바바리안 퀘스트

The imperial army's procession stretched out long. The sight of the army moving
across the vast plains of the empire was magnificent. At the forefront was an old
general with graying hair.

As most knights did, the old general Carnius looked at least ten years older than his
actual age. He had aged even more in the last year so that just looking at his face, one
would think he was well over seventy. However, his broad shoulders and back still
carried the sharpness of a man in his prime.

Clip-clop, clip-clop.

The combat troops belonging to the army under Carnius' command numbered
twenty thousand. Including the supply units, the total exceeded forty thousand. It
was an excessive number for a single general to command alone. If he gained the
soldiers' trust, he could even consider a rebellion with such a force.

Such a force was given to Carnius, who belonged to the anti-imperial faction. This
showed how invested the emperor was in this war.

"General, the plunderers have reached the border of Porcana. It would be best to
increase our marching speed," the adjutant reported after receiving the message.

Carnius shook his head and responded, "Do not rush. The barbarians are already
cornered. We just need to tighten the noose slowly."

Carnius was cautious. If they failed to drive out the plunderers in this battle, the
empire would have to engage in an all-out war.

‘This is just about the extent of the forces the empire can mobilize comfortably.’

Carnius assumed that there were about thirty thousand combat troops on the
northern front. The combat troops under Carnius' command numbered twenty
thousand. Including the supply troops on both fronts, the empire was mobilizing
over one hundred thousand personnel.

The imperial army needed just as many non-combatants as combat troops. Being a
defensive army, they could not plunder the lands of the civilized world. They were
different from the barbarian armies that sustained themselves through local
plundering and self-sufficiency.

‘Mobilizing any more troops would lead to a loss of imperial power.’

The loss of mobilizing one hundred thousand personnel was enormous for the
empire. Mobilization of such forces without causing social chaos was only possible
because the empire had accumulated wealth by plundering its vassal states and
barbarians over three generations. It was an unimaginable act for anyone else.

Emperor Yanchinus likely wanted to end the war as quickly as possible with only the
current forces.

“Sigh, they really took every last cil.”

Carnius looked around the devastated region of Marganu. The western plunderers
had taken even the food they needed to last until the next harvest, and to make
things as bad as possible, set fire to the fields.

‘Marganu won't be able to feed itself until next fall.’

The damage to the granary region of Marganu was a significant blow to the empire
as well. The empire's grain storage would have to bear the brunt of that loss.

“There are no remaining forces in Marganu. All the men capable of wielding weapons
are dead. Actually, they are demanding security forces from us,” the knight who had
gone to conscript reported.

“Tell them we will send them some troops once the barbarians are eradicated.”

Of the twenty thousand troops under Carnius, ten thousand were organized into
legions. The two legions formed this way were the core of Carnius' army.

The remaining ten thousand were mercenaries, conscripts, and slave soldiers. They
had low morale and poor discipline and were meant to merely bolster the numbers.
They were those who would likely flee if the battle turned against them, so they
couldn't be included in the core strategy.

Carnius' army passed through Marganu and headed for the border region of Porcana.

"Sir Varican, move ahead by a day's distance."

Carnius sent out a unit of light cavalry for reconnaissance. Traces of the barbarian
campsites were scattered here and there.

The western plunderers numbered about ten thousand. Though they were fewer
than the imperial army, almost all of their troops were seasoned combatants. They
also actively captured and used imperial equipment and weapons, so their level of
armament was substantial.

"General, a messenger from His Imperial Majesty."

Carnius squinted as he looked back. The emperor’s direct messenger handed a letter
to Carnius.

Carnius opened the letter with the violet eagle seal. He frowned as he read the
words.

“…It seems the stalemate on the northern front is dragging on longer than expected,"
Carnius murmured after reading the letter.

He tucked the letter into his inner pocket and ordered the advance.

‘Is His Majesty serious about this?’

Carnius squinted as he pondered on the contents of the letter. If things were to

unfold as stated in the letter, the dynamics of the civilized world might tip.

***

The fortress of Porcana opened. Soldiers on the walls and towers stared at the
barbarians.

“What on earth is His Highness thinking, dealing with these barbarians…”

“Shh, quiet. Even Duke Lungell agreed.”

“But an alliance with barbarians? How does that make any sense? Anyone with half a
brain will laugh at Porcana.”

The nobles and knights murmured. Even someone ignorant of politics could tell that
the current situation was unusual.

Up until now, barbarians and civilized people were enemies. No matter how much
the civilized fought among themselves, when barbarians appeared, they had always
united to fight them. The common enemy was always the barbarians.

‘We are joining hands with the barbarians to fight the empire.’

The soldiers of Porcana were shocked. But upon reflection, it wasn’t entirely strange;
it just hadn’t been done before. After all, the imperial army was the very first
invaders, and the coastal state of Porcana had never bordered the barbarians.

‘If we think of the plunderers from the west as a civilized nation, this is a perfect
alliance.’

Nobles with political acumen chose their words carefully.

No matter how much the barbarians beyond the Sky Mountains expanded, they
would never share a border with Porcana on the east coast. This meant there would
be no border disputes to cause friction.

“The problem is that they are barbarians and a tribal state that could disintegrate at
any moment. Look at the north. As soon as their head Mijorn died, the tribes all
scattered. This is an alliance with no guarantee of reliability.”

The western alliance was different from a kingdom with land and a feudal system. To
civilized people, their structure seemed very unstable.

“The silver lining is that the leader of the barbarian alliance army is that Urich.”

“Urich?”

“Urich, the mercenary leader who participated in Porcana’s civil war. He is close
friends with His Highness and a capable barbarian who could serve as a mercenary
leader in the civilized world.”
“A barbarian is close friends with royalty? I wish that were a joke.”

“He is the leader of the army that destroyed even the Langkegart Kingdom. If an
army that fought the imperial army to a standstill is an ally of Porcana, independence
is not a stretch!”

The nobles’ eyes widened at the mention of independence. It was a desire that they
had long abandoned.

King Varca ascended the throne with the help of the emperor. They thought Porcana
would never escape the empire’s grasp, at least while King Varca lived.

“Is His Highness aiming for Porcana’s independence?”

“Of course, he is. The fact that we’ve joined hands with the barbarians means that
we’ve turned against the empire.”

“My goodness, opposing the empire! The empire…”

Some had only now grasped the current situation. Even such foolish people could
hold power over others simply because they were nobles.

In any case, the alliance was formed. With Georg, Urich was able to formalize the
treaty in writing.

“No plundering. Do not leave the designated area!”

Katagi, Urich’s right-hand man, went around shouting. The warriors spat on the
ground with indifferent faces, glaring at the soldiers.

“We managed to get inside, so why don’t we just take over? What’s the point of
keeping this treaty or something…”

Belligerent chiefs grumbled. Now that they were inside the fortress, they could
sweep through and take over if they wanted.

“Where are the women? Any women?”

The warriors shouted. No matter how great the Great Chief’s authority, controlling
all ten thousand warriors individually was impossible. They were seasoned warriors
but not trained soldiers.

Olga of the Frost Snake Tribe glared. He looked extremely uncomfortable.

“Boo!”

Olga shouted at the soldiers staring at him. The frightened soldiers flinched and
looked away.

‘To think we are joining hands with these men… They are nothing but a bunch of
weaklings.’

To the warriors, the soldiers seemed weak and frail. The gap between tribal warriors
who spent their entire lives hunting and fighting and civilized soldiers who farmed
was vast.

The alliance between Porcana and the barbarian alliance was formed, but internally
there were many uncertainties.

“But for what it’s worth, I do like the food here!”

Olga shouted in his tribe’s language, grabbing the meat hung over the campfire. The
smell of smoke wafted through the air.

Clang!

Olga was about to eat the meat when an axe blade touched his shoulder.

It was Katagi’s axe. Katagi, while trying to control the warriors, saw Olga trying to eat
the meat and stopped him.

“Olga, the Great Chief has forbidden any sort of looting. Do not touch anything
without permission.”

“You… will die… Put… this away…”

Olga spoke haltingly. His words were clumsy, but his eyes were as fierce as a hungry
beast.

“You seem to not recognize the Great Chief’s authority. That part of you didn’t sit
right with me since before.”

Katagi did not remove his axe. Warriors gathered around to watch the fight.

“I recognize… but not worship… like you. I am a proud… warrior. I… believe in…
myself.”

“If you recognize his authority, then put down the meat. In the alliance, the Great
Chief’s order is the law of the heavens.”

“We take… what we want. That is… what warriors… do.”

Olga bit into the meat and chewed. Katagi frowned at the blatant provocation.

“Looks like I’ll have to make an example out of you here.”

Katagi gripped an axe in each hand. In response, Olga twirled his spear like a
windmill.

“Ooooh!”

“Ho! Ho!”

The warriors shouted in a circle.

Hearing the commotion, Urich shoved himself through the warriors.

“What’s going on over there? Is someone fighting?”

Urich saw Olga and Katagi and scratched his messy neck. He flicked the dirt from his
nails into Katagi’s mouth.

“Blegh!”

Katagi spat out the dirt clump that nearly went down his throat.

“Stop fighting over stupid stuff like some ten-year-old kids.”

“G-great Chief! Olga broke your order to not loot. We need to kill him to establish
your authority,” Katagi shouted after clearing his mouth.
“It’s not worth killing him over a bit of meat. But if it’s not just Olga but all of us
doing that, it’ll be quite a big problem. The alliance with these civilized people that
we worked so hard to form would break. I trust that you guys won’t follow Olga’s
example and plunder. He’s being let off because he did well in the last battle. Anyone
else will just die. If you’re upset, go cut off one of the imperial army’s general’s head
in the next battle. Then I’ll give you all the special treatment you want.”

Punishing Olga for merely stealing meat would cause other warriors to rebel. Olga
was a renowned warrior.

Urich scratched his oily scalp with a blunt dagger, thinking.

‘The lack of discipline in the alliance is a problem. It’s hard to keep letting things slide
like this.’

There were many warriors in the alliance causing minor disturbances like Olga, and
the main troublemakers were often excellent warriors. Without confidence in their
abilities, they wouldn’t cause such problems.

‘But it’s not like discipline can be established overnight.’

Urich rubbed the grease from his hair on the blade.

“Well, I guess that’s also a problem to worry about after we beat the imperial army.”

Urich ordered the alliance to set up camp behind the fortress. It was better to keep
them away from the soldiers of Porcana.

Urich and a few close adjutants stayed in the fortress to attend the high-level
meeting of Porcana’s leaders.

Creak.

Urich pushed open the door to the meeting room. All eyes turned to him. Nobles,
knights, and King Varca.
“For the freedom of Porcana!”

The nobles and knights of Porcana shouted as they concluded their meeting. The
strategy meeting was brief. They would lure the imperial army, which was following
the alliance, into the mountainous regions of Porcana and attack. It was a
straightforward yet effective plan.

‘We can win.’

Urich clenched his fist. The nobles of Porcana who looked at him all had different
expressions. Some were friendly, some contemptuous, and others fearful.

‘With Porcana’s army helping us, we have a good chance. We can even reinforce the
troops we were lacking. What they think of me doesn’t matter one bit.’

Urich was introduced to the Porcana’s key commanders. Some of them already knew
him.

“Let’s hold a feast!”

It was a temporary peace. The alliance army, which had seemed poised to sweep
over Porcana, had allied with them.

The soldiers felt relieved for now, knowing they were safe from immediate threats. It
was natural to fear the barbarians who were in front of their eyes right now more
than the imperial army that they could not see just yet.

The heavy atmosphere of the meeting dissipated, and food was served in abundance.

“Tonight might be the last night we can eat to our heart’s content! Let’s eat until our
stomachs burst!”

Feeding ten thousand warriors was quite a strain even on Porcana’s resources.
Emptying the kingdom’s granaries was only going to last them a few months.

“Urich, aren’t you curious about what happened to your mercenary squad?”

Varca sat in front of Urich, holding a glass of wine. Urich had piled his plate with
chicken and pork.

“I’m sure Donovan’s taking good care of them.”

Urich’s brothers had received their own land, and after Urich left, Donovan should
have been in charge. At least that’s what Urich thought.

“It didn’t end very well. After you left, it only took a year before an internal conflict
broke out between the mercenaries. It seemed like they fought over harvests and
land. I’m sure the neighboring lords also incited the mercenaries by recruiting them.”

Urich’s jaw, which was chewing the meat, stopped. He wiped his mouth and looked
at Varca.

“Idiots… So what, they all died?”

“After Donovan died, they scattered. Those who weren’t greedy were content with
the small farms they had and continued to live as landowners, but those who lost
their farms and wealth in the conflict left the kingdom to become mercenaries again.
And the land that was left without a lord was incorporated back into my domain.”

“So I guess it worked out for you, Pahell.”

“It was land that I gave to you in the first place. You were the one who abandoned it. I
had quite a headache dealing with it.”

“I thought Donovan would manage well.”

Varca shook his head with a bitter smile.

“You’re an exceptional person, Urich. I’ve met many people since becoming a king,
but none were a warrior as clever as you. Not very many people in this world can do
what you do. It only took a year for Urich’s Brotherhood to fall apart without you.”

“Are you saying that was my fault?”

“Not only did you abandon the land I gave you, but you also returned leading an
invading army. Because of you, I…”

Varca furrowed his brows and turned his head. He had narrowly escaped death after
being suspected by the emperor. He could have been imprisoned for life, never
returning to Porcana.

“Well, I did also bring you a chance for independence, isn’t that good?” Urich said
with a shrug.

“A lot of people will die. The citizens of Porcana will bleed.”

“Countless of my brothers have already died, Pahell. I’ve lost more of my brothers
than the number of scars on my body.”

Their voices gradually grew louder. It was not a situation for friendly greetings. Varca
was a king, and Urich and his alliance army were practically a disaster that had
brought crisis to Porcana.

From the beginning, it wasn’t a willingly formed alliance. It was Varca’s decision to
somehow save the Porcana Kingdom from an even bigger danger.

‘Does Urich know that my sister had a child?’

Varca didn’t mention Damia. Nothing good was going to come out of Urich knowing
at this moment.

“In any case, it’s good to see you again, Pahell. How is your search for the eastern
continent going?” Urich subtly changed the subject.

“It was making some progress with the support of the empire. We won’t have that
anymore, though.”

“Man, I already said I’m sorry it came to this, didn’t I? Let it go.”

“Even without the empire’s support, it’s already Porcana’s national project. We can’t
give up after the amount of money we’ve invested into it. We’re still building ships
capable of sailing for months without resupply to explore the outer seas.”

“Months at sea? Is that even possible?”

“We won’t know until we try.”

“That’s impressive. I’d love to see it when it’s done.”

“I’m also sending letters to the Pope to secure legitimacy for the exploration of the
eastern continent. If we proclaim that we’re discovering new lands under Lou’s will,
it will gain momentum. As you know, the emperor isn’t close to the Pope, and the
Pope isn’t exactly fond of the empire either. There are even rumors that the recent
independence of the northern Solarism was orchestrated by the Pope.”

Urich, having filled his belly, drank wine. He listened attentively to Varca.
Information from the mouth of a king was very valuable. A lot of it was information
that could aid the alliance army.

“By the way, are you really the king of the west?” Varca asked.

His face was gradually turning red from the alcohol. His usually clear pronunciation
started to falter.

“We don’t use the word king. We call it Great Chief instead. I split the head of our last
Great Chief and took his place.”

“That’s terrifying. So, does that mean other warriors could take your place as Great
Chief? You’d better watch your back.”

“It’s not that easy. If you want to challenge for the position of Great Chief, there are
many qualifications to have and conditions to meet. A warrior has to be famous
enough that the tribes wouldn’t break off from the alliance even if the Great Chief
actually changes. They also have to receive the authority of the heavens from the
shamans.”

“Then will your son be the next Great Chief?”

“Well, that I don’t know. It’s common for a chief’s son to succeed him, but it’s not
always the case. And for the Great Chief, there’s no precedent, though I guess our last
Great Chief seemed to consider passing the power down to his child.”

“So that means you’re the one setting the precedent now, right?”

Varca casually remarked. Urich’s eyes widened.

‘I’m setting the precedent?’

The future of the western alliance depended on Urich’s decisions. They could merely
end as a bunch of plunderers, or they could form their own nation.

“…Urich, what about wife and child? Have any yet?”

Varca decided to ask before he got any more drunk. He couldn’t quite get rid of his
sister from his mind.

“A kid? Of course, I do!”

Urich answered cheerfully, causing Varca’s eyes to tremble.

“You do?”

“There must be at least one somewhere on this land, right? There’s no way I
wouldn’t have any after sowing so many seeds.”

Varca felt relieved inside.

“What would you do if a woman came claiming a child as yours?”

“Huh? What’s this about? Pahell, are you hiding my kid somewhere?”

“I’m just asking. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”

Urich put down his glass and closed his eyes.

“…Honestly, I don’t know. I have a smart subordinate who said I wouldn’t make a
good father.”

“Take good care of that subordinate. He sees you very objectively. He’s a capable guy.”

Urich thought for a moment, then spoke, “Hmm, that was an insult, wasn’t it?”

Varca smirked silently.

Urich and Varca talked about the things that had happened to them during their time
apart. Urich’s stories from the west intrigued not only Varca but also the nobles
around them.

The land beyond the Sky Mountains was an unknown world until now. It was
considered as mythical and fictional as the eastern continent. But now, people from
the west were sweeping through the civilized world. Everyone wanted to know just
what kind of place the west was.

After a night of feasting, the Porcana army and the alliance army abandoned the
fortress and moved deeper into Porcana. The fortress they left behind looked as if it
had been raided and plundered.

***

Carnius’ army arrived at the borders of Porcana. The scouts signaled to the main
force that the fortress was empty.

Clip-clop, clip-clop.

Carnius led his adjutants into the fortress.

“It seems like the fortress already got plundered. The barbarians have already
entered deeper into Porcana,” the adjutants said as they scoured the fortress.

“They’ve already been breached?”

There was no denying that the fortress had been attacked. The traces of a siege,
which couldn't be made artificially, were evident on the walls and inside the fortress.

“The barbarians are using the siege weapons of the empire. It would have been
difficult to hold them off with just a border fortress like this one.”

The adjutants checked the food storage and armory of the fortress. As expected, they
were completely empty.

“Porcana has an army with war experience. An army that has gone through civil war
shouldn’t have been an easy opponent. They fell earlier than I expected.”

“The soldiers may have been slow to gather, or there could have been many
uncooperative lords.”
“It seems I overestimated Porcana. It makes sense that a country with similar
national power to Langkegart couldn’t hold out.”

Despite his words, Carnius’ expression was stiff.

‘If it weren't for the emperor’s letter, I wouldn’t have thought much of this situation,
either.’

There was nothing strange about the fortress of Porcana being breached.

Unlike the imperial army, the kingdoms often had armies formed of half-competent
men. It was common for a lord who could mobilize a hundred men to send only ten
in response to a conscription order.

‘Even if they knew about the barbarians’ attack, they might not have been able to
gather their forces in time. It’s almost natural that they lost.’

Carnius gestured to his adjutant to start moving the army. If the plunderers had
passed through the fortress of Porcana, it was best to pursue them quickly.

The traces of the plunderers were clear. It was evident that they had plundered and
camped in the fortress before leaving.

Carnius’ army passed through the fortress and pursued the plunderers into Porcana.
As soon as the roads built by the empire ended, the terrain became rough. Carts and
wagons carrying supplies jolted over the rocky ground.

“Damn this countryside place!”

“Pull! Pull!”

The imperial army crossed a rocky hill. They unloaded the carts, pulled them to the
top of the hill, and then reloaded them. The imperial soldiers cursed the barren land
of Porcana.

Gradually, the imperial army made their way deeper into Porcana.

“We are the imperial army! By order of His Imperial Majesty, we will requisition
supplies!”
The imperial army practically raided the farms they encountered in Porcana. As their
supply lines lengthened, the supply of provisions was no longer smooth. Moreover,
Porcana was not even a direct territory of the empire.

“General, this man says he has something to say.”

A knight brought a shabby farmer to Carnius. The farmer, intimidated by the

imperial army’s presence, hesitated for a second before rubbing his palms together.

“Hehe, I have some information that might interest you, good sir.”

Carnius frowned. He had seen countless people of this sort. He was clearly a petty,
small-hearted man blinded by money.

But the truth was that the help of people like these were also needed. Information
was extremely important in war. The presence or absence of information could
determine the outcome of a battle.

Clink.

Carnius tossed a gold coin. The farmer grinned after picking it up without any pride.

“I-I heard you came to catch the barbarians. T-those barbarians are currently moving
together with the army of Porcana. I-I saw it with my own eyes.”

At the farmer’s words, Carnius jumped to his feet. The adjutants and knights also
jumped up in disbelief.

‘Under normal circumstances, I would have also brushed it off as nonsense.’

Carnius’ eyes trembled. He glanced at the letter from the emperor again.

‘If Porcana and the plunderers form an alliance, make an armistice agreement.’

The emperor’s letter detailed the terms of the agreement. The emperor had already
anticipated that Porcana and the barbarians would form a military alliance.

“Ha, haha.”

Carnius laughed hollowly and sat back down. Sensing the tense atmosphere, the
farmer backed away and left the scene.
The armies of Porcana and the alliance set up camp on a hill. They watched the
imperial army approach from a distance.

On the hill, the commanders of the Porcana-Alliance forces gathered to assess the
situation.

“We’ve taken the high ground, so it will be difficult for the imperial army to deploy
their cavalry.”

Varca opened his eyes halfway as he looked at the imperial army. The hill with an
uneven terrain made it difficult for the heavy cavalry to charge. It was terrain
thoroughly disadvantageous to the imperial army.

“It seems like the enemy commander is Carnius.”

Duke Lungell recognized the banner of the Carnius house and muttered.

Urich also remembered Carnius. The alliance had suffered a great defeat at his hands
and went on the brink of crumbling.

“We fought that guy once. He gave us a serious blow,” Urich spoke as he trimmed his
beard with the blade of his axe while sitting on a rock.

Urich had narrowly escaped death at the hands of Carnius but survived miraculously
through the Battle of Valdima.

“Though Carnius was overshadowed by the Sword Demon Ferzen, he is a renowned

general of the empire. Since he already has experience fighting against you guys, he
won’t be careless, either.”

Varca clutched his chest with one hand. His heart was pounding.

‘This is a battle that will decide the fate of the kingdom.’

He had pondered many times. What if he had made a different choice? What if he had
sided with the empire?

“Pahell, the arrow has already left our hands. We can only hope it hits the mark.”

Urich, having finished shaving, rubbed his chin. He looked at the imperial army with
a grin on his face.

“And what if the arrow misses?”

Varca said reflexively and then closed his mouth. It wasn’t good to say ominous
things before a battle.

“…That’s why you have to carefully draw your bowstring when you’re hunting a big
beast. If you miss, the enraged beast will tear the hunter apart with its claws and
teeth. Well, if you’re lucky, you might get another chance to draw your bow while
rolling in the dirt, but you can’t rely on such luck. Luck is just luck.”

Urich’s eyes sharpened. His hair seemed to flutter wildly.

‘This is the decisive battle.’

If the western alliance suffered even one major defeat, recovery would be difficult. In
the civilized world, where the roles of warriors and farmers were distinct, society
continued even if warriors died. But in a tribal society like the west, the death of
warriors meant an equal loss of productivity.

‘I cannot lose here. Even if we win, we have no future if all our warriors die.’

Urich had practically brought the future of the west to this land. Even young warriors
without children had come to the heart of an unfamiliar world. The only men left in
the west were dying old men or infants.

‘If we fall here, even some random kingdom could conquer the west.’

Urich closed his eyes. His nape felt cold. It was as if someone was holding a blade to
his neck.

‘If we lose, my brothers will become slaves.’

Urich had seen the fate of defeated peoples during his travels in the civilized world.
They had become slaves and were discriminated against. Some were treated as less
than human.

Urich couldn’t tolerate his people living such a life. No matter how much he admired
the civilized world, he had no intention of willingly becoming their slave.

“…We will not become slaves,” he muttered to himself.

He thought of Sven’s red tears. Sven had experienced defeat firsthand and was a
warrior who had harbored that resentment all his life.

The Porcana-Alliance camp was sharpening their weapons and preparing for battle.
The look-out soldiers kept their eyes on the movements of the imperial army.

The two camps stared right at each other. It was a situation where strategies like
surprise attacks could not be used. They would start the battle like a contest once
both sides were ready.

Clip-clop, clip-clop.

A messenger emerged from the imperial camp. The commanders of the Porcana-
Alliance army stood up and looked at the messenger.

“Is it a declaration of war?”

“Maybe they’re trying to insult Porcana, calling us traitors to the civilized world or
something.”

The nobles looked at the messenger with worried expressions.

“What’s the point of sending someone now? All that’s left for us to do is face each
other with swords,” Urich grumbled as he stood up from the campfire.

“King Varca of Porcana and the head of the plunderers, hear this!”

The messenger raised his voice. Judging by the plate armor, he seemed to be an
imperial steel knight. The messenger glanced around and continued.

“In the name of His Imperial Majesty, we request peace! If you are willing to
negotiate, come out tomorrow at noon with two representatives and twenty
attendants each! In the name of the Sun God Lou!”

The messenger shouted with a fist to his chest. He waited for the response of the
Porcana-Alliance army.

“Peace?”

“Is the emperor asking us for peace?”

The nobles jumped up in excitement. The fact that the empire was the one
requesting peace first indicated its dire situation. In this case, the Porcana-Alliance
army would have the upper hand in the negotiations.

“Our military alliance seems to be putting significant pressure on the empire.,” Varca
muttered as he gathered the nobles.

The nobles murmured, each saying a word.

“We must go to the negotiation table. If we can gain independence without

exhausting our national strength and soldiers, what better outcome could there be?”

The nobles were in favor of negotiating. Even after considering it ten times, it was
better to listen to the peace terms of the empire. After all, they couldn’t be certain of
victory against their enemy.

“Peace…”

Urich muttered. He called his close subordinates like Katagi and Georg to ask their
opinions.

“This means that they are afraid of us. We must prepare to attack immediately.”

Katagi insisted, and the warriors shouted in agreement. Unlike the Porcana nobles,
the alliance warriors were aggressive. They saw the current situation as an
opportunity.

‘Katagi is not wrong. If we refuse peace and attack immediately, it will put great
pressure on them.’
Urich squinted his eyes. He waited for Georg’s opinion. Urich was not strong in
diplomacy and politics. Thus, he listened carefully to the words of his close
subordinates.

After thinking for a moment, Georg spoke.

“Porcana is keen on negotiation. In fact, most of them are welcoming this proposal as
if it were salvation. They’ve been under the pressure of fighting against the imperial
army. Even if we suggest an attack, Porcana won’t easily agree. They will insist on at
least hearing the terms of peace.”

Interpreters conveyed Georg’s words to the warriors.

“We can win without those cowards! We are the proud warriors of the sky!”

The warriors glared at Georg. Their morale was high. They believed the imperial
army was proposing peace because they were scared of the Porcana-Alliance army.

“Shut up. They didn’t propose peace because they’re afraid of us.”

Urich spoke calmly. He tried to put himself in the empire’s shoes.

‘They’re doing this because of the northern front.’

The western alliance didn’t know the status of the northern front. They had no way
of knowing whether the northern independence army was winning or losing.
However, the empire, with its advanced communication system, would know the
situation on the northern front.

“Either the northern front is in a stalemate, or the imperial army is being pushed
back. Otherwise, there’s no reason for them to propose peace. It seems like the
strategy of dividing the frontlines has succeeded,” Georg stated a rational inference
with no room for rebuttal.

“We will go to the negotiation table,” Urich declared. The warriors looked
disappointed.

“What’s with those faces? You guys all chew on shit or something? If you want to
fight so badly, come to my tent with your weapons tonight. I’ll take on as many of you
as you want.”
Urich said as he laughed, and the warriors laughed with him.

***

Carnius groomed his beard as soon as he woke up in the morning. He personally

took up his armor and greased it thoroughly. The surface of the armor, freshly
polished with an oil-soaked cloth, seemed to shine. Normally, he would have his
squire do it, but today he wanted to do it himself.

‘Leo.’

Whenever he had a moment of leisure, the face of his son came to mind. He had
dreamt many times of the day he lost Leo.

"Please forgive this fool of a father."

Carnius underestimated the collapsing barbarians. He thought nothing would

happen even if he sent Leo to the battlefield. That was an arrogant thought.

The barbarians made a last-ditch effort and broke through the imperial army's
encirclement, and Leo lost his life in the process.

‘I wouldn't have lost Leo if I had been just a bit more cautious.’

Carnius blamed himself. His heart ached as if it was bound by chains that were
tightening their grip on it.

‘No, if I hadn't raised Leo to be a knight in the first place… ’

There were many other paths in life besides being a knight. In these times, there
were several ways for noblemen to climb the social ladder. In fact, rising through
martial prowess was something only fallen nobles were still doing.

‘All of this is the sin of my greed. Lou punished my foolishness. He gave me pain through
the barbarians and the Leo’s death.’

Carnius' eyes were hollow. He wanted to throw everything away and become a
monk. But he had responsibilities as the head of his family.

‘Even Emperor Yanchinus put his pride aside and entrusted me with the army. He did it
to protect the empire.’

It was an impressive decision on the emperor’s part. The emperor at least wanted an
armistice, and if possible, a peace treaty. Yielding to the barbarians like this would
utterly disgrace the emperor’s honor and dignity. It was a choice that could
potentially be laughed at by future historians.

‘But even that arrogant emperor chose to let his pride be trampled rather than see the
empire destroyed. He wasn’t stubborn.’

Emperor Yanchinus knew that it was his own decisions that had made the empire's
finances precarious. It wasn’t anyone else’s fault but the failure and mistake of the
emperor himself.

“General, it’s almost noon,” the adjutant outside spoke cautiously.

Carnius hadn’t touched the meal on the table. As he aged, his appetite seemed to
have gone down as well.

Crinkle.

Carnius unfolded the letter and looked at the negotiation authority delegated by the
emperor.

‘Porcana’s independence is inevitable. The war reparations are substantial as well. I

guess without at least that, Porcana would be too afraid to negotiate because of the
possibility of the empire taking revenge in the future.’

Carnius only drank water as he read the letter to the end. He had read it over at least
ten times already. That’s how cautious he was about this negotiation. It was a matter
of the empire’s peace.

‘The plunderers and the Porcana army probably don’t know that the Caselmaroni
Kingdom and the northern rebellion army have allied.’

To negotiate, the empire had to seize the moment when there was a gap in
information. If Porcana and the plunderers knew the northern front was more
disadvantageous to the empire than expected, they wouldn’t negotiate.

“General,” the adjutant spoke again, quietly.

“I know.”

Carnius called for his squire, who was waiting outside. With the squire’s help, he
donned his plate armor. As befitting a general’s armor, it was an advanced steel
armor ahead of its time. The heat-treated and processed surface shone like the sun,
and the curvature on the slightly curved plates had an aesthetic functionality. It was
cutting-edge protection against all sorts of blades and arrows.

After donning his armor, Carnius mounted his horse. He led ten attendants and thirty
knights to the midpoint between the two camps.

The sun of the noon was harsh. Even the armor draped with an outer garment
seemed to heat up.

Rattle!

The attendants scurried ahead and set up a canopy and negotiation table.

“They’re coming out as well,” a knight whispered in Carnius’ ear. With his aged eyes,
all he could see was a blur, and even that barely.

Two riders emerged from the Porcana-Alliance camp, side by side. They were Varca
of Porcana and Urich of the alliance. Even from afar, it was clear these two were the
leaders.

Nearly a hundred people gathered in the middle ground. They held their breaths,
waiting for their leaders to speak.

Carnius recognized Varca and nodded. Although he was an enemy, he was a royal and
therefore deserved respect. Then he looked at Urich beside him and widened his
eyes. Somehow, he looked familiar. What was more surprising was that such a young
warrior was the leader of those fearsome plunderers.

‘I expected the leader to be a man with a thick beard… ’

Barbarians always chose the strongest and most valiant warrior as their leader.

‘I’m assuming this means that he has that level of skill at such a young age.’

On closer inspection, his scars were no ordinary ones. There were several marks of
wounds that should have killed him multiple times.

Feeling Carnius’ intense gaze, Urich became discontent and glared back. The
atmosphere was already tense. Knights and warriors silently placed their hands on
their weapons.
Carnius quietly stated the terms.

"What do you think, King Varca?"

The emperor’s peace terms were extraordinary. They included the independence of
the kingdom, which the empire had never allowed until now. Moreover, even though
no battle actually took place, the empire was willing to pay gold coins for war
reparations equivalent to Porcana's ten years of national budget.

It was clear how desperately the emperor wanted this peace. He knew that Carnius
was a military man and not skilled in negotiations, so he chose to offer a substantial
reward right from the beginning rather than engage in clumsy haggling.

"This is incredible."

The nobles participating in the negotiations whispered among themselves, covering

their mouths. The empire's terms were perfect for Porcana. The emperor promised
the status of an independent kingdom in the future and included massive war
reparations. No matter how arrogant the empire was, they couldn’t break a
negotiation that involved Lou's name and the faith of the nation.

‘With the empire’s promise, Porcana will gain the status of an independent kingdom for
at least the next few decades.’

Even Duke Lungell’s eyes widened.

"This is an immense fortune for us, Your Highness. It’s an opportunity for Porcana to
rise to a powerful nation in a single stroke. If we gain the status of an independent
kingdom, other kingdoms will rise along and push for their own negotiations with
the empire. This is our chance to take the lead in all of that."

The minds of those at the negotiation table were spinning nonstop. Varca also closed
his eyes and opened them again as he looked over the terms of the negotiation.
‘If the other kingdoms find out that we have made such an agreement, they won't stay
idle. They’ll jump at the opportunity knowing the empire has been weakened, but there
is no way the empire doesn’t know this. The fact that they proposed such terms to us
first means that something is making them that desperate,’ Varca thought deeply.

The Caselmaroni Kingdom had already risen in rebellion. If Porcana heard about
this, it would be difficult to achieve peace even with the current terms. It made sense
that the emperor was in a hurry.

Moreover, with Caselmaroni, Porcana, the northern independent army, and the
western alliance army, there were four forces opposing the empire. The kingdoms
with a fast channel of news were probably already gathering their armies. If just two
more kingdoms rose in the current state, the empire would have to engage in an all-
out war.

‘His Imperial Majesty wants to prevent the worst-case scenario.’

Carnius smiled bitterly and looked at the head of the barbarians.

"His Majesty has decided to give you westerners the territory of Yailrud and its
entrance. He wishes to establish a non-aggression pact and open exchanges."

Urich crossed his arms and tapped his forearm with his fingers, frowning.

"So you want to make a deal with me, yet you don’t even ask for my name. Are you
saying that a barbarian’s name isn’t even worth knowing?"

Carnius flinched. He had habitually centered the negotiation around Varca, forgetting
that the other man was also the leader of ten thousand warriors. He was a military
man through and through, not a diplomat. On top of that, his vision was also
narrowed because of the humiliation of making a treaty with barbarians.

"I apologize for my rudeness."

Carnius bowed his head slightly. Only then did Urich smile satisfactorily.

"My name is Urich."

“…Urich."
Carnius murmured the name. His fingers trembled.

Things were going exactly as the emperor feared. Urich, who was close to the King of
Porcana, had formed an alliance with him.

"What’s wrong?"

"The Battle of Valdima… you delivered quite a blow to us."

The flames of that day still flickered before Carnius' eyes. The soldiers swept up in
flames tangled with the barbarians. Even the imperial army was daunted by the
barbarians' fearless fighting.

By all accounts, the commander of the Battle of Valdima was Urich.

Carnius forced himself to stop thinking about the battle. He was in the middle of a
negotiation.

"Urich, I have something to say to you."

Harvald intervened in the negotiation. He was the representative of the north.

"I know, Harvald. We won't let the north become isolated."

Urich quickly responded, reading Harvald's thoughts. Harvald nodded with serious
eyes.

"Us, Porcana, and the northerners. Georg, what was the thing called?"

When Urich mumbled, Georg whispered ‘triangular alliance.’

"Right, we’re basically that triangular alliance or whatever. Even if Porcana is left out,
the west will stand with the north until the end. If the north fights, the west will
fight. But Porcana probably won't back out of the triangular alliance too easily, am I
wrong?"

Carnius frowned.

‘When did the west and north form an alliance?’

He hadn't expected there to be a treaty between the west and the north. But the
Harvald standing behind Urich was clearly dressed in the attire of a Sun Warrior.

‘The diplomatic relations are more complex than His Majesty thought. Even the north is
involved.’

Carnius tried to focus his thoughts.

"The empire can’t offer terms only to Porcana and the west. You have to also promise
something to the north. The empire should recognize the kingdom of the north
through a treaty and guarantee peace," Urich said.

The empire’s representatives murmured as they slowly plunged into disarray.

‘If we make a treaty with the north, Caselmaroni will also want a place at the table.
This is beyond my authority.’

The emperor's intention was to put one front in a lull with a peace treaty and then
stabilize the empire and the civilized world. The emperor judged that suppressing
the rebellion by also placing Carnius’ army on the northern front was the priority.

‘Can I promise peace even on the northern front here? By the time I send a letter to His
Majesty and wait for the reply, the news of Caselmaroni's rebellion will have reached
here. Then the negotiation will become even more unfavorable for the empire. Then
shouldn’t I finalize the negotiation here? I know it exceeds my authority, but
considering the emperor's will, it's the right thing to do. We can't afford to shed more
blood here.’

Carnius was sweating profusely. He drank some water and spoke.

"I would like to request a short recess."

At Carnius' suggestion, Varca and Urich looked at each other. Varca nodded,
accepting the break.

The two sides distanced themselves and discussed the negotiation among
themselves. They shared ideas to draw out an even better result for the respective
sides.

"Carnius is not an experienced diplomat. The fact that the empire’s cornered right
now is written all over his face," Varca said.

Even to Urich, the situation seemed favorable for the Porcana-Alliance forces.

"He was especially flustered when we brought up the north. That man really can’t
hide his thoughts," Urich added.

Urich cracked a walnut with his bare hands and ate the kernel.

“That north might be what stops the negotiations from going through. The
negotiation about the north is probably beyond his authority.”

Varca spoke with concern. The best outcome was for the conflict to end without war.
Nothing good would come from shedding blood in Porcana’s territory.

“Leaving the north out of the negotiations cannot happen,” Harvald, the Sun Warrior,
said coldly.

If only Porcana and the alliance made peace with the empire, the north would be
isolated.

“We were able to receive these negotiation terms thanks to the northern rebellion. If
we make peace, the north should also get what they want.”

Urich chewed on the walnut kernel. He had promised an alliance with the north and
had no intention of breaking it.

“They’ve requested a break, which means they’re organizing their negotiation terms.
The north will be included,” Varca said, making sure Harvald could hear.

“It’s hard to believe the emperor made a decision like this, but he must have decided
it would be better to stop now and cut the losses than to risk all of the kingdoms
rebelling and losing the empire’s power.”

Urich tossed a walnut kernel into the air and caught it with his mouth. Varca watched
him, then snatched a walnut mid-air and put it in his own mouth.

“The emperor may be cruel and ambitious, but he’s pragmatic. If he thinks there’s
more to lose, he’ll back out without hesitation.”
By now, Varca had interacted with the emperor for years. Although the emperor was
the one who helped him reclaim his throne, his assessment of Yanchinus was harsh.
Few people could have a personal relationship with Emperor Yanchinus like Varca.

‘It would be good if the war ended like this.’

Urich stood up and looked back and forth between the two camps.

‘We’ve already spilled too much blood. I can't spill any more of our brothers’ blood.’

Urich had several concerns that others did not know of. He was also concerned
about the situation in the west. The ten thousand warriors on the expedition
recognized Urich’s authority as Great Chief, but the remaining forces in the west did
not know about Samikan’s death. Urich could very well face new challenges when he
returned to the west.

‘Belrua bore Samikan’s child. I hope it was a daughter rather than a son.’

In the west, it was difficult for women to be recognized. Belrua was just an exception.
If Samikan’s child were a daughter, no forces would gather under her.

‘Other tribes still exist in the west. The farther from the Sky Mountains, the harder they
are to control. When the exiled tribes find out about Samikan’s death, they might rise
again.’

The western tribes feared Samikan, and Urich did not command the same fear. The
formation of the alliance and the expedition had always centered around Samikan,
who was also a figure everyone feared.

The war and expedition had gone on for a while, and the west, just like the empire,
needed internal reorganization.

‘Exchange.’

Urich carefully placed his hand on his chest. He could feel his heart pounding.

The west and the civilized world were already connected. If peace came, there would
be a mutual exchange between the two worlds. The west could adopt the civilized
world’s culture. Even if others didn’t, Urich would actively pursue exchange.
Gottval walked beside Urich. His steps were lighter than ever.

“Urich, you can stop this war with your power. You can bring peace to this land.”

“I see that you’re smiling, Gottval. Even though the empire is making this deal in
defeat.”

“What I follow is Lou’s teachings, not the empire. I am no different from the Sun
priests in the north.”

Solarism was able to gain much support because it valued peace and love. Its peace
and love also proved their value in the harsh northern land.

“Gottval, in the end, this peace was achieved through blood and steel, not Lou’s
teachings. The spread of Solarism in the north wasn’t through love and mercy, either.
The imperial soldiers forced civilization and culture on the northerners by putting
their swords against their necks.” Urich spoke coldly.

He knew from experience that cold steel was more effective than love and mercy.
Words couldn’t persuade, but blades could.

“Lou’s intentions should not be interpreted from a human perspective. He sees what
we cannot.”

“You are an excellent priest and also a good teacher. But you can’t do anything with
just mercy and love. If I had prioritized mercy and love over power, I wouldn’t be
alive today.”

Urich rejected Lou’s teachings. Once, he too had admired the civilized people and
had tried to accept their religion.

“Gottval, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t follow Lou’s teachings. If I don’t kill, I
will be killed. That’s just the way it is. Only merciless violence can protect my life and
the lives of my brothers and my family.”

“Urich! You are misunderstanding. Even those actions are born out of your desire to
protect someone. That is love.”

“If Lou’s teachings are so difficult, I won’t learn them. Reality is simpler than Lou’s
teachings. What has guided me up to this point wasn’t Lou but the spirit of the
warrior with the winged helmet.”

Gottval’s eyes widened. He knew well who the warrior in the winged helmet was.

‘Urich’s soul is going to leave Lou’s side.’

Gottval wanted to keep Urich close to Lou. He believed that no matter how much
Urich wavered, he would eventually return to Lou’s side.

‘Urich is now trying to completely leave Lou’s side.’

Gottval considered it his mission to guide Urich back to Lou. Urich was the barbarian
he had personally baptized.

“Urich…”

But Urich interrupted Gottval.

“The negotiations will resume soon. We’ll talk later.”

Carnius was walking from the opposite side. He sat back at the negotiation table.

Gottval watched Urich’s back with a bitter expression.

Carnius quietly ran his hand over the imperial seal. Once it was stamped, the treaty
would be finalized. He glanced at Urich and Varca sitting across from him.

Emperor Yanchinus had entrusted Carnius with the treaty negotiation. If the empire
managed to achieve peace with the north as well, all conflicts in the civilized world
would cease. Though it may be temporary, the empire would have a chance to
consolidate internally.

‘But if that happens, the empire will be surrounded by enemies. There are four anti-
empire factions.’

The balance the civilized world had maintained thus far would be broken. Other
kingdoms would be waiting for their chance as well. The empire would lose control
over both the south and the north as well.

‘If we end the negotiation like this, we'll lose too much.’

Carnius' lips twitched. He closed his eyes.

—Father.

Suddenly, he heard a voice. Carnius grasped his sun necklace. He took a deep breath.

His shoulders felt heavy. His decision would determine the lives and deaths of many
people.

Many people desired peace. The people of civilization were exhausted from the last
two years of the tyranny of the plunderers. The plunderers had gradually gnawed at
the empire's national strength, and before they knew it, the empire's enemies had
started to bare their teeth.

—I think you are a greater knight than the Sword Demon Ferzen.
That’s what young Leo said, but the reality was harsh. As his perspective widened,
Leo also came to realize just how great the fame of the Sword Demon Ferzen was.
Comparing Ferzen and Carnius only elicited ridicule.

‘Lord Ferzen disappeared to become a flawless legend.’

The legendary knight was perfect until the very end. The great hero who saved the
empire countless times thus achieved immortal glory.

‘My name will not be remembered. A knight and general who lived in the same era as
Ferzen, and a civilized man who negotiated peace with the barbarians because he
couldn’t defeat them.’

Even if he managed to live out his natural lifespan, Carnius might only live another
twenty years at most. He also had no desire to live long. If Lou called, he would go to
him anytime.

‘If Leo is still waiting for me by Lou’s side, what would I say to him? That I made peace
without defeating the barbarians… Could I say that to him with pride?’

Carnius’ fingers twitched.

If Carnius’ army lost here, the empire would be in a dire crisis of unprecedented
scale. Its very existence might be shaken. The emperor had sought peace to prevent
that very worst-case scenario.

‘Then we just have to not lose here.’

Defeating Porcana and the plunderers into retreating would solve all problems.
Without the plunderers’ army, Porcana wouldn't be able to hold out either.

“Urich, leader of the west.”

Carnius spoke. Urich raised his eyebrows and shrugged. Carnius hesitated before
continuing.

“There’s something I want to ask. You were the commander who led the battle of
Valdima. In the battle that was already lost, the western army broke through the
imperial forces head-on. Was that decision also yours?”
Urich scratched his chin for a moment, thinking. It was a desperate battle where he
had fought frantically on the brink of death. The alliance had lost to the empire, and
Urich had led the remnants to break through the encirclement.

‘We charged straight at the imperial army ahead to carve a way out.’

It was a decision based on instinct and intuition. It seemed suicidal at first, but it was
possible because the warriors trusted Urich. Eventually, Urich and the warriors
escaped the encirclement, leading to the victory at Valdima.

“That forward breakthrough? Yeah, it was my order.”

Urich answered, and Carnius closed his eyes tightly, suppressing his rising anger.

‘Just as I thought. Urich, the commander of Valdima, was the one who killed my son.’

If not for Urich’s order, Leo wouldn't have died. He died because Urich had boldly
rallied the barbarian warriors for a straight charge.

Urich was practically Leo’s enemy. Even though Carnius had known it in his head,
hearing it directly flared his anger even more.

—Father.

Leo’s voice echoed in Carnius’ ears. Memories of Leo from when he was just a little
boy to a grown-up man flashed through his mind.

‘Please, let us have peace.’

People like Gottval, who wished for peace, prayed. If this negotiation succeeded, that
peace would come.

“Lou, please end this trial.”

Gottval muttered a prayer. He was earnestly hopeful.

“I…”

Carnius placed his hand on the table. It was the calloused and rugged hand of a
seasoned knight.
Everyone waited for the old knight’s words. The conflict clashed within Carnius until
the very last moment. There was no right choice. Whichever option he chose, he
would have to take on the risk and the following despair would be inevitable.

‘But I have to be a knight who can stand proudly before my son.’

How could he tell Leo that he made peace with the very man who murdered him,
even if it was the emperor’s order or to save many imperial lives? To Carnius, his son
was more important.

“There will be no negotiations. Prepare for battle. Negotiations about the north are
beyond my authority.”

Carnius spoke with a deep, dark gaze. His eyes and lips trembled slightly. Even he
found it hard to believe what he was saying.

‘What am I even saying?’

Lives numbering thousands would be extinguished.

‘This is the right decision. Not just for my son’s revenge but for the empire as well.’

He tried telling himself that, but what his heart truly desired was to avenge his son. It
was a fact that Leo’s spirit shook Carnius’ heart.

“Wait! General Carnius!”

Varca shouted urgently. He couldn't understand why the negotiation fell apart. The
flow had been good. The empire was the one who was cornered.

“Forget it, Pahell. Look at his eyes. This isn’t about the negotiation terms. It’s a
personal grudge.”

Urich extended his arm to block Varca. Urich was grinning with his lips twisted. The
smell of war that had settled down began to rise again. It felt as if digging the ground
here would reveal a pool of blood.

Carnius also felt his hair stand on end. Urich's eyes were primal, like a beast's.

“I’m sorry, King Varca, but I cannot let this happen. The imperial army does not
negotiate with barbarians. There is only victory for us,” Carnius shouted like an
impetuous knight.

Porcana wanted to avoid battle just as much as the empire. Carnius' sudden
declaration caused a great stir at the negotiation table.

“Aaah…”

Gottval and the nobles who were advocating for peace sighed in despair. Peace was
shattered, leaving only bloodshed.

‘Why.’

The negotiation table fell into chaos. Sensing the stirring atmosphere, warriors and
knights sprang forward, ready to draw their weapons.

“Step back, Your Highness.”

Porcana’s knights stepped forward to protect Varca.

Urich continued to stare at Carnius. Tilting his head, he spoke.

“…The person you lost… blood? A son?”

Urich's words hit the mark.

‘Carnius is a knight with tons of battle experience. He wouldn't hold such a deep grudge
just over losing comrades or a defeat. He's not at an age to grieve over losing a sibling,
either. It has to be his son.’

Carnius stiffly turned his head and looked at Urich.

“I intend to win this battle and become a proud father.”

With that, Carnius disappeared behind the knights. The knights stood in front of him
like a wall. As the conversation ended, only the murmuring noise grew louder.

“Carnius has gone mad! After all that brooding, he suddenly wants to go to war?”

“If that’s the case, why did he propose negotiations in the first place!”
“It was a mistake to include the north in the negotiations! If it had been just the west
and Porcana, there wouldn’t have been any problems!”

The nobles of Porcana chattered. They also wanted the negotiations to succeed.

“In the end, we’re going to have to shed blood, Urich.”

Varca staggered. He was also mentally shocked as the negotiations fell apart after
being so close to succeeding. Urich supported Varca by grabbing his shoulder.

“The north is just a superficial reason. Carnius probably didn’t have his heart in the
negotiations. He was just looking for a reason not to negotiate.”

Urich glanced at the retreating Carnius.

“Urich, a war is about to break out and you’re smiling.”

“If we have no choice but to go to war, we might as well smile while doing it.”

“…You’re crazy.”

“Barbarians have always been crazy in the eyes of civilization.”

Varca chuckled hollowly and punched Urich’s chest.

“Since it came to this, we have to win, Urich. We cannot afford to lose.”

The Porcana-Alliance camp was watching the returning negotiation party. Some had
already guessed the outcome by the atmosphere.

“What are you looking at, you idiots? It’s war! War! Katagi, Olga! Get ready! Clean
your armor and weapons! What’s with those rusty blades? Do you want to die
because your axe got stuck in an enemy’s neck and you couldn’t pull it out?”

Urich kicked the weapons stuck in the ground as he returned to the alliance camp.

“Ho! Ho!”

The warriors were excited at the mention of battle. No one looked sullen about the
failed negotiations. Whether genuinely or out of bravado, they welcomed the fight.
“It’s the order of Great Chief Urich! Prepare for battle!”

Katagi shouted until his voice cracked. Warriors who had been sleeping began to
emerge from their tents one by one. They gathered their gear and stretched with
long yawns.

“Oh, Lou, oh, Lou. Why do you give us such trials again?”

Gottval clung to a tree and struggled to stand. His teary eyes were red. This was more
painful than when he lost his arm.

“It’s war!”

The warriors shouted as they moved around. No one paid attention to Gottval. Many
warriors saw Gottval as a thorn, but since he was favored by the Great Chief, they left
him alone, treating him as if he didn’t exist.

“Is shedding blood on this land truly your will?”

Gottval looked around. He saw eyes filled with fear.

Not everyone welcomed the fight. In fact, most people feared battle. They just
pretended otherwise, putting on a show of bravado. Everyone knew that avoiding a
fight was best. That’s why they had gotten so close to a successful negotiation.

‘So, General Carnius lost his son?’

The circumstances made it clear. A personal grudge over losing his son was one of
the reasons for the breakdown of the negotiation.

“This too must be a form of love.”

Gottval’s eyes trembled. Carnius loved his son.

“Gottval! Don’t just stand there, fall back. You could get hit by a stray arrow and die,”
Urich said to Gottval and then disappeared.

The warriors were already falling into their formations. Those with shields stood in
line with Katagi, while the nimble warriors formed a separate unit under Olga. Urich
called the chiefs leading the thousand-man units to decide the left and right flanks.
“There is no need for us to charge in first, Urich,” Duke Lungell said.

“I know. We hold the hill. It’s perfect for tying down the enemy’s heavy cavalry.”

Urich had already told his warriors not to descend the hill. The key to this battle was
who could best utilize the terrain.

The Porcana-Alliance army was positioned on the hill, while the imperial army was
arrayed below. Even the warhorses of the empire would quickly tire if they had to
run up the hill.

Both armies finished their battle preparations. The Porcana-Alliance army waited for
the imperial army to make the first move.

“Huh? Are they waiting too?”

Urich tilted his head as he sharpened his axe blade, waiting for the clash. The battle
did not start even after a day. Both sides only exchanged a few futile arrows and only
observed each other.

The soldiers and warriors waiting for battle yawned and maintained their
formations in turns, bored by the standoff that lasted three days.

“Urich, we’re in trouble. The imperial army has settled in for a long campaign.”

Varca squinted, looking at the imperial camp. The imperial army remained steady,
maintaining their encampment without a single move. The sophisticated imperial
camp was practically a fortress in itself.

“What?”

Urich turned his head.

“We’ll be starving in ten days. Porcana’s rations aren’t enough to sustain nearly
twenty thousand troops.”

Porcana’s rations alone couldn’t support the Porcana-Alliance army. Meanwhile, the
imperial army was famously well-supplied to the point of being known to win wars
through their supply systems.
The alliance had always sustained itself through local plundering. That was how a
force of ten thousand could wreak havoc in the civilized world without a proper
supply line or supply troops. They were an army that constantly needed to move in
search of new places to plunder.

“This is unexpected. Isn’t he being way too rational for a father who’s supposed to be
blinded by revenge?”

Urich groaned. The imperial army was also waiting for the Porcana-Alliance army to
abandon the hill and make the first move.

‘The Iron Blood knight.’

It seemed like Carnius’ nickname had slipped everyone’s minds.

Carnius remembered his iron rule.

‘Be cautious.’

Objectively, the imperial army had the advantage. Even with similar numbers, the
quality of the imperial army was far superior. Especially, among the twenty thousand
imperial soldiers, there were over three thousand heavy cavalries. If they could
secure a favorable terrain, those three thousand heavy cavalries alone could
devastate the enemy.

‘They want to immobilize our heavy cavalry. That’s why they took a position on the hill.’

Without the breakthrough power of the heavy cavalry, even Carnius couldn’t
guarantee victory. The western plunderers were strong in infantry combat and
skirmishes. And now, with the barbarian warriors being armed with the imperial
armory, were a formidable force.

“They don’t stubbornly cling to their ways like the northerners. They’re using our
strategies, tactics, and even our armory. They’re not some ordinary barbarians
draped in leather.”

Carnius gathered his adjutants for a strategy meeting.

“The traitors who joined the plunderers will desert quickly if the battle turns
significantly unfavorable.”

There was no loyalty in mercenaries. They tended to be quick to desert when the
situation became unfavorable, and the civilized mercenaries who joined the western
plunderers were no different.

“If they get hungry, they’ll abandon the hill and come down.”

Carnius pointed to the expected retreat routes on the map.

The imperial army quickly analyzed the situation of the Porcana-Alliance army. An
army was a monster that devoured money just by existing. Porcana did not stockpile
enough provisions and surplus money during their peacetimes.

‘They probably thought they were waiting for us in a good spot, but they’ve actually
isolated themselves. Without additional supplies, they’ll just self-destruct.’

Carnius waited for the enemy to come down. The twenty thousand imperial soldiers
had supplies to last for a couple of months. If necessary, they could also operate a
separate supply unit for additional provisions.

“The peace agreement seems to have been a misjudgment by His Imperial Majesty.
He couldn’t see the situation from afar, so it couldn’t be helped.”

The knights were relaxed. Despite the negotiations for peace having fallen through,
the actual battle favored the empire. Their effort to achieve peace seemed rather
foolish now.

But Carnius, the one who actually declared the battle, thought differently.

‘We need to wrap up this front as quickly as possible and move up to the northern front.
If the northern front collapses, the empire’s crisis won’t end even if we pull off a victory
here.

Carnius wasn’t relaxed either. The reason why the emperor sought peace was also
because there was a need to concentrate the empire’s military power in the north.

‘Please, come down to us.’

After the meeting, Carnius gazed at the distant hill. The Porcana-Alliance army still
didn’t budge.

The imperial army’s encampment was perfect. The various facilities and barracks
were positioned exactly according to the military textbook. Any educated imperial
soldier could find all the facilities in the camp, even if it was their first time there.

Carnius headed to the prayer room. Confirming no one was there, he knelt before the
sun relic.

“Oh, Sun God Lou, please prove that my decision is not wrong. I need your courage
and wisdom.”

Carnius erased his anxiety through prayer. When he left the prayer room, there was
no hesitation or confusion on his face.

‘The sword is already drawn. Looking back will only lead to my death.’

Carnius walked around the barracks, encouraging the soldiers in order to maintain
their discipline.

***

Porcana-Alliance forces reduced their food rations. They had resorted to reducing
the amount they ate in order to buy more time. No strategy had yet emerged to
resolve the situation, and their morale was dropping while the army's discontent
was growing.

It was a situation where the civilized mercenaries might desert the army at any
moment.

"Georg, try to prevent desertions as much as possible. Put that silver tongue of yours
to use."

Urich and Georg were walking side by side to attend a meeting.

"I can only bribe them so many times with the war spoils. You can always gather
wealth again, but you only have one life. Hell, even I’m thinking about running away
right now."

"I don’t care if you run away but you better not let me catch you. This time, I'll
actually skin you alive. Anyway, if the civilized mercenaries desert, it will greatly
affect the entire army. So do whatever it takes to keep them."

"To do that, we need hope, Urich. Hope that we can win."

Georg was persuading the civilized mercenaries every day. He visited their
influential unit leaders, promised rewards, and cried for camaraderie. But if the
situation worsened anymore, they were certainly going to leave the alliance army.

"Haha, should we just charge head-on?" Urich spoke as he whistled.

Georg shook his head and replied, "If that were possible, we wouldn't have come into
Porcana in the first place."

The alliance knew the power of the imperial heavy cavalry well. The heavy cavalry
was the core force of the imperial army. Even without horses, the imperial knights
and heavy infantry were formidable combat troops. In the past, even the appearance
of heavy infantry and dismounted knights caused significant damage to the tribal
warriors.

‘But now, we can handle their heavy infantry. Everyone has gotten better at dealing
with their armor.’

There were many warriors in the alliance army armed with iron armor. Walking
around the alliance camp, one could frequently hear the clinking of chainmail. Some
chiefs or head warriors even wore steel armor.

The tribal warriors of the west admired iron armor. The western warriors, who had
little to no armor culture back home, considered iron armor acquired as loot a
source of pride. They actively adopted and used the enemy's weapons and armor.

"We can't stay on this hill forever."

"How about securing a supply route?"

"Do you think the imperial army would just let us send out a supply unit?"

"If we go down the hill like this, we'll just become fodder for the cavalry."

The Porcana-Alliance army's meetings were noisy but yielded no specific strategies.
Everyone was just stomping their feet. If they stayed on the hill, they would
eventually all starve to death. If morale dropped due to hunger, the imperial army
might push up. No matter how excellent a warrior, they couldn't fight while starving.

"U… rich."

Urich, who was spectating the meeting, turned his head at a familiar voice. Olga, who
always looked depressed like a sick person, was standing behind him.

"Hmm?"
"I have… something… to say."

It didn't seem like a solution would come from the meeting at this rate. Urich left his
seat and followed Olga outside.

"Great Chief Urich."

Urich's eyebrows twitched slightly. Following Olga, he found the Blue Mist warrior
chief waiting for him.

‘A rebellion? At a time like this?’

Urich glanced around. The surroundings were calm. He could only see a few Blue
Mist warriors.

‘Olga was a warrior whom Samikan favored. It makes sense he would be close to the
Blue Mist Tribe. Are they trying to kill me here?’

Urich took a deep breath. He trusted Olga, but it seemed like he was about to be
stabbed in the back.

"If you're after my neck, come at me now. I'll take you on."

Urich drew his sword without hesitation. If he could hold on for just a moment, the
other warriors would hear the commotion and gather.

"What… are you talking… about?"

Olga widened his eyes and laughed. The Blue Mist warrior chief also chuckled and
shook his head.

"We have no intention of starting a civil war when the battle that will decide the fate
of the west is about to happen. The Blue Mist Tribe hasn't even appointed a new
chief yet. Even if we were to become enemies, that is a concern of the future, Great
Chief."

The internal situation of the Blue Mist Tribe was also complicated. Samikan's
presence had been so significant that they couldn't easily choose the next chief. For
now, their head warrior was acting as the interim chief.
"O-oh, really?"

Urich scratched the back of his head awkwardly. His face turned red, feeling he had
caused a fuss for no reason.

"When Samikan was the Great Chief, the alliance aimed straight for the imperial
capital."

"Right."

After Urich became the Great Chief, the policy of the alliance changed to avoiding the
main imperial army.

Samikan, who was not in good health, had prepared for a decisive short-term battle.
If he were still the Great Chief, the decisive battle between the empire and the west
would have been over long ago.

"Samikan had prepared weapons and tactics to use against the heavy cavalry of the
empire."

The head Blue Mist warrior gestured. Two warriors carrying spears demonstrated
on the spot.

Snap.

The warriors broke a spear and connected it to another spear, securing it. The length
of the connected spears exceeded the height of two tall men combined. It could even
stab a target that was eight steps away.

“How are you going to use such a long spear?” Urich asked with skepticism, but his
eyes sparkled with curiosity.

The spear was too long to be used in typical combat. Urich felt that if he faced
soldiers wielding such spears, he could easily handle even ten of them.

“This spear is longer than the cavalry lances they use. Just holding and extending it
will provide deterrence. Their attacks won’t reach us, but our spears will reach
them.”

The warriors fixed the ends of the spear shafts to their feet or the ground.
Urich widened his eyes and imagined the sight of heavy cavalry charging. It seemed
like it could be effective, but it was hard to confirm without testing the new tactic in
actual combat.

“Did Samikan devise this?”

“Only the Blue Mist warriors have practiced it a few times. Samikan wasn’t entirely
sure either. He went to the heavens before being able to fully test it.”

Hearing this, Urich stroked his chin.

‘Samikan wasn’t just spouting nonsense about fighting the empire because he was high
on the herbs. He was trying to come up with ways to battle the imperial army.’

In the horse-less west, they couldn’t cultivate heavy cavalry. They needed another
method to counter them. Samikan must have been contemplating how to do this for
a long time.

“It’ll be difficult without considerable bravery.”

Urich practically snatched the long spear from the Blue Mist warrior.

‘To hold your ground against charging heavy cavalry with just a spear would require
immense courage.’

When heavy cavalry charged, the instinct was to dodge to the side. If one were to
overcome that fear and hold their position, they could catch the cavalry off guard.

“Samikan’s intention was to form a phalanx with Blue Mist warriors wielding these
pikes. We’re the only tribe that’s well-trained in doing that.”

The end of the sentence carried pride. These were the men who conquered the west
under Samikan’s command. Even the Stone Axe Tribe had been defeated by them.

‘The Blue Mist warriors have fought in phalanx ever since they began their western
conquest. They are as disciplined as the empire’s professional soldiers.’

Urich saw a faint light. The alliance had the legacy that Samikan had left.

“Urich, gather the most… excellent warriors and have them… learn this,” Olga
stammered.

To master such tactics in a short time, they needed the absolute best warriors within
the alliance. They had to have the bravery to face heavy cavalry head-on with a grin
on their faces and the skill to wield long spears freely.

“Leave the unit… to me… You trusted me… and treated me accordingly. I will… repay.”

Olga grinned, revealing his blackened teeth.

Urich immediately summoned all the chiefs and head warriors. In addition, he also
selected the most skilled warriors.

About three thousand warriors, including the Blue Mist warriors, were separately
gathered for training and education. They broke and connected spears, extracted
blades, and assembled them to create long anti-cavalry spears. Weapons discarded
in the process piled up in a corner of the camp.

Urich demonstrated the anti-cavalry tactics at the next meeting.

“Watch carefully. This is how we stop their heavy cavalry.”

The nobles and knights of Porcana watched Urich’s demonstration. He was holding
an unusually long spear.

Urich extended the spear and fixed it in place. The heavy cavalry from Porcana who
was charging at him flinched and stopped. It was only possible because the spear
was much longer than their lances.

“Oooh, I see.”

The nobles and knights watching widened their eyes. Heavy cavalry had always been
an absolute force. Countering them with another unit had always been nearly
impossible.

“It looks plausible, but I doubt its practicality. If anyone steps back or gets scared
when the cavalry charges, the formation will break, leading to a massacre. If the
heavy cavalry of the empire could be stopped with just some longer spears, we
would have done it long ago.”
Duke Lungell frowned as he spoke. His words were also valid.

“We’re different from you. We don’t flee out of fear. Even if corpses litter the ground
around us or our guts spill out of our stomachs, we do our job. We’re warriors from
birth.”

Urich practically mocked Duke Lungell. The duke’s face flushed slightly.

“What if that method fails? We’ll be annihilated.”

Duke Lungell opposed Urich’s tactics. He couldn’t fight relying solely on a tactic
devised by a barbarian.

“…Do you have another way besides starving together? If my stomach starts
growling, your tongue will be the first thing I cook and eat. Take good care of it.”

“You, you…!”

Duke Lungell’s mouth gaped open. He was about to shout but closed his mouth upon
seeing Varca step forward.

Varca and Urich’s eyes met, and Varca nodded without a word.
There wasn't much time to train with the pikes. They only had three days for the
adaptation training. Even then, many warriors found the rather new weight
distribution and use of the pikes unfamiliar. They preferred weapons that they could
swing directly to attack the enemy.

Pikes were passive and defensive. Their role was to rely on tight formations to stop
the heavy cavalry. The barbarian warriors had to restrain their inherent aggression
and strictly follow discipline.

‘Discipline.’

Urich muttered as he looked at the pike unit. In war, individual combat ability wasn't
everything. The organization and discipline of each unit performing its role were
crucial. That's why the imperial army was strong in war.

‘Samikan realized the importance of discipline early on. He even standardized the
equipment of the Blue Mist warriors and utilized phalanxes. It was probably thanks to
Noah, who brought in the strategies and tactics of civilization. He was the one who
opened Samikan’s eyes ahead of our time.’

Urich also encountered the civilized world early on, but his interest was in
civilization and culture itself. Samikan, on the other hand, meticulously sought out
only strategies and tactics for his ambitions.

“Who would’ve thought that I’d be using what Samikan left us with? The world truly
is unpredictable.”

Urich looked at the altar. Six-Fingered was offering a sacrifice before the battle. It
was customary to perform a human sacrifice by cutting open the belly of a prisoner
ahead of an important battle, but since they were now allied with Porcana, they used
a cow instead. A human sacrifice would undoubtedly lower Porcana’s morale.

‘Six-Fingered is quiet now, but who knows what he'll do in the future. He doesn't pledge
loyalty to me; he just supported me because he hated Samikan. Now that Samikan is
gone, he has no reason to back me anymore.’

Urich pondered various thoughts as he watched the ritual. Political judgment came
first whenever he looked at important figures in the alliance.

‘They say the position shapes the person… ’

Urich chuckled to himself. He could understand Samikan a little now.

‘Now that I'm in the position of Great Chief, everything seems suspicious, and I tend to
think twice. It's hard to think as simply as I did before.’

Even when he faced Olga and the head warrior of the Blue Mist Tribe, the first thing
that came to his mind was rebellion.

Splat!

Six-Fingered pulled out the cow's entrails and scattered them on the ground. Then
he lifted its heart, which was still thumping.

“Woahhhh!”

The warriors cheered. The heart beating freshly meant the blessing of the heavens
was with them.

“Great Chief.”

Six-Fingered knelt and raised the cow heart. Blood dripped down his hands. The
nobles of Porcana cursed among themselves at the grotesque sight.

Munch, munch.

Urich bit into the cow heart. Blood filled his mouth, staining even his teeth red.

Gulp.

After swallowing a bite of the heart, Urich raised his arm and shouted. Urich’s health
was top-notch, and he proved it by eating a raw heart. Since the former Great Chief
Samikan had health issues, Urich flaunted his physical strength to set himself apart.
Thump, thump.

The warriors stomped their feet, preparing for battle. They wore the helmets and
armor that they looted from various places. The pike unit was particularly well-
equipped, all wearing iron armor. Chains clinked with each step they took.

“I know we practiced, but is this going to be effective?”

“Eh, if it doesn’t work, we'll just die. Together. Hehe.”

The warriors laughed heartily, checking on each other.

The pike phalanx had to be tightly packed like a hedgehog. In fact, it was an
adaptation of the imperial army’s hedgehog formation.

The hedgehog formation was an all-purpose phalanx where soldiers worked in pairs
using shields and spears to press the enemy. Only professional soldiers like the men
of the imperial army could execute it. The formation wouldn't hold without trust in
one's comrades. It was a tactic that could not be expected from conscripts like
peasants or slave soldiers.

The morale and courage of tribal warriors were higher than those of professional
soldiers, and they hunted together with their brethren until death. They had the
potential to become excellent soldiers, barring the characteristic disorder of
barbarians.

“Do not even think about breaking out of formation on your own.”

The warriors who took on the role of unit captains emphasized this repeatedly.
Breaking formation in a battle frenzy would lead to the death of the brothers beside
them.

The pike unit was divided into three groups of a thousand warriors each. One unit
was placed at the center, and one on each flank. This formation allowed them to
respond to heavy cavalry from any direction.

“We only deal with the cavalry charges. Do not engage in the other general combats,”
the chiefs said. They were also the captains of the thousand-man units.

Olga of the Frost Snake Tribe commanded the central pike unit. An interpreter
stayed close to him to relay his orders.

‘Samikan said we could stop their heavy cavalry with this.’

Olga was a warrior who primarily used spears. Yet, even to him, the pike still felt
unfamiliar. He doubted its effectiveness. No one had ever used such pikes in real
combat.

‘To think we have to trust the insight of Samikan who’s dead… ’

Olga smirked. Samikan was remarkable in many ways. If not for his health problems,
he would have accomplished even more.

The Porcana army served as support troops in the rear.

Porcana also had about five hundred heavy cavalry. However, compared to the
imperial heavy cavalry, they significantly lacked both combat experience and
equipment.

The Porcana-Alliance army descended the hill in formation. The imperial army
advanced its formation in response.

The pike units did not reveal their spears. They held their spears at waist height,
hiding them despite the inconvenience. New tactics were most effective in the first
engagement. They didn't give the enemy a chance to prepare a countermeasure.

Creak, creak.

The sound of crossbows being loaded and bows being drawn came from all
directions.

Most of the warriors of the alliance had the archery skills of trained archers. In
alternating ranged engagements, the alliance warriors fired far more arrows.

“Fire!”

Urich shouted, thrusting his sword forward. The warriors with bows shot in unison.

Tatatata!
The arrows fired in an arc had a range equal to the modified crossbows of the
empire. The alliance warriors also bested the imperial army in their firing frequency.

Thump! Thump!

The imperial crossbowmen who came up to the front lines planted large, fixed
shields they carried on their backs in front of them. The large shields, weighing over
five kilograms, were the war supply for crossbowmen who had long reload times.

Tatatata!

The alliance arrows were blocked by the large, fixed shields. The effort of the supply
soldiers who had brought them tirelessly proved its worth. The crossbowmen
finished reloading safely, briefly poked their faces out, and fired.

Although the alliance fired more arrows, the casualties were far fewer on the
imperial side. Other than the ones who were unlucky enough to be hit by arrows,
there wasn’t much damage.

“Ow, ow, ow.”

Warriors with arrows stuck in their limbs grumbled as they pulled them out.

“Give us some shields here. Damn bastards.”

The warriors also held shields, but they couldn’t cover their entire bodies. Even if
their torsos were protected, their limbs were still exposed.

“Drag these bodies out of our way! They’re getting in the way.”

The warriors shouted. Despite their chatter, they continued to consistently draw
their bowstrings.

“Chikaka!”

Urich called for Chikaka of the Phergamo Tribe. The mountain goat warriors, who
numbered five hundred at the start of the campaign, had dwindled to three hundred.
This was partly because the battle goats couldn't adapt to the foreign climate and
died, and also because many had perished carrying out dangerous reconnaissance
missions.
“Teach those cowards hiding behind the shields a lesson.”

Chikaka smiled only with his mouth and put on his wooden mask. They were an
alien presence. They were exceptional warriors not only in the civilized world but
also within the alliance army.

Tap, tap.

As the alliance army's formation opened up, the mountain goat warriors quickly
dashed out to the left. The three hundred mountain goat warriors were armed with
horn bows. With their child-like stature, they could not generate enough tension
with a regular wooden bow.

But the horn bows, with their excellent elasticity, allowed for great tension even with
a short draw. However, these were very difficult to make and were a secret weapon
used only by the mountain goat warriors even among the Phergamo Tribe.

Creaaaak!

The horn bows bent significantly. Phergamo was the only tribe that possessed
warriors who could skillfully use bows while mounted. They were a shocking combat
force even in the civilized world.

“Kaaagh!”

The mountain goat warriors swiftly moved to the side of the crossbow unit. They
fired arrows from an angle that large shields couldn't protect. The crossbowmen
tried to counter, but hitting the warriors on goats was difficult, and their small
stature made them even more elusive targets.

“Kill them all!” Chikaka shouted fiercely.

The masked dwarf warriors were monsters in the eyes of the civilized men, and the
battle goats with their strangely developed leg muscles seemed like beasts created
by heathen sorcery.

The mountain goat warriors were called human hunters even in the west. If
barbarians hunted civilized men, the Phergamon mountain goat warriors hunted
those barbarians. They were warriors at the very top of the food chain.
‘If only we had three or four times more mountain goat warriors… ’

All the alliance warriors who were observing the battle had the same thought.
Having the Phergamon warriors on their side was incredibly reassuring. They were
invincible warriors with both mobility and lethality.

‘But if the number of mountain goat warriors reached thousands, the Phergamo Tribe
would have been the one to take control of the west.’

After a few passes by the mountain goat warriors, the imperial crossbowmen were
busy fleeing to the rear.

“Make way! The mountain goat warriors are coming back!”

Chikaka checked the condition of the battle goats and turned back to the alliance
camp. The mountain goat warriors, having fulfilled their role, rested.

“M-monsters. What the hell was that?! What are those things?”

The crossbowmen who had returned to their side were trembling, and the fear was
magnified because they had no idea what had just happened. At least barbarians
looked like civilized men.

“Heavy infantry! Forward!”

Carnius gave the command.

The core of the empire, the heavy infantry, moved. Every single man was a
professional soldier, armed to the teeth with iron armor and shields. They were elite
troops capable of switching weapons according to the situation as well. Though not
mounted, their combat power rivaled that of knights from most kingdoms.

“They're finally coming.”

The Porcana-Alliance command murmured. The skirmishes were over, and the real
battle was beginning.

“Pike units, fall back to the second line. Do not show yourselves until the heavy
cavalry charges.”
As soon as Urich’s command was relayed, the pike units quickly moved to follow the
first line closely.

‘Watching from the back makes me itch.’

Urich tilted his head from side to side. He was riding with the command. The battle
required precise formation combat, making it impossible for the Great Chief to lead
from the front. This wasn't a battle where the Great Chief raising morale by rushing
forward would ensure victory.

“We must time the pike units to counter the heavy cavalry perfectly. If we fail, we're
done for, Urich.”

Varca also understood the key strategic and tactical points. He emphasized them
several times out of anxiety. Varca, lacking military skills, had no choice but to rely on
Urich.

Urich held back his urge to stand at the forefront and observed the battle situation
from the back instead.

“Come on! Come at us, you cowards! A whore would be braver than you!”

They were close enough to hear each other’s shouts. Warriors growled and threw
axes and spears meaninglessly to provoke the soldiers.

Though they spoke in different languages, insults were universally understood.

“You horseshit-looking bastards! My dog back home is probably cleaner than you!”

Though they shouted confidently, warriors and soldiers alike had slightly trembling
fingers. They knew their opponent’s combat prowess better than anyone else.

“General, there aren’t many routes for us to bypass them, but if we go around
following the base of the hill, it seems feasible. We will engage the front line and then
use the cavalry to break them down.”

An adjutant reported to Carnius after surveying the terrain. There were a few routes
that the cavalry could bypass while the heavy infantry clashed. Though the terrain
was a bit rough, sturdy warhorses could manage.
The imperial heavy cavalry had two roles. One was to repeatedly charge the front
lines to break down the infantry's formation, and the other was to use the infantry
clashing on the front lines as an anvil and the cavalry as a hammer to strike the
enemy's flanks or rear.

Carnius chose the latter strategy. Now he had to decide whether to send the heavy
cavalry to the left or right flank.

“Huff.”

Carnius took a deep breath and touched the sun necklace. He calmed his mind,
muttering his son's name.

‘Leo, today I will be a father you can be proud of.’

Carnius opened his eyes and gave orders to the cavalry.

Clip, clop.

The sound of hooves striking the ground echoed.

The majority of the heavy cavalry was composed of knights. Even in the empire,
which adopted a professional military system, only nobles could call themselves
knights. Occasionally, commoners who rose to prominence could become knights,
but even that only happened during times of intense war.

A man who understood honor and sacrifice. Being a knight was a role that signified
more than a mere soldier.

The knights' outer garments bore the crests of their houses. Wealthy knights
sometimes had their entire crest engraved on their armor.

Among the heavy cavalry, there were some with particularly gleaming armor. These
were the emperor's elite, known as the steel knights. Their polished steel armor was
a masterpiece produced in limited quantities by the imperial smithy. Only the royal
family of the empire knew why such steel equipment that was far superior to regular
iron gear was produced in limited numbers only.

Leading the charge of the heavy cavalry was Harman. He had served as a knight in
the Order of Imperial Steel for ten years. After receiving his orders, Harman raised
his hand high.

“Chaaaarge!” Harman shouted, closing the visor of his helmet.

The cavalrymen spurred their horses and leaned forward.

Rumble, rumble, rumble!

The heavy cavalry kicked up clouds of dust with every step. Even the enemy could
tell the heavy cavalry was coming.
Varca widened his eyes at the sight of the rising dust.

“Urich!”

“I see it too, idiot. I have eyes just like you, you know.”

Urich squinted one eye. On the front lines, the two armies were already locked in
combat. The imperial heavy infantry maintained their formation closely, clinging
together. Even when the head warriors on the front line tried to lure them into chaos,
the imperial army's formation remained unbroken.

‘Dammit.’

Urich was anxious, but it wasn't because the cavalry was charging at them; it was
because he felt useless standing in the back rows while his brothers fought
desperately. Despite knowing it was necessary, it felt like a thorn was stuck in his
throat.

“Left?”

The dust was rising from the left wing. Urich called for the standard-bearer and gave
a command.

Buuuup!

The horn's sound echoed through the alliance’s camp. Olga and the other captains of
the pike units confirmed the signal. Those on the battlefield couldn't see the overall
situation. They had to trust and follow the command's judgment.

“To the left!”

The three pike units moved to the left wing. There was still time before they had to
clash with the enemy’s heavy cavalry, which allowed the pikemen to regroup.

“Oh, Lou, please…”

Varca prayed as he watched the pike units move. He had done his best, and all he
could do now was leave the outcome to his god.

On the other hand, Urich kept his eyes wide open, watching the battlefield. He
opened his mouth wide.

“Shit!”

Urich, with his right eye nearly closed, shouted urgently. The command was startled
and looked at Urich.

“What’s the matter? Things are going as we planned!”

Duke Lungell also urged Urich for an elaboration, bewildered.

“No, signal the standard-bearer again! It's not the left! Send the pikemen back to
their original positions!”

The standard-bearer raised the flag high, sweating profusely. The trumpeter also
sent the signal, but the moving pike units were slow to respond. It took much longer
to return to the original position when units were intermingled.

“A-ah, no!”

The others finally understood Urich’s words.

‘Before, I would have noticed sooner!’

Urich’s vision was not what it used to be. He looked at the cavalry charging from the
left.

“What's coming now isn't the real heavy cavalry charge! The real one is coming from
the right! Send the signal quickly!” Duke Lungell also shouted urgently.

Frustrated, he grabbed the flag himself and waved it to the right. But sending signals
frantically didn't make the army move any faster.

“That ‘Great Carnius’ resorting to such a cheap trick!” The nobles of Porcana fumed.

‘He positioned the heavy cavalry at the front and followed them with light cavalry to
make it seem like there were more.’

Urich gritted his teeth. It wasn’t a cheap trick. It was a good tactic to catch them off
guard.
‘The empire wouldn't have known about the pikemen. They just mixed in a deception
before the real attack. Dammit. This strategy reeks of experience.’

Before the Porcana-Alliance army could even respond, the real heavy cavalry unit
emerged. They were charging toward the right wing at high speed.

“Stick closely together! Solidify the defenses! Here they come!”

The warrior captains on the Porcana-Alliance right wing shouted. They, too, saw the
heavy cavalry charging at them.

The pike units, which had shifted to the left, couldn’t take their positions on the
right. The pikes they were hiding also hindered their movement.

“Do not throw away your pikes!”

The pike unit captain shouted. The excited warriors were itching to throw down
their pikes and rush forward with their heaving shoulders.

‘But rushing without maintaining formation would only result in meaningless deaths.
No matter how slow, we have to keep our formation.’

It was maddening for the barbarian warriors. They had to move in a roundabout way
even with the enemy right in front of them. They wanted to throw aside the
discipline and rush forward.

“What the hell are we doing? We fight! Woooaaaah!”

Some warriors tried to break off from the pike units. They threw down their
cumbersome pikes and drew their swords and axes.

Schluck!

The warrior who was inciting others was speared and fell. The one who thrust the
spear was Olga. He squinted his eyes and glared at the warriors.

“Leave the formation… and you… die… by my hand,” Olga said coldly.

Olga also knew the importance of this strategy. Without the pike units’ contribution,
there was no chance of victory.
‘Discipline… ’ Olga muttered. In this battle, discipline was more important than
bravery and madness.

‘This is a trial for us.’

Olga advanced, looking at the sky. Until now, the alliance army had fought however
they liked and won victories that way. They always had a grand strategy, but didn’t
have to worry about any detailed tactics.

‘If we don't move forward from here, we can't defeat the imperial army. We have to
maintain discipline.’

Olga hated the ban on plundering and various other rules just as much as anyone,
but what he hated even more was losing to the empire.

The empire's deception was successful. The internal movements of the alliance army
became tangled, and the imperial heavy cavalry carved through the right wing of the
Porcana-Alliance army.

“Woooaaaah!”

The warriors charged with a battle cry, but their bravery was meaningless. When the
heavy cavalry swept through, they left behind heaps of bodies skewered by lances.

The charge of the heavy cavalry caused the right wing of the alliance army to waver
greatly. Taking advantage of this gap, the imperial heavy infantry encircled the
alliance army as if they were devouring them. As the right wing of the alliance army
collapsed, the entire formation began to break down.

“Ah, aah! No, this can’t be!”

Screams erupted from the command post. The formation that was broken by the
heavy cavalry's charge was hard to restore. The empire seemed to be devouring the
Porcana-Alliance army.

“We couldn’t even use the pike units!”

Duke Lungell was furious. If the formation of the army collapsed, the pike unit was
practically useless. This wasn’t a problem that could be solved by simply sending out
the conscripts waiting in the rear. They needed a unit strong enough to push back
the imperial heavy infantry.

“Katagi, lead the remaining troops and follow me. We will restore the collapsed right
wing!” Urich shouted as he descended the hill.

“Urich! You need to stay here and command!” Varca shouted.

“Stack those brains of yours and figure out the command yourselves. Are the men
beside you just decorations? The trick they used earlier won't work again, so figure
out where the heavy cavalry is and send us a signal.”

Urich could no longer stand it. He couldn't just watch the mess happening down the
hill while he stood around watching from a safe place.

“Dammit, I was the one blabbering about discipline to the warriors… I guess I can’t
help it either.”

His blood was boiling. He was always going to jump into the battlefield as soon as he
found any excuse to do so, anyway.

“Great Chief! I will handle it. You don't need to go out.”

Katagi followed beside Urich.

“No. Our formations have already crumbled significantly. If I don't step in, we won't
even last until their next charge.”

As the close combat resembling a war of attrition dragged on, the differences
between the two armies became increasingly apparent. It was the difference
between warriors and soldiers.

Peeeeeeep!

The imperial infantry officers blew their whistles. At the sound of the whistle, the
soldiers in the front line extended their shields and retreated, while the soldiers in
the rear rushed forward. The imperial army alternated their frontline at regular
intervals.

The Porcana-Alliance army had no concept of fighting in shifts like the imperial army.
Once they were on the frontline, they simply swung their weapons until they died.
The battle dragged on. The imperial army, fighting efficiently while taking turns to
rest, suffered significantly fewer casualties. Anyone with a bit of sense would know
that alternating was beneficial, but knowing and doing were two very different
things.

“Shift!”

Peeeeeeep!

The infantry officer blew the whistle loudly. The heavy infantry with shields stood
shoulder to shoulder and changed formations.

“Ho!”

The blood-soaked soldiers retreated to catch their breath. The wounded were also
able to withdraw and receive treatment.

The imperial army was the only army in the civilized world who was trained enough
to alternate their lines during battle. This was because they used professional
soldiers as their main force, based on the vast national power. Other kingdoms were
well aware of the system of the empire but could not imitate it.

“Are you running away? You cowardly bastards!”

The warriors shouted, throwing their axes. But fresh soldiers stepped forward in
place of the fatigued, pressing the warriors with their weapons.

Warriors who were exhausted from fighting for a long time. Soldiers who fought in
shifts and had plenty of rest.

Breaking the stalemate and causing chaos was the only way for the warriors to have
a chance at winning as the combat powers of the two forces were similar.

‘To hell with causing chaos, we're at risk of being devoured.’

The chiefs and head warriors frowned as they watched the collapsed right wing. If
the imperial heavy cavalry charged one more time after resupplying their spears, the
right wing would completely collapse. They needed a single moment that could
rectify the broken formation.
Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sound of drums spread.

“What are you idiots dawdling for? Move forward!”

Urich stepped into the front line after arriving on the battlefield. The warriors' eyes
widened, and they roared. The warriors buzzed and their eyes lit up at the news that
their Great Chief had arrived.

“The Great Chief is heeeeeere!”

“Urich is here?”

Even the warriors who were aggressively shrugging from being out of breath turned
to look. Urich and his warriors had reached the right wing.

“Watching you fight was so frustrating that I ran down here, you bastards!”

Urich picked up a spear from the ground and threw it. The spear, which was not built
for throwing, flew far and pierced the body of a heavy infantryman. His chainmail
couldn't stop the hefty spear.

“Uuuuuuuriiiiich!”

The warriors jumped up and shouted. Even the right wing, which had been pushed
back, gradually extended forward again. The reinforcements joining certainly helped,
but it was the presence of the Great Chief that raised the morale of the entire army.
They had a belief that as long as their Great Chief stood on the battlefield, they would
not lose.

“Follow me! We’re going to break through! Rip them apart!”

Urich stood at the forefront of the collapsed right wing. Despite having arrived
merely moments ago, Urich's body was already covered in blood. He destroyed the
enemy's formation with his outstanding combat power and led the warriors. Urich
and the warriors slashed through the enemy like a sharp blade.

Sometimes, a single presence could change the course of the entire battle. Such
individuals were those with superhuman physiques who had earned a fitting
reputation. They were called the heroes of the battlefield and became legends.
Heroes who have survived numerous battles could easily do the work of a thousand
men on the battlefield.

When Urich stepped forward, the warriors leaped into the enemy's formation with
even their slight sense of fear paralyzed. The awl called Urich tore deep into the
enemy lines and spread outward. Soon, the right wing that had collapsed advanced
to a line similar to the other fronts.
“Katagi! Call Olga! Prepare the pike units! They’re gonna be here soon!”

Urich felt that the time had come. His blood-soaked hair stood on end, and a chill ran
down his spine. Even without seeing from the top of the hill, he had a premonition
that the heavy cavalry was about to show themselves.

Buuuup!

Urich’s orders were faster than the command from the hill. Only after Urich gave the
command did the standard-bearer on the hill raise the flag to signal the heavy
cavalry’s location.

“Woah, woaaahhhh!”

Urich shouted and stretched out his front foot. The soldier he kicked was sent flying
back, causing four or five others to tumble down.

Crunch!

Urich swung his axe wide, splitting—more like crushing—the soldier’s helmet.

“Great Chief! Fall back!”

Urich went deep into enemy lines. The warriors following him could no longer
advance. The attacks from soldiers closing in from all sides were fierce.

Listening to the soldiers' pleas, Urich slowly retreated and rejoined the warriors.
Katagi had returned after touching base with Olga.

“Olga and two pike units are on their way. They should be able to get set up in time.”

Katagi was also panting heavily. He had run on foot to be Urich’s personal messenger.
Urich was a warrior by nature. No matter how hard the situation was, he needed to
fight on the battlefield in order for his sharp instincts to come to life. Even if he
couldn't see the overall battle, his keen instincts stood out even more by doing so.

“Give me a pike!”

Urich grabbed a pike and joined the pike unit. The morale of the pike unit soared
with the appearance of the Great Chief. They, too, were eager to fight after being
unable to properly engage due to the empire's deceptive tactics. The frustrated
warriors were just waiting for the chance to clash with the imperial army.

Thump, thump, thump, thump!

The heavy cavalry, already having enjoyed great success once, targeted the right
wing of the Porcana-Alliance army again. With the resupply of the cavalry lances,
they had nothing to fear. Heavy cavalry had always been invincible.

“Move! Move! Don’t just stand there, get out of the way!”

The pike units fell into formation, ready to counter the cavalry. Warriors scattered to
make space for the pike units to form a phalanx.

The heavy cavalry charged fiercely. Even direct volleys of arrows were useless
against them. Knights clad in steel armor were leading the charge, and the curved
surface of their steel plate armor was highly resistant to arrows. Unless extremely
unlucky, they wouldn't even be scratched by such arrow attacks.

“Shoot the horses!”

The warriors who were shooting arrows aimed at the relatively less armored horses
instead of their riders, but even the horses were covered in armor thick enough to
render most arrows useless. The well-trained warhorses charged unafraid despite
the barrage of arrows.

“Woh, wohhhhh!”

The heavy cavalry thrust their lances forward and shouted. The lances fixed in the
lance holder under their armpit had tremendous piercing power. A well-aimed lance
could easily pierce through two people.
“For His Imperial Majesty!”

“Long live the empire!”

“May the Sun God’s blessings be with us!”

The knights shouted their own mottos. Knights from noble families shouted their
family creeds as they fought.

“Die, you barbarian scuuuuums!”

The heavy cavalry were getting closer. One could truly feel their intimidation only
when they faced them directly. They felt nearly three times larger than an average
man, and their combined weight with their horses was ten times that of infantry.
When infantry and heavy cavalry collided, the outcome was obvious.

Facing the heavy cavalry head-on was no different from suicide for infantrymen.

“Do not break the formation! If we die, we die standing here! Fight without shame
before the heavens!”

“Just look at the back of the Great Chief! Urich is standing in front of us!”

