Shwing!
I pulled out my long sword in a deft motion and fluidly brought it to my side.
I spotted Pistoria in front of vanguards, his orange aura burning and leaving its fiery trail as he decapitated an enemy.
If Ragnar hadn't rushed me to the thick of the battle, I would have stopped to admire my first time seeing the supernatural side of this world. Unfortunately, a man who seemed to be pretty good with his sword, clad in full chainmail was rushing towards me.
As though I was back in the nationals ring, I calmed my thoughts to concentrate on my singular opponent.
Adrenaline lit my blood on fire, my heartbeat deafening my ears to everything.
I visualized how Ye Fei's character moved.
Sword first.
I swung my sword effortlessly to one side. My eyes narrowed on the determined man who swung similarly.
Release mana and move it like an aura.
Mana.
Mana.
Mana.
Suddenly, the hilt of my sword buzzed in my hand and I could feel the ambient temperature drop. The man awakened his sword aura as well.
I gripped my sword, imagining pouring more mana into it.
Swing and connect!
I careened my arm sharply in the direction of that man aiming for his sword, who was in the middle of the death blow himself. My body seemed to take control of my intentions and made it meaningful.
Our swords connected midair.
*CRACK*
My sword cut through his like a hot knife would on a block of butter and continued onward.
I thrust sharply and easily sliced that man into halves, spurting blood everywhere.
I still haven't registered that I killed a man because all of this happened in a matter of few seconds and Ragnar's front hoofs kicked the man and his horse away immediately.
"SIR WALIS HAS DIED! SIR WALIS IS KILLED BY THE DARK BEAST!"
"""""OOOOHHHHH!!""""
My actions seemed to have bolstered the morale of our side of the battleground and pushed us onward. I had no other choice but to keep my introspective thoughts away and fight on.
All of my vassals swiftly brought their men to ranks and engaged with the enemy who I assumed were a particularly organized group of bandits.
"FORMATION!"
The cavalry with their armored horses and knights was taking the brunt force of attacks and Yevon had led the archers and mages to the rear. I wanted to head where the lightly armored infantry was cutting through the opposing ranks but had to stop midway.
I was sieged by a group of ten or so men.
"Get him! He is weakened! Go, go, go!"
Did that bastard just call me weak?
My face turned cold and my surroundings turned even colder. I decided that they wouldn't even get the privilege of being my strawmen. I pulled out the big guns.
I raised my sword tip in their direction and incanted, gooseflesh springing up under my armor at the feeling of a low-voltage current running under my skin.
"[Frost Lance]"
A hundred or so stakes made of ice materialized around me and I saw terror in their beady eyes.
"RUN!"
"AHHHH"
"FUCK, RUN!"
But it was too late as the stakes raced after them and impaled them to the ground. I redirected the excess stakes to other nearby bandits.
I briefly felt disgusted at the men who made pin cushions at my ice stakes but the horror of committing homicide still didn't come. I chalked it up to Lucien's own emotions influencing me.
As for me, I decided to take it one step further.
I watched in fascination as I directed my mana to freeze over my sword and condense it to form a greatsword on my longsword. Then I dashed towards another wave of men.
I swung backward on my opposite side and swept down.
The gravity acted in tandem with my body's cheat skills and I chopped down scores of men with a single sword strike. Ragnar deftly jumped over the corpses and I drew another swing on-air and brought it down on the next group with a hail of ice.
Left, right, and center.
I was creating a river of blood and the attacking men seemed to have caught on that I was, in fact, not weak as they assumed for some reason. They even started to throw down their sword and run away just fifteen minutes into my arrival.
But Woodsworth materialized from the mountainous forest and caught all the fleeing men.
Some even surrendered straight away.
That was when I realized the true gap between others and a level 100 Monarch.
I was like a wolf with a chainsaw in a particularly tight barn full of sheep. I was reaping lives like I was cutting weeds.
Damn, I should stop.
I pulled back all my mana and calmly walked to the side, waiting for the stragglers to be caught and everyone to organize. I cleaned my sword off with a layer of mana and tucked it inside its sheath carefully. While I was waiting for the high of the fight to wear off, Yevon and Woodsworth came forward dragging two beat-up men and bowed to me.
