Regressor Of The Fallen Family [EN]: Chapter 431

“The Aserian people are working together well,” Galen reported, his voice shaking slightly. “They are blocking the delivery of food and weapons for our soldiers. Our departure will probably be delayed for a short time.”

“Are you telling me this just now?!” the Emperor roared.

Suddenly, the air in the tent felt heavy and dangerous. Galen felt cold sweat run down his face as he finished his report.

He looked up at the Emperor.

The Emperor, in his shining gold armor, still felt very powerful. But something was different. The air around him was different.

It wasn’t just because his left arm was gone.

Before, even when the Emperor was angry, he was still calm and in control.

But now, that calmness was gone. Only pure anger remained, like a dark cloud filling the tent.

“The Western Legion is holding them off well, so a few days shouldn’t be a problem…” Galen continued.

Clang!

“I said I don’t like even those few days!” the Emperor shouted.

“…I will resolve it as quickly as possible,” Galen replied.

Logically, the way these Aserian fighters were suddenly so organized meant someone powerful was helping them secretly. He should find out who was behind it.

But he couldn’t say that. The Emperor’s eyes, bloodshot and furious, would not accept any disagreement.

“One day. I will give you one day. Do not allow those Western enemies any more time to invade our land!”

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I don’t even want to see your faces. All of you, leave.”

Having dismissed Galen and the rest of his guard, the Emperor remained seated in the center of the empty tent, his face hardened.

Since that devastating defeat, nothing had gone according to his wishes. His irritation just now stemmed from that very fact.

“How pathetic…”

He was aware that he was venting his anger on the wrong things.

But he simply couldn’t shake off the shock of defeat.

Had there ever been anything he had set his mind to as a prince that he hadn’t achieved?

The competition to become Crown Prince had been fierce, but he had ultimately prevailed.

Moreover, the power of the inherited legends he had received from his father along with the throne twenty years ago had given him the confidence of a god descended to earth. So much so that he felt it was a pity that he would have to pass that power on to his successor and disappear into the history books after thirty years on the throne.

So, he prepared a life’s work.

To make sure everyone remembers Kaisus van Ares forever in history.

The conquest of the continent.

He had been preparing for it for nearly twenty years since his coronation. Promoting a policy of peace was merely an intermediate step towards that grand ambition.

Therefore, he had never, not even for a moment, considered that his plan might fail.

And yet, to be held back like this?

He knew it was pathetic, but his anger would not subside.

“Logan McLain…”

Snap!

Especially that wretch. Only five years ago, he couldn’t even wield Aura, and now he had become an Aura Master (someone who controls a special energy called Aura), standing in his way.

It was an incomprehensible rate of growth. The absurd rumors of a hero blessed by the gods that had spread throughout the world even made him momentarily wonder, ‘Could it be true?’

Then, realizing that he had entertained such a thought, he felt even more miserable.

“You’ve grown weak, Kaisus…”

As he tried to rub his face in self-disgust, he was once again reminded that only his right hand moved according to his will.

“Hah…”

A faint phantom pain and a hollow sensation emanated from his left shoulder.

Soon, a fire rekindled in his dark eyes.

Having suffered such humiliation, how could he forget his rage?

“A hero blessed by the gods? Hee hee, then I shall defy the gods themselves and kill him.”

Just as the Emperor’s eyes gleamed with resolve,

“Your Majesty! Urgent news!”

The knight’s report as he burst into the tent only deepened the Emperor’s scowl.

“Kill them all!”

“Who are you to say that?!”

Clang!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Wham!

Lugenheim, a major city in the southwestern part of the Empire, was under attack by the Gaia Kingdom forces, who were usually its main trading partners.

The main battlefield was the western wall, but the onslaught pouring down on the southern and northern gates was enough to unnerve the Imperial soldiers.

Swoosh!

“Aaargh!”

“Hold the line! Don’t let them get back south!”

Balton Krassen, the commander of the Western 5th Legion, stood at the center of the western wall, shouting orders.

A superhuman who had reached the intermediate level of Aura manipulation, and a valiant general.

