Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 552

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 551
Fire. Observing the Opponent
The air reeked of that peculiar, sickly stench unique to demons, so I covered my lower face with my sleeve. It was like gazing upon a colossal waterfall composed entirely of filth.
I glided smoothly through the sky, searching for where the rift lay. Surely its traces would be found within the flow of demons…
Whoooosh!
Each time I passed, the demons lifted their heads and gave chase. To me, they were nothing but sources of stench, but to them, I must have felt like a sweet, pure crystallization of magical power.
“Ah.”
There it is.
Broken black swords lay scattered among the demons. It seemed the Atan Clan had used them to lure the demons, and Captain Jairot had stopped them. Which meant the rift’s opening was nearby.
I descended lower, and soon heard a familiar voice.
“Ian.”
The Underworld Deity. The rift must have opened wider than expected. How audacious—to reveal itself upon Gaia’s earth.
‘…Insolent.’
I frowned and surveyed my surroundings, then gently raised my hand. Brilliant rays of light scattered from its tip.
They traced concentric circles, burst into geometric patterns, and rotated as if alive of their own accord.
「Ten Thousand Leaves」.
Since the rift could be stimulated, my goal was to resolve this crisis in a single, decisive strike. For that, I needed power that was stronger and more precise. I carefully adjusted the magical formation and brought my hands together.
Rumble!
Boom!
My right hand was the right earth, my left hand was the left earth. If there was a rift, couldn’t I simply seal it shut again?
As the World Tree extended and the earth moved, I soon hesitated. Something blocked my path.
“Come closer.”
“Be silent. Return to your place.”
I immediately recognized it as the Underworld Deity’s power. Cackling laughter echoed from all directions, and the demons wailed in response.
“Behold. The God sought to stop me, yet here I stand, speaking to you. The moment I fully emerge from this rift, I shall no longer be merely the God’s shadow—I shall exist as something unto myself.”
What should I do?
I withdrew my magic and pondered. The God surely knew the answer, and I likely did as well. Everything flowed according to the God’s will—a single moment of destiny. Standing here to resolve this crisis was itself part of that design.
‘What could it be? What did the God reveal to me?’
A relentless wind blew forth. The demons’ momentum grew fiercer with it. I suddenly looked down at my palms and murmured.
“Idgal.”
If I could manifest Idgal, if I could fill this enormous rift with it—wouldn’t that suffice? I, the bastard Ian, knew the method, and I had already accomplished it before.
‘Think. Bastard Ian, recall the clues the God left behind.’
Countless memories swirled through my mind. From that moment I awakened in Bratz, to when I met the God in the abyss and shared warmth with them.
And then, I suddenly recalled the papers I had seen in the bastard Ian’s room. At first, I thought they were writing practice, but they were definitely unfamiliar characters.
What had I thought upon seeing them?
‘They were letters, weren’t they? Given that a pattern was visible, I had written something…’
Pattern!
I raised my hand once more. Then, on the outer edge of the concentric circles—in the incantation section for activating the formation—I drew that pattern as vividly as I could recall it.
The magical formation began to glow faintly, then started to rotate.
‘Is this it?’
Then the opposite side.
The magic circle glowed slightly brighter.
Whoosh.
I traced my memories again and again, correcting the pattern with each attempt, and as I did, the magic circle’s light shifted to a golden hue. It was a sort of signpost telling me I was on the right path.
Before long, I realized the pattern had become second nature to my fingertips, and the magic circle, having completed its preparations, spun and scattered in all directions.
Zzzzzing!
Zing!
I moved on instinct.
I approached the rift’s edge and stretched out both hands. From that point onward, an enormous amber-colored wave undulated. It gradually spread, engulfing the demons, sealing the rift, and slowly solidified.
…It was a massive Idgal.
Kyaaaagh!
Kiek! Kieeeek!
“…!”
The death cries of demons—different from those before—echoed from all around. The final screams of those rendered powerless by the Idgal.
Those who escaped the Idgal fled in a desperate rush, and in an instant, the area around the rift was clean.
Thud.
I landed lightly atop the Idgal. Then I slowly passed over the demons frozen solid, checking if there were any problems.
Surprisingly, my mana consumption was nearly nonexistent. Rather, a warm and satisfying sensation seemed to dominate my entire body.
“Can you hear me?”
I looked down at the opaque Idgal and peered into the rift beyond.
Only darkness stretched infinitely, and the demons that had tried to come through left no trace.
“Sorry about that. I can’t hear anything from over there.”
* * *
Clang! Clang!
Whoosh!
Meanwhile, Berik and Captain Jairot’s mana blades burned hotter than ever, each aiming for the other’s throat.
In the blink of an eye, they exchanged two or three clashes, and the demons around them died helplessly from the constant deafening roars and explosions.
“Old timer! Get your head in the game!”
Boom!
He does react a bit more each time I call him that, doesn’t he? The problem is his mana just gets fiercer.
I batted away the lightning crashing down from above with my blade, then lunged at Captain Jairot.
Crack!
“Ugh!”
As my attack was blocked, my temple got smashed by his opposite elbow.
I tumbled with a cry and crashed down. The Mages watching winced as if they’d been hit themselves. If I were an ordinary person, I’d be dead in that state.
They approached Berik, pulling on the dragon’s horns.
“Should we really leave him like that?”
“Right? Berik! Want some help?”
“My mana’s running low, but I can hold him down for a bit with wind magic!”
