt¡­ We couldn¡¯t help but try to fill in the empty funds with those means.¡± When the fat middle-aged man spoke out, the other executives too began to open up and speak like a swarm of bees and spoke against Zehart. Arsene¡¯s anger rose as they kept on talking. Although Zehart was a lazy guy who didn¡¯t seem to have much interest in magic, the man was his own blood, a descendant. But the men in front of him were trying to blame the entire thing onto the man because he wasn¡¯t present in the meet! ¡°You men! How dare you lie in front of me?!¡± Bang! When Arsene yelled from the throne, the marble flooring under his foot cracked, and the room shook. ¡°Ughh!¡± The anger and Dragonic Fear used by Arsene made the men fall to the ground, covering their heads. There were many who peed their pants and those who died as their hearts had stopped. ¡°I tried to settle this as quietly as possible, so the nation too won¡¯t know about you¡­ Just die you all!¡± ¡°Kiik! Please, please, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°We are really speaking the truth!¡± The executives, who were still alive, rubbed their hands and pleaded, but Arsene didn¡¯t pay attention to them at all. Kiiiik! Dark Hole emerged from his fingertips. Dark Hole was a skill he had trained in the dungeon a while ago. The executives went stiff at the sight of the terrifying dark magic unfolding in front of them and were quickly sucked into the Dark Hole. The only one that remained was Arsene, who stumbled into his seat. ¡°You ugly bastards! How dare you lie in front of me?¡± Arsene wiped out all the executives, yet his anger didn¡¯t seem to subside right away. The next day, Arsene, whose anger subsided to some extent, mobilized Weitz and others to rob Grain. Not only did they bring back the book of commerce, but they also investigated the assets that belonged to the men he killed the day before. Such intense actions were taking place, but the conclusion of it was truly vain. ¡°Is it true that Zehart has been taking away a huge portion of the company funds?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. He is currently traveling in foreign nations and continuing to withdraw more funds in different places.¡± According to the investigation done by Weitz, although the funds were being taken in, Zehart was writing several drafts to merchants and was borrowing huge sum of money. In doing so, the amount Zehart had embezzled reached 200 million pesos. It was equal to a 10 year budget plan of the Libiya Kingdom. ¡®What the hell is that crazy bastard even thinking?!¡¯ Was he thinking of buying the entire nation and become its king? Arsene knew that the man was negligent and lazy. He knew that the man was greedy, but this was too severe to turn a blind eye to. It wasn¡¯t the end of just the Grain Chambers. Since Arsene had taken over Shaikan¡¯s body, the economy of Libiya Kingdom was heavily dependent on Grain. In addition to investing all of the royal funds in it, he even urged the other nobles to invest money in Grain Chambers. Naturally, the domestic and wealthy merchants invested and cooperated with Grain Chambers. In such a situation, Grain could be facing bankruptcy¡­ ¡®If I let things go out of hand, the economy of the kingdom will get destroyed¡­ No, it is already destroyed.¡¯ Honestly, Arsene didn¡¯t really care about the state of Libiya Kingdom. He didn¡¯t care if the kingdom lived or get destroyed. If he could, he would grab the money and the assets and run away from the place. However, he had taken control of Shaikan¡¯s body, and a few of his projects were initiated in the Libiya Kingdom. In addition to poisoning 30 million people with the new zombie poison, the new undeads were being made. ¡®I can¡¯t leave them behind.¡¯ A loss was a loss, but the problem would be Luke turning stronger in the meantime. Over the past 500 years, Luke ended up being the only man who threatened Arsene¡¯s existence. Moreover, as the actions of the elders who did bad to Luke, Luke was turning persistent in pursuing their whereabouts and trying to destroy them. ¡®We need to fix this problem somehow!¡¯ Arsene, who thought of it, summoned Zemerton and a few more key elders of Veritas Magic Tower. ¡°Zehart created a huge problem. First, go and get that guy¡­ Does anyone know where he is?¡± At Arsene¡¯s question, the warlocks looked at each other. They weren¡¯t really interested in Zehart. Even if he was the son of the Meister and a direct descendant of Arsene, there was no reason for the elders to know his whereabouts, especially as he wasn¡¯t the next successor of the tower. So they knew nothing about him, except for the fact that he was running Grain Chamber and would go abroad and enjoy the luxury he was given. ¡®Damn it, these men aren¡¯t useful in anything.¡¯ However, Arsene couldn¡¯t say that out loud. He himself hasn¡¯t paid much attention to his own descendant. ¡°The last place he borrowed money from was Castia Kingdom, so tell our spies and warlocks there to find him.¡± ¡°Yes, Master. But how are we going to deal with the issues with the funds in Grain¡­?¡± Zemerton asked. There are a lot of projects that were currently underway for the warlocks, and they all needed funds from the Grain Chamber. They couldn¡¯t help but worry. ¡°Funds¡­ For now, we have no choice but to go to the ¡®Temple¡¯.¡± ¡°Temple?¡± At Arsene¡¯s response, the warlocks looked shocked. Since ancient times, the enemy of a warlock was a priest. When warlocks were found, the priests would relentlessly pursue them and beat them. But now, he was planning on borrowing money from the servants of God who wanted to kill them? Of course, it was a well-known fact that the temples and sanctuaries were rich. In fact, Emperor Rudolf of the Baroque Empire aimed to rob the temples and sanctuaries. Moreover, when the Holy Arthenia Empire was going strong, the pope took money from the temples to provide food and needs for people in all its regions. The warlocks thought that Arsene was trying to imitate Emperor Rudolf. ¡°It isn¡¯t what you are thinking. There is a place that might provide enough wealth to put out our urgent situation.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Arsene laughed as the warlocks still seemed confused. ¡®Did they think I spent 500 years doing nothing?¡¯ In preparation for such a situation, he had quite a lot of hidden wealth. Whether wealth or life vessels, Arsene had always prepared to hold his immortality. For that reason, Arsene didn¡¯t even inform his own descendants of the hideouts that he called ¡®temple¡¯. ¡®The only person who knows about it is the person who is in charge of protecting the temple.¡¯ The person in charge of it. Of course, it wasn¡¯t because the man wanted to, but Arsene created him that way. Anyway, as the situation ended up turning like that, he had to take out the wealth from that temple. ¡®Zehart, this damned kid! I need to find him. I am not going to let this go.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t going to kill the man because he was his descendant. However, since he created the problem, he had to be punished severely to avoid getting involved in such a mess once again. Chapter 690 - Arsene’s Suffering 3 Cartago, the second-largest city in the Castia Kingdom. In recent years, the trade in the city had shrunk a lot because of the sudden rise of Lamer city, yet it was still considered to be the largest port on the Rhodesia Continent. The headquarters of 3 of the top ten traders were located there, and a number of trading ships come in and out of the port. Of course, it meant that the city was rich, and there was entertainment everywhere. The most famous entertainment district was Blanc Rouge. And there was a gang that was secretly moving in the back alleys of the street. The street was home to luxury saloons and gambling houses. ¡°This is the place?¡± The man, whose eyes were the only things which could be seen, pointed to the ornate building in front of him and asked. The masked man next to him nodded. ¡°Yes. After a few days of pursuit, we have found out Zehart¡¯s holding was all in there.¡± ¡®Well, Master¡¯s words were indeed true.¡¯ The man in the grey hood was Parnas, an elder of Veritas Magic Tower. Currently, he was serving as the head of the warlocks stationed in the Castia Kingdom. The other masked man was Torres, an executive belonging to the Libiya Intelligence agency. He was in charge of the branch in Castia. Not long ago, the two of them were ordered to find Zehart. As a result of sending his subordinates, Torres managed to find out the information about the money that Zehart was spending in Elysium, a famous gambling house in Cartage. ¡°By the way, will it be fine if we went behind Zehart like this?¡± Torres asked out of concern because Zehart wasn¡¯t alone at the moment. He had escorts with him, but they didn¡¯t seem like regular escorts. They were giving off unpleasant vibes, almost as if they were mercenaries. It looked like Zehart had hired some exclusive mercenaries with money, and it was evident that if a scene was made, it would turn into a mess. In addition, they knew that the mercenaries and guards outside the gambling house were quite capable of creating a mess. In the past, a noble son of the Baroque Empire was believed to have trusted his escort knights and ended up getting killed while he left the place. ¡°Huh, that is how hard it will be to take him out of there. This is going to be eating cold soup. But I¡¯d rather not want the troops of Cartago to come in here.¡± Cartago was the richest city of Castia Kingdom, and the troops guarding it were no less than the amount around the king. The crime rate was huge when compared to the capital. In particular, the rate of violent crimes such as murder and robbery was very low because of the policing. In addition, two units of knights, 70 Gigants, and the 20,000 troops station in and outside the city were constantly kept alert. If there was any uproar in the city, it was clear that they would all gather. ¡°To avoid that, we need to take down Zehart and drag him out as quickly as we can.¡± ¡°It would be nice if we find a good way¡­ Is there one?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Moving secretly is our specialty.¡± Parnas and Torres briefly discussed what to do and then walked into Elysium. As some dark and suspicious men approached it, the guards and mercenaries standing outside the room frowned. It was because Elysium was a renowned gambling place in Cartago and was often rich. ¡°Look here, the people who can enter should at least wear some nice clothes, didn¡¯t you know that?¡± Parnas and Torres disregarded their words and sent in a hand signal. Then, the officers, who were inside the place, ran toward the room to stop the new men from entering the room. ¡°Silence!¡± As Parnas unfolded magic, the entire surrounding noise went silent. The moment the mercenaries and the guards seemed to notice something off, the warlocks and the intelligence agents attacked them. The mercenaries and the guards fell down in no time. Parnas and Torres jumped into Elysium and told their men, ¡°Keep it in mind. It should be done in 5 minutes only.¡± When Torres spoke to his subordinates, the mercenaries from the inside went shouting at them. At first glance, it seemed a natural reaction because masked men entered into the room. ¡°Who are you, men?¡± ¡°How dare you enter Elysium that is run by Baron Kalain!¡± The mercenaries, who yelled on top of their lungs, burst out when a black glow flashed from Parnas¡¯ hand. ¡°Huh, those bugs!¡± When Parnas took down the mercenaries with Dark Bullet, those who were gambling screamed and ran away. ¡°Ack! A murderer!¡± ¡°Run away everyone!¡± The room turned into a mess, but Parnas and Torres didn¡¯t bother with it. The important thing was to make sure they catch Zehart within the time limit. ¡°Zehart is trading in the Golden Hall, the 3rd floor. Hurry up, men.¡± At his order, the agents ran up to the VIP floor called the Golden Hall. The mercenaries came out from everywhere but were taken down right away. The agents entered the 3rd floor and smashed through the door that was made from the logs of the Southern Continent. ¡°Lord Zehart, His Majesty has called for you¡­!¡± Zehart flinched at the words of Parnas. It was the same with Parnas. Instead of Zehart¡¯s escorts moving, the Golden Hall on the 3rd floor had knights and wizards with armors that had the crest of the Royal family. ¡®H-how did this¡­¡¯ ¡°I didn¡¯t believe it, but the message from the Symphonia Kingdom was indeed right. He did say that the spies of the Libiya Kingdom colluded with others and planned to attack this place¡­¡± The men clicked his tongue and stepped ahead. A man with red hair dressed with an ornate armor. He was Count Roma, a high ranking Sword Master of Castia Kingdom. Torres was shocked to see the man. As far as he knew, Count Roma was training the Guard Knights in the Royal city. Then why was the man in Cartago? ¡°Strike! I have something to ask, so don¡¯t kill them all, but leave a few of them barely alive!¡± ¡°Yes, Commander!¡± At the command of Count Roma, the guards ran toward the masked men. The Royal wizards, who accompanied them, weren¡¯t still either. They had already cast their magics, and each of them unfolded their attacks on the warlocks of the Libiya intelligence. The surprise attack that flew in flustered the Libiya men and caused huge damage. ¡°Damn it, it¡¯s a trap! Run away everyone!¡± Torres ordered an immediate retreat. Eder Parnas too commanded the men under him to run away instead of responding. However, it wasn¡¯t easy to run away because men were blocking the stairs. ¡°M-Mr. Zehart?¡± ¡°Who was it? I am not Zehart.¡± Sebastian disguised as Zehart laughed and Viscount Kaper, the commander of Unicorn Knights, ordered. ¡°It is His Majesty¡¯s orders. Wipe out all the Veritas men!¡± The swords of the knights flew in unison and the warlocks fell. ¡°Avoi-Kuak!¡± ¡°Damn it! Don¡¯t push!¡± Flustered with the sudden attack on them, the agents and the warlocks ran back and forth but were unable to respond to the attack. Parnas and Torres managed to pull themselves out of the mess. However, when they reached out, they saw a huge troop waiting outside Elysium. ¡°Shit, Cartago policing troops! Why are they here¡­?¡± The troops lined up with their shields placed ahead. Not just them, there were Gigants and also several priests. In addition, there were War Mages looking down from the sky. ¡®This is wrong. There is no time to escape!¡¯ Torres collapsed and plunged to the ground. However, Parnas unfolded dark magic to escape. But the divine power from the priests and the paralysis poison, which Sebastian sneaked on them, stopped him. They ended up getting caught and gave Arsene additional trouble. Chapter 691 - Arsene’s Suffering 4 Arsene¡¯s Suffering 4 ¡°Your Majesty, the King of Castia Kingdom has said that he is very grateful to you.¡± ¡°Woohoo. Of course, he should be.¡± At the report from Hans, Luke smiled. ¡°But did he accept the offer that I made for him?¡± ¡°Yes, he said that he is going to attend the magic video conference that Your Majesty has proposed.¡± Cartago was directly under the management of the royal family of Castia. It was a place that supported the royal family¡¯s living by giving them great financial power, the same place where the Libiya spies, and the warlocks tried to attack and wreak havoc. Of course, as the King of Castia, he had no choice but to go all out in protecting that place. ¡°Are the other Kings too attending the magic video conference?¡± ¡°Yes, Miss Reina of the Holy Empire, or Her Holiness was the first to confirm, and President Vladimir of the Volga Republic and King Charles of the Irea Kingdom too has agreed to it.¡± Immediately after dealing with the monster legion and the Grenada pirates, Luke was thinking about how he should deal with the coming future instead of holding a victory banquet. He opposes Arsene, and Arsene would also strike back, and surely it would be a very huge blow. That was when he thought of meeting up with the various rulers of the nations in the Rhodesia continent. He wanted to meet them up in person, but it was very time consuming and complicated. So he thought of a magic video conference. The main aspect of the video conference was going against the Libiya and Baroque who have joined hands with the Veritas warlocks. In the meantime, the various nations on the Rhodesia continent were all hostile against Baroque which stood with Veritas for their own reason, yet they stood on standby all the time. However, once the Libiya Kingdom joined hands with the Veritas warlocks, the disasters called upon the nations would be too huge to just stand by and look. It was because they knew that if they neglected the warlocks who were expanding their power, their own nations would end up being in danger. ¡°Four days later, it would be nice if we could form a military alliance.¡± This time, Luke was planning on joining hands with the other kingdoms of Rhodesia and subdue the enemies¡ªwhich were the Baroque Empire and the Libiya Kingdom which was under the control of Arsene. It seemed like it was the time to hit the North once again. In reality, the two nations couldn¡¯t be punished with the current power of the Symphonia Kingdom alone, but if the other nations helped, punishing the northern nations seemed possible. ¡°What do you think the allies of the Southern Continent will do?¡± At Han¡¯s question, Luke replied in a normal tone. ¡°Of course, they will participate.¡± When a military alliance would be formed four days from now, they would be asked to take part by sending in troops. ¡°If the Yemaek and the Song Empire participate in the war, it will be huge. Even if the scale is huge, the enemies are too strong.¡± There was a reason why Hans was being too cautious. The Baroque Empire was a great nation, but it still had potential, even though it has been destroyed in recent times. In addition, the Libiya Kingdom had slowed down recently, however, the military power had been enhanced since the founding. In particular, the Libiya Kingdom was in a state where it had the Dragonian power of Shaikan and the warlocks of the Veritas magic tower, it seemed inevitable that there was going to be a huge sacrifice. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like Luke didn¡¯t think of that. ¡°It will be difficult to do things like that. So I have prepared another thing for the Libiya Kingdom. The trick to weaken their military power.¡± ¡°A secret plan?¡± ¡°Kukku, you will be shocked when you see it later.¡± Luke smiled as if he was the owner of a magic trick that was hidden behind the curtains. ¡°Are you talking about swaying the economy of the Libiya Kingdom?¡± Hans knew that Luke used Sebastian to put the Libiya Kingdom¡¯s economy in trouble. However, he didn¡¯t know that Luke had given orders to Belfair apart from Sebastian. ¡®What Belfair did will cause huge serious problems later on, than what Sebastian did.¡¯ While the Libiya Kingdom was shaken with the economic hardships, Belfair turned the major military munition suppliers into his men. And they used them to play with weapons and food delivery. All the aspects seemed fine on the outside, but the cheap swords and shields were being given, wheat and barley were being mixed with sand to deceive the weight. He even ordered the magic stones which enter the weapons, such as Gigants to be made of lowest leveled ones. ¡®There aren¡¯t many that Belfair can turn into his own slaves, but even a few hundred of them can cause huge damage.¡¯ When the upper water turns muddy, so would the lower water. If an unjust act from the higher ones has been witnessed by the lower ones, even the lower ones will try to do the same thing. And such acts would turn into revolts and inefficient outcomes. However, if a war was being waged, all these stuff would be contributed greatly to eroding the power and morale of the Libiya soldiers. ¡®Of course, we should also prepare for that.¡¯ Just as a well-made bread could grow mold when left alone, corruption could occur anywhere. And the Symphonia Kingdom was no exception. When the Storm Break operation was being held in the Pamire mountains against the monster legion, there was a problem where the magic circles and the magic stones didn¡¯t work. And Aslan had to jump into the mess and gave up his life for it, but Marquis Rogers had no intention of leaving that aspect alone. He began to investigate why the magic circles installed didn¡¯t work, as a result, it was found out that some of the magic stones used in the heat wave magic circles were of low quality. And the related War Mages and the magic stone suppliers were punished immediately. It wasn¡¯t just the problem on land, even those on the navy faced problems. During the battle happening on Gregg, some battleships¡¯ men had to eat mold bread because the supplier of the navy didn¡¯t dry the goods and place them in appropriate containers. Water tanks containing clean drinking water were made poorly, causing water to leak out of it. Because of that, before Luke could reach the port, the men ran away. Even then, the rebels who were encouraged by the Libiya Kingdom were being searched and punished, at the same time, intensive audits were being done in each department in the kingdom. ¡°By the way, did you find out where the Undead moved from Hells Island were taken to?¡± ¡°Well, Baron Hudson is looking for them with everyone in the agency placed on it, but no clear answer as of now.¡± As a result of reading Zehart¡¯s memory, Luke found out that half of the undead from Hells Island were transferred to Libiya Kingdom. However, Zehart didn¡¯t know where the undead had been taken to from the coast of Libiya. There should have been a clue somewhere, but the things were done way too perfectly, so it turned tough to find out. Each Undead was a very strong one. And if hundreds of such undead were released at once, the disturbance they would cause was too much for even the troops of the alliance to deal with. ¡°And the reason for not being able to find them?¡± ¡°Well, the Libiya Kingdom is very thorough in hiding the traces, so it isn¡¯t very easy to investigate¡­.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ if any possible area comes up, report it to me. I¡¯ll take it from there.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Luke talked a little more with Duke Hans and then headed down to the training center which was solely for him. Sooner or later, he would have to fight against Arsene, and there was a need for him to prepare for that confrontation. Chapter 692 - Prestigious Summit 1 Rattle rattle. Along with the sounds of dull chains, more than a hundred personnel were chained and moved in the direction towards Brandon¡¯s central square. Quite a few people had come to the royal city and watched them, even Jack, a peddler who came up from the city early morning. ¡°Look there, who are they? They seem like prisoners from the way they are being taken.¡± His partner, who was beside him, responded with a snort. ¡°They are the traitors. They were the ones who tried to defame His Majesty during the war.¡± The prisoners¡¯ procession was of radical republicans and the corrupt nobles who were caught trying to instigate the rebellion by helping out the spies of the Libiya Kingdom. ¡°Really? Somehow, this seems way too extreme to me¡­¡± As Jack said that, people who were on the streets began to swear and pointed fingers at the prisoners. ¡°Kill those guys and tear them down!¡± ¡°No matter how blind they are to power, this is too much!¡± ¡°You filthy red dawn men! You were trying to start a revolution by holding hands with the rotten nobles and striking down Our Majesty who is trying to protect the people?¡± ¡°Destroy the three generations of the corrupt nobles and confiscate their property!¡± There were a lot of words and screams, however, no one threw stones or dirt like the past. It was because Luke was informed that such acts caused damage and distress to the soldiers who were escorting the prisoners. In addition, thanks to the promotion of the temples and the magic schools which said that dirtying the streets wasn¡¯t good for hygiene and could spread infectious disease. So, no one wanted to throw out objects after learning all that, but people didn¡¯t hold back their spit. ¡°Kyak~Thu!¡± ¡°Thu! Thu! Thu!¡± Prisoners frowned and hid their faces when people spit at them. Even more painful than the spitting was the honor and pride which had been snatched off them. It was even more for the radical republicans than the corrupt nobles. ¡°Damn it, this is all because of you! I should have never joined hands with such a greedy noble!¡± ¡°Do you think that I would have done this if I knew this was going to happen?!¡± The Red Dawn members, who were being punished for treason, began to quarrel among themselves. Soldiers who were holding the line, swung their clubs. ¡°Shut up, you pieces of crap! What right to sinners like you have to talk your mind?¡± ¡°Kuak! I just wanted real revolu¡­¡± ¡°You bastard, you think taking down the ruler is the right way of revolution?¡± The soldier hit back and yelled at the men. ¡°What is with that man?¡± As Philip, the commander of the 1st squad, the one in charge of executions of the nobles asked, the lieutenant answered. ¡°Some time back, it was said that he was a republican yet he took admission into the army as a soldier.¡± ¡°What? He is a republican?¡± ¡°Yes, he is interested in it, but is not in favor of the radical actions, and he said that there was no reason to question his loyalty for Your Majesty.¡± Although the soldier was a republican, he wasn¡¯t taken seriously because he was only a believer and not a rebel. However, he ended up getting caught in a situation of treason because of his companions, and had no choice but to suffer during the current war. Moreover, after being sent back fine from the interrogation unit, the soldiers were shunned by his superior and it was hard for him to look at those republicans in front of his eyes. ¡°I also read the books written by the republicans. I don¡¯t think that the world has degraded enough for you men to do what you claim.¡± ¡°But there is the Volga Republic!¡± ¡°Those people have left behind the title system. Even if the ability precedes blood, taking care of one¡¯s offspring is no different from ours.¡± ¡°This is a place where people live their lives without oppression.¡± ¡°Well, that is true.¡± While Philip was talking with the lieutenant, a convoy arrived at the central square. Things prepared in advance. Maybe they didn¡¯t expect it, but the nobles, traitors, including Viscount Lamerit too were shocked. ¡°Wha- we are being hanged?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t a single hanged type!¡± On the Rhodesia Continent, there were multiple methods for executing the criminals who resorted to robbery or murder. In the case of felony and treason, the people were beheaded as punishment. And nobles did prefer that kind of a thing. It was because unlike the hanging, where the tongue struck out and died ugly, the guillotine kept the face as it is. In addition, there was an ancient belief for knights that died in the hands of a weapon that they would be saved by the god of war from going to hell. ¡°We are not at fault! If you want to kill us, do it in one strike!¡± At Viscount Lamerit¡¯s protest, Philip frowned. ¡°Look at that, there are a lot of ways to subject the sinners. There is no choice given to you where you can go die this way or die that way. Don¡¯t you know that the Grenada King, Fernando, was hanged too?¡± ¡°We are no dirty pirate monsters!¡± ¡°What is so different from you?! Fernando or you men, you are all a group of nasty thieves!¡± Luke and the other heads of the Symphonia Kingdom had no intention of giving any honor to the rebels. That was why they were going ahead with the execution method which the Holy Empire started. ¡°Execute the sentence!¡± When the loud order fell from Philip¡¯s mouth, the soldiers dragged the prisoners in the lead and hung the noose around their necks. ¡°Let, let go!¡± ¡°Luke! We were the ones who made you the king!¡± ¡°Save me! Please give me another chance¡­!¡± The words of the prisoners varied according to their body¡¯s fight or flight, there were those who yelled and those who begged. But after a while, they all looked the same. The soldiers pulled the rope, and the prisoners struggled with their legs. The prisoners waiting for their turn trembled and cried when they saw it. ¡°Hahaha, look at that kid crying.¡± ¡°It is too late to regret now, you idiot!¡± The people who watched the execution made fun or laughed. For the sake of the Kingdom, they thought that such men had to be disposed of right away. Thus, the end of the rebels was miserable. ¡®With this, the anxiety in the nation has been cleared off.¡¯ A bell tower located near the central square. From the bell tower, Luke was looking at the central square. Although Arsene¡¯s tactics ended up as a failure, there were benefits for Luke. First, the Holy Empire occupied the Grenada Kingdom, and completely annihilated the remnants of pirates. In the future, the trade ships going to and from the Southern continent would no longer be attacked by the pirates, and the safety of the cities and villages on the coasts were secured. Second, eliminating the discontent within the Kingdom. The founding of the Symphonia Kingdom weakened the power of the nobles and strengthened the power of the royal family. On the contrary, some nobles were looking for chances because of the resentment of losing their power. Since things were organized, the Kingdom would be quiet for a while. Smirk. With a satisfied smile on his lips, Luke headed to the black tower. Chapter 693 - Prestigious Summit 2 Creak! Creak! Bang! Bang! Bang! ¡°Get down slowly! Slowly!¡± ¡°Is the engraving of the magic circle on frame 3 done?¡± ¡°It is almost done, just a bit more!¡± In the workshop of the Black Tower. On the outside, it was similar to a Gigant workshop of any magic tower. One difference was that the warlocks and the wizards, who were like enemies for the past hundreds of years, were working together. Moreover, the work inside the workshop was being carried out by the warlocks and not the wizards. ¡°Is this the artificial muscle that works in the joints of the Gigant?¡± After visiting the Black Tower, Luke pulled out something like a slippery piece of cloth that was in front of him. The artificial muscle didn¡¯t break even after being stretched several times its original length. ¡°It looks like a rubber which is produced in the Southern Continent.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. However, this is a lot stronger than the rubber, and it won¡¯t melt easily in fire.¡± At one time, there were attempts to reinforce Gigant joints by using the rubber, which was produced in the magic towers. And they gave up right away, the reason being, the production of rubber was a lot more complicated, and the rubber wasn¡¯t turning out as tougher as they expected, and it melted easily. Dusting off his dress, Johas guided Luke to the place where the artificial muscles were being placed. The test Gigants had no gloves, which made it look naked, with reddish artificial rubber attached to the joints and the frame. Swoosh! Thud! Thud! The Gigant, which was being used for experiment, was holding a wooden sword and performing the basic sword skills of the Symphonia Kingdom. Next to it was a regular Gigant, placed for comparison. However, the Gigant with artificial muscles moved a lot smoother, and its movement seemed flexible. ¡°We can apply complex magic circles to balance the device even in the absence of the rubber, but replacing it with the artificial muscle makes the device move simpler.¡± ¡°That must have reduced the number of malfunctions.¡± ¡°Yes, in addition to that, we were able to significantly reduce the production time and the cost of balancing the device.¡± Court wizard Erwin, who accompanied Luke and Yohas, asked, ¡°I think that there is still time and cost that needs to be applied to the artificial muscle, right?¡± ¡°Of course there is. But it is much easier and cheaper than adding in the magic circles to balance the device.¡± The artificial muscle was made by culturing it with dark magic and a special solution, but it was said that the process, production, and mounting of it can be done only with ordinary engineers too. ¡°Moreover, it has an elasticity to it, which means that it can reduce the damage when being hit.¡± ¡°Still in thought, but the gloves too can be made lighter.¡± ¡°Right, Your Majesty. You are also very good at magic engineering, so you too understand it.¡± He was bright in everything. Even when it came to dark magic, Luke was far ahead of Johas. And it was known not just to Johas but to Erwin too. ¡®If they know Your Majesty¡¯s identity, everyone will be shocked, right?¡¯ Saymon, the Black Sage, the leader of the Dark Moon, the man who was called the Devil King. Knowing that the soul of that man had entered into the body of Luke, a descendant of Rakan, would turn over the world. However, it was a secret that had to be kept forever. Saymon was a person whose character was being re-evaluated, and if people figure out Luke¡¯s identity, the entire process of re-evaluation would turn suspicious, and the warlocks, who were being acknowledged by the world, would be repressed once again. So Johas and Erwin didn¡¯t want to reveal it. No, they even tried to forget the truth as much as they could. ¡°But, what did the priests say about this artificial muscle?¡± Looking at the wizards working with them, there didn¡¯t seem to be much opposition in the workshop. What was left were the priests who supervised warlocks in the Black Tower. At Luke¡¯s question, Johas replied with a firm expression. ¡°It is still a situation where the priests are looking at pros and cons. It¡¯s rather controversial.¡± ¡°Any side that agrees?¡± Asked Luke with a frown. ¡°Yes, but there were more people on the side that disagrees.¡± The artificial muscle was recreated from the bio golem structure that was made by Dark Moon. It was made by removing the muscle tissue from an organism and then immersing it into a special solution, and it was cultured with dark magic. All the priests in the Black Tower watched the production process. ¡°The opposition has a lot of reluctance about using the corpses. In addition to dark magic, they are questioning whether it was related to the necromancer series of dealing with the undead.¡± It couldn¡¯t be said that there was no real connection to the study of necromancy. It was because the solution that was creating the muscles could also be used to create an undead. ¡°Did you tell that to them too?¡± ¡°I found it better to inform them ahead rather than to be pricked by them later on.¡± ¡°That was a good move. Still, there were priests who agree?¡± ¡°Yes, they were the kind who felt that this wouldn¡¯t be a huge problem.¡± The agreeing group of priests argued that the artificial muscle was no different from leather. It was like peeling off the leather from a dead body and then had it treated with some chemicals to soften and remove its odor and even its color. And some of the chemicals used to take off the leather were very toxic. ¡°Especially the kind of colorant¡­ in the Irea Kingdom. There were instances where the rebel spies stole paint from the royal painters and then dissolved them in the drinking water source of the royal palace.¡± ¡°Uhm, I heard about it before.¡± Using that as an example, the opposition argued that the tools used were harmful depending on its uses. That was why even the process of making artificial muscles should be monitored so that the materials wouldn¡¯t be misused. ¡°What does Meister think about it?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think that we can easily walk past the issues. The arguments in favor are reasonable, but those against can¡¯t be ignored as they feel anxious about it.¡± Last time, Johas and the elders of the Dark Moon had to step ahead to destroy the Veritas warlocks, who tried to secretly infiltrate the Kingdom. However, even then, the people¡¯s perception didn¡¯t change that easily. In particular, there was no need to even mention the priests, who walked out from talking about dark magic. Rather, it was shocking that there were a lot who were in favor. ¡°Then I will have to persuade them.¡± ¡°Your Majesty will?¡± ¡°I need to use the card that I have with me.¡± Having said that, Luke moved to the conference room where the priests were gathered. Chapter 694 - Prestigious Summit 3 As Luke approached the conference room, he could hear the priests arguing from the inside. ¡°I don¡¯t think that there is any problem with granting them permission.¡± ¡°Right! Don¡¯t you know that the needle thief turns into a cow thief? If you close your eyes on this injustice, things will hit back to us later!¡± ¡°I beg your pardon? Does it mean that Mr. Bosco regards them as thieves? Those men who repent their sins and have surrendered to us?¡± ¡°Well, who knows what is inside a person¡¯s mind? Maybe the warlocks are using it in their fight.¡± ¡°No, does that even make sense?¡± ¡°What doesn¡¯t make any sense?¡± As the debate was there, the escort announced Luke¡¯s arrival. As he opened the door to the conference room and entered, the priests stood up and bowed to him. Only one, a sturdy senior priest wearing a white toga bowed his head with a sullen look. ¡®That man is Priest Bosco, the head of the opposition.¡¯ He heard the arguments from the outside and even from Johas. Bosco was a priest of the Mars denomination, and like a priest of a denomination that worshipped the God of war, he had an excellent divine power. However, what was more grievous to Luke was that he was a priest of the Mars denomination. Priests of El Kassel generally supported Luke. He was the King of Symphonia, the first ally of the Holy Empire, and was personally known to be close to the pope. However, that political position didn¡¯t work for the Mars denomination. Rather, a weird feeling of betrayal could be felt from them. The Rakans were close with the Mars denomination, but with Luke, the Rakan ended up becoming close to the El Kassel denomination. Since the founding of Symphonia, the number of royal retainers who changed into El Kassel denomination was increasing, while the number of the Mars denomination kept on decreasing. Even though the continent was in the middle of a war. Rather than that, the Mars denomination¡¯s priests didn¡¯t like Luke, that was the same with Bosco. Luke approached him and spoke, ¡°Are you Priest Bosco?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, I am Bosco of the Mars denomination, the Elder of Symphonia side denomination.¡± The High priest of Mars denomination was on par with the elder priest of the El Kassel denomination. Moreover, since there were many knights who believe in the Mars denomination in the Symphonia Kingdom, Luke¡¯s troops could be shaken at the words of Bosco. ¡°I heard that you were arguing over the artificial muscle of the Gigant¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty must not be so free to come over for these measly problems?¡± ¡°I am flustered to hear such words from you who inspect the Black Tower, even after you are supposed to look after the well-being of the Kingdom.¡± Luke gave a sarcastic answer to Bosco¡¯s sarcasm. And to skip the quarrel, he went straight to the point. ¡°I will be straightforward with you. I don¡¯t think that the artificial muscle will be a huge problem if they can be managed well.¡± ¡°I think it is the right of a priest and not Your Majesty to judge that.¡± ¡°Really? I don¡¯t think that you actually saw my ability, right?¡± Once Luke was done, his body began to radiate a gold glow. Bosco¡¯s expression changed when he saw the Divine power of a high priest level exude from Luke. He heard the rumors that Luke was using Divine power, but the amount of it was beyond his imagination. As he was confused, Luke said, ¡°Did you know that there are martial arts training going on among the priests of Mars?¡± ¡°I know. I am practicing martial arts as it is my desire to resemble God. So the priests of our denomination know how to handle not just the words, but Gigants and artillery too.¡± At those words, Luke¡¯s lips formed a thin smile. It was because the words Luke wanted to hear came out. ¡°Then, Priest Bosco must know how to control a Gigant?¡± ¡°Of course, if you are curious about my skills, I can prove it right away.¡± Bosco seemed to have a strong pride in his skills, Luke spoke with his smile still stuck on his face. ¡°You can prove that later on. By the way¡­ I don¡¯t know if you know this. A Gigant¡¯s invention was originally related to dark magic.¡± ¡°Wh-what?¡¯ At Luke¡¯s words, all the priests in the room were shocked. But it was Bosco who was the most shocked. Gigants were a war weapon that had been under use for the past 500 years. It was a symbol of romance and love for the knights. The same was true of priests who served the God of War. But that very Gigant was related to dirty dark magic! Bosco¡¯s expression hardened. It felt as if his God, Mars, was being called the child of the Devil. ¡°On what grounds?¡± ¡°Well, among the dark magic, there is a magic called Marionette magic. And it is used to control golems, and it was created by Saymon, who fought with Golems on his side.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Luke continued to talk, as the frown only deepened on Bosco¡¯s face. ¡°Gigants are based on Golems. Maybe the basic magic circles used in the Gigants are borrowed from the Marionette magic.¡± ¡°Th-that is ridiculous¡­!¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t believe my words, do your own research. If I am wrong, I will apologize to Mars and cut off my tongue.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Bosco went silent. Knowing about it wasn¡¯t difficult. A Gigant¡¯s basic magic circles were well known in the magic word, and the Marionette magic could be found out from the warlocks who were in the Black Tower. However, hearing Luke¡¯s story, there was one doubt in his head. It was related to the first person known as the developer of the Gigant on the continent. ¡°In addition, the first Gigant was told to be made by Arsene, the then Meister of Veritas Magic Tower. The Dark Moon warlocks say that Arsene had intercepted the work of Saymon, the master of the golems¡­ Don¡¯t you think that was wrong?¡± ¡°Th-that¡­¡± ¡°Moreover, it was discovered that the Veritas were secretly studying dark magic. Did the answer you were searching for come out?¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Bosco turned sweaty and couldn¡¯t respond. ¡°The ones I love will bloom even from the soil, and poison can sometimes become the best medicine to save people. If you are a priest, you would know how complicated the world has become and the reason for it. How about you all think about the artificial muscle thing one more time?¡± Luke, who said that, left the room, leaving Bosco with his thoughts. No one knew what the decision would be. However, he thought that those who knew shame wouldn¡¯t judge the same way about the situation anymore. Chapter 695 - Prestigious Summit 4 Time passed and it was the day for the magic video conference. In the King¡¯s office, Luke installed five magic communication beads and a relay magic device that binds them together. When he injected the mana into the relay magic device, the five beads began to light up one after the other. When the lights came on, he spoke. ¡°Some people are familiar ones, but let¡¯s introduce each other for those who we never saw or met in person. I am Luke de Rakan, the King of Symphonia Kingdom.¡± The first one to respond back to Luke¡¯s introduction was Reina. -Veronica III of the Holy Arthenia Empire. -This James II of Castia Kingdom. Veronica of the Holy Empire is definitely as pretty as the rumors. I regret not meeting you. Hahaha! At the words of the handsome James II, who was in his early thirties and had brown hair, Luke frowned. ¡®Tch, disgusting playboy, just as they said!¡¯ According to the report of the Intelligence Agency, James II had more than 20 girlfriends inside and outside the palace in addition to the 5 queens. That was what was known, and it was said that the women he would sometimes touch could never be found again. There was criticism because of this kind of act, but he wasn¡¯t a tyrant. There was no need to use any force to touch the woman he wanted, and the ruling of his Kingdom was known to be stable. The peculiar thing about him was that he had no children yet, even after he would move around the women. ¡®Huh, must have been cursed by the Godden of Earth and life, Belize.¡¯ When Luke was thinking of it¡ªHenry II of the Navarre Duchy, and President Vladimir of the Volga Republic introduced themselves. When the president introduced himself, the other Kings seemed uncomfortable. ¡®Tch, is there any need to call for that republican monster?¡¯ ¡®I hope the Volga men would just end in the bloody fight with the Baroque Empire.¡¯ However, Reina who was supposed to have held deep grudges of being turned into a princess of ruin, spoke to President Vladimir. -I really wanted to see you in person, but even meeting you like this is nice. -Ah, yes¡­ I don¡¯t know how I am supposed to greet Her Holiness. Vladimir perspired. No matter what anyone said, he would always be the enemy of the Volga Royal family. Even if the woman wanted war, no one would blame her. Even if the Holy Empire, which was currently the most powerful nation on the continent, used only half of its military power, the Volga Republic would meet its end. But Reina didn¡¯t seem to go behind any grudge. ¡®Well, if that was her intention I would have met with her earlier itself.¡¯ While the president sighed of relief, the King of Irea, opened his mouth for the first time. -Nice to meet everyone. I am Charles of Irea Kingdom. Charles was a blunt young man with freckles on his face. The Kingdom of Irea was located in the center of the Rhodesia Continent and shared its borders with a number of Kingdoms. The Irea Kingdom surrounded by the mountains had barren land and less population, but it had a military power that couldn¡¯t be ignored. It was because half the population were hunters or earned their money by turning into active mercenaries in other nations. For that reason, nations who invaded the Irea Kingdom by treating it lightly, such as the Baroque and Holy Empire were always defeated. Despite having such power, the Irea Kingdom never invaded any other nation or formed an alliance with another. It was because the Kingdom hated getting swayed by foreign powers, yet, it hurt their pride to be considered as a lower nation to the Holy Empire or Baroque Empire or even the Navarre Duchy. So what he chose was a neutral diplomacy, a policy which tilted towards isolation. As such, the nation¡¯s diplomatic activities were all about tariffs when their mountain path was being used for trade. And such a Kingdom entered the summit. Which meant that the issue being discussed was considered so serious. There were a total of 6 nations in total, including the Symphonia which proposed the summit. In addition to that, there were several small tribes and kingdoms in Rhodesia, but they were excluded from the conference due to their small power. Once everyone was done introducing themselves, Luke spoke. ¡°The reason why we are having to meet up like this today, is because we can no longer condone the actions of the warlocks who represent the Veritas Magic tower.¡± -Regarding that, seeing the data which King Luke sent, I can see the situation is rather unusual. But do we really need to go against Baroque and the Libiya for it? It was unexpected, but Charles of Irea was the first to speak. ¡°Then what do you think?¡± -There is considerable power in both those nations. So wouldn¡¯t it be better to support them from the inside and flip them out at the right moment? Very much like the King who enjoyed seclusion and isolation. ¡®That is stupid. Let¡¯s say that I don¡¯t know about Arsene taking control of the Libiya Kingdom. Even then, isn¡¯t it a famous story about how the nobles who opposed Rudolf always disappeared?¡¯ The nobles who caused the civil war turned into independent nations like Milton and Libiya Kingdom. The remaining lords and nobles were seeking shelter in Symphonia Kingdom due to the constant wars in the Baroque Empire. And he wanted to support the dissatisfied forces and make them revolt? Even before Luke could answer, Reina refuted it. -That is something that has no rationality around it. Both the nations have no opposition forces inside them. Reina heard the information from the Holy Empire¡¯s Intelligence agency. -I agree with Her Holiness. We too supported the peasant rebellion in the Baroque Empire, but we didn¡¯t achieve anything which could even flip the nation for a short while. President Vladimir backed Reina¡¯s words. In fact, supporting that rebellion did gain the Volga Republic a few estates. However, it was smaller than what they imagined. It was because of the betrayal of the Libiya Kingdom, who had broken their secret alliance. The Volga Kingdom didn¡¯t know why they suddenly broke it, but after seeing the data sent by Luke, they were able to figure out what happened. ¡®They held hands with the warlocks and plotted something else.¡¯ -I also agree with the words of Her Holiness Veronica. It is already too late to stir up rebels. Now, the only choice we have is to fight from the outside. It was James II of Castia who said that. He didn¡¯t just agree, he winked at Reina too. ¡®How dare he do this to another person¡¯s wife?!¡¯ Luke, who was displeased with James II flirting with his wife, tried very hard to hold himself back. He clenched his hand. -The words of James II seem like starting a war is the only option. -Well, it is my judgment that if we leave them as they are, the war against the Devil King 500 years back will only happen again. The meeting was divided into two groups. The Baroque and Libiya had to be taken down, and those who wanted to stand back. The latter was Henry III of Navarre Duchy and Charles of Irea. The Navarre would always be under the Baroque Empire. Although Baroque¡¯s power had weakened, the Navarre had freed themselves from political intervention, but it didn¡¯t seem right to attack a nation that once helped it out. When the meeting turned tense, Luke finally decided to uncover another piece of information. ¡°Did you know that the undead are being made by the Veritas Magic tower? They are being divided into Lich and Death Knight, and the other day they appeared in the southern part of our nation and caused huge damage.¡± -Ah! Right. At that time you applied for support, and according to Arch Duke Gregory who directly dealt with the undead, the Lich was at least 7th magic circle, and the Death Knight was a Sword Master class. When Reina backed Luke¡¯s words, the room fell silent. ¡°The problem is that there are hundreds of undead, but just one or two.¡± Du-dum! The heads of each nation who heard that went shocked. Imagine hundreds of 7th magic circle mages and sword masters striking the continent. Which nation could stop them? If Luke¡¯s words were indeed true, the situation could have been a lot worse than that during the Devil King¡¯s war 500 years back. -Why are you telling that only now? King Charles asked with a frown. ¡°We got that information only recently. It took us a while to confirm it. Rather, shouldn¡¯t we have to get a decision now?¡± -Ugh, then we have no other choice but to strike first. They couldn¡¯t give them time until Veritas Magic tower finished making the undead. After that, the meeting went in speed, resulting in a temporary alliance of the six nations. ¡°Well, the Song Empire and the Yemaek of the Southern continent are in a military alliance with our Symphonia. Even those two will participate in the war, I hope you understand.¡± -The more allies the better, you don¡¯t have to worry about that. -Then, leave the details over to my working staff and I¡­ -I have a job to do, I need to leave. Her Holiness, if I have a chance, I would like to meet you. One after the other, everyone ended their connection. James II of Castia was the last to end it. Everyone left leaving behind only Reina and Luke. Reina spoke seeing Luke in a bad mood. -You seem troubled from a while back, is there anything that is bothering you? ¡°I do. I am seeing your fame rise.¡± As Luke grumbled while answering, Reina asked with a smirk. ¡°Ho ho ho, why? Feeling jealous?¡± ¡°Not jealous, just unpleasant. Some sloppy bastard keeps flirting with my wife, would there be anyone who would like that?¡± Luke, feeling back, spoke out. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop that King of Castia from acting like that?¡± -To avoid any more troublesome things. ¡°To avoid troublesome things?¡± Reina spoke to Luke, who didn¡¯t seem to understand it. -You surely are a master when it comes to magic and swords, but you don¡¯t understand human behavior. Playboys like James II don¡¯t need to be responded to. If we respond to him, it will only tire the opposite person out. There were always people who would exaggerate their words when specifically asked not to do so. And it was the case of James II, who seemed rather high. Which was why Reina completely ignored him. -Moreover, it was a situation where the nations on the continents had to join to defeat Arsene. I don¡¯t think that such huge tasks should be hindered by creating a mess out of small things. ¡°I see. I couldn¡¯t figure it out.¡± Embarrassed, Luke smiled. -Wouldn¡¯t it have been better to reveal Arsene¡¯s identity? If I told that Arsene had taken over the body of the Libiya Kingdom¡¯s ruler¡ªShaikan, each of the nations in the alliance would have joined without another word of disagreement. They would feel anxious as to when their bodies too would be robbed. But Luke didn¡¯t mention it on purpose. They might be in favor because of the anxiety, but they could be scared and try to save their own selves. ¡°And, most of all, it is something I need to do, slash Arsene¡¯s neck.¡± -Is it because of the family grudge? ¡°That too¡­ he has been killing thousands of people over the past 500 years. So I feel like I need to do it with my own hands.¡± Reina nodded at Luke¡¯s words. -I see. Then take me with you when you get rid of Arsene. ¡°I can¡¯t. It is dangerous.¡± -That is even more reason for me to go. I am the highest authority of the El Kassel denomination. My divine power will be of great help in defeating the dark magic of Arsene. ¡°But¡­¡± -Married couples share one body. Your job is my job. That is the reason why I was given the power of Aether from Sylphid so that I can help you out. Luke tried to talk her out of it. However, Reina being as stubborn as she was, didn¡¯t back down. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s go together.¡± Honestly, if he accompanied Luke, it was like being Heaven¡¯s light. Reina¡¯s Aether¡ªwhich is converted into the Divine power, was the greatest disadvantage for dark magic. Moreover, Reina had reached a far higher level in terms of Divine power when compared to Luke. Her Divine faith wasn¡¯t merely converted by the Aether Globe like Luke¡¯s, but it was stronger due to the faith in God and extreme love for life. ¡®Which is why they are called as Saint. But Reina, you won¡¯t be accompanying me.¡¯ Luke didn¡¯t want any circumstances where Reina¡¯s life would be in danger. Also, when he went to fight with Arsene, he wanted to go full out. He would hear Reina¡¯s nagging and resentment at the later time, but Luke was ready for it. After talking for a while, the two ended their magic communication. Chapter 696 - Rudolf’s Stratagem 1 Chapter 696: Rudolf¡¯s Stratagem 1 Baroque Empire. The Empire, which had been proud of its heritage and wins over the last 500 years, was entering the decline with every passing day. The nation was divided because of the civil war, and the Emperor¡¯s exploitation and the rebels in the various places almost turned it into rags. Emperor Rudolf lost the support of the denominations and the people¡¯s sentiment as a result of his effort to increase the military strength of the Empire by diverting the Empire¡¯s funds. The military power, which was regarded to be the strongest in the continent, wasn¡¯t the same as before. The power of the Sword Emperor and the SS Knights under the command were still strong, but due to the frequent wars, the power was decaying from below. As the nation¡¯s livelihood declined, officers and knights began to embezzle the funds to fill their vaults, and the soldiers deserted their roles whenever they felt in crisis. Because of that, winning in a war turned impossible. And that was why the recent war with the Volga Republic ended without any benefit to the Empire. Enraged Emperor Rudolf, found out those rats who ate away his funds and punished them, but nothing of significant change in the Empire. Nobody said anything, but everyone knew that the Empire was in its current state because of the Emperor. The lower-powered nobles were often residing in their manors or took refuge in other nations. Those who couldn¡¯t hide or run away would sigh and wait for their savior to appear and end the hellish time they were having to endure. That was how things were. Strange rumors circulated in various parts of the Empire, including Nemesis. Nemesis, Imperial palace. There were two people in the Emperor¡¯s office. It was Rudolf behind the ornate desk, and Count Voltas, bowing in front of him. ¡°Count, did you hear the strange rumor in the capital?¡± When Rudolf asked, Voltas began to sweat. He did think that it was strange as Rudolf suddenly summoned it, but he didn¡¯t think that Rudolf would have heard the rumors which were spreading throughout the Empire. Voltas replied as calmly as he could. ¡°It is just a rumor which some spies must have told. We are searching for them and will punish them right away, so please don¡¯t stress over it¡­¡± ¡°That so?¡± Rudolf, who was holding his chin with his hand, remained silent for a moment and then spoke once again. ¡°Even then, it is a little weird.¡± ¡°Weird?¡± Rudolf, who got up from his seat, continued to speak by pointing to the map in the office. ¡°I hate to admit it, but it is true that there are people in this world who have the power to kill me. Luke de Rakan and my half-brother Reichard¡­¡± The Emperor who had a bitter smile on his face, soon had a frown and anger registered on his face. The most promising candidate to kill him came to his mind. Arsene, the indestructible monster of the Veritas Magic tower! ¡°Why is it? Why is the name of a princess who suddenly disappeared 500 years back leaving people alone, being heard once again?¡± The last princess of the old Libiya Kingdom and her knights will return one day and destroy the blood of Karno de Baroque! And the flag of the forgotten kingdom will flutter once again! That was the rumor which had been circulating in the Empire. Count Voltas released informants to investigate who was the one who made that ghost story. Some said that it was said by an old elf astrologer, while the others said that it was heard in a temple of Goddess Belize. There was also a story about an old priest from the South. The bottom line, it was impossible to trace it back to the definite origin. If it was the work of the neighboring nations, they would have immediately found out the spies and punished them for spreading such rumors, but it seemed too absurd for the neighboring nations to use a princess who died hundreds of years back. ¡°We are seeing it as an act of Libiya Kingdom, and we asked for a detailed investigation to be carried out.¡± ¡°Reichard¡¯s work¡­ is that really his?¡± Instead of a princess who disappeared hundreds of years back, Reichard would have used his mother, who was killed unjustly, and emphasized his own Dragon blood and the former Emperor whose reason for death wasn¡¯t clear. ¡®Anyway, there is something which came to my mind because of that b*tch princess being mentioned.¡¯ The ruins under the Imperial Palace. The ruins, which were destroyed during the escape of Count Ferrero, were currently being restored and investigated. From what Rudolf knew, the ruins were created by ancient wizards who sought after the power of Time. The research hadn¡¯t moved much, so he had forgotten about it, but because of the recent rumors, he got reminded of it again. ¡®I need to find out how things are going on down there.¡¯ Rudolf wanted to head down to the ruins, and if there was no progress, he would blow the throats of the wizards who were working down there. These days, he didn¡¯t really like the Imperial Magic Tower. It has been several times since the production of the Gigants was disrupted, and the loyalty to the Imperial family had also declined, and some wizards were secretly fleeing away. During the last war with the Volga Republic, the Iron Mages deserted their positions. And escaping into the enemy camp after the desertion of post was considered to be a felony, but they had the audacity to sabotage the Gigants to run away. Breaking the core parts and turning the magic stones into counterfeit ones. The bigger problem was to inform Volga men of their actions, and causing the Baroque to lose the war. For that reason, the Marquis and Meister of the Imperial Magic Tower, Kepler, took responsibility and withdrew. Rudolf didn¡¯t have any other people who could replace him, so Kepler was asked to return, but even then, Rudolf didn¡¯t have the power to place his trust in the Tower. And his patience was limited. If they showed disappointing results again, Rudolf decided that he would clean up the Imperial magic tower. ¡®It was an atmosphere where the republicans and the rebels who have separated their paths would avoid the war for a time being. In this time, I need to clean up that Imperial tower and build a new one to replace it.¡¯ Rudolf decided firmly and went to visit the ruins. As the Emperor silently went over along with his SS Knights, the wizards who noticed them in the ruins were flustered. However, they soon regained their calm and greeted him. ¡°Your Majesty, you came here.¡± The assistant Meister and Count Rolex of the Imperial Magic Tower, who was responsible for restoring the ruins of Time, ran over to greet Rudolf. To him, Rudolf spoke arrogantly. ¡°Do you have any results?¡± ¡°We do.¡± Rudolf¡¯s eyes went wide at the answer from Count Rolex. He thought that their answer would be the same, ¡®I need more time and money¡¯ with their gloomy expressions. ¡°I don¡¯t really like those who joke around. So be honest.¡± Said Rudolf with sternness in his voice. Even then, Count Rolex replied with a calm face. ¡°I will tell you this honestly, Your Majesty. The destruction of the ruins and the battles which happened here was a blessing in disguise.¡± It was real. It really looked like they managed to get something. Rudolf who was interested hurriedly grabbed Rolex¡¯s shoulders and asked. ¡°Tell me, how did that become a blessing in disguise? What were the achievements you made?¡± ¡°Well, that is what I am going to tell you, so please let me go¡­¡± When Count Rolex seemed to try and release him from Rudolf¡¯s grasp, Rudolf let go of him. Wiping off the sweat from his head, he guided the Emperor to a dome structure. Inside the dome, the original ruins were almost restored. ¡°To be honest, when this was destroyed, we thought we lost everything. I didn¡¯t know what to do and how to restore it back.¡± However, in the process of recovering the ruins, it was said that a large bronze chest was found at the lower level of the ruins. The chest was sealed with layers of ancient magic, and contained research materials and drawing related to the ruins. ¡°Oh oh! There were such things?!¡± ¡°Yes, Your majesty. Perhaps they were left behind in case a problem occurred with the ruins.¡± The data was instrumental in advancing the research. Even with the Aether which Rolex found was very hard to tackle. ¡°I am sure that Meister reported it before. To run his ruins we need Aether.¡± ¡°Yes, the power which existed when the world was created? However, I know that it isn¡¯t a power we can gather at this time.¡± ¡°Yes, that was what we know¡­¡± Count Rolex smiled and presented a research note to the Emperor. The research note was filled with magic circles and formulas which Rudolf couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°When the ruins were destroyed, the invaders who took Count Ferrero or the traitor Ferrero, made a tunnel of light outside the capital and escaped. The runnel of light was similar to a teleport gate, but entirely different.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t only connect to the present, but also the past and the future?¡± ¡°Yes, right. The ancient wizards called it Warp.¡± During that time, there were two warp gates right outside the capital. One, used by the intruders who took Ferrero, and the other was an old Southern continent man with a child in his arms. Count Rolex even tried to fight the man. ¡°I did a thorough investigation into the Fist Master right away. As a result, we found out from our merchants, priests, and warriors of the Southern continent in our Empire¡ªthat it was a martial arts user who was a Fist Master. That Fist Master used similar skill as the Trinity martial arts, which is passed down to those in the Hwang Bo clan, in the Song Empire.¡± ¡°Then, that old man is from the Song Empire?¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t that simple. It was because no one in the family has even completely mastered the Trinity Martial arts.¡± It was said that the only warrior, who died 300 years back, did it, and only recently¡ªa man who appeared during the civil war of the Song Empire was able to do it. Shockingly, he ended up becoming the limb of Luke de Rakan, the Symphonia King. ¡°He is very young. He was different from the old man I saw.¡± ¡°If so¡­ that man must have come from the past or the future.¡± ¡°With that thought, we investigated into the mana waves which were open during the warp.¡± As a result of it, they found out that the waves were quite different. Probably, without the research data left behind by the ancient wizards, the waves would have been hard for Rolex to assess. ¡°Thanks to the research, we found out that the mana got converted into Aether to open the warp gate. That was why the waves seemed different.¡± ¡°Oh, mana got converted into Aether¡­?¡± Rudolf was expecting something. Count Rolex gave an answer without failing his expectations. ¡°Aether was already being lost under the ancient times, so the wizards of that time were working on it to solve that problem. Based on that research in the bronze chest, we were able to create Aether by combining advanced magic engineering.¡± The complex magic circles and the formulas in the notebook were what needed to be gone into the device to make aether. Rudolf, who understood what was being said, asked with anticipation. ¡°Then can the artificial Aether be made?¡± ¡°Yes, there is a very difficult and tricky way to react to the large amount of magic stones in a specific manner, but¡­¡± ¡°Hahah! Is that possible?! Ugh! Hahahah!¡± The Emperor¡¯s laughter resounded in the dome. He was so thrilled that Rudolf couldn¡¯t hold back his calmness anymore. ¡°It is possible, right? Making Aether and using the ruins and turning back the time to past¡­?!¡± Everything can be turned back. The Empire was torn down, and his family was dead in the hands of a monster that would never die. ¡®The God¡¯s and the Devil too have abandoned me. But I will transcend all that and achieve what I want!¡¯ A mad smile came on Rudolf¡¯s lips, and a spark of hope rose in his eyes. Chapter 697 - Rudolf’s Stratagem 2 Karen fell asleep next to Reina after having her dinner. It seemed like she was dreaming. However, the landscape in the dream seemed way too familiar to her. ¡®It looks like the garden of Symphonia Royal palace?¡¯ She had lived with Luke for a while now, so Karen knew where she was standing. Perhaps, it was her desire to see her father in her dream. The moment Karen was about to smile¡­ Bang! Dirt rose with great vibration in the palace. As if that wasn¡¯t done, the palace seemed like it was cut in half and began to collapse. ¡°A-avoid! Getting involved in the fight will destroy us!¡± ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± ¡°The descendants of Rakan are fighting! His Majesty and another direct line, Hiros!¡± The soldiers and servants, who were guarding the Royal palace, were screaming and stepping back. ¡®Huh? Hiros?¡¯ Hiros was a fake man who was punished for pretending to be the descendant of Rakan when she met with Luke and entered the Symphonia Kingdom. In the history of another time, he defeated his father and caused the death of Luke. ¡®Am I dreaming about the thing which happened two years ago?¡¯ As it was the day when the gloomy future had began to change, she seemed like she was dreaming of that day. ¡®Because dad will win¡­¡¯ With that thought, Karen approached the palace where her father and Hiros were fighting. However, her eyes went wide upon looking at it. It was the same with the two of them fighting, but the confrontation was very different from what she had seen or heard. ¡°Kuak!¡± Thud! Luke was hit back by Hiros¡¯s sword and bounced over to the half-collapsed palace. ¡°Kuakaahah! Luke de Rakan! Even though you are a descendant of the warrior, I will reveal the true identity which you hide¡ªthe man who learned dark magic!¡± Hiros laughed out loud and went toward Luke with a golden aura, not showing any mercy. Bang! Bang! Bang! Whenever the golden aura shone brighter, the palace kept on shattering. Luke barely managed to avoid all the attacks by using blink, but after that, he began to shift to a defensive stance. ¡°D-daddy!¡± Scared, Karen tried to get into the fight. Even if it was a dream, she wasn¡¯t able to see her father in crisis. However, something was holding her back, not letting her move. Eventually, Luke¡¯s sword, which was being used for defense, broke, and his right arm got cut off. ¡°Kuak, Dadddyyy!¡± Karen screamed. Something must have been extremely wrong. According to her memory, Luke cut down the neck of Hiros without even using any dark magic or demon powers. ¡®Yes, right, this is a dream. Yes, maybe I am dreaming of the story of the original time which I heard from mom.¡¯ Karen, who screamed, calmed herself down. But all of a sudden, time began to move at a fast pace. After being defeated in the fight, Luke used black magic to escape to Jason estate where the Dark Moon Magic Tower was located. Reina visited him and comforted him. But, even she couldn¡¯t save Luke with her Divine power. Luke suffered from anxiety and died. At that side, Karen seemed puzzled. She had heard that her dad got assassinated by an undead sent by Hiros. ¡®Why is it different from what I know?¡¯ The situation that followed it was also different. It was because the Baroque Empire, which should have collapsed within a few years, continued to survive, further confusing the future of the Rhodesia Continent. What was even more absurd was¡­ ¡°The witch, who has defiled the name of God with her witchcraft and deceived the people, needs to be burnt!¡± When Constantine, who became the pope, took Reina, who was in a shabby form, to the central square and tied her up. Karen¡¯s eyes went wide at the sight of the fire burning at Reina¡¯s feet. ¡°NO! No! This makes no sense! Mom! Moommm!¡± She struggled to save her mother by using magic. But all she could do was watch their death. ¡°Kuak¡­ I hate this! I don¡¯t like this!¡± It was a nightmare. A terrifying nightmare. She wanted to wake up, but the nightmare continued, and she didn¡¯t get a say in waking up. Numerous undead were marching over the continent. Several nations collapsed in no time. Eventually, before even Karen could properly grow up, the continent got destroyed again. Under the red sky, on the dry land, the world of darkness and death, where only the undead lingered, formed. And Arsene, who stood at the center of the gloomy world, smiled. ¡®What is this? Why am I dreaming such things¡­¡¯ No matter how much of a dream it was, watching her own parents die and the world perish was weird. When Karen couldn¡¯t understand it anymore and started to weep, a stern voice came from behind. ¡°Nothing is over yet. Someone else¡¯s greed has changed the course of history once again.¡± Startled, Karen turned her head. She saw a person she had seen and met before. A young man with a gold-embroidered robe, a golden staff, and a mysterious atmosphere around him, and an age that couldn¡¯t be predicted. ¡®Ah, he is¡­!¡¯ The man who was watching everything, Watcher. To humans, he was a being called El Kassel. Karen knelt in front of him. ¡°This miserable daughter sees her parents¡¯ death.¡± ¡°Woo hoo, how did it feel changing the past? Were you satisfied?¡± ¡°I will never be able to repay the grace that you have shown by giving me my parents back. Even my soul won¡¯t suffice. But what were the things that I just saw?¡± From the moment she saw El Kassel in her dream, Karen knew that it wasn¡¯t just any dream. And she was worried about what he mentioned before. Someone else was trying to change history. Wasn¡¯t there supposed to be a law where one shouldn¡¯t undo what had already been done? So she knew it was wrong, but she couldn¡¯t say it out loud. El Kassel, with a smile on his lips, answered her, ¡°This is a new future. It hasn¡¯t been confirmed yet, but it is very likely to turn into that.¡± ¡°But as far as I know, to turn back time, we will need your permission. So how¡­?¡± ¡°I am the one who plans the original universe. I am neither on good or evil¡¯s side¡­ I am on no one¡¯s side.¡± ¡°Th-then why are you appearing in my dreams and letting me see this?¡± ¡°Huhuhu, maybe on a whim?¡± Karen¡¯s eyes widened at his words. She never thought that the great man, who was referred to as the Mightiest God, would say such absurd words. With a smile on his lips, he spoke, ¡°Actually, you are the cause of this twisted fate.¡± ¡°I¡­ understand. This was something I started.¡± The person, which changed history by turning back time, was herself. No matter how much she wanted to save the world, she too had endured tremendous pain as she violated the natural flow of God¡¯s will. She thought that God¡¯s punishment was done after she received Aether and care from her mother. However, it seemed like she was still responsible for a lot of stuff. ¡°I have no intention of intervening in the work of the Middle-Earth. This is what you started, so finish it with your own hands.¡± With that, El Kassel disappeared. And Karen woke up. Chapter 698 - Rudolf’s Stratagem 3 Chapter 698: Rudolf¡¯s Stratagem 3 ¡°What is it, princess? You don¡¯t seem that good.¡± Victor asked with anxiousness clearly registered on his face after seeing Karen leave her room very early in the morning. He felt responsible for Karen. It wasn¡¯t just because he felt like he owed it to her for saving his life. Karen looked very much like the little Reina he knew. He didn¡¯t know the details about Karen, but it seemed like she had ties with Reina or the Volga royal family. Of course, his attitude toward her was because he found her cute. ¡°That¡­ I had a scary dream.¡± ¡°Is that so? Don¡¯t worry. I will make that dream never come close to you again.¡± Karen smiled at Victor¡¯s words but was soon lost in her thought. ¡®Who the hell would try to turn back time? In order to turn back time, the ruins of Abaron are needed, and the only place is currently buried under the Baroque Imperial palace.¡¯ The most promising person to do it was Emperor Rudolf. Even in the original history where Karen lived, Emperor Rudolf did try to restore and use the ruins of Abaron years later. It wasn¡¯t the time yet, but maybe the change in variable had caused the situation to accelerate. The next one would be Arsene. He might have known about the existence of the Abaron ruins. He was a monster who had slaughtered the world by staying in the dark for 500 years. There could have been other candidates who she didn¡¯t know about, but the fact that the ruins were able to turn back time remained unchanged. ¡®I need to talk with dad.¡¯ One couldn¡¯t solve his or her problems at once or by themselves. So Karen went into her room right after having her breakfast and pulled out her crystal ball. It was a high-end magic communication crystal that Luke had sent to her as a gift. The moment she infused mana and set the coordinates, Luke¡¯s face popped up right away. -Oh oh, Karen. What made you contact your dad? ¡°That¡­¡± -Please don¡¯t ask me to teach you anything. I don¡¯t like getting scolded by your mom. Karen smiled when Luke said that. She talked to him about her dream. -A scary dream? ¡°Yes, that was¡­¡± Karen explained everything in detail. On one hand, she even wanted to mention the foresight dream that El Kassel had given her, the man who sent her to the past and changed the future, but she couldn¡¯t speak it out. It was as if something was blocking her mouth. ¡®Does he not want to be mentioned?¡¯ Maybe that was true. So, how could she pursue her dad without even telling her dad what she even saw in her dream? Unlike Karen, Luke seemed quite serious to listen to it. He didn¡¯t know that Karen was his own daughter, but he did know that she came back from the future. So he was able to understand what she was so concerned about. -I heard from Count Hwang Bo-sung that you are a child from the future. That is why you are worried that someone like you would go back in time and change the situation. Right? ¡°Yes. That is it.¡± Karen nodded and asked, ¡°¡­ Is it wrong to worry?¡± -No, it is not. Karen was the only genius wizard. The only hope for a new world. Therefore, she was able to come back in time. But that didn¡¯t mean that the others couldn¡¯t do it. The one thing that wizards shouldn¡¯t have was arrogance. Pride and self-esteem had to be preserved, but the moment one believed that their skills and thoughts were unconditionally current, their power would turn stagnant, and they would fall behind. ¡®Karen came to the present by using the ruins in the basement of the Imperial palace. And that ruins still exist.¡¯ When Luke went in to rescue Count Ferrero, he saw those ruins. Later, according to Belfair¡¯s slaves, the ruins were completely buried underground due to the explosion that happened later. He did hear that the Imperial family would like to take it out, but he never received any reports on it. Rudolf was more concerned with the war with Volga and Libiya Kingdom, so the removal of the ruins was slowed down. However, once again, the ruins seemed to have emerged, and the order of the world had to be reconsidered again. -I will thoroughly investigate and deal with it. You don¡¯t have to worry about it. ¡°No, I want to help.¡± -It is alright. You did a lot. Also, if you get involved in time-related things¡­ ¡°I will help! No, I need to end it!¡± Despite Luke¡¯s words, Karen said that she wanted to help. Like El Kassel had said. What was started had to be finished by the same hands. So she didn¡¯t want it to be left in her father¡¯s hands. And Karen¡¯s strong will eventually made Luke take back his words. -Fine. You know the ruins better than me. Once we have gathered the relevant information, I will contact you again. ¡°Yes, please do that.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Karen sighed out of relief. Fortunately, it seemed like she could help with it. And that was done, but Karen didn¡¯t immediately end the magic communication. It was because Luke seemed to have something more to add. -Karen, when I heard from Hwang Bo-sung, I didn¡¯t say it out loud, but I thought about it. Maybe you are the child of me and Reina from the future¡­ Luke came to that decision because Karen resembled him and Reina a lot. Besides, since the first time they met, it didn¡¯t seem normal. It was not just Luke, but Reina thought so too, and those who met Karen would always say that as well. -The reason you didn¡¯t tell me the truth was because it might have caused a problem with your existence in this world¡­ Am I wrong? If it is, then laugh out loud. Karen didn¡¯t laugh. Rather, she was shedding tears of joy and smiled brightly. There was a reason for it. It was because even after Luke mentioned her real identity, she didn¡¯t feel any danger to her existence. Rather, joy and vitality seemed to have overflowed into her because of those words. It seemed like she could fly up to the sky at any moment. -Next time, let¡¯s meet in person and talk. And stay well till then. ¡°Yes, daddy. You too.¡± The magic communication ended there. However, the hearts of the two, which were born as a true father and daughter, pounded harder than ever, turning their string of relationship thicker than ever, and never to be cut off. Chapter 699 - Operation Behead 1 Chapter 699: Operation Behead 1 After the magical communication with Karen was done, Luke called Baron Hudson, the chief of the Intelligence agency, and ordered him to closely monitor the trends of Emperor Rudolf. ¡°You mean Rudolf?¡± ¡°I heard that something of a strange movement is being seen there.¡± Hudson went silent. Thinking that Luke has always ended up using the Holy Empire or any other information source other than Argos. Hudson left the room taking the order, and Luke called for Belfair who was in the control of the Baroque Imperial Intelligence agency. He had attendants take a close look at Rudolf and the Baroque Imperial family. ¡°Not like that, but there was something to report on him. It was said that Rudolf, who is a war lover has actually asked to cease the battle.¡± ¡°He did?¡± ¡°And these days, Rudolf doesn¡¯t really trust Imperial Intelligence very much.¡± The reason was the series of mistakes that had happened from their part. Of course, the mistakes were because the slaves did a good job of infiltrating the information. ¡°There is a story that the new information organization was formed by gathering the SS Knights and the other trusted people. Then, the existing intelligence might be taken down or asked to work in the dark¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we might finish it before that happens.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Belfair¡¯s eyes sparked. ¡°No way, will you conquer the Baroque Empire?¡± ¡°It will be hard to take it down at once. But it isn¡¯t impossible to cut a little from it.¡± Occupying the capital, killing the Emperor, Imperial family members, and the other high ranking nobles would destroy the nation. It was because the nobles who were relatives to the Imperial family, or the nobles who claim that they were loyal to only the Imperial family would lead a rebellion. But in Luke¡¯s view, the Baroque Empire was very unlikely to survive in that way. The direct line of the Emperor wasn¡¯t existent, and all the influential Imperial families had already disappeared due to the battle for the throne which happened in the past. In addition, there seemed to be very few nobles who remained loyal due to the tyranny which Rudolf had shown. ¡®In such a situation, if Rudolf¡¯s neck got cut, the Baroque Empire would collapse.¡¯ Whether the lords who were holding their breaths would turn into independent nations or they would surrender to a powerful nation, the Baroque Empire would disappear into history. And for that to happen, Rudolf had to be removed. ¡®The same goes for the underground ruins.¡¯ In order to prevent anyone else from misusing it, all about the ruins and the related records had to be destroyed. Luke made up his mind and then proceeded. A few days later, Luke met with the envoys of the Song Empire and Yemaek. He heard that two weeks ago, they were sending in their leaders and asked for coordinates, and they arrived. However, Luke who saw the representatives couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°I am the princess of the Song Empire, Jo Mimi. I heard about Your Majesty¡¯s reputation from my brother.¡± ¡°I am the princess of Yemaek, Ja-hye. After hearing about Your Majesty Luke¡¯s achievements from the King, and his admiring words towards you, I volunteered for this.¡± Jo Mimi was wearing a traditional attire of the Song Empire, she was a gorgeous woman resembling a single rose, and Princes So-hye¡¯s younger sister Ja-hye wasn¡¯t that flashy and more like a wildflower. At first glance, Luke was able to understand why the two nations sent them as representatives. Luke, taking a look at them, asked. ¡°In order to punish the Northside of the Empire, the two will have to follow me to the battlefield¡­ will that be alright?¡± Jo Mimi and Ja-hye immediately replied as if they were waiting for that question. ¡°Hoho, I am a person who learned martial arts from a young age, so I can overpower men with my bare hands.¡± ¡°I am also confident that I can do my part in the battle as I have learned archery and zen from my ancestors.¡± ¡®Did they calculate such thing and send them here?¡¯ Luke had no reason to refuse their help, and he couldn¡¯t refute their hold because they were women who were sent as representatives, so he agreed. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t do anything more then. Do well.¡± He did say it, but Luke had no intention of letting things go according to Jo Won-rak or King Biryu¡¯s plans. ¡°I heard that the knights, sorry, well the warriors who came with you were excellent. Could you introduce me?¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Jo Mimi and Ja-hye introduced their warriors and escorts who were standing behind them. Both the nations sent their most elite warriors to support their princess. In the Song Empire, General Zegal Hui, who had been promoted to the High General post, had sent Eorim and Central troops. They were all excellent in martial arts and all reached the master stage. Yemaek was nothing less when compared to the Song Empire. Eulji Hwang, the son of Eulji Dok-mun, brought his men and the members of the Black Demon Horse unit. ¡°Our Song Empire decided to send in 30,000 troops along with Eorim as the main unit.¡± ¡°We, the Yemaek also planned and decided to bring in 10,000 troops, mainly of the cavalry including the Black Demon Horse unit.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lot. And as the Rhodesia continent war centered around the Gigants rather than cavalry, the allies of the Southern Continent wouldn¡¯t be able to stand in the front line. However, if they were all at the Absolute powerholder level, they would be of great help in assisting allies or disturbing the enemies. ¡°Thank you. Please let the Emperor and the King know that their help will never be forgotten.¡± ¡°Ho ho ho, considering the help that Your Majesty has done for my brother and the Song Empire, this is nothing.¡± ¡°As a part of the alliance, this is the least we can do.¡± There were two people who were watching this happen from a distance, the conversation between the princesses and Luke. Erwin and Zegal Soha. ¡°Huh?! Trying to act cute and innocent, I can see their tricks from here!¡± ¡°I know. Even though we worked so hard for all those years, we only managed to get a small place in His Majesty¡¯s mind, it isn¡¯t reasonable to see those tailed foxes bringing in troops and get his support.¡± Among the Yemaek proverbs, there was the one saying which went like this¡ª¡¯Don¡¯t bother the person who hands you the rice cakes and drink the kimchi soup right away¡¯. And in the eyes of the two, the princesses were exactly like that. ¡°By the way, these days, Princess Reina, well, Her Holiness seems to be slowing down.¡± At Erwin¡¯s words, Zegal Soha answered with a shrug. ¡°She seems to be busy preparing for the war.¡± Whenever she had time, Reina would always use the long-distance teleport gates to visit the Symphonia Palace and enjoy secret meetings with Luke. However, in recent times she hasn¡¯t come over that often. ¡°Yes, the Black Tower and the Katarina magic tower are also pretty busy.¡± Erwin, the Court mage. Zegal Soha, the Court Tactician. They were also helping, but the Black Tower and the Katarina Magic tower were currently putting all their efforts on upgrading the Gigants for the war in the north and producing new Gigants. The existing ones were being equipped with the artificial muscle, new magic circles, and a new production of Gigants especially for the Blood Hawk Knights were being done. So they were on work night and day, and there were many wizards who haven¡¯t been able to go to their homes for more than months. Nevertheless, the shortcomings were entrusted to the small and medium-sized Magic towers within the Kingdom and they received the manpower from them. It wasn¡¯t just the Magic Towers that were busy in the Kingdom. Each of the Knights squad, including the central army, were all training in preparation for the war, the army would say that the day for war isn¡¯t far away and that they were performing battle simulations. ¡°When this battle will be done, will there be a chance for us to be embraced by Your Majesty?¡± When Zegal Soha suddenly asked with concern on her face, Erwin comforted her. ¡°I don¡¯t think that it will be hard until Arsene or the Veritas Magic tower enters the scene.¡± ¡°After that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. At that time, Her Holiness has said that she would withdraw from her position as the Pope and return to His Majesty¡¯s side¡­¡± During the founding ceremony, Reina had spoken to the two of them. She let them stay by Luke¡¯s side and gave them permission to win Luke¡¯s heart if possible. So they tried when she wasn¡¯t there, but taking Luke¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t that easy. ¡°If Princess Reina is kind, she won¡¯t throw us away once she comes back. However, I don¡¯t think that he is going to stop getting competitors.¡± The Rakan family was the most wanted blood lineage. Knowing it well, even Reina and Luke would want descendants. Therefore, it might not be just the Song Empire and Yemaek, but a lot more other Kingdoms and nobles would want that lineage in their family. ¡°We will have to work very hard.¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s try appealing our hearts to His Majesty.¡± Until the last year, the two women would spew venom at each other, but now they held hands at their collective will. Chapter 700 - Operation Behead 2 Chapter 700: Operation Behead 2 The day after the envoys of the Southern Continent arrived. Luke received reports from Hudson and Belfair. ¡°It was said that the Emperor has trusted the state affairs to Count Voltas. It was said that some external training was being done, a clear excuse, but in reality, Rudolf seems to visit the ruins under the Imperial Palace which is being managed by the Imperial Magic Tower.¡± Hearing the report, Luke¡¯s gaze turned serious. ¡°From when did the Imperial Magic Tower manage the ruins?¡± ¡°After Your Majesty has rescued Count Ferrero. It has been said that the excavation took time, and in recent months, a lot of research men and magic items were taken in there.¡± ¡°Magic items¡­ have you gotten what they are?¡± ¡°Magic stones. Regardless of the quality, they were taking in large quantities of them.¡± ¡°Well, that means that the excavation of the ruins is done.¡± The story that a large number of researchers and magic items were being delivered to the ruins meant that the excavation and restoration were done, and a full-scale research was initiated. ¡®What is the reason for taking in large amounts of magic stones? The ruins need Aether to work¡­¡¯ Maybe they devised a way to replace the Aether? Or maybe they figured out how to use mana and turn it into Aether. ¡®It would be better to hurry up.