The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 499

Zibeck unleashed divine magic, suppressing the undead. Powerful blows that shattered bones, dislocated necks, and twisted spines erupted around Zibeck. Additionally, the earth elemental summoned by the Wild Druid Sedrin swung its fist of stone, knocking down the approaching colossal living dead. The onrushing undead fell like leaves in a storm. However, the black magic emanating from the black ice fortress reanimated the fallen undead. Undying, as their name suggested. Compared to the undead, who rose again no matter how many times they were killed, humans accumulated fatigue even when using magic or wielding weapons. The journey to this fortress alone was a forced march that could easily lead to overexertion. Even if they fought, forgetting their fatigue in the heat of battle, seeing the undead rise again and again drained their energy. “Everyone, just hold on a little longer!” In this situation, Scott’s necromancy was surprisingly effective. Scott cast a spell called ‘Black Frenzy’ that confused the undead, causing them to attack anyone nearby, mostly their own comrades, disrupting the enemy lines. And in that gap, Ismail was seen rescuing the Empress and descending. “The Empress has been rescued! A route for retreat!” “No! Not a chance!” Dahlia, the elf wight knight, cast a spell to restore the undead from the Black Frenzy. “Sorry, but your skills won’t even reach my feet, you know?” Scott said, but other wight knights joined Dahlia in casting spells. They intended to overwhelm with numbers if the precision of the spells was lacking. “……Huh?” Indeed, the undead were gradually breaking free from the Black Frenzy. Scott, flustered, cast Black Frenzy again, but more undead were already swarming towards the Empress, and Ismail couldn’t escape with her due to the undead piled up in front. “Dahlia!” Sedrin stepped forward to eliminate Dahlia, but each time, Dahlia retreated, trying to encircle Sedrin, who had pushed in too deep. “Th-This is serious?” Midiam was flustered as she watched the battle. Those who came to rescue her were elites among Azadin’s commanders, but Sork’s Fimbul Horde was also a legendary, undefeated legion. They seemed to have come simply out of loyalty to Azadin, with no regard for the harsh cold of Fimbulvert [a region known for its extreme cold], but was this really okay? Just when she wondered if they could get out alive— -Thwack! “Ugh!” A long rapier pierced Ismail’s thigh. “Ismail?!” Before they knew it, masked beauties and handsome men had appeared behind them. Vampires belonging to the Fimbul Horde had appeared. The masked vampires, like figures from a masquerade ball, were holding dueling rapiers and staring at them. “Damn it!” Ismail clicked his tongue, seeing their distance. The opponents were the elite vampires of the Fimbul Horde, but when his concentration was fully intact, he would never be ambushed at this distance. Ismail had consumed too much physical and mental energy getting here, causing him to be struck by a blade, a critical injury for someone trying to escape. The vampires chuckled, circling around Ismail. They didn’t rush even after injuring him. They knew that the longer they dragged it out, the more the situation would favor them. “Sir Zibeck! I entrust the Empress to you!” Ismail threw Midiam, who was bound by shackles, onto the staircase railing. To throw the Empress, whose hands were tied, onto the stairs! However, the Empress was also of the Herald Clan; Midiam pressed the shackles against the stair railing, balanced herself, and slid down. “Ismail!” Ismail ignored the vampires attacking from all sides and looked at Midiam. If this was the last sight he would see in his life, he wanted to see Midiam. But…. [By the ancient covenant, the Emperor calls! Answer, Heralds!] Suddenly, the Emperor’s voice was heard. “What is this?” At that moment, everything around them suddenly seemed to move in slow motion. Ismail was bewildered, watching the vampires’ swords slowly thrusting towards him. Dying while saving Midiam, his strength exhausted, was the death he had longed for. But being stabbed to death by such slow blades was suicidal. It was one thing to be too tired to dodge, but this was so slow that he couldn’t even pretend to be hit. It might look like he died because he wanted to, not because he sacrificed himself for Midiam. Without thinking, Ismail pushed off the ground, dodging their attacks and swinging his sword. The vampire’s torso was easily struck and split by the blade. Ismail dodged the rapiers flying at him by a hair’s breadth and cut down the vampires. He was clearly exhausted, unable to even lift a finger, and his leg was stabbed and mangled, yet he was moving miraculously. “Kuh?!” “Wh-Why suddenly!?” The vampires were bewildered by Ismail’s sudden surge of power. Ismail was also bewildered. He was overflowing with power. Was it because of the Emperor’s call? Within his body, the Grimoire of the Four Seasons [a magical book] was emitting a powerful force. His leg was stabbed, but he felt no pain. He couldn’t possibly lose. “He’s incredibly fast?” “He came through the harsh cold of Fimbulvert, and he still has this much energy left?!” The vampires were bewildered by Ismail’s sudden recovery of energy. Ismail, who had been completely exhausted, had suddenly recovered his strength, and it wasn’t a bluff. The vampires retreated from his relentless onslaught. “Don’t overdo it! Time is on our side! The master’s protection is with us in this fortress! He’s just more energetic than expected, but we can take him down slowly! Drink Ashajit’s blood to recover!” The vampires struck by Ismail’s