Chapter 233
Chapter 233
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 233
Chapter Title: 92. Overlord Banner (1)
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Yuri led the Vengeance Knights toward the central region where the small kingdom alliance had gathered.
The first country they arrived at was a place called Anabas, one of the small nations that had managed to maintain its existence for a long time despite frequent name changes.
Gazing up at the imposing walls of Anabas, Yuri spoke.
"If a battle breaks out in Anabas, handle it on your own. Simon."
"Pardon? Me, sir?"
"Yes. There's no need for me to step in and raise my sword just yet."
"I-I'll do my best."
Yuri's goal was to visit every single one of the dozens of kingdoms without exception.
It might have been more efficient to target only the key nations at the heart of the alliance, but Yuri didn't think that level of effort would convince the small kingdom alliance.
He would visit them all and speak to each one personally.
That was the best approach in Yuri's mind.
"Alright, let's go! Raise Brioll's flag high!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Don't show any disgraceful behavior. Just act like true Briollians."
"Yes, sir!"
Yuri ordered the Vengeance Knights' standard bearer to hoist the flag high, then spurred his horse toward the walls.
Having sent a herald ahead, the Anabas side was already aware of Yuri's visit.
The guards offered their respects and opened the gates without a word.
Yuri and the Vengeance Knights entered Anabas in formation.
The residents of Anabas whispered among themselves as they watched the Vengeance Knights arrive with their flag held proudly aloft.
Yuri rode at the front, chin raised in a dignified posture.
The name Yuri Brioll murmured softly among the residents. Even in the small kingdom alliance, tales of his exploits were widely known.
But the atmosphere was generally chaotic.
Jared grumbled.
"They don't exactly look thrilled to see us."
"You're all scowling. Smile a bit."
"Didn't you just say to act like Briollians?"
"Is that what a Briollian looks like?"
Soon, Yuri entered the castle and met the king of Anabas in the throne room. He was a sturdy middle-aged man with long, curly hair.
He spread his arms wide to welcome Yuri.
"It's an honor to meet the famed prince of Brioll."
"The honor is mine, Your Majesty."
"You're even more striking than the rumors suggest."
"Thank you."
Yuri responded politely. Though a small kingdom, the man was still a king. Yuri had come to persuade the alliance, not to subjugate them.
After the formal greetings, Yuri immediately requested a private audience.
"Might Your Majesty and I speak alone?"
"Alone?"
The ministers standing nearby exchanged uneasy glances, signaling for refusal.
But the king of Anabas nodded boldly, unconcerned.
"Sure, why not."
The ministers spoke up.
"Your Majesty, a private meeting is too dangerous."
"Please, let us stay with you."
"At least keep some guards."
The king of Anabas furrowed his brow.
"Are you suggesting Brioll's prince threatens me?"
"That's not it, but..."
"If I'm afraid to even speak alone, I'll become a laughingstock. The people will call me a coward. Isn't that right, prince of Brioll?"
"Haha..."
True to his appearance, the king of Anabas had a bold personality. He waved off his worried ministers and remained alone with Yuri in the throne room.
"So, what is it you want to discuss with me?"
"It's about the Empire."
"I figured as much. To be frank, our small kingdom alliance intends to remain neutral. We have no desire to get involved in the conflict between the Empire and your four nations. You know what happens to the shrimp caught in a whale fight."
"I understand Your Majesty's position. But this isn't just our problem. The entire continent is in danger."
"What do you mean?"
"The Empire has reached out to dark powers."
Yuri explained about the Empire and black magic.
The king of Anabas listened intently, stroking his chin.
He tilted his head at first, but as Yuri mentioned Oqua, his expression grew serious. By the time he reached human sacrifices and otherworldly beings, he let out a long sigh.
"No reason for you to lie to me..."
"It's all true."
"Learning so many shocking truths at once is disorienting."
The king of Anabas murmured while staring at the ceiling.
"But even if I believe you, there's no guarantee others will. They might just think you're some madman."
"That's why I'm preparing countermeasures."
"It's like something out of a novel. The Empire trying to conquer the world with black magic..."
"Your Majesty."
Looking at the king of Anabas, Yuri pulled something from his bosom.
"I humbly make a proposal. Would you care to see this?"
What he took out was a small box.
"This contains proof of black magic."
"Is that so?"
Inside the box was a fragment of parchment from the Demon's Grimoire.
While organizing a replica of the Demon's Grimoire, he had processed one of the fragments to weaken the black magic and preserved it.
It was a tool that allowed one to directly feel what black magic was.
"Honestly, it won't be pleasant. But would you touch it?"
"Hmm..."
The king of Anabas took the box from Yuri without much caution.
"What's inside?"
"A fragment of parchment infused with black magic. Touching it will let you feel just how evil it is."
The king of Anabas opened the lid.
On velvet lay a worn parchment scrap, its surface bearing half-severed words in an unknown language.
The moment he saw it, the king felt a sudden tightness in his chest.
Taking a deep breath, he looked at Yuri.
"Feels off. Is this safe?"
"Only a very weak remnant power remains, nothing threatening. But if you're concerned, you don't have to touch it."
The king of Anabas chuckled.
"Now you make it impossible to refuse."
With that, he reached out and touched the parchment with his fingertip.
Yuri watched the king of Anabas closely.
His eyes stared blankly into space, as if chasing something only he could see.
Probably the horrific scenes embedded in the parchment flashing by.
His pupils trembled wildly.
"Are you alright?"
It didn't last long. The king of Anabas soon placed the box on the table beside the throne with a shaking hand.
He blinked repeatedly for a while.