¡¯ Luke decided to destroy the ruins before the Baroque Empire used them. Accordingly, the other nations who had entered into the temporary alliance were being asked for an army. -Rudolf is making a dangerous weapon? ¡°As dangerous as the undead.¡± -That much? How the hell¡­ Charles of Irea seemed suspicious. He was trying to figure out if Luke was trying to use his own troops under the context of war against the warlocks and Rudolf. ¡°You might know about Vers.¡± Luke told them about the horrors which had happened in Nemesis, the brink of destruction they faced. At first, he tried to explain about Vers. However, seeing the expression on the faces of the Kings, including Charles, Luke didn¡¯t feel like he had explained. Everyone seemed to know about it. -Well, isn¡¯t that a pandemic that had destroyed the ancient civilization? It also terrified the capital of Baroque a few years back. -Did he make that into a weapon? -I heard that the body of the sick man who died due to the plague was used on a catapult and a castle was taken down¡­ The heads who were nervous immediately accepted the information. Because if Emperor Rudolf did make Vers into a weapon, they couldn¡¯t even start as to how it would be used. Luke, who decided to lead the troops, called Marquis Rogers and gave orders. ¡°Marquis! I will entrust you with full control in this Operation Behead, so take over Nemesis, the capital of the Baroque Empire!¡± ¡°Yes! Trust me, leave it to me!¡± Marquis Rogers, who received orders from Luke, hurried to Sherwood castle, the key point of the northern border. Shortly after, the troops from each nation were sent through the long-distance teleport gates, and gathered at Sherwood Castle and marched north. A total of 200,000 troops and 700 Gigants. If the six nations joined forces, they could mobilize a lot more troops. However, as they were in a hurry, the number of troops was small. Even the other Kings were concerned about small numbers. But Luke wasn¡¯t. ¡°The goal of the operation was Nemesis, the capital of the Baroque Empire. As soon as possible, I plan to deal with Rudolf and his research in the north.¡± The other places could be occupied at a later time with newly mobilized troops. Of course, they weren¡¯t marching north without taking any measures. The Holy Empire and the Volga Republic decided to hurry up and mobilize separate troops to disrupt the northern and eastern borders of the Baroque Empire. ¡°Should I start moving too?¡± Luke was thinking of acting separately. No matter how fast the army advanced, it would take more than a month to capture Nemesis. In the meantime, there was no law that said that Rudolf wouldn¡¯t be able to operate the ancient ruins, so he planned on secretly destroying it. He decided to lead his special troops which included Hwang Bo-sung and other Guard Knights. However, someone noticed his movements. ¡®I can¡¯t leave this over to dad!¡¯ Karen, who thought that, hid near the Symphonia palace a few days back, and waited for Luke to move. And when Luke left with the troops, she immediately followed. As El Kassel said, she had to end what she started. Reina, who was busy dispatching the troops, and Luke, who were thinking about destroying the ruins immediately didn¡¯t notice Karen¡¯s movements. Chapter 701 - The Fight for Time 1 Shortly after the 200,000 troops left Sherwood Castle, the Symphonia and their allies declared war against the Baroque Empire. Rudolf, who was watching over the restoration in the ruins, hurried up to his office when he received the report and confirmed with Count Voltas. ¡°What was that? Six nations along with Symphonia have declared war on us?¡± ¡°That is right. It was said that the Holy Arthenia Empire, Volga Republic, the Castia Kingdom, Irea Kingdom, and the Navarre Duchy have formed a military alliance.¡± ¡°Damn it! That Luke was quiet for a while. He must have been making up something like this!¡± Rudolf never assumed that the six nations would snarl at the Baroque Empire. In addition, the subordinate Navarre Duchy too. At best, Rudolf always thought that the Symphonia Kingdom or the Holy Empire, and if there was another nation that hated Baroque, it would be the Volga Republic. ¡°What on earth is their reason for this?¡± If the six nations had declared war at the same time, there should have been a plausible reason for their decision. It was because the justification of the act was very important when it came to forming an alliance. ¡°That¡­ We were told to be secretly weaponizing Vers in our Empire, and we were asked to stop all the research on it, destroy the facilities and the personnel related to it, and to not touch the temples or sanctuaries.¡± ¡°What was that? We are weaponizing Vers?¡± At one time, the Baroque Imperial Magic Tower did study Vers. Well, they weren¡¯t just researching it, but they had a plan to spray it on the border cities and forts of the Libiya Kingdom to cause confusion. However, the operation was a huge fail, and Vers accidentally spread inside Nemesis causing great damage. At that time, the number of people who died was huge, and the damage to the public sentiment and the human lives, which were all lost in the process of suppression, weren¡¯t yet recovered. As a result, the wizards, who were studying Vers, were either executed or banned from working and all the research facilities and documents were abandoned. But when the reason came that the Baroque was still investing time on Vers, Rudolf couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if that is true or not. The problem is that they are already down for military action.¡± ¡°What? They have already entered into military action?¡± ¡°Yes, we are hurrying up and trying to gather the information, but we only know that the troops of Volga Republic, the Holy Empire, and the Symphonia are gathering in the forts and cities in the borders. It is clear that they will cross the border if we don¡¯t accept their demands.¡± ¡°Yah! They think I am a coward!¡± In the past few years, the power of the Baroque Empire had shrunk in half, but at one time, it was known to be the strongest nation in the Rhodesia Continent. Even to this day, it was a military powerhouse with tens of millions of people and thousands of Gigants. Although they couldn¡¯t fight against six nations and win, they could still cause enough damage to the enemy nations if they rushed ahead. But from where did they hear such false information which made them declare war on the Baroque Empire? ¡°If they come in, can we stop them?¡± It was impossible for their demands to be met. It was because there was a great possibility that the ancient ruins under the Imperial Palace and its identity would be revealed. ¡°To be honest, we cannot stop all six nations with our power alone.¡± ¡°Then?¡± Rudolf asked with irritation. Count Voltas knelt down and said, ¡°Please join hands with the Libiya Kingdom.¡± ¡°What? Are you telling me to join hands with that lower man, Reichard?¡± ¡°Only then can we stop our enemies. Please bury away your pride for the survival of the Empire!¡± The reason why the Libiya Kingdom didn¡¯t declare war along with the six nations could be because of some disagreement. Recently, they heard that a large monster legion from the Libiya suddenly invaded the Symphonia Kingdom, maybe it was because of that. ¡®The reason is unknown, but for our Baroque Empire, the chance given by him would work wonders. It has to be done!¡¯ As Count Voltas was determined, Emperor Rudolf opened his mouth. ¡°Fine. I will accept your words.¡± ¡°Really?¡± When Voltas looked ahead, Rudolf tried to not show his anger on his face and said, ¡°Yes, but only for the reason that our nation needs to be protected.¡± With the same intention, he wanted to destroy the Libiya Kingdom. But the most important thing for him was to make the ancient ruins work. If he could get it to work, he could turn back time and erase all the sufferings he had to face. And to do that, Rudolf had to buy some time. The fact that Arsene took over Shaikan¡¯s body and the fact that the Baroque Empire wasn¡¯t the only target of the alliance of the six nations wasn¡¯t known to Rudolf. Chapter 702 - The Fight for Time 2 Chapter 702: The Fight for Time 2 The news of the continental alliance¡¯s declaration of war on the Baroque Empire had reached the Libiya Kingdom. ¡°What was that? The six nations in Rhodesia Continent have declared war on the Baroque Empire?¡± ¡°Yes, master.¡± At Zemerton¡¯s report, Arsene got up from his seat and smiled. After the last battle of the monster legion¡¯s invasion and the Grenada pirates ended up in failure, Symphonia Kingdom kept on increasing their military power, and it turned concerning for him. In addition, they recently obtained information that the Holy Empire, Castia, and Irea Kingdom were sending in their troops to the Symphonia Kingdom. And the situation inside the Libiya Kingdom wasn¡¯t that good because of what Zehart had done. In such a situation, if the six nations decided to attack the Libiya Kingdom, then Libiya wouldn¡¯t even have the chance to fight back or even complete the undead and fall. Everything they planned would have turned into waste. Arsene was deeply concerned about it, but it was said that the Baroque Empire was the place where the swords of the six nations were being pointed at. ¡°What was the reason for their invasion?¡± ¡°It was because according to some sources, Emperor Rudolf was attempting to weaponize Vers.¡± ¡°Huh? Vers?¡± ¡°Yes, master. Because of that, a few years back, Nemesis was in fire.¡± Arsene knew about Vers. The catastrophic plague that drove the ancient civilizations to ruin. He also knew that the uproar in Nemesis was done by Shaikan, who was encouraged by Margareta. In the process of taking over Libiya Kingdom, he saw all the secret documents left in Shaikan¡¯s office. ¡°Is Rudolf really trying to improve Vers as a weapon?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t confirm it just yet, but we did figure out that a large-scale magic experiment is being done in the Imperial Palace. Moreover, based on Rudolf¡¯s personality, it is highly possible.¡± Arsene got angry at Zemerton¡¯s answer. ¡°That crazy bastard! Just because he has something in his hands¡¯ lengths doesn¡¯t mean he gets to use it!¡± The reason why Arsene swore at Rudolf wasn¡¯t because he wanted to weaponize Vers. It was because a lot of people would die because of Vers, and there would be insufficient materials for making the undead. The reason the undead was called scary and the only reason why the undead was being made would disappear. However, if Vers spread all through the Rhodesia Continent, the population would decrease by a lot and that would be a huge loss of power. ¡°What are we going to do, master?¡± ¡°What can we do? We will watch it happen and stand still.¡± Arsene didn¡¯t need to know if Rudolf or the Baroque would stand or fall. However, Elder Zemerton¡¯s thoughts were different. ¡°Where will that Luke¡¯s sword be pointed at once Baroque is destroyed?¡± It wasn¡¯t the time to wage war on the continent. The undead was not finished, and the zombie poison too was still under the administration of the warlocks. It would still take another year or at least six months. ¡°We need time. Moreover, the actions of young Zehart has disrupted our plans in many ways.¡± ¡°So, you want me to help the Baroque Empire?¡± When Arsene looked at him, Zemerton began to sweat. Actually, just before he went to report to Arsene, he had received a magic communication from Count Voltas of the Baroque Empire. To bury the ill-feeling from the past, and for the two nations to cooperate and defeat the alliance. Moreover, Voltas seemed to be keenly aware of the situation that would come in the future. After the fall of the Baroque Empire, the next would be the Libiya Kingdom¡¯s turn. Of course, the Baroque Empire didn¡¯t know that the Libiya Kingdom was creating the undead, nor the fact that the King of Libiya was brainwashed and being used as an empty shell for Arsene. However, he warned that the Libiya Kingdom too would be in danger because they sent a large army of monsters to invade the Symphonia Kingdom. This was why Zemerton had taken the current situation too seriously and thought that he had to hold hands with Baroque for some time and earn a little more time to complete the undead. But breaking down Arsene¡¯s will wasn¡¯t that easy. So he decided to persuade Arsene by turning around the facts. ¡°We don¡¯t need to create an alliance with the Baroque Empire. Instead, we will pretend as if we are helping them and inflict massive damage on the six nations.¡± ¡°Borrow time¡­¡± Arsene was in his thoughts. As Zemerton was filling up in tension, Arsene nodded. ¡°We surely need time. Fine, for some time only, we will help the Baroque Empire. The question is how to help them¡­¡± The monster legion was destroyed in the last war with Symphonia, so it would take time to bring in troops. However, the human troops in Libiya would be difficult to dispatch. The main military figures had been brainwashed, but the frontline knights and soldiers weren¡¯t. If such troops were asked to support the Baroque Empire, which they had fought against till then, suspicion would rise. Moreover, the current army of the kingdom was already busy suppressing the turmoil of people who were raging because of the inflation of prices. Zemerton stepped out when Arsene didn¡¯t seem to think up of any plan. ¡°I don¡¯t think that there is any other way to secretly send them some warlocks.¡± ¡°I did think about it, but, I am not happy in showing our power like that.¡± In the last war alone, hundreds of warlocks and two elders were killed. It was a huge deal if the warlocks were dispatched and some problems arose with the undead. ¡®Should I go there myself?¡¯ Arsene wanted to see for himself the power of dark magic and Dragonian, which he had practiced till then. He wondered how much power he could have if both of those forces were combined. However, in addition to developing the strength to deal with Luke, there was an important job he had to do with the undead. When Arsene was contemplating, Zemerton clapped his hands, thinking of something. ¡°We have a power to use.¡± ¡°We do?¡± ¡°Yes, the refugees of the Grenada Kingdom.¡± The Grenada Kingdom, which had invaded Symphonia waters, was attacked by the Holy Empire¡¯s navy and was destroyed. Rondo, the capital city and other major ports were captured, and the lords or nobles from all over the nation were arrested. Since then, there were many fleeing ships from Grenada that was called the ¡®boat people.¡¯ The refugee procession included quite a few people as well as nobles. Shortly after the execution of Fernando, rumors circulated that those involved in the wrongdoings in the past would be found out and punished. And the number of people that ran away were thousands. The boat people headed to the Libiya Kingdom. Except for that one nation, no other kingdom accepted the notorious Grenada men. The Libiya Kingdom would never accept them if it wasn¡¯t intended to expand its foreign trade or naval power. ¡°So, are we hiring the pirate as mercenaries and sending them to the Baroque Empire?¡± ¡°Yes, they infiltrate with a few more warlocks in them and spread the zombie poison during battles.¡± ¡°Spread the zombie poison?¡± ¡°Yes, if you spread the zombie poison, we can maximize the damage to the enemies. And even if our warlocks get caught, there will be no problem. We can say that the Baroque Empire is hiring them.¡± Still, it was known that the Baroque Empire had already secretly held hands with the Veritas Magic Tower. It would be easier to throw the blame over to Baroque. ¡°Kuke! Fine, go ahead. Ask the warlocks that are being sent to the Baroque to confess that Rudolf has hired them if they get arrested. No, tell a few of them to deliberately get arrested.¡± ¡°Yes, I will do that.¡± A few days later, the Libiya Kingdom unofficially sent reinforcements to the Baroque Empire, for their own needs. Ironically, it was the same with Rudolf. Chapter 703 - The Fight for Time 3 Chapter 703: The Fight for Time 3 The troops of the Continental Alliance, which made up to 200,000 in number, were divided into 3 squads and advanced towards Nemesis. Among them, the 1st squad was led by Marquis Rogers, the Chief Commander, and had around 80,000 troops of Symphonia and Holy Empire. In the south of the Baroque Empire, no troops were yet deployed to stop them. All because of the war with the Volga Republic, and due to that, most of the power was focused on the north of the capital, Nemesis. And the Imperial troops on the borders were only capable of taking down monsters or stopping the refugees who would cross over the border. Therefore, the Lords and the Commanders of the castles and the forts either waved their white flags or kept the gates locked firmly. Count Ferrero and Count Darland, who took the position of the 1st squad¡¯s deputy commanders, persuaded those who were strong-willed. If they wanted to, they could have asked their troops to wipe out the forts or castles, however, they both knew that it was an important time where they had to create more allies. It was necessary to evade the battles as much as possible as it was important for them to rush to Nemesis and eradicate Rudolf¡¯s men. ¡°Viscount Rosfall, the nation of Baroque has already run out of its treasury and luck. Is It really necessary to be loyal to an Emperor who hasn¡¯t recognized such a competent commander like you?¡± ¡°A true knight is a man who does not compromise for injustice.¡± Ferrero sighed when he heard the words of Rosfall, the man in charge of the gate fortress to the capital. He knew that the man in front of him was stern about his decisions, but he never thought that he would still hold the ground, even after the nation was going down. ¡°Do you think that it is an injustice to ask you to move out? Then, don¡¯t you think that it was an injustice to support the Emperor¡¯s action where he slaughters innocent people and even dug the graves of his own ancestors?¡± ¡°That was beca¡­¡± When Rosfall tried to speak out in favor of the Emperor, Count Darland, took a step ahead and asked. ¡°Viscount Rosfall, you are the descendant of one of the founders. So I can understand that you are trying to be loyal to the Imperial family. But have you ever given a thought about the soldiers and the people who are going to lose their lives because of your stubborn will to fight in a battle which you won¡¯t win?¡± It wasn¡¯t like the man hadn¡¯t thought about it. The knights and the soldiers in the fortress were trembling. The knights who followed Rosfall into the room where the discussion was happening too showed signs of backing out to the battle. ¡°The Viscount¡¯s dedication for the nation which was in ruin could be influenced by his family. But shouldn¡¯t you remember who would die for your stubborn act? Will you still stand for only your honor?¡± Rosfall pondered for a while at Count Darland¡¯s words. After a while, he made the decision and revealed his will. ¡°I will not surrender to you.¡± ¡°Till the end huh¡­¡± ¡°But, I have no intention of fighting in this fort. It would be useless for me to fight with those who aren¡¯t willing to fight with me.¡± Having said that, Rosfall returned to the fort and summoned his soldiers. He gathered volunteers who were willing to fight with him and left the fort. Even though he entered the fort without spilling any blood, Count Ferrero couldn¡¯t erase the bitter feeling in his mind. ¡°Stupid guy, being stubborn till the end.¡± ¡°Emperor Rudolf who hasn¡¯t recognized such a person is the most foolish one.¡± ¡°Well, it is highly unlikely for the Emperor to have such a high awareness.¡± A few days later, Count Ferrero and Darland faced Viscount Rosfall again. It was when they entered the city gate of Castang, the north fortress. The Lord who ruled the Castang had surrendered by showing up a white flag as soon as the enemies arrived. The problem was that, the surrender gift which he gave Ferrero and Darland, left them speechless. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°This was the demand of Viscount Rosfall, the Commander of the Fortress. He came here a few days ago and asked for death.¡± The lord, tried to subdue nervousness and smiled a little. Darland didn¡¯t know what to say, and shook his head, while Ferrero sighed. When he thought of Rosfall defending the Empire and the Emperor, the Emperor who would never protect him, Ferrero thought that Rosfall never had a chance for a peaceful death. And his death wasn¡¯t of that as an honorable warrior, but a traitor. Count Ferrero, feeling dirty and angry for some reason, began to release energy. The face of Lord Castang, who was nervous turned blue. ¡°Hiik! If, If I did anything wrong, please¡­¡± ¡°Well, it is nothing. Everything is fine.¡± When Ferrero, barely suppressed his emotions, the Lord resigned from his position and ran away. Darland, who was looking at all this from his side, had a bitter smile. ¡°He is a contributor from our side, we can¡¯t help but take him under consideration.¡± ¡°Yes, we will see more and more cases like this in the future. And we need to remember them clearly. Who did that for us.¡± It would greatly contribute to covering up the other forts. And Darland or Ferrero didn¡¯t have to sympathize with the dead. They get to shed no blood and make a fast advance to Nemesis. After receiving the Castang City, they went to the 1st squad camp outside the walls and reported to Marquis Rogers. ¡°Something like that happened?¡± ¡°Yes, I have instructed the soldiers to retrieve the bodies of Rosfall and his men and bury them.¡± ¡°You did well.¡± Marquis Rogers nodded. It was when the two of them were about to step out of the commander¡¯s barracks. Suddenly, a messenger jumped in and made a report. ¡°Huge deal, Chief Commander! It was said that a large army has appeared from the west and is rushing towards here!¡± ¡°What? A large army?¡± ¡°Yes, I think that there will be over 100,000 troops with Gigants.¡± At the report of the messenger, the commanders and the deputy were all excited. It was because at last, a proper fight was going to happen. ¡°They are crossing the border and coming? But they shouldn¡¯t be able to cross 100,000 in number, right?¡± Rogers titled his head. To the west of the Baroque Empire were the border units of the Libiya Kingdom. However, according to the report of the intelligence agency, Baroque only had the level of defending the border after a considerable amount of power, and they lost most of their men because of the Volga war. ¡°Anyway, the 3rd squad is advancing towards the Northwest and is urgently calling for assistance.¡± It was true that the Baroque Empire still had potential, but it was impossible to suddenly create an army of 100,000. Rogers was puzzled, but immediately decided to send reinforcements. It was because the 3rd squad consisted of only 60,000 troops of Castia Kingdom and the Navarre Duchy, and they couldn¡¯t stop them. He gave Count Ferrero 20,000 troops and 50 Gigants to support the 3rd squad. Chapter 704 - The Fight for Time 4 Chapter 704: The Fight for Time 4 Luke decided to move in a separate path from the allies. He decided to use his long-range teleport magic several times and moved towards Nemesis. It was because, going with a horse would consume a lot more time, and if he was found out by the enemies, he would have to deal with another problem. Wheeing! At the moment when a white light flashed on the vacant lot of a forest, around 100 people appeared inside it. They were the units led by Luke. Hwang Bo-sung and his Guard Knights, Scarlet, who had succeeded in her special missions several times, Shirley, who was well aware with Nemesis, and Erwin the Court Wizard. Jo Mimi and princess Ja-hye too accompanied them with their own escorts. Luke looked around to see if there was anyone moving around the forest, and gave out instructions. ¡°For today, we will stay here. Get ready to camp.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Hwang Bo-sung hastily divided the Guard Knights into two, one for camp and the other for cooking dinner. As the knights scattered to do their tasks, Jo Mimi and Ja-hye lay down on the blankets. ¡°Huh?! Teleporting, it is something a girl can never adapt to.¡± ¡°I feel the same. I feel dizzy and everything is messed up¡­¡± As the two princesses seemed to have a poor complexion, Erwin grabbed onto Luke and whispered. ¡°I told you that it was unreasonable to bring them along with us.¡± ¡°What are you?! How am I supposed to cut down a thread which is important?!¡± ¡°Right! As is Your Majesty is the final destiny for the people!¡± Like one was in a fantasy. Erwin recalled a very old poem, and laughed to herself. Luke would take along any person who would seem useful to him. However, both the women mistook it like they were admitted to marriage. ¡®Well, isn¡¯t that laughable?¡¯ Erwin sighed to herself. Shortly before they left Brandon, Zegal Soha, and herself, both of them gave Luke a hint on what they were feeling. A little more openly than before! But, Luke didn¡¯t answer them at all. Zegal Soha thought that her way to Luke¡¯s heart was still far, but she didn¡¯t seem to be too upset. His gaze didn¡¯t seem as cold as before. ¡®But, I feel something off, it has been happening for a while. What is that?¡¯ Erwin looked around. Unlike her, Luke was well aware from the very beginning of who that energy belonged to. He looked at the woods and smiled. ¡®That girl, she was following well?¡¯ Karen, who just teleported, was hiding in the area where Luke¡¯s gaze fell. Originally, it wasn¡¯t easy to find out the coordinates which other people used by teleport, however, she was known to have excellent magical power, and it was proven that she was the only hope in the apocalypse. ¡°Your Majesty, the meal is ready. Please have it.¡± Hwang Bo-sung served the just cooked soup and broke it on a plate. Luke nodded, and pointed to the woods, and spoke softly to Hwang Bo-sung. ¡°Give it over there and come.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Because there is a tomboy who is hungry yet following us.¡± Hwang Bo-sung didn¡¯t understand it, however, he realized what Luke was saying. He took out his light and ran over to the place where Luke pointed to. And found a girl in a travel suit who was sitting behind a tree. ¡°Princess Karen!¡± When Hwang Bo-sung appeared, Karen seemed surprised. How did he notice that she was hiding behind a tree even after she used a spell to completely erase her presence? Even if the man was a Fist Sage, with her stealth magic, it didn¡¯t seem right for that man to know where she was hiding. ¡°Uh, how did you know that I was hiding in here?¡± ¡°That was because Your Majesty gave me a small tip.¡± At Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s words, Karen looked over to her dad and sneered. Luke was still seated on a tree stump and was eating the bread, pretending not to know. ¡®Dad is bad. He knew and yet he pretended not to know till now?¡¯ Was what she thought to herself, she believed that she was secretly tailing them. It seemed like she was ¡®in the palm of the Lord¡¯, what Saint Nanda had often spoken to her about. Hwang Bo-sung glared at Karen, who was thinking about Luke. ¡°Since when were you following us? Did you get permission from Her Holiness, nor Her Majesty?¡± ¡°No, I came over secretly. If mom knew, she would have never left me.¡± Hwang Bo-sung sighed looking at the child who put her tongue out and tried to look cute. ¡°Haa¡­ for a princess to act like such a boy and move on instinct! Anyway, come over to His Majesty.¡± Hwang Bo-sung was given all the memories from his future self. So he knew the truth about Karen, and he felt like he knew the kind of person she was because of the time he spent with her. But such behavior would cause trouble for her. ¡®I don¡¯t get it, has her personality changed since the time she came from the past?¡¯ Karen, who was supposed to be in a different time, always had a stiff face from her childhood because of the burden she had to carry. There was no other person like her. But now, seeing her smile out loud, he felt relieved that her personality seemed to change a lot brighter. Thinking so, Hwang Bo-sung took Karen to Luke. Once she came close, Luke formed a fist and thumped her on her head. Kung! ¡°Ah!!¡± ¡°This girl! Do you have any idea how worried your mom would be?¡± Karen, who seemed to be on the verge of tears, rubbed her head and asked. ¡°I am sorry about that. But since when did dad know that I was following you?¡± ¡°From the time I started in Brandon. You must have thought that you hid yourself well, but there is a peculiar energy to those who use Aether. And you always gave out that energy since the moment you came to Brandon.¡± ¡°Sh*t, if you knew, then you should have come to me.¡± ¡°That couldn¡¯t be done. Your mother would have come over to catch you.¡± Right, her mom was that kind of a person. Probably by now, realizing that Karen had disappeared, she probably turned the Holy Palace upside down. Chapter 705 - The Fight for Time 5 Chapter 705: The Fight for Time 5 ¡°Who is that child?¡± ¡°She is so bright and cute.¡± Jo Mimi and Ja-hye, who were provided food by the guards, were confused when they found Karen. It was because she was a child who wasn¡¯t at the party when they started. Unlike those who seemed suspicious, Erwin understood it. ¡°She is Princess Karen. She is Your Majesty¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s daughter?¡± The two of them seemed visibly shocked. They did hear the news that Luke was already married in their home nations. However, after they came to Symphonia, they didn¡¯t see the queen. What was even odder was that most people in the palace were even unaware of the existence of a queen. And Prime Minister Hans explained it. ¡°The queen¡¯s mother is in poor health, so she is taking care of her at her own home. In addition, Your Majesty has too many enemies, so he is trying to keep his family under the radar and avoid any misfortunes to happen to them.¡± It sounded plausible, but something still seemed suspicious. Then they saw Luke¡¯s daughter. That too when they were supposed to infiltrate the enemy camp. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that he had a girl that old.¡± ¡°Maybe he married early.¡± ¡°Then, if we become His Majesty¡¯s companion in the future, will we have to become the mother of that child?¡± ¡°Hu, hu, hu, I need to do well in the future.¡± Erwin smiled thinly as she heard the conversation between the two. It was because she was confident that people wouldn¡¯t think that Karen was adopted. Luke and Karen looked way too similar, and she even believed that she was indeed her daughter. ¡®There seems to be something¡­¡¯ According to what Erwin observed, Luke and Hwang Bo-sung seemed to know Karen¡¯s true identity. But they never spoke about it. It was like saying that the truth would result in a bad thing to happen. ¡°But doesn¡¯t it look like they are arguing about something?¡± ¡°Right. What happened?¡± As the princesses were talking, Karen and Luke did seem to be arguing. ¡°I hate it. I don¡¯t want to do it.¡± ¡°Listen to your dad. We aren¡¯t going anywhere right now.¡± ¡°I know. But you are going over to the Imperial Palace in Nemesis to stop Rudolf from using the ruins.¡± ¡®Ruins?¡¯ Those who were eavesdropping on their conversation like Erwin and the two princesses seemed puzzled. As they knew, Luke declared war on the Baroque Empire, and it was because Rudolf tried to weaponize a notorious plague, Vers. The reason the new group was organized and moved in a separate way was to remove the pathogen before the Imperial troops used them. ¡®Are they using the Vers in that site?¡¯ Luke glanced over at Erwin¡¯s group and then looked back to Karen. ¡°This is war. It isn¡¯t right for a child to be in here.¡± ¡°I am not a child!¡± As Karen shouted, Luke realized who she was. She was the genius mage who was regarded as the only hope of the future that was destroyed by the undead. A world that didn¡¯t exist anymore. Although she lost her original strength was lost and her body was changed into a child-like figure all because she went against Time and Space, she still had the experience and sense. And after coming into the new future, the Aether in her body must have recovered to some extent. ¡°It isn¡¯t as good as before, but I am better than you dad.¡± ¡°That joke is pretty hard on my ears.¡± Luke¡¯s face hardened at Karen¡¯s words. Rather than apologizing, Karen was taunting Luke. ¡°You just don¡¯t want to admit it. But dad¡¯s magic and sword skills are outdated.¡± ¡°What was that? Outdated?¡± ¡°Yes, like a generation ago!¡± Well, from Karen¡¯s point of view, it really was a generation old. The one who was saying that was the very child who learned and used the legacy left behind by Luke. ¡®This!¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung hesitated whether or not to stop the two, who were fighting, but he couldn¡¯t do it. It was because the voice at which Karen was speaking was something he could never do. Karen was a genius among geniuses, and she had mastered magic and swordsmanship, and also Divine power. But for Hwang Bo-sung, Luke was no less than her. No, after Karen entered time, he went along with Luke to the Southern Continent for an expedition, and his skills seemed to have improved even more. In addition, it wasn¡¯t told to the other people, but just recently, Luke had started to learn the vision of the warrior, Heechang, from the ancient records he brought from the Southern Continent. In front of him, Karen was hurting his pride! ¡°Even if it is outdated, it is up to me whether to use it or not.¡± ¡°People who can¡¯t keep up with time often say the same excuses¡± ¡°Because of the contribution of the old generation, the new generation are able to pioneer their own paths.¡± ¡°Words of a true old man. I thought my dad was smarter than this.¡± As Karen kept talking back and forth, Luke¡¯s patience reached its limit. He knew that everyone was trying to help him. However, he didn¡¯t want his own daughter, who had already seen the grim world and suffered severely for intervening with time, to get involved in any more dangerous things. ¡®There is a limit as to how much one can belittle me. Am I not good enough compared to the time I was called the Devil King? Outdated?¡¯ Luke¡¯s pride was extremely hurt. Only a few people knew he was the Devil King, Saymo,n or the Black Sage, who terrified the continent 500 years ago. Reina and Karen didn¡¯t know about it. They didn¡¯t know, so rebelling against Luke like this seemed alright, but it didn¡¯t feel right for his own child to overthrow everything that her father was. ¡°It wasn¡¯t enough that your mom is already upset with you. Now you are looking down at your father¡­ Our princess offended quite a few people.¡± ¡°Dad will also have to realize. If you try to do everything on your own, even the elaborate tower will collapse one day.¡± Woong! Strong energy was released from Luke who had a smile on his face and Karen who seemed sulky. The Aether Globes in the hearts of the two began to pulsate. When the two suddenly looked like they wanted to duel, Hwang Bo-sung held them back. ¡°Your Majesty, you shouldn¡¯t so that! Please step back!¡± ¡°Get out of my way! I need to get rid of that tomboy attitude she is developing these days!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother, Uncle Hwang Bo-sung!¡± Frighteningly, the two disappeared in front of Hwang Bo-sung. They didn¡¯t go too far. The two of them appeared in the sky right above the camp and pulled out their weapons. ¡°If you lose to me, you go to your mother right away.¡± ¡°If dad loses to me, he needs to take me along with him.¡± And with that, their conversation ended. The two of them began to attack each other with the speed of lightning. When Luke used Dark Bullets, Karen would set off everything with Holy Bullets. Luke narrowed the distance between them using Blink. He then used Gold Sword. Karen too would create an aura to bounce off the attack from her hair ribbon. Kang! The moment both of their attacks collided, gold sparks would splatter. ¡°Huh, that was pretty good.¡± ¡°Did you think I came here to play?¡± From Karen¡¯s ribbon, an aura rose like a whip. The aura drove toward Luke like a violent viper. ¡®The Southern Continent¡¯s sword? No, this is the change of the Gold Sword from the Southern Continent.¡¯ Yeon Gu-ram¡¯s Gold Light God Sword. That too the second half. It wasn¡¯t known where she learned it, but Karen had refined it and changed it to suit her own combat style, just as Luke did. ¡®Marvelous. She is my daughter after all.¡¯ Luke, who felt a little good, concentrated on stopping Karen¡¯s attacks. Hwang Bo-sung who was watching their battle clicked his tongue. ¡°Tch, how are they¡­¡± ¡°It is because they are very much alike.¡± Erwin responded as she went close to him. It seemed like it wasn¡¯t just their appearance, but their personalities and abilities were similar as well. Unlike Hwang Bo-sung who was shaking his head and sighing, she smiled. Even though they were arguing, they felt like they were developing a very good relationship. Chapter 706 - Battle Between Father and Daughter 1 Chapter 706: Battle Between Father and Daughter 1 ¡°Holy Bullet!¡± ¡°Huh, that can be blocked by Aegis.¡± When Karen used Holy Bullets, Luke simply blocked them off by spreading out defense magic. Karen immediately disappeared from her spot by using Blink and fired a powerful attack from behind. ¡°Thunder Bolt!¡± Grrrng! The moment Karen recited the spell and raised her hand, a lightning bolt appeared that went for Luke. Fortunately, right before he got hit, Luke blocked the attack by overlapping shields. However, he was pushed behind and had to step down on the ground. ¡®Zen skill? It has to be a huge one.¡¯ He could feel his left hand, which he used to manifest a shield, go numb. It was fortunate that the attack got pushed out and only a shockwave entered through the shield. If not, Luke would have been unable to use his left hand for a while. ¡°Rain of flowers!¡± When Luke was just standing still, Karen launched another attack. Luke could perceive a fragrant smell, and he saw the rain of flowers pouring down on him. ¡®Huk, this is different!¡¯ Each petal was of a Dark Bullet level power. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! At the terrifying power the flowers held, Luke used Blink. However, the Rain of Flowers followed him. ¡°How is she using Rain of Flowers!¡± ¡°How can a child like her¡­!¡± Jo Mimi and Ja-hye, who was from the Southern Continent, were shocked. The Rain of Flowers was developed in the Song Empire by a Zeitgeist of the Sichuan district. It was the most famous skill in the place. At first, it seemed like countless petal-shaped items were being thrown down, but later, it turned out to be martial arts combined with mind skills. The Ki would be dispersed as thin as a needle and the Kitan would scatter around the Ki to form a petal shape. Those who get deceived by the innocent flowers meet their end. However, Luke succeeded in eradicating the Rain of Flowers because it was still in an Absolute Powerholder level. ¡°Princess Karen? From whom did she learn that skill from?¡± ¡°By any chance was it from the Court Tactician?¡± At the questions of Jo Mimi and Ja-hye, Hwang Bo-sung smiled awkwardly. It was because the right answer to those questions would only confuse the people. In the future, the time, which disappeared, it was Zegal Soha, the Court Tactician who taught Karen all the Zen skills. Loving and admiring Luke, she didn¡¯t leave the place even after his death and remained in the Symphonia Kingdom. And while struggling alongside Erwin, they both raised Karen. ¡®But it can¡¯t be her who taught Karen this¡­¡¯ As Hwang Bo-sung continued to watch, Karen launched another Zen attack against Luke, who was getting ready to launch a counter-attack. ¡°Eternal Wind and Frost!¡± ¡°Huh, you¡¯re going to keep attacking?! The Power of Breaking Bamboo!¡± She saw Luke¡¯s body change, and all the ice that were pouring onto him only broke. ¡°Z-zen skill?¡± ¡°Did you think that this dad was out of date?¡± The Zen skill that Luke just used was one of the things he learned from Heaven¡¯s Light Records. Luke learned it in order to gain a little more power to defeat Arsene. However, he thought that it would take a lot of time to learn skills that were very different from the basics he learned. Such worries disappeared when Luke saw Heaven¡¯s Light Records. Heechang was the fist Zen skill user of the Southern Continent to ever leave behind a record of his skills. He revealed that the skills he used were all based on what the Goblins of the North, or the fairies, used. In other words, the basics of his skills were magic, that too the ancient magic of the Abaron time, the Mado civilization. And Luke was familiar with it because in his time as Saymon, he researched it. He understood that the Zen skill was a transformation of the ancient magic in the Southern Continent. If magic used the mana in one¡¯s body and heart to perform skills, then Zen was the use of mana that would surround the nature and person and convert it into Ki. In other words, if magic would change the flow of water by creating banks, Zen skill was a way to transform it into a current and change its direction. The only drawback was such skills were tough to initiate compared to magic. Yet, since both the body and the mind needed to assimilate with the surrounding energies, Zen was more stable compared to magic, and the mana circles wouldn¡¯t take much damage. In addition, in Zen, using contradictory forces such as light and dark, chaos and order had no side effects. ¡°Once upon a time, a saint from the south said this, ¡®to have a pretty child is like having a hawk.¡¯¡± Tak! ¡°Ah!¡± Luke flicked the forehead of Karen. The noise was surely loud, but it didn¡¯t hurt as much. However, Karen¡¯s pride seemed hurt. It was because she thought Luke was making fun of her. ¡°Do it right! You were scolding me a while back!¡± ¡°Huh, you are being punished properly.¡± Luke smiled thinly at the reaction of his daughter, who was rushing toward him. He knew that Karen was the hope for a crumbling world. And such a child would surely have a lot of pride. More than anything else, Luke knew it was necessary to break down that pride. ¡®You may have been the hope of that time, but I am the one who plans and looks after this era. So don¡¯t act like that.¡¯ Luke relaxedly avoided Karen¡¯s attacks and struck her with the back of his sword. ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Princess Karen!¡± When Karen fell to the ground because of Luke, who hit her, Hwang Bo-sung ran toward her. He tried to hold her before she hit the ground, but Karen, regaining her balance, landed on the ground lightly. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°Were you trying to follow me with those level of skills? This battle looks so ridiculous, don¡¯t you think so?¡± At Luke¡¯s taunt, Karen yelled back, ¡°This isn¡¯t my full strength!¡± ¡°Right. This level is like playing around.¡± Luke kept on taunting her. Karen, getting pissed, chanted a spell by writing something on her palm. ¡°Warrior, Awaken!¡± ¡®What is that, a Puppet summoning spell?¡¯ Did Karen have a Puppet like Hwang Bo-sung? While Luke was in his thoughts, something rose below Karen¡¯s feet. A huge steel doll with Puppet magic circles engraved on it with a white armor appeared. Not just Luke, but even Hwang Bo-sung, Erwin, and the princesses, who were watching it, were shocked. ¡°A Gigant?¡± It wasn¡¯t just any Gigant. It was the Hero class Gigant, Veda, made by the Arthenia Magic Tower, the first class weapon of the Holy Empire. Moreover, the Veda in Karen¡¯s hand wasn¡¯t a mass-produced one. Looking at the clover crest on its armor, it was the special Gigant made for Arch Duke Gregory. ¡°Where in the world did you¡­¡± ¡°Stole it.¡± ¡°Wh-what?!¡± She stole it! That too from the pillar of the Holy Empire, the Arch Duke¡¯s Gigant! Karen opened the hatch and entered the Gigant. ¡°You told me I was playing around right?¡± At Karen¡¯s voice, which came through the Gigant, Luke stepped back. ¡°Stop for a second! If you use that, the Baroque Imperial will find you¡­¡± Pop! Luke¡¯s words were buried in the flames that Veda shot. Fireball amplified by the core engine. It wasn¡¯t just one shot, but hundreds that were scattered around like petals. Kwang! Kwang! Pop! Hundreds of Fireballs exploded at once. The powerful explosion let out heat waves. ¡°Th-this!¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t how it should be done!¡± Jo Mimi and Ja-hye were puzzled. The power at which the Fireballs exploded was like a thousand shells being thrown at once. Was there a man who would be safe if he was buried under such an attack? Unlike those, Erwin was calm. She knew Luke, so she understood that such kind of attack could be prevented and avoided. And her thoughts were right. As the detonation subsided, a silver Gigant boasting with dignity came into sight. It was Avenger, the Gigant dedicated to the King of Symphonia Kingdom. Luke summoned Avenger from his subspace just before the Fireballs exploded, and he unleashed Aegis Shield. Thanks to that, he was safe and sound, but his surprised heart didn¡¯t calm down. ¡®Even though I told her not to do it!¡¯ Luke secretly needed to infiltrate the Imperial Palace, Nemesis, and was leading the troops to destroy the ruins. And he was moving in a sparsely populated area, but the enemy could definitely sense that huge explosion. ¡®I feel like I need to be stern with her.¡¯ Luke decided to set Avenger on the ground. It wasn¡¯t like the fight couldn¡¯t happen in air, but a Gigant¡¯s combat prowess could be better shown on the ground. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± ¡°Who is His Majesty fighting?¡± The troops, who were resting on the other side, ran in shock because of the sounds they heard. They saw Veda confronting Avenger and went stiff. They then looked over at Hwang Bo-sung, as if asking him to explain the situation. ¡°Your Majesty is disciplining Princess Karen.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± What kind of disciplining would happen with Gigants and battles? While the troop members were confused, Luke with his huge sword rushed for Karen¡¯s Veda. Tat- Tat- Tat! The Avenger kept jumping on the ground with light feet while Veda showed more mobility. It moved sharply as if it was skating on the ground, and it avoided the sword attacks from Avenger. ¡°Using Grease Magic?¡± ¡°If you thought that I would feel awkward controlling a Gigant, then you are wrong!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would feel awkward. I just thought you¡¯d run like a thunderbolt.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Karen, getting caught in Luke¡¯s provocation, swung her sword. It seemed like the Gold Sword, but it turned out to be different. As elegant as a butterfly, but a sword that had the sharpness of a bee, a clear Southern Continent skill. ¡®It looks similar to Zegal clan.¡¯ And he was right. Karen had practiced and mastered her sword skill from Zegal Soha. However, she didn¡¯t think that it could defeat her father since most of the Zegal clan¡¯s sword attacks were a deception before the real attack. Kang-! As a response to Luke¡¯s counter-attack, Veda dropped the sword in her hand. However, instead of a smile, he felt something off. ¡®She dropped her sword too easily.¡¯ The wind made it tough for Avenger to hold its balance. Karen went for the gap. The slightly lowered Veda¡¯s fist went for a sharp punch. The golden punch pierced Avenger¡¯s stomach. Kwanng-! ¡°Yo-Your Majesty!¡± The two princesses and the troops seemed startled. Karen was able to use the skill, but it looked a lot more strong for someone her age. Even if she was using a Gigant, it seemed like Luke wouldn¡¯t have taken much damage. ¡°Ho, ho, ho! How does my fist taste, daddy?¡± ¡°Kuek, quite spicy. When did you learn the Trinity Martial arts?¡± ¡°A long while back. Rather, are you giving up?¡± ¡°I am sorry, but that is something you need to say.¡± After using swords, Zen, magic and Gigant, Karen seemed like she was able to use the techniques of the Hwang Bo clan. Luke was shocked, but he wasn¡¯t stepping back. Luke raised his sword and began to unfold the second half of the Gold Sword. It was because he knew that Karen couldn¡¯t be subdued with the low power he was using. The Golden Aura, which came from the giant sword, started to rush for Karen like a typhoon accompanied by thunders. ¡°Huh, what will you do? You won¡¯t be able to beat me with the Second Half of the Gold Sword!¡± Karen, who recognized Luke¡¯s swords, seemed proud because she was also learning the second half of the Gold Sword. She swung her fists that had a golden aura. However, something unexpected happened. Suddenly, the world had stopped, and Avenger suddenly appeared in front of her, and the tip of Avenger¡¯s giant sword was right above her cockpit door. Checkmate. If it was a real battle, Karen would have been dead. Chapter 707 - Battle Between Father and Daughter 2 Chapter 707: Battle Between Father and Daughter 2 ¡°Th-that! What is that?¡± Asked Karen, who was amazed by what she had just seen. Luke recovered back the sword and answered. ¡°It is a Clock-up sword, the last resort of the second half of the Gold Sword.¡± ¡°Clock-up sword? There was no such thing left behind by dad¡­¡± ¡°Huh. Of course, it wasn¡¯t. I completed this during my trip to the Southern Continent a while back.¡± The Clock-up sword was a sword skill that Luke learned during his expedition to the Southern Continent a few months back. The first time to use it was when he dealt with Red Dragon King Lee Yong-mu. In other words, it was a changed future for Luke. Having returned the Avenger back to subspace, he approached Karen, who dismissed Veda. ¡°By the way, your skills are quite good.¡± ¡°Huh, what about it. In the end, I lost to dad.¡± She thought that she could have an equal leveled fight, but she ended up losing. Karen didn¡¯t think that her father¡¯s skills would have been to that level. Seeing Karen who was pouting her lips, Luke smiled. ¡°Actually, there is this secret which you don¡¯t know about.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Hu hu hu. Would it be a secret if I let you know?¡± Honestly, the talent of Karen was enormous. When it comes to comparing skills and efficiency, Karen was better than Luke. However, Luke had the experience of waging war against the entire Rhodesia Continent 500 years back. And if the Gold sword he learned after reincarnating as Luke, together with the Divine Power, Luke was definitely several times stronger than the past life. No matter how talented Karen was, he would have won. ¡°You lost, so go back to the Holy Palace.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t want to!¡± ¡°Ugh, are you going to do this again?¡± Luke glared at her, but Karen didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of backing off. ¡°Dad is a liar. What did you say during our last communication? I knew the ruins better, so you said you would contact me again after gathering the needed information, right? But what did you actually do? You never called me about anything!¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Even if it was for the safety of his daughter, Luke did lie. Luke didn¡¯t respond for a second, and he tried to comfort his daughter who seemed upset. ¡°I told this the other day too. What you did is enough. Whatever happens now needs to be me, I need to wrap this up.¡± ¡°Ugh, that is the problem with you dad! Even mom nags you because of the very same thing!¡± ¡°Same thing?¡± ¡°Yes, even when you have a lot of people around you, you always try to solve things yourself! Huh, always assuming you have a reason for it. But aren¡¯t you just running away from the help of people who are really capable enough?¡± At the bitter words of Karen, Luke seemed taken aback. She wasn¡¯t wrong. He did try to go in for any battle, especially if it was an important one. He did that all the time as Saymon too. At that time, he faced Rakan one-on-one and lost. ¡®Now that I think about it, the last time I fought with Arsene, I won because Hwang Bo-sung helped me.¡¯ If he fought alone, the outcome would have changed. Even now, while taking in the troops, he thought of battling with Rudolf all by himself. It was because he was confident about his ability to kill Rudolf. ¡®I might have been arrogant. Reina and Karen are right. But¡­¡¯ Some people might call it selfishness. Yet, Luke had no intention of breaking down his selfishness right away. ¡°You are right. But this isn¡¯t someone else, I don¡¯t want my precious family entering into battles.¡± ¡°And about the feelings of your family members who need to see her dad fight alone?¡± Luke went speechless at Karen¡¯s words. ¡°Dad might not know. But mom couldn¡¯t even sleep at night during your last expedition to the Southern Continent and during that battle with Grenada pirates too. Not once or twice, but every day she would kneel on the cold temple floor and pray for dad¡¯s safe return, all night long.¡± ¡°Reina¡­¡± ¡°Of course, even now she might be worried because I came over. But she might feel better than you being alone.¡± And she had to make sure that the relic of time was sealed away. Seeing Karen¡¯s eyes filled with righteousness, Luke couldn¡¯t refute back. Making up his mind, he spoke. ¡°Fine, Karen. Follow me.¡± ¡°Huh? really?¡± Karen was shocked at his answer. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°Uh, no. I like it, dad. He hehe!¡± She didn¡¯t think that Luke would just allow her, she went right for her father¡¯s arm and tried to show off her charm. ¡°Instead, you will have to follow my directions.¡± ¡°Yep! I will make a promise under the name of El Kassel.¡± ¡°Fine then, introduce yourself to the group.¡± Luke took her and introduced her to the two princesses and the other troops¡¯ members who were all looking at them. ¡°Hello, princess. I am princess Jo Mimi of the Song Empire. I was really admired by the little princess¡¯s martial arts skill and zen.¡± ¡°I was surprised too. How powerful the young woman was¡­ if someone didn¡¯t know you, they would have thought that you were a master.¡± At the words of Princess Ja-hye, Karen was heartbroken. She wasn¡¯t young because she wanted to, but it was the truth she had to live with. By the time Karen was resting, Luke made a communication with the Holy Empire¡¯s Holy Palace. He explained the situation to Reina, on how Karen followed them. And he agreed to take her after the situation which had happened. Hearing that, Reina jumped up. She was looking for her missing child everywhere, and she goes all the way to do that! -No way, honey! You¡¯re taking that little kid to that place! Send her back right away! Reina¡¯s yell made Luke tired and calm her. ¡°I did oppose her. However, as a result of the bet, I had to admit that Karen is stronger than a Sword Sage.¡± -Huh? That kid is stronger than a Sword Sage? ¡°Probably on par with Arch Duke Gregory.¡± At the answer from her husband, Reina couldn¡¯t even comprehend what the man was thinking. She knew Karen was extraordinary for her age. She was full of secrets from the first meeting, and she knew how to use Divine Power and Aether. However, Reina never thought that Karen could be on par with Arch Duke Gregory, a Sword Sage. ¡°Even if we do end up getting surrounded by the Imperial forces in Nemesis, she can get rid of people on her own accord. So let Karen come.¡± -Ha, fine, I can¡¯t do anything if you are dead set on taking her. Make sure to bring her back safely, unhurt! ¡°I know. I make sure that she doesn¡¯t even hurt her finger.¡± -By the way, are the advancement of the alliance troops are smooth? Luke would occasionally contact Duke Hans in Brandon to check how the war was going. It was because of the alliance troops lose or their advancement is slow, the operation would have to be changed. And magic communication within the Baroque Empire would carry the risk of being detected by the enemy. However, Luke was an exception. It was because he had a high level of magic, which couldn¡¯t be detected by regular wizards. ¡®I need to be careful only in Nemesis, where the Imperial magic tower would have laid detection magic circles all over.¡¯ Thinking so, Luke told Reina what he heard. ¡°It was said that the 1st squad was moving smoothly. The resistance of the Baroque Imperial army and the local lords is a lot less than expected. However, the 3rd squad had to stop their advancement and responded to the 100,000 troops which came from the west for battle.¡± -From where did those troops appear? ¡°My opinion, the Libiya Kingdom must have sent them.¡± -Wasn¡¯t Libiya fighting with the Baroque till a while back, why send in troops to help the same Empire then? At Reina¡¯s question, Luke nodded. ¡°There is no such thing as an eternal enemy or comrades in international relations. If necessary, enemies will hold hands, and siblings would betray one another.¡± At Luke¡¯s cold words, Reina asked. -So, do we have additional troops to send? In addition to the 200,000 troops deployed, the five allies of the alliance sent troops to Symphonia Kingdom. Because the real purpose was to capture Libiya Kingdom which was holding hands with the warlocks. ¡°No, there is no need to send more troops to the Baroque Empire. The current troops would be able to control the enemy.¡± In addition to Marquis Rogers and Count Ferrero, a large number of nobles and knights from various kingdoms were in the 1st squad. Luke believed them¡ªall the commanders who have been recognized in their own nations. -I see, then I guess I should believe them too. An alliance for the future of the continent. Reina prayed that the continental alliance would overcome all the variables and occupy Nemesis. -Anyway, take care of yourself, and keep a close eye on Karen. ¡°I know. I won¡¯t let anything happen to her.¡± Luke promised her again and again, till he cut off the magic communication. But he had no idea what would happen. Reina, who wasn¡¯t relieved after hearing his words, sent reinforcements. That benefitted Luke, but was quite difficult for Karen. All those who were pushed into trouble because of her disappearance were in the reinforcements. Chapter 708 - Battle Between Father and Daughter 3 The war was heading on busily. The one who was the most sensitive about the current turn of events was the Baroque Empire which has been invaded. ¡°Commander, the enemy is retreating!¡± ¡°Huhuhu. Of course, they will. They would have been surprised by the sudden appearance of a large army.¡± At the report of the messenger, Count Mikhail, the commander of the Western Baroque Empire smiled. In fact, he didn¡¯t know that there would be such a large army. It was because the troops deployed in the border of the Libiya Kingdom couldn¡¯t be removed, and even if they were dispatched, the total troops wouldn¡¯t exceed 30,000. But suddenly they got a magic communication from the Imperial Palace. They were instructed to take down the enemy by cooperating with the support troops sent from the LIbiya Kingdom. At first, they didn¡¯t believe it. However, the next day, 100,000 troops and 100 Gigants were approaching the border fortress. Although most of them were looking like mercenaries, and most of them were warrior-class Gigants, yet the number seemed large enough to stop the enemy. No, just the fact of large numbers of reinforcements appearing would make the enemies take a step back. After welcoming the troops, Mikhail, who was the commander, decided to stop the proclaimed ¡®Continental alliance¡¯ by joining the Libiya. ¡°Countess Sabina, what do you think we should do?¡± Mikhail asked, looking at a woman who had a sensual body tightly wrapped in the leather dress. Sabina was the commander of the Libiya troops and was known that she was from a pirate family known in Grenada. Her husband and father were pirates, they got arrested and hanged by the Holy Empire army who occupied Grenada while they were on the expedition to the Symphonia Kingdom. ¡°Huh! We need to pursue the enemy.¡± The continental alliance, which included the Holy Empire and the Symphonia Kingdom, were the main reason why she decided to join the battle. So she applied in the mercenary recruitments, and then brought in all the pirates she knew. It wasn¡¯t just that, she also prepared weapons and troops separately by the money she stole during her escape from Grenada. It wasn¡¯t because they made up their minds to actively participate in the war, but because the weapons provided by the Libiya military were of poor quality. The weapons were of the worst quality and the food was rotten or mixed with sand. Because of that, Sabina decided that the Libiya Kingdom didn¡¯t even regard them as proper humans. Yet, she wasn¡¯t dissatisfied. Just being given the opportunity to repay the enemies who killed her father and husband seemed like a huge deal to her. ¡°The enemy is currently over here trying to see the size of our army. Each of the three 3 enemy troops needs to be destroyed before they merge into one.¡± At her answer, Count Mikhail nodded. ¡°Right. Before they know our situation and respond, it would be right to rush towards them and do the best damage possible.¡± Mikhail also knew about the facts of the support troops. The fact that, when compared to scale, the quality of troops was low. So, he thought that he had used the chance when given. Shortly after, Count Mikhail ordered all units to pursue the retreating enemy troops. A total of 130,000 men and 150 Gigants began to pursue the enemy troops which were retreating. Had it been half a day like that? They put up a camp. ¡°That one?¡± Count Mikhail, who was looking at the enemy camp with his telescope, looked again. It was because there was a very familiar flag between the flags of the troops. ¡®Count Ferrero!¡¯ The moment he thought of the name, a thudding sound of a Gigant came out from the enemy camp. The Gigant which appeared to be a Hero-class Gigant, walked out to the middle of the two camps. After a while, a familiar shout came through the Gigant. ¡°Count Mikhail, if you have the guts, come for a one on one with me!¡± ¡°Yah, Ferrero? You dirty traitor!¡± Mikhail knew about Ferrero¡¯s dismissal. However, he was more excited than sympathizing with Ferrero as Mikhail always had to be in the shadows of Ferrero when it came to ability or performance. And after learning that he was in Symphonia Kingdom, it was natural that he considered Ferrero a traitor. ¡°Commander, don¡¯t let the traitor¡¯s taunt get to you!¡± Sabina held him back. She knew very clearly what Count Ferrero¡¯s intention was. To take time for the other allies to reach and join them for the battle. Mikhail, nodded his head. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t have to play around with that dirty man. However, if I leave him like that, ignorant soldiers and inexperienced knights who defend him will get their hopes up, so I need to go.¡± Although Mikhail was jealous of Count Ferrero, he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to ignore the growth and influence Ferrero had on people. As the Chief Commander of the Baroque Empire, many knights and army men admired Count Ferrero. It could be seen by the riders and the knights who were in front of the camp, who were all silent and in awe of Ferrero. Mikhail went for his own Hero class Gigant. It wasn¡¯t for the battle, but to respond to Ferrero¡¯s provocation. ¡°Listen to me Ferrero, the dirty traitor. At one time, I saw you doing your best for His Majesty, I thought that you would be loyal to him forever. However seeing you change towards Luke de Rakan, makes me feel like sh*t.¡± ¡°What?¡± When Ferrero raised his voice, Mikhail spoke back. ¡°I am going to hit the throat of the traitor who abandoned my nation and my Majesty, but my sword is too high to touch the throat of a traitor.¡± ¡°This bastard, Mikhail¡­!¡± ¡°Keep in mind, Ferrero. I am not avoiding confrontation because I am scared of you. I am disgusted with you, so I don¡¯t plan on hitting you.¡± With a fishy smile, Mikhail ended his talk. It was because looking at Ferrero¡¯s Gigant which was trembling in anger, he could see how effective his words worked. ¡®Kukkk! If you are going to hit, come on, Ferrero. The moment you rush, it will be the end.¡¯ Mikhail had instructed Sabina to prepare artillery before boarding his Gigant. When Ferrero, who would be upset, ran for Mikhail, the artillery was instructed to begin the shelling. Even if Ferrero was a sword master riding a Hero Class Gigant, if he got numerous shells directed at him, then he would die. Of course, some young men complained that it wasn¡¯t fair, but it didn¡¯t make sense to have a fair confrontation against a traitor. ¡®There is no honor in killing a traitor in battle.¡¯ When Mikhail was justifying his actions, Ferrero, who was very angry, threw out his shield and pulled out the giant sword. ¡°This crazy emperor¡¯s child! I will not let you die! I will make sure to cut that tongue off your mouth and skin you alive!¡± ¡°Haha! Right, if you can get here. Who knows what will happen to you before that?¡± Grrrng! Reflecting Ferrero¡¯s fierce feelings, the Gigant¡¯s core engine rumbled. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud-! Ferrero¡¯s Orion made a thudding sound with every step and began to rush. Not just the Baroque riders, but even Count Mikhail, the Sword Expert could feel the energy of Ferrero shake his entire body. ¡®Is it because he is irritated? But he can¡¯t survive past the shell bombardment¡­¡¯ It was when he thought. Kwang! All of a sudden, a huge noise came from behind. Chapter 709 - Battle Between Father and Daughter 4 Mikhail was shocked and flustered. ¡°Wh-what is going on?¡± ¡°Enemy ambush! Suddenly the enemy troops broke in from behind!¡± The lieutenant looked to the rear and shouted. ¡°What?!¡± The attack from behind of the Baroque Troops was a mix of Gigants and cavalry commanded by Count Darland. While the soldiers were still building their camps, the enemy secretly bypassed into the Baroque camp. And those of them who managed to hide took the opportunity where Count Ferrero managed to grab the attention of the enemy camp. ¡°Charge! Take down all the enemies!¡± ¡°Woah!!¡± The Symphonia troops entered from behind without any hesitation. Darland, who was known to have a weak body and low sword skills, was more suitable for planning than on field battles. And his ability to plan had shone in battles multiple times. However, as long as the enemy¡¯s Gigants troops and the other main force were concentrated in stopping Count Ferrero, the troops brought in by Darland could sweep off the enemy. ¡°Uh, that is cheating! Ferrero, you tricked all of us!¡± Mikhail grunted through his teeth. Count Ferrero, who was rushing at him, stopped and laughed at it. ¡°Hahahaha! You stupid Mikhail! How does it feel to be treated like this by a traitor?¡± ¡°Ughhh!¡± At Ferrero¡¯s mockery, Count Mikhail clenched his fists. He wanted to kill Ferrero right away. However, he didn¡¯t have the chance to do it anymore. From behind, there were enemy troops coming. And if the rear of the camp collapsed, the front would fall too. ¡°Hurry up and save our men!¡± The Gigants, which were at the forefront, tried to step to the rear as ordered. However, Count Ferrero managed to stop them from moving. ¡°Uhhu, where do you think you are going? Did you think that I¡¯ll just stand and watch you leave?¡± The Gigant troops of the enemy, who were supposed to retreat, went stiff at Ferrero¡¯s words. There was no way Ferrero would simply let them leave. And showing their back to Ferrero, the man who was riding a Hero class Gigant was dangerous. And there was also another risk of being pinched from the front and back. Eventually, Mikhail made a decision. ¡°Half of the Gigant troops remain, and the other half hurry back and wipe out the enemies!¡± ¡°Yes, sire!¡± However, the movement of the Gigant troops of Baroque wasn¡¯t that smooth. Because of the infantry unit that was pushed to the back a little while ago, the space for Gigants to move was crowded. Plus, while they were hesitating, Ferrero was approaching them, ¡°Damn it! What are you doing?! Go ahead!¡± ¡°But the infantry is¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind it! Push ahead! Hurry!¡± At the furious shout of Mikhail, the Gigant troops were compelled to step onto the infantry and start moving. ¡°Kuakkk!¡± ¡°Yah! You bastard! There are people over here!¡± ¡°Hiik! Get out, get out right now!¡± Actually, the battlefield wasn¡¯t that cramped. However, when the enemy troops ambushed them from behind, the entire line got destroyed in the mayhem, and the commander wasn¡¯t able to give out proper orders. And a significant number of troops were taken to the forefront, which caused the knights and Gigants to flock ahead. And the weaknesses of the Libiya mercenaries, which number got revealed. ¡°Don¡¯t panic and rearrange the line!¡± ¡°You idiots! You are the men of the sea!¡± ¡°Damn it, we are the land and sea!¡± ¡°If you are that confident then go ahead and stop them!¡± Sabina and her men tried to control the mercenaries. However, contrary to their thoughts, the confusion showed no signs of subsiding, and only swearing and backlash broke out from everywhere. And while the Baroque troops and Libiya troops were flustered, the enemy Gigants and soldiers, who stayed back in their camps, poured out and followed Count Ferrero. ¡°Wh-what is the artillery units doing? Shoot!¡± As Ferrero approached him, Mikhail yelled for the artillery. The moment the artillery tried to fire, Ferrero raised his giant sword and hit it hard on the ground. ¡°Woah!¡± When a Gigantic aura formed on the sword that hit the ground, the entire ground around the sword shattered and shook as if an earthquake hit it. As a result, the cannons¡¯ aim, which was around the Orion went distorted. Some shells were fired into the sky while some of them hit the ground in front. And a few more hit the friendly troops or Gigants. ¡°These stupid artillery men!¡± ¡°We are stupid to put hope onto you men!¡± The remaining Baroque Gigants rushed for Count Ferrero. Until a while back, he was a respectable man, but once the battle began, he was nothing more than an enemy. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Dozens of Gigants ran ahead at once. Ferrero, not one bit flustered, took steps close to the enemy. The ones he hit first were the enemy Gigants with the Gigantic Aura still intact on his sword, and then he grabbed the dummy Gigant and pushed it into the ground. The other Gigants tried to avoid getting hit by the Giant Sword of Count Ferrero, which didn¡¯t show any signs of stopping. ¡°Ju-jump!¡± ¡°It makes no sense, how is he making such light movements!¡± If a rider was skilled, one could take a lead to the sky even with the heavy Gigant. Yet, that trick had limitations. But Ferrero¡¯s Orion jumped so high that it looked like it was flying. Ferrero¡¯s skills were outstanding. However, the performance of Orion was even more extraordinary. The original powerful core engine and the artificial muscles, which were included in it just before the war, had doubled the movement of the Gigant. ¡°Hahaha! This Gigant is moving as if it is my own body!¡± ¡°Woah!¡± Thud! Slash! Slash! The moment Count Ferrero landed on the ground, he violently swung his sword that still had the Gigantic Aura over dozens of enemy Gigants. He ran straight at Mikhail, who was still in shock. ¡°You said you weren¡¯t avoiding the battle just because you were scared of me, right? I should just cut you down right here, you piece of shit!¡± ¡°Ughh! You, damn it!¡± Mikhail, flustered, threw shields and swords that were set aside at Ferrero. He knew very well that he couldn¡¯t face Ferrero with his skills. ¡°Save the commander!¡± The remaining Baroque Gigants rushed in to stop Count Ferrero. But before they could even reach him, Count Ferrero¡¯s giant sword touched Mikhail¡¯s Gigant. Mikhail tried to escape. However, with his skills being just a Sword Expert, there was no way he could stop the attacks from Ferrero, who was an Advanced Sword Master. Puck! Slash! Red blood smeared from the giant sword that was pulled out after piercing the Gigant. Mikhail¡¯s Gigant, which staggered for a while, quickly fell to the ground. ¡°Co-commander!¡± The Baroque riders and knights went pale at what they saw. Count Ferrero, who stopped Mikhail¡¯s breath, shouted at the castle. ¡°Surrender! If you don¡¯t want to surrender, run away! However, if you want to protect the crazy emperor, you will die in my hands!¡± The thunderous shout that was amplified by the Gigant resounded across the battlefield. The alliance troops, which started the help from behind, were ready to use their hands in the battle. As the head of the Baroque military fell, the troops were devastated. The soldiers threw away their spears and weapons. They were the first to run away, and riders let down their giant swords. The large army, which had surprised the Continental alliance, collapsed in a single battle. But neither Ferrero nor Darland knew what was waiting for them. Chapter 710 - : Legion of the Dead 1 ¡°What was that? The support troops from Libiya and our western army destroyed?¡± Emperor Rudolf¡¯s face went distorted when he saw the report of the war. Count Voltas bent his face with regret and embarrassment. ¡°Count Mikhail struggled against the enemies and realized that the enemy troop¡¯s power was stronger than expected, and he got defeated.¡± ¡°Kuk! Even if we couldn¡¯t win, I thought we¡¯d be able to cut the flow¡­!¡± A whooping 130,000 troops. Even if that number couldn¡¯t defeat his enemy, Rudolf thought that army could give them some time. However, he didn¡¯t think that he would get defeated in the hands of only one squad. ¡°I can¡¯t get myself to believe it! How is that Mikhail so incompetent and foolish to let this happen¡­ Who the hell is the enemy?!¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Voltas, who thought for a second, whispered the words, ¡°It was Ferrero and Darland.¡± ¡°What? Those traitors?¡± Rudolf¡¯s anger only worsened with their names being said. But on the other hand, he was convinced of the reason for his loss. Ferrero was once the military head of the Baroque Empire, and Darland was known to be exceptional when it came to planning battles and warfare. If it was Ferrero, then it made sense for Mikhail to lose. Rudolf, who had been biting his lip, gave orders after coming to a decision. ¡°Gather all the troops, which can be gathered right away, to the capital.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°I said to call all the north and eastern troops!¡± Count Voltas went silent for a second and cautiously opened his mouth. ¡°Then the borders between the east and the north may be broken down.¡± Not just maybe, they were sure to break down. Currently, the Holy Empire and the Volga Republic were looking for opportunities to invade the Baroque with large troops gathering at the border. Rudolf wanted to gather all troops, not realizing that. The most important thing for him wasn¡¯t the empire or the people in it. It was the ancient ruins that were below the Imperial Palace. It was of utmost importance for him to earn time until the ruins were put under operation. At the same time, with all of his troops in the city, he would have a chance to see the ruins. He knew about the restoration of the ruins, and an Aether generating device was almost near completion. ¡°If I manage to stall them and gain more time, we can recover the amount of damage taken. No, I can bring the whole continent to my feet. Gather all the troops and defend the capital!¡± ¡®This is a gamble for the ancient ruins¡­¡¯ What if the ancient ruins didn¡¯t work even after the Aether was filled? And even if it worked, what if it wouldn¡¯t move to the desired point of time in the past. ¡®He is dead set! Your Majesty isn¡¯t in a great mood right now. He definitely lost his temper!¡¯ Voltas thought that Rudolf had lost his mind for the future of the empire. However, Rudolf asked in a faint voice as if reading through Voltas¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Voltas, why is there no answer to my orders? Don¡¯t you want to follow?¡± ¡®Ugh!¡¯ Voltas looked into Rudolf¡¯s eyes. It was because his eyes were shimmering with deafness, which didn¡¯t want to hear anyone else¡¯s words. In the past, Voltas had seen the same eyes in Rudolf. A few years ago, when the Imperial family died due to an unexplained cause, he saw it. Emperor Rudolf, whose eyes were turned, dug up a tomb, saying it belonged to Arsene, and ordered for the search of the Veritas Magic Tower¡¯s remnants. He didn¡¯t stop there. He attended the parliament. He killed all the nobles and the lawmakers. He even killed off their families and relatives, not even leaving their servants and pets. The madness at that time was so terrifying that even Count Voltas didn¡¯t have the courage to face him. ¡®The only way now is to lower my head whether I like it or not.¡¯ Thinking so, Voltas answered with a trembling voice. ¡°Th-that makes no sense. I will give Your Majesty¡¯s orders to the entire army right away.¡± ¡°You need to hurry. If the enemy troops arrive before the ruins are put into operation, all because of your late order, I will kill you, and your daughter including all your other family members. That daughter of yours will be the most miserable empress in the world!¡± Thud! As Count Voltas ran out to give the orders, Rudolf headed to the ruins. He visited it several times a day to check the progress, but today seemed different. Wizards were put together in the underground ruins and asked for the ruins to be operational within a week. ¡°I-in one week?¡± The marquis and meister of Imperial Magic Tower, Kepler, asked with a trembling voice. It was because he too noticed the unusual condition of Rudolf. ¡°Kuke, yes. If you succeed in activating the Ruins of Time in one week, I will give you enormous wealth and honor. If you fail¡­!¡± ¡°If I fail¡­?¡± Count Rolex, who was behind them, gulped at the words. ¡°I will make you regret being born in this world. No, I will sacrifice you to the demons by summoning them.¡± ¡°Hiik!¡± Every wizard in the room gasped at those words. However, if they were sacrificed to the demons, which got summoned, they wouldn¡¯t be able to live their life as they knew. ¡°I will definitely do it, Your Majesty!¡± At Rudolf¡¯s threat, Marquis Kepler and Count Rolex replied. The two of them went back to work. ¡°What are we supposed to do?¡± At Rolex¡¯s question, Kepler answered with a frown, ¡°What can we do? We need to run it within a week.¡± ¡°But we didn¡¯t even test to see if the ruins have been restored, so how?¡± Thanks to the books and materials in the bronze chest, they were able to restore the ruins. However, they never checked to see if the restoration was complete and would work. It was because it was their first time to come across with a time travel device. Moreover, the wizards of the ancient Mado Empire, who built the ruins, wrote a theory about Time, Space, and Aether power, but it was not mentioned if they actually used it. ¡°Honestly, I told it to His Majesty, but I cannot guarantee that this passage can be opened in the given time.¡± Rolex sighed when he saw how things were being pushed. They actually planned to show the performance in small experiments and then confirm it to His Majesty. However, due to the invasion of the alliance troops, the plan went wrong. ¡°We can¡¯t help it. We need to take a gamble.¡± ¡°Gamble?¡± ¡°Right, let¡¯s make it work. And we¡¯ll leave the rest to luck.¡± With a sigh, Marquis Kepler decided to put the ancient ruins to operation within a week by calling in as many wizards from the Imperial Magic Tower as possible. A few days later, a separate unit led by Luke arrived close to Nemesis. He had to use his teleport magic in succession and moved in haste, but the situation wasn¡¯t as easy as he had expected. ¡°The Nemesis got turned into that? All huge barracks?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, the attendant Henry, who had been in Nemesis, nodded. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Various obstacles and siege weapons were placed along the walls, and the troops and Gigants were spread all over. In addition, access is being strictly monitored.¡± With those words, Luke began to wonder why and clicked his tongue. ¡°Rudolf seems to have worked pretty quickly this time.¡± Seeing the defense and security circles all over the place, Luke knew that there was more than what Henry knew. ¡®Moreover, in addition to the original Knights of Guards and Central Army, even the Northern and Eastern troops were flocked here, right?¡¯ If that was the case, Luke was stepping right into a trap. In addition, if the defenses of the wall placed by the Imperial Palace were added in, Luke couldn¡¯t help but think for various other directions. When he returned, Jo Mimi approached him and asked. ¡°Your Majesty, it was said that the enemy¡¯s defense is thorough, and we cant sneak in with teleport, is that right?¡± ¡°Yes, not just the Nemesis, but entire walls and roads have been installed with devices that hinder the use of space movement. All this to prevent the movement of the enemy through Gigants.¡± In the past, there was no problem when it came to sending in Gigant troops to the heart of the enemy capital as a surprise attack. Naturally, the nations which were hit were also prepared, and their method was to distort the coordinates around the capital to prevent the enemy from using teleport. If one would ignore it and move, they would end up getting lost in space. ¡°Of course, it isn¡¯t like that can¡¯t be gotten rid of. However, it will take a lot of time, and no Nemesis has more magic security in place, so it might be hard to do that.¡± ¡°Then what should we do?¡± Princess Ja-hye seemed anxious at Luke¡¯s explanation. They came all the way to the place, but if they couldn¡¯t enter that palace, their journey made no sense. However, it was like they were going to attack the enemy head-on with their numbers. ¡°There is no need to worry so much. For now, let¡¯s prepare on our advance in case we infiltrate.¡± Luke hadn¡¯t come all that way without thinking about what the enemy¡¯s move would be. Although the Imperial troops controlled the access, they had a plan to enter Nemesis. The problem after infiltrating Nemesis was, the way to get out of the Palace after destroying the ruins wasn¡¯t set. ¡®It is reckless to enter the palace without having a proper escape plan.¡¯ If he was alone, Luke would have pushed ahead even with all the troubles in place. But he had Karen with him. For the sake of sending his daughter back to her home, he had to make sure there was an escape route planned. ¡°Listen everyone. We came over to destroy the enemy¡¯s trump card and not to die. So we need to secure a retreat path before going in for the operation.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Karen objected. ¡°Daddy, we don¡¯t have the time to relax, what if Rudolf starts the ruins right now?¡± ¡°If he could have used it right now, he wouldn¡¯t have put so many troops outside and inside Nemesis to strengthen the defense. And haven¡¯t you heard what happens when someone rushes without a plan?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t waste your energy. You did promise that you would obey my words, didn¡¯t you?¡± With that, Karen stopped refuting to Luke¡¯s words. And instead, both her cheeks were flaring. It was pretty cute, which made not just Luke but the other members of the group to smile. ¡°Your Majesty, how are you going to secure the retreat?¡± At Shirley¡¯s question, Luke opened the map of Nemesis. ¡°I plan to work on some defense and magic circles. Breaking them down in such a short period is tough and not possible, but maybe I can induce spells to divert their eyes.¡± After hearing that, Princess Jo Mimi and Ja-hye clapped their hands as if they understood. ¡°Oh, then after our operation is over, those magic circles will act as bait, and attract the attention of the enemy, while we get to move out.¡± ¡°To summarize, it is to make a sound in the east and move out from the west.¡± ¡°Basically, that is what I said.¡± It was when they were all talking about the proper steps for retirement. Erwin moved towards Luke in a hurry to deliver the news. ¡°Your Majesty, Marquis Rogers reports that Count Ferrero, who assisted the 3rd squad sent an emergency request.¡± ¡°Emergency?¡± Luke had specifically instructed them not to contact him once he reached Nemesis. There were several measures taken by the enemy, and there was a risk of the magic communication being intercepted. However, breaking that meant there was a huge problem. ¡°Is it because of the reinforcements sent from Libiya? I heard that Ferrero and Count Darland put up a good fight.¡± ¡°Yes, they repelled them. But it seems something more troubling happened.¡± ¡°Troubling? Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± Luke, who was thinking, immediately went to contact Ferrero and not Rogers. It was so that he could listen directly from the person concerned. After a while, Count Ferrero appeared. ¡°Count, it is said that something troubling has happened?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, undead began to appear on the battlefield.¡± ¡®I thought so¡­¡¯ Luke sighed deeply. When he heard it from Erwin, he had been guessing it must have been the undead. As Arsene was in Libiya Kingdom, the thoughts of reinforcements he would send were surely been undead. ¡°Lich or a Death Knight?¡± They had searched the hideout of Veritas Magic tower on the Island, but they couldn¡¯t find much undead as most of them were moved ahead. So, Luke guessed that at least some of them should appear. However, Ferrero shook his head. -Thankfully, it isn¡¯t that kind. They are just normal zombies, the ones which arise from the dead, but these ones have begun to grow in number. ¡®Zombie growing in number? The zombie poison?¡¯ Luke frowned. In a way, zombie venom was more difficult than a Lich or a Death Knight. It was because people would get infected after getting bitten. ¡°Let¡¯s talk in detail. We need to get more information to deal in the right way.¡± -Yes, Your Majesty. So they are¡­ And with that, Ferrero began to talk about the zombie¡¯s appearance. Chapter 711 - Legion of the Dead 2 A few days later, a separate unit led by Luke arrived close to Nemesis. He had to use his teleport magic in succession and moved in haste, but the situation wasn¡¯t as easy as he had expected. ¡°The Nemesis got turned into that? All huge barracks?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, the attendant Henry, who had been in Nemesis, nodded. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Various obstacles and siege weapons were placed along the walls, and the troops and Gigants were spread all over. In addition, access is being strictly monitored.¡± With those words, Luke began to wonder why and clicked his tongue. ¡°Rudolf seems to have worked pretty quickly this time.¡± Seeing the defense and security circles all over the place, Luke knew that there was more than what Henry knew. ¡®Moreover, in addition to the original Knights of Guards and Central Army, even the Northern and Eastern troops were flocked here, right?¡¯ If that was the case, Luke was stepping right into a trap. In addition, if the defenses of the wall placed by the Imperial Palace were added in, Luke couldn¡¯t help but think for various other directions. When he returned, Jo Mimi approached him and asked. ¡°Your Majesty, it was said that the enemy¡¯s defense is thorough, and we cant sneak in with teleport, is that right?¡± ¡°Yes, not just the Nemesis, but entire walls and roads have been installed with devices that hinder the use of space movement. All this to prevent the movement of the enemy through Gigants.¡± In the past, there was no problem when it came to sending in Gigant troops to the heart of the enemy capital as a surprise attack. Naturally, the nations which were hit were also prepared, and their method was to distort the coordinates around the capital to prevent the enemy from using teleport. If one would ignore it and move, they would end up getting lost in space. ¡°Of course, it isn¡¯t like that can¡¯t be gotten rid of. However, it will take a lot of time, and no Nemesis has more magic security in place, so it might be hard to do that.¡± ¡°Then what should we do?¡± Princess Ja-hye seemed anxious at Luke¡¯s explanation. They came all the way to the place, but if they couldn¡¯t enter that palace, their journey made no sense. However, it was like they were going to attack the enemy head-on with their numbers. ¡°There is no need to worry so much. For now, let¡¯s prepare on our advance in case we infiltrate.¡± Luke hadn¡¯t come all that way without thinking about what the enemy¡¯s move would be. Although the Imperial troops controlled the access, they had a plan to enter Nemesis. The problem after infiltrating Nemesis was, the way to get out of the Palace after destroying the ruins wasn¡¯t set. ¡®It is reckless to enter the palace without having a proper escape plan.¡¯ If he was alone, Luke would have pushed ahead even with all the troubles in place. But he had Karen with him. For the sake of sending his daughter back to her home, he had to make sure there was an escape route planned. ¡°Listen everyone. We came over to destroy the enemy¡¯s trump card and not to die. So we need to secure a retreat path before going in for the operation.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Karen objected. ¡°Daddy, we don¡¯t have the time to relax, what if Rudolf starts the ruins right now?¡± ¡°If he could have used it right now, he wouldn¡¯t have put so many troops outside and inside Nemesis to strengthen the defense. And haven¡¯t you heard what happens when someone rushes without a plan?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t waste your energy. You did promise that you would obey my words, didn¡¯t you?¡± With that, Karen stopped refuting to Luke¡¯s words. And instead, both her cheeks were flaring. It was pretty cute, which made not just Luke but the other members of the group to smile. ¡°Your Majesty, how are you going to secure the retreat?¡± At Shirley¡¯s question, Luke opened the map of Nemesis. ¡°I plan to work on some defense and magic circles. Breaking them down in such a short period is tough and not possible, but maybe I can induce spells to divert their eyes.¡± After hearing that, Princess Jo Mimi and Ja-hye clapped their hands as if they understood. ¡°Oh, then after our operation is over, those magic circles will act as bait, and attract the attention of the enemy, while we get to move out.¡± ¡°To summarize, it is to make a sound in the east and move out from the west.¡± ¡°Basically, that is what I said.¡± It was when they were all talking about the proper steps for retirement. Erwin moved towards Luke in a hurry to deliver the news. ¡°Your Majesty, Marquis Rogers reports that Count Ferrero, who assisted the 3rd squad sent an emergency request.¡± ¡°Emergency?