sword headed towards the fountain of blood to heal their wounds, and other vampires took their place, trying to surround Ismail. But then, a dazzling light erupted from the Sandokar Gate. A figure holding a burning sword appeared in front of the Sandokar Ice Fortress. It was Azadin, who should have been tens of thousands of miles away, somehow appearing in front of the Sandokar Ice Fortress. He began to ascend the steps of the ice fortress, holding the burning Aurelia Dawn [a legendary sword]. “Y-Your Majesty.” Everyone was bewildered by his unexpectedly healthy appearance. The Azadin that Midiam, Ismail, and all the officials present remembered was a man who was gradually dying while carrying the weight of the world. But now, Azadin was walking confidently, holding a burning ceramite longsword. His previous weakness was gone, replaced by a burning vitality, and a faint halo was clearly visible above his head even from afar. Divine power was emanating from Azadin’s body. Even though the light of the King’s Flower had disappeared, the divine white magic was so strong. It felt even stronger than before. “Lord Sork! Stop the battle!” Azadin called out Sork’s name. At that moment, the Necro Titan fighting far to the east paused. Sork, who was controlling the Necro Titan, must have been shaken. The beast of the Merfolk seized the opportunity and unleashed a terrifying torrent of water, blowing off the Necro Titan’s head. The head of the Necro Titan, made of flesh and black magic ice, was severed by the high-pressure water and slowly crumbled. But it was like a landslide seen from afar, and the moment the approaching head of the Necro Titan hit the ground, a shock and roar that shook the heavens engulfed Sork’s undead army. However, Sork paid no attention to it and looked at Azadin. “Impressive, Emperor. Have you returned alive from the throne?” Sork, who had been manipulating the Necro Titan from the top of the ice spire, released his control and turned around. As he pushed off the ground, black magic enveloped his body, and before they knew it, he appeared in front of Azadin. Wights and vampires stood beside Sork, surrounding Azadin. Numerous undead were encircling Azadin, but Azadin only looked at Sork. “Excellent. Emperor. I suffered watching the Order of Knights lose faith, lose strength, and become corrupted. I was merely waiting, hoping that someday someone with both virtue and conviction would rise and restore the value of the Order. But I never imagined that it would be someone from outside the Order, a Herald, who would appear with the faith of the Order!” Sork praised Azadin. For Sork, who had watched the Order of Knights fall into corruption, lose faith, and lose strength as a member of the Rescue Knights for a long time, Azadin, who had appeared from outside the Order with the Order’s convictions, felt like a kind of revelation. “Lord Sork. Do you still want to turn humanity into the undead?” “Emperor. I have always thought only of that. Because that is the only way to protect this world.” A whirlwind began to form between Azadin and Sork. Freezing ice gales swirled, and thunder and lightning illuminated the world. In the darkness of Fimbulvert, where the sun did not rise, only the lightning and the light of Azadin’s sword illuminated the two men. “You would have me trust you?” “Emperor. I offer you my admiration. But do you know why the Emperor Yaeslat, who came before you, unified the continent and then disappeared? You are the same as him. You may be fine now, but your life is burning away even at this moment.” Azadin smiled bitterly at Sork’s words. “If things continue like this, you will die. Just like the Emperor Yaeslat before you. The empire you worked so hard to build will scatter, and your convictions, faith, and virtue will fade.” Azadin’s physical condition was better than ever, but that was because he had been freed from such terrible pain. Just as Yaeslat had disappeared without leaving a proper successor, causing the Eight Kingdoms to split again, Azadin would also die. “Emperor. Accept immortality. Extend your life and protect your virtue. If you protect the world with me, the Rescue Knights will gain an eternal guardian of virtue.” Sork urged Azadin to live on and accomplish greater things, and to become undead for that purpose. “I cannot.” “Why? Emperor. Do you despise becoming undead?” “Lord Sork. I was the most lowly being in the Herald Clan, and someone who pitied me gave me the Rescue Knights’ Book of Fables [a sacred text]. My faith is not something I was born with, but merely a mirror reflecting the light I received from others. I cannot monopolize what I gained from my relationships with others as if I had realized it all on my own.” Azadin smiled, reminiscing about his childhood with Aldis. Even in this end-of-the-world darkness, where the sun did not rise and only gales and lightning roared, thinking of Aldis made him smile. “Even if ten thousand people despise and insult me, the kindness, favor, and virtue she showed me still bring me joy. This is my miracle. Compared to this, the white magic I use is just magic.” Objectively, Azadin’s childhood was far from happy. But humans are beings who can forget painful moments and selectively recall only happy memories. Azadin had returned to the feelings of his boyhood, waiting for Aldis. Although he had been separated from Aldis by death, the memories brought more joy than sorrow, and he smiled naturally. “Ah.” Azadin’s retainers, the wights and vampires, and even Sork were shocked by Azadin’s smile. Even in this darkness where there was only despair, in the midst of this terrible night, he was shining with pure joy.