“Shoulder to shoulder! Stick to the ones next to you like they’re your wives! If you
scatter, you die!”

“But I don’t have a wife!”

“Then the guy next to you is your wife, you goddamn idiot! I don’t give a shit, go rub
your dick on him or something if you have to!”

The warriors of the pike unit sweated profusely. They were moments away from
colliding with the heavy cavalry.

‘Can we really stop them with these long spears? Those monstrous clumps of armor?’

Even the warriors in the pike units were having doubts as the moment actually
approached.

Sensing the wavering morale, Urich shouted so loudly his throat started bleeding.
“Woooooaaaaaah!”

Urich’s roar spread as if it was contagious. He could taste the blood as it tore. Near
the end of his roar, his voice was so dry it sounded like scraping metal.

The warriors knew that the Great Chief Urich was standing with them. If they failed
here, the Great Chief would die as well. He was the Great Chief who was blessed by
the heavens, the earth, and all spirits.

‘There is no such thing as failure.’

The warriors' thoughts ceased. The heavy cavalry had arrived.

“Piiiiiikes!” The head warriors shouted.

The warriors in the first line lowered their stance and thrust their pikes upward. The
warriors in the second line pointed their pikes straight ahead with a rather awkward
stance, while the warriors in the third line aimed their pikes high at the riders.

“Huh?”

The heavy cavalryman charging at the forefront saw the sharp pike tips but couldn’t
gauge their length while facing them directly. Naturally, he thought they couldn’t be
longer than the cavalry lances.

He thought that even if both he and his enemy were to extend their spears, the
cavalry lance would be the one to land first.

And it didn’t take long for that thought to change. The leading steel knights suddenly
fell off their horses, crashing down. Since they were pushed on by momentum, it
caused the cavalry to scatter and their horses to collide with others.

“Hold your ground!”

“If you’re going to die, die holding your pikes!”

The warriors couldn’t fully grasp the situation either. They just screamed at the top
of their lungs and thrust their pikes forward. They screamed as they felt the heavy
resistance on their pike tips and arms.
Crrrrrunch!

Of course, not all the cavalry lances could be blocked. The tremendous charging force
of the lances and horses toppled the pike units. Tons of warriors were skewered by
pikes and crushed by horses, but even though they were faced with the wave of
heavy cavalry that could kill them with such ease, the warriors did not break
formation.

“Woooaaah!”

The pike units suffered heavy casualties. Most of the warriors in the first line were
killed, entangled with the heavy cavalry. The horrific ends of the first line could have
been enough to make the other warriors flee, but they did not break formation. They
persistently thrust their pikes forward even if it meant that they would be crushed
by the warhorses.

Just being able to exchange casualties with the heavy cavalry as a pike unit was a
tremendous gain.

Buzzzzz!

The knights who had fallen off their horses could not comprehend the situation.
They looked up as blood dripped down their body. The vanguard of the charging
cavalry was nearly annihilated. They became tangled up among themselves, and
even when they managed to advance forward, they were hindered by the pikes. The
startled horses panicked, and the rear heavy cavalry attempted to retreat, sensing
something was wrong.

‘What hit us?’

The knights shook their heads as they stood up. They walked on broken legs and
wielded weapons with twisted arms. Blood trickled from the seams of their armor. It
was the fallen state of the steel knights who were supposed to be invincible.

Horses with broken legs whinnied. Warriors who survived the collision staggered
and threw themselves at the knights. They forced the visors of the knights open and
shoved their blades inside.

Screams echoed everywhere. The heavy cavalry lay scattered from the collision
numbered hundreds. Most of them were key forces of the imperial army, as it was
customary for the steel knights to lead the charge.

"Kaaargh!"

Urich rose from the pile of corpses. Dead warriors and knights lay around him.

The first engagement of the pike unit was successful. The heavy cavalry charged
straight into the pike formation that they never saw coming. It was like rushing into
a death trap. Hundreds of warriors died entangled with the heavy cavalry, but it was
still a significant gain for the alliance. Even if the pike units were annihilated,
bringing down the imperial cavalry was a victory for the alliance army.

‘This is an incredible achievement for an improvised unit.’

Urich wiped the blood from his face. The sticky blood fell like phlegm.

"Why are you idiots just standing around? Advance! Teach them a lesson, you damn
bastards!" Urich shouted to his warriors.

The heavy cavalry's crushing defeat greatly affected the morale of the imperial army.
The heavy cavalry that was supposed to be invincible was unexpectedly defeated.
The warriors gained momentum, and the imperial army was bewildered.

Even the imperial command couldn't understand the current situation. Because they
were watching from afar, they couldn’t figure out why the heavy cavalry was
defeated.

“What in the world just happened?”

Even the composed Carnius was furious. His army had lost most of the steel knights.
They had practically lost the core of the heavy cavalry’s breakthrough power.

Both the Porcana-Alliance army and the imperial army were taken aback. Even the
successful side couldn't believe it and repeatedly checked the battlefield. The heavy
cavalry, who had suffered directly, were still in shock.

“I-I don’t know what happened. There were spears coming out of nowhere…”

“Was it a hedgehog formation?”

“No, that wasn’t it. If it were just spears, we would have stabbed them first. Their
spears… their spears were longer. So long that they managed to stab us first. Even
when crushed by fallen horses and pierced in the neck by broken spears, they held
onto their spears and stood their ground.”

A knight who had returned from the cavalry charge pieced together his memory. His
pupils continued to tremble.

“Just how long were their spears to reach us before our cavalry lances?” The
adjutants murmured. These were pikes that were unheard of in the civilized world.

The armies of the civilized world comprised conscripts, mercenaries, professional

soldiers, and knights. Operating a pike unit capable of countering heavy cavalry
required professional soldiers. But only the empire had such a large number of
professional soldiers, and since they possessed the strongest heavy cavalry, they
didn’t feel the need to develop anti-cavalry weapons.

Weapons and tactics were born out of necessity. It had been over two years since the
western plunderers first clashed with the imperial army. The barbarians didn’t stop
at absorbing the weapons and strategies of civilization but went further.

‘This is the introduction of tactics and units that hadn’t existed before.’

Carnius realized what the alliance army had done. They had created tactics and units
to counter the imperial heavy cavalry. In the past, heavy cavalry hadn’t been very
effective in the north due to the snowy terrains. Additionally, the conservative
northerners were not able to come up with countermeasures like pike units.

‘These barbarians could be more threatening than the northerners.’

Carnius was anxious. He had no idea how many pike units there were. Their scale
was unknown. Even if they wanted to respond, they had no experience. Veteran
commanders were people who solved current problems through past experiences.
Generals who have aged were quite far from creative tactics.

‘There were cases of blocking heavy cavalry with pointed stakes. But this is like moving
stakes. They don’t fear clashing with the heavy cavalry even if it means them dying.’

Having experienced one victory, they would have gained confidence. On the other
hand, the heavy cavalry of the imperial army was completely demoralized after a
severe beating. There were no knights willing to charge at the moment. The brave
knights who had led the charge did not return to the imperial camp.

“They seem poised for a full-scale offensive. Their rear units are moving as well.”

Carnius received reports from all directions.

The Porcana-Alliance army didn’t let their momentum go to waste. They mobilized
even their reserve units with the intention to crush the imperial army in one go.
Their morale soared as they witnessed the devastation of the heavy cavalry.

“Huff, huff.”

Carnius took deep breaths. Getting aggravated wasn’t going to yield any answers.
Everyone was looking at Carnius. They waited for a solution to come from his mouth.

Squeak.

Carnius donned his helmet. He looked at the remaining heavy cavalry. There were
still two thousand left.

“I will lead the cavalry.”

Carnius took a cavalry lance from his squire. The adjutants didn’t try to stop him, as
only Carnius could resolve the current situation.

‘We’ll hit the rear of the force that’s launching the full-scale attack. We just have to
climb the hill and smash their command.’

The Porcana-Alliance army had committed all their forces forward. They knew they
had to ride the current momentum. Only a small number of troops guarded the
Porcana-Alliance command on the hill.

“General, there's only one path we can take due to the last exchange. If they realize
we’re moving, they’ll deploy their troops there.”

An adjutant donned his helmet and followed.

“If they block us, we’ll just have to break through. Isn’t that what knights do?”
Carnius said, closing his visor.
The imperial army needed a decisive move to change the tide of the battlefield. The
Porcana-Alliance army launched a full-scale attack, and the right wing under Urich’s
command devoured the imperial army from one side as they encircled them. No
matter how strong the imperial army was, it would be hard to last if their formation
was overwhelmed like that.

‘This is strange.’

Carnius closed his eyes and opened them again. He looked at the right wing of the
Porcana-Alliance army.

‘That side has an unusually high morale and breakthrough power. There must be an
extraordinary field commander. I remember seeing something like this before… ’

Carnius traced his old memories. In his youth, he had fought alongside the Sword
Demon Ferzen.

‘Something similar happened whenever the Sword Demon Ferzen led his army at the
forefront.’

The legendary knight was not only exceptional in command. There was something
indescribable. When he took the field, the soldiers forgot their fear. His mere
presence was a halo to the soldiers.

He made his entire army stronger not through logical strategies and tactics but
through his mere existence. Such a presence wasn’t something that could be
mimicked by anyone. It was as if these people were chosen by the gods, born with
such talents.

‘A blessing of the gods.’

Carnius smiled bitterly.

“Bring my horse!”

The cavalry who had gone out returned to change horses. Many horses were injured
by the pike phalanx, and the horses that made it out almost collapsed from
undergoing two charges.

“Hurry up!”

Supply soldiers and squires moved busily. They took the armor off the horses and
put it on other horses.

‘If we don’t break the momentum of that right wing, our front line will be pushed back.
We need something that can change this flow.’

Carnius looked at the battlefield while mounted on his horse. The imperial army,
which had maintained superiority in an equal standoff, was now unable to properly
carry out shift battles while defending the flank. If they got pushed any further, a
chaotic battle would ensue, which was exactly what the barbarians wanted.

The pride of the imperial army lay in their discipline, organization, and ability to
perfectly maintain formation according to the commander’s tactics. If that collapsed,
the imperial infantry would be no more than just slightly better soldiers.

“General, the preparations are complete.”

Carnius nodded. He took the lead on his horse. Two thousand heavy cavalry
followed, along with three thousand light cavalry. The heavy and light cavalry
combined numbered over five thousand.

The light cavalry were mostly mercenaries or wealthy commoners. While good
discipline and combat power couldn’t be expected from them, the number one
priority at the moment was increasing the numbers.

“Follow General Carniuuuuus!”

“Long live the Sun!”

“We have Lou’s blessings on our backs!”

The knights shouted to boost morale, but despite their efforts, their morale wasn’t as
high as it was for the first and second charges.

‘Their spears are longer than our lances.’

Confronting them head-on was not an option. There was no way to break through
the pike phalanx with the current equipment of the imperial army.

Carnius led the cavalry to circle around to the side of the alliance army. His eyes
constantly scanned the battlefield.

Thwip!

An arrow came flying from afar. The heavy cavalry that were gradually increasing
their speed made good targets.

Most of the steel knights who protected the front and sides of the heavy cavalry had
fallen in the previous charge. The light cavalry were fully exposed in the rear ranks,
and even many of the heavy cavalry were injured by arrows because they were only
protected by their chainmail.

‘Where should we go?’

Carnius bit his lip.

Now that he had actually brought out the cavalry, he couldn’t decide on what to do
next. Every direction seemed like a dead end. Even with accumulated experience and
knowledge, he couldn’t see a way to break through. The current path was also as
good as a dead end.

“General! We’re about to clash!” The adjutant shouted.

The heavy cavalry in front increased their speed. They held their lances at their sides
and braced for the imminent impact.

Carnius narrowed his eyes. The world seemed to slow down, just like when a blade
was grazing his throat. The lives of thousands of soldiers depended on his judgment.

Buzzzz.

It was a strange feeling, one he had never felt before.

It felt like he could even sense the elasticity of the passing arrows. Sounds were
divided and heard in fragments. His eyes were staring at the heat of the battlefield.
Indescribable intuitions welled up.

“To the leeeeeeft!” Carnius shouted as he rushed out to the forefront. He pulled the
reins hard, changing direction right in front of the alliance army.

Thud, thud, thud!

The cavalry, who couldn’t respond in time to the sudden shift in direction, crashed
into the alliance army and died.

“General!” The adjutants shouted, not understanding Carnius’ actions. Innocent

cavalry were thrown out and killed.

“There! We’re going over there!” Carnius shouted like a madman.

Carnius had managed to pick out the location of the Porcana conscripts amidst the
chaotic battlefield.

It wasn’t a certainty borne out of logic. He had simply sensed the subtle flow of the
battlefield like a wild dog. He trusted his intuition, which was the culmination of his
years of experience. Normally, Carnius would have never done such a thing.

For the first time, Carnius used a gamble with zero certainty as a tactic. In the
aligned formation, there was a point where the imperial army had an advantage. It
was a subtle difference, but it was crucial, nonetheless.

“Ahhhh! Get out of the way!”

Carnius grabbed the horn trumpet on his horse and sent a signal. His cavalry wore
down their horses’ legs to prevent the pike units from catching up to them. The
turning and twisting cavalry couldn’t be caught by a small pike unit.

“Follow the General!”

The adjutants had no choice but to trust Carnius. He tried to break through the
alliance formation by cutting through the heavy infantry of the imperial army.

“Kaaargh!”
It was an unplanned operation. The sudden action by Carnius didn’t give the heavy
infantry enough time to make way. Many were trampled by the cavalry of their own
army.

‘Has the general gone mad?’

Even the adjutants were puzzled. They still placed their trust in him and followed,
but it felt like death was creeping closer. The sudden turn by Carnius had resulted in
dozens of casualties, and now they were trampling their own formation.

The adjutants knew this war also served Carnius’ personal revenge. Given the
worsening situation, it wasn’t strange for Carnius to take a risky move.

‘Even the Iron Blood knight… ’

But they were already charging on their horses. Even if they died, they were only
going to do so in the heart of the enemies. The knights followed Carnius blindly like
sheep.

“General! The light cavalry are deserting.”

“Leave them!”

The light cavalry, sensing something was wrong, deserted the battlefield and
scattered. Made up of mercenaries and peasants, the light cavalry were more like
loot hunters with no loyalty. They avoided full-scale battles as much as possible.

The desertion of the light cavalry led to a decline in the imperial army’s morale. The
situation was headed toward the worst possible scenario for the imperial army.

“Chaaaaarge!”

Carnius shouted as he threw off his helmet upon reaching the front of the Porcana-
Alliance army after trampling over his own men. His voice, unrestrained by the
helmet, echoed loudly in the ears of the knights.

“Goddammiiiiiiiit!”

The knights also tucked their spears under their arms and charged forward.
Crunch! Snap!

The sound of flesh being crushed and bones breaking shook the battlefield. The
charge of the heavy cavalry, which had lost most of its steel knights before this clash,
was significantly weakened. On top of that, having circled around for quite some
time had also drained the strength in the horses’ legs.

“Push forwaaaaaard!”

Despite this, Carnius' cavalry managed to pierce through the center of the Porcana-
Alliance army. The knights who broke through looked around in shock. The soldiers
impaled on their spears were just ragtag conscripts.

‘Did the general know that this was their weak spot… in this chaotic battlefield…?’

The adjutants stared at Carnius in astonishment.

“Don’t just stand there! Draw your weapons!”

The sacrifices of the heavy cavalry were not insignificant, but they had accomplished
what they thought was impossible. They drew their swords and maces, preparing for
the next battle.

“Our target is the top of that hill! If we occupy it, we can annihilate their command!”

Carnius pulled hard on the reins as if he wasn’t tired at all while even his horse was
drenched in sweat from exhaustion.

Clang!

Carnius struck his horse's flank with the flat of his blade. The startled horse
mustered its remaining strength and ran.

The cavalry rushed toward the hill before the Porcana-Alliance forces could
surround them. However, injured or exhausted horses collapsed and fell to their
knees.

“General, leave the rear to us.”

The knights who lost their horses stood shoulder to shoulder, facing the enemies
rushing toward them. Dozens of knights were practically trapped within the
formation of the Porcana-Alliance army.

“We saw a rare spectacle today. The general was unlike his usual self.”

The knights laughed as they swung their swords in circles. They wouldn’t have
followed Carnius’ reckless charge if they were going to be scared now.

“Lou is waiting for us.”

The stranded knights fought with a roar, but no matter how brave, they couldn’t
stand against the barbarian warriors and soldiers coming from all directions. The
knights all became corpses shortly after.

Carnius moved forward without looking back as if he had turned into an arrow. He
had lost even the knights who had served alongside him for a long time.

‘Ah, so this is how you felt, Lord Ferzen.’

Instead of sorrow, laughter came out. In his youth had watched Ferzen’s charges
from behind. At first, he thought it was reckless, but as the reckless charges
succeeded not just once or twice, it became legendary.

‘There are things you just can’t see until you stand in the spot yourself.’

Carnius had always hesitated to take that one extra step. He never took action unless
he could be logically certain. However, there were things that could only be seen by
throwing oneself into uncertainty.

At first, he planned to concentrate all the cavalry as the only breakthrough. It was a
desperate gamble with the resolve to die. But when he got closer to the alliance
army, only then did another path appear. Though he could not be certain, Carnius
chose the latter path.

Thud.

Halfway up the hill, the horses fell to their knees out of exhaustion. The horses had
carried the armed knights while wearing armor themselves. It was impressive that
they were able to endure this far.
Clank, clank.

The dismounted knights ran up the hill. Their hearts felt like they would burst, but
they knew this was their last chance.

“Oooooh!”

On top of the hill, Porcana’s heavy cavalry, who were guarding the command, were
descending. Five hundred heavy cavalry charged down the hill and clashed with
Carnius’ unit.

Bo—om!

Carnius dodged the spear of the charging heavy cavalry and swung his sword long.
He broke the horse’s leg, and the knocked-off heavy cavalry had their necks snapped
and died.

“Do you think you can beat us with the tactics you stole from us?” Carnius shouted,
raising his bloodshot eyes.

The knights faced the heavy cavalry and responded calmly without fear. The
difference in skill between the empire and the kingdom was evident here. The highly
trained imperial knights were deadly weapons even without their horses. They
blocked the attacking heavy cavalry with maces and swords.

The few remaining steel knights even withstood the iron lances with their bodies
and survived. The curved surfaces of the steel armor deflected the crude spears to
the side. They were able to get away with only broken bones, even with direct hits.
The kingdom’s iron lances couldn’t easily penetrate the steel armor.

“My god!” Duke Lungell shouted from the top of the hill upon seeing Porcana’s heavy
cavalry being overwhelmed.

Despite holding the advantageous hill, the heavy cavalry fell helplessly. Many of
Porcana’s heavy cavalry were only now experiencing mounted charges in actual
combat for the first time. They were not as seasoned as the knights of the empire.

“Call back our troops at the front! Quickly!” The nobles shouted, stomping their feet.

No matter how advantageous the situation was for their army, it was all pointless if
they died here. The forces they had with them on the hill were a thousand
infantrymen, and even their morale was plummeting after seeing the heavy cavalry
at the front being defeated so easily.

It was a mistake to commit all their forces to overturn the unfavorable situation.
Even the heavy cavalry, believed to be sufficient for protection, powerlessly rolled
down the hill.

The number of knights climbing the hill after abandoning their horses was over a
thousand at a glance. The blood-soaked imperial knights were more threatening
than thousands of soldiers.

“We must flee, Your Highness!”

The nobles hurriedly mounted their horses. They were fully prepared to abandon
the command and flee.

“If we abandon this place, who will command the rest of our troops? Even if we
survive that way, who will be loyal to us in the future?” Varca spoke calmly.

He tightened the belt of his chainmail. Raising both hands, he donned his helmet
adorned with a crown symbol. His blue eyes gleamed beneath the helmet’s shadow.

‘The imperial knights are just as anxious. Our troops who were in formation are
already retreating to save us.’

Varca narrowed his eyes, looking at the approaching mountain goat warriors. The
agile detachment was coming to save the command.

“The situation is in our favor. Stay calm, guardians of Porcana! Look at them! They
are exhausted to the point of stumbling. Their swords will not reach us.”

Varca encouraged the soldiers, stepping forward. His noble appearance was proving
its worth. Upon seeing the kingly demeanor bestowed by the heavens, the soldiers
prayed as if they were facing Lou himself.

“The enemy has split into two,” a Porcana knight said beside Varca.

Carnius’ unit that was climbing the hill had split up. Half stayed behind to stop the
mountain goat warriors while the other half continued to rush up the hill.
Huff, huff.

Wheezing sounds came from among the imperial knights. The exhaled breath was
blocked by the helmet and was inhaled back through the nose.

Though exhausted, the imperial knights’ valor was fiercer than ever. The success of
the seemingly reckless charge gave them a feeling that the protection of their god
was with them.
“Archers, ready!” Varca shouted as he drew his sword.

His voice resonated clearly among the soldiers. Although he didn’t have much talent
in commanding an army, just the presence of the king alone was enough to boost the
soldiers' morale.

Creaaak!

The archers pulled back their bowstrings. Varca raised his sword high and then
brought it down.

“Shields!”

Imperial knights in chainmail raised their shields to block the incoming arrows.

‘My whole body is aching.’

Carnius practically crawled up the hill. The last line of the Porcana defense was in
sight.

“If only I were ten years younger…”

Carnius chuckled as he watched the knights climbing the hill ahead of him. The
knights fought the enemy without hesitation as if they were a suicide squad. Carnius'
reckless actions had ignited their morale.

‘This whole plan wasn’t really like myself to begin with.’

Carnius spat bloody phlegm onto the ground. His heart and lungs felt like they were
going to burst. He thought his lifespan was probably reduced by a decade even if he
managed to survive this battle. It was a fight that abused his entire body.

‘Don’t even think about surviving. Fight with the resolve to bury your bones here and
die.’

If one left something behind before a battle, they couldn’t give their all in the fight.
The Sword Demon Ferzen had no attachments for this very reason. He had neither
children nor a wife so he could die without regrets at any time.

‘Lord Ferzen, you gave up everything to live the life of a knight. You tossed aside even
the basic human pleasures and comfort… ’

To become a great knight, one had to give up everything and sacrifice. Living a happy
life while becoming a great person was difficult. The life of becoming a great person
belonged only to those who suffered endless pain and struggled in despair.

‘That's probably why I could never surpass Ferzen.’

Carnius wanted a happy life. He wanted to die peacefully with his wife and son by his
side.

“Such a complacent person could never receive Lou's blessing.”

But now, things were different. His mind was sharp as if he was possessed by a
divine spirit. He could see things he hadn't seen before and felt capable of things he
once thought impossible.

“Oooh, Lou.”

Carnius kissed the sun-ornamented hilt of his sword and climbed the hill. The
knights who had arrived first were cutting down Porcana soldiers and clearing a
path.

“Grant us the strength to defeat these heretics. We need the courage to protect
innocent people now. Do not let our land be trampled by barbarians who know no
mercy or love,” Carnius prayed as he walked among the knights. The knights also
recited prayers or the mottos of their houses.

“King Varca!”

Carnius shouted, seeing Varca standing behind the soldiers.

Varca flinched and looked at the imperial knights who had approached within
shouting distance.

“You will pay for allying with heretics and threatening the empire and the civilized
world! Shame on you!”

Carnius' voice thundered. His claim was extremely threatening, fitting for a seasoned
general. Varca shrank back without even realizing it.

“If you want to talk about true shame, go talk to your emperor, general! Can’t you see
the disaster brought by the empire's tyranny?” Varca shouted back, not giving in.
Carnius' bloodshot eyes were terrifying.

The remaining imperial knights on the hillside did their part as the barrier. Even the
mountain goat warriors couldn't easily break through while Carnius aimed for the
Porcana-Alliance command.

The mountain goat warriors had superior mobility, but their small stature hindered
their ability to perform in frontal battles. They couldn't easily overthrow the
steadfast knights.

“Kaaargh!”

Carnius dragged his exhausted old body and cut down the enemy soldiers. The
almost miraculous swordsmanship of a knight who had wielded a sword all his life
was impressive. Soldiers who had only practiced thrusting their spears against
scarecrows were no match and died helplessly to the knights.

Swish!

A spear aimed at Carnius’ neck. Carnius twisted his head and swung his sword
without even looking. The soldier with the spear fell to the ground, scattering blood.

‘Leo.’

His old heart boiled. Passion burned just like it did in his youth. His heart, which
seemed it would never beat again, thumped as it consumed his son's death.

‘I could never surpass Ferzen in my lifetime myself, so who did I think I was to try to
raise you as a knight… ’
He had tried to pass on the life of a knight living in Ferzen's shadow to his son.
Despite living his life constantly compared to the Sword Demon Ferzen, he had
forced the same life on his son. It was shameless and embarrassing.

‘You probably never got to say that the Iron Blood Carnius was better than the Sword
Demon Ferzen. Everyone knew that Ferzen was the best.’

Leo grew up hearing that his father was always inferior to someone. If Carnius hadn’t
raised his son as a knight, he wouldn’t have passed on his inferiority complex.

“I’ve lived a shameful life,” Carnius muttered, exhaling his breath that smelled of
exhaustion. He hadn't even tried to understand his son's feelings, who couldn't say
his father was the best.

A father should be the best in the eyes of his child. That was the duty and mission of
a father. A man his child could admire as a role model without doubt.

“General!”

The knights rushed out to protect Carnius. No matter how much spirit he had, he
couldn’t overcome his aged body. As his stamina declined, his fingers trembled, and
his vision significantly narrowed.

“Push! We just have to push a bit more!” The knights shouted.

Porcana’s infantry, having lost their morale, began to throw down their weapons and
flee.

“Hold the line! Reinforcements will arrive soon! Anyone who deserts will be dealt
with by strict military law!” The nobles of Porcana shouted, grabbing fleeing soldiers
by the back of their necks.

“My lord! I have two children… Kagh!”

The nobles of Porcana beheaded the fleeing soldiers to prevent the others from
doing the same. It was a brutal measure, but without it, the soldiers would all run
away. Varca also turned a blind eye and encouraged the soldiers.

Thud, thud, thud!

Dozens of mounted warriors burst out from the alliance army. They charged up the
hill to support the command post.

Urich gritted his teeth and spurred his horse. It was a hastily assembled cavalry of
warriors who knew how to ride. Naturally, except for Urich, they looked awkward on
horseback. Mounted combat was out of the question.

‘The empire’s heavy cavalry chose not to bypass and penetrated directly to break
through the weakest point.’

It was just like when Urich broke through the front of the imperial army. Acting on
impulse by directly observing the battle instead of making rational decisions was the
trait and privilege of the field commander.

‘I didn’t think he’d go straight for the command post. Impressive. I thought he was just
a stuck-up oldie.’

Urich smirked.

“Signal the mountain goat warriors!”

Katagi blew a horn and waved a spear with a red cloth tied to it, signaling a
simultaneous attack. The knights blocking reinforcements at the foot of the hill were
hit from both sides by the mountain goat warriors and Urich’s charge.

“Ooooooooh!”

Urich jumped off his horse. The warriors also dismounted and faced off against the
knights.

Thwiwiwip!

The knights were disoriented by the arrows from the mountain goat warriors
attacking from behind. They could only defend from one direction.

Thump!

Urich and the warriors thumped on the imperial knights' shields.

“Hooooaaaah!”
Urich kicked the imperial shields forcefully. Even the heavy knights of the empire fell
over from his strength.

“Oooooh!”

Urich took a spear from a nearby warrior and quickly thrust it. The spear pierced
through the chainmail and into the flesh.

“Push forward!”

The number of warriors climbing the hill only increased. Quick-witted warriors
acted independently without being given orders. Due to the lack of discipline, there
were many who deserted their posts to join Urich as well.

“Hoh! We are here, Great Chief!”

Some chiefs sent their fastest warriors up the hill even though Urich hadn’t ordered.
The alliance's chiefs and thousand-man-unit captains were all seasoned veterans. As
they had fought all their battles thus far based on intuition alone, they were excellent
at dealing with unexpected situations.

The knights guarding the bottom of the hill wavered and merged with Carnius’ army.
Carnius’ forces were now surrounded on all sides. The resistance from the command
post was unexpectedly strong, delaying the mission.

“It was a good fight, general. What a pity.”

“It was an honor to fight with you men,” Carnius said to his knights

Carnius and his knights knew their end was near. They bid farewell to their
comrades with heavy breaths.

“…General, you must escape.”

A knight who had barely managed to grab a hold of a horse approached Carnius. If
the barbarians coming up the hill completed their encirclement, escape would be
impossible.

“What are you saying!” Carnius shouted angrily.

The adjutants and knights exchanged glances and nodded.

“If you escape, we will surrender. The king of Porcana will ransom us at best, but he
will not kill us. That wouldn’t be the case if we were dealing only with the
barbarians, but the king and nobles of Porcana are civilized and honorable.”

“You want me to flee alone? Are you trying to disgrace me?”

“Porcana will let us live, but you, General Carnius, they will kill without a doubt. You
were extremely threatening today. So, survive and command the imperial army one
more time. The empire needs the experience you have from fighting the plunderers
multiple times. There will be many more opportunities to gather an army and fight,
but if you are captured here, the empire loses all those chances.”

The adjutant grabbed the reins and urged him.

“I-I can’t run away from this battle.”

“Are you going to die without avenging your son, general!” The adjutant shouted.

Carnius grimaced and mounted the horse.

“Make way! Fight with everything you’ve got until the general makes it out!”

The adjutant shouted. The knights abandoned their attempt to capture the command
post and moved toward a weaker part of the encirclement. About ten knights
gathered their horses and clung to Carnius, acting as bodyguards.

“Escort the general to safety, even if it costs your lives,” the adjutant urged the
knights.

The knights fought fiercely to extract Carnius. The mounted Carnius and his escort
knights attempted to escape through the path created by the knights.

“Ooooooooh!”

The Porcana soldiers guarding the command cheered, celebrating their victory. The
famously formidable imperial knights were tucking their tails and running for their
lives.
The entire imperial army was retreating. The Porcana-Alliance army pursued them
relentlessly.

“Get me a horse! We have to chase them down!”

Urich abandoned the remaining imperial knights and readied his horse. His eyes
were fixed on Carnius. Even in the chaos, he picked out his target.

‘We can’t let him escape. He is going to become a huge threat.’

Carnius was a commander who had fought the alliance multiple times. It would be
fortunate for the western plunderers if he was demoted for his defeat, but if he was
given another opportunity to lead an army, he would become a formidable enemy.

‘He made an unexpected assault. I didn’t expect him to break through that part and
target our command. He’s a commander who knows how to read the flow of battle.’

Urich felt a strange kinship with Carnius’ actions today. He understood and
empathized with why Carnius made such decisions. The flow of battles was not
always rational. Each and every one of the soldiers on the battlefield was a living
being, and this made their morale, though invisible, crucial.

It was impossible to comprehend all the variables on the battlefield with one’s head.
Sometimes, reckless intuition was needed to catch the enemy by surprise.

‘We cannot lose him.’

Urich wanted to send the mountain goat warriors in pursuit, but even the battle
goats were exhausted. Unlike horses, there were no replacements for them, either.

“Gather the horses that aren’t panting!”

There were horses scattered all over the battlefield, a mix of friendly and enemy
mounts. The warriors, following Urich’s command, captured the horses.

“Urich! Don’t overdo it! The battle here isn’t over yet!”

Varca came down the blood-soaked hill. The imperial resistance was still alive.
Although victory seemed almost certain, the strength of the imperial army always
unsettled their enemies.
“Shut up. We can’t let Carnius get away. If we lose him here, we’ve basically lost half
of our battle today,” Urich shouted firmly, pulling the reins. He wasn’t going to be able
to relax until Carnius was dead.

Urich hastily formed a pursuit team and chased after Carnius.

‘They’re coming after us.’

After barely escaping the battlefield, Carnius frowned upon seeing the pursuers. The
shame of fleeing was almost unbearable.

“General, throwing your life away here will not be an act of courage,” a knight spoke
as if he read Carnius’ mind.

“Heeeeyyyy! Carnius! Let’s settle this like men!”

The voice, though quite distant, sounded like it was coming from right behind him.
The brash and loud voice echoed through the woods.

Carnius instantly recognized the voice.

‘Urich the barbarian.’

After this battle, Urich's fame would spread widely throughout the civilized world. It
would become a fear incomparable to his previous renown. The conqueror from the
west, one more terrifying than the Mijorn the Brave of the north.

Carnius smirked bitterly. A being too frightening to be dismissed as a mere barbarian

was chasing after him.

‘He is a beast that might destroy the civilized world.’

The Sun priests said that the plunderers from the west were Lou's judgment. They
were the divine punishment released upon the civilized people who had lived
indulgently, violating the teachings of Lou. The priests claimed that this was why the
civilized people were not receiving Lou's protection.

"They dare to prattle on after just one victory!"

The knights escorting Carnius exploded in anger. Voices mocking the imperial army's
defeat were heard from behind.

‘This defeat will bring many threats to the empire.’

Carnius felt the weight on his shoulders. He had lost many elite knights. The
retreating imperial army had lost over half of its forces.

‘Even if I return alive, I will be met with reproach and criticism.’

The responsibility for defeat was heavy. Carnius had already failed despite being
given a second chance. There might not be a third chance. His political rivals would
do anything to seize this opportunity to reduce Carnius' influence.

‘But if not me, who will defend the empire from these people?’

Carnius bit his lips hard. He wanted to take his own life immediately from all the
disgrace and guilt.

‘If anyone besides me fights them while still dismissing them as mere barbarians, they’ll
end up just like me. I must lead the army again, no matter what humiliation I have to
endure… ’

The nobles of the empire would not understand Carnius' resolve. They would
undoubtedly whisper that he was a shameless old man. People would blame Carnius
for his incompetence while reminiscing about the Sword Demon Ferzen.

‘I will swallow this disgrace and survive.’

But there was no guarantee that he would win the next battle. If Carnius lost once
more, he would be despised by all civilized people.

A senile old man and a foolish knight who knew neither honor nor shame. A fool who
refused to make peace due to his personal vengeance, leading the civilized world to
ruin. Historians would record Carnius' incompetence with all their malice.

“Even if that’s the case…”

Carnius chose the life of shame. He felt the horse's movement and briefly closed his
eyes before opening them again. His haggard eyes were dark. Blood was flowing out
of his collapsed gums from clenching his teeth too hard.

Urich's pursuit unit couldn’t seem to catch up to Carnius. The forest paths favored
the fleeing side.

"Argh!"

A warrior riding beside Urich fell off his horse after hitting a tree. Except for Urich,
everyone else was inexperienced in horseback riding. It was difficult to navigate the
forest path full of rocks and trees.

"Idiots!" Urich cursed as he kicked his horse's side.

‘Shit, I wouldn’t expect anything less from knights who’ve ridden horses all their lives.’

He wasn’t getting any closer to Carnius. Urich frowned and took a deep breath.
"Heeeeeeey! Carniuuuuuus! Don’t you want to know how your son died?"

Urich's voice echoed through the forest. The leaves rustled roughly.

"General, ignore him! It's a childish provocation!" The knights said as they ground
their teeth. They too wanted to turn around and fight.

"Your son begged pathetically for his life like a coward, begging to be spared.
Everything makes sense now! He must have taken after his father, the ultimate
coward! You know what they say: like father, like son!"

Urich shouted at the top of his lungs. His sarcastic tone grated on Carnius and the
knights' nerves.

Grip.

Carnius clenched his fist. His face turned bright red. Blood flowed from under his
lips.

"Grghhhh."

Carnius groaned as veins rose on his face. His face twisted to the point it no longer
looked human. Even the knights fell silent at the sight of Carnius' face.

"Hmm, what was it that he said as he died? Daddy? Did he say daddy? Nope, he cried
for his mommy like a little bitch. Well, no wonder a kid raised under such a coward
turned out the way he did! You sure he didn’t sneak into some dudes’ beds at night,
playing the woman?"

Urich shouted at the top of his lungs, sweating profusely. He said whatever that came
to his mind, thinking he must not lose Carnius. Despite what his tone suggested,
Urich was also desperate.

‘I can't catch up. If this doesn’t work, I’ll lose him.’

The warriors chasing alongside Urich fell off their horses one by one, unable to
endure the rough forest path. Now, only about ten were left.

‘Where is my son's honor?’

Carnius' mind was blank. Consequences were not on his mind.

"General!"

That was all the knights could say. How could they tell him to ignore such words
when his dead son was being so severely insulted?

"Run away all you want, Carnius! The man who murdered your son is right here, yet
you're running away! I, Urich, am right here!"

Finally, Carnius looked back. His eyes, ominous like those of an evil spirit, stared at
Urich.

‘The number of pursuers is only about ten.’

Combining Carnius and the knights, they outnumbered the pursuers. They could
turn their horses around and kill them, then continue with their escape.

"I…”

Carnius muttered. The knights waited for his next words.

“…cannot take this anymore."

The knights nodded, closing their visors. This could turn out to be an opportunity.
Killing the leader of the plunderers here would greatly benefit the empire.

‘This is a chance to make up for the defeat.’

Rage was the fundamental reason for the knights turning their horses. They couldn't
bear Urich's insults. The opportunity to make up for the defeat was nothing but an
excuse. Without Urich's provocation, they would have never even considered turning
around to fight.

"Great Chief! Those bastards are coming!"

A warrior shouted. The knights were charging at Urich through the forest path.

‘Damn, mounted combat is not good for us.’

Urich snapped back to reality. Both sides had a similar number of men. There was no
sure win.

"Let's go! Kill theeeeem!"

There was no other choice. Urich and the warriors clashed head-on with the knights.

Craaash!

People were falling off their horses left and right. Knights and warriors tangled
together, hitting the ground. Those still on horseback circled and charged again.

"Barbarian Uriiiiiiich!" Carnius shouted, raising his sword high.

He drove his horse fiercely toward Urich. Urich also grabbed his reins and charged.

Clang!

Swords clashed. Carnius grimaced as he felt like his arm was about to pop out of the
socket.

‘What tremendous strength.’

Carnius nearly fell off his horse but managed to hold on. He heard the sound of
something falling over.

"Kagh! Shit!"

Urich, having lost his balance, tumbled along with his horse. Though he had won in
strength, he lacked in mounted combat.

"Dumbass horse! This would have been a piece of cake with Kylios!"

Urich kicked the head of the horse whose leg broke. He picked up his sword again
with his aching body.

"Urich the barbarian, you will pay for insulting my son," Carnius muttered as if
praying, holding his sword blade to his nose.

‘Finally, the opportunity has come, Leo.’

He felt a sense of relief. Leo’s enemy was right in front of him.

‘Oh, Lou, please help me. You can take everything I have, so just help me.’

Carnius pulled on the reins. He lowered his posture and charged at Urich.

‘I’ll kill you with my axe, you old shit.’

Urich reached behind his waist. He waited until Carnius was within range.

Whoosh!

Urich’s hand moved swiftly. Throwing axes was one of Urich’s favorite skills.

Clang!

Carnius raised his sword and deflected the axe. Urich’s axe bounced off and lodged
into a tree.

‘An attack is easy to block if you know it’s coming.’

Carnius had anticipated Urich’s axe throw. This wasn’t his first time dealing with a
barbarian.

“Haha.”

Urich laughed, gripping the hilt of his sword with both hands.

Schriiing!

The swords of the two men clashed long. Urich kicked the horse's knee with his leg.

“Neigh!”

The horse lost its balance and fell over. Urich pounced on the falling Carnius and
thrust his sword down.

Schluck!

Carnius rolled quickly even as he fell. Urich’s sword struck the dirt. It did not come
out easily as it was embedded quite deeply.

“Huff!”

Urich grabbed a rock from the ground and hurled it. The rock struck Carnius on the
forehead, making him stagger as he held his head.

Crack!

Urich took the chance to pull his sword from the ground.

“Wooooaaaah!”

Suddenly, a knight aimed at Urich’s back without him realizing.

“Great Chief!” A warrior shouted, seeing Urich in danger.

It was a chaotic battle where warriors and knights were entangled. Urich bent down
to dodge the knight’s sword.

‘Shit.’

Carnius didn’t miss this opportunity and attacked Urich. Urich, despite his size,
moved nimbly, rolling backward like doing somersaults.

“Huff, huff.”

Urich’s shoulders heaved. Carnius, too, was panting, trying to catch his breath. The
exhaustion was much more severe for the older Carnius.

Urich watched the knight approaching him. Everyone had fallen off their horses and
were fighting on foot in a melee.

Schring! Clang!

The knight targeting the exhausted Urich fell lifelessly. Urich had struck the knight’s
face with his axe.

“Nice try.”
Urich kicked the knight’s head and broke his neck. He walked toward Carnius as he
crossed his axe and sword.

‘His speech and actions are frivolous, but he is stronger than anyone I’ve fought
against.’

Carnius acknowledged Urich’s prowess. The status of leader of the plunderers was
fully deserved. Urich’s fame that had spread throughout the civilized world was no
lie. Calling him a legendary warrior wouldn’t be an overstatement.

‘The frivolous provocations were just a guise.’

Carnius looked quietly into Urich’s eyes. The opponent wasn’t an emotional
barbarian but a cold-hearted warrior. He was a man who had chased him down using
every trick to ensure he didn’t escape.

“I was worried you might just get away like that.”

Urich muttered, looking at Carnius.

“I saw right through your obvious provocation. I just decided to fall for it, Urich the
barbarian.”

Hearing that, Urich shrugged his shoulders.

“My ass. You just didn’t have the courage and patience to endure disgrace and
humiliation.”

Urich sneered. Carnius, infuriated, charged.

Clang!

Urich extended his arm and swung his sword. Carnius’ arm, unable to withstand
Urich’s strength, was forced upward.

Crunch!

Urich swung his axe rhythmically, targeting Carnius’ head like a hammer. Carnius
twisted his upper body to avoid the axe’s trajectory. The axe grazed the armor
covering his neck. The sloped plate armor deflected the attack with ease. It was the
highest technology of the empire, befitting the armor of a general.

A life-or-death blow was exchanged.

“Spit!”

Urich spat on Carnius’ face. The thick saliva, mixed with blood and phlegm, hit
Carnius’ eyes.

The spit blurred his vision, but he couldn’t easily wipe it away due to his steel
gauntlets.

“You should’ve kept your helmet on!”

Urich shouted and seized the opportunity. He began slashing wildly with his axe and
sword. Urich struck Carnius’ arm with the axe, breaking it. Then, he wedged his
sword underneath the breastplate.

Riiip!

There was the sound of Carnius’ entrails being torn. The sensation of the sword
churning inside his stomach was chilling.

“Cough!”

Carnius grabbed Urich’s shoulder, coughing up blood. Bloody tears streamed down
his wide-open eyes.

“I…! I!”

Carnius kept repeating. Knights fighting other warriors screamed and looked at
Carnius.

Crunch!

Urich drove the sword deeper. Carnius’ body convulsed violently.

“Oh, Lou, why…”

It was an old, frail voice. Lou had not granted Carnius his vengeance.
“Go ask him after you die.”

Urich pushed Carnius’ body away with his foot and withdrew his sword. He lightly
shook off the blood from the messed-up blade.

Carnius’ eyes and body grew cold.

Even the resisting knights began to fall or flee in all directions. Urich didn’t bother to
chase them. For now, this was enough.

‘A lot of blood has been spilled today.’

No peace was achieved, and the amount of blood that was shed reflected that.

It was a rampage of a father who had lost his son, and Urich had provoked him. It
wasn’t the greatest aftertaste.

‘How many Carniuses have there been… and how many more will there be?’

Urich collected the body of Carnius, who died with his eyes open. His body would be
sent back to the empire.
"Porcana and Caselmaroni have declared independence."

"They are being aided by the west and the north. Who would have thought they
would ally with barbarians? It's hard to see even an inch ahead in this world these
days."

"What is the empire even doing?"

Such was the common topic all over the empire. Even in the countryside where news
was slow to reach, no one was unaware of the chaos in the civilized world. People
were trembling with fear but also excited by the tiny hope of a new world opening
up.

The plunderers from the west became allies with a kingdom of the civilized world.
The northerners were claiming to be an independent nation under the Sun. Different
factions with varying values had united against the common enemy called the
empire.

"The so-called ‘millennium empire’ couldn't even last a hundred years."

"Hey, we don’t know that yet. Do you really think the empire would collapse so
easily?"

"Apparently they were hit pretty hard this time. I heard they sought peace but were
rejected. That just shows that the empire is really on the defensive."

All the men who could wield a sword in the civilized world were jumping into the
mercenary business. Not only the empire but also the kingdoms were busy
frantically bolstering their armies. If the empire fell, the peace and balance of the
civilized world would crumble along with it.

"Well, it did feel like the peace was lasting too long."
The elders had lived their entire lives in war. In fact, the peaceful period that had
fewer wars had lasted only about ten years. Considering the history of civilization,
this peaceful era was an unusual era, while war had always existed.

"Have you heard of the leader of the plunderers? They say it's a barbarian warrior
named Urich."

"Urich?"

"Apparently he’s a barbarian who drinks blood instead of water and enjoys eating
human flesh. That’s what the rumors say, at least."

"How horrible. To think those kingdoms allied and shook hands with such a man…”

News of the empire's major defeat spread quickly. The name of the plunderer leader
became a symbol of fear, and bizarre rumors circulated.

Clip-clop, clip-clop.

The remnants of the imperial army returned despondently to the imperial capital of
Hamel. The sight of the knights was especially pitiful.

‘They call this mercy?’

The defeated imperial knights looked at their empty right wrists. They had kept their
heads, but their lives as knights were over. With their right hands cut off, they
couldn't wield weapons. Their bodies trembled whenever they saw their severed
hands. It was a cruel fate.

‘Those crazy barbarian bastards.’

But Urich called it mercy. The knights recalled the day their fate was decided.

Knights who were of nobility naturally thought they would be released for ransom.
Even the Porcana Kingdom leaned toward releasing them that way as well.

"Show mercy, Urich,” Gottval said while looking at the prisoners after the battle had
ended.

"I can’t do that; these guys are masters of combat. Maybe if it was just a couple of
them, but hundreds? You want me to just let all of them go?"

Urich shook his head firmly to dismiss any sliver of hope for the imperial knights.
The knights who came out for ransom negotiations turned pale at his words.

Urich sat on a fur-covered chair, looking at the kneeling imperial knights. Ten knights
of higher noble birth and rank stood as representatives.

Gottval looked at Varca as if he was pleading for help. Varca awkwardly smiled and
spoke up, having been looking away.

"Urich, you can't kill them all. Many of them have relatives in Porcana. All nobles are
somewhat related by blood, so their fathers or grandfathers might be from Porcana.
This battle isn't just your alliance army's concern; Porcana is involved too… please
save my face."

The last part was whispered.

"Letting such dangerous men go will only have them come back armed again. You've
seen how they fight. They're scary."

As Urich said this, the faces of the imperial knights were filled with mixed emotions.

Urich, the formidable barbarian enemy, acknowledged their skills. Urich said he
couldn't afford to let them live because of how strong they were. To the knights, it
was a great compliment, but at the same time also made their hearts sink.

"We will accept whatever decision."

The representative imperial knights maintained their pride. They did not beg for
their lives.

"See? They say it's okay to kill them. Exactly what I would expect from true
warriors."

Urich laughed heartily. The nobles of Porcana grumbled and cursed Urich.

"Urich! We have shed enough blood already. Are you saying you intend to spill
more?"
Gottval desperately tried to save the knights. The knights were stirred by his actions.

‘Who is this Sun priest shouting like this before the leader of the barbarians?’

It was clear to everyone that Gottval was a priest of Solarism. The pairing of a
barbarian leader and a Sun priest was rather peculiar.

Urich scratched his chin and picked off a scab. His opponent was Gottval, and he
wasn’t easy to ignore.

"Why can't you understand what I’m saying? If we let good fighters like these guys
go, only more of us will die later. It's that simple, man."

Urich grumbled. The debate about what to do with the imperial knights continued.
From Porcana's perspective, who were a part of civilization themselves, they couldn't
annihilate the imperial knights.

Urich rubbed his forehead and looked at the knights. He sighed deeply.

"Fine. I'll show mercy."

Gottval's face brightened, and the knights' eyes wavered.

"You've made the right decision, Urich. Lou will surely return the mercy you’re
showing today with even greater blessings."

Urich didn’t pay any attention to Gottval’s words and threw a hand axe in front of the
knights.

He then spoke casually, "Cut off your right hands. Then I'll let you go."

"What?!"

The knights jumped up.

"This is as much as I can concede. If you can't accept it, wipe your necks clean and
come back to me when you’re ready."

Urich was firm.

Neither Gottval nor Varca could say anymore. Urich didn't kill the knights, just as
they had asked.

The knights had no choice. They looked at each other and nodded. It was better to
return alive even if it meant having their hands cut off.

"We will not forget this humiliation," the knights said as they grabbed the axe Urich
had thrown at them.

Urich shrugged and chewed on some jerky.

"No, no. Feel free to forget it. Just remember that I showed you mercy, keke."

Urich's low laughter echoed in the knights' ears. The captured imperial knights lost
their right hands. Their lives as knights were as good as over, even if any of them
were left-handed.

The knights who had their right hands severed made it back to the empire with their
arms wrapped in multiple layers of bandage. Seeing their condition, the people of the
empire were even more terrified. The physical mutilation was more shocking than
the deaths they couldn’t see.

***

Emperor Yanchinus could not avoid struggling on the northern front.

The northern warriors, who had essentially become civilized by now, followed the
empire's strategies and tactics exactly. When at a disadvantage, they held out in
fortresses and engaged in defensive warfare while sending separate units to attack
the empire's rear. Moreover, the Caselmaroni Kingdom, allied with the northerners,
fiercely pressured the empire.

The regular army of Caselmaroni repeatedly attacked the empire's supply lines. The
imperial army, unable to divide its front any further, was in a desperate situation.

Amidst all this, news of Carnius' defeat reached the north.

“Carnius…”

Yanchinus received the letter and clasped his forehead. He turned a bottle of wine
upside down, pouring it onto the ground.

“Y-your Majesty!”

The maid next to Yanchinus trembled violently. None of the women in the imperial
household were unaware of Yanchinus' temper. His violence especially peaked when
receiving bad news.

Crash!

Yanchinus struck the maid’s head with the empty wine bottle. Glass shards
embedded themselves in her head and face. She couldn't even scream, just covering
her mouth and sobbing.

“Go tell the doctor I sent you,” Yanchinus said without even looking at her. He
grabbed a few pieces of clothing from beside the bed and threw them at her.

‘Not only did he fail to make peace, but he also lost the battle… ’

It was the worst possible outcome among many choices. He couldn't even reprimand
Carnius because he was already dead.

“Ha, haha.”

Yanchinus laughed hollowly and then covered his mouth. He leaned over and
retched. Cold sweat poured down his face.

“Is the empire going to crumble under my reign? The empire?”

The kingdoms that had been under oppression were rising up. The empire's main
army was busy dealing with barbarians and had no time to subjugate the kingdoms.

‘Will the nobles still listen to me at a time like this?’

He needed to gather an army one more time. This time, it wasn't enough with just
the direct territory of the empire. He needed the support of even the nobles on the
outskirts. All nobles, whether they were anti- or pro-imperial, had to send troops if
the empire was going to resolve the current situation.

‘I need to return to Hamel. There's no time to waste on the northern front like this.’
Yanchinus looked at the tactical map.

‘Who should I leave in charge of the northern front? Sun Warriors Commander Alfnan?
No, he's too blinded by ambition to be reliable.’

He couldn't immediately think of a capable commander. The empire was in a

transitional period with their talents. The old men who had lived the empire's golden
age were retiring, and the new young ones were just beginning to gain experience.

‘I don’t have anyone better than Carnius.’

The situation was dire. Soon, the kingdoms would declare war on the empire.

‘Where did it all go wrong?’

Yanchinus closed his eyes and reflected on his decisions. He had invested heavily in
exploring the Eastern Continent and pioneering the Sky Mountains. Although some
nobles cried out that it was a waste of national funds, it wasn't a major issue for the
economically prosperous empire.

‘They were both investments worth making if we were thinking long-term.’

Yailrud and the western expedition were the crucial mistakes. He had essentially
created a passage connecting the west and the civilized world. He had thought that
one legion would be enough to develop the west.

On paper, it was a correct judgment. One legion should have been enough to handle
the barbarians who were not united.

“That’s where you came in… Urich.”

Urich was the root of all problems. He was an early explorer and warrior who had
traversed both worlds.

Urich quickly unified the west and awaited the empire's legion. No matter how weak
the tribal armies were, their power, when united, was tremendously strong. The
plunderers wiped out the legion, occupied Yailrud, and only grew stronger.

“Keke, I should have killed him when I had the chance.”

He never thought that Urich would become such a great threat. He had thought of
him as just a barbarian good at fighting, merely a tool to be used.

“So, where should I start the cleanup?”

Yanchinus looked around the map with rolling eyes. Porcana and the plunderers
were not going to agree to peace now. Even if they did, their demands would be
excessive since they had just won a major battle against the imperial army.

‘The ones I can persuade are the other kingdoms. I need to give them what they want
before they declare war.’

Yanchinus decided to give up on the kingdoms. It was nearly impossible to maintain

vassal states in the current situation.

“If defeat is inevitable, it's better to give them what they want first,” Yanchinus
mumbled the lesson he had received.

He needed to make concessions before relations with other kingdoms soured. At

least that way, he could avoid hostile relationships.

‘If I return the territory we occupied to the Giskin Kingdom, which borders
Caselmaroni, they will likely want to strike at Caselmaroni given their long-time rivalry
instead of antagonizing us. If Giskin starts military action, Caselmaroni won't have the
leisure to fight us.’

If the immediate military forces were insufficient, he had to use another kingdom to
tie up the hostile kingdom. He was an emperor who had learned statecraft, and this
was how the first emperor had achieved great unification fifty years ago; by
expanding his power by allying with various kingdoms and sometimes even
betraying them.

‘You’re supposed to learn from history.’

It was already too late to prevent the chaos of war. In that case, he needed to make
the most of the turmoil.

‘Not much can be done about Porcana and the western plunderers gnawing away at
the eastern part of the empire. It would be nice if the local lords could hold out, but I
can't expect much from them.’
Yanchinus bit his thumbnail.

‘As soon as Caselmaroni is out of the picture, I need to push the northern rebels up with
all my might. If I can take just three of their strongholds, I can create a stalemate.’

The northern rebels had occupied the strongholds the empire had selected as
strategic points. With Caselmaroni's support added on top of that, they were
managing to hold their ground against the empire. But this also meant that if the
imperial army were to take those strongholds back, they could tie down the northern
rebels with just a small army.

‘If I couldn't tie down the west and Porcana… then this time, I must tie down the north.’

Riiip!

Yanchinus picked up his dagger and stuck it into the map. He put on his coat and
went out to summon the commanders and scribes. Even in a disadvantageous
situation, the emperor was pondering a breakthrough.

The blood of conquerors spanning three generations was boiling hot. The breath of a
hungry wolf spread fiercely.

After five decades, the era of chaos of war returned. Yanchinus thought of his
grandfather's era. The great first emperor had built up the empire despite being in a
more desperate situation. Compared to that, the current empire was still in a much
more advantageous position.
Gottval gathered the people and cleared his throat. Many people had gathered to
hear him preach. In particular, the civilized mercenaries found moral comfort in him.

“The world is chaotic, and we are living in an era where what is right and wrong is
unclear. A soldier I know needed money. He grew up as the son of a poor serf and
fled from the exploitation of the lord. There was a woman whom he loved, but in
order to marry her, he had to pay a fee to his lord. Now, let me remind you that the
soldier needed money. So now, he fights against the empire for these barbarians
called the ‘alliance’ as a mercenary. This story is about one of you.”

Gottval looked at the people. He made eye contact with each and every man in the
crowd.

“The soldier who needed money worked as a mercenary. He killed and plundered
people. He also burned fields and houses. He killed someone's son and perhaps the
father of an innocent child. Much sorrow and despair must have been created. We
must take responsibility for those actions and feel the guilt.”

“Then what should we do, Brother Gottval?”

“You already know what is right and wrong. You just lacked the courage to act. You
just need to do what you believe is more right. If you believe that Lou is watching
every moral choice you make, you will inevitably do the right thing.”

Gottval smiled bitterly. Despite what he was saying, he himself could not always
adhere to Lou’s teachings.

‘All we can do is try our best.’

Gottval spent most of his time listening to confessions or giving advice. The number
of people who came looking for him after hearing about his reputation increased day
by day.
“The barbarians…”

The mercenaries looked at the westerners who were listening to Gottval.

“Go on, priest. Don’t mind us.”

The westerner spoke fluent Hamelian. It was the language of the empire and
essentially the universal language of the civilized world.

The westerners who learned Hamelian were considered quite knowledgeable in the
tribal world. They put a lot of effort into learning the language of civilization because
they were driven by intellectual curiosity and felt an attraction to the civilized world,
like Urich.

What piqued the curiosity of the westerners was the technology and religion of
civilization. The technology of the civilized world was advanced enough to create
complex machinery, and Solarism was incomparably more sophisticated and
systematic than any belief in the tribal world.

Solarism was much clearer than the vague tribal beliefs. Most importantly, there was
the concrete existence of the sun god Lou.

“Are you saying that if we believe in this sun god Lou, we come back to life after we
die?” A westerner asked.

Gottval opened his eyes wide.

“It is reincarnation. It has a slightly different meaning than simply coming back to
life. A purified soul will live a different life in a new body. If Lou does not permit
reincarnation, the soul becomes an evil spirit and wanders the earth in torment.”

“Then our ancestors must all have become evil spirits.”

The westerners laughed and chatted among themselves.

The number of westerners visiting Gottval increased daily.

‘Is this my mission?’

Gottval actively spread his faith. Unlike the northerners, the westerners were very
open-minded. Because their religious views were so lax, they were able to naturally
accept the worldview of Solarism.

The number of westerners interested in Solarism kept growing. There were even
warriors who received baptism for fun.

The more protection from powerful beings like spirits or gods a warrior had, the
better it was. Warriors received baptism with such simple motives. It wasn’t
necessarily for reincarnation or to follow Lou’s teachings.

Six-Fingered found Gottval's actions unpleasant. Unable to bear it, he directly

confronted Urich about Gottval's preaching.

“Stop that man from talking about his god anymore, Great Chief,” Six-Fingered said as
he bared his dark teeth.

Creak.

Urich, sitting in a rocking chair, expressed that he did not care one bit.

The alliance army was stationed at the border fortress of Porcana. They had seized
the supplies of the defeated imperial army, so they had plenty of provisions. They
planned to march directly into the empire once they finished reorganizing.

“Urich!” Six-Fingered shouted and pointed. The bone fragments on his staff rattled
loudly.

“It’s just a few people going over to listen to him, isn’t it? Even Samikan didn’t reject
Solarism. It’s not that big of a deal.”

“It is for me, Great Chief.”

“Besides, Gottval is not someone who would stop just because I told him to. He is not
my subordinate. He is merely my guest.”

“…He will stop when he becomes a corpse.”

Six-Fingered’s dark lips twisted.

“I said Gottval is my guest, Priest Six-Fingered.”

Urich also frowned.

“Great Chief Urich! You are the leader of the west! How long will you keep
accommodating the people of this land! Some even doubt if you are truly our Great
Chief!”

Six-Fingered lashed out, but his criticism did have merit. There were many civilized
people among Urich’s close associates to the point where he was spending more
time with the people of civilization. There were some who viewed this unfavorably.

“Don’t change the subject. Let me make it clear right now. If you touch Gottval, you
will die.”

“You’re going to kill the priest of the alliance? Urich, are you planning to become a
tyrant like Samikan?”

Six-Fingered laughed sinisterly.

Even Samikan could not easily touch Six-Fingered when his power grew. Six-
Fingered was now even more powerful than before.

There were countless warriors who relied on shamans in this foreign land. The
shamans used mysterious herbs to show the warriors the smells and landscapes of
their homeland.

“Great Chief Urich! I was the one who made you who you are today. I even gave you
the divinity of the Son of the Earth! Could you have overthrown Samikan without my
help? I arranged everything so you could smoothly receive the power of the Great
Chief! I helped you bear the will of the heavens! I made you the Great Chief!”

Six-Fingered shouted as if he was casting a spell on Urich with his fingers weaving
erratically.

Urich tilted his head to the side. He stared blankly at Six-Fingered’s six fingers.

“So, what?”

At Urich’s retort, Six-Fingered slowly calmed his anger.

“A priest is someone who sees the will of the heavens, Great Chief. Without the help
of the heavens, you cannot achieve anything.”

Six-Fingered spoke politely as if he hadn’t lashed out merely seconds ago. He lightly
tapped the floor with his staff, making a sound.

“The help of the heavens…”

Urich chuckled lightly. He watched as Six-Fingered left.

The Porcana-Alliance army prepared for a decisive battle with the empire while
reorganizing. The empire was still very much intact. It was not going to collapse just
because it lost a significant number of troops.

‘I want to end this war as soon as possible.’

Urich walked around the camp, looking at the warriors. The number of warriors
visibly decreased after each battle. The tribal warriors fought bravely, but their
numbers dwindled just as quickly as well.

‘We can’t drag this long. Even if we win multiple battles, soldiers will continue to come
from the empire’s lands. We have to crush the empire with the momentum we have
right now.’

Urich’s thoughts were sound, and others like Varca and Georg felt the same.

Urich and Varca sat on the fortress walls, looking beyond the border. Inside the
fortress, soldiers were preparing for departure.

"Now is our chance, Urich. Once the preparations are complete, we should advance
quickly. It will take a while for the empire to gather their army."

Varca stood at the edge of the rampart with his arms crossed. His cloak fluttered long
in the wind.

"What about Duke Lungell? I don’t think he’s very fond of me."

"That’s true, but he doesn't have much influence. What's more important to the other
nobles is the fact that we gained independence. Besides, we're not the only ones who
joined hands with a barbarian army, so we were able to somewhat save face as well."
The news of the alliance between Caselmaroni and the northern independence army
had reached Porcana. It explained why the empire so urgently requested peace.

"Let's rush up while the emperor is on the northern front. If we advance directly, it
might be possible to end the war within a year."

"A year? Urich, you've seen the high walls of Hamel. That's the capital of the empire.
They must have stockpiled supplies that could last them years. Even if we were to
engage in a siege, it would take years."

"Who said anything about a siege?"

"Huh?"

Varca turned around and looked at Urich.

"Those walls are obviously impossible to breach. Did you not hear what I said
earlier? The emperor is on the northern front."

Varca's eyes widened.

"You’re talking about striking first!" Varca exclaimed.

"We attack the emperor’s army before he can get back into Hamel."

"The empire, with its strong imperial authority, will be thrown into chaos if the
emperor's position is vacant. That's why the emperor will try to leave the northern
front as quickly as possible."

"Exactly. So, if we capture the emperor before he enters Hamel, the war will be over,"
Urich said as he lifted his head and looked north.

‘This is how we’re going to end the war. If the war drags on, the tide can turn at any
time. It won’t get any easier even if we win every battle.’

Urich and Varca discussed the route of their advance. If they were to attack the
emperor on the northern front, their best bet was to take the fastest route even if the
path was rough, as time was of the essence.

"Isn't this route the fastest? That one's a bit far," Urich asked, looking at the map.
"Urich, it's better to avoid the lands of powerful local lords. They won't surrender
easily and will only waste our time."

"I guess we’ll still have to go past Hamel. You don’t think an army would suddenly
come out from behind, do you?"

"They won’t try to engage in field battles with a garrison. I heard a lot of troops have
been invested in the northern front. They shouldn’t have enough forces to intercept
us…”

Varca traced the map with his finger and stopped at the imperial capital of Hamel.
His blue eyes swirled like a vortex in a lake.

‘Damia.’

Varca stared intently at Urich.

"What are you looking at? If you have something to say, say it like a man. Do you still
act like a little girl?"

Urich chuckled.

"Urich, do you…”

Varca trailed off. His sister's face lingered in his mind. His nephew's face resembled
Urich’s. Anyone who knew Urich would immediately recognize him as his son.

"Man, if you can’t talk about it, just don't bring it up in the first place."

Urich didn't press further. He saw Varca as a reasonable and intelligent young man. If
he chose not to speak, he must have had a good reason for not doing so.

The Porcana-Alliance army completed their preparations and crossed the empire's
border. No local lord could stop the army that had destroyed the imperial army. The
local lords simply curled up, hoping the army wouldn't come to their lands.

"Phew."

Summer had arrived in the civilized world. The air was humid.
"I love it here, but the summer here is the worst."

The marching warriors grumbled. They could tolerate the heat, but the unpleasant
humidity was unbearable.

Urich, riding on Kylios, chugged cold water. After quenching his thirst, he poured the
rest of the water over Kylios' head.

"Marching in this weather is killing me. The smell is awful too."

An army of over twenty thousand soldiers were on the move. The supply soldiers
from Porcana were also following, making the procession that much longer. The
warriors from the west, who lacked a bathing culture, smelled terrible.

"There is no time to rest, Urich. If we want to face the emperor according to the plan,
we have to move diligently. I’ve calculated our days ahead, and we’re on a tight
schedule. If the emperor finds out about our movements, he will run to avoid our
attack," Georg said.

He was wearing a wide-brimmed hat, the luxurious kind that was usually worn by
nobles. With feathers neatly tucked in, he looked like a young noble.

"That’s that, but Georg, I feel like your clothes are getting fancier every time I see
you."

"Who knows when I’ll die? Might as well enjoy it while I can. My name and face are
already known along with yours, so I have no choice but to stay with you whether I
live or die."

As the alliance army grew, Georg also became a famous figure. Although he was not
an outstanding commander, he was adept at persuading and controlling civilized
mercenaries. He was even known by his nickname ‘Traitor Georg’ among the
imperial army.

"It's funny that they call me a traitor when I had no loyalty to begin with."

Georg responded this way when he heard the nickname traitor.

Urich pulled his horse over next to Georg and whispered, "Protect Gottval well.
Things seem a bit off lately."
"Is it because of Six-Fingered?" Georg asked.

"Six-Fingered hates Gottval."

"That Gottval really is an inflexible fellow. He could have just waited quietly until
things settled down…”

"Six-Fingered is also good at scheming, so it's iffy to assign warriors to protect

Gottval. You protect him, Georg. If he dies, it's on you."

Georg sighed and wiped his sweat with a handkerchief.

"You know what, Urich?"

"What? I won't take no for an answer."

Urich waved his hand and shot Georg down without even hearing what he had to say.

"It seems that lately, you leave all the troublesome tasks to me."

Urich scratched his bearded chin and laughed at those words. Georg shrugged and
turned his horse toward Gottval. Whatever the case was, the death of Gottval was
going to be an uncomfortable matter for Georg as well, anyway. Gottval was a great
priest worthy of protection.

Urich looked at the distant palanquin of Six-Fingered. Smoke rose hazily from the
palanquin. He was probably high on his herbs, without a doubt.
“Weapons made from imperial steel really are the best.”

The alliance camp was bustling. Warriors who obtained steel weapons flaunted their
spoils, earning the envy of others. They collected a large number of spoils from the
recent victory, and the warriors' favorite loot was not gold or jewels, but weapons
made from imperial steel.

Clang! Clang!

A warrior struck a tribal axe blade several times with a steel sword. The tribal iron
couldn't withstand the steel, and its edge quickly chipped. Even in battle, it wasn’t
uncommon for the tribal weapons to break.

“Imagine losing to us with such fine weapons like these. What a bunch of idiots.”

The warriors who obtained steel weapons swaggered. They swung the gleaming
steel weapons around.

Crackle, crackle.

The campfire burned. Sparks fluttered upward.

Urich poked the fire with a stick. He gazed into the darkness.

‘I don’t see anything tonight.’

All he could see was darkness.

Urich often saw a being known as a god. He appeared before him in various forms
and then vanished.

‘He reveals himself when I desperately want something in a dire situation.’

He was invisible most of the time. Urich smirked as he looked at the piece of meat
placed over the fire. Delicious smoke rose whenever the meat's fat dripped.

“Divine blessing, huh…”

People called Urich a man blessed by the gods. He had lived his life hearing such
words as if it were natural.

‘Am I really someone who has the blessing and guidance of the gods?’

Even when he asked himself, he couldn’t find an answer.

“Is this my destiny?”

Urich opened his palm. The Great Chief wasn’t something he ever wanted to be.

—You will become a great warrior.

The old shaman had said.

Just as everyone expected and prophesied, Urich became a great warrior. No one
doubted it and took it for granted.

‘Except for me… ’

When he closed his eyes, he often saw the horizon of the sea. He also glimpsed the
southern desert he had only heard about in stories but never visited.

‘I want to see new people and beautiful cities.’

But he could not act on his whims. He could not live doing only what he wanted.

Great Chief Urich was an adult, and he had to take responsibility for his actions and
his life.

***

Urich and Varca sat in chairs with their army behind them. In the distance, the city
gate opened, and its lord walked out.
"We surrender."

The small domain raised the white flag as soon as the Porcana-Alliance army arrived.
They did not resist the army that had defeated the imperial army.

‘Fearsome barbarians.’

There were many lands that had been devastated after resisting the alliance army.
On the other hand, those who surrendered suffered only minimal damage. With such
precedents, lords with less power often surrendered in advance and offered chests
filled with gold and silver treasures.

"We will not plunder your domain," Varca said as he placed his hand on the lord's
shoulder. The lord bowed his head and gestured to his attendants.

Clink, rattle!

As the chests opened, treasures inside were revealed. They were filled with gold and
silver coins that the city had accumulated over decades.

"Ohhh, this is pretty nice, huh?"

Urich's eyes lit up as he grabbed a handful of gold coins. With money, they could buy
the loyalty of mercenaries. As the civilized world entered the era of chaos of war,
mercenaries from various places had come to join the alliance army.

The rumor that the western plunderers paid mercenaries handsomely was already
widespread. Many mercenary groups joined the alliance army. The news that the
plunderers had allied with the civilized kingdom of Porcana eliminated even the last
vestiges of fear and resistance.

"Georg! Pay the mercenaries their wages."

Urich called for Georg. Cheers erupted from all sides.

As promised, the Porcana-Alliance army did not invade the city. They still had
enough provisions without plundering, and the city also sent out carts filled with
meat and wine.

"They're definitely scared of us. Look at them giving everything up before we even
told them to."

"They must have realized it's better to give willingly than to have everything taken
by force."

The warriors set up camp in front of the city and enjoyed a feast. They were satisfied
to see a city submitting to their power and fear.

The domain's people prayed to Lou and hoped that the plunderers would leave soon.

"Those bastards are a disaster, truly a disaster."

The imperial army, which was supposed to protect the civilized world, was absent.
There was no army anywhere capable of stopping the western plunderers. The
kingdoms had summoned their armies but were more focused on exploiting the
chaos than stopping the plunderers.

"Oh, Lou, please give them your punishment. Help us so that those wicked men
cannot take our sons and daughters," the citizens prayed from the city walls, staring
at the plunderers' camp sparkling with their fire.

The raucous feast ran deep into the night. It was only in the morning that the
warriors awoke staggering and began preparing to march.

"Cough, cough."

A warrior who had just gotten up clung to a tree, vomiting.

"Is that all you can handle? Pathetic."

Other warriors laughed at the vomiting warrior.

"I, no, something feels off."

The vomiting warrior opened his mouth wide. He couldn't stand properly and
collapsed to the ground.

"What are you doing? Shit! Call the shaman!"

The warriors who were laughing just a second ago quickly grabbed the fallen
warrior.

"His body is burning up."

When one fell ill, their body heated up. The warrior ran to the tent where the
shamans were gathered.

Murmur, murmur.

The shamans' tent was crowded. Many people had already gathered. Warriors who
were panting from falling ill were scattered all over the ground.

"It's poison! Those bastards gave us poisoned food!"

"We must get our revenge!"

The warriors shouted as they rushed to arm themselves. They yelled as they looked
at their sick comrades.

The number of warriors within the alliance army collapsing from high fever was
significant. The number reached about a hundred.

"Stay calm, you bastards! Six-Fingered! Is it really poison?"

Urich pushed through the warriors and entered the shamans' tent.

Sssss.

Thick smoke billowed from the shamans' tent. The incense was so overwhelming it
made his head throb. The shamans claimed this smoke was what was going to heal
the sick soldiers.

"Ohmmm, mmm."

Six-Fingered groaned as he rolled his eyes back. His body trembled, causing his bone
ornaments to rattle.

Click, click.

Urich waited five steps away from Six-Fingered until he finished his ritual.
"Great Chief Urich…”

Six-Fingered looked at Urich with a sweat-soaked face. The black makeup had melted
from the sweat, revealing his wrinkled skin.

"Why are the warriors falling ill?"

Urich crossed his arms and tilted his head.

"What do you think the reason is?" Six-Fingered asked Urich instead of answering his
question.

"Is it a contagious disease? Or did those city bastards really poison the food like the
warriors are saying?"

Six-Fingered squinted his eyes.

“It is a disaster sent by the heavens, Great Chief. Accepting their god was the
mistake.”

“Cut the bullshit. Can you treat it?”

“I will try. But if it was indeed the wrath of the heavens that struck us, we will not be
able to avoid it.”

Six-Fingered gave a strong warning. Urich stepped outside the tent, visibly annoyed.
The sick warriors were gathered in one place, bathing in the smoke. Shamans with
censers moved among the sick.

“We're stuck here.”

Urich scratched the back of his head, checking the Porcana camp.

Varca, who heard the whole story, tilted his head and asked Urich again.

“None of my men are sick. Are you sure there wasn’t poison in the wine?”

The soldiers of the Porcana army did not drink last night. Though a few nobles and
knights did, they only drank the wine they brought from Porcana.
Urich checked the civilized mercenary units next. Georg also shrugged his shoulders
after hearing the reports from other mercenary leaders.

“We have some idiots who cut off their fingers while drinking and gambling, but no
one is sick.”

“So it really is only our men that got sick? What in the world…”

The Porcana soldiers and the civilized mercenaries were fine. The only ones
groaning in sickness were the warriors of the alliance.

“Urich! We have a problem!”

Gottval came running to Urich, sweating profusely. His sleeve, missing an arm,
flapped long.

“What’s wrong? Are we being attacked or something?”

“T-that’s not it, it’s Olga! Huff, huff.”

Gottval collapsed and panted, showing how urgent the matter was.

“Speak slowly.”

“Olga is about to start something with the lord! He claimed that there was poison in
the food, so he barged through the city gate with his warriors.”

“This idiot, that idiot, none of you listen to me. That includes you, Gottval!”

Urich mounted his horse, annoyed. He took the horse and moved to the city gate.
Hundreds of warriors were gathered, causing a disturbance.

The soldiers of the city were not responding to the provocations of the warriors as
they feared the possibility of a battle. The lord also just trembled with his mouth
shut.

‘If a fight breaks out here, we’ll be annihilated. No matter what they accuse us of, we
must avoid a fight.’

The lord looked at Olga with fearful eyes. The interpreter beside Olga spoke in
Hamelian.

“Why did you poison us? Were you trying to kill us?”

Olga bared his teeth and grabbed the lord by the collar.

“P-poison? What on earth are you talking about?”

“Our brothers fell ill after eating your food and drinking your wine.”

The interpreter quickly translated Olga's words. Olga pressed the axe blade to the
lord’s neck.

“The lord is in danger!”

The soldiers on the wall raised their crossbows.

“Stop, stop! We cannot attack!”

The lord hurriedly raised his hand to restrain his soldiers. A fight had to be avoided
at all costs.

“I'll ask again, why did you use poison? Was it because you wanted to help the
imperial army, being on the same side?”

Olga pressed the axe blade deeper into the lord’s neck.

Clip-clop, clip-clop.

From a distance, Urich rushed over on his horse.

“Olga, what are you doing over there?”

“Justice,” Olga answered shortly and then threw the lord down, whom he was
dragging by the collar.

“That’s not justice, you idiot!”

Urich stood in front of the lord, blocking Olga.

“Are you… taking the side of… the civilized people… again?”

Olga spat on the ground in frustration.

“Hah, enough with that bullshit. Why would they give us poisoned food? If they were
capable of poisoning us, they wouldn’t have been this helpless in the first place. Our
men just got sick, that’s all. Take the warriors back! Stop acting on your own without
my orders. My patience has limits.”

Urich patted Olga’s shoulder as he passed. He gestured for the warriors to return.

“Don’t forget… who your true brothers… are… Great Chief,” Olga said and returned to
the camp.

Urich helped the fallen lord up and sent him back into the city.

“Thank you.”

The lord expressed his gratitude to Urich as he entered the city gate. The infamous
Urich, the leader of the plunderers, was well-known even to him. The name alone
made the people of civilization tremble.

‘He’s different from the rumors… I heard he was a ruthless person… ’

The Urich he saw in person was a man with clear discernment.

The lord stood on the wall, watching Urich ride away.

The advance of the alliance army halted due to a sudden outbreak of disease. The
number of the ill, which started with about a hundred, swelled to hundreds in just
two days.

“The disease is spreading.”

Most of the ones who fell ill were tribal warriors. It was hard to find civilized people
who got sick.

Tssss.

Smoke rose high from the area where the sick men were gathered. Incense made
from a secret recipe handed down through generations wafted among the patients.

“Bleeegh!”

The number of warriors vomiting increased everywhere. The stench of the sick filled
the air all over the camp.

“This is…”

Urich traced his memory. He had also suffered a severe illness in the civilized world
once.

Sometimes, barbarians would fall ill when they came to the civilized world. Even
Urich had nearly died from such an illness.

“Great Chief, we must offer sacrifices to the heavens,” Six-Fingered said as he covered
his mouth with a cloth.

“Do whatever you want,” Urich replied carelessly.

“We need the help of the heavens, Great Chief. Fix your attitude and behave
accordingly,” Six-Fingered warned coldly. Urich stared blankly at him.

The disease did not subside. By the third day, the number of deaths started piling up.
As people started dying, ominous rumors spread everywhere.

The time of the year being a humid summer, the corpses quickly decayed and
emitted a foul stench.

“Urich, we need to burn the dead warriors and also prevent anyone from taking their
belongings.”

Gottval came to Urich, shouting. He, too, had been busy caring for the patients.

“Burn them?”

“This is an infectious disease. We cannot leave the corpses as they are, and we also
have to stop anyone from taking stuff from the dead warriors.”

Urich looked at Gottval with a troubled expression.

“Do we really have to burn them?”

“If we don’t do that, the disease will spread even more.”

Gottval was adamant. The priests of Solarism were highly skilled in medicine. They
also knew how to deal with infectious diseases such as this one.

“Armies of this size are more vulnerable to infectious diseases like this one. In fact, it
would be strange if they didn’t get sick, moving around in groups like this.”

“Our shamans will lose their minds if I say we need to burn the bodies. They’ll
criticize me for following the funeral customs of your people.”

“Urich, it’s something that has to be done. You know I’m telling the truth.”

Urich scratched his cheek. He knew that Gottval wouldn’t lie. Even though he wanted
to spread the faith of Solarism within the alliance, he wouldn’t lie to achieve that goal
of his.

‘The problem is Six-Fingered.’

Urich could already see how Six-Fingered would react if he told him they had to burn
the bodies. He turned and went to find the shaman.

“You must have gone mad, Great Chief! You mean to send our warriors away
according to their customs?”

As expected, Six-Fingered jumped up with his eyes wide with anger.

“We have to burn the bodies if we want to prevent the disease from spreading
anymore. These people know more about this disease.”

“Do you really believe that man’s words? Don’t you think I know what he’s trying to
do here? He wants to burn the bodies to send the souls of our warriors to Lou! His
intentions are extremely clear! You are being deceived, Great Chief!”

Six-Fingered pointed his staff at Gottval.

“So are you saying we should just watch the disease spread?”

Urich’s expression gradually hardened. Six-Fingered also did not back down from his
stance, though he did visibly flinch for a moment.

“If you, the Great Chief, steady your heart, the disease will disappear. It would be
even better if we offered that man as a sacrifice to the heavens.”

“Treating the sick is your job, Six-Fingered. If there’s someone to blame for all this,
it’s you for your incompetence.”

Six-Fingered trembled with anger.

“I’m the one to blame? This is a disaster brought on by you, Great Chief! This was all
brought because the one who should honor the will of the heavens has strayed!”

Six-Fingered publicly denounced Urich.

“Watch your mouth, Six-Fingered,” Urich warned the priest.

“Watch my mouth? You should know who your brothers are. Who has helped you
and fought alongside you until now? That man gained your trust just by whispering
sweet words in your ear.”
“Six-Fingered, are you saying I haven’t treated you fairly?”

“I’m telling you that the problem is you keep that man closer to you than me. The
warriors talk among themselves. They say that the priest of the alliance does not
have the Great Chief’s trust, but the priest of the Sun God has the Great Chief’s favor,”
Six-Fingered spat as he spoke, overwhelmed with anger.

“…You have my apologies for that.”

Urich hadn’t considered things from Six-Fingered’s point of view.

‘I’m still not great at this.’

From Six-Fingered’s perspective, it was understandable to dislike Gottval.

“But we have to burn the bodies. We can’t just watch while the disease keeps
spreading. Burn the belongings as well.”

“Our warriors’ souls must ascend to the heavens! Their bodies must fully merge with
the earth…!”

“Before we crossed the mountains, you shamans told us that our souls would go
beyond the mountains. But where is that place? Where is the place beyond the
mountains where our souls were supposed to go?”

“If you desecrate the heavens, the disease won’t go away!”

“The Great Chief who honors the will of the heavens is me. Isn’t lying in the name of
the heavens your specialty? Six-Fingered.”

Urich was firm. They couldn’t afford to be delayed anymore by the disease. What
needed to be done, had to be done.

“Katagi!”

Urich called for Katagi and the warriors. The loyal Katagi paid no attention
whatsoever to Six-Fingered’s words. He believed in Urich’s divinity over the priest’s.

“How dare you! How dare you!”

Six-Fingered, enraged, tried to stand in Katagi’s way. Katagi pushed him aside.

“It is the Great Chief who has been bringing victory to the alliance, not you, Priest
Six-Fingered.”

Katagi walked past the fallen Six-Fingered. The warriors dug a pit and threw the
bodies into it. The belongings of the sick also piled up in the pit.

“Burn them.”

Urich stared at the flames. Dozens of corpses were engulfed in the fire. The smell of
burning bodies and smoke rose thickly into the air.

The alliance dealt with the disease according to Gottval’s instructions. They isolated
the sick and burned the corpses and their belongings. There was never a day without
smoke.

“It's a disaster.”

Katagi burned the corpses as per Urich’s orders.

“Cough.”

A warrior handling the corpses coughed. Katagi frowned.

“You stay inside the tent starting tomorrow, too.”

Katagi indiscriminately isolated any warriors showing signs of illness. This disease
was a contagious one. The warriors handling the corpses were the most at risk.

Katagi took the lead in handling the corpses himself.

‘Even if I die, the Great Chief must not catch the disease.’

Katagi confirmed the corpses were burning and then turned away.

“You will be cursed, Katagi!”

Six-Fingered cursed at Katagi as he pointed his finger at him.

“I do not believe in you, priest. I simply believe in the Great Chief.”

“That Great Chief of yours is being deceived by the man named Gottval. If you truly
care for the Great Chief, we must kill that man. The Great Chief is getting closer to the
civilized people than to us, who are his kin. Does that not frighten you?”

Katagi burst into laughter. He laughed for a long time and then shook his head.

“You probably don’t know this since you always stay in the back on the battlefield,
but there’s one thing that everyone who has fought alongside the Great Chief knows.
The Great Chief is the true warrior blessed by the heavens. They have no choice but
to accept this.”

“Y-you!”

Six-Fingered ground his teeth.

“Have you ever won a battle you thought was unwinnable, priest? Have you ever
thought you were going to die but survived? I have, many times. The Great Chief has
saved us by winning countless battles,” Katagi continued.

“The Great Chief may bear the will of the heavens, but he is human! What we should
worship are the heavens and the great spirits!” Six-Fingered retorted.

“Go ahead and worship them all you want. I will worship the Great Chief who is very
much alive.”

Katagi scoffed and passed by Six-Fingered. Other warriors also smirked and
followed.

Six-Fingered’s pride was wounded. He glared at Katagi’s back and cursed him
vehemently.

“You will only come to realize your mistake at the end, you insolent fool!”

Katagi ignored him and silently continued his work.

A week passed. Gottval’s solution seemed effective, as the spread of the disease
significantly slowed. However, they couldn’t afford to stay in the same place for much
longer just because of some disease.
“It’s time to move. We've delayed too long. I wouldn’t be surprised if the emperor’s
already heard about our movements.”

Varca urged Urich to resume the march. Urich knew that was what they had to do,
but he couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

‘A lot of warriors are still sick. Am I supposed to leave them behind…?’

Even if they left the sick ones of the army behind, no one could guarantee they would
safely return to the west.

“Urich, if you hesitate here, I can’t continue with you. I have people that I’m
responsible for, just like you do. You know that nothing comes without sacrifice.”

Varca seemed to understand Urich’s hesitation.

“Look how the table has turned. I never thought I’d be getting advice from you.”

Urich smiled and nodded.

‘I know. Not wanting to leave my brothers behind is just my stubbornness.’

The world was harsh. There weren’t many things that could be acquired for free
without any sacrifice and cost.

“Get ready. We’re leaving.”

Urich called Georg to announce the march. The army, which had stayed in one place
for a long time, began to stir. The Porcana-Alliance army’s bustling preparations
could be seen from the city walls.

“T-they're finally leaving! Those bastards are going to be gone! Urich and the
barbarians are leaving!”

The soldiers on the wall cheered. They had been so anxious and nervous that they
could neither eat nor drink properly. They didn’t know when the barbarians might
change their mind and attack the city.

“The barbarians are leaving!”

“That terrifying Urich is leaving!”

Children ran through the streets, shouting. People who heard the news wept with
relief.

“Those damned bastards are finally leaving. Oh, Lou, please punish them!”

“Haven’t they already been punished? I heard they’re having a rough time because of
some disease.”

“It has to be Lou’s wrath. They won’t get far before they’re wiped out by the disease!
Damn barbarians!”

“Lou will protect us! Long live the Sun!”

“May the heavens curse Urich the barbarian!”

Curses against Urich echoed throughout the city.

Although the city was left impoverished, it was in a much better shape than the
devastated Marganu or Langkegart, where not even the basic means of livelihood
remained.

“Wealth can always be rebuilt! What’s really important are the people and the city.”

The lord also felt relieved that the Porcana-Alliance army was leaving. He had earned
the respect of his people for giving up the family’s treasures, which had been
accumulated over generations, to save the city. Besides the empty granary, the city
had suffered almost no damage.

Yet, the lord, being human, couldn’t help but think of the gold and jewels. He
wondered if he should have resisted at least once, utilizing the walls of his city.

“Is this good enough?” The lord asked the man standing behind him.

The man, with his hood pulled down low, nodded and replied, “Excellent, my lord.
Desire is meaningless. It is precisely that desire that makes this worldly life painful.”

“I await the day this suffering ends.”

“The plunderers from the west are a disaster that will flip this corrupt world upside
down. The greater the calamity, the stronger the longing for salvation. The sun god
lacks the power to change this painful world. The sun merely watches the suffering,”
the hooded man spoke boldly. His words could easily be seen as heresy or a cult.

The lord merely nodded lightly. His face, worn by the pain of life, was densely
wrinkled.
Urich looked at the sick warriors from a distance. They would not be able to join the
expedition.

“There are about five hundred of them,” Georg said after calculating the number of
sick warriors.

“If they’re lucky, they’ll be able to return safely.”

The disease was severe. Some warriors managed to recover after three days, but
there were also many who languished and died. In any case, the alliance couldn't
continue dragging the sick with them.

No warriors opposed Urich's decision. In tribal society, the weak were left behind.
That was the natural way of things. In dire situations, the elderly and disabled
voluntarily left the tribe.

Katagi, who had finished the march preparations, reported to Urich. After his report,
Katagi added a few words.

“Urich, we need to keep an eye on Six-Fingered. He’s spreading dissent against you,
the Great Chief.”

“Should I just kill him?” Urich said as he chuckled.

“That would cause an uproar. Whatever the case is, he is still the priest of the
alliance.”

Katagi shrugged. Urich did not have the same level of control over the alliance as
Samikan.

‘It would be hard to replace Six-Fingered with another shaman like Samikan had
planned to.’
Samikan knew the key figures of the alliance intimately and understood their
conflicts and connections. He skillfully used people to run the alliance according to
his will.

Leading the alliance was not something that could be done with ordinary skills. It
was akin to being a king in the civilized world. There were many who would turn
their backs on the Great Chief if things went wrong.

Urich's reign as the Great Chief was purely thanks to his reputation as a warrior. The
warriors who admired him were his support base.

‘I’m different from Samikan. Samikan kept his Great Chief status even after losing in
battle, but I’ll lose mine if I lose just once.’

Urich lightly shook his head as he looked over the alliance's camp.

“Great Chief! Someone has come to see you.”

Urich glanced back. A man wearing a hood stood surrounded by warriors.

“Show your face,” Katagi spoke on behalf of Urich. The man pushed back his hood.

“I’ve come to see Urich, the leader of the plunderers.”

The man spoke without a hint of fear. His almost overly calm voice had an oddly
persuasive tone.

“You’re a southerner.”

Urich smirked as he looked at the man's face. The man was a southerner with
mottled tattoos on his cheeks. His skin was a slightly tanned brown. Tattoos were a
common cultural element among many peoples, but they were especially enjoyed by
southerners.

“I’m pretty good at remembering faces, but it seems we’re meeting for the first time.”

Urich waited for the man's response.

“My name is Joya. Though we’re meeting for the first time, I’ve heard of your name
and deeds many times. You are a very important person to us.”
The man who introduced himself as Joya had a gentle appearance. He was young yet
exuded a mature atmosphere. He had a charisma that drew people to him.

‘He must be a priest or a shaman.’

Urich knew such types well. They had a mysterious aura that seduced people. They
were people who spread their religion.

“So, Joya. What business do you have with me? If you ask a meaningless question
even once, I’ll rip out your tongue.”

Joya flinched for the first time. He hesitated for a moment, then took out a small
cloth pouch from his inner pocket.

“I am a disciple of Trikee. I came because I heard rumors that your army is suffering
from a plague.”

“Trikee? That guy is still alive?”

“He is in the south now, but he spread disciples like me across the civilized world
before leaving. Our influence has grown beyond what you might imagine.”

The conversation between Urich and Joya didn’t make any sense to the others in the
room.

“Haha, so he survived stubbornly. I thought he was dead since I hadn’t heard any
rumors.”

“There will be rumors soon. Very soon.”

Joya spoke ambiguously. He opened the cloth pouch and took out several small pills.

“And those are?” Urich asked.

“Dissolve these in water and give them to the sick warriors. They should work well
against the fever.”

Joya's words caused a stir among Urich’s close aides.

“Be careful, Great Chief. It could be poison.”

“Judging by how he mentioned Trikee, it shouldn’t be poison. That guy is an enemy of
the empire.”

Urich had Katagi receive the pouch of pills.

“Go and give the medicine to the warriors as he said. Hey, how long will it take for
them to recover?”

“One to two days,” Joya replied.

“So they should be able to move within a day.”

Urich accepted the pill from Joya. The news made Six-Fingered and even Gottval
furrow their brows.

"Great Chief! Is it true that you took medicine from an unknown person and gave it
to the warriors!"

Six-Fingered came to Urich, fuming. Urich, who was talking with Joya, looked at Six-
Fingered and laughed.