¡± Luke had specifically instructed them not to contact him once he reached Nemesis. There were several measures taken by the enemy, and there was a risk of the magic communication being intercepted. However, breaking that meant there was a huge problem. ¡°Is it because of the reinforcements sent from Libiya? I heard that Ferrero and Count Darland put up a good fight.¡± ¡°Yes, they repelled them. But it seems something more troubling happened.¡± ¡°Troubling? Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± Luke, who was thinking, immediately went to contact Ferrero and not Rogers. It was so that he could listen directly from the person concerned. After a while, Count Ferrero appeared. ¡°Count, it is said that something troubling has happened?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, undead began to appear on the battlefield.¡± ¡®I thought so¡­¡¯ Luke sighed deeply. When he heard it from Erwin, he had been guessing it must have been the undead. As Arsene was in Libiya Kingdom, the thoughts of reinforcements he would send were surely been undead. ¡°Lich or a Death Knight?¡± They had searched the hideout of Veritas Magic tower on the Island, but they couldn¡¯t find much undead as most of them were moved ahead. So, Luke guessed that at least some of them should appear. However, Ferrero shook his head. -Thankfully, it isn¡¯t that kind. They are just normal zombies, the ones which arise from the dead, but these ones have begun to grow in number. ¡®Zombie growing in number? The zombie poison?¡¯ Luke frowned. In a way, zombie venom was more difficult than a Lich or a Death Knight. It was because people would get infected after getting bitten. ¡°Let¡¯s talk in detail. We need to get more information to deal in the right way.¡± -Yes, Your Majesty. So they are¡­ And with that, Ferrero began to talk about the zombie¡¯s appearance. Chapter 712 - Legion of the Dead 3 After defeating the troops of Baroque and Libiya support led by Mikhail, the continental alliance troops began to clear the battlefield. They gathered all the corpses and the dead to bury them in one place and then began to classify the Gigants and the weapons. ¡®Kuk! To be defeated by the Symphonia men again!¡¯ Sabina was taken captive for assisting Mikhail, and she didn¡¯t like it. At that time, she heard the whispers of those behind her. ¡°Tch, this is a lot worse than expected.¡± ¡°Well. We had to take help from pirates, whose roots aren¡¯t on the ground, I don¡¯t know if they are plain stupid or¡­¡± The insulting remarks made Sabina angry. Those who were held captive, all thought that the reason for the defeat was because of the Libiya troops. And she couldn¡¯t accept the insults thrown at her men. These men of Baroque couldn¡¯t even handle the weapons or form in line, and now they were hissing from behind! ¡®What kind of a man is he?! I will tear him to pieces right away!¡¯ She was enraged and looked around. Unlike most of the prisoners who were squatted and looked grim, there were those who seemed way too cool for captives. ¡°We need to start the operation as directed by the elders.¡± ¡°Right. It doesn¡¯t matter if we are to do it earlier than expected.¡± They were the warlocks of the Veritas Magic tower, hiding as the reinforcements of Libiya. Warlocks, disguised as ordinary soldiers, whispering in low voices. Shortly before the military service, there was an order they heard from Elder Zemerton. It was to spread the improved Zombie poison when a huge fight happens or when the Baroque Empire gets defeated. They took out a bottle that had liquid in it, jumped out, and started scattering it in all directions. ¡°Uh? What?!¡± ¡°Catch them!¡± The soldiers of the Castia Kingdom who were managing the prisoners thought that the men were trying to escape. However, the prisoners who ran over were throwing something out of a bottle. Clang! Shake! Shake! ¡°What are they doing?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t watch! Catch them!¡± The officers and knights who were watching from behind were scolding the soldiers. The warlock, which was one of them, threw a bottle at the dead and laughed. ¡°Ugh, it is too late now¡­!¡± ¡°Die, you bastard!¡± Sabina, who had been following, kicked down the warlocks. The warlocks, who fell down, rolled over to the corpses¡¯ side, and Castia soldiers captured Sabina. ¡°Let me go! I need to hit that dirty bastard, I need to kill him!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mess around and step back! If you think we¡¯ll see you as a noble prisoner, then you are wrong!¡± Commander level nobles were mostly favored than ordinary soldiers when captured. It was because they could be used as ransom or for diplomatic situations. However, due to the current circumstances of the troops which had to hurry to Nemesis, there was no time to give preferential treatment to others. ¡°Hiik! Help me! Get me out of here!¡± The warlock who fell into the corpse pile kept on pleasing. When the soldiers saw that, they couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the warlocks, but then, an ominous energy rose from the corpses. The bodies began to flinch and move all of a sudden! ¡°Wh-What is that?!¡± ¡°The corpses are waking up?¡± When the soldiers were puzzled and shocked, the corpses made eerie sounds and struck the warlock who was between them. Kikikiki! ¡°Ah, move away!¡± The warlocks got bit and killed in an instant because all the corpses rose at once. The fellow warlocks who saw it frowned. ¡®Huh, that idiot!¡¯ ¡®That guy is so stupid that he is getting killed like that.¡¯ While the warlocks who had run over to another corpse pit were doing their thing as their confusion grew. From the pit where the liquid was spilled, hundreds of corpses were coming out. And when the corpses began to climb up the pit, soldiers were shaken. ¡°Zo-zombie!¡± ¡°Sh*t, stop them!¡± The soldiers near the pit swung their spears and swords. However, there were more zombies that were climbing up than falling down, the soldiers who were close to the pit ran for their lives right away. ¡®Wh-what the hell is that?!¡¯ Sabina, frozen at what she witnessed, ran away till she saw a zombie. Just before she got caught by the zombie, a knight on a horse slashed the neck of the zombie with his sword. ¡°Don¡¯t panic and attack!¡± ¡°Wahhh!¡± The soldiers shouted with weapons in their hands and fear in their hearts. However, even after being pierced in their hearts, the zombies continued to attack. In addition, soldiers who got bitten would turn into zombies and attack the humans. ¡°Kuek! Right, you infest everyone around you and turn into zombies!¡± One of the warlocks who just stepped out, looked at the scene, and smiled. ¡°But this won¡¯t be enough. If they use a Gigant, stopping them would be impossible.¡± ¡°Huh, didn¡¯t master prepare something else for that?¡± The warlock with the gloomy expression smiled and drew a magic circle with blood on the ground and memorized the spell. Once the magic circle got completed with his hands wide open, he shouted. ¡°Wake up, Giant Zombie!¡± At that moment, a dark red light flashed from the magic circle, the zombies around began to unite. Hundreds of zombies tangled together, and in an instant, a Giant Zombie of 20 meters rose. Kuahhhh! A giant zombie with hundreds of pairs of eyes and limbs, burst into screams and began to march towards the Gigants of the continental alliance. Meanwhile, in the Commander¡¯s Barracks in the temporary camp. The place where Count Ferrero and the other commanders of the 3rd squad were gathered. ¡°Surely you are the man who can overwhelm the continent.¡± ¡°Looking at your skills, it made me think that we can achieve more than this.¡± ¡°It is probably only the count who can make a Gigant jump that high.¡± Nobles of Castia and Navarre were praising Count Ferrero¡¯s skills. It was never easy for one person to wipe out 70 Gigants by himself and kill the enemy commander. There were great riders and knights in other nations too, but they couldn¡¯t help but look up to Count Ferrero. ¡°Huhu, that is overly praising me. It would have the same if someone other than me went out for that.¡± ¡°Oh my, so humble! After all, no matter how strong, a master is different.¡± There was a reason why they praised Count Ferrero too much. First of all, Count Ferrero¡¯s troops were excellent, and there was a possibility for the Symphonia Kingdom to be recognized after this war was done. When they first entered the alliance of Symphonia, they didn¡¯t have the heart to work as it was a new nation. However, seeing Symphonia in battle¡ªin person, they saw that the knights, soldiers, and even the Gigant power were beyond their own. ¡®Maybe a new Empire which will replace the Baroque will be born.¡¯ With that in mind, they were working hard to build a favorable relationship with Count Ferrero, a high ranking noble of Symphonia Kingdom. Of course, Count Ferrero wasn¡¯t the only target. Count Darland, who had an excellent brain was also included. While the soldiers were arranging and clearing the fields, the leaders of the alliance were trying to build the relationships. Suddenly, there was noise from outside, Count Ferrero¡¯s lieutenant entered the tent. ¡°Sire, we are in trouble!¡± ¡°Trouble? Did another group of enemies appear? Or did the prisoners riot?¡± ¡°Well, no, the corpses are turning into zombies and are attacking the soldiers!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Ferrero jumped up from his seat. If the corpses suddenly turned into zombies, it meant that there was a high probability that there were warlocks nearby. Warlocks was a very troublesome existing entity. They don¡¯t know if the Symphonia troops had a priest or paladin with them, and if they didn¡¯t, it would mean that everyone in the troops would take considerable damage. However, by the way, there were a few priests or paladins in the 3rd squad which was made of Castia Kingdom and the Navarre duchy. ¡°Right away, dispatch the Gigant troops and the wizards. It isn¡¯t easy to stop the zombies with ordinary soldiers or knights.¡± ¡°Yes, Sire!¡± The lieutenant who took the orders from Count Ferrero immediately went out of the tent. However, he soon entered the tent to deliver another set of news. ¡°The Gigant troops are engaging with the Gigant zombie! And the wizards are suddenly caught up in a magic circle of mana freeze in the field, and they aren¡¯t able to use their magic for some time now.¡± ¡°Oh my god, we are completely beaten down.¡± He thought that the battle was a complete victory after attracting his enemies into a well-laid trap. But a sudden twist began to happen! ¡°Look, Darland. What are we supposed to do?¡± At Ferrero¡¯s question, Count Darland thought for a moment and then opened his mouth. ¡°We need to retreat unconditionally.¡± Commanders of the Castia Kingdom and Navarre Duchy opposed it right away. ¡°That is not possible.¡± ¡°There will be damage, but I think we can defeat those zombies too.¡± Those who opposed him didn¡¯t know what the fear installed by the Undead and the Warlocks felt. Count Darland has never directly fought with the undead. But he had heard about the zombie poison in the Holy Empire, he thought that it was impossible to repel them with any general response. ¡°If we take time here, the damage will increase dramatically, and the number of zombies will only increase. Even if we defeat them, what use is it if we take too much damage? If we take damage, there will be serious setbacks to our next operation.¡± The 3rd squad was in charge of supporting the 1st squad, which was responsible for the Operation Beheading. They were in charge of blocking the reinforcements coming in from north and west of the Baroque Empire, and to narrow down the escape opportunities of Rudolf. However, if a significant portion of the troops were lost in the battle, the actual plan would be tough to follow. ¡°Well, can¡¯t help it. As Darland said, let¡¯s retreat.¡± At Ferrero¡¯s words, the order was immediately given and the 1st squad was informed of the new situation and the retreat. And by the time the retreat was done, Ferrero received Luke¡¯s call. Chapter 713 - Legion of the Dead 4 -¡­ That was what happened. At the entire explanation from Count Ferrero, Luke stroked his chin. ¡°If the testimony of that prisoner is current, it would mean that there was a warlock in the enemy troops right from the beginning.¡± -It was my responsibility. If the prisoners were managed thoroughly, this wouldn¡¯t have happened¡­ Luke shook his hand at Ferrero who was blaming himself. ¡°No, that isn¡¯t your fault. It was my fault for not calculating this likelihood.¡± Luke hadn¡¯t taken a closer look at the reinforcements of the Libiya Kingdom. All he thought was that he had to hurry and kill Rudolf and destroy the Ruins of Time. -Anyway, we hurried up and tried to move. The 3rd squad is in danger, but it is even more dangerous for the towns and cities near the region. Honestly, Count Ferrero wanted Luke to go over and fix the situation. He already had the experience in solving the zombie poison situation in the Holy Empire. However, he couldn¡¯t say that out loud, especially since he knew that Luke had something important to do. ¡°With the 3rd squad members, it might be impossible to stop them. While retreating, make the local men evacuate. When the civilians are attacked by the zombies, it will only turn troublesome for us.¡± -The civilians are already being moved and helped, Count Darland has already proposed that. ¡°That so? That was a good move. I¡¯ll contact the 1st squad and make sure that you get the support from the Holy Empire. They have experience in it and can cope well.¡± Luke chose to send in the Holy Empire rather than going over to support his men. His priority was the destruction of the ancient ruins. -Understood, Your Majesty. After finishing the communication, Luke directly contacted Commander Rogers. He then ordered the Holy Imperial Army to be moved to the 3rd squad, right away. In addition, he told them to send in priests and wizards along with Symphonia troops. ¡°Your Majesty, our army is rapidly advancing towards Nemesis. I am concerned that the decrease in military power will cause disruption in the further operation.¡± The reason why the 1st squad was able to advance that rapidly was because the enemy commanders and lord either fled or surrendered because of the scale of the troops. If the number decreased, there was a possibility that the reaction of the enemy forts would change. However, Luke thought that it was highly unlikely. ¡°Rudolf had called in all the troops from the other sides and had them go to Nemesis. Even the troops that need to guard the border of Volga and Holy Empire are being pulled out.¡± -Then, the armies at the borders will also move in. ¡°Yes, maybe everyone will be racing it, and no battles will happen until Nemesis is reached.¡± Although it was undisclosed, the heads of the nations, who were in the Continental Alliance, would be hoping that their troops would occupy the estates of the Baroque Empire. That way, it would be advantageous to divide the occupied estates or acquire gold in exchange for it. The reason why the commanders of the Castia Kingdom and Navarre Duchy of the 3rd squad were reluctant wasn¡¯t because of the retreat, but it was because of that very political calculation of owning the estates. However, Luke had no intention of being greedy about what would happen after the war. ¡°Reina doesn¡¯t want her people or the people of Baroque Empire to be sacrificed unnecessarily in this march. It¡¯s because our enemies are the Baroque Imperial family and few nobles loyal to them.¡± -Well, what is the sin of the people who know nothing about it? You mean, we need to stop the advance of the zombie troops and stop the damage to the people, right? Understood. Then I will do it in the way you have ordered me. He had told them how to deal with it, but Luke wasn¡¯t feeling well. The reason was the Holy Empire¡¯s zombie situation reached an end because of his and Reina¡¯s Spirit power and Aether. Spirit power was able to destroy those germs that spread the zombie poison. ¡®Even if the Holy Imperial troops go out, they might not be able to suppress the troops that easily.¡¯ At best, it would be the only way to prevent the poison from further spreading. Surely, that too was a very great help. It would give Luke the time he needed to destroy the ruins and eliminate Rudolf. ¡®No, there is a more certain way than that.¡¯ It was Reina, the pope of the Holy Empire. With the power she had, she could suppress all the zombies at once. The most effective card, however, Luke couldn¡¯t help but hesitate when it came to using her. He was reluctant to bring her into the battlefield. He had already allowed Karen to tag along, and he couldn¡¯t just let another one he loved to enter, that too in a battle far away from him. ¡®This is my selfishness. Reina did say that I shouldn¡¯t solve everything by myself. In addition, when I think of the people with zombie poison in¡­¡¯ Thinking for some time, Luke made a decision. In order to properly achieve the goal that was in front of him, it was necessary to make sure that everything that was happening around him needed to be completed the right away. Chapter 714 - Entering Nemesis 1 Chapter 714: Entering Nemesis 1 The road to the capital of Baroque Empire, Nemesis. About a hundred knights gathered in a circle and sat in the wasteland. However, one of them had approached an old man with a fancy armor, who appeared to be the commander of the group, and said something. ¡°What was that? The undead have appeared on the side of the 3rd squad?¡± ¡°Yes, Arch Duke. According to the magical communication from the Holy Palace, it was said that they were suspecting it to be the zombie poison.¡± Arch Duke Gregory, frowned at the report of the messenger. ¡°The Libiya Kingdom and the Baroque have crossed the line that they shouldn¡¯t have.¡± He heard that both nations had joined hands with the warlocks. However, he never expected that they would spread the zombie poison in their own lands. The horror of the zombie poison was very well known to the Holy Empire, which had seen it first-hand. They had seen the zombie poison outbreak in the Jackson estates. ¡°That is a very tough situation. I don¡¯t know if we can go ahead and catch them.¡± At the words of the Saint Guard, Gregory asked with a frown, ¡°Catch them? What is that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°That¡­ In the magic communication a while back, it was said that Her Holiness has asked us to join the 3rd squad and help them in supressing the zombie poison.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Gregory and the 1st squad of the Saint Guards were organized as a secret reinforcements by Reina to help Luke. The group was meant to help, more like get Karen back. However, the pope was said to come to the battlefield directly. No matter how many Gigants were there, there was surely no one superior to her divine ability to take down the undead. ¡°Is isn¡¯t an official statement, right?¡± ¡°Yes, right. We were just informed, that is all. It is nice to think that they have help on their side.¡± The captain of the 1st squad of the Saint Guards immediately added, ¡°Our Saint Guard, specially the 1st squad, exists for the purpose of escorting Her Holiness. But I don¡¯t think we should just be like this when Her Holiness is going to such a dangerous place.¡± The other members of the Saint Guards too showed their agreement to the statement. Gregory was silent for a moment and opened his mouth. ¡°As Saint Guards, we do exist for the sake of Her Holiness. But that doesn¡¯t mean that we can violate her own order.¡± ¡°Then¡­?¡± ¡°The escorting of Her Holiness is left over to the squad 2 or 3 of the Saint Guards, and we will continue marching forward to Nemesis.¡± The captain of the Saint Guards tried to refute Gregory¡¯s decision. ¡°But the 2nd and 3rd squad are lesser than our 1st squad. If an enemy appears there, they won¡¯t be able to¡­¡± ¡°It would have been very dangerous if Her Holiness was going into the enemy camp with few escorts. However, she is going to join with another army and help them. Considering that, is the princess the one who is in danger the most?¡± ¡°She is, but¡­¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time to argue. We need to hurry to Nemesis.¡± Gregory got up from his seat and hurriedly took the Saint Guard to the west. Their concerns for the pope were all buried deep into their brains. After a while, Luke returned from taking a call. His entire troop was waiting for him while they all expressed their concern for their allies. ¡°Your Majesty, the problem the 3rd squad has, is it manageable?¡± At Scarlet¡¯s question, Luke nodded. ¡°Appropriate measures have been taken. We just need to infiltrate Nemesis and focus on destroying the ruins inside the Imperial Palace.¡± Luke who said that, reviewed everything they talked about before and even the retreating measures. ¡°Me and Erwin will take over the security magic circles. The others are supposed to go here and¡­¡± He pointed to places over the Nemesis and gave detailed instructions and received suggestions. The one who talked the most was Jo Mimi. After hearing her suggestion, Luke burst in awe. ¡°Indeed! If it is zen skill, then we can do that.¡± Jo Mimi shrugged at the indirect praise. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. The northern continent lacks the skills regarding zen. So the enemy¡¯s men will take time in dealing with it.¡± ¡°Nice! Regarding that, I am going to give it to princess Jo Mimi. Karen, you know zen skills, so try and help princess Jo.¡± ¡°Yes, dad.¡± After the meeting, Luke and his party infiltrated Nemesis during the night. However, it was tough to call their act as infiltration. Because it was entering through the front door with disguise. ¡°Uhm¡­ a transport unit from the eastern army has come to deliver the highest grade magic stones to the Imperial Palace?¡± ¡°Yes. Here is the passage permit.¡± Luke, disguised as a merchant, showed the passage permit to the knight who was inspecting them. The permit was given by Henry, who was still a Baroque Imperial Intelligence member, and there could be no doubt about it being recognized as a counterfeit. ¡°But you have Southern Continent soldiers.¡± ¡°They were originally mercenaries, and we hired them because we lack regular army troops.¡± ¡°Right¡­ now is the time when no matter how many are being conscripted, we are still lacking. Even then, to bring in such a young child¡­¡± The knight felt bad while looking at Karen. Luke smiled bitterly. ¡°I don¡¯t feel that good either. I don¡¯t like this as I too have a daughter of her age back in my hometown.¡± ¡°Tch, this war has to end soon¡­ Well, I¡¯m talking a lot. Please go in quickly.¡± The knight sent Luke and his party into the gates, They passed the gates a lot easier than expected, and the members of the troops seemed to be at ease. However, Luke couldn¡¯t relax. It was because they hadn¡¯t completely passed the searching of the gates. According to Henry¡¯s information, artifacts that could measure mana and auras were installed inside the gates. Luke and the members of his team were the best and the brightest, so they were bound to get caught by the circles. ¡®If we have no countermeasure, we will get caught.¡¯ Wooong! As they were heading into the point where the artifacts were located, the magic circles on the ground glowed by giving out a low noise and a blueish light began to wrap them. But that was all. Maybe because they didn¡¯t seem too startled, the Imperial forces deployed around the artifacts didn¡¯t stop them. Once they passed, the group, who was nervous with the magic circle activation, sighed. ¡°The magic circle that Your Majesty made was effective.¡± ¡°Of course, I am pretty skillful.¡± At Shirley¡¯s words, Luke smiled. It was dark, so it was hard to see, but magic circles were drawn onto the uniforms of the troops along with Luke. It was a magic circle that could conceal the mana or the aura of the one who wears it, and it was possible to deceive that artifact because of the circle. ¡°From now on, we need to be on alert. We are going into the dragon¡¯s mouth.¡± Everyone nodded at Luke¡¯s warning. A number of Imperial troops were stationed in the palace. If they did anything that was clumsy or suspicious, they would be surrounded by enemies from all sides. ¡°We will go according to plan. We¡¯ll take off these costumes and then proceed.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Shh! Pay attention to your tone. We don¡¯t know where and who is listening to us!¡± ¡°Understood, boss.¡± Luke frowned, and Shirley corrected the other men. ¡°Miss Shirley, you were in the Iron Guards of the Baroque in the past, right? Considering that there would be more who might recognize you, you need to be more careful.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was no time to be jovial, so Shirley responded seriously. However, Luke couldn¡¯t shake off his concern. Shirley had amazing skills, but the only reason why she was asked to join the secret troops was because she understood the Imperial Palace better than anyone, and she had the most information on the Imperial army. However, due to her personality, it seemed like Luke was holding onto a ticking time bomb that could burst at any moment. ¡®Actually, I wanted Count Ferrero to join us rather than her¡­¡¯ However, he had to give the commanders post to a person like Ferrero, who had a tremendous reputation in the Baroque Army to make the other nobles surrender, so he brought in Shirley. ¡®I hope that this decision doesn¡¯t make the results of this task unfavorable.¡¯ Luke, who tried very hard to repress the churning feeling in his stomach, continued to step into the dragon¡¯s mouth. Chapter 715 - Entering Nemesis 2 The camping place prepared by Henry was the residence of former Marquis Cavanell. Marquis Cavanell was a nobleman of the Baroque Empire. However, he ended up getting purged by Rudolf¡¯s massacre of the opposing nobles, which ended up getting called as the ¡®blood approval ceremony¡¯, and the young nobles, their relatives, even their dogs, and servants were killed. The mansion, which had been neglected for the entire time was because it belonged to a traitor, and just recently the Imperial Army had been ordered to use it as an accommodation for military supplies. Henry worked in secret so that only he and Luke¡¯s party could use it. Thanks to that, they were able to stay there with relief on their minds. The next morning, as the day dawned upon, Luke gathered all of the troops. ¡°So, I decided to act on what we discussed yesterday. Don¡¯t ever do anything reckless.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Divided into several groups, they scattered downtown into Nemesis, and a group worked in secret to secure a retreat. Luke and Erwin went in to sabotage the Nemesis¡¯s security magic circles which were placed all over, while Karen and Jo Mimi built zen jammers all throughout the city to avoid getting noticed by the Imperial army. ¡®It looks like kids are doing graffiti on the ground.¡¯ Shirley, who followed the two women as their escort along with a few more troops, thought when she watched the two of them work. Unlike magic, which was full of geometric figures and magic characters and magic stones, the zen looked more free and irregular in writing. Moreover, unlike the magic circles which are drawn on the flat ground or surfaces, the zen was being used more on the natural objects like branches and stones. ¡®If it is like that, no one will even guess that something like these were installed in the middle of Nemesis.¡¯ No, they might yell out loud saying that the sacred square of Nemesis was being used for graffiti. Well, while Shirley was lost in that thought, the creation of the circles were done. And the circle that was finished, and as if it didn¡¯t even exist, the entire drawing patterns disappeared. ¡°How do you trigger something like that? Are you supposed to memorize the spell like magic circles?¡± Karen answered at Shirley¡¯s question ¡°No, you just need to tear off this talisman. Then it can be activated from anywhere and anytime.¡± In some ways, it seemed a lot better than magic. Thinking something like that, Shirley followed Karen and Jo Mimi who were moving to the house. But on their way back, she stopped her steps near the market. Her eyes directed at the Lycan slope boy, and a knight who seemed to belong to the Central Army, the boy seemed to be shivering. ¡°I-I was in the wrong. Please, please let this go just once, sir!¡± ¡°Shut up, you furry child! How dare you spoil my uniform even after knowing that you are a slave! And you want to be excused?¡± The knight beat the boy with his baton and no mercy was shown. Puck! Puck! Puck! Blood splattered everywhere and the kid groaned. However, the people around them were moving away or pretending like they didn¡¯t see them, no one came ahead to stop them. It was unimaginable for any common person to go against the knight, and in the Baroque Empire, the fairies and the mixed-race were all considered to be slaves except for the small number of skilled people like Shirley. ¡®This is why I had no choice but like His Majesty Luke.¡¯ Ever since the Symphonia Kingdom has made any significant progress in the short duration, the ethnicity harmony has spread all over. However, the Baroque Empire didn¡¯t show any signs of harmony among races. Rather, Emperor Rudolf denied to speak anything about racial reconciliation in his policies, and it was his idea to encourage slavery. ¡°Uuuu, please just¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to shut up? How dare a beast dare to talk to me?¡± The knight raised his baton as if he was going to give one last bloody blow to take down the fallen mixed-race child. Break! Shirley¡¯s patience ran out. The moment the knight was about to strike the boy, she ran ahead and pushed her spear close to his neck. ¡°There you go, knight!¡± ¡°Wh-what are you?¡± Karen and Jo Mimi, who saw what Shirley did, held their heads. They witnessed what happened, and were thinking about how they could save the body as quietly as possible. However, as Shirley ran ahead, all their thoughts and plans turned into waste. ¡°Where do you belong from? How dare you point your spear at a knight!¡± The knight who checked Shirley¡¯s clothes, yelled feeling outraged. Shirley replied without losing her cool. ¡°Huh? are you so great skilled to not even realize the little pawns who are walking around the street?¡± ¡°Sh-shut up! Wh-what are you doing? Arrest this one right here!¡± The Central Army knights came ahead. However, the subordinates couldn¡¯t move any further to act. Shirley widened her eyes and threatened to pierce the neck of the knight by taking one step ahead. Karen, who had cast several offensive spells, hesitated. ¡®What should I do? Even if we get rid of them in here, it will still make a lot of noise as there are too many eyes on us.¡¯ Even if they got rid of the knights as quickly as possible, there were too many eyewitnesses that would quickly relay information. And the operation of the ruins could be completely destroyed. ¡°What is this fuss?¡± It was when Karen wasn¡¯t able to do anything. On the other side of the road, a group of knights appeared with a stiff voice. They were old knights wearing antique designer armor. Shirley almost dropped her spear when she felt the unusual energy come from the man. ¡®He¡­ how is he¡­?!¡¯ He was at least two levels stronger than her. Sword Master Advanced, maybe even more than that. Shirley, feeling nervous, suddenly realized that the energy felt familiar to her. ¡®What? Where did I ever feel it?¡¯ It was when she was beating her mind. An old knight who approached them, touched Shirley¡¯s spear with the sword tip of the knight and asked the knight. ¡°What the hell happened here?¡± ¡°Th-that¡­¡± As much as Shirley, even the Central Knight army were flustered. The crest on the armor belongs to the Elder Knight. The Elder Knights were a group of retired knights of the Knights of Guard. Although old and retired, they exercised and they still had influence over the frontline Knights and commanders. In addition, it was a state of emergency, and the elderly were also returning to an active line of duty. Pack! ¡°Ugh-!¡± The elderly, kicked the Central Army knight, and fired coldly at him. ¡°Why isn¡¯t there a word from your mouth? Are your lips stuck together? Maybe I should use my sword and open them.¡± When the old knight pulled his sword out, and the knight who looked at him, began to report in haste. ¡°While going on the road, this dirty one bumped into me, so I was disciplining him for a while. But this soldier appears and acts rudely.¡± ¡°That so?¡± As if convinced, the elderly nodded. The Central Army knights sighed in relief, and the elder kicked the knight once again. ¡°Ahhh!¡± It was so painful to see that even the other Central Army knights screamed. ¡°You stupid bastard! Slaves are the property of the nation, and you act as if you have the right to hurt them at your own will? If you are a knight, you need to at least act as an example for the others¡­¡± The knight who was groaning, didn¡¯t seem very pleased at the criticism he had to hear. However, he decided to back off. ¡°Which unit of the Central Army are you? I need to call all your captain and give them some discipline too!¡± ¡°Ah, number 1. Please just do this once!¡± He was once ruling over and now he was under. And to avoid such a terrible situation, the knight begged by clasping his hands. Maybe the appearance of the knight like that seemed desperate enough for the elder. ¡°If you do something as disgusting as this one more time, I will not forgive you.¡± ¡°Ye-yes! Thank you!¡± The knight immediately got up and led away his men. The old man, who left the fallen boy to his subordinates approached Shirley, whose eyes were stiff and spoke very lowly. ¡°I never thought that I would run into you in this place, Viscount Shirley.¡± ¡°Hu! Who-who¡­¡± Shirley went stiff, and battered herself as her identity was revealed. The elder knight quickly took off his helmet and showed his identity. ¡°Huh! You-greg¡­¡± ¡°Shh! Have you forgotten that we are in the middle of the enemy place?¡± The man was none other than Arch Duke Gregory of the Holy Empire. He, who often followed the Pope and visited the Symphonia Kingdom to fight against Luke, and the other Sword Masters of Symphonia. Shirley too had taken in a lot of advice from the man, so she should have known him from the energy itself. However, she never imagined that she would cross paths with him in such a place. ¡°Why are you here? Are you here to help us?¡± ¡°Well, our tomboy ran away and we came over to catch the princess.¡± Gregory spoke. Karen was watching the entire situation from across the street. As soon as she figured out that the man was Arch Duke Gregory, she tried to play it cool. ¡°Hehehe, hello?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that, Princess. This is no time I can say hello!¡± Gregory roared in a low voice. It wasn¡¯t too hard for him to get angry. Karen didn¡¯t just run away from home, she even stole the Gigant he loved. ¡°Where is His Majesty Luke? I think that we need to have a serious conversation about child education right away.¡± ¡®Oops! He must be really pissed.¡¯ Karen began to sweat profusely. However, no matter how much she tried to think of a way to get away from the situation, the genius child couldn¡¯t come up with a solution to escape from the tough situation. Chapter 716 - Entering Nemesis 3 ¡°You met with Arch Duke Gregory and his party?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. There was a bit of a problem that came in, and he helped.¡± Upon hearing Shirley¡¯s report, Luke ran back to the mansion. There he could see Gregory and Saint Guard¡¯s disguised as the Elder Knights of the Baroque. And Karen¡¯s expression didn¡¯t seem great. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bend your arms bending, lift them high a little more!¡± Karen was kneeling down, facing the east towards the Holy Empire, and was whining with hands raised high. When Karen¡¯s arms went a little down, as if she wanted out, Gregory struck his sword to the floor and pointed out. Luke looked at that and sighed. Hwang Bo-sung, who was behind him, was shocked. ¡°Your Majesty, that is a little too¡­¡± ¡°Let it be. When you do something bad, you need to be punished.¡± Luke didn¡¯t want to say the words of ¡®Why are you killing my poor child¡¯, like every other noble parent he hated. At that time, Arch Duke Gregory approached him and spoke. ¡°Greetings Your Majesty. I never thought that I would meet you in such an unexpected place.¡± ¡°It is nice to meet you. When I heard Karen¡¯s words, I thought that Reina would definitely do something but to send in Arch Duke Gregory¡­¡± ¡°I never expected that this would be the reason for me to enter Nemesis.¡± Gregory, who spoke to Luke, glanced over at Karen. Karen, whose feet seemed to be tingling, tried to straighten her foot and then corrected her posture. ¡®Dad, please help me.¡¯ Karen glanced over at Luke with pleading eyes, but Luke ignored her daughter¡¯s plead. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to scold her more severely?¡± ¡°Not that, but Her Holiness has asked me to spank the child when I met her.¡± ¡°Really? Then why¡­?¡± ¡°The princess has a rather adult-like personality, right? I thought it would be too much to do that.¡± ¡®And making her kneel and raising her hands, isn¡¯t too much?¡¯ Hwang Bo-sung thought, but didn¡¯t say it out loud, it wasn¡¯t a discussion he could interrupt. ¡°I see. But how did you get into Nemesis? The security is pretty tough.¡± Luke was really curious. He knew that the Saint Guards had immense power. However, that didn¡¯t mean that the security magic circle or the checkpoint artifacts in Nemesis would let them pass. Even Luke had to spend some time and break those circles. ¡°Did Marquis Reas of the Arthenia Holy Magic Tower accompany you? With his ability, it might be possible, so?¡± ¡°No, Marquis Reas is with Her Holiness. We hid under the ground.¡± ¡°Underground? You mean that there was something like a secret passage?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Gregory nodded. ¡°Behind Nemesis are catacombs which were built long back. It is connected to several temples on the ground, it is pretty complex and very extensive, almost like a labyrinth.¡± ¡®Right, the catacombs!¡¯ The catacombs, the paths for the sanctuaries, were created by remodeling the underground dungeons or sewers built during the Mado Empire. After the fall of the Mado Empire, the world was so chaotic and lawless, so priests of that time used these passages for refugees or escape routes. Luke knew about the existence of these so-called catacombs during his time as Saymon. High-ranking priests of the esteemed estates would escape through the catacombs, but even after men were sent to catch them, no one could actually find the persons who went in. ¡°The priest of the temple near the Nemesis guided us. And the Elder Knight uniforms were borrowed from a few believers.¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ you came in without strain because you had help. Is there a catacomb to the basement of the city?¡± ¡°Huhu! Well, why would you want?¡± At Gregory¡¯s question, Luke glared at him. ¡°You are being too savage with me.¡± He knew very well why the old man was known to be scary. It was because this man had connections with people everywhere because of the denomination, and he had the profound knowledge he had accumulated all over the years, he wasn¡¯t someone who could be ignored. While he was trying to pull Luke¡¯s leg, Luke asked seriously. ¡°When you use the catacombs to go out, is it fine if we accompany you?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, but I heard that Your Majesty is planning to destroy the ruins in the Imperial Palace? Is it so dangerous that you had to come over and destroy it?¡± Gregory too heard that the Baroque Empire was trying to weaponize the Vers. Marquis Reas explained what Vers was and how dangerous that plague could be, but Gregory didn¡¯t understand Luke¡¯s actions. Luke seemed to be in a hurry to do something. Moreover, Luke was over here, when he should have been trying to help in containing that zombie poison which was spreading over on the other side of Baroque. ¡°This is very dangerous. Incomparable to all the crises we have faced till now.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Luke didn¡¯t give out any specific information. However, from his glances itself, Gregory knew that Luke wasn¡¯t making things up. ¡°There must be a reason why the Princess had to react like that.¡± Gregory didn¡¯t know the details, but thought Karen must have heard something from Luke. He thought that she must have run away from home for her father, so wanted to be forgiven for doing her filial duty. However, since it was a betrayal to her mother, he decided to discipline the child. ¡°If the situation is that urgent and dangerous, we will help. But how are we going to enter the Imperial Palace? Even if we dress up as elite, there will be entry to only a few.¡± Rudolf was currently concentrating on his remaining forces in Nemesis. Not to mention the defense against the Imperial palace, as Luke too looked a while back, it seemed impossible to penetrate through the troops which were stationed outside the Palace. Unless something very important came up to divert them, Luke wouldn¡¯t be able to move in. ¡°Even though it was, we were trying to find ways to infiltrate from then, but I think that it will be easier to solve with Arch Duke Gregory¡¯s help.¡± ¡°Easy you say?¡± Arch Duke seemed puzzled, and Luke laughed out loud and slowly explained. ¡°Actually, I was about to use my hand to secure it as a retreat. You know, this path¡­¡± Having decided that the catacombs would be used as a retreat, Luke decided to use the magic circles and the zen users in the groups to infiltrate the Imperial Palace. The same method as before. They were getting prepared to attract the attention of the enemy, so it didn¡¯t matter where they used the trick. ¡°And we have our agents from the Imperial Intelligence Serve. If they can create a little mess, we can keep the baroque troops from paying attention to the Imperial Palace for a small while.¡± ¡°Indeed! If you do that, it won¡¯t be that reckless.¡± ¡®Hiig, I will have to help it too¡­.¡¯ Karen glanced at Luke with joy in her eyes as she heard Gregory¡¯s question. Because she believed that her dad would save her. For the first time, she regretted following her father. Chapter 717 - The Forbidden Door Opens 1 Marquis Maghreb, who became the commander of the Central Army of the Baroque Empire earlier this year, was the high noble for the emperor. Although he didn¡¯t have much experience, he quickly seized the military as he did hard work and had great relations. And currently, he was in charge of the Imperial troops gathered in the capital on behalf of Emperor Rudolf. Nemesis¡¯s Imperial troop¡¯s commander. Twenty high-ranking nobles were seated in a large conference room. They were the commanders and the staffs of the Central, Northern, or the Eastern forces, the commander of the Northern army, Count Jemo, opened his mouth to Marquis Maghreb who was seated in the highest sport. ¡°Sire! Is it really okay to stay like this?¡± The Volga Republic and the Holy Empire troops were invading the empire because of the empty borders. And the situation was way worse in the south. It was because the self-proclaimed continental alliance was three days away from advancing to Nemesis. The situation was insane. However, the Baroque Imperial troops weren¡¯t asked to respond. At one time, they held hands with the Libiya support troops and sent in the western troops to stop the invading army, but these men got the reports of their troops failing despite their huge number. Marquis Maghreb was better aware of the situation than anyone else in the room, better than the commanders and the staff. ¡°Haa, I too kept on asking the same thing to His Majesty. However, he keeps saying that we will win the war if we can keep the capital safe.¡± At those words, the high ranking nobles began to speak out. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what His Majesty is even thinking.¡± ¡°That is right. Currently, the Empire is in danger, but he only wants to save the capital. Aren¡¯t the other estates part of the Empire?¡± ¡°This capital, there are posters everywhere criticizing the empire and the Imperial family every day, and still, no one is doing anything about the public sentiment!¡± Every night, there were suspicious posters all over the capital. Words were being written about Emperor Rudolf, and the situation of the Imperial nobles were degrading too. There was something about the last princess of the old Libiya Kingdom, which disappeared 500 years back, would appear and punish the Baroque Imperial family. ¡°The princess who disappeared 500 years ago can¡¯t be alive, right?¡± ¡°Yes. It is clear that the dissatisfied factions, who don¡¯t want to admit reality, are spreading rumors.¡± ¡°The problem is that the public sentiment is getting ugly, and we have no way to clear them off.¡± The public sentiment of the empire was already in a serious situation. With the outbreak of Vers, Rudolf¡¯s cruel nature of suppressing the plague, the harsh tax robbery, and the forced conscripts resulting in the civil war, even the people of the capital weren¡¯t loyal to the empire any more. But there were still a lot of things going on, so the nobles were worried. In the worst case, a revolt could happen right in the capital itself. ¡°What did Count Voltas say? Is he trying to persuade His Majesty?¡± ¡°I met with Count Voltas yesterday, and he said that it wouldn¡¯t easy to change His Majesty¡¯s mind.¡± He worked along with Rudolf for a long time, he was a close friend of the emperor, and not long ago, he turned into an aide for the emperor, but even then, he couldn¡¯t honestly say what was wrong to Emperor Rudolf! ¡°Ugh! What the hell is this nation going to turn out like?¡± The military nobles were unaware that Rudolf was restoring the ruins. Well, aside from the wizards of the Magic Tower, and Rudolf¡¯s closest men, they were all unaware that the ruins even existed in the ruins. Obviously, such people could never understand how Rudolf think about things. ¡°Can¡¯t we just go ahead and stop the enemy?¡± Count Jemo tapped his chest and spoke. ¡°What are you talking about? Don¡¯t you know that we can be arrested for treason if we move from the capital!¡± Count Sochi, the commander of the Eastern army, opposed right away. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that!? I can¡¯t just see my nation fall like this!¡± ¡°But what you¡¯re saying is impossible.¡± ¡°So, you are saying that the Baroque Empire has to be destroyed?¡± ¡°Who said that it has to be destroyed? What I meant was¡­¡± As the two commanders raised their voices, Marquis Maghreb banged the meeting table as he couldn¡¯t stand them fighting any longer. ¡°Quiet! Quiet, everyone!¡± ¡°So-sorry!¡± When the entire table went silent, Maghreb spoke., ¡°First, we follow His Majesty¡¯s orders. Defending the capital is our top priority.¡± ¡°Sire, then local cities and estates are in danger¡­¡± ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that?! I have a family, and they are in the east!¡± He spoke out loud to silence the commanders. ¡°Instead, we will bring in the estate troops that are scattered around the capital.¡± ¡°The estate troops?¡± ¡°Yes, there are many unoccupied estates, and I know that some troops are there in those places. We will bring those troops and make them stop the Volga Republic and the Holy Empire, and those brazen continental allies.¡± Marquis Maghreb didn¡¯t know of the emperor¡¯s intention, but he thought that sooner or later, an order would come asking them to stop for the invading troops. ¡°You only have to make time till then.¡± ¡°However, even if we use the troops of the estates, they will be short on power.¡± Gigants and cannons, everything that was usable was brought to the capital, and those who remained in the estates were the old knights and soldiers. It was impossible to block the enemy troops by gathering such a small number of estate forces. Maghreb nodded at Count Jemo¡¯s words. ¡°As you said, it will be difficult. So I plan to covertly send in one squad of knights to each.¡± According to the formation of the Imperial army, one squad of knights had 100 Gigants for us. And that meant they were sending in Gigants for support. Only then did the nobles, who reach Marquis Maghreb¡¯s thoughts, nodded and asked, ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound bad¡­ Shouldn¡¯t we think about how to send them in secret?¡± ¡°We will take it for granted. Your Majesty did tell us to do all we can to secure the capital, and he never really told us to not support for estates.¡± ¡°Indeed! Support! We are sending the knight troops to support the estate troops!¡± ¡°I think that is a good idea. I agree with it.¡± As the people began to agree, Marquis Maghreb tried to make up a detailed plan, including the list of knights to send. However, something terrible happened. Bang! Bang! Pop! Rumble! All of a sudden, the ground began to shake with sounds of explosion coming in from all four directions. ¡°Wh-what was that?!¡± ¡°What is this¡­?¡± When the commanders were confused and tried to look for the cause of the shaking, the door opened with the lieutenant of Marquis Maghreb rushing inside and crying out. ¡°We are in trouble, Sire! Fire is rising all over the capital and explosions are happening all over. It seems like someone invaded and caused an uprising.¡± ¡°What? Who would¡­¡± Right when Marquis Maghreb was going to give orders for the troops to advance to battle¡­ this time, two messengers ran in at the same time and yelled in panic. ¡°It was said that the security magic circles installed on the walls of the capital suddenly started to run wild.¡± ¡°It was said that a monster was seen appearing from the sky and attacked the barracks in the south! They have been calling for support troops!¡± The sudden series of the events left Marquis Maghreb and the high ranking nobles confused. However, one thing was clear. Regardless of what it was, they had to stop their plan and watch what was going on. If the mess increased and the news entered the ears of Rudolf, they would surely be punished for it. ¡°After suppressing them with all means and methods, seek out those who made this mess and destroy them.¡± ¡°Yes, Sire!¡± The commanders and staff of each military commander, who took in the military order from Marquis Maghreb, hurried out. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! ¡°Hurry! We need to save our allies before they are attacked by the monsters!¡± ¡°Arrest those who made a fuss and shoot them! If you are in doubt about the person, arrest them!¡± ¡°Gather all the cannons! We need to shoot the monster that appeared in the sky!¡± Gigants and the soldiers moved out of the barracks. Their goal was to clear the mess, mainly outside Nemesis, and protect the walls of the city. Thanks to that, the entire center of the city turned empty. ¡°Whoohoo, it is going just as planned.¡± Luke smiled as he climbed to the bell tower of a temple and watched the events happen. The series of mess was all his doing. The servants hiding in the Intelligence, such as Henry, set fire to the government offices and mansions of the other high-ranking people to divert the attention. And then, the security magic circles, which had been sabotaged, were the result of the zen users, Jo Mimi and Karen, before placing circles being activated. As things erupted in succession, the Imperial army that was stationed in Nemesis was confused and didn¡¯t know how to react. ¡®As a result, only the Knights of Guards remained in the Imperial Palace.¡¯ During that brief period, Luke was planning to destroy the remains of time and escape from Nemesis. ¡°Kay then, shall we start?¡± At his gesture, Arch Duke Gregory and the other members of the Saint Guard and his secret troops ran toward the Imperial Palace. Various units moved back and forth and were all disguised as the Baroque Imperial troops, so no one was stopping and checking them. But did they reach around halfway? Suddenly, they felt a familiar wave of energy from the Imperial Palace. It was the Aether. ¡®No! did they get the ruins to work? Already?!¡¯ At that moment, when Luke¡¯s heart began to shudder, Karen shouted, ¡°Dad! We are done! It looks like Rudolf has started the ruins!¡± ¡°All this! Everyone move at full speed!¡± Luke raised his mana as much as he could and started to dash ahead to the Imperial Palace. Chapter 718 - The Forbidden Door Opens 2 Around 30 minutes before Luke initiated his plan. In the office, Rudolf was taking in a report from Count Voltas. ¡°Your Majesty, the ancient ruins have been started.¡± ¡°Kuek, really?¡± Rudolf¡¯s mouth formed a smile as he stood up from his seat because today was the last day in the week he had given them. ¡°They were lucky. Even a day later, I would have killed all those wizards.¡± On the way to the ruins, Rudolf moved with a tremendous speed, and Count Voltas trembled like a man suffering from pain. It was because he knew that the words that Rudolf spoke were not a joke but his true intentions. The total number of wizards in the ruins was around 300. In addition to just the talented ones from the Imperial Tower, they even brought former elders of the magic towers. If all of them died, the Baroque¡¯s magical engineering would regress a lot. The regression of magic engineering wouldn¡¯t affect just magic or academic fields, it would bring about the regression in Gigant making, which were the masterpieces of the modern war. They wouldn¡¯t be able to make a Hero class or Knight class Gigant anytime soon, and if the existing Gigants broke down, they can¡¯t be fixed either. In other words, the security of the empire would be in jeopardy. ¡®He has gone crazy! His Majesty has really gone mad!¡¯ Voltas shook his head as he followed the emperor, who was blinded by revenge. It seemed very much like the end of the Barque Empire. The empire that had been ruling as the powerhouse of the Rhodesia Continent for the past 500 years seemed to be coming to a close. Over the past week, he tried to make the emperor get his reasoning back, but all his efforts seemed to be in vain. There was only one way left. If the ruins did work, then Rudolf might regain his former composure. That was the only hope of the Baroque Empire. ¡®If it is really like what he says, it will be something that hasn¡¯t happened till now. No one will remember it except for His Majesty.¡¯ But was it really possible to turn back time? Wasn¡¯t that just a dream of any wizard? While Voltas was in doubt, he saw a huge dome made of trees and tents ahead. The original underground ruins collapsed and were buried, and a huge tent was placed over the things that were left behind for excavation and to hide the truth from the others. The vigilance was tight, and the Knights of Guards had Gigants right next to them. As they entered the dome while receiving greeting from the knights, they saw a hollow hall. Many of the workers and the wizards passed away, and only the high ranking wizards of the SS and the elders of the Imperial tower remained. The time travel device seemed like long-distance teleport gates. Various magic circles and artifacts were connected to what looked like a controller device, a large round ring in the center, and a tombstone next to it. ¡°How can I activate this?¡± At Rudolf¡¯s question, Marquis Kepler stepped ahead and explained, ¡°The time and coordinates need to be entered in here. The controller, which looks like a tombstone, will activate and charge the aether.¡± When the Aether got activated, the ancient magic circles engraved on the round ring began to move in unison. In fact, some devices related to time that was designed by people in ancient times couldn¡¯t be done. They were sure that the time artifact couldn¡¯t be produced, but Kepler and the other wizards tried to reproduce it. Rather than that, Rudolf¡¯s intimidation was too strong, so they just created something else. ¡°Good job, everyone! I will give you wealth and honor just as I promised! For all your generations!¡± At Rudolf¡¯s praise, Kepler and the other elders sighed in relief. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°By the way, the Aether has to be charged, right?¡± ¡°Yes. The aether recharged completely thanks to the generous supply of Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Then, place the coordinate as 10 years ago to the Imperial Palace.¡± Rudolf set the time zone to 10 years ago. It was because that was the time when Baroque was at its peak. Even the hostile forces including Luke de Rakan weren¡¯t that powerful then. When Marquis Kepler entered the time and coordinates, Rudolf spoke, ¡°Make it work right away. I said that we don¡¯t have much time.¡± ¡°Sorry? Right now?¡± Kepler was shocked at Rudolf¡¯s request. It was because if the emperor suddenly disappeared, there would be huge confusion in the state. Not just the state, even the nobles and the soldiers, who can¡¯t find the emperor, would scatter away. And the entire empire would get destroyed in an instant. Count Voltas, who was behind, strongly opposed it. ¡°Your Majesty, Give me two days, no, at least a day to prepare!¡± However, Rudolf had no intention of doing that. ¡°If I go back to the past and make everything happen, the confusion won¡¯t rise. You don¡¯t need to think about that.¡± ¡°Well, that¡­¡± He had to think about a lot. But he couldn¡¯t say that to Rudolf. If Voltas opposed once again, Rudolf was very likely to pull out his sword. So Count Voltas decided to shut up. ¡°What are you doing! Activate the Aether!¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I understand.¡± At Rudolf¡¯s yell, Marquis Kepler closed his eyes and pressed the activate button to inject Aether into the time travel device. Wooong! The moment an intense wind blew along with the waves of the Aether, the ancient ruins started to vibrate. The Aether, which was stable, began to shake the ruins. ¡°How long will it take for the Aether to activate?¡± Maybe it was nerve-wracking for Rudolf when it came to time travel. ¡°About an hour.¡± ¡°Then I have no choice but to wait till then.¡± ¡®Damn it, this needs to turn into a success¡­¡¯ Unlike Rudolf, who was laid-back, Kepler and the other wizards were nervous. It was because there was not enough time to test the device. If the time travel device stopped halfway or if it didn¡¯t trigger, it was clear Rudolf¡¯s wrath would be diverted to them. The time travel device that contained the wishes of too many people began to work in opening the forbidden door. Chapter 719 - The Forbidden Door Opens 3 ¡°Who are those?¡± The guards who were near the front gate of the Imperial Palace of Nemesis seemed confused when a group of soldiers was running for them. ¡°They seem to be from Eastern troops¡­ there is an Elder Knight in the lead.¡± A senior knight, who was among the guards opened his mouth. ¡°Has anyone called over for the reinforcements?¡± ¡°No, we haven¡¯t.¡± They heard from the messenger that there were disturbances¡ªlike explosions and monsters appearing all over the capital. It was possible that someone had requested for support troops in order to strengthen the defense of the Imperial Palace, but if someone did request for backup, the higher ups would have informed the guards. ¡°Why so suspicious?¡± ¡°Report it to the top, and stop them down¡­¡± It was when the Senior Knight had said that. Swoosh-! An arrow made a sharp noise and pierced it in his head. Scarlet, who fired the arrow just now, released another and another and took down the guards. ¡°Amazing skills. But, for a princess from the land of arrows, I can¡¯t lose to her.¡± When princess Ja-hye began to stretch her arms after getting riled up, the Yemaek warriors who followed her, shot their arrows. The guards who were at the front gate got wiped out before they could even do anything. ¡°Go ahead and open the door¡­¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need to do that.¡± It was Hwang Bo-sung, who pushed away Scarlet and Ja-hye. He clenched his fist, pulling it back, and yelled while pushing his fist for a punch towards the front gate. ¡°Trinity Martial Punch!¡± Bang! The energy of Ki which came in with the amazing power of a thunderbolt, smashed the gate of the Imperial Palace which was made of thick magical alloy. Arch Duke Gregory, who couldn¡¯t help but be shocked with the power he just witnessed, exclaimed. ¡°Marvellous. That much power is more than enough to take down one Knight class Gigant with just one punch.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s actually a lot more powerful.¡± Hwang Bo-sung smiled and replied to Gregory, who was known to be the strongest person on the Rhodesia continent after Luke. Although the attack was too straightforward, the speed and power covered the disadvantage of it. ¡°Count Hwang Bo-sung, maybe you¡¯d like talking about it at a later time? We are in the middle of an urgent situation.¡± ¡°Ah, sorry, Majesty.¡± Luke spoke back to Hwang Bo-sung and ran into the gate. A few moments ago, the sound of the gate crashing into the ground would have been heard, and the guards who were deployed around were coming over. ¡°Intruders over here!¡± ¡°Go ahead, report it¡­!¡± Maybe because of the preparations done for the defense, the guards ahead were a lot more than normal. Whether they be a hundred or a thousand, Luke had the ability and confidence to get past them. But what was more important than fighting those guards was to smash those ruins which seemed to have started. He didn¡¯t have the luxury of time to stand back and fight measly beginners. ¡°Arch Duke, take over from here. The situation is urgent, so I will go ahead.¡± Before Gregory responded to Luke¡¯s request, Jo Mimi came ahead. ¡°Leave this over to this woman.¡± ¡°Princess?¡± ¡°Yes, this much level is something I can easily take care of.¡± She said with a confident face. Luke didn¡¯t want to entrust this task to the princess of an allied nation. However, he couldn¡¯t help but admire her skills which she showed right after saying that. ¡°Heavenly swords!¡± After saying that¡ªshe sprinkled small stones on the ground, moved, and once she was done reciting the spell, the stone shone and quickly swelled up. And began to form 3 meter giant stones of 100 in numbers which were created. ¡°Ho ho ho, this is something which has been passed down from generation to generation in our family. The Hobeop. Girls are the only ones who can summon them.¡± And they were the source of Jo Mimi¡¯s confidence. ¡®She called them Hobeop?¡¯ From what Luke knew, the southern continent was known to be something similar to a guardian. The problem was the shape of the stone giants made by Jo Mimi. The appearance of the face and the armaments didn¡¯t look much like the southern continent ones at all. The features were very clear and the plate armor, the shields, the large swords¡ªwhich were typical of the Rhodesian knights. Above all, the most striking was the two-headed line lion crest engraved on the breastplate and shield. ¡®That is?¡¯ Luke wasn¡¯t the only one who recognized it. The guards who rushed to stop them seemed very shocked. ¡°Th-that¡­!¡± ¡°The Old Libiya Kingdom!¡± ¡°Then, the rumors spread across the capital are true?¡± As the predecessor of the Baroque Empire was the Libiya Kingdom, they knew the old crest of the Old Libiya Kingdom. A princess from the Old Libiya Kingdom will appear and punish the Baroque Imperial Family! The guards recalled the rumors they heard recently. The higher ups said that it was a deception and held no truth, and regular guards were ordered not to speak about it. It was because the rumors were insulting the Baroque Imperial family, and from the point of the Knights of Guards, such rumors couldn¡¯t be encouraged. So the guards knew, yet pretended not to know. However, the stone statues looked exactly like the ones from the Old Libiya Kingdom! ¡°Were the rumors from the Old Libiya Kingdom true?¡± ¡°No, this can¡¯t be it!¡± Shaikan, well, Reichard had borrowed the name of the Libiya Kingdom and established it again as his own nation. However, the royal crest he used was a dragon, and it wasn¡¯t much different from the Baroque Empire. This wasn¡¯t just to show off the Dragonian lineage, but also to prove that he was the successor of the Baroque Empire. Anyway, there was no time for the guards to think about it. Because the stone guards were running around. [Dragon¡¯s crest¡­ the crest of the traitor¡ªCarno de Baroque!] [Traitors!] [Take down the seeds of the traitors and their henchmen!] The stone guards, who saw the armor of the guards spoke in gloomy voices and smashed them with their swords and shields. Jo Mimi was a bit startled. The Hobeop weren¡¯t just stone dolls. Though they spoke only a few words, they were beings of emotions. However, it was unprecedented for those stone dolls to display such excitement. ¡®What happened?¡¯ Hobeop was made by combining necromancy which was secretly handed down in the royal family and it was based on zen. She knew that it used her vitality and martial arts. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just the vitality, but the eight knight¡¯s force who tried to suppress the Fairy Emperor¡ªwho appeared to help Emperor Jinjong at that time. ¡®Is there any relationship between the ancestor and the ones here?¡¯ Only Luke can solve the questions Jo Mimi had. However, Luke wasn¡¯t there with her. He moved in a hurry while leading the other members of the troops to the ruins of time even before the Hobeop entered into the battle. Chapter 720 - The Forbidden Door Opens 4 Chapter 720: The Forbidden Door Opens 4 ¡°Intruders have entered the Imperial palace!¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t easy men! Hurry up, and get the Gigants out!¡± When the situation on the front gate was communicated, the Knights of Guards hurried to respond to the situation. The Baroque Imperial Palace Knights of Guards were divided into three organizations: Gold Guards, Silver Guards, and the Iron Guard. The most powerful of them were the Silver and Iron Guards, and they were currently guarding the ruins with the Emperor¡¯s escorts. The Iron Guards were in charge of defending and patrolling the main gate, while the Silver Guard was in charge of defending the buildings in the Imperial Palace and to escort the high-ranking officials and nobles, including the Imperial family. With the urgent report that the main gate of the Imperial Palace had been opened, the Silver Guards deployed in each building were being mobilized to help. ¡°Damn it, what the hell?!¡± ¡°Who is that? Our nation is on the way to hell already! And now even the Imperial Palace¡­ Kuak!¡± A Silver Guard Knight, who was complaining to his colleague, suddenly screamed. Seeing that an arrow made of steel was coming for him. ¡°Over there, there are enemies over there!¡± The Silver Guard Knights, who found the direction of the arrow coming in, looked over. A group of men, who were being led by a red-headed woman, was seen on a building. Swoosh! Ping! ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stand that far, block or cover yourselves with shields!¡± The arrows which came for them had so much power, and the arrows always went for the gaps in the helmet or the armors. In particular, the arrows released by the red-haired woman were the most frightening. Three people got killed by just one arrow from her. Because of that, the Silver Guard knights were busy trying to hide near stone statues, walls, or pillars. ¡°Damn it! It is a Bow Master!¡± Those who reached a higher level of archery were called Bow Masters. There were a few humans who have managed to achieve that level, which was known to be difficult for elves. ¡°Call for the archers right away!¡± ¡°No, War mages would be better.¡± The Silver Guard knights made a fuss, but before the War Mages or Archer could arrive, the intruders had sneaked off. The intruders seemed very accustomed to the enemy¡¯s moves. ¡°There is no need to go head-on. Don¡¯t forget that our role is to simply draw the attention of the enemies to disperse their power.¡± Scarlet, who was trying to calm her subordinates, pulled the string of her bow and released an arrow. Swoosh! The arrow which she released aimed at the sky. The War Mage, who heard the news of the Imperial Palace¡¯s intruders flew to the sky to check the situation and was shocked when an arrow came for him. ¡°Wh-what?!¡± The War Mage hastily avoided getting struck by Scarlet¡¯s arrow. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡®Tch, did I miss?¡¯ When Scarlet, who was pissed, pulled the arrow for the War Mage¡¯s head, someone had already taken him down. When she turned her head, she noticed someone waving their hands at her. Just like Scarlet, they were princess Ja-hye and her escorts who were in charge of dispersing the enemy. She nodded her head towards them as a way of thanking them. ¡®It is hard to constantly hit and move like this¡­ Did His Majesty reach the ruins?¡¯ The party had divided into three groups to disperse the enemies in all directions. Not just Scarlet¡¯s troops, but Ja-hye and her Yemaek escorts, and also Shirley and the other troops went in with their Gigants, which Luke brought in his sub space to cause disruption. She was told that using any kind of space magic would be tough as the magic circles in Nemesis were disturbing the space magic flow, but it looked like Luke had come up with something. ¡®But, according to what Henry said, the troops deployed in the ruins of the Imperial Palace are the strongest. I don¡¯t know if Hwang Bo-sung will be okay there.¡¯ Scarlet was in love with Hwang Bo-sung. Honestly, she was hostile with the man at the first meeting. She had been deprived of her father¡¯s estates, the Albertville estates, and Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s lord, Luke was appointed as the new Lord of those estates. However, it turned out that Luke was close with Erenes, her teacher. After joining Luke¡¯s group, she and Hwang Bo-sung had turned into good friends. She, being in Albertville, had faced similar situations that Hwang Bo-sung had from the Southern Continent. Feeling affectionate, compassion for him grew in Scarlet¡¯s heart. Hwang Bo-sung too favored her, and during the time when he went to the Southern Continent, he brought back a specially made horn and gave it to her as a gift. When handing that horn, she said. ¡°I met with my father when I went home. And I talked about you, which he seemed to be glad about it. The day when Your Majesty¡¯s goals aren¡¯t far away. When that time comes, there will be less work for people like us, so how about opening up a military training center with me?¡± He was a man of a few words, yet it was his form of proposal. Scarlet gladly accepted the proposal. ¡®At this point, His Majesty needs to remove Rudolf. And then when his goal is done¡­¡¯ ¡°Captain, ahead!¡± At the words of her subordinate, Scarlet looked ahead. A huge Gigant appeared. It was a Knight class Gigant made by the Baroque Imperial magic tower, and the breastplate along with the shield was marked with a symbol that indicated the Silver Guards. ¡°Get into the building to avoid it!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Even if they weren¡¯t sure how great the rider was, a Gigant wasn¡¯t an opponent which can be dealt with a bow. So Scarlet and her party escaped to the building next to them. As there seemed to be a lot of Imperial palace staff working in the building, they assumed that the Gigants wouldn¡¯t attack their own men. However, the Gigant went ahead and attacked with his huge sword. Kwang! Bang! ¡®Uh! What the?! I did a mistake getting in here!¡¯ Scarlet blamed herself for making the wrong choice. However, the warning of the Gigant which had to come for her and her men fell to the wrong place. A familiar Gigant appeared from the back and cut off the Silver Guard Gigant¡¯s arm with a giant halberd. ¡°That is Shirley¡¯s Orion!¡± ¡°Thanks to her we are alive!¡± Shirley took down the Silver Guard Gigant with her giant Halberd and went away after sending a hand signal to Scarlet, and her men asking them to be careful. She sensed an enemy Gigant approaching her from behind. Thud! Thud! Thud! She clapped her hands at the 10 Gigants of the enemy, which were approaching her. ¡°Hye! Come over here! Shirley de Kyle, the traitor of the Baroque Empire is here! Come on!¡± Shirley¡¯s cry echoed through the entire ground, and the ones even more shocked were the Iron Guards who were once her subordinates. ¡°Shirley de Kyle?¡± ¡°That f*cking hybrid traitor b*tch!¡± The Iron Guards suffered tremendously because of Shirley¡¯s escape. Those who were close to her like Ferrero got expelled, and those who weren¡¯t very close to her had been interrogated until proven innocent. So they couldn¡¯t help but lose their cool. ¡°Die, you hybrid b*tch!¡± Three of the Iron Guard Gigants rushed to her at the same time. However, the moment Shirley¡¯s halberd drew an aura, the breastplates of all three split up and the Gigants rolled to the floor. No matter how good the Iron Guard knights were, even if they were Sword Expert¡ªShirley, who was a Spear Master was unbeatable. ¡°Tch Tch, your spirits are good, but the skills are bad. If I knew that you were all going to be like this, I would have picked Rudolf itself.¡± ¡°Ugh! B*tch¡­¡± The three Gigant which had stumbled back because of her attack, rushed again to attack her. Fights like that were happening all over the Imperial Palace. Because of the performance of the Symphonia troops, which were very capable, the Knights of Guards didn¡¯t even care about the priority and went ahead with battles. Thanks to that, the main troops of the infiltration led by Luke had reached the close vicinity of the ruins without much battle. ¡°There it is.¡± ¡°Yes, a lot of time has passed.¡± As Arch Duke Gregory looked up, he saw the huge dome ahead and spoke, Luke too frowned. Originally, they planned to visit the ruins under the guidance of Shirley, who knew the structure of the Imperial Palace. However, there didn¡¯t seem to be any need for her as the ruins were already releasing Aether. ¡°It looks like some pretty strong men are deployed there!¡± ¡°Even then, we need to go through there. When the ruins get fully operational, things will get irreversible.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what, but we shouldn¡¯t Rudolf do what he wants.¡± Gregory agreed to Luke¡¯s words and turned to Karen. ¡°Princess, please return my Gigant.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Karen immediately summoned the Veda. Unlike the space magic, which was strongly constrained within the capital, there were no restrictions for zen users. First, Luke boarded his Avenger, and Hwang Bo-sung summoned her Puppet and rushed towards the dome with Arch Duke Gregory. ¡°Follow Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Saint Guards! Don¡¯t fall behind the Symphonia Knights!¡± DuDuDuDuDu! As the troops rushed into the place, the Gold Guards and the SS Knights who had already found the enemy began to fight with the Gigants. They knew that intruders had entered the Imperial Palace. Nevertheless, unlike the Silver Guards, the reason why they weren¡¯t dispatched to stop the invaders was due to the strict command of the Emperor to protect the ruins. ¡°Kill the intruders!¡± ¡°Long Live His Majesty! Glory for the Baroque Empire!¡± Against the Avenger and the Gigants of Symphonia, the Gold Guards and the SS Knights boldly confronted them. However, they yelled and screamed. ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t step back!¡± With Luke¡¯s Gigant Avenger, the continent¡¯s strongest Rune Knight was never meant to lose. And there was Veda with Arch Duke Gregory, the guardian of the Holy Empire, and the Puppet of Hwang Bo-sung. In the blink of an eye, they wielded the giant sword, struck their fists and dozens of Baroque Gigants fell. Erwin and Karen who were assisting Luke in the lead were supporting the members with magic. Karen carefully monitored the state of ruins while supporting the men. ¡®It was activated, but it isn¡¯t too late!¡¯ There was still some time left before it got fully activated. It could still be stopped. Another ¡®hell¡¯ can be prevented. With slight hope in her eyes, Karen accelerated the Aether globe in her heart towards the mana circle to use more magic. Chapter 721 - Luke VS Rudolf 1 Chapter 721: Luke VS Rudolf 1 Once the activation of the Aether was over, all the magic circles engraved on the time travel device began to shine, a fist-sized point appeared right in the center of the round ring. The size gradually grew, and a person could fit in it. Through the gap, something of a dark black mist was coming out, the wizards who saw it began to exclaim. ¡°Oh, oh! This is!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the dark matter that exists only in the dimensional gap?!¡± In the beginning, the universe was made into different dimensions. The dimensions weren¡¯t interlocked and had numerous gaps between one another. And the magic that used such a gap was the subspace magic. The gaps in the dimension were filled in with dark matter, and the appearance of the dark matter meant that the time travel device was working properly. As the theories left behind by the ancient wizards unfolded into reality right in front of their eyes, Marquis Kepler, who was worried sick, sighed and smiled. He approached Rudolf and said. ¡°Your Majesty! The ruins are working.¡± ¡°Really? I can time travel now?¡± ¡°Yes, the coordinates have been set correctly, so soon, the dark matter will get cleared and the passage would open.¡± ¡°Is that so? So it means that there isn¡¯t much time left, right?¡± Rudolf looked at Marquis Kepler with a dull face and suddenly raised his hand. At that moment, a short scream erupted from the place where the Elder Knights seemed to gather. ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Kuk!¡± Startled, Kepler looked back and saw the SS Knights, who were the escorts of the emperor, were attacking the Elder Knights. Even if the Elder¡¯s were wizards of 7th to 8th magic circles, it was impossible to avoid a surprise attack from the SS Knights who reached Sword Master. In an instant, more than 30 elders were slaughtered. ¡°Your, Your Majesty! What the hell is being done here?!¡± Kepler¡¯s eyes were red as he shouted at Rudolf. However, unfazed, Rudolf shrugged and replied, ¡°I just erased the elements who would interfere in my actions.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± Kepler never even thought about it, but Rudolf seemed to be concerned about them and him jumping into the time travel device. Once the time travel device was declared to perform normally, it was possible that someone else would use it. ¡®Even if I go back to the past, it will take some time to eliminate the enemy. In such a situation, history might change if another person from the future would change the time by using the device. No, it might turn out even horrible for me¡­¡¯ Thinking that way, Rudolf had issued orders to the SS knights when the Aether was being activated in the ruins. It was to kill the wizards the moment he raised his hand and to destroy the ruins after Rudolf used it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about wealth and fame. Today¡¯s merit, I will make sure to give it to you in the past that I¡¯m going to.¡± Rudolf pulled out his sword with the speed of lightning. Slash! The movement was so fast that Marquis Kepler wasn¡¯t even able to unfold defense magic and ended up getting hit. Watching the scene unfold, Count Rolex fled. ¡°Ugh! S-save me¡­!¡± Slash! The moment a golden light flashed, Rolex¡¯s body got slashed in half. It was a vain death of an archmage who once represented the Baroque Empire. ¡°Hiik!¡± Count Voltas, the only one that survived, except for the SS Knights, screamed in terror. As Rudolf¡¯s gaze turned on him, with a pale face, he asked. ¡°¡­ I will be killed too?¡± ¡°You are no wizard, so there is no reason to kill you.¡± Speaking coldly, Rudolf turned. Voltas went down on his knee and begged. ¡°Your Majesty, please take me with you!¡± ¡°Take you? To the past?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you want someone to help you out? There could be me from the past, but he won¡¯t be as knowledgeable as the me in the present!¡± ¡°Hm¡­ That is true.¡± Going to the past alone and getting rid of all his enemies would be difficult. If he tried to kill Luke and the lords of the nobles and remove Arsene or the Veritas Magic Tower, there would be too much backlash about Rudolf hurting innocent men, and things might not turn so great? He would need men who understand him, and those who would follow his decision without question. ¡°I will allow you to accompany me.¡± ¡°I will work for you, Your Majesty.¡± Voltas lowered his head. Rudolf smiled thinly at the sight and turned to the time travel device. Just as Kepler had said, the dark matter had gradually lifted and the passage appeared. ¡®Now, all the variables can be removed. As long as the path is known, and I can go back to the past¡­!¡¯ The moment when hope was rising in Rudolf¡¯s heart as he moved closer to the time travel device, a huge noise came over from outside. Well, it wasn¡¯t just noise. He heard noises, screams of people, and the machine sounds of Gigants. ¡°What is going on? Find out what is happening.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The captain of the Knights of Guard, Count Ruff, went outside. And he returned right away to report. ¡°Your Majesty, it was said that there is an intruder in the Imperial Palace and battles are happening.¡± ¡°What? An intruder in the Imperial Palace?¡± ¡°Yes, and in fact, an hour ago, there was an explosion that made the capital a mess, and in that time, a group of people dressed in Imperial military outfit entered the Imperial Palace.¡± At Count Ruff¡¯s report, Rudolf yelled, ¡°All these things happened, and you¡¯re just telling this to me now?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, you told us not to let anyone enter the ruins, so even the messenger of the Knights of Guard didn¡¯t seem to have the permission to enter the ruins dome.¡± ¡°Kuek!¡± It seemed like the order that was given to ensure the security of the ruins caused a mess. ¡®Is there any reason for the rebellion in the capital? Or did any special force from the enemy sneak in?¡¯ With a frown on his face, Rudolf was deep in thought. ¡®Well, the mess will go down. The central, northern, and eastern forces are all gathered in the capital, and the Gigants held by the Knights of Guards are more than 700. The amount of power our kingdom has is extreme.¡¯ Not to mention the Imperial defense. Even if they didn¡¯t know who the intruders were, they were going to be killed soon. ¡°Take care of it quickly. I can¡¯t leave this place, so the commander of the Gold Guard¡­¡± It was when Rudolf was about to give instructions to Count Ruff, suddenly, the tent was slashed and a strange Gigant pushed in. ¡°Who are you?!¡± At Rudolf¡¯s yell, the Gigant¡¯s hatch opened and a man dressed in an Imperial uniform came out. Rudolf¡¯s eyes went wide after seeing the man. Wavy platinum hair, blue eyes, dark eyebrows, and a straight nose. Although he looked older than the last time he saw him, it was the unforgettable face of his enemy. ¡°Luke de Rakannnn!¡± Rudolf screamed like a dragon. When his name got called, Luke smiled. ¡°It has been a while, Emperor Rudolf. But I am very glad to see you. You greet me with such strong¡­¡± ¡°I will tear you up and kill you!¡± The two enemies who brought the fall of the Baroque Empire, Arsene, and Luke de Rakan. If Arsene was the one who brought the tragedy over his family, then Luke was the main reason for the fall of the Baroque Empire, which got torn into three parts. Srrrrng! Rudolf pulled out his sword and was ready to rush to Luke when Count Ruff spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, calm down! Your Majesty, it isn¡¯t important to punish that traitor right now!¡± ¡°What?¡± Rudolf looked at him with red eyes. If it was some other knight, Rudolf would have slashed their throat. However, Count Ruff was the most talented and loyal among the members of the Knights of Guard, and Rudolf had taught him. So he couldn¡¯t just kill him. It was a waste of resources. And he was responsible for destroying the time travel device after Rudolf passed. ¡°If Your Majesty goes to the past, there is Luke. Your path is almost open, so rather than dealing with him, get on the time travel device already!¡± ¡°Right. I have something to do now.¡± Rudolf calmed his mind and shouted at Luke, ¡°Look, look, Luke. I will use this device to get back into time. The people of Rakan estate will be thrown as food for the beasts regardless of age and sex. They will be killed and the estates will be erased!¡± ¡°Huh! It would be faster to lose my blood than to go back to the past!¡± Luke laughed at Rudolf, who spoke horrible words and rushed with his Avenger. But as he was about to walk, the Avenger stopped. ¡°This¡­ the mana to stop the Gigant?¡± Luke groaned, sensing an unusual wave of mana. ¡°Kuek! Did you think that I would go here without any preparation?¡± Rudolf smiled. As soon as he asked the ruins to be operated, he prepared various defenses. The entire army was gathered in the capital. The ruins of time were surrounded by the Gold Guards knights. Even then, Rudolf asked for magic circles to be laid around the ruins. In addition to the mana forcefield to stop a Gigant, the shield magic was installed to prevent the shelling, and alarms were placed to detect intruders. They weren¡¯t just collecting the magic stones for Aether. ¡°Can¡¯t use Gigants?¡± ¡°The Puppet too!¡± Gregory¡¯s Veda, which entered after Luke, as well as Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s Puppet, stopped moving. In the case of a Puppet, it was a zen weapon, and the influence of magic could be ignored. However, the process of being upgraded recently, it stopped like any Gigant as it had been installed with magic circles. ¡°How about you relax with my SS Knights. Meanwhile, I will go to the past and make things right!¡± As Rudolf turned back toward the time travel device, Luke turned impatient and yelled at the party that was entering. ¡°Stop Rudolf! We can¡¯t let him enter the dimension!¡± ¡°Stop the traitors!¡± When Luke and his party rushed, the SS Knights intercepted them. ¡°Get out, you crazy emperor¡¯s dogs!¡± ¡°My fists will not forgive those who block my way!¡± Following Luke, Arch Duke Gregory, Hwang Bo-sung, and other members such as Karen and Erwin joined in for the battle against the SS Knights. Kwang! Kwang! Kkkk! Luke and his men launched fierce attacks. But, they weren¡¯t able to destroy the enemies at once. It was because they had already fought outside and this was their second wave of attack. They were in a state of a rush to overpower the Gold Guards, who were guarding outside the dome, and then they were to battle inside too. They were completely drained. In addition, the escorts of Rudolf inside the dome were far superior to those outside. They were all Sword Masters, and at least one would have been an Expert. In addition, they were loyal to Rudolf. They would never leave their post. Even if their limbs were cut off, they wouldn¡¯t stop swinging their swords for Rudolf. Chapter 722 - Luke VS Rudolf 2 Luke¡¯s anxiety and panic reached the peak when the SS Knights resistance was turning strong and Rudolf kept approaching the time travel device. ¡®Damn it, if I could use Warp or Blink, I would have gotten him right away!¡¯ Unfortunately, space movement magic couldn¡¯t be used anywhere in Nemesis because of interfering magic artifacts that were installed all over the place. In fact, it was even impossible to get the Gigants out of the subspace bracelet. However, somehow, he managed to solve it after thinking of some countermeasures¡­ Yet, Blink or Warp wasn¡¯t available. The reason for that was, the Gigants which were stored in the subspace bracelet were ¡®inanimate objects¡¯ while Blink was used to move ¡®living¡¯ creatures. Therefore, it would require a lot more complex and difficult countermagic, but Luke didn¡¯t have the time. ¡®I can¡¯t just let things roll like this!¡¯ Clenching his fists, Luke induced Golden Aura into the Dragon Tooth sword that he pulled out of the subspace bracelet and used Cyclonic Rage. The Cyclonic Rage was a lot inferior to the Meteor Sword or Clock Up sword or any other skills of the second half of the Gold Sword in terms of power. However, it still had the advantage of being able to manifest a long-distance attack quickly. Slash! The bright light that started from the Dragon Tooth broke through the air and flew right at Rudolf. ¡°This guy¡­!¡± Suddenly, when a golden trajectory came for him, Rudolf instantly swung his sword. He could have avoided the attack by stepping away, but if Rudolf did that, the time travel device that was in the same way as him would have been destroyed. Bang! The moment Rudolf¡¯s sword and the Gold Sword collided, dust rose around. Rumble! Rudolf, who had to take a few steps back, was shocked and puzzled. ¡®I am being pushed back¡­!¡¯ Rudolf had always been confident for being the strongest knight in the Rhodesia Continent, and he had reached the Sword Emperor level. Arsene would have surely been stronger than him, but that was because Arsene was a Lich, and Rudolf always thought that there was no one who could rival him when it came to swordsmanship. But to be pushed back by Luke¡­! ¡°Where are you going, you crazy emperor? The strongest knight who steals away the vision and legacy of another family, and now that you are at a disadvantage, you want to change the past? Now that it turns out that the Baroque Imperial family and the knights below have all fallen way down beyond repair.¡± ¡°Kuek! What did you say?¡± ¡°Whether you go or not, the decision has been made! Rakan and Baroque, the 500-year-old family feud needs to come to an end!¡± ¡°Oh, if you want that, then I¡¯ll happily cut your throat!¡± Rudolf¡¯s reasoning got cut off with Luke¡¯s provocation and rushed in for Luke. ¡°Your Majesty, you shouldn¡¯t¡­!¡± Count Ruff, tried to stop Rudolf from acting reckless. However, seeing that Rudolf had completely lost his reasoning, he went quiet. It was because he knew, once Rudolf lost his reasoning, no advice would work on him. ¡°You men, protect the time travel device. I will help His Majesty.¡± ¡°Yes, commander!¡± Count Ruff ordered his men and drew his sword to support the fight. Of course, he had no intention of going in to help Rudolf directly, especially when he was fighting with Luke. If even a Sword Sage would intervene in the battle between those two superhumans, it was obvious that their throat would get cut right away, so he targeted the troops behind Luke instead. ¡°That little girl¡­!¡± Ruff¡¯s impression distorted at the sight of the child. It was because she seemed very clean with no blood spot on her body, and it annoyed him even more. Karen was able to fight equally or even overwhelmingly against 3 SS Knights. Unlike her young appearance, her skills in dealing with sword and magic seemed astonishing for anyone. ¡®A dwarf? No, she is definitely a human. Maybe she is one of the Age shift ones of the Southern Continent.