Chapter 207

Boom!

As the roar was heard, Ian and Romandro simultaneously turned their heads. They had parked the carriage next to the corpse and were waiting for support from the Imperial Palace inside. The temporary tent was too small to share with the guards, and above all, Romandro couldn’t stand being next to the corpse.

Ian drew the curtain on the window where the sound came from. The surroundings were still dark.

“It seems to have come from the west.”

“Could it be that they found Barsabe?”

“Either they found her, or they found the Black Armor. It will be one of the two. I strongly feel Captain Jeirutt’s mana. It’s a strength different in depth from when he dealt with Beric.”

Ian muttered with his forehead against the cold window.

It wasn’t just Jeirutt. The mana that had been moving faintly but quickly from all directions was gathering in one place. It seemed they were signaling each other to assemble.

Romandro looked at Ian’s pale complexion and asked worriedly.

“You should really go back to the Imperial Palace first. Fatigue has accumulated, and now you’re drenched in rain, so I’m worried about your health.”

“Everyone is drenched in rain. If I feel tired, I will tell you, so don’t worry too much.”

Ian smiled and looked out the window again. Two guards were smoking cigarettes at the head of the corpse. The breath or smoke covered their expressions.

Ian quietly called Romandro while looking at it.

“…I know there aren’t many houses in Chatur, but is there usually so little human presence?”

It was a place where large and small factories were densely located. As there are workers who work during the day, naturally there would be those who work at night. But Ian had only seen two or three people in the few hours since he arrived.

Romandro answered quizzically, fiddling with his pocket watch.

“It doesn’t seem to be usually this much, but the weather is harsh, isn’t it? If you’re unlucky, the basement can flood and the ceiling can leak. This place is a mess every time they build and tear down warehouses according to contracts.”

What was stored in the warehouses changed frequently every season. The buildings themselves were built to be easily erected and demolished, so who would stay overtime on a bad day? The next day, it was a common sight in Chatur to have repairs going on everywhere in the buildings.

“It’s truly inefficient.”

“But it can’t be helped. The district is finely divided, and it’s actually the commercial backbone of the center, so the people who pay taxes on the warehouses change frantically every year.”

Tap tap, Ian fell silent for a moment at the sound of rain hitting the window. Is that why it’s so quiet? Even though there was a roar, not a single building turned on its lights. Did everyone mistake it for thunder?

Click.

As the carriage door opened, the wind and rain blew fiercely. Romandro covered his face with his collar and grabbed Ian’s sleeve.

“Ian?”

“Mr. Romandro, please wait here for the Imperial Guard and guide them to the west.”

“What about you?”

“I’m going to check the roar.”

“Can’t we go together?”

“…We can’t trust those guards.”

The guards standing under the tent were looking towards Ian. As if wondering why he was coming out of the carriage. Romandro frowned and asked quietly. The sound of wind and rain would drown it out anyway.

“What do you mean by that?”

“To be precise, it’s not them, but their superiors. Please stay and keep your place, Mr. Romandro. I’ll be right back.”

Slap!

While Romandro mulled over Ian’s words, Ian got out of the carriage without an umbrella. And without hesitation, he turned his body towards where the roar had erupted. The mana was strongly felt, so there was no difficulty finding the way.

Tap tap!

Swoosh-

As he watched Ian’s back disappear into the rain, Romandro slowly closed the carriage door. Then he began to watch the guards through the gap in the window curtain.

If only the rain would stop a bit, but the sky was pouring down a tremendous amount of rain as if a hole had been punctured.

***

One, two, three……

Jeirutt counted the number of Black Armors by eye. It seemed to be roughly ten squads. That is, if there was no more support from the other side.

The Imperial Guards who had struck once took a defensive stance, waiting for the captain’s orders.

Thud thud!

‘It has a sturdiness that can withstand five men. If our strength is dispersed, there is no chance of winning. Did they say Riama alone faced ten squads and died? Then……’

Zzing. Zing.

Mana exploded around Jeirutt. The violently swirling rain couldn’t touch him and scattered upon impact. A deep stillness lingered around him. With the sense of alienation as if standing alone in a different world, the enemies hesitated and looked up at him.

Jeirutt reached out his hand to the sky.

Boom boom boom!

Boom!

Thunder roared as if it would tear the sky apart. A bright stream of light swirled at Jeirutt’s fingertips, and the moment it transformed into the shape of a sword.

Flash!

Lightning struck. It was as if lightning falling from the sky had entered his grasp.

Jeirutt’s eyes, briefly visible in the darkness. Determination and fighting spirit were imbued, and hot steam rose fiercely.

“Kopent.”

It was the agreed-upon tactical name. Since there was no chance of winning in individual combat, the objective was to simultaneously destroy the target centered around Captain Jeirutt. They neatly arranged their ranks in unison and leaped into the air.

Swoosh!

It was instantaneous. The water stream split, following the trail of their charge.

Jeirutt swung his huge sword with all his might and struck down on the armor’s neck. To add strength to the central attack, the men swung their swords together, putting mana in the same direction.

Boom! Bang!

Crunch!

“Aaaah!”

Flash, flash! The wet streets shone helplessly, receiving the light directly. One by one, one at a time. But all together. The Imperial Guard struck down their swords again, chanting the tactical name Kopent.

