Margrave’s Bastard Son Was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 564

“Advance!” Eileen roared, her voice booming from her chest, and raised her sword. Soldiers beside her fell, struck by enemy arrows, but her resolve remained firm. She focused straight ahead, reaching the massive barrier.

Whoosh!

Thump!

Each time the golem slammed its fist down, sandstorms erupted. Eileen shielded her face and lowered her body, noticing the third gate barrier’s entrance had shifted slightly. Other soldiers noticed it too.

“It’s opening! It’s opening little by little!”

“Attack the gap!”

“Yaaah!”

From inside, desperate attempts to block the hole were visible. Bariel soldiers thrust their swords and spears into the gap, eager to spill Burgos blood.

“One more time!”

“Get out of the way!”

As the golem raised both fists, soldiers warned each other and retreated. Whoosh! Blood, of unknown origin, thickly stained a sword blade.

Thump!

“The golem is acting strangely!”

“Why is it doing that?”

“Don’t mind it, keep climbing! Over the barrier!”

“Secure the ladders tightly!”

The golem, which had been balanced, suddenly tilted and leaned to one side. The soldiers were briefly taken aback, but they tried to ignore it under their superior’s orders and climbed the barrier.

“Get lost, you Bariel bastards!”

“Come here!”

“Aaaah!”

Bariel soldiers who climbed the ladders grabbed Burgos soldiers by the hair and threw them down. A tragic scene of people being crushed under others, and then stones falling on top of them, repeated itself. But in the midst of the raging battle, no one recognized it as a tragedy.

Thump!

With a slightly different force, the golem slammed down on the barrier entrance. Eventually, Burgos soldiers poured out like an ant colony through the half-broken barrier, and Eileen swung her sword wildly as she advanced.

Clang! Clang!

“You fucking bastards!”

“Get lost! Please get lost!”

“Open the path! Then I’ll spare you!”

“Aaaah!”

It was then. The golem, which had been moving well, creaked and then completely stopped. Then, losing its balance, it toppled forward.

“Huh? Huh?”

“Get out of the way! The golem is falling!”

Crash!

Thud! Thump!

The golem, made of huge rocks, completely collapsed the Burgos barrier entrance as it fell, creating a new wall. The soldiers crushed beneath it let out desperate groans and died helplessly.

“The golem!”

Why is it doing that? Why? What for?

Only then did Eileen look back. There was a small but chaotic movement in the Bariel camp. The Astanian sorcerers were dead.

‘That’s impossible.’

All the mages capable of long-range attacks were in the sky battle. Then, was it the work of the northern sorcerer? But the Astanians are also northern sorcerers? They couldn’t have failed to prepare for an attack in a situation where they knew each other so well.

“Go over it! Go over the golem!”

“Where do you think you’re going! Kill them! Kill them all!”

Eileen climbed the ladder, then looked around from the top of the barrier. It had to be there. Surely, the source of the mysterious attack.

“You bastard!”

Clang!

Burgos soldiers rushed at Eileen, and she tripped one of them, then pushed his body off the barrier.

At that moment, a loud explosion erupted in the sky.

Boom!

Everyone crouched down, shrinking from the intense heat. It was an explosion caused by the mages fighting the winged half-human, half-beasts.

Among them, a blonde boy stood out. The Minister of Magic, with graceful movements, tore off the wing of one of them and simultaneously unleashed powerful magic.

Boom!

“Kieeeek!”

“Ian! They keep coming!”

The half-human, half-beast tribe fell with strange screams. They kept rushing at Ian, swinging their swords, and Ian calmly focused and countered each attack one by one.

Whoosh!

If I cut off their wings, they won’t be able to stay here. Just as they aimed for Ian’s neck, Ian aimed only for their wings, continuing an efficient battle.

Unable to watch any longer, the Ruthwena mages began to gather their hands and draw magic circles in the sky.

Whirr! Whirr!

「Vortex」.

From the fingertips of the Ruthwena mages, a huge stream of water surged, swirling around. They scattered slightly and enveloped Ian, trapping him as if he were submerged in a water bubble.

“Ian!”

Whoosh!

The mages were surprised and slashed at the water, but how could they cut something with a sword? Bubbles, small air bubbles, rose from Ian’s nose and mouth. He gestured to retreat and created ‘Veridian’ [a type of fire magic].

Poof!

The water, meeting the intense heat, instantly vaporized. Rising steam. It was like a giant cloud. Ian swept his damp hair back and drew a magic circle with his fingertips.

“The Minister of Magic is drawing a magic circle!”

“Ian is attacking!”

“Block it! Attack!”

“Protect him! Escort Ian!”

The Ruthwena mages rushed in, and the Bariel mages also rushed in. With Ian in the middle, they endlessly unleashed magic, blocking each other.

Boom!

A chaotic battle where the process of deflecting incoming attacks, finding gaps, and enduring with all their might was repeated.

Light entered the magic circle Ian had drawn, and the concentric circles began to spin rapidly. Just as he reached out his hand, about to collapse the entire barrier at once.

Swoosh!

Whoosh!

“……!”

Something sharp quickly pierced Ian’s abdomen. Ian’s back bent from the shock of something cutting through his flesh, and the magic circle he was unfolding also disappeared.

‘It’s the same thing I was hit by yesterday in front of the barrier.’

The thing that had grazed his cheek. It was certain.

