Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 384

Booooo-

The sound of a water buffalo horn echoed loudly from the Burgos camp.

It was a message to all soldiers. Their king had arrived in person, raising their morale and assuring them of victory as they advanced.

The soldiers of the main force, who had been spread out to the left and right, all knelt and bowed towards the center. Timothy’s desertion was quickly pushed aside, and only the king’s participation remained in their minds, pounding in their hearts.

A war where the king himself was present meant they were absolutely bound to win. Furthermore, victory would most likely save their lives, allowing them to survive and return to their homeland. With their king, that is.

“General! His Majesty has arrived!”

“Yes. I know.”

Much time had already been wasted.

Thus, Damon put aside all formalities and ordered an immediate joint attack upon arrival. To enter the capital, it was beneficial to hurry every minute and second. This was also because of the great earthquake, and above all, he intended to finish things before the large army from Bariel arrived.

The general gestured for the flag to be raised. Then, the sound of the water buffalo horn echoed again.

Booooo-

“Maintain formation and advance!”

“The left flank, hold your shields firmly and focus on defense!”

As they advanced with shields on the left and weapons on the right, the left flank with shields would naturally encounter the enemy first.

The outcome largely depended on which side’s shields would break first, so the general ordered the soldiers to adjust their formation.

The king would probably participate but not jump into the battlefield. He would just watch from behind. If so, this was a golden opportunity to show the king his abilities as a warrior. The disgrace he suffered from Timothy’s desertion was enough for one time.

Thump! Thump!

“What about the necromancers?”

“Yes. Each necromancer has a valid range for moving their synthetic creatures, so we have placed them appropriately, maintaining that distance. Half of them will charge into the enemy lines with the left flank soldiers, and the other half will provide support from behind.”

The general stroked his beard and picked up a cigarette. The smoke that went deep into his lungs always tasted good, but burning it while pretending to be dead was something special. When you think it’s the last time, everything takes on a deeper color.

“You’ve considered the mages’ attacks, right?”

“Yes. I’ve firmly instructed the necromancers. Didn’t that red-haired magic swordsman pierce through the belly last time? Instead of dealing with them one by one, we’ve instructed them to cooperate and complement each other, moving in pairs of at least two. They are an unlimited power source as long as the core isn’t broken, so that’s the strategy we’re using.”

“What about the necromancer, Hasha?”

“He’s been placed on the left flank.”

“Is that so?”

“Why do you ask?”

The night Timothy escaped, Hasha’s synthetic creature caused a commotion, which delayed their discovery.

Hasha said it was a problem that occurred during the process of the necromancy being disconnected and reconnected, but it was definitely suspicious. Before Timothy disappeared, he had also repeatedly emphasized questioning Hasha.

The general kept smoking his cigarette, then shook his head.

“Assign someone to keep a close eye on Hasha’s actions. If he shows any unusual behavior during the battle, report it immediately, or, depending on the situation, you have permission to execute him on the spot.”

“Execute on the spot….”

The subordinate hesitated, flustered.

This was a battlefield where the king was present. The tide of the battle could turn depending on the necromancer’s abilities, yet he was ordering an immediate execution. This was completely different from the general’s usual behavior.

The general put out his cigarette and warned his subordinate.

“It’s because His Majesty is here. We can’t afford any problems. Which is more important, the benefits we get from the necromancer or a blemish on my honor in a battle where the king is participating? Do I really need to tell you?”

“No, sir. I will keep that in mind.”

“Good. Now, then.”

All preparations were complete. He reverently put on his helmet and mounted his horse.

“The mages will come first.”

“Yes, General.”

“Sound the water buffalo horn. Let’s go.”

“Sound the water buffalo horn! We will advance!”

Booooo-

Thump! Thump thump!

The soldiers, holding shields as big as their bodies, were filled with determination. And among them were the synthetic creatures. Although the stench made the space a bit empty, it was actually fine. It could be understood as maintaining distance to prepare for the mages’ area attacks.

As the general rode forward, the soldiers also began to move, maintaining their formation.

Tadak tadak!

“Let’s go!”

“Waaaaaah!”

And in the distance, the purple waves of Clifforde could be seen. To counter Burgos, they too had sent their soldiers forward. Since their main objective was to defend the barrier, their battle would take place near the Burgos camp.

As the horses galloped quickly, a report from a subordinate was heard.

“They’re coming! It’s the mages!”

“The mages are coming! Everyone, prepare!”

Whoosh!

The Bariel mages were flying in the blue sky. They threw off their robes, which briefly confused those who were counting them.

Among the fluttering clothes, a man with red hair was among them.

“Whoa! I see him again!”

“He’s here! It’s the red-haired man!”

As Beric descended towards the synthetic creatures without hesitation, all the nearby soldiers shot their arrows. Due to the Idgal [a magical metal] shining in the sunlight, it was as if stars were being shot even in broad daylight.

* * *

“Aww, you’re slow!”

Swish! Clang!

Beric felt his heart pounding as he swung his sword. His physical condition was perfect, to the point where he could see the arrows. It was thanks to Ian’s infusion of magic, but he also realized that the smell of blood was stimulating him.

Kwaaang!

“Ugh!”

The Burgos soldiers simultaneously raised their shields to prepare for Beric’s fall.

Beric, whose back hit the shields, rolled with a short shout, and spears rose up through the gaps. They were also weapons coated with Idgal.

“Kill him! Raise your spears!”

“Huh? Huh? Huh?”

Beric barely regained his balance and ran across the shields, narrowly avoiding the spear tips as if stepping on stepping stones.

But no matter how much he dodged, it seemed he wouldn’t be free from their attacks unless he went down.

Beric activated his magic and swung his black sword downwards, creating a gap in the tightly packed shield wall and dropping him to the ground.