Thanks to his valiant efforts, Lugenheim was barely holding out against the Gaia Kingdom forces, which numbered over 100,000. Of course, the qualitative difference in equipment and the level of training between the Imperial and Kingdom forces could not be ignored.

“As long as I am here, Lugenheim will not fall! Everyone, charge!”

Red Aura surged forth with his booming roar.

The superhuman wielding a massive warhammer was a symbol of victory for the Western 5th Legion.

But at that moment,

“T-The south gate is collapsing!”

“A strange Aura user, Legion Commander!”

“What?!”

Balton’s eyes turned towards the base of the wall.

Clay Marlon, the Gaia Kingdom’s only superhuman, whom he had been keeping in check, was still there.

Wielding his beloved axe, he was looking for an opportunity to climb the wall, avoiding Balton.

Due to the difference in their levels, Balton had managed to defeat him in several battles.

However, he was a tricky opponent, as he had failed to kill him or even inflict a fatal wound. It was because he boasted fantastic swordsmanship, befitting his nickname, ‘The Axe Master’.

Then who was the Aura user at the south gate?

Then who was the Aura user at the south gate? Clay Marlon, the Axe Master, was still here. Gaia was only known to have one superhuman fighter. Could it be… Gaia has two superhumans?

– Aargh!

– A m-monster.

The screams erupting from the south gate could now be heard even by him.

‘If I leave this place, there will be no one to stop Clay…’

But if he stayed, the south gate would undoubtedly fall first.

It was time to make a choice.

“Eric! Peterson! Royer! Risk your lives to stop the Axe Master! I’m going to the south gate!”

Eric, the oldest of the three knights, with a scar across his cheek, Peterson, always serious and quiet, and Royer, the youngest, his face pale but determined, answered almost simultaneously to Balton’s words.

Balton looked at them with wavering eyes.

Skilled, top-tier knights, those qualified to be the ten-thousand commanders of the Imperial Legion, learn a vision that does not scatter from the strike of Aura.

Of course, that doesn’t mean they can overcome Aura, but three of them should at least be able to endure it.

Especially against Clay Marlon’s attacks, which they had witnessed several times.

‘Don’t die.’

Snap!

He couldn’t bring himself to say words that might dampen their morale.

Balton patted Eric, who was closest to him, on the shoulder and ran towards the south gate.

Now, all he had to do was kill the enemy Aura user who had appeared at the south gate as quickly as possible.

“Everyone, get out of my way!”

Wham!

Tap tap tap.

The first thing he saw upon arriving at the south gate was Gaia’s knights climbing over the wall and massacring his own knights.

But somehow, they felt different from the Gaia Kingdom forces he had seen so far.

In a bad way.

“Wait, not now?” one soldier chuckled nervously. “Heh heh. For the Gaia Kingdom!”

“Hahaha! Yes, for Gaia!” another roared, his voice full of cruel laughter.

“Die, Empire dogs! Krahaha!” a third screamed.

*Scritch.* A sharp, scraping sound.

*Swoosh.* The sound of a blade cutting through the air.

“Aaaargh!” A cry of pain.

Balton watched in fury. These soldiers wore the same turtle crests on their armour as the Imperial army. But these were not allies. These men laughed with wild joy as they cruelly killed the Imperial soldiers. Their eyes gleamed with a frightening light behind their helmets.

Balton thought there were well over a hundred using grey or black Force, colors of Force he had never seen before.

Of course, grey or black Force didn’t mean they could stand against an Aura user.

It was merely that the sight of their cruel actions filled him with rage.

“You bastards!!”

Wham!

“Ugh!”

The moment his warhammer swung, some of them were pulped beyond recognition and sent flying.

“It’s the Legion Commander!”

“Legion Commander Balton has arrived!”

“Drive them back!”

At that cry, the Imperial soldiers, who had been pushed back relentlessly, felt much braver in an instant.

After that, it was only natural that the enemies would be frightened and retreat.

That was certainly how the previous wars Balton had fought had gone.

But.

In that brief moment when he ignored the soon-to-flee enemies and turned his gaze to find the enemy Aura user…

“An Aura user!”

“The ultimate sacrifice!”

“He is watching over us!”

“Waaah!”

