The Indomitable Martial King

[ Chapter 56 ]
Eusus’s precise strikes continuously occupied Repenhardt’s defenses from all directions. Dodging the attacks with learned movements wasn’t too hard, but magic attacks flew in each time to disrupt his timing, making Repenhardt break into a cold sweat as they exchanged blows repeatedly.

‘Ah, this is troublesome…’

Back when he was a magician, aura users were the most troublesome opponents for him. The powerful force of their aura could easily overpower and nullify most magics with sheer strength. Teslon, the original owner of this body, was a prime example. Teslon the Fist King, with his formidable aura, could ignore the compatibility of magic and charge forward like a bull, even taking lives in the process.

He often cursed such brute force back in the day. But now, facing the opposite situation…

‘Magic is quite despicable too, this…’

Facing it from the other side, he found that whenever he tried to make a move, magic would immediately hinder and drag him down, driving him to frustration. It seemed this was why the saying “to understand another’s feelings, you must walk a mile in their shoes” existed.

Moreover, Eldrad itself was a significant threat. The metal Eldril, from which Eldrad was made, was a powerful magic metal highly valued even during the Silver Age. Repenhardt’s mountain-crushing attacks fell just short of breaking the Eldril. At best, he could only manage to dent it with his full power.

Well, denting pure Eldril was already beyond human limits. It’s not for no reason that aura users were called superhumans. However, the situation remained disadvantageous for him.

“Taaat!”

Eusus kept attacking Repenhardt with consecutive shouts. Initially, Repenhardt had the upper hand, but as time passed, the situation gradually reversed. Unlike Repenhardt, Eusus could recover his wounds and fatigue with the magic power of Eldrad. Moreover, there was a significant problem.

‘Damn, I can’t openly use my aura…’

The biggest reason for being cornered was that Repenhardt was in a position where he couldn’t manifest his aura externally.

His golden aura was too conspicuous. Most auras had a unique color depending on the martial faction, typically ranging from red to blue hues, with some individuals showcasing green or purple auras for more personality.

However, Gym Unbreakable had a unique philosophy, which was reflected in the color of his aura as well. The only martial faction across the continent with a golden aura was Gym Unbreakable. Being in a situation where he had even masked himself to steal, revealing his identity was out of the question.

Repenhardt’s black attire was gradually stained red. Eusus’s sword, armed with magic powerful enough to cut through his steel-like body, swung down. As the attack continued, Eusus cocked his head in confusion.

“How strange. Such physical agility can’t be explained unless you’re an Aura user. Yet, you can’t manifest Aura?”

Eventually, Eusus’s blade made a long cut across Repenhardt’s shoulder. Blood spurted as Repenhardt clutched at his shoulder, groaning.

“Argh!”

Watching Repenhardt stagger, Eusus confidently opened his mouth.

“It seems you’ve just awakened your Aura. Then, you’re no match for me!”

Eusus raised his sword vertically, his eyes gleaming fiercely.

“Let’s end this!”

He leaped into the air, shouting loudly.

“Awaken, Eldrad! Rise, Eldran! Grant me the power to destroy everything!”

Eusus soared into the sky, his entire body covered in a golden light, as if another moon had risen in the night sky. Terrifying magical power began to gather at the tip of the magic sword Eldran. Repenhardt’s face paled.

“Damn, this is really dangerous!”

It was clearly a magic formula unique to Eldrad, and Repenhardt could not identify it. However, he could distinctly feel its destructive power. As Eusus swung his sword down, he shouted.

“Light of Eldril!”

The slash tore through the air. A golden flash, like an aurora, surged with tremendous force towards Repenhardt. An inevitable, critical strike! It was at that moment Repenhardt thought of death.

‘Wait? Golden light?’

Brightening up, Repenhardt raised his arms in defense.

“Thanks for being the Golden Knight!”

‘What does that mean?’

Confused, Eusus watched as the Light of Eldril struck Repenhardt. At that moment, he lifted his Aura all over his body and spun it.

“Spiral Guard!”

Enveloped in a murky light, his manifested Aura was completely indistinguishable. The flash and the spinning Aura collided.

Boom!

A thunderous sound erupted. Viscount Kelberen’s castle vibrated as the atmosphere resonated, and a storm swept through. The soldiers of the viscount’s family all clung to the ground, trembling.

“Ah…”

“What in the world is this!”

And in that burst of light, Repenhardt was sent flying through the air. Eusus’s mouth dropped open as he saw Repenhardt scattering a trail of blood.

“Good heavens! He blocked the Light of Eldril!”

Surprised, Eusus swiftly took to the air, beginning his pursuit of Repenhardt.

Repenhardt had indeed blocked the light of Eldril. However, that didn’t mean he was in any better condition.

“I was a bit late…”

It was a good idea to shift his approach, but the timing was slightly off. The light of Eldril, which he had failed to completely deflect, mercilessly ravaged his body. He felt intense pain all over. There was no strength left in his limbs. It was a sensation similar to what he had experienced in his previous life, when he was hit by Teslon’s strike.

“Damn it! I can’t end up like that again!”