“Ugh!”

“Maintain formation!”

“If you clear a path, I’ll take care of you! I will!”

“Push forward! He’s just one guy!”

“The front line, keep your shields up! What about the mages?!”

“They’re approaching the synthetic creatures!”

Swish!

Even though he said he wouldn’t kill them if they cleared a path, Beric’s actions were different from his words.

His sword swing greatly disrupted the formation, but even so, Beric was still in the position of a beast that had fallen onto an ant hill. Because there were so many of them, Beric suffered numerous cuts on his arms and sides.

“Aish!”

Clang! Clang!

If he was going to be messing around here, the mages were supposed to be taking care of the synthetic creatures, so how long was this going to take?

Beric stepped on people and jumped up, looking towards the synthetic creatures. But what was this?

“Hey! What are you guys doing!”

“Shut up! Beric! You just keep doing what you’re doing!”

“Covering for you? No way! I’ll go! I’ll kill them!”

“Shut up! Move according to Ian’s orders! The mages will handle the creatures!”

“Those bookworms, they’ve only ever used a knife to cut steak! They can’t do anything right!”

“Shut up!”

Two mages were drawing magic circles in the sky, trying to restrict the movements of the synthetic creatures, while the other mages were slowly approaching, cutting off Tiefe’s tongue.

Frustrated by the uncoordinated attacks, Beric raised his head.

“Ian! Those guys are terrible with their swords! Can you hear me!? Are you nearby?!”

Clang! Clang!

“Ugh!”

“Don’t retreat! If you retreat, you’ll be punished by military law!”

“Move forward!”

Beric was fighting the soldiers while looking for Ian, but it wasn’t easy. He had no choice but to keep disrupting the formation and approach the synthetic creatures.

In the chaotic situation where attacks were coming from all sides, Beric was about to unleash his magic again and swing his sword. But the soldiers, who had already learned, planted their shields on the ground to prepare for his attack. He didn’t know if it would be broken by Idgal, but they were holding on to prevent themselves from being blown away.

“You can’t stop me with that! You idiots!”

Swish!

The black sword flashed, but it couldn’t break through the shield wall.

A strange atmosphere flowed between the tense soldiers and the confident Beric. It was like a small silence in the midst of a loud commotion. They briefly exchanged glances, then charged at each other again.

“There’s a chance! Kill him!”

“Yeah. It’s blocked. Shit. I was an idiot.”

Swish! Swish!

Blood spurted from the necks of the soldiers as their helmets fell. It was hard to tell whether the drops on the tips of Beric’s red hair were his sweat or his opponent’s blood.

When was the last time he was in such an extreme situation? It seemed like it was the alleyway in Bratz with Ian. Back then, his power wasn’t unleashed, and he didn’t have the black sword, so he was literally covered in blood.

“It brings back memories, not bad.”

Let’s think of it as a month’s worth of training. Beric didn’t realize his lips were curling up as he continued to break through the gaps in the shield wall.

Around that time, the Clifforde soldiers also got closer to the Burgos side.

“Waaaaah! Let’s go! Bariel is helping us!”

“Protect our homeland with your own hands!”

“Let’s punish the invaders and protect our country!”

“Waaaaaah!”

The general, who had been watching the overall situation, frowned. The left flank was a mess because of that red-haired brat, and what about the right flank?

“The right flank….”

It was also chaotic, but the vibe was a bit different. If the left flank was like fireworks exploding here and there, the right flank was like a cold poison that killed people.

In any case, the situation was not good. They hadn’t even faced the Clifforde side yet.

“Necromancers!”

“Yes!”

As the general raised his hand and shouted, the subordinates exchanged signals. Even if they couldn’t completely defeat Clifforde, just taking out a few mages would bring satisfaction to the king.

They moved busily and soon blew the horn to signal the necromancers.

Shhh!

Then, the synthetic creatures began to lower their bodies and focus on grabbing the mages. The way Tiefe’s long tongue moved flexibly was like a toad trying to catch a fly.

The mages dodged the flying Idgal arrows and Tiefe’s attacks at the same time, accelerating their attacks.

It was a bit frustrating, but Beric’s words made sense. Since they had no combat experience outside of their work, it was true that they were struggling.

“Damn it!”

At that moment, a mage was caught by Tiefe. It was going to grab his wrist and slam him into its back. Even if it ate him, it had already been pierced before, so it was changing its approach.

No matter how much of a mage he was, his body was still human. If he was thrown onto a back full of poisonous needles, he wouldn’t survive.

“Hey!”

“Ugh!”

Swish!

But then, Ian instantly cut off Tiefe’s tongue. It was so fast that no one could follow Ian’s attack with their eyes. They could only guess it was Ian by the golden eyes and hair that remained as traces.

“I’ve confirmed the necromancers’ locations.”

Ian conveyed the message to the mages with magic.

This was what everyone had been waiting for. To roughly grasp the necromancers’ locations using the signals from Hasha’s synthetic creatures and his location, and to eliminate them.

Wouldn’t it be better for the necromancers to bleed than for the impure substances to come out when the creatures were destroyed?

“Ian!”

Zzzing. Zzzing.

Ian activated a magic circle near the necromancers’ locations in the sky.

To stop this, Idgal arrows poured down like heavy rain. The mages continued to protect Ian with shields, taking the brunt of the attacks.

Swish!

But at that moment.

An arrow that the mages couldn’t block grazed his shoulder. Ian felt an unusual energy and turned his head.

In the distance, a yellow wave was approaching.

“…Eriphony.”

King Eriphony smiled and narrowed his eyes.

“Hmm. It seems I arrived just in time. Let’s hurry and join the fray. There are many things floating in the sky, I must hunt them all.”