"Don't worry. If it really is poison, we can just cut this guy’s head off and offer it as a
sacrifice."

"How could you joke around at a time like this?!" Six-Fingered was baffled.

"Shut your frivolous mouth, Six-Fingered. If I cure the disease that you couldn't, how
do you think the warriors will react? They'll laugh at you for being an incompetent
priest."

Six-Fingered glared and stormed out.

"U-ughhhhhh."

Six-Fingered ground his teeth and groaned. This whole event was an opportunity for
the priest to shine, but he couldn't achieve anything significant.

Everything around Urich was chaotic. It was hard to see even a step ahead. Various
people, including those of civilization, stood next to him. Those who lived with
different thoughts and cultures babbled all kinds of things around Urich.
"W-who the hell is that man now!"

Six-Fingered threw down his staff as soon as he entered his tent.

The advance of the alliance was delayed by a day due to Joya's arrival. Warriors who
drank the water mixed with the pill coughed until they fell asleep.

"Urich, that man is a cultist."

Gottval rarely hated anyone, but he pointed at Joya and called him a cultist.

A cult described an oppressed religion. If heresy was considered merely different, a

cult was seen as harmful by nature. Serpentism was considered a cult because it
infiltrated society and caused all sorts of harm. The empire had long been trying to
eradicate the Serpentines who had snuck into civilized society.

"Relax, Gottval. If you want to use big words, we can call them a different faction of
that evil Serpentism."

"But Serpentism is still Serpentism. Nothing changes the fact that they are a cult that
kidnaps and eats children."

Child abduction and cannibalism. These were the reasons Serpentism was
particularly hated.

"If you put it that way, I’m also rumored to be a monster that eats kids."

"That's just a false rumor. But Serpentism actually committed such acts."

Joya quietly listened to Gottval's assessment.

"Calm down. Joya brought medicine. He is also my guest."

Gottval stood with a discontented face.

‘I didn’t expect Urich to have ties with this cult… ’

Even Gottval hadn't anticipated this. Ulgaro of the north and the sky faith of the west
were barbaric but not evil.
‘But Serpentism is different. It is nothing but a sinister cult—a religion shunned by the
entire world.’

Serpentism was hard for anyone to acknowledge, even Gottval.

"Say hello. Joya, this is Gottval, the Sun priest. Gottval, this is Joya of Serpentism."

Urich chuckled as if he found their meeting amusing.

Joya also nodded at Gottval after staring at him. From his perspective, Solarism was
an outdated religion that had to be overthrown.

‘Solarism is the root of this world turning more and more into hell.’

But Joya didn't say his thoughts out loud. Solarism did not bring change to the world.
They were merely busy trying to maintain the painful world as it was.

Although no words made their way around, the mutual discomfort in the air was
palpable.

"Do you trust the medicine that man brought?"

"Six-Fingered said the same thing to me when I followed your instructions to deal
with the disease. He said, 'Do you trust the words of a civilized man?' and got angry
at me."

Gottval had no response to that.

Joya, who had been quietly watching the two, spoke up, "I won't stay long, Sun priest
Gottval. I’m just going to make sure the medicine does its job."

"Seeing that you know how to use medicine, you must be a shaman of Serpentism."

"Please call me a priest of Serpentism. We are even considering changing the name
of the church. The name Serpentism itself carries a strong negative connotation."

Joya spoke calmly, but Gottval was enraged by his comment.

The harm that Serpentism had inflicted on civilized society was immense. Bandits
who roamed and harmed the innocents were led by the remnants of Serpentism, and
in the city's underground, shamans of Serpentism dealt all sorts of drugs.

Urich watched the two alternately with an intrigued face. He had intentionally
summoned Gottval to face Joya.

‘I was curious if Gottval—the man who preaches mercy and love—could do the same in
front of Serpentism.’

Gottval did not spew curses or baseless anger, but he could not hide his discomfort
and hostility.

"The afterlife in Serpentism—that was about going to the next world when we die,
right?"

Urich subtly started the conversation.

“There is no such thing as the next world. The reincarnation and the sun can be
proven, but the next world does not exist,” Gottval quickly responded.

Joya became frustrated and retorted coldly, “If the sun god Lou loves the humans on
earth, then why do people live in suffering? Sun priest Gottval.”

“We must not judge His will by our standards.”

“When we ask you Solarists about the sufferings in this world, you always repeat
those same words. The current world is full of only despair and suffering. If I had to
be reborn in this world, I would rather choose eternal demise.”

“There is no such thing as an eternal demise. You merely become a shadow standing
on the opposite side of the Sun—a shadow wandering the earth as an evil spirit, just
like Ulgaro.”

“You wouldn’t understand. People like you who blindly follow the sun will never
move on to the next stage and remain forever trapped in this world.”

Urich leaned back in his chair and watched the argument.

“So is that why you kidnap and eat children?”

“That is a thing of the past. It never had a whole lot to do with us in the first place.”
“Even if it was in the past, it’s still true. As long as that sin exists, you will never gain
the understanding of others,” Gottval said this and left the room.

Joya picked up a glass of water and soothed his dry throat.

“Did you enjoy that, Urich?” Joya asked.

“I guess you could say that.”

Urich smiled, chewing on an unknown red fruit. Red juice stained his mouth.

“Our church does not see your appearance as a mere coincidence. The Ark said that
this world would end soon, and you are the harbinger, Urich.”

“Harbinger?”

“The beast of the apocalypse, the disaster that will destroy the world. A stage to
select those who will move on to the next world.”

“That is quite… grand.”

“Do you think it’s a coincidence that you lead such a large army and sweep through
the world? This is the will of the world.”

Joya’s eyes sparkled. His gentle smile was filled with faith.

Urich treated Joya as a guest and prepared a separate sleeping place for him. After a
hectic day, Urich lay down to sleep.

“Beast of the apocalypse? Will of the world? Funny.”

Urich snorted.

‘Everything is my choice.’

He was tired of the vague, ambiguous words of the priests and shamans. Those men
didn’t believe in human will. They spoke as if humans were nothing in the face of
transcendent beings.

Hisssss, hiss, hiss.

That night, Urich heard the sound of a snake while half-asleep. Perhaps because of
the story about Serpentism, he remembered the day he almost got bitten by a snake,
except in his dream, Gottval didn’t save him, and he was bitten on the neck.

The snake’s pupils gazed into Urich’s. Its forked tongue licked Urich’s ear. The snake
tried to pry open Urich’s ear and burrow into his head.

“Shit!”

Urich cursed and sat up. His neck throbbed. When he touched it, there were no signs
he was bitten by a snake.

“What a shitty dream. Eh?”

After washing his face with cold water, Urich looked at the floor of his tent. He picked
up a transparent, elongated object with his hand.

‘Snake shedding.’

There was a shed skin of a snake in Urich’s tent. Feeling eerie, Urich searched around
the tent but found no trace of the snake.

“…Find Joya and bring him to me.”

Urich went outside and ordered the warriors, but Joya had already disappeared. No
one knew how he had evaded the warriors’ surveillance, but he was gone like the
wind.

Contrary to Urich’s unease, the warriors who had fallen ill recovered overnight. They
still had mild colds but were able to move again.

Urich stood there, dazed for a long time.

“You have the face of someone bewitched by a cultist, Urich,” Gottval said as he
passed by. He prayed softly for Urich.
There was a village that had been trampled by barbarian plunderers. In the grand
scheme of things, it was nothing. Nobody really cared much about that village being
wiped out.

Who would care about a small farmhouse burning down when the world was in an
era where entire nations and cities were falling? The plunderers who were clad in
animal skins and wielding axes had even defeated the mighty imperial army.

The girl looked at her burning house. Her father, who had fought against the
barbarians with a pitchfork, was impaled on a wall and burned alive. Her mother
was violated by the barbarians in the barn.

“Oh, Lou!”

Someone cried out the name of the god, though there was no answer.

‘Why, just why?’

The girl trembled as she hid inside a dirty wooden barrel.

“Please, please, please.”

She prayed to Lou over and over, asking him to end this hellish moment.

Clunk, clunk.

The sound of metal footsteps approached.

The girl's breathing became rough, and she couldn’t stop the panting no matter how
hard she tried.

‘They’ll find me at this rate.’

Even though she knew this, her breathing only grew louder. It felt like her heart
would burst out of her chest.

Creak.

Someone opened the lid of the barrel. The girl looked up with her eyes widened. She
couldn’t see his face very well because of the burning village in the background, but
judging by his build and smell, he was undoubtedly a barbarian.

‘I’m finished.’

She could see the inevitable, horrifying future. The girl despaired.

“…If you can't quiet down your breathing, at least bite your hand to silence yourself,”
the barbarian man said and then closed the barrel.

“Mm, mmph.”

The girl bit the back of her hand as she was told by the barbarian. But despite her
effort, the barrel still trembled slightly. She could only resent her own breathing that
kept making her shudder.

The night of plundering passed. The girl managed to spend the night undetected by
the barbarians. The silent morning air brushed past her, sending a chill down her
spine.

Creak.

The girl opened the lid and got out of the barrel.

“Oh, Lou…”

That was all she could mumble as she touched her sun necklace. She was supposed
to marry the blacksmith's son from the neighboring village next spring.

Only embers flickered in the desolate ruins. As the girl walked through them, her
body, which was beginning to mature, shone with beauty in stark contrast to the
ruins.

“Dad.”
No more tears came out of her eyes; perhaps because she had cried so much last
night. She looked at the half-collapsed house. Her father had burned to death with
his limbs nailed to the wall.

When the girl entered the barn, she collapsed and vomited. There was a corpse that
had been torn to pieces. It wasn't until she saw its head hanging like an ornament at
the back of the barn that she realized it was her mother.

“Ughhh, ugh.”

Dry sobs came out.

“…You should have taken me as well,” the girl said as she looked up as if she was
resenting the sun that was rising on the horizon.

A girl who had not yet become an adult lost her parents. She knew that surviving
would be a challenge. There was no hope to be found in a place where everything
had burned down.

There was nothing left in the farm village that had been completely swept through
by the barbarians. The girl, who had lost even the will to live, sat blankly on the
charred bed, staring in the direction the barbarians had disappeared.

The collapsed wall could not keep the wind out, and the night dew soaked her body.
It didn’t take too many days until her body became weak, almost on the cusp of
death.

“My child.”

The girl opened her heavy eyes. She shivered so much she couldn't tell if she was
dreaming or not.

“Priest?”

The first thing she saw was a cloak with a sun engraving. A Sun priest, with a soft
beard like winter snow, was looking at her.

“Ohh, Lou…! You did not take this child. Thank you, Lou!”

A priest who was on a pilgrimage took the girl in. He thought meeting this girl was
Lou's will. She was a girl who survived the plundering of barbarians who were
known to turn everything into ruins.

“Why does Lou not help us even when the barbarians invade our land?” The girl
asked as she traveled with the priest.

She had recovered a lot under the priest's care. Her withered body had regained
flesh, and her eyes sparkled with intelligence.

“Some say that these men are Lou’s punishment for the corrupted people.”

“That can't be true. How could Lou…” the girl mumbled, looking at the campfire.

“The sun and light give us hope and life, but just like this fire, we can get hurt if we
get too close to it. Arrogance is a great sin,” the priest replied with his eyes half-
closed.

The girl, who had mentally recovered, slowly recounted what had happened in the
village. The burning village, her father who was burned alive, and even her mother
who was torn apart after being violated by the barbarians. The girl’s hands trembled
as she spoke.

“Did you see who the man who saved you was?”

“I couldn't see his face. I only remember that he was a barbarian.”

“Lou must have appeared before you as a barbarian warrior. He showed you mercy.”

“But he let all the villagers die.”

“In time, you and I will both understand Lou’s will.”

The priest entrusted the girl to the Sun Temple in a relatively large city.

"Please take me with you…”

The girl whimpered, looking at the departing priest. The priest smiled faintly and
shook his head.

"The principal here will find you a suitable home where you can live a good life. Your
life was saved by Lou, so cherish it."

Being in a city, the temple was large. Over a hundred believers came and went each
day. The girl was at an age that made it difficult for her to stay in the temple. Her
mature body was very tempting to the young priests.

"We've found someone to take care of you," the principal with a half-bald head said
as he called the girl. It had not even been a week since the girl arrived at the temple.

The place where the principal and the girl arrived was a farm quite far from the city.
The farmer, whose teeth were stained black at the edges, grinned as he looked at the
principal and the girl.

"Is this the child? What about her parents?"

"She has no relatives. This is your home now, child."

The girl flinched and looked at the farmer and the principal. She looked at the sky
over their shoulders. A piece of cloud was covering the sun.

"Well then, let's head inside, Principal."

The farmer opened the barn door. The principal cleared his throat and grabbed the
girl's hand.

The girl grew anxious and tried to shake off the principal's hand, but she could not
overcome the strength of a grown man.

"You bitch!"

The principal slapped the girl and practically threw her into the barn.

"I'll educate her properly later, so please don’t be too rough on her. Now, please have
enjoy," the farmer said before closing the barn door.

Creak, thud.

The door closed. Inside the darkened barn, only the man blinded by lust exhaled
heavily.
"Ah, ahh."

The girl looked at the ceiling with blurred eyes. Only her body moved rhythmically.
Her groin felt unpleasant and moist.

‘This is what the priest meant. Corrupt people… ’

A hollow laugh escaped the girl's lips.

"You’re enjoying this already? You wicked girl! I'm trying to help you not get
corrupted by lust! Instead of fearing sin, you're letting your laugh leak out!"

The principal strangled the girl as he poured out his twisted sexual desires.

"Enjoying sex is a sin! You shall know the terror of lust! Fear it! Fear it!"

The world was corrupt. Even the priests, who were supposed to be the most noble of
all men, were blinded by lust and wielded violence against the weak.

‘It's no wonder Lou brought divine retribution.’

The girl looked at the ceiling of the barn. The roof was full of holes as if it would leak
in the rain. As the single piece of cloud that covered the sun cleared, a ray of light
seeped in.

‘Light?’

The light shone on a pile of hay. Something glinted. The girl didn't think this was
mere coincidence.

‘Oh, Lou, are you saving me?’

A sharp piece of metal was waiting for the girl's hand. She felt no hatred or anger;
there was only a sense of mission and religious reverence filling her heart.

"If this is your will…” The girl murmured. She reached for the pile of hay.

An iron stake fell into her hands.

Schluck!
The stake plunged deep into the principal's neck.

"K-kugh."

The principal gushed blood and collapsed on the spot. His grotesque body that had
never seen a minute of hard labor rippled.

"Everything is Lou's will…” The girl said, looking at the dying principal. She pressed
the stake harder, pushing it further in.

"Guuuuuugh."

The principal convulsed and fell. The girl closed the principal's open eyes.

Flap.

The girl picked up the principal’s coat from the ground and draped it over her
shoulders. The coat, adorned with sun emblems, didn't fit her and dragged on the
ground. She walked out of the barn with the stake still in her hand.

"H-h-huhhh?"

The farmer, who was chopping wood, looked at the girl in shock. He didn't know
what to do.

‘The principal?’

The principal of the Sun Temple was found dead in the barn. How could he possibly
explain this? If the lord and the guards found out, they would undoubtedly question
the farmer.

"Bring a donkey and a week's worth of food."

The girl’s voice carried confidence as she straightened her shoulders. The farmer,
bewildered by her audacious request, only stared at the girl.

"Y-you bitch!"

The farmer grabbed an axe and strode toward her.

"Bury the body that’s in the barn and pray to Lou. You shall be forgiven if you confess
the sin you’ve committed today."

The girl's pupils were strange. Her eyes were unfocused, making it look like she
wasn't looking at the person in front of her.

"Who the hell do you think you are, talking about forgiveness! Get in the barn now!
Damn wretch! I'll sell you off as a slave!" The farmer shouted once more.

"You will regret this."

The girl quietly closed her eyes and prayed. The farmer approached closer.

Thwack!

An arrow protruded from the farmer's chest. Hot blood splattered on the girl's face.

"G-gugh, geugh."

The farmer turned around and fell in despair. Several of the lord's soldiers were
already on their way.

‘That idiot principal, he ended up getting caught.’

The principal had donned the guise of a priest to get away with all sorts of ungodly
deeds.

As the farmer collapsed forward, he rolled his eyes toward the sun.

"Oh, Lou… Please forgive me and take my soul," the farmer mumbled as he gasped
for his last breaths.

The girl opened her eyes. Her eyes seemed like they were not looking at reality. They
were always unfocused as if she was gazing into the distance.

"Thank you for hearing my prayer."

The girl unclasped her hands as she looked at the farmer.

‘Did Lou really answer this girl's prayer?’

The farmer looked up at the girl with his face full of disbelief.

The soldiers searched the farmhouse and found the principal's body. They then
questioned the girl.

"What is your name?!" The guard captain shouted, pulling hard on the reins of his
horse.

The girl replied without a hint of fear in her voice as if she was possessed by
something.

"My name is Basha."

Basha was practically dragged over to the lord.

The lord of the city had been eyeing the principal for some time. The principal had
amassed wealth through corrupt means and even occasionally committed crimes.
The lord had intended to raid and arrest him, but the principal was already killed by
the girl's hand.

"Lou saved me. He didn't want me to die at the hands of corrupt people," Basha
murmured.

She wore the principal's sun cloak and smiled faintly. There was something eerie yet
reverent about her.

‘Who is this girl… ’

The lord couldn't easily decide what to do with Basha. The story that she told was far
from ordinary.

‘She survived a barbarian plundering, was helped by a Sun priest, but then was handed
over to a corrupted priest… ’

The lord pondered. Basha looked at him as she sipped warm honey water.

"A light came down. It was as if that light was telling me to deliver the divine
punishment on His behalf. When I reached out my hand, there was a stake."

And there the stake was as evidence. It was stained with the blood of the corrupt
principal.

The girl had protected herself from the principal’s assault and violence. It was an
impossible thing for a mere girl to do without the help of Lou.

‘This is troubling.’

Even though she was the one who killed the principal, punishing her felt wrong.

"If you write a letter to prove my story, I will leave. Ah, and a donkey and some extra
money too."

The lord groaned as he rested his chin on his hand, then nodded.

"Where do you plan to go?"

"Hamel. There has to be something I must do there."

The lord wrote the letter with a reluctant look on his face. He did not religiously
revere the girl. He simply wrote that something strange had happened.

‘Either she went mad from the consecutive hardships she had to go through, or she
truly is blessed by Lou.’
The imperial army was preparing for an offensive on the northern front. Even in the
north, summer was warm. The climate was more favorable to fight in for the
imperial army. Mobile siege towers that the imperial army had assembled were
scattered among the camps.

“The negotiations with the Giskin Kingdom are done. The Caselmaroni army will
retreat soon as well,” a bureaucrat who had returned from a diplomatic mission
reported.

The empire had agreed to return the old territories of the Giskin Kingdom. In return,
the Giskin Kingdom would attack Caselmaroni.

‘It’s not a bad deal if you look at it from the perspective of the Giskin Kingdom. They
can recover their old territories and, if they manage to seize the land of Caselmaroni on
top of that, they will become a powerful nation in one stroke.’

If the Giskin Kingdom expanded as planned, even the empire would not be able to
treat them lightly. The Giskin Kingdom accepted the empire’s request because they
knew this.

Yanchinus was bitter, but he was also relieved at the same time. He was
extinguishing one urgent fire at a time.

Imperial scouts were watching the movements of the Caselmaroni army. The
imperial army planned to advance north simultaneously as soon as Casemaroni went
to stop the Giskin army.

“Bilker the Boy King…”

The nickname "Boy King" spread far and wide quite quickly.

He was the descendant of Mijorn and was also young. The northern warriors were
highly motivated when they were fighting alongside Bilker. No northerner was going
to hesitate when even the young descendant of Mijorn fought at the forefront.

On the other hand, the morale of the imperial army was precarious. The boost in
morale from the emperor’s participation in battle did not last long. As the stalemate
on the front lines dragged on, various opinions arose within the imperial army.

‘The news of Carnius’ complete defeat is making things especially dire. We’re almost
lucky that there haven’t been any desertions.’

In the southeast, the army of plunderers was coming, along with Porcana.

‘We need more support from other kingdoms. If we can get two more kingdoms besides
the Giskin Kingdom to help us, things will look much better.’

Yanchinus pondered how to entice the kingdoms. The kingdoms were not all of one
mind. In fact, neighboring kingdoms were often mortal enemies, like Caselmaroni
and Giskin.

‘We need to create allies by maneuvering these diplomatic relationships well.’

If the empire gave up on keeping vassal states, diplomatic possibilities with the
kingdoms were very much open.

Tap, tap, tap.

Yanchinus drummed his fingers on the table as he looked at the map. Various
thoughts swirled in his mind.

“Your Majesty, there is someone here to see you.”

Any news reaching his ears at a time like this was likely bad news. Yanchinus
frowned because he knew that.

There was a commotion outside. An ordinary envoy or messenger wouldn’t have

caused such a reaction.

Clip-clop, clip-clop.

A girl on a donkey crossed the imperial army camp. She was wearing a dirty sun
cloak. The hem of the cloak reached the donkey’s rump. Her face was grimy, but the
corners of her smiling mouth exuded a strange sense of ease.

“What’s with the commotion?”

“Well, the one who came to see you is a young girl. She brought a letter bearing the
seal of Count Gargan.”

Gargan was a lord of a relatively peripheral land. Yanchinus had never met him
personally but had heard several times that he was a diligent and prudent man.

“Is she supposed to be a gift for me? Surely, he isn’t thinking of advancing to the
central government at a time like this, is he?”

Yanchinus chuckled with his fist to his mouth.

“Her attire is truly odd. She is shabby but dressed in a priest’s cloak.”

“Enough with the descriptions. I need to see for myself.”

Yanchinus gestured, and a soldier brought the girl to him.

“I am Basha.”

“You are a peasant with no education in manners,” Yanchinus said coldly.

Basha's mannerisms and speech were not those of a noble or an educated person.

"I've come a long way to see you, Your Majesty."

"There is no need to tell me what I can tell just by looking at your disheveled
appearance."

The knight beside him handed the letter he got from Basha to Yanchinus.

The letter was tattered, but the seal was unbroken. Yanchinus melted the seal over a
candle and checked the contents of the letter.

He took his time reading the letter. As he did so, he occasionally glanced at Basha’s
face.
"Did you travel alone?" Yanchinus asked Basha.

"I was able to reach you thanks to the protection of Lou, Your Majesty," Basha replied.

"It’s indeed close to a miracle for a young girl like you to make it all the way here by
herself. It seems you do have a bit of Lou’s grace."

“…My actions and words are the direct will of Lou," Basha spoke quietly. At her
words, the knight flinched and placed his hand on his sword hilt.

Basha's words were extremely rude as well as blasphemous. If a priest had heard
her, they would have been outraged. It was unthinkable that a mere girl could claim
to speak for Lou.

—… It was a bizarre sight. A corrupted priest died because he tried to violate the girl.
That little girl claimed she knew the will of Lou.

The letter detailed Basha's journey to this point.

"You’ve somehow managed to survive after being raided by the plunderers."

"I nearly died, but Lou, who took the form of a barbarian, saved me."

Yanchinus gave a bitter laugh at her words. He finished reading the letter and closed
his eyes for a moment to gather his thoughts.

‘She lost her entire family to the plunderers and was raped by a priest. She’s gone mad.’

The girl in front of him was simply mad. That was the rational conclusion that
Yanchinus came to.

"I have heard the rumors that the empire is in dire straits. Those who took Lou’s
grace for granted and neglected him are paying the price. The priests have fallen into
corruption, and the people stopped truly revering Lou,” Basha said.

"It seems you've forgotten who stands before you."

Yanchinus snapped his fingers. The knight drew his sword and pointed it at Basha's
neck. Despite the cold steel at her throat, Basha's eyes remained calm.
"If you give me armor and a sword, I will prove Lou's greatness. He is the only one
who can save us from this plight."

Basha's face was flushed as if she were in love. Her heightened spiritual state made
her forget even the fear of death.

The knight, unable to tolerate Basha’s insolence and arrogance, spoke up, "She’s a
mad, lowly bitch, Your Majesty."

But Yanchinus slowly lowered his raised hand.

"Clean her up and give her armor that fits."

Yanchinus smiled, resting his chin on his hand.

"I knew Your Majesty would grant my request. After all, Lou was the one who guided
me here."

"Lead the vanguard in battle. I’m sure Lou will protect you. Since you are clad in the
grace of the sun, no arrow or flame will harm you."

Basha grew even more excited at Yanchinus' words. A faint light flickered in her
blurry eyes.

"Now, go. The knight will guide you."

Basha knelt and kissed Yanchinus' hand.

Basha and the knight left the tent. Left alone, Yanchinus put away the letter and
laughed.

‘Whether she lives or dies, she’ll certainly raise our spirit.’

A young girl clad in armor was about to lead the vanguard. Whether she lived or
died, the soldiers inspired by her would fight bravely. In fact, it might even be better
if she died heroically on the battlefield.

"A mad woman can still be useful. You just have to know how to use one."

***
The Caselmaroni army that had been targeting the rear of the imperial army
retreated. News came that the Giskin army had crossed Caselmaroni's border.

Yanchinus' imperial army decided to attack the fortress where Bilker's main force
was stationed. Attacking the main force directly was a risky move, but time was of
the essence for the imperial army.

“Basha?”

“I heard she came a long way to save the empire.”

“A girl is going to fight on the battlefield?”

The soldiers chattered among themselves.

Basha, clad in chainmail, held the sun flag high. She looked at the northern fortress
before closing her eyes.

‘Oh, Lou, if my purpose is to be your servant, let it be proven here.’

Chains clinked every time she moved. The armor weighed heavily on her shoulders.

“There’s no need for you to wield a sword, Basha. Just hold the flag and move
forward. We’ll protect you.”

The knights ordered by Yanchinus guarded Basha.

“Lou will be watching over us. Just as He saved me, He will protect all of you who are
with me.”

Basha spoke to each knight and soldier she met. The faces of the soldiers who heard
her words were filled with peculiar expressions.

Boom, boom, boom.

The soldiers beat the drums, to which the imperial army advanced. Their formation
was perfect, with not even a single man falling out of line.

Creak, creak.
The sound of winding catapults came from all directions. The siege towers on wheels
moved slowly.

Basha looked at the fortress as she listened to her pounding heart. Although the
fortress currently belonged to the northerners, it was incredibly sturdy as one would
expect from the empire’s construction.

Buuuuuup!

The charge trumpet sounded long. As the catapult stones rained down, the imperial
soldiers approached the walls in formation.

“Basha! Hold the flag and follow me!” A knight urged Basha.

Basha continued to pant. She opened her eyes and mouth wide.

“A-ahhh!”

Out of nowhere, Basha screamed like an insane person. The unique high-pitched
voice of a woman echoed through the ranks.

“Basha!”

The knights were startled. Basha had broken out of formation and charged forward.
Just a lone sun flag advanced, fluttering.

Thwiwiwip!

Arrows fell at Basha's feet, but she tripped on her way and fell, ultimately avoiding
the arrows. She moved awkwardly as she was not used to wearing armor, which
ironically helped her evade the skilled archer’s arrows. A more seasoned soldier
would have been hit a long time ago.

“The blessing of the sun is with us! Fight with me, good-hearted men!” Basha
shouted as she picked herself back up.

A little girl, young enough to be a little sister or even daughter to the imperial
soldiers, shouted in the middle of a battlefield full of men.

“Advance! Advance! Chaaaarge!”

As Yanchinus ordered his army to charge, officers shouted from all directions.

Soldiers roared and sprinted. It was a distance they normally would have advanced
at a slower pace, but the army darted forward as if it was possessed and eventually
clung to the base of the walls.

“She really is crazy!”

The knights assigned to guard Basha looked at each other and laughed. Basha's
sudden actions were absurd. Such behavior was unthinkable in the imperial army
where discipline was of utmost priority.

The knights frantically followed Basha. She climbed the siege tower and waved the
flag high. The knights raised their shields to protect her.

The sun flag was carried by Basha. There wasn’t a single man in the imperial army
who was going to feel fear when a little girl was standing at the forefront of the
ranks. Even conscripted soldiers, who usually had the lowest morale, were inspired
and fearlessly crowded into the siege tower.

“Lou is with us in many forms! Do not be afraid!”

The excited Basha advanced despite the rain of arrows. A cold spearhead grazed her
head.

“Dammit!”

A knight pulled Basha by the arm to protect her. Up close, she was just a girl who was
on a wild rampage. The knights used every means to protect her.

“Ahhh!”

Basha took advantage of the opening created by the tangled knights to leap onto the
wall. She threw off her helmet after jumping into the enemies, raised the flag high,
and swung it widely. Her reddish-blonde hair flowed wildly in the air.

“Woooaaaaah!”

The soldiers who were tussling between the siege tower and the wall suddenly went
berserk and advanced as if they had turned into barbarian warriors themselves. The
soldiers charged in before Basha could be killed.

The imperial army with the sun flag at its center had a tremendous breakthrough
power. The madness that the civilized army lacked was present in this mere girl.
Even if she were to die fighting on this battlefield, it would have its own tremendous
impact.

“The sun flag…”

Bilker, who was defending the fortress, also realized that the flagbearer carrying the
sun flag was encouraging the imperial army. He led his elite warriors and climbed to
the top of the wall.

“Come with me! We have to defend the western wall!”

Bilker ran along the wall, thrusting his spear long. His spear pierced countless
imperial soldiers climbing the ladders. Despite his young age, his solid spear
technique was truly impressive.

“Ohhhhhh!”

The northern warriors, though they believed in Solarism, still had their warrior
culture and customs within them. They loved violence and the sight of blood still
exhilarated them. Before them stood the descendant of Mijorn who had matured into
an excellent man.

“King of the north!”

Bilker and his warrior unit cleared the wall with fierce momentum and targeted the
sun flag bearer’s unit.

“Ohhhhhh!”

Bilker thrust his spear deep with a roar. He skewered an imperial soldier with his
spear and threw them off the wall.

He could see the sun flag ahead. The face of the bearer was hidden among the
knights, but it was certain that they were a brave person who was brave enough to
expose their position with a tall flag. Bilker tensed.
‘Surely, an exceptional knight is holding that flag.’

Bilker swallowed and narrowed his eyes.

‘Oh, Ulgaro… ’

His heart still belonged to Ulgaro.

Basha watched as the northern barbarians charged toward her. Howling frivolously
yet ferociously, they pushed through the soldiers and knights.

‘Barbarians, barbarians,’ Basha thought. ‘They are unworthy of Lou’s grace and love.’

Claaaang!

Metals fiercely clashed as the knights tried to stop the northerners from getting any
closer.

“Hooooh!”

Bilker leaped high into the air and over the knights, then used his agility to avoid
being caught.

Upon finally spotting the flag bearer, he smiled with satisfaction.

‘There you are.’

He didn't know who the flagbearer was, but he knew that decapitating them would
surely dampen the imperial army’s morale.

Thud!

With the flagbearer pinned to the floor, Bilker drew the axe strapped to his waist and
held it high. He only needed one strike to split the knight’s head open.

However, he hesitated.

“A woman?”

No, the knight was no woman; she was just a young girl. Children her age had no
business being on the battlefield.
Bilker was not above killing women. He simply did not expect to encounter such an
incongruous individual.

Fear slowly crept up into Basha’s eyes like a foul stench. Unable to break free, she
screamed as if she was having a seizure.

“Aaaaaah!”

Basha then forcibly sat up, accidentally slamming the top of her head against Bilker’s
jaw.

Thunk!

‘Damn.’

Bilker tumbled down the wall. His spine tingled.

‘What is this girl doing here in full armor?’

Although there were women who knew how to fight and were as tough and strong as
men, war was inherently a man's domain. It made no sense for a slender girl to be
standing on the battlefield.

“Aaaaaah!”

Basha let out another ear-splitting scream—making Bilker frown—as she jumped
down toward him from the wall. She aimed the bottom of the flagpole she was
holding squarely at his face.

“Basha!”

Imperial knights and soldiers also jumped down, following Basha. Several soldiers
landed awkwardly and twisted their ankles.

Crunch!

Bilker rolled to the side to dodge Basha’s attack.

“Bilker! Fall back! We're being overwhelmed! The wall has already been breached!” a
northern warrior shouted as the rest of their troops surrounded Bilker.
Things were not looking great for the Northern Army. The fortress was gradually
being breached.

“Those damned Caselmaroni bastards.”

The Caselmaroni troops had withdrawn, claiming they needed to defend their own
territory.

‘The empire probably pulled a diplomatic trick on them.’

Acknowledging the unfavorable tide of the battle, Bilker led their remaining troops
out through the back gate.

“Retreat! Retreat!”

Considering this fortress offered them the most defensible position, it pained them
to abandon it.

“We’ll have another opportunity soon, Bilker. The Imperial Army can't afford to focus
solely on the north,” said one of the northern Sun Warriors guarding Bilker.

As the northern warriors retreated, the imperial army jeered at them from on top of
the wall.

“Piss off, you idiots! Lou does not love you!”

The imperial soldiers bared their buttocks and shook them toward the northern
warriors while shouting.

After recapturing the fortress, the Imperial Army immediately began repairing and
reinforcing the fortress. Basha was constantly mentioned among the soldiers who
were carrying the materials.

“Did you see that girl fight? Lou truly seems to have blessed her.”

“She charged right into the middle of the enemy camp, yet she didn’t die. On the
contrary, she made the barbarians run for their lives.”

The soldiers gathered, trying to catch a glimpse of Basha’s face.

Basha entered an unoccupied room panting, still unable to shake off the excitement
of the battlefield and the ecstasy coursing through her. Nevertheless, she knelt and
prayed.

“Oh Lou, thank you for giving me the strength to defeat the barbarians. You have
proven to me that my coming here was not a mistake.”

Afterward, she sat quietly until her heart calmed. The steel knights, personally
assigned by Emperor Yanchinus, guarded her door.

The emperor had taken note of Basha’s contribution. After all, despite having feeble
combat skills and no leadership ability, the girl had managed to leave a significant
impact on the battlefield.

Yanchinus entered the captured fortress with a grin.

“No grown man would run off when a young girl like her is leading the charge.”

Although any capable commander could boost the army’s morale, Basha’s presence
raised a different kind of morale. It drew out not their sense of duty or inspiration
but a far deeper internal madness.

Even the imperial army, renowned for its high discipline, couldn’t help but feel
excited and giddy. Winning with a girl leading their charge also made them feel a
strange sense of guilty pleasure.

“Give Basha better armor and treat her nicely.”

Yanchinus was generous to those he deemed valuable. Now, Basha was one of those
people.

‘With this fortress as our central base, we’ll be able to hold off the Northern Army.
Although we’ll still have trouble advancing further north, it’ll be just as tough for them
to get past this location and invade us.’

In the evening, Yanchinus threw a banquet for the soldiers. However, he himself
spent the night in a strategy meeting with his staff.

“Basha is a dangerous woman. While she did bring us good results this time, her
reckless actions could ruin our strategies in the future.”
“She has a significant impact on the soldiers' morale, though. Today, the men fought
like barbarians. It was as if they had turned into young boys trying to show off to a
girl.”

“That is precisely what makes her so dangerous.”

Due to others’ refusal to just blindly accept Basha’s actions, the commanders’
discussion went on.

“Unity and discipline are the greatest strengths of our army, Your Majesty.”

Everyone turned to Yanchinus, who had been listening to the knights and
commanders in silence. They awaited his response.

“Discipline is indeed important. No one would deny that it is the greatest virtue and
value of the imperial army,” Yanchinus leisurely said. “However, results are far more
important. Today, it was Basha, not discipline, who led us to victory. That makes her
a valuable asset.”

Some of the commanders frowned and clicked their tongues. If nobles in the royal
court had reacted like this, their necks would have been in danger.

Yanchinus was close to a tyrant politically, but on the battlefield, he listened to

diverse opinions. After all, armies required the utmost rationality in every decision.
They also had to be innovative and ever-changing. That was why those wrapped in
authority and prejudice were often weak and short-lived

On the battlefield, a strategy that had worked yesterday could become a weakness
the next day. For that reason, Yanchinus allowed his military commanders to voice
their opinions without worrying about his.

“If we are going to use Basha on the battlefield, it would be best to turn her into a
symbol, Your Majesty. Perhaps we could send a letter to the Pope to recognize Basha
as a saintess?”

“While I’m sure the Pope will gladly grant my request, we cannot hand Basha over to
the priests. She’s an ignorant peasant girl who doesn't know right from wrong. Make
sure that the priests under the influence of the Pope do not approach her.”

Yanchinus had heard rumors about the Pope and Solarism instigating the northern
rebellion. The Pope had once reigned above kings before the empire was established.
Hence, although he only ruled over an average independent domain now, he had
immense political influence. Moreover, he would undoubtedly want to reclaim his
past glory.

Yanchinus continued, “There are still fortresses to capture. If Basha is truly useful,
she will prove herself in those battles as well. If she survives and leads us to victory
again, the soldiers will regard her as Lou’s apostle and follow her regardless of the
Pope’s authority.”

“She’s a reckless girl who has no understanding of the battlefield. She will surely die
soon,” a commander commented.

“Even if she does, her death will become a heroic tale. The sacrifice of a country girl
who received Lou’s revelation to save the empire sounds like a pretty good story to
me,” Yanchinus countered.

While the imperial army’s high command dismissed Basha as just another crazy girl,
some knights watched the meeting with uneasy expressions.

‘What if Basha truly is a saintess who has received Lou’s revelation?’

They had heard of stories about ancient kingdoms being destroyed by the wrath of
Lou because they had dismissed a saint that she had blessed. The stories dated back
to the barbaric age—an age without records. In that era, even Lou wasn’t always
merciful.

The world hadn’t always been this civilized. Just like everything else, it also started
from barbarism.

***

Basha fell asleep in her armor.

‘If you can't quiet down your breathing, at least bite your hand to silence yourself.’

She dreamed of the past—of the sun god Lou, who had appeared in the guise of a
barbarian, saving her from death.

Afterward, Basha dreamed of what had happened in the barn. As fragmented

sunlight shone on the stake, she delivered divine punishment to a corrupted priest
on behalf of Lou.

‘Lou, since the corrupted ones have fallen to the barbarians, I now see it as my mission
to save the empire from them.’

Basha opened her eyes. Her chainmail, which had been weighing down on her,
clanked as she stretched her arms.

Despite having slept soundly, she felt weary and heavy and ached all over. With the
adrenaline rush now gone, every step she took felt as if it would shatter her.

Basha awkwardly stepped outside. She then looked at the fortress that she had
captured.

‘I took this fortress from the barbarians.’

A sense of accomplishment pounded in her chest, seemingly making the pain vanish.

‘I am special. I am under Lou’s protection and grace.’

Basha walked confidently. The soldiers, who were holding torches, knelt and prayed
as soon as they saw her.

Creak.

A serene echo spread as she entered one of the halls of the fortress.

Perhaps it was because it was a prayer room, but it seemed to have been left
untouched.

Looking at the center of the hall, Basha tilted her head. “Why are there sun relics
here?”

Despite having been previously owned by barbarians, the hall was decorated like a
Sun Temple. It even had signs of prayers everywhere.

‘I thought the barbarians worshipped the god of war?’

Even an ignorant person like Basha had heard that the barbarian god was evil and
violent. He moved under the cover of night and darkness and embraced storms and
thunder as his symbols.

Basha’s pupils shook. Frozen, she clutched her throbbing forehead.

“Basha, Basha,” someone whispered from behind a pillar.

She turned toward the call, finding the military chaplain who had been following the
imperial army.

“Brother?”

Basha bowed her head politely in greeting. The chaplain glanced around before
approaching her.

“I heard you fought bearing Lou’s revelation,” he said.

“Lou has tasked me to save the empire from the barbarians,” she replied.

“Then you’re targeting the wrong people. The northerners believe in Lou. They even
aim to build the kingdom of the Sun.”

Frowning, Basha glared at the chaplain. Sadness was evident in her eyes.

Taking her silence as an opportunity, he continued, “Haven’t you heard the rumors?
Even Bilker, a descendant of Mijorn and the self-proclaimed king of the north, is said
to be the son of the sun god. The empire is waging a futile war driven by worldly
desires.”

“…I refuse to believe such a blatant lie. The barbarians are likely just trying to
deceive us while still worshiping their barbarian god,” Basha argued, her voice rising
and her gaze growing colder. “If they believed in Him, Lou would not have
commanded me to kill them. I have also gazed into their evil eyes myself. Lou does
not dwell in them. That Bilker must harbor the barbarian god in his heart!”

“Come with me to His Holiness the Pope, then! If you have truly received Lou’s
revelation, His Holiness will recognize it.”

The chaplain grabbed Basha’s wrist. She recoiled in fear and pushed him away.
“I-I heard the voice of Lou. He saved me and bestowed grace upon me! All barbarians
must die!”

“The barbarians are tools Lou has sent to punish the corrupted. Although they are
disguised as heretics, they will eventually return to Him just as the northerners have.
After all, all humans are sons and daughters of Lou.”

“Are you saying… that we are no different from the barbarians?”

Basha trembled.

‘This priest has been corrupted.’

Her ears buzzed. She reached toward her waist and clumsily drew her sword.

“W-what are you doing?!”

As the chaplain stepped back in alarm, Basha ineptly cut into his chest deeply.

“Kaaagh!”

She then viciously drove the blade in deeper. Blood gushed onto the floor.

“Pay for your sin of invoking His name while tainted by heretical gods,” Basha
murmured as she ended the chaplain’s life.

Still enraged, she repeatedly kicked and stomped the dead chaplain’s lower body.

Hearing the commotion, a knight on patrol entered the hall. He flinched as soon as he
saw the dead chaplain and the blood-soaked Basha.

“Basha! What’s the meaning of this?!”

“This man tried to defile me, but Lou protected me. Let us pray to Him.”

Basha quietly knelt before the sun relic and began to pray with an incredibly serene
expression.
The nobles of the civilized world were on edge due to the movements of the alliance
army. The Porcana-Alliance army was making its way up north. At this rate, they
would be passing the imperial capital of Hamel in just two days.

The vast plains of the imperial lands made camping easy anywhere. As night fell, the
warriors pitched tents and prepared to camp.

"We will gain land in the civilized world and engage with them in an exchange. Some
of us will become farmers, and we will even meet strange merchants from faraway
places every now and then."

Urich spoke while sitting by the campfire. There were a lot of warriors gathered
around him.

"Exchange?"

Someone questioned as if they didn’t welcome the sound of it.

"What, you’re just going to retreat back to the west and stay there after going
through all this trouble? We may be united as brothers right now, but once we return
to the west, we'll become enemies again. The land in the west is harsh. We can't get
enough food there. We need to interact with the civilized world."

The alliance army had gained the upper hand and could negotiate with the empire to
get what they wanted at any time.

‘The reason why we’re still fighting is to get better negotiation terms.’

Unlike in the early days, the frequency of plundering by the alliance army had greatly
decreased. Many warriors were itching for action, but Urich prohibited any
unnecessary attacks. They supplemented their necessities by receiving tributes from
the territories they passed by.
‘We need to interact with civilization. That’s what the future of the west will depend on.
We need to learn civilization on equal terms, not in a subjugated state like the north or
the south.’

Urich was looking toward the future.

‘I have no intention to let this end without a clear plan.’

He felt as heavy as if he was submerged in a lake. The eyes of the warriors pressed
on him.

Urich had to live up to the expectations of the warriors. That was his responsibility
and mission. Once he started something, he had to see it through to the end.

‘What I want to do.’

Everyone has dreams. There is something they truly want to do.

But how many people actually get to live the life they want? Responsibilities, duties,
family, and status. These were some of the reasons that made people either settle for
reality or feel frustrated.

One had to fulfill the responsibilities given to them. Dreams were something to be
chased after that.

Urich came back to the west to save his people. His brothers and kin relied on and
followed him. From that very moment, Urich was no longer a free man.

‘It would be nice if my ambition and duty aligned like they did for Samikan… ’

Urich smiled faintly. Each day of Samikan’s life must have been filled with fulfillment.

‘After the war ends and our exchange with the civilized world stabilizes… ’

A faint hope glimmered.

Feeling unsettled, Urich got up and walked to the outskirts of the camp where there
was less traffic. He found Gottval praying and spoke to him.

“Why are you praying out here, of all places?”

“I was looking for a quiet place, and I just happened to end up here.”

“You might get killed wandering around like that. Not all warriors follow my control.
The ones who hate you are sharpening their axe blades with passion.”

Gottval laughed softly and stood up.

“Do you know how Solarism expanded its influence?”

Urich thought for a moment before speaking.

“Martyrdom… Those who overcame the fear of death with their religious fervor
inspire others with their deaths.”

Gottval flinched at Urich’s answer.

‘Urich's knowledge might have already surpassed that of many scholars.’

Urich was an extraordinary barbarian from their very first encounter. He was not
just an exceptional warrior but a keen explorer. If he were merely a good fighter, he
wouldn't have garnered this much love from so many people.

“Would you believe in Lou if I died for you?” Gottval asked.

“Don’t even try to threaten me like that. Well, if you do actually die, I might do a little
pretending out of guilt.”

Urich shrugged.

“Urich, you are smart.”

“You won’t get anything from me with that kind of flattery.”

“You don't need to be smug. That intelligence is your problem. Smart people don't
easily believe in what they can’t see. They need to see it with their own eyes. I heard
about the taboo of the Sky Mountains. The taboo you challenged and broke.”

“So what?”

“In the past, you were a barbarian filled with curiosity about the gods. But over time,
you've seen, heard, and experienced many things. Now, you don't worship or follow
anything—not the sky, not Ulgaro, and not Lou. You've become too complex to walk a
single path, Urich the barbarian.”

“I like you, Gottval, but don't talk like you know everything about me. Save your
preaching for when I ask for it.”

Despite Urich's words, Gottval didn't stop.

“Please don't choose the worst path, Urich.”

Urich frowned to show his displeasure. He quietly returned to his tent.

***

‘The Porcana-Alliance army is attacking the imperial capital of Hamel.’

Such rumors were heard everywhere. It was also true that the Porcana-Alliance army
had advanced near Hamel. The people inside the walls prayed as they trembled in
fear, while merchants avoided Hamel even if it meant taking losses on their business.

"Let them come if they dare!"

However, the morale of the garrison stationed in Hamel was extremely high. Despite
the emperor's absence, the steel knights remained unwavering.

‘The walls of Hamel will never be breached.’

Hamel's outer walls were the highest in the civilized world. Even with all the existing
siege weapons and techniques, breaching Hamel was difficult. Anyone who was
familiar with Hamel's wall structure and had military knowledge knew that Hamel
wouldn't be easily breached.

The garrison, who knew the power of Hamel’s defense better than anyone, stood
firm, maintaining their positions without a single deserter.

The Porcana-Alliance army encamped at a distance where the walls of Hamel were
visible as a mere dot. They hesitated instead of advancing as planned.

There was an unexpected reinforcement for the alliance army.

"It’s Belrua!"

Belrua joined the alliance army with three thousand warriors.

"Belrua came… at a time like this…”

The chiefs cautiously glanced at each other. They did not hastily welcome Belrua.

The Porcana army who was completely unaware of the internal dynamics of the
alliance army was simply pleased to see their numbers increase.

"I went through all that trouble to drag myself here and what, not even a proper
welcome?"

Belrua snapped at the warriors who welcomed her. She had returned to the alliance
army after being away to give birth to her child in the west.

‘The wife of the last Great Chief Samikan.’

It was quite an awkward status within the current alliance army. Urich had killed
Samikan and taken the position of Great Chief. In a way, he was her enemy.

"What the hell are you all just standing around for? Belrua of the Red Sand is here!
Bring out the wine and meat!"

Urich pushed the warriors aside and stepped forward. He greeted Belrua with a
broad smile.

The warriors seemed relieved by his words. They couldn't afford a civil war now.

"Great Chief Urich, huh? I guess it suits you well enough," Belrua said as she
approached Urich.

"Son, or daughter?"

Urich asked as he guided Belrua into the camp. Belrua led her warriors deeper into
the camp, where a peculiar stillness and tension hung in the air.

Belrua entered a large tent and sat on a fur-covered chair. She toyed with the armrest
of the chair and looked at Urich with half-closed eyes.
"Son."

Upon hearing this, Urich's excited smile faded, and he closed his eyes briefly before
reopening them.

"Well, let’s have a drink first. It's good to see you after a while."

"You have the audacity to say that after killing my husband?"

But despite her words, Belrua shrugged. Everyone in the alliance knew it was a
loveless marriage.

"It's not like it was a union out of affection anyway. What, you’re going to try to
avenge your husband here?"

"I know there's no chance of winning if I go against you now. I brought my warriors
here purely for the purpose of joining you. I swear to the heavens."

Belrua accepted the cup of wine. The two shared a light toast of friendship.

Urich exhaled deeply and muttered, "I see. You had a son. Samikan's son…”

Belrua had left her son with the Red Sand Tribe. He was under good care of the
women who were more caring than herself.

"A son has to avenge his father someday. Maybe not now, but eventually. He'll be
ridiculed by the warriors if he doesn't when he's grown. Samikan's revenge is none
of my business, but my son's dishonor certainly is."

"Can I not be his godfather? After all, Samikan and I are sworn brothers."

"Are you joking? That would be like my son begging for his life by making the man
who killed his father his godfather. I'd rather strangle him with my own hands."

"Well, we still have at least ten years before that child grows up. It's not an
immediate issue. And who knows? I might die before then."

The issue of Samikan's son wasn't urgent enough to resolve right away. Belrua came
to Urich because she knew that.
Belrua and Urich put the matter aside. It was a problem that would resolve itself if
one of them died before the son grew up.

"Why did you kill Samikan and take the Great Chief position, anyway? Things got that
bad between you two while I was gone? Knowing you, I doubt you wanted the Great
Chief's position that badly."

"Samikan made a reckless decision. He became overly ambitious because he knew he

didn’t have much time left, and there was only one way to stop him."

"Are you sure his decision was reckless?"

Belrua's eyes narrowed sharply.

At the time of their conflict, Urich believed that Samikan would lead the alliance to
ruin.

‘But was there really no chance of winning? Could Samikan have known something I
didn't that could have brought down the empire?’ Urich thought to himself.

In some ways, Samikan's vision was broader than Urich’s. They often saw different
things even when they were standing in the same place.

“…Even if his decision was the correct one, what meaning does it have now? I am the
Great Chief of the alliance, Belrua. You've already broken a promise with me for your
own gain once. Are you sure you have the right to blame me? If you can't accept me
as the Great Chief, then go back to the west. Go start a rebellion or whatever."

Urich leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. He let his arms hang loosely and
fiddled with the axe that had fallen under the chair.

The organization called the alliance had become as politically complicated as its size
had grown. But an organization built on the tribal warrior culture had a simple rule.

One rule that transcended any morality, ethics, or legitimacy.

Belrua brought her hand to her chest. Urich's pupils dilated and contracted
repeatedly like a hawk eyeing its prey.

Schring.
There was a cold sound. Belrua drew her meteorite dagger, her treasure and symbol.
If Urich's expedition failed, the west would become slaves of civilization, and she
knew that just as well as Urich.

Creak.

Belrua knelt on one knee and bowed her head. She raised her palm high and offered
the meteorite dagger to Urich. It was a form of tribute to repair their shaky
relationship.

"I apologize for my rudeness, Great Chief Urich. I will follow your words without
complaint."

The law of the wilderness, both simple and close to nature.

The strong have the right to rule over the weak.

“We must defend this place while His Majesty is out leading the campaign in the
north!”

The knight in charge of the garrison shouted as he walked around the platform in the
training grounds. He gestured wildly, encouraging the soldiers. The remaining
combat force in Hamel was only about three thousand, but that was enough to hold
off tens of thousands of siege forces.

“Our walls are high, and they are nothing but a bunch of ignorant barbarians!”

“Hoh!”

The soldiers stomped their feet and struck the ground with their spears.

“Hamel will not fall! If they come for this place, they will only pay for their foolish
judgment! Who will make them pay that price with their blood? We will!”

The garrison commander shouted until his voice was hoarse. It felt like his face was
turning red all the way up to the crown of his head as the veins on his neck became
prominent.

‘If Hamel falls, it will be difficult to reclaim it.’

With the walls of Hamel, defending an enemy even a hundred times bigger was not
impossible. Even an untrained man could do their part with just a crossbow. Hamel's
walls were tough to breach no matter what kind of siege weapon one had. The moat
was deep and wide, making it impossible to cross with siege towers or ladders. The
stockpiled military supplies were sufficient to last over a year without issues.

‘Them attacking Hamel would actually be an excellent opportunity for us. They will end
up losing most of their forces.’

The empire actually preferred a siege. They had already suffered a significant defeat
in open battle. But in a siege, variables such as the ones they experienced earlier
were almost non-existent.

“We must defend Hamel in His Majesty's absence.”

The garrison commander finished his speech and assigned the deployment of troops
to his adjutants. He gathered the forces by gathering whoever was eligible among
Hamel’s citizens. Even retired soldiers with gray hair voluntarily picked up weapons
to defend Hamel.

“Come on then… barbarians.”

The garrison commander climbed the battlements and looked out at the Porcana-
Alliance army's camp. Smoke rose in the distance, but there was no significant
movement in two days.

“Raise the oil barrels to the walls! We don't know when they will attack!”

Workers moved busily below the walls. The garrison positioned siege defense
materials on every battlement, thoroughly preparing for the attack.

“Sir Sarvan! There is someone coming.”

A soldier rushed over to the garrison commander.

“Is it their messenger? These barbarians have the decency to declare war?”

“It might be a messenger from Porcana. Being a civilized kingdom, they might follow
protocol.”

The garrison commander went up to the gate without even donning his armor. A
man on horseback was galloping across the plain from a distance.

“It’s a barbarian! A barbarian is coming!”

Dozens of workers who were outside the walls fled inside in fear. It was only one
man, but that was how terrifying the plunderers were. To the civilized people, the
plunderers from the west were not seen as human. They were essentially monsters
from an entirely different world.
“A-ahhh!”

The workers even threw aside their equipment and ran frantically.

It was obvious that the man on horseback was an extraordinary barbarian even from
afar. His massive build was enough to make even the horse look small.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen these walls. It was hard to believe humans built
them,” Urich mumbled as he pulled the reins. He stopped quite a distance from the
gate.

“Calm down, Kylios. We’re not here to fight today.”

Urich reached out and brushed the horse’s mane. Kylios exhaled contentedly.

Kylios was a good horse. It was rare to find a horse that could withstand Urich's
rough handling. Kylios was the perfect battle horse, strong and fearless. Most
importantly, it was resilient enough to survive just by feeding on grass.

“I am Urich, Great Chief of the alliance!”

Urich's voice rang out loudly. Imperial soldiers murmured at his words.

‘That’s the famous Urich.’

By now, nobody was unaware of Urich. His infamy spread like an infectious disease.
Bad news traveled fast.

The plunderers were no more than ominous shadows to the civilized world until
Urich showed up. He was the one who solidified their form. The fact that his name
already had a certain renown in the civilized world made him even more fearsome.

‘We don’t know much about them, but they know us well.’

The knowledge of their enemy. That was what set apart the current plunderers from
the northerners of the past.

Northerners were conservative and too busy fighting among themselves to notice
the external threats. They knew that there were good lands to the south, but they
were too occupied with their long tribal rivalries to expand southward. The most
they did was send small plundering parties into the civilized world during winters.

The civilized world was united under the empire’s banner. The empire conquered
the barbarian world in order to expand its territories, and the north was helpless.
Just as times create heroes, Mijorn appeared to unite the north, but it was already far
too late to reverse the tide.

‘We are different from the north.’

Urich looked at Hamel's walls. They were so high his neck ached from looking up.
The walls of Hamel were not something one could conquer with ladders. To conquer
this city, he would have to be prepared to lose all of the alliance forces.

Westerners acted cunningly. Because they knew the civilized world, they only fought
battles they could win and even accepted civilized mercenaries and allied with
kingdoms when needed.

A flexible mindset and a willingness to learn.

These were the strengths and common traits of Urich and Samikan. Urich gained his
understanding of the civilized world by crossing the mountains, while Samikan did
so through Noah, who came from the other side.

“Phew.”

Urich took a deep breath.

“We will attack at dawn! Tremble in fear! Pray that the sun doesn’t rise tomorrow! I
promise you that your god will only watch as we take you down!”

Urich's voice rang out, even echoing beyond the walls.

“Shoot him.”

The garrison commander opened his mouth. It was certainly not an honorable act,
but there was no need to uphold civilized manners against barbarians. Most
importantly, the leader of the plunderers was standing right there. Tribal armies self-
imploded when they lost their central leader.

‘If we kill him here, the victory is practically ours.’

The barbarian was just barely within their range, but the crossbowmen took aim
regardless.

“Fire!”

Dozens of arrows flew.

Whoosh!

Urich pulled the shield hanging from his horse’s flank and blocked the arrows
skillfully. He then struck the arrows embedded in the shield with his axe and broke
them off.

"Dammit!" the garrison captain cursed.

Urich rode his horse in circles just out of range as if he was teasing the garrison. He
then suddenly dismounted, pulled down his trousers, and urinated in the direction
of the gate.

"T-that son of a bitch! We need to kill him!"

The agitated voices of the soldiers turned into curses.

Urich shook off every last drop and pulled his trousers back up.

"Hah, you cowards! Is no one going to come out of the walls? Really? And you still
call yourselves honorable knights and imperial soldiers? There really isn’t a single
man in there who’s willing to clash their weapons against mine?"

The garrison captain suppressed his urge to rush out immediately.

"Should we send out a pursuit squad?" An adjutant asked.

"No, we won’t catch him. We might even get ambushed if we chase him."

At this point, even one trained soldier was too precious to lose. The garrison captain
just seethed, staring at Urich.

Urich spat on the ground, mounted his horse, and returned to his camp after
thoroughly mocking the imperial army.
"Urich the Plunderer has declared war."

"Are they finally coming…”

Urich's declaration quickly spread within Hamel. Everyone in Hamel from street
beggars to noblemen heard Urich's name before the soldiers even announced the
news.

"Is it really that barbarian Urich from the jousting tournament?"

"My friend in the imperial army says it's true."

"The fact that we once cheered for that demon…”

"I am sure Lou will protect us."

"You think so? The priests are saying that the plunderers are a punishment from
Lou."

"They’re not a punishment, but a trial. A trial we must overcome."

Hamel spent the day in heavy silence. The Sun Temple was completely packed with
people coming to pray. There was nearly no place to even take a step in.

Women prepared what might be their last meal. Every household was filled with
prayers mixed with sobs. The only ones laughing innocently were the children, who
knew nothing.

"As long as we follow our training, there's no reason we can't hold them off."

The garrison captain gathered his adjutants and officers for a long meeting
inspecting the walls and supplies without missing anything. The meeting went late
into the night, even skipping dinner.

"But he must have something that’s giving him confidence if he is provoking us like
that."

The imperial army knew nothing about the western plunderers. This made them
even more uneasy. They would have felt much more assured if their enemy was also
from civilization.
‘Nobody knows what bizarre tactics they'll use to attack the walls.’

The barbarians often employed strategies and tactics that went beyond the
predictions of the civilized. This was possible because of the difference in culture.
Even if they were looking at the same thing, different religions and cultures made
them perceive it differently.

The moon waned, and the night deepened. The insects of summer chirped away. The
westerners were accustomed to the humid night air by now.

"Hamel…”

Urich sat on a hill that was some distance away from the encampment. He stared at
Hamel without even a campfire. The city walls were illuminated by soft light even at
night, as one would expect from a city as large as Hamel.

Urich's eyes swirled like whirlpools. He had seen much in the civilized world. He
learned different values and ways of life from the several influential people he met.
His heart burned as if to melt all the things that he had experienced.

Throb.

His heart pounded, almost aching. The imperial capital of Hamel was the epitome of
the civilization he admired.

‘Our warriors have never been inside there. Even Samikan died before he could see
what kind of place Hamel was.’

The warriors were unaware of Hamel's greatness.

Hamel was backed by mountains, with water flowing from the mountains into the
city through canals. That water was distributed throughout the city through spider
web-like channels on top of buildings while waste was treated underground,
preventing it from mixing with clean water.

‘Even if we capture Hamel, the warriors will mercilessly plunder and destroy it. My
brothers will not understand Hamel's greatness. That’s just the way they’ve lived their
entire lives.’

Not many warriors had the sensitivity that Urich had. Only a few had the desire to
learn about civilization, and they were close to being prophets. The rest were only
interested in pleasure and plundering.

"Urich."

Urich wrote his name in the dirt with a stick. He enjoyed learning how to write. He
wanted to share this joy with his brothers, but he also knew he wouldn’t be
understood by them. A warrior would rather spend time sharpening his axe than
learning how to write.

Urich turned his head to gaze into the darkness. Outside the city was dark as if
nothing existed.

If civilization was light, barbarism was darkness. Urich didn’t see a future in the
world of barbarism. They were too busy killing and plundering each other for
survival. The only value in that world was the warrior life.

At some point, Urich stopped seeing the evil spirits. The anxious shadows that were
whispering of the afterlife had left him.

"No matter where I go after I die…”

Urich chuckled. He looked at his name written in the dirt.

"People will remember me."

There was no need to be anxious.

Not only his brothers but even the civilized people would remember him.
The darkness faded, and the sun rose.

The soldiers on the wall squinted their eyes and watched the sunrise. The
barbarian's warning was still etched in their minds. Urich's declaration of war
tightened the soldiers' hearts.

"Don't worry. We can stop them."

An experienced senior tried to comfort the younger soldiers.

‘Unknown anxiety and fear.’

Even though they knew Hamel wouldn't be breached, their hearts still trembled.
That was the kind of fear that the plunderers from the west brought: emotions that
preceded logical understanding. If one gained emotional superiority, they could also
gain an advantage on the battlefield.

‘Fear is gnawing at us.’

The garrison commander lifted his heavy eyes. He constantly encouraged his
soldiers who stood guard in their armor.

"Is the attack coming soon?"

The leader of the plunderers, Urich, had declared his Alliance would attack this
morning.

‘They’re probably planning to capture Hamel while His Majesty and the main force are
absent. That’s decently clever.’

The garrison commander took a deep breath to maintain his composure.

‘But they won't get Hamel. We can hold out. How would they fill that wide and deep
moat, and how would they attack walls they can't reach even with ladders? Each wall
is well-stocked with oil and arrows as well. No matter where they attack, this city is
impregnable.’

The garrison commander checked the walls several times. He meticulously inspected
everything just in case there was any complacency, perhaps an open side door.

"There is no need to be anxious," the garrison commander told himself.

The sun, which had been peeking out the horizon, gradually rose higher. Even the
extremely tense imperial soldiers slowly relaxed.

As the anticipated attack did not come, fatigue accumulated from the night-long
tension set in. Soldiers leaning against the walls nodded off.

"Captain, It's almost noon, but there's no sign of an attack."

A sharp-eyed officer reported to the garrison commander.

The garrison commander observed the state of the soldiers and frowned.

"They’re waiting for us to put our guards down. When we do that, that’s when they
will attack. They know we will become lax if they don't attack at the promised time.
Don't fall for their deception. They will come!"

The garrison commander walked along the wall, kicking the dozing soldiers awake.
The startled soldiers opened their eyes wide as they wiped the saliva off the corners
of their mouths.

"These barbarians have no sense of honor or promises! And that Porcana, too! They
are no different from them, as expected from a remote kingdom!"

The garrison commander pressed his fingers against his temples in frustration. He
too was extremely tired from staying up all night.

‘Are they trying to engage us in a psychological battle? Is their army smart enough to
pull off such a thing?’

Everything seemed suspicious. The Porcana-Alliance army was an army formidable

enough to decisively defeat that of Carnius. When an army like that didn’t show itself
for an extended period of time, it only made the anxiety worse.

‘Anxiety and fear.’

The emotions he had tried to suppress slowly crept up. The excessively heavy
responsibility weighed down on his shoulders.

"Sir Sarvan, you should get some rest."

The adjutant urged the garrison commander to rest.

"If I sleep now, I won't wake up with a clear head."

The garrison commander said this as he sat down in a chair. But being human, he
could no longer resist the drowsiness. He merely closed his eyes for a moment, but it
only took a moment for his consciousness to slip into darkness.

A quiet time passed. The garrison commander did not wake until after noon. The
adjutants took turns commanding and waiting for the attack without waking him.

"Kaaaah!"

The garrison commander opened his eyes with a screech. He had a terrible
nightmare, perhaps due to the built-up anxiety. He dreamt of Hamel engulfed in
flames.

"H-have the barbarians not come yet!" He shouted, looking at the sky.

The sun was already beginning to set. Having just woken up, he couldn’t even be sure
about whether it was a dream or reality.

"Calm down, Sir Sarvan. The barbarians haven't come yet."

"Still?"

The garrison commander's anxiety grew. Any sign of attack would have allowed him
to carry out preparations. Knowing nothing about the enemy kept him on edge.

"Send out scouts to check their movements! If they haven't moved by now, there
must be a reason."
The adjutant nodded and selected swift soldiers to send through the side gate.

The garrison commander gathered his scattered thoughts as he took a sip of water. A
quiet day was passing.

‘How on earth are they planning to attack Hamel?’

The scouts returned before sunset.

"There are smoke from cooking rising throughout the camp. It seemed like their
attack was delayed because their preparations weren’t complete."

The commander smirked upon hearing the scout report.

"So they just failed to carry out the attack according to their plan?"

"They might not be as formidable of an army as we thought. Who knows? Maybe

they are having internal disputes. The Porcana army knows how formidable Hamel's
walls are, but the plunderers wouldn’t know that. Since King Varca is leading the
army himself, he probably prevented a reckless attack."

Adjutants and knights gradually opened their mouths in speculation.

An anxious day passed. There was still no battle the next day. As tension eased, the
soldiers' faces brightened. More and more were tossing around jokes.

"They might be waiting for us to become lax! Keep the soldiers in line!"

Only the garrison commander's face was filled with concern. Despite sending scouts
repeatedly, all he heard was that they were still encamped.

Just observing from afar didn't provide information of enough detail.

"Go closer and get me some more information."

The garrison commander didn’t send out a spy until two days after Urich's
declaration of war. He planned to send an imperial soldier of Porcana origin as a spy
to extract information.

The garrison commander and his adjutants sensed that something was off. They
thought the Porcana-Alliance army was plotting some scheme.

It didn’t even take an entire day for a report to come back.

"Only the head of the spy made it back, captain."

A barbarian rode up, threw the spy's head near the gate, and disappeared.

As soon as they opened the cloth wrapping the head, a foul smell spread everywhere.

"Filthy bastards."

The garrison commander cursed as he saw the severed head. He was about to
explode from the anger.

“How could they do this to a dead person!”

The head was smeared with urine and feces. It was clear that the barbarians wanted
to humiliate the dead man. It was an unthinkable deed in a war between civilized
people.

‘At least we know one thing for sure now. The ones holding the reins of this army are
the plunderers, not Porcana. If the Porcana Kingdom's army were in charge, they would
never do something like this.’

The garrison commander ground his teeth. He found himself feeling more hatred for
Porcana than for the plunderers.

‘They sucked up to the empire when they needed to, and now they’ve joined hands with
the barbarians… They're no better than bats.’

But the situation was rather strange. Days passed without any sign of an attack from
the barbarians.

“They are the ones who are running out of time. They must be running low on
supplies by now. Porcana's capabilities wouldn't allow for proper resupply all the
way out here.”

“They probably know that better than we do. There must be a reason why they are
not attacking,” the garrison commander said, remaining cautious.
The commander did not wait idly in the information void. He called for knights and
formed a reconnaissance force. Knights in light armor equipped themselves with
pre-loaded crossbows and weapons.

Creeeak.

In broad daylight, the city gates opened. The garrison commander and a hundred
light cavalry dashed out.

The garrison commander approached the enemy encampment. People moving

around inside the camp were visible.

“Our goal is to determine the extent of their forces. Avoid any unnecessary close
combat and just circle around their camp.”

The purpose of a reconnaissance force was to accurately grasp the enemy's

movements.

Thwip!

The light cavalry who managed to get close to the camp launched a surprise attack,
firing crossbows at the outskirts.

‘They’re not coming out?’

Despite the cavalry's sudden attack, there seemed to be no retaliating enemy force.

The garrison commander approached closer as his pupils trembled.

‘Barbarians are supposed to be aggressive; the plunderers shouldn’t be any different.

How can they not retaliate after being attacked like this?’

The garrison commander looked to the side and signaled his men with his hand.
Some of the cavalry broke out of formation and moved deeper inside.

Crack!

The cavalry swung their maces to break the poles supporting the tents. One of the
cavalry who checked the tents shouted with his eyes widened.
“Sir Sarvan! It's empty! There's no one here!”

Only then did they notice the fleeing plunderers. There were only a few hundred of
them.

“Shiiiiiiiiit!”

The garrison commander shouted with wide eyes. He didn't even consider chasing
the fleeing plunderers. That wasn't the important thing right now.

“It’s a trap! It was a trap! They already left the camp days ago! They were just
pretending like they were surrounding Hamel!”

The Porcana-Alliance army had left only the bare minimum personnel required to
maintain the camp. The main force had long since departed. The tents, which seemed
intact, were actually empty inside.

The garrison commander was aghast and furious. He had wasted time due to
unnecessary anxiety.

‘Where did these bastards go?’

The garrison commander chased the plunderers' tracks and looked north. Realizing
something, he hurried back to the fortress.

“Scribe!”

He called for a scribe as soon as he entered Hamel. From this point on, every second
mattered.

“His Majesty is in danger. Dammit! They went north, north!”

The garrison commander was almost frantic.

“Their declaration of war was a ruse!”

He pounded the wall and ground his teeth. They had completely fallen for the
plunderers’ scheme. The barbarians had fully exploited the fear and anxiety of
civilized people. The unknown and fear made people cautious and sometimes
prevented action when boldness was needed.
“We must get to the northern front before them and warn His Majesty of their
attack!”

The garrison commander grabbed the messenger’s cheek, spitting as he spoke. The
messenger nodded with determined eyes.

“The fate of our empire rests on your shoulders! Now, go!”

The garrison commander slapped the horse’s behind and urged it forward. The
messenger kicked up dust as he headed north.

‘Who would have thought they would make such a bold move… ’

It was a massive gamble. The Porcana-Alliance army was going for the emperor's
army without securing its rear.

‘If they can’t take down His Majesty’s army in time, then they’ll be the ones in danger.’

A new legion was already being formed in the emperor’s direct territory. It was only
a matter of time before the Porcana-Alliance army got surrounded from both sides.

‘Does this mean that they are confident they can defeat the emperor’s army?’

The garrison commander ground his teeth. Bold strategies and tactics had their pros
and cons, along with proportionally significant risks. But if successful, the rewards
were great.

He wanted to lead the garrison to pursue the plunderers immediately, but he thought
that even that might be another trap. If he hastily sent the garrison out, Hamel could
be captured.

“That Urich… Is this his idea?”

The enemy suddenly seemed enormous. When suspicion took hold, nothing could be
done.

‘I’ve lost before the fight even began.’

The garrison commander finally let out a bitter laugh.

The Imperial Army was attacking another fortress on the northern front. Capturing
three fortresses would allow them to secure most of the border between the empire
and the north. They had already occupied two, making this essentially the final siege.

"Long live the Sun!"

The imperial soldiers shouted as they charged. The sun banner fluttered
prominently before them.

"Huff, huff."

Basha stood at the forefront, panting heavily. She advanced without any strategic
tactics. Detailed combat was left to the knights anyway.

"Aaaah…”

Basha glanced back. Thousands of soldiers were following her.

‘People who believe in the blessing of the sun.’

Basha felt her body heat up. A warm sense of fulfillment radiated from deep inside
her abdomen.

Ting!

An arrow struck Basha’s torso but bounced off. Her armor glinted with a silvery
sheen. The armor she was wearing was no longer just a flimsy one, but a well-crafted
armor made of steel.

"Fire!"

The catapults launched barrels of flame oil into the fortress. Fire arrows that
followed ignited the oil, turning the inside of the fortress into a sea of flames.
"Kaaagh!"

Northern warriors screamed from the excruciating pain of being burned alive.

The northern fortress, having many wooden buildings, caught fire in the blink of an
eye. Several more barrels of flame oil were dropped onto the already-blazing flames.

"Pour the rest of the oil in there. We just have to capture this place."

Yanchinus watched the burning fortress with unflinching eyes. Each barrel of flame
oil used was like throwing away a chest full of silver coins. That was how high the
production cost of flame oil was.

‘This is not the time to be frugal.’

The imperial army used every last drop of the flame oil they had brought on this
expedition. The first actual deployment of the brand-new flame oil and the Fire of
the Empire proved that they could be extremely powerful.

‘Military technology like this must not leak out.’

Imperial steel and flame oil were invaluable. The empire put in significant efforts to
protect these secrets.

"I can see Basha’s banner all the way from here."

Yanchinus, looking at the battlefield, leaned back leisurely and propped his chin.

"She has been quite a significant help in boosting the morale of the soldiers. Her
enthusiasm makes even the air around her feel hot."

Jorman, the steel knight in helmet, answered. He had guarded Basha in the previous
battle.

"Enthusiasm… sometimes that’s necessary too."

Yanchinus twisted one corner of his mouth.

‘That girl truly believes she has the blessing of Lou.’

The banner was already fluttering on the walls.

‘An incompetent girl surviving the battlefield is purely due to a bit of luck and the
protection of my knights.’

An emperor’s position was a seat where one could see all sorts of people.

‘The most important thing for a ruler is neither virtue nor knowledge.’

There was a lesson passed down from his grandfather and father. Yanchinus' pupils
stared at the sun banner.

‘The only thing that matters is the ability to judge people.’

Being able to distinguish friend from foe and recognizing ordinary people from
heroes was all that was needed to be a great ruler.

"My one mistake was failing to see Urich as an enemy," Yanchinus muttered to
himself.

He knew that Urich was an extraordinary person but thought he could bring him
under his command.

"Basha has achieved yet another feat, Your Majesty," Jorman said as he watched the
battlefield. The fortress quickly collapsed, starting from where Basha’s banner was
fluttering.

The soldiers following Basha felt a surge of emotion. A girl young enough to be their
daughter or sister was fighting in front of them. Even the calmest soldiers could not
contain their boiling emotions and charged after her.

“Wooooaaaaah!”

The soldier beside Basha thrust his spear deeply, stabbing a northern warrior before
quickly withdrawing the blade. His actions were bolder and more aggressive than
usual.

“Lou is with us! Fight with me, everyone! Lou has whispered victory in my ear!”
Basha shouted at the top of her lungs. Despite the danger, she did not retreat from
the front line.
“Just a little more. We just have to go a little further,” Basha murmured, staring into
the distance.

Her eyes were not looking at the battlefield, which reeked of blood. Despite the
spears and arrows raining down, she had no sense of reality.

‘Lou is protecting me.’

A faint smile even crept onto her face.

She delved deeper into the battlefield as if she were running toward climax.

“Oooooooh!”

A northern warrior took a big swing with his axe at Basha. A steel knight blocked the
northern warrior and protected her as if he had been waiting for this very moment.

“Follow Basha!” The soldiers shouted as they charged toward the remnants inside
the fortress.

A peasant woman stood at the forefront of the battlefield. In the eyes of the ordinary
soldiers, it was nothing short of a miracle. Despite participating in several battles at
the forefront, Basha had never failed to return alive.

The northern warriors gripped their weapons, staring at the approaching imperial
army.

“My brothers.”

“It has been an honor.”

The remaining northern warriors stood back-to-back and shoulder-to-shoulder and

nodded to each other as they prepared for a glorious end.

“The blessing of Lou is not for the barbarians! They are no more than beasts! They
are not humans!”

Basha spewed whatever came into her mind. Her speech was completely different
from that of a typical priest. She didn’t talk about boring love and mercy. She spoke
only the words the soldiers wanted to hear.
The Sun Warrior Commander Alfnan was the only one who frowned as he looked at
Basha.

‘What on earth was His Majesty thinking, sending such a lowly woman to the
battlefield… ’

Though not deeply devout, Alfnan was the head of the Sun Warriors. The words from
Basha’s mouth were filled with hate, completely mismatched with the teachings of
Solarism. She particularly spewed words of hatred toward barbarians. She was an
extremely uncomfortable woman for Alfnan, who was a Sun Warrior of barbarian
origin.

“The blessing of Lou belongs to the innocent civilized people!”

Basha planted the flag into the ground and knelt. Her exhausted shoulders heaved
greatly.

“Oooooh…”

The scene of Basha praying in her silver armor in the middle of the battlefield looked
like a piece of art. Many soldiers were inspired to recite prayers themselves.

Some Sun priests, who did not pledge loyalty to the empire, had said that the
northern war was immoral and would not be blessed by Lou. Thanks to Basha, the
soldiers found solace.

‘The priests were wrong. That wasn’t the truth. Lou is still protecting our empire, and
Basha is the proof.’

The Imperial Army occupied three fortresses in the area between the north and the
empire. Basha had taken the lead in all those battles. Just seeing her raise the banner
greatly boosted the morale of the soldiers.

“My good people! We will continue to win!”

Drunk with victory, Basha climbed the wall and shouted. Her flushed face was almost
sensual. The soldiers stared at her as if they had been enchanted.

A knight approached Basha, who was descending the wall.

“Basha, clean off the blood and change into fresh clothes. His Majesty has invited you
to dinner tonight.”

“I will gladly attend.”

Basha smiled.

***

Sun Warrior Commander Alfnan went to see Yanchinus immediately after the
conclusion of the battle. He hadn't even wiped the blood off his armor.

"Your Majesty, you must not continue to use Basha. She has not received the blessing
of Lou," Alfnan spoke after glancing around the tent. Basha had not yet come.

"Try saying that in front of the soldiers. They would love that."

Yanchinus laughed softly, covering his mouth.

"This is not a laughing matter, Your Majesty. She is an unpredictable woman. You
cannot let her go around claiming she has received Lou's blessing. The ignorant
soldiers will believe whatever comes out of her mouth."

Alfnan insisted firmly in front of the emperor, which was rare.

‘You’re panicking, Alfnan.’

Yanchinus leisurely picked up a glass of water and lightly swirled it. The water
rippled with a light splash.

"If Basha gains influence among the soldiers, I’m sure it will trouble you. Basha
despises barbarians and she just wants to kill them. She doesn't care whether they
believe in Lou or not."

Yanchinus saw right through Alfnan.

"T-That is… That is precisely the problem. The soldiers believe she is a saintess."

Alfnan did not hide his true feelings.

"If the soldiers believe she is a saintess, then it would be best to let them continue
believing so."

"Your Majesty!"

"Are you doubting my judgment, Alfnan?"

Alfnan shut his mouth. He was in no position to speak against Yanchinus. In the
current situation, the Sun Warriors were practically criminals. Yanchinus’ grace was
the only reason that Alfnan and the Sun Warriors were able to retain their position.

"Do you think I, Yanchinus, would trust a woman gone mad more than warriors
armed with loyalty and faith? It seems like you really saw me as such an
indiscriminate person!"

Alfnan hurriedly knelt.

"I misspoke, Your Majesty. My sword and my life are yours."

"Then be gone. All you have to do is fight for me, as you have done until now."

"I have been disrespectful. I will atone for my insolence with the blood of our
enemies, Your Majesty."

Alfnan bowed his head in respect and retreated backward.

Yanchinus pressed his fingers to his eyes to relieve the fatigue.

‘Alfnan is too petty and obsessive about even the most trivial matters. I guess that’s
what got him to the rank of commander, but he’ll never be anything more than that.
That’s his limit.’

Yanchinus briefly shut his eyes before Basha arrived. Not only had he been
commanding the battlefield, he had been sending many diplomatic envoys to various
places. He hadn’t had a proper rest or slept comfortably due to the constantly
emerging urgent situations.

"Your Majesty, Basha is here to see you."

The emperor’s attendant whispered repeatedly until Yanchinus woke up.

"Basha? Ah, right. I invited her for a meal."

Yanchinus blinked and shook his head.

“…Greetings, Your Majesty."

Basha entered the tent wearing pants like a man. There wasn’t even a slight tremble
in her eyes despite facing the empire.

‘I am the one who has received the blessing of Lou. I stand above any worldly rank.’

Basha sat confidently with her shoulders back. The dishes on the table were
luxurious enough to make it hard to believe they were on a battlefield.

"You’ve achieved quite some feats, so it is only right that you are treated accordingly.
That’s my way, Basha."

Yanchinus tore off a piece of veal with his hand and put it in his mouth. Basha
clumsily mimicked his gestures.

"Lou is the one that deserves all praise, not me, Your Majesty. I merely fight
according to His will."

"The blessing of Lou… As far as I know, the priests have not yet acknowledged you as
a saintess, have they?"

"The opinion of the priests is not important. What matters is that I have heard Lou’s
voice."

Basha wiped the grease off her mouth and raised her head.

"I don’t particularly like the priests either. They always talk about what’s right and
what’s not, even though they can’t even follow their own words. "

"You must have seen it yourself as well, Your Majesty. How else could I have
accomplished these feats if His blessings were not with me?"

Basha's eyes sparkled, and her cheeks were flushed.

Yanchinus chuckled as he licked his fingers.

“…Basha, I have seen those blessed by the gods. The truly blessed are steadfast and
strong. They achieve what others deem impossible, and their courage and
determination far exceed others."

"I have also done what others said was impossible. I led us to victory in this battle."

Basha bit her lip.

Yanchinus' grin grew bigger. He wanted to hurl insults at her face right then and
there and tell her that the victory she claimed was actually achieved by the blood of
knights and soldiers.

‘She’s still very useful. I suppose even her naive words are half-true.’

Yanchinus drank water to soothe his itchy throat.

"Among the men I know, there were some who seemed like they were truly blessed
by the gods. Let me tell you about one of them."

Basha tore the bread and meat with her hands and waited for Yanchinus to continue.

“…Not long ago, the Sky Mountains were considered the end of the world and an
insurmountable taboo. The Sun priests blabbered there was nothing but a void cliff
beyond the mountains, but I didn’t believe them. I thought there had to be something
beyond the sea and beyond those mountains. I was excited to achieve a great feat,
convinced I would discover a new world. Yes, that new world existed. But I wasn’t
the only one with that thought. There was a man who traversed the two
disconnected worlds before us."

"Who was that man?"

At Basha's question, Yanchinus grinned, baring his teeth.

"The leader of the plunderers, Urich."

“Hmm.”

Urich blinked.

Lying on the ground was a girl with an arrow lodged in her neck, still alive despite
the blood flowing out from the wound.

“Ah, did I hit you? That’s too bad,” Urich muttered upon noticing her. Around them
were scattered wagons and men.

The warriors sorted the loot and loaded them on their backs. They carelessly
whistled as they finished off the gasping men.

The Alliance Army dispatched several plundering units to gather resources. Urich
also led some of the warriors to ambush a passing caravan. They showered it with
arrows before engaging, harming an innocent girl in the process.

“Cough.”

The girl coughed up blood with an unpleasant blood-gurgling sound as she looked
up at Urich.

Urich drew the axe hanging at his waist and spun it in his hand as he strode over to
the girl’s head.

“Reminds me of old times. I could’ve spared you if you weren’t hit.”

Urich smiled bitterly. In the past, he had saved a girl who was weeping inside the
wooden barrel she was hiding in.

‘I wonder if that girl remembers me with gratitude. Or maybe she just sees me as the
enemy who destroyed her family and village.’
Urich swung the axe down with force, snapping the girl’s neck with a loud snap. The
girl's head separated from her body.

“Eh, it doesn’t matter, anyway,” he told himself.

Urich wiped the blood off the axe blade on his pants. He left the dead girl behind and
looked at the warriors who had gathered the loot.

“Let’s head back. We have a long way to go.”

“Hoh!”

The warriors, whose faces were lit with smiles from the successful plunder, raised
their weapons and laughed heartily.

Crunch, crunch.

Urich was also in a good mood from eating fresh fruit for the first time in a while.
The juice dripped down his chin as he glanced back at the remains of the raided
caravan.

He saw the girl's head. It was staring at Urich with lifeless open eyes from further
than where he had left it as if someone had kicked it for no particular reason.

“I don’t care if you resent me or not,” Urich muttered.

He couldn’t laugh as freely as the other warriors. He felt that he wasn’t purely
enjoying the plundering.

‘This is not right,’ he thought suddenly as he looked at the backs of his brothers. They
were boasting about the methods they used to kill the people of the caravan while
Urich felt a surge of contempt and disgust in his chest.

At some point in his journey, Urich had become different from his brothers. He felt a
sense of guilt in his conscience.

“Urich?”

A warrior who was walking ahead looked back at the slowing Urich.
The warrior flinched and quickly averted his gaze. Urich was looking at the warriors
with eyes full of ferocity.

‘Why is Urich looking at us like that?’

He pretended not to notice Urich's gaze after feeling a chill that was similar to
getting stabbed in the back.

“I’m tired,” Urich muttered under his breath as he closed his eyes and shook his head.

‘Did I see it wrong?’ The warrior thought as he glanced at Urich again. The intense
murderous intent had vanished like an illusion, and the Great Chief of the Alliance
was no different from his usual self.

Urich's plundering party rejoined the main force along with the other small units
who had gone out on various plundering expeditions. The Alliance Army marched
with only three days’ worth of food and resupplied through plundering as needed.

“Great Chief.”

Katagi, whose body was particularly stained with blood, hurried over as soon as he
spotted Urich.

“We found an imperial supply unit. The Imperial Army must be nearby.”

“Did you capture any prisoners?”

“Yes, Olga is interrogating them now. We should know the location of their main
force soon.”

Screams of the captured imperial soldiers being put through an excruciating torture
spread through the Alliance's camp.

Urich crossed the camp and entered the tent where the interrogation was taking
place.

The prisoner, tied to a post, was sobbing and trembling with tears and snot running
down his face. Standing in front of him was Olga, calmly cleaning his dagger.

“You can take your time with your answers. You see, I actually enjoy skinning people
alive, so it’d be better if I could savor it for a long time.”

The interpreter conveyed Olga's words to the prisoner, which made the prisoner
shriek in horror.

“Mmmph!”

The prisoner tried to say something, but Olga did not hear him out. Thorns were
already embedded under his fingernails, and parts of his torso's skin were peeled
away, revealing the red muscle underneath.

“Did you get anything out of him?”

Urich entered and asked indifferently.

“I… will now.”

“You don’t stutter much anymore.”

“I’m good with your… language now.”

“If you get a chance, learn these guys' too. It can’t hurt.”

“Not… interested.”

Urich shrugged and looked at the prisoner. Olga was sharpening his blade keenly as
if he was excited to enjoy the process for a while.

“Olga, we don’t have time to play with the prisoner.”

Urich reached out and grabbed the prisoner's gag.

Crack.

Urich broke the solid wooden gag with just his grip strength. The prisoner, with
splinters stuck in his lips, trembled as he looked at Urich.

“Where is the main force of the emperor?”

“Ugh, aah.”
Urich had no intention to give the prisoner any time to think. He pressed him harder
by slapping him before he could even speak, and each time the prisoner stuttered,
Urich broke another finger.

“Just say whatever’s in your head and don’t even try to think. If it gets to the guy
behind me, you'll really wish you were dead.”

The soldier nodded with tears streaming down. As he sobbed like a child, he
confessed everything he knew.

“The emperor’s main force is coming down? Have they already dealt with the
northern front?”

Urich frowned. The emperor's arrival was quicker than he had anticipated.

The new information quickly spread to the commanders, and the leaders of the
Porcana-Alliance army gathered in a single tent to discuss further actions.

“It would have been ideal to hit them from behind while they were fighting the
Northern Independence Army… but we ended up being too late,” Duke Lungell said
and clicked his tongue.

“We’re not that late. It’s not like we missed them, right? The worst outcome would
have been the emperor going past us and making it to Hamel.”

“Urich is right, Duke.”

Varca supported Urich's words. Things could have been much worse.

However, Duke Lungell still looked displeased.

“Our opponent this time is the emperor’s private army—the army composed of the
elite of the elite of the empire. Just because we defeated Carnius doesn’t guarantee
we can defeat the emperor with ease.”

“So, are you saying we should flee?” Varca retorted.

“That’s not what I mean, Your Highness… I'm saying we should be cautious.”

Various opinions were exchanged inside the tent.

“Hmm…”

Harvald, the Sun Warrior in Urich’s camp, looked at the map and spoke up.

“The empire couldn't have conquered the north this quickly. They must have rushed
to occupy a few key points first and come to attack us first. They would have had to
leave garrisons at each point, so that should have weakened the emperor’s main
force.”

Harvald knew the northern front quite well.

“If Harvald is right, then we can’t miss this opportunity.”

Urich grinned as he looked at the others.

‘This is the final battle.’

Urich was sick of war. He wanted to stop the meaningless plundering and killing.

***

The main force led by Yanchinus was heading back toward Hamel. They had left
enough forces and supplies for the northern fortress to hold out for the time being.

“Time is key for us,” Yanchinus muttered on his horse.

The longer the war of attrition dragged on, the more the plunderers would falter.
There were still plenty of troops left in the vast territory of the empire who could be
gathered as long as they were given time.

‘Carnius’ defeat was fatal. Losing troops is one thing, but we’ve lost a capable general.’

There was no suitable replacement for the dead Carnius. Yanchinus’ tyrannical rule
drove him out of many competent and experienced generals’ favor, and giving
command to such individuals could incite rebellion.

‘Carnius didn’t like me either, but he wasn’t the type to turn his back on the empire and
start a rebellion. That's why I could entrust him with troops.’

Several names flashed through Yanchinus' mind.

“I miss Noya, hehe.”

His shoulders shook. The Sword Demon Ferzen was an absolute figure even to the
emperor, almost like a father.

‘Back in the day, Noya had no problem resolving any problem.’

Clip-clop, clip-clop.

Yanchinus' horse carefully stepped forward, even without its master holding the
reins.

The Sword Demon Ferzen had been by Yanchinus’ side growing up and was a close
friend of his father.

‘I wonder if I would have been in such a defensive position right now if Noya were still
here?’

But hypotheticals were meaningless.

Though technically considered missing, Ferzen was probably dead. It wasn’t

uncommon for people to go missing during expeditions. Perhaps he had disappeared
on his own upon sensing the impending death.

Yanchinus raised his head, shaking off his thoughts.

‘Look at you running around all happy, Basha.’

Basha was moving among the soldiers on a white horse given by the emperor and in
an elaborate and flashy armor that was more decorative than practical.

Basha’s role was to attract attention. Her armor had no practical use, and even the
white horse was just an old one that was not fit for battle at all whose coat had
turned white from aging.

Basha looked at her reflection as he passed a stream. She saw herself in shining
armor, mounted on a splendid white horse.

“Ah.”
Basha smiled and let out a soft exclamation.

‘Lou loves me. The high-ranking people, even the emperor, all acknowledge me. It’s
proof that He is watching over me.’

It was a strange feeling. She felt so light that she could float and even getting stabbed
by a sword wouldn’t hurt a bit.

“Please grace me with a word of blessing, Lady Basha,” a soldier approached Basha
and asked. Basha placed her hand on the soldier’s helmet and uttered a blessing as if
she were a priest.

“With Lou's grace, arrows and spear tips will not harm you.”

Upon seeing this, other soldiers began to gather one by one to receive her blessing.

“My goodness, someone who isn’t even a priest is giving blessings!”

A military priest angrily tried to approach Basha. The Sun priests already
disapproved of her, as everyone knew she had killed a chaplain.