¡¯ There was a Fist Sage who appeared to be from the Southern Continent among his enemies. And he must be the head of the Symphonia¡¯s Guard Knights, the right-hand man of Luke, as told by the rumors. ¡®Anyway, I need to get rid of the young one first!¡¯ Unlike the other enemies, Karen had been eyeing the time travel device for some time. Probably, if given a gap, she was sure to launch an attack on it. Ruff, who thought that, rushed over to Karen. ¡°How dare you¡­!¡± An old man stopped him from attacking Karen. ¡°Die!¡± Count Ruff unfolded the Gold Sword he learned from Rudolf. He only learned around 80% of it and was capable enough to kill an opponent in one strike. With that amount of Gold Aura, he could cut off even an advanced Sword Master at once. Kang! However, contrary to his thought, the old man¡¯s counterattack blocked him. Rather, the counterattack of the old man made Ruff take a few steps back to gain balance. ¡°Kuk! Pretty strong for an old man!¡± Count Ruff calmed his trembling hands and spoke back. ¡°Huh, that was what I was going to say.¡± The two men, who exchanged words, went back to fight. Gregory, who was watching the movements of his opponent was impressed. It was because it seemed like the opponent was about to enter the Sword Sage level and cross the Sword Master level. ¡®Shocking! I haven¡¯t thought that such talents would have been under Rudolf¡­¡¯ Very little was known about Rudolf¡¯s escorts. As a result, Gregory couldn¡¯t help but he surprised at Ruff¡¯s skills, even some of the Knights of Guards showed an advantage over the Saint Guards. However, it was his opponent¡¯s swordsmanship that shocked him more than the ability of the Sword Sage. It was the Gold Sword. ¡®There were rumors about Rakan¡¯s death and his swords skill being passed down in the Baroque Imperial family. Maybe that was true?¡¯ Perhaps, the rumors were indeed true. It made sense that Luke and his retainers were raging against the Baroque Imperial. Anyway, the look on Arch Duke Gregory¡¯s face, who recognized the opponent¡¯s skill, changed. Till a moment back, Karen and the other Saint Guards had fought, trying to examine the situation, but now, they decided to focus on the opponents in front of them. It was because if they were caught off guard, it would be a huge loss for Luke. As his eyes changed, the force of Gregory changed too. Slash! Slash! Count Ruff was shocked to see Gregory come at him with sharp glances and fierce sword movements. ¡°That is the sword skill of the Holy Empire¡­! Are you Arch Duke Gregory?¡± ¡°You found out too late.¡± The fact about Arch Duke Gregory¡¯s quick aging wasn¡¯t known to the continent. It was because the Holy Empire controlled the information, so Count Ruff didn¡¯t recognize him. ¡®Since it is Arch Duke Gregory, I don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡¯ Karen, who had defeated an enemy knight, quickly caught Gregory who was fighting Count Ruff. The opponent seemed to be strong, but she didn¡¯t think that Gregory would lose to him. Erwin and the other members of the group didn¡¯t seem to be in any danger for the time being. Although they were struggling against the strong resistance of the SS Knights, thanks to Hwang Bo-sung flashing his fists around, there didn¡¯t seem to be any dangerous situation. ¡®Two people near me and seven men who are protecting the device?¡¯ Karen was anxious at first. Although Rudolf was provoked by her father, there was no guarantee that his subordinates wouldn¡¯t perform the ¡®mission¡¯ instead of their emperor. No, even if that wasn¡¯t the case, there was no guarantee that one of those knights wouldn¡¯t use the device for their own personal greed. As a result, Karen became nervous when the SS Knights ordered by Ruff got close to the time travel device. However, they were only near the device and didn¡¯t even dare to enter the dimensional gap. ¡®It was probably because they are extremely loyal to Rudolf, or maybe he brainwashed them to obey his orders. Thanks to that, I am able to catch my breath.¡¯ So Karen decided to take down the two knights, who were blocking her, and then defeat the knights who were guarding the time travel device and then destroy it. Chapter 723 - Luke VS Rudolf 3 ¡®Huh, everyone seems to be fighting well.¡¯ Luke looked over at his party and smiled. And then came Rudolf yelling at him. ¡°Where are you looking?!¡± The sword, as fast as light, went for Luke¡¯s throat. It was all fast that Luke should have choked and bounced back. Cang-! However, a sound came which wasn¡¯t that of flesh being torn. Blood should have splattered, but rather, Rudolf¡¯s sword bounced off with a crackling sound. ¡°Huh, shield magic?¡± ¡°Did you think that it would be that simple?¡± Luke screamed at Rudolf, who was frowning and clenched his Dragon Tooth. Seeing the intense Gold Aura form on the blade, Rudolf hurriedly unleashed the Gold Aura on his sword to prevent the attack from reaching him. Kwang-! They both got pushed back with the sound of a mana bomb exploding. However, Luke, regaining his balance first, flew in to attack. Woong! Kwang! Cang! Strong like a storm, but quick and flexible sword attack, the real Gold Sword. But Rudolf was no less than that. He counterattacked with ascending swordsmanship made by combining the Gold Sword and the swordsmanship of the Baroque Imperial family. In an instant, Luke opened his mouth, frowning as if he saw something unpleasant. ¡°This is a shame. A situation where we can¡¯t do our best.¡± ¡°Huh! To win over you, I only need to use 30% of my power!¡± Rudolf shouted, but in reality, he was feeling dull. In fact, he thought that with the Gold Aura, which led him to reach the Sword Emperor, it should have not just pushed back Luke, but also blown away the intruders around him. However, if he did that, the time travel device would break. And if that happened, his goal of killing Luke, his only way to regain his prestige, estates, and family would disappear forever. So, Rudolf was fighting with Luke without even using the most powerful aura. And that was the same for Luke. Raising the power in the Aether Globe and using it along with the second half of the Gold Sword, Luke could have gotten rid of the time travel device and Rudolf at the same time. However, his daughter and his colleagues would get caught in the explosion. ¡®It would have been better to come here alone¡­ no, if I did, I would have suffered a lot and wouldn¡¯t have even seen Rudolf.¡¯ It was thanks to his men that Imperial troops were gathered all over and Luke got to enter the ruins. Luke, who exchanged a few strikes with Rudolf, gave him an offer. ¡°How is it, Rudolf? If you have confidence in your skills, then let¡¯s go out and battle it out!¡± ¡°Outside?¡± ¡°Yes. Instead of fighting in this small space with restriction, we should go out and see who is the stronger one among us.¡± Thinking for a moment, Rudolf nodded at Luke. ¡°Oh, then don¡¯t regret it if my sword tears down your throat.¡± Rudolf never even thought about the possibility of losing to Luke. Because he was the strongest, the only Sword Emperor on the continent. However, it was the same with Luke, he was the strongest and the only Rune Knight on the continent. ¡°Huh, we¡¯ll know who will die once we fight.¡± The two of them who decided that, went out of the ruins. ¡°Y-Your Majesty?!¡± ¡°That is Rudolf!¡± The SS Knights and the Gigant riders outside the ruins were shocked to see the two people come outside. ¡°Protect His majesty!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let them go!¡± Knights of Symphonia and Baroque were fighting more fiercely than before. And that saved the trouble for Luke and Rudolf of warning those men to not intervene. The two of them, far from their men, faced each other with their swords out. Woong! Unlike before, a terrifying energy rose from the swords of the two. The flowers and the grass around them got cut off by the invisible force. ¡®Why is he this strong?¡¯ A few years back, Rudolf had seen Luke as a kid who hadn¡¯t reached the level of Sword Master yet. Since then, he seemed to have had rapid growth by building his merit in the various battlefields, but even then, Rudolf never assumed that Luke would be a match for him. However, with the small confrontation a while back, the momentum of Luke and his skills seemed to be as good as him. Well, it seemed like Luke could be stronger as he was a Rune Knight who used magic and sword. The same was going on in Luke¡¯s mind. ¡®He reached the rank of a Sword Emperor.¡¯ He knew the skills of a Sword Emperor far better than anyone as he had fought with Rakan in the past. And Rudolf seemed to have the same momentum as Rakan, from 500 years back. Even though he was the descendant of the enemy, he couldn¡¯t help but acknowledge his talent. Rumble! Rumble! Just when they raised their energy, Rudolf opened his mouth. ¡°Before we fight in earnest, let me ask one question. How did you know that the ruins was holding a time travel device? Did you find it out when you came to rescue Ferrero? Or¡­¡± He paused and shared his thoughts. ¡°Was it because you used it to change the future?¡± ¡°Ugh, you think I am from the future?¡± ¡°I can convince myself about anything else, how would the estates of the ruined place become the main reason for the destruction of a great Empire which had been around for 500 years.¡± At Rudolf¡¯s reply, Luke smiled. ¡°That is a valid doubt, but my strength has nothing to do with the ruins. However, I knew about the purpose of it from someone I know.¡± ¡°That so? Then, it seems to be true that there is a secret. Maybe I¡¯ll know if I go into the past?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t know. It will never happen if you go back to the past.¡± At the moment he was done speaking, Luke rushed into Rudolf. As Luke attacked Rudolf, Luke used the second half of the Gold Sword, Cyclone Rage. Although he was brought away from his men, Rudolf wasn¡¯t an opponent who can be defeated with low-level attacks. Swoooosh-! Cyclone Rage, which went for Rudolf, destroyed the building behind him. Cyclone Rage was the weakest skill of the Gold Sword, yet it was nowhere comparable to the normal sword skills. The knights nearby were startled and stepped further away. ¡°It is familiar, but seems to be a modified skill of the latter half of the Gold Sword. Where did you learn the second half? It was sure to have vanished from your family?¡± Asked Rudolf with a curious face. As far as he knew, the second half of the Gold Sword, his ancestor had killed and robbed the legacy of Rakan¡¯s sword. Since then, no member of the Rakan family had ever been known to have the second half of the Gold Sword. ¡°If you are so curious, go to hell and find out!¡± Instead of answering, Luke swung the Dragon Tooth sword fiercely. Wheeing! Hyper Aura, shining bright on the sword, went close to Rudolf¡¯s face. The thick beard on the Emperor¡¯s face got cut off and his skin got revealed. The moment Dragon Tooth came for him, Rudolf had taken the chance and stabbed Luke in the heart. Cang! Slash! The sword to the heart got bounced off like the last attack but pierced Luke¡¯s shoulder as it went in by an inch. Rudolf realizing something, stepped back from Luke. ¡°That is it! It was no shield magic, it was an aura condensed into one point.¡± ¡°You have pretty good eyes.¡± ¡°Kuke! How can the strongest knight on the continent not know that?!¡± As Rudolf said, Luke was indeed preventing the attacks by focusing Aura on one spot. Honestly, Luke could beat Rudolf a lot more easily if he could use his other powers such as magic and Demon abilities. However, he didn¡¯t deliberately use other powers than a sword. It was because he wanted to smash down Rudolf with the sword which he loved, he wanted to pay the long-standing grudges of Rakan and his family, the man who realized his fault years back. However, Rudolf¡¯s sword skill, which had reached the Sword Emperor, was tougher than Luke thought. ¡®It was lucky that I went to the southern continent and fought with Lee Yong-mu, or my throat would have been the first to go.¡¯ When Luke fought with Lee Yong-mu, the strongest warrior in the Southern Continent, he defeated him only with a sword. In that process, he managed to advance himself as a swordsman, and also learned about condensing the energy at one point. Focusing on a single point didn¡¯t just double the attack power, but could be used as a defense. A one-point method was created by using the teachings of the Southern Moorim men. The problem was, Luke¡¯s practices weren¡¯t perfect. So, other vital parts on Luke¡¯s body were left defenseless, and Rudolf went straight for that. Slash! Puck! Desperate, Rudolf¡¯s attack flew in with the speed of light, and blood splattered from Luke¡¯s body. Luke¡¯s arms, legs, and abdomen were stabbed pretty deeply. ¡°Ugh! This¡­¡± ¡°Haha! I knew you would protect only the vital points!¡± Rudolf smiled as he saw Luke turn all red. They weren¡¯t fatal wounds, nor would he die from excessive bleeding, but if the damage kept on accumulating, his movement would slow down. He could hold on, but at some moment the slow movements would result in death. ¡°This is your defeat, Luke de Rakan!¡± In order to not miss the opportunity he created, Rudolf continued to attack. Not just the Gold Sword, but all the various types of sword skills he learned, even the Baroque sword skills weren¡¯t being used one after another. Cang! Cang! Cang! Luke, wielding his Dragon Tooth, struggled to block the attacks, and was eventually struck hard by Rudolf. ¡°Kuek!¡± Rudolf smiled with an exhilarated face when he saw Luke staggering back. ¡°How was that Luke de Rakan? How does it feel to see death this close to you?¡± ¡°It hurts pretty dirty.¡± ¡°Kuek, obviously it will.¡± Rudolf raised his sword to give the last strike. Luke looked at Rudolf with a blank expression even after accumulating wounds. ¡°Your Majesty Luke!¡± ¡°Th-this can¡¯t be!¡± The members of the Saint Guard and the Symphonia were shocked when they saw Luke in such a state. Luke was too far for them to save. Would Luke get defeated and be killed? ¡°Well, die now!¡± Rudolf struck his sword. The Gold Aura generated in an instant went right for Luke¡¯s head with a terrifying speed. No, it was about to end! Chapter 724 - Luke VS Rudolf 4 Flash. Just before Rudolf¡¯s Gold Aura left the sword, Luke went up to him with the speed of light and slashed his right hand. With a smile on his face, he spoke. ¡°These days, young knights are great actors. I mean, every move of theirs is worth a flutter in our hearts.¡± ¡°Y-you¡­!¡± At Luke¡¯s smile after injuring him, Rudolf knew that he had been tricked by Luke¡¯s acting. Rudolf then hurriedly tried to strike back at Luke. But before that could happen, Luke stepped on Rudolf¡¯s foot. Thud-! The Sword Emperor¡¯s foot, which was supposed to be harder than steel, broke with a blow. ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the end!¡± Holding out the Dragon Tooth sword with both his hands, Luke raised it high. Kwannngggg! Along with a huge noise, Rudolf¡¯s body got pushed back. Rudolf tried to lift his sword to decrease the impact on his body, but it didn¡¯t reduce any damage taken. His hands held onto the broken sword, the fragments of the broken sword were lodged all over his body because of the previous attack from Dragon Tooth. There was a deep and long cut on his face. ¡°Kuek! Luke de Rakan¡­!¡± ¡°Whoohoo, I guess the Strongest Knight on the continent isn¡¯t out of energy.¡± At Luke¡¯s constant mockery, Rudolf grinded his teeth. What was even more resentful was that he got tricked by Luke¡¯s acting. ¡°I will surely behead you and use your skull as my wine glass!¡± ¡°How about you change that sword of yours before jumping into making such wishes? You¡¯re not saying that you are going to defeat me with that smashed up sword, right?¡± Rudolf, who was frowning, discarded his smashed up sword and picked up the metal belt he had around his waist. Rumble! When the Aura got infused into the belt, the loosely connected iron pieces joined together to form a sword. ¡®Chain Sword?¡¯ Luke noticed that the blade of the Chain Sword protruded out like a shark tooth. It was because the sword¡¯s structure seemed to be as good as any sword made by the blacksmith Zig, and it seemed to have deadly poison applied over it. ¡®That is Daios!¡¯ It was called Daios, it was named after the person who had created it. And it wasn¡¯t done by a wizard or an alchemist, but a painter. The poison was something which got created accidentally when the painter was trying to process a few minerals for dye, it was hard to know what it was as the new dye had no color or smell to it. However, when Aura or mana was infused, it had the feature of shining like a glass. The poison on it was known to be very lethal, lethal enough for even the dragons to be killed. In fact, there have been past circumstances where it has been used for revolts. A single drop of the poison used in quarters could annihilate an entire squad of knights. ¡®To use such a mean trick for getting hit once¡­ surely he has the blood of the traitor running deep into him.¡¯ ¡°You will die, Luke!¡± When Luke was mocking Rudolf inside his mind, Rudolf came in to attack. Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! The Chain sword which moved like a free dancing snake, crushed and burst everything it touched, let it be a tree or a stone. Even the Gigants of the SS Knights, which were in close distance, got crushed by Rudolf¡¯s sword attack and turned into a scrap. ¡°Hiik, step back!¡± ¡°If we get caught up in His Majesty¡¯s attack, we are done!¡± Let it be the SS Knights or a different squad, everyone was busy trying to get away from Rudolf¡¯s devastating attacks. Luke couldn¡¯t fight back, so he tried to avoid it. ¡®That this is no joke. Bombarding with wide-area magic.¡¯ Luke couldn¡¯t help but rub his eyes when he saw the beautiful Imperial garden quickly turn into ruins, no trace that a garden even existed. Yet, Rudolf continued to bombard Luke with attacks. ¡°Kuakk! What are you going to do, Luke?! Weren¡¯t you looking down on me a moment back?¡± ¡°Huh! It just seems like you are showing me how vain you are!¡± Rudolf¡¯s attacks were indeed terrifying, but his stance and the way he was using the sword was a lot less skilled than before. Luke didn¡¯t have a single fatal injury except for the shoulder wound he deliberately led Rudolf to do, however, Rudolf¡¯s speed had slowed down by a lot, and Rudolf¡¯s right foot bones were crushed. It was the hand that had to swing the sword, but the lower body had to put strength and speed for the hand to move effectively. If there was a problem with the lower body, the attack was bound to be dull. Bang! Bang?! Rudolf¡¯s attacks missed, and Luke went in with the Dragon Tooth Sword. He couldn¡¯t use one shoulder, so Luke decided to use the sword with the hand which still had movement, however, unexpectedly, the attack from Luke was heavy. Luke¡¯s body turned outward and the sword went ahead with force. Shocked at the bold move, Rudolf hurriedly tried to avoid it. But then again, the injured foot made a mess for him. Not being able to completely avoid the attack, he got hit. Kwang! ¡®Ugh, my stance is shaken¡­!¡¯ As his lower body was in poor condition, Rudolf couldn¡¯t go ahead on the sheer power of his sword. As a result, his posture got disturbed. And Luke didn¡¯t miss that gap. Taking a huge step ahead, he rushed towards Rudolf. ¡®Cheeky! How dare he come straight ahead!¡¯ His posture was indeed disorganized, but Luke¡¯s counterattack was still stoppable. But Rudolf had the confidence that he would be able to do one critical strike on Luke. ¡®My blow won¡¯t be perfect. But just the brushing of my blade will make you die!¡¯ Daios, now used on the Chain Sword, was the strongest poison in history. Even if he was a Rune Knight, Luke couldn¡¯t do anything! ¡®This is where I kill you!¡¯ Rudolf raised the Chain Sword. But that was the mistake on Rudolf¡¯s part. He wasn¡¯t able to calculate the movements of Luke which had changed. ¡®Clock Up Sword!¡¯ Luke unfolded the very last attack of the Gold Sword. Which meant that the time and the movement around Luke would slow down. For some time, he abandoned his Dragon Tooth sword and took out the Holy Sword Valiant from his subspace. Wooong! The faint light from the Holy Sword Valiant instantly healed all the injuries Luke had sustained and strengthened his physical abilities. ¡°This is it, Rudolf!¡± ¡®Sto-stop it¡­¡¯ Contrary to it, Rudolf couldn¡¯t even get his body to stop it. It seemed like Luke was running in slowly in front of him, yet his movements seemed a lot slower. In addition, he was accustomed to Luke wielding the heavy great sword, that he wasn¡¯t able to adapt to the sudden change of sword. Cang- slash! ¡°Kuak!¡± Rudolf¡¯s Chain Sword got pushed away by Luke¡¯s attack, and Rudolf¡¯s body flew back at the same time. Like a shell coming out of a cannon, his body smashed the palace, and then went into the dome where the time travel device was located. ¡°Wh-what was that?¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Count Ruff who was fighting with Arch Duke Gregory was puzzled. He was shocked to see Rudolf suddenly be thrown into the dome. And it wasn¡¯t just small wounds and scratches on him, but a serious injury. His right arm was bent in the opposite direction, and he couldn¡¯t find out if the left arm got cut off and fell somewhere. ¡°Move, protect His Majesty¡­ kuek!¡± Count Ruff, who was running towards Rudolf by withdrawing the fight, suddenly threw up blood and collapsed as Arch Duke Gregory struck him from behind. ¡°Tch, stupid of you to show the enemy your back.¡± It was the vain death of a strong man, a strong man with the power which would have made a difference to the continent. But Count Ruff¡¯s death wasn¡¯t in vain. After hearing the order, the other knights hurriedly approached Rudolf, and poured out the potions in his mouth, and applied emergency treatment on his wounds. ¡°Kuek. I¡¯m losing¡­ I, the strongest knight on the continent¡­ Kuak!¡± Rudolf stood up, with the support of the SS Knights with a bleak smile on his face. His pride as the knight had been broken down. ¡°You are no longer the greatest knight on the continent. I am the strongest knight on the continent.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Rudolf shouted with a clenched mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t be so happy because you won! This win will only burden you!¡± ¡°This is it! Go ahead and stop Rudolf!¡± Luke saw Rudolf rushing in, and he roared. The place where he had crashed into was the time travel device. While Luke was fighting with Rudolf, Karen had defeated the SS Knights and destroyed a few parts of the device, but the space-time passage hadn¡¯t disappeared completely. ¡°Hahah! See you in the past, Luke de Rakan!¡± Having used his last energy, Rudolf threw himself into the passage. Luke pushed the SS knights and went to catch him, but Rudolf¡¯s body disappeared quickly through the dimensional gap. Eventually, the passage got closed. Chapter 725 - End of Baroque Empire 1 Rudolf lost his left arm, but he managed to throw himself into the time travel device. He laughed at the sight of entering the abyss, which had no ground nor end. ¡°Kuek! I won! I won!¡± And now he had the chance to turn back everything. No divided empire and not losing his family. Enemies who drove Rudolf into the corner would have their throats slashed without even being given the reason for their death. ¡°Haha! I¡¯ll see you Luke de Rakan! And Arsene! I¡¯ll remember every little humiliation that I faced because of you¡­ Uh, Ugh!¡± Suddenly, the flow of the abyss accelerated. Rudolf couldn¡¯t stand the storm-like vortex that flew close to him. While his mind was turning hazy, his body fell from dimension to dimension and onto the marble square in the outer space where countless stars shimmered. Thud! ¡°Kuek, this is¡­?¡± Rudolf¡¯s eyes, which was looking at the scene, seemed shocked. He saw the same scene and surroundings somewhere. He found a strange man standing right in front of him and asked, ¡°Who the hell are you? And tell me how to get back in time!¡± At Rudolf¡¯s question, the wizard who had a gold-threaded embroidered robe and golden staff in his hand smiled. ¡°This is the dimensional gap. A place where time doesn¡¯t mean much.¡± ¡°Wh-what was that?¡± ¡°Rather than that, this is the second time we meet. You are as great as the first time I met you. The children I was watching seemed to have not stopped you¡­¡± ¡°What the hell are you blabbering about?! A dimensional gap?! So this is not the past?¡± Rudolf seemed very annoyed, but the wizard didn¡¯t seem to care and talked very slowly. ¡°Right, this isn¡¯t the world of the past that you are talking about. However, depending on what I decide, you might or might not achieve what you want.¡± Rudolf¡¯s eyes narrowed at the man¡¯s strange answer. ¡°Your decision? Do I need to get your permission? Who the hell are you?¡± ¡°Huhu, me? I am the Watcher.¡± ¡°Watcher?¡± Rudolf looked at the wizard who was calling himself the Watcher. For some reason, he didn¡¯t even feel like the man in front of him could be lying. ¡®Then, is this not the Imperial Palace from 10 years back? And if he is the Watcher¡­¡¯ Reminiscent of a scene from a book that documented the ancient myths and legends he read in the Imperial Palace, he seemed shocked. ¡°El Kassel! You are El Kassel!¡± Somehow, from the beginning, he had a feeling that the man in front of him was mysterious. But for the man to be a God?! That too the giver?! Rudolf clenched his teeth and raised his right arm. His broken arm was still in pain as he was only given emergency treatment, but it was possible for him to move it. When a shining Hyper Aura came out from his hand then went to his sword, he pointed his sword at El Kassel¡¯s neck. ¡°Hu¡­ Are you doing this even after knowing who I am?¡± ¡°Shut up! I don¡¯t care if you are a demon or the giver of a wish! I was¡­¡± ¡°I was abandoned by both god and the devil, right?¡± When the man spoke out what Rudolf was trying to say casually, Rudolf was taken aback. Seeing that, El Kassel continued, ¡°No need to be so surprised. I told you. You had already visited me once. And I said something very similar back then too.¡± ¡°Then¡­ What happened? Didn¡¯t you allow me then?¡± Rudolf asked with a little hope. ¡°Of course not. You cannot go against the time with all the karma you have accumulated.¡± At the end of El Kassel¡¯s words, numerous window-sized screens appeared around Rudolf, showing all the scenes of what happened in his life. They were the scene of him exploiting the people because of war. The slaughter of innocent people because of the plague in the capital. Even his attempt to summon the demons by offering innocent maids as sacrifices to save his own children who were dying from the curse, and the sight of digging the tombs of his predecessor emperors and even the secret poison of the former emperor in Rudolf¡¯s youth. El Kassel spoke to Rudolf, who was still looking at all the evil things he had done. ¡°How is it? Even if you think about it, you should know that such actions can¡¯t be allowed, right?¡± ¡°Huh! I had no intention of getting your permission in the first place.¡± Rudolf yelled and gave El Kassel a cold gaze. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you give me permission! I had always taken what I wanted with my own hands! This will also be the same!¡± ¡°Huh! so you are going to kill me?¡± ¡°If that means that I will get the power of time!¡± The same moment his words fell, Rudolf swung his sword at El Kassel. Well, he did try to swing it. His body stopped the moment he was about to swing his sword. ¡°Kuek! Wh-what is this¡­?¡± ¡°Tch! You really are a pathetic man.¡± Clicking his tongue at Rudolf, El Kassel saw that Rudolf was acting in the same manner as he did in the past and waved his palm. Thud! An intangible shock struck Rudolf. The pain from the shock shook his entire body. It felt like all the bones in his body were shattering at once, something Rudolf had never experienced. ¡°Kuakk! Ugh! Ughhhh¡­!¡± ¡°Did you really think that you could stand against God, especially when you couldn¡¯t even reflect on your behavior? You didn¡¯t even think about not realizing the reason and how this universe works?¡± El Kassel, who severely scolded Rudolf, struck his staff lightly on the floor. Rudolf¡¯s body began to fade with that. It didn¡¯t actually fade. It went back to the place where he came from. ¡°With the karma that you have accumulated, you will never be able to use the power of time. So go back! Go back and pay your karma!¡± ¡°Ughhh! This can¡¯t happen! I can¡¯t do it! Nooooo!¡± Rudolf yelled all through the time. ¡°How¡­ How did I get here?! I can¡¯t go back like this! Ughhh!¡± Feelings of regret and guilt rushed over Rudolf. El Kassel was a bit shocked. It wasn¡¯t because of Rudolf¡¯s ridiculous appearance but because someone else had interfered with him sending back Rudolf. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°You are so cold. No matter what kind of a person he was, you should have changed¡­¡± Woong! A soft and gentle voice came from behind. Rudolf¡¯s gaze caught on who was appearing through the light. A beauty, with an elf-like appearance, the woman¡¯s body overflowed with radiance and dignity of a noble. ¡®The Goddess of Earth, Belize!¡¯ El Kassel¡¯s companion and the mother of all. Rudolf knew who she was the moment he saw her because there was only one entity who could appear in that situation. El Kassel spoke softly to the woman who appeared, ¡°There is no reason to listen to him because he is a very bad man.¡± ¡°No matter how terrible he is, no matter how much you hate that child. Think of how far he has come, I want to make his wish come true.¡± ¡°Ahhh!¡± Rudolf was elated. He seemed to realize why the Goddess of Earth, Belize, was known to be the symbol of mercy. Even the cold and strict El Kassel seemed to step back, shaking his head knowing he couldn¡¯t win over Belize. Belize looked at Rudolf and said, ¡°You want to go to the past? I will grant your wish.¡± ¡°Oh oh! Thanks¡­ Thank you so much. The mother of all!¡± Rudolf began to cry. Belize raised her arms and began to sing in a mellow voice. A bright light began to fall on Rudolf¡¯s body, and he soon returned to the middle ground. El Kassel, who silently watched the scene, opened his mouth with a blunt voice. ¡°Did you know? If I¡¯m cold to someone, it¡¯s because he did something very cruel.¡± ¡°Oh my, there is nothing that the Goddess of Mercy can¡¯t provide.¡± Belize smiled and looked at El Kassel. El Kassel then swung his staff, and the time that stopped began to flow once again. ¡°Well, this is the end.¡± At his words, Belize asked, ¡°Is the arrangement done?¡± ¡°Yes, the arrangement of yours and mine, are done.¡± At the words of El Kassel, Belize seemed sad. ¡°I wanted to see the end. Was I being selfish?¡± ¡°Yes, this wasn¡¯t an arrangement that should have been done. And because of that, you and I need to fall asleep for 1,000 years.¡± The Watcher¡¯s job was to watch. However, as they intervened in the affairs of Middle earth, even those who were known as the Gods had to face the punishment for the world that had been changed. ¡°1,000 years, then, was it 360,000 years in terms of Middle Earth¡¯s time?¡± ¡°It might be a moment for us, but it is a very long time for our children.¡± Belize, who was regretting it, turned anxious. ¡°Death is inevitable, but¡­ I am worried that the legacy of the devil will ruin the Middle earth we worked hard for.¡± ¡°Of course, there will be a lot of confusion and trials. But I believe that they can get through it.¡± People think that El Kassel and the other gods made their world, but that was wrong. The Gods, including El Kassel and Belize, were only a kind of managers who were chosen by the absolute will to dominate all levels of life. At first, this so called managers decorated the dimensions very beautifully and abundantly, but after that, all they could do was watch without intervening. It was the same as parents letting their children grow independently. It was the devil who was rebelling against it. He tried everything to intervene on the middle earth and influence the lives of thousands. The result of that was the war between gods and the devil. The war ended a long time ago, but the legacy of the devil still remained in a lot of places and caused problems. Even in Middle earth, in the past, the aftermath of the devil¡¯s intervening in the world caused a mess, and it was vaguely handed down as a myth by the people. ¡°I wish I could get over it as you said. And if the children who need to appear after us comes¡­¡± ¡°They are already coming. You will surely meet them the moment we wake up again.¡± Smile. Reconciling, El Kassel and Belize smiled and disappeared, leaving behind a faint light. Chapter 726 - End of Baroque Empire 2 The world around him was turning round and round as if moving in a whirlpool. Rudolf¡¯s mouth was wide open, and his eyes dizzy. ¡°Kuakk! Here I go! I¡¯m going into the past to change my fate!¡± He was going back to the past to achieve what he wanted! And in the great world he was going to make, he decided to build a temple for the Great Mother, Belize! When Rudolf was feeling elated, the whirlpool stopped, and a blue planet appeared in front of him. ¡®Is this the Middle earth where I used to live?¡¯ As he went down through the atmosphere, the continent of Rhodesia appeared and soon, the capital, Nemesis. ¡®Huh, have I finally come to the past?¡¯ His eyes opened wide, thinking that he had arrived at the Imperial Palace ten years back. However, he saw something that shouldn¡¯t have been in the Imperial Palace at that time. The dome was created two years ago to restore the remains of the time travel device. ¡®This, how did this even happen? Obviously, the dome was built after the underground ruins had collapsed¡­¡¯ Rudolf couldn¡¯t understand. Either it was a memory or not, his body that was full of the light blessed on him by the Goddess began to get dragged somewhere. He couldn¡¯t help but feel astonished when he saw where he was getting dragged. Rudolf and Luke were exchanging fierce strikes at each other in the ruined Imperial Palace garden. ¡°This is it, Rudolf!¡± Luke, using his Clock-up sword, rushed over with the Holy Sword Valiant. At the same time, Rudolf merged into his body as if his body was sucking back his soul. The words of the gentle Goddess resonated in his ears. ¡°I want to make it happen, even if it¡¯s just a little.¡± ¡°Did you say you wanted to go to the past? I will accept your wish.¡± The great Goddess didn¡¯t break her promise. She clearly sent him back to the past, but it was just a matter of a few minutes. ¡°Ahhh! You cheated me, Belize!¡± Rudolf screamed as he watched Valiant come for him. Cang! Slash! A noise his ears had already perceived once. However, the result was different from the past. In the past, because of his desperate response, only his left arm got cut off, but this time, Rudolf was blinded in anger and frustration, so Luke¡¯s sword went through his heart instead. Rumble! Bang! ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Rudolf, whose heart was hit by Luke¡¯s blow, flew through the dome where the time travel device was located. Shocked, Count Ruff ran for him, but soon, Arch Duke Gregory¡¯s sword changed the fate. And it was no different from the other Knights of Guards who ran to help Rudolf. ¡°Majesty! Please wake up!¡± ¡°Kuak! I was¡­ tricked¡­¡± Red blood was oozing out of Rudolf¡¯s armor that got cracked. Bang Bang! The moment when Rudolf, who lost his energy, tried to say something, Karen went ahead and broke the time travel device with heatwave magic. The domes opened too closed off along with the dimensional gap. ¡®Ahh, it is over. It is over¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t the end. Rudolf¡¯s dying eyes saw Luke approaching him. ¡°Protect His Majesty!¡± ¡°Strike the traitor Luke de Rakan!¡± The remaining SS knights rushed to Luke and his men who were getting close to Rudolf. However, their resistance was grim when compared to the past. Luke was strong, and Rudolf¡¯s defeat had instilled an unknown fear in the hearts of the SS. ¡°I won, Rudolf.¡± ¡°Y-you¡­ won? Cough! No, you didn¡¯t.¡± Before Rudolf lost his consciousness, he decided to take a dig at Luke. ¡°Damn it¡­ Those gods¡­ choose you¡­ That¡¯s¡­¡± At Rudolf¡¯s words, which seemed to deny Luke of winning, Karen and the other men frowned. However, Luke admitted what Rudolf said. ¡°Yes, as you said, I may have been the choice of the Gods and the reason for my win could be them.¡± More than 500 years later, he got reincarnated as the descendant of the enemy and was still able to come to the point not because of the ability he gained in this life but because of the help of his past life¡¯s memories. But¡­ ¡°But what I mean to say is being chosen by a god too is a skill. That means that you didn¡¯t have that ability.¡± ¡°Chosen¡­ Karma¡­¡± Rudolf recalled the words of El Kassel. He said that Rudolf didn¡¯t get to touch the power of time because of the Karma he gathered. Would Luke de Rakan too have such Karma? Rudolf¡¯s thoughts stopped there. It turned tough for him to maintain a straight mind with such grave wounds. But before his sense got cut off, he had work to do, using every last bit of his strength, he pulled off the golden chain from his neck. On the golden chain, the emperor¡¯s scepter, the shape of a dragon was there. The scepter, carved out of rubies, was an item that should have never been stolen by invaders. It was because there was a hidden secret, not just a simple object of authority as the ruler of the empire. It was a very dangerous secret. ¡®This is your victory, Luke de Rakan. However, I will not let you enjoy your victory.¡¯ With a sly smile, Rudolf struck the scepter on the floor. Swoosh! The moment a rumbling noise started around them, Rudolf¡¯s neck got cut clean. Luke, who seemed suspicious of his last action, did it in a hurry. It did seem like the vain act of the man going to die, but Luke didn¡¯t like it. The man couldn¡¯t be separated from his greed even after being defeated in the battle. ¡°Oh, god!¡± ¡°Why did you do that, Your Majesty!?¡± Hwang Bo-sung, who was looking at Rudolf¡¯s severed head, asked in confusion. It was because despite his success in trying to resolve the family grudge, Luke¡¯s expression of anger seemed too horrendous. Instead of Luke, Karen and Erwin shouted. ¡°Everyone run!¡± ¡°The entire Imperial Palace is going down!¡± The moment the scepter touched the ground, the two of them seemed to sense it. The mana wave began to change as if drops of something were falling on the calm surface. The mana wave was too weak for one to be able to sense it, but they could feel the change. It was as if the land was collapsing, and the mana revolved around the Imperial Palace. Arch Duke Gregory and the Symphonia knights didn¡¯t seem to sense the change in the energy just yet. However, Luke¡¯s serious expression and the instinctive sense of crisis in his body moved on its own. ¡°Karen! Shoot the flare! Inform the other knights and the Guard Knights too!¡± ¡°Yes, dad!¡± Swoosh- Pop! The flare was fired up in the sky. In the vicinity of the main gate of the Imperial Palace, Jo Mimi and her party were still fighting the Iron Guards and the Silver Guards. Princess Ja-hye, Scarlet, and Shirley were also fighting the other enemies all over the Imperial Palace. So far, their battles were victories, and then they saw the flare. ¡°Shirley! The flare!¡± ¡°What is the color of it?¡± At Shirley¡¯s question, who hadn¡¯t seen the flare as she was dealing with the Baroque troops, the rider of the Guard Knights said, ¡°Green and then three red.¡± ¡°What? Three red? How is the situation going on for them?¡± From what she was notified before, green meant a successful operation, yellow meant a request for assistance, red meant full retreat, and three in a row meant¡­ to act as soon as possible. ¡°The operation is a success but we need to run away from here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe they destroyed the ruins but are being pushed back by Rudolf¡­¡± Bang- Bang- Bang Bannng! The moment the troops were trying to make sense of the flares, the Imperial Palace began to collapse. The ground cracked as if it was breaking apart, and everything visible to their eyes began to collapse. ¡°Wh-wha-wha-what was that?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t what it is, but we surely need to run away right?¡± The earthquake seemed too violent. Not just the people, even the Gigants were losing their balance. In addition, there were cases where the ground didn¡¯t just crack, but it even fell into a depth that couldn¡¯t be seen with the naked eye. But that wasn¡¯t the end. From the broken ground and cracks came out gas. This gas was helping the explosion to flare up. ¡°Oh my god, this is hell!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stop and keep running!¡± Frightened, Shirley and her men began to run. Unlike the Symphonia troops who ran away after seeing the flares, the guards of the Imperial Palace, the maids, and the attendants didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Ahhh! Help me!¡± ¡°What the hell is happening? Kuak!¡± ¡°Is this the intruder¡¯s doing?¡± Luke and his group, who were thought to be the reason for the mess, had already left the Imperial Palace. But they were still not able to calm their hearts. It was because the heatwave and the destruction of the palace didn¡¯t just stop at the Imperial Palace. It was also spreading over to the surrounding places where the mansion of the nobles and residences were located. Jo Mimi, who joined them, gasped for air. ¡°Ugh¡­! Your Majesty! What is happening?¡± ¡°Before Rudolf died, he did his final attack.¡± At his answer, she raised her brows in shock. ¡°Then, he committed all this destruction?¡± ¡°Right. Just before he died, he blew up the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°That bastard¡­!¡± She was so shocked at the act of Rudolf that her classy mouth started to spew curses at the dead man. It was because as a princess of the Song Empire, she was taught a lot of rules. Had she been in a civil war in the Song Empire, she would have never allowed Jo Won-gyun to set fire to the Royal Palace. However, during that time, she was on her own search for medicine to cure the emperor¡¯s illness. ¡°This is a whole other level of crazy, but from Rudolf¡¯s point of view, this is great because the Baroque Imperial family had been ruling the people for a long time, so they feel that there is no future on the continent without them.¡± Luke was well aware of that, the emperor, whose power fell because of his arrogance for claiming that he was the strongest, would take away his nation too. Therefore, it was never possible for any nation to conquer the Baroque Empire by foreign invasion. In particular, it was more unacceptable that the Imperial Palace, where the core assets of the empire gathered to be passed down to a new ruler, that too not from their bloodline. ¡°But hasn¡¯t this gone too far?¡± At Jo Mimi¡¯s words, Luke shook his head. ¡°I am sure that this is going the right way.¡± The Baroque Empire was founded because of the rebellion that happened in the Old Libiya Kingdom. Whether the founder was Carno de Baroque or his descendants, they must have been worried about the time when someone other than their family would claim their nation. The Imperial Palace being trampled or the tombs being stolen or something similar to that. They must have thought that it would be better to blow up the place along with the enemy. ¡°This is¡­ But even then¡­!¡± If they combined the Guards, the knights, the male and female attendants and maids in the palace, it would be more than 10,000. And most of them would have died because of the explosions that were happening. Luke replied as if he wasn¡¯t shocked about it. ¡°Rudolf is the only one who can do such unreasonable things. If I didn¡¯t kill him off then, things would have been more chaotic.¡± What would have happened if such a mad man went into the past? Just the thought of it made Luke¡¯s head ache. Arch Duke Gregory, who was listening to their conversation, said, ¡°How about talking about this at a later time? I think it is important that we get out of the capital as soon as possible.¡± At his words, Luke nodded. Under Gregory¡¯s guidance, Luke and his men hurried to the temple of El Kassel, where the catacombs were located. Chapter 727 - : End of Baroque Empire 3 Going to the temple of El Kassel was a lot easier than they thought. There was nothing in their way, but there sure were a large number of people gathered together on the street. A few hours ago, a bizarre monster had appeared in the sky along with explosions all over Nemesis, making a mess of the capital. The people of the capital, who witnessed such scenes were fleeing in all directions. ¡°Damn it! Escaping from here is not going to be possible!¡± ¡°I never expected for this to happen.¡± At Shirley¡¯s flustered words, Luke spoke back with a deep frown on his head. What he disliked was the escape which turned difficult because of the people blocking their path. ¡°Damn it! Get out of here! We will get caught up in here!¡± ¡°Run quickly! The mad emperor seems to have opened the door to the Devildom!¡± ¡°The demons would come out and kill us!¡± A rumor got spread by someone with no facts, and that fueled the confusion and panic in the people. What was even more ridiculous was that there were men who were actually robbing private shops in such drastic situations. Among those men, there were quite a few men who were wearing Imperial military uniforms. ¡®What? Has the command of the Baroque Imperial troops collapsed?¡¯ It was when Luke titled his head. Right in front of his eyes, the one sacking the shop yelled at them. ¡°What are you looking at? Turn away and go, bastard!¡± ¡°We took this place, go and find something else.¡± Luke approached them and spoke coldly by clenching his fists. ¡°What are the soldiers who need to protect people doing here?¡± The men responded calmly. ¡°What are we doing?! We are getting our pay!¡± ¡°We are actually mercenaries. That crazy emperor forced us to join that regular army.¡± ¡°But now that we see, the Baroque Empire is done. We didn¡¯t get paid at all, so we are going to take our money and get out¡­¡± Slash! The neck of the sacker who was talking went flying. While the other ones were shocked, Luke turned back to his men and gave them orders. ¡°Cut them all.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Wh-wait!¡± The swords fell and so did the sackers. Luke didn¡¯t just stop with killing such men, but he thoroughly read the confusion which was spreading around the people. Erwin approached him with concern. ¡°Your Majesty, we are in no situation to look after other men¡¯s well-being.¡± The explosions and earthquakes had stopped, but the flames from the Imperial Palace were still spreading. In addition, if the Imperial army, which they escaped from earlier found the Symphonia men and counterattacked, the Symphonia troops would have a hard time fighting back. They were of small numbers and were already exhausted from fighting the SS Knights. Luke was well aware of that, but he refused to let Erwin and his men run out of there. ¡°The people here need to be taken to a safe place.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, the time right now isn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°it doesn¡¯t matter. Consider why they are all panicking in here, it was because of the fight between me and Rudolf. I can¡¯t just pretend and go away.¡± It wouldn¡¯t take long if they decided to abandon a city full of people. The Baroque Empire, which had been in power for more than 500 years, ended with the advent of a tyrant named Rudolf. ¡°The people of Nemesis were abandoned by Rudolf. I don¡¯t know who those people will be in the coming future, but I cannot ignore those who are suffering right in front of my eyes.¡± Neither Gregory, his Saint Guards, or Symphonia Knights could refute Luke¡¯s words. They all knew Luke was right. So they hurried to take the people to the temple where the catacombs were located. In emergency situations, the temples weren¡¯t just great refuge places, but a place full of compassionate people who could heal the injured. However, the number of people gradually increased, and the march to the temples was so slow as there were a lot of old people and children. That was when a huge fire tornado appeared right behind the march. The flame tornado was so huge that it seemed like a pillar of fire that was reaching the sky. ¡°Kyakkk!¡± ¡°Run away! If we move like this we will all burn to death!¡± ¡°Uggg, mommy!¡± Terrified women and children were screaming and crying. Luke and the members of his party tried to evacuate the people and protect the elderly. ¡°Your Majesty, is that Rudolf¡¯s plan?¡± At Jo Mimi¡¯s question, Luke shook his head. ¡°This is just a natural phenomenon. But it did start because of what Rudolf did.¡± Fire tornadoes often occurred during large fires such as earthquakes and forest fires. The dry updrafts generated by the fires get concentrated in one place, and a new flame gets ignited over there. However, the fire tornado which occurred over the Nemesis was a lot larger and destructive than the fires caused by magic. Rumble! The fire tornado would randomly swallow in all the mansions and grow bigger in size. ¡°Your Majesty, what do we do about that?¡± At Shirley¡¯s question, Luke stepped ahead while thinking about it. ¡°What about what? If we don¡¯t stop that, we might have a chance, but all the people of the capital would get burned to death.¡± Luke began to unfold a wide area of shield magic. It was to protect people from the debris which was flying in from the tornado. However, there was too much debris falling down that even the wide-range shield magic of Luke didn¡¯t seem enough. Karen and Erwin, as well as the other wizards in the troops helped. ¡°Mana, be a wall according to my will! Grand Protect!¡± ¡°The wall of a thousand years!¡± ¡°Water Shower!¡± Thanks to everyone¡¯s work, they were able to stop the debris from the tornado spilling onto people. But soon came another crisis. ¡°Oh! Th-this¡­!¡± ¡°Kuk, I can¡¯t breath!¡± As the tornado moved, a heat wave came over. What was harder for Luke and his party wasn¡¯t the heatwave, but the lack of oxygen. As the fire tornado moved, it sucked in all the oxygen. People with weak strength, those will low levels of magic were the first to fall down. ¡°Ah! Teacher!¡± ¡°Get yourself together! Princess!¡± When Erwin and Jo Mimi stumbled, Karen and the warriors rushed to support the women. Watching them retreat to a safe spot, Luke quickly turned his gaze towards the tornado. ¡®Kuk, is it going to be impossible to put that monster to sleep with my magic too?¡¯ He tried to use water-based magic, but it only weakened the force of the tornado for a while, and extinguishing it didn¡¯t even seem possible. It was because the tornado had grown into a size which no humans could suppress. Even when a wizard reached 9th magic circles, or a Knight reached the Sword Emperor, humans still were helpless when it came to the power of nature. No matter how strong a wizard or knight was, there was no way they could face a typhoon or tsunami. ¡®If we look at this mess of disaster here, it was all because of human desires and obsession. What was started by humans can be stopped by human hands too!¡¯ Luke, thinking about it, boarded his Avenger which he brought from the Imperial Palace. Boarding his Avenger, he clenched his teeth and collected mana. Kiiing! The Aether Globe converted to a mana circle and amplified the core engine of Avenger. Kwannng! Those who were startled by the roar of the engine closed their ears and stepped back. They saw the Avenger holding a giant sword rushing for the fire tornado. ¡°Daddy!¡± Hearing Karen¡¯s scream, Luke raised his giant sword. As if asking her to not worry. ¡°Kay, where should I start it?¡± Luke, who had already raised the magic to maximum, and also began to use the demon abilities. ¡°Build-up!¡± He enhanced the ability to develop his physical traits, he developed the gold aura to the maximum. And the magic, which had already reached the maximum level, was placed at the tip of the giant sword where the second half of the Gold Sword was unfolded. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Cyclone Rage¡­ No Hurricane Rage!¡± The new skill of the magic sword was combined by using the demon ability and the storm magic, and the second half of the Gold Sword. Realizing that the water-based magic couldn¡¯t subdue the flame tornado, Luke thought of destroying the fire tornado with the wind. Swooosh! The moment Luke unfolded the skill, a huge gust of wind which had turned into a Gold tornado, rose around Avenger. With a golden tornado containing the fierce energy, Luke clashed with the terrifying flame tornado. Rumble! ¡°Woah!¡± ¡°Wh-what is happening?!¡± When the thunderstorms seemed to tear off the earth and heavens, dazzling light blinded most people. Arch Duke Gregory, Hwang Bo-sung, and Karen watched it while everyone else was crouching on the ground. They watched the golden tornado created by the strongest Rune Knight splitting open the fire tornado which was soaring till then. ¡°Dad!¡± ¡°Oh, Your Majesty!¡± Avenger, who created a golden tornado, floated in the sky till then, but fell. Thud! The hatch was off along with the breastplate, and Avenger¡¯s armor seemed to have melted through the heat of the fire tornado. Luke, soaked in sweat, crawled out in exhaustion. Karen hurriedly ran to check her father¡¯s condition and kept yelling while trying to heal him. ¡°Why did you do such a reckless thing?!¡± ¡°Because there was no other way. Didn¡¯t it work well in the end?¡± Despite Luke¡¯s natural virtues, Karen wasn¡¯t actually angry. If his plan didn¡¯t have worked out, he could¡¯ve been eaten by the fire tornado. And that was dangerous. ¡°I will tell mom.¡± ¡°This child, so wicked¡­!¡± Watching the father and daughter fight, Arch Duke Gregory smiled. The crisis which had struck in the situation was subdued safely by the humans who were loved by God, the chosen one. Chapter 728 - Before and After 1 Two days from Nemesis. Reina, who joined the 3rd squad of the Continental Alliance along with the 2nd and 3rd squad of the Saint Guards, was struggling to purify the zombies. Fortunately, the clean-up went smoothly. Because the zombie disease was reported right away, and the measures were taken immediately, so they managed to prevent the disease from spreading to nearby larger towns or cities while blocking the borders. ¡°Catch them! I mean, make sure they don¡¯t scatter them!¡± ¡°Look at what the soldiers with the shields are doing! Some of them are running out of there! Stop them quickly!¡± In the vast plain, 50,000 soldiers were fighting with 30,000 zombies. The zombies surrounded by the 3rd squad ran wild to stop the those who escaped. The 3rd squad had already prepared everything in advance to trap any escaping zombies. The pits were dug with the Gigants, as well as walls, and fences were built up. In addition, unlike the 3rd squad, which was organized according to the formation and operation, the zombies turned into prey. ¡°The large number of zombie outbreaks was because there were people behind the scene which helped in spreading them. It is important to take care of them.¡± Reina, who had been very thorough in the zombie outbreak, provided the information she had to her men. And the commanders, according to her explanation, would move and bring in the zombie, and worked hard in eliminating those who were involved in the spread of zombies. In the pursuit of those zombies, warlocks of Veritas Magic Tower ran away quickly, yet they were sniffed out and killed. Thanks to that, the zombie disease spread had stopped at simple steps. ¡°Kukkkk!¡± ¡°Ahhh! My-my arm¡­!¡± At the forefront, the soldiers who were forming the siege screamed when a zombie bit one of them. Frightened, he ran away and an officer rushed to him and smacked his head. ¡°You idiot! Don¡¯t get bitten by them!¡± ¡°Well, but¡­¡± ¡°Before you turn into a zombie, Your Holiness will save you. The guys who were in charge of the zombies also believe in her!¡± As the officer said, there were already hundreds of soldiers isolated in the center. They were the people who lured the scattered zombies to the plain land. In the process of coming to the place, nearly half of them were bitten by zombies, but the rest were holding on fine. Even if the Holiness was able to heal it, it didn¡¯t seem right to get recklessly bitten by the zombie. ¡°How long should I endure this?¡± ¡°Until Her Holiness is ready! So, stand up!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we just pushed them away with the Gigants?¡± As a young soldier asked by looking at the Gigant, the elder next to him burst into shouts. ¡°Yeah, you idiot! Imagine if you were to turn into a zombie! There are a lot of allies even among them!¡± ¡°Right, my friend from my hometown is in there too!¡± At those words, the young soldiers eagerly stopped the zombies again. When the 3rd squad with Gigants in the back and the shield soldiers in the front were stopping the zombies, the commanders watched all of this happen from a cliff that was overlooking the plain. ¡°Count Ferrero, how long do I have to wait? We are done preparing.¡± A clear and pure voice, which didn¡¯t go well with the battlefields asked. When asked by Reina, Ferrero seemed sad. ¡°Wait a minute, please just a moment, Holiness.¡± The reason for Ferrero to delay her movement was to confirm the situation. In fact, even before the siege, there were enemies who were surrounded by his men. However, it was the first time for Count Ferrero to create a large-scale siege. Ferrero too wanted to finish up the zombie clean up. And their purpose wasn¡¯t to purify the zombies, but to conquer the capital of the Baroque Empire. While they were here, the 1st and 2nd squads went over to Nemesis, while Count Ferrero was stuck with the zombies. ¡°Sire, I am a professional in the scout unit.¡± A messenger¡¯s report Ferrero took a look at the scroll in his hand. ¡°What does it say?¡± At Reina¡¯s question, Ferrero spoke. ¡°After a thorough 100-kilometer radius search, there were no more zombies.¡± ¡°Then all the zombies are the ones gathered in here.¡± ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go down to purify them!¡± At Ferrero¡¯s request, Reina made her way to the end of the cliff. And raised both her hands. Woong-! When the Aether in her body converted to Spirit Power, a fresh light flashed from her body, and snow flowers began to fall from the sky. The soldiers seemed confused as it rained snow flowers which seemed to have a pure essence in it. It wasn¡¯t a flowering season, and only weeds would be present in plains. The moment the flower touched the bodies of the zombie infected, an amazing thing happened. It was because the infected zombie flesh was regenerating, and the light from the flowers turned the blackened eyes back to their original color, with one after the other regaining their consciousness. ¡°Yes? Ye-where is this¡­?¡± ¡°I was obviously bitten by the zombie¡­¡± While those who turned into zombies were regaining their consciousness, the soldiers of the Continental Alliance burst into cheers. ¡°Woah! It is done!¡± ¡°Long Live the Holy Pope!¡± ¡°Yes, but someone tell me what happened!¡± Those who turned back to humans from zombies asked, the soldiers who were close to them explained the situation. When they all learned that they turned into zombies and were healed by the Pope, they all thanked the Pope on the cliff. Some even knelt on the ground and prayed to God. ¡°Holiness, thank you.¡± ¡°Huhu, it was something I had to do. The outbreak is done with this, right?¡± ¡°Yes, as of today, it is all done.¡± Count Ferrero nodded at Reina¡¯s question. In fact, it could have been that a few zombies were hiding somewhere and were never found. However, it was planned to continue the search at a later time and countermeasures too were planned, so there was no need to worry about it anymore. As a result, the 3rd squad of the Continental Alliance, which had stopped because of the zombie disease spreading due to warlocks of Libiya, began to resume their advance to Nemesis. ¡°I feel exhausted for some reason.¡± ¡°Haha, it is because of using such great power all of a sudden. Go down and take a break¡­¡± It was when Count Ferrero asked Reina to take a break. Rumble! The cliff shook as there was an earthquake down, and a red pillar of fire in the far northern sky soared high. ¡°Wh-what? Was that an earthquake?¡± ¡°What is with that pillar of fire?¡± Everyone started to whisper and mumble. ¡°Count Ferrero, isn¡¯t Nemesis over there?¡± At Reina¡¯s question, Ferrero measured the distance and direction to answer her. ¡°It could be.¡± ¡°Then¡­!¡± At that moment, her body staggered. It was because she thought that the pillar of fire could be related to Luke and his party. ¡°Holiness!¡± Baron Bertie, who was the escort of Reina, quickly helped her. Soon she got up and waved her hand. ¡°We need to go to Nemesis right away.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°He said he was going to the Imperial Palace right away!¡± The other day, before he went for infiltration of Nemesis, Luke said he would raid the Imperial Palace. However, an earthquake and a huge pillar of fire occurred on the day Luke and his party was supposed to attack the Imperial Palace. Something must have happened, something extremely wrong. Count Ferrero¡¯s face distorted when he heard Reina¡¯s words. ¡®If something did happen to His Majesty Luke, it would be a mess!¡¯ Holding his heart, he called for Count Darland to clean up the camp below and went for Nemesis with just the Knights. Chapter 729 - Before and After 2 Du Du Du Du! The same was the case of the 1st Continental allied squad, which would reach Nemesis in a day, but had to see the massive pillar of fire with earthquakes. Marquis Rogers, the Chief Commander, out of intuition ordered the entire army to advance. And about two hours later, standing on the hillside path overlooking Nemesis, he saw something remarkable. He was the huge Imperial Palace, which had reigned as the heart of the Baroque Empire for the past 500 years, gone without a trace. ¡°What happened?! What the hell happened in there¡­?¡± He couldn¡¯t even understand what had happened. He was speechless. At the same time, they had to find out the whereabouts of Luke as well as rescue the people of Nemesis. The huge pillar of fire that soared high in the sky suddenly disappeared, but there was still black smoke all over the city. ¡°We will enter Nemesis right away!¡± ¡°But, Sire, I heard that there are a lot of Imperial troops in action.¡± ¡°If they block us, wipe them out! Ask the troops to get ready¡­¡± It was when Rogers was about to give orders to his unit, a messenger ran in from the left side. ¡°Your Majesty has returned!¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°It was said that he used an ancient underground passage connected to the temple, but he seems to have escaped with a lot of people.¡± Upon hearing the messengers report, Rogers ran over to the place where Luke was. There he was, Luke, with soot all over his clothes and face. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t seem like he was hurt. ¡°Your Majesty, are you alright?¡± ¡°I am fine. Rather, we need to enter the Nemesis again.¡± ¡°Well, I was about to give them that very order. But what even happened there?¡± At Rogers¡¯s question, Luke explained in detail what had happened at the Imperial Palace. He explained in detail how he caused confusion in Nemesis to lure away the Imperial forces and then attacked the Imperial palace, the fight in the ruins, and eventually, killing off Rudolf as he triggered the self-destruction magic circles, which was installed in the Imperial Palace right before his death. ¡°Hu! Then the Imperial Palace is done, and that huge fire tornado was because of Rudolf?¡± ¡°Yes, he chose to burn down the Imperial Palace rather than to leave it behind. The flames are still alive in the capital.¡± The largest fire was destroyed by Luke. However, the huge fire tornado had spread all throughout Nemesis and was still tormenting people who couldn¡¯t evacuate in time. ¡°What are those stupid Imperial army troops even doing when they have such things to deal with?!¡± ¡°That¡­!¡± At Rogers¡¯s frustration, Luke threw away his soot-covered armor and said, ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t something so tough to understand. The Imperial Palace burned down. The contact with the Emperor got cut off and the mercenaries who were forced into the army are raging and robbing the shops to find money, so the command of the Imperial Army has gone out of hand.¡± Nevertheless, Luke felt that the Imperial troops had to uphold their duties and extinguish the fire. The only reason an army existed was to protect the people. However, there didn¡¯t seem to be any such concept in the Baroque Imperial army, which had always lived as the Emperor¡¯s dogs. Not liking the explanation from Luke, Rogers frowned. ¡°We need to capture Nemesis right away.¡± ¡°Yes, not for our victory, but for the sake of the people of Nemesis. So go ahead and put down the fire.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Rogers, commanded by Luke, ordered the entire army to change their tactics. In Nemesis, hundreds of Gigants were gathered from all over the place, and more than 100,000 Imperial troops were gathered. However, none of the Imperial troops responded like the 1st Continental Allied squad. Just as Luke had predicted, the Baroque Imperial troops were completely aloof. The fire and turmoil was the problem, but the final blow of something resulted in the entire Imperial Palace getting blown off. ¡°Marquis! Please give out the orders!¡± At the urge of his lieutenant, Marquis Maghreb, the commander of the Imperial Army, asked with a somber expression. ¡°Your Majesty? Has anyone found His Majesty, the emperor, yet?¡± At Maghreb¡¯s question, the lieutenant as well as the other commanders sighed. It wasn¡¯t a situation where they had to look for the emperor. ¡°Sire, the enemy is right in front of Nemesis. If we don¡¯t respond quickly¡­¡± Bang! Marquis Maghreb struck his fists on the table and yelled at the lieutenant. ¡°Shut up and answer my question first! The response to the enemy is the next thing!¡± Was he feeling lost? The lieutenant was speechless for a moment, but he reported after sighing. ¡°We did find some survivors beneath the palace, but no one seems to have spotted His Majesty.¡± ¡°Ugh! Damn it¡­!¡± All of a sudden, the Imperial Palace was blown away by huge flames, and Maghreb along with the other military heads tried everything to search for Rudolf. In fact, there were even reports of a group of people invading the Imperial Palace at the time when a monster appeared in the capital. They thought that it was the enemy¡¯s unit, but they all believed that the Emperor¡¯s SS Knights would be able to deal with them. It was because they knew that Rudolf and his SS Knights were the most powerful. However, the situation at hand seemed a lot worse. A request for assistance flew in from the palace, and Marquis Maghreb was preparing a unit to be sent over to protect the palace. However, before the reinforcements even reached the Imperial Palace, a sudden earthquake struck the palace with a huge explosion. The entire Imperial Palace was devastated. In addition, a huge pillar of fire soared high, taking away not just the Imperial Palace but also the places in its vicinity. Why did the Imperial Palace, which was supposed to have handled the situation well, get blown away? Did the invading enemy troops do something nasty, or did a natural disaster strike it? ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter if the Imperial Palace is smashed or the entire capital is turned into ashes. What matters is His Majesty¡¯s safety¡­¡¯ If Rudolf died, the Baroque Empire would no longer exist. Rudolf¡¯s brutal power and his strict ruling was the only reason that the empire was able to sustain itself even with rebellions breaking out all through the nation. The nobles who feared him never dared to even confront him, and they would succumb to his unjust orders too. But what if such a tyrant died? Above all, there was no successor in the palace. All of those who held the emperor¡¯s blood, his family, had died a few years back. ¡®If we don¡¯t find His Majesty right away, it will be dangerous for not just the Empire, but for us, who always supported him!¡¯ When Marquis Maghreb was thinking about the future, Count Jemo, the commander of the Northern army, opened his mouth. ¡°It is important to find His Majesty, but it is equally important to put this war situation under control.¡± ¡°The war situation¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? The invaders, the self-proclaimed Continental Alliance, drove their Gigants!¡± Maybe he was annoyed since Count Jemo¡¯s voice only turned higher. ¡°We need to decide right away whether to stop them or to abandon the capital and retreat! If their reinforcements come in from other places, we will end up being surrounded and isolated in there.¡± Nemesis wasn¡¯t a great city for military. First of all, the population was large when compared to its supplies and food, and the walls were long with numerous streets. There were many places in the city that had to be protected. Nevertheless, due to Emperor Rudolf¡¯s order, all the Imperial forces were gathered in such a city. Marquis Maghreb frowned at the words of Count Jemo. ¡°How long do you think we can stay in the capital?¡± Abandoning the capital was like giving up on the search for their emperor. Therefore, Marquis Maghreb decided to choose war than to retreat. However, the circumstances were tough. At the Marquis¡¯s question, Count Sochi, the commander of the Eastern Army, said, ¡°I think¡­ about five days.¡± ¡°Just five days? That can¡¯t be? How is that even possible¡­?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten? Most of the troops and the supplies stored were in the Imperial Palace and the depots close to the palace. But it is all blown away now.¡± ¡°Kuek, that fire pillar¡­!¡± Military supplies and other needed supplies were always placed in the safest of places, and in Nemesis, the Imperial Palace was such a place. But the place that was supposed to be the safest turned into ashes. ¡°Honestly, we have five days. That is the longest possible time. As of now, with the current mess and confusion, three days is a lot.¡± ¡°F*ck!¡± The sudden Imperial Palace explosion distorted the thoughts and plans of the commanders. There were people saying that they would evacuate, and mercenaries who were plundering the shops near the city, and the emperor who was supposed to deal with the situation was missing in action¡­ The morale of the soldiers weren¡¯t great enough for them to stand in war. As the commanders were sighing loudly, a messenger rushed into the room to give them a new report. ¡°Sire, it is urgent! The enemy troops on the southern hillside, outside the capital, are charging in!¡± ¡°What?!¡± The commanders who were below Maghreb in rank were shocked. The enemy had arrived already. They thought that they would at least build up a camp and the attack would be a day after. It looked like the enemy had noticed the internal conflicts in the city and entered. ¡°Kuek! Move all the Gigants and cannons to the wall right away! The gates should never be opened!¡± ¡°Yes, Sire!¡± However, even before Maghreb¡¯s orders were properly delivered to each unit, the 1st squad of the Continental Alliance flocked to the gates. ¡°Get out of the way! The gates will be opened by Count Philip!¡± At the command of Marquis Rogers, Philip, who was the vanguard of the troops, broke open the gates with Gigantic Aura. Slash! Crack! When the gates broke down, around 10 Gigants of the central army, which were ordered by Maghreb, were ready for battle. However, they didn¡¯t seem to stop the Sword Master Philip, who was using a Hero class Gigant, Orion. Even other Gigants of the Baroque turned into scrap. ¡°The southern gate is open!¡± ¡°The enemies are flowing in!¡± The situation was turning entirely horrible, and reports were being delivered to the chief commander. Many soldiers were abandoning their weapons and surrendering to the Continental Alliance, and the knights along with riders, who knew that they couldn¡¯t win, ran away from the capital. It was bound to happen as the morale of the Imperial troops was running down. In such a situation, Maghreb and the other military leaders and nobles were forced to abandon the capital. ¡°Shit, abandon the capital and retreat!¡± ¡°All forces retreat! Retreat!¡± At the order of Marquis Maghreb, the Imperial forces escaped from Nemesis. ¡°Your Majesty, it is being said that the enemy is abandoning the capital and running toward east.¡± At the report from Chief Commander, Marquis Rogers, Luke couldn¡¯t help but frown. He had expected them to act in such a way, but it felt like the Imperial troops were backing down too fast. ¡± Your Majesty, give me an order! I will go after them and smash them down.¡± Since they arrived at Nemesis, Count Philip didn¡¯t have many battles, so he begged for going into battle. However, Luke stopped him. ¡°If you have that much energy, go and stop the fire and enlist the people of Nemesis.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°It is fine. The chances of us finding out the escaped men is negligible in the mess.¡± The Baroque Imperial army had already lost its center. Considering that Rudolf was taken down, there would be no one who could support or help them. This was why Luke decided to do what was best and save the people of Nemesis rather than pursuing the remnants of the Imperial army. Chapter 730 - Before and After 3 After entering Nemesis, Luke and the Continental Alliance troops took the former palace of Libiya Kingdom in their command instead of the destroyed Imperial Palace. Luke had imposed a new military law in the capital. 1. The general command of the Continental Alliance forces promised to do what was best to ensure stability and reconstruction of Nemesis and to ensure the basic livelihood of the residents, and the following. 2. Night curfew was implemented for the purpose of reconstruction of the capital and security. 3. Take measures to recover and destroy all the military weapons in the palace. 4. Looting and Riots that could cause confusion are strictly prohibited. 5. Food and daily necessities are distributed at designated locations. 6. Those who stick food and other goods in large quantities without permission are subject to punishment regardless of their status. 7. It is recommended that the knights and the soldiers of the Baroque Empire, who are left behind, should surrender immediately and move under the command of the Continental Alliance. 8. In spite of the recommendations, the remnants of the Imperial Army who resist will be immediately subdued. The people of Nemesis were extremely terrified when the 1st squad of the Continental Alliance entered and issued the decree. It was because conquerors would often harass the people, and it was read in histories. But it changed their mind as they saw the new command looking after the people instead of slaughtering them. In particular, those who were dissatisfied with Rudolf or who were exploited by him welcomed the new ruling with open hands. The hearts of the people opened up when Reina came over. ¡°The Holy Pope of the Holy Empire has come!¡± ¡°Holy Pope, Long Live!¡± ¡°Cheers!¡± Despite the fact that there was no welcoming or with the ban of people in order to prevent any confusion, people still came onto the streets and greeted the pope. ¡°Pope, thank you for freeing us from the mad tyrant!¡± ¡°You are a true angel!¡± With the welcoming crown, Philip and his troops, who were in charge of Nemesis¡¯s security, had to work extra hard to maintain order. And thankfully, no unpleasant thing happened. Reina waved her hand at the people of Nemesis, who were welcoming her, and spoke to Philip who was escorting her carriage. ¡°Count Philip, His Majesty isn¡¯t hurt anywhere, right? And Karen too¡­¡± Her worrisome question brought a grim answer from Philip. ¡°Holiness, how many times should I tell you. You did contact him directly when coming here, right?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stop worrying. Maybe he is seriously injured, but is acting all fine to reassure me or something¡­¡± ¡°Well, he would do that¡­ But it is really fine, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Philip, who answered, sat up. It was because he was feeling envious while looking at Reina, not frustrated. By the time Luke returned from his Southern Continent expedition, Philip had married Anna, whom he was dating. As they were dating for a long time already, the two were very affectionate. But his wife seemed too thick. The other knights or soldiers, who had women or wives, would usually give amulets or charms for their husbands who were entering the battlefield, but Anna didn¡¯t give Philip any of it. ¡°You are a Sword Master. Besides, Your Majesty is also participating in the war, so there is no chance of losing, right?¡± Having said that, she seemed to regard Philip¡¯s departure as if he was going up a mountain to bring back water and didn¡¯t even see him off. And when he entered Nemesis, he communicated with her, she seemed pleased and made a request. ¡°Honey, don¡¯t forget to get me souvenirs when you come back. In particular, in Nemesis central square, in an old man¡¯s shop named Zepet. It¡¯s a doll shop. If it¡¯s still in business, get me a souvenir there¡­¡± Because of the request, he bought a bunch of souvenirs at the lodge and was complaining to himself. ¡®Really, she believes me too much.¡¯ Because of that, she was too optimistic and it made Philip sad. ¡®Should I pretend to be hurt next time?¡¯ By the time Philip was thinking, the carriage reached the front of the Old Libiya Palace. And ahead were Luke and Karen who were informed before. Reina, who was worried, ran to the two of them once the carriage stopped. ¡°Welcome, you must have¡­¡± ¡°Ahh, Karen! You are alright!¡± Luke had his arms opened wide, but unfortunately, Reina ran for Karen and hugged her. Luke glared at the Saint Guards, which smiled at him, and approached Reina. ¡°I was constantly informing you to make sure you weren¡¯t worried¡­ I guess you aren¡¯t much worried about me?¡± ¡°As if I wouldn¡¯t! I am rotting inside because of what you do. Last I heard from Karen, she said you did something reckless! Jumping into a Gigant to defeat a giant fire tornado!¡± ¡®I specifically told her not to told you that!¡¯ As Luke glared at her, Karen stuck out her tongue. Luke couldn¡¯t help but frown after seeing his daughter, who was melting in the hugs and kisses of Reina. ¡°Well, I am glad that you seem fine.¡± ¡°I too thank God for seeing you in good shape.¡± Luke and Reina were getting affectionate to each other. Jo Mimi and Princess Ja-hye, who were seeing it from the other side, were confused. ¡°Who is she?¡± ¡°I heard that she is the Holy Pope of the Arthenia Empire, the largest nation in Rhodesia¡­ How come they seem so close.¡± As the two of them were feeling anxious, Erwin sneaked up to them and answered, ¡°That is Queen Reina.¡± At her words, both Jo Mimi and Princess Ja-hye were shocked. ¡°Huh? She is? I was told that she was taking care of her sick mother at home¡­¡± ¡°Oh my god, and you believed that? You are too na?ve.¡± When Erwin spoke back with a sly smile, the two women tapped their foreheads. However, they couldn¡¯t help but be angry as they were deceived. Usually, there were one or two circumstances where the families lied. And the Song Empire and Yemaek too did such things. Besides, the most important one was¡­ ¡®She is such a strong opponent¡­!¡¯ ¡®There was a reason why His Majesty didn¡¯t look at us!¡¯ A beautiful woman with warm and kind eyes. The gentle dignity and sacred energy that exudes from her body were enough to make any woman feel defeated, even Jo Mimi and Ja-hye, who were always proud of their beauty. Reina approached the two women who were feeling discouraged. ¡°Your Majesty, these are?¡± ¡°These are the allied envoys from across the sea. They helped me a lot with this plan.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Luke didn¡¯t give out a detailed explanation, but Reina knew for what purpose they had come. It was her woman¡¯s intuition that gave her the answer. ¡®I guess they were sent to marry him.¡¯ Well, was there any woman who wouldn¡¯t fall for Luke¡¯s charm? Even though she had fallen for him, she knew about Luke¡¯s charm, seeing Erwin and Zegal Soha longing for him. Rather than being jealous, Reina expressed her gratitude. ¡°Thank you for helping him. Please look after him in the future too.¡± As she politely thanked them, Jo Mimi and Ja-hye too bowed to her as it felt like they should. ¡°Ye-yes! Until my bones turn to dust!¡± ¡°I will do my very best!¡± Erwin watched them from a distance and smiled. It was because she remembered receiving Reina¡¯s permission at the Symphonia founding along with Zegal Soha. ¡®Woohoo! At that time, Zegal Soha nor I did that¡­¡¯ As Erwin was laughing at them, Jo Mimi and Princess Ja-hye asked, ¡°Umm, can I call you sister?¡± ¡°Me too. When I look at the pope, I got remembered of my sister who is married!¡± ¡°Hehe, please do call me that.¡± When Reina approved their request, the smile on Erwin¡¯s face disappeared. It was because she never expected the two of them to act like that. Karen sighed low as she watched Erwin stiffen. ¡®Cheer up, teacher. It is a long way, but it isn¡¯t so difficult.¡¯ Karen, who was her disciple in the lost future, knew how deeply in love Erwin was with her father. Even after her father¡¯s death, neither Erwin nor Zegal Soha gave up on loving him, and they were more of a mother than a teacher to her. Therefore, she wished for the hearts and feelings of the two women to be rewarded. Chapter 731 - Before and After 4 Chapter 731: Before and After 4 The remnants of the Baroque Imperial army, led by Marquis Maghreb, headed to the east. They had lost more troops than they expected in Nemesis. All because of the command and the control not working and the confusion that they were in. Nevertheless, they still had around 40,000 troops and 200 Gigants with them. ¡®With this power, even though we might not be able to face the Continental Alliance head-on, we might have a chance. But first of all, we need to secure a camp and get supplies.¡¯ An army had to eat to battle. An army that runs out of food and military supplies could no longer be considered as an army. Marquis Maghreb and the commanders headed to Veteren, a city to the east of Nemesis to secure troops and supplies. Veteren, was a city which was advanced in iron making industries and magic engineering, and had good food because of the fertile plains around it. Above all, it was directly under the management of the Imperial family, which meant, it was a land managed by the Emperor himself. Although it too was a place which was exploited, it wasn¡¯t badly exploited as the other regions as the Emperor managed it. And that meant that the loyalty to the Imperial family was stronger than other estates. ¡®For now, we need to head over to Veteren and camp. When the ones in the capital are enjoying their victory, we¡¯ll take advantage of that gap and¡­¡¯ A small hope rose in the mind of Marquis Maghreb. However, the hope didn¡¯t even last for two days. ¡°What was that? Veteren got captured?¡± ¡°Yes, sire! The 2nd squad of the Continental Alliance had approached it first, and the people in there too had been agitated.¡± At Maghreb¡¯s question, an official who had escaped from Veteren answered with tears. It was just the nobles and officials who had strong loyalty to the Imperial Palace. Even if the place was relatively led exploited, the people wouldn¡¯t like the Mad Emperor who had invaded their lands and tombs. And the Republicans, who were always active in the dark began to rise and agitate the people, it didn¡¯t take much time for the city to be thrown over. ¡°Sire, what should we do?¡± ¡°Give up Veteran. The advance to the border needs to be pushed too. If we can¡¯t leave this place before the siege begins¡­¡± ¡°But we are short on food and supplies. In such long-distance marches, it will be terrible for the soldiers, and the march would end up turning impossible.¡± ¡°So? You want us to attack Veteren? With our troops it will be difficult to even defend ourselves against the 2nd squad of the enemy.¡± As the commanders quarreled loudly, Maghreb closed his eyes and sighed. The capital was stolen by the enemy, and there was no way of knowing if their Emperor was alive or dead. It was extremely sad to see how the Great Baroque Empire, which ruled the continent for ten years back, turned out. A messenger came over and delivered a new report. ¡°Sire! The enemy has sent a messenger.¡± ¡°Those damned men, are they asking us to surrender?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s cut down the neck of that one right away!¡± The commanders began to raise their voices and yell. They were already pushed to the corner, which was why Marquis Maghreb intervened. ¡°We can¡¯t just kill a messenger. Let¡¯s hear what they have to say.¡± And the messenger from the Continental Alliance army was brought into their barracks. ¡°No, you are!¡± Marquis Maghreb and the other commanders in the barracks seemed shocked when they saw the messenger coming in with the lieutenant. It was a person they were very well aware of. Spear Master, Shirley de Kayle, who had run away with Count Ferrero while she was still serving as the captain of the Iron Guards of the Imperial Palace. She was there. Unlike the commanders of the Imperial army, who went stiff, she had a rather happy smile on her lips. ¡°Hello! Hello! It has been such a long time.¡± Grunt! Marquis Maghreb, held onto the chair¡¯s armrest and grinded his teeth looking at her. ¡°Why has the traitor come here? If you intend to persuade us to surrender, you can give up on those thoughts.¡± ¡°Oh my, did you think I was here to convince you to surrender?¡± ¡°Who thought so?! Don¡¯t go spewing nonsense and say Luke¡¯s message, and then get out!¡± ¡°Oh my, so scary. Well, the man leading the remnants of the Imperial army is surely unique.¡± Shirley pretended to be scared and stopped playing around, which made Marquis Maghreb and the other commanders wait for her words. ¡°Tch, no fun. Let me relay the words of His Majesty Luke. Decide what you want to do in the future¡­ that is all.¡± ¡°Huh? What, is that all?¡± The message from that guy was so short? They thought that it would be a threat or option to surrender. When Marquis Maghreb couldn¡¯t understand, Shirley shrugged her shoulders and replied. ¡°Our Majesty respects the free will of the people. Unlike some crazy emperor who would kill someone when they don¡¯t act as his loyal dog.¡± ¡°This girl¡­!¡± When Shirley openly cursed Rudolf, the commanders and the knights drew their swords at once. Swords all around here, but she, who was a Spear Master, wasn¡¯t scared. Shirley walked close to Marquis Maghreb¡ªwho was still staring at her and handed out a box she carried. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Open it yourself. I have done my side of the work, so I will head out.¡± Waving her hand, Shirley left the barracks. Until she left, Maghreb didn¡¯t open the box. It was because he felt something ominous from the box. And it wasn¡¯t just him who felt that was. The other Commanders such as Jemo, and Count Sochi too felt it. ¡°No¡­ it can¡¯t be, right?¡± ¡°Of course it can¡¯t be that! It can¡¯t¡­!¡± Maghreb tried to suppress his anxiety and opened the lid of the box. As soon as he checked the contents, the commanders and his eyes went wide. The box contained the severed head of Rudolf, which they had been searching for. And the head which was preserved with magic was smiling. No one knew, but Rudolf was convinced that Luke would die by the self-destruct magic he triggered at the last minute. Maybe that was why there was a smile on his lips. ¡°Ah, Your Majesty is!¡± Maghreb and the other commanders who confirmed the death of their Emperor were shocked. The unwanted thing had turned into a reality, they sensed their hope and energy drained from their bodies. Although he was a tyrant, Rudolf was the strongest knight on the continent and was the only hope for them. Even that hope was robbed from them! ¡°Decide what you want to do in the future.¡± Luke¡¯s message kept on going around their heads. Now they realized why that man was so confident, the Imperial commanders were now forced into anxiety and pushed to make difficult choices. Whether to surrender or to continue the fight. But fighting wasn¡¯t an easy option for them. The power was already out of their hands, and once Rudolf¡¯s death spread among the troops, the morale of the soldiers and knight would plummet. Eventually, the troops would divide into two sides of surrendering and those who want to continue fighting. Chapter 732 - : Rat in the Bay 1 A day after Shirley visited the remnants of the Imperial Army Commanders, the Commanders, headed by Count Jemo, sent in their surrender letters to the Continental Alliance 2nd squad. The remnants of the Imperial Army went under the control of the 2nd squad of the Continental Alliance, and all their weapons such as Gigants and artillery were seized. When Luke heard the news, he seemed satisfied. ¡°The Chief Commander, Marquis Maghreb. What happened to him?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Rogers, who glanced at the report in hand, answered. ¡°It was said that shortly after Viscount Shirley left, a quarrel broke out with the heads of the Imperial army. Perhaps they divided into factions which insisted on the fight and surrender, but it seems like the ones who wanted a fight were taken down.¡± ¡°Tch, always the same outcome.¡± The same had happened when the Milton Kingdom was occupied in the past. As they were about to lose the war, the nobles of the Milton Kingdom killed King Mayers and surrendered to Luke. The nobles of the Milton Kingdom, including Reynard, said that it was because the King had forsaken the trust of the military, but from Mayers¡¯s point of view, it was similar to the nobles betraying him to secure their lives and status. ¡°It is nice to have less bloodshed by avoiding useless battles, but this wouldn¡¯t mean giving preference to the surrendered military nobles. Confiscate their estates and titles.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Bowing his head, Marquis Rogers asked. ¡°But what about the surrendered Imperial soldiers?¡± In the midst of the battles, several men were captured. It wasn¡¯t accurate, but it was expected to be at least 200,000. ¡°Their treatment needs to be consulted with our ally leaders. Shockingly, there would be no one who wouldn¡¯t want them dragged to their own nations.