A Mage Reborn: Legacy of the Fallen Emperor
Chapter 35: Demosha to Beric

Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Demosha to Beric

The knight surveyed his surroundings, sword still in hand. None of this made sense. Ian, nothing more than a sacrificial lamb for a peace treaty, and his lackey were being treated as naturally as if they’d been born among the Cheonryeo tribe. This was beyond comprehension.

"Beric, you sure you got this? You’re not gonna die today, are you?"

"Yeah, piss off. You’re the one who’s gonna die."

"Judging by that mouth, you’re in top form."

"Hey, Knight of Bratz! Put Beric in his place! Knock some sense into him. Or I’ll kill you myself."

"Kahaha! Then the knight dies either way? That’s hardly fair."

"Ah. Right. You’re right."

They were surrounded, a circle of onlookers watching Beric and the knight. It was like being a dog in a fighting pit. The knight glanced at Ian, who sat beside Kakantir, and knew something had gone terribly wrong. This, too, had to be reported to Derga.

"Ptooey!"

Beric spat, then tightened his grip on his sword. He’d managed to deflect the knight’s attack earlier, but that was only because the fool had been caught off guard. Beric looked back at Ian and asked,

"But Ian! If this guy dies, how are we going to send the reply?"

"There are plenty of sturdy Kusile. Don’t worry about that, just watch your own neck. If you die, I die too."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say."

As if delivering a reply was the problem. He could just ride a Kusile himself instead of the knight. At Ian’s words, Beric grinned and took his stance. As Kakantir had said, a battle without the intent to kill was boring.

"Go easy on me. ’Cause I’m coming at you with everything I’ve got."

"Such vulgar language!"

"It’s my charm!"

Clang! Clang!

Beric pushed off the sand and leaped forward. The trajectory of his blade, cutting through the wind, was nearly invisible. The knight blocked Beric’s attacks, step by step.

"Argh!"

Screech!

The sound of the blades grinding against each other was chilling. The Cheonryeo watched with interest, throwing in comments here and there.

"Knight! Kill him! Kill Beric!"

"Hahaha! Look at him, he’s already tired."

"No, I’m not!"

It might have sounded like they were cheering for the knight, but Ian and Beric knew better.

Hadn’t Kakantir told them himself?

"Go, Beric!"

"Try and roll with this!"

The true path of a warrior is to walk towards death.

They were united in their desire to see Beric reborn as a warrior.

"He’s like a rabid dog, attacking without rhyme or reason."

"Is that a compliment?"

Thud!

"Gah!"

The knight, who had been deflecting the attacks, saw an opening and slammed his elbow into Beric’s solar plexus. Beric crashed face-first into the sand, wheezing, clutching his chest.

"Oh. Looks like that one landed."

"Beric! Get up!"

"Tsk tsk. I knew he was just a loudmouth."

Ian chuckled. Now that Beric was down, the Cheonryeo’s reactions had turned hostile. The knight decided there was no more time to waste and tightened his grip on his sword.

The fallen target’s neck was exposed.

Whoosh!

Just as the knight’s sword was about to touch Beric’s neck, Beric twisted his body to evade, throwing sand at the knight. Then, as if to return the favor, he drove his fist into the knight’s gut.

Thud!

"Hurts like a bitch!"

Thud! Thwack!

The fight was turning into a brawl. The knight glanced at the sky. The sun was fully risen. Every second was precious, and he had no reason to play around with Beric.

"Stop being a nuisance!"

Clang! Clang!

But the problem was, this Beric was no pushover. Every time the knight thought he had him, Beric would fight back, frustrating and bewildering the knight.

"Argh!"

"Hyaaa!"

Their battle cries erupted simultaneously. Swords locked, each aimed at the other’s heart, twisting inwards.

Thunk!

And finally, blood stained a blade.

The knight’s attack pierced Beric’s side. Blood dripped down the blade. The knight didn’t stop there; he twisted the hilt.

A smile crept onto his lips.

"Argh!"

"Haa. You’re good, but this is it."

"Argh! Argh!"

"I’m in a hurry."

It was as if his insides were being carved out. Beric grabbed the blade with his bare hand, blood dripping in multiple streams. Just as Ian frowned, the Cheonryeo muttered, their voices laced with a chilling intent.

"Crazy bastard, if you’re going to kill him, do it cleanly."

A battle without respect is nothing but a mockery. And that was what they hated most. Beric shook his head a few times, as if the world was spinning, then looked down at his wound.

"...Fuck."

He gritted his teeth and tried to pull out the sword. But the more he did, the deeper the knight pushed. The tip of the blade finally pierced through Beric’s body, emerging from his back.

Thud!

The knight kicked Beric’s body away. He stepped over the sprawling form and approached Ian. Kakantir merely propped his chin on his hand, his expression as indifferent as before.

"Ian Bratz. We’re out of time."

He drew a dagger from his waist. Unlike Beric, this would be enough for Ian. With each step he took, the surroundings grew quieter. Only the eerie sound of the sand wind whistled through the air.

"Your death will prove Count Derga Bratz’s innocence. Consider it an honor to die fulfilling your duty."

He raised the dagger. Ian’s gaze followed the tip of the blade, then shifted to a point behind the knight. It wasn’t the reaction of a man facing death, and the knight instinctively paused and turned around.

"Ha."