‘He was a respectable chaplain. He would have never even thought of assaulting a
woman.’

However, the emperor and the Imperial Army defended Basha.

“Are you knights stopping me?”

The Sun priest glared at the knights assigned as Basha’s guards standing in his way.

“It’s the order of His Imperial Majesty. Do not interfere with what that lady does,
Priest.”

“Someone who isn’t a priest is arbitrarily invoking Lou’s name to give blessings!”

The knights shook their heads and stood firm in the way of the priest. The priest
grumbled as he returned to his place.

The priests voiced their complaints to the Sun Warrior Commander Alfnan, with
whom they were close in the army.
“If His Holiness the Pope were here, he would have immediately called that woman a
witch. Commander Alfnan, are you just going to watch the arrogant behavior of that
girl?”

Alfnan was in a difficult position. The Sun Warriors were in close relations with
Solarism, but their loyalty ultimately lay with the emperor.

‘I cannot go against His Majesty.’

Alfnan consoled the priests, speaking in a whisper.

“She is kept around because of her usefulness. His Majesty doesn’t truly think she is
a saintess.”

“Then should she not be expelled immediately?! If such a woman remains in the
army, Lou will not be on our side. Isn't the empire in this whole mess because its
army is being led by those with weak faith?”

Hearing the priest's anger, Alfnan's mouth twitched.

“You best not speak like that in front of others, Priest. You are not one fighting on the
battlefield with swords and blood. If faith and prayer alone could win wars, go ahead
and try.”

Alfnan clenched his teeth in anger. No matter what anyone said, the credit for victory
belonged to those who fought and bled. He didn’t like Basha either, but at least she
risked her life at the forefront of the battlefield. Unlike some, she didn’t just stand
around and talk with hands behind her back.

“C-Commander Alfnan, you are a Sun Warrior who has dedicated your body and soul
to Lou! How could you say such things?”

“I will answer for my insolence after the war is over. What matters now is winning
the battle. If the power of a madwoman is what we need to do just that, then we will
gladly use it.”

Alfnan patted the priest’s shoulder as he passed by. He was also in a tight spot as
losing the war would mean that he would lose everything.
Pitter-patter!

The pouring summer monsoon harshly beat the shoulders of the warriors, making
them feel sticky and uncomfortable.

Urich’s army was camped inside a forest away from the plain where the Imperial
Army was most likely going to pass through. Urich gazed at the land that was turning
muddy.

Katagi approached Urich, pushing his wet hair back.

“Several of our warriors have fallen ill,” he reported.

It was a hot and humid summer, and the Porcana-Alliance army was encamped in a
forest where the rainwater was coming up to their knees.

Urich looked back at the bleak camp. The warriors did not come out of their tents
due to the pouring rain, and even those who occasionally did walked with slumped
shoulders and unsteady steps

‘Everyone is exhausted.’

No matter how strong the tribal warriors were, they too had limits and needed rest
both physically and mentally, and camping didn’t provide enough. They needed to
settle down and recuperate.

The disease that seemed to have calmed down was spreading again among the
warriors whereas the Serpentism medicine was running low.

“We need to get their spirits up, Katagi. Go tell them that this is the last battle. If we
capture the emperor here, we don’t have to fight anymore.”

Katagi nodded. He turned back toward the camp in the rain.

Urich continued to stare at the plain. There was no other place for the Imperial Army
to pass through.

Squelch.

Urich, with his hair drenched in rain and looking like a ghost, climbed up the hill and
sat down in the mud.

“Hoo.”

He breathed a deep sigh as he drew his sword and planted it deep into the ground
with ease.

‘This land is quite fertile. It will work well for us.’

Fertile lands turned into a bog when soaked with rain. Those in armor would sink
with every step, and cavalry wouldn’t be able to utilize their mobility.

‘If I’m not wrong, the emperor shouldn’t have realized our plan yet.’

Having the upper hand in intelligence against the empire was a rare opportunity for
anyone. They had the opportunity to know the situation first and fight in a location
where they had the most advantage.

‘The warriors are exhausted.’

The western warriors had practically marched across the continent in a rigorous
advance, engaging in consecutive arduous battles that ordinary soldiers would have
collapsed in long ago.

“…and so am I.”

Urich rubbed his chest. He couldn’t reignite his heart with the hot desire like before
as if it had turned into cold ashes.

‘This is bad. I’m starting to doubt this whole war.’

Urich was simply moving forward out of duty because of how close the finish line
was, but his heart was no longer in the war.
He turned around at the sound of someone approaching. Varca, who had grown into
a decent young man, emerged from the forest as he looked at Urich with his blue
eyes.

“Urich, even you will catch a cold if you stay in the rain like this.”

Varca undid his cloak and draped it over Urich’s head and shoulders. Raindrops
trickled down the texture of the cloak, which was treated with oil and wax to be
waterproof.

“This war… you think it’ll end once we catch the emperor?” Urich asked in a shaky
voice, perhaps due to the rain.

“You saw it too, didn’t you? The emperor is the focal power of the empire while the
local lords are descendants of duchies and kingdoms that perished over five decades
ago. If the imperial power collapses, so will the empire.”

Varca also looked in the direction Urich was staring.

“You’re probably right.”

Urich showed his desire to end the war by asking a question to which he already
knew the answer.

“It seems like Brother Gottval is quite fond of you, judging by how worried he is
about you,” Varca said.

“Yeah, he’s pretty eager to make me believe in Lou. Probably because he baptized me
himself, think about it, how big of an achievement would it be if he could convert the
entire west, starting with me? He would be remembered as one of the greatest saints
in the history of Solarism.”

“You know he’s not that kind of person, Urich.”

“I know, I know. I’m just joking. Gottval is just a straightforward priest.”

Varca sat down next to Urich and stared straight at him.

“I also want you to believe in Lou. I often dream of the Porcana fleet discovering the
Eastern Continent after a long voyage, but you’re never there.”
Urich burst into laughter.

“Why the hell is everyone so obsessed with which god I believe in? Who cares?”

“It’s because we all like you. Brother Gottval, me, we all worry about you. We want
your soul to find peace.”

Urich quietly turned his head to look at Varca whose blue eyes were sparkling with
religious fervor. Without a doubt, Varca was a devout believer in Lou, and he believed
that exploring the Eastern Continent was a mission given by Lou.

“I can’t put my faith in Lou,” Urich said as he touched the sun necklace he got from
Gottval, which he had been wearing without any sort of faith.

“Then do you believe in Ulgaro?”

Varca frowned and sighed.

‘It’s not my place to interfere with what Urich believes in, but… ’

Urich was silent for a moment before answering.

“I almost did. He did save me a bunch of times, you know.”

Urich thought of Ulgaro’s shadow that used to show itself occasionally to shout at
him.

“Or do you praise the sky like other warriors?”

“Well, I don’t know about that.”

Urich simply smiled and looked at the rain-soaked plain.

Varca pursed his lips at Urich’s vague answer.

“In the end, we have no choice but to believe in Lou, Urich. You’re trying to choose
your own god, but that’s just arrogant and outright wrong. We have no right to
choose a god. We just believe and follow.”

“You are a good friend, Pahell.”

That was all Urich muttered.

Varca sighed and stood up.

“Don’t keep acting so arrogant because you think the gods love you. We must be
humble before them, Urich. I hope you find the right path.”

Varca prayed softly for Urich and then returned to the camp.

***

The emperor's army was marching south toward the capital.

“Dammit, of course, we get hit by the rain.”

Alfnan, the Sun Warrior Commander, grumbled as the moisture seeping through his
clothes made his entire body feel sticky and swollen.

Clatter, clatter.

The horses were dragging wagons loaded with armor and supplies through the mud,
but the wheels often got stuck due to the weight. Eventually, it was the squires who
had to carry the armor themselves. The uniforms of the unarmed supply soldiers
were covered in mud.

“The imperial road is just around the corner!”

Under the encouragement of the supply officer, the supply soldiers pushed and
pulled the wagons forward.

Things were going to turn for the better once they reached the imperial road as the
rain would not affect the well-maintained pavement. Once the wagons move at their
usual speed, the speed of their advancement would double.

“Push!”

The supply soldiers, sweating mixed with rain, pushed the wagons with all their
might. The wagon wheels that were stuck in the mud finally came loose, and the
horses pulled the wagons forward energetically.
“Huff, huff.”

Someone approached the supply soldiers who had collapsed in the mud to catch
their breath.

“Y-Your Majesty!” The soldiers jumped up in surprise.

“No, don’t get up. Take your breaks, soldiers. The empire will not forget your efforts.”

Emperor Yanchinus praised the soldiers as he passed by. Yanchinus had spent a lot of
time among the soldiers to the point that even the lowest-ranking soldiers knew his
face and voice.

Yanchinus, who was harsh with the nobles, was always generous with the army.

‘Stay close to your army. That’s what Father always said.’

Yanchinus always practiced the teachings of his predecessors. Expansion, defense,

and even quelling rebellions all required the army's strength.

‘I can strike at Porcana and the plunderers once I gather the rest of our forces in
Hamel. We even have a kingdom that will help.’

Yanchinus had already formed a plan in his mind.

‘Things never go as planned, but it’s better to have a plan than not.’

Yanchinus spurred his horse and returned to the commanders, who were in no
better shape than the rest of the army due to the rain. If they weren’t so pressed for
time, they wouldn’t be marching in such conditions.

“Your Majesty, it seems the rain is delaying the supply unit. The one we were
supposed to meet isn’t here.”

“Do we have enough food?”

“It should still last us if we cut down by one meal, and the horses can graze since the
plains are not too far away,” the supply officer quickly answered.

“Then there’s no problem. We’ll reach the imperial road before sunset,” Yanchinus
spoke firmly.

Though it was a forced march to reach the imperial road through the muddy terrain
in one day, the emperor and the commanders all preferred it over spending another
day in the mud.

Pitter-patter.

The rain grew heavier. Yanchinus pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders.

With the diligent march, the Imperial Army reached the imperial road faster than the
commanders expected. It seemed they could rest before nightfall.

“Your Majesty! A messenger from Hamel has arrived! He says that Hamel is under
attack!”

A knight came running, followed by a panting messenger who had just arrived.

“A siege?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I’m sure Garrison Captain Sarvan will defend the wall with caution. He’s not
someone who would fall so easily.”

Not only was Yanchinus not fazed, but a slight smile also played on his lips.

“This is a chance for us to hit them from behind. If we attack while they’re laying
siege, they won’t be able to fight properly.”

“And we’ve reached the road earlier than expected. Your Majesty, it might be best to
close down the distance even further while we can.”

The knights advised, to which Yanchinus listened attentively.

“We’ll keep moving until nightfall!” The knights shouted the order as they rode
around the army.

The Imperial Army continued moving along the imperial road without resting as
many knights and soldiers were excited by the news of Hamel being attacked.
‘Why would they lay siege on Hamel? Did they simply underestimate our capital, or do
they have another trick up their sleeve?’

Yanchinus knew he was going against Varca and Urich, and both knew how difficult
it would be to breach Hamel.

‘A war of attrition is significantly favorable for us. Hamel has more than enough
supplies to last, so even if they managed to surround it, starving it with a long siege
would be impossible. In fact, they could end up just wasting their troops.’

Yanchinus, like a habit, tried to put himself in his enemy’s shoes to read their
strategy.

‘This has to mean that Urich and Varca have another plan to break through Hamel.
Does Hamel have a weakness that I don’t know about?’

Yanchinus raised his head. He decided to think more fundamentally.

‘Would I attack Hamel if I were in their position?’

No, there was an easier way to gain a decisive advantage in the war, and it struck like
lightning in Yanchinus’ head.

“Bring me the messenger from Hamel!”

Yanchinus shouted. The messenger, who had arrived earlier, hurriedly tried to flee on
his horse.

Thwip!

A crossbowman shot the messenger’s horse. The messenger, who broke his leg from
the fall, drew a dagger and attempted to slit his own throat as he limped away.

“Get him!”

The soldiers seized the messenger and pinned him down. The swollen-faced
messenger lay before Yanchinus.

“You are not an imperial messenger.”

“Kek, keke.”

The messenger chuckled softly. Yanchinus recognized him as a knight of Porcana. It

was a highly loyal, low-ranking knight who had risked his life on a dangerous
mission for what was presumably King Varca’s promise of his family’s revival.

“They were trying to deceive us…” Yanchinus muttered and called his commanders.

“We’ve already fallen into their trap. Go get your armors and weapons”

But a horn blared loudly before the Imperial Army could fully arm themselves.

“Enemies! Enemies incoming!”

Warriors with weapons emerged from a forest not far from the imperial road,
marching confidently through the pouring rain. Soon, they charged one by one.

“Oh, ooooh!”

The advancing warriors roared loud enough to drown out the sound of the pouring
rain and reached the Imperial Army, who had to face the enemies before they could
fully prepare for battle.
The Imperial Army was stretched out in a long line on the imperial road, which was
just wide enough for two wagons to pass side by side.

‘We can’t fall into formation properly in these conditions.’

The knights hurriedly called their squires to at least put on their breastplates. The
heavy infantry also gathered their necessary equipment and assembled around their
direct commanders.

The marching column of the Imperial Army was thin and long, leaving them highly
vulnerable to an ambush. The situation quickly turned for the worse. If they were
attacked from the side in this state, they would collapse without even being able to
form proper lines.

The well-trained Imperial Army gathered into small units without waiting for
commands from their officers.

"Form a line and advance! We must hold out until our rear lines can fall into
formation!" The senior officer shouted.

The professional heavy infantry quickly found their comrades and formed a
defensive line in preparation for the imminent clash with the approaching
barbarians.

"They got us good," Yanchinus muttered under his breath as he pulled on his horse’s
reins and observed the situation.

The eyes of the emperor did not waver even when things took an unexpected turn.

‘The rain and the long column are delaying the command delivery. I have to trust my
well-trained soldiers and field officers to adapt.’

Unified strategy and tactics have always been the strength of the Imperial Army,
meaning that they were strong in organized battles but were no better in chaos than
barbarians with the same armament.

‘They must have waited for the ground to become too muddy for us to use our cavalry.’

The terrain and situation were both thoroughly advantageous for the barbarians.

‘Fighting in the most favorable condition… they’re showing me the basics of combat.’

Yanchinus gave a wry smile.

"Quite bold of them to target me."

Although there were only a few heavy infantry, they maintained their formation and
countered the incoming barbarians.

Crash!

Flesh and muscle tore apart and cries of pain erupted from all sides as weapons
roughly clashed.

"Oooooh!"

The highly motivated warriors mercilessly ripped through the imperial infantry. The
Imperial Army, unprepared for battle, couldn't fully respond to the attacks from the
barbarians pouring in from all sides.

Clunk, clunk.

The army of Porcana formed proper lines and also advanced following the warriors
at the forefront.

Porcana's army placed themselves in the center of the Porcana-Alliance army while
the Alliance forces spread out to the sides, inducing skirmishes and acting as a
separate unit.

Lightly armed imperial soldiers were the first to engage in battle. The belated
crossbowmen fired arrows, but individual shots were not very effective.

"Timing is key for us, so don’t give them any time to get settled. Push them back at
once!"

Urich pointed his sword forward as we walked calmly amidst the wave of warriors
charging like a tide.

"Hoo."

The air heated up to the point where even the raindrops felt hot. Urich's breath
trembled in the humid air. The warriors, gripping their weapons, jumped into the
battlefield in their primal state, either naked or only clad in leather.

Squelch, squelch.

Urich threw off his shoes and walked barefoot through the mud as the mud clinging
to the shoes grew heavier and more substantial.

Even the exhausted warriors summoned their spirits, knowing they had the
advantage. They knew from experience to press the attack when in a favorable
situation.

Creak, creak.

The crossbowmen of the Imperial Army struggled to reload in the rain as their
crossbows became more sluggish and heavier than usual from being soaked.

Thwip!

They only managed to shoot three arrows at most before being attacked by the
barbarians who hurled their axes as soon as their targets were in sight.

"Kagh!"

The axes flew in an arc, hitting the soldiers' heads and chests. The warriors swiftly
retrieved the fallen axes and continued to charge forward.

As the wave of barbarians engulfed the Imperial Army, the imperial soldiers chose to
abandon their isolated and separated comrades and gathered around the emperor
instead.

Schring!
In the midst of the isolated imperial troops, a banner waved high.

"Soldiers, we can win this!"

Basha, who wasn’t even wearing armor, shouted. She wore only a cloth robe and held
the flag high while reciting prayers.

"Lady Basha! It’s dangerous!"

The soldiers tried to stop her, but she refused to put the sun banner down.

"Lou will protect us as long as I am standing with you, and He will not let us be
defeated by the barbarians!"

Basha's red-blonde hair fluttered wildly. She took a deep breath and led her soldiers
to clash with the barbarian unit.

Basha was densely surrounded by the Imperial Army, among which were also
capable knights assigned by the emperor who had excellent commanding abilities.

"Hold your shields together! They are nothing but wild beasts!"

Basha's guard knights raised their shields and led the soldiers. Even without armor,
as long as they had shields and swords, they could hold their own. The imperial
soldiers, with their overlapping shields, advanced step by step, fending off the
swarming barbarians.

‘Is that where the emperor is?’

Urich looked at the tall sun banner where there was a noticeable concentration of
soldiers forming a formation around it.

‘We can’t let the emperor get away.’

Among the collapsing imperial soldiers, there were a few groups who showed proper
retaliation and were likely the unit commanded by the emperor.

“Hup!”

Urich held his breath and swung his axe widely, tearing open the chest of an
attacking soldier.

‘This soldier isn’t even properly armed.’

Urich looked at the soldier he just killed with a puzzled expression. This soldier
wasn’t unarmed because he didn’t have time to arm himself; his clothes were dirty,
and his body was so skinny that he didn't look like a soldier at all.

‘Is he a peasant soldier?’

He then noticed that some warriors were being killed by the haphazard swings of
imperial conscripts, whose morale was supposed to be incredibly low.

"The conscripts are charging in a situation like this?"

Urich tilted his head at the unprecedented situation as he pulled his axe from the
soldier's body.

‘We've succeeded in the surprise attack, so these conscripts should be running for their
lives, not fighting back like this.’

Yet, the soldiers around him did not back down and kept fighting stubbornly.

“Urich, look at these bastards. They're coming at us like madmen. I swear they
weren’t like this before, were they?”

A warrior ahead of Urich said, holding up the severed head of a soldier. His face,
covered in blood, was smiling.

“They’re fighting back harder than before, that’s strange. I thought they’d be busy
running away. Be careful not to die under their blind swings.”

Urich deflected a spear aimed at his neck and extended his front leg. The soldier was
kicked into the air and then crashed into other soldiers.

Around Urich were some of the most notable warriors in the alliance who were at
least a head warrior in their own tribe.

“Shit, I thought these bastards were supposed to be cowards. Cough.”

A warrior who had been leading the charge coughed blood as his intestines
protruded out his back, tangled with the spearhead.

Urich looked beyond the bloody battlefield at the banner.

‘A banner with the sun on it.’

It wasn’t the emperor’s banner, but judging by the extraordinary resistance around
it, it was possible that the emperor was there.

“Ooooooh!”

A soldier in only cloth armor ran toward Urich with all his strength behind his spear.

“What the hell are they fighting so hard for?”

In civilized armies, the morale and quality of the troops other than knights and
professional soldiers were supposed to be low. Conscripts were merely used to fill
numbers, so in a civilized army of twenty-thousand combat troops, less than half
were actually combat-effective.

“Aaaaah!”

Urich heard a high-pitched voice that did not belong on the battlefield, almost like
that of a prepubescent boy.

“A woman?”

Urich let out a hollow laugh when he saw a girl on horseback. Even Urich, who had
been on countless battlefields over the years, found it an unusual sight.

This girl wasn’t built like Belrua, who could beat several men. No, she was just an
average slender girl who, driven by desperation, shouted something to encourage
the soldiers.

Many of the soldiers following Basha were from the lower classes.

“We will emerge victorious! The barbarians cannot lay their fingers on the children
of Lou! The clouds will part, and the sun will rise!”
Basha's voice was almost hoarse.

Whoosh!

Basha was hit in the face by the spear thrown by a warrior who got close and fell
backward off her horse.

“Lady Basha!”

The soldiers in the distance thought Basha was dead as it looked like her head had
been pierced by the spear.

“Ah…”

Basha, lying on the ground, opened her eyes. Her cheek burned. The falling raindrops
gradually ceased, and sunlight began to peek through the broken clouds.

“Basha!”

The guard knights grabbed Basha’s arms and shouted something. Basha, her ears
ringing, stared blankly at the sky.

“Get up, Basha! We must retreat!”

The knights grabbed Basha and pulled her up on her feet. The ringing in her ears
gradually faded, and the voices became clearer.

“L-Lou is watching over us. Just look over there, the sun is shining on us!”

Basha shouted with trembling lips as blood flowed down her jaw from the wound in
her cheek.

"It’s time for us to retreat, Basha."

"There is no defeat for the Imperial Army! We’ve even reclaimed the northern
fortresses! Gather the soldiers and tell them to follow me."

The soldiers cheered when they saw Basha standing back up using the flagpole as a
staff as if she was rising from the dead.
Only her guard knight frowned and grabbed Basha's shoulder. He had fought
alongside Basha on the battlefield several times, and she reminded him of his
youngest sister, so he couldn't just leave her be.

"We are going to be surrounded soon, Basha. We need to retreat and reorganize our
lines. Not even Lou can save us from the barbarian violence now."

The guard knight, who was trained in military strategy unlike the ignorant soldiers,
saw the battle through a logical lens. He knew that morale alone couldn't win battles.

"What are you talking about, Sir Jorman! Lou has blessed us, and I just saw it with
my own eyes! He saved me from what should have been certain death and whispered
to me that this is our chance."

Basha shouted, spitting as she spoke. She fumbled at the guard’s waist and drew his
sword.

"Charge! Victory is within reach! The barbarians will not take anything from us!"

Basha was unaware of defeat as she had won every battle she had led so far.

"Basha, we are going to lose and the poor soldiers who believe in and follow you will
be torn to pieces by the barbarians. You will be captured alive, humiliated by the
barbarians, and even in death, you will become their plaything. There will be no such
thing as Lou’s embrace for such a death. That’s the fate we’re going to meet if you
insist on your stubbornness."

The guard knight removed his helmet and looked into Basha's eyes. He genuinely
worried about her and hoped she would find peace instead of being driven by anger
and hatred.

"Nonsense!"

Basha tried to shake off the guard knight's hand but couldn't escape his strength as
she was just a girl with no formal training.

"Look at the reality, Basha. Please. The saintly act is over. The only ones who believe
that you are blessed by Lou are the foolish soldiers who simply believe what they
want to believe, not the nobles and priests. We must save our own lives now."
Basha's face turned red on top of the blood trickling thickly from the spear wound on
her cheek.

"T-that kind of attitude is precisely why we lost to the barbarians in the first place!
It's why my village was burned! It's why the barbarians who killed my parents still
run rampant! It's because of people like you who lack faith! Why don't you believe in
Lou and fight to the end? We can win! I’m telling you that we can win!"

Basha kicked between the guard knight's legs. The knight, hastily armored only in
his breastplate, let go of Basha due to the intense pain.

Neigh!

Basha mounted her horse and waved the banner high once again. Her soldiers were
encouraged by the sight of her standing tall with blood dripping from her cheek.
Even the soldiers who had been fleeing turned back at the sight of Basha's banner.

"Goddammit!"

The guard knight, having suppressed the pain, cursed as he looked at Basha
advancing on her horse with the flagpole thrust forward.

He led the other knights to protect Basha, knowing that she wasn’t going to last a
minute without them.

‘It is not Lou's grace that protects you, but our swords and shields… ’

On the urgent battlefield, the girl’s eyes were too busy looking at the sunlight
breaking through the dark clouds to see the knights running after her.

‘…I’m going to do it.’

Basha's lips moved slightly.

"Basha!"

The guard knight shouted from behind, and Basha could not advance further. The
barbarians, whom she thought she could break through, were solid, and the limbs of
the soldiers fell to the ground as they were cut down without any meaning.
"Hooo."

A giant warrior, covered in blood, emerged from the chaos. His axe and sword were
already stained with the blood of dozens.

The flow of the air changed as the seemingly continuous favorable wind stopped.
Perhaps the favorable wind had never blown and it was all just a hollow illusion.

Basha stared blankly at the man who strode over to her as he chopped down the
charging imperial soldiers like logs. It was almost a surreal sight.

She finally understood what true divine blessing meant. Scars covered the man’s
body from head to toe like tattoos, showing wounds that would have killed any other
ordinary human. She knew that the man standing there survived because he was
loved by the gods.

"Urich…”

Basha recalled the emperor's story.

Come to think of it, Emperor Yanchinus mentioned a man who was blessed by the
gods. As an emperor, he occasionally met extraordinary individuals—people with
achievements that seemed unbelievable when heard of. The Sword Demon Ferzen
was such a person, and so was Urich.

"Ah, aah."

Basha was horrified by the sight of human lives vanishing as if they were nothing.

Only the heads of soldiers remained in the path walked by the barbarian called Urich
who had a shadowed face with fierce yellow eyes and a wide, savage mouth. Despite
the rain, the blood on his face didn't wash away.

"Oooooooh!"

Urich continued the slaughter with the roar that one would expect from a
bloodthirsty demon, not someone who did not want war.

"Aaaaah!"

Terror filled the faces of the soldiers facing Urich. It was an instinctive fear that even
faith couldn't hide. A beast that had slaughtered countless people stood before them.

Slash!

Urich swung his sword widely, shattering the neck bone of a soldier with the blade
that was dulled to the point of being akin to a club from cutting so many people. The
broken neck wobbled limply like a puppet with its strings cut.

It was the pinnacle of violence achievable with the human body—pure violence that
was devoid of justice or malice. It took the form of combat techniques ingrained in
Urich's body and came to him as natural as breathing, engulfing the soldiers.
A stench, one so foul that not even the rain could wash away, spread as flesh and
intestines fell to the ground.

"Hooo.”

Urich's hands only paused for a moment to catch his breath.

The soldiers couldn't even swing their weapons at Urich who stood at the front and
stepped back. Urich rolled his eyes and glanced at a woman holding a banner.

‘Is the emperor not here?’

Urich suppressed the battle frenzy seeping into his body and cooly surveyed the
battlefield in search of the emperor.

‘I’ll take care of that woman first… ’

After catching his breath, Urich took a step forward. A few deep breaths were enough
to calm his ragged breathing.

Swoosh!

Seeing the glint of silver, Urich tilted his head back to see the blade brush past his
head.

"That one is Urich! Kill him!"

A group of soldiers with skillful swordsmanship stood in Urich's way.

‘Judging by their sturdy build, they must be knights.’

They were different from soldiers who swung their swords with just courage. Urich
took a step back and gestured with his chin to call the surrounding warriors. He was
the Great Chief. The western warriors were always behind him.

"Ooooooooh!”

The warriors, boosted by their numerical advantage, sliced through the rain and
attacked the knights.
With the success of the ambush, the victory of the Porcana-Alliance army was a
given. The remaining issues were whether they could capture the emperor and how
much damage they could inflict.

"Why won't you grant us victory?"

Basha's eyes widened as she looked at the sun banner she was holding, which was
soaked with rain and no longer fluttered.

The knights guarding Basha collapsed face-first in the mud, bleeding profusely.

‘Oh Lou, why do you take such good people first?’

Basha's eyes turned to the sky.

"Basha! Look at the people, not the sky!"

A guard knight turned his head and shouted. At that moment, Urich's axe blade
severed the knight's neck.

"Sir Jorman!" Basha screamed as even the guard knight who had been protecting her
lost his life.

"Ooooh! This is my gift to you, you bitch!" Urich shouted, throwing the severed
knight’s head at Basha.

The knight's head struck Basha’s. Seeing the dead knight's eyes, Basha's pupils
dilated.

"Ah, aaaah!" Basha screamed, wildly swinging the flagpole.

But such a sloppy attack was never going to work on Urich. He swung his arm and
broke the flagpole before approaching within striking distance to swing his sword to
kill Basha.

But his pupils trembled slightly as he looked directly at Basha’s face in the pouring
rain.

Urich twisted his blade, striking Basha's head with the flat of the sword. Basha fell
from her horse and rolled on the ground.
Her face was buried in the muddy ground that was soaked with blood and rain. The
essence of human life seemed to seep into her nose.

"Oh, Lou…”

As Basha murmured with unfocused eyes, Urich stared at her blankly before
ordering the surrounding warriors to capture her alive.

***

Belrua led the army she brought from the west and attacked the Imperial Army. She
fought harder on the battlefield than anyone else.

‘Capturing the emperor here will benefit me in the future.’

Compared to Urich, the power of Belrua of the Red Sand was like a mere firefly,
which showed the vast difference between a mere chief and a Great Chief. Urich
could erase her influence in a heartbeat if he wanted to.

‘If Urich were as cruel as Samikan, I would already be dead.’

Belrua swung her greatsword widely to deliver a heavy blow that was unbelievable
for a woman’s strength. Her greatsword was more for display than for combat
effectiveness, and when she swung her huge greatsword, the surrounding soldiers
were intimidated while the morale of the warriors rose.

‘We started as equals, but look at me now, at the bottom.’

Belrua laughed, shaking her shoulders. There was a time when the three chiefs of the
Alliance were equals. Although Samikan was always somewhat superior, when Urich
and Belrua joined forces, even Samikan couldn't act recklessly.

‘But it didn’t take long for that to change. Samikan grew his influence well with his
political acumen to the point where Urich and I couldn’t do much even if we were to
combine our forces.’

The western expedition made Samikan the undisputed Great Chief and Urich a
respected warrior among others for his valor in battle, but it yielded nothing for
Belrua.
‘I betrayed Urich to preserve my power and influence. Even when Urich was in danger, I
didn't send reinforcements and even married Samikan.’

She wouldn’t repeat the same mistake if she could go back in time. In hindsight, it
was something she should never have done.

‘Samikan wasn’t a good man. Especially as a husband, he was the worst.’

Belrua’s hoarse voice spread across the battlefield as she shouted with a bitter smile.
Her greatsword cleaved a soldier in two.

Though more of her affection was toward Urich, she chose to marry Samikan to
protect the power and status she had built.

‘Samikan… ’

She had heard countless times about Samikan's downfall from others. Knowing
Samikan and Urich's personalities better than anyone, Belrua could clearly see how
things had unfolded.

‘It’s my fault.’

Samikan's decline began with the death of Noah Arten and Belrua blamed herself.

‘I know who killed Noah Arten.’

Belrua lifted her head and saw a group on horseback in the distance, likely nobles.
Capturing them would be advantageous and the emperor might even be among
them.

‘It was one of my subordinates.’

Belrua had planted one of her warriors out of fear that Noah Arten might betray the
Alliance, who then, believing Noah had betrayed them, killed him and fled to the
west where Belrua was.

By the time Belrua heard the warrior's report, it was too late to admit that her
subordinate had killed Noah, and the situation of the Alliance was at a point where
no one could come back from. She justified it by telling herself that she had simply
taken action to prevent the Alliance from collapsing due to Noah's potential betrayal.
‘Looking back, I even wonder if Noah truly intended to betray.’

Many warriors disliked Noah, so it was entirely possible that Belrua's subordinate
killed Noah just because he didn't like him and then lied about the betrayal.

“It’s all in the past,” Belrua muttered. What mattered now was securing her position
within the Alliance by earning merit.

‘Urich accepted my submission and gave me a chance even though I’ve betrayed him
once. I would never have done that. Someone who betrays once will do it again.’

Belrua knew Urich well. He was the purest warrior among them and had
accomplished so much with the single-minded determination not to let his tribe and
people become slaves, even enduring humiliation for the sake of all westerners, not
just for his ambition.

Despite Samikan's unfair treatment, Urich endured for the alliance. How many
warriors could be as magnanimous as Urich, who tolerated Samikan’s unfair
treatment solely for the Alliance? If he had left in anger, the west would already be
the empire's slaves. Samikan alone couldn't stand against the empire.

‘…He's truly admirable. Urich is indeed our Great Chief in every sense.’

But only a few in the Alliance thought to this depth. It wasn’t just because Urich was
strong and brave that she acknowledged him as a Great Chief. Urich sacrificed
himself for the west, showing that he truly had the qualities of a leader.

“Belrua! That’s their leader! Look at the eagle crest!”

A warrior with a face full of wrinkles shouted. Belrua also squinted and looked
where he pointed.

‘Violet eagle.’

It was the symbol of the emperor. One of the nobles on horseback was wearing a
cloak with the violet eagle embroidered.

“Chase them! The glory is ours!” Belrua shouted.

The warriors crossed the muddy terrain in no time thanks to only wearing light
armor and having rested before the battle, unlike the Imperial Army.

Splash, splash.

Belrua's unit waded through the mud with rainwater coming up to their knees in
pursuit of the violet eagle cloak.

“Crow-Tit!” Belrua called her subordinate, who was an excellent archer.

“This is a terrible condition to shoot in. I’m not too confident in the rain…”

The warrior, named Crow-Tit for his round and bright eyes, drew his bow and
assumed his shooting stance.

“If you hit the target, I’ll give you the three of the finest women in our tribe!” Belrua
urged him with a promise of reward.

“I’m tired of the dirt-smelling women of the west now. Did you know the women
here smell nicer?”

Crow-Tit chuckled and steadied his breath.

Creak.

He drew the bowstring powerfully as he carefully aimed at the violet eagle cloak.

The air was heavy with humidity, and the rain hit the ground hard. The bowstring
was slippery from the wet.

Ting!

Crow-Tit released the bowstring. The arrow flew, swaying left and right, and struck
the violet eagle cloak amidst many soldiers.

Thud!

The violet eagle cloak fell from the horse. Belrua's eyes widened at the sight.

“Good! You’re the best, Crow-Tit!” Belrua shouted and led her warriors forward.
Crow-Tit wiped under his nose with satisfaction.

“If the conditions are bad, you just have to overcome them,” he muttered confidently,
satisfied with a shot that was worth boasting about for the rest of his life.

Buuuuup!

“Huh?”

Belrua, who had been laughing, looked up and saw that there were many warriors
blowing horn trumpets all around.

“It’s the emperor!”

“The emperor is right here!”

“The emperor’s running away! Get him!”

Warriors shouted that they had found the emperor from all over the battlefield.
Belrua’s unit wasn’t the only one.

Among the Imperial Army, there was more than one person wearing the violet eagle
cloak looking like the emperor and fleeing in all directions.

“Dammit!”

Belrua checked the face of the man Crow-Tit had shot, only to find out that it was
completely different from the emperor's description.

The units aiming for glory scattered to chase after those presumed to be the emperor
as the warriors went mad at the sight of the violet eagle cloak.

“You idiots! Do you think the real one would be wearing a cloak to announce where
he is?!”

Belrua shouted as she realized, but the other units’ warriors didn’t believe her,
thinking she was just trying to take all the glory for herself.

Blinded by the target, the warriors continued their hunt for those who would only
turn out to be imposters.
‘I did my best.’

But in war, such words were mere excuses. In fact, doing your best in an unwinnable
battle was an act that only resulted in greater meaningless damage. Sometimes, one
had to know when to give up.

“This way, Your Majesty.”

A knight, after cutting down an approaching barbarian warrior, turned around to see
Emperor Yanchinus dressed like an ordinary soldier.

‘We were ambushed in the worst possible situation.’

Yanchinus accepted his defeat knowing that stubbornness never turned an

unwinnable battle into a victory. While there was no strategy that could bring
victory, admitting defeat opened up new possibilities.

The knights, wearing the emperor’s cloak, scattered in all directions and drew away
the barbarians who blindly chased after the emperor to give the real Yanchinus a
chance to escape.

“Basha’s unit is distracting them,” the knight muttered as he saw the sun banner
fluttering in the distance.

“They must have come all this way because they want to capture me. There is no
reason to let this defeat discourage us. In fact, if I can get away, we would be the real
winners in this exchange.”

Yanchinus shrugged his shoulders and left the battlefield, blending into the
retreating Imperial Army.

“We will rendezvous at Hamel.”

The emperor’s words spread throughout the Imperial Army without fail even in such
a dire situation, showing how strong the military command structure was. The
Imperial Army split into dozens of units, each seeking its own means of survival.

“I think we’ve gotten ourselves enough distance, Your Majesty. We should be okay to
ride from here,” the knight said as he handed the reins to Yanchinus.

Since having too many guards would attract the enemy’s attention, Yanchinus kept
the size of his escort unit small enough to blend in.

“We will meet in Hamel.”

“Yes, in Hamel.”

The knights nodded to each other as the retreating forces parted ways.

Yanchinus, with only ten knights, quickly left the battlefield. They snapped the reins
of their horses like whips.

Grit.

Yanchinus ground his teeth as a sense of frustration that had been suppressed by the
danger welled up inside him.

‘I was foolish. I should have anticipated they would attack us.’

With a little more caution, they could have been fully prepared for this battle.
Yanchinus’ army wasn’t a force to be easily defeated like this.

‘First Carnius, then me. We’ve suffered yet another major defeat and lost two main
forces.’

The thorough defeat was the cherry on top.

‘This is why I didn’t want to split the front lines.’

Yanchinus forced himself not to dwell on painful memories. No matter how many
times he told himself that he did everything as planned, it wouldn’t change the failed
past.
‘Only stragglers and the defeated dwell on their losses.’

Yanchinus opened his eyes wide.

Thwip!

A knight ahead was struck by an arrow and fell off his horse. The knights
instinctively surrounded Yanchinus to protect him.

“There are enemies ambushed!”

Night was falling, and the rain and dark clouds further limited their visibility.

Squelch, squelch.

Yanchinus’ eyes widened as the mountain goat warriors emerged from the darkness.

“The dwarves from the rumors!”

“You must duck, Your Majesty! They’re dangerous!”

Knights who had already experienced the mountain goat warriors shouted with pale
faces.

“The dwarves…”

Though only a few had actually seen them in the flesh, everyone in the Imperial
Army knew of the Phergamon mountain goat warriors as the rumors of the dwarf
demons mixed into the plunderers’ army were rampant among the knights and
soldiers.

The mountain goat warriors, skilled in mobile warfare and ambushes, were another
source of fear. No army could counter those who shot arrows freely while riding
around on goats.

The mountain goat warriors, who were wearing wooden masks that made them
seem even more terrifying, laughed and chatted among themselves.

‘There really was a group retreating before the rest of the army, just as Urich said.’
In anticipation of the emperor’s escape, Urich had positioned the mountain goat
warriors along the escape routes before the battle even began.

The mountain goat warriors spread out in groups of ten to fifteen, forming a wide
encirclement. They didn’t participate in the battle but hid along the escape routes to
ambush the fleeing Imperial Army.

“Go first, Your Majesty. We will hold them off.”

A knight held the reins and looked at the muddy ground.

“What are you saying…!”

Yanchinus couldn’t understand why the knights were so scared. He had heard of the
dwarves' infamy but didn’t think the knights could be defeated by such small bodies.

“…The combat skills we’ve honed our entire lives are utterly useless against them.
Since they don’t engage in close combat, delaying them is the best we could possibly
do. We cannot defeat them, Your Majesty.”

A knight who had fought the mountain goat warriors in the past spoke.

The mountain goat warriors of the Phergamo Tribe knew their size better than
anyone, so they mastered the art of shooting arrows while riding mountain goats to
the extreme.

“I am sorry we couldn’t escort you to the end… kaagh!” A knight screamed as an

arrow struck his shoulder.

The mountain goat warriors unleashed their arrows.

“You must go, Your Majesty!”

The knights, who had most of their bodies exposed due to not having proper armor
on, barely held on thanks to the rain significantly reducing the accuracy of the
Phergamon warriors.

Yanchinus frowned, but he knew that on such a battlefield, the knights' judgment
would be more accurate. He spurred his horse forward, leaving the knights behind.
The quick-witted mountain goat warriors tried to follow Yanchinus, but the knights
desperately drove their horses to stop their pursuit.

“Die, you damn dwarves!” A knight yelled as he swung his sword.

The arrow that the mountain goat warrior shot while falling pierced the knight’s
neck, showing their miraculous archery skill.

“Kugh, k-kugh.”

The knight continued to swing his sword at the mountain goat warrior despite the
blood flowing down his neck.

Yanchinus did not look back. As the sky grew darker, everything around him seemed
suspicious.

“This is the first time since I started growing hair down there that I’ve been afraid of
the dark. Whoa, whoa.”

Yanchinus patted the mane of his horse who was breathing harshly and laboriously
from exhaustion after running for a long time on the muddy ground.

‘Hamel.’

He had to reach Hamel somehow.

‘It’s not over until I die.’

With the symbol of the emperor, he could gather soldiers somehow.

‘No matter how many times I lose, all I need is a single victory to turn things around.’

The aftermath of the war was a concern for the future. Yanchinus was still young,
and he would have several opportunities to recover from the crisis and leap even
further forward.

‘Keep your eyes focused on what’s in front of you, Yanchinus. Think of what your
grandfather and father accomplished. This is nothing compared to what they had to
overcome,’ Yanchinus thought to himself.
His horse staggered for a while before eventually collapsing from the continuous
retreat without sleep.

“You’ve done well. Putting you down myself would be better than letting you get
eaten alive by wild beasts.”

Yanchinus drew his sword and slit the horse’s throat. He put pieces of the horse
meat in his bag and chewed on them as he continued toward Hamel. At some point,
he even lost track of the direction.

The dreadful night ended, and the sun finally rose.

“Phew.”

Yanchinus sat down under a tree to take a short rest, thinking he had moved enough
to have earned a brief respite.

Sleep came over him the moment he closed his eyes, but he struggled to stay
conscious to avoid falling into a deep sleep.

Rustle.

He opened his eyes at the sound of something moving in the bushes, unsure whether
he had slept or not.

Growl.

It was the low grumbling of a beast.

“Shit.”

Yanchinus jumped up and fumbled for his sword at his waist. Still half-asleep, he
barely managed to find and draw it.

A fully grown bear emerged from the bushes. Seeing the bear’s size, Yanchinus didn’t
even think of fighting and started running.

‘Am I, the man called the ruler of the world, going to die to a mere bear?’

A hollow laugh escaped his mouth at the fact that the one who had the power to
change the fate of the world with a single gesture was being chased by a bear.

A person couldn’t outrun a bear. Yanchinus threw a fist-sized piece of horse meat
that he had dug out of his pocket behind him to distract the bear.

“Roaaar.”

The bear swallowed the horse meat in a single gulp and continued chasing
Yanchinus.

Yanchinus threw everything he had at the bear, including his sword and shiny
jewelry.

Gradually, the distance between the bear and Yanchinus widened as the bear
hesitated, intrigued by the dropped items.

“Thank you, you goddamn Lou! I’ll give a box of silver coins as an offering when I
return safely!” He shouted in joyful profanity.

The bear stopped its pursuit, attracted by the items Yanchinus had thrown. If the
bear had been hungry, he would have already been dead.

‘I'm completely broke.’

All he had left was his signet ring with the engraved eagle—no sword, no jewelry,
nothing.

Throb, throb.

Yanchinus frowned at the pain in his ankle after escaping the forest. He hadn’t
noticed it while being chased by the bear, but it seemed he had sprained his ankle,
and the pain worsened to the point where he couldn’t walk any further.

Snap.

He broke off a stick of suitable size and used it as a cane. He hobbled along, feeling as
if he had aged several years overnight. The usual confident smile was also gone from
his face.

‘Where even am I?’

Yanchinus frowned as he discovered a farmhouse instead of the city that he should
have reached according to his planned route.

Creak.

Yanchinus opened the barn door and went inside. He sat down on the hay and
removed his shoes only to be met with a swollen ankle that would make walking to
Hamel impossible.

‘I’ll think later. I need to sleep first.’

Yanchinus, unable to hold on any longer, collapsed onto the haystack and fell into a
deep sleep as if he were dead.

***

Basha opened her eyes. She, along with the other prisoners, were bound together
with ropes, which made it impossible for anyone to escape.

“Lady Basha, you must steel yourself. What they are about to put you through will
make you wish you were dead.”

Basha looked at the soldier beside her with dazed eyes.

“Lou…” Basha muttered. The spear wound on her cheek was still open and throbbed.

‘If you were going to give me defeat, why did you tell me to fight in the first place?’

Basha blinked several times as if she were trying to snap out of a bad dream, but the
reality of their defeat did not change.

Step, step.

Barbarians, who hadn't even washed the blood off their bodies, walked toward the
prisoners and stopped in front of Basha.

“You ignorant barbarians, do you even know who this woman is? She is favored by
Lou! You barbarians have no right to touch her! Bring a noble from Porcana!” The
soldiers who followed Basha shouted.
However, some no longer paid attention to her. “Favor, my ass. If Lou favored her, we
wouldn’t have lost the war. It’s embarrassing that we let a girl fool us for so long.”

“Y-you bastard!”

The soldiers argued among themselves.

“I-I heard the King of Porcana is here! I would like to speak to him!”

Basha flinched and shouted as the barbarians approached. The barbarians chuckled
and murmured in their language.

“I am Basha, the one who hears Lou’s voice! Even the emperor acknowledged me!
You can't treat me like this! Don’t hand me over to the barbarians! Isn’t there anyone
who wants to share Lou’s favor?” Basha shouted frantically in all directions.

Some of the civilized people of the Porcana-Alliance flinched and avoided Basha’s
gaze knowing how strange it was for a young woman to be on the battlefield. They
only speculated there must be some story behind it.

The barbarians cut Basha's ropes since they saw her as harmless.

Seeing the girl standing still, the barbarians gestured for her to follow them. Every
time she heard their laughter, chills ran down her spine.

Basha glanced at the receding prisoners with a pale face, but there was no one to
help her.

‘You will be humiliated by the barbarians, and they will make you wish you were dead.’

Basha recalled the words of the dead guard knight saying that she would have to
endure things worse than death knowing the atrocities of the barbarians

‘They are not human, but beasts unworthy of Lou’s blessing.’

Rage swallowed her fear as she recalled the injustice of her violated mother and
beheaded father. Basha extended her fingers and aimed for a barbarian’s eye.

Stab!
Basha’s nail dug deep into the barbarian’s eye.

“Kaagh!”

The barbarian, with his eyes stained red from the blood, drew his axe as if he were
trying to kill the girl as bloody tears dripped from the deeply pierced eye.

Katagi heard the commotion as he was waiting for Basha to come and ran over to
restrain the angered warrior.

“Stop, are you trying to defy the Great Chief’s orders?”

“B-but that girl stabbed my eye, Katagi! It’s only right that I gouge out one of her
eyes…”

“Yeah, you let a girl do that to you. Do you not have any shame?”

Katagi pushed the warrior aside and grabbed Basha’s wrist. He slowly spoke in
broken Hamelian, “If you try anything like that again, I will cut off your hands myself
before bringing you to our Great Chief.”

Though broken, Basha understood his words.

“I-I have received Lou’s blessing…”

Basha repeated, but Katagi paid no attention. He believed in the Great Chief Urich
who performed miracles in person. The sun god Lou meant nothing to him.

Urich always entrusted important tasks to Katagi who always prioritized his orders
regardless of his own thoughts, unlike the other warriors who often disregarded
hierarchy and acted on their own if things went wrong.

‘The Great Chief trusts me and that’s all that matters to me.’

Katagi’s logic was no different than that of a sun Priest. He unconditionally obeyed
the order of the Great Chief, believing that there was always a greater purpose that
was simply beyond his understanding. This time was no different, and Katagi did not
understand why Urich wanted him to bring Basha.

“I’ve brought the woman, Great Chief,” Katagi spoke in front of Urich’s tent.
Urich lifted the entrance of the tent and revealed his face.

“Bring her in. And bring some food and water as well,” Urich spoke calmly and went
back inside.

“Go in.”

Katagi gestured with his chin toward Basha, who looked around nervously and
entered the tent.
Yanchinus opened his eyes in the barn to see a girl holding a pitchfork.

“W-who are you?” the girl asked in a frightened voice with the tip of her pitchfork
held against Yanchinus' neck.

“Give me something to drink and eat and I will reward you.”

Yanchinus remained unfazed. His calm tone had the dignity characteristic of nobility.

“S-sorry?” The girl replied, dumbfounded.

It felt as if she were standing before a lord.

“I don't have anything to give right now, but I promise that I will reward you.”

“What are you talking about asking for food after you’ve barged into someone else's
barn?”

“What is your name?”

Yanchinus ignored the girl's words and just said what he wanted.

“Frey.”

“That's a pretty name. Now, would you mind removing that farming tool from my
neck?”

Yanchinus slowly pushed the girl’s pitchfork aside and stood up with a limp.

“Are you hurt?” Frey asked.

“Don't worry about it. Where is this place? Do you know the name of the lord here?”
The limping man was too confident for someone who had sneaked into a barn.

‘Is he a noble?’

The man before her did not seem like an average, ordinary person.

“This is Haifa…”

“This is Count Haifa’s domain? I’ve come farther south than I thought.”

The sleep had cleared his head, and the geography of the empire came to Yanchinus'
mind.

‘This isn’t actually that bad. If pursuers were on my trail, they would have expected me
to take the shortest route possible, not drift down here… ’

Yanchinus looked at Frey, who seemed to be of marriageable age.

“Where is your husband?”

“I am not married!”

Frey snapped for the first time, making Yanchinus shrug at her overreaction.

“Can I stay in this barn for another day or two, and could you keep it a secret?”

“Why should I?”

“As I said before, I will reward you. Is there anything you want? Money? Jewels?”

“You look like you don’t have a single cil to your name, so how could I trust you?”

Yanchinus laughed cheerfully at Frey's scrutiny.

‘To think I, the ruler of the world, would hear such words. But I can’t reveal myself as
the emperor here.’

The political world was in chaos. Emperor Yanchinus reigned only because he had
the power to do so. If a local noble discovered his identity while he was unguarded,
there was no telling what might happen.
‘I need to inform a noble who is loyal to me that I am here.’

The emperor had confiscated many nobles' lands and properties. His power base
was not the support of many nobles but the army as the professional soldiers were
loyal to the emperor who paid their salaries, not their hometown lords.

Throughout his reign, Yanchinus pursued centralization, and many nobles became
his enemies in the process.

‘I can’t trust Count Haifa.’

Frey also did her own thinking while Yanchinus was contemplating,

She was the first to speak up, “Are you a high noble? Higher than Lord Haifa?”

“I’m definitely not lower, I’ll say that much,” Yanchinus replied.

“Then I’ll keep you hidden. Promise you’ll reward me.”

As Yanchinus and Frey were talking, someone else approached from outside the
barn.

“Sis? Who’s that?”

A sturdy boy entered the barn and grabbed Yanchinus by the collar.

“Stop it, Clion! He’s a nobleman!”

“A n-noble?”

“You must be Frey's brother, so I will forgive your insolence. By the way, you have a
decent build. Why haven't you enlisted?”

Clion had a large stature for a commoner, and his demeanor was rather aggressive,
suggesting he spent his youth playing the leader in the streets. Clion let go of
Yanchinus and looked at Frey.

An argument ensued between the siblings.

“What are you going to do if Father finds out you're hiding this person? We should
inform the lord.”

“He said he would reward us if we hid him.”

“Reward? Do you actually believe that? What if he's a criminal?”

“B-but…”

Frey half-sobbed while Clion sighed.

“Is this about the thing?” Clion asked.

“I really don’t want to do it.”

“You’d only have to be his concubine for ten years at most, and if you manage to have
his child, you can live worry-free on the lord's money for the rest of your life. So
what's the issue here?”

“I don't like that fat and stinky man. I get goosebumps just looking at him.”

“It's a better life than marrying a poor farmer and working the fields for the rest of
your life, especially in a time like this! You’re an adult now, aren’t you? How are you
so immature? What, are you planning to run away, or something? What’s going to
happen to me, Father, and our siblings if you do that? Grow up!” Clion spoke harshly,
his tone suggesting he was the eldest son.

Yanchinus roughly understood the situation based on what he had heard from
eavesdropping. It was a common occurrence in the civilized world.

‘Seems like Frey is becoming the concubine of the lord's son here. That explains why she
asked if I held a higher status than the lord.’

Yanchinus’ womanizing was well-known among the central nobility, so he wasn’t a

stranger to this situation.

“Hah, you know what, I don’t even know anymore. I’m going to tell Father.”

“Clion, do you really want me to be with such a person? Truly?”

Frey pleaded with her younger brother.

“Then what do you want me to do? What about Father and our siblings? Should they
all starve to death because of you? Do you think this is easy for me? You know I want
to stab that bastard in the face, but enduring it is what being an adult is about. How
long will you act like a child?”

“Don’t tell Father, Clion, please. Just in case this man can actually…”

Clion bit his lower lip, frowning.

“Do whatever you want. I’ll tell the kids not to go to the barn.”

“Thank you, Clion. You’re the best brother in the world.”

Frey hugged Clion and patted his head. Although Frey was shorter, she still had the
presence of an older sister.

Seeing that the argument was over, Yanchinus asked again, “Now, if you're done
talking, bring me some food and drink. I don't know how many times I've said it
today, but I will reward you later.”

Frey nodded and, before leaving the barn, asked Yahimnchinus, “Oh, by the way, what
is your name, sir?”

“You can call me Yan.”

Frey brought some modest food and left the barn. It was a half-rotten apple and a
piece of bread with a hint of mold.

Yanchinus’ eyes widened at the sight of the food that looked worse than the food
waste of the imperial palace.

“This is disgusting,” Yanchinus complained as he forced the food into his mouth.

Clion, who was cleaning the barn, frowned as he listened to Yanchinus' grumbling.

“There are plenty of people who can’t even have that, sir. The lords empty our
granaries to give to the barbarians, and then also scrape every last bit of it for the
Imperial Army’s supplies. Our family is somewhat better off because our sister is to
become the young master's concubine, but other families are lucky to even get one
meal a day.”
“So you’re basically telling me to be grateful and just eat it.”

“You are a smart man, sir. As you can see, I don't believe a word you’re saying, unlike
my sister. If you were truly a high noble, you'd be talking to the lord by now instead
of hiding in a barn like this. I'm just letting you be for my sister's peace of mind.
Leave when you’re well enough,” Clion spoke curtly.

“Clion, was it? Can I ask you to get me some parchment and tools to write a letter,
along with some sealing wax?”

“Did you not hear what I said earlier? You saw the food we gave you; how do you
expect me to get those things when we can’t even put proper food on the table?”

“If you’re okay with having your sister get taken away by a pig, feel free to disregard
my request.”

Clion, who had been moving hay, stopped and stared at Yanchinus.

“I know nobles like you don't see us as humans, and I know you won't do such a
thing for my sister, so I don’t want to get involved in troublesome matters. Besides,
there's no way I can get those tools.”

“You seem capable enough to steal some from somewhere,” Yanchinus said slyly.

Clion burst out laughing and replied, “Steal? Good grief! Do you want to see my hand
chopped off?”

There was no reason to risk his life for a self-proclaimed noble he knew nothing
about.

“Clion, you’re turning down the biggest opportunity of your life.”

Yanchinus gave up persuading and lay down on the haystack as his stomach growled
with hunger despite having eaten.

He spent the rest of the day resting to let the rest of the swelling and pain in his
ankle subside.

‘I should steal a horse or something and make a move by tomorrow.’

Night was deepening. As evening fell, the farmhouse grew quiet with the exception of
the occasional laughter and conversation coming from outside the barn.

“Clion, why can’t I go into the barn?”

It was the voice of a young child.

“It’s because I’ve just cleaned it top to bottom, and you’re just going to mess it all up.
So stop asking now.”

Clion kept his promise and prevented anyone from entering the barn.

Yanchinus watched the outside through the gaps in the wooden planks.

‘Clion is a decent fellow. He keeps his promises and knows how to protect his family.’

There was no way a mere farmer’s son could prevent Frey from becoming the
concubine of the lord’s son. It was a necessary sacrifice to protect the rest of the
family.

Overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles to achieve one's will was difficult

for ordinary people, and a mere farmer’s son would need divine blessings to oppose
a lord.

‘Unless you’re Urich, that is.’

If Clion were Urich, he would have stormed into the lord’s quarters with an axe,
caused a ruckus, and still made it out alive. But not everyone could be such
extraordinary heroes.

‘To think I’d end up like this because of a mere barbarian.’

Yanchinus chucked. Emperor Yanchinus was born with everything and could do
whatever he wanted, so it was only natural that he sought great achievements that
other people deemed impossible.

‘But I’m losing everything to a barbarian who only has the blessing of the gods.’

Yanchinus dared to cross the Sky Mountains and explore the Eastern Continent
because he had little faith. He defied the will of the gods, standing at the pinnacle of
the human world.

“Heyyyy!”

A strange voice called out from outside. A nobleman on horseback was loitering in
front of the farmhouse accompanied by three or four thugs.

“Freeeeey! My girl!”

It was a drunken young nobleman.

‘That must be the son of Count Haifa.’

The noble, just as fat as the rumors, kept calling Frey’s name.

Unable to bear it, Frey’s father and Clion rushed out.

“Young master, it is not yet the promised day! Please wait a little longer…” The father
pleaded earnestly.

“Ugh, it’s not even a formal marriage! Are you saying the grace I’ve been showing you
is not enough? You arrogant fools!”

“We are undoubtedly grateful for your grace—in fact, no amount of gratitude is
enough. But…”

“I want to take that girl tonight! Frey, I am here! Let’s have a sweet night together!”

At the fat man’s gesture, the thugs dismounted and tried to enter the house.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, young master? I don’t care how desperate
you are, keep your basic formalities!”

A commotion erupted inside the house. Furniture was broken, and the cries of a
child and a woman were heard.

“What the hell are you doing in my house, you piece of shit!”

Clion grabbed a thug by the shoulder and swung his fist to start a fight with the
thugs. Clion fiercely beat the thugs without backing down, and the intimidated thugs
awkwardly retreated from the house.

“Young master, I don’t think we can take the girl unless we kill that guy. Should we
kill him?”

The thugs looked at the sword hanging from the horse and asked.

“I-it’s almost the promised day anyway, s-so there’s no need to kill him and ruin the
mood. But I will not forget this!”

The fat man, seemingly sobered up, drily coughed and rode away as Clion watched
them, spitting blood-mixed phlegm on the ground.

Yanchinus, who had been watching the fight through the gap in the barn, chuckled.
While someone was risking their life fighting barbarians, a commotion erupted here
over a single woman.

“Kek, keke.”

Laughter kept escaping. The great battle that determined the fate of the empire was
meaningless to the people here who were busy worrying about tomorrow and only
cared about their immediate desires.

Thud!

As Yanchinus lay down to sleep, the barn door opened. Yanchinus twisted his lips as
he saw a shadow silhouetted against the moon.

“Sir, is the promise from earlier still valid?” Clion asked with his face swollen.

“Of course, it is. It’s a promise between two men.”

Today was the day a guest was visiting Count Haifa's domain. The margrave, who
governed the estate on the northwestern border, had come to see Count Haifa rather
out of the blue, but he seemed to be bringing good news.

Count Haifa's second son, Kamil, was drinking with thugs despite an important
diplomatic event happening involving his father.

"Young master, what do you even like about that woman?" The thugs asked as they
laughed in the tavern.

Kamil was fat enough to be nicknamed ‘fatty.’ He had been gluttonous since
childhood, never stopping eating even when he was full.

"Shut up. Frey is a beautiful woman."

Kamil glared at the thugs as he chewed the grilled lamb.

"Hey, if the young master likes her, who are we to argue?"

"Exactly. As long as the young master is happy."

The thugs said whatever they could to please Kamil.

"Remember, my older brother has a chronic illness and won't live long. That means
I'll be the next Count Haifa."

Kamil pointed at the thugs with a meat bone.

"Of course, young master."

The thugs laughed obsequiously, and Kamil, pleased with their reaction, spoke
grandly about the current affairs. Though it was a turbulent time, it was also an era
of opportunities.
"Regardless of who ends up winning this war, the emperor's influence will weaken
and the era of local lords will return. If I'm lucky, a time may come when I can
establish a duchy or even a kingdom."

Kamil’s words were backed up by history. Eras where local warlords or nobles ran
rampant always followed the weakening of the central power. In chaotic times such
as this one, the balance of power changed daily, and this was the foundation on
which the empire itself was built.

The fact that anyone who could read the ever-changing chaotic situation and prepare
for the future in such turbulent times had a chance of becoming kings made the
hearts of men race.

‘This fat man thinks he can be such a hero. If he weren't a lord's son, he'd be licking my
boots.’

The leader of the thugs sneered inwardly, but he also knew the importance of one’s
status. It was true that Kamil had a high chance of becoming the next Count Haifa.

"Stay loyal to me until then, and you'll get solid positions. I’ll make you the captain of
the guard; you, the chief of security; and you, the defense captain. Now, how does
that sound?"

Kamil pointed to each thug as he spoke.

"Aren't they all the same thing?" a thug asked, puzzled.

"They're not, you idiot!" Kamil snapped.

The domain of Count Haifa was just as poor as the other unfortunate territories who
had learned that it was better to offer tributes to the barbarians willingly rather than
be plundered by them. When plundered, people died, and buildings burned. If they
couldn't defend it anyway, it was better to surrender beforehand.

After the barbarians swept through, the Imperial Army would follow, claiming they
would defeat the barbarians and collect provisions. The longer the war dragged on,
the more the people suffered.

"Burp!"
Kamil burped and patted his belly after eating enough food for almost three people
alone.

"I knew the emperor would drive the empire to ruins when he started wasting
national power on the Eastern Continent and western expansion! There was a
reason why Lou decreed the Sky Mountains as forbidden, but that stupid emperor
just had to cross the Sky Mountains and bring the disaster that is sweeping the
civilized world right now. This is all on him!"

Kamil raised his swaying cup, speaking whatever came to his mind drunkenly since
there was no one in the Haifa domain to stop him.

"The sun god Lou has abandoned the empire and the emperor. That's why there's a
rebellion in the north to establish a true kingdom of the sun, isn't that right?"

"You’re absolutely right, young master. With that being said, let’s call it a night."

"Call it a night? No, I’m going to keep drinking. I'm going to see Frey tonight."

The thugs looked troubled.

‘He's talking about Frey again. This dumbass only gets brave enough after drinking.’

For Kamil to forcefully have his way with her, they'd have to kill her brother, who was
a strong opponent who could knock down three or four thugs with his bare hands.

"Can't you wait three more days? By then, Frey will understand your generous
heart."

“R-right, of course! She won’t find a better man than me. I can't marry her because
she's not a noble, but I'll treat her well."

Kamil, being as good at drinking as he was at eating, chugged more alcohol on a

whim.

"When the empire falls and the turbulent times come, it will be my era! If you follow
me, you'll succeed too!"

The situation of the empire was clear enough to be read by even a mere fat man like
Kamil. The local lords were biding their time and accumulating power as it was
certain that the empire's influence would weaken after the war. The emperor's
authority at the center of the empire wouldn't be the same as before.

The tavern was noisy with Kamil's gang. A man in the corner lightly tapped the table
with his glass.

“…Sure, the fall of the empire would definitely create opportunities; though there will
be more people who die caught in the chaos than those who seize them."

Kamil's ears perked up despite his drunkenness.

"Who the hell are you?" Kamil shouted, reaching for his sword hilt.

"In my opinion, you’re going to be one of those who die a petty death. You see, I have
a decent eye for people."

"I am Kamil Haifa! State your name!"

Kamil clumsily drew his sword, but even a clumsy one could kill if stabbed.

"I don’t doubt that the people of this backwater place worship you as some great
person. After all, they don't know what true noble status is," the man mumbled,
looking at the thugs.

He continued with his face hidden under a dirty hood, "Put that sword on me and I’ll
make sure you regret it, idiot."

The man stood up and provoked Kamil with a voice that exuded dignity.

Limp.

But the man limped with every step. He was either injured or a cripple, and the
dignity in his voice faded away with the rather awkward stride.

"A cripple lecturing me?"

Kamil sneered and sheathed his sword before grabbing the man by the collar and
punching him. The hefty punch powered by the mass of the fat man landed in the
man's belly.
"Kugh."

The man staggered back out of the tavern into the somewhat busy street.

"How dare a vagrant insult me, Kamil Haifa, in Count Haifa's domain!"

Kamil spread his arms wide and shouted, drawing the attention of the people in the
street.

"I’ll show you who you’re messing with."

Kamil intended to punish the unidentified vagrant thoroughly to assert his authority.

Thud!

Kamil kicked the man again, and the man curled up miserably. Seeing this, Kamil and
his gang laughed.

"You startled me with that ridiculous confidence of yours earlier, you damn vagrant!"

Kamil, excited and instigated by the alcohol, kicked the man again, spat on him, and
insulted him.

"Are you angry because of what I said? Keke."

The man spat bloody saliva on the ground and laughed.

"Still don't get the situation, huh? I am a noble, and you, a mere vagrant, insulted me.
So, you deserve to die."

"Yes, when someone of low status challenges someone of high status, they deserve to
die. Your logic is absolutely flawless."

The man continued to laugh, but it grew ominously loud.

More and more people from the domain gathered, including a face that was familiar
to Kamil.

‘Frey?’
Kamil turned his gaze and spotted Frey, who was glaring at him with a frown.

Seeing Frey's expression, Kamil became even angrier and shouted, "You crazy
bastard! What the hell is so funny?"

Kamil raised his sword high, intending to cut off an arm to make an example.

That was when the man quietly raised his hand and then clenched his fist.

Thwip!

An arrow flew and struck Kamil's arm.

“Aaah! Kack! Aaah!”

Kamil screamed in pain, rolling on the ground and trembling as if he were about to
die.

“So loud, for what? You get hit by one arrow and you’re squealing like a pig?”

The man stood up, dusting off his pants.

“Who is it? Who shot that arrow!”

Kamil’s thugs pushed through the crowd, looking for the shooter.

“H-huh? What?”

The thugs pushing through the crowd backed away in confusion as they felt cold
blades against their throats.

Men with sharp eyes emerged one by one from the crowd. They were clearly trained
and above the pay grade of a bunch of thugs who had ruined their bodies with
alcohol and women.

“W-what is the meaning of this? An ambush? Who are you!”

Kamil clutched his wounded arm and looked around to see the men whom he had
never seen in this territory.
“Your Majesty,” someone knelt and spoke.

The man who had been beaten by Kamil nodded as he was handed a sword scabbard.

“And what about Sir Javoca?”

Kamil’s eyes widened at the man’s words. Javoca was the margrave who was meeting
with Count Haifa today.

“Margrave Javoca is currently meeting with Count Haifa, Your Majesty. That will soon
be over too.”

“Good. And what is your name?”

“Puratian, Your Majesty.”

“Be my herald, Sir Puratian”

“I would be honored, Your Majesty.”

The man used the scabbard as a cane to straighten his back and faced the crowd that
was gathered around.

Puratian cleared his throat, looked around, and shouted loudly, “People of Haifa!
Kneel before His Imperial Majesty Yanchinus Hamelon, the ruler of the world!
Anyone standing after I finish speaking will lose their heads!”

Puratian’s voice was commanding. The crowd knelt under the pressure while tilting
their heads, wondering if they had misheard.

“Yanchinus Hamelon?”

“T-the emperor?”

No matter how ignorant they were, everyone knew the name of the emperor.

“Put your face to the ground, Kamil Haifa! Everyone here is a witness to your crime!”

Puratian shouted at Kamil, who trembled and looked at his thugs with his face full of
confusion.
“The emperor? His Imperial Majesty?”

The thugs knelt with blank faces. The situation was dire, and they couldn’t afford to
help their young master. If their opponent was indeed the emperor, they would have
to offer everything they had and beg with their heads on the ground just to survive.

“Let’s see… what was the crime for defying the imperial family?”

The man with the hood, Yanchinus, lifted Kamil’s chin with his foot.

Kamil awkwardly lifted his head, guided by the foot. His face turned pale upon seeing
that the area was already secured by men presumed to be knights. It was impossible
for anyone but a high-ranking noble to act so brazenly in someone else’s domain.

‘…He provoked me on purpose.’

Kamil’s mind cleared. He trembled as he recalled the numerous rumors of the

emperor’s methods. Many nobles had their estates and wealth confiscated for
various reasons, and the emperor’s infamous reputation was no secret to anyone.

“Kamil Haifa, can you remind me what I said earlier?”

“Y-you said that…” Kamil stammered.

Yanchinus helped. “If someone of low status challenges someone of high status…,
what did I say would happen next?”

Kamil, forgetting even the pain from the arrow, banged his head on the ground.

“…You said they deserved to die, Your Majesty.”

Without replying, Yanchinus donned the cloak brought by the knights. The violet
eagle cloak, which only the emperor could wear, fluttered long.

Yanchinus’ smile looked down at Kamil. It was exactly the same as the image of the
emperor that circulated among the gossips.

‘He is evil and arrogant.’

Fat Kamil closed his eyes tightly.

Without a just cause, even the emperor could not confiscate a noble's land. However,
what constituted a just cause could vary depending on the power dynamics of the
parties involved.

Yanchinus entered the castle with the violet eagle cloak swaying with his steps.

Step, step.

He walked down the long corridor and sat on the lord’s chair. In front of him, Count
Haifa and his lieges bowed their heads.

Clank.

The sound of metal quietly spread as armed soldiers roamed the castle.

Margrave Javoka struck Haifa Castle with only fifty soldiers, but the unexpected raid
left Count Haifa with no way to respond. Soon after, the castle was completely taken
over by Javoka’s men.

“It is an honor to be able to serve you like this, Your Majesty.”

The large figure of Margrave Javoka in fur-adorned steel armor spoke. He was the
lord of the northwestern borders and was not originally a pro-imperial faction, but
Yanchinus made him an offer he could not refuse.

Yanchinus looked at Count Haifa, who had his head bowed, and his second son,
Kamil, who knelt next to his father.

“Count Haifa… Your son plotted a rebellion and insulted the imperial family in front
of many witnesses. I’m afraid this cannot be overlooked.”

“Your Majesty, he is a foolish child who spoke without knowing better! Please forgive
him!”
Count Haifa bowed deeply. News of what Kamil had done had already reached him.

‘He blabbered about a rebellion at a tavern and on top of that, laid hands on the
emperor. Fool!’

Count Haifa wanted to drag his son to the storage room and beat him to death right
away.

“Kamil, do you enjoy embracing women?” Yanchinus asked abruptly. Kamil replied
hesitantly, “Y-yes, I do.”

“If you are old enough to embrace women, you are old enough to take responsibility
for your actions.”

Yanchinus chuckled and crossed his legs.

Count Haifa had to make a decision.

“I will behead my son myself, Your Majesty,” Count Haifa said solemnly as he bowed
his head.

‘I have two more sons who could carry my name.’

Although the eldest of the three sons was weak with illness, there was the youngest.
Before the emperor could find more faults, it was better to kill the root cause: his
second son Kamil.

“Do not make me a heartless person, Count Haifa. How could I make a father kill his
own child!” Yanchinus refused as he waved his hand dismissively.

Count Haifa, well aware of the emperor’s cruel history, knew that the words that
sounded like kindness on the surface did not reflect his true nature. His expression
grew even darker.

Realizing the dire situation, Kamil grabbed Count Haifa’s trouser leg.

“F-father! I can change! I will never disobey you again and will be careful in my
actions…”

Kamil spewed out all the words he could think of with tears streaming down his face.
Seeing this, Count Haifa dropped his sword and shook his head.

“You stupid, stupid child. Your life is not what’s important right now. We are
finished,” Count Haifa muttered and looked at Yanchinus.

“Count Haifa, I will leave you with three farms in your possession. Be smart with
those lands, and you should be able to get by as a landlord. Once the land transfer is
complete, Sir Javoka will take over and govern Haifa County.”

Margrave Javoka nodded and stepped forward, unable to contain the slight smile
playing on his lips. Lords never refused when offered land.

‘So this was the deal they made. He took my land by bringing in Javoka.’

Many lords of the empire had fallen into the hands of the emperor, and Count Haifa
was now in the same position. By the end of this incident, he would be removed from
the Haifa Castle and no longer be able to use the title of Count.

Margrave Javoka assisted the emperor in exchange for the Haifa lands. Expanding
one’s domain in chaotic times like these was crucial, and having legitimate territory
meant survival, regardless of the empire’s future.

‘The more land you have in these turbulent times, the better.’

Margrave Javoka looked at Emperor Yanchinus sitting on the lord's chair.

‘That’s that, but… to think the emperor would be in a position to flee from battle… Is
the mighty empire and its emperor truly falling?’

Margrave Javoka smiled bitterly. The empire that was once thought to be immortal
was tipping. Though the empire hadn't fallen yet, the Seven Kingdoms claiming
independence was inevitable after the war. Even if the empire emerged victorious, it
would not be able to retain its former glory.

‘If I can absorb a few more territories, I might even aim for the throne. Haifa County is
a stepping stone for expansion.’

Ambition surged within Margrave Javoka, knowing that he had to rely on his
strength now that the empire's protection was in jeopardy.
Count Haifa, realizing how quickly he had lost everything, couldn’t do anything but
laugh.

“Just like that…” He muttered.

Only this morning, he had welcomed Margrave Javoka's visit. He had found it odd
that Javoka had brought so many guards but hadn’t thought much of it as he just
assumed the visit was about marriage, given that Margrave Javoka had a daughter.
But as soon as Javoka entered the castle, he overpowered Count Haifa by force.

“This is ridiculous! Do you really think this makes sense? Margrave Javoka used force
as soon as he entered the castle! I know you two planned this! You came here with
the intent to seize my land from the start! It's all nonsense, utter nonsense!”

Count Haifa raged. But the fact remained that his son Kamil had spoken of rebellion
and laid hands on the emperor, and there were too many witnesses to deny it.

As long as there was the tiniest justification, the rest could be resolved by force.
Emperor Yanchinus and Margrave Javoka swiftly seized Haifa County.

“Emperor? Piss off with that! You so-called emperor is running for your life from the
barbarians! By what right do you get to decide who owns the land my ancestors
cultivated? This is our family’s land!”

Count Haifa, his eyes bloodshot, pointed angrily at Yanchinus, who leaned forward
with just as much anger.

“You think you have the right to speak of land rights when you were sitting
comfortably by your fireplace, drinking, while I was fighting the barbarians?”

Yanchinus’ voice was filled with rage. No one felt the sting of defeat by the Porcana-
Alliance army more than Yanchinus.

“You’re damn right I do; do you not collect taxes from us in exchange for protection?
Even a fool knows that let alone the emperor! So you’re the idiot who wasted the
national treasury collected from the nobles on the Eastern Continent and western
expansion! If that money had been used to grow the army, we wouldn't have lost to
the barbarians! Shame on you, Yanchinus!” Count Haifa shouted without backing
down.
Yanchinus propped his chin and remained silent for a moment before quietly
reaching out to the soldier next to him.

“…Crossbow.”

Yanchinus took the crossbow and aimed it at Count Haifa.

“Oh, you’ve got nothing to say so you’re going to take my life? Kamil, my son, you
have done nothing wrong! You were merely used by a tyrant!”

Count Haifa stepped forward with his arms wide open as if he were daring Yanchinus
to kill him.

Yanchinus squinted and aimed the crossbow.

“If I hadn't crossed the mountains, we would have continued living thinking that
place was the end of the world, fearing non-existent taboos and unable to see
beyond. Immortal glory belongs to those who walk through unseen darkness
without a torch. Someone like you, who fear paths not marked on the map, would
never understand.”

“Ha, haha! Then who is to blame for the barbarians swarming the empire's
territory?”

Yanchinus pulled the trigger.

Thwip!

The arrow flew and embedded itself in flesh. Count Haifa closed his eyes tightly but
felt no pain.

“K-kugh, keugh.”

The one hit by the arrow was the fat Kamil who was writhing in pain, spitting blood
from the arrow lodged in his chest.

“…There is no point in killing someone who is ready to die. Did you say you had three
sons? Well, they will all die today because their father couldn't control his anger for
even just a moment.”
Yanchinus gestured to Margrave Javoka, who ordered his soldiers to drag out Count
Haifa's remaining sons.

“F-Father, I-I want to live… k-kugh,” Kamil spoke as he spat blood. Count Haifa bit his
lips hard, seething with anger.

Slice!

The soldiers beheaded Count Haifa's other sons.

Count Haifa looked at his sons’ heads rolling on the ground in despair.

“You are not human, Yanchinus! Lou will curse you, you damned son of a bitch! You
will pay for this!”

Count Haifa screamed as soldiers grabbed his arms and dragged him away. His voice
filled with resentment faded into the distance.

“Prepare the horses and the escort unit, Sir Javoka. I've kept my promise; now it's
your turn.”

“Of course, Your Majesty. I will assign only the very best soldiers and knights to
escort you.”

While Javoka prepared, Yanchinus left the castle to look around the territory,
eventually riding to the farmhouse where he had hidden.

Neigh!

At the sound of Yanchinus' horse, Frey came out of the house, trembling and bowing
deeply.

“Y-Your Imperial Majesty! Please forgive my insolence!”

“Raise your head, Frey. There's nothing to forgive. You showed kindness when I was
in need, so I am the one who should be grateful. I will not forget that kindness.”

Clion, who had been cleaning the barn, ran out and bowed as well.

“Your Imperial Majesty… ahem, ahem.”

Clion cleared his throat, also recalling his actions toward Yanchinus.

“I have put in a word for you to Sir Javoka, who will be the new lord of the Haifa
domain. If you wish to rise as a soldier instead of a farmer, go to him. With luck, you
might even become a garrison commander. A time of war is coming, which means a
man could dream of success with a sword in his hand.”

“…If a time of war is indeed coming, that’s all the more reason I can't become a
soldier.”

Clion’s answer shocked Frey, and Yanchinus narrowed his eyes as well.

“What do you mean?”

“I cannot leave my family in such times. My father is too old to protect us, so that
makes them my responsibility. Thank you for protecting my sister, Your Majesty. It
was something I could not have done myself.”

Yanchinus nodded subtly, smiling. He turned his horse to leave, not intending to stay
long as time was pressing.

“Y-Your Majesty!”

Frey summoned her courage to call out. Yanchinus looked back.

Her face was red. Though she was not a supreme beauty by any means, she had a
simple charm. She was sincere and straightforward.

“I-I wish to serve you, Your Majesty,” Frey whispered, her wet eyes glistening.

Yanchinus chuckled, dismounted, and patted Frey’s head.

“You don’t know me, Frey. Many women hate me, but none love me. I want you to
only keep good memories of me, and that’s why I can't keep you by my side—you
would surely come to hate me.”

“T-that’s fine with me. There has never been a man as kind as you, Your Majesty.”

Yanchinus couldn't suppress a growing smile.

He knew his own womanizing habits better than anyone. His sadism and peculiar
tastes were beyond his control, and he did not understand normal love. He couldn't
feel affection and emotions for women like others could.

“Clion! Come get your sister.”

Yanchinus mounted his horse and shouted. Frey tried to say something, sobbing, but
Clion stopped her.

He nodded at Yanchinus as the emperor grabbed the reins firmly.

“Sis, you’ve got to try to be more realistic. He’s the emperor! Why would he, with
beautiful women all around, choose a plain common girl like you? It’s obvious he’s
just trying to be nice.”

Clion patted Frey’s shoulder and handed her some backhanded words of comfort.
They watched Yanchinus become smaller in the distance before returning to their
place.
Gottval heard the prisoners talking about a girl.

“A saintess?”

“She was the reason we were able to win battle after battle, though it seems that all
ends here.”

“I would like to hear more about it.”

Gottval listened to the story of Basha from a prisoner. His eyes widened more and
more.

“Is this all true?”

“She came riding a donkey, wearing a priest’s cloak, looking for the army. At first,
everyone whispered that she was a crazy woman, but we all acknowledged that the
fact that she traveled alone for such a long distance as a woman was proof of Lou’s
grace. Heck, when battles broke out, even arrows and spears avoided her.”

“What is her name?”

“Her name is Basha. She’s the only woman around, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to
find her.”

Gottval moved among the prisoners with his empty sleeve flapping in search of
Basha. Some prisoners recognized him and spoke to him.

“Father Gottval…”

“Please, grant us your blessing.”

Even in his busy state, Gottval prayed and offered words of comfort to the people.
“Who is that? Why is he in the barbarian army?”

“Have you not heard of Gottval, the one-armed saint?”

“Oh, I’ve heard rumors of a one-armed priest. That’s him?”

“He’s so devout that even the barbarians dare not mistreat him. He’s a remarkable
person.”

Gottval searched for Basha but couldn’t find any trace of a woman.

‘Could it be… ’

A bad thought crossed his mind. Gottval closed his eyes tightly, knowing well how
the Alliance Army treated women. To make things worse, Basha was a woman who
fought as an enemy, making it even more unlikely that they would leave her alone.

‘Please… ’

Hoping Basha was unharmed, Gottval asked the surrounding prisoners about her
whereabouts.

“The barbarians took her earlier! Please, please make sure she isn’t harmed by the
barbarians, Father Gottval!” A prisoner who saw Basha being taken by the
Barbarians pleaded.

Gottval inquired with warriors who spoke Hamelian to find out where Basha had
been taken to.

“Urich took her?”

Gottval frowned. Urich was also a young barbarian man with active desires. There
was no telling what he might do to a female prisoner.

Gottval ran to Urich’s tent and uncharacteristically burst in.

“Urich!”

Gottval’s eyes widened. The muscular Urich stood there, shirtless, with Basha sitting
in a chair next to him.
“Oh, you’re here, nice. I was about to call for you.”

“W-what in the world are you doing, Urich!”

“Hmm?” Urich tilted his head in response.

Upon looking between Urich and Basha, it didn’t seem like Urich was trying to
assault her in any way.

“O-oh, it’s nothing.”

“Come and put some ointment on her face. I’d do it myself, but she’s been glaring at
me like she wants to kill me ever since I had her brought here.”

Urich shrugged and tossed the ointment he used to Gottval.

“Hup.”

Urich used a wet towel to scrub the blood off his body, which, along with the newest
additions, was so scarred and burned that it was hard to find a patch of unmarked
skin, showing just how hard of a life he had led.

“You must be Urich.”

Basha spoke while sitting in the chair. Urich shrugged and wiped the blood off his
neck with the towel.

“Get some treatment before you start rambling. A woman shouldn’t have such a big
scar on your face.”

“The leader of the barbarians.”

Basha gritted her teeth. Every night, the last moments of her father and mother
vividly replayed in her mind. She quietly rolled her eyes, looking for something she
could use as a weapon.

“The soldiers told me about you, Basha,” Gottval said, sitting in front of her. Despite a
Sun priest being in the room, her attitude remained sharp.

“What is a Sun priest doing with a barbarian?”

“These people will too eventually come to realize Lou’s love.”

Gottval applied the ointment to Basha’s cheek.

“Lou would never love barbarians and they will never find peace.”

“Lou does not discriminate between barbarians and the civilized. That is merely our
arrogance.”

“You say such things so easily when they’ve burned our lands and killed people
cruelly! All barbarians must be killed! That is Lou’s will.”

Gottval frowned. The supposed saintess sitting before him was very different from
what he heard from the soldiers. She wasn’t very saintly at all.

“Lou’s will cannot be interpreted so easily. I have seen many barbarians, and I know
that even barbarians can receive Lou’s grace.”

“I heard Lou’s voice myself, and He told me that we must kill all barbarians. Even the
northern barbarians couldn’t touch us because we received Lou’s blessing.”

“But you were defeated and captured by these men. So, this too must be Lou’s will.”

A mere village girl could never win an argument against a proper Sun priest. Citing
Lou’s will had been working thus far on ignorant commoners, but Basha stood no
chance here.

“B-b-but!”

Unable to contain her anger, Basha’s shoulders shook violently.

“That’s enough teasing, Gottval.”

Urich, done cleaning up, sat in front of Basha. The wooden chair creaked and
wobbled.

“I’m not teasing her, but it does seem like she misunderstands Lou’s will.”

“Hey, who knows? Maybe Lou really did whisper to her.”

Urich chuckled. Gottval sighed and took a step back.

“Basha, was it? Eat some of this food. How are you planning to bear a child with that
skinny body of yours?”

Urich pushed a tray of meat and fruit toward Basha.

“I don’t eat barbarian food.”

“If that’s your concern, rest assured, because the person who prepared this is one of
you. Aren’t you hungry? You haven’t eaten in over half a day, right?”

Urich was unusually kind to Basha, and this made Gottval curious as he watched the
scene.

‘I don’t think he’s being kind just because she’s a woman… ’

Gottval quietly stood behind Urich, observing the situation. Basha, hesitant at first,
was driven by her hunger to eventually reach for the food.

“Gottval, I need to talk to you for a second.”

As soon as Urich and Gottval left the tent, Basha devoured the food with fervor.

“Urich, that woman is called a saintess among the soldiers. I don’t know how it
happened, but she has gained considerable trust among them.”

“Oh, really?”

“Huh? Isn’t that why you called her separately?”

Urich smirked and shook his head at Gottval’s question.

“I know that girl. I only met her once, but I remember her face. I wasn’t sure if it was
the same person, but seeing her up close confirmed it,” Urich said.

“Oh? But she doesn’t seem to recognize you.”

“Of course not. It was a pretty messed-up situation, so I’m not surprised she doesn’t
know who I am.”
“Where did you meet her?”

“She’s a survivor of one of the villages I plundered with the warriors. I practically hid
her in a barrel while she was trembling with fear.”

Gottval staggered as if he had been hit by lightning. He nearly collapsed but managed
to keep himself on his feet while his mind raced with all sorts of strange thoughts.

“Why did you spare her?”

“I just felt uneasy about killing a girl who was hiding and crying. You know what
would happen if other warriors found her, don’t you? She wouldn’t just die
peacefully; she would have suffered all kinds of horrors before they eventually killed
her.”

Gottval’s face lit up and he grabbed Urich’s arm and jumped with joy.

“That’s mercy, Urich! You were already practicing it!”

“It was a village I plundered where her parents were probably killed by us. You still
call that mercy?”

“At least you showed the maximum mercy you could.”

Gottval was genuinely delighted, which made Urich laugh heartily.

“Anyway, if we leave that girl alone, other warriors will get to her and she’ll suffer for
sure. That’s why I called her separately.”

“I’ll teach and protect her. Basha is a girl who survived because of your mercy, and
that makes her a symbol that you followed Lou’s teachings—a proof of mercy and
conscience,” Gottval excitedly spoke.

“I don’t really understand what’s going on, but I’m glad it’s making you happy.”

After finishing their conversation, Urich and Gottval went back inside the tent and
saw that the once-full tray of food was now empty.

“Basha…?”
Gottval, who entered the tent first, looked around for Basha, who lunged at them out
of nowhere with Urich’s axe in her hands.

“Aaaaaaah!”

Basha screamed and pushed Gottval aside, then aimed straight for Urich.

“Sigh, man.”

But to Urich, Basha just looked like one of the kids from his tribe who used to jump
at him.

Thud.

He kicked her hard, sending her rolling several times and crashing into a corner of
the tent.

“Cough, cough.”

Basha coughed and looked for the axe, but it had landed far away.

“Stop messing around. Cherish the life you barely kept.”

Urich picked up the fallen axe and twirled it in his hand.

“Just kill me! I’d rather die fighting here than be humiliated by you! I’m sure Lou will
watch over my soul!” Basha shouted with all her might.

“Me? Humiliate you? I prefer women with full tits and asses. I’m not interested in a
skinny girl like you. Know your place.”

Urich mocked her, laughing. Basha’s face flushed with anger and humiliation.

“Aaaah!”

Basha screamed again and stood up.

‘This was the reason why Lou made us lose. I was destined to face this barbarian here
and kill him.’
Basha charged recklessly.

Whoosh!

Urich grabbed her by the arm and threw her toward a pillar, sending her thin body
flying through the air.

“L-Lou will not forgive you,” Basha muttered with difficulty, her eyes still glaring at
Urich.

“It’s always people who kill other people. Call out to your god as much as you want,
but divine punishment won’t come. If you want to kill someone, do some more push-
ups and swing your weapons until your hands blister and bleed.”

Urich swung his arm vigorously. The axe fell in front of Basha’s face, cutting off a few
strands of her hair. Basha unknowingly wet herself, thinking her neck would be cut.

“Ah, ugh.”

Basha felt her mind go blank. Lou had always helped her, so she hadn’t encountered
a single bandit while seeking the emperor alone, and everyone she met treated her
favorably upon hearing Lou’s name and called her an extraordinary person.

‘Even the emperor said I was special.’

But in front of Urich, she was just a little girl. Her bottoms turned yellow with urine
as her body submitted to the violence.

“You seem to have some religious zeal… Don’t just talk; learn from this priest. The
Lou I know doesn’t whisper to kill someone. That’s something a barbarian god
would do.”

Urich gestured to Gottval, who then helped the fallen girl to her feet.

“You serve Lou… so why are you acting like you’re this barbarian’s subordinate?
Can’t you hear the screams of those humiliated by them? Good people are suffering,
so why doesn’t Lou help?” Basha spoke as she sobbed.

Gottval could only awkwardly smile. He said, “I don’t know all of Lou’s will either.
Let’s find out together, Basha.”
The failure to capture the emperor meant that the war was not yet completely over.
Despite the recent victory, there were many unsettling movements within the
Alliance Army as the Porcana-Alliance army marched toward Hamel.

The authority of the tribal shamans was declining day by day as the number of
warriors seeking shamans before battles had dwindled due to many seeking priests
or healers from the civilized world for their wounds. Everyone knew about the
discontent dripping from Six-Fingered's face.

"When I had that disease last time, I got better quickly by taking the medicine from
the people here."

"That guy in white clothes stitched up my wounds really well, too."

For the warriors, there were practical benefits to seeking out civilized people. No
matter how important tradition and faith were, going to the civilized people could
save their lives immediately.

The astrology and healing arts the shamans had learned their entire lives were
outdated techniques, and they slowly fell behind the modern sciences of civilization.
The number of followers dwindled as the shamans became less useful.

"Even the Great Chief keeps that one-armed priest by his side all the time."

The warriors' words reached Six-Fingered's ears. Even the Great Chief, the leader of
the warriors, kept the Sun priest close, so the common warriors had no reason not to
do the same.

"Dammit."

Six-Fingered, the leader of the shamans of the Alliance, chewed on his nails.

‘This is not the future I envisioned for the Alliance.’

The warriors were led by Urich and the shamans by Six-Fingered. That was the dual
power that he had envisioned. With the despotic and tyrannical Samikan gone, he
thought Urich and he would share power equally.

‘Traditionally, the chief and the priest share power. That is our way.’

In most tribes, the chief and the priest held equal authority, which was why even
Samikan could not directly deny the Six-Fingered’s influence.

"Six-Fingered, we may end up losing even more authority than when Samikan was
around. Their faith is eroding the hearts of our warriors."

An old shaman muttered with discontent.

"Samikan was brutal, but at least he didn't bring the religion of civilization into our
midst. The current Great Chief, Urich, seems to trust the Sun priest more than us."

Some shamans even expressed that they missed Samikan. Everyone knew that Six-
Fingered had a hand in Samikan's ousting.

Six-Fingered looked over the shamans and thought, ‘They're subtly trying to put the
blame on me.’

Six-Fingered was also entangled in various political relationships. Just as there were
various factions under Urich, Six-Fingered also suffered from multiple factions, and
not all shamans followed him just because he was the priest of the alliance.

"I understand your concerns."

Six-Fingered waved his hand dismissively, ending the meeting.

"We must not lose our traditions, Six-Fingered."