¡± People are good labor. They can be used in farming, or can be used as slaves in any production facilities such as mines and workshops. Therefore, when war broke out between nations, it was common for the prisoners to be taken to their own nations. In some cases, high-level prisoners of war received compensation and were released, but this time, the prisoners of war couldn¡¯t expect such a case. Nevertheless, each country tried to treat their prisoners generously. So did the Symphonia and Holy Empire, as well as the Castia Kingdom, Irea Kingdom, and even the Volga Republic which was constantly in battles with the Baroque Empire. ¡°It isn¡¯t confirmed yet, but I wonder if the prisoners will be used to rebuild Nemesis and other estates which were devastated by Rudolf.¡± ¡°Hmm, are you trying to win over the public sentiment of the Baroque people? In the meantime, once the public sentiment is tilted towards us, governing the areas would be easy for us.¡± ¡°Yes, or maybe not, the preliminary work is going fast.¡± Luke, who was discussing with Marquis Rogers, looked at the time. ¡°Oops, it is this late? I need to see Reina, Marquis, you can take care of the rest.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, I hope you enjoy the punishment.¡± ¡°Hahaha, punishment¡­¡± The punishment, which Luke was supposed to get, was to have tea time for two hours a day. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just the two, Karen too would be present there. Here, Reina brought in Erwin and the other two women who turned into her sisters. Luke was extremely uncomfortable with the intentional arrangement of Reina, but he wasn¡¯t in a position to bargain as he was the one getting punishment. Two days later, the main units of the 2nd and 3rd squad alliance entered Nemesis. The Kings and the heads of the different nations entered Nemesis through the Teleport gate which was installed. It was to deal with the post-war affairs, and above all, to discuss the territorial division. For that reason, the flags of the nations belonging to all the nations in the alliance were placed all through the city of Nemesis. The nations of the Song Empire and Yemaek were no exception to that. ¡°Your Majesty, it was said that the flag of the Song Empire has turned into a hot topic among the residents of Nemesis.¡± When Marquis Rogers entered the office to say that, Luke put down the documents in his hand and responded. ¡°Maybe because the flag had the emblem which contains the two-headed lion, the one which represented the Old Libiya Flag?¡± ¡°Yes, and there was a golem on the chest of it, what was it in their terms¡­¡± While Rogers was not able to say the word, Luke smiled. ¡°When I went on an expedition on the Southern Continent. I saw the history of the Song Empire. And around 500 years ago, a civil war broke out between the tribes and they said a fairy, well an Angel had helped out the Emperor.¡± ¡°An Angel?¡± ¡°Well, they seem to think so¡­ seeing her appearance and clothing described in their books, she looked like a person of Rhodesia Continent.¡± It wasn¡¯t written in such a detail in their books. However, Luke was able to understand it because in the underground ruins of the Baroque Imperial, he had seen a few scenes in it. ¡°Then, is she the princess of the former Libiya Kingdom which disappeared here 500 years back and went there?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it funny? The bloodline left behind by the princess who was ruined eventually helped in destroying the nations which destroyed her home.¡± ¡°That is a wonderful thing. But before we even came into Baroque, there was a rumor which said that a princess of the Old Libiya Kingdom would come and punish the Baroque Imperial¡­ did someone know that and make the rumor?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about that. Maybe some merchants who frequently visit the Baroque from the Southern Continent made that rumor and spread it.¡± Well, the rumors helped Nemesis¡¯s public sentiment in turning towards the Continental Allies. The fall of the Baroque Empire was considered as the will of God. ¡°Rather, how is the movement of the nobility in the Baroque Empire?¡± Many of the nobles in Nemesis died because of the collapse and explosions. It was because the nobles¡¯ residences and the government offices were concentrated close to the Imperial Palace. Still, there were very few who survived, mainly those who fled from the war to the suburbs of Nemesis on the grounds of sickness. Luke and the allies kept a close eye on them. ¡°According to the report of Count Philip, who is in charge of the security, everyone is still in the manor, or they are gathering together and looking out for each other.¡± ¡°Is that so? I think that there will be some people who will stand for a fight.¡± A few days had passed since Nemesis got captured. They wondered if it was time for the nobles who lost their estates and family would do something. He looked at the report which Philip had submitted. ¡°Especially that rat is a trouble.¡± In the picture along with the report, was a man who was very close to Emperor Rudolf, but his whereabouts were still unknown. Chapter 733 - Rat in the Bay 2 Clap! Clap! Clap! Thump. Thump. Bam baba bam~! In the middle of the Nemesis city, the guards of the Castia Kingdom were marching in with bright and cheerful music. The residents of Nemesis were staring at them as the military marched. ¡°Those men are marching now?¡± ¡°This morning, the Volga Republic men passed us by.¡± ¡°I heard in the city square that tomorrow, the Irea Kingdom men will march?¡± It wasn¡¯t a grand parade of victory, but it was a kind of march that was done by all of the Continental Alliance nations except for the Symphonia and the Holy Empire. A victory event of one¡¯s own with their own arms and military demonstration. In particular, the Navarre duchy seemed to be very troubled at the march. Perhaps, it was because they had a sense of inferiority as they still belonged to the Baroque Empire. ¡°Damn it, won¡¯t they stop it?¡± ¡°Right, I am so tired of hearing these drums and trumpet sounds. I don¡¯t want to hear them anymore!¡± ¡°What can we do? Our nation is ruined.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t be so pessimistic. It is a good thing that the things didn¡¯t get worse than this.¡± Except for the noisy marches, there was nothing done by the alliance that caused trouble for the people. On the contrary, they actively pursued reconstruction and acted compassionately to gain public sentiment. In contrast to the rumors that President Vladimir, who was called the human butcher or demon, was comforting the residents. ¡°If there is any sin, it all belongs to Rudolf. In fact, in the past, our nation had a secret agreement with the Libiya Kingdom about dividing the Baroque Empire, but I won¡¯t allow it this time.¡± He had no intention of taking over the Baroque Empire estate and promised to actively cooperate in building a new nation for the Baroque people. The people were pleased with the appearance of the leaders of the alliance who seemed to be humble, but still, the people seemed anxious. It was the nobles who were the ruling class in the empire. The nobles of the ruined Baroque Empire, who managed to survive, gathered together to discuss their future. ¡°What will happen to this nation?¡± ¡°What do you mean what? We are ruined. The Baroque Imperial is going to disappear now.¡± ¡°We are just fortunate that the Continental Alliance didn¡¯t tear this nation apart.¡± ¡°Well, President Vladimir said that he would help in establishing a new nation, right?¡± At the question from a fat nobleman, the other nobles raised their voice. ¡°You are such a fool! And you believe that? He must be planning to make a puppet nation with those republicans!¡± ¡°God, if I knew this would happen, Emperor Rudolf should have done something at all costs before these Alliance men entered.¡± ¡°Do what? There was nothing he or we could do.¡± There were all kinds of nobles who held their breath because of Rudolf¡¯s tyranny, and now, they were regretting it. Currently, the Continental Alliance regarded the reconstruction of the city as their top priority, so the nobles weren¡¯t caught or imprisoned. However, those who were acting suspiciously were being inspected by the commanders of the alliance, and their mansion and villas were taken away to be used for storing food and supplies. ¡°If I knew this was going to happen, I would have gone away.¡± ¡°Phew, right. I saw those who ran away but came back with Count Ferrero, but they looked so creepy¡­¡± ¡°I almost died from stomach ache¡­¡± It was when the nobles were complaining, suddenly, a young man ran into the room. ¡°Father, news!¡± The nobleman, the father of the young man, looked at the kid and asked, ¡°What is it? Did the Continental Alliance men come to capture us?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡­¡± The young man took away the breath of many with the news he brought. ¡°It was said that Count Voltas went to Luke de Rakan!¡± ¡°What? That guy who we didn¡¯t even know if he was alive or dead did?!¡± The nobles jumped up from their seat. Voltas was known as the right arm of Rudolf, and most of the nobles were taken out of their positions because of Voltas¡¯s plans. As a result, they held grudge against him. However, currently, they had bigger problems than that. ¡°He wasn¡¯t caught, but he went to King Luke by himself¡­ What is he doing?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t something we can stand and watch.¡± The nobles who thought so got up from their seats. They didn¡¯t know what Count Voltas was planning, nor did they have the intention to just look at the nation¡¯s downfall. By the time the ruined nobles were busy moving, Luke was already talking with Count Voltas. With a simple greeting, Voltas normally spoke to Luke who seemed shocked. ¡°You seem shocked.¡± ¡°Because I thought that you would have died when the Imperial Palace exploded. Or I thought you would have run and hid yourself.¡± At Luke¡¯s word, Voltas smiled bitterly. When Rudolf activated the time travel device, he was there too. When the Symphonia troops led by Luke were fighting Rudolf¡¯s SS knights, he slipped out of there and escaped the Imperial Palace with his daughter, the queen. He had already judged that the situation wasn¡¯t going according to plan, and his prediction was indeed right. After that, the Imperial Palace exploded without a trace, and the Alliance occupied Nemesis. The Imperial Military leaders then surrendered. Everything was out of order. In such a situation, he ran back to find Luke. ¡°You didn¡¯t seem to be scared. Didn¡¯t it come to your mind that my hand would hit your throat?¡± Asked Luke while coldly glaring at Voltas. It was because Voltas, who was beside Rudolf, had always given plans and ideas to torment Luke even before he became a king. Despite Luke¡¯s hostile attitude, Voltas responded calmly, ¡°Well, if you were Lord Luke, it would have been. But King Luke would surely be different.¡± ¡°Different? Why?¡± ¡°Because you are well aware that you cannot rule a nation by involving your personal emotions and beliefs.¡± For Rudolf, Luke was a traitor. And Voltas, his right arm, was constantly monitoring the traitor¡¯s movements. Whenever he felt like there was a gap, they planned to capture him. But more than he thought, Luke¡¯s actions and his reactions were splendid. Having established Symphonia, he adequately embraced and absorbed the nobles of the Milton Kingdom and focused on making people trust him and solidifying the foundation of the nation rather than putting his family¡¯s grudges ahead. ¡°You are completely different from Emperor Rudolf, who was always overwhelmed with emotions and wasting his power through constant wars. I admired how this young man was cold yet patient.¡± ¡°Huh, are you flattering me?¡± ¡°Yes, flattering is right. But, this is the truth.¡± At Voltas¡¯s words, Luke¡¯s lips formed into a smile. However, his eyes still held a cold glare. Yet, Voltas continued, ¡°As Your Majesty knows, I have been the right arm of Rudolf. That is why I have the administrative information of this nation. I don¡¯t know how much territorial concessions the Symphonia Kingdom would get from this war, but I am confident that I can be of considerable help in running the state affairs.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± ¡°I am well aware of where Rudolf hid his treasure and the legacy of the Baroque Imperial.¡± ¡°You would know. You must have been the emperor¡¯s most trustworthy ally.¡± Voltas had a bitter smile at Luke¡¯s sarcastic response. Yet Voltas was confident. He was convinced that Luke wouldn¡¯t dismiss him, especially since he held precious information and administrative skills. ¡°If you accept me, I will do my best to stabilize the new territory.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Yes, you just have to accept that. I don¡¯t want anything like estates or titles.¡± What Voltas wanted was to be a real player who had power in the Symphonia. And if he could have that power, he would be able to obtain any province or title at a later time. At Voltas¡¯s offer, Luke closed his eyes to think. In a second, he quickly responded, ¡°You could have made the same offer to the kings of other nations too, right? Was it because they would have killed you?¡± ¡°It was because I thought that His Majesty might be the New Emperor of the continent.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Luke looked at him with a frown on his face. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty became the king of a nation at such a young age and destroyed the empire, which has been around for 500 years. I thought that you had enough skills to conquer the continent.¡± It wasn¡¯t just a compliment but a real logical judgment. Moreover, Luke had been rumored to have a strong relationship with Pope Veronica III of the Holy Empire. Princess Reina, well, the Pope of the Holy Empire was told to have a complicated relationship with Luke. ¡°Surely, Luke de Rakan will conquer the continent. If I am under him, I can save my family!¡± Voltas was certain. However, there was something he didn¡¯t know. There was a way on how Luke could take all the information he had without having to take Voltas as his subordinate. ¡°It is true that I might need you.¡± ¡°You see it too.¡± ¡°But even then, shouldn¡¯t we punish the war criminals who made the people suffer, just so the justice can stand, right?¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Voltas¡¯s eyes widened. Pop! Before he could even step back, knowing that the negotiations are broken, Luke¡¯s hand moved first. He grabbed Voltas¡¯s head. Luke was going to pull out the memories of Voltas with Mental Magic, just as he did with Zehart, the descendent of Arsene. ¡°Yo-Your Majesty! Don¡¯t do this¡­ Ahhh!¡± Without any word, all the important information in his head got passed to Luke. Voltas, whose mind was being overwhelmed in a short period of time, turned dizzy, losing focus. ¡°Your Majesty, what is it?¡± When the scream came in, Hwang Bo-sung entered the room where Voltas and Luke were talking. Luke shook his head. ¡°It is nothing. He realized that he wasn¡¯t wanted here, so he tried to run away. I had to use my hands to stop him.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Take him and put him in jail. Tomorrow, he will be executed in the square in front of all the people.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The guards bowed and dragged out Voltas¡¯s body. He wasn¡¯t conscious, but perhaps, his body sensed danger. Voltas burst into tears and peed. Once considered as the greatest man to control the empire became miserable in the end. Chapter 734 - Rat in the Bay 3 To the north of the Libiya Kingdom was a large mountain covered in ice caps. It was Blanches. Two years ago, unknown humans and monsters began to come and go on the mountain, which was meant ¡®white hair¡¯ in the ancient language. They drilled holes in the mountain and began to build huge underground bases. The base got completed six months ago, and as soon as it was built, hundreds of warlocks and undead moved there. Hundreds of coffins lined up in a large cavity of 10 meters high and 300 meters wide. Inside a transparent tube was a naked person in a green liquid. People around it seemed dark as their body wasn¡¯t getting used to the energy from the body. If any general person encountered the energy, they would die in an instant. However, there was one who enjoyed the energy with a relaxed face. It was the Lich King, Arsene. ¡®KulKulkul! It is a lot faster than I thought. It was really lucky for us to discover the Demon blood.¡¯ In order to make the undead, a huge amount of Magi had to be used, which was the source of the Dark Magic, and special items were required. However, there was a hole in the basement of Blanches where Magi gushed out. It was the contact point where the Middle Earth and the Devildom meet, but the size was too small, so it wasn¡¯t enough for life to cross into the Devildom, but it was enough for Magi to leak. Thanks to the establishment of the secret lab in addition to the Demon blood, the undead process picked up the pace. Thud! Thud! As Arsene walked and stood toward a wall, the wall split and an entrance appeared. As he entered through there, a small room appeared. Ten coffins were laid down, yet an unusual amount of energy was coming out of them. Even Arsene¡¯s skin was tingling as he looked down at the undead that seemed like his kids. ¡°The working of the Advanced Lich and Death Knight are also going smooth.¡± The 10 coffins contained Advanced Undead. The Advanced Liches were like 9th circle wizards, and the Advanced Death Knight were Sword Emperor and were nothing short of Baymon and Hiros¡ªthe masterpieces Arsene had created in the past. However, it wasn¡¯t a single one, but 10 of them. The moment they would wake, the continent would have to kneel for Arsene. ¡®Kuku, no matter how strong Luke is, he won¡¯t be able to handle this.¡¯ It was when Arsene was smiling¡­ Brrrrrr-! The magic communication tool in his hand vibrated. He immediately infused mana into it, and a familiar face appeared. It was Zemerton, the former elder. ¡°What is it? I told you to not call me for a while¡± -I am very sorry, but I contacted you as I had something to relay. Zemerton remained in Felipe on behalf of Arsene to look after the brainwashed heads of the Libiya Kingdom. He was carrying out the task of infecting the Libiya people with zombie poison and brainwashing the Knights and soldiers. When Arsene tried to calm himself, Zemerton hurriedly to the news. ¡°The Baroque Empire zombie spraying failed?¡± -Yes, Master. Although they did spread the zombie disease, it was said that it had been suppressed completely after just four days. After a moment of silence, Arsene yelled, ¡°F*ck! What on earth did those warlocks even do? Wasn¡¯t it easy to just spread the zombie disease!¡± -It was said that the Holy Pope of the Arthenia Empire appeared and treated all the people who turned into zombies. ¡°What?! The Holy Pope appeared?¡± -Yes, according to the officials who were keeping an eye on the situation, the rapid fast action of the Continental Alliance and the enormous divine power of the Pope prevented the spread of the disease. Bang! Arsene thumped his feet at Zemerton¡¯s explanation. Whether it was due to failure or anger, the floor of the basement cracked. ¡°Kuek! Why did that Pope have to appear¡­!¡± It was Veronica III, who never left the Holy Imperial Palace. So why did she move to the Baroque Empire? But that wasn¡¯t the end of the report. Zemerton continued to speak with a trembling voice. -A-and, master. Nemesis was said to be captured within a day. At his words, Arsene made a flustered expression as if he couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°What about Rudolf? As long as he is there, it can¡¯t be captured that easily!¡± No matter how the momentum of the alliance was going, he knew all about the core power of the Baroque Empire. Besides, Rudolf was the Sword Emperor. I thought that if such men of SS Knights fight, even the allied six nations would suffer. -According to the report of the sources, before the fall of Nemesis, the Baroque Imperial Palace suddenly collapsed along with an earthquake, and the places around the palace too were down. It seemed that something unusual happened at the Imperial Palace, but after that, Emperor Rudolf never appeared in front of anyone. If the enemy captured Nemesis and Rudolf didn¡¯t even appear, it meant that there was a major problem. ¡°Is he dead?¡± -There was such a rumor, and according to the separate investigation done by the Ministry of Information, its possibility of his death is quite high. ¡°Ugh, what is going on?¡± The situation was turning into a direction where nothing seemed to be good for warlocks. It was nice to see Rudolf die, an enemy he would have had to confront one day. However, the problem was if Rudolf was down, then Luke¡¯s next target would be Arsene. If the Continental Alliance, which had gotten into the flow, pushed right in for the Libiya Kingdom, the troops of Libiya could never stop them. ¡®Bloody Luke! He is constantly turning into a block in my path!¡¯ It was Luke who blocked Arsene¡¯s plan to use Jo Won-gyun as the ruler of the Southern Continent and turn it into an outpost for the Undead. And as if that wasn¡¯t enough, Luke was aiming for the Libiya Kingdom he just took control. Arsene, frowned while moving back and forth in the closed room. ¡°We can¡¯t help it. I need to activate the zombie poison that has been injected into the bodies of the people!¡± -Ha, only 60% of the people have been injected with the poison. ¡°We aren¡¯t in a situation where we can be selective of our options. First, we need to earn some time, we have no choice but to put the undead after they are completely done.¡± Unfinished Undead could only use half of the power. They would still be strong enough, but the problem was Luke and the other alliance¡¯s power. In order to deal with them, an advanced undead of 100% completion was required. ¡°I want you to execute the operation ¡®Darkness of Dawn¡¯ right away!¡± -Understood, Master! Under the directions of Arsene, Zemerton disappeared from the crystal ball after ending the communication. ¡®I need to hurry as much as possible.¡¯ With that in mind, Arsene decided to come up with a special method to fasten the process of the Undead. At his command, the warlocks in the secret hideout gathered. ¡°What is happening? The master called us all?¡± ¡°Well, I heard that the Continental Alliance invaded the Baroque Empire a while back.¡± ¡°Uh, after sleeping for only two hours a day because of the undead, I am really tired!¡± ¡°Yeah, this is all. I don¡¯t know if it is because of the magic, but I feel like I am turning into a mummy!¡± ¡°Kuek! The dark circles under my eyes are reaching my chin soon!¡± The young warlocks were talking to each other until the elders glared at them. After a while, Arsene appeared and they all greeted him by kneeling on one knee. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Well, everyone has worked so hard.¡± Arsene, who climbed onto the stage, was greeted by his disciples and opened his mouth. ¡°You don¡¯t have to struggle anymore.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± Two elders, who were pouring their heart and soul into the Undead, were shocked at Arsene¡¯s words. ¡°Kuek, what I mean is I need you to accelerate the undead making by sacrificing yourselves.¡± At Arsene¡¯s words, the central square was surrounded by silence. ¡°Hahaha, you are joking too much, master.¡± Elder Telian asked with a smile, unlike the warlocks who were still stiff. ¡°My words sound like a joke to you? If you don¡¯t believe it, I will show you.¡± Snap! The moment Arsene snapped his finger, black plants sprang from the floor and wrapped around the body of Telian. Sucking up all the Magi in his body. ¡°Ugh!¡± Telian was shocked. He tried to get out, but in an instant, he turned into a mummy after getting his Magi sucked. The warlocks in the place were shocked by the death of an elder who had reached 8 circle. Some of them made the expression that they were still not understanding what was going on. ¡°Mas-master! Why are you doing this!?¡± ¡°I did tell you a while ago, right? I need you to sacrifice yourselves to speed up the creation of the undead.¡± That was when they realized that Arsene¡¯s words were no joke. They screamed and fled in all directions. ¡°Master has turned crazy!¡± ¡°Everyone run!¡± ¡°Kukk, you all think you can run away from my hands?!¡± Arsene laughed and activated his Black Bind. Swoosh! Swoosh! Hundreds and thousands of strands soared from the ground, catching the legs of the warlocks who were trying to flee in all directions. ¡°Ah, no! Go away!¡± ¡°Acckkkk!¡± The warlocks protested, trying to use defense magic or attack the plants. However, there was no warlock in the basement who was strong enough to avoid Arsene¡¯s Black Bind. Eventually, they turned into mummies after getting wrapped by the magi. The warlocks, whose magi got absorbed into the plants, flowed right into the undead coffins. That resulted in something amazing. Woong! The undead began to shine, and they began to contain the magi that was released into the green liquid around them. ¡°Get up quickly, my children! Become the Vanguard of the Dark Legion and slaughter the entire Middle Earth! Hahaha!¡± Arsene¡¯s eyes, which were stained in madness, and his mouth, which laughed, rang in the underground for a long time. Chapter 735 - Rat in the Bay 4 The process of gathering the heads of each nation in the post-war process wasn¡¯t as easy as expected. The Baroque Empire was so huge, and the interests of each nation were mixed, so it took several days to coordinate them. However, with Reina¡¯s help, Luke concluded with a moderate division of the Baroque Empire. Having solved the most important problem, Luke left Nemesis to fully enjoy the moment he had been waiting for all his life. His visit was to the tomb of the former Emperors of the Baroque, which was located to the west of Nemesis. Originally, after occupying Nemesis, he wanted to find that place, but he put off his visit as there were too many eyes on him. The graveyards which had been decorated with various flowers and gifts in the past were terribly scattered. It was because Rudolf took away all the money which were worthy of burials to finance his war. In addition, the manager of the graveyard also ran away during the war, so weeds were growing all around, without being managed. Of the dozen tombs, Luke stood in front of the largest one. The tomb of the First Emperor, Carno de Baroque, as he was the founder of the Empire, it was the largest and the grandest one. There were dozens of stone statues made of granite that were carved around the tomb. They were the contributors for the forming of the Empire, whom people Luke was familiar with. Luke looked around the statues with a cold glance and opened his mouth while looking at the marble coffin in the burrowed place. ¡°I thought that it would be very exciting to get my revenge, but it is more irritating than I imagined.¡± Carno de Baroque was the main reason for the death of his former lover, Katarina. Had it not been for Carno de Baroque to want her beauty and turn her into his concubine, she would have never committed suicide. Saymon, whose eyes were full of the death of his beloved, learned dark magic for the sake of revenge and started the war. Knowing that he was the target, Carno de Baroque made Saymon an enemy of the continent with a variety of rumors. And various nations including the Holy Empire who participated in the war, and the scale of the war increased. In the end, Symon took over the notorious name of ¡®Devil King¡¯ and was defeated by Warrior Rakan, without even getting to take revenge for Katarina. His desire for revenge was buried deep into Luke¡¯s bones, but that revenge wasn¡¯t as refreshing as he thought. Was it because a lot of time had passed? Or was it because he got a new loved one and new life into his family? Or was it because Carno died and was still tormented by his descendant, even in his tomb? ¡°Well, I don¡¯t intend to forgive you.¡± Slash! The moment Luke pulled out and swung his Holy Sword Valiant, the statues, which stood around the tomb turned into dozens of pieces. Carno¡¯s marble coffin too split, and the skinny mummy head inside got cut off. Luke, who crushed down the severed head of Carno de Baroque, called Marquis Rogers who was watching it from behind. ¡°Rogers!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°We will make a park in memory of the soldiers and the people killed in the war after pushing away this bloody graveyard.¡± ¡°A park?¡± ¡°Yes, there is no Baroque Empire.¡± Marquis Rogers didn¡¯t immediately respond to Luke¡¯s words. It was because the act of desecrating the resting place of a man was unreasonable. But his worries weren¡¯t for long. The Baroque Imperial family was the enemy of the Rakan family for too long. It was not just Carno de Baroque, but also the other successive emperors who tormented the Rakans. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll do it as directed, Your Majesty.¡± Anyway, due to the tyranny of Rudolf¡¯s, the Baroque Imperial family completely lost the trust of the people. Even if the tombs of the Emperors were wiped out, no one would object it apart from a few nobles. As Rogers tried to carry out the order, a man came panting into the graveyard. He was Count Philip, and somehow he was stiff. ¡°We are in trouble, Your majesty!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Rogers was the first to ask. ¡°Well, that¡­ it is said that countless undead are crossing in from the Libiya Kingdom¡¯s border!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Philip¡¯s explanation shocked Rogers. It was said that the waves of Undead from the Libiya Kingdom were coming in from all directions of the borders, but the numbers weren¡¯t just tens of thousands. ¡°The undead are coming in from the Libiya Kingdom border, and it was said that the number would exceed ten million.¡± ¡°Te¡ªten million!?¡± Rogers was puzzled. Hundreds of thousands of undead couldn¡¯t be stopped even with the Holy Empire on the line. But for ten million! Luke couldn¡¯t hold onto the cold face when an unprecedented situation came at him. Chapter 736 - Undead Wave 1 Luke wasn¡¯t the only one who was reported about the massive undead attack. The heads of the allies who had come over to Nemesis to discuss the territorial division of occupied territory were shocked at the reports from their own nations. ¡°What? Not one or two undead, millions of them are passing through the western desert?¡± -Yes, President! For now, we asked Duke Kutzov to lead the central army to the west, but we need to take necessary measures as quickly as possible. The report from his secretary left Vladimir in thought. The deserts were located to the west of the Volga Republic, the Baroque Empire, and the Navarre duchy. The environment was poor, so life wasn¡¯t suitable in those places except for a few monsters or bandits. During the past, when there was a monarchy going on, there were a few large and small fortresses built in there. However, there weren¡¯t more than 100 troops stationed in each of those forts, which meant no more than 1,000 would be there. And till then, there had never been any invasion through the western deserts. More than a decade ago, the Baroque Empire did try to invade the Volga Republic by using the western desert. However, at that time, the troops of Baroque which were 50,000, and the Navarre Duchy troops of 20,000 were devastated with the heatstroke, lack of water, and constant attack from the monsters, and had a huge loss of Gigant because of the sand storms. After that, no invasion through the desert had taken place, and the only thing which would ever come in from that desert were the groups of monsters or bandits. But now something new was coming! ¡®Damn it, I knew that the dreams weren¡¯t as peaceful for the past few days, this was why!¡¯ President Vladimir, who had an ancient power, had a bad dream right before coming over to Nemesis. He was slowly watching the sunset, but all of a sudden, a black tornado comes over and injures him. The sunset was thought to symbolize the perishing Baroque Empire. However, he wasn¡¯t sure what the sinister black tornado was. Being unsure, he thought that it was an attempt to assassinate him, and increase the number of escorts. ¡®They need countermeasures. Will the troops in the west and those taken by Kutzov be able to stop those undead?¡¯ The correct answer was ¡®No¡¯. The standing army of the Volga Republic was around 400,000. Among them, there were 100,000 of those who were considered to be the elite, and they were currently brought into the Baroque Empire. And the remaining 300,000 troops were scattered all over the Volga, and Duke Kutzov wouldn¡¯t have had the time to bring them all together. ¡®Probably he is taking 100,000 troops in the capital and 30,000 men of the western regions. The Gigants would be of 400 to 500¡ªif all the Gigants were considered, even the spare ones. But that won¡¯t be enough at all!¡¯ They might be able to wipe out the undead to some extent. However, such a result with the loss of lives was meaningless. It was because the complete annihilation of the undead had to be achieved, so nothing horrible happens. ¡®The number reported was millions. Even if my entire army is mobilized, it will be impossible to annihilate them.¡¯ If so, it would be best to use an appropriate terrain and forts to prevent the undead from entering the Volga. But the problem was that there were too many of the undead, and the Volga Republic wasn¡¯t prepared for such a thing. Exactly a year back, the representatives of the fairies had informed him that they had to be prepared for an unforeseen situation that might come. However, at that time, Vladimir was too eager to take down the Baroque Empire and ended up ignoring it. Disappointed with his actions, the representatives of the fairies led their tribes into the Holy Empire or the Symphonia Kingdom. ¡®If they stayed back, it would have been a great help now¡­ well, now is not the time to regret.¡¯ Vladimir shook his head and gave orders. ¡°Tell Kutzov to not fight recklessly, but to gather troops to stop the advance of the undead and to evacuate the people, if we respond poorly, the number of the undead will only have an advantage over us.¡± -All right, Sire. By the way¡­ when are you coming back to our nation? ¡°I will let you know at a later time.¡± After ending the magic communication with his men, Vladimir clenched his fist. It was a national emergency in the most desperate of times. He wanted to run back to the Volga Republic right away. But even if he went there to see things, there were things he had to confirm in Baroque. He spoke to Duke Dimitry, who was behind him. ¡°Look here, Duke. I have to meet the heads of the other nations. As soon as possible.¡± ¡°I will ask them right away.¡± After hearing the magical communication, Dimitry nodded and immediately left the room to give his subordinates the orders. As he left, Vladimir sighed. ¡°Phew, what the hell is going on?¡± King Luke had told that the Libiya Kingdom had joined hands with the remnants of the Veritas Magic Tower. However, in just a few months, he never imagined that a wave of undead would rush from the Libiya Kingdom. ¡°Were the fairies expecting this situation? Even if one has the ability of seeing the future, it is useless if the man is foolish.¡± The bitterness and guilt didn¡¯t wash away from the face of Vladimir, who blamed himself for it. Chapter 737 - Undead Wave 2 Less than an hour after Vladimir¡¯s request, the heads of the six nations gathered at the Old Libiya Imperial Palace where Luke was staying. Everyone was stiff as they were already informed of what was happening around. No, the heads of the nations, who shared borders with Libiya Kingdom, were more nervous. And among them was Luke. ¡°As we don¡¯t have much time on our hands, I will go straight to the point. I think it is important for us to know the actual number of the Undead.¡± Starting with Vladimir, the heads of each nation reported what they were relayed from their nations. ¡°I received a report just before I came here, and it seems like there is more than 3 million Undead who are invading the western border of Volga.¡± ¡°Ugh, our Navarre Duchy is having around 1 million of them.¡± ¡°According to the reports given by our Castia Army, which is in the western army, the number of Undead entering Baroque is estimated to be around 2 million.¡± When King James II of Castia was done, everyone looked over to Luke. It was because the Symphonia Kingdom was the nation that bordered the Libiya Kingdom but hadn¡¯t spoken yet. Luke being silent for a moment, opened his mouth with a heavy sigh. ¡°Currently, there is at least 5 million Undead coming in from the Pamire Mountains of the Northwest.¡± ¡°5-5 million!¡± King Charles of the Irea Kingdom jumped at the number. There was a reason why a man who never showed any temperament was displaying all sorts of emotions. If the Symphonia Kingdom got wiped out, the next target would be the neighboring nation, Irea Kingdom. Reina, who had already heard the news from Luke, sighed. She knew that the Veritas¡¯s warlocks had already taken over the Libiya Kingdom, but she never thought that they would have such hate directed toward Luke. ¡®Maybe we should be glad that they didn¡¯t send all of their Undead toward Symphonia.¡¯ Well, the total number of Undead that was reported was 11 million. Everyone gulped at realizing the number. ¡°Uh! If that is the number, then doesn¡¯t it mean that more than half of Libiya Kingdom has turned into Undead?¡± ¡°What the hell were the intelligence men even doing?! I don¡¯t understand why they weren¡¯t able to figure something out till this point!¡± Before the war, the heads of each of the nation heard from Luke about remnants of the Veritas Magic Tower taking shelter in the Libiya Kingdom, helping them with the Undead. To determine the authenticity of the information given and the changes in the Libiya Kingdom, they all sent their own intelligence officers into Libiya Kingdom. However, they weren¡¯t able to see any reports from there. Then, the Baroque Empire¡¯s attempt to weaponize Vers was known, and they all ran with their troops. Meanwhile, the Libiya Kingdom did the most unexpected thing of supporting the Baroque Empire and even spread the zombie poison, and it confirmed that Libiya was indeed creating the Undead. And once the division of the Baroque Empire¡¯s land was done, it was their plan to invade the Libiya Kingdom right away, but they got attacked first. ¡°Who on earth would create 11 million undead?¡± Luke answered Vladimir¡¯s question, ¡°It looks like something other than the normal process has been done.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°It was expected, but I think that they developed a new zombie poison that can create tens of thousands of zombies at once, or a new zombie poison that could turn the infected people into Undead only when necessary.¡± Luke decided that the former one was more likely. According to the reports from the spies who infiltrated the Libiya Kingdom, there was a story about Shaikan or Arsene sending in priests to all places of the Libiya Kingdom to heal them or give them food. ¡®They weren¡¯t real priests.¡¯ At that time, he thought that Arsene was trying to simply solidify the ruling and gain the public sentiment, but it seemed like he had planned something sinister. ¡°Anyway, we need to figure out a way to wipe out the undead right away.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, James II glanced at Reina and asked, ¡°There is a way to clean them¡­ like the last time. Why not bring them all to one place and destroy them or purify them?¡± Reina, who helped the 2nd squad of the Continental Alliance, helped soldiers that turned into Undead. However, Henry III of Navarre Duchy declined his request. ¡°I am well aware of Her Holiness and her power¡­ Can she really wipe out 11 million undead?¡± ¡°There might be a lot more people who got infected before we even make a trap, and it will make the purifying more troublesome.¡± ¡°Before that, we also need to see which nation has to be saved first.¡± At President Vladimir¡¯s words, the eyes of each head changed. The first nation would be given the helping hand would be the least damaged one. While everyone was silent, King Charles opened his mouth. ¡°Of course, I think that we need to deal with the Undead in the Symphonia Kingdom right away. Most of the Undead are over there.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that because the Irea Kingdom is very close to Symphonia Kingdom? Among the Continental Alliance, the Navarre Duchy is the smallest and has the weakest military power. This means that our nation is in a state where we are already in fire!¡± At Charles words, Henry jumped out. Unlike the other nations where they had troops governing their homes, he had no troops left as he sent everyone for the war. It was because he believed that after the Baroque got taken down, he would get an estate of the Baroque Empire. And his gamble was a success, but it turned into a hell in a short time. At that time, President Vladimir intervened. ¡°I understand what His Majesty Henry III is saying. We are also in such a position. So, can¡¯t be of any help in this situation,¡± Having said that, he looked at Reina and begged her. ¡°Your Holiness, well, princess. I know it is wrong of me to say such words, but the Volga people were once the people of the princess. Please don¡¯t abandon the people of Volga. Direct your hate toward me and the leaders.¡± Vladimir got up from his seat and knelt in front of Reina. The knights in the room, who were escorting President and Duke Dimitry followed him and knelt as well. And the situation made Reina feel more guilty. She wanted to save everyone, but she knew that she didn¡¯t have so much power to do that. With nothing coming to her head, she turned to Luke. Even in the toughest situations, her companion had always found answers and solved her problem. However, she wasn¡¯t simply looking at him with expectant eyes. Although she wasn¡¯t expecting a massive scale rescue, she knew that Luke would have already started to devise countermeasures to deal with large hordes of zombies. Vladimir, who saw where her gaze headed, asked impatiently, ¡°I will ask King Luke. Is there any way to overcome this situation?¡± If things went like this, all the people of the Republic would turn into zombies. Therefore, Vladimir wanted Luke to say something optimistic, that it was going to be alright, so he could head home with some hope. Luke thought about it and opened his mouth. ¡°A way? There is one. We have already succeeded in purifying a large amount of Undead during the process of taking down Baroque. Of course, this one can¡¯t be compared to the previous one, but I don¡¯t think that it is impossible to solve it like that.¡± ¡°It is easy to talk, but¡­¡± Henry III grumbled because it wasn¡¯t the answer that the heads were expecting. Luke continued, ¡°The most important thing is to believe that we can get through this. If you give up and start being pessimistic even before the war starts, the body will never follow.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As what was said earlier, the Navarre Duchy is in the most dangerous situation. How about evacuating all the people if there are no troops to stop them?¡± ¡°Refuge? Where will we send them?¡± ¡®This man, he lost his reasoning.¡¯ Luke sighed as he thought that the king had forgotten his role. A role that Luke had constantly reminded himself. From what he knew, Henry III wasn¡¯t a very great governor. However, he was glad that the man wasn¡¯t as rotten as his daughter¡ªMargareta. Well, he was still a troubled person, so he couldn¡¯t calmly make judgments when a crisis broke out. However, for the sake of the alliance, instead of blaming him or scolding him, he had to leave the man. ¡°I heard that there is a mountain range in Veron, the one on the North of the Navarre Duchy. I heard that there was an underground city built by the ancient men, is it not?¡± ¡°Ah! The Veron Mountains!¡± In ancient times, the Veron Mountains had an underground kingdom that was built by the dwarves. However, due to the volcanic activity and earthquakes, the underground kingdom got destroyed, and the dwarves who were residing in it scattered throughout the continent. So naturally, the underground cities were abandoned too. Yet, the interior of the city wasn¡¯t completely destroyed, and at one time, the explorers even went into the cities and came back with ancient relics. But after being robbed of its relics, the underground city turned into a ghost kingdom once again. ¡°It is devastated, but I heard that it could still serve as a temporary shelter. If just the entrance is blocked, it will be safe from external attacks for some time, won¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Well, definitely¡­¡± People forgot about it as it had been abandoned for a long time. But when Luke mentioned it, it seemed like the place could be used to safeguard the refugees. ¡°I will take responsibility for cleansing the Undead. Therefore, please do your very best to prevent any further damage to the Navarre Duchy and the other nations.¡± ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll try and see how this goes.¡± ¡°I will do whatever I can to help.¡± At the end of Luke¡¯s idea, all the heads of the nations shared their opinions and the measures to slow down the process of the Undead spreading and evacuating the people. The nations, which couldn¡¯t be directly invaded, such as the Castia Kingdom and the Irea Kingdom, promised to provide maximum support with troops and supplies. Once the meeting was done, they all hurried back to their home nations. There was no one who missed the point that it was necessary to take action as soon as possible to reduce the damage by even a little. Chapter 738 - Undead Wave 3 Chapter 738: Undead Wave 3 The next day after each of the heads went back to their own nations. Luke and Reina, who were still in Nemesis, began to develop a new magic circle to purify the Undead on a larger scale. ¡°Actually, I have already thought a few concepts. When I hit Arsene, the Undead that is below him can be subdued right away.¡± When the Continental Alliance advanced into the Libiya Kingdom, Arsene would surely draw out a few more Undead cards. He thought it would mobilize at least hundreds to thousands of Undead, so Luke was devising a plan to suppress them. Luke told everyone about the plan he had thought of. ¡°Firstly, the basic framework will be to amplify the magic circle. It is to create a very, very large magic circle. No matter how you received the blessing of the spirit king, there is a limit to the number of Undead that can be purified with the Aether in Reina.¡± The maximum number of Undead that Reina could purify was around 100,000. But when it came to purifying the Undead, which was ten times that number, there would be other support measures needed, and the amplification magic circle was the best solution. ¡°Would it be possible to amplify the Spirit power with magic circles?¡± Jo Mimi tilted her head as she asked. Luke smiled rather confidently. ¡°Sure! The same magic circle is applied to the Gigant¡¯s core engine, which not just amplified the magic but also the powers that the caster has, like aura and divine power.¡± Even the black magic and the demon abilities could be amplified. All the powers were the effects of the same source. Since all the power was based on Aether, it was difficult to cast both magic and aura at the same time, but it was possible to amplify either the aura or magic. ¡°I don¡¯t think I understand it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to beat your head. It is like using oil and wood to ignite a huge fire.¡± At that, Jo Mimi nodded. ¡°Just to be sure, we want to purify over a million Undead, and there is only one way. But, I don¡¯t think that a basic magic circle of average size would do it!¡± Erwin pointed out a problem. Of course, Luke too expected her to point it out. ¡°Yes, which is why we need to build a super large magic circle. A magic circle which has never been made in this continent¡¯s history!¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Erwin was shocked. She had been thinking about how large it should be, and such an absurdly large size was shocking. ¡°Should it be that huge?¡± ¡°It should. Making it larger will make it less difficult for us and shorten the time of curing them.¡± It was more difficult to make small magic circles when compared to larger ones. It was because, in order to make the small magic circles function smoothly, precise calculation and delicate work were essential. Of course, it would take a lot of hands and a lot of time for small circles. In addition, even a slight mistake in the small magic circles¡¯ magic process could do more damage than good. As a result, the Iron mages who produced the Gigants had to be the most elite ones to work on the Gigants. It was because being an elite Iron mage meant that they could engrave magic circles in even the smallest and narrowed regions. ¡°An amplified magic circle, how do we make that? It would be hard to gather quite a few things right?¡± Following Erwin, Karen too pointed out a real problem. It was a reasonable doubt, but Luke had already thought of a solution for it. ¡°I am thinking of replacing it with a Hero class Gigant.¡± ¡°A Hero class Gigant?¡± ¡°Yes, a Sword Master level Rider in a Hero-class Gigant will be able to outperform the top class magic stone.¡± First of all, there were a number of magic stones in the Hero class Gigant. And the Gigants had several high-end magic stones, starting from the core engine or the intermediate level stones included in the joints for smooth movements. What would happen if a Sword Master level rider was in a Hero class Gigant that already had a huge number of magic stones in it? The Gigant would surpass the advanced magic stone¡¯s ability. However, there was a reason why the magic world didn¡¯t try that. Firstly, there was no reason why such a large circle had to be used. And it was because the price of a Hero class Gigant was a lot more expensive than the advanced magic stone, and it was difficult to obtain or find a Sword Master rider. ¡°Uhm, it sounds fine.¡± ¡°And there are surely many Sword Master level knights on our side.¡± Erwin looked around and nodded. There were several Sword Masters in the Symphonia Kingdom¡ªMarquis Rogers and Count Philip. If they weren¡¯t enough, they had the warriors who had reached the Sword Master level¡ªthe ones who escorted Princess Jo Mimi and Ja-hye. And, they would surely need to be given some training in dealing with the Gigants, but maneuvering was an easy task to learn and not combat. ¡°But there is another problem with that. It would need an enormous area to collect over a million Undead in one place. It is possible to cover a wide range with just a super amplified magic circle and a Hero class Gigant?¡± In response to Erwin¡¯s question, Luke explained by drawing something on a paper. ¡°So, we plan relay circles inside the magic circle. We can place an antenna item in it.¡± Luke explained the principles of relay circles and other materials¡¯ usage to Erwin and Karen, who were listening to it with sparkling eyes. Behind Luke, his other party members were talking about other things, like how to make a super large amplification magic circle and how to install it. There seemed to be more challenges than they had initially thought. However, everyone was willing to resolve the issues positively than pessimistically, and solutions did come out. It was because Karen and Erwin would point the problems or give them new advices, so Luke would advise them. In addition, Jo Mimi, an excellent zen user, helped. ¡°Indeed¡­ In this way, if you can combine the zen, we can solve the problem of fixing the terrain of the magic circles.¡± ¡°The problem was that even if we do this, it will take some time to build up a super large magic circle.¡± At Karen¡¯s words, Luke nodded. Installing a relay circle and placing Gigants to replace the magic stones in the correct coordinates, they weren¡¯t sure if they could make it within the time limit. It was because humans were imperfect beings, and humans were bound to make such mistakes. ¡®But we have no choice but to try it out.¡¯ If they gave up, the future was going to be dark for them. Luke, who knew about that, decided to go ahead with the plans without wasting any time by hesitating. Chapter 739 - Undead Wave 4 Chapter 739: Undead Wave 4 Northwest of Symphonia Kingdom. Countless Undead were moving in from the border of Libiya Kingdom into the Pamire Mountains. After defeating the invading monster army from Libiya the other day, Luke built dozens of outposts in the Pamire Mountains. It was to understand or at least to get an idea of Arsene¡¯s plans, such as a second wave of the monsters, and thanks to that, they were able to cope with the Undead invasion. Duke Hans, who recognized the Undead invasion, immediately reported it to Luke through magic communication and issued an emergency troops mobilization in the Kingdom. As many as 200,000 troops gathered at the Verange Castle, and Count Reynold and Count Reynard were the commanders. ¡°Damn it, why the sudden uproar?!¡± ¡°Right. It is an uproar even after knowing in advance.¡± The two commanders were grumbling while looking ahead. They were crossing the mountain range and couldn¡¯t see a single undead. However, they could look at the cries of the monsters and from time to time they could hear the animals running away, and they knew that the time wasn¡¯t much far away. ¡°Viscount Kaper, what has His Majesty instructed?¡± At Reynold¡¯s question, Viscount Kaper, the commander of the Western Army, answered. ¡°Over the past few days, we have already mobilized the engineer units and the wizards. If all the commanders give out the orders, it can be activated right away.¡± When dealing with the monster legion, Luke had planned quite an explosion. All of the forest used for the explosion got burned out, and there was an open entrance to the mountain and a plain land. Therefore, Luke had prepared another series of explosions to stop the advancing Undead, and Viscount Kaper mobilized all of the soldiers and wizards belonging to the Western Army to draw flame magic circles and began to bury flammable items in the ground. ¡°Any Undead would be vulnerable to fire. We can go a big enough blow to stop them.¡± The only problem was the number of Undead which were entering. According to the reports of the rangers who were monitoring the movements of the Undead, it was likely to be 5 million. Not even a tenth of them would be burnt with the existing explosions. ¡°Brother, in the end, we have no choice but to solidify the defense, including the Verange Castle.¡± ¡°Yes, we need to hold the defense even if it means our death.¡± Luke¡¯s order was issued the day before. That he would come up with a plan to stop the Undead in a short while, so he asked the Commanders to stop the Undead at any cost from entering the Kingdom till then. So Reynold and Reynard were building up shields and strengthening defenses by combining the nearby forts around the Verange Castle. However, it was impossible to build shields and barriers in such a large area within just a few days. So the Commander brother built barriers only on the right and left line of defense. At an angle, so that the Undead were driven to the center. They were thinking of driving the Undead into the middle of the region and stopping them. ¡°How is the construction of the wall going on?¡± ¡°Using the Gigants, we have completed a wall connecting the three forts on the left. However, the wall connecting the four forts on the right is¡­¡± Reynold shook his head as Viscount Kaper was talking about the delay in the construction work. ¡°If the wall of mud is getting difficult, then put up a wooden barrier first. Something would be better than nothing.¡± They couldn¡¯t let the Undead spread to the left or the right. If that happened, not even all of the Kingdom¡¯s troops would be able to stop those Undead. ¡°Understood.¡± As Viscount Kaper left to implement the order given, Reynold and his brother once again checked the defense plan. On how many Gigants and troops had to be deployed from forts, and where the reserve troops would be placed on standby in case the barriers collapsed. ¡°Haaa, I never expected for a shortage of 200,000 troops to be there.¡± ¡°I know. 5 million¡­ those guys from the Southern Continent were talking about a million undead troops.¡± How huge the number was to have a million troops? Assuming that one unit is joined in a day, it would take around 15 days for such a huge number to come. But 5 million, five times of 1 million?! Before meeting Luke, Reynard and Reynold were mercenaries on the Southern Continent. So, he knew their culture very well, and he knew that they would brag about the number of troops in their continent. And such numbers were coming true in Rhodesia! Fortunately, the Undead had no intelligence. The attack seemed rather simple, and there didn¡¯t seem to be any particular strong undead. ¡°Since Prime Minister Hans said that he will continue to send in reinforcements, we have no choice but to believe him and keep on fighting.¡± While the Gram brothers were making sure that walls and barriers were being constructed, people were being evacuated. Under Luke¡¯s orders, Prime Minister Hans asked the people of the provinces and villages to move to the northwest. ¡°Well, I thought that the fall of the Baroque Empire would mean no more wars¡­¡± ¡°Who would have thought? Turns out, the Libiya Kingdom is just as horrible as Baroque.¡± ¡°The King in that place is the half-brother of Rudolf.¡± ¡°Tch, dirty disgusting blood of the Baroque family, this was inevitable.¡± As the people were moving to the refugee places, they chewed on and cursed Shaikan to their heart¡¯s content. It was unfair for Shaikan to be cursed. However, it couldn¡¯t be helped because there were only a few people including Luke, who knew that Shaikan was taken over by Arsene. ¡°But the number of Undead crossing the border is enormous. Can we really stop them?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be easy. But if we can stand strong, it might be possible.¡± ¡°Right. The other day, Your Majesty defeated the monster troops without much damage.¡± The people had already seen Luke¡¯s skills in several wars. Despite the unprecedented circumstances, they trusted their King. Right then. ¡°Go away! Get out of the way!¡± ¡°Order, please give way!¡± A group of knights on the horseback appeared from the direction of the royal city and shouted at the refugees moving. As the road opened, a wagon appeared. ¡°Who is riding it?¡± ¡°A senior commander of the military?¡± Those who didn¡¯t know simply assumed that he was a member of the Symphonia Military, going to stop the undead. However, some people, especially the priests who were evacuating, paid attention to the energy which was exuding from the carriage. ¡°Huh? That..?¡± ¡°If it holds the Dark Moon symbol, aren¡¯t they the warlocks of the Black Tower?¡± The only group of warlocks recognized by the state and El Kassel Church. In order to prevent any incidents caused by black magic, the Black Tower was made up of good warlocks and had already done a lot of good to the Symphonia Kingdom. They either searched the Veritas remnants, who were trying to infiltrate Brandon, or enhance the performance of Gigant by applying black magic. Therefore, even though the priests regarded them as enemies, they couldn¡¯t call for the unconditional execution of warlocks as before. ¡°Where are they taking the warlocks?¡± A priest next to him answered. ¡°Isn¡¯t the reason they were certified was to treat poison to poison? Aren¡¯t they trying to use this situation?¡± Knowing the purpose of the Black Tower founding, the priests quickly noticed what their nation was trying to do. ¡°I don¡¯t know what they can do, but I hope they can help us.¡± ¡°Oh my god, the time to look for warlocks to help us has come.¡± ¡°Surely, isn¡¯t this proof that the world is changing?¡± The priests were troubled as they looked for the wagon in which the warlocks were moving. Just as the priests had work to do, so did the warlocks, and everyone decided to walk away. Chapter 740 - Fierce Defense 1 After finishing the idea of a super amplified magic circle, Luke moved to Brandon city using a large-teleport gate. And immediately started the production process. After selecting the area to install a large magic circle, the necessary materials, resources, manpower, and Gigants were brought in. Although the work to build the magic circle was going ahead, the problems which weren¡¯t thought out were appearing one after another. ¡°Your Majesty, people are refusing to evict from the temple which is located in the area where the magic circle is being built.¡± ¡°Her Holiness has given the permission, so take the relics and evacuate the people. If we don¡¯t push ahead, the hero-level Gigant which needs to be placed there will be worthless, and this plan won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°We have already said it to them, they are saying that they believe in God Mars, and cannot obey the orders of el Kassel church.¡± It seemed like the priests changed a lot from the past, however, that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. The priests who were living in the cities were relatively shifting with the changing world, however, it didn¡¯t seem like everyone did. Those priests who lived in villages and rural areas didn¡¯t. And the Mars temple seemed like such a place. But Luke didn¡¯t have the time to delay the work. ¡°Forcefully pull them out, and demolish the temple. And tell them that we will rebuild the temple.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The same day, the temple was demolished as they heard that it was the King¡¯s direct order. The priests constantly cursed as the act, saying that those who brought down the temple would die. Nevertheless, nothing happened. ¡®Uh, Does God Mars have the patience to listen to the prayers of those who don¡¯t understand the importance of work, just because they are priests?¡¯ Not just the God of War, no God would ever listen to such a prayer. ¡°And the relay tower?¡± When Luke asked, Meister Mute of Katarina Magic tower responded with fluster. ¡°The relay tower which will be made on the northern mountain peak has a rough terrain, and the material transportation is getting delayed.¡± ¡°How can that happen? Don¡¯t you remember the things used to defeat the Grenada Navy in the last war?¡± ¡°I will contact Marquis Volant, who is in charge of the Navy.¡± Mute immediately sent the magic communication of Marquis Volant. And after some time, the machines with dust all over them flew in from the Lamer city to help in carrying the materials. Not just the northwest front of the nation, which the Gram brothers were in charge of, but the situation of other nations too were reported. ¡°The Volga Republic is evacuating all the residents with Ankara river as their final stop.¡± At the report from Prime Minister Hans, Luke asked. ¡°The Ankara river is the largest flowing river in the western Volga, right?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. During this time, it has a very high flow, but it seems that they are planning to use that point to prevent the Undead from crossing the river.¡± The Navarre Duchy, as Luke had advised, took refuge in the Veron Mountains. People, who couldn¡¯t enter the underground city, crossed the border and headed for Volga Republic. ¡°The 2 million undead who have entered the Baroque are being blocked by the Holy Empire and allied forces of Castia Kingdom at the Noirban forest.¡± ¡°Noirban forest¡­ the Baroque has turned into an Undead hunting ground.¡± The Noirban forest was a large forest which was counted as one of the Empire¡¯s lands. In addition, it was the hunting ground for the Imperial family only, the logging of trees was prohibited. The dense trees and vines all over the forest was an excellent barrier. ¡°We can use the chemicals¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to use chemicals, Your Majesty?¡± Asked Hans, seeing a bitter expression in Luke¡¯s tone. ¡°The ones who have turned into Undead, not a single one in them have volunteered to turn into an Undead.¡± ¡°That is true.¡± The Undead got destroyed when burnt. No matter how outstanding Reina¡¯s divine power was, she didn¡¯t have the talent to revive the dead from ashes. The opportunity to purify and turn them back to humans will disappear forever. ¡°But in reality, it is difficult without using the chemicals.¡± ¡°Yes, if it helps in preventing more damage, we shouldn¡¯t back out.¡± For that reason, the Symphonia troops in the Verange Castle too were preparing to use chemicals. Of course, their reasoning was to stop and not annihilate. It was practically impossible to produce large scale chemical engineering. ¡®Anyway, we need to hurry up with the finishing of the super large magic circle.¡¯ That was the only thing in Luke¡¯s mind. A messenger rushed towards Luke to report. ¡°Majesty! The one enemy Undead unit is said to have crossed into the Pamire mountains!¡± ¡°Already!?¡± He thought that it would take some time as the mountain was steep, but the Undead moved faster. Due to the nature of the Undead, he knew that they would advance without even taking a single break. However, he never thought that they would pass the roads and traps placed. ¡°According to the scouts, the undead were used to fill the gap and then passed.¡± ¡°I am tired from just hearing the words.¡± Luke could imagine what happened from the report given by the messenger. ¡®Well, there will be a battle soon enough. We might not have been extremely prepared, but I hope they do their best and endure it.¡¯ Looking down at the map, Luke prayed for the allies who were in the Verange castle. He had no intention of just standing there and praying for them. Once the construction of the magic circles was done to a satisfiable extent, he was thinking of running to Verange Castle. Chapter 741 - Fierce Defense 2 Pop! Pop! Bang! Rumble! The explosions and flames that began at the entrance of the Pamire Mountains continued for three days. The Undead, who crossed the Pamire Mountains, were shattered or burned in the explosions. Hundreds to thousands of them burned for four days. Nevertheless, there were way too many Undead. Eventually, when all the prepared chemicals were exhausted, the Undead crossed the mountain and began to attack the forts. Pop! Pop! Pop! ¡°Block! Don¡¯t let the Undead cross that wall!¡± ¡°What are the wizards even doing?! Why aren¡¯t they using attack magic at those Undead?!¡± ¡°The barrier in Area 52 is about to collapse! We need reinforcements¡­!¡± ¡°Send in the reinforcements right away!¡± The battles were being fought between the Undead, which filled the plains, and the Symphonia Kingdom troops that relied on the walls and barriers. At first, the Symphonia troops were at an advantage. They had built their own defense and barriers around the forts. In addition, the attack of the Undead was too simple to stop. But the Symphonia troops were nothing when compared to the number of Undead, and the days continued. The battle went on from sunrise to sunset, and the Symphonia men, who were just humans, began to get tired. There was an insufficient number of troops to protect the forts. ¡°Damn it! If we had time, I would have let the troops rest for two shifts¡­¡± Feeling guilty, Reynold Gram punched the wall. A total of 12 forts and 15 kilometers of defensive lines had to be monitored, and they were in a shortage of 200,000 troops. Eventually, he had to use all the troops such as the wizards and Gigants. Among them, the place where the fiercest battle was taking place was the Verange Castle, where the Undead kept on piling up. Although they deliberately constructed the barrier to draw them there, they were lacking in time for the troops to prepare for the offensive, and this made the Gram brothers lose patience. ¡°This can¡¯t happen! We need to go out!¡± At Reynold¡¯s words, his younger brother, Reynard, as if waiting for those words, got into his Gigant, which was already placed on the wall. Kiiik! As he entered, the core engine of Orion rang violently. The engine¡¯s sound, which started with one Gigants, could be heard from different sides of the wall. They were the Gigants of the Iron Heart Knights, who were directly under the Northern Army. ¡°Let¡¯s give eternal rest to those who aren¡¯t dead even after dying! Follow me!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Reynard, who had a short temper, jumped down the wall. Following him were dozens of Iron Heart Knights, who were shouting. Thud! Thud! Thump! At the Verange Castle, the Northern wall was the place where the Undead were most concentrated. The riders, who jumped from there, began to wipe out the Undead as soon as possible. Cutting them down with a huge sword, trampling them with their heavy legs, and crushing them in groups. Among them, the Commanders, the Gram brothers, stood out the most. Like Advanced Sword Masters, their Gigantic Aura reached 10 meters on both their Gigants, and hundreds of the Undead fell at each of their strikes. They were almost like Undead crushers. In an instant, a large vacant lot got created in front of the Northern wall. However, the Undead weren¡¯t still. The Undead, who had no emotions, rushed back to the Northern wall. ¡°Ugh, those ones! They keep on coming!¡± As he watched the Undead rushing in for the Northern wall from his cockpit, Reynold grunted. The battle broke out again. Well, it was more like a one-sided slaughter. One huge sword wrapped in Gigantic Aura cutting over the Undead like crop harvest. However, even with the unilateral battles going on for hours, the Gram brothers began to tire. The aura in their bodies ran out, and their Gigant control was getting overloaded. In addition, countless Undead bodies and the black blood puddles on the ground made the movement of Gigants rather difficult. ¡®How much have the soldiers rested?¡¯ Reynold thought as he glanced over the wall. The main reason he was in the field was to give the soldiers a rest for the three days and nights they fought. While the Iron Heart Knights intercepted the Undead for several hours, the soldiers might have gotten some rest and reorganized. ¡°All retreat! Exit through the North gate!¡± The knights, who reached their limits, retreated quickly at the order. Kiing! Reynold came out of Orion¡¯s hatch. He left his brother in charge of the knights and went up to the wall. ¡°How is the war situation?¡± Viscount Kaper, who was in the commander position on their behalf, answered. ¡°No line of defense has been broken.¡± ¡°Good thing. What is the damage to our allies?¡± ¡°A total of 20,000 troops have been quarantined after getting in contact with the zombies. The Gigants are also under maintenance due to fatigue and the number of the Undead.¡± ¡°Well, the damage to the soldiers is a lot greater than I imagined. Any news of reinforcements coming?¡± ¡°Well, Your Majesty sent special reinforcements¡­¡± Dong! Dong! Dong! Before Viscount Kaper could even complete his words, drums began to ring loudly. It was a signal that the Undead were coming in for another wave of attack. ¡°They are really persistent.¡± ¡°That is true. There was a reason why our ancestors were far from black magic.¡± Exhaling, Reynold and Kaper went over the wall again. When they arrived, the Undead were climbing onto the wall like a swarm of ants. And it wasn¡¯t much different from before, the Undead wave, but something was off. A few Undead were arguing with the other Undead on what happened. As a result, the Undead¡¯s offensive was a little slower than before. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Reynold was confused when his lieutenant approached him with a note. The Royal Palace in Brandon had sent a message to him via magical communication. Reading the note, Reynold¡¯s lips turned into a smile. ¡°Well, this is good.¡± ¡°In this gap, we need to reinforce.¡± Reynold nodded at the words of his lieutenant who had already seen the note. ¡°We should send in the spare Gigants right now and tell the wizards to repair the broken barriers!¡± ¡°Yes, Sire.¡± At his command, the Gigants and engineers waiting in the back began to move quickly. Chapter 742 - Fierce Defense 3 By the time the Symphonia Kingdom troops began to reinforce the barrier, the warlocks of the Veritas Magic Tower, who were controlling the Undead army from behind, began to panic. It was because the Undead in the rear were attacking the other Undead. Maybe they lost control or something. The Elder, Zemerton, who was ordered by Arsene to attack Symphonia, was puzzled. ¡°What is happening?!¡± ¡°W-we aren¡¯t sure either, elder!¡± The subordinate warlocks answered with confused faces. ¡°Don¡¯t say that and find the bloody cause! The cause!¡± The ones out of control were only around a thousand Undead, around 10,000. Considering the military power of 5 million, it wasn¡¯t something they had to be concerned about. However, the crazy Undead seemed to be using explosive chemicals. They were sprinkling gunpowder all over their bodies and rushed into groups of Undead after lighting themselves on fire. Just when they thought that the explosions were done, it started again. And the wind direction wasn¡¯t in favor of them, and the damage increased gradually. ¡°I think that it is immediate priority increase¡­¡± ¡°Ugh, fine. Go ahead and turn off those flames that are raging. And find out why the Undead are going crazy!¡± At the words of Zemerton, the warlocks scattered in a hurry to figure out the situation. However, there were a few people who were eyeing them like hawks. ¡°Crawling out at last, you Veritas rats!¡± A series of warlocks who sprinkled blood all over their body and were escorted by knights were disguised as Undead. They were warlocks of Johas and Black Tower. Luke had organized them as special reinforcements and sent them into the battlefield. Warlocks had unlimited knowledge about the Undead. From the time they heard about the emergence of the large army of Undead, they were discussing with Luke about the countermeasures to be taken. And their measures were to intervene and control the Undead. They knew it was impossible to control the 5 million undead with just Johas and a few of his warlocks in the Black Tower. So the goal of Johas¡¯s party was to manipulate a few Undead with black magic and cause a small mess in the Undead troops and then remove the remnants of Veritas Magic Tower who were behind the attack. ¡°They are frustrated because of the constant fights. I don¡¯t think there will be enough warlocks on their side to control 5 million Undead at will,¡± said Luke to Johas. Johas too had agreed with his idea, and the magic used on the Undead was very simple. It was to move ahead and annihilate their enemies. Just a few would have been enough. However, the number of Undead kept on increasing, and it became at a level where one¡¯s mind had to be used to take down the Undead. There were too many gaps in the Undead under Veritas¡¯s control, which made it easy for Johas and the Black tower warlocks, to take control. ¡°From now on, get rid of those Veritas rats. Do it as fast and secretly as possible.¡± ¡°Yes, Meister!¡± Johas and his escorts began to hunt the Veritas warlocks. ¡°Kuak! Wh-who is it?¡± ¡°Someone else¡­ Kuek!¡± The Veritas warlocks, who tried to put out the fire on their Undead or to look at the crazy Undead in their troops, collapsed one after the other because of the covert attack of Johas and his party. Dark Bullets went for their hearts, and if they blocked it with shield, the escorts knights would use their swords. Since it was a surprise attack, the warlocks couldn¡¯t defend themselves from both sides. But Zemerton was no fool. As time passed and the disturbance didn¡¯t subside and with his disciples not coming back to inform him of the situation, he noticed that something was wrong. ¡®Something seems off! Obviously, someone else must have come into our area!¡¯ Zemerton, who judged that, unfolded black magic for detection. ¡°Dark Detect!¡± The magi from Zemerton spread out far and wide. At the same time as that, his eyes turned black as he took a clear look at every side of the Undead army. Warlocks, different from his disciples or subordinates, got detected. Unlike the cool and gloomy magi of the Veritas men, the magi of the new people were like the night sky with stars and heartwarming fireworks. ¡®They can¡¯t be¡­? Ugh!¡¯ Zemerton stopped the Dark Detect and developed defensive magic. Pop! Pop! Bang! Thanks to his quick reaction, he was able to stop the Black Spear that flew in for him. With trembling yet angry heart, he yelled, ¡°Who are you?!¡± ¡°There is no need to reveal our names to trash.¡± Johas was the one who showed up. He detected that Dark Detect of Zemerton and followed it to the source. ¡°You must be a high grade trash. Maybe a worthwhile kill?¡± At Johas¡¯s sarcasm, Zemerton asked with a stern face, ¡°You, do you know who I am?¡± The Black Spear used by Johas had considerable power. However, Zemerton was among the 5 elders of Veritas who reached 8th magic circle, and he had the highest combat power. He never even had a slight thought of losing. ¡°Why would I bother with that? You are just a henchman of Arsene.¡± Terrifying magic began to gather at the hands of Johas who grunted his teeth. When Arsene had invaded the Dark Moon Magic Tower in the past, he had lost numerous elders and young warlocks. His resentment toward Veritas and their warlocks was hotter than any lava and stronger than any storm. ¡°I¡¯ll grind your bones to dust!¡± ¡°Huh! You really think you can beat me with that skill?!¡± Zemerton began to raise the magi in his body. He was the kind of person who was very proud of his skill. Although he couldn¡¯t keep up with Arsene¡¯s skills or at the level of dealing with Luke, the archenemy of Arsene, he believed that he wouldn¡¯t lose to anyone else. However, an opponent who shook his thoughts had appeared. ¡®This can¡¯t be! Never!¡¯ But it was the truth. Zemerton was getting angrier and angrier at the opponent in front of him. As a response, Johas raised his magi. The two warlocks, who had devoted their lives to darkness, walked on entirely different paths. The fight of Johas, who was burning with resentment, and Zemerton, with his pride on the line, began. Chapter 743 - Fierce Defense 4 Pop! Bang! All kinds of dark magic attacks kept pouring in. The area where Johas and Zemerton were fighting turned a lot similar to ruins. The ground caved in as if a meteor had fallen, and the trees around them turned into a charcoal lump in an instant because of the heat. Whenever the gust of dark magic caused the blow, the ashes scattered around like snow. The fearsome momentum didn¡¯t even let anyone approach them, not even the Undead. ¡°Uhh, who is the opponent?¡± ¡°To be able to fight on equal grounds with Elder Zemerton¡­!¡± Warlocks of both sides, who watched the fierce battle between Johas and Zemerton wondered. On the Black Tower side, the warlocks were amazed by Zemerton¡¯s skills, and the Veritas warlocks were shocked at Johas, who wasn¡¯t backing down. They knew that a fierce battle was going on, and warlocks kept on gathering in groups to see it. Forgetting that they were in a battle, they focused on the battle between the two, strong and splendid dark magic users. The battle fought by the topmost warlocks wasn¡¯t easy to see. Bang! With a huge roar, black lightning fell from the sky. ¡°Kuak!¡± It suddenly missed with constant confrontation. It was Zemerton who rolled through the desolate field. ¡°Elder!¡± ¡°Kuek! Those bastards!¡± While the warlocks of Veritas were shocked, Zemerton struggled to get up and spit out the blood which accumulated in his mouth. He knew that the man opposite to him wasn¡¯t any normal warlock by the amount of Magi he released, but he never thought that he would fall to the ground. ¡®That is alright but¡­ he is using our towers¡¯ dark magic attacks! Are they the remnants of Saymon which Master has mentioned?¡¯ The warlocks of the Veritas Magic Tower were derived from the legacy left behind by Saymon. And if the opponent was using the same dark magic, then the probability of being the remnants of Saymon was very high. But the reason why Zemerton was surprised by the opponent wasn¡¯t because of him using the same dark magic. It was because the opponent¡¯s attacks seemed a lot more efficient and powerful despite using the same magic. The fact that the opponent¡¯s skills were far superior to what Zemerton had expected made him struggle. ¡®Damn it, the only way is¡­!¡¯ ¡°Are you alright, Elder Zemerton¡­ ugh?!¡± A warlock approached Zemerton who was struggling but fell into the trap of Black Bind. Without even having the time to struggle, the warlock died in an instant due to his vitality and Magi getting sucked away. But that wasn¡¯t the end, Zemerton¡¯s Black Bind reached out to his subordinates who were far away. ¡°Ugh! Zemerton has gone crazy!¡± ¡°Uhk! Please spare me, Elder!¡± Johas stared at the sight of Zemerton eating away his henchmen. He could have taken the opportunity and attacked him, but there were two reasons for leaving him alone. First, there was no reason for him to stop Zemerton who was killing away the warlocks of Veritas, and second, he was confident in taking him down. ¡°Are you done eating?¡± At the sarcastic question of Johas, Zemerton grunted. ¡°It was only my ancestor who ever humiliated me by throwing me to the ground.¡± ¡°Well, with your skills it was bound to happen.¡± Zemerton¡¯s eyes were fixed on Johas who didn¡¯t seem to be scared. Even in his words, there was a strong feeling of Johas still underestimating his opponent. As a former Elder of the Veritas Magic tower, he didn¡¯t have to face such a man. With his eyes narrowed, he began to unfold the dark magic he had learned, and it was the most powerful one. ¡°This bastard! This is the last time!¡± Wheeing-! With the sound of breeze moving, Magi began to accumulate at both the hands of Zemerton. And shortly after, a black and white sphere was created. Zemerton put his hands together to make a sphere of chaos mixed with the white and black magic. Johas who watched it went stiff. ¡°Chaos Strike.¡± ¡°Kuek, right. This is an 8th magic circle attack. If you know this, then it means that you are well aware of the power of this attack, right?¡± It was the dark magic attack created by Saymon. Johas, who continued the legacy of Saymon wouldn¡¯t surely know that. ¡°Of course, I know it.¡± Unlike his cold response, Magi began to rise from Johas¡¯s body. That was how angry he was. ¡°Dirty thieves! It wasn¡¯t enough to kill our ancestor, but stealing his magic¡­ you really have no sense of shame!¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter what you know. Die! You bastard!¡± The Chaos Strike left Zemerton¡¯s hand, and went right for Johas. Seeing the opponent not even be able to budge, Zemerton smiled. ¡®Kuekkue, this isn¡¯t the Chaos Strike that you know about. This is an improved version!¡¯ A very new Chaos Strike. The power was slightly lower than the original one, and the amount of magi consumed was large. Instead, the speed was twice as fast, at least three times the original one. Arsene might be the only one to avoid it. The old man in front of Zemerton would surely get his body engulfed in the Chaos Strike and die without any trace with the huge explosion. That moment when Zemerton clenched his fists in victory¡­ ¡°Vanish Blade!¡± For both his hands, Johas began to manifest Magi in the shape of a crescent moon. The Magi blade cut through the Chaos Strike which flew in. Crack! As the Chaos Strike vanished in thin air, Zemerton¡¯s eyes went wide. Even if he had to see it once again, he wouldn¡¯t have figured what had happened. ¡°Th-that!¡± ¡°Did you ever consider that there would be an improvement in the dark magic which was stolen only by you?¡± Johas approached Zemerton with a cold gaze. Not realizing, Zemerton who was confused, stepped back without his knowledge. In his mind, fifty thousand dark magic attacks flashed through. However, the one attack which was supposed to be a secret attack was defeated very easily, and he lost his confidence in what to use. ¡°Kuak! Die! Just die!¡± In a situation where he wasn¡¯t so sure, the dark magic used by Zemerton was Dark Bullet. Had just randomly created Dark Bullet and sent them for Johas. However, Johas avoided them with ease by using Blink. ¡®Uh, I thought he was a strong man.¡¯ At Zemerton turning all nervous and sweaty, Johas laughed. He had been training very diligently, looking forward to the time where he would meet Arsene. Whenever Luke visited the Black Tower, he would ask for new skills. And based on the thing given, he would hone his dark magic skills and devise new dark magic attacks. And that was how the Vanish Blade was created. Although it showed sufficient power in a real battle, Johas was disappointed that he couldn¡¯t use it in a stronger way. ¡®It would have been nice if the Veritas Magic Tower Meister was my opponent, but didn¡¯t Master take care of him?¡¯ Meister Albert of Veritas Magic Tower. He was one of the leading warlocks of the time. He thought that it would be exciting to take that man down, but he was already dead. Moreover, contrary to what Johas knew, Albert was killed by Belfair and not Luke. It was Nestar, the former Meister of Veritas, who died in Luke¡¯s hands, and it was a messed up information. ¡°Kuek! Don¡¯t come here! Don¡¯t get closer!¡± While Johas was in thoughts, Zemerton was crying out loud. Seeing the despicable man in front of him, Johas didn¡¯t get close to him. Instead, a long stretched Vanish Blade pierced through Zemerton¡¯s chest. ¡°Kuak! Kuak!¡± ¡°Tch Tch, I am so sorry. I wanted to make it easy for you.¡± Johas¡¯s attack only smashed the black circle on Zemerton¡¯s heart. Approaching Zemerton who was in pain, he pulled out a small vial of liquid from his sleeve. ¡°Kuak! Th-that is¡­!¡± It seemed like a potion, but there was no way an opponent would give him a potion. Zemerton, who sensed the energy from the vial, went pale. ¡°Oh Great Parent, I am sending this sinful trash over to you.¡± ¡°No-No!!¡± Johas, praying, sprinkled the holy water on Zemerton¡¯s wound. Shhhh! The moment the Holy Water came in contact with the Magi remaining in Zemerton¡¯s body, it caused heat to spread everywhere. ¡°No! Spare me! Ahhh!¡± Slowly, flames emerged and engulfed the body of Zemerton. It was because the flames of Holy Water didn¡¯t just burn down his body but also his soul. However, no matter how hard he struggled, the flames of purification didn¡¯t go out. Eventually, Zemerton turned into a burnt body. Thud. Johas opened his mouth looking at Zemerton¡¯s body. ¡°Await in hell. I¡¯ll send in your henchmen and the one you adore sooner or later.¡± Saying that, he stepped onto the skeleton of Zemerton, which was barely holding the human shape, and turned around. The head of the Undead army was removed, but there were still very few Veritas warlocks that they hadn¡¯t dealt with. Unless they removed all of them, they wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the Undead army. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Ahhhhh¡­!¡± The remnants of Veritas, who could feel his gaze, turned cold or trembled in fear. They wanted to run away, but their body wouldn¡¯t even budge a little, almost as if the rat got caught in front of the cat. Chapter 744 - The Great Purgation 1 Removing the remnants of the Veritas Magic Tower which controlled the Undead, including the Elder Zemerton. Once the warlocks disappeared, the Undead who lost control began to wander in random directions, and the pressure on the defense got reduced. But that was just for a day or two. The Undead, pushing from behind made the wall crack a little, and defense lines were already in extreme fatigue. ¡°Commander, it is said that Fort Chase is on the verge of breaking through!¡± ¡°The gunpowder is out in area 16!¡± ¡°Sire! The number of riders and soldiers who are exhausted is constantly increasing!¡± ¡°The War Mages have run out of mana and are requesting for temporary withdrawal.¡± Reynold sweat at the reports which came for him. It was said that most of the forts were being pierced, or the military supplies such as gunpowder or arrows were running out, and the exhausted soldiers fell. ¡®Damn it, things are only getting worse!¡¯ Before the Undead came over, he shared opinions with his brother and other staff about the rough movement of the battle. Even stopping wasn¡¯t that easy, they thought that weapons such as artillery and Gigants, when used to maximum would do considerable damage to the Undead. It wasn¡¯t easy to confront 5 million Undead, especially when the soldiers would be in fear. However, the battle which was actually happening was a lot more serious than imagined. The enemy didn¡¯t know how to retreat and they didn¡¯t stop unless they were beheaded or burnt. Rather than being afraid of the Gigants which were crushing them, a few Undead would hang on the Gigant gloves or bite the gloves. ¡®They are unusual enemies. Besides, our allies have no experience in fighting such enemies!¡¯ Inexperienced work would lead to a lot of mistakes. Which was why the military supplies such as gunpowder were depleting rather rapidly. The soldiers who were in fear were using them excessively. In addition, the Symphonia troops didn¡¯t have enough rest nor time to build other barriers or prepare for the battle. It was natural for fatigue to increase. ¡®The 5 million number itself must have put great pressure on the minds¡­¡¯ In the end, the important thing was that they had to overcome the difficulty. In any war, there would have been decisions to retreat, but they couldn¡¯t do that with the Undead. ¡°Put in the reserve troops!¡± ¡°Sire, the reserve troops are¡­¡± ¡°If there are none, I will go by myself!¡± Reynold once again led his knights and went out of Verange Castle to battle. The Undead struggle and fight slowed down, but the war wasn¡¯t in the advantage of the Symphonia Kingdom. ¡°Uh-huh! Brother, when was His Majesty going to come?¡± Reynard, who was in the battle along with his brother, asked. Reynold, who was slaying off the Undead like ants, answered. ¡°When His Majesty feels like it, he will come. You keep on fighting!¡± ¡°Damn it, it looks like the Verange Castle will be in trouble¡­ I mean, seven Gigants of the Iron Heart Knights are already down!¡± It wasn¡¯t the Gigants which were the problem, but the riders who were exhausted from the constant battles. Sword Masters like Reynold and Reynard were also tired from constantly fighting with aura¡¯s, so they knew how the other riders would have been. It was when they were conversing with tired voices. A messenger came from the wall behind them. ¡°Sire, we are in trouble! Area 38 has been pierced and the Undead are coming in!¡± Area 38 has a 700-meter long barrier to the left of Verange Castle. As they didn¡¯t have the time to use bricks, they built three layers of barriers. ¡°Wh-what?!¡± Shocked, Reynold used the telephoto artifact on his Orion and looked at Area 38. Some of the barriers were indeed broken, it seemed like the barriers weren¡¯t strong enough to withstand the constant Undead offense, and the Undead which crossed were fighting with the soldiers. ¡°No! No! stop them!