Chapter 260: Collapse (2)

Ace cheered when he saw the Imperial army melting in the flames.

He didn’t know how it had happened, but someone had used large-scale magic to completely incinerate the enemy.

The entire Anti-Imperial Alliance let out a war cry and began to push the enemy back.

The Imperial army couldn’t react in time.

In front of them was the enemy, and behind them, a sea of fire.

The creatures, as if desperate, swelled their tentacles and lashed out in all directions, but were soon pierced by blades or pushed back, falling into the flames that consumed and deformed them.

“Even the monsters can’t withstand fire! Drive them all out!” Ace shouted.

“Everyone to the front, push them back!”

“Uoooooh!”

With the flames burning behind them, the Imperial army resisted desperately.

No matter how intoxicated they were with black magic, the fear of death never completely disappeared.

That was a primal instinct.

They blinked in disbelief, tilted their heads, and with an empty sigh, fell to the ground.

One of the Imperial soldiers even shed tears before collapsing.

Ace felt a hint of compassion, but only for an instant.

To survive on the battlefield, one had to discard useless feelings.

The entire mind had to focus on surviving and killing if one wanted to see the sun again the next day.

“Die!”

His sword drove roughly into the abdomen of an Imperial soldier.

The feeling of cutting through flesh and entrails was already familiar to him. He twisted the blade once before pulling it out, and blood splattered across his face.

When he looked up, he saw a monster waving its tentacles, charred by fire.

Even though the magic had fallen in the middle of the enemy’s ranks, there were still countless forces remaining.

“What a monstrous country…”

In population, national power, and everything else, the Empire was overwhelming. Even though nations considered strong on the continent had joined together, they didn’t feel they had gained any advantage.

On the contrary, with the constant war of attrition, it was the soldiers of the Anti-Imperial Alliance who were wearing down.

The terrifying tide of black-clad soldiers who knew no fear was already enough—but now they were also bringing monsters like those.

Could they win? That thought crossed his mind.

No matter if they had mages who could control fire and soldiers with firm resolve, he doubted they could defeat that endless tide of enemies advancing like machines.

When he locked eyes with an Imperial soldier he was crossing swords with, that negative feeling intensified.

Whether that soldier was bewitched by black magic or he himself was fighting desperately, in the end, both would share the same fate.

No matter who won, the world after the war would probably not be allowed to him.

He felt the strength slipping from his hands.

Beyond the enemy’s shoulder, he saw the figure of a monster crossing the flames, spreading its tentacles like a peacock.

The enemy took advantage of the moment Ace was dazed to press harder.

His body was pushed back.

The enemy’s blade was about to slip past his defense—

“Hey, Ace.”

He heard someone’s voice behind him.

“As expected, you’re a true player. Are you pretending to give up at the end so you can turn the game around?”

The dust of war filling his lungs seemed to vanish completely.

The choking smoke covering the sky and the tense faces of the Imperial army no longer looked so hopeless.

It was as if a fresh breeze had blown through.

Ace stifled a smile and replied.

“Of course. The best play is always revealed at the end.”

“I knew I couldn’t beat you.”

“Don’t play the weakling. I remember perfectly how much money you’ve taken from me.”

“Thanks to that, I’ve been able to drink a lot of good liquor.”

Just his appearance changed the atmosphere of the battlefield. It had always been that way.

Yuri Briol was that kind of person.

“If you want revenge, you can come whenever you like.”

“Wait. I’ll have you ruined soon enough.”

“I look forward to it.”

The Prince of the Kingdom of Briol, Yuri Briol, patted him on the shoulder and passed by.

At his arrival, the path opened.

The Imperial army, which had been fighting as if it had lost all fear, wavered.

Ace raised his weapon and shouted.

“For Briol!”

***

Yuri was busy moving back and forth.

Although the soldiers on the front line grew exhausted from the periodic battles, for Yuri there was no such thing as a “period”—except at mealtime or when sleeping, he spent all his time fighting on the battlefield.

The Imperial army struck multiple front lines in succession, and Yuri traveled to each one to assist his allies.

Every time he appeared, visible results were achieved, so no one tried to stop him.

His tireless effort was, in itself, a way to save his comrades.

Of course, sometimes the Empire invaded several lines at once. In those cases, Yuri prioritized defending Briol or the fronts in the most danger.

“Phew…”

Yuri let out a long sigh.

There had been reports of suspicious movement from the Empire, so he had gone to the front of the Confederation of Small Kingdoms, where an unknown monster had appeared, slaughtering soldiers.

“Inariel.”

“I already know.”

“Shoot them something nice and hot.”

“Hot and… strong? What are you planning?”

“You know exactly what I mean.”

Inariel was the owner of the “Immutable Mana Formula,” capable of resisting even magical dispersion.

Now that black magic had surpassed the world’s limitations, he could unleash a large-scale spell against the enemy army without issue.

Yuri had asked him for the enormous fireball he had been wanting for some time.

“Launch it as if it were the end of the world.”

And before he could answer, Yuri moved forward. Inariel did not refuse the request. Above his head, a blazing fire began to burn.

“Let’s go!”

Yuri spurred his horse forward.

Soon after, a second sun floating in the sky plunged toward the center of the enemy camp.

There was an explosion, and flames spread, incinerating the Imperial army.

However, the “black troop,” stripped of emotions that could hinder them in war, responded calmly.

Even while enveloped by the waves of fire, they maintained formation without their morale breaking.

That resistance, in turn, seemed to demoralize the soldiers of the Anti-Imperial Alliance.