"If the Great Chief and the warriors lose their faith in the heavens, divine punishment
will come."

The shamans, as they left, each added a word to Six-Fingered.

Six-Fingered watched the shamans' hunched backs as they left before adding dried
leaves to the censer to produce more smoke.
Sssss.

He mixed various herbs according to the recipe passed down through ancient oral,
producing a pungent aroma.

"Oooooh, uuuuuum, mm."

As he saw all sorts of visions, Six-Fingered’s body trembled and his eyes rolled back.
His soul left his body, traveling across the blue sky that swirled into various colors
like a rainbow. The rainbow hues stormed like a typhoon, and at the center of it, Six-
Fingered felt supreme pleasure.

"Oh, great heavens…”

Six-Fingered wept. He had deceived and manipulated the will of the heavens many
times.

‘Please forgive me and guide me to the right path.’

The trembling continued as he repeatedly fell asleep and woke throughout the night.

Intoxicated, Six-Fingered regained his senses only by dawn. Holding his throbbing
head, he stepped outside the tent to feel the fresh air gently slapping his face.

‘Over there, was it?’

Six-Fingered crossed the camp in search of something.

"Priest Six-Fingered, what brings you here?"

Warriors who were on guard blocked his path. It was a highly disrespectful action,
but they were loyal subordinates of Urich who only followed the orders of the Great
Chief and had no fear toward anyone else, including Six-Fingered.

"I'm here to see Gottval, the one-armed priest."

"Gottval?"

The warriors who were stationed to guard Gottval frowned. Six-Fingered's schemes
were precisely what they were protecting the one-armed priest from.
"You must get permission from the Great Chief, first."

"Permission? Me? Are you telling me that I need the Great Chief's permission just to
see a prisoner?"

"Gottval is not a prisoner but a guest of the Great Chief."

"Are you worried I might harm him?!"

While Six-Fingered was fuming, Gottval came outside after hearing the commotion.

"What is going on?"

Six-Fingered was not fluent in Hamelian, but there was an interpreter with Gottval,
so communication was not a problem.

"I would like to talk with you."

Six-Fingered looked Gottval in the eye. Gottval nodded even before the interpreter
could translate, as he had learned bits of the tribal language and could also sense Six-
Fingered's intention from his expression.

"Let's talk inside."

Gottval awkwardly spoke in the tribal language as he opened the tent door.

‘Sun decorations.’

As soon as Six-Fingered entered the tent, he frowned at the unfamiliar decorations

that Gottval had used to make the inside of his tent like a temple of civilization. The
prayer area was covered with furs with visible knee imprints where he had prayed.

Six-Fingered felt a revolting aversion, but he forced his expression to remain neutral
as he sat down.

"I will keep this short. Do not mess with the faith of our warriors." Six-Fingered said
as he raised his black-painted face where only his hostile eyes and yellow teeth stood
out.

"I have never tried to shake them. It merely happened naturally—I have never forced
my values onto your warriors."

"Rubbish! I know that you came here to proselytize."

"I will not deny that, but like I already said, I have never forced anyone. Treating the
wounded is only natural, and because of that, the warriors came to know Lou's
mercy and love."

Gottval spoke calmly. He looked directly at Six-Fingered who was waving his six
fingers strangely like spider legs.

Gottval shook his head briefly, trying to shake off the dizziness that made him feel as
if he were caught in a spell.

‘I knew I’d clash with him someday as long as I stayed with Urich.’

Urich had warned Gottval that the more influence he gained within the Alliance, the
more anxious Six-Fingered would become and that he should watch out for the
priest of the barbarians.

‘The dark faith of the barbarian tribes will only dissipate in the light of Lou.’

Even the northerners who believed in Ulgaro eventually succumbed to the organized
power of Solarism. Solarism was a religion that was as well-structured as the nations
of civilization, making it easier to spread even faster in the west where each tribe's
faith system was ambiguous.

Since Urich, the pinnacle of the west, was favorable toward Solarism, the warriors
had no hesitation in accepting it.

“Do not interfere with our lives and ways any longer.”

“That is not possible.”

Gottval was not one to bend his will out of fear of death. If he were, he wouldn’t have
remained in the Alliance until now.

‘This is a problem, especially since he has the Great Chief’s protection.’

Six-Fingered would have killed Gottval long ago if it were possible.

Six-Fingered sighed deeply and let out a phlegm-laced laugh as he leaned back in his
chair.

‘My people are winning the war in this foreign land, yet I am losing the battle against
this new faith.’

Six-Fingered laughed for a long time before leaning forward. He extended his six
fingers and said, “In that case, teach us your medical skills.”

It was a groundbreaking proposal. The reason warriors sought treatment from the
Sun priests was the proven superiority of civilized medicine. Six-Fingered sought to
secure his influence by humbling himself.

After a moment of thought, Gottval spoke, “Send me your young shamans, preferably
those who speak some Hamelian. The more people who can save lives, the better.”

Gottval always practiced Lou’s tolerance and love, such as using his medical skills on
friend and foe alike.

“Understood.”

Six-Fingered stood up, shaking his staff. That evening, young apprentice shamans
who were quick learners and had no aversion to new knowledge visited Gottval as
promised.

“Are you teaching the barbarians?”

Basha frowned as she watched from behind. Though she was studying the doctrine
of Solarism under Gottval, her eyes still gleamed with hatred and anger.

“They asked to learn first, so there is no reason to refuse to teach them.”

Gottval taught the apprentice shamans how to suture wounds and use herbs from
the civilized world while also occasionally reciting Lou’s teachings.

“As they learn our medicine, they will also learn about our faith.”

This was the reason Gottval accepted Six-Fingered’s proposal so easily.

“I just can’t understand you, Father Gottval. These are the people who burned our
villages and cities… how could you teach them so calmly? If you gave me a knife, I
would cut all their throats.”

Basha’s voice gradually rose. The shamans who understood Hamelian glared at her.

“They understand our language too, Basha. Watch your words.”

“If these less-than-beast bastards know their sins, they shouldn’t be learning from us
so shamelessly!”

“Basha!”

Gottval raised his voice and Basha flinched at the rare scolding. Though she had only
been following Gottval around for a couple of days, she recognized his greatness as a
Solarist. Sometimes, it even felt like a halo shone behind him.

‘He is an uncorrupted priest.’

Gottval was as devout and righteous as the pilgrim who had saved Basha, which
made her behave more than usual.

“Basha, do you remember the barbarian who saved you?”

“Yes, I do. He was Lou incarnate in the body of a barbarian.”

“Lou borrowed the body of a barbarian to save you, which means that these people
too will one day return to Lou’s side.”

“T-that’s…”

Gottval did not tell Basha about Urich, thinking that she might react negatively if she
found out.

‘The meeting between Urich and Basha wasn’t a mere coincidence. It was a miracle.’

Basha made her belief that she was saved by Lou who was incarnated as a barbarian
the foundation of her faith.

‘She might not be entirely wrong. It’s possible that Lou temporarily borrowed Urich’s
body to save her.’
Gottval had also witnessed miraculous scenes around Urich where it felt as if
transcendent beings were protecting him. Every time he saw such scenes, his sense
of mission to guide Urich on the right path only grew stronger.

“Let go of your hatred and anger, Basha. If you truly wish to understand Lou, that’s
where you must start.”

Gottval spoke soothingly, to which Basha twisted her lips reluctantly.

“Why do you never say this stuff to the barbarian leader Urich? He wields more
violence than anyone else and uses hatred and anger as his strength. Is it because
you are his subordinate?”

“Urich does not fight out of hatred nor anger. I know Urich better than you do, and I
met him even before this war began. Indeed, warriors like Urich burn with anger and
hatred when they fight, however…”

“Then he is the one who violates Lou’s teachings more than anything.”

Basha retorted as if she had found a flaw in Gottval’s argument. She had never won a
debate with him.

“Basha, there’s something you need to understand. Urich does not hate or despise
civilized people; actually, it’s quite the opposite. But the reason why the Great Chief
Urich still fights is because he loves his people more than the civilized ones.”

“That’s a strange way to describe someone who killed hundreds of civilized people,
Father.”

“Humans, unlike gods, are imperfect and cannot love perfectly. To love someone
more means to love someone else less. Basha, no one can understand Urich’s
suffering, not even me.”

Basha merely frowned as she couldn’t comprehend Gottval’s words and was at a loss
for what to say.
“In the end, we couldn’t find the emperor. If he managed to make it out alive, he
should have arrived in Hamel by now.”

Varca said and then glanced at Urich who was sitting in his chair with exhaustion
evident on his face.

Despite the two being the same age, Urich looked at least ten years older not just
because of the appearance; he had an atmosphere as bleak as autumn.

‘He looks like a campfire that burned all night.’

Watching Urich was like seeing the last embers of a fire flicker and die. He was a man
who had lived each day more passionately than anyone else, and the density of his
life was just as high.

“So after all that, we still have to attack Hamel?”

The other commanders fell silent at Urich’s words.

“How about we aim for peace? We’ve pushed the empire this far; we should be able
to negotiate good terms for ourselves.”

Duke Lungell looked around to confirm that he had the support of other
commanders, and then continued, “It seems best to surround Hamel and demand
peace. Regardless of what happened to the emperor, the fact is that we won the
battles, so the empire will have to accept.”

No one argued against his sensible plan. Wars were fought out of necessity, not
because people enjoyed them.

Urich didn’t argue either and agreed with the plan. He was satisfied if they could
secure the safety and freedom of the west through a treaty.
As the course of action was decided, the command of the Porcana-Alliance army left
the meeting room one by one.

Georg hesitated before approaching Urich and whispering, “Urich, we need to secure
as many advantages as possible in the peace treaty. I know you’re close to King
Varca, but we can’t afford to give up our gains. Remember that the ones who fought
the hardest and endured the most hardships were the warriors and mercenaries of
the Alliance.”

Georg repeatedly emphasized the importance of claiming the benefits. He wanted to

secure a high position for the future and to achieve that, the Alliance Army had to
establish itself as a nation.

‘Tribal armies are likely to scatter if there is no war. We need to form a nation before
that happens.’

Georg was already thinking about the post-war period. This was a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity since out of many close aides of Urich, he was the only one with
strategic insight. He was the one who handled all the civil affairs, and after the war, it
was usually the civil officers who gained the best position.

‘Among Urich’s close aides, I will rise the highest,’ Georg thought to himself as he
smirked.

“Georg, the war isn’t over yet.”

Urich pulled out the meteorite dagger and spun it around. The dagger, a gift from
Belrua, was a great treasure that didn’t rust even without being greased while being
light and strong.

‘A dagger made of metal from the heavens.’

Urich twirled the meteorite dagger before sheathing it again.

“The emperor will probably accept peace. They’re more desperate than we are,”
Georg reassured Urich.

“I don’t know about that.”

Urich remained skeptical with a faint smile.

“Do you think the empire won’t make peace?”

“In terms of sheer size, we can’t beat the empire. We lack national power, population,
and also everything else.”

“But we are the side in the winning position right now.”

“That’s because the empire can’t use all of its strength right now. Civilized nations
have too much to lose to commit all their resources, so they always have to fight with
their hands tied.”

The troops summoned by the emperor were only a fraction of the empire’s total
strength as the local lords in the empire’s borders were preserving their own forces.

“We don’t have a supply unit, so we can’t besiege Hamel for long. Our army is a
plundering force that has to be constantly on the move, and the supplies we get from
Porcana won’t be enough to sustain a prolonged siege.”

“The empire will make a peace treaty with us. They want peace as much as we do.”

Georg tried to ease Urich’s worries.

“It’s not what the empire wants that’s important, it’s what the emperor wants.”

The Porcana-Alliance army marched rapidly as the faster they moved, the better it
was for them. Many couldn’t endure the forced march and fell behind, and the
stragglers were organized into a separate rear unit.

The Alliance Army even camped without setting up tents to save the time that would
be spent putting up the encampments.

“Great Chief!”

Katagi hurriedly ran to the tree where Urich was. He had fallen asleep even though
the sun hadn’t set yet.

“If you woke me up for something trivial…”

Urich yawned and showed his annoyance, habitually checking for his weapon by his
side as he woke.
“Six-Fingered is performing a ritual.”

“So what? He’s a priest; it’s only natural for him to perform rituals.”

Despite his words, Urich still got up and strapped his weapon to his waist.

“He is divining the outcome of the next battle. Did you command him to do so, Great
Chief?”

“You know I don’t like divination.”

Urich chuckled as he walked toward where the divination was happening. The
warriors who were on stand-by nodded upon seeing him and followed him.

Urich led about twenty warriors to find Six-Fingered in an opening where over a
hundred warriors had already gathered, along with many civilized people who were
curious about the barbarian customs.

Six-Fingered had painted his face even darker than usual which made his eyes, rolled
back to show only the whites, look rather inhuman. Bone ornaments clinked
whenever he moved his arms.

“Oooooom, oom.”

Other shamans hummed long, deep tones to set the atmosphere as the rhythmic
drumming seemed to pound the hearts of the spectators.

Warriors, their skin painted black and bare, dragged someone along.

“Mmmph, mmmph!”

It was a person with a gag in their mouth, seemingly aware of his fate.

“Six-Fingered…”

Human sacrifices were banned by Urich as a necessary measure to align with the
civilized armies, despite the strong opposition from the Alliance warriors.

“Oooooooh!”
The warriors eagerly awaited the moment to cut open the sacrifice’s belly, as their
faces lit up with excitement and exhilaration.

“Mmph! Mmmmph!”

The unfortunate captive struggled. Many of the civilized spectators couldn’t bear to
watch and left, while those still watching grimaced and cursed.

“Katagi.”

Urich squinted and called Katagi, who cautiously awaited Urich’s orders.

“…Stop him.”

“Understood.”

Not only was human sacrifice a sensitive issue within the Alliance, but disrupting a
priest’s ritual before a battle was extremely dangerous. Even Samikan himself
wouldn’t dare interfere with a ritual once it had begun.

However, Katagi did not hesitate, as would be expected from a man who would jump
into a fire if it was Urich's command.

“Stop, Priest Six-Fingered. It is the Great Chief’s order.”

Katagi and his warriors barged in. The surroundings became chaotic in an instant as
the voices of those shouting complaints grew louder.

“We are in the midst of the flowing heavenly energy, Katagi. Do not disturb me.”

Six-Fingered’s voice was different than usual—it was a grating voice as if someone
was running their nails across a chalkboard.

“I said it’s the Great Chief’s order. If you offer animals as sacrifices instead of a
human, the Great Chief will have no objections.”

“It is only right we offer a precious sacrifice ahead of a battle of great importance.”

Katagi said no more and gestured to the warriors to drag over the captive who was
about to be sacrificed.
“Booo!”

Jeers erupted from all sides as the warriors, who had been eagerly awaiting the
spilling of the captive’s entrails, looked at Katagi and Urich with disappointment.

“We want organs and blood!”

“Have you forgotten our ways, Great Chief?!”

Warriors with strong influence within the Alliance raised their voices. Many
warriors within the alliance were keen on preserving traditions, and since they were
mere seconds away from witnessing the first human sacrifice in a long time, the
backlash was even more intense.

‘So this is what Six-Fingered was going for.’

Urich just watched the backlash quietly as he understood the warriors' feelings.

Human sacrifice was a grand spectacle. Warriors got to observe a shaman dissect a
person with nothing but a sharp dagger. Sometimes they would cut from the throat
to lessen the pain, but often they would slit the belly open and pull out the entrails
while the victim was still alive. The longer the sacrificial victim survived while their
entrails were being pulled out, the better the omen.

As the argument continued, the atmosphere grew increasingly hostile to the point
where the warriors unconsciously reached for their weapons.

“Urich, let Six-Fingered… continue…”

Olga, who had been watching the ritual, strode over to Urich. He was a model warrior
in tribal society who enjoyed brutality and bloodshed.

“If we perform a human sacrifice, the civilized people will hate it. We can’t have that,
Olga. The Alliance needs the strength of the civilized armies, especially with a siege
battle ahead.”

“Why should we care… about what they… like…? They should respect our ways… We
are stronger…”

Olga glared at Urich.

“Olga, we don’t have to offer people as sacrifices anymore. In fact, many things will
change from now on, not just the way we make our sacrifices,” Urich replied calmly,
but Olga’s expression only twisted further.

“We do not change… It is the civilized people who must change. We are stronger… So
why should we respect and follow their ways?”

Olga’s shoulders heaved with agitation. Some warriors, despite usually being on
Urich’s side, agreed with Olga’s words due to the grievances that had accumulated
over time.

Urich was a progressive Great Chief who liked the ways of the civilized, but that also
frustrated many warriors.

“I understand where you’re coming from, Olga. I know the civilized do not respect
our ways while we often follow theirs. It’s certainly unfair.”

When Urich spoke softly, the warriors nodded repeatedly and awaited his next
words.

“But I know something all of you don’t! In the end, we will not be able to preserve
our old ways. Trying to maintain our old ways will only leave us behind and
obsolete,” Urich declared.

The warriors erupted in protest, “We are strong, Great Chief! So what do you mean
by obsolete?”

“The civilized record their history in writing and they do not forget the past. Unlike
us, they distinguish between what should and should not be done from their past
failures and learn from it. I know people who were like us. The northerners who
couldn’t change quickly were defeated and ended up being forced to abandon their
ways after becoming the slaves of civilization.”

Urich’s perspective differed from that of the other warriors. He knew the process of
the north’s downfall and had seen the results with his own eyes.

“If we make the entire civilization our enemies, we will ultimately be the ones
defeated. The reason we fight is to secure a position to coexist with the civilized.”

Urich clearly stated his thoughts. Warriors who felt betrayed shook their heads.
“Have our victories so far been ours alone? Were all the men of civilization who we
met cowards? Sometimes they fought as well as we did, and we wouldn’t have come
this far without some of their help. Without them, who would operate all those
complex siege weapons?”

“But you must respect our ways, you are our Great Chief!”

Urich laughed heartily. He drew his sword and plunged it into the ground.

“Of course, you’re exactly right. So if anyone opposes my opinion, take up your
weapons and stand before me. I am always ready to accept a challenge—is this not
the most important part of our ways? Challenge me openly and take everything I
have!”

The warriors glanced at each other in silence before slowly retreating. No one dared
to challenge Great Chief Urich as there was no one who did not know that the
legends built by Urich were not just tales, but realities witnessed by their own eyes.

Click.

Urich noticed that Olga continued to twitch his fingers in contemplation.

“Not now, Olga,” he said as their eyes met. Urich shook his head at Olga, who nodded
and stepped back.

Both Urich and Olga knew that the two of them were one of the most excellent
warriors who the Alliance could not afford to lose before the war ended.

‘The challenge is for another time… ’

Olga respected Urich but couldn’t agree with his ways. He felt that being with Urich
blurred their essence.

The commotion subsided, and the sacrifice was carried on with a four-legged animal.
As the beast’s entrails spilled out, the stench and smell of blood filled the air.

Urich watched the ritual and then approached Six-Fingered, whispering, “This is the
last time I will overlook your disobedience, Six-Fingered. I owe you nothing now.”

Six-Fingered’s six fingers trembled slightly.

The establishment of the empire happened over five decades ago, and its founding
was practically a mythology to the citizens of the empire, especially significant for
the citizens of Hamel.

The empire originally was a mere city-state the size of the duchies nearby. Back then,
such city-states and small kingdoms ruled the world. Border conflicts were
incessant, and small countries repeatedly appeared and disappeared.

The first emperor, Xarkaman Hamelon, was the ruler of Hamelon during that
tumultuous era and was praised as a perfect man in all aspects: mind, body, and
spirit.

It was a well-known fact that even the leaders of rival nations admired and respected
Xarkaman Hamelon as a hero.

“…A great man, indeed. He was a hero who stabilized the chaos and built the empire
within a single generation."

Yanchinus, who had returned to the imperial capital of Hamel, muttered as he looked
at the statues of the former emperors. Upon his return, he summoned the city's
officials to prepare for the upcoming battles.

"But even my grandfather wouldn’t have become a legendary hero without a bit of
luck."

Yanchinus walked through the imperial palace to the industrial district where the air
was stifling, unlike the well-maintained palace. It was the autonomous district of
blacksmiths known as the imperial smithy, and the blacksmiths working here were
not only highly skilled but also dedicated their lives to the empire.

Clank! Clank!

The sound of hammering came from all directions.

The imperial blacksmiths, despite being commoners, enjoyed wealth comparable to
that of nobles. However, they were never allowed to leave Hamel and were always
under surveillance wherever they went.

"Imperial steel," Yanchinus muttered as he twisted his lips.

Even now, the iron weapons forged by the kingdoms were far inferior to that of the
empire. There was simply no comparison to imperial steel.

‘The imperial steel weaponry was essentially a divine gift in my grandfather’s era.’

The city of Hamel wasn't just any city. Even back then, it was a center of industry and
commerce and one of the continent's most renowned iron ore deposits, making
Hamel's weaponry famously known for its excellence.

Creak, creak.

Imperial steel was the result of the high-purity iron of Hamel and the dedication of
its blacksmiths. To this day, the kingdoms could not match the empire's metallurgy.

The first emperor, Xarkaman, was a man who was educated in history. He knew that
eras changed according to the development of metallurgy, and the successive
emperors shed countless amounts of blood to protect the secret of imperial steel.

Clank!

The hammering ceased as Yanchinus entered the workshop, and the blacksmiths
removed their sweat-soaked headscarves to bow their heads in respect for the
emperor. Their faces were filled with pride knowing that they were handling the
empire's most precious secrets.

‘I might end up being the scoundrel who squanders the legacies of my grandfather and
father.’

Yanchinus looked at the proud men and bitterly smiled. The empire did not have
many means left for negotiations.

Yanchinus called the overseer of the imperial smithy and whispered something.

"I-is that really your will, Your Majesty?"

The overseer of the imperial smithy opened his eyes wide in shock. Although it was
disrespectful to the emperor, Yanchinus fully understood the overseer's feelings.

It was a secret that had been guarded for over five decades, and the blood of
countless men had been shed just to keep the imperial steel in the empire, including
those of the innocent.

"Do I look like I’m joking?" Yanchinus spoke calmly. He looked around the imperial
smithy as the hot air touched his skin. Pieces of iron, still black on the surface, hung
here and there.

"B-but…”

The overseer stuttered at the command, which was difficult to comply with, even if it
was directly from the emperor himself.

"Inform the heads of each workshop."

"Your Majesty!"

"Feel free to criticize and curse me all you want, but it must be done."

Yanchinus was firm.

Although the imperial army had succeeded in stabilizing the northern front, it was
merely a temporary measure. In a situation where the kingdoms could declare
independence and invade the empire's territory at any time, the empire had nothing
certain to rely on.

‘If you divided our frontlines and defeated us piece by piece, we have no choice but to
do the same.’

Yanchinus selected two kingdoms to form a joint front moving forward. The Kammus
Kingdom, located in the southwest, and the Aralto Kingdom, Porcana’s neighboring
country.

‘The Kammus Kingdom will keep Yailrud in check, and the Aralto Kingdom will attack
Porcana.’

These were the two kingdoms with forces capable of effectively checking the west
and Porcana.

Knowing that there was no chance that these two forces would easily comply with
his orders, Yanchinus proposed conditions that were exceptionally bold, offering to
release the secrets of the imperial metallurgy to kingdoms Kammus and Aralto.

"Even if we give them our technology, it won't be easy to establish a production

system right away."

Moreover, the empire's military technology was already advancing to the next stage.

‘By the time they master steel, we will already have numerous weapons made from
flame oil deployed.’

It wasn’t that the future was certain, and it was possible that flame oil was not the
next generation of weapons. If so, it would mean that the empire was giving other
kingdoms a chance to catch up with their military technology.

‘Even with such a risk, we need to borrow their strength.’

Messengers were already on their way to the respective kingdoms, and once the
empire's blacksmiths arrived in the Kammus and Aralto kingdoms, military actions
would commence.

If things went according to Yanchinus' plans, the Porcana-Alliance army would have
two more fronts to worry about and would not be able to focus on besieging Hamel.
In the meantime, the empire could reorganize internally and also have the leisure to
assemble its legions.

"Your Majesty, the barbarian army has crossed the Johan River," a messenger
reported to Yanchinus.

"They're moving faster than expected."

"It seems only the vanguard has arrived first."

Yanchinus nodded and urged the other commanders to attend the meeting. If only a
small vanguard had arrived quickly, it was worth trying to intercept them.

‘Knowing Urich, he wouldn’t have left himself out of the vanguard.’

Yanchinus repeatedly reviewed whether he had taken all possible measures.

‘Now, all that remains is to fight.’

The attendants opened the doors to the sides as Yanchinus entered the imperial
council hall.

Creak.

The gazes of nobles and knights who were waiting for the emperor focused on one
spot. Yanchinus paused for a moment and looked at them intently.

"I, Yanchinus Hamelon…”

He began quietly.

“…am a man of many sins."

The eyes of those in the room widened at Yanchinus’ words.

***

Obtaining intel on one’s enemy before them was the most important thing in war.
Civilized countries sent spies disguised as merchants to investigate defensive
facilities and supplies before declaring war.

There was a big difference between fighting with knowledge and fighting without it.

Georg was the first to infiltrate Hamel with another civilized mercenary. He gathered
the loot the Alliance had stocked and disguised himself as a jewelry merchant.

He set up a stall in the square and observed the situation in Hamel.

"Georg, do you think the Alliance's luck has run out?" The civilized mercenary next to
him suddenly said.

"What? We're the ones who are winning right now."

"But we failed to capture the emperor, and he made it back here alive. No matter how
I look at it, I don't think we can take down Hamel. Even if Urich's words are true…”
The mercenary showed his skepticism.

"If we came this far, Urich must have a plan," Georg defended Urich.

"Yeah, but it’s the plan of a barbarian."

"He’s different from other barbarians."

At those words, the civilized mercenary looked at Georg curiously.

"You’re pretty loyal to him, you know that?"

"Loyal, my ass. Shut up and go pretend like you’re trying to sell some of this stuff to
that lady over there. The guards are watching us,” Georg said, pointing with his chin.
The civilized mercenary smiled genially like a merchant and approached the woman
with jewelry in his hands.

‘The atmosphere inside Hamel is not as bad as I expected; maybe it’s the psychological
stability that the emperor brings. They probably believe that as long as the emperor is
here, the city won't fall.’

Georg watched the people passing through the square of the city that was still
bustling despite the news of the approaching barbarians.

‘Urich must have set up the encampment by now. It’s only a matter of time before
Hamel’s isolated.’

Georg moved the jewelry stand around the city, observing every corner of Hamel.
The high walls looked impregnable to any siege weapon and there were no low or
weak points in the walls anywhere.

‘It will be impossible to attack and break through a wall like this.’

During his time in the Alliance, Georg had gained some military knowledge. He could
tell whether a wall could be breached just by looking at it.

‘If we have the resources, surrounding them would be the best option. Even Hamel will
suffer from disease and hunger if isolated for a long time.’

However, the problem was that the Alliance didn't have the luxury to do that.
While Georg was rolling his eyes, a guard approached.

"Hey! What do you think you’re doing? Don't you know we're at war?"

"Oh, good sir, do you think the barbarians would dare to scale the walls of Hamel? If
anything, this is the time to get ahead of those who are too scared to do business.
Turning a crisis into an opportunity—is that not a great saying?"

Georg had already been questioned by guards several times, but he easily disguised
his identity with his silver tongue.

It was the third day since Georg had entered Hamel. He cautiously prepared
something as the city prepared for battle with many carts carrying military supplies
coming and going. That night, he and three other civilized mercenaries equipped
themselves as if they were about to enter a cave and moved cautiously through the
night streets.

"If we actually pull this off, we'll get a chest full of gold coins, right?"

"We can live like rich men when we go back home."

"Keke, war really is an opportunity for men."

"Should we just switch to the emperor's side? I feel like they might give us a lot of
money too."

The mercenaries chuckled, but despite their words, they were tight-lipped and loyal.
Georg wouldn’t have brought them along if they were easy to betray.

"Shh. Sounds travel further at night," a mercenary who was a former hunter said,
pressing his finger to his lips.

As the mercenaries entered the sewer one by one, Georg kept his eyes open for any
possible witnesses until the last one was in.

‘How does Urich know about the empire's sewers…?’

Even if he had been to Hamel, it wasn’t normal for him to know about the sewage
network of the city. Georg had only heard from Urich about the wide underground
waterways that people could walk in.
Creak.

Georg and the mercenaries climbed down the ladder into the underground. The
mercenary who went down first lit a torch and inspected the dingy interior.

"That’s a pretty heavy smell, but this place really is wide. How did they think of
digging an underground waterway wide enough for multiple people to pass
through…”

"You’d expect no less from the city called the center of the world."

The mercenaries were also impressed by the depth and width of the sewer which
was an enormous civil engineering project that other kingdoms couldn't even dream
of.

—Georg, I'm not entirely sure of this, but since it's a place where waste is discharged, it
must be connected to the outside. Find that place.

Georg recalled Urich's words. It was a critical mission as there was no other way to
attack Hamel, and the plan to infiltrate through the sewer would fail if Georg were
caught.

‘Whatever the situation is, what’s important is that Urich trusts me and believes I'm the
right person for this job.’

Georg twitched his lips. The fact that wealth that could last for generations was
within reach even erased the rancid smell of the sewers.

‘I don't even want to be a hero remembered in history. I just want to live comfortably
and well-fed while I'm alive and fall asleep to the whispers of a beautiful woman
without any worries.’

Georg thought about the women in his future before briefly closing his eyes. The
feeling that had been gripping his heart still remained in one corner.

The mercenaries tapped Georg's shoulder, urging him to move.

"C’mon, let’s get moving. Did you bring the parchment and graphite?"

"Don’t worry. Just light the way properly and make sure you don't burn anything."
Georg pulled out the parchment and graphite. They needed to draw a map as they
moved to find the route as wandering the sewers blindly wouldn't get them
anywhere.

"We pull this off, and we’ll become heroes. We'll get money and maybe even land."

Georg said to the mercenaries who nodded and walked through the dim
underground passage with their torches.
Urich opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by darkness. The murky darkness
stretched along the underground waterway, but there was no foul smell.

Hiss.

He stared into the darkness at a sound and saw yellow eyes gleaming.

Hiss.

Urich was not afraid.

An explorer did not fear ignorance and darkness as they were merely things for them
to go toward and illuminate. Things that seemed scary were often not that big of a
deal once actually approached, as was the case with the Sky Mountains.

No matter what the shamans said, beyond the mountains was the world of humans,
and it was humans who lived in the world on the other side of the mountains, not
gods.

‘The unknown, the unseen.’

These were the sources of fear.

‘The fear of death comes from not knowing what comes after.’

No one was afraid to fall asleep because they knew they would wake up the next
morning, but death was a slumber without the certainty of waking up to see another
day.

Those who feared death were those who had no certainty in their afterlife.

Splash.
Urich walked through the splashing sewer.

There was still no stench.

Hiss.

The hissing sound, which felt oddly familiar, continued in the blurry darkness.

Some tremble when encountering the unknown darkness and declare it a ‘taboo’
without even thinking to approach and confirm it.

Sometimes, however, there were some who throw everything away in order to
confirm the source of their fear and walk the paths that others do not dare to.

Most of these explorers fall behind and despair and the defeated explorers live
miserable lives, hearing jeers such as, ‘I told you so,’ ‘You are a fool,’ ‘Why break the
taboo and end up like that?’ or ‘You wasted your time for nothing,’ from the majority
who can only afford to pour out curses because they were too scared to do it
themselves.

Even among those few explorers, not all get to savor the joy of discovery and
enlightenment after confirming the source of their fear.

‘A snake.’

Urich parted the darkness and saw the large snake that was hiding behind it. The
snake, which had made the waterways its home, flicked its split tongue as it watched
Urich with a body large enough to fill the entire space.

But despite being in the sewer, there was no stench.

Urich realized that he was in a dream and woke up.

“Snake.”

Urich opened his eyes.

He thought of the sewers of Hamel and Serpentism who dwelled in them, though he
had no way of knowing if they were still in the city.
“Hooo.”

It was a rough, nightmarish dream. He pondered as he wiped the sweat from his
sleep.

“If there is an underground waterway, there must be a way out as well.”

Urich called Georg and the commanders to discuss his plan to infiltrate the imperial
capital through its waterways. It was possible if they could find the one leading
outside.

Georg led a few mercenaries he trusted and headed into Hamel first.

The Porcana-Alliance army had set up camp by the Johan River near Hamel, as it was
a relatively convenient location to secure water and food.

“The empire has rejected the peace offer.”

The Porcana-Alliance army had sent an envoy to Hamel, but it was fruitless.

“They have no intention of surrendering? Even in this situation?”

“They know we can't maintain the siege for long. Dammit.”

“No, even so, the empire should not be in a position to reject our peace offer.”

The unexpected turn of events caused much talk among the command as most of
them had secretly thought there wouldn’t be a battle. The idea of attacking Hamel,
now that they were actually faced with it, was daunting.

“If the empire rejected peace because they trust their walls, we should be able to
take them down easily as long as the men sent by Urich find the entrance to the
underground waterway,” Varca said as he interrupted the nobles’ chatter.

“There must be something more. It can’t just be the walls.”

Urich rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“What do you mean by something more?”

“There is no way that emperor would reject peace so complacently just with his trust
in the walls. He must have something that gives him confidence—something big
enough for him to be okay with giving up the safe option. While they might win by
dragging out the war… they would suffer so much damage it would have been better
to make peace. What benefit would the empire gain from winning this battle while
enduring such losses?”

Knowing well what kind of man Emperor Yanchinus was, Urich could not get rid of
the unease. The emperor was meticulous and always planned for failure, certainly
not someone who would complacently rely on some walls.

“What we need is a short-term battle. As soon as Georg finds the entrance to the
waterway, we must capture Hamel. I’m sure the emperor has some more tricks up
his sleeve.”

The nobles of Porcana frowned as Urich spoke with conviction.

‘This barbarian is acting like he knows everything… ’

But it was true that Urich knew more about Hamel and the emperor than the nobles
of Porcana, most of them who have never even seen the emperor’s face.

“I’ve dined with the emperor and did a bunch of other things with him as well, so I
think it’s safe to say I know his character better than you lot,” Urich said, sensing the
dissatisfied glances.

The nobles, suppressed by Urich’s fierce gaze, averted their eyes.

***

The Porcana-Alliance army formed a siege around Hamel. However, Hamel did not
easily succumb to the siege and planned to intercept and inflict damage while the
vanguard of the Porcana-Alliance army was the only threat.

“Oh, ooooh!” The warriors shouted.

Urich pulled the reins and looked at the imperial heavy cavalry approaching from the
front.

‘Looks like about five hundred cavalry.’

However, five hundred heavy cavalry were equivalent to thousands of soldiers in
terms of combat value, and considering the flat terrain around Hamel, the
environment was thoroughly advantageous for the cavalry.

Buuuuup!

Urich extended his hand and the flag-bearer beside him waved a blue flag, signaling
the troops. Simultaneously, the trumpeters blew their horns with all their might.

The Imperial Army conducted a reconnaissance in force before the siege lines
solidified in a half-hearted attempt to intercept the enemy.

“Stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those next to you and hold your lines! If you get
separated, you die!”

The warriors of the pike units who were trained to face the cavalry stepped forward
and shouted with vigor from having already achieved a victory.

“So that’s the infamous pike unit.”

The Imperial Army was already aware of the spear units thanks to the stories of the
knights who had returned to the empire with one hand lost.

Peeeee!

At the long whistle of the leading imperial knight, the heavy cavalry all turned to
avoid the spear units and circled around.

But the ones waiting for the imperial heavy cavalry were the light cavalry of Porcana.

‘Are they hitting our flanks? Dammit!’

The leading imperial knight realized his mistake. Avoiding the pike units was a
predictable move.

Thud, thud, thud!

The light cavalry charged and struck the flank of the imperial heavy cavalry.
Although they couldn't win head-on, the flank was always vulnerable. As the heavy
cavalry fell off their horses, the formation broke apart.
“Good, good.”

Urich pulled the reins as he smiled with satisfaction. He drew his sword and charged
into the chaotic battlefield.

“Kill them aaaall!”

The warriors, as if they had been waiting for this moment, gripped their axes and
rushed in to grab the helmets of the fallen knights and thrust their swords inside.

“Kaaaagh!”

Most of the knights who had experience fighting the barbarians had either died or
were incapacitated, leaving only the novice knights who were completely taken
aback by the foreign threat.

The Alliance Army, on the other hand, only grew stronger with each battle. Their
strategies and tactics were increasingly optimized against the empire, and more and
more tribal warriors found heavy armor for themselves.

“I-I am a knight of House Paris…!”

“What the hell is this idiot saying?”

The warriors ruthlessly killed even the knights who surrendered as the concept of
capturing prisoners for ransom was still vague to them.

“Hey, don’t kill them! Great Chief Urich told us to capture them for ransom.”

“Ransom? What the hell are we going to do with that? Watching their blood spray
out is much better, so I’d rather just kill them.”

“Well, I guess that’s true.”

The warriors laughed and wiped the blood off their faces with their forearms.

The Imperial Army reopened the gates and retreated into the city after failing to
prevent the Porcana-Alliance army from setting up their siege.

After winning the skirmish, the warriors shouted and patted each other’s shoulders.
The siege was complete, leaving no openings for the empire to exploit.

“Urich, this is where it starts,” Varca said as he approached on his horse with his blue
cloak embroidered with herring and a fishing boat fluttering in the wind.

Three days had passed since the siege began. The local forces of the empire started
attacking Porcana’s supply lines, causing their supplies to dwindle faster than
expected.

“We have Hamel surrounded, but in the bigger picture, we’re the ones who are
effectively isolated.”

Varca reinforced the supply unit with combat troops, but it was just a temporary
measure. Maintaining the long supply line was overwhelming for Porcana, and they
were staggering under the burden of supplying both their own and the Alliance
Army.

More days were spent surviving on a single bowl of thin gruel as the rations thinned
out. The morale of the underfed army dropped sharply, and warriors often left the
siege lines to go plundering for their own resources.

“Urich, many warriors from your army are breaking out of formation to go
plundering. It’s constantly leaving gaps in our siege lines,” Varca appealed to Urich.

The chiefs of the Alliance often took their men away for a day or two to plunder
farms at their discretion. As more and more groups engaged in such activities, the
Alliance’s manpower shortage became severe.

“The news of our forces dispersing must have gotten to them by now, and if the
Imperial Army gathers their strength and pushes in, we might be the ones who have
to retreat. If they manage to break us apart even once, all our accumulated victories
will be in vain. Control your troops, Urich.”

Urich smiled bitterly, knowing that he had to order the starving warriors to stop
plundering and hold their positions. It was by no means a difficult command for a
disciplined army, but it was an unreasonable ask for the tribal warriors of the
Alliance.

‘There is going to be a lot of resistance.’

The warriors who deserted their lines to plunder were well-fed, while those who
stayed on Urich’s orders were starving. It was a situation that required action.

“Katagi, who are the ones leading the plundering trips?”

“It’s Olga, of course. He’s got quite a few men under him now.”

Katagi’s expression was also full of discontent. The diligent warriors who were
holding their lines according to the orders were starving, while the deserters
returned with full bellies. No matter how much they plundered in the nearby areas,
there wasn’t enough food for the entire army.

“Bring him to me.”

Urich’s voice was low. He was also conserving his strength, having not eaten properly
either. The Great Chief couldn’t eat well while his warriors starved.

“Great Chief.”

Olga approached Urich with his head held high. Katagi was about to say something
about his attitude, but Urich stopped him and stood before Olga.

“I told you to hold your position, didn’t I?”

“The warriors were… hungry. They would have died of star… vation before they even
got… to do anything.”

“I was looking out for that too, but it didn’t seem like they were going to die. You
simply abandoned your brothers and went plundering because you were hungry.”

“So… what?”

Olga glared at Urich.

“Stay with your brothers and hold the position. That’s all I have to say, Olga.”

“You are the Great Chief, yet you let the warriors star… ve. There’s food out there, but
we’re stuck here starv… ing. If we starve and weaken… they will come to strangle us.
I filled my belly to prepare for that… moment.”
Though his speech was still slurred, his determination was clear.

“So, you’re just going to openly disobey my orders, Olga?”

“There’s a lot of… discontent against you, Great Chief. Even the priest… isn’t on your
side any… more.”

Listening to Olga’s words, Urich smirked.

Urich had tolerated Olga’s disobedience thus far because he performed well in
battles, but there was a limit to his patience, and he was finally feeling the beast
within him climbing up his throat.

“I really shouldn’t let this go on any longer.”

Urich scratched his head, looking at the ground. When he raised his head again, there
was a clear murderous intent in his eyes.

“Olga, it’s sooner than I expected, but go ahead and challenge me. If you want to do
as you please, take my position. Otherwise, keep your mouth shut.”
Olga pondered as he looked into Urich's fierce eyes. He thought, ‘Challenging the
Great Chief was something I had to do someday. But I didn’t plan on it being so soon.’

Olga did not revere Urich and found it difficult to accept the changes the Great Chief
advocated. Unlike Urich, he neither admired nor loved the civilized people—he
merely faced them with nothing but hatred and anger. He could not understand
Urich, who surrounded himself with and commanded various civilized people.

“Hooo.”

Olga let out a long breath as he sharpened his gaze.

Even though they did not share the same ideals, he did not deny that Urich was a
formidable warrior. It wasn’t just rumors; Olga had seen firsthand the feats Urich
had accomplished, and it was undeniable that he was a man who truly deserved the
title ‘Son of the Earth.’ He was born as a human, yet he was stronger and faster than
any beast.

‘Honestly, I don’t think I can win.’

Olga chuckled and briefly looked up at the sky.

‘If I am destined to become the Great Chief, I will win; if not, I will lose.’

That was also how Urich had risen to the position of Great Chief, rising from the
depths of despair to uphold the will of the heavens.

“Great Chief… We fight… today at noon,” Olga said, raising his finger.

“Yeah, at noon.”

Urich nodded in response.

As the news of a duel for the position of Great Chief quickly spread throughout the
entire Alliance Army, some chiefs tilted their heads in confusion.

“A duel… at a time like this?”

“If the Great Chief dies, we’re finished. How would we manage the Alliance with the
civilized people without our Great Chief?”

“We have to stop Olga.”

“Do you really think the Great Chief would lose to Olga? I doubt it.”

The duel brought anxiety because if Urich were to fall, the Alliance Army would
descend into chaos. No one believed Olga could wield the same control as Urich.

With the palpable tension in the air, Olga sharpened his spear and waited for the
time to come.

‘I rushed it.’

Though he regretted it, the words were already out. If he backed out of the duel, the
reputation he had built as a warrior his entire life would be tarnished.

“Olga.”

Six-Fingered, with his face painted dark, approached Olga, exuding the familiar, thick
smell of blood.

“What… is it… Six-Fingered?”

Olga glared. Although the two shared conservative values, their methods differed.

‘Despicable man.’

Olga knew well of Six-Fingered's actions and that he was a vile opportunist, but the
priest was on his side for now.

“I have divined the outcome of your duel.”

Olga squinted upon seeing Six-Fingered's nails stained red with dried blood.
“What did you… offer as a sacrifice? A… pig? A chicken?”

“…A person.”

Upon hearing that, Olga set down the whetstone, twisting his lips.

“You managed… to sacrifice a hu… man?”

“Stealing away one prisoner is nothing. Beware of fire, Olga. When I asked the spirits
about your fate, they whispered fire. The sky will be dyed red.”

Six-Fingered spoke with a foul stench coming from his mouth and scratched Olga’s
cheek with his long nails.

“Fire?”

“Fire will determine your fate.”

Six-Fingered shuddered briefly, then spat the chewed herb onto the ground.

“I will… keep that in mind.”

Olga nodded.

“The current Great Chief has abandoned the heavens and our ancestors and
worships the religion of the civilized. Because of that, the great ancestors will watch
over you, Olga.”

Six-Fingered nodded slightly and left. Alone again, Olga continued sharpening his
spear.

Clang!

Sparks flew as Six-Fingered's words kept lingering in Olga’s mind.

‘Fire and lightning are the symbols of the Great Chief.’

Urich, the Son of the Earth, had achieved countless feats, but the Battle of Valdima
and the duel with Samikan were already considered legends.
In the Battle of Valdima, he used fire to overturn an overwhelming disadvantage and
nearly annihilated the imperial pursuit force. When captured by Samikan, it was
lightning that saved him. Great Chief Urich was shrouded in divine protection
bestowed by the heavens.

“My fate will be determined by fire, huh…”

Olga skipped his meal and steadied his resolve instead. Having an empty stomach
seemed to help sharpen his senses.

Schring.

He focused his mind as he gazed at the sharp spearhead before stepping out of his
tent to be greeted by the glances of many warriors.

Among them was Katagi, who stood with his arms crossed.

“It’s not too late, Olga. If you ask to cancel the duel, the Great Chief will gladly accept
it.”

Katagi tried to persuade Olga, standing in his way. Though he did not like Olga, he
recognized him as a capable warrior and losing a warrior like him before such an
important battle was not a desirable outcome at all.

“I cannot take back… the words I have already spoken. Get… out of my way.”

Olga pushed Katagi aside and continued forward as he felt the gazes of the warriors.

In the distance, the civilized people were also observing the situation, confused as to
why on earth the westerners would have a duel right before a battle of such high
importance.

“Ah, Olga.”

Urich smiled from his chair upon seeing Olga.

“Great Chief Urich, you… have disregarded our… traditions,” Olga murmured,
extending his spear.

Clang!
In response, Urich picked up his sword and axe and clashed them lightly to make a
crisp, metallic sound.

“Hey, I accepted your challenge according to our tradition, didn’t I? And let me make
it clear that I never wanted to be a ‘king’ like the civilized people. No matter what
anyone thinks or says, I am your Great Chief. If a warrior greater than I appears, I
will step aside anytime, and if they defeat me, I will bless them as the next Great
Chief without any resentment. So, if you want my blessing and glory, seize it with
your own hands, Olga.”

Olga’s eyes widened as his heart pounded. Whether it was Urich or Samikan, Olga
would have challenged the Great Chief for their position someday.

‘Maybe all this talk about tradition is just an excuse.’

Being born a man and rising to the top alone was reason enough to fight.

Olga held the spear high with both hands to stab downward from his eye level, taking
advantage of his long arms that gave him a wider attacking range. His muscles were
highly elastic, enabling him to close down any gaps despite his large movements.

‘As expected of the Great Chief. I can’t find any openings even though he’s taken a
relaxed stance.’

Olga did not move first.

Urich was lightly swinging his weapon with his arms hanging down to his waist. His
stance was low, like a predator about to hunt.

If Olga was a raptor, Urich was a four-legged predator. He moved on only his toes,
closing the distance.

‘If I get stabbed by that spear, I’ll die. No matter how tough my body is, it’s all for
naught if my heart or neck gets stabbed.’

Urich knew that there was no need to look at the spearhead because what moved
first were the arms and shoulders. He knew that by the time you noticed the
spearhead, it would already be too late, so he kept his eyes on Olga’s arms.

Despite the presence of thousands of warriors, there wasn’t a single word of chatter
but only the sound of breathing.

“Hooo.”

Olga and Urich exhaled softly and then swallowed their breaths again. Breathing
always created openings, and it was better to keep the number of breaths to the
minimum when facing an enemy. Controlling one’s breath was a common skill in
warriors who have survived many battlefields.

Varca, the Head of Porcana, watched the duel from afar on horseback.

‘Is this the world Urich has lived in?’

What Urich and Olga were doing was something unimaginable in the civilized world.
The westerners were deciding on a position equal to a king of civilization through a
duel, yet no one stopped it as they valued warrior ethics and upheld traditions.

‘They must have lived their lives honing themselves with death always by their side.’

Urich’s life and existence shone like a finely crafted gem, and it shone brilliantly no
matter where it was viewed from.

‘I’m sure that even if you die, you’ll die with a smile on your face.’

Varca knew that he must not stop the duel even though he wanted to, as this was
what Urich had accepted.

Buuuup!

There was an unexpected trumpet out of nowhere, momentarily drawing the gazes
of the warriors who had been holding their breaths.

Whoosh!

Urich and Olga moved simultaneously. Olga’s spear struck fiercely, and Urich’s sword
followed the spear’s trajectory.

Urich pushed Olga’s spear aside which then grazed Urich’s side.

Whoosh!
Urich swung his axe with his other hand, aiming for Olga’s ankle.

Olga narrowly jumped to avoid the axe in a rather comical, frog-like leap. Fighting
was never supposed to be glamorous in the first place. Twisting one’s body
awkwardly to save and target lives—this was the essence of combat.

Urich and Olga exchanged several attacks while the trumpet sounded. Olga leaped
backward, increasing the distance.

‘If I keep clashing without taking any breaths, Urich has a huge advantage and I stand
no chance. I couldn’t kill him with the first strike, so I must look for another opening.’

Countless thoughts raced through Olga’s mind.

“Uuuurich!” A voice familiar to Urich shouted from a distance.

Urich and Olga watched each other as the bone-chilling tension gradually subsided.

Clink.

Urich was the first to tap the ground with his sword, releasing his combat stance,
and only then did Olga spit on the ground and lower his spear.

Murmur, murmur.

The warriors parted to the sides, revealing a dark and human-shaped figure that was
emitting a terrible stench.

“Georg, what the hell did you do?” Urich asked.

“I did what you asked me to do!” Georg shouted, spitting repeatedly along with the
other civilized mercenaries behind him.

“Did you find it?” Urich asked again.

Georg nodded with a wide grin, baring his teeth. Urich’s eyes widened. He threw his
weapon aside and ran over.

“Holy shit! Come here, Georg! Let me give you a big hug!”
Urich jumped and lifted Georg in an embrace. Georg wheezed, feeling like his body
was being crushed.

Urich didn’t care about Georg’s filthy state and rubbed himself all over him to show
how joyful the news Georg brought was. Georg had found the clue to their conquest.

“G-gugh, l-let me… down… please…”

Georg grumbled as he stripped off his dirty clothes and doused himself in water.
Only then did his human-like face appear.

“Let’s go, my brothers! The heart of civilization awaits us!”

Urich raised his arm high and shouted. The warriors didn’t know the details but
understood that Urich had found a way to attack Hamel.

“Oooooh!”

The warriors shouted, jumping up and down.

“Olga! It seems the ancestors don’t want us to fight today!”

Urich laughed, patting Olga on the shoulder.

“I think so… too.”

Olga had no intention of fighting Urich any longer today. It was time to fight the real
enemy.

The end of the sewer Georg had found was located on a mountain behind the city of
Hamel. The empire had dug caves in the mountains to connect with the sewer where
the waste flowed down the mountainside and mixed into a large river.

“Do you know how hard it was to get out of there? We didn’t have enough torches, so
I had to memorize the turns and write them down later. I thought my head would
explode.”

Georg, freshly cleaned, indulged in the food. Though the Alliance Army was short on
provisions, Urich spared no expense in treating Georg.
“You deserve to eat, Georg.”

“Of course I do! Goddammit, I wandered in that cesspool for over a day. I thought I’d
go mad.”

Georg patted his stomach and pulled out a dirty parchment to reveal a messy map,
but it didn’t take long for him to refine it meticulously from memory.

“Did you meet anyone in the sewer?” Urich asked.

“Huh? There was no one there. Besides, who would go to such a place? It was truly
horrible. Really.”

“Alright, never mind, then.”

Urich scratched his chin.

Since moving a large force inevitably brought commotion along, it was best to keep
the number of men low for a mission that required stealth.

Urich chose a moonless night that was pitch-dark, even to the seasoned eyes of a
barbarian hunter. The number of moving troops was just over three hundred as
Urich decided that this was the optimal number to move without attracting the
enemy's attention. Any more, and it would be difficult to avoid detection, even on
such a dark night.

"I believe I have brought only the best warriors."

Urich motivated the warriors before setting out, though it was by no means an
exaggeration; only the best warriors from the Alliance had been chosen to take part
in this mission, even including some chiefs.

"Brothers, fight with me, and we will seize victory and freedom! Even our unborn
children will remember our battle and we will become proud fathers and ancestors."

Urich had warned them in advance that this was a dangerous mission and battle
with the risk of total annihilation.

"In simple terms, we're going into the sewers to open the gates for the rest of our
army, aren't we?" An older warrior said gruffly. He seemed to have no attachment to
life, having lived long enough. He was the kind of old warrior who would die anytime
and anywhere if he could die for his brothers and tribe.

The rest of the Porcana-Alliance army would begin the attack on Hamel at dawn once
Urich and the warriors sent the signal. However, even if they succeeded in opening
the gates, the casualties would be enormous among Urich’s unit, and a complete
wipeout was not out of the question.

"Did you really have to come with us, Great Chief? You are still young."
"What does age matter for a warrior? You die if you’re weak, keke."

Urich chuckled as he strapped his weapons to his back and waist. The warriors, clad
only in leather armor, left the camp.

Their discreet and quiet movement, aided by the absence of the moon, was invisible
from the walls of Hamel.

Step, step.

Only the sound of footsteps on dirt was occasionally heard as Urich swallowed the
night air and twisted his neck from side to side.

The warriors gazed at Urich's back. Despite his young age, the dignity of a Great
Chief was evident on his shoulders.

Urich had even included Olga, who had challenged him to a duel, in this mission for
his capability. Olga was a warrior with excellent judgment and could be entrusted
with solo command if push came to shove. He trusted Olga.

"Are we going to continue the duel after the war, Olga?"

Urich whispered to Olga, who walked beside him.

"If you… accept, of course."

"Then you'd better hope I get crippled in this battle. That's the only way you’d even
stand a chance against me."

Urich cackled, holding his stomach.

"Watch your… back… when fighting, Urich," Olga light-heartedly replied, lightly
swinging his spear.

Urich and the warriors circled around the plains to climb the mountain that was
located behind Hamel. Leading the way were the tribal warriors from the Sky
Mountains area who were accustomed to climbing, who climbed the rugged
mountain swiftly even at night.

"This is it," Georg said, panting. He was practically carried to the mountain by the
other warriors.

‘These lunatics, crossing this distance in one go without a word of complaint… ’

The fitness of the westerners was truly remarkable, and the mobility built on it was
the sole reason why the Alliance was able to ravage the civilized world. The quick
westerners moved freely without supply lines, leaving the civilized armies unable to
keep up.

Georg walked along the murky river. Though it was split into several branches, he
knew that the sewer was at the end of the murkiest stream

"Urich, do I have to go too?" Georg asked hesitantly as the stench grew stronger. It
was clear the sewer entrance was close.

"Georg…” Urich smiled mischievously with a wink. "Of course, you have to go! It’s our
job to risk our lives, isn’t it?"

"U-ugh."

"We need you, Georg. No matter how detailed the map, it can’t be more accurate than
your eyes. Come on, aren’t you used to this whole thing by now? You’ve been by my
side for how long now?"

Urich placed his hand on Georg's shoulder and shook him lightly as the helpless
Georg trembled.

‘This is exactly why I didn't want to be the guide, dammit.’

With the incredibly low chance of survival, this task was nearly a suicide mission.
Though it was technically a sneak attack, the reality was that they were jumping into
the center of the imperial capital to wreak havoc.

"I only have one life," Georg said.

"No way, me too! Isn’t this a crazy coincidence?" Urich playfully replied.

Georg sighed deeply and gritted his teeth. He, too, had bet everything on Urich.

‘So… what I could lose is my life, and what I could gain is everything.’
He couldn't help but laugh bitterly. As Georg followed Urich into the dark sewer
where darkness brushed past them, old memories surfaced one by one. Despite the
stench that filled the air, the empty space made one feel as if they were wandering in
a dream.

‘I’m not surprised that it stinks. After all, I did live a pretty stinky life.’

Georg closed his eyes, though it made little difference whether his eyes were open or
closed.

‘I betrayed my master, who was like my father and teacher. I, his slave, coveted his wife.’

He couldn't stop his emotions from spiraling. Back then, he wanted to love, even if it
meant dying.

‘Now I’ve got no master to resent or woman to love.’

Georg was not a moral man by any means. He was just a somewhat prideful ex-slave
intellectual and one who lived as actively self-serving as others.

‘…I have no intention to risk my life for Urich but risking it for my own success is worth
it.’

Georg opened his eyes when the warriors raised torches one by one, revealing the
sewer that was almost like a cave.

“It seems they cleverly connected the cave to Hamel and modified it to use for
sewage treatment. If you look closely, this was originally an iron mine,” Georg said,
tapping the stone wall.

“It’s impressive that they extended the sewer from here all the way to Hamel.”

Urich said, covering his mouth with a hood.

“They’ve practically rammed through a whole mountain.”

Georg took a torch and moved forward. The path was straight enough to walk
without watching the steps.

Step, step.
The stench grew stronger as several more branches appeared.

Fwoosh.

Urich took Georg's torch so that Georg could look at his map and choose a direction
at the fork.

Step, step.

Urich looked around.

“Urich?” Georg called out with a puzzled expression.

“Oh, it’s nothing. I just thought I might know this place, but all sewers look the same,
so I can't really tell.”

“Have you been here before?”

“I ran around down here for a bit a long time ago.”

Urich and the warriors advanced smoothly. If nothing unexpected happened, they
could launch a surprise attack at a good time.

‘If three hundred warriors suddenly appear out of nowhere, they will be thrown into
confusion.’

If the warriors caused havoc from within, even the empire would be greatly
flustered, and if they could open the city gates using that moment, Hamel might fall
more easily than expected.

Splash, splash.

The warriors didn't mind the filthy environment of the sewer. Some even dipped
their weapons in the muck.

The sewer passage narrowed and became maze-like, signaling that they were
beneath Hamel.

“Katagi, you and I will open the gates. Olga, you handle the wreaking havoc part.”
Urich issued his commands in advance. Katagi nodded and followed closely behind
Urich. He was always a loyal deputy to Urich and was also the only one who showed
such unwavering loyalty to Urich.

“Katagi, I'm sorry for always making you do the dirty work. There's just no one else I
can trust to handle them.”

“Not at all. In fact, it’s actually an honor. Ever since you saved my life in Valdima, I've
devoted everything to you, Great Chief.”

“That’s all great but keep your virginity for a woman.”

Katagi laughed heartily.

“I will always stand by your side, Great Chief, even if the time comes when you’re no
longer called that.”

Urich flinched. Katagi looked at him briefly and nodded.

“I don't know what you mean,” Urich said.

“I know you sometimes get lost in your thoughts, Great Chief. Whenever I watch you
from the side, it's clear you didn't become Great Chief because you wanted to. If you
had truly desired the position, you wouldn't have let Samikan take it from you in the
first place. You initially yielded the position to Samikan.”

“Samikan was more capable than me, and that's why he became the first Great Chief.”

“Samikan wanted to be Great Chief—he desired it. But you, on the other hand, never
had such an ambition. Despite that, Samikan always kept you in check because he
knew very well that if you wanted, you could become Great Chief anytime. And look
what happened. Exactly that.”

Urich kept his mouth shut at Katagi's surprisingly sharp words. It seemed that he
hadn’t just been a loyal dog by his side.

“I want to be part of a legendary warrior, even if I have to be known as a ‘squire,’ as

these civilized people say. When people mention the great Urich, I want to be the one
mentioned alongside him. Unlike Olga, I know I can’t become a great figure. There’s a
point in your life where you wake up and realize your limits are like a ceiling, though
I’m sure you’ve never felt that way, Great Chief. You see, acknowledging your own
limits is incredibly painful.”

Katagi was rather talkative today. Perhaps the thought of the final battle made him
sentimental.

Tick, tick.

There was an unexpected sound.

The warriors’ expressions hardened as they raised their torches and looked around.

“Enemies?”

Urich drew his bow. Katagi, who was beside him, threw a torch to illuminate the
area.

“Imperial soldiers.”

The warriors murmured upon seeing about ten imperial soldiers standing at a fork
in the passage. The warriors were about to attack when they noticed a strange
weapon that looked like a wheeled cylinder.

Thwip!

Urich shot an arrow without a moment of hesitation. The soldier hit in the head
collapsed limply, causing the others behind him to duck and hide behind the cylinder.

“Kill them!”

Some warriors rushed forward to attack the small group of imperial soldiers.

Sizzle.

Then, there was a sound and smell of something burning.

“This is the Fire of the Empire, you barbarians!”

An imperial soldier cried out as the flames revealed his burn-ridden face.
“Fire.”

Olga muttered, looking at the flames filling his vision. He remembered the words of
Six-Fingered. Sometimes, the shaman's prophecies were eerily accurate.

“Duuuuuck!”

Urich shouted upon seeing the flames. Whatever this strange weapon was, the
immediate concern was the fire pouring from the cylinder engulfing the narrow
passage.

The warriors who had rushed forward with their weapons were the first to be
caught in the flames. The fire, pouring out like a snake, turned Urich's eyes red.

“Great Chief.”

But what appeared before Urich was not the flames but Katagi, blocking Urich and
pushing him back.

Everything seemed to move slowly for Urich. He saw every strand of the roaring
flames as the expanding red streaks reached Katagi’s back.

Booooom!

The warriors were engulfed by the fire that was so intense that it burned away even
the thick stench of the sewer.

It was hot, and breathing was difficult. The warriors opened their eyes wondering if
they were dead, but it was still the same reality. They staggered and began to rise
one by one as the walls of the sewer exhaled scorched smoke.

“Kaaaagh!”

A warrior screamed in agony as he was burned alive.

Urich opened his eyes in the midst of the chaos. A warrior with red, burnt skin lay on
his chest as smoke rose from his body.

‘Katagi.’
Katagi had taken the flames head-on in Urich's place. His back was still on fire,
covered in sticky flame oil.

Tick, tick-tick.

Urich leaned in, waiting for his last words. Katagi's teeth clattered in pain. Even his
hair was burnt, leaving a grotesque appearance.

“…Victory.”

Katagi, with the last wheeze she could squeeze out, pointed his finger forward as his
body slowly leaned back.

Schluck.

Urich plunged his sword into Katagi's heart to relieve him of the suffering.

He tightly shut his eyes, but there was no need to shed tears. The only thing a
warrior should shed was the blood of his enemies.
The Fire of the Empire had turned the sewer into a boiling hell, making it as hard to
breathe as in a desert under the scorching sun. The evaporated stench clung to the
body, and the flames burning on the filth barely subsided.

"The barbarians are coming again, hit them one more time!"

The imperial soldiers were pouring black liquid into the metal cylinder. Seeing that,
Urich didn't hesitate and rushed forward.

Splash, splash.

Urich leaped high and vaulted over the cylinder. His sword and axe crossed in an
instant, and a soldier's head fell to the ground.

"You sons of bitcheeeees!” Urich shouted as he hurled his axe, splitting the back of a
fleeing soldier.

"Ooooooh!"

The soldier drew his sword and charged, deciding that it was too late for him to run.
Urich swung his sword broadly, striking down the soldier's blade.

"Kaaagh!"

The soldier screamed as his fingers broke under Urich’s overwhelming strength.

Crunch!

Urich grabbed the soldier's head and smashed it against the wall. The helmet
crushed, and brain matter and eyes spilled out.

‘How did they know we were coming?’

Urich ground his teeth as he realized that the plan that he thought was perfect had
gone awry. They encountered the Imperial Army and engaged in battle even before
reaching the surface.

"The barbarians are comiiiiiing!"

The shout of a soldier who managed to get away echoed through the sewer.

"Urich!"

The warriors awaited Urich's command.

‘Should we retreat here? Or should we continue trying to find the passage to the
surface?’

Urich looked at the scorched corpses to see the charred bodies of a dozen warriors,
including Katagi’s, who had burned to death in the narrow passage. Including the
injured, their damage was in the dozens.

‘Is this a new weapon of the empire…?’

The image of the pouring flames was still vivid in his mind. It was like the fire
breathed by dragons from the northern legends.

"We keep going. Don't we, Great Chief!"

A warrior spewing charred smoke shouted. The warriors, being the elite of the west
who never fled from their enemies, didn’t allow their morale to falter despite the
new threat. The fear of death was trivial to them.

"There is no way they were completely sure that we would come this way. If they
were, we would have already been wiped out by now. They just have a small guard
set up."

Urich’s stopped mind quickly resumed. The empire’s response was too lax to think
they were fully prepared.

‘Then we just need to break through faster than they can respond.’

Urich gestured to the warriors to follow.

"Georg! Tell us which way to go!"

"W-we have to go r-right," Georg said in a trembling voice as he lifted his blackened
face.

"We move right away, run!"

Urich led the way. They were now in a race against time.

‘If we retreat here, we won’t have another way to attack Hammel.’

The warriors hurried. There was no time to tend to the wounded brothers, and those
who were severely injured by the Fire of the Empire were as good as dead.

"We're almost there," Georg spoke as he was carried by another warrior. He found
the surface entrance he used when he had infiltrated Hamel as a spy.

"Go out there and turn right, and we’ll reach Hammel's square! The city gates are
straight ahead from there!”

Urich listened intently and nodded as Georg laid out the path. Having stayed in
Hamel for quite a while, Urich was able to quickly grasp the city's outline.

"I'll go first, Urich."

An old warrior grabbed Urich's shoulder and stepped forward.

"No matter what happens, you must survive. I know there are many who oppose you,
but I see you, our young Great Chief, as our future."

Several old warriors climbed the ladder first and opened the entrance to the surface,
and then pushed aside a metal disc and looked up.

"Ah…”

The old warrior's mouth dropped open. He turned and shouted, "Run awa…!"

But the old warrior was interrupted by the spear that pierced his head. Then, a
sticky black liquid flowed endlessly into the sewer.
Sizzle!

Then, it was followed by the sound of ignition.

"Go back the way we came!"

The warriors intuitively understood what the Imperial Army was planning—they
were about to be bombarded with flames again.

Though there were only about two hundred warriors left, it was a large number in
the sewers. No matter how agile the warriors were, it was hard to move quickly with
their bodies and feet entangled in the tight space.

Fwooooosh!

Flames chased after the warriors, riding the spilled flame oil.

"Kaaagh!"

The warriors at the back were the first to be engulfed in the flames, screaming in
agony.

"What, are they using fire sorcery or something?"

The warriors looked back in horror to see the passageway filled with flames. The fire
only spread with no signs of going out.

"The fire doesn't go out even on water… this has to be fire sorcery."

The flames spread through the oil floating on the surface of the sewage water.

'Fire powder.'

Urich panted, recalling what he had seen long ago. When he first met Harvald, the
Sun Warrior, Harvald had shown him fire powder, which was a trophy he got from
killing a wizard.

The fire powder exploded into colorful flames as soon as it touched fire.

'Is that black liquid similar to fire powder?'

It was just a physical phenomenon that anyone could pull off with the right tools, not
magic or sorcery that only magicians or shamans could cast. What influenced this
world was not divine power but always human power.

"Urich! Don't come this way!"

A warrior running at the front shouted as he spotted a wooden barrel rolling toward
him. Black liquid was flowing out of the hole in the barrel.

Thwip!

A dot of flame appeared in the distance. A fire arrow flew and hit the barrel.

Boooooom!

Oil and flames splattered everywhere as the wooden barrel exploded. Warriors
caught in the fire screamed in pain and ran wildly.

"Uuuuuwaaaah!"

A warrior, despite his entire body being caught on fire, ran toward the direction from
which the arrow had come, but soon fell to his knees and collapsed forward before
reaching the enemy.

"It’s a dead-end here too!"

The warriors shouted as they saw barrels full of flame oil rolling toward them from
all directions wherever they went.

Boom!

There was another explosion following the sound of arrows.

"Dammit!"

Urich shouted, shaking off the flames on his arm. Smoke rose from his half-cooked
forearm.

"Get the Great Chief out of here!" A warrior engulfed in flames shouted.
'Beware of fire.'

Olga remembered Six-Fingered's words as he watched the flames closing in from all
sides. At first, he thought the fire referred to the Great Chief Urich.

'Six-Fingered said my fate would be decided by fire.'

Olga looked at Urich who was busy leading the warriors and finding a way out in
front of him.

'If I thrust my spear now, I can take him down.'

It was a vile thought, but how many warriors would make it out of this situation
alive? Olga's dark desire stirred.

'The heavens have given me a sign. They've given me a chance to become the Great
Chief.'

Olga closed his eyes and opened them again. Despite everything being blurred out by
the chaos, Urich was clear in his vision.

Boom!

The flames surged long, and the black liquid stuck to the warriors' feet. Knowing that
the sticky black liquid was the medium for the fire, the warriors hurriedly fled from
the flowing liquid.

'But if the heavens are urging me to do something so cowardly and dishonorable… '

Olga grinned. Was the will of the heavens so despicable because Six-Fingered, who
spoke of it, was despicable?

‘…I will not follow their will.'

How could he attack Urich, who was desperately seeking a way to survive? Olga was
a warrior who valued honor as much as his life, and he would rather die than do
such a thing.

The empire's response was swift. Urich and the warriors were cornered as if they
were being hunted by a group.
Urich was sweating profusely from the pouring flames.

‘They must have expected us to come through the sewers. They didn’t know we were
coming today, but they knew where we would come through.’

Urich smirked as only one person came to mind.

‘Emperor Yanchinus.’

He was the only person capable of such a response. Yanchinus knew that Urich had
used the sewers when he was following the Serpentines.

‘I’m not the only one who knows my enemy. Yanchinus knows me too, and he can
anticipate what I might think.’

Urich blamed himself. He should have tried to throw off Yanchinus to keep him from
reading his moves, but it was difficult to outwit an emperor who had lived his entire
life amidst plots, especially so for Urich, who was not an exceptional strategist or
schemer.

“Survive, Urich,” a warrior said, looking back at Urich. As soon as the warrior
finished speaking, a huge explosion occurred and a burning barrel full of flame oil
fell right above the warriors.

Booooom!

The explosion was akin to thunder. Urich's vision shook. His ears were ringing, and
his unbalanced body fell into the sewage.

‘I need to get up and move.’

Urich wiggled his fingers.

If he stayed still, the flames would consume his body. The only reason he was still
alive was because another warrior had pushed and covered him with their own body.

The number of warriors had drastically decreased to less than half of what they
started the operation with. The sewer was engulfed in flames, and in their rush, they
got themselves lost in the maze-like waterways. Urich and the warriors were
practically waiting for the enemy's attack in a labyrinth. When they tried to climb up
to the surface, spears and black liquid would pour down.

“Gag, ugh.”

Georg was also alive, but he was barely breathing from the terror. Rational decisions
were off the table.

“W-we need to go that way, Urich!” Georg shouted, pointing blindly behind him.

“Are you sure? Georg?”

Urich grabbed Georg by the collar and looked into his eyes. Georg finally calmed
down and looked around.

“I-I don’t know where to go, I don’t know where we are on the map,” Georg mumbled
as he regained his senses.

“We have to get away from the fire. As long as we’re alive, we'll find a way.”

Urich led the warriors who could still move.

“The heavens have finally abandoned us, Great Chief. We are paying the price for not
following their will,” a warrior, his face blackened by soot, spoke.

“To be exact, it’s the Great Chief who didn’t follow the heavens.”

Now that they were somewhat far away from the flames, old complaints resurfaced.

Urich glanced at Olga. He was the one who had more to say than anyone, but he
followed Urich without a word.

“More enemies? Damn, is this a dead-end, too?”

A warrior at the front drew his bow at the sound of footsteps.

“…Are you the plunderers from the west?”

The warrior, who was about to shoot, hesitated at the voice and waited for Urich's
command. In the infiltration unit, Urich and Georg were the only ones who could
speak Hamelian.
“I’ll ask again, are you those plunderers? Is your leader named Urich?”

A man with his hood pulled low appeared. Urich frowned and took a step forward.

“I am Urich.”

“So you are the rumored Beast of the Apocalypse. If you want to live, follow me.”

“…Serpentines.”

Urich recognized the man’s affiliation. Serpentism still lived beneath Hamel, only
now more secretive and likely grown amidst the chaos.

“Where is Trikee?”

Urich asked as he ran after the man. The man, pushing back his hood, frowned,
seemingly upset at Urich’s casual use of the sacred name of the Ark.

“You will meet him soon. He is waiting for you.”

The warriors followed Urich without question. Even those who opposed Urich's
reforms believed in the miracles he created.
The night was dark, with the sun not yet risen. Despite the hours, there was a
commotion on the streets of Hamel.

Standing in the bustling streets was Emperor Yanchinus. The citizens of Hamel,
seeing the army moving, stayed inside their homes.

Boooom!

A ground-shaking explosion sounded. Soldiers were rolling barrels filled with flame
oil here and there.

"This way! They're coming this way! Get in!"

Soldiers descended into the sewers, moving the barrels.

"They really did sneak in through the sewers as Your Majesty predicted. Without
your foresight, this could have been devastating."

The defense captain marveled at the emperor’s insight. No one had anticipated that
the barbarians would choose the sewers as their infiltration route.

"Do not let them escape alive. Their leader is probably with them."

Yanchinus was certain that Urich was right below them.

‘Urich isn't the type to send others to do this kind of thing.’

Yanchinus curled his lips in a smile. He had brought out all the flame oil the Empire
had stored for this defense maneuver.

‘I don’t care how much flame oil we use as long as I can capture Urich here.’

The soldiers descended into the sections of the sewers that had been subdued and
brought good news to the surface shortly after.

"The waterways are littered with the charred corpses of the barbarians!"

The Imperial Army's morale soared upon the confirmation that the emperor’s
foresight had paid off.

"Lou is watching over us! The barbarians will never dare to covet Hamel again!" The
knights shouted.

"Things are completely different with His Majesty with us. Who else could sweep
away the barbarians so easily?”

"Without their sneaky ambushes, they’re nothing to be afraid of."

The soldiers entered the heated sewers and brought the charred corpses to the
surface. Even while looking at the gruesome bodies, the soldiers were grinning.

"Hup."

A soldier grabbed a corpse by the armpits and dragged it.

Schring.

The barbarian, who was thought to be dead, moved. With his excellent skills, he
snatched the soldier's sword and swung it.

"Geugh!"

The soldier fell with a bubbling breath as his throat was slit open.

"Kaaaah!”

The roaring warrior had one of his pupils shriveled from the burns, which made him
look more like a monster than a human.

"H-he's still alive?"

The startled soldiers drew their weapons to kill the barbarian.

"Do not kill him, capture him alive!" The knight in charge shouted. The soldiers
brought hooks to catch the warrior by the neck and dragged him.

Thud! Thud!

The soldiers mercilessly beat the warrior with clubs.

"Ke, keke."

The warrior laughed, spitting blood. Knowing he wouldn't survive with the injuries
anyway, he lunged, hoping to take at least one more enemy down with him.

"Our Great Chief Urich will tear you all apart! He will avenge his brothers!"

The knight flinched at the mention of Urich. The soldiers tried to capture the warrior
alive but had to kill him due to his fierce resistance. The warriors fell to his knees
after being stabbed in the stomach by the soldiers coming from all sides.

"Looks like Urich is really here," the knight muttered, pushing the dead warrior over
with his foot.

The soldiers retrieved over a hundred dead bodies from the sewers and brought
them to the surface.

Murmur, murmur.

The people who were hiding in their homes with their doors locked opened their
windows to see the barbarian corpses and clapped and cheered upon seeing the
charred barbarians.

"Hooray! Long live the emperor!"

"Hamel will never fall to the barbarians!"

The still-dark city became lively. Seeing hope, the people stopped trembling in fear
and came outside.

"Seal off the sewer passageways and go after them."

Yanchinus ordered the knights and returned to the palace. There was no escape from
the sewers.

‘Urich, you made a foolish decision.’

Yanchinus felt his superiority and smiled with satisfaction. He had outsmarted Urich
the barbarian and had this victory to show for it.

‘The sewers are a good infiltration route for sure, but if the enemy sees you coming, it's
like walking into a bear’s den.’

***

The gates of Hamel did not open even at the promised dawn while the warriors on
reconnaissance desperately waited as they watched the gates.

Creak.

The gates finally opened, though briefly, and closed after a few carts came rolling out.

Rattle, rattle.

Slaves pulled the carts straight toward the Porcana-Alliance army. Commanders and
knights quickly gathered.

"Look at this!"

The knights of Porcana pushed the slaves aside and lifted the cloth covering the
carts. A foul stench spread everywhere, causing those with weak stomachs to turn
their heads and vomit.

"They failed."

"Urich and the warriors lost."

The carts that came from Hamel were filled with the corpses of the Alliance warriors.
Headless bodies filled one cart, and severed heads were piled high in another.

Varca looked at the carts with trembling eyes.

"Ah, aah."
People were horrified, and then they saw atop the walls of the imperial city a
blackened, charred corpse impaled on a stake.

A slave who had pulled the cart handed a letter to Varca that contained the empire's
warning along with the message that they had massacred Urich and the warriors.

"I-is that charred corpse supposed to be Urich?"

There was no way to identify the burnt corpse.

The Porcana-Alliance army fell into chaos upon seeing that Urich and the warriors
had failed and returned as corpses. The failure was one thing, but the death of Great
Chief Urich was a major blow.

"Is Urich dead?"

"The Great Chief has ascended to the heavens!"

"That can't be true. This is bullshit!"

"So this is how it ends. Urich has incurred the wrath of the heavens. He didn’t have
their blessings for the final battle."

"Shut your mouth!"

Conflicts arose among the warriors. The Alliance that was held together by Urich as a
unifying force was on the verge of crumbling to pieces. The chiefs, watching each
other, gathered their close aides and held separate meetings.

"U… rich? Did you really die?"

Varca’s eyes alternated between the carts and the letter as he felt like he was about
to collapse. Then, his legs trembled and gave way.

"Your Highness!"

The knights supported Varca. The death of Urich was a severe shock to him as well.

‘You always came back in the end. Are you really dead?’
Varca knew he needed to come up with a new plan, but he couldn’t think properly
with the image of Urich still lingering in his mind.

"Take care of His Highness!"

Varca was helped into his tent by the knights. He drank the water a servant offered,
panting heavily. His heart was still pounding.

"Did you actually die?"

Varca leaned back and covered his face with both hands.

‘You are not someone who would die so meaninglessly.’

Everyone knew that the sewer infiltration was a dangerous mission. It was a risky
move that could result in the annihilation of the unit even if they successfully opened
the gates, but no one had opposed it when Urich said he would do it himself.

‘They all thought Urich could do it… and so did I.’

It was due to their absolute trust in Urich. Deep down, everyone was certain that
Urich would naturally succeed.

‘I should have stopped you. When you said you'd go on such a dangerous mission, I
should have done whatever it took to stop you.’

Varca suppressed his rising emotions.

Duke Lungell, having heard the news, came running into the tent.

"I heard they got Urich! Who will keep the barbarians in line now?"

Urich was not just a Great Chief. He was the sole link between the Alliance Army and
the civilized army.

His powerful presence was the only thing that mediated and allowed the two armies
from two completely different cultures to coexist. Without Urich, the Alliance was
meaningless.

"They are illiterate fools! There is no way they honor the alliance treaty now that
Urich is gone," Duke Lungell ranted, but he wasn't wrong.

The Alliance was still just a tribal army without the framework of a state, and it
wasn’t completely wrong to consider them a large band of bandits. Porcana had
invested in the Western Alliance, expecting it to settle into a state.

"W-we can't be certain that Urich is dead yet. Who can say for sure that the corpse
hanging on the gate is actually Urich?"

"Even if that corpse isn't Urich, the reality is that the sewer infiltration failed! Your
Highness, we have no way to attack Hamel now!"

The situation was dire. The Alliance Army, having lost its leader overnight, could
revert to a mere collection of barbarian tribes. The death of a great leader had that
much impact.

The Porcana-Alliance army had to make a new decision. Should they continue the
fight, or admit defeat and retreat?

***

The Alliance was on the verge of crumbling. While Urich's death wasn't certain, the
chances of him returning alive were extremely low. Above all, a leader was needed to
fill the void of the Great Chief.

The first name mentioned was Belrua, the chief of the Red Sand Tribe.

“Belrua? Are you suggesting we follow a woman?”

“But in terms of power, there's no one more suitable to be the interim Great Chief
than Belrua. In fact, Urich entrusted her with full authority before heading to Hamel.”

Without Samikan and Urich, Belrua was the next in line for power in the Alliance.

‘I can’t tell if this is an opportunity or a misfortune.’

Belrua immediately summoned the chiefs. Normally, it wouldn’t take long for them to
fall in, but the chiefs delayed their response while they calculated their own benefits.
Each tribe set their internal policies based on their interests before attending the
tribal council.
“We must also genuinely consider the possibility that Great Chief Urich is dead.”

Belrua started the discussion, looking at the chiefs.

“There is simply no way the Son of the Earth is dead. Watch your mouth with those
blasphemous words.”

“Even the Son of the Earth can die if he incurs the wrath of the heavens. This
happened all because he pushed Six-Fingered away and embraced the gods of
civilization. He dug his own grave, really.”

“Watch your mouth!”

The Alliance always had diverse factions. While Samikan held the Alliance together
with schemes and strategies, Urich unified the tribes through his achievements and
sanctity.

‘What do I have that can bind the Alliance together?’

Belrua asked herself but found no answer. Both Samikan and Urich had the
capability to lead the Alliance.

“Until we confirm the death of the Great Chief, we must act cautiously. We also have
our alliance with Porcana to worry about.”

“Porcana? What alliance with those cowards? We never needed them in the first
place.”

“It’s an alliance made directly by the Great Chief, so we must respect it. Isn’t that
right, Belrua?”

The chiefs looked at Belrua, who nodded in agreement.

“We need to send people to the Porcana side to emphasize that our alliance is still
intact, though they might not believe us now that Urich is gone. He was the symbol of
our trust.”

Belrua summoned a warrior who spoke the language of the civilized world and a
civilized mercenary to convey friendly words to the leaders of Porcana.
‘We have to maintain the alliance with Porcana. If the Porcana army isn’t here when
Urich returns, it would truly be the end.’

Belrua looked at the chiefs. The number of attendees at the tribal council gradually
increased as more chiefs, who had arrived only after they had determined their
policies, took their seats.

“Does anyone here really think Urich is dead? Is the Great Chief Urich you know
someone who would die so easily?”

“B-but isn’t it true that the Great Chief has recently defied the will of the heavens?”

“I still don’t believe the Great Chief is dead. That monstrous man wouldn’t just die
like this. I’ve seen him move around perfectly fine after being struck by lightning
with my very own eyes.”

Several chiefs nodded in agreement. They pounded their knees and shouted that
Urich was still alive.

“If that’s the case, let’s call our priest to divine the fate of the Great Chief, as well as
the fate of our Alliance.”
The civilized mercenaries were discussing something with serious expressions on
their faces. Basha, who overheard them from a distance, widened her eyes and
hurriedly ran to Gottval’s tent.

“Father Gottval, Lou has answered my prayers!” Basha shouted as she entered the
tent.

Gottval, who was praying on his knees with slumped shoulders, answered without
even turning around.

“…What prayer are you talking about?”

“Lou has answered my prayer to kill the barbarians! Urich and his barbarians are
dead! Lou’s judgment has finally come!” Basha exclaimed as her cheeks flushed with
excitement. She was so happy that she could dance around.

‘Lou has answered my prayer. I knew He was still watching over me.’

Gottval slowly rose from his prayer.

“Lou does not answer such prayers. In fact, it is the god of the barbarians who listens
to such prayers filled with hatred.”

“You just don’t get it, Father Gottval. Lou told me to kill the barbarians, and He even
gave me the power to do it for him.”

Basha spoke as she bounced around, unable to contain her joy. She felt that Lou, who
had been feeling more distant than ever, had blessed her once again.

“Basha, do not use Lou, or any gods that is, as an excuse to justify your anger and
hatred.”

Gottval raised his voice, but Basha’s smile did not fade.
“You should be happy too, Father. The calamity is over, and peace will return now.”

Gottval’s brow furrowed further. He, too, had heard the news that Urich might be
dead, and his heart ached.

‘I have seen the deaths of many people, but… ’

Urich was a special person to Gottval. He was a symbol and proof that civilized and
barbaric people were equally Lou’s children and human beings.

‘It’s hard to accept that you are dead.’

Gottval looked at Basha with half-closed eyes. He resented the girl who was
genuinely rejoicing at Urich’s death.

‘What I should resent is my own heart filled with anger.’

Gottval closed his eyes, then took a small breath and exhaled.

Gottval understood where Basha was coming from. She was a girl whose peaceful life
had been completely taken away by the barbarians. The Sun priest, whom she had
thought of as her hope, had violated her. Basha was a person left with only hatred
and anger.

‘If I don’t understand Basha, who will?’

Gottval placed his hand on Basha’s shoulder.

“It is not right to rejoice over anyone’s death, whether they are a person of
civilization or a barbarian.”

“I am going to be happy, and I know I won’t be the only one. There are countless
people who will be glad to hear about Urich’s death.”

Gottval smiled bitterly as he knew that Basha was not wrong. It was true that Urich
had caused pain to many innocent people. He was undeniably an enemy of the
civilized world.

“Basha, Urich’s death has not been confirmed yet.”

“Urich is dead. Lou Himself whispered the death of the barbarians to my ears.”

“The Urich I know is blessed by the gods. He wouldn’t be taken away like this.”

Basha looked at Gottval with a grumpy expression.

‘Why does Father Gottval defend Urich so much?’

Gottval was an excellent priest. He was so good to the point that the title ‘One-Armed
Saint’ was no exaggeration. Such a person liking the leader of the barbarians was
hard for Basha to understand.

Most barbarians felt the same way as Basha did about the relationship between
Urich and Gottval, and they were displeased with the Sun priest’s closeness to their
Great Chief.

“…Basha, things are not great right now. The only reason we have been able to stay
here was because Urich was looking out for us. Without Urich’s protection, our lives
might be in danger.”

As soon as Gottval finished speaking, they heard someone approaching the tent.
Basha also tensed up and looked around for anything that could be used as a
weapon.

“Gottval, are you inside?”

The voice spoke in slurred Hamelian. Three armed warriors entered the tent.

‘I need to at least get Basha out of here.’

Gottval was prepared to sacrifice himself if necessary to ensure Basha’s survival.

“It is time, Gottval.”

The warriors took another step closer with their faces filled with fierce expressions.

Basha cautiously picked up a fire poker, but Gottval shook his head as he looked at
Basha as he knew there was no way they could win against three warriors.

“Great Chief Urich told us…”

One of the warriors spoke, looking back and forth between Gottval and Basha.

“…to take you to King Varca if anything ever happened to him. We have to move right
away, so pack only what you absolutely need.”

The warrior gestured with his chin and crossed his arms.

Gottval’s eyes widened.

“Urich…”

Urich had instructed his subordinates to ensure that Gottval could return safely even
if he died.

“Follow us. The situation within the Alliance is becoming unstable.”

The warriors urged Gottval. Gottval and Basha packed only the essentials and
moved.

“Stay close. It wouldn’t be surprising if someone attacked.”

The guarding warrior glanced around.

As they left the tent, they were met by warriors who glared at Gottval with
murderous intent evident in their eyes with some even gripping their axes tightly
and waving them menacingly. These were warriors who had been waiting for a
chance to kill Gottval.

“Lou will protect us, Father, so you don’t need to be afraid of these barbarians. Just as
they punished Urich, they too will be punished.”

Basha walked with her shoulders proudly straight. Hearing this, the guard warrior
frowned and grabbed Basha’s wrist.

Slap!

The warrior slapped Basha’s cheek with his thick hand.

“Y-you barbarian!” Basha retorted with a reddened face. The warrior sneered and
continued slapping Basha’s cheeks alternately.
Slap!

Blood trickled down Basha’s lips as the flesh on the inside of her mouth tore open.
She glared at the warrior, panting.

Slap!

The warrior slapped Basha’s cheek once more. Bruises appeared on her cheeks.

“The ones protecting you right now are us who were ordered to do so by Great Chief
Urich, not your god. Do you still not get that?”

Basha spat blood-tinged saliva on the ground and wiped her mouth. Before she could
say anything back to the warrior, Gottval pulled her by the shoulder.

“That’s enough, Basha. You were the one who was disrespectful.”

Gottval’s and the guard warrior’s eyes met. The guard spat at Basha’s feet and
walked on.

“L-Lou will protect us. Right? Father?” Basha said as her lips trembled. Gottval
nodded quietly and patted Basha’s shoulder.

Gottval and Basha were escorted by the warriors to King Varca. Varca took the two
under his protection and ordered his knights to guard them.

‘Things aren’t looking great with the Alliance.’

Varca smiled bitterly. The siege was still holding, but at this rate, it was only a matter
of time before it collapsed.

***

Urich and the warriors followed the Serpentine down the waterway.

"So who exactly is that man?" Georg asked Urich.

Urich checked behind to see if they were being pursued before answering, "He's a
Serpentine. Serpentism is secretly widespread among the lower classes of Hamel."
The man ahead nodded at Urich's words.

"That's right. You were the reason we were able to survive in this city, Urich. Thanks
to you, we managed to avoid the empire’s eyes and have deeply rooted ourselves in
Hamel."

Emperor Yanchinus and the Imperial Army thought they had eradicated Serpentism
in Hamel, but with the subsequent western expansion and wars, it only flourished
more than before. The empire, embroiled in difficult wars, had no capacity to deal
with Serpentism.

"How much further do we have to go?" Urich asked, noticing that the warriors
needed a place to rest. There were several who were practically walking corpses at
this point.

"We’ll be there soon," the man answered and continued down the path without
hesitation.

Creak.

The man pushed what seemed like a blocked wall, which rotated to reveal a passage
inside.

"This place wasn’t originally made for the sewers, was it? It seems like a newly
carved out space."

Urich followed the Serpentine inside, realizing it was a whole new hideout of the
Serpentines.

"In the early days of Hamel, an underground cavity was built to store water to
prevent floods, but it was sealed off after the construction of the sewers was
completed. Now, even the Imperial Army doesn't know about this place."

People gradually came into view as vagrants sitting on either side of the dirty
passage stood up one by one.

"Oooooh."

"That's Urich."
"The Beast of the Apocalypse chosen by the world."

Some even knelt before Urich. It was truly a bizarre sight.

‘They’ve grown. A lot.’

Urich looked at the significantly increased followers of Serpentism. At the end of the
passage was a large cavity that was large enough for hundreds of people to move
around thanks to its original purpose.

Urich raised his hand to command the warriors to rest while those who were still in
decent condition took up arms and stood guard.

"Where is Trikee?"

Urich urged the man, but the man only gestured for them to keep following.

"Georg, Olga. Come with me."

Olga led three or four other warriors and followed Urich.

‘I don't see anyone I know.’

Urich recalled the two key figures of Serpentism: Trikee the Ark and his disciple
Baldor, who was a noble.

At the end of the underground cavity was a room resembling a shrine where candles
were lit to illuminate the flanks of the entrance.

"I have brought Urich," the man said, knocking on the stone door.

Creak.

The door opened to reveal men in relatively clean clothes, who muttered among
themselves upon seeing Urich.

"That must be the Urich the Ark and Baldor spoke of," they murmured, staring at
Urich.

"Where is Trikee?"
Urich asked once again. The men raised their hands and pointed to the altar.

Urich brushed aside a translucent cloth and stood before the altar. His eyebrows
twitched, and his mouth twisted slowly.

"You’re telling me this is Trikee?"

"The Ark often spoke of you, and now you’ve appeared leading an army. You have
been chosen as the destroyer who will break this world."

The men said as they stood behind Urich, almost whispering.

‘The body isn't decaying but dried up like a tree in the dry season,’ Urich thought as he
looked at the dried corpse on the altar.