¡± Knowing that it would be difficult to solve such a situation, Reynold rushed to Area 38. Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! He ran by trampling and kicking any Undead which came in front of him. He tried to block the barrier point which had been pierced by placing his Orion. However, quite a few Undead had already entered the barrier, and it wasn¡¯t enough for a single Orion to seal all the openings. ¡°F*ck! All these!¡± Reynold came out of the hatch, grabbed his sword, and cut the Undead which were randomly coming in from other points. He somehow tried to prevent the rampage of the Undead, but it wasn¡¯t possible to restore the barrier which had already been broken. ¡°Ahhhh! The Undead!¡± ¡°The Undead passed through the barrier!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t back down! Keep fighting!¡± Around 10,000 Undead seemed to have passed through the collapsed parts of the barrier. Compared to the huge number, it was really small. However, the Symphonia troops were already exhausted and had no energy to stop them. They were barely blocking the barriers by leaning onto them, but the Undead were like beasts, there was no way humans could overcome them. Hundreds of soldiers were bitten in the blink of an eye, and the rest of them were busy withdrawing. Those who had no energy to fight, closed their eyes shut and gave up. ¡°Uhh, rather than getting bitten by the Undead¡­¡± One of the soldiers tried to stab himself in the neck when Viscount Kaper came over running and stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything so stupid!¡± ¡°B-But¡­¡± ¡°It is alright. Even if you turn into Undead, Her Holiness will bring you back to life!¡± Kaper, who said so, swung his sword around the numerous Undead. In order to protect their subordinates who were trying to flee, they decided to turn into baits and earn some time for a new defense to be built. ¡®Your Majesty will come! He will definitely come and save us!¡¯ Kaper had been following Luke since the early days of Fort Torlot. In spite of any adversity, he believed that Luke would come up with a way, just like he always did. But faith would remain as it was and so was strength. Even the Expert¡¯s top-notch mana was running out, and everyone was trying to endure the onslaught with their stamina. Eventually, Karper¡¯s stamina fell and his movements were slowed¡ªmaking him the target of dozens of Undead. ¡®Kuek! Maybe this is how I die?¡¯ The moment Kapre lost his consciousness, a shout of joy came over from a distance. ¡°The reinforcements! Reinforcements are coming!¡± As he was surrounded by the Undead, Kaper couldn¡¯t see, but the soldiers who were retreating saw a legion of Undead and cavalry rushing over. At the forefront was Luke¡¯s exclusive Gigant, Avenger, shining. ¡°It is the Guard Knights!¡± ¡°Your Majesty is on his way!¡± ¡°We are saved!¡± Amid the shouts of joy, Luke led his reinforcements and began to wipe out the Undead. ¡°There is no need to overdo it. Make time for the soldiers to retreat while taking down the Undead which have crossed the barriers.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Luke gave the order and cut down the heads of the Undead. Orion and the Gaius Gigants followed him and slaughtered the Undead without any hesitation. Surprisingly, however, the undead which were struck by the Gigant swords were turned into ashes. Pssssh! Puck! Puck! And it wasn¡¯t just the Gigant. It was the same case as the knights on the horses. Not only did the Undead get cut by the swords and spears, but they spontaneously flamed and turned into ash by just hitting the horse armor. ¡°Huh, it works better than I thought, it was worthwhile to gather all the priests from the Kingdom.¡± Assuming that the large Undead army was coming, Luke had issued an order to gather priests from the kingdom into a close area near the capital. There were a few priests who had other things to deal with and didn¡¯t come, but quite a high number of priests came over. Though it wasn¡¯t the order of El Kassel, they couldn¡¯t stand a national crisis. Luke instructed the priests who responded to make a large amount of Holy Water, and bless the armor and weapons of the Gigants and the Knights with Divine Power. There was nothing as great as Divine Power when it came to dealing with the Undead. There was a limit to how many could be blessed, so the Guard Knights were given priority. Still, there was a great effect on what the priests did. The Undead who pushed into the wall ran wildly as they were getting defeated. ¡°Pour in the Holy Water!¡± At Luke¡¯s order, the knight poured the holy water from the large jar which several Gaius¡¯s were carrying. The Undead changed into a point where they were instantly turned into ashes. Luke unfolded magic in succession as the enemy¡¯s offense collapsed. ¡°Stone Edge!¡± Dudududud! Stone pillars rose from the ground and completely covered the collapsed barriers. The crisis in Area 38 was cleared. ¡°Your Majesty, my eyes went blind waiting for you!¡± Reynold, who was saving Viscount Kaper, yelled at Luke, who opened his Gigant¡¯s hatch. Reynard too approached him. ¡°But aren¡¯t you glad I came before you fell?¡± ¡°Huh, if you put it like that¡­ we sure are, by the way, what happened to the magic circle?¡± ¡°Why? Scared it is still not finished?¡± ¡°Is it done?¡± When Reynold asked with hope, Luke nodded with a confident smile. ¡°It is almost done. It was all thanks to you people earning the time here.¡± ¡°Well, that is a relief.¡± With a breath of relief, Reynold fell into Viscount Kaper¡¯s arms. It was like he could feel all the fatigue he had gathered during the past few days. ¡°You people take a break. I will take care of the work from here.¡± ¡°Please do that, Your Majesty.¡± After telling the Gram brothers to rest, Luke ordered each of the staff through magic communication. ¡°Let the walls be set on fire, use all the remaining gunpowder, oil, and firewood. We will have enough time to earn for a retreat.¡± When a formal retreat was ordered from Luke¡¯s mouth, the commanders cheered without realizing it. If they were asked to endure it and hit their limits, they all thought that they would either die or turn into Undead. Through the magic communication, one of the commanders asked. -Your Majesty, what about the infected soldiers? While blocking the barrier, around 50,000 soldiers were bitten by Undead. Among them, around 20,000 were infected at the beginning, and already turned into Undead, so they were in special containment camps. ¡°Bring those who haven¡¯t turned into an Undead yet, and I will heal them.¡± -Huh? Your Majesty will? At the question of the commander, Luke just shrugged and answered. ¡°I am not as good as Her Holiness, but even I know how to perform some miracles.¡± Spirit power was essential when it came to purifying the Undead. Luke knew how to convert Aether into Spirit power. In addition, he could amplify the Spirit power with Avenger¡¯s core engine, and he had confidence when it came to healing a thousand minorly wounded soldiers. ¡®Those who have already turned into Undead will be left for Johas and his men to deal with. They did say that their task was done.¡¯ Shortly before arriving there, Luke was contacted by Johas. They had told Luke about taking down the elder and the other warlocks who controlled the large army of Undead, but told that there were a few remnants who were great at hiding, which made getting rid of them very tough. However, they reported that they managed to find and execute them. And told that there was important information they managed to obtain in the process. On how the Veritas managed to create a mass number of Undead, manipulating them, and all. ¡®The only thing left is to activate the large magic circle. The last things are probably done¡­¡¯ Luke who was worried for a while, soon felt relieved. All because it was Erwin and Karen who were in charge of the large magic circle construction. In addition, a large number of talented wizards in the Kingdom and Katarina Magic tower were participating. ¡®I can trust them. Because the strength I have isn¡¯t because of my own, it is because of the people who constantly stay around me.¡¯ Thinking so, Luke devoted himself to curing the infected and retreating the soldiers at the wall. Chapter 745 - The Great Purgation 2 There was a place called the Minos Basin. It would take two days to get there from the South of Verange Castle. A wide plain was located in a low hilly area, and it was a dry region. The place was large enough to accommodate millions of Undead. However, several tents were placed in the center of the plain. The people in the tents seemed to be the leaders and commanders who were looking after the construction process of the large magic circle and the relay tower. ¡°Is the installation of the large magic circle amplification done?¡± Erwin, who received magic communication from another place, turned her head to answer Karen¡¯s question, ¡°It was said that the riders have arrived at the specified coordinates and are ready. The moment the Queen manifests her Spirit power, she will be playing the role of the highest grade spirit stone.¡± As it almost covered the plains, there were large and small magic stones all over, 18 Orions were mobilized to replace the advanced magic stones. But, more than half of the Sword Masters of Symphonia Kingdom was out in the Baroque Empire to stop the Undead. The lack of numbers made them ask for Princess Jo Mimi and Ja-hye¡¯s escorts. Having learned to maneuver the low-quality Gigants in a short time, they drove Orion, which had been airlifted from Katarina Magic Tower a few hours ago, to the needed coordinates. In fact, some of the Orion Gigants weren¡¯t even finished, due to the lack of time, some heads and arms were omitted. ¡°Well, according to Meister Mute, the core engine is what makes the Gigant function, so there will be no problem on how they work for the magic circle.¡± ¡°Good. What happened to the relay tower which is being installed on the hillside?¡± ¡°Right after installing it, they are going to withdraw.¡± Relay towers were built on the hills which surrounded the plain. The relay towers were going to amplify the Spirit power of Reina along with the super large magic circle. ¡°Well, now we can run the magic circle at any time.¡± ¡°Yes, if His Majesty really managed to lure in the Undead.¡± Reina, who was listening to their conversation, approached them. ¡°Seems like the final inspection is done.¡± ¡°Yes, it is mom¡¯s turn now.¡± At Karen¡¯s words, Reina felt calm. During the days she reached Symphonia along with Luke, she kept feeling frustrated. Her companion and daughter were preparing forces, magic circles. They were working very busily, and all she could do was watch. ¡°It was painful to only see and not do anything.¡± ¡°Who said you didn¡¯t do anything. Everyone knows that mom helped a lot.¡± Karen tried to make Reina feel good. All these days, Reina wasn¡¯t just praying. In spite of the pressure around her, she tried to do things she knew, such as preparing meals for wizards and other workers. And that greatly boosted the morale of the soldiers and get the job done quickly. ¡°That was something I had to do.¡± ¡°Ugh, my mom is so humble. People will start to belittle you if you turn too humble.¡± The reason why Karen said that was because of Jo Mimi and Ja-hye¡¯s attitude. Originally, the two of them were princesses who were supporting Luke from the Song Empire and Yemaek. Well, it was bound for them to have high self-esteem. However, when they first met Reina, they backed down because of her being the pope of the Holy Empire and Luke¡¯s companion. However, after Reina treated them very closely, they were calling Reina sister, and Reina too accepted them willingly. She didn¡¯t know how foxy and sly they cloud be. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll keep them in mind. But really¡­ Our Karen had grown so much now. This is so fun.¡± As Reina shook her head and left, Karen spoke to the Meister of the Holy Arthenia Magic Tower, who followed the pope. ¡°Mr. Reas, please take care of my mother.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Princess. I will take care of Her Holiness.¡± Bowing her head down to Karen, he and Reina boarded a hot air balloon prepared nearby. Two hot air balloons were already prepared and went toward the sky, carrying a group of people. Reina had a reason for boarding into the hot air balloon. It was to make use of the advantage of using the Spirit power at a high place in order to make the power be available to all. The problem was that there was no cliff or mountain that could overlook the basin. So Karen and the others decided to use the hot air balloon. However, in order to prepare for any unforeseen situation, high-ranking wizards including Marquis Reas boarded together with her. Karen waved her hand at the hot air balloon that Reina was riding and order the people on the ground. ¡°Let¡¯s withdraw from here.¡± Everything was getting ready. In case something popped up, they all checked twice and thrice along with a test run, so it wouldn¡¯t fail. While the others were demolishing the tents, Karen sent a magic communication to Luke to inform him and rode out of the basin in their wagon. Dark smoke soared above the sky. The castles and defense barriers that had been preventing the Undead for several days were in flames. Setting fire to the wall, the Symphonia troops withdrew without any regret. The Undead, who halted because of the flames, began to move south after the flames subsided. ¡°Huh, it is like a swarm of ants coming after a candy.¡± A smile crept onto Luke¡¯s lips, watching the Undead move from the sky with fly magic because the operation was going just as planned. Of course, the Undead didn¡¯t follow in a line. There were times when a group of Undead would lose their direction, fall behind, or fall to the sides. Such groups were either taken care of by the cavalry unit commanded by the Gram brothers or controlled by the warlocks of the Black Tower. And those groups of Undead. which didn¡¯t change direction despite the measures. were crushed by the Gigant troops. ¡°A lot of Undead must have been destroyed in midst of the battle, but there are still quite a lot of them.¡± They didn¡¯t count, but there seemed to be around 600,000 to 700,000 Undead in front of the gate of the forts. Their number was fewer than expected as the Undead wouldn¡¯t die unless they were burnt or their necks were cut off. According to the testimony of the Gram brothers and the other riders, it was said that there were cases of the Undead¡¯s lower body being cut by a huge sword and getting blown away, yet their upper bodies would still try to move up the wall. The shock and fear the knights and soldiers had to go through were unspeakable. ¡®If we had entered into a war of annihilation, it would have taken a lot of time with considerable sacrifices on our side.¡¯ With Luke¡¯s current ability, it wasn¡¯t very hard to destroy all the Undead troops. If one used guerrilla warfare, it would take a lot of time to get rid of the problem. However, in the meantime, the problem was that the damage to the army and the people of the kingdom would be too great. And there was another reason. Those Undead were firstly the innocent people of the Libiya Kingdom. Because of the zombie poison spread by the wicked Arsene, it was unintentionally turned into a weapon. ¡®In the process of being blocked, we couldn¡¯t help but kill them as we couldn¡¯t purify them¡­ We still tried to avoid killing them as much as we could though.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just Luke¡¯s idea. They were all the Undead, but the soldiers and knights of Symphonia couldn¡¯t get themselves to harm the women and children. The fact that the soldiers were bitten by the undead, in the beginning, was largely due to their failure to fight back. ¡°But really¡­ That guy Arsene only does disgusting things.¡± Right when Luke was burning with anger against Arsene. The magic communication sphere in his arm lit and vibrated. When the mana got injected, Karen¡¯s face came visible. -Dad, how is the Undead thing coming along? ¡°Going according to plan without any problem.¡± -Thank god. Well, finally, this one here is also finished and the final inspection is done and ready to activate. If the plan went accordingly, they would withdraw immediately, and the Undead would go to the right place. ¡°Well, you did a great job.¡± Luke was pleased with the report of the large magic circle and the relay tower being completed. He then sent a signal using a magic bullet. ¡°Your Majesty has sent us the signal. One blue bullet and three red bullets.¡± ¡°Oh, everything is done. It is a command to speed up the march. Give each unit the order.¡± With Reynold¡¯s instruction, the retreat of the Symphonia Kingdom accelerated. The speed of the Undead chasing after them increased as well. Chapter 746 - The Great Purgation 3 Chapter 746: The Great Purgation 3 ¡°At last, we have arrived!¡± The Symphonia Kingdom¡¯s troops, who ran for two days, finally entered the Minos Basin, where the large magic circle had been installed. ¡°Cheer up! The way up is a little tight, and after that, pass through the exit that is at the opposite side of the basin!¡± ¡°The zombie purgation operation will begin soon! We can rest as much as we want once we get there, so keep running!¡± The commander of each unit rushed their soldiers to move. Although they reached the point of operation, the Undead troops were right behind them. ¡°I can¡¯t, can¡¯t move anymore¡­¡± ¡°You idiot, it is just a little more!¡± Contrary to the encouragement of the commanders, the soldiers couldn¡¯t speed up. They had already struggled for quite a lot of days in pushing out the Undead from the forts, and they were marching to the Minos Basin all night. Although there was little time to rest, it wasn¡¯t enough to relieve themselves of the fatigue they had accumulated over the years. ¡°Oh, there are many soldiers who are more tired than expected!¡± Luke seemed troubled as he watched from the sky by using Fly magic. If the Kingdom¡¯s troops get entangled with the Undead before entering the basin, then it was another chaos for him. Even if they were able to use the super large magic circle and relay tower, the damage to the soldiers would increase rapidly. To prevent that, Luke issued a special order through command. ¡°Take the fallen soldiers into the wagons and trailers!¡± ¡°Throw all your weapons and armors! Just get up and run!¡± The moment the order fell, the soldiers threw their spears and swords along with the armor and started running. Even the wagons and trailers threw away any weapons inside it to create more space for the tired soldiers. It just stops at that. The Gigant riders picked up the soldiers into their hands or placed them on the Gigant shoulders as they rushed ahead. Thanks to that, around 180,000 Symphonia troops were in the safe and managed to outrun the Undead. ¡°Right, run! Just focus on running now!¡± As Luke watched the kingdom¡¯s troops enter the basin and rush to the exit which was on the other side, Luke turned to the Undead. Kuuuuu! Keeeee! The Undead, which arrived at the entrance of the basin, ran over the other Undead. A bottleneck occurred on the path, which made the Undead gather into huge groups. Seeing that, Luke began to turn anxious. It was because the Undead who couldn¡¯t get inside the bottleneck region would scatter over to other places. Fortunately, what he was worried about didn¡¯t happen. It was because the Undead which were in the far rear pushed the Undead at the front forward into the basin. ¡°Master, you don¡¯t have to worry about the rear.¡± Johas flew toward Luke with Fly magic. ¡°The Undead in the back are being controlled by the warlocks of the Black Tower. We assure you, none of them will stray away from escaping!¡± ¡°Thank you. You did great help.¡± When the Symphonia troops began to retreat, Johas and the warlocks of the Black Tower took over 20,000 Undead. When the Undead army crossed the barrier, they took control of the Undead. Since the remnants of Veritas and Zemerton were removed, there was no more concern about losing control over the Undead. ¡°But how is the magic circle coming along?¡± ¡°It was said to be finished. Reina is already waiting in the sky.¡± Luke pointed at the hot air balloon that was floating above Minos Basin. Johas looked at it and smiled. ¡°Well, Her Holiness must have been nervous too.¡± ¡°Maybe because she wanted to cleanse the poor people quickly.¡± After a brief conversation, Luke and Johas looked down. The entire basin was covered in black because there were millions of Undead there. After confirming that 20,000 of the allied Undead on the tail entered the basin, Luke sent the signal to Reina. ¡°Reina, do it now!¡± Reina, who was waiting, got ready. She saw the signal sent by Luke and began to gather her power. ¡°Oh great father, free these false locks created around your innocent children!¡± Woong! As the Aether Globe moved, the Aether in her body transformed into Spirit power and began to spread. The super large magic circle amplified her Spirit power. While the core engines of the Gigants worked in accordance, the magic stones were accelerating to the maximum. The magic figures and characters engraved in the basin shone brightly. ¡°Wow! That is such a bright light!¡± ¡°It is so beautiful!¡± The soldiers of the Symphonia Kingdom standing at the exit of the basin couldn¡¯t help but admire the flowing magic circle. It seemed like a light that could save them. While the light filled the basin, Reina¡¯s Spirit power got amplified by the magic circle by 10 times, well more like 100 times. The Spirit energy that got amplified began to spread in all directions through the relay tower. Wheeing! ¡°Oh!¡± It was first like a huge rainbow in the dry sky, and then snow-like light began to pour down. Not just the soldiers, but even Luke who devised the magic circle couldn¡¯t take his eyes away from the magnificent sight. ¡®This is¡­ amazing!¡¯ The light covered the entire Minos Basin. The soldiers who felt the light fall on them realized their pain and exhaustion were flying away. ¡°Is this the power of the pope?¡± ¡°Ah! Look over there!¡± At someone¡¯s shout, the soldiers looked at the large Undead army at the basin. Until just a moment ago, they were like zombies chasing after the army like hungry beasts with their rotten bodies. But now, new flesh was covering their rotten bodies. Their eyes seemed to have some light in them. With the Spirt power falling on them, the Undead went back to their original form, humans. ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°Why am I here?¡± ¡°What the hell even happened?¡± While the Undead or even the Libiya people were confused, the Undead in the rear, which was made up of Symphonia troops were the next to be cured. 20,000 Symphonia soldiers who turned into the Undead while blocking the Undead got covered in light, and they too got cured of the curse. ¡°Hurray! I am alive! Alive!¡± ¡°I am back to being a human!¡± The soldiers, who got purified, cheered with excitement. After being bitten by the Undead, they suffered in terrible pain and fear of turning into an Undead. Did they doubt going back to being humans again? What if they were left to become an Undead forever? They were in such thoughts until they lost their reasoning. They were worried and prayed earnestly. They hoped that the operation would be successful, and they would get to return home safely. Luke and Reina did it without failing their hopes. ¡°Long live the pope!¡± ¡°God Bless Your Majesty!¡± In the basin, the shouts of the Symphonia Kingdom¡¯s troops resonated. Luke flew toward a hot air balloon, which was in the sky, instead of returning to the cheering soldiers. The Spirit power was great. Trees were sprouting from the field that had turned dry, grains were growing in an instant, the trees were giving out fruits. It was a miracle beyond what Luke expected. There was indeed a great use of the large magic circle, but it was all thanks to Reina who had the ability to use Spirit energy to such huge amounts. Naturally, Luke couldn¡¯t help but worry about her. ¡°Dad, is mom alright?¡± At Karen¡¯s question who flew toward him, Luke frowned. ¡°She should be fine. She won¡¯t be still even if she isn¡¯t alright.¡± He thought about how hard she would always work. Not long after, Luke and Karen arrived at the hot air balloon. They could see Reina surrounded by Reas and other wizards. The light had faded from her face, and she was unconscious. It was evident that the Aether she used was more than what her body could handle. ¡°Mom!¡± ¡°I told you to not overdo it!¡± Luke and Karen grabbed onto Reina¡¯s hand. As the Aether of the two flowed in, Reina¡¯s complexion turned normal. She slowly regained her consciousness as the Aether Globe in her heart was being restored. ¡°Did I do it?¡± ¡°You did it. You did so well that I got angry!¡± Reina smiled at Luke¡¯s yelling. She tried her very best to liberate even one who had suffered, and it seemed like her efforts weren¡¯t in vain. ¡®It isn¡¯t over yet. We have solved only one part of the problem.¡¯ The Undead were still out there attacking the Volga Republic, the Navarre Duchy, and the Baroque Empire too. Their task wasn¡¯t done unless those places were completely cleaned up. However, Reina wanted to be more thorough in doing her task of purifying the Undead. ¡°I told you not to overdo it, right? What if you get sick? In the most severe cases, your Aether Globe could be damaged. Then even your life can¡¯t be guaranteed.¡± ¡°But, things went fine.¡± ¡°Because you were lucky this time, and you did wake up, but what if¡­¡± ¡°I know. Stop getting angry because of one mistake I did.¡± Her dad¡¯s yelling and nagging, and her mother asking for an apology. With a small smile on her lips, Karen looked up at the sky. The light falling down had ceased, but the rainbow was still in the sky as if trying to put hope into their hearts for making it this far. Chapter 747 - Advanced Demon 1 Chapter 747: Advanced Demon 1 Thump! Thump! In the north of the Libiya Kingdom, was a man walking alone in the secret base of Mount Blanches. It was Arsene, the Lich King, who had 300 coffins in the underground. But for some reason, his eyes were moving fast. ¡®Why haven¡¯t there been any reports?¡¯ Twenty days back, Arsene triggered the zombie poison that had injected the people into the Libiya Kingdom. As a result, the people of Libiya Kingdom, who turned into undead, crossed the border into the other nations. Among them, the control of the Undead army which went into the Symphonia Kingdom was entrusted to Zemerton, but there was no contact from him after crossing the border. ¡®Damn it, if I knew things would turn like this, I would have kept someone else in charge of contacting me¡­¡¯ Arsene was regretting it, but the Undead have already left. The man alive in the vast underground base, or to be precise, the only one alive. Hundreds of elders and their disciples were brought in one after another, and all of them were sacrificed for the undead. ¡®Well, though we have numbers, they will increase a lot in number. Especially the Symphonia troops.¡¯ Normally, Undead such as ghouls and zombies had low combat power and were fearless when it came to dying. In addition, after a certain amount of time after being bitten, a person who got bitten turns into an undead. Because of that, just around 10,000 Undead would be enough to destroy an entire nation, and Arsene released 11 million Undead. It was a large enough number to turn down the nations. ¡®The word will come soon, no news is equal to good news. And now¡­¡¯ Arsene crossed the base and reached the entrance of the closed room. Rumble. When the door of the closed room opened, he went inside. Coffins containing 10 advanced Undead were present. However, all the liquids which had to be in the tubes disappeared. ¡°It is finally done!¡± Arsene, with joy in both his eyes, cried out loud. As if responding to his voice, the lid opened up and advanced undead walked out. They were dark-haired, brown-skinned old man, a blonde sturdy man, and a slender young woman. Although they were very different, they had something in common. It was that all their eyes were shining with such ominous energy. The Undead men and women who approached Arsene knelt at the same time. ¡°We are here, Lord of Darkness and Master of the dead!¡± Unlike the upper intermediate undead, they were intelligent and knew how to speak clearly. On the outside, they were nothing different from humans. Arsene¡¯s smile reached all the way to his ears while looking at his kids. It was because they seemed to be a lot stronger than the guardians, Rakan and Saymon. ¡®Well, they have to be strong. How much I had to work for making these guys¡­¡¯ Arsene had been secretly collecting the souls and bodies of the knights and wizards who were the strongest for the past 500 years on the Rhodesia continent and Southern continent. Sometimes he would even kill them. Among the bodies he collected, only the best of them were selected for this advanced Undead making. In fact, it couldn¡¯t be said that they were any less to Guardian level or better than that. The Advanced Undead, he had to infuse the mana and the other powerful materials and magic which flowed from the demon blood. He thought that it might not be enough, so he even injected the Magi of a dozen warlocks in 7 circles or higher, all from the Veritas Magic Tower warlocks. Arsene used warlocks and Elders as sacrifices to form contracts with the demons of the Devildom, so the quantity of Magi was huge. ¡®Kulkulkul, they might not be of my level, but they are of Sword Emperor level!¡¯ With a smile, Arsene gave out orders. ¡°Stand up, all of you. You will be my right arm and rule this world along with me.¡± At his command, the Undead rose from the ground. Arsene took them out of the closed room. Whether the intermediary or low-level undead making was done, the coffins in the base began to glow in green light. It was one, and then a dozen of the coffins shone, soon turning into a hundred. Woong! The green light covered the underground base, and the liquid-filled tube disappeared. All absorbed by the Undead. Kik! Kiiik! The lids of 300 coffins opened at once, and naked Undead rose from them. Finally, all of the Undead which were under Arsene¡¯s making had been completed. ¡°Hahaha! The timing is so great! I don¡¯t have to be afraid of Luke. No, now he will start avoiding me!¡± After losing to Luke, he had been worried for some time. However, things changed. Arsene had a new plan for the future. His eyes flashed with a new idea. ¡°Yes, if I do that, he will be done for sure. Kuakk! Just wait, Luke. I will bring the most miserable death onto you!¡± Arsene, who laughed, led his 310 Undead and disappeared somewhere. Pop! Bang! Shortly after they disappeared, the basement of Mount Blanches went down in a huge explosion and got buried without leaving any trace behind. Chapter 748 - Advanced Demon 2 There were several places called Vortex on the Rhodesia Continent. In the past, Luke went into a dire situation in the Dark Forest and the Sea of Reapers where the sailors never went. And the other one was Crete. The isolated rocky island on the east side of Rhodesia continent was covered in thick fog, almost all year around, and it was one of the most popular vortex points. Kiik! Kiik! A small ferry was moving through the misty fog. An old man and a sharp-looking younger man, both dressed in black uniforms were on the ferry. The young man¡¯s gaze was fixed on the dark rocky island beyond the fog. ¡°Is that Crete?¡± ¡°Yes, man. It is the Vortex where the punishment was given.¡± According to Belfair¡¯s research, Crete was a small nation till 300 years back. The actual name was Crete Kingdom. And the people who lived there worshiped Hades, the God of Death. Not any Devil King, but the God of Death Hades was who the people in there believed, and there was nothing wrong with it. However, the problem was that the King and the people would secretly commit all sorts of evil deeds which couldn¡¯t be described, including personal offerings. ¡°The slave, who was about to be sacrificed, barely managed to escape and made the atrocities known. And the Holy Empire¡¯s Pope of that time heard of the situation and dispatched the subjugation troops led by Saint Guards¡­¡± ¡°That was why they perished?¡± ¡°No, before that, there was huge punishment on Crete. Suddenly the ground beneath cracked, the smoke of hell covered the place and rain poured down from the sky, everything which was alive turned into ashes.¡± ¡®That wasn¡¯t God¡¯s Punishment, but a volcanic eruption.¡¯ No matter how one noticed, it was a natural disaster which everyone seemed to believe as God¡¯s Punishment because of the timing being so appropriate. Well, after that, Crete turned into a land of death, where humans couldn¡¯t live. Even the pirates would shy away from entering the Island which was abandoned by God. ¡®There are no survivors of the Crete Kingdom. But why is there a Crete mark on the treasure which the Veritas remnants who were secretly disposed of?¡¯ That was the reason why Belfair was there, even in the midst of the situation when Rhodesia was turned upside down due to the Undead. Up till a month ago, Belfair was scouring the Libiya Kingdom on the orders of Luke to find out where the Death Knight and Lich were placed or connected. That was when he discovered a large amount of supplies, secretly being supplied into the Libiya Royal family. What kind of money did the Libiya royal family have? Especially after suffering from financial difficulties, how were they buying supplies? Belfair who was puzzled released his men and soon discovered that Libiya fishermen were circulating large quantities of jewelry and gold on the black market. At first, it was thought that the Libiya royal family was in a hurry to dispose of the nobles and asylum seekers from Grenada. However, Belfair found something even stranger when he obtained and looked at the treasure on the black market. A small seal was stamped on the jewels or the gold which were being processed, when took a closer look into it, he recognized it as the crest of the Crete Royal family. ¡®I heard that there was not a single person or thing seen in Crete after the punishment was given. So why now? That too, getting released into the black market of the Libiya Kingdom?¡¯ As he was in doubt, Belfair grabbed the men who had gone to dispose of the jewels and knocked them out. Before he could bring out any information, they all bit the poison which was hidden in their molars and killed themselves. Belfair, who had doubts that the treasure had a close relation to the Veritas, went to Crete, the source of the treasure. It was his plan to track the movement from there. ¡°I can¡¯t go in anymore! I heard that the more we enter, we turn blind and deaf as we hover in the fog till death!¡± ¡®Tch, pathetic old man!¡¯ Belfair clicked his tongue upon looking at the old sailor who was in fear. ¡®Well, he did come this far, for that he could still be considered as bold.¡¯ The fear that people had for the place was by no means easy to understand. Those who were believed to be punished and receive death¡ªtheir souls weren¡¯t given permission to enter the sanctuary of any God, which was why no humans wanted to receive God¡¯s Punishment. Especially for the sailors, who were a lot more superstitious because of their profession. ¡°Two days later, I¡¯ll meet you right here.¡± Belfair who took out a gold coin from his pocket gave it to the sailor and flew into the air. Wheeik! Concealed in the fog, he turned into a bat and started to move closer to Crete. ¡®God¡¯s Punishment? Even if there is such a thing, this demonic body needs to tremble! Moreover, it was verified that this body of mine contains Divine Power given by Master!¡¯ With a smile on his lips, Belfair sped up. Flapping his bat wings, he reached Crete in a while. The island was quite large. Well, it was natural that it wasn¡¯t small, especially considering that it was a Kingdom in the past. ¡®Just as expected, only ruins.¡¯ Volcanic ash was piled up all over the island. It was a city. Most of the buildings were in a state of collapse and the poisonous sulfur smoke still came from the cracked ground. In addition, it was hard to find a single grass or weed from the ground. ¡®This is so desolate, but this feels kind of warm. Is it because it resembles Devildom a lot?¡¯ Belfair tilted his head and flew to where the old castle was. The King of Crete had his castle situated on the shore overlooking the sea. However, due to the so-called God¡¯s Punishment, he couldn¡¯t find a single nice building. ¡®Huh? that place is?¡¯ A small island was located a little far from the castle. There were buildings on the island which looked like domes. A lighthouse and a temple were seen. Shockingly, the condition of the buildings was relatively neat, as if they were under continuous management. ¡®Are they remnants of Veritas in that place?¡¯ Belfair flew to the temple. Getting off in the front yard, he went inside. ¡®There is no trace of humans at all.¡¯ He looked back and forth multiple times and hid himself at the sound of footsteps from inside. After a while, a man wearing a robe, which was almost like a rag appeared. Belfair who looked at him was startled. ¡®Huak! Th-that is¡­!¡¯ Pale skin, with a pair of horns on the head and sharp teeth. It resembled the humans yet seemed different. A Demon. Chapter 749 - Advanced Demon 3 The Symphonia Kingdom troops, who succeeded in purifying the large Undead army, didn¡¯t have any time to rest. ¡°Get up! Wake up, all of you!¡± ¡°Hurry up already! You fools!¡± Knights and soldiers, who were tired of the long and endless battles, fell asleep in the field itself. Officers and commanders approached them and waked them up. ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been 30 minutes, why are we being woken up!?¡± ¡°Ah, what is this?! Didn¡¯t they say they would give us a good rest after the operation?¡± Dissatisfaction erupted from everywhere. It wasn¡¯t like the commanders wanted to do it either. They were given orders. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to sleep so leisurely! The operation isn¡¯t over yet!¡± ¡°2nd and 3rd squad, control the people of Libiya, and 4th to 7th squad, gather shovels and axes!¡± ¡°Move fast, you slugs! Hasn¡¯t Her Holiness relieved you of your fatigue!¡± Their physical strain had been relieved, but the mental exhaustion was still there. Most of the soldiers thought so, but the commanders didn¡¯t care about it. The priority was to take care of millions of Libiya people who returned from being an Undead. ¡°Where is this place? The Symphonia Kingdom?¡± ¡°C-can we go back home?¡± ¡°Has anyone seen our son? He has red hair and freckles near his nose!¡± ¡°I am very sorry for asking this, but is there anything to eat?¡± ¡°Can I have some water¡­¡± Millions of people, who turned into refugees, had various demands. The Gram brothers, who were commanding the soldiers, frowned at the sight. ¡°Bloody this! This is the beginning of another war!¡± ¡°Just when I thought it was over, it stats again!¡± The most despicable, Shaikan. An evil man who turned his own people into zombies. This was the kind of craziness that wouldn¡¯t end even with death. Not just the Symphonia army, but even the Libiya people, who heard of the situation, criticized their king. But, the situation wasn¡¯t due to Shaikan, but Arsene, who took over Shaikan¡¯s body. However, it was hard for ordinary soldiers and people to know about it. While everyone was moving around busily, Luke was taking in the reports and issued appropriate actions and orders. ¡°Your Majesty, they are asking for water!¡± ¡°Ask the military wizards to dig wells.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have enough food and firewood.¡± ¡°For food, bring in whatever is left in the nearby forts and pick a few refugees to harvest grains or fruits from the fields. And let the Gigant riders go to a nearby forest to collect the firewood.¡± For more efficient management, it was ordered to have administrative soldiers to investigate the status of the refugees and engineers to set up temporary camps. When people saw the Symphonia troops run around sweating, the refugees made a longing expression. ¡°There were words that Symphonia¡¯s king, Luke, was great, and it wasn¡¯t just empty words.¡± ¡°Our king always called for war and turned people into the Undead.¡± ¡°Should we go to Symphonia?¡± ¡°What was that? Soon, Libiya will be conquered by Symphonia too.¡± Whatever the refugees reacted, Luke devoted himself to helping the people. Of course, he didn¡¯t intend to stick to the process for long. Since the Undead army wasn¡¯t completely cleaned up, he was thinking of going over to save his allies once this mess was taken care of. -Your Majesty, a large fleet of reinforcements and supplies from the Southern Continent will arrive soon. ¡°That so? Thank God.¡± Luke sighed at the message sent by Prime Minister Hans. According to Hans, the Song Empire sent 100,000 troops, and Yemaek sent 50,000 troops to aid the war. Both nations sent reinforcements and military supplies even though they themselves hadn¡¯t settled down since their last war, all because of the strong relationship they shared with Luke. Also, it was because of the high possibility of Luke reigning as the emperor of the Rhodesia Continent in the future. -On the other hand, it was said that young talented ones were sent on their expeditionary troops. And they asked for your permission to let them study at the Royal Academy or any other academy. ¡°Hmm, it must be their intention to learn new culture and skills.¡± Marquis Albain formerly ran a prestigious academy in the Baroque Empire. He was the dean of the Royal Academy in the Lamer city and an advisor of the Symphonia Kingdom. He was a very reform-minded educator, so he took over the educational policy that Luke handed to him. Thanks to that, Luke who was busy with state affairs and war issues, didn¡¯t have to spend additional energy on educational policies. ¡°About that, it has to be discussed with the Education Minister.¡± -I will put this to him. It was when Luke was sighing after cutting off the communication with Hans that another magic communication came in. However, this time, it was Hudson, the Chief Intelligence Officer. It seemed like it was important as Hudson was rather stiff. -Your Majesty, we have some bad news to deliver. ¡°Is it related to the Undead army?¡± -Yes, the Volga Republic is at risk. Hudson, who said so, gave a detailed report. Luke¡¯s face went stiff upon hearing the report. It was because the Ankara river, the final stop of the Volga Republic, got pierced. It was said that the Undead who crossed the Ankara river were spreading around the cities and attacking people at random. The Republic¡¯s troops gathered quickly from all over the nations and were currently engaged in defense to try to annihilate the Undead, but the damage seemed too much. The situation was so serious that shortly after getting the report from Hudson, Vladimir directly contacted Luke. -King Luke, please save the people of the Republic! As soon as the call was accepted, the president requested for the people to be saved. Luke nodded his head right away. ¡°We will come there right away. By the way, did you receive the large magic circle and the relay tower blueprint sent by our court wizard?¡± -We got it. After the Meister of the Republic Magic Tower is done searching for a suitable place, the magic circle will be installed and so will the relay tower. ¡°That is good to know.¡± Immediately after completing the development of the large magic circle and the relay tower, Luke sent the blueprints to all of their allies. To reduce the damage caused by the Undead, it was necessary to save as much time as they could. If each nation had created their own magic circles and relay towers in advance, it would be easier for Reina to go there and immediately release her Spirit power. -By the way, there were a few things which weren¡¯t understood¡­ ¡°They might be the Southern Continent¡¯s zen skill. We will go and complete that part.¡± -Please hurry. Honestly, it wasn¡¯t the first time that such a request had been made. Just the day before, the same request came from the Navarre Duchy. Henry III was acting as if everything was getting ruined, but Luke didn¡¯t believe his words. If the Navarre Duchy was really in such danger, the intelligence officers dispatched by Luke would¡¯ve been the first to contact him. ¡®It is correct to help those nations which are in trouble. But it is strange that Castia didn¡¯t contact us.¡¯ According to the intelligence, the army of Castia Kingdom was relatively good at stopping their 2 million Undead which was invading the Baroque. Maybe that was why they weren¡¯t contacting Luke. After talking with Vladimir, Luke went over to Reina. She was exhausted because she used her power, and she was receiving treatment from Luke and Karen, so she was still resting. She was fine but wasn¡¯t completely recovered. The amount of Aether she currently had was a lot lesser than usual. ¡°I don¡¯t want to force you, but we are in a mix now. I think we should hurry over to the Republic.¡± ¡°I am fine. Let¡¯s go.¡± Luke felt horrible when he saw Reina getting ready to leave. If she overdid herself again, something irreversible could happen. However, as it is, the Volga Republic couldn¡¯t be left to the Undead. If the Republic collapsed, over 30 million people would turn into zombies. And that meant a clear national disaster. ¡®Me and Karen will support Reina but even that won¡¯t be enough!¡¯ Luke shook his head. While thinking for a moment, Reina was done preparing. Luke hastily moved to the nearest long-distance teleport gate. And they were followed by not just Saint Guards, but Karen and other wizards. Even the Black Tower warlocks and Johas joined them. Chapter 750 - Advanced Demon 4 ¡°Kuakkk!¡± ¡°Push! Push with all your might!¡± The city of Bransk was a day¡¯s travel away from the east of the Ankara river. It was the fifth-largest city in the Volga Republic that flourished because of its high-quality silver mines and the surrounding mountains. However, the wealthy city was currently being attacked by the Undead. The military troops created by convening the generals from the Republican army and private troops were all barricading various places to block the Undead. ¡°Sire, the Constantine squad can¡¯t stand any longer. They said that they are going to retreat to the 5th avenue!¡± Duke Kutzov, who was in charge of the war and a temporary commander, reached out to the report which was in the messenger¡¯s hand. ¡°That can¡¯t be done! Instruct them to hold their current position!¡± ¡°But, the Constantine squad is lacking in troops¡­¡± ¡°On the 5th avenue, the wizards and engineers are on a special mission. Not just that, the avenue still holds citizens who haven¡¯t been evacuated yet. That region shouldn¡¯t be brought into battle!¡± Initially, the Ankara river was made to be the final stop for the Undead and made every people in the nearby areas flock to Bransk city. They considered it to be their best shot as it was a wealthy city and had lots of stored supplies. However, the Ankara river was pierced, and the citizens along with the refugees in Bransk couldn¡¯t even evacuate before the Undead reached the outskirts. The Republican troops tried their very best to stop them, but the damage taken was increasing. ¡°If so, we at least need to send a spare Gigant to defend against the Undead!¡± ¡°That is also impossible. The reserve Gigants will be used for the counterattack.¡± The messenger sighed at the suborn decision of Duke Kutzov. ¡®What on earth is the commander even thinking? If we don¡¯t do anything now, we won¡¯t even have any room for a counterattack!¡¯ Are they going to hold back the Gigant and wait for the entire city to be taken down? When the messenger stepped back, a wizard in charge of communicating orders to each unit, reported, ¡°A group of over 10,000 Undead from the west are coming in!¡± The other commanders grunted at the report. ¡°Damn it, are they scattering and coming for us?¡± ¡°Could be. Bransk is the most populous city around here.¡± The commanders had been in battle for more than 2 weeks, and their eyes weren¡¯t even open completely. While they were complaining, another report came in. ¡°The Task Force Gigants have blocked all the roads of the city!¡± ¡°What? What kind of bastard¡­!¡± ¡°The citizens haven¡¯t been evacuated yet!¡± The commanders were angry at the stupid situation which was created and thought about what had to be done. The Task Force Gigants were the military¡¯s strength and were directly under the President¡¯s orders. All their minds recalled the massacre that took place in the Baroque capital, Nemesis. There was a time when Emperor Rudolf sent his Central Army and Knights of Guard to cope with the sudden spread of a deadly plague called Vers. ¡°No way. Is the President going to use this entire city¡­?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know yet. Right now, all the Undead are flowing into Bransk, say maybe something is planned.¡± ¡°Even then, it is ridiculous to put the lives of the civilians on the line!¡± When the commanders who misunderstood the President¡¯s words were trying to think of plans to get rid of the Undead without sacrificing the people of Bransk. Duke Kutzov, who had been silent till then, jumped up from his seat and burst into laughter. ¡°Hahaha! Is it going to start?¡± The other commanders thought that Duke Kutzov lost his reasoning. However, they had no intention of staying still and dying like that. ¡°Sire, why are you laughing in this situation?¡± ¡°Send a communication to the President right away and¡­!¡± At the fierce protests of the other commanders, Kutzov stopped their words by raising his hand. ¡°There is no need to do that¡­ because we already did what we could.¡± ¡°Sire!¡± ¡°Why are you saying it like that?! For soldiers like us, this should be obvious, but the civilians need to be saved!¡± The youngest commander raised his voice at the outrageous situation. He was from Branks, and his family lived in the city. Kutzov showed the young commander the report he had gotten from Duke Dimitry a few days back. ¡°This¡­?¡± ¡°Operation ¡®God¡¯s Weapon,¡¯ It is an operation to purify the Undead at once using Bransk as bait.¡± Neither President Vladimir nor Duke Dimitry, the current head of the military, had any intention of doing what Rudolf did. They paid attention to the topography of Bransk, which was surrounded by mountains. It was decided that the large magic circle and the relay tower would be installed in that place. ¡°A little while ago, I asked the Constantine squad to hold their positions as the magic circle is being installed right on the 5th avenue.¡± ¡°Then the Task Force Gigants blocking the roads¡­¡± ¡°It means that the Undead scattered all over the area have been attracted.¡± ¡°Why weren¡¯t we informed of this operation beforehand?¡± When one of the commanders asked with a glare, Duke Kutzov responded calmly, ¡°Because we were in an urgent situation, and it was necessary for us to fight back desperately. If I gave you hope, you were bound to take a step back and retreat.¡± One lives to die, and one dies to live. Such was a phrase which was written in the military book of the Southern Continent that Kutzov read in the past. Dismissing the glare, he spoke by unfolding a map marked with coordinates. ¡°In order for God¡¯s Weapon to work, this has to be done. Hurry up and move the reserve Gigants to the area marked in here. And when the signal drops, all the riders who are in the given coordinates are ordered to accelerate their Gigant¡¯s core engine as much as possible.¡± This was why Kutzov was holding back the Gigants. The Volga Republic lacked Hero class Gigants or Sword Master class riders to replace a magic stone. Thus, several Gigants were ground and linked. Of course, it wasn¡¯t Kutzov¡¯s idea, but the idea of Luke and his party who arrived in the Volga Republic. In a gloomy situation, when hope was seen, soldiers began to move quickly and more accurately than before. ¡°Hurry! Move the Gigant quickly!¡± ¡°Connect the core engine with this cable!¡± When the given operation was finished, a flare was fired immediately. The first person to see the flare that was fired was Reina, who was in the hot air balloon. ¡°The signal is up!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s start right away.¡± Luke and Karen, who was riding in a hot air balloon, held her hand. It was to reduce the burden on Reina and prevent her from being exhausted. The three of them held hands together and manifested Aether as Spirit power. As the Spirit Power flowed from the body of the three people, the super large magic circle began to emit bright light in response. Woong! A huge double rainbow and rain of light like the Minos Basin covered the city. The soldiers and the citizens of Bransk were shocked at the magnificent sight. ¡°The U-Undead are turning into humans!¡± ¡°Oh, oh! Such a miracle¡­!¡± The light of miracle purged around 3 million Undead who were lured into Bransk and its close vicinity. However, unlike the Minos Basin, there were no plants or trees that grew in the area. It was because Luke and Karen were controlling the Spirit power. ¡°Her Holiness!¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t she originally our princess?¡± ¡°She really is an angel!¡± When Reina was done with purifying and went down to the city, the citizens welcomed her with cheers. The commanders of the Volga army bowed to Reina, just as any soldiers of the royal family would do. In particular, the old commanders of the Volga, like Kutzov, was beyond courteous. They were really pleased. ¡°Please raise your head.¡± ¡°We wouldn¡¯t dare to do that.¡± It was for the people, but the royal princess was outcasted. And they received grace and not retaliation from the woman who they showed hardships and suffering. The commanders were feeling ashamed and regretting their past actions. Reina reached out and raised them all. ¡°I can¡¯t speak for what has happened in the past. But I can see that you¡¯re fighting for the people, and you know what has to be done for the people.¡± ¡°Princess¡­¡± ¡°I hope that your intentions and heart won¡¯t change in the future.¡± At Reina¡¯s words, tears flowed from Kutzov¡¯s eyes. It was when Luke smiled at the scene, Erwin approached Luke and whispered something that made his face turn hard. ¡°¡­ Was it verified?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe it either, but it is true.¡± Moving to a deserted place, Luke pulled out the crystal and called for King James II of Castia. -Greetings, King Luke. How did it go in Volga? James II, who appeared on the other side of the call, smiled and greeted Luke. ¡°What on earth did you do?¡± Rather than greeting him in return, Luke asked in an angry tone. His words changed the expression of James II. After a moment of silence, he opened his mouth with an expression that said he couldn¡¯t comprehend Luke¡¯s words. -I don¡¯t understand what you mean. ¡°I didn¡¯t send the large magic circle to be used like that!¡± The reason why Luke got angry was because Castia had used the large magic circle for a completely different purpose. They built the magic circle just as Luke had instructed them, but instead of waiting for Reina, they triggered Heatwave magic. The vast Noirban forest turned into a fire hole and destroyed 2 million Undead. ¡°Do you realize what you have done? 2 million people who could have turned back to humans are dead! We wouldn¡¯t go this far if we thought that saving them was impossible!¡± Maybe he felt offended by Luke, James II began to raise his voice. -So what did you expect me to do? Our front line was on the verge of breaking, and the Undead were running in all directions. ¡°Don¡¯t make excuses! Even the Navarre Duchy that had weaker power than you is holding up fine!¡± Henry III was whining, but the troops of Navarre were really standing firm. And the Castia Kingdom, which held a lot of power, committed such brutality! ¡°I know why you did that. You probably thought of bouncing back when you could. If the 2 million were brought back to humans, you mustn¡¯t have been sure about feeding them or the benefit they will bring to your nation.¡± -I won¡¯t deny those claims. As the King, I can¡¯t do anything that can cause any harm to my nation. We had already given enough for the war. James II made points, but Luke couldn¡¯t understand it. The war wasn¡¯t being fought for profit but was being fought to save the continent from falling into Arsene¡¯s hand. To save money, they burned down 2 million Undead. They murdered innocent people! With raging eyes, Luke spoke again, ¡°What you did during this time, saying that those people or the act wasn¡¯t going to benefit you, will surely come back for you one day. You¡¯ll be a lot more miserable than what you put those people through.¡± -Oh, well thanks for that. But I am sorry because your words mean nothing to me. James II sarcastically spoke and cut the call. ¡°F*cking bastard!¡± Luke, who was displeased, threw the crystal ball on the floor. He had been trying to figure out James II since the moment he hit on Reina, James II didn¡¯t really seem like a guy who was going all out for the alliance. While Luke was alone with his thoughts, Karen went over and asked, ¡°Dad, President Vladimir said he is going to host a banquet as a sign of gratitude. Are we going?¡± ¡°No, we need to go to the Navarre Duchy first.¡± They haven¡¯t taken down all the Undead. And it wasn¡¯t the time to enjoy banquets either. ¡°Right? Then I will go and inform mom.¡± Nodding, Karen ran over to where Reina was. Sighing to himself, Luke followed his daughter. Chapter 751 - Alliance in Crisis 1 After saving the Volga Republic from the crisis, Luke and his party moved to Navarre Duchy right away. The people of Navarre who had already fled to Veron Mountains were still struggling against the Undead by relying on the rough mountain terrain, however, the construction of the large magic circle didn¡¯t move ahead. For a small nation, they lacked the skills in magic engineering and 7th circle wizards were hard to find in their region. In addition, they didn¡¯t have any Hero class Gigants which could be used instead of highest grade magic stones. ¡°Can¡¯t Symphonia or the Holy Empire support us?¡± When Henry III cried, Luke sighed. Actually, the Navarre Duchy didn¡¯t really lack much in number when compared to the small land they had. The problem was that he had mobilized more Gigants when attacking the Baroque Empire. And it was done with the intent of receiving at least a little more land once the post-war was done, and that was the reason why they didn¡¯t have enough power to defend themselves. ¡®Even in such a situation, he isn¡¯t calling back the Gigant troops he sent¡­¡¯ Henry III had said that calling for his Gigants troops all of sudden would be trouble, however, Luke thought that there might be another reason for that answer. Yet, Luke tried to think for a solution. If it turned out that Henry III was the same as James II of the Castia Kingdom, Luke wouldn¡¯t have the motivation to stand in the Continental Alliance. In any case, Luke supported him with manpower and the supplies necessary for the construction of the magic circle, while closely monitoring the Navarre Duchy. It was all in order to not let things like the Castia one, happened again, the misuse of the magic circle. No force of the Navarre Duchy showed any suspicious movement and were all letting Luke take the lead. Thanks to that, the work for purifying the Undead proceeded without any damage. The 1 million Undead army which invaded the Navarre Duchy were able to escape from the poison and return back as humans. ¡°Thank you, Holy Pope! Majesty Luke! I will never forget the grace shown on us!¡± Henry III bowed and thanked Luke and Reina for saving his nation from the crisis. But that wasn¡¯t the end, Henry sighed and continued. ¡°Thanks to the two of you, the great crisis passed, but it is blinding to get over the aftereffects of the war. In addition, how am I supposed to feed the 1 million Libiya refugees who have turned back to humans¡­¡± Henry III rubbed his hands and looked eagerly at Luke and Reina. His nature to openly request support irritated Luke. ¡®This man, he is still sucking from us. Is he any better than that Castia King?¡¯ It seemed like he was trying to not lose any money, but he did want to save his people. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t easy for a nation¡¯s ruler to show such a sloppy appearance in front of others. ¡°I will try to help the Navarre.¡± When Reina agreed to Henry III¡¯s request, Luke nodded. ¡°We will send aid and food from the Kingdom of Irea to Navarre. However, if it comes to my ears that the aid materials are being used incorrectly, it won¡¯t end well.¡± ¡°Th-that won¡¯t happen!¡± Henry answered with shaking eyes as he saw Luke¡¯s gaze on him. Luke¡¯s eyes were beyond cold and eerie, almost like the eyes of the Devil King. Once the problems of the allies were done, Luke went for the Holy Empire and not Symphonia. It was to have some relaxing time with Reina, who was exhausted from continuously exerting the Spirit Power and Karen who was tired from commanding the large magic circle construction and relay tower. ¡°I plan to stay here for a week.¡± After arriving at the Holy Palace, Luke¡¯s words made Reina¡¯s eyes bright. ¡°You mean, you want to stay with me for a week?¡± ¡°I do. The two of us are a married couple, but due to the circumstances, we were in a mess. I hope to take a break and for us to go out on a date.¡± ¡°Huhu, that sounds nice.¡± Reina¡¯s face turned red. It wasn¡¯t like she didn¡¯t want to spend the time with Luke. But, the situations of the continent and their secret relationship¡ªshe always ended up being thankful to just have an occasional visit. Besides, in recent years the number of women who were yearning for her husband¡¯s love had increased. She even thought of making some concessions for the prosperity of the Symphonia royal family, but she was troubled by it. But when Luke himself said that he wanted to spend some time with her, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Mom, aren¡¯t you happy to go on a date with dad?¡± Karen, who was next to her, teased Reina. ¡°Well, it is nice. Once Karen grows up and has someone who loves you, you will understand your mom¡¯s heart.¡± ¡®Tch, I am all grown up.¡¯ Karen pouted at the words of her mother, who thought she was only a child. But¡­ ¡®I have never done anything like a date till now.¡¯ In the future she disappeared, the only thing which happened was Karen fighting the Lich King, so she didn¡¯t have the luxury to even think about anything else. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that there were no men around her. However, she never felt attracted to them, so she wasn¡¯t sure of loving anyone. Karen decided to leave her parents alone. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have any work so you¡­¡± ¡°I am going to find someone I love, so I can understand mom¡¯s heart.¡± At Karen¡¯s words, Luke jumped at his daughter. ¡°You don¡¯t need to look for anything like that! Even if you are over 20, that isn¡¯t too late!¡± ¡®Dad too¡­ is it because of what happened in Volga?¡¯ The day before Luke went to Navarre Duchy from the Volga Republic, President Vladimir, who came to see them off, said something. ¡°Is that little child over there the princess of the Holy Empire? She seems to be the same age as my son¡­ how does that sound, Holiness? Hopefully, I think they will be a good pair?¡± Reina politely declined the half-joke proposal. She had that thought that marriage was best done with people who understand each other. Had Reina not refused it, and if Vladimir couldn¡¯t read the mood and continue to tease, Luke was thinking of destroying the Volga Republic. ¡°Well, you two have a good time.¡± When Karen left the room with her maids, the two of them were left with a spacious living room. Erwin and the others were staying in separate palaces, so no one would disturb them. ¡°It turned quiet suddenly.¡± ¡°Huhuhu, it has been very noisy for a while, think you can enjoy this quiet time?¡± It was the moment when Luke said that and tried to make a move on Reina. Wooong! Wooong! The crystal ball in Luke¡¯s hand began to vibrate like crazy. ¡°Who is it? Who would send magic communication at this time?¡± The Undead hurdle had passed. There were a few groups of Undead who haven¡¯t been found, but that could be handled by each nation. Even in Libiya Kingdom, where people were turned into zombies and recovered left the nation, leaving the place empty. Rather than provoking or planning something, it would be easy to defeat the remnants of the Veritas and Arsene. It could be done simply by taking a few allies and attacking them. Luke titled his head when he was receiving the communication. When he infused mana into the crystal, the man¡¯s face appeared. It was Arch Duke Gregory, who contacted Luke. -Your Majesty, I am sorry for disturbing you during your rest time, but we are contacting you because of a strange report which came up from the capital defense. ¡°Strange report?¡± -Yes, It was said that an hour back, a patrol team captured a demon who moved near Bless. However, the demon claimed that it belonged to His Majesty Luke, Symphonia King. ¡°What? My vassal?¡± At Luke¡¯s startled question, Gregory nodded. -Even though he was a demon, he had traces of Divine power, so we put him in the underground prison quarters. So, would you like to come and visit? For demons to say they belonged to Luke, could happen. And there were two demons under Luke, Sebastian and Belfair. ¡®If he has Divine power, then it is likely for it to be that Belfair. And if he has come to find me, all the way to Bless¡­¡¯ Luke decided to meet the demon trapped in the prison. Then, Reina, who was looking forward for some quiet time, went sad. ¡°Can¡¯t you go tomorrow?¡± Luke was in a bit of conflict seeing her, but he decided to meet the demon first. ¡°We don¡¯t know what might happen. I¡¯ll go there and come back, so don¡¯t be too sad.¡± Luke, who tried to calm Reina, called for the maid and headed to the capital¡¯s defense command. Chapter 752 - Alliance in Crisis 2 Chapter 752: Alliance in Crisis 2 ¡°Mas¡­ Master¡­¡± A cracking voice with no soul. Luke looked over at the place where the source of voice could be heard, no energy could be felt. The Bat winged demon, whose entire body turned into a mess, was on a hard stone slab. ¡°It was you.¡± The demon which was almost dying was Belfair. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t some random monster, but the problem was the condition of Belfair. He was a vampire and a Sword Master who reached the intermediate level, and Belfair wasn¡¯t the kind to lose even against a strong opponent. Even if he crossed path with a Sword Sage or an 8th circle wizard, he would have safely escaped. Yet, he was on a stone slab with his body turned into pulp. Luke frowned, and immediately tried to heal Belfair¡¯s body. It felt like Belfair was running out of breath. Woong! Magi flowed from Luke¡¯s fingers and absorbed into Belfair¡¯s body. Unfortunately, the Magi wasn¡¯t able to recover Belfair. Rather, when Luke changed the Magi into Divine power, the speed of body regeneration accelerated. ¡°You turned into a very weird one, Belfair.¡± ¡°It is all thanks to Master.¡± Belfair learned the Silver Sword all because of Luke¡¯s pressure and acquired the Divine power in that process. The process of gaining Divine power was painful, but thanks to that, he was able to enter any temple at will. In addition, he killed Meister Albert of Veritas Magic tower with Divine power. ¡®Even this time I barely got out alive because of it.¡¯ When Belfair seemed a little better, Luke went into questioning him. ¡°What the hell happened?¡± Belfair sighed and began to explain. ¡°Well, as ordered by Master, we were looking for the Undead base of Arsene, and we managed to identify that they were beginning to gather significant amounts of jewels and gold ingots and sold them in the black market of Libiya Kingdom.¡± He took his time in telling what he had found out. Kidnapping several black market merchants and asking for information, the jewels which were engraved with the emblem of the Crete royal family which had long disappeared. ¡°But, on the Crete island, where I visited, the most Advanced demon was there guarding the temple alone.¡± ¡°What? An Advanced demon was there?¡± ¡°Yes, that too, a demon which had left the Devildom long back, it was like the Arch Duke of Devildom, Bargosa.¡± From what Luke knew, there were a total of 5 ranks among the demons. There were the Demon King, Arch Duke Demon, Advanced Demon, Intermediate Demon, and Lower Demon. Among them the highest level of the demon tribes or clans was the Arch Duke Demon, which meant after the 7 Demon Kings, the demons of Arch Duke class were the strongest. Most of the time, they were close to the Demon Kings and took on important roles such as escorts or guards. And such a demon was on the Middle earth? That too, was keeping guard to a temple? ¡®Arsene summoned him?¡¯ That was the thought which passed through his head. Due to the understanding and rules made by the Gods long back, the demons couldn¡¯t emerge in Middle earth without a contractor. If so, it meant that someone signed a contract with the demon and called him over. And of course, the only one who could do that was the Lich King, Arsene. ¡°So what happened?¡± ¡°I tried to be as undetectable as possible, but I couldn¡¯t fool the senses of such a top demon. Eventually, my luck ran out and I was in a position of running away.¡± No matter how developed Belfair was, or if he learned Divine power from Luke, there was no way he could win against an Arch Duke Demon. Even though he ran away immediately, he got caught, he fell into the dark thunderstorms created by Bargosa. ¡°If it was me before meeting Master, I would have turned into ashes right away. However, with the slight Divine power in my body, I managed to push back Bargosa causing a fatal injury.¡± ¡°You did well. From here, I¡¯ll do it on my own, so you can rest here and recover.¡± After speaking with Belfair, Luke came out of the prison, and Arch Duke Gregory was waiting. Luke, who noticed that he was listening in on their conversation, wasn¡¯t shocked to see him there. Gregory pointed to the prison. ¡°You have a very weird one in there.¡± ¡°I think that it will be a good example to advertise the greatness of God.¡± ¡°A repenting demon¡­ that was surely unthought of.¡± With a thin smile, yet serious voice, Gregory asked. ¡°Would you want to go to Crete?¡± ¡°I feel like I should.¡± It was surprising that clues related to Arsene came from Crete Island¡ªwhich was located on the other side of the continent and not in the Libiya Kingdom. He couldn¡¯t decide anything else but go. It was suspicious that an Arch Duke Demon was on Crete Island, and what was his relationship with Arsene. If the demon did get summoned by Arsene, it was highly likely that the Undead base was somewhere on Crete Island. ¡®No, even if the undead base is not in there, there could be something very important to the Veritas or Arsene in there.¡¯ Thinking so, when Luke seemed to be ready to move, Gregory seemed bitter. ¡°Her Holiness must be very upset.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t help it. This is an urgent one.¡± No one knew what kind of a plot Arsene or the advanced demon was plotting. However, he couldn¡¯t take Reina with him. It was because she had already used a lot of stamina and Aether to purify the Undead. To replenish the amount used, she had to get a proper rest for at least a month. ¡°The Arch Duke changed quite a lot. In the past, you were displeased whenever I was with Reina.¡± ¡°Of course, I did¡­¡± Gregory, who smiled at Luke¡¯s words, soon continued. ¡°Her Holiness is happy when she is with Your Majesty. I wondered if it was right for me to interfere with you just because of the status she held.¡± ¡°So, you mean to say that you put Reina¡¯s happiness above the national prestige?¡± ¡°I never thought I would say this, but¡­ it seems like I have started to regard Her Holiness as a family, not like my Master, but as my real daughter.¡± ¡®So it was right!¡¯ In fact, he had seen the signs of it. Like being particularly sensitive to Reina-related things, or nagging her like a bride¡¯s father during the secret wedding. Anyway, when he heard that Gregory was standing for Reina, Luke felt the resentment he had towards the Arch Duke wash away. ¡°Which is why I am saying that I will accompany you to Crete.¡± ¡°Arch Duke will?¡± Gregory nodded at Luke¡¯s question. ¡°Your opponent is an Advanced demon. If it is a strong Arch Duke demon, it won¡¯t just have superior strength, but also has plans, so Your Majesty alone can be overwhelmed. But that doesn¡¯t mean that you are going to take the princess with you either.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Which is why I am coming with you. Besides, I can¡¯t just leave the demon walking around the Middle Earth, especially as the Head of Saint Guards.¡± If the Pope represented the head of El Kassel denomination, the Commander of the Saint Guard was tasked with eliminating evils which disturbed the peace of the world like warlocks. At Gregory¡¯s words, Luke was worried. He was thinking of going in alone. He knew that it would be quite a battle with the advanced demon. But hearing Gregory¡¯s words, he changed his mind. Bargosa¡ªthe Arch Duke Demon, was very little known, and there was a possibility for everyone to fall into the demon¡¯s plan. And a Sword Emperor would surely be a great help in such situations. ¡°And even the Firestorm Belik is in Bless right now. And that is surely a very nice help to us.¡± ¡°Belik¡­ he has a lot of dissatisfaction with me, so, I don¡¯t know if he will listen.¡± Belik, the former head of the Volga Royal Guards. He didn¡¯t have any good feelings for the Volga Republic, especially for Duke Dimitry, his rival. So, Luke hated the participation of the Volga Republic in the Alliance and didn¡¯t even participate in the Baroque beheading expedition on the pretext of being sick. However, because Reina was favorable to the Volga Republic he didn¡¯t speak out on it. Instead, he would train the Red Wolf Knights or the Saint Guards while traveling between Albertville and Bless. Thanks to that, young knights were being recruited. ¡°Whether Belik accepts it or not, we have to move fast. If it is known that they noticed our movements, they may go into hiding.¡± ¡°But he can surely try to cope with the presence of Your Majesty¡­ we need to move.¡± However, Luke¡¯s trip to Crete didn¡¯t take place. The next day, a very surprising news came to them. ¡°We have a problem, Your Majesty! Last night, Cartago, the trading port city of Castia Kingdom, turned into a sea of fire!¡± ¡°What was that?!¡± While having breakfast with Reina and the others, Luke was delivered the news. ¡°Explain it in detail.¡± Luke put down the knife and fork in his hand and listened to the messenger for a detailed explanation. The messenger began to explain in detail about what he received. ¡°Huh?! The Cartago city was annihilated last night after being attacked by unidentified monsters¡­!¡± Cartago was the second-largest city and the economic center of the Castia Kingdom. They couldn¡¯t believe that such a huge city got wiped out in a matter of a few years. ¡°Dad, Cartago would have had a huge number of Gigants and soldiers stationed in there, right?¡± At Karen¡¯s question, Luke nodded. ¡°I know. Wasn¡¯t there any word about who it might be?¡± ¡°Well, that is why the Castia royal family urgently dispatched an investigation team, but there was no word about discovering the identity of the monsters.¡± ¡®Hm¡­ who could?¡¯ Just after overcoming the tremendous hurdle of the Undead riots, another problem came! Luke contemplated for a moment and came with the most possible suspect. ¡®There is a high possibility that it is Arsene. But does he have that level of skill?¡¯ The Castia royal family couldn¡¯t identify the culprit. In other words, it meant that Cartago was quickly destroyed that even the attackers couldn¡¯t be identified. There were hundreds of thousands of people in the city and at least a thousand troops, yet nothing was done. ¡®It wasn¡¯t like that when Arsene attacked Enbury. That too, in front of the capital.¡¯ If so, Arsene must have been a lot stronger than then, or maybe he had other powerful people by his side. Thinking so, the first thing which crossed Luke¡¯s mind was the advanced Undead, as well as the demon Belfair had talked about¡ªBargosa. With that level of power, it seemed possible to destroy Cartago in a matter of seconds. ¡°Any calls from the Castia royal family?¡± ¡°Uh, no. this news was relayed to us by our intelligence officers.¡± At the messenger¡¯s report, Luke frowned. James II had an emotional driven goal during the annihilation of the Undead army. However, when such a mess happened in the center of his nation, it wasn¡¯t convincing enough that he didn¡¯t contact his allies. It could be because of pride, but from Luke¡¯s opinion, this situation didn¡¯t call for one showing pride. With his head down, Luke pulled out the crystal ball and tried to call the Castia royal family. Despite sending the signal, there was no response. It seemed like the call wasn¡¯t answered on purpose. ¡®F*cking stupid bastard!¡¯ Luke, who was swearing at James II, spoke to Reina, who had been looking at him. ¡°I think I need to head to Castia.¡± ¡°Ugh, this is¡­¡± Reina sighed with a sad expression. She really thought that she would get to spend some time with Luke, but new troubles kept coming in. ¡°Be careful, I don¡¯t feel bad.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will be safe.¡± Luke reassured Reina and looked over at Karen. ¡°Protect your mom for me.¡± Karen wanted to follow her father, but at Luke¡¯s words, her intention collapsed. It was because her mother was still exhausted mentally, and all her Aether was used to defeat the Undead, so it needed time for her to recover. Erwin and the two princesses also wanted to follow, but they were rejected too. An hour later, Luke set out for the Castia Kingdom with just Arch Duke Gregory and Belik. Chapter 753 - Alliance in Crisis 3 Chapter 753: Alliance in Crisis 3 Castia Kingdom was located to the southeast of the Rhodesia Continent. It shared borders with the Irea Kingdom and the west of Symphonia, north of the Holy Empire, and the seaside of the Grenada Kingdom, which held a transportation hub. Perhaps, that was why the trade had developed in the past, and with the money earned, they would develop various commerce industries and became a wealthy nation. As wealthy as the nation was, it held strong military power and had a history of repelling the Baroque troops from invasion. Zaragoza, the capital of the Castia Kingdom, was a place that was bustling with wealthy places. With a large population, which had almost reached 1 million, they didn¡¯t know that the lights wouldn¡¯t go out even late at night. That day, the royal capital, was brighter and a lot hotter than other days. ¡°Kuak!¡± ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°S-save the people!¡± The city, which enjoyed its dazzling prosperity, turned into a mess. Screams were erupting from everywhere. Groans and cries could be heard all over the streets where joyful laughter and songs were supposed to be heard. ¡°A monster! Run away!¡± ¡°What the hell are the troops doing!?¡± Death Knights wandered around and swung their swords. Some of them were stronger than Gigants and destroyed the walls and buildings. They were also killing people by stepping onto them. Those people, who got cut down or stepped on, were the best ones. Those who turned into the Undead because of the black magic of the Lich would go and attack their families or relatives who were around until they suffered. There was no exception, either humans or animals. It was as if they were trying to get rid of all the living things. ¡°Your Majesty, the inner wall has collapsed!¡± ¡°We have lost contact with the soldiers guarding the south residential area, Danube.¡± ¡°Fisher legion is also requesting to retreat.¡± Royal Palace of Castia Kingdom. James II wasn¡¯t able to stay alert with all the reports and messages coming in from all directions. Every possible way seemed to have been blocked and was hard to believe. ¡°Who the hell is it? What kind of bastards are attacking us?!¡± James II asked the ministers who were there in the room along with him. The first report that Zaragoza was under attacked got reported 2 hours ago. There was already an incident where Cartago got attacked by unknown enemies and got annihilated, and instead of having a good time with his multiple girlfriends, he was holding a meeting with his ministers late at night. In the meantime, the royal capital was said to be attacked and immediately sent in the defense troops and the central troops in surrounding areas to be dispatched. They were all under the impression that with their power, they would be able to defeat the enemies. In the royal capital alone, there were 200 Gigants, two Sword Masters, and an 8th circle Meister of the Royal Magic Tower. But the situation turned out to be a lot more different than what had been expected. There was no response from the central troops deployed near the capital. Even if they weren¡¯t being able to be contacted, they figured the troops would move right away after seeing the flames in the city, but when no new report came, it seemed like the troops had already been hit by the enemy. Over 200 Gigants were smashed by the giant Death Knights or were taken down by the Meteor strike falling from the sky and turned into scrap metal. It was the same with the high-ranking Sword Master Count Roma and the Meister of the Royal Magic Tower, who represented the kingdom. They also got defeated. The strength of the enemies, Count Roma, the head of the Knights and the National Guard, broke down before even entering the Gigant for a fight. The defeat of Count Roma was a huge shock to the National Guard. The morale of the knights plummeted, and they began to be passive in defensive warfare and collapsed like sandcastles. Even the troops that were dispatched to defend the area and defense lines of the city too collapsed right away. ¡°How about requesting assistance from the allies?¡± The court wizard, who was holding the crystal ball, answered the question of James II. ¡°We have been contacting the other nations, even King Luke of Symphonia, but the communication isn¡¯t working. Perhaps, the enemies are disturbing the communication.¡± ¡°Kuek, damn it!¡± If the communication was being messed with, then there was no way to even get the situation reports from other units. Now they knew how Cartago got wiped out without even a single information coming out of there. ¡°If the magic isn¡¯t working, can¡¯t we send in messengers?¡± ¡°I have already sent them, but¡­¡± The wizard felt horrible about finishing the statement, and James II began to feel lost. Was this all really happening? Was it just another terrible nightmare? The vice commanders of the Knights approached him and spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, you need to go.¡± Currently, there were 80 Gigants and a few troops around the Royal Palace, but the vice commander¡¯s judgment was that they couldn¡¯t stop the enemy anymore. The fact that James II had to abandon his palace and runaway was a huge humiliation. But if he survived, wouldn¡¯t he get a chance for revenge? ¡°An escape plan?¡± ¡°The messenger said that the teleport gate is fine. You get there from the secret passage in the palace.¡± ¡°Okay, we will escape immediately¡­¡± It was when King James II was about to make a decision¡­ Kwang-! Along with a terrifying roar, the palace began to shake. ¡°Wh-what?!¡± The startled ministers screamed when a knight entered the room. ¡°We are in trouble! The Gigants and knights who were guarding the palace got wiped out by the wide-area attack of the enemy wizard!¡± ¡°What?!¡± How strong would the wizard have to be to take down 30 Gigants and 200 knights at once? ¡°Your Majesty, follow me right now!¡± The vice commander, who thought that plans had to be implemented right away, took James II to the secret passage. The secret passage was connected to the underground channel that brought water to the palace. The underground waterway was connected to another point in the city, the place where the teleport gate was located. However, James II and his party got stopped before they could even move 10 meters away from the palace. ¡°Not possible!¡± Perhaps, it was because of the enemy¡¯s attack, but the passage was broken. ¡®If I knew this would happen, I would have moved the teleport gate into the Royal Palace!¡¯ James II regretted his decision. Zaragoza¡¯s teleport gate was near the central square and not in the palace. It was because the previous king didn¡¯t like the teleport gate in the palace. His argument was, what if an enemy nation sent in an assassin. The former king, Sean, who was as much of a playboy as James, moved the teleport gate to the central square and built a separate palace where his girlfriends would stay. The other officials would always ask for the place to be changed, but neither the past nor the current king listened to them. They never thought that Zaragoza would be attacked. ¡®It was my fault. I should have asked my allies and King Luke for help!¡¯ He regretted distancing himself from the alliance because of what he did with the Undead and his high sense of pride, and now things were irreversible. ¡°En-enemy!¡± At the guard¡¯s shout, everyone¡¯s eyes turned in the guard¡¯s direction. There were less than 10 people, and no one believed that they could defeat the Death Knight or Lich. ¡°Huauhua!¡± A bleak laugh escaped James II¡¯s mouth. On a hill overlooking Zaragoza. A man was standing with his robes flapping due to the night breeze. He was the Lich King, Arsene. ¡°Kuakuka, kill everyone and destroy everything! Nothing should be alive by tomorrow morning! Man or animal!¡± His eyes, which were giving out the instruction, were cold. Arsene came over to Castia by boat from the west coast of the Libiya Kingdom as soon as his Undead making was done. He wanted to kill his old enemy, Luke, right away. But there was a small change in plans. Before killing Luke, he decided to remove his allies first. And the first one was the Castia Kingdom. There was no Sword Sage or any famous wizard there, but the nation had great money and advanced magic engineering. In addition, Castia Kingdom was the place where his descendant, Zehart, was living after breaking Libiya¡¯s finance. So Castia was decided to be the first one. ¡°Master, we have slaughtered all the humans in the residential and urban areas.¡± An advanced Lich approached him and reported. ¡°You did well. No one ran away, right?¡± ¡°Yes, it is impossible to escape with all the zombies spreading outside the city.¡± ¡°Kuek, then the only place left is the Royal Palace.¡± In the center of the city. The Royal Palace of Castia. There were Guards, the Central Army, who had retreated over there and were protecting King James II. Hundreds of guards and over 80 Gigants were on stand by, but it was just a matter of time before they got annihilated. There was no way they could stop an advanced Death Knight, and the Knight class Gigant got smashed one after another. It was natural that it couldn¡¯t be prevented. The advanced Death Knight¡¯s combat power was close to a Sword Emperor. Moreover, the Sword Master, Count Roma, and the Meister of the Royal Magic Tower, who were the pride of Castia, were already dead. ¡°When the battle is done, pull out the Undead. Don¡¯t miss a single one. It will be tough if Luke knows who we are.¡± Arsene didn¡¯t want to reveal the Undead army until all of Luke¡¯s allies were killed. After receiving a report saying that the 11 million Undead army were cleansed in less than 2 months, Arsene thought that he should be more careful when dealing with Luke. ¡®I hate to admit it, but he did end up turning dangerous to me.¡¯ But, in the morning when the sun rose, the palace would turn quiet. All those who resisted would be annihilated. Arsene, who turned a city of 1 million people into a graveyard, ordered for withdrawal. Well, he tried to order. Wheeing! A wave of familiar magic was detected in the vicinity of the palace. It was the wavelength that the teleport magic was triggered, an eerie smile caught Arsene¡¯s mouth, sensing the wavelength. ¡°Oh my, an uninvited guest has appeared.¡± It seemed like an unwanted man had entered the city. The identity of the man was someone Arsene knew very well. ¡®I want to play with you right now, but it isn¡¯t time yet.¡¯ As a response, Arsene ordered his Lich to withdraw right away. ¡°Kuek! Wait a little longer, Luke! I will kill you in the most miserable way!¡± With those words, Arsene disappeared from the hill. Chapter 754 - Pursuit and Counterattack 1 ¡°Oh my god¡­!¡± Luke and his party who arrived in Zaragoza were startled after seeing the scene around them. The entire capital, including the throne palace, where the teleport gate was installed was looking like a sea of fire, and the corpses that were burnt or slashed were scattered all around the place. It was hard to find even a living bird or animal, let alone a person. All Luke could hear was the noise of buildings burning and collapsing. Every living being seemed to have been destroyed. Not just Luke, even Gregory and Belik, who had the bravest hearts on the battlefield, were shocked at the terrible landscape in front of their eyes. ¡°This is, not even children are¡­¡± ¡°How the hell did all this happen!?¡± The three men were angry while looking at the horrors in front of them and rushed to the Royal palace of Castia. However, the Royal Palace didn¡¯t seem to be any better. The Royal Palace, which seemed to have been taken down by a wide area magic, had more than half of its walls destroyed, and the bodies of nobles and knights, even the maids of the palace were scattered everywhere. ¡°The bodies still feel warm. It seems like this happened just a while back.¡± At Belik¡¯s words, Luke nodded. ¡°There is also some magi traces left here.¡± ¡°Magi? So, this is the work of warlocks?¡± ¡°No doubt about it. There is only one person who can cause such a tragedy.¡± It had to be Arsene. Although there were traces of Magi being erased in the city, Luke¡¯s black magic was of higher level, so he managed to detect it. And there was another reason why Luke was convinced after sensing the Magi. The energy of the Dragonian, Shaikan, could be felt, Luke¡¯s face went hard when he thought about it. ¡®It seems that Arsene didn¡¯t just steal Shaikan¡¯s body. He even stole the power of the Dragonian he possesses.¡¯ With that in mind, he could guess how the Royal Palace and the nation could be destroyed in no time. Probably, before the attack, Arsene had blocked the communication tools and made it impossible to contact the other areas. And he must have made some Undead. Here, with the power of Dragonian, he might have used a wide area magic and destroyed everything. ¡®But, why attack Castia? Is this a retaliation for the Undead army¡¯s end? But I was the one who stopped the Undead, so why Castia?