Clang! Clang!

In the end, the helmet was shattered.

The knight inside faced Jeirutt with a look of astonishment. A knight stripped of its shell is nothing but an ant in front of the swordsmen.

Jeirutt beheaded him without hesitation.

Drip.

The head rolled and reached the feet of the others. The blood that had been gushing like a fountain was also diluted by the rain and gradually faded. Soon, your blood will disappear like that too. Jeirutt warned with silence, holding up his sword.

Snap!

‘When six of us strike two squads simultaneously, the helmet breaks.’

Information accumulated through experience. He was a bit tense since they had defeated Captain Riama, but it might not be as difficult as he thought.

Although threatening, Riama had no awareness of the enemy at all, and Jeirutt could grasp the enemy’s strength with each strike.

‘It means that when confronting them, at least six men per squad should be assumed. To wipe them out completely, the entire Imperial Guard will need to be mobilized, but if we take them down one by one, we’ll be sufficient.’

“Stick together! Don’t let them attack all at once!”

“Watch each other’s front and back!”

“Damn, it’s the captain! Be careful of him!”

“Whether it’s an arm or a leg, grab it first! If we grab it, we have the advantage!”

But the other side also found a way to break through the situation, as they were also people facing life and death. Hasn’t the flow completely changed? Now the key is which side’s teamwork will falter first in a group versus group battle.

Jeirutt rushed in again with a shout.

“Yaaah!”

“Protect the captain!”

“Protect him! Kopent!”

“Three on the left, two on the right!”

“Stick together! If we stick together, we win!”

Clang! Clang!

As Jeirutt charged in, numerous attacks intertwined, penetrating and deflecting each other. When someone took Jeirutt’s sword in his stead, the armor would penetrate through that gap, and again, an Imperial colleague would push it back, maintaining balance while interlocking in a situation where they couldn’t see an inch ahead.

Swooosh!

“Ah, damn.”

“Shit. Captain!”

“Don’t back down!”

“Keep pouring it on!”

Boom boom boom.

The thunder swallowed their commotion. Roars, booms, and screams were rampant, but all that could be heard in the ears was the wailing of the sky.

The Imperial Guard protecting Barsabe also ran to join the battle, and she watched it while lying down. Whenever lightning flashed, the backs of her colleagues were intermittently visible. Their fierce and ferocious appearances looked like photographs, flickering on and off.

‘If only I could move-‘

If only she could move, she would rush in there and bleed together with them. It’s utterly regrettable to be lying here alone like this.

‘If only I could bind those bastards-‘

She could subdue them faster than the wind and rain. Barsabe clenched her fists tightly with her wishes.

Then, someone’s calm, ringing voice.

“Manyeop (Many Leaves)”

Gathered by the power of mana, Ian’s voice rang out clearly even in the midst of any commotion. It was one of the binding magics he had used when subduing Mariv at the Imperial Palace.

Boom boom boom!

Swoosh.

The otherworldly magic tree swiftly bound the armor legion. At the sudden intervention, everyone turned their heads, following the branches of the ancient tree.

Ian smiled as he lifted Barsabe with one hand.

“How is there not a single person in the Imperial Guard who can use binding magic? Unless you all enjoy battles in the rain.”

“That’s Captain Riama’s specialty.”

“If it’s not a specialty, no one can use it?”

“Lord Ian. Aren’t you the Minister of Magic?”

Barsabe retorted, squeezing her words. Isn’t it the same context as a scholar lecturing a student? They were swordsmen, not mages. When the highest authority in Variel, the Minister of Magic, spoke like that, they were dumbfounded and at a loss for words.

Ian scanned her wounds and instructed Jeirutt.

“I can’t hold them for long. As you can see, I haven’t slept for days either. It would be best to wrap this up quickly.”

Zzing!

Ian’s golden eyes deepened even more. It was proof that he was pouring out mana to maintain the magic tree.

The armor legion moved around to escape the tree, but it wasn’t easy. Jeirutt and the Imperial Guard took a step back to secure distance.

Slap!

“Ah, and is there anyone among you who fought the red-haired knight at ?”

It was an abrupt question. Instead of answering, the armor legion cut through the magic tree with fierce resistance.

Crunch!

“What a pity. If there was, I was going to let them live.”

Barsabe frowned, holding her side. As if asking what that meant. Ian met her eyes and grinned.

“Beric is the type who has to return what he suffered.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“It’s obvious he’ll cause a fuss looking for the armor as soon as he wakes up. There’s no growth as definite as defeating someone you’ve lost to before.”

“…Isn’t he dead?”

“Unfortunately, he barely survived.”

“What about the extra edition or whatever?”

“That, fortunately, succeeded. Thanks to you.”

Barsabe felt relieved and relaxed her body. Now, if she survives and returns with her colleagues here, everything will be over. Her role ends here.

“…Haa. Haha.”

“Jeirutt. Subdue them all. It’s okay if some die.”

Snap!

The enemy is bound. Jeirutt and the Imperial Guards made a gesture of oath towards the sky, then simultaneously poured out their attacks.

Boom! Bang!

Flash!

“Gasp. What the?”

Romandro, who had been watching the west from the carriage, noticed that the sky had momentarily brightened. Like a sun rising and exploding in the western sky on a dark night.

It was an explosion driving away the long night.