463 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

From the moment the imperial army made its appearance, something felt off. Despite having anticipated the unified aura of the army, where individual wills couldn't be sensed, it was still unsettling. Only a few transcendent beings and knights stood out with distinct souls. ‘If the knights are brainwashed, it could hinder their combat effectiveness. Yes, this much I can accept.’ This was within expectations. The real problem was the complete absence of any presence from the Emperor or the Master of the Tower within their ranks. If the Archmage’s soul was present, its brilliance should be unmistakeable, yet there was no trace to be found. ‘Did they abstain from joining? That doesn't make any sense.’ This battle was the decisive moment—the end of the line. It was the turning point that would decide the fate of the Empire, the MacLaine realm, and the Kassel Magic Tower. There was no way that the most crucial forces were not participating. ‘…Are they hiding?’ But why? What could be the reason? The absence of the Emperor and the Tower Master alone was enough to complicate matters. The answer to that riddle soon unfolded in the worst possible way. “We shall punish the deceitful MacLaine, who even tricked the sacred temples, in the name of the Empire!” A voice resonated clearly even within Rusfelheim. The power woven into the voice, and the unmistakable presence emanating from its source. The Emperor was not hiding. Logan simply couldn’t sense him due to the sheer disparity in their auras. This could only mean one thing. The realm of the 9th class, the stage of transcendence. “This is impossible...” Logan's expression twisted involuntarily. Even for him, to have climbed a step higher from the realm of Aura Masters within such a short time was an unfathomable achievement. And now to hear that a magician, not even an aura user, had leapfrogged several stages to reach a realm rare even in ancient times? The situation was so unbelievable that it felt as though his mind had been wiped blank. And in that instant. In the sky above his allied soldiers, a colossal fireball appeared, massive enough to engulf all of Rusfelheim. Its power easily surpassed by a significant margin the magic he had previously encountered at Kyle Castle. “Damn it!” There was no time for deep contemplation. Logan instinctively activated his trait. Wuuuuuung. As a new core emerged amidst his nine Force Cores, Logan’s soul transcended the barrier and stepped into uncharted territory. For a brief moment, Logan touched upon a realm not even the fabled Sword Saint had reached, moving instantly across vast distances to gaze upon the Emperor. Though he borrowed the power of his trait, for an instant Logan grasped pure transcendent power. Handling an unimaginable amount of power, his accelerated thought process made it seem as though time had stopped, and his expanded awareness allowed him to see the enemy’s state clearly, even from afar. ‘Indeed, he's not in a normal state.’ The Emperor, with an imposing staff that matched his own height, exuded overwhelming magical energy with a stern expression. His appearance wasn’t much different from the images of transcendents seen in the memories of Gibrik Kassel. But— ‘The soul...’ The state of the soul was abnormal. It seemed as though a limited soul had been forcibly expanded, reaching beyond the threshold of a realm it was never meant to touch. Like stretching the body of a dwarf to make a 3-meter giant. In other words, it wouldn’t be surprising if he were to die or if his soul were to dissipate at any moment. Sustaining that forcibly elevated soul was— ‘That staff. And some kind of magic appears to be mixed in to stabilize it.’ However, he's merely holding on. Unless he achieves a realization that allows him to control this power entirely before the strength of the staff and magic runs out— ‘The Emperor will die.’ The moment the thought struck him, Logan's face tensed with a frown. He had a vague idea of how such a feat was possible. – The Archmage Taron, who was my confidant and comrade, possessed immense magical talent. Even his fluctuating foresight was merely a fragment of his abilities. Perhaps in the distant future, he might reach the stage of transcendence, considered impossible now. If that happens... The content he remembered reading in the Sword Saint’s records hit him. If his comrade, the Archmage Taron Ares, had reached the stage of transcendence and left such a legacy, perhaps it was possible. Still, questions lingered. ‘Why go to such extremes?’ MacLaine didn’t have the capacity to conquer the entire Empire. It was an issue of managing numbers and resources rather than combat strength. – Winning this war might allow us to conquer the Empire’s ruins, but only by concentrating power centrally and appointing a few proxies in conquered lands. – The issue is, should a transcendent rebel arise among them, a kingdom could collapse in an instant. Historically, an empire that controlled half the continent collapsed within less than a century faced with such rebellion. Damien's provided strategy. Instead of reigning as a conqueror for a mere hundred years, it was better to fortify sustainable regions and establish a solid foundation for a millennium. That was MacLaine’s baseline policy. If the Emperor had any spies or even read their military strategy, surely he would know this intention. Yet— ‘Rather than admitting defeat and saving himself, he would gamble everything on this extreme measure?’ It was incomprehensible to Logan. Still, he had no intention of quietly accepting his fate. ‘If he's not a complete transcendent...’ He could overcome this with his temporary trait. Resolute, Logan gritted his teeth and raised his sword. Zzzzzzeeeeeeitich! A sound that seemed to rip the air itself resounded. And the massive fireball threatening to incinerate all of Rusfelheim split perfectly in half. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom! The disintegrated magic dispersed, creating a blazing storm in the skies. As he watched the Emperor’s pained expression and the blood he spat out, Logan immediately deactivated his trait. Logan chose to conserve his strength as much as possible, but it took its toll. "Ugh…" He staggered, having already expended a significant amount of energy. "Your Majesty!?" "I'm fine. Focus on preparing for battle instead of worrying about me!" No sooner had he spoken than the Emperor's voice rang out again, sending a chill through the souls of the MacLaine forces. "Exterminate the ruthless invaders!" Although he had seen the Emperor spit blood, it seemed not to have been a significant blow. Despite only having half the power, the might of a transcendent was not to be underestimated. ‘I won’t be able to stop it a second time. I'll need to use that... No, not yet. I need to locate the Master of the Magic Tower first.’ Just as Logan bit his lip in determination to find the missing Archmage, the imperial army began its advance. "Charge, all troops!" "Advance!" "Crush the invaders!" Thud, thud, thud. Leading them were, as expected, the Empire's knights. Over ten thousand knights shouted as they charged, with the Empire’s silent soldiers following behind. The bizarre spectacle was enough to capture attention, even in the tense atmosphere of war. "…What on earth is that?" "Ugh, it's creepy." "There's the voice too…" "Is it really demons?" The fear sown by the Emperor’s voice began to intensify upon the sight of the Empire's peculiar advance. At that moment, a voice called out to bring clarity. [Believe in me! And trust in the preparations we made!] At the center of the western wall, a sovereign wielded a golden sword, reigniting the fallen morale on the battlefield directly facing the incoming enemy horde. "Shoot as soon as the knights are in range!" "Prepare to throw the liberatio!" "Seize the moment when they reach the wall!" As the seasoned knights continued to rally the soldiers in preparation for the counterattack, Logan sensed a massive surge in mana from the rear of the enemy forces once more. "Damn it!" The Emperor’s spell was being cast far quicker than anticipated, leaving no time to find the trace of the Kassel Magic Tower's Master. "Lia!" "Yes, Your Majesty!!" The young wizard, who had been pale from witnessing the previous magical aftermath, snapped to attention at Logan's sharp command. From her bosom, she drew out a bundle of scrolls, spreading them wide. These scrolls, believed to be relics of the Kassel Magic Tower, had been left behind during the assault on Rusfelheim by the Emperor. The monsters, imbued with the life force of fallen souls, arrayed around her under Victoria's gesturing. Shortly thereafter, prepared magic circles activated, guided by brown mana, and the scrolls began unleashing their power. Centered around where Victoria stood, a wave of gray mana surged