467 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Chapter 467 For the elderly Cassel tower master, the sensation of the emperor's change was nothing short of a stroke of fate. At Regal, where preparations were underway for the Imperial army's brainwashing, a massive magic circle was set up. In an attempt to foresee the mental state of the approaching Imperial army, the unexpectedly colossal soul of the emperor was caught in their detection. "… The Emperor?" At first, he thought it must be a mistake. How could the emperor, who had only reached a level similar to his own through the exploit of inherited power, have acquired such a formidable presence in such a short time? Yet, as the Imperial army drew nearer, the emperor's presence at its center only seemed to grow more imposing. It became impossible to dismiss as mere illusion. "This can't be happening!" In that moment, the tower master faced a critical decision. Should he face the emperor in Regal as part of the alliance or find a way to avoid the encounter? "If I face him, there will be no escape." He couldn't comprehend how, but the emperor seemed to have achieved an unbelievable leap in power, skipping several stages of growth. "8th class… Could he have surpassed even that? No, it can't be. That's…." A chilling sense of danger took hold, beyond the control of his own will. Given the situation, he couldn't ignore the deep-seated grudge between the imperial family and Cassel tower. "… At this juncture, I need to abandon the original plan." The original plan was to exploit the empire's predicament, brainwash the elite soldiers of the empire, overthrow MacLaine, and eventually seize the empire itself. While ostensibly giving final command authority to the emperor, he had secretly left room for change. He had believed his capabilities would suffice. But that was now a lost cause. His acclaimed achievements in magic were rendered meaningless in the face of such an insurmountable power discrepancy. "Pulling any tricks would lead to immediate downfall." Even though the emperor had done nothing, it felt as if a sword was pressed against his throat. In the end, the tower master had to make a half-hearted decision. "I and the elders will retreat. You are to stay and follow the emperor's orders." "… What?" He didn't bother explaining to his subordinate. He'd have to investigate what happened later, but for now... "The emperor is the continent's strongest." That meant all they could do was bow their heads and wait for their moment. And there was something he was relying on. "Remind them of the promise to capture Logan MacLaine alive and hand him over to us." "… Yes, Master." The power of a promise was formidable. With such a level of presence involved, it couldn’t easily be dismissed. It was a concrete promise with no room for alternative interpretations. With this thought, the tower master left Regal. But, much later... News arrived that, after the brainwashing of the Imperial army was complete, the subordinates who reminded the emperor of the promise were massacred. Along with the news that all covert agents planted within the Imperial army were wiped out. * * * "The Emperor, has he gone mad…?" The essence of magic lies in moving the world through willpower. And a mage's will is voiced in the form of 'words' to manipulate the forces of nature—mana. This is why the weight of a vow can never be ignored. Even if one could slip out of it with wordplay, outright breaking a promise was impossible to do lightly. No matter how talented a mage was at lying, they couldn't reach the level of a grand mage because of this fundamental reason. When deceit rather than genuine intent was infused in the practitioner's words, the magic's power would diminish. The higher one's rank, the more it became an unbreakable shackle around the mage. This wasn't mere superstition or conjecture, but a verified truth. Even as a grand mage, if he circumvented a promise through trickery, he couldn't use 7-circle magic for a while. A royal family like that which consistently produced grand mages, as Cassel tower did, would naturally be aware of this fact. Yet, now the emperor had even killed the envoy. He had broken the alliance's vow to subdue MacLaine in the most drastic manner. No proper grand mage would abandon their potential future development, meaning it could only mean one of two things. Either the emperor had truly gone mad. "… Or he has reached the level of a god, able to wield the forces of nature by sheer will alone." The old man's eyebrows twitched at his muttered realization. Despite desperately denying it, his mind could only conclude that this possibility was most likely. The worst-case scenario he had considered was becoming reality. And at that moment, the old man was certain. "… MacLaine is finished." This was nothing to be pleased about. From the way events were unfolding, approaching the emperor again was akin to suicide. "The emperor taking such extreme measures indicates he has no intention of keeping Logan MacLaine alive." The individual who alters destiny was an essential sacrifice for the coming of their sovereign. However, with the imbalance in strength due to the side they favor becoming too powerful, securing the needed sacrifice might become problematic. "Hmmm." The old man considered the situation with eyes closed. He envisioned the fearlessly brainwashed imperial forces storming Lucifelheim, either led or supported by the emperor casting grand spells that shook the skies and the earth. Could they secretly extract the sacrificial Aura Master amidst this? "… There seems to be no answer." The situation was daunting enough to elicit a sigh, but giving up wasn't an option. "Somehow, a gap must be found to extract Logan MacLaine." Resolving thus, the old man discreetly headed towards Lucifelheim with the four remaining elders. * * * On the day of the decisive battle. Advertisements The old man watched the intensifying war from a distance, careful not to draw the god's attention. "Being an Aura Master, he won't be felled easily. That's the moment