"These are the leaders of this operation, General. Of course, the surviving ones."
I nodded and observed the defeated men with scrutiny.
Hm, they look like high-profile bandits with their knight armor and whatnot.
I've read about how the imperial family of Helios Empire, especially the Crown Prince, is wary of Lucien and his Duchy. Why not arrest and present them before the royals to prove that I'm such an upstanding citizen of the Empire?
Un, un, very nice idea.
"Shall we question them, General?" Woodsworth asked when I remained silent for too long.
"No."
The two vassals looked at each other and then at me.
I can't say that I'm going to use them as chess pieces to pacify the royals and brush up their favorability.
After all, this was largely a group effort.
But the good thing about being the boss of them was that I can arbitrarily make choices that benefit me and claim it's good for everybody.
I wonder if this going to work otherwise I would be so embarrassed…
"Onyx."
I called in a whisper, fearing that others would hear me and nobody would show up. But lady luck must be smiling down at me because a familiar smoke emerged from Ragnar's shadow and took a knee before me.
Just like how stunned I was when Magic Man first appeared, Yevon and Woodsworth seemed to be the same.
Suddenly, I felt a strange sort of kinship with the duo.
"Round them up and present them to the Crown Prince." I narrowed my eyes. "Let it be known that it is my gift of appreciation to the imperials."
Onyx's determined eyes met mine.
I guessed that he must still feel guilty about the rat problem, although he promised me to kill every single one he found. I wanted to say that it was not his fault but I don't want to mess up Lucien's character setting of being a little ice cube.
So, I decided to give him a pointer or two to show that I was not angry.
"Make sure to present them nice and tidy."
They did look a little roughened up after all. If they show up with ugly bruises it will not reflect well on my magnanimity.
"As you command, Your Grace." Came his gravelly response.
I nodded and he vanished from where he stood, along with the two men in the vassal's hand simultaneously.
The two of them needed a few moments to recover from Magic Man's stunts.
"Gather the men, we are moving."
""Yes, General!""
They were very efficient in what they did, the army was in order within a few minutes and soon we were riding past the Telan pass where I had my first real fight in this world.
The battle did give me a few pointers or two.
One, Lucien's mental stability was exceptional and it extended to me as well. It must be a passive effect of his levels in Commander otherwise we were mentally two different people. This mindset also absolved me of the guilt of taking a life, a good part of my brain was telling me that the people I killed were not saints but murderers who might take innocent lives if left unattended in the future.
Two, I think I figured out Lucien's style of swordplay. It was neither defense nor pre-emptive attacks like I expected.
It was sharpness.
The way my body moved when I wielded the sword was fast and deadly, almost like a waltz. And the wound I dealt with on that man who attacked me first could be mistaken for being caused by a thin beam of laser.
That man didn't even bleed excessively for being cut into two halves.
It was silent, neat, and precise.
And ironically, it went well with my ice manipulation aesthetically.
It made sense. Since Lucien's character was built around being an exceptional nobleman, it was only right he possessed such an elegant fighting style.
I bet he looked very cool when you fought him in the final boss battle.
Too bad I never saw it myself…. Or anyone else for that matter. He was just too OP to warrant a PvP fight unless you manage to torch half the continent.
I remember reading a blog post discussing an interview with a chief developer who was asked if Lucien was a bug and if it was even possible to defeat him at all. The developer replied that his existence would only serve its true purpose in later projects. Some speculated that he was referring to the World War event that had been teased for so long.
So, essentially Lucien would remain undefeated and uncontested till the World War.
That was a very faraway concept but still worried me. But the good thing was that I had time and I knew enough to ward off Lucien's death flags like the Empire's fall for example.
It was the only means to avoid someone getting a handle on me even if players may not exist in this world.
… Hm, I should look into this.
*
Aradian Calender 1673, Late Autumn, Month of Stars
North Imperial Palace, Capitol, Helios Empire
"Your Highness the Crown Prince." An elderly man bowed to a handsome young man in luxurious robes, his silver hair contrasting against the golden crown. "What brings your esteemed self to the Emperor's abode?"
