Episode 154 The Empire's Turmoil (4)
Jeron, the capital of the Empire, which had been steeped in a long period of peace, was thrown into chaos by the sudden turmoil.
"Peaceful death to all—!"
"B-block them! They're aiming for the Count!"
Hans's followers, including dark mages, were attacking their assigned targets with crazed eyes.
Those dissidents, including Oath of Heaven's Defiance, had been living a suppressed life, unable to even commit suicide under strict control…
This incident was the Immortal King's first order given in such a situation.
They were already broken, so they moved solely to complete their mission, disregarding even their own lives.
Even if it meant dying, death was just an escape route for them, a way to break free from their subordination.
Whenever they were struggling, the undead and their executives would join and shake things up, and thanks to the advantage of a surprise attack, the operation had been going relatively smoothly so far.
[Hmm… This side is mostly taken care of… Ah, you there? Your next destination isn't that way…? How stupid can you be to not even follow the ghosts' guidance properly… This girl thinks it would be better to just throw that brain away… Should I help you…?]
And the one commanding them all was Banshee Queen Olivia, Hans's always reliable right-hand woman.
She wasn't paying any attention to the battle and was solely focused on coordinating the stage through the ghosts.
The barrier surrounding the capital had weakened the ghosts flying inside to their limit, making it practically impossible for them to fight…
But their role from the beginning was to just run around and be Olivia's eyes, ears, and mouth, so it wasn't a problem.
[Everything is as the King wills…]
She glanced in the direction where the atmosphere was fluctuating and then focused on her task again.
The time for a surprise attack was passing, and the humans' counterattack was intensifying.
____________________
"Ugh—!"
"Don't push yourself! Our role is just to buy time…!"
Dark magic power instantly concentrated.
It quickly formed a pattern and then manifested in the world as a supreme arcane art.
Rumble!
A fierce black storm, imbued with curses, swept through the area, and some of the dozens of knights caught in it collapsed, coughing up blood.
[Hmm, the barrier's influence is strong because we're next to the imperial palace. I held back, but I didn't expect the effect to be this weak.]
It didn't matter that those knights were the Empire's elite knight order, equipped with all sorts of magic tools and strengthened by magic.
No matter how much they prepared, those who weren't at his level could only buy time.
Wooong— Boom!
At that moment, a giant golden magic circle appeared on the outer surface of the barrier surrounding the imperial palace, and a wave of intense light erupted from it.
The light was blocked by the darkness that seemed to be a clump of the abyss and didn't inflict much damage on its target, but…
The tiny gap it created was enough to buy time for those in charge of close combat to approach.
"Haa—!"
The hero, Heinrich, enveloped in a holy aura like a beacon in the darkness.
The light emanating from his body gently enveloped those who were constantly exposed to the terrifying energy, healing their bodies and minds and giving them the strength to stand again.
But his true value wasn't limited to such support abilities…
Whoosh—!
His holy sword, imbued with the blessings of 'Holy Blade' and 'Capacity Increase', swung, containing the enlightenment of the newly acquired "Path of Martial Arts".
The sword, like the dawn breaking through the night, flowed and stopped, cutting through the simultaneously activated dark magic spells and opening a path towards the Immortal King.
"Now!"
"Haa—!"
At that moment, two imperial knights charged in, seizing the opportunity.
The captain of the Imperial Guard, who was in charge of the imperial palace's security, and the captain of the Royal Knights, who protected the Emperor.
Both of them had surpassed mastery and were qualified to directly face the Immortal King.
The vice-captain, another Master in the imperial palace, didn't participate to closely guard the Emperor, but that didn't matter because the captain's presence was overwhelming.
Slash— Slice—
A chilling sword light, like moonlight, cut through the countless black snakes that erupted from Hans.
The swordsmanship, which accurately severed the flow of magic power, was so efficient and beautiful that even Heinrich couldn't help but admire it.
'That old man, he's amazing. How can he so easily… even though it's condensed abyssal energy, even if the concentration is low? To think such a strong individual was hiding in the imperial palace, as expected of the Empire. He seems a bit lacking in stamina because of his age, though…'
The old man with a sturdy physique that didn't match his wrinkles, Conwell, the captain of the Royal Knights, was a swordsman who had reached transcendence.
He was at a level where he could even handle Harley alone, and even Visque Ufersh, who was a complete Sacred Blood.
'Of course, it would be a different story against Heinz, who's stronger than an ordinary Sacred Blood because of his various skills and "Hybrid Evolution".'
But just in terms of pure skill, he was a master swordsman who even Heinrich couldn't match without his various buffs as a hero and an awakened one.
'I understand why the Azeria Empire is the strongest nation on the continent. And the strong individuals here aren't even all of them.'
"Heave-ho!"
And as he was admiring their strength, someone charged at Hans's opening, created by the various attacks, like a beast—.
Boom—!
The one who swung his axe, enveloped in dark red energy, as if chopping wood.
It was Harley, the valiant barbarian warrior who had come to support Jeron from the Roselia Cathedral.
"Hahaha! I heard I could crush the Immortal King's skull if I came here! I wonder if it'll actually break!"
[Oh, you're quite something.]
Crackle!
The axe blade was blocked by black energy, just a finger's width away.
He dodged the abyssal snakes that pierced through space, leaping back without hesitation, and then charged again, his claws extended.
'I called Harley to balance things out, but the Empire's strength is unexpectedly formidable.'
The holy land's reserve forces had already been dispatched to various places, so it was difficult to send any more reinforcements from the cathedral, where even the Saint was away.