to seize." As long as Logan MacLaine, the sacrifice, survived. The old man watched the battlefield with sharp eyes. At one point, chuckling at the thought that he might be the most tense individual there. But then he saw the war unfold in ways he hadn't anticipated and was momentarily taken aback. The emperor had cast a spell of 9th class magnitude. Furthermore, the suddenly enhanced presence of Logan MacLaine not only nullified the emperor's spell but also cleverly reversed their own brainwashing magic. Ultimately, another 9th-class spell struck the Imperial forces, and a spine-chilling golden light surged from the fortress wall, poised to split the heavens and earth in two as the emperor engaged in earnest. CRASH CRASH CRASH! Compared to this subsequent storm, the prior events were nothing short of trivial. "This—this is…" It was increasingly difficult to find an opportune moment to intervene. Their magic being exploited in reverse, Logan MacLaine displaying the prowess of one nearing divinity, and results diverging so far from expectation—all proved too much to bear. Every scene at the battlefield overturned the old man's understanding. "Lord Tower Master, is this even possible?" "Heh. Hehehe…" Perhaps it was due to the sheer absurdity of it all that his mind momentarily blanked, unable to fathom anything. Yet amidst the chaos, a fleeting sensation brushed by him. Handling dimensions and the soul's essence as a grand mage permitted such a perception. He detected an instantaneous linking of space from the center of the battlefield to an area not far from their current position. "The Emperor…" In that moment, another option surfaced in the old man's mind. – In the noble bloodline, many burdens accumulate. The burdens imbued in the bloodline serve as steps towards divinity. Prepare the noble bloodline as a divine vessel at the zenith of spiritual and corporeal union. Then… Recollecting this prophecy sparked another possibility. The pinnacle of the noble bloodline. A royal direct descendant like Varus had already been designated as the divine vessel, but how could that compare to the emperor's body, who stood at the threshold of godhood? "With a body like that, perhaps we don't need Logan MacLaine as a sacrifice to invite the coming." Naturally, such ideas surfaced. Of course, capturing and brainwashing a divine being was beyond the capabilities of him and Cassel Tower. Yet the timing felt fortuitous. The emperor showed significant vulnerabilities despite being a complete 9th class. It was also certain the emperor was gravely injured in the final clash. Above all, "In our current state, capturing Logan MacLaine is impossible." To capture an Aura Master, possessing unparalleled power and nearing divinity, and make him a sacrifice? It seemed utterly impossible. Advertisements Nevertheless, giving up wasn't an option. "The signs foretold of the gods' departure, the emergence of one who alters destiny, even this chaotic period—" Everything aligned with the prophecy, except for the destined figure being the continent’s strongest Aura Master. "We won’t have another chance like this." "What?" "… Follow me. We will capture the emperor." "What?!" "Tower Master, what are you suggesting…!" "No, it's impossible!" The elders cloaked in black robes collectively voiced their objections. Under normal circumstances, it was unimaginable—these individuals were brainwashed to obey the tower master's commands unconditionally. But the emperor's performance on the battlefield was astounding enough to break that conditioning. "Rather, they genuinely believe it to be wise counsel." The situation was akin to 6th-class mages trembling within a barrier far removed from the battlefield. Seeing their stance mirrored his own earlier, the tower master shook his head irritably. "We'll proceed. Follow me." "… Yes." With somber expressions, the old man was followed by the black robed elders who cast a heavy atmosphere like phantoms. Surprisingly, the tower master's endeavor proved more successful than he could have anticipated. "Praise Zibrik! He truly watches over us! Haha!" In a forest not far from Lucifelheim, the tower master couldn't help but burst into laughter. He found the emperor collapsed, unconscious and bloodied. The once formidable and immense presence of the soul now felt profoundly diminished, to where it couldn't be considered divine. Though he couldn't comprehend how it happened, one thing was clear. A massive soul with sporadic voids. "The soul suffered grievous injuries." Presumably, the injuries had caused a decrease in the level. Yet, it was still 8th-class and, moreover, the emperor of the empire. No body seemed more suited as a divine vessel. Above all, "There’s no way a soul with such injuries could awaken! Fuhahahaha!" With a perfect body presented without the need for brainwashing, how could he not laugh? "We’ll take the emperor there and expand the ritual." "What?" "But what about the one who alters destiny?" Advertisements "I have a plan to lure him." Instead of capture, it was lure. Since a more certain divine body was prepared, once the ritual commenced, Logan MacLaine merely needed to be present. "The sacrifice's magnitude is exponentially larger than anticipated. An incredible energy must be gathering on the 'altar,' even an Aura Master wouldn't escape." Upon seeing the fallen emperor, the calculations were already complete in the tower master's mind. "This is all evidence that he is watching over us." With spirit overcome by elation, his voice quivered involuntarily. "What?" Regardless of whether his subordinates understood or not, the tower master sincerely believed it. The emperor, deemed the pinnacle of the noble lineage by previous masters, and transcending the incredible power of ancient grand mages with his 8th class prowess, was now within reach. What was once impossible now lay within grasp—using the emperor, a transcendent beyond past powers, as a divine vessel. "He watches over us!!" The tower master's heartfelt exclamation echoed through the tranquil forest for a long time.