"Oh, Joseph, don't be so formal. I used to once call you grandpa." The young man gave a kind smile.
"Be as that may, your esteemed self is now the heir to the Empire's throne. This servant thinks that palace etiquettes must be followed." The elderly man said in the same monotone, his head still lowered.
"Is that so? Well then, I wouldn't want to be the one to make you uncomfortable." The young man sighed in what looked like regret. "May I know if I can meet Imperial Father?"
"I apologize, Your Highness. His Majesty had commanded not to be disturbed while he reviews the memorials."
"Ah, what a pity. That is fine, I will return when he is free then."
"That would be most fitting, Your Highness."
"Let's go."
The young man nodded to his attendants and he turned around to leave the crowded premises of the imperial study. His attendants carefully held his intricate robes so that they wouldn't impede his walk through the hallways. Soon, the kind and serene smile on the young Crown Prince distorted into an ugly frown.
"I am the son of the Emperor, the next Emperor himself, yet I have to cower before that old man." He sneered. "I will make sure he pays for every word he uttered today."
"Patience, Your Highness." A blond man keeping his pace with the Prince said. "There are still many opportunities to be seized."
"This is ridiculous! Do you not see it yourself, Duke Isthara? A Crown Prince who cannot intervene in national politics any more than other useless princes, how am I supposed to sit still?" He whispered harshly. "The talk among the Circle is that Imperial Father is still undecided on my accession."
"The Emperor's mind is deep. I think the best way forward is to utilize every given moment and show why you are still the Crown Prince." The Duke was undaunted at the Prince's ire.
"I understand that but I do not like this passive means. It makes me anxious. I want to clear all obstacles sooner."
"Our plans are already in motion and will soon come to fruition."
"You are right. First, Third and Fifth will be kept busy these days, we should make progress while they are."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"And of the Archduke's plans?"
"The missive from the wastelands has arrived this morning. He should have reached the Telan pass by now."
"Good, good." The Crown Prince smiled, looking a little relieved from before. "He is the most threatening variable of them all. If he is incapacitated, all our gains would be permanent. Otherwise, the moment he decides to take a side, our house of cards may collapse with a single touch. Besides, even Imperial Father himself may commend me heavily if I take out that festering cancer from the territory of the Empire."
The Duke remained silent.
They entered the vast main hall that branches off the Imperial Court and other subsidiary palaces from the Northern Palace. A few hundred men inside the hall bowed to the Crown Prince, who flashed his handsome smile to everyone equally.
The Crown Prince's entourage exited the main hall to the entryway halls that led to the common gardens. He was about to leave towards his Eastern palace when he noticed another entourage a little away.
He paused when he saw a familiar face sitting under an expensive parasol, sipping tea from a dainty teacup.
The woman had long silver hair like that of the Crown Prince, her features exquisite like a living doll wearing a pastel blue gown, and her beauty that would tempt both God and men.
She was Idenna Strigian Von Kravits, the Fourth Imperial Princess born from Noble Consort Erin Strigian of Stran Dukedom and dubbed as 'The White Princess.'
"Imperial sister." The Crown Prince greeted amicably.
The fairy-like woman stood up and gracefully curtsied.
"Good day to you, Imperial brother."
"Ah, good day to you as well." The prince looked around and found that the Princess had maids arranging her lunch on the glass table. "You plan on having a luncheon?"
"Yes. Would you like to join me?"
Although the Princess extended her invitation, her tone and indifference made it clear that she was simply going through the motions of etiquette. The Crown Prince shook his head with a friendly smile.
"No, I have some important work to be done so I shall not impose. But isn't today the Marquis Vesper's daughter's coming of age? I had expected you to be there."
"I will be visiting, just a little later."
"That's good. Marquis Vesper is known to treasure his daughter very much, if the imperial family shows indifference it will create unnecessary problems."
"I am aware, Imperial brother."
"Of course, I expect nothing less from the genius of the Royal Academy." The Crown Prince laughed good-naturedly. "Well, how is your mother and brother?"
"My mother is doing fine and may I know which Imperial brother you are referring to?"
"Oh stop pulling my leg, Imperial sister. You know I was talking about Third Imperial brother."