forth, directed forward by her command. Boom, boom, boom! "What in the world!" "What is this!" "What now...!?" Even at the front lines, the advancing MacLaine forces flinched at the sight of the sweeping gray wave released from their rear. However, the gray wave simply passed over the MacLaine troops as if they were invisible, heading directly toward the advancing imperial knights. Whinnying! Some sensitive warhorses momentarily deviated from their path, but that was the extent of its effect. "What the hell!" "That’s a bluff! Ignore it!" "Keep charging forward!" Upon realizing the gray wave's mana was weak as it brushed past them, the western legion commanders urged their troops onward, believing the vast gray mana that swept over the army to be insignificant. Yet, the wave advanced further, reaching the imperial soldiers who followed. At that moment, the expressionless imperial soldiers who had been blindly charging began to slow. "Success with the jamming of the brainwashing spell! Keywords are ‘Emperor’, ‘Command’, and ‘Obey’!" A young wizard, endowed with exceptional talent, crafted this spell from a brilliant flash of inspiration, accepting the sovereign's proposal. Though it used scrolls steeped in the life force of countless beings, at a glance, its might seemed weak. But then, from the back of the enemy lines, a massive pillar of light surged toward the sky with tremendous force. Swwooosh! Faced with its overwhelming presence, Victoria's face turned even paler, her sensitivity to mana keenly apparent. Similarly, a now ghostly pale Logan urgently called out. "Quickly, transfer the control!" "Yes!" The modified magic circle, with scrolls as sacrifice, had been masterminded by Victoria. However, its original design had been intended for use by the Emperor during the Rusfelheim assault. Having experience in wresting control from the Emperor’s attempt, Logan now assumed the control from their allied sorcerer. Wooooong. Force Cores throbbed with intensity as they squeezed out every remaining ounce of power. ‘It won't be enough. Damn it…’ Logan paid the price for using his trait to disrupt the Emperor’s first spell. Although he completed the activation in the minimum possible time, the resulting depletion of his Force Cores was significantly debilitating. Ultimately, Logan decided to abandon the hope of achieving the maximum effect he had originally intended. The spell the Emperor had used to create and control the Black Knights was altered by a prodigious mage to focus solely on mental manipulation. It subsequently hijacked the ‘lower magic’ from the Kassel Tower that brainwashed the entire imperial army. And right at that moment, the Aura Master, whose specialty was commanding souls, wielded its power. Among the keywords programmed into the imperial soldiers, the term ‘Emperor’ was erased and replaced with his own name. ‘It worked!’ When Logan inwardly cheered at the success, his will, encompassing Rusfelheim and its surroundings, reverberated across the battlefield. [Kill the Emperor!] Immediately, a massive, abrupt shift occurred in the imperial soldiers who had blindly followed the knights. "What… kill His Majesty…?" "Why??" Some halted in confusion. "Where am I!?" "What in the world!?" Others awoke from their stupor, aghast at finding themselves on the battlefield. And of them, more than half— "The Emperor…" "Kill him..." With gray eyes flashing wildly, the imperial soldiers began sprinting back the way they came. "What on earth is going on!?" "Have they all gone mad!?" Frosted by this dire situation, the imperial knights who had nearly reached the walls stood frozen. "What the hell is this!?" "What else could it be? His Majesty's pulled off a trick!" "Long live the King! Charge!" "This is our chance! Kill them all!" Cheers erupted from atop the walls of Rusfelheim. Soon after, a rain of red stones and quarrels descended upon the bewildered imperial knights. Crack! Boom! Bang! "Aaargh!" "Damn it, attack!" "No, His Majesty first! Retreat!" Chaos erupted among the imperial knights, sending them into disarray. Meanwhile, from the rear, the blue meteors that had been relentlessly targeting Rusfelheim suddenly veered, cascading down upon the heads of the imperial soldiers. Boom! Rumble! "What in the world is happening!?" The immense destructive power of the magic that swept across the battlefield amplified the chaos within the Empire’s ranks, pushing their confusion to its zenith.