Trikee's corpse was bizarre. It was not decaying but dried, and Urich could not figure
out how it ended up like this.

‘Is this how they deal with the dead in the south?’

Urich didn’t even consider the possibility that it was a miracle or magic.

‘It’s just some method I don't know that made the body like this. It’s not a miracle or
magic.’

A few years ago, Urich might have believed it was some strange magic or sorcery.

"So Trikee is dead," Urich muttered. Trikee lay on the altar as a non-decaying corpse.

"He is neither alive nor dead. When the time comes, he will rise and lead us to the
next world. He is the Great Ark, after all."

"No, he's dead. His heart isn't beating. That means he's dead," Urich declared. The
men frowned and glared at Urich’s back.

"Is there no one who knows me here anymore? Does everyone here only know
stories about me?" Urich asked, looking at the priests of Serpentism.

"All who knew you have been martyred. Their deaths were those of great saints, and
it was their deaths that made Serpentism grow this large. I am Ludmil the Guide."
The man who called himself the Guide spoke at the center of the priests.

"I’m Urich of the Stone Axe."

Urich accepted Ludmil’s handshake. After all, the only people that helped him now
was Serpentism.

"Fulfill the promised apocalypse according to the will of the world, Urich," Ludmil
said with wide eyes.

"Forget the will of the world. Give us some food as well as some ointments that work
well on burns. We’re going to need them if we’re going to crush the imperial
bastards," Urich said, then looked at the withered Trikee once more.

"Death sometimes comes without warning, Trikee."

Urich smiled bitterly and walked away from the altar. He observed the Serpentine
priests.

‘This doesn’t feel like Trikee’s Serpentism that I expected to see. There’s a suppressed
ferocity in their eyes.’

Trikee tried to civilize the barbaric religion, but he ended up dying sooner than
expected.

"Beast of the Apocalypse, please break this world that is full of pain."

As Urich passed by, vagrants grabbed his ankles and murmured.

Georg, also with a pale face, looked at Urich and asked, "Urich, these people w-
worship you. What exactly did you do in Hamel when you were here before?"
Six-Fingered’s fate was decided for him from the very moment he was born with six
fingers on his hands. A child could not become a warrior with such a deformity, so if
he survived, he would become a shaman.

Six-Fingered became a shaman. The tribespeople believed that the more grotesque a
shaman's appearance, the more spiritual power they possessed, making his
deformity an advantage rather than a disadvantage in the shamanic world.

Splat, splat.

Six-Fingered smeared a mixture of insect corpses, four-legged animal blood, and

charcoal dust onto his face, painting it black.

“Huuup.”

He took a deep breath and grabbed his staff. The sound of bone fragments clattering
echoed.

Six-Fingered was summoned by the chiefs. Divining before making important

decisions was an ancient tradition based on the belief that humans must not go
against the will of the heavens. Those who did would only face disaster and
misfortune.

‘We must return to our homeland.’

As he stepped out of the tent, Six-Fingered looked westward where the Sky
Mountains were no longer visible.

‘We have come too far.’

They should not have crossed the Sky Mountains. Violating the taboo of the Sky
Mountains and invading another world had caused much bloodshed.
‘No one should have broken the taboo.’

Urich, who crossed the Sky Mountains, was praised for his achievements by the
warriors, but some still whispered that he had violated a taboo.

“Breaking a taboo only incurs the wrath of the heavens.”

Six-Fingered longed for his homeland. He missed the barren land and the life of
living day by day, facing the arid winds.

Shamans were needed by everyone back in his homeland unlike here, where there
was no need to look at the stars for navigation nor the need to see a shaman to treat
one’s injury.

As the warriors became more enthusiastic about foreign knowledge than mystical
shamanism, the standing of shamans was diminishing by the day.

‘What a fertile and rich land.’

Six-Fingered walked barefoot on the blackish soil that was so sticky it could be
kneaded as it was. It was a blessed land where anything would grow well if sown.

Other shamans had already finished preparing the ritual and were waiting for Six-
Fingered. There was a makeshift altar made of wood, and the chiefs and warriors
stood at a distance, waiting for the ritual to begin.

“Where are the sacrifices?”

Large warriors brought out about ten captives, more than usual as this was an
important ritual.

With Urich absent, there was no one to stop the human sacrifices. The watching
warriors thirsted for blood.

“Ah, uuuuugh.”

The captives, who included some high-ranking knights or nobles among other
soldiers, knew what fate awaited them.

“I-I am…!”
A noble shouted something, but his words were drowned out by the roar of the
warriors. The higher the status of the sacrifice, the better, as valuable offerings held
greater worth.

“Kuuuugh! Cough!”

The shamans forced a potion with a yellow tint down the throats of the imperial
captives.

Whirr.

The strong potion quickly made the captives’ eyes lose focus and made it feel as if
their limbs were floating. Even the captives who were thrashing around more than
others slowly turned their heads and sat quietly like turtles.

The warriors of the Alliance wanted to know Urich's fate and the outcome of the war.
Urich, who was the source of their firm belief in victory, was no longer among them.

‘If we’re going to get these exhausted warriors to fight again, we’ll need the will of the
heavens.’

Six-Fingered blinked and looked at the blue sky.

‘The sky never changes. It’s the same no matter where we look up at it from.’

The earth might have changed, but the sky remained the same.

Six-Fingered took out a blood-stained dagger from his inner pocket. It was a dagger
that had slit the bellies of countless animals and humans.

“Uuuuuugh.”

A captive, dazed from the potion, groaned and drooled.

Shamans who wore nothing but fur coats held the captive’s limbs and laid him on the
altar.

Stab.

Six-Fingered unhesitatingly plunged the dagger into the sacrifice's belly. He avoided
the internal organs as if skinning an animal.

Rip!

As the skin split, the inside of the human body was exposed. Six-Fingered and the
shamans stared at the writhing internal organs.

“Ee-eeeeeek!”

The captive with his belly split open screamed. No matter how drugged he was,
seeing his own guts laid bare was unbearable.

“Kuuuugh!”

Six-Fingered cut out the heart while the captive was still alive.

Thump, thump.

The hot, living heart thumped in Six-Fingered's grasp.

“Oh, oooooh!”

The warriors shouted in excitement upon seeing the beating heart.

“Offer the blood to the heavens!”

“Take the life!”

The shamans beside Six-Fingered shouted loudly. Their voices echoed throughout
the Porcana-Alliance camp.

Boom, boom, boom.

Apprentice shamans beat drums at regular intervals, mimicking the sound and
rhythm of the human heart. As the drums and heartbeats gradually synchronized,
the excitement turned into madness.

Slash!

Other captives, hung upside down, had their throats slit. Human blood dripped onto
the trays placed below.

Splat, splat.

The shamans dipped their hands in the blood and bestowed blessings upon the
warriors.

It was a festival of blood that the warriors had long forgotten. Blood was life, and life
was most precious. Offering such life to worship the heavens was the noblest ritual
in tribal society.

“I-I am… Kodomos… of one of the founding Houses of the empire…”

The captive with the highest ranking among them was dragged out, still speaking
quite clearly even in his intoxicated state.

“We have offered enough sacrifices to gain the attention of the heavens.”

Six-Fingered said, wiping the blood-stained dagger. It was time to ask the heavens of
its will.

“I am Kodomos…!”

The noble shouted once more. Despite being drugged, his repeated declarations
suggested a strong sense of pride.

Slash!

Six-Fingered shoved the blade into the noble’s mouth, cutting off his tongue.

“Your mouth is not the place we are seeking answers from.”

The severed tongue fell to the ground.

“…It is your life.”

Six-Fingered's vision narrowed from the smoke he had been inhaling. The faces of
the warriors appeared distorted, and it felt like the sky was spinning even when he
stood still.
‘Heavens, grant us an answer. Show us the path… ’ Six-Fingered desperately wished.
No one was more desperate for answers than he was.

‘Forgive us for breaking the taboo and deceiving the will of the heavens.’

It was true that the Alliance seldom moved according to the will of the heavens,
therefore it would not be strange if they faced the wrath of the heavens countless
times.

‘Samikan and Urich paid the price for defying the heavens and breaking taboos.’

The priest of the Alliance had falsified omens over and over again because of
Samikan, speaking words different from the will of the heavens before the warriors.
It was always a torment for him.

‘I will not go against the will of the heavens any longer.’

Six-Fingered imagined a faithful life lived according to the will of the heavens.

He smiled contentedly as he disemboweled the noble captive and pulled out the
entrails before waiting for the result.

Splaaash!

The intestines were pulled out, stretching long. Six-Fingered threw the entrails on
the ground, observing the position of the bloodstain.

Amidst the rising stench, he sought the will of the heavens. The blood shone in
vibrant colors, and the blood-filled tray reflected his face like a mirror.

Boom!

The drumbeat echoed once again. The rippling blood in the tray blurred Six-
Fingered’s reflection.

He blinked several times as the blood in the tray settled again.

“G-gugh, cough, cough!”

Six-Fingered suddenly clutched his own neck and groaned with his eyes filled with
terror. What he saw in the blood was the image of Urich.

Splash.

Urich reached out from the blood and wrapped his fingers around Six-Fingered’s
neck.

‘A-am I afraid of Urich?’

But no one was surprised by Six-Fingered’s seemingly self-harming behavior. They

were simply waiting for Six-Fingered to return from seeking the will of the heavens.

‘Why are you showing up here, Urich!’

Six-Fingered screamed internally. He glared at Urich, who still had his hand around
his throat. Urich, rising from the blood tray, glared fiercely at Six-Fingered.

“Gaaaah!”

Six-Fingered exhaled deeply and shook his head. Breaking free from the
hallucination, he lay on the ground, staring at the bloodstains and entrails.

“My god! Look at that!” The warriors exclaimed in shock.

The noble captive stood up with his insides completely empty.

The captive muttered incoherently with unfocused eyes. It was more like a strange
sound than a language, almost as if he was singing.

—He is alive.

But that was what it sounded like to Six-Fingered. The grotesque sound which was
more noise than anything, seeped into his ears like human language.

Anxiety and fear took shape, ready to devour Six-Fingered.

Thud.

The noble captive finally collapsed. Six-Fingered hurriedly crawled toward the
captive.
All signs pointed to Urich’s survival. Six-Fingered searched desperately for other
signs to deny the omen but found none that symbolized Urich’s death.

‘No. This can’t be.’

Six-Fingered searched through the blood and entrails for any signs that pointed to
death.

Boom, boom, boom.

The drumbeats gradually softened. The chiefs and warriors were waiting for Six-
Fingered’s words as the frenzy subsided, and blood cooled and hardened.

“Priest.”

The shamans murmured. The omen had to be spoken before the excitement
completely died down.

‘This is a good omen.’

Other shamans vaguely knew the omen’s result, as every tribe had similar symbolic
signs. In this sacrifice, the captive’s strong vitality stood out. There were no negative
signs.

‘Great Chief Urich is alive. Though it might just be a matter of time before he isn’t, he’s
alive for now.’

The shamans watched Six-Fingered's back, gauging his reaction. After Samikan's
death, the new Great Chief Urich did not interfere with the shaman society, allowing
Six-Fingered to seize all the power in the shaman society. Six-Fingered was the priest
of the Alliance with unparalleled power.

Clatter.

‘Just one more time,’ Six-Fingered thought as he grabbed his staff and stood up. He
looked at the chiefs and spoke slowly.

He had lived his life falsifying the omens of the heavens for various reasons;
sometimes for Samikan’s benefit, and sometimes for political survival. He had often
lied about the will of the heavens.
‘This will be the last time.’

He could return to his beloved homeland where shamans were revered by the
warriors.

“Mmmmm, Oom, Um.”

The shamans made a grand sound with their breaths.

“…We must return. The earth that supported us has grown distant. Our vitality,
which was born from the land, has waned.”

Six-Fingered murmured. He raised his head calmly and continued.

“Let us return to our homeland and honor the death of the great Urich,” Six-Fingered
declared. The chiefs and warriors were given the justification to return home.

The shamans standing behind Six-Fingered remained silent. They too knew that in
the rapidly changing alliance, there was no place for shamans. To stop the change,
they had to return home.

Not everyone believed and followed Six-Fingered’s omen. There was a faction that
insisted on continuing the fight, believing Urich was still alive. But the weary
warriors listened to Six-Fingered’s comforting words. Many warriors believed Urich
was likely dead, omen or not.

Warriors who lost their land could no longer stand.

Most Serpentines came from the lower classes. They were the ones suffering at the
very bottom of society, much like the sewage in the sewers.

Solarism could not change the world. Only those born to be kings could be kings, and
the same went for nobles. Solarism did not say the world was wrong and it merely
preached to live with love and mercy. It always demanded superhuman patience and
understanding from ordinary humans.

Love and mercy were just empty, distant words to the starving and those who feared
tomorrow’s life. There was no room for such luxury in the hearts of those who had
everything taken from them by the exploitation of the nobles.

"Finally… the time has come."

The Serpentines were excited by the arrival of Urich, better known to them as the
Beast of the Apocalypse, in Hamel. He was the manifestation of will for the next
world and the one who would destroy this world of suffering. At some point, the
followers of Serpentism had been waiting for Urich.

‘The one leading Serpentism now is Ludmil the Guide.’

Urich glanced at the underground cavern.

‘When I met Trikee, Ludmil wasn't there.’

He slowly traced his memories.

“We will help you in any way we can,” Ludmil said with a wrinkled face.

‘But whatever happened here, this is an opportunity for me,’ Urich thought.

Trikee was already dead. Whatever had happened within Serpentism no longer
mattered to Urich.
“Please kill all the wicked nobles.”

“Punish those who took everything from us.”

Ludmil restrained the Serpentines clinging to Urich.

The warriors caught their breaths and treated their injuries. Just being able to relax
for a moment was a huge benefit.

‘We don’t even have a hundred who can fight properly after the last attack, so… ’

The Imperial Army was already on high alert, making the operation that was already
difficult to start with become even more impossible.

‘I have to get help from Serpentism no matter what.’

Urich listened to Ludmil explain the situation with Serpentism. There was no such
thing as an armed unit in the sewers.

“There’s something I want to ask.”

Urich chewed on a hard piece of bread. The other warriors also took a modest meal
while resting on the scarce food that the Serpentines gathered to treat Urich and his
warriors.

‘They probably do want to fight with us. And even if that’s not true, there’s no other
way but to join hands with Serpentism for now.’

Urich's mind raced quickly.

“I think I’ve answered all of your questions thus far?”

Ludmil squinted his eyes. The number of wrinkles on his face suggested he had
endured many hardships.

“Do you know someone named Joya?”

When an infectious disease spread through the Alliance Army, Urich received help
from Joya, who claimed to be a priest of Serpentism. Joya had disappeared quickly,
but his medicine had been very effective.
Ludmil stared intently at Urich before asking, “Who is that?”

Urich’s mouth twitched.

“No, it’s nothing.”

Urich looked toward the altar where Trikee’s corpse lay. The altar, covered with a
cloth, was worshipped by the believers.

“For now, you should be able to avoid the eyes of the empire here. Everyone here can
be trusted to keep quiet.”

Ludmil explained their long-prepared plan to overthrow Hamel. It was a

meticulously crafted plan that had been prepared for a long time.

“You’ve been hit hard once, so you know how terrifying flame oil can be.”

“You call it flame oil, huh.”

“Among our believers are servants in the imperial palace. They have even found out
where the flame oil is stored.”

That was enough for Urich to understand Ludmil's intention.

“Olga! Come here!”

Urich called Olga, who was resting, to his side. If the warriors were to act separately,
Olga was the only one he could entrust with commanding them.

“Can… we trust them?”

Olga looked at Ludmil and then asked Urich. Ludmil couldn’t understand the
conversation as the two were speaking in the tribal language.

“Even if we can’t trust them, we have to. Just like how I trust you to have my back.”

Olga shrugged and laughed. He nodded and squatted next to Urich.

Ludmil continued explaining the plan.

“The flame oil warehouse is outside the palace. It's known as a lumber warehouse,
but they disguise it as that because they have to keep fire away from it.”

“Do they really store something so important outside the palace?”

Urich frowned, stroking his chin.

“It’s probably because it’s such a tricky substance to handle. If mishandled, it could
burn the entire palace down.”

The empire still could not fully control flame oil, and it would still take quite some
time before it could be widely distributed.

“I’ve experienced its power firsthand. It lets their soldiers kill our warriors without
even touching their weapons,” Urich said, recalling the last exchange.

“If we raid the flame oil warehouse and set it on fire, the Imperial Army will be
drawn there. They can’t ignore the fire, as the entire city would be at risk.”

“And when they’re focused on the warehouse, we attack and open the gates?”

“We just have to wait three days. Among the warehouse guards is a follower of
Serpentism, and he will create an opening for us in two days.”

“Three days? We have to wait that long?”

Urich frowned. Waiting for that long made him uneasy as the agreed time had
already long passed. According to the plan, the gates should have been opened on the
morning of the invasion.

“Their guards must be on peak alert after your last attempt. It will be difficult to
break in without an insider.”

Urich hesitated to answer. He had a bad feeling, and Urich tended to trust his
instincts.

“Ludmil!”

A young boy hurried into the underground cavern, calling out for Ludmil.
“What’s the matter?”

“T-the Imperial Army is claiming that U-Urich is dead,” the boy stammered. Ludmil
calmed the boy down and listened to the situation outside.

“This is actually a chance for us. If a man thought dead returns, the Imperial Army
will be completely thrown off!”

Ludmil tried to dismiss it as nothing and send the boy away, but Urich grabbed him.

“Eeeeeek!”

The boy recoiled in fear, pulling his hand away.

The Beast of the Apocalypse was an ally of Serpentism, yet Urich still remained a
symbol of terror. Even the followers of Serpentism had heard countless terrifying
rumors about Urich, including the extraordinary number of civilized people who had
died at his hands.

“I don’t bite. I just have something to ask,” Urich said, trying to put the boy’s mind at
ease.

The boy nodded, swallowing hard.

“I-I’m sorry. I was so scared I couldn’t help but scream.”

The boy glanced at Ludmil then waited politely for Urich to speak.

“Did you tell the army outside the city that I’m dead?”

“Probably… Yes. I saw them loading burned corpses onto a cart and sending it
outside the castle.”

Urich rested his chin on his hand, pondering for a moment before looking at Ludmil.

“We don’t have time to wait for three days,” he said to the Serpentine.

“What do you mean?” Ludmil asked in shock.

“If they think I’m dead, the army will withdraw.”

“Are you saying they’ll abandon a battle they’ve almost won? Why would the army of
plunderers, which has terrified the civilized world, just run away like that?”

Ludmil was furious.

“The situation isn’t as favorable as you think. We infiltrated through the sewers
because there was simply no other way, and if we failed, it would be the end. On top
of that, if we suffer greater losses here, it will become an irreparable situation. It’s
more than likely that if they think I failed and died, they’ll retreat.”

If Porcana and the Alliance Army withdrew now, they would be safe for the time
being. After all, the empire had suffered significant damage and still had to deal with
the northern front as well as the independence issues of its vassal states.

‘But if we lose the entire army here, we’ll lose whatever chance we have left as well.’

They were missing the most crucial component to a long-term stand-off: supplies.
Without supplies, even the strongest warriors would starve. The Alliance Army had
been surrounding Hamel solely because of their belief that Urich would lead them to
victory.

‘If they think I’m dead, their belief in me will break and their morale will plummet. If
they’re starving and morale drops, it’s over. They won’t be able to fight anymore.’

Ludmil couldn’t understand Urich’s words as military knowledge was not a skill at
the disposal of Ludmil the Guide.

“The world is praying for the empire’s downfall! You are the will of the world, so
everything will help you! Failure is impossible!”

Other Serpentines muttered as well. To them, Urich was the one hope. He was the
divine being who would liberate them from the suffering imposed by the hierarchical
society.

“Victory in battle is determined by manpower, morale, and supplies. It has nothing to

do with the will of the world.”

Urich’s retort made the faces of Ludmil and the other priests harden.

‘This is not the kind of man we were waiting for as the Beast of the Apocalypse.’
The followers of Serpentism expected Urich to be a barbarian filled with madness
and fury. But here he was, the most cold-blooded man in the room.

‘How can a man so cold represent our anger… ’

Ludmil’s eyes were filled with disappointment as Urich tilted his head and looked at
the Serpentine.

“The raid is tonight, Ludmil.”

“The guards will be waiting for you! The Imperial Army will be watching the whole
city to catch you!”

Ludmil felt his plan falling apart.

“Haha, if there really is such a thing as the will of the world like you said, we’ll
succeed tonight. We can’t afford to wait three days. If we do, our army that’s
surrounding Hamel will leave.”

Before Ludmil could say anything, Urich gave orders to Olga.

“Olga, lead the warriors and raid the warehouse where the flame oil is stored and
distract the Imperial Army. It’s a dangerous task, so we probably won’t meet again
alive.”

Olga nodded. He recalled Six-Fingered’s words.

‘Beware of fire, that’s what Six-Fingered said. Surprisingly accurate. No wonder he’s the
priest of the Alliance.’

Olga chuckled. All signs were pointing to his death, and he could sense it coming.

‘If dying here is my fate, I have no choice but to accept it with dignity.’

The position of Great Chief was reserved by the heavens. If he was to die according to
the prophecy of fire, that was his fate. He simply wasn’t destined to become a Great
Chief.

‘I won’t run from my fate.’

Olga and Urich split the remaining warriors in half, one to raid the flame oil
warehouse to create a distraction, while the other half would open the city gates.

“If you and your warriors open the gates, we’ll rise up as well.”

Around Ludmil were men with crude weapons. They were supposedly the warriors
of Serpentism, but only a few seemed even remotely prepared.

‘Serpentism was originally a religion of the south, with many strong warriors.’

Urich recalled the Serpentine warriors he had encountered long ago. They were
formidable opponents.

‘But what is this Serpentism in front of me now… ’

It wasn’t the ideal dreamed of by Trikee, nor the savage religion of the south.
Serpentism, which had seeped into the lower classes of civilization, had mutated
several times.

“So what you’re saying is that you’ll just stay put if we fail.”

Ludmil answered with an awkward smile, but Urich didn’t blame him for the plan.

“…That’s a wise decision. Leading a rebellion with such a ragtag group would only
lead to meaningless deaths.”

Urich gestured to Olga, who then signaled to the resting warriors.

Clang, clang.

The wounded and exhausted warriors struggled to their feet, gathering their
weapons. Even minor wounds had festered due to the filthy sewers, and death
inevitably loomed over the warriors’ faces.

“The will of the world rests on your shoulders, Beast of the Apocalypse. Remember
that, and you shall win.”

Ludmil offered his blessing in his own way. Urich, about to start off with his guides,
scoffed and looked back at Ludmil.
“Ludmil the Guide, did Trikee trust you?” He asked the Serpentine.

“Of course. The Ark himself designated me as the Guide.”

Urich stared at Ludmil with his bright yellow eyes, making him flinch as if he were
facing a bear in the woods. Even though he wanted to stand calmly, his legs trembled
to the point where if it weren’t for his robes covering his legs, it would be obvious
that he was overwhelmed with fear.

“…Right, I’m sure he did,” Urich muttered and entered the dark, cave-like sewer.

Urich and the warriors followed the Serpentine guides and swiftly navigated the
maze-like sewers until the guides stopped at a fork.

“We must split up here. The left path leads to the warehouse, and the right path leads
to the city gates.”

The guides said, waiting for Urich’s decision.

Urich stepped forward, looking at Olga and the warriors.

“If I truly have the blessing of the heavens and the earth… I would like to share it
with my great brothers who stand here with me.”

Some warriors twitched their eyebrows. They were always bothered by this attitude
of Urich.

‘A man blessed more than anyone else by the heavens utters such blasphemous words…
’

Urich laughed heartily at the dissatisfied warriors’ reactions.

“Put your trust in your sword and trained body more than anything else, not even
the heavens. Don’t become weak enough to have to entrust your fate to the heavens.”

Some nodded, while others shook their heads. But despite the different reactions,
they all walked toward death together. No human could change the direction of life,
not even warriors. Every moment, including this one, was taking a step closer to
death.
The Frost Snake Tribe, Olga’s home, was a small tribe of just a few hundred people.

Located in the northwest, the Frost Snake Tribe's climate was dry and cool. Growing
up in the biting winds, Olga's skin became thick like a wild animal's, and his arms
were longer than most, making him adept with a spear.

‘I’ve practically lived my life like an evil spirit.’

While all western tribes valued survival above all, the Frost Snake Tribe engaged in
particularly fierce survival competition. During the time when small tribes in the
northwest were competing for resources, the monstrous entity known as the
Alliance appeared.

‘We had no choice but to submit for the survival of the tribe.’

The scale of the Alliance was larger than any tribe Olga had seen. Thousands of
warriors roaming the wastelands as one was truly a magnificent spectacle.

‘Unification of the tribes.’

The Alliance accomplished something that no one had even thought of. They
subjugated all the tribes they met on their journey to the westernmost end on foot.

After such achievements in conquest, one would think satisfaction would follow. But
the conquests were just the beginning. The true goal was to fight and win against the
humans beyond the mountains.

‘Our worldview has expanded. Our neighbors were no longer the tribes around us. The
concept of ‘us’ changed to encompass the entire tribal society, and ‘neighbor’ came to
refer to civilized people.’

Even tribes once considered enemies called each other brothers, standing shoulder
to shoulder in battle. It was a great revolution. Long-standing traditions and values
crumbled in the blink of an eye, and new orders infiltrated the Alliance daily.

A lot of things changed. Some adapted to the changes led by Urich, while others, like
Olga, resisted.

Olga envied Urich and Samikan for their achievements. How many who are born a
man wouldn’t want to spread their name across the world?

“Olga, Kurugak is dead,” a warrior acting as an adjutant said.

The warrior named Kurugak was lying face down in the sewage, already a lifeless
body. He had walked with his brothers until the end, but his soul had left his body.

The warriors collected Kurugak's weapons. If they survived this battle, they planned
to give him a proper funeral.

“We're all going to die,” a warrior at the back muttered. Initially, everyone pretended
not to hear and continued walking in silence.

“You all heard what Urich said. The protection of the heavens is no longer ours. Urich
rejected it himself.”

“Shut up.”

“You all feel it too. We're going to die here for no reason. We won't even achieve
victory.”

“I said shut up!”

The voices grew louder. Hearing the commotion, Olga glanced back.

Schluck.

Olga's spear pierced the throat of the warrior stirring up ominous feelings.

“If you… are a co… ward…, die.”

Olga was ruthless. In terms of cruelty, Olga was among the top within the Alliance.

“I don’t care if… your opinion is different… from mine…, but I will… not tolerate
cowards.”

The Frost Snake Tribe lived in one of the harshest environments in the west, so
harsh that their population was on a decline rather than prospering. To Olga, it was
only natural for those who were not useful to die. His approach was strictly based on
survival.

‘The weak die and the strong survive.’

Urich was strong. He was stronger than anyone, so even when he brought about
change, the warriors endured. No one had the right to oppose the change unless they
were stronger than him.

“We’re almost there,” the Serpentine guide said. An interpreter who spoke Hamelian
conveyed the message to Olga.

“Good.”

Soon, a dead-end appeared with a ladder leading up to the surface.

Creak.

The warriors climbed the ladder one by one, cautiously surveying the surroundings.
There was no sign of traffic as it was still the dead of night.

Rustle.

The warriors were either unarmored or in leather armor. They moved carefully,
holding their weapons to avoid making any noise.

“Keep going. Guide us until we get there.”

Olga nudged the guide forward, who seemed uneasy.

‘These men are our allies. They have come to change the world… ’

The guide tried to shake off the unease. The alleyways, which existed before Hamel
grew into an empire, were incredibly complex and disorganized due to a lack of
planned layouts.
“H-huh?”

A vagrant squatting in the alleyway opened his mouth wide upon seeing the
warriors.

“Kill him.”

Olga ran his thumb across his throat. A warrior covered the vagrant’s mouth and
stabbed a blade into his heart. Olga only left blood in his wake as they killed every
vagrant they encountered, even cutting the throats of those sleeping.

“T-there it is.”

The frightened guide pointed to a large warehouse.

“They don’t have as many guards as I expected.”

Olga tilted his head in confusion. Contrary to the description, the security didn’t
seem heavy at all.

‘If this is a warehouse storing something like flame oil, shouldn’t there be more guards
than this?’

The guards they could see were no more than ten. If they struck quickly, they could
deal with them before reinforcements arrived.

“Hanu, you take three… warriors and cover… the rear.”

Olga gestured as he gave the order. The warriors took their positions according to his
command.

“Huuup.”

Olga took a deep breath. He held a spear in one hand and lightly bounced in place.

“Hup!”

Olga stepped forward and hurled the spear forcefully.

Thwack!
Olga's spear struck a guard in the back. The warriors then silently moved in, taking
down the guards one by one. In an instant, seven guards were down on the ground.

‘What incredible skill.’

The guide couldn’t pick his jaw off the floor from the astonishment. He had never
seen people fight so well. The warriors ended the lives of their enemies mercilessly,
yet silently.

“Are you sure this is the place?” Olga asked the guide again. The guide nodded after
the words were translated.

“There are fewer guards than expected, but this is definitely the place,” the guide
replied uneasily. The warriors hid the bodies in the shadows and grabbed torches.

Creak.

Olga opened the door to the warehouse first and stepped inside. A pungent, volatile
smell pricked his nose.

‘This is the smell of flame oil.’

It was the same deathly smell he encountered in the sewers.

“Be careful with the torches. One wrong move, and we all die.”

The warriors gripped their torches tightly and illuminated the inside of the
warehouse.

“Olga, there’s nothing here.”

A warrior who had gone to the farthest end spoke.

“The warehouse is empty.”

Olga's eyes wavered. He knew his fate.

‘I was destined to perish with the fire.’

But his fate was not here. The empty warehouse was hollow, leaving only the smell
behind.

The empire had exhausted most of the flame oil in a single night to confront Urich
and the warriors, using an amount equivalent to half a year's budget of the Porcana
Kingdom. The only remaining flame oil was deployed on the city walls.

That was how much the empire and the emperor desperately wanted to drive Urich
out of the sewers. With no flame oil to guard, there was no need for many men
around the warehouse.

“Olga.”

The warriors waited for Olga's instructions, but Olga, for once, was also at a loss.
Hamel was an unfamiliar land that he had almost no information about.

‘We have to attract attention somehow.’

Hamel had many stone buildings, and water was easily accessible everywhere,
making arson ineffective. Even if that weren’t the case, Olga and the warriors didn't
know effective arson methods, and simply setting a fire wouldn't spread it to the
buildings.

‘There’s no flame oil… ’

Olga gripped the cracks in the stone wall and climbed onto the warehouse roof in a
swift, agile movement like that of a jaguar.

‘How can we shake up the Imperial Army? I need to create an opportunity for Urich to
attack the gate.’

Olga gazed at the imperial palace standing tall at the edge of the city.

“Hooo.”

Olga exhaled and jumped down from the roof. He looked at the warriors and then
tapped the guide’s shoulder with his spear shaft.

“Is there a way… to get over… there?”

The warriors widened their eyes as they heard Olga’s words and saw him pointing at
the distant palace. It was obvious what he was thinking.

“T-the imperial palace?”

Olga closed his eyes and then opened them.

“We’re going to go assassinate… the ‘emperor.’ Even if we fail, all the guards… will
come after… us. It might even be better… than the original plan…”

“The heavens are no longer on our side, so I guess we have no choice,” a warrior said
as if he had let go of all expectations.

The other warriors chuckled bitterly. Even if Olga’s plan succeeded, there was no
chance that any of them would make it out alive from breaking into the imperial
palace.

“If we had known this was going to happen, I would have followed Urich.”

“Right? I thought this would be easier and safer, but it’s actually the complete
opposite.”

The warriors exchanged glances and jokes. Even warriors who had survived
countless arrows and blades knew that it would be hard to avoid death this time.

“…I will not accept ob… jections. Die… with me.”

Olga declared, raising his spear blade, and the warriors gathered their weapons and
moved.

As the torches died out, the warriors blended into the dark alleys.

***

The Imperial Army was intoxicated by the small victory they got from burning down
all the invading barbarians.

The Imperial Army's high command propagated widely that Urich was dead to boost
morale, and the lower-ranking soldiers believed it. It wasn’t entirely a lie, as the
possibility of Urich's death was high.
“The maid who serves Sir Garter is my lover, and she said the high command believes
the war will end soon. They say that the demon is dead, so the enemy won't fight
anymore.”

“Sir Garter is that lecherous guy, right? You should be careful.”

“Hey, who cares about that right now? The important thing is that the war is ending!”

The palace guards chatted. They were mostly formed of low-quality recruits as many
seasoned soldiers had died in the battle against the barbarians.

“When this war ends, I’m leaving the army.”

“Where would you even go? Isn’t this the only thing you’re decent at?”

“I’m leaving to make use of that. The golden age of mercenaries is coming. Gerald
and Bucket have already agreed to form a mercenary squad with me. Since we’ll be a
mercenary squad with former imperial soldiers, we’ll be able to make some good
money! When a war starts, mercenary prices easily skyrocket three to four times.”

The other soldier, enticed by the words, flinched. There were already rumors that
mercenaries in the barbarian army were earning enormous wages. With increasing
military movements between kingdoms and the scent of war in the air, mercenaries'
prices were rising daily.

“Is that true? T-then count me in.”

“Do you have any savings? If you want to join us, you need to buy into the squad. We
have to build our force with our own money first.”

Their guard duty had become a secondary concern.

Wartimes allowed mercenaries to easily rise to prominence, and with the empire's
power waning, more soldiers entertained such thoughts. If successful, one could
even become a noble with land.

“Mark my words. Just three years as a mercenary will set you up for life.”

The soldier who found a new comrade smiled broadly.

The two guard soldiers pictured their futures after the war, and it was a dashing one.
Everyone liked to dream of wealth and glory.

Rustle, rustle.

The wind felt unsettlingly unstable.

“So, do you have a plan? If I’m going to invest, I need to hear what you have planned.
And how many could we even gather with just our money?”

“Apparently Bucket is actually a noble's illegitimate son. He said the Lord of Hoscaro
is his brother, so we’ll get investment from there. If we gather about ten former
Imperial soldiers, they’ll invest in a heartbeat.”

“Really?”

“You heard that the Giskin and Caselmaroni Kingdoms are at war, right? Soon a full-
scale war will start. Since the Giskin Kingdom falls under the pro-imperial faction,
they’ll accept a mercenary squad of former imperial soldiers with open arms. We’ll
start from there.”

Heads started to nod. The excited soldiers began making plans for the future, and
their stories progressed until they imagined receiving titles as war heroes.

“You’re completely right. Even if you serve in the Imperial Army for life, you’ll only
earn a pittance in the end… My father always said to have big dreams like a real man.
W-wait, w-what’s that?!”

Everyone’s got their own plans.

Thunk.

But most cannot put them into action for various reasons.

Blood splattered. The soldier with aspirations of forming a mercenary squad

staggered. He looked incredulously at the spear tip that had pierced his neck.

The remaining soldier instinctively raised his spear forward. He saw the barbarians
emerging from the darkness, approaching steadily.
“A-ahhh…”

The soldier opened his mouth in fear. He couldn’t understand why the barbarians
were here.

Olga and the warriors cut through the darkness and approached the palace’s side
gate. Their eyes gleamed fiercely in the torchlight.

“V-very well, then. I’ll b-be on my w-way!”

The Serpentine guide tried to flee but was caught by the Olga who slit his throat with
a dagger.

Slash.

Olga smeared the blood from the guide’s neck all over his body. The guide collapsed
without even getting to say his final words.

“Olga, didn’t you say this was an assassination? Why are you making so much noise
already? Hup! Die, you bastard!”

A warrior grumbled as he threw his axe. As the axe embedded itself in the guard’s
face, the two soldiers, who had shared a dream for a brief moment, lay dead side by
side.

“If we kill them all, that’s an assas… sination, is it not?”

Olga said, pulling the spear from the dead soldier’s head with a powerful yank. He
smiled lightly, shaking his head.

Deng, deng, deng.

The sound of the bell shattered the palace’s tranquility.

Yanchinus opened his eyes. His head felt heavy and dizzy like he was hungover.

‘I just wanted to lie down for a moment, but I ended up falling asleep.’

Fatigue weighed down his entire body. Since his time on the northern front, he had
rarely had a proper rest.

Yanchinus sat up in his bed and reached for a water glass beside him.

Gulp.

The cold water flowed down his throat. Yanchinus wiped his mouth and looked up at
the tinkling chains.

Clank.

At the end of a chain hanging from the ceiling was a woman, naked, her toes barely
touching the ground.

Her long, slender body had such a beautiful natural curvature it was hard to believe
she had borne a child.

Once the object of every man's courtship, the princess of Porcana had become a
mere plaything of Emperor Yanchinus.

“You’re awake.”

Damia, hanging from the chain with whip marks vivid on her back, opened her eyes
as if she were used to being in this position and looked at Yanchinus.

‘She’s still glaring at me.’

Yanchinus stared at Damia while holding the water glass. Any other woman would
have broken and surrendered, but Damia still maintained her pride.

‘Could she still look at me like that if I threw her into the dungeon naked with a bunch
of death row inmates?’

But it was all just an idea. No matter how much of a plaything she was, Damia was
still royalty. Throwing royalty to the lowly was out of the question.

“Urich is dead,” Yanchinus said as he set down the glass.

“That’s good news. That barbarian finally died…”

Damia smirked, her blue eyes shining through her flowing golden hair.

“You don’t seem very concerned even though he’s the father of your child.”

“My child has no father. Perhaps my son was granted by Lou.”

“Anyone can see Salone is Urich’s child. If he inherited Urich’s spirit, he probably
wouldn’t obey his mother. When he grows up, he’ll seek his destiny.”

Yanchinus chuckled.

“Do you really have the luxury to be concerned about me, Your Majesty? Even I have
heard rumors that the empire is trembling. Even the maids gossip about it.”

Damia swayed her body from side to side. The chains clanged as her smooth, naked
body gleamed in the moonlight.

“Haha, Damia. Your thorny tone is part of your charm, but…”

Yanchinus got up from the bed and stood in front of the hanging Damia.

Thud!

Yanchinus’ fist slammed into her stomach, making her body swing back and forth
violently.

Damia barely managed to suppress her groan. The more pain she showed, the more
pleasure Yanchinus derived. He was a man with twisted desires.
“You should really watch your mouth sometimes. Besides, who knows? I might
depose Varca and make you queen. Or I could recognize your son as mine and make
him king of Porcana.”

Even though there was a time when their interests aligned, the relationship between
Varca and Yanchinus was now completely severed.

Damia glared at Yanchinus as she endured the pain in her stomach that gradually
subsided.

“Right, I’m sure you’d do just that, won’t you, Your Majesty?”

Damia laughed, breathing heavily. Her laughter echoed off the stone floor.

“Damia, I like you.”

Yanchinus caressed her cheek as if the violence mere seconds ago had never
happened.

“Telling me you want to kill me would sound sweeter than that,” she sneered.

“When I torment you, I find peace. Because of that damned pride, you’ll never submit
to me. King Varca gave me a great gift.”

Creak.

Yanchinus choked Damia. She gasped for air as her body trembled and her eyes
rolled back while her consciousness faded.

Yanchinus felt Damia’s breath slowing. Her life and death were in his hands.

Clank.

Yanchinus released his grip and pushed Damia back. She coughed and wheezed for
air several times.

Her consciousness was still blurry and it felt like she had stepped back from the
brink of death.

“The night is still young, Damia.”

Yanchinus pulled a box from under his bed, which contained various tools to satisfy
his perverted desires. Damia’s body, having seen this box countless times, reacted
instinctively at the sight of it.

‘Why haven’t I killed myself yet?’

Damia let out a small laugh. After being put through so much by the emperor, most
women would have either killed themselves or gone mad. Many had been broken by
the emperor.

‘Is it pride, stubbornness, or some kind of hope for the future…?’

Damia opened her eyes faintly. Yanchinus pulled out a long, sharp needle. Just
thinking about what he would do with it was terrifying.

Knock, knock.

A knight knocked on the door from outside. Unless it was something very important,
no one would call for the emperor at this hour.

“Ah, what a shame. Come in!”

Yanchinus called out, putting on his coat.

“Barbarians have infiltrated the palace! Your Majesty, this way, quickly!” The knight
entered and spoke without formalities.

“Barbarians?”

Yanchinus, unfazed, grabbed his sword and donned his cloak. The knight pretended
not to see the hanging Damia and continued the report.

“Perhaps it’s the remnants who survived the sewers,” Yanchinus said.

“They’re targeting you, Your Majesty. It’s highly unlikely that they will make it here,
but it would be best to evacuate.”

“No, I want to see their faces myself. Call the knights.”

“Guard Captain Audran is already leading the troops. They’re trapped from both
ends, so they won’t be able to escape.”

Yanchinus laughed at the report.

‘This is the end, Urich.’

The palace invasion was likely Urich’s doing. He must have decided to break in,
thinking that he knew the layout of the imperial palace well enough for an effective
raid.

Step, step.

Yanchinus led the knights who had just woken up into the palace garden. The sound
of weapons clashing was already loud.

“You let them reach the garden,” Yanchinus spoke as if holding someone accountable.
The knight in command reported the situation.

“These barbarians fight incredibly well. But now that our forces have gathered, this
is as far as they’ll get.”

“Is Urich among them?”

“I’m afraid that hasn’t been confirmed, Your Majesty. It was too dark to see clearly,
but the prowess of the barbarian at the forefront was remarkable.”

“Capture him alive if possible.”

Yanchinus crossed his arms, tapping his forearm with his fingers. He didn’t bother to
reveal himself to the barbarians. Instead, he looked down at the garden from the
second-floor corridor.

“Your Majesty, please wait here.”

Leaving only the guard detail, the other knights joined the battle.

“Aaah, aaaah!” A barbarian screamed.

The garden was a mess of blood, with human entrails dangling from the carefully
tended trees.
“Kill them aaaaall!”

A warrior with an arrow lodged in his shoulder howled like a beast. His eyes were
bloodshot, making him look less than human, but the soldiers hesitated at his
fierceness.

“Olgaaaaaa! Where are we supposed to go?” The warrior cried out at the top of his
lungs as he slashed at the approaching soldiers.

Olga looked around. He had been blindly tearing through the palace by instinct, but
finding the emperor without any real information was never going to be easy. None
of the warriors present even knew what the emperor looked like.

“If we kill… them all, the emperor’s… corpse should be among them!”

Olga paused to catch his breath. Though each warrior seemed to have killed at least
five soldiers, new ones continued to spawn from somewhere.

“There are so goddamn many of these sons of bitches, kagh!”

A cursing warrior was shot down by an arrow from somewhere.

The advantage of raiding at night had run out. The Imperial Army was responding
with their armor on with their crossbowmen loading their weapons at the windows
and armored knights advancing from the front.

‘At this rate, we’re going to be wiped out.’

Though they had come prepared to die, they had no intention of doing so in vain.

—Fire will determine your fate.

Six-Fingered’s words flashed like the wind.

‘Fire, fire, fire.’

Olga looked around for fire. He grabbed a torch he saw on the wall and threw it into
the garden.

‘Please burn!’
But the summer garden didn’t catch fire easily. The damp soil and branches did not
readily ignite.

‘What does Six-Fingered mean by the fate of fire?’

Olga struck an advancing soldier’s head with his spear, knocking him down. He then
raised his foot and stomped hard on the fallen soldier’s head.

Crunch!

The sensation of the soldier’s neck breaking traveled up his foot.

“Hooo.”

Olga rolled his eyes. Being open on all sides, the garden put the warriors at a
disadvantage. It was not a good place to fight.

Peeee!

Olga whistled to signal the warriors and then leaped through a window into the
building.

“Kuuuugh!”

Only about ten warriors managed to safely follow Olga inside. The rest were killed by
the pursuing imperial soldiers.

“Come on, you piece of shit bastards!”

The warriors shoved back the soldiers climbing through the windows, stabbing them
with their swords. Blood dripped from the windowsill.

“Is there anything here that can start a fire?” Olga muttered.

“What the hell are you babbling about! They’re coming!”

The warriors couldn’t even catch their breath as they faced the attacking soldiers,
but fighting in the narrow corridor was still an improvement.

“U-uhh.”
The advancing soldiers hesitated and retreated, lacking the courage to charge at the
growling barbarians in the narrow corridor. It was evident that whoever charged
first would also be the first to die.

“Move aside!”

Armored knights pushed through the soldiers and advanced.

The warriors fought desperately until the end. Even as they fell, they did everything
in their power to take the enemy down with them.

“Keke, damn you, Six-Fingered.”

Olga laughed, tilting his blood-soaked head back.

‘There’s no fate of fire anywhere.’

Only cold steel stared back at Olga. He was tangled in Six-Fingered’s prophecy, lost in
meaningless thoughts.

Bang! Bang!

Olga and the warriors occupied a reception room and blocked the door with
furniture.

“Olga, did we do it?”

A warrior who was bleeding heavily from his stomach muttered before collapsing.
He died without seeing the operation succeed.

Olga looked out the window, but there were no significant signs at the gates of Hamel
just yet.

Thwip!

An arrow shot through the window, fired by the crossbowmen waiting below the
window. Olga dodged it just in time.

‘Including myself, we have… five left.’

Blocking the entrance with heavy furniture gave the warriors a moment to catch
their breath.

“Six-Fingered… predicted my fate would be determined by fire. In the sewers… the

moment I saw the flames, I thought I would die…”

Olga looked at his side which was stinging from a lesion. It seemed he got the wound
while tangling with the soldiers.

Olga held his side and stood up.

“But… even after seeing… the flames, I didn’t die…”

Breathing was only becoming more difficult. He felt his body cooling down as the
blood flowed out of his side like a broken dam rather than stopping.

“Maybe Six-Fingered is just a quack.”

The warriors laughed as they sensed that their death was imminent.

Thwack!

A spearhead burst through the door and furniture. The warrior who was blocking
the door with his back fell forward, pierced by the spear.

Crash!

The barricaded door broke down and the remnants of the furniture scattered
everywhere. The knights who rushed in mercilessly grabbed and beat the warriors
while their steel armor deflected the warriors' weapons.

“Capture that one alive!”

Olga swung his weapon while watching the other warriors die. The shaft of his spear
broke against the armor, but he grabbed the floating spearhead and thrust it
between the knight's faceplate, piercing the eye and reaching the brain.

“Hup.”

A single breath was all he managed to breathe in. He bent down and picked up an axe
from the ground, then rolled on the ground to strike another knight's leg.

Thud.

The knight who was struck in the back of his knee knelt. Olga grabbed the knight's
helmet and rammed his knee down on it.

Crunch.

Olga's kneecap broke, but the knight also couldn't regain his senses due to the
concussion.

Limp.

Olga limped backward toward the window, startling the soldiers who witnessed his
combat prowess, having taken down two knights in an instant.

“Are you all dead?”

The warriors who had vowed their last stand moments ago were now all bloody
corpses. Alone, Olga leaned against the window.

Thwip!

An arrow embedded in Olga’s back. He flinched and looked back. It was quite high,
but the ground below was soft dirt.

He threw himself out the window and absorbed the impact by rolling on his
shoulder and back. The arrow in his back wobbled and broke, but the arrowhead dug
deeper.

“K-kugh.”

He exhaled heavily as he rose to his feet. Three crossbowmen stared at him. One was
reloading, and the other two aimed at Olga.

Twang!

The crossbowmen pulled their triggers. Olga focused on just one of them as he didn’t
have the strength to pay attention to both.
‘Just focus on one and leave the other to fate.’

Olga read the trajectory of the arrow coming straight at him and leaned to the side.
However, the arrow that was shot from the side pierced his armpit.

“I-is he a monster?!”

Even after being hit by the arrow, Olga did not fall. He threw his axe and killed the
crossbowman in front, then climbed over the wall and wandered the imperial palace.

“He’s over there! He went that way!”

The soldiers who arrived late chased Olga to the end. It wasn’t hard to track him
down.

Wheeze, wheeze.

There stood Olga, leaning against the wall, breathing heavily. He was practically a
walking corpse, yet the soldiers dared not approach him carelessly.

“Go and bind him!”

A knight pushed a soldier forward. The soldier hesitated as he approached Olga.

Schluck.

Olga stretched out a hidden dagger and stabbed the soldier in the neck, but not even
having the strength to shove the soldier away, he let the body fall onto him.

“T-that barbarian bastard!”

If it weren't for the order to capture him alive, they would have already killed him
from a distance with a spear.

Step, step.

Heavy footsteps sounded behind the soldiers. The soldiers and knights nodded in
respect.

“…It’s not Urich.”

Emperor Yanchinus looked at Olga and murmured with disappointment evident on
his face. He had thought Urich was leading the remaining warriors.
Olga looked at the man wearing the violet eagle cloak. Judging by the behavior of
those around him, it was clear that he was the emperor.

‘I have the emperor right in front of me, yet I can't even move a finger.’

Olga's body was growing cold. Blood poured out, soaking the ground, and his eyes
flickered like candle flames.

“Did you think such a crude night raid would succeed?”

Yanchinus prodded Olga's side wound with his sword.

“G-geuuugh.”

Olga howled like a beast, feeling as if his entrails were being torn apart.

The knights grabbed and bound Olga’s arms so that Yanchinus could take a step
closer.

Olga was practically a corpse. No matter how great a warrior, they could not fight
with a torn body, and anyone died when they bled out.

“Do you speak our language?” Yanchinus asked, shaking off the blood from his blade.
Olga could only wheeze.

Olga mustered his strength to try to get back on his feet, but the knight beside him
seized the moment to punch his face.

Crack!

Olga’s nose broke. He was on the brink of passing out as blood trickled down his
throat with each breath.
“Is Urich alive? Or is he dead?”

Yanchinus asked regardless of whether Olga understood or not. At the mention of

Urich, Olga reacted and lifted his head.

‘Am I going to burn to death?’

He had fought and lost. Olga awaited the enemy’s decision, knowing well that the
fate of the defeated was in the hands of the victor.

‘Six-Fingered told me I had a fate of fire.’

But there was no such thing in sight.

‘The only thing I have left now is death, and if there is no flame even there, then what
did I…?’

The knights dragged Olga by his arms.

“Hang him at the entrance of the imperial palace.”

Yanchinus lost interest in Olga. He was an ignorant barbarian who didn't even speak
Hamelian. The disappointment was great because he had thought Olga was Urich,
even if it was only for a brief moment.

The nearly dead Olga was dragged along by the soldiers. It wouldn’t have been
surprising if he died at any moment.

“Don’t die just yet. There are a ton of people who want to see you suffer.”

A knight chuckled and slapped Olga’s cheek. Olga's face was covered in blood and his
facial bones were fractured, making his features almost unrecognizable.

Wheeze, wheeze.

Olga faintly opened his eyes as he breathed steadily with bloody phlegm. Sunrise was
still hours away.

There were many people milling around the entrance of the imperial palace, drawn
by the nighttime commotion. They cheered at the sight of the barbarian being
dragged out.

“You dirty barbarian scum!”

“Long live the emperor!”

“Kill him! Kill hiiiim!”

Olga looked at the civilized people who were shouting and hurling stones at him.

“Yanchinus, the guardian of the empire!”

Yanchinus deliberately showed himself before the citizens, displaying his vitality and
the fate of the ambushing barbarians.

‘As long as His Majesty is here, Hamel will never fall.’

Yanchinus had successfully defended the city. The citizens of Hamel, who had been
trembling with fear, finally went to bed peacefully.

“Long live the emperor! Hooray!”

The citizens of Hamel shouted loudly with joy, drawing even those who were asleep
to open their windows and gather.

“Your Majesty, perhaps you would like to head inside now.”

“No, I’ll stay to see his end.”

The knights dragged Olga up to the palace gate, planning to hang him in front of the
people.

Creak.

The knights placed a noose around Olga’s neck. His eyes widened, but it wasn’t
because he was afraid of death.

‘I don’t see fire anywhere.’

What he saw were people throwing stones as their anger and hatred reached his
skin.

“Kek, kek.”

Olga coughed up blood and laughed. There was no such thing as a fate of fire. Was it
because he missed his chance to die in the sewers? The only thing that awaited him
was a cold death.

‘I was a fool to seek the fate of fire after listening to Six-Fingered.’

The noose around his neck was rough. A knight pushed Olga to the edge of the
platform with a sword in his back.

“Any last words, barbarian?”

Olga didn’t understand the words, but he got the message. After all, execution
customs were similar everywhere.

Life was the most precious thing, and even the most despicable criminal was granted
a final word as once the flame of life was extinguished, it was gone forever.

“…There are no flames.”

It was a laugh tinged with regret. He clung to the fate bestowed by the heavens
because he believed there was a fate meant for him as well, just as Urich and
Samikan embraced their great destinies.

A bizarre and mysterious shaman had foretold his fate. However, even in the face of
death, the destiny foretold by the shaman did not appear.

Even at the very end of everything, there was no fate of fire.

Olga thought of Urich, whom he felt a sense of rejection toward, much like other
warriors.

‘Urich does not believe in fate.’

If Urich was someone to believe in the heavens, he would not have crossed the Sky
Mountains in the first place. Breaking taboos was always the act of an impure one.
Although those of the Alliance felt and believed in Urich’s divinity, Urich himself
acted as if he rejected it.

Olga knew there was no fate of fire for him and that it was all just a wordplay.

The cheers of those awaiting his death spread.

“…Urich.”

Olga tilted his head to the side. Amid the chilling crowd, someone in armor was
running frantically.

A knight pushed his back. As his weight shifted downward, the rope tightened
around his neck.

Squeeze.

Olga was running out of oxygen, but he merely laughed through the pain.

As Yanchinus saw Olga's laughter, he felt a chill in his chest. His previously stuck
mind raced quickly.

“Your Majesty!”

A messenger rudely broke through the crowd, but Yanchinus frowned even before
hearing the news that the messenger brought. It was not the time to leisurely watch
an execution.

“Send troops to the city gates immediately!” Yanchinus shouted.

The knights hesitated momentarily, bewildered. The messenger, still catching his
breath, continued.

“Barbarians have attacked the city gates!”

Some of the troops at the gates and the patrols had gathered at the palace, and the
defense of the city gates was weakened just as much.

‘We can handle their external attacks as long as we need to, but if they attacked from
within, that would make things different.’
How could the barbarians move so efficiently inside Hamel? A group of barbarians
moved in two groups without being detected. It was a strategy far beyond Yanchinus’
expectations.

A commotion broke out, and Olga was dying in the midst of it. Blood-mixed saliva
dripped from his mouth and his half-closed eyes were blurry. His consciousness
lasted only for a moment.

His thoughts faded and darkness fell before his eyes, and soon, he saw nothing even
when his eyes were open…

But Olga was certain of one thing. He saw the success of Urich in the desperate
expression of the running soldier.

It was quiet. No sound could be heard. In the end, there were no flames.

***

The planned fire did not happen. Urich waited on a rooftop for the situation to
unfold, but the city did not catch fire.

“Urich, we must consider the possibility that Olga failed.”

A warrior who had come scouting with Urich muttered. They lay flat on the roof,
observing the movements below.

“If Olga fails, we fail too.”

Urich watched the city gates. Just the imperial troops they could see alone numbered
over dozens. Inside the city, patrols with torches moved frequently.

Despite reaching the promised time, there were no grand explosions or fires.
Instead, the sound of bells breaking the night’s silence spread through the alleys one
by one.

“The barbarians have attacked the imperial palace!”

Not only the patrols but most of the troops guarding the gates rushed to the imperial
palace as the scale of the barbarian raid unit was not known.
The imperial palace was where the emperor was, and if he died, even the greatest
Imperial Army would lose its center and collapse.

“What are they saying, Urich?”

A warrior who didn’t understand the soldiers’ Hamelian asked Urich.

Urich closed and opened his eyes as he clenched his fists tightly. He too had no way
of knowing what had happened to Olga.

‘One thing that’s clear is that things didn’t go as planned.’

Olga and the warriors attacked the imperial palace. There was no better way to draw
attention. However, it was far more dangerous than setting the flame oil warehouse
ablaze.

“Call the warriors in the sewers. It’s time to move.”

The warrior nodded at Urich’s words and awkwardly climbed down from the roof.
He quickly crawled along the ground and peeked into the sewer entrance.

“Urich is calling us. Let’s go.”

The warriors resting at the sewer entrance opened their eyes and shortly after, one
by one, they climbed to the surface and laughed as they breathed in fresh air for the
first time in a while.

“Olga must have succeeded!”

“I knew it. You can always depend on Olga.”

While those watching the outside remained, the number of patrols and troops
guarding the inside had reduced by half, significantly thinning out the security at the
gate. The knights especially rode their horses in a hurry to protect the emperor
without hesitation.

Emperor Yanchinus was a man who had a clear reward and punishment system.
Saving the emperor’s life promised enormous rewards, and the knights, eager for
glory, abandoned their posts in a heartbeat.
‘Olga did his part.’

Urich slid down from the roof and looked at the warriors gathered in the alley.

“Georg, as soon as the gate opens, ride to our camp and let them know that I am
alive.”

Urich gestured toward Georg.

The warriors drew their weapons, waiting for Urich’s signal.

Deng, deng, deng!

The sound of the bell grew louder. The entire city was in chaos due to the attack on
the imperial palace. Anxiety spread, and the area around the gate became disorderly.

The guards at the gate were also buzzing with the news of the barbarian night raid.

“Did you hear that the barbarians have attacked the imperial palace?”

“Must be the ones who survived from the sewers.”

“I’m not sure if it's lucky or unlucky that we’re not on palace guard duty.”

“Of course, it’s lucky. I wouldn’t face those barbarians directly no matter how much
money I’m offered. They’re that terrifying.”

“Eh? Where’s Sir Pallen?”

“He rode off to go to the palace earlier.”

“Then it’s just us here.”

Realizing this made them anxious. They knew that the barbarians were attacking the
imperial palace, but thinking that they were alone without the protection of the
knights sent shivers down their spines.

“Don’t worry. Look up at the wall; that’s the infamous Urich hanging up there. Lou
has finally shined his light upon us.”
“Do you really think that’s Urich’s body?”

A soldier standing under the gate looked up at the wall with uneasy eyes. The higher-
ups had told them that the charred corpse on the pole was Urich, but there was no
way to verify it because the body was burnt.

“I’ve seen Urich before during a jousting tournament. I bet on him and won quite a
bit. I knew he was something special the moment I first saw him.”

A soldier who knew Urich reminisced.

Sssss.

The torches flickered as a shadow briefly fluttered behind the alley.

“Who’s there?”

“You go check. I bought the drinks last time, remember?”

“Ugh, fine.”

The soldier grumbled and walked forward.

‘Probably just a vagrant.’

Vagrants had been appearing more frequently lately with the combination of the
proud security of Hamel deteriorating during the war and refugees who had lost
their homes flocking to Hamel.

“I won’t banish you outside the walls in times like this, so just come out,” the soldier
said, looking into the dark alley as he raised the tip of his spear.

“…You promise?”

A deep, low voice came from the alley.

“If you go outside the walls now, you’re as good as dead. I’m not that heartless.”

Footsteps echoed from the dark alley. In the faint moonlight, a figure emerged.
“Remember that mercy. That’s what saved your life.”

Crunch!

It all happened in a flash. The last thing he saw before collapsing unconscious to the
ground was a huge fist.

Step, step.

Urich wiped the blood off his fist and stepped out into the alley.

“A-ah…!”

The soldier, who had just watched his comrade fly, felt his heart stop. He stared at
Urich with wide eyes and clearly remembered the face and massive frame.

“U-U-U… rich!”

The soldier's body stiffened. He would have preferred to meet a bear in a forest
instead of the monster that had destroyed the civilized world that was standing
before him. His trousers were stained yellow as he wet himself without even
realizing it, and his chattering teeth showed no signs of stopping.

Urich wasn’t the only one who emerged from the dark alley. Warriors with loosely
held weapons followed him out, shaking their heads left and right, looking at the
soldiers.

“For our lost brothers.”

Creak, creak.

The tents were being quietly withdrawn as the Alliance Army prepared to retreat
while the sun was still down in order to avoid any unexpected counterattacks from
the empire.

‘The Imperial Army probably doesn’t know how starved we are.’

Belrua slowly chewed the last piece of jerky, savoring it slowly, almost as if she were
trying to dissolve it in her mouth. With supply lines completely cut off, the Porcana-
Alliance army was in a state of famine.

‘We’ve even lost our hope in victory. It’s over.’

Staying here longer would only result in starvation and annihilation. The best course
of action was to plunder the imperial lands on the way back and inflict as much
damage on the empire as possible.

“Even though we’re without Urich, we still need to prepare for the next step.”

Belrua looked at the Alliance Army busy with their preparations for withdrawal.

‘Even if it weren’t for Six-Fingered’s divination, it’s highly likely that Urich is dead.’

The situation was dire. It would have been more comforting to see bodies struck
down by swords, but most of the warriors who invaded Hamel had burned to death.

“Belrua, do you really think Urich is dead? How can we retreat now after coming this
far?”

A warrior draped in a bear skin approached, voicing his discontent. He was the chief
of the Karkar Tribe which was located in the westernmost part of the west.
“It’s already been decided, and besides, there was the priest’s omen too. What glory
do we gain by holding out here any longer?” Belrua replied coldly, though she wasn’t
keen on retreating either.

“We must fight to the end. We can’t run away without even trying to fight.”

“Charging head-first into a meaningless death is not what bravery is.”

“The warriors will remember the cowardice of today.”

The Karkar chief turned away and disappeared.

‘Even the Alliance is finished. What a short golden age it was.’

Returning home would mean the tribes close to each other would group together
and form several factions, effectively disbanding the Alliance. The two warriors who
led the unification of the west were gone. Without Samikan and Urich, maintaining
the Alliance was impossible.

‘The tribes near the Sky Mountains are both advantaged and disadvantaged. They will
be the first to start interacting with civilization, whether through trade or war.’

Belrua’s Red Sand was also a tribe close to the Sky Mountains.

‘We must seek trade, not war. The empire will covet our lands again once they stabilize,
so we need to forge alliances with the kingdoms near the Sky Mountains and grow
stronger.’

Belrua closed her eyes as she contemplated the future. The era of war was over, and
both the empire and the west had suffered immense losses. The west had brought
almost every man to the war, which meant that if they were annihilated here, only
the elderly and children would be left in the west.

“Even if they call it cowardice, someone has to make the cowardly decision.”

Belrua chuckled. She touched her empty side. The meteorite dagger she always
carried like a talisman was gone as she had offered it to Great Chief Urich as a
tribute.

‘If the will of the heavens dwells in that dagger, it will protect you.’
The meteorite iron was a mystical metal that fell from the sky and was the reason
Belrua could become the chief of her tribe despite being a woman. The rise and fall
of humans were the will and fate of the heavens, and Belrua, like the other warriors,
believed so.

‘If this is the end for us, that’s just the decision of the heavens.’

Though they never managed to uncover the secrets of imperial steel in the end, the
metallurgy of the west had advanced significantly. Not just metallurgy, they quickly
adopted the advanced technologies of civilization. It was only a matter of time before
the west became developed.

Despite the bloody war, barbarian culture and civilization had made contact, and
their exchange would continue in the future, whether for better or worse.

“Ultimately, it was because of Urich that we didn’t end up as their slaves…”

The clash between the west and civilization wasn’t Urich’s fault. Even without Urich,
the civilized would have discovered the west and started another conquest while the
western warriors wouldn’t have dared to break the taboo and cross the Sky
Mountains. Only Urich longed for and explored the unknown beyond the Sky
Mountains.

Even if they returned to the west now, Urich would remain a hero, admired and
revered by countless warriors.

‘Maybe Urich disappearing this way is the best outcome for me.’

Belrua had Samikan’s child—a son, no less. A man who didn’t avenge his father was
despised, but Urich was such a towering figure that even when her son grew up,
there was no way he would even be able to dare to challenge him.

‘If Urich had survived and won this war, he would become an invincible warrior no one
could surpass. Those who lived in his time would shine as mere fireflies compared to his
radiant light.’

Belrua smiled bitterly. She too was a legendary hero of the Red Sand Tribe, greatly
prospering her tribe. Not just her, but many warriors in the Alliance had their own
glorious heroic tales.
‘But all these heroics are meaningless before Urich.’

He crossed the Sky Mountains with just his bare body and returned to the west with
only his spirit and became the Great Chief. Compared to that, defeating ten men
alone or surviving a fight with a bear bare-handed were trivial feats.

Tap, tap.

The sound of a staff striking the ground echoed. Bone fragments clicked.

Belrua knew who it was just by the sound.

“Six-Fingered.”

Belrua’s eyes were fierce. She felt an urge to strangle Six-Fingered to death.

‘A cunning snake-like man.’

Everyone knew of Six-Fingered’s schemes and intrigues. Yet, he was still the priest of
the Alliance, difficult for anyone to easily challenge. His influence among the
common warriors was still immense.

“Belrua, thank you for leading the decision to retreat.”

Six-Fingered showed his yellow teeth.

“I didn’t do it out of fondness toward you. There was simply no other choice,” Belrua
replied coldly.

“We have achieved much. What remains is to return to our home with the glory and
share it.”

“Glory? Where’s the glory in running away?”

“We will unify once more. You have Samikan’s child. Ten years should be enough. I
will support that child.”

Belrua laughed, clutching her belly, at Six-Fingered’s words.

‘Samikan, Urich, and then my son after them… ’

She could see right through Samikan’s head.

“He is the child of you and Samikan. He will eventually fulfill the destiny of the
heavens and he won’t live an ordinary life. With my help, he could achieve greater
feats than the previous two Great Chiefs.”

“And if my son doesn’t align with you, you will make him your enemy just like you
did with Samikan and Urich. You are a maggot, Six-Fingered.”

“Enough with the insults, Belrua. I am the priest of the Alliance. No one can seize
control of the Alliance without my support now.”

There was no more Samikan or Urich, who were absolute presences in the Alliance.
In a way, it became a true tribal alliance only after they were gone. Everyone had
equal power and influence to keep each other in check.

“If the righteous heavens are watching you, you will surely be doomed, Six-Fingered.
I am already looking forward to how terrible your end will be.”

“I know the will of the heavens better than anyone.”

“You mean you deceive the heavens better than anyone. I’ll ask you once more. Did
the heavens really say that Urich is dead?”

“Without a doubt.”

Six-Fingered laughed, holding his numerous fingers to his face. His eyes gleamed
between them.

“How much truth is there in the words that come out of your mouth…”

“I take it you’ve rejected my offer.”

Six-Fingered grinned, knowing that he was the one with leisure. If Belrua didn’t take
his hand, he just had to find someone else.

‘There are always those who crave power. There has to be some chiefs in the Alliance
who won’t be able to refuse my offer.’

Six-Fingered greeted Belrua and left the tent. The warriors were busily moving, as
they had to abandon the camp and move before dawn.

Then.

“Uuuuuuriiiiich is aliiiiiiive!”

Six-Fingered looked startled in the direction of the voice. A warrior who was on
scout duty was running back to the camp, out of breath.

“Urich is not dead! He’s aliiiiiiive!”

The scout shouted until his voice was hoarse. His voice was so loud that even the
sleeping warriors woke up and listened.

“What did you say?”

“Urich is alive! Our Great Chief is not dead!” The scout shouted repeatedly, grabbing
the shoulders of everyone he saw. The warriors’ eyes widened at his words.

“What is this nonsense!”

The chiefs rushed out, stopping the scout.

“Urich is alive and fighting the Imperial Army! We must go help the Great Chief
immediately!”

“How do you know that?”

Six-Fingered frowned, standing before the scout. The chiefs of the Alliance
simultaneously turned their eyes to the priest.

‘Priest Six-Fingered clearly said Urich was dead.’

Six-Fingered had declared Urich’s death in front of the entire alliance. Sharp gazes
focused on him.

“It might be a false rumor spread by the enemy… We must not fall into their trap.”

Six-Fingered spread his arms, drawing the attention of the chiefs and warriors.
‘Urich cannot be alive. Why now… ’

So much sweat was pouring down Six-Fingered’s face that the black pigment on his
face was about to wash off.

“Urich is alive!”

Georg appeared along the path the scout had come. He, limping, was being
supported by another scout.

He spoke in broken tribal language, looking at the warriors.

While Urich and the warriors fought, Georg escaped Hamel on horseback. After he
was knocked off his horse by an arrow from a crossbowman, he limped his way to
the Alliance camp.

“There seems to be a large movement at the gates of Hamel! Something is definitely

happening.”

Warriors with keen eyesight shouted as they returned from the hill.

“Urich is alive, you goddamned barbariaaaaans! Grab your weapons and go fight! The
gate is open! I said the gate is open!” Georg shouted in a mix of Hamelian and the
tribal language.

Georg was also severely injured. He had been shot in the shoulder with an arrow, and
his leg was so badly twisted he couldn’t walk on his own.

“Urich? Urich is alive?”

The chiefs murmured among themselves. Georg called for the leaders of the civilized
mercenaries and continued shouting.

“Grab your weapons and go! Everything in Hamel is yours! The treasures of the
imperial palace and even the emperor’s women are ours!” Georg shouted at the top
of his lungs. He was extremely aggravated.

Six-Fingered, sensing the gravity of the situation, drew his ceremonial dagger and
pressed it against Georg’s throat.
“This man comes from civilization! He is trying to lead us into a trap on the enemy's
orders! Haven’t you seen my omen? Urich is dead!”

Georg was greatly dismayed. After all the trouble to get here, now Six-Fingered was
trying to kill him.

“You goddamn druggy!”

Georg's face contorted. Time was of the essence as Urich and the warriors couldn’t
hold the gates open for long. If the troops from the palace returned, Urich and the
warriors would be as good as dead.

“No one here believes your deceitful mouth that couldn’t even withstand Samikan’s
torture! Despite Great Chief Urich’s grace, you betrayed him yet again and came back
alive alone!”

Six-Fingered spat out, observing the reactions of the chiefs and warriors. The
opinion was still divided.

“He’s alive, Urich is alive. He’s fighting and waiting for his brothers right now, you
idiots!”

Georg shouted until his voice cracked. After all the effort to get here, everything was
about to go to waste.

The decision was being delayed at a time when even if the warriors grabbed their
weapons and ran immediately, they were barely going to make it in time.

Hearing the commotion, Belrua ran out of the tent.

“Is that true, Georg?”

“If I’m lying, you can skin me and make clothes out of my hide, Belrua!”

Belrua’s pupils shook.

‘Urich is alive?’

Whether Urich was dead or alive, it was going to be a problem for her. He was the
warrior her son would have to face as an enemy in the future.
Belrua’s eyes met Six-Fingered’s, who squinted and nodded slightly toward Belrua as
if he was trying to emphasize that Urich’s death was beneficial for both of them.

The moment she saw Six-Fingered, Belrua’s dilemma ended.

Her son’s issues were still in the distant future, but Six-Fingered was a filthy scum
standing right in front of her. That was reason enough.

“Six-Fingered…” Belrua growled like a leopard, curling up her lips. “…You’re finished,
you son of a bitch! We’re going to go fight alongside our Great Chief Urich, grab your
weapons!”

As if they were waiting, the warriors belonging to Urich’s faction jumped up. They
grabbed whatever weapons were at hand and grouped with nearby warriors.
According to Georg, time was of the essence.

“Belrua! You’ll regret this! It’s a trap! Urich is dead!”

Six-Fingered tried to stop the warriors in a panic, but no warrior paid any attention
to the priest. They were tired of the siege and hunger, and if Urich was alive on top of
that, they had no reason not to fight.

“Shut your mouth! When we come back alive, you’ll be begging me to kill you! The
late Samikan will be glad to welcome you with open arms!”

Belrua shouted, kicking Six-Fingered. It was a significant disrespect, but if this was
indeed a trap of the Imperial Army, Belrua wouldn’t return alive anyway, and if Urich
was alive, it would be the end for Six-Fingered.

“Ooooooh! Let’s goooo! If you’re hungry, eat their flesh, and if you’re thirsty, drink
their blood!”

Belrua called a messenger and informed the Porcana army of Urich’s survival as well.

Before long, Urich’s survival, once doubted, became accepted as fact. The warriors
who believed Urich was alive ran toward the gates of Hamel.
Gottval took out a piece of paper and wrote something on it.

“Urich.”

As his lips moved, so did the letters. The words on the paper spelled out Urich's
name.

‘Are you really dead? If so, at least appear before me as a ghost.’

Gottval knelt before the makeshift altar with the sun emblem.

“Lou, if Urich’s soul is wandering, please take pity and take it in your embrace.”

The proper funeral rite of Solarism would be to find the body and cremate it, but
since Urich's body could not be recovered, Gottval wrote his name on paper as a
simple tribute.

“Father, justice has been served. The civilized have won, and the barbarians have
been defeated.”

“Basha, justice is not such a shallow thing.”

“They invaded and burned our land! If they are not evil, then who is? Barbarians are
not children of Lou like us; they are beasts!”

Teaching someone was always a difficult task. Prejudices built from experience were
hard to break. Basha had lost everything to barbarians, so how could she possibly
view them positively?

Gottval looked at Basha, knowing the contradiction and difficulty.

“If we define invasion as evil, then the empire itself is the source of all evil. The
empire was the one who attacked the west first, so strictly speaking, the Alliance is
simply continuing a defensive war. Urich did not come here to conquer. He came to
ensure the safety of his homeland.”

Basha hesitated, speechless. A mere farmer’s daughter had no way of knowing the
intricacy of the war, hence her belief that the barbarian invasion was the start of it
all.

“…Then who should my hatred be directed at? Are you saying they did nothing
wrong? Are you saying the beasts that killed and raped our people have no sin?”

“That too is a sin. But we, as civilized people, are more mature and advanced than
them. Just as an adult does not respond to a child’s outburst with equal anger, we
must help those ignorant ones realize their wrongs.”

“That is nonsense! Even if everyone is killed, will you still say that? Barbarians do not
deserve to be by Lou’s side!” Basha shouted and tried to snatch the paper from
Gottval’s hand.

“Basha! Urich is someone worthy of respect! I saved him at the cost of my arm, but I
would have done so even at the cost of my life.”

“That damn barbarian!” Basha yelled in frustration.

The commotion caused the sun emblem to fall to the ground in the struggle between
the two.

“Forgiveness is difficult while hatred is easy.”

“If you forgive and embrace the barbarians, then I will reject you! I have heard Lou’s
voice!”

“That is your problem, Basha! Do not justify your hatred in Lou’s name!”

Basha's eyes trembled. She grabbed the dagger from Gottval’s waist and drew it.

“Corrupt priest…”

Gottval, missing an arm, struggled to fend off Basha’s attack whose eyes gleamed
emptily.
Creeeak.

Basha pushed Gottval’s arm upward, locking eyes with him.

“You too have been corrupted by the barbarians and cannot see Lou’s true will…”

The blade aimed for Gottval’s neck. He barely held Basha back with one arm.

“Basha… Is this truly your choice?”

“Go ask Lou when you die. He will tell you who was right.”

Basha, having gone through several hardships, was stronger than an average woman.
Gottval, who had a build slenderer than most and left with only one arm, struggled.

Flap!

The tent flap burst open. Varca, who had come to pray, was shocked to see Gottval
and Basha struggling and rushed in.

“What is the meaning of this!”

Varca kicked Basha in the side. She rolled and crashed into the corner of the tent.

Schring!

Varca skillfully drew his sword and placed it against Basha’s throat.

“You’re the king of heretics consorting with barbarians. I bet you snuck into bed with
them every night, am I wrong?”

Basha grabbed the blade with her hand and cackled.

“You’ve finally gone mad! Are you really trying to kill Brother Gottval, who took care
of you?!”

Varca, not knowing the full story, did not hesitate to blame Basha first with his
absolute trust in Gottval along with the fact that Basha had been at the forefront of
the Imperial Army.
Varca raised his sword high, ready to cut off Basha’s head in one swift move. The
King of Porcana was not a little boy who hesitated to kill.

“Please spare Basha, Your Highness.”

Gottval, having composed himself, intervened.

‘If we retaliate against Basha for attacking me, it would be like condoning her revenge.’

To teach someone, you had to set an example. Gottval strode forward and grabbed
Basha by the shoulder.

“Basha, Urich is the leader of barbarians who plunder civilized people and violate
women.”

“…So you do know that,” Basha sneered.

“But that Urich also sometimes feels pity for a girl hiding in a wooden barrel and
shows mercy. That alone doesn’t erase all his misdeeds, but at least you are alive
because of it.”

Basha’s shoulder trembled. She gripped Gottval’s wrist tightly.

“W-what do you mean by that? What are you trying to say?”

“Why do you think Urich, a barbarian who ruthlessly kills children and women,
spared you on the battlefield and even showed you the kindness of treating you so
generously?”

“Bullshit! Stop it! Enough!”

Gottval continued to hold Basha and speak.

“Urich remembered you. He pitied the girl trembling in that barrel. In that moment,
he must have seen you not through the violent eyes of a warrior, but through Lou’s.”

Varca stood with his sword ready, wary that Basha might rebel.

“Do you think I’d believe such nonsense? It makes no sense that the barbarian who
saved me is Urich…”
Basha’s words trailed off. Her heart pounded.

“That’s how we know it was Lou’s will and a miracle, Basha. We humans cannot hear
His voice while we’re alive. We can only vaguely glimpse His intentions through the
events that happen to us.”

“Shut up. Please, stop…”

Basha clutched her head as if she would tear out her hair, curling up.

‘Basha looks like she is about to break.’

Gottval had waited until Basha was ready to accept the truth, but he couldn’t just
watch her sink deeper into the swamp of hatred.

‘Urich.’

Gottval left Basha alone for a moment and tried to burn the paper he had written
Urich’s name on in the candle flame.

“Your Highness!”

A man’s voice boomed from outside.

‘Did the Imperial Army launch a counterattack or something?’

Varca also rushed outside. A knight who received the messenger’s report pointed
toward the Alliance camp.

“T-they’re saying that Urich is alive! The barbarians have launched a full-scale attack
against Hamel!”

The swift-footed barbarians were already running toward the gates of Hamel.

“What is this about Urich being alive?”

Gottval followed Varca out and looked toward Hamel, but the news of Urich’s
survival was still uncertain information.

“Your Highness, are we joining the barbarians?”

The knight awaited Varca’s response.

“Prepare for battle. We will also join the fight once the gate breakthrough is
confirmed.”

Varca did not rush out immediately. He was a king, and he had to prioritize the safety
of his nation and soldiers over Urich. If the gate couldn’t be opened, charging it
would be a suicide whether they had thousands or tens of thousands doing so.

‘Please be alive, Urich.’

A man on the throne must separate emotion from judgment. Varca learned how to
make a king’s decision through experience and learned that the path the heart takes
isn’t always the correct one.

***

It didn’t take Urich much time to break through the city gates. He and his warriors
rushed the ten or so soldiers below the gates before they could brace for the clash.

Urich, wielding an axe, charged into the soldiers. It was as if he was certain that the
enemy’s spears and swords wouldn’t touch him.

“Ah, aaaaah!”

As the hulking barbarian charged, the soldiers screamed with none of them able to
keep their composure as they frantically thrusted their spears. In their panic, they
were decapitated by Urich’s sword.

“Uuuuuurich!”

The warriors followed, shouting Urich’s name. Despite his position as Great Chief,
Urich always led from the front. He proved that the Great Chief of the Alliance was
the warrior of warriors not with words but with steel.

“Georg, go!”

Urich grabbed a relay horse and called for Georg. Georg staggered but managed to
mount the horse.
“Live, Urich.”

“You can’t say that. You’re the one who needs to save me.”

Urich slapped the horse’s behind with his blood-stained hand.

Georg bowed his head and spurred the horse. He leaped over the moat even before
the drawbridge was fully lowered.

“Get to the top of the walls! They’re targeting Georg!”

Urich, without taking a moment of rest, climbed the wall. The sentinels who were
shooting their crossbows at Georg panicked when they saw Urich.

Urich grabbed a soldier by the head and hurled him over the wall. The soldier flailed
in the moat below.

“Don’t let him escape! Shoot him down!”

Not all the knights had left their posts. The knight commanding the wall shouted as
he saw Georg.

Thwip!

The arrow barely managed to reach Georg. A moment later, he would have been out
of range.

“Good, now, just one more shot… ah, aaah!”

The soldier firing the crossbow screamed as he sensed someone behind him. Urich
had torn through the soldiers on the wall. With every step he took, wounded soldiers
fell to either side of the wall.

“You must be the famous Urich! I shall face you!”

A knight blocked Urich’s path as he rampaged through. The wall was too narrow to
pass without killing the opponent.

“I am the eldest son of the Bastal House… Ack! D-do you not even have a bit of h-
honor…!”
The knight couldn’t finish his sentence. Urich’s sword pierced his neck.

“Yeah, yeah, have fun dying your honorable death.”

Urich swung his sword sideways, causing the knight to spew blood as he fell off the
wall.

‘Georg.’

Urich looked at Georg, who had been knocked off his horse by an arrow.

“Georg! Get uuuuuuup!”

Urich shouted while his hands continued the slaughter. The warriors following him
guarded his sides, assisting him.

Urich’s voice echoed loudly, seemingly reaching Georg who twitched.

Georg awkwardly stood up. His shoulder felt like it was burning, but he pushed
forward. He was propelled by Urich’s roar and advanced in unstable, yet certain
steps.

“Did you shoot that arrow at Georg?”

Urich approached a soldier holding a crossbow as he left a path littered with corpses
behind him, leaving no place to step.

“U-uuuuuh.”

The soldier threw down the crossbow and jumped into the moat.

‘I have to live. That man in the infamous Urich.’

The soldier splashed in the moat, lifting his face above the water, but his relief was
short-lived as his face turned pale upon realizing what was waiting for him to look
up.

“Hey, if you threw away a weapon as valuable as your life, you should die.”

Urich aimed the abandoned crossbow downward and shot the soldier.
Thwack.

The soldier, hit in the head, sank to the bottom of the moat. Urich grabbed both sides
of the crossbow and casually snapped it in half.

“Urich, there are torches coming this way.”

The gate was secured, but the real battle was just beginning.

Urich and his warriors had to defend the gate against the numerous incoming
Imperial soldiers.

“How many of us do we have left?”

“Twenty-two,” a warrior answered.

…And when Urich took a moment to catch his breath, he was alone.

His breath was labored. Exhaling darkened his vision, and inhaling brightened it.

He twitched his fingers to sense that the blade of his axe had become dull from
blood, and the sword edge was surely nicked.

“Hey, you guys all dead?”

Urich’s body was drenched in blood as if he had bathed in it. In front of the gate was
a mire of flesh and blood.

“Zrakin, did you die?”

Urich poked a fallen warrior with his sword. There was no response. The body,
lifeless, slumped like a puppet that had its strings cut.

“If you’d trained harder, you might have made it through like me, you idiots.”

Urich chuckled. He used his sword as a cane, standing awkwardly.

The imperial soldiers who were scattered all over Hamel swarmed like locusts.
There had already been four skirmishes at the gate, but the main force of the
Imperial Army, which had moved toward the imperial palace, hadn’t reached the gate
yet.

“H-he’s alone! That’s Urich! Urich himself! He’s nearly dead.”

Several patrol soldiers flinched and shouted. They had thought Urich was dead, but
here he was, standing right in front of their eyes. But what was more important to
them at that moment was the fact that the reward the emperor would give for killing
Urich would be unimaginable. The soldiers’ eyes glinted with greed.

Urich, panting, glared at the soldiers.

“Ah, a man can’t do anything without a healthy back.”

Urich grimaced as he tried to straighten his back. Despite his words, his expression
was serious, and cold sweat poured down his face.

He felt around his waist to check his injury and felt that the flesh and muscles
around his lower back had split open, revealing the bone.

Drip, drip.

Blood and sweat dripped from Urich’s chin to the ground.

“Let me give you a tip. Seize your opportunity with the courage to overcome fear. I
am Urich, the man the emperor is so desperately trying to kill. Take my head while
I’m selling it for cheap because this is going to be your last chance.”

Urich winked with one eye. The soldiers stiffened, their expressions tense.

“T-that bastard is crazy!”

Urich’s ears perked up, but it wasn’t the insults of the imperial soldiers that he was
listening to.

“…and just like that, you’ve missed your chance.”

Urich pointed his finger. An arrow flew over his shoulder and struck the soldier in
the head.

Clip-clop.
It was the sound of mountain goat hooves.
Chikaka, leading the mountain goat warriors of Phergamo, had followed the Alliance
for a long time. The mountain goat warriors were different from other forces of the
Alliance, having joined not as part of the Alliance but as an ally of equal standing.

The mountain goat warriors were the first to reach the gates of Hamel.

‘The gates are open.’

Indeed, the gates were unguarded, exactly according to the original plan. There were
no sentries on the walls.

Creeeeak.

Chikaka entered through the gates, drawing his bowstring.

“Urich.”

He released the bowstring and ran toward Urich. He knew it was a hit even without
seeing the arrow’s flight, and sure enough, a soldier’s scream was heard.

‘Urich’s wound is deep.’

Chikaka tried to pull Urich back.

Thud.

But Urich grabbed his arm.

“Not yet. The sun is rising. It’s the time of the civilized,” Urich muttered. His words
weren’t coherent, perhaps due to the loss of blood, and his thoughts were
unorganized, floating around.

Urich was standing in front of the gate, barely supporting himself. He felt that if he
sat down, he wouldn’t be able to stand up again.

The mountain goat warriors were the first to pass by Urich as they shot arrows to
fend off the approaching imperial soldiers.

The swiftest warriors of the Alliance soon followed into Hamel.

“Great Chief Urich!”

The heavily panting warriors shouted at Urich’s back upon seeing him alive, feeling
the ancestors' blessings and the heavens' favor once again.

“We knew you would be alive, Urich! There’s no way the Son of the Earth would fall!”

The warriors shouted something to Urich and moved forward. They fought the
imperial soldiers rushing in from inside the gate.

Buzzzz.

Urich, still standing, watched the warriors pass by. Their voices were faint, like
afterimages.

The dawn was cold, and as the sun was rising, Urich felt the sunlight on his back.

‘I have to move.’

The battle was not over yet. It was unclear how many soldiers had entered Hamel,
and even with an advantage like this, annihilation was only a single mistake away.

“Urich, can you stand?”

Belrua asked, supporting Urich. Urich’s weight hung on her arm.

She staggered under the unexpected weight, then steadied herself.

‘Urich is in a terrible state. He can’t even support his own weight.’

Urich drank water with Belrua’s help. Even draining an entire water bag was not
enough compared to the blood Urich had lost.
“How many came? What’s the size of our warriors?”

Urich barely managed to speak. Belrua flinched.

‘He’s gone.’

Urich felt like he was submerged deep in water. Every sound was distant and muffled
and his limbs felt weightless. Everything looked and felt blurry.

“All of them will be here soon. Georg insisted with passion that you were alive. If he
hadn’t risked his life to say that, the army would have scattered because of Six-
Fingered.”

“There’s still the main force of the imperial Army left. Don’t let the troops scatter for
plundering.”

Urich had to forcefully squeeze out every single word.

“Don’t die yet, Urich. The warriors won’t listen to me. You need to stand up and
speak for them to listen.”

Belrua and Urich watched the warriors charging ahead.

“Kill them all and burn everythiiiiiing! The Son of the Earth has opened the path to
victory!”

The warriors' morale was incredibly high, making it hard to believe they were an
army that had been starving for days. Although three hundred warriors were
massacred, looking at it from the larger army scale, they had practically penetrated
the walls without blood.

“Catch your breath first, Urich. Do you want to become a legend by dying? If so, I can
help with that.”

Belrua ordered a warrior to bring a horse. Urich, with her help, mounted the horse.

Belrua took a cloth to roughly bandage Urich’s wounds to prevent them from
reopening and the bleeding from worsening.

“I don’t plan on dying.”

Urich’s response was more relaxed as his energy somewhat returned after catching
his breath and stopping the bleeding.

‘The forces of the Alliance are dispersing.’

The eager warriors were scattering all over Hamel without direction. The armies,
split into units of tribes and warriors, attacked civilian houses instead of heading
straight to the imperial palace.

The screams were unending.

“The heart of the civilized world is being shattered by the barbarian axe.”

Even the mercenaries from the civilized world who had joined the Alliance sighed,
feeling both joy and regret simultaneously.

“Hooo.”

Urich exhaled a breath mixed with blood and swept his hair back. He weaved
through the warriors on horseback.

“Uuuuurich!”

“The warrior of warriors! Our Great Chief!”

The warriors, who had been cutting down people, saw Urich and cheered.

Ache, ache.

Urich felt as if his back was about to snap. Each time the horse jolted, he felt like he
might lose consciousness.

“My brothers! Did we come all this way just for some plundering?” Urich shouted.
Even the warriors who had been chopping doors with axes for plundering turned
their gazes to him.

“Do you see that splendid palace? That is where we must go! The emperor who
invaded our homes with a mere flick of a finger is there! Are there any men who will
join me in avenging our brothers? Or are you all just some animals who crave food
and females?”
The warriors flinched and gathered. Urich relentlessly reorganized the army and
changed the direction of their charge.

‘The Imperial Army’s main force is regrouping at the imperial palace. They’ve given up
defending the residential and outer areas.’

Urich squinted his eyes. The pain disappeared as the cooling blood heated up again.

Not all warriors had gathered under Urich as many had scattered and were still busy
plundering Hamel. However, enough had assembled to attack the emperor’s palace.

The Alliance Army wasn’t the only one plundering Hamel. The Serpentines who had
risen from the underground also took part. Areas were wealthier the closer they
were to the imperial palace, and the Serpentines mainly targeted nobles and the rich.

“That man sold my sister, all just because I owed him a few coins!”

“B-but you were the one who had that huge debt from your gambling! You sold your
own sister!”

“Shut up!”

The Serpentines searched through the residential areas, dragging out nobles and the
wealthy for judgment. Hamel was in such chaos that even status and class became
blurred. There was no such thing as order any more.

Urich led the warriors along the main road toward the palace. He rolled his eyes,
glancing at the Serpentines.

“Beast of the Apocalypse marked by the world! You have fulfilled the prophecy!”

A group of Serpentines stood in Urich’s way. It was led by Ludmil the Guide and the
priests of Serpentism.

“Ludmil the Guide.”

Urich looked at Ludmil, who led the Serpentines. Ludmil slightly bowed a knee,
showing reverence to Urich.

“They will face our judgment! The nobles and the rich have made the world suffer!
They enjoyed our possessions for their pleasure. There is no place for them in the
world we will create!”

Ludmil was so excited that his saliva was splattering on the ground.

“It seems to me that you’re just venting your anger. Did Trikee tell you to drag people
out, humiliate, and kill them like this?”

Urich closed his eyes and opened them again. He saw the Serpentines shouting and
laughing, rejoicing at the sight of the blood of the nobles. They were no different
from barbarians.

Ludmil was too excited to hear Urich’s words properly and babbled on about the
future like a child.

“Once you and your people leave, we will create a new world! Since you have carried
out the destruction of this world according to the prophecy, we will bear the new
world on our shoulders!”

Urich glanced at the massacre performed by the Serpentines. They carried the heads
of nobles on poles.

The Serpentines, who were mostly lower-class people, needed to vent the hatred and
anger that filled their hearts, which they had to suppress all their lives. That hatred
spilled out in the name of Serpentism.

“Go, Beast of the Apocalypse! Destroy that palace, the symbol of the old world!”
Ludmil shouted as he aggressively pointed his finger. His bloodshot eyes were not
satisfied despite having drunk deeply of blood.