"I apologize for my absent-mindedness. Third Imperial brother will be moving to the western territories to oversee the Qualis dam project in a few days."
"I see. He is indeed very lucky to be able to carry out Imperial Father the Emperor's will. Well, give my well wishes to Third Imperial brother."
"Thank you. I will let him know."
"Then I will be taking my leave—"
"Your Highness!"
A burly man, clad in heavy golden armor rushed towards the Prince and Princess to take a knee. The Crown Prince frowned at him.
"Sir Javeir, why were you in such a rush that you would interrupt my farewell to Imperial sister?" His voice was of the same soothing quality but a trace of irritation colored his blue eyes.
"My humble apologies, Your Highness. I have an urgent news from the Eastern Palace." The knight lowered his head even lower.
"From my palace? Speak."
"Just now, we received a… gift addressed to Your Highness."
"A gift?" The Crown Prince frowned. "From who?"
The knight hesitated but still ended up speaking.
"From Archduke Lord Nightshade of Vanehiem Duchy."
The name brought shivers to the Imperial guards around and the Crown Prince paled imperceptibly. His heart dropped and a sense of foreboding clouded his senses. And so he failed to notice how the seemingly demure princess had a small smirk on her lips and a look of interest in her eyes.
"Lead me there."
The Crown Prince didn't even complete his farewells to his sister and rushed after Sir Javeir. The Princess seemed not to mind and sat back on her chair to sip the tea calmly. She then waved the maids and imperial guards other than her personal guards away.
"Amis." She spoke gently.
"Here, Your Highness."
"Could you go check if Imperial brother is okay? I feel as though he was feeling unwell just now."
"As you wish, Your Highness."
The knight behind her chair bowed and strode away from his position. The Princess sat quietly, the interest in her eyes deepening.
Unlike the serenity in the Fourth Princesses luncheon, the Crown Prince and Duke Isthara were walking tersely towards the Eastern palace. They arrived directly in the spacious reception room and were met with the head butler of his palace and several others facing a tall man clad in a black uniform and bearing the Vanehiem coat of arms.
Everyone bowed before the Crown Prince who nodded and turned to the representative.
"Why did the Archduke send me gifts all of a sudden?" He asked the man in black hastily.
"Greetings on behalf of the Vanehiem Duchy, Your Highness." The man however bowed again and spoke according to the etiquette. "His Excellency is yet to return from his expedition to the north but found a very interesting gift there to present before Your Highness."
The Crown Prince waited for the man to go on.
"His Excellency commanded us to let you know that it is a gift of appreciation and hopes that Your Highness likes it."
He eyed the big box made of expensive black woods native to Yelen forests, decorated ostentatiously in gold and silver filigree. He motioned his head butler to open the box.
The butler moved towards it and lifted the top of the box, leading the four walls around the box to drop.
Instantly, everyone moved backward in shock and revulsion.
Inside the box were five human heads, arranged in a morbid pyramid.
Preservation magic cast by the box seemed to keep the dismembered head in fresh condition and no smell leaked outside. But the sight alone was ghastly enough to make the Crown Prince want to hurl.
"What in the name of the Goddess is this?" He turned to the representative in anger.
"These were the men sent to attack the imperial army in the Telan pass. We have evidence that they were men from the Draud Kingdom. One of the heads belongs to Sir Bastian Wilis, a level 78 swordsman from their Kingdom. His Grace wants to gift the heads of those who wishes to undermine the might of the empire and reassure Your Highness the Crown Prince of the safety of the Empire."
The Crown Prince turned to the head stacked on top of the other four heads with a grave look.
He felt the most unprecedented fear staring into the glazed-over eyes of the warrior he had hoped to take down a weakened Lucien Nightshade, the dead man's face still locked in his last expression of horror and disbelief.
He side-eyed Duke Isthara who looked grimly at the heads.
The Crown Prince slowly closed his eyes to let the feeling of defeat wash over him.
It was over.
He had truly made an enemy out of a man who could not be won over by even the strongest man he knew, despite being weakened.
He had gambled and lost.
Now he must pay the price whatever the Dark Beast deemed fit.