Chapter 177
Chapter 177
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 177
Chapter Title: #Barbarian
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‘What the hell is going on?'
The Chaos members were utterly baffled.
Tagneum's unprecedented rampage had erupted, only for the situation to flip in an instant.
They collapsed before Arthur, clutching their heads and writhing in agony.
Their screams were heartbreaking, as if under immense pressure.
All eyes turned to Arthur.
His gaze, wrapped in blood-red aura, was fixed on Tagneum.
"Descendants of the Barbarians, I have awaited you."
Since his eyes turned blood-red, Arthur had become an entirely different person.
His aura, his gaze, his voice, even his speech—all had changed.
Tagneum, his face twisted in pain, asked,
"Wh-what... are you talking about!"
"The rampage temperament can only be borne by the Barbarian bloodline. The power you possess stems from that rampage temperament. And the Barbarians were my direct knight order."
"Your direct knight order? What the hell are you saying!"
Tagneum jerked his head up and bellowed, only to meet Arthur's blood-red eyes.
His body froze solid in that moment.
Then came a deep, resonant voice.
"I am your king."
"......!"
As Tagneum's face filled with shock, Arthur spoke of the golden oath forged a century ago.
"The Barbarians came to this land seeking the temperament of the Overlord, the only force capable of taming the rampage temperament. There, beneath the golden light bathing Grada Castle, they swore loyalty to the Julius family, and I became their king."
"What bullshit! We have no king!"
Tagneum exploded in rage, but he realized something was off with his condition ever since earlier.
The fury boiling within him, beyond his control, was gradually subsiding.
His energy was returning to normal. No— a peace he had never felt before washed over him.
The constant torment of pain and rage, the urge to tear the world apart, was gone.
'What is this?'
Tagneum glanced at the others.
They wore the same bewildered expressions, staring at one another.
"The Overlord's temperament has sealed your power. You are the sword of the Julius family. Never forget that you were once the sharpest blade, one that struck fear into monsters."
With those words, Arthur's blood-red aura faded and vanished.
Back to himself, Arthur furrowed his brow.
'Damn it!'
The moment he activated the Overlord's power, Teheran had suddenly seized control of his mind.
And carried on the conversation with Tagneum.
Hearing the content now, it was another of Teheran's arrangements.
The Barbarians.
Those born with the rampage temperament.
They were foreigners who crossed from the Sharcres Continent in search of one with the Overlord's temperament.
They met Teheran and swore loyalty to the Julius family—their descendants were these very men.
Unfortunately, mana side effects seemed to have prevented them from fully manifesting their rampage temperament.
From Teheran's lingering memories, if fully unleashed, their strength would be several times greater than now.
A century ago, against the monster legions, they alone inflicted massive damage on the enemy forces.
They possessed sturdy bodies and unyielding convictions immune to any temptation.
That was why knights envied and respected them.
But their descendants showed none of that.
Mana's side effects again, it seemed, filling Arthur with regret.
For now, he set aside Teheran's memories and asked them,
"Have you grasped the situation?"
Tagneum struggled to process the sudden turn of events.
He wanted to dismiss the words, but the changes in his own body?
No one had ever accurately described his temperament before, not even those who knew of it.
Every check yielded the same vague response: some unknown special trait.
Yet this man knew it precisely.
He uttered the unexpected word 'Barbarian' and even mentioned the Sharcres Continent.
One of the five continents, never fractured by division, locked in eternal war with monsters.
Even the Sedemons Knight Order, the current emperor of the Sharcrez Continent's imperial guard, was composed entirely of Barbarians—renowned for their unmatched toughness.
Believing Arthur's words made Tagneum's chest burn.
Pride welled up where only disgust for his ugly appearance had been.
A shiver ran through his body.
Unknowingly, he bowed his head to Arthur.
There was no reluctance.
It was pure instinct, a sign of submission.
Not just Tagneum—all of them bowed to Arthur, sharing the same thoughts.
'What the hell...?'
They fell silent, lost in thought.
Once Tagneum's group had calmed, Arthur surveyed the surroundings.
Houses and trees lay in ruins, shattered to pieces.
The gathered Chaos members were wrapped in confusion.
Arthur approached the fallen Selena.
Those blocking his path parted like the Red Sea.
Tarun, holding her, wore a grave expression.
"Her condition is dire."
"What happened?"
"As Your Majesty's aura shifted, Selena began acting strangely and prophesied aloud."
"I heard it too. 'It shall soon unfold.'"
"And when Your Majesty faced their attack, she prophesied once more."
Tarun turned from Selena to Arthur and continued.
"Thus shall the world be dyed in blood, and the river of blood shall come."
"......!"
Artisan flashed in Arthur's mind.
"I thought... Your Majesty had fallen to their attack... and that's what triggered it..."
"Damn it."
Arthur grimaced, thinking of Artisan.
"It erupted somewhere else."
***
"Marquis!"
Drakan, handling Arthur's office duties, shot to his feet as Poshe burst in.
"What's wrong?"
Poshe hurried over and reported.
"The Nanshar Empire has moved!"
