Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 555

They were dashing forward in a mixed formation, but each tribe’s colors were so distinct that there was no problem telling them apart.

First, the Natan tribe was leading the charge. They all wore animal skulls on their heads, gray robes, and were armed with daggers. Moreover, they were all riding on the backs of beasts similar to black oxen.

“We’re going first! Uha ha!”

“Run, run!”

It was their movement that shook the earth. It was only natural that the world trembled as house-sized beasts swarmed in packs.

The Megetu tribe, right next to them, frowned and widened the gap. The sandstorm was too fierce.

“Get out of the way! I’ll show you what a battle is!”

“What are you going to do with daggers, you idiots!”

Whack!

The Megetu tribe shouted, whipping the flanks of their horses. They had spread green dye all over their faces and bodies, making it hard to tell if they were people from afar. The whips they used were also different from ordinary ones, made by twisting plant stems.

“They’ve arrived on time!”

“The Natan and Megetu tribes are up ahead! Let’s go too!”

“Our opponent is Bariel! Let’s break the Empire’s pride!”

“Kuh heh heh! Astana is ours!”

And from the opposite side came the Enzargal tribe. They were tall, eight-foot giants with prominent muscles. They all had long hair braided and swept back, and in both hands, they held axes as big as their upper bodies.

“What is this commotion?”

“Your Majesty! It’s an attack from the northern tribes!”

“It must be the last line of resistance before entering Burgos.”

When Jin, who had come out after hearing the horn, looked around and asked, Minister Maxim Tweller reported calmly. Jin reflexively gripped his sword and looked left and right.

Which side should he block first? What is the enemy’s strength? If they are northern tribes, they must be sorcerers, but what are their abilities? He needed a tip from Astana.

“Minister Tweller.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

However, Jin noticed that the atmosphere around him was strange. The soldiers had risen and formed ranks, but there was no sense of urgency. Minister Tweller was the same.

Jin muttered instinctively.

“Where is Sir Ian?”

“Over there.”

At Tweller’s gesture, Jin’s gaze turned. It was the direction where the Natan and Megetu tribes were coming from.

Ian stood alone, facing the sunrise.

His golden hair sparkled warmly in the sunlight.

“Does he know about the enemy before going?”

“It seems Astana briefly told him.”

“Then that’s a relief…”

“Good morning!”

The moment Jin let out a sigh of relief, Beric’s voice was heard from above. He was sitting on the golem’s shoulder, eating meat, as if he had been there all along. His attitude was peaceful, making the emergency horn seem pointless.

Jin slowly lowered his sword without realizing it.

Zhiing!

Zhiing!

At the same time, Ian knelt on one knee and placed his hand on the ground. Soon, the Idgal barrier [a magical barrier] was erected without a separate magic circle. It was a declaration of war to the enemy, saying they would not be able to cross this.

“What is that?”

“Oh my, it’s the Minister of Magic! Is he going to deal with them himself?”

“It’s an honor! Uha ha ha!”

It was advantageous that there was no mana consumption, but it was a pity that it had to make contact with the target area. The Idgal that sprouted from the barrier began to extend quickly and sharply toward the Natan tribe.

Swoosh!

“Let’s go! Everyone!”

Woo woo woo!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

At the Natan tribe’s command, the black oxen lowered their heads. Three round, thick horns. They rammed their heads directly into the flying Idgal. The shattered fragments were directly knocked away by the Natan tribe with their daggers.

Seeing this, Ian raised one eyebrow as if surprised. It meant that they were not magical beasts, but natural beasts raised by the Natan tribe.

Zhiing! Zhiing!

Thud!

As Ian soared into the sky, the gazes of the Natan and Megetu tribes went upwards. The two tribes nodded at each other, then split left and right, accelerating even more.

“We’ll catch the Minister of Magic first!”

“Megetu! Megetu!”

“I know, so do it well!”

