419 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Chapter 419 "God's will is with us! All troops, charge!! Crush the empire's dogs!" The first to react to Logan's cry was Galen Dicaide, who was nearby. "What nonsense!" The very occurrence of magic backfiring was proof that the blue pillar of light was the result of magic. Moreover, he knew what the emperor had intended to do. This situation was likely the result of something having gone wrong with that intention. "This is the emperor's...!" Galen started to shout but abruptly stopped himself. What was he supposed to say? That this was the emperor's magic? But that magic destroyed the imperial army? Regardless of whether anyone would believe it, it was problematic if they did. Logan saw him at a loss for words and chuckled quietly. "Please, do continue, Mage of the North Wind." Galen's fury rose so intensely that it reached the top of his head, causing his teeth to grind. But at that moment, he sensed something peculiar. Despite the distance created by the great magic, it was still only about 50 meters away. For someone of his caliber, it was almost as if they were right next to each other. Yet why weren't they attacking while he and his comrades were staggering from the magical backfire? There was no need to think deeply about it. There was only one answer. "The enemy commander is exhausted! Kill him!" However, the response to his shout was a rain of quarrels and red stones darkening the sky. Ratatat! Boom! Bang! "Kill the empire's scum!" "Crush the imperial army!" "The gods are protecting us!" The relentless assault from MacLaine poured from the ruined central wall. The intensity of the onslaught seemed even fiercer than at the start of the battle—a mere illusion, perhaps? "Aaaah!" "Ugh." "R-run away!" Advertisements The central army, which had charged forward without hesitating even during bombardments... Their once unyielding momentum and valor could be found nowhere. The majority of the central army's elite, who led the charge, had recently vanished, which greatly contributed to this. "Kill the commander! He's exhausted!" This was also why no one responded to Galen's desperate cries. "Damn it! Nelly! Selin! Lexi!" "I can... still fight." "Sir, just a little longer..." "Ugh..." Even Nelly Corda, who responded positively, had veins standing out on her beautiful face. She too was not in perfect condition. 'I have no choice. I must take the risk.' As Galen braced himself to draw on his power despite his injuries, unexpected individuals responded to his cries. "Huh, what a sight for a knight..." "My apologies for the disgrace, Your Majesty." The unexpected spectacle left two aura users, one with silver hair and one with gold, standing dazed. Harmon and Jay, who had witnessed the overwhelming blue annihilation force and the golden light that countered it, finally awoke from the forcibly induced state of heightened awareness. "I have much to discuss with you once this battle concludes, Your Majesty Logan." Soon, Harmon—no, Haymon—spoke with a tone far more respectful than before. Logan was perplexed by the sudden change in demeanor but knew this wasn't the time for casual banter. "Can you handle this?" "Of course." "As well as I." The confident responses from the two left Galen's expression twisted in defiance and anger. Squeak. In the midst of the battlefield's cacophony and screams, even the sound of a sword being drawn was clear to his ears—not solely because he was a sorcerer whose foundation was wind. However, he could not retreat. 'If I fall back now, there's nowhere else to go.' A defeat in a war where the emperor himself had stepped forward... It was an unthinkable scenario. Therefore... 'Your Majesty, you must intervene now!' Gazing longingly towards the main camp behind him, Galen's expression was desperate. Could the plea of the one, now the only one who knew the emperor's true strength, be answered? Advertisements From afar, in the main camp, a golden silhouette enveloped in blue light flew through the air towards him. 'Your Majesty!' Hope brightened Galen's face. Yet, it quickly contorted at the sight of a mysterious aura user exuding silver aura right in front of him. "Damn!" Boom! Harmon, Jay, and the four wizard companions, including Galen, became embroiled in a chaotic battle. Adding to this, the battlefield noise continued to barrage them. Ratatatat. "Aaaah!" Boom! "Kkhhh!" "Die!" Clang! Sshhk. Despite the overwhelming sounds, none dared approach Logan. It was a stark display of the imperial army's diminished morale. 'This is the moment for a decisive blow.' But he could no longer contribute to the chaos of the battlefield. Just as Galen had suspected, his strength had been completely depleted. Moreover, it was not merely a case of physical exhaustion. 'The power of desire has waned. Is this temporary, or...?' Even as he attempted to harness his remaining force, it felt as if the once-bright golden light had slightly dimmed—a suspicion, perhaps. The exhilaration, the omnipotence he felt as he manipulated the causality of the grand magic to bring it down upon the enemy, had vanished without a trace. The soul that had gazed beyond the reach of an aura master seemed, instead, to have receded. It felt as if all of it was the recoil from the diminishing power of desire. And perhaps because of that, Logan noticed the golden figure encased in blue light flying towards the area much later than Galen did. 