Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 549

‘Jayrut. You’ve caused trouble again.’

‘What am I supposed to do when they come at me? Just take it?’

In a mansion in the small provincial town of Haptown.

Even if he was a fallen noble, he still had his pride. How could he be out fighting every other day? Jayrut’s father eventually had no choice but to change his son’s path.

‘If you can’t live without your blood boiling, go to military school. You’re pathetic.’

Fifteen-year-old Jayrut just sneered at his father’s scolding. Pathetic? When someone picks a fight, isn’t backing down the truly pathetic thing to do?

Jayrut stared at the military school application his father had thrown at him.

‘Hahaha! You’re Jayrut, right? Try and beat me!’

‘Wow, he’s crazy. He’s going to keep going like that?’

‘He’s going to die!’

Among the mediocre new recruits, Jayrut immediately stood out. It wasn’t because of his exceptional physical abilities. It was simply because of his relentless competitive spirit, which could only be described as ‘vicious.’

Jayrut roughly wiped away the dripping blood from his nose and charged at his opponent.

Thwack! Thwack!

Once, twice, three times, four times…

They took turns landing punches on each other’s faces. Rather than back down, he’d rather die. Jayrut gritted his teeth.

Eventually, his opponent fell first. Everyone applauded in admiration, but he didn’t stop and climbed on top of his fallen opponent.

Thwack!

‘Keep going! Keep hitting me!’

‘Jayrut! Stop, it’s over!’

He had always felt like something was blocking his chest. Fighting seemed to relieve it, but when his opponent fell weakly, nothing changed.

Just as he was about to shout for someone to do something about him—

‘How can you punch someone who’s already down?’

‘Haa, haa. Who are you?’

Someone appeared. Judging by the uniform badge, he seemed to be a senior, but it was laughable. He was probably only a year or two older.

Jayrut looked at him, but his face was obscured by the backlight. Or maybe his eyes were messed up from the fight.

‘You’re Jayrut, right? A new recruit? If you want to keep fighting so badly, I’ll be your opponent.’

He was just what he needed. Perfect.

Instead of answering, Jayrut turned and charged—

Whack!

For the first time, he was knocked unconscious without even being able to retaliate.

To call it a complete defeat would be an understatement. It was the first time he had faced an insurmountable wall, a genius.

‘He’s naturally gifted, and he trains diligently. Who can keep up? He’ll probably end up in the Imperial Palace later.’

‘Of course. Even if he’s not a magic swordsman, he could join the Imperial Guard with that level of skill. If you’re strong enough, you can be selected.’

‘Oh? Jayrut! Did you come to get beaten up again?’

Several times a day, Jayrut would seek him out and challenge him.

He threw punches, swung his sword, and screamed, struggling to break through the insurmountable wall. Days passed as he vowed to win someday—

‘He’s dead. Suicide.’

‘I heard it was a family matter?’

The genius disappeared so easily.

So even someone that strong had an opponent they couldn’t beat. They could even collapse on their own. Jayrut suddenly felt afraid. He realized that his greatest enemy was himself.

‘Jayrut. A mage from the Imperial Palace is coming next week. Would you like to take the magic swordsman aptitude test?’

‘Imperial Guard’s new magic swordsman, Jayrut, reporting for duty.’

‘You’re the only one fit for the captain’s position, Jayrut.’

Long years passed. He was fortunate enough to awaken his abilities as a magic swordsman, joined the Imperial Guard, rose to the rank of captain, and stood beside the Emperor. He could now boast that he was stronger than anyone—

But sometimes, he was afraid.

Just like that genius had shown him—

Being strong and collapsing were two separate things.

‘Captain! Please withdraw your order!’

‘Ugh, don’t die. Please don’t die!’

‘Captain Jayrut. Do you acknowledge your responsibility for the deaths of your subordinates? I heard that Private Petreio is resigning.’

Jayrut suddenly realized he was standing alone in the darkness. Where was this? What was he doing here? His wandering gaze stopped at something in front of him.

In the distance, Jayrut himself was running towards him.

“……!”

It was death trying to break him.

Jayrut instinctively grabbed his sword and charged at him. Nothing could break him. He would not die because of himself.

Clang! Clang!

The opponent, who was fighting Jayrut, muttered something with a nonchalant expression. He couldn’t hear it well. What was he saying?

Creak!

Due to the tense balance of power, the sword blades clashed heavily. The two men’s faces were close. Only then did Jayrut understand what his opponent was muttering, and he frowned.

‘…Old man?’

* * *

‘Haaam. Ian-nim. I’m sorry.’

‘Yes, we’re sorry. If it weren’t for us, you could have gone comfortably on Kkyu. But we couldn’t let you go alone.’

‘That’s right. It’s a rift, not just anywhere. You really can’t go alone.’

‘Oh my, but this guy is fast. He’s useful.’

‘It would have been faster if a couple of people hadn’t gotten on, right? Haaam.’

‘You look fine, so get off. Can’t you read the room?’

The mages, who hadn’t fully recovered their mana, were clinging to the dragon as they flew through the sky. Normally, Ian would have ridden alone, but because they insisted on following, it had become more troublesome.

Whoosh!

Ziiing! Ziiing!

Without answering, Ian sped through the sky and soon spotted something flashing in the distance.

In addition to that—

‘Wow, crazy.’

‘Th-those are all monsters?’

‘I’m wide awake now, shit. What the hell happened?’

Monsters were pouring out, threatening to cover the entire world in darkness.

Ian asked the mages who had served in the northern region.

‘Do you know the exact location of the rift?’

‘Of course. We’ve been eating and sleeping here for almost ten years.’

‘Stand by. We’ll deal with the monsters first, then go to the barrier zone.’

‘Deal with them? How, exactly—’

‘Ian-nim!’

Ian gradually lowered his altitude and descended towards the ground. He could see the three commanders, Bonita and her troops, struggling in the midst of the monster horde. No matter how low-level the monsters were, how could they handle an almost infinite number? It was physically impossible.

‘Ian-aaaaa!’

Beric, who had sensed Ian’s presence, shouted first. He was unusually far north compared to the other troops, almost as if he had deserted the front lines, and seemed to be climbing rather than holding back the monsters. He waved his hand as hard as he could, signaling.

‘Shit! That stubborn old man went to see the rift!’

‘Captain Jayrut?’

‘Yeah! The monsters have decreased a bit since then! Ugh, he’s old and so stubborn! Seriously!’

Whoosh!

Beric slashed at the monsters as if venting his anger, and then Bonita’s shout was heard.

‘Sir Ian! The pit we dug as a barrier is almost full! If the monsters overflow, we won’t be able to handle it anymore!’

They needed a way to deal with the gathered monster horde at once. Ian opened his mana to the maximum and drew a magic circle himself.

「Many Leaves」.

Normally, Ian would cast magic with just a verbal command, without a magic circle. But this time, because the target range was so wide, he carefully drew the magic circle with his fingertips.

Kugugung-!

Kugung!

Following the pit that Bonita had dug, a World Tree from another dimension sprouted. The thick trunks formed layers of walls to prevent the monsters from escaping, and then continued to cause earthquakes.

The Imperial Guard wondered what was going on and looked up at the sky. A small boy floating in the sky was shining his golden eyes and gesturing gracefully.

Just a little more, just a little more—

‘S-Sir Ian is splitting the earth!’

‘It’s dangerous! Fall back!’

Tear!

Kugugung! Thud!

The earth cracked open in the gaps where the World Tree sprouted, and more monsters fell into the gap.

Was it done for now? Just as Bonita thought that.

From Ian’s shoulder blades, huge red wings sprouted.

Whoosh!

「Hwirok」.

The wings took the form of a giant, stretching out greatly.

It was engulfed in flames, and it roared angrily at the earth. The red heat that erupted from its mouth instantly covered the surroundings and annihilated the monsters.

-Kkyuuu!

The dragon also spat out a small flame, as if saying it could do that too. The mages held onto the dragon’s neck tightly and just watched in admiration.

‘Our minister is insane.’

‘I-it was possible. To use those two at the same time.’

‘I didn’t know. I never even thought about it.’

‘Ian-nim! Don’t overdo it and drink a potion!’

Whether it was because of the sunlight or just his imagination, Ian’s complexion seemed a little pale. When Ian gestured as if to collect Hwirok, the giant’s form was broken and disappeared.

Just once. With the magic of Hwirok, 30% of all the monsters had disappeared.

‘I will refrain from using more mana as it could stimulate the rift. The Imperial Guard should also try to stop the monsters with swordsmanship as much as possible.’

‘Ah, yes, yes, understood!’

‘I’ll be back soon after checking the rift, so—’

Just as he was about to say to hold on a little longer until then.

Ian sensed a familiar yet unfamiliar energy.

‘Captain Jayrut!’

Jayrut, who had gone to explore the rift area, had appeared.

…But something about his atmosphere was strange. His eyes, which had been full of spirit, were now dull and clouded, and his shoulders were slumped as if he had laid down everything he had been carrying. Above all, no monsters were even approaching him.

‘…Old man?’

He was alive, and they were happy for a moment. But Beric also immediately sensed that something was wrong.

Jayrut raised his hand and gripped his mana sword.

Ziiing! Ziiing!

‘What are you doing? Old man!’

Thwoom!

Thwoom!

Lightning bolts fell towards Beric without hesitation.

Ian immediately understood the cause of the strange behavior.

‘Beric! It’s mind control!’

‘Ugh! What?’

‘Mind control. The power of the Underworld God has leaked through the rift. It has consumed Captain Jayrut, who got too close.’

What the hell was that supposed to mean!

Beric struggled to block Jayrut’s attacks, gritting his teeth. Looking at him up close, he definitely had dead fish eyes.

‘Beric. I’ll go check the rift. Take care of this place and stop Jayrut.’

‘What? How am I supposed to stop him!’

Captain Jayrut was one of the top fighters in the Imperial Palace. If such a person was moving according to the will of the Underworld God, it would be a great threat to all of Bariel.

‘It might be resolved if the rift closes. But if that’s not possible—’

He would have to be eliminated.

Beric’s face crumpled at those words.

Clang! Clang!

‘No! I don’t want to kill the old man!’

‘Then stop him completely. So that he doesn’t threaten Bariel. It’s up to you, Beric.’

Beric frowned again as he blocked Jayrut’s sword, and Ian quickly turned away. The mages riding the dragon tried to get closer, but this time he firmly raised his hand to refuse.

‘I’ll go alone.’

‘What? No, Ian-nim!’

‘It’s too dangerous!’

‘Only I can go alone. You guys stay here.’

‘Ian-nim!’

Whoosh!

Ian said that and flew towards the rift area. The mages kept pulling on Kkyu’s whiskers, urging him to leave, but Kkyu just blinked and didn’t move.

Meanwhile, Beric was facing Jayrut alone.

‘Beric! Are you okay?’

‘Don’t talk to me, you toothy bastard! And everyone else!’

His greatsword, made of mana, blazed red and large.

‘…Just watch the monsters. I’ll take care of the old man.’

‘But—’

‘Shut up! Honestly, shit! I couldn’t become captain because of my shitty personality! But I’m the strongest one here!’

Clang! Clang!

Beric stared at Jayrut’s face, which was close to his. He felt a strange emotion that he couldn’t describe. Even though he was like an old geezer, his eyes were always so damn cool.

‘That’s why I told you not to go!’

Clang!

‘Seriously, you never listen!’

Complete suppression until the mind control was released, that was the only way to save Jayrut. If he couldn’t do it, Jayrut would die at Ian’s hands. It was clear.

‘Old man!’

Clang!

Thwoom!

The two men’s white and red mana swords clashed head-on.