-Kyuuuu!
But Berik simply waved his hand dismissively, saying it was fine. Ptooey! His tongue had been bitten while rolling, and his saliva was tinged with blood.
“Since it’s fine, just watch!”
“I was watching just fine, but it hurts us to see you like this! Stop showing off—are you really okay?”
“Yeah! And this isn’t showing off, it’s confidence! I thought someday I’d be able to—!”
Boom! Bang!
Berik bared his teeth and swung his greatsword in a wide arc. Flames erupted from his mana blade, spiraling outward to completely ensnare Captain Jairot.
“I always thought I could beat the old man! But! Today was that day!”
I will break him. I must break him.
Otherwise, Captain Jairot dies at Ian’s hands.
Berik knew well that just as he loved meat, the Captain loved honor above all else. I couldn’t let him die here. Not here, recorded as a traitor who raised his blade against his homeland, brainwashed by demons.
His death had to be recorded within the Imperial Guards headquarters, with dignity.
Shhwaaack!
Captain Jairot was the strongest opponent I’d ever crossed blades with.
“Old—! Man—! Jairot—!”
But I was strong too. I’d always transcended my limits, always protected what mattered in battle.
So I would do so now. I would take a leap forward, break the Captain, and save him.
“When you come to your senses later, we’ll really settle this!”
So just come back.
Come back, and let’s go together.
“Captain Bonita! The number of demons seems to be decreasing!”
“Yes, same here. The rate of their emergence has slowed!”
“Just a bit more! A bit more and we’ll have it!”
“Everyone, don’t lower your blades until the end! Not a single demon must cross into the northern district! Remember that even low-rank demons are fatal to our citizens! If we don’t fight like we’re dying here, the citizens will die instead!”
“Berik! How’s Captain Jairot doing?”
“Hell if I know! Same as before!”
Clang! Clang!
Had Ian managed to seal the rift? The number of demons had decreased significantly, so something must have changed over there—
“….”
Captain Jairot still charged forward with lifeless eyes.
Suddenly, my heart sank. What if he never comes back like this? What if his mind is completely shattered beyond the brainwashing?
‘Ah.’
This is fear. This is what fear feels like.
Berik let out a small gasp as if he’d realized something, pressing close to Captain Jairot. The Captain’s blade moved viciously, aiming for Berik’s vital points.
“Berik. Feel it carefully. A blade carries emotion.”
“What nonsense.”
Crack!
“More precisely, emotion is carried in the attack. Even swinging along the same path, the result changes depending on the emotion behind it.”
“You’re dressing up obvious things grandly. Isn’t it obvious? Swinging when you’re furious is different from swinging when you’re just annoyed.”
“Then what does this one feel like?”
Shhwaaack!
Berik suddenly recalled the training he had done with Captain Jeirat.
Had Captain Jeirat felt fear from his attacks? No, that couldn’t be. Captain Jeirat had never once feared his blade.
Then, what were Captain Jeirat’s emotions now?
Clang!
Whoosh!
Berik received his attacks in full, concentrating intently. The relentless, probing strikes were rough and reckless—unlike usual. It was emotion. Captain Jeirat’s feelings hidden within that raw power.
‘Huh?’
The moment he sensed what he hadn’t felt before, it became strangely unfamiliar. Like being cornered on a cliff’s edge, the movements were quite desperate and sharp.
Berik was puzzled. Whether then or now, Captain Jeirat shouldn’t be like this against him.
Could he be seeing me differently?
What on earth could make Captain Jeirat—
Slash!
Then, Berik’s side was cut. Searing pain shot through his flesh, and Berik shook off his wandering thoughts, twisting his body in one fluid motion.
Their mana blades gradually began to fade. The inherent mana was running dry. Captain Jeirat, realizing this as well, squeezed out his last strength and swung his blade at Berik.
Thud!
“…Berik!”
“Captain!”
Both their attacks pierced through each other’s abdomen simultaneously. The Mages squeezed their eyes shut and turned away, while the Imperial Guards cried out in shock.
Berik already had a wound on his abdomen. No matter what, it was a fatal injury to endure.
Crash!
The blades that had pierced through both their bodies crumbled like dust and vanished. Their mana was depleted.
Both swayed but barely managed to remain standing, and Berik gripped his wound with a cold sweat running down his face.
“Damn it…”
Hitting the same sore spot again.
Berik clenched his teeth and threw a punch at him.
Pow!
Captain Jeirat, staggering badly, reflexively counterattacked, and the two exchanged blows while bleeding. After a back-and-forth struggle, Berik managed to pin Captain Jeirat beneath him and continued driving his fists down.
Pow! Thud!
“Why are you doing this? Why can’t you come to your senses!”
Ian’s coming now, you stubborn old fool.
Captain Jeirat’s vacant eyes continued to stare at Berik. And in that moment, a single tear rolled down the creases of his face. Berik hesitated, then weakly dropped his fist.
“What are you even looking at?”
What’s tormenting you so much?
Berik buried his face in the old man’s shoulder, breathing heavily. Their blood mixed together, soaking his clothes.
“…This is driving me crazy, really.”
But there’s no choice.
Berik wrapped his hands around his neck and slowly applied pressure. He could feel him alive through his fingertips. Just as Captain Jeirat had, Berik also shed a single tear, which fell along the bridge of his nose.
“Let’s think of it as sleeping and waking up. Okay? And when you wake up, you have to scold me. For making you like this, old man.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————