¡¯ The Castia Kingdom had annihilated 2 million Undead. However, it was Luke who purged them in the Navarre Duchy and the Volga Republic along with his own Symphonia Kingdom. He was the one who gave the other nations the large magic circle and relay tower and treated the Undead. ¡°Your Majesty, over here.¡± Luke, who was deep in his thought, moved at the words of Arch Duke Gregory. Arch Duke Gregory was near a half collapsed building, and when Luke went close, he pointed to one side. There seemed to be a man with his open arms stuck to the wall of the building. The man, whose mouth was wide open in shock, had all his intestines taken out. He was King James II of the Castia Kingdom. His face distorted after death with all of his blood on the wall and floor. The fear and pain he felt during his death seemed to be excruciating. ¡®To kill a king of a nation like this!¡¯ Even if one was being driven by emotional goals, his opponent was a king. Luke didn¡¯t like what was done to King James II. ¡°Your Majesty, it would be better to take down his body and bury it somewhere.¡± ¡°I know. It shouldn¡¯t be burnt with the city or turn into food for animals¡­¡± The three of them recovered the body of James II and buried it near the temple grounds. If they could, they would have buried all the people in Zaragoza. However, with just the three of them, it was impossible to bury all of the people. Luke unfolded magic and called for rain to extinguish the fire in the city. He also contacted the other Lords of Castia in the other estates to fix the capital. ¡°I know that James II had no children, but is there anyone else who would be the King of Castia?¡± Arch Duke Gregory, who contemplated Luke¡¯s question, came up with an answer. ¡°The closest to the Royal family will be Arch Duke Wallace, the Lord of the East. He is the third son of King Alfred, the grandfather of James II.¡± ¡°Duke Wallace won¡¯t do, the man is too old.¡± Belik was the one who opposed Gregory¡¯s words. ¡°But if you put up the wrong man as the king, the people would turn suspicious about the pope or His Majesty. They might think that we are trying to devour the Castia Kingdom by placing our man.¡± ¡°Surely, that might come up¡­ But, Arch Duke Wallace is not king material, senior. I used to be a mercenary under that man in the past, and he was very lazy and didn¡¯t care about politics.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, instead of the Arch Duke, I would rather expect his eldest son to take over. Instead of the Arch Duke, he leads his retainers and their government affairs.¡± Belik was from a different nation, and his age was quite similar to Gregory, so he talked without holding back. It was because, after the marriage between Luke and Reina, they would often meet in the Holy Palace, and the two men got close. So, they were calling each other senior and junior. ¡°Rather, where did the ones who destroyed this place go to?¡± ¡°Well, they should have moved to their next target, right?¡± At Gregory¡¯s answer, Belik grunted. ¡°Of course they are out looking for their next target. The question is, where is the next target? While we are here, another city might be on fire.¡± What could the next target of the monsters who destroyed Cartago and Zaragoza be? Was there another city in the Castia Kingdom or was it another Kingdom of the alliance, or was Symphonia Kingdom next? ¡°Where do you think is their next target?¡± At Belik¡¯s question, Gregory gave it a good thought and answered, ¡°I think it is Gulem, another city to the North of Castia Kingdom.¡± ¡°Why do you think they would go there?¡± ¡°They first attack Cartago in the south. Then, Zaragoza of the center north.¡± ¡°They might be moving north?¡± ¡°Yes, Cartago, Zaragoza, and Gulem are all connected by the central road lines. Gulem is a commercial city that trades with the Holy Empire and has both military and administrative center of the northern estates.¡± If Gulem was to be taken down, then Castia would never rise again. Even to Gregory, Belik¡¯s words seemed right. If the enemy¡¯s intention was to make the alliance collapse, then the possibility of attacking the large cities like Gulem would destroy the nations. Gregory frowned upon thinking about it. That was when Luke spoke, ¡°I don¡¯t think that could be.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Belik asked right away. ¡°Although Gulem is a huge city, it wouldn¡¯t bring many benefits to the monsters by attacking it. It would be better to cross the border and attack either the Holy Empire or the Symphonia.¡± The Castia Kingdom, which had its Royal Palace and the capital destroyed, including James II, meant there was no place for it in the Continental Alliance. It was because the nation would be in a mess trying to figure out the next king and fixing the damages. If Luke was Arsene, he would choose a nation other than Castia. ¡°Oh, Your Majesty. Can¡¯t you trace their tracks? Did you read their Magi a while back?¡± At Arch Duke Gregory¡¯s question, Luke shook his head with a heavy sigh. ¡°I tried to do it a while back, trace their Magi path, but after some point, the trail gets cut off.¡± In addition to tracing the black magic, he even tried to trace the Dragonian energy wave, but everything got cut off after 10 kilometers to the north. ¡°Tch, the strongest Rune Knight couldn¡¯t even use his tracking magic properly¡­¡± Belik groaned by criticizing Luke. It was almost as if he still had a bone to pick against Luke. ¡°Ugh! Stop, Belik! Be polite to His Majesty!¡± At Gregory¡¯s words, belik shot back. ¡°Senior, I am Luke¡¯s stepfather. Can¡¯t a father curse his own son?¡± There was a time when Luke pretended to be Belik¡¯s son to disguise his identity. Thanks to that, everyone got deceived, but Belik, who was supposed to be dead, appeared and turned into Luke¡¯s stepfather. ¡°Nobody knows that. However, aren¡¯t we in a situation where our own allies are being attacked? I don¡¯t think it is time to criticize or complain about our allies just because of our personal opinion.¡± ¡°Yeah, fine. I am shutting my mouth.¡± Gregory silenced Belik and bowed to Luke as an apology. It was because it was Gregory who called Belik along with them. ¡°It is fine. Rather, as Belik said, we need to find out where they are. And we need to be prepared for a possible next attack.¡± Luke sent a magic communication to the Symphonia Kingdom and ordered all the intelligence agents to focus on finding Arsene and the Undead Legion. In addition, he instructed the entire army to be prepared for a possible attack on them and to regularly be in contact with other units. Arch Duke Gregory too contacted the Holy Empire and asked for the same orders to be followed. ¡°We need to communicate this to our other allies.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± At Gregory¡¯s words, Luke¡¯s first call was to Volga Republic. After hearing about the annihilation of Cartago, President Vladimir was shocked, and the incident of Zaragoza turned him stiff. No one ever thought that the Cartago could be attacked like that. But even Zaragoza, the capital of the kingdom, which had great military power, collapsed overnight! -Who do you think is doing this, Your Majesty? You don¡¯t think that it is the same person who created the Undead from the Libiya Kingdom, right? ¡°I think it was the same person.¡± -Then, let¡¯s attack the Libiya Kingdom. The troops dispatched in Baroque will be enough to capture that place. Vladimir wasn¡¯t trying to attack the Libiya Kingdom because of the estates or any resentment because of the Undead. It was because he judged that if a main camp got attacked, the enemy wouldn¡¯t be able to attack them any longer. -Currently, the Libiya Kingdom is no different than being empty. Many of the people turned Undead and are currently staying as refugees in our nations, and the military force there might be poor due to financial deterioration. ¡°I know that too.¡± The weakening of the Libiya army was guided by Luke, so he knew about it. But¡­ ¡®Will Arsene come back to protect the main camp with only his vessel left?¡¯ A skeptical thought passed his mind. Still, even if it had a 1 percent chance, Luke wanted to try. The Undead army was cleared, so they decided to invade the Libiya Kingdom. ¡°I will order Marquis Rogers who is in Baroque.¡± -Okay. We will bring in troops to the south too. After ending the magic communication with the Volga Republic, Luke contacted the Navarre Duchy and the Irea Kingdom, informed the danger, and request small support near the Libiya Kingdom. After talking to them, Luke went back to Bless along with his party. Rather than staying in Castia, it seemed better to stay in Bless while gathering information and contacting people. ¡°Dad, you came back!¡± Although they were contacted by Gregory, Reina and Karen could understand how worse the situation was from just Luke¡¯s face. ¡°Was there no survivor?¡± ¡°Unfortunately¡­¡± ¡°How horrible!¡± Reina, who was shocked, began to prey for the victims. Luke was looking at her while she was praying when the crystal ball in his hand began to vibrate. ¡®No!¡¯ Luke pulled out the crystal ball. The place where the communication was coming from was Brandon, the capital of Symphonia. Prime Minister Hans seemed to be tense while he was speaking. ¡°What is it? Did the enemy reach there?¡± -No, that isn¡¯t it¡­ It was said that reinforcements from the Song and Yemaek have just arrived at Lamer. ¡°Is that it? Make sure we¡¯re hospitable toward them.¡± A sigh reputed from Luke¡¯s mouth. It wasn¡¯t the worst situation he had imagined in which Brandon and other cities of Symphonia got destroyed. After a few more words, Luke asked Hans who was still looking at him. ¡°Prime Minister, is there anything else to report?¡± -¡­ None. Please look after yourself. Finally, the call was cut. Luke immediately noticed what Hans was trying to ask. ¡®The situation is turning serious, so he must have wanted to ask me to come back home.¡¯ Luke was the King of Symphonia. However, because of an emergency, he had to go to Bless instead of his palace. Luke went to Bless and Brandon because his family lived in Bless, but he wasn¡¯t qualified when it came to being a king. Yet, Hans never said anything. He always wished for Luke to be safe. ¡®Maybe I am the wrong person when it comes to taking responsibility for being a king¡­¡¯ Luke was feeling bitter. He continued to contact his retainers and monitor the situation of Symphonia. One day had passed, and soon, the next day came. On the third day, a significant piece of information came in. ¡°Your Majesty, I got a call from a priest who works in the central of Irea and said a suspicious group of people crossed the sky and headed for the Angara.¡± ¡°It must be them! Let¡¯s hurry to Angara!¡± At Gregory¡¯s words, Luke led the Saint Guards and the Holy Imperial army to Irea Kingdom¡¯s capital. Chapter 755 - Pursuit and Counterattack 2 Luke was in a hurry to head over to Angara, the capital of Irea Kingdom. It was because if the Angara got destroyed, a huge blow would come for the continental alliance. However, Irea didn¡¯t have a long-distance teleport gate. It wasn¡¯t a decision taken by the King and his men, rather it was due to the lack of funds in the nation. It wasn¡¯t called the Kingdom of seclusion for nothing. ¡®Damn it, in such urgent situations¡­!¡¯ First, Luke moved his troops and supplies as far as he could with teleport magic and then hurried up the match. ¡®At any cost, the Angara needs to endure the battle, just till we arrive¡­¡¯ The King of Irea, Charles was already informed of Arsene and the Undead legion heading over there. He did propose the idea of evacuation, but Charles didn¡¯t like it. -Our Irea Royal family has never run away from enemies, not once in history. Of course, probably because we held a neutral stand all through the generation, there were very few enemies invading. Charles, who said that with a blunt expression, said that he would try to block them as much as possible. Seeing that Luke couldn¡¯t hold back his emotions. ¡°The enemy coming over there is not an ordinary one! He is the Lich King, Arsene, he created a large army of Undead and has been alive for over 500 years!¡± -Even if the opponent is a demon, we are not going to withdraw and evacuate. ¡°Look here, King Charles! This isn¡¯t the time to act so stubborn!¡± Despite Luke¡¯s repeated warnings, Charles cut off the magic communication, saying that he wouldn¡¯t withdraw. That only made Luke¡¯s heart more irritated. ¡°I don¡¯t get it¡­ why is he being so useless?!¡± ¡°Irea men are usually like that. They are more stubborn and open to outsiders easily.¡± When Belik was talking about the nature of Irea, Arch Duke Gregory, who was beside him asked. ¡°Your Majesty, can Irea really stop the enemies?¡± Luke shook his head, not needing any time to think. ¡°The Castia Kingdom, which is a lot stronger than the Irea Kingdom, couldn¡¯t stop a couple of Lich and Death Knight. It is only a matter of time before Angara gets ruined too.¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be better than Castia defending, I mean, we informed them in advance, right?¡± ¡°I hope they end up doing something good¡­¡± Gregory, who looked at the skeptical expression on Luke¡¯s face, gave orders to the Saint Guard. ¡°Raise the speed of the march! The people of Angara are in danger!¡± ¡°Yes, Sire!¡± The members of Saint Guard shouted at once and moved quickly on the horses they were riding. At present, Gregory had around 1,000 Saint Guards and 3,000 Knights of the Imperial Army, and 200 Gigants. The knights were all on the horses, while the Gigants are on their trailers. Reina lent the troops gathered in Bless, and because of that, Luke contacted the Symphonia Kingdom and asked for troops to be dispatched. Since the Symphonia Kingdom and the Irea Kingdom were neighbors, if their 4th squad of army moved, they would reach Angara a lot sooner than expected. They ran for two full days to save time, but they hadn¡¯t met Arsene or his legion, instead what they saw was. Burning buildings in Angara and the bodies which had fallen to the ground and burnt. Arch Duke Gregory, who took in the entire scene of the city of death, sighed. ¡°We, we were too late!¡± ¡°Damn it, senior! This is all because of the warlocks, I want to punch him down as soon as possible!¡± At Belik¡¯s words, Gregory shook his head. ¡°Not all warlocks are evil. Didn¡¯t warlocks of the Black Tower help in purifying the Undead troops?¡± ¡°Well, that is becau¡­¡± Gregory was shocked at the words he spoke. If it was his past version, he would never be defending the warlocks, he would have used his sword instead of his brain. That change was all because of Reina and Luke. ¡°Your Majesty, let¡¯s go to the Royal Palace.¡± Looking at the horrors of the city, Luke walked to the palace. The city was ruined, but there still could be some survivors. Gregory ordered the Holy Empire to search the city and followed Luke. The situation was the same for the Royal Palace¡ªall burnt and smashed. The battle was quite fierce, and there were many bodies along with broken Gigants and soldiers everywhere. The regrettable thing was all the common people who fled to the palace died. ¡°This is weird.¡± Belik, who was looking around, opened his mouth. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± At Belik¡¯s words, Luke asked what was so weird. ¡°In Castia, not just humans, but even the livestock were killed. The same seems to have happened, but¡­ I can¡¯t see the body of a horse or a single cow.¡± ¡®Now that one mentions, I can¡¯t see any wagons. Not even a body of children.¡¯ Maybe King Charles was evacuating the capital by using wagons and took out the children first. As he thought about it, Luke who was shocked felt a little relieved. ¡°Well, we need to find the whereabouts of Arsene and his minions.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Belik nodded. ¡°That is the priority. Even with the power of the alliance, we need to find out where they are first.¡± It was obvious that if the sacrifice of people went larger and couldn¡¯t be dealt with by the military, then the alliance would break. And if the alliance broke, everyone would be dedicated to saving their own nations. ¡®Before that happens, we need to grab them!¡¯ It was when Luke made up his mind. He went to hear what the report of the Saint Guards was. Luke and his party went over to the royal palace¡¯s throne room. The body of King Charles was in the room. As if he was fighting till the end, his hand still held the sword, even in a situation where both his legs were cut off, and then the neck. But what caught everyone¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t the body of the brave King, but the words written in blood, on the wall. Luke, keep this in mind. You struggled to follow me here. The next turn will be Brandon, your place, stop me if you can. ¡®Did he know I was coming?¡¯ Well, not one or two, but 4,000 troops had moved, so Arsene might have noticed. And he was right. Arsene did change his strategy after realizing that Luke was pursuing him. ¡°What are you thinking? We need to go to Brandon right now!¡± When Luke, who read the words, went stiff, Belik took charge. Brandon was Luke¡¯s base, and it was the political capital of the alliance. Including nearly 1.5 million people, there were Guard Knights, Black Tower, and the Katarina magic tower, and the other key forces in the Symphonia Kingdom were gathered. In addition, there were nobles who were their allies in there, all the students in the Academy, and the heads of the fairies. If that place was devastated, the other cities of the alliance would be next. Which meant that Arsene had to be stopped. ¡°Your Majesty. Belik is right. Call the Symphonia Palace right away and give an order to prepare for the battle!¡± Gregory was on the verge of running to Brandon taking all his Saint Guard troops and Holy Empire forces. He was extremely angry with the brutality of Arsene and his legion. But somehow, Luke who should be the most hurried, was standing still and locked in thoughts. After a while, he opened his mouth. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like Brandon is the goal.¡± ¡°Sorry? What does that mean?¡± Gregory couldn¡¯t understand. So, Luke laid it out for him. ¡°If Arsene had thought of hitting Brandon, he would have attacked it first. He knows that attacking Brandon can do more damage to me than the allies.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°It seems like a trick to send me somewhere else.¡± ¡°Think this is a trickery?¡± ¡°Right. The trick of sending me to Brandon and then attacking the other places.¡± There was a military phrase in the Southern continent. It meant that to burn the west and attack the east, it was a tactic used very often on the battlefield. Arsene¡¯s real target wasn¡¯t Brandon. So, where was Arsene going to attack? Luke, who pondered over it, realized something. He shouted to Gregory and Belik. ¡°Bless! Bless is in danger!¡± ¡°What? What are you saying?¡± ¡°Yes, why suddenly Bless? It is well guarded by the Saint Guards and the Imperial troops¡­¡± Belik¡¯s expression hardened. Half of the forces were currently in Irea. No, more than half were with them. And they even mobilized more than 70% of the Gigant from the Bless to save Angara. For that very reason, Bless was in the most difficult state to stop even if someone other than Arsene attacked. ¡°Give us the order now! Hurry!¡± ¡°Yes, Majesty!¡± Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Arch Duke Gregory hastened to order the Saint Guard. The Holy Imperial troops who marched for Angara, without sleep, once again began to run for Bless. Du-Du-Du-Du-Du-! During the return, Luke constantly tried to contact. He didn¡¯t intend to stop the plan. He decided to use it as an opportunity to catch him. To do it, a few people had to be moved, and the core forces of the continental allies had to be gathered in Bless. ¡®Wait a little more Arsene! Bless is what will finish you!¡¯ Luke, who grunted his teeth, used his Divine power to heal the fatigue of the horses and riders. Chapter 756 - Pursuit and Counterattack 3 The time of darkness filled with silence. Pitch darkness filled over the sky of Bless, the capital of the Holy Empire. Suspicious human-like figures were appearing one after another in the dark sky as if they all belonged to the Devildom. The last one to make an appearance was a warlock in grey robes with gold leaf patterns. It was Arsene, who was leading the Undead legion. ¡°Kuek, is this the capital of the Holy Empire?¡± It was a place he had never set foot in his entire life. The Divine power was trouble for black magic, and even Arsene, the strongest warlock on the continent, found it had to go against the High-priests and the Saint Guards. ¡°But all that is only till today! I have advanced Undead who won¡¯t be affected by Divine power!¡± In addition to the advanced Undead, Arsene had the Dragonian power. There was no longer any need for him to fear the priests. ¡®The reason why Bless was the scariest place was because of the Divine power holders present in it. Each of its temples and sanctuaries are enshrined with relics, and they bring together faith and exert power.¡¯ But what good does the relics do? Since Bless was a place where humans live, it was natural for humans to lose faith, and the Divine power wouldn¡¯t even fill the streets with loss of faith in people. As an example of that, the Holy Empire hadn¡¯t been given even an oracle for 300 years. And as the oracles didn¡¯t come, the cardinals began to elect their Pope through conclave. But, Veronica III, the current Pope was crowned without even going through the conclave, and civil war broke out due to the injustice and confrontation of some other denominations. It was the zombie disease that was spread by Archbishop Constantine, which created a loss of faith. During the spread of disease, Constantine got tricked by Arsene and secretly spread the zombie disease, and referred to himself as the God¡¯s chosen one. Calling himself the savior of humans and choosing one of the God, he gathered followers. Although the event failed to shake the Holy Empire as it was supposed to, Arsene was convinced. That the Holy Empire would fall. Ever since that time, Veronica III had implemented reform policies to stabilize the livelihood and national power of the people, but the faith and belief of the people didn¡¯t increase. In the past, even the warlocks who were killed right away in the Holy Empire were being taken under the wing of the Holy Empire. In other words, the Holy Empire was working like any other ordinary nation. And to put a stop to the history of the fallen Holy Empire, Arsene decided to end it. ¡°My faithful ones! Destroy the followers of God and cut the breath of Luke and that stubborn Pope!¡± Arsene, who ordered them descended towards Bless with Advanced Undead. The reason he tricked Luke was because of Reina. It was necessary to deal with her as soon as possible, she was called an Angel because of the Divine power she held and the mysterious power which was able to cure the zombies back to humans. Most of all Veronica III¡¯s identity was Princess Reina, Luke¡¯s lover. That fact alone made her into the 1st target for Arsene, and the opportunity was right in front of him. ¡®I should have killed that woman long back¡­ well, now isn¡¯t too late either. By killing that Pope bitch, Luke will go crazy! Kuekkk!¡¯ No, just killing didn¡¯t seem to end it. He planned on making her into an Undead just to see how Luke would react. Arsene, who descended to Bless, accelerated the Black Circle to unfold magic. He prepared a gorgeous yet powerful one to announce his emergence in the city and the existence of the Undead. Wheeing! The moment the Black Circle was rotating in his head, a bullet of light flew in from the ground. ¡®No!¡¯ In a hurry, Arsene canceled the magic and tried to deploy the shield. But, there was someone who was a lot quicker in movement when compared to him. Bang-! A bullet of light exploded on the shield of the Lich and soon turned into an explosion. The light was so intense that some of the lesser Undead around him melted away. ¡°Kue, no¡­!¡± Arsene, who managed to escape the crisis in a slight difference, frowned. Thanks to the Lich who threw himself in front of Arsene, he managed to survive out of it. However, shield magic had melted because of the light, and the Lich which was hit directly by the light turned into ashes. If it was a normal attack, not just an Advanced Lich, but even an intermediate Lich would have survived. Which meant that the bullet had Divine power. And from what Arsene knew, there was exactly one person on Middle-earth who could use such a skill. ¡°Luke, you!¡± Just as Arsene was screaming in anger, Luke appeared in front of him. ¡°Welcome to Bless, Arsene.¡± At Luke¡¯s sarcastic words, Arsene yelled. ¡°It was you! Thought you would have gone to Brandon right away!¡± ¡°I must look very easy to fool, Arsene. If you were really trying to trick me, you shouldn¡¯t have left that note in Angara.¡± If Arsene hadn¡¯t left behind that note to provoke Luke, he wouldn¡¯t have had any idea where the next target was. However, Arsene left the note and gave Luke a reason to find out his real target. At Luke¡¯s words, Arsene¡¯s frown only went deeper. ¡°You are reckless. What if I really attacked Brandon?¡± Brandon was the political center for Luke. No matter how sure his reason was to move to Bless, to abandon the place was like a badly placed bet. Luke laughed. ¡°I know you aren¡¯t that kind of a person. Because of your inclination to sadism and harass people as much as possible without punishing the person who troubled you.¡± ¡°Kuk, I can¡¯t deny that.¡± As Luke pointed out, Arsene would always hinder the lives of those who caused trouble to him and his plans. Emperor Rudolf was the best example of it. When it was discovered that the Veritas Magic Tower was secretly studying black magic, Rudolf temporarily cut off his relationship with the tower, even after having a relationship of 500 years. Arsene, who felt resentful, killed the Emperor¡¯s children by cursing them with black magic. That led to Rudolf turning half-mad and turned into a ferocious and cruel person. As the Emperor changed, the Baroque Empire fell and perished without even having a chance to get revived. ¡°Well, call me damned! I never thought that you would know me this well.¡± ¡°I have no choice but to know you. Because you took away the most precious person from me and drove me to the point of death.¡± Arsene laughed at Luke¡¯s cold response. ¡°Are you talking about your parents? That and even almost killing you in the Gigant accident, that was a work of the Baroque Imperial family. It is true that I put a curse on your heart, but it is too much to blame me.¡± ¡°I am not referring to the Rakan family. I am talking about Katarina.¡± ¡°Katarina?¡± As Arsene couldn¡¯t seem to remember, Luke¡¯s eyes turned a lot colder than before. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be able to remember. Well, it might not have been worth remembering for you. It was something which happened 520 years ago, the thing which made me die because you tore apart a man and a woman who promised to spend their lives with each other.¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about? 520 years ago?¡± In Arsene¡¯s memory, nothing special had happened 520 years back. Rather, many incidents took place in 500 years. Devil King Saymon appeared and for some reason he intensively attacked the Veritas Magic tower and the Baroque Duke, so they had to recreate Saymon as the destroyer of life. And when Saymon died in the hands of the stupid warrior, he secretly stole the body and the black magic books which Saymon had. Learning the Black magic from the book, Arsene turned into the best warlock of all time. ¡®There was a rumor that the Devil King Saymon was originally a disciple of Veritas Magic tow¡­ that can¡¯t be, right?¡¯ Arsene¡¯s mind kept trying to think. Srrrng! Luke, brought out his Holy Sword Valiant and spoke. ¡°Whether you remember it or not, I will let you feel the resentment and anger of those who have been hit by you.¡± Woong! As the Aether Globe converted to Divine power, the Divine power from Luke¡¯s body spread out in all directions. Not just the Advanced undead, even Arsene retreated in surprise. It wasn¡¯t because of the Divine power of Luke, but because the Divine power reached the level of Saint. He was shocked at the intense flow of power. Arsene¡¯s heart went stiff because of Luke, yet he tried to put up a face. ¡°Uh, do you think that you can stop me and my undead legion by yourself?¡± Things were different from the time in Anbury. Arsene had 300 Undead who were devoted to him. The lowest Undead were 7th circle Lich and Sword Master Death Knights, and the highest being 8th circle Lich and Sword Sage. There were 9th circle Lich and Sword Emperor, and they were strong enough to wipe out the Holy Empire, including Luke. They did erase the Zaragoza of Castia and Angara of Irea in just one night? ¡°As you said, it is impossible for me alone.¡± Gently, Luke raised the sword which was pointed at Arsene. Pat! Pat! Maybe Luke¡¯s actions were a signal, and flashes shone in the dark sky. That allowed Arsene to see everything clearly. At some point between Luke and Arsene¡¯s conversation, hundreds of wizards surrounded them. They were the wizards of the Holy Arthenia Empire, led by Marquis Reas, and the War Mages of the Volga Republic wearing royal blue robes, and the fairy wizards, the zen users of the Southern Continent and the warlocks of the Black Tower. All of them ran over to Bless after Luke contacted them. It seemed possible to assemble them in less than a day, all thanks to the long-distance teleport. And in addition to that, on the ground were a large number of Sword Masters along with their Gigant troops. ¡°You really must have some talent. To collect so many people in such a short time.¡± Arsene¡¯s sarcastic words made Luke snort. ¡°Huh, it is because I hold a strong relationship with people, unlike someone. Anyway, as of today, I will clear up all my nasty grudges!¡± Shouting Luke went to Arsene. And that was the signal, hundreds of War Mages began to attack the Undead at once. In an instant, a splendid battle was happening in the sky of Bless with flashes and magic attacks. ¡°Arsene! I am going to grind your bones!¡± Johas, who brought the warlocks of Black Tower, flew at Arsene. Johas went for Arsene because he too had a huge grudge against him, just like Luke. But unfortunately, he was interrupted by a Lich. ¡°Get out of my way! You rotting bastard!¡± Johas, who was angry, attacked the advanced Lich. It seemed like the attack power of it could blow up as a whole, but the advanced Lich didn¡¯t seem to fall back. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± The other day, Johas received data on Undead about Luke. But he didn¡¯t expect a Lich to be that strong. ¡°Meister, let us take him!¡± The warlocks of Black Tower, who saw Johas struggling, went to help. Johas wanted to solve that problem along, but he didn¡¯t reject the offer of help. His opponent was an enemy who had to be defeated at all costs, and he had to protect the citizens of Bless. Because of that, other wizards took the help of warlocks to defeat the Undead. Luke and Arsene were the only ones fighting one-on-one. ¡°Dark Abyss!¡± ¡°Do you think such an attack will work?¡± Arsene released the Dark Abyss of the 9th circle. However, Luke simply cut and extinguished it with Valiant and Gold Aura. ¡°Kuek, damn that Rakan sword!¡± Arsene¡¯s expression turned grim. Luke¡¯s skill was good, but the Holy Sword Valiant was amplifying the Gold aura and the Divine power several times. Therefore, he lost the smile on his face. ¡®Impossible. This is a bit early, but I should just draw out the hidden card!¡¯ Arsene, who made up his mind, gathered Magi around his body. Another skill of his began to emerge. ¡®That¡­?¡¯ Seeing Arsene¡¯s change, Luke hurried and moved with Valiant. Cang-! But, Valiant gave out a cracking sound at the touch with Arsene¡¯s body. During the time Luke was taken aback, Arsene¡¯s body swelled and got covered with red scales. Huge horns on his forehead, wings on the back, and sharp claws instead of hands. He turned into an enormous creature over 30 meters tall. ¡°D-dragon!¡± ¡°Kuakk! Yes. The real power of the Dragonian. Now, this belongs to me entirely!¡± Maybe because of Arsene¡¯s transformation, but some of the Undead Death Knights turned into Gigant sized. And the Death Knights turned out to have increased in their power along with the size, and were able to defend themselves against the wizards and tried to descend towards Bless. Right then, the battle between the huge Death Knights and the Saint Guards led by Arch Duke Gregory took place on the ground. Seeing that, Arsene seemed elated. ¡°You do have the power of the warrior and wield a Holy Sword, but you are still a human being. Show Luke who is the greatest being in the history of the continent.¡± ¡°You speak a lot for a man who stole Shaikan¡¯s body.¡± Luke, who said that, continued sarcastically. ¡°And you have half of the Dragon¡¯s power. Do you think I¡¯ll be scared of the power which has already gone extinct?!¡± ¡°What was that? Extinct?¡± From Arsene¡¯s body which turned into a dragon, a red Dragonic Aura shook. The aura, with unusual energy, turned into a flame and went for Luke. ¡°Look here, Luke!¡± Rumble! The wizards, who saw the red flames flying for Luke, went stiff. Even though the flames formed in the air, the heat from it seemed strong enough to take away people¡¯s breath and burn their flesh. Could a 9th circle wizard be capable enough to stop such powerful heatwave magic? No, and could King Luke stop the attack? At the moment when everyone was overwhelmed and in doubt, Luke fixed his sword and cast a spell. ¡°Eternal Wind and Frost!¡± ¡°Wh-what? Zen¡­?¡± Suddenly, a cold wind gathered in front of Luke and extinguished the mass of flames flying at him. Luke spoke to Arsene, who seemed to be in shock. ¡°Human being, huh? Right, feel this very clearly on how a human fights!¡± As soon as he said that, Luke raised his sword. The subspace opened and a silver hero class Gigant appeared. Luke¡¯s exclusive Gigant the Avenger. However, Arsene¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t on the Avenger. His eyes were on something which stood out a lot more than his Avenger. A series of magic circles built across Bless. The moment Avenger appeared, the sacred sign of El Kassel denomination shone in the center of the magic circles with the brightest light. Chapter 757 - Arsene’s Mistake 1 A huge magic circle suddenly appeared on the ground. The moment the magic circle began to shine, a five-colored glow rose to the sky. At the same time, a scream burst out from the mouths of the Undead. Kuak! Kiiik! The enormous Death Knights who were down on the ground, as well as the Intermediate Lich who were fighting the wizards in the sky, struggled. Arsene felt the same kind of pain. He felt some tingling pain on his skin, on the skin which was supposed to be stronger and tougher than Orichalcum. ¡°This can¡¯t be¡­ Did he build an amplification magic circle around all the relics?¡± ¡°You guessed it. You are surely an old aged wizard.¡± Luke clapped his hands while mocking Aresene. Arsene yelled, not being able to believe it. ¡°Nonsense! Such a thing can¡¯t be made in this short time!¡± Of course, that couldn¡¯t be made. No matter how many blessed relics were scattered throughout the earth, it would take at least a month to create an amplifying circle that strengthened Divine power and suppressed black magic. It wasn¡¯t easy to calculate the formula or make it. ¡°Huhuhu, well, it might not have been possible. But I have a very talented daughter.¡± It was Karen who made the amplification magic circle in Bless. Upon receiving Luke¡¯s magic communication, Karen with Reina¡¯s help, built the amplifying magic circle in the shortest time possible by taking down all the relics in the Holy Palace and those with the High Priests. Bless itself was designed to be a Holy city, so it already held the basic foundation, all Karen had to do was apply her magical knowledge and finish the circle. Of course, Arsene, who knew nothing of the plan, was in huge trouble. ¡°Even then, it makes no sense for you to be here! How can a guy get from Angara to here, that too faster than me!¡± ¡°I took the help of another person for that.¡± Looking at Arsene lose his cool, Luke recalled the incident that happened three days ago. Luke began to move back from Angara. He tried not to show it, but his heart was turning heavy with every step. He noticed Arsene¡¯s plan and marched back with all his might, but he knew very well that he wouldn¡¯t get to Bless before Arsene. It was because two days would pass for them to reach Bless, and it was taking a lot of time to move in units, rather than alone. While returning, they contacted Bless and their allies constantly and asked them to send reinforcements to Bless through long-distance teleportation. They were all asked to send only the elite troops to the capital and prevent the attack of Arsene and his Undead. He even asked Symphonia to mobilize their elite forces. ¡°It is fine if our palace goes empty, send in the Guard Knights to Bless! Even the Blood Hawks!¡± -Your Majesty, would you like us to send the Song Empire and Yemaek who arrived at Lamer too? ¡°Yes, if not all, ask only the zen users and sword master class warriors for support!¡± Even if they asked the entire nation to go and support Bless, Luke wasn¡¯t sure if Arsene and his Undead legion could be stopped. It was because Arsene was extremely strong, and Luke was his only opponent on the same range. As a response, Luke asked for help by calling up the heads of the fairy tribes. The heads of the fairy tribes, who were concerned about the Undead, promised to send only the best of each of their tribe. While they all would go to Bless and defend the city, Luke planned to arrive with his troops and strike Arsene from behind. However, Luke¡¯s plan got stopped once he left Angara. Suddenly, a person he knew stood ahead. ¡°No way, you?¡± Shockingly, Saint Nanda, the Arahan denomination¡¯s priest of the Southern Continent was there. 2 years ago, he was the person who healed Karen when she was suffering from God¡¯s Punishment. He was also the one who helped Luke use Divine power, but then he left! ¡°Amitabha! I waited for His Majesty to come.¡± ¡°You are talking about me?¡± Luke was puzzled at his words. With a mysterious smile on his face, Nanda replied, ¡°I have been sent a revelation. It feels like I need to help His Majesty.¡± Nanda already knew about Karen¡¯s life nearing the end when healing her. And because he helped Karen from escaping God¡¯s Punishment, his lifespan got shortened drastically. He already got enlightenment and had wandered around the world, quietly waiting for the time of his liberation. The Middle-earth was in a mess because of a demon called Arsene and his Undead minions, and he thought that his relationship with Luke had ended two years ago. But a few days ago, his lord suddenly appeared while he was in meditation and gave a revelation! ¡®Huhu, the last thing to do.¡¯ In the past two years, it seemed like he would finally be liberated, but he didn¡¯t, and there seemed to be a reason for it. ¡°Ho, were you¡­!¡± Nanda¡¯s smile made Luke, who was puzzled, clasp his hands in hope. ¡°What Your Majesty is thinking is right. I will send you to your destination.¡± Nanda, who took his stance, soon unfolded his ability. The moment felt like a second. The entire 4,000 troops and Luke moved over to Bless and not Angara. ¡°O-oh my god!¡± From the time Nanda had brought back Luke from the Southern Continent to Rakan, Luke knew about the mysterious abilities Nanda possessed. As he heard later, it was an ability that would come after physical enlightenment. But to move thousands of troops, 200 Gigants, horses, military supplies, and trailers, all at once¡­! That was something even a Dragonian couldn¡¯t do. ¡°Why would Saint¡­¡± It was when Luke was about to ask Nanda. Nanda¡¯s body began to shine in bright light, and his physical body started to slowly disappear. ¡°Huhu, my time in this world has come to an end.¡± ¡°S-Saint Nanda!¡± As Luke and his companions were watching it in bewilderment, Nanda made his final request. ¡°Please stop that wicked one¡­ only then will this word be saved and the Karma Your Majesty has accumulated in the past and the present will be erased.¡± Nanda disappeared completely. ¡®The world is really huge, and there are a lot of great guides.¡¯ Luke thought that there was no one stronger than him in Middle-earth if he could use demon abilities and Divine power. Arsene was strong, but Luke was confident about not losing to him. But he saw another great man. No, Nanda wasn¡¯t a stronger man, he was a transcendence being. Beyond life, Nanda reached the level of God. As Luke stared into the place where Nanda disappeared, Arch Duke Gregory went close and said, ¡°Your Majesty, let¡¯s go to Bless.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After expressing his gratitude for Saint Nanda, Luke went into Bless with Arch Duke Gregory. With the reinforcements arriving one after the other, they decided to hurry and stop Arsene and his army of the Undead. Luke, who was done recalling what happened, spoke to Arsene, ¡°Arsene, there is someone in this world who is far greater than you can imagine. The power you have is nothing compared to that being.¡± In the case of Saint Nanda, Luke managed to open his eyes toward new powers and transcendence beings. ¡°Shut up! You, who hasn¡¯t even lived for a hundred years, dare to discuss the world in front of me?!¡± Flash! Responding to Arsene¡¯s words, the Dragonic Aura reached Luke. It didn¡¯t take the form of an attack like before, but it still held the intensity to cut through rocks and steel. However, Luke boarded Avenger, and the Dragonic aura hit the fist of Avenger and bounced off. ¡°Living for 100 or 500 years doesn¡¯t matter much. What matters is how much you know and how you act.¡± Woong! As the Divine power developed by Luke began to get amplified by the core engine, Avenger shined brightly. Just like the time on Thanatos Island, bright and holy light like sun formed in the air. The light illuminated the entirety of Bless, and the interlocked amplification magic circle built by Karen caused huge damage to the Undead. Arsene was no exception to it. ¡°Kuek, Luke!¡± Arsene, couldn¡¯t stand the pain of the light digging into his flesh and raised the Magi around his body as a dark veil. When he tried to use the power to stop the Divine power from touching his body, it only intensified the pain. The word retreat and runaway entered his mind, but the pain was too much for Arsene to act on it. He knew very well that if he stepped out of the battle in Bless, he would no longer be able to beat Luke. ¡®Because of that damned Rakan! I will surely pick your throat!¡¯ Arsene stared at the Avenger, which was shining in holy light. Arsene, whose pride was burning, tried another dark veil formation around his body. He did that to defeat Luke, who turned into a blade that could pierce his heart. Chapter 758 - Arsene’s Mistake 2 Kuak! Kwak! Kikkki! The Undead who had already been hit with the Divine power because of the amplified magic circle suffered serious damage when Luke¡¯s Avenger released Divine power amplified by the core engine. And the lower Undead started to melt like candles. ¡°Now! Get rid of them right now!¡± ¡°Do not miss the opportunity that His Majesty has created for us!¡± The wizards, who were in the sky, as well as the knights on the ground, rushed to the Undead at once. They used powerful flame magic to burn down the Lich, and several Gigants rushed to the giant Death Knights. However, the resistance of the Undead wasn¡¯t easy to bring down. In the case of the advanced Undead, which Arsene had especially worked on, they didn¡¯t take in much damage. Rather, the small wounds or pain inflicted on their bodies made them run around like a wounded beast. But the advanced Undeads weren¡¯t just raving to overcome the pain. As they were all talented humans in their lifetimes, they instinctively knew who and what to be removed. ¡°They are trying to destroy the amplification magic circle!¡± ¡°Block them! Protect the relics and the magic circle at all costs!¡± Pop! Pop! Along with some heavy attacks, buildings collapsed and buried some Undeads under it or blocked the roads. As the civilians had been moved before the battle began, the allies and troops gathered in Bless could use drastic means to win the battle. But that didn¡¯t mean that the Undead were easy opponents to stop. Grrr! ¡°Ahhh!¡± A Gigant belonging to the Symphonia Guard Knights, which was facing the giant Death Knight, rolled on the floor when its right arm got cut. The moment the Death Knight, whose body was being burned by Divine power, tried to kill the fallen Gigant, an Orion with a red lightning crest cut down the neck of the Death Knight. ¡°Oh, Count Belik!¡± ¡°You stupid men! Don¡¯t keep rushing in! We told you that if you aren¡¯t a Sword Master, then let us take the initial hit on them!¡± At the request of Luke, only the elite troops from each allied nation were gathered in Bless. However, there were less than a hundred elite who could really face the Undead one-on-one. So, Belik and the other leaders divided thousands of knights into groups, which would get the first pass. But what was happening in the battle? Some knights believed in their own skill and their Gigant¡¯s performance and went into battle to get smashed down. That was why, Belik, Arch Duke Gregory, Hwang Bo-sung, Karen, Duke Dimitry, and other people like Luke were taking the lead. They had all reached Advanced Sword Master level and even Sword Emperor, so they were driving the Undead into a corner on the ground or in the sky. ¡°Don¡¯t get pushed!¡± ¡°The fate of the Holy Empire and the continent is based on this fight!¡± ¡°Show them the skills of the fairy warriors!¡± Slash! Bang! Kwang! Bang! Pop! Magic and aura flew in and fierce battles were being fought in the sky and ground. Gigants and the giant Death Knight were facing each other, breaking down buildings and turning them upside-down. In the sky, there was a back and forth of the offensive magic attack. It was like a tremendous battle that would have happened sometime in the myths, but as time passed, the allies of humans and fairies, who were using the amplification magic circle for Divine power began to overwhelm the Undead, little by little. However, there were a few exceptions. The Advanced Undead. When the knights unit or the Gigants got destroyed by the force of the Advanced Undead, Arch Duke Gregory and the other skilled humans and fairies set up a troop to intercept them. ¡°Kuak, so you want to come to the main deal in the battle?¡± An Advanced Death Knight had cut an allied Gigant. A person that looked like a Southern Continent warrior, who had dark hair and brown skin, asked as he looked at the grim expression on Arch Duke Gregory¡¯s face. ¡°Yes, ghosts who broke the law set by God need to be taken down! I, Gregory, the sword of the Holy Empire, will lead you into the arms of God.¡± ¡°Really? Try to do it, if you can.¡± The identity of the Advanced Undead was a warrior, who made a strong name for himself in the Southern Continent during his lifetime. Black Demon King, Cheol-pae. 300 years ago, he was one of the five great masters of the continent. Although he didn¡¯t hold a title that was as great as the Hwang Bo clan, even then, he was known in the Kang Ho arts. He was an absolute power holder during that time. Now, he was an Advanced Undead, he had turned a lot stronger than that time and was a zeitgeist level. ¡°Then, try stopping the Asura Knight, which was the most famous one!¡± Cheol-pae pulled out a sword that seemed to have more than 10 meters of energy wrapped around it and swung it toward Arch Duke Gregory. Arch Duke Gregory, not letting himself get intimidated by his opponent, produced a Gold aura and swung his sword. Kwang! Kwang! The man representing the Moorim arts of Asura Knife, and Arch Duke Gregory¡¯s Gold aura were clashing at each other in terrible speed. Dozens of trajectories passed. Shockingly, the confrontation between the two seemed to end in a draw. ¡®How long has it been since the sword skill I learned had failed against an opponent?¡¯ Arch Duke Gregory seemed deeply shocked. He felt shocked as he had turned into a Sword Emperor, the title he had longed for just a while back. In history, the number of people who achieved that title was very rare. There was Luke and then Rudolf who was dead. No matter how strong the Undead was, he was under the impression that it was just an Undead. However, his thoughts took a turn. Shaking his head, Gregory decided to do everything that he could. In the second half of the Gold Sword, he infused the Divine sword he had learned and began to unfold it. He named this skill the ¡®Absolute Sword¡¯. ¡®No matter who the opponent is, I will never back off!¡¯ If he withdrew from there, Gregory couldn¡¯t guarantee the lives of people who fled from Bless or even the pope who was still in the Palace. Determined to take down the enemy, Gregory began to raise his aura. A magnificent momentum that resembled the Mother Nature rose from his body. Gregory, who adjusted his body to the momentum of his sword, rushed to Cheol-pae who was releasing Magi. Karen, who was leading the wizard troops in the sky, was dealing with the Advanced Lich. The Lich, whose skin was just left behind bones and was grunting, was shocking to see. ¡°Kuk! Kuk! Kuk! Your soft skin looks delicious!¡± ¡°What was that, you boney bastard?!¡± ¡°Kuk, kul, you seem like a fierce kid. 400 years ago, there was no human who didn¡¯t tremble at the name of Goebel.¡± ¡°You are Goebel?!¡± Karen seemed startled at the name. 400 years ago, there was a genius wizard in one of the top ten magic towers, the Keroyan Magic Tower. A man who made it to the 6 circles in just his teens, and then in his mid-20s, he went over to 7th and 8th circle. It was a tremendous speed of learning at that time, so it was assumed that the man would become the youngest sage in the 9th circle wizards. However, even after 10 years or 20, the circle of the man didn¡¯t increase. He turned anxious for not being able to cross his 8th circle, and reaching out to the taboo skills, he eventually rose, but he created great controversy in the Keroyan Magic Tower and was expelled. He was slowly forgotten in the Magic World, but 10 years later, he reappeared in history as a very strong man. He had turned into a terrifying warlock. Although he was inferior to the Devil King Saymon, he gained a name for being a ¡®bloody warlock¡¯ who killed thousands of people or turned them into sacrifices. He destroyed the Keroyan Magic Tower and his hometown with his hands. Eventually, his bloody evil deeds came to an end after the Saint Guards and the High Priest thought of his acts to be unbearable. But after 400 years, such a man, no, the same man appeared in the human world! ¡°Kul, kul, kul! You are going to die, kid!¡± Goebel pointed at Karen. Ugly black snakes formed in the sky and flew toward Karen. ¡°Huh, you think that will kill me?!¡± Karen unfolded the Holy Shield. No matter how infamous the warlock was 400 years back, she too had her fair share of struggles in taking down Arsene in a time that had disappeared. So, she thought that she would be able to deal with the Advanced Lich and could easily take him down. Cang! But when the opponent¡¯s black magic attack collided with her shield, the Holy Shield that was made of Divine energy cracked and broke. ¡°Wh-what?!¡± Scared and flustered, Karen used Blink to avoid getting hit. If she was even a little late, she would have been seriously injured. ¡°Kuk, that¡¯s sad. I thought that I could slash you cute little thing in two.¡± Karen snared at Goebel¡¯s words. ¡°Ugh, you disgusting bones¡­ I will turn you into powder and make sure you¡¯ll never get revived!¡± Karen transformed the Aether into Divine power and sent hundreds of Holy Bullets to Goebel. Light and darkness. Black and white. The fights of those who were regarded as great wizards in their own times began to fill the sky. Duke Dimitry reached Sword Sage a few years back and was the best swordsman in the Volga Republic. Although it was less than Sword Emperor Rudolf, and the strongest Rune Knight Luke or Arch Duke Gregory, who reached the Sword Sage a year back, he still had pride in his skills. In particular, he was confident that his Gigant controlling would be the best in the Republic or even the entire continent. However, he didn¡¯t think that he would get pushed against a giant Death Knight. Pop! ¡°Ugh!¡± When his Hero class Gigant got pushed back, Dimitry was shocked. ¡°Who is he¡­?¡± Dimitry didn¡¯t know but the Death Knight he was dealing with was a master who made a name for himself in the Southern Continent, 150 years ago. Hwa-san clan member, a disciple of an elder, and he was a promising figure who would have risen to Absolute Powerholder in his 30s and create his clan into a well-known one. However, after 10 years of being in the Kang Ho, he suddenly disappeared. He was secretly poisoned by the elders of the Hwa-san clan, who were scared of losing their name because of him. Anyway, he died, and his body fell into the hands of Arsene and was reborn as a Death Knight. When Dimitry was pushed back, a voice came from behind. ¡°Hey, traitor. Should I help you?¡± ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°If I could do what I wanted, I¡¯d never help a traitor like you, but I need to work with you to protect Bless, where the princess resides.¡± It was Belik who spoke to Dimitry. Belik, who just wiped down the group of lesser Undead with his Gigantic aura, found Dimitry struggling against the giant Death Knight. At first, he thought of leaving the man to get cut down, but he couldn¡¯t do it as the princess needed help in protecting her nation. He knew that it wasn¡¯t the time to move base on his personal feelings and motives. ¡®Damn it, to meet Belik in here¡­!¡¯ If he could help it, Dimitry would never get help from Belik either. His pride would be hurt since he was a Sword Sage, and yet he needed help from other people, especially because the man offering him help was Belik. However, the giant Death Knight in front of him was stronger, and it was obvious that he would lose if he kept fighting alone. Eventually, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll pay this debt at a later time.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to pay me anything. I¡¯ll snatch things from you. I¡¯ll cut down your disciples and dedicate them to His Majesty.¡± At the words of Belik, Dimitry snorted. ¡°Huh, for a man who lacks in skill, you sure have big dreams.¡± ¡°What was that? Those are big words coming from a man who can¡¯t even hold a center on his Gigant!¡± Dimitry and Belik, who were throwing words at each other, quickly scattered to the other sides and attacked the Death Knight. It was an incredibly perfect attack that made it hard to believe that they were enemies. Chapter 759 - Arsene’s Mistake 3 In midst of the unprecedented battles going all over Bless, there were a few people who were watching it from a distance. Unfortunately, the ones who were far away and keeping eyes on the battle were Johas and the warlocks of Black Tower. They all had good intentions, but as long as they held Magi in them, they couldn¡¯t be close to the amplification magic circle of the Avenger which was emitting powerful Divine power. If they did, they would be the first to die before the Undead. ¡°This is pathetic, we have no choice but to watch this!¡± ¡°But, I do think we did as much as we could.¡± Despite the constant encouragement and consolation from the elder of Black Tower, the disappointment and regret in Johas¡¯s mind didn¡¯t vanish. He felt very horrible as neither he nor his disciples were able to participate in the war which was going to make a place for itself in history. But then, he saw something, something which made him shocked. ¡°Uh, that is?¡± ¡°What is Meister?¡± ¡°Look over there, the thing in front of Your Majesty¡¯s Gigant.¡± A black sphere was at the place where Johas pointed. Even in the dazzling light, the darkness of a source could be seen very clearly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Arsene? I saw earlier that the veil of darkness was used to stop His Majesty¡¯s Divine power from touching him.¡± ¡°Yes, I saw it. But that¡­¡± A little ominous feel. His disciples and his subordinates didn¡¯t seem to notice it because the Divine power spread all over Bless, but Johas felt a small amount of energy move in the darkness. ¡®Is there any power that Arsene has hidden from us?¡¯ He was shocked when he saw Arsene turn into a Dragon, but was there anything else other than that? As Johas looked at it with an anxious gaze, the dark veil surrounding Arsene began to break apart. Crack! Crack! It didn¡¯t break because of not being able to withstand the Divine power emitted by Avenger. Whatever was inside¡ªit was trying to break out. Crack! Shatter-! With an instant blast, the veil broke open and Arsene with a new transformation appeared. ¡°That?¡± Luke, who continued to amplify the Divine power using Avenger, narrowed his eyes to see Arsene¡¯s new form. His upper body seemed thicker and harder than a dragon¡¯s scales, and two pairs of wings attached to his back. Both his arms now had sharp claws and large pincers, with a tail and a sharp stinger attached to the end. This appearance seemed to be half-human and half scorpion. ¡°Kuk, look at this, this is the evolution of the Ghost Armor, Gorgos!¡± Arsene looking down at himself shouted with an elated expression. While he was absorbing the Dragonian powers, his Ghost armor, Gorgos too had increased, and what everyone saw was the evolved armor. ¡°I thought it would be a great transformation, but it is just a lizard and some bug.¡± Luke made fun of it, but he knew that the new transformation was something to look out for. It was because the black circle of Arsene which was still giving out Magi was taking a toll on Luke¡¯s Divine power, and the dragon form was overwhelming to see. It was clear that Arsene had a new form of armor that could completely block out the Divine power. ¡°Kuakk! Unlike your words, I can see you tense up. Luke, I will put an end to this!¡± Raising his hand, Arsene created hundreds of Black Spear above his head. Luke was nervous about Arsene doing some unknown assault, yet his heart seemed calm. No matter how many Black Spears were being used, it was hard to control them and hit the target. Moreover, due to the Divine Power which was in the air, the Black Spear created by Arsene wasn¡¯t in full power. ¡°Well, where are you going to use¡­¡± Luke¡¯s face, which had a smile, changed. It was because the hundreds of Black Spears which Arsene had created flew to the allies in the sky and the ground, not towards Luke. Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! ¡°W-what is this?¡± ¡°Avoid¡­ Ack!¡± In the blink of an eye, dozens of people got struck by the Black Spear and fell. Although a few barely avoided it, the Death Knight and Lich would hit them and the allies fell. ¡°Kuek! Arsene, you coward¡­!¡± ¡°Woohoo! Luke, you have a lot of protection. But can you really protect all of them?¡± As if trying to launch another attack, Arsene unleashed hundreds of Black Spears once again. To avoid the same result, Luke deployed Thousand Holy Bullets to intercept the Black Spears. Bang! Bang! Bang! In the sky, where the Black Spear and Holy Bullet collided, it caused countless explosions. ¡®Kuak, got caught!¡¯ While Luke turned overly concerned about keeping allies safe, Arsene used Blink and struck Avenger with his huge hands. Cang-crack! ¡°You¡­!¡± ¡°Kuakk, you are a person with too many duties. It doesn¡¯t matter if you turn a blind eye to those who fall.¡± Arsene burst into laughter and put strength into the pincers which were holding Avenger. Crrrrk! The power in the pincers was so strong that the armor on Luke¡¯s Avenger began to distort. Kiiing! Luke wasn¡¯t in shock either. He tried to get Avenger out of Arsene¡¯s grip. ¡°KuakuK! I can¡¯t kill you, who uses Divine power with black magic. But what if I used the Dragonic aura to the maximum?¡± The scary words of Arsene ended with the red Dragonic aura fluttering around his body. The searing flames like the dragon¡¯s breath erupted from the pincers which were holding Luke¡¯s Avenger. Crack! Avenger, which was covered in the flames, heated up very quickly. The armor made of Gigantium alloy began to melt too. ¡°Arsene, you!¡± ¡°Hahaha! Scream more, Luke! If you don¡¯t want to die, escape from that scrap!¡± Luke wasn¡¯t a saint or a High priest to radiate powerful Divine power in the absence of the Gigant¡¯s core engine. So Arsene realized that if he smashed down Luke¡¯s Avenger, he would be able to cut down Luke¡¯s Divine power by half. ¡°Were you trying to get rid of my Avenger? You misjudged it, Arsene.¡± Luke, who seemed to be in shock and fluster, suddenly spoke in a grim voice. While Arsene was still holding on, the Divine power which was being released from the Avenger broke down like a lie, and soon a great light began to shine around the Avenger. ¡°Th-that is!¡± ¡°Build-up 3rd phase!¡± Once Luke used Build-up, the abilities he absorbed from a demon, Avenger began to exert power which exceeded the power of the core engine. He grabbed the pincers and broke them open. Crack! ¡°This!¡± As the pincers broke, Arsene moved back. However, Luke¡¯s counterattack had just started. Immediately, he exerted the ability of the demon Kauren. ¡°Thunder Bringer!¡± A purple lightning bolt left from his left hand and hit Arsene¡¯s body. ¡°Kuakk!¡± Because the distance between them was so close, Arsene could only scream and not avoid the attack. In fact, Luke had deliberately created a gap a moment back, to bring in Arsene. He was worried that Arsene would go over to the humans or the fairies if he couldn¡¯t attack Luke. Even though it meant taking some damage, Luke decided to take on Arsene in close combat and somehow, it worked out wonderfully. ¡°This is the standard way to kill bugs!¡± Crack! Luke pulled out the pincer which was stuck onto Avenger, and then went to attack Arsene in succession. Pop! Bang! Pop! Bang! It wasn¡¯t just punching, he was using the skill of Hwang Bo-sung, Trinity Martial Punch. However, the Tekken used by Luke only differed in the aspect that it used Divine power and not Mind-Keep. Luke made the transition to Aether Globe very quickly from using Divine power in one punch and Magi in the other. Arsene couldn¡¯t wake up to the attacks which were being used against him. If the Dragonic Aura was to be stopped, the Magi punch would get absorbed, and the Divine power would explode the Magi which was seeping in. Moreover, the power of the Gigant was strong. The heavy metal was smashing things with high speed and power, just a single blow would take down the mountain. ¡®But this evolved Ghost Armor Gorgos will never break¡­¡¯ Crack! In a moment, Avenger¡¯s fist broke through the thick upper layer. ¡°Kuak!¡± Arsene screamed at the pain of his armor being broken through. Normally, he was a Lich, and he couldn¡¯t feel physical pain. After taking over Shaikan¡¯s body, it changed, yet, in the Libiya Kingdom, he never encountered any enemy who could threaten him. So, the pain and the bones cracking was a strange feeling for Arsene. He had never been through such pain, even when he was a human, 500 years back. But what shocked him to the core was that Gorgos¡¯ armor, which had absorbed the Dragonian power, was destroyed. The newly evolved Ghost Armor was excellent enough to block out the Divine power from touching him. But then, it suddenly broke down. ¡°Kuak¡­ how did it break! Why?!¡± ¡°Did you really think that it could endure attacks in succession?¡± When a hot steel cooled suddenly, it would break. Luke thought that the Ghost Armor of Arsene was the same. Even if he wasn¡¯t sure about what it was made of, he decided to try Magi and Divine power, which were the contradicting energies of the world and hit him. To do so, he had to switch the Aether Globe at high speed. Which was excruciatingly painful and difficult, but Luke managed to hold on. All because he wanted to defeat Arsene. ¡°No, let¡¯s finish this.¡± ¡°Kuak, damn it!¡± When Gold aura shone from the giant Avenger Sword of Luke¡¯s, Arsene¡¯s face distorted. When he stole the power of the Dragonian and created the Advanced Undead, he thought he wouldn¡¯t face anymore troubles. Which was why he didn¡¯t retreat even after he looked at the trap Luke had placed in Bless. But it was an obvious misjudgment. The moment he realized that this wrong judgment had messed everything up, the golden aura came flying at him. ¡°Luke de Rakan! I will never dieeeee!¡± A scream erupted from Arsene¡¯s mouth. Chapter 760 - After the End of Battle 1 Unlike Luke who took the lead, Arch Duke Gregory¡ªwho was fighting with Cheol-pae, the Demon King, was in a tight situation. On the surface, they seemed to have an equal fight. However, unlike Gregory, who held a serious expression, Cheol-pae still had his cool. ¡°Kuek! That orange aura is quite spectacular, and I haven¡¯t yet done my best yet. Now, try and stop this attack of mine!¡± Cheol-pae changed his attack method in an instant. Gregory¡¯s face changed when he sensed the energy change entirely from before. ¡°That¡­!¡± ¡°Demonic Crash, no, was this the Demon Slash? Whatever it was, this is said to be the strongest skill in Devildom.¡± ¡°Strongest skill in Devildom?¡± The Demon Slash or Demon Crash, which was learned from Bargosa, the Arch Duke Demon, who sighed a contract with Arsene, was passed onto Cheol-pae. What happened confused Gregory. He was a swordsman who already reached the Sword Emperor, but when it came to Divine Power, he wasn¡¯t on par with Reina or even Luke. In other words, it was unlikely that he would be able to block that attack of Cheol-pae, who had the same strength as an Advanced demon. Even then, he couldn¡¯t just withdraw from the battle. ¡®God, please give me strength.¡¯ ¡°Die!¡± Cheol-pae rushed in while wielding his sword violently, and the terrifying Magi from his sword was inching closer to Gregory. The moment when the evil man tried to slay Gregory, strong energy flew from his back. ¡°Get down!¡± As Gregory bent down reflexively, blue thunderbolts flew towards Cheol-pae. The terrifying blow, like the attack from the thunder god himself, smashed into Cheol-pae and sent him bouncing back. ¡°Kuak! That-that is the Trinity Martial arts!¡± Although it was slightly different from the Ki energy used by King Hwang 300 years back, it was still clear that the attack was Trinity Martial arts. A man entered the vision of Gregory after seeing Cheol-pae vomit black blood. He was the proud Hwang Bo-sung, the commander of Symphonia Guard Knights. With calm eyes, Hwang Bo-sung spoke to Gregory. ¡°Sire, Arch Duke, he looks like a troublesome opponent, I¡¯ll join you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Unlike Gregory, who seemed grateful, Cheol-pae seemed in rage. ¡°F*ck it! The descendant of King Hwang has appeared!¡± Before his death, Cheol-pae lost in the battle only once in Kang Ho. He thought that he would never find a suitable opponent, but was beaten by Hwang Bo-woong, the head of the Hwang Bo clan during that time, and it seemed like the clan¡¯s luck. After how bad he was beaten, he moved away from Kang Ho, all due to the trauma of the loss and carried it to his death. ¡°I will avenge for the humiliation I faced because of him by killing you!¡± Cheol-pae, who yelled rushed to Hwang Bo-sung. The Demon King, and the strongest person when it came to controlling Magi, collided with the Trinity Martial arts wielder, the skill developed by the Hwang Bo clan. Kwang! Kwang! Pung! A terrifying air wave spread around the area, with the ground and buildings getting smashed. And when Arch Duke Gregory joined in, the battle leaned to one side. No matter how strong Cheol-pae was when compared to the other Death Knight, it wasn¡¯t possible to overcome the combination of the Sword Emperor Gregory and Fist Sage Hwang Bo-sung. Eventually, Cheol-pae gave a gap and Gregory¡¯s sword cut his thigh. ¡°Ugh, you¡­!¡± ¡°Hwang Bo-sung, it is now!¡± When Gregory, whose sword against Cheol-pae moved away, Hwang Bo-sung, who raised his Ki to the limit, used the Trinity Martial punch again. Ki, which was increased by more than 10 times, flew for Cheol-pae. ¡°Kuk! This can¡¯t be¡­!¡± Bang-! The angry cry of Cheol-pae wasn¡¯t completed by the time he got hit. With a roaring sound, the punch hit him. The warriors, who received the name of the Demon King, were eventually defeated by a Northern knight who served God and a Southern warrior who developed the strongest skill in Martial arts. ¡°Luke de Rakan! I will never dieeee!¡± Slash! The golden trajectory stretched into the sky. A huge golden sword, shining in the night sky, took away the darkness. Arsene¡¯s ugly body got pierced, and his mouth was wide open¡ªseeing his body crumble. ¡°Kuek, I lost again. However, remem¡­ber this! I am immortal!¡± With those words, Arsene was completely gone. ¡°Huh, immortal? Then I will cut you a hundred or another thousand times till you die!¡± Luke¡¯s nose flared. But he knew that it wasn¡¯t the end. Arsene was a Lich in the first place, which meant he couldn¡¯t be destroyed unless his Life Vessel containing his soul had to be destroyed. The problem was, the whereabouts of the Life Vessel¡­ ¡®But I can guess one place. Something like Crete, where Belfair recently went to.¡¯ According to Belfair¡¯s words, there was an Advanced Demon, the Arch Duke Bargosa on the island. Luke thought that Arsene¡¯s base was over there, but he hadn¡¯t ruled out the possibility that the Life Vessel was hidden in there. ¡®No, if an Advanced Demon of the Devildom is guarding it, it has to be holding the Life Vessel!¡¯ He wanted to go over there right away, but he had to finish the battles which were happening in front of his eyes. Even though Arsene disappeared, the battle was still going on. The Undead of Arsene was still managing to inflict damage on the fairies and Bless. ¡°Arsene, he made this undead which doesn¡¯t fall!¡± He couldn¡¯t help but admit that Arsene¡¯s plan of deceiving people with thousands of Undead and using his special undead to defeat the nations was amazing. Taking a moment for himself, Luke unveiled over a hundred Holy Bullets and poured them onto the Lich in the air and the Death Knights on the ground. Swoosh! Swwooosssshhh! It was as if a shower of light was pouring out of the night sky. The Holy Bullet, amplified by the Avenger¡¯s core engine, was so shocking that it made the lower Undead unable to fight anymore. And, just a little while ago, the Undead, which had been driving the humans and fairies to a corner, staggered. It was a great opportunity for the wizards and the knights to hit them. And not missing the gap, they attacked and defeated the undead. Luke glanced at it and unfolded the Holy Bullet once again. ¡°But, where is Karen?¡± At first, Luke hated the idea of Karen participating in the battle. Even if she was a great wizard in a different time, she was a young daughter to him. However, he was in a situation where he needed strong people, so he agreed to have her. ¡°Karen, promise me that you won¡¯t do anything risky.¡± Just before the battle, Reina made Karen promise to it. Karen agreed to it, but Luke knew that it was difficult to keep such a promise. Battles were dangerous even in the rear end of troops, and with Karen¡¯s skill, she was bound to be in the lead. ¡°Tch! It isn¡¯t easy to find Karen with all these energies mixed up!¡± Luke began to turn nervous. Various kinds of wizards in the vast area were using their magic, and the knights were using their aura, and the Undead were releasing Magi, it made it tough to search for her. However, Luke¡¯s eyes flashed, and looked for Karen¡¯s Aether. And finally, he was able to find Karen. ¡°There she is! But that Lich?¡± The Lich which Karen was dealing with had a huge Magi monster behind him. It looked like the monster Hydra from ancient mythology, and the abilities too seemed the same. The nine heads were constantly regenerating even after being hit by Karen¡¯s Holy Bullet or any other Divine power attacks. ¡°Fire Explosion!¡± ¡°Receive the fierce flames!¡± Karen alone couldn¡¯t deal with it, so Erwin and Zegal Soha were also helping her out. However, their magic or zen only inflicted minor wounds and not any tilting changes. Luke¡¯s heart clenched at the sight of his daughter struggling. ¡°Those rotten bones dare to do that!¡± Luke, moved at the speed of lightning and struck Goebel¡¯s monster with Avenger¡¯s giant sword. Kiaikkk-! The monster which got hit suddenly in wait screamed desperately. Not just Goebel, but even Karen and her party were shocked at the sudden attack. ¡°Who are you?!¡± ¡°Dad?¡± ¡°Majesty!¡± ¡°Ahh, we live now.¡± Erwin and Zegal Soha smiled with relief. It was because even with Karen and their skills, defeating the monster of Goebel seemed impossible. ¡°Stay back, Karen. Dad will get rid of this rotten one.¡± ¡°No. I can get rid of them, stay out of it dad.¡± Karen immediately rejected Luke¡¯s offer to help. It was meaningless, yet, she was one of the last hope of the ruined world, the only one to stand against the Lich King. However, she was struggling with the monster created by the Advanced Lich and it was excruciating. ¡®Moreover, I know his weakness!¡¯ She was tired of fighting Goebel, but she had managed to get some results. She found out the identity and weakness of the monster, which resembled the Hydra. ¡°He is my enemy, so I¡¯ll defeat him.¡± ¡°You promised something to your mother, didn¡¯t you? Don¡¯t break that and step back.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t that, he is not a dangerous enemy!¡± ¡°Do you even listen to yourself?¡± While the two were talking, the wound on the monster healed, and the destroyed parts were restored to the original state. As Luke and Karen kept arguing with each other, Goebel yelled. ¡°How dare you! Are you ignoring me after knowing my identity?!¡± When Goebel yelled, Luke looked at him. ¡°Who are you? Arsene¡¯s henchman.¡± ¡°What?! How dare you call a Lord with such a derogatory word! Your eyes which are stuck in the steel doll seem to be useless!¡± ¡®It seems like he doesn¡¯t know that Arsene was defeated in my hands.¡¯ It seemed like the soul of the master and his henchmen weren¡¯t connected. Luke, who thought, used the gold aura and used the sword. It seemed to have power, but then it was just a normal sword. Erwin and Zegal Soha shook their heads as Luke went in with a normal attack. However, Karen and Goebel, who saw the tip of the Avenger¡¯s sword, were in a daze. ¡°Uhh?¡± ¡°Hiik! N-no! Black Magic Stone regneratio¡­¡± Luke and Karen both discovered the weakness. The core of the demon, the Black Magic Stone. The monster which resembled the Hydra was modified by black magic, but the body basis was a slime. So, if the center of it wasn¡¯t destroyed, it could regenerate constantly. And the monster, whose core got split by Luke¡¯s sword¡ªcollapsed turning all slimy. ¡°Ahh! My masterpiece, the Dark Hydra!¡± When the work, which he thought would never get destroyed, was down in a mess, Goebel couldn¡¯t recover from the shock. He wasn¡¯t even given the time to think of something, Karen moved ahead and launched a Divine attack. ¡°Holy Cross!¡± ¡°Kuakk!¡± Karen pulled out the sword which was in her staff and moved it in the direction of a cross. Goebel¡¯s body got divided into four pieces and then shattered into ashes. Even the Lich Goebel couldn¡¯t hold the Gold aura which was used against him. ¡°Good work, my daughter.¡± ¡°Kuak, I could have done it myself¡­!¡± Luke smiled as he looked at the pouting Karen and left her right away. There were still several enemies who had to be defeated and allies he had to help. Chapter 761 - After the End of Battle 2 Kang! Cang! Belik and Dimitry were struggling against the giant Death Knight. At first, they had decided that they could quickly defeat the enemy by launching attacks from different sides. However, the ability of the Death Knight, who was of the Hwa-san clan, had trampled on their expectations. He wanted to push them back, so he stretched the Ki from his sword and swung it around like a whip, yet the attack was flashy and powerful. ¡°Damn it, a swordsman from the Southern Continent? Too many varying attacks!¡± ¡°It is like we are dealing with a storm.¡± The two didn¡¯t know that the Hwa-san member was using a sword skill that used Ki. And it wasn¡¯t the sword skill he had learned during his lifetime, but the skills he attained from the Devildom after Arsene had turned him into an Advanced Death Knight. ¡°Oh! Ugh!¡± ¡°Kuak!¡± Duke Dimitry, who was proud for reaching the level of Sword Sage, and Belik, who was proud of his Gigant skills, were breathing heavily against the Death Knight. What was worse than the two of them were the Gigants they were riding. Their Gigants¡¯ gloves were a mess, and their Gigant¡¯s swords were ragged. ¡®If we get pushed any further, it will turn difficult.¡¯ Glancing at the back, Belik grunted. He didn¡¯t even realize that while he was involved in the fight, he was pushed back into the close vicinity of the Holy Palace. If something went wrong, Reina, who was still in the Holy Palace, could be in danger. Dimitry noticed the change in Belik¡¯s actions. ¡°You are overly cautious about what¡¯s behind you.¡± ¡°Because I am no traitor like you.¡± At Belik¡¯s reply, Dimitry smiled bitterly. ¡°As you said, I am a traitor for betraying the Volga Royal family. Yet, I do not plan to abandon the grave that Her Holiness has shown toward the people of Volga Republic.¡± Having said that, Dimitry fixed his words and spoke, ¡°I¡¯ll create a gap. In that time, go for that monster¡¯s neck.¡± ¡°Tch, the traitor is trying to do cool things.¡± Although he grumbled, Belik didn¡¯t turn down Dimitry¡¯s offer. It was because he knew that they couldn¡¯t win against the monster in a straightforward battle. Kiiing! Dimitry accelerated the core engine and Gigantic aura to the maximum. He pushed his giant sword ahead and rushed for the giant Death Knight. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! With a slight difference, Belik ran as well. The giant Death Knight, seeing that, took a step ahead and got ready with his whip-like sword. The Ki whip, which was flexible, had fierce air in it and went straight for Dimitry. Dimitry, who managed to avoid three to four of the whip attacks with his sword, suddenly unfolded Gigantic Aura on both the hands of his Gigant and grabbed the Ki whip. Due to him avoiding the whip and the attacks of the enemy, he was able to find out a pattern in the enemy¡¯s movement. ¡°Belik, now!¡± ¡°I know!¡± While Dimitry blocked the opponent¡¯s weapon, Belik went rushing in with his Gigant. Just as his name, Firestorm, he unfolded a high-speed quick sword attack with all his might. Slash-! With a sharp sound, the giant Death Knight¡¯s head flew to the sky. The moment the head fell down on the ground, the body too fell with a thudding sound. Thump! ¡°Did it.¡± ¡°Huhu, just like the Firestorm.¡± ¡°Obviously! I have been a mercenary for the past 20 years, and I have been inclined to¡­ look, look there!¡± Belik, who was trying to boast about his 20 years of hardship, looked at Dimitry¡¯s Gigant and went stiff. A large hole was right under the breastplate, and red blood was flowing out. ¡°Wha-what is it? What?!¡± Hastily, Belik approached Dimitry and tore off the breastplate from the Gigant. ¡°Kuak, it is not a big deal. I made a mistake while catching his attack a while ago¡­¡± Rather than it being a mistake, the attack of the Death Knight was so strong that he missed catching it and ended up getting stabbed in the cockpit. ¡°This, damn it¡­!¡± Belik, who was looking at Dimitry¡¯s condition, turned pale. The place where he had been attacked was a huge slash near the heart. The wound was so large that it was strange that Dimitry hadn¡¯t died right away. ¡°Don¡¯t die, you traitor! I will take you to the princess!¡± Belik hurriedly supported Dimitry. The Holy Palace wasn¡¯t much far from their battlefield. The other priests weren¡¯t that great, but with Reina¡¯s Divine power, which was like a miracle, Dimitry could be saved. ¡°Kuak! I am sorry. For your wife and kids¡­ I wanted to protect them¡­¡± With his pale complexion, Dimitry apologized for what happened 20 years ago. In fact, before the republican revolution had begun, the two of them held a good relationship with each other. As the swordsmen representing the Volga Kingdom, they shared a great relationship. But the republican revolution changed everything. Dimitry chose the republicans for the public welfare, and Belik, the head of the Guards, was his inevitable enemy, and Belik got destroyed during the revolution, not just the royal family but even Belik¡¯s own family was killed, which was why Belik hated Dimitry. ¡°Idiot, don¡¯t talk! If you still have strength, then hold onto your breath. Just hold on!¡± Belik rushed to the Holy Palace. But Duke Dimitry kept on apologizing to Belik. In the end, the wound was too much, and he lost too much blood, he went into a state where his body was impossible to recover. ¡°Belik¡­ I am sorry¡­¡± Dimitry, who spoke the words in the faintest voice, lowered his head. Belik kept shaking his head, looking at the man¡¯s fallen posture. It didn¡¯t seem right. The man wasn¡¯t supposed to die like that. After the battle was over, he was thinking of asking him to pay for his sins in the past. But, he fell down before anything could happen! ¡°Wake up! Wake up right now, you cowardly traitor!¡± Belik held onto Dimitry¡¯s fallen body and kept shaking it. However, no matter how much he screamed or how angry he yelled at him, he couldn¡¯t bring back Dimitry. ¡°I told you to get up! We decided to have a final battle!¡± Belik shook the man again and again. In front of his eyes, everything turned hazy, not being able to see anything. Duke Dimitry, who was once his companion and enemy for a long time, was no more. Hot tears fell onto his fallen body. After Arsene and his Advanced Undead were killed, the battle became easy. The lower Undead which were hit by the Divine power of the amplification magic circle and the Divine power of the Avenger fell. And with Luke and his men joining in, the tide turned. The battle ended at dawn. Humans and fairy warriors, who were struggling with the Undead that were all over the city, shouted and cheered, ¡°Woah! We have defeated the enemy!¡± ¡°Long live the alliance! Long live the fairies!¡± ¡°Long live His Majesty, Luke!¡± For knights and wizards, who risked their lives and participated in the battle, the battle would be remembered forever. The battle was so fierce and majestic. The colleagues such as Arch Duke Gregory and Hwang Bo-sung approached Luke, who was listening to the shouts of the knights and wizards. Everyone was tired from the constant fighting with the Undead, yet they cheered for the victory with bright expressions. ¡°Your Majesty, great work!¡± ¡°You worked hard too, Arch Duke Gregory.¡± ¡°Your Majesty Luke, you are the strongest warrior in the Northern Continent, well, in Middle Earth!¡± ¡°Thank you, Princess Jo Mimi. I will never forget the help shown to us by the Song Empire.¡± While greeting his colleagues and acquaintances, Bratt, the head of the fairy tribe, who participated in the battle spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, thank you for allowing me to participate in such a meaningful fight.¡± ¡°I want to thank you. Thanks to your help, we were able to avert something horrible.¡± Luke expressed his gratitude and respect to Bratt and the other elves. All the fairies were shocked by it. It was something they never thought would be possible, a human king thanking the fairies. ¡°I will definitely repay the grace shown to us.¡± ¡°Then, then you need to surely pay us.¡± ¡°Huhu, without forgetting, I will.¡± Kurgon of the Red Hammer tribe, and the queen of fairies, Ariete, smiled heartily. Greeting everyone, Luke headed to the Holy Palace because Reina was there waiting for him. ¡°Honey, great job.¡± As Luke entered the palace, Reina, who was kneeling and praying in the middle of the throne room, stood. She hadn¡¯t directly participated in the battle, but she knew how fierce the battle was with the reports that were coming in about the mythical demons coming down¡ªArsene and his Advanced Undead. If they hadn¡¯t been thoroughly prepared in advance, they might have been destroyed, yet, the Holy Empire and Bless managed to overcome it. ¡°We were able to win because our allies and the fairies fought hard. Rather than that, are you fine?¡± Reina wasn¡¯t just praying. Although the relics and sanctuaries were scattered in Bless, they were used as tools for amplification, and it was necessary to constantly supply it with Divine power in order to maintain its ability. Reina and a dozen more high priests took over that role. While praying the entire night, they were relaying the Divine power all over Bless. Maybe because of that, Reina as well as the other Archbishops seemed a little pale. It was like their body was depleted with Divine power, but fortunately, there was no harm to anyone¡¯s life. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Rather, how much damage had been done to our allies?¡± She asked for the damage taken. The question darkened Luke¡¯s face right away, but he collected himself and answered, ¡°942 people died and 1,832 were injured. The destroyed Gigants weren¡¯t counted. We were all prepared, but they were so strong that we took a lot of damage.¡± On his way to the palace, Luke had asked Erwin for the reports about the casualties. The damage to the Volga reinforcements was the greatest of all. They fought so hard to repay the grace Reina had shown by saving them from the Undead that most of them died. ¡°It was said that Duke Dimitry, who brought in the reinforcements, was also killed.¡± ¡°I know. Lord Belik retrieved his body a while back.¡± Reina was upset. She prayed for the other ones that died, asking them to be given peace. As she was praying, Luke spoke to her, ¡°Don¡¯t be so sad. Sacrifices are regrettable, but their sacrifices are the reason Bless has survived. And they were the reason why Middle-Earth was able to escape from Arsene.¡± If the Advanced Undead legion of Arsene had run wild, the entire land would have been devastated. They would have killed hundreds of millions of people on the Rhodesia Continent and the Southern Continent. In that way, the sacrifice of the Volga Republic army had prevented the slaughter of humans, they ensured a better future. ¡°I guess so. But to make their sacrifices worth it, we need to destroy the Life Vessel so that Arsene and the Lich will not be resurrected ever again.¡± With that battle, the Death Knights had been removed. But the Lich was different. Unless the Life Vessel was destroyed, they would keep coming back. Arsene had already been revived once. For true peace, the Lich King and his Lich had to be removed permanently. ¡°I remember where the Life Vessel might be hidden. As soon as the battle is done, I intend to mobilize the troops of the alliance and eradicate the evil.¡± Luke decided to attack Crete. The power of his allies fell a lot during the battle with the Advanced Undead. Sword Experts and Masters were all injured or killed. Even then, the attack on Crete couldn¡¯t be delayed. ¡°I want to remove them before they even get resurrected.¡± ¡°I too think of doing the same.¡± Just because there was a Life Vessel, it didn¡¯t mean that the body could be resurrected right away. It would take time for a broken body to be resurrected. And just because the resurrection was done, that didn¡¯t mean that the abilities could be restored. ¡®It would take a year at the earliest for Arsene and Lich to regain their power.¡¯ Counting the time Arsene took in the past to revive, Luke did a rough calculation to find and destroy them before they resurrected and regained their power. Otherwise, another sacrifice would occur, or someone new with unknown abilities like Shaikan could get taken over. ¡®Arsene, I will not give you another chance to resurrect and run wild!¡¯ Clenching his fist, Luke made up his mind. Chapter 762 - After the End of Battle 3 The recovery took over three days. Priests in Bless and nearby places had to flock to heal the wounded, and the bodies of the dead were all recovered and sent home or were buried in an official place. After the memorial of the dead, the surviving soldiers held a festival to commemorate the victory of Bless along with the residents. Luke and Reina initially didn¡¯t like the idea of having a festival. It was because the festival was asked to be held right after the memorial was done, and with the destruction because of the battle, various parts of Bless were destroyed and reconstruction was their priority. In addition, they had to prepare for the attack on Crete, and they had to help the Castia Kingdom and the Irea Kingdom, which were both destroyed by Arsene. However, the residents wanted to have a festival. ¡°We led such a great victory, and I think that there is a need for us to celebrate it.¡± Priest Luther spoke on behalf of the public. And there was a need to enlist the people who were in doubt of anxiety into the army. So, Luke and Reina decided to hold a Victory Festival for just one day. When the food and alcohol in the Holy Palace were short, the pubs and the restaurants that weren¡¯t swept down in the battles provided food for free. Nobles and high ranking priests, who valued their fame, openly helped by giving money. ¡°Wahhh! At that time, with the Gigant I¡­¡± ¡°When my sword broke down, I shut my eyes so tight. Suddenly, Arch Duke Gregory came¡­¡± ¡°Kua! You should have seen the face-off of His Majesty Luke against the Lich King! The explosion and debris falling kilometers away, it was so great!¡± Every square in the city was noisy with stories. Knights, wizards, and fairies, who participated in the battle, shared their stories or what they witnessed. When the people were enjoying the stories, Luke was communicating with Vladimir. ¡°You captured the capital of Libiya Kingdom?¡± -Yes. Listening in to the dispatch of the commanders, the Libiya army¡¯s counterattack wasn¡¯t what we expected. ¡®It could be because they might not have had any new weapons or troops.¡¯ Before Luke had gone over to invade the Baroque Empire, the economy of Libiya Kingdom was destroyed. It could be because of Arsene¡¯s eagerness to call an Undead army, he didn¡¯t seem to care much about the nation. Rather, it could also be said that Luke had diverted his attention from the nation by distracting him with other things. After the last Undead catastrophe, President Vladimir moved the Republican army station in Baroque to attack the Libiya Kingdom. Luke too agreed with it and asked Marquis Rogers and Count Philip that were stationed in Nemesis to help them out. Libiya was a nation where the people had already turned into Undead. The army of Libiya Kingdom must have been hungry and ready to collapse without showing much resistance. -The nobles, who were in the capital, tried to hit back, but they didn¡¯t last long. ¡°And no remnants of Veritas Magic Tower?