After signaling each other, the Megetu tribe swung their whips high into the sky. Dozens of stems flew into the sky simultaneously, precisely towards Ian. They were endlessly long, unbelievably fast, and their changes in direction were as natural as if they were alive.

Ian focused and weaved through the whips, drawing a magic circle with his fingertips.

“Gotcha!”

But then, his body paused as if something was pulling at his ankle. The Natan tribe was holding Ian’s shadow. They raised their daggers, grinning with a sly smile.

“We’ll take the Minister’s ankle!”

“Cut it off!”

The Natan tribe, who could materialize and manipulate shadows, had given up on a night raid and charged as soon as the sun rose.

They tried to cut off the shadow of Ian’s ankle with their daggers, and in the moment Ian hesitated, the Megetu tribe’s whips penetrated without a gap.

“Ian!”

Beric, who had been eating meat, was startled and jumped up for a moment. Ian calmly activated the magic circle he had summoned.

「Hwirok(回祿)」[Hwirok is a term for fire disaster].

Whoosh!

Swoosh!

A huge flame erupted from his shoulder. It not only burned dozens of Megetu tribe’s whips at once, but also erased the shadows in an instant with its intense light.

The Natan tribe stabbed their daggers into the empty space and looked up with bewildered faces.

“Huk!”

A huge fireball flickered at Ian’s fingertips. It was as majestic as if he had taken the sun itself.

The Natan tribe covered their faces with their sleeves and hurriedly looked at their shadows.

“Shadow! Shadow!”

“I can’t see it? Everyone, do something!”

“Wait a minute! This way! Move this way!”

They were trying to hide in their own shadows. As the Natan tribe scrambled, Ian mercilessly unleashed the flame at his fingertips towards the ground.

Kwaaang!

Swoosh!

“Uwaaaak!”

“Dodge! Dodge!”

As the strong impact fell several times, enough to dent the ground, the Natan tribe tumbled around, tangled with their oxen.

The Megetu tribe was no different. Their whips were designed to turn into sharp leaf blades the moment they were cut, flying towards the enemy, but they were useless in the face of the strong firepower.

“Don’t raise the whips!”

The Megetu chieftain shouted urgently. It meant that there was no point in attacking, and even if the whips were cut, it would not harm the opponent, so they should not waste their weapons in vain.

“What should we do?”

“Retreat for now! The magician’s mana has a limit! With this much power, he will soon reach his limit, so we’ll look for an opening!”

“Understood!”

“Retreat! Retreat!”

Whoosh!

At the Megetu tribe’s decision, the Natan tribe also hurriedly climbed onto the backs of their oxen.

Ian’s golden eyes, which had been watching their movements, gleamed coldly. They were reflecting the light, but there was no warmth at all.

“Waaaaaa!”

“Advance!”

In the distance, other tribes were also approaching. Among them, there must be tribes that could restore strength and stamina, including necromancy.

Ian decided to melt everything before it became troublesome. He smiled without tidying up the flames dripping from his palm.

Swoosh!

Zhiing! Zhiing!

“It’s coming! It’s coming again!”

“It’s a fire rain! Uwaaaak!”

“Everyone, hang under the oxen!”

“Is he crazy? When is his mana going to run out?”

“I don’t know, damn it! Run!”

Thud thud thud!

In the rain of fire, they writhed in agony. Since it was a rocky mountain with no grass, the fire ignited only through their bodies.

Beric, who had been startled, gave a thumbs up and continued to eat his meat.

“Good! Ian! Kill them all! But you know the muscle guys are coming from behind, right?”

At Beric’s shouting, Ian turned his head.

The Enzargal tribe’s warriors. Those who held huge axes in both hands were approaching the camp.

Just in case, the soldiers lined up to confront them, and Minister Maxim Tweller also watched them calmly, holding an axe.

Swoosh!

Ian flew in like a flash of light and instantly faced the vanguard of the Enzargal tribe. The guy who was charging on horseback was startled by the sudden appearance of the opponent and pulled on the reins, and in that instant, his right flank was exposed.

