Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 557

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

Chapter 556
Fire. Ian’s Battle
They charged forward in a mixed formation, but each tribe’s distinctive colors were so intense that distinguishing them posed no problem.
Leading the charge were the Natan Tribe. They all wore beast skulls upon their heads, donned ash-gray robes, and were armed with short daggers. Moreover, they all rode atop creatures resembling black oxen.
“We go first! Ahahaha!”
“Charge, charge!”
The trembling of the earth came from their movement. With house-sized beasts swarming forward in droves, the ground shaking was inevitable.
The Megetsu Tribe, pressed tightly beside them, grimaced and widened their spacing. The sandstorm they kicked up was far too fierce.
“Make way! Let me show you what true battle is!”
“What can you do with daggers, you fools!”
Crack!
The Megetsu Tribe whipped their horses’ flanks while shouting. With green pigment smeared across their faces and entire bodies, it was difficult to distinguish whether they were human from a distance. The whips they wielded were also different from ordinary ones—crafted by twisting plant stems together.
“They arrived right on time!”
“The Natan and Megetsu Tribes are ahead! Let’s go!”
“Our opponent is Bariel! Break the Empire’s pride!”
“Kuhehehet! Astana belongs to us!”
And approaching from the opposite direction came the Engjargal Tribe. Towering figures with rippling muscles. They all braided their long hair and swept it back, wielding axes in both hands that were as large as their own torsos.
“What is this commotion?”
“Your Majesty! It’s an attack from other northern tribes!”
“It will likely be the final resistance line before entering Burgos.”
Jin emerged at the sound of the horn and surveyed his surroundings, asking his question. Minister Maxim Tweller reported calmly. Jin reflexively gripped his sword tighter and alternated his gaze between left and right.
Which direction should he defend first? What was the enemy’s strength? If they were northern tribes, they were sorcerers—but what were their abilities? He needed Astana’s guidance.
“Minister Tweller.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
However, Jin sensed something odd about the atmosphere. The soldiers had risen and formed ranks, yet there was no sense of urgency. Minister Tweller was the same.
Jin instinctively murmured.
“Where is Count Ian?”
“Over there.”
Following Tweller’s gesture, Jin’s gaze turned. Toward where the Natan and Megetsu Tribes were approaching.
Standing alone against the sunrise was Ian.
His golden hair gleamed warmly in the sunlight.
“Does he go knowing about his opponents?”
“It seems Astana gave him a brief explanation.”
“Then that’s fortunate…”
“Good morning!”
The moment Jin exhaled in relief, Berik’s voice came from above his head. When had he taken his position? There he sat on the Golem’s shoulder, gnawing on meat. His demeanor was peaceful, making the emergency horn seem pointless.
Jin found himself slowly lowering his sword.
Zing!
Zing!
At the same moment, Ian knelt on one knee and placed his hand upon the earth. Without any separate magic circle, the Idgal Barrier rose. A declaration of war to his opponents—that they would not cross this line.
“What is that?”
“Oh my, the Minister of Magic himself! Will he deign to face us?”
“What an honor! Ahahaha!”
The advantage was that it consumed no mana, but the drawback was that it required contact with the target. Idgal, emerging from the barrier, began extending swiftly and sharply toward the Natan Tribe.
Screech!
“Charge! Everyone!”
Roar!
Boom! Boom! Crash!
At the Natan Tribe’s command, the black beasts lowered their heads. Three round, thick horns each. They drove their heads directly into the incoming Idgal. The fragments shattered by the impact were deflected by the Natan Tribe members themselves with their daggers.
Seeing this, I raised one eyebrow in surprise. These were natural beasts raised by the Natan Tribe, not magical creatures.
Zing! Zing!
Whoosh!
As I soared into the sky, the gazes of both the Natan Tribe and Megetsu Tribe turned upward. The two tribes nodded at each other, then split left and right, accelerating even faster.
“Capture the Minister of Magic first!”
“Megetsu! Megetsu!”
“Understood! Do your best!”