¡± -Not yet, but still, in preparation for them, we have moved in the priests and the wizards¡­ They haven¡¯t appeared yet, the warlocks of veritas. I don¡¯t think that they had already escaped. Shaikan¡¯s cousins and Duke Butler died right away after hitting back. However, some nobles were said to have fled to an unoccupied area. So, not just President Vladimir, but even Luke saw the possibility of the remnants of Veritas escaping. They couldn¡¯t imagine that Arsene, who was dead set on an Undead relationship, killed his own men. -There was no problem with the subjugation of the units, but I am a little worried about the management of the troops in the occupied area, we are lacking in troops. And the Baroque Empire has been left empty¡­ President Vladimir was genuinely concerned. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. The reinforcements of the Song Empire and Yemaek have come, so matters can be left behind.¡± -The reinforcements from the Southern Continent have arrived? How many of them? Vladimir asked with a bright expression. ¡°100,000 troops from the Song Empire and 50,000 from Yemaek. I think that they can provide enough support for us from behind.¡± -Nice. But how are we going to solve the problem of the other nations? ¡°Those two nations took up the state of their nations into account and made command posts with those who had a bright future and understanding. We can send in our advisors and help them.¡± After that, for about an hour, Luke talked about the detailed explanation of how the occupied areas such as Baroque and Libiya would be managed. If those areas wouldn¡¯t be managed properly, the outlaws would run wild, and if that happened, once again, the innocent people would suffer. At the end of the conversation, Luke asked something he was curious about, ¡°Did Duke Dimitry¡¯s funeral go well?¡± At his question, President Vladimir nodded with a firm face. Dimitry was a great contributor to the founding of the Republic and a great swordsman representing Volga. Therefore, it was difficult for the president and the other leaders of the Republic to accept his death as a reality. -It was unfortunate for us¡­ But we think it was worth it. ¡°I am grateful that you think so. I will make sure that the sacrifice of Duke Dimitry and the Knights of the Republic would not be in vain.¡± -Well, I request you to do that. Luke, who was done with his call with Vladimir, began to immediately organize his troops for Crete. Since a demon of the Devildom was guarding it, it was necessary to compose the troops with powerful and faithful men. Chapter 763 - Crete Island 1 Crete, a secluded island to the east of Rhodesia continent. At dawn, when the battle in Bless wasn¡¯t even over, a small lighthouse built on the rocky island shone. ¡°How did it happen?¡± The man who was guarding the island all alone, tilted his head and stepped towards the temple. Wearing a robe that seemed like a rag, the lonely one was Bargosa. He had been there guarding the temple for 300 years. At that time, the Crete Kingdom was showing signs of destruction. The volcano located in the center of the island was showing signs of explosion. The Kings and nobles who kept the truth a secret from the people thought they were doing it to avoid chaos. The nobles would meet with talented wizards to prevent the disaster from striking them. However, all the famous wizards rejected their offer. It was because the evils of Crete, like the human offerings, were already known to the outside world. And even if that wasn¡¯t the case, preventing a large-scale natural disaster such as volcanoes wasn¡¯t a task for a wizard of the 9th circle could do. ¡°I don¡¯t know anyone of us who can actually do it.¡± When the leader looked grim because of the warlock¡¯s words, the Baroque Empire¡¯s Veritas Magic tower gave them the answer they wanted. During that time, Veritas men along with the Holy Imperial Magic Tower were known to be the two leading towers in the Magic Tower. But shockingly, they introduced a Lich of the Veritas Magic tower. Arsene, the Arch Mage brought in a changing world as the founder of Magic Engineering! The heads of the Crete Kingdom begged him when the time was turning troublesome for them, Arsene readily accepted the mission. ¡°This kind of disaster cannot be prevented with regular magic. I don¡¯t think that it would be possible unless we get over 10,000 girls as sacrifice¡­¡± In Arsene¡¯s words, the King of Crete immediately brought in 10,000 girls as a sacrifice. The people, who naturally did human offerings, struggled when their families and relatives were being captured and dragged by the army. Arsene performed the ritual with 10,000 living offerings. However, it wasn¡¯t to prevent the volcanic eruption but to summon an entity that would help him regarding the Devildom. And the being which he summoned was Arch Duke Demon, Bargosa. He signed a contract with Arsene in exchange for the souls of 10,000 girls. In addition, he defended Arsene¡¯s Life Vessel, which was transferred to Crete after the kingdom fell, and would pass on the skills of the Devildom sword to the undead. Bargosa did not go outside the island. It was because Arsene had already made sure that he wouldn¡¯t leave the Island during the contract signing, but it was because Arsene wanted his Life Vessel protected at all costs. The biggest weakness of a Lich was the Life Vessel. And who would dare think that the Life Vessel was being guarded by an Advanced Demon? And it was to make sure that he would prevent gathering the attention from the Divine power, the Saint Guards. For a demon to be active in the Middle Earth, they could only intervene through contracts. Anyway, Bargosa had spent 300 years of his time. And there weren¡¯t humans who would come over to the cursed island, and the visitor who came was just Arsene. But in recent times, something terrible happened. The remarkable incident was the body which Lich King Arsene used for hundreds of years, was destroyed. Arsene was the only human in Middle Earth who could win over Bargosa. And that kind of man died? The problem was that the lighthouse was shining again. And it was a sign that Arsene had lost his body once again. ¡°What the hell happened¡­ could it be that another new warrior has appeared?¡± The last time that the body was destroyed, Arsene talked about a man called Luke. Was this too, the act of the same Luke? ¡°Kuakkk! Luke. You. Bastard! Once. Again. You. Humiliated. Me!¡± ¡®So he got hit by the same guy.¡¯ Bargosa, who entered the temple, was able to see Arsene who resurrected into his spare body. Arsene was talking through the stiff body and swore for a long time, and began to unseal the sarcophagus where his spare body was stored. ¡°Can¡¯t. Work. With. This. Body! Not. This. Either! Not. Enough!¡± The power of the reserve bodies wasn¡¯t great, and he broke open all the sarcophagus. ¡°Kugh! Trash, everything. Is. Just. Trash! How. Worthless! Not. Even. One. Useful. One!¡± ¡®It is because you used up all the useful ones.¡¯ Bargosa knew about all the corpses Arsene collected, the ones of the warriors and the wizards. And Arsene used all of those corpses into Undead. In other words, it meant that the spare bodies which were in the lighthouse were worthless to be used. Of course, there was a way to strengthen those with weak abilities. However, it was unethical in many ways. Arsene never asked Bargosa about the method. And Bargosa had no obligation to respond to the matters he wasn¡¯t asked about. And there was no demon in the world, who would be kind enough to do anything other than what they had contracted. ¡°It looks like you have met a tough enemy.¡± At Bargosa¡¯s words, Arsene grunted through his teeth. ¡°If. I. knew. That. Things. Were. Going to. Turn. Like this. I would. Have. Killed. Him. Long ago!¡± Bargosa smiled seeing the man in anguish. ¡°Humans are the creatures who live in arrogance and then collapse. The same goes for you.¡± ¡°Shut. Up, Bargosa!¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be done. I don¡¯t remember signing that in the contract.¡± ¡°Kuek! You. And. Your. Contract! The. Contract!¡± Arsene burst into anger but didn¡¯t forget the contract which gave him the right to order Bargosa. Arsene thought for a while and hit his jawbone which was stuck and spoke to Bargosa. ¡°I want to become twice as strong as I was, no thrice as strong. So teach me!¡± ¡°You want to win over the man called Luke?¡± ¡°Yes, I do! So show me how to get strong!¡± At Arsene¡¯s request, Bargosa smiled. ¡°If he is such a strong enemy, there is no need to fight him.¡± ¡°What? There. Is. No. need. To. Fight. Him?¡± ¡°Yes, the human lifespan is over 100 years. Some people with excellent skills live past it, but they rarely live over 200 years,¡± ¡°What. Are. You. Trying. To say?¡± Despite Arsene¡¯s frown growing deeper, Bargosa didn¡¯t stop speaking. ¡°Just stop paying attention to the outside world, and stay in seclusion for 200 years. After some time, he will be nothing but a skinny skeleton, then you can take him and use him as your toy, how is that?¡± ¡°Kul! You. Are. A. realistic. Person!¡± ¡°Because that is the kind of advice I can give.¡± Shrugging his shoulders Bargosa replied. Prior to signing his contract with Arsene, he was working as the Demon King¡¯s underman. At that time, the situation of the Devildom was so confused that the future turned scary, so Bargosa, thinking realistically, distanced himself from the Demon King. However, Arsene was different from the Demon King whom Bargosa served. ¡°Seclusion. I. can¡¯t. do that! Right. Now. Luke is. Growing strong. I need. To. Take. Him. Down! And. Take. Down. His. Lover. In front. Of. His. Eyes!¡± He was so angry, that his jawbone began to rattle again. ¡°This is an opponent who beat you twice, I don¡¯t want to recommend you to go and fight.¡± Bargosa spoke with a very cold tone, Arsene barely restrained himself from punching the demon. ¡°You. Might. Be. Realistic. Type. But, would. That. Luke. Stay. Still. Without. Taking me. Down? He. Would. Turn. The continent. Upside. Down. To. Find. My Life. Vessel!¡± ¡°But he won¡¯t come to this island. In the past 300 years, the only one who came to this island was that demon.¡± ¡°A demon? Came. Here?¡± When Arsene was shocked, Bargosa told him about the demon which was spying on him. Arsene turned more anxious as the story went. ¡°if. Luke. Was. In. contact. With that. Demon¡­ then. He. Will. Know. Of. This. Place.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t. that lower demon is very unlikely to survive my attack.¡± ¡°But. Just. In. case!¡± Seeing Arsene turn all nervous, Bargosa could imagine what kind of forces Arsene was dealing with. The fact that this human Luke wasn¡¯t an easy one. ¡°There is no way to make your power suddenly twice or thrice. No, there is a way, but your abilities are lacking.¡± ¡°My. Abilities. Are. Lacking?¡± ¡°Yes, so take your Life Vessel and run away. To a place out of his sight.¡± Arsene was disappointed with Bargosa¡¯s answer. But then, a thought entered his mind. ¡°If. You can¡¯t. then. The. Demon King. Might!¡± Arsene laughed frantically. It was because there was no way he had a sacrifice that could be given to summon a Demon King. Until then, there were many warlocks who tried to summon the Demon King but seeing that, none of them had succeeded. Arsene guessed that the difficulty of getting it done was high. But, would it be possible for Arsene who lost all his life force and weakened body to summon it? In a gentle tone, Bargosa gave him an advice. ¡°Don¡¯t create bigger problems, Arsene. You don¡¯t have the time or means to do it. Even if you did, where is the offering that you want to give to a Demon King?¡± ¡°The. Offering. Is. Right. In Front. Of. You.¡± ¡°¡­ are you in your right mind, Arsene?¡± Arsene was a Lich who lived for 500 years. He was also the first one to become the white magic wizard of the 9th circle and the 9th magic circle of the black magic. But to sacrifice himself?! Signing a contract with a demon meant that the humans would turn into a slave after death. Of course, since the contract with Bargosa was done 300 years back, there was an equal relationship between the two. However, no matter how great Arsene¡¯s power was, there was no way he could hold an equal footing with a Demon King. ¡°Do you have any idea what it means to be a slave to the demon?¡± ¡°I know. But. I. need. To. Take. Down. That, Luke!¡± He was willing to the level of selling his soul to the devil. Bargosa, who looked at it, laughed out loud. In order to gain strength and eternal life, Arsene who abandoned humanity and turned into a Lich was clearly showing foolish human behavior. Chapter 764 - Crete Island 2 The sea to the east of Rhodesia continent. A fleet of around 200 ships were moving in the high waves. The fleet was based on the Symphonia and Holy Empire navy, and aboard the fleet were top knights, wizards, and the fairy warriors of the Continental Alliance. Warriors and zen users of the Song Empire and Yemaek were also included in them. They were all under the command of Luke, the strongest Rune Knight on the continent, and the King of Symphonia. Having organized an expeditionary force at the end of the battle at Bless, he was on his way to Crete. There was a high possibility of Arsene¡¯s Life Vessel hidden in the island where the Advanced demon Bargosa was hiding. ¡°Belfair, is Crete still far?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. At this speed, we will have to move another half day to reach it.¡± Belfair was the guide for the expedition. Thanks to Luke¡¯s help, he managed to recover enough to guide them. However, his power wasn¡¯t great enough, nor was he willing to fight against Bargosa. Bargosa wasn¡¯t just made up of power, but he was one of the great advisors of the Devildom. He was a bright and strategic demon, which Belfair worried about in the upcoming battle. ¡®With Your Majesty¡¯s skill, defeating Bargosa might be possible. But considering Bargosa¡¯s personality, he won¡¯t fight without any preparation.¡¯ It was very easy for Bargosa to defeat a low demon like Belfair and turn away, but if he knew that his opponent was a formidable one, he would respond a lot cautiously. Maybe he would call for reinforcements from the Devildom, or dig traps all over the Crete island. ¡®Or there could be no such thing. Maybe he thought I was dead and let his guard down¡­¡¯ ¡°Belfair, what are you thinking?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Belfair was a little startled. ¡°Your Majesty, I was thinking, wouldn¡¯t it be nice to gather more power?¡± ¡°We have already collected all the power we can.¡± In the past battle of Bless alone, 1,000 people were killed. Considering the Undead and the two nations that were annihilated, the amount of 1,000 could be considered as a small sacrifice. The problem was that most of the dead ones were Sword Expert or higher knights, and wizards of over 6th magic circle or higher. In addition to the unavoidable death, many people were unable to find it because of the serious injuries which had resulted in amputation or breaking down of the mana circle. In such a situation, Luke tried to mobilize those he could. As it wasn¡¯t known what all Arsene had planned on Crete. Luke even took along Count Philip and Marquis Rogers¡ªwho had conquered Libiya Kingdom, and even Karen was accompanying him on the ship, despite the pressure from Reina. And if brought in all knights and wizards available, the force would be a lot more. But, that didn¡¯t seem like a good option. If the quality of the expedition turned poor, it would end up turning into a weakness. ¡®The problem is that we are still lacking in high-end power¡­¡¯ Fortunately, there weren¡¯t many skilled people who were in the reinforcements of Song and Yemaek. And those who followed the two princesses to Bless, and the second reinforcements were all aiding to provide security to the Baroque and Libiya Kingdom. However, some of the nobles were concerned about it. The Symphonia¡¯s council too were concerned by it. It was because the soldiers of Song and Yemaek seemed like they were trying to hold the conquered nation as Song Empire¡¯s or Yemaek¡¯s. Moreover, the controversy grew even more as the Song Imperial family crest was a two-headed lion. It turned into a rumor that the Song Imperial family was a mixed blood of the old Libiya royal lineage, and that Princess Jo Mimi had come over to reclaim her ancestor¡¯s land. The rumors strengthened when a couple more rumors came around about a former Libiya princess, who was taken down by the Baroque Empire that would return one day and punish the Baroque Imperial family. ¡®Well, it was true that they wanted the land.¡¯ Not just the Song Empire, but even Yemaek had made the request for land. However, the lands the two nations had requested for was just a small estate with farmland and a port attached to or near it. They only intended to have a trading base and even promised to pay the annual rent. Of course, it could change in the future. The trading base could be turned into a conquest base in the future. Even so, Luke had no intention of keeping them away. Rather than worrying about what would happen in the far future, the priority was to get rid of the curse which had been destroying the nation for hundreds of years. Five hours later, the fleet of troops which was being led by Luke entered the mist. Karen, who was in the cabin, went over to visit her father who was on the deck looking at a faintly visible island. ¡°Is that the island?¡± ¡°Yes, princess. That is Crete. We need to be careful from now on.¡± Belfair, who was next to Luke, replied coldly. Philip, who was Karen¡¯s escort, smelled and frowned at the sight. ¡°This smells like sulfur?¡± ¡°I sense that the closer we get, the more it turns.¡± The mist surrounding the island of Crete was mixed with sulfur. The volcano which destroyed the island 300 years back didn¡¯t die down yet. Perhaps due to that, as time passed, people began to develop shortness of breath, headaches, and dizziness increased. Especially, the symptoms of people who were sailors had the worst symptoms, to the extent where ships would collide. Belfair was a little confused with what he saw. ¡°When I came here, it wasn¡¯t this¡­¡± ¡°It seems like he was up to something, might have guessed we would come here.¡± Luke immediately used purification magic. At the same time, the wizards and priests on the other ships too began to use spells to clear out the mist. Thanks to that, the condition of the sailors recovered. ¡®But this isn¡¯t the end.¡¯ If it was based on a plan, it meant that a lot more were ready to welcome them. Just as Luke predicted, a second attack began. Kung-! ¡°Ugh!¡± With a sudden vibration, Auster shook. Luke and the others who were taken aback due to the sudden sound and tremor, held the ship to balance themselves. A few of them, who couldn¡¯t react, fell to the ship floor. ¡°What? Did we get stuck because of a reef?¡± When Luke was asking, Hwang Bo-sung, pointed to the side and answered. ¡°Your Majesty, it is no reef! Look over there!¡± Looking at the place Hwang Bo-sung had pointed to were huge animals across the current who were approaching the ships and hitting it. Thud! Thud! Thump! ¡°Whale?¡± ¡°Ugh, these beasts are interfering!¡± Scarlet drew an arrow to the whale due to the anger of stumbling on the deck. Her arrow with aura hit the whale. However, even after being hit, the whale showed no reaction. He neither struggled in pain nor moved away, like a machine the whale came back to hit the ship. ¡°Are they being manipulated by magic?¡± ¡°No, it is like an undead whale.¡± Luke could jump to that judgment by looking at the whale which was attacking the Song Empire ship of Jo Mimi, which was 20 meters away from Auster. The whales displayed the characteristics of an undead. The Song Empire battleships fired the cannons to hit the whales. Pop! Pop! Pop! The whales which got hit lost their dorsal fins, yet they continued to rush towards the ship as if nothing happened. Even Auster wasn¡¯t safe. A large whale swam in the sea ready to hit the ship. However, its lower body was rotten with bones and internal organs hanging out. ¡°How dare they!¡± Just before the huge whale hit the ship, Hwang Bo-sung used Trinity Punch. The Undead whale was hit and shattered. Patter! ¡°Tch, even using the whales to create undead¡­¡± ¡°He really does weird things!¡± Philips and the other knights frowned as they saw the rotten flesh and bones fall on the deck. ¡°But one thing is clear. Arsene is right here.¡± At Karen¡¯s words, Luke smiled ¡°When I hear that, my strength rises.¡± Having said that, Luke pulled out the Holy Sword Valiant. After turning his Aether Globe to Divine power, he struck the sword towards the sea. Swoosh! The gold aura which had been condensed at the tip of the sword caused a wave. As the column of water soared high, golden waves splashed in all directions with Divine power. Keeek! Kuak! The golden waves made the whales that were close to it screech in pain. The ones in the water melted right away, and those who were in the distance scattered. ¡°This is it! Destroy all of them!¡± Pop! Pop! At Luke¡¯s command, the battleships of the fleet opened fire at once. The wizards attacked the undead whales. Soon, the undead whales which threatened the fleet disappeared like a lie. They were either destroyed or ran away. Luke sighed as he found out the damage. ¡°Fortunately for us, there was no human loss of injury since the attack was mainly on the hull of the ship. However, more than 20 ships were damaged and there is water seeping in, so restoration work is under process.¡± At the report of Marquis Volant, who served as the captain of Auster, Luke nodded. The sinking ships were alright, and the transport ships holding the Gigants were safe. ¡°Hurry up and repair. And don¡¯t neglect the boundaries. We don¡¯t know how the next attack would come.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Hearing Luke¡¯s command, the wizards carefully examined the sky and sea. However, there were no more raids from the sea, and the fleet managed to arrive safely on Crete island. Chapter 765 - Crete Island 3 The place where the expeditionary troops landed wasn¡¯t much far from the site where the Crete palace was located. As a result, Belfair looked everywhere, feeling nervous. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so restless, Belfair. Nothing has been detected yet.¡± ¡°I know that, but¡­¡± Despite Luke¡¯s word, the anxiety and nervousness didn¡¯t disappear from Belfair¡¯s face. In fact, even Luke was feeling a bit anxious. If there was a demon, who was around the level of Demon King, and the place where the Lich Vessel was stored, some kind of dark energy or evil Magi had to be felt, but somehow, nothing could be felt. Somehow, everything felt empty. ¡°Dad, something feels wrong.¡± ¡°Yes. I feel that too¡­ I came here to make him pay for his debt, but this is something I didn¡¯t think of.¡± ¡°You really seem like you are about to pay the debt.¡± ¡°I speak what is there.¡± He looked around more, but Luke did have to pay a debt. Over 500 years ago, when he was Saymon, he did all sorts of chores in the Veritas Magic Tower. At that time, some of the elders in the Veritas Magic Tower were secretly taking away money, that too from the mercenaries and young wizards. ¡®I saw so many things which I shouldn¡¯t have back then¡­ Ugh, this isn¡¯t the time to think of the past.¡¯ Luke shook his head to clear his mind and ordered Hwang Bo-sung and Scarlet to search the surrounding areas. It was because the landing and unloading were going to take some time, so they had to figure out the area. Hwang Bo-sung and Scarlet, who left under Luke¡¯s orders, returned shortly after. But it wasn¡¯t just the two of them who came back. They were running with a bunch of bizarre monsters behind them. Golem like giants, large flying beasts that looked like a mix between wyverns and bats, and beasts that were a mix of wolves and lizards. ¡®They are the demons of the Devildom!¡¯ Goliath, Raptor, and Lacerta. When he had gone to the Devildom during his time as Saymon, he had seen the demons in groups. ¡°Dad, they¡­¡± ¡°All forces get ready!¡± Karen¡¯s question got buried under the command of Luke. Luke summoned his Avenger from the subspace and rushed toward the monsters, and Gregory and Philip followed him with their Gigants that had been unloaded. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°The assault of the Saint Guard¡¯s begins!¡± Around 30 Gigants, including Avenger, clashed with the monsters. While they were fighting the group of those which resembled Golems, the group of Raptors and Lacerta rushed to the expeditionary troops. ¡°Where are you going?! Stone protect!¡± ¡°Stay back! Lightning Shower!¡± Karen and the other wizards built magical barriers at the same time to stop the demons from moving ahead, and the zen users like Jo Mimi used lightning to stop the Raptors. ¡°Burn!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stand still and load those cannons!¡± Pop! Bang! The fleet¡¯s battleships began to support them from the sea. The shells passed through the place where their allies were and fell right on the group of the monsters. Bang! Kwang! The baptism of the large and small shells quickly colored the land with the black blood of the demons. The demons, which had attacked the troops, were unable to withstand the aggressive attacks of the Gigant unit, magic, zen, and shells after 30 minutes. On the ground covered with volcanic ash were countless corpses of demons that were taken down. ¡°Hahaha! We won!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t much for a handsome one like me!¡± Shouts of joy and laughter echoed from the expeditionary troops. There were no casualties, and apart from the demons, there was no damage too. However, despite the great victory, Luke¡¯s expression didn¡¯t brighten. ¡°That is weird.¡± ¡°What is so weird?¡± Brushing off the blood from his sword, Philip asked, ¡°We came to the enemy¡¯s place, but the defense here is too weak, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°This is very weird¡­ Are our enemies too weak that they could only gather these much? It seems like all the strong ones were brought into Bless.¡± ¡°It could be as you said. But¡­¡± Neither the sulfur fog nor the whales in the sea were as threatening. Even though many forces weren¡¯t met, it was as if the enemy had let go of the battle. ¡°It seems like he hopes to gain some time.¡± ¡°Gain time¡­ The guy called Arsene is a Lich, so he is trying to bounce back with his Life Vessel?¡± ¡°Maybe. But with his kind of personality, he wouldn¡¯t do this.¡± If he was planning to escape, he would have emptied the base and run away. There was no reason for him to summon monsters from Devildom. ¡®Arsene is definitely on the island. There must be something keeping him here.¡¯ The moment Luke felt convinced, the island suddenly began to run wild. Rumble! Rumble! Wheeeing! With purple lightning flashing in the grey sky and waves raging on the sea, the earth shook with violent earthquakes. ¡°Wh-what is this?!¡± ¡°Is there any chance that the volcano will erupt now?¡± ¡°No, it is Magi¡­ There¡¯s a lot of Magi over there!¡± Wizards and zen users looked at one side with astonished faces. The direction they were looking at was the Royal Palace of Crete. The place that had been neglected for a long time, a place of ruins, suddenly shone with a black light that reached the sky. Luke¡¯s expression hardened when he saw the black light pillars in the distance. ¡®What are you trying to do, Arsene?! Wasn¡¯t all the mess you did till now not enough?¡¯ There was a reason why the island didn¡¯t give out any energy. It was because something else was being done. Something that directed all the energy from the island. Luke was scared to think what that means, yet he commanded the Knights who were looking at him. ¡°Forces! Follow me at full speed!¡± As Luke¡¯s Avenger ran toward the palace, the other Gigants and troops followed him. They weren¡¯t sure what it was, but they all knew that they had to stop whatever was in the palace. Chapter 766 - Crete Island 4 Chapter 766: Crete Island 4 A cursed land that was created at the edge of the Devildom. A large tower standing on the land that didn¡¯t support the life of the grass due to the severe pollution and destruction that happened on it. Built with the bones of countless demons, a demon had lived in the bloody tower on the land for 1,000 years. His name was the Tuma King, Crown. With a muscular body and terrible first impression, he was one of the seven monarchs who ruled the Devildom in the past. However, after being expelled from the palace of the Demon King for some reason, he was confined in a gray tower. ¡°Kuak! This cursed land is boring to even see.¡± As he sat in a chair made of bones from the Black Dragon and looked out the window, his frustration made him throw out the wine glass in his hand. Crack! During the time he ruled the Devildom, mountains would collapse with his orders, lands destroyed with a wave of his hand. The dragon, the strongest being in Middle-earth was a handful, but the advanced demon Meguis, which was avoided in the Devildom, caught it. There were a number of demons and monsters under him. They were crazy for battle, and whenever there was a battle, even the other Demon Kings would back down. Such a brilliant and glorious time had come to an end 1,000 years back. His damned son started a bloody rebellion after conspiring with the other demons. In the beginning, he believed that he could smash his unpleasant and ungrateful son and his men. However, the other Demon Kings, who were guarding Crown for a long time, sided with his son, and as time went, Crown was defeated in the civil war. And he was usurped in power and confined to Demon¡¯s exile. Although he fell from power, he wasn¡¯t completely rid of the power he accumulated as the Tuma King. Even though his power was a lot less than before, he still had the ability to kill any demon with just a flick of his finger. Nevertheless, the reason he never got out of the gray tower was that he had come to an understanding with his son that guaranteed his life. And their agreement was that he would never dream of regaining power or try to take revenge. ¡°I am so bored in this place where I have been trapped for 1,000 years. I would rather hope to get out of here when a 2nd war between the Gods and Demons happen.¡± When Crown was complaining while drinking blood, all of a sudden, someone¡¯s voice entered his ears. ¡°Your Majesty, can you hear my voice?¡± ¡°H-He¡­!¡± It was 1,000 years since then, but Crown, who heard the familiar voice, couldn¡¯t stop himself from jumping out. -Wooho, Your Majesty didn¡¯t forget me. ¡°Kuak! Why would I forget you?! You were the one who urged my son to dethrone me!¡± At the lively cry from Crown, Bargosa replied in a carefree manner. -It was all for the sake of peace in Devildom. ¡°What? Peace? You are a bloody demon! And to be a demon means to strive for destruction, kill beings, and fight!¡± -That makes me feel like the Devildom has a stupid and foolish way of living life. ¡°Shut up! You just provoked that greedy son of mine! You¡¯re nothing different from those sneaky humans!¡± Crown, who kept yelling and releasing his pent up frustration, took a deep breath and asked, ¡°But, why did you contact me? Are you trying to betray my son?¡± -Not for that¡­ I¡¯m here to make a suggestion to Your Majesty. ¡°A suggestion?¡± -That is right. Do you have any plans to make a contract with a warlock and come to Middle-earth? ¡°What? A warlock from Middle-earth?¡± -Yes, there is a warlock in here who wants to sign a contract with Your Majesty, so I contacted you. Crown couldn¡¯t understand the absurd request he had just heard. There were many demons in the Devildom who would love the chance of going to Middle-earth and destroy it. However, they came for him, a demon who had been in confinement, a demon who loves to kill. In addition, even if he was confined, it wasn¡¯t like Crown didn¡¯t know what was happening in the Devildom. So he heard that there was quite a lot of demons who had gone to Middle-earth and went missing. Even, Kauren, who had the filthiest temper, was said to have fallen prey to Middle-earth¡¯s trick. ¡°You are not trying to bring me down, right?¡± Asked Crown with a deep frown on his forehead. Bargosa who knew the reason for fear in Crown. In the past, if Bargosa hadn¡¯t interfered and initiated the overthrow of Crown, the man wouldn¡¯t have been robbed of his power. At Crown¡¯s doubt, Bargosa immediately responded. -I swear on the Devil himself, I have no intention to harm Your Majesty. If Your Majesty suffers even a little damage, I will accept any punishment, even eternal exile. In the Devildom, an oath under the name of the Devil could never be broken. It was because once the oath was broken, they would be punished in the most painful ways. That was why he could believe Bargosa¡¯s words. -And the price the warlock wants to pay is his soul. The warlock had mastered white and black magic till the 9th circle¡­ Bargosa explained everything in detail to Crown. ¡®Will it be alright?¡¯ Even in the Devildom, there were very few demons of the 9th circle warlock skills. And in countless demons on the land, very few of them had the skills of a 10th circle. However, a warlock was offering to give away his soul even after learning not just white but even 9th circle black magic and lived for over 600 years. The feel to do the task was overwhelming his reasoning. Crown, lost in thought for a while, made his decision. ¡°Fine. I will make the contract.¡± -You made the right choice, Your Majesty. Then, we will start the summoning ritual right away. And with that, circles and figures got created around the chair he was sitting in. It was a magic circle for summoning in the Devildom. ¡®Am I going to Middle-earth after 3,000 years? I wonder what all have changed, hehe!¡¯ Crown¡¯s eyes burned and were brought back to life. Chapter 767 - Final Battle 1 Chapter 767: Final Battle 1 When Luke had sensed a huge surge in the energy, he led all his troops to the old Crete Palace. The sky had turned into bloody red, with the temperature of the air around them rising to the point where breathing turned difficult. The earth shook more violently, and the buildings which were already in a horrible state began to crumble. ¡°Your Majesty, moving in will turn dangerous!¡± As large buildings were falling down, Erwin used Shield Magic on Luke¡¯s Avenger. Thud! The Shield Magic bounced off the fragments, however, Luke paid no attention to anything else. His eyes were looking at the subspace which had been opened on the other side. Luke had always summoned the demon to absorb their Magi and powers, so he quickly recognized the identity of the subspace. ¡®The demon summoning circle! He is summoning a demon in here?¡¯ He had felt weird for battling with demons which weren¡¯t a match for his troops, and he realized the reason for it. The appearance of the subspace which would exceed 30 meters wide with eerie and ominous energy was opened, but fortunately, it didn¡¯t seem like any demon had been summoned yet. In front of the subspace, were two beings. A pale-skinned demon with horns, and a Lich with dark eyes and a slender skeleton. Luke¡¯s eyes went wide looking at the Lich rather than the demon beside him. ¡°Arsene!¡± ¡°Kul. Kul. Kul! Luke, You. Are. Over. Now!¡± Arsene who looked at Luke, burst over with laughter. At that moment, Luke rushed in and swung the giant sword with a Gold aura. ¡®Ugh¡­!¡¯ Arsene seemed shocked, he hadn¡¯t expected Luke to go straight for the attack. He would have avoided the attack right away if he could, but the new body differed a lot from Shaikan¡¯s body in terms of both strength and speed. Like a goblin struck in front of a dragon, he got caught up in the attack. Kwang-! A deep and long strike cut the ground beneath the feet where the Avenger¡¯s sword fell. If Bargosa arrived even a little late, Arsene would have died once again. ¡°Indeed, you are a trouble for Arsene.¡± ¡°Are you the Arch Duke demon?¡± Luke asked the demon, who had helped Arsene by blocking the attack. At the question, Bargosa was able to realize that the lower demon, whom he had thought to have killed the other day, survived and informed the human right in front of him. Pointing the sword of the Avenger towards Bargosa, Luke spoke. ¡°I am not aware of the kind of contract you have signed with Arsene, but if you plan to cover for him, you will end up dead.¡± Hearing Luke¡¯s warning, Bargosa¡¯s calm face crumbled into a frown. ¡°Amazing. I never thought that a human from Middle-earth would threaten me, a master of demons.¡± Even Arsene never threatened him. They only offered reasonable terms in the contract and signed it. And once he said that, Bargosa¡¯s body disappeared. Using black magic to quickly move in space, he dropped Magi thunderbolt at the expeditionary troops which followed Luke. Rumble! Unlike Luke, the expeditionary troops were all looking at the subspace in the sky and were taken by surprise by the lightning. ¡°Wha-What!¡± ¡°Be careful!¡± With a smile on his mouth, Bargosa smiled looking at the humans who were trying to avoid the attack. ¡°Kuek, don¡¯t be so cowardly. Hitting the weakness in a fight is a tactic¡­ ugh?¡± Bargosa, who was trying to justify his attack on Luke, was shocked. It was because a little girl had come out of the expeditionary troops, and used a huge amount of Divine power and destroyed all the lightning. ¡®That can¡¯t be! No matter how the Divine power and Magi counter each other, for a little girl to stop my attack?¡¯ The moment he was stunned at the girl and stared at her, Luke ran to him and struck Bargosa with his giant sword. Bargosa who detected Luke¡¯s movement hastily opened Dark Shield. However, after being struck by a huge sword with a gold aura that was being amplified by the core engine, he got hit by the sword and fell to the ground. Kwang! ¡°Digging into the gaps in a fight is also a tactic, don¡¯t act so cowardly.¡± ¡°Huh, you are no ordinary one!¡± Luke with a smile on his lips, spoke back the words with Bargosa that had spoken to him a few moments ago. When Luke was confronting Bargosa, Erwin looked after Karen. It was because Karen, who had just stopped Bargosa¡¯s attack, seemed extremely pale. And it wasn¡¯t because of the attack of the demon. ¡°Princess, are you alright?¡± ¡°Ha¡­ don¡¯t worry about me, go and find the Life Vessel of the Lich King! Do it as soon as possible!¡± The main goal of the expedition was the Lich, Arsene. As long as the demon summoning circle was still activated, it meant that a demon would soon come through it. No one knew what kind of a demon Arsene had summoned, but it wasn¡¯t going to be a normal one. So Karen decided to find and destroy the Life Vessel before Arsene¡¯s demon came out of the subspace. That way, they would be able to stop the acts of Arsene permanently without much damage. The knights and soldiers stood up at Karen¡¯s order and began to search the entire place. Arsene, who was hiding behind the subspace to avoid Luke, laughed looking at how the humans move. ¡®Huh, stupid creatures. Search for a thousand years. For my Life Vessel.¡¯ If he could, he wanted to take down the troops instead of Luke. However, ever since his body changed, Arsene was a lot weaker than before, and strong people like Karen and Hwang Bo-sung were in the troops. Moreover, the most important task, the summoning was still in progress. The summoning would be canceled if any problems came up in between, and Arsene¡¯s life could be in danger. Arsene decided to hide from both Luke and his troops until the Demon King got summoned. But his peace didn¡¯t last long. The troops began to display unusual behavior in their search. ¡®A lighthouse built on the shell of a large turtle like¡­¡¯ Unlike the others, Scarlet stared at the rocky island in the sea opposite to the palace. The lighthouse stood alone on the rocky island, which looked like a turtle shell. ¡°When the night turns darker than ever, hit the lighthouse which is built on a large sea turtle.¡± A message from Master Erenes, which she had forgotten for a while. When she first heard it, she didn¡¯t understand what he meant. However, when she saw the night turned darker, a subspace darker than night, and noticed a lighthouse on the rocky island which looked very similar to a turtle shell, the words of her teacher resounded in her mind. ¡®Master said to hit the lighthouse. Then, the Life Vessel of the Lich is in the lighthouse¡­!¡¯ Tat! Tat! Tat! Scarlet hurriedly jumped onto a nearby stone pillar and picked up the arrow. She took the arrow which was made by a dwarf elder, in which the arrowhead was made of steel, and also had little magic and Gigantium on it. If she could put aura onto it, the power the arrow would release would be tremendous, so it had to be used against Sword Masters. In the current situation, she was more than able to destroy the lighthouse with just one arrow. Convinced, Scarlet began to push aura onto the arrow. Wooong! A bright, blinding light began to form at the end of the arrowhead. The Aether, which Erenes had shown to her was awakening, even after Luke had called it to be dangerous. ¡°Sh-she is¡­!¡± Arsene was shocked when he saw Scarlet aiming for the lighthouse. The Life Vessel was still inside the lighthouse. He couldn¡¯t just let the red-haired woman shoot her arrow. ¡°Black Spear!¡± ¡°Danger!¡± Seeing the Black Spear used, Hwang Bo-sung hurriedly jumped for Scarlet. As Hwang Bo-sung went close to her, Scarlet had fired the Aether arrow towards the lighthouse. Swoosh! The arrow, which was shining flew towards the lighthouse leaving behind a white trajectory in the air. Thanks to Hwang Bo-sung¡¯s quick move, Scarlet managed to avoid getting hit by the Black Spear but was angry at missing the target. ¡®Damn it, I missed!¡¯ As she was pushed by Hwang Bo-sung, the direction of the arrow shifted. Kwang! The arrow broke through the roof of the lighthouse. While she was feeling irritated and regretting using it, Arsene began to scream. ¡°Kuakkkkk!¡± The fragments produced by the arrow had broken in through the roof and struck the Life Vessel, which was stored inside the lighthouse. Although the Life Vessel wasn¡¯t broken, it was still a considerable damage, and Arsene¡¯s soul was damaged. Arsene was hurt and was feeling a pain he didn¡¯t till a few years back. ¡°This, no¡­!¡± Bargosa looked over at Arsene who was on the ground groaning in pain. He looked over at the subspace. If Arsene¡¯s condition was too serious to move, then the summoning would get halted. But fortunately, the subspace was safe. No, it vibrated a lot more intensely and began to release Magi in huge quantities. ¡°Ughhhh! It is dangerous!¡± ¡°Get back! Step back!¡± The Magi was poison, and unless one was a warlock, one could die from being exposed to a certain amount of Magi. When the troops who were shocked stepped back, a huge hand popped out of the subspace. The rocks around the subspace began to melt down, and a hand kept reaching out of the subspace. Shocked, Luke rushed straight in and struck his giant sword. He tried to take down the demon before it crossed the subspace. Kwang! A huge wave pushed everyone a few feet back. But the demon¡¯s hand which got hit by the sword didn¡¯t seem to take any damage. Despite the fact that Gold aura was used to maximum, there was a small cut on the hand. ¡®This can¡¯t be¡­!¡¯ ¡°Kukuk! A great welcome!¡± The demon passed through the subspace and spoke with a low voice. His massive muscular body could be compared to a Hero class Gigant. He has four pairs of horns and began to lit-up his eyes. ¡°Hiiik!¡± ¡°Kuak! Keeek!¡± The soldiers who met eyes with the demon died immediately while screaming. Despite being far from the demon, most soldiers couldn¡¯t handle the Magi the demon was releasing. Among the knights, there were many who died of a heart attack or even passed out. Even Sword Masters like Philip and Rogers trembled to stand, and Belfair the demon, threw its head to the ground. Gregory, Hwang Bo-sung, and Karen were the only ones who could stand. However, their faces were stiff and pale because of the fear which was creeping into their hearts, fear of being consumed by something stronger than them. ¡®Oh my god! I did expect it but¡­¡¯ Luke was also stiff to move. However, the skills he had accumulated as a Rune Knight and his sense of mission to protect his people made his body move. ¡°Disappear!¡± In his Avenger, he used the second half of the Gold Sword, Cyclone Rage. The storm-like sword attack which had turned twice as powerful went towards the demon faster than light. Kang! ¡®No!¡¯ The giant sword broke with a sound. While was dumbfounded at what he saw, the demon who almost got hit smiled. ¡°It tickles.¡± The demon with a smile on its face struck both his fists. Kwang! Just rubbing his fists were strong enough to send shockwaves all over the island. When the demon stepped ahead, the whole ground shook. The Avenger which was on the ground rolled back because of the shake on the ground. ¡°Dad!¡± Screaming, Karen rushed towards Luke. Arch Duke Gregory tried to follow her, but his legs wouldn¡¯t move. As he watched the demon move, the dizzier his body and mind were turning. ¡®That is no normal demon, he is definitely¡­!¡¯ Demon King. The highest-ranking demon in the Devildom. The worst thing one could see, the thing only heard in legends and myths were right in front of their eyes. Chapter 768 - Final Battle 2 Chapter 768: Final Battle 2 ¡®Kuek! What is this¡­?!¡¯ Luke, who got buried in the old palace, was swearing in his mind. It was because the demon which had been summoned a moment back had great power. There was confidence in the demon, and with the absence of the hero class Gigant Avenger, Luke would have died in the attack. ¡°Oh my! Shocking to see the humans in Middle-earth are capable of blocking my attacks.¡± Crown, looking at Luke, who was trying to stand up from the rubble fallen on him, seemed shocked. Even though he was under the rubble, Luke hurriedly unfolded the shield as soon as he felt Crown build up energy around him. There was a one-point defense that focused on the gold aura and hit one spot. Surely, the defense created by Luke had crashed, but it was shocking for Crown. Ten thousand years back, during the God-Devil war, there were just a few humans who could stop his attack. In addition, humans were beings who were loved by God. The Divine power didn¡¯t dry out from the human body, yet, the demon had weapons made from the best blacksmith in the world and worn all over him. However, the human being in front of him didn¡¯t have any divine armaments, and although the humans had Divine power, it was embarrassingly small enough to be called a God¡¯s messenger. Instead, he was riding a steel doll, which resembled a broken Gigant. However, compared to the armor on the demon, the toy or Gigant around the humans had no power in it. ¡°Dad, are you alright?¡± Karen ran over to Luke and asked with tears in her eyes. Luke broke down the distorted hatch and the breastplate and took a huge breath to stabilize his balance. Unlike the other times, Luke¡¯s legs were shaking from the shock he received in the previous blow. Karen who saw it, tried to support him only to get refused by Luke. ¡°I am fine, don¡¯t cry. Rather, tell everyone to stay away from me and you too, get back.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Tell them to not attack the Demon King at any cost.¡± Luke was convinced that the demon summoned was the Demon King. Apart from the way in which Arsene had summoned the Demon King, the power which the demon used was exceeding any normal Demon King. Luke was worried that Gregory or Hwang Bo-sung would recklessly run for the demon after seeing him hurt. ¡°What? Answer me!¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± While Luke and Karen were talking, Arsene approached Crown, knelt before him, and bowed his head. ¡°Oh great. Demon. King. I. welcome. You. Onto. The Ground! Please. Help. Me in. taking. Down. The fairies. And. Humans. Who have. Brought. Pain. To. Me. Please. Punish them!¡± Arsene spoke with joy. It was because he had seen the extent of the power Crown possessed, and he really wanted to possess that power. He had a chance of turning twice, or thrice stronger than his prime time, all with the help of the Demon King, and he actually saw the possibility of taking over Middle-earth. Arsene kneeling on the floor, smiled as his imaginations flew wild. Crown glanced down at Arsene and at Bargosa who was standing behind him. Bargosa bowed to greet him, Crown¡¯s usual thunderous voice fell. ¡°It has been long, Bargosa! How long has it been since I saw your face like this? ¡°I hope you had a peaceful time, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Kuk? Peace? I almost died of boredom! Rather, I figured out your sins!¡± As Crown was blaming him, Bargosa calmly responded. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a sin according to me, it was my decision to rescue the nation for peace in Devildom for a whole new future.¡± ¡°Oh, thanks to your bloody decision about peace and the future, the Demon Kings are fighting timidly today!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The current Devildom had a tight balance maintained between the 7 monarchs. Although small battles would take place on the borders of their Kingdoms, no all-out wars had even happened. At Crown¡¯s sarcasm, Bargosa just smiled. Seeing Bargosa smile only irritated Crown. ¡°I will punish you later. Rather, is this the Lich who wanted to make a contract?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But his condition doesn¡¯t look that good. You sure?¡± Crown asked with a frown on his face. It was because the soul of the Lich, who was on his knees was cracked, it seemed damaged. ¡°Just before he summoned Your Majesty, an arrow got shot by a human woman and his Life Vessel got damaged.¡± ¡°Kuak, that was why my soul got hurt.¡± Crown seemed disappointed with it. He was excited to eat fresh meat, however, the one in front of his eyes was rotten meat. He was wondering if he could use the soul for a few days, but the Lich didn¡¯t seem to be in a good condition. ¡°This is different from what you said, Bargosa.¡± ¡°I just told you now. It was because of an unfortunate accident that happened.¡± ¡°Shut up! If you were once an Arch Duke Demon, you should know how to prepare for unfortunate accidents. Didn¡¯t you manage alternative Life Vessels?!¡± ¡°I did try to¡­¡± Bargosa scratched his head feeling bad at what happened. Scarlet¡¯s blow was really an unexpected one. How could she hit the Life Vessel which was on the other side and cause damage?! ¡°Great. Demon. King. Please. Hold. Your anger¡­ kuak!¡± The moment Arsene raised his head to speak, Crown stepped on him with his huge foot. ¡°Cheeky guy, how dare he think that a Lich has a right to talk to me? Nor once! But twice?!¡± ¡°KuekuK! Pl-please. Forgive. Me!¡± ¡°Shut up, you dirty Lich! There is no sincerity in your voice. When serving someone¡¯s precious life to me, it isn¡¯t just a body you should sacrifice, but also should have brought beauties for me!¡± It seemed like Crown had come hoping for a little extra bonus. However, it wasn¡¯t just the bonus, but even the sacrifice was in an unpleasant state to look at. Seeing Crown pissed, Bargosa spoke. ¡°Your Majesty, you have already responded to the summon, you cannot ignore the contract. Aren¡¯t we demons different from the lowly humans?¡± ¡°Who said that I would ignore it? It is just that he isn¡¯t satisfactory.¡± Arsene, who was already half-crushed by Crown¡¯s foot, turned pale. He was worried whether the Demon King would return back to the Devildom or would still go ahead with the contract! ¡°Now, what did this disgusting Lich want? Sell me your soul and tell me what you want to achieve.¡± At Crown¡¯s words, Arsene spoke his wish. ¡°Great. Demon. King! Give. Me. Power. to. Punish. That. Luke de. Rakan. Over there. Please!¡± Arsene spoke pointing at Luke. Crown snorted and shook his head. ¡°That can¡¯t be done.¡± ¡°Wh-what! Why?¡± Arsene was filled with resentment and anger when he heard the answer of Crown. ¡°Arsene, your soul has been damaged by an arrow shot by a human. If you take on a strong power in this situation, your body can¡¯t take it. Rather, it will run away in your body and disappear.¡± ¡°Th-that¡­!¡± ¡°Did you forget? At the time His Majesty was summoned, your soul was given to His Majesty. But, would you, Arsene, want to lose possession over the hard-earned summon?¡± Arsene¡¯s eyes went wide at Bargosa¡¯s explanation. The red-haired girl who shot the arrow was the cause of this tragedy! Arsene shook with anger, resentment, and glared at Luke. ¡°If. I can¡¯t. get. Strength¡­ then. If it. Means. I can. Punish. That Luke. Then. At least. Use your. Power. to bring. Him. Down!¡± Crown scratched his head. ¡°Hmm, this seems like a losing bet, but I have signed the contract with you, so I will listen to what you say.¡± Taking his foot off Arsene, Crown walked towards Luke. Thud! Thud! Thud! Each step he took, shook the island, and the Magi surrounding his body melted the ground. ¡°Gulp!¡± Karen, Marquis Rogers, Philip, Hwang Bo-sung, and Erwin who watched it from a distance, tried to move back with clenched teeth. They had overcome the fear and were willing to fight for Luke, till death. However, Arch Duke Gregory held them. ¡°Everyone, hold your place!¡± ¡°Arch Duke Gregory!¡± ¡°In this situation, we wouldn¡¯t help him much, even if we join. We will end up being another problem for His Majesty¡­¡± The opponent was the Demon King. Even Rune Knight, Luke, who was said to be the strongest in Middle earth, didn¡¯t have a chance of winning over the demon, yet the other knights weren¡¯t going to interfere. ¡°And Your Majesty told the Princess not to enter. I think he might have an idea, so let¡¯s wait.¡± Gregory saw how Luke was looking at the Demon King. He didn¡¯t seem like he would kneel in front of the devil himself. At Gregory¡¯s words, Karen and the others decided to watch. And Gregory¡¯s words were indeed right. Crown was very disappointed to see the humans and the fairies not moving from their spot. ¡®Tch, here I was trying to get some excitement¡­ but he was quick to notice.¡¯ Compared to him, the humans and fairies were weak, weak like flies, yet if the demon could slaughter them, then he was sure to feel pleasure. Looking at Luke, who seemed to be the leader of those people, made Crown angrier. Maybe it would be fun¡ªa little like the time in the past where heroes of humans fought him. ¡®No, seeing his situation, if I can¡¯t be careful, he might show me something different.¡¯ Maybe Crown would get a taste of something new, an unusual pleasure. With such anticipation, Crown¡¯s footsteps accelerated. Chapter 769 - Final Battle 3 As Crown drew closer with his footsteps, Luke frowned. It was because the energy from the demon was a lot stronger even from the distance. His skin was turning numb to even lift his limbs, and his will to move was crumbled, yet the only thing that seemed to obey his mind was his mouth, which he used. ¡°I am Luke de Rakan, King of Symphonia Kingdom! I am the representative of the alliance of the fairies and human troops. The one who has been summoned, what is your name and identity?¡± At Luke¡¯s question, Crown narrowed his eyes. The same guy who had attacked him when he came out of the subspace a while back was talking to him! Crown stared at the opponent who seemed to have forgotten what he had done. An ordinary human would have died after staying a few moments near Crown. However, this man in front of him was speaking calmly with his head held high. ¡®Look at him? He must have a lot of guts.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just guts, the man seemed quite stilled. It was a surprise attack, but he still managed to scratch Crown¡¯s body. It had been a thousand years since Crown had seen a strong human. Crown liked the ones who were strong and decided to listen to what his opponent had to say. ¡°Kuek, you are asking about me? I am Crown, the Tuma King. I may have been forgotten in the memory of trivial humans, but I was one of the seven monarchs who ruled the Devildom once.¡± ¡®Tuma King Crown!¡¯ The words of Crown only made Luke more nervous. When it came to Crown, it was because when he went to Devildom as Saymon, he had heard rumors about him. The most insane demon in the Devildom and he was the most skilled when it came to combat, better than most Demon Kings. He heard about the Demon King engaging in numerous battles, and eventually being thrown off the throne by his own son and confined in a remote place. ¡®This is the worst! Why is this guy here?!¡¯ Maybe with the other Demon Kings, Luke had a chance, but the one in front of him made winning seem impossible. Still, he couldn¡¯t just give up. Crown glanced down at Luke with a thin smile. ¡°Your expression has turned stiff. Have you heard about me?¡± He tried not to let it show, but it seemed like Luke¡¯s body had failed him. Getting his confident face back, Luke opened his lips. ¡°I have signed a master-slave contract with a lower demon.¡± ¡°You mean that vampire whose head is on the ground? If you are a strong man, it is strange for you to enslave such a trivial one.¡± Crown¡¯s gaze briefly looked at Belfair, who was still on the ground. ¡°Right, so did that one tell you about my story?¡± ¡°Not him. I knew about you before that. That you were the Demon King of the Demon Kings, the most notorious in the world.¡± ¡°Hahahaha! You really know about me! Truly an extraordinary human!¡± When Luke praised him, Crown laughed. As his laughter roared through the island, it made the expeditionary troops step back. Still, Gregory and Karen were able to handle it. ¡°The Demon King of Demon Kings, you are the best one in the Devildom. I would like to bet.¡± ¡°Bet?¡± ¡°Exactly. If you attack and I stop you, go back to Devildom.¡± At Luke¡¯s words, Crown narrowed his eyes. His eyes turned bloody. ¡°And what if you can¡¯t stop me?¡± ¡°If that happens, then I will give you my life and all the humans and fairies in here to you.¡± If Luke failed to stop the attack, there was no way the humans and other fairies could stop Crown. They would get wiped out, so Luke decided to risk their lives too. He decided to take a risk because of the rumors he heard about Crown. It was said that the Tuma King Crown liked to bet and fight, and he loved battles to the death. ¡®If Tuma King accepts the bet and I stop his attack¡­¡¯ There would be no more reason for Luke to struggle. Crown would return to Devildom, and Arsene¡¯s conspiracy and ambition would come to an end. ¡°Kuakauk, cheeky guy, you are.¡± Luke¡¯s intentions were obvious, but Crown liked it. Maybe it was because Luke had blocked his attack a while back. ¡°You are cheeky and stupid. Did you think that the last attack had drained my power?¡± ¡°It could be or couldn¡¯t be. But are you going to accept the challenge? Isn¡¯t it joyful to win in an unlikely battle?¡± ¡°Kukuku, this is fun. You seem like you know how to fight!¡± Crown was not a king from birth. As time passed, he had forgotten it, but he had risen in the ranks from being a childish demon. He had met so many overwhelming opponents in the process, and he defeated all of them. Yet, the pleasure was amazing winning over those who were stronger than himself. A strong man he met after 10,000 years. He thought that humans had a world to protect and that the humans might punish him and yell a lot at him too. Yet, Crown liked him. ¡°Okay, I will accept the bet!¡± When Crown accepted Luke¡¯s offer, Arsene was extremely shocked. He had no doubts when Crown came over. He was certain that Luke would be defeated. But, Luke¡¯s speech held some power in it, and Crown was simply accepting the suggestion! Losing Crown would be a huge let down for Arsene. He had given up his soul for Crown, and his ambition would end in vain. Arsene, who thought that the bet shouldn¡¯t happen, walked out to Crown. ¡°De-demon King! He. Is. Cunning. Don¡¯t. Be. Fooled! Humans. Lie. Even. A. King. Lies!¡± Crown looked over at Arsene who was crying out. With eyes brighter than before, he spoke to Arsene, ¡°Go!¡± A roaring shout burst out of Crown¡¯s mouth. Arsene, who was already weak, had fallen back, and his skull broke down to a side with the wave and scattered all over the place. ¡°Lich bastard! You think I can¡¯t beat a human being?¡± ¡°Ugh! No, not. That¡­¡± Arsene¡¯s skull, which was shattered, got pieced back together. ¡°Shut up! You are saying that I am not skilled, isn¡¯t that it? Until you can stand my attack, don¡¯t bother talking to me!¡± Crown raised his fist and tried to blow away Arsene. Bargosa stood up to stop it. ¡°Majesty! Arsene is worried that His Majesty¡¯s prestige might fall, so forgive him for it.¡± ¡°Huh, dog shit! If you use that mouth of yours one more time, you are done. Before I take down that human, I¡¯ll boil that thing in the horrors of hell!¡± As if his words weren¡¯t scary enough, fierce flames soared in front of Arsene and Bargosa. With a sigh, Bargosa shook his head toward Arsene, asking him to not take up the issue. Even in Devildom, there were demons who were killed after hurting the pride of Crown. Arsene didn¡¯t know that, yet he was overtaken by the fearsome Crown. ¡°I. went. Mad. For. A moment! Please. Do. As. The Demon. King. Sees. Right!¡± Eventually, Arsene stepped back, and the bet between Luke and Crown was confirmed, and the fate of Middle-earth was struck on one battle. Chapter 770 - Final Battle 4 Once the agreement or bet with Crown was done, Luke got ready for the battle. First, he looked over at the condition of Avenger, which seemed broken. Crown had struck the Gigant, making its armor severely damaged. Its arms were also torn, yet Avenger seemed fine to move. Above all, the core engine was alive. ¡®Nice, I can still use it!¡¯ However, in reality, Avenger wasn¡¯t really in a good state. Due to that, Luke took out all the spare Gigants he had stored in his subspace bracelet. 2 Knight class Gaius, and 4 warrior class Stiletto. Luke drew the magic circles on the ground to activate the Marionette magic to control all of his Gigants. ¡®It is still a theory, but maybe¡­¡¯ The Demon King wasn¡¯t going to get overpowered by the demon abilities or any other demon related skills. And there was a high chance for Crown to absorb the Magi. If that was the case, Luke would have to deal with the demon with his sword, Divine power, and magic. What Luke was drawing on the ground was an integrated magic circle that would bring together the power of all the seven core engines of the Gigants. By bringing in the collected energy with his body, he would be able to increase his magic power or even his sword skill by 10 times. The problem was that the method of doing it was still just a theory and was never used in battle. He had planned to refine the magic circle by conducting experiments and using the trial and error method, but to prevent Crown from raging in the world, Luke had to use it. ¡°Kuekk, do you really think that summoning such metal dolls would prevent my attack?¡± Seeing Luke draw magic circles on the ground, Crown shrugged his shoulders. ¡°You see, I am going to show you the combat of a new era!¡± Seeing Luke speak back to him, Crown¡¯s mouth curled into a smile. He remembered seeing a family he had fought a very long time ago. ¡®I feel like I am seeing Achilleon¡¯. A thousand years ago. Human warriors were active members of the gods. Among them, there was a warrior who was blessed by Mars and the Dragon God. His name was Achilleon. Achilleon¡¯s body, which was blessed by the War God and the Dragon God, made him a skilled person in magic and sword. In addition to that, Mars had awarded him with a sword, and he turned out to be a tough opponent for Crown. ¡®But the thing which impressed me about him was his fighting spirit that didn¡¯t know how to give up.¡¯ He was able to see the same strong will in the humans in front of him. ¡°Human King, how about you withdraw that bet?¡± ¡°I refuse to do so. I will surely stop your blow.¡± ¡°Is it because if you withdraw, you would save just your life and not the life of the others?¡± Crown spoke appealing words about withdrawing. However, Luke only answered him with the sound of Aether Globe getting converted into Mana circle. Kiiiiiik! As the core engine of the seven Gigants accelerated to the apex at the same time, Luke¡¯s magic began to increase exponentially. With the ground around him cracking, rocks shattered and the debris all over the place started to rise. There were also blue sparks fluttering in the sky. ¡°I will not be begging for my own life or of the others.¡± ¡°Kuek, nice! Only then will one be called a hero!¡± With a smile on his lips, Crown clenched his right fist. His posture was rather simple, but the amount of Magi that was gathered around his fist was beyond imagination. Like a black hole, it seemed to suck up every little Magi on Middle-earth. Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! The Magi that formed around his fist began to circulate with sparks around it. Each of the sparks around his fist had the same amount of power that any Advanced Demon ability had. If that fist was directed properly, even the sky might crack or the earth could get destroyed. ¡®Ahh, dad¡­!¡¯ ¡°Your Majesty, please overcome it!¡± ¡®Oh, God! Give His Majesty strength to win!¡¯ Starting from Karen, all the troops knelt on the ground and prayed for Luke. They were all worried yet hoping for Luke to win the battle against the Demon King. However, Luke seemed to be alright. It was not because he already gave up on the battle or anything, but it was because he knew that calmness could change the flow of a battle. If he was worried, it would turn difficult for the linked magic of seven Gigant¡¯s core engine to be controlled, and it was possible that once the control got lost, the Gigants would collide. ¡°Human King, are you ready?¡± Asked Crown with an arrogance filled voice. Luke picked up Holy Sword Valiant as his answer to Crown. With his lips forming a creepy smile, Crown raised his fist. ¡°Receive this, a gift from the strongest Demon King ever!¡± ¡°Rakan! Show me the future!¡± As Crown struck his fist, Luke ran ahead. He had already interlocked 7 Gigants and amplified the magic at once, and he placed it on Valiant. At the same time, he unfolded the second half of the Gold Sword, the strongest sword on the continent, and used Cyclonic Rage and Clock-up Sword simultaneously. He used the magic and Rakan¡¯s sword that he had seen from his days as Saymon. And all the power he generated was getting placed on the Holy Sword Valiant, which had to clash with the fist of the strongest Demon King. Kiiing! Kwang! Kwang! The moment the power of the two met, a disastrous sound that was never heard in any war resounded on the land and the heavens. Was it that sound that ran around the universe when the planets formed? The battle between the strongest Demon King and the strongest hero of Middle-earth made the earth distorted for a second. At the point where the two collided, the ground cracked as if the land was breaking apart. The water that was around them turned into a tsunami that spread in all directions. ¡°Stop that!¡± ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± Wizards and warlocks instinctively deployed Shield magic. Riders of the Gigant used all the auras on the shields to stop the shockwaves from hitting the ground troops. Yet, the shockwave just broke through everything. Not just the troops, but even the Gigants were blown away. ¡°Hiik!¡± ¡°Ugh! This was beyond what I expected!¡± Unlike Arsene, who was scared out of his mind, Bargosa was calm. Rather than forcing the shockwaves to stop, he let the shockwave hit him, yet he maintained his stance in the midst of that disaster. However, there were a lot of people who managed to hold their composure. ¡®I knew that she was no ordinary girl.¡¯ Bargosa looked at Karen, who had piqued his interest from the beginning. Karen, who was flying in the sky, overcame the shockwave. ¡®Dad¡­!¡¯ Karen was looking for Luke. In the place where the center point of the crack started, Luke and Crown were standing still. Almost like the stone statues of the ancient heroes, depicting a scene from the myths. Their stillness made her wonder if time stopped until a low sound escaped from the place. Crack-! The cracks in the space, which had formed around the two like a spider web, began to close themselves. The Aether that went still on the land began to flow again. As space got restored, Luke and Crown seemed to return back to life. ¡°Ahhh!¡± The eyes of Karen and the troops, who were looking for Luke¡¯s wellbeing, shone with light. Kwang! The moment Luke moved on the ground, the seven Gigants fell to the ground with a heavy explosion. ¡°Y-your Majesty!¡± ¡°Dad!¡± As everyone screamed looking at the scene, dust sank to the ground. As if a meteor had fallen from the sky, the explosion created by the seven Gigants had created a huge crater on the ground. However, Luke wasn¡¯t seen. Maybe he was buried deep in the ground, or his body might have turned into ash. ¡°Kua. Ah. Ah. Ah. Ah! He is. Dead! Thank you! Finally. He. Is. Dead! Thank you, Demon. King!¡± While Arsene was feeling happy and yelling gleefully, Crown yelled at him, ¡°Huh, I did nothing to please you!¡± ¡°Even. Then. Thankful! I am thankful. To. You!¡± Yet, despite his winning the bet, Crown¡¯s face didn¡¯t look that great. It held a tinge of sadness. ¡°Demon King, it worked¡­!¡± Bargosa, who was speaking with Crown, turned shocked as the dust cleared. ¡°De-demon King!¡± ¡°I knew it, he was no ordinary man.¡± Thud! The moment when Crown said that with a smile and turned his head, his right horn got taken down. No God or hero was able to even cut down any Demon King¡¯s horn. Shocked, Bargosa and Arsene looked over at the place where the light was flashing. It was the point where the crater was formed. The ground seemed to move as if something was moving under him and from there came out Luke. ¡°Pooo¡­ Haaa!¡± His body was covered with bloodstains, and he was still holding onto his sword. He seemed like he could collapse with just a slight touch of a human, yet his eyes were staring at Crown. Chapter 771 - Final Battle 5 Luke, who everyone thought was dead. As he appeared, tears welled in the eyes of everyone. Until a moment back, everyone seemed desperate, they had lost hope, wanting to take revenge for Luke. But then, Luke appeared, alive! Luke¡¯s eyes seemed like they were asking Crown. Who won the bet? Grinning at the human, Crown answered. ¡°Human¡¯s King, Luke de Rakan, congratulations on winning the bet!¡± Listening to the words, humans and fairies smiled. On the other hand, Arsene trembled to see the enemy who stood up from hell. ¡°Dad!¡± ¡°Master-!¡± Starting with Karen, everyone ran up to Luke. Everyone was happy that Luke didn¡¯t die, even happier that the bet was won. Karen jumped in to hug Luke, who was still looking at Crown. ¡°Ung! This is good, I am glad that you are okay!¡± ¡°Look at this crying over¡­!¡± As he was stroking his daughter¡¯s head, he fell back. The injuries were severe, yet his mind was able to calm down, yet, the energy in his body was turning faint. ¡°Majesty!¡± ¡°What are you all doing! Heal him quickly¡­!¡± While the wizards and the zen users were treating him, Arch Duke Gregory and the others surrounded Luke. Their opponent was the Demon. Although he admitted that he had lost the bet, the Demon could break his promise. Unlike them, who were highly tense and still with their swords trembling in hand, Crown had no intention of fighting anymore. ¡°The humans are stronger than I thought. He stopped my strongest attack.¡± Crown scratched the part where his right side horn got cut off. He spoke to Arsene, who was trying to deny the reality in front of him. ¡°Since I lost my bet, I am going back to Devildom.¡± ¡°W-wait. Please. Please. Wait. Demon King!¡± Frightened, Arsene grabbed Crown¡¯s leg. Despite Crown¡¯s bloody gaze, Arsene didn¡¯t let go. ¡°Why. Are. You. Violating. The contract?!¡± ¡°Breaking the contract? I didn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°You promised to kill the human called Luke!¡± Bargosa sided with Arsene and asked Crown. If the Demon King went back to Devildom, his plans would go wrong. Crown spoke back. ¡°Kill? That Lich has asked me to take him down.¡± ¡°That¡­!¡± Bargosa, who tried to rebut, couldn¡¯t think of anything. It was true that Arsene had used those specific words. And although Crown lost the bet, he did ¡®take him down¡¯. So no contract was violated. ¡°Demon King, Arsene didn¡¯t mean it like that. He was asking you to take him down forever¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! In that case, you should have specified the word ¡®kill¡¯! Why do you keep changing your words?!¡± Crown screamed at them. Arsene trembled in fear of getting hit by the Demon King. However, Crown did nothing. Since the contract was done, he had to take the price. ¡°Anyway, now this one belongs to me.¡± ¡°TH-that!¡± When his Life Vessel appeared in Crown¡¯s hand, Arsene went blank, not knowing what to do. There were cracks on the skull, a blue-colored figure was there. ¡°I have nothing more to do with you guys. No, well, you Lich, will have to see me every day once your rotten body disappears, Kukuku!¡± ¡°No-no¡­!¡± The worst situation. Without even killing Luke, his only Life Vessel was stolen. Arsene tried to grab Crown, but his figure disappeared. He went back to the real Devildom. ¡°No! No! this. Can¡¯t be! Ridiculous!¡± As Arsene screamed, Bargosa smiled. Crown¡¯s behavior had changed. Apart from making bets with humans, he simply went back to Devildom. ¡®Did he notice my trick?¡¯ Bargosa was planning to remove Crown on earth. He was in exile, but he couldn¡¯t be relieved knowing that Crown was alive. 1,000 years ago, Crown promised to not regain power or take revenge. However, it was still possible to kill his own son in an indirect manner, such as helping the other Demon Kings. So, when the opportunity came, he called him to Middle-earth, to kill him. His abilities would have never worked on Crown. Even though he was in exile, he was a Demon King once, and he still had power in him. However, there seemed to be a high probability of Crown running wild destroying the Middle-earth and slaughtering the people as he was known to violate contracts because of his nature. And when that happens, the Gods would intervene, and deal with Crown. But he went back to Devildom! ¡°Kuak, I lost this time.¡± As Bargosa smiled, Arsene yelled at him. ¡°Shut. Up. Bargosa! What. Are you. Going. To do. In this. Situation! The. Demon. King. Has run. Away! Take responsibility. For. It!¡± Arsene yelled and screamed, but Bargosa laughed. ¡°Why am I responsible for it? You were the one who asked for the strongest demon to come down here, even after I said that it was a bad idea.¡± And he was right. Arsene was blinded by revenge and decided to do everything that Bargosa had talked about. ¡°What. How. Dare. You! You. Didn¡¯t. talk. Right. To. That¡­!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have the luxury of time to blame me.¡± As Bargosa¡¯s words were finished, Arsene flinched and looked back. The humans and fairies were getting close to him, and among them was Luke, who managed to recover. ¡°I was listening to your words, the situation had turned quite interesting.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­.!¡± Arsene looked at Luke, who was smiling. ¡°I was here with the idea to end you completely, but I don¡¯t think that there is a need for it. In the future, you will experience eternal pain in the hands of the Demon King.¡± Souls that were claimed by the demon can never go to heaven. At least, unless the demon dies. Moreover, Arsene was well aware that his soul was damaged. And with the Life Vessel stolen, it wasn¡¯t possible to resurrect into a new body. As Luke said, he had to live under the Demon King, Crown, forever, suffering. ¡°Taste the pain which you have given to numerous people.¡± ¡°W-wait!¡± Flustered, Arsene shook his head, but Luke pulled out Valiant and slashed him before he could ask for forgiveness. Slash! ¡°Kua. Ah. Ah. Ah. Ah! No! This. Can¡¯t be. My end¡­¡± The flames of Gold Aura burned away Arsene¡¯s body. His jaw bone, which was hanging, broke down, and every single part of his body got turned into ash. ¡°Is it done, finally?¡± ¡°Majesty, there are still enemies left.¡± At Arch Duke Gregory¡¯s words, Luke looked at Bargosa. With a bitter expression, Bargosa opened his mouth. ¡°Are you going to kill me?¡± ¡°If you follow the contract made with Arsene, I need to do that.¡± Bargosa smiled at Luke¡¯s answer. ¡°I made a contract with Arsene. Stay on the island and protect the Life Vessel. But I failed in it.¡± Arsene¡¯s Life Vessel wasn¡¯t destroyed. If that was destroyed, Bargosa would have suffered a huge penalty for failing to fulfill the contract. As he was still in good shape, the contract didn¡¯t seem to be violated. However, Crown had taken away the Life Vessel, so he didn¡¯t exactly guard the Life Vessel either. ¡°I failed, and there is nothing I can do on Middle-earth.¡± And there was a reason for him to return to Devildom. It was because, if Crown noticed the scheme, he didn¡¯t know what he would do in Devildom. Bargosa had to quickly go and stop him. At Bargosa¡¯s words, Luke spoke with the sword in his hand. ¡°There is no reason to fight if you want to return back to Devildom.¡± The demon had helped with Arsene¡¯s evil deeds. However, Luke was already exhausted after the battle with the Demon King. And going into a fight with an Advanced Demon would bring in damage to his allies. Even if he was alone, the opponent was too strong. ¡°Don¡¯t appear in Middle-earth, ever again.¡± ¡°If no one comes looking for me, I will stay there.¡± At least, while a dangerous human, who cut down the horn of the Demon King was alive, Bargosa had no intention of coming out. Bargosa decided to go back home. Woong! When Bargosa disappeared, Luke sighed in relief. ¡°It is over, really over, finally!¡± A feeling of relief and fatigue poured in. All the days of struggles and the fatigue which had been accumulated in this body as Saymon, and even as Luke, made him dizzy. The only work Luke had to do, was to get rid of the fatigue. ¡°You did well, Dad!¡± ¡°You were great, Your Majesty!¡± Luke opened his mouth towards Karen and other men, who were kneeling down. ¡°Let¡¯s go back, where everyone is waiting for us.¡± Just thinking of his loved ones, made him smile. The dark clouds faded, and sunlight began to shine upon them, like a blessing for the bright future. Chapter 772 - Final Battle 6 Chapter 772: Final Battle 6 The Holy Palace. Reina was praying to the gods for the safe return of the expeditionary troops who had gone over to Crete. ¡°The great lord El Kassel, and Belize the mother of earth. Please let this havoc on this earth come to an end¡­¡± Her prayers were a lot more earnest than usual. Last night, she had a dream about Luke and Karen, and an ominous sight of confronting a terrifying-looking demon appeared. Her dreams never ended like any simple dream, so she prayed earnestly. ¡®Please come back safely! I will forgive you for everything if you come back safely!¡¯ She wasn¡¯t able to figure out what she would forgive, but she kept on repeating the same words in her mind. At that time, a voice entered her ears. ¡°Tch tch, again you do the same thing. I told you to not overdo it, I told you that it takes a toll on your health.¡± ¡°I guess dad is someone she will never learn to trust.¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Reina jumped up at the voices she heard. ¡®You heard my prayers! Thank you so much, god!¡¯ She cried to God and turned back. Luke and Karen, smiling brightly than ever. Taking huge steps, Reina embraced Luke. ¡°Is this really¡­ not a dream?¡± ¡°Right. Now that everything is done, there is no need to worry about anything.¡± The moment he said that, the outside went nosy, the sounds of horns and drums could be heard. Puah! Puah! Puuuuuah! ¡°The expedition troops are back! The troops have come back!¡± ¡°I need to inform this good news to the Pope right away!¡± Hearing the sounds of horns and the cheers of the people for the troops who returned back safely were resounding. Tears of joy loomed in Reina¡¯s eyes. Over the years, through so many hardships and adversities, the hopes and wishes of people had finally turned true. Karen looked at her parents. She, who had come back from the past which ceased to exist, by disobeying the flow of time had managed to resolve the grudge she had against the Lich King. ¡®It is finally done¡­ but the life of our family isn¡¯t.¡¯ The last hope of a world can be put down. Karen would now get to decide to live as an ordinary girl. ¡°Honey, the thing is, there is a place I want to go now.¡± Reina, who was in Luke¡¯s arms, spoke to him after enjoying his embrace. ¡°Just say it. I will take you wherever you want.¡± ¡°Lamer. The place where we first met, I want to go there.¡± ¡°The place¡­ nice! Let¡¯s go together. Karen hasn¡¯t been to Lamer till now.¡± The moment Luke decided, Arch Duke Gregory, who was waiting outside, entered. ¡°Where do you think you are going?! There aren¡¯t just one or two things which need to be done after the war¡­¡± ¡°I apologize, Arch Duke.¡± When Reina apologized, Luke unfolded teleport magic and the three of them disappeared. ¡°This!¡± With a frustrated look, Arch Duke Gregory picked up the crown of the Pope, which had fallen to the floor. Right before the teleport magic got triggered, Reina dropped it. ¡°Please tell me that you didn¡¯t decide to abdicate, right?¡± Gregory was worried. Reina had accepted the position of Pope, only for the cause of helping Luke. Now that all the variables in Luke¡¯s life had disappeared, she could quit being the Pope. He sighed like a father who lost his only daughter. ¡°Look here, have you heard? Her Holiness is gone!¡± ¡°There were rumors that the Demon King had kidnapped her¡­¡± ¡°Where are such kinds of rumors spreading from? All fake!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really! My cousin said in the Holy Palace, and High-priest Luther had denied any such happenings!¡± ¡°Then it is a good thing.¡± The news about the disappearance of Veronica III had been going around in the city of Bless. However, that was the last of the noisy events which were happening. The continent didn¡¯t suffer, and not a single man disturbed the world. The continent began to enter an era of peace. Chapter 773 (END) - Epilogue A palace with an old-fashioned design that clearly showed the skill of the dwarves. Knights of colorful armor walking back and forth through the beautiful garden. On top of their breastplate was a crest of an angel holding a sword of light. ¡°Prince! Where are you?!¡± In the Imperial Palace, the cry of the guards rang loud. ¡°Haven¡¯t you found him yet?¡± ¡°Yes, I think he escaped from the Imperial Palace¡­¡± Hwang Bo-sung, who heard the guards reporting in a low voice, was frowning deep. ¡°This one! The one called the prince of a nation is running away!¡± Exactly 10 years ago. The year following the fall of the Baroque Empire, the Symphonia Kingdom had declared itself as an Empire, and Luke de Rakan had become the emperor. The two kingdoms of Irea and Castia, which were destroyed by the Advanced Undead, couldn¡¯t manage the occupied lands of the Baroque Empire. Eventually, the two nations decided to let Symphonia claim them, and its lands were divided and were given to the Libiya Kingdom and the Volga Republic. Because of the enormous estates gathered, it wasn¡¯t strange to declare an Empire, but Luke, who hated it, wasn¡¯t intent on claiming an empire. However, the opinions of his retainers were different. ¡°When expanding our land, new foundations and columns need to be laid. How long will we hold back, especially after thousands of people have come under us to start a new life?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, there was information that the old Baroque nobles are looking for declaring their estates as independent, trying to create their own troops.¡± ¡°To establish a new order, we don¡¯t just need military. We need a new authoritative figure.¡± It wasn¡¯t just the retainers and council members. Every time Luke moved, people would cheer ¡®Long Live the Emperor!¡¯ Eventually, Luke got crowned. Just like the time when he became a king, the pope had blessed him, even his emperor¡¯s coronation had a pope. And that was the last thing that Pope Veronica III of the Holy Empire did. ¡°When I crowned you, this nation was in turmoil and faced death on our doorsteps. But, with all the elements of anxiety done, I think that my need is done, and I am going to step back from being the pope.¡± Having stabilized the Holy Empire by new and strong reforms and eradicating the corruption, she had given the empire a strong base. And as her successor, she recommended High priest Luther. Arch Duke Gregory, and the other High ranking priests and nobles, including Luther himself, didn¡¯t like it. However, she didn¡¯t back down. There was no one that managed to stop the pope from stepping down and live her life as a normal woman. Well, Luke and Karen could have talked her into being the Pope, but they preferred her coming home. The problem was the people of the Holy Empire. Not just the residents of Bless, but people from all over the nation gathered around the Holy Palace and demanded her to come back. Some priests even went on a hunger strike. ¡°Just because I am stepping back doesn¡¯t mean I am leaving you. I swear on God, I will always look for peace and the well-being of the people in this nation.¡± People eventually understood her words. Shortly after, the conclave gathered, and Luther formally became the pope. Reina, who retired, went over to Symphonia Empire, and this time, she was officially declared as the Empress of Symphonia. The following year, she gave birth to a son. Her son, Karl, the prince. Prince Karl was healthy and clever. The problem was that Prince Karl was the curious kind. From the moment he began to walk, he would go all around the Imperial Palace, and after that, he would go hiding in places, trying to go undercover to look outside the Imperial Palace. ¡°No. You are too young to see the outside world.¡± ¡°Ugh, grandad! In technical terms, this is called being over-protective!¡± Not long ago, he was scolded by Belik for running away. However, it didn¡¯t seem like he reflected on it. ¡°Inform the Imperial Guards right away, so that they can check and look in the right place!¡± ¡°Yes, Sire!¡± As the turmoil subsided, the security of the nation improved. As the exchange between humans and other races turned active, the trade between Rhodesia and the Southern Continent increased. Scholars would quote that the Middle-earth was facing a second boon. However, wicked people were everywhere. Some people, who recognized the prince, might have wrong intentions. That was why Hwang Bo-sung decided to mobilize not just the guards but even the Imperial troops. ¡°Count, what happened?¡± ¡°Ah! Princess, you came.¡± When Karen appeared with priests, Hwang Bo-sung explained the situation. Karen, an adult in her late teens, was expected to be the next pope of the Holy Empire. In recent years, on behalf of her mother, she frequently traveled back and forth between the Holy Empire and played an important role in maintaining friendly relations between the two nations. ¡°Is Karl in trouble?¡± ¡°Yes, we don¡¯t know where he is¡­¡± Karen shook her head as Hwang Bo-sung was trying to explain, rolling up her dress¡¯ sleeves, she spoke, ¡°I¡¯ll find him. So there is no need to inform the Imperial troops.¡± ¡°P-princess will?¡± ¡°I know where he went.¡± Answering, Karen immediately used teleport magic. She moved to the suburbs of the capital. The place where Gigants were tested¡ªthe Gigants of the Katarina Magic Tower. In that field was a little boy watching two Gigants battle. ¡°Woah, what good will attacking like that do?! Put a little more swing in that sword!¡± When the red Gigant he was cheering for was bushed by the blue Gigant, he jumped up in frustration. ¡°Ugh, why stab there! Even I would be better than¡­¡± ¡°Yah!¡± The body of the little prince, Karl, went stiff. ¡°S-sister!¡± ¡°You have no sense of fear! What is there was an accident. You came here all alone!¡± ¡°Ahahaha! It hurts! Hurtsss!!!¡± Karen pulled Karl¡¯s ear. Unlike the Gigant Arena, the test fields weren¡¯t equipped with defense magic circles, so if there was an accident, it would become a huge mess. And without getting permission, he was out roaming n such fields! ¡°Because of you, the Imperial Palace has turned into a mess. What are you thinking, running away from home?!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t run away!¡± ¡°What?! What are you saying you didn¡¯t run away?!¡± As the two were fighting, Karen raised her fist to punch some sense into him. Right then, someone held her hand. The identity of the person made Karen go into shock. ¡°Dad?¡± ¡°It has been long, Karen. How is the Holy Empire? It was said that they were worried as it didn¡¯t rain for a long time.¡± Instead of answering her father¡¯s words, Karen spoke back, ¡°Did dad bring Karl out?¡± ¡°It was because he wanted to see the new Gigant.¡± Just like Luke, Karl was very interested in Gigants. His room was decorated with Gigant models. Luke too thought of putting his son¡¯s interest in a good way. So, he brought the kid over to the test field of the Gigants. That was why the red Gigant was getting pushed. Luke was in the blue Gigant, which currently had its breastplate open. ¡°Even if it was you! How can you take him out without saying anything?! Everyone is worried!¡± ¡°I guess that Gigant test took some time. I was in a hurry and didn¡¯t stop to inform them¡­¡± Despite Luke¡¯s excuses, Karen¡¯s gaze was cold. ¡°Just so you know, I am telling mom.¡± ¡°Ehh, come on¡­¡± Before Luke could think of any other excuse, Karen teleported back. It seemed like she was really going to tell her mother. ¡°Ahh, we are in a mess.¡± For Luke, Reina was more terrifying than the Demon King he fought 10 years back. She was scary when it came to child education. Unlike the freedom she had given to Karen in the past, she took Karl seriously. Not because he was the crown prince who had to rule the empire at one point in the future after Luke, but it was because Karl was born in an era of peace and was a spoiled child. ¡°I am going to hear a lot of nagging today.¡± ¡°Dad, you are a hero who saved the continent. Why do you act so weak in front of mom?¡± Luke stroked the head of his son who was grunting and grumbling. ¡°Because your mom was the one who made me a hero.¡± Without her, Luke wouldn¡¯t succeed. Think about the past for a moment, Luke and his son went to the Imperial Palace. The excitement of battles had ended a long time ago. Things of that time were now history. There was sone tedious and cumbersome things that went on for Luke, but time was too precious that he wouldn¡¯t wish for anything else. Because of that, he managed to get a peaceful life with Reina. Even though Reina¡¯s nagging was a little loud, he wished for this peaceful life to continue.