As blood gushed from between Ian’s fingers, the mages were horrified and created a protective barrier. It was already too late, but it was their will to block any follow-up attacks.

Taking advantage of the gap, the Ruthwena mages joined forces once again.

「Vortex」.

Whoosh!

A huge stream of water captured Ian once again.

The water, which had been reflecting the clear sky, was stained with blood, and Ian’s vision gradually blurred. It wasn’t because of his consciousness, but because he couldn’t see through the blood.

“Keep him trapped!”

Keep him trapped?

The Ruthwena mage’s shout was particularly loud. Ian realized that the mysterious enemy was someone who used ‘location’ [a type of magic that manipulates spatial positioning].

* * *

Tap tap!

Deep inside the Agiar barrier.

Bagban was sweating profusely in the darkness, looking down at a huge puppet show board. The Agiar barrier and the hill were roughly built, and on top of it, cotton dolls were moving slowly.

He cursed at the soldiers running around above.

“Shut up! You bastards! I can’t concentrate!”

Bang! Thump!

He slammed the wall in frustration, but it was impossible for the soldiers, who were fighting for their lives, to hear him.

Bagban picked up the doll again with trembling hands. It was a cotton doll with no markings.

“Let’s see, let’s see, again…….”

When Bagban let go of his hand, the doll stood up on its own.

Now was the important part. He was an ability user who could connect reality with this puppet board and inflict physical harm on the opponent. If he could pinpoint the opponent’s location, he could pierce the heart of anyone without resistance.

Swoosh.

As he closed his eyes and focused his mind, he could see the outside of the barrier very, very faintly. Like looking through five or six buttonholes, small, flickering shapes.

Bagban barely endured his churning stomach and fumbled with the doll, finally succeeding in identifying an Astanian standing next to the golem.

“Hehe. I’ve got you! I can see you very well, good.”

This is the one.

A huge needle appeared in his hand. And very slowly, with all his heart, he pierced the doll’s heart.

Stab!

It was a cotton doll, but when the spell worked well, it felt like piercing a real heart. Bagban, filled with joy, chuckled and pierced the doll, pulling the needle out from behind its back.

“Outside!”

“Yes? Yes, yes!”

“Tell them to check how many Astanians are left!”

“Ah, I understand!”

Although it was a needle that pierced the doll, the killing power was sufficient, as it was like a thin blade flying at the actual target.

The problem was that if the target moved, it could miss, and it was difficult to identify each target. Also, after doing it two or so times in a row, his stomach would churn, and he would have to lie down.

“Ugh.”

His subordinate, who had gone to the Bariel Magic Tower, must have dealt with King Damon in the same way. But why hasn’t this guy contacted me?

Bagban vomited and then focused his mind again.

Crash! Crash!

Judging by the loud explosions, the Ruthwena mages were struggling.

He clicked his tongue and examined the situation with his ‘third eye’ [a metaphorical term for a heightened sense of perception]. The field of vision was so narrow and it turned so quickly that he couldn’t see anything but the sky.

“Ugh…….”

Clothing, sparkling magic orbs, feathers? What is it?

Among the chaotic shapes, there was one thing that caught his eye.

“Oh ho. This guy is handsome.”

It was Ian Hiel.

As soon as he saw Ian’s face, he quickly grabbed the doll and pierced its belly with the needle. He should have aimed for the heart, but he missed a little because he was in a hurry.

Stab!

“Good, good! Hahaha!”

The feeling was so satisfying! Bagban, staggering and falling, still laughed and cheered. A hole had been made in the Bariel mage’s belly! Isn’t this worth doing?

Swoosh.

At the corner of the hallway where Bagban’s laughter was leaking out.

Clark, who had hidden his presence, looked at that side with suspicion. He had tried to approach him because he was Rutherford’s old comrade, but the situation was such that he couldn’t get past the gatekeepers. So, he had tried to infiltrate secretly after obtaining armor, but the sun had risen.

‘What is it?’

Clark watched Bagban through the crack in the door. A puppet show? In this situation? Outside, a life-and-death struggle was taking place, but could it be?

Clark’s gaze scrutinized Bagban intently, but to him, he just looked like a mentally ill person who was repeating meditation and needlework on dolls.

‘Where is Rutherford?’

Swoosh.

Clark left him behind for now and moved to where Rutherford might be.

The soldiers running around glanced at Clark, but since he was wearing the same armor, they didn’t seem to be very suspicious. Above all, they were too busy.

Crash! Crash!

Tap tap!

“Damn it! First squad, block the left entrance of the third gate!”

“Move the weapons! To the left!”

“Move quickly!”

Clark also pretended to be on a mission, quickly running around and examining the barrier. Every time it shook greatly and dirt fell, he wondered if he would be crushed to death, but the walls of Agiar held up quite firmly.

Then-

“Ah.”

Unlike the other soldiers who were very busy, there were those who did not move from the door. There was someone inside they were guarding. Clark carefully approached and saluted them.

“Excuse me. Is Rutherford here?”

“What is it?”

He was right. Clark felt relieved that he had finally found him and answered.

“I have something to report directly.”

“State your affiliation and name.”

Affiliation? Name? He had no idea. Thinking he could handle about three of them, Clark was about to grab his sword.

Thump thump!

Clang!

When a commotion was heard from inside, the soldiers threw the door open.

“What’s going on?”

“Are you alright?”

What could be seen through the soldiers’ shoulders was Rutherford with his hair disheveled, and a gypsy struggling under him.