'The emperor!' His face cooled instantly. Even from a distance, the intensity of the soul could be felt. With that overwhelming presence, Logan instantly recognized that the emperor had surpassed a mere sorcerer, reaching the level of a 7th-circle grand sorcerer. Of course, even when he had seen him in the imperial palace years ago, he had felt this immense pressure. A person who commanded the highest strata of the empire with a mere few words, as if they were his servants. The dignity and aura that crafted such charisma imposed an enormous mental burden by its existence alone. However... "A grand sorcerer, really?" There had to be limits to absurdity. Advertisements The emperor of the continent's most powerful nation also being the strongest in sheer human power? Yet, the calamitous magic that had just occurred could not be explained otherwise. The only solace was that the face approaching him, glaring intently, was twisted in frustration. "Solace?" Logan chuckled at himself, amused by the thought. This was, arguably, a life-or-death moment. So why did he not feel tense? As he pondered his own calmness, a familiar voice came from behind. "Logan!" The owner of the voice, Eileen, quickly approached like a whirlwind. In that brief moment, it was clear that her abilities had significantly improved. However, her face was filled more with urgency than joy as she drew nearer. "The emperor is a grand sorcerer...!" She shouted the words far too late, freezing as she confirmed the emperor's approach with a grim expression. At that moment, Logan also recalled the critical task he had entrusted her with, and his own face turned to stone. If the emperor was a grand sorcerer, he had essentially ordered the two most crucial assets of his allies to self-destruct. "What about Ria and Clayton!?" "Ria's just exhausted, but she's safe. But..." Before she could finish, Logan interjected urgently. "Help them deal with the sorcerers. I'll handle the emperor." "But...!" "Hurry!" Eileen hesitated momentarily at his shout, but as she looked at the approaching emperor, she quickly immersed herself in the battle with the sorcerers and superhumans. And within moments... "You vile creature!!!!!!!" The emperor appeared before Logan, his once noble demeanor now a distorted visage of wrath. Vwooom. His entire body clad in golden armor, blue magical power surged around him. Even amidst the cacophony of the battlefield, this overwhelming presence immediately drew attention. "How, just how did you...!?" A face caught between fury and confusion. Was he refraining from attacking immediately due to his questions? 'If he wants to stall for time, that works for me.' Feeling the faint recovery of his force, Logan feigned a confident smile. "It's been a while, Your Majesty." Advertisements "Tell me! How did you twist Extinction, one of the highest spells in the 8th class? If you reveal the reason, I'll ensure your death is painless." 8th class? Momentarily surprised by the unexpected term, Logan nodded as he pondered the results that magic produced. 'His spirit and magical power definitely feel like 7th class, but he must have used another method.' Was it his relaxed demeanor that provoked him? "Do not test my patience, Logan MacLaine!!" The emperor shouted, but even as he gritted his teeth to suppress his fury, there was something unthreatening about his demeanor. The emperor, that absolute being, was more terrifying seated on his throne, subjugating others with words. His overwhelming charisma, boundless confidence, and the multitude of talents at his beck and call created an oppressive aura. 'But not here, not now.' Right now, there was just one grand sorcerer, merely emanating magic madly. And he had lost his composure. Logan felt the emperor's shadow, which had long loomed in his heart, starting to lift. A smile formed on Logan's lips before he realized it. "With such power, you'd have better chances on the battlefield, so why waste time arguing here?" Logan's eyes, still projecting an air of relaxation, scanned their surroundings. Beyond them, constant screams and explosions rang out. The emperor seemed to take in the entire scene as if observing through a magical screen—unbothered. "Hmph. Fools in numbers are still fools. Aren’t you practically the kingdom yourself?" Oh, so that's what he thinks. 'Unbelievable.' The notion of the emperor being the empire was impressively bold, yet Logan never imagined he believed it himself. Just as Logan felt the urge to laugh in disbelief, the emperor's voice came again. "So speak. Your answer will determine the extent of the pain you will suffer at the end." In his black eyes lingered anger, and a different kind of greed. This seemed to be his ambition as a sorcerer, which to him mattered more than his subordinates dying around him. 'Was I ever truly afraid of such a man?' Despite his undeniable display of formidable power, Logan found it laughable. Realizing this feeling, Logan was momentarily startled. Be it the emperor of the empire or a 7th-circle grand sorcerer. Dealing with them would be daunting regardless, so why was he not afraid now? As the question crossed his mind, he found his answer. "Ah...!" The emperor's soul, the magnitude of his vessel. 'I see it. Truly.' This wasn't just about the ability to control soul power. Advertisements Seeing and understanding a soul was only possible against someone of equal or lesser standing. Which meant... 'I am no less than him.' The deprivation he felt with his depleted force and diminished power of desire—the sense that his soul had regressed—was merely an illusion. The realm beyond being an aura master, which he glimpsed through the complete manifestation of the sacred sword's nine styles, had spurred this sense of deprivation in his now-ascended soul. Understanding this, a subtle smile appeared on Logan's face. And at that smile, the emperor's expression grew even more distorted. "Are you laughing? Hah..." As the enraged emperor's body welled with blue magic, he dyed the surrounding space in his own hue. "Very well. Even if the information is damaged, so be it. I'll extract your soul to find out. Foolish one." Previously, the red space that Sword Soul had shown—the Sword's Domain (劍域)—seemed to be an even higher level of absolute domain. Within this realm, everything lay in the emperor's grasp. Perhaps Sword Soul had tried to mimic the emperor's power through his sword. "Now, be crushed." As the emperor's hand, clad in a golden gauntlet, clenched shut, the space itself compressed, aiming to squash Logan's body. Or, it should have, if not for the golden aura shining through the cracks.