So Harley had 'voluntarily' stepped forward to support the Empire…
But now it seemed like it wasn't necessary.
Wheeeng—! Rumble!
Not only were the strong individuals directly facing him, but the level of magic support deployed through the imperial palace's barrier was also incredibly high.
[Hmm, this is quite troublesome.]
Hans grumbled as he casually blocked the lightning bolts raining down from above.
Despite constantly moving during the battle, the magic activated through the imperial palace seemed to cover the entire capital, not weakening at all.
'According to the information I gathered beforehand, there should only be one Archmage left inside.'
But with the Archmage receiving support from lower-ranking mages through the imperial palace's barrier, high-level magic was pouring out endlessly, as if there were five or six Archmages.
[Kuwooooh—!]
[Kyaaaaagh—!]
Boom!
Rumble!
Even though two Bone Dragons were continuously attacking the barrier,
The imperial palace's barrier shook precariously, but it quickly recovered as stable energy was continuously supplied from within.
'Judging by the flow of magic power, it seems like they're pushing themselves, thinking this is their chance… Hmm, are they even using the Dragon Heart? They're desperate.'
Anyway, it seemed like this was enough for now, as he appreciated their efforts.
It wasn't like he had any intention of doing more than just saying hello, and it was time to start his original plan.
[Now then, try harder. I'm getting bored.]
Crack!
"Kraaagh!"
"Sir Timos!"
One of the dozens of abyssal snakes that erupted from Hans bit into the neck of a knight who was exhausted.
It was instant death if you were bitten in a vital spot, unless you were at a high enough level, because of its origin.
And as those who were holding him back died one by one, based on the evil karma he could now see with his enhanced "Abyssal Eye",
Their battle naturally shifted, and they finally reached the point he had been aiming for.
'Found them.'
And so, Hans…
Encountered those who were being held back by the undead forces, including Death Knight Lord Karam and Arch-Lich Dwell.
Naturally, the imperial knights fighting them also spotted them.
The captain of the Imperial Guard and the captain of the Royal Knights looked at them with bewildered expressions.
"Huh? His Highness the Crown Prince? And even the Fifth Princess?"
"Huh— Count Garfield and Viscount Pristine are also there. To think they're still in this dangerous place with the two imperial grandchildren…"
Over a hundred elite troops, their appearances disheveled from the fierce battle.
The two imperial family members and the Archmages, who were keeping a distance from them, made awkward expressions.
"…Duke Conwell!"
"Whew, we couldn't help it…"
Of course, they had tried to escape.
But what could they do when the immortal army and their executives appeared and relentlessly blocked their path as they were heading towards the cathedral after finally joining forces?
They couldn't escape, even though they knew the Immortal King's presence was approaching, because they were persistently pursued.
"Ugh, there's no time for this!"
"…The undead are swarming!"
The imperial personnel hurriedly joined forces as the battle momentarily subsided due to their encounter…
But they weren't given much time to reorganize their formation.
The immortal army, which had been rampaging throughout the city, suddenly stopped fighting and started to gather here.
[For the great King of Death!]
[Despair to this world—! Endless fear to the weak—!]
The undead summoned here were all high-level units because of the capital's barrier.
And they were led by the executives of the immortal army, the main players in the previous great war.
Boom—!
The humans were being pushed back by the sudden attack, but they wouldn't collapse immediately because of the barrier's support and the magic support from the imperial palace.
It was just that it had become a chaotic melee, making it difficult to pay attention to each other.
[Ah, as expected of the Empire's capital. It seems like it won't be easy to bring it down quickly. Hmm… And it's not as fun as I thought because there are so many distractions.]
And finally,
Hans spoke first, setting the stage.
"Immortal King, pitiful King of the Dead! Do you enjoy what you're doing? Covering the world in death according to the whispers of the abyss and fighting those who try to resist?"
[Hehehe— I've long since overcome such base desires. I told you before, didn't I? All I want is the intensity that comes from the clash between life and death!]
What followed was, of course… a grand deception for the entire continent, created by the hero and the Demon King joining forces.
As they stopped fighting and started talking, those who had been facing Hans with Heinrich also stopped attacking and focused on supporting other areas, observing the situation.
There was no need to provoke the Immortal King when he had voluntarily withdrawn from the battle.
[At first, I wanted power, but in return, I lost my life and just existed. I lost my purpose and just pursued power and death out of inertia.]
The Immortal King's reminiscence flowed softly.
It was a noisy battlefield, but his voice, imbued with magic power, echoed clearly without fading.
So that everyone present could hear.
[But then I encountered it! My nemesis— who burned his own life and faced death with the body of a mere holy knight, and finally pierced this immortal heart with his sword. Yes, Heinrich Saint Landguard. You!]
He built a narrative.
The encounter between the Immortal King and the hero, the change that occurred because of it.
Since then, he had started to prioritize his personal amusement over his inertial desire to destroy the continent.
It could be said that he had started to take a relatively moderate path, rather than pursuing extreme destruction.
Of course, he hadn't stopped his actions, such as opening the abyss and causing the madness incident, and destroying the duchy, but that was far from his goal of destroying the world.
Strictly speaking…
"The scale of his attention-seeking is quite large."
It was the act of a madman with power, throwing a tantrum to get attention.
Of course, his world-class nuisance was largely due to his inherent evil nature, which couldn't be changed by small changes.
'…That's the setting. Since it's a madman's thought process, it can cover up any lack of plausibility.'
Anyway, the main point of their conversation was now.
"Immortal King, Hannibal. Then how about we make a wager?"
More precisely, it was a one-man show, rather than a conversation.