Beric stood there, unsteadily. His head was bent backward as if possessed by a demon, but his two legs held him firm. He yanked the sword out of his side in one swift motion.

Splash!

Blood erupted like a fountain. He was covered in it, from head to toe. Beric slowly lowered his head, then muttered through gritted teeth.

"...I’m... not done yet, you son of a bitch."

"Just give it a rest already..."

Zing.

It was then. The knight couldn’t continue, struck by a familiar yet strange energy. It was the same feeling he’d witnessed from the Captains during battles with monsters.

Whoosh.

Beric’s hair, which had been swaying gently, began to whip around wildly. The lines drawn in the sand by the wind looked like waves.

"I return one hit with two."

"Damn it! You’re a persistent pain in the ass!"

"Knight, use this."

Kakantir, with a grin, offered his own sword. The knight’s sword, which had been lodged in Beric’s side, was now lying on the ground. Without hesitation, the knight accepted it and charged at Beric.

Slash!

"I’m not dying alone!! I’m going to watch you die first, you bastard!"

"Shut up!"

Beric exploded forward with a burst of power.

Ian noticed his eyes were glowing, just like when he had infused them with his mana. On his blood-soaked face, only his eyes shone brilliantly.

Clang! Clang!

"Argh!"

"What the, fuck..."

Beric pressed his attack with incredible speed. The knight, who had barely managed to evade until now, finally started to bleed. The force behind Beric’s blows was incomparably heavier than before.

Blood splattered with each passing blade. Whose blood it was, no one could tell.

"Die!"

Thunk!

Beric’s attack pierced the knight’s shoulder.

Time seemed to stop. The knight trembled, trying to push the blade away with his other hand...

"Argh!"

Just as the knight had done, Beric leaned in, putting his weight behind the attack. He then lifted the hilt, drawing the sword towards the knight’s heart. As the long, deep wound opened, blood poured out with the knight’s ragged breaths.

"Ah, you..."

"Haa... haa..."

Beric gritted his teeth, then pressed his knee against the knight’s neck. The blade slid out of the shoulder. It pointed upwards, as if to pierce the sun, then, without hesitation, pierced the knight’s throat.

Thunk!

"Ah, fuck, seriously..."

And then, he collapsed onto the sand.

Beric clutched his aching side and curled up. The silence was broken by simultaneous cheers and encouragement.

"Beric! Well done! You rude bastard!"

"Yeah, a fight’s not over till it’s over!"

"Not bad with a sword. Beric, can you hear me?"

"Argh. Don’t talk to me. It hurts too much..."

"Stop being a baby! It’s just a little blood."

"Hey! Someone move him! Where’s the healer?"

Kakantir watched the commotion with a faint smile. He bowed his head to Ian and whispered, seemingly satisfied for some unknown reason.

"I see why you brought him with you, Sir Ian."

"I didn’t bring him, we came together."

"Hahaha. Indeed. He possesses the virtues of a true warrior. This Beric is truly extraordinary."

"Where else would you find someone with such a stubborn, twisted personality?"

The question was about the sand-swirling, eye-flashing ability, but Ian playfully deflected Kakantir’s words. He then approached Beric and crouched down.

"Beric. Try to stay with me."

He snapped his fingers in front of Beric’s face. Beric frowned and tried to bite Ian’s fingers.

"Hey. None of that."

"...This really fucking hurts."

"It looks like it. You did well."

The dormant abilities of a magic swordsman were beginning to awaken on their own. The stimulation Ian had provided with his mana was gradually taking effect. Beric tried to bite Ian’s fingers one last time, then passed out.

"Someone move him."

"Yeah, yeah. We need to stop the bleeding."

"Is he asleep or unconscious?"

"He’s got a hole in his stomach, how could he be asleep? He’s out cold."

The Cheonryeo carried Beric to a tent, each throwing in a comment. A cloth was draped over the knight’s corpse. Nersaren took the reply from the knight’s belongings, then called for Soo.

"Soo. Prepare yourself."

"Ah. Please, no."

Soo instinctively knew what was coming. He crossed his hands in an X, expressing his refusal, but he was promptly ignored. Nersaren called over a subordinate and gave an order.

"Cut off the knight’s head and put it in a box."

"Argh! I’ll just take the paper! Okay? Lord Nersaren."

"No, it must be the head."

There was nothing better to send as a reply to Derga.

Soo jumped up and down, clinging to Nersaren, but it was no use, and soon the knight’s corpse was dismembered. Nersaren turned to Ian and asked,

"Now we just wait for the right moment?"

"That’s right. Now that ’we’ want to break the peace treaty, Derga will immediately engage the central army. Reinforcements are on their way, so delaying will only hurt him. He’ll try to deal with the investigation team first."

The best-case scenario was for Derga to resist fiercely, inflicting losses on both the investigation team and the central army, and then be eliminated. With the Cheonryeo tribe backing him, Ian could then march in and secure a more decisive victory.

"Demosha!"

A warrior carrying the knight’s corpse extended his fist to Ian. It was a greeting, wishing for the blessing of the gods, celebrating Beric’s growth, and solidifying their trust.

Ian lightly bumped his fist against the warrior’s.

"Demosha."

The fighting spirit of the blood-seeking warriors would make the desert even hotter. As if trying to grasp the rising sunlight, Ian’s fist was firm.