391 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

### Chapter 391 **Boom!** **Rumble.** A massive explosion, centered around the training grounds, tore through a quarter of the inner palace, shaking the entire palace as if an earthquake had struck. At the epicenter of the blast, Logan wiped the sweat from his brow. A superhuman self-destructing? "Madmen..." Sensing the danger, his delayed reaction had still allowed him to gather enough power to slice through space, averting disaster. Had he been a moment slower, the entire inner palace might have been obliterated, and no matter how optimistically he viewed it, he would have sustained serious injuries. But with at least one of the culprits fleeing, there was no time to wallow in anger. Logan's gaze fell upon the corpses of knights who had been approaching the training grounds but were caught in the explosion. Seeing the carnage, rage boiled within him. 'Think you can create this chaos and just flee? Hah, don't make me laugh.' Thud. Channeling his fury, he took a step forward, and as if reflecting his wrath, an explosive surge of force gathered into his sword, more fiercely than ever before. With heightened senses, he vaguely detected the presence of the one fleeing towards the palace entrance. In that instant, Swoosh. His sword flashed like lightning toward the void. To an outsider, it seemed like a meaningless slash in empty air, yet in Logan's grip, he felt a decisive impact. A presence that exists but doesn’t—a sensation of a soul, something only a god could touch, being severed by his strike. 'Success...!' The eighth form of the Sacred Sword Art, Soul Severance (생령참, Saeng-Ryeong-Cham). A secret technique said only to be wielded by legendary Aura Masters—a more advanced version of the Soul Blade demonstrated to him years ago by his sword mentor, now flawlessly executed by Logan. More naturally than ever before. "Indeed, battlefield experience is the best teacher." The Sacred Sword Art's greatest value was its ability to harness and utilize higher powers under the guise of technique—a special art indeed. With the power of this technique and the characteristic 'Up,' he felt more confident than ever that he would soon reach the legendary realm of the Aura Master. Yet as a smile played on Logan's lips, his eyes fell again on the shattered bodies of the knights. His expression involuntarily hardened. Had he dealt with the foes more swiftly, such sacrifice might have been avoided. The arrogance he'd felt moments before over his accomplishments now left him clenching his jaw in shame. At that moment, other knights hurried to Logan's side. “Your Majesty!” Their tense expressions spoke volumes of their concern, prompting Logan to compose a calm demeanor. "It was an assault by the empire's ghosts. Ensure that the families of the fallen knights receive due compensation..." “Your Majesty! There's more bad news!” The situation already resolved, what more could there be...? “The kings of Liberty and Terronan have been assassinated! The reinforcements heading to the western border are preparing to return!” ...What? The urgent words of Francisco Romero silenced Logan completely. - Simultaneous deaths (assassinations) of the Liberty and Terronan kings. - All successors currently at MacRaine as hostages; internal chaos anticipated. - Superhumans leading the forces of each kingdom are declaring a national emergency and reversing their movements. The report delivered in real-time by Royal Guard Captain Francisco Romero left Logan scowling. Liberty and Terronan were minor kingdoms. Their combined military strength barely equaled that of a single empire legion. Yet, the withdrawal of what amounted to two legions’ power from the front lines was a critical blow. A devastating strike at the onset of the empire’s advance. “…Right. Why target only me? Damn, damn it!” “Pardon?” “Never mind. What about the princes?” “They are requesting repatriation as soon as they receive the news, citing treaty provisions…” Logan sighed deeply at Francisco's words. “Tomorrow is the day of departure...” “What will you do, Your Majesty?” There was no time to delicately persuade. They had to head to the battlefield tomorrow or within a few days at most. “…There’s no alternative. Drastic measures it is.” “Pardon?” “Gather all the princes. I need to meet with them personally.” “…Pardon? Ah, yes. Understood.” Leaving the bewildered guards behind, Logan quickly moved forward. --- "...An audience? With all of us?" Timon Liberty, first prince and heir to the Liberty Kingdom, furrowed his brows at his attendant. “Yes, Your Highness. His Majesty wishes to meet with you immediately. You must prepare at once.” “…Understood.” Timon nodded, managing his expression. Given the circumstances, there was only one reason for such a summons. Despite the chaos brought by the sudden bad news, he had already made up his mind. 'No matter what King Logan says, I must return. Even if my siblings remain, I must go!' With his father gone and the kingdom in disarray, failing to restore civil order himself could result in rebellion in the territories pacified just a couple of years ago. The army's return was imperative. ‘We can't let our nation perish for the sake of another.’ A perfectly logical reason. Moreover, with his father's passing, it was the ideal moment to end his hostage life and escape MacRaine’s influence. It was irrational in the first place that, merely to prevent an invasion while managing a civil war, he and his siblings had all been held as hostages in MacRaine. Finally, it was an opportunity to reverse that unjust decision. MacRaine would fall soon anyway. It was reckless for small kingdoms to unite against the empire. ‘We can investigate my father's death once the kingdom is stabilized.’ It likely was the act of ghosts from the occupied territories, now under Liberty’s control. —That couldn't be true, could it? Especially considering the recent actions of the empire... He unconsciously ignored the voice of truth within his heart. Acknowledging it would only make vengeance seem impossibly distant. ‘After stabilizing the kingdom, we can surrender to the empire. The royal family can be preserved.’ ### Faced with a Catastrophic Crisis Confronted with a calamity beyond his control, the young noble could only think of self-preservation. However. The one presiding over the royal chamber would not tolerate such escapism. "It’s obvious to the princes as well, I believe, that the disasters befalling Liberty and Terronan were orchestrated by the empire." Facing Liberty's three princes, Terronan's two princes, and one princess, Logan abruptly broached the main issue. Among those who wore troubled expressions, Liberty's first prince, Timon, was the first to retort. "Do you have concrete evidence for such a claim, Your Majesty?" Timon found it difficult to accept the presumptuous assertion made by the king, who was younger than him. Was it not merely said out of frustration because the withdrawal of reinforcements from both nations had further endangered their land? Moreover, why would the empire bother assassinating the kings of such minor nations? "Hmm?" Though he disliked the scornful gaze and incredulous expression directed at him, Timon couldn’t openly oppose it. He forced himself to square his shoulders, refusing to yield under such scrutiny. However. "...Our homeland is in crisis. We understand MacRaine's circumstances, but without concrete evidence, we cannot blindly offer help. Please…understand, Your Majesty." His voice involuntarily grew fainter. "So, you choose to fall right into the enemy's trap?" "Enemy!? The empire might be MacRaine's adversary, but they are not Liberty’s or Terronan’s..." "Brother!" As Timon's voice rose, his sibling urgently tugged at his sleeve. The chilling atmosphere seemed to cast a shadow around them. Realizing his verbal misstep, Timon quickly bowed his head. "I-I misspoke. I apologize, Your Majesty." "A slip of the tongue?" The king chuckled softly, and Timon's younger brother, Heyman Liberty, stepped forward to shield his brother, bowing once more. "My brother has been greatly affected by the king's passing. I apologize on his behalf for his misconduct. We ask for your understanding, Your Majesty." "A prince over thirty speaks like a child, while the newly-adult prince seems wiser. It appears the saying I heard in Liberty was not wrong—the second, not the first, holds the qualities of a king." He felt his brother bristling again at those words, but Heyman was more intrigued by the king's statement. What did he mean by being in Liberty? "Have you visited Liberty before?" Heyman inquired with a slightly uneasy demeanor, observing as the king reached into his robe with a wry smile. "No need for lengthy words." A blue light began to emanate from the king's body. Heyman instantly recognized the artifact in the king’s possession was activating. Soon, the king transformed into a middle-aged man with brown hair and eyes, emitting 'silver' aura from his fingertips. His altered, deepened voice reverberated through the chamber. "Do you recognize me now, princes of Liberty?" Even though brown hair and rugged looks were common, no one from Liberty could mistake the visage before them when combined with that 'silver' aura. The hero who had bolstered their embattled kingdom just a few years ago. The Silverslayer of Liberty, who had recently vanished amidst the empire’s ploy. "G-Gail Slayer!?" "W-What is this!?" "How can your aura color be...!?" As the Liberty princes reeled in shock, the voice of a knight announced from the entrance. – Her Majesty the Queen is here. A red-haired woman clad in lightweight armor entered the chamber. Why is the queen here? As the bewildered assembly turned their focus on her, Queen Ailen smiled wryly and activated an artifact hidden in the folds of her attire. Flash. Her appearance shifted accompanied by a blue light. Like the king, she transformed into a brown-haired, brown-eyed man, casting a gaze upon Terronan’s princes and princess. “We've met before, haven't we? Prince Ronan, Lady Essilie, and Sir Rotman?” Upon hearing the lowered, altered voice and witnessing the embodiment of red aura manifest into armor around her, their eyes widened in disbelief. "L-Lady Armored?" "Armored Hassen!?" "How could you...!" As they stared, aghast, Logan—disguised as Gail—addressed them. "Now, do you understand why you are here in MacRaine?" Yet the six royals could not bring themselves to respond, stunned by the overwhelming revelation. Logan chuckled and continued speaking. "As you are aware, current circumstances are rather dire. A forced collaboration is necessary, whether you like it or not. This is also a path beneficial to your homelands." With a resounding thud, Logan rose from the throne, striding purposefully toward them. "Surely, there isn’t any fool among you still oblivious to the situation?" What exactly are they planning to do? Amidst the overwhelming presence of those formidable beings, the princes and princess found themselves nodding involuntarily. Finally, the king gently placed a hand on the trembling Timon's shoulder and whispered. "Pretend we’re on good terms, act the part." …What nonsense is that all of a sudden!? Although Timon screamed internally, he outwardly nodded begrudgingly. And so, that very day. ["…In the end, all of this is the empire’s conspiracy."] A video emerged worldwide showing Liberty’s hero Gail Slayer and heir apparent Prince Timon standing together, resolute yet disheartened. Especially convincing was the distraught voice of Prince Timon, trembling with rage(?), evoking genuine empathy in those who watched. Combined with the footage of Terronan’s protector, Armored Hassen, and Prince Ronan, the preparation for the retreat was halted as the united royal army ignited with determination. Moreover, the change in stance wasn’t limited to them alone. The videos spread not only to the royal allies and their legions. – The empire’s conquest ambitions have become overt. The videos were disseminated across the continents’ western territories and other countries neighboring the empire's west, hastening the movements of the Western Kingdoms, closely watching the empire's actions while engaging in urgent communications amongst themselves. ### The Following Day The very next day, Logan officially declared his campaign and began his march towards the trade city of Kail, located at the western border.