Urich stared intently at Ludmil's face. How much blood was this man going to spill in
the name of the will of the world?

“Ludmil, there’s a god that I’ve seen multiple times. Whenever my will wavered, he
appeared to help me.”

Ludmil widened his eyes. He spread his arms wide, feeling as if he stood in a solemn
and historic moment.

“You are truly the one chosen by the world!”

“But looking back, it wasn’t a god… It was just shadows of my choices. It was my
weak self who summoned him. Because I wasn’t confident that my choices and
judgments were right… I hoped that a god would assist me.”

“U-uh?”

Ludmil looked up at Urich in confusion. Urich raised his axe high.

“You are no different. You merely use your faith as a means to your hatred.”

His body was exhausted, but he still had enough strength to split a man’s head.

Crack!

Urich’s axe cleaved Ludmil’s head in half. Blood sprayed out to the sides.

“Divine punishment! Divine punishment has fallen upon the Guide!”

The priests of Serpentism, who were watching, shouted in shock. They scattered in
all directions to avoid Urich and the warriors.

“Urich, should we kill the ones running away?”

“Leave the small fry.”

Urich winced as he bent over to pull the axe out of Ludmil’s head.

The Imperial Army maintained its command structure even as Hamel fell. Imperial
soldiers crowded into the imperial palace for a final defense.

Thousands of warriors followed Urich to the imperial palace in the city that was
engulfed in screams and flames where the shadow of death did not lift even as the
sun rose.

Clop.

Urich pulled the reins of his horse and looked up. The entrance to the imperial
palace was closing, and the steel knights of the empire stood in the gap of the closing
door, still resisting.
“Olga…”

Olga's body hung at the entrance of the palace. There wasn’t a spot on his bloodied
body that wasn’t beaten, and the blood pooling beneath him stained the ground.

‘You probably came here knowing you would die.’

Olga was strong in improvisation. Though he didn't strictly follow Urich's orders, he
was a warrior who acted on his thoughts and judgments. He was a man who led
rather than followed.

‘That’s why I trusted you. I knew you would do great.’

Urich ordered the warriors to lower Olga’s body. Soldiers on the palace walls shot
arrows, but the warriors skillfully raised their shields in response.

The warriors treated Olga's body with respect, honoring his death.

It was a victory built on the blood of brothers. It was the sacrifice of the recklessly
brave warriors that allowed Hamel to fall.

The walls and gates of the imperial palace were significantly weaker than those of
the outer wall of the city. Mercenaries brought roofed battering rams to pound the
palace gates.

Boom! Boom!

The entrance to the palace wasn’t going to hold for long, as it was designed for
security, not siege.

“Urich, you have to take a break, even just for a second. You look terrible.”

Belrua stood by Urich.

Urich nodded off, then straightened up. He had been fighting for over a day without
any proper sleep. Even someone called superhuman was on the verge of collapsing
from exhaustion.

“No. If I rest now, I won't be able to get back up. It's not over until the emperor falls.”
Urich persevered stubbornly. He held onto consciousness.

—The time has come.

—Come to us.

—You have done enough.

He hadn’t taken any drugs, but he was still hearing voices. His chest felt cold, and
even when he turned his head toward the voices, he saw nothing.

‘What I should fear is not the invisible beings, but my own weakened heart.’

Urich shook his head and bit his tongue until it bled.
The high-spirited mercenaries pulled the battering ram back once more before
driving it forward. If they captured the imperial palace, immense treasures were
within sight. Moreover, the momentum was firmly in the Alliance's favor.

"Let's goooo!"

"Hooooooh!"

The mercenaries shouted. The door hit by the battering ram was dented, and
splinters flew.

"Kaaargh!"

A mercenary screamed as a splinter was lodged in his eye, causing blood to flow like
tears.

"Move, you idiot!"

Another mercenary pulled the injured man aside and took his place. They shouted
vigorously as they pushed the battering ram again.

Crack!

The door was on the verge of breaking.

Creak.

The latch broke, and the gates of the imperial palace opened. The mercenaries
smiled triumphantly, thinking of the future where they returned home rich to live in
luxury.

Sniff, sniff.
The mercenary at the very front smelled something unfamiliar.

Fwhooosh!

Flames erupted from the other side of the gates. Fire engulfed the battering ram and
the mercenaries, and the ox hide binding the battering ram couldn't withstand the
Fire of the Empire.

"A-aaaaah!"

The agony of being burned alive was beyond imagination and caused the
mercenaries operating the battering ram to run in all directions, screeching. Their
comrades tried to extinguish the flames, but the fire fed by the empire’s flame oil
wouldn't go out easily.

"W-what is that!"

Warriors seeing the Fire of the Empire for the first time widened their eyes.

The Alliance Army assaulting the palace hesitated momentarily as the entrance
became a sea of flames.

"Now! Block the gate again!"

The imperial soldiers quickly brought sandbags and wood to fill the opening in the
gates.

Hamel’s last resistance was fiercely intense, to the point of desperation. Warriors
climbing over the walls died on sharp spears as the well-trained imperial soldiers
held their positions to prevent the Alliance from advancing further.

The Alliance Army desperately tried to break through the gate while the imperial
soldiers repeatedly used the little remaining flame oil to hold them off.

Craaaash!

The palace entrance collapsed once again, and the chiefs urged their warriors who
were each competing for merit.

"Now! Go in! Go in!"

Taking advantage of the gap, the warriors rushed into the palace entrance. This time,
the imperial steel knights stepped forward to block the warriors.

The entrance was blocked again as the steel knights battled on. The siege became a
tedious back-and-forth struggle and a war of attrition between those holding the line
and those trying to breach it.

Whenever the Alliance created a gap, the imperial soldiers filled it to prevent the
breach.

But it was only a matter of time before they broke through. The Porcana army, which
had been spectating until now, finally joined the assault on Hamel and targeted the
palace's flanks.

The combined attack was enough to make the morale of the once iron-willed
imperial soldiers falter. Even the knights began to drop their weapons and desert.

‘This is the end,’ Urich and the warriors thought.

‘The war ends with Urich still alive.’

Belrua stared at the great hero standing before her. He was a warrior she wanted to
respect freely, but he was also destined to be her own son's future nemesis.

‘How could my son ever avenge his father on this unparalleled hero… ’

Belrua subtly furrowed his eyebrows.

But as if he had read her thoughts, Urich turned his head and looked at Belrua.

"Don’t worry, Belrua. I can’t feel my legs."

Urich, on horseback, pressed his thigh firmly. At some point, the pain in his back had
disappeared. Not only the pain, but all sensation had ceased. His days as a warrior
were over.

***

The capital that once dreamed of a millennial empire was burning as its destruction
spread uncontrollably.
War had always been a man’s affair. Women could only wait for the war's outcome
and accept their fate.

Creak.

Damia sat in a rocking chair, soothing her son who had been awakened by the
commotion. Her son, Salone, was at the age where he could walk on his own and
express his will. Time indeed flew by quickly.

While men rolled on the battlefield, women bore and raised life. As many lives
perished on the battlefield, so were children born. Such a cycle of life and soul was
one of the truths of Solarism.

"Salone, someday you will receive your true name."

‘Salone’ was only a childhood name. Once he grew a bit more and his personality
became clear, he would receive a name that fit his character.

‘It won’t be a smooth sail.’

Salone’s hardships were predestined, given his extraordinarily twisted birth.

Boom!

Hearing the commotion outside, Damia closed her eyes briefly and held Salone close.

Boom, boom.

The sound grew louder. Even the imperial palace was no longer safe.

Damia had a rough idea of what was happening outside. The fall of the empire was
imminent.

Step, step.

Footsteps sounded in the corridor outside.

Damia opened the wardrobe and hid Salone inside.

“Shh, no matter what happens, do not look outside.”

Salon, still drowsy, nodded. He lay among the clothes and closed his eyes again.

‘Barbarians?’

There was no telling who might come. Even though Damia was once a princess of
Porcana, there was no guarantee of safety if the barbarians broke in.

‘I won’t hand Salone over to Urich.’

She had no intention of letting her son be raised under the barbarians.

“Lady Damia, are you there?”

Upon hearing a polite voice, Damia finally relaxed and walked to the door.

“Who is it?” She asked the voice on the other side of the door.

“It’s Xeron, my lady. I come by His Majesty’s command.”

“Ah, Sir Xeron.”

Xeron was a knight Damia knew. It was just hard to discern because his voice echoed
from within his helmet.

Xeron opened the door and entered. His armor and weapons were stained with
blood, indicating the desperate state of the battle.

“Sir Xeron, what is the status of the battle?”

“It is over. Hamel will become a capital of civilization trampled by barbarians. I was
as good as dead.”

Damia stepped back. Xeron’s words were odd.

“Sir Xeron, what exactly was the order of His Majesty?”

The air trapped inside the helmet steamed out as Xeron revealed his face. He looked
at Damia with cold eyes.

“I have heard your lustful cries every night, Damia. Many nights I couldn’t sleep
because of them. No matter how many cheap women I held, I could not quench this
thirst caused by you.”

Damia threw a vase at him, but Xeron knocked it away with his arm and laughed.

“Haven’t you already been sullied enough? Don’t tell me you still have pride or shame
left?”

Xeron banged on the wall.

More footsteps were heard. Two knights who shared Xeron’s sentiments appeared.
They were men who had dreamed of Damia even in their sleep. With the empire's
downfall at hand, and no honor left to uphold, they invaded Damia’s chamber to
fulfill their final desires.

“Strip, you whore of Porcana. Treat us as you would the emperor,” one knight said,
cackling crudely.

They lifted Damia’s skirt with the tip of a sword. The blade grazed her thigh.

“I heard that you were sold to the emperor for trying to kill your own little brother?”

“And what about the rumors about you and your uncle? Hmm? Are they true? How
disgusting.”

The knights spewed out their pent-up desires, speaking as harshly as they would
toward a street woman.

There was a time when Damia ruled over men. Men would even commit murder for
her favor and kind words.

But now, Damia was on the receiving end. In the barbaric logic of power, it was
exceedingly difficult for a woman to surpass a man.

Squeeze.

Xeron grabbed Damia’s hands and tried to kiss her, but Damia dug her teeth into his
ear.

“Y-you goddamn bitch!”

Xeron, with half his ear bitten off, slapped Damia.

Slap!

Damia fell back, spitting the bitten ear onto the ground. She wiped the blood from
her lips and laughed.

Click.

Amid the commotion, the wardrobe shook. Xeron flinched.

“You can’t pick a flower because you’re afraid of being pricked by its thorns? How
disappointing.”

Hearing Damia's words, Xeron's shoulders shook with an expression that was hard
to tell if he was laughing or crying. The knights felt the same self-loathing knowing
they, who once thought of themselves as honorable, were now committing such a
disgraceful act of gathering to assault a helpless woman.

The knights approached Damia, loosening their armor straps. She couldn't take on
three well-trained men. However, Damia resisted to the end.

She bit their tongue and kicked their groin, holding them off as best she could, but
the violence of men only grew more severe.

“Tired already? Did you not take on all of the sexual desires of His Majesty? Huh?”

A knight aggressively twisted her arm, breaking the fragile bone. Despite the pain,
she stifled her scream while her entire body trembled.

The sadism of the knights only became more fueled as she continued to refuse to
yield to their violence.

“Let's see how long you can hold out!”

“Let's burn the last flame of our lives together.”

The emperor had toyed with Damia for years with an abuse that would have broken
an ordinary woman in days, let alone a year. But she hated the idea of surrendering,
whether to fate, a man, or anyone. Violence could bring her to death, but not break
her.

The knights watched Damia suppress every single groan. One of them, filled with
defiance, punched her stomach.

“Gah, ugh!”

Damia exhaled harshly, opening her tightly shut mouth. As if he was waiting for this
moment, the knight's movements quickened.

“Hurry up. I’m next.”

Even while the knights mocked Damia, their eyes were filled with terror. They sought
pleasure with the princess to forget their fear.

“The barbarians are going to kill us all…”

The knights' anxiety bred violence. They wielded cruel violence on a single woman
as if they were trying to show how low mankind could fall. They sought only their
pleasure, regardless of the damage they were doing to Damia's body.

The barbarians trampling the imperial palace was only a matter of time as the palace
crumbled under fear and chaos. Even the troops maintaining the front lines had been
disbanded.

Click, click.

Footsteps quickened. Someone was walking briskly through the marble corridor, but
the knights who were consumed with their desires for Damia did not hear the
footsteps.

“Cry out!”

Xeron slapped Damia's cheek hard. There was a strange noise from her jawbone, and
her neat front teeth broke off.

Damia barely opened her swollen eyelids to look at the open door. Something blurry
was standing behind the knights panting like beasts.

Click.
The footsteps stopped.

Order in Hamel had collapsed. There was no ethics or morality, and even the
proudest of the empire had reverted to beasts.

Yet there was still a man donning the violet eagle.

Only then did the knights hear the footsteps and turn around. The ruler of the
empire that was on the brink of collapse stood there.

“Go on, continue. It’s a good watch.”

Yanchinus squinted and smiled.

The knights froze. At a loss, they could not react until a sword was driven into one of
their hearts. Despite throwing away all their values, their bodies still trembled under
the aura of the emperor in a submission that was deeply ingrained in their brains.

Schluck!

Blood splattered as the naked knights fell to the emperor's sword. Yanchinus was
trained in swordsmanship as well as any decent knight.

“…Forgive me, Your Majesty.”

Xeron, deeply stabbed in the chest, begged for forgiveness as he died. He wasn’t
pleading for his life, just forgiveness.

“I understand, Sir Xeron. It is all my fault. I will not blame your weakness.”

Yanchinus nodded and ended the knight's life. He wiped the blood off his sword with
his cloak and looked at Damia.

Her broken arm dangled helplessly, and her belly was bruised. Her face was swollen
and ugly, and every breath she took bubbled with blood.

“If you had just given in to their demands, your body wouldn’t have gotten to this
state. You are still as stubborn as ever.”

Yanchinus picked Damia up. She wanted to say something, but no sound came out.
Yanchinus walked down the corridor with Damia in his arms.

“Your Majesty! Here you are!”

Knights who had just retreated came looking for Yanchinus. They were among the
few loyal ones left who had not succumbed to fear and had kept their duty.

“We will gather the remaining forces and open an escape route. As long as we secure
your safety, we can recover anytime. There are still troops in the north…”

Yanchinus closed his eyes and then opened them. The collapse seemed like it was
gradually approaching, but before he knew it, it was breathing down his neck.

His heart wanted to stay and protect the throne. Facing the enemy and meeting his
end as an emperor seemed honorable, but that was only an escape. Anyone could
give up and die.

‘…The true challenge is surviving to the end and achieving greatness.’

Yanchinus gestured with his chin. The knights, with their eyes glistening, stood by
the emperor.
The empire's establishment was a mere fifty years ago.

It was nothing short of a miraculous achievement. The first emperor founded the
empire, and the second emperor expanded its territory to the north and south.

‘Conquest.’

Yanchinus pondered the word. He wasn’t venturing into the west and seeking the
Eastern Continent for nothing.

‘The empire is built on conquest.’

For the vast empire which was less than a hundred years old, continuous conquest
was necessary. They needed to unite the weak internal structure by focusing on
external enemies. Unceasing expansion was the only thing that could bring stability
to the empire.

‘The bloodline of conquerors.’

The previous emperors were great, and both were undeniable heroes.

‘What am I doing to carry on their legacy?’

He had to become an emperor remembered in history. The weight of having a heroic

grandfather and father was heavy. From the time he could walk, his extraordinary
judgment and heroic temperament were tested as everyone demanded yet another
hero.

If Yanchinus didn’t meet their lofty ideals, they were disappointed. Merely doing as
well as others wasn’t enough to satisfy the people. He had to become exceptional and
great in order to survive.

‘I had everything in my hands from the moment I was born, so who can I blame?’
Yanchinus laughed.

Barbarians roamed the palace, searching for the emperor.

“There he is!”

Civilized mercenaries who spotted the emperor rushed toward him. The bounty on
Yanchinus' head was substantial.

“Oooooooh!”

Knights fought to protect Yanchinus, their armor looking like they were painted red
with blood. The ones who had survived until now were the elite of the elite.

“This way, Your Majesty.”

Yanchinus moved with a small group of knights. One of the knights was carrying the
wounded Damia.

Every country’s palace had a few secret passages, and the imperial palace was no
different. There was an underground passage in the palace for the imperial family
that led outside Hamel.

“It seems Damia won’t last much longer.”

A knight said, looking at Damia’s condition. Being already frail, her breath was
growing weaker with the current injuries.

“We’ve still got a long way to go, Your Majesty.”

The knight suggested leaving Damia behind.

“Is it so difficult to bring one woman with us?”

Yanchinus looked at Damia’s face, placing his hand on her cheek. It was an action
that might seem very affectionate to an outsider.

‘Why is he taking me along?’

Damia opened her eyes faintly. She couldn’t understand the emperor’s actions.
‘It was strange that he came to find me in the first place.’

Hamel was collapsing. In such an urgent situation, Yanchinus had deliberately come
to find Damia. And not just that, he resolutely took the half-dead Damia along in his
escape.

Damia stared intently at Yanchinus' face.

‘The great ruler of the world… ’

She wanted to laugh out loud, but it felt like her throat was blocked by a lump of
blood. Her chest heaved, and she coughed up blood instead of laughter.

‘…Has he become attached to me?’

Damia looked around while being carried by the knight. Being a royal herself, she
knew they were in a secret passage.

‘I won’t make it through the night.’

Damia’s lips moved slightly. Despite the knights covering her with their cloaks, her
cold body didn’t warm up. It even felt like a piece of her broken rib was floating
around inside her body.

Snap.

Damia fiddled with her pearl necklace. With trembling hands, she dropped each
pearl at every corner they turned. The pearls made a sound as they hit the ground,
but the metallic noise made by the armor drowned out the tinkling.

“Your Majesty.”

The knight awaited Yanchinus’ instructions. From here, only Yanchinus knew the
way.

Grrrrr.

The knights pushed the stone wall that Yanchinus pointed at. The wall turned,
revealing an internal passage.
“They won’t know about this place.”

The knights entered the passage, catching their breath. They took out pre-prepared
torches and lit them.

“We’ll take a breather here.”

Halfway through the underground passage, Yanchinus ordered a rest. Both the
knights and Yanchinus were quite exhausted, and more than half of the ten or so
knights were injured.

“How is Damia?”

Yanchinus asked the knight carrying her. The knight laid her down and checked her
condition.

‘She won’t make it through the night,’ the knight thought and shook his head.

“I see.”

Yanchinus murmured as he came to Damia's side. He looked at her disheveled state

and noticed the necklace she was holding. It was a pearl necklace, a specialty of
Porcana.

‘It’s… broken?’

Half of the pearls were missing. Yanchinus stared intently at Damia as a sense of
foreboding struck him. He gripped her jaw tightly, threatening her.

“…What have you done?”

Damia opened her swollen eyelids wide. She laughed, coughing up blood.

Ting, ting.

Damia gazed at Yanchinus' face as the rest of the pearls fell to the ground one by one

“Foolish man…” Damia muttered.

“You’ve never had me, and you never will.”

With those words, Damia's breaths grew fainter and fainter.

Yanchinus ran his hands over his face.

‘How meaningless.’

He had thought about being with her, whether for better or for worse. But that was
his one-sided delusion. To be together required the other’s consent. One could
destroy a woman by force but could never win her heart.

“Damia, your life is just as pitiful as mine.”

Yanchinus drew his sword, at least wanting to take her death by his own hand.

“She is gone, your majesty.”

The knight said, placing his ear close to Damia’s nose. She was no longer breathing.

Damia died as if it were her escape from Yanchinus. Yanchinus frowned and bowed
his head as he sheathed his sword and glanced at Damia's corpse.

Thud, thud.

Sounds echoed in the underground passage that had been quiet. The murmuring
voices traveled along the walls.

“In the end, I was tripped by my own toy.”

Yanchinus looked back in the direction he had come. In the darkness, enemy torches
flickered.

***

Hamel, the pinnacle of civilization, had fallen into the hands of a mere barbarian
army. The plundering continued day and night without pause, and the civilized
people trembled in fear.

Supported by warriors, Urich sat on the emperor’s throne, exhaling softly. The blood
clinging to his skin was a mark of glory.
Urich leaned back against the throne.

“It’s not as comfortable as I imagined.”

When Urich murmured, the chiefs of the Alliance laughed. The men reeking of blood
had struck at the heart of civilization.

“Great Urich, you have accomplished everything.”

The chief of the Karkar Tribe knelt and paid his respects.

“…No, we have accomplished everything.”

Urich closed his eyes and gave a bitter smile. How many brothers had died? Vald,
Katagi, Olga… The warriors who had stood shoulder to shoulder with Urich could
not avoid death.

‘The deaths of my brothers protected me.’

It was Gottval’s admonishment that awakened the defeated Urich, and it was Katagi’s
body that shielded Urich from the flames. The heavens merely watched.

“Great Chief Urich.”

“The Son of the Earth.”

“Urich.”

Key figures of the Alliance entered the palace hall one by one and paid their respects
to Urich.

The battle was nearing its end. The only remaining forces were small groups still
resisting. The knights of the empire were dragged out in chains and beheaded, and
the warriors, drunk on blood, engaged in excessive slaughter. Blood and corpses
were a common sight everywhere in the palace.

‘I destroyed it.’

Urich had shattered the heart of civilization. The center of the once brilliant culture
now screamed in agony.
Step, step.

Urich squinted his eyes as he heard someone entering the hall.

He had heard the news that the warriors had captured Emperor Yanchinus while he
was fleeing. It was an unexpected gain.

“Yanchinus,” Urich uttered the name.

The warriors bumped the back of Yanchinus' knees with their spear shafts. The once
proud Yanchinus knelt before Urich.

“Congratulations on your victory, Urich.”

Yanchinus raised his head.

It might have been because of the pearl dropped by Damia that the emperor was
captured, or it could have just been bad luck. Regardless of the process, the
important thing was that the emperor was now in the hands of the Alliance Army.

“It’s a shame to meet again under these circumstances.”

Urich tapped the armrest of the throne with his fingers.

“You have succeeded in conquest. History will remember your name.”

“I… conquered only to avoid being conquered.”

Urich tilted his head to the side, his gaze fixed on Yanchinus.

“If you have conquered, then savor your victory, Urich. Enjoy the privileges of the
victor. Flay my skin, gut my insides, do as you wish.”

Urich burst into laughter. He wiped his face with a wet towel, which came away
stained with blood.

“I am not going to kill you, Yanchinus.”

“Do you intend to show mercy?”

“An honorable death is the right of a hero.”

Urich opened his eyes wide, his bright yellow irises glaring at Yanchinus with clear
murderous intent.

“Yanchinus, you are nothing but a tyrant who brought calamity. You boast about
conquests and achievements when in reality, there is nothing you have gained on
your own. Because of your childish ambitions, my brothers suffered and died, and I
had to destroy the cities of civilization with my own hands. Can you give me one
reason why I should respect you? I swear on my name, you will suffer every
humiliation possible in a lifetime.”

Yanchinus' expression hardened. He stiffly looked around.

The barbarians were snickering. Though they didn’t understand what Urich was
saying to the emperor, they knew from his tone that it was a mockery.

It was not the reception Yanchinus had expected as the ruler of the world, and the
emperor who once governed vast lands.

Step.

Urich stood up with the help of the warriors. The other warriors just thought his
movements were stiff because of his injuries. They had no doubt that, as always,
Urich would stand proudly again.

‘Our Great Chief is a maker of miracles.’

Within the Alliance, Urich's stature pierced the sky. The existence of Samikan’s son
was no longer an issue. Even if Samikan himself returned alive, Urich's position
would remain unshaken.

Slap!

Urich raised his hand and slapped Yanchinus across the cheek. Yanchinus' tooth fell
to the ground along with blood.

Thud!

Urich, wielding a club, beat Yanchinus. He controlled his strength to avoid killing
him, but Yanchinus still couldn’t suppress the groans escaping his lips. The emperor
of all men cowered like a beaten slave.

“Treat him just enough to keep him alive… and throw him out naked in the square by
morning.”

Urich tossed the club aside and sat back in his chair.

Rage and hatred consumed Urich. It seemed as if all his twisted fate was because of
Yanchinus. It was because of him that the war began in the first place and countless
people died.

Urich was forced to choose between the civilized people and his own kin. If he had
abandoned his kin, he would have suffered lifelong guilt, and by choosing his kin, he
had to turn the civilization he admired into a sea of fire.

Urich had met many people, and among them were those who clashed swords with
him and tried to kill him. However, they were those worthy of respect, and he
showed glory and mercy to such people.

“I despise you, Yanchinus.”

Urich’s accumulated resentment and hatred became focused on Yanchinus.

Yanchinus was dragged away, leaving a trail of blood. He looked at Urich with his
swollen eyes. The radiant glory was fading away.
The world was turned upside down, and the one people once knew was no more.
The empire, symbolizing civilization and order, had fallen. Within days, all civilized
people would hear of the empire’s collapse.

The barbarian army had taken the pinnacle of the civilized world, and no one knew
how the world would change from this unprecedented point.

For decades to come, no one would dare underestimate the west who have
demonstrated that their strength was enough to topple the empire. To challenge the
west was akin to disturbing a hornet's nest.

The westerners of the Alliance shouted in jubilant victory with all that remained for
them to do was to enjoy the rights of the victors after having won the war and
captured the emperor.

However, there were those within the Alliance who couldn’t share in the victor’s joy.

Six-Fingered bit his nails and shook his legs, sitting alone in the tent.

‘No one came.’

Six-Fingered had summoned the shamans under his authority as the priest of the
Alliance, but none responded to the summon.

‘Urich is alive.’

It was dreadful news. Six-Fingered had already antagonized Urich enough, and he
had gone as far as to declare he was dead through false omens.

With the news that Urich was alive, Six-Fingered’s authority plummeted to the
ground. The two were divided into the hero who had bravely opened the gates of
Hamel and the shaman who had uttered false omens. Even those who supported Six-
Fingered couldn’t do anything about this.
Six-Fingered didn’t have to face Urich until the next day as Urich and the warriors
were still in Hamel.

Six-Fingered flinched at a sound coming from outside of the tent.

“No one will come, Priest Six-Fingered,” a shaman spoke from outside.

“I simply acted for the benefit of all shamans.”

“We know that. That’s why we kept silent even though we knew your words were
false omens. But you have failed, so we will no longer support you. Bear the
responsibility alone.”

With that, the shaman disappeared. Six-Fingered chuckled with shaking shoulders.

‘How hard have I worked for the benefit of the shamans.’

The shamans under his influence were of no help.

Though it was for his own benefit, thanks to Six-Fingered, the shamans had gained
power within the Alliance. But as soon as Six-Fingered fell, they turned their backs
without hesitation, showing that their relationship had always been based on mutual
benefit.

Six-Fingered trembled as he fearfully remembered and dreaded the warnings of

Urich and Belrua, knowing that he would surely face a terrible fate upon their return.

“Why is this happening to me…”

Six-Fingered gulped down the milk wine laced with herbal powder.

“I did my best to survive.”

But there was no one to listen to him.

‘These goddamned six fingers.’

From the moment he was born with a deformity, his fate was sealed. He could never
become a warrior.
Under Samikan, Six-Fingered lived a life of deceiving the heavens. Rebellious
shamans lost their lives one by one, and only Six-Fingered, who manipulated his
omens according to Samikan’s will, rose to the position of priest of the Blue Mist.

‘You’ve kept quiet while I deceived you all my life, but now you decide to punish me?’

Six-Fingered resented the heavens. The heavens had given him an unjust fate.

‘When I defied your will under Samikan’s orders, you didn’t even bat an eye… ’

It was so unfair. He was so aggrieved that he was on the verge of tears.

He had falsified countless omens because of Samikan. Though every omen he

declared was for the benefit of Samikan, the former Great Chief and the priest of the
Alliance walked the path of success rather than receiving punishment from the
heavens.

“It was just one last time. I truly swore that if I could have gotten through this one
time, there would never be a second. Heavens, oh, all-knowing heavens, why…”

Six-Fingered knelt. He lit incense and murmured.

‘Grant my wish just this once. By the will of heaven and earth, cast the shadow of death
upon Urich.’

The smoke spread thickly in the tent as Six-Fingered mobilized all his experience and
knowledge.

Outside Six-Fingered’s tent, warriors were keeping watch. At a glance, they looked
like they were guarding him, but in reality, they were simply making sure he couldn’t
escape.

“Man, I can smell his smoke all the way from here.”

The warriors coughed, looking at the tent.

“He could burn his tent down at this rate. We should say something.”

“Better not. What if he curses us before he dies? He’s a dead man, anyway. Let him do
as he pleases just for tonight.”
The warriors talked as they watched Six-Fingered’s tent.

Six-Fingered had falsely declared Urich’s death. If Urich had been just a day late in
opening the gates, the Alliance Army would have retreated.

Even the chiefs who disliked Urich couldn’t protect Six-Fingered. It was obvious what
would happen to him.

“Death to Urich… Anyone, please. Whether it’s my ancestors or the spirits of the
earth…”

Six-Fingered fervently wished. He didn’t care who was listening to his prayers, as
long as they granted his wish.

Clink.

He reached into a box and felt something in his grasp.

‘The necklace that once saved Samikan’s life.’

The dented sun necklace dangled in front of Six-Fingered's eyes. It was the
miraculous necklace that had taken an arrow that was meant for Samikan.

Six-Fingered had taken the necklace when Samikan died, believing that it held power.

“Lou, was it?” Six-Fingered muttered, clutching the sun necklace. The sun god Lou,
was a god of the civilized people.

‘There’s nothing I wouldn’t believe in if it could save me from this predicament.’

Six-Fingered’s eyes gradually lost focus. He stared blankly into a dark corner.

—I will skin you alive.

Urich’s voice echoed.

—When we come back alive, you’ll be begging me to kill you! The late Samikan will
be glad to welcome you with open arms!

Belrua’s threats lingered in his ears.

Shiver.

Six-Fingered trembled and wet himself. Yellow liquid trickled down his dried thighs.

‘I don’t care who is listening to my prayers, please save me.’

Six-Fingered repeatedly imagined Urich’s death. He wanted Urich to die, even if it

was at the cost of the Alliance’s defeat.

‘Please… grant me peace. I’m asking you to put an end to this fear.’

Six-Fingered flailed his arms in the air.

Not only did the fear not disperse, it only grew stronger.

‘The heavens were not on my side.’

The heavens favored Urich. They saved him with thunder and lightning and helped
him time and time again. Six-Fingered trembled with betrayal.

How could Urich have achieved such feats without the help of the heavens?

‘You have been on Urich’s side all this time, so couldn’t you have sided with me just
once?’

But the heavens gave no answer. Six-Fingered clawed at the ground in agony, blood
flowing as his long nails tore.

“Ah, aaaaaaah.”

He sobbed knowing that an unavoidable death was approaching. By tomorrow

morning, bloodthirsty warriors would drag him out for judgment.

When he stared into the darkness, it felt as if Urich’s axe was flying toward him. Six-
Fingered feared the morning. He was terrified of the passage of time.

‘…Put an end to my fear.’

He grabbed a handful of herbs and threw them into the censer. More smoke billowed
out, nearly making the air impossible to breathe.
 ***

A day had passed since Hamel fell.

Urich had a lot of things to take care of, but treatment came first.

“We won’t kill you. Well, I guess you will if our Great Chief dies,” Georg said to the
physician he was bringing to Urich. He had brought the physician of the imperial
family who was caught while trying to escape.

‘How did the empire… The center of civilization, Hamel, fell to some barbarians… ’ the
physician thought while trembling.

The imperial palace was now guarded by those very barbarians.

The Porcana-Alliance army controlled all of Hamel. The plundering had stopped, but
gold and treasures were still being moved out of the palace. It was an amount of
money that could pay off the mercenaries and still overflow, almost enough to buy a
kingdom, to exaggerate a bit.

Creak.

The door to Urich’s room, which had originally been the emperor’s bedroom, opened
with a creak. His weapons hung on the walls, and his well-polished breastplate
gleamed on the armor stand.

Rumble!

A loud, thunder-like noise startled the physician, who looked around in terror.

The source of the noise was Urich’s snoring. He had fallen into a deep sleep after
staying awake for several nights, with his exhaustion evident in his breathing.

“Urich, wake up.”

Georg grabbed Urich’s shoulder and shook him awake.

Schring.

Urich instinctively grabbed the dagger under his pillow and put the blade right
against Georg’s throat.

“Shit, it’s you? I was knocked out so hard that I didn’t even hear you come in.”

Urich shook his head. Normally, he would have woken at the sound of footsteps.

“Are you telling me he’s the patient? He looks vigorous.”

The physician clicked his tongue in awe at Urich’s reaction speed. He was no
different from a wild beast that had lived its entire life in the wilderness.

‘So this is the man who stands at the pinnacle of the new world… ’

People with special skills, like the physician, survived. When times changed, it was
always the rulers who died. A change in leadership didn’t alter the social structure
overnight. Farmers would still take their shovels and hoes to the fields, and
shepherds would still lead their sheep up the hills.

Riiiip.

Urich flinched as the physician unraveled the blood-soaked bandage.

The wound in Urich’s back was practically a hole, smeared with crushed herbs.

“I got hit by a hammer with a spike,” Urich said, lying on his stomach.

“You should be grateful your bones aren’t broken. Your muscles are as hard as
armor.”

The physician admired the musculature in Urich’s back. A normal person would have
found their spine shattered with the same hit, but Urich’s well-trained body seemed
to have prevented the worst outcome.

“Everyone, out.”

While the physician was treating Urich, Georg sent the surrounding warriors away.

The warriors hesitated but left when Urich nodded.

‘If they find out Urich is crippled, who knows what will happen? No matter how great
Urich’s achievements are… ’

Georg had lived with the westerners for a long time. While Urich would go down in
history as a hero, he couldn't keep the position of Great Chief with a crippled body. It
was possible that the Alliance might split over who would be the next Great Chief.

While the physician was treating him, Urich and Georg spoke in the tribal language.

“Urich, you need to make it clear who the next Great Chief is going to be before they
find out that you’re crippled.”

“Whoever it is, there will be opposition.”

“That’s true. Even if you hand over the position to Belrua, there is going to be strong
resistance.”

“I need to keep my status as Great Chief until things are settled. Who knows? If I’m
lucky, I might even be able to walk again.”

Urich smiled while lying down.

The physician, after examining the wound, looked at Urich.

“Sit up, please.”

Urich sat on the bed as the physician instructed. The physician pressed down on
Urich’s legs and the soles of his feet. Finally, he tickled the soles with a feather.

“Can you feel this?” he asked.

“No,” Urich answered.

The physician looked at Urich and Georg’s expressions.

“I’ve stitched up the wound and applied medicine for now. Please call me again if it
gets infected and a fever develops.”

The physician wrapped a bandage around Urich’s waist.

Georg placed his hand on the physician’s shoulder.

“Will Urich be able to walk again?”

“That only Lou would know.”

Georg firmly ordered the physician to keep silent before sending him out.

Chiefs and warriors came to see Urich as the news that he was awake spread. There
were many matters to report to Urich while he was resting, from the distribution of
loot to various disputes awaiting his decision.

Belrua pushed other warriors aside and stepped forward.

“Urich, we need to decide on how we’re going to punish Six-Fingered.”

At her words, the warriors raised their hands and shouted.

“Death to Six-Fingered!”

“Let’s skin him alive!”

The warriors who revered Urich despised Six-Fingered. Given that he was the one
who almost got them to retreat while their Great Chief was still alive, their anger
wasn’t going to be appeased even if Six-Fingered were torn apart multiple times.

“Eh, do we really need to kill him?”

Urich shrugged. The other warriors widened their eyes at his words.

“Of course, we must! We can’t just kill him; removing his entrails wouldn’t even make
up for half of what he’s done.”

Belrua nodded in agreement with the warriors.

“Well, if everyone thinks he should die, then let’s kill him. Bring Six-Fingered
immediately and behead him.”

Urich replied casually with a smile. Six-Fingered was no longer an interest of his as
he was well aware of his grown power. He had become the undisputed ruler of the
Alliance, and compared to him, a mere priest was nothing.
‘Right now, no matter what I do, even if it’s unjustly killing someone, no one would
oppose me.’

Absolute power was in Urich’s hands. Whatever he said, no matter how

unreasonable, became reality.

‘Belrua is essentially the second-in-command, yet I could even kill her anytime I please.’

Urich looked down at his palm. At this moment, everything in the world seemed to
be in his grasp.

‘Is this the absolute power Yanchinus had at his disposal…?’

But it felt empty. The wealth and glory that everyone desired meant nothing to Urich.

Six-Fingered’s execution was to be held in the garden of the imperial palace, but the
warriors who went to fetch Six-Fingered did not return for a while.

The garden was soon filled with warriors who had gathered to witness the shaman’s
death, hoping for a rare spectacle.

It was quite some time before the warriors who went to fetch Six-Fingered returned.

“Six-Fingered hanged himself.”

The warriors opened a large sack they had brought, revealing Six-Fingered’s corpse
inside, dead with his tongue sticking out.

Urich, sitting idly, looked at Six-Fingered’s body and noticed something jingling and
sparkling from his chest.

“Take that out.”

Urich ordered a warrior to take the item from Six-Fingered’s chest. It was a sun
necklace.

‘That’s how scared you were, Six-Fingered?’

Urich looked at the dented sun necklace and couldn’t help but laugh.
Porcana gained immense benefits after the takeover of Hamel. They acquired
Hamel's technology and treasures, and the lords of the imperial territories near
Porcana came forward to willingly become its vassals.

Porcana had all the conditions to rise as a powerful nation, but Varca, who should
have been the happiest man alive, looked at the corpse of a woman with a bitter
smile.

“Sister.”

Varca looked at Damia’s body lying on the pyre.

It was a wretched sight, and it was clear what she had gone through before her
death.

Varca hesitated with the torch in his hand. His sister was someone he had both loved
and hated, but no matter how strong his hatred toward her was, the memories of the
times they shared would not disappear. Damia was once the woman Varca loved and
trusted most in the world.

‘Why did you hold your knife against me?’

They could have had a lovely relationship as siblings, sharing childhood memories
and growing old together, laughing.

“Water under the bridge,” Varca muttered.

It was true that Damia had tried to kill him. It was also true that he handed her over
to be the emperor’s plaything. At the end of their divergent paths, Damia died.

All sorts of thoughts crossed his mind as Varca quietly set the pyre on fire and stayed
until Damia’s body was completely consumed by the flames.
By the time the acrid smoke permeated Varca’s clothes, several footsteps were heard.

“Your Highness, we have found the child you mentioned.”

Duke Lungell walked in followed by maids holding a boy.

“That’s good.”

Varca recognized Salone and strode forward. He lifted Salone and looked into his
eyes.

“Is this boy Princess Damia’s son?”

“I’ve seen him before. He is my nephew.”

Salone was terribly frightened. He looked around for his mother, but she was
nowhere to be seen.

“Who is his father? Surely not the emperor?”

“That doesn’t matter. What matters is that this child is my sister’s son.”

“If he is the emperor’s child, he could claim the imperial throne. Porcana could even
absorb the empire’s lands!”

Duke Lungell exclaimed excitedly. The Porcana Kingdom had risen to the ranks of
powerful nations through this war, and with its newfound strength, it was possible to
even take the place of the mighty empire.

“How many of the emperor’s bastards do you think there are in the empire? Don’t
talk nonsense,” Varca shut down Lungell’s hope.

“It’s not nonsense. There is only one illegitimate son who can receive Porcana’s
support.”

Duke Lungell dreamed of Porcana’s revival as now was the time when Porcana could
become as powerful as the empire.

“This child will grow up in Porcana. Make sure no unnecessary rumors spread, Duke
Lungell,” Varca said as he pressed his finger into Duke Lungell’s chest.
Duke Lungell narrowed his eyes.

“Your Highness, you have often opposed me until now, but if you intend to make
Porcana a great power like the empire, I will offer my utmost loyalty. I will mobilize
all my power to be your strong support.”

Varca stared at Duke Lungell silently.

This might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in Porcana’s history. The small

kingdom of Porcana was a key player in bringing down the empire.

“…When the time comes, perhaps.”

It was neither a complete affirmation nor a denial. Varca looked at Salone.

‘Urich’s child.’

Although Duke Lungell did not recognize it, anyone familiar with Urich might have
suspected it at least once.

Step, step.

After Damia’s funeral, Varca took Salone to Urich’s quarters. Barbarians without
shirts and with weapons in their hands were roaming the city known as the very
center of civilization. It was a very unnatural sight.

Nod.

Warriors recognized Varca and greeted him. The Alliance had undergone many
changes, and the warriors who had learned the ways of civilized society and the
meaning of a king showed respect to Varca, understanding that he held a status
equal to Urich.

‘The world is changing, and so are the people.’

The war had brought about rapid changes, replacing old values with new ones
almost daily, and those who couldn’t adapt to the new values were left behind.

‘I just have to keep going and hope my judgment was right in this chaos.’
Warriors guarded Urich’s quarters. Recognizing Varca, they opened the door.

As soon as Varca entered Urich’s quarters, his eyes widened.

“Urich, what in the world are you doing?”

Urich was hanging from the ceiling, doing one-armed pull-ups while sweat dripped
from his robust muscles onto the floor. Despite his severe injuries, he still didn’t
neglect his training.

Varca was speechless, amazed that Urich could even move.

“Lying in bed all day was making my body ache even more.”

Urich continued his pull-ups, switching hands, easily lifting his large frame using
only his upper body strength.

Finished with his training, Urich dropped to the floor. Then, using a crutch, he stood
up and sat in a chair.

Varca didn’t bother asking about Urich’s condition.

“What’s with the kid?”

Urich looked at the boy Varca was holding. There was a strange sense of familiarity.

“He’s my sister’s son.”

“Damia’s son?”

Urich had heard about Damia’s death, but it didn’t affect him much. He only thought,
‘A pretty but wicked woman has died.’

“What, do I have another sister that I don’t know about?”

Urich stared intently at Salone.

Salone, frightened, hid behind Varca. His eyes were filled with tears as if he was
missing his mother.
“…You're kidding, right?"

Urich wiped his sweat and waved his hand dismissively.

"Wow, I didn’t even say a word. Blood ties really are something."

Varca smiled faintly while Urich looked at Salone with a terrified expression.

"Man, it was just one night…”

"You must’ve been as healthy as ever back then, too."

Varca patted Urich’s shoulder and stood up. He entrusted Salone to a maid outside
and sat down with Urich, alone.

"He really is my kid.”

"I knew he was your son the moment I saw him."

"How long have you known this?"

"Before forming an alliance with the west."

"You hid it pretty well, you sly dog. You've become a real snake since becoming a
king. It feels like just yesterday you were showing off your ass to some bandits…”

Urich spoke with an uncertain tone, unsure whether he was excited or anxious. The
news was certainly unexpected.

"I thought about never telling you, but I figured you have the right to know you have
a son."

"I’m not in a position to raise a child right now. If the chiefs of the Alliance found out
about this kid, it would only cause more confusion."

"Don’t worry, I’m going to raise him. The boy will be treated as royalty. And who
knows? If I can’t have a son, he might even become my heir."

Urich smiled bitterly, recalling something Georg once told him.

‘Just as Georg said, I can’t be a good father.’

The news of having a son was overwhelming. He thought that the child in front of
him would be an obstacle for him rather than feeling joy in discovering that he had a
son and he felt ashamed of himself for thinking that way.

Given how many seeds he had sown, there were likely other children he didn’t know
about. But he had never prepared to be a father.

"Anyway, Urich, what do you plan to do now? Even though you’ve conquered Hamel,
you won’t be able to govern the imperial territories. Your army may be the strongest
in the world, but the Alliance is still only a small organization, and that’s not nearly
enough to rule the imperial lands."

The empire was the pinnacle of civilized world bureaucracy. The Alliance Army,
which had just started to emerge from a tribal system, couldn’t fully inherit the
empire. The same went for Porcana.

‘The empire will be divided back into its old duchies and kingdoms.’

It was a predictable outcome, something anyone with historical knowledge could

foresee. The empire would return to the state it was in before the Great Unification
of the first emperor.

"I haven’t thought that far ahead. For now, I think I’m going to bring my army back to
the west since I at least achieved my initial goal. My homeland is safe now and no
one will be able to enslave my brothers and kin."

Urich felt relieved. He had completed his mission.

Varca stared at Urich’s face. The always burdened look on Urich’s face seemed to
have lifted, making him look years younger.

"Urich, you might have completed your mission, but mine is just starting. Before the
war broke out, I succeeded in venturing into the distant sea. We are building a port
on an island where there are no people. If we start exchanging with a civilization
that’s advanced enough to create intricate jade figurines, the crossing of the Sky
Mountains will seem trivial compared to the changes that are about to come. In the
future, the condition for being a great power may be less about how much land you
control and more about owning the sea routes to the Eastern Continent, though
that’s just my thought."

Urich's pupils trembled. He could feel his heart beating, which he thought had
stopped.

"I’m sure you’ll make it happen. You’re a smart guy."

That’s all Urich could say.

Varca finished speaking and stood up, and just before opening the door to leave, he
shouted, "There will always be a place in Porcana for a daring barbarian who loves
adventure!"

Urich smiled instead of saying anything back.

***

A man who once held the highest position in the world had fallen to the very bottom
of it overnight. Being a beggar on the streets would have been better than the
position he was in now.

Yanchinus was dragged around naked, forced to crawl through Hamel’s square every
day with a chain around his neck.

Though the people of Hamel hesitated at first, it wasn’t long before they started
coming out to see the fallen emperor. Within a couple of days, people even mocked
him.

"Your Majesty…”

"’Your Majesty’? Hah, he’s the one who ruined Hamel."

Though the plundering had stopped, the city of Hamel had completely fallen. All the
wealth Hamel had accumulated was now in the hands of the Porcana-Alliance army.

"Cough."

The chains around his neck choked Yanchinus and made him cough, and his limbs
were covered in wounds from being dragged along the ground.
"Move faster."

The warrior holding Yanchinus’ leash barked in an angry voice. Though he didn’t
understand the language, he understood the meaning.

‘Is this how my life ends?’

He rolled his eyes and looked around to see the looks of contempt and pity.

‘Who could I even blame?’

He crawled on all fours, an action no different from a beast’s. The being that was
once considered the noblest of all was behaving like something less than a slave.

Some of Hamel’s citizens took pleasure in Yanchinus’ fall. For some reason, it was
strangely satisfying to see the once-proud emperor in such a state.

The emperor’s authority had hit rock bottom. Even if a miracle happened and
Yanchinus regained Hamel, his fallen authority would never be restored.

"Ha, haha."

Yanchinus lay on his back and laughed. The warriors picked up clubs and beat the
emperor, who once ruled everything under the heavens, like a dog.

Dying in battle would have been better than this. He had missed the chance to die as
a noble emperor.

After crawling around the square all day, Yanchinus was thrown into prison at dusk,
but his elbows and knees were so sore he couldn’t even sleep properly.

It was a humiliation he had to endure daily. He became a spectacle for the people,
and as they lost their reverence, the citizens began throwing rotten fruits and
vegetables at him. Unable to oppose the powerful Alliance Army, they directed every
last bit of their anger on Yanchinus.
Gottval looked at the fallen Hamel. Someone's victory was someone's defeat, and just
like that, Urich had become the best, which meant others could not.

No matter who won, Gottval could only smile bitterly. Although he sided with Urich,
the fall of the empire was not exactly joyful.

‘In the end, Urich won.’

A great hero was born. Even if Urich was a demon in the civilized world, no one could
deny that he was an unparalleled hero.

‘The one blessed by all gods.’

He might be the one chosen by the era, as the Serpentines said.

Gottval walked down the stairs leading to the underground prison where the
warriors guarding the entrance recognized him and opened the door.

Creak.

In the dark basement, Gottval held a torch and inspected the prison.

“Your Majesty,” Gottval spoke.

Yanchinus, crouched in the darkness, lifted his head.

“Who are you?”

“I am Gottval.”

“Ah, you’re that one-armed priest.”

Yanchinus had also heard of Gottval. A Sun priest yet a close aide of Urich, but was
also reputed to be a man of high virtue. Even knights who had been captured and
returned spoke well of the one-armed priest.

“Have this, Your Majesty.”

Gottval took out bread and wine from his pocket. The bread, freshly baked that
morning, still smelled delicious.

“You have my thanks.”

Yanchinus did not refuse and devoured the bread and wine.

“I feel regret for this situation, Your Majesty.”

“You side with Urich, yet you express regret to me?”

Yanchinus wiped his mouth and laughed.

“I do not take pleasure in watching the misfortune of others,” Gottval said.

“Those barbarians have plunged many civilized people into misfortune, and you
belong to their army. Do they believe in Lou, Priest? You brought misfortune to the
sons and daughters of Lou for the sake of those who did not believe in Him. You
might not have done it yourself directly, but you certainly played a part in it,”
Yanchinus reproached Gottval.

“You’re not wrong.”

Gottval did not deny Yanchinus’ words. If Urich’s existence was a calamity, then
Gottval was one of the people who had aided that calamity.

“A world that has lost the order of the empire will fall into misery and chaos. Many
more people will die.”

“Yes, many will die.”

“I appreciate your honesty.”

Yanchinus grasped the bars and leaned his face forward, but the dignity of the
emperor was nowhere to be seen on the revealed face. Only a wounded and weary
vagrant remained.

Gottval slumped down in front of the bars.

“All this time, I’ve been thinking that I treated both the civilized and barbarians fairly.
But in retrospect, I was partial to Urich. I was attached to this barbarian named
Urich and arrogantly thought I could guide him on the right path with my own
power.”

“Priests deceive themselves, thinking they can change people and the world with
Lou’s teachings. But in reality, it’s the blood spilled by men and well-forged steel that
changes the world. The order of the world was built by the power of the empire, not
the mercy of Lou. Gottval, take a good look at a world without order.”

Yanchinus' eyes were cold, seemingly glowing bluish in the dark.

“Your Majesty, you were born with everything. From the moment Lou gave you life,
you were destined to be the ruler of the world. Everything went according to your
plans, and you never had to bow to anyone.”

“That is indeed what people say. So? Are you envious of me?”

“To be born human and not envy the life of a monarch would be a lie. The emperor
who possessed everything in the world… why couldn’t you be satisfied and instead
plunged the world into misery?”

Yanchinus gulped down the remaining wine.

“People, including you, say I had everything. But you don’t know me at all.”

“Because it’s true.”

“I had nothing. The empire, the world, they were all handed down by my father and
grandfather. Nothing in this world was truly mine. What meaning is there in living a
life of complacency with what you’re given at birth? Priest Gottval, is there value and
meaning in a life where you achieve nothing with your own hands?”

“It’s better than losing what you already have.”

Gottval frowned as he sensed the madness and ambition that Yanchinus was
radiating that seemed to be heating up even the damp underground air.

“Gottval, there is no meaning in a life of complacency because we humans were not

born for that. Farmers want more farmland, and merchants want gold coins. Nobles
want land and power, and kings want immortal achievements. Our nature is to be
dissatisfied with what we have. The greatness of civilization lies in our greed.”

Gottval remained silent.

‘These are extremely selfish words, but… ’

In a corner of his heart, he thought Yanchinus might be right.

“Urich hates you, Your Majesty. He blames you for his misfortune.”

“Hah, the man who gained the world is upset? Urich gained immortal life! Even after
he dies, people will remember him as a great conqueror.”

“Yet Urich is still an unhappy man. He never truly lived the life he wanted, and he
resents you for it. When the status of emperor becomes a mere mockery, Urich will
skin you and cut your flesh bit by bit, killing you slowly.”

“That would be quite a spectacle,” Yanchinus said, seemingly undeterred.

Gottval took out a small vial from his pocket.

“…This is the mercy you need, Your Majesty.”

Yanchinus looked at the vial Gottval held out. The liquid inside sloshed.

It was obvious that the liquid was for ending his life before experiencing a fate worse
than death.

Drip.

Yanchinus poured the vial’s contents on the ground, and then smiled and looked at
Gottval.

“Gottval, I will remember your kindness. If I reach Lou first, I will mention your
name. I respect the right of the victor, so… if Urich wants to give me a horrific end,
then I must accept it with dignity.”

Gottval nodded and stood up.

“I will remember your folly, Your Majesty.”

“We humans are always foolish.”

Gottval ascended the stairs as Yanchinus' laughter echoed behind him.

***

Varca hurriedly came to find Urich. The cold air of early dawn still lingered.

“Urich, I have to leave.”

Urich was up early, reading a book. It was rather awkward to see a hulking barbarian
holding a tiny book in his hands.

“I heard the news earlier. The neighboring countries are finally starting to move,
huh?”

“It’s an unusual military activity. If my army doesn't come back to our kingdom,
Porcana could be attacked.”

“You always have to be cautious about leaving your home unguarded. Do you want
me to send some of my warriors to help?”

“Just the promised number should be enough. They probably won’t go as far as
attacking Porcana. It’s more likely that they’ll just try to negotiate after a show of
force.”

Urich closed the book and nodded. It was a book containing the history of the
empire.

“I tried to read this thing, but there are still many letters I don’t know, so I didn’t get
much of it. After all, a barbarian is still a barbarian.”

“There are plenty of civilized people who can’t read either.”

“Thanks for everything, Pahell.”

Urich extended his hand for a handshake. Varca hesitated for a moment before
grasping it.

“No need to thank me. I acted for the benefit of my kingdom and myself. Even after
hearing that you had opened the gates alive, I waited until the Alliance Army had
firmly entered Hamel before making a move. We were fully prepared to retreat if the
breakthrough had failed.”

Varca spoke frankly. The Porcana army had intentionally delayed entering Hamel.

“That’s a reasonable decision. I would have done the same in your position.”

Urich and Varca could no longer risk their lives for each other as their lives were not
solely their own. Their perspectives changed along with their positions.

“I’ll pray to Lou for your speedy recovery.”

“Hold on.”

Urich stopped Varca as he was leaving in a slightly trembling voice.

“…Salong, was it?”

Varca burst into a clear, stream-like laugh as his blue eyes leisurely looked at Urich.

“You’ve already forgotten your son’s name? It’s Salone. Of course, I’ll give him a
proper name later, in the Porcana style. He’s a son of Porcana, not the empire or the
west.”

Urich, who had initiated the conversation, felt awkward after realizing that Varca
was resolute.

“You wouldn’t give Salone to me even if I asked, would you?”

“Salone might be your son, but he is also a royal of Porcana. If my sister were alive,
do you think she would have let you raise Salone? Urich, you’re a great warrior and a
wonderful friend, but… you wouldn’t make a good father.”
Urich gave a bitter smile and waved his hand.

“Take care.”

They might never meet again. Neither Urich nor Varca was a free man.

Varca responded with a faint smile and walked out steadily. A maid holding Salone
met him as he left.

***

The empire had already fallen, but the chaos was just beginning. The civilized people
who witnessed the empire’s downfall did not dare to touch the west, but they also
knew the barbarians lacked the capacity to reign over the civilized world.

‘As long as we wait, the era of the civilized people will return.’

Everyone was just waiting for the westerners to go back to their home.

Meanwhile, the northerners, on the verge of establishing their kingdom, were

constantly eyeing the south as they aimed to seize more territory. The remnants of
the Northern Imperial Army were absorbed by surrounding nobles, and powerful
border lords declared themselves grand dukes, proclaiming independence from the
empire.

All that was left of the empire now was just its name, and the bureaucratic system
they had established had completely collapsed. Some called it a regression of
civilization, while others fervently argued it was a step back for two steps forward.

The Porcana army set off to defend their land, and the Alliance Army was resting and
planning their next moves.

Urich went out to the garden on crutches. As he dragged his leg and went outside,
the warriors glanced at him and bowed their heads.

The Alliance warriors sensed that Urich’s condition was serious. Despite daily visits
from the imperial physician, he couldn’t use his lower body properly. His injuries
showed no signs of any recovery.

‘What if Urich is crippled for the rest of his life?’

It would have a tremendous impact.

No matter how great a warrior, he couldn’t stay as the Great Chief as a cripple. If
Urich wasn’t going to recover, he would have to step down from his position.

Who would be the next Great Chief? No one could easily predict.

“Phew.”

Urich stood in the middle of the garden, breathing heavily. Walking with crutches
alone took a tremendous amount of effort.

Woosh!

Urich balanced himself on one crutch and swung his weapon. The warriors who saw
him felt both awe and pity.

‘The great warrior has become crippled.’

Urich was still young. He had accomplished immortal feats even before reaching
thirty, making others wonder just how much more he could have achieved if he had
remained healthy. Many warriors had high hopes.

‘Now that he’s crippled, it’s over.’

The warriors respected Urich, but they couldn’t follow a warrior who couldn’t even
run.

Woosh!

Sweat poured down Urich’s face as he nonchalantly switched between his sword and
axe, swinging them.

Creak.

In the corner of the garden was a basin filled with water. Urich approached it to
drink.

‘A wooden barrel?’
Next to the basin was a wooden barrel he hadn’t seen before that was large enough
for a small person to fit inside.

Urich stared at the barrel and sensed a faint presence inside.

“…What do you think you’re doing in there?” Urich said as he lifted the lid of the
barrel.

Inside was Basha, clutching a dagger.

Basha knew that Urich swung his weapons in the garden at the same time every day
and that he drank water from the basin during his short breaks. Watching Urich's
actions daily, she hid in a wooden barrel, waiting for him.

She blinked and looked up at Urich. There were many other ways, but she
deliberately chose to hide in a wooden barrel.

‘If Urich is truly that man… ’

Basha still dreamed of the village burning every night. She had lost everything to the
barbarians. The monster made of hatred slowly raised its head.

In the chaos where everything collapsed, Basha saw a light in a barbarian who saved
her as she trembled in a barrel, whom she could only describe as an apostle of Lou.

‘There is no way that man was Urich.’

Basha clearly remembered the shadow from that day.

“Were you hiding in here planning to kill me with that tiny knife?”

Urich chuckled as he covered the sun behind him.

Basha’s lips quivered.

“There is no way…”

She had vaguely known but couldn’t accept it. No, she must never accept it.

“What do you mean there’s no way?”

Urich scratched his chin, watching Basha’s reaction.

“Why, why… The person who took everything from me…”

Basha jumped out of the barrel and swung the dagger, but no matter how disabled
Urich’s leg was, he wasn’t someone to be hit by Basha’s attack.

Urich grabbed Basha’s arm and threw her into the rose bushes.

“Go back to Gottval, you dumb bitch.”

Urich bared his teeth and threatened.

The roses emitted a sweet scent as their petals scattered, but their thorns scratched
Basha’s skin, leaving wounds everywhere.

“You took everything from me…”

Basha stood up. Entangled in the vines, blood dripped from the scratches on her
skin, but she ignored the pain and walked up to Urich.

“Why didn’t you take my life too? Why did you save me?”

Basha was certain that Gottval’s words were not lies and that Urich was indeed the
man from that night. The sight of Urich from inside the barrel matched the shadow
from that day exactly.

Urich looked down at Basha with an indifferent expression.

“Did Gottval tell you?”

“Answer my question! Why did you save me? You should have killed me along with
the others! Why did you save me?” Basha screamed in fury.

“Yeah, you’re right. It would have been easier to just kill you,” Urich responded
indifferently. Basha, even angrier, charged at Urich.

Thud!

Urich grabbed Basha’s head and slammed it into the ground. It was the same
outcome no matter how many times she tried. To Urich, Basha’s movements were
pathetic.
“Haha, if I had known you were such an idiotic girl, I would have just let you die.”

Basha’s face turned bright red. The moment she heard Urich's laughter, something
snapped in her mind.

“Die! Just die!”

Basha lunged at Urich again, swinging the dagger wildly but failing to even leave a
scratch on Urich.

“Basha, to kill someone, there always has to be a reason. Hatred, grudges, revenge,
retribution—whatever it is, there must be a reason like these. Sure, sometimes
people kill for fun, but most don’t kill without a reason.”

“What did my family ever do to you?! We… we were just living our lives in that
village! We had no reason to be killed by you!”

“But we had our reasons to plunder that village, and that’s all there is to it. Your
family did nothing wrong, but we didn’t do anything wrong to deserve the empire’s
invasion.”

“Shut up!”

Basha aimed her dagger at Urich’s throat, but Urich deftly leaned back, grabbed her
by the arm, and threw her aside.

After being slammed to the ground several times, Basha’s body was a wreck. There
was even a crackling sound in her bones

“But there doesn’t always need to be a reason to save someone. I saved you because I
wanted to. The reason you’re still alive right now is because I feel reluctant to take
back the life I saved, not because I like you.”

Urich grabbed Basha’s dagger. Despite holding the blade, no blood seeped out as the
dagger’s edge was dull and Urich’s palm was as thick as a bear’s.

Urich let out a long sigh.

‘This is my karma.’
Basha was the embodiment of the hatred and anger of the civilized people toward
Urich. To ordinary people, the justification of war meant nothing. The harm that the
Alliance caused the civilized world was enormous, and the number of people who
lost their families to them was countless.

A little girl living in an ordinary farmhouse lost everything overnight. It would have
been stranger if she wasn’t driven mad by hatred.

The old Urich wouldn’t have even tried to understand Basha’s feelings. A warrior
believed that understanding the pain of others would only dull their senses and that
it was their way to kill anyone who got in the way.

“…I’m sorry about what happened to your family, Basha. I apologize.”

After saying that, Urich left the garden, using his crutches.

“I will get my revenge, I swear! One day, you will die by my hand!”

Basha, slumped on the ground, shouted through her tears.

***

The heads of Solarism sent a group of clerics to Hamel, aiming to establish friendly
relations with the Alliance.

“I am Gottval.”

Gottval, whose reputation was well-known among the priests, greeted them.

‘The priest who tamed the chief of the barbarians.’

The priests showed respect to Gottval. Converting the western barbarians to

Solarism would be a great achievement.

“Do you know a woman named Basha?”

“She is staying here.”

“We have heard rumors that she calls herself a saintess.”

“It is merely a rumor. She is not a saintess, just a pitiable girl.”

Gottval deliberately changed the subject as he was aware of the unpleasant rumors
surrounding Basha.

Gottval and the priests discussed plans for the future throughout the night. Gottval
was a devout and well-regarded Sun priest who was also deeply rooted within the
Alliance. From the perspective of Solarism, Gottval was like a saint sent by Lou.

“His Holiness plans to designate a western diocese and appoint you, Brother Gottval,
as its bishop.”

Gottval immediately shook his head as if he had anticipated the proposal.

“This is all too soon. Unlike the northerners, the barbarians of the Alliance are the
victors of war. We must gradually integrate ourselves into their society, not impose
our ways on them.”

Even the prestigious position of bishop meant nothing to Gottval. The priests
murmured, praising Gottval’s humility.

While Gottval and the priests were talking, an apprentice priest wandered through
the palace. His face was still youthful, retaining the look of a boy.

‘Basha.’

The apprentice priest went around the city, looking for Basha. He asked the servants
who were going in and out of the imperial palace and eventually found the room
where Basha was staying.

Knock, knock.

The apprentice priest knocked on the door.

Basha, with a fierce expression, opened the door and stared at the apprentice. She
was planning to leave Hamel soon, knowing that her life was in danger if she stayed
in the capital any longer. Although she had failed, the reality was that she had
attempted to kill the Great Chief with many warriors as witnesses.

“Who are you?”

Basha eyed the apprentice priest’s attire warily.

“I am Hume. I am still an apprentice, but I am walking the path of the clergy.”

“I can tell you’re a cleric by your clothes. So, what brings you to me?”

“I have a message from Priest Gottval. May I come in?”

Basha frowned but nodded reluctantly upon hearing that the apprentice in front of
her was sent by Gottval. Despite the various events, Basha still followed him, who
had willingly forgiven her for trying to kill him.

“What is it?”

“May I tell you my story for a moment?” Hume asked.

“I’m not really interested.”

“No, you have a responsibility to listen to this story, Basha. I’m sure you remember
that among the Imperial Army, there were those who called you a saintess.”

Apprentice Priest Hume glared at Basha with a sharp gaze that was uncharacteristic
of a priest. The intimidation made Basha flinch.

“You see, I was an orphan. I lived like an idiot, stealing in the back alleys of the city.”

“What does that have to do with me?”

“But then there was one monk who took me in. Even then, I couldn’t straighten out
and continued my foolish ways. Eventually, I was caught by the guards and sentenced
to have both of my hands cut off for stealing. Despite my foolish actions, this monk
stepped forward and offered to pay the penalty in my place. He bravely told the lord
to cut off his hands instead of mine. Fortunately, the lord did not cut off either of our
hands, and I swore never to do wrong again.”

Hume glanced around the room, taking note of its layout. With the only escape being
through the door, he could block the escape route if he stood in a straight line with
the door.

“He sounds like a truly admirable person,” Basha responded perfunctorily.

“Indeed, a truly admirable person. I was away from him for three years to formally
receive ordination.”

Hume took a step closer. Basha stumbled and grasped the dagger hidden in her
garment.

“If you have nothing more to say, please leave.”

“…It’s not uncommon to die while following the Imperial Army. One might be struck
by a stray arrow on the battlefield. But you see…”

A specific incident that occurred during the height of her madness flashed through
her mind.

“Stand back, I’m warning you,” she said with fear.

“He was not the kind of man to violate a woman. You whispered lies to people and
you have tarnished his honor.”

Tears rolled down Hume’s face. The priest was like a father to him. He was not
someone who would die from being overpowered while trying to violate a woman.
Right from the moment Hume heard the news, he knew Basha was lying.

“…He tried to taint my body.”

“Can you swear by Lou?”

Basha hesitated for a moment. Seeing that, Hume shook his head in self-mockery.

“I can't take this anymore. What wrong did he ever do to you? Why did he have to die
under such disgrace?” He said, dropping all politeness.

Hume's voice was filled with anguish and his eyes gleamed with murderous intent.
All he wanted at this point was to kill the woman in front of him, with his faith in Lou
not considered one bit.

“I-I…”

Basha was flustered and saw Hume drawing a hook-shaped dagger.

Karma sought Basha's life. She stumbled backward and fell.

“When you die and meet Brother Aledor, confess your sins and beg for his
forgiveness!”

Hume's movements were swift and practiced, befitting someone who spent their
early years in the dark back alleys.

Screech!

Basha desperately grabbed Hume’s hand and tried to push the dagger away, but it
was difficult to resist his downward force. The blade slowly sank into Basha's chest.

Hume’s eyes were filled with hatred. His purpose for visiting Hamel was entirely
different from the other priests; revenge was his sole focus.

‘Is this my fault?’

Basha’s eyes stared at the ceiling as Hume tried to kill her.

‘But I had no choice.’

Basha had killed an innocent person for her own ends.

‘All I wanted was revenge… ’

But Hume was no different. He just wanted revenge for someone dear to him.

‘I am no different from Urich.’

Basha sighed and released her grip.

Schluck.

With Basha's sudden surrender, Hume's blade plunged into her heart with ease.

Basha shuddered, looking up at Hume. She saw his face, drenched in blood, smiling
with the success of his revenge.

“Mom, Dad…” Basha muttered through her tears as her heart grew cold.
Basha was dead. The apprentice priest, Hume, confessed to the crime and turned
himself in.

But who was going to punish Hume? Basha was an enemy of the Alliance and merely
a guest of Gottval. As if those weren’t enough, she even had a record of trying to kill
Urich.

The only person who felt sorrow over her death was Gottval.

Even the priests whom Hume had accompanied to Hamel did not anticipate his
sudden actions and left his fate entirely to the Alliance. From the higher-ups of
Solarism’s perspective, diplomatic relations were far more important than the life of
a single apprentice priest.

“I had to take revenge,” Hume said, bowing his head. He sat in a chair, under arrest.

Gottval stood before the apprentice priest. After hearing Hume’s words, he
responded, “I believe you. It is most likely true that Basha killed an innocent person.
She was mentally unstable, after all.”

But Basha had been improving since being put under Gottval’s care.

‘If she were given a little more time, she might have been able to let go of her hatred
and anger… ’

Basha died without ever finding peace. Gottval was deeply saddened by the fact that
she died full of red and black emotions.

‘Oh, Lou, why did this little girl have to die carrying such terrible emotions?’

But there was no answer from Lou.

Basha died hating Urich and the barbarians.

‘She was killed by the person who hated her, Hume.’

The beginning and the end were chains of hatred. Humans lived true to their
emotions, and that made forgiving someone unconditionally almost impossible.
Neither Urich nor Basha, nor even Hume who walked the path of a priest, could
overcome their emotions.

“You should have forgiven Basha, Hume.”

“She is the woman who killed the man who was not only my teacher, but like a father
to me. As if that wasn’t enough, she even accused him of being a rapist. How could I
possibly forgive such a woman?”

“Lou wishes we do so, and it is the right thing to do.”

“Enough with the sermons. I will accept any punishment. If I faced the same
situation again, I would take revenge once more.”

“Encouraging revenge is the way of the barbarian god.”

“Then it seems the barbarian god is closer to us humans.”

Hume's attitude was firm. His rough nature was evident in his speech.

‘He was never suited for the path of a priest. Aledor must have been a truly remarkable
man to lead someone like him on the priestly path.’

Urich merely nodded upon hearing of Basha's death, so Hume's fate was put in
Gottval's hands.

“Hume, you said you would accept any punishment.”

“I know better than anyone that what I did was wrong. Revenge is wrong, but if not
me, then who would have punished her?”

“Lou is watching. In time, all our actions will receive rightful judgment…”

“I've had enough of such outdated talk. I wanted Basha to receive a punishment that I
could see with my own eyes. If the price of revenge is my own death, I will accept
that as well.”
Gottval sighed. He poured a glass of water and handed it to Hume.

“What will change if I kill you? Would that bring Basha back? Those who care for you
will grieve your death and hate me for carrying out the judgment. The world will
only become worse.”

Hume drank the water, unable to bring himself to look directly at Gottval.

“You are as remarkable as they say,” he said, still averting his gaze.

“I have only one proposal. Do you know Urich, the leader of the Alliance?”

“You ask if I know him? Is there anyone in the world who doesn’t know the name of
the man who brought down the empire?”

“My decision is that you will serve Urich. If it’s my request, Urich will gladly accept it
as well.”

Hume was greatly taken aback at an entirely unexpected sentence.

“Where did that come from…? It’s not that I refuse. I’m just curious about the
reason.”

“I don’t have a clear reason myself,” Gottval said with a smile and patted Hume’s
shoulder.

Hume's pupils dilated further. For a moment, he wondered if Gottval had gone mad.

“You really are serious? This isn’t some joke?”

Gottval nodded in response. Scratching his head, Hume accepted Gottval’s decision.

***

Urich often went out to the garden, which was the only open space in the large yet
stifling palace.

“I see you’re in the garden again.”

Gottval came looking for Urich with Hume.

Urich alternated his gaze between Hume and Gottval, then shrugged. Gottval then
told him about what he was planning to do with Hume.

“You’re making the man who killed Basha serve me?”

Urich laughed heartily at Gottval’s explanation. Hume, standing beside Gottval, felt
somewhat ashamed.

“Don’t you think it would be amusing, Urich?” Gottval said.

“It definitely sounds fun!”

Urich did not reject Gottval’s suggestion and willingly took Hume as his servant.

“Ah, and Urich, I have one more request.”

“Hmm?”

“Forgive the emperor—at least enough to allow him to have a proper end.”

“Drop that subject. And besides, Yanchinus is no longer the emperor. He’s my slave.”

Urich responded coldly about the emperor.

“What do you gain by keeping Yanchinus in a state of neither living nor dead?”

“It serves as an offering for my dead brothers. Gottval, do not test the limits of my
kindness. I’ve already said no to that.”

Gottval nodded and stepped back.

Urich watched Gottval walk away before turning his head to Hume.

“Your name is Hume, right?”

“Yes, it is.”

Hume’s body trembled slightly.

‘The very man who brought down the empire… ’

There were all sorts of rumors.

‘Some even say he eats people.’

Hume waited quietly for Urich to speak.

“How did it feel when you killed Basha?”

“I felt like I did my job.”

“So this wasn’t your first time killing. If it was, then you wouldn’t have felt that way,
no matter how much of an enemy she was to you.”

Hume nodded affirmatively. He was from the backstreets and indeed had experience
in killing.

“…Why did you spare Basha? I heard she attacked you.”

“I spared her because she wasn’t a threat to me. She failed in her revenge, but you
didn’t. It’s simple logic, really. Basha was weak, and you were stronger than her. And
I am alive because I am strong enough not to die even when others resent and hate
me.”

“Is that why you killed so many people?”

Despite his fear, Hume squeezed out the question. He was curious about Urich.

“I had no choice. I know it might sound like a cowardly excuse, but it’s the truth.”

Urich chuckled. He watched Gottval completely disappear in the distance and then
whispered in Hume’s ear.

“Didn’t Gottval give you an earful about showing mercy and love, and whatnot?”

“Gottval is a great man. I was the one who did the wrong thing knowing fully well
what was right.”

Hume expressed his respect for Gottval. Gottval would make the right choice even if
it meant his own death. He was a priest to be a role model for all.
“Gottval is an excellent priest, but he’s quite old-fashioned,” Urich said as he walked
briskly, leaning on his crutch. His upper body strength was so great that he moved
faster than Hume, even on crutches.

‘Does he even need my help?’ Hume thought as he hustled to keep up with Urich.

Though they had just met, Hume could tell how extraordinary Urich was. He even
thought that the rumors about Urich not being human might be true.

“I don’t think you did anything wrong. If someone I cared about was killed, I’d seek
revenge with all my might too. If what Gottval says is true—that it’s right to forgive
without seeking revenge… the order of our world wouldn’t hold. The reason why
people don’t recklessly harm others is because they know there will be retaliation if
they do.”

In tribal societies, order was maintained through revenge. If someone killed a father,
his son would grow up and seek revenge. If the father had a living sibling, that sibling
would avenge the death. Honorable revenge was both a right and a duty.

“But if we encourage revenge, the cycle of violence would never end. Though I’m not
by any means in a position to say this,” Hume said.

Urich sneered, “Hah, that’s where you priests are wrong. The cycle ends if the target
of revenge is stronger. Basha ultimately couldn’t avenge herself and died. What is
right and wrong is simply a matter of perspective; the civilized perspective, the
barbarian perspective, the religious perspective… we all have different ideas of
what’s right and wrong.”

Hume found Urich fascinating. He was a barbarian with exceptional eloquence.

During his time with Urich, he learned a few things.

‘Urich does not eat human flesh, and if you watch quietly, he’s simply an extraordinary
human being.’

Urich was also human. In fact, if one shed their preconceptions, Urich was a more
intelligent person who communicated better than most civilized people.

‘Above all, his perspective is broad. I understand why Gottval acts alongside Urich.’

Urich had crossed into the civilized world at an age that could be considered young.
Spending several years in the civilized world during a period of significant value
shifts, he gained the ability to see the world from various perspectives. Even as he
reached an age where his thinking could have solidified, he remained flexible in his
thoughts.

‘Is this man really the leader of the barbarian army that destroyed the civilized
world…?’

If Hume had met Urich in ordinary circumstances, he would have just thought of him
as an interesting barbarian.

But unlike Hume’s tranquil life, the situation within the Alliance was rapidly
changing.

‘Urich has become crippled.’

‘Why doesn't he step down from being the Great Chief? Has he suddenly developed a
thirst for power?’

There were talks among the warriors of the Alliance. It had been over two months
since they had conquered Hamel, but Urich hadn’t given them any significant orders
while keeping them in Hamel.

Georg visited Urich daily to report on the situation of the Alliance.

“The White Foot Tribe says they are returning to the west,” he reported.

Urich lay eating the fruit handed by some of the emperor's women who had
surrendered to the Alliance. Most of them were forced to serve the emperor anyway.

“The peaches are well-ripened. No, I’m not talking about those peaches, I’m talking
about the peaches on you,” Urich joked, slapping a woman’s butt.

The woman laughed, hitting Urich’s chest with her fist. They looked as affectionate
as lovers as Urich was a remarkably gentle man compared to the twisted emperor.

Georg watched Urich for a moment and shook his head.

‘He’s completely relaxed after the war. He’s not like his old self.’
Georg sighed deeply and proceeded to advise Urich.

“Only more tribes are going to leave the army. You need to decide whether to return
west or settle in the civilized world.”

“Let them go home if that’s what they want. If they want to settle, they can take their
army and take any land they want. They have me and the Alliance supporting them,
so what’s to worry? Isn’t that right, my pretty ladies?”

Urich laughed, fondling the large breasts of the women.

“I don’t know about the other stuff, but this achievement of Yanchinus definitely has
to be acknowledged. Gathering and monopolizing women like this? It makes
conquering Hamel worthwhile, doesn’t it?”

Georg’s brow furrowed deeply at Urich’s words.

“I have something to say, Urich. Please dismiss the women.”

“Uh-oh, you ladies go. My subordinate is angry.”

Urich exaggeratedly shooed the women away, slapping their butts as they dispersed.

It seemed that Georg had pondered on a decision for a long time and had finally
made up his mind.

“Urich, I have many mercenaries who are willing to follow me.”

“Look at you, you’re quite some man now, leading others.”

“I wanted to tell you that I’m leaving and I’m taking those men with me.”

Urich, who had been joking around until now, leaned forward. Georg was a valuable
talent.

“Where to? Porcana?”

“I’m heading north. The establishment of the northern kingdom is just getting
started there, so they are going to need someone like me.”
“Even if you went there, would you really get better treatment there than in the
Alliance?”

“I’m sure it won’t be as good as here right away… but Urich, you don’t seem to have
any intention of founding a nation. My goal was to become the chancellor of the
country you would establish—to rise from a slave to a chancellor. You know I’m a
realist, don’t you?”

Urich looked at Georg with a complex expression.

“Then should I found a nation now?”

Urich laughed as he spoke. It was an obvious joke to anyone who heard it. Founding a
nation wasn’t something to be done on a whim, and establishing one that was
centered around the westerners would require Urich’s entire remaining lifetime.

Georg shook his head as if he was exhausted by Urich’s demeanor.

“The movement within the Alliance is unsettling. If something happens to you, I’ll
lose all the influence that I’ve built here. Hell, I might even be killed by those who
don’t like me, and that’s why I’m going to leave before that happens.”

Urich, having listened to all of Georg’s words, extended his hand for a handshake.
Georg walked over and grasped his hand.

“If you’ve decided, then I won’t stop you. Thank you for everything, Georg.”

“I’m grateful to you as well. I will forever be proud of serving a great warrior and
hero. Take care of yourself.”

Georg nodded and left the room.

Urich stared blankly at the door Georg had closed behind him.

Clap.

After a while, Urich clapped his hands cheerfully to bring out the women who had
been hiding, who then rushed out and embraced him again.

“What a wicked subordinate he is. Leaving just like that.”

“Hah, that guy isn’t a subordinate; he’s a friend,” Urich replied with a laugh.
The Alliance Army quietly remained stationed in Hamel. As time went by, the citizens
of Hamel naturally returned to their normal lives.

Urich retained the bureaucrats of Hamel and even used the emperor’s private funds
to aid in the city's reconstruction.

‘Who would have thought the one who destroyed our city would work to rebuild it?’

The bureaucrats of Hamel, protected by Urich himself, played along with his
contradictory actions regardless of how puzzled they were and used their well-
developed system to help Hamel remain functional despite having its ruler changed
overnight.

“We’ve captured anyone with the snake tattoo, Great Chief,” the chief of the Karkar
Tribe reported to Urich. The Karkar Tribe, known for its strong warrior spirit, had
always maintained a good relationship with the outstanding warrior Urich and had
always supported him, even now when he was crippled.

The remnant Serpentines disturbed the city's order. They were no different than a
criminal organization that took advantage of the city’s chaos. Urich deployed
warriors to root them out.

‘This is what Trikee would have wanted.’

Urich, leaning back in his chair, nodded slightly.

Serpentism had deviated far from Trikee’s ideals and had seemingly regressed into
barbarism. The lower class, filled with hatred and anger, justified their violence
under the name of Serpentism. Urich did not tolerate such behavior.

“Do you remember the Marganu lands, Great Chief?”

The chief of Karkar tossed a leather flask of milk wine. Urich caught it and gulped it
down.

“Of course! It’s the place we swept clean.”

Urich chugged the milk wine and tossed the empty flask aside.

“I want to settle there. Even in the west, our tribe is located on the outskirts. Unlike
the tribes near the Sky Mountains with abundant forests and game, we will find no
rest even if we return home.”

Marganu was the agricultural heart of the empire. Despite the devastation brought
by the Alliance Army, many nobles coveted the land that remained fertile and was
sure to flourish again in a few years.

Although Marganu was about to become a center of conflict, a group backed by the
Alliance settling there would deter invasions for years as civilized people feared the
Alliance. If the Alliance were to move once again, they would have no problem
reducing a few kingdoms to rubbles.

Urich pondered, stroking his chin and pulling at his rough beard, before nodding.

“But can the Karkar Tribe alone control Marganu?” He asked the chief of Karkar.

“There are three or four other tribes that share our intentions,” the chief replied.

“I’m impressed you all managed to come up with such a great plan without me
knowing.”

There was a hint of sarcasm in Urich’s words. Even the Karkar Tribe, close to Urich,
had acted without his knowledge.

“Let’s be honest, I know you don’t care much about what we do, Great Chief.”

Urich burst into laughter at the chief’s words.

The Karkar chief, being quite close with Urich, was also the first to notice his
indifference.

“I sincerely hope your settlement succeeds. If there’s anything you need, I will
support you no matter what.”
“Those words are enough. What we needed most was the Great Chief’s blessing.”

The chief of the Karkar Tribe raised his fist in farewell. Urich watched him leave.

The Karkar Tribe, along with several small to medium-sized tribes, left the Alliance
and headed for Marganu. Some civilized mercenaries also joined them, dreaming of
settling there.

Following the Karkar, more tribes aimed to settle in the civilized world. The fertile
lands of civilization where anything and everything grew with ease was worth
abandoning their barren homelands for.

The Alliance Army slowly fragmented as each tribe claimed fertile lands that once
belonged to the empire, but the Great Chief Urich did not hinder this trend.

Though the western tribes scattered to various lands, their tacit alliance remained.
Even as time passed, their sons and grandsons would remember their blood ties.

‘…If enough time passes, who knows? Perhaps we too will crumble to dust before time.’

Urich smiled as he approved the settlement of yet another tribe, knowing that it
would be difficult for the settled tribes to maintain their traditions.

Urich had crossed into the civilized world at a young age and had adopted values
different from his brothers. In this new age, children of the west would be born in
the civilized world and grow up unaware of the barren lands of the home of their
ancestors. They would understand their roots only through the stories of their
fathers and grandfathers.

‘They’ll likely become more familiar with shovels and hoes rather than axes and
swords.’

It was his genuine hope. He wished they would value what they earned through
sweat more than what they seized through bloodshed.

‘May they gain enough to share with others in this land… ’

Warriors always took from others, but farmers could share what they had.

However, it was impossible to impose a farmer’s way on men who had grown up as
warriors. A warrior could only die as a warrior, just as Sven of the north did. That
was the right way for them.

One day, Belrua came to see Urich.

“Urich, I’m going back home,” she said.

“You stayed longer than I thought you would,” he replied as if he already knew this
day was coming.

Urich looked down at Belrua from the emperor’s throne. They once stood shoulder
to shoulder, but now there was a gap between them as wide as the distance they had
fallen apart.

“There was much to see here.”

Belrua shrugged and smiled, and Urich smiled back.

“Did you get what you wanted?”

“I got enough.”

She had acquired the Imperial Smithy. The blacksmiths of the empire had no choice
but to teach Belrua their skills, though some stubborn ones had bathed in boiling oil.

“So are we going to see some steel come out of the west?”

“It won’t be as good as the ones here, but still better than before, I suppose.”

The secret of imperial steel lay in Hamel’s high-quality iron and the effort of its
skilled blacksmiths. They melted the iron in mechanical furnaces operated with
watermills, and the craftsmen repeatedly hammered the heated iron countless times
in order to forge it. To create a single sword, the smiths worked day and night, slowly
cooling and hammering the blade. The more they waited and hammered, the tougher
and more resilient the iron became.

Even if they were to implement the same process in the west, the facilities and
quality of iron in the west couldn’t produce steel like the empire’s. However, learning
advanced metallurgy was a significant leap forward regardless.
“You’re not settling here like the other tribes. I guess the Red Sand Tribe doesn’t
need to move since they were well-positioned to begin with,” Urich said.

“What about you? You seem to be staying here endlessly,” Belrua asked in return.

“I’ll move when the time is right.”

“You’re like an old goat now. Not resting but staggering as you wait to die.”

“If I stagger, wouldn’t it be good for you?”

“…You’re still young, Great Chief Urich. Don’t act like you’ve got nothing to live for.”

Belrua felt sorry for Urich. Was it because he had achieved his goal? Or was it the
frustration of becoming crippled? Urich lacked the energy he once had and showed
no desire to move forward.

‘No matter what anyone says, Urich was a shining warrior. It was as if his entire body
was screaming that he was alive.’

Belrua thought she might never see Urich again.

“Belrua, take this before you go.”

Urich pulled out the meteorite dagger. It was a treasure he had received from Belrua.

“I gave it to you as the Great Chief. I have no reason to take it back.”

“I’m not giving it to you. It’s a gift for Samikan’s son. There, is that acceptable?”

“I’m sure he’ll love receiving a gift from his father’s enemy.”

“Tell him to come find me with this when he’s ready to kill me. That way, it’ll be
easier for me to recognize him.”

Belrua hesitated before putting the meteorite dagger into her pocket. With that, she
too led her people back to the west.

The number of Alliance troops staying in Hamel was now just over five thousand. For
now, a summon from the Great Chief would gather a large army, but over time, the
cohesion of the Alliance would weaken.

Settled tribes would seek friendship with nearby tribes or lords of civilization, and
Urich’s influence would not easily reach those who had returned home.

Hume observed Urich closely, thinking that he could not understand him at all.

‘If he were someone who coveted power, he would be wary of his forces dispersing like
this.’

But Urich did not try to hold onto his power. He merely watched as his group
scattered and became the seeds of the future. Even though he had the power to
shake the civilized world again, he did not wield it.

Half a year had passed since the Alliance occupied Hamel. The civilized kingdoms
had begun to wage war, fighting among themselves for land while leaving the
Alliance untouched. The Northern Kingdom, which had just successfully established
itself as an independent kingdom, was too busy consolidating its interior to worry
about the wars happening in the south.

The Alliance that was once united around Great Chief Urich slowly diminished. Some
groups disliked this change in the Alliance, and the voices of the warriors gradually
grew louder.

“If I were the Great Chief, I would start a war immediately.”

“How much longer do we have to stay here?”

The warriors wanted to see blood. They were pure warriors who had neither settled
nor returned home. Those who worshipped Urich like a god were the ones who grew
more and more dissatisfied with the peace.

Discontent began to sprout. Even the myth-like achievements of Urich started to

fade.

When Urich had just conquered Hamel, he was like a god to the warriors. Many
would have jumped into flames at his command. If Urich had continued his
conquests and achieved repeated victories, he might have truly become a god.

The Beast of the Apocalypse who had burned down the civilized world and reverted
it to an age of barbarism—a terrifying god of disaster.

But that wasn’t what Urich wanted for himself. He stopped at being human.

On a fine day, Urich called for Gottval, who was one of the few people Urich could still
talk to.

“Ah, there you are, Gottval. How’s the proselytization work going? Good?”

Urich was enjoying a picnic in the garden with women by his side who giggled,
tickling his chest. Gottval was used to such scenes.

“The person I most want to convert is sitting right in front of me.”

“Isn’t it about time you gave up?”

Gottval sat in front of Urich. Urich had the women flirt with Gottval, but he remained
unaffected, continuing his conversation with Urich.

“Priests have been placed beside the chiefs who settled in other lands. In exchange
for reading letters and helping with internal affairs, they were granted permission to
proselytize. Actually, some of the chiefs have already converted.”

Solarism quickly infiltrated the Alliance. Even warriors with military power had to
adapt to the culture of the civilized world to survive, and the easiest way to
assimilate into a new culture was conversion.

‘Conversion is the easiest way to gain recognition from the civilized people, just as I
did.’

There was a time when Urich also claimed to be a follower of Solarism. For a foreign
stranger like Urich, becoming a Solarist was a way to secure his status.

“How long will you stay by my side?” Urich asked Gottval.

“Until you find peace.”

The women laughed, covering their mouths at Gottval’s words.

“That sounds like a love confession, Father.”

Gottval only smiled at the women’s teasing.

“Quiet, women. Use your hands to peel grapes instead of running your mouths,”
Urich said, opening his mouth.

The women found even his harsh words endearing. They liked Urich to an unusual
degree, more than just loyalty to a powerful man.

‘I can’t really tell why, but Urich seems to have a charm that captivates women,’ Gottval
thought as he watched Urich and the women.

After devouring a bunch of grapes, Urich leaned close to Gottval.

“I have a favor to ask, Gottval. You’re the only one I can trust with this.”

“If it’s something I can do, I will.”

“You know I have a kid, right?”

“A kid? You sure about that?” Gottval said with a rare hint of sarcasm.

“Well, the only one I acknowledge, anyway. No matter how many kids I have, I’m not
a good father. I really am a terrible man.”

“King Varca would raise him well.”

“Probably. Although kids don’t grow up exactly as their parents wish… Anyway,
Pahe… I mean Varca, is a king. He has tons of other responsibilities besides raising a
child.”

“Indeed. King Varca is a man with big goals and will do many things in the future.”

“There’s nothing I can do as a father for my son. So, I want to at least give him the
best teacher I know,” Urich said, then fell silent.

“Are you asking me to be that child’s teacher?”

“You’re asking even though you know exactly what I mean. Is that a rejection?”

Urich stared intently at Gottval, knowing how hard it was to find someone as learned
and virtuous as him.

“It’s not that, but…”

“I can trust you with this. Varca will also be pleased if you become his teacher.”

“I will teach the child to be a devout Solarist.”

“If he grows up in the civilized world, that’s inevitable.”

“It’s a difficult request to refuse…”

As soon as Gottval agreed, Urich’s expression brightened.

“Thank you, you really are the best! I’ll have the letter sent right away!”

An excited Urich called for Hume, who took Urich’s dictation and wrote the letter.

Not long after receiving Urich’s letter, Gottval left Hamel. One by one, people around
Urich began to leave.

‘Urich is acting strange.’

Hume, who had served Urich for half a year, felt uneasy. Looking around Urich, there
were hardly any close associates left around him. His actions seemed like those of a
man preparing for death.

‘And yet, I’m still here with him,’ he thought.

If a man like Urich were to die, there was no way his associates would be safe. The
repercussions would be immense.
A pale-faced man was locked in an underground cell. Scars from knife cuts were
clearly visible on his ankles and wrists where his tendons had been severed, leaving
him unable to use his hands and feet.

Wheeze, wheeze.

Only the faint sound of Emperor Yanchinus' breathing filled the air.

“You’re a tenacious one. After all that, you still want to live?” the warrior assigned to
guard the cell sneered.

Yanchinus had endured six months of humiliation and torture, living a life where
death would have been a sweet release. Almost daily, he was dragged to the square
to be mocked, and there was no part of his body left unscathed by prolonged torture.

At first, there had been attempts to rescue the emperor. But those efforts had faded
away until no one even joked about rescuing the crippled emperor anymore.

“Drink this. If you die, the Great Chief will be displeased. Ptui!”