"And the situation?"
"Our border defenses are on the brink of collapse. Duke Sahzana's knight order responded, but they won't hold out today."
"Summon Sir Helm and Skevin."
Moments later.
Sir Helm and Skevin entered.
"I heard Nanshar has moved!"
Drakan issued orders the instant he saw them.
"Sir Helm, take all Death Knight Order members except those needed for castle defense and advance to the kingdom's northern border. Sir Skevin, shift Grada Castle to wartime readiness and stand by until His Majesty arrives."
"Understood!"
They saluted sharply and exited swiftly. Then Millerph entered.
"The Nanshar Empire is invading?"
"Yes. I've deployed the Death Knight Order to the border, and Grada Castle is switching to wartime status."
"And His Majesty?"
"Not informed yet."
"Hmm."
Millerph's face hardened.
Defending the border with knights alone was impossible.
It pained him that the mage had to go solo.
He planned to head to the border with the knight order.
"I'm going to the border too."
"No. I'll go with them. Marquis, please handle castle defense."
Millerph nodded.
"Then I'll summon the commanders and devise countermeasures."
"I'll prepare for departure."
As Drakan left the office, Poshe and the commanders entered.
He instructed Poshe,
"Notify the troops at the border immediately. And make sure to relay this to Ban in Shangrni Territory. They might strike the coast too."
"Yes, sir!"
Nanshar Empire's invasion plunged Grada Castle into tension.
Everyone moved busily according to protocol.
An hour later, Drakan and Sir Helm led the Death Knight Order out at speed.
Millerph and the commanders prepared defenses.
Adran took his knight order to the walls, scanning all directions. Mentu assembled his knights before the gates.
He erected a defensive barrier in case the gates fell.
Brizzan waited behind with his men, burning with resolve.
In moments, a heavy air of war hung over Grada Castle.
Meteor and Yubra's group, strolling the castle grounds, sensed the unrest and sought Millerph.
"What's happening?"
Millerph, atop the walls surveying the territory, answered gravely.
"The Nanshar Empire has invaded."
"Imperial war has broken out!"
Meteor's eyes widened.
With Oscar Empire fractured, creating an opening, Nanshar—locked in border standoffs—had struck.
But this was Ruan Emperor versus Artisan's war. Julius Kingdom stepping in made no sense.
"Artisan is more likely to advance on Kristen capital than Julius Kingdom."
"True, but we're preparing for variables."
"What variables, if I may ask?"
Millerph met Meteor's gaze instead of answering immediately.
"Why do you want to know?"
"If they come here, we're all at risk. We need to understand the situation, don't we?"
Millerph nodded and addressed them all.
"First, a question. We're in the same boat now—will you fight alongside us?"
"Apologies. We don't act independently without the captain's orders."
"And if they breach the gates?"
"We'd find a way to survive."
"Wise."
Before descending the stairs, Millerph added,
"Then, until you decide, can I ask you to guard inside the castle against emergencies?"
"That much, we can do."
"Thank you."
Millerph descended without hesitation.
Meteor watched him briefly, then asked Yubra,
"What do you think of my decision?"
"Same as always. But..."
"What?"
"It feels off..."
Yubra glanced at their comrades with a stiff expression.
They looked uneasy too. One scratched his head and spoke.
"It's random, but... you really have no intention of joining them?"
"Hmm..."
Meteor let out a low hum.
Yubra watched his reaction and added,
"If the captain says no, we head back... right?"
"......"
They all looked glum.
Meteor realized the hospitality, attention, and genuine smiles from the locals had melted their walls.
"What do you want to do?"
"I..."
Yubra hesitated, then averted his eyes downward.
"I like it... here. Especially playing with the kids..."
"Me too."
"Especially Irene—she's so cute."
Recalling fun times with the child, they all smiled faintly.
***
At that moment, Arthur entrusted Selom's migration escort to Jonathan and headed to Grada Castle.
Natasha and Chaos's combat personnel followed at a distance.
Of course, Tagneum and the Barbarians came too.
Natasha hadn't decided to serve him yet, but if Grada Castle fell, they'd be wanderers.
She wanted Selom's people to experience the life they had there.
Thus, they had reason to defend Grada Castle.
"Hurry!"
Natasha pushed full speed, but the gap with Arthur only widened.
Observing him so far, he differed vastly from the family heads, kings, and rulers she knew.
Despite his absolute power surpassing theirs.
He cared for subordinates, never mistreating underlings or commoners.
He called soldiers not 'subordinates' but 'comrades' or even 'family.'
Ruthless as a king against enemies, warm toward his own.
But pledging loyalty chafed.
And her observation time was short.
Meteor and Yubra in Grada Castle might have seen sides she missed.
So, decisions would wait until arrival.
That aside.
She couldn't shake Selena's prophecy.
*'River of blood'... Arthur's reaction ruled out Ruan Emperor or Tomoya Kingdom. Then monsters from the western mountains...'
Invasions had occurred before—plausible.
Anyway, she prayed nothing disrupted Selom's people's new lives.
*'Please!'*