After exchanging signals with each other, the Megetsu Tribe swung their whips high into the sky. Dozens of lashes flew simultaneously toward the heavens—more precisely, toward me. They were endlessly long, impossibly fast, and their direction changes were as fluid as living things.
I concentrated and glided between the whips, drawing magical circles with my fingertips.
“Got it!”
But then, something seized my ankle, and my body froze. The Natan Tribe had caught my shadow. They raised their daggers and laughed wickedly, sticking out their tongues.
“We’ll take the Minister’s ankle with us!”
“Cut it!”
The Natan Tribe—those who could materialize and manipulate shadows. That’s why they had abandoned the night raid and charged the moment the sun rose.
They attempted to sever my shadow at the ankle with their daggers, and in that moment of hesitation, the Megetsu Tribe’s whips drove through without mercy.
“Ian!”
Berik, who had been eating meat, jumped up in alarm, but only briefly. I calmly activated the magical circle I had summoned.
「Huirok」.
Boom!
Screech!
Massive flames erupted from my shoulder blades. Not only did they incinerate dozens of the Megetsu Tribe’s whips simultaneously, but the intense light instantly erased the shadows.
The Natan Tribe stabbed at empty space with their daggers, looking bewildered as they gazed upward.
“Gasp!”
A colossal fireball blazed at my fingertips. It possessed the majesty of having torn the sun itself from the heavens.
The Natan Tribe shielded their faces with their sleeves, then urgently checked their own shadows.
“The shadows! The shadows!”
“I can’t see them! Everyone, do something!”
“Wait! This way! Move this way!”
They were trying to hide within their own shadows. As the Natan Tribe members panicked, I mercilessly hurled the flames from my fingertips toward the ground.
Kaboom!
Screech!
“Aaaahhhhh!”
“Scatter! Run!”
As devastating impacts struck the ground hard enough to crater the earth itself, the Natan Tribe tumbled about in chaos with their cattle, scattering in all directions.
The Megetsu Tribe fared no better. Their whips transformed into sharp leaf-blades the moment they were severed, meant to fly at enemies, but proved utterly useless against such overwhelming firepower.
“Don’t raise your whips!”
The Megetsu Chieftain shouted urgently. He meant they shouldn’t waste their weapons—attacking would be futile, and even if their whips were cut, they’d deal no damage to the enemy.
“What should we do?”
“Fall back for now! A Mage’s mana has limits! With power like this, he’ll exhaust himself soon—we’ll seize that opening!”
“Understood!”
“Retreat! Fall back!”
Whoooosh!
At the Megetsu Tribe’s decision, the Natan Tribe hastily scrambled onto their cattle.
Ian’s golden eyes gleamed coldly as he watched their movements. They reflected light perfectly, yet radiated no warmth whatsoever.
“Waaahhh!”
“Advance!”
In the distance, other tribes were approaching as well. Among them were surely those skilled in summoning magic and those capable of restoring strength and stamina.
Ian resolved to incinerate everything before things became troublesome. He laughed, making no effort to contain the flames dripping from his palm.
Whoooosh!
Zing! Zing!
“It’s coming! Again!”
“Rain of fire! Ahhhhh!”
“Everyone, hang beneath the cattle!”
“Is he insane? When will his mana finally run out?”
“I don’t know, damn it! Run!”
Thud thud thud!
As flames rained down like a torrent, they all writhed in agony. On this barren stone mountain devoid of even a single blade of grass, the fire ignited using only their bodies as fuel.
Berik, startled awake, thrust his thumb upward and continued tearing into his meat.
“Excellent! Ian! Kill them all! Though, you know those muscleheads are coming from behind, right?”
At Berik’s raucous shout, Ian turned his head.
The Warriors of the Engjargal Tribe. Those wielding massive double-handed axes were drawing near to the camp.
The Soldiers hastily formed a defensive line just in case, and Minister Maxim Tweller himself stood ready with his axe, watching them calmly.
Whoooosh!