Yuri leapt from his horse and ran forward. To his surprise, he spotted someone he knew well.

He had heard that the Alliance Comrades Association had entered the fight, and it seemed that veteran had been sent to the front of the Confederation of Small Kingdoms.

But his condition was not good—it was the same look sometimes shown by soldiers worn down from continuous combat.

As he passed by him, Yuri spoke casually.

“As expected, you’re a true player. Are you pretending to give up at the end so you can turn the game around?”

Ace’s body trembled.

He seemed to regain awareness and replied.

“Of course. The best play is always revealed at the end.”

“I knew I couldn’t beat you.”

“Don’t play the weakling. I remember perfectly how much money you’ve taken from me.”

“Thanks to that, I drank a lot of good liquor.”

Yuri smiled broadly.

When one faced an incomprehensible enemy—especially one emanating the dark energy of black magic—it was sometimes easy to be dragged along.

Anyone who fights against darkness must remember that at any moment they could be swallowed by it.

Of course, it isn’t necessary to overcome everything alone—sometimes it’s enough for someone to give you a pat on the shoulder.

Just as he had done with Ace.

“If you want revenge, come whenever you like.”

“Wait. Soon I’ll have you ruined.”

“I look forward to it.”

With that, Yuri moved on. He looked left and right.

There was no ally at his side.

Which meant he was at the very front.

He was the one who placed himself at the head to meet the enemy. Since the miserable death of his previous life, that had never changed.

When that stinger called Yuri shot toward the front, the enemy’s resistance concentrated on him.

With no one to cover him, attacks rained in from the sides, the front, and the rear.

Yuri raised Guilty. A whirlwind wrapped around his body, and in the next moment he shredded all the Imperial soldiers surrounding him.

Beyond the torn bodies appeared strangely shaped creatures that surrounded him.

“Are you one of Cedric’s inventions?”

It was a strange beast with tentacles.

It moved with insect-like legs attached to its torso and had writhing tentacles on its back.

Its head was not visible.

The tentacles were like those of a mollusk, but their ends were sharpened like blades. It looked like a creature made for war.

“Disgusting.”

Yuri cut down the tentacles that lunged at him one by one, then delivered a downward slash.

The creature was split in two, but its surface was tougher than expected and it didn’t die immediately.

More tentacles shot toward him, attacking as if they had identified him as the main target.

Several strands sought vital points simultaneously, and not even Yuri could block them all.

He gathered mana and raised a defensive barrier. The tips didn’t pierce the wall and fell, lifeless.

It was then that several of the monsters attacking him were shredded in the air.

Along their path, black mana exploded.

Yuri smiled and spoke a name.

“Laurent, you’re late.”

Laurent looked at him with a serious expression, shrugged, and swung his sword again.

Each time he unleashed a slash of energy, the black mana churned.

Deformed by black magic and later restored, his mana had been stained black.

After remaining in that state for so long, his core had been completely imbued, and his magical affinity was nearing that of black magic.

Laurent, radiating that dark energy that didn’t match his radiant golden hair, spoke.

“And who was the one who charged in first like a dog with its tail on fire?”

Yuri burst out laughing.

Although his remarks didn’t seem to please Laurent, they didn’t change his demeanor either.

“Stop laughing and focus.”

“Of course, my loyal knight, Sir Laurent.”

“I’m no longer a knight…”

Before he could finish the sentence, Jared came running and shouted.

“And why the rush, you two? Are you also dogs with your tails on fire?”

Laurent shut his mouth, and Yuri laughed.

But there wasn’t much time to laugh. The enemies kept pressing, and the fight grew fiercer by the moment.

Even as they swung their weapons, allies were dying.

In the Anti-Imperial Alliance, morale fell as the number of soldiers dwindled, while the Empire continued producing troops without rest.

This war of attrition could not continue.

They had to advance.

Yuri fixed his gaze beyond the front line, on an Imperial commander who stood motionless watching. He was a knight clad in black armor.

Each front had its own overseer, and in the case of the Confederation of Small Kingdoms, that knight always appeared to command the Imperial troops.

His escort was so strict that up until now, Yuri had been unable to kill him.

“Listen closely.”

Yuri said this as he pierced another monster before him.

“This time we’re going after that man.”

“You think it’s possible?”

Between them were layers of Imperial troops—soldiers, monsters, and Imperial knights who, from within their black helmets, stared at them with wide eyes.

If they weren’t careful, they could end up surrounded and in trouble.

“We can’t keep this up, just wasting strength.”

Not just on this front—all the others were equally exhausted. It was time to change the situation.

“We should think it over—”

“Let’s go!”

Yuri charged.

Jared sighed and followed him.

Laurent moved as well, cursing.

The three formed a triangle, with Yuri at the tip, piercing the Imperial ranks.

Yuri broke through in the vanguard, and the other two covered his flanks.

Like blades cutting through tofu, the three pierced the heart of the enemy army in an instant.

This time, the knights formed a wall.

Clad in black armor and reinforced by black magic, they were not easy opponents.

But Yuri didn’t stop. He felt he could make it all the way through.

His vision penetrated into the “Mental Domain.”

The mana of the technique “The Cut of the soul and the heart” coursed through his entire body, and his sword, crossing into the territory of Chaos, opened possibilities never before seen.

Guilty vibrated violently and let out a roar.

The wind swirled around him.

In an instant, he became a massive whirlwind.

In the very heart of the Imperial camp, a colossal vortex of sword energy connected the sky and the earth.