"What... was that?"
"A piece from the Demon's Grimoire, the origin of black magic. You just experienced the resentment and demonic energy accumulated within it."
"Whoa..."
Even a single glimpse of the visions within made it impossible to dismiss black magic as mere fantasy. That was the purpose of the tool.
But with the residual magic fading, its effectiveness wouldn't last forever.
"That's the black magic the Empire has touched. If we don't stop them, the continent will be engulfed in the flames of war."
"Mm..."
The king of Anabas, who had been relaxed at first, now wore a grave expression. Having experienced black magic firsthand, a sense of crisis seemed to overwhelm him.
But even he couldn't act immediately.
"Give me a moment."
"Of course."
The king of Anabas fell into thought.
After a silence, he spoke.
"You've come to persuade the central small kingdom alliance, right?"
"Yes."
Yuri met the king of Anabas's eyes clearly.
"We must stop the Empire."
"Frankly, though I mentioned neutrality earlier, the alliance leans toward the Empire. No need to make an enemy of them unnecessarily."
"I know. That's why I'm here—to let you know that allying with the Empire leads to an even more horrific end."
"I understand your intent. It's eye-opening. But as you might guess, the alliance won't move easily."
"Then we persuade them one by one."
"Will it really work...?"
The king of Anabas leaned back in his throne.
As he crossed his arms and closed his eyes, Yuri simply waited.
"Hold on. Bear with me."
With those words, the king suddenly pulled out a cigarette and lit it.
It was the first time Yuri had seen the king smoke.
"Hoo..."
With a deeply clouded expression as he puffed on the cigarette, he suddenly said,
"Don't take up this habit, lad."
"Ah, yes."
"You smoke cigarettes to see your own sighs..."
"Y-Yes."
The king of Anabas, smoking with a deadpan face, soon flicked the cigarette into the air. The butt rolled across the floor and stopped on the carpet.
"I'll give you one piece of help. This is huge. You can look forward to it."
Yuri nodded, though he wasn't entirely reassured by the king of Anabas, who reeked of tobacco smoke.
Taking a deep breath, the king said,
"We'll hold the Overlord Banner War."
Yuri's eyes widened.
"What's that?"
"You don't know much about the history of the central small kingdom alliance, do you?"
"Honestly, no."
Every nation has its founding myths or legends.
Just as Brioll's founder, Erich Brioll, was a legendary swordsman, the central small kingdom alliance had its own central figure.
A man called the "Overlord."
No information or even his name remained. Only that he was born of humble origins, displayed the prowess of an overlord, and subjugated the central continent as his territory.
But his empire didn't last. The moment he died, the land splintered into dozens of pieces, and that fragmentation was the origin of the current small kingdom alliance.
"Common tale so far. But have you ever properly seen the alliance's flags?"
"Pardon?"
"Don't they look odd?"
Yuri nodded.
National flags usually feature symbols, but the small kingdom alliance's flags were all abstract. Roughly matched colors with random strokes.
"It's because they're fragments."
"What?"
"They cut up the ancient Overlord's flag and divided the corners among themselves."
"Ah..."
It was a fact Yuri had never known. Even in his previous life, he'd never heard this story.
"The Overlord's flag was said to be enormous. After his death, as the land split into small kingdoms, each king took a piece of it as their symbol. A wish that one day, like the ancient Overlord, they would gather all the flags and unify the territory."
"I see..."
"There are sixteen pieces in total. The alliance now has just over twenty kingdoms, but the true core is those sixteen."
The king of Anabas caught his breath and continued.
"And the event to gather those flags is the Overlord Banner War."
"Overlord Banner War?"
Yuri's eyes widened again.
"You don't mean..."
"Exactly. Duels to seize the flags."
"Incredible."
"Of course, gathering all the flags doesn't actually make you the central king. It's an ancient custom with no real binding force. We have over twenty nations now, after all."
"Yes."
"But if you hold the Overlord Banner War and truly complete the Overlord Banner, you could persuade the alliance. It carries that much significance."
Yuri's mind raced with this new information.
He had planned to visit each nation, hold friendly matches to assert dominance, and if persuasion failed, resort to threats to reveal the Empire's truth.
But there was this unforeseen method: the Overlord Banner War.
"How exactly does the Overlord Banner War work?"
"Simple. Modeled after the Overlord and his Four Great Generals, five people duel in sequence. First to three wins takes it."
In other words, a team battle where five fought in order.
"What do you say? Interested?"
Yuri answered without hesitation.
"Of course."
"Good."
The king of Anabas grinned.
"Then let's start with us. Beat us, and I'll give you Anabas's flag. You'll be an official participant in the Overlord Banner War."
"Thank you."
"No need for thanks."
The king of Anabas sighed.
"I'm worried too, after seeing that. The continent's future really concerns me now."
"Still, thank you."
"If you're grateful, complete the Overlord Banner. I'd love to see it in my lifetime."
Yuri and the king of Anabas looked at each other and smiled.
"By the way, Your Majesty."
"Hm?"
"That thing's still lit."
"What?"
"You didn't fully put it out."
The cigarette butt the king of Anabas had tossed was still smoldering. The carpet began to smolder and the flames grew.
The king of Anabas panicked.
"Put it out! Out!"
"Pardon?"
"Th-that's expensive!"
"Ah, yes."
"Stomp it!"
"Stomping now."
The commotion in the throne room prompted the waiting ministers and knights outside to hurriedly open the doors.
"Your Majesty!"
"What happened...!"
"Are you alright?!"
And what they witnessed was...
Two men frantically tap-dancing on the burning carpet.