Ian shot forward with blinding speed and instantly faced the Engjargal vanguard. The one charging on horseback panicked at the sudden appearance and yanked his reins, and in that split second, his right flank lay completely exposed.
Zing! Zing!
Whoosh!
“Kugh!”
Ian slashed through that flesh with Idgal, which he’d shaped into a blade. Without hesitation, he plunged into their ranks, flying freely to target throats and chests.
“A Mage! An Imperial Mage!”
“Keep advancing and defend!”
The Engjargal Tribe swung their massive axes lightly to attack Ian, but their range was far too limited. They were mounted on horses while Ian moved through the sky as though it were water.
A shrill neigh!
Clang! Screech! Clang!
Having carved through to the rear of their formation, I twisted my body around and continued my assault. Even if the Idgal blade shattered against my axe, a fresh weapon materialized instantly in my grip—there was no pause in my onslaught.
“Argh! He’s coming from behind again!”
“Everyone, tighten the formation! Don’t let him close in!”
One by one, those who had faced my blade erupted in blood and tumbled from their mounts. The riderless horses scattered in all directions, and with each loss, my approach became easier.
Screech! Clang!
In the end, they could not maintain their momentum. They were forced to halt their charge and engage in combat, struggling to deflect the shimmering mana that flickered from all sides.
“Hyaaaah!”
“Just one opening! All we need is one clean strike!”
Boom!
As my axe grazed past and struck the earth, stones cracked and scattered in every direction. Simultaneously, the Engjargal warriors surged forward. Their broad axe blades converged in a circle, trapping me in their center.
There would be no escape. Try to leap away, and your upper and lower halves would separate instantly! They laughed silently to themselves.
Zing! Zing!
Whoosh!
But I casually hurled the Idgal blade and unleashed my mana.
「Fang Rupture」.
Awooo!
Wolves wrought of wind swept past the axes with grace, lunging toward the warriors’ throats.
Since this was the magic Efdiram had used, Berik watched with keen interest. However, there was one difference—
Whoooosh!
Crash!
“What the hell?”
It could not be stopped.
Efdiram’s magic could be countered with physical attacks, but mine could not. No matter how many times they slashed with their axes, the wolves approached their targets without any impediment. It seemed I was generating mana endlessly to sustain them.
“Argh!”
“Gack!”
Despite their colossal frames and transcendent power, their skin remained human. Blood fountains erupted simultaneously from the throats of dozens of warriors. Drenched in their blood, I exhaled heavily and wiped my face clean.
“Ian! One more!”
Clang!
One who had been feigning death suddenly rose and charged, but my reaction was swift. Minister Maxim Tweller was certain that I had moved before Berik’s cry had even finished.
“Ugh!”
Before the axe could reach my head, my Idgal blade pierced through the opponent’s jaw first. Blood trickled down, and the warrior fell heavily to the side.
Boom!
….
Breathing heavily and shaking off the blood, I turned my gaze toward the camp. My golden eyes gleamed with intensity. As if everything had finally been resolved, I hurled the Idgal blade away.
“Berik. Quiet.”
“That’s rich! You only knew they were approaching from behind because of me, didn’t you? You said you’d handle it alone, and if the soldiers had gone out there, you’d have been embarrassed! Ha!”
I chuckled softly and walked forward slowly, while the soldiers stared at Berik in shock. What kind of nonsense was he spouting? Had he lost his mind?
“Come to think of it, that bastard Berik turned out to be the bravest of us all.”
“Right? Being so cheeky with Count Ian.”
“Did I… did I do something wrong?”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. I’m suddenly worried there might be something.”
“Count Ian! Are you alright? Are you injured anywhere?”
The Mages rushed forward to greet me, while Minister Maxim Tweller glanced at Jin. His shock was evident. He thought he understood the significance of the title Minister of Magic, but he had been mistaken—and arrogant besides.
“…Good heavens.”
Jin could only mutter softly and say nothing more. Moreover, he gained certainty that they would win this war. The one who received God’s love most intimately was standing right beside him.

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