The warrior spat into the watery gruel before handing it over. His orders were
simple: ‘Keep him alive and make him suffer for as long as possible.’

The warriors faithfully followed Urich’s command.

Initially, Urich would occasionally visit to watch Yanchinus from a distance. But at
some point, even his interest in Yanchinus had vanished.

“Maybe the Great Chief has forgotten you even exist…”

Yanchinus was now a nobody. He had lost even the dignity of an emperor, and even if
he somehow managed to escape by miracle, recovering in his current state was
impossible.
Slurp.

Yanchinus shamelessly devoured the gruel spat on by the warrior. It was the closest
thing to food that he would be getting all day.

The guard, witnessing Yanchinus' bizarre obsession and madness, clicked his tongue
in disgust. It was unsettling even for the onlooker.

‘If it were me, I’d have killed myself before ending up like that.’

The former emperor seemed almost monstrous, desperately clinging to life. What he
had become now was beyond the realm of typical human thought.

“He really is different, huh? A being who was once at the very top of the world. Be
careful, he might try to eat you alive,” the guard said to the warrior taking the next
shift.

Yanchinus pushed the empty bowl outside, then crawled on his knees to a corner.

Rustle.

He curled up under his violet eagle cloak, using it as a blanket. It was the same cloak
he clung to even when he was being thrown into the underground prison, but its
once brilliant violet color had become dull and nearly black.

‘It’s cold.’

Yanchinus was reduced to skin and bones. Parts of his flayed skin had not healed and
had hardened away from his flesh.

His life of being well-fed and healthy had allowed him to survive this long, but even
he had reached his limit. The cold of death had seeped into his organs, and it was
common for him to cough up blood.

‘What have I been doing with my life to this point?’

The empire had risen quickly and fallen just as swiftly. The once mighty empire
crumbled before the axes of the barbarians.

There was nothing to do in prison. Numerous mistakes became apparent as he just

pondered over past events. Life was always about wanting just a little more, just a bit
more. One often only had to think one step further, but no one could retrace a path
already taken.

Nobody could live a life without mistakes. People laughed at fools who made
mistakes, but everyone was bound to eventually do foolish things in life.

Even those cold and ruthless enough to kill their own parents made mistakes as they
too could not surpass human limitations. Life was inherently unpredictable, and
people relied on gods, trying to put fate on their side, hoping their idiotic mistakes
would be hidden by divine intervention.

‘I was curious about a barbarian named Urich.’

It wasn’t just Yanchinus. Many civilized people were fascinated by the same
barbarian.

‘But I should have severed that curiosity and killed him. My mistake was keeping
someone who wouldn’t act according to my will so close to me.’

If Yanchinus had not favored Urich, would he have dared to cross the mountains
again? Urich followed the paths paved by civilized people to cross the mountains. He
had never crossed the mountains completely on his own.

‘I practically told him everything… I even told him in advance that I would conquer the
west… ’

Yanchinus’ shoulders shook as a wheeze-like laugh escaped him.

‘How arrogant of you, Yanchinus. Father always warned me to be wary of those around
me.’

Even Urich, who had become an unparalleled hero, couldn’t foresee and prepare for
the unknown. He only managed to thwart the empire’s conquest because he knew
what Yanchinus was planning to do.

If you know when the enemy is coming, even the underdog has a chance. The
Alliance’s victories always seemed miraculous, but they were never just random
miracles.
‘Victory always comes from human effort. It’s never up to chance.’

Yanchinus pondered this countless times. He reviewed years of decisions, but it

always led to one conclusion.

‘I, Yanchinus, lost to Urich.’

There was no room for chance or miracles. Urich had meticulously prepared and
focused solely on Yanchinus and the empire and charged at them.

‘When I realized I needed to face Urich and the Alliance with full force, it was already
after the tide had turned. My decisions lagged behind the flow of the world.’

Past emperors had mostly led wars personally, going into battle and making
judgments on the field.

‘I was too late in leaving Hamel. Instead of sending generals, I should have led the
troops against Urich myself. Then I could have judged in real-time alongside Urich. But
I stayed in the capital, acting reactively.’

It was only at the war’s end that Yanchinus and Urich commanded from the same
battlefield, but by then, the empire was already at a significant disadvantage.

‘I thought victory was all but certain at the sewers.’

But there was a ghostly feint. The barbarians moved through Hamel as if they were
fully aware of the city’s layout, weaving through its back alleys to evade the empire’s
eyes. Even Yanchinus hadn’t anticipated such tactical maneuvers.

‘…Urich won because he had another trick up his sleeve.’

Yanchinus had anticipated and prepared for the sewer invasion. That was impressive
foresight on its own, but Urich was a step ahead.

Yanchinus’ flow of thought was always the same. It was the same daily reflection.

‘I am tired.’

He closed his eyes as he felt that sweet sleep was coming.

‘If I close my eyes like this, will I be able to wake up tomorrow?’

There was no certainty with his body growing weaker by the day. But regardless, his
eyelids fluttered and then fell.

“Get up!”

The guard poked Yanchinus just before he fell asleep. Yanchinus jerked awake and
sat up, showing no trace of dignity or majesty.

“The Great Chief is calling you.”

The guard grabbed Yanchinus by the arm and lifted him, regardless of whether he
understood or not, and dragged his limp, unresistant body along.

“Where are we going?” Yanchinus mumbled awkwardly. His pronunciation was

unclear because all his teeth had been pulled out during torture.

There was no understanding anyway. As he was dragged along, Yanchinus looked at

the familiar surroundings.

‘How long has it been since I’ve seen the imperial palace… ’

It was Yanchinus’ home. Passing through the well-maintained garden, his palace
came into view.

Creeeak.

As the door opened, a long banquet table came into sight where Urich was sitting at
the end.

“How have you been, Yanchinus?”

Urich was tearing into chicken smeared with spices. He licked his fingers and
gestured to Yanchinus with his chin.

“Long time no see.”

Yanchinus twisted his body and sat down on the chair with difficulty. Though his
body had weakened, his eyes remained unchanged.
“This is delicious. Try some, I’m sure you haven’t had meat in a long time,” Urich said
as he pushed a dish of pork toward Yanchinus, who stared blankly at him.

“Oh right, it’s probably hard for you to eat with those hands. I forgot.”

Urich twisted the corners of his mouth and clapped his hands. A woman who once
served Yanchinus came out, dressed in nothing but a thin cloth.

“Go and serve the emperor! Tear the meat with your hands and feed him, like a
mother bird feeding her chick!”

Urich slapped the woman’s buttocks and laughed.

Chew, chew.

Yanchinus chewed the meat with his gums and forced it down. His mouth moved, but
his eyes remained fixed on Urich.

“Thank you for the grand hospitality.”

Yanchinus wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

“You’re welcome. We cripples should stick together.”

Urich patted his thigh. He even brought out fine wine to host Yanchinus.

Yanchinus ate the food and drank the wine without saying much, not even asking
why he had been summoned. He was solely focused on filling his stomach.

The woman serving Yanchinus broke out in a cold sweat. Watching Yanchinus sent
chills down her spine.

‘I’ve always known he was a cold-blooded person without pity or compassion… but is
he really human like us?’

The tendons in his hands and feet were severed, and his skin was peeled off in places
like a spotted cow. Yet, Yanchinus just calmly ate in front of Urich and did not spit a
single curse toward his enemy who had taken everything from him.

“That was quite good. It’s been a while since I had a proper meal.”
Yanchinus wiped his mouth. He couldn’t eat as much as before, as his body was so
weak that it struggled to digest the meat. In fact, he felt like he could vomit at any
moment.

‘I guess I can’t break Yanchinus with pain.’

Urich smirked. He hated Yanchinus. If only Yanchinus hadn’t tried to conquer the
west, his life would have been different.

“So, Urich… did you call me here to kill me now?” Yanchinus asked as he raised his
head, his sunken eyes gleaming with a twisted light.

“I’ve decided to forgive you, Yanchinus. Today is a day I show you mercy.”

Urich pulled an axe from under the table and struck it into the table.

“Forgive?”

Yanchinus let out a dry laugh.

“Yep, forgive.”

“Urich, I respected you as the victor. Forgiveness is not a word that should be used
between us. We are simply the victor and vanquished.”

Hearing this, Urich tilted his head to the side while Yanchinus continued to speak
and laugh.

“If I hadn’t made the decision to cross the Sky Mountains, you would have spent your
whole life rolling around with beast-like women in that desolate land.”

Urich’s valor was widely known. Even the civilized people knew of his story, and
bards had turned it into songs. It was rare to find someone who didn’t know how
Urich came to the civilized world.

“That’s true. If you hadn’t sent your people over in the first place, even I wouldn’t
have easily dared to cross the Sky Mountains.”

Urich agreed readily. Crossing the Sky Mountains on one’s own was like a distant
dream, and if he had tried to cross alone, he would have buried his bones in the
mountains like many of his ancestors.

Cause and effect were linked together, and Urich and Yanchinus were deeply
connected even before they knew each other. Yanchinus’ ambition had brought Urich
to the civilized world.

‘As my people say, I am the one who brought an end to the empire.’

As Yanchinus covered his mouth and coughed, blood droplets spattered onto the
table through his bony fingers.

Urich scratched between his teeth with his nail and picked out a meat scrap before
taking a deep breath.

“I never intended to forgive you. I wanted to torment you to the end, to make you
taste regret. I waited for you to fall into despair and struggle.”

Yanchinus did not break. Even when branded with a hot fire poker between his
thighs, a groan was all that escaped his mouth.

“Urich, you know this too, don’t you? We must not be human… We must never
despair or grieve like ordinary humans. Those in our positions must be different in
every way as if we transcend humanity. Only then will people look up to us. We must
act as if we have been chosen by the gods, like superhumans, even if we’re just an
ordinary human at the core.”

Urich burst out laughing.

“You’re completely right, wearing a mask for too long makes you forget who you
originally were.”

“I forgot myself even before I put that mask on. No, I wonder if I even existed in the
first place. I was destined to be an emperor from birth.”

An emperor had to be great. People naturally demanded extraordinary greatness

from Yanchinus. Even a slight mistake was always criticized by comparing him to his
great-grandfather and father.

“So are you asking for pity? Who would pity someone who had everything from
birth, no matter what you try to tell them? How much would people laugh if those
who had to abandon newborns because they had no food to feed them heard you?”

Urich sneered, but he actually understood where Yanchinus was coming from and
knew that those in high positions were forced to embody the dignity that came with
it. Great Chief Urich had to prioritize the duties of a great chief over his own identity.

‘Neither Yanchinus nor I ran away from that duty.’

Urich chose his duty by his will, while Yanchinus was born into it.

“Leave us.”

Urich dismissed the servants. Only Urich and Yanchinus remained at the table.

Creak.

Urich pulled the axe embedded in the table. Yanchinus’ eyes followed the blade.

Clench.

Urich gritted his teeth. Though he hated to admit it, he felt a slight kinship with
Yanchinus; one that was similar to the love-hate relationship he had with Samikan.
Despite their different methods and goals, they were both driven by their ambitions
and desires.

Like fish in a drying pond, they constantly struggled. Even if their frantic movements
turned the pond into muddy water, and they drowned in that mud, they never
stopped moving forward. Even if the place they leaped onto was dry land, they didn’t
just sit still and wait for death.

Those who changed the world were always those mad with desire.

Yanchinus’ ambition caused the fall of the empire, but thanks to Yanchinus,
exchanges between the west and civilization began, ushering in a new era.

“Hooo, Relax your neck. It’ll hurt a lot if it doesn’t end in one stroke.”

Urich steadied his breath and swung his arm holding the axe backward. It had been a
long time since he beheaded someone himself.
All sorts of thoughts filled Yanchinus’ mind as he closed his eyes and awaited Urich’s
judgment. But soon, everything became quiet, and his thoughts converged into a
single point as the world turned from black to bright.

Swish.

His head slid off his body cleanly.

Yanchinus vividly felt his death. It was a bizarre experience to remain conscious even
after his head fell off his body.

Blink.

It was only for a moment, but Yanchinus saw it.

‘Cunning bastard.’

It was no coincidence that the winner was Urich.

Urich caught himself dozing off.

Tick, tick.

The fishing rod in his hands trembled slightly. He yawned and pulled on the rod.

A minnow wriggled as it was reeled in.

“This isn’t even enough for a bite.”

Urich threw the minnow hooked on the fishing line back to the flowing water, then
went back to staring blankly at the river.

It was a river not far from Hamel. Urich often came here with just Hume and a few
warriors and spent his days fishing as a pastime.

Crack, crack.

Urich stretched his neck from side to side to loosen up, sitting next to a basket of
water with only two fish swimming in it that were caught by his clumsy fishing.

“Wake up, Hume. Don’t just sleep, chat with me or something.”

Urich woke Hume up after casting another bait. Hume, who had been dozing off
against a tree, opened his eyes.

“Yawn, did you catch anything? We should head back soon.”

“Just wait, I feel like I’m going to catch a big one today.”

Urich smiled as he sipped the wine he brought.

‘Fishing is what he does after conquering Hamel… ’

Even Hume often wondered about Urich's actions, not to mention the warriors who
felt the same way. They often came to Urich urging for military action, but Urich just
shook his head every time.

‘Five thousand warriors are idly wasting away.’

Those who wanted to settle and those who longed for their homeland had all left.
The remaining five thousand warriors were those who wanted to share glory with
Urich, missing the days of reveling in bloodshed.

“Only the pure warriors still remain by my side.”

Urich looked at his rough hands which were strong enough to kill a man without any
weapons. He too was a warrior, so he fully understood the hearts of the warriors
who stayed.

‘Pure warriors do not settle. They constantly strive to fight and conquer.’

People only stop when they are satisfied. Just as only a hungry beast goes hunting,
only the people who have not fulfilled their desires continue to advance.

‘It’s not wrong for those born and raised as warriors to crave battle.’

Urich stared at the flowing river. There were fish that tried to swim against the
current, whereas others went with the flow.

There was no absolute good or evil in the real world. When goals clashed, one just
blamed the other as wrong, and that was exactly how things were between
barbarism and civilization. Everyone simply lived to the best of their ability given
their circumstances. Civilization was not inherently right, nor was barbarism
inherently wrong.

It was a simple truth, but it was one that people ignored. To survive in this harsh
world, they needed to believe they were right, and others were wrong. Everyone
thinks they are the most justified.

‘Basha’s revenge was justified, and so was Hume’s.’

And Urich did not think his actions were wrong either. To save his people, he had no
choice but to overturn the civilized world by force. Even if innocents suffered, it was
inevitable, because if the civilized did not suffer, his brothers of his homeland would
instead.

‘There is no such thing as a perfect world where everyone is satisfied.’

If there were absolute righteousness, life would be very easy. There would be no
need to ponder what is right or wrong.

But the world was full of contradictions, and right and wrong changed constantly.

In the civilized world, Ulgaro of the north was seen as evil that knew nothing more
than plunder and destruction, whereas in the barbarian world, the sun god Lou
would be seen as weak prey.

‘But if there’s one thing that’s clear… ’

Urich touched his heart.

‘In this unclear world, I have to do what I believe in.’

If one fears that their good might be another’s evil, they will do nothing. A half-
hearted altruistic life was one chosen by cowards. In fact, those who chose it were
not altruistic but merely afraid of others’ judgment.

Urich pulled on the fishing rod again, but no fish were caught.

“Another miss. Didn’t you say you were feeling like you were going to catch a big
one?” Hume, eager to return, teased.

“Ah, the big one is finally here,” Urich muttered, looking at the empty hook. His ears
twitched like a wild animal’s.

Twang.

It was the sound of a bowstring. An arrow flew.

Urich’s lips twitched as he tilted his head to dodge the arrow.

The warriors who had followed as guards were nowhere to be seen.

“E-enemies!” Hume shouted in panic, ducking and looking around.

“See? I told you I was going to catch a big one today.”

Urich laughed, staring at the bushes.

“Are you there, Great Chief?” A hearty voice called out.

“I’m right here,” Urich replied, crossing his arms. Three warriors emerged from the
bushes, stepping cautiously.

“It would have been disappointing if the mighty Urich died to an arrow.”

A warrior laughed, tossing aside his bow.

“Thanks to your gentle shooting, I managed to dodge it.”

Urich's joke made the warriors laugh. They were former chiefs and head warriors
who stayed in the army despite the others settling down in civilization or returning
west to their homes.

‘We believed that one day, our Great Chief would rise again and start a war.’

Even if one was paralyzed from the waist down, there were mounts in the civilized
world that made commanding still possible. Those who remained were likely ones
who believed in Urich more than anyone else.

Three warriors approached.

Hume, standing beside Urich, flinched and stepped back. He was neither Urich's
guard nor strong enough to fight real warriors.

‘Assassination.’

It was clear that the warriors had come to kill Urich after their accumulated
discontent toward him had finally erupted.

“How many agreed to this? Who is my successor?”

Urich asked, lifting a basket of fish and biting into the flesh of one that was still alive.
The fish, being eaten alive, thrashed its tail, slapping Urich's cheek.

“That doesn't matter. When you die, one of us will take your place. Then we will
continue the war.”

“There is no such thing as an army that wins forever. You need to know when to
stop.”

Urich threw the half-eaten fish into the river. The fish's blood dispersed in the water.

“You might think it's time to stop, but we don't.”

Urich stared at the warriors raising their weapons.

“You came to kill me with just the three of you?” He asked the warriors.

“Three is more than enough against a cripple.”

“Seems like you've underestimated me.”

Urich shrugged and laughed.

Meanwhile, Hume, standing behind him, trembled in fear and thought, ‘Today is the
day that I pay the price for killing Basha.’

If Urich died, Hume would die too. There was no chance the warriors would leave a
witness alive.

“Today, the Great Chief will go missing. He will finally be gone.”

Urich was a divine figure in the Alliance with an immense number of followers that
was incomparable to Samikan's time. No matter how esteemed a warrior, if they
killed Urich and took his place as Great Chief, they would be avenged by someone
before long. The ideal method was to assassinate Urich and disguise it as a
disappearance.

“This could’ve all been avoided if I had properly named a successor and stepped
down,” Urich muttered, grabbing an axe.

“If you knew that, why did you hold onto your position? We didn't want to do this
either. You are a great warrior. If you choose war even now, we will fight by your side
with our lives.”

Urich rummaged through his bag and took out another axe, holding one in each
hand.

‘Two axes?’

A quick-witted warrior sensed something was off. It wasn’t unusual for a warrior to
carry one axe with him at all times, but bringing two axes to a simple fishing trip was
strange.

“I, Urich of the Stone Axe Tribe, saved my brothers and sisters from the greed of the
civilized people. It’s a bit embarrassing boasting about it, but it was something to be
proud of. It was tough and grueling, but it was worth all the trouble.”

Urich spun the two axes in his hands. Every warrior in the Alliance knew he was a
master of axe throwing, so they approached cautiously.

Urich closed his eyes thinking about the battle, then opened them again.

‘I’ve regretted my choices many times, but… ’

But Urich still achieved his goal, and even if he could go back, he would still make the
same choices again because he believed they were the right ones.

Urich loved the people of his home. They were his brothers.

“…But this time, I will save the civilized people from the barbaric violence.”

Urich the barbarian admired civilization. That sentiment hadn’t changed.

The warriors' eyes widened and then twisted with hatred. Despite them being the
ones who came to assassinate the Great Chief, they were the ones who felt more
betrayed.

“Great Chiiiiiiief!” They cried.

The words that should have never come out of Urich’s mouth carried the truth that
the warriors of the Alliance had been ignoring.
‘Urich kept the civilized people closer than his brothers.’

Urich’s closest aides were always civilized people, and the discontent that
accumulated exploded with those words.

One warrior charged like a bear with his axe prepared to lose a limb.

‘He might be a warrior blessed by the heavens and earth, but…!’

The warrior was confident that he could beat a crippled opponent.

Urich and the warrior crossed paths. The sound of flesh being cut and bones
breaking filled the air.

But the warriors and even Hume fell speechless at what happened next.

“The hardest thing in the past six months was…”

Urich wiped the blood off his axe on his pants as the head that once belonged to the
charging warrior fell to the ground.

“Enduring the doctor's tickling of my soles every evening.”

Urich limped. His gait seemed uncomfortable, but he was standing firmly on both
legs. He swiftly beheaded the warrior with everyone present as witnesses.

“G-Great Chief!”

The warriors were shocked and left speechless.

Even Hume, who was always by Urich’s side, didn’t know about the condition of his
legs. He had been hiding the state of his legs from others for over half a year.

‘Was he waiting for his army to naturally disband…?’

It wasn’t like he could move his legs this much from the start. For the past six
months, Urich had been secretly undergoing rehabilitation, and it was only three or
four weeks ago that he was able to stand on both legs again.

“Come at me, my brothers. If you want something, you have to seize it with force!”
Urich shouted as he straightened his posture.

The warriors’ expressions were complex. While they were furious at the betrayal,
they were also pleased by the return of the greatest warrior. Joy and anger were
mixed.

“Why are you not leading us again? Why…” A warrior asked with a trembling voice.

“I told you, this time I’m going to protect the civilized people,” Urich was firm.

“That’s exactly what we can’t understand, Great Chief!”

Urich threw an axe at the warrior who shouted. The fierce axe flew and struck the
warrior’s shoulder.

“Aaaargh!”

The warrior screamed. While he managed to prevent his head from being split, the
axe buried in his shoulder had shattered bone and lodged deeply.

“I’m sorry, but I have no intention of gaining your understanding. This is my life. The
only person who needs to understand it is myself.”

There was no room for right or wrong. The warriors had their reasons for being
disappointed in Urich, and Urich had his reasons for betraying their expectations.

Life was a series of clashes with others. Ultimately, only those with deeper roots and
firmer resolve were able to achieve their will.

A warrior swung his blade in anger.

Urich read the trajectory of the blade and ducked. He felt an electric sensation as the
blade grazed his hair. The senses of the battlefield awakened, and the thrill surged,
reaching the fine hairs on his skin.

Slash!

He swung his axe to cut the warrior’s ankle and send him collapsing sideways.

Crunch!
Urich jumped again and drove his knee into the fallen warrior’s head with his
weight. The warrior’s skull caved in and shattered.

The last standing warrior charged, thinking to attack before Urich could regain his
stance as he was slow to stand due to his legs still being a hindrance.

Urich threw the axe he was holding. The warrior raised his sword to block it as if he
was expecting it.

Clang!

Urich’s axe was deflected. Now weaponless, Urich grabbed the sword the dead
warrior had held and swung it.

“Oooooh!” Urich shouted. His muscles bulged and his veins stood out.

Crack!

The sword Urich swung was like a hammer with a force that no other sword than an
imperial steel sword would have handled.

The warrior blocked, but Urich’s strength overwhelmed him. A long gash appeared
on his muscular chest, widening and splitting vertically. Blood flowed like a waterfall
down his chest.

“Kugh.”

The warrior retreated, clutching his chest with a wound deep enough to be fatal.

“You are still as amazing as ever, Great Chief.”

Urich smiled bitterly. The warriors he had just killed were his brothers too.

“I’m sorry about this.”

Urich spun the sword, preparing for the final blow.

“If you were going to apologize, you shouldn’t have done it in the first place. heh.
Regardless of the reason, we tried to kill you, Great Chief, so there really is no need to
apologize.”
Urich took a step forward and swung the sword widely. The warrior’s head fell
cleanly.

As Urich looked at the bodies of the dead warriors, his eyes gleamed yellow.

Emotions surged, making his nose and eyes tingle. Even after seeing and hearing so
much, the world was still difficult. Was this the best way? No matter how many times
he thought about it, he couldn’t be sure. He merely embraced the unease and took a
difficult step forward.

After staring at the bodies for a while, Urich grabbed his knees and stood up.

“Hume, let’s go.”

“H-huh? Go where?” Hume, startled, answered in confusion.

“If we stay here, you’ll die.”

Hearing that, Hume hurriedly followed Urich.

“W-where are we going?”

“First to the south…”

Urich trailed off, taking a large look around. His eyes, which had been scanning the
south, finally turned east.

“Then to the east.”

Urich walks on.

“Long live Porcana! Long live King Varca!”

Praises of the people of Porcana filled the streets all over the kingdom.

His uncle was a great king. It was certain that the title of Great King would be
attached to his name after his reign was over.

Louyan, who had such a great uncle, stood at the dock, gazing at the coastline. The
maritime industry of the Porcana Kingdom was growing day by day. The trade along
the coastline was flourishing with the rapid advancement of navigation technology,
and the sea route to the north was incomparably faster than the land route.

Louyan stared blankly at the horizon. Every time he saw the endless sea, his heart
swelled with a strange excitement.

‘My uncle is convinced that there is an Eastern Continent.’

Varca Baneu Porcana was Louyan's uncle. King Varca had countless legendary
anecdotes and was a great king who turned the small kingdom of Porcana into one of
the most powerful nations.

Louyan respected his uncle. Porcana was more prosperous than ever.

“Louyan, here you are.”

A man with a gentle appearance and a priest’s attire walked through the crowd.

“Ah, Master.”

Louyan’s mentor was Gottval. He was responsible for Louyan’s education and was
one of the two men whom he considered his father, with the other being King Varca.

He dusted off a wooden crate, making a place for Gottval to sit.

‘He has grown up well.’

Gottval smiled as he looked at Louyan standing at the dock. Although his childhood
name was Salone, he now went by Louyan, meaning ‘man of Lou.’ Louyan had grown
into a devout young man, fitting the name well.

“Did you have business at the dock, Louyan?” Gottval asked.

Louyan smiled and looked at the large sailing ship made for ocean voyages that were
docked.

“Ah, the Phillion.”

Gottval also looked at the ship. Porcana was making significant efforts in ocean
exploration.

‘The existence of the Eastern Continent is becoming increasingly certain.’

With active exchanges with the northern kingdoms, much progress had been made
in research on the Eastern Continent. Based on oral traditions and artifacts, the
continent of the east was hard to deny.

“The Phillion is about to set sail,” Louyan said as he watched the busy sailors.

Gottval sighed as he read Louyan’s eyes. He said, “His Majesty will not allow it. He
couldn’t possibly send his heir into the dangerous sea.”

Louyan was highly likely to succeed Varca as the current king had only two
daughters and no sons of his own.

“He could always bring in a son-in-law,” Louyan said.

“No one will be better than you,” Gottval replied.

“You overestimate me, Master.”

“It’s not an overestimation. I taught you myself, you know.”

Gottval laughed aloud.

‘Urich’s son.’

Few knew of Louyan’s biological father. A barbarian man who had brought down the
empire, which was the pinnacle of civilization. That was the blood that flowed in
Louyan’s veins.

‘But he grew up as a scholar.’

Louyan had a robust physique but was not as hulking as Urich. He was fond of books
and had a rich academic curiosity.

“Looks like there are quite a few people gathered.”

The port was bustling with people from all over, and even nobles had come to see the
departure of the large sailing ship named the Phillion.

Louyan glanced at the unfamiliar faces knowing that among them were likely spies
from other countries.

“There are many who wish for our failure,” Louyan muttered. Many eyes were
watching Porcana’s exploration of the Eastern Continent.

“It’s only been a little over a decade since the empire fell due to an overambitious
national project,” Gottval reminisced.

“We are exploring, not conquering. We won’t repeat the empire’s folly.”

The empire’s effort to conquer the western lands, which turned out to be stirring a
hornet’s nest, had brought about its fall. The westerners, stronger than expected,
formed tribal alliances and fought the empire. Also among that alliance was Porcana,
who joined hands with the Alliance to overthrow the empire and gain independence.

Porcana absorbed the empire’s wealth and advanced technology, making great
strides under Varca’s rule. It was no exaggeration to say that this was the golden age
of Porcana.

“Father Gottval! His Majesty calls for you!” A soldier waved and shouted from a
distance. Gottval nodded and headed to the palace.

Left alone again, Louyan looked at the dock and saw that sailors were being
recruited on one side. The exploration of the Eastern Continent was extremely
dangerous and carried a high likelihood of not returning alive. However, the high pay
and the goal of exploring the Eastern Continent appealed to many sailors.

Men who considered themselves seasoned sailors flocked to Porcana, and among
them were northerners who had come to follow their ancestors’ sea routes. Many
northerners were skilled sailors, and Porcana actively recruited them.

‘If the legend is true, then the northerners have succeeded in navigating to the Eastern
Continent in the past.’

In fact, the large sailing ship was made of northern timber, which was strong and
water-resistant, making it ideal for shipbuilding.

‘It was probably difficult to navigate to the Eastern Continent back then, so exchanges
must have gradually diminished, reducing the continent’s existence to mere legends.
The routes to it must have been forgotten in the process as well,’ Louyan thought as he
stroked his chin. His turquoise eyes were deep and sharp.

“Ooooh! Look at that!”

A loud shout erupted from where the sailors were being recruited.

Louyan also moved through the crowd toward the commotion. Some people
recognized him and bowed their heads.

“How many crates is he carrying?”

Louyan followed the crowd’s gazes as the people exclaimed in admiration.

“Hooaaaah!”

A man with a messy beard and hair was carrying three boxes stacked on top of each
other. Even though he was wearing clothes that covered his body, his muscles were
so large that their outlines were prominent.

“Y-you pass!”

As soon as the announcement was made, the man put down the boxes, dusted off his
hands, and gave a thumbs up as if what he had just done was no big deal.
“Great choice, mister. Where else would you find a worker like me?”

The man patted the recruiter's shoulder with a cheeky grin, who looked at him with
a dazed expression.

“What is your name?”

“Uri… uh, Kylios.”

“Kylios, got it. Take this identification tag and come back tomorrow,” the recruiter
said, handing over a wooden tag.

Kylios nodded and pushed through the crowd before suddenly noticing Louyan
among the spectators.

‘He’s staring at me.’

Louyan also stared back at Kylios without backing down. Under Kylios’ shaggy hair, a
pair of yellow eyes shone bright.

“Hmm.”

Kylios glanced at Louyan for a while before clearing his throat and disappearing.

‘Why was he staring at me?’

Louyan was curious about the man named Kylios. He gathered himself and tailed him
all the way into the increasingly complicated alleyways where the presence of people
dwindled.

‘Where did he go?’

Louyan lost track of Kylios. Just as he turned a corner, Kylios had vanished without a
trace.

“Hey, mister. You sure are good at sneaking around like a stray cat.”

Louyan felt a chill as soon as he heard that voice. Kylios had appeared behind him.

“I apologize. I didn’t mean any harm.”

Louyan quickly apologized. Kylios’s beard and hair were so thick that even his facial
features were hard to see.

‘He must be a barbarian.’

Louyan assumed that Kylios was likely a northern barbarian who came to Porcana
after hearing about the exploration of the Eastern Continent.

“When you find a dangerous person, you shouldn’t follow them alone. You could get
yourself killed.”

Kylios drew a dagger and twirled it in his hand, moving it so fast it looked like there
were multiple blades.

Louyan flinched and stepped back, sweating profusely. He only then realized how
foolish his action was.

Kylios laughed at Louyan’s reaction. Despite looking quite aged, his laugh was as
cheerful as a boy’s. He asked, “What business does a Porcana royal have with
someone like me?”

Louyan's eyes widened at the question.

“You know who I am?”

“There’s an emblem of the Porcana royal family engraved on the button holding your
cloak. A herring and a fishing boat,” Kylios said as he pressed his finger against the
button on Louyan’s cloak.

‘He recognized the engraving from that distance… His eyes are impressive.’

Louyan scratched the back of his head awkwardly and laughed. He tried to explain
himself, “I was just curious why you were staring at me for so long.”

“I was only looking because you’re a royal of this place.”

Kylios stroked his unkempt beard and circled around Louyan, scrutinizing him
closely.

‘So he knows that I’m a royal, but his attitude is still… ’

Louyan found Kylios's behavior strange. Everyone was supposed to be cautious in
front of a royal, and the Porcana family was known to be especially intimidating.

Suddenly, Kylios grabbed Louyan’s hand, examined his palm, and even patted
Louyan’s arms as if inspecting his body.

“You’ve grown up gently, only handling a sword a few times. Your build seems sturdy,
but it’s just genetics. You haven’t trained, so your flesh is soft. Have you ever cut a
person?”

“N-no, I haven’t,” Louyan answered without even realizing, intimidated by Kylios's

forceful demeanor.

“You’ve never killed anyone, even at this age? My goodness, these civilized people…”

Kylios clicked his tongue and patted Louyan’s shoulder.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be on my way now.”

Louyan bowed and tried to leave.

“Gottval taught you very well, huh! Even someone like me gets a proper goodbye,”
Kylios muttered.

Louyan's eyes widened at the mention of Gottval’s name.

“…Who are you?”

“Just a passerby.”

“Don’t play with me.”

Louyan was on high alert, thinking that the man before him might be a spy from
another country.

Swish.

Louyan grabbed the hilt of his sword.

“Keke, show me what you got!”

Kylios rummaged at his waist and drew an axe.

Schring!

Louyan drew his sword without hesitation. Though he lacked real combat
experience, he had basic swordsmanship training befitting royalty.

Clang!

Kylios hooked Louyan's blade with his axe and struck downward.

‘Such immense strength!’

Louyan lost his balance and staggered as if his body was being pulled by the force of
the blow.

Thump!

Kylios kicked Louyan’s body with his front foot, flinging him into a pile of trash in the
alley.

“You’ll die if you stay lying down like that! Get up!”

Kylios charged with a roar. Louyan barely managed to raise his sword and roll to the
side.

“Huff!”

Louyan’s senses sharpened. He coldly observed Kylios’s movements.

Clang!

Their weapons clashed again and again, and Louyan was pushed back over and over.

“Use your legs too! Move!”

Kylios shouted as he stepped on Louyan’s foot to trap him, then swung his elbow
wide.

Thud!
Kylios’s elbow struck Louyan’s face.

Louyan spat out the blood pooling in his mouth.

“You son of a…”

After seeing his own blood, rough words escaped Louyan’s lips as his teal eyes
glinted fiercely.

“Son of a what? I’ve lived twice as long as you! I don’t know who your father is, but I
sure would like to see his face!”

Kylios kicked Louyan again, this time in his chest. Louyan gasped for breath and
coughed.

‘This is what I get for ignoring Gottval and my uncle’s advice to have guards with me at
all times… ’

His head was all over the place, unable to understand how things had come to this.
He barely managed to ask, “Are you here to kill me?”

Kylios just laughed, spinning his axe. He stomped on Louyan’s hand and snatched his
sword.

“Wow, you use a fine sword. Mind if I keep it?”

Without waiting for Louyan’s answer, Kylios took the sword.

Louyan’s heart pounded. It was his first time standing on the brink of life and death.

‘I thought tomorrow was a given.’

But it wasn’t. No one knew when death would come, and right now, the shadow of
death loomed behind him. Even his royal status meant nothing before death.

Kylios stared intently into Louyan’s eyes.

“This must be your first life-or-death fight, isn’t it? For a first-timer, your moves
weren’t bad. That’s worth some praise.”
Kylios stretched his arm and swung the axe.

Crash!

Louyan wet himself as the axe lodged between his legs. Fortunately, the axe had
embedded itself in the ground.

“This will be a valuable experience. The fear you felt today will save your life one
day.”

Kylios sheathed his weapon, seemingly having no intention to kill Louyan.

“Do you think you’ll get away with treating a royal like this?”

“I’ll be at the docks tomorrow as well, so if you’re upset, bring some knights and
come find me. Go ahead, run and tell someone what I did to you like a little girl.”

Louyan’s face turned red with anger.

Kylios shrugged and laughed. He turned and walked away down the alley.
Urich was looking at the sea. The salty smell reached his nose every time the waves
crashed.

“The Edge of the World,” he muttered as he threw a pebble onto the surface of the
water.

‘No one believes in the Edge of the World anymore.’

People now believed there was an Eastern Continent instead of a cliff where the
seawater fell. In just twenty years, people's worldviews have changed.

Humanity had illuminated the darkness of ignorance, and the world kept expanding.

Ding! Ding!

As the bell rang at the appointed time, the recruitment officers dismounted their
horses and called the potential sailors. Urich, being one of them, walked over along
with the others.

Officials were busy recruiting sailors for the exploration of the Eastern Continents.
One of the officers recognized Urich and pointed at him.

“It would be best to do something about that hair and beard, Kylios.”

“I’ll make sure it’s done before we set sail.”

“Suit yourself, but I do need to ask you a few questions, so come over here for a
second.”

Urich was an extraordinarily strong man who had the strength that was essential for
the hard life aboard a ship. Knowing that, the recruitment officer was already set on
enlisting Urich but still had to ask a few routine questions.
“Where are you from?”

“Aryana of the north.”

“Any experience at sea?”

“None.”

Urich’s answer made the recruitment officer frown.

‘Is he serious? We're selectively picking only the most experienced sailors… and he has
none?’

The officer's initial intention to recruit Urich completely vanished.

“Very well. I will not be enlisting you.”

“I’m confident I’ll do well.”

“Confidence alone isn’t enough. What the Porcana expedition needs are seasoned
sailors.”

“Man, you can’t be doing this to me after I’ve been transparent with you.”

Urich’s voice grew louder.

Clink.

The guards stepped forward, placing their hands on their sword hilts.

“If you cause a disturbance, you’ll get a taste of our steel, Kylios.”

“I’m not trying to cause any trouble. I’m asking you to reconsider, that’s all. I learn
quickly and will adapt fast.”

“Soldiers!”

Upon the official’s signal, the soldiers drew their swords and approached.

“Leave immediately. We don’t have time for games,” one soldier threatened.
Urich calmly looked around at the soldiers, sensing that a fight was imminent.

‘I didn’t come here to fight.’

Urich simply wanted to sail. He scratched his head and stood up.

“…If you don’t want me as a sailor, then how about as a soldier? If I knock down three
of your men here, let me aboard the ship as a soldier.”

“Stop your nonsense!”

Urich slowly curled his fingers into a fist and looked up at the distant palace of
Porcana with a sigh. If he spoke to Varca, he could get on the ship with no problem
whatsoever.

‘I can’t reveal that I’m alive.’

Many things had happened in Urich’s absence while he was wandering the south for
the past ten years.

The Alliance started to lose its center and waver as each chief led their army and
declared independence after his disappearance. However, the consciousness of the
Alliance and kinship that Samikan and Urich had established still remained, leading
them to help each other and maintain alliances among themselves.

As expected, Belrua of the Red Sand succeeded the name of the Alliance. Although
the Alliance that once dominated the west was no more, the tribes around the Sky
Mountains formed another alliance with Belrua at its center.

Civilized people feared the western tribes uniting again under the Alliance. Thanks
to the fear they deeply ingrained in the civilized world, the westerners successfully
settled in the civilized lands, and their settlements thrived amidst the conflicts of
various kingdoms.

‘There are more than just a few who would come to find me in a heartbeat upon
hearing my name.’

Urich was a calamity just by being alive, and some civilized people even believed he
was a disaster sent by the heavens. Disappearing right after toppling the empire,
Urich remained a mythical figure.
‘The war would have never ended unless I either disappeared or died… ’

Urich looked at the soldiers before him.

“Alright, bring it on, then.”

He spread his arms wide and drew an axe from his waist.

The soldiers flinched and halted their approach upon recognizing that their
opponent was a barbarian who did not shrink before a crowd of armed soldiers.

‘This barbarian is skilled in combat.’

An extraordinary sense of intimidation emanated from Urich’s body. The soldiers

exchanged glances, signaling each other as they all felt like their heads would fly off
if they approached first.

Clip-clop, clip-clop.

The sound of hooves approached. A smile broke out on Urich’s fierce face as he
glanced sideways.

‘You really came, Louyan.’

Urich couldn’t suppress his laughter. Although he didn’t deserve it, seeing Louyan
made him happy. It was hard to resist the pull of blood relations.

“That’s enough,” Louyan, the heir of Porcana, spoke from his horse, looking at Urich
from behind the recruiter.

“M-Master Louyan!” The recruiter recognized Louyan and shouted.

“This man is quite eccentric. Dismiss the soldiers.”

Louyan dismounted and stepped forward. A crowd had already gathered on the pier.

“Haha, you really are royalty after all, huh!”

Urich loosely lowered the hand holding the axe and laughed as he watched the
soldiers and the recruiting officer comply with Louyan’s words. The power of status
was still immense.

“I owe you for yesterday, Kylios.”

“If it’s a favor like that, you’re welcome to owe me anytime. So, who did you tell on
me to?”

“I do not do such things. If you were a spy from another country, I’d already be dead.”

Louyan did not antagonize Urich.

“I just taught you a lesson not to wander alone.”

Urich shrugged and laughed.

“After I returned to the palace, I carefully formulated some hypotheses about who
you might be. Well, it was too much to do alone, so I sought my master’s help.”

“So? Have you reached a conclusion?”

“Of course. My master wishes to see you.”

Louyan did not utter Urich’s name.

‘If this man is truly Urich as Master says, his survival must not be revealed.’

The fall of the empire happened right when Louyan was just beginning to walk, and
Urich, the man standing before him, was the man responsible for it.

Urich scratched his head, looking at Louyan.

‘He’s clever. He figured out my name with just a few clues overnight. Gottval must have
thought that if I survived, I would come here eventually.’

More people gathered, murmuring. Before attracting more attention, Urich mounted
a horse and followed Louyan.

“Are you really the person we think you are?” Louyan asked indirectly.

“We’ll see what Gottval says,” Urich neither confirmed nor denied.
“My mother died because you and your army invaded Hamel.”

“So, are you seeking revenge?”

“But you are my uncle’s reliable ally. In the nobility society, revenge is entangled with
complex interests.”

Despite his words, Louyan showed no particular resentment.

‘I hardly remember my mother… And she wasn’t very well spoken of either.’

Louyan had always carried a contradiction that Damia was his biological mother but
also a political rival who had threatened Varca, whom Louyan respected.

Creak.

As the castle gate opened, a priest who was missing an arm ran out. It was the now
aged and grizzled Gottval.

“Long time no see,” Urich said as he scratched his chin awkwardly.

Gottval reached out and brushed Urich’s messy bangs back, revealing the gleaming
bright yellow eyes that were hidden underneath.

“U-Urich! Oh, Lou, my goodness!” Gottval shouted unintentionally and then covered
his mouth.

Louyan stared at Gottval and Urich as Gottval greeted Urich and embraced him
warmly as if he were his long-lost family member.

“To see you standing here on two legs! We shouldn’t just stand here, come on, let’s
head inside quickly.”

Seeing Gottval’s joy, Louyan felt reassured that he had done the right thing.

‘In any case, this person must be important to Master.’

Louyan followed Gottval and Urich inside. Gottval’s private reception room was
modest but exuded a priestly reverence.
Gottval even brought out his treasured wine to welcome Urich.

“Master, is this Urich the Plunderer?”

“He is also a friend of His Highness,” Gottval replied.

Gottval and Urich’s eyes met over Louyan’s shoulder.

‘Louyan doesn’t know that Urich is his real father, and Urich probably hasn’t told him,
either.’

This was something that had to be hidden for Louyan’s sake. The achievements Urich
had amassed were significant enough to greatly influence his descendants. There
were already several young men in the west who claimed to be Urich’s sons.

‘If someone is acknowledged as Urich’s son, many warriors would gather under him.’

King Bilker of the north garnered massive support simply because he was a
descendant of Mijorn the Brave. The position of being Urich’s son was not just proof
of lineage but a status.

Varca had also separated Louyan and Urich to prevent such repercussions.

“Where have you been all this time, Urich? I didn’t think you were actually dead, but I
didn’t expect you to be wandering around alive like this.”

There were all sorts of rumors surrounding Urich’s sudden disappearance, including
tales that claimed Lou’s divine punishment had fulfilled its mission and returned.
Because he disappeared rather than died, Urich’s fame reached the status of a
legend.

Urich only laughed when he heard the rumors and stories about his whereabouts.
Like the Sword Demon Ferzen, disappearance sparked more imagination than a
confirmed death.

“I went to the south, and I also brought Hume along with me.”

“Hume? Ah, you mean the man who killed Basha. What’s he doing now?”

“He ate some snake meat in the south, got sick, had diarrhea and vomiting, and
eventually died. I tried to save him, but it was no use.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

Enough time had passed for a child to grow into a young adult, and Gottval had
completely forgotten about Hume.

“I went to the south and chased the traces of Serpentism. Most of the people there
believe in a sun god not too different from yours in Solarism.”

“Southern sun worship is the same deity as sun god Lou, only with different methods
of worship and doctrines.”

“There, I also learned how to mummify people. It’s not as hard as I thought. You just
remove the organs, like when you’re drying meat…”

Urich recounted his experiences with a smile on his face.

Louyan listened attentively from the side, not interfering with the reunion of the two
now-aged men.

“Thank you for faithfully fulfilling my favor. I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

Urich had entrusted Louyan’s education to Gottval, and now he was seeing the
results with his own eyes.

“It was a pleasant experience for me as well.”

Louyan tilted his head, puzzled by the conversation. He asked, “What is this favor you
talk about?”

“That’s none of your business,” Urich said with a hearty laugh and roughly shoved
Louyan’s shoulder.

Louyan blushed, showing his displeasure. Having lived among civilized people all his
life, Louyan had no experience mingling with barbarians, and even the western army
stationed in Porcana was at the border, making it difficult for him to encounter them
at all.

“Louyan, His Highness will be pleased to hear the news of Urich. Since we cannot
have anyone else know about this, it would be good if you delivered it personally,”
Gottval said with a smile. Louyan nodded and left the room.

Once Louyan’s presence faded, Urich laughed even louder and clapped Gottval on the
shoulder.

“You raised him up so well! He lacks a bit of manliness, but I guess that’s inevitable,
growing up under a civilized priest!”

“I didn’t do much. He’s naturally curious, just like you. He sought knowledge on his
own without anyone telling him. By the way, are you not going to tell him that you’re
his father?”

“Do you think I have the right to do that? I don’t. As much as I hate to say it, my son
was a heavy burden to me. I was exhausted back then.”

“I understand.”

“You might, but he won’t, nor should he.”

Urich smiled bitterly at the fact that he was being drawn to his bloodline late in life.
Perhaps he had come to Porcana with the hope of meeting his son.

‘It must be because I’m getting older.’

As people age, they become more attached to their bloodline. They have children to
create a replica of themselves and continue their existence, just like how Old Sven
was obsessed with his grandson.

‘Sorry Sven, but what you had was a misguided notion. It was nothing but a pathetic
act.’

Urich intended to quietly board a ship to the Eastern Continent without informing
anyone. He didn’t want to soften his resolve by reuniting with Varca and Gottval.

And just as he feared, his resolve had weakened.

‘…There’s also the option of staying and settling here.’

He could gradually get closer to Louyan and then reveal he was his father. With Varca
and Gottval, his later years wouldn’t be boring. Even his thumping heart wasn’t as
vigorous as in his youth.

“Urich, what are you going to do now?” Gottval asked.

Urich simply returned an awkward smile. He himself didn’t know what to do.
Urich spent several days staying as a royal guest while refraining from meeting
people to keep his identity hidden.

Gottval noticed that Urich was growing bored and asked him to teach Louyan martial
arts. He was being considerate in his own way.

Louyan and Urich stood in the training ground alone without any servants.

Louyan took two wooden swords from a weapon box and tossed one to Urich.

“Urich, they say the world is round like a ball. Master Gottval doesn't seem to want to
believe it, but scholars from the empire are almost certain. They say it can’t be
explained otherwise after their measurements,” Louyan said, holding the wooden
sword.

Culturally, Porcana was practically the successor of the empire after having absorbed
its remnants after its fall. It actively employed imperial scholars and technicians,
which was necessary even if it was just for the sake of the exploration of the Eastern
Continent.

“The world is round? That’s nonsense. Then why don’t we slide off and fall?”

Urich laughed, holding his belly.

“I don’t know either, but it will be revealed someday. In the future, it will be common
knowledge that the world is round.”

Louyan drew a circle on the sandy ground with the wooden sword.

“Hah, I don’t believe those desk-bound fools. I only believe what I see with my own
eyes. That’s my way.”

“They call people like you outdated.”

Louyan chuckled. In response, Urich spat on the ground and grinned fiercely.

“Men need to be beaten up a bit to grow up, but it seems you weren’t hit enough.
Probably because you grew up without a father.”

Louyan attacked first, showing off a swordsmanship that was neat and close to the
textbook that was clearly learned from an excellent knight.

Clack!

Urich deliberately clashed the wooden swords to defend. The two engaged in a
power struggle as their wooden swords stuck together like magnets.

Thud!

Urich kicked up the sand on the training ground, spraying it onto Louyan’s face.
Louyan spat and closed his eyes, covered in sand.

Clang!

Urich didn’t miss the opportunity and knocked Louyan back with the wooden sword
and pushed him with his forefoot.

“Kicking up sand like that?!” Louyan grumbled, wiping his face with his sleeve after
falling over.

“It’s not like I can teach you consistently over a year or two. What I’m teaching isn’t
swordsmanship, but how to fight. Tricks you can use in real combat.”

Urich tapped his shoulder with the wooden sword, laughing.

“Such dirty tricks…”

“You have to do even worse things in a real battle. No matter how dirty, surviving is
what matters. You’ve only learned the basics of fighting. I’m sure the knights knew
that as well, but they probably didn’t teach you past that because they knew you
weren’t interested in swordsmanship to begin with.”

From a distance, real combat was ugly. One had to roll on the ground, struggling for
survival while targeting the opponent’s vital spots.
“If you know I’m not interested in all this, then why are you teaching me?”

“Fights don’t always happen because you want them to. If someone comes to kill you,
you have to fight with all your might. For example, let’s say King Varca dies suddenly.
And let’s say that in that gap, Duke Lungell marries Varca’s daughter to his son and
tries to claim the throne.”

“Duke Lungell wouldn’t do that. He is loyal to the royal family.”

“Hah? Before you were even born, Duke Lungell was the man who didn’t support
Varca in the Porcana civil war and bided his time instead. He has always been aiming
for power. The only reason he’s loyal now is because Varca’s royal power is strong.
Your perspective is still narrow and immature. You are going to face unimaginable
hardships in your life.”

“I did hear that Duke Lungell was once a political opponent of the royal family, but…”

Louyan trailed off. By the time he started to grasp the political aspect of his life, Duke
Lungell was already a loyal servant to the kingdom, and he couldn’t imagine the duke
leading a rebellion.

“Even Hamel and the empire, which seemed like it would last a thousand years, fell
by my hand. There’s no such thing as absolute in this world. It would be nice if you
never had to fight… but when the time comes and you have to fight for your life,
today’s lesson will help. Now, if you heard what I said, get up!”

Urich tapped Louyan’s leg with the wooden sword. Louyan, getting more heated,
attacked Urich fiercely.

As the wooden swords clashed rhythmically, Urich rolled his eyes around to use the
terrain to his advantage.

Rolling on the ground, Urich quickly grabbed a pebble and threw it. Louyan, hit on
the forehead by the pebble, was dazed.

“Dammit!”

Urich laughed at Louyan rubbing his bruised forehead.

“Always watch your surroundings. It’s the basics to scan your surroundings before
you start a fight. Especially if you get ambushed in a disadvantageous situation, you
need to use the environment to your advantage.”

Urich taught Louyan how to win fights. At first, Louyan grumbled, but he gradually
accepted Urich’s methods. The training sessions took place daily from noon until
evening.

“Oof, my body aches. I gotta take a breather. Let’s take five, Louyan.”

Urich sat down and drank water. The torso he revealed was nothing short of
intimidating.

‘How is he still alive with a body like that?’

Louyan couldn’t take his eyes off Urich’s body. His skin was tattered like a rag, with
no unscarred areas. Particularly prominent was his right forearm, marked by deep
lightning-shaped burn scars, and a long horizontal scar across his abdomen.

Even Louyan, who had no interest in a warrior’s life, felt a sense of respect as he
realized that Urich’s body told the story of how fiercely he had lived. Living such a
superhuman life earned him the right to be respected by others.

‘The man who led a barbarian army and brought down the empire that was standing
at the pinnacle of civilization.’

He barely remembered the times when Hamel ruled. Since childhood, the empire
had been a symbol of downfall for Louyan. The empire’s collapse seemed inevitable
but seeing the very man who had brought about its downfall made him realize the
magnitude of that achievement.

“You had everything in your grasp, so why did you put it all down?”

Louyan also sat down in front of Urich and drank water. Sour sweat dripped from his
hair.

“Because that position wasn’t what I wanted.”

Urich stood up with a limp. His current body easily broke down with just a slight
exertion, and even now, his legs were numb from the unusual vigorous activity.
“I heard you’re going to the Eastern Continent,” Louyan said.

“I’ve been curious about it for a long time,” Urich replied.

The exploration fleet was set to depart as soon as the preparations were complete.
Every kingdom was paying attention to Porcana’s voyage, knowing that discovering
the Eastern Continent would bring about an even greater change than crossing the
Sky Mountains.

“Are you sure your body is fit for such a strenuous journey?”

“If I can’t endure it, then I’ll just die there,” Urich answered calmly with a smile.

“Even the best racehorses have rest days. You need to rest adequately to run better
the next day.”

“Are you worried about me? What an honor!”

“His Highness and my master hope you stay here in Porcana.”

“And you? What do you think? Do you want me to stay?”

Urich glanced sideways, uncharacteristically seeking approval.

“What makes you think I would want you to stay?”

“…Just asking. You know what, let’s call it a day. I’ll see you back here tomorrow.”

“I won’t be able to come for a while starting tomorrow. There will be a banquet with
many nobles attending, and I have to make an appearance as well. Try to hide your
identity well, Urich.”

With that, Louyan walked ahead of Urich.

“Good grief.”

Urich scratched his head and watched Louyan’s retreating figure.

‘Pathetic, Urich.’
Throughout his life, he had survived countless hellish battles. However, despite his
numerous heroic achievements, in front of Louyan, he was nothing more than a lousy
father who couldn’t fulfill his role.

***

Urich sat in front of a basin filled with water, took out an axe, and checked the
condition of the blade with his fingers.

‘Louyan resembles me.’

Urich trimmed his beard and hair, which he had grown to hide his face, while looking
at his reflection in the water. Even though he grew it to cover his face, it needed
trimming from time to time.

As Louyan grew, he increasingly resembled Urich to the point where anyone close to
Urich could guess his lineage just by looking at his face.

‘They probably know it already but are just keeping quiet. Especially Duke Lungell, he
must know by now that Louyan is my son.’

Duke Lungell and Urich frequently faced each other in the past. Given the
circumstances, it was highly likely that the duke was aware of Louyan’s lineage.

‘Pahell evaluated Duke Lungell as loyal, but people don’t change that easily. With the
king having only daughters, it’s enough to rekindle Duke Lungell’s last ambitions.’

Urich had once stood at the pinnacle of power. To survive, he had to constantly
suspect those around him and always assume the worst.

‘The atmosphere in Porcana is chaotic due to the Eastern Continent expedition fleet.’

Various thoughts crossed his mind, and he was worried about Louyan’s safety.

“Am I overthinking this?”

Urich looked at his reflection in the water. He felt contemptuous of himself for trying
to act like a father now.

Urich trimmed his beard and hair just enough to obscure his facial features. Once he
was ready, he turned to watch the nobles entering the palace.

As one would expect from a banquet that was honoring the Eastern Continent
exploration, many guests came from foreign countries, and with the proportionally
increased security, the once quiet palace had become quite lively.

“Is that a barbarian lord? Well, Porcana does have its relations with barbarians…”

Despite some foreign nobles passing by with uncomfortable glances at Urich, it had
become quite common for barbarians to blend into noble society.

Chiefs from the Alliance Army settled in civilized lands and ruled over civilized
people with their armies. The kingdoms, valuing their abilities, often granted titles
and lands to the western chiefs to strengthen their military.

In this new era, no one found it strange for a burly barbarian like Urich to be in the
palace. There were even other guests entering the banquet hall who were also of
barbarian origin.

‘As time passes and eras change, people’s perceptions change as well.’

Urich experienced the change in the values of the civilized world firsthand. He
hovered around the banquet hall, observing the situation.

Gottval noticed Urich and approached him. He asked, “Ah, here you are, Urich. Are
you planning to join the banquet?”

“I’m just watching. There’s something that’s bothering me… though it seems like I
might be overthinking.”

“Are you worried about Louyan?” Gottval asked.

Urich, with his face reddened, answered, “A while ago, I left Louyan with you and
Pahell. You see, I wasn’t really attached to him back then.”

“As people age, they naturally become more attached to their descendants. They seek
a child to carry on their legacy.”

“You speak as if you have children.”

“Oh, you think I don’t?”

Gottval looked at Urich with a grin. Urich, startled, stammered, “Y-you have a kid?”

“No, I don’t. It was just a joke. If anything, Louyan would be my son,” Gottval said
calmly.

“Yes, Louyan is indeed your son. I have no right or reason to take that from you.”

Urich looked at Louyan greeting guests from a distance. Among the noble guests,
servants moved around carrying food.

“Duke Lungell will also be here,” Gottval said as if he read Urich’s mind.

“Is he really a loyal liege now?”

“Only Lou knows a person’s true nature, but if it helps you put your mind at ease,
King Varca is excellent at judging people.”

“He is?”

“It’s hard for anyone not to gain any insight while sitting on the throne. A king
without it doesn’t stay king for long.”

“Lungell is no easy opponent.”

The Duke Lungell Urich remembered was a cunning and ambitious man, like a snake.

Urich and Gottval exchanged drinks in a corner of the banquet hall, surveying their
surroundings, though it was difficult to stay too quiet due to the nobles constantly
approaching Gottval.

“Priest Gottval, my son was born recently. I’d appreciate it if you could bless him. I
will offer ample compensation…”

Nobles clamored to receive his blessings. Gottval was a highly respected priest, and
even the bishops who governed the dioceses did not treat him lightly.

“I’ll let you be.”

Urich stepped away from the bustling crowd around Gottval and wandered around
the banquet hall with a drink in his hand. As the night deepened, the band’s music
grew louder, and the laughter and chatter made his ears ring.

“Ah, Duke Lungell. I was thinking you might not make it this time, but you did!”

The music paused for a moment and nobles gathered at the entrance as Duke
Lungell, a powerful figure in the kingdom, arrived.

Step, click. Step, click.

Duke Lungell entered the banquet hall, leaning on a cane.

‘That’s Duke Lungell?’

Urich stared at Duke Lungell. The sharp middle-aged man he remembered was gone.
His back was hunched, and his hair was white. The man who was being called Duke
Lungell looked like any other old man.

‘It really is him.’

Upon closer inspection, Urich noticed that the traces of his past appearance
remained.

King Varca, noticing Urich’s expression, chuckled and whispered to him, “Surprised?
His illness has softened him a lot.”

Urich chuckled bitterly. Duke Lungell was already an old, weakened man waiting for
his death after exhausting his vitality. He felt foolish for having been on guard against
such a man.

“Your Highness.”

Duke Lungell showed respect to Varca despite his difficulty in mobility. Things were
completely different from what Urich had imagined.

‘Much time has passed. It’s obvious that things are different from what I knew.’

Urich drank his wine without worry. Occasionally, some people showed interest in
him, but since he disguised himself as a knight of insignificant barbarian origin, their
interest quickly faded.

However, after glancing around, Duke Lungell walked over to Urich, leaning on his
cane.

“So, you’re alive after all,” Duke Lungell said, raising his white eyebrows.

Urich, who had his arms crossed, laughed and replied, “You recognized me.”

“You’ve been looking at Louyan all this time. The age fits, and that build is not
common even among barbarians.”

Duke Lungell let out a laugh that sounded more like a wheeze. When Urich handed
him a full glass of wine, he turned it down, saying, “The doctor advised me to avoid
alcohol.”

After politely declining the glass, Duke Lungell sat beside Urich seemingly needing to
catch his breath.

“I thought you’d come if you were alive. Anyone can see that Louyan is…”

“You already knew.”

“Everyone who knows, knows. They just choose not to speak up, fearing it would
cause another conflict and war.”

Urich and Duke Lungell started talking. Even though they weren’t particularly close
back in their younger days, they shared many memories and their conversation
flowed as if they were old friends reunited.

“To be honest, I didn’t think you’d succeed. My plan was to just hit the empire hard
enough, persuade His Highness to make a treaty with the empire, and then retreat.”

“Good thing you didn’t. If you had betrayed me, I’d have chased you down and
smashed your skull.”

“Hoho, that temper hasn’t gone anywhere.”

“I’m going to go get some more meat. You want some?”

Urich picked up a plate and stood up.

“My body needs porridge more than meat.”

“Aging is a sad thing.”

“You’re not far off either.”

“Then I’d better die before I get that old.”

Duke Lungell laughed heartily at those words.

Urich took his plate and went to the roast pig. There was a young man already in line
who glanced at Urich.

“You can go ahead,” the sharp-looking young man offered to let Urich go first.
Somehow, the young man’s face seemed familiar to Urich.

“Why are you letting me go first?”

Urich asked, looking at the young man.

“You have a western accent. ‘We must yield and help each other.’ It’s something my
mother always emphasized.”

The young man spoke in a language that Urich missed. Urich smiled and patted the
young man’s shoulder.

“You have a wonderful mother. It would be rude to refuse, so I’ll gratefully accept
your offer.”

Urich cut the meat first and put it on his plate.

‘The fact that he looks familiar means I’ve seen him somewhere… ’

Urich prided himself on having a good memory, but he couldn’t recall where he had
seen the young man.

Urich looked back. The young man cut a large piece of meat and stabbed a dagger
into it, seemingly taking the food somewhere.
‘My eyes are getting worse with my age.’

Urich blinked. His right eye’s vision had deteriorated significantly from the lightning
strike. It wouldn’t be surprising if he woke up one day to find himself blind.

“H-huh?”

He realized that it wasn’t the young man’s face that was familiar, but the dagger
stabbed into the meat on the plate.

‘Meteorite dagger.’

The unique pattern indicated it was indeed the meteorite dagger that should have
been in Belrua’s hands.

‘Tell him to come find me with this when he’s ready to kill me. That way, it’ll be easier
for me to recognize him.’

That was what Urich said to Belrua as he handed her the meteorite dagger.

He then realized the identity of the familiar face.

‘Samikan’s son.’

Samikan’s son was holding the dagger stuck in the meat and was approaching
Louyan.

With Urich gone, Samikan’s son had lost his target for revenge. If he knew there was
someone certain to be Urich’s bloodline, what would he do? A warrior’s course of
action in this situation could not be more obvious.

“Oooooh! Stop right there!”

Urich threw his plate down and dashed forward, pushing aside those in his way with
his arms, and broke through the tables and chairs that tripped him.

“S-st… stop, argh!”

The startled guards tried to stop Urich in his path but were knocked down by his
fists. A charging Urich was essentially a boar in human form.
There was no one who could stop the charging Urich. He went straight for the young
man holding the meteorite dagger.

‘Why?’

Despite his eyes trembling, the young man’s well-trained body moved before he
could even think, reflexively raising his meteorite dagger to face Urich.

Crash!

As Urich and the young man clashed, the table laden with food toppled over.

“Ooooooh!”

Even amidst the chaos, Urich reached out and managed to grab the young man by the
neck.

Crack!

Then he squeezed as if he would snap it.

The young man, with veins bulging on his face, held the dagger upside down and
stabbed Urich's forearm.

Schluck!

Urich flinched as his arm was stabbed. Taking advantage of the moment, the young
man kicked Urich's jaw.

Thump!

The kick landed so forcefully that Urich’s head snapped back. The young man smiled
in satisfaction.
‘I have no idea why he's attacking me, but… ’

The young man was sure Urich would fall after seeing his upper body sway until it
almost touched the ground.

But the smile on the young man’s face quickly vanished, and he was soon faced with
a chill that made him feel as if he were facing a beast.

Kiiiing.

The young man saw a flash of bright yellow light in Urich’s eyes. Just before falling,
Urich straightened his upper body and reached out.

“Kugh!”

Using the momentum to his advantage, Urich swung his fist.

Urich’s punch struck the young man’s chest. The young man felt as if his heart and
lungs had stopped from the impact.

‘It feels like I’m fighting a beast.’

The fallen young man watched Urich striding over. With his arms wide open and
strides long, Urich was terrifying.

‘I need a bigger weapon. He’s not someone I can take down with a dagger.’

But there was no time to find another weapon. The hulking Urich was already
looming over the fallen young man, exuding dominance as only his menacing eyes
shone with the light behind his back.

Thwip!

Urich flinched and turned around. Soldiers had entered the banquet hall and shot at
Urich with crossbows, lodging arrows into his thighs.

Thwip!

As three soldiers fired their crossbows in succession, another arrow deeply pierced
Urich’s side.
“Stop! Stop!”

Gottval rushed at the soldiers to restrain them, but the soldiers were just doing their
job, which was to stop anyone who was causing chaos in the banquet hall.

“That hurts…”

Urich limped, clutching his bleeding side where the arrow was embedded, still not
taking his eyes off the young man with the meteorite dagger.

A flustered Louyan ran between the young man and Urich.

“What do you think you’re doing?! No, we need to get you some treatment first!”

“Treatment? What treatment? This thing’s going to heal on its own with some
pressure and spit. Move aside. I need to kill that guy first,” Urich said, looking over
Louyan’s shoulder.

“That man is an envoy from the Alliance!”

“I know. He’s also the guy who is going to try to kill you.”

Urich looked at the fallen young man and noticed that he bore a striking
resemblance to Samikan.

“Why would an envoy from the Alliance want to kill me?”

Urich couldn’t answer. To explain why Samikan’s son was targeting Louyan, he would
have to reveal his lineage.

“There seems to be some misunderstanding, but it doesn’t matter. If you want to

keep fighting, I’ll oblige.”

The young man stood up, still holding the meteorite dagger. He glared fiercely at
Urich; his fighting spirit undeterred by Urich’s intimidation. It was clear he had been
trained as a warrior.

The banquet hall turned into a mess in the blink of an eye. While the attendees
murmured, trying to grasp what had just happened, Varca tried to contain the
situation before it got any worse.
“Stop! What is the meaning of this commotion in the banquet hall? I will be the one
to judge who is right and wrong. Sir Aktur, arrest those causing the disturbance!”
Varca quickly called the soldiers and shouted.

‘Don’t cause any more trouble, for now, Urich.’

As if he read Varca’s intention, Urich complied with the arrest without resistance.

“We need to get him some treatment first. If we don’t…”

Gottval looked at the arrow lodged deep in Urich’s side. It was clear it had
penetrated deeply enough to reach his organs.

“…Gottval, I don’t know if you know this, but that guy is the son of Samikan, whom I
killed. We need to stay alert,” Urich muttered as he tried to stagger out of the
banquet hall.

Thud.

As soon as Urich walked out the door, he collapsed forward.

“Uri…!”

Gottval started to shout but covered his mouth. He called the soldiers to carry Urich
to the infirmary.

***

Urich, feeling like he was submerged under water with his consciousness hazy, had a
dream.

‘The snow-covered Sky Mountains.’

From the place closest to the sky, Urich looked alternately to the east and the west.
To the west were his brothers, and to the east was an unknown land. In that spot,
Urich had to make a decision.

Urich prioritized the curiosity of the unknown over the comfort of his brothers and
tribe waiting for him back home.
“His whole body is burning up!”

“We must save him! Don’t die like this, you idiot!”

As Urich opened his eyes and then closed them again, he heard some familiar voices.

‘Is there such a thing as a choice without regrets?’

He had made countless choices, but he still couldn’t be sure which ones were right
and which were wrong.

‘What if I hadn’t crossed the Sky Mountains? What if I had returned to my brothers?’

Emperor Yanchinus was already carrying out his Barbarian Inclusion Policy. Perhaps
the westerners might have settled in the civilized world without engaging in war
with civilization.

‘What if I hadn’t escorted Pahell…?’

‘Should I have raised Louyan myself?’

‘If I had solidified the Alliance from the position of Great Chief, things would be very
different now.’

Then, he opened his eyes. The bed he lay on was soaked with blood and sweat,
requiring the sheets to be changed several times.

“Urich, are you awake?” Gottval asked, looking at Urich.

“Where is Louyan?”

Louyan’s safety was the first thing that came to Urich’s mind.

“He’s perfectly fine.”

“What about the other guy?”

“Do you mean the young man you attacked?”

“He’s dangerous. He was targeting Louyan.”

“…That young man is an envoy of the Alliance, and I’ve seen him several times
already. If his goal was to harm Louyan, he would have done something about it a
long time ago.”

Urich's eyes widened as he realized he might have made a mistake. As he laughed

hollowly, he coughed up blood that backflowed into his throat.

“Ugh, my blood is black,” he said.

“You still have a severe fever. It’s not an injury to be ignored, and if you don’t get
ample rest…” Gottval trailed off. He had been nursing Urich for two days. He thought
to himself, ‘The wound is festering. It’s not a good sign. Lou might take Urich away.’

In the past, Urich was someone who recovered quickly regardless of the severity of
his injury or wound. Even when it seemed fatal, he shook off the shadow of death
and got back up as if it were nothing.

‘Is the blessing gone? Or is it that Lou is taking Urich because his work in this world is
finished?’

Gottval sensed the aura of death lingering around Urich’s body.

Bang!

Someone entered the room where Urich was resting. It was the young man Urich had
attacked.

“Are you really… that Urich?” The young man asked, pointing with his index finger.

“Which Urich?”

Urich grabbed his side and raised his upper body, involuntarily furrowing his brows
from the pain.

“The former Great Chief Urich.”

“Then I guess I am that Urich.”

Urich chuckled, but his eyes glared sharply at the young man.
“I am Karcha, the son of Samikan and Belrua.”

Karcha took a step forward. His well-trained body was still growing, and unlike
Louyan, he was a thoroughly trained warrior.

“Revenge for your father is both a warrior's duty and right. Pick a time and place,
Karcha. Even tonight would be fine by me,” Urich muttered with a serious look on his
face.

However, Karcha held his stomach and laughed. “What kind of old-fashioned talk is
that? Why should I avenge a father I’ve never even seen? Besides, I heard it was an
honorable duel.”

Karcha shrugged and sat nonchalantly in front of Urich.

“If you don’t seek revenge, others might look down on you.”

“That would be if people knew you were still alive. Do you think I’m so idle that I
would waste my life seeking revenge on an old man living in seclusion?”

“O-old man?”

“What, are you saying you’re not an old man? If someone who was in their prime
when I was a baby isn’t an old man, then what is he?”

Karcha laughed, revealing sharp teeth. He skillfully spun the dagger in his hand and
then handed the hilt to Urich. The blade of the meteor iron dagger still gleamed.

“I’ve heard your stories from my mother several times. My mother, Belrua, always
said you wouldn’t die.”

They exchanged a few more probing words, and Urich learned why Karcha had come
to Porcana.

“Is the successor of the Alliance playing the diplomat?”

“I’m traveling to the kingdoms precisely because I intend to inherit the Alliance. I
won’t be able to travel around like this once I become the Great Chief, so I need to
experience and see the kingdoms of the outside world while I can—just like you did,
Urich.”
Urich looked at Karcha. As one would expect from Samikan’s son, his intelligence
shone through his words, and he had a charm that made people want to follow him.
He was a young man suitable to be the leader of any group.

"I’m saying this out of caution, but the reality is that I did kill your father."

"So if I ask you to die for my revenge, will you comply?"

"Hmm, no, not really."

Urich scratched his cheek.

"I’m not willing to risk my life for some meaningless revenge. I will become the Great
Chief one day, and then I will gain more fame than my father and you!" Karcha
declared boldly.

"Kekeke, you truly are Samikan’s son, no doubt about that!"

Urich laughed, clutching his stomach.

"Urich! Your wound is reopening! "

Gottval tried to stop him, but Urich couldn’t stop himself. His wound indeed
reopened, staining the bandage around his side red.

“…But why did you attack me?"

"I thought you were going to attack Louyan."

"Porcana is a loyal ally of the Alliance. Why would I attack their heir?"

Karcha still couldn’t understand why Urich had attacked him.

“…It was just a feeling. My instincts are usually pretty accurate."

Karcha looked at Urich with a dumbfounded expression.

"You attacked me with the intent to kill for such an absurd reason?"

"Yeah, that was my bad. I apologize."

"Forget it. If you’re going to go senile, do it gracefully. Don’t drag innocent people
into it."

Karcha was ambitious and rude, but Urich didn’t dislike him for it.

Urich drank some water to moisten his dry lips.

"As someone who has been the Great Chief before, I have a piece of advice for you. As
your influence grows, keep someone who can oppose you close to you—someone
who can tell you when you’re wrong."

Karcha scoffed and crossed his arms.

"I don’t need such outdated advice. If I ever need one, I’ll learn it from my own
failures."

"Then I gave the wrong advice. Before anything else, you need to watch how you use
that tongue of yours and keep it safe."

Karcha just grinned in response, showing his teeth.

"Do you have any message for my mother? She’ll be happy to hear you’re alive."

Belrua was also another reason for Karcha’s lack of obsession with revenge. She had
a fondness for Urich, and Karcha had grown up under her care.

‘No matter how famous he was in the past, he’s just an old relic now.’

For Karcha, revenge was a duty and justification that didn’t move his heart. He would
seek revenge if it was necessary for honor and prestige, but in his eyes, Urich was
just a ghost of the past, as good as dead.

"Is Belrua doing well?"

"Until the year before last, she beat me at arm wrestling."

"Then that’s good enough."

"Take care of yourself."

Karcha left without hesitation. Even Urich, a legend among his people, was just a
figure of the past to him.

‘You’re going to become someone greater, Karcha. You have no reason to look up to
that man,’ Karcha thought to himself and did not look back.

But Urich watched Karcha’s back. The shadows of Samikan and Yanchinus seemed to
loom over the young man’s shoulders. His determination to pursue his ambition
reminded Urich of the men he once knew.

‘If Karcha and I had lived in the same era, we would have undoubtedly been rivals and
clashed.’

But the two men were from different generations, walking on the same land but
living in different worlds.

Gottval skillfully changed Urich’s bandages with his one hand.

"Gottval."

Urich looked at Gottval’s face. The once-young priest had become a saint revered by
all.

“…I suppose I’ve aged."

"You’re not that old, but you’re not young either. Well, if you were the Urich of your
prime, Karcha wouldn’t have walked out of this room on two legs."

Gottval laughed as he tied the bandage.

"My instincts failed me twice in a row. For a warrior, losing your sharpness and
dulling instincts is fatal. A warrior has to always gamble with their life in uncertain
situations. Your instincts and body are all you can rely on with swords and arrows
flying at you on the battlefield."

"If I may add, you should believe in god as well."

"I’m serious."

"I too am serious."

Gottval stared at Urich.

"Even if I suddenly want to believe in Lou, it doesn’t mean faith will suddenly spring
forth."

"Urich, your wound from the arrow is badly infected. The pus has built up deep
inside, and you’ll suffer from fever every night. To put it bluntly, you could die."

"From just an arrow wound? Don’t worry, it’ll heal soon."

But even as Urich said this, he broke out in cold sweat.

"Sooner or later, we all die," Gottval continued.

"Here comes the sermon again," Urich responded indifferently.

"Urich, why don’t you believe in Lou? It’s not like you already have a god you believe
in, do you?"

"There’s nothing to lose by believing in Lou, but… I only believe in what I’ve seen
with my own eyes. That’s my way."

"Then you won’t be able to believe in Lou until the day you die."

Gottval laughed bitterly.

Urich spent his time lying in bed. The fight in the banquet hall was dismissed as a
simple misunderstanding and was passed without much consequence, thanks to
Varca's overwhelming authority that no noble dared to protest.

"Trying to cover it up was quite a headache for me, too," Varca grumbled. He visited
Urich almost daily.

‘Urich’s condition isn’t good.’

Three days had passed since the incident, but Urich's complexion had only darkened.

‘In terms of treatment, we’ve done everything we could. Now, his fate is in Lou’s hands.’

Varca smiled, hiding his gloom.

“I'm sorry. I thought that with me gone, Samikan’s son would try to harm Louyan
instead.”

“You dumbass, how would he even know that Louyan is your son?”

If Louyan’s birth had spread to the west, countless warriors would have come
looking for him by now. If Urich had been a bit more cautious and thoughtful, none of
this would have happened.

‘I've lost my touch.’

Urich, feeling he wasn’t the same as before in many ways, looked at his hands.
Meeting a spirited young man like Karcha made him feel even more deflated.

‘Ferzen and Sven were active warriors until they were nothing but wrinkles… ’

Urich’s prime had burned more fiercely than anyone else's, and perhaps that’s why
his firewood had burned out just as quickly.
‘Am I already washed up? Hah… ’

A hollow laugh escaped him. He no longer had the sharpness and wit he once
possessed.

‘How depressing.’

Urich sat up, clutching his side.

“I heard your wounds won’t heal very easily this time. Even the invincible Urich is
just a human after all, huh?”

“Of course, I’m human. What else could I be?”

“You didn’t seem very human in the past.”

Urich and Varca reminisced about various past events, and time flew by as they
talked about old times. However, Varca soon got up to leave.

“I have to get going. Duke Lungell asked to meet; though I can already tell that he
wants to talk to me about supporting his son as his successor once he’s gone.”

“Right, it seemed like he didn’t have much time left himself. Anyway, if you’re busy,
go ahead.”

Urich watched Varca’s back.

Varca was still in his prime. Unlike Urich, who was a warrior, Varca was at the peak of
his powers as king. This was the time for him to push through his policies and
projects.

‘Must be nice.’

Urich envied Varca. If life were a story, Varca was in the middle of his tale, and the
time for him to reap his rewards was just around the corner.

‘Am I going to die from an arrow wound because of some dumb mistake? How Sven and
Ferzen would laugh if they saw me now… ’

Sven and Ferzen, regardless of the specifics, had met their ends like warriors. Urich
wanted to live and die like them.

He had survived countless life-threatening injuries, but now, he was on the brink of
life and death because of a single arrow.

‘I never imagined this kind of end, but I wonder how many people actually get the
death they want?’

Urich saw the horizon in the distance as he gazed quietly out the window, half-
lidded.

‘If my life is nearing its end, it might be better to stay here.’

Porcana was sufficient for Urich’s remaining days.

Creak.

Not long after Varca left, the door opened again. Urich, slightly wary, grasped the
handle of the axe beside his bed. Being alert at any sound was an old habit.

“You’re trying to split my head with that axe now?”

Louyan walked in.

“Ah, it’s you.”

Urich smiled sheepishly.

“Your rampage caused quite a stir. I had a tough time trying to handle it.”

“I don’t know how many times I’ve said this today, but I really am sorry.”

Louyan glanced at Urich’s side. He had heard about Urich’s condition.

“Forget about boarding the ship.”

The departure of the expedition fleet was less than a fortnight away.

“I know I’m not in great shape right now, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad enough for
me to hear that from you,” Urich said, dismissively.
“I think I have the right to tell you that.”

Louyan raised his eyes to meet Urich’s gaze.

“What do you mean by that?” Urich asked.

“I said what I said. You thought Samikan's son, Karcha, was attacking me and charged
in. I had a vague suspicion before too, but that confirmed it.”

Louyan said no more. Urich also fell silent.

The awkward silence was broken by Urich’s uneasy laughter.

“Haha, this isn’t the most touching reunion, is it?”

“Seeing you come back after all this time, only to die like this, is pathetic. If I ever
have children, I won’t be a father like you. Urich might be a great hero, but he’s a
terrible father.”

Louyan ruthlessly poured out harsh words at the patient, but Urich had nothing to
say back.

Grit.

Urich clenched his teeth.

“I’m sorry, Louyan. Your existence was a burden to me. Hell, I even thought of you as
a nuisance. Your fathers are Gottval and Varca. I don’t expect to be treated as a
father.”

“To me, you’re just the stranger Urich. But to my teacher and His Highness, you’re a
dear friend. If you feel any regret toward me, don’t disappear again and stay where
you are right now.”

Louyan bowed his head slightly and stood up. He said only what he wanted and left.

Urich remained sitting on his bed, staring blankly after Louyan had left.

***
Louyan didn’t say a single wrong thing. Urich was the one who had abandoned his
son. If he truly intended to take responsibility, he would have taken Louyan with him,
no matter what.

‘Is my atonement playing the role of a good friend beside Gottval and Pahell, whom
Louyan loves?’

Urich smiled. He too loved Gottval and Varca; they were people he would protect
even at the cost of his own life.

Time passed quickly as Urich lay in bed. He spent his days doing nothing, and even
after sleeping to his heart's content, each day felt lethargic.

“It seems Louyan still doesn’t know that you are his father.”

Gottval, who came to visit him, whispered so. Urich laughed at those words. He didn’t
bother to tell Gottval everything.

‘Cunning kid.’

Louyan had effectively issued a warning to Urich alone. Using Urich's guilt and his
status as his son, Louyan had told him not to leave Gottval and Varca's side.

“You're much better now. As long as you don't overexert yourself, you should live,”
Gottval said as he changed Urich’s bandages. The thick pus that used to ooze out had
significantly reduced.

“I told you; I won't die just from being hit by an arrow.”

“It's not time to be so sure yet. I’ve said this already, but don't push yourself too
hard,” Gottval sternly warned, knowing that Urich had just barely managed to avoid
death.

‘If Urich moves around just because he feels stiff in bed, his wound will reopen.’

Gottval repeated his warnings, worried about Urich, but Urich only listened
absentmindedly, scratching his ear.

“Gottval, do you want me to stay in Porcana?”

“It would be nice if you did. It would greatly strengthen His Highness as well.”

“Right.”

The people who were like family and brothers to him wanted him to settle down.

‘Urich will settle in Porcana.’

Gottval was almost certain. The exploration fleet was set to depart tomorrow, but
Urich was still severely injured. On top of that, Porcana was where Louyan, his own
blood, was.

‘There will be plenty of time to persuade Urich in the future.’

Gottval planned to persuade Urich several times to return to Lou’s embrace. As

people age, their hearts tend to soften. Urich was not an exception, and Gottval
believed that he would eventually seek God.

“Rest well, Urich.”

Gottval finished the treatment and left.

Night deepened. Urich, lying in bed, opened his eyes and slowly dressed himself.

“It still stings.”

Holding his side, Urich staggered to his feet. He wandered around the room,
gathering his belongings which consisted of just a waist bag and a few weapons. The
weapons clinked each time he moved.

‘I don’t know what the right choice is.’

Urich had always made choices. This time was no different.

‘Is this journey worth betraying everyone's hope?’

A part of Urich longed for a comfortable life, but that wasn't his way.

Urich grasped his creaking knee and stabilized it by tying it tightly with a piece of
cloth.
“Hoo.”

His body was deteriorating. The sharp, youthful Urich was no more.

‘Trying to be a good father now would just be laughable.’

He climbed out of the window. Though his body was broken, that was only in
comparison to his younger self. He was still a warrior with a muscular build far
above average.

‘What I can show Louyan is not some advice or teachings, but my way of living.’

He blinked as he inserted his fingers into the gaps in the wall and climbed like a
spider.

Drip.

The bleeding in his side soaked the bandages and the overflowing blood dripped
down.

“Huff, this is killing me.”

Urich stuck out his tongue, looking down from the wall. A slip could send him
plummeting to his death.

People feared many things in life, and the brave warrior Urich was no different. He
feared the unknown afterlife, losing his brothers, and defeat. Life was a series of
fears, like wandering in the dark.

‘Even now, I’m afraid.’

He feared disappointing Varca and Gottval.

‘If I leave like this, Louyan will probably hate me.’

Urich’s eyes trembled. Louyan’s reproach was still vivid in his mind.

‘Do I really want to see the Eastern Continent? Or am I just stubbornly clinging to my
way of life like Sven?’
Despite being an adult man who understood responsibility and duty, Urich still
wandered and worried like an adolescent boy. Life happens only once. Whether
young or old, the problems one faces are first-time experiences in one’s life and it is
impossible for humans to live knowing the correct answers in advance.

Urich walked out of the palace into the night. In Porcana, he was just a barbarian
with weapons clinking on his back.

His vision occasionally blurred as if shrouded in fog, and he limped when his legs
sometimes went numb. When it rained, his entire body ached, making it difficult to
get out of bed.

People like Gottval told Urich that he had done enough. They urged him to rest for
the rest of his life, having lived earnestly.

‘That's not living, that's dying.’

To Urich, resting was merely waiting for the inevitable death while looking back at
the past life.

“Hah.”

Urich scoffed. For some, such rest might be a valuable life. Some think dying in bed
surrounded by family is a happy ending.

“…But that’s not me.”

Urich touched his side and noticed blood was seeping out profusely.

‘Stop whining, you damned body!’

Urich forcefully squeezed the pus from his side. So much black blood mixed with pus
gushed out that he wondered if he might die from excessive bleeding.

Leaning against the wall, Urich gritted his teeth to the point of them nearly breaking
and endured the pain. His fingers and lips trembled.

“Huff, huff.”

Even though the days were not that cold yet, hot breaths mixed with a metallic taste
puffed out.

Urich raised his eyes and looked at the ship docked at the harbor and saw four large
sailing ships that were set to sail tomorrow.

‘This is my life, the one I have to choose. It doesn’t matter whether it’s for Louyan or
Gottval. Don’t use others as an excuse, Urich.’

Urich pulled himself up.

‘I’m not going to live as a good friend to Pahell and Gottval, and I won’t live as Louyan’s
father either. It doesn’t matter if I’m scolded or praised.’

What mattered was always one thing. The center of life is oneself.

Born as Urich, he must live as Urich.

***

Knock, knock.

“It’s me, Urich.”

Gottval had come to change Urich’s bandages, but when he knocked on the door,
there was no answer, only silence.

Though today was the historic day of Porcana's expedition fleet setting sail to
Gottval, Urich’s recovery was more important.

“The sun rose hours ago; are you still sleeping?”

Gottval turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.

“Urich?”

Upon seeing that the bed was empty, Gottval threw down the bag he was carrying
and looked around the room.

“Godda…!”
Even Gottval couldn’t hold back his curse.

‘Where on earth did that crazy man go with his body in that state!’

It was going to be a problem wherever Urich went. He needed complete rest without
moving around.

‘His stuff is also gone.’

Gottval’s eyes reached the window that was swung open, with the dust on the
windowsill swept clean as if someone had passed through.

“Urich…”

Gottval’s gaze, looking out the window, reached the harbor where the expedition
fleet was making its historic departure in the distance.

“A horse! Get a horse ready!”

Gottval shouted over the window to the stablehand. The stablehand, despite not
knowing the reason, hurriedly brought a horse at Gottval’s urgent yelling.

Gottval ran to the stable. The famously polite man didn’t even thank the stablehand
and hurriedly mounted the horse.

‘I’ve known you for a long time… but you still only choose actions that are hard to
understand, Urich.’

But the ships had already receded and were mere dots on the horizon before Gottval
could even reach the harbor.

“Your Highness!”

Gottval nearly fell off the horse. He hit his knee on the ground but didn’t care as he
ran toward Varca.

“What is it? Don’t tell me…”

Varca looked at Gottval with a worried expression.

‘Is Urich dead?’

It wasn’t unheard of that a person could die overnight because of a sudden

worsening of their injuries. Judging by Gottval’s pale face, something must have
happened to Urich.

“He’s on the ship. He’s on that ship right now!”

Gottval gasped for breath and pointed at the ships that already looked like dots on
the horizon.

“Well, I’m glad he’s not dead, at least,” Varca said as he calmed Gottval down.

“He’s on the ship with his body in such a bad condition, Your Highness!”

“It’s unfortunate, but I’m sure that was what he wanted. Well, it would have been
nice if he’d given us a heads up, but he probably thought we would try to stop him if
he did.”

Varca pulled his cloak tighter and looked at the horizon.

‘In the end, you left, Urich.’

Varca smiled faintly. He felt a sense of relief as if he knew this would happen.

‘It wouldn’t be Urich if he just stayed quiet.’

Gottval, on the other hand, was resentful of Varca’s lack of reaction.

“We should send a fast ship this instant to bring Urich back. He won’t survive the
voyage in that condition.”

“Father Gottval, I intend to respect Urich’s choice. Even if it means he dies, that is.”

Varca was resolute. Gottval, whose face was nothing but a frown at first, slowly
thought of something and nodded.

“You are right, Your Highness…”

Gottval gazed sadly at the horizon.

After dispersing the people at the harbor, Louyan noticed Gottval and approached.
Gottval looked up at Louyan sadly.

“Louyan, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“Is it the fact that Urich is my father? Or that he’s on one of those ships?” Louyan
spoke nonchalantly.

Gottval’s eyes widened in shock. He responded, “You knew Urich was your biological
father?”

“Even a fool could’ve figured it out after seeing how you kept trying to bring me and
Urich together.”

“What about the fact that he was on the ship? How did you know that?”

Louyan smiled, baring his teeth, holding a list of crew members in his hand.

“I checked the list of the crew this morning. There was a sailor named Kylios on the
Phillion.”

“Why didn’t you stop him? Urich is your father. You might never see him again.”

In response, Louyan scratched his cheek and said, “My father is not Urich, but a
priest named Gottval.”

Louyan knew that Gottval and Varca would be saddened by Urich’s departure, but
even though he knew this, he ignored the name Kylios on the list. There was no
logical reason; he just felt it had to be that way.

Louyan patted Gottval’s shoulder in comfort before turning his gaze back to the
horizon.

Each person has their own life, and they are the protagonist in them. One cannot
bind another’s life just because they are family or friends. All relationships pass by,
and in the end, one faces death alone. No one accompanies another to death, and the
only one responsible for their own life is oneself.

***
The expedition fleet, led by the Phillion, embarked on a voyage with no definite end
in sight. Whether they would starve and die meaninglessly at sea or discover
something worthy of great records, no one knew.

Life was unfair, and the world was cruel. Human effort was but a drop of water that
was unable to go against the currents. Humans were born incomplete and died still
incomplete. No one finds the answer to life, and people live relying on swaying
intuition and fragile, illusory values.

“Hey, Kylios. How long are you going to lie there?” A crew member asked.

“My stomach hurts a bit.”

“Geez, if the captain finds out, you’ll be in trouble.”

Urich stood awkwardly on the deck, watching the receding land.

‘I can't see the land anymore.’

It was the first time he had come so far out on a ship. There was nothing in the vast
ocean. They were setting out to find the Eastern Continent with only imperfect
knowledge and incomplete information to rely on.

Thump, thump.

His heart pounded at a sight he had never seen before. This was nothing like going
out a short distance on a fishing boat.

‘I never imagined the sea would be like this.’

Inwardly, he had pretended to be worldly-wise and acted like a sage who knew
everything about the world, but that was an arrogant delusion.

No matter where he turned his head, there was only the horizon, and it sparked in
him a sense of fear. He had lived his whole life with his feet touching the ground. An
unfamiliar fear brushed against his skin.

“Hey, are you hurt? There’s blood dripping off you,” a sailor who was observing Urich
spoke. Finding a corpse just a day after setting sail would be troubling for the sailors
too. For superstitious seafarers, an ominous sign quickly turned into an unfortunate
outcome.

“Aren't you scared? We can't see any land. If the ship capsizes, we’re all dead,” Urich
muttered.

“Enough with the ominous talk. Is this your first time at sea? You might be anxious
now, but you’ll get used to it soon. But that’s that; you’re still bleeding. Are you sure
you’re okay?”

It had only been half a day since they set sail, but everything was already unfamiliar.
Urich was in a different world from the land. All his senses were on edge as if he
were reborn. Urich had left the familiar world and come to a new one.

His lips twitched. Just one step forward, and he was surrounded by countless
unknowns.

“Haha.”

The barbarian Urich laughed.

—The End—