He could feel Eusus’s presence chasing him from a distance. If he lost his focus now, the outcome would be all too clear. Struggling to maintain his fading consciousness, Repenhardt twisted his body in midair.

“Ugh, tah!”

After adjusting his posture, he landed on top of the city wall. It was more of a crash landing than a proper landing. Even as he tumbled messily on the ground, Repenhardt used his momentum to launch himself into the air again, heading towards the castle tower. As he did, the sight of the dark river came into view.

It was the Yaham River. For a moment, his blurry eyes sparkled with light.

“A way out!”

With the last of his strength, Repenhardt jumped off the cliff. His form plummeted endlessly down the cliff. It was the middle of winter, and naturally, the surface of the river was solidly frozen.

Crack!

Breaking through the thick ice, Repenhardt plunged into the river. When Eusus, who had hurriedly followed, looked down, Repenhardt was already out of sight.

It was only later that the knights of the Tenes arrived at the castle tower where Eusus was. Lot inquired about his well-being.

“Are you alright, Sir Eusus?”

Looking down at the dark Yaham River, Eusus spoke in a calm voice.

“Quickly identify the relics, Sir Lot. We need to know what he took with him.”

Nodding, Sir Lot ordered his knights. Eusus added,

“Prepare the search party as well. We cannot let him get away like this.”

Sir Lot, looking skeptical, questioned,

“Could he not already be dead?”

Given the harsh winter and the mountainous region, the river was freezing cold. Falling into the river water under such conditions, it seemed logical to assume that survival was unlikely.

However, Eusus shook his head. Despite the victory, his face seemed somewhat gloomy.

“He is not someone that would die from just this…”

* * *

Siris suddenly opened her eyes wide and sat up from where she had been lying down. Sillan, who had been trying to fall asleep on the opposite side, rubbed his eyes and asked as he got up,

“Why, Siris?”

Without a word, Siris looked out the window of the room. The serene blue moonlight illuminated the surroundings. Staring at the shadow of a dark castle faintly visible beyond the star-filled night sky, Siris quietly muttered,

“I have a bad feeling.”

“Huh?”

Sillan cocked his head in confusion. Siris continued with a tense face,

“I don’t know. I just have a bad feeling…”

Elves, descendants of fairies, retain a faint spiritual sense and sometimes have premonitions about the misfortunes of relatives or acquaintances. Although the fact that elves are descendants of fairies has been forgotten in the current era, it is known that they often have a keen sense.

Recalling that fact, Sillan’s expression hardened.

“Could something have happened to Mr. Repen?”

* * *

Black smoke rose from various parts of the city. From a balcony in the Hall of the Abyss, the heart of the Imperial Palace Gairak, a lean middle-aged man watched the scene. He was Repenhardt, the Emperor of the Antares Empire, called the Demon King by all humans.

Repenhardt looked indifferently at the burning city he had built. The wrinkles above his eyes, barely softened even by powerful magic, twitched slightly.

A voice came from behind him,

“…I bid you farewell, Your Majesty.”

It was the voice of Tassid, the orc warrior. The tone was simple, but the emotion of agony within it was unmistakably felt. Repenhardt turned around silently. The muscular orc warrior was kneeling, unable to lift his head.

Kneeling before him was not only Tassid. A vicious-looking old troll, a dwarf with a bushy white beard, and a beautiful elf woman were also on their knees. Their faces looked as though they could burst into tears at any moment.

“Attila, Makelin, Siris…” Repenhardt chuckled, shrugging his shoulders.

“Why such long faces? It’s as if you’re looking at the dead.”

The Emperor’s laughter was something they couldn’t share.

The entire continent had joined hands.

All of humanity had taken up swords towards a single goal.

To exterminate humanity’s foe, the Demon King Repenhardt, kings from various nations united and gathered an army. The number was no less than two million. This staggering number, which completely disregarded the norms of warfare, could truly be said to be all the manpower the continent’s humans had to offer.

Every magician across the continent supported the two million strong human coalition with their magic. Every clergy across the continent blessed the troops with divine power. Aura users from all kingdoms led them in an invasion of the Empire.

The number, two million, possessed an absolute power that ignored any formidable magic or advanced strategy. Even Repenhardt, who had always ended wars by sweeping away the invading forces with his magic, found his usual tactics ineffective this time.

No matter how powerful a magician Repenhardt was, he had only one body. The human coalition cleverly avoided him, dispersing their forces and steadily eroding the Antares Empire. If Repenhardt reclaimed one castle with his formidable magic, the next day twenty castles would be invaded simultaneously. Faced with an overwhelming war of attrition, the Antares Empire’s forces were inevitably pushed back.

Countless orc warriors became spirits under human swords. Even trolls, with their endless regenerative capabilities, became exhausted and worn down by the overwhelming numbers, eventually being torn apart and killed. The blood of dwarves formed rivers, and the bodies of elves created mountains. And as much as these races bled, several times more human blood flowed onto the land. The atrocious flames of war blazed throughout the empire.

Half a year later, the human coalition had invaded up to Repenheim, the last bastion of the Antares Empire.