The Kingdom knights, their eyes flashing crimson within their helmets, charged towards him as if throwing their lives away.

‘Are these lunatics serious!?’

War that lasts a long time can make even sensible people crazy. But this usually happens to normal soldiers. It is rare for knights, who train hard to control their Force.

Therefore, the Kingdom knights’ desperate charge caught Balton completely off guard.

Of course.

Bang!

The unexpected blow failed to pierce his Aura-enhanced armour.

“Aaaargh!”

Creak creak creak.

The weight of a dozen men pressing down on him was as light as paper to Balton, who could unleash monstrous strength through his strong body.

In the end.

Wham!

“Kraaah!”

His warhammer, as large as his own body, swung and smashed them to pieces.

“Very well. I’ll send every last one of you to the afterlife!”

Wham!

Balton, nearly caught off guard, roared and began to sprint across the ramparts, and soon the enemies’ screams erupted from the battlefield.

Scritch.

A very slight noise grazed Balton’s ankle.

An attack that scraped away even the Aura of his armour, one that would have drawn blood if it had been just a little deeper.

“Tch. Not deep enough, eh…….”

“You miserable bastard!?”

Balton’s gaze snapped to the dwarf who had suddenly appeared, not even reaching his waist.

A dwarf with a disproportionately large head, clad in leather armour unsuitable for the battlefield and without even a helmet. His round face was almost half-covered by a large purple birthmark, making it impossible to guess his age.

But beneath that grinning, grotesque face, the crimson light glinting from the sharp dagger was impossible to ignore.

‘Crimson Aura!?’

I didn’t even sense him approaching?

“This old man is Ban Joni. Big guy, remember the name that will send you to His side.”

At the dwarf’s sudden words, Balton responded with a blow from his massive warhammer.

Wham!

Fragments of the ramparts shattered and scattered instead of Ban Joni.

A black snake darted out from among the fragments and grazed Balton’s cheek.

Scritch.

A shallow wound.

Normally, scratches were like medals of honour when wielding a warhammer in battle.

Balton was about to swing his warhammer again, ignoring the wound, when…

Oooooo.

The energy spreading through his body via the wound induced an indescribably foul sensation, hindering his movements.

The moment Balton faltered, Ban Joni’s grinning, oversized head appeared before his eyes.

“This is the end.”

The crimson Aura surging from the dagger bore down menacingly when…

“You!!”

Balton’s Aura, erupting with fury, shattered the tainted energy, and at the same time, his fist shot out.

Thwack!

Ban Joni was sent flying by the fist covered in red Aura.

“Ugh!”

But that crimson Aura had already pierced his armour and struck Balton’s chest.

Ban Joni, barely managing to steady himself on the ramparts, spat out blood and grinned.

“You are now…….”

Wham!

Before he could finish his sentence, the warhammer came crashing down, blasting away a section of the ramparts.

Rumble.

“Oh, no, you don’t!!!”

Whether it was a battle cry or a bluff…

Balton, his face flushed red, stopped the heavy bleeding from his chest and charged towards Ban Joni.

“So, you’re the Empire’s Legion Commander… Not an easy one, are you?”

Ban Joni scoffed and retreated far away, dodging the warhammer’s assault.

He had no intention of fighting any further. He would simply wait until his Aura, which had burrowed into the enemy’s heart, snuffed out his life.

“Catch me if you can!”

Ban Joni grinned and slipped backwards, brandishing his dagger. Following his movements, crimson Aura, like black snakes, writhed through the air, instantly engulfing dozens of Imperial soldiers nearby.

Scritch.

Scritch scritch.

“Aaaargh!”

“Ugh!”

The startled Imperial soldiers screamed for a moment.

They soon realised that Ban Joni’s attack had left only very shallow wounds, not as strong as Aura usually is, and wore bewildered expressions.

However, they immediately clutched at their hearts and collapsed, their faces turning blue.

“Ugh!?”

“Ugh…”

“Keuh…”

Balton’s expression hardened as he watched his allies fall one after another.

“Well, I don’t care if you don’t chase me.”

Grin.

That day, the dwarf who spread disaster began to attack wildly.

Lugenheim fell, and the Empire’s borders began to crumble.