Zhiing! Zhiing!

Swoosh!

“Kuh heok!”

Ian cut through his flesh with the Idgal he had created in the form of a sword. And without hesitation, he plunged into the midst of the group, freely flying around and aiming for the opponent’s neck and chest.

“It’s a magician! It’s the Empire’s magician!”

“Keep advancing and block him!”

The Enzargal tribe lightly swung their huge axes and attacked Ian, but their range was too limited. They were on horseback, and Ian was flying through the sky like it was water.

Hee-ing!

Swoosh! Clang! Clang!

Ian, who had penetrated to the end of the formation, turned his body in the opposite direction and continued his attack. Even if the Idgal sword that collided with the axe broke, a new sword was instantly grasped, and there was no break in the attack.

“Uwaaak! They’re coming from behind again!”

“Everyone, narrow the formation! Don’t let them approach!”

Those who had been fighting against Ian’s sword fell off their horses one by one, spurting blood. The horses that had lost their owners scattered in all directions, and the easier it became for Ian to approach.

Clang! Clang!

Eventually, they stopped their charge without gaining speed. They had no choice but to engage in battle, struggling to block the flashing mana from all directions.

“Hwaaaap!”

“Just one hit! We just need to land one hit!”

Thud!

When the axe that grazed Ian struck the ground, the stones split and flew in all directions. At the same time, the Enzargal tribe’s warriors charged. The wide axe blades gathered in a circle, trapping Ian.

There would be no way to escape. Try to fly up. The moment you do, your upper and lower body will be separated! They smiled inwardly.

Zhiing! Zhiing!

Whoosh!

But Ian lightly threw the Idgal sword and unleashed his mana.

「Gyoyeol(咬裂)」[Gyoyeol means tearing with teeth].

Owooo-!

The wolves made of wind gently brushed past the axes and rushed towards the warriors’ necks.

Beric watched with interest, focusing his gaze, as it was the magic that Efdram had used. However, the difference from hers was-

Swoosh!

Kwang!

“Oh my, what the heck?”

That it could not be cut.

Efdram’s could be broken with physical attacks, but Ian’s could not. No matter how much they cut with their axes, the wolves approached their opponents without any problems. It seemed that he was endlessly generating mana.

“Uwaaak!”

“Kuhuk!”

Even if they had huge bodies and transcendent power, their skin was human. Blood fountains erupted from the necks of dozens of warriors at the same time. Ian, covered in blood, wiped his face, panting.

“Ian! One more!”

Swoosh!

The guy who had been pretending to be dead suddenly got up and charged, but Ian’s reaction was swift. Minister Maxim Tweller was certain that Ian had moved before Beric’s shout.

“Kuhuk!”

Before the axe reached Ian’s head, his Idgal sword pierced the opponent’s chin first. Blood trickled down, and the opponent eventually fell to the side with a thud.

Thud!

“……”

Ian, panting and shaking off the blood, turned his head towards the camp. His golden eyes were sharp. As if everything was finally settled, he threw away the Idgal sword.

“Beric. You’re loud.”

“Funny! You knew they were coming from behind thanks to me, right? If you had tried to handle it alone and the soldiers had stepped in, it would have been a bit embarrassing! Keh heh!”

Ian chuckled and slowly walked over, and the soldiers stared at Beric in shock. What nonsense was he spouting to such a person? Was he crazy?

“Beric, that bastard, now that I see it, he was the bravest bastard.”

“I know. He’s talking back to Ian like that.”

“I, I didn’t do anything wrong, did I?”

“What?”

“I don’t know. I’m suddenly worried if I did.”

“Sir Ian! Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

The magicians rushed to greet Ian, and Minister Maxim Tweller glanced at Jin. He was clearly shocked. He thought he knew the meaning of the position of Minister of Magic, but it was a miscalculation, and it was arrogance.

“…Good heavens.”

Jin could not say anything other than a short mutter, and he gained confidence that he would win